AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 23, 2026--
Keller Williams Realty, LLC (KW), the world's largest real estate franchise, announces key leadership appointments aimed at accelerating agent count growth, franchise productivity, and KW Commercial expansion. The appointments are effective immediately.
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“Great leadership drives growth, and the fastest way to accelerate this is to put proven leaders closest to the opportunity,” said Chris Czarnecki, CEO and President of KW. “John, Sean, Andy, Lesley, and Gabby are builders and operators with a track record of turning opportunity into results.”
“Now, we’re putting that experience to work at greater scale to help KW-affiliated entrepreneurs and franchisees build bigger, more productive, and more profitable businesses,” said Czarnecki.
John Clidy, Head of Divisions
As Head of Divisions, Clidy leads strategic alignment and performance across KW’s 30 regions in the U.S. and Canada. Working with KW’s divisional leaders, he drives franchise growth, leadership, productivity, profitability, and operational excellence across the company’s markets.
Clidy joined KW more than a decade ago as a top-producing mega agent and has since served at nearly every level of the organization, including as a market center operating principal, regional director, divisional leader, and vice president of Growth.
Sean Hostert, Head of Commercial Operations and Strategy
As Head of Commercial Operations and Strategy, Hostert leads the strategy and operations supporting the growth of KW Commercial® and its affiliated network of agents. He brings more than 15 years of finance, investment, and commercial real estate experience to the role.
A Chartered Financial Analyst, Hostert previously served as Head of Investments at Trio Investment Group, now part of J.P. Morgan Asset Management; Vice President of Acquisitions at Broadstone Net Lease; and Director of Acquisitions at VEREIT, now Realty Income Corporation, overseeing and evaluating billions of dollars in commercial real estate opportunities.
Andy Peters and Lesley Peters, Co-Heads of U.S. Growth & Attraction
As Co-Heads of U.S. Growth & Attraction, Andy and Lesley Peters lead KW’s national agent attraction strategy and growth initiatives, working with divisional and regional leaders to accelerate agent growth across the company’s regions and market centers.
The Peters bring two decades of experience as real estate entrepreneurs, operators, coaches, and trainers. Together, they lead, coach, and train more than 2,200 agents across seven KW® franchises in Georgia and the Carolinas and previously built The Peters Company into a top real estate team in the U.S. for 11 consecutive years.
Gabby Maddox Davis, Head of Digital & Social for Growth & Attraction
As Head of Digital & Social for Growth & Attraction, Davis leads the development of digital and social strategies designed to accelerate agent growth across KW® regions and market centers, while aligning agent attraction and recognition efforts with the company’s broader marketing strategy.
Davis also serves as operating principal of Keller Williams® Realty West ATL, where she grew the market center to nearly 500 agents in three years and led it to become the fastest net-growing KW® market center worldwide in 2024 and 2025.
“Our growth strategy starts with a simple question: how do we create more opportunity for entrepreneurs to thrive?” said Czarnecki. “We have tremendous opportunity, and delivering on it requires leaders who know how to turn vision into execution.”
“These appointments bring proven operators into critical areas of our business with clear accountability for growth to attract more great agents, strengthen KW-affiliated franchises, and to expand their commercial real estate opportunities,” said Czarnecki.
About Keller Williams
Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams Realty, LLC is the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count with a global network of offices and affiliated agents. The franchise is No. 1 in units and sales volume in the U.S.
Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven, and education-based culture that rewards affiliated agents. For more information, visit kwri.kw.com.
(Top L-R) John Clidy, Head of Divisions; and Sean Hostert, Head of Commercial Operations and Strategy (Bottom L-R) Lesley Peters and Andy Peters, Co-Heads of U.S. Growth & Attraction; and Gabby Maddox Davis, Head of Digital & Social for Growth & Attraction
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Friends and family of Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman said the man sentenced Thursday to two life terms plus 40 years after pleading guilty to her murder failed to eliminate her spirit and her legacy, but caused enduring fear and fury as he changed their lives forever.
Fellow lawmakers and survivors of the shooting spoke Thursday at the sentencing hearing for Vance Boelter, the man who pleaded guilty last month to federal charges related to the killing of former House Speaker Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as critically wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.
Boelter, 59, agreed to plead guilty in June, almost a year after the Minneapolis-area attacks, so federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty. Mark Hortman's father and siblings voiced anger that he could not be sentenced to death.
U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim said it was “the longest sentence I have imposed after hearing thousands of cases over the years, but I do believe it is deserved.”
In court Thursday, Sen. Hoffman said he and his family are constantly reminded of the extraordinary violence of that night, even in the mundane details of day-to-day life. He said they don't receive mail at home anymore, they have installed solid steel doors for protection, and they have changed how they do everyday tasks because of their injuries.
“The defendant looked me in the eyes and pulled the trigger. The defendant looked at my wife and chose to do the same,” Hoffman said. “My wife and I now live with injuries. We live with our bodies remembering the gunfire.”
Yvette Hoffman said she has been too traumatized to work since the attack in their home, and that she sees a therapist weekly.
“I will never forget looking down and watching my blood slowly stream down that white washing machine as I felt myself sinking to the floor,” she said, barely holding back tears. “We always have an escape plan now. This isn’t how people should live.”
Boelter admitted he spent months identifying and stalking his targets, before driving to their homes disguised as a police officer with the intention of killing them. The killings sparked the largest police search in state history.
Democratic State Rep. Kristin Bahner was one of two other legislators whose homes Boelter visited that night, but she and her family were on vacation. Bahner said the shootings had left her shaken.
“I could not fathom why I was spared and (Hortman) was not,” she said. “You failed because I carry her with me. In my mind and in my heart, she guides me.”
Mark Hortman's parents and siblings spoke of their anger Thursday, both at the man who killed him and of the justice system.
“It will not offer me peace of mind that he will have room and board provided for the rest of his life, paid for by my tax dollars,” said Lisa Hortman Bean, Mark's sister.
Melissa Hortman's mother and father and the Hortman's children changed the tone of the statements when they spoke Thursday, remembering them as attentive, loving parents and grandparents and people who had a positive impact on thousands of lives.
Sophie Hortman, their daughter, described in vivid detail having to say goodbye to Gilbert, the golden retriever, also shot by Boelter but who was still alive when they arrived at the veterinary hospital. She talked about the bedtime routine her mother had with Gilbert, who failed his service dog test because he was too friendly, and the care and love she gave him.
“I miss my mom. I miss my dad. I miss my best friends. And I miss believing in the goodness of humanity. I hope that one day these aches feel less sharp. And I know just like the love I feel for my parents, the pain will never go away,” she said through tears.
Colin Hortman talked about his parents not being at his recent wedding, about not dancing with his mother who he had hoped would make his wedding cake. He described the horror of the house, and the panic attacks and crying that have persisted in the year since their murders.
“My days are filled with gray, and the blood that was spilled is the last thing I see before I go to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake,” he said. “There is no sentence that weighs 15 gunshots, a murdered dog and the rest of my life.”
“It is impossible to realize the damage that has been done not only to our family, but to our society,” said Melissa's father Harold Haluptzok, who repeatedly referred to her as his “little girl.”
“I wish the perpetrator would have sat down and talked to Melissa about his political positions. ... if only he did that before he decided to kill them,” Haluptzok added.
Federal defender Manny Atwal spoke only briefly after the victim impact statements Thursday, saying Boelter showed remorse for his actions by pleading guilty and accepting the life sentences.
Boelter remained silent and sat extremely still for most of the hearing, showing little emotion or reaction to the anguish expressed by the survivors and family members.
“To every person I have caused loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness, shame, or loneliness, I am truly sorry,” Boelter said.
Boelter went to Hortman's home, wearing a tactical uniform and mask, about 3:30 a.m. on June 14, 2025. He rang the doorbell while shouting he was a police officer doing a welfare check, according to court documents.
Mark Hortman answered the door. Boelter gave him a fake name and badge number before requesting he summon Melissa Hortman to the door as well. He shot Mark Hortman multiple times before pushing into the house and shooting the lawmaker as she fled upstairs. Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed.
Boelter had already visited the Hoffmans' home that night, shooting and critically injuring the senator and his wife, according to police and court documents. Court documents said Boelter also went to two other lawmakers' houses that night, including Bahner's, but was scared away by a police officer in one instance, and no one was home at the other address.
Boelter also faces state charges, including two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty. Hoffman and his family filed a personal injury lawsuit against Boelter in April.
This story has been corrected to show Boelter apologized for causing loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness, shame, or loneliness, not for causing emotions.
Lauer reported from Philadelphia.
Colin Hortman (left), son of Mark and Melissa Hortman, walks into the lobby of the Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse before a sentencing hearing for Vance Boelter in Minneapolis, on Thursday, July 23, 2026. (Alex Kormann/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)
Members of the Hortman family come down the escalator into the lobby of the Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse before a sentencing hearing for Vance Boelter in Minneapolis, on Thursday, July 23, 2026. (Alex Kormann/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)
FILE - Members of law enforcement agencies investigate near a vehicle suspected to belong to shooting suspect, Vance Boelter, June 15, 2025, in Belle Plaine, Minn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Bullet holes mark the front door of the house of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife who were shot earlier in the day on June 14, 2025, in Champlin, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, File)
FILE - Armed FBI agents search for an active shooter, sweeping a neighborhood adjacent to the home of Minnesota DFL State Representative Melissa Hortman, in Brooklyn Park, Minn., June 14, 2025. (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP, File)
FILE - Pictures of Mark and Melissa Hortman are set up inside the sanctuary at the Basilica of St. Mary's during funeral services for Mark and Melissa Hortman in Minneapolis, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP, Pool, File)
FILE - This photo made available by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office shows Vance Luther Boelter, the man charged with killing the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and her husband, and wounding a state senator and his wife, as he was arrested on June 15, 2025. (Ramsey County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
