Terrier Volume 75, Number 1 - Spring 2011 | Page 19

SFC Honors Brooklyn Natives Robert
Catell and Michael “Buzzy” O’Keeffe
Nearly $500,000
Raised for
Scholarships at
50th Annual Charter
Award Dinner

B

rooklyn’s business elite, celebrity
chef David Burke, top students and
a gathering of generous alumni,
friends and family of St. Francis College
came together on April 14 at the New York
Marriott Marquis for the 50th Annual
Charter Award Dinner to raise $485,000
for scholarships.
The guests of honor were two of Brooklyn’s
most successful native sons, Robert Catell,
former chairman, National Grid U.S., and
Michael “Buzzy” O’Keeffe, owner of The
River Café. Each was awarded an honorary
degree for lifelong service and contributions
to the Brooklyn community.
The night began with a welcome from
St. Francis College’s Chairman of the Board
of Trustees John F. Tully ’67, followed by a
proclamation for the honorees from New
York State Senator Martin Golden.
Ken Daly ’88, recently promoted to
National Grid President, New York, introduced the night’s first honoree, Robert Catell
and spoke about the long and strong relationship between St. Francis College and the
energy company. More than 100 St. Francis
alumni have gone on to work at National Grid
and its previous incarnations, KeySpan and
Brooklyn Union Gas.
“Having walked the halls of the College,
I can say confidently, that St. Francis is
equipping students with skills for a lifetime—
integrity, hard-work and commitment to
excellence,” said Mr. Catell. “There is no
surprise why the school has been a feeder to

John F. Tully ’67, David Burke, Robert Catell, Michael “Buzzy” O’Keeffe, Kenneth D. Daly ’88 CFA, President
Brendan J. Dugan ’68.

Five students who appear in the latest St. Francis video were on hand at the dinner thanking the audience for
their support of the College. They are Cindy Luz Hernandez ’13, Joseph Acciarito ’12, President Brendan J.
Dugan ’68, Jemma Hinkley ’12, Charlene Seepersaud ’12, and Akeem Johnson ’13.

Brooklyn Union, KeySpan, and now National
Grid and other corporations in the New York
City area.”
Celebrity chef, entrepreneur and author
David Burke (David Burke Townhouse,
David Burke Kitchen) introduced the second
honoree, Mr. O’Keeffe, who gave David his
start as chef at The River Café and who Burke
credits with instilling in him confidence,
discipline and pride.
O’Keeffe opened The River Café, New
York’s first waterfront restaurant, in 1977.
He is also responsible for culinary landmarks
The Café at Grand Central and Pershing
Square Café. “I employed two students that
were both 4.0 students going into college who
could have gone anywhere in the country,

but they choose St. Francis and that speaks
a lot about what’s going on here,” sa