Howard Hanna Nyc Taps Business Development Head

Hal Gavzie has joined Howard Hanna NYC as executive director of business development — expanding the firm’s leadership bench in New York City.

Gavzie — who brings more than 25 years of brokerage leadership experience — said he’ll focus on growing Howard Hanna NYC’s footprint in the city by recruiting agents, expanding listing inventory and advancing the firm’s agent-centric operating model.

“We are committed to thoughtful and disciplined growth, and bringing Hal Gavzie on board is a strategic investment in that exact goal,” said Michael Rossi, CEO of Howard Hanna NYC. “Hal is a rare operator who is both fiercely competitive in business and genuinely empathetic in his relationships, and that combination so perfectly aligns with our values as a company that is growing.

“With his leadership and deep relationships across the residential ecosystem, Hal is a key player in our mission to capture meaningful market share in 2026.”

Howard Hanna NYC recently acquired Manhattan-based Elegran Real Estate.

Most recently, Gavzie spent about a decade leading strategic growth and operations for Douglas Elliman New Development’s leasing division in New York and South Florida. Before that, he served as senior managing director at Corcoran and managing director at Town Residential.

Across his career, Gavzie has overseen more than 10,000 transactions — building relationships with landlords, developers and top-producing agents, leaders said.

“My greatest takeaway from the past 25 years in real estate is that positive culture and agility are the ultimate differentiators,” said Gavzie. “Top agents want leadership that is present, decisive and execution-driven. Howard Hanna NYC is the only firm that has true agent-first culture and institutional-level stability without the bureaucratic friction of a publicly traded firm. I am thrilled to join the firm that represents the future of brokerage in New York City.”

Gavzie will be tasked with helping agents access marketing, technology and referral resources from the wider Howard Hanna platform while tailoring growth strategies to local for-sale and rental market dynamics.