Merritt Burke IV named new CEO of Realtors’ association

The board of directors of the Sussex County Association of Realtors announced the hiring of a new chief executive officer who will manage the county's only real estate trade association and oversee services to its more than 1,500 Realtor members.

Merritt Burke IV, Fenwick Island's town manager since 2012, will begin his duties at SCAOR Monday, Aug. 8. The CEO position at SCAOR has been vacant since the departure of Ruth Briggs King, who served as executive vice president and chief executive officer from 2007 until earlier this year.

Burke will oversee a small office staff, be the face of the association and make regular reports directly to the board of directors. His duties will also include coordinating special campaigns, keeping a watchful eye on legislative happenings around the state and country, and advocating for property rights in Sussex County.

"The search committee and the board of directors conducted an extensive nationwide search before ultimately deciding on a highly qualified candidate right here in our own backyard," says Frank Serio, 2016 president of SCAOR. "Merritt's qualifications are impeccable, and we think he's a perfect fit for our association. All of us on the board of directors are excited for him to hit the ground running and begin making a difference right away."

The CEO position at SCAOR has been vacant since mid-January, at which time the board of directors established a search committee to begin seeking King's replacement. The search took several months and was conducted nationwide, ultimately resulting in a few candidates being chosen for interviews, and finally in Burke's hiring.

Burke has a long history in southern Delaware, beginning with his days as an intern for then-Gov. Thomas R. Carper in 1997. He's worked in the fields of tourism, education, sales, traffic safety and real estate development, before beginning his career in public service in 2010, when he was named the town manager of Bridgeville.

He began his current position with the resort town of Fenwick Island in 2012, overseeing the town's finances, public works department, police department and beach patrol. Today he resides in Milton with his wife Linda and their four children.

He was named the new CEO of SCAOR in late June and will officially begin his new position in early August.
"As soon as I saw this position advertised, I knew it would be a great opportunity for me and my family, and it didn't take long for me to express my interest in it," says Burke, who holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Delaware and a bachelor's degree in political science from Washington College. "I'm excited to draw on my past experiences in real estate, as well as in management and education, to really make a difference at SCAOR. I'm looking forward to this new opportunity, and I thank the board of directors for the confidence they've placed in me to get the job done."

The Sussex County Association of Realtors was chartered in 1949 and has steadily grown in size, scope and mission during its nearly seven decades in Sussex County. It is a professional trade association with goals of carrying out a program of education and advocacy for real estate in the county. SCAOR is a resource for the public, as well as a recognized advocate for property rights and property owners in Sussex County. The association also monitors legislative issues on the local, state and national levels that may impact home ownership in the area. For more information, go to www.scaor.com.