On Friday, March 4, Michael Hanley, Managing Partner and Founder of Merl & Hanley, LLP, an accounting firm in Smithtown, will accept the award as Kings Park’s 2010 Person of the Year. The award is being given by the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency located at 1717 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge. Tickets to attend the event cost $95.00. The cocktail hour starts at 6:30pm followed by dinner and dancing at 7:30pm.
“Looking back at some of the past honorees that have received this award such as Senator John Flanagan, Town Supervisor Pat Vecchio, Councilman Ed Wehrheim, Larry Flynn, Tony Tanzi, Deanna Varricchio, Leo Ostebo, the Kings Park Fire Department, and Golf Pro Mike Hebron who have dedicated themselves to the Kings Park community for decades, I feel very humbled to have been selected this early in my life and it makes me want to work that much harder to make Kings Park an even better place in years to come, explains Hanley. I know that I have made a significant impact on the Kings Park community over the past several years, but I figured I would need to put in another 10+ years of community service before ever being considered for such an honor.
Since founding his own accounting firm and moving to Kings Park in 2004, Hanley has made a tremendous impact on the Kings Park community. For the past several years he has served on the Board of Directors for the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce. He is the founding member and current President of the Irish Business Network (an organization with strong roots in the Kings Park community) and is the current President of the Smithtown-Kings Park Ancient Order of Hibernians. Hanley is also one of the founding members of the Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Organization, an association responsible for bringing the first St. Patrick’s Day parade to the town of Kings Park.
In addition, Hanley is involved with many fundraising activities within the Kings Park Community. Each year he hosts a toy drive to benefit technology dependent children. He also hosts a charity golf outing, clothing drive and a food drive to fill the St. Joseph’s Food Bank in Kings Park.
Hanley is a big believer in promoting a higher education for Kings Park students. Each year he awards scholarships to Kings Park High School Seniors planning to study business in college. In addition, two years ago, he resurrected the Kings Park Business Directory, which had been out of print since 1985. In doing so, Hanley helped to raise thousands of dollars for the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, allowing the Chamber to enhance its presence in the Kings Park community and offer additional scholarships to Kings Park students.
For more information on Michael Hanley and his firm Merl & Hanley, call (631) 360-CPAS or visit them on the web at www.merlandhanley.com. For more information on the awards dinner or to purchase tickets, call Dee Grasso at the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce at (631) 804-0443.
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A well deserved recognition of your efforts, Mike! Congratulations!
Hey Mike, congratulations! Just got the press release a little while ago. Way to go!