The Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York announced it will honor John A. Thain, chairman and CEO, CIT Group at its Gala Benefit at The Waldorf-Astoria on Wednesday, February 26.

The following was excerpted from the news release:

Honoree John A. Thain has enjoyed a distinguished career in the financial services sector and continues to be a leader in the field. Before joining CIT Group as chairman and CEO in 2010, he served as chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch and previously served as CEO and a director of NYSE Euronext and president and COO of Goldman Sachs. He is a member of the MIT Corporation Board, the Dean’s Advisory Council of MIT/Sloan School of Management and the U.S. National Advisory Board of INSEAD. He also serves on the Board of Managers of the New York Botanical Garden, is a member of the Board of Directors of the French-American Foundation and is a trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

“I have long been impressed by the dedication and commitment of Catholic Charities and their efforts to provide food, shelter and comfort to those most in need,” said Thain. “This evening offers us an opportunity to recognize their work and will help ensure that they have the necessary resources to solve the problems of New Yorkers in need.”

The Catholic Charities gala will once again convene a dynamic group of New Yorkers from the worlds of business, philanthropy, culture, fashion, law, media, politics and religion who share a deep concern for the well-being of New Yorkers in need. The event raises more than $2 million annually.