Gray Matters NYC

Dennis Arrouet has been a member of Gray Matters Group since 2002 where he has worked with other members of the Group assisting Broadway Housing Corporation and Educational Video Center. He is Chief Financial Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Rainbow Broadband Inc. Prior to that he was Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer of a number of companies and an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Columbia Business School. He has served as a member of the Board or Board of Advisors of companies and non profit organizations. He is a member of Financial Executives Institute and Rotary International. He graduated from the college, engineering and business school of Columbia University and Harvard business school advanced management program. He served as a Lieutenant jg in the Navy Civil Engineer Corp.

Harris Barer is a graduate of Colgate University and Yale Law School. He was a partner at the law firm of Fischbein, Badillo, Wagner & Harding for a number of years specializing in real estate and corporate law matters. For some time he has been advisor to and an officer and director of a number of non-profit institutions including; Homes for the Homeless, a national organization focused on providing solutions for homeless families; Chair of NAAF, an international health organization; and the Group for the East End, an environmental advocacy organization. He has also served as a mayoral appointee to the Youth Board of the City of New York. He has been an active investor in commercial real estate and has developed and constructed multi-family housing in New York City.

Donald Fischman, M.D., is an Emeritus Professor at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He was formerly the Harvey Klein Professor of Biomedical Sciences at that institution. After graduating from Kenyon College and Cornell Medical College he did postdoctoral training at Cornell and Cambridge Universities in cell and developmental biology. He rose through the ranks to full professor at the University of Chicago and assumed the chairmanship of the department of anatomy and cell biology at SUNY Downstate Medical College in 1976. Five years later he moved to Cornell Medical College as chairman of cell and developmental biology, later serving as dean of the graduate school of medical sciences and senior associate dean for research. For over forty years he has had an active career in cardiac research, participating on many NIH and private foundation boards. At Gray Matters he has been mainly involved in assisting the Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center (BMS), Learning Leaders and Generation Schools.

Steve Freidus founded and is President of Andover Realty. He owns, manages and brokers commercial properties. Andover has brokered over 45,000,000 square feet of factory, loft, distribution, garage, office, and warehouse facilities in Manhattan and the Greater New York Metropolitan Area. Steve specializes in finding new uses for old facilities. He has brokered dozens of buildings that have been recycled. Examples include the conversion of the World Telegram Building to offices, a furniture factory to a mini-storage facility, a warehouse to art galleries and an ice cream plant into an apartment building. The aggregate value of these recycled properties exceeds one billion dollars. Through Gray Matters he counsels Broadway Housing Communities on its real estate requirements; and at the recommendation of Gray Matters, he is on the Board of Visitors of CUNY Law School. Steve is a graduate of New York University and also has a Masters in Liberal Studies from New York University.

Alan Gettner. After earning a Ph.D. in philosophy and a career in college teaching, Alan switched to law. He pursued a career as a corporate lawyer working mainly with European clients. He retired from the New York law firm of Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP, where he had been a partner in the corporate department, at the end of 2006. He has also found time to follow interests in the arts and in ethical issues related to medicine. He is a graduate of Yale University, the Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Science and Columbia Law School. He is on the board of the Friends of the Neuberger Museum, Purchase, New York (where he is Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee) and Hospital Audiences, Inc., a New York organization devoted to bringing visual and performing arts to underserved audiences.

In addition, he acts as a voluntary mediator at the Federal Courts (Southern and Eastern Districts) and the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court. He also mentors a high school student enrolled in the Legal Outreach program.

Peter Gluck received a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and a Master of Architecture from the Yale School of Art and Architecture in 1965. After designing a series of houses from New York to Newfoundland, he went to Tokyo to design large projects for a leading Japanese construction consortium. This experience influenced Gluck's later work both in his knowledge of Japan's traditional aesthetics and of its efficient modern methods of integrated construction and design. His firm, Peter L. Gluck and Partners in New York, has been designing and building throughout the country since 1972, joined in 1992 by AR/CS, a construction-management firm, established to build the firm's designs, and in 1997 by Aspen GK, Inc., a development partnership, founded to produce well-designed, high-quality speculative housing. Exhibitions of Gluck's award- winning work have been held in the U.S. and Japan, and he is widely published in architectural journals around the world. He has taught at Columbia and Yale schools of architecture, and curated exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art and the Milan Triennale.

Mari S. Gold was Director of Communications for MetroPlus Health Plan, a subsidiary of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) for fifteen years. Prior to that, she was Director, Marketing and Communications, for HHC and before that, Executive Vice President of Lobsenz-Stevens Public Relations where she managed the health care division. Mari is a past president of the Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society of Greater New York and recipient of numerous awards for communications excellence. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College.

Alvin Green. After having served as general counsel to two major U.S. corporations and as a senior executive at a major shipping company, he returned to the private practice of law. In addition to his law practice, Mr. Green is a director of the Institute for Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy (a post graduate training institute for therapists), an active participant in the Learning Leaders Program of the New York City Public Schools, an Arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers and a member of the American Bureau of Shipping. Mr. Green is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Harvard Law School.

Bob Jurgens is a Profitability and Wealth Management Consultant and CPA. As a sole practitioner for 35 years, he has specialized in providing services to members of the Arts Community in New York City with a special emphasis on Contemporary Art Galleries and living artists.

He serves on the Advisory Board of the Cherkin Preston Foundation and The Second Chance Foundation, organizations that help children and families in Kenya and India. He is also Board Member Arts Horizons, an organization that provides in-school and after-school programs to school children in the greater NY City area.

A graduate of the School of Professional Accountancy at C.W. Post College, Bob hopes to bring his unique business acumen and financial accounting background to help various organizations served by Gray Matters.

Marilyn Ogus Katz was Dean of Studies at Sarah Lawrence College from 1982 to 1998, where she supervised the offices of Student Life, Service Learning, Career Counseling and the Health Service, and served on the Presidents executive staff. From 1998 to 2001, she worked in college development and admissions. She taught literature and writing at the Mt. Vernon Cooperative College Center, and as Associate Professor at the State University of New York, Purchase. Dean Katz has published academic articles about literature, the teaching of writing, and issues in higher education. Now Dean Emerita, and retired, she has extended her writing interests to include professional editing and publications on older womens issues. She has appeared on numerous panels discussing these issues throughout the New York area. Her novel, The Life I Saved, is now with a New York agent. Recent editing projects include Doing Time: Writers from the Pen Prison Writing Project (2001) and One Mans Castle: Clarence Darrow in Defense of the American Dream (2004). Dean Katz provides academic consulting and free-lance editing to individuals and institutions, including the Bank Street College of Education. She also promotes the work of The Counseling Center, a community based mental health provider in Bronxville and of the New York Womens Foundation, an organization that funds the grass roots projects of low-income women throughout the city.

Rick Kendall is a past president of the New York American Marketing Association, and sits on the board of New York AMA Communication Services, the publisher of the market research directory, The GreenBook. Rick also advises a number of small and medium-sized companies on marketing and market research issues. Prior to starting his own practice, Rick was Vice President and Brand Manager for Cinemax, the pay television service owned by Home Box Office. Before joining HBO, Rick worked in market research at Yankelovich, Skelley and White in New York and Abt Associates, Inc. in Cambridge, MA. He has done research in package goods, public opinion and voter polls, newspaper and magazine readership, finance, and social policy issues, as well as media and telecommunications. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology from New York University.

Stephen Kippur retired in 2010 after a 31-year career at John Wiley & Sons, Inc.   He began at the publishing company as an acquisition editor, and in l985 began what became known as the Professional/Trade division.  He became an executive vice president and president Professional/Trade.  Over the 25 year period the division grew through internal growth and acquisition from 22 to over 1200 employees and from $13 million in annual revenue to over $450 million.  Before his publishing career, Stephen earned a Ph.D. in Western cultural and intellectual history from New York University.

Mark J. Kronman graduated from Cornell University and received an LLB from Columbia Law School and an LLM from New York University Law School. He practiced law for 25 years, concentrating in the corporate and real estate areas. Prior to his retiring from the practice of law to engage in other activities, he was the managing partner of Austrian, Lance and Stewart. Thereafter, he fulfilled a long term goal of having a second professional career by becoming a commercial real estate investor and advisor with emphasis on structuring investment partnerships and the financing of acquisition and sale of commercial properties. During his legal career, he provided pro bono legal and business advice, and extensive fundraising efforts to several community-based organizations including Community Resource Exchange, The Catalog for Giving and SHARE. Since his retirement he has become increasingly involved in the nonprofit area, working with Legal Outreach and Bushwick Housing Independent Project.

Joseph Levie is a retired lawyer. He formerly was a banking partner at Rogers and Wells (now Clifford Chance). He was an active director at two small ethnic New York City banks for twenty years and active in continuing legal education. He was president of a not for profit corporation that unsuccessfully attempted to revive the Help Line of New York. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia Law school and has lived in New York City all his life.

Linda Levine. An elected Fellow of the American Anthropological Association, Linda Levine has been dedicated to advancing equity and social justice through education for over thirty years. A former professor of special education and museum education, and associate dean of the Graduate Faculty at Bank Street College, she was co-founder and first director of the Urban Education Semester - a partnership between Bank Street and the Venture Consortium colleges that affords liberal arts students an introduction to challenges and opportunities in urban teaching. In Linda's teaching and research, she continues to highlight the need for teachers to be culturally competent and able to facilitate dialogues across difference. She has been honored as a 'Woman of Valor' by the Jewish Funds for Justice and a 'Distinguished Alumna of Bank Street' and is an ardent supporter of the Educational Video Center. Linda holds a B.A. in French literature from Smith College, an M.S. in Special Education from Bank Street, and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Anthropology and Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Katherine O'Donnell is a long time member of the faculty at Bank Street College of education Graduate School. She has been a course instructor, supervisor of interns, program director and project director and department chair. She taught Adult Development, Organizational Development and Processes of Supervision and researched stages of professional development among teachers. Her international work has been as co-director of the Bank Street College, Kathmandu University, Rato Bangala School Primary Teacher Preparation Program, a three-institution collaborative that prepares students for progressive elementary school teaching. This has been a wonderful opportunity to cope with the issues of a philosophy of one culture "fitting" in another culture. Currently she's in the Minds at Work program studying a model of coaching focused on addressing immunities to change. Katy received her undergraduate degree at the State University College, Buffalo, NY, a masters in education at the University of Minnesota and her Ed. D. at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Carolyn Powell is the former chief financial and administrative officer of the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) a national non-profit organization that supports the development and expansion of affordable permanent housing opportunities for persons at risk of homelessness. Ms. Powell's background includes comprehensive for-profit and non-profit business expertise in strategic planning, all aspects of financial and marketing management, new business development and product commercialization, information systems and technology, human resource management, and general business administration. She has consulted with numerous companies on a variety of projects, from strategic operation plans to expansion of small businesses. Throughout her career, she has worked and volunteered with various non-profits. Currently chair of the board of directors for services for the Underserved (SUS), she also chairs the governance committee and serves on the finance and audit committee of Broadway Housing Communities (BHC). She is a member of the Blue Hill Troupe LTD and a member of other professional and cultural organizations. Ms. Powell holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Columbia University.

Alden Prouty joined Gray Matters in 2011 upon retiring as director of leadership giving in the Office of Development at Barnard College. She is a graduate of Smith College with a BA in history and an MBA in marketing from Pace University’s Graduate Management Program for Women.

She began her career in corporate communications at St. Regis Corporation, then as a commercial marketing officer for the New York office of the Government of Quebec. In addition to her professional work, she has served on the boards of community-based organizations in northern Westchester and in New York City.

Delores D. Riggins comes to Gray Matters with many years of experience in Management and Human Resources Administration. She recently retired from Bank Street College of Education where she was the Director of Human Resources and Administration, providing leadership for the College in all aspects of Human Resources, space allocation, and purchasing coordination for all divisions of the college. Prior to joining Bank Street College, she was an Associate Executive Director for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation at Coler Memorial Hospital, a long-term care facility located on Roosevelt Island, NYC. In addition to her responsibility for Human Resources Administration, she was the facility's Affirmative Action Officer, provided leadership for Public Relations and was a part of the Leadership Team for the facility. Since retiring, Delores has continued to provide consulting services for organizations needing support in implementing or expanding their human resources administration. She serves on the State Board for Medicine representing the public interest as it relates to physicians who are petitioning the Board to for restoration of medical license. She is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Allen Christian School in Jamaica, New York. Her undergraduate studies were completed at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina and her Graduate Degree in Public Administration from Long Island University, C. W. Post Center.

Howard Rosof was a member of the Board of Directors of MD Advantage Insurance Co. from 2002 to 2009. He was a senior banking executive with over 30 years of experience. Mr. Rosof served as Chief Credit Officer for Redwood Empire Bancorp in 1999. He also held various positions at NatWest Bancorp from 1977 until 1996 and during his last three years at the bank, he served as Chief Credit Officer. Mr. Rosof also served as Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at Freedom National Bank from 1975 until 1977 and prior to 1975, he held positions at Israel Discount Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from New York University and his Master of Business Administration in Finance from Wharton Graduate Business School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mike Sweedler graduated from Yale in 1957 with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering. In 1960, he received his LLB from George Washington Law School. He has practiced law since his graduation and has been with Darby & Darby, an intellectual property law firm in New York City, for more than 40 years. Mr. Sweedler was the managing partner of the firm and is now Of Counsel. He is currently on the Board of Adaptive Design Association, a not for profit organization that seeks to provide adaptive equipment for disabled children.

Cecil Wray is a retired partner of the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where his practice focused on general corporate matters. In the late 1970s, he was the managing partner of the firm's European office in Paris. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Yale Law School, and a member of various professional organizations. For five years after retiring from full-time practice, he was an Adjunct Professor at New York Law School. He is a commissioner of the Adirondack Park Agency, and has previously served on the Boards of environmental organizations. He is active in Episcopal Church affairs, and in 1995 he helped found Episcopal Charities and served as its President for seven years. He is also a Trustee of the Church Pension Fund and the Chairman of the Board of the Church Insurance Company. He is a long-time Board member (and past president) of Search and Care (an organization devoted to helping elderly home-bound people).

Fran Barrett, emerita Executive Director, Community Resource Exchange. Fran founded CRE 25 years ago and has been an advocate for nonprofits serving New Yorkers affected by poverty for almost three decades. She currently sits on the boards of the Non-Profit Coordinating Committee and the Community Food Resource Center. Fran formerly served as vice president of the board of the Community Service Society, and was on the board of the Campaign for Human Development. She has a master's degree in politics and education from Columbia University. Fran has been recognized by a number of organizations for her outstanding contributions to the city: The Andrew Glover Youth Program, Asian Americans for Equality, Flatbush Development Corporation, and the Industrial Areas Foundation.

George Adams (1930 - 2011) was a retired corporate and international partner of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where he was chairman of the corporate department and head of its London office. He also served as a trustee of the American Association for the International Commission of Jurists and the American Trust of the British Library, as a director of New Amsterdam Singers and as a member of the Board of Visitors of CUNY Law School. He in addition, he was an advisor to a number of not-for-profit organizations, including, on the recommendation of Gray Matters, Broadway Housing Communities and CUNY Law School. He was, for many years, a director of United Way of New York City and was the president of the Greater New York Fund (the distributing arm of United Way) and chairman of the board of trustees of Sarah Lawrence College. He is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School and served as a First Lieutenant, Artillery, during the Korean War.

Larry Levine (1934 - 2004). As founder and dedicated member of Gray Matters, Lawrence S. Levine (1934-2004) worked closely with three not-for-profit organizations: Broadway Housing, the East River Apprenticeshop, and CUNY Law School. A graduate of Colgate University and the Yale Law School, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District and was a founding partner of Beldock Levine & Hoffman, a law practice with a long-standing commitment to pro bono representation. As co-founder and past chair of the Jewish Fund for Justice, he was a passionate advocate for community-organizing initiatives aimed at addressing poverty and for efforts to sustain this work across the generations. Larry was an ardent supporter of CUNY Law School's mission to provide lawyers for underserved communities and a member of its advisory board.