On the Town: BTAC honors real estate group for citizenship
“One of the things that impresses me about Burbank and its residents is how fully they embody a sense of community,” said Ron Cogan, chairman of the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, as close to 400 of those community-minded supporters convened for the organizations 13th annual gala earlier this month at the Castaway restaurant’s Starlight Room.
The event, which annually honors an outstanding individual or company for their leadership, service and philanthropy, saw BTAC bestow their 2016 Burbank Top Award of Citizenship upon a contingent of individuals, family members and company employees who, for decades, have worked in harmony as the Cusumano Real Estate Group to live up to the recognition’s criteria.
Along with honoring the Cusumanos, who have done so much to better the landscape of Burbank as well as the lives of those who reside and work here, the evening, emceed by former Mayor Michael Hastings, also placed the spotlight on BTAC volunteer Terry Hassman-Paulin for her outstanding commitment to the nonprofit’s work, and honored the memory of the late Barbara Sykes, a longtime community-minded resident who passed away in February.
The gala’s main event saw Hastings laud the Cusumanos as: “Substantial stakeholders in everything that they do within this community.”
They were also praised by BTAC’s Chief Executive Officer Barbara Howell, who explained that, according to Cusumano spokesman Michael Cusumano, the family’s willingness to accept the recognition was contingent upon the inclusion of all their company’s employees who have played such a vital role in both their professional success and ability to give back to the community.
In accepting the award, Cusumano paid tribute to his 60-plus family members and employees in attendance and the work of Howell, BTAC’s board members, employees, volunteers and supporters, who provide much-needed assistance to the homeless, those in transition after a layoff or families suffering through the devastation of a financial crisis.
Among those who made this year’s BTAC gala a success were the event’s co-chairs, Alethia Calagias and Courtney Korb, the organization’s professional staff composed of Andrea Alejandre, Catherine Bourgeois, Francesca Gallard, Lucretia Rimmer, Edward Stapleton, Kelley Tabor and Alyson Westfall, and the event’s committee which included Dee Call, Kimberley Clark, Jessa Freemyer, Maddy Horne, Nancy Gams Korb, Silvia Mancini, Linda Noel, Leslie Smith, Lauri Veverka and Vicki Williams.
Others who made the evening possible included BTAC directors Glenn Bales, Jennifer Bender, Darryl Forbes, Jennifer Magerkurth, Drew Sugars and Michael Walbrecht.
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DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
