Interviews
Kipp Cooper: Challenging the Status Quo
May 20, 2025
By Arianna Marino
In January 2001, the Metropolitan Kansas City Board of REALTORS® in Missouri and the Johnson County Board of REALTORS® in Kansas merged to become the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® (KCRAR). Since then, KCRAR’s jurisdiction has grown to include 34 counties. Today, the Association is one of the largest and most respected local REALTOR® associations in the country, serving 13,000+ members. Owned and operated by the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®, Heartland Multiple Listing Service has been the trusted source for the most complete and accurate real estate information across the Kansas City region since its inception in 1993. At the helm of these two organizations sits CEO Kipp Cooper.
With a career spanning over two decades, Cooper has played a crucial role in modernizing Multiple Listing Services and driving technological advancements in the sector. Since 2015, Cooper has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® (KCRAR) and Heartland MLS, overseeing services for more than 13,000 members across Kansas and Missouri. Under his leadership, KCRAR has expanded significantly through strategic mergers with regional associations and MLSs, including the St. Joseph Association of REALTORS®, Midwest MO Board of REALTORS®, Five County Board of REALTORS®, Pittsburg Association of REALTORS®, and Southeast Kansas Association of REALTORS®. In our conversation, Cooper tells us more about his
The Making of a Leader
How did you get involved with the MLS-PropTech industry?
I first became involved in the MLS and the Prop-Tech industry when I was hired as CEO of the Huntsville Association of REALTORS® and the North Alabama MLS in 2012. I remember telling them in the job interview that I had absolutely no experience in MLS, but promised that I would become a leading expert in my first year (yes, a bit naïve… since I’m still learning and continue to adjust every day).
Within six months of taking the job, members came to me with concerns over inaccurate listing data on third-party portals, and we established a task force to address these issues. The task force surveyed members to understand their expectations from listing portals, and subsequently, I worked with our team to draft agreements requiring portals to prominently display the listing agent's name, prioritize MLS data over other sources, and include a link back to the NALMLS site for more detailed information. This strategy led to a temporary suspension of data feeds to all the major portals in the fall of 2013, for which I received a lot of attention, and mostly grief. However, once the portals complied with NALMLS's terms, data feeds resumed, resulting in significant benefits for our members, including substantial savings in advertising costs, more accurate data on the portals, and tens of thousands of free leads for our listing agents.
What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry?
Early on, my work in government affairs and public policy for REALTORS® exposed me to the critical role that real estate plays in economic development and community growth. I saw firsthand how property rights, housing regulations, and industry policies impact people’s lives, and I wanted to be part of shaping that future.
When I began to move into the MLS and association space as a CEO, I recognized a major challenge—brokers and agents were losing control over their data, and technology was evolving faster than the industry could adapt. At North Alabama MLS, we tackled the issue head-on by developing a direct syndication model, ensuring our members had control over their listings and lead generation. That experience reinforced my belief that MLSs and real estate organizations need to be proactive in shaping technology rather than reacting to it.
Leading Heartland MLS and KCRAR has given me the opportunity to bring that vision to life on a larger scale. We’ve integrated AI-powered tools, expanded through strategic mergers, and focused on providing the best possible technology and resources for real estate professionals. At the end of the day, I’m inspired by the people in this industry—helping agents, brokers, and consumers navigate an ever-changing market by ensuring they have access to the best tools, the most accurate data, and a strong, professional marketplace.
What personal traits or skills have been most instrumental in your career progression?
One of the greatest compliments I’ve received was from my mentor, Jerry Mathews, who described me as ‘a visionary leader who can also implement.’ I strive to balance big-picture thinking with execution, constantly questioning how we can improve. Collaboration is key and I engage with industry leaders and my team to challenge the status quo and drive innovation daily. My team knows I’m always pushing for greater efficiency, ease of use, and productivity, ensuring we stay ahead in serving our members.
What do you consider your biggest professional achievement?
My biggest professional achievement was leading KCRAR and HMLS through the COVID-19 lockdown. Having family in China, I was able to get firsthand accounts of what we had coming our way. My staff thought I was crazy, but weeks before the lockdown, I purchased masks and cleaning supplies for our staff and members, and prepared our 40-person staff for remote operations, equipping them with laptops, VoIP phones, and Zoom capabilities.
We successfully lobbied local governments to classify REALTORS® as essential workers and implemented REALTOR® safety protocols and interactive maps with all of the various jurisdictions Covid rules to keep transactions moving. Despite the crisis, our team worked around the clock, ensuring over 6,000 closings could happen that would have otherwise stalled. This experience transformed us into a hybrid company, serving members in person, virtually, and on demand—setting a new standard for resilience and adaptability in our industry.
Looking Ahead
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the MLS industry today?
The biggest threat to the MLS industry today is no longer the government or the courts—it’s greed. Some brokerages are undermining the spirit of cooperation by keeping listings off the MLS to control both sides of the transaction. This harms sellers by reducing exposure and competition, ultimately leading to lower offers. The MLS is the most transparent and efficient real estate marketplace in the world, but it only works if we uphold cooperation and fair competition. That’s why we are launching an ad campaign to educate brokers and consumers on the value of an open marketplace—ensuring sellers get the highest price and best offer for their home.
What is your vision for the future of MLS-PropTech?
I believe this is an incredible time for our industry. AI is changing everything. Mundane tasks that once zapped productivity and creativity are being handled with remarkable ease. We will continue to see consolidation of MLSs (creating larger regional marketplaces), and more data feed sharing (connecting markets all over the world). I see listing entry time for agents being cut in half, I see the number of mistakes in listing input being greatly reduced, the quality of images and tools to renovate homes becoming exponentially better, and the consumer experience and concierge services will become the biggest differentiator in the next three years, leading to more specialized agents and higher commissions.
Are there any specific goals or milestones you’re aiming to achieve in the next few years?
One major initiative that I have been working on for some time—and thankfully the technology is finally catching up—is my “meeting our members where they are” philosophy of association and MLS management.
Communication is perhaps the most challenging aspect of any large organization and understanding all the complex variables that exist when communicating with an audience as diverse as real estate professionals is no easy task. It’s essential that you create targeted and triggered communication campaigns that match your members’ actions, activities, and anticipated needs when they need them.
AI will automate and enhance many of the triggered campaigns we have already created, and will not only allow us to better serve our agents, but it will also allow us to anticipate training and service needs in real time and assist brokers with agent compliance and risk mitigation.
Behind the Scenes
How do you balance work and personal life in such a demanding industry?
I am so incredibly blessed and lucky to have a great staff and an amazing family that pitches in when the work gets overwhelming. Association and MLS management is a caretaker responsibility that we take on only because we truly care about our members. From my experience, there really isn’t a balance, just a continuous and sometimes daily readjustment of priorities, obligations and exciting opportunities.
What do you do to unwind or relax after a busy week?
I love to spend time with my wife Kristine and my daughter Katherine doing all kinds of outdoor activities and sports. This year has been especially fun getting to teach Katherine to ski on our little local hill; but what helps me truly unwind and relax is golf. I love the smell of the grass, the challenge of the game and the quiet peacefulness of walking a course. It’s my meditation and recharges my batteries (unless I’m playing for money—then it’s more stressful than work).
What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote comes from a scene in the TV show Ted Lasso: "Be curious, not judgmental." In our crazy, complex world, it's easy to make assumptions to save time and put everything in a pre-conceived box. However, this tendency can cause us to overlook incredible innovations, opportunities, and individuals. On my best days, I strive to be more like Ted.