President's Award Celebration 2024 Program

CAPITAL DISTRICT Y MCA

2024 President’s Award Celebration

March 27, 2024 • 5:30-7:30pm

Brown’s Revolution Hall, Troy

Cocktail Reception

KeyBank

GOLD

Global Albany Graypoint

Hal Williams

TD Bank

Trane Technologies SILVER

Bonacquisti Brothers Construction

The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region

Roemer

C.T.

Frank

HMA

TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A BETTER US

Our President’s Award Celebration recognizes the contribution of key area leaders who share a passion for helping individuals and families live healthier lives. We are excited to celebrate our extraordinary volunteers who have given their time, talent, and treasures to make a positive impact on our community.

J. David Brown President/CEO Capital District YMCA

John Vero Chairman Board of Directors

Lifetime Achievement Congressman Paul Tonko Corporation of the Year Volunteer of the Year

Branch Honorees

Cedric Carter TD Bank

MARK BOBB-SEMPLE Albany

CHRIS DEMPF Bethlehem

JERRY CHAO Camp Chingachgook

HEATHER MANTHEY Glenville

JEFF MARX Greenbush

SANDY CLARK Guilderland

GARY GNIRREP Guilderland

CHIEF ERIC CLIFFORD Schenectady

PAUL BONACQUISTI Southern Saratoga

MCCARTHY FAMILY Troy

AMY SALAMONE Guilderland

ANN HUGHES Greene County

Wainschaf Associates is dedicated to our local community and is proud to be involved in expansion and growth throughout the Capital District. Our excellent working relationship with local Towns and City building officials has enabled us to bring a variety of projects to fruition.

Congressman Paul Tonko

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Congressman Paul D. Tonko is an eighth-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York’s 20th Congressional District in the Capital Region, including the cities of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and Saratoga Springs. He has dedicated his career in public service to bettering the lives of those in his district with meaningful legislation that creates good jobs, strengthens the middle class, and drives economic opportunity.

Prior to serving in Congress, he was the president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Before that, he served in the New York State Assembly for 25 years.

Graypoint LLC

CORPORATION OF THE YEAR

Graypoint LLC is a comprehensive wealth management firm formed in 2019 through the merger of Hugh Johnson Advisors and Bender Lane Advisory. At Graypoint, they are problem solvers, offering financial advisory and investment management tailored to the unique objectives of individuals and nonprofit organizations.

Cedric Carter VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Cedric A. Carter serves as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager in Commercial Banking, based in Latham. Cedric has over 20 years of experience in banking and lending. Prior to joining TD Bank, he served as a Vice President with the New York Business Development Corporation (Pursuit) in Albany. Cedric holds an MBA from the University at Albany and an undergraduate degree from the College of Saint Rose.

A Guilderland resident, Cedric serves on the Advisory Council at the University of Albany‘s School of Business and on the Board of Directors of the Adirondack Economic Development Corporation. He also volunteers for a variety of organizations and causes throughout the Capital Region including the Capital District YMCA and his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. Cedric is a long-time YMCA board member, as well as a Black and Latino Achievers program alum. He is passionate about mentoring young people, empowering them to reach their greatest potential.

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Mark Bobb-Semple ALBANY YMCA

Mark Bobb-Semple is a Community Liaison for Global Partners and the Albany High School JV Girls Basketball Head Coach.

Mark has more than 35 years of experience with community involvement in Albany. He has held positions at the University at Albany, the Capital District YMCA, Urban League, and more. He has served as a theater director, tennis instructor, a community and youth advocate, and community organizer. However, Mark’s greatest passion is supporting and uplifting youth and teens. He was instrumental in building the Black and Latino Achiever’s program at the Capital District YMCA. He believes the Y is an integral system within the greater community, which often serves as a safe haven for young people. Mark is a vocal advocate for youth and feels strongly that everyone should get involved in their community and volunteer.

Chris Dempf BETHLEHEM YMCA

Chris Dempf is a practicing attorney with Tobin and Dempf, LLP in Albany. He graduated from Albany Academy, the University of Vermont, and Creighton Law School.

Chris has been involved with the Bethlehem YMCA for many years, with his children participating in many of its programs. His involvement began when he and his fellow Bethlehem residents were on the brink of losing The Big Arena ice rink, which would have been detrimental to the community. Through their advocacy, they saved the rink and ushered in a new YMCA facility. The vision of the Capital District YMCA leadership, the fortitude of Bethlehem community leaders, and the dedication of volunteers brought the YMCA to Bethlehem for all to enjoy. The Bethlehem YMCA is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Jerry Chao YMCA CAMP CHINGACHGOOK

Jerry Chao’s childhood was filled with positive memories of his experience at the YMCA Camp in Winthrop, Maine. As a parent raising his children in the Capital Region, he purposefully sought out Camp Chingachgook, knowing his children would make friends and gain valuable experiences while exploring beautiful Lake George. Both of Jerry’s children became “Counselors in Training” at camp, helping others develop leadership skills and a strong work ethic through interactive training, team building activities, and hands-on learning. This solid foundation helped set both of Jerry’s children on the path to success.

The impact that Camp Chingachgook had on his children inspired Jerry to join the Chingachgook Council. He has been involved with Camp Chingachgook for a decade and hopes to continue providing support for years to come.

Heather Manthey

GLENVILLE YMCA

Heather’s relationship with the YMCA began when her husband wanted to hone his swimming skills. Heather discovered Zumba at the YMCA, and nearly 14 years later, she is still attending Zumba classes three to four times a week. She also worked with a personal trainer at the Glenville branch for nearly seven years, where her trainer shared details on the YMCA’s annual campaign and the many programs the Y operates. Once she learned the true extent of the YMCA’s positive impact, Heather became a council member and joined the Circle of Champs committee, eventually taking on a co-chair position. To date, Heather has volunteered with Circle of Champs, Running Start, Basket Brigade and with numerous other Y initiatives.

Jeff Marx GREENBUSH YMCA

Jeff Marx is a Managing Environmental Engineer at C.T. Male Associates Engineering, Surveying, Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Geology, D.P.C. with over 26 years of experience assisting municipal and industrial clients.

Jeff first became a YMCA member in the early 2000s, where he also enrolled his children in swim lessons. In 2013, with a friend’s urging, Jeff joined the Greenbush Property Committee to provide guidance and support as a professional engineer. Jeff was eventually promoted to Committee Chair. Two years later, Jeff joined the Advisory Council, and most recently serves as Chair of the RENSCO Team, which is a combination of the Greenbush and Troy branches’ Advisory Councils. When not serving on a committee or council, Jeff can be found supporting the Girls on the Run races and indoor triathlons, as well as sorting, packing, and delivering Thanksgiving meals for the Basket Brigade. Jeff has a “pay it forward” attitude and volunteers with several other community organizations in addition to his work with the YMCA.

Making our community healthier together.

The Community Foundation celebrates the Capital District YMCA’s President’s Award 2024 honorees, including our friends at Graypoint, LLC and the McCarthy Family, McCarthy Charities, for their commitment to helping families lead healthier lives.

cfgcr.org

Ann Hughes GREENE COUNTY YMCA

Ann Hughes is the director of development at the Massry School of Business at the University at Albany.

Ann has been involved with the YMCA for many years. While her husband Fred cochaired the Greene County YMCA capital campaign, Ann showed support by attending group exercise classes regularly. Her involvement increased in 2016, when she led the Greene County Y’s Couch to 5k Program, coaching more than a dozen aspiring runners. Later that year, she joined the Greene County Y Advisory Council. She chaired the council during the pandemic and remains a member.

Ann’s family is proof the YMCA offers something for everyone. Currently, one of Ann’s daughters is a babysitter in Child Watch and her other daughter participates in Youth and Government. They have also volunteered for the Basket Brigade.

Sandy Clark

GUILDERLAND YMCA

Sandy enjoyed a rewarding career in textbook publishing. After over thirty years, Sandy recently retired and began volunteering with the YMCA. She has been tutoring English language learners (ELL), many of them new immigrants. Sandy admires her students, citing that they are unbelievably strong, hardworking, and motivated to build a better, safer life for their families in America.

Because the class Sandy teaches is on Saturdays, mothers, fathers, grandparents, and children can join. Watching the children share their pictures and stories created in class with the entire group bring Sandy a lot of joy. Sandy loves volunteering with the YMCA, teaching ELL and meeting new amazing people.

Gary Gnirrep GUILDERLAND YMCA

Gary Gnirrep taught high school English and was a proud union leader at Guilderland High School for 31 years, where Amy Salamone was a treasured colleague and friend. Gary loved his life as a teacher.

After retirement, his wife Sandy suggested he should consider teaching English Language Learning (ELL) at the YMCA. Gary began working with a single student in October of 2022, but as the program has grown, he now often teaches classes of 20 or more students at a time. In total, Gary has worked with more than 100 unique individuals from over 20 different countries. He credits Rifat Filkins, Director of Community Development at the Capital District YMCA, as being wonderfully supportive throughout his volunteer experience. Gary enjoys working with other volunteers and loves the energy and inspiration he gains from his students. Recently, the ELL classes have expanded with midweek Zoom classes and a dedicated section for children.

Amy Salamone GUILDERLAND YMCA

Amy Salamone is a retired English teacher with 29 years of service, having spent her career sharing the power of language with young people. Throughout her tenure, Amy occasionally volunteered to teach English Language Learning (ELL), as she recognized how vital the work was and felt personally drawn to it.

Not surprisingly, when her friend and long-time colleague, Gary Gnirrep, asked her to join him in teaching ELL classes to new immigrants through the YMCA, Amy knew it would be a great opportunity to both help her community and continue to grow as a person. She loves spending time with her ELL students, sharing that she is often inspired by the incredible resilience, joy, and generosity they show each day, despite the challenges they are working so hard to overcome. Amy understands the importance of welcoming new people into our communities.

Chief Eric Clifford SCHENECTADY YMCA

Eric Clifford has been the Chief of Police in Schenectady since 2016. Prior to his promotion to Chief, he was a Detective and Lieutenant for five years. Chief Clifford graduated from Union College (’94) with a bachelor’s degree in economics, and from Marist College (’06) with a master’s degree in public administration.

Chief Clifford’s experience with the YMCA began in college, when he secured a job running an afterschool program offered through the Y. Later, as a Resident Assistant at Union College, Chief Clifford attended a leadership training at Camp Chingachgook, which he felt was a transformative experience. Years later, as a police officer, when he was asked to help identify young people in his community who would benefit from the Camp Chingachgook leadership training, he jumped at the opportunity. Chief Clifford believes supporting tomorrow’s leaders is an investment in our community’s future.

one open door can open doors across a community.

Our most important work happens outside the four walls of our bank. KeyBank gets involved, supporting people who make a difference and working with community-focused organizations through investments, philanthropy, and volunteering. We believe that together we can keep our communities full of hope, compassion, and opportunity, one open door at a time.

KeyBank thanks Capital District YMCA for making a difference.

Paul Bonacquisti

SOUTHERN SARATOGA YMCA

Paul is a lifelong resident of Rensselaer County and the President of Bonacquisti Brothers Construction. Paul manages and operates the business with his brother, John.

Paul serves on the board of the Capital District YMCA. He first got involved with the Y when he helped organize the first major fundraiser for the Circle of Champs program. He still remembers the joy he felt when he learned how much funding was raised from that event, knowing that so many kids with life-threatening illnesses, and their families, could be helped. Helping people is something Paul believes we are all called to do, whether we provide gifts of our time, talents, or treasure.

McCarthy Family TROY YMCA

The McCarthy Charities, a private family foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life in Rensselaer County, recently celebrated 100 years of grantmaking and community support. In the last five years, the McCarthy Charities have given approximately $2.5 million to support Rensselaer County’s nonprofit organizations and those they serve. The McCarthy Charities’ grantmaking primarily supports programs and services focused on education, social services, and housing, particularly in the Catholic community.