CABR Membership,
It gives the CABR CEO Search Committee great pleasure to notify you that we have selected our next CEO. Mr. Richard (Rich) Fletcher has accepted our CEO position. He will start on or around November 30, 2020.
Mr. Fletcher comes to us from South Carolina I-77 Alliance, an economic development concern in Richburg, SC, where he served as its CEO for the past 6 years. During his tenure at the South Carolina I-77 Alliance, a startup organization, Mr. Fletcher regularly interacted with business executives, elected officials, corporate executives and economic development professionals to promote and generate economic development activity across a 5-county region covering Central South Carolina.
Prior to serving as CEO of the South Carolina I-77 Alliance, Mr. Fletcher served as a freelance blogger providing crypto exchange reviews, as well as as Manager, Economic Development and Local Government for the SCANA Corporation, a utility with regulated electric and natural gas utility operations company. Mr. Fletcher was responsible for building relationships, and economic development initiatives across 25 counties in Eastern and Southern South Carolina. He worked with local governments to facilitate growth throughout the region. In this role, Mr. Fletcher worked closely with area business executives and sat on several Boards representing SCANA’s senior
leaders.
Mr. Fletcher holds a Bachelor of Arts, Urban and Economic Geography from The Ohio State University (summa cum laude) and a Master of Regional Planning in Economic Development and Real Estate Finance from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Additionally, Mr. Fletcher has attended the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Ok Economic Development Institute and the College of Charleston, South Carolina Economic Developers’ School.
The search committee interviewed candidates during its national search, both within the REALTOR® Association Executive community and the general business community.
Mr. Fletcher rose to the top of our list after extensive interviewing and in-person meetings. We strongly believe Mr. Fletcher has the experience, executive skill, and leadership qualities to support our associations continued growth and meet the challenges of an ever-evolving real estate industry.
Mr. Fletcher is married and will relocate to the Greater Cincinnati area.
Your current CEO, Jim Abele, is retiring after 36 years with the Board and MLS. His last day at CABR will be Wednesday, Nov. 25. We wish Jim well in his retirement.
Best Regards,
Kelly Meyer, President
Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors