New York State Insurance Superintendent Howard Mills today announced that he has named Democrat Joseph Risi, a Garden City, N.Y. attorney and licensed insurance broker, as a deputy superintendent.
Mr. Risi's background includes a stint as counsel for State Sen. George Onorato, D-Astoria, the ranking minority member on the Senate Insurance Committee.
A spokesman for Mr. Mills said that Mr. Risi, who will be one of six deputies in the department, is a longtime friend of Mr. Mills, who picked him because of his extensive background and experience with insurance matters.
Mr. Risi will coordinate various department management initiatives and work directly with Mr. Mills.
In a prepared statement the superintendent said Mr. Risi's "extensive experience in government, insurance and legal issues will prove a tremendous asset to the Insurance Department, and I know we'll all benefit from Deputy Risi's expertise as he assumes his new responsibilities."
Mr. Risi is the founder of Risi & Associates, a Long Island City, N.Y., law firm that specializes in commercial litigation, trusts and estates, real property, and personal injury.
The department announcement said he has also been a licensed insurance broker for over 20 years.
He is a mediator and member of the Grievance Committee of the New York State Appellate Division, chairman of the Legislation and Law Reform Committee, and is a member of the Grievance Committee and sits on the Board of Managers for the Queens County Bar Association, according to the announcement.
Mr. Risi is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, United States Tax Court and the United States Military Court of Appeals.
He also serves as chairperson of Consumer Affairs for the Community Board of the Borough of Queens, is a member of the Queens Aviation Advisory Committee and a board member of the Selective Service System.
Mr. Risi has been counsel and a member of the Advisory Board of SHAREing and CAREing, a group dedicated to the advancement of breast cancer support services since 1993.
He earned his Juris Doctor Degree from Widener University in 1982 and is a 1978 graduate of St. John's University. Mr. Risi lives in Garden City, N.Y., with his wife, Karen, and their three children: Joseph, Christopher and Kathryn.
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