While Gov. Hochul vowed to provide funding to adequately finance MTA projects, at press time no firm plans have been released.
According to the FBI’s 2023 Internet Crime Complaint Center Report, there were more than 101,068 complaints filed by individuals over 60 years old resulting in more than $3.4 billion in losses in 2023.
A well-known business leader, Weale was perhaps best known for co-founding Country Bank in Carmel and later serving as President and CEO of the Putnam County Economic Development Corp. for 13 years.
SOUTH SALEM—Veteran real estate broker and executive Gail Fattizzi was installed as the 2020 president of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors on Jan. 16 at a gala dinner event held at Le Chateau here.
Fattizzi, who has served for 24 years as the executive director of the independent real estate brokerage network Westchester Real Estate Inc. of Somers, was installed into office by friend and former HGAR President Marcene Hedeyati. Prior to her long-term position with Westchester Real Estate, Fattizzi served as relocation director and advertising manager for Preferred Realty, Inc. for nine years.
The gala event drew approximately 300 HGAR members, Realtor colleagues, real estate and mortgage finance professionals and guests to witness Fattizzi’s installation as HGAR President.
Fattizzi began volunteering about two decades ago at the predecessor Westchester County Board of Realtors, serving first on its Education Council and then as the Chair for the Hope for the Homeless Gala, Communications Council Chair, Education Council Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Regional Vice President and HG Realtor Foundation Trustee, as well as most recently as HGAR President-elect in 2019.
2019 HGAR President Ron Garafalo
In her first speech as the leader of the association, an emotional Fattizzi said she was humbled and honored to take on the post in 2020 along with a talented leadership team of officers and directors. She also thanked Ron Garafalo for his leadership of HGAR in 2019.
She said she plans to embark on a host of initiatives, including implementation of the five-pillars of the new HGAR Strategic Plan and the launch of the HGAR Leadership Accelerator, which will be geared at fostering the talent of the association and identifying the future leaders of the organization.
Fattizzi also plans to revive the Young Professionals Network (YPN), which will be chaired by Richard Herska, and intends to hold some “County Days,” an idea brought to the fore by former HGAR President Katheryn DeClerck, to highlight the unique aspects of the diverse geographic makeup of the association. She added that legislative advocacy both locally, at the state level and in Washington, DC will be very important in 2020.
The new HGAR President stressed that Fair Housing will continue to be a major issue for the association in 2020, noting that HGAR’s Fair Housing Task Force is planning events and training programs to ensure this issue is a staple of the business practices of all HGAR members.
HGAR CEO Richard Haggerty offered welcoming remarks and praised 2019 HGAR President Garafalo and the HGAR Board of Directors for their efforts this past year, which included many initiatives, including a focus on the Code of Ethics and the development of a strategic plan for the association in coming years. At press time, HGAR President Fattizzi and other members of the HGAR 2020 leadership team were holding a session to work on the implementation of the far-reaching HGAR strategic plan at a retreat at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz.
Haggerty presided over the installation of 2020 HGAR Board of Directors, while NYSAR President Jennifer Stevenson performed the honors for the 2020 HGAR Executive Officers that include: Crystal Hawkins-Syska, President-elect; Anthony Domathoti, Treasurer; Irene Guanill, Secretary and Ronald Garafalo as Immediate Past Presidents.
Serving as Regional Directors in 2020 are: Regional Director New York County (i.e., Manhattan) and Chapter Representative Manhattan Tony L. D’Anzica; Regional Director Putnam County Clayton C. Livingston; Regional Director Orange County Eydie Lopez; Regional Director Rockland County Richard Herska and Regional Director Westchester County Theresa Crozier.
HGAR Board Directors for 2020 are: Roberta F. Bangs, Carmen Bauman, Tammy Teresa Belmore, Kazuko Boylan, Dorothy Botsoe, Debra Budetti, Katheryn DeClerck, Rey Hollingsworth Falu, Barry Kramer, Maurice Owen-Michaane, Roseann Paggiotta, Mark J. Seiden, Robert Shandley, Alvis Smith and Maria Weiss.
HGAR Awards Chairperson Terri Crozier also acknowledged the major association award winners for 2019 that included Bonnie Koff of William Raveis Legends Realty as Realtor of the Year and Sander Koudijs of Great American Title Agency as the association’s Affiliate of the Year.
After the installation program, attendees took to the dance floor.
Other 2019 award winners were: Spirit Award: Al Smith of Better Homes & Gardens Rand Realty; Extra Mile Award: Tony D’Anzica of DynaMax Realty NYC; President’s Awards: HGAR Chief Executive Officer Richard Haggerty and HGAR Chief Operating Officer Ann Garti; Albert P. Schatz Legislative Advocacy Award: Barry Kramer of Westchester Choice Realty; Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Award: Roberta Bangs of Better Homes & Gardens Rand Realty; Up & Coming Award: Carmen Bauman of Green Grass Real Estate Corp. of Bronxville and the Edward I. Sumber Memorial Award: Nicholas Wolff of Better Homes & Gardens Rand Realty.
Haggerty related there was one significant change from prior annual installation events—no installation ceremony for the HGMLS Officers and Directors since the new One KeyMLS (combined Hudson Gateway and Long Island Board of Realtors’ multiple listing service) will be rolled out in coming weeks. He said the soft launch of OneKey MLS will likely take place sometime in February, with the hard launch of the new MLS in March,
Sponsors of the Installation program were: A.S.A.P. Mortgage (Platinum Sponsor); Quintessential Mortgage Group (Band Sponsor) and Dolgetta Law, PLLC (Centerpiece Sponsor). Silver Sponsors were: Clancy Relocation & Logistics, Geico Westchester, Hudson United Mortgage, LLC, Law Office of Peter Spino, Mark’s Inspections, O’Donnell & Cullen Property Tax Consultants and ShowingTime.
Bronze Sponsors were: Allan M. Block Agency, Inc.; Co-Communications; Judicial Title Insurance Agency LLC; I Reduce Taxes; Laura C. Browne, Esq.; Statewide Abstract Corp.; Style Adorn, The Law Office of Joseph A. Marra, PLLC and VHT Studios.
While Gov. Hochul vowed to provide funding to adequately finance MTA projects, at press time no firm plans have been released.
A well-known business leader, Weale was perhaps best known for co-founding Country Bank in Carmel and later serving as President and CEO of the Putnam County Economic Development Corp. for 13 years.
Existing-home sales in the Northeast in June withdrew 2.1% from May to an annual rate of 470,000, a decline of 6% from June 2023.
One requirement of the law mandating the use of written contracts for compensation will impact NYS brokers significantly.
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