The Paramount Theater and the Mighty Wurlitzer Past Honorees Bob Catell and Mary Lai | The John P. McGrath Award The John P. McGrath Award Benefit is held annually to fund scholarshipsat the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University. The Brooklyn campus isthe most diverse private institution of higher education in the country,serving over 10,000 students of which 92% of the undergraduates receivefinancial aid. This event honors the memory of Mr. McGrath, a prominent New York lawyer,banker and real estate developer and trustee of Long Island University.With his longtime friend, the late William Zeckendorf Sr. he helped reorganizethe University, at that time located in Brooklyn. He served as an activemember of the Board for 40 years and as Chairman from 1967-1974. He is rememberedfor his contributions to the University which included the establishmentof the University's C.W. Post campus in 1954 and Southampton College in1963. The John P. McGrath Award is presented by Long Island University to anindividual who embodies the ideals that Mr. McGrath so fervently embracedand for which he was known: outstanding leadership and integrity, commitmentto the community on every level, development of the mind through education,and a belief in the spirit of opportunity. His legacy is not in asking why,but why not. The McGrath Benefit traditionally is held at the Brooklyn campus, formallythe Brooklyn Paramount Theater, now used as the gym, and home of the famousBlackbirds basketball team. The gym is transformed back to a time of eleganceonce remembered where we host between 400-500 guests. |
 | About John P. McGrath (top of page) A soft-spoken Irishman born in Brooklyn in 1907, John received his bachelorof law degree from Fordham University in 1926 and a master's degree fromBrooklyn Law School in 1928. After starting his legal career in the officeof Richard, Smyth and Conway, he served as counsel to The East New YorkSavings Bank, where he was elected a trustee in 1942. John was active in politics and was appointed corporation counsel ofthe City of New York in 1947. He managed many successful political campaigns,including those of Vincent Impellitteri for Mayor and W. Averill Harrimanfor Governor. From 1951 to 1966 he served as a trial lawyer and senior partner in thelaw firm of Reavis and McGrath, now known as Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.In 1966 he became president of The East New York Savings Bank and servedas its chairman from 1971 until his retirement in 1982. John was first named a trustee of Long Island University in 1943 by afederal bankruptcy court. With his longtime friend, the late William Zeckendorf,Sr., he helped reorganize the University. John was an active member of theboard for more than 40 years, serving as Chairman from 1967 to 1974. Hespearheaded the establishment of the University's C.W. Post Campus in Brookvillein 1954 and its eastward expansion to Southampton in 1963. John McGrath could not resist the temptation to help create new opportunities.He valued all that education could do for an individual and cared enoughto make a difference for Long Island University. John P. McGrath passedaway March 2, 1989, but his legacy lives on. |
 | The Paramount Theater and the MightyWurlitzer (top of page) The midnight blue velvet curtain embroidered with satin pheasants openedand closed for the last time on August 21, 1962, for a showing of John Waynein "Hatari." The Brooklyn Paramount is now the home basketballcourt of the Long Island University Blackbirds. The Mighty Wurlitzer organ made its debut playing "Stars Are theWindows of Heaven" while the Wilfred Color Organ worked its magic inthe balcony. But in the early 1980s, a water leak silenced the great organ.It has been lovingly restored over the past few years by a crew headed byRobert Walker of the New York Theater Organ Society, with generous supportfrom Jeffrey S. Silverman, a 1967 Brooklyn Campus graduate and former UniversityTrustee. Today, only one other theater organ this big is known to exist,at Radio City Music Hall. The finest organ deserves the finest organist. And who better than EddieLayton, who regularly electrifies and ignites crowds at Long Island UniversityBlackbirds basketball games - among his many other distinctions. Eddie takes pride in being the only person to play for the Yankees, theKnicks, and the Rangers in the same season, a feat that even Deion Sandersand Bo Jackson cannot match. In a long and illustrious musical career, Eddiehas recorded 24 albums for Mercury and Epic, and has toured the globe forthe Hammond Organ Company. In 1967, he accepted an offer to play for YankeeStadium; in 1968, he began an eighteen year run with the Knicks and Rangersas well, later adding the Islanders to his roster. This spring marks Eddie Layton's 30th anniversary at Yankee Stadium.To celebrate, Eddie has recorded the album, "Ya Gotta Have Heart,"being released by Silva Screen Records on March 18th. Long Island University thanks Eddie for bringing his own heart to theMighty Wurlitzer at the Seventh Annual McGrath Benefit honoring Bill Fields. |
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Les Goodstein As a member of Long Island University’s Board of Trustees, Les’ insight, dedication and efforts have proved invaluable in strengthening and advancing the University. Les’ long term commitment to the Daily News, New York’s “hometown paper,” identifies him as a corporate leader and as a guardian of several of the most important traditions in our City. Les is a 26-year veteran of the Daily News, having moved up through the advertising sales ranks. He was named president and chief operating officer in January, 2000. Three years ago, he spearheaded a groundbreaking program that offered free PSA testing for prostate cancer to all men, age 40 and over. This program has saved many lives. He also instituted a colon cancer awareness program, The Readers Care program (a food drive in New York City), the Day of the Child (the largest program for foster children in New York City), and immediately after the September 11th tragedy, raised $5 million for the widows and children of fallen police officers and firefighters. Les has indeed displayed John P. McGrath’s strongly held belief in a “commitment to community.” |
 | Bill Fields Better than a soothsayer peering through a crystal ball, Bill Fields hasshown an uncanny ability to foresee the future and plot perfect strategiesfor success. His visionary leadership has led to his climb through the ranksof Wal-Mart Inc. and to his most recent position, since March of 1996, asChairman and Chief Executive Officer of Blockbuster. He reports directlyto Sumner M. Redstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom Inc.,and serves on Viacom's Executive Committee. Bill's vision is to lead Blockbusterto become the number one global retailer of entertainment goods and services. Before joining the Blockbuster family, Bill spent 25 years with Wal-Mart,where he played a key role in the firm's exceptional growth in the U.S.and abroad and worked closely with major film studios. When he left as ExecutiveVice President of Wal-Mart Inc. and President and CEO of the Wal-Mart Storesdivision, his $68 billion division encompassed 2,400 stores and 27 officesworldwide, and was the largest seller of home video tapes in the world. Bill joined Wal-Mart in 1971 in the accounting department after receivinga degree in Management and Economics from the University of Arkansas. Later,he served as assistant to the founder of Wal-Mart, Sam Walton. He also servedas a District Manager, Merchandise Manager and Import Director. In 1986,he was named Senior Vice President, Distribution and Transportation, andin 1988, Executive Vice President, Merchandising and Sales. The Blockbuster empire of video and music stores presently spans over50 states and 24 foreign countries. Bill is currently spearheading Blockbuster'sglobal strategic growth plan that includes the self distribution of entertainmentproducts to over 5,000 neighborhood stores and an aggressive domestic andinternational expansion, adding more stores in 1997 than in any prior year.In addition, Bill oversees Blockbuster strategies that involve product andmerchandising activities and the launch of the Viacom entertainment stores. In addition to being a consummate business leader, Bill maintains hiscommitment to community enrichment. He has been involved with the BatesMemorial Hospital Foundation and the Scott Hi-Q Academic Competition Committee,as well as with the Environmental Advisory Committee for Wal-Mart. His internationalinterests have led to his role as Chairman of the International Mass RetailAssociation and his service on the board at the Pan American Foundationof the University of Texas. In May of 1996, Bill received an Honorary Degree from Long Island University.The citation read: "Your career is proof of the American dream. Asyou have climbed the corporate ladder from a small town assistant storemanager to a senior executive of our nation's largest retail empire andnow to CEO of Blockbuster, the video rental and music retail giant thathas redefined our meaning of leisure, you remain still the modest, accessibleBentonville boy of yore. Brilliant marketer, you intuitively feel the pulseof citizenry." Long Island University proudly salutes Bill Fields for his accomplishmentsand his ability, in all of his endeavors, to truly make a difference. |
| Bob Catell and Mary Lai Bob Catell grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from City College in engineering.He came to the Brooklyn Union Gas Company in 1958 and has been there eversince. He progressed through many different responsibilities and reachedthe highest level of President and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. In 1994-95he was also the Chairman of the American Gas Association, the trade associationfor the United States Natural Gas Industry.
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 | Leo Liebowitz Leo Liebowitz is a true American success story. Rising from modest beginningsin the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn to the heights of his current successas Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of Getty Petroleum Corp.,Mr. Liebowitz has never lost focus of what is truly important. He enjoysthe challenges of business and is deeply involved on a daily basis. One of the founding principals of Getty Petroleum Corp., Mr. Liebowitzis the largest shareholder of Getty, which is listed on the New York StockExchange (NYSE). He holds overall responsibility for the management of GettyPetroleum Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. In addition to his responsibilities at Getty, Mr. Liebowitz is a memberof the Regional Advisory Board of Chase Banking Corp. and a former trusteeand Vice Chairman of Brookdale Hospital Medical Center. A frequent contributor to public discussion of petroleum issues, Mr.Liebowitz helped formulate national and state legislation in many phasesof the industry. Mr. Liebowitz continues to be a driving force in Getty'sgrowth which has led it to be one of the largest marketers of gasoline andpetroleum products in the United States. |
 | Frank Lourenso Mr. Lourenso joined Chemical Bank as a management trainee in 1963. Hewas named an Assistant Secretary in 1970 and Assistant Vice President in1971. In 1973 he was named a Vice President while he was the credit officerat the Brooklyn-Queens-Long Island Division Headquarters. In 1977 Mr. Lourensowas made head of the division's commercial district in Nassau County andin 1978 was made head of the Lower Manhattan Commercial District. In 1983 Mr. Lourenso was promoted to Senior Vice President in chargeof the bank's Brooklyn-Queens-Staten Island Division. In 1985 he assumedresponsibility for the bank's Long Island Division. In 1986 he was namedto head the middle market activities of both the Brooklyn-Queens-StatenIsland and the Long Island Division. He was named Executive Vice President and head of Chemical Bank's MiddleMarket Banking Group in 1990. Upon completion of the merger of ChemicalBanking Corporation and Manufacturers Hanover Corporation on December 31,1991, he became head of the new Middle Market Banking Division, which consistsof the combined businesses of Manufacturers Hanover's Business Banking Groupand North American Division II and Chemical's Middle Market Banking Group. |
 | Bruce C. Ratner Mr. Ratner is a key participant in the current renaissance of downtownBrooklyn, developing more than 4.2 million square feet at One PierrepontPlaza, the first new office construction in downtown Brooklyn in 25 years,and MetroTech Center, a high-technology office, academic and retail complex.These developments have served to transform downtown Brooklyn into the city'sthird commercial district. As a result of Forest City Ratner's developments,sixteen thousand direct jobs (and a substantial number of related jobs)have been kept in New York City and one billion dollars in constructionfunds have been pumped into the City's economy since 1988. Crain's New York Magazine selected Mr. Ratner as the leading New Yorkexecutive in finance, real estate and insurance, an honor that was previouslybestowed on Robert Rubin, formerly of Goldman Sachs, Maurice Greenberg ofAIG, and John Phelan of the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Ratner has been a Long Island University trustee since 1990. |
 | Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. was the second recipient of the John P. McGrathAward. Now retired, Mr. Pratt served as Chairman of the Board and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Pfizer Inc. He joined Pfizer as Controller in 1964, and becamePresident of Pfizer Inc. in 1971 and Chief Executive Officer in 1972. He began his career with International Business Machines Corporationin 1958 and served as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Managementin the Kennedy Administration. He is a graduate of Duke University and theWharton School. Mr. Pratt was a Director of General Motors Corporation, InternationalPaper Company, The Chase Manhattan Bank and Bank N.A. He served on GovernorCuomo's Business Advisory Board, and as a member of the boards of the NewYork Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the New York City Partnership. Mr. Pratt was awarded an honorary degree from the Arnold and Marie SchwartzCollege of Pharmacy and Health Sciences of Long Island University in 1988.His son Randolf graduated from Long Island University's C.W. Post Campusin 1976 with a B.A. in English. |
 | Michael P. Esposito, Jr. Michael P. Esposito, Jr. was the first recipient of the John P. McGrathAward. Mr. Esposito is a recognized leader in the banking industry. He workedfor many years as an employee of Chase Manhattan Bank. Mr. Esposito joined Chase Manhattan Bank in 1961, and served in a numberof positions before assuming his role as Executive Vice President and ChiefFinancial Officer in 1987. Mr. Esposito was instrumental in Chase's decision to relocate its administrativeand operations center to downtown Brooklyn as part of the MetroTech businesscomplex. From August 1992 to 1995, he was Chief Administrator and ControlOfficer of Chase Manhattan Bank. Mr. Esposito left Chase in April of 1995 and became Chairman of ExelLimited, a casualty insurance company with five billion dollars in assetslocated in Hamilton, Bermuda. In addition to his position at Exel, Mr. Espositois also a Senior Partner of Inter-Atlantic Capital Partners, an investmentfirm based in Manhattan. |
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