Author: Commander Wendeen Eolis

In a meeting, by invitation of the Association for a Better New York ABNY), the Mayor schooled business and civic leaders and a sprinkling of politicos in the crowd, on his determined vision for Equity and Excellence in NYC public schools—for all children. But, he was pointedly mum about public schools that are currently accessible only to specially “gifted children. “

As a graduate of one of those schools, and having been motivated to do the necessary to qualify for admission, I was beginning to lament the prospect of a school system void of special opportunities for those who earn them. I questioned the Mayor as noted in the corrected City Hall transcript:*

Wendeen’s Question: Mr. Mayor thank you very much for the report. It’s exciting, I think for everybody in the room to know the emphasis that is placed on “Equity and Excellence for All.” I am interested in knowing the extent to which we’re going to be rolling out this concept in all of those schools – how will that affect your view of the special schools we currently have in New York, and will we need more of them? Will we need to expand them or will we have lesser need for those few schools that have typically attracted people who are highly talented, as proven through the testing process primarily?

The Mayor’s Answer in pertinent part: “A fantastic question, (Wendeen). Can I give you a gold star for the question? If we were in the classroom, I’d be giving you a gold star right now. This is the kind of thing I think we need to talk a lot about – much more about in this city. Specialized schools are extraordinary. They have turned out a generation of leaders in all fields. You know, we just – an easy example in the national dynamics in just the last few years – Eric Holder one of the most prominent leaders of the Obama administrations, David Axelrod who helped bring you the Obama administration both from Stuyvesant. So, pretty amazing people, congratulations to Stuyvesant. I would make a speech about Brooklyn Tech – great graduates like Len Riggeo and Dante de Blasio.

So they play a very, very crucial role, and they will certainly continue to. And I think there’s absolutely an open door – there’s certainly the potential of more specialized schools, but even more clearly there’s the potential to take models that work and expand them out. For example, where my daughter went – Beacon High School – tremendously successful, was used to create another great high school. That model and that approach was literally transported to another site on the Upper West Side and the new Frank McCord high school has started. So you can take a model and kind of replicate it in many ways, so yes we will continue to take great models and build them out and add new versions of them.

But at the same time – because your question is wonderfully precise about is there a contradiction with this theme – no, I don’t believe there is. The goal is to say, you can take any school and give it the kinds of things it never had, and the world will start to change. That is not a lack of acknowledgement of other realities as to the previous question.”

On the way out the door of the meeting, the Chairman of ABNY, Bill Rudin caught my eye to say, “Great question.” New Yorkers need to keep their foot on the pedal to develop Equity and Excellence without sacrificing the incentive of special schools for parents who succeed in teaching their children the merits and the benefits of accountability, at a young age.

Like all who had the good fortune to cross paths with Jay Oliva throughout his illustrious career as a pre-eminent educator and ultimately as the president of NYU,  I mourned his passing, on April 17th.

Many years earlier, Jay had insisted that I trot into my Western Civilization history class with 3 infants in tow, rather than cut his class at the lofty NYU University Heights campus.

Jay was a cheering fan and forceful motivator for kids like me, whose parents were not presiding over their educations.  And, he was a strong voice who taught me the value of the NYU credo–perstare y prestare. He was an unwavering supporter of my decision to found a business with a mere $1,800 in savings and a freshly minted Bachelor’s Degree as my contribution to the venture. Jay’s lessons never faded though our contact was scarce during the next two decades.

Some 25 years later, while president of the university, Jay tracked me down and invited me to lunch. He told me there were many important things about which I could take pride, including my attendance at NYU, an ever-blossoming university  And, he said he would be most proud of me, if I would choose to give back to the University.  And so I have. But, but the debt to Jay for his sage advice can never be repaid.

From the beginning to the end of this uniquely interesting acquaintanceship, Jay Oliva lit a fire to raise my own standards.

For more than 10 years Marcel Luske and I have met often as clients, as friends with a shared passion for fair play, out paths crossing in business, exotic travel and poker room combat.

Marcel, the entertainer, the story teller and the advocate is now holding court in the Bahamas, as I leave to return to the grindstone of recruiting big ticket Latin American law firm partners closer to home.

The Women’s Forum small dinners are reason enough for accomplished women to want to be part of this organization.  It is filled with leaders and trend setters who share empathy, enthusiasm and desire to achieve more.

Tonight’s dinner was a salon style affair featuring women’s stories of transformative travels around the world.

At a private reception in her chambers, Chief Judge Loretta Preska (S.D.N.Y.) hosted fellow members of the New York branch of the International Women’s Forum.  Having arrived with a suitcase at her door, the uniquely touching Loretta later sent me off to my flight for Madrid with a doggie bag in hand.

All be it a short visit, Loretta’s words of wisdom and genuine embrace of her new “sorority”, reminded me of why women committed to leadership in their fields are so at home in this group.  As Alair Townsend, the former publisher of Crain’s Business once told me, “The best reason to be part of the Women’s Forum of New York (and the International Women’s Forum) is because it is a great group of women.”  Greater today for Loretta’s inclusion in its ranks.

Prince Albert was the consummate host at his private reception during the Monaco iGaming Conference of 2010.  A pet project of the prince, the conference attracted attention in the worldwide gaming community.

As moderator of a panel on iGaming-“Future Winners in America”, I predicted that major Nevada casinos would most likely be the primary beneficiaries, but that no palpable progress would be made until 2011.

The prediction was correct, but the reality of 2011 progress comes with a twist that neither the debonair Prince nor I contemplated during our chat at the Monaco Igaming Awards Ceremony. See Eolis Commentary of March 28, 2011.

Long before Hillary Rodham Clinton proved to be the consummate team player as our Secretary of State, she had proved her mettle in my eyes as the loyalist we all want in our lives—fully focused on big picture objectives.

At a Renaissance Weekend in South Carolina, the 25th anniversary of this intellectual retreat, I had my first encounter with her.

At this private and protected enclave, leaders from a multitude of industries and disciplines let their hair down, sharing information as well as their dreams and hopes.  She was inspirational on the stage and even more mesmerizing during our initial tete a tete.  She is a role model for women who are unstoppable in their drive to excel.

Chatting up former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich at a small Washington reception, I realized quickly that he and I share one common denominator—the commitment to exceptionalism.

Always the consummate politician, when it comes to morals and family values he segues seamlessly from one side of the equation to the other. But I’m not here to judge the Senator, but rather, to learn from him. We came to quick agreement on one key issue: if we want to get back to being a country of American exceptionalism, through the right policies and the right values we can create dramatically more jobs with dramatically higher incomes.