Foley Promoted to CEO of Building and Realty Institute

ARMONK—One year after joining the Building and Realty Institute as its executive director, Timothy Foley of Scarsdale has been promoted to chief executive officer of the locally-based organization.

“BRI has grown as an organization while staying true to our mission to advocate for the best interests of the realty industry to government and the community, and to provide knowledge and resources to our members,” said recently appointed BRI President Lisa DeRosa said. “The Board of Trustees believes that having our executive officer be recognized as a CEO reflects the proactive, professional, and entrepreneurial organization and culture we’re trying to build. We also strongly believe that this title change will enhance the prestige of the organization and bring us into alignment with the titles given to executive officers in the Westchester-based organizations that we regard to be our peers.”

In his prior position as executive director, Foley was instrumental in leading the organization through a period of transformation, prompted by the long-term trends for affordable housing in the region, the dizzying changes enacted by the state legislature in the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, and the unprecedented changes from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, BRI officials stated.

The change reflects a renewed and refocused entrepreneurial spirit to the organization during these challenging times, including a renewed focus on building alliances with the community and taking full advantage of technological innovations. During 2020, the BRI was able to hold two successful fundraising campaigns, combining to raise more than $40,000 for the charitable nonprofits Feeding Westchester and Lifting Up Westchester. BRI was forced to move the entirety of its robust education, training, and programmatic offerings to an all-virtual format, with every Membership Meeting being held via Zoom.

The BRI was also instrumental in launching the Building and Allied Construction Industries of Westchester (BACI), the local Westchester chapter of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the New York State Builders Association (NYSBA). Foley was recently appointed to a one-year term on the Land Development Committee for NAHB.

Foley led his team through a year of increased productivity as the BRI continued to conduct monthly meetings and engaged members in numerous advocacy efforts at the state and county level. Paired with the consistent ratings of the organization’s two radio shows on WVOX and WOR 710 AM, and the doubling of its social media presence, the BRI continues to re-invent its image all while becoming one of the thought leaders in the building and realty sectors in Westchester County and the Mid-Hudson region.

“George Frank and Albert Annunziata, my predecessors at the BRI, worked tirelessly for years to make the BRI an organization resilient enough to withstand a once-in-a-century pandemic and a furious pace of change at the state and county level,” said Foley. “I’m grateful for the trust that President De Rosa, the Trustees, and the hardworking members of the BRI have put in me to continue our path of innovation and progress, and look forward to continue to advocate for the best interests of our industry, for smart growth, affordable housing, and commonsense approaches to sustaining our communities, and to experiment with new opportunities for our members to build relationships and improve their businesses.”

Prior to joining the BRI in January 2020, the previous two years Foley served as the communications director for New York State Assembly Member Amy Paulin of Scarsdale. Previously, he was the director of the Services Employees International Union Connecticut State Council. Foley replaced Annunziata, who had served as the executive director of the BRI since 2001.

The Building and Realty Institute of Westchester and the Mid-Hudson Region has more than 1,800 members in 14 counties of New York State, including home builders, commercial builders, renovators, property managing agents, co-op and condo boards, and owners of multifamily apartment buildings in many communities, as well as suppliers and service providers with a special focus on real estate.