Leadership

CENTURY 21 Circle Leadership

Melissa Archer-Wirtz

Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Archer-Wirtz is the Chief Executive Officer of CENTURY 21 Circle, Acuity Title and Skylight Insurance, overseeing the company's brokerage, title, and insurance operations across offices in Illinois, Indiana, and Florida. With nearly 20 years of experience in diverse leadership roles within real estate operations and marketing across national and locally owned brands, Melissa leverages her comprehensive knowledge across various facets of the business to create and execute innovative strategies that fuel new business growth

Bryan Johnson

President

Bryan Johnson, an accomplished leader with over twenty-five years of management experience, is the incoming President of three prominent companies in the real estate sector. Throughout his diverse career, Bryan has held key management positions across manufacturing, financial, and real estate industries. His success is deeply rooted in his commitment to fostering individual growth and development, enabling his staff to flourish alongside the company. This approach has cultivated some of the most cohesive and longest-tenured teams in the industry.

Bryan is known for his ability to distill complex structures into clear, comprehensible strategies and reports, making him an effective communicator and visionary leader. As he steps into his new role, Bryan brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of building strong, enduring teams, ready to lead the companies to new heights.

Regional Leadership

Alex Chaparro

General Manager of Illinois

Alex Chaparro, the Vice President of Growth and Business Development, oversees growth within the Chicago market. An expert at driving companies to greater levels of success and productivity, he has a track record of driving organizational growth through a blend of recruiting, retention, and agent development.

A noted industry leader Alex is a past president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, serving over 22,000 members, as well as a past president of the Chicago Association of Realtors, where he has the distinction of being the first Latino to hold the role in the organization's 135-year history. As an industry expert, Alex has provided testimony at congregational hearings advocating for diversity in housing. Alex currently serves as a commissioner for the Village of Skokie Human Relations Commission.

He is widely known as a coach, top instructor, and keynote speaker offering expertise in real estate brokerage, sales development, recruiting, social media, and real estate technology.

Claudia Miller Forrest

General Manager of Indiana

Claudia is the General Manager for the state of Indiana. Claudia is responsible for managing the 11 Offices located in NW and NE, Indiana. Claudia has been a licensed Real Estate Broker since 2007 and a Managing Broker since 2015.

Claudia has been a successful Listing and Selling Agent and has won numerous awards with CENTURY 21 in sales and customer service. She holds both the ABR and CRS designations. Her passion for real estate is shown in her negotiations and the number of satisfied customers.

Barbara Henderson

General Manager of Florida

Barbara Henderson is the Operations Manager at CENTURY 21 Circle Florida, where she oversees offices in Tampa, Florida's East Coast, and the Florida Keys. With a strong background in management, Barbara has amassed 20 years of experience at GTE/Verizon. Additionally, she holds a certificate in Project Management and has held positions in Human Resources. Barbara's deep-rooted passion for people and their success drives her role as she provides guidance to Team Leaders and Agent Service Coordinators. She ensures the seamless operation of all branch offices, enabling them to effectively support their Real Estate Agents.

Collaborating closely with IT, Accounting, Education, Relocation, and Marketing departments, Barbara plays a pivotal role in maintaining the holistic functioning of the business. Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Barbara has embraced life in the Tampa Bay area for over three decades.

Department Heads

Toma Jonaityte

Controller

With over 13 years of experience in accounting, I'm thrilled to bring my expertise to Century 21 Circle as a controller.

My journey began at DePaul University, where I earned a degree in Finance. However, it's been the guidance of mentors that has truly shaped my career. Their wisdom and support have been invaluable, helping me navigate challenges and seize opportunities.

During my tenure, I had the privilege of working alongside exceptional mentors who guided me as I developed financial controls and streamlined processes to support the company's growth trajectory. Now, at Century 21 Circle, I'm excited to continue this journey of growth and contribute my skills to further elevate our brokerage's success.

For me, personal growth isn't just about acquiring new skills; it's about embracing challenges, expanding perspectives, and continuously striving to be better. I believe in the power of mentorship to drive this growth, and I'm committed to fostering a supportive environment where every team member can flourish.

I'm genuinely excited about this opportunity and look forward to upholding our shared values of hard work, dedication, and continuous learning. Together, with the guidance of mentors and the collective determination of our team, let's create something extraordinary.

Emily Keaton

Operations Director

Emily has continuously demonstrated excellence and dedication throughout her impressive journey within the CENTURY 21 Brand. With a career spanning multiple roles, Emily has evolved from an efficient administrator to a strategic and visionary Director of Operations. Emily continues to charter new territory for CENTURY 21 Circle. Emily now plays a key role in driving the brand's strategic direction and ensuring operational excellence on a broader scale.

Hector Castro

Information Technology Director

Hector Castro, a seasoned professional serving as the Director of IT, brings forth a wealth of experience and expertise accumulated over a successful tenure of more than a decade in the Information Technology sector. With a dynamic career trajectory, Hector has consistently showcased his exceptional leadership skills and technical acumen in steering complex IT initiatives to fruition. His visionary approach to aligning IT strategies with overarching business objectives has resulted in streamlined operations, innovative solutions, and heightened organizational performance. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, Hector Castro continues to be a driving force in the ever-evolving IT landscape, utilizing his insights and proficiency to orchestrate impactful, future-ready outcomes.

Jackie Medows

Education Director

Jackie Medows has been in the CENTURY 21 system since 2005. From an award-winning agent in her first year in the business to her current role as the Education Director for CENTURY 21 Circle. Jackie has become a reliable resource for agents, staff, Team Leaders, and leadership and is referred to as the “go-to” for training.

Jackie loves to listen to the agents and staff to identify their individual needs. It’s never a one size fits all approach with Jackie. Instead, she loves to collaborate with the agent to develop a strategic plan that works for them.

She has been involved in all aspects of real estate. Combining her background in sales, marketing, technology, teaching and customer service, Jackie believes her position as the Education Director is the perfect fit!

Miriam Balanzar

Marketing Manager

Miriam Balanzar is a bilingual marketing and creative professional with over 20 years of experience. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Design, Miriam's journey includes a remarkable 15-year tenure as the Art Director of a prominent 90+ branch bank group; while simultaneously lending her expertise to the marketing team of the non-for-profit, PAWS Chicago. With an additional six-year immersion in real estate as a dedicated REALTOR®, Miriam seamlessly blends her two passions in her current role as the Marketing Manager for CENTURY 21 Circle. Her strength is elevating and strengthening our brand identity. Her dedication to exceptional customer service, unwavering positivity, and remarkable efficiency in high-pressure collaborative settings, collectively position Miriam as an invaluable asset to CENTURY 21 Circle.