EVENTS
Stony Apparel’s Maiman and Litman Help Raise More than $800,000 for City of Hope
Stony Apparel founders Steve Maiman and Tony Litman received the City of Hope Spirit of Life award on March 12 at an event that raised more than $800,000 for the research and medical center.
Held at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles, the event drew a who’s who of apparel manufacturers, retailers and executives who networked from the cocktail hour through dinner before hitting the dance floor when Beatles tribute band The Fab Four! took the stage. The group performed two sets: one in matching skinny suits performing early hits and a second in psychedelic garb performing later songs. Honoree Maiman also brought along a guitar to perform “Here Comes the Sun” for the crowd.
The City of Hope has its roots in the fashion industry, said Michael Earnhart, senior vice president at Wells Fargo Capital Finance and president of the Fashion & Retail Group at City of Hope.
“I am happy to be here to be part of such an amazing cause,” he said. “City of Hope is more than a research facility. City of Hope treats the whole person and their family.”
Earnhart described Maiman and Litman as inspirational and then praised the attendees for their fund-raising for City of Hope.
“Your efforts have raised more than $800,000,” he said. “But our work is not done. What happens one year from now or five years from now? Is our next Spirit of Life honoree here among us?”
Before presenting the awards, Ben Teller, a three-time cancer survivor and former City of Hope patient, shared his own story, which included his first cancer diagnosis in his freshman year of college. Now 26 and cancer-free, Teller encouraged the crowd to text additional donations to City of Hope to meet an on-site fund-raising goal of $20,000.
Attorney Jeffrey Kapor, chair of Buchalter Nemer’s consumer products, apparel and textiles practice group, introduced the evening’s honorees.
“It seems like yesterday when I met Steve and Tony when they started their business,” Kapor said, recalling that Maiman and Litman explained that the company name, Stony Apparel, represented a combination of their first names and not, Kapor joked, the name of a medical marijuana business.
Maiman thanked the guests, as well as his wife, son and mother, who were in attendance. Litman also thanked his wife and children as well as the guests for “making this night a terrific success.” Litman also thanked Stony employees, saying, “Without you guys, Steve and I are not here.” He concluded by thanking Maiman, saying, “It’s still fun after 20 years.”
