NYRS welcomes new co-chairperson Cicilioni

Sophia Cicilioni, sales manager with The Marketing Directors Inc., and current sales manager at The Residences at W New York-Downtown, has been elected co-chairperson of the New York Residential Specialist (NYRS) executive committee. The REBNY-certified graduate designation recognizes top New York City residential real estate agents with the highest professional credential. Cicilioni follows Shirley Hackel of Warburg Realty, who led the program for the past four and a half years along with co-chairperson Frank Russo of Halstead Property. Hackel remains a vital member of the committee. A 30-plus-year veteran in the real estate industry, Cicilioni began her career in 1980 as a cooperative conversion coordinator and an on-site salesperson with Brown Harris Stevens. She later joined The Marketing Directors Inc. in 2005, and has since led several award-winning sales teams. She has been recipient of the regional National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Silver Award for Sales Team of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and also the national Gold Award winner in 2013. Most recently, she oversaw a successful sell out of the Sheffield at 322 West 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan. "NYRS is absolutely thrilled to welcome Sophia to this leadership role at a pivotal time in the growth and reach of our esteemed designation," said Russo. "An active member with NYRS since 2009, and an Executive Committee member since 2013, Sophia's guidance and in-depth knowledge of New York City's ever-evolving real estate market will surely benefit both current and future NYRS agents." The NYRS network is comprised of more than 325 agents spanning nearly 40 brokerage firms across NYC. The designation identifies an elite group of real estate brokers who have successfully completed an advanced course of study covering relevant and important topics including negotiation, ethics and real estate law and finance. All members - including the Executive Committee and Board of Advisors - comprise a peer network of like-minded professionals committed to ethical behavior, professional excellence and advanced education. "I look forward to furthering our presence in the NYC real estate community," said Cicilioni. "It's an honor to help lead our network of highly experienced and committed professionals into the future."