Executive Committee

Sevdet (Steve) Kukaj is a Resident Manager with over 31 years of experience in the industry. Sevdet served as a Business Agent, Organizer and Grievance Representative for SEIU 32BJ for 10 years before becoming a Resident Manager. During that period, he represented between 2,000 - 4000 union members and over 300 buildings, possessing extensive knowledge of the union contract, the arbitration process and negotiating collective agreements. His experience at the union has allowed him to carefully navigate and deal with all employee and building issues diligently. He also traveled to other states during contract negotiations to help and support fellow union members. Every campaign he was involved in resulted in success to the fullest.

For the past 8 years, Sevdet has worked for Brown Harris Stevens and is currently the Resident Manager at the Galleria Condominiums. Understanding the importance of leadership, management, preventive maintenance, budgeting and knowing how to manage a large team is the key to his success. Sevdet’s goals are to keep costs as low as possible, motivate staff to perform at their best and improve the building’s overall operations by instituting key initiatives as set forth by the board and management.

Sevdet enjoys traveling, fishing and golf. Most of all he enjoys helping others and making

connections in the industry.

John Szabo immigrated to the U.S. from Budapest, Hungary in 1990, just as the iron curtain started to crumble. When he first arrived, he worked as a commercial warehouse handyman and worked his way up to Superintendent of the facility. A few years later, he received his first residential multi-family building in Queens. Later, he moved to Westchester County to run a 200 unit mixed-use residential/medical building. Currently, John is the Resident Manager of a beautiful 108-unit luxury Co-op on the Upper West Side.

Among all his industry related certifications, he is most proud of his Green Building Operator and Refrigerating System Operating Engineer licenses. Most recently, he obtained the Facility Commander license from the Residential Manager Emergency Response Team (RMERT), which is recognized by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.

John has been a member of the Manhattan Resident Managers Club for seven years and has been serving as a Trustee for the past five. He enjoys helping to maintain the great traditions of our premier club. John remains thankful to the MRM Club for giving him what he claims to be a fantastic opportunity to be around great people in this industry. John states, “This club, which we affectionately call ‘The Fun Club’, has given me a warm welcome from the day I joined, and I always looking forward to seeing my friends and all other industry professionals at the meetings.”

John is married for 29 years with one child. In his free time, he enjoys the great outdoors,

water sports and soccer.

Raised in an immigrant family and community, as the middle child of a hard working Dominican couple, Roman Encarnacion, was born and raised in Harlem, NY. His determination to grow beyond the challenges of a violent and dangerous neighborhood spotlights the valuable lessons learned from his parents and his life experiences.

His passion for sports landed him a scholarship to attain a college degree and his interest in continuing education is why he earned a degree through the 32BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund as a building engineer.

Beginning in the building industry as a doorman, porter, handyman, and eventually superintendent, Roman is now a resident manager at The Concerto intimately knowing the value behind every position necessary for luxury high rise building operations within The Brodsky Organization’s portfolio. Roman’s time within the industry has allowed for him to spearhead luxury prewar building retrofitting and energy conversions, elevator installation, Local Law compliances, operations involving cooling towers, EMS, VDFs, steam and hydronic systems.

Versatility is his goal as property maintenance and operations continues to evolve annually through the development of more efficient technologies and shifting paradigms. Being a member of The Manhattan Resident Manager’s Club is the best way to sharpen those developing skills and to share those varied perspectives to advance the industry community’s reputation and relationships.

Updated biography coming soon.

Dean is a native New Yorker. He began his career in the industry as a building doorman and became interested in building operations. Through taking classes and studying, he earned many certifications and was able to work his way up to a Handyman position and then to a Resident Manager position. For the past three years, he has been the Resident Manager at Windsor Park Condominium in Manhattan, the same building where he began his career 13 years ago. Coincidently, Dean has been a member of the MRM Club since he became a Resident Manager, and accepted a position as a Trustee in 2017. Dean says that even though he doesn’t know how to throw a punch, he is a big fan of the UFC.

Irfan Blambic,  the esteemed superintendent overseeing a sprawling 10.2-acre property encompassing six buildings and 980 units in vibrant Morningside Heights. Born amidst the turbulence of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Irfan's journey to the USA in 1997 was marked by hope and determination. Settling in Queens alongside his parents and siblings, he embraced the values of hard work and compassion woven into the fabric of his upbringing.

From humble beginnings as an apprentice alongside his father at G.S. Dunham, Irfan's expertise in steam heating began to blossom. His unwavering commitment and diligent work ethic propelled him into the role of a live-in resident handyman, where his knowledge and dedication shone brightly. It was no surprise when Morningside Heights, renowned for its commitment to excellence, recognized Irfan’s unparalleled skill set and entrusted him with the pivotal role of superintendent. His leadership has transformed the estate into a beacon of sophistication and reliability, where residents enjoy unparalleled comfort and peace of mind.

Beyond the confines of his professional responsibilities, Irfan finds solace and joy in the company of his cherished family and the wonders of the outdoors. An avid traveler and seeker of knowledge, he finds inspiration in new experiences and diverse cultures, enriching his perspective on life and humanity.

Irfan's passion for the building industry is driven by a deep-rooted desire to enhance the quality of life for his family and the community he serves. His journey is one defined by resilience, humility, and an unwavering dedication to continuous improvement. As Irfan navigates the course forward with passion, his aspiration is to inspire and connect with others, fostering empathy, understanding, and shared experiences.

From a family background in the service industry, Edin started at a young age in residential apartment management. Assisting his father with the cleaning and maintenance of a 110-family building taught him the basics and values of hard work and discipline, which he maintained throughout his life and career. He spent many years at the Helmsley Building where he started as a union security guard, and after several promotions left to pursue a career as a Commercial Building Manager. Edin started with one property on Third Avenue and was soon given two other commercial properties to manage. He returned as a Property Manager for several prestigious companies when the allure of residential management called.

Placing all of  his experience into one property, Edin accepted an opportunity became available to become a Resident Manager for a building in Williamsburg. Performing several Local Law 11 projects has given him a unique perspective into engineering, construction, materials and project management. He pursued a chance to open a brand-new luxury building on East 57th St, with a great friend of his and they excelled in punch-listing and holding the contractors accountable to the high standards of the sponsor and Unit Owners.

Another new ultra-luxury building opening soon followed in the Nomad neighborhood, and it was amazingly hard work, but Edin put together a great staff with excellent service industry skills. When an Upper East Side building with 652 units called, he happily to accepted the challenge of running such a large complex, with 35 union employees. “Challenges will come into your life, and it is how you choose to deal with them that will determine your success.” EB