New York, April 17, 2008--NYU Langone Medical Center held its annual Violet Ball on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in honor of chairman of its board of trustees and his wife, Kenneth & Elaine Langone. Robert I. Grossman, M.D.,dean and CEO, announced that the Medical Center has been renamed the NYU Elaine A. and Kenneth G. Langone Medical Center, in tribute to the Langones' tireless efforts on behalf of the Medical Center, their generosity as champions of its mission, and their commitment to its future under its new leadership. The Langones have made an unpreceedented $200 million donation, the largest in the Medical Center's history. Their contribution has already inspired additional gifts to the Medical Center totaling $50 Million. More than 900 guests attended the evening's celebration, held at the Tent at Lincoln Center. The Violet Ball raised nearly $7 million for the institution. The special evening included performances by Ann Hampton Callaway and Barbara Cook. Gala Chair Ronald Perelman and Honorary Chair Rudy Giuliani were in attendance. Special guests in attendance included: New York University President John Sexton; Vera Wang and Arthur Becker; Robin & Eliot Broidy; Fiona & Stanley Druckenmiller; Lori & Laurence Fink; Susan & Martin Lipton; Alice & Thomas Tisch; Tracy & Stanley Shopkorn; Klara & Larry Silverstein; Sandy & Edward Meyer; Thomas Murphy; Suzy & Jack Welch; Phyllis & Angelo Mozilo; Liz & Frank Blake; Lorraine & Richard Grasso; Terry & Mel Karmazin; Elizabeth and David; and Irene and Bernard Schwartz. A leading philanthropist and a major figure in business and finance, Kenneth Langone is best known as co-founder of the world’s largest home improvement retailer, Home Depot, a director of the New York Stock Exchange, and founder of the brokerage and investment banking firm Invemed. He has been a trustee of New York University since 1997 and chairman of the Medical Center's Board of Trustees since 1999. PHOTO CREDIT: ©Juliana Thomas and ©Lisa Berg, photos courtesy of NYU Medical Center.