When Frank De Mita and his wife Lois left the Borough of Queens in 1958 to live in the County of Nassau, little did they realize that this would be the beginning of years of involvement with a myriad of organizations that would affect the lives of thousands upon thousands of people. Frank and Lois, married for 50 years, are the parents of two sons, Frank Jr. (an attorney and archeologist/anthropologist and after attending Oxford University is currently on the staff of BBC World News) and Michael with a degree in communications is a Director of Cinematography for Film and Television and winner of two Emmy Awards, and one grandson, Ryan.

De Mita has a talent to put people at ease instantly and encourage them to succeed through his ability to lead. More importantly, De Mita is a giver---whether it is participating in board meetings of non-profit organizations or actively supporting fundraising events. He is quick to say “What’s important in life is the principle that I have lived by and that is giving back to the community by helping those less fortunate or in need of assistance.”

This is evidenced by over fifty years of community service and achievement that included: PTA Scholarship Chairman, Founding President of a Civic Organization, Chairman of the three local hospitals fund drive sponsored by the service clubs of Valley Stream, Past President of the Valley Stream Lions Club, Formed the Lions Leo Club at Central High School, Chairman Nassau Lions Club International Youth Exchange Program, Created the Valley Stream Lions Scholarship Program, Created the Nassau Educators Scholarship Program, Introduced the BOCES Special Education Work Support Scholarship Program, Served on various village committees such as Senior Housing, Multiple Dwelling, the mayor’s Budget Committee, and Chairman of the V.S. Historical Restoration Finance Committee. Since 1984, De Mita has been an active supporter of WLIW-21 having served on various committees and through NEFCU’s financial underwriting of programs.

Frank joined the Valley Stream Teachers Federal Credit Union (now called the Nassau Educators FCU) in 1954 when their assets were only $250,000. He was elected to the NEFCU Board in 1967 and became President/Chairman in 1971. During his tenure, assets grew from $10 million to over $750 million. They have a staff of 250 and a membership of 90,000. NEFCU has five branches (Valley Stream, Syosset, C.W. Post College, Massapequa and Westbury). The new 50,000 square foot headquarters is located in Westbury and in the area of the Nassau Hub.

Frank serves on the Board of Directors for the following organizations: Friends of the Arts, Valley Stream Lions Club, Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce, Nassau Educators FCU (retired 2005 and appointed Chairman Emeritus), the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (retired 2004), the Central High School Teachers Center, and the National Federation of Italian American Societies. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Councils of PBS-TV Channel 21 (retired 2002) and the Nassau BOCES Business Advisory Committee for Special Education, and as a member of the Franklin Hospital Medical Center Board of Trustees, he was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the North Shore-LIJ Health System that includes 18 hospitals and over 32,000 employees.

One of De Mita’s most memorable meetings occurred when as a Director of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions he met with the Federal Reserve Board in Washington and had an opportunity to meet and speak to Chairman Alan Greenspan on the national economy and its effect on credit unions.

A broad smile always comes to his face when he recalls the many “fringe benefits” of belonging to such organizations. For instance, both he and Lois have had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Brightman, Andrea Bocelli, the Three Irish Tenors, Andre Watts, Judy Collins, Maureen McGovern, Bill Cosby, Yogi Berra and many other celebrities at social functions. But perhaps his fondest memory is the occasion when he and his wife were interviewed and appeared in the 1996 WLIW PBS VHS taping and airing of the The Great Love Songs starring Betty White and featuring Jack Jones, Cleo Laine, Maureen McGovern, John Raitt, Dionne Warwick, Margaret Whiting and Skitch Henderson. In fact, their 1957 wedding “smooch” photo appears on the cover of the videocassette.

Awards he has received include: 1981 National Association of Federal Credit Unions Director of the Year, 1989 Credit Union Executives Society Director of the Year, 1982 Congressional Citation for Community Service, 1996 the WLIW-21 PBS-TV Award in Excellence for Community Service, the Nassau County Special Olympics Honoree in 1999, the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year in 1998, the 1999 Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce Businessman of the Year, and recently received International Lions Clubs highest recognition, a Melvin Jones Fellow. In 2002, he received the Humanitarian Award from the National Federation of Italian-American Societies. In addition, De Mita is listed in Who’s Who in America. A proclamation Honoring Frank De Mita as read by Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (4th CD, NY) into the Congressional Records on June 2, 2004 and in 2005 a Congressional Citation for Credit Union and Community Service. However, he is quick to add, “all of this would not have been possible without the support and dedication of others who were always there to help me especially my wife Lois and two sons Frank Jr. and Michael.”

Frank, a U.S. Army veteran, retired from two careers, Valley Stream Central High School Mathematics Chairman, and CUNY College Professor of Mathematics, while assuming the leadership of the Nassau Educators Federal Credit Union for 31 years. In 1998, he was elected nationally to the Board of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions in Washington, DC and re-elected in 2001. De Mita earned his B.S. and M.A. at New York University and a Financial Management certificate from Cornell University.

He is grateful for all that has come his way and has a personal goal to help improve the quality of life for the less fortunate. For relaxation, he loves spending hours on the Internet, playing golf and going to the theater and fine restaurants with his wife Lois.