YM/WREA: upholding industry standards

Real Estate Weekly, August 14, 1991 by Mitchell E. Rudin

YM/WREA: Upholding industry standards

The YM/WREA was organized in 1948. During its 43-year history, the association has grown from six to almost 400 members. The goal of the Association is stated in relevant portion of its by-laws "to unite in common organization those young men and women whose principal occupation is the real estate profession; to investigate, debate, promote and publicize those policies which, in the opinion of the Association, shall benefit the industry, the Association and its members ... to promote greater understanding and knowledge among its members; to strive to secure the highest standings of ethical and moral professional conduct by its members and the entire industry."

Membership in the Association is by interview process. An applicant must be in the real estate business for at least five years and indicate an intention to make a career in real estate. Every effort is made to secure as new members people who are members of The Real Estate Board of New York ("REBNY") and at least 80 percent of the total regular membership shall be members of REBNY. An applicant must be approved by 80 percent of the membership committee, however, prospective members who are not members of REBNY must be by a unanimous vote.

The Association is administered by a Board of Governors comprised of annually elected and appointed members. The chairman, who is elected, is the Chief Officer of the Association. The officers for the Association for 1991 are as follows:

* Mitchell E. Rudin, chairman * Leslie Harwood, vice chairman * Joseph McCluskey, treasurer * Benjamin Irlander, secretary * Caleb D. Koeppel, membership chairman * Stefan Ensler, governor * Anita Grossberg * Governor Leon Manoff, governor

The Association has actively embarked on a number of eleemosynary activities. Most prominent among these are its participation in the Business & Industry After School Job Training Program which is coordinated by the Mayor's Office of Business Development. The YM/WREA's affiliation with this program was started three years ago with a group of junior and senior students at Norman Thomas High School. It was then moved to its current location at Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers. A series of lectures are organized and delivered by members of the Association about various facets of the industry including such basics as: how to secure a job, what role do developers and brokers play, residential leases, management and maintenance of building offices, with accompanying tours of such structures. In the past, certain participants of the program have been invited to an Association luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria and the most recent semester was highlighted by the awarding of a scholarship to one of the participants in the program. The scholarship was awarded based on a research paper that was submitted. In addition, the Association runs a bi-annual blood drive and has raised money for various causes including this year's American Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund and REBNY's Pro Am Tennis Outing to aid the homeless.

In addition to these activities, the Association engages in a variety of social activities. There are monthly luncheons at which various speakers address the membership. Recently, these included such prominent individuals as Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger, Edward S. Gordon, Lewis Rudin, and future speakers include Jerry Speyer and Robert Tisch. The Association's Summer Golf and Tennis Outing held this year at Old Oaks Country Club is the industry's most anticipated and best attended outing. Every Winter there is a Black Tie dinner honoring the former chairmen and in the fall an event which in the past has included a Dinner/Dance at such places as The Equitable Tower dining room and The Grolier.

Each year the Association awards the prestigious Young Real Estate Man of the Year and Senior Man of the Year awards. The 1990 recipients were Kevin Wang for the Young Man of the Year and Asher Bernstein for the Senior Man of the Year. The Young Real Estate Man of the Year award is awarded at REBNY's Annual Banquet and the Senior Man of the Year award is awarded at the YM/WREA members luncheon in December.

Mitchell E. Rudin Chairman Young Men's\Women's Real Estate Association (YM/WREA)