East Providence, RI Kevin Shepherd, the principal broker at Esoteric Concepts, LLC, was installed as the 117th president of the Greater Providence Board of Realtors at the Squantum Association. He previously served as the board’s president-elect and chairperson of the board’s Realtor Party Committee. Shepherd is the association’s youngest board president since it was established in 1907.
The following officers and directors were installed as well:
• President-elect, Ashley Almeida, of The Mello Group, Inc., in Seekonk
• Treasurer/corporate secretary, Melissa Rose Benson of RE/MAX River’s Edge in East Providence
• Fabiola Brunache of Fab Living Realty in Providence
• Agueda Del Borgo of Places and Spaces Realty in Pawtucket
• John Dolan of Dolan O’Rourke in Woonsocket
• Deborah Giannini of HomeSmart Professionals Real Estate in Warwick
• Ratha Kwiat of Century 21Butterman & Kryston, Inc., in Pawtucket
• Irene Mendez of Empire Real Estate Group in East Providence
• Salvatore Moio of Henry W. Cooke Company in Warwick
• Mike Pereira of June Realty in East Greenwich
• Victoria Pizzarelli of Engel & Volkers in East Greenwich
• Robert Rutley of Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty in Providence
• Rita Steele of Steele Realty Consultants International in Providence
• Hilda Vargas of The Hilda Vargas Group, Ocean Blue Realty in Providence
Additionally, the board presented its 2023 Realtor of the Year to Ashley Almeida of The Mello Group, Inc. in Seekonk. The 2023 Lear Award was presented to Mary Baron of Coldwell Banker Realty in Cumberland. This award is presented by the Greater Providence Board of Realtors annually to a member who has actively volunteered with the board for the betterment of the Association and industry.
GPBOR C.A.R.E., the Greater Providence Board of Realtors charitable foundation, also installed their board of directors. The 2024 GPBOR C.A.R.E. officers and directors are: Agueda Del Borgo of Places and Spaces Realty, LLC in Providence, president; Paula Gallant of June Realty in East Greenwich, vice president; Yolanda Nazario of HomeSmart Heritage Realty in Fall River, MA, treasurer; and directors: Shamila Ahmed of Shamila Ahmed Real Estate in Warwick; Ian Barnacle of Residential Properties, Ltd. in Barrington; and Dean deTonnancourt of HomeSmart Professionals Real Estate in Warwick. The Foundation awarded a charitable grant of $7,000 each to Rhode Island non-profits, RISE and We Heart Lives as well as a $2,500 donation to the National Association of Realtors Relief Foundation.