eXp World Holdings, Inc. announced that the Board of directors has appointed Laurie Hawkes as an independent director. With over 35 years of business experience, Ms. Hawkes has held leadership positions as an investment banker, private real estate equity investor and successful entrepreneur. She has extensive expertise in raising capital in the public and private markets, executing real estate acquisition strategies to drive portfolio growth, developing strategic business plans and creating scalable operational platforms, which are critical to building and expanding a real estate company. She co-led the company's IPO, which was listed on the NYSE under the ticker ARPI in May, 2013. Ms. Hawkes served as President and Member of the Board of Directors of American Residential Properties, Inc. and was responsible for its financing and operations from the Company's formation in May 2012. Beginning in March, 2013, she was also formally named ARPI's Chief Operating Officer, responsible for its financing and operations. In March, 2016 ARPI merged with American Homes 4 Rent. The merger of these two publicly traded companies created an $8 billion enterprise with over 47,000 homes, which now trades under the ticker AMH on the NYSE.