Minnesota Realtors®
Sota Summit

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Minneapolis Marriott Northwest, Brooklyn Park, MN

Sponsored by

Lone Wolf

Minnesota’s best broker event is back. 
 

Now connected to the Minnesota Realtors® UNITE convention, Sota Summit is your half-day deep dive into the tools, strategies, and insights you need to lead your team and business into the next market cycle.

Join brokers from across the state on Wednesday, October 7 for actionable learning, expert-led CE sessions, and community-building—all designed with your success in mind. Discover how to stay competitive, attract and retain high-performing agents, deliver value to your office culture, and adapt quickly to shifting markets.

Presenters

Debra Beagle

Debra Beagle, CRS

CEO/Managing Broker/Owner of The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage, Nashville TN
National Speaker & Coach, #1 RE/MAX Team Globally

Debra Beagle, CRS is the CEO/Managing Broker/Owner of The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage in Nashville, TN; the #1 RE/MAX Team globally, & the official real estate team of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

As a national speaker & coach, she has spoken at events across the U.S. & Canada on Business Strategies, Recruiting & Growth, & Operational Excellence. Awarded Realtor of the Year by the Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors in 2022, & recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as one of Nashville’s Top Female CEOs/Executives & Woman of Influence in 2021, & by RE/MAX as 2018 U.S. Broker Owner of the Year. A Multi-Million Dollar Producer, she oversees 210+ agents, a staff of 42, & 16,000+ transactions exceeding $6.5 Billion in sales, & holds over 700 hours of real estate CE & 16 designations.

Prior to becoming a Realtor, Debra was a Chemist serving as an Environmental Consultant, Conducting Phase I & II Due Diligence for Commercial Real Estate Transactions. She has worked for several builders, overseeing from start to finish multiple new housing developments. Her strengths are in contracts/negotiations, as well as market data & pricing.

Fluent & Bi-lingual in Spanish with a Cuban mother, Debra has been recognized by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals in the Top 250 and ranked #11 in 2017. 

Brian Bolier

Brian Bolier

Regional Vice President, Coldwell Banker Realty

As Regional Vice President for Coldwell Banker Realty, Brian Bolier is focused on driving performance through people. He leads across all levels of the organization—supporting leadership teams, staff, and agents throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. His work centers on growing market share, attracting top talent, and creating environments where individuals and teams can perform at a high level while delivering exceptional client experiences. Brian is known for a leadership style that is high-energy, accountable, and people-first.

He believes in setting clear expectations, building momentum, and leading from the front. Deeply committed to coaching and development, Brian focuses on helping leaders, staff, and agents see what’s possible and equipping them with the tools and confidence to achieve it. His approach is grounded in focusing on what can be controlled and driving results through consistent, purposeful action. He began his real estate career in 1999 as a sales agent and quickly developed a passion for both the business and helping others succeed.

Over the years, Brian has grown through multiple leadership roles, including branch leadership, with experience spanning sales, operations, and executive leadership. Today, he leads across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin for Coldwell Banker Realty, bringing a full-circle perspective on building and sustaining high-performing organizations. Throughout his career, Brian has made a significant impact in driving market leadership, helping his region achieve and sustain a #1 market share position through focused execution. He has also played a key role in attracting top talent through a clear and compelling value proposition, while building performance-driven cultures rooted in accountability, energy, and positivity. Brian’s philosophy starts with the agent. He is committed to surrounding agents with the best leadership in the industry—leaders who operate with high professional standards, provide strong coaching, and deliver access to industry-leading tools and technology. He prioritizes the development of leaders and staff, recognizing that strong leadership is the foundation for scalable, long-term agent success.

At the core of Brian’s leadership is a deep belief that culture is a true competitive advantage. He is passionate about building organizations grounded in accountability, positivity, and growth—where high standards are paired with genuine care for people, allowing individuals and teams to thrive and perform at their best. Leading in Minnesota and Wisconsin is especially meaningful to Brian because of the character of the people and the strength of the market. With a deep sense of community, professionalism, and resilience, the region provides a powerful foundation for continued success. Built on a rich lineage defined by Growth, Change & Fun, Brian is committed to carrying that legacy forward while helping shape the future of the organization.

Kendall Bonner

Kendall Bonner

National Speaker & Strategic Growth Partner, Founder of Industry Speaks Academy and BuildSMART Framework
Inman 2025 & 2026 Power Player

Kendall Bonner is an industry-recognized leader, speaker, and entrepreneur, and the former VP of Industry Relations & Strategic Partnerships at eXp Realty. She is also a Florida-licensed attorney since 2003, Kendall transitioned into real estate in 2011 as a listing agent before launching her own brokerage in 2014. She later co-founded The Kendall Bonner Team with eXp Realty, a top-performing real estate group in Tampa Bay with over 700 5-star reviews. Kendall Bonner is the founder of The Industry Speaks Academy helping leaders and professionals turn experience into trusted industry influence and co-founder of the CLIMBR community, which attracted hundreds of real estate agents within its first 24 hours, reflecting a strong demand for leadership, clarity, and community in the industry. 

Kendall is a 2024 HousingWire Woman of Influence, 2025 & 2026 Inman Power Player, and 4 time RISMedia Newsmaker. She is a sought-after speaker, industry advocate, and thought leader in marketing, technology, and business growth. With a passion for education and innovation, she contributes to top media outlets, authors books and articles, and regularly speaks at major industry events. In her free time, she enjoys reading, content creation, and traveling with her family. 

Sean Carpenter

Jared James

National Speaker & Real Estate Coach, Founder/CEO of Jared James Enterprises
Swanepoel 200 list — most powerful and influential people in Real Estate

Jared James is one of the most followed people in our industry today with over 50 million organic views of his content in the last 12 months and has one of the most popular podcasts called "Today with Jared James”.  Through his Academy, Jared runs one of the largest training companies in the world for brokers and agents… but what separates him from most coaches and trainers is that he’s actually done what he teaches and is a former top agent and team leader and original member of Realtor Magazine’s 30 under 30. 

As an entrepreneur, his current portfolio includes 5 companies he owns and several others that he’s an investor or equity holder in. Recently Jared was recognized as R-I-S Media's most influential people in real estate, in the Swanepoel 200 list as one of the most powerful and influential people in the industry and by Inman News as an Inman power player recognizing the most powerful and influential people in the industry today. 

To get his message out, Jared speaks all over the world to tens of thousands of professionals every year!

Jason Miller

Jason Miller

Broker/Owner of Trust Real Estate Company, St. Cloud
MNR Past President, 2025 Minnesota REALTOR® of the Year, 2026 Board of Directors

Jason Miller is a lifelong St. Cloud area resident and a dedicated leader in the Central Minnesota real estate community. Born and raised in the region, Jason built his career in the same community where he now enjoys raising his family.
Known for his tireless work ethic, deep local knowledge, and strong client advocacy, Jason has built a reputation for professionalism, integrity, and results. He holds multiple real estate certifications and professional designations and remains actively involved in both the industry and the local community.

Jason has served on numerous local boards and committees and is an active member of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. His leadership and service have earned significant recognition within the profession, including being named Minnesota REALTOR® of the Year in 2025 and St. Cloud Area REALTOR® of the Year in 2014 by the St. Cloud Area Association of REALTORS®. He was also honored with the Distinguished Service Award in 2018.

In addition, Jason has been recognized by the community as a three-time winner of Best Real Estate Agent in the St. Cloud Times Best of Central Minnesota awards. His brokerage, Trust Real Estate Company, was also named Best Real Estate Company in the 2025 Community Choice Awards.

When he’s not helping clients buy or sell homes, Jason enjoys spending time with his family at the lake — embracing the Minnesota lifestyle he proudly represents.

Nykea Pippion McGriff

Nykea Pippion McGriff

Vice President of Broker Engagement, National Association of Realtors® (NAR)
NAR Hall of Fame Inductee, 2022 RisMedia NewsMaker Influencer

As of April 2024, Nykea serves as the Regional Vice President for Coldwell Banker Realty’s Dallas-Fort Worth region, overseeing nine offices and nearly 1,000 sales associates. Previously, she held the role of Vice President of Strategic Growth in the Chicagoland area.

Nykea Pippion McGriff is the first Black female president in the 137-year history of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®. She serves as an Illinois REALTORS® director and was the federal political coordinator for Congressman Bobby Rush, advocating for private property owners, and is a governor-appointed member of the Real Estate Administration and Disciplinary Board of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

Known as the “Deal Doctor,” Nykea holds numerous professional designations, including ABR®, BPOR, CIPS, GRI, PSA, and SFR®, and serves as a managing broker, instructor, and technology trainer for Midwest Real Estate Data LLC (MRED).

Nykea has also been inducted into the National Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame and was named a 2022 RisMedia NewsMaker Influencer.

Janine Sieja

Janine Sieja

Chief Product Officer at Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) 

Since becoming Senior Vice President of Product Development at RPR in 2018, Janine has overseen a comprehensive evolution of RPR’s website and mobile applications, transformative enhancements to data quality and aggregation, and major infrastructure improvements that have strengthened the platform and the overall member experience. During that time, RPR’s unique user base has grown substantially, reflecting the team’s ongoing commitment to building technology that delivers meaningful value to REALTORS®. That growth is reflected in member engagement: Ninety-day usage averaged 255,000 in 2018 and is averaging 344,000 in 2026—a 35% increase—even as the number of REALTORS® has grown by only 11%.

As Chief Product Officer, Janine has continued guiding RPR’s product vision, building on recent innovations such as the Market Trends Chart Service and Mobile AI CMA while leading future enhancements that help REALTORS® work smarter and better serve their clients.

Janine is also an active industry and community leader, serving on the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Board of Directors and the City of Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Housing as a mayoral appointee. Janine holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of New Mexico. She has worked in the biotechnology, higher education and publishing industries, yet finds real estate technology to be the most fascinating sector, for its power to connect Americans with homes.


Event Details

When

Wednesday, October 7 | 1-5 PM

Where

Minneapolis Marriott Northwest Hotel, Elm Creek Ampitheater
7025 Northland Dr N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Parking

Free parking will be available on-site in the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest Hotel parking lot. 

Cost

  SOTA SUMMIT UNITE! ⭐ BUNDLE AND SAVE ⭐
SOTA SUMMIT + UNITE!

MEMBER

$99

$400

$425
NON-MEMBER $150 $500 $525


Sota Summit Agenda

 TIME  EVENT
1 PM Welcome, Wendy Uzelac, MNR President
1:05 – 1:15 PM NAR Broker Benefits Update from Nykea Pippion McGriff, NAR Vice President of Broker Engagement
1:15 – 1:45 PM

Broker Panel moderated by Nykea Pippion McGriff

Featuring: Debra Beagle, The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage, Nashville, TN
Jason Miller, Broker/Owner of Trust Real Estate Company, St. Cloud, MN, Brian Bolier, Regional Vice President, Coldwell Banker Realty

1:45 – 2:05 PM Realtors® Property Resource (RPR) - Janine Sieja, Chief Product Officer at RPR
2:05 - 2:15 PM Break
2:15 - 3:15 PM Broker Round Tables with Kendall Bonner, industry recognized leader, speaker and entrepreneur
3:30 - 5 PM

Keynote Session with Jared James: How to Lead from the Front in this Ever-Changing Real Estate Climate
(1.5 hours CE)*
*This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit.

Session Descriptions

Nykea Pippion McGriff: NAR Broker Benefits: Resources Built for Your Business 

Join Nykea Pippion McGriff for a focused update on the latest NAR benefits, tools, and resources available to brokers. Discover opportunities designed to support your business, strengthen your agents and help you maximize the value of your NAR membership.

 

Broker Panel: Leading the Brokerage: Perspectives from the Top

What does it take to lead a successful brokerage in today’s rapidly evolving real estate landscape?

Join NAR’s Nykea Pippion McGriff as she moderates a candid conversation with industry leaders Debra Beagle, CEO The Ashton Group of RE/MAX Advantage, Jason Miller, Broker/Owner Trust Real Estate Company, St. Cloud, and Brian Bolier, Regional Vice President, Coldwell Banker Realty. This executive-level discussion will explore the challenges and opportunities facing today’s brokerages—from leading through change and building strong cultures to recruiting and retaining talent, navigating industry shifts, and positioning a brokerage for long-term success.

Expect an engaging, unscripted conversation filled with real-world perspectives, practical insights and lessons learned from leaders who are navigating the same issues facing brokers today.

No presentations. No talking points. Just an insightful conversation about leadership, business and what’s next for real estate.

 

Broker Roundtables led by Kendall Bonner: Candid Conversations. Shared Solutions.

Some of the most valuable insights come from the leaders sitting beside you. Facilitated by Kendall Bonner, the Sota Summit Broker Roundtables are designed for meaningful, peer-to-peer conversations around the challenges and opportunities facing today’s brokerage leaders.

In this interactive session, brokers will exchange ideas, share what’s working, explore common challenges and gain perspectives from leaders representing different markets and business models across Minnesota.

Come ready to participate, connect and learn from one another. You’ll leave with new relationships, fresh perspectives, and practical ideas you can take back to your brokerage.

Your challenges. Your peers. Real conversations that move your business forward.

Jared James: How to Lead from the Front in this Ever-Changing Real Estate Climate Session Description

The real estate industry has experienced more disruption in the past five years than many professionals have faced in their entire careers. Market uncertainty, changing consumer expectations, industry scrutiny, new technology and evolving business models have left many agents looking for something they can’t get from an app or the latest technology: strong, confident leadership.

Today’s agents need brokers who can cut through the noise, provide clarity, and help them build businesses that can thrive in any market.

In this timely and practical session, we’ll explore the challenges reshaping real estate and what today’s sales professionals truly need from their brokerage. You’ll discover how to lead from the front, focus your organization on what drives results, increase adoption of the tools you already provide, and create an environment where agents want to build their careers.

Participants will learn how to:

  • Lead through change. Identify the most significant challenges facing today’s brokers and agents and the strategic pivots needed to remain relevant, competitive and valuable in a rapidly evolving market.
  • Cut through the noise. Evaluate the tools, resources and services that genuinely give agents a competitive advantage—and avoid investing time and resources in the latest “shiny object.”
  • Turn tools into results. Increase agent adoption of high-impact brokerage tools and systems to improve productivity, engagement, recruitment, and retention.
  • Build clients for life. Help agents understand and maximize the lifetime value of their client relationships while creating actionable strategies for repeat and referral business.
  • Become the leader agents need. Walk away with practical ideas for providing the clarity, direction and leadership today’s agents are looking for from their broker.