Literary Community Celebrates DUMBO-based Etsy and Mill Basin Native Frank Bisignano, CEO of First Data
As Brooklyn’s Tech Industry Grows, BPL Takes a Central Role in Preparing Brooklynites for the Jobs of Tomorrow
Brooklyn, NY—More than 400 Brooklyn Public Library supporters gathered at Weylin B. Seymour's in Williamsburg last night to celebrate a pair of Brooklyn business success stories at BPL's 19th annual gala, joining authors Kurt Andersen, Farai Chideya, Rivka Galchen, Joseph O’Neill, Francine Prose, Kent Russell, Jacqueline Woodson and others to raise funds for the Library. BPL honored Mill Basin native Frank Bisignano and DUMBO-based e-commerce marketplace Etsy for their business and philanthropic contributions to the borough.
“In addition to raising funds for Brooklyn Public Library’s programs and collections, the gala is our opportunity to recognize individuals of distinction and achievement from the public sector, the business community or the arts,” said BPL President and CEO Linda E. Johnson. “Brooklyn has long been the birthplace of America’s most innovative executives and companies, and Brooklyn Public Library’s goal is to support the next Frank Bisignano, help launch the next Etsy.”
With free resources for aspiring entrepreneurs and executives, and tech literacy classes for the next generation of innovators, the Library helps to prepare Brooklynites for the jobs of tomorrow. Proceeds from the gala will support the Library’s early literacy resources and will help fund programs like Today’s Teens, Tomorrow’s Techies, which for more than a decade has helped high school students develop the technological and professional skills they’ll need to get ahead in their careers. After receiving training on the various technologies offered at the Library, T4 participants devote upwards of 100 volunteer hours to helping patrons access Library resources.
Brooklyn Public Library is also one of the borough’s largest providers of free technology, with each of its 60 branches offering free wireless internet access and more than 1,100 computers available to the public throughout the system.
Frank Bisignano was named CEO of First Data in 2013 after a distinguished career in banking and finance. Under his leadership, First Data has become a global innovator in commerce-enabling technology, providing business management solutions to millions of large and small enterprises around the world—including more than 17,000 businesses in Brooklyn.
It was announced at the event that First Data will fund a pair of special collections featuring business and career materials for veterans, one to be located at the Brooklyn VA and the other at BPL's Fort Hamilton branch.
“I am a proud Brooklyn native, having grown up in Mill Basin, and this award is truly humbling,” said Mr. Bisignano. “I have fond memories of my local library branch on Ralph and Avenue N, and remain grateful for the resources the library provided me during my early years. Institutions like the Brooklyn Public Library, which function as vibrant centers of our Borough’s many neighborhoods, are essential to ensure the development of future generations of American leaders.”
Bisignano was introduced by actor, author, and Brooklyn native Steve Schirripa best known for his work on The Sopranos and his current role in Blue Bloods.
Founded in 2005, Etsy provides a platform for millions of entrepreneurs to market and sell their goods online and offline. The DUMBO-based company has contributed immeasurably to small business development in the borough, and is at the leading edge of the tech boom that has redefined Brooklyn’s economy over the past 15 years.
“Just as public libraries offer many resources to help patrons achieve their dreams, Etsy empowers entrepreneurs to share their talents, and their products, with the world,” said Ms. Salen. “We’re proud to be born and based in Brooklyn, and we look forward to our continued partnership with Brooklyn Public Library.”
Etsy’s leadership was introduced at the gala by seller Brandi Harper, founder of the handmade knitwear shop purlBknit.
Bisignano and Etsy joined a roster of BPL gala honorees that includes Clive Davis, Eliot Feld, Roz Chast, Alan Dershowitz, Max Roach, Maurice Sendak, Lena Horne, Wendy Wasserstein and Betty Comden. Last year, the Library honored attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson for their role in our nation’s progress toward marriage equality.
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About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: www.bklynlibrary.org.
About Etsy
Etsy is a marketplace where millions of people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods. The Etsy community includes the creative entrepreneurs who sell on our platform, thoughtful consumers looking to buy unique goods in our marketplace, retailers and manufacturers who partner with Etsy sellers to help them grow their businesses, and Etsy employees who maintain our platform and nurture our ecosystem. Our mission is to reimagine commerce in ways that build a more fulfilling and lasting world, and we’re committed to using the power of business to strengthen communities and empower people.
Etsy was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.
About First Data
First Data is a global leader in commerce-enabling technology and solutions, serving approximately six million business locations and 4,000 financial institutions in 118 countries around the world. The company's 23,000 owner-associates are dedicated to helping companies, from start-ups to the world's largest corporations, conduct commerce every day by securing and processing more than 2,300 transactions per second and $1.9 trillion per year.