The Westchester County Association has formed a seven-member search committee to seek a successor to retiring president and CEO William Mooney. Mooney”™s retirement date has been set at Dec. 31.
Some months ago, Mooney had announced that he would be retiring in September, coincident with the expected merger of WCA and the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. In June, however, the merger was called off.
The search committee is being chaired by Jeff Menkes, president and CEO of the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains. Menkes serves on WCA”™s executive committee and board of directors. He said that the search committee “is actively seeking resumes from highly-qualified individuals as the WCA begins a new chapter with the goal to enhance its regional presence in the Metro New York Hudson Valley regions.”
Menkes said that among the qualities they”™re looking for in Mooney”™s successor are a proven ability to raise funds, an understanding of the marketplace and important regional and national trends, strong contacts in the Westchester business community, and top management skills and judgment.
“This is an opportune time for a big-picture visionary to take the helm as Westchester County transitions into a vibrant business hub of the biotech, health care, education, real estate and entertainment industries,” Menkes said. The individual selected initially would have a five-year term.
Also serving on the search committee is William P. Harrington, partner in the White Plains-based law firm Bleakley Platt & Schmidt LLP. Harrington is chairman of WCA”™s board of directors and said, “Our process will be thorough, thoughtful and open minded. We want to make our selection from a solid, capable, diverse pool of highly-qualified individuals.”
Search committee member Aleida Frederico, vice president for commercial lending at TD Bank, followed up on the diversity theme.
“We believe that one of the ways to achieve our mission is by choosing the kind of leadership that understands, reflects and respects the diversity of our businesses and the communities we serve,” she said.
Also on the search committee are: Carl Austin, president of Austin Corporate Properties Inc.; William V. Cuddy Jr., executive vice president of CBRE; Jack Kopinsky, president and CEO of Sterling National Bank; and H. Guy Leibler, president of Simone Healthcare Development.
Cuddy praised Mooney, saying the committee has “big shoes” to fill and adding, “The opportunity to take both the WCA and Westchester County to new heights, especially with the life sciences and tech industries booming, is tremendous.”
Mooney said, “Leading the Westchester County Association has been my life”™s great honor. I am confident that Westchester”™s best days are ahead.”
