By Joshua Burd
The annual United Way Legacy Event returns this week with a timely panel discussion and a program that highlights some of the New Jersey commercial real estate industry’s top talent — all in support of households facing financial hardship.
The gathering, hosted by United Way of Northern New Jersey’s Commercial Real Estate Committee, is set to draw hundreds of industry leaders on May 8 to the Hanover Marriott in Whippany. Longtime Structure Tone executive Erik Sletteland, a founding member of the committee, will receive this year’s United Way Spirit of Philanthropy Award, a recognition of his leadership and decades of support for the nonprofit organization and several others.
What’s more, the program will spotlight five finalists for the 2026 Impact Award, which recognizes commercial real estate projects making a positive difference in New Jersey:
- The District at the Park in Berkeley Heights
- Freshpet’s headquarters in Bedminster
- RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center in Morris Township
- Sanofi at M Station in Morristown
- Selective Insurance Headquarters in Short Hills
Since its founding in 1999, United Way of Northern New Jersey’s Commercial Real Estate Committee has raised more than $4.5 million to support families, individuals and nonprofit partners across the region, according to the organization. Proceeds from the United Way Legacy Event help strengthen financial stability for a group known as ALICE, short for asset-limited, income-constrained and employed, and others living paycheck to paycheck.
“The United Way Legacy Event brings together the people and projects shaping commercial real estate in New Jersey, but it also points to something bigger,” said George Xuereb, senior vice president of resource development at United Way of Northern New Jersey. “This event recognizes leadership, sparks important conversation and channels the strength of this industry into meaningful support for ALICE households and communities across our region.”
Notably, this year’s program will also feature an on-stage panel of leaders helping shape New Jersey’s economic future and key voices in statewide leadership, economic development and major destination planning at a consequential moment for New Jersey:
- Gov. and Secretary of State Dale G. Caldwell
- New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Evan Weiss
- Choose New Jersey CEO and President Amy Herbold
- New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority CEO and President Jill Hirsch
The gathering has become one of the signature functions on New Jersey’s commercial real estate calendar, drawing developers, brokers, owners, architects, engineers, contractors and business leaders from across the state. In 2025, nearly 400 industry leaders attended the event and helped raise $335,000.
To register, sponsor or donate, visit https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/2D2ZkA?vid=1q9qbc
