Our 84th annual banquet is April 3, awardees selected

By Nunzio Del Greco The Banquet Committee coordinating the 84th Annual Banquet celebration unanimously selected the 2008 Award Recipients to be recognized at the formal event scheduled for April 3, 2008, at the elegant Marina del Rey Caterers, Bronx, New York. 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, and major networking event. The association continues to unite the real estate industry and business community by bringing together over 1,000 members, companies, and friends from throughout the New York metropolitan region 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 president-elect of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) with over 1.3 million members, Richard Gaylord 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. We will be announcing the keynote speaker soon for the 2008 banquet. Prior speakers included: mayor Michael Bloomberg; mayor Rudolph Giuliani; former first lady and senator of the United States Hillary Clinton; congressman Charles Schumer now senator; governor Nelson Rockefeller; United States senator Jacob Javitz; mayor John Lindsay; secretary of state hon. Randy Daniels; United States attorney general Robert Kennedy; Bronx borough president Adolfo Carrión; Sandy Treadwell, secretary of state for New York; and others. The 84th Annual Banquet Award Recipients are: hon. Joel Rivera, Distinguished Service Award, Councilman District 15; hon. James Vacca, Community Service Award, Councilman District 13; Sandra Erickson Realtor of the Year Award, Sandra Erickson Real Estate; Suzanne DeLa Rosa, Realtor Associate of the Year, Robert E. Hill Inc.; Ben Weisel, Affiliate Member of the Year Award, Metro Pest Control, Inc.; and Michael Laub, Institutional Member of the Year Award, Bronx Realty Advisory Board. The Annual Banquet also recognizes members for their years of service to the organization. They are: 40 Year Member Awards: Elias Karmon, EMK Enterprises Inc.; and Howard Parnes, Houlihan Parnes Realtor Inc. and 35 Year Member Awards: Barry Levites, Levites Realty; 30 Year Member Awards: John Brown, Robert E. Hill Inc.; Fred Canzone, Canzone Plaster & Tile Inc.; David Fiederlein, D.F. Consultants; Lawrence Schur, Schur Mgmt., Co., Ltd.; and Joseph Villani, J.A. Villani Realty; and 25 Year Member Award: Ben Buccieri, Today Realty Corp. Formal invitations for the 84th Annual Banquet will be mailed soon. There are discounts for advanced paid reservations. The Bronx-Manhattan North Association of Realtors sponsors valuable programs and services for professionals interested in networking and generating new business. The major networking events are very popular and well known in the real estate industry throughout the New York metropolitan region. We will continue to fine-tune our efforts for the benefit of the membership. You never know where your next big deal is going to come from in 2008. Mark your calendar and plan on attending some of the major networking events including: * The 84th Annual Banquet, April 3, 2008 at the Marina del Rey Caterers; * The 73rd Annual Golf & Tennis Outing, June 23, 2008 at the Brae Burn Country Club, Purchase, NY; * The 7th Annual Real Estate Trade Show, October 29, 2008, Villa Barone Manor; and * The 24th Annual Holiday Party, December 18, 2008, at the Marina del Rey Caterers. A wide range of programs and services are sponsored in addition to many networking events for more business. For reservations or more information on the 84th Annual Banquet, please contact Janine Schall at (718) 892-3000, (212) 242-4343 or email: [email protected]. The Bronx-Manhattan North Association of Realtors (BMAR) is a professional trade association officially representing the real estate industry since 1924 and is the local chapter for the New York State and National Association of Realtors. BMAR is composed of a broad base of professionals including licensed real estate brokers and agents; multi-dwelling property owners; building service vendors and suppliers; unlicensed property managers; attorneys; appraisers; banks; mortgage companies; fuel service and energy companies; title and abstract companies; insurance companies and insurance brokers; contractors and other companies servicing the real estate industry. Nunzio Del Greco, RCE, is the CEO of the Bronx-Manhattan North Association of Realtors, Bronx, N.Y.