Coro New York Leadership Center holds gala virtually

New York, NY Coro New York Leadership Center hosted its Annual Gala & Award Ceremony, which celebrates some of the citys civic leaders at its first virtual awards ceremony. 

Coro New York is a premier leadership center that educates New York City’s emerging leaders in business, government, and community affairs, placing a key emphasis on promoting diversity and the skills needed to shape, change, and improve the city.

Coro’s 2020 honors were awarded to Karen Franz, CEO of AKRF, one of the region’s top environmental, planning, and engineering consulting firms. Both founded and currently led by female CEOs, and with 27% minority and 40% female employees firm-wide–not to mention females in 45% of senior leadership positions–AKRF takes great pride in its diversity, inclusive environment, and commitment to equal opportunities for all.

A professional engineer at AKRF for 20 years, Karen Franz became CEO in 2018 after leading the Engineering Department and leading major New York City initiatives to bring coastal resiliency and sustainable infrastructure to local communities. Her prominent projects have included East Side Coastal Resiliency, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Astoria Park, Governors Island Park and Public Space, and New York City Green Infrastructure, as well as infrastructure planning for Coney Island, Columbia University’s Manhattanville Campus, and the Cornell Tech Campus.

“I am grateful to Coro New York for this award,” said Franz. “Coro’s network is built upon a commitment that all individuals, communities, and institutions participate in creating a just, engaged society. This reflects both our own dedication to diversity, inclusion, and belonging at AKRF, and the relationship we have cultivated with our many disadvantaged, minority, and woman-owned business partners.”

“We are pleased to honor Karen Franz at our annual gala this year,” said Scott Millstein, executive director of Coro. “Karen and AKRF have been long-time corporate partners of Coro, recognizing that actively investing in leadership is a fundamental component of a successful organization. Karen’s commitment to ensuring that the leadership of AKRF reflects the diversity of our city is what inclusive leadership is all about, and, by highlighting her success, we hope other companies will emulate.”

In addition to Franz, William Rudin, the CEO and Co-Chairman of Rudin Management Co., and Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, received distinguished honors as well.