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The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced Thursday that Matthew Cenedella is taking over as its chief financial officer, with longtime CFO John Pierpoint set to retire at the end of the month. Cenedella is set to start his new role on March 19.
Pierpoint has served NAR for nearly four decades, including serving as CFO and as a staff executive to NAR’s Finance Committee for 20 years. He also served on NAR’s Investment Advisory Board and Real Property Operations Committee, and he was the secretary-treasurer of the REALTORS Relief Foundation.
“Matthew’s versatility and his extensive background in finance, strategic planning and operational leadership roles will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our financial strategies, propel NAR toward a higher-performing workplace and deliver greater value to our members,” NAR CEO Nykia Wright said in the trade’s group press release.
Cenedella previously held the roles of chief operating officer and treasurer for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), where he was tasked with financial development and member relations. Cenedella grew the association’s annual revenues from $40 million to more than $125 million through the development of owned assets, media and events.
Cenedella is also credited with the founding and growth of WTA’s $32 million data division. And he helped to establish WTA Ventures, now valued at $750 million, to accelerate the commercial growth of women’s tennis.
Before becoming COO, he served as WTA’s chief administrative officer, with oversight of the organization across its finance, treasury, human resources, compliance, information technology and on-site operations.
Cenedella has formerly held finance roles at IMG Worldwide, American Greetings, Nestle Waters, Reader’s Digest Association and Deloitte & Touche.
Cenedella is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). He also serves as treasurer for the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an organization dedicated to athlete safety in Olympic and Paralympic sports. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from New York University.
“I am honored to join NAR at such a pivotal time for the real estate industry,” Cenedella said. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work across diverse financial landscapes, from corporate enterprises to nonprofit associations, and I look forward to leveraging that experience to ensure the organization’s financial strength and to position it for strategic growth where it best suits our mission to support NAR’s members.”
