Also announces new board chair Gregory D. Bassuk, COO/Co-Founder of IndexIQ
Westchester County, N.Y. (January 28, 2013) – The United Way of Westchester and Putnam Board of Directors has welcomed five new members, all of whom have demonstrated significant leadership and influence in both their communities and in business. The new members join a strong board of professionals who are committed to improving the education, income, and health of residents in Westchester and Putnam counties. The nonprofit also announced a new board chair.
The new board members are:
- Anthony Maucieri, White Plains: Maucieri is the 26 year-old founder and President of East Hill Cabinetry, a redesign and renovation firm specializing in kitchens, bathrooms, and handcrafted custom cabinetry. Since its 2007 opening, East Hill Cabinetry has steadily grown revenues by 2600% under Maucieri’s leadership. He has been recognized by County Executive Rob Astorino and the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board for his participation in charitable county programs, as well as by the Business Council of Westchester and Westchester County Business Journal for his business expertise. Maucieri is a graduate of The University at Albany (SUNY).
- Bert Askwith, Harrison: Born in 1911, Askwith has been a generous donor and committed supporter of United Way’s initiatives toward community betterment for more than 70 years. He is the founder of Campus Coach Lines, a charter bus company that he formed while attending University of Michigan as a lower priced alternative to railroad travel. Askwith and his late wife, Mimi, raised 3 children: Patti, an executive at Campus Coach Lines; Dennis, a program analyst at the National Institutes of Health; and Kathy, a community volunteer at the Food Allergy Initiative.
- Lawrence Ruggieri, Yorktown Heights: A native of the Bronx, Ruggieri serves as a Director in the Brokerage Services Group of Cushman & Wakefield, working out of the firm’s Rye Brook office. Ruggieri has worked in the real estate industry for more than 13 years and has exclusively represented more than 10 million s/f of Class-A office space in Westchester. He has secured transactions on behalf of many of the county’s largest corporate residents. Prior to joining the real estate industry, Ruggieri served eight years in the United States Air Force.
- Thomas Carey, Cortlandt: A lifelong resident of Cortlandt, Carey is Vice President of the Westchester-Putnam Central Labor Body and works as a Business Agent for Local 21 Plumbers and Steamfitters in Peekskill. Prior to his current position, Carey served as Chief of the Verplanck Fire Department, a volunteer fire and E.M.S. station.
- Patrick Plunkett, Manhattan: Plunkett joined Metropolitan Realty Group in 2009 as a Director and now serves as a Partner in the firm. He leads all efforts on deal origination and new business for Metropolitan, which provides affordable housing to residents in the NY metro area and currently manages more than 5,000 units. Plunkett has extensive experience in federal, state, and local housing programs. Prior to joining Metropolitan Realty Group, he worked for The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit land and water conservation group for public and private entities.
Gregory D. Bassuk has been named the new chair for the United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s board, of which he has been a member since 2010. Bassuk is Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of IndexIQ, a US-based asset management firm providing alternative investment mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, separately managed accounts, and model portfolios. Bassuk has helped drive the firm’s growth from only 1 fund in 2008 to more than 20 products today, all of which were first-of-their-kinds in the industry. Prior to co-founding IndexIQ, Bassuk was a successful financial services executive and entrepreneur.
Bassuk’s longtime volunteer and advocacy work in the community earned him the 1990 United States Young American Medal for Service, awarded by the President of the United States to only two individuals each year.
The United Way of Westchester and Putnam is located at 336 Central Park Ave., White Plains, NY 10606. They can be reached at914-997-6700 or by visiting www.uwwp.org. Follow the United Way on Facebook (www.facebook.com/UnitedWayWP) and Twitter(@UnitedWayWP) for the latest news and updates.
About the United Way of Westchester and Putnam
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the United Way of Westchester and Putnam operates with the fundamental belief that all people deserve a quality education, enough income to support a family, and opportunities for a healthy lifestyle. United Way works with agency partners, government, businesses and community leaders to solve problems that are too complex for any one entity alone. Contributions go toward improving the education, income, and health of the children, youth and families throughout Westchester and Putnam. United Way’s Hudson Valley Region 2-1-1, covering Westchester and Putnam as well as Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster counties, answers up to 500 calls and 1,000 online inquiries per day ranging from tax, heating, and mortgage questions to childcare, basic needs, natural disaster and crisis calls.
