March 01, 2007 

NYIT Board of Trustees Names Vice Chairperson

Old Westbury, N.Y., March 1, 2007: New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) has announced the election of Bharat B. Bhatt of New York, N.Y., to vice chairperson of its Board of Trustees for a three-year term.

Bhatt joined the board in May 2005 and is a member of its Executive Committee and Program and Personnel Committee. He has been particularly instrumental in the recruitment of students from India to NYIT’s New York campuses. In addition, he has contributed to programs that help acclimate students to collegiate life.

“Bharat has demonstrated a significant level of support and insight during his tenure on the board, and I look forward to working with him in his new leadership role,” said NYIT Board of Trustees Chairperson Linda Davila (B.S. ’78).

Bhatt served as president and chief operating officer of GreenPoint Financial Corporation from 1997 until its acquisition by North Fork Bancorporation in October 2004. He was one of the architects of the aggressive strategy that transformed GreenPoint from a transaction-oriented thrift to a full-service retail bank. Prior to joining GreenPoint in 1995 as vice chairman, Bhatt was chief financial officer of Shawmut National Corporation, one of the largest commercial banks in the northeast. He joined Shawmut in 1992 after serving as senior vice president, risk management at Mellon Bank.

A native of India, Bhatt holds degrees in commerce and law from the University of Bombay. He also is a chartered accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. In 2000, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Among his numerous community and philanthropic activities, Bhatt serves as a national trustee for the Association of Indians in America.

About NYIT

NYIT is the college of choice for more than 14,000 students enrolled in more than 100 specialized courses of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in academic areas such as architecture and design; arts and sciences; education and professional services; engineering and technology; extended education; health professions, behavioral and life sciences; management; and osteopathic medicine. As a private, nonprofit, independent institution of higher learning, NYIT embraces an educational philosophy of career-oriented professional education for all qualified students and supports applications-oriented research to benefit the greater global community. Students attend classes at NYIT’s campuses in Manhattan and Long Island, as well as online and in a number of programs throughout the world. To date, more than 69,000 alumni have earned degrees at NYIT. For more information, visit www.nyit.edu.

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