Building Industry Salutes New York’s Heroes

New York, October 25, 2001
– Nearly 1,000 representatives of the construction, design
and real estate industry gathered at the New York Building Congress
Remembrance and Recognition Dinner for an evening of tributes to
those lost in the World Trade Center attack and the heroes who responded
so valiantly in its wake.

“This dinner has been held since the 75th Anniversary of the
Building Congress in 1996, but never has it had greater meaning
to our industry and all New Yorkers,” said Building Congress
President Richard T. Anderson. “This year, we remember those
lost September 11 and the heroic efforts of the front line emergency
and rescue workers.”

Dinner Chairman Robert Prieto, who is Chairman of Parsons Brinckerhoff,
Inc., added, “Everything that has happened since that fateful
day has brought heartfelt emotions and a deeper feeling of unity
among all of us. Our great industry demonstrated right from the
start that we are more than a pillar of the City’s economy. We are
among those who respond first and stay the longest. We have been
working at Ground Zero from the start and will be there for years
to come.”

Prieto announced that the dinner contributed $50,000 to the World
Trade Center Memorial Fund established through the New York Building
Foundation. Additional contributions from across the country have
yielded another $100,000. The Memorial Fund then underwrote donations
to each of the evening’s “honorees” – the FDNY, NYPD,
Port Authority Police Department and the Building Trades Families
Relief Fund. Dinner attendees saw a moving video tribute to New
York City’s heroes, and heard performances by the Carpenters Local
608 Pipe and Drum Corps, and tenor Scott Ailing.

Former School Construction Authority President Milo E. Riverso,
PhD, PE, made a presentation on behalf of the Building Congress
to New York City’s firefighters. Riverso, a volunteer Fire Commissioner
in Greenburgh, NY, said, “We can never forget what they have
done and continue to do. New York City and the members of this industry
owe a debt beyond any other. The brave members of the Fire Department
of New York responded first and without hesitation. Amid the devastation,
343 firefighters perished and another 186 were injured.”

After the first of numerous standing ovations, Chief Joseph Callan,
who accepted the gift alongside Firefighter Joseph Lavin, said,
“I am mostly representing the 343 firefighters who couldn’t
be with us today,” adding, “I can assure you that the
Fire Department will be there (Ground Zero) until we get all of
our brothers back, and that’s how it’s going to be. People ask what
good came of this. Well, God now has one hell of a Fire Department.”

TDX Construction Corporation President James H. Jones, PE, and
Rudin Management Chairman Jack Rudin, in memory of his late brother
Lewis Rudin, presented checks to the NYPD and Port Authority of
NY & NJ. “New York City and Port Authority Police Officers
are dedicated to serving and protecting all of us,” said Jones.
“They responded on September 11 just as they do every other
day. But that fateful day was unlike any other and many of our finest
officers were lost or injured. But they saved thousands of other
lives. For this, we shall be eternally grateful.”

Accepting the gift on behalf of the NYPD were First Deputy Commissioner
Joseph P. Dunne and Angela Danz, whose husband, Police Officer Vincent
Danz, was lost on September 11. Said Danz, “It is fitting that
I be here since my husband, who had five years to go until he retired,
was an apprentice operating engineer. He was there at the World
Trade Center to save people. The kindness of a stranger is what
he gave that day. And that is what you are giving today.”

Spearin Preston & Burrows, Inc. COO Gerard A. Neumann, Jr.,
PE, presented the gift to Building & Construction Trades Council
President Edward J. Malloy, who accepted it on behalf of all union
tradespeople. Neumann remarked, “Building trades members lost
59 of their own during the attack. Despite such losses, thousands
of skilled tradespeople volunteered to work down there. So many
people called and said ‘Please get me down there. I want to help.’
Never has the construction industry stood taller.”

“Every construction site in New York City shut down moments
after (the attack),” noted Malloy after receiving the gift.
“Every construction worker went down to Lower Manhattan to
help. They went down there, not as ironworkers, welders or carpenters,
they went down there as Americans. I say thank you on behalf of
the 59 families.”

The mood of the evening was summarized best by Building Congress
Chairman and EMCOR Group, Inc. President and COO Jeffrey M. Levy.
“Never have I been prouder of this industry than in the past
six weeks. We have responded from every sector – through rescue
efforts, design evaluations, debris clearance, and planning for
the future. We have not hesitated, waited for contracts or stood
on ceremony. We are known as a generous industry, and we have demonstrated
that most convincingly in recent weeks.”

The New York Building Congress is a membership coalition of business, labor, association and government organizations promoting the design, construction and real estate industry in New York City.