NAR President Resigns After Being Accused Of Sexual Harassment
Three women have come forward with allegations that Kenny Parcell, the president of the National Association of Realtors, sexually harassed them, The New York Times reports.
One woman alleged that Parcell put his hands down his pants in front of her, another said he sent her a photo of his crotch, and a third said Parcell retaliated against her after she ended a consensual sexual relationship with him. More than two dozen employees and former leaders at NAR and its affiliates told the Times that the agency failed to act after years of complaints about sexual harassment, discrimination and retribution by Parcell and other leaders at the company.
“There is the sexual harassment, and then woven into it, this culture of fear,” Stephanie Quinn, the organization’s former director of business meetings and events, told the Times.
Quinn, who left her role last year, described Parcell’s behavior as “predatory.” She told the Times that he regularly expected hugs from female staff and attempted to arrange meetings with younger employees late at night. She said that after holding out her hand to block a hug from Parcell, he questioned her authority and decisions.
Parcell, a 50-year-old who began in NAR leadership in 2020, denied the allegations, telling the Times that he “never tried to reach out to anyone ‘younger’ or ‘late at night.’”
“I am a friendly and outgoing person in a world that is growing ever more cynical, conflicted, and cold,” Parcell said in a statement to the Times. “Well-intended actions on my part are being twisted and distorted.”
The Chicago-based nonprofit organization has more than $1B in assets and plays an integral role in the listing of homes for sale. With 1.5 million members, NAR is the largest professional organization in the country.
Following a request from Bisnow for comment and questions about the steps NAR was taking to address the allegations, the organization provided a link to a page outlining its “commitment to fostering a respectful workplace,” along with a statement.
“NAR does not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation,” the organization said in the statement. “Any incident is one too many. We acknowledge the people who have shared their stories and we are committed to continuing our efforts to foster a welcoming and positive environment. We follow clear reporting procedures to investigate any issue of concern brought to our attention. We urge people to report unlawful or inappropriate behavior.
“NAR has multiple policies and resources in place to deter inappropriate behavior, including anti-harassment and bystander intervention trainings, and escalation protocols to ensure people are respected. We will remain persistent in continuing to look at and adopt additional best practices.”
Jennifer Braun, senior events producer at NAR, told the Times that Parcell asked her to help him fix his shirt before putting his hands down his pants in what she felt was a sexually suggestive way at a 2018 conference in Washington. At an earlier event in 2017, she said Parcell told her another colleague was masturbating in his room.
Parcell denied the interactions and told the Times that he had a “good and appropriate working relationship” with Braun.
Janelle Brevard, who had worked as NAR’s chief storyteller since 2019, was fired from the organization in September 2022 for failing to disclose her relationship with Parcell. She told the Times that after ending the months-long relationship she had with Parcell, he continued to press her with unwanted sexual advances, had her excluded from meetings and business trips, and told her that he would have her fired.
She filed a lawsuit in June related to the incidents that was withdrawn in July after reaching an agreement with NAR on a $107K severance package that included a nondisclosure agreement. Two other women who alleged harassment at the organization were also offered severance payments that included nondisclosure agreements, the Times reported.
The Times also reported that a senior executive sent a memo last June that outlined an “inappropriate invitation” Parcell sent to two employees in which he invited them to spend the night at his Utah home and included photos of his crotch.
NAR told the Times the pictures were of a promotional belt buckle that Parcell was seeking input on.
The allegations first began to surface after Brevard filed her lawsuit. In interviews with the Times, 29 employees said that years of complaints about harassment and discrimination were largely ignored by NAR. The Times interviewed 19 women who said they had endured sexual harassment on the job, and another 10 said they were subject to a sexist, belittling culture.
Last month, an anonymous letter signed by “a confidential coalition of 37 involved Realtor leaders” was sent to more than two dozen NAR past presidents pleading for Parcell’s resignation, the Times reported.
Parcell remained in his role as president as of Monday morning after the Times story published Saturday morning. On Monday evening, after this story's initial publication, the NAR announced that Parcell had resigned, effective immediately.
Replacing him will be the organization's president-elect, Tracy Kasper, a Boise, Idaho-based Realtor.
"First, let me say, I’m incredibly sorry for what’s led us here," Kasper wrote in a letter to NAR's members. "We recognize there is lots of concern, anger and disappointment, and we want to acknowledge the people who have come forward and shared their stories and those of you who have shared your perspective over the past few days.
"We have taken everything we have heard to heart. Our commitment to our staff and our members is unwavering, and we will continue to enhance the way we foster a welcoming, safe and respectful workplace. We will work to ensure the relationship between staff and members acknowledges not only staff expertise and their commitment to the association in addition to the members."
UPDATE, 7:45 P.M. ET: This story has been updated to reflect that NAR President Kenny Parcell resigned, effective immediately, Monday night.
