Putting Green: Scott Baker M’08 CAS’13

Putting Green

O S W E G O ★ ★ ★ 10 0 % O R G A N I C GREEN Owning a golf course in Upstate New York has its challenges. Weather, especially along the shores of Lake Ontario, can be unpredictable, and the dramatic swings in temperatures and conditions can limit the number of days that golfers actually want to hit the greens. “We’ve been through the drought, the rain and everything in between,” said Scott Baker M’08 CAS’13, who co-owns Stone Creek Golf Course in Oswego. “Snow can come early, and stay late. We cannot control it, and we continue to focus on improvement regardless of what Mother Nature deals us.” But despite the unique challenges, he and his childhood golf partner, William Weimer, purchased the course, formerly named Griffin’s Greens, in 2016. Their goal for the course is reflected in its motto: Growing the game of golf. “The putting greens are an integral part of the golf course,” he said. “This is why we spend as much time and capital on them daily to produce the best putting surface we can. This includes chemical application, mowing, rolling, watering, aerifying and testing.” While the physical qualities of the course are important to its success, Scott said the most important part of running a successful business is fulfilling its commitment to customers. “The atmosphere and environment are what make a golf course exceptional,” he said. “Servicing the individuals who support the business is what creates success. Feedback from those who spend time at the course drives our daily operational intent.” In addition to owning the golf course, Scott works as a physical education teacher and golf coach at North Rose-Wolcott Central School District, and he balances his multiple careers with his responsibilities as a husband to Melissa Blanchard Baker M’09 and father to their two children. He said he depends on a great team of people to help run the day-to-day work of keeping the course in shape. His approach to ownership of the course is better characterized as “leadership.” “Leadership, as I learned through my education at Oswego State, is about putting the right people in place to create the product,” Scott said. “I give credit to my partner and our team for the success at Stone Creek.”

Alice Massimi Crouch ’02 lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Lee Crouch, and two sons. She is the executive producer at Connecting Vets, and she is working on a master’s in strategic communication at American University. She established a fund at SUNY Oswego to present the annual Outstanding Senior Award. Dom Izzo ’02 of Moorhead, Minn., hosts a radio sports talk show on WDAY’s 970- AM, “Hot Mic with Dom Izzo.” Dom also covers North Dakota State football and cohosts WDAY’s “First Down Fridays” show, which covers high school football games in the area and announces WDAY-Xtra’s “Game of the Week.” Andrew Mitchell ’02 of Williamsville, N.Y., is an enrollment agent for Idemia Identity Solutions N.A. in West Seneca, N.Y. Michael Weyrauch ’02 M’04 is the director of Career and Technical Education and Instructional Services at Orleans/Niagara BOCES in Sanborn, N.Y. Before taking over the reins of the two programs, he was the principal at Orleans Career and Technical Education Center in Medina, N.Y. He has been with BOCES for nearly eight years. He and his wife, Jennifer Roberts Weyrauch ’02, live in Corfu, N.Y., with their three daughters. Robert C. Whitaker Jr. ’02 was selected for inclusion in “Upstate New York Super Lawyers” for 2019. He is a partner in the Labor and Employment, Construction and Intellectual Property Practices at Hancock Estabrook in Syracuse, N.Y. He is the chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Department and leader of the Military Law Practice, and he formerly served as chair of the firm’s Hiring Committee. He and his wife, Jennifer Meister Whitaker ’01 M’02, live in Camillus, N.Y. Tammy Farrell M’03 CAS’10 is the principal of Groton (N.Y.) Junior-Senior High School. She has been in education for 20 years, having worked as a juvenile justice services alternative education teacher and coordinator, a sixth-grade math and science teacher in the Syracuse City School District, a sixth-grade teacher in the Marcellus Central School District, a director of curriculum, instruction and special programs at the Hannibal Central School District, an independent contractor and school improvement consultant with PLC Associates, and New York State Department of Education outside education expert.

AIR quotes

“If I’d gotten that job, I would have either been

an assistant forever,

or struggling to figure out what else I wanted to do. ”

— Aunree Houston ’00, former vice president of marketing operations at HBO

Programming, sharing his hindsight 19 years after not getting a job he thought he wanted

24-Hour CHALLENGE

Oct. 24, 2019

THE GOAL:

500 donors in 24 hours

THE RESULTS:

780+ people in 24 hours = more than $124,000, including challenge gifts from Rich ’92 M’97 and Diane Kruse Bush ’92 M’99, and Bob Moritz ’85 Thank you for giving #all4Oswego!

Sara Coulthart Haag ’03 of Oneida, N.Y., is chief programs officer at the Food Bank of Central New York. Previously, she was a divisional director with Family Services at Liberty Resources. Erin Naughton Collins ’04 of Walpole, Mass., is the administrative director for Professor Michael Porter’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. Jamie Stack Leszczynski ’04 of Oswego, is senior director of communications for Oswego Health. Dan Welch M’04 is associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County, where he has worked as an agricultural educator for more than seven years. He and his wife, Margaret Alistair Brown M’04, a teacher at Jamesville-Dewitt (N.Y.) Middle School, live in Nedrow, N.Y. Trisha Botty ’05 is grants manager for the Southwest Florida Community Foundation in Fort Myers, Fla. She previously served as regional director of intergovernmental affairs at the New York State Attorney General’s Office. Trisha also has experience working at a prominent labor organization, where she effectively planned, supported and implemented campaigns and communication strategies that fought for workers rights’ and their families. While working in the Washington, D.C., area, she managed fundraising efforts for a labor association, and worked at a nonprofit as assistant director of consumer education. Cala Glatz ’05 ’09 M’11 of Clymer, N.Y., exhibited her mixed media creations in “The Shape of Things,” an exhibition that was held in the gallery at Oswego State Downtown in fall 2019. Siobhan Rodrigues ’05 M’20 of Baldwinsville, N.Y., was awarded the SUNY Oswego Impact Scholarship, funded by the college’s Division of Graduate Studies, to lead a seven-session Mindful Movement program at the Children’s Museum of Oswego. Mary Ritter Zielinski ’05 of Herkimer, N.Y., was named assistant vice president of the Mohawk Valley Health System Medical Group in Utica, N.Y. In this role, she provides direction and leadership for the group’s operations, including staffing and resource allocation. She oversees project planning, process improvement and compliance. Heather Wright Howard ’06 of Williamson, N.Y., is a quality manager for KeurigDr. Pepper. Michael J. Jetty ’06 of East Aurora, N.Y., is a tax senior manager at Lougen, Valenti, Bookbinder & Weintraub LLP in Amherst, N.Y. He is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Michelle Roberts ’06 of Rochester, N.Y., is president of Novus – Be Known Inc. She was selected to serve on the advisory board of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts for a three-year term. Pamela Smith ’06 CAS’16 of Clay, N.Y., is dean of academics at Syracuse (N.Y.) Academy of Science High School. Most recently, she held the position of dean of students at Syracuse Academy of Science Elementary School. She was a math teacher and a math coach at the school.

All that’s missing is U!

S N Y O S W E G O A L M N I We want to hear what’s new with you! Submit your class note online at alumni.oswego.edu; email us at alumni@oswego.edu; call us at 315-312-2258; or send it to King Alumni Hall, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, N.Y. 13126.

Jennifer Beach Brillante ’07 of Lee Center, N.Y., is vice president of business development at C & D Advertising in Utica, N.Y. She was named to CNY Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty for 2019. Jeff Knauss ’07 is the co-founder of the Digital Hyve in Syracuse, N.Y., which ranked 563rd in the 2019 Inc. 5000’s list of the fastest-growing private companies nationwide, its second consecutive year to receive the award. The digital marketing agency includes 52 full-time employees with offices in Rochester and Syracuse. Thuc Phan ’07 of Syracuse, N.Y., was one of 228 educators from across the state to be accepted into the New York State Master Teacher Program—a professional network of high performing K-12 STEM (science, technology/computer science, engineering or mathematics) educators. He is a computer science and technology teacher at Cazenovia High School. Eric Romano ’07 M’09 of Gloversville, N.Y., is principal of R.J. McNulty Academy for International Studies and Literacy Magnet School in Amsterdam, N.Y. He also worked as a special education teacher at Fonda-Fultonville (N.Y.) Central School District for eight years and an assistant principal at Marie Curie Institute of Engineering and Communications for two years. Elizabeth Stoddard M’07 CAS’16 of Fulton, N.Y., is Volney (N.Y.) Elementary School principal. She has been in the educational field for 18 years. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and biology from SUNY Potsdam. Daryl Freeman Ward ’07 of Mauldin, S.C., is an accountant for Concentrix in Greenville, S.C. Matt Jerauld ’08 of Round Lake, N.Y., is training to run in the New York City Marathon, raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of his grandmother. Nick Perioli ’08 of Liverpool, N.Y., is director of player development and head coach of the American Basketball Association’s Syracuse Stallions in Syracuse, N.Y. Nick has spent time both as a player, head coach and assistant coach in the Faroe Islands (2018), Denmark (2014-2018), El Salvador (2016), Dominican Republic (2015), Germany (2009) and the Buffalo 716ers (2015-2016). He is the all-time leader in career assists and career steals in his four years at Oswego.

Get Your Greens

Kale Smoothie 2 cups kale leaves ¾ cup vanilla almond milk 1 medium banana ¼ cup plain greek yogurt

Basketball Association. Julie Swanson ’08 of New York City is director of communications and compliance for the Church of the Epiphany Day School in Manhattan. Jessica Durst Allman ’09 of Syracuse, N.Y., is an administrative specialist for Syracuse University. Robin Frost ’09 founded Red Quill Law, a Virginia-based legal practice specializing in privacy, healthcare compliance, technology and intellectual property law. She had been with Iatric Systems and has degrees from SUNY Oswego, Old Dominion University and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law. Kendall Hanley ’09 of Minneapolis, Minn., is one of 96 officials who participated in the 2019 NHL Exposure Combine, and was selected to officiate in 2019 rookie tournaments. Kendall is entering her 12th season of officiating and is a licensed linesman with the IIHF, NCAA women’s hockey (Divisions I and III) and the National Women’s Hockey League. She is also entering her fourth season as a linesman in USA Hockey’s Officiating ¼ cup pineapple 2 T. peanut butter 2 t. honey

Foodie and healthy-eater extraordinaire Dale Keida M’07 shared his favorite green smoothie recipe for this edition of OSWEGO Alumni Magazine. When not trying out new recipes, he is a technology education teacher at Camillus (N.Y.) Middle School, where he also serves as the advisor to the Technology Club and the Yearbook. He was inducted into the Town of Camillus/ West Genesee Community Hall of Fame in 2016 for his involvement with the Camillus Youth

Blend all together, yields 2 servings. Development Program, where she has officiated in the USHL, NAHL and NA3HL junior hockey leagues. She played Division III varsity hockey for Elmira College from 2005-07 and SUNY Oswego from 2007- 09 while completing a Bachelor of Science in zoology. Kevin Randall ’09 of Brewerton, N.Y., is the chief financial officer for Crouse Health, where he has worked since 2013. Kayla Valvo Rena ’09 is assistant project manager for Covey CS in Utica, N.Y. Gina Wentworth ’09 played the role of Annie Oakley in the Oswego Players’ production of Annie Get Your Gun. Gina is a longtime performer around Central New York. After taking a brief pause from the stage to pursue a career in nursing, she stepped back into the limelight this year appearing as Miriam Leftkowitz in the Oswego Players’ recent production of Safe Haven. She has performed with the all-female vocal ensemble Concinnity at the Sterling Renaissance Festival and the Dickens Festival in Skaneateles, N.Y.

To see all book covers, please visit magazine.oswego.edu.

We celebrate and share the success of Oswego alumni authors, illustrators and recording artists, who may ask their publisher/distributor to send a copy of the work to the Oswego Alumni Office to be considered for this column and our website, where cover photos of all works in this column will be displayed. Mark Allen Baker ’79 Between the Ropes at Madison Square Garden: The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007 McFarland and Company, 2019. Inside Madison Square Garden, the City Ring was the altar of pugilism from 1925 until 2007. Hosting countless championship fights, historic main events and memorable undercards, it was center stage of boxing history. This book examines the boxing ring from a historical yet sociological perspective.

Eric Lindquist ’84 A Place Called Home Bandcamp, 2019. Inspired by memories of people and places growing up in Western NY, Lindquist released his first solo record album featuring 11 tracks that were recorded in Southern California and produced by Andrew Goldring. His emotive song lyrics complement the 70s-style rock, reminiscent of Tom Petty, Neil Young and the Eagles. The album is available for purchase by digital download on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play, and can be streamed on Spotify.

Michael Oshins ’87 Beware of People Who Have More Than Three Bumper Stickers on Their Car and Other Fatherly Advice for Your Teenage Daughter Michael B. Oshins, 2019. As a father of two teenage girls, Oshins has written this book as a life manual for them to read and learn some things about society. In it, he documents his best, unfiltered and sometimes objectionable advice for his daughters and other teens—not as a psychologist or a counselor but just as a father.

Lou Paduano ’04 The Clearing Eleven Ten Publishing, 2019. Seven thousand people in a four-mile radius of Bellbrook, Ohio, disappeared overnight. A dead zone remains, no outgoing signals emanate from the ghost town. Ben Riley, the latest recruit to the Department of Special Assignments (DSA), must find out what happened to the residents. This is the first in a sci-fi conspiracy series by the author of the urban fantasy series, Greystone. Lou Paduano ’04 Promethean Eleven Ten Publishing, 2019. In the second book in the DSA series, Ben Riley and Morgan Dunleavy discover a dead body and a growing conspiracy during their hunt for a lead from the Bellbrook affair. They must learn to trust each other or they may become the next victims of an elusive pyrokenetic.

Lou Paduano ’04 Hammer and Anvil Eleven Ten Publishing, 2019. Soriya has worked her entire life to become the Greystone—protector of her city, Portents, against the growing shadows of myth and legend. All her efforts are in jeopardy when she is struck down by the destructive power of the Minotaur. The secrets of Soriya’s training are revealed in the first adventure of this new Greystone trilogy.

Tom ’06 and Ariana Cuadrado Sylvester ’06 Lifestyle Builders: Build Your Business, Quit Your Job, and Live Your Ideal Lifestyle Morgan James Publishing, 2019. This book is a practical and entertaining guide to living a better life and building a business to support it. This couple overcame the obstacles of building three businesses with one spouse still in a 9-to5 job and working together as a married couple while raising two young kids. They say they have cracked the code and developed a framework on how to successfully do business and life together.

Derrick Smith ’09 M’14 (writing as Derrick Smythe) The Other Magic Dorean Press, 2019. Smith, a social studies teacher in Altmar-Parish-Williamstown in N.Y., introduces readers to his epic fantasy series set in the world of Doréa. The first book in the Passage to Dawn series, it tells the tale of darkness stirring in a world that is ill-equipped to confront it. The birth of a prophesied king whose foretold conquests will not benefit all people, and a priestess and a slave tap into magical forces to evade capture at the hands of the Empire’s most potent wielders.