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ANNUAL EVENT

ARA/FMLS SHOWCASE 2026:
A World of Opportunity

Thursday, August 20

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

ARA/FMLS Showcase 2026:
A World of Opportunities

The 2026 ARA/FMLS Showcase Was One to Remember!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 ARA/FMLS Showcase at the Coca-Cola Roxy at The Battery Atlanta! From thought-provoking speakers and valuable connections to time spent with our incredible vendors and Community Partners, it was an afternoon packed with opportunities to learn, connect and grow.

The Showcase brought together REALTORS®, real estate professionals, industry affiliates, Community Partners and vendors for an afternoon focused on Metro Atlanta’s place on the global stage, the future of our industry, and the opportunities ahead.

A Big Thank You to Our Speakers

We’re incredibly grateful to the 2026 Showcase speaker lineup for sharing their knowledge, insights and perspectives with our attendees. Your expertise helped make this year’s event a meaningful and memorable experience for everyone in the room.

Thank you for taking the stage and helping us look at Atlanta, real estate and our industry from a fresh perspective!

Thank You to Our Vendors & Community Partners

A special thank you goes to the vendors and Community Partners who helped bring the Showcase to life. From connecting with attendees to sharing valuable resources and supporting the event, your participation played a huge part in making the day a success.

We couldn’t have done it without you!

And, of Course, Thank You to Our Attendees!

The Showcase is all about bringing our community together, and you made it happen. Thank you to everyone who spent the afternoon with us, asked questions, made connections, visited vendors, collected some swag and helped make the 2026 Showcase such a great event.

We hope you left with new ideas, new connections and new opportunities to take back to your business.

📸 Relive the Showcase

Missed a moment—or want to relive the fun?

Check out the Showcase photo gallery on Facebook and tag yourself, your team and your friends!

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📷 Missed a moment—or want to relive the fun?

Dive into our event album and tag your friends—now live on Facebook!
giulio azzolini

Giulio Azzolini

CEO of Listing+ (the Italian MLS)

CEO of Listing+, marketing, communications, and proptech specialist with more than 20 years of experience in the real estate sector. A pioneer in the development and adoption of the MLS model in Italy, he founded and led the growth of Listing+, the first integrated platform connecting over 2,700 Italian real estate professionals and providing access to a global network of more than 200,000 agents worldwide. By bringing together Italy’s first MLS, advanced CRM capabilities, and AI-powered automation, Listing+ provides a complete business management ecosystem designed to enhance productivity, collaboration, and performance for real estate agents nationwide.

David Garrison

David Garrison

International Real Estate and Global Relocation Advisor

With more than 20 years of experience, David Garrison specializes in residential, investment, international, and light commercial real estate, serving clients locally in Atlanta and across the globe. As a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), he leverages a trusted network of REALTORS®, attorneys, lenders, tax advisors, and relocation professionals to guide clients through every stage of buying, selling, and relocating internationally. David also provides access to carefully vetted international properties and new-build developments in Spain, Mexico, and Central America. His commitment to ethical, global real estate is reflected in his service on NAR's 2026 Global Business and Alliances Committee and memberships with SIRA, FIABCI, the Atlanta REALTORS® Association, AMPI, and AREAA. The David Garrison Global real estate team is with Bolst Real Estate at Ponce City Market in Atlanta, GA.

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Stefan Harrigan

Senior Manager, Global Business Development Metro Atlanta Chamber

Stefan Harrigan is Senior Manager of Global Business Development at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, where he leads international initiatives focused on foreign direct investment, export promotion, and global partnerships. Previously, he served as an International Trade Manager with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, advising businesses on international growth strategies and promoting Georgia exports worldwide. He has also held roles with the U.S. Department of State and the International Centre for Counter Terrorism in The Hague. Stefan holds degrees from Leiden University College, Tufts University's Fletcher School, and the Collège d'Europe, and is fluent in German and proficient in Dutch.

Anita Kauka

Anita Kauka

Harry Norman, REALTORS®
Anita Kauka is a REALTOR® with Harry Norman, Realtors, bringing more than 21 years of real estate experience and over 400 successful transactions across Georgia. Born in Ghana to an Indian father and Lebanese mother, she offers a global perspective, speaks English, French, and Arabic, and is known for her professionalism, market expertise, and client-first approach. Whether working with first-time buyers, luxury clients, investors, or relocating families, Anita is committed to delivering exceptional service and outstanding results. Outside of real estate, she enjoys traveling, exploring new cultures, and giving back to her community.

whitney kennedy

Whitney Kennedy

Vice President of Global Relocation at Weichert, Realtors®

Whitney Kennedy is Vice President of Global Relocation at Weichert, Realtors® – Prestige Partners, where she leads domestic and international workforce mobility solutions and oversees brokerage operations. She partners with corporations, employees, and real estate professionals to deliver seamless relocation experiences worldwide. An active leader in the real estate industry, Whitney serves on the Atlanta REALTORS® Association Board of Directors, chairs the 2026 Top Producers Committee, and holds leadership roles with the Georgia Association of REALTORS®, while also participating in the National Association of REALTORS® and WERC®.

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Hillary Maddox

Director of International Strategy and Operations, Global Commerce
Georgia Department of Economic Development

Hillary Maddox is the Director of International Strategy & Operations for the Global Commerce division at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, where she supports international investment, global partnerships, and foreign direct investment efforts. Previously, she worked with the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S., supporting European companies expanding into the U.S. and managing transatlantic programs and delegations. With experience living and working in Europe, Germany, New York, and Atlanta, Hillary brings a global perspective and collaborative approach to building partnerships and creating economic opportunities for Georgia.

leslie appleton young

Leslie Appleton-Young 

Chief Economist, FMLS

Leslie Appleton-Young is Chief Economist at FMLS and former Vice President and Chief Economist for the California Association of REALTORS®, where she served for more than 35 years. A nationally recognized real estate economist and speaker, she is also co-founder of WomanUP!, an initiative dedicated to advancing women into leadership roles within the real estate industry. Appleton-Young holds degrees in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Pennsylvania.

jeremy crawford

Jeremy Crawford

President and CEO of FMLS

As President and CEO of First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS), Jeremy sits at the helm of the 4th largest MLS in the United States with over 57,000 subscribers. An east Tennessee native, he is a highly technical leader who is passionate about positively impacting the future of real estate to the benefit of Brokers and Agents across the state of Georgia and beyond. Prior to joining FMLS, he served as CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) which operates under the National Association of REALTORS® umbrella. Jeremy’s experience also includes executive positions with MLS Listings’ COO/CIO (San Francisco Bay Area), CIO of Sandicor MLS (San Diego), and as one of the first employees at MarketLinx which is today known as Corelogic.

quinn arnau

Quinn Arnau

Atlanta REALTORS® Association 2026 President

Quinn is serving as the 2026 President of the Atlanta REALTORS® Association. A 2004 graduate of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, he earned a degree in Economics. Currently, he is a partner in a top-producing real estate team with his long time friend and ARA 2023 President Michael Fischer. He was named REALTOR® of the Year by the Atlanta REALTORS® Association in 2021. He and his wife, Erica, live in Atlanta’s Grant Park neighborhood with their four-year-old son, Frank and their bulldog, Wilson. In his free time, Quinn enjoys snow skiing, training jiu-jitsu, and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs.

Location

Coca-Cola Roxy

800 Battery Ave SE #500, Atlanta, GA 30339, USA

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