February 22, 2011 -
Long Island
According to the Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG), Long Island's largest real estate networking organization, Don Eversoll, Richard Guardino Jr., and Joseph Willen have been elected to its executive board.
Longtime residential developer Eversoll is the founder, and partner of the Timber Ridge Organization. He started his career in homebuilding in 1969 with McCarthy Co., a California company, and has more than 40 years in the land development and home building business.
He has sold more than 5,000 homes worth more than $600 million. In 2002, Eversoll sold the company he founded in 1976, Klein & Eversoll, to Pulte Homes Inc. After the sale, Eversoll served as a land acquisition consultant to Pulte's Long Island Division in 2009, he and two partners acquired Pulte's Long Island operations, since renamed Timber Ridge. Eversoll is a former president of the Long Island Builders Institute and the New York State Builders Association and is a lifetime board member of both associations as well as the National Association of Home Builders. He was chair of Suffolk County Planning Commission from 1993-2003 and has been a member of the commission since 1990. He lives in Cold Spring Harbor and Santa Barbara, Calif.
Guardino is the vice president for development at Hofstra University. He directs the Scott Skodnek Business Development Center and serves as executive dean of the Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies. Prior to joining Hofstra, he was the supervisor of the town of Hempstead.
A graduate of William & Mary College and its law school, he was admitted to practice law in New York and Florida. He was a partner in the law firm of Banno & Guardino, served as counsel to State Senator John R. Dunne, and was investigative counsel to the New York State Senate Judiciary Committee. Guardino also served as a regional member of the New York State Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, and currently serves on the New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness, Member of the Study Group, Community Development Corporation, Member of the Council of Advisors, Lighthouse Development Group, LLC, Member of the Lighthouse Steering Committee, and United Way, Member of the Committee on Nonprofit Optimization.
Guardino is a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "Living the Dream" Award and the American Committee on Italian Migration Award. He has served for many years as honorary chairman and grand marshal of the March of Dimes WalkAmerica and honorary chairman of the Long Island Walk to D'Feet ALS. In addition, he was honorary chairman of the Women's Sports Foundation's Annual Golf Outing and honorary vice-chairman for the U.S. Marine Corp Toys for Tots drive. He is a resident of Point Lookout.
Willen is the founder, president and chief executive of Huntington-based Advantage Group of Companies. Willen founded Advantage Title Agency more 23 years ago and built it into one of the leading title insurance firms in the region.
"I am honored to join the board of LIREG and to be involved in such a wonderful organization, one that combines working with my colleagues throughout the real estate industry, to contributing a great deal of money to many groups who are in great need of LIREG's assistance," said Willen. "Additionally, LIREG has now added a new educational partnership with Hofstra University to introduce students to the many career paths that can be taken in the field of real estate. I am looking forward to working with this dynamic organization."
Willen is a 1984 graduate of Ithaca College with degrees in psychology and business. He resides in Northport with his wife, Kim and their three daughters.
He is an active supporter of community and charitable causes, including the Gurwin Jewish Geriatric Center, The Nature Conservancy, Big Brothers Big Sisters of LI, Habitat for Humanity and the Family Service League, among others.
LIREG, formed to encourage networking among Long Island real estate developers, owners and allied trades and to raise funds for charitable real estate-related projects on Long Island, now has about 300 members. Since its founding in 2004, LIREG has contributed $500,000 to such charities as Angela's House, Camp Anchor, the Children's Medical Fund of New York (Schneider Children's Hospital), Family Service League, Fitzgerald House, Glen Cove Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Haven House/Bridges Inc., Hospice Care Network, Long Island Alzheimer's Foundation, North Shore Holiday House, Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, St. Francis Hospital, Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center, and Sunrise Day Camp.