2010 NETWORKING® MAGAZINE’S DAVID AWARD HONOREE.

VINCENT L. RISO

Principal, The Briarwood Organization, LLC

With a company career spanning more than 55 years, Vincent Riso is instrumental in maintaining The Briarwood Organization’s stellar track record of successful developments that are financially sound and embraced by their respective communities. Along with Howard Goodman, his brother Raymond and nephew Jim, Riso is a principal of Briarwood, which was founded by his grandfather in 1912 as a modest builder of one- and two-family homes, and was subsequently led by his father.

Riso says it was a “natural transition” that he should join the firm. “My brother Raymond and I grew into it. I basically learned from my father.”

The family-owned business now in the fourth generation develops, builds and manages property throughout Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx. Riso’s chief responsibility is spearheading new residential and commercial development, but he is involved in all facets of the company’s operations. He evaluates prospective opportunities and identifies ventures with the maximum potential. During pre-development, he surveys submarket performance and forecasts demand. He designs the financial framework for each project—aligning private, government and nonprofit funding. A licensed real estate broker, Riso supervises Briarwood Properties, a full service property management corporation.

Over the years, Briarwood has been able to withstand the economic and political ups and downs faced by the development industry by anticipating future growth demands, using innovative materials, and remaining committed to communities. The company survived the Great Depression, and during World War II, applied its construction skills in assembling aircraft for the war effort. Following the war, Briarwood began building homes in the open farmlands of Queens. During the tough economic times of the 1970s, Briarwood, under the leadership of current management, became one of the first New York City builders to incorporate concrete plank, a durable medium allowing faster construction, into new projects. “Today, we continue to be specialists in that building technique,” Riso notes.

In the 1980s, Briarwood boldly embraced urban renewal, completing the first market-rate development in the West Side Urban Renewal area. At the same time, Briarwood was one of the first companies to predict demand for multi-family housing in Queens. Over 97 years, Riso and his family have built Briarwood into a trusted developer and general contractor of new homes, cooperatives, condominiums, apartments and commercial properties.

“We’re not over anxious…we’re very conservative,” Riso says in crediting Briarwood’s longevity. “We’re known for our ability to take care of homeowners’ problems. Briarwood likes to do the job right the first time; we’re full service, from developers and general contractors to property managers.”

Riso and his company have also engaged in public and nonprofit initiatives, partnerships and joint ventures to create affordable housing where it’s most desperately needed, developing over 2,500 low- and moderate-income homes.

“Many nonprofit organizations have served as Briarwood’s community sponsors,” remarks Riso. “Whenever you come into a community, you have to be aware of the community’s needs and address them. We work with community boards, local businesses and nonprofits that are creditable associations in those communities.”

Affirming its commitment to “green” building, Briarwood has been incorporating new technologies and materials in each of its projects. “Last fall, our company was selected to partner with the New York City Community Preservation Corporation to build an affordable housing project of a couple of hundred units in the Bronx, called Melrose Commons,” notes Riso. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver project will be Briarwood’s first “all green” development and will include “green” building materials and supplies, recycled water, and other resources. Jim Riso serves as Briarwood’s LEED certified professional.

Starting at the grassroots level with the New York State Association for Affordable Housing, Riso went on to serve as a board member for many years. He was a founder and past president of the Queens and Bronx Builders Association, and is a member of the New York State Builders Association and National Association of Home Builders.

As a responsible builder with a sense of community, Riso has been involved in numerous civic and charitable causes. In the 1960s, he served with the Lion’s Club, and through that association, joined the board of St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Bayside. He continues to serve on that board and, in appreciation of his long service, was honored at the hospital’s 2007 Tribute Dinner.

Riso served on the executive board of the former Catholic Medical Center and was a trustee for the heathcare system’s St. John’s Queens Hospital. In 1995, he was tapped by the Most Reverend Thomas C. Daily, the driving force behind the Campaign for Human Development, to be the sole Diocesan trustee on the board of the Nehemiah II Project, an interfaith program that created housing for low-income families in Brooklyn, garnering national attention. “Various religious communities donated operating capital to Nehemiah during that period, and with the nonprofit Housing Development Corporation, thousands of housing units were built in the City,” Riso remarks.

Riso has long served with the Arthritis Foundation, was honored at the 2001 Queens Leaders’ Award reception, and now serves as the foundation’s honorary chairman. In 2006 he received an East Harlem Community Service Award from Hope Community for his contribution to making East Harlem a better place. He has served on housing and construction committees during the administration of Mayor Ed Koch, and was recently appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the Office of Operations Committee; served with the New York City Building Commissioner’s Industry Cabinet, Department of Environmental Protection’s Advisory Cabinet and Citizens Housing and Planning Council.

“At Briarwood, we’ve all volunteered in our communities, giving of our time and talent,” says Riso. “It comes back ten-fold in the satisfaction of being able to do something for others.” Riso’s brother Raymond was a former member of the local community board; Jim Riso is currently president of the local Bayside BID (Business Improvement District).

Born and raised in Queens, Riso and his wife Sophie live in Garden City. They have two children, Daria Ward and Lonnie Duka, and three grandchildren, Kelly Meagan Ward, and Daniel and Roxannne Duka. Riso enjoys reading, giving time to various causes and spending leisurely time with his wife.

NETWORKING® January 2010