Illinois REALTORS® is overseen by a leadership team of a 28-member Board of Directors, which includes four officers: the president, president-elect, treasurer and immediate past president.
Meet our leadership team
Officers
Designated managing broker-partner
Century 21 Affiliated
Westchester
Michael Gobber
Gobber, ABR, C2EX, CIPS, CNC, CSC, GRI, SFR, began his real estate career in 1999. He is a member of the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® and served on its Board of Directors for nearly a decade. He led the local association as its 2019 president.
At the state level, Gobber is a member of the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors and has chaired the Professional Standards and Finance committees. He has also served on the REALTORS® Political Involvement Working Group, Executive Committee and the Real Estate Educational Foundation (REEF) Board of Directors.
His state association involvement also includes belonging to the Young Professionals Network and serving as a State Legislative Contact. He was a member of the Illinois REALTORS® Leadership Development Class in 2017. Gobber is a supporter of REALTOR® political advocacy and is a “Golden R-President’s Circle” investor in the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC).
He is on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors and is a member of the 2022 Strategic Planning Committee. His previous committee appointments include NAR’s Consumer Communications Committee, the Broker Engagement Council and the Federal Financing & Housing Policy Committee. Gobber also was one of 24 REALTORS® from around the country chosen for NAR’s 2021 Leadership Academy.
In his community, he served on the Westchester Chamber of Commerce for 15 years, including one as president. He has served on the Westchester Fest Committee, Veterans Day Run committee and Westchester Fest Economic Development Committee. He volunteers with the BEDS Plus emergency housing program and the men’s club at the Divine Infant Jesus Catholic Church.
Gobber earned a bachelor’s degree in operations management from Northern Illinois University. He and his wife, Michele, live in Elmhurst. They have two children, Katie and Eddie.
Partner and senior broker
Corcoran Urban Real Estate
Chicago
Matt Silver
REALTOR® Matt Silver, of Chicago, is the 2023 President-elect of Illinois REALTORS®. He is a partner and senior broker with Corcoran Urban Real Estate in Chicago.
Silver, C2EX, CRS, ePRO, GRI, began his real estate career in 1998. He is a member of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) and has served on its Board of Directors. He is a past president of CAR, was named its 2018 REALTOR® of the Year and received its 2013 REALTOR® Achievement Award. He serves on CAR’s Audit and Professional Standards committees.
At the state level, Silver is a member of the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors and has chaired the REALTORS® Political Involvement Working Group, the Education Working Group, the Professional Standards Committee, the Finance Committee and Grievance Committee. He is the Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of the 10th District. He has led the REALTORS® Institute Working Group, REALTORS® Political Involvement Working Group and has served on the Real Estate Educational Foundation (REEF) Board of Directors. He served as 2015 REEF president and was a dean of the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI).
Silver is a supporter of REALTOR® political advocacy and is a “Golden R-President’s Circle” investor in the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC). He has served multiple terms on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors and 2021 chaired NAR’s Federal Legislative and Political Forum. Earlier this year, he was awarded Illinois REALTORS®’ Political Involvement Award in recognition of his political and grassroots achievements.
He has earned several industry designations and endorsements, including Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI), ePRO certification and the NAR Commitment to Excellence C2EX endorsement.
In his community, Silver serves on the Board of Directors for the True Value Boys & Girls Clubs in the Little Village neighborhood, he’s an ambassador for All Chicago: Making homelessness history, a local organization with a mission to end homelessness. Silver also serves on Pi Kappa Phi’s National Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Silver earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. He lives in Chicago with his 22-year-old son, Grant, who is a recent graduate of Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Co-founder and owner
Weinberg Choi Residential at Keller Williams ONEChicago
Chicago
Tommy Choi
REALTOR® Tommy Choi, of Chicago, is the 2023 Treasurer of Illinois REALTORS®. He is co-founder and owner of Weinberg Choi Residential at Keller Williams ONEChicago.
Choi, AHWD, C2EX, began his real estate career in 2007. He is a member of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) and has served as its president in 2019, the first Korean-American to lead the local association. In 2020, he was named CAR’s REALTOR® of the Year.
At the state level, Choi has served multiple terms on the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors, is a State Legislative Contact for state Rep. Greg Harris of the 13th District and chaired the association’s Strategic Planning Committee in 2021. He is a 2014 graduate of the Illinois REALTORS® Leadership Development Program.
Choi is a longtime contributor to the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) and in 2020 was inducted into the RPAC Hall of Fame for an aggregate lifetime investment of at least $25,000. He is the Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of the 5th District.
He has been actively involved at the national level, serving multiple terms on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors and graduating from NAR’s Leadership Academy in 2018. In 2019, he chaired NAR’s Young Professionals Network Advisory Board and in 2021, he was chosen to serve as the Vice President of Association Affairs for NAR. In 2023, he will serve as vice chair of the RPAC Participation Council.
Crain’s Chicago Business named Choi to its “40 Under 40” class of 2020. Crain’s annual list recognizes business and industry leaders making an impact in Chicago.
Choi earned a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University in Peoria. He lives on the North Side of Chicago with his wife, Tesha; their three daughters, Henly, Mosely and Mayer, and dog Macy.
EXIT Strategy Realty/EMA Management
South Side of Chicago
Ezekiel “Zeke” Morris
Morris began his real estate career in 1989. He is a member and past president of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and was named its local REALTOR® of the year in 2013. The Chicago association awards a Zeke Morris Scholarship supporting the education efforts of those who have shown a commitment to the stabilization and economic development of southside Chicago communities.
At the state level, Morris has been involved in a number of working groups and committees and has chaired the Finance Committee, Housing Opportunity Working Group, the Bylaws Committee, the Public Policy and Government Affairs Member Involvement Group and the State Legislative Contacts Working Group. He has served multiple terms on the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors and is the state association’s first African American president.
Morris understands the power a strong REALTOR® political advocacy program can have on the industry. He is among an elite group of REALTORS® nationwide who have been inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Hall of Fame for lifetime contributions of at least $25,000.
At the national level, Morris is serving on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors and was its 2020 Liaison for Community Engagement. Morris has lent his expertise to a variety of committees including Housing Opportunity, Diversity, Federal Housing Policy, Risk Management Issues, State and Local Issues Policy Committee, Smart Growth Advisory Board and the Multicultural Real Estate Leadership Advisory Group. Morris chaired NAR’s Fair Housing Act Anniversary Working Group and the Fair Housing Act Anniversary Implementation Group and helped spearhead the national association’s efforts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act in 2018.
Morris earned a bachelor’s degree from Upper Iowa University and is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and is involved in the church’s housing ministry.
He also serves as president of the board of directors for Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc., a Chicago human services organization that offers educational programs, child development, senior services, vocational training, mental health and residential services.
He and his wife, Adrena, live in Willowbrook. They have three children Alexandria, Emmanuel and Andra.
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Leadership news
Illinois REALTORS® committee chairs and vice chairs chosen for 2023
Stephanie Sievers2022-10-06T17:16:47-05:00
Congratulations to the Illinois REALTORS® chosen as committee chairs and vice chairs for 2023. These individuals help shape the association's policies, make recommendations to [...]
2023 Illinois REALTORS® President Michael Gobber
Stephanie Sievers2022-09-26T10:40:03-05:00
Congratulations to 2023 Illinois REALTORS® President Michael Gobber, who was celebrated Tuesday night during the association’s 105th Inaugural Gala in Oak Brook. “Illinois REALTORS® [...]
Five Illinois REALTORS® chosen to serve as NAR committee vice chairs in 2023
Stephanie Sievers2022-07-14T13:14:00-05:00
Congratulations to Tommy Choi, John LeTourneau, Nykea Pippion McGriff, Debbie Prodehl and Pradeep Shukla on being named to new leadership positions for [...]
