 |
 |
|
The 2007 God of Fire Dinner
for
Cigar Family Charitable Foundation
The 2007 God of Fire Man of the Year: Gary Sinise
|
| |
On September 29th, over 200 cigar enthusiasts from around the world gathered at Hotel Bel-Air (www.hotelbelair.com) in Los Angeles for the 2007 God of Fire Dinner for Cigar Family Charitable Foundation (www.cf-cf.org). |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Brad Smith from Cigar Mas Fino, Fresno, California |
Team Platinum Equity
|
Left to Right, Joel Rogers, Wayne Suarez, Jeff Haugen, Tom Apuzzo, Tony Notargiocomo, Jeff Johnson, Mark Daum, Bruce Mayer. |
| |
|
The 2007 God of Fire Dinner Photo Gallery
|
| |
Keith K. Park, Founder and CEO of God of Fire and Prometheus ( www.prometheuskkp.com), co-hosted the event with Joe Mantegna. Joe Mantegna is a world-renowned actor, who has been nominated for the Emmy Awards three times. He played Dean Martin in The Rat Pack and was nominated for the Golden Globe Awards. He has appeared in many films including The God Father III. He is currently starring in Criminal Minds ( www.joemantegna.com). Park thanked his co-host, Joe Mantegna. “Joe is my dear friend. He is not only a great actor but also the nicest guy in Hollywood. Without Joe, this evening could not have been possible.” |
| |
 |
 |
 |
|
Keith K. Park with Goddesses of Fire
|
Joe Mantegna, Peter Falk and Robert Davi
|
Joe Mantegna and Paul Reiser
|
| |
The Fuente family traveled from Dominican to make the evening even more special. Carlos Arturo Fuente, Sr. and Carlito Fuente, father and son, are the world’s legendary cigar makers who produce God of Fire cigars. Eric Newman, President of JC Newman Cigar Company, Cynthia Fuente Suarez and Wayne Suarez, also attended the 2007 God of Fire Dinner. Eric Newman generously sponsored Mollydooker Wines ( www.mollydooker.com) served during the dinner. |
| |
 |
 |
 |
Left to Right, Johnny Lopez, Orlando Lopez, Carlos Fuente Sr. and Jr., Frank Mancuso Sr. and Jr. |
Eric Newman and Carlito Fuente |
Cynthia Fuente Suarez, Johnny Lopez , Carlito Fuente
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Carlito Fuente and Johnny Lopez, Platinum Equity
|
Frank Mancuso Jr. and Sr. with Carlito Fuente. Frank Mancuso Jr. is a renowned movie producer and Mancuso Sr., former CEO of Paramount Pictures.
|
Frank Mancuso Sr., Cynthia Fuente Suarez, Carlos Fuente Sr., Wayne Suarez
|
| |
Charity Auction
The stars came out to help the charity auction, which was held during the dinner. Along with Joe Mantegna; Paul Reiser, Robert Davi, Paul Feig, Peter Falk and Jason Gedrick attended the 2007 God of Fire Dinner for Cigar Family Charitable Foundation. Thanks to their enthusiastic help, the charity auction was a great success and over $200,000.00 was raised. |
| |
|
Auction Catalog for the 2007 God of Fire Dinner (PDF)
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
|
Left to Right, Eric Newman, Keith K. Park, Joe Mantegna, Peter Falk, Robert Davi, Paul Feig, Frank Mancuso Jr. and Sr. |
Paul Reiser, Carlos Fuente, Sr., Joe Mantegna, Gary Sinise, Wayne Suarez, Carlito Fuente, Juan Marichal Jr., Keith K. Park |
Paul Feig, Peter Falk and Joe Mantegna
|
| |
Before the charity auction started, Park told the dinner attendees, "I realize how fortunate we are. We are sitting on the front lawn of this beautiful hotel and are about to have special dinner prepared by Chef Bruno. This dinner will be paired with Mollydooker Wines and God of Fire cigars. I realize how fortunate we are to be together this evening. Let's not forget somewhere out there tonight, there are children going hungry and their basic needs are not met. During the dinner, we are going to have a charity auction. I hope that we can share our fortune and privilege with the less fortunate children of the world."
Paul Reiser, actor and stand-up comedian, who is well known for his leading role in Mad About You, co-auctioned the donated items with Joe Mantegna. Reiser made the crowd laugh and entertained. One attendee said the day after the dinner, “My face still hurts from laughing so hard during the charity auction.” Later in the evening, Robert Davi, who has appeared in many block buster movies such as James Bond License to Kill and Die Hard, joined Joe Mantegna and Paul Reiser on the stage and kept the magical energy of the evening last until the very end of the charity auction. Jason Gedrick, who is known for his work in the television series, Desperate Housewives, Murder One and Boomtown, and the motion picture, Iron Eagle, also joined Joe Mantegna on the stage with Peter Falk. Peter Falk, a two-time Academy Award-nominated and five-time Emmy Award-winning actor, is well known worldwide for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series, Columbo ( www.peterfalk.com).
The proceeds from the charity auction were donated to Cigar Family Charitable Foundation ( www.cf-cf.org) and Operation Iraqi Children ( www.operationiraqichildren.org).
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
Joe Mantegna and Paul Reiser |
Paul Reiser, Joe Mantegna, Wayne Suarez, Robert Davi |
Joe Mantegna and Jason Gedrick |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Paul Reiser, Chef Bruno Lopez, Joe Mantegna, Adam Cooper |
Joe Mantegna, Paul Reiser, Archy Kotoyantz
|
Paul Reiser, Peter Falk, Joe Mantegna |
| |
Gary Sinise, the 2007 God of Fire Man of the Year
Gary Sinise, who is the star of CSI: NEW YORK, received the 2007 God of Fire Man of the Year Award for his charitable work for the children in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the children affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Gary Sinise has traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan several times in support of the troops. Inspired by his conversations with soldiers as well as tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, with author Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit: An American Legend), Sinise co-founded Operation Iraqi Children (OIC, www.operationiraqichildren.org) in March 2004. OIC is a grass roots program to provide concerned Americans with a means to reach out to Iraqi kids and support American soldiers' efforts to assist the Iraqi people. Since then, Sinise and Hillenbrand have expanded their program to include children in other nations, such as Afghanistan and Djibouti, served by American troops. |
| |
 |
 |
 |
|
Gary Sinise, Wayne Suarez, Carlos Fuente Sr.
|
Joe Mantegna, Paul Reiser, Gary Sinise |
Gary Sinise
The 2007 God of Fire Man of the Year |
| |
Gary Sinise's portrayal of Lieutenant Dan in "FORREST GUMP" earned him nominations for Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards. He received the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board of Review, and the Commander's Award from the Disabled American Veterans. He then went on to take starring roles in the acclaimed "APOLLO 13" opposite Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon; the thriller "RANSOM" with Mel Gibson and Rene Russo; and in Brian De Palma's psychological thriller "SNAKE EYES."
Currently, Sinise is starring as Detective Mack “Mac” Taylor in CBS’s wildly successful “CSI: NEW YORK,” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Anthony Zuiker. He was last seen on the big screen in Columbia Pictures’ “THE FORGOTTEN” with Julianne Moore, and “THE HUMAN STAIN” for director Robert Benton and Miramax films, opposite Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman and Ed Harris. He provided the voice of Shaw in the fall 2006 release of Sony’s debut animated feature, “OPEN SEASON.” |
| |
Cigar Family Charitable Foundation
Cigar Family Charitable Foundation was started by the Fuente and Newman families in 2001, who are longtime business partners in the cigar industry. They came together with the vision of improving children’s lives in the Bonao region of the Dominican Republic. What began as a simple dream of adding a wing onto the local elementary school has evolved into Cigar Family Charitable Foundation’s 23-acre complex that includes: primary and high schools; health center; sports and recreation facilities; and an organic farming area. Today, the Complex serves well over 5,000 families and has achieved tremendous results.
Because the Fuente and Newman families pay all administrative expenses such as accounting and legal, 100% of the donations benefit the children and families served by Cigar Family Charitable Foundation (www.cf-cf.com). Prometheus and God of Fire have raised over $850,000.00 for Cigar Family Charitable Foundation since 2000. |
| |
 |
 |
 |
Team Santa Barbara Tobacco |
Team Ceniza Cigar Lounge, Pasadena, California. |
Burt Skura (second from right) with his friends |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Michelle Park, Jason Gedrick (Desperate Housewives)
|
Prometheus Humidors for Charity Auction
|
Prometheus 15th Anniversary, 1992 - 2007
|
| |
During the dinner, Keith K. Park, Founder and CEO of God of Fire and Prometheus, expressed his great appreciation for the support and contribution made by the special God of Fire dealers, who made the event such a success. The following special God of Fire dealers attended the 2007 event with their customers and friends (in the order of their last names): |
| |
Albert and Arseen Chrikjian
Old Oaks Cigar Company
Thousand Oaks, California |
Albert M. Espinoza
Taylor’s Tobacco House
Long Beach, California |
Jeff Haugen and Joel Rogers
Tobacco Grove
Maple Grove, Minnesota |
|
|
|
Matt Lanford
Santa Barbara Cigar
Santa Barbara, California |
Angela Mostashari and Sean Shabani
Club Aficionado
Lake Forest, California |
The Soza Family
Cigar Mas Fino
Fresno, California |
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
Albert Chrikjian, Old Oaks Cigar Company |
Carlos Fuente Sr., Mr. and Mrs. David Zahler, Carlito Fuente, Albert Espinoza of Taylor's Tobacco House, Long Beach, California |
Left to Right, Jeff Haugen, Tony Notargiocomo, Jeff Johnson, Mark Daum, Joel Rogers. Team Tobacco Grove, Maple Grove, Minnesota |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Matt Lanford, Debbie Wilson, Peter Falk, Joe Mantegna
|
Elham Khabazian, Carlos Fuente Sr., Angela Mostashari, Sean Shabani, Carlito Fuente |
Robert Davi, and Moses Soza Sr. and Jr. of Cigar Mas Fino
|
| |
In addition to the above special God of Fire dealers, Park thanked Jean-Pierre Boladian, Johnny Lopez, Frank Mancuso, Jr. and David N. Zahler for being the great benefactors of the 2007 God of Fire Dinner. |
| |
Jean-Pierre Boladian, Principal
BOLADarck Design Corp. + N. Battle Architect
Glendale, California |
Johnny Lopez, Partner
Platinum Equity
Beverly Hills, California |
|
|
|
|
Frank Mancuso, Jr.
Producer of Species: The Awakening,
I Know Who Killed Me, The Lost City and
Friday the 13th
|
Andre Zabitsky
David Cigar Corporation
Montreal, Canada |
David N. Zahler, President & CEO
AMR, Inc.
Bellflower, California |
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
Front Left, Matt Bogosian and Forbidden Johnny of Cigar in the Bottle with the attendees from Cigar Mas Fino, Fresno, California |
Andre Zabitsky, Carlito Fuente, Keith K. Park |
Left, David Zahler and his friends |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Team Humidipak, Left to Right, Dan Murphy, Sean Knutsen, Tim Swail
|
Robert Davi, Sean Tibibian, Jean-Pierre Boladian
|
Frank Mancuso Jr. and Keith K. Park
|
| |
The 2007 God of Fire Golf Tournament
Earlier in the day, the 2007 God of Fire Golf Tournament was held at Lost Canyons Golf Club (www.lostcanyons.com). The winners of the tournament received the trophies and special prizes before the dinner started. The champion of this year's tournament was Team Cigar Mas Fino from Fresno, California: Rodney Grant (actor, Dances with Wolf directed by Kevin Costner), Shane Harrell, Brad Smith, and Moses Soza Jr. |
| |
|
| |
all photographs in this page by J.J. Williams. Copyright © 2007. Prometheus International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
| |
Special Appreciation
God of Fire and Prometheus would like to thank:
Matt Bogosian and Forbidden Johnny with Cigar in the Bottle for their donation of Grand Pommier XS Calvados (www.cigarinthebottle.com), which was served at the end of the dinner.
Sean Knutsen and Tim Swail with Humidipak, Inc. (www.humidipak.com) for donating their Boveda (humidity control) products to keep the cigars in a great condition during the dinner and golf tournament.
Sarah and Sparky Marquis, the owners and wine makers of Mollydooker Wines (www.mollydooker.com), for their support for the 2007 God of Fire Dinner.
Hotel Bel-Air (www.hotelbelair.com) and their staff, whose service and support have made the event so pleasant and spectacular. |
|
|
|
|
