The New England REALTORS® Committee Represents
Region 1 of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)
RHODE ISLAND
SALLEY HERSEY
2024 President
William & Stuart Real Estate - Cranston, RI
Sally was a life-long Cranston, RI resident, who now makes her home in North Smithfield with her husband Todd, their son Dane, and their rescue dog Cleo. She is the current President for the Rhode Island Association of Realtors® and serves on the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island and National Association of Realtors®. She was 2018 President for the Greater Providence Board, 2021 Realtor® of the Year and their 2019 Lear Award recipient.
She personally owns investment properties and a second home in Narragansett, and can guide her clients in all areas of real estate, whether they are buying their primary residence, investing, or purchasing a second home. She is experienced in all of RI as well as neighboring cities and towns in MA. Sally is a magna cum laude graduate in business from Johnson & Wales University, and a graduate from Bryant University’s Certificate In Leadership Excellence for Realtors®. She believes that all REALTORS® need to constantly continue their education to maintain the highest level of service and professionalism.
CHRIS WHITTEN
President-Elect
Premeer Real Estate Inc. - Smithfield, RI
Leadership:
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RI REALTORS President-Elect [Board of Directors since 2019]
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RI’s Statewide MLS President 2019 & 2020 [Board of Directors since 2016]
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NAR FPC [Federal Political Coordinator] for RI US Senator Jake Reed [2020-present]
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National Association of REALTORS Consumer Communications Committee [2024]
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REALTOR Association of Central MA Board of Directors [2022-present]
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RI REALTORS Government Affairs Committee Member [2020-present]
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NRIBR Local President 2020 [Board of Directors since 2016]
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NRIBR Community Action Committee Chair 2018 & 2019, 2024
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RACM Professional Development Committee Chair 2019 & 2020
Accolades:
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Rhode Island REALTOR of the Year 2021 [RIAR]
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Northern RI REALTOR of the Year 2018 & 2021 [NRIBR - Lincoln, RI]
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REALTOR Rookie of the Year 2010 [RACM - Auburn, MA]
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Golden ‘R’ Award recipient 2020 [NRIBR - Lincoln, RI]
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President’s Award recipient 2020 [RACM - Auburn, MA]
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Excellence in Leadership & Business graduate from Bryant University 2018 & 2019
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Endorsed member of NAR’s Commitment to Excellence [C2EX] Program
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Good Neighbor Award recipient 2022 [NRIBR - Lincoln, RI]
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Community Leader Award [2019] from Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
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Omega Tau Rho [honorary fraternity] Medallion of Service [2022] from NAR
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Ben Mondor Community Leader Award [2023] Northern RI Chamber of Commerce
Community:
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Premeer Gives Back Foundation President [2013-present]
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Uxbridge Premeer 4th of July Committee [2016-present]
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Premeer Green Team Community Cleanup Chair [2017-present]
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Proud member of the Blackstone Valley, Auburn & Northern RI Chamber of Commerce
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Active Boy Scout Leader @ Troop 1 Greenville [2016-present]
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Youth Basketball Coach [2012-present]
BRYANT DaCRUZ
Immediate Past President
Century 21 Guardian Realty - Charlestown, RI
In 1997, Bryant graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an honors degree in Entrepreneurship and then embarked on a career in business. Shortly thereafter, he fortunately stumbled into the real estate industry.
In his first year as a REALTOR, he was named Rookie of the Year in a firm with over 200 agents and since 2004 he has been very fortunate to have been involved in producing well over 100 million dollars in sales volume.
Bryant feels strongly about giving back to the REALTOR organization and has served as secretary of the Rhode Island Association of REALTORS, board member of the Kent-Washington Association of REALTORS and chairman of that board’s Government Affairs Committee. He is currently the president-elect of the Rhode Island Association of REALTORS.
Bryant is always ready to lend a helping hand and has often motivated others to do the same.
From 2005 to 2013, he was an integral part of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of RI—Greater Providence, Inc. where they built 11 homes in his last year on the board. He also served as Past Vice President of the South Kingstown Town Council and as an advisory board member of the Ocean State Waves baseball organization. Just some of his other civic contributions include his service as chair of a 13-member School Building Committee for the town of South Kingstown and as a volunteer firefighter for the Union Fire District. He is a member of Hope Lodge #25 of Free & Accepted Masons and South Kingstown Elks Club #1899 and is the current president of the South Kingstown Lions Club.
On a personal note, he is the son of immigrant parents who came to this county from the Cape Verde Islands in 1969. In addition to a rich cultural heritage, his lineage has provided him with fluency in two languages, English and Creole. Bryant and his wife Kerin of twenty years, live in Wakefield, Rhode Island with their two children, Evan and Ryan.
As a real estate professional, he’s involved in all aspects of real estate, including residential and commercial. He believes strongly in building long-term relationships with his clients…relationships that are built on trust.
PHIL TEDESCO
CEO
Philip Tedesco, RCE, CAE, CIPS, has been involved in membership and services marketing for non-profit organizations for over 29 years. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Association of REALTORS® and State-Wide MLS and the Executive Director of REALTOR® Foundation: Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Association of REALTORS® (RIAR) is one of the largest trade organizations in the state, representing more than 5,000 professionals in the real estate industry. RIAR supports its members in conducting their real estate businesses ethically and competently. State-Wide MLS, a cooperative real estate database of listing and sale information for all of Rhode Island, facilitates over $5.1 billion in real estate sales annually.
Prior to his arrival in Rhode Island, he was the CEO for the Tucson Association of REALTORS® and TAR Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Arizona, and the CEO for the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS®, as well as the Santa Cruz Association of REALTORS®, in California. Additionally, he has served as the Vice President of Marketing at the REALTOR® Association of Greater Miami and as the Director of Member & Chapter Services for NACORE International, a corporate real estate organization with over 40 chapters globally.
He has earned a BA and MS from Colorado State University in the areas of Marketing and Communications and completed the Duke University Certificate in Nonprofit Management. Additionally, he has completed the requirements for the CAE (Certified Association Executive) from the American Society of Association Executives, and the RCE (REALTOR® Association Certified Executive) from the National Association of REALTORS®.