| The tale of Mirek Klabal is an amazing story that | | | | says "that is what makes a good friend, |
| can only happen in America. Mirek Klabal started | | | | somebody who is there for you when times are |
| out as a boy in Prague, dreaming about the world | | | | tough." Mirek Klabal is very interested in making |
| of art. Even at a young age Mirek Klabal had a | | | | sure his friends and family are taken care of. |
| passion for art. As a kid Mirek Klabal was always | | | | Mirek Klabal always makes time for friends and |
| reading art books and going to art museums. | | | | family. Mirek Klabal likes to have big friends and |
| Mirek Klabal studied art in college and told his | | | | family gatherings at his house in Greenwich. The |
| parents that he would find a way to make art | | | | barbeque and cocktails parties that he hosts at his |
| pay off for him. Boy did Mirek Klabal make good | | | | house are legendary. |
| on that promise. Mirek Klabal is one of the world's | | | | Mirek Klabal is an outdoor enthusiast; Mirek Klabal |
| most prominent art dealers. Mirek Klabal's | | | | likes to take trips to the country in his free time. |
| expertise is routinely sought out all over the | | | | When Mirek Klabal goes to the country he likes to |
| world. That sometimes makes Mirek Klabal's travel | | | | ramble barefoot throughout the land. Mirek Klabal |
| schedule hectic. Mirek Klabal has clients on every | | | | really enjoys when he travels to various horse |
| continent which is an amazing feat, and it speaks | | | | farms. Mirek Klabal likes all art; he has a fancy for |
| volumes about the level of service Mirek Klabal | | | | the modern masters but also has a vast collection |
| provides for his clients. | | | | of various pictures of American landscapes. Mirek |
| Mirek Klabal is living the American dream. Mirek | | | | Klabal shows the essential mood of a country |
| Klabal is a living a lifestyle that people see in | | | | scene in the various farm scene paintings that he |
| movies. Mirek Klabal has obtained all the finer | | | | keeps for his children. Mirek Klabal's fascination |
| things in life. Every day Mirek Klabal drives to | | | | with the wild and grand aspects of nature is |
| office in a fancy sports car. Mirek Klabal's office is | | | | evident. Mirek Klabal besides liking the modern |
| the most stunning gallery in the land. Mirek Klabal | | | | masters the most, respects The "Hudson River |
| has elegantly combined two apartments to form | | | | School". Mirek Klabal says Americans look at the |
| an amazing gallery. Mirek Klabal has custom made | | | | landscapes in the painting as backgrounds in their |
| floor and lighting. The gallery called MK Fine Arts is | | | | own backyard, the wilderness is a symbol of |
| a thing of beauty. Mirek Klabal says his gallery | | | | America's unspoiled national character. Mirek Klabal |
| makes him feel happy and productive. Mirek loves | | | | loves nature and is fighting for conservation in his |
| the hustle and bustle of making deals and acquiring | | | | native Connecticut. Mirek Klabal likes to go apple |
| "one of a kind" paintings. Mirek wouldn't trade his | | | | picking in the fall with his wife. |
| job for any other in the world. Mirek Klabal's | | | | Mirek Klabal is a very charitable man; Mirek Klabal |
| company is called MK Fine Arts. The gallery is so | | | | feels that you must be give back to society. |
| modern looking and minimalist it is a true delight to | | | | Mirek Klabal is very active in various charity |
| set foot in there. There is nothing else like it. | | | | organizations. Mirek has a few favorite charities. |
| When you walk into the gallery you are engulfed | | | | Mirek Klabal's favorite charity which he gives not |
| by the soft music that is playing and all the fine | | | | only his money but his time is Seeds of Peace. |
| paintings that you see. Mirek Klabal has a huge | | | | Seeds of Peace is dedicated to empowering |
| inventory of paintings. The artists that Mirek Klabal | | | | young leaders from regions of conflict with the |
| collects for his own personal collection are: Marc | | | | leadership skills required to advance reconciliation |
| Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Vincent Van | | | | and coexistence. Over the last decade, Seeds of |
| Gogh, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Edgar Degas, | | | | Peace has intensified its impact, dramatically |
| Wassily Kandinsky, Gustav, Klimt, Joan Miro, Henri | | | | increasing the number of participants, represented |
| Matise, and Jackson Pollack. | | | | nations and programs. Seeds of Peace has |
| Mirek Klabal is so happy that he made his dreams | | | | focused primarily on bringing Arab and Israeli |
| come true in America. Mirek spends the | | | | teenagers together before fear; mistrust and |
| weekends at his compound in leafy Greenwich, | | | | prejudice blind them from seeing the human face |
| Connecticut, where Mirek Klabal mingles with the | | | | of their enemy. Seeds of Peace goes beyond |
| upper crest of society. Now days Connecticut is | | | | international agreements and treaties. It reverses |
| surrounded by the hedge fund billionaires. Mirek | | | | the legacy of hatred by nurturing lasting |
| Klabal lives next to all these new potential | | | | friendships that become the basis for mutual |
| customers. Mirek Klabal hopes the hedge fund | | | | understanding and respect. By training these |
| boom continues as Mirek Klabal says "Hey they | | | | young leaders in conflict resolution skills, Seeds of |
| pay lots of commission, they want the art they | | | | Peace helps them become the seeds from which |
| want and I facilitate their art transactions." Mirek | | | | an enduring peace will grow. Mirek Klabal spends a |
| Klabal loves living in Greenwich; he says it is so | | | | great deal of time donating money and raising |
| close to the city but so far away. Mirek lives to | | | | money for this charity. |
| play tennis and golf. Unfortunately he has been so | | | | Mirek Klabal is involved with a charity called the |
| busy his tennis and golf game are not where he | | | | Children of Henry Street Settlement Mirek Klabal |
| wants them to be. That is the story with most | | | | was honored with a beautiful plaque from the |
| successful businessmen like Mirek Klabal. They are | | | | Children of Henry Street Settlement for giving a |
| driven by their passion and in Mirek's case that | | | | donation enabling inner city kids the opportunity to |
| passion is art. Art is the essence of Mirek Klabal. | | | | spend time at a lake side retreat. Mirek Klabal said |
| Mirek is friends with all the famous tennis players | | | | "It gave me great pleasure to do this, I was so |
| from his native Czech Republic. During the US | | | | happy after I saw how it benefited the kids." |
| open you find Mirek Klabal entertaining players, | | | | Henry Street Settlement delivers a wide range of |
| hosting players and watching tennis. Mirek Klabal | | | | social service and arts programming to more than |
| always finds time out of his hectic schedule to | | | | 100,000 New Yorkers each year. Distinguished by |
| watch the US Open from his court side seat. He | | | | a profound connection to its neighbors, a |
| counts many professional tennis players friends | | | | willingness to address new problems with swift |
| such as: | | | | and innovative solutions, and a strong record of |
| Thomas Berdych, a professional tennis player | | | | accomplishment, Henry Street challenges the |
| from the Czech Republic. He turned professional in | | | | effects of urban poverty by helping families |
| 2002. Tall and lanky, he is known for his powerful | | | | achieve better lives for themselves and their |
| ground strokes which are created with little effort | | | | children. |
| but his shots can be quite erratic at times. His | | | | Mirek Klabal is also involved in the annual American |
| biggest career win came at the 2004 Athens | | | | Heart Association walk in Cape Code, MA. Mirek |
| Olympics where he defeated World No. 1 Roger | | | | Klabal says it is important to try when possible to |
| Federer. At the 2005 Paris Masters he won first | | | | contribute to fighting such a debilitating disease. |
| career ATP Masters Series title. En route to the | | | | The American heart association helps fight against |
| final he beat Jiřà Novák, 2nd seed | | | | heart disease and stroke. Over 1 million people die |
| Guillermo Coria, 13th seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7th | | | | each year from cardiovascular disease. Mirek |
| seed Gaston Gaudio, 8th seed Radek | | | | encourages people to have a healthier lifestyle to |
| Stěpánek, and 6th seed Ivan | | | | mitigate the risks of heart disease. Mirek Klabal |
| Ljubičić. | | | | says "Better lifestyle habits can help you reduce |
| Other notable highlights of his 2005 season | | | | your risk for heart attack. This charity does great |
| included upsetting No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal in the | | | | work and I am glad to do my part." |
| first round of the Cincinnati Masters, reaching the | | | | Mirek Klabal is involved with the Riverview School. |
| final of the Swedish Open, and the semifinals in | | | | Mirek Klabal and his family are actively involved in |
| Washington DC. | | | | this charity. The last few years Mirek Klabal has |
| In 2006, he reached his first grass court final at | | | | been one of the sponsors of the Gala Benefit |
| the Gerry Weber Open, falling to World No. 1 | | | | Village of Drams. This past year the proceeds |
| Roger Federer (0-6, 7-6, 2-6). Another highlight of | | | | from the Benefit went to enhance the |
| his year was his victory over Rafael Nadal at the | | | | technological capacity in the campus and to |
| Rogers Masters, beating the World No. 2 6-1, 3-6, | | | | support the Secondary School dormitory |
| 6-2. | | | | construction project. The Riverview School is an |
| In October, Berdych reached his second ATP final | | | | independent coeducation residential school that |
| of 2006 in Mumbai. However, he was beaten by | | | | provides a caring community for adolescents and |
| Dmitry Tursunov 6-3 4-6 7-6(5). In the ATP | | | | young adults with complex language, learning and |
| Masters Series tournament in Madrid, Berdych | | | | cognitive disabilities. The school is committed to |
| upset former World No.1 Andy Roddick 7-6(7) 6-3 | | | | developing student competence and confidence in |
| to reach the quarter finals. He then defeated | | | | academic, social, and independent living skills. |
| Rafael Nadal 6-3 7-6(6) to reach the semi finals. | | | | Mirek Klabal also supports the ARC which is a |
| Berdych is now not well-liked by Spanish fans for | | | | grassroots volunteer organization that works to |
| his altercation with Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal | | | | improve the lives of people with special needs. |
| in Madrid, in which the partisan crowd jeered | | | | Mirek Klabal says "I just want to make a |
| Berdych during points and Berdych for hushing the | | | | difference". |
| crowd after he won the match 6-3 7-6. Berdych | | | | Many people believe that even the rich lack |
| never found his rhythm in his semi final match | | | | security of who they are and what they have |
| against Fernando Gonzalez as he slumped to a 6-3 | | | | accomplished. To be taken seriously in our society |
| 6-1 defeat. | | | | these days it is not enough to have money. To |
| Berdych failed to defend his Paris Masters title | | | | be a major player in society you must navigate |
| after he lost to Dominik Hrbaty 6-4 1-6 6-2 in the | | | | the art world. This is where Mirek Klabal comes |
| quarter finals. In earlier rounds, Tomas defeated | | | | into play. Mirek Klabal is the dealer to the stars. |
| Olivier Rochus 6-7 6-4 6-2 and Robby Ginepri 6-3 | | | | Mirek Klabal sells art to wealthy families, famous |
| 6-3. | | | | celebrities, governments and anybody with an eye |
| Tomas Zib is a male tennis player from the Czech | | | | and wallet for art. But as Mirek Klabal says don't |
| Republic. He reached a career high ranking of 51 in | | | | forget your checkbook, as good art is not cheap. |
| 2005, and is ranked #70 in the world as of | | | | Spending $10 million dollars for a painting from |
| January 16, 2006. Zib has earned more than | | | | Mirek Klabal is not uncommon. Mirek Klabal says |
| $975,000 in prize money, and plays right-handed. | | | | when the newly rich buy art they value art as a |
| Mirek Klabal loves when his tennis player friends | | | | passionless commodity to conquer and control. |
| come in to New York. He feels as though it is his | | | | Mirek Klabal says this is one of the main reasons |
| obligation to host them. It gives Mirek Klabal great | | | | for the rapid increase in the price of art in the last |
| pleasure and extreme nationalistic pride of his | | | | few years. There has been a recent rise in the |
| native Czech Republic to see the tennis scene | | | | price of art because the global economy has been |
| evolving in the Czech Republic. Mirek Klabal feels it | | | | doing well. Mirek Klabal says between, the Russian |
| is his civic duty to look at for the players and | | | | oligarchs, Indian entrepreneurs, Chinese |
| assist them in any way possible. Mirek Klabal is | | | | businessman, and hedge fund billionaires. |
| influential in raising the profile of his tennis player | | | | Over the past thirty years Mirek Klabal has been |
| friends in the US. | | | | in the art business. Mirek Klabal is credited with |
| Mirek Klabal says growing up in Eastern Europe he | | | | being a pioneer in the art world. Mirek Klabal |
| could never have imagined that he would live how | | | | operated art partnerships for purposes of |
| he lives currently. Mirek Klabal says doing business | | | | investing in art before it was in vogue. Mirek Klabal |
| in Eastern Europe is so difficult because there is | | | | has traveled the world in pursuit of art business |
| so much red tape and greatly enjoys the | | | | opportunities and for the love of art. Mirek Klabal |
| transparency of working in America. Mirek Klabal | | | | co-developed many art shows in the last 20 |
| hardly ever goes back to Eastern Europe. Mirek | | | | years. The art shows that Mirek Klabal has |
| Klabal says New York is his home! Mirek Klabal | | | | produced are from world famous artists such: |
| says he loves the energy of New York. Mirek | | | | Challgal, Picasso, Monet and Warhol. Mirek Klabal |
| Klabal says there is so much creative energy, and | | | | aggressively pursues the challenges associated |
| New York has such a great vibe. That vibe is | | | | with making art available to kids in the inner cities. |
| what makes New York City the best place on | | | | I will leave with this note, Mirek Klabal, is a |
| earth to live. | | | | passionate, articulate, caring and giving man who |
| Mirek Klabal has great friends and they have | | | | treats every day as a gift. Did I forget to |
| stood by him through thick and thin. Mirek Klabal | | | | mention he is an art dealer extraordinaire? |