Staff

Lyle Irish joined KAAR in June 2011 as the Executive Vice President after having served as the Administrative VP at the Memphis Association of Realtors.  He also previously managed a large regional title company based in Memphis.  Lyle is a University of Tennessee graduate and earned his JD from the University of Memphis.  Active in community and civic organizations, he currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Clarence Brown Theatre Advisory Board of Directors and is President Elect of the Tennessee Society of Association Executives. Lyle is a graduate of Leadership Memphis and Leadership Knoxville.

James moved from West Virginia to Tennessee in 2013 to attend Johnson University. Prior to being named the association's Chief Operating Officer, James most recently served KAAR members in the role of Director of Member Engagement. When he's not working, James is an avid runner and enjoys being father to his four children. 

Donna Roach is currently the MLS Director and the committee liaison to the Residential MLS Committee. Donna attended University of Tennessee and graduated from Draughons Business College.   She also works with various vendors in regards to the MLS System. Donna began her career with the Knoxville Board of Realtors in 1976, with around 500 members.  She began her role at KAAR by typing listing information on cards to be sent to the book publisher to publish the MLS Books. Since then, the MLS has gone from printed books to a computerized MLS system. In her tenure here at the Association, she was instrumental in completing six MLS system conversions.  Donna currently holds the following designations: RCE (Realtor Certified Executive), GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), and ePro, C2EX (REALTORS Commitment to Excellence), CMLX1 (Certified Multiple Listing Professional) and CMLX2 (Certified Multiple Listing Executive).

 On a personal note, Donna has two German Shepherd dogs (Ernest T Bass and Charlene Darlin) and raises Reindeer for lease, rentals for displays and private parties as well as movies and commercials.    She is a member of the Reindeer Owners and Breeders Association.  With members throughout the United States and Canada, it remains the largest organization of its type in North America. Dedicated to the advancement of public awareness of reindeer, ROBA also supplies the membership with reindeer education, research, and conservation. These goals help to develop and enhance the abilities of members to maintain healthy herds and reindeer business operations.

• Liaison to Residential MLS Committee

For the past 20 years, Teresa Tillery has served as the Membership Director at KAAR, and even before that, she worked part-time as a file clerk and assisting Donna with the MLS.   Teresa oversees membership of KAAR Realtors, appraisers, and affiliates, and she assists in orchestrating new member orientation. Teresa currently holds the ePro certification.