NIA recognizes some of Brooklyn’s best

Some of Brooklyn’s best and brightest were honored at theNeighborhood Improvement Association’s (NIA) 30th Anniversary GalaCommunity Recognition Awards Dinner held at Gargiulo’s Restaurantin Coney Island on Thursday, September 22.

The honorees were Michael Bove, president of the NIA CommunityServices Network and secretary and treasurer of Local 831 of theUniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, who received the FoundersAward/Man of the Year Award; Zoe Koutsoupakis, senior vicepresident of Marathon Bank, who was named Woman of the Year at theevent; Inspector Philip Van Gostein, counter-terrorism coordinator,NYPD Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, who received the award forExemplary Leadership in Public Service and Law Enforcement; BrendaChampion, principal of Intermediate School 227, who received theEducational Leadership Award; Marcia Garcia, a social worker atPublic School 503, who received the Community Service Award; andGeorge and Dino Procovas, proprietor entrepreneurs for 13th AvenueFlorist, who received the Business Achievement Award.

Harry Nespoli, President of Local 831 of the UniformedSanitationmen’s Association, International Brotherhood of Teamstersand Chairman of the Municipal Labor Committee, was the honorarychair.

It’s a great honor to be recognized by such a wonderfulorganization that for the last 30 years has had the mission to helpand support senior groups, youth groups and the community ingeneral — which is also my mission in life, Koutsoupakissaid.

In addition to thanking the organizers for the great honor,Koutsoupakis expressed solidarity with the organization thathonored her.

I have dedicated my life to community service and I pledge tosupport the NIA in their future endeavors, she said.