About the Honorees
GROUNDBREAKER AWARD RECIPIENTS: Hon. Ernst H. Rosenberger '58, Gerald C. Crotty '76, and Cynthia G. Senko Rosicki '86 uniquely personify the Core Values of New York Law School which are to: Advance Justice for a Diverse Society; Foster Integrity and Professionalism; and Embrace Innovation.
DEAN'S
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE: Daniel
John Oates '86
ADVANCE JUSTICE FOR A DIVERSE
SOCIETY:Hon. Ernst H. Rosenberger ’58, Of Counsel,
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP and Vice Chair, New York Law School
Board of Trustees
Justice Rosenberger’s
distinguished career in the law is marked by concern for the rights of the
disenfranchised. He volunteered his services in the defense of the
“Freedom Riders” arrested in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, and
he worked on public accommodation and voting rights cases throughout the
South in the 1960s. Prior to joining Stroock in March 2004, Justice
Rosenberger served as an Associate Justice of the New York Supreme Court
Appellate Division, First Department, beginning in 1985. Prior to the
Appellate Division, he served as Justice of the New York Supreme Court
(1977-1985). During this period, he was the Presiding Justice of the
Court’s Extraordinary Special and Trial Term for investigation of
corruption in the criminal justice system. Justice Rosenberger also served
as an Acting Justice of the New York Supreme Court (1973-1976) and a Judge
in the Criminal Court of the City of New York (1972 –1976). Justice
Rosenberger is a Vice Chair on the New York Law School Board of
Trustees.
Mr. Crotty co-founded in 2001, and currently
directs, Weichert Enterprise LLC, a private equity concern with
investments in power projects, business and industrial services and
distressed banks. Previously, he held various executive positions with ITT
Corporation, including President and Chief Operating Officer of ITT
Consumer Financial Corporation and Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of ITT Information Services. Prior to joining ITT, he served as
Assistant Counsel, Counsel, and Secretary to the Governor of New York. Mr.
Crotty was associated with the firm of Hawkins, Delafield & Wood upon
his graduation from NYLS. He is a Vice Chair on the New York Law School
Board of Trustees and is also a member of the Board of Fordham University.
Mr. Crotty has served on numerous other boards including Rockland Capital
Energy Investments, DFW Capital Partners, AXA Premier VIP Trust, Cinedigm
Digital Cinema Corp., and The Jones Group Inc.
EMBRACE INNOVATION: Cynthia G. Senko Rosicki ’86, Co-Founder of Sparkling
Pointe Vineyards and Winery and Founding Partner of Rosicki, Rosicki &
Associates, P.C.
Ms. Rosicki and her husband
transformed a vacant 12-acre parcel of land in Long Island’s North
Fork into an award-winning vineyard. They are owners of Sparkling Pointe,
New York State’s only winery dedicated to the production of
sparkling wine. They have received numerous accolades from critics. At the
prestigious 2009 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition, their 2000 Brut
Seduction surpassed the reputable Californian French-rooted competition;
their sparkling wine earned the Best of Class and Sweepstakes Award,
unequivocally placing Long Island on the world map of sparkling wines for
the first time. Sparkling Pointe was the first in New York State to
receive 90 points from Wine Spectator for their Methode Champenoise wines.
Ms. Rosicki is also founding partner of Rosicki, Rosicki & Associates.
Ms. Rosicki serves on the board of directors of the Kosciuszko Foundation,
and the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC) Realty board
of directors. She is also active in the organizations “Help the
Homeless” and “Gift of
Life.”
Daniel John Oates ’86, Police Chief in Aurora, Colorado is responsible for the criminal investigation of the 2012 movie theater shootings in Aurora. He began his career with the New York Police Department in 1980. He started work as a street cop in the 19th Precinct, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Chief Oates worked his way up the ladder while attending NYLS’ evening division. Later, as a senior executive, he commanded the Police Cadet Corps and then the Legal Bureau, where he directed a law office of 80-plus attorneys. By the end of his 21 year career, Chief Oates had become head of the Intelligence Division and was a member of the executive staff of Howard Safir, the New York City Police Commissioner. He arranged security for the 2000 U.N. Millennium Summit and was also in charge of U.S. presidential security arrangements. He finished his NYPD career as second-in-command of the city’s largest patrol borough, Brooklyn South, with 3,000 officers. He became Police Chief in Ann Arbor in August, 2001 and was named the city’s first Safety Services Administrator within a year. Chief Oates is a charter member of the federal Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council and is recognized among his peers as an expert in law enforcement intelligence matters.