From left: Lawrence Benenson, RFNY executive vice president of Benenson Capital; honoree Christopher Schlank of Savanna; honoree Nicholas Bienstock of Savanna; and RFNY chairman Dale Hemmerdinger of ATCO.Manhattan, NY More than 300 real estate professionals enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a buffet and incomparable 360º views of the city at the Rainbow Room on April 28th, as the Realty Foundation of New York (RFNY) honored Savanna principals Christopher Schlank and Nicholas Bienstock.
The foundation’s board officiated at this second annual fundraising event--Dale Hemmerdinger, chairman, greeted the audience, as did president Jeffrey Gural, followed by remarks about the foundation’s scholarship program by Lawrence Benenson, executive vice president.
“We were thrilled once again to host a gathering at arguably the city’s most iconic event venue, attracting a diverse crowd of both current as well as new young supporters of the Realty Foundation,” said Hemmerdinger.
Since inception 62 years ago, the foundation has given away more than $8 million in scholarships and financial aid.
Formed in 1992, Savanna is an institutional real estate private equity firm and asset management company based in New York City and run by Managing Partners Christopher Schlank and Nicholas Bienstock. The firm pursues opportunistic real estate equity and debt asset investments throughout the northeastern United States, with a particular focus on owning and operating properties in New York City. The firm’s equity investments target superior risk-adjusted returns by adding value through asset management and/or property development, redevelopment, and repositioning. Savanna also selectively invests in real estate debt instruments that have the potential to generate equity-like returns, including preferred equity instruments, high yield bridge and mezzanine loans, and B-notes. Since 2006, Savanna has invested more than $2.8 billion in total capital across 13 million square feet of real property.
About the Realty Foundation
The Foundation was founded in 1954 by a group of passionate real estate professionals that were concerned about the financial risks facing the brokerage community. The Foundation’s membership includes 65 of the real estate community’s most prominent members. Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger and President Jeffrey R. Gural lead the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
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