Historic Press Release

Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® Elects Julie Sergi as Chair to Lead New 9,000-Member Organization

April 30, 2024

In an exciting new chapter for organized real estate in Ontario, the Amalgamation Task Force (ATF) for the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® (Cornerstone*) has elected an inaugural Chair for its 2024/2025 Board of Directors. Julie Sergi, a Broker with Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services, will lead the new 9,000-member organization beginning July 1, 2024.

Cornerstone unites REALTORS® from the real estate associations of Hamilton-Burlington, Mississauga, Simcoe, and Waterloo Region, forming the second-largest real estate association in Ontario.

Julie has been a member of The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) for 19 years. She was first elected to RAHB’s Board of Directors in 2018 and was subsequently re-elected for two more terms before being elected president-elect in 2023. Julie holds a Master’s of Political Science and is the Broker of a two-person real estate team.

“I am thrilled and honoured to have been elected as the Chair of the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS®,” said Julie Sergi. “Our goal is to be a transformative force in the real estate sector, surpassing the sum of our individual parts. The local Realtor is our North Star, and community will be everything for us. This is just the beginning of our exciting journey, and we can’t wait to evolve and grow with our members as we build a brighter future for Realtors together.”

Cornerstone is collaborating with Information Technology Systems Ontario (ITSO) to provide enhanced MLS® Services and Professional Standards to its members. The new organization believes that all Ontario Realtors must have access to all Ontario MLS® information to fulfill their fiduciary duty of care to their clients. Cornerstone welcomes data share agreements with any Ontario real estate board/association or listing platform and is committed to working collaboratively to deploy essential protections and security.

The ATF will elect a Chair-Elect at their next meeting. The full membership of Cornerstone’s Board of Directors can be found here.

Quick Facts

Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® is the amalgamation of the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington, Mississauga Association of REALTORS®, Simcoe and District Real Estate Board, and the Waterloo Region Association of REALTORS® launching on July 1, 2024.

Cornerstone will be the second-largest real estate board in Ontario.

The Cornerstone ATF comprises 16 directors elected from the four amalgamating Boards of Directors. The members of the task force held their election for Chair at their meeting on April 29, 2024.

As of July 1, 2024, the members of the ATF will serve on the Board of Directors for a two-year transition period.

ABOUT CORNERSTONE

Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® (CAR) is a brand-new, novel association set to launch on July 1, 2024. Representing Realtors serving in the markets of Mississauga, Burlington, Hamilton, Waterloo Region, Niagara North, Haldimand County, Norfolk County and surrounding areas, it will become Ontario’s second-largest real estate association, comprised of nearly 9,000 Realtors.

Established to better serve and represent Realtors, its vision is to establish a new, more influential, capable, and member-centric organization designed to meet the evolving needs of Realtors and help them thrive in the marketplace.

Cornerstone stands for transparency, honesty, and integrity. By taking a proactive stance toward the future and not being afraid to question some of the long-standing assumptions, Cornerstone offers a unique value proposition, paving the way for members’ brighter future.