LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Carmi Rapport upon the occasion of being
named Person of the Year by the Columbia County Association

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport has given not only of his time and energies but
also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and consequently has
been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Carmi Rapport
upon the occasion of being named Person of the Year by the Columbia
County Association, to be celebrated on Wednesday, May 2, 2012; and
WHEREAS, After decades of membership in the Columbia County Associ-
ation, Carmi Rapport was chosen for this most auspicious honor for a
lifetime of contribution to his community; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport was born in the Bronx to Albert and Marlene
Rapport; Albert Rapport immigrated to the United States from present-day
Israel to study engineering but became a real estate lawyer, practicing
in Hudson, New York; and
WHEREAS, As a child, Carmi Rapport moved back and forth between Hudson
and Great Barrington, Massachusetts, eventually graduating from Serles
High School in 1949; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport graduated from Yale University in 1953 with a
bachelor's degree in political science; and
WHEREAS, A member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC),
Carmi Rapport entered the Army upon graduating and served in South Korea
as an officer in the Korean Civil Assistance Command for two years; and
WHEREAS, When Carmi Rapport returned to the United States, he earned
his law degree from Columbia Law School and joined his father's law firm
in Hudson, and their partner Thomas Kennedy; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport started doing personal injury trial work and
eventually dabbled in most fields; and
WHEREAS, After his father's death in the 1970s, Carmi Rapport rebuilt
the firm with Victor Meyers, Thomas Griffin and Carl Whitbeck; and
WHEREAS, The firm, now known as Rapport Meyers LLP, has a team of
about a dozen lawyers; Carmi Rapport retains the title of senior coun-
sel; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport has also worked in radio, once working on a
local channel to focus on social issues; he presently sits on the Execu-
tive Committee of WAMC Radio; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport has been called upon to contribute his time and
talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always given
of himself unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, Amongst Carmi Rapport's proudest accomplishments is helping
to establish the Alice and Murray Giddings Scholarship, a fund which
offers high school students college scholarships; and
WHEREAS, Carmi Rapport helped build the current synagogue of the
conservative Jewish Congregation Anshe Emeth, on Joslen Boulevard in
Greenport, as the general contractor, working closely with former presi-
dent Morton Ginsberg; and
WHEREAS, Moreover, Carmi Rapport was the first attorney for the local
housing authority which built Bliss Towers in Hudson, New York; and
WHEREAS, A valued and involved member of his community, Carmi Rapport
has been chairman of the Columbia County Bar Association, chairman and
longtime trustee on the Columbia Memorial Hospital board, president of
the local chapter of the Lion's Club, trustee of the Columbia-Greene
Community College board of directors, Hudson Junior Chamber of Commerce

Man of the Year and a trustee and former chairman of the Taconic Commu-
nity Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of his community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Carmi Rapport has stood constant in
dignity, good grace and humor; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife of 55 years, Marilyn,
and their three children, Daniel, Sara and Seth, all of whom feel privi-
leged to be a part of his life and rejoice in his achievements; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which Carmi Rapport has displayed through-
out his life; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Carmi Rapport upon the occasion of being named Person of the Year
by the Columbia County Association; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Carmi Rapport.