Richard E. Honen, Jeffrey A. Lawrence Lifetime Contributor Award

Honen receives award

Albany venture capital attorney Richard Honen was honored at the Center for Economic Development’s techawards luncheon with the Jeffrey A. Lawrence Lifetime Contributor Award.

Lawrence was a longtime leader at CEG who died last year. He was 58. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Lawrence was a mentor and friend to many business owners in the region over the decades.

Honen, head of the Albany office of Phillips Lytle, was recognized Thursday for his role also as a mentor to local startups.

But when Honen took the stage, he put the focus back on Lawrence and his steady, calm and nurturing ways that helped countless businesses grow in the Capital Region.

“He never told you what to do, he never told you that you were wrong,” Honen said. “He made you believe that he had confidence you would find the right answer. That was Jeff mentoring.”