Candidate Profile: Butch Yamali

Butch Yamali, a three-year member of the Merrick school board, is running for another term.

A member of the Merrick Community for 11 years, Yamali has served as president of the Merrick Little League for the past eight years, which has been rated number one in New York State for the past four seasons.

After years of working in every different aspect of his father's restaurants in Manhattan, in 1989, Yamali purchased an ice cream truck and hired drivers to operate the vehicle, using the name Carnival Ice Cream. He expanded the ice cream business by purchasing additional trucks, eventually becoming the largest Good Humor distributor on Long Island.

Yamali expanded his business into other areas as well-developing snack bars and concession stands in municipal park locations and operating vending machines under contract with Federal, State, and local governments, as well as corporate clients.

Years later, Yamali developed college campus food courts, as well as the off-premises catering business, and coordinated large special events for governmental and corporate clients.

He lives in Merrick with his wife, Linda and his three children, Danielle, Celeste and Abe.

Yamali is running unopposed.