New York Building Congress honors 3 for dedication to city. (Transcripts).

More than 1,000 representatives of the building community gathered to honor three industry leaders -- Jack Rudin, Edward J. Malloy, and Robert S. Peckar, during the New York Building Congress 2002 Industry Recognition Dinner at the Grand Hyatt New York on Oct 24.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg served as the keynote speaker and Tishman Construction Corp. president and CEO Daniel R. Tishman was dinner chairman. The annual gala event recognizes the careers and dedicated civic leadership of New York City's foremost members of the design, construction, and real estate industries.

"New York City is defined by the daring and grace of its public and private developments," Mayor Bloomberg noted. "The people of this nation have gained a new appreciation for what you mean to this City. No other City in the world could have rebounded so quickly from the appalling devastation [of 9/11]."

AFL-CIO president John J. Sweeney and Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York, joined the Mayor in presenting an Industry Recognition Award to Rudin Management Company chairman Jack Rudin. Of Rudin, the Mayor said, "No one does a better job of bringing people together -- from labor to management, people with different beliefs -- for the good of New York."

In accepting the award, Rudin expressed pride in sharing this year's honors with Ed Malloy.

"It is a wonderful industry. We learn by doing," he said. "My father had a theory that labor is our partner, and so it's a pleasure to accomplish as a team what we are doing. We want to help the Mayor rebuild this City and keep on building it."

During his presentation of an Industry Recognition Award to Edward J. Malloy, president of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, Tishman said, "Everyone in this industry knows Ed Malloy. He not only participates in many organizations, he usually leads them. He commands widespread respect and is always a considerate and thoughtful voice for the best interests of the New York City building industry. Ed's effectiveness has grown each year to the point where he may be the most influential industry leader in New York City."

For his part, Malloy praiseed Cardinal Egan for his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church and the City during a difficult period and Jack Rudin for his devotion to New York's skilled trades people.

"Labor has no greater friend than Jack Rudin. I deem it an honor to stand in his shadow," he said. "On behalf of all labor, he has earned our enduring love and respect."

Syska Hennessy Group chairman and CEO John F. Hennessy III and Turner Construction senior vice president Peter J. Davoren presented a Special Recognition Award to Robert S. Peckar, senior partner of Peckar & Abramson, P.C.

Davoren noted that "As general counsel of the Building Congress for many years, Bob has demonstrated his leadership time and again. In meeting after meeting, I can recall Bob being the one that cut directly to the heart of the matter and built consensus. The Building Congress is what it is today in large part due to Bob's efforts."

The Building Congress also received a surprise visit from U.S. senator Charles E. Schumer, who told the assembled crowd, "I wanted to stop by and sing the praises of three great men. Each is a builder not just of buildings but of coalitions, of friendships, of loyalty and of our New York."