Village of Great Neck Plaza Trustee Gerald Schneiderman will retire from the Board of Trustees, Mayor Ted Rosen announced on Wednesday night.
Schneiderman, who was first elected to the board in 2000, will be moving out of the village with his wife, Linda, and his retirement will become effective at a future date. Rosen praised Schneiderman for his efforts to make the village a better place for residents and business owners.
“For many years Gerry has worked tirelessly for the village,” Rosen said. “His motivation throughout this entire time, has always been how could he make the Plaza a better place for its residents, merchants, business owners and all those who shop in or visit the village. Gerry has always strongly supported our downtown merchants and has always sought to beautify the village.”
Other trustees reflected on their experience with Schneiderman on the board, saying he will be missed.
“Gerry and his wife Linda have been and are my good friends,” Deputy Mayor Pam Marksheid said. “I have seen first hand how hard Gerry has worked for the village and how passionate he has been and continues to be about making the Village better. I will miss working beside Gerry on the board.”
“Gerry was responsible for my getting involved in village governance,” Trustee Michael DeLuccia said. “I have learned a great deal from Gerry about being a trustee. I wish him and Linda the very best as they are soon to enter the next chapter of their lives.”
“Gerry has always been hardworking and motivated to make the village a better, more beautiful place,” Trustee Lawrence Katz said. “He will be missed on the board and I wish Gerry and Linda the very best.”
Before serving as a trustee, Schneiderman was a member of the Wyngate Civic Association during the 1970s. His involvement in local government spurred him to be appointed to the village’s Zoning Board of Appeals by former Mayor Andrew Wurman. Schneiderman has also served on the board of the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District, as commissioner of the Great Neck North Water Authority, and on a number of other village committees.
After serving as a trustee for two decades, he was appointed deputy mayor in 2020.
Efforts to reach Schneiderman for comment were unavailing.
Rosen said Schneiderman’s seat on the board will be filled by village resident Alex (Siu Long) Au. Au has an MBA in finance and accounting, and has worked with Fortune 500 companies and large nonprofit organizations. Au, who also served in the U.S. Army as a transportation specialist and as a member of the Great Neck Library’s Nominating Committee, lives in the Plaza with his wife, Dorothy Feng, and their two daughters.
Au said he looks forward to working with village officials, residents and store owners to continue to improve the quality of life in Great Neck Plaza.
“As a trustee, I will work to encourage participation and engagement from Great Neck Plaza residents in local events, programs and businesses,” Au said. “I also want to help local retail stores improve their business by setting up training and business improvement programs. I believe social media is one important way to increase excitement about the village.”
