26 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 19, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Outstanding businessmen celeb
Joshua Schneps, CEO & Co-Publisher, Schneps Communications (far left) and Victoria Schneps,
President & Co-Publisher (center) with the 2017 Kings of Queens
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
The top men of Queens were honored
at a grand gala event on Thursday night.
Hundreds of attendees gathered at Terrace
on the Park on Oct. 12 to celebrate and
recognize the borough’s top businessmen
during Schneps Communications’ Kings of
Queens awards and networking event.
The night began with a VIP Hour just
for all of the honorees, giving them a
chance to get to know one another and
network. The Kings then moved into the
Networking Hour to meet and mingle
with family, friends and colleagues.
The party later shifted to the grand
ballroom, where Kings and guests gathered
for the dinner and awards ceremony.
The event was emceed by Victoria
Schneps-Yunis, co-owner of Schneps
Communications, and NY1 News anchor
Ruschell Boone, who was also honored as
“Star of Stars.”
“It’s fantastic to be here with you,” Boone
said to the crowd. “It is really truly an
honor, and it’s fantastic to see what so many
of our Kings are doing in their communities
… We know Queens very well, and we
know Queens has always been on the map.”
Two extraordinary men were inducted
into the Kings of Queens Hall of
Fame. Joseph Pistilli, founder of Pistilli
Realty Group and Chairman of the
Board at First Central Saving Bank; and
Danny Zausner, Chief Operating Officer
of the National Tennis Center, received
the honor. Pistilli was also awarded the
Philanthropist of the Year Award.
The Halvatzis family received the
honor of the Family Business Award for
their outstanding work at Amorelli Realty
and Halvatzis Realty and in the community.
The Leader in Education Award was
given to Felix V. Matos Rodriguez,
President of Queens College; Dennis
Walcott, CEO of Queens Library; and
Faustino Quintanilla, Executive Director
and Curator of the Art Gallery at
Queensborough Community College.
Some of the honorees spoke with QNS
about the personal and professional significance
of being honored as Kings of
Queens.
“I’m extremely humbled and thankful,”
said Andre Fowles, owner of Everything
Food and Hospitality. “I’m amongst some
of the best business men in New York …
and as businessmen, we can do well from
each other.”
“I’m an attorney, so I go to so many
legal functions,” said Gary Park, Principal
at the Law Office of Gary S. Park. “It’s
refreshing to be at a function where you
meet a lot of non-lawyers. Tonight, I met
all kinds of wonderful, successful men
from all walks of life … people who can
give you a different outlook on what’s happening
in Queens.”
“It’s very overwhelming,” said Jason
Pierre, Chief Operations Officer at
Peninsula Prep Academy Charter. “I’m
honored t y y y o be in a room with these people
Lyons Mortgage
AgeWell
First Central Savings Bank New York Community Bank
Parker Jewish Institute for
Health Care & Rehabilitation
“Hall of Fame” and
“Philanthropist of the
Year” honoree Joseph
Pistilli, Pistilli Realty
Group and First Central
Savings Bank, with Nicos
Tziazas, Lyons Mortgage
Bob Brennan and Joshua
Schneps with “Miss El
Correo/Queens Courier”
Michael Rosenblut, President/CEO of
Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care &
Rehabilitation with Lina Scacco Assistant
Vice President – Corporate Outreach &
Development
Honorees Paul Halvatzis, Joseph Pistilli, Anita
General Human Outreach in the Community, Inc.:
Janet Flores, Arthur Flores, honoree Richard Flores
DiPaola Financial Group Masterpiece Caterers/Vivo Bayside team Halvatzis, Nicos Tziazas, and Frank Arcabascio