I am the immediate Past President of the Wantagh Preservation Sociey, an organization chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
Married 43 years to my wife, Sue, we both grew up in Wantagh and raised our three children here.  Sue and our kids are all alumni of Wantagh High; I graduated from Chaminade and attended the U.S. Air Force Academy.  We have eight grandchildren between 1 and 17 years of age. I have served the Wantagh School District for more than 20 years in various capacities, including Budget Advisory Committe member and chairperson, and Board of Education Trustee, Vice President and President.  In addition, I was a member of the 14th Assembly District Educational Oversight Committee, and a 3-term President and  for 5 years a Director on the Executive Board of R.E.F.I.T., a consortium of 35 high-tax, low-wealth LI school districts which unsuccessfully sued the State Government seeking redress of what we believed was the unconstitutional apportionment of funding for pubic education. I have written and spoken about public education, and school finance matters in venues across NY State from Buffalo to Bayshore, including the NY State Legislature, the Board of Regents, the State Education Department, and the Nassau-Suffolk and the New York State School Boards Associations as well as the Nassau County Council of School Superintendents. My work experience is primarily in the management of manufacturing and production operations.  I served for seven years as the Management Representative on a system-wide labor aribration tribunal for a major US-flag international airline.  I currently manage the corporate headquarters facilities, purchasing and office functions for a New York-based global auto parts manufacturer. I truly enjoy teaching 7th & 8th Grade Confirmation Classes at Christ Lutheran Chuch, which is often the highlight of my week. An avid photographer for 50 years, I mostly shoot photojournalism and editorial images, and have a passion for "street photography" in The City.  I usually carry a real camera around with me whereever I go. Oh, and I love to write, and I do that a whole lot, pretty much every day! Feel free to contact me at chriswendt117@gmail.com