The industry's longtime caretaker is stepping down after 28 years at the helm. And in her place will be another longtime CRE marketing player.

Kristin Karlson Lamb (here, with husband Michael and daughter Virginia, when she was named one of our Power Women) is stepping down by year's end as CEO of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors, which is one of the largest such boards in the country. Former CoreNet Global communications head David Heaton—who most recently was head of communications for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—has been tapped to replace Kristin.

For Kristin, the ACBR was love at first sight, having been her first—and only—interview straight out of college, landing an executive assistant role with then-ACBR director Tommie Jackson (when it was known as the Atlanta Society of Commercial Realtors).

“I loved it immediately," she says. "I called my parents and said, 'I'm so happy. This is a wonderful organization.'”

Kristin also is one of our featured Leaders in Commercial Real Estate speakers next week, along with Juneau Construction Co's Nancy Juneau, Eastwood Real Estate Services' Lee Eastwood, Wells Fargo's Melissa Frawley (here) and MARTA's Amanda Rhein 7:30am, Dec. 13, at Southern Exchange at 200 Peachtree. Register here.