PHOTO: John Ottulich. Photo Courtesy of Lilian Garelick
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz this week appointed John Ottulich, a Douglaston resident with a background in management and civic service, to the Queens Library Board of Trustees.
“Mr. Ottulich has extensive management and operational experience in both public and private industries,” Katz said. “He has demonstrated strong dedication to serving our community and will be a valuable addition to the Queens Library Board of Trustees, which is entrusted with providing sound stewardship to one of our borough’s most treasured educational and cultural institutions.”
According to Katz, Ottulich has a “long history” of serving the community. He is currently the Interfaith Service Chair of the Douglaston-Little Neck Memorial Day Parade Committee. Ottulich has also previously served as the Public Service Award Chair for Zion Episcopal Church in Douglaston; as trustee and vice president of the Douglaston Civic Association; as first vice president and Construction chairman of the Queens Museum; as trustee and Transportation co-chairman of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Corporation; and as trustee and vice president of the Bayside Historical Society.
Additionally, Ottulich has served as chief of Operations for York Scaffold Equipment Corp. of Long Island City since 2003. Among other duties, Katz noted, Ottulich manages and coordinates retail operations for York Scaffold Equipment and leads the sales and marketing efforts of the firm, which has more than 2,000 customers in the construction, event planning, movie and theater production and other fields.
“As the son of immigrants and one who did speak English as my first language, I am thankful that Borough President Katz has appointed me to Queens Library’s Board of Trustees,” Ottulich said. “I am committed to using my business and community service experience to make sure the Queens Library is governed with transparency and fiscal soundness and is able to continue to provide quality service to the Queens residents who depend upon having access to its vast catalog of books and other media and to its many educational, cultural and community programs.”
Ottulich’s appointment comes on the heels of news that former Library President and CEO Thomas Galante is suing QPL for more than $2 million because he believes his termination was politically motivated.
By Michael V. Cusenza michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
