Meet the BMAR Member - Gallagher

Virginia Gallagher joined the local board in 1985 and became active on many committees. She was soon appointed to leadership positions serving as chairperson to important committees including Professional Standards, Constitution & Bylaws and the Essay Contest. In 1986, she was elected to serve as a member of the board of governors. She was honored and named Realtor of the Year in 1990. In 1992, she was elected treasurer of the organization. She was elected president elect in 1993 and president of the board in 1994. She was presented the Distinguished Service Award in 1995. She was recently honored at the 80th Annual Banquet of the board receiving the 2004 Community Leadership Award. She is a member of the senior council for the board and continues to be very active in the organization. She had served as a member of the board of directors of NYSAR since 1993. She also serves as a member of a number of committees including Professional Standards Committee, Legislative Committee and Membership Board Services Committee. She has spearheaded the local Board's Legislative Committee as chairperson to make recommendations on bills before the N.Y.C. Council to support NYSAR's. Strategic Plan for the metropolitan region. Facilitating cooperation and a unified Realtor voice in the five boroughs of N.Y.C. is one of her goals which benefits the state association. She has attended many meetings of the National Association of Realtors. She assisted in resolving the situation of servicing real estate professionals in Manhattan. At the 2002 NAR meetings in Washington, she participated in the mediation and agreement in the formation of the Manhattan Association of Realtors. She became actively involved in community service and civic work and was elected president of the City Island Civic Association in 1962. She served that organization until 1981. Some of the accomplishments during that period of time included the building of the new elementary school and the setting aside of land for building a little league ballfield. Gallagher helped found the City Island Historical Society and the City Island Community Centre, the City Island Community patrol and the City Island Volunteer Ambulance Corps. She is presently a director of the City Island Chamber of Commerce. Active as VP of the Bronx County Historical Society and secretary of the Bronx Taxpayers Association, an amalgamation of 30 civic groups, she was chosen by the Bronx County Historical Society to receive the 1990 William C. Beller Award of Excellence and Achievement at their annual dinner. She was the first elected chair of the Community Planning Board #12, which included the building of Co-op City. On a volunteer basis, she participated in all of the planning for transportation, temporary and permanent school facilities, parks and recreation and social services. She served in this volunteer capacity until 1976. In 1977, she was named to Community Board #10, under the new City Charter, and was elected its first chairperson. She served four terms as chair, and established the community board office, staffed by a paid district manager. The new City Charter provided funding for community boards, not as chairperson, Gallagher was a volunteer. In 1979, six community organizations of City Island asked her to take over the presidency of the City Island Senior Citizens Residence, wherein they were trying to build senior citizen housing. They had been trying since 1972 to obtain federal funding to achieve this. On a volunteer basis, she donated two years of her life to attain this, and Pilot Cove Manor was launched in 1981. She prepared an application to build Pilot Cove Manor - senior citizen housing sponsored by six community organizations on City Island. After being turned down three times, she gained the cooperation from elected officials. The federal government loaned her $7.5 million and the state government loaned her $500,000 to purchase the property. Pilot Cove senior housing was established, except that back taxes had to be paid, which was only disclosed at the last minute of the closing. Rather than lose the "dream," Virginia signed a personal promissory note on her home and sweated it out for three months before learning that the project was a "go." Little did she know that she would be managing it. Pilot Cove Manor has become a well respected complex which has a ten year waiting list. Gallagher is a director of Regional Aid for Interim Needs (RAIN), a director of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, and sits on Community Board #10. She saved Pelham Bay from having 300 acres inundated with garage and helped create the Thomas Pell Wildlife Refuge Sanctuary. As chairperson of the Essay Contest Committee, she coordinates the excellent community service program which includes over 14 public and private high schools in the Bronx and northern Manhattan. She a was a VP and the first affirmative action officer of the Daily News until entering in developing and managing low income, housing in the Bronx, Westchester County, Brooklyn, Rockland County and Manhattan. The establishment of Pilot Cove Manor was a major accomplishment directly made a reality by Gallagher. Appointed by secretary of state Sandy Treadwell, she served on a Special Commission on Long Island Sound Communities. She was also active with the federal government in securing flood insurance to property owners which were not covered by insurance. She also served as New York City Tax Commissioner for eight years for mayor Rudy Giuliani. She has been active in all five boroughs of N.Y.C. as tax commissioner.