NYSAR Leadership Team

A REALTOR^® for nearly two decades, Joe Rivellino is the broker/owner of Rivellino Realty in Warsaw, NY.

Rivellino was president of the Buffalo Niagara Association of REALTORS^® (BNAR) in 2015 and was awarded their REALTOR^® of the Year in 2023. Additionally he was named REALTOR^® of the Year for the Genesee Valley Board of REALTORS^® (GVAR) in 2009 and served as GVAR’s president, 2008-2010

Rivellino has been actively involved at the local, state, and national level, serving as a director for the National Association of REALTORS^® in 2015 and as a NYSAR Regional Vice President from 2019–2020.

He has served and chaired numerous national, state, and local committees, including currently serving on the NYSAR Executive Committee, Real Estate Services, Investment Committee, Organizational Planning, and Budget and Finance Committee

Locally, he has served on numerous committees for the Buffalo Niagara Association of REALTORS^®, including the Board of Directors, Government Affairs Committee, Executive Finance Committee and Governance Committee.

In his community, Rivellino was on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce for 10 years and helped organize a major relief drive to assist hurricane victims in Texas.

A REALTOR^® for over three decades, Jacqlene Rose is an associate real estate broker for Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties in Sidney, NY. She is also the Sidney branch office manager.

Rose was president of the Otsego-Delaware Board of REALTORS^® in 2012 and 2013 and was the board’s REALTOR^® of the year in 1996, 2007 and most recently in 2021.

At the state level, Rose served as the 2015-2016 NYSAR Regional Vice President for the Southern Tier Region and was the NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation president in 2010. She is also the 2014 recipient of the NYSAR Community Service Award.

Rose is currently chair of the Statewide Forms Committee and vice chair of the Executive Committee.

For the National Association of REALTORS^® she has served on the Housing Opportunities Committee, Multiple Issues and Policies Committee and has been an RPAC Participation council member.

In her community, Rose was honored with the Sidney Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2012 and earned the Sidney Community Pride Award in 2007. She is a past president of the Rotary Club of Sidney and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow, the most prestigious award a Rotarian can receive.

Garafalo, a REALTOR® since 2000, currently serves as the sales manager at John J. Lease REALTORS® in Middletown, N.Y.

Garafalo was the president of the Orange County Association of REALTORS® in 2011 and the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® (HGAR) in 2019. He has served on the HGAR Board of Directors for many and was honored as their REALTOR® of the Year in 2021. Locally, Ron has served on and chaired many committees, including RPAC, Fair Housing, and Education.

On a state level, Garafalo is a 2022 graduate of NYSAR’s Leadership Academy and has been a NYSAR Director for more than a decade. He has served on many committees and was the chair of the Fair Housing Committee in 2023. Garafalo is a staunch supporter of REALTOR® advocacy and has attended numerous NYSAR Lobby Days in Albany.

Garafalo has also served as a director for the National Association of REALTORS®.

Additionally, Ron is a real estate instructor and has taught thousands of agents over the years; most passionately about teaching the Code of Ethics.

A REALTOR^® for 23 years, Vernazza is an associate broker for Robert DeFalco Realty in Staten Island.

Named NYSAR REALTOR^® of the Year in 2017, Vernazza was also the NYSAR Metro Regional vice president in 2015–16 and was named REALTOR^® of the Year of the Staten Island Board of REALTORS^® in 2010. He served as 2009 president of SIBOR as well.

Currently as NYSAR Immediate Past-president, Vernazza serves on the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Real Estate Services Committee.

An active Rotarian, Vernazza was the 2018–2019 president of the South Shore Rotary and was the organizations Rotarian of the Year in 2012. He is also a Paul Harris Fellow, the most prestigious award a Rotarian can receive. Vernazza graduated from St. John’s University with a B.A. in Business Administration.