Peter C. Goldmark Jr.

Peter C. Goldmark, Jr. (born December 2, 1940) is a retired publisher and journalist who highlighted environmental and social issues. Goldmark retired in 2010 as director of the Environmental Defense Fund's climate and air program. He was previously the chairman and CEO of the International Herald Tribune, the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the budget director for the State of New York. He is noted for being an advocate for social causes and environmental issues in many of his assignments. He was responsible for management of multi-billion-dollar budgets in some of his posts.

Peter C. Goldmark, Jr.
Goldmark in 2017
President of the Rockefeller Foundation
In office 1988–1997
Preceded by	Richard Wall Lyman
Succeeded by	Gordon Conway
Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
In office 1977–1985
Governor	Hugh Carey Mario Cuomo
Preceded by	A. Gerdes Kuhbach
Succeeded by	Stephen Berger
Budget Director of New York
In office 1975–1977
Governor	Hugh Carey
Preceded by	Richard Dunham
Succeeded by	Philip L. Tola
Secretary of Human Services of Massachusetts
In office 1971–1975
Governor	Francis W. Sargent
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Lucy W. Benson
Personal details
Born	December 2, 1940
Nationality	United States of America
Parents	Peter C. Goldmark, Frances Trainer Salant
Residence	Brooklyn, New York
Alma mater	Harvard University
Occupation	Environmentalist, journalist, director of governmental, philanthropic, and media organizations

Personal life

Goldmark is the son of Peter Carl Goldmark, who led the development of LP records and invented the first practical color television, among other innovations, and the former Frances Trainer.[1] He graduated from Harvard University in 1962. Thereafter he taught at the Putney School in Vermont for two years, where he met his wife, née Aliette Marie Misson. Goldmark has reportedly maintained a residence in Brooklyn, New York since his tenure with the Rockefeller Foundation.[2]

Career

Goldmark's career started with state government in Massachusetts and New York, progressed to leadership in multiple philanthropic organizations as president of the Rockefeller Foundation, continued to journalism and publishing with Newsday and the International Herald Tribune and included a leadership role in the Environmental Defense Fund.

Governmental positions

Goldmark was selected for responsible positions in government at a young age, starting with heading the Massachusetts Department of Human Services at age 30. He next was the budget director of the State of New York under Governor Hugh L. Carey from 1975 to 1977[3] where he was credited with being the architect of the rescue of both the state and New York City from a budget crisis.[4] Next, he headed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as executive director for eight years,[3] where he was credited with "having transformed a sluggish bistate agency into an energetic vehicle for regional economic improvement." He also worked for several other New York politicians, including New York City mayor, John Lindsay, in 1970[3] as chief of staff[2][5] and by 1975 as Budget Director[6] and governor, Eliot Spitzer, as co-chair of his transition team.[7]

Philanthropic organizations

In 1988, the Rockefeller Foundation chose Goldmark to become its eleventh president and direct the deployment of the foundation's reported $1.7 billions in assets at the time. During his tenure, he reportedly grew the foundation's assets by $1 billion and directed programs towards school reforms, the education of women and poor Americans. He left the organization in 1997.[3][8] Goldmark served on the boards of directors of several other philanthropic or civic organizations, including the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and the National Commission on Civic Renewal.[9]

Journalism

In 1985, he became senior vice president of the Times Mirror Company's Newsday for two years.[2][3] Following his service with the Rockefeller Foundation, he was the publisher of the International Herald Tribune from 1998 to 2003.[3] As of 2012, Goldmark continued to write weekly columns for Newsday on a variety of topics.[10]

Environmentalism

After leaving the International Herald Tribune, Goldmark became program director for climate and air at the Environmental Defense Foundation (EDF), where he worked on projects in India, Mexico, Brazil, China, and United States. He was a strong advocate for sustainable development, noting the interplay of global climate change, financing, technologies and the institutions, including foundations, that can address these factors.[11] Upon retiring from the EDF in 2010, he expressed disappointment that his generation had failed to solve the world's environmental issues. He was especially concerned about the lack of action within the U.S. government and held hope that other governments of populous countries might realize the need for action before effects like global warming become irreversible.[12]

Honors and legacy

On four occasions from 1981 to 1994, Goldmark was designated one of the "Young Leaders" selected by the French-American Foundation, which matches French and American "up-and-coming leaders" in various walks of life and brings them together for five days of discussions on topics of common interest.[13]

Goldmark received the Wilson Wyatt National Award for Urban Revitalization and became a member of the French Legion of Honor. He has been a visiting professor at noted schools, including the JFK School of Government of Harvard University, Yale University, Brandeis University and the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[7][14]

See also

• Robert Moses
• Austin Tobin
• Christopher O. Ward
• Richard Ravitch

References

1. Editor (February 26, 2014). "Obituary: Frances Trainer Salant, 94, longtime resident". Obituaries. New Canaan Advertiser. Retrieved 2014-03-22.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
2. Teltsch, Kethleen (1988-05-08). "Rockefeller Foundation Selects a New President". New York Times. New York, New York. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
3. Staff. "Biographies of conference speakers and rapporteurs". National Sovereignty and universal challenges—Choices for the world after Iraq. Commission-On-Globalisation. Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2012-05-01.
4. Lachman, Seymour P.; Polner, Robert (2010-07-01). The Man Who Saved New York: Hugh Carey and the Great Fiscal Crisis of 1975. SUNY Press. ISBN 9781438434544.
5. McFadden, Robert D. (December 31, 1996), "Chief of Rockefeller Fund Planning to Resign in '97", New York Times, retrieved 2012-09-24
6. Baker, Kevin (18 May 2015). "'Welcome to Fear City' – the inside story of New York's civil war, 40 years on". Retrieved 20 March 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
7. Editors, Arena Profile: Peter Goldmark, Politico.com, archived from the original on 2016-06-23, retrieved 2012-04-29CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
8. Editors (1996-12-31), "Rockefeller Foundation Is Losing Its President", New York Times, retrieved 2012-04-29CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
9. Webmaster. "Peter Goldmark, Program Director - Climate and Air". Environmental Defense Foundation. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
10. Editors. "Columnist: Peter Goldmark". Newsday. Retrieved 2012-05-01.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
11. Editors. "Peter Goldmark Remarks at the 10th Anniversary Meeting". Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development. Archived from the original on 2013-01-02. Retrieved 2012-04-30.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
12. Browning, Dominique (2010-10-14). "EDF's Peter Goldmark: 'My generation has failed.'". Thinkprogress.org. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
13. "Young Leaders". French-American Foundation. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03. Retrieved 2015-10-26.
14. Staff. "Membership Roster". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2019-04-06.

External links

• Link to Goldmark's website