Ruth Hassell-Thompson

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Ruth Hassell-Thompson
Ruth Hassell-Thompson

New York State Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office 
2000
Preceded by Suzi Oppenheimer

Children 2
Residence Mt. Vernon, New York
Occupation Nurse/Counselor

Hon. Ruth-Hassell Thompson of Mount Vernon, New York is a State Senator representing the 36th district of New York, which covers the city of Mount Vernon and portions of the Bronx. She is well known for her expertise on minority business needs and has initiated numerous workshops and seminars on business development.[1]

Contents

[edit] Political career and background

Ms. Hassell-Thompson worked as a pediatric nurse and substance abuse counselor for Mount Vernon Hospital from 1963 to 1998. retired nurse/counselor for Mount Vernon Hospital. From January 1980 to June 1987, she was Executive Director of the Westchester Minority Contractor's Association (WMCA). Prior to leading the WMCA, Ms. Hassell-Thompson worked for the Westchester Community Opportunity Program for 10 years in a number of management positions. She then served as President/CEO of Whart Development Company, Inc., a real estate development company and a consultant to small and developing businesses before being elected to Mount Vernon City Council in 1993. She would go on to serve as Council President and Acting Mayor.

In 2000 she announced her candidacy for the State Senate and was elected in a landslide. She is the ranking minority member on the Consumer Protection and Judiciary committees, and also serves on the Commerce, Small Business, Crime, Rules, and Housing committees.

Senator Hassell-Thompson has been recognized numerous times, and has received the Sojourner Truth Racial Justice Award, the Harriet Tubman Humanitarian Achievement Award, the Minority and Women Business Development Award from the state of New York Department of Commerce, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Keeping the Dream Alive Award, and has been named to the African-American Civic and Legal Hall of Fame. She is also a recipient of two Honorary Doctorate degrees.

[edit] Electoral History

36th Senate District of New York election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ruth Hassell-Thompson 41,007 94.5
Republican Curtis Brooks 1,966 4.5

[edit] Notes

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Larry Seabrook
New York State Senate, 33rd District
2001–2002
Succeeded by
Efrain Gonzalez
Preceded by
Suzi Oppenheimer
New York State Senate, 36th District
2003 – present
Incumbent
Persondata
NAME Hassell-Thompson, Ruth
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Winner Jr., George H.
SHORT DESCRIPTION New York State Senator
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City, New York
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH