As you now know from this magazine’s front cover, the theme for this year’s NVAR Convention & Trade Show is “Own Your Brand:Inspire. Connect. Grow.” As we support your volunteer leaders in creating an amazing and impactful event, it helps to reflect on how we all “own” the NVAR and Realtor® brand.

While “owning our brand” could certainly be a restatement of our NVAR mission – “to elevate Realtor® success by delivering exceptional value, driving innovation and impacting the industry”– or our three strategic drivers, “value, innovation and impact,” ultimately, our brand is your business.

NVAR is all of you. Your business needs and goals are the reason that we are here. And your leadership drives the mission and vision of the organization.

Did you know that there are 28 volunteer groups at NVAR that rely on members just like you? Between now and Oct. 13, I encourage you to visit NVAR.com/ getinvolved. Check out all of the ways to step up into a position of leadership and be the guiding force behind the Realtor® brand. There are opportunities for every level of experience and a wide range of interests.

There’s another simple way for each and every member of NVAR to have leadership input in the organization: choose your directors! Get to know the candidates for your 2019 Board of Directors. Next, please vote online between Sept. 5 and Oct. 5 at store.nvar.com/voting. The winning candidates will be announced during our annual meeting at the Oct. 9 Convention &Trade Show. You’ll also have the opportunity at that meeting to vote on changes to the NVAR Bylaws that will increase Board accountability, improve our governance and enhance transparency.

Which brings me back to Convention: don’t miss it! Join over 2,000 of your colleagues at the Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale on Oct. 9. This is an incredible member benefit. I also encourage you to visit NVAR.com/convention to see videos about how some of your fellow Northern Virginia Realtors® own their brand, and to learn how you can share your brand story, too.

At NVAR, we own our brand, as the voice of real estate taking the industry further, by ensuring your success. Reinforce the Realtor® brand by getting involved, casting your vote, and ensuring leadership and governance that keeps us all moving forward.

Ryan Conrad, CAE, CIPS, RCE, e-Pro NVAR Chief Executive Officer rconrad@nvar.com