September 6 , 2007

WEITZMAN APPOINTS VIVIANNE HERNANDEZ TO
COMPTROLLER’S AUDIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Vivianne Hernandez and Comptroller Howard Weitzman

Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman has appointed Vivianne Hernandez of Manhasset to his Audit Advisory Committee.

“Vivianne has over 25 years of professional experience in the financial services industry and will be a great asset to the Audit Advisory Committee,” Comptroller Weitzman said.  “Her extensive senior management experience coupled with her financial and operations expertise assures taxpayers that the committee will continue to provide valuable financial advice to the county and help protect the taxpayers,” said Comptroller Weitzman. 

Ms. Hernandez replaces Dr. Ralph Polimeni, former chairman of the committee, who stepped down after four years of dedicated service.  The new chairman is Robert Wild, Chairman and Managing Partner of Garfunkel, Wild & Travis, P.C.

Ms. Hernandez was a Partner with Strategic Value Partners LLC, a high yield and distressed debt global hedge fund management firm with over $3.5 billion in assets under management for the last four years.  She was one of the five founding equity partners responsible for operations and administration.

Ms. Hernandez is a graduate of the State University of New York where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.  She currently resides in Manhasset, NY with her husband and two children.

The seven-member Audit Committee is one of a handful of such committees of independent experts from the community that provide outside financial advice and oversight to counties in New York State.  Comptroller Weitzman established the committee in 2003 to be similar to the private sector audit committees required under the federal Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  The Committee consists of five volunteer experts and two government officials.   The Comptroller and a director from the county’s external audit firm, Deloitte & Touche, also attend each meeting.  Service on the committee is pro-bono.

Besides Ms. Hernandez, the other members of the Audit Committee are:
H. Richard Grafer, Managing Member of Pathway Investments, LLC; Lee E. Launer, retired partner of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (Joined Committee October 5, 2006); Terence Smolev, (Committee Vice Chairman), Partner, Forchelli, Curto, Schwartz, Mineo, Carlino & Cohen LLP; Robert A. Wild, Chairman and Managing Partner, Garfunkel, Wild & Travis, P.C.; Ana Sousa: Deputy Director of Management Initiatives, Nassau County Office of Management and Budget, serving as designee of the County Executive, (joined Committee October 5, 2006) and Aline Khatchadourian, Nassau County’s Deputy Comptroller for Audit and Special Projects, serving as designee of the Comptroller, (joined Committee July 13, 2006).