Connie Milstein

Archive for the ‘Connie Milstein’ Category

Blue Star Families – of which Connie Milstein is on the Board of Directors – is all about helping and supporting military families.  Just last week, there was yet another story of how Reyna Reyna (chapter director of Southern California’s BSF) saw this in practice.  When she asked localities to help her send care packages to deployed Marines in Afghanistan, the response was overwhelming; no one sat back silently.  Indeed, it was a group of grandmothers who organized an assembly in Saint Catherine’s Church, Temecula, to get out their mixing bowls and flour and start baking!  At the end of the project, there were over 200 dozen freshly baked cookies ready for the marines in Afghanistan.
“This is exactly what Blue Star Families is all about,” said Reyna. Indeed, Connie Milstein and the BSF work hard to literally get “hands-on” to support the military and their families.

In an unprecedented move, Blue Star Families – the organization that supports military families – is seeking to assemble a Blue Star Family Cookbook.  The goal of the project is to “celebrate” the lives of military families while easing the soldiers’ “transitions away from home.”  Included in the book will be recipes as well as articles addressing specific entertaining and cooking needs while trying to “support [the soldiers] while they’re making sacrifices and adjusting” to military life.
Connie Milstein is a member of the Board of Directors of Blue Star Families.

Susan Sher, Ted Greenberg, Connie Milstein

For the past 13 years, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts recognizes excellence in humor and presents The Mark Twain Award to the one performer who has contributed the most to the art form in the previous year.

Last year’s event took place on Tuesday, November 9th, awarding the coveted prize to Tina Fey, a comedienne who has appeared in several comedies on the big screen, appeared on Saturday Night Live, and got her start at the Second City Improv Group in Chicago.

On hand for the festivities at the Kennedy Center, which included a pre-show dinner and a post-show reception, were fellow comedians Steve Martin, Tracy Morgan, and Betty White. Connie Milstein, as a patron of the Kennedy Center, was also there, along with Ted Greenberg and Susan Sher, as pictured.

All proceeds from the event, which was also taped for television broadcasting on PBS nationwide, will be used to support programs at the Kennedy Center, including performances and outreach.

Back in 2007, Connie Milstein was one of several recipients of the prestigious Urban Visionary Award of The Cooper Union. The 5th annual award ceremony took place on the 52nd story of Number Seven World Trade Center.

Connie Milstein was presented with the award for Urban Citizenship. See the photo for other awardees.

The awardees were Constance Milstein for Urban Citizenship, Santiago Calatrava for Architecture (his son Gabriel Calatrava accepting), Jennifer Lee (AR'97) for Emerging Talent, Craig Nevill-Manning for Engineering and Kara Walker for Visual Art.

In early December hundreds of guests gathered together at the Newseum to salute the scientific work of CURE. They also came to increase awareness and to give honor to Tammy Haddad as the recipient of the 2010 Friend of CURE Award.

Susan Axelrod is the Chairwoman and founder of CURE, Citizens United For Research in Epilepsy. Together with Connie Milstein, long-time CURE supporter, they co-hosted the event.

Gordon Brown

Last Saturday night was a big night in Washington, D.C. for former Prime Minister of England, Gordon Brown. Following the path of many, Brown has written a book and is now touring the globe promoting it.

On hand to help Brown, welcome him to the U.S. and honor him was Connie Milstein, owner of the Jefferson Hotel, where Connie hosted a fabulous party. Co-hosting along with Ms. Milstein was her husband J.C. de La Haye St. Hilaire, and friends Ted Greenberg and Tammy Haddad.

On hand to greet Brown were many top politicians, global financial leaders and media personalities, including  David and Susan Axelrod, Austan and Robin Goolsbee, Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley, Bill Burton and Laura Burton Capps, Stephanie Cutter, Bruce Reed, Eric Lesser and Katie McCormick Lelyveld.

Tina Fey, the successful actress, screen writer and producer, was honored this week with the 13^th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. She is the third woman to receive this award, following Whoopi Goldberg and Lily Tomlin. Special guests at the event included David Axelrod, Susan Sher, Connie Milstein and Austan and Robin Goolsbee.

While receiving the award, Fey expressed her gratitude to the former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. She explained that her success must come partially from her amazing impression of Palin that people are so very familiar with.

In 2008, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital held its annual black-tie gala in support of Emergency Medicine departments. The legendary Stevie Nicks performed at the end of the evening. The event raised almost $3 million for the hospitals.

The gala honored the doctors, nurses and staff at the Emergency Medicine departments that offer outstanding care for more than 230,000 patients every year. Dr. Neal Flomenbaum of NYP-Weill Cornell and James Giglio of NYP-Columbia were both recognized. Philanthropists, business people and celebrities such as Jane Och, Connie Milstein and Christy Mack attended this event.

As a trustee and alumnus of New York University, Connie Milstein has been involved in much of the innovative educational programming developed in the School of Arts and Science. For instance, freshmen participate in the Collegiate Seminar Program, launched by Connie Milstein in 2007. This program offers seminars for freshmen and provides mentors for the new students who will guide them throughout their years at NYU.

The Constance Milstein and Family Academic Center is a branch of NYU in Washington, D.C. Connie Milstein envisioned this center as the ‘home away from home’ for NYU students wishing to come in contact with the intellectual, political and cultural pulse of our nation’s capital.

NYU is continuously searching for ways to improve the education they offer and stimulate the students in their schools. With help and support from Connie Milstein, NYU continues to provide the excellent educational model for which they are so well admired.

This is an illustration of the NYU Constance Milstein and Family Academic Center. The building is 12 stories high, and has 75,000 square feet of space. The building will feature meeting spaces and offices, seminar rooms, a lobby and student lounge, as well as a 200-seat auditorium. The upper floors will be dormitories and visitor’s apartments. It will be built in Northwest Washington, mere blocks away from the World Bank, the White House, the Smithsonian and the cultural sites on 14^th Street.  The groundbreaking took place this past September, and the Academic Center is expected to open its doors in September of 2012.