Building Congress Event
Industry Recognition Dinner
NEW YORK BUILDING CONGRESS SALUTES FOUR LEADERS FOR SERVICE TO CITY AND THE INDUSTRY
About 850 members of the building community gathered to pay tribute to four industry greats during the New York Building Congress 2011 Industry Recognition Dinner at the Grand Hyatt New York on November 15. Weidlinger Associates President and CEO Raymond P. Daddazio, Douglaston Development Chairman Jeffrey E. Levine and MTA New York City Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast were presented with an Industry Recognition Award, and CBRE Tri-State Region Chief Operating Officer Cherrie Nanninga received the George A. Fox Public Service Award.
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
New York State AFL-CIO President Denis M. Hughes, who is retiring after 25 years of service to the organization, delivered greetings. He told those assembled, "These are very difficult times for everybody," while noting that future success requires employers and working men and women to work in the spirit of mutual dependence and trust. "The key is cooperation. The key is understanding the needs of all us. We need to operate in a way that everyone can be proud," he said, adding, "The Building Congress has always shared that point of view."
Parsons Brinckerhoff President and CEO George J. Pierson, who served as Dinner Chairman, thanked the evening's attendees for helping the Building Congress advance an agenda that promotes the work of all industry participants. "Your support," he said, "enables this fine organization to conduct a broad program on behalf of the design, construction and real estate community in New York City."
Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger presented the George A. Fox Public Service award to Ms. Nanninga, who was recognized for her voluntary public service above and beyond her professional responsibilities. "Cherrie has dedicated her professional and civic life to making New York a better place," said Ms. Berger, citing Ms. Nanninga's work with such organizations as the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Building Congress, the Salvadori Center and the NYC River to River Festival, which she co-founded a decade ago in response to the events of 9/11.
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
"Public service has been a big part of my life and my career, and it is truly gratifying to be recognized," Ms. Nanninga said. "But I feel as if I should share this award with so many of you in this room, who, like me, believe it is important to give back – to the City, to the community, to the causes we are committed to. And it is really not that hard. It takes a little time, but if we lend our expertise, our enthusiasm, and our leadership, it is amazing what we can accomplish together. "
In presenting the Industry Recognition Award to Mr. Daddazio, Building Congress Chairman and Tishman Construction - An AECOM Company North America President Peter A. Marchetto said, "Ray is committed to a wide range of professional and educational activities and has dedicated himself to advancing the innovative practice of engineering within the industry, profession and the Weidlinger organization," where he has "achieved new collaborations, especially in the area of protective design projects of national importance."
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Mr. Daddazio thanked the New York Building Congress for the award as well as his family, saying, "None of this would have been possible without their love and support. I also accept this award on behalf of our extraordinarily talented team at Weidlinger Associates." Mr. Daddazio took a moment to praise the essential contributions of the building industry to society. "Our work," he said, "contributes to the economic fiber of our communities."
The Industry Recognition Award to Mr. Levine was presented by Sciame Construction Chairman and CEO Frank J. Sciame, who called him his friend and competitor. "My admiration for Jeff as a developer, builder and civic leader knows no bounds. He has been responsible for the construction or rehabilitation of thousands of affordable and distinctive housing units throughout the City. His projects have been recognized by a wide variety of organizations and have received awards for design and environmental conservation." Both graduates of City College, Mr. Sciame praised Mr. Levine for his devotion to the college and its architectural program.
During his acceptance, Mr. Levine said, "We build shelters – shelters for housing, shelters for working, shelters for religion and shelters for recreation – all necessities for our society's day-to-day functions. I, for one, feel blessed to have the opportunity to earn a living doing work that is not only so satisfying but that I thoroughly enjoy. Which one of us has not had the pleasure of looking upon a building that we have helped create without saying 'I built that'?"
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
Mr. Pierson presented the Industry Recognition Award to Mr. Prendergast, whom he credited for his exceptional management of the nation's largest rapid transit system. "Tom is a true transportation success story," said Mr. Pierson. "He has devoted his career to public transit around the world. Each of his responsibilities has involved enormous challenges, which Tom has met time and time again."
In addition to saluting his colleagues at the MTA, Mr. Prendergast used much of his acceptance speech to highlight the building industry's essential role in building and maintaining New York's vast transit system. Mr. Prendergast praised the building community, not only for building the system more than a century ago, but also for undertaking massive rehabilitation projects in the 1980s and 1990s, and for its present day work on a range of expansion projects. "New York City wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for you and your predecessor's efforts over all of these years."
"Each year, we salute the extraordinary leadership and professional accomplishments of top leaders in our industry. Including this year, we have honored 48 exceptional individuals from design, construction, real estate and government in the City of New York," said Building Congress President Richard T. Anderson. "We thank our Dinner Chairman George Pierson, our underwriters AECOM/Tishman Construction, CBRE, Parsons Brinckerhoff and Weidlinger Associates, as well as our Executive Co-Chairmen Douglaston Development, Halmar International, LLC, HDR, Inc., Sciame Construction, LLC, STV Group Inc. and WDF, Inc."
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
