One Mann's Opinion

It’s March, and that means that winter’s freeze (hopefully) will thaw and give way to spring. But on a more personal note, the coming of March means something special: that, in one month, the Mann Foundation will host the Fifth Annual Mann Of The Year Awards. For those who may not know, the Mann Of The Year Awards honor the best in finance, apparel and, of course, real estate. Proceeds from the event go towards the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai.

We begin planning the ceremony months in advance — I start brainstorming for the upcoming year’s event almost as soon as the last guests air kiss and exit the current year’s venue. For the 2010 ceremony, I knew I wanted to create a fun and fresh atmosphere. So we chose Cipriani 42nd street as our venue, made the event a cocktail gala — featuring food stations stocked with delicious delicacies — and put our event journal online, creating an E-Journal. The E-Journal looks really great and matches the modern touch I wanted the whole event to have. To see the E-Journal and submit an ad, go to mannoftheyear.com.

But now that the event is only a month away, we are heading towards the home stretch. It’s time to take care of those little details that make all the difference. And I am confident that my team and I will live up to our reputation as hosts of one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies, combining fun and philanthropy in equal amounts.

Another team who, like us here at Mann, has a reputation for great work is The Bachrach Group, and that is why they are our cover story this month. The Bachrach group, led by President Richard Bachrach, is an executive recruiting and consulting service that has been in the business for over 35 years. They are there every step of the way for their clients — from carefully studying candidates’ backgrounds and the client’s corporate culture, to making the match and negotiating employment — enabling them to fill open positions with the most qualified and best-suited candidates.

We also feature in this issue Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects; Lou Weinberg, Esq., Madison Commercial Real Estate Services; Mark Steinmetz, Rosewood Realty Group; Thomas A. Donovan, Massey Knakal Realty Services; Michael Heaner, The Kaufman Organization; and Stephen Powers, Denham Wolf Real Estate.

Keeping with the philanthropic spirit, we have Joan’s Legacy: Uniting Against Lunch Cancer “Strolling Supper with Blues & News” as the first photo spread in our events section. More than 500 guests — many of whom work in real estate — attended the event, helping to raise more than $900,000 for lung cancer research.

Other events shown in this issue include The 10th Annual Real Estate & Construction Gala, which benefited Special Olympics New York; Ten O’Clock Classics’ Sixth Annual Charity Gala, which raised in excess of $200,000 auctioning off items such as a Justin Timberlake autographed piano; The Diabetes Research Institute’s Empire Ball, which attracted 900 guests and raised $1 million for diabetes research; and ORT America’s Engineering & Construction Chapter Annual Tribute Luncheon, which honored Luis M. Tormenta, Peter Thomassen and Christopher O. Ward.

Since I established the Mann Foundation, I have seen first hand how powerful and generous the commercial real estate industry truly is. Not only do you speak out for the causes in which you believe; you take action. You donate your time and your funds to make your communities, country, and world a better, safer and healthier place. So please continue the wonderful work you are doing by joining us on April 19th at Cipriani 42nd Street to celebrate your achievements and to help put an end to Alzheimer’s.


Regards,
Jeff Mann


"If you haven´t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble."

-Bob Hope