REBNY's residential awards.

The Real Estate Board of New York presented its 2005 Residential Deal of the Year Awards at its 17th Annual Charity Gala "New York in Black and White," held on October 20, at The Puck Building. Edward E Johnston, III of Brown Harris Stevens Residential, LLC received the Most Promising Rookie Salesperson of the Year Award and Jane Bayard of Warburg Realty Partnership, Ltd. was presented the Henry Forster Award. Awards also were presented for the first-prize, second-prize and third-prize sales deals as well as an award for rental sales.

This year's sales and rental winners were: Sandra M. Lauer of Halstead Property LLC, 1st Prize Sales Award; Barbara Schwartz of The Corcoran Group and Chris O'Neal of The Halstead Property Group, 2nd Prize Sales Award; Shel Joblin and C.B. Whyte of Stribling & Associates, Ltd. and Carrie Chiang and Mark Baum of The Corcoran Group, 3rd Prize Sales Award; Pasquale Strippoli of Halstead Property LLC, Rental Award.

"With the continued strong activity in the residential market, the selection of these awards becomes increasingly difficult each year," said Steven Spinola, President of the Real Estate Board of New York. "But that is to the credit of this year's recipients, who have stood apart as New York's top-performing brokers. Each of the winners deserves recognition for their hard work, ingenuity and creativity."

The proceeds raised at the gala will be donated to the American Cancer Society- Hope Lodge New York City, Project Find-Find for the Aged, Inc. and The REBNY Foundation--Katrina Relief Fund. Proceeds also will benefit REBNY's Member In Need Fund, which was created in 1997 and has already helped nine member brokers overcome financial difficulties since its inception.