SIBOR Honors Outstanding Members, Community-Service Role Model

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Real estate professionals and others making a positive mark in Richmond County were recently lauded by the Staten Island Board of Realtors (SIBOR).

The honor ceremony took place Oct. 19 during SIBOR’s Annual Membership, Elections and Awards Meeting at the Excelsior Grand, New Dorp.

“Each year, SIBOR’s annual award presentations shine a light on some of the best, most caring people among us, and this year’s honorees uphold that tradition,” said Greg A. Sokol, president of SIBOR.

Kept under wraps until the gathering, were SIBOR’s 2017 Realtor of the Year and Realtor Associate of the Year awards, presented to Gennady (Gary) Papirov of Homes R Us Realty, and Christine DeHart of Salmon Real Estate, respectively.

Papirov was born in the Ukraine in 1980 and immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of 10, settling in Brooklyn, N.Y. He resided in Brooklyn until the summer of 1995, when his family relocated to Staten Island.

Two years later, Papirov graduated from New Dorp High School and continued his education at the College of Staten Island.

In 2000, his father opened a Staten Island real estate firm. That same year, Papirov applied for a real estate license and joined the firm. Seventeen years later, he is recognized as one of the most productive agents on the Island, annually receiving SIBOR Top Producer “Gold” Awards.

Ms. DeHart is a lifelong Staten Islander who grew up in the Real Estate business.  Her family owned and operated a construction company and property-management firm in the borough for more than 40 years.

A College of Staten Island graduate, Ms. DeHart earned a certification in Property Management from the New York Real Estate Institute. Internet Real Estate E-Pro is among her certifications. She also is a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES).

In addition, Ms. DeHart has completed the City of New York Residential Property Management and Working with Tenants courses.

As a community supporter, she is president of the North Shore Rotary Club; a board member of On Your Mark; the chair of an annual event supporting the autistic community of Staten Island, and a member of fund-raising committees for various Staten Island charities.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

Theodore (Teddy) A. Atlas, Jr. was presented with SIBOR’s Community Service Award.

Atlas, a native Staten Islander, has been involved with the sport of boxing for more than 40 years. His career began under the tutelage of legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato.

Throughout his career, Atlas has trained numerous world champions. Since 1998, he has been the color analyst for ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. He worked as the boxing commentator for NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000), Athens (2004), Bejing (2008) and London (2012).

As a motivational speaker, Atlas has worked with several NFL teams, including the St. Louis Rams, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders. He is an inductee of the New York, New Jersey, California and Staten Island Boxing halls of fame.

In 1997, Atlas launched the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, a New York-based 501(c)(3) community-service organization that provides financial and emotional support to individuals and organizations in need, focusing particularly on the needs of children.

In the spirit of Dr. Atlas, who provided free medical care to those who could not afford it – and made house calls to give personal care to his patients until he was 80 years old –  the foundation has aimed since its inception to ease the burden of the less fortunate among us.

The Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation comes to the aid of people in a variety of difficult situations, people who would otherwise fall between the cracks.

It has engaged in such endeavors as opening and operating youth boxing gyms and education centers in Brooklyn and Staten Island, creating incentive programs in schools to encourage and motivate students, and distributing turkeys on Thanksgiving and toys on Christmas to families who do not have the financial resources to celebrate the holidays.

The foundation’s primary fundraising event is the annual “Teddy” Dinner, which takes place the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Over 1,000 supporters attend the event, along with numerous celebrity athletes and actors showing support for the organization’s work. The foundation also holds an annual golf outing with celebrity guests, and presents a night of Golden Gloves amateur boxing.

REALTOR SERVICE AWARD

The William (Bill) Coull Realtor Service Award was presented to Pat Pappalardo of Century 21 Papp Realty.

The late Coull, for whom the honor is named, was a real estate broker and home inspector for many years. As a Realtor, he was one of the founding members of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS) and the Richmond County Real Estate Institute, where he was one of the principle instructors.

“After more than 40 years in the real estate business, Pat Pappalardo can point to dozens of brokers and agents who started in his firm, or worked there at some point. The Staten Island real estate community owes much to Pat’s leadership and Century 21 Papp Realty,” said Sandy Krueger, CEO of SIBOR. “Through his work in real estate, his development initiatives, his family’s pizza business and other activities, Pat truly exemplifies the qualities expected in the William (Bill) Coull Realtor Service Award. Staten Island is lucky to have him.”

Born in Italy during World War II, Pappalardo, immigrated to the United States with his brother Joe in 1958. Two years later, Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria opened its doors on Staten Island, and has since become a New York City staple.

Pappalardo attended Wagner College and graduated with a degree in business administration in 1970.  In 1976, he opened Papp Realty. Two years later, the business transformed into Century 21 Papp Realty.

In 1987, Century 21 LLC named Century 21 Papp Realty one of the top 15 Best Real Estate Companies in the country. In over 41 years as a real estate broker and owner, Pappalardo has helped and educated thousands of buyers and sellers in the benefits of home ownership.

Among his real estate-related activities, Pappalardo is involved in the Employer Relocation Council, assisting clients in successfully relocating, both nationally and internationally.

After years of growth in his profession, he refocused on real estate development and has worked to enhance properties throughout Staten Island.

A member of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Economic Development Corp., Pappalardo has contributed to the growth and development of the borough’s business community in a variety of ways. He has served as a board member of such organizations as SIBOR; the SIMLS; Out of the Storm, and the Wagner College Alumni Board.

AFFILIATE-OF-THE -YEAR AWARD

Daniel Byrnes, Attorney at Law was honored with the Affiliate of the Year Award.

Affiliate of the Year is presented to an affiliate member of SIBOR who is instrumental in helping the organization though financial support, leadership, knowledge, and an ability to provide exceptional service to the membership.

Byrnes is an advertiser in the organization’s newsletter who has participated in nearly every major SIBOR event since 2011.

“He is always there, wherever we need him,” said SIBOR President-Elect Michael Blasi, who presented the award to Byrnes.

A native Staten Islander, Byrnes is a retired NYPD Sergeant, who been working as a real estate attorney in the borough for over 15 years.

The Brooklyn Law School graduate is an alumnus of St. John’s University and St. Joseph by the Sea High School.

Byrnes enjoys spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their children, Daniel and John.

The elections that preceded the meeting and breakfast were for positions on the boards of SIBOR and the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service.

About the Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

Established in 1915, the Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest professional and trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically, and promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of approximately 1,800 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR Realtors belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and viewed online at www.SIBOR.com. SIBOR may also be visited on Facebook at “Staten Island Board of Realtors” and on Twitter via @SIBOR.

Media Contact: Barton Horowitz
Relevant Public Relations, LLC
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