Commercial real estate brokers from Nassau and Suffolk County had a ball. Literally.
More than three dozen brokers representing firms from Long Island's two counties competed July 30th in the game day dubbed "Battle of the Brokers, Nassau vs. Suffolk" at Citi Field. The doubleheader was played on a softball field in the outfield grass and was organized by Wachtler Knopf Equities LLC (WKE), a Farmingdale, -based property management firm.
Philip Wachtler, principal of WKE, described the game, organized to gain the goodwill of the brokers who deal with the firm, as "a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience that they'll remember for the rest of their lives."
The teams split the error-filled double bill. Nassau brokers, powered by Mark Greenspan of CBRE, who hit a home run and had seven hits over the course of the afternoon, won the first game 21-11. The team representing Suffolk took the second game 10-1.
"It was a great event," said Greenspan, who was named by WKE executives as the MVP; he received a gift certificate to Blackstone Steakhouse. The "Almost MVP," Kyle Crennan, was awarded with a full year's membership to Blink Fitness. Both businesses are currently WKE tenants.
"Every one of these guys was very good," Wachtler said of the players. "I think everyone had fun."
A professional umpire officiated and Alex Anthony, the Met's public address announcer, called the play-by-play from the left field warning track.
"This event is right in line with our out-of-the-box manner of thinking," said Sandy Cohen, VP of management at WKE. "We hope that the brokerage community takes note and allows us to apply our creative methods toward completing deals with them across our portfolio."
"Other landlords host cocktail parties or dinners in fancy restaurants to garner the goodwill of the brokerage community. Not us," Wachtler said. "We keep true to our roots."
"Philip and I pride ourselves on running an intimate shop where 'everybody knows your name.' That said, it's always nice to remind the outside world of who our big brother is and the significant resources they bring to the table as was evident by today's event," Cohen said of WKE's relationships with Sterling Equities and the New York Mets.
The Suffolk team was composed of Ted Stratigos, Rob Kuppersmith and Roger Wooster of Cushman & Wakefield, Melville; Doug Seale, Joe Lagano, Tim Parlante and Kyle Crennan of Jones Lang LaSalle, Melville; David Chinitz of Park Place Realty, Melville; Philip Shwom of Schacker Realty, Melville; John LaRuffa, Paul Schneider and Carmine Inserra of NAI Long Island, Melville; Billy Skelos, Dan Oliver and Jordan Oliver of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Melville.
On the Nassau team were: Harris Rousso, Bob Rosenbluth, Ben Edwards and Brad Bold of Real Estate Strategies, Jericho; Vince LaManna and Mark Greenspan of CBRE, Woodbury; Matthew Tesoriero and Aaron Trembley of Oxford & Simpson, Jericho; Neil Creedon, Darren Liederman and Jeff Cebula of Colliers International, Lake Success; and, Arthur Gurtman and Michael Levenstein of The Rochlin Organization, Jericho.
WKE is a property management and leasing company overseeing a portfolio of Long Island office buildings in Bethpage, Plainview, Melville and Farmingdale owned by affiliates of Great Neck-based Sterling Equities, which shares ownership with the New York Mets.
For more information about Wachtler Knopf Equities LLC call (516) 391-5979, email [email protected] or visit the company's web site: www.wk-equities.com.
Large Group Photo: Shown in the front row (from left) are: Philip Shwom of Schacker Realty; David Chinitz of Park Place Realty; Carmine Inserra of NAI Long Island, and John LaRuffa of NAI Long Island
Shown in the back row from left) are: David Reiner of Real Estate Strategies; Charles Tabone of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank; Brian Lee of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank; Frank X. Pagano Jr. of Integrated Realty Group, and Adam Rochlin of The Rochlin Organization Tags: