Brooklyn Public Library Names Nicholas A. Gravante, Jr. as New Board Chair
Partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner and Current Board Vice Chair to Lead Board of Trustees Effective February 12, 2014
Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) today announced that Nicholas A. Gravante, Jr. was elected to serve as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Board approved Gravante, who has served as its Vice Chair for the past two years, at Tuesday’s meeting.
Gravante is currently a Partner and serves as General Counsel for the law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, where he practices litigation, antitrust and securities litigation law. He has been named one of the nation’s top litigators by Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America and New York’s Best Lawyers. Gravante is involved in a number of philanthropic organizations, as a Board member of the Community Service Society and ESS Sheltering Arms.
“Nick Gravante is a wonderful choice for this position. He has a great passion for public libraries and frequently visited our New Utrecht and Dyker Heights branches when he was a child growing up in Brooklyn. His contributions to our Board, particularly as our Vice Chair, have been invaluable. We are incredibly fortunate to benefit from his experience and insight, and I look forward to working with him to expand access to knowledge for all Brooklynites,” said Brooklyn Public Library President & CEO, Linda E. Johnson. “Many thanks to our outgoing Chair, Anthony Crowell, for his exemplary leadership, vision and service.”
Crowell served for four terms that spanned five years, the most time allowed under the Board’s bylaws.
“It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as the Chair of Brooklyn Public Library’s Board of Trustees,” said outgoing Chair and President & Dean of New York Law School, Anthony Crowell. “During my tenure as a board member and Chair, we have undertaken an unprecedented level of institution building, reshaping the way the Library is governed, managed and how the public has come to view and use us in the digital age. I am proud to be succeeded by my friend and colleague, Nick Gravante, and am eager to support him as he carries on this important work and leads us to new heights.”
“It is a privilege and an honor to be appointed the new Chair of the Board,” said Nicholas A. Gravante, Jr. “Under the leadership of Linda Johnson and Anthony Crowell, Brooklyn Public Library has maintained its historic commitment to serving 60 communities across the borough and made great strides toward creating spaces and services that the 21st-century patron demands. I look forward to continuing this mission, and I thank my fellow board members for giving me this tremendous opportunity.”
Additional members of the 2014-2015 Executive Committee include Miriam Katowitz, First Vice Chair; Kyle Kimball, Second Vice Chair; Peter Aschkenasy, Treasurer; Robin Shanus, Secretary; Anthony Crowell, Immediate Past Chair/Chair Emeritus; Jordan Barowitz, At-Large Member; and Nina Collins, At-Large Member. All board member positions are unpaid volunteer positions.
Prior to joining Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, Gravante was a partner at Barrett Gravante Carpinello & Stern LLP, and has previous experience at Cravath, Swaine & Moore and the Law Office of Gerald L. Shargel. Gravante has had numerous successful trial and acquittal victories, ranging from insurance fraud to high-profile criminal cases. Additionally, Gravante has negotiated several non-prosecution agreements for Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations and major, publicly traded companies. He lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with his family.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: www.bklynlibrary.org.
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