In the sixth and final “REALTORS® who made a difference in 2020” story, we highlight the careers of several retiring Illinois REALTOR® leaders and their successors for 2021.

Gary Clayton, who served 33 years as CEO of Illinois REALTORS® officially retires from that position on Dec. 31. Learn about some of the ways he helped the association grow during his tenure. In 2020, the Legacy Award and the Gary L. Clayton Scholarship Fund were created to commemorate the decades of contributions he gave to the real estate community.

Following in Clayton’s footsteps is Deputy CEO Jeff Baker. The two have worked together during the past year to ensure a seamless transition. Baker shares his vision for 2021.

Illinois REALTORS® Senior Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Julie Sullivan also retired at year end after a 31-year career as our lobbyist. Also retiring is Vice President of Operations Len Taylor after 32 years with our association. He will be replaced by Deputy Vice President of Operations Cathy Madaus. And several other association staff members were rewarded for their service commitment to members.

During 2020, Baker launched several projects that will play prominent roles in the coming year:

Read all the “REALTORS® who made a difference in 2020” stories in this six-part series.