Congratulations to My Fellow Honorees on Being Named to The Long Island Press 2014 Power List!
John D. Cameron, Jr., P.E. Founder and Managing Partner
CAMERON ENGINEERING & ASSOCIATES, LLP Celebrating Our 30th Year of Excellence in Planning & Engineering LEED Accredited Professionals Woodbury, NY
New York, NY
White Plains, NY
www.cameronengineering.com
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a proud supporter of
The Long Island Press Power List 2014 We would like to congratulate all 2014 honorees
visit us at www.lovebethpage.com
POWER A Message from the Publisher
The Power List is now in its 12th year. It’s a curious list, to be sure, as it is a testament to both ingenuity and inertia. There are figures that exert such consistent influence over our existence here on Long Island that to omit them would be dishonest. But to honor these people year after year simply codifies the frustratingly accurate adage that the more things change; the more they stay the same. If nothing else, the Power List generates a fair amount of criticism and outrage. We get it. The criticism usually comes from a parochial place whereby people believe that we have made stunning omissions based upon their own Jed Morey is the Publisher of the experiences with the people that impact Long Island Press and CEO of their daily lives. The outrage is generally Morey Publishing directed at the preponderance of older white men that appear on the list. To the latter, we offer the same reply every year: The Power List is a mirror, not a wish list. This response will no doubt be familiar, but it bears repeating, as it remains true and meaningful. The former sentiment—the veracity of the list itself—is more difficult to address. The criteria for the list are fairly straightforward, and there is room for debate. Honorees must live on Long Island and demonstrate tangible influence over our thoughts or actions. Wealth and notoriety don’t necessary qualify as these are characteristics that may or may not carry particular weight in how we live our lives or think about things. There are plenty of wealthy people and plenty of famous people who live here. There are also incredibly important people who leave enormous footprints but don’t necessarily move the needle on Long Island. Our write-ups explain what caught the attention of our editorial staff in terms
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Continued
of what sets this group of people apart from the 2.9 million people who didn’t make the cut. (And for those of you who are smarting from being excluded, that should make you feel a little better.) Oh, there’s something else you should know about the selection process… The harder one lobbies for inclusion on the list, the less likely he or she is to be included. After all, power should speak for itself. As journalists we have the opportunity to criticize or applaud many of the people on this list throughout the year. Sometimes we’re a little salty and other times we’re downright rude. Then there are times we find ourselves in awe of our subjects for something specific they have accomplished or, perhaps, their body of work that deserves to be recognized. As a result, compiling this list can also be cathartic. We’re not above taking a step back to even laud those we vehemently disagree with for sticking to their guns. As far as our Power List celebration is concerned, those who have attended in the past know that we walk a not-so-fine line between homage and tongue-in-cheek tribute. In addition to having some fun, there is always an overarching message about this idea of power that we try to convey based upon our observations. This year it is about the abuses of power and the devastating consequences of power left unchecked. That’s why we chose to host this year’s event at one of Long Island’s most prestigious, but lesserknown institutions: the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. There is no place on Long Island more appropriate for teaching what can happen when power is unfettered and left in the hands of too few. The staff of the Long Island Press takes its role as protectors against the abusers of power very seriously. A truly democratic state is a balancing act that requires a strong and independent press, a just legal and law enforcement system, a strong educational system and a fair and robust economic environment that provides equal participatory opportunities for every member of society. Therefore, as much as we are honored to perform our role in this equation, we continually challenge ourselves to do more and hope that those on this list will do the same.
A Special Thank You to this Year’s Sponsor
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CONGRATULATIONS To Our Longtime Friend And Colleague
Seymour Liebman FITZPATRICK, CELLA, HARPER & SCINTO
www.fitzpatrickcella.com
NEW YORK
WASHINGTON
CALIFORNIA
Canon U.S.A. Applauds the 2014 Power List Honorees Congratulations to
SEYMOUR LIEBMAN on being named among the 50 most influential people on Long Island. Canon U.S.A. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business and industrial digital imaging solutions and is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2013, its parent company, Canon Inc., ranked third overall in patent holdings in the U.S. and in 2014 was named one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies.
usa.canon.com
https://www.facebook.com/CanonUSA @CanonUSA
Seymour Liebman Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Canon U.S.A., Inc.; Senior Executive Officer, Canon Inc.; Vice Chairman, Canon Solutions America, Inc.
2014
Name
Any Long Island Press Power Listers who have graced the list at least five times are honored here on the elite Power List Hall of Fame. Caricatures by Norman Sonne / Faces by Norm www.gardensidegraphics.com 2008
2008
Bob Catell
Michael Balboni
2008
Alfonse D’Amato
2008
Gary Dela Raba
Cardinal Point Strategies
Former National Grid USA Executive Chairman
Former U.S. Senator/Park Strategies Founder
Former president of the Nassau County PBA
2008
2008
2008
2008
Thomas DiNapoli
Arthur “Jerry” Kremer
Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman/Former New York Republican State Committee Chairman
New York State Comptroller
Empire Government Strategies Chairman
Joseph Mondello
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Bishop William Murphy
Diocese of Rockville Centre
2008
2008
2008
Dean Skelos
Richard Schaffer
Thomas Spota
2008
Shirley Strum-Kenny
Suffolk County Democratic Committee Chairman
New York State Senate Majority Leader (R-Rockville Centre)
Suffolk County District Attorney
Former President of Stony Brook University
2008
2008
2008
2008
Thomas Suozzi
Former Nassau County Executive
The Skolnick-Sky Family
Co-directors of Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre
2008
2009
Charles Wang
New York Islanders Owner
Parents for Megan’s Law and The Crime Victims Center Executive Director
Former Suffolk County Legislature Majority Leader (D-Lloyd Harbor)
Former Suffolk County Executive
2009
2009
2010
2010
Kate Murray
Rev. Allan Ramirez
Laura Ahearn
Town of Hempstead Supervisor
Brookville Reformed Church Pastor
2009
Jon Cooper
Evelyn Ain
Autism United President, Spectrum Magazine Publisher
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2009
Steve Levy
Jeff Frayler
Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association President
2010
2010
Jay Jacobs
Steve Israel
2010
Richard Kessel
2010
Kevin Law
U.S. Representative (D-Dix Hills)
Nassau County Democratic Chairman/Former New York State Democratic Chairman
Former New York Power Authority President and CEO
President of the Long Island Association
2010
2010
2011
2011
David Mejias
Sal Ferro
Former Nassau County Legislator (D-Farmingdale)
Zimmerman-Edelson, Inc. Co-founder and Partner
Robert Zimmerman
Rev. Calvin O. Butts, III President of SUNY Old Westbury
Alure Home Improvements President
2011
2011
2011
2011
Jerry Laricchiuta
Frank MacKay
U.S. Representative (R-Seaford)
Nassau County Civil Service Employees Association Local 830 President
Independence Party of Suffolk County, New York State and the National Independence Party of America Chairman
Kathleen Rice
2012
2012
2012
2012
Bill O’Reilly
Nancy Rauch Douzinas
Peter King
Michael Dowling
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health Systems President and CEO
Fox News Commentator
Rauch Foundation President
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Nassau County District Attorney
Bill Savino
Managing Partner, Rivkin Radler, LLP
2012
2013
James Simons
Steve Bellone
2013
2013
James Dolan
Resi Cooper
Renaissance Technologies, Inc. Founder and Chairman
Suffolk County Executive
CooperHill LLC President
Cablevision President & CEO
2013
2013
2013
2013
Hubert Keen
Kirk Kordeleski
Gary Melius
Farmingdale State College President
Bethpage Federal Credit Union CEO
Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate Owner
2013
2013
2013
Desmond Ryan
Scott Rechler
RXR Realty Chairman & CEO
Association for a Better Long Island Executive Director
2014
2014
James Carver
Charles Vigliotti
Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President
Long Island Compost President & CEO
Peter Schmitt
Nassau County’s Late Presiding Officer
Congratulations to this and all previous years’ Hall of Fame Honorees!
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Stuart Rabinowitz
Hofstra University President
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2014 Hall Of Fame Inductee
James Carver
James Carver is President of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association
James Carver had reason to cheer this spring when the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority voted to approve contracts for his cops, meaning that Carver’s perseverance on behalf of his PBA union finally paid off with welcome raises after his membership had endured a most painful and frustrating three-year wage freeze. The approval means that Nassau’s finest will see their paychecks increase 13 percent by the end of 2017. Having good news to share always puts a big grin on Carver’s face—a wide, welcoming smile that’s graced the pages of the Power List year after year, and will now illuminate the Power List Hall of Fame. He’s a fierce defender of his members, pulling no punches when having to stand up for them in controversial cases or weigh in on some of the most brutal crimes his members risk their lives to protect the public from. Whether it’s getting his men and women in blue paid more for the jobs they do to keep the citizens safe or looking out for those who have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, this hard-charging union head always has their back.
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2014 Hall Of Fame Inductee
Charles Vigliotti
Charles Vigliotti is the President & CEO of Long Island Compost
Terms and phrases such as “innovation” and “in the vanguard” are too rarely used when speaking about Long Island companies, let alone waste management companies. But this is all about to change due to the efforts of Charles Vigliotti and his dogged determination to usher in a new era of sustainable waste management to the region. Approved for the region’s first anaerobic digestion operation, Vigliotti’s company, Long Island Compost, is poised to transform the way we handle waste in the most environmentally sound and efficient way possible. It is a time-tested process that is utilized extensively in Europe and in other parts of the United States, but one that has yet to be implemented successfully in New York. Vigliotti is a perennial Power List honoree— this year he is being inducted into the Power List Hall of Fame—for already being ahead of the curve with his enormous composting facility in Yaphank. Once the facility has transformed it will be able to convert waste into energy while taking tons of garbage out of the waste stream.
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We Salute Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD President, Stony Brook University
James H. Simons Founder, Renaissance Technologies Chair Emeritus, Stony Brook Foundation
and
Kevin S. Law President and CEO, Long Island Association Chair, Stony Brook Council
for transforming Stony Brook, Long Island and the world
And Congratulate All the Long Island Press Power List Honorees
Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. 14090405
Michael Dowling Since Dowling first joined North Shore-LIJ in 1995, he has helped it become an indisputable giant in the health care world. With 48,000 employees, 17 hospitals, the relatively new Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and the world-renowned Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Dowling oversees one of the largest medical enterprises in America as well as being one of the top employers in New York State. The annual operating revenue alone is $7 billion. And this native of County Limerick in Ireland is still not satisfied—he wants to grow the system even bigger. Dowling recently launched North ShoreLIJ’s own health insurance plan, and set up a venture capital unit with the hopes of tapping into high-tech development. Dowling’s headquarters are in Manhasset but he’s expanded North Shore-LIJ’s reach to the Michael Dowling is the President & CEO five boroughs of New York City of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish as well as New Jersey, and he’s Health System also eyeing Westchester County and Connecticut. Dowling had five procedures last year—two back surgeries, a knee surgery, a shoulder surgery and a pulmonary embolism—but he hasn’t slowed down for a second and there’s no end in sight.
Hall Of Fame Class of 2012
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On the List in 2003 & 2004
Billy Joel His hair may be shorter and grayer—and his girth a wee bit wider—but Long Island’s favorite “Piano Man” still has the chops to hit all the high notes that generations of fans have come to know and love. Billy Joel has long been an icon in the pop music scene, and his followers are legion, so it came as no surprise that scalpers were brazenly charging $1,000 a ticket to his charity concert at The Paramount in Huntington last October to benefit Long Island Cares—The Harry Chapin Food Bank. But that’s the way of the music world as the tickets sold out almost the minute his rare LI gig was Musician Billy Joel announced. Whether he’s appearing at one of his much-ballyhooed monthly Madison Square Garden stands or at the New Orleans Jazzfest, The Piano Man is a huge draw wherever he goes. And he’s also full of surprises—and not too full of himself. Earlier this spring, on a lark, the principal of Glen Cove’s Deasy Elementary School invited the singer to attend a concert featuring students performing 15 of his songs. As the show was about to begin, Joel roared up on his motorcycle from his home 10 minutes away and took a seat in the back of the auditorium so as not to upstage the kids. He’s a class act and Long Island is lucky to have him just the way he is.
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James Dolan Hall Of Fame Class of 2013
No doubt about it, the most powerful blues guitarist on Long Island—we’re not talking about his musical prowess, although we hear his band’s not bad—strummed the heartstrings of the long-suffering fans of the basketball franchise he owns in Manhattan when he finally admitted that he really doesn’t know much about the game. And so, James Dolan moved heaven and earth to bring NBA Hall of Famer Phil Jackson to Madison Square Garden, where the team’s new president hopefully will help the New York Knickbockers win a long-overdue championship. Dolan’s fortune could indeed be on the upswing, if the hockey team he owns is any example. It’s been 20 years since the New York Rangers were playing for the Stanley Cup— and they got their chance in 2014. Alas, the Rangers didn’t James Dolan is the President & CEO win once against L.A.’s Kings, of Cablevision but they played hockey at such a fever pitch it’s a wonder the ice didn’t melt underneath their skates. Better luck next year, Broadway Blueshirts. Meanwhile, Dolan still has the monopoly on Long Island news, with News12 and Newsday both competing for eyeballs and profits. Play on, blues brother, play on!
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Scott Rechler Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 The Rechler name has been synonymous with NY real estate for decades. Scott Rechler is more than an heir to this dynasty, as he has accomplished more than what most multigenerational developers could only imagine. As Chairman and CEO of RXR Realty, Rechler has taken the family business to mega heights—literally. His buildings are iconic parts of the New York skyline and jewels in the Long Island real estate portfolio, among other regions. Moreover, he has navigated the political landscape as the business guru counted on by top elected officials, most notably Gov. Andrew Scott Rechler is the Chairman & CEO of Cuomo. It is well known RXR Realty that New York’s governor maintains a tight circle of advisors and Rechler is counted as one of them. As vice chairman of the Port Authority, Rechler walks a tightrope between the region’s transportation and infrastructure interests and his own real estate holdings. But his keen sense of fair play and humility in all situations has earned him a trusted place among power brokers and citizens alike. As impressive is the many charitable endeavors he and his wife, Debby, actively support.
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James Simons Hall Of Fame Class of 2012 It’s fitting that James “Jim” Simons is counting on mathematics to make a difference in other people’s lives, thanks to his philanthropic support of the Math for America fellowship program, whose goal is to ensure that every student in America should learn the subject from an inspiring—and inspired—math teacher. Elected this year to the esteemed National Academy of Sciences, Simons knows that instilling a thorough understanding of math and science in the next generation is the key to helping our economy prosper. He’s taught math at M.I.T. and Harvard, and has been the chairman of the math department at Stony Brook University. Certainly his affinity for numbers came in handy when Simons launched Renaissance Technologies LLC, a James Simons is the Founder of hedge fund, where he was CEO Renaissance Technologies LLC & Chairman until he retired in 2009, with of the Simons Foundation an estimated net worth of $12.5 billion. Forbes currently ranked Simons No. 92 on their list of the top 100 of the world’s billionaires. Together with his wife, Marilyn, he manages the Simons Foundation, a charitable organization devoted to scientific research, which has launched a major initiative to understand the roots of autism, among other worthy causes.
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Samuel Stanley On the List in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 Stanley has had a busy year presiding over the growth of Stony Brook University. He helped raise $58 million through a matching grant that has led to the hiring of 184 new faculty members. He’s cut ribbons all over campus: at Frey Hall, a high-tech classroom building; a new computer science building; the new Stony Brook Arena; the Marine Science Research Center in Southampton; and the new West Side Dining facility for students, staff and faculty. Under his administration, ground has been broken for the new Medical and Research Translation (MART) Building—which should have been called the Samuel Stanley is the President of SMART building since a $150 Stony Brook University million gift in 2011 from Jim and Marilyn Simons and the Simons Foundation made it possible. Soon construction will begin on a new 760-bed campus residence building as well as the START-UP NY-funded Innovation & Discovery Center. As co-chair of Brookhaven Science Associates, Stanley has been a tireless advocate for public investment in scientific research to keep the U.S. competitive. He also participated at the White House Summit on college access and affordability, trying to help high school students from underserved communities across the country pursue their dreams. He’s certainly done his part on Long Island to make Stony Brook University a paragon of higher learning.
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Seymour Liebman On the List in 2011, 2012 & 2013
Seymour Liebman is the Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel of Canon U.S.A.
Last year Liebman was appointed to senior executive officer of Canon, Inc., the first non-Japanese employee to achieve such an honor. Since then, he’s continued a mission he began in 1974, when he joined the company as a manager in its accounting department: shaping Canon U.S.A.’s direction, expanding its services, growing and strengthening its status as an innovator in digital imaging and environmental leader in corporate America. Liebman’s decisions have had far-reaching impact both in and outside of the boardroom, from the marketplace to the home. Constructing a new, state of the art, LEED-Gold-certified headquarters in Melville to house its ever-growing workforce of more than 1,200 employees didn’t just make good business sense, it was a signal to corporations throughout the region that Long Island has a viable, promising economic future ahead. With Liebman at the helm, it’s guaranteed that Canon U.S.A. stays focused on its winning formula.
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Kathleen Rice Hall Of Fame Class of 2011 Since Rice replaced Nassau’s legendary 31-yearincumbent District Attorney Denis Dillon in 2005, she has been busy making the office her own and the voters have responded in kind. Rice was the only Democrat on the ticket to win countywide last fall. Now she wants to bid Nassau adieu and, if her ambition holds true, make a new home inside the Beltway as the replacement for the much-loved and admired Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), who is retiring after serving nine terms. Rice doesn’t have a singular issue to her name the way McCarthy championed gun Kathleen Rice is the Nassau County control, but she credits District Attorney the Congresswoman with planting the idea that she run for McCarthy’s seat. She’s been tough on drunk drivers, drug dealers and Johns. And she’s been willing to stand tall and not bend to any political winds that may be blowing from either party, which might put her in good stead if she finds herself ever needing Republican votes on Capitol Hill.
Photo by Jim Lennon JimLennon.com
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Alfonse D’Amato Hall Of Fame Class of 2008
Alfonse D’Amato is the Founder & Managing Director of Park Strategies, LLC & a Former U.S. Senator
It must be humbling for any New Yorker born in the last half-century to bear the name Alfonse. For New Yorkers, there is only one Alfonse and he is, by any definition, one-of-akind. Brooklyn-born and Island-raised, this backslapping, nail-spitting politician carved out a name and legend like no other politico before. After working his way up through the ranks of the Nassau GOP, Alfonse pulled off a stunning victory in 1980 to become New York’s junior senator. Known as “Senator Pothole” for bringing home the bacon and handling even the smallest of concerns among his constituents, D’Amato was just as comfortable on the national stage. Since losing his seat to Sen. Charles Schumer, D’Amato has arguably grown in influence, founding the powerful lobbying firm Park Strategies. But the former senator doesn’t just run his privately held firm; he still manages the political theater that is New York State more than you might think.
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Bill O’Reilly Hall Of Fame Class of 2012
Blowhard. Patriot. Pinhead. Hypocrite. Hero. Regardless of how you view Bill O’Reilly, his place in broadcasting history is firmly etched in stone. Who else gets an exclusive interview with the president of the United States before the Super Bowl? O’Reilly took Barack Obama right into his No Spin Zone and grilled him on the issues near and dear to The O’Reilly Factor faithful. He’s probably the only person Fox News boss Roger Ailes can’t push around. Sometimes, just when his critics think he’s spun himself into the stereotype of stereotypes, O’Reilly manages to surprise people with his broader views, like Bill O’Reilly is the host of The O’Reilly Factor, paying MSNBC’s lefty Rachel Fox News Channel Maddow a compliment or criticizing Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson’s intolerant attitude toward African Americans and the LGBT community. And how about his growing book list: Killing Patton, Killing Jesus, Killing Kennedy, and Killing Lincoln to name a few of his bestsellers. The guy is literally killing it! And for children, he’s penned The Last Days of Jesus, Kennedy’s Last Days, and Lincoln’s Last Days. We hope our last days are far ahead of us so we can keep up with O’Reilly’s literary output. Our favorite title so far has to be his memoir, A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity, chronicling his journey “from being a working-class kid to an immensely influential television personality.” And to think he started it all on Long Island.
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Farrell Fritz is is pleased to congratulate our managing partner, Charlie Strain, and all of the
2014 Long Island Press Power List honorees.
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power lister U R *S!
Congrats Tracey!
The men and women of Verizon New York join you in saluting the members of the Long Island Press’ 2014 Power List, including our own Tracey Edwards. Congratulations!
www.verizon.com/ny
Tom DiNapoli In today’s political climate, the phrase “career politician” can be the kiss of death—unless, of course, you’re New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Quiet, loyal and unassuming, DiNapoli has enjoyed a remarkable career as an elected official. Elected to the Mineola school board as a teenager, DiNapoli dug in to a career in public service and never looked back. While most politicians run against the “establishment” and struggle to paint themselves as outsiders, DiNapoli assiduously goes about the business of managing the financial concerns of the state. That’s not to say he’s an “insider.” In fact, he might be the furthest thing from it where New York politics are concerned. After taking over the seat tarnished by Alan Hevesi, DiNapoli reestablished a deep trust with the public by maintaining his independence. In just a few short years, he’s on his third governor and has weathered the storm from above and from within his own party.
Hall Of Fame Class of 2008
Tom DiNapoli is the New York State Comptroller
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Thomas Spota Hall Of Fame Class of 2008 Having won a fourth term thanks to a court ruling that overturned a three-term limit and having no opposition once he’d obtained the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Independence lines on the ballot, Spota could have taken it easy and coasted into retirement. But this 72-year-old crime fighter has been all over the news waging a battle on a wide front against a range of issues, from the mysterious attempted murder of Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius to the scandalous illegal dumping of more than Thomas Spota is the Suffolk County District Attorney 50,000 tons of hazardous materials, including asbestos, arsenic and DDT, uncovered in Islip Town. He’s also cracked down on drunken drivers and boaters, busted cocaine rings and investigated police misconduct on LI. And he’s been unafraid to prosecute shenanigans perpetrated by politicians of any party. During his tenure, Spota has helped restore the reputation of his office to a luster that it had lost before he took office. We rest our case.
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Kirk Kordeleski
Small organizations have the ability to maintain integrity, focus and a positive corporate culture. Large organizations tend to stray from their more benevolent roots as its interests diversify and become more unwieldy. And then there is Bethpage Federal Credit Union, an organization that dispels this myth of corporate America at every turn. Kirk Kordeleski brought significant experience with him when he joined Bethpage in 1992. He ascended to his current position as CEO in 2000 and has tripled its assets since that time and increased its reputation immeasurably. We have written before that Kordeleski possesses an old-world CEO quality and it bears repeating. His style is collaborative and communityoriented in a way that honors the institution’s charter and is reminiscent of a golden era of corporate leadership. He is personally involved with Kirk Kordeleski is the President & CEO myriad local organizations of Bethpage Federal Credit Union and is the chair of the venerable Long Island Association. With all that ails the Long Island economy, there is no shortage of ideas on how to fix them. When all is said and done, convincing the folks at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to clone Kordeleski might be a good start.
Hall Of Fame Class of 2013
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Patrick Foye
On the List in 2007, 2010, 2012 & 2013
Foye is a political curiosity in New York. Central Casting would likely place him in the role of college professor with elbow patches with smudges of chalk furiously pacing about a lecture hall. Instead, he is executive director of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority, overseeing billions of dollars in infrastructure in arguably one of the most politically sensitive positions in the region. Before taking on this role, Foye was involved in real estate, mergers and acquisitions at the prestigious law firm Skadden Arps and did a stint as head of the United Way Long Island. His brief Patrick Foye is the Executive Director of the tenure in Nassau County Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ended rather abruptly, but he quickly rebounded under the watchful eye of Gov. Andrew Cuomo to become director of the Port Authority. Oh, and did we mention that Foye was at the center of (and on the right side of) the firestorm that was “Bridge-gate?” He may not be beloved on the other side of the bridges and tunnels he’s in charge of, but he came out unscathed on our side. Any time Long Island can get one over on Jersey, we’ll take it.
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Doon Gibbs On the List in 2013
It’s been a banner year for Gibbs, director of the Brookhaven National Laboratory, one of America’s most advanced scientific research facilities. From his team’s contributions to Nobel Prize-winning research to new insights into superconductors as well as taking a never-beforeseen look at the “hot soup” of the universe at the very beginning of time, BNL has been making discoveries that defy the limits of human imagination. And to think it all happens a few miles north of Exit 68 on the LIE, thanks to some 3,000 employees and a $700-million annual budget. With Gibbs’ prodding, the National Synchrotron Light Source II is nearing completion, and once it’s up and running, BNL scientists plan to use its extraordinary investigative power to explore the “strange magnetic metal” that produces superconductivity. Doon Gibbs is the Director of the Meanwhile, thanks to continued Brookhaven National Laboratory federal support—due in no small part to Gibbs’ gentle persuasion—the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC for short) has run its 14th round of experiments, the Interdisciplinary Science Building for energy research is now occupied, and the Northeast Solar Energy Research Center is breaking ground. From subatomic particles swirling at the speed of light to the living dinosaurs taking up space in the House of Representatives, Gibbs has to keep all of them in his purview—and he does it without losing his vision of what truly matters: our quest for knowledge, our duty to humanity, our destiny.
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Bruce Stillman On the List in 2007, 2008, 2011 & 2013 Besides overseeing one of the most important laboratories in the country at Cold Spring Harbor, Dr. Bruce Stillman is a world-renowned cancer researcher who still finds time to conduct experiments and teach. He’s one of the founding members of Accelerate Long Island, a partnership of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University to promote hightech development on the Island, and one of the founders of the New York Genome Center in the city, a consortium of academic, medical Bruce Stillman is the President & CEO of and industry leaders from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory across the globe, which helps to enhance the Island’s position as a powerhouse of biomedical research. As one of the champions of science in the public interest, Stillman has encouraged thousands of students in our region to gain firsthand knowledge through their participation in the lab’s DNA Learning Center programs, which have been integrated into most of the Island’s middle and high school science curriculum. In recognition of his contributions to the community of scientists as well as his excellence in biological chemistry and molecular biology, Stillman recently won the prestigious Herbert Tabor Research Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Through his guidance and support, he’s created a unique place where his colleagues know great strides can be taken in furthering the understanding of cancer, neuroscience, genetics and plant biology.
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Stanley M. Bergman On the List in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013
With 16,000 employees around the world and sales of $9.6 billion in 2013, it looks like another banner year is in store for Bergman’s Henry Schein, the global distributor of dental, veterinary and medical products and services, as their business continues to grow, whether in the US or globally. Berman led Shein to the top of Fortune magazine’s list of the “world’s most admired companies.” Schein was also recognized as the “world’s most ethical company” by the Ethisphere Institute for the third straight year. Thanks to Bergman, that’s an enviable achievement. With offices in 24 countries, this highly regarded company has come a long way from its humble start as a pharmacy in Queens. Long Island is fortunate to have such a stellar corporation headquartered in Melville, and Schein is lucky to have had Bergman at the helm for a quarter-century and counting.
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Stanley M. Bergman is the Chairman & CEO of Henry Schein, Inc.
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Stuart Rabinowitz Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 The eighth president of Long Island’s largest private institution of higher learning, Stuart Rabinowitz, has had a major impact on Hofstra University and the Island he calls home. The Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, now in its fourth year, is poised to graduate its first class next summer. During his administration, the university launched Stuart Rabinowitz is the President of Hofstra University two new schools: the School of Engineering and Applied Science, which has seen its enrollment increase by 69 percent since 2011, and the School of Health Sciences and Human Services, where the number of new students has more than doubled. Under Rabinowitz’s guidance, Hofstra hosted not one, but two presidential debates, in 2008 and 2012, elevating the school’s image to the global stage, and also hosted a 2010 gubernatorial debate. With friendly persuasion from Rabinowitz, Hofstra alumnus and former university board member Lawrence Herbert, the ex-CEO of Pantone, gave a multimillion dollar gift to benefit the School of Communication and was duly honored by having the facility renamed after him. Rabinowitz is not stuck in his ivory tower—he’s dedicated to doing his part to make the Island a better place. As chairman of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, he helped Long Island garner $83 million in state grants to foster an array of ground-breaking projects that go well beyond his campus in Hempstead.
Photo by Jim Lennon JimLennon.com
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Kate Murray Hall Of Fame Class of 2009
As the first woman to be elected supervisor in Hempstead Town’s 369-year history, Murray has been accomplishing a host of impressive “firsts” since she took office in 2003. Under her tenure, Hempstead became the first municipality on the Island to require carbon monoxide detectors in all places of public assembly—her response to the 2014 tragedy at Legal Seafood in Huntington. She’s established the first renewable energy park, the largest municipal fleet of electric vehicles (77) on the Island, and the first transit-oriented housing development zone on the Island, adjacent to the West Hempstead train station. As for fiscal prudence, Murray passed three consecutive budgets with tax cuts (2012, 2013 and 2014) that Wall Street’s credit agencies rated highly. The town took a hit from Superstorm Sandy, as Murray knew full well, but she’s spearheaded Hempstead’s recovKate Murray is the Hempstead ery from waiving building permit Town Supervisor fees for affected homeowners to restoring local beaches and dunes to protecting the infrastructure. Meanwhile, she helped create the mixed-use zone for property around the Nassau Coliseum to spur development and helped The Gallery at Westbury Plaza become a bustling shopping center. With Murray at the helm, Hempstead means business.
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Kevin Law Hall Of Fame Class of 2010
Considering all he’s involved in, Kevin Law really deserves to be known as “The Chairman of Long Island,” as some of his friends and associates have playfully called him. We’ve never heard him sing like Sinatra, but we do know he’s got his fingers on the pulse of what makes this Island tick. And he’s always looking out for what’s best for our region. From the Long Island Housing Partnership to Accelerate Long Island (an alliance of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University to promote hightech development here) and Long Island Regional EcoKevin Law is the President & CEO of nomic Development Council Long Island Association (REDC), Law is ready and willing to lead the way. This past year he helped Long Island win REDC grants from the state and made sure that Long Island’s new Start-Up NY program and its remaining manufacturers qualified for the state’s corporate tax cuts. Law was there in the fight to keep the FAA air traffic control facility from moving off the Island, preserving those highpaying jobs here at home. Long Island’s business is his business—and that’s the way he likes it. And so do we.
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1750
AT TORNEYS
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LOCATIONS
WORLDWIDE˚
Congratulations Richard A. Rosenbaum and Greenberg Traurig proudly congratulate our friend Seymour Liebman for being recognized by Long Island Press as one of the 50 most influential Long Islanders. We admire your commitment to Long Island and the positive impact you have made on the business community. Congratulations to all of the influential Long Islanders.
Greenberg Traurig, LLP MetLife Building | 200 Park Avenue New York, NY 10166 | 212.801.9200
G R E E N B E RG T R A U R I G , L L P | AT TO R N E YS AT L AW | W W W.GT L AW.CO M Greenberg Traurig is a service mark and trade name of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. ©2014 Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. Contact: Richard A. Rosenbaum in New York at 212.801.9200. °These numbers are subject to fluctuation. 24030
TRITEC Real Estate Company, Inc.
Helping to Build a BrigHter Future For tHe long island Community www.tritecre.com
Tracey Edwards On the List in 2010, 2011 & 2012 Edwards oversees more than 6,000 employees, handling customers from Staten Island to the East End. She’s come a long way since she began as a summer hire operator in 1979. And now in her first term as a Huntington Town Council member, Edwards is responsible for more than 200,000 citizens, meeting their present needs and looking out for their future. Edwards also finds time to serve as the Long Island Regional Director of the NAACP and is on the board of the Long Island Association, as well as a member of the New York State Economic Development Council for Long Island. This dynamic Dix Hills matriarch—she’s got three kids and a couple of grandchildren—is Tracey Edwards is the President of Verizon well-versed in the issues that Communications New York North West are key to her community’s Region & Huntington Town Councilwoman quality of life: education and development. She was vice president of the Elwood School Board and chair of the Town of Huntington Planning Board. How she has been successful in all of her endeavors is a true testament to her indomitable spirit.
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Steve Israel Hall Of Fame Class of 2010
As if this seven-term Congressman didn’t have enough to do representing his North Shore district and trying against the odds to take back the House of Representatives as the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Steve Israel has found the time to write a novel, which comes out early next year. Called The Global War on Morris, it’s supposedly a parody of the NSA surveillance program featuring the misadventures of Morris Feldstein, a long-suffering Mets fan and pharmaceutical salesman, who unwittingly becomes a terrorist suspect. It might not Steve Israel is a U.S. Representative (D-Dix Hills) appear on Edward Snowden’s reading list but Long Islanders might enjoy it because Israel promises there’s “a lot of Long Island” in it. And that is only fitting, since the Congressman launched his successful political career as a town councilman in Huntington—and he never forgets his roots. It’s unlikely he’ll have much time to pen a sequel until long after Election Day because he’ll have his hands full running his own race while helping fellow Democrats like Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) keep their seats too— and trying to take the House back from the Tea Party Republicans. But don’t rule Israel out when it comes to battles up on Capitol Hill.
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John Cameron On the List in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013
As head of the Island’s top engineering firm, John Cameron has earned a well-deserved reputation for tackling some of the most pressing environmental problems of our time—and coming out with solutions that could make our future here better and brighter. His company’s impact is everywhere, from helping the City of Long Beach get back on its feet after Superstorm Sandy to submitting an award-winning design for the Town of North Hempstead Community Center in New Cassel, with its “solar trees” in the carport, a photovoltaic rooftop installation and a “grey water system” that uses rainwater to irrigate the landscaping. It’s also appropriate that Cameron, still an active surfer, would see fit to create St. Joseph’s College Athletic Complex in Patchogue, which received a gold John Cameron is the Founder & award from the American Council Managing Partner of Cameron of Engineering Companies for Engineering & Associates its innovative layout, sustainable materials and preservation of wetlands along the Swan River. Cameron also serves as chairman of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, which has been tasked by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to focus on projects that will make our Island viable, both economically and environmentally, for many years to come.
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Edward Mangano On the List in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 Arguably the nicest guy in Nassau County—and that demeanor has nothing to do with his attachment to the NICE bus system—County Executive Ed Mangano must have had a case of déjà vu when he faced off against the Democrats’ Tom Suozzi last November. Hadn’t he been there and done that in 2009? This time he won decisively—no drawn-out Edward Mangano is the Nassau County Executive recount like the first goaround. But that doesn’t mean it’s gotten any easier to govern one of the richest counties in the country with some of the worst budget problems. Mangano has got his hands full, to put it lightly. Nassau is still under the boot heels of the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority as well as the scrutiny of the Wall Street bond raters. But at least Mangano persuaded NIFA to lift a threeyear wage freeze on Nassau’s long-suffering public union workers. Looking ahead, Mangano will have to devise a viable plan to resolve the county’s projected $70 million budget gap. No small task, obviously, though it appears his plan to privatize Nassau’s sewage and wastewater systems is indeed on track. If his luck holds, maybe the weather will cooperate and give the Island a break, and the county executive will have a chance to spend Federal Emergency Management Agency money to shore up the Bay Park sewage treatment plant before the next big one strikes.
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Sal Ferro Champions keep fighting no matter what the odds. Ferro once again beat the odds by raising the most money to date in the notorious “Fight for Charity,” one of most talked-about and ingenious annual fundraisers on Long Island. Add this to the list of charitable endeavors that Ferro has supported over the years and even Floyd Mayweather would be impressed. When the country was hit hard by the economic recession, Ferro dug in and did what few CEOs were able to do. He continued building Alure Home Improvements into one of the nation’s largest home remodeling companies and continued raising money for countless nonprofit organizations that were also hit hard. Like others on this list, Ferro recognizes that for his company to be strong, the Sal Ferro is the President & CEO of Alure Home Improvements community it serves must also be strong. When your company is known as much for the charities it supports as it is for the work it does, it’s a one-two punch that deserves recognition.
Hall Of Fame Class of 2011
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James Carver Hall Of Fame Class of 2014 Carver had reason to cheer this spring when the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) voted to approve contracts for his membership, meaning that Carver’s perseverance on behalf of his PBA union finally paid off with welcome raises after his members had endured a most painful and frustrating three-year wage freeze. The approval means that Nassau’s finest will see their paychecks increase 13 percent by the end of 2017. Having good news to share always puts a big smile on Carver’s mug. James Carver is the President of the Nassau He’s a fierce defender of County Police Benevolent Association his members, pulling no punches when having to stand up for them in controversial cases or when he weighs in on some of the most brutal crimes his members risk their lives to protect the public from. Whether it’s getting his men and women in blue paid more for the jobs they do to keep the citizens safe or looking out for those who have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, this hard-charging union head always has their back.
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Steve Bellone Hall Of Fame Class of 2013
Suffolk’s shining star was such a big hit at the Suffolk County Democratic Party’s annual spring dinner that county chairman Rich Schaffer compared him to Bruce Springsteen. Bellone demurred, of course, but there’s no doubt he’s the boss at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. After weathering Superstorm Sandy, he’s got his eyes on the horizon for the next big one—and he wants to make sure that Suffolk’s shores and infrastructure can stand up strong when the time comes. With the governor’s help, Bellone hopes to tap into federal funds to protect our precious underground aquifer and improve the water quality in our rivers and bays, estuaries and the Sound. From the East End to the Nassau border, Bellone’s always on the move. His effort to plug the budget gap without Steve Bellone is the adding to the taxpayers’ burden Suffolk County Executive remains daunting. Moody’s downgraded the county’s rating in March—Suffolk borrowed almost $200 million more in short-term bonds than Nassau did—but at least he gets credit for trying. One thing’s for sure, the rancor that rattled Suffolk’s communities of color under his predecessor is a thing of the past, and Bellone’s tolerant tone is a welcome blessing.
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Charles Vigliotti Hall Of Fame Class of 2014 Terms and phrases such as “innovation” and “in the vanguard” are all too rarely used when speaking about Long Island companies, let alone waste management companies. But this is all about to change due to the efforts of Charles Vigliotti and his dogged determination to usher in a new era of sustainable waste management to the region. Approved for the region’s first anaerobic digestion operation, Vigliotti’s company, Long Island Compost, is poised to transform the way we handle waste in the most environmentally sound and efficient way possible. It is Charles Vigliotti is the President & CEO of Long Island Compost a time-tested process that is utilized extensively in Europe and in other parts of the United States, but one that has yet to be implemented successfully in New York. Vigliotti is a perennial Power List honoree—this year he is being inducted into the Power List Hall of Fame—for already being ahead of the curve with his enormous composting facility in Yaphank. Once the facility has transformed it will be able to convert waste into energy while taking tons of garbage out of the waste stream.
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James D’Addario First time on the list For hundreds of years the D’Addario family has been making top-notch strings for musical instruments, first in Italy and now on Long Island. Keeping the innovation alive, Jim D’Addario, as he’s known by friends and family, has just launched revolutionary new electric guitar strings. Called NYXL, these strings represent a great leap forward in allowing players a whole new level of freedom, confidence and power to create music that’s never been heard before—or give the classics a brand new feeling. Earlier this year, D’Addario moved the company’s carbon steel wire mill from Massachusetts to Farmingdale, adding 30 new jobs to the Island’s economy. Always looking ahead, D’Addario has also partnered with Rolling Stone magazine to identify the next round of talented James D’Addario is the CEO of guitarists through its Young Guns D’Addario & Company initiative. Along the way, this creative company has been recognized for its contributions to music education and community service. The D’Addario Foundation awards grants and products to nonprofit educational programs offering music-making opportunities in underserved areas. Giving artists and communities the tools to do their best—and helping Long Island benefit—is another reason that D’Addario hits all the high notes.
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Russell Albanese First time on the list The Albanese Organization is one of the leading green developers in our area and the credit surely has to go in no small part to Russell Albanese, the far-thinking chairman of the Garden Citybased company. Just a couple of years ago the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council honored him at its annual gala at Oheka Castle because of his notable accomplishments in making energy-saving—as well as planetsaving—buildings a priority. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Albanese OrganizaRussell Albanese is the Chairman tion manages 5 million of the Albanese Organization square feet of space in its portfolio, and of that, 60 percent is residential, 24 percent is office-related, and the rest is hotel, retail and other uses. Last year, Albanese broke ground on Wyandanch Village, a $500 million, 40-acre mixed-use neighborhood in one of the most deserving communities on Long Island. This environmentally aware developer also serves on the boards of Sustainable Long Island, the Nature Conservancy and Long Island Youth for Christ.
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Higher.
Reach
The Power of Farmingdale Farmingdale State College is a thriving institution with booming enrollment. What makes Farmingdale so popular?
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A leader in green technology since 1912
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Fifth Safest Campus in the United States
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First Accredited Solar Center in the Northeast
according to UniversityPrimetime.com
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Unique Degree Programs such as Aviation and Horticulture
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20-Station Solar Carport / Charging Station
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Energy Smart Demonstration House
140902
Farmingdale’s small scale wind farm produces 7.2kW of wind energy that is fed back into the campus energy grid.
Contact our Admissions Office now. Visit farmingdale.edu/admissions or call 631-420-2200.
Dean Skelos People who get their kicks on the soccer field at the Dean Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre might not know that the man immortalized there is truly at the top of his game playing New York State politics. Skelos has served 15 terms so far in the state Senate and he’s aiming for another. He’s the undisputed Republican leader in Albany, the co-leader of an unusual bipartisan governing coalition with a few independentminded Democrats, and an outspoken ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo when they align on the issues that matter most to them both. As this year’s legislative session was coming to a close, it was Skelos’ switch in favor of medical marijuana legislation amended to his and the governor’s liking that helped carry the day. And Skelos has made Dean Skelos is the New York State Senate no secret that he’s glad the Republican Leader (R-Rockville Centre) Democratic Cuomo shares his party’s goals of reducing taxes, curbing spending and making the state friendlier to business. If Long Island’s state Senate delegation remains firmly behind him come Election Day as they do now, it will be a true tribute to his political prowess.
Hall Of Fame Class of 2008
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Charles Strain On the List in 2010, 2011 & 2012 As the managing partner of Farrell Fritz, Charles Strain oversees one of Long Island’s top corporate law firms, helping it become a powerhouse in corporate banking, health care and commercial real estate here. He’s also a vital force for the public good. For eight years, Strain has been the chairman of the board of Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, which has been ranked nationally in pediatric and adult medicine specialties by U.S. News & World Report. He also serves on the board of directors of the Long Island Association, Accelerate Long Island, the Charles Strain is the Managing Partner Family & Children’s Assoof Farrell Fritz, LLP ciation, and the Winthrop South Nassau Health System, as well as serving on the joint planning committee of the Long Island Health Network. Recently he helped Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, where he’d been on the board, build their first playing field and track in the school’s history. Strain’s influence is felt far and wide.
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Resi Cooper Hall Of Fame Class of 2013
There was a time when New Yorkers would seek an introduction to Resi Cooper for the purpose of gaining access to her boss, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton. Those days are gone, as Cooper herself is now the one people are anxious to reach. Cooper has become one of the most influential power brokers on the Island and in New York State. Her rolodex and reputation speak to her influence in a way that she rarely speaks of herself. Don’t look for her in the headlines or attempting to broadcast her expertise, because you’ll never find her. Like many in power and her boss before her, she’s often simply referred to by her first name and that’s usually enough. Ask others on this list, “Can you put me in touch with Resi?” and they might be able to. Otherwise, flash the bat symbol in the sky and hope she appears.
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Resi Cooper is the President of Cooperhill LLC
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Gene Bernstein First time on the list To those who know him well, Gene Bernstein is a former English professor, a keen hedge fund investor and an avid golfer—his handicap is nine—who, if he did nothing else for Long Island, deserves lasting credit for bringing the first Senior PGA tournament here, the Northville Long Island Invitational, starting in 1987 at the Meadow Brook Club, where he still plays. In fact, among his outside interests, he’s on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Golf Association. He’s also on the Long Island Association’s Board of Directors and he’s a Trustee of Alfred University, where he matriculated before Gene Bernstein is the NIC Holding Corporation Director & Chairman of getting his PhD from the Northville Industries University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Before embarking on his present path, Bernstein was an assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame. For many years now, he’s been an integral part of Northville Industries, a Melville-based private company that is committed to “supplying the greenest petroleum products available.” His interests and pursuits have won him accolades from receiving the Long Island Association’s Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award in 2010 to getting the Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition’s “Environmental Excellence Award” last year.
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Peter King Hall Of Fame Class of 2011
Long Island’s favorite Republican Congressman—and the only remaining one so far—Rep. Peter King (RSeaford) went north to New Hampshire last fall to announce that he’s running for president in 2016. He can be forgiven that trip to New England because we all know he never forgets his district on the South Shore. When all was said and done, King may not have made much headway with the Tea Party base of the GOP, but he deserves respect for standing up for that rare breed, a GOP moderate, when the rest of the political world is racing to embrace the extremes. In King’s mind, the isolationist views of Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas—the presumed GOP frontrunners (sorry, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie)—are beyond the pale. King has shown repeatedly over the years that he’s not averse to Peter King is a U.S. government spending when it can help Representative (R-Seaford) his constituents. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee and chairman of the Sub-Committee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, he has never been shy about protecting our country from outside threats, even if his rather mercurial definition of Islamic extremism has risked alienating a broad base of those in his own backyard who’d otherwise be his loyal supporters. But King always comes out swinging, whether in the ring at his favorite boxing gym on Long Island or in the chambers of Capitol Hill.
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Gary Melius
Hall Of Fame Class of 2013
One of the luckiest guys alive anywhere, Melius survived a near point-blank shooting by a masked gunman whose identity and motive still remain a mystery. To those who know him well—at least 6,300 of his closest friends, judging by his address book—there were no signs of acrimony or anxiety on Melius’ face in the weeks leading up to February’s assault. In fact, it was business as usual at Otto Kahn’s fabled 1921 estate, which Melius bought for $1.5 million in 1984. He’s still hosting those cigar-smokeGary Melius is the Owner of Oheka Castle filled poker games in “The Dungeon,” his eclectic power lunches in the ornate dining room and ritzy wedding parties on the well-groomed grounds and in the celebrated halls of the 127-room French-style chateau. His venue has boasted the likes of the Jonas Brothers and former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, as well as President Bill Clinton. As one of the powerbrokers behind the Independence Party, Melius has made plenty of friends on both sides of the aisle. Melius plays these connections artfully though sometimes flirts with danger, as was the case when he made headlines for being involved in a political situation that led to the ousting of the Nassau Police Commissioner. But Melius has never shrunk from the challenge or inquiries from the media. What you see is what you get with the most authentic, old-school power broker on Long Island.
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Michael Posillico On the List in 2010, 2011 & 2012
Michael Posillico is the Executive Vice President of Posillico Group
Ask folks in real estate what their principal challenge is to getting deals done and they’ll likely tell you that it’s not the property itself, but the ground beneath it. Enter Michael Posillico. Posillico hails from Long Island real estate royalty, but he carved out a different path for himself several years ago that has paid great dividends to the company. A civil engineer by trade, Posillico saw early on in his career that environmental issues plagued job sites throughout the region. He has since become one of the foremost experts on brownfield redevelopment and site remediation—a valuable skillset in a region that is already highly developed and in desperate need of cleanup. Posillico pours the same attention into the charities he supports, but it’s his career expertise that provides the greatest benefit to us all.
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Rich Schaffer Hall Of Fame Class of 2008 As the modern-day Machiavelli of Long Island, if not New York State, Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Rich Schaffer has been on a winning streak that inspires awe in his allies and fear in his adversaries. He’s seen his party’s candidates succeed in becoming the majority on the Suffolk Legislature and he helped his protégé Steve Bellone become Suffolk County executive. Then he replaced Bellone as the supervisor of Babylon Town—Schaffer’s second time running the township—because he could. His first term lasted from 1992 to 2001. Now Rich Schaffer is the Town Supervisor more than a decade later, his of Babylon hair may have gotten a touch grayer but Schaffer’s still got the mojo to make a difference for his constituents. He’s got his eye on the Wyandanch Rising development project, which is further along than ever before, and he won’t let it slide. For the residents recovering from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, he’s helped them use this respite to continue rebuilding. Let’s hope his progress lasts through this year, too, because if it does, Babylon won’t be beat.
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Katherine Heaviside On the List in 2011, 2012 & 2013
39 Katherine Heaviside is the President of Epoch 5 Public Relations
If you want to search for a list of influential companies on Long Island, there’s an online resource that rivals Google—the Epoch 5 website. Huntington-based Epoch 5’s client roster reads like the encyclopedia of important Long Island corporations—the result of decades of hard work and relationships forged by the firm’s President, Katherine Heaviside. The term “publicist” has become somewhat of a punchline in an industry rife with self-proclaimed “social media experts” and selfemployed (Read: unemployed) marketing gurus with a degree in communications. But publicity done at Heaviside’s level is no laughing matter. Companies large and small rely on Heaviside’s deep knowledge of the market and the players behind the scenes for everything from promoting new projects to doing serious crisis management.
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Robert & James
Coughlan
On the List in 2013 Robert and James Coughlan are two visionary brothers who have probably done more to stem the exodus of Long Island’s young people than any other developer around. Their groundbreaking real estate comRobert & James Coughlan are the Principals of TRITEC Real Estate pany has offices in Manhattan, Washington, D.C. and East Setauket. They’ve made their mark on midrise office buildings, hotels, medical facilities, industrial parks and, perhaps most important in a region like ours where affordable housing is all too rare, multifamily residences. Thanks to their patience and perseverance, the Coughlans have made TRITEC’s New Village at Patchogue a dream come true for the next generation of Long Islanders. This mixed-use development boasts almost 300 residential units nestled above office and commercial space with a mini-Soho nearby with lofts for artists and performance venues to further liven up the downtown scene. They put the NIMBY-naysayers to shame—and that’s for the greater good of us all.
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Hofstra University congratulates all of the people who make Long Island great ... this year’s
Long IsLand Press Power LIst
hofstra.edu | 1-800-HoFstra
Andrew Stepanian On the List in 2013
The goal is simple: help those whose words too often go unheard pump up their volume loud enough so that when they do speak truth to power, their voices become a mighty roar that can’t be ignored. Since his days as co-founder of the Sparrow Media Project, a grassroots publicity and creative direction agency with a “subversive” touch, visionary activist Andrew Stepanian has been deeply involved in making a difference. He’s confronted the power elite without flinching, whether facing off against the Koch Brothers, Wall Street or the NSA. Stepanian has raised awareness on important issues that otherwise would have gotten short shrift in the mainstream media, from supporting whistleblower Edward Snowden to promoting The Intercept, the new Andrew Stepanian is a Senior Director of digital publication founded by Media Relations at FitzGibbon Media & Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras an Activist and Jeremy Scahill. He’s now at FitzGibbon Media, where the clients and causes they believe in range from the Julian Assange Defense Fund to the Ford Foundation and MoveOn.org. Stepanian hones their communications strategy so they can break through the noise, get their message out there and make an impact across the country and around the world. Through all the ups and downs that come with battling the status quo, Stepanian has remained strong and steadfast—while he stays focused on the ideals that matter most in the constant struggle to bring about a better day.
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Jeffrey Reynolds On the List in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 Jeffrey Reynolds knows full well the terrible human cost of Long Island’s untreated addicts. For years he’s been a tireless advocate for providing desperate people a way out of their dependency, whether it’s heroin, alcohol or oxycodone. As the longtime executive director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, he’s seen firsthand what happens when detox beds aren’t available in Nassau and Suffolk because a hospital like Nassau University Medical Center has to slash services under severe budget pressure. Addiction remains one of Long Island’s most pressing Jeffrey Reynolds is the President & CEO public health problems and it’s a of Family and Children’s Association crime that the official response to this crisis is so paltry and parsimonious. But if Reynolds had his way—and why he doesn’t is another outrage— there would be more alternatives, not fewer, and every Long Island hospital would be going out of their way to accommodate detox patients, not sending them home because they’re an inconvenience. Watching an addict go through withdrawal on a bathroom floor is not pretty. Providing a safe, secure place for these despondent people to achieve sobriety and stability in their lives is the key. It shouldn’t be that hard, yet it is, but thanks to Reynolds’ persistence the road to recovery may be just around the corner. Now at the Family & Children’s Association, Reynolds can broaden his outreach to help Long Island’s vulnerable children, seniors and families through a community of caring.
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Marc Schneier Schneier is known as the Rabbi to the Stars, and for good reason. He is founder of Hampton Synagogue, which boasts members with last names like Spielberg and Lauder, as well as the Foundation for Ethic Understanding, which is chaired by Russell Simmons. But the description, while accurate, is reductive. Schneier might have glitzy connections but he knows how to leverage them for good use, both home and abroad. To wit, earlier this year when Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas referred publicly to the Holocaust as “the most heinous crime to have occurred against humanity in the modern era,” it sent shockwaves throughout the political and religious world. As it turns out, the one whispering in the ear of President Abbas was none other than Long Island’s own Rabbi Schneier. He has made a career and name for Marc Schneier is the Founder & President of The Foundation for himself getting people outside of Ethnic Understanding and Founding their comfort zones to address our Rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue differences by recognizing our simiin Westhampton Beach & New York larities. His recent book, co-authored Synagogue in Manhattan with Imam Shamsi Ali, is titled Sons of Abraham and drives home the point that we are all from the same creator. With tensions exploding into conflict around the globe, we can only hope that Rabbi Schneier finds a global congregation willing to listen.
On the List in 20132009
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Ellen Cooperperson First time on the list
Every year the Power List honors influential people on Long Island who impact our daily lives. Getting to this point in life is no fluke and more often than not, there are certain gurus behind the scenes of the influential that help guide their decisions and keep them on the path to success. Cooperperson is one such guru who has worked with many of the Power List honorees both past and present. As one of the premier executive coaches and leadership mentors in the region, Cooperperson is the ultimate amplifier. While her client list ranges from Ellen Cooperperson is the President & CEO family-owned business to of Corporate Performance Consultants Fortune 500 companies, Cooperperson maintains a low profile, preferring to boost the accomplishments of her clients. She is particularly dedicated to women-owned businesses, earning her the moniker the “Woman Whisperer,� and is known for coaching her clients to have breakthrough Courageous Conversations to resolve tough issues. Cooperperson’s intuitive ability to find hidden assets and opportunities has transformed many organizations and leaders giving them the ultimate competitive advantage.
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Frank Lalezarian First time on the list Since immigrating to the United States in 1981, Lalezarian has grown to occupy a significant leadership role in the Long Island Persian community and has established himself as a prominent figure in New York real estate. Modest and unassuming, Lalezarian supports myriad charitable endeavors, and discreetly exercises influence in political, business and religious circles. With more than 1 million square feet of prime commercial real estate and thousands of luxury apartments throughout the region, Lalezarian has an enviable portfolio worth boasting about. But if you ask him about his success, you’re more likely to hear stories about how proud he is of his wife, children and grandchildren.
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Jeanette Deutermann First time on the list Jeanette Deutermann is a Bellmore mom who saw wrong and is doing everything in her power to make it right. As a former teacher at an alternative high school for kids with special needs in Port Washington, she’s devoted her considerable energy as an education advocate not only to protest the degrading Common Core Learning Standards but to create the “Long Island OptOut” movement, which has accrued more than 16,000 members. Thanks to her efforts, the group has become instrumental in building community support for reform. She’s helped draft the Jeanette Deutermann is an Education Advocate template letters for individual districts that parents have used (by the thousands) to stop their children from taking New York’s unfair new standardized tests. Deutermann is also on the steering committee of the New York State Allies for Public Education, an advocacy group. Through dozens of speaking appearances at forums across the Island as well as being interviewed on television and even having a spot in the documentary film, Standardized: Lies, Money, and Civil Rights: How Testing is Ruining Public Education, she is at the forefront of a national movement against a harmful regime in public education that has put the hearts and minds of our children at risk for corporate gain.
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Jeremy Goldberg Jeremy Goldberg has represented countless defendants in countless cases since first joining Legal Aid Society of Nassau County in 1988. One client and case, however, has remained a constant for the past 20 years: Ronald Bower, a Queens father of two who was convicted of heinous sex crimes an ever-growing number of law enforcement officials ranging from the NYS Department of Corrections and state Inspector General’s Office to the FBI and state Attorney General’s Office believe he did not commit. To put it mildly, it has been an utterly draining, exhaustive and frustrating ordeal, rife with legal setbacks, perplexing judicial rulings, and even disappearing potentially name-clearing DNA evidence. Released on parole this June following more than 23 years of incarceration, it is nothing short of a miracle Bower is even Jeremy Goldberg is the Legal still alive. Goldberg is standing up for a man Aid Society of Nassau County Appeals Bureau Chief & who the majority of society, without knowing Attorney for Ronald Bower the facts behind his plight, would rather simply rot in prison, disappear, go away, die. A lesser person would have given up decades ago. But not Goldberg. Despite great sacrifice, including his own personal tragedies throughout the years, Goldberg has persevered, relentless in his quest for what so many believe to be the truth. Currently the head of the Society’s appeals bureau, Goldberg has made reversing this gross “miscarriage of justice,” as he refers to it, his obligation as an attorney, vowing never to rest until Bower’s been 100-percent exonerated. “As long as I’m alive, I’ll be trying to get that done,” he told the Press in 2011. “That’s a fact. That’s no hyperbole. I will, always. Because the bottom line is, that it’s easier for me to keep fighting than to walk away and live with it, without fighting.” For his selfless persistence, tireless commitment and dedication to the truth against immeasurable odds and adversity, Goldberg deserves recognition. He belongs on this list.
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DuWayne Gregory First time on the list A former lieutenant in the U.S. Army, DuWayne Gregory, the presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, is a lifelong Democrat who’s risen through the ranks from working with two notable Babylon supervisors, Rich Schaffer and Steve Bellone. Elected to office in 2008, Gregory already knew how to pull the levers of power in the Suffolk Legislature as the chief of staff to former Legis. Elie Mystal. At the beginning of 2014, Gregory became the presiding officer. It helps his county executive’s cause that Gregory’s got a majority DuWayne Gregory is the Presiding Officer of of Democrats to work the Suffolk County Legislature with to enact Bellone’s policies—or thwart their adversaries. He’s helped to keep the lid on taxes while keeping an eye on water quality, economic development and quality of life. But Gregory’s got a tough juggling act to preserve his legislative body’s independence while helping the county executive to close the budget gap without giving away the store—or turning his county into an even worse debt-ridden version of Nassau.
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Norma Gonsalves Nassau Legislature’s Presiding Officer, Norma Gonsalves, a Republican from East Meadow, wields her power with a smile on her face and a steel fist inside a velvet glove. One of the most powerful women in county politics today, she can be a formidable opponent if she feels the causes she strongly believes in, such as keeping property taxes low and protecting the interests of her party, are threatened by Democratic intransigence. She’s fought many a battle over the budget—but she always seems to come out unscathed and unflappable. Maybe that’s because she taught public school in New York City, and learned how to stick to the assignment at hand without flinching. A legislator since 1997 and the presiding officer since 2012, she’s proud of her support for Norma Gonsalves is the Presiding Officer of the plan to renovate the Nassau the Nassau County Legislature Veterans Memorial Coliseum, helping to preserve the Friendly Farms on Merrick Avenue as open space, and ensuring that Nassau University Medical Center adds a veterans’ clinic. But when it comes to raising taxes—she can be counted on to say, “No way!”
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Mark Burford & Peter Cotter First time on the list
Rockville Centre native Mark Burford got a taste for homebrewed beer when he was, ahem, a minor. But now as a recognized brew-master, he gets the credit for helping to ferment a microbrew revolution on Long Island with his partner in Mark Burford and Peter Cotter are the suds, Peter Cotter, Co-Founders of Blue Point Brewing Company a self-described “Beatles Baby” from Smithtown, who has sampled beers large and small all over the world, logging more than a million miles with harmonica in hand. These two gents—who look like cousins, if not brothers—put Blue Point on the map as the Island’s first microbrewery in 1998. Thanks to their sweat and tears, the former Penguin Ice Factory in Patchogue now delivers ice-cold, unpasteurized kegs of guaranteed fresh brews, whether flowing freely in the tasting room or pouring from some 200 taps at watering holes around the Island plus elsewhere in select establishments throughout the East Coast. It’s a winning formula that’s quenched many a thirst. It certainly appealed to Anheuser-Busch, which snapped up their company for an undisclosed sum earlier this year and will now share LI’s homebrew with the rest of the country. So here’s a toast to the team that brought Toasted Lager to our lips—as well as Hoptical Illusion, Toxic Sludge and RastafaRye Ale, to name a few of our favorites.
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the law of possibilities Dorsey & Whitney LLP Congratulates Our Friend and Colleague
Seymour Liebman, Esq. Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Canon U.S.A., Inc. Dorsey lawyers across North America, Europe and Asia are always focused on what’s possible to help clients thrive. We provide local clients a global reach and global clients with local resources and relationships—delivering the law of unlimited possibilities.
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