LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Assistant Commissioner for Community
Relations Edward J. Lewis upon the occasion of his retirement from the
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body seeks to acknowledge those individuals
whose professional lives and civic endeavors serve to enhance the stat-
ure of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Edward Lewis has rendered faithful, conscientious and valu-
able service to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation;
and
WHEREAS, In his capacity as Assistant Commissioner for Community
Relations, Edward Lewis served with loyalty, honor and distinction; and
WHEREAS, Edward Lewis supervises and facilitates the securing of
grants and funding for parks and park property; in the past four years,
working with other Parkies, he successfully obtained over $30 Million in
funding and also served as the Director of African American & Caribbean
Affairs in the David Dinkins Administration; and
WHEREAS, As an entrepreneur, Edward Lewis was the President of Lewis &
Associates, a business consulting and labor relations company providing
marketing, training and business counseling services to small businesses
and construction companies; for ten years, he was the President/CEO of
GMS Printing & Marketing, Inc., servicing Fortune 500 companies; from
1961 to 1967, Edward Lewis was a New York City Fireman and Fire Marshal;
he was awarded the Probationary Fireman of the Year Award; and
WHEREAS, A community activist and trade unionist, Edward Lewis was the
first P.T.A. President of P.S. 80Q and still serves as an advisor and
participates in the reading program for the students; he is a former
Civic Association President, delegate to the New York Central Labor
Council and Chairman of the Labor & Industry Committee of the Jamaica
Branch NAACP; and
WHEREAS, Edward Lewis was the Executive Assistant to the President and
Director of Organizing with Local 144 SEIU and an International Repre-
sentative with the United Paper Workers International Union; he is a
Registered Agent with the New York State Department of Labor where he
represents claimants seeking unemployment entitlements; and
WHEREAS, Edward Lewis is a native New Yorker and a resident of South-
east Queens; he attended public schools of New York City, Oswego State
University and is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Indus-
trial and Labor Relations; he is a widower with three children and eight
beautiful grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Lewis has received the 1995 Volunteer of the Year Award
from NEWSDAY, the Man of the Year Award from Omega Psi Phi, the Queens
Borough President's Appreciation Award, the Jamaica Branch NAACP Excel-
lence Award and numerous other awards for his service to the community
and volunteer activity; and
WHEREAS, In his official acts, Edward Lewis was governed by a keen
sense of duty and always showed a unique grasp of human problems; and
WHEREAS, During his tenure at the New York City Department of Parks
and Recreation, Edward Lewis earned the admiration, esteem and affection
of his colleagues; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Assistant Commissioner for Community Relations Edward J. Lewis
upon the occasion of his retirement from the New York City Department of
Parks and Recreation; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Edward J. Lewis.