At a gala dinner, held at the New Hyde Park Inn, the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce installed Florence Lisanti as its new president.

Lisanti, a long-time resident of New Hyde Park, has been involved in the Chamber of Commerce for many years, working diligently on the committee for Christmas lighting along with many other ventures. She is a former trustee of the Village of New Hyde Park and one of the founders of the successful New Hyde Park Village Street Fair. She is also the village historian and is responsible for the many exhibits of New Hyde Park that now grace the walls at village hall. Further, she is a former president of the Nassau County Council of Parent Teacher Associations and as a result of that appointment received their highest award.

Lisanti, as president, will bring to the chamber the same amount of innovative energy and enthusiasm she has applied to all her other endeavors, including her efforts to make the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber an even more effective organization for the residents of New Hyde Park.

Lisanti gave a brief speech in which she professed her great love for New Hyde Park, having been a resident for such a long time. She praised the New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce for all its accomplishments over the years and its former presidents for all their dedication.

She then said that she would be remiss if she didn't, at this time, recognize one president in particular is going off the board due to his relocation and that is Thomas Arnone, senior vice president of State Bank of Long Island.

For many years Arnone was the manager of State Bank of Long Island, New Hyde Park branch and since the expansion of the bank Arnone has been transferred. It has been increasingly more difficult for him to travel to New Hyde Park to attend chamber meetings and with great regret he had to hand in his resignation.

Therefore, President Lisanti presented him with a plaque for all the innovative programs he instituted on behalf of the chamber. Arnone was visibly moved and very surprised. He thanked the chamber and said he would certainly miss being part of such a fine organization.