SUNY Adirondack Community Roots: Alumni Collective Issue 12

COMMUNITY ROOTS

A THE ALUMNI COLLECTIVE A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

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GREAT FOUNDATIONS START HERE Some students graduate from SUNY Adirondack, dive into careers or bachelor’s degree programs, get busy with life and occasionally think fondly of their alma mater and the relationships forged here.

Others are so moved by their experiences at the college, by the professors and staff members who helped shape them, and the friendships they developed, they come back in search of ways to secure for others the opportunities they had.

For the past 40 years, the latter have found SUNY Adirondack Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to the college and its students.

“Scholarships remain our main focus,” said Paul Dowen, Class of 1979, longtime Foundation board member.

“We’ve gone outside fundraising just for scholarships, but that remains the most important part.”

Started in 1983, the Foundation each year provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to SUNY Adirondack students and relief for students suffering financial hardships, and

contributes to capital projects to improve campus.

“Capital projects come and go,” agreed Sue Trumpick, retired longtime chief information officer at SUNY Adirondack, who has been on the Foundation board since 2001.

But she said she feels a sense of pride knowing the Foundation played a role in funding Bryan Hall, Adirondack Hall, the Residence Hall and the turf field. “When I walk on campus, I just feel like I’m home,” she said.

That’s a sentiment shared by many board members, nine of whom are alumni.

“I’ve always felt that tie back to the college,” said Bill Hart, Class of 1992, president of the board and vice president of U.S. Business Operations for Irving Consumer Products. “SUNY Adirondack was my first entry into higher education, and it all began there for me.”

In his role at Irving, Hart has had opportunity to see his alma mater in a different light.

“Its role as a workforce collaborative partner is so important to our region,” he said.

The college has strong connections to regional businesses and regularly seeks feedback on programs and curriculum that prepare students for jobs critical to the area’s economic success.

By providing scholarships and ensuring financial support to students, SUNY Adirondack makes a high-quality education accessible to more people, in turn providing its partnering businesses with the workforce they need.

“The best value education I got was at this community college,” said Russ Danforth, Class of 1976, a retired engineer and member of the Foundation’s board of directors.

“It’s criminal when our society can’t get young, capable people through college just because they don’t have the money. It’s all the more reason we need institutions like this.”

And community members dedicated to ensuring the next generation of students have opportunities like attending SUNY Adirondack.

VOL. 12 | FALL 2023

MUCH LIKE THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY, SUNY ADIRONDACK ALUMNI ARE A MICROCOSM OF OUR BROADER COMMUNITY. They come in as students, searching, find themselves here, then bring their gifts out into the world as caring agents of change. In this quarterly magazine, we celebrate all the ways our alumni shape our world, close to home and afar, with their hearts always rooted right here at SUNY Adirondack.

SUNY Adirondack, a community college of the State University of New York, does not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, intern, whether paid or unpaid, contractor, student, or applicant for admission or other members of the college community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) based on a individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identification, gender expression, sexual orientation, self-identified or perceived sex, the status of being transgender, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, veteran status, domestic violence victim state, criminal conviction or any other category protected by law. The College adheres to all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination and sexual harassment in public institutions of higher education.

The college prohibits conduct by any employee or any student who disrupts or interferes with another’s work performance or education experience, or who creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile work or educational environment due to discrimination based on protected status or sexual harassment. SUNY Adirondack is committed to educating employees in the recognition and prevention of workplace and education discrimination and sexual harassment, and to informing students, employees and others how to report a discrimination complaint.

Inquiries about and reports regarding this notice and procedure may be made to compliance@sunyacc.edu or to one of the following Civil Rights Compliance Coordinators/Officers: Cornelius Gilbert, Chief Diversity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Scoville 326, gilbertc@sunyacc.edu, 518-743-2313; Mindy Wilson, Associate Vice President of Human Resources/Payroll & Affirmative Action Officer, Washington Hall 105, wilsonm@sunyacc.edu, 518-743-2252; Diane Wildey, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs/Section 504 Coordinator, Scoville 324, wildeyd@sunyacc.edu, 518-743-2337. Inquiries may also be directed to the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, 32 Old Slip 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005-2500, ocr.newyork@ed.gov, 646-428-3800.

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OUR ALUMNI BECOME …

Auditors Business Development Vice Presidents Certified Public Accountants Chief Information Officers Credit Union Chief Executive Officers Employee Benefits Practice Leaders Employee Benefits Vice Presidents Engineers Higher Education Administrators Human Resources Administrators Nonprofit Presidents Silver Refinery Chief Executive Officers and so much more!

FOUNDATION MISSION: Guided by SUNY Adirondack’s strategic plan, the SUNY Adirondack Foundation actively and collaboratively raises and manages the necessary funds to help the college meet the evolving needs of its students and community.

36 PERCENT INCREASE IN

FUNDING TO SUPPORT STUDENT RETENTION,

RECRUITMENT AND COMPLETION FOR THE

2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR OVER 2022-23

$448,088

$330,122

AVAILABLE FOR THE

AWARDED IN 2022-23

AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIPS

2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR

AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIPS

ACADEMIC YEAR

22,808 ALUMNI IN THE FOUNDATION DATABASE

$800,000 FOUNDATION SUPPORT

30 MEMBERS

$5.7 MILLION

IN THEIR ESTATE

OF THE COLLEGE’S

TURF FIELD

OF GARNET SOCIETY,

WHO MAKE PROVISIONS

PLANNING TO SUPPORT

SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION

LESS THAN 12 PERCENT of the Foundation’s budget covers administrative costs; all other spending directly supports the college and its students

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“I have roots here. I grew up here.”

BILL HART

Business Development Vice Presidents

HOMETOWN: SOUTH GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK 1992 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING 1994 GRADUATE OF SUNY UTICA WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 2003 GRADUATE OF THE COLLEGE OF SAINT ROSE WITH A MASTER’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION CURRENTLY: VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, IRVING CONSUMER PRODUCTS; PRESIDENT OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS; THREE-TERM MEMBER OF THE BOARD Bill Hart grew up with a lot of friends who left the upstate region for college and work, and didn’t come back. But the South Glens Falls native never wanted to live anywhere else.

A standout athlete in high school, Hart was recruited by SUNY Adirondack’s basketball coach at the time, Ben Davis, and longtime now-retired professor Nick Buttino.

“They talked me into giving a look at SUNY Adirondack,” Hart said. “I attended the college as my first entry into higher education and it all began there for me.”

Hart was always interested in finance and accounting, so the college was a good fit. “I really found myself, academically and personally.”

While on campus, Hart built relationships — on the court and in the classroom — that continue today. When

FUN FACT

his daughter was recognized for her athletic achievements, Coach Davis and his wife celebrated alongside the Hart family.

“The relationships cemented my identity on campus,” he said. “It was something that meant a lot to me and does to this day.”

After graduating from SUNY Adirondack, Hart transferred to SUNY Utica, where he played basketball and earned a bachelor’s degree. When it came time to start a career, he knew where he wanted to be.

“I started out at Irving right out of college,” he said, noting he celebrated his 26th anniversary there in March. “I have roots here. I grew up here.”

Those roots branched across the Hudson River and dug deep into SUNY Adirondack. “I always felt that tie back to the college,” he said.

As a prominent local business leader, Hart works with SUNY Adirondack to develop curriculum to ensure the college’s Mechatronics program prepares graduates for roles at companies such as Irving.

“There was a natural progression, so when they asked me to participate on the Foundation board, it felt like I never left that relationship,” said Hart, who is president of the board after serving three terms.

“I have always tried to surround myself with things I care about and SUNY Adirondack is one of them.”

GAME PLAY SUNY ADIRONDACK ALUM BILL HART ATTENDS A FEW HOME TIMBERWOLVES MEN’S BASKETBALL GAMES EVERY SEASON, OFTEN WITH FORMER TEAMMATES FROM HIS DAYS WEARING GREEN AND GOLD. “WE CAN’T BELIEVE THE TALENT ON THE FLOOR THESE DAYS,” HE SAID. “IF WE COULD GET UPSTATE PLAYERS TO SEE THE CAMPUS, FACILITIES AND TALENT THAT’S HERE, IT WOULD OPEN EYES. THIS IS MORE THAN WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK IT IS.”

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“Having ALUMNIthe ability to assist people inUPDATE! need and respond under pressure always got my adrenaline going”

“SUNY Adirondack certainly helped me to get my education at an inexpensive cost. I promote it every year to my clients, friends and family. All my kids went there.”

PAUL DOWEN

Certified Public Accountants

HOMETOWN: SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK 1979 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING 1980 GRADUATE OF STATE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT-CASTLETON WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING CURRENTLY: PARTNER, WHITTEMORE, DOWEN & RICCIARDELLI, LLP; LONG-SERVING MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul Dowen’s service to SUNY Adirondack Foundation’s Board of Directors spans nearly three decades, and still the longtime treasurer continues to work on behalf of the college’s fundraising branch.

After serving as an officer since 1995, Dowen is stepping down, but will remain on the board for another year to complete his final term.

“I’ve exceeded my term limits,” said Dowen, who graduated from the college in 1979. “I’m looking to set up an advisory group and plan to stay on and be involved in that.”

Throughout his almost 30 years on the board — three-quarters of the existence of the Foundation, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year — Dowen has been part of several major projects, including funding Bryan and Adirondack halls, and building the turf field. “And I plan on being involved in fundraising for the gymnasium,” he said.

When he first joined the board, the partner in Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli said the group’s focus was on fundraising for scholarships. “A strong scholarship pool remains our main focus,” he said. “But there’s a lot more involvement; we’ve gone outside fundraising for just scholarships.”

Seeing the impact of scholarships and emergency assistance inspired Dowen to stay committed to the Foundation.

“We help students struggling to make ends meet,” he said. “We help with books and fees, and for the person receiving the funds, it’s a tremendous help.”

His own experiences as a SUNY Adirondack student — “The teachers were better at SUNY Adirondack than at my four-year school,” he remembered. “They certainly had a much more hands-on approach.” — has made him a tireless advocate of the college.

“Why spend $30,000 or $40,000 a year when you’ve got a great college right here in town?,” he said. “SUNY Adirondack helps families in not incurring such a large debt load.”

Paul Dowen was featured in Community Roots, Issue 3, available at https://issuu.com/ suny_adk/docs/sunyadk communityrootsjuneissuu or by scanning this QR code.

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Sue Trumpick had a plan: she would work at SUNY Adirondack (then Adirondack Community College) for three years, update her resume and be gone.

Thirty-seven years later — more than 34 years after completing the programming job she was first hired to do — Trumpick retired from the college.

“I loved being here,” said Trumpick, who was the college’s chief information officer when she retired in 2016. “I loved the people I worked with; it was small, like a family. We went to people’s houses for dinner, we knew everybody’s husbands and wives and kids.”

That love of the college community led Trumpick to volunteer at SUNY Adirondack Foundation’s annual golf tournament and other fundraisers. “I was involved, then eventually asked to join the Foundation board,” she remembered.

She joined in 2001 and, in the years since, has stayed active, serving in various officer positions.

The joy and fulfillment she experiences from supporting students and

campus improvement keeps her involved.

“The first time I went to a scholarship reception and heard what some of the students were talking about, I felt good about raising money for that,” she said. “Scholarships are the biggest thing for me.”

Now Trumpick has a sense of pride in progress on campus. “It’s rewarding to come on campus and see something that’s there you had involvement with,” she said. “You go into a building that’s finished and feel proud you helped.”

Less apparent but as important are the hours Trumpick and other board members devoted to restructuring the board’s bylaws and becoming more strategic in selecting new members.

“We want people who have connections, who care about the college and students, and they care about the college’s reputation,” she said.

As Trumpick does.

“When I walk on campus, I just feel, well, I feel like I’m home,” she said.

“We’re focused on the community — the college and the larger community.”

SUE TRUMPICK

HOMETOWN: AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE FROM SUNY OSWEGO RETIRED CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, SUNY ADIRONDACK MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chief Information Officers

“The biggest thing about SUNY Adirondack is that it provides such great value and experience.”

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Ryan Roberts sat in a lecture hall, surrounded by more than 200 of his peers and realized the Western Civilization class was twice the size of his high school graduating class.

“I went to Clemson, but was completely not ready, coming from a small upstate school to a huge school in the

South,” remembered Roberts, CEO of Great Meadow Federal Credit Union.

“I decided if I was going to do well in college, I needed to reset and prepare.”

He returned to his hometown of Granville and enrolled at SUNY Adirondack. “I took my time, got used to doing things on my own without as

much help as I had gotten in my small high school,” he said. “I learned to become a college student, to balance work, education and social life.”

Despite a deep love of Clemson University athletics, Roberts doesn’t regret his decision. “If I could do it all over again, I would have started at Adirondack and been better prepared

RYAN ROBERTS

Credit Union Chief Executive Officers

HOMETOWN: GRANVILLE, NEW YORK 2000 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN RADIO AND TV BROADCASTING 2002 GRADUATE OF STATE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT-CASTLETON WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ECONOMICS 2017 GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY, WITH A MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION CURRENTLY: CEO OF GREAT MEADOW FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, WHICH SUPPORTS SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION ANNUALLY for success, instead of wasting 18 months.”

At SUNY Adirondack, Roberts gravitated toward the WGFR studio. “I really just had an affinity for music; I loved radio and communication, so that’s where I ended up,” he said, noting that he is still friends with Kevin Ankeny, distinguished professor of Broadcasting and advisor to the radio station.

“At Clemson, I didn’t get to know any professors; the smallest class was English with like 40 kids,” Roberts said.

“The professor called me ‘Yankee Boy’ and didn’t even learn my name.”

After earning an associate degree from SUNY Adirondack, Roberts transferred to State University of Vermont-Castleton, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics, all while working in radio.

Roberts booked concerts for a Vermont-based radio station, then ran Revolution Hall. The late nights — sometimes not leaving the venue until 2 or 3 a.m. — were tough, as Roberts’ wife was a schoolteacher.

He applied to a loan officer position at Great Meadow Federal Credit Union, was hired, then assigned marketing duties too.

“They knew they couldn’t survive serving Washington, Great Meadow and Mount McGregor correctional facilities, so they hired me to expand the brand,” he said.

Within five years, Roberts had signed more than 40 other groups. GMFCU took notice, and sent him to a credit union management school.

“I learned a little bit of everything — mortgage lending, compliance — and was head of operations after a few more years,” he said. “I took us to a community charter and we now have four branches, Essex, Washington and Warren counties in New York and Rutland County in Vermont.”

When GMFCU’s CEO retired in 2014, the board decided Roberts was right for the job. To sharpen his business acumen, he enrolled at University at Albany to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration.

In the years since, GMFCU has continued to thrive — and to support SUNY Adirondack Foundation. “Our managerial staff has Adirondack graduates, my board has members who went to SUNY Adirondack,” he said. “We value having the college in our community and what it brings and offers, and we want to support that in what little way we can.”

Roberts said whenever people ask him about college, he recommends SUNY Adirondack. “It’s such a great place to start the next step in an academic career,” he gushed. “The value it provides — we see it in the banking industry, student loan debt is so high — no matter what program you want to go into, it’s a great value.”

Looking through the graduation edition of a local paper recently, Roberts was struck by the number of valedictorians with plans to attend SUNY Adirondack.

“It’s great to see these really smart young adults have choices and choosing SUNY Adirondack,” he said. “It’s incredible.”

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“SUNY Adirondack helps the economy, and everything around it.”

CHAD MALLOW

Employee Benefits Vice Presidents

HOMETOWN: SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK 1997 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN COMMUNICATIONS CURRENTLY: VICE PRESIDENT OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AT UPSTATE AGENCY OF ARROW FINANCIAL CORPORATION; MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS Even 25 years after earning a degree in communications, Chad Mallow is the go-to guy for family and friends who want a killer slideshow at parties.

“To this day, I use the TV and photo editing I learned creatively,” said Mallow, whose day job as vice president of Employee Benefits at Upstate Agency doesn’t often have him compiling snapshots, but requires a different type of creativity.

“In addition to overseeing the Employee Benefits division, a lot of my job is working with the creative team to put together collateral about benefits to present information in a way that makes more sense,” Mallow said. “Health insurance is confusing to people, so I work to keep it simple.”

Much of what makes him good at his job is centered on skills he learned at SUNY Adirondack, where he first enrolled as a Liberal Arts major, but changed to communications. “The tools I learned helped my career — public speaking, the ability to write and clearly communicate — as I’m able to apply them in my management role,” Mallow said.

After graduating from high school, Mallow wanted to be a cartoonist. “I knew I needed a degree,” he said. “SUNY Adirondack is so beautiful, so it was preferable.”

Mallow worked full time, mostly in retail, while a student. After earning an associate degree, he worked as a customer service representative for an insurance company before a stint as a salesperson

for WTEN NEWS10 ABC. That led to a job as a health care provider service specialist, then an account manager who worked with health insurance benefits.

“That was a building block to move in that direction,” Mallow said. He worked for CDPHP, then High Mark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York before signing on with Upstate Agency of Arrow Financial Corporation in 2022.

The same year, he decided to get involved with his alma mater by joining SUNY Adirondack Foundation’s Board of Directors.

“This allows me to give back,” he said. “I had a great time here — the classes, the people I met, so many people from different walks of life, different backgrounds. SUNY Adirondack gives kids the opportunity to go to college affordably.”

“I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but SUNY Adirondack made it possible for me to go to college, earn a degree and find my way to where I am today,” Mallow said. “The college is affordable and gives you everything you get at bigger universities.”

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“This college was the best investment in education I had. Everything is so much more geared toward the student here than at any large university.”

RUSS DANFORTH

Engineers

HOMETOWN: ADAMSVILLE, NEW YORK 1976 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING SCIENCE 1978 GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CURRENTLY: RETIRED ENGINEER AND PARTNER IN FPI MECHANICAL; OWNER OF MEC CONSULTING; MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS Russ Danforth’s interest in engineering started when he was in junior high and had a math teacher who was a civil engineer.

“I don’t know how a civil engineer ended up teaching math at Hartford Central School other than his love for teaching,” Danforth said. “He was the one who suggested engineering would be a good fit for me — and I didn’t disagree.”

When Danforth was a junior in high school, his father died, cementing his decision to enroll in Adirondack Community College’s engineering program. “It made sense financially and I was the only one left home with my mother, so it was an obvious choice for me,” he said.

After earning an associate degree, Danforth transferred to University of Buffalo, where he developed further appreciation for some of SUNY Adirondack’s “distinct advantages.”

“Here, I had a professor who knew everybody; there were 11 of us by the time we graduated, so you couldn’t hide,” he laughed. “When I landed at Buffalo, I quickly learned how strong my foundation was compared with

my classmates whose first two years of engineering were just a cattle call with classes of 200 people.”

Danforth, who lives in Saratoga Springs, worked for 40 years for companies that specialized in air conditioning, heavy machinery, power plants, refrigeration, and geothermal technology. In 1998, he was hired

by FPI Mechanical, a contracting firm in Cohoes, of which he ultimately became a partner.

“My career was actually fun for the most part,” Danforth said. “Every one of the jobs I had, I took away something that I use, things that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise.”

Being well prepared for a bachelor’s program and his career successes led him back to SUNY Adirondack after he retired from full-time work (he runs a small consulting firm). “As I’m retiring, I’m looking at other things to do,” he said. “Of all the education I had, the best value education I got was at this community college.”

His decision to join the board of the Foundation, which helps provide scholarships to deserving students and secure training for educators, was rooted in his appreciation of what he took away from the college and experiences he had serving on Saratoga Springs School Board for 15 years.

“The fact that young, capable individuals can’t attend or finish college due to the lack of financial resources is a clear indicator the system is broken,” he said. “Students can get all they need for the first two years in most tracks right here at SUNY Adirondack at a significantly lower cost — and the Foundation further supports deserving students in achieving their goals.”

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“SUNY Adirondack is important for the role it plays in the community, educating people and giving people opportunities.”

CONNIE BOSSE

Higher Education Administrators

HOMETOWN: WARRENSBURG, NEW YORK 1972 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN LIBERAL ARTS 1976 GRADUATE OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN URBAN STUDIES 1984 GRADUATE OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY WITH A MASTER’S DEGREE IN OPERATIONS CURRENTLY: RETIRED HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR; SUNY ADIRONDACK GARNET SOCIETY MEMBER; ACTIVE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER Connie Bosse was 22 years old and had $19 in her purse when she moved to Boston.

But the Warrensburg native had an associate degree from SUNY Adirondack; a roommate she met while they were students at SUNY Adirondack; and experience working in the college’s offices.

“SUNY Adirondack is important to me,” said Bosse, who went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston University while working her way through the ranks of higher education administration, retiring as a vice president. “It gave me a foundation.”

She spent 30 years in the Boston area, then moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to work at Kaplan Higher Education.

When it came time to retire, Bosse moved to Glens Falls.

“People don’t realize what a great place this is,” Bosse said. “Having been away for 40 years, I can see this community is wonderful, with a lot of smart, caring people who want to work hard, be a good neighbor, good friend, good family and good citizen.”

Among the many regional assets she lists — Glens Falls Symphony, The Chapman, Wood Theater — is SUNY Adirondack.

“I could write a nice check and say, ‘Thank you,’” Bosse said, “but I want to do things that are interesting and bring value.”

The college means so much to Bosse, she signed on as a member of SUNY Adirondack’s Garnet Society, bequeathing some of her assets to the college upon her death.

Core among her extensive advocacy efforts are women’s rights, especially surrounding workplace and financial disparity. “Yes, women got the vote.

Isn’t that great? But until women make the same, until it’s a moot point, we’re never going to be equal,” she said.

“I hope I’m around for a long time, but when I go, ACC (she laughed and said she can’t call it anything but its original name) will get some cash,” she said.

The move was the latest in a legacy of giving back to the college that provided her an inspiring education and the skills she needed to advance her education and career. Bosse also supported fundraising efforts for the college’s Residence Hall and science chair.

“I’m a smart, competent woman,” she said. “Why not give back? I owe the community.”

Bosse is also an integral part of the team that hosts Girls Go STEM, a nonprofit event that brings middle-school girls to the campus for a day of handson learning about science-based careers; president of the local branch of American Association of University Women; and served on The Post-Star’s editorial board, the city’s Cemetery Committee and Warren County’s Advisory Board.

Despite a successful career in which she started as a secretary, used her employee benefits to fund advanced degrees, and worked up to dean and vice president positions, Bosse recognizes that her career wasn’t entirely her own making.

“As a woman, I kept saying, ‘They like me, I’m competent,’ but did I ever say, ‘Connie, what do you want to do?’

In the work world, people tell you that you’re swell, so I just kept going and never made a career decision,” she said. “If someone had asked me, ‘What’s your ideal job?’, I would have been a lawyer.”

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“I’ve always thought the college is an excellent opportunity, even if you know your career path, but especially if you don’t.

SUNY Adirondack is a wonderful place to explore.”

SUZANNE APPLEYARD

Human Resources Administrators

HOMETOWN: GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK 1980 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 1994 GRADUATE OF EXCELSIOR COLLEGE WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN LIBERAL STUDIES WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ENGLISH CURRENTLY: RETIRED HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATOR; ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FOR LOCAL VETERANS GROUP; CREATED SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS Suzanne Appleyard always liked helping people and, throughout her life, SUNY Adirondack provided her an opportunity to do so.

When she was a young adult struggling at a small private college, she transferred to SUNY Adirondack and quickly discovered an inspiring learning environment.

“It was more than I expected,” said Appleyard, who admitted she was too immature to have moved away from home straight out of high school.

“I found a really interesting blend of younger, traditional students and older, returning students, with a willingness to help one another.”

As she prepared to graduate with an associate degree in Criminal Justice, she saw a temporary job listing in the Registrar’s Office and applied.

“It was my first grown-up job; I had to wear clothes other than shorts and sneakers,” she laughed.

What was meant to be a summer job became a permanent role as a

typist, and led to 24 years of employment.

HR,” she said. “It’s that helper thing; I still do it.”

“I moved up the ladder, so to speak, and found I really like human resources,” said Appleyard, who explained the work appealed to her innate need to help others.

In retirement, Appleyard — not surprisingly — dove into volunteering, as a board member of her homeowners’ association; helping a small, local cat rescue organization; and as a life member of the VFW Post 2475 Auxiliary.

She left the college for a few years and began work on a bachelor’s degree. “My mother always said an education is something no one can ever take away from you,” she said.

“I found as I was on my own and paying for things on my own, my education became more valuable.”

As she began taking more courses, she saw a temporary part-time job listed back at SUNY Adirondack, so she left a job in the private sector.

When a permanent role opened in Human Resources, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I loved the chance to see the dedication employees give students,” she said. “It was family; everyone cared for one another and the students.”

Appleyard ended her career working in human resources for Warren County. “I don’t mind helping people find the way, the path through reimbursement for a health insurance claim or taking a civil service test — those specific little oddities that are

As the daughter of a World War II veteran, she always had great respect for service members. “My father was drafted right out of high school; when he was 18 years old, he was ripped out of his home and sent to Guyana,” she said.

When her neighbor was called for a second tour in the Middle East a few years ago, she knew she wanted to do more, so she started a scholarship through SUNY Adirondack Foundation for members of VFW Post 2475, its Auxiliary and their family members.

“I wanted to honor my father and show respect for my neighbor,” she said.

Appleyard contributes annually to the scholarship account, and structured her estate so that if her brother predeceases her, the scholarship fund will receive half her assets.

“I’d just like to help someone,” she said.

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“I hate to hear this ‘Harvard on the Hudson’ talk; the best education you can get is right here: You’re not going to leave here with debt and you get a better foundation, you’re more mature to move away and to experience the next phase of life.”

MARK DONAHUE

Nonprofit Presidents

HOMETOWN: SOUTH GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK 1991 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING 1993 GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT-CASTLETON WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING 1994 GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY WITH MASTER’S DEGREES IN ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS CURRENTLY: RETIRED PRESIDENT AND CEO OF COMMUNITY, WORK AND INDEPENDENCE (CWI); LONGTIME PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ADIRONDACK BALLOON FESTIVAL, WHICH FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS HELD AT SUNY ADIRONDACK Mark Donahue was 2 years old when he attended the inaugural Adirondack Balloon Festival, watching the colorful orbs from the comfort of a stroller — and he hasn’t missed a year since.

This year, the festival marked its 50th anniversary and, as president of the nonprofit event’s board of directors, Donahue made sure the celebration included a nod to the festival’s SUNY Adirondack ties — a Pioneers Luncheon in Northwest Bay Conference Center.

“Without the college, this event wouldn’t be what it is, why people kept coming back and the reason it grew the way it did,” said Donahue, whose love of hot air ballooning runs so deep, he has programs from every Adirondack Balloon Festival.

After attending the inaugural event with her four kids in tow, Donahue’s mom started a collection of balloon festival memoranda for her young son. “She started scrapbooks for different things — Barbie and Barbie houses for my sisters, for my brother, it was NASA, for me, it was hot air balloons,” he remembered. “She started in 1973 and literally cut everything out of the paper, every article, every picture, with everything dated and labeled.”

His siblings have long since given up dolls and spaceships, but for Donahue, the lure of his collection stuck. “This got out of hand quickly because I became truly obsessed,” he said.

The Donahue family started traveling to other balloon festivals, where Mark met a family from Massachusetts with whom he started attending festivals throughout the United States.

“I took my first ride at 10 and for my 14th birthday, they got me a student license,” he said. “I was learning to fly a balloon before I learned to drive a car.”

That love of all things hot air balloon stayed with Donahue, who enrolled at what was then Adirondack Community College to study Accounting with an inaugural scholarship from SUNY Adirondack Foundation. As a student, he had the opportunity to fly out of the campus during the balloon festival.

“I could truly understand, from a pilot’s perspective, why the festival had outgrown the campus,” he said. “Everyone was locked in, so emergency vehicles couldn’t go in or out; it was chaos.”

The festival was moved to Warren County Airport when it surpassed the campus’ capacity to regulate traffic and ensure safety.

By then, Donahue had graduated and moved forward in his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from University of Vermont-Castleton.

To celebrate, he went out to dinner with his family, where they discussed a 4-year-old like-new balloon valued at nearly $50,000 selling for just $10,000.

“My brother brought it up and said, ‘What are we waiting for? We will never be able to help him like this,’” Donahue remembered of the night his family bought him a hot air balloon he named A Family Affair. “I can’t bear to get rid of it, but it’s not flyable anymore.”

He went on to earn master’s degrees from University at Albany, and serve on Adirondack Balloon Festival’s board since his days as a student at SUNY Adirondack.

Donahue’s love of his alma mater is rooted in the quality of education he received (“When I transferred,” he said, “I was bored and twirling my fingers because I was so far ahead of my classmates; they let me audit out of an accounting course.”), and nostalgia for the early days of his lifelong love affair with balloons.

“You see the strollers, the young mom and dad, their parents and their grandparents,” he said. “For us, it’s a way of life, part of our quality of life — it’s the first weekend kids come home from college; for many families, it’s a reunion or wedding weekend; grocery stores report that it’s the biggest weekend of the year other than holidays.”

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“SUNY Adirondack gave me an opportunity to gain a solid education at a reasonable cost; it allowed me to reside at home a while longer, giving me two years to mature. Had I not done that, I don’t know where I’d be today.”

FRANK BARBER

Silver Refinery Chief Executive Officers

HOMETOWN: DRESDEN, NEW YORK 1991 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 1996 GRADUATE OF THE COLLEGE OF ST. JOSEPH WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING CURRENTLY: PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AMES GOLDSMITH CORPORATION, A REGULAR SUPPORTER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION Frank Barber didn’t take a direct route to his role in the top seat at Ames Goldsmith Corporation, but SUNY Adirondack provided an important stop along the way.

After graduating from Whitehall High School, Barber enrolled at SUNY Adirondack, where he studied Criminal Justice.

“I had aspirations of becoming a state trooper,” said Barber, who is president and CEO of Ames Goldsmith, a silver recycler and fabricating company founded more than 150 years ago.

He worked his way through college and, after graduating, took the New York State Police exam. “Hiring was very tight at that time, so I didn’t obtain a position,” he said.

Instead, he continued as a delivery route driver for Maplewood Ice, a company that provided flexible scheduling so he could attend classes.

“I’m grateful for that to this day, and it has been 30 years,” Barber said.

He decided he wanted a different long-term career, so he began work on a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from The College of St. Joseph, which included an internship at a certified public accountant firm.

“I always had an interest in finance and math,” he said.

After graduating, he was hired

by Ames Goldsmith as an assistant controller, a job he held for several years, then worked in sales and as plant controller for a subsidiary, then served as vice president of sales. He was promoted to president and CEO in 2013.

In that role, he is able to give back to his alma mater.

Ames Goldsmith has supported SUNY Adirondack Foundation for nearly 30 years, making the company one of the college’s longestrunning backers.

“The college brings wonderful opportunities locally for so many students,” Barber said. “And it’s a real asset for local employers.”

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ALUMNI UPDATE!

ROBIN WADLEIGH

HOMETOWN: PALATINE, ILLINOIS 2005 GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ANTHROPOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 2011 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING 2015 GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY WITH A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING CURRENTLY: STAFF AUDITOR AT WHITTEMORE, DOWEN & RICCIARDELLI; MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

“I think so highly of SUNY Adirondack and what they do there, to be able to give back even a little bit is a very humbling thing.”

Read Wadleigh’s story in Issue 3 of Community Roots at https://issuu.com/ suny_adk/docs/sunyadkcommunityrootsjuneissuu or by scanning this QR code.

SHELLY MARCANTONIO

HOMETOWN: GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK 1991 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK WITH A DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 1998 GRADUATE OF SIENA COLLEGE, WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY CURRENTLY: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PRACTICE LEADER, UPSTATE AGENCY; MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

“The attraction of serving on the Foundation board is how much the college brings to the area and how impactful it is to the community where our business is. I see it more broadly than a college where 18-year-olds go; it’s a major contributor to

ALUMNI UPDATE!

our whole area. The college fits well into our identity as a region. Our whole area is a very giving, come-together area and that’s one of the things the college is known for.”

Shelly Marcantonio was featured in Community Roots, Issue 3, with her late husband, John. Read about their experiences at SUNY Adirondack and commitment to our community at https:// issuu.com/suny_adk/docs/sunyadkcommunityrootsjuneissuu or by scanning this QR code.

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CAPT. EVAN LOVE, PE (U.S. NAVY-RET.)

HOMETOWN: NISKAYUNA, NEW YORK 1983 GRADUATE OF SUNY ADIRONDACK, WITH A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING 1984 GRADUATE OF RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CURRENTLY: RETIRED ENGINEER AND NAVY CAPTAIN; LONGTIME SUPPORTER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION AND MEMBER OF SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION TRAILBLAZERS

ALUMNI UPDATE!

“I couldn’t have been successful in my career or life if not for what I got at SUNY Adirondack.

I want to pay it forward, it’s my way of saying how important SUNY Adirondack was to me.”

Capt. Evan Love was featured in Community Roots, Issue 3, which can be found at https://issuu.com/suny_adk/ docs/sunyadkcommunityrootsjuneissuu or by scanning this QR code.

A BRIGHT FUTURE SUNY Adirondack Foundation proudly welcomes three new members to its board of directors this academic year, James Burkett, Desma Caputo and Robert Bullock.

“Our board is excited to welcome Desma, Jim and Bob,” said Bill Hart, board president. “As we continue our important work with SUNY Adirondack, their expertise and connections in our community will help us achieve our goals for access, completion and post-graduation success.”

BURKETT IS A MEMBER OF the Warren County and New York State bar associations. A graduate of SUNY Binghamton and Albany Law School, Burkett is a principal at Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart, & Rhodes, P.C. He was an Appellate Court attorney for New York State Supreme Court, and prior director of The Estate Planning Council of Eastern New York. He is on the boards of directors of Adirondack Samaritan Counseling Center, serving as vice president; The Hyde Collection, where he is on the executive committee and is chair of the Governance Committee; and Greater Adirondack

JAMES BURKETT

Home Aides, for which he serves as vice president.

“I feel it is always critical to have convenient, affordable educational opportunities available to traditional and nontraditional students in our backyard,” Burkett said. “It provides each student the flexibility to enhance their knowledge and experience.”

CAPUTO IS A practice leader at Hudson Headwaters Women’s Health. She is an alumna of SUNY Adirondack who earned master’s degrees in Health Care Management and Teaching and Literature.

She served as project manager for Hunt Companies, practice manager at New York Oncology Hematology, practice administrator at Arizona Oncology and practice manager at Arizona Oncology and Pinnacle Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

“I have a great appreciation for the access to higher education this institution provides to students in the area,” Caputo said.

“SUNY Adirondack provided me with an education that opened doors to opportunities I otherwise would not have known existed.”

DESMA CAPUTO

BULLOCK IS AN adjunct professor in SUNY Adirondack’s Business division and oversees the college’s StartUp ADK program.

He was chief operating officer of Make-A-Wish of Northeastern New York and former deputy director for Operations at Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. He served as president of New York State Archives Partnership Trust and director of Institutional Advancement at Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute.

He is a retired lieutenant of the U.S. Air Force, serving 20 years as a public affairs officer. He earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam and a master’s in Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Bullock was recognized by the state Legislature four times for his service to nonprofit organizations. He wrote and produced three award-winning television documentaries; was a lecturer on development, marketing and communications at several universities; served as a consultant; and was honored by Saratoga Springs for lifesaving actions after helping evacuate a burning building.

ROBERT BULLOCK

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JOIN US!

SUNY Adirondack Foundation is pleased to announce the return of The Howl Trivia Night on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Back by popular demand, The Howl is an exciting evening of trivia in which teams of six contestants compete for the title of Trivia Champions of SUNY Adirondack.

OCT. 20, 2023

Doors open at 5:15 p.m. for registration and a buffet dinner with a cash bar. The trivia contest with Luny Tunz Entertainment will begin promptly at 6:30. First-, second- and third-place team prizes will be awarded.

Individual registration is $50 per person; individuals can sign up with a full team or we can combine registrants to complete a team. One free answer per

team is available for $15. Team registration is $300 for six players and includes team sponsor recognition, one free answer and a social media shout-out to promote you or your business.

All registrations include trivia and a buffet dinner.

Other sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Liz at 518-743-2244 for more information.

SUNY Adirondack has been educating students since 1961, thanks to the foresight of leaders of Warren and Washington counties. These visionaries knew that by investing in education, their communities would be strengthened and prepared for the future.

Today, that vision is being carried out by the dedicated faculty and staff who believe education is a foundational right for all to access.

For 40 years, SUNY Adirondack Foundation — our partner and charitable organization that provides financial support to the college and its students — has attracted the same type of innovators who founded the college. Their collective mission has been to help the college keep education affordable, as well as ensure the learning environment matches the high-quality instruction and experiences our students deserve.

Our gorgeous campus is home to state-of-the-art technology — science, health care simulation, graphic arts, photography, mechatronics and robotics labs; art, TV and radio studios; and responsive remote classrooms that allow real-time interaction between our educators and students around the world.

In charming downtown Glens Falls, SUNY Adirondack’s Culinary Arts Center and Seasoned restaurant provide top-of-the-line kitchen workspace. In Wilton, just a few minutes from historic Saratoga Springs, SUNY Adirondack Saratoga offers computer, health care, media arts and robotics labs as well equipped as those in Queensbury.

A $5.7 million turf athletic field is the college’s latest addition and it — like our Residence Hall, science building, regional higher education center and so much more — is in large part because of the efforts of SUNY Adirondack Foundation.

In the 2023-24 academic year alone, the Foundation will provide more than $448,000 in student scholarships — a 36 percent increase in support over the year before. Thousands of students have received important assistance to reach their goals.

This year, we celebrate the Foundation’s 40th year — four decades of transforming the college and changing countless lives. The

Foundation, led by a board of directors, raises funds to support student scholarships, professional development for faculty and staff, and special projects on campus, including capital campaigns.

Together, our community can help SUNY Adirondack Foundation continue to ensure students receive financial support, and learn and recreate in modern facilities, with the equipment and technology they deserve while studying at any of the college’s locations or even online.

There are many ways to support the Foundation, the college and our students — regular donations, one-time gifts, bequests, sponsorships and more. I encourage anyone who is able to make a gift of any size to contact the Foundation office at 518-743-2243 or foundation@sunyacc.edu, or visit sunyacc.edu/give. Our community thrives when we thrive.

Sincerely,

Kristine D. Duffy, Ed.D. President

640 BAY ROAD QUEENSBURY, NY

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

— Margaret Mead

GREAT FUTURES START HERE. FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED AT SUNY ADIRONDACK.

Learn more at www.sunyacc.edu/admissions

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