These ING Clarion people party so much, how do they ever get work done? Actually, that's why they partied last night at their First Annual Business Appreciation Gala: To celebrate all the work they have done and thank Cushman, Jones Lang, Transwestern, and all the other usual suspects who brought them leases and deals during the year. In '06, they bought $800 million of properties, the year before $1.2 billion, and now stand at over $3 billion of owned assets in the region, which includes over five million feet of office space, half a million of industrial, 1.5 million of retail, and 1500 residential units. 

And do they know how to throw a party: Just for showing up, everyone got a video iPod! Naturally the theme was "casino night," mirroring their daily livelihoods. And they held it in the Homer Building, which is not only beautiful but which they own 80% of, so if it was broken up by the police commissioner they could explain it to the landlord.


Showing their higher mathematical skills, Cushman's Michael Katcherand CB's Bill Moser debate whether black or red has better odds at the roulette table.


Asking the dealer why they can't do a 1031 exchange to avoid losses on their hands are, from left, Commonwealth Commercial's Neil Cramsey, Millennium's John McEvilly, Woodmark's Geoff Kieffer,and Jones Lang's Bobby Schwartz.

Looking respectable before they started throwing dice wildly and losing billions in hard-earned commissions at the craps table were, from left,Cassidy & Pinkard's Drew Flood and James Cassidy, ING host Marc DeLuca, and Cassidy's Bill Collins.(Had we seen ING's Blair Taylor, peeking through in the background, before we snapped the picture, we would have put her front and center. )


While Grubb & Ellis' Steve Gichner and Erik Berkman (second and third from left) are lulled into a false sense of security and count their early winnings, Akridge's Wilbur Pace, left, keeps a brilliant poker face as notorious card counters Scott Brody of Opus East and Ken Patton ofStaubach give him obvious hand and eye signals.


What gambling? Taking us for the vice squad and saying they have just formed a "book club" and are about to discuss The Audacity of Hope are, seated, Grubb's Josh Hartman and Brookfield's Eddie Trujillo; and, standing, Studley's Laurent Myers and CB's Bruce Pascal.