IT’S AN HONOR — State Sen. Serphin
Maltese, honors PEF nurse Debbie Egel as a Woman of
Distinction. Egel’s parents, Enka and Arthur Egel
are at right.
Queens nurse example to others
PEF activist ‘Woman of Distinction’
By M.K. FOTTRELL
PEF Executive Board Member Deborah Egel was astonished to
learn she was a “Woman of Distinction.” Egel, a
nurse and the admissions coordinator at Creedmoor
Addiction Treatment Center in Queens, had no idea that
her father, Arthur Egel, had even nominated her for the
distinction.
“He calls me up,” Egel laughs, “and says,
‘Guess what we did.’ ”
Egel’s dad sent the nomination for the Women of
Distinction award — which honors exemplary women
from Queens and New York state — to state Sen.
Serphin R. Maltese in March.
At first, Egel says, he had no doubt his daughter would
win. “But as time passed with no word,” he
says, “we began to fear our daughter had not
won.” Several months later, a call from the
senator’s office elated him.
“Sen. Maltese was proud to honor Ms. Egel,”
says Victoria Vattimo, Maltese’s chief of staff,
“for her dedication to the nursing profession and
her selfless work on behalf of her patients. She sets a
special example to others and is someone who makes our
communities better through her invaluable
contribution.”
The Women of Distinction award honors women who
contribute to their local community or excel in their
chosen field.
Egel does both. The newly-elected PEF Executive Board
member is treasurer and a steward of PEF Division 326 at
Creedmoor ATC, and she chairs the joint labor-management
committee.
In December 1999, she won the Nursing Association’s
Beacon Award for her outstanding contribution to nursing.
In addition to her tasks as admissions coordinator, she
counsels clients and arranges educational programs. Egel
also co-wrote a workbook for the center’s clients.
“It’s being used statewide now,” she says
nonchalantly. “That’s nice.”
Although Egel was honored to receive the award from Sen.
Maltese, she has no problem describing its real value to
her.
“More important than getting the award,” she
confides, “was the fact that my father was so proud
of me.”
US
Treasury Sec. taps PEF member for IRS advisory panel
By SHERRY HALBROOK
It never hurts to have friends in high places. And if you
are a taxpayer, you have a friend. Her name is Mercedes
Cintron.
A PEF member in Region 12 on Long Island, Cintron has
received numerous recognitions from her employer, the
state Department of Taxation and Finance, as well as
state legislators and others for her outstanding efforts
as a community relations and outreach manager.
In March, however, Cintron received national recognition
when she was appointed by U.S. Treasury Secretary
Lawrence Summers to the Citizen Advisory Panel (CAP)
charged with helping the Internal Revenue Service improve
its services to federal taxpayers.
Cintron now serves on a volunteer panel advising the IRS
on its service throughout Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and
Kings counties — one of four such panels nationwide
in a pilot program aimed at making the national tax
agency more user friendly.
“It’s exciting to be part of this new panel,
established in March 1999,” Cintron says. “So
far, I’m the only sitting panel member who’s
working to improve tax services on both the state and
national levels. It’s a wonderful new opportunity
for me to help my community.”
The panel’s meetings are open to the public. To
learn more about the panel or suggest ways to improve IRS
service, call 1-888-912-1227 from Long Island, Queens or
Brooklyn or call 718-488-3555 from elsewhere. Or visit
the CAP website at www.improveirs.org.
PEF SALUTES BARRY MARKMAN — PEF leaders downstate gather in June to honor Barry Markman as he prepares to retire from state service. Markman served six years as a PEF vice president during the Condell Administration. He is pictured at right receiving a plaque from Division 253 Council Leader Beverly Eaton thanking him for “30 years of service to the members.” Markman began as a leader in the Civil Service Employees Association at South Beach Psychiatric Center. He helped found PEF and became council leader and Executive Board representative for the members of Division 253. He also was PEF labor-management chair for mental health. — Photo by Ken Dischel