Queens Museum Of Art To Honor 3 At Gala

Two of the honorees: Congressmember Crowley and Thomas Chen.

On May 30, the Queens Museum of Art presents a gala celebration honoring three remarkable leaders in the Queens community: Congressmember Joseph Crowley, Thomas Chen, president of Crystal Window and Door Systems, Ltd. and Peter M. Meyer, Commerce Bank senior vice president, market manager, Brooklyn and Queens. This year's event will feature cocktails over the Panorama and a silent auction of rare 1939 and 1964 World's Fair memorabilia, including an original edition 1939 World's Fair poster. A performance by the Forest Hills Chamber Players will follow, in addition to a live auction of photographs by artist Andrew Moore and remarks from key elected officials and the honorees. A dinner will also be served.

This year's gala will also be a celebration of new programming initiatives at the Museum and the implementation of a major expansion of the QMA facility. The Queens Museum reports record attendance and enhanced ongoing programs and events this past year; additionally, the museum provided free programs to the public and to visitors to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The Education and Outreach programs welcomed tens of thousands of school children to the Museum as well, all the while maintaining the QMA as a vibrant public space and a source of pride for New York City and, most of all, the residents of Queens.

The Honorees: Congressmember Joseph Crowley was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 1998 to represent The Bronx- and Queens-based Seventh Congressional District. In his nine years in Congress, Crowley has used his seat at the leadership table to promote sound policies to improve public education, make health care more affordable and protect Social Security for working families in The Bronx and Queens. Crowley has also advocated for the most diverse community in the United States as a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. On October 2001, Crowley authored the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor Act which was passed by both the House and the Senate. In recently passed legislation, Crowley's efforts also led to the creation of the High Threat Urban Area Account Program, now re-named the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), an initiative that has provided more than $400 million to make New York a safer city.

After arriving in New York City in 1982 with no knowledge of English, Thomas Chen started his own business in 1985, manufacturing and installing window guards and gates. In 1990, Chen formed Crystal Window & Door Systems. The company has grown exponentially and is now one of the top 60 window manufacturers in North America, with annual sales exceeding $60 million. As an employer, Chen is committed to the people of the community, hiring local workers whenever possible. He is also supportive of local merchant groups and business chambers of commerce, providing a prominent and strong role model for the community. Chen was recently recognized by Crain's New York Commerce Business magazine as one of the "100 Most Powerful Minority Business Leaders". He has also been recognized as Ernst & Young's "NYC Region Entrepreneur of the Year" Award and also one of the Asian American Business Development Center's "50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business".

Peter M. Meyer is a senior vice president and market manager for Commerce Bank's Brooklyn and Queens market. He is responsible for commercial and consumer lending and oversees retail branch operations in this market. Meyer joined Commerce in 2002 to execute the bank's aggressive expansion into the Brooklyn/Queens market, which currently features 19 convenient locations throughout both boroughs. He has been instrumental in shaping loan programs and products for healthcare and nonprofit organizations, thereby providing greater access to capital for organizations delivering essential services to and civic organizations over the years, and is currently a board member of the Brooklyn Chamber of York College and the Queens Museum of Art.

Single tickets for the gala are $300 and tables of 10 start at $3,000. Tickets are available by contacting 718-592-9700, ext. 142. Trolley transportation will be available to and from the No. 7 Willets Point/Shea Stadium train station.

The Queens Museum of Art's 2007 gala is supported in part by Commerce Bank, Crystal Window and Door Systems, Ltd., Brooklyn Brewery, the New York Mets, the museum's board of directors and the gala committee.

The Queens Museum of Art was established in 1972 to provide a vital cultural center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for the borough's unique, international population. Today it is home to the Panorama of the City of New York, a 9,335-square-foot scale model of the five boroughs, and features temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art that reflect the cultural diversity of Queens, as well as a collection of Tiffany glass from the Neustadt Museum of Tiffany Art. The museum provides valuable educational outreach through a number of programs geared toward schoolchildren, teens, families, seniors and individuals with physical and mental disabilities.

The Museum's hours are: Wednesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: noon 5 p.m. Admission to the museum is by suggested donation: $5 for adults, $2.50 for seniors, students and children, and free for members and children under 5. For general visitor information, visit www.queensmuseum.org or call 718-592-9700.