8/ RECO 2017 ANNUAL REPORT/CEO'S MESSAGE IN AN EVER-CHANGING REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE, RECO continues to strive for regulatory excellence. In the past year, RECO has been able to build strong momentum in several key ways. When I took the helm at the end of 2017, RECO had already: • announced a partnership to create a new registration education program for aspiring real estate salespeople; • taken action to improve complaints processing timelines and overall service standards, including a scorecard to demonstrate its commitment and accountability in this respect; • provided the government with recommendations on how to modernize the rules that protect home buyers and sellers; • connected with consumers through a dynamic and multi-faceted outreach campaign that spanned communities across Ontario; and • executed a highly successful seven-city Town Hall tour with registrants. These are impressive achievements, and we cannot stop here. RECO needs to keep moving forward. In serving the public interest, we must always remember that the social, economic and political environment in which we operate is not static. Technology plays a large role in this: the public is more informed and expects information to be available instantaneously, and in the real estate marketplace, salespeople and brokers are evolving the way they conduct business. As such, RECO must be nimble and leverage technology so that we become a modern regulator. We need to anticipate change, and adapt so that we stay ahead of emerging trends and issues. CEO's Message AN ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO REGULATORY EXCELLENCE Michael Beard