Alumni News and Notes

alumni news

1950s

Nicholas Krochta ’57 would just like to announce our second Great Grandchild, Olivia Rae born in July, 2020. We are blessed to now have two great grandchildren. God has been good to us.

Walter (Andrew) Andrzejewski ’58 and his wife Gail are now living and enjoying retirement in Carolina Village, a CCRO Community in Hendersonville, NC where they have lived for the last 26 years. Andy reminds all Deo Gratias!

1960s

Ronald Michnik ’64 is very active in the Chestnut Ridge Conservancy where has served as the organization’s Vice President. He is a past recipient of the Raymond Fabiniak Guardian Award and has played key roles in the Annual Kite Festival, United Way Day of Caring, mural restorations and outdoor movie nights.

Anthony Mielniczuk’64 and his wife Sue celebrated 50 years of marriage this summer at Cape Cod. Their daughter Dr. Lisa Marie Mielniczuk was recently appointed full professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa

1970s

Bill O’Neill ’71 reports that he just completed 51 years of running. He started running track and cross country at SFHS in 1969 and developed a passion for running that has lasted a lifetime. In 2019, he competed in the National Senior Games held in Albuquerque, NM where he ran in the 800m and 1500m, wearing the red and white of St. Francis. Bill has qualified for the 2021 National Senior Games which will be held in Fort Lauderdale, FL in November.

Mark Finucane ’74 was permanently appointed Foreman of the Washington County, TN Grand Jury. His duties include ensuring that deliberations are conducted in an orderly manner and that each juror understands the deliberation procedures.

1980s

Charles A. Castiglia '84 owns Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. which has received two major awards from the National Funeral Directors Association. 2020 also is the 50th Anniversary of Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc.

Lakeside Memorial Funeral Homes are the only funeral homes in WNY to ever win these awards. 2020 is the ninth year in a row that they have won the Pursuit of Excellence Award of which the Hamburg, NY location has won the last nine years and the West Seneca, NY location has won the last three years. This year there were only four funeral homes in NY State to receive this award of which Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home represented two of the four firms.

Lakeside Memorial is also the first funeral home in WNY to ever receive The Best of the Best Award. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon a select few funeral homes nationally.

John Chadderdon ’80 retired from the United States Secret Service after 32-year career protecting the President, Vice President, Presidential candidates, foreign heads of state and key official U.S. installations. During his career, “Chad” travelled the world as part of his official duties and spent time in nearly every state in the Union where he drove Presidential limousines as part of countless official motorcades. He also served as firearms instructor for the USSS Buffalo Field Office during his tenure. He is the father of 4 children and is happily remarried after losing his high school sweetheart to brain cancer. He resides in WNY.

Terry Dunford ’80 enjoyed stints managing TV newsrooms in Buffalo and across the country, before he came back home to work in public affairs for the US Department of Treasury. After receiving “Employee of Year” honors, he moved on to the position of Vice President for the NHL Sabres. Franchise ownership changes led him to the nuclear industry where he spent nearly a decade in award-winning capacities at a US Department of Energy project. Terry moved to his current position with the US Department of Homeland Security in 2016. His many community board memberships included 3 years as SFHS Alumni president. He also spent 27 years as an IAABO high school basketball referee. Happily married, Terry and his wife adopted three kids from Poland. They all reside in WNY.

Gerald Mead ’80 was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Niagara University during their 2020 commencement ceremony held in July.

Pat Shea ’80 retired from the West Seneca Police Department ending a long and illustrious career in law enforcement. Before retiring, he reached the rank of Captain of the Detective Bureau which was the culmination of his 32-year WSPD career. During his time at WSPD, “Paddy” was nominated to attend the FBI National Academy because of demonstrated leadership qualities. Prior to joining the WSPD, he spent a year in the United States Secret Service protecting the White House and the President as part of his duties. Currently, he spends his free time an IAABO high school basketball referee. Happily married, he is the father of 2 daughters and resides in WNY.

and notes...

1990s

Craig Rybczynski ’91 was the recipient of the National Lacrosse League’s Tom Borelli Media Member of the Year Award for the 2019-2020 season. He has worked for 21 seasons for the Rochester Knighthawks and is the radio and TV voice of the organization and been behind the microphone for the franchise’s last four championships. He also holds the league record for calling the most consecutive broadcasts and was the winner of the team’s 7th Man Award in 2018-2019.

Korry Miller ’93 started earlier this year as an IT Solution Architect within the Space and Defense Group at Moog Inc. in East Aurora, NY.

2000s

Dr. Jonathan Senchyne ’00 was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His book, The Intimacy of Paper in Early and Nineteenth-Century American Literature, was published by the University of Massachusetts Press in January 2020.

Nate Suchyna ’00 and his wife Mary Kate welcomed their son, and future Red Raider, John (Jack) Donald Suchyna on June 12, 2020. He was 20.5" long and 8 lbs. 11 oz. Big sister Sophia loves her new role.

Dr. Christopher Schalk ’04 is an Assistant Professor of Forest Wildlife Management at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Chris received a grant to study the ecology and conservation of Alligator Snapping Turtles across its range in Texas. The picture is just one of the 127 Alligator Snapping Turtles captured this past summer. Next summer, Chris and his graduate students will conduct another season of turtle trapping and wrangling to provide information on their current range and population status in Texas. Dr. Dan Vargo ’06 recently returned to Western New York to start his practice as part of Excelsior Orthopaedics. Dan graduated from the University of Buffalo Medical School and received his training in Massachusetts and North Carolina. He specializes in hip and knee replacements and is ecstatic to be back in the Buffalo area.

Dr. Paul Goodwyn ’07 was married in Albuquerque, NM in May of 2019 to his wife Rachel, a nurse practitioner. They are the proud parents of a spunky French bulldog named Nara. Paul completed his five year orthopedic surgical residency at the University of New Mexico Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. He started his fellowship in July at HonorHealth Medical Group in Scottsdale, AZ where he works at five different hospitals as the chief resident.

2010s

Lee Patrick Kerwin ’13 received a statewide Millennials in Manufacturing Award. After graduating from Alfred University in 2017 as a mechanical engineer, he worked for Pratt and Whitney in Florida before returning to Buffalo with Buffalo Manufacturing Works.

Sam Sabato ’14 decided to take a leap of faith and start a home improvement Company, Elite Home Services Buffalo LLC. He is proud to say that business has taken off very quickly and he is currently booked through March 2021. Sam was featured on 106.5 WYRK under “buffalo open for business” telling his story of how he started the business during COVID. The business has a Facebook and Instagram page,@elitehomeservicesbuffalo, and a website, ehsbuffalo.com, where people can go to look at completed work, news about the company, or leave a review.

2020s

Tyler Braeuner ’20 has completed his 13 weeks of Marine Boot Camp and graduated as a Marine, Private First Class, on Oct. 23rd. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to attend graduation on July 30th due to his commitment. Thank you for your service Tyler!