12th Annual Reshaping Rochester Awards Luncheon

Back in person! We are once again honored to celebrate noteworthy organizations and people in our community.

The Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes regions continue to experience a period of redevelopment, transformation, and renewal. Join us for a virtual ceremony and help honor the architects, activists, designers, and builders who are working to make this community more healthy, sustainable, and vibrant during a time of change.

The awards given recognize exemplary projects and initiatives in the nine-county Finger Lakes region that make a positive impact on people, neighborhoods, and communities. At our ceremony, we will reveal and celebrate the following:

Award for Activism in recognition of civic spirit, persistence, and determination in turning a vision into reality. Nominations are now closed.

Award for Design in recognition of projects that demonstrate design excellence and contribute to enriching the public realm. Nominations are now closed.

Directors' Award in recognition of efforts that have enhanced the public realm and contributed to its vibrancy. This award is selected by the CDCR's Board of Directors and does not accept public nominations.

Individual tickets are available for $65 and include a fully catered lunch (details below).

Student tickets are available at a discounted rate of $25.

Pay-what-you-can tickets are available for any community member who finds the cost prohibitive. To claim a pay-what-you-can ticket, please reach out to [email protected] for a unique promo code -- no questions asked.

If you'd like to sponsor a ticket for those who find the cost prohibitive, select "Sponsor a Community Member" during checkout.

*Tickets typically sell out and will not be available at the door.*

Entrée details are being finalized. There is a spot at checkout to list any dietary restrictions.

Bread, dessert, and beverages also provided.

11:30am - 11:55am Check-in and Networking

12:00pm - 1:30pm Program

*Our event venue is physically accessible, as defined by the ADA.

*During registration, there will be a spot for you to provide any accessibility accommodations you may need to fully participate in this event (such as ASL interpretation). The Design Center will follow-up with you.

Senator Cooney was adopted from an orphanage in Kolkata, India and raised by a single mother in the City of Rochester. He made history in 2020 as the first Asian American elected to state office from upstate New York, and the first state senator in decades to graduate from Rochester City School District (RCSD).

During his first year in office, Senator Cooney wrote over 50 legislative bills and served as the first chair of the new Cities II Committee, which focuses on upstate cities and those outside NYC.

Senator Cooney was named co-chair of the Marijuana Task Force for the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus and he was instrumental in passing landmark legislation to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana.

The final phase of the Rochester School Modernization Project (RSMP), a bill that Senator Cooney sponsored and strongly advocated for, passed after years of delays in the legislature. The RSMP will be one of the largest public works projects in Rochester’s history with nearly half a billion dollars going towards updating learning environments for RSCD students.

Senator Cooney’s priorities for Rochester include poverty relief, job creation, downtown development, and increased funding for public schools. He was included in City & State magazine’s “40 Under 40” list and the “Power of Diversity: Asian 100” powerful leaders list for 2021.

Senator Cooney began his career working on Capitol Hill for the late U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter and later served in the role of chief of staff for the City of Rochester under Mayor Lovely Warren. Prior to running for public office, Senator Cooney served as the senior director for community relations with Empire State Development (ESD) under Governor Andrew Cuomo. At ESD, he helped lead public affairs for large-scale economic development projects.

Senator Cooney is active in Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region. He sits on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Hobart & William Smith Colleges, and is a member of the Vestry for Christ Church Rochester (Episcopal). He is a proud Eagle Scout and serves as a Vice Chair of the Executive Board for the Boy Scouts of America, Seneca Waterways Council.

Senator Cooney earned his B.A. with honors from Hobart College and his J.D. from Albany Law School. He is married to Dr. Diane Lu, a urologic surgeon at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

We're so glad and grateful that you want to help support our programming! There are several sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $65 - $5,000:

• Sponsor a community member's attendance, $65

• Table Sponsor, $600

• • Seating for eight (8) individuals at the event
  • Table signage & text listing in event program

• Contributing Sponsor, $1,000

In addition to above:

• Logo featured in event program (in place of text listing)
• Recognition in event slide presentation highlighting company logo
• Visibility in pre- and post-event promotional materials and on CDCR website

In addition to above:

• Role as an award presenter
• Ability to provide promotional material at each place setting (i.e. pens, pamphlets)

In addition to above:

• Recognition as Presenting Sponsor in all pre- and post-event promotion
• Designated company/organization “display area” at event (i.e. info table)
• Speaking role welcoming attendees to the event

**Sponsorships up to $600 are available through Eventbrite. All others must be requested via email to [email protected].**

View a complete list of our sponsors.

For more information or to request a sponsored ticket, contact [email protected].

Event Venue

Harro East Ballroom, 155 North Chestnut Street, Rochester, United States