NEW YORK – June 10, 2015 — Ed Wallace, co-chairman of the New York City office of the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, will serve as one of the gala chairs for the French American Foundation’s 2015 Annual Gala Dinner held Wednesday, June 10, 2015, at The Four Seasons Restaurant. The firm is also on the host committee for the dinner, which recognizes individuals and organizations who have contributed to the French-American relationship.
This year, the honorees include Bruno Bich, chairman of the BIC Group, and Alain Papiasse, deputy chief operating officer for BNP Paribas, who will receive the Benjamin Franklin Award and Mimi Sheraton, food critic and journalist, and Jacques Pépin, chef, cookbook author, cooking teacher, and PBS-TV cooking show host, who will receive the Lafayette Award.
“I am proud to be one of the gala chairs that support the work of the French American Foundation,” said Wallace. “The Foundation’s programs not only recognize noteworthy figures, but also provide leaders with a platform to share knowledge and best practices, to ultimately create strategic global solutions.”
For 22 years, Wallace has provided outside counsel to JCDecaux North America, the subsidiary of the French company JCDecaux, the world’s largest outdoor advertising company. He has remained actively involved in community issues. Before entering the private sector as a vice president at Boston Properties, he served as City Council Member-at-Large (Manhattan) and then chief of staff to the New York City Council President. Wallace began his career in the Chelsea neighborhood office of the Legal Aid Society. He has served on the Board of NYC 2012 and was chair of New Yorkers for Parks from 2012-2014, and now sits on the Board of the organization. He serves as counsel to the Citizens Budget Commission and has been listed as one of the “Power 100” by City & State.