IAR Leaders & Staff

Wayne Edwards, Director of Professional Development

Wayne Edwards is the Director of Professional Development for the Illinois Association of REALTORS®, responsible for all educational programs of the Association including the REALTOR® Institute, the annual IAR Convention, Spring Conference, Continuing Education and other professional development activities of the Association.

In his role as head of the IAR Member Services Department, Wayne works closely with local boards and associations and their members, providing information and assistance. He also manages all direct member services through the IAR Business Partner Program, which includes errors and omissions, home warranty, and other insurance-related programs.

Edwards has maintained the designation Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association Executives since 1981. He received his REALTOR® Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation in 2008.

Before joining IAR in 1980 as Director of Education, he was the Executive Vice President of the Springfield Board of REALTORS® (now the Capital Area Association of REALTORS®) from 1973 to 1980. Prior to his association work, he was the Director of Sales Promotions for Leonard W. Sapp and Associates REALTORS® in Springfield and, for four years, he worked in radio as the Operations Manager and part-time radio announcer for stations WLDS and WEAI in Jacksonville, Illinois.

Edwards served in the 183rd Tactical Fighter Group of the Air National Guard based out of Capital Airport in Springfield, from 1967 to 1973. He holds a bachelor of science degree in Mass Communications from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.