Robert Leighton's Profile Photo

Robert Leighton

Education

BS in Real Estate and Urban Economics from the University of Connecticut.
About Robert
As the Managing Director of Compass in Rhode Island, Bob is responsible for our operation's Rhode Island growth efforts, and also, assists in the delivery and implementation of agent resources, and in day-to-day operations. Bob has extensive leadership experience in sales and operations, having worked in leadership roles with various size brokerages and franchise organizations over the past twenty-plus years. 

He also owned and operated a highly successful brokerage in eastern Connecticut, which he built to become a perennial market leader, before selling the company to the largest New England-based brokerage in 1999.  Following the sale of that regional brokerage to the largest publicly owned U.S.-based brokerage in 2002, Bob was the EVP of their Mass South region, responsible for twenty-plus offices with approximately nine hundred associates.

Bob was later named president of a central Pennsylvania residential real estate firm, again operated by a large publicly owned brokerage, consisting of fifteen offices, and approximately five hundred sales associates with an annual sales volume of upwards of one billion. During this time, Bob drove profitability by implementing an ongoing leadership training program and changing sales culture at a time when cost structure was scrutinized. 

Upon his return to New England, Bob spent nearly eight years in leadership roles with a large sub-franchisor of a well-known international real estate brand, where he worked with franchisees across New England assisting them in leveraging the brand and maximizing the success and productivity of their agents and brokerages.

Bob is considered, an expert hands-on leader who makes a difference at all levels of an organization through effective communication, team building, and leadership by example. He has a passion for coaching sales managers and helping agents to be the best version of themselves and take their businesses to the next level. 

He lives on a lake in eastern Connecticut with his wife, of 45 years. They have two grown daughters and four grandchildren. An avid cycling enthusiast, Bob, just completed his third year of Peloton cycling and logged over sixteen thousand minutes in 2023. Bob also enjoys hiking, kayaking, boating, and amateur photography. 

Bob is a licensed real estate broker in Connecticut (REB.0396485) and Rhode Island (REB.0019560). He can be reached directly at 203.733.9081.