Gino Blefari, CEO of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, has appointed Teresa Palacios Smith as chief diversity and inclusion officer for HomeServices and its subsidiaries, including its family of brokerage, mortgage, insurance, settlement-services and relocation companies and HSF Affiliates, which operates the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living franchise networks.
“There’s no place like home. Our home is a place that we associate with acceptance, family, love, safety and belonging,” said Palacios Smith. “HomeServices exemplifies this, and I’m honored to lead the diversity and inclusion efforts of a company that values its people, promotes diversity, equity and inclusion and cherishes homeownership and fair housing for all.”
Palacios Smith began her career as a real estate agent and served on Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties’ management team. In 2017, she joined HSF Affiliates as its vice president of Diversity & Inclusion for the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living franchise networks.
During her more than 20 years in the real estate industry, Palacios Smith has been a national speaker and trainer who has focused on emerging markets, unconscious bias and real estate trends in diverse market segments. She serves on the boards of many top housing organizations that focus on supporting people from traditionally underserved communities. She is a past president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP and a co-founder of the NAHREP’s Atlanta chapter. In 2019, she received the Diversity Leader Award from the National Association of Women in the Housing & Real Estate Ecosystem.
