I have known Rakesh and his family for more than 12 years. He has always been involved with volunteering in the community — from fundraising for the WW-P Ed Foundation and HomeFront to helping during the senior proms and serving on the board of Le Parc (where we serve together). In each capacity he has demonstrated an approach that is detailed and always with the goal of achieving and enhancing the common good.
Rakesh is very familiar with our school district. Both his children are in our school district, and I know he is deeply committed to keeping the high standards that WW-P is known for. We have often talked about our children’s education and the resources that our school district offers, and I am impressed by his awareness of the issues related to the schools.
Rakesh Kak is the ideal candidate with a thoughtful and detail-oriented approach to solving problems facing our schools and the right one to plan and encourage new ideas to help our children.
Rakesh graduated from the prestigious IIT in India as an engineer and subsequently completed his MBA from Columbia University. His experience as an investment banker, helping entrepreneurs and small businesses, together with his strong work ethic and a community service mindset, will greatly enhance our school board.
Ashish Shah
I write in support of Rakesh Kak for WW-P school board. Everyone running says they want the best education for our children at the lowest cost possible. The hard part is knowing what to do when those competing interests clash. I support Rakesh because I believe he has not only his heart in the right place but also the training and skills to make the difficult decisions. I have witnessed those skills first-hand during the several years we have served together on the board of our homeowners’ association.
The responsibilities of being on the school board and being on the board of our homeowners’ association are very similar. As homeowners, we all want our neighborhood to look good. We all want quality services. But not everyone uses every service or ascribes the same value to them.
The school district is no different. Those with children in the schools today value the services provided by our educational institutions differently. For some, the quality of the classroom experience is of paramount importance. Others ascribe equal value to extracurricular experiences. Some believe we should allocate every possible dollar to teachers and administration to attract the highest-caliber talent. Others believe managing costs is essential if we are to sustain the quality of education over the long term.
Rakesh understands that there is no right or wrong here. As a school board member he will not bring any ideological agenda to the role. Instead Rakesh will approach each decision dispassionately and thoroughly. He will analyze the information presented, seek additional information if what is presented is inadequate, and ask questions until he is comfortable that he has all that is necessary to make an informed decision.
I know this because I have seen him do it during our years together on the Le Parc board. Rakesh has been the consummate board member. He recognizes that it is for the board to determine what services to prioritize and how much to pay for them, at all times taking into account the interests of the entire community.
Rakesh is a very intelligent man. He is well-educated and has achieved much in his professional life. Yet he never assumes his view is the only view. He has the temperament to seek out the opinions of others and work cooperatively to achieve consensus.
My children enjoyed the benefits of the quality education in the WW-P school system. My wife and I are empty-nesters, but we believe the students in the system today deserve at least the quality of education that our children received. At the same time, we like everyone else can afford to pay only so much in taxes to pay for that education. We are comfortable that Rakesh will maintain the high standards of WWP while being a steward of our hard-earned dollars.
David Levy
President,
Le Parc Homeowners Association
I first met Rakesh through youth sports activities in West Windsor. He is a very supportive family man with a strong desire to help our community. His financial background provides the tools necessary to analyze complex issues and make balanced decisions on the school board.
With two longstanding incumbents retiring the upcoming election is extremely important. We need to elect candidates who have demonstrated commitment to the community, have experience, and can commit the time and energy necessary to be an effective school board member. Rakesh Kak is such a candidate.
He has demonstrated his commitment to the schools and the community by volunteering within schools and for several local organizations and causes. Rakesh will be an excellent representative for West Windsor and our children.
Andy Lupo
West Windsor
I am writing today to encourage support for Rakesh Kak’s candidacy. While I am often persuaded by the more emotional factors in making recommendations, there needs to be a balance between the emotional and practical side, and Rakesh deserves our support.
As a parent who commutes to New York City, he faces the struggle of balancing time between the family and work. His presence at events at High School South and Grover Middle School reflect his concern for what’s happening within our schools. You often find him and his wife at traveling soccer team matches throughout the state on the weekends.
All of this family involvement is balanced by the business perspective that comes from his role as managing director at View Partners, his tenure at various financial services firms, as well as his role as a board member of the LeParc Homeowners Association.
Andi I. Sjamsu
Village Road West
