About Gary
Gary Pollakusky is a life-long Long Islander. He was born in Baldwin to a father who was a high school chemistry teacher and a mother who was a college administrator at Adelphi University. Their commitment to education, knowledge and community service was ingrained in Gary at an early age as he achieved many accolades and awards for outstanding performances and academic achievements.
Gary earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. Upon graduation, he served in management roles for Bernard HODES Group, Unilever HPCNA, Columbia Business School, and AHL Services, Inc.
Gary married his wife Jeanine (also a life-long Long Islander) and they settled in Long Beach. After Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012, destroying their home and business, they decided that they would rebuild and reclaim their future in the town where Jeanine grew up, Rocky Point, surrounded by family and friends that call North Brookhaven home. Here they have built two successful businesses and a home along with their dog, Bailey.
Gary's self-started and self-funded Media Barrel LLC, an organization that operates as a company's "one-stop shop" for New Media strategy, implementation, and management. His team works with large and small corporations across multiple industries and sectors. Gary also created a subsidiary company, Travel Barrel LLC, as a business opportunity creating travel experiences--getaways, activities and tours-- with portions of proceeds going to cancer awareness charities. In 2019 Gary built a nationally syndicated sports talk entertainment network called Sports Garten LLC that airs one of its shows here on Long Island, LIVE on 103.9 FM weekdays from 5pm-6pm.
Gary Pollakusky is an accomplished award-winning Marketing & Communications executive and entrepreneur. As he has stated, "I am a problem solver and I follow through on my ideas. This is what I do for a living. I help businesses solve problems by giving them solutions that attract a pipeline of customers and talent."
He is a rapidly becoming one of Long Island's leading New Media gurus and has produced and directed high-profile celebrity projects for best-selling author Deepak Chopra, actor / comedian Jim Belushi, and actress Lisa Kudrow. In 2016, he was honored with the Long Island Business News Corporate Citizenship Award and in 2017 received the Long Island Business News Forty Under Forty Award.
Gary also believes it his duty to give back and serve his community. He has used his proven business talents as a board member of the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and the Brookhaven Local Development Corporation (LDC), working with large and small businesses to maximize growth and create jobs. Through his involvement, between 2017 & 2018, Gary worked with the board to close on approximately 34 projects, bringing in 3/4 of a Billion dollars in new investment into the Town of Brookhaven economy, resulting in the creation of more than 5500 jobs created or retained (not including construction jobs). This year alone the IDA is working to secure over $300 million in new investments with the potential to create over 1,000 new jobs.
He also is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management, Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Long Island Limousine Association, Rocky Point Business Owners Group and is a founder of the North Shore Community Association as well as President & Executive Director of Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce. Gary is very proud of the Spring & Fall Festivals the RPSB Chamber is holding.
Additionally, Pollakusky uses his talents and business acumen to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and assist the jobless and students in high school and college to find employment. He lectures at colleges throughout Long Island to help folks get ready to join the workforce and to help motivate them to market themselves through social media. Similarly, he has spoken at job fairs & conferences on how to effectively use social media in/for the workplace.