Top Emerging Leader
Freddimir Garcia
Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors
Freddimir Garcia became one of the first diversity, equity and inclusion officers at any local Realtor association in New York state in May 2021. The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors includes more than 13,000 real estate agents stretching north from Manhattan to Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange counties.
“Real estate is one of the industries where it wasn’t too long ago that discrimination was the norm, and groups of people were not accepted into the profession,” Garcia said.
He described his role as acknowledging that history while creating programming and other efforts that embrace differences. Last year Garcia launched the first regional DEI Summit for New York and New Jersey Realtors. Within the Realtor association, he has integrated a new interview process and hiring process to encourage diversity and inclusion in recruiting at the real estate firm.
Before joining Hudson Gateway, Garcia was a regional director for diversity, inclusion and community engagement at the Westchester Medical Center Health Network and special assistant to the president for diversity, inclusion and community engagement at Marist College. He received the President’s Community Service Award by Marist College in 2022 for his positive contributions to the Hudson Valley.