LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending James Celestine, Jr. upon the occasion
of his designation as recipient of the 2013 Capital District YMCA Presi-
dent's Award on April 23, 2013

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in acknowledging
esteemed citizens of the State who have distinguished themselves in
their community; and
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, James Celestine, Jr. has given not only of his time and ener-
gies but also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and conse-
quently has been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend James Celes-
tine, Jr. upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the 2013
Capital District YMCA President's Award; the award will be presented at
the Annual President's Award Dinner to be held at the Albany Marriott on
Tuesday, April 23, 2013; and
WHEREAS, The President's Award is a tribute to recipients from each of
the branch service areas of the Capital District YMCA, honoring the
individual for outstanding volunteer service to both the association and
the community; and
WHEREAS, Since 2003, James Celestine, Jr. has been a volunteer with
the YMCA; currently, he serves as chair of the Black and Latino Achiev-
ers Alumni Committee and chair of the Albany Board of Managers; and
WHEREAS, James Celestine, Jr. has found great pride in mentoring the
youth of the Capital District; he has also worked to develop a 'Wall
Street' tour in partnership with the Capital District YMCA's Black and
Latino Achievers program; and
WHEREAS, This vital program has afforded many young students from
upstate New York such opportunities as walking on the floors of the New
York Stock Exchange, meeting the principals of Wall Street's largest
minority and women-owned investment firms and attending college tours of
Columbia and New York University; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his work with the YMCA, James Celestine, Jr.
is an active member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Albany, New York,
where he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, James Celestine, Jr. is also an adult mentor for Albany High
School's Black Child Development Institute (BCDI); he is a founding
board member of the Eximius Charter School in Schenectady, New York; and
is a member of the North Albany Neighborhood Association; and
WHEREAS, James Celestine, Jr. serves as a Senior Investment Officer
for the New York State Common Retirement Fund / Office of the New York
State Comptroller; and
WHEREAS, As a portfolio manager and trader, James Celestine, Jr. is
responsible for investing the pensions of over one million state work-
ers; and
WHEREAS, When he mentors students, James Celestine, Jr. always reminds
them that anything is possible; he lets them know that he went from
working as a security guard making less than minimum wage to managing
over 40 billion dollars in securities; and
WHEREAS, James Celestine, Jr. has been recognized as one of the YMCA's
Black and Latino Adult Achievers, The Business Review's 40 under Forty,
and the National Association of Securities Professional's Statesmen of
the Year Award; and

WHEREAS, James Celestine, Jr. grew up in Queens, New York, and
attended Andrew Jackson High School; he earned both an M.A. and a B.S.
in economics from the State University of New York at Albany; and
WHEREAS, James Celestine, Jr. 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, Throughout the entire period of his community service, a
period of constructive involvement, James Celestine, Jr. has stood
constant in dignity, good grace and humor; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which James Celestine, Jr. has displayed
throughout his life; he has exhibited the true spirit of this esteemed
award through his tireless dedication to the YMCA and his community;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend James Celestine, Jr. upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of the 2013 Capital District YMCA President's Award on April
23, 2013; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to James Celestine, Jr.