Sterling Realty Organization, a fifth-generation real estate corporation with commercial holdings in the Puget Sound and Salt Lake City markets, has announced a significant change in its leadership structure. The privately held company is repositioning its senior team as part of a broader transition at the executive and board levels.
President Tom Gilchrist has been appointed executive chairman of the board, succeeding longtime chairman David Schooler, who is retiring. In conjunction with this move, Matthew Skager has been named president of Sterling Realty Organization. The changes mark a passing of day-to-day leadership responsibilities to a new generation of executives while maintaining continuity at the board level.
Schooler has been a prominent figure in downtown Bellevue and has had a long tenure with Sterling Realty Organization. Before being named executive chairman in 2015, he served as the company’s president for 21 years, playing a central role in shaping the organization’s direction. His retirement closes a multi-decade chapter of leadership at the firm.
Gilchrist brings four decades of experience at Sterling Realty Organization to his new board role. Over the course of his career with the company, he has held a range of financial and operational positions, including controller, treasurer and vice president, among other responsibilities. His move to executive chairman positions him to continue influencing strategy and governance after many years in executive management.
Skager steps into the president role after a 12-year tenure at Sterling Realty Organization. During that time, he has worked closely with Gilchrist and progressed through a series of senior roles, including chief financial officer, chief operating officer and vice president. His elevation to president reflects a leadership transition that draws on established internal talent with deep familiarity with the firm’s portfolio and markets.
The leadership changes underscore an orderly succession process at a multigenerational real estate company with a longstanding presence in the Puget Sound and Salt Lake City markets. With Gilchrist moving into the executive chairman position and Skager assuming the presidency, Sterling Realty Organization is maintaining continuity in its executive ranks while adapting its governance for the next phase of the company’s evolution.
