Manhattan, NY According to Country Bank, Joseph Murphy, a founding director of Country Bank New York and a United States Marine, has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Marine Corps University Foundation’s prestigious major general John Russell Leadership Award. Murphy was chosen for the top distinction in recognition of his exemplary service and dedication to the community.
The Russell Leadership Award honors Murphy’s lifelong commitment to excellence in leadership and character which reflects the history, traditions, and ethos of the Marine Corps. Murphy will receive this award at the major general John Russell luncheon on October 18, 2018 at The Union League Club. Major general Russell, USMC, was the 16th commandant of the Marine Corps. The major general John Russell Leadership Award established in his honor by the Marine Corps University Foundation, is presented annually at a luncheon to a distinguished American whose commitment to personal and professional excellence embodies those qualities of leadership and character uniquely associated with the United States Marine Corps.
In addition to his many endeavors, Murphy is chairman of Value Investors, Inc. a national real estate development and finance company. For over 20 years the Murphy Family have been the majority owners of Value Express LLC, a mortgage origination and securitization entity.
Murphy was born and raised in the Inwood neighborhood. His father, Michael, was from Dunworley, County Cork, and his mother, Mary Sullivan, was from Ballyporeen, County Tipperary. He attended Rice High School in Harlem, and subsequently Iona College, both were operated by The Congregation of Irish Christian Brothers. After one year at Iona, he joined the United States Marine Corps.
Murphy served as a Platoon Sergeant with the U.S. Marine Corps, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division, from 1953 to 1956, in defense of United Nations positions in Korea. He remained in the reserves until 1961.
Subsequently, Murphy visited Afghanistan with general James Jones, Jr. USMC (ret.), supreme allied commander Europe and commanding general of NATO, on a research mission to study the opium/heroin problem with the hope of finding a solution. Murphy assembled a team in Brussels to create a “White Paper” which was presented to general Jones, the DEA and NATO.
Following his military service, Murphy completed his undergraduate at Iona College and graduated with Honors in 1959. He later attended the Graduate School of Business at New York University. Murphy received his CPA in public accounting and spent three years at Pannell, Kerr, Forster & Co. and six years at Price Waterhouse & Co.
He was associated with Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), Belgium’s second largest banking and investment company, from 1970 to 1990. Murphy was a director and member of the executive committee of GBL, president and CEO of the U.S. affiliate, Lambert Brussels Corp. after 1974. GBL invested in Drexel Burnham Lambert and Murphy was active as a director and member of the executive committee until 1989.
Murphy has been an active director of the Marine Corps – Law Enforcement Foundation since 1997. He was a director of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (Museum of the Marine Corps) in Quantico, Va. He was also a trustee, member of the executive committee and chairman of the investment committee of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas. Murphy also served on the board of the Marine Corps University Foundation and as treasurer emeritus received the Leonard Chapman medal for his service.
Murphy is chairman emeritus of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Advisory Committee and a member of the Board and Executive Committee of the Columbia University Medical Center Board of Advisors. He was appointed by President George H.W. Bush as a member of the National Board of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. He was a member of the Financial Advisory Board of the Congregation of Christian Brothers-Eastern American Province. He was a trustee, member of the Executive, Finance and Marketing Committees of Iona College for over 20 years and is now trustee emeritus. Additionally, Murphy funded The Murphy Science and Technology Center, The Iona College Art Center, Christopher Murphy Auditorium and Mazzella Field named after the parents of his wife, JoAnn Murphy. He was a director and member of the Executive Committee of the Partnership for Quality Education, which was established in the Archdiocese of New York in 1998 by John Cardinal O’Connor.
In 2004, Murphy was also a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
As the chairman of the Board of Directors and chairman of the Executive Committee for Country Bank, Murphy has ensured the bank exemplifies solid corporate citizenship within the communities it serves; New York City, Riverdale, Woodlawn and Scarsdale. Country Bank fosters and values the spirit of volunteerism in its staff and members of the Murphy family have served on Board of Directors for many not-for-profit and charitable organizations. In 2016, the bank was awarded the Outstanding Corporate Philanthropy Award by the Association of Development Officers for its support of Westchester nonprofits and their causes. In June 2018, Country Bank received the Burke Award from Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in recognition of its longtime support of the medical institution as it continues to expand its excellence of healthcare to the New York community. The bank is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
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