Letters From the Boardroom
2005 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012
 
 

Thomas J. Murray, CPA
Areas of Specialization:
Accounting, Auditing and Taxes
Click Here To View Bio

First and foremost let me say how honored I am to be serving as President of ACIT during this 50th Anniversary year. I stand on the shoulders of the distinguished Presidents who preceded me and who helped build this organization. Their leadership, together with our outstanding Board of Directors makes ACIT the exceptional networking association it is today.

ACIT and the world has come a long way since 1963 when gasoline was $.29 per gallon, a new car cost $2,300, owning a new home cost about $12,700 and the only telephone you had was the rotary-dial that hung on the wall in your house. I feel extremely fortunate to be entrusted with the leadership of an organization that is so dynamic and whose Board members donate time and energy to making sure our members get the most out of their participation. I am also keenly aware that our success is not without the help of our members and volunteers. Collectively we come together with passion, energy, ideas and dedication to continue to build on the foundation that was laid so many years ago.

I can only imagine that the founders of ACIT would be very proud to see how far we have come, yet the more things change the more they remain the same. As our name suggests, the mission of the Advancement for Commerce, Industry & Technology is to champion business development by providing a quality network and a variety of forums where members can build successful relationships, create business opportunities and remain competitive in a rapidly changing world. I suspect that was true in 1963 and it is even more relevant today.

As one of Long Island's top networking organizations we have remained true to this mission and it is my goal as President to continue with ACIT's strong momentum of helping businesses flourish, increase the number of active participants and broaden the spectrum of industries that are represented by our membership. As a member you will realize that our events allow you the opportunity to create new professional relationships as well as nurture those that already exist. The success of our events can be measured by the number of people in attendance. ACIT is proud of the fact that we regularly draw from 200 to 500 attendees. These events offer an incredible opportunity to meet a diverse and prestigious business community that can help grow your business or gain new prospects. We look forward to you becoming an active member and encourage you to fully engage with us so you can take advantage of all the benefits that ACIT can provide to you and your company.

As I lead ACIT over the next two years I look forward to engaging with our members, collaborating with our Board, enhancing our events and adding value to our organization.

Very truly yours,
Thomas J. Murray
President, ACIT

 
 

2011

Dear A.C.I.T. Member:

Thanks to the dedicated support of ACIT's Board of Directors, our Members and Friends, ACIT continues to experience increased recognition and respect in the business community. ACIT is indeed a viable and effective advocate for many businesses and firms here on Long Island.

These individuals have contributed a great deal of time, energy and ideas to promote the growth and effectiveness of ACIT. My thanks and personal appreciation to each of you. Your efforts, support and encouragement will help to make my presidency rewarding.

I look forward with great expectation to the months ahead and the opportunity to work with Ed Blaskey, ACIT Chairman and Market President of TD Bank, together with the Officers and Directors of ACIT, to expand our membership and provide increasingly larger and more diverse forums for business opportunities.

The diversity of our member businesses is evidence of the continuous growth of our organization. Such growth is the best possible endorsement of ACIT by the Long Island Business Community as a successful and vibrant vehicle for the conduct of business.

I look forward to personally welcoming each of our new members and renewing personal friendships and professional relationships with our long-standing members and friends at all of our business events throughout the year.

Sincerely,

Frederick C. Johs, Esq.
President ACIT.

 

 

2009

NEW PRESIDENT FOR ACIT

ACIT has elected Edward J. Blaskey, President Long Island Market for TD Bank,  to serve as its President. Ed is responsible for the Bank's regional and Middle Market lending, retail and government bank activities for Nassau & Suffolk Counties.
As ACIT President, he  seeks to strengthen and grow the membership and find new ways to add value for our members. Click "About Us" (from the Board Room) for his complete President's Message.

 

2008

I am pleased and honored to assume the responsibilities of President of Advancement for Commerce Industry & Technology (ACIT).   I accept this new role with great pride in what has been accomplished by this organization over the last 45 years for both members of the organization as well as the Long Island business sector as a whole.  In recent years under the leadership of past Presidents Brian Edwards,Tony Libertella, Ron Terenzi and Doug Mantich the organization has continued to flourish and provided great value to its members.  I will seek to continue this strong momentum and help enhance ACIT's reputation in the Long Island business community.

The organization has continued to grow its reputation as one of the top networking organizations on Long Island with terrific value added business events for both members and non-members alike.  The strength of the organization continues to be the quality of its membership led by a highly dedicated and diversified board of directors.  In 2009, we will continue to look for ways to further strengthen and grow our membership and find new ways to add value for our members.

As we face the harsh realities of the current economic downturn, I believe ACIT will play an even more critical role in the business community in the coming years.  As businesses seek new ways to help offset the negative impact of current economy, participation in the ACIT can help create introductions to new business opportunities and relationships.  In addition, the quality of our guest speakers at networking events can provide many helpful insights on business, governmental and economic issues at a very modest cost.

Of all the positive elements of the organization none is more important than the diversity of our members.  ACIT has members from a wide array of business types and is unique in that all members, both large and small, have an equal voice in the direction of the organization.  This provides value unlike any other member group on Long Island.

I would like to thank all current ACIT members for your continued support and welcome any and all suggestions on how to add even more value to your membership.  For non-members, I encourage you to attend one of our many networking events to find out more about ACIT and how it can help you enhance your business.  

I wish you all a very prosperous new year ahead.



Edward J. Blaskey
President, ACIT
Market President Long Island, TD Bank

 

 

2007 

Advancement for Commerce, Industry & Technology

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

     I am honored to assume the responsibility of President for the Advancement for Commerce Industry and Technology or ACIT. Our organization is proud of our reputation as a powerful, professional conduit for personal interaction that leads to business opportunities for companies of all sizes, shapes and forms on Long Island.

     Any organization is only as strong as the value it provides to its members. ACIT has always taken this responsibility seriously and strives to provide our membership and the Long Island business community with a wide variety of opportunities to gain knowledge and develop business connections.

     Our events are recognized as some of the best on Long Island for small-to-mid-size business people, featuring intriguing programs and opportunities to learn, network and meet new people. Our membership continues to grow in size and diversity, providing business people throughout Long Island the opportunity to develop relationships that lead to business and personal development.

     We are proud to bring together members of business, government, education and more to foster a greater understanding of the issues we all face and opportunities that exist within our unique Long Island marketplace. Yet we do so without any lobbying or political agenda. It is our belief that when you bring good people together, in a quality environment, great things happen for the better of all.

     Long Island is a very unique place and ACIT is a very unique organization. Rare is the organization that offers any business person the opportunity to sit next to a Senior Vice President of a local company, as well as an upcoming, successful entrepreneur. Both have equal voices and representation within ACIT. Both are integral to the continued success of the Long Island economy and marketplace.

     If you are a member, on behalf of all of us, I thank you for your support and look forward to providing you with more value throughout 2007 and beyond. I encourage you to help us recruit new members and keep our organization "fresh." If you are not a member, I strongly encourage you to join and take advantage of all that ACIT has to offer.

     Please join me as we look to even further strengthen our organization and deliver the value that members have come to expect from everything ACIT does. I see 2007 as a very exciting year and look forward to working with our outstanding Officers, Board and membership to make a meaningful impact within the Long Island business community.

Brian Edwards
Senior Vice President
Astoria Federal Savings
www.astoriafederal.com

 
 

 

2005

MESSAGE from ACIT PRESIDENT DR. ANTHONY LIBERTELLA, Dean School of Business/Special Assistant to the President for Business Development Adelphi University

 

Dear Members,

Every business, small and large, knows how vital it is to have a sound succession plan to maintain leadership continuity during routine and sudden changes in executive leadership. My advancement into the position of President is a tribute to past Presidents - Doug Manditch's vision for a secure leadership structure at ACIT, and I thank him, and Ron Terenzi's support during the past several years.

Speaking of continuity,we at ACIT have a significant asset in having a superb Executive Director, Ms. Margaret Buzzell. We all know that the key to my success will be to listen carefully and follow the wise advice and counsel of ACIT's officers and Board of Directors.

ACIT has long taken great pride in promoting close ties between the business, governmental and higher education communities and I am, as Dean of the Adelphi University School of Business, honored to help forge ever stronger ties among these sectors.  ACIT's core strength lies in our ability to network among our members and with key individuals essential to the economic success of our unique Island business setting.

It seems that the only certainty in our business environment is uncertainty itself.  We have, better than most sections of the country, managed to respond to challenging times by uniting our efforts to collectively meet economic, technological, and even geopolitical threats unknown to us only a few short years ago.  Therefore, I am dedicating my efforts to the mission of ACIT: to champion small and mid-size business;to provide a quality network;to provide educational resources;to partner with the public sector;and to exemplify the art of networking. Networking used to mean face to face which is still a vital service of ACIT,however, every business now knows that value of employing the "net" as another method to bring us together in a dynamic and interactive manner.  I look to you for your ideas and suggestions on this or any other matter.

Finally, I strongly believe the best ideas on how we can add value to our association and to Long Island resides within our membership. Join me in

making 2005 another exciting year for ACIT, Long Island's Networking Source!

Anthony F. Libertella

President 

 

 NEW OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS FOR 2005

Dr. Anthony Libertella, Dean of the School of Business and Special Assistant to the President for Business Development at Adelphi University, has been elected President of ACIT for 2005.

Dr. Libetella joined Adelphi in the fall of 2000 in the above positions. Since then he has introduced to the University new academic programs, increased enrollment, attracted top faculty and expanded ties with the Long Island and metropolitan New York business communities.

Before joining Adelphi, Dr. Libertella served as executive vice president and COO at Dowling College School of Business. He, also, held positions at Iona College's Eagan School of Business and Mercy College. He was previously a practicing attorney specializing in corporate and franchise law.

Brian Edwards, a Senior Vice President of Astoria Federal Savings, has taken the office of First Vice President. Paul Schulman, President of Carr Business Systems, will serve as Second Vice President.

Ronald M. Terenzi,Esq., Partner in Berkman, Henoch, Peterson & Peddy, P.C.,will assume the position of Chairman of the Board;Douglas C. Manditch, President of Long Island Commercial Bank, will be a Vice-Chairman of the Board.

New additions to the office of Vice President are Eileen Nolan, Vice President of Marketing ,Communications, and Database Administration for Vytra Health Plans; Jack O'Connor, Principal of Newmark;and Gerri Whitehead, Director Key Account sales for Keyspan.

 
 
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