The Tennessee Real Estate Educational Foundation (TREEF) was established in 1968 under Tennessee REALTORS® President Bob Freeman, and the Foundation was officially chartered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt educational foundation in 1973.

By an amendment to the state association’s Bylaws, the authority to conduct educational programs for Tennessee REALTORS® has been delegated to TREEF. Tennessee REALTORS® has no Education Committee; instead, TREEF serves as the “educational arm” of the Association…but TREEF should never be confused with (or thought of as) another committee. As a chartered nonprofit foundation, TREEF has higher purposes and a special mission to fulfill.

TREEF is governed by a 15-member, all-REALTOR® Board of Trustees, who serve staggered, three-year terms. The Foundation’s four-member Executive Committee is composed of the President, President-elect, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. Each year the Foundation Trustees also elect a non-voting Trustee of Counsel, typically a past president of the Foundation, who meets with the Trustees and is available for special assignments and/or consultation to any of the Trustees or TREEF officers.

NOTE: Trustees are not elected as representatives of any particular association, geographic area, or constituency; they are ALL elected as statewide custodians and fiduciaries of the Foundation’s mission, programs, and assets.