Blakeman announces transition team of more than 50 luminaries

Incoming Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced his transition team today. And what a team it is.

It includes Republicans and Democrats, Union leaders and business leaders, African-American influencers and Orthodox Jewish community leaders. Three of them also served on Democratic county Executive Laura Curran's transition team four years ago.

There is at least one television celebrity, Susan Lucci, a Garden City actress who has been a Blakeman backer in most of his past  campaigns.

Blakeman and his wife Segal (left) with Susan Lucci (right) at celebratory dinner after election


And one former governor, David Paterson.

They will need an auditorium if they all want to meet at the same time.

The team will advise Blakeman on policies and initiatives, the news release said.

Blakeman said in a statement, "This transition team is united in its mission to make Nassau County more affordable and safer while creating new jobs and growing the economy. I look forward to working with these dedicated professionals and thank them for their public service and commitment to our community."

Here is the list of team members (including some background on familiar names.)

Christopher Mcgrath, Chairman: Parter, Sullivan Papain Block McGrath Coffinas & Cannavo

Chudhary Akram - Masjid Hamza

Eugene Alletto - CEO, Bedgear

Matt Aracich - President, Building & Construction Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk Counties

Dr. John Paul Bellistri - Columbia Doctors

Matthew Bruderman - Chairman of the Board, Bruderman Brothers, Inc.

Bob Catell - Past Chairman, Board of Directors of the United States Energy Association. (also former chairman and ceo of Key Span).

Matt Cohen - President, Long Island Association

Michael Dowling - CEO, Northwell Health

Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein - Nassau County Health Commissioner

Murray Forman - President, Lawrence Board of Education

Gilles Gade - CEO, Cross River Bank

Chris Giamo - Head of Commercial Banking, TD Bank

Hon. Dorothy Goosby - Councilwoman, Town of Hempstead

Pastor John Gravagna - Pastor, Connect Church

Bishop Robert Harris - Bishop, Grace Cathedral (father of Family Court Judge Darlene Harris)

Marc Herbst - Executive Director, Long Island Contractors' Association (and former Republican Assemblyman)

Henry Holley - President, The Holley Group

Khandan Kalaty - Great Neck Community

Major Charles Kilbride - United States Marines Toys for Tots Chairman

Jerry Kornbluth - Dean, Nassau Community College

Dr. Krishan Kumar - Director of Pediatric Emergency, Nassau University Medical Center

Victor LaGreca - Amalgamated Local 298

Kevin Law - Partner, Tritec Real Estate (former head of the LIA and former member of Curran transition team)

Seymour Liebman - Executive Vice President, Canon

Susan Lucci - Garden City Resident, Actress, Television host, Author and Entrepreneur

Hon. Laura Maier - Councilwoman, Town of Oyster Bay & Small Business Owner

James Metzger - CEO, The Whitmore Group

Liza Milgrim - President, Long Island Hispanic Bar Association

Anissa Moore - CEO, North Park Community Development Corporation (former Long Beach city council president)

Lisa Murphy - Commissioner of Senior Enrichment, Town of Hempstead (Daughter of former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato)

Hon. Kate Murray - Town Clerk, Town of Hempstead (former Town of Hempstead supervisor)

Samuel Nahmias - President, Study Logic

Brian Nevin - Senior Policy Advisor, Town of Oyster Bay (former spokesman for former Republican County Executive Ed Mangano)

Mitch Pally - CEO, Long Island Builders Institute

Hon. David Paterson - former Governor, State of New York

Dr. Susan Poser - President, Hofstra University

Juan Reyes - Reed Smith

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds - CEO, Chief Executive Officer of Family and Children’s Association (a former member of the Curran transition team)

Dr. Christine Riordan - President, Adelphi University

William Rockensies - Director of Construction Services, H2m Architects (former Town of Hempstead Commissioner of Engineering)

Gary Rodolitz - Principal, David Lauren Associates

Commissioner Patrick Ryder - Nassau County Police Commissioner

Dr. Timothy Sams - President, SUNY Old Westbury 

Michael Sapraicone - CEO, Squad Security (Husband of newly elected Supreme Court Justice Eileen Daly-Sapraicone)

Dr. James Savia - Assistant Professor and Doctor, Mount Sinai

Hon. Daniel Serota - Mayor, Village of Brookville

Dr. Richard Shlofmitz - Chairman of Cardiology, St. Francis Hospital

Jessica Silverstein - Small Business Owner

Harry Singh - CEO, Bolla Oil Corp.

Jill Stone - Law Office of Jill C. Stone, esq.

Kyle Strober - Executive Director, The Association for a Better Long Island (former aide to the Nassau legislature and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, He also served on Curran's transition team)

Timothy Sullivan - CEO, Municipal Strategies & Solutions (First executive director of the legislature's budget review office.)

Mairén Torres - Chairwoman, Republican National Hispanic Assembly

Donald Vultaggio - Chairman, AriZona Beverage Company

Arthur Walsh - Incoming Chief Deputy County Executive, County of Nassau

Hon. Lewis Yevoli - former Supervisor, Town of Oyster Bay (the last Democrat to hold the Oyster Bay supervisor's post)



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