Well-Known White Plains Resident and Professional Engineer/Planner Has Been Long-Time Supporter of Hospital
White Plains, NY (June 3, 2010) – J. Michael Divney, a long-time supporter and member of White Plains Hospital Center Board of Directors and a well-known professional engineer and certified planner, has been named Chairman of the Hospital’s Board of Directors. He succeeds Paul M. Weissman, also of White Plains, who served as Chairman for 5 years.
A long-time resident of White Plains, Divney joined the Hospital Board in 1995 and has served as the Board’s Vice Chair since 2003. As Chairman of the Board’s Wellness Committee, he founded a new, major Hospital community outreach initiative— Wellness Through Prevention Month— reflecting his commitment to promote healthy lifestyle choices to lower the risks of life- threatening chronic illnesses. Under Divney’s direction, the program has expanded and has become the most comprehensive hospital program of its kind in Westchester, presenting a variety of educational and participatory events including free health screenings for people of all ages.
Jon B. Schandler, Hospital President and CEO, said: “We are very pleased that Mike will serve in this key leadership position as the Hospital advances to meet the healthcare needs of the communities we serve in the years ahead. He brings a unique mix of visionary thinking, strategic planning and a passionate commitment to our community which will prove invaluable in meeting the challenges of today’s healthcare environment.”
Divney stated: “It is an honor to serve with a Board of Directors that has led White Plains Hospital to its place as the finest healthcare institution in Westchester County. The quality and compassion that exemplify the care provided to the community are a direct result of the commitment of our dedicated physicians, nurses and staff and I am proud to be part of this remarkable organization.”
In 1972, Divney founded the predecessor firm to Divney Tung Schwalbe, LLP a well-known White Plains-based partnership that provides planning, engineering, landscape architecture, environmental approvals, and project management services. Consistent with its philosophy— “Intelligent Land Use”— Divney’s firm has worked on major development projects with leading companies and organizations in the region including Ridge Hill, Morgan Stanley, Swiss Re America and Rechler Equities, among others.
Divney founded the firm’s professional practice on the belief that the interests of the private and public sectors can be blended together for their mutual benefit, an approach he first employed as Director of Engineering and Planning for the White Plains Urban Renewal Agency, a position he held for six years prior to entering into private practice.
A graduate of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, Divney earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and holds a Master of Urban Planning from New York University. He is a member of the Stellaris Health Network Board, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Institute of Certified Planners, The Urban Land Institute, The Westchester County Association, The Business Council of Westchester and is a LEED Accredited Professional.
He and his wife, Jean, have three children and three grandchildren. He is an avid cyclist and enjoys riding his bike through the farmland and along the coasts of Rhode Island.