One of the most exciting aspects of my business is the successful and interesting people we meet or come across. Some random thoughts:
I run a lot — and have been contemplating training for a triathlon but wonder if I will have the time, until my client, real estate developer Elie Hirschfeld, reminds me that he's done 75-plus triathlons in my lifetime and, at the age of 61, finished his last one in under three hours. I am just going to call him Inspiring Elie Hirschfeld.
Mark Birnbaum and Eugene Remm, whom Forbes refers to as "The New Kings of New York Nightlife," seem to be in perpetual movement with success. Expanding on their already fabulous empire, they have decided in the last few weeks to open Catch Miami, and an 18,000-square-foot restaurant on the Lower East Side.
Michael Malik never stops working and is a pioneer in the casino development industry, including big projects in California, Michigan, and New York. He has been involved in bringing gaming to multiple communities, and continues to seek investment and development opportunities in the entertainment and gaming industry. Mr. Michael J. Malik is another one who's always looking for more positive action.
Interestingly, Sumitomo Corporation closed on a joint venture deal that gives Unicharm a significant stake in the common share of The Hartz Mountain Corporation (Hartz) — parent company that makes many pet products, including Hartz flea and Hartz flea & tick.
NY Russian real estate attorney Edward Mermelstein was in Time magazine this week discussing the fascinating London lawsuit between two oligarchs — Boris Berezovsky and Roman Abramovich. "This lawsuit is a public relations nightmare for Putin and his country," says Edward Mermelstein, an international lawyer and an authority on commercial deals in Russia and Ukraine. "The financial aspect is not as material here as is the press that is being generated. It puts all of the Russian government and its business people in a bad light."