STEPHEN GRAVES - a man that will
represent you
A Passionate New Yorker - with
roots in the South
Like many people living in New York’s
5th district, Stephen Graves immigrated to the greatest
city in the world from elsewhere. Stephen Graves grew up in
Tennessee, lived in Los Angeles and also abroad in Asia and Europe.
Like many New Yorkers who are not homegrown Stephen Graves has come
to passionately believe what Rudy Giuliani often said with such
conviction – namely that “New York City is the Capital of the
World!” Despite the high cost of living and other obstacles New
Yorkers are confronted with daily Steven Graves feels that there is
no place on earth he would rather call home. It is a place worth
fighting for. Like many New Yorkers, who through the years have
moved to Northeastern Queens and Nassau County Stephen Graves
cherishes the values, the quality of life and the sense of community
that make our area special and unique.
Committed to Education
Mr. Stephen Graves knows the value of a
good education, both formal and vocational. First attending the
University of Tennessee at Knoxville he later completed his studies
at the Edinburgh Business School in Scotland receiving a Masters of
Business Administration. Always looking to further his knowledge of
local, national and international affairs he has also taken post
graduate studies in National Security at the American Military
University in Washington DC. From his travels, education and
interaction with people of all walks of life Mr. Graves has
learned among other things the importance of listening. Listening to
the concerns and to the common sense of ones friends and neighbors
in and of itself is an education. Because of this lifetime of
experience, Stephen Graves is committed to removing obstacles that
stand in the way of either you or your children receiving a world
class education; whether those obstacles are the result of
bureaucratic malaise, a lack of competition and meaningful
alternatives or a lack of funding.
Solid Business Experience
The son and grandson of industrious
small business owners Stephen Graves has always been a self-starting
entrepreneur. Stephen Graves knows what it is like to take all of
ones savings, put it all into a business and work night and day to
ensure that it succeeds. Steven Graves knows what it is like to make
a payroll and strive to make ends meet. Stephen Graves is currently
the President of Bio Nutrition Research Labs, a company committed to
providing cutting edge nutritional products for general health and
fitness. Previously Stephen Graves founded and served as CEO of UNeCOM, Inc. a provider of managed identity authentication and
validation services based on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
technology. Stephen Graves also has been a consultant for both a
toll road project and a 3 star hotel, in Indonesia.
Before moving to New York Stephen Graves started
his professional career as a FOREX trader for an investment company
in Los Angeles focusing on global foreign exchange, interest rate
and financial markets, with a specialization in creating
market-making opportunities in anomalous markets. He later went on
to serve as the Executive Vice President for BIG Tiger Management,
Inc., an offshore hedge fund. Afterwards, while registered as a
Principle and as a Commodities Trading Advisor by the National
Futures Association, Stephen Graves served as President of BIG Asset
Management, Inc., a Commodities Pool Operator and was a member of
the prestigious Market Technicians Association. Steven Graves
experience working in the world on international investments has
provided him with a keen insight into how actions around the world
affect us at home. Among other object lessons drawn from this
varied professional career are that small businesses are critical to
job creation and lower taxes are fundamental to creating greater
opportunity for all.
Committed to Community
For more than 8 years Stephen has been
active in the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, serving as an
International Business Advisor. He has also helped on their planning
committee, reorganizing their priorities and strategic drive to
focus on best serving the needs of small businesses. In this
capacity, he has worked with numerous city organizations and
community associations to solve common small business issues and act
as an advocate for their concerns. Stephen has also recently agreed
to serve as a Community Partner for the Chamber, responsible for
helping to drive initiatives that increase economic development and
facilitate small business growth in distressed areas of the city.
Mr. Graves also enjoys helping young people learn
how to be self-starters, develop entrepreneurial skills and a
positive work ethic. He works with Learning for Life, a program for
disabled children, where he assists the Career Awareness program.
This program works with the local schools to facilitate interaction
between students, school guidance personnel and community members
from business and other professions. Stephen, an Eagle Scout
himself, also is a Career Speaker with Scouting’s Explorer Program
which gives high school students the opportunity to gain insight
into a career field of their choice and develop a road map for their
future. In the past, Stephen also worked with Prison Fellowship, a
program that helps prisoners and their families find hope and how
the incarcerated can prepare to live responsibly both inside the
prison system and when they get back into society. He has also
served in the choir at Times Square Church, where he is a member.
Principled and Practical
Stephen grew up in an area of the
country where people are known for their friendliness, family values
and the abiding belief that hard work and honesty are the keys to
success. He knows how to work with others to find common ground to
achieve fair and honest results without compromising his core
principles.
A Better Representative
One thing that Mr. Graves has learned
in business is that to be successful you have to serve people,
listen to what they have to say and meet their needs. Sadly, all too
often, officials in government, like his opponent, forget this and
focus on supporting policies that help their narrow group of friends
and those in their party structure at the cost of the constituents
they are hired to serve. Stephen knows what it is like to feel that
there is no one who cares for your concerns and no one in government
that listens or to help with your problem. That's why he wants
to be your voice in government and represent your
interests, with an open door to raise the issues that you
believe are important. And that is why he is asking for your vote
and your support - let your voice be heard!
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