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Who

Blonsky is the head of the Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit agency that manages Central Park.

Backstory

Jersey boy Blonsky first set foot in Central Park on a class trip as a college undergrad: He thought it was so filthy and run-down as to be beyond salvation. Nevertheless, after spending two years as the grounds supervisor for Peter Cooper Village, he signed on with the newly-formed Central Park Conservancy in 1985. He was named chief operating officer in 1998 and president in 2004.

On the job

Blonsky oversees 250 staffers and 3,000 annual volunteers at the CPC, as well as a $25 million annual budget. Over the past two decades, he's worked on countless projects to beautify Central Park, most notably the restoration of the Great Lawn in the mid-1990s. He's also responsible for planning major events, such as the marathon and various concerts and theater performances, as well as one-off happenings like Christo and Jean-Claude's installation The Gates in 2005. Most recently, the group unveiled the Heckscher Ballfields after a $3 million renovation. Future goals include creating a Central Park high school for students interested in landscaping.

Personal

Blonsky actually met his wife, landscape architect Mai Allen, in Central Park—she was working for the Parks Department. They live on East 86th Street.