Howard P. Milstein
Chairman
Howard P. Milstein is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Private Bank & Trust and its operating bank, Emigrant Bank (the country’s largest privately owned, family-run bank). He also chairs and operates the Milstein family’s real estate companies, including Milstein Properties, Milford Management, and Milstein Brothers Real Estate. Howard is founding Chairman of the merchant bank FriedbergMilstein.
Howard is an entrepreneur and innovator, leading successful businesses across a range of sectors, including real estate, banking, hospitality, marketing, finance and technology.
The list of Howard’s notable entrepreneurial ventures is extensive. In his career he played an instrumental role in reviving the New York City theater district with the development of the Milford Plaza Hotel, challenged a cable monopoly when he created Liberty Cable, spearheaded a reform and reorganization of the building management business, and built Douglas Elliman into the city’s leading management and sales brokerage firm. More recently, he has led the way in Internet banking and partnered with legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus to help the Nicklaus Companies dramatically extend its global brand and platform.
Howard translates his entrepreneurial approach in business to leadership of a range of communal, educational and civic organizations. Using vision and a rare degree of creativity, he solves business, nonprofit and civic problems around the world. In so doing, he carries on a venerable family tradition of pioneering in business and leading great charitable institutions.
Central to the initiatives he leads are the objectives of improving global health, national security, learning and economic prosperity. He is particularly active in the fields of medical research and healthcare delivery and also dedicates time and significant support to higher education, disaster relief, the arts, communal giving, and law enforcement and counterterrorism programs.
In the field of medical research and healthcare, Howard serves as the Chairman of the Board of American Skin Association, sharpening the organization’s focus on melanoma and other cancers. He funds the annual Milstein Research Scholars Awards and the Milstein Innovation Awards in skin research. Howard also serves on the Board of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. In 2011, the Milstein Medical Asian American Partnership Foundation (MMAAP Foundation) was created by Howard and Abby Milstein and the Paul Milstein Family, to contribute to world health by developing mutually beneficial partnerships between the United States and China, as well as greater Asia. The Foundation funds fellowships and project awards that bring together top medical talent in the United States and Asia to make progress in several fields, including geriatrics, dermatology, translational medicine, reproductive medicine, and hematology. Howard is former Chairman of the New York Blood Center and provided decades of visionary leadership, including the founding of the National Cord Blood Program, which was the first and largest public cord blood bank in the world. As former Chairman of the Jones Foundation for Reproductive Medicine, Howard provided leadership and channeled important resources to reproductive health research.
At Cornell University, Howard is Trustee and Presidential Counselor and Overseer, Cornell Medical College. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Dean’s Advisory Board of Harvard Law School. Howard serves on the Boards of the United Hospital Foundation and National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
Education and fostering environments of opportunity have always been of the utmost importance to Howard and his wife, Abby, who continue a decades-long tradition of family support for the capital needs of the New York Public Library and leadership. Most recently, the Milstein family announced a $20 million gift to Cornell University to establish the Milstein Program in Technology and Humanity. The ground-breaking program will enable students to have a distinctive educational experience, with a new Technology and Humanities integration initiative.
Howard is a civic-minded leader who believes the private sector has a duty to carry out the unfinished business of American capitalism by complementing government with efficiency, effectiveness and an entrepreneurial spirit. In 2011, Howard was selected by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to serve as the Chairman of the New York State Thruway Authority. The New York State Senate unanimously confirmed Howard’s appointment in June 2011. Howard’s leadership of the procurement process for the new Tappan Zee Bridge replacement resulted in a cost savings to taxpayers of $2 billion versus original estimates. To recognize that achievement, Howard received the Regional Plan Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 and President Barack Obama hailed the project as “a model for infrastructure projects nationwide.”
Howard has served as a member of the Board of the Economic Club of New York and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York. He is a member of the Real Estate Forum of the Columbia University Business School and the Real Estate Roundtable, and serves on the Columbia M.B.A. Real Estate Program Advisory Board. In May 2015, Howard was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
In October 2016, the China Association for International Exchange of Personnel presented Howard with the prestigious Marco Polo Award, the highest honor given to a non-Chinese citizen. In April 2014, Howard received the Insignia of Chevalier in France’s Legion of Honor in recognition of his personal commitment to French-American cooperation and friendship, and fostering the French-American partnership in cultural and economic areas.
Other honors include recognition by New York Blood Center (NYBC) as the first individual inductee to NYBC’s Hall of Fame in November 2015 and by the United Hospital Fund with the Health Care Leadership Award in October 2015. In addition, Howard was recognized with the Community Builder Award from Phipps Houses, Humanitarian Award from the American Skin Association, JASA Man of the Year Award, Make a Wish Foundation Award, ORT Community Builder Award, Tanenbaum Center Corporate Bridge Builder Award, awards from the Jewish National Fund and B’nai B’rith Youth Services, the Catholic Youth Organization Gold Medal Award, Emerald Isle Immigration Society Robert Briscoe Award, Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Humanitarian Award, and Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award. In March 2012, Howard was sworn in as an honorary FDNY Battalion Chief, in recognition of his significant support for the Fire Department and the people of New York.
A graduate of Cornell University, Howard earned a B.A. in Economics summa cum laude (1973). In 2008, Howard was honored as the Entrepreneur of the Year by Cornell University. At Harvard University, he earned both his Law and Business degrees in the JD/MBA Program (1977). He was admitted to the New York State Bar, and is a member of the Federal Bar Council and the American, New York State and New York City Bar Associations.
Howard is the elder son of Irma Milstein and the legendary businessman and philanthropist Paul Milstein. Howard is married to Abby Sniderman Milstein and they have a son, Michael
Sean X. Leng, MD, PhD
President
Sean X. Leng, MD PhD is a Professor of Medicine and board-certified geriatrician in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Leng was born in China and had his initial medical training at Jiangxi Medical College, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) Hospital, and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS). He emigrated to the US in 1989 and obtained a PhD at Texas A&M University, a research fellowship at Yale University, and further clinical training including residency in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and fellowship in Geriatrics Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Leng has led Hopkins’ effort on geriatrics development in China since 2006. He was among the first in creating a model for international geriatrics collaboration between the US and China through establishing a model academic geriatrics program at PUMC Hospital. This pioneering work, funded by the China Medical Board, emphasizes the development of high quality geriatrics multidisciplinary workforce, a critical step for improving care for the aging population. Dr. Leng has subsequently directed two advanced courses jointly sponsored by Chinese Medical Association (CMA) Geriatrics Branch and National Health Commission for training academic leaders in geriatrics across China. He has also served as the guest editor and developed a special geriatrics series published by China Medical Tribune, a medical newspaper reaching out to two million physicians in China. Over the years, Dr. Leng has established high level collaborative relationships with the National Health Commission, CMA Geriatrics Branch, Chinese Geriatrics Society, and major medical institutions across China. Through his training in both American and Chinese healthcare systems and ongoing collaborations, Dr. Leng has developed a unique skill set and expertise in bridging Sino-US scholarly exchange and building partnerships of excellence in healthcare and biomedical research as well as in promoting quality senior healthcare for both countries.
Dr. Leng is also a physician scientist and Paul Beeson scholar in aging research (www.beeson.org). He directs a translational aging research laboratory at Johns Hopkins, focusing on frailty, chronic inflammation, cytomegalovirus infection, and influenza immunization in older adults. Current research funding includes NIH R01, R21, Specialized Center of Research Excellence, Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, etc. He has published over 100 scientific papers. Dr. Leng serves on NIH Aging Systems and Geriatrics (ASG) study section, editorial boards of Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) and Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences and National Scientific Advisory Council of the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). He has served as Director of the Irma and Paul Milstein Program for Senior Health since 2011 and as President since 2014.
Gerald Lazarus, MD
President Emeritus
Dr. Lazarus graduated with distinction from the George Washington University School of Medicine, followed by internal medicine training at the University of Michigan. After spending 3 years at the National Institutes of Health doing connective tissue research, he entered a Dermatology residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital where he became Chief Resident in Dermatology at Harvard. Lazarus was then awarded a fellowship to the Strangeways Laboratories at Cambridge University in England. Upon returning to the US, he became Chief of Dermatology at Montefiore and Professor of Dermatology at Albert Einstein and then moved to Duke University as Chief and Callaway Professor of Dermatology. He then became Chair of Dermatology and Hartzell Professor at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) in 1982. During his time at Pennsylvania, he was awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship to the University of Geneva as well as the Lindback award as one of the outstanding teachers in the School of Medicine. During his time at UPenn, the Department became the leading recipient of NIH support in Dermatology. In 1993, he became Dean of the Medical School and CEO of the Medical System at the University of California Davis. In 1999, under the auspices of the China Medical Board, he moved to Beijing, China with his wife Audrey Jakubowski Lazarus, PhD, as advisers to the President of Peking Union Medical College/ Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Ministry of Health. During their 3 years living in Beijing, they worked on: US reform, US management, evidence based medicine, patient satisfaction and quality of care. They lectured extensively to medical students, faculty and national medical meetings and traveled extensively to key Chinese medical schools, business schools and US institutions. They published a series of papers in both Chinese and American literature including an article in the Washington Post. In 2002, he returned to the US where he served as Professor of Dermatology and Medicine and Founder of the Johns Hopkins Wound Center. At Hopkins, he continued participating in the development of joint programs between China and the US in Nursing Education and Geriatrics.
Dr. Lazarus has published over 400 articles, 7 books, and has been President of the Society of Investigative Dermatology and a board member of the American Academy of Dermatology. He has received the Montagna Award of the Society of Investigative Dermatology and Sultzberger award of the American Academy of Dermatology. He currently serves as a member of the Combat Wound Initiative Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Dermatology. He has been awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award of The George Washington University where he now serves as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees.
Charles Wang
Advisory Board Member
Mr. Charles Wang is the President of Milstein China, the entity responsible for the oversight of all Milstein activities in Greater China.
Mr. Wang joined Oaktree Capital in 2007 and served as Managing Director, responsible for Oaktree’s business in Greater China. Prior to Oaktree, Mr. Wang was a Principal and founding partner at Pangaea Capital, where he was responsible for marketing and capital management. From 2001 until 2006, Mr. Wang served as a Senior Investment Officer at the New York State Common Retirement Fund, the 2nd largest public pension fund in the US. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Wang was a Director at Clemente Capital, responsible for the China region. Mr. Wang has over 20 years of experience in the China related investment business and over that period has developed good relationships with major Chinese institution and entrepreneurs.
Since 2008, Mr. Wang has been advising Chinese institutional investors to invest in the US Real Estate and other opportunities, and also served as an advisor to some Chinese Banks and financial institutions.
Stephen A. Orlins
Advisory Board Member
Steve Orlins has been President of the National Committee on U.S. – China Relations since 2005. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director of Carlyle Asia and the Chairman of the Board of Taiwan Broadband Communications, one of Taiwan’s largest cable television and high speed internet providers. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Orlins was a Senior Advisor to AEA Investors Inc., a New York based leveraged buyout firm, with responsibility for AEA’s business activities throughout Asia.
From 1983 to 1991, Mr. Orlins was with the investment banking firm of Lehman Brothers where he was a Managing Director from 1985 to 1991. From 1987 to 1990, he served as President of Lehman Brothers Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he supervised over 150 professionals with offices in Hong Kong, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Manila and Singapore. Prior to joining Lehman Brothers, Mr. Orlins practiced law with Coudert Brothers and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York, Hong Kong and Beijing.
From 1976 to 1979, Mr. Orlins served in the Office of the Legal Advisor of the US Department of State, first in the Office of the Assistant Legal Advisor for Political-Military Affairs and then for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. While in that office, he was a member of the legal team that helped establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Mr. Orlins is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and earned his law degree at Harvard Law School. He speaks Mandarin Chinese and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In 1992, Mr. Orlins was the Democratic nominee for the US Congress in New York’s Third Congressional District.