Harley E. Rouda, Jr. is chief executive officer and managing partner of Real Living, Inc., the fourth-largest real estate firm in the U.S. with more than 4,000 agents and supporting staff working from approximately 130 offices. Rouda spearheaded the creation of Real Living in February 2002 by acquiring several regional real estate firms to create a new kind of residential real estate company focused on family, innovation and results – an agent-focused company that would lead the industry in marketing technology, professional development and measurable results.

Rouda earned the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in June 2002, in recognition of his industry leadership, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. And under his direction, Real Living, Inc. was named an Ohio 200 company by Ohio Business Magazine – a designation shared by the top 100 privately-held and top 100 publicly-held companies in the state.

Rouda speaks nationwide about trends and changes affecting the real estate industry, is extensively involved in various industry organizations, and writes a weekly newspaper column. He is often quoted in national publications (including The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com and Forbes.com) and is a frequent guest on radio stations across the U.S.

Before entering the real estate industry, Rouda was an attorney with the national law firm of Porter, Wright, Morris and Arthur, specializing in capital information, securities work, and intellectual property.

Rouda serves or has served on the Board of Directors of numerous for-profit and not-for profit companies including Rocky Shoes and Boots (NASDAQ: RCKY), Insight Bank, The Realty Alliance and the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. As the chair of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) working group, Harley was instrumental in keeping the base open. He was also appointed to the All-Ohio Task Force to save defense jobs by Governor Bob Taft.

His participation in community organizations includes the American Cancer Society; Columbus Theatrical Association; Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Commission; March of Dimes; Prevent Blindness; Mid-Ohio FoodBank; Columbus Area Leadership Program; Ballet Met; Upper Arlington Civic Association; Southern Theatre Restoration; COSI (Center of Science and Industry); World of Children; The Fisher College of Business/The Ohio State University; and Capital University Law School.

Rouda received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kentucky; his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School; and his Masters in Business Administration from Fisher College of The Ohio State University.

He resides in Upper Arlington, Ohio, with his wife, Kaira, and their four children.

Kaira Sturdivant Rouda is the chief operating officer for Real Living and the president of Real Living Network Services. Previously, she held the position of chief marketing officer for Real Living, responsible for the development and stewardship of the Real Living brand.

Sturdivant Rouda is now responsible for the operation and alignment of the company’s agent and customer care centers; marketing, advertising and special events; professional development, training and human resources; franchise sales and services; Web services and the information technology infrastructure.

Active in the residential real estate business for more than a decade, she was instrumental in HER Real Living’s – Real Living’s Columbus company-owned and operated stronghold – precedent-setting move to pull out of the costly Sunday newspaper classifieds in 1997 and the company’s subsequent brand repositioning, resulting in increased market share.

Under her leadership, Real Living has been recognized within the real estate industry and beyond. The Real Living brand has made a dramatic impact in an industry-facing consolidation and change and is in the process of attracting franchise partners nationally.

Before joining Real Living, Sturdivant Rouda was vice president of marketing for Stanley Steamer International, an Inc. 500 company with more than 230 franchises and 20 company-owned offices in 47 states. Sturdivant Rouda led the company’s national marketing, created its brand positioning, coordinated more than 20 media co-ops spending more than $15 million annually in media and oversaw all details of its annual sales convention.

Sturdivant Rouda is an active contributor to her community, having served on dozens of non-profit organizations. In the mid-1980s, she founded Make Room Columbus, the city’s first homeless shelter for families. Rouda, an art-lover, also co-founded the 12 ¼ Circle at the Wexner Center for the Arts in the late 90s. This year, she was the honorary chair and founder of the Columbus Cattle Baron’s Ball that benefited the American Cancer Society. She is also a member of the Women President’s Organization, the Google Real Estate Advisory Council and the Trulia.com Advisory Board. This year, Sturdivant Rouda served as a WebAward judge for the Web Marketing Association.

She has received numerous awards for her civic service including Columbus Board of Realtors Citizen of the Year, Ohio Sertoma Service to Mankind Award, Northwest Rotary’s Woman of the Year, Business First newspaper’s 40 under 40, among others.

In addition to her work for Real Living, Sturdivant Rouda is a widely-published writer, serving as contributing editor for numerous publications in Columbus and beyond, most recently Midwest Living magazine. She writes a weekly column – Connections – distributed to 350,000 households in Central Ohio via ThisWeek newspapers.

Sturdivant Rouda is a magna cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University and resides in Columbus with her husband and four children.

Scott Hoyt’s career in real estate began at a very young age, making copies at his parents’ mortgage banking firm at the age of four. Having worked in nearly every aspect of the mortgage industry (servicing, wholesale and retail operations) Hoyt looked for a new challenge after the birth of his son, Jack.

In 2001, he teamed up with two fellow entrepreneurs’ to open a small consumer centric real estate company under the mantra of “the world does not need another real estate company, it needs a better one”. The company started on folding tables in the basement of his family’s office building. In just four years, it grew into the largest independent company in its market. Such quick growth was unprecedented with his company being the youngest company and Hoyt the youngest broker to accomplish such a feat.

“It happened because we were all on the same page with our clients. Everything we did was for them, period. Everything we did or built was to make the consumer experience better than it had been in the past. We developed smarter agents, a user friendly, fact filled Web site – just putting ourselves in the buyers’ and sellers’ shoes went along way.”

After meeting Harley Rouda Jr., chief executive officer and managing partner of Real Living Inc., Hoyt realized they shared the same philosophies and values when it came to practicing real estate: family, innovation and results. Hoyt joined the Real Living Team in early 2006 and helped develop the business plan and strategy of Real Living Partners. He now lives in Cary, N. Carolina with his Wife, son & twin daughters.