SCENE POWER PLAYER…
| August 9, 2017 | People
Think the words “hospital” and “party” are mutually exclusive? Michael Lorber wants to change that, drawing the younger crowd to Southampton Hospital’s glittering summer gala.
You may recognize Michael Lorber from his single season as a high-profile real estate broker on the popular Bravo series Million Dollar Listing. But the debonair Lorber prefers to stay out of the limelight these days, working behind the scenes in support of many philanthropic endeavors—including Southampton Hospital’s signature Summer Party, held this year on August 5.
Lorber first became involved with the hospital thanks to his father, Howard, the chairman of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, who has been president of the hospital foundation’s board of trustees for six years. “My father instilled in me the sense of giving back,” says Lorber, who also sells prime properties at Douglas Elliman. “He is my best friend and role model in philanthropy, life, and family values.”
Lorber has helped draw the junior set to the hospital party. “To get the younger crowd interested, we have after-dinner dancing and drinks for $90,” he says. Plus, he continues, once people start having kids and owning a house in the Hamptons, having a quality hospital nearby becomes even more important.
Lorber also works with the New York Philharmonic and the Frick Collection and is a trustee of Babson College, his alma mater. His advice to young people who aren’t sure how to get involved is just to speak up: “Every organization wants volunteers, donors, and people to be more involved.”