The Association of Illinois Real Estate Educators (AIREE) honored Kreg Allison, the director of the Division of Real Estate for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), with a special achievement award in recognition of his commitment to innovation and modernization.
“Consumers and licensees are seeing direct benefits from the positive changes made by director Allison, such as new online licensing services, substantial process improvements and more knowledgeable staff who communicate effectively with individuals and industry groups,” said Larry Toban, vice president of AIREE.
As the director of the Division of Real Estate, Allison serves as the head regulator for the real estate industry in Illinois overseeing professional education, licensure, regulation and discipline for nearly 100,000 licensees working in six real estate related professions. He also manages a large government agency with approximately 40 employees operating out of offices in Chicago, Des Plaines, and Springfield with a most recent budget of over $8 million. During director Allison’s tenure, the Division of Real Estate has successfully reduced license application processing times, eliminated unnecessary regulations and improved overall operating efficiencies.
“I appreciate the recognition of the hard work that my team and I have done and are doing to make the regulation of real estate professions in Illinois effective and efficient,” said Allison.
Director Allison’s leadership was critical on House Bill 3528 in 2017 and House Bill 5210 in 2018, both of which were major overhauls of Illinois law related to license education and the regulation of real estate professions. House Bill 3528 radically changed what license education for real estate brokerage can be and how it is provided in Illinois, including allowing a wider offering of courses, the elimination of proctored exams for most courses, the revision of the core curriculum for the first time in a generation and red tape reduction for education providers.
“The Division of Real Estate values high-quality, relevant education for licensees. The Association of Illinois Real Estate Educators is a good partner to make sure that such education exists in Illinois,” Allison said.
Prior to joining IDFPR, Allison was senior counsel for Avison Young, providing advice on business transactions and issues related to compliance, corporate governance, government relations, human resources, insurance, licensure and tax. Before joining Avison Young, he served as the chief legal officer and administrator for the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in Cincinnati. Licensed to practice law in Illinois and Ohio, Allison earned his JD from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, his MBA from the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, and his BA in economics and political science cum laude from the Vanderbilt University College of Arts & Science.
The award was presented to director Allison at the AIREE Instructor Trainer Conference in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The association is a non-profit organization made up of individuals concerned with real estate education, training and research in Illinois.
