It’s May, men’s mental health month, and our newest CREB® Cast episode features Derek Thistle. After a 17-year career with the Calgary Police Service and struggling with his mental health, Derek earned his real estate license during medical leave and ultimately committed to the switch from cop to CREB®.

In this conversation, he breaks down how policing skills such as communication, de-escalation, an investigative mindset, stress tolerance, and deep neighbourhood knowledge have translated into client trust, sharper negotiations and safer showings.

Derek also talks candidly about the “golden handcuffs” of policing, shifting definitions of success, and why real estate wins through empathy, relationships, and consistent follow-up.

If you need immediate mental health support, Distress Centre Calgary provides free, 24/7 crisis support by phone, text, or chat at 403-266-HELP (4357). This includes the Suicide Crisis Helpline 9-8-8.

Resources for mental health support and addiction in Calgary: https://www.calgary.ca/social-services/mental-health/resources.html

In this episode of CREB®Cast, Sam Randhawa interviews broker-owner and former CREB® President, Greg Houston, who shares his 1972 start in real estate, early experiences and the launch of his own brokerage.

Greg reflects on market booms and busts, the oil embargo and early-80s crash, and how real estate investing helped him build stability. He discusses serving on the Calgary Real Estate Board, including as president in 1989, industry changes from paper listings to modern tech, and the need to be discerning amid AI and misinformation.

Highlights include his long-term ownership philosophy, community involvement, and being the first donor to the CREB® REALTOR® Community Foundation.

This CREB®Cast episode breaks down the proposed change to Bylaw 6.4, which addresses board composition ahead of the member vote at the AGM happening on Tuesday, April 28 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at CREB® Campus and online.

Mariangela Avila, Chair of the Governance Standing Committee (GSC) and Shelagh Krause, Director Liaison for the GSC, explain the current limits at the board level—no more than two directors from one brokerage and three from one franchise may serve on the board—and the proposal to increase those caps by one (to three and four) to better reflect today’s brokerage environment.

Members can access AGM materials, including additional proposed bylaw amendments, by clicking here.