Alan Anders, who has spearheaded New York City's bond financing programs for nearly a quarter century, will be honored with The Bond Buyer's inaugural "Jim Lebenthal Infrastructure Champion" award next month.
The honor, which be awarded at The Bond Buyer's National Outlook Conference on Jan. 27 in New York, is named after muni icon Jim Lebenthal, who passed away in November at age 86. Like Lebenthal, Anders has made improving infrastructure a chief goal since joining New York City's Office of Management and Budget in 1990.
"A true legend in our market, Jim Lebenthal was a tireless champion of municipal bonds and was extremely passionate about the important role that municipal bonds play in rebuilding and enhancing our nation's infrastructure," said Michael Ballinger, publisher of The Bond Buyer. "To honor his legacy, we are giving this award in his name to Alan Anders, an individual who embodies that spirit."
Anders, who is now deputy director of the New York City OMB, said he fostered a close working relationship with Lebenthal over the last two decades, making the award that much more meaningful.
"Jim not only got it, but he basically mobilized and organized the theme of infrastructure," said Anders. "Jim put the spotlight on infrastructure."
Lebenthal's daughter Alexandra described her father's staunch commitment to improving New York City during the financial crisis of the 1970s and said it is fitting for the first award in his honor to be given to someone so closely associated with the Big Apple. In addition to his role with the OMB, Anders is also executive director of the New York City Transitional Finance Authority, CEO of the city's water authority and president of the Hudson Yards Infrastructure Corp. Prior to arriving at the New York City OMB, Anders was a senior investment banker at J.P. Morgan responsible for U.S. tax-exempt municipal market public finance transactions. .
"Alan has been such a supporter of New York City for so many years," said Lebenthal. "Alan admired dad very much and I know dad admired him."
In addition to Anders' long service to New York, he is also chair of the debt and fiscal policy committees for the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada. He was also formerly chair of the Municipal Market Committee of the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities. In 2004, he received the Public Sector Award for Service from the Municipal Forum of New York.
Anders said he admired many things about Lebenthal, but particularly his passion and commitment to seeing projects advance in the face of challenges.
"He was so positive and didn't believe there were any obstacles that couldn't be overcome," said Anders. "His enthusiasm was infectious."
The Bond Buyer's National Outlook 2015 Conference on Jan. 27 will be held at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan. Lebenthal said for her late father used to utter the phrase "infrastructure" at least once an hour and would be smiling at the meaning behind the award.
"To honor something that honors what my dad was passionate about is something dad would be very proud of," she said. "The outpouring of support and admiration for dad from the municipal bond industry has been overwhelming."
