Zaki Hossain Is "Golfer of the Year"!

A successful Long Island entrepreneur who is very philanthropic to Long Island causes and concerns is the next “Golfer of the Year” at the Geraldo Rivera Invitational Golf & Tennis Tournament. This 38^th annual event on Monday, June 29^th at Pine Hollow Country Club in East Norwich, will be honoring Zaki Hossain of Huntington. This fundraiser which benefits Life’s WORC is personally hosted by Geraldo Rivera, the iconic journalist. Geraldo helped to launch Life’s WORC 54 years ago with Victoria Schneps, Chairperson of Schneps Media. Both remain active with the organization today.

Headquartered in Garden City, Life’s WORC (www.lifesworc.org) provides a variety of services to some 2000 people with developmental disabilities and autism. The non-profit organization owns and operates a network of 45 group residences throughout Long Island, in Queens, and in Manhattan.

“Among all of the awards and recognitions I have received in my career---this is the first time I have ever been showcased for my very modest ability to play golf!” Zaki laughed.

Zaki recently retired from his leadership role at Modern Packaging, Inc., in Deer Park. He continues to own and operate Pintail Coffee, a coffee roaster and distributor in Farmingdale.

Nearly fifty years ago, Zaki and his wife, Rahat, immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh with their 22 month-old daughter and $400. They moved in with Rahat’s sister and her family in Astoria, Queens. After sometime, they were able to afford their own one bedroom apartment in the same building.

With Zaki’s passion to build a better life and do good for his family---he sent out over 100 resumes. Zaki worked at local office jobs, while his wife worked as a hospital dietitian.

As a talented mechanical engineer who earned his Master’s degree in the United States, Zaki and his partner launched Modern Packaging, Inc. This firm grew into a huge success, known for its packaging technology serving major corporations. When he launched Pintail Coffee, he pledged to donate its profits to local food banks. Since it began, Pintail has delivered more than one million meals for those in need.

Other milestones in The Hossain Family’s generosity have been:

---The Rahat & Zaki Hossain Cardio Vascular Intensive Care Unit at the Petrocelli Surgical Pavillion, Northwell University Medical Center.

---Some $2.5M in gifts to Molloy University, Rockville Centre, for scholarships and workforce development.

---The Zaki Hossain Center for Hypertension, Diabetes & Vascular Disease, at Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow.

Zaki and Rahat are also working with their extended family to create a small hospital focused on treating kidney issues in Sylhet, Bangladesh, Rahat’s hometown.

Information about sponsorships, foursomes, and tickets for the June 29^th Life’s WORC event can be obtained by telephoning Phil Keefe at 516-741-9000X15110.