Hooshang Nematzadeh wears many hats on the Great Neck Peninsula. He is the president of the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce, a residential developer and a member of the Kings Point Planning Board. As of Sept. 12, he has had another responsibility – Kings Point trustee.
Village of Kings Point Mayor Michael Kalnick appointed Nematzadeh with board of trustees approval after the resignation of trustee Peter Aron – a development Nematzadeh said he did not anticipate.
“I didn’t expect it,” he said. “I was really humbled by it.”
Aron resigned to spend more time with his family, according to a press release from the village.
“Peter recently discussed his decision to close this chapter of his long history of dedicated public service,” said Kalnick in the press release. “Thankfully, this allowed us some time to consider a replacement who would serve the residents of Kings Point with the same commitment and level of professionalism.
“We welcome Hooshang Nematzadeh as our new trustee and applaud his desire to serve the community in this capacity,” Kalnick said in a second press statement. “Hooshang’s history of service to our village as a member of our planning board as well as his commitment to the entire Great Neck peninsula as president of the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce show his dedication to public service.”
Aron will continue to serve as chairman of the village’s planning board, according to the press release.
Nematzadeh, who said that he has lived in Kings Point for a decade, has developed residential properties in Kings Point’s surrounding villages, but not Kings Point itself.
“I have gone before boards in the Village of Great Neck and the Village of Great Neck Plaza,” he said. “They want to safeguard the best interest of the villages.”
For Nematzadeh, that best interest means maintaining high quality of life while avoiding tax increases
“My priority No. 1 is to provide the same services that Kings Point is famous for to the residents of Kings Point… at the rate that we can maintain the taxes as they are,” he said.
Nematzadeh has experience on the other side of the table.
He presented plans for a 45-unit apartment and retail building to the Great Neck Plaza board of trustees last week. But he said he keeps his business outside his home village.
“As a developer, of course, I never had an application before any board in Kings Point. I don’t develop single-family homes in Kings Point,” he said.
As president of the Chamber, planning board member, businessman, and executive vice president of the Iranian-American Jewish Federation of New York, Nematzadeh has a lot on his plate. He said he is motivated by a sense of public service.
“I do the best I can for my community.”
