Gary Clayton, CEO, Illinois Association of REALTORS

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Gary L. Clayton, CAE, RCE, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Association of REALTORS, a voluntary business organization founded in 1916 which serves over 60,000 members engaged in all facets of the real estate industry. He has served in this position since December of 1987 and is responsible for the general administration of Association operations and is centrally involved in drafting policies and programs to further Association objectives.

He is an official spokesman and lobbyist for the Association, and is the IAR liaison to other organizations and associations. He currently serves as vice chair of the National Association of REALTORS Association Executives Committee. He is a member of the Community Investment Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago which consists of representatives from organizations actively involved in providing or promoting low- and moderate-income housing or community lending.

He holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership as well as the REALTOR Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation from the National Association of REALTORS.

Before coming to IAR, he served for eight years as Director of the Illinois Department of Registration and Education. Prior, he was Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Law Enforcement's Internal Investigation Division and a Postal Inspector for the U.S. Postal Service in Chicago.

Gary has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in Social Justice Administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield.