Contact: Colleen Roche or Kim Serafin (212) 788-2958
As President and CEO, Mr. Raab will oversee the construction, modernization, rehabilitation and design of the New York Ctiy public schools. The School Construction Authority is an independent Authority created by the State Legislature in 1988.
"Martin Raab is an excellent and uniquely qualified choice to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the School Construction Authority," said Mayor Giuliani. "He brings to the SCA exceptional private sector experience in architecture and design as a senior partner and consultant to one of the City's top architecture/engineering firms. His public sector service is equally impressive -- having served as an advisor to the Mayor's Construction Industry in the 1970's and as a member of my transition team in the Construction and Privatization areas. Someone with his stellar and vast industry record will no doubt serve our city extremely well."
Mr. Raab said of his appointment, "The educational system in the City of New York is the jewel in New York's crown. My job will be to repair it when necessary, polish it and build anew for its needs. In doing so, I expect to make the School Construction Authority the premier public design construction agency in the country."
Chancellor Crew said "Mr. Raab brings to our school systems a wealth of knowledge, experience and professionalism. His proven ability to get the job done will serve our public school children well. I welcome Martin as a key member of our education team.
"Martin Raab is an exceptional person and highly successful business executive," said School Construction Authority Chairman Howard Wilson. "He was most recently in charge of the largest architectural/engineering firm in the City, where he had to oversee the completion of hundreds of design and construction projects at a time. He will bring the best of the private sector's systems, procedures and techniques to this public construction agency. This is the first of many changes that will be made in both personnel and operations to ensure that the school construction program performs at maximum effectiveness."
Mr. Raab currently serves as the Senior Consultant at HLW International LLP Architects Engineers and Planners where he has worked since 1957, and served as partner since 1973. He also served as Senior Managing Partner from 1983 to 1993, overseeing and coordinating major design and construction projects at such location as the Manhattan Family Courthouse, Brooklyn Federal Courthouse, World Financial Center, Metrotech Brooklyn and Manhattan Community College, as well as major research facilities for corporations including Schering Plough, Pfizer, US Surgical, General Electric, Bayer, Lederle Laboratories and Exxon.
Mr. Raab served as Chief Operating Officer of the Design Build Division of the HLW International LLP Services Corporation from 1994-96 where he headed projects for the Empire State Development Corporation, Greenpoint Savings Bank Headquarters and Operations Center and the Dialysis Center of the Lutheran Medical Center. He served on the New York Chapter American Institute of Architects (NYCAIA) as Director in 1978-80, and 1985-87, as Vice-President in 1988 and as President in 1989. In 1980, representing NYCAIA, he worked with the City to write both Public Law No. 5 on Building Fire Protection and Public Law No. 10 on exterior wall safety inspections.
He has also served on the AIA Long Island Chapter Design Awards Jury, the American Institute of Architects Large Firm Round Table and the AIA Benefit Insurance Trust, and the New York Building Congress.
In addition to his distinguished career in the private sector, Mr. Raab has held positions in the public sector, including Chairman of the Special Theatre District Evaluation Task Force at the New York City Landmarks Commission in 1989; Village Architect, Chairman of the Planning Commission; Deputy Commissioner of Public Works and President of the Civic Association for the Village of Great Neck Estates on Long Island. Mr. Raab has taught and lectured at Columbia University, Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Born in Brooklyn in 1932, Martin Raab resides in Manhattan with his wife of 40 years, Gail Leff Raab, a painter. He has two children, Jonathan D. Raab, Ph. D., a consultant in Environmental Dispute Resolution and Nina S. Fox, a Graphic Design Consultant.