Al White is “Mr. Huntington”
Many people consider Al White to be “Mr. Huntington” for his extensive community ties and service and his deep institutional knowledge of the Huntington School District, where he is employed as operations supervisor.
An affable and tireless fellow, Mr. White has worked his way up through the ranks of Huntington’s buildings and grounds department and in the process earned the trust and respect of administrators, faculty members and his colleagues who maintain the district’s eight buildings.
In his position, Mr. White works closely with Paul Rispoli, the district’s director of facilities. Together the pair has formed an unbeatable team that leads more than four dozen department members each day and stays on top of a myriad of issues.
Mr. White is a familiar figure around the district and is frequently the first person on the scene during emergency situations, regardless of the day or hour. “Al is always there when we need him, ready to pitch in,” Superintendent John J. Finello said. “No matter what day or hour of the night, he never fails to respond to a crisis.”
Whether it’s a water main break, fire, boiler malfunction, power outage or related emergency situation, Mr. White is an unflappable presence on the scene. His phone often rings in the middle of the night, sometimes in the bitterly cold winter months. “We appreciate Al’s commitment and loyalty to the district,” Mr. Finello said
Mr. White has been Huntington’s operations supervisor since 1999. Prior to coming to the district, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service at its Holtsville complex. He began his career in the district on a part-time basis at Robert L. Simpson Junior High School in 1974. He moved into a full-time position in 1979 and has completed specialized training in the areas of plumbing, oil burners and sports floor refinishing and maintenance. In 2007, he took on additional responsibilities as the district’s asset control manager, logging in new equipment and maintaining inventory records.
“Al plays a key role in protecting our physical assets,” Mr. Finello said. “By doing so, he helps insure accountability in an age where taxpayers demand nothing less. He’s very knowledgeable about every aspect of the district and community.”
A longtime resident of the district, Mr. White is the father of seven Huntington High School graduates. He is also deeply involved in community and civic organizations, including the Porter-Trejo Action Network, Take Back the Block Advisory Board, Huntington Enrichment Center/Kids Café Board of Directors, NAACP – Huntington chapter, Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 318 in Greenlawn as well as numerous other local groups. He has also served on the Huntington Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee and Lowndes Avenue Task Force. He has even found time to mentor many community members through the years.
Known as a perfectionist with high standards, district officials say that Mr. White cares deeply about the district’s schools and students. He strives to exceed the community’s expectations and frequently interacts with faculty members to insure their facilities related needs are met.
“Al has always been very supportive of our physical education and athletics program,” said Georgia D. McCarthy, district director of physical education, health and interscholastic athletics. “He attends many of our games and is one of the biggest Blue Devil fans.”
State, county and town elected officials know Mr. White as a humble and soft-spoken man who is a forceful and passionate advocate for social justice and an improved quality of life throughout the community.
Even when he is not “on the clock,” Mr. White won’t hesitate to drive over to one of the district’s buildings to meet with a staff member who wants to discuss a project. “He’s all about making this a better district,” Mr. Finello said. “If ever there was anyone who earned the moniker “Mr. Huntington” it’s Al White.”
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