Alumnus Richard “Rich” Geraffo Jr. ‘85, vice president, Amazon, AWS North America; Withum, a nationally recognized CPA and advisory firm; and Jean L. Levitan, PhD, professor emerita, public health, will be honored as the William Paterson University Foundation hosts its 31st Annual Legacy Award Gala on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at The Grove in Cedar Grove.
Geraffo will be honored as Distinguished Alumnus, Withum will be honored as a Distinguished Organization and Levitan will receive the Distinguished Faculty/Staff Service Award. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that demonstrate leadership in the community and are dedicated to the success of students at William Paterson University.
The Legacy Award Gala is the Foundation’s largest event to raise funds to support the University’s mission of promoting student success and academic excellence through student scholarships. All proceeds from the Gala directly fund academic scholarships at William Paterson University, thereby directly affecting the lives of students—most of whom rely on scholarships to complete their education.“I am looking forward to honoring this year’s honorees, who embody the true William Paterson spirit of excellence and service,” says President Richard J. Helldobler. “Their participation in this wonderful event, along with the support of so many from across the University community, directly benefits our students, enabling and empowering them to earn their degrees and do great things.”
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to highlight our loyal and supportive alumni, friends, faculty and corporate partners,” says Pam Ferguson, president of the William Paterson University Foundation and vice president for institutional advancement. “On behalf of the entire University community, I thank them for their partnership, leadership, and friendship — and for supporting our students.”
Geraffo leads the North Americas Sales team for Amazon Web Services, charged with helping companies that range from fast-growing startups to large enterprises. He is an accomplished business leader with technology experience in enterprise and software sales. He has led large-scale and highly complex sales organizations and is a recognized expert in cloud technology, market opportunities, and customer care strategies, with an ability to lead and motivate teams. Geraffo, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from William Paterson, credits the institution with opening many doors for him, preparing him to enter the business world and giving him the Will.Power. to create and grow his dream technology career spanning three decades.
Withum is an advisory and accounting firm committed to helping clients be more profitable, efficient and productive in today's complex, fast-paced business environment. Founded in 1974 with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, the firm has additional office locations in major cities and financial centers across the country. Priding itself on leading with inclusion, trust and transparency, Withum supports William Paterson efforts to offer educational opportunities for all students in its very diverse community and strategically support first-generation students and underrepresented individuals in various fields of study. Withum funds scholarships for William Paterson accounting students and participates in professional networking activities for students through the University’s Career Development Center.
Levitan joined the faculty of William Paterson’s Department of Health Science in 1978, having previously taught as an adjunct. She spent 41 years working fulltime on the WP campus, witnessing her department’s evolution as its name and focus changed to community health and then public health. When she retired from William Paterson in 2019, Levitan was named professor emerita. She served as chair of her academic department from 1985 to 1991, and was also an active, affiliated faculty member of the Women’s and Gender Studies program. Levitan helped develop WP courses to address racism and sexism, and was also a long-term instructor of First-Year Seminar, now known as Will.Power. 101. Levitan served as an academic advisor for decades and remains passionate about the health and welfare of the University’s students and the challenges they face. Upon her retirement, she made a significant donation to the University’s Pioneer Food Pantry and continues to be concerned with food insecurity among students.
Tickets for the gala begin at $425; tables of 10 can be purchased for $5,000.
The William Paterson University Foundation will follow the latest COVID-19 guidance for large events in place at the time of the event. All participants will receive information on safety guidelines, if any, prior to the event.
For ticket reservations, contact the office for special events at 973-720-2478 or visit wpunj.edu/legacy. Discounted tickets for current William Paterson faculty and staff members are available by selecting the faculty and staff ticket option.
William Paterson University
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
973-720-2000
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