Governor Also Announces Reappointments of Longstanding Board Members at NYSIF, Workers' Compensation Board
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the appointment of Lee Perlman as Chair of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation, which operates the Javits Center on Manhattan's West Side, as well as the Senate confirmation of incoming Commissioner at the Department of Civil Service and President of the Civil Service Commission Timothy Hogues. The Governor also announced the reappointments of several board members at the New York State Insurance Fund and the Workers' Compensation Board.
"These public servants, many of whom have dedicated their entire careers to serving New Yorkers, represent some of the very best talent that our state has to offer," Governor Hochul said. "I am thrilled to have their partnership as we work to improve the lives of New Yorkers, and I have the utmost confidence that they will continue to excel in these roles."
Lee Perlman has been designated as Chair of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation. He replaces Henry Silverman, who served with distinction as Chair for more than a decade. Mr. Perlman is a born-and-raised New Yorker who serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative and Financial Officer for the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA). Before GNYHA sold its for-profit companies, Mr. Perlman managed its portfolio that included subsidiaries engaging in nearly $10 billion in commerce annually through group purchasing, management outsourcing, and health care consulting. Mr. Perlman also founded the GNYHA Summer Enrichment Program, which has placed more than 350 diverse student candidates into summer internships at hospitals and nursing homes. He is Chairman of New York's organ procurement organization LiveOnNY, Treasurer of the Entertainment Community Fund (previously known as the Actor's Fund), Vice Chair and Compliance Officer of the American Theatre Wing, a Board member of the Ronald McDonald House New York, and Treasurer of the social services agency Commonpoint Queens. Mr. Perlman is a proud SUNY Binghamton graduate and holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Sloan Program at Cornell University.
Timothy R. Hogues has been confirmed as the Commissioner of the Department of Civil Service and President of the New York State Civil Service Commission. Mr. Hogues most recently served as a Personnel Commissioner for Erie County where he was responsible for overseeing services provided to over 130 appointing authorities and approximately 24,000 employees county wide through the implementation and maintenance of services that support and facilitate the recruiting, selection, hiring, development and retention of local government and school district employees in accordance with Civil Service Laws and Regulations. Mr. Hogues began this role after being appointed by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz in 2019. Previously, Mr. Hogues served as Commissioner for the Erie County Department of Senior Services and, before that, as an Operations Manager at private firms in the Buffalo area helping them to improve their bottom line by utilizing his problem solving skills he learned early on in his leadership career as well as his ability to effectively communicate with people at all levels of an organization. On top of his managerial experience, he served in the Erie County Legislature (2012-13). Mr. Hogues serves on several community Boards throughout the Buffalo area and he is a proud graduate of University of Buffalo where he graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and Management.
Kenneth R. Theobalds serves as a Commissioner on the NYSIF Board. Theobalds is President and Managing Partner of RiverRun Partners, LLC and has been a member of the NYSIF Board of Commissioners since 2008. He is a former deputy executive director of the State Insurance Fund. Mr. Theobalds has decades of experience in public affairs and, previously, as Vice President for Government and Regulatory Affairs at Entergy, had responsibility for Entergy Corporations' regulatory, state and local government relations across the northeast. His accomplishments have been recognized by numerous organizations including the New York Urban League, the American Red Cross, the NAACP, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and the National Association of Securities Professionals Foundation. His professional associations include the New York Building Congress, the League of Conservation Voters and the Partnership for New York City. Mr. Theobalds is a graduate of Cornell University and the Entergy Executive Program.
Steven A. Crain of Saratoga County, who was newly reappointed to the Workers' Compensation Board, worked more than 27 years for the Civil Service Employees Association, most recently as general counsel. He also served as staff attorney for the Legal Services Plan of Teamsters Local 237, as assistant county attorney for Orange County, and as special counsel to the Village of Hempstead. Mr. Crain has been an instructor in Special Academic Programs at Marist College and the Labor Studies Program of Cornell University's Industrial Labor Relations School, and has worked in claims for the Prudential Insurance Company. He is a graduate of New York Law School and holds a BA in Economics from the State University of New York College at Cortland.
Mark Daniel Higgins of the Town of Hamburg, Erie County, joined the Workers' Compensation Board in 2008 after serving for over 30 years with the Civil Service Employees Association, Inc. in leadership roles throughout New York State. He was a staff director and chief spokesman in collective bargaining on behalf of hundreds of bargaining units within CSEA in the public and private sectors. Mr. Higgins applied workers' compensation law and the Family and Medical Leave Act among other labor laws in collective bargaining and general union member advocacy in the workplace. He also served on the board of directors at HealthNow, Inc. (Highmark) for 12 years. Mr. Higgins holds a MA and BA in Human Service Management from SUNY Buffalo State College.
Samuel G. Williams of Niagara County, who was also reappointed to the Workers' Compensation Board, started his union career as a sheet metal apprentice. He was a journeyman for Sheet Metal Workers Local 71 until 1976 when he joined the former Harrison Radiator division of General Motors Corp. and became a member of the UAW Local 686. Mr. Williams rose through the union ranks as alternate, district, and shop committeeman. Mr. Williams has received many awards and honors for his tireless dedication to causes he believes in. He was honored in 1994 with the UAW Citizenship Award and in 1999 as Labor Citizen of the Year from the Niagara/Orleans Labor Council AFL-CIO. In 2009 he received the Norm Harper Labor Award from the Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ), and the Buffalo Central Labor Council "Labor Person of the Year" award for his commitment to labor and community partnership through legislative and electoral solutions. In January 2010 he received the Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award.