Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump and Melania Trump

The Hiltons: Paris, Kathy, Rick, Nicky

Eric Trump and girlfriend Lara Lea Yunaska

Geraldo Rivera and wife Erica Michelle Levy

EUROPEAN SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
The Donald And The Hiltons
Honored For Their Support

STORY BY NINA BOXER
PHOTOS BY TIM BOXER

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HE European School of Economics Foundation honored two iconic families of global business for their support of its scholarship program at a gala in December at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York.

President Elio D’Anna paid tribute to Donald J. Trump, chairman/CEO of the Trump Organization and TV personality, and to Rick Hilton, chairman of the Beverly Hills real estate empire Hilton & Hyland, and his wife Kathy Hilton, founder of Kathy Hilton Designs.

Emcee Geraldo Rivera marveled at the star power in the room. "It’s rare when you say people’s names that they are on buildings in every city in the world—families that are multigenerational dynasties."

To strengthen this family affair Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, executive vice presidents at the Trump Organization, were there for their dad. Likewise Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton were on hand for their parents.

"You rarely get a chance to honor the people who gave you life," Paris said. "No story about my father is ever complete without the story of my mother. They met when my mother was 15 and my father 19."

"We love Donald, we go way back," Rick Hilton said. "My father and grandfather had a reputation of doing transactions on a handshake. That’s a rarity."

Ivanka recalled a family friend who described her father as "a reverse tornado—he builds everything in his path."

"I have a really special family," the Donald beamed.

Geraldo Rivera lauded The Donald for rejuvenating Wallman Rink in Central Park. "I cherish him for giving my seven-year-old daughter a wonderful place to ice skate where she can look at all the beautiful buildings in New York."

Established in 1994, the European School of Economics is based in London with campuses in Madrid, New York, Rome, Milan and Florence. Among the 600 guests at the dinner were Rod and Judy Gilbert, Fruzen Ice creator Hana Bisceglie, board member Loreen Arbus, celebrity tax lawyer David Hryck and jazz great Dominick Farinacci, Dorothy Herman, Patrick J. Harvey, Alessandro Nomellini, Anne Hearst, Somers and Jonathan Farkas, and Loreen Arbus as well as several students. The high wattage celebrities applauded society columnist Catherine Saxton for her efforts in producing this stellar event.

"Education," Kathy remarked, "is the most important gift we can receive. It cannot be taken from us." To which Rick added, "My advice to the students is, study hard, listen to your lecturers."