Arthur Selkowitz
2011
Arthur Selkowitz has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to the city of Stamford. Through his inspirational leadership, innovative thinking and passionate volunteerism, Arty has been a role model and generous mentor not only to his fellow citizens and colleagues, but also to our community's nonprofit organizations and businesses.
Among Arty's most notable contributions to Stamford has been as a founding member and the chairman of the Mill River Collaborative for the past nine years. Through his leadership, advocacy and tenacity, Arty is bringing to fruition a plan that has been a vision for transforming Stamford's downtown and riverfront for more than 100 years. His work on the Greenway Project is an outstanding example of citizenship, consensus building and community engagement.
In 2010, Arty was honored by the Stamford Downtown Special Services District for this commitment.
Arty is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Avon Theater and the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. He is also a director and serves on the Executive Committee of the Lupus Research Institute in New York City. Included among the many other organizations in which he is involved are lnspirica (formerly St. Luke's Lifeworks), Person-to-Person and Curtain Call. An impressive factoid - now part of Stamford lore - is that in 2008, Arty was named "star dancer" of Curtain Call's Dancing with the Stars for performing quite a sultry tango of which he is duly proud!
Additionally, Arty has served as president of the Stamford Jewish Community Center, co-chaired its Council of Trustees and received its Harold E. Hoffman Humanitarian Award . Other honors have included the Outstanding Philanthropist of the year given in 2011 by Moffly Media and the Global Leadership Award given in 2000 by the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York. The latter is presented to a marketing communications executive for philanthropic leadership and service.
As many of us know, Arty and his wife Betsey often work together as a powerful team serving the organizations they strongly believe in and support as a family . In addition to the Lupus Research Institute, Arty and Betsey have been honored by the Jewish Home for the Elderly in Fairfield for their outstanding ser vice.
Arty, who began his legendary career as a copywriter for Montgomery Ward, retired in 2002 as Vice Chairman & Chief Client Officer of Bcom3 Group, Inc., one of the world's leading marketing communications holding companies . Previously, he was Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles.
Arty and Betsey raised their two sons, Adam and Jed, in Stamford. They currently reside in Shippan.