Soledad O'Brien and Brian Brewer

Rich Norman, Linda Gui, and Glenn DeSimone

David and Cindy Auth

Late last month the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) hosted its 21st Annual Awards Dinner at The Rainbow Room in New York City’s Rockefeller Center.  More than 350 guests attended, raising a record $1.5 million for the Institute’s research programs.  Hosted by CNN Anchor and Special Correspondent Soledad O’Brien, the black-tie dinner honored philanthropic and corporate leaders and scientists who have made significant contributions to the fight against cancer, including: Wade F.B. Thompson, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Thor Industries, Inc., who received the Oliver R. Grace Award for Distinguished Service in Advancing Cancer Research; David R. Brennan, chairman and CEO of AstraZeneca PLC also received the Oliver R. Grace Award for Distinguished Service in Advancing Cancer Research in recognition of his company’s passionate commitment to cancer research and to developing new cancer medicines that are designed to improve the health and quality of life for patients.

David Brennan, Laurie Casaday, Kirsten Evraine, and Kate McKenzie

Melinda Dempsey, Lara Arrighi, Christine Fitzgibbons, Maggie Sheehan, and Erin Saluti

Jeffrey V. Ravetch, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Molecular Genetics and Immunology at The Rockefeller University received the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology for his significant contributions to our understanding of the genetic components that govern the coupling of antibody specificity to effector cell response and the critical role of certain cellular receptors involved in the activation of the adaptive immune response and how this understanding has opened the way to new treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease; and CRI President Patrick J. McGrath received the first ever Helen Coley Nauts Service Award in recognition of his many years of dedication to the Cancer Research Institute, particularly his efforts to help shape the Institute’s marketing and communications initiatives.

Greg and Cindy Lintjer, Coleman and Marianne Davis, and Cole and Jenny Davis

Blake Moore, Cindy Weiler, and Abby Smith

The dinner also featured a keynote address by Lee M. Nadler, M.D., senior vice president of Experimental Medicine and director of the Center for Clinical & Translational Research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Metastatic melanoma survivor Sharon Coords-Belvin gave an emotionally riveting story about how a new therapy called anti-CTLA-4, discovered by CRI Scientific Advisory Council Associate Director Dr. James Allison, took the brakes off her immune system and caused her cancer to go into remission.  Both these powerful and moving speeches can be heard on CRI’s website at www.cancerresearch.org/events/dinner2007.html Cancer Research Institute Co-Chairmen of the Board Donald J. Gogel, president & CEO of Clayton Dubilier & Rice and Andrew M. Paul, chairman of Enhanced Capital Partners, spoke on behalf of the Institute and its efforts to conquer cancer through the advancement of immunology.

Craig Eagle, Alison Ayers, and James Merson

Walt and Carol Bennett, Craig Kirby, and Gary Enyart

Bob and Kelly Wheeler

Dickie Riegal, Angela Thompson, and David Brennan

Ed and Lee McDermott

Patrick McGrath, Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, and Andrew Paul

Mary and Max Davidson

Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, Jeffrey Ravetch, and Lloyd J. Old

Rich Brome and Mark Frissora

Lloyd J. Old, Caterina and Andrew Simpson, Wade Thompson, Jill O'Donnell-Tormey

Jill-O'Donnell-Tormey, Lee Nadler, and Eva Guinan

Charles Thompson and Larry Huttle

Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, James Allison, and Pam Sharma

Dale and Robert Schreiber

Jeffrey Ravetch and James Allison

Charles and Maisie Pollard

Ron and Bill Ienech, Rich Florea, Dickie Riegal, Mark Lucas, Jeff Kime, and Wade Thompson

Neal and Kathy Chrisman with Jenny Thompson

Lloyd J. Old with Angela and Wade Thompson

Tom and Andrea Mendell, Sasha and Michael Targoff, and Mark Green

Gerarda Collins and Doris Diederiks

Renee McKee with Charles and Angela Thompson

Bill and Scotti Tomson

Jennifer Dudley, Brian Brewer, Abby Smith, and Alexander McCoy

Michel Nussenzweig, Wendy Joseph, Jeff Ravetch, and Jill O'Donnell-Tormey

David Solit and Jedd Wolchok

Drive Against Prostate Cancer mobile screening unit

Jeff Ravetch and Wendy Joseph

Patrick McGrath, Kristian Leno, and Randy Snook

Myron Berkowicz, Byron Knief, and Rebecca Robertson

Andrew Paul and Geoffrey Coley

Palmer Baker and Helen Weber

Ann and Geoffrey Coley

James Allison, Jedd Wolchok, and Sharon Belvin

Andrew Paul, Wade Thompson, David Brennan, and Donald Gogel

The ACRIA 2007 annual summer benefit, christened Cocktails at Sunset, kicked-off in the Hamptons at Ross Bleckner’s home (which was once the residence of Truman Capote) in Sagaponack. Banana Republic was joined by In Style magazine and the Diller von Furstenberg Family Foundation in sponsoring the event, which took place on Saturday, a week ago.  Event hosts include Ross Bleckner, Martha Nelson, Andre Balazs, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Bob Colacello, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Gillian Hearst-Shaw and Alex von Furstenberg. Guests enjoyed the musical talent of guest DJ Paul Sevigny.  There were hors d’oeuvres and a barbecue, with cocktails provided by Skyy Vodka.

Scott Cooke, Marshall Heyman, and Meredith

Joanne Lee, B. Inthavong, Sandra Balentine, and Todd Black

Cygalle Dias and Richard Rubenstein

Elliot Coakley, Josh Fink, Adam Cohen, Max Falkenstein, and David Fink

Robbie Browne, Kevin Wells, and Marv Hanaker

Philip Letts and Neo Ornelas

Jenny Lenz, Richard Rubenstein, and Dolly Lenz

Sam Shahid and Calvin Klein

Gillian Hearst-Shaw and Christian Simons

Beth Rudin DeWoody and Joanne Cassullo

Dr. Mark Warfel and Ellie May

Tatiana and Campion Platt

Michelle Hellman, Ashley Middleton, Brock Kahn, and Jenna Kahn

Elliot Coakley and Ashley Middleton

David, Sadie, and Samantha Yanks

Dan Ragone and Douglas Friedman

Jay McInerney and Jay Snyder

Amanda Hearst

Ross Bleckner and Debbie Bancroft

Paul Sevigny and Foss

Ross Bleckner

A pre-screening celebration was held a week ago this past Friday at Australian UN Ambassador, Robert Hill’s Beekman Place home to toast the premiere of Geoffrey Wright’s new screen adaptation of Macbeth, which opened Friday evening to a sold out house at the Quad Cinemas and media raves. The New York Times: “[Macbeth is] thrilling…inventive;”  Entertainment Weekly called the film “a sexy, bloody gangland showdown.”  On hand was producer Martin Fabinyi, Arclight founder Victor Syrmis, actors Victoria Hill (who also shares screenwriting credit), Lachy Hulme and Jonny Pasvolsky. Also in attendance were Diana Hill, John McNee (Canadian UN Ambassador) and Mrs. Susan McNee, Heewon Choi (Korean UN Ambassador), Lilian and Paulo Vernon, Barry and Ginger Fitzpatrick (Chair of the Adelaide Festival), Harry Lennix, Dr. John Hall and Meg MacDonald, Fran Philip, Dr. Karen Burke and Nicole Lobergieger.

Actor Lachy Hulme, actor Jonny Pasvolsky, Archlight's founder Victor Syrmis, co-writer and Lady MacBeth Victoria Hill and MacBeth producer Martin Fabriniy.

A Q & A followed the 7:30 screening, winding up with an after party at Village on 9th Street between 5th and 6th.  The mood was high with the feeling that filmmaker Geoffrey Wright, who turned Russell Crowe into a star 15 years ago with Romper Stomper, seems to have done it again with Macbeth; the absence of the film’s lead, Sam Worthington, was due to the fact that he is now in full production as the star of the new James Cameron film Avatar.  Wright’s stars, like his films, come from "down under" and quickly rise to the top.

Ginger and Barry Fitzpatrick

Jonny Pasvolsky, Lachy Hulme, and Harry Lennix

Don and Kate Rigg with John and Susan McNee

Gary Sweet and Victor Syrmis

Lee and Vernon Donald

Diana Hill and Fan Phillip

Victoria Hill and her mother Diana Hill

Photographs by Jonathan Dubuque	Click here for NYSD Contents