PA NEWS - Port Authority Retirees Association, Inc.

PA NEWS
Published biweekly for Port Authority and PATH employees
In Memoriam:
John Jacoby
A
memorial
service for
retired New
Jersey Airports
General Manager
John Jacoby has
been set for May
2, 11:30 a.m. to
2:30 p.m., at the
Rubin Museum
of Art, 150 West 17th Street in
Manhattan.
Mr. Jacoby, a 31-year Port Authority
veteran who retired in October
2011, died of cancer on April 8.
Before and after his PA career, Mr.
Jacoby was a member of the Peace
Corps, beginning in Nepal, where he
taught for two years. Donations in his
Continued on page 2
Staff Update
Alan Hicks
‘Wings for Autism’ Takes
Flight at LGA
T
he Port Authority, Delta Air Lines,
and the Transportation Security
Administration teamed up to
help NYSARC Inc. hold a “Wings for
Autism” event at LaGuardia Airport on
April 18. NYSARC is the state chapter
of The Arc, a nonprofit organization
supporting people with intellectual and
other developmental disabilities.
Port Authority team members at the Wings
More than 90 “passengers” –
children, family members, Arc staff, and for Autism event included LGA Operations
Manager Jim Munday (left), Customer
teachers – participated in the event,
Service Representative Joanne Feltman
which helps children with autism
(8th from left), and Terminal Operations
adjust to the air travel experience.
& Customer Service Manager Brian Rohlf
Volunteers assisted the children from
(3rd from right).
their arrival at the terminal, through
security screening, into the gate area, and aboard an aircraft.
Executive Director Pat Foye said, “The Port Authority is appreciative of
The Arc’s efforts, as well as the assistance of the TSA officials and Delta
representatives who helped make Wings for Autism as realistic as possible.”
LGA General Manager Lysa Scully said, “Our airport team was able to
provide an authentic airport experience for the children and their families, and
we all felt privileged to host this event.”
It’s Earth Week – Share a Ride
T
o celebrate Earth Week, the Port Authority
Office of Environmental & Energy
Programs teamed with 511NY Rideshare
to provide free commuter and traveler
information to employees and customers at
John F. Kennedy International and Stewart
International airports.
Sponsored by the New York State
Department of Transportation, 511NY
Rideshare works with commuters, travelers,
and employers to make ridesharing an easy,
affordable, and appealing alternative to driving alone.
OEEP Director Christopher Zeppie said, “Choosing an alternate
commute will not only save you money, but you’ll also help improve air
quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Katharine Targett
John Bilich has
been named First
Deputy Chief Security
Officer, tasked with
assisting Chief Security
Officer Thomas
Belfiore in overseeing
the Port Authority’s
critical security
functions: Public Safety; facility security
operations, including the World Trade
Center; security program management;
Office of Emergency Management; and
aircraft rescue and firefighting training.
Mr. Bilich’s experience includes a 24year career in the New York City Police
Department, where his last position was
Deputy Commissioner of Operations, and
service as Deputy Commissioner of Public
Safety in the New York State Division of
Criminal Justice. He also has served as
Chief Investigator for both the Manhattan
and Brooklyn District Attorneys.
April 24, 2015/Volume 14/Number 7
Continued on page 2
LT Challenge Raises a Bundle for SONJ
Association Has a
Happy New Year
M
Photos: Lyn Kaminski
ore than 3,000 runners
took part in the 29th
Annual Lincoln Tunnel
Challenge on April 19, raising
$240,000 for Special Olympics
New Jersey.
The Port Authority Police Pipes
& Drums led the runners from
the staging area to the tunnel’s
portal. After welcoming remarks by
Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner
and Judith Roman of Amerihealth,
one of the sponsors, New York
Giants punter Steve Weatherford
fired the starter’s pistol and off they
went – through the south tube to
Manhattan and back through the
same tube to Weehawken.
At the Lincoln
Tunnel
Challenge 5K
race (from left):
Tom Kaminski
of WCBS
Newsradio 880,
an event sponsor; Gerald Iorio, a top SONJ
fundraiser; and PAPD Detective Larry Mays,
the Race Director.
Our Daughters and Sons Visit
D
It’s Earth Week
From left, CTO Robert
Galvin, Jia Di Li, Alex Haas,
and Jeffrey Time.
In Memoriam:
John Jacoby
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
Erin Roth
511NY Rideshare’s goal is to provide
customers with a mobility plan that is
adjustable to the changing conditions of
roadways. This is accomplished through a
suite of programs and services, including
ride-matching for carpools and vanpools,
employer commuter benefits services, and
resources for transit, walking, and even
telework.
For more information on 511NY
Rideshare, click here.
Photos: Danny Tom
Nicolas Houselog
epartments
agencywide
participated in
Take Our Daughters and
Sons to Work Day on
April 23, hosting more
than 250 students.
Activities included
a tour of the World
Trade Center, a PAPD
As one of the day’s many activities, employees joined their
daughters and sons for a field trip to the World Trade Center,
K-9 demonstration, a
which included a visit to the 9/11 Survivor Tree.
tour of United Airlines’
maintenance hangar at
Newark Liberty International Airport, tours of PA snow removal equipment at
all three airports, observing GWB Maintenance employees walking the bridge
cables, a tour of the Harrison Car Maintenance Facility, and a “building a bridge”
competition using marshmallows and spaghetti.
The day was a success and PA News looks forward to sharing photos in the
next issue.
M
ore than 100 colleagues
and friends, including Acting
Chief Operating Officer
Stephanie Dawson and Chief
Technology Officer Robert Galvin,
celebrated the Year of the Sheep at
the Port Authority Asian American
Association’s annual Chinese New
Year Celebration Dinner.
Susie Moy Tom was presented
with a plaque from the PAAAA in
appreciation for her “more than 25
years of dedication and commitment
in organizing the annual event.”
A lion dance troupe from a local
community martial arts studio
gave a very energetic and talented
performance,
“to bring us
a year of
prosperity and
good health,”
Retired PAPD Lieutenant
said PAAAA
David Lim, pictured with
President
Susie Tom, attended the
Joy Chiu.
celebration.
Customer Service Representative
Anna Carter checks out 511NY Rideshare’s offerings at SWF this week.
memory can be made to the Peace
Corps Nepal Country Fund at https://
beta.peacecorps.gov/donate/fund/
nepal-country-fund.
His friends are invited to share their
reminiscences of Mr. Jacoby at the
memorial service. RSVP to Maggie
Jacoby at mjacoby@gmail.com.
PA News / April 24, 2015
2
Employee Profile: Michael Casalaspro
Calendar
Title: General Maintenance Supervisor,
COMSEG, Operations Services, since 2011.
Twilight Golf
The Port Authority Twilight Golf League
begins its new season this month and has a
few openings. The league meets at 4 p.m.
on Wednesdays at the South Shore Golf
Course on Staten Island. If you’d like to join
the fun, contact Ora Schiff at 11-2344.
Residence: Old Bridge, NJ.
Joined the PA: December 1985.
Duties: “Scheduling and planning of all the work in COMSEG.”
Most challenging aspects: “Juggling so many different things at the same
time and still keeping all our systems operational. Since COMSEG maintains
so many different systems – police radio, PA facility radio, CCTV systems,
public address systems, card access security systems – and technology is
always changing, you need to keep up!”
Personal interests: “I enjoy taking cruises every year for vacation with the
family, spending time in my backyard with friends and family, and going to
the gym.”
Thoughts about the job: “I like it that here at the Port Authority you can
come into the company at an entry-level position and with some hard work
and dedication, you are given an opportunity to advance to reach your goals.”
Fifty Employees Win Green for
Thinking Green
T
he Office of Environmental & Energy Programs and Comptroller’s
announced on Earth Day, April 22, the 50 winners of the “Go Paperless,
Support Earth Day and Win!” drawing, which has increased the number
of employees who have enrolled in direct deposit and/or opted out of paper
notifications of deposit fourfold.
The 50 winners,
who each will receive
$10 gift cards, were
drawn randomly from
a pool of eligible
employees. By
adopting these papersavings options, all participants have helped the agency reduce waste, save
trees, and decrease payroll-processing expenses.
OEEP Assistant Director Bernice Malione said, “OEEP thanks everyone
who did their part to save resources in recognition of Earth Day. I encourage
everyone else to think green every day - it’s not too late to sign up.”
For directions on how to go paperless, click here.
Jean Marie Mitchell
First job: “I started as a Trades Helper
Electronics in1985, became a Trades Helper
Electrical in 1987, took the Trades Helper
Training program and became an Electrician in
1990, became a Maintenance Unit Supervisor
in 2000, and presently hold the title of
General Maintenance Supervisor in COMSEG
(Communications, Security, Electronic Group).”
LWMC Meeting
The Last Wednesday of the Month Club
of PA retirees will meet at noon on April 29
at In Napoli Restaurant in Fort Lee. Contact
Tony Coppolecchia at acoppolecc@
verizon.net for more info.
LI Retirees Luncheon
The annual Port Authority Retirees
Long Island Luncheon is set for noon
on May 6 at Pompei Ristorante, 401
Hempstead Ave., West Hempstead. Contact
Mike D’Angelo at mike11803@hotmail.
com or 516 433-4150 for a flyer and
directions.
Retirement News
JFK’s Mike Buesing is first in line for
takeoff. You can wish him a happy
retirement on May 1, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at
Plattduetsche Park Restaurant in Franklin
Square.
OSD’s Jim Reinish is taking his
final bow. You can join him at his last
performance on May 21, 4 to 8 p.m., at
Graycliff in Moonachie.
Engineering’s Jim Massett is getting
ready to cast off with his tackle box and bait.
You can bid him farewell on May 14, noon
to 2:30 p.m., at Tony Da Caneca Restaurant
in Newark.
See Employee Bulletins for details.
The PA & You
Do you know someone who would
make a great PA employee? HRD is
seeking qualified candidate referrals for the
Stationary Engineer/Watch Engineer, Utility
Systems Maintainer, and Electrician roles.
Applicants must have three to five years of
experience, a high school diploma or a GED
from an accredited institution, and a valid
driver’s license or CDL.
You can direct interested candidates
to www.jointheportauthority.com to view
the job descriptions and apply online. You
can also forward your referral’s résumé to
Serina Rhoden.
PA News / April 24, 2015
3