The Long Island Board of REALTORS®, Inc. held their Annual Nassau County Divisional Breakfast on January 10, 2019 at the Garden City Hotel in Garden City.
Esther Fortunoff, President and owner of Fortunoff Fine Jewelry, was the special guest speaker for the event. Fortunoff, a pioneer in the diamond and jewelry industry, and the granddaughter of the founders of the Fortunoff retail chain, spoke to the REALTOR® members about the importance of service and customer experience, which she learned from her family first-hand. Fortunoff became a Long Island shopping institution, but continued to operate as a small business, hiring locally and promoting from within.
In 2005, the Fortunoff family sold the chain to two private equity firms who put it into bankruptcy. Determined to revive her family traditions of service and value, Fortunoff led efforts to reestablish its brand and used what she had learned previously to open an online jewelry store and eventually the Fortunoff Fine Jewelry boutique on Old Country Road in Westbury. She rebuilt her business using the values she had learned growing up and working for the Fortunoff business of her parents and grandparents. "Real values" has always been the Fortunoff promise and Esther pronounced to the crowd, that the promise still holds true today.
This meeting also served as the installation of 2019 Nassau Chapter Officers and Directors by LIBOR President Dianne Scalza, presentation of Chapter Distinguished Service Awards and acknowledgment of 2018 Chapter Officers and Directors by host Susan Helsinger, 2017/2018 LIBOR Nassau Vice President and 2019 LIBOR Treasurer.
Congratulations to the following REALTORS® who have received the 2018 Chapter Distinguished Service Award for their outstanding work and commitment to their respective Chapter: Central Nassau Chapter, Jason Orsini; Nassau North Shore Chapter, Barbara Bucovetsky; Nassau South Shore Chapter, Michael Galicia.
Your 2019 Chapter Officers are as follows:
Central Nassau
Ruth Pfeffer, Chapter President
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc
Jeannine Principe Puleo, President-elect
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Barbara Gunn, Treasurer
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
John Succoso, Secretary
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Nassau North Shore
Melody Richman, Chapter President
Laffey Real Estate
Susan Schuman, President-elect
Realty Connect USA LLC
Leslie Kle, Treasurer
Coldwell Banker Residential
Mona Kremin, Secretary
Keller Williams Realty Greater
Nassau South Shore
Lisa DeTurris, President
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Gloria Rabson, President-elect
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Richard Walsh, Vice President
Keller Williams Realty Greater
Michael Galicia, Treasurer
Century 21 American Homes
Lydia Green, Secretary
RE/MAX Central Properties
Pictured at the event are (l-r) LIBOR Secretary Rick Greene, LIBOR Nassau VP Joe Sinnona, LIBOR President Elect Matthew Arnold, LIBOR Treasurer and host Susan Helsinger, Esther Fortunoff, LIBOR President Dianne Scalza, LIBOR Queens VP Deow Gangaram, LIBOR past President Charlotte Van der Waag, LIBOR Past President David Legaz.
To view photos from the event visit LIBOR’s Facebook page.
Photos courtesy of Howard Fritz, One Fine Day Photographers and Video.