Longtime Stellar Mls Ceo Merri Jo Cowen To Step Down

After 16 years at the helm, Stellar MLS CEO Merri Jo Cowen will be stepping down from her role in Q1 2026, according to an announcement on Thursday. 

The Florida-based MLS has already selected her successor, Stellar MLS’s current chief operations officer Shayne Fairley. Fairley has been a member of Stellar MLS’s leadership team for nearly two decades, joining the MLS in 2005 and serving as COO since 2017. 

“Serving as CEO of Stellar MLS has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Cowen said in a statement. “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.”

Cowen joined Stellar MLS in 2008. It was under her guidance that the MLS not only navigated the Great Recession, but grew to become the largest MLS in Florida and Puerto Rico. She also played a role in the MLS’s 2019 rebranding efforts. 

“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,” Fairley said in a statement.

Over the next few months, Stellar MLS said Cowen will work closely with Fairley to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Even after the transition, Cohen will remain a part of Stellar MLS, serving in a strategic advisory role and leading its subsidiary Universal Consulting Opportunities, of which Cowen currently serves as CEO. 

“Our priorities remain the same — delivering exceptional value to our customers, championing innovation, and helping shape the future of the real estate industry both at home and around the world,” Fairley said.