Altamonte Springs, Florida-based Stellar MLS has announced CEO Merri Jo Cowen will step down from her leadership role in the first quarter of 2026, with Chief Operations Officer Shayne Fairley succeeding her.
Cowen has led Stellar MLS since 2008, while Fairley joined the organization in 2005 and was named chief operations officer in 2017. After the leadership transition, Cowen will serve in a strategic advisory role at Stellar MLS while also leading its subsidiary Universal Consulting Opportunities, which supports real estate professionals worldwide.
“Serving as CEO of Stellar MLS has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Cowen. “I’m incredibly proud of what we have built—an MLS that delivers value, innovation, and integrity to real estate professionals and the consumers they serve. Now, I’m ready to step back, and Shayne is more than ready to step forward. I truly cannot imagine leaving what we’ve built in better hands. Shayne knows Stellar MLS inside and out, and I have complete trust in his leadership and absolute confidence that he’ll take this organization to the next level.”
“I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Merri Jo for nearly 20 years and learned a tremendous amount by watching how she leads, both strategically and personally. She leads with vision and heart, and that blend of high-level leadership and genuine care is part of what makes Stellar successful and is something I intend to carry forward,” said Fairley.
Stellar MLS serves over 84,000 customers and supports real estate agents and brokers across 21 realtor associations in Central and Southwest Florida and Puerto Rico.
Photo: Shayne Fairley and Merri Jo Cowen
