The Business Council has sent a "message of thanks from a grateful business community" to the leaders of Con Edison and Verizon for the efforts of their workers to help New York recover from the Sept. 11 terrorism.

"We want to let you know how inspired we are by the extraordinary efforts" of your employees, Business Council President Daniel B. Walsh wrote in Sept. 24 letters to Eugene McGrath and Ivan Seidenberg.

McGrath is chairman, president, and CEO of Con Ed. Seidenberg is president and co-CEO of Verizon. Both are members of The Council's Board of Directors.

Verizon and Con Ed workers restored not only power and vital communications, "they restored confidence to the American people," Walsh said.

Citing the enormous burden still to be addressed in New York's recovery, Walsh said the Con Ed and Verizon workers "have given us a standard to strive to match."