Real Estate Board of New York holds 121st Annual Gala

New York’s Real Estate glitterati donned black tie and formal wear and filled the capacious Hilton Hotel Ballroom on Sixth Ave. for the Real Estate Board of New York’s (REBNY) 121^st Annual Gala last night. Referred to as the "Oscars of Real Estate," the event was filled with celebratory moments and networking. The gala was attended by prominent city and state officials, and top real estate executives, including Larry Silverstein, New York mayoral candidate Paul Massey Jr., Robert Knakal, Helena Durst, Bill Rudin, Bruce Mossler, and more. The gala benefits the REBNY Foundation. This is REBNY’s biggest event of the year and attracts a broad spectrum of New York City’s most influential business and community leaders, as well as city and state officials. More than three thousand people attended the event. Silverstein took the stage to introduce the awards winners, including Marc Holliday, SL Green Realty Corp. who was awarded “The Harry B. Helmsely Distinguished New Yorker Award;” Maryanne Gilmartin, Forest City Ratner, who was awarded “The Bernard H. Mendik Lifetime Leadership in Real Estate Award;” Carl Weisbrod, NYC Planning Commission who was awarded “The John E. Zucotti Public Service Award;” Jed Walentas, Two Trees Management who was awarded “The Kenneth R. Gerrety Humanitarian Award;” Peter Riguardi, Jones Lang LaSalle who was awarded “The Louis Smadbeck Broker Recognition Award;” Bill Dacunto, Silverstein Properties, who was awarded “The George M. Brooker Management Executive Award;” and Lindsay Ornstein, Transwestern, who received “The Young Real Estate Professional of the Year Award.” As an event where networking takes precedence over ceremony, speeches were at times eclipsed by the attendees’ chatter, but when Ornstein came to the stage to receive her reward, she remarked that she was "the first woman ever to receive this award," which sparked a round of applause from the crowd. Ornstein said she was proud not only to be the recipient not just for herself, but for all women in real estate. The Annual Gala honors industry leaders for their outstanding professional success and exceptional contributions to the real estate industry. True to form, this year’s gala was a night of networking, friendship and accolades. Julia Corbett Davis is the managing partner of RIOT PR, LLC, New York, N.Y.