Judy Lowe

CEO
Tucson Association of REALTORS®

By Jay Gonzales

After a journey that began as an assistant in a real estate office and led to owning two top Tucson real estate brokerages, Judy Lowe thought she was retired when she sold her last business.

But the Tucson native’s leadership qualities apparently had caught the eye of then-Gov. Jan Brewer, and Lowe was on the move to Phoenix as the director of the Arizona Department of Real Estate, where she oversaw 85,000+ real estate licensees.

Lowe kept the job through the administration of Gov. Doug Ducey and decided when he reached his term limit, it was time to retire again and return to Tucson.

That retirement didn’t last long either as she decided she was interested in a job as VP of operations at Tucson Association of REALTORS®, which led to her current leadership position as the organization’s CEO.

Joining TAR was an opportunity to lead an organization that had helped her along the way as a REALTOR® and business owner, Lowe said.

“Back when I owned the companies, I looked to the association as a source of education, for all of the things that it offers, advocacy and the forms that we use in a real estate transaction,” she said, running down the services TAR provides to more than 7,000 REALTORS® who are members.

“There needs to be a place where real estate professionals can look to, where they know they can synergize with all the other REALTORS® and achieve their goal of finding or selling a property and delivering that property,” she said.

One of those is REALTOR® Cathy Wolfson, who Lowe hired at her local Coldwell Banker Realty office. Wolfson still works for Coldwell Banker and is now TAR’s board president.

“Her enduring support and inspiration continue to uplift not just myself but the entire Tucson Association of REALTORS® community,” Wolfson said. “Judy stands as a pillar of strength, a visionary leader whose impact transcends both our local community and the broader real estate industry. Her dedication serves as a beacon, guiding us forward with integrity and resilience, and her legacy as a role model resonates deeply with many.”

Lowe said of the industry: “It’s my passion. It’s  my life. It’s my hobby. When (the REALTORS®) come swinging in that door and they have just opened escrow on a $300,000 property for a first-time homebuyer, they’re so excited. There’s never a dull moment.”