Todd Shapiro, a public relations officer for the utility company, is so well connected that he needed four parties in one week to properly celebrate his 60th birthday and 30th anniversary at the company.
One avid attendee at one of the festivals held in Palm Beach, Albany, Manhattan, and Long Island recalled once challenging Shapiro to a contest to see who had the bigger Rolodex, and asked him if he was a PR guy. He added that Guru won by gaining well over 29,000 contacts.
At the New York celebration, friendly rivals punched each other from both sides of the aisle.
Billionaire and former Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis humorously reflected on how he and he spent their time. Fellow guest Letitia James They first met when the future New York State Attorney General was picketing outside his building.
However, he said they became friends when he thought, “It's cold outside!” I invited her for coffee. “We were enemies, but then we were friends forever.”
“That was 15 years ago. How do you know it was 15 years ago?” the cats joked to the crowd. “Because my tax break is on that building.”
He also joked, “Todd has already thrown 11 parties!” We flew to Mar-a-Lago. Don't tell Tish! ” James, of course, filed a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his companies.
Former Governor David Paterson also drew laughs with lines like, “What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 80?'' Your Honor. She added, “When I was on SNL, I got teased so much about being blind that I forgot I was black!”
Mayor Eric Adams said of Mr. Shapiro, “Thank you for your friendship. Happy Birthday! Big 60! Enjoy life as much as you've been doing, thank you brother, we love you dearly.”
Shapiro affectionately praised Adams and also joked of the sociopath, “Will you take me to a nightclub?”
The parade of power players at the Bryant Park Grill included Governor George Pataki, Mayor Bill de Blasio, crooner Al B. Schur, lawyer Arthur Aidala, supermarket mogul Stu Leonard Jr. and the Knicks. Also included was the great Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, star of the Jets. Mark Gastineau and Bruce Mosler of Cushman & Wakefield.
The birthday celebrations began on January 4, Shapiro's actual birthday, at the Breakers private club in Florida, where billionaire 77 WABC radio owners John and Margo Catsimatidis We came together for Shapiro.
They also visited an intimate dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they heard President-elect Trump conveyed his birthday wishes to the spin doctor. (Mr. Shapiro previously worked in public relations for Mr. Trump's proposed project at Jones Beach.)
Also in attendance at the dinner were Shapiro's wife Liz, Maria, Kenneth Fishel, and Andrea Catsimatidis. I heard that Senator Marco Rubio and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were among those dining nearby.
Shapiro was seen cozying up to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Catsimatidis family on the runway as he flew out of town on a private jet.
Upon returning to New York, Shapiro held a celebration at the War Room Tavern, a popular political eatery in Albany, upstate.
including guests New York Governor Kathy HochulNew York State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ault, New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, and Albany County Executive Dan McCoy.
The Manhattan party continued the next night.
A birthday luncheon for Mr. Shapiro was held in Nassau County on Friday at the Eisenhower Park Union, hosted by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy and Hempstead Mayor Waylin Hobbs Jr.
One friend said, “The party celebrated Todd's Long Island roots and early career as a Suffolk County press secretary.”
A Suffolk County celebration was planned for later that night, with more than 500 attendees at the Islip Airport and attended by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, and Suffolk County Sheriff Guests included public official Errol D. Toulon Jr. A surprise musical guest has been booked.
Shapiro also announced the launch of a new event media company.
In a statement about the birthday party, he said: We're excited to translate this momentum into creating new opportunities and meaningful connections for our clients. ”
