Centenary College to Hold 141st Commencement

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., April 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Centenary College will hold its 141^st Commencement on May 14, 2016. Raymond W. Kelly, who has served as the Commissioner of the NYPD, U.S. Treasury Department Under Secretary for Enforcement, and Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service, is this year's keynote speaker.

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With 50 years in public service, including 14 years as Police Commissioner of the City of New York, Raymond W. Kelly is one of the world's most well-known and highly esteemed leaders in law enforcement. Kelly was appointed Police Commissioner in January 2002 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, making Kelly the longest serving Police Commissioner in the city's history, as well as the first to hold the post for a second, separate tenure. He served as Police Commissioner under Mayor David N. Dinkins from 1992-1994.

In 2002, Commissioner Kelly created the first counterterrorism bureau of any municipal police department in the country. He also established a new global intelligence program and stationed New York City detectives in 11 foreign cities. Under Kelly's leadership, the NYPD lowered violent crime by 40% from 2001 levels, while also dedicating extensive resources to the successful prevention of any future terrorist attacks. Commissioner Kelly also established the Real Time Crime Center, a state-of-the-art facility that uses data mining to search millions of computer records and put investigative leads into the hands of detectives in the field. These department-wide improvements have served as the model for other law enforcement agencies around the world.

The former commissioner opens up about his life in law enforcement and his fight against international terrorism post-9/11 in his memoir Vigilance: My Life Serving America and Protecting its Empire City, released September 2015 by Hachette Book Group.

Commissioner Kelly recently joined K2 Intelligence, an industry-leading investigative, compliance and cyber defense services firm as Vice Chairman. In his role, Kelly provides valuable insight into the design and development of tailored enterprise risk solutions for K2 Intelligence clients around the world.

In addition to twice serving as the New York City Police Commissioner, Kelly's career in public service includes directing the International Police Force in Haiti (appointed by then President Bill Clinton), and serving as a Vice President of Interpol from 1996-2000. 

As Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service, Kelly managed the agency's 20,000 employees and $20 billion in annual revenue. For his accomplishments, Commissioner Kelly was awarded the Alexander Hamilton Medal for Exceptional Service. As Under Secretary for Enforcement at the U.S. Treasury Department (the third highest post in the department at the time), he supervised the Department's enforcement bureaus including the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. For his service as Director of the International Police Monitors in Haiti, Commissioner Kelly was awarded the Exceptionally Meritorious Service Commendation by the President of the United States.

A 43-year veteran of the NYPD, Commissioner Kelly served in 25 different commands before being named Police Commissioner. He was appointed to the New York City Police Department in 1963. Shortly thereafter, he accepted a commission to the United States Marine Corps Officer Program. He served on active military duty for three years including a combat tour in Vietnam. He remained in the Marine Corp Reserve and attained the rank of Colonel. 

Commissioner Kelly holds a BBA from Manhattan College, an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, an LLM from New York University Graduate School of Law, and a JD from St. John's University School of Law.

In addition to Commissioner Kelly, Chris Treanor, Centenary's 3^rd Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President of Programs and Specialty Products for HUB International, will be receiving an Honorary Doctorate degree in Humane Letters.

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College's academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation.

Contact:  Annamaria C. Lalevee
(908) 852-1400, ext. 2238
Email
www.centenarycollege.edu

SOURCE Centenary College

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