After a remarkable 25-year career with Royal LePage®, Chief Operating Officer Carolyn Cheng has retired from the company, closing a chapter defined by innovation, unwavering leadership and an extraordinary commitment to strengthening the success of the network – whether it was for brokerage-owners, team leaders or new and experienced agents.
“Over the last quarter-century, our industry, and our company, has changed profoundly. Through disruption and reinvention; crisis and growth, Carolyn was there, leading her team with humanity, and helping drive the entire enterprise forward,” said Phil Soper, President & CEO. “She recognized opportunities before they were obvious to others. And, her advice and counsel to me personally has been invaluable.”
Throughout her tenure, Carolyn championed the adoption of new services and technology and led the creation of several transformative products and services that continue to set Royal LePage apart in Canada’s real estate industry. Some noteworthy accolades include the launch of the company’s online lead generation programs as early as 2006, evolving into the industry-leading Royal LePage® Smart LeadsTM program, as well as rlpSPHERE® – an AI-powered ecosystem that combines lead generation, CRM, marketing automation, analytics and personalized websites tailored for Canadian real estate.
She also played a key role in advancing the company’s consumer technology capabilities with various innovative search tools for buyers and sellers. The aim was to create as many opportunities for its sales professionals as possible. For brokerages, she led the launch of recruiting, retention and profitability services; for team leaders, she spearheaded team-focused offerings, including training and mastermind events designed to support the creation, optimization and growth of teams.
Beyond technology, Carolyn strengthened the company’s strategic vision by initiating and leading the Royal LePage Services Advisory Council for the last 20 years, bringing together brokerage owners and manager-delegates from across the country to provide essential feedback that shapes the products and services offered to our agents and brokers.
In the final stretch of her tenure, Carolyn pioneered the development and launch of the Wealth Investment Program, a first-of-its-kind long-term savings and investment solution that enables Royal LePage professionals to automatically invest through commission deductions.
Her leadership helped bring these ambitious initiatives and many others from concept to reality, forever elevating the resources available to Royal LePage professionals.
Carolyn’s influence has also extended far beyond Royal LePage. She has been recognized across North America for her industry leadership, appearing on the prestigious Swanepoel Power 200 list every year since 2021, a testament to both her impact and her reputation among industry peers.
Reflecting on her 25-year journey, Carolyn notes how meaningful it has been to help shape the services strategy and execution that support the success of Royal LePage and the industry at large.
“It has been a great honour in my career to serve the Royal LePage network alongside such a talented executive team – professionals who are not only exceptional leaders but truly wonderful people,” said Carolyn Cheng. “I am deeply proud of the work that we’ve done together, the values we have upheld and the experiences we’ve shared, all while maintaining Royal LePage’s leadership position within the industry. I am also incredibly grateful to the strategic business services team and to colleagues across the organization whose dedication, creativity and ingenuity have driven so many of the advancements we’ve brought to the company over the years.
And, to our brokers, team leaders and agents: your drive and entrepreneurial spirit ignited a passion in me to serve and support you. I truly value the work we did together to build services that best support your businesses and your clients. Your passion, generosity and resilience in the face of a rapidly evolving industry were constant sources of inspiration and powerful drivers behind our work. Our partnership over the years has been deeply meaningful, creating lasting memories and making this change all the more poignant and bittersweet. For these reasons, I will miss you enormously as I begin a new chapter where I can explore my creative passions, spend more time with loved ones and continue to support the real estate industry in new and impactful ways.”
”I have long admired Carolyn’s eye as a photographer,” Soper added. “I am genuinely delighted to see her pursue this next chapter more fully. Her abstract aerial work is distinctive, beautiful and attracting attention in the fine art world. It is a reflection of the creativity and precision she brought to her business life.
Beyond what she contributed professionally, I want to personally thank Carolyn for her friendship over the many years. She is a genuinely good person; generous and kind. She will be missed.”
As she steps into semi-retirement, Carolyn is embracing the opportunity to spend more time on her creative and personal pursuits. As an award-winning photographer, she looks forward to further developing her art, while also enjoying more time with family and friends, and taking on selective board and consulting roles.
Carolyn leaves behind a culture of innovation, collaboration and meaningful progress, and an exceptional team that is well-positioned to carry that legacy forward for years to come. On behalf of everyone at Royal LePage, we wish Carolyn every success and happiness in her next adventure, and are grateful for the lasting impact she has made on our organization and the real estate industry as a whole.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE BY ROYAL LEAPGE CANADA, HERE
SOURCE, ROYAL LEPAGE LEADING EDGE
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