ABO to honor all women at 99th Annual Anniv. Dinner-Dance

For the first time in its 99-year history, The Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York (ABO) will be honoring all women, five distinguished female industry leaders, at its upcoming Anniversary Dinner-Dance to be held at Cipriani Wall Street on October 28. Recognized by ABO for their contributions to the City and the real estate industry, the 2009 honorees are Ruth Agnese, Judith Calogero, Rosalie Edson, Romy Goldman, and Rebecca Mason. "Women have made significant strides in taking leadership roles alongside their male counterparts in the real estate community. From CEOs and founders of companies to top-selling agents or housing rights advocates, these women have contributed profoundly to the industry with their perspectives, perseverance, intelligence, and more. We believe that it is vital to recognize their successes in what began as a male-dominant industry," said ABO's executive director, Nick LaPorte. Ruth Agnese, president of Appraisers and Planners, Inc, one of the city's oldest and most respected full service real estate appraisal and consulting firms, will be awarded Real Estate Appraiser of the Year. Agnese has been involved in major commercial projects valued in excess of $10 billion and her notable assignments include the World Trade Center site, Empire State Building and Solow Building. Affordable Housing Advocate of the Year recipient Judith Calogero is the CEO of The New York Housing Conference, a broad-based coalition that supports affordable housing for all New Yorkers by promoting public awareness of the need for and benefits of affordable housing. Under her leadership, NYHC has been successfully lobbying for affordable housing legislation and funding. Calogero is also the former Commissioner of Housing for the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, where she advised the Governor on all housing policy and community development issues. Rosalie Edson, the owner and CEO of Meadows Office Furniture Company since 1986, will receive the award of Entrepreneur of the Year. The company has been working with businesses to outfit their offices and has grown to open five locations in four states. Edson and Meadows Office Furniture have been recognized as one of the top 500 women-owned businesses in New York City. The honor of Developer of the Year will be presented to Romy Goldman, who is the founder and president of Gold Development LLC with more than 15 years of experience in real estate development and construction management. Her recent success includes 48 Bond Street, an 11-story condominium in one of Manhattan's most coveted downtown neighborhoods, and the firm is currently finishing construction on Hamilton Lofts, a 12-unit condominium project in Hamilton Heights. For her outstanding performance this year, Rebecca Mason, the executive director of Caran Properties, Inc, will be recognized as Residential Real Estate Broker of the Year. She has over 15 years experience in management, marketing, business development and listing activities and in the recent year has expanded to take on mortgage refinancing, negotiating commercial and retail leases and overseeing tenant improvements for Caran.