Realtors group loses education director, lawyer

Two management team members have left the Wichita Area Association of Realtors in moves unrelated to the group's new chief executive, who started work this week.

Trista Curzydlo, an attorney and legal counsel to the board, and Karen Becker, the group's professional development director, have resigned, WAAR board president Tim Holt said.

In the meantime, new chief executive Tessa Hultz began her new job on Monday.

Curzydlo and her family are moving to Kansas City, where her husband took a job, Holt said.

Becker will leave later this month to become the new executive director of the Southeast Minnesota Association of Realtors in Rochester, her hometown.

Holt said the board will begin searching for a new education director. He's unsure how Curzydlo's position will be filled.

"In Trista's case it wasn't much of a shock, just a matter of when," Holt said. "She's indicated to us that she'll be a freelance real estate educator."

The departure of Becker, who handles yearly continuing-education scheduling for WAAR, "was a total shock," Holt said.

Becker went home to Rochester for the holidays and discovered the opportunity, he said.

"She made a visit to the board there just to see how things operate and while she was there, they said, 'We're hiring a new executive director. Why don't you apply?'

"She did and they offered her the job, a good pay increase."

Holt said the board will use Hultz's experience in real estate education to fill the position.

"Tessa comes from an educational background, so I'd say we're in real good shape there," he said.

"Karen's got the whole year planned out for professional development. Whoever we hire as an education person, they've got a year to administer Karen's schedule, and they'll be able to use that as a model to plan for the next year."

Past board president Lon McCurdy praised Becker's contributions to the association.

"Karen Becker has brought many great educational opportunities to our membership," he said. "She's a great gal, and we're going to miss her."

Holt said the board may move to fill Curzydlo's governmental relations role and rely on outside legal counsel.

"The executive committee feels like Luke Bell with the Kansas Association of Realtors has stepped up to keep us informed on what's going on at the state level," he said.

"I'm sure we'll add someone eventually as government affairs director. That's our top priority."