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2026 R.E.A.L. Awards Honorees

MEET THE 2026 HERALD REAL ESTATE ACHIEVEMENT AND LEADERSHIP (R.E.A.L.) AWARDS HONOREES

SPECIAL AWARDS

STRATEGIC VISIONARY IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE

Kelly Killoren Bensimon

Founder & Owner, Broker Specialist
Kelly Killoren Bensimon Inc., Douglas Elliman

REAL ESTATE VISIONARY OF THE YEAR

Steven Krieger 

Chief Executive Officer, B2K Development 

LEGACY IN REAL ESTATE

Jan Burman

Chairman, B2K Development

RISING STARS

James La Dolce

Vice President, Branch Manager, Flushing Bank

Ashley Infantino

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, DeSimone Real Estate Agency

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Rob Mannino

Chief Operating Officer, The Kulka Group

DEVELOPMENT & CONSTRUCTION

Joseph Picataggi Jr.

Principal, Terra Construction Group

ENGINEERING

Matthew K. Aylward, PE

Partner, R&M Engineering

EXCELLENCE IN REAL ESTATE LAW

Michael S. Ackerman

Managing Partner, Ackerman Law, PLLC

FATHER / SON DUO

John & Dylan Vitale 

President & Vice President , Vitale Properties

INTERIOR DESIGN

Susan Mandel

Founder and Principal Designer, Interior Motives New York, Inc.

NEXT GEN BROKERAGE

Luca DiCiero

Founder & CEO, NYSpace Finders

Giuseppe Gregorio

Associate Broker, NYSpace Finders

POWER TEAM

Darab Lawyer

Vanessa Ambrosecchia

Licensed Real Estate Salespersons, Douglas Elliman

REAL ESTATE EXCELLENCE

Shaan Khan

President, Long Island Board of REALTORS®
Realtor Broker/Owner, RK Realty Group

TECHNOLOGY

Denise Savino-Erichsen

President & CEO, Automatic Industries 

COMMERCIAL

CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY

Jonathan M. Stern

Chief Growth Officer, Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group

COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE

Michael Tucker 

Associate Broker, DGNY Commercial

COMMUNITY IMPACT LEADERSHIP

Gary Broxmeyer

President, Fairfield Properties

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Joel Lipsky

Chief Executive Officer, Lipsky Construction

INDUSTRY IMPACT & LEADERSHIP

Jeff Schwartzberg, MBA 

Managing Principal, Premier Commercial Real Estate, LLC

LEADERSHIP IN ADVISORY

Newmark Long Island

LEGAL

Keith P. Brown

Partner, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP

REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY

Robert M. Connelly

Attorney, Romer Debbas, LLP

TOP INDUSTRIAL AND INVESTMENT SALES AND LEASING COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR

Tom Attivissimo

CEO & Principal, Greiner-Matlz Co. of Long Island, LLC

RESIDENTIAL

HAMPTONS LEADERSHIP

Joe Fuer 

Senior Marketing Director, COMPASS

INNOVATION IN CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

Gina Farese

Chief Executive Officer, Marcor Solar

PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION

Shalom Maidenbaum

Owner & Founder, Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group, LLC

REAL ESTATE BROKER

Nick Sforza

Licensed Real Estate Broker, Manhasset Realty Group

REAL ESTATE EXCELLENCE

Marisa Filardo

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Douglas Elliman

TEAM LEADERSHIP

Rachel King

Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, Team Leader, The King Team at SERHANT.

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