--- title: "An Association Headquarters That Works for Members" id: "61413" type: "post" slug: "an-association-headquarters-that-works-for-members" published_at: "2022-07-18T17:00:52+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:08:22+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/an-association-headquarters-that-works-for-members/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/an-association-headquarters-that-works-for-members.md" excerpt: "The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors staffed up and revamped its spaces to make its office more inviting and useful to members, who needed meeting space and help with new business practices like multimedia production." taxonomy_category: - "Operations" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » An Association Headquarters That Works for Members Part of the Deep Dive[No Going Back](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/no-going-back-remaking-the-association-workplace/) Members of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors have always had a few reasons to visit its headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia: classes, events, picking up equipment like lockboxes. But there weren’t many reasons to go there and stick around. “It was set up more like a DMV experience—very transactional, with staff sitting behind desks buried behind their computers,” said NVAR CEO Ryan McLaughlin, CAE. That was a problem, because Realtor members have increasingly needed more flexible work environments: places to meet with colleagues and clients, quiet spots to handle paperwork, opportunities to work on multimedia promotions for their businesses. More and more, members were scrambling around the region to convene meetings. “We would have to go to a local country club or one of the rec parks to try to rent a venue of some sort,” said Michele Brantley, an NVAR member. In 2020, NVAR began renovating its headquarters space to be more inviting and valuable for members. Aiming to switch the vibe from the DMV to an Apple Store, it cleared bulky desks out of its entry area and replaced them with standup tables. NVAR hired staffers to greet visitors and guide them through the association’s offerings, workspaces, products, and services. An underused meeting room was renovated into what NVAR calls a Collaboratory, which can be used for meetings and education. Old hardwood doors were replaced with glass ones to let in natural light and create a more welcoming atmosphere. In addition, NVAR reworked its space to be more multimedia-friendly, as more members were investing in podcasts and video production. The association’s “digital experience team” now has a dedicated room where staff provides training on new tools and where members can make and edit recordings. [Mark Athitakis](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Mark Athitakis, a contributing editor for Associations Now, has written on nonprofits, the arts, and leadership for a variety of publications. He is a coauthor of The Dumbest Moments in Business History and hopes you never qualify for the sequel. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [A Workplace Focused on Results](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/a-workplace-focused-on-results/) - [Building the Future With Maximum Flexibility](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/building-the-future-with-maximum-flexibility/) - [New Rules to Support New Work Options](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/new-rules-to-support-new-work-options/) - [A Skill-Set Revamp for Leaders](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/a-skill-set-revamp-for-leaders/) - [How to Future-Proof Your Association](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/how-to-future-proof-your-association-2/) - [Finding Remedies for Employee Burnout](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/finding-remedies-for-employee-burnout/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/no-going-back-remaking-the-association-workplace/) ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Industry Partner Edition-Helping Associations Thrive in the Age of AIJuly 16, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/16/associations-now-presents-industry-partner-edition-helping-associations-thrive-in-the-age-of-ai/) - [VideoSkip the Search. 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