Claire Reiswerg
Vice President and Broker / Sand 'N Sea Properties
Born and bred BOI (Brenda) Claire Reiswerg.
She left the island at 17 to attend UT Austin film school, intending to go into broadcast journalism, but became interested in Documentary filmmaking. After graduation, she worked at PBS TV in Houston, Channel 8, for several years. Her first documentary film out of school was about Elissa, Galveston’s 1874 Tall Ship. She lived in Greece for a year during the initial restoration, documenting it, and then worked on two subsequent films about the restoration, spanning several years. Eventually, she moved to Los Angeles and worked as a documentary film producer for television – when there were only four channels – CBS, NBC, ABC, and PBS. She specialized in documentaries about families in crisis: drug addiction, child abuse, moms and dads in prison, gangs, etc. The films always focused on best practices/programs for families promoted by communities/churches/civic groups/cities.
She stopped producing in 2001 and took a hiatus from work, taking a three-year around-the-world trip. When she returned to Galveston in 2004, she joined Sand `N Sea Properties, her family’s real estate, and vacation rental management company. Ther she managed technology and marketing. Today, she serves as Vice President and Broker and manages administration, marketing, technology, and real estate sales.
Over the years, she has served on many community boards and committees focusing on tourism, vacation rentals, and real estate. Some of her work includes Board Member, Vision Galveston; Founding member and president, Galveston Association of Vacation Rental Managers (GARM); Founding Member, BMAC (Beach Maintenance Advisory Committee) Board Member, Galveston Hotel & Lodging Association (GHLA); Member, Tourism Development Advisory Committee (TDAC); Member, Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA ) Leadership Committee; Member VRMA National Advocacy Committee; Board member, Galveston Chamber of Commerce.