2018 Honoree: Irwin Siegel

Irwin Siegel has been affiliated with SEBCO Development, Inc. since 1979. In the early years, he was both SEBCO’s accountant and attorney. SEBCO grew from a small organization into a sophisticated development company responsible for the construction of more than 6,500 units of affordable housing. During Irwin’s involvement, SEBCO has gone on to form multiple related companies which now employ four hundred people and directly serve the community of the South Bronx. They provide shelter for the homeless, security to its tenants, social services to the community, and maintenance of the buildings. Irwin has represented many other community-based organizations throughout the New York City area focused on affordable housing and neighborhood outreach.

Irwin is the founding partner of Siegel & Reiner, LLP, a Manhattan law firm which has been in existence for nearly forty years. The focus of his practice is on real estate, entity transactions, counseling and income tax planning. The longevity of Irwin’s relationship with SEBCO, and the loyalty of his clients is a product of his practical legal advice, novel approach to problem-solving, accessibility, and his commitment to ensuring that his clients’ interests are best served.

Irwin graduated with a BBA from Lehigh University, a JD from the Boston University School of Law and an LLM in taxation from New York University. He is a member of the Bar of the State of New York and is a certified public accountant.

Along with his accomplishments at SEBCO, Irwin is most proud of his family: his wife Marcia of 44 years, his two children Erica and Richard, their spouses Michael and Dana, and especially his five grandsons, Matthew, Ryan, Nate, Jordan and Jake.

50th Anniversary Welcome Letter

Dear Friends and family of SEBCO:

I am honored to welcome each of you to SEBCO’s 50th Anniversary Gala and thank you for sharing this evening with the entire SEBCO family. I am grateful for all of you being a continued and important part of the history and legacy of SEBCO. Every year we come together to celebrate and honor our friends and partners for the continued support of our important mission in providing, safe, clean and affordable housing for the residents located right here in the Bronx.

This is a very special celebration for me, having spent my life dedicated to rebuilding the local community and now, its culmination in celebrating 50 years of continued success. This is no small accomplishment for a community based organization that was founded with the simple goal of helping the struggling residents during some of the darkest housing times of the City of New York. We are very proud of our history and the many years of dedication and hard work toward our goals. Our mission will continue to thrive and will live on in our staff and our company leadership for decades to come.

I never dreamed we would be here 50 years later when starting SEBCO in 1968 with a small group of 13 local activists and community organizers. I am very proud of the success of SEBCO and its many accomplishments including the rehabilitation of an entire neighborhood once deemed as the worst neighborhood in the America. None of which could have been achieved without the continued support of each of you, our partners/vendors, friends and employees. SEBCO’s mission, and our goal of rebuilding the blighted area of the South Bronx has spurred the desire and success of countless investors, builders, and syndicators to develop and build new homes and buildings within these neighborhoods. I am honored and humbled to be a part of the legacy that is the resurrected Bronx. SEBCO has been one of the main authors of this history through its 50 years of unrelenting work.

SEBCO remains eternally committed to continuing the work to build, rehabilitate, sustain affordability and modernize all of the properties in our portfolio. Our team of professionals continues to be the backbone of these efforts, which include the reinvestment of funds into our portfolio to ensure that SEBCO properties remain sustainable. We have great opportunities in the development of new affordable housing at locations within our immediate control. This is allowing for new senior citizen housing and services for other in need groups from around the City. I am happy to proclaim, our future is looking bright and we will keep building.

Tonight, we celebrate the work of someone who was by my side since the beginning of SEBCO, Mr. Irwin Siegel. His guidance, business acumen, honesty and loyalty have been unwavering and I am proud to call him one of my close friends. Irwin has been SEBCO’s counsel for over 40 years and has helped serve in all major capacities over his tenure with SEBCO. He is one of the main foundation blocks that has built this company, improved this neighborhood and embodies the dedication that has made SEBCO flourish for 50 years. Irwin will always be a part of the history of SEBCO and I am blessed to honor him tonight at our 50th Anniversary. I think I can speak for everyone at SEBCO and say, thank you Irwin.

Thank you all for attending this gala and I hope you enjoy this evening’s festivities.

Sincerely,

Father Louis R Gigante
Chairman

Prior Honorees 2017-1983

2018	SEBCO 50th Anniversary Gala
2017	Father Louis R. Gigante 85th Birthday Celebration
2016	A. Gary Aaronson, CPA PLLC
2015	Jason D. Boroff, Esq. Jason D. Boroff & Associates, PLLC
2014	Sister Thomas Collins, S.C. and Sister Jeanne Atkinson, S.C.
2013	Ronald and Rose Mary West, 4R DMS Pest Control Systems, Inc.
2012	Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan, Inc.
2011	Father Gigante’s 80th Birthday Celebration Employees of the SEBCO Companies
2010	Ruben Diaz, Jr. Bronx Borough President Robert S. Garcia, Chairman of Community Planning Board #2
2008	Employees of the SEBCO Companies
2007	FATHER LOUIS R. GIGANTE, Chairman Edward P. Eismann, PH.D., Founder and Clinical Director of Unitas Therapeutic Community, Inc.
2006	Peter Cantillo, Assistant Deputy General Manager, New York City Housing Authority Jose Velez, Community Activist
2005	Paul Lipson, Chief of Staff for Congressman Jose Serrano and Former Executive Director, The Point CDC and Ponce de Leon Federal Bank
2004	Milagros Lora and Serafin U. Mariel, New York National Bank Marta Rivera, Casita Maria Settlement House
2003	Employees of the SEBCO Companies
2002	Mike Jeffers, Property Resources Corp. Michael J. Gill, The Gill Wright Group Lytza R. Colon, Community Artist
2001	James Alston, Housing Management Consultant William R. Frey, The Enterprise Foundation, New York
2000	Det. Robert Butler, New York City Police Department Richard Sica, Chris Tsetsekas, and Steven Zervoudis, S & Z Construction
1999	Jorge Davila, Castro-Blanco Piscioneri & Associates Hippocrates P. Kourakos, Kourakos & Associates Robert Petraglia, Castro Blanco, Piscioneri & Associates Albert Quinones, 52 People for Progress, Inc.
1998	Felice Michetti, Grenadier Realty Corporation Msgr. William Smith, St. Athanasius Church Alan Weiner, American Property Financing, Inc.
1997	Andrea Eisner and John Robert, Community Board # 2, The Bronx
1996	Fernando Ferrer, Borough President of the Bronx Sister Thomas, S.C., Sisters of Charity
1993	Hon. Abraham Beame, Mayor of The City of New York Jerome Chatsky, Property Resources Corporation Joseph Christian, New York City Housing Authority Hon. David Dinkins, Mayor of The City of New York Hon. Edward Koch, Mayor of The City of New York Hon. John Lindsay, Mayor of The City of New York Joseph Monticciolo, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Alexander Naclerio, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Albert Walsh, The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development John Zuccotti, City Planning Commission
1988	Michael Puntillo, JOBCO Incorporated Samuel Pompa, Renata Construction Corporation
1985	Tania Osorio, SEBCO Development, Inc.
1984	Luis Rodriguez, Community Activist and “Mayor” of Hunts Point
1983	Vincent Velez, Elder Statesman of the Hunts Point Community