Union Baptist Church recognized and honored County Legislator Ben Boykin at the UBC Senior Luncheon after service, Sunday, December 21st, at Garibaldi Restaurant, located at 1 N Broadway in White Plains.
“It has been a labor of love for me to work at the church and also to work on behalf of the church as a member of the County Legislature…” Leg. Boykin expressed to Black Westchester at the luncheon.
Union Baptist Church Pastor Reverend Dr. Verlin D. Williams, who has pastored UBC for the past 30 years, celebrated Boykins’ “unwavering dedication” to both the church and the community.
“Today, we celebrated Ben Boykin at our annual senior Christmas party to honor his unwavering dedication and service to our church and community. Ben has been a faithful member of the Union Baptist Church for over 36 years. During that time, he has played a critical role in securing Grant money for our food service ministry, which provides essential food and meals to those in the White Plains Greenburgh community. His commitment to both our church and the broader community exemplifies true service and leadership, and we are deeply grateful for his continued contributions,” Union Baptist Church Pastor Reverend Dr. Verlin D. Williams shared with Black Westchester.
Hon. Ben Boykin, who has been a member of UBC since 1989, was re-elected to his sixth term to the Westchester County Board of Legislators in November 2023 for District 5 (representing most of White Plains, all of Scarsdale, and West Harrison). He is currently Chair of the Economic Development Committee and serves on both the Legislation and Public Safety Committees.
In September 2024, Ben was named President of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) for a one-year term. As NYSAC President, Boykin will lead the association during its centennial anniversary, which will include celebrations at the 2025 Legislative Conference in Albany and the Fall Seminar in Niagara Falls. NYSAC is the only association representing the interests of New York’s 62 counties at the state and federal levels.
Ben was honored in January 2018 and 2020 to be elected Chairman of the Board of Legislators (BOL) by his peers. By every measure, his four years as Board Chairman were historic and consequential for this Board, the most diverse in Westchester County history, with more people of color among Legislators than ever before and with a female majority for the first time. During his tenure as Board Chairman, Boykin led the Board through transformative years, passing more progressive legislation than ever before. He oversaw the Board’s 50th anniversary celebrations and successfully navigated the BOL through the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most severe health crises in over a century. His leadership also included significant investments in technology, helping to enhance the accessibility and transparency of Westchester County government. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Economic Development where he works to assist constituents with various issues as well as to provide a better quality of life for all Westchester County residents.
Collaborating with the Latimer Administration, under Ben’s leadership, the Board stabilized the County’s finances, rebuilt reserve funds, cut property taxes, and made crucial investments in infrastructure and affordable housing. The Board also advanced public health protections, supported working families, and enacted legislation to safeguard reproductive rights and enhance public safety.
Mr. Boykin was a member of the White Plains Common Council for fourteen years, from 2000 – 2013, and elected Council President three times. Prior to the Common Council, he served seven years as a member of the White Plains School Board.
In addition to his governmental service, Boykin has had a distinguished career in financial executive roles with Fortune 500 companies and has been a prominent figure in education and not-for-profit organizations. His extensive contributions have earned him numerous awards, including leadership awards from the AFL-CIO Labor Council and Northeast STEM Academy, the Ted Benjamin Award for community service from the White Plains Democratic Party, the Harvey E. Beech Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Omega Citizen of the Year Award from Beta Alpha Alpha Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the Harold Fitzpatrick Community Service Award, Visionary Award from the African American Men of Westchester (AAMW), the Trailblazer Award from the White Plains YWCA and the Civic Champion Award from League of Women Voters of White Plains.
Ben is a Phi Beta Kappa accounting graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his MBA with honors from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. Ben has been a CPA for 51 years and is currently President of Ben Boykin & Associates, a financial consulting firm.
On Monday, December 8th, the Board of Legislators honored Legislator Ben Boykin, District 5 (representing most of White Plains, all of Scarsdale, and West Harrison), and Legislator Catherine F. Parker, District 7 (representing Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, and part of Harrison), with the Westchester County Distinguished Service Award, the highest level of recognition the Board can bestow.
The medals are awarded to individuals who have significantly benefited the general welfare and common good of the County through dedicated public service. Both Legislators will leave office at the end of the month, having reached term limits.
He is married to Carsandra Boykin, and they have two daughters, LaSandra Boykin and Dr. Nicole Boykin. We celebrate County Legislator Ben Boykin, a true Black Westchester Legend!
I found your website while on Google searching for a similar topic, your web site came up. I must say it’s great. I’ve just bookmarked it in my google bookmarks and will be telling others to check it out.