Some keep the faith, others mourn

MARK MOTRONI, Fort Lee

Family and friends referred to Mark Motroni, 57, as "The Man."

It was a term of respect bestowed on a man who played every position on his softball team. And on a basketball court he could rifle passes from behind his back, thread a ball between a defenders legs, or just drain jump shots from anywhere on the court.

The name grew on him because he immigrated to the United States from Cuba when he was 12 without knowing a word of English, but he studied and worked hard and was eventually appointed to the Board of Directors of the Mercantile Exchange in New York.

His family also recognized his generosity, saying he was kind enough to give the same homeless person a couple of bucks the mornings that he walked from church in New York City to his office.

"He could sing, too," said 23-year-old Christopher, one of Motroni's three sons. "He was in a salsa band for 25 years. . . . I'm telling you, my father earned that nickname. If I could be one-tenth of what my father was, I would be better than 99.9 percent of the people in the world."

His father's success is part of the reason Christopher followed him into the world of stock trading.

Every day when he got home from work, Mark asked Christopher, who lives with his parents, what he did that day and what he learned. Motroni helped Christopher to study for his impending Series Seven exam -- a test to be a licensed stock trader.

Christopher drove into Hoboken every morning with his dad, where they both took the PATH train to work.

Mark Motroni works on Wall Street for Carr Futures, but on Tuesday he had to attend a special meeting on the 92nd floor of One World Trade Center.

Christopher could see the Twin Towers from his office and heard the boom when the first plane struck the North Tower.

"I thought someone was throwing a parade," Christopher said.

Even before the second plane struck, Christopher was frantically calling both his father and his mother, Emily.

Christopher eventually headed back to Hoboken and waited there for three hours, praying that his father would bound off the ferry.

He added that his family is still in a state of disbelief.

"It's such an unreal concept to accept that you don't believe it," Christopher said.

"Normal humans don't do stuff like this. Nobody deserved this."

by Yung Kim - N.J News - www.Bergen.com - Friday, September 21, 2001

Remembering Marco Motroni, along with his generous Uncle Antonio Suarez!

To the Motroni Family,

Please allow me this opportunity to express my heartfelt sorrow, and our prayers to the Motroni Family. Mark was always an inspiration to me
throughout my career in commodities. I first came to know Mark, when I took my first job on Wall Street at Bache & Company, 100 Gold Street. I
started very green as a commodity margin clerk in 1974, while attending college across the street at Pace University. That didn't last very
long, as they reassigned me to the commodity futures deliveries department, where I first came to know Sr. Antonio Suarez. Antonio was
my mentor for understanding the basics of the commodity business, both from the front office, as well, back office perspective. In my opinion,
Antonio succeeded in delivering me new values, and for appreciating the contributions that one can impact for process. Antonio was a workhorse,
and he carried this fledling until I could spread my wings a bit, and carry more load. Proud of our hispanic heritage, his Cuban, mine Puerto
Rican, we always respected each others viewpoints and for the joint dedication to accomplish each day's task, which frankly was full of
turns and challenges.

I still miss my friend Antonio Suarez, and he is in my prayers always!

Antonio introduced me to Mark Motroni while at an FIA conference, and Mark always flying high in those circles. I remember attending the
funeral of Mark's mother, with Antonio very saddened by the passing of his dear sister and his comforting Mark. Mark and I had the opportunity
to work for the same company together, although only for a short while, and he like his Uncle helped me to understand some of the business
basics which he so graciously shared. Mark became the Vice-Chairman for NYMEX, and I then knew that he could transend some levels of attainment
that many of us could hardly dream of in the business world!

That's what we distinctly remember as our Hero!

Believe Mark thoroughly enjoyed his participation in Orquesta Novel, and I just loved the combination of hearing that Charanga beat and sound,
while simultaneously, associating him with Wall Street and his commitment for it! I remember joining Mark, with others, in Sao Paulo,
Brazil not too long ago. He very much the Senior statesman and deriving a distinct contribution for Purpose, with the Seniors from BM&F. Again,
I was there and I remember!

Lastly, the news of his passing during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Just to difficult for me to accept, and saddened that I
couldn't say another thank you, to both of these instrumental people touching my life forever!

Mark, and Antonio would probably say, Adelante Tony!

Again, my sincere condolences, and remember be ever proud of the profound contributions for which the family names Suarez, as well,
Motroni gave and shared with all.

Joseph Anthony (Tony) Velez,
Latin American Coordinator
Cargill Investor Services, Bridgewater, New Jersey
Email: tony_velez@cargill.com

Mark Motroni took a ribbing for the protective goggles he wore over his glasses when he showed up at the community courts to shoot hoops with his sons, but that did not stop kids from wanting the elder statesman on their team.

Same thing happened on the baseball diamond. When his son, Christopher, 23, was looking for a pitcher to fill in last summer in Central Park, he tapped his 57-year-old dad, a broker-trader at Carr Futures. They won; Mr. Motroni went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Whatever he did -- trading crude oil options at the Mercantile Exchange, singing and touring with a busy salsa band, Orquesta Novel, or playing ball with his three sons, all of whom followed him to Wall Street jobs -- Mr. Motroni put his heart into it.

Mr. Motroni, who arrived from Cuba when he was 12 knowing no English, felt blessed for the chance to reinvent himself in the United States. He went to Mass every morning before hitting the trading pit. His presence Sept. 11 at Carr's 92nd floor office was a fluke: he was there for a twice-a-year meeting.

"He came here with nothing and he turned himself into everything," said Christopher, who lives at home with his parents in Fort Lee, N.J. "Every day after work he'd come up to my room and ask what I learned today."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on Sept. 24, 2001

Son Recalls Athletic, Music-Loving Father

A week before the attack on the World Trade Center, Mark Motroni Sr. had dinner with his family at the Water's Edge in Long Island City.

"It was the last time I saw him," said Mark Motroni Jr. "My brother George is getting married there in June, so we all decided to have dinner. The restaurant has a great view of Manhattan. We could see the Twin Towers."

Mark Motroni Sr., 56, was a commodities broker for Carr Futures and followed the same routine every day, attending Mass before going to the office. He was on the 92nd floor of One World Trade Center when the attack began.

Mark Jr., 35, a broker for Liubicich Commodities, was working at Four World Trade Center on Sept. 11. "It felt the same as the bombing in 1993," Motroni Jr. said. "The lights flickered, the building shook. I just got out of there. When I was outside, I saw the fire coming out of the tower. I knew my father was up there. I knew he was in trouble."

Mark Motroni Sr. played basketball at Manhattan's George Washington High School and graduated in 1963, the same class as baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

Motroni Sr. loved sports and music. He sang in the salsa band Orquesta Novel for 20 years and played on his son's softball team every summer.

He raised his family in Astoria and recently moved to Fort Lee, N.J. Besides his son Mark, he is survived by his wife, Emily, and two other sons, George and Christopher. -

by Robert Cassidy
published in NY Newsday, October 12, 2001

In Memory of Mark Motroni (Charanga Lead Singer)

Mark Motroni, age 57, is one of the missing from the WTC disaster. Mark (or Marco), was the lead singer for Tipica Novel in the seventies?

Since I am a charanga fanatic and salsero in general, I just went to my record storage and counted 11 Tipica Novel albums (not counting the two put out by the new Novel of the nineties but I think that this is the total Novel discography). Here's a summary of the albums with some key notes (most of the albums do have a photo of Marco on it):

Se Colo' La Novel (1973) - includes Mike Perez (now with Sublime) and vocals by Marco

Super Tipica (1974) - produced by Louie Ramirez; include George Maysonet, Nicky Marrerro, Eddie Drennon, with vocals by Marco Motroni and Gene Hernandez

Tipicante (1975) - no credits, but I'm sure Marco was the singer

Sabrosa Novel (1975) - vocals by Marco Motroni

Salsamania (1976) - vocals Marco Motroni

Salud Dinero y Amor (1978) - includes Ira Hersher, Sal Cuevas, vocals by Marco Motroni

Canta y Encanta (1979) - includes arrangements by Paquito Pastor and Gonzalo Fernandez, and includes Eddie Gua Gua Rivera, Mauricio Smith Sr and vocals by Marco Motroni

With a Touch of Brass (1979) - includes Barry Rodgers, Chocate, vocals by Marco

Que Viva El Son Montuno (1980) - includes Papo Vasquez on trombone, vocals by Marco

A Mi Me Gusto (1981) - includes Nestor Torres, Jimmy Bosch, vocals by Marco Motroni

Prestige (1984) - includes Jimmy Bosch, vocals by Marco Motroni

I remember Marco having a superb tenor voice who, like Felo Barrios, fit right in with the
Charanga "feel". I know he is missing and it is unlikely he will be found alive. And I'm not sure of his connection to the Latin music world since (I assume) he became a serious businessman after the original Novel disolved, but I hope he knew how much he was appreciated by we lovers of the music. And his spirit lives on every time I play one of my Novel albums. He was a hero to me when he was alive and now he has joined thousands of other heroes whose innocent lives were ended for no reason.

Best regards, Jim Spier

Published in SalsaMagazine.com

Dear unknown family member: may God grant you peace in a place that is unlike anything that we know. It's unfortunate that we never got to meet here in this world that we call Earth. I hope that we get to meet in the next world that we call Heaven. I share in the pain that your family now knows and would want them to know that I care about them and will keep them in my prayers and thoughts always! I suspect that we are cousins and will search for our family connection in your memory. REST IN PEACE ~ ETERNALLY!

Submitted to AmericanMemorials.com by Kevin Motroni

This short note from Miami to the family of Marco Motroni.
My name is Miguel Martin and I have been a singer for 23 years. I have made five solo albums and recorded with many people,from Celia Cruz to Luis Enrique. I first met Marco in 1982 in New York when I was singing with "La Charanga Casino". I cannot express the grief I felt when I heard the news. I heard the news through Felo Barrio who was like Marco,one of the legends of New York latin music. I always admired Marco very much,as did all professional singers at that time in New York. We,the members of La Casino were very big fans of his and of the rest of La Novel. I always looked up to Marco and Alberto as charanga royalty. I even remember once,around 1985,I actually bumped into him at the Towers,but I could not possibly imagine he still worked there. I have since taken out all my Novel albums and listened and listened. I have also stared at the covers and I have wept. To me,he was not the succesful businessman,but one of the greatest tipica singers in New York city latin music history. I feel honored that I gravitated in his sphere at that time and that we spoke many times,he being a veteran and me just a young man starting out. I will miss him always.

submitted to AmericanMemorials.com by Miguel Martin