Annual Members Day to Feature John Gidding Host of ‘Curb Appeal’ as Keynote Speaker

TARRYTOWN—HGAR’s 99th Annual Member Appreciation Day, set for Monday, Oct. 19 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown, will feature John Gidding, host of HGTV’s “Curb Appeal,” as the keynote speaker. The free event, open to all HGAR members, is expected to draw more than 1,000 Realtors from the Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland and Orange counties.

In addition to HGTV, Gidding has been featured on ABC, NBC, and CNN.  He is a partner in the Atlanta-based design firm of Gidding & Spencer, and has residential and commercial clients around the nation. Born in Istanbul, Gidding attended American schools in Turkey and Switzerland before entering Yale University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture. He also earned a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

Gidding has enjoyed practicing his love of design with projects around the world, ranging from residential and institutional architecture to landscape and urban design. Some of his favorite projects include the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Union Square in New York, the campus plan for Carnegie Mellon University and a pavilion for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Before beginning his career in television, Gidding got his start as a fashion model and worked the runways for Armani and Gucci.

Other free events of the day will include a class on “Realtor Safety,” presented by #1 best-selling author Robert Siciliano, and “Fair and Ethical Housing,” presented by attorney Don Cummins.  Both classes can be taken for three hours credit for $25, or for free for no credit.

Amy Chorew, VP Platform Management with BHG Real Estate, will present a workshop on “Painless Prospecting,” while HGAR Legal Counsel Edward Sumber will host a Legal Update workshop for brokers, owners, and managers.

In addition to serving boxed lunches, HGAR will also offer a special plated luncheon featuring national author and speaker Darryl Davis. He will host a short seminar, “Design a Life Worth Smiling About.”  The luncheon is $65, with all proceeds going to support RPAC, the Realtors Political Action Committee.

Members Day will also include a trade show with more than 75 vendors, an Annual Meeting, and a Celebration Cocktail Party to acknowledge the HGAR Realtor of the Year and HGAR Affiliate Member of the Year, along with other award winners. “Last year’s event was one of our most successful with more than 1,000 agents attending, and this year we’re expecting even more,” said HGAR CEO Richard Haggerty.

Prospect Lending is the Premier Sponsor of the event, and ASAP Mortgage is sponsoring the Celebration Cocktail Party.

For more information, registration, or trade show details, please visit www.HGAR.com.

Mary Prenon
HGAR, Director of Communications