THE PLAZA OF THE high-rise formerly known as the IBM Building was jam-packed at John Buck’s 19th Annual Spring Fling, a giant fundraiser with different recipients each year. Some highlights:
Business is booming. “You know things are good when this event is so crowded. It means John has a lot of friends to leverage this year,” quipped Avi Lothan, principal at De Stefano + Partners.
Really booming. “They get bigger every year, but this is the biggest one yet,” said Greg Merdinger, principal at John Buck. Total attendance was 2,400, up from about 200 the first time they did it. The $735,000 raised that night went to 20 organizations.
You gotta network: “This is the place to see and be seen. It’s the prom of the real estate industry,” said Paul Giannopulos, assistant vice president at Cresa Partners.
How to get clients: “We chase new work. The trick is to focus on the client rather than the sale,” said Megan Goggin, new business coordinator for Walsh Construction. It can’t hurt that she and her colleague, Kathleen Streen, happen to be drop-dead gorgeous.
