Annual Real Estate and Construction Industries Dinner Raises More Than $2 Million

Jonathan L. Mechanic, Chairman of the Real Estate Department at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, was the evening's honoree as he was presented the National Jewish Health® 2009 Humanitarian Award on December 12 during the Real Estate and Construction Industries' Winter's Eve Gala at the Grand Hyatt New York. The event raised $2.03 million to establish the Jonathan L. and Wendy S. Mechanic Fund for Lung Cancer and COPD Research and Treatment Programs. Lee S. Neibart of AREA Property Partners, last year's honoree, was inducted into the National Jewish Health Council of National Trustees by National Jewish Health President and CEO Michael Salem, MD, during the event.

Luminaries from the real estate industry danced until midnight amid the red-hot and spicy nightclub décor that gave a new romantic meaning to the "Winter's Eve" theme. Wendy Siegel, National Council of Trustees Co-Chair, again oversaw the party arrangements to ensure a high-energy and fun-filled evening.

Dinner leadership is a reflection of the broad support that National Jewish Health has enjoyed for more than four decades from the New York real estate community. The hefty roster of executive and dinner committee members were led by dinner chairmen Stephen B. Siegel (National Council of Trustees Co-Chair) and Larry A. Silverstein, and honorary chairmen Leonard Boxer, Marty Cohen, Michael D. Fascitelli, Jeffrey J. Feil, Thomas Flexner, Marc Holliday, Charles Kushner, Aby J. Rosen, Richard Ruben and Robert Speyer, assisted by co-chairmen James D. Kuhn, Bruce E. Mosler, Peter G. Riguardi and Mitchell E. Rudin. Treasurers were Joshua Mermelstein and Robert Sorin and souvenir program chair was Paul Allegretti.

National Jewish Health is known worldwide for treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders, and for groundbreaking medical research. Founded in 1899 as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish remains the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to these disorders. For 12 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked National Jewish the #1 respiratory hospital in the nation.