William “Bill” Aceto Elected Chair, Melvin ‘Skip” Alston, Vice Chair
Executive Director Miriam Baer announced that William “Bill” Aceto of Boone has been elected as Chair and Melvin ‘Skip” Alston of Greensboro as Vice Chair of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. Their terms will begin on August 1, 2025.
Bill Aceto was appointed to the Commission by the General Assembly in 2023. Licensed since 2007, Aceto specializes in investment properties, commercial real estate, development, large acreage tracts, building lots, residential brokerage and long-term property management. As a REALTOR® committed to property owners’ rights, Aceto also personally invests in rental properties, land tracts, and residential properties in the High Country. Aceto and his Blue Ridge Realty & Investments partner, Todd Rice, also co-founded and operate Blue Ridge Professional Property Services, LLC, Boone High Country Rentals, and Ashe Rental Agency.
Having held leadership positions for the High Country Association of REALTORS®, including President in 2019, Aceto was named the 2020 High Country Association REALTOR® of the Year. Aceto is active in the North Carolina REALTORS® and was a 2015 Graduate of the NC REALTORS® Leadership Academy. He has been the Chair of NCR Legislative and RPAC Committees as well as its Property Management Division (PMD), and was also a Federal Political Coordinator for NAR® for over 10 years. Additionally, he has served as a public member on the North Carolina Building Commission, is a former member of the Town of Boone Board of Adjustment (ETJ Alternate), and past Chairman of the Watauga County Board of Elections. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Political Science with minors in Business and Criminal Justice and served as the Chair of Appalachian State Board of Visitors.
Billlives in Boone with his wife, Sallie and children, Liam (8) and Maggie ( 6 ).
Melvin “Skip” Alston was recently appointed to the Commission by Governor Roy Cooper on October 9, 2024. Mr. Alston is the owner and founder of The Alston Realty Group, Inc. in Greensboro, NC, which has been in continuous operation serving the greater Greensboro area for over 42 years. A recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Mr. Alston has served as a leader in his community, across North Carolina and the nation since 1987. He has served in numerous capacities and on several Boards. He is the current chairman for the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and has served on the board for 27 years. He is also a Diamond-Life Member of the NAACP and has served on their local, state and national levels for over 25 years. Mr. Alston has also served as the North Carolina NAACP President.
He is the Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Sit In Movement, Inc. a nonprofit corporation formed for the purpose of purchasing and renovating the Historical Woolworth Building in downtown Greensboro into an International Civil Rights Center and Museum, which opened February 1, 2010.
Mr. Alston previously served on the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, appointed in 2003 by the Speaker of the House and elected Chairman of the Commission in 2007 and again in 2008.
A Durham native, Mr. Alston attended North Carolina Central University, with a major in Business Administration. He has been licensed as a broker since 1982. Mr. Alston, his wife Gwendolyn and their adult sons, DeSean and Ryan, are based in Greensboro and are all North Carolina real estate brokers.