Inside The 2015 buildOn Gala

John M. Angelo (Co-founder and CEO, Angelo, Gordon & Co.) and Leon G. Cooperman (Chairman and CEO, Omega Advisors, Inc.) were honored Thursday, November 12th at the buildOn Gala, an event that raised $4.1 million to support service learning programs in New York City public schools. Over 900 influencers, business leaders and community members attended the event at the American Museum of Natural History. Angelo and Cooperman received buildOn’s Global Impact Award for their unwavering support and dedication to the organization’s work in the South Bronx and across the globe.

buildOn students shared their stories of how the organization has become a powerful tool of change in their lives through spoken word, vocal performances and through keynote speeches by students like Chris Tavarez (Bronx, NY) who spoke about the power service has to the change culture of failing schools. Others in attendance included Diahann Billings-Burford (Executive Director, Corporate Responsibility, Time Warner, Inc.), Lilliana Vazquez (Style Expert, TV Host), Fatima Ptacek (Voice of DORA THE EXPLORER, Oscar winning film CURFEW), Jeff Bornstein (Senior VP & CFO at GE) and Jim Parke (Vice Chairman & CFO –Retired- at GE Capital) among many more.

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