Best of Hamptons Real Estate Honored at Privet Hedge Dinner

It was a who’s who of Hamptons real estate at Sebonack Golf Club on Wednesday night as Manhattan Media, publishers of Dan’s Papers, AVENUE and AVENUE on the Beach, toasted the industry’s best at the inaugural Privet Hedge Dinner.

As guests marveled at the view of Peconic Bay, the conviviality flowing along with Altaneve prosecco, chatter ranged from the latest big deals and mortgage-rate movement, to how everyone’s Memorial Day weekend calendars are filling up fast. Once the revelry moved inside for dinner, Manhattan Media Chairman Richard Burns dubbed the evening a celebration of those who make the local market hum, and that sentiment was repeatedly echoed with the sounds of toast-clinking glasses and rounds of applause as the evening’s three awards were handed out.

Corcoran’s Susan Breitenbach became the first inductee into the Privet Hedge Hall of Fame, recognizing a career that—while still in high gear, as Corcoran Executive Vice President and Director of Sales Tresa Hall noted when introducing her—has already handled more than $2.5 billion in real estate transactions.

In welcoming Tim Davis of Corcoran up to receive the Dealer of the Year award, friend and Corcoran colleague Gary DePersia highlighted Davis’s longtime skill in getting the big deals done and, most notably in 2013, his deft handling of both sides of the $75 million mega-sale of Wooden Manor, now back on the market for $98 million.

For the night’s final award, the Broker’s Broker honors—selected based on nominations and input from fellow Hamptons brokers—went to Douglas Elliman’s Paul Brennan. Douglas Elliman President and CEO Dottie Herman introduced “Mr. Hamptons” with kudos for his lifelong dedication to and boundless knowledge of the East End.