Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors Officially Concludes Merger Deal with Bronx-Manhattan North Assoc. of Realtors
NEW YORK—At a press conference staged outside the Castle Hill YMCA today, officials with the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors and the Bronx-Manhattan North Association of Realtors celebrated the official merger of the two organizations.
Eliezer Rodriguez, CEO of the former BMNAR, officiated the festivities that included speeches by a host of Bronx dignitaries, HGAR and former BMNAR officials. The merger of BMNAR into HGAR was approved by both the BMNAR and HGAR Board of Directors, as well as the National Association of Realtors. In total, HGAR will now have nearly 1,500 members in the Bronx.
As a result of the merger, the Bronx Chapter of HGAR has been created and will initially operate out of the former BMNAR offices on Williamsbridge Road. Rodriguez has joined HGAR to assist with the expanded organization’s legislative advocacy agenda and the development of a stronger Commercial and Investment Division. He now serves as HGAR’s Director, Advocacy, Commercial and Legislative Issues for the Bronx and Manhattan. Vincent Buccieri, BMNAR’s 2020 President, will now serve as the Bronx regional director on HGAR’s board of directors.
“We are thrilled to officially welcome the Bronx to HGAR and look forward to expanding our presence there. With its proximity to the Lower Hudson Valley, this is a natural step that will greatly benefit all of our members,” said Richard Haggerty, CEO of HGAR and president and chief strategic growth officer at OneKey™, MLS.
In his speech to the assemblage, Haggerty related, “We have used the word ‘merger’ quite a bit today, quite frankly I do not view this as a merger. I view this as a partnership between two strong, vibrant organizations to create an even stronger, more vibrant organization that can deliver more effective services that can advocate more effectively for home ownership and private property rights.”
Rodriguez added, “We had been talking about this for a while, and it’s in the best interest of both the Bronx and the Hudson Valley. We can offer a lot of great political connections and expertise in the commercial real estate sector, and we will benefit by being able to provide all of our Bronx members with the resources that a larger organization can provide. It’s really a great fit for both associations.”
HGAR President Gail Fattizzi and HGAR President-elect Crystal Hawkins-Syska noted their Bronx roots with Fattizzi being raised in the University Heights section of the borough, while Syska’s childhood years were spent in the Fordham section of the Bronx. Both spoke of the merger’s benefits to Bronx Realtors going forward.
“I think it’s really exciting that your president is a Bronx girl and your president-elect is a Bronx girl,” Syska said, noting that her parents are still proud residents of the Bronx.
Fattizzi noted one advantage of the merger is the bridging of HGAR’s reach between Westchester and central Manhattan. “By joining our organizations together, we’ll create greater political and legislative advocacy, help with expanding our Commercial Investment Division and bring in new talent to our organization,” she said.
As members of HGAR, all Bronx Realtors are able to participate in OneKey™ MLS, the first regional MLS in the New York Metro area which was created by HGAR and The Long Island Board of Realtors. OneKey™ MLS currently has 42,000 subscribers.
