United Way raises $385,000 at fundraiser honoring CREW NJ
Fiserv Innovation Center at The Park and Samsung at Linden Logistics Center were this year’s winners of United Way of Northern New Jersey’s 2023 Impact Award, which honors commercial real estate projects with the greatest positive impact.
The winners were announced June 2 during the 23rd annual Legacy Event. Hosted by the United Way Commercial Real Estate Network, the fundraiser was attended by nearly 500 leading commercial real estate industry professionals and featured a keynote address by CEO and President of the National Minority Supplier Development Council Ying McGuire.
CREW NJ, an organization for professional women in commercial real estate, was also honored at the event as the recipient of the United Way Spirit of Philanthropy Award. The award honors an individual or group from the commercial real estate industry whose actions reflect the values of United Way. Throughout its 40-year history, CREW NJ has fundraised for hundreds of charities and worked to address food insecurity, financial instability and domestic violence.
The event, which raised $385,000, was focused on improving life for ALICE. The acronym, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, represents the essential workers who struggle to afford the basics. Since 2000, the commercial real estate industry has helped to raise more than $4 million for United Way.
“United Way is thankful for this industry’s enduring support and partnership in helping put ALICE individuals and families on a path to financial stability,” said United Way Senior Vice President for Resource Development George Xuereb. “In addition, we congratulate this year’s winners for their positive impact within our communities.”
The Fiserv Innovation Center at The Park team received the Commercial Impact Award for new office and research space in Berkeley Heights — among the state’s largest recent office leases — which will serve as a regional hub for 3,000 Fiserv employees.
The winning team includes The Connell Company; Fiserv Inc.; Cushman & Wakefield; GS Ferguson Group; Mancini Duffy; Ted Moudis Associates; Robert Derector Associates; Structure Tone; Husch Blackwell; AFD Contract Furniture, Inc.; WB Wood; Steelcase; Haworth; F&G Mechanical; Star-Lo Electric, Inc.; BT Flooring Solutions; Corporate Woodworking; and Paul Rabinowitz Glass Company.
The four other finalists for the Commercial Impact Award were AT&T in Bedminster, Avis Budget Group & Gilead Sciences at LATITUDE, Lord Abbett and PTC Therapeutics.
The Samsung at Linden Logistics Center team received the Industrial Impact Award for securing electronics giant Samsung to the state’s largest industrial park under development. The lease, one of the biggest recent transactions, is central to the transformation of a long-vacant site.
The winning team includes Advance Realty Investors; Greek Development; PGIM; Samsung Electronics America, Inc.; CBRE; JLL; Colliers Engineering & Design; Lewis Roca; Goldfarb & Fleece LLP; and Langan.
Two other finalists for the Industrial Impact Award were 100 Frontage Road and Monroe 8A Logistics Center.
The event was made possible by a total of 37 sponsors, including Gold Sponsors Alston Construction, Turner Construction Company and Vision Real Estate Partners.
For more information about the United Way Commercial Real Estate Network or to support its mission, email George.Xuereb@UnitedWayNNJ.org or call 973.993.1160, x117.