The March of Dimes Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Awards Committee presented James G. Petrucci, Founder and President, J.G. Petrucci Co., Inc., with the Individual of the Year award at the 2007 March of Dimes Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Award Breakfast today at the Best Western Hotel & Conference Center, Bethlehem, Rt. 512 & 22. The Project of the Year award was presented to Integrated Health Campus (IHC) located at 250 Cetronia Rd, Allentown, the largest non-hospital-owned medical facility in the Eastern United States and in the Lehigh Valley. Today’s breakfast raised $78,075 for the March of Dimes.

This annual event is coordinated by Lehigh Valley real estate professionals to acknowledge an outstanding individual or company whose commercial and industrial real estate activities have significantly enhanced the local community. The recipient criteria requires that the individual be an achiever - a doer, a catalyst, a results-oriented person or firm; possess a vision - a dream of what they would achieve; has demonstrated a sense of commitment to give back to the community for the good things the community has given to the candidate; and must be a leader in promoting and enhancing the Commercial & Industrial real estate profession and finally, the recipient must be in the forefront in developing far-reaching economic opportunities in the Lehigh Valley.

During his acceptance speech at today’s event, the 2007 honoree, Jim Petrucci, demonstrated his community commitment by announcing a $10,000 donation from the Petrucci Family Foundation to the March of Dimes showing his support of their mission of improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Petrucci’s community involvement is also evident in his company’s sponsorship of two major charitable events annually. Crossing Borders recognizes achievement by women in Real Estate and Economic Development in support of Displaced Homemaker networks in NJ and PA. The Iron Hill Charity Golf Open raises significant funds for the LV Military Affairs Council and the NJ National Guard Family Program in support of local veterans, active duty personnel, reservists and their families.

Petrucci founded J. G. Petrucci Inc. (JGPCO) in 1987, just one year after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University. He has guided the company through 20 years of steady growth and a leadership position in the fields of Real Estate Development and Design Build Construction – in both NJ and PA. JGPCO has developed and built over six million square feet of commercial and industrial buildings. The c ompany owns and manages a portfolio of approximately two and a half million square feet of space and several hundred acres of land in three states.

Jim Gentile of North Star Construction Management, Inc. accepted the Project of the Year award for the Integrated Health Campus (IHC) which was developed, designed, and built by North Star Construction, Inc. and Polaris Properties, Inc. He praised the team effort that went into the completion of the uniquely designed 300,000 square foot, two-building campus that combines distinctive architectural design with leading comprehensive medical technology and wellness services. IHC features a state of the art ambulatory surgical center, human performance center, full diagnostic center, velocity center, and a sports performance training center. IHC’s primary tenant, Orthopedic Associates of Allentown, envisions the facility as a leader in delivering holistic patient care from diagnosis and treatment through lifetime wellness care.

“This event focuses on a shared objective of ensuring that every baby born has the healthiest start in life. As a mother it is a cause close to my heart,” says Shannon Coltrane-Schlosser, leasing representative for Liberty Property Trust and chair of the 2007 Committee. “But it is also important to be part of a committee comprised of other real estate professionals who have all made an investment in the Lehigh Valley and are dedicated to the community and its growth and success.”

The Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Awards committee was formed in 1993 by key real estate professionals in the Lehigh Valley, many of whom still serve. The real estate community was interested in doing an annual event that would benefit the community as well as bring commercial and industrial realtors together. Held annually at the former Holiday Inn, now Best Western, on Rt. 512, the event has grown from approximately 175 attendees to a sell-out crowd of 400 comprised of realtors, bankers, architects, construction management and others in the real estate community.

The first Awards ceremony was held in 1994 and honored the late Donald B. Stabler, former Chairman of Stabler Companies Inc. The Project of the Year award was added in 2002 and presented to PennDOT for the Route 33 Extension Project. Proceeds for the Awards Breakfast benefit the East Central PA Chapter of the March of Dimes. Over the past fourteen years, the Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Awards have raised more than $370,000 to ensure that every baby born has the healthiest start in life. KNBT is the Event Sponsor for the 2007 Awards Breakfast.

“KNBT is pleased to be the primary sponsor for the March of Dimes Commercial and Industrial Real Estate awards breakfast again this year,” says Scott Fainor, President & CEO of KNBT. “KNBT is committed to serving the needs of our community and we value our place as a partner in the Lehigh Valley. We annually support this event because it not only honors real estate professionals and quality real estate projects but raises funds that support the very important mission of the March of Dimes.”

This year’s Event Sponsor for the breakfast is KNBT. Gold Sponsors are Fitzpatrick, Lentz & Bubba, North Star Construction Management Inc., and American Bank.

Past March of Dimes honorees include: Luis P. Pektor III, Ashley Development Corporation, Robert A. Spillman, FAIA Senior Principal, Spillman Farmer Architects, Lee A. Butz, CEO of Alvin H. Butz, Inc., Dr. Robert Kopecek, retired President of Northampton Community College, Grover Stainbrook, retired Executive Vice President of LVIP, the late Walter Dealtrey of Service Tire Truck Centers, Duane Dunham of Bethlehem Steel, Michael Kaiser of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, Bill Hecht of PPL, the late William Rouse III of Liberty Property Trust, Jaindl Land Company, LVIP & its founders and the late Donald Stabler of Stabler Land Company.

Past project honorees include: Olympus America, Lehigh Valley Hospital – Muhlenberg Campus Expansion, Ashley Development for St. Luke’s Union Station, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for the Route 33 Extension Project and Liberty Property Trust/PPL for the PPL Plaza project.

2007 committee members: Deb Pollock, March of Dimes; Shannon Coltrane-Schlosser (Chair), Liberty Property Trust; James F. Duggan (Vice Chair), Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust; Lewis Behringer, Patt White Company Realtors; Robert P. Boehning, Arcadia Properties, LLC.; Bill Brooks, Keystone Nazareth Band & Trust; Tom Demshock, Fishburn Realty; Bud Hackett, Ondra-Huyett Associates, Inc.; Curt Hoyak, Albarell Electric, Inc.; Ann E. Kline, Markward Group; Margaret McConnell, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation; Roger Mellin, Charles Chrin Companies; Pete Reinke, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation; Philip M. Schenkel, Brandywine Realty Trust; Erich Schock, Fitzpatrick, Lentz, & Bubba; Tom Shaughnessy, J G Petrucci Co.; Frank T. Smith, Summit Management & Realty Co.; Peter Snik, Lafayette Ambassador Bank; Laura Laudone Weiss, Laudone & Associates; Justin Ryan, LVIP Inc.; Scott M. Theal, Penn Environmental & Remediation; and Mary Wilford-Hunt, Spillman Farmer Architects.

For more information about the March of Dimes or the Real Estate Award Breakfast, please contact Deb Pollock of the March of Dimes at 610.439.7420 or visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org for Spanish.