Last night more than 300 fundsters and their allies converged in New York City to enjoy some networking while helping with the fight against cancer.

Frank Heavey Expect Miracles Foundation Executive Director

The Expect Miracles Foundation (tagline: "Financial Services Against Cancer") held its second annual Expect Miracles in Manhattan cocktail reception with the theme, "you can make headlines." The festivities took place at the Bryan Park Grill behind the famous New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan. Though final numbers are not yet available, Expect Miracles executive director Frank Heavey told MFWire last night that the event raised well over $200,000. The money will go to support the cancer-fighting folks at the Center for Experimental Therapeutics at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital.

Kim Mustin, head of North American distribution for BNY Mellon Investment Management [profile], won the foundation's highest individual honor, the "Expect Miracles Award". Frank Strauss, founder and chairman of the Expect Miracles Foundation, presented Mustin with the award at the reception.

Heavey emceed the event. Scott Brady, head of global mutual funds at Merrill Lynch, and Ben Huneke, managing director at Morgan Stanley, co-chaired the event. Dr. Jason Lewis from Memorial Sloan Kettering's Center for Experimental Therapeutics was on hand to offer thanks for the foundation's support.

Kim Mustin BNY Mellon Investment Management Head of North American Distribution

"Do everything you can tonight to put me out of a job!" Lewis quipped.

The $200,000 raised includes, by MFWire's count, more than $25,000 raised from the live auction conducted at the reception. A professional auctioneer and two bid spotters ran the auction, which featured items like a three-person golfing outing with Huneke, a valentine's day NYC getaway package, and football autographed by 26 Heisman Trophy winners.

The event was packed, and Heavey said that it was sold out. Ticket sales, Strauss said, almost doubled from last year's inaugural Expect Miracles in Manhattan event.

"I think that next year we need to find a bigger space," Heavey told the crowd.

Allianz Global Investors [profile], Archer, BNP Paribas, Cohen Fund Audit Services, Computershare, Deutsche Asset Management [profile], Goldman Sachs Asset Management [profile], Invesco [profile], MjE Advisors, Nuveen Investments [profile], Pimco [profile], Prudential Investments [profile], and Schroders [profile] sponsored last night's reception. AST Fund Solutions, BNY Mellon, Boston Financial Data Services, Broadridge, Citi, DST Systems, Eaton Vance [profile], EY, Financial Research Technologies, Interactive Data, J.P. Morgan [profile], Legg Mason [profile], Northern Trust [profile], PWC, RR Donnelley, SEI [profile], State Street [profile], and Voya [profile] are corporate sponsors that support all four of the foundation's annual events.

Since Strauss created the foundation more than two decades ago, it has raised more than $12 million for the fight against cancer. The foundation's next event will be its 22nd Annual East Coast Classic golf tournament, scheduled for June 9 at the Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, Massachusetts. 

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