Tiger of the Week: Howard Chatzinoff '74

Howard Chatzinoff ’74, center, with Derek Melvin of Morgan Stanley, left, and former PENCIL fellow Trey Bonaparte. (Photo: Courtesy PENCIL)

Howard Chatzinoff ’74, a partner at the New York City law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, deals with mergers and acquisitions in his day job. But away from the office, he has been committed to orchestrating a different kind of connection: partnerships between business leaders and the city’s public schools.

For more than 15 years, Chatzinoff has been involved with the nonprofit PENCIL, which offers programs that help both school principals and promising students. His firm has worked at MS 224 in the Bronx, mentoring students and helping school leaders prepare for the future. According to PENCIL, Chatzinoff also “has forged connections between dozens of industry leaders and PENCIL; their work has gone on to affect thousands of New York City public school children.”

“I’m able to work with leaders in a variety of industries, and I am a steadfast and vocal advocate of PENCIL,” Chatzinoff said in a news release. “As someone who’s been personally invested in this movement since the mid-90s, it’s been gratifying to have been able to connect schools, students, businesses, and employees, and to watch this organization grow as its impact deepens.”

Last week, PENCIL recognized Chatzinoff, the current vice-chairman of its board of directors, with its annual PENCIL Public Schools Champion Award. Derek Melvin, a Morgan Stanley executive who was introduced to PENCIL by Chatzinoff, presented the honor.

Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. All alumni qualify. PAW’s Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.