Paul LeClerc, the Leon Levy Foundation to Be Honored at Pillar of New York Gala

ALBANY, NY (10/25/2011)(readMedia)-- The Preservation League of New York State will present its most prestigious commendation, the Pillar of New York Award, to two honorees at the 2011 Pillar of New York Awards gala at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City.

Since 1992 the Preservation League has presented its Pillar of New York Award to individuals and organizations whose work in the field of historic preservation makes them role models for others throughout the state and nation.

Paul LeClerc, President Emeritus of the New York Public Library, will be honored for his leadership of this and other significant institutions, guided by his belief that education and access to information are at the center of human empowerment and are essential to the development of human capital.

The Leon Levy Foundation, along with its trustees Shelby White and Elizabeth Moynihan, will be celebrated for the Foundation's peerless support of the study of arts and humanities; promotion of understanding of the ancient world; preservation of nature and gardens; and public policy efforts to ensure continued support for all of the above.

Each year the League presents The Pillar of New York Award to those who have demonstrated a keen understanding of the value of New York's historic resources by taking extraordinary actions to protect, preserve, and promote those assets. Tickets for the black tie gala start at $600 for individuals, and tables of 10 are available starting at $10,000. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Preservation League at 518-462-5658 x19.

"Sustaining Leon Levy's passion and vision through philanthropic support and preservation of New York's most treasured organizations, the Leon Levy Foundation demonstrates that the principle of 'preservation' lies at the heart of that giving,"said Arete Swartz Warren, Chair of the Preservation League. "Guided by trustees Shelby White and Elizabeth B. Moynihan, the Foundation has established its own legacy of innovative giving. In less than a decade, the Leon Levy Foundation has become an important, influential and innovative Pillar of New York philanthropy, and it is the Preservation League's distinct pleasure to recognize it as such."

The League will also honor Paul LeClerc, President Emeritus of the New York Public Library. "With diligence and a quest for excellence, Dr. LeClerc has overseen the stewardship of The New York Public Library's many buildings, including the restoration of the monumental façade of the main library," said Jay DiLorenzo, president of the Preservation League. "Throughout a life of service, he has been guided by the belief that education and access to information are at the center of human empowerment and are essential to the development of human capital. His commitment to this belief, manifest throughout his career, has enriched the lives of countless New Yorkers, and we are delighted to honor his as a Pillar of New York."

Past honorees of the League's Pillar of New York Award include Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP of New York City; Matthew Bender IV of Albany; the Pell Family for their leadership in the preservation of Fort Ticonderoga and its surroundings; the Pratt Family for the founding and preservation of the Pratt Institute Campus; Tiffany & Co. and The Tiffany & Co Foundation; preservation advocates Connie and David Clapp; Phyllis Lambert, the film Citizen Lambert: Joan of Architecture, and its director, Teri Wehn Damisch; David Beer and Brennan Beer Gorman / Architects and Brennan Beer Gorman Monk / Interiors; Cook + Fox Architects; Southampton Town Councilman Dennis Suskind; Governor George E. Pataki; developer Frank J. Sciame; Ronald Lauder; the Honorable James R. Houghton; Mrs. Vincent Astor; Peggy and David Rockefeller; architect Hugh Hardy; and Jane Forbes Clark. The League has also previously honored William S. Beinecke, Chairman and Director of the Prospect Hill Foundation; Friends of Hudson; Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries; LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust and the Mertz Gilmore Foundation; Chubb Corporation; Cablevision Systems; and the Hilton Hotel Corporation.

The Preservation League of New York State – New York's only statewide historic preservation organization – is dedicated to promoting historic preservation as a tool to revitalize our neighborhoods, honor our heritage, and enrich our lives. As the State's preservation leader, the League seeks to recognize and applaud individuals, organizations and businesses which understand the value of our historic resources and have taken extraordinary actions to protect, preserve and promote those assets.