Bill Harrington, general counsel at CREA, recently announced that he will retire in April.
“April will be the 26th anniversary of my employment with CREA. It will also represent the 40th anniversary of when I started practising law,” wrote Harrington. “After having given it a lot of thought, I have come to the conclusion that 40 years is long enough.”
Harrington is well-known across the country for his appearances at real estate board conferences and events to explain recent legal issues to members.
He says until April, he will focus on governance issues and special projects. CREA’s legal department will now report directly to CEO Michael Bourque.
“When I began with CREA in 1993, it was my intention to stay for a year or so, while I decided what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. What I didn’t expect was the excitement of this industry and the passion I would develop for CREA, our boards and the Realtor community,” says Harrington.
“It has been a privilege to have played a part in the evolution of this profession and the protection of the Realtor brand. I have travelled from one end of the country to the other countless times and it is endlessly gratifying to see my fingerprints on so much of how we operate.
“I was staff liaison in 1994 to a small task force that created a little website that contained the listings of five boards that I convinced to kick in $10,000 each to participate. That trial site became Realtor.ca, an amazing powerhouse, and although I now understand nothing of how it operates, I remain steadfastly and parentally proud every time I think of it. I have also forged friendships – many of them life-long – with incredible people who have become important parts of my life.
“We remain in exciting times. Much has yet to be accomplished and a lot is happening. I will not be here to obstruct with legal concerns, but I am confident someone else will!” Harrington says.
He says after retirement he will begin a new phase of his life, “focused on being a grandpa to my two new grandbabies (one of which will be joining the world in March), travelling with my bride, maybe finally learning to cook, and, of course, following my dream to play guitar in a Jimmy Buffet cover band.
“I will be forever grateful for the people and the memories that CREA and the Realtor community have given me,” he says.
