Move, Inc.’s high profile hire
ListHub, a Move, Inc. company, recently brought on John Whitney as their VP of Industry Relations. Whitney graduated Cum Laude from Chapman University, and began his career in active service in the U.S. Navy as a Database Installation and Training Manager, and earned the Navy Achievement Medal for outstanding performance of duty. Whitney is a veteran of the Gulf War and most recently was the Director of National Sales at Sentrilock, and was previously the Executive Director at the Central Valley Association of Realtors and at the Southwest Multiple Listing Service.
Whitney said, “Real estate is my family business. My parents were brokers and my wife and I have devoted the bulk of our careers to the industry. As I sit on the cusp of a 20 year relationship with this family, I feel a special responsibility to the industry to make things better, to use my past experiences to bring unique insights to the discussion, to be a collaborative partner, and to serve in any way I can. I owe a lot to the real estate community that has served me and my family so well.”
When we touched base with Whitney to see how his transition is going, he told us that his biggest surprise is that he originally believed ListHub syndication to be a datafeed. “I was surprised to learn that it is much more than that. It’s a platform that allows MLSs and brokers to manage their businesses much more effectively. They are looking to provide more choices to agents and their clients. But, they are looking to do that in a controlled way under a set of guidelines that protect the integrity of their information and ensure a great experience for sellers and consumers. I see a lot of opportunity and was encouraged by the potential for this platform.”
Whitney told AGBeat that the most difficult part of his transition has been “shifting focus and learning where I can use my experiences to bring unique contributions – layered on top of all the “new-ness” that a transition like this brings,” but quickly notes that “The easiest transition has been with the people. The people most passionate about this industry tend to stick around. It gives us a great opportunity to build quality relationships and support each other as we bring our talents to different arenas. I’ve been overwhelmed with the amount of support they have given me.”
Whitney’s new role, navigating muddy waters
Whitney’s role at ListHub is to ensure that data providers have all of their needs met, which Whitney says “includes keeping our partners aware and informed as well as engaging with the industry to ensure that our platform and services provide real value.”
“We need to be proactively identifying challenges and opportunities so we can be part of the solution,” he added. “We have unique responsibility to this industry. A key part of that is continuously fostering an excellent experience so we can all encourage choices to meet the evolving needs and expectations of MLSs, Associations, franchises, brokers, agents, and consumers.”
Whitney is aware that he is changing his role in the industry in an era of contention surrounding listing syndication. “The real estate industry is quick to grab onto new technologies and in many cases plays a pioneering role. Sometimes when you swim in new waters the way is unclear, the waters are muddy. What ListHub offers is clarity, data to confirm the route, a compass to keep things on track. As we continue to forge ahead through the murkiness, we know where we are going, because we have the data to confirm our direction and tell us when to turn when we need to.”
As a fresh pair of eyes on the company, Whitney says it’s hard to tell what the company will look like in the future. “Our responsibility is to ensure consumers have the best experience possible and are fully engaged with real estate professionals. Their expectations will expand, morph, and adapt in ways we can’t imagine. We can’t predict how this will change us, but we know it will. We want it to. It’s exciting to be part of it.”
