The First Annual Downtown OTTY Awards

Our Town Downtown thanks the people who make life in lower Manhattan spectacular

Council Member Margaret Chin, Downtowner of the Year

When we decided to start a tradition of presenting awards to outstanding community members who live and work in downtown Manhattan, the one thing we knew would be easy was finding recipients. We weren’t disappointed.

The inaugural Downtown OTTY (Our Town Thanks You) Awards honor a diverse group of amazing people from all neighborhoods, professions and backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common is their commitment to making downtown an incredible place. Whether it’s a school chef getting kids excited about kale chips, a longtime block association president dedicated to preserving local history or a yoga instructor who gives back, each of our winners brings their specific brand of vision, passion and talent to their community.

We hope you enjoy reading about the people who make your neighborhood great, and we know that they’ll all continue to impress us in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Megan Bungeroth

Editor-in-Chief, Our Town Downtown

2012 Downtown OTTY Award winners

Council Member Margaret Chin – Downtowner of the Year

Susan Henshaw Jones – Culture

Derrick Komorowski – Real Estate Royalty

Kit Yuen – Healthcare Pro

Liz Berger – Community Builder

Dr. James Cooper – Religion

Officer James Rudolph – Bravest & Finest

David Garza – Downtown Recovery

Barbara Warren – Healthcare Pro

Jenny Gensterblum – Culinary Excellence

Tricia Donegan – Entrepreneur

Christopher Kui – Downtown Recovery

Richard Blodgett – Community Builder