New
York Police and Fire Widows’
and Children’s Benefit Fund
Chairman Daniel J. “Rusty”
Staub, and
Stephen J. Dannhauser,
Chairman of
Weil,
Gotshal & Manges LLP
and President and CEO of the
Fund, announced today they
will honor
Charles A.
Davis, CEO of
global private equity firm
Stone Point Capital LLC, and
Mark Messier, six-time
Stanley Cup Champion and NHL
Hall of Fame member, at the
organization’s 23rd Annual
Benefit Gala on
Tuesday, September 23rd
at the New York Hilton Grand
Ballroom.
Philip
V. Moyles, Jr.,
Senior Advisor at Stone
Point Capital LLC is Chair
for the black-tie optional
event.
This year’s gala features a
live auction with NY 1 News
Society Reporter George
Whipple as auctioneer. Among
the items to be bid on are
an Ireland Castle vacation
package, a private island
Bahamas Vacation (including
fishing trip and dinner with
Mark Messier), and four
seats to the last game at
Shea Stadium, which will
honor 45 former Mets players
and managers and mark the
closing of the Stadium.
The evening will also pay
tribute to the legacy of
Benefit Fund co-founder J.
Patrick "Paddy" Burns, who
passed away earlier this
year. The first J. Patrick
"Paddy" Burns award
recipient will be Harrison
Ford, in recognition of his
contribution and
participation in the
organization’s premier
Public Service Announcement
"The Call," which received a
Telly Award this year.
“The board and families of
the Benefit Fund are deeply
grateful for the active
support that Charles and
Mark have shown. Thanks to
their involvement, we have
already exceeded prior
years’ fundraising efforts,
even despite the tough
economy," said Rusty Staub.
“It's been a privilege
working with Charles and
Mark, both respectable
leaders in their careers and
communities. Their stalwart
dedication is inspiring, and
sets an important example of
giving back and honoring our
most respected heroes,” said
Stephen Dannhauser.
Charles Davis joined
Greenwich-based Stone Point
Capital, a global private
equity firm, in 1998 and has
served as Chief Executive
Officer for eight years.
Previously, he was with
Goldman, Sachs & Co. for 23
years, where he served as
head of Investment Banking
Services worldwide, co-head
of the Americas Group, head
of the Financial Services
Industry Group, member of
the International Executive
Committee and General
Partner. Davis serves as a director of AXIS Capital
Holdings Limited, Lockton
International Holdings
Limited and Wilton Re
Holdings Limited, and a
former director of several
portfolio companies
including Sedgwick CMS
Holdings, Inc. and Vertafore,
Inc. (f/k/a AMS Services,
Inc.). He is also a director
of Media General, Inc.,
Merchants Bancshares, Inc.,
Progressive Corporation and
The Hershey Company. Davis’ charitable contributions include active
involvement with the Charles
& Marna Davis Foundation and
Stone Point Capital
Foundation.
Mark Messier,
widely
considered among the
greatest hockey players and
greatest sports leaders of
all time, spent more than
a quarter of a century in
the NHL (1979-2004)
with the
Edmonton Oilers,
New York Rangers, and
Vancouver Canucks. He
won five Stanley Cups with
the Oilers and one with the
Rangers, and is the only
professional athlete to
captain two different teams
to championships. In 2007,
he was inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame.
Since his retirement in
January 2006, Messier has
been actively involved with
several charitable causes,
including the Tomorrow's
Children Fund, which named
Messier the 1996
"Humanitarian of the Year,"
and Hackensack University Medical Center, which unveiled the “Mark Messier
Skyway for Tomorrow's
Children” in 2006.
Cocktail Reception begins at
6:00 p.m., with dinner and
program at 7:30 p.m.
Individual tickets begin at
$750.
For sponsorship/ticket
information, contact
Linda Giammona,
212-735-4505
linda.giammona@answerthecall.org.
Press must contact Rhonda
Walker, 212-843-8338/rwalker@rubenstein.com
regarding photo
opportunities/attendance.
Since its
inception in 1985 by
Rusty Staub,
the New York Police
and Fire Widows’ and
Children’s Benefit Fund (www.answerthecall.org)
has distributed
approximately $114 million
to the families of New York
City Police and Fire
personnel who have been
killed in the line of duty.
Starting in 1987, the
Benefit Fund provided 320
families with annual
financial assistance; now,
the commitment has grown to
nearly 700 families.
Immediately after the death
of a First Responder, the
Benefit Fund delivers the
family a check to help them
through the uncertain times
such a tragedy can bring.
After the initial crisis,
the Benefit Fund provides
each family with financial
support and a network of
friends ready to lend a
hand. Though the Benefit
Fund was initially created
to assist families of New
York City Fire Fighters and
Police Officers, it now
includes the families of
Emergency Medical Services
and Port Authority Police as
well.