Media Contact: Michelle Plew
12 November 2009
FRED TIBBITTS & ASSOCIATES EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL
“An Autumn Evening in New York with Very Special Friends”
The Union League Club, New York City, 10 November 2009
New York City – The Eighteenth Annual FTA “An Autumn Evening in New York with
Very Special Friends” at The Union League Club proved to be another memorable
event for the one hundred guests, who included FTA 2009 honorees, hotel and
restaurant senior executives, presidents, vice presidents, managing directors,
industry VIP’s, industry press and sponsors.
The reception was trade show style, showcasing the products and services of the
sponsors. All guests were formally announced.
The four-course gala dinner brought Fred Tibbitts, Jr., President & CEO of Fred
Tibbitts & Associates, Inc. to the podium, who welcomed the guests and within
his opening remarks, urged one and all to “…serve others, simply because it is
the right thing to do.”
Tibbitts then called Joe McInerney, President & CEO of the American Hotel &
Lodging Association to the podium to deliver a eulogy and call for a Moment of
Silence for Don Stanczak, a beloved member of the hotel community and long time
attendee of the Tibbitts New York City spring and fall dinners. The
present members of the dinner’s ecumenical clergy (Episcopal, Reformed, Old
Catholic, Jewish and Buddhist) all formed to the sides of McInerney to silently
pray and mediate for Stanczak as McInerney spoke and observed the silence.
With the ecumenical clergy still in place at the sides of the podium, McInerney
next called to the podium Maralyne Stanczak, Don’s widow, her two daughters,
Ashleigh and Stacey as well as Stacey’s two young children, Graycee and Cassie.
Maralyne, Ashleigh and Stacey all commented on Don’s passing with great emotion
and poignancy.
Tibbitts then called for the ecumenical prayers by some of the most renowned
clergy in America. The Reformed Grace by Rett Zabriskie, Domine, The
Holland Society of New York was one of wit and substance; while a Jewish Funeral
Grace was said and sung with moving elegance by Cantor Zachary Mondrow; the Old
Catholic Church in America Grace by Reverend Alexandra Honigsberg asked for
peace and brotherhood; the Buddhist Grace by Tenzin Robert Thurman, President,
Tibet House NY and Jey Tsong Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies,
Columbia University, offered a dramatic visualization on compassion and he
concluded by chanting with deep abiding serenity in Tibetan.
The nine Loyalty Toasts by several of the dinner’s VIP’s, including Joe
McInerney, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association; Kenneth Hill,
President, Kenneth Hill & Associates; Burton “Skip” Sack, Chairman, Classic
Restaurant Concepts challenged all Americans to work as one nation, undivided to
overcome our unprecedented economic woes and that we must believe in a far
better tomorrow: From some of New York’s most prestigious hereditary society
leaders came challenges for us to rise to the occasion; and all culminating with
the legendary “Knickerbocker Toast” by American poet laureate, John Blake.
Each toast was celebrated with Lucien Albrecht Brut Blanc de Blancs from Alsace,
France.
Tibbitts called forward long-time, New Yorker friend, Hugh Williamson-Noble, who
despite his even more recent grief, losing the second of four children, his
eldest son, the week prior, delivered an eloquent eulogy to the young man,
Andrew Edward Kirkley Williamson-Noble, “…and from whom I shall for evermore
continue to learn…”
Fred Tibbitts announced that a portion of the dinner proceeds was being donated
to Tibet House NY to benefit the work of the Vikramasila Foundation, which
serves refugee Tibetan youths in India. Tibbitts presented the donation to
Tenzin Thurman and the Venerable Lama Pema Wangdak, Director of the Vikramasila
Foundation.
The 2009 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence were announced and presented as
follows:
2009 FTA Hospitality Award for Literary Excellence
Presented by Bill Samenfink
President, ICHRIE
Dean of Hospitality
Endicott College
to
HOTELS magazine
Accepted by Jeffrey Weinstein
Editor-in-Chief
Scholarship in the name of HOTELS magazine
at
University of Delaware
2009 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an IT Innovator
Presented by Jerry Leeman
CEO
POS Strategies
to
IBM
Accepted by Alan Outlaw
Business Line Executive
Retail Store Solutions
Scholarship in the name of IBM
at
Johnson & Wales University
2009 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator – North America
Presented by Joe McInerney
President & CEO
American Hotel & Lodging Association
Accepted by Fernando Salazar (In absentia)
Vice President of Food & Beverage
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Scholarship in the name of Fernando Salazar
The Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio Campus
2009 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator – Asia Pacific
(Presented previously at the 2009 FTA Fall Dinner at Shanghai, P.R.C.)
Martin Jones
Managing Director – Food & Beverage
Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts
Scholarship in the name of Martin Jones
at
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2009 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Humanitarian
(Presented previously at the 2009 FTA Fall Dinner at Hong Kong)
Professor Poon Chung-kwong
President Emeritus
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Scholarship in the name of Professor Poon Chung-kwong
at
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
2009 FTA Hospitality Award for Lifetime Excellence
Presented by Burton “Skip” Sack
Chairman/Partner
Classic Restaurant Concepts
Accepted by Michael Kaufman
Scholarship in the name of Michael Kaufman
at
The Culinary Institute of America
Turning to the delicious food and beverage for the evening, Suzanne
Strassburger, CEO, Strassburger Meats of New York City and her team served USDA
Choice Fillet and Berkshire Pork from their banquet station at the Reception,
while the Club staff passed hors d’oeuvres made with Phillips Crab.
The menu was superbly crafted by Executive Chef Jacques Thiebeutt; the wines
from France, Italy, Chile and Napa, California, USA were artfully paired by
famed New York wine educator, Harriet Lembeck. Phillips Foods provided the
crab for the First Course “Phillips Chesapeake Jumbo Crab Cakes” at Dinner.
The evening concluded with a “Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse & Vanilla Crème
Brulée Chocolate Pyramid”, served with S & D’s finest roasted coffees. The
guests enjoyed FIJI Water throughout the evening.
Fred Tibbitts & Associates is the leading global wine, spirits, waters and
related services consulting agency for National Account chain hotels,
restaurants and event management, based at Menands, New York and Bangkok,
Thailand. Visit www.fredtibbitts.com
for more complete information.
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