By Rachel Galvin
A fantastical carnival of delight welcomed guests of the Men of Style event held Dec. 1 at the Galleria Fort Lauderdale. Greeted by interestingly-attired people on stilts and a shirtless man wearing a metal hoop skirt holding champagne indicated that things were about to get interesting. Burlesque dancing by a long-haired scantily-clad man cinched it. But the core of the event revolved around food, spirits provided by local restaurants and purveyors, and the highlight was the fashion show. The runway was graced with men decked out in fashions by Dillards and Macy’s representing 12 different local charities. Joining them were some real male models. Once they strutted down the catwalk, the real fun began, as zealous fans hooted and hollered, and held up signs with the faces of the man they were supporting. The event was hosted by Nicole Perez, WPLG Local 10 anchor. It was presented by Signature Grand.
The event is in its 16th year and raised $100,000+ more than last year toward charities, as people could pay to vote for their fav. In the end, the winner was Jorge Hernandez, vice president of Supply Chain Services and Chief Procurement Officer, Broward Health. His charity was (Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center. The other men included the following:
- Chris Caputo, Wilton Manors City Commissioner (The Pride Center at Equality Park)
- David Cooley, Owner/Agent, State Farm Insurance and Financial Services Pompano Beach (Henderson Behavioral Health)
- Gregg Goldstein, Chief Strategy Officer, EM Consulting Group (Leadership Broward Foundation)
- Andre Gonzalez, Project Wealth Advisor, Synovus Bank (Florida Children’s Theatre)
- David Greenberg, President, Greenberg Capital and Strategic Advisor, Florida Panthers Hockey Team (Junior Achievement of South Florida)
- Chris Hawk, Interventional Cardiologist, MSPB Cardiology Group (Jack & Jill Center)
- Mike Linder, Owner, SilverLining Inflight Catering, JET Runway Café, YOT, Canyon and Event Effects Group (Kids In Distress)
- Justin Nepola, Attorney, Nepola Yonta Attorneys at Law (FLITE Center)
- Marc Spoto, AVP of Marketing, JM&A Group (HANDY)
- David Smith, Executive Vice President and CFO, Memorial Healthcare System (Art and Culture Center/Hollywood)
- Andrew Wurtele, Private Investor (Heart Gallery of Broward)
“We’re thrilled to be hosting our fun and fashionable Men of Style for its 16th year, which is a testament to and celebration of the achievements of 12 philanthropic men and the charitable nonprofits they serve,” Melissa Milroy says, senior marketing manager at Galleria Fort Lauderdale. “Galleria Fort Lauderdale is a steadfast community partner committed to making a difference year-round. We are grateful to continuing sponsor Signature Grand and our many supporters that make this a most memorable and meaningful event.”
Following the event, there was an after-party at Blue Martini downstairs.
For more information about Galleria Mall, visit www.galleriamall-fl.com.
