BMAR's 89th Annual Banquet Award recipients selected; Black-tie event to be held at Marina del Rey Caterers

The banquet committee coordinating the 89th Annual Banquet celebration unanimously selected the 2013 Award Recipients to be recognized at the formal event scheduled for April 24, at the Marina del Rey Caterers. The Annual Banquet is a well-known industry networking event for professionals active in the business and real estate community. The Annual Banquet is a black tie function major networking and fundraising event. The association unites the real estate industry and business community. Hundreds of members, companies, and friends throughout the New York metropolitan region attend the excellent event to network and renew old friendships. An impressive group of industry business and elected officials will be in attendance as Dais Guests. Networking cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the program and formal dinner at 7 p.m. The Heritage Award was created in 2011 to recognize a firm or company active in the real estate industry for multiple generations. The committee unanimously selected M. Sopher & Co., LLC to receive the 2013 Heritage Award. According to William Schur, banquet committee chairperson, the other Annual Banquet award recipients are: * Distinguished Service Award: Dominick Castore (Posthumously) * Realtor of the Year: Matthew Schmelzer, 2012 president * Realtor Associate of the Year: William Stanley, Cornell Pace Inc. * Affiliate Member of the Year: Joseph DiMaggio, Maters Exterminating & Pest & Control, Inc. * Institutional Member of the Year: Bruce Dale, Community Preservation Corp. * Community Leadership Award: Mark Gjonaj, assemblyman District 80 * Lifetime Service Award: Nunzio Del Greco Richard Guarino, 2013 president of the board said, "The guest speaker is New York State senator Jeffrey Klein. Prior speakers included: John Catsimatidis, Red Apple Group; Bronx borough president Rubin Diaz Jr.; N.Y.C. comptroller William Thompson, Jr.; N.Y.C. police commissioner Raymond Kelly; mayor Michael Bloomberg; mayor Rudolph Giuliani; former first lady and senator Hillary Clinton; congressman Charles Schumer now senator; governor Nelson Rockefeller; senator Jacob Javitz; mayor John Lindsay; secretary of state Hon. Randy Daniels; United States attorney general Robert Kennedy; Bronx borough president Adolfo Carrion; and Sandy Treadwell, secretary of state for New York. The president-elect of the National Association of Realtors with over 1.2 million members and other distinguished guests attended in 2007. In 2006, Tom Stevens, NAR president and Dominic Chianese "Uncle Junior" of the Sopranos were some of the special guests. The Annual Banquet also honors members for their years of service to the organization. They are: 50 Years: Perry Gault, Perry Gault Management Co., Inc.; and Daniel Schildwachter, Schildwachter & Sons; 45 Years: Howard Parnes, Houlihan Parnes Realtor, Inc.; 35 Years: Lawrence Schur, Schur Management Co., Ltd.; John Brown, Robert E. Hill, Inc.; David Fiederlein, D.F. Consultants; and John Villani, J.A. Villani Realty; 30 Years: Ben Buccieri, Today Realty Corp.; 25 Years: The Romita Family, Castle Oil Corp.; Jeffrey Marcus, Burton Supply Co., Inc.; and Arnold Waldman, CBS Coverage Group; 20 Years: William Schur, Schur Management Co., Ltd.; Michael Schwartz, Equity Realty & Consulting Corp.; Michael Haledjian, Hess Corp.; Hale Rickman, Jerome Associates LLC; and Clarence Holmes, Roy Homes Realty Inc. "The Banquet is a formal event and black tie is preferred," said Schur. There are discounts for advanced paid reservations. For reservations or more information on the 89th Annual Banquet, please contact Janine Schall at (718) 892-3000 or email: [email protected].