Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Peter S. Kalikow, '65, '86, a longtime Hofstra trustee and an alumnus whose love of presidential history led him to endow the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency and to sponsor the third and final presidential debate at Hofstra in October 2008, will be honored at the annual Hofstra Gala on Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 7 p.m. at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, North Campus. 

The annual Gala is Hofstra's largest fund-raiser and benefits the Hofstra Scholarship Fund. Last year’s event, attended by some 700 alumni and friends of the university, raised $1.2 million. The 2009 Gala Committee co-chairs are Hofstra Trustee David S. Mack ’67 and former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato.

"Peter Kalikow has a long history with Hofstra as a student, a trustee and a benefactor. His continuing dedication to the university and his business acumen have been invaluable in guiding our growth into a nationally recognized center of academic excellence," said Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz. "His love of presidential history and his generosity enabled us to enhance Hofstra’s reputation as a center for the study of the American presidency."

Mr. Kalikow, who was also a sponsor of the October 15 presidential debate at Hofstra,   acknowledged at the time that he was excited about his role in bringing the debate to the university, but credited others for establishing Hofstra’s national reputation in presidency studies. "You have to remember that Hofstra started a long time ago doing all of those conferences on all of the presidents starting with FDR,” he said, referring to Hofstra’s 11 academic conferences on the administration of every president from Franklin Delano Roosevelt
to Bill Clinton. "As much as I’d like to take credit, I came in in the middle of this. Hofstra was doing a great job before I got involved. It was this excellence that attracted me, and I became excited to help Hofstra take this program to the next level."

That next level was the creation of the Center for the Study of the American Presidency and the hiring of presidential scholar Meena Bose, Ph.D., as the endowed chair.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the decision to have Hofstra host the third and final presidential debate rested primarily on Hofstra’s national and international reputation in the arena of American presidential studies," he said. "This is really the culmination of years of effort in conducting scholarly research, holding world-renowned presidential conferences, and having the infrastructure to host such an important, national event."
 
Mr. Kalikow, along with John D. Miller '79 and Mr. Mack and his wife, Sondra, sponsored the debate and Educate '08, a year-long series of lectures, conferences, artistic performances and exhibitions, town hall meetings and interactive forums that focused on the issues, history and politics of presidential elections.

Mr. Kalikow is president of H.J. Kalikow & Company, LLC, one of New York City's leading real estate firms, and a former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

He earned a B.S. in business administration from Hofstra in 1966, was awarded an honorary doctorate of law degree in 1986 and was named the university's Alumnus of the Year in 1988.

Mr. Kalikow began his career in real estate in 1967 and became president of H.J. Kalikow & Co. in 1973. He is also a former commissioner of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, the former owner and publisher of the New York Post and an active participant in real estate industry associations. He is also involved in civic affairs and numerous religious and philanthropic efforts.

Mr. Kalikow is a trustee of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. In May 1997, the Peter and Mary Kalikow Pediatric Intensive Care Unit was established at New York Hospital. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the New York Holocaust Museum and has served on the board of directors of the Jewish National Fund.

For more information on the Hofstra Gala, call 516-463-5284. 

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from more than 145 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services; and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students’ interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.