Great News! In my interview today with Merri Jo Cowen, she shared her next steps as a visionary leader, stepping down as CEO of Stellar MLS to move on to global leadership!
Stellar MLS CEO Merri Jo Cowen to Step Down After Transformative Tenure; Longtime COO Named as Successor
Leadership Transition at Stellar MLS Marks New Chapter in Continued Innovation
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (July 31, 2025)—After more than 15 years of visionary leadership, Merri Jo Cowen, CEO of Stellar MLS, announced she will step down from her role in Q1 2026. Her successor will be Stellar MLS’s current Chief Operations Officer, Shayne Fairley, who for nearly two decades has been an integral part of the leadership team at one of the nation’s largest and most influential multiple listing services.
Widely recognized as a thought leader and trailblazer in the real estate industry, Cowen has led Stellar MLS since 2008, guiding it through a period of transformational growth and modernization. Under her leadership, the organization expanded its customer base to become the largest MLS in Florida and Puerto Rico. This growth strengthened shareholder relationships, launched international partnerships, and solidified Stellar MLS’s position as a national and global leader in data transparency and collaboration. Cowen played a pivotal role in the MLS’s rebranding in 2019 and helped elevate the visibility and value of the MLS during a time of industry change.
“Serving as CEO of Stellar MLS has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Cowen. “I’m incredibly proud of what we have built—an MLS that delivers value, innovation, and integrity to real estate professionals and the consumers they serve. Now, I’m ready to step back, and Shayne is more than ready to step forward. I truly cannot imagine leaving what we’ve built in better hands. Shayne knows Stellar MLS inside and out, and I have complete trust in his leadership and absolute confidence that he’ll take this organization to the next level.”
Fairley joined Stellar MLS in 2005 and has risen through the ranks across multiple departments, training customers and staff, guiding compliance, advancing data services, and advising on operations, to name a few. Since being named COO in 2017, he has led strategic operational growth, championed customer-focused initiatives, and worked with Cowen on the company’s efforts to elevate the MLS on a global scale.
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One Response
Merri Jo is an icon in the industry. She grew the Florida MLs to almost surreal level and is so highly respected in the industry. My hope is that we don’t lose her, her influence or institutional knowledge. Whatever her next chapter – I wish her all the best.