FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lee Testa Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

December 1, 2005 - West Babylon, NY - The Long Island Board of REALTORS®, Inc. (LIBOR) presented Realtor® Lee Testa with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the Annual Installation and Award Recognition Gala held on November 17, 2005. Last year’s recipient of the award, Marie Costello, presented Lee with the honor.

Lee Testa has been a real estate professional for the past 36 years with commercial & residential properties, land subdivisions, site selection for franchises and also mergers & acquisitions. He joined LIBOR in 1975 and is currently the broker-owner of Commercial Network Inc., in Riverhead.

During his career, Lee was the recipient for the prestigious LIBOR Realtor of the Year Award in 1988 and the Long Island Commercial Network Realtor-Member of the Year Award in 2000. Lee has served on the LIBOR Commercial Division Board of Realtors from 1987 to the present.

He served in the US Army 1953-54 as Staff Sargent Platoon Leader, served in Korea 73rd Combat Engineer Group in 1954 and obtained his GED college level courses in Business Administration. In 1955, Lee opened his first business, Arden Service Station, auto repairs, auto & Truck rentals & leasing and used car sales. In 1960 while operating his 2nd auto repair station, one of his customers was Wilbur Breslin & partner Arthur Bettegold who convinced him to get involved in real estate. In 1973 Lee was licensed with Coach RE and met Harvey Chappell, a LIBOR past president who became his mentor. In 1975, Lee formed his own company, Pine Hill Properties Ltd. and became active in the MLS. He has served the MLS as Zone 1 Chairman from 1976-1980, served on the MLS Board of Directors from 1976-1984, held the position of MLS Treasurer in 1982 and in 1983 was MLS Suffolk Vice President.

On the local level, Lee has served on the LIBOR Board of Directors from 1978 to the present. He was Suffolk Vice President in 1983-84 and became LIBOR President in 1985-86. From 1986-2003, Lee was a trustee for the LIBOR/MLS Pension Fund. Over the years, he has served on many NYSAR & NAR Committees.

Lee proudly serves as a 4th Degree Knight for the Knights of Columbus from 1995-2005 and also belongs to the American Legion since 1980.

Lee was born & raised in Brooklyn, graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School, and married his wife Ruth in 1951 and reside in Huntington Station. They have 4 children, 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

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Press Release Contact:
Tricia Chirco
Marketing & Communication Director
631-661-4800 Ext. 345

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® is a non-profit trade association consisting of more than 23,500 professional Realtors. For more information about LIBOR, or to locate a Realtor in your area, visit our web site at: www.mlsli.com.