(Photo courtesy of Eric Ricioppo, NCVOA PIO)
At its annual meeting on June 28, the Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA) elected Ralph Ekstrand, mayor of the Village of Farmingdale, president for 2018-2019. The NCVOA represents 64 incorporated villages with more than 450,000 residents.
As president, Ekstrand will be responsible for establishing NCVOA policies and directing the organization’s efforts on behalf of Nassau County village residents.
“I am truly honored to be selected by my peers to serve as president,” said Ekstrand, who previously was the organization’s first vice president. “Village government is the government closest to the people—the most efficient and effective vehicle for delivering services to residents. The NCVOA plays an integral role in advocating for village residents and helping them maintain local control over their communities. I look forward to working with all village officials in ensuring we continue to be a strong voice for our residents in Nassau County and the State of New York.”
The Village of Farmingdale serves as an example of the “smart growth” development revitalizing well-established Long Island communities. During Ekstrand’s tenure and stewardship in implementing the village’s Master Plan, more than $100 million of new construction and economic activity has occurred. Downtown store vacancies are below 2 percent.
A graduate of St. John’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy, Ekstrand is a well-established local businessman celebrating his 35th year as supervising pharmacist and principal of Moby Drugs in the Village of Farmingdale. He is past president and current board member of the Farmingdale Rotary Club and Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce as well as a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Long Island Pharmaceutical Society, National Association of Community Pharmacies and the Pharmaceutical Society of the State of New York. He has served as a member of the Farmingdale Business Improvement District and the committee for the USGA/Chamber of Commerce for the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park.
An active member of the Farmingdale community, Ekstrand is an Eagle Scout who served 10 years as assistant cub master and cub master of Pack 57 and currently sits on the Eagle Scout Review Board for the Rough Rider District. He has been a member of the Bethpage Masonic Lodge for more than 25 years and is a member of the Farmingdale United Methodist Church, where he is past board chair and currently chairs the Finance Committee.
Ekstrand has received numerous honors and awards including the American Dreamer Award from the Center for Developmental Disabilities, Farmingdale Businessman of the Year, Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow, Corporate Leadership Award by the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island and the Farmingdale Republican Club Man of the Year. The Theodore Roosevelt Council BSA recently honored Ekstrand for his professional, civic and educational service to the Village of Farmingdale and youth of Nassau County.
The NCVOA looks forward to Ekstrand embracing his new role.
—Submitted by the Nassau County Village Officials Association
