Longtime NYSID trustee Carl A. Schwarz, Jr., Esq. dies at 72
New York, NY - March 13, 2009 - Carl A. Schwarz, Jr., who served on the Board of Trustees at the New York School of Interior Design, died Wednesday, March 11, 2009, after a brief illness. Mr. Schwarz, an attorney, was a partner in the firm Schwarz and DeMarco, LLP in Garden City, New York.
Mr. Schwarz joined the NYSID Board of Trustees in 1990 as chairman, a position he held until 2002. Before serving in the roles of chairman and then trustee, he was general counsel to the college for seven years. While on the board, Mr. Schwarz served with distinction as a member of the Executive Committee and of the Financial Overview Committee. In 2000, NYSID established The Chairman’s Award in honor of Mr. Schwarz. The award, presented annually during commencement, recognizes outstanding creative achievements made by a graduating student in the Master of Fine Arts program.
“Carl Schwarz served the New York School of Interior Design with dignity and distinction for manyyears,” said Alexander C. Cortesi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “He will be sorely missed by his colleagues. Without Carl and Inge Heckel, the School would not have its current campus.”
“I had the pleasure of knowing Carl Schwarz for more than 35 years,” said Inge Heckel, former president of the New York School of Interior Design. “Our professional lives first crossed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where he was retained as counsel for labor relations, as he was for a number of major cultural institutions in New York City. Subsequently, he served Bradford College in a similar capacity while I was its president. In recent years, he made a significant contribution to NYSID. He was instrumental in leading the board in the acquisition of NYSID’s campus buildings, its growth and stability. He worked selflessly in the interests of the college and did so with humor and a tremendous sense of collegiality.”
“Carl Schwarz, during his many years of service to the New York School of Interior Design, contributed so much in so many ways – as legal counsel, trustee, chairman of the board and general advisor,” said Arthur King Satz, former NYSID president and chairman emeritus. “As my successor as chairman, Carl was instrumental in codifying the rules of governance and active in the acquisition of the additional spaces which enabled the School to grow. As a bon vivant and a fellow opera buff, he was also excellent company.”
NYSID’s current president, Christopher J. Cyphers, said “I share my colleagues’ sentiments about Carl’s tremendous contribution to NYSID. His passing represents the loss of an important segment of institutional memory.”
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Founded in 1916, the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) is New York’s only private, not-for-profit college devoted exclusively to interior design education and related disciplines. NYSID’s guiding principle is that the interior environment is a fundamental element of human welfare and the college is committed to actively improving the quality of life for all segments of humanity. This ideal is put into practice by a dedicated faculty of well-known designers, architects, art historians, and authorities in the field who guide a diverse student body of over 700 full-and part-time students.
NYSID offers certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs in the field of interior design. The college is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and NYSID’s BFA is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).