A closer look at REMAX leaders recognized on the 2026 Swanepoel Power 200 

Being recognized on the Swanepoel Power 200 signals influence at the highest levels of the real estate industry. This year's list features several REMAX leaders whose impact expand across the network. Powered by T3 Sixty, the annual ranking highlights influential executives whose leadership helps shape the North American real estate brokerage industry. Among those recognized are Erik Carlson, CEO of REMAX Holdings, and Don Kottick, President of REMAX Canada.   

Also appearing on the list are James O'Bryon, Brenda Tushaus, Keith Myers, Gary Ashton and Debra Beagle, who lead the network's largest multi-office, multi-state brokerage groups across the U.S. 

In addition, Stephanie Flood, Chief Operating Officer of REMAX Gold Nation, was named the Swanepoel Power 200 Watchlist, which highlights emerging leaders expected to join the ranking in the coming years.  

I am deeply honoured to be included in the Swanepoel Power 200 alongside so many distinguished leaders who are shaping the future of the real estate industry in North America. This recognition is a testament to the strength of the REMAX Canada brand, the global REMAX network, and the collective contributions of professionals across our industry,” says Don Kottick, President of REMAX Canada. “I also extend my sincere congratulations to the seven exceptional REMAX leaders recognized this year. I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve and to contribute to the continued growth and advancement of our profession

Don Kottick, President, REMAX Canada

REMAX on the 2025 SP200 List

Don Kottick 
2026 Ranking: #77 
Role: REMAX President 

What T3 Sixty said… Kottick became president of REMAX Canada, the largest franchise brand in Canada with oversight of REMAX offices in all provinces but Quebec. Kottick previously served as president and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. 

Erik Carlson 
2026 Ranking: #16 
Role: REMAX CEO 

What T3 Sixty said… In his second year helming RE/MAX Holdings, the nation’s second-largest franchise brand, Carlson has continued to guide the business to profitability. With a net profit margin of 5.0% through the first three quarters of 2025, the REMAX brokerage operation — which has struggled with falling revenue — is on track for its most profitable year since 2020. 

James O’Bryon 
2026 Ranking: #35 
Role: REMAX Gold Nation  

What T3 Sixty said… O’Bryon has served as CEO of REMAX Gold Nation for more than 25 years, guiding its expansion from Northern California into Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Arizona and Washington. As CEO, O’Bryon oversees more than 2,400 agents, generating $12 billion in annual sales as recently as 2024. 

Brenda Tushaus 
2026 Ranking: #61 
Role: REMAX Results   

What T3 Sixty said… Tushaus oversees more than 1,100 agents across Minnesota and western Wisconsin who transact approximately $6.5 billion in annual sales. Tushaus became CEO in 2018 after holding a variety of previous positions with the company, including chief operating officer. 

Keith Myers 
2026 Ranking: #133 
Role: President, REMAX One (A REMAX Gold Nation Company)  

What T3 Sixty said… Myers is president of the Southern California-based REMAX One. A real estate broker since 1984 who has been aligned with the REMAX brand since the mid-1990s, Myers now oversees approximately 500 agents at the firm, which he has led since 2015. 

Gary Ashton 
2026 Ranking: #164  
Role: Co-Owner, The Ashton Real Estate Group of REMAX Advantage 

What T3 Sixty said… Ashton began his real estate career in 2001 at Crye-Leike Realtors before going on to found The Ashton Real Estate Group in 2004. Beagle began her career in 2008 at Coldwell Banker and has been with REMAX companies since 2012. 

Debra Beagle 
2026 Ranking: #164 
Role: Co-Owner, The Ashton Real Estate Group of REMAX Advantage 

What T3 Sixty said… Beagle, co-owner of the Ashton Real Estate Group of REMAX Advantage, a Nashville, Tennessee-based firm that is one of the largest within the REMAX network with over 150 agents who do nearly $1 billion in annual sales. 

The 2026 Swanepoel Power 200 recognition reflects the continued presence of the REMAX Network at the highest levels of the industry. Selection for the Swanepoel Power 200 consideration multiple criteria of executive influence, including an individual's leadership role and scope within their organization, their reputation and influence amongst industry peers, their relative standing within their segment of the real estate sector, and the broader impact they are expected to have on the industry moving forward.  

 

Swanepoel Power 200 Archives

RE/MAX on the 2025 SP200 List

W. Erik Carlson
2025 Ranking: #22
Role: CEO RE/MAX Holdings

What T3 Sixty said… Carlson joined the nation’s third largest franchise brand, RE/MAX Holdings, as CEO in November 2023. He has led the company to a return to profitability in 2024 (after seeing a net loss in 2023). In his role, the 28-year veteran of the DISH Network Corporation oversees RE/MAX’s global franchise network and its mortgage brokerages within the U.S. under the Motto Mortgage brand. Carlson is also on the RE/MAX Holdings board of directors.

Christopher Alexander
2025 Ranking: #55
Role: President, RE/MAX Canada

What T3 Sixty said… Alexander has helmed Canada’s largest real estate franchise brand since 2021. As president of RE/MAX Canada, he oversees operations in all Canadian provinces but Quebec, which remains independent, although he works closely with their leaders to build comprehensive brand strategy. Alexander, who began his career as a RE/MAX sales associate in 2010, is the grandson of Frank J. Polzler, who co-founded the first RE/MAX region in Atlantic Canada in 1980.

James O’Bryon
2025 Ranking: #41
Role:  CEO RE/MAX Gold Nation

What T3 Sixty said… O’Bryon has been at RE/MAX Gold Nation as CEO for more than 25 years. In that time, he has grown the company immensely from its Northern California base. The brokerage is part of Gold Nation, for which O’Bryon oversees over 2,400 agents, who do over $12 billion in annual sales, operating in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. In 2024, the company launched Gold Capital Partners, allowing agents and staff to own a part of Gold Nation.

Chad Ochsner
2025 Ranking: #49
Role: Broker-Owner, RE/MAX Alliance

What T3 Sixty said… Since 1999, Ochsner has owned Denver-based brokerage RE/MAX Alliance, which has nearly 700 agents who do approximately $3 billion in annual sales. He is a second-generation Realtor who has also served as a director of the Colorado Association of Realtors and has been on the board of the Denver Metro Association of Realtors and REcolorado (Denver’s MLS), as well as the advisory boards of Realtor.com, Zillow and Trulia. Ochsner also owns mortgage and insurance companies and is active in land development.

Brenda Tushaus
2025 Ranking: #62
Role: CEO, RE/MAX Results

What T3 Sixty said… Tushaus manages RE/MAX Results whose agents in Minnesota and western Wisconsin do nearly $6 billion in annual sales. In 2024, the firm’s founder John Collopy retired and promoted his daughter Suzanne Bushard to the new role of president to work in tandem with Tushaus. Prior to becoming CEO in 2018, Tushaus held a variety of positions over 16 years with the company, most recently as chief operating officer.

Keith Myers
2025 Ranking: #136
Role: President, RE/MAX One (a RE/MAX Gold Nation company)

What T3 Sixty said… A real estate broker since 1984, Myers is President of the Southern California-based RE/MAX One. He oversees 450 agents at a firm he has led since 2018. In 2018, the firm joined RE/MAX Gold Nation to expand its reach in California and Nevada. Myers, a four-decade industry veteran, has also co-owned and been a managing partner of Landmark Escrow Inc. since 1998.

The full list of RE/MAX leaders featured in the 2024 Swanepoel Power 200 includes (listed in SP200 rank order):

  • #10 Nick Bailey – RE/MAX, LLC
  • #38 James O’Bryon – RE/MAX Gold
  • #47 Chad Ochsner – RE/MAX Alliance & RE/MAX Equity Group
  • #48 Christopher Alexander – RE/MAX Canada
  • #64 Brenda Tushaus – RE/MAX Results
  • #151 Amy Lessinger – RE/MAX, LLC

The full list of RE/MAX leaders featured in the 2023 Swanepoel Power 200 includes (listed in SP200 rank order):

#11 Nick Bailey – RE/MAX, LLC

#39 James O’Bryon – RE/MAX Gold

#46 Chad Ochsner – RE/MAX Alliance & RE/MAX Equity Group

#58 Brenda Tushaus – RE/MAX Results

#67 Christopher Alexander – RE/MAX Canada

#154 Sandra Sanders – RE/MAX Estate Properties

#161 Elton Ash – RE/MAX Canada

#118 Pierre Titley – RE/MAX Quebec

The full list of RE/MAX leaders featured in the 2022 Swanepoel Power 200 includes (listed in SP200 rank order):

#9 – Adam Contos, RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.
#23 – Nick Bailey, RE/MAX, LLC
#42 – James O’Bryon, RE/MAX Gold
#48 – Chad Ochsner, RE/MAX Alliance and RE/MAX Equity Group
#66 – Brenda Tushaus, RE/MAX Results
#92 – Christopher Alexander, RE/MAX Canada
#126 – Pierre Titley, RE/MAX Quebec
#154 – Sandra Sanders, RE/MAX Estate Properties
#177 – Elton Ash, RE/MAX Canada

The full list of RE/MAX leaders featured in the 2021 Swanepoel Power 200 includes (listed in SP200 rank order):

#9 Adam Contos, CEO of RE/MAX Holdings

#32 Walter Schneider, Co-Founder and President, RE/MAX INTEGRA

#36 Nick Bailey, RE/MAX Chief Customer Officer

#44 James O’Bryon, Co-Owner and CEO of RE/MAX Gold

#49 Chad Ochsner, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Alliance

#83 Brenda Tushaus, CEO of RE/MAX Results

#95 Elton Ash, Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada

#112 Pierre Titley, Co-Founder and President, RE/MAX Quebec

#149 Sandra Sanders, Founder and President, RE/MAX Estate Properties

# 191 Luis Padilla, 2021 President, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP); and CEO of The Padilla Team at RE/MAX Advance Realty

The full list of RE/MAX Leaders featured in the 2020 Swanepoel Power 200 include (listed in SP200 rank order):

#6 Adam Contos, RE/MAX CEO

#34 Walter Schneider, RE/MAX Integra

#34 Pamela Alexander, RE/MAX Integra

#46 Chad Ochsner, RE/MAX Alliance

#66 James O’Bryon, RE/MAX Gold

#74 Elton Ash, RE/MAX of Western Canada

#82 Nick Bailey, RE/MAX Chief Customer Officer

#84 Brenda Tushaus, RE/MAX Results

#116 Pierre Titley, RE/MAX Quebec

#127 Sandra Sanders, RE/MAX Estate Properties

#189 Serene Smith, RE/MAX Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff

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*RE/MAX, LLC, 5075 S. Syracuse St., Denver CO, 80237; RE/MAX Western Canada and RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic, 639 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2B7, 905-542-2400