New York Building Congress Honors Victoria J. Cerami, Mitchel W. Simpler and ACE Mentor Program of America at Industry Recognition Gala
New York, NY — Building industry leaders gathered for the New York Building Congress’ Industry Recognition Gala on November 20, 2019 at the Grand Hyatt in Midtown Manhattan. Hosted annually, the Industry Recognition Gala is a premier event honoring the ongoing work of New York City’s construction, design and real estate community and recognizing the contributions of some of the city’s most prominent leaders.
This year’s Gala was led by Building Congress President & CEO Carlo A. Scissura, Esq.; Building Congress Chairman Milo E. Riverso Ph.d., P.E., CCM, President & CEO of STV; Gala Co-Chairs John J. Cardoni, Northeast Region Executive of AECOM, and Elizabeth Velez, President of the Velez Organization; and Journal Chair Kelly Heuer, Senior Managing Director at Ankura. The Gala also featured a Young Professionals After Party, which was chaired by Eric Hirani of Infinite Consulting Corp.
“I’ve been at the Building Congress for three years and it has been an incredible journey watching the work of this industry and organization,” said Mr. Scissura. “The building industry is putting hundreds of thousands of people to work in all five boroughs, in every community of every neighborhood.”
“We appreciate the active support of everyone here tonight,” said Mr. Riverso. “With the building industry booming, we need a vibrant Building Congress and I am proud to serve as its chair.”
The Building Congress welcomed Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who also chairs the Regional Economic Development Councils. In her remarks, the Lieutenant Governor praised the many contributions of the building industry.
“I am grateful for the countless jobs that have been created by this industry, as well as the many people lifted out of poverty by being given the opportunity to work,” said Lieutenant Governor Hochul.
The Gala’s Guests of Honor were Victoria J. Cerami, CEO, Cerami & Associates, and Mitchel W. Simpler, PE, FAEC, Partner, Managing Partner Emeritus, Jaros, Baum & Bolles. The George A. Fox Public Service Award was presented to the ACE Mentor Program of America and accepted by Peter J. Davoren, Chairman of the ACE National Board and President and Chief Executive Officer of Turner Construction Company.
Ms. Cerami was honored for the critical role she has played in bringing acoustics to the forefront of architecture. She was among the pioneers of the concept that a building’s acoustics – once a niche expertise in the building industry – should be prioritized as part of the overall user experience. Her imprint can be felt through the signature voices she and her company bring to such iconic New York City buildings as Manhattan West, One Vanderbilt, The Ford Foundation, NYU Langone Kimmel Pavilion, Moynihan Train Hall, LaGuardia Airport, MoMA and World Trade Center redevelopment.
Mr. Simpler was honored as a dedicated leader, focused on the advancement of engineering innovation. He has acted as Project Manager and Partner-in-Charge on high-rise office buildings, healthcare and life science facilities, museums, residential and mixed-use buildings and hotels. Notable among Mr. Simpler’s projects are 1 and 5 Times Square; the Jerome L. Greene Science Center at the Columbia University Manhattanville campus; the New York Genome Center; the Belfer Research Building, the Whitney Pavilion and the Imaging Building for the Weill Cornell Medical College; and the Rohm & Haas Research Center in Shanghai, China. He has also worked on cultural facilities and landmark buildings such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport. Mr. Simpler currently serves as National Chairman for ACEC.
The New York Building Congress presented the George A. Fox Public Service Award to the ACE Mentor Program of America. Established in 2002, the award honors the extraordinary legacy of George A. Fox, P.E., a man of enormous vision and dignity. Mr. Fox inspired the industry through his unsurpassed construction expertise, and this award in his name celebrated his exceptional commitment to New York City, to the education of its youth and to public service.
The ACE Mentor Program was founded in New York City in 1994 by leading architects, contractors, engineers and owners with the goal of preparing high school students for careers in design and construction. ACE not only engages sponsors and volunteer mentors to expose students to real-world opportunities, it also financially supports each student's continued success, with $20 million in scholarships awarded to promising participants since its inception. In the 2018-2019 school year alone, ACE engaged over 10,000 students and 4,100 volunteer mentors nationally. ACE has 74 affiliates and operates in 36 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and has a presence in more than 200 cities.
The Gala Underwriters were AECOM, Cerami & Associates, Halmar International LLC, Jaros, Baum & Bolles, STV Group, Inc., Turner Construction Company and Velez Organization.
For more information on the Industry Recognition Gala, click here.
