Vlora Sejdi Named 2025 HGAR President; D’Anzica Wins Realtor of the Year Honor, Haggerty Awarded Affiliate of the Year

TARRYTOWN—The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors changed the format of its 108th Annual Meeting & Members Appreciation Day program this year, opting to hold the business portion of the Annual Meeting virtually on Oct. 22 and its highly popular and informative Member Appreciation Day on Oct. 28 at the Westchester Marriott Hotel here.

Some of the highlights of the two-day event included the selection of 2024 HGAR award winners, including Realtor of the Year Tony D’Anzica, founder and president of Dynamax Realty of New York City, and Affiliate of the Year Richard Haggerty, CEO of OneKey MLS.

In addition, the association voted in the nominated slate of Directors for 2025 and later the Board approved Vlora Sejdi of Home Smart of White Plains as the 2025 HGAR President.

The virtual Annual Meeting held on Oct. 22 included the approval by members of the–2025 HGAR Director Slate (see below) as well as approval of several bylaw changes. The program concluded with a very topical discussion on “The Future of Real Estate” led by real estate technology expert James Dwiggins.

The Members Appreciation Day program on Oct. 28 featured a host of informational seminars and an appearance by New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who spoke at HGAR’s RPAC Luncheon. Other highlights included a lively and well-attended keynote speech by national speaker and trainer Jared James and booth holders representing all aspects of the real estate services and banking industries.

2024 HGAR President Carmen Bauman said as she approached the conclusion of her term in office, she was “filled with pride for the strides we've made together to build on HGAR’s rich legacy. In these challenging times, we have united our membership and service areas, elevating our offerings to better serve you.”

She noted that HGAR launched in 2024 what she termed was a “bold, member-centric strategic plan focused on advocacy, professionalism, and engagement. We recognize that our industry is evolving, and we've embraced change to meet your needs during this pivotal moment in our history,” Bauman, who is an Associate Broker with RM Friedland, said.

“Our outreach initiatives have strengthened connections with brokers and members, ensuring your voices are heard. We've enhanced our presence in the Bronx, addressing the sale and potential leaseback of our Bronx building and acknowledging the significance of our diverse geographic service area and respective chapters,” Bauman said.

She also noted that HGAR streamlined its budget and made sound financial decisions to maximize the association’s resources. In addition, its new website and member portal went live and are now providing “seamless access to essential tools and resources, enhancing your overall experience.” She also noted that HGAR introduced member engagement profiles that replaced traditional committee signups and the new more cost-effective Real Estate In-Depth online platform was launched as HGAR retired the print version of the newspaper at the start of the year.

“In response to the NAR settlement, we swiftly adapted our programming, products, and services to equip you with the tools necessary to navigate these changes confidently. As one of the most diverse boards and associations in the nation, we are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in every facet of our organization. We are dedicated to embedding these principles into our culture and operations,” Bauman said.

“Looking ahead, I am excited to help our future presidents implement further improvements that will keep HGAR agile and future-ready. Our mission remains clear: to elevate how we serve you and empower your business,” Bauman related.

Incoming 2025 HGAR President Sejdi also offered some brief remarks, thanking Bauman for her work as HGAR continues to navigate changing and challenging times and a difficult home sales market.

Sejdi, who will be installed as 2025 HGAR President on Jan. 30, 2025 at the Villa Barone in Mahopac, told the attendees at the Member Appreciation Day, “As I prepare for this journey, I recognize the critical moment we are navigating as Realtors. I am deeply committed to delivering value to our members and the communities we serve. With our core services—advocacy, professionalism, and engagement—at the forefront, we will continue to elevate HGAR. To achieve this, we must work together to not just accept change but actively pursue it.

She later added, “Change isn’t always easy, but it is inevitable and we must embrace it. By doing so, we can break out of complacency and mediocracy, and drive innovation and growth. Let's turn challenges into opportunities to strengthen our businesses and ourselves.”

The 2024 HGAR awards were announced and handed out by Anthony Domathoti, chairman of the HGAR Recognition Committee.

The award winners were:

Realtor of the Year: Tony D’Anzica, Founder and President of Dynamax Realty of New York City. With nearly 20 years of real estate experience, D’Anzica was HGAR’s 2023 President and continues to serve on the HGAR Board of Directors. In addition, he served as the former President of the Manhattan Association of Realtors and played an integral role in the merger of that group with HGAR. Currently, he co-chairs HGAR’s Global Business Council and has been instrumental in developing the association’s Global program and forging relationships with several different countries around the world.

Affiliate of the Year: Richard Haggerty, CEO of OneKey MLS. Previously, he served as the CEO of HGAR for 10 years, having worked his way up the ranks of the association for a total of 38 years. He began his career with the former Westchester County Board of Realtors and ultimately spearheaded several mergers to eventually create the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, one of the largest Realtor Associations in the nation.

Additional award winners included:

Albert P. Schatz Legislative Advocacy Award: Eli Rodriguez, Regional Government Affairs Director and Director of HGAR’s Bronx Chapter.

Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Award: The entire Hudson Gateway REALTOR Foundation.

Extra Mile Award: Shanese Williams of Real Broker NY LLC, based in Manhattan.

Excellence in Commercial Real Estate: Clayton Livingston of McGrath Realty Inc. in Pawling.

Up & Coming Award: Emran Bhuiyan of Exit Realty Premium in the Bronx.

President’s Award: Lynda Fernandez, HGAR CEO.

The program also included acknowledgement of staff milestones, including Michelle Gillard and Jeff Marzo , for their respective 25 years of service to the association and Gary Connolly ’s 20 years with the association.

President
Vlora Sejdi

President Elect
Rey Hollingsworth Falu

Treasurer
Joseph Lippolis

Secretary
Anthony Ruperto

Immediate Past President
Carmen Bauman

Past President
Tony D’Anzica

Regional Directors: Gregory Tsougranis, Bronx County; Christina Prostano, New York County (Manhattan); Carol Christiansen, Putnam County; Carole McCann, Orange County; Jennifer Rousset, Rockland County and Crystal Hawkins Syska, Westchester County.

Directors with Terms Expiring Dec. 31, 2027: Layla Boyles, Anthony Domathoti, J. Phillip Faranda, Harding Mason and Valerie Port.

Directors with Terms Expiring Dec. 31, 2026: Ernest Chi.

Directors with Terms Expiring Dec. 31, 2025: Don Minichino and Roseann Paggiotta.

Sponsors of the Members Appreciation Day were: OneKey MLS (Premier Event Sponsor); O’Donnell & Cullen Property Tax Consultants (Platinum Event Sponsor); 1st Priority Mortgage, Inc. (RPAC Luncheon Sponsor); A.S.A.P. Mortgage Corp. (Cocktail Party Sponsor) and Dolgetta Law, PLLC and Robison (Buffet Lunch Sponsors).