Manhattan, NY One of the most anticipated fundraisers of the year for metropolitan New York’s real estate and construction industries, the 34th annual Empire Ball, will be held on December 13th. The annual event raises needed funds for the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and its mission to find a biological cure for diabetes.
The real estate division of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) will honor three individuals for their professional and philanthropic efforts at the event, which draws more than 1,000 attendees to the Empire State Ballroom at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
This year’s Empire Ball will honor Normandy Real Estate Partners’ Paul Teti, with the Leadership Award; Structure Tone’s Robert Mullen, with the Camillo Ricordi Humanitarian Award; and Alliance Building Services’ Jeffrey Duarte, with the Peter L. DiCapua Distinguished Service Award.
As a Partner at Normandy Real Estate Partners, Teti successfully heads the leasing group, responsible for managing the leasing and marketing activities for Normandy’s portfolio while also excelling at the company’s business development and capital raising activities. Teti also finds the time to give back and is extremely active in the community by serving in leadership positions with several local and national non-profit organizations.
“I am honored and humbled to become part of the DRI family and to contribute to their efforts to combat and defeat this deadly disease. The DRI family of doctors, patients, business leaders, scientists and clinicians is singularly focused as a team on the goal of curing diabetes,” said Teti, a three-time member of the U.S. Olympic Rowing Team. “As an Olympian, I had the opportunity to compete with and against some of the best teams in the world and I can tell you that DRI is a championship team that will stand at the top of the podium when the cure is achieved and implemented. I am honored and proud to become part of this impactful annual event and the broader DRI team.”
Since its inception, the annual Empire Ball has raised more than $37 million for diabetes research. A team of vice chairs and board of governors, spearheaded by Stephen Rizzo of The Rizzo Group, James Halpin of Platinum Maintenance Services and Avi Itzikowitz of ATCO Properties & Management, Inc., are shaping this year’s Empire Ball to be the must-attend, networking event of the year.
More than 30 million Americans live with diabetes, making this disease one of the biggest health concerns in the U.S. today. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to develop a biological cure by restoring natural insulin production and normalizing blood sugar levels without imposing other risks.
Helping bring awareness to the important work of the DRI is Empire Ball honoree Mullen, a seasoned veteran of the industry with over 35 years of US and international project experience, who has spearheaded Structure Tone’s diversification both in market sectors and in geographic growth. As a result, the company is now listed on a number of ENR sector lists and operates in 20 locations throughout the US, Canada, Ireland and the UK.
Mullen’s commitment to personal and corporate philanthropy has led him to sit on boards and foundations for various charitable organizations and makes him a natural choice for this year’s Camillo Ricordi Humanitarian Award, named after the internationally-renowned DRI director, Dr. Camillo Ricordi.
“Diabetes affects so many more people than we realize. The work of the Diabetes Research Institute is critical to finding a cure, and I am grateful to be able to contribute to the cause,” said Mullen, a long- standing, well-respected leader among the industry. “I’m extremely honored to be recognized by the DRIF and proud to be part of the New York City real estate community’s commitment to supporting this important research.”
With more than 25 years of management and engineering experience, Duarte excels at enhancing current operations and growing client relationships, as well as his expertise in coordinating sales teams with corresponding operations teams at Alliance Building Services.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Duarte has been a significant supporter of the Empire Ball and this year his hard work and commitment will be deservingly rewarded with the Peter DiCapua Distinguished Service Award, in honor of the Empire Ball’s Chairman Emeritus who led the event since inception.
“My family and I are very excited about my being honored this year by my colleagues with the Peter L. DiCapua Distinguished Service Award,” said Duarte, who sits on the board of governors for Empire Ball. “I realized the great impact of diabetes as a child by seeing people in my family greatly affected by this devastating disease. My passion and dedication to this important cause has only gotten stronger over the years and be assured I will put a shoulder to the wheel to find the cure.”
To purchase tickets for the Empire Ball, which begins at 6 pm with a cocktail reception and networking followed by dinner and a night of dancing, please visit DiabetesResearch.org/Empire-Ball-2017 or call 212-888-2217. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Follow us on social media using #EmpireBall on Facebook www.facebook.com/driempireball or Tweet @Diabetes_DRI.
Sign up is quick, easy, & FREE.