#NIGHTLIGHT @ThePlazaHotel Monday, November 15, 2021 #ParisPeachy #FrancePeachy #CharitablePeachy @FIAF Marie-Monique Steckel, President of FIAF, Novelist Marc Levy and Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman of Saint-Gobain Honored
President of FIAF Marie-Monique Steckel, Barbara Tober and Maud Cabot
Barbara Tober and Marie Nugent-Head
Jill Newhouse and Betty Eveillard
Miriem and Khaled Khiari
Joe Kroening and Contessa Brewer
Jean-Yves Vesseau, Andria Spring, Kate Higgins and Benoit Brisset
John and Isabelle Bosquet-Morra
Maud Cabot
Our friends Donna and Richard Soloway; we raised a glass to the late great Rod Gilbert
We were delighted to meet nouveaux amis aussi including Vojin Mitic with Lazard:Jean-Yves Vesseau and Andria Spring
To translate this entire article en francais: go to top right above Klear and hit "translate"
Oooooh we just LOVE The Plaza Hotel and we always have! Earlier in our history we reviewed every Eloise book in print and bien sur mes amies she lives at The Plaza AND she speaks French-you know that if you read the books. We most often go to The Plaza to visit Edward-don't miss all 15 episodes of our series Hair Now. Since 2014, we have been honored to work exclusively with Mover and Shaker Edward Tricomi, Official Hairstylist of Whom You Know, and earlier in the day yesterday he hosted a Masterclass at his second floor salon we told you about here. But when the sun went down, The Plaza lit up with all things French and we were delighted to attend the FIAF Gala for the first time-merci Sara. French is the second language of Whom You Know because you know who took it in school after knowing many French Canadian Hockey players (you should read and buy Andre Lacroix's book!)
Previously on Whom You Know, we published on the auction related to this event:
Support FIAF and celebrate the very best of French culture in New York at FIAF’s annual black-tie benefit at The Plaza.
Novelist Marc Levy and Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman of Saint-Gobain, will be honored at the gala this year, and a special award will be presented to Marie-Monique Steckel, President of FIAF.
This annual gala raises funds to support FIAF’s mission to teach French, promote Francophone culture, and strengthen the relationship between French and American peoples.
The Trophée des Arts award, established in 1992, recognizes a distinguished artist or cultural icon who exemplifies our organization’s mission of French American friendship and cross-cultural exchange.
The Pilier d’Or award, established in 2006, recognizes a leading business figure, diplomat, or philanthropist for outstanding contributions to the French-American community.
Marc Levy
Trophée des Arts
Marc Levy is the most read French author alive today, having sold more than 52 million books around the world. He has written more than 22 novels that have been translated into more than 49 languages. All of them have hit best-sellers lists.
Recently, Marc became Ambassador for the French Red Cross.
Marc Levy was born in France. When he turned eighteen, he joined the Red Cross, where he spent the next six years. In 1983, he co-founded a computer graphics company based in France and the United States. Six years later, he co-founded an interior design and planning company with two friends; the company soon became one of the leading architecture firms in France.
His first novel, If Only It Were True, written when he was 37, was adapted into the movie Just Like Heaven, produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Reese Witherspoon and Marc Ruffalo.
A prolific writer, Marc has also written short stories, song lyrics for various artists, including the late French superstar Johnny Hallyday, and has recently released his first graphic novel.
Marc feels himself a New Yorker after 12 years in the city. New York’s diverse population and landscape have been the stage of many of his novels and a source of inspiration for many of his works.
The Trophée des Arts, established in 1992, recognizes a distinguished artist or cultural icon who exemplifies our organization’s mission of French-American friendship and cross-cultural exchange.
Pierre-André de Chalendar
Pilier d'Or
Pierre-André de Chalendar is Chairman of Saint-Gobain, which designs, manufactures, and distributes materials and solutions for the construction, mobility, healthcare, and other industrial application markets.
Pierre-André de Chalendar joined Saint-Gobain in 1989 as Vice-President, Corporate Planning. He led Saint-Gobain as its Chief Executive Officer from 2007 to June 2021 and has been Chairman of its Board of Directors since 2010.
Under Pierre-André de Chalendar’s leadership, Saint-Gobain has become a leading player of global and sustainable construction with more than 170,000 employees worldwide. Taking up the environmental challenge, Pierre-André de Chalendar has tirelessly promoted sustainability and fought against climate change.
He is the author of The Urban Challenge: Reviving the Desire to Live in the City (Odile Jacob).
Pierre-André de Chalendar is also Director at BNP Paribas and at Veolia. He is Vice-President of Entreprises pour l’Environnement, which he chaired from 2012 to 2015 and was appointed in 2017 as co-president of La Fabrique de l’Industrie. He is also Chairman of ESSEC Business School's Supervisory Board.
The Pilier d’Or Award, established in 2006, recognizes a leading business figure, diplomat, or philanthropist figure for outstanding contributions to the French-American community.
Marie-Monique Steckel
Special Award
Marie-Monique Steckel, with dedication and enthusiasm, has been President of the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF) since 2004. She has led this venerable non-profit organization through an expansive revitalization of its facilities and cultural and educational programming.
Her FIAF accomplishments are many, including:
- a $24 million renovation of FIAF’s beloved Beaux-Arts building in the heart of Manhattan; and an extensive renovation of FIAF’s Florence Gould Hall;
- FIAF has modernized its classrooms with smart boards and online technology for hybrid French classes. The language center has been expanded with a pre-school and a satellite location in Montclair, NJ;
- FIAF is now the premiere center of French cultural programming in New York; its Florence Gould Hall, Skyroom and Gallery have become cultural destinations.
Marie-Monique has dedicated herself to being a bridge between France and the United States, as her career clearly indicates: she founded the French Industrial Development Agency (now Invest in France); she founded and was for 20 years the President of France Telecom North America; and before joining FIAF, she served as senior advisor to Ronald Lauder on European matters. And in France, she worked as Director of Communications for the then newly formed political party RPR, with Jacques Chirac.
Marie-Monique has been awarded Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, and Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Dinner Chairs
ARDIAN
Samantha & Nabil Chartouni
Clo & Charles S. Cohen
Betty & Jean-Marie Eveillard
LVMH
Clémence & William von Mueffling
Benefit Committee
As of October, 20, 2021
Homaira Akbari
Martine, Prosper & Alexandre Assouline
BNP Paribas
Jacques Bouhet
James G. Brooks, Jr. & Yann Coatanlem
Veronica Bulgari & Stephan Haimo
Anne Busquet
BVLGARI
CHANEL
Alexandre Chemla/ ALTOUR
Hélène Comfort
Nastassja Balick Coppers & Anthony Coppers
Crédit Agricole CIB
Cécile David-Weill
Philippe Delgrange
Mary Ann Fribourg
Véronique Gabai
Michèle Gerber Klein
Francis Greenburger & Isabelle Autones
Fabrice Grinda
Paten Hughes
Charles de Ladermelle
Jeanne & Alexandre Leviant
L’Oréal USA
Louis Vuitton
Anne & Alain Louvel
Christine & Patrice Louvet
Ketty & François Maisonrouge
Elizabeth & Jacques Manardo
Mines Family/WB Wood
Eric Mourlot
Marie Nugent-Head Marlas & James C. Marlas
Pernod Ricard USA
Béatrice Philippe & Zoltan Hankovszky
Marie-Noëlle & John Pierce
Robert de Rothschild
Laurence & Philippe Roux
- The École Benefactors
Nicole Salmasi
Monique & Robert Schweich
Dr. Michael S. Siegal & Nomi P. Ghez
Amelia & Mortimer Singer
Amy & David Sorkin
Adrian Steckel
Diala & Karim Tabet
The Estée Lauder Companies
Anthony V. Thompson
Tikehau Capital
Tocqueville Asset Management L.P.
Van Cleef & Arpels
Mailys Vranken
Stanley Weisman
Elisabeth Wilmers
M. & Mme. Donald Zilkha
