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Brian McGrath
Board Chair
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Brian McGrath, whose daughter was granted a wish in 1998, is a real estate
broker with Prudential Serls Prime Properties. In 2003, Mr. McGrath opened a
new office for the firm in Katonah. His career has spanned three decades,
with positions ranging from owning his own real estate agency to being a top
producer for Coldwell Banker for four consecutive years. In addition to his
involvement with Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Hudson Valley, Brian is an
active fundraiser for various organizations serving children with cancer.
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David Simkins
Vice Chair
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David Simkins founder of Mobile Communications Plus, a wholesale wireless communications distributorship based in Mount Vernon, NY. Mobile Communications Plus serves two wireless carriers, eight manufacturers and over 400 cell phone dealers throughout the New York-Metropolitan area. The company began operations in 1981 as a car phone installation service (operating out of the trunk of David's car). Today, along with his wife and partner Lucy, they employ a staff of 30, who share the "Work Hard/Play Hard" ethic that their employers do. Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Hudson Valley has engaged with the firm's awesome staff as employees participate in a company-sponsored volunteering program. Individuals are encouraged to work for a charitable cause, on company time, each year. A long-time supporter of Make-A-Wish, Mr. Simkins hosts annual snowmobile & Hummer trips and Circle-of-Friends parties to benefit the Foundation. Mr. Simkins is the current Vice Chair of the Board of Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Hudson Valley.
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Karin Buchholz
Secretary
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Karin Buchholz is the Vice President of Community Relations & Fan Development with the New York Knicks. She has over 15 years of sports management and 11 years of community sports development. As the VP of Community Relations and Fan Development, Ms. Buchholz is responsible for delivering educational programs to children in the NY metropolitan area and oversees all of the Field Marketing for the team, which includes, Knicks Camps, clinics, tournaments, and multi-cultural marketing. Prior to her job with the Knicks, Ms. Buchholz served as the Director of Fan Development for the WNBA~~she helped WNBA teams develop and increase their fan base at the local level. Before joining the WNBA in April 2001, Ms. Buchholz spent five years with the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs where she served in a number of key capacities including Director of Foreign and Cultural Affairs and Director of Athlete Development of all Olympic Sports. She also spent time at the USTA and spent three years playing on the Women's Tennis Association's professional tour. Ms. Buchholz was a scholarship tennis player at the University of Arizona where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in finance.
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Stephen Cole-Hatchard
Treasurer
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Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Frontline Communications Corp., Pearl River, New York, a traded Internet, web development and web hosting company. Steve took the lead role in planning and developing finance and growth strategy including numerous private financings during 1997, and the negotiation and successful completion of the company's initial public offering in May, 1998.
Before joining Frontline in 1997, Steve served as the Chief Financial Officer & Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions for Hudson Technologies Inc., Hillburn, New York. There, he served as a key member of the executive team for the publicly traded refrigerant reclamation and sales company.
From 1987 to 1993 Steve was an Attorney, Of Counsel with Ferraro Goldstein Yatto & Zugibe, Attorneys, New City, New York. Prior to that he held several civil service positions including Detective for the Town of Clarkstown Police Department, New City, New York, Special Agent for the United States Secret Service, New York, New York, and Criminal Investigator for the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, New City, New York.
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Adrian "Butch" Anderson
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Adrian "Butch" Anderson was elected Sheriff of Dutchess County in 1999. Currently, he leads a staff of 550 employees and protects and serves the county's population of 280,150 and an area of 816 square miles. During his tenure in law enforcement, Sheriff Anderson spent many years in the Major Case Quad where his abilities and persistence brought various robbery and murder cases to conclusion. Sheriff Anderson was also selected to attend and graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. In the line of service, Sheriff Anderson has been awarded five Combat Crosses. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the New York State Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Anderson is a member of many organizations including the Poughkeepsie B.P.O.E. No. 275, Fraternal Order of Police, Dutchess Community College Foundation Board, FBI National Academy, Dutchess County Detectives, Dutchess County Chiefs Association, Pawling Lions Club, and Pawling Fire Department. Sheriff Anderson is a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA, is on the Board of Directors for the Ryan McElroy Foundation, as well as serving as the Honorary Chairman of the March of Dimes.
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Anthony Cardone, III
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Anthony Cardone, III, along with his wife Fran, owns and operates Fran's Hallmark Card and Gift store in Monroe, New York. Tony has been very active in numerous community organizations including the Leukemia Society of America, the Monroe-Woodbury Pop Warner Football League, the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. Tony has been a Make-A-Wish volunteer for 14 years, and the recipient of the Kenneth R. Wolfe Award for his outstanding support of the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Tony lives in Monroe, New York.
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John Crabtree
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John Crabtree is owner of Crabtree's Kittle House restaurant in Chappaqua,
which draws diners and rave reviews from around the world. More than an inn
and restaurant with Marvelous food and loyal patronage, Crabtree's Kittle
House also has one of the world's most impressive wine cellars. The
restaurant's critical acclaim is attributable to his vision, hard work,
competitive spirit and the unadulterated joy he finds in collecting wine
from every region of the world. Five years ago, Mr. Crabtree heard about
several wish children and called to ask how he could make wishes come true?
Soon after, John offered to host the Chapter's Annual Donor Party and has
been actively involved since.
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Markus Erb
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Dr. Markus Erb is the Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Maria Fareri ChildrenÕs Hospital. He is a Diplomate, of the American Board of PediatriciansÊ and its suboard of Pediatric Cardiology. He is also a member of the AmericanÊÊHeart Association, Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, and the Vice President of the Pediatric Cardiology Society of New York. Dr. Erb is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at New York Medical College. He is also the author of numerous articles on PediatricÊ Cardiology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colgate University and a Masters Degree in Biochemistry from Delaware University. ÊDr. Erb resides in Ossining, NY with his wife Lesleigh and their three children.
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Preston Felton
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Preston Felton is a retired Acting Superintendent of New York State Police after serving more than 26 years with the Agency. He spent a large part of his career in the field on a variety of assignments, including: as a Trooper; Investigator and Sergeant in Troop F; Lieutenant within Internal Affairs; Lieutenant in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Troop C; Lieutenant in the Uniform Force in Troop K; Captain in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation ; and as a Major-Troop Commander in Troop NYC. Mr. Felton has always believed that giving back to the community is important in life and as a result volunteers at a number of Non-profit organizations, including Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson valley, Hospice of Orange and Sullivan County and the Guild of St Margaret Soup Kitchen.
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Robert Fuhrer
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A second-generation toy-industry veteran, after graduating from Syracuse University in 1977, Bob started in the toy business as a product manager at a small toy development company. In 1981, Bob founded R.B. Fuhrer Enterprises, which subsequently became Nextoy LLC. In 1995, Bob received top toy-industry honors when he was presented by his peers with the annual I.D.I.O.T. award (International Designer and Inventor of Toys). Bob is the only representative of the inventing community on the Toy Industry Association's T.O.T.Y (Toy of the Year) task force.
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Howard Goldstein
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Howard Goldstein is a partner and co-founder of Vedanta Capital, a diversified venture capital investment firm located in New York City. Prior to that he worked for 22 years as a general partner of Invesco Private Capital (previously Citicorp Investment Management), a global private equity manager with over $2 billion in managed assets. He is a seasoned venture capitalist with over two decades of investment experience. During his tenure, the private capital group invested over $3 billion in close to 500 transactions. Following the close of these transactions, he was an active board member of dozens of companies working with the senior officers of the companies evaluating and reviewing strategic and operational business plans, corporate financial performance and growth opportunities.
Howard earned a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and a B.A.with honors from Clark University. He is a member of the New York State Bar and United States District Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts, and is registered with the NASD as a General Securities Representative (Series 7) and Uniform Securities Agent (Series 63).
Howard is married to Neva, a yoga instructor, artist and a Make-A-Wish wish granter. They have a daughter, Rebecca and a son, Jesse and live in Cortlandt Manor.
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Linda Hannigan, C.P.A.
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Linda Hannigan, C.P.A. is a partner with Sedore & Company, CPA P.C. of Wappingers Falls, Poughkeepsie, and Beacon. She is a licensed New York State Certified Public Accountant. Ms. Hannigan directs and oversees a significant part of the firm's audit practice, including Single Audits of entities receiving federal aid. She provides management advisory services to such entities involving organizational systems including systems of internal control, computerized accounting systems, and compliance systems. She has many years of experience in auditing and tax management; and she is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the New York Government Finance Officer's Association, and the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board.
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Michael J. Kwinn, Jr
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Michael J. Kwinn, Jr. is a Lt. Col. and an Associate Professor of the Department of Systems Engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Michael holds an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College and a Masters degree in Systems Engineering from University of Arizona. Michael received his PhD in Management Science from the University of Texas. Michael and his wife Brigitte established the Friends4Michael Foundation in honor of his son (a Wish Child) who passed away in 2003. Michael resides in Monroe, New York.
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Peter D. Leibowits
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The Peter D. Leibowits Company, Inc. {PDL Company} is a Delaware corporation, incorporated on January 17, 1983. It's president and sole shareholder is Peter D. Leibowits. The company is largely a reflection of Mr. Leibowits' personal career in the real estate development arena. Prior to the formation of PDL company, Mr. Leibowits had spent most of his professional career running a major, US publicly traded real estate development company. PDL Company has been primarily involved in the development and management of real estate properties for its own account.
In 1994, PDL Company entered the high-end daily fee golf course development and management business through the formation of the wholly own subsidiary, Centennial Golf Properties, Inc. {CGP}. CGP's primary geographic area of focus is the Washington, DC to Boston, MA corridor. Within that corridor, CGP focuses on developing projects within commuting distance of major metropolitan areas. To date, CGP has developed two high-end daily fee golf facilities; Centennial Golf Club of New York in Carmel, New York, and Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, MA.
In 1995, Mr. Leibowits formed a private investment company {PDL Investment Company} which invests in publicly traded securities, private funds and administrates a family charitable foundation.
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Claudio Sandoval M.D.
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Claudio Sandoval, MD is board-certified in both pediatrics and pediatric
hematology-oncology. He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at New York
Medical College, where he teaches medical students and residents. Dr.
Sandoval is active in both clinical and basic science research in the fields
of ataxia-telangiectasia and minimal disease detection in pediatric acute
lymphoblastic leukemia. An active member of the American Society of
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology,
Dr. Sandoval has authored or co-authored over 50 research papers that have
been published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Sandoval received his
undergraduate degree from City College and trained in pediatrics and
pediatric hematology-oncology at Schneider Children's Hospital and St. Jude
Children's Research Hospital, respectively.
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Trish Zimmerman
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Trish Zimmerman, whose daughter was granted a wish in 2004, is a high school global studies teacher with degrees from New York University and Iona. She is the founder of Molly's Kids Inc, a foundation whose mission is to help children suffering with cancer. She has also been deeply involved with the Children's Cancer Fund since her daughter's diagnosis in 2000. Her dedication to children stretches from the classroom to the hospital to her family and now to the Board of MAW.
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Honorable Thomas P. Zugibe
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Mr. Thomas P. Zugibe is the District Attorney of Rockland County. Prior to his election, he was a partner in the law firm of Ferraro Zugibe, LLP in Garnerville, New York. He has also served as Village Justice of West Haverstraw from 1989 to 2007. Tom served as the Make-A-Wish Foundation(R) of the Hudson Valley's pro bono counsel for three years prior to his election to the Board.
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