Ron Schweiger, new president of the Society of Old Brooklynites

Brooklyn’s official historian Ronald Schweiger was just elected as the 48th
president of the Society of Old Brooklynites, which dates back to when Brooklyn was an independent city and the third largest in the nation.

Schweiger, who is also the president of the Brooklyn College Alumni Association, joins a long list of distinguished Brooklynites who have served at the helm of the borough-wide civic organization. They have included former Brooklyn city mayors, members of Congress, state senators, banking and business executives, attorneys, newspaper publishers, military leaders and writers. Among their ranks are two highly regarded women, one a DAR regent and the other an ASCAP song writer and civic leader.

Schweiger, a retired school teacher, has been a life member of the society and a past member of the board of directors. He succeeds Ralph Perfetto, who worked as the Brooklyn ombudsman for former City AdvocateBetsy Gotbaum. Back in 2001, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz appointed Schweiger to the non-salaried position of borough historian.

Other officers re-elected for another term were Michael Spinner, president and CEO of Sunset Park-based Spinner Industries as first vice president; Ted General, columnist for this paper and a local civic leader, as second vice president; Sherman Silverman, a retired airline consultant, as treasurer; Holly Fuchs, a member of Community Board 8 and a retired banking supervisor, as corresponding secretary; and Linda Orlando, a retired court stenographer and area community activist, as recording secretary.

Additionally, re-elected for three year terms on the society’s Board of Directors were Robert Daniels,Ellen Haywood, Rev. Dr. Sylvia Jordan, Wilhelmena Kelly, Ralph Perfetto, Peter Spanakos and James Tillmon.