LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Burt Danovitz, Ph.D. upon the occasion
of his retirement as Executive Director/CEO of The Resource Center for
Independent Living after 30 years of distinguished leadership and
service on June 20, 2013

WHEREAS, Individuals and organizations devoted to improving the quality
of life for others, enabling them to build lives of dignity and self-
worth are deserving of the highest praise and recognition; and
WHEREAS, Burt Danovitz 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 commend Burt Dano-
vitz, Ph.D. upon the occasion of his retirement as Executive Director
and CEO of The Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) after 30
years of distinguished leadership and service, to be celebrated with a
party on Thursday, June 20, 2013, at The Dorothy Smith Center of the
RCIL, Utica, New York; and
WHEREAS, After receiving his Bachelor of Social Work degree from
Temple University, and his Master of Arts degree in Blind Rehabilitation
from Western Michigan University, Burt Danovitz lived and worked in
Maine for several years; and
WHEREAS, Burt Danovitz continued his education, and received his Ph.D.
in Counseling and Educational Psychology, specializing in Rehabili-
tation, from Michigan State University in 1980, before moving to Upstate
New York; and
WHEREAS, Since 1983, Burt Danovitz has utilized his experience,
skills, integrity and passion to lead The Resource Center for Independ-
ent Living; he has worked in several different capacities, including
overall administrator of the agency, directing a staff of 1400 individ-
uals to provide a full range of independent living and rehabilitation
services; and
WHEREAS, With a strong dedication and commitment to disability rights
and a world of equality, Burt Danovitz established client assistance
programs, and specialized programs for persons with traumatic brain
injuries, cognitive disabilities, and the disabled elderly, as well as
interpreter services and substance abuse programs; in addition, he over-
saw the Public Policy arm of the organization; and
WHEREAS, An active member of the community, Burt Danovitz has served
on the Board of Directors for several organizations, some of which
include the Central New York Arts Council, Communities That Care, Great-
er Utica United Way, Planned Parenthood of the Mohawk Valley, Hospice,
and Parent Advocates for the Developmentally Disabled; and
WHEREAS, During his professional career, Burt Danovitz has been a
frequent presenter, speaker, and workshop facilitator at local, state,
and national conferences, on subjects such as, Medicaid, The Americans
with Disabilities Act, Moving Toward Integrated Employment, Voting
Rights for Persons with Disabilities, and the Need for a National Policy
on Assistive Technology; and
WHEREAS, Although he is retiring, Burt Danovitz will remain active in
the realm of advocacy and public policy change for human rights; and
WHEREAS, The quality and character of life in this Nation, and in the
great State of New York, is reflective of the purposeful lives and good
works of those civic-minded community members who dedicate their lives
and career to the service of others; 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
the Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Burt Danovitz, Ph.D. upon the occasion of his retirement as
Executive Director/CEO of The Resource Center for Independent Living
after 30 years of distinguished leadership and service on June 20, 2013;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Burt Danovitz, Ph.D.