Forum Sunset Sonata Sail Aboard the Skyline Princess
Dinner & Dancing

Thursday, August 21st, 2003

We had the pleasure of interviewing some of the Forum Club members and some of their guests, while cruising around Manhattan. This is what they had to say about the Forum Club.




Diane Marbach

Diane Marbach is CEO of Jamac Frozen Foods, based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her company supplies foods to institutions, hospitals, hotels and corporate functions. She has been a member of the Forum Club for about two years now, and has been a member of the New York Athletic Club, through which she learned of the Forum Club, for eight years now. Ms. Marbach loves the people at the Forum Club, referring to them as "wonderful", "down-to-earth" and "humane". She also says that "success becomes them.” Ms. Marbach has made many contacts for her business and best describes the Forum Club with words such as "friendship", "support", "caring", and "warm."








Wilfred Coger

Wilfred Coger holds the senior management position of District Sales Coordinator for AFLAC/NY Insurance, and is very new to the Forum Club. In fact, he has not yet officially become a member. Mr. Coger is already very well pleased with the diversity of the people and businesses that are affiliated with the Forum Club. He has, at his very first club event, made close to a dozen contacts--and he has not even become a member yet! Mr. Coger likes most about the Forum Club is the level of sophistication of its members, describing them as "high power, yet down-to-earth", as well as "very classy." Being in the insurance industry, with a product that is targeted at senior corporate management, Mr Coger feels his future membership with the Forum Club will be a hand-in-glove match.







Alex Conti

Alex Conti is Vice President of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. He has been a member of the Forum Club for five years and is on its Executive Committee. Alex enjoys the other members, their professionalism, and the camaraderie at the club. Since the time Mr. Conti joined the Forum Club, he has made numerous client contacts. He describes the advantages The Forum Club has over other similar types of clubs is that its members are "The Creme de la Creme---a blend of New York City's top business professionals.”






David S. Slackman

David S. Slackman is the President of Commerce Bank and also the President of the Forum Club. He has been in the banking industry for nearly 33 years, his last two and half years being with Commerce Bank. Of all the aspects of the Forum Club, the one he likes the most is the socialization, which is primarily why he joined . Mr. Slackman also enjoys the transience of the Club--their holding meetings and events in a variety of different places. There's also more intimacy, fewer people than at other clubs. As far as he is concerned, there are no improvements that he can recommend to make The Forum Club any better than it already is.











Bambe Levine

Bambe Levine is President of Bambe Levine Public Relations, and is a very new member, having joined in June of this year. Of all things The Forum Club has to offer, Ms. Levine enjoys having an opportunity meet all sorts of interesting people. Her words are "Here, you can make friends and socialize with its many high-level members who come with the same attitude," namely, to enjoy themselves and have fun. She is looking forward to becoming more involved in the Club and the possibilities that her involvement will open up for her.



John Catsimatidis

John Catsimatidis is the head of Gristedes Supermarkets, which he has been for the past 34 years. What he enjoys most about The Forum Club is the fact that he can meet lots of nice people. He joined because of the many new contacts he could make. When comparing The Forum Club with other professional organizations, he rates it "incomparable." He does not believe that there is much, if any, improvement that can be made in terms of the Forum Club. Another thing which Mr. Catsimatidis enjoys most about The Forum Club is "Bill Fugazy".

We also wish to thank Mr. Fugazy and especially Director Caroline Winston, for their work in planning this wonderful event. We would also like to wish Mr. Fugazy a Happy 79th Birthday, with many more to come.

This section of the Liberty News Online Magazine will cover topics associated with business, eg., chambers of commerce, business luncheons and breakfasts, exclusive interviews with business CEO's, business networking meets, and many more topics associated with business.  If you have interest in having us come to cover one of your events, no matter how big or small it is, please feel free to contact us one week in advance, so we can ad you to our master events calendar. Email us at lnevents@hadofnyc.org, or call us at (718) 507-7616 from 8:00 am until 8:00pm, and ask to speak to Robbie.