September, 2007

Pasquinelli Family Foundation Dedicates Walter Payton Liver Center at UIC

Representatives of the Pasquinelli Family Foundation were on hand Wednesday, Sept. 5th to dedicate the new Walter Payton Liver Center located at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) campus.  The brainchild of Bruno Pasquinelli Sr., co-owner and president of Pasquinelli-Portrait Homes, the Walter Payton Liver Center dream took a little over two years to come to fruition, and Mr. Pasquinelli was involved every step of the way.

From the development of the concept to leading the way in the Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (GILD) council's $10 million philanthropic campaign, to selecting the name of the center itself, Mr. Pasquinelli was completely dedicated to this cause.

"I want to save lives," said Mr. Pasquinelli when asked about his passion for this project.  "I think we have an opportunity here to reach people from all walks of life - people who need a very specific kind of help.  And now, they can find that help at this state of the art facility."

Diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer at the age of 45, football great Walter Payton was determined to make a difference in the lives of others stricken with liver related illnesses.  It was this dedication that attracted Bruno Pasquinelli, Sr. to the cause.

"When you think of Walter Payton, you think of strength, character and a passion for life.  I knew we needed his name on our liver center in order to make a statement," said Mr. Pasquinelli.

After several meetings with Walter Payton's widow, Connie Payton, the Payton family agreed that the late, beloved football star's name and likeness would indeed add credibility to the center, and they gave their consent for the use of the name.

"Bruno Pasquinelli is a true visionary," said Connie Payton at the opening ceremony.  She went on to thank Mr. Pasquinelli for convincing her to be a part of the project.

Nicknamed "Sweetness," Walter Payton was as well known for his agility on the football field as he was for his kindness off the field.  Through the life-saving work at the Walter Payton Liver Center, his legacy will continue.

Under the direction of Bruno Pasquinelli Sr., the Pasquinelli Family Foundation made a significant contribution to the development of the Walter Payton Liver Center, which will be a forerunner in the research, diagnosis and treatment of liver disease.

The center is Chicago's largest program offering living related donor transplantations which have produced results accomplished by only a few elite medical centers in the world.

"I am so proud of what we have accomplished here today," said Mr. Pasquinelli.  "After years of hard work we are finally ready to face the challenge of liver disease head on.  Who knows how many lives this center will save?"

August, 2007

Charleston Company Charity Golf Tournament Raises $70,000 for Local Heroes

The first annual Portrait Homes Charity Golf Tournament was held on August 4, 2007 at the Coosaw Creek Country Club in Charleston. 

The event drew 144 participants who played golf to raise money for the Charleston Firefighters Survivor Fund which benefits families of nine Charleston firefighters who died in the line of duty in June, 2007.

The initial goal of the tournament was to raise $50,000 - a figure far surpassed due to the generous support of the community.

March, 2007

Charlotte Division Works with Habitat for Humanity

The Charlotte company is currently building five single family homes in partnership with the Charlotte Habitat for Humanity group.  Through joint efforts between the division staff and vendors/partners, the Charlotte company has contributed to the Charlotte community by providing new homes for five deserving families.

March, 2007

Pasquinelli Homes and HomeAid Chicago Dedicate Trinity Services Home for Disabled in Joliet, IL

HomeAid Chicago, Pasquinelli Homes and over 60 trade partners have joined forces to complete a five bedroom, two bath home for five developmentally disabled residents.  The Pasquinelli-led team worked closely with professionals at Bloom & Fiorino Architects, Cowhey Gudmundson Leder, Nova Fire Protection and Alca Carpentry Contractors - four other major companies who donated their efforts to the project. 

The 3,000 square foot home incorporates complete wheelchair accessibility and other custom features to ensure the care and convenience of its new residents, such as a generously-proportioned kitchen, spacious living and dining areas, an expansive back porch, and an oversized garage which will accommodate the van required for the residents' transportation. 

"This is the most important home Pasquinelli has ever built," said Anthony Pasquinelli, Chicago division president. 

November, 2006

Pasquinelli Family Foundation Donates $2 Million to Chicago School of Real Estate at Roosevelt University

Tony Pasquinelli, co-founder of Pasquinelli-Portrait Homes, was recently presented with the prestigious Lifetime Industry Leadership Award by the Chicago School of Real Estate at Roosevelt University.  the award was presented at the organization's annual gala on Thursday, October 12, 2006.

The gala, which was held at the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Chicago, featured a keynote address by Michael H. Moskow, chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

During his acceptance speech, Tony announced that the Pasquinelli Family Foundation will donate $2 million to the School of Real Estate.  This gift will go directly to the Sustainable Funding Initiative which was announced in 2005.  This initiative has a $10 million goal and will be used toward the Glickman Professional Development and Research Center which will provide resources for career development and research to assist faculty, students and real estate professionals for both academic and industry projects.

Currently, Mr. Pasquinelli is a member of the board of trustees, chairman of the audit committee, and co-chairman of the executive committee of the advisory board for the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate.

A major resource for those in the industry, the Chicago School of Real Estate was conceived by Marshall Bennett and Gerald Fogelson in 1999 and formally opened in the fall sememster of 2002.  The school's advisory board consists of nearly 100 of the region's real estate leaders who take an active role as board members, mentors, guest lecturers, and financial sponsors.  The school has two full-time faculty and a number of adjunct professors from the industry.  Over 70 students have received their MBA/Real Estate degrees and over 100 students are currently registered.

November, 2006

Charlotte Company Raises $40,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation

Portrait-Charlotte's eighth annual Charity Golf Tournament was held June 20, 2006 at Raintree Country Club to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation of Central and Western North Carolina.

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, this year's tournament was a huge success, raising $40,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation!  This money should fund approximately eight wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Portrait-Charlottes contribution this year raised their cumulative donation to $205,000 for the life of the tournament, making this event the largest fund-raising golf tournament in North Carolina for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Plans are already underway for next year's tournament.