TOWN OF GOSHEN – A horrific tragedy he experienced as a teenager helped inspire Sam Bergsohn to pursue public office.
Bergsohn, elected as Town of Goshen Supervisor on Tuesday night, was 13 years old when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Bergsohn’s father, Alvin, an equity trader for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor, was killed.
Years later, in quiet moments, Sam Bergsohn said he still speaks to his father, who, like his son, had an infectious energy that drew people to him and helped him succeed.
“Obviously, the experience rocked the community and me,” said Bergsohn, who defeated Republican incumbent Joe Betro in a tight race. “My whole world was changed, but I was uplifted by the many people who showed me genuine love. I think it ultimately gave me the drive to get into public service. I still see it. The people who loved my dad continue to love and support me.”
A political newcomer, Bergsohn, 39, will face several challenges as supervisor. He will be the first Democrat to hold the office in 30 years and will work with a Town Board where Republicans hold the majority. His critics said that he lacks experience and simply rode the blue wave into office.
However, his professional experience and people skills should give him a fighting chance to succeed. Bergsohn is a municipal attorney who earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. He left his position at Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to enter the supervisor’s race in April, campaigning on a platform of smart, responsible development, an open and transparent government, and accountability
Per Legal Services of the Hudson Valley bylaws, Bergsohn, candidates for elected office can’t work at the firm. He said he took a pay cut to become Goshen’s Supervisor, which pays $90,000 annually. In many ways, his father remains an important influence on how he approaches both his career and his commitment to public service.
Bergsohn, a native of Baldwin on Long Island, described his father as a “charismatic, energetic force.” Alvin Bergsohn went to Brooklyn College but did not graduate. He started his career on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), working his way to the top of the world, the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center, at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was a hustler.
A self-taught musician who grew up in Brooklyn, Bergsohn was 48 when he died. The impact of Flight 11 left his floor and all of Cantor’s offices above the impact zone. None of the firm’s employees survived the attack.
“For me, my father’s death provided a deep-seated passion to help others in the community,” Bergsohn said. “It is part of the mosaic of my life, and I hope that this adds to it and that I can make my dad proud.”
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