RI Assn. of Realtors names Hersey of Williams Stuart Real Estate as 2026 RI Realtor of the Year

Warwick, RI Sally Hersey of Williams & Stuart Real Estate has been named the 2026 Rhode Island Realtor of the Year by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors (RIAR). Selected by her peers from among nearly 6,000 Realtors statewide, the award recognizes outstanding dedication and service to the Realtor organization and significant contributions to the community.

Licensed in R.I. and Mass., Hersey began her real estate career in 2006 and has held numerous leadership positions within the Realtor organization. She served as president of the Greater Providence Board of Realtors in 2018 and was named the board’s Realtor of the Year in 2021. She also received its prestigious Lear Award in 2019.

As 2024 president of the RIAR, Hersey played a key role in guiding members through significant industry changes and advancing governance reforms that strengthened the association’s effectiveness and operational efficiency.

Throughout her career, Hersey has served on numerous committees at the local, state and national levels. Most recently, she served on the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Member Communications Committee and chaired the RIAR Past Presidents’ Council. In 2024, she was inducted into the Realtor Omega Tau Rho fraternity, an honor in recognition of her outstanding dedication, leadership and service to the Realtor organization.

Hersey’s commitment to service extends beyond her profession. She actively supports numerous charitable organizations, including A Wish Come True, Ronald McDonald House, Hope Hospice, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Habitat for Humanity.

Hersey graduated magna cum laude from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in business. In addition, she completed Bryant University’s Certificate Program in Leadership Excellence for Realtors and achieved the Realtor Commitment to Excellence Endorsement. A Certified Residential Specialist, she established the R.I. chapter of Certified Residential Specialists and holds several additional professional designations and certifications, including Accredited Buyer’s Representative, e-PRO and the NAR At Home With Diversity certification.

The Rhode Island Association of Realtors, one of the largest trade organizations in R.I. with 6,000 members in nearly 1,000 offices, has been serving Rhode Islanders since 1948. Advocating for R.I.’s property owners, the RIAR provides a facility for professional development, research and exchange of information among its members and to the public and government for the purpose of preserving the free enterprise system and the right to own real property.