Pittsburgh, PA (March 31, 2022) – At a celebration event yesterday afternoon, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services announced that Helen Hanna Cestra, a third-generation Hanna family member and granddaughter of company founders Anne and Howard Hanna Jr., will be leading the future of the company’s growth in the burgeoning urban Pittsburgh area as the newly announced sales director for their Lawrenceville City Living Office.
Matt Gilley, Vice President of Urban Development will continue to lead new construction and development throughout the city and surrounding communities. Throughout the past two years, this office has grown to nearly 15 sales associates, which has resulted in $65 million in listing volume and has become the #1 company in Lawrenceville, ranked by buy-side units and volume.
“I would like to thank Matt for taking an idea and making it into a reality. Helen is not the next generation of leadership in our family and company, but the current generation of leadership,” said Dennis Cestra, Jr., President of the Pennsylvania Region for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. “Her enthusiasm, energy, and marketing expertise will create a major impact on the continued success of our Lawrenceville office and sales associates.”
“Helen is the perfect fit to drive momentum and amplify the brand throughout the downtown markets,” said Gilley.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Cestra has been with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services since 2014 and joined the sales side of the business with the Fox Chapel office in 2016. Since that time, Cestra has proven to be an accomplished Realtor® and multi-million-dollar producer, with a total career sales volume of $51 million.
“I’m beyond excited to make the move into office management where I can continue to learn and grow while helping to lead expansion in this market for our company,” said Cestra. “By concentrating on the development of our sales associates and increasing focus on our integration with core services, I believe that this office will be able to offer enhanced services to our current and future clients.”
As a young leader in the region and industry, Cestra has been recognized for her business acumen by being named to the 2019 Pittsburgh Business Times 30 Under 30 list, recognized in the 2020 Featured Icons of Pittsburgh Movers and Shakers edition, listed as one of the Top 100 Realtors in Western Pennsylvania, and was a finalist in REALTOR® Magazine’s annual 30 Under 30 list in 2020. Cestra is a member of the National Association of Realtors®, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®, and the Realtors® Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh.
In addition to her business achievements, Cestra is also a civic leader and gives back to Pittsburgh communities in numerous ways. Cestra has been honored as a Member of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 2017 50’s Finest Class and was a member of the 2018 Whirl Magazine’s 20 in their 20’s feature that recognized young professionals in Pittsburgh that are making a difference in the city. Cestra currently serves on the Board of Directors for Family House, a “home away from home” for patients and families traveling to Pittsburgh to receive expert medical care, and co-chaired the St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind Medallion Ball in 2020.
Cestra has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Master of Arts degree in Communications Management, both from John Carroll University in University Heights, OH.
About Howard Hanna: Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the #1 family-owned and -operated independent broker in the U.S.A. The full-service real estate company has nearly 400 real estate, mortgage, insurance, title, and escrow service offices across 13 states, including Allen Tate Realtors® in the Carolinas and The F.C. Tucker Company in Indiana, with more than 13,000 sales associates and staff, including many of the industry’s top-producing real estate agents. For more information, visit www.HowardHanna.com.
Contact: Josie Schultz l josieschultz@howardhanna.com
Congratulations!