Hampton Roads real estate exec Barbara Wolcott retires

After more than five decades in the industry, longtime Hampton Roads real estate executive Barbara M. Wolcott has retired.

Wolcott officially retired April 30 from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, the Chesapeake-based brokerage formed by the 2023 merger of Rose & Womble Realty and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty, and now holds the title of chairman emeritus.

According to a company statement provided by spokesperson Rolston Audain, Wolcott’s retirement was “a carefully planned milestone” in the company’s long-term strategy following the merger.

Wolcott was chairman and CEO at the time of the merger and led the company through its initial integration. In May 2024, she stepped down as CEO and moved into the chairman role, with J. Van Rose — principal owner and president of Rose & Womble Realty prior to the merger — assuming the CEO role while continuing as executive chairman. Van Rose, a Hampton Roads native with more than four decades in the real estate industry, has led the company since then.

Wolcott’s retirement comes on the third anniversary of the merger and caps a 56-year career in the industry.

“During their tenure together, Barbara and Van worked closely to thoughtfully blend the cultures of two successful companies into one — maintaining a strong emphasis on professionalism, collaboration and the top-tier service expected of a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices affiliate,” the company said in a statement.

In the first year following the merger, the company ranked 16th worldwide within the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network, which includes nearly 400 companies and approximately 40,000 Realtors. In the second year, it advanced to 13th, and this past year it reached 11th overall.

According to a 2016 profile in Inside Leadership, Wolcott entered real estate in the early 1970s after leaving banking and joining Pembroke Realty, where she moved from sales into training, relocation and management roles and later became president of its residential division. She joined Decker Realty in 1982 as vice president and general manager and took leadership of the company in 2000, later guiding it through mergers that led to the formation of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty and then the Rose & Womble merger.

She also served as president of the Virginia Realtors in 1996 and was named Virginia Realtor of the Year in 1988. Wolcott previously served on the Hampton Roads Realtors Association board and received the association’s lifetime achievement award in 2019.

In 2025, she served as president of the Real Estate Information Network multiple listing service. She also serves on TowneBank’s Virginia Beach regional advisory board.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty now claims about 15% of the regional market covered by REIN.

“What she said to me is she wanted to go out on top — and she did,” said Dianne Gordonn, the company’s chief operating officer.

Even in retirement, Gordonn said, Wolcott is expected to remain available to the company in an informal advisory capacity, though she will no longer be involved in day-to-day operations.

“The transition reflects not an ending, but an exciting evolution — one that builds on a strong foundation and positions our company for its next chapter of growth and leadership in the industry,” the company said.