User:Droseh/Bob Zuckerman

Bob Zuckerman is a LGBT rights advocate, progressive reformer and former small business owner who has advocated for the cleaning of the Gowanus Canal through environmentally sound strategies, and the creation of new parks along the waterfront. He is presently on leave as the Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation and Gowanus Canal Conservancy.

Bob is currently a Democratic candidate for the 39th New York City Council District, covering Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, and Borough Park. He is vying to become the first openly gay legislator from Brooklyn.

Career
Bob Zuckerman has served as the executive director of the the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation (GCCDC) and the Gowanus Canal Conservancy for over two years, and is currently on leave in order to run full-time for City Council. Prior to running the GCCDC and GCC, Bob served for two years as the Executive Director of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Zuckerman has served as the Executive Director of the New York Nightlife Association, a trade association representing the hospitality industry. In 1999, he founded eShow, the first public consumer exposition showcasing technology and the Internet, which attracted 7,000 attendees and dozens of sponsors and exhibitors.

Advocacy
While at the GCCDC, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the Gowanus Canal area in Brooklyn, Bob has encouraged smart development along the Gowanus Canal corridor as well as helped area residents to access affordable housing. The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved $300,000 in federal money for the development of a “Sponge Park” esplanade along the Gowanus Canal, a project Bob first spearheaded while at the Gowanus Canal Conservancy. Bob has also been a critic of the proposed Atlantic Yards project.

Bob has been a strong proponent of LGBT issues. He is a former board member of Lambda Independent Democrats and a member of Stonewall Democrats. Bob led the organization of Brooklyn’s recent marriage equality rally and is a committee member of the Brooklyn Community Pride Center. As Director of the Greenvich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, he formed an committee that would organize a job fair called “Out to Work: the LGBT Career Fair.”

In the fall of 2008, Bob organized a group of City Council candidates to oppose the extension of term limits for the Council. He testified before the Council, arguing that term limits need to be enforced in order to keep elected officials accountable and government transparent.

Civic Engagement
Bob currently serves as Chair of the Environmental Protection Committee of Brooklyn Community Board 6. He served last year as President of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND), a Democratic club based in Carroll Gardens. From 2000-2003, Bob served as the President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York (SDCNY). He has co-chaired its Board of Governors since 2005 and served on the Board of Directors of the National Stonewall Democrats since 2007.

Education
Bob holds a Juris Doctorate from American University and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Emory University.

Family
Bob lives in Carroll Gardens with his partner of twelve years, Grant Neumann, and their two cats, Ozzie and Willie.