CEO, National Association of the Remodeling Industry
| Req Number: | FIDW5K |
| Location: | Wheeling, IL (Greater Chicago Area) |
| Posted: | 12/18/2025 |
| Category: | Government/Not-For-Profit : Not-For-Profit |
| Job Type: | Permanent |
| Compensation: | USD 250,000.00 - 300,000.00 Yearly - The anticipated base salary range for this role is $250,000 and $300,000 and may vary based on factors such as skill, experience, and qualifications for the role. Total compensation for this role consists of base salary and employee benefits such as healthcare, retirement plan, etc. NARI takes a geo-neutral approach to compensation within the US, meaning that pay is based on job function and level, not location. |
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
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The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the premier trade association representing professionals dedicated to the highest standards in the remodeling industry. For more than six decades, NARI has served as the industry champion, advancing the remodeling profession through rigorous education, certifications, proactive advocacy, and unwavering commitment to ethical business practices. NARI’s foundational mission is to equip remodeling businesses nationwide with the tools, resources, and professional network required for success, while simultaneously building consumer trust through its signature message, "Remodeling Done Right™."
NARI membership includes remodeling contractors, suppliers, and industry partners. All members commit to a strict Code of Ethics and uphold the highest levels of quality, professionalism, and integrity. This commitment to core values, ongoing education, and high-quality workmanship provides homeowners with peace of mind and confidence that their remodeler is held to the industry’s most rigorous standards. NARI empowers homeowners with the knowledge, trusted resources, and access to NARI Certified professionals they need for a confident, stress-free remodeling experience.
The association operates a strong national footprint through a network of 29 successful local chapters across the United States, connecting thousands of companies to the national organization. Companies located outside chapter territories join directly as National Members. NARI’s current membership totals approximately 3,600, reflecting a powerful community dedicated to excellence. The organization’s strategic vision, approved by the Board, is focused on aggressive growth, increasing public appreciation and awareness, and strengthening relationships across the NARI community.
NARI maintains a position of strong fiscal health, supported by three years of financial reserves. This stability provides the organization with the strategic capacity to make decisive investments in technology, professional development, and member services consistent with a bold future vision. NARI supports its mission with a dedicated staff of 15 based at its headquarters in Wheeling, Illinois, operating the two key digital platforms: nari.org for industry professionals and remodelingdoneright.com for homeowners.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The President & CEO will provide overall executive leadership for NARI, partnering with the Board of Directors to shape the future strategic direction of the association. The CEO will be a transformative leader charged with establishing a bold, clear vision to make NARI a “household name” for both remodelers and homeowners.
NARI is entering an exciting phase of transformation with myriad opportunities to scale impact for the industry and members alike. The President & CEO will work in partnership with the Board of Directors to spearhead the formulation and implementation of a fresh strategic plan, translating vision into measurable outcomes. This leader will conduct rigorous assessments of the organization's business model, driving initiatives to diversify revenue streams and ensure long-term financial resilience. Specific responsibilities include:
Vision, Strategy, and Organizational Sustainability:
- Establish a Transformative Vision: Articulate and champion a bold, clear, and compelling vision that elevates NARI to become the definitive "household name" for both remodeling professionals and homeowners within the next five years.
- Lead Strategic Execution: The President & CEO drives the successful implementation of the organization’s strategic plan through operational excellence, cross-functional collaboration, and stakeholder alignment. This role is pivotal in translating vision into action, ensuring that professional staff and volunteers are mobilized and aligned to achieve shared goals to advance the growth and innovation of NARI.
- Assess and Diversify Revenue: Conduct a thorough assessment of the current business model to ensure long-term financial sustainability and value to members. This includes actively identifying, developing, and launching new, diversified revenue streams to reduce reliance on any single program and mitigate the risk associated with the current revenue concentration. Membership dues are currently 27% of overall revenue.
Chapter Relationships & Membership Value:
- Drive Membership Growth: Implement comprehensive strategies for membership attraction, retention, and engagement, with a specific focus on increasing relevancy and value for a younger generation of remodeling professionals.
- Strengthen Chapter Relations: Act as a unifying force and strategic connector, fostering trust and collaboration between the National Office and its 29 local chapters. Build alignment, address challenges, and cultivate a cohesive, mutually supportive network that advances a shared vision and amplifies impact nationwide.
- Articulate and Elevate Value: Clearly define, communicate, and amplify the unique value proposition of NARI membership, ensuring the dues structure appropriately reflects the high quality of offerings, particularly in professional education, certification, and business resources.
- Operational Excellence: Drive operational excellence across the federated structure by fostering seamless collaboration between the National Office and local chapters, ensuring timely and accurate transmission of membership fees while implementing best practices that promote consistency, accountability, and alignment throughout the organization.
Board Relations & Governance:
- Foster a Trusting Partnership: Build and maintain a strong, trusting, and collaborative relationship with the NARI Board of Directors, providing expert advice on key trends impacting the association and industry.
- Support Governance Effectiveness: Continuously partner with the Board to support their ongoing progress in enhancing governance best practices, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, and effective oversight.
Advocacy and Public Affairs:
- Define Advocacy Role: Partner with the Board to define NARI's role and level of engagement in legislative and regulatory advocacy, prioritizing specific industry-critical areas and forging alliances and partnerships that elevate the association’s influence in this space.
- Elevate Brand and Consumer Awareness: Substantially enhance the public understanding and appreciation of the value NARI professionals bring to remodeling projects, utilizing modern marketing capabilities and digital platforms (remodelingdoneright.com) to drive the goal of becoming a recognized household name among homeowners.
Staff Leadership & Organizational Culture:
- Cultivate a Collaborative Culture: Rebuild and transform the internal staff culture to break down operational silos, foster open collaboration, and create an environment that encourages innovative ideas, and bold thinking.
- Empower and Mentor Talent: Serve as a strong, empowering team builder who sets a clear vision, mentors a high-performing staff of 15, and instills a culture of high accountability, ensuring the team is focused on achieving the organization's strategic goals.
- Ensure Transparency and Accountability: Maintain a high level of transparency with the Board of Directors, providing regular, candid reports on strategic goal attainment—clearly identifying what is progressing well and what requires adjustment.
Financial & Operational Oversight:
- Maintain the financial health of the organization including annual budgeting, forecasting, and dues/non-dues revenue strategy, including educational programming. Ensure strong membership retention and growth and evaluate additional non-dues revenue services that provide value to the members.
- Prepare annual budget aligned to NARI’s strategic plan: for review and approval by the Board of Directors. Make recommendations for priority investments that advance the industry’s goals, including the organization’s website.
- Evaluate the entirety of the organization’s infrastructure and operations: including its overall business model, revenue mix, resource allocation, staffing models, IT infrastructure, and accountability structures, to support program delivery and ensure continued agility, success, and longevity of NARI.
- Embrace Technological Advancement: Ensure NARI is forward leaning in its adoption and use of modern digital communications tools and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to stay ahead of industry trends and enhance organizational efficiency and member services.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant federal, state, and local codes, regulations, and ordinances.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS
NARI seeks a President & CEO who is a visionary, strategic, and articulate leader with credibility and influence to effectively advance the organization’s mission and strategic goals on behalf of its membership. The candidate will have a record of accomplishment for effectively partnering with a diverse Board of Directors and professional staff to forge a consensus on NARI’s priorities and a unified voice before stakeholders. The CEO will have experience overseeing the development of a strategic plan designed to position NARI as the leading voice for the industry and achieve progress toward strategic industry goals. The successful candidate will have a solid record of effective staff and fiscal leadership either as a President & CEO or with a proven record of successful executive leadership of several relevant organizational functions.
The ideal candidate will possess the following background, experience, and leadership competencies:
- Executive-level experience overseeing the effective development and implementation of an organization’s strategic plan; working collaboratively and transparently with a Board of Directors; ensuring the fiscal health and sustainability of an organization; and leading a team of professionals accountable for achieving the strategic goals of an organization.
- Executive presence and gravitas, with an ability to galvanize and engage a Board on a priority agenda and amplify the voice of the industry before key audiences.
- Experience working within a federated model is a plus, specifically the ability to nurture relationships with chapters and align local and national interests.
- An effective, credible, and influential communicator and spokesperson for all audiences. Outstanding written, oral, and presentation communication skills. A strong listener.
- A visionary leader capable of anticipating and addressing significant industry challenges and opportunities. Innovative and open to new ideas generated by the Board, membership, and the staff.
- Strong business acumen to assess revenue models, manage reserves effectively, assess strategic investments, and diversify revenue streams to mitigate risk (e.g., managing program dependencies).
- Strong understanding of marketing tools and strategies to elevate NARI’s brand to a "household name" status and clearly articulate membership value.
- Excellent interpersonal, relationship building, and influence skills with a record of accomplishment for successfully working with and balancing the needs of a wide range of diverse stakeholders including government officials, industry leaders, members, and media. Ability to clearly articulate the message and earn respect from their audience.
- Prior working knowledge of the built environment/remodeling industry or adjacent industries is a plus.
- Experienced staff leader, with demonstrated accomplishment for leading a dynamic organization; attracting, developing, and motivating strong talent; managing and mentoring a high-performing, empowered team in a results-oriented, fast paced changing environment. Proven success in transforming organizational culture, specifically in breaking down silos and empowering teams to be collaborative and innovative.
- A record of accomplishment for building strong alliances, partnerships, and coalitions with organizations that share common objectives.
- Strong emotional intelligence, with an ability to forge consensus, collaborate, and lead with humility, compassion, and empathy.
- The courage and conviction to challenge and defend ideas and strategies before opponents and advocate before diverse audiences on the industry’s priorities.
- Strong entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to translate new opportunities into measurable results. A future leaning perspective on the digital world, including new media and AI.
- A reputation for strong integrity and sound judgement, upholding high ethical standards.
EDUCATION
A bachelor’s degree is required. A relevant advanced degree is a plus.
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Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis. Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.
