Karen and Carl Buchholz Honored At 2010 Sweethearts' Brunch At PTC 2/7/2010

Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) is pleased to honor Karen and Carl Buchholz at its 2010 Sweethearts' Brunch, celebrating the couple's demonstrated leadership and commitment to giving back to the communities in which they live and work. Karen and Carl will be honored at the annual brunch on Sunday, February 7, beginning at 11:00 AM in the Grand Ballroom of the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue.

Carl, Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer at Blank Rome LLP, and Karen, Vice President of Administration for Comcast Corporation, have been actively involved with PTC, both through personal and corporate commitments. For more than 13 years, Blank Rome has sponsored PTC's artistic, education and accessibility programs, most recently as a Production Sponsor of M. Butterfly and Unusual Acts of Devotion; and Comcast is a Founders Donor to the Center Stage Capital Campaign, supporting PTC in building the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, their new home on the Avenue of the Arts, and most recently a major sponsor of PTC's award-winning Drama Contact education program.

The Sweethearts' Brunch is co-chaired by Connie and Sam Katz, Debra Klebanoff and Jim Smith, and Julie and Jordan Savitch. The Tribute Journal is chaired by Manny Stamatakis. The Honorary Chairs are Rhonda and David Cohen. Kayce Cashman is the Young Friends Chair.

"We are delighted to honor Karen and Carl at our annual pre-Valentine's Day brunch," said Michael Coleman, Co-Chairman of PTC's Board of Directors. "Their commitment to civic responsibility and their support of the arts make them ideal recipients of our Sweethearts' Award."

As Managing Partner and CEO of Blank Rome, Carl helps lead the national and international law firm of more than 500 attorneys, headquartered in Philadelphia. He concentrates his practice in the area of complex commercial litigation, including environmental, insurance, class action, and patent litigation. He also serves as senior principal in Blank Rome Government Relations LLC, representing a broad range of clients in legislative and regulatory matters.

Actively involved in numerous community and charitable organizations, Carl serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Executive Committee Chairman of Philadelphia Academies Inc., an independent nonprofit corporation dedicated to strengthening public school students' academic and occupational skills. He is also a member of several other boards, including the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, American Revolution Center, Pennsylvanians for Effective Government, the Committees of Seventy, and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

As Vice President of Administration for Comcast Corporation, Karen is responsible for leading a variety of corporate responsibilities, including facilities, real estate, corporate services, security, aviation, travel and diversity. She currently serves as the executive in charge of Comcast's new Corporate Headquarters, the Comcast Center. In her previous role as the company's first Vice President of Corporate Communications, Karen was responsible for building Comcast's corporate communications infrastructure.

Karen is involved with many civic and charitable boards, including Abington Memorial Hospital's Foundation, Germantown Academy, People's Emergency Center, Forum of Executive Women, and the American Heart Association. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania Ballet as Secretary and Executive Committee Member. Karen has received numerous honors for her role in the community, including Philadelphia Business Journal's "Women of Distinction" Award; Girl Scouts of America "Take the Lead" Award; Boy Scouts of America's "Cradle of Liberty Council's 2000 Summit Award"; and PENJERDEL Council's "Citizen of the Year."

PTC's Sweethearts' Brunch combines an entertainment-filled brunch and an opportunity to bid on tokens of affection including romantic get-aways, candlelight dinners for two at some of the area's finest restaurants, one-of-a-kind experiences, jewelry, crafts, and VIP tickets to sports and cultural events. For information about sponsorship or joining the Sweethearts' Brunch committee, call Jayne Perilstein at 610-664-8898.