26 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 26, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Outstanding businessmen celeb
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
Th e top men of Queens were honored at
a grand gala event on Th ursday 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.
Th e night began with a VIP Hour just
for all of the honorees, giving them a
chance to get to know one another and
network. Th e Kings then moved into the
Networking Hour to meet and mingle
with family, friends and colleagues.
Th e party later shift ed to the grand
ballroom, where Kings and guests gathered
for the dinner and awards ceremony.
Th e 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 Offi cer of the National
Tennis Center, received the honor. Pistilli
was also awarded the Philanthropist of
the Year Award.
Th e Halvatzis family received the honor
of the Family Business Award for their
outstanding work at Amorelli Realty and
Halvatzis Realty and in the community.
Th e 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 signifi
cance 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 Offi ce 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 diff erent outlook on what’s
happening in Queens.”
“It’s very overwhelming,” said Jason
Pierre, Chief Operations Officer at
Peninsula Prep Academy Charter. “I’m
Joshua Schneps, CEO & Co-Publisher, Schneps Communications (far left) and Victoria Schneps,
President & Co-Publisher (center) with the 2017 Kings of Queens
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