Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Elects David Kramer Board Chair

BROOKLYN, February 11, 2008 – The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy today announced David Kramer has been elected Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Kramer succeeds Tensie Whelan who has chaired the Conservancy board since 2002. Mr. Kramer’s election took place on February 8, 2008.

David Kramer

Mr. Kramer, who has been a member of the Conservancy's board since December 2006, brings a far-ranging breadth of experience to his new role. He is a principal with the Hudson Companies, Inc, developers of multi-family housing in the New York City area. Prior to joining Hudson, Mr. Kramer developed affordable housing in Los Angeles, and was a founder and Executive Director of People for Parks, a non-profit parks advocacy organization.

“In his service on the Conservancy board, David has proven himself an energetic, strategic thinker,” said Ms. Whelan. “He was instrumental in opening the Floating Pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park Beach, which welcomed over 71,000 visitors to the piers area of the future park. We look forward to David’s even greater involvement as the Conservancy works along side the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation to ensure a world-class park on the Brooklyn waterfront.”

In addition to his work with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Mr. Kramer currently chairs the Brooklyn Real Estate Roundtable and is a board member of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. A New York native and graduate of Yale University, Mr. Kramer lives in Brooklyn Heights with his wife, Stacy Kramer, an accomplished Hollywood film and television comedy writer, and their three children.

“I’m honored to lead the Conservancy over these next critical years as Brooklyn Bridge Park is built,” said Mr. Kramer. “I’m particularly excited about our commitment to bring free, public programming – like the floating pool -- to the waterfront during the park’s construction.”

Ms. Whelan will remain on the Conservancy Board as vice-chair. “Tensie deserves our overwhelming thanks for her leadership of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy over the past five and a half years,” said Marianna Koval, President of the Conservancy.  “During this time we have seen Brooklyn Bridge Park progress from an idea to a reality. And under Tensie’s tenure, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy has grown in mission and scope, attracting over a quarter of a million visitors to free, public programming in the future park.”

Ms. Whelan currently serves as Executive Director of the Rainforest Alliance. Previously she was Executive Director of the New York League of Conservation Voters. A graduate of New York University and American University, Ms. Whelan lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

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About the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy(www.brooklynbridgepark.org) has worked for twenty years to ensure the creation, adequate funding, proper maintenance, public support, and citizen enjoyment of Brooklyn Bridge Park through partnership with the public sector, development of programming, and active promotion of the needs of the park and its constituents. Since 2000, more than a quarter of a million visitors have enjoyed the Conservancy’s free, public programs in the beginnings of Brooklyn Bridge Park.