Levy, Siegler, and Henyan win REBNY Residential Awards

Real Estate Weekly, April 18, 2001

Prizes for professional achievement and service to the industry were presented at the Real Estate Board's Residential Management Council awards breakfast on March 27. Tim Minton, WNBC-TV investigative correspondent, was the keynote speaker at the event.

Ronni Lynn Arougheti, the council's chairperson, introduced the program by thanking REBNY's leadership in helping to "change the way we do business." The Board assisted the council in preparing its standard forms for management transitions, alterations, and purchase applications. Ms. Arougheti lauded the professionalism of the Board's senior vice president Marolyn Davenport and her colleagues Anita Thomas and Linda Rainey, in particular.

The Residential Management Industry Recognition Award was presented to Richard Siegler, of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, by Ms. Arougheti. Mr. Siegler was given the prize for his legal advice to the council concerning some of its standard forms.

REBNY president Steven Spinola presented the Residential Management Community Service Award to Kenneth Henyan, of Milford Management. Mr. Henyan launched blood drives that were conducted in 20 residential buildings, a campaign that supplied more than 600 pints of blood to the city's healthcare institutions.

The Residential Management Executive of the Year Award was given to Jeffrey Levy, of Akam Associates, by Anita Sapirman, of Sapam Realty. Ms. Sapirman won the accolade last year. Mr. Levy's prize honors high career achievements.

Certificates for distinguished service to the council and the industry were presented to Ms. Arougheti, of Heron, Ltd., Mitchell D. Barry, of Century Operating Corporation of New York, John Sicree, of Brown Harris Stevens Residential Management, Jeffrey Levy, of Akam Associates, and Debra Fechter, of Digby Management.

In his remarks, Tim Minton, who serves as the president of his Upper East Side cooperative apartment house board, noted that the board members often act as a buffer between the management companies and complaining shareholders. "A lot of the correspondence that goes to the board doesn't make it to the management company," he said.

Mr. Minton said the acronym "HAPPY" summed up what his board wanted (and got) from its current management company. The acronym stands for: Honesty, Accurate Information, Performance, Patience, and Yesterday (ability to do something fast enough to satisfy the impatient board).

Mr. Minton also recommended that co-op boards keep the building's share holders involved in the corporation's governance through newsletters and postings on a readily visible bulletin board in the property's public area.

Proceeds from the awards breakfast were donated to Housing & Services, Inc., a nonprofit organization that pro vides residences and assistance to homeless people and people with special needs.

The event was sponsored by Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, IDC/Hi Rise Recycling Systems and Kaye Insurance.