Stars for Students Scholarships Gala

Wednesday, May 22, 2019
at RXR Plaza, 626 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY
Cocktails 6:30 * Dinner 7:30 * Live & Silent Auction

Tom & Eileen Alexanderson
Pascale, Razzino, Alexanderson, & Co., PPLC
BMT Management & Financial Consultants

Tom is a CPA and Managing Member of Pascale, Razzino & Alexanderson & Co., PLLC. The firm provides tax, accounting, consulting, and attest services to a variety of clientele with a specific focus on owner managed businesses. Prior to the formation of PRA & Co, Tom was Corporate Controller for Dreyfus Retirement Services to which he was appointed in 1997. From 1986 to 1997, Tom was a Vice President in various capacities for the Dime Savings Bank of New York. He commenced his career in public accounting as a staff accountant with KPMG, Peat Marwick in 1978. He began his own practice in public accounting in April 1990. Tom earned a B.S. in Accounting from St. John's University.

Eileen is currently a Co-Director of Investment Services at BMT Management & Financial Consultants, a Division of Christian Brother Services. She spent 24 years at Lazard Asset Management as an equity analyst, portfolio manager, and Managing Director /Head of US Equities. She then established a private family office for an affluent family in New York City. Eileen attended Sacred Heart Academy and then attended St. John's University, earning a B.S. in Finance. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Tom & Eileen have always engaged in numerous community and charitable organizations over the years supporting their Parish, the Diocese, and the Rockville Centre community. Tom is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities of the Rockville Centre Diocese and chairs the Audit & Finance Committee. He is the Treasurer of the Long Island chapter of Legatus, is the finance advisor for the Friends of Mercy Medical Center and serves on the committee to establish and build a special needs playground in Rockville Centre. Tom was the Treasurer of the Rockville Centre Little League for over ten years. Eileen previously served on the Catholic Charities Board for nine years including three as Chair. She is a member of the Diocesan Investment Committee and the Bishop's Finance Council and also is Chair of the St. Agnes Cathedral Parish Finance Committee. Tom & Eileen were honored to receive the St. Agnes Medal for Outstanding Service from the Diocese of Rockville Centre and the Caritas Award from Catholic Charities.

Eileen & Tom have been blessed with three beautiful children: Kevin, Christina, and Katie who all attended Catholic grammar school, high school, and colleges. Eileen & Tom believe strongly in the value of Catholic education. Eileen was President of the School Board and Tom was President of the Fathers Club while their children attended St. Agnes Cathedral School. Eileen recently joined the Kellenberg Memorial Advisory Board and serves on the Molloy College Investment Committee. Eileen has been honored with the St. Catherine of Sienna Award by both St. Agnes Cathedral School and Molloy College. The couple received the Fidelitas Award from St. John's University last year.

Robert A. Perro
Vice Chairman, CardWorks Inc.
Chairman of the Board, Merrick Bank

Bob is currently Chairman of the Board at Merrick Bank and the Vice Chairman of CardWorks Inc., the parent company of Merrick Bank and other operating subsidiaries.

He was one of the original founders of Merrick Bank in 1997. Since its inception, Merrick's primary purpose has been to provide loans to the large portion of the US population that is not served by most banks. Today, Merrick is the 16th largest issuer of VISA© credit cards with just under 3 million cardholders and over $3.5 Billion in loans outstanding. Merrick is also a leading provider of long-term installment financing for boat and RV buyers in the underserved consumer population. Merrick's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of its customers and to help them build their personal financial stability.

Through its other operating subsidiaries, CardWorks provides customer service, collections and full back office operations for credit cards and installment loans issued by Merrick as well as other banks and non-bank lenders throughout the United States. CardWorks, including Merrick Bank, has approximately 1,700 employees with offices and service centers in NY, Utah, Florida and Pennsylvania.

CardWorks and Merrick make it a priority to work with and fund a variety of non-profit organizations and initiatives, in hopes of improving the lives of those less fortunate and giving back to the local communities.

Bob is a Certified Public Accountant and prior to joining CardWorks, was a Managing Director and the Chief Financial Officer of the group of private equity funds owned by Hyperion Partners. He holds a BBA from Baruch College and an MS in Taxation from Long Island University. Core education is the foundation upon which we build our future. Bob's core education was at Catholic elementary school and Archbishop Molloy High School.

Bob and his wife Janet live on Long Island and have been married for 44 years. They have two adult children, both educated in the Catholic School system, and two young grandchildren.

Owen T. Smith
Chairman of the Board
The Institute for World Politics

Owen T. Smith is currently the Chairman of the Board of The Institute for World Politics, a school of graduate studies in Washington, DC, addressing national security, intelligence and international affairs. For more than five decades, Owen's long and prosperous career had a broad impact on advances in the fields of government, law and education. Many years after receiving his degrees from Trinity College and St. John's School of Law, he was awarded an Honorary PhD from the pontifical university, St. Patrick's College, of Maynooth, Ireland in 2014.

Owen first entered the political arena as an executive assistant to Richard Nixon's campaign manager during his 1960 run for President. Following that unsuccessful campaign, Owen returned to academia and earned his law degree. Before entering private practice in 1969, he served as Executive Editor of The Institute for Business Planning under the direction of William J. Casey. Owen left the Institute when Casey was appointed Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission by President Nixon.

In 1973, Owen was appointed Counsel to Senator Ralph J. Marino and served on numerous Senate committees. In 1976, he was appointed Chairman of the Nassau County Planning Commission under Ralph Caso as Nassau County Executive. In 1980, County Executive Francis T. Purcell appointed him Chief Deputy County Executive of Nassau County and served as the senior non-elected official responsible for governing 1,300,000 residents.

Following his county role, Owen joined the faculty of Long Island University at the CW Post campus. He also continued his political career as Vice Chairman of the Nassau County Republican Committee, a position he still holds. Retiring in 2000 as Professor Emeritus, Owen focused on running his family's restaurant business, which began in 1929. He was the proprietor of The Milleridge Inn in Jericho - the largest restaurant in New York State - for more than fifteen years.

Owen has been active in numerous community organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, Theodore Roosevelt Foundation, The Heritage Foundation and the Planting Fields Arboretum. He also served as Acting President of SUNY College at Old Westbury, Nassau Community College and Molloy College.

In his spare time, Owen has also authored several books on economic policy, environmental law and real estate. Owen and his wife, Bernadette, live in Roslyn Harbor and are parishioners of St. Mary's Church, where he is the Chairman of its Finance Committee.

Rhoda Fishkin
Dr. Patricia & Senator Carl L. Marcellino
Robert Kinpoitner
Richard V. Lata

Carl G. Paffendorf

Mary and Jerry Frost

Bernadette Kasnicki

Mrs. Mary McMahon, St. Mary's, East Islip

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Gries

Mr. & Mrs. Ralph DeFeo

Philip Ciminelli

Jackie & Tom Perro

Louise Graves

2019 Gala Committee

Kathryn J. Bill
Carolynn Lucca Black
Jeffrey R. Byrnes
Sister Joanne Callahan, OSU
Richard Conniff
Patrick Curtin
Hon. Alphonse M. D'Amato
Stephen V. DeSimone
Maria L. DiMatteo
Vicki Ferrara
Kathleen M. Giamo
Mary Ryan Gonzalez
Michael S. Grant
Thomas Grech
Steven Haedrich
Jeff Harris
Meaghan E. Kelly
Marguerite Kircher
Bernadette Kasnicki
Hon. Rick A. Lazio
Frank P. Liantonio
Frank P. Marzano
F.J. McCarthy
Michael Merlo
Most Rev. William F. Murphy
William J. O'Brien
Gerald D. Pietroforte
Jeanette Prymas
Peter Quick
Lewis S. Ranieri
Michael D. Sapraicone
Maureen T. Scaduto
Valeska Seitz
Brian T. Shea
Bernadette Casey Smith
Allison M. Strack
Peter Tamsen
Christopher Tully
Glenn Tyranski
Anne Walsh
Peggy York