Neil Binder and Marc Broxmeyer met at a real estate luncheon in 1979 and sized each other up as possessing valuable complementary skills, then decided by dessert to find a real estate “deal” together. Born and bred in Queens, Binder, who had an MBA in finance and had been a practicing CPA, was already creating real estate partnerships. Broxmeyer was a practical businessman who, having grown up in a New York “real estate family,” had managed properties in their 2,000+ unit residential portfolio since he was 18. Their first joint investment property was in Bell Harbor, Queens … inspiring the new company name: Bellmarc. With NYC on the verge of bankruptcy, oil prices sky high and interest rates at formidable levels, further real estate investing wasn’t the immediate path to success. But, what about a real estate brokerage enterprise? The new partners decided to focus on Greenwich Village properties – a smart bet in any market – found a one-room office, a couple of so-called “partner desks” and phones and, with just a few dollars left in their pockets, started calling buyers and sellers. They made seven deals the first day and celebrated with lobster dinners. The next day six of them fell through, but one held together and they were on their way. Now, three decades later, The Bellmarc Companies is the largest independent real estate firm in Manhattan and Binder and Broxmeyer still manage its daily operations. Binder works closely with the company’s sales managers and personally conducts a large portion of the new agent training sessions, while Broxmeyer devotes much of his time to identifying and handling real estate investment opportunities for Bellmarc. With storefront sales offices in the most popular Manhattan residential neighborhoods and a sales force nearing 300 agents, the Bellmarc Realty division of the company is booming. The corporate office on Park Avenue South also houses Bellmarc Property Management, the division that oversees the operations of dozens of New York City apartment buildings. Although it has grown well beyond the borders of Greenwich Village, the firm is still firmly committed to serving the needs of Manhattan buyers and sellers across the borough’s neighborhoods, as well as select properties in other parts of the city. Recognizing that it’s easy for people to become licensed real estate agents, but difficult for them to become excellent ones without guidance, Bellmarc’s founders created the first professional training program to give its sales force the extra knowledge and polish required to help ensure deals go smoothly from start to finish.