MIAMI — Real estate icon Teresa King Kinney, CEO of MIAMI Association of Realtors (MIAMI), has announced plans to retire from her role leading the nation’s largest local Realtor association after 33 years. MIAMI has retained a national search firm to find a successor.
“These have been the most exciting years of my life so far,” Kinney said. “I will be leaving one of the largest, most innovative and successful organizations in the best shape ever to move forward. I can see the future and all the exciting accomplishments that are coming to MIAMI REALTORS®. In few months, I can move on to the next phase of my life of doing whatever my husband John and I want to do, whenever we want to do it.”
Kinney’s leadership and initiatives transformed what was once a medium-sized association in the early 1990s into one of the largest, most innovative and award-winning Realtor associations to exist. For more than three decades, she championed the distinct and powerful Miami lifestyle on the global stage, exhibiting, presenting and positioning the city at major international real estate events and within worldwide communities. Her steadfast efforts attracted substantial global business to Miami and played a pivotal role in elevating the city into the internationally recognized brand it is today.
At the end of the year, Kinney will transition to CEO Emeritus and move into a one-year consulting agreement to support a seamless transition.
“Teresa or TK as we all love to call her, is a lifetime leader who has connected Miami to the world,” 2026 MIAMI Chairman of the Board Alfredo Pujol said. “Her work ethic and passion for the job are legendary, which I have seen firsthand as she works around the clock all day and every weekend so South Florida can be the global leader it is. MIAMI members have world-class resources and service because of her vision and incredible team. This impact goes beyond Miami. It is an impact seen in the real estate industry by the countless leaders who have served alongside her. Miami and the real estate profession is better thanks to TK!”
After 55 trailblazing years leading real estate associations, Kinney is leaving MIAMI at the top. The award-winning MIAMI Global Headquarters, which she delivered, designed and planned for 15 years, has been open for two years and is helping MIAMI’s 60,000 members access world-class education, networking and conferences. MIAMI will soon sign its record 300th global partnership and the Miami real estate market is trending upward. Further, MIAMI’s Southeast Florida Multiple Listing Service (SEFMLS) was recently awarded “Most Innovative MLS” in the U.S., MIAMI’s 220+ suite of products and services for members is unmatched, and so much more.
MIAMI is well-positioned for continued growth and global leadership.
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Begin with the End in Mind
Kinney came to Miami from St. Joseph, Missouri, where she had worked for 21 years, including many years as the CEO of the St. Joseph Regional Association of REALTORS®. When Kinney began her tenure with MIAMI in August 1993, the board had 5,000 members and one office. Today, MIAMI has 60,000 members and is larger than 44 state associations. MIAMI has the fourth-largest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in the U.S. and the largest association-owned MLS. MIAMI has the seventh-largest commercial association in the U.S.
One of Kinney’s favorite quotes is “Begin with the end in mind.” But not even she could have imagined everything she would accomplish.
Over the past 33 years, Kinney helped MIAMI make history many times. In 1996, MIAMI became the first large market to post its listings online when Realtor.com was launched. In 1997, Kinney oversaw what, at the time, was the largest and fastest merger in the history of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) when MIAMI merged with the Miami-Dade County Association, combining 23,500 members to become the largest local Realtor association in the U.S. at the time, and it remains so today.
Kinney’s success was fueled by a passion to make MIAMI open, flexible, collaborative, creative and resourceful. That included a philosophy of not taking no for an answer or seeing limits, which enables MIAMI to be agile and act fast to help members do more business. Every current and past MIAMI leader and professional is a significant part of what MIAMI is and what it does, with 110 members serving annually in elected leadership roles across 6 leadership boards.
MIAMI produces the absolute best and most innovative REALTOR® education and is the association of choice with 220+ products and services to help members. MIAMI is also a recognized leader in advocacy, with countless wins, for example, leading the decade-long legislative battle that resulted in the elimination of the Florida Business Rent Tax.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Kinney’s 33 years at the helm of MIAMI REALTORS® surpass her predecessor, Betty Strickland, who served for 32 years, including 28 as its EVP. MIAMI is proud to have been led by women executives for the last 60 years—well over half of its 106-year history.
Kinney has always credited the incredible leaders who have come before her. “We stand on the shoulders of giants,” Kinney said. At MIAMI’s inaugural installation event each year, Kinney leads a passing of the gavel ceremony where all MIAMI Past Presidents share the spotlight. Their photos hang proudly on the Hall of Presidents in their new headquarters, honoring MIAMI’s illustrious past.
Nobody “Out Global’s Miami”
MIAMI’s next CEO will be charged with continuing the global legacy of MIAMI.
Kinney launched MIAMI Global in 1996, signing the association’s first-ever international agreement with SECOVI-SP in Brazil. Today, this international component of the MIAMI association has established worldwide partnerships with its soon-to-be 300th real estate association in 77 countries. The organizations are part of MIAMI’s Global Referral Network, which connects MIAMI member properties in South Florida with more than 2 million real estate professionals worldwide.
MIAMI’s commitment to enhancing MIAMI members’ global business opportunities,
attracting more international investment to the region and strengthening Miami’s global
position runs deep. No other U.S. Realtor association has more global initiatives than MIAMI, which include:
- Nearly 300 global partnerships that create business opportunities for MIAMI members and enhance Miami’s global position.
- Exhibiting at the world’s top real estate conferences to create business opportunities for MIAMI members.
- A newly launched Global Referral Connect program, which empowers MIAMI members with more than 700,000 easily available referral partners across 18 countries in Latin America.
- Partnership with Florida REALTORS® to expand South Florida’s global exposure at global events again this year.
- Hosting 28 award-winning MIAMI Global Real Estate Congresses, which bring together foreign delegates from around the world.
These landmark international partnerships and initiatives, secured and implemented under Kinney’s stewardship, facilitate business opportunities for MIAMI members, enhance Miami’s global position, strengthen the local real estate market and economy, and create additional visibility for the association’s international partners.
A Leader for the Ages
To date, just this year, Kinney has been named 2026 Swanepoel SP 200—the top 200 most powerful people in real estate, ranking #8 Association/MLS executives; 2026 Inman MLS Power Executive and 2026 Who’s Who in South Florida Real Estate by South Florida Agent Magazine.
Throughout her career, Kinney has won more than 50 awards for her contributions to the local, region, state and global real estate markets. In 2019, she was awarded the highest honor and distinction for a Realtor association executive as the recipient of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) William R. Magel Award of Excellence.
Kinney has served the National Association of Realtors as chairman of the association executives committee, executive committee, enlarged leadership team, liaison, and chairman of Global Business and Alliances as well as chairman of numerous global and association executive committees and member of various committees at NAR. Kinney is past Chairman of the Board for the Florida Society of Association Executives, and has served in numerous leadership roles at the state and national association levels and in local organizations. She has over 40 years of experience in Realtor association management and earned her CAE, CIPS, TRC, GRI, RSPS, ePro, and Charter RCE, having worked seven years creating the designation. Kinney is also a charter member of the Almon R. Bud Smith Leadership Society. She has presented numerous seminars at state, national and international meetings across the U. S., Latin America, France, Spain, China, Dubai and Russia.
While these honors underscore the impact of her work, they represent only part of the story. Behind the scenes, she also led complex initiatives that strengthened operations, navigated market headwinds, and positioned the organization for long-term growth — efforts that may not carry trophies, but proved equally consequential.
Following the downturn in 2008, Kinney was instrumental in helping the local market recover stronger and faster than experts predicted – and faster than any other market in the U.S. – doing so in part by fashioning MIAMI to be agile and quick to make changes to help members do more business. During COVID, MIAMI got up and running virtually within one working day of the pandemic hitting. In-person classes were immediately shifted to Zoom. A COVID-19 resource page was posted on its website and MIAMI contracted for a new virtual tour service. MIAMI’s advocacy team almost immediately successfully proved that Realtors were “essential” so they could continue doing business in Miami-Dade County, soon followed by Florida being declared open for business.
After the NAR settlement in 2024 changed the way REALTORS® do business, MIAMI led the way by acting fast to help members. The same day as the announcement, MIAMI posted their toolkit and announced the first full week of classes in English and Spanish. Within months MIAMI hosted countless education seminars and webinars, launched How to Do Business Now, ABR and buyer broker classes, created and expanded legal toolkits, and created exclusive MIAMI Broker licensed courses and more.
Over the past three decades, Kinney has led the best, most innovative and progressive team of professionals in the entire industry, and together have made incredible advancements for Realtors in advocacy, technology, marketing, global, commercial real estate, education and products and services. Her ability to challenge the status quo, think big, have no limits, build lasting relationships, hire the right professionals, and challenge and support them to continually go to the next level and beyond are just some of the leadership traits that make MIAMI so successful.
About the MIAMI Association of Realtors®
The MIAMI Association of Realtors (MIAMI) was chartered by the National Association of Realtors in 1920 and is celebrating 106 years of service to Realtors, the buying and selling public, and the communities in South Florida. Comprised of six organizations: MIAMI RESIDENTIAL, MIAMI COMMERCIAL; BROWARD-MIAMI, a division of MIAMI Realtors; JTHS-MIAMI, a division of MIAMI Realtors in the Jupiter-Tequesta-Hobe Sound area; MIAMI YPN, our Young Professionals Network Council; and the award-winning MIAMI Global Council. MIAMI REALTORS represents 60,000 total real estate professionals in all aspects of real estate sales, marketing, and brokerage. It is the largest local Realtor association in the U.S. and has official partnerships with 299 international organizations worldwide. MIAMI’s official website is www.MiamiRealtors.com
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The post Real Estate Icon Teresa King Kinney Announces Retirement Plans; MIAMI Association of Realtors’ CEO of 33 Years to Pass the Torch at Year End appeared first on MIAMI REALTORS®.