THR’s Power Broker Awards Toast Winners, Unity After L.A. Fires

There is hope for this world yet! The fifth annual L.A. Power Broker Awards — presented by luxury real estate PR firm The Society Group and co-hosted by Compass Development Marketing Group — was a tight-knit, familial affair, a cozy and jovial event after a harrowing year in Los Angeles. Held at the Mandarin Oriental Residences Beverly Hills on Wednesday in luxuriously casual spaces designed and furnished by Vesta Home, the night feted powerhouse sellers on 2025 THR‘s Top L.A. Brokers list, and was followed by an awards presentation awarding outstanding achievements in L.A. real estate over the past year.

The night started out with a cocktail party in an airy and bright residence in the Mandarin Oriental, as realtors sipped drinks and munched on bites as live music played. There was an overwhelming feeling of camaraderie in the air, unusual in the cutthroat world of real estate. “It’s amazing to be at these events with all these people that we love to work with and that we see all the time, but we all get to hang out and talk about work and talk about life and catch up and see how everybody’s done during the year in a multi-level way,” Douglas Elliman’s Heather T. Roy noted. “It’s a really nice check-in.”

Beverly Hills Estates’ Lea Porter, celebrating her second year on the list, took in the scene appreciatively. “It’s such an amazing honor because when you look around at who is here: these are the biggest players in Los Angeles,” she said. “And the first time you may have imposter syndrome. But the second time you might start to lean in and actually enjoy it!” Porter was chatting with Coldwell Banker’s Joyce Rey, a perennial deal maker on the list with whom she is currently collaborating.

Much of the good nature at the awards stemmed from the bonds formed in the aftermath of January’s fires, when realtors banded together across brokerages to help those devastated by the fires. “Right after it happened, we had so many meetings to try and figure out what to do next and how to help our clients,” Nourmand & Associates Rochelle Atlas Maize recalled. “And half of my colleagues had lost their houses too, and they’re just struggling to figure it out for themselves and their clients. And it was just a trying time, but it did very much to bring people together. So that was kind of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow maybe, so to speak.”

Carl Gambino of Compass agreed, saying, “I think in L.A., I really saw the brokers pull together, especially with the fires, and it’s really been — for such a tragic experience — wonderful how the brokers all…