Rivertowns real estate partner honored

Marcene Hedayati, a founding partner of William Raveis Legends Realty Group, recently was named Realtor of the Year for 2013 by the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors.

Irene Amato, mortgage broker and owner of A.S.A.P. Mortgage Corp. in Cortlandt Manor, received HGAR”™s Affiliate Member of the Year award at the annual meeting of the four-county trade association.

A residential broker who formerly managed Prudential Rand Realty and Houlihan Lawrence offices in Westchester, Hedayati in 2007 formed Legends Realty Group L.L.C. in partnership with four other women in the industry. The brokerage, which Hedayati leads as managing partner, has offices in Tarrytown, Briarcliff Manor and Irvington.

Since 2010, Legends has been an independent affiliate of William Raveis Real Estate, based in Shelton, Conn.

Carol Christiansen, HGAR Awards Committee Chair; Irene Amato of ASAP Mortgage, and Mark Aakjar of Mark”™s Inspections, the 2012 HGAR Affiliate of the Year.
Carol Christiansen, HGAR Awards Committee Chair; Irene Amato of ASAP Mortgage, and Mark Aakjar of Mark”™s Inspections, the 2012 HGAR Affiliate of the Year.

HGAR officials in the awards announcement said Hedayati has been actively involved with the trade association for 13 years, serving on its legislative, finance, long-range planning, membership, nominating, broker/owner/manager and professional standards committees. She was vice president of the former Westchester County Realtors association board of directors and served on its executive committee.  Since 2011, she has served as co-chairperson of HGAR”™s communications council.

Amato, HGAR”™s top affiliate member this year, has worked in the real estate and finance industry for more than 25 years. Her business, A.S.A.P. Mortgage, has been serving the Hudson Valley area for 12 years.

“Irene has been a true friend and supporter of this Association,” said HGAR CEO Richard Haggerty.  “Her generosity has been instrumental in the success of so many of our events.”

Among other honorees at the annual meeting, Philip Faranda, broker-owner of J. Philip Real Estate in Briarcliff Manor, received the HGAR Spirit Award. Eydie Lopez, of RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group in Central Valley, received the Extra Mile Award. HGAR President Katheryn DeClerck presented the President”™s Award to past Realtors association president Leah Caro, of Bronxville-Ley Real Estate in Bronxville.

Four Realtors were honored with HGAR”™s first Albert P. Schatz Legislative Advocacy Award. They are: Albert P. Schatz, of Albert P. Schatz L.L.C. in Ossining; Hank Fries, of Henry W. Fries Real Estate in Bedford Hills; Alan Yassky, of Rockland Realty Commercial Real Estate Services in Nanuet, and George Kohl of Goshen, who was honored posthumously.

The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors represents more than 9,000 real estate professionals in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange counties.