New academic year, new alumni officers

The votes are in, and the results have been tallied!

On Sept. 1, 2021, the newly elected officers of the NYU Tandon Polytechnic Alumni Association will begin their two-year terms. Learn more about them and their vision for the school, below.

Robert V. Jones (’87)

President

Robert V. Jones, the former vice president of the PAA, is the is the founder, president, and CEO of the cybersecurity company PReSafe Technologies. He was recently named chairperson of the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Aviation Cybersecurity Programming Committee, and in that capacity, he contributes thought leadership on a wide range of cybersecurity topics within aviation and its related national policy, government, and industry initiatives. His aim is to improve cyber resilience and threat mitigation throughout the digital transformation in air traffic management; the safety and performances of new entrants such as drones, urban air mobility services, and supersonic aircraft in the National Airspace; and workforce development; among other important concerns.

Why volunteer for the PAA?

I have long believed that being of service lends purpose to life, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to give back to an institution that has done so much for me.

What are your goals for your term?

Engagement is top of mind for me. I want to provide as many people as possible with the chance to be involved, whether that means attending a great event, offering to speak to students, serving on one of our committees . . . those are all ways to honor what our alma mater did for us and to be part of its history moving forward.

Gus Maimis (’87)

Vice President

Gus Maimis, who formerly served as PAA secretary, is the Senior Vice President for STV Construction, a project management and construction advisory firm. He is responsible for the oversight of numerous successfully executed and completed projects for higher education, healthcare, transportation centers, multi-tenant housing, and commercial clients, and his projects have included the Jacob Javits Convention Center Expansion, Stevens Institute of Technology Academic Center and Dormitory, National September 11 Memorial and Museum, and Grand Central Terminal Restoration, amongst numerous others.

Why volunteer for the PAA?

This school provided me with a lot of opportunities on a practical level. Admittedly, at the time, Brooklyn wasn’t the lively, desirable borough it is now, and there were certainly no picturesque quads and rolling lawns, as at some other colleges. In the end, those things didn’t matter; my first jobs came about because of my connection to NYU Tandon, then Poly. That said, I’m happy today’s students have access to Manhattan and Washington Square Park — that beats a conventional college quad any day.

What are your goals for your term?

Two things seem vital to me. First, our students need more mentors. I do a lot of mentoring myself, so I can say from experience that it’s very gratifying. It’s not a one-way street, either; mentors can also learn a lot from their mentees. The other thing our students need is internships. If you work at a company that hires interns, or if you own a company, you can help an NYU Tandon student get valuable professional experience, and they’ll be bringing all the up-to-the-minute knowledge they’ve gained in their courses, so that’s a win-win. I’ll be focused on getting my fellow alumni to step up in those areas.

Ravi Islam (’16, ’19)

Secretary

When Ravi Islam graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, she started her career at Con Edison as an engineering aide for the 74th Street Generating Station in the Environmental, Health & Safety department. She continued to attend NYU Tandon to pursue her Master's in Chemical Engineering, but working in a steam plant triggered her curiosity about the operational mechanisms of the various equipment used for generation. That was a major factor in her decision to change her major to Mechanical Engineering. That varied background proved to be valuable professionally, and she now serves as a supervisor at a Con Edison cogeneration plant.

Why volunteer for the PAA?

I never wanted to be the type of alum who just attended an occasional reunion. I was very involved as a student, working on initiatives like the summer K-12 STEM education programming, and I want to remain equally involved now. During my time at  Tandon, I watched the school grow increasingly diverse and dynamic, and that makes me so excited for current students. I want to play a part in its continued growth and evolution.

What are your goals for your term?

Because I’m new to a position like this, I expect to do a lot of watching and learning. Bob and Gus have so many years of experience, and if I ever hope to follow in their footsteps, I want to absorb all they have to teach me.

As much of society emerges from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic that upended the world last year, universities are taking stock of how much their students, alumni and scholarly research were affected by the unprecedented pressures of a global health crisis. With the Tandon leadership team in place and the PAA in the hands of Robert, Gus and Ravi, I have every confidence that Alumni engagement, career opportunities, and diversity will continue to stay on an ever-upward trajectory and the school’s legacy will endure through the ages as a preeminent leader in engineering, innovation. and entrepreneurship.”

- Anthony Concolino ‘82, Immediate Past President, NYU Tandon PAA

The Alumni Association is governed by an International Board of Directors, whose members represent the global nature and demographic diversity of Tandon’s more than 60,000 alumni. Congratulations to the newest members, who begin their three-year terms on September 1.

Mohammed Alsherebi (’10)
Schillivia Baptiste (’03, ’09)
Mohammed Ghouri (’99)
Purva Gujarathi (’17)
Adis Sehic (’02, ’03, ’14)

Additionally, Johnny Lai (’85 ’97) will fill a seat from September 1 of this year to August 31, 2022.