Croton Realtor Gets Albert P. Schatz Legislative Advocacy Award

OSSINING-CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY - From Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors: At its 101th Annual Meeting held October 30 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown, the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®(HGAR) honored Barry Kramer of Westchester Choice Realty in Scarsdale as its “REALTOR®of the Year” for 2017. Stephanie Liggio, of Judicial Title Insurance Agency inRye Brook, was named the HGAR “Affiliate Member of the Year” for 2017.

Kramer has been a Realtor for more than 20 years and has served on over 15 HGAR committees throughout that time. He has also held several executive positions with the Association and is the former chair of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission. For years, he has been an active voice in about lobbying for co-op disclosure, and currently chairs HGAR’s REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Prior to a real estate career, Kramer was a theater manager, a travel agency owner, and an avid bicyclist who has pedaled all over the world! In January, he will serve as President of the Association.

Liggio currently serves as Director of Business Development for Judicial Title Insurance Agency. She has been a constant supporter of the Association and the Women’s Council of REALTORS®, having planned that group’s annual Fashion Shows for many years.

For the past two years, Liggio has served on the Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation Committee and has been instrumental in planning its various Pub Night fundraisers and annual Gala.

Other award winners included:

Spirit Award: Robert Shandley of Better Homes and Gardens Rand in White Plains. Shandley volunteers his time to take photos at almost every HGAR event and is an avid RPAC and HG REALTOR® Foundation supporter.

Extra Mile Award: Debra Budetti of ERA Insite Realty in White Plains. Budetti is a current HGAR board member and Communications Council chair, and constant supporter of all HGAR events. She has been married for over 30 years to her business partner, Lou Budetti.

President’s Award: Pamela Jones of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in White Plains. Jones, who serves as Secretary/Treasurer for the HGAR Board of Directors, was chosen by HGAR President Dorothy Botsoe for her hard work and dedication throughout the year.

Albert P. Schatz Legislative Advocacy Award: Clayton Livingston of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Croton-on-Hudson. Livingston has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years and a long-standing RPAC supporter. He is an HGAR media spokesperson for realtor and homeowner issues, and currently serves on a local task force to address the closure of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Buchanan.

Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Award: Matt Rand, Managing Partner of Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty in New City. In addition to running a successful real estate business, Rand is also the president of the Board of Directors of People to People, Rockland County’s largest food pantry. Last year, People to People provided assistance to nearly 14,000 Rockland households.

Up & Coming Awards: Aimee DeCesare of North Country Sotheby’s International Realty in Croton-on-Hudson and Angie Primus Gilford of Primford Homes Realty in theBronx. Both women were acknowledged for their continuing volunteering and participation in all HGAR events.

“Congratulations to all of our award winners for their extraordinary contributions to this organization and to their communities,” said Richard Haggerty, HGAR CEO. “Their selfless volunteer work and ‘go-give’ attitude has continued to be an inspiration for us all.”

The Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® (HGAR) is a not-for-profit trade association covering almost 11,000 real estate professionals doing business in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Orange counties, as well as the Bronx and Manhattan. It is the second largest REALTOR® Association in New York, and one of the largest in the country. The Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service (HGMLS), owned and operated by HGAR, offers some 24,000 properties in the Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties. It is among the top 50 largest MLSs in the country.

Photo courtesy of Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors