Commentary: The Influentials

Long Island Business News, Dec 28, 2007

Stan Henry

Chairman: Neighborhood Newspapers

Mr. Long Island Media, for decades the owner of WLIE/540 AM, has not slowed a bit. Influential might be an understatement. Chairman of Long Island Media Group, which owns Neighborhood Newspapers, a suburban weekly chain, Henry's group is launching new editions in Stony Brook, Port Jefferson and Coram.

Michael Pascucci

Chairman: WLYNY/55

Cool cat: Operates TV 55, chairs on Telecare and Netrex, sure, but Michael Pascucci doesn't get just anyone to design a golf course. He brings in Jack Nicklaus.

But his coolness is also defined by what he gives back. As a trustee for the National Center for Disability Services, Pascucci was recently honored by the Tomorrow's Hope Foundation.

Tim Knight

Publisher: Newsday

Keeping a foundering ship afloat has been a full time job for Tim Knight, publisher, president and chief executive of Newsday. Steering past the shoals of declining circulation, Knight hasn't just survived, he's charting a new course that includes a beefed-up web site.

Jeff Weiner

Managing Partner: Marcum & Kliegman

A Long Island accountant running with the big dogs of Hollywood? Oh yeah. And not just running, but leading the pack. Weiner is the power producer behind the Bourne series franchise. But Weiner is not just a numbers guy with a pocket protector who's nuts about Tinseltown. M & K is a pretty large canine as well. Inside Public Accounting, a trade publication, named M & K in the top 25 "national best of the best firms in 2007."

PHILANTHROPY

Larry Austin

Chairman and Chief Executive: Austin Travel

Austin made his mark on Long Island more than 50 years ago, when he founded his family-run travel agency. But in addition to his work at this Melville-based firm, these days he's making his mark on Long Islanders' lives through his work with nonprofits. Austin's active in the Long Island Philharmonic, the Long Island Association and WLIW/21. In the past, he has been named Man of the Year by United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Suffolk and has won the Ernst & Young Lifetime Achievement Award.

Edmund L. Cortez

President: Abilities!

Few nonprofit executives empower others as much as Cortez, who through Abilities! helps thousands of disabled people through training and employment. Cortez leads a group whose forerunner was founded in 1952 by Henry Viscardi Jr. in a West Hempstead garage. It's now a national training center for the disabled based in Albertson, matching disabled people with companies seeking their services. In addition, he also has spoken to members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, communicating his message about the abilities of the disabled nationwide.

Christopher M. Hahn

President & Chief Executive: United Way of Long Island

Hahn took the helm at the United Way of Long Island in March, entering the nonprofit world after serving as chief deputy county executive for Nassau County, where he helped manage a $2.6 billion budget, 8,700 employees and 47 departments. At Deer Park-based United Way, Hahn launched an initiative to get Long Island nonprofits to work together more closely and efficiently. Hahn also created the United Way of Long Island's YouthBuild program to educate and train 18-to-24-year-olds in the construction trade. He's also kept the group's fundraising strong and brought and built relationships with business and political leaders.