In Memoriam: Former WCBR, NYSAR President Savo Fries Passes Away at 82
TUCSON, AZ—One of the most popular and respected Realtors in the history of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors and its predecessor organizations—Savo Fries—passed away on June 21 here at the age of 82.
Fries, who retired after working nearly three decades with Houlihan Lawrence, served as Associate Broker and manager of its Yorktown and Croton offices upon her retirement.
The enigmatic Fries was known for her boundless energy, her love of the industry and her good-natured and sometimes mischievous sense of humor. She served as the president of the HGAR predecessor association—the Westchester County Board of Realtors—in 1998 and 1999 and as President of the New York State Association of Realtors in 2002. She won the WCBR Realtor of the Year in 1994 and NYSAR’s Realtor of the Year a decade later.
Among her many achievements, she served as Secretary/Treasurer of NYSAR in 2000, NYSAR President-Elect in 2001, President of the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service from 1991-1996, was a Director with the National Association of Realtors and NYSAR, and was president and founder of the New York State Education Foundation and the New York State Affordable Housing Foundation. In addition, she served as chairperson of WCBR’s Hope for the Homeless and was a New York State Certified Instructor.
Her local community involvement included being an active member of the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce, the Mahopac Chamber of Commerce, Midnight Run of Somers and the MS Society. She also served as a director of Support Connection.
Fries’ inauguration as WCBR President in 1998 was truly memorable as her mailed invitations to the night’s festivities included a handful of glitter. In early 2014, at the Desmond Hotel in Albany, Fries installed her close friend JP Endres as NYSAR President. Fries traveled from her retirement home in Arizona to attend the event.
Endres, now branch manager of the Scarsdale office for Howard Hanna | Rand Realty, said of her friend: “If there was ever a first lady of real estate, it was Savo Fries. Her love of the business, her knowledge, professionalism, passion, style, and sterling reputation made her one of a kind. Her accolades, accomplishments and positions held are far too numerous to list. We would need a separate volume of an encyclopedia just for her. She was my friend and confidante. My heart has a missing piece now.”
Richard Haggerty, former HGAR CEO and now CEO of OneKey MLS, simply described Fries as “one of a kind.” He related: “She was wickedly smart, refreshingly honest, and absolutely fearless in speaking her mind. She had a ferocious sense of humor and a laugh so infectious that anyone who knew her could recognize it instantly. She challenged people, inspired people, and made every conversation more interesting. While her accomplishments were many, it is her warmth, her authenticity, and the lasting impact she had on the people around her that will be remembered most. She leaves behind a legacy of leadership, friendship, and a great many stories that will continue to be told for years to come.”
At press time, information on services was incomplete. To leave a message of condolence to her family, go to: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/tucson-az/savo-fries-12939768
