Jessica Edgerton, CEO of the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS), welcomed guests to the CMLS Open House 2026 conference by calling for an embrace of discomfort and moving quickly to break down silos that have long divided real estate.
“We are in a time of incredible change and boy do we have a lineup for you over the next couple of days that reflects exactly the energy and the conversation that all of us need,” Edgerton told attendees. “We are in an amazing time in our industry.”
Edgerton — who took the helm at CMLS earlier this year after 10 years as chief legal officer at Leading Real Estate Companies of the World — invoked management theorist Peter Drucker to make her case for vigorous debate.
“One does not make a decision unless there is disagreement,” she said, quoting Drucker. “Why is that? Because disagreement is needed to stimulate the imagination. If we are not fighting a little bit, we’re not getting uncomfortable. We’re not going to get anywhere with the creativity and the inspiration that we need.
“We need to be inspired to move, to create, to think and not to be afraid of making sure that everything is in lockstep.”
New advocacy role takes shape
During a sit-down interview with Dionna Hall, CEO of the Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors and BeachesMLS, Edgerton described her leadership philosophy.
“My leadership style is really grounded in the fact that I love people,” Edgerton said. “I am a people person. It sounds trite, but it is servant leadership. I am here very much in the service of everyone in this room.”
Edgerton outlined a newly created advocacy position at CMLS — explaining that the organization plans to work alongside the National Association of Realtors (NAR) at the federal level while pursuing state-level efforts on its own.
“There is a lot of legislation being considered,” she said. “We need CMLS and the MLS community needs a broader, more amplified voice across the country to explain exactly who we are and what we do.”
She noted that many lawmakers lack a basic understanding of what an MLS is, describing meetings on Capitol Hill where conversations had to begin “from square one.”
“This is by no means a jab at NAR,” Edgerton said. “They do wonderful work for the industry. But I’m not sure if we’ve been front and center with their advocacy board. Guess who is going to be front and center when it comes to all things moving forward, whether it is federal, whether it is state, whether it is local? It is us in this room.”
Breaking down silos
Edgerton announced a new broker membership tier at CMLS — aimed at bringing brokerage perspectives into the MLS conversation.
eXp Realty and HomeServices of America have already joined as broker members and supporters of the MLS advocacy program, she said.
“One of the critiques that I have for the quarter century that I’ve been operating in the real estate industry is that it’s an industry we tend to operate within silos, and that is unhealthy,” Edgerton said. “We are an echo chamber loving crew and it is CMLS’s job to break down those silos.”
Looking ahead, Edgerton said CMLS will host four regional in-person events next year, building toward a larger open house in Dallas in 2027.
“Bigger, stronger and faster,” she said. “The faster part needs to happen immediately for the bigger and stronger parts to happen.”
She closed with a simple request for attendees; get involved.
“Take advantage of everything, share your ideas, get my cell phone, call me — you cannot bother me,” Edgerton said. “I want to hear the spicy ideas that you have for me. I want to hear your hopes, your dreams, your wishes, your complaints. Please be in touch, talk, move fast.”
