National Association of Realtors grapples with more leadership turmoil as president resigns

The National Association of Realtors is grappling with more turmoil in its top leadership ranks just over two months after the trade group’s CEO stepped down well before his planned retirement

LOS ANGELES -- The National Association of Realtors is grappling with more turmoil in its top leadership ranks just over two months after the trade group's CEO stepped down well before his planned retirement.

The Chicago-based organization said Monday that NAR president Tracy Kasper has resigned, effective immediately, and is being succeeded by the trade group's president-elect, Kevin Sears.

In a statement, the NAR said Kasper recently received a “threat to disclose a past personal, non-financial matter unless she compromised her position at NAR.”

Kasper refused to comply and reported the threat to law enforcement, the NAR said. The trade group did not disclose who threatened Kasper or what specific action they wanted her to take that would have compromised her role at the organization, which touts more than 1.5 million members.

“As a result of the recent threat, and given the significance of this moment for myself, my family and the organization, it is again time for me to put the interests of NAR first," Kasper said in a statement.