East Meadow real estate team earns state honor

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“It’s not just about selling real estate, it’s about giving back,” said Diane Krug, one of the leaders of The Krug Team, of Century 21 American Homes in East Meadow.

The team’s 18 members not only dedicate themselves to their businesses, but to the community in which it operates. They actively contribute to community organizations like the East Meadow Kiwanis club, Little League, PTA and Chamber of Commerce.

For their contributions to their community, The Krug Team recently earned the State Senate’s Empire Business Award, presented to them by State Senator Kevin Thomas.

“The market is incredibly busy right now,” said Rich Krug. “I’ve been doing this for over 39 years and I’ve never seen it so busy.”

Krug said that demand was high and the skyrocketed once restrictions were eased on real estate operations, which began during Phase II of reopening in June. And since the pandemic shutdowns began, there has been a trend of people leaving Manhattan and the surrounding neighborhoods to come to Long Island.

“They want a backyard. They want more property,” Krug said. “They don’t want crowded transportation to get everywhere.”

People are attracted to the East Meadow area for features like Eisenhower Park, Nassau Coliseum, the New York Islanders and its location in the middle of Nassau County. But the Krugs sell homes throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties and Queens.

“We’ve spent a lot of years of growing and of giving back to the community,” Diane Krug said.

The Krugs have a 35-year old daughter named Jennifer, a 33-year old son named Richie and a 28-year old daughter named Staci. They also have six grandchildren who attend schools in the East Meadow School District.

Krug grew up in New Hyde Park and was in the aviation branch of the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1970. He started selling real estate in 1982 and moved to East Meadow in 1988.

He met Diane in 1976 when he was working as a bartender in her hometown of Mineola. They married in 1981.

The Krugs said that the honor holds even more meaning to them at a time when the State Senate is pushing for more accountability in real estate.

Last December, senators Kevin Thomas, Brian Kavanagh and James Skoufis co-chaired a joint public hearing on housing discrimination on Long Island in response to a Newsday investigation revealing unfair housing policies. Although 68 real estate industry executives and agents where invited to testify at the hearing, only one appeared. In response, the senators issued 31 subpoenas on the matter.

“For them to recognize us in this climate speaks volumes,” Diane said and Richie added, of his father, “This guy always taught me that if you do the right thing by people, good things will happen.”