Former Elliman exec lands at Howard Hanna NYC

Howard Hanna has brought in a brokerage veteran to help grow its first New York City branch.

Hal Gavzie, who ran Douglas Elliman’s residential leasing for 10 years, is joining Howard Hanna NYC as its executive director of business development. Howard Hanna, the country’s largest privately held brokerage, expanded into the city when it acquired Elegran Real Estate in October.

At Howard Hanna NYC, Gavzie will be working closely with CEO Michael Rossi, who founded Elegran 18 years ago, to try and build the firm’s market share and grow its agents’ business. Last year, Elegran, as part of Forbes Global Properties, was the 15th-ranked brokerage by listing sales volume in Manhattan, according to The Real Deal’s annual rankings.

“[Howard] Hanna’s not here to hang up a shingle,” Rossi said. “We’re here to really make an impact.” He pointed to Gavzie’s “Swiss Army Knife experience” working across Elliman’s leasing and sales businesses as helpful to a firm trying to grow multiple dimensions of the business.

Gavzie, who spent the 15 years before Elliman at Citi Habitats, Corcoran and Town Residential, said he’ll also be focused on “bringing an awareness to these agents of the Howard Hanna brand.”

Howard Hanna NYC will have some significant ground to make up to become a major player in the city’s real estate scene. Brown Harris Stevens, the city’s largest privately-owned brokerage, notched fourth in TRD’s rankings with over $2.1 billion in listing sales volume in Manhattan last year. Elegran did $117 million in listing sales in the borough.

Gavzie exited Elliman in January, during a several-month period toward the end of last year that saw the firm part ways with a number of executives and other high-ranking employees. Gavzie said that he was looking forward to joining a private company that has the luxury to put “agents and consumers first,” rather than shareholders.

Gavzie’s addition comes after a brief period last year where Elegran lost a handful of key players and agents before Howard Hanna’s acquisition, including managing director Jared Antin who left for Brown Harris Stevens.

“Hiring a senior executive from one of the bigger firms speaks to [Howard Hanna’s] commitment” to growing in the city, Rossi said.