Ezekiel “Zeke” Morris, of Willowbrook, was sworn in as the 2022 Illinois REALTORS® President at the state association’s 104th Inaugural Gala in Naperville on Tuesday.

2022 Illinois REALTORS® President Ezekiel “Zeke” Morris

“I am so thankful for this opportunity to lead Illinois REALTORS® at a time such as this. I am inspired by the beauty of our mission, our values and our strategy,” said Morris of the more than 50,000-member association.

Morris is the designated managing broker of EXIT Strategy Realty/EMA Management on the South Side of Chicago and has been involved in the real estate industry for more than 30 years.

“The possibilities before us are endless and our collective strength is harnessed to help our clients, our communities and our businesses like never before,” said Morris of his goals for his tenure. “We will continue to learn, to grow and to apply our knowledge to make things better. We will make the most of our relationships and strengthen them and that will in turn, make our association stronger.”

2022 Leadership Team: Treasurer Michael Gobber, President Zeke Morris, Immediate Past President Sue Miller and Treasurer Matt Silver

Other 2022 officers are: President-elect Michael Gobber, designated managing broker and partner of Century 21 Affiliated in Westchester; and Treasurer Matt Silver, a partner and senior broker with Corcoran Urban Real Estate in Chicago. Immediate Past President is Sue Miller, designated managing broker of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group in McHenry.

Morris is a member and past president of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and was named its local REALTOR® of the year in 2013. At the state level, he has led and been involved with a number of committees and has served multiple terms on the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors. He is the first African American president of Illinois REALTORS®.

He has also been a leader at the national level, serving as the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Liaison for Community Engagement in 2020. Morris chaired NAR’s Fair Housing Act Anniversary Working Group and the Fair Housing Act Anniversary Implementation Group and helped spearhead the national association’s efforts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act in 2018.

Read more about Morris, his real estate career and his commitment to creating opportunities not just for other REALTORS® but also for consumers.

The American Dream

To whom much is given, much is required and as president, Morris wants to expand the opportunity for everyone to experience the American Dream of homeownership by working to secure more affordability and equity in housing and to further protect private property rights. REALTORS® are the key to making that happen.

“In the coming year, I want us to join together, all 50,000 members, to help make the dream of home ownership a reality for EVERYONE of all income levels, races, and genders,” said Morris. “We can and must take the lead in ensuring that every Illinoisian has the opportunity to experience that part of the American Dream.”

Read more about Illinois REALTORS® American Dream of Homeownership initiative.