Halstead Property

Diane M. Ramirez
President
dramirez@halstead.com
(212) 381-3203

Rebny To Honor Six At Annual Banquet

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), New York City's foremost real estate industry association, will honor six of its members tomorrow at its 113th annual banquet, to be held in the Hilton New York Hotel.

"These industry veterans are not only professionaily successful, but contribute significantly to strengthening the communities they serve," says REBNY President

Steven Spinola.

Mary Ann Tighe, CEO of the New York Tri-State region for CB Richard Ellis, will receive The Bernard H. Mendik Lifetime Leadership in Real Estate Award. Ms. Tighe, who has held her current position since 2002, represents several of the city's largest real estate owners and users, including the Archdiocese of New York, CIT, Conde Nast, Crain's, Limited Brands, Medco and The New York Times Co. She has been part of the executive committee of REBNY's board of governers since 2001. 

Leonard Litwin, president and CEO of Glenwood Management Corp., will receive The Harry B. Helmsley Distinguished New Yorker Award for his contribution to civic welfare. A 50-year veteran of the industry, Mr. Litwin is known as a builder of low-income housing units as well as owner-builder of luxury high-rise developments in Manhattan. He's also the founder of the Litwin Foundation, which supports various medical research projects.

Earle S. Altman, chairman of ABS Partners Real Estate, will receive the Louis Smadbeck Broker Recognition Award for his work as a commercial broker. Mr. Altman founded ABS following a 40-plus-year career at Helmsley-Spear, where he headed the sales and leasing divisions. He's perhaps best known as one of the pioneers in the wave of conversions of industrial lofts into residential condos and co-ops, which led to the gentrification of several Manhattan neighhorhoods in the last quarter of the 20th century. 

James H. Farley, senior vice president at Stahl Real Estate Co., will receive The George M. Brooker Management Executive of the Year Award. A construction and development specialist, Mr. Farley recently has overseen the renovations of 277 Park Avenue and the Lunt-Fontanne, the residential conversion of the Apple Bank for Savings Building, and the restoration of the Channin building following the Con Ed steam blast.

Diane M. Ramirez president of Halstead Property, will receive The Kenneth R. Gerrety Humanitarian Award, which recognizes meritorious service to the
community by a REBNY menther. Ms. Ramirez helped Clark Halstead in the founding of Halstead Property in 1984, and was one or the selling brokers who helped engineer the blossoming of Downtown Manhattan and the West Side in side 1980s. She became president of the firm in 1999, and has served on various REBNY committees.

Joseph A. Grotto Jr., senior managing director and principal of Colliers ABR, will receive The Young Real Estate Man of the Year Award. He has been involved in the real estate industry from the age of 16, co-founded J. Grotto & Associates (along with his father, Joseph Grotto Sr.) in 1986 and took his current position when that company merged with Colliers ABR in 2003. He's a former chairman and vice chairman of the Young Men's/Women's Real Estate Association of New York. 

Wednesday, January 14, 2009