NYC Leadership Award Presented To Doc Sander

The Armory's Dr. Norb Sander recently received the Leadership Award during the 2011 New York City Neighborhood Achievement Awards presented by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel and Small Business Services Commissioner Robert W. Walsh.

One of 14 awards presented to recipients from the five boroughs, the program honors organizations, businesses and individuals who have demonstrated excellence in enhancing New York City neighborhoods by fostering economic opportunity. Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Steel and Commissioner Walsh presented the recipients with their awards in a ceremony at Gracie Mansion.

"New York City is home to the world's most vibrant, diverse and interesting neighborhoods, and in every one of them there are people taking steps to make them even better place to live, work and visit," said Mayor Bloomberg, who began the initiative in 2002. "The annual Neighborhood Achievement Awards gives us a chance to recognize and thank some of them."

The Executive Director of the Armory Foundation, Dr. Sander founded the nonprofit which operates the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory. With long hours of practice at The Armory, the facility played a critical role in Sander's securing a track scholarship to Fordham University.

"I am deeply honored to receive such a prestigious award which is on behalf of our dynamic chairman, Mike Frankfurt and the hundreds of New Yorkers who have made the Armory in Washington Heights possible," said Dr. Sander, the only New York City resident ever to win the NYC Marathon.

When the Armory fell into a state of decline in the '70s and '80s, "Doc Sander" was determined to rescue it. In 1991, he formed the Armory Foundation and, just two years later, the City agreed to give him the keys to his beloved childhood track. Today, the Armory Foundation is the home to the busiest indoor track facility in the country, hosting more than 100 indoor track and field meets each year for more than 125,000 athletes from across the United States.

Close to 2,000 high school students practice at the Armory each week. Thanks to Dr. Sander's leadership, the Armory has become an anchor to a host of businesses in the neighborhood and an inspiration to the thousands of people who run there.