Francis A. De Mita
Chairman Emeritus, Nassau Educators Federal Credit Union (NEFCU),
Retired Mathematics Department Chairman, Valley Stream Central High School, and
Retired Assistant Professor, CUNY
From his early years as a Boy Scout in Queens, Francis A. De Mita had a talent to put people at ease instantly and to encourage them to succeed through his ability to lead. These traits have been evident through every phase of his life — as a student at Stuyvesant High School, a member of the U.S. Army, a teacher in the classroom and as a board member of local nonprofits.
But what he values most is helping others. "What is important in life is the principle instilled in me by my parents and that I have lived by, and that is a passionate commitment to giving back to the community by helping those less fortunate or in need of assistance," he said.
Throughout his 43 years as a chairman of the mathematics department at Valley Stream Central High School plus 33 years as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mathematics at CUNY and 37 years as chairman of NEFCU, Frank found the time to serve on many boards, including the North-Shore-LIJ Health System, National Association of Federal Credit Unions, Friends of the Arts and the WLIW PBS-TV Advisory Board.
In the 1990s, he also became a strong supporter of the Nassau BOCES Supported Employment Program which prepares special education students for paid employment.
"He not only created a scholarship program that awarded scholarships similar to those received by general education high school students, but he visited work sites, met with students, encouraged their efforts and attended graduation ceremonies," his Education Partner Award nominator wrote.
Frank has received many honors, including the WLIW-21 PBS-TV Achievement for Community Service Award, Director of the Year from the National Association of Federal Credit Unions and Credit Union Executives Society, Honorary Life Membership in the New York State PTA, Special Olympics honoree and a United States Congressional Citation from Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy.
He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in education from New York University and a certification in financial management from Cornell University.
