Events
HCLAS Dean's Advisory Board
The Dean's Advisory Board of the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences consists of Hofstra College alumni and friends of Hofstra. They are responsible for advising administrators and providing input concerning educational programs, events, student opportunities, and facilities and operations. The Advisory Board is essentially responsible for ensuring that the College continues to excel and educate well rounded students in the Liberal Arts. The Advisory Board is also a networking tool for both students and alumni. Each Advisory Board member brings something unique to the College and we are proud to introduce each one of them to you.
THOMAS J. BASILE, ESQ.
Throughout his career, Thomas J. Basile has served in a number of political, communications and public relations positions addressing a variety of high profile issues in both the public and private sector. He is founder and Principal of Empire Solutions Consulting, a strategic communications and public relations firm based in New York. He is also the Managing Director of the Middleberg Sustainability GroupTM a new PR firm that helps corporate clients develop and communicate eco-smart products, practices and workplaces.
In more than 20 states and from Washington to Rome and Iraq to South Asia, Basile's work has garnered attention in every major media market. His insights into Iraq, the War on Terrorism and the national political scene have made him a sought after contributor on both television and radio.
In 2005, he served as a lead planner for the Department of State of the historic visit by former Presidents Bush and Clinton to the tsunami ravaged areas of South Asia. In 2004 and 2005, Basile served under Senator Trent Lott as Press Secretary to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies in Washington, where he supervised the media and public affairs operation for the 55th Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies. Prior to this position, he was a communications strategist for the U.S. Department of Defense where he focused on developing public and media outreach mechanisms for the Iraq reconstruction effort.
In March, 2004 Basile returned from seven months in Baghdad, Iraq where he served at the request of the White House, as a Senior Press Advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority. While in Iraq, he was a spokesperson and strategist for the Coalition's press operations. In this role, Basile aided Coalition officials in message development and communications planning and together with the Deputy Mayor of Baghdad initiated the first regularly scheduled press conferences at Baghdad City Hall for the new, burgeoning local Iraqi press corps. He was awarded the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Medal from the Department of Defense for his work with the Coalition.
Basile is also a former Director of the Office of Communications for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington. During his time at the Agency he managed the EPA Administrator's public liaison operation and developed media and stakeholder outreach initiatives for a variety of environmental issues.
He has often been called upon by the White House to plan significant meetings and events for President Bush including the memorial service for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts in Houston, the President's 2002 meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, activities surrounding the 57th United Nations General Assembly, and the 2003 visit to Nazi concentration camps outside Krakow, Poland.
A former candidate for public office himself, Basile has been involved in national, state and local campaigns for more than a decade. He served as a consultant to the Republican National Committee during the 2004 Presidential Election cycle and is an alumnus of the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign where he planned numerous large-scale media events for then Governor George W. Bush. Basile has also held senior level campaign management positions for local and state-wide contests.
In 1997 he was named to the National Italian American Foundation's 100 Stars List of prominent, young Americans. A native of Rockland County, New York, Basile earned his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Hofstra University which recently honored him with its 2007 Young Alumnus Award. He received his Juris Doctor from the Fordham University School of Law. He is an adjunct professor at the Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, a lecturer for The Leadership Institute and a trainer for the International Republican Institute, a world-wide democracy-building organization. Basile is a member of the New York Bar, and the Foreign Policy Association. He resides in New York's historic Hudson Valley.
HARINDER BINDRA
Harinder, completed her education in India and immigrated to United States in the early eighties after her marriage to T.J Bindra. Mrs. Bindra is a devoted wife and mother and has dedicated her life for the betterment of her family. She is the epitome of a homemaker and has honed her talents to create a perfect setting for her family. She is a talented cook and has her recipes published in Newsday. With the graduation of her eldest child from college and the younger attending college, she now spends her time not only helping her husband in his company but also in his philanthropic activities. She is his confidante and advisor. She also volunteers her time to Interfaith Nutrition Network in Long Island, a non profit organization dedicated to the betterment of Humanity. Her family endowed the Sikh Chair at Hofstra University and also established the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize for Religious Tolerance.
CHRISTOPHER J. CARUSO
Christopher J. Caruso is a partner in the Business Reorganization, Creditor Rights and Bankruptcy practice of Moses & Singer. Mr. Caruso's practice focuses primarily on the representation of creditors' committees, Chapter 7 Trustees and individual creditors, including landlords. He also represents third-party acquirers of debtors or their assets.
Mr. Caruso attended Hofstra University School of Law where he remains active as a member of the law school's alumni board and a volunteer coach for various moot court teams. He graduated from the School of Law with his J.D. in 2000 and from Hofstra University in 1997 with a B.A. degree. While in law school Mr. Caruso was the Managing Editor of Articles for the Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal, a competitor in the Wagner Moot Court and a recipient of the Service to School Award.
Mr. Caruso began his legal career at Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson. Mr. Caruso was admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, in 2004, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York in 2002, and the New York Bar in 2001.
NICHOLAS CROCE
Nicholas Croce, president of Inference Data, has led the creation and development of Inference, the company's next-generation analytics software for electronic discovery. By developing a strategic partnership with Autonomy, Inference's use of the Autonomy IDOL™ engine has made it the legal industry's most advanced data mining and analytical software.
Prior to forming Inference, Mr. Croce served as president of Doar Litigation Consulting, where he was responsible for driving Doar's introduction of groundbreaking technologies for courtroom presentation used by the nation's largest law firms and Fortune 1000 corporations. Mr. Croce was also directly involved in helping set industry standards for courtroom technology within the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC). To support Doar's national expansion, he spearheaded the acquisition of private and public funding.
Mr. Croce graduated from Hofstra University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, with a concentration in Computer Engineering and dual minors in Mathematics and Computer Science. An expert in the use of technology in support of litigation, Mr. Croce is a frequent keynote speaker at industry events and has been recognized with awards by both local and national organizations, including Deloitte and Ernst & Young. He currently serves on several industry and not-for-profit boards, including the Engineering Industrial Advisory at Hofstra University and the Legal Aid Society's Technology Advisory Board.
JOHN H. FREW
John Frew founded The Hamilton Group, a public relations and marketing communications firm in the fall of 2000 because he believes that the top talent of agencies should be more directly involved, and accountable to a firm’s clients. The Hamilton Group’s business model is more analogous to that of a professional services or consulting firm, where the principals are devoted to a limited portfolio of clients. Current Hamilton Group clients include the National Hockey League, Barclays Bank, Hickory Farms, Turning Stone Resort & Spa and many other high profile organizations.
Prior to forming The Hamilton Group, Frew was Chief Operating Officer/Managing Director, Client Services for the MWW Group, the world’s fourth largest independent public relations firm. He reported directly to MWW founder and Chief Executive Officer Michael Kempner.
Prior to joining the MWW Group he was Vice Chairman, US Region of Cohn & Wolfe Worldwide division of Young & Rubicam, Inc. and served on the agency’s six-person Worldwide Management Committee. He was also the agency’s chief liaison with The Association of Public Relations Firms, the industry’s professional trade association.
Prior to becoming Vice Chairman, Frew was CEO of Cohn & Wolfe’s New York office from 1993-98. Under his leadership the office grew to become a major force in the industry both in New York and nationally. New York’s billings grew from $5.3 million in ‘93 to more than $16 million in ‘98. The office recorded profit margins among the highest of any Young & Rubicam profit center in the world. Staff size grew from under 40 to nearly 120 during that time period.
During his tenure C&W New York received numerous awards including an unprecedented 7 CIPRAs (Creativity in Public Relations). The office was cited by the trade including the publication Inside PR as offering one of the most collegial work environments in the entire PR industry. He also expanded its business from its traditional consumer marketing and sports offerings into technology, business to business, healthcare and corporate work.
As Cohn & Wolfe grew so did the quality of its clients and the size/scope of its relationships. During Frew’s tenure as New York CEO the list of clients handled exclusively or predominantly by his office included SONY Consumer Electronics, the US Postal Service, Eli Lilly & Company, Dupont, Intel, Reebok, divisions of Campbell Soup, Deloitte & Touche, the US Army, the PGA of America, the Women’s Tennis Association and more.
Frew also developed brand building identity and communications programs for Young & Rubicam companies Landor & Associates and Brand Asset Valuator, the company’s proprietary brand analytical resource group.
Other prominent clients the office worked for included, Avon, BMW, Guinness Import Company, Sprint, Haagen-Dazs, Philip Morris USA, Chase Manhattan, and Cushman & Wakefield. Frew played an important or lead role securing or servicing all of the above clients during his tenure.
Before becoming CEO, Frew managed the office’s consumer marketing and sports and events business. Under his direction C&W became the number one (in billings) sports and events public relations firm worldwide. His client responsibilities included work for Philip Morris USA (including Marlboro Racing, Virginia Slims Tennis), Colgate Palmolive, Sprint, the Guinness Import Company, and Golden Bear Int’l., and the PGA of America.
Prior to joining Cohn & Wolfe, Frew was the Executive Vice President, Director of Client Services and a shareholder of the Softness Group, Inc., a New York based public relations firm. During his eight-year tenure, Frew directed work for such clients as BMW of North America Inc. Colgate Palmolive, Equitable Life, Chase Manhattan and UST Inc.
Prior to his work in the agency business, Frew spent five years at Hofstra University where he held several positions including Director of Sports Information, Business Manager of Athletics, and Editor of the Hofstra Report, the University’s award winning magazine for alumni and friends.
Frew is a graduate of Hofstra University and completed is postgraduate work in business management there as well. He is a former sports correspondent for the Associated Press and The New York Times, maintains memberships in several professional organizations and is a frequent speaker on issues impacting the public relations, event marketing and marketing communications fields.
Frew resides with his wife Ann and daughter Brianne in Rockville Centre, New York. He is an avid golfer, swimmer, runner, and automobile enthusiast.
DAWN HYNES
Dawn Hynes is founder and president of Hynes Associates, a market research firm conducting in-depth analysis of retirement and investment issues for major insurance and mutual fund companies.
Dawn Hynes has spent her career in the Retirement and Investment Business. Beginning her career in the Fortune 500 marketplace, Dawn headed up the retirement marketing efforts of a leading financial services organization. Prior to establishing Hynes Associates, Dawn was Vice President and head of the Small-Mid Market Retirement Plan Business for the MetLife Defined Contribution Group. She started the company's business in the under $30 million retirement plan marketplace and built it from the ground-up, delivering double and triple-digit sales growth. She was named to the company's small group of Chairman's Council Producers and Managers. And she was appointed by the Chairman to head up Enterprise efforts to integrate four of the firm's small to mid-market retirement businesses - an enterprise-wide undertaking to increase distribution potential in the small-mid market retirement marketplace.
Ms. Hynes is a Chartered Life Underwriter (C.L.U.). She holds: a NASD Series 6 and NASD Series 63 License, a Registered Principal designation, and a Life & Health license. Ms. Hynes also consults directly with business owners and company executives to establish retirement plans for their organizations, in the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors.
Ms. Hynes graduated Hofstra University, cum laude, with High Honors in English in 1989.
JON KAIMAN
Jon Kaiman, the 43 year old North Hempstead Town Supervisor, brings to his office a distinguished record of public and private sector accomplishments and has continued the Town's tradition of sound finances and good government.
Since taking office on January 1, 2004, Jon has spearheaded a series of bold initiatives to update the Town's infrastructure and incorporate modern management techniques in the towns day-to-day operations. Central to his efforts has been the establishment of a 311 Constituent Response System. This new technology will provide North Hempstead residents greater access to government, while enhancing efficiency and accountability.
As one of the chief architects of the Town's Environmental Legacy Fund which was established in 2000, Jon has continued the fight to preserve and replenish open space and protect North Hempstead's environment. As Supervisor, he instituted North Hempstead's annual Earth Day Program and Operation Clean Sweep (a month long, top to bottom "Spring Cleaning" of the Town) in April 2004. Operation Clean Sweep has already seen the removal of over 3,000 tons of garbage and debris in two short years. Additionally, Jon has helped push the Town towards environmentally friendly alternatives, including the purchasing of seven new hybrid SUV's and the development of a hybrid electric bus.
Another key accomplishment in Jon's administration is the initiative of Community Based Planning. Beginning in 2004, the Town hosted well over 40 community-based meetings throughout North Hempstead to address local concerns of town residents and business owners. As many as 700 residents have attended a single meeting.
Jon has also taken an aggressive stance on code enforcement issues and illegal housing, partnering with the Nassau County District Attorney's office to more effectively prosecute violators. Through a more pro-active code enforcement operation and hiring of additional town inspectors, the Town's code enforcement fine revenue increased last year a record 500% from the revenues in 2004.
Jon received his Bachelor of Arts from Hofstra University and a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra Law School. In 1999, Jon was elected as a Nassau County District Court Judge. Jon Kaiman is a longtime resident of Great Neck, where he lives with his wife Kim and their children Shaun, Jared and Iyana.
SUZANNE DARROW KLEINHAUS
Suzanne Darrow Kleinhaus serves as Assistant Professor of Legal Process and Director of Academic Support Programs at Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.
Admitted to the bars of New York and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Professor Darrow Kleinhaus spent almost sixteen years (including four when she was also a law student) as a technical and promotional writer in the high technology industry. She wrote user guides for data communications switching, patching, and monitoring equipment and for various medical devices, as well as for insurance software systems; she also taught technical writing as an adjunct at Polytechnic University. After her law school graduation, Professor Darrow Kleinhaus practiced labor law for two years, joining the Law Center's faculty in 2000. She has published in the area of regulatory law and labor law.
Ms. Kleinhaus received her B.A., summa cum laude, in 1976, from Hofstra University and her J.D, summa cum laude, in 1998, from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.
PAUL LOWELL
Paul Lowell is a founding member and Managing Director of Topspin Partners, LP, a Roslyn Heights-based venture capital partnership. Topspin was founded in 2000 and is affiliated with Renaissance Technologies Corp., Stony Brook, NY. The fund primarily invests in early-stage, technology-based companies. Long Island-based companies that were funded by Topspin include: FatWire Corp., Cosmocom Inc., FalconStor Corp., Open Access, Inc., Terk Technologies Corp., Amplicon Corp. and Tiffen Corp. Prior to Topspin, Paul was founding member and Executive Managing Director of the Long Island Venture Fund, LP. Before moving to the venture capital industry, Paul was a Senior Vice President at Lehman Brothers, Inc., in the Bond Trading Dept., and later in the Private Client Group. Prior to joining Lehman Brothers, Paul was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs & Co. in the Bond Trading Dept. He began his Wall Street career at the Irving Trust Company, where he was an officer and managed the Bank's short-term liabilities and reserve position with the Federal Reserve Bank.
Paul is an active member of the National Venture Capital Association, New York Venture Group, Long Island Forum for Technology, and is a Director of the Long Island Capital Alliance and the NY Metro Capital Forum. He is also a director of a number of Topspin's portfolio companies and is Chairman of FatWire Corp.
Paul graduated from Hofstra University with a B.A. degree in Economics in 1973. He was born in Boston MA, and graduated from Newton High School in 1969.
Paul has been married to his wife, Barbara, for thirty-five years. Barbara (Winter) Lowell also graduated from Hofstra in 1973 with a BA degree in languages. Barbara currently teaches foreign languages in the Baldwin School District. Alexandra, their daughter, attends Sacred Heart High School in Hempstead.
Paul is a member of the American Red Cross (Disaster Recovery Team). He spent two weeks in Biloxi MS, as a part of the relief effort following Hurricane Katrina. He is a life-long competitive sailor and he has skippered yachts in many international events, including wins in the British-American Cup, Commodore's International Cup and the Rolex Offshore World Championship. He is a member of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oyster Bay, and the New York Yacht Club.
JORGE A. MARTINEZ
Jorge A. Martinez is President of BCM Solutions, a Third Party Administrator dedicated to helping organizations become more efficient and effective by outsourcing their business procedures. He also holds the position of Compliance Officer for American Transit Insurance Company.
A Freeport resident for over 30 years, he has recently been elected as a Village of Freeport Trustee. Mr. Martinez is the first Hispanic to be elected to this position.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Martinez has worked tirelessly to enrich his community. He currently holds the position of Associate Director for the Board of Directors of Bethpage Federal Credit Union as well as a former President of the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Deputy Chairman of the Village of Freeport Zoning Board. Additionally, Mr. Martinez has served as a coach in the Freeport PAL Sports League and Freeport Little League, as Chairman of the Sanitation Board, Commissioner of Human Relations Board for Village of Freeport, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.
As a result of his commitment to the community, Mr. Martinez has been the proud recipient of many awards. These include: Molloy College St. Martin de Porres Award for Leadership, Unispan Award from Hofstra University, Hispanic Heritage Award from the Town of Hempstead, and various community awards from Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the Village of Freeport.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Mr. Martinez came to the United States in 1968 and settled with his family on Long Island.
He received his Bachelor's Degree from Hofstra University.
JONATHAN MORENO
Jonathan D. Moreno is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is the David and Lyn Silfen University Professor and Professor of Medical Ethics and of the History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
At CAP Moreno is also the Editor of Science Progress, a magazine of science and technology policy.
He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and serves on numerous National Academies committees on topics such as stem cell research, human experiment policies, and emerging national security issues. He has served as a senior staff member for two presidential advisory committees and has given invited testimony for both houses of Congress.
Moreno is an advisor to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and GlaxoSmithKline. He is also a Faculty Affiliate of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University and a Fellow of the Hastings Center and the New York Academy of Medicine. He is a past president of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities.
His most recent book is Mind Wars: Brain Research and National Defense (2006). His previous books include Ethical Guidelines for Innovative Surgery (2006); Is There an Ethicist in the House? On the Cutting Edge of Bioethics (2005); In the Wake of Terror: Medicine and Morality in a Time of Crisis (2003); Undue Risk: Secret State Experiments on Humans (2001); Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Clinical Research (2003); Deciding Together: Bioethics and Moral Consensus (1995); Arguing Euthanasia (1995); and Ethics in Clinical Practice (1994, 2000).
Moreno has published more than 250 papers, reviews, and book chapters and is a member of several editorial boards. He is a frequent guest on news and information programs and is often cited and quoted in major national publications.
JOHN S. NORBECK
In 2006, John S. Norbeck was appointed President and CEO of Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury, New York. The former country estate of financier John S. Phipps, Old Westbury Gardens is open to the public and consists of 200 acres of formal gardens, tree-lined walks, lakes, and grand allees.
Mr. Norbeck served as the Regional Director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation from 2002 through 2006 where he was responsible for 35 parks, preserves, and historic properties, encompassing over 40,000 acres. The operating budget for the Long Island region was roughly $50 million and included more than 600 full-time staff including 70 officers in the State Park Police.
Prior to that, Mr. Norbeck served as General Manager of Arboreta, from 1998 - 2002, and from 1993 - 1998 he was the Executive Director of the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, the former estate of William R. Coe. The Planting Fields encompass 209 acres, 160 acres of gardens, plant collections, and green houses. For ten years prior to that, Mr. Norbeck served as the Director of the Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, New York, a world-renowned 2,400 acre, 6.5 mile ocean front recreational facility visited by 7 to 9 million patrons annually.
After graduating from Hofstra University in 1973, Mr. Norbeck went on to receive an M.F.A. in 1976 from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York and then went on to various competitive management positions within the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preserve.
Mr. Norbeck is currently the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Chair of the Philanthropy Committee, for the Peconic Land Trust and serves as a member of the American Public Garden Association, the Society of the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, the Water Mill Museum, and the Caumsett Foundation. He is past secretary for the Nassau Land Trust, a past board member of the South Fork Natural History Museum, and a past member of the Board Advisory Committee of the Hecksher Museum.
Mr. Norbeck resides in Cold Spring Harbor and Water Mill with his wife, Connie.
DONALD M. SCHAEFFER, CPA, JD
DONALD M. SCHAEFFER, CPA, JD is an owner and President of Schaeffer & Sam, CPAs, P.C., where he specializes in representing families and their businesses utilizing his tax, accounting and legal skills as both a CPA and attorney. Mr. Schaeffer serves as a Trustee of The DeMatteis Family Foundation as well as numerous DeMatteis and other family trusts, and he is a member of the Board of Directors of a public corporation.
Mr. Schaeffer graduated from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in 1972 and Columbia University School of Law in 1975. He practiced tax law in Philadelphia at the Schnader and Wolf Block law firms before moving to New York and joining a predecessor of his present firm. He and his wife, Joan, were married in 1972 and have a son in high school. He is active in various charitable organizations, and he and his wife are very committed to supporting education and music programs.
STANLEY A. SHANIES, M.D.
Stanley A. Shanies, M.D., a Hofstra alumnus, is a cardiologist in practice in New Hyde Park. He is an attending physician at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital and has been involved their teaching programs. He is on the faculty of Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
He has received the Hofstra University Alumni Achievement Award and the Hofstra Estabrook Community Service Award.
Dr. Shanies is an Adjunct Professor of Biology at Hofstra and teaches an undergrad Bio course geared for pre-med and pre-dental students. He also is the Medical Director of the Hofstra Physicians Assistant Program and teaches cardiology to P.A. students.
He has written chapters in textbooks, and multiple articles in peer reviewed medical journals. He has served as president of a number of community service organizations, and is a member and a fellow of many national medical and cardiology organizations.
Dr. Shanies started a Fellowship program for summer research for pre-med students 10 years ago that gives a stipend to excellent Hofstra pre-meds. This program is very important to him.
KRISTEN SHAUGHNESSY
Kristen may be one of the city's only television reporters to grow up in a house without TV. Her family's television set broke when she was very young, and her parents decided that the family would be better off reading.
From these humble roots, Kristen went on to graduate from Hofstra with a B.A. in communications in 1990. She began her career at WGNY Radio in Newburgh, New York, where she anchored a three-hour morning show on the AM station and did the news on the FM station, 103.1. When she left, she was the New Director there. From there Ms. Shaughnessy moved to NewsCenter 6 in Wappingers Falls where she anchored a nightly half-hour newscast and reported during the day. She was there from 1993 to 1995.
In 1995, Ms. Shaughnessy took a position with the renowned New York station, NY1, as the station's weekend anchor and breaking news reporter. She credits her success as a television reporter to the strong foundation she received in Hofstra's communications program. Kristen's work was notable following the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. She was sent to the site shortly after the first plane struck. Cell phones and Nextel radios weren't working when she got there, so she ran to one of the nearest working pay phones and was one of the few reporters on the air live with NY1's morning anchor Pat Kiernan when the first tower fell. She has covered a wide range of stories including the Pope's visit and the Abner Louima case.
Kristen is married to Hofstra alumnus Joe Bush '90, a professional golfer. They have two daughters.
RONALD SHINDEL
Ron Shindel is currently the chief corporate security officer for the LeFrak Organization, which is headquartered in Manhattan on West 57th Street. He is responsible for strategic oversight of all corporate security functions and investigations for this privately held, family-owned company with commercial and residential real estate holdings in excess of 34 million square feet in 4 states, oil and gas holdings in 13 states, and considerable interests in music publishing, entertainment production, merchant banking, and equities. Recent acquisitions include property and buildings in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. He is a direct report to the LeFrak Family.
Prior to his position at LeFrak, Ron served as Vice President for Public Safety at the Times Square Alliance, which is the business improvement district for the Times Square/Theater District area in midtown Manhattan. The constituent businesses within the district include such notable companies as The New York Times, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, ABC Studios, The Shubert Organization (owners of 18 Broadway Theaters), Reuters, Ernst & Young, Skadden Arps, Pillsbury Winthrop, Cravath, Swaine and Moore, and the NASDAQ Stock Market.
Ron was also once a Senior Vice President of the American Stock Exchange and headed the departments of security, property management, real estate, transportation, and business continuity. He was a member of the senior staff and also headed reintegration efforts to bring back important corporate functions after the sale of the exchange by its parent company, the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), in 2005.
Prior to entering the corporate world, Ron retired as a Deputy Inspector from the New York City Police Department where his last assignment was Commanding Officer of a special recovery group at Operation Ground Zero at the World Trade Center following the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001.
He also held command positions at the 73rd Precinct (Brownsville, Brooklyn), the Brooklyn North Task Force (a specially trained and deployed riot/disorder/enforcement unit), the Mounted Unit (equestrian patrol and special events), and the Police Academy (all training, recruit and in-service).
Ron was personally decorated 31 times and his leadership was recognized when his unit was awarded the NYPD Unit Citation by then Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Police Commissioner Howard Safir. He also received a commendation from the New York City Fire Department for life saving. Ron's enforcement and training programs have been featured in local and national media and in a monograph on innovative policing. These programs have received recognition from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Kings County District Attorney's office. Some of these programs are still in place within the NYPD.
HONORABLE JOSEPH P. SPINOLA
Joseph P. Spinola was born and raised in Hempstead, New York. He is the son of a New York City Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty. He was educated completely in the Town of Hempstead. Justice Spinola attended Hofstra University where he pursued a double major in History and Philosophy. He graduated Cum Laude with University Honors. He was a member of Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society). He also received the High Achievement Award in Historical Writing and University Honors in Philosophy. Justice Spinola also graduated from Hofstra University Law School. He was actively involved in competitive sports such as wrestling and baseball at Hofstra University. He has coached wrestling within the community of East Meadow. He is currently married with four children.
Justice Spinola has been employed by several major firms in Nassau County. He worked as a law clerk at Curtis, Hart & Zaklukiewicz, an associate at Rivkin, Radler, Dunne & Bayh and Robert I. Fiedelman, Esq. He has been actively trying personal injury lawsuits since 1988 at Nationwide Insurance Company, Thurm & Heller and Joachim, Flanzig, Frommer & Madigan. In 1997, Justice Spinola started Spinola & Mirotznik, P.C. in East Meadow, handling a variety of matters with a specialization in personal injury. In 2002, he became a District Court Judge and in 2004, he was sworn in as Supreme Court Justice in Nassau County, the position which he currently holds.
Justice Spinola has also been involved in teaching Trial Techniques and Trial Advocacy since 1992. He began teaching at the Emory Law School Trial Advocacy Program. He also taught at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy Mid-Atlantic Regional Program, Trial Techniques Workshop for Nationwide and Wausau Insurance Companies, National Institute for Trial Advocacy Pacific Regional Program, Widener University Law School Trial Advocacy Program, National Institute for Trial Advocacy Northeast Regional Program and Hofstra Law School Trial Techniques Programs. He is currently a Special Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School teaching Deposition skills and Trial Techniques. He is a certified National Institute for Trial Advocacy instructor. He is currently on the Advisory Board of Hofstra University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In November 2007, he lectured on the subject "Motions, Objections and Requests to Charge" at the New York State Bar Association's Practical Skills seminar, Basic Civil Practice - The Trial.
Justice Spinola has been a member of many organizations and associations. He is a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Suffolk County Bar Association, New York County Bar Association, Nassau County Bar Association, New York State Trial Lawyers' Association, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, National Institute for Trial Advocacy Advocates Association and Nassau-Suffolk Trial Lawyers' Association. He has been a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Knights of Columbus and the Sons of Italy. He has also been a mediator for the ADR program in the Supreme Court, Nassau County. He has also served as a Guardian and Court Arbitrator Under Article XI of the Mental Hygiene Law. He was also a Director of the Nassau Lawyer's Association and a Fellow of the New York Bar Foundation. He holds a Judicial Fellowship with the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and is a member of the Comprehensive Civil Justice Program Implementation Committee. Justice Spinola was formerly the Chairman of the Plaintiff Roundtable Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association.
Justice Spinola has received honors and awards from the Italian Court Officers of Nassau County, the Columbia Association of the New York City Police Department and the Hofstra University George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award for 2004. He has also received Citations for Distinguished Service from Congressman Peter King and Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi. On June 21, 2007, he has been the recipient of the "The Man of the Year" award presented by the Long Beach Lawyers Association. Justice Spinola has received a Proclamation from Senator Dean G. Skelos and a Citation from Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg for outstanding contributions to the community. Most recently, in 2008 he was the recipient of the "Outstanding Trial Skills & Leadership Award" by the Hofstra Law School Intensive Trial Techniques Program.