BY DONNA KLEIN, nyarm

NYARM’s annual holiday dinner dance is traditionally looked upon as the start of the holiday season in the real estate industry. This year the black tie affair was held at Leonard’s of Great Neck on Saturday, December 4^th, 1999 with 400 NYARM members and friends in attendance. If you didn’t attend, what a party you missed. This year the theme of the evening was New Year's Eve and we celebrated like it was the last day of the millennium!

NYARM guests enjoyed the top draw catering, this year continuing the tradition of having a sushi bar during the elaborate cocktail hour. This year’s entertainment was provided by a live, 10-piece band, Topaz, who kept everyone dancing and rocking till well after midnight.

NYARM Executive Director Donna Klein introduced P. Leonard Jones, NYARM’s president, who then introduced the members of the NYARM Board of Directors: Rochelle Captan, Executive Vice-President; Deborah Morrell, Vice-President; Vince Callagy, Treasurer; Michael Wegielski, Sergeant-at-Arms; Manager board members Greg Carlson, John Hendrick, Otis Jones, Leslie Kaminoff and Joan Saberito and Associate board members Nelson Davis, Ben Jacobson, Tom Maniuszko, Wayne Reed and Ted Yates.

Every year at this time NYARM honors its own. Awards are presented to deserving members who have dedicated themselves through their untiring and devoted efforts on behalf of the organization throughout the year. This year’s honorees join the ranks of an elite group of NYARM members who have helped the organization grow both in stature and influence in the industry. This year Barbara Glover, Queensview, Inc. and the Goldman family, Bargold Storage Systems, took home the Manager of the Year and Associate of the Year awards, respectively. NYARM salutes and thanks you both for your tireless efforts.

Deborah Morrell, Columbia University Residence went home with this year’s Lifetime Achievement award and Larry Vitelli, Insignia Residential Group accepted the Management Company of the Year award along with a number of staff members.

The coveted Outstanding Patron award went to Ben Jacobson, Jacobson Painting. This award recognizes those NYARM members who have long supported the organization. This year's recipient certainly epitomizes that tenet.

All five honorees received beautiful crystal trophies and were highlighted in the dinner dance journal, distributed to every dinner dance guest and advertiser. This journal serves as a commemorative record of the past year’s functions and events. Congratulatory letters from Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Governor George Pataki, Speaker of the City Council Peter Vallone and others adorn the pages making this journal a collector’s item. Coordinated by a committee of NYARM members this year’s advertising revenues far exceeded prior years. Chairman Ben Jacobson did a wonderful job and sincere thanks are extended to all our contributing advertisers.

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Dinner Dance Chairmen Rochelle Captan and Wayne Reed, along with the help of Joan Saberito, coordinated a perfect New Year's Eve party for NYARM members and friends. Every detail was meticulously supervised. Guests were greeted with a lavishly outfitted smorgasbord. The menu boasted such gourmet items as lobster, caviar, whole roast pig and an assortment of hot and cold dishes that would please the pickiest gourmand. An ice sculpture in the form of "NYARM" melted ever so slowly as the guests sampled the fine cuisine. The reception was held in Leonard’s beautiful grand ballroom and had an equally elaborate menu including three appetizers and a choice of four different entrees.

Izzy, Adeena, the singers and musicians that comprise Topaz were arguably the best band we've ever had at a NYARM function. Along with two six foot television screens reflecting the guests on the dance floor and plenty of glow-in-the-dark necklaces, Blues Brothers glasses, blow up instruments and funny hats to go around, the dance floor was constantly occupied.

At midnight real fireworks went off, confetti was thrown, bubbles were blown and noise makers rang out. For all intensive purposes it was the new millennium, January 1^st 2000!

All the guests left with commemorative journals and NYARM 2000 champagne glasses, balloons, toys and wonderful memories in tow.

I know, as you read this, you are fondly remembering the fabulous evening you had. If you weren’t in attendance you are extremely disappointed. But, don’t worry. We’ll do it all again in 2000 on Saturday, the 2^nd of December. Mark your calendar. See you then.

WELCOME TO THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Welcome to the New Millennium! I hope your holidays were happy and filled with friends, family and festivities. NYARM has many exciting events planned for the year 2000 including our regular monthly meetings, annual golf outing (June 12), Real Estate Expo (September 26) and dinner dance (December 2).

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a NEW meeting format that is designed to educate and inform. Eight times a year the New York Association of Realty Managers holds monthly meetings. In this, the first year of the new millennium, NYARM has a BIG CHANGE planned for the February and April 2000 meetings.

Instead of the usual cocktail hour, lunch and guest speaker format, we will present a morning seminar plus a networking luncheon. I am sure you are all aware of the threatening 32B/32J strike. In order to help you prepare for a possible work stoppage NYARM will present: Strike Preparedness and Labor Relations on Wednesday, February 16^th at Madison Square Garden from 9 AM to 12 noon. Panelists Jim Berg and Peter Finn from the Realty Advisory Board are experts in the field of labor relations and union negotiations. They will take you through the entire process of dealing with your employees before, through and after a strike. Nelson Davis of JAD Corporation of America and James Harris of Lance Investigation Services round out the panel with their advice on which supplies to have on hand and what security policies you should implement.

Immediately following the seminar we will move into the Garden's Club Bar and Grill for a fabulous buffet lunch with refreshments. You will have the opportunity to talk with the panelists and network with the other seminar attendees. NYARM members and friends, not attending the seminar, are still invited to join in at 12 noon just for the networking luncheon. Either way, the seminar with meeting or meeting only will cost the same as a regular NYARM monthly meeting.

We repeat this formula on April 12^th, again at Madison Square Garden, with The New Millennium Issue: Property Management for an Aging Population. This seminar was postponed from its original "airing" because of the premature closing of the NYARM Expo and is presented now, as we promised.

NYARM is very excited about this innovative program. We are sure you will find it most educational, and, each seminar is worth 5 credits towards nyarm certification. Certainly the few hours spent out of the office will be worthwhile in the amount of useful information you will take away with you. You can find all the details and a registration form on page 4 of this newspaper. Members will be receiving personal invitations in the mail.

I look forward to greeting you at these and all NYARM events throughout the year.