FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 31, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 17
MetroHealth Plus launches campaign to reach
Asian New Yorkers without health insurance
BY QNS STAFF
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Medical insurer MetroPlus Health partnered
with a handful of local artists and
creators to create a social media campaign
reaching out to Asian-American
New Yorkers in need of health insurance
coverage this week.
Th e campaign, called #MetroPlusYou,
will feature content about the impact of
the pandemic on Asian New Yorkers’
personal and professional lives and how
they’ve stayed healthy and optimistic during
the grim year.
“MetroPlus Health is honored to partner
with an incredible group of leaders
to assist the Asian-American community
during such a critical time,” said
Talya Schwartz, MD, president and CEO,
MetroPlusHealth. “Th rough this campaign,
we’re hoping to reach New Yorkers
who may be facing the loss of their healthcare
coverage for the fi rst time and don’t
know where to turn. Our team has the
experience, resources and language capabilities
to serve the diverse needs of this
community.”
Creators of the campaign include
Broadway star Telly Leung, Buzzfeed
Producer Inga Lam, YouTuber ActionKid,
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory owner
Christina Seid, actress Celia Au, journalist
and podcast host May Lee and musician
Rianjali.
Th e motivation behind the campaign is
the high rate of unemployment amongst
Asian New Yorkers – no other group has
seen such a high increase in unemployment
in New York City as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
For many in the United States, health
insurance is tied to employment. As such,
many New Yorkers have gone without
health coverage during the global health
crisis.
MetroPlus Health off ers a range of no-
or low-cost health plans for members and
enrollment is open year round. Its plans
cover primary care, specialist services,
dental, vision, pharmacy, maternity care,
urgent care, hospitalization, emergency
services and free 24/7 telehealth.
For more information about
MetroPlusHealth or to apply for health
insurance, call 855-809-4073 or visit
www.metroplus.org. Photo courtesy of MetroPlus Health
New York Community Bank appoints new president and CEO
BY QNS STAFF
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
New York Community Bank
will enter the new year with a
new president and chief executive
offi cer at its helm.
Th omas R. Cangemi, who
previously served as the bank’s
senior executive vice president
and chief fi nancial offi cer, was
promoted to president and CEO
of both the bank and its parent
company, New York Community
Bancorp, Inc., eff ective Dec. 31.
Additionally, the Oyster Bay
executive will become the director
of both boards.
Cangemi, who joined the
company in 2001 as part of a
merger with Richmond County
Financial Corp., will replace
Joseph R. Ficalora, who will
retire from his post at the end
of the year.
Ficalora spent his entire career
with New York Community,
which is based in Westbury, and
its predecessor bank, Queens
County Savings Bank, seeing the
bank grow from less than $1 billion
in assets to $55 billion in
assets and 236 branches across
fi ve states today.
“I would like to thank the
Board and Joe for placing their
confi dence in me and I am
honored to become our next
President and CEO,” Cangemi
said. “It has been a privilege to
have worked with Joe for the
last 20 years and I am grateful
for all of his contributions
to the Company. NYCB would
not be the same organization we
know today without his vision
and leadership. He is retiring
having built one of the top banks
in the country.”
Cangemi was fi rst named
senior executive vice president
and CFO of New York
Community Bank in 2005. His
29 years of banking experience
fi rst began at KPMG LLP,
where he was a member of the
Financial Services Practice.
“Tom has been a valuable
member of NYCB’s senior executive
management team and
has played an important role
in the Company’s growth and
success. Having worked alongside
Joe, Tom knows the Bank
extremely well and has a wide
range of expertise and a demonstrated
ability to deliver strong
operating results,” said Michael
J. Levine, the presiding director
and chair of the Nominating
and Corporate Governance
Committee. “Tom is held in
high-regard inside of the organization
and is well-respected
by Wall Street analysts and
the investment community. Th e
Board has the utmost confi dence
that he is the right person to
assume the CEO role and looks
forward to NYCB’s next chapter
under his leadership.”
Replacing Cangemi as the
bank’s CFO and executive vice
president will be John J. Pinto,
who has been with the company
for 20 years. Most recently,
Pinto served as the banks
chief accounting offi cer and
executive vice president. Pinto,
like Cangemi, joined the company
during its merger with
Richmond County Financial
Corp.
“John’s appointment as our
new Chief Financial Offi cer is
well deserved,” Cangemi said.
“John and I have worked closely
together for 22 years, and he
has been an integral part of our
management team at NYCB
since day one. I believe that he
will do a fantastic job as our new
CFO and I look forward to his
continued contributions in his
new role.”
New York Community
Bancorp, Inc., has reported
assets of $54.9 billion, loans of
$42.9 billion, deposits of $31.7
billion and stockholders’ equity
of $6.7 billion. Th e company
operates 236 branches through
eight local divisions including
Queens County Savings Bank,
Roslyn Savings Bank, Richmond
County Savings Bank, Roosevelt
Savings Bank, Atlantic Bank,
Garden State Community Bank,
Ohio Savings Bank and AmTrust
Bank.
Thomas R. Cangemi (l.) and Joseph Ficalora (r.)
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