REBNY to honor industry's best at annual banquet

Real Estate Weekly,  Oct 31, 2007  

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The Real Estate Board of New York, the city's leading real estate trade association, announced the six industry leaders who will be honored at its 112th Annual Banquet on January 17, 2008 at the New York Hilton.

"Our honorees are household names in the real estate industry," said REBNY president Steven Spinola. "They have all accomplished great things in their careers, but they also have demonstrated the highest professional and ethical standards. And in no small way, our honorees have given back to the communities they serve. They all have set examples that the rest of us in the real estate industry should strive to" follow."

This year, Alan H. Wiener, Wachovia Multifamily Capital Group, will receive The Harry B. Helmsley Distinguished New Yorker Award, which is presented to a REBNY member for a lifetime of exceptional accomplishment in the profession and invaluable contributions to New York's civic welfare.

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Edward A. Riguardi, Jones Lang LaSalle, will receive The Bernard H. Mendik Lifetime Leadership in Real Estate Award, for a lifetime of exceptional accomplishment in the profession and invaluable contributions to New York's leadership in real estate.

Bruce E. Mosler, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. will receive The Louis Smadbeck Broker Recognition Award, which honors an executive who exemplifies the characteristics of a successful commercial broker.

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Gaston Silva, Vornado Realty Trust, will receive The George M. Brooker Management Executive of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals of superior accomplishment from the management area based on outstanding professionalism, civic achievement and contribution to the real estate industry.

Jonathan L. Mechanic, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson will receive The Kenneth R. Gerrety Humanitarian Award, which recognizes meritorious service to the community by a REBNY member.

Gregg Schenker, ABS Partners Real Estate LLC, will receive The Young Real Estate Man of the Year Award, selected by the Young Men's/Women's Real Estate Association of New York on the basis of integrity, professional and personal ethics and knowledge.

REBNY advises those wishing to attend to purchase tickets early. For more information, contact Thomas Griffin at REBNY, 212-532-3100.

Alan H. Wiener is managing director of Wachovia Multifamily Capital, Inc.. Previously, he was chairman of American Property Financing (APF), which he merged into Waehovia in 2006.

Prior to establishing APF, Wiener was executive vice president at Integrated Resources and, from 1978 to 1981, he was the New York director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Before that he served as assistant to the Mayor of the City of New York.

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Edward A. Riguardi is a managing director in Jones Lang LaSalle's New York Transactions group and is responsible for senior oversight of the management portfolio in the New York metro area. With more than 40 years experience in the New York commercial real estate industry, Riguardi has been called the Dean of Property Management in New York.

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Prior to becoming chairman of Colliers ABR, Riguardi was president and founder of Koeppel Tener Riguardi. Before that, he spent 29 years at Williams Real Estate, rising from the operations and engineering department to one of the firm's senior executives.

Bruce E. Mosler leads the world's largest independent real estate services firm and serves on its board of directors. Mosler has twice received the prestigious Real Estate Board of New York "Deal of the Year" award, winning in 1998 for the Reuters Building and in 1999 for bringing the European retailer Henries & Mauritz (H&M) to its United States flagship location on Filth Avenue.

Gaston Silva is chief operating officer of Vornado Office and oversees the management of over 20 million square feet of commercial office space in Manhattan. Silva served in the Giuliani Administration as Commissioner of Buildings from 1996-1999. His career in government began on the Landmarks Preservation Commission and in 1991, he was named chairman of the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals. As a practicing architect he was a project manager and associate of James Stewart Polshek and Partners in Manhattan from 1981-1991.

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Jonathan L. Mechanic, a partner at the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, was the recipient of The Chambers Award for Excellence in 2006, recognized as a real estate "Star" in his field and is consistently recognized as a leading individual for real estate by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He was also named a "Dealmaker of the Year" in 2006 by The American Lawyer for his involvement in the $5.4 billion sale of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, New York's largest apartment complex.

Greg Schenker, co-managing partner at ABS Partners Real Estate, LLC, is a leading figure in the New York City real estate community. His experience spans 21 years, beginning on site at a major construction project, then working as a real estate broker/manager for 10 years at Helmsley-Spear.