Eight candidates are vying for five positions on the Breezy Point Cooperative’s Board of Directors. There are six candidates proposed by the Nominating Committee and two independent candidates who, according to the By-Laws of the Cooperative, secured more than 200 shareholder signatures required to be listed on the ballot. They are as follows:
Kerry Schreiner-Cardaio
John Conroy
John Lindsay
Robert “Bob” Pierson
Matthew Regan
Thomas Wipf                                                                                                        
Janice “Twozee” Sellek
Joseph Kerrigan
Their resumes are listed below.

Kerry Schreiner-Cardaio has been a year round resident of Breezy Point since 1973. Kerry holds a degree in Organizational Management from St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn. She is completing her first term as director of the Breezy Point Cooperative and is seeking a second term. During her time on the Board she has served as Chairperson of the Adult Activities Committee and helped to bring a wide variety of events to many different adult age groups. For the past two years she has chaired the Public Safety Committee that updated the hurricane evacuation program as well as tackling issues involving roadway safety, bicycle safety and school bus stop safety. She is also a member of the Organizational Excellence, Adult Activities, Security and Long Range Planning Committees and has served in the past on the Recreation Center and Community Communications Committees.

Kerry is retired from the New York City Policy Department where she worked in various units including commanding officer of the 67th Detective Squad. After her retirement from the Police Department she worked with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit until 2004.

Kerry is active in various clubs at Blessed Trinity Parish and she coordinates the Chair Yoga Program sponsored by the Cooperative.
Kerry believes that communication is one key to our success as a community and that this communication starts with the Board of Directors. She says that she has found it very gratifying to talk to and more importantly listen to people in the community whether it is on a one-to-one basis or in a group. She feels that through communication we can dispel the notion of ‘them versus us’ and move forward together. She says that our Cooperative is faced with some very important issues that will affect us now and in the future with the sewer vote being one of the toughest decisions we are called to make. Kerry believes that each shareholder must decide what is best for them and also what is best for the Cooperative. She also feels that it is very important for the Cooperative to take a vigilant approach to what might be happening on the peninsula in the form of development and change and that we should all become active with our voices and vote to protect our way of life. She believes in looking at Breezy realistically as to things we want to preserve and things that need improvement.

John Conroy is a lifelong year-round resident residing in Roxbury. John is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Roxbury People’s Association. He is also a member of the following Cooperative Committees: Security, Field Operations, Hearings, World Trade Center and Public Safety. John previously served for six years as a member of the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2009. He is also a member of Blessed Trinity’s Pastoral Council, Mayors Committee of Roxbury, Breezy Point/Rockaway Point Men’s Softball League, Roxbury Men’s Softball League and is a Coach for the Roxbury Little League and an Assistant Coach for CYO Girls & Boys Basketball.

John holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters of Science Degree in Protection Management both from John Jay College. He retired as a Lieutenant from the New York City Police Department in 2005 after twenty plus years on the force. He is currently employed as Chief Investigator for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. During his time on the NYPD John was a Union Delegate on the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association where he represented officers on labor policy, contractual and safety issues.

As a former member of the Breezy Point Cooperative’s Board of Directors John understands the dedication and experience needed to responsibly serve the residents of this Cooperative, where community involvement and fiscally responsible planning are essential for maintaining the quality of life, high level of security and necessary services for the residents. John recognizes the need to preserve our uniqueness and improve upon this outstanding community we enjoy.

He says he will continue to strive to attain and maintain the high standards we are accustomed to and would consider it a privilege and an honor to again serve this community, a community he is proud to call home.

John Lindsay has been a year round full time resident of Roxbury since 2001. He has a BBA in Accounting from Hofstra and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from Pace University. In addition he has had executive management training at Cornell University.
John served on the Board for three years from 2005 to 2008. During that time he was elected Treasurer and also served as Chairman of the Audit Committee as well as serving on the Commercial Lease, Finance and Field Department Committees. Currently John is an active member of the Board of the Roxbury People’s Association.

John is a Financial and Operations Executive and Officer with over 25 plus years of experience ranging from Fortune 500 companies to highly successful start up companies.  He successfully managed all facets of a business including Finance, Accounting, Sales, Human Resources Systems and Technology and all administrative functions. He is currently Chief Financial Officer with The 451 Group, a multi-national conglomerate of information technology research and certification firms.  His hands on experience includes short and long term operating and capital budgeting, administration/facilities, human resources, benefits and employee relations, construction, audits, and has supervised staffs that numbered as high as 360 employees.

John feels he can benefit the community utilizing a variety of his expertise in financial planning, employee relations, administration expense management. John has a creative strategic mind and is the “go to” person in the firms he has worked in as one of his many talents is a problem solver. John believes that the most successful people and communities are not the ones that have all the right answers but rather the people and community that ask the right questions.

Robert “Bob” Pierson has been a summer resident in Breezy Point since 1979 and full time resident since 2001. Bob holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Manhattan College and through IBM has taken work related courses at Fairfield Graduate School of Banking and Harvard Graduate School of Business. He was a systems engineer mainly in the financial industry designing, implementing and maintaining major data centers for fail-safe applications. After retiring from IBM Bob began a second career as a high school teacher of Mathematics in both New Jersey and Stella Maris in Rockaway Park.

Bob has had numerous involvement with various community activities and he is a past Grand Knight of Columbus Council, Served as District Deputy and was treasurer for the LI Chapter Charity Drive. He is also an active member of the Point Breeze Association where he was President for two years and Treasurer for four years. Currently he is a commission of the Point Breeze Fire Department.
For the Cooperative Bob is currently Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance, Shareholder Finance and Pension Committees and has served on the Nominating, Community Relations, Fire Safety, Construction, Technology and Adult Activities Committees. During his terms of office, Bob has implemented the use of the Colony Theater for many adult activities, is a major proponent of a bayside promenade, requested and received capital funding for a small tractor for sidewalk snow removal and was instrumental in the use of the Internet for the Bulletin and online application forms. Bob also fostered the modification of the Shareholder Financing Plan to allow children of shareholders a lower down payment percentage.

Bob believes that our interaction and dialogue with the City are crucial to the continuing development of the Cooperative and we should continue pressing our local politicians for benefits such as ferry service, traffic lights, policing the main road, when and where required. He believes that technological resources need to be used to enhance the services to the shareholders, to increase our safety and security and continue to maintain our operations and services at minimum or no increase to our maintenance charges.

Matthew Regan has been a life long resident of Rockaway Point and year round since 1991. Matt graduated from St. Joseph’s College in 1992 with a BA in Political Science. He has worked in the New York County District Attorney’s Office; as a stockbroker with several Wall Street firms and most recently as a marshal.

Matt has served on the Board of Directors for the last six years and is currently 1st Vice President and Assistant Secretary as well as a member of the Executive Committee. He has chaired the Youth Activities Committee for the past six years. In addition he has served the past two years as Chairman of Sales & Rentals Committee and was appointed to lead the Special Recreation Committee in 2005 seeking to determine the viability of a year-round recreation center. Currently Matt serves as co-chair of the Adult Activities Committee and also served on the Finance Committee.

As Chair of the Youth Activities Committee he utilized the Colony Theater to hold numerous events and programs for the young people of Breezy Point including creating non-traditional events and programs like Speed Skool, Foam Party and Children’s Theater Camp. The Committee was also instrumental in enhancing the playgrounds within the community and planning for new recreational areas. Matt also served as 1st Vice President of the Community Education Council for District 27. This council replaced the traditional School Board. In addition he also volunteers his time as a coach in the YO sports program and Breezy Hoops.

Matt believes that as our community expands we must strive to preserve what has drawn all of us to Breezy Point, the sense of small community and the quality of life it affords. With a large extended family in the Cooperative Matt is aware of the issues and concerns of all the shareholders including those with young families as well as seniors. He hopes that the Cooperative remains strong and continues to prosper during its next 50 years so that it can be enjoyed by the next generation of Pointers.

Thomas Wipf is a summer resident of Rockaway Point for many years. He is running for his third term as a member of the Board of Directors and has served since 2001. During his time on the Board Tom has chaired the Long Range Planning Committee, the Colony Usage Committee and the Youth Activities Committee. Currently he serves as chair of the Employee Relations and Community Communications Committees where he see the efforts of the Employee Relations Committee as critical to the future of our Cooperative in one fundamental principal: our people are the most valuable asset of our corporation.

Mutual respect, fairness and accountability provide a clear road map as we build a successful partnership with our employees and our management team. Likewise with the Community Communications Committee Tom believes it has worked to build an effective information and feedback loop between shareholders, the Associations, the Board of Directors and Cooperative management. Drawing on the expertise of our grassroots community leaders, this Committee has worked to effectively inform and socialize key Cooperative initiatives in a productive two way dialogue with our shareholders.

Tom has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years with the last 24 years with Morgan Stanley. He is a Managing Director and global head of Bank Resource Management and is responsible for the firm’s secured funding, collateral management and counterparty risk management. He is also very active with several industry wide organizations and several charitable endeavors.
Tom’s band Hell or High Water is a mainstay on the New York City and Breezy music scene and they donate their time and tunes to many charity gigs each year. Tom is a founding member of the Wedge softball team and is also a proud member of the famous Fulton Floppers of the Sunday Morning Walk League.

He says that as we reflect back on the 50 years of the Breezy Point Cooperative we have a great opportunity to honor all those who worked so hard to create the community that we enjoy today. He believes that drawing on the determination of our founders we can clearly see all that we have accomplished when we pull together as a community. Tom says as we celebrate this wonderful milestone in our history that he will borrow a quote from Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead: “This is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago.”

Janice “Twozee” Selleck is running as an independent candidate for the position of director of the Breezy Point Cooperative. Twozee has been a resident of Rockaway Point since 1968 and a year round resident since 1982. She was formerly a supervisor of employee relations for a corporation in New York City.

Twozee’s expertise resides in her organizational abilities. She has been involved with the Paris Show for 23 years and was the coordinator of the Teen Sow for 19 years. Ten years ago she founded the Bocce League and she continues to lead this ever growing league.
Twozee’s belief of volunteering in Cooperative activities has been proven by the fact that she has served on multiple Cooperative committees including the Adult Activities for 5 years; the Colony Usage Committee for 4 years as well as the Employee Relations and Community Communications Committee. She has worked diligently with fellow volunteers on the Cooperative Archives and she successfully ran Nostalgia Day. Further, Twozee is an active member for the World Trade Memorial Committee determined to restore them and Twozee ran the overly successful fundraiser so this can happen in the appropriate time. Currently she is on the 50th Anniversary Committee and is in charge of creation of the memory book.

Twozee understands that Breezy is a unique community and she is an active member of the Rockaway Point Association and knows the value of all our associations and shareholders have in our community.

Though Twozee considers herself an average shareholder she has never been known to be silent. She asks and seeks the fair answers to all issues. She is constantly asked her views at many events and is not afraid to answer and speak her mind. It has been said of her “if you want the job done get Twozee.”

Janice “Twozee” Selleck promises that by voting for her she will use her knowledge and continued involvement in this community to better serve our shareholders.

Joseph Kerrigan is a lifetime member of the Breezy Point Cooperative currently residing in Rockaway Point. Joe is presently a director of the Breezy Point Cooperative and serves on the Public Safety, Hearings, Security and Field Operations Committees and is Chairman of the Construction Committee. Joe’s interaction with Management and the shareholders helps him to bring the thoughts and concerns of shareholders to the Board.

Joe is a past director of the Rockaway Point Association and for 18 years was its Chairman. He was also a past member of the Board of Directors for the Rockaway Point/Breezy Point Catholic Club and has served on the Mardi Gras Committee for over 20 years.
Joe is retired from the New York City Police Department and currently owns his own carpentry and home improvement business within our Cooperative. While employed by the NYPD Joe attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Joe recognizes the importance of our beaches. His interest in fishing, diving and boating has led him to join the Rockaway Point Yacht Club and Breezy Point Boaters and Anglers.

As an advocate of the shareholders, Joe has and will continue to support senior citizens, youth, public safety and infrastructure maintenance issues and feels his position as Director gives the shareholders a voice in the decisions made by the Cooperative.