When, in 1988, Harold Bordwin joined Keen Realty Consultants, the real estate firm founded by his father Moe that focused on real estate brokerage and lease restructurings in bankruptcies; he knew very little about the industry. What he did know was that he needed a change.
After beginning his career as a litigator in Los Angeles, Harold found that the demanding hours left little time for his young family. In 1988, he called Moe to ask about joining Keen.
“Tell me when I should send you the plane tickets,” came the immediate reply.
Nearly four decades later, Harold is still helping lead the business, now alongside his younger brother and longtime partner, Matthew. Today, both serve as Senior Managing Directors of Keen | A Gordon Brothers Company, advising clients on complex real estate matters in bankruptcy, restructuring, and other distressed situations.
Over the years, Keen’s work has expanded to include financing, fiduciary services, and asset management, but its core focus remains helping clients navigate difficult real estate decisions under extraordinary pressure.
“Nobody calls us when something is easy,” Harold says.
Whether negotiating lease restructurings or managing complicated property sales, Harold finds satisfaction in bringing competing parties toward a workable solution. In distressed situations, time is often limited, creditors are demanding, and the stakes are high. The ability to understand those pressures and find a path forward is what makes the work rewarding.
Harold learned the business from his father, whose gift for connecting with people was as important as his professional expertise. When Harold joined the business in 1988, he was 27 years old. Moe would take him to bankruptcy conferences and challenge him to find five people to take to dinner, pushing him to build relationships even when it felt uncomfortable.
“My father had this unique capability to talk to anyone, anywhere, and essentially become their best friend within half an hour,” Harold recalls.
That emphasis on relationships has stayed with him as he’s built the business alongside Matthew. For Harold, having his brother as a business partner means knowing someone always has your back. “It’s pretty special.”
Harold has also seen firsthand how professional experience can benefit people outside his industry. Through the Turnaround Management Association’s pro bono initiatives, he participated in sessions where restructuring professionals offered practical advice to small business owners navigating unfamiliar challenges.
Some of his colleagues initially doubted how much they could contribute outside their own areas of expertise. Harold encouraged them to recognize the value of their experience, helping organizations make difficult decisions.
“You’ve got a lot to give,” he would tell them.
It’s a belief that resonates with CitizensNYC’s approach. Beyond grantmaking, the organization connects grassroots leaders and neighborhood entrepreneurs with the guidance, relationships, and resources they need to strengthen their work. Sometimes a fresh perspective or a well-timed piece of advice can be just as valuable as financial support.
Harold also feels a strong personal connection to the organization’s efforts to address food insecurity. From his home in Morningside Heights, he regularly sees lines forming outside neighborhood food pantries, a reminder of how many New Yorkers struggle to meet basic needs.
“In this country of such wealth, the idea that people are hungry is heartbreaking and outrageous,” he says.
A longtime supporter of local food pantries, Harold believes that meeting these needs is among the most fundamental ways a community can care for its neighbors.
As CitizensNYC honors Harold at the 2026 All in for New York City Fall Cocktail Reception, we celebrate a career shaped by family, relationships, and the ability to find solutions in difficult circumstances, along with his commitment to sharing that expertise and supporting the communities around him.
