Prior to his entry into law enforcement, Hunter graduated from St. Johns University with a double major in Criminal Justice/Pre-Law and Accounting and an impressive GPA.

Hunter says the NYPD has been facing some common issues lately, the nature of which will likely come as no surprise to most New Yorkers. NYPD officers have been working hard to raise awareness about the major risks associated with unattended property, particularly in Hunter’s Upper East Side precinct.

Examples of this include the well-worn story of leaving items unattended at a coffee shop, or draping bags over the backs of chairs in restaurants, only to later discover missing items.

Hunter told Our Town earlier in the year that while thefts are subject to spikes around certain times, like the holidays, this year’s numbers generally mirror last year’s.

Some of the most popular items among thieves are flashy electronic devices.

Hunter says the NYPD is also trying to encourage New Yorkers to register these personal electronic devices so when these items are stolen, the police can be more helpful in retrieving them.

In the past year the NYPD has also been involved in some major accomplishments, according to Hunter. They have worked with community members to solve safety problems posed by delivery bikes, including combatting sidewalk riding, riding through stoplights and riding the wrong way on streets. The NYPD’s crackdown on delivery bikes, beginning over the past summer, is an important safety measure for everyone, from pedestrians to motor vehicle drivers.

Hunter also describes increased communications over the past years with various community organizations.

“These [communications] help the NYPD direct the proper resources to areas of concern and helps us get information to the community involving crime patterns,” he says.

While Hunter is lauded for his crime-fighting prowess, he hopes to someday go back to school and get his law degree to round out his career.

When he’s not on the job, Hunter devotes his spare time to family—his wife, Allison, and their teenage daughter, Brianna.

The Japan Society raised $12.5 million for earthquake releif under Motoatsu Sakuri's s leadership. Photo by Andrew Schwartz.

By Laura Shin

Just two days after the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the Japan Society in New York had raised $350,000 in relief funds. A year later, it has raised $12.5 million.
As a cultural institution, fundraising isn’t one of the Japan Society’s primary functions. But Motoatsu Sakurai, president of the Society, made it a top priority after the disaster struck his home country last year.
“We are determined to help Japan as much as possible,” he said. “With the magnitude of this disaster, you need at least 10 years to see recovery. So when it comes to money for Japan, we want to keep our door open.”
The Japan Society’s relief fund for the Great East Japan Earthquake is the sixth largest in the United States. The Red Cross’ is the largest.
“I saw how hard he was working with the businesses here to raise funds,” said Matthew Bauer, president of the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District, who nominated Sakurai for an OTTY and won one himself. “It was such a horrible disaster. It was great that New Yorkers could do their part and he really led that effort in a big way.”
Sakurai was named president of Japan Society in 2009. He was formerly CEO of Mitsubishi International Corporation. In 2006, he became the first business executive to serve as ambassador and consul general of Japan in New York.
After 40 years in the private sector then serving as ambassador, Sakurai said he is pleased to have had a chance to work in different fields and ultimately transition into the nonprofit sector.
“The purposes in the three sectors are different,” said Sakurai, 67. “In the private sector, you have to make money. In government, you have to think about the national interest, and in an NGO, my definition of purpose is to think about the people.”
Japan Society was established in 1907 with a mission to bring “the people of Japan and the United States closer together though mutual understanding, appreciation and cooperation.”
The Society is home to an art gallery, a performing arts program, a film program, a lecture program, an education program, a library and a language center that offers Japanese language courses.
Sakurai is the first Japanese person to lead Japan Society.
“They wanted to change the mood. They were interested in having a Japanese person, so I said, ‘Why not?’”
Sakurai’s extensive career as a businessman also prepared him for the job. He became president at a challenging time, he said; the organization’s endowment was depleted and he had to find ways to reduce costs and enhance revenue. As of last year, they were able to break even.
Sakurai said the donations coming in for earthquake relief have declined significantly. He hopes to continue to raise money for the victims of the disaster. Japan Society has distributed $7.2 million of its funds to 19 different organizations that directly serve the people affected by the earthquake.
“We are very appreciative of the American people helping out the Japanese,” he said.
Even though he is from Japan, Sakurai said his favorite part of his job is learning new things about Japanese culture.
When he is not working, Sakurai said he enjoys playing golf. He came to the United States in 2000 and currently lives on the Upper East Side. He is married and has two daughters who live and work in the United States. 

—Tom Allon, President and CEO
—Josh Rogers, Our Town contributing editor

To read our OTTY profiles click on a recipients name below:

East Sider of the Year, Carolyn Maloney

Bravest and Finest, Lt. Jason Rigoli

Bravest and Finest, Officer Chris Helms

Culture Club, Emily Rafferty

Culture Club, Motoatsu Sakuri

Educator, Jennifer Raab

Educator, Merryl Tisch

Educator, Matthew Goldstein

Community Builder, Matthew Bauer

Community Builder, Oscar Fernandez

Community Builder, Nancy Ploeger

Neighborhood Civic Association, Elaine Walsh

Health Care Pro, Daryl Wilkerson

Health Care Pro, Mary Cahill

Health Care Pro, Constance Peterson

Charity, Thomas Williams

Real Estate Royalty, Louise Sunshine

Real Estate Royalty, Debra Fechter

Real Estate Royalty, Joseph Mattone and Scott DeMatteis

Entrepreneur, David Brooks

David Brooks returned to New York City to take over his father's s shop, Just Bulbs. The stove prides itself on selling every type of light bulb. Photo by Andrew Schwartz.

By Ashley Welch

Running a business in New York City was never something David Brooks planned on doing. Born in Queens, he left his hometown for St. Louis at 24 to study law. He met his wife Faye there and they were practicing tax law in 1981 when Brooks received a call that his father, Philip, was ill. He had a decision to make: return to New York to take over his father’s light bulb store or stay in St. Louis and let the shop fall by the wayside.
He chose the former.
“We packed our stuff and moved to the city,” he said. “It was a bit traumatic and a huge change in lifestyle.”
Brooks, 57, planned on practicing law in New York, but due to a number of circumstances, including his father’s declining health, it was not possible. But he does not regret his decision, joking, “The happiest lawyers are former lawyers.”
Just Bulbs opened in 1980, though Philip has been in the light bulb business, selling door-to-door, since 1942. The shop prides itself on selling every type of light bulb, including incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, mercury, sodium and metal halide. The store also stocks projection lamps, lighting for photo and stage, specialty bulbs for medical and scientific use and light bulbs for automotive and aviation applications, among others. In addition, Just Bulbs offers lighting consultations, repairs and cleanings.
Brooks said that this wide selection of common and specialty products, along with a strong sense of customer service, is what makes his business thrive.
“We have the right solution for every situation,” he said. “Some people come in here and know exactly what they want, but a lot of people aren’t sure what it is that they need, so they come in and talk to us. We know what questions to ask to help them find exactly what they’re looking for.”
Just Bulbs employs nine staff members, many of whom have over 20 years of experience in the light bulb industry and are ready to answer any lighting-related questions. He admits that running a business is hard work, but it is rewarding. The store is open seven days a week, nine hours a day, and he puts in most of those hours himself.
“It’s challenging because you’re always on call,” he said, “but being your own boss, you don’t have to answer to anyone—if you make mistakes, they’re your own mistakes.”
In 2007, Just Bulbs moved to its current location on the Upper East Side from its previous home on Broadway and 22nd Street. Brooks said he was surprised by the warm welcome he received from the other shop owners in the area.
“All the businesses here are like a small community,” he said. “We all know each other and get along and give each other discounts. It’s a nice feeling.” 

Joseph Mattone.

By Vatisha Smith

The Upper East Side was rocked by a fatal crane accident in 2008 that resulted in the deaths of two people. Fast-forward to September 2010 on the same site, where there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of The Azure and Middle School 114, located at 331 E. 91st St.
Joseph Mattone of The Mattone Group and Scott DeMatteis of The DeMatteis Organizations were the guiding hands behind the partnership that built The Azure, a luxury high-rise condominium that includes a new middle school on the same location. The modern school replaced the aging P.S. 151.
The Azure complex includes a 128-unit luxury tower and 520-seat school. It was built as part of the Education Construction Fund (ECF), a program that was created by the New York State Legislature in 1967. The fund encourages constructing mixed-use real estate projects that feature new schools.
“We have a tremendous amount of experience in school development and construction,” DeMatteis said. Both organizations have developed numerous schools over the past several years.
The partnership started with Mattone’s relationship with DeMatteis’ grandfather back in the 1960s, when they assembled properties off the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn.
Mattone was born Sept. 15, 1931, in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Initially he practiced law, but transitioned into property development after learning the business from his older brother.
DeMatteis, the third generation in his family to work in real estate, has been in the business for over 30 years. He currently resides in Long Island with his family.
The new school is a District 2 school that goes from 6th to 8th grade. Under the direction of Principal David Getz, it has become one of the most sought-after schools on the Upper East Side. It replaced a dilapidated, overcrowded structure.
“The ECF was very specific as to the requirements for the design of the building,” DeMatteis said.
Both men are proud of the school and building they built.
“Elected officials and representatives of the community and board of education praised the completion of the school,” Mattone said.  “The community has also spoken about the quality of the residential project, which is approximately 50 percent sold.”

Scott DeMatteis

Debra Fechter. Photo by Andrew Schwartz.

By Alexander Tucciarone

Managing residential and commercial properties is Debra Fechter’s profession. Making sure these properties are located in strong, safe communities is her passion.
As a partner of the Digby Management Company, Fechter is responsible for determining what makes properties valuable. In her personal life, she has shown that what made her so successful in real estate has also made her a leader in community service. She does this through her involvement with numerous philanthropic organizations, including the East Midtown Partnership and the New York City Police Foundation.
“One of the nice things about my work is that I get to solve problems with a group of people with such diverse interests,” Fechter said. “Given their differences, these groups can each contribute something of unique value.”
With the East Midtown Partnership, Fechter works with business owners, residents and other community members to reach common-sense solutions to quality of life issues. Her work with the Foundation, The Doe Fund and Bowery Residents’ Committee is typical of her “everyone wins” approach to community service.
The Doe Fund pays homeless citizens to help maintain city neighborhoods by collecting trash and shoveling snow. This provides employment to homeless individuals and improves life for everyone living and working in the community.
“What The Doe Fund does is a remarkable thing,” Fechter said. “It is a very good feeling to be a part of the work that they do.”
Judy Dynia, director of development for the New York City Police Foundation, has worked with Fechter in her capacity as a member of NYPD Crimestoppers. Fechter’s role on this committee is to help determine the reward amount for various fugitives.
“Whenever Debra makes a recommendation, it’s clear that she’s analyzed the issue,” Dynia said. “She builds consensus and does this in a professional way.”
Fechter also shows her support for law enforcement by purchasing an ad every year in the journal of the Police Foundation. She uses the ad to celebrate the work of the NYPD.
“She knows that having safe streets is so important for having successful businesses,” Dynia said. “She personalizes her generosity by giving both her time and resources in a graceful, professional way.”
Fechter was involved in philanthropy long before she entered the working world. As a high school student growing up in New Rochelle, she volunteered at an after-school program for people with special needs.
“Giving up my time for the less fortunate was always something encouraged by example from my family,” Fechter said.
That example continues as her two daughters follow her lead. Her eldest daughter is enrolled at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and her youngest is involved in volunteer work at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in upstate New York.
Despite all of the professional accolades, Fechter is humble about her accomplishments.
“I feel lucky to be a part of all this and for the chance to contribute in my small way,” she said.

Louise Sunshine of the Sunshine Group. Photo By Andrew Schwartz.

By Rachel Stern

Fully furnished with both boldly colored modern furniture and rustic, midcentury antiques, seven turnkey apartments went on sale at The W Downtown at the beginning of January.
Even with prices 28 percent higher than the building’s unfurnished units, all were snagged by the beginning of February. International investors purchased six of the units to rent out, and rising Knicks superstar Jeremy Lin rented a 1,182-square-foot two-bedroom condo.
These artful abodes are the latest undertaking of Louise Sunshine, 71, a longtime New York real estate marketer who is known for infusing interior design into residential real estate to boost its value and help it sell more quickly. Through Sunshine Select Residences, the new company she is undertaking with the help of her two sons, she aims to bring her pre-furnished apartments and condos to high-end markets around the world, starting with the Financial District.
“They’re contemporary design mixed with vintage pieces,” said Sunshine of the W units she individually adorned with hand-selected art and artifacts such as Warhol prints and long, polished bathroom mirrors. “I hope people get as much pleasure living in them as I get decorating them.”
“Every unit has the taste and touch of Louise,” said Richard Nassimi, director of sales at The W. “They present a really warm, unique feeling.”
Sunshine has marketing in her genes; her grandfather was Barney Pressman, of Barney’s New York, and her father ran a real estate business. A mother of three, she volunteered in the 1970s as a high-level political fundraiser and was a Democratic National Committee chairwoman.
Her marketing skills caught the eye of one of her big donors—Donald Trump—who gave Sunshine her first job working as a lobbyist for him in a two-room office on Lexington Avenue. She helped him execute the Trump Towers of 1984 and several well-known buildings that followed, including The Promenade, luxurious high-rise towers at 530 E. 76th St.
“Donald and I worked together for 15 years and developed 15 exciting and successful buildings,” said Sunshine, who was vice president of The Trump Organization between 1975 and 1985.
In 1986, Sunshine’s success prompted her to start her own business, The Sunshine Group, which made $8 billion in real estate sales over 16 years. There she coined the phrase, “Not all square feet are created equal.”
Now Sunshine, 71, has homes in Connecticut, Palm Beach and New York—she maintains a pied-à-terre at One Beacon Court at the top of the Bloomberg Tower (151 E. 58th St.), one of the buildings she marketed while she was at The Sunshine Group. All, she says, have their own unique, homey design; the midtown apartment more modern and the Connecticut one blending into the local more traditional style.
She aims to expand to international cities, with plans to sell Sunshine Select Residences in Hong Kong and Tel Aviv, she said. But for Sunshine, this move only marks the beginning of her latest trajectory.
“I would like to see it grow in the direction,” she said, “that we have properties in every international city.”

Daryl Wilkerson, an ex-NFL player, is a mentor and vice president at Mount Sinai. Photo by Andrew Schwartz.

By Stephen Santulli

Daryl Wilkerson helped make history three decades ago—just not his own.
As a defensive end for the University of Houston, Wilkerson could have stopped Notre Dame from winning the 1979 Cotton Bowl if only he’d sacked Joe Montana before the star quarterback threw the game-winning pass on the last play of the game. By not making the play, Wilkerson figures, he helped put Montana on track toward a legendary NFL career.
It’s a story that Wilkerson, now 53, likes to tell about the path he’s taken since that game, which included one NFL season of his own for the Baltimore Colts and wound all the way to the Upper East Side, where he is now vice president of support services at Mount Sinai Hospital, overseeing all nonclinical operations like food service, housekeeping, engineering and construction—20 departments and 1,200 employees in all.
In a sense, he’s come full circle.
“In one profession, I used to put people in the hospital. Now I try to get them cured and out of the hospital,” Wilkerson said.
Mount Sinai was coming out of the fiscal emergency ward when it hired Wilkerson in 2006, having shored up its finances after years in the red. He said that since then, the hospital has continued its strong turnaround, thanks in large part to “forward-thinking” new leadership.
Coming to Mount Sinai, Wilkerson said he understood that in addition to his responsibility to patients, he had an obligation to support his staff, many of whom stayed with the hospital in its darkest hours, and make them feel as invested in Mount Sinai’s success as its doctors and nurses are. He describes his philosophy as “each one, teach one.”
“What I needed to do was come in and be a true leader for them,” he said.
The support service staff includes many entry-level and minority workers, and Wilkerson also feels a duty to provide a positive role model as a successful African American from humble beginnings. It’s a mission he’s taken beyond the hospital’s walls and into the surrounding community.
Born in Houston, Wilkerson frequently moved with his family during his childhood; his father served in the military. He had little exposure to New York—before taking the job with Mount Sinai, he said, “I’d only been through to get my butt kicked by the New York Giants or [the USFL’s] New Jersey Generals.”
But Wilkerson and his wife, Diane, found a brownstone on the Upper East Side near Central Park, giving him a firsthand look at how Mount Sinai serves the neighborhood. He regularly attends community meetings to make sure the hospital has a face that neighborhood residents can see and sits on the board of the Yorkville Common Pantry.
Wilkerson’s commitment to the neighborhood’s disadvantaged and minority residents also shows in the hospital’s partnership with The Doe Fund, which helps homeless men find jobs, first on street-cleaning crews.
Eighty-five percent of The Doe Fund’s clients are African American and just as many have had previous trouble with the law, according to Patricia Laufer, a director at Doe. The group has placed 15 clients in jobs and internships at Mount Sinai—all working for Wilkerson.
“He recognizes that sometimes people need a door opened to them,” Laufer said.
And though he may not be a native, Laufer says there’s one way that Wilkerson fits in well in the city: He’s “definitely New York-paced,” she said. “I’ve never met anyone who works as hard.” n

Elaine Walsh. Photo by Andrew Schwartz.

By Paulette Safdieh

Upper East Sider Elaine Walsh remembers the East 86th Street corridor when trains chugged along the Third Avenue El, long before 2nd Avenue Subway construction began. Born and raised on 86th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues, Walsh committed herself to giving back to the neighborhood from a young age.
Today, Walsh co-chairs Community Board 8’s Zoning and Development Committee and runs the East 86th Street Association. Her years of dedication and active involvement within the community earned Walsh an OTTY Award this year.
“I enjoy being involved and I like to see social change—luckily, I’ve seen that happen,” said Walsh. “It’s a good way to live.”
Walsh, 67, remembers her mother being involved in community affairs and school events, an attitude that influenced Walsh as a teenager. She led the student body at St. Vincent Ferrer High School on East 65th Street and was vice president of the student body at the College of White Plains. Walsh continued on to earn a master’s degree in social work and a doctorate in social welfare, both from Fordham University.
For the past 25 years, Walsh has worked as a professor in the Hunter College Department of Urban Affairs. She runs its Public Service Scholar Program to raise money and encourage students to get involved in public service.
“Leadership came naturally to me,” said Walsh. “I enjoy helping people grow, delegating out and seeing people blossom.”
Walsh joined the Community Board 15 years ago, first chairing the Economic Development Committee. She helped jumpstart crime prevention programs in conjunction with the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House and helped organize a community task force in 2002. The task force surveyed residents and local businesses and identified a need for a civic group to handle quality of life issues on East 86th Street, which led to the formation of the East 86th Street Association in 2003.
As president of the Association, Walsh works with many community members, neighborhood residents and local businesses. Teri Slater, the Association’s secretary and co-chairperson of Community Board 8’s Zoning and Development Committee feels lucky to be one of them.
“She’s infallible, she doesn’t give up and she’s a fighter—that’s what it takes to be a community advocate,” Slater said. “She has a full-time job but she applies the same hard work, intelligence and strength of character to the community on the Upper East Side.”
Over the last few years, Walsh has led the association to get historic lamps installed down the East 86th Street corridor, fix broken corners, plant trees and clear space for upcoming bike racks. She helped get neighborhood signage replaced and worked with big retailers to maintain decorum on the streets. Walsh now lives on 86th Street with her partner of 30 years, Brenda McGowan.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have good health and live a long time,” said Walsh. “I understand that change takes time, but we’re getting there. We’re making a difference.” 

Nancy Ploeger, a St. Louis native, has headed the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Andrew Schwartz.

By Dan Rosenblum

Nancy Ploeger is working on one of her biggest challenges yet. Over the past few years, the building of the Second Avenue Subway, one of the largest construction projects in the country, has put retail businesses behind barricades and meant ever-changing work along the corridor.
As the director of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Ploeger is helping those 400 affected businesses build a community and find a voice.
“It’s very hard for an individual business to do their marketing and media,” she said.
For Ploeger, 62, helping businesses stick out began early in her teens. She dropped ping-pong balls out of a helicopter and handed out cherry pies dressed at Martha Washington to help her father, who worked for Sears.
As an Upper East Sider, Ploeger walks through the construction every day and sees the walkways that obscure stores and make it hard for elderly people or stroller-wielding parents to navigate. Besides its social media efforts, the Chamber has organized a restaurant week, art projects and other ways for affected stores and restaurants to attract shoppers and diners.
Dealing with the subway is only part of the Chamber’s work. In fact, in the country’s largest business center, the Chamber is one of only a few helping small businesses grow and working with governmental and international partners. At the Chamber, Ploeger also reaches out to other women, the LGBT community and young entrepreneurs.
“We run around trying to keep the plate spinning with all of these initiatives,” she said.
The Chamber also sponsors a community benefit fund that raises money for organizations on the Upper East Side.
Ploeger came to New York after graduating from Monmouth University without a clear-cut plan. She worked at Federated Department Stores (now Macy’s) and for more than a decade at TSI, which owns New York Sports Clubs. In 1994, she became executive director of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, growing its membership from 250 to more than 2,000.
That St. Louis upbringing helped her understand the faces behind small businesses. Ploeger said her favorite part of the job is getting emails from local business owners thanking her for the chance to network or for business discounts.
“I’m from St. Louis,” she said. “We’re all about people.”
For someone so connected to the growth of the nation’s largest business center, Ploeger said she finds joy in going upstate on weekends to feed deer, walk in the woods and ride horses.
“I really am a country girl,” she said.
A fan of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s efforts at economic development, she doesn’t know what to expect from a new mayor in 2014.
“I just hope that our economy is on the roll again,” she said.
Ploeger said the High Line, Hudson Yards and the East River Ferry Service are only a few of the exciting projects in which the Chamber is trying to help local small business owners. “Every day is exciting, different and new,” she said. n