As founder and executive chairman of kwx, Gary Keller oversees Keller Williams Realty, the nation’s largest franchise brand by sales volume, transaction sides and agent count ($500.1 billion, 1.3 million and 168,925 agents, respectively).

When the company’s highly-anticipated IPO did not happen in 2022, many observers thought it a missed opportunity. As the year progressed it has turned out to be a great decision. As a private company, the firm can operate far more nimbly during difficult times without having to answer to shareholders in hedge funds and investment firms.

Despite the slower market, the company’s results continues to show steady performance. Through the third quarter in 2022, the company reported the following for its U.S. and Canada production (compared to the same period a year ago):

• Sales volume of $381.4 billion (down 3.0 percent)
• Transaction sides of 884,500 (down 12.6 percent)
• U.S. and Canada agent count of 177,377 (up 1.9 percent)

While the company’s transactions and sales volume were down from the previous year, it outperformed the market as reported by NAR in its existing home sales data (U.S. transactions and volume dropped 25.1 percent and 18.6 percent, respectively, from September 2021 to September 2022.)

Keller, who co-founded Keller Williams Realty in 1983, is one of a few leaders who is still in the same high level national leadership position and has seen and been through it all. That consistency and experience is yet another reason why Keller has remained one of the five most powerful people in residential real estate every year since the SP 200 debuted in 2014. He is considered by many to be the most dynamic and charismatic leader of his generation, and with the stormy market, his experience, wisdom and hard-won expertise from countless hours invested will be a steadying influence on the company that bears his name.