North Salem Resident to Join
Senior Citizens Hall of Fame

John White has served on the Town Board, and Chair of North Salem’s Comprehensive Plan Committee, North Salem Lions Club, and also chaired the school district’s Fiscal Planning Committee

PublishedNovember 16, 2021

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. – One of North Salem’s own is joining the prestigious ranks of Westchester older folks honored for their contributions to their communities.

John L. White, 75, will join 43 other inductees into the county’s Senior Citizens Hall of Fame at a virtual awards ceremony set for 11:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, County Executive George Latimer announced recently.

The honor is bestowed upon residents who are age 60 and older. It is the 39th such event.

The Class of 2021 includes 18 nominees over 80 and four who topped 90. The oldest honoree is 93, he said, noting that age is no boundary to a full and productive life.

“It is my honor to commend this active group of Westchester County residents and induct them into our Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for their dedication and commitment to our communities,” Latimer said.

The longstanding tradition is a “simple way for us to say thank you” and to recognize honorees for “their time, energy, and promise to enhancing the quality of life of those around them,” he added.

White, who was nominated by Supervisor Warren Lucas for his volunteer work, was a Verizon executive for nearly four decades.

The retiree is the founder and current president of 8 Degree Research and Consulting Inc.

White said last week that he was “fortunate” that early on in his career to be able to work for the old New York Telephone Co. “where community volunteerism was encouraged and supported.”

He also “learned so much” while serving as the company’s representative on the Westchester 2000 Task Force, which focused on governmental services.

“From there I became involved in my own community, North Salem, where it’s been a privilege to work with so many dedicated people,” White said, adding: “It’s been so rewarding to see that we could make a difference.”

He has served on a number of local and countywide organizations, including the Town Board, North Salem’s Comprehensive Plan Committee; North Salem Lions Club; the school district’s Fiscal Planning Committee; Sunset Ridge Water District; Westchester Housing Opportunities Commission; and Concerned Residents of North Salem.

While chair of the school district’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Fiscal Planning, White “played a key role in reforming he budget process and stabilizing spending,” Lucas said in his nominating letter.

“After years of steady increases district spending remained flat for four years,” he noted, adding that under White’s leadership “the committee recommended reforms that help the Board of Education track monthly expenditures more accurately.”

Lucas called White’s leadership of the town’s CPC “exemplary.”

“He assembled an outstanding team. His approach was thoughtful, thorough and, most importantly, inclusive. He worked tirelessly to ensure that the interests of everyone in town were represented,” he elaborated.

Because of White’s input, Westchester 2000 was provided with “detailed recommendations on 42 different governmental services, including the recommendation that the county purchase the old Put Railroad right-away for use as a bicycle/walking path.”

White was also a trustee of the Westchester County Historical Society and a board member of the North Salem Historical Society.

His advocacy work benefits seniors in several areas, including housing zoning, and school taxes.

According to Lucas, White has been more than up to handling challenges posed by the pandemic.

When Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and 9/11 ceremonies couldn’t be open to the community, White videotaped them and shared them on YouTube.

White and his wife, Carol, a retired elementary school teacher, have lived in North Salem for 46 years.

He graduated from Yorktown High School in 1963 and got his BBA and MBA degrees from Pace University.

While working for Verizon, he led the effort to develop “Fiber to the Premise” – now known as Verizon FIOS.

He retired after 37 years at the company and formed his own business, 8 Degree Research and Consulting Inc.

He is a technology and management consultant to Fortune 500 companies such as Accenture, Motorola, and Tyco.

Officials from the Department of Senior Programs and Services, one of the Hall of Fame’s sponsors, said the achievements of the Hall of Fame honorees show the importance of people giving back to their communities and to each other.

“The honorees show that age is never a deterrent to being a vital member of our society. In fact, it’s an advantage because of the life experiences they bring with them. Their generous contributions have helped to make Westchester County one of the most senior-friendly places in the world,” said DSPS Commissioner Mae

The Hall of Fame is also sponsored by the county Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation; Westchester County Livable Communities; and the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services.

To be nominated, seniors must have made “significant and enduring contributions to enhance Westchester’s quality of life through their professional work, volunteer achievements or both.”

Nominations are made by members of the community, and the honorees are selected by a panel of judges.

The names of past honorees are engraved on plaques on display at the DSPS’s offices in Mount Vernon.