UNITING AND SECURING COMMUNITIES
Wednesday, November 18, 2020, 7:00 PM ET
BRIDGE TO JUSTICE AWARD
| The Admiral, David M. Robinson
Co-Founder, Admiral Capital Group
|
Daniel M. Bassichis
Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Admiral Capital Group
|
GENERATION TO GENERATION AWARD
| Samuel I. Schwartz
CEO and Founder, Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants
|
David J. Schwartz
Co-Founder and Principal, SLATE Property Group
|
EVENT HOST
| Cheryl Wills
Author and NY1 News Anchor
|
NEW YORK, November 5, 2020 –The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) presents its 2020 Virtual Winter Benefit under the theme, “Uniting and Securing Communities,” on Wednesday, November 18 from 7 PM ET to 8:30 PM ET.
The event will honor (pictured above) The Admiral, David M. Robinson, Co-Founder, Admiral Capital Group, and Daniel M. Bassichis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Admiral Capital Group, with the Bridge to Justice Award, and Samuel I. Schwartz, P.E., Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants, and his son, David J. Schwartz, Co-Founder and Principal, SLATE Property Group, with the Generation to Generation Award.
The evening also celebrates, with the premiere of a short film about its mission and work, the new Community Security Initiative (CSI), a joint program of UJA-Federation of New York and JCRC-NY to substantially improve the safety and security of Jewish communal institutions across the greater New York area.
Cheryl Wills, author and NY1 News Anchor, will serve as the event host.
JCRC-NY Executive Vice President and CEO Michael Miller said, “This special evening brings us together to celebrate JCRC-NY’s mission of uniting and securing diverse communities by honoring four superlative individuals, proven leaders dedicated to family, faith, and community and to ‘giving back.’ We will also say a l’chaim in honor of our Community Security Initiative (CSI), and the crucial work it is already doing to keep the Jewish community and institutions safe.”
JCRC-NY President Cheryl Fishbein said, “I could not be more proud of our professional staff led by Michael Miller and our lay leadership, for how expertly they have navigated the challenges our New York and Jewish communities have encountered these last few months. From anti-Semitic attacks to the pandemic to social injustice, we have risen to each occasion, providing invaluable resources, support, guidance, and advice.”
New York Giants legend and two-time Super Bowl Champion Justin Tuck, now a Private Wealth Advisor in the Partners Coverage Group at Goldman Sachs, will present the Bridge to Justice Awards, and, JCRC-NY Board Member Jeff Levine, a Virtual Winter Benefit Co-Chair and Chairman of Douglaston Development LLC, Levine Builders, and Clinton Management LLC, will present the Generation to Generation Awards.
Acting Consul General of Israel in New York Israel Nitzan and UJA-Federation of New York President Amy A. B. Bressman are among the community leaders who will bring special greetings.
ABOUT THE HONOREES
Bridge to Justice Awards
“The Admiral,” David M. Robinson, is co-founder of Admiral Capital Group, and a former professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs from 1989 to 2003. Robinson’s teammates nicknamed him “The Admiral” because after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he majored in mathematics, he served in the Navy from 1983 to 1987.
In 2007, David Robinson and Dan Bassichis created Admiral Capital Group to
bring a balanced, multidisciplinary approach to investments and strategic partnerships, creating value and positive social impact. Admiral takes a long-term approach to investments and relationships. The firm is built around disciplined investing, capital preservation and forming partnerships focused on transparency, trust, and alignment of interest.
Robinson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2009 and among other honors, won the league MVP, two NBA championships, two Olympic Gold Medals and is among the preeminent philanthropists in professional sports, leading to the NBA’s creation of the David Robinson Plaque given to current players in recognition of their outstanding community service.
Daniel Bassichis was first introduced to David Robinson and The Carver Academy in 2002 as a graduate student at the Duke Fuqua Business School. He was moved by the school’s mission, joined the board, and became fundamental to the success of the school through fundraising and financial planning. In 2007, Robinson and Bassichis began exploring how to combine their interest in private equity and desire to make a positive social impact with the overall goal of creating a long-term sustainable business. After a period of research and discussions, the framework for Admiral Capital Group was established.
Prior to forming Admiral Capital Group with David Robinson, Bassichis was a member of the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs, where he focused on real estate, gaming and lodging and completed more than $15 billion of advisory and financing transactions. He was previously a member of The Fuqua School of Business Board of Visitors and currently serves as an Admiral Capital representative on the board of Centerplate, one of the nation’s leading food service providers. He is also a board member of Krossover, a sports video analytics company.
Generation to Generation Awards
For many New Yorkers his Wikipedia introduction is exactly how he’s known – “Samuel I. Schwartz, a.k.a. Gridlock Sam, is an American transportation engineer, formerly the New York City Traffic Commissioner, notable for popularizing the phrase ‘gridlock.’”
Sam Schwartz is one of the leading transportation engineers in the United States today. His expertise extends into the areas of regional planning and development, urban design, and civil engineering. Mr. Schwartz is regarded as New York City’s authority on issues of urban infrastructure, traffic safety and transportation systems.
Mr. Schwartz is CEO of Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC. He also writes a column on traffic for The New York Daily News. Previously Mr. Schwartz was New York City’s Traffic Commissioner and was the Chief Engineer of the NYC Department of Transportation. He started his transportation career in the late 1960’s as a NYC cabbie and joined the Traffic Department, as a junior engineer, in 1971.
David Schwartz is a co-founder and principal of Slate Property Group. He has over seventeen years of experience buying, developing, and operating real estate across the United States. He currently runs all development and construction projects for Slate Property Group and shares responsibility for all acquisitions and investment decisions. Currently Slate is developing over $4 billion in real estate throughout New York City representing over 4,000 apartments.
Prior to Slate Property Group, David co-founded two New York City based development firms. He was responsible for the development of over 1,000 units throughout New York City representing over 750,000 square feet.
Prior to founding his own development firms, David worked for Crescent Heights of America, where he was involved in over $500M in ground up residential developments representing over 1,000 units. Throughout David’s career he has been involved in the development of almost $5 billion in real estate.
More information about the honorees can be found at here: https://jcrcny.eventtitans.com/index
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE
Echoing the event theme, “Uniting and Securing Communities,” a special music video will feature:
Naturally 7— about whom it is said, ‘”A capella group” so vastly underplays what they create onstage that they had to coin a phrase – “Vocal Play” – to more accurately depict what they do.’ Naturally 7 is more than a tightly orchestrated collection of great singers. They transform their voices into actual human instruments, effortlessly producing music of any genre; and, The Maccabeats, who have entertained and inspired hundreds of audiences worldwide, from Alabama to (New) Zealand and everywhere in between. Using nothing more than the unadulterated human voice, a clean-cut presentation, and a little Jewish humor, this unique group of singers is able to connect with fans of all backgrounds and ages.
EVENT CHAIRS
Benefit Vice Chairs (list in formation) are Citi and Eugene Schneur; Co-chairs (list in formation) are Laine and Tom Blumberg; Brian Cooper, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Kensington Vanguard National Land Services; Geller Family Foundation; Ralph Herzka, Chairman and CEO, Meridian Capital Group; Danny Heumann, Partner, EVP and Chief Business Development and Strategy Officer, Meridian Capital Group; Amir Korangy, Founder, The Real Deal; Jeffrey E. Levine, Chairman, Douglaston, Development, Levine Builders, and Clinton Management; and, Vicki and Ron Weiner.
For event information, visit jcrcny.org/benefit. For information about sponsorships, tickets and donations, please contact: [email protected] or Marcy Fishman at 212-983-4800, x142.
ABOUT JCRC-NY
The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) serves as the central coordinating body and resource organization for the Jewish Community in the metropolitan New York area and as an advocate for a strong and secure State of Israel. An active force in New York civic and communal life, JCRC-NY secures, protects, and enhances the New York Jewish community and builds working relationships within the Jewish community, with other ethnic and faith communities, and with public officials.
Follow JCRC-NY on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram
EVENT: The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY)
2020 Virtual Winter Benefit
DATE: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
TIME: 7 PM to 8:30 PM ET
