Recognizing Bob Hale’s decades of leadership as René Galvan steps into the role of President & CEO
After 53 years of service, including 37 as President & CEO, Bob Hale retired from HAR on January 31, 2026, and was honored by the board with the title of CEO Emeritus.
Hale is widely regarded as a pioneer in the residential real estate industry. He is credited with making HAR, with its 50,000 members, one of the most innovative real estate associations in the country and a household brand throughout Greater Houston. He spearheaded the 1997 launch of HAR.com, which draws an estimated eight million visitors each month and keeps Houston as the only major city in the country where a national portal is not the most visited real estate site.
Over the course of his tenure, Hale has received numerous national and local accolades. Most recently, Hale received the Houston Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement of Real Estate Award in 2024. In 2025, he was honored with Inman’s Nate Ellis Award, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire proclaimed October 4, 2025, as “Bob Hale Day” in the City of Houston.
On February 1, 2026, Executive Vice President René Galvan stepped into the role of HAR President and CEO. Galvan has been a key member of HAR’s leadership team since 1996 and has played a central role in shaping the association’s strategic direction, operational discipline and member-focused culture.
“I am most proud of building a team of incredible professionals and staying focused on our mission of helping members succeed,” Galvan said. “By working closely with staff and volunteer leadership, we’ve been able to improve services while maintaining strong fiscal responsibility, including no dues increase for the past 23 years.”
Reflecting on the transition, Hale expressed confidence in HAR’s future. “This organization has been my life’s work,” he said. “I am proud of what we’ve built together and confident that HAR is in excellent hands with René Galvan as President and CEO. I look forward to continuing to support the association and its members as CEO Emeritus.”
Galvan holds a degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and is a certified public accountant. He is a Swanepoel 200 Watchlist honoree, a member of the TREPAC 50K Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, serving on the Ticket Services Committee. Galvan previously served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Association Executives, the Finance Committee of the National Association of REALTORS® and the Public Policy Taxation Committee of Texas REALTORS®.
As HAR enters its next chapter, the transition reflects both continuity and momentum—honoring Bob Hale’s lasting legacy while positioning the association for continued success under René Galvan’s leadership.
