WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In only its second year, Kolter Group and KAST Construction's Charity Poker Tournament, Havana Nights, has become one of South Florida's most notable fundraisers. Held in December at the Boca Raton Resort, 175 of South Florida's top decision makers put their cards on the table for many good causes and raised over $570,000.

"I came up with the concept two years ago because I was sensing that people were getting tired of all the black-tie galas and we wanted to do something memorable. Of course we created a charity poker tournament and made it spectacular. This year our event was the hardest poker tournament to get in to as it sold out quickly," said Bobby Julien, CEO of Kolter Group and board member the Achievement Centers for Children and Families. "The real pay-off comes when we get to see the charitable results from what we raised."

The benefiting charities included: Achievement Centers for Children & Families, Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice by the Sea Foundation & Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Place of Hope, Quantum House and Renewal Coalition.

"The level of sponsor support for this year's event completely exceeded our hopes," stated Abigail Goodwin, Executive Director of the Achievement Centers Foundation, "The vision for this event truly comes from the leadership at Kolter|KAST Construction. Their commitment to making a difference in the community is evident not only by underwriting the entire event, but through the efforts they and their teams put into raising sponsorship funds."

"We were honored to play a role in this incredible event that benefited so many important non-profits. Our business deals with building strong foundations, so it's wonderful to support organizations that are building strong charity foundations," said Michael Neal, President of KAST Construction Company.

The Kolter Group is a diversified real estate development and investment firm that has invested in projects with expected value in excess of $12 billion. Headquartered in Palm Beach County, Florida, and with a Southeast operational footprint, Kolter's market and sector knowledge has positioned the firm to capitalize on emerging trends in US real estate. www.thekoltergroup.com

KAST Construction is Palm Beach County's largest general contractor with headquarters in West Palm Beach and a satellite office located in Sarasota Florida. KAST is licensed in Florida, NC, SC and GA and is active in multiple market sectors including hospitality, condominium, multifamily, educational, medical facilities, senior living, commercial office, private club, retail and municipal projects. www.kastbuild.com

The Achievement Centers for Children & Families is a community based social services organization that provides a safe, nurturing environment for children facing the highest risk of poverty, abuse, abandonment or neglect. The Center's mission is to ensure school readiness, provide skill building opportunities, promote academic achievement and support healthy lifestyles. www.AchievementCentersFL.org.

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SOURCE Kolter Group