These men make the borough proud.
Members from around the Queens business community were honored for their leadership and contributions at the 2013 Kings of Queens: A Champions Breakfast Awards & Networking Event, held at Terrace on the Park on Thursday, September, 26.
“It’s a wonderful thing and I’m very honored and humbled,” said Joe Mattone Jr., partner at Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Megna & Todd, one of this year’s honorees.
The nicest part is meeting other community activists,” added Mattone, whose two brothers and father have been previous “Kings.”
“We are delighted to put the spotlight on the men who are doing extraordinary work. They are the Kings of Queens!” said Courier publisher Victoria Schneps.
The event, attended by over 400 people, also served as a networking opportunity and business expo.
Vendors from a variety of industries, including banking, insurance and food, were able to set up tables at the event, share information and mingle with attendees.
“[We’re here to explain] the importance of planning for long-term care. You’re protecting your assets, everything that everyone has worked hard for; we want to make sure it doesn’t just go away,” said Sandra Reilly of Genworth Financial, which offers long-term care insurance.
Reilly said networking events like the Kings of Queens are good for awareness and are good exposure.
“It’s good to plant the seed,” she said.
Sponsors of the event included TD Bank, Delta Airlines, Flushing Bank, CUNY, Con Edison, Godiva, NY Daily News, NY1, Healthfirst, Queens County Savings Bank, Abrams Fensterman Attorneys at Law, Sandwire, Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, LLP, Godiva, QSIDE Federal Credit Union and Citibank.
Following the networking, the 2013 “Kings” headed into the ballroom, where they were addressed by special guest, Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota.
“This room represents to me everything I think is great about New York,” he said. “I want you all to look around the room and know that the diversity I love so much is right here in this room.”
Donning their crowns, the honorees were then handed their awards by Fox 5 News reporter Kerry Drew and anchor Steve Lacy, who emceed the event.
“What you realize when you come to an event like this is that it’s actual people who live in the community who are working at these major corporations,” said Lacy.
“[That’s] why it’s great to have an event like this where we honor the work that they do.”
A special surprise “King” was also honored at the event.
Courier associate publisher Bob Brennan, without knowing beforehand, received the award from his brother Dick Brennan, weeknight anchor at WLNY TV 10/55.
Other honorees included Vincent Arcuri Jr., chair of CB5, Queens and vice chair of Wyckoff Heights Medical Center; Wayne Baker, CEO, Frankie’s Carnival Time, Inc. & Frank Bee Costume, Inc.; Bryan J. Block, chairperson, Community Board 13; J. Ganesh Bhat, M.D., co-founder, Atlantic Dialysis Management Services; Joseph DeGaetano, manager, Queens County Savings Bank; Carl Fields Jr., Interim Executive Director, Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning; Damion Fray, director of exchange sales, Healthfirst; James Heyliger, president, Association of Minority Enterprises of New York; Mark Johnson, CEO, Qside; Jerry LaSpisa, VP branch manager, M&T Bank; Andrew Levine, partner, Raich Ende Malter & Co. LLP; Joe Mattone Jr., Partner, Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Megna & Todd; Tony Meloni, director, NY AntiCrime; Lal K. Motwani, chairman, National Federation of Indian-American Associations (NFIA); Gregory Murphy, managing director, Skanska; Jose L. Orengo, Esq., president, JLO Consultant; Larry Oskowsky, Retail Market Manager/VP, TD Bank; Mihir B. Patel, President, Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects; Frank Pelliccione, Vice President of Business Development, Flushing Bank; Oleg Rabinovich, President, St. Paul’s School of Nursing; David Salcfas, General Manager, LaGuardia Airport Marriott; Musa Ali Shama, principal, Francis Lewis High School; Patrick Smith, executive vice president, Nancy Packes, Inc.; Steve Stathis, president, Graybeards, Ltd; Seth Taylor, Executive Director, 82nd Street partnership; Charles P. Wang, president, Rosen-Wang Global Partners; Jonathan S. West, president, Charles H. Greenthal Management Corp.; and Winston White, senior VP, Citibank.
At each Courier event, all proceeds from raffle ticket sales go to charity. This year $1,500 was raised for Queens Museum education programs.
A special thank you is owed to the event’s Journal sponsor Silver Star Mercedes Benz, the King of Queens official photographer, Ralph DePas and to Party City of Bayside for providing the crowns for this year’s “Kings” honorees.
View our 2013 Kings of Queens Photo gallery
