By Steve Spinola
It would be interesting to see how the founders of REBNY would react if they could see what their organization has become today.
When it was created in 1896 as the Real Estate Board of Brokers of the City of New York, REBNY was chaired by architect and contractor William Harrison Folsom and consisted of 27 members.
Today, New York City’s first real estate trade association has over 15,000 members, 127 of whom have been members for over 50 years.
This week, I’d like to take special notice of these long-time members, and express my gratitude for their contributions to our industry and New York.
First and foremost, I owe a personal thank you to those members who have been with us for more than half a century. All of these members were part of REBNY long before my presidency, and made sure I felt welcomed into this community when I started here in 1986.
Through your guidance, I have learned a great deal about our industry, as well as many lessons about leadership which has given me a wonderful and professionally rewarding experience here at REBNY.
As we work to protect, improve and advance the real estate business in New York, it is important to acknowledge that we could not do so without the continued support of our members, some of whom have been supporting us since the day they entered the real estate business.
From among this diverse array of property owners, managers, attorneys, developers, architects and more, they have all made significant contributions to ensuring that REBNY is able to fulfill its goals and work on behalf of the mutual interests of its members.
The beauty of our organization is that each individual’s professional credentials are enhanced when they become a REBNY member because our long-term members built a sturdy foundation which current and future generations can place their trust and confidence in.
Although REBNY hosts events throughout the year honoring some of its members with various awards and honors, there is not enough time in one year to give each of you the recognition you deserve.
I am enormously proud to be a part of an organization that has united such a prestigious group of industry professionals together for over 118 years, and we will continue to advocate for common sense policies for our great city and provide you with the highest quality of service.
