NEW YORK, September 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Cantor Fitzgerald, a leading global financial services firm, announced today that, together with its affiliate BGC Partners, it raised approximately $12 million globally at their Annual Charity Day on Monday, September 12, 2011.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110721/MM39818LOGO )

Every year, Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC donate 100% of their global revenues on the day to more than 75 charities around the world by hosting charities and celebrity ambassadors at their offices in commemoration of the 658 employees we lost in the World Trade Center attacks. The guests joined licensed brokers to conduct transactions with Cantor and BGC clients.  Including today, Charity Day has raised approximately $77 million globally.

Cantor Fitzgerald was honored to be joined by many distinguished guests including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, actors Mickey Rourke and Michael J. Fox, TV personality Kim Kardashian, supermodel Kate Upton, and sports personality Chris Bosh.  

"Charity Day is always a moving experience, and this year's has been especially poignant as we have reached the ten year anniversary of 9/11," said Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cantor Fitzgerald. "We are proud to honor our cherished friends and colleagues through aid and support to great causes.  It is through generosity and philanthropy that we turn this tragic day into one that is positive and uplifting.  I'd like to thank our clients, employees and everyone who joined us in honoring our 658 employees who perished on 9/11 by helping charities around the world."

"This year marks the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 and we continue to commemorate the tragic loss of our loved ones by donating our revenues from the day to various causes both at a local and national level," said Shawn P. Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. "Our firm rebuilt itself in the days after 9/11 and we will continue to memorialize and pay our respects to those we lost through this day of philanthropy. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to all the charities around the world who participated and made today a wonderful success."

BGC President, Shaun Lynn, said: "Every year we are fortunate to be joined by celebrity guests, clients, staff and volunteers who together raise as much as they can, in memory of the staff we lost.  This year, more than ever, we have done our utmost to do them proud.  Most importantly, Howard and I would particularly like to thank our global clients for supporting us so well over the last ten years. Without their support, we would not be where we are today."

Participating charities from Cantor Fitzgerald include: Action America, Autism Speaks, Children's Tumor Fund, Fisher Alzheimer, The Readiness Center in St Joseph Michigan, Good Shepherds, Flight 93 National Memorial, Team Tomorrow Inc., Deafness Research Foundation, Happy Hearts Fund, Dream Granting Program, Friends of Firefighters, Friends of LESC Inc.,  Noreen Fraser Foundation, Peter C. Alderman Foundation, Martin Luther King Jr. Institute, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Let's Get Ready, Reach The World, September 11th Education Trust, Todd Ouida Children's Foundation, 9/11 Day of Service (My Good Deed), The 52nd Street Project, Samaritans of NYC, Tribute WTC, Tuesday's Children, Voices of 9/11, and more.

BGC Partners was honored to be joined by many distinguished guests including President George W. Bush and President William J. Clinton in New York and His Royal Highness Prince Harry in London.  At BGC's New York offices, other guests included: Former New York Governor David Paterson, actors Ben Stiller, Billy Crudup, Daniel Radcliff and Jon Voight, supermodels Petra Nemcova, Carol Alt and Karolina Kurkova, and sports icons Carmelo Anthony, Henrik Lundqvist, Ike Davis, John McEnroe, Eli Manning, Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan.  

In London, celebrity guests at BGC's offices included: The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, TV and radio personality Sir Terry Wogan, model Eva Herzigova as well as renown chef Marcus Wareing and the legendary Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood. Other singing sensations included Duffy, Peter Andre, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and One Direction. Sports icons included Jamie and Harry Redknapp, Damon Hill, A. P. McCoy and Lawrence Dallaglio.

For more information please visit:

http://www.cantor.com/CD/charity_day_2011

About Cantor Fitzgerald

Cantor Fitzgerald, a leading global financial services firm at the forefront of financial and technological innovation, has been a proven and resilient leader for over 65 years. Cantor is continuing to grow its equity capital markets, debt capital markets, and investment banking businesses. Serving more than 5,000 institutional clients around the world, Cantor is recognized for its strengths in institutional equity and fixed income sales and trading and for its expanding presence serving the middle market with investment and merchant banking services, prime brokerage, and commercial real estate financing.  Cantor Fitzgerald also is a leader in new businesses and marketplaces including gaming technology, e-commerce, insurance and other ventures. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is one of 20 primary dealers authorized to trade U.S. government securities with The Federal Reserve Bank of New York.  Cantor Fitzgerald's 1,400 employees serve clients through 30 locations, including major financial centers around the world in the Americas, Europe, Asia/Pacific, and the Middle East. Cantor Fitzgerald L.P is the parent entity of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

For more information please visit http://www.cantor.com.

SOURCE Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.