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(West Palm Beach, FL, - The
Palm Beach Area chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society (LLS) celebrated its record breaking 25th Anniversary
of the Man & Woman of the Year fundraising campaign on
Friday, May 19th at the Hilton, West Palm Beach. The
campaign raised over $1.2 million for blood cancer
research, patient access and advocacy efforts. Tiffany
Kenney and Todd McDermott, co-anchors from Media Sponsor
WPBF-25 News, emceed the Grand Finalé which attracted
over 445 supporters who cheered on their favorite
candidates. The Grand Finalé marked the end of the
candidate’s 10 week fundraising campaigns which were
dedicated to LLS's vision of a world without blood
cancer.
The exciting group of 21 candidates who
were nominated based on their leadership excellence and
passion for community service, collectively raised funds
to save and improve the lives of individuals with blood
cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease
and myeloma. Alexander Basse, raised an astounding and
record breaking $321,000 and was named the Man of the
Year; Jessica Johnson raised another record breaking
$295,000 and was named Woman of the Year. The Man &
Woman of the Year Runners-Up were Anthony Guadagnino,
Fidelity Investments and Ali Goethel, Merrill Lynch. In
addition, Jonathan Duerr, Fite Group, Luxury Homes, ran
as the Palm Beach Area’s first male ALL STAR Candidate,
raising over $87,000. The ALL STAR candidates compete
nationally for the coveted ALL STAR title.
Below is the list of the Palm Beach Area
candidates, several of whom have been touched by blood
cancer, who worked with great innovation and dedication
to raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
2017 CANDIDATES FOR PALM BEACH MAN &
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Alexander Basse, WHM,
LLC
Tracey Benson, Tracey
Benson Photography
Arthur Bernstein, Richard
S. Bernstein & Associates
Ali Goethel, Merrill
Lynch
Alec Ceravolo, Twinsopinion.com
Vanesa Espitia, Northwestern
Mutual
Robert Gimson, Goldman
Sachs
Anthony Guadagnino, Fidelity
Investments
Michelle Hall, Engel
& Volkers
Suzanne Holmes, TD
Wealth
Jessica Johnson, FPL
Energy Services
Melanie Rose Kalmin, Specialized
Healthcare Partners
Brett Leone, iPlan
& Design, LLC
Seth Mansfield, Sutter
& Nugent
Mary Beth Martinsen, LENSAR,
Inc.
Holly Meyer Lucas, The
Meyer Lucas Group
Jodi Thompson, Modernizing
Medicine, Inc.
Orli Zimmerman, Zimmerman
Tree Service
Maxim Zoete, Northwestern
Mutual
ALL STAR, Jonathan Duerr, Fite
Group, Luxury Homes
Florida Cancer Specialists, Honorary
Candidate Team
"We are so proud to have had these
amazingly talented leaders raise funds to champion our
cause," said Pamela Payne, LLS Executive Director. "We
applaud all of their efforts to help pave the way for
new and improved therapies that will benefit generations
to come."
During the ten-week fundraising period
beginning with the kickoff celebration, the candidates
were judged solely on their success in generating funds
to advance the mission of LLS. Every dollar raised
counts as one “vote.” The candidates compete in honor of
LLS’s Boy & Girl of the Year, local children who are
leukemia survivors and sources of inspiration to others.
Eleven year old Beckett and five year old Veta were
honored this year.
Sponsors of the 2017 Palm Beach Area Man
& Woman of the Year Grand Finalé included Florida Cancer
Specialists, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Northwestern Mutual,
Barnhart, Raymond James, WPBF 25 News, Jupiter Magazine,
Boca Life Magazine and The Palm Beacher Magazine.
All proceeds from Man & Woman of the Year will benefit
the LLS mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s
disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of
patients and their families. While this event raises
funds for lifesaving blood cancer research, it will also
help support our local patients and their families by
providing critically-needed financial aid.
For more information, please contact Melissa Mulvihill,
Campaign Director, at 561.616.8682 or melissa.mulvihill@lls.org. |