The Fredonia College Foundation Board of Directors has announced newly-elected board officers, all of whom are alumni, to head the non-profit foundation associated with the State University of New York at Fredonia.
 Michael Schiavone, '78 |
New officers include Chair Michael Schiavone, ’78; Vice Chair Debra Horn Stachura, ’75; and Treasurer Michael Petsky, ’85. Secretary Jean Malinoski, ’68, ’81, was re-elected to her position.
Mr. Schiavone succeeds Chair Kurt Maytum of Fredonia, N.Y., who now serves as Immediate Past Chair on the board of directors. Mr. Maytum has been a member of the foundation board of directors since 2001 and is President/Chief Technology Officer of DFT Communications.
Mr. Schiavone, of Clarence, N.Y., is a senior partner with the Buffalo, N.Y., firm of Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP, and focuses on business law, estate planning, commercial real estate, and sports and entertainment law. Mr. Schiavone earned his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1981 and has served as a member of the foundation board of directors since 2004.
Ms. Stachura of West Seneca, N.Y., is owner of Buffalo Advertising and a 25-year media industry veteran. She has worked in sales and sales management in local radio and television, and is experienced in developing media plans for a diverse client base. She earned her M.S. in Education from Buffalo State College and is also a marathon runner. Ms. Stachura has served as a member of the foundation board of directors since 2006.
Mr. Petsky of Manorville, N.Y., is a partner and Chief Executive Officer of Petsky Prunier LLC, a leading investment bank that provides merger and acquisition support as well as private placement services to companies in the advertising, marketing and digital media industries. In 2008, Mr. Petsky received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Fredonia Alumni Association and SUNY Fredonia. He has been a member of the foundation board of directors since 2009.
Ms. Malinoski, of Forestville, N.Y., is Vice President Emeritus for Development and College Relations at SUNY Fredonia. She had also served as Director of Alumni Relations, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Associate Vice President for Development and College Relations, Interim Assistant to the President for Development, and Interim Vice President for Development and College Relations. Ms. Malinoski has served on the foundation board of directors since 2005.
Other new members of the board of directors include Carla Giambrone, ’92, of Rochester, N.Y., president of Giampro Corp.; Daniel Reininga of Fredonia, N.Y., owner of Graf Realty Corp., and Thomas Waring Jr., ’80, of Hamburg, N.Y., president of Waring Financial Group. In addition, David H. Carnahan, of Mayville, N.Y., chairman of the Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, Inc., has rejoined the board of directors. He has also been leading the advisory committee for the Fredonia College Foundation’s ongoing, $15 million, “Doors to Success” capital campaign. Brian Gusmano of Penfield, a Criminal Justice major and comptroller of the Student Association, was named as the student representative to the board.
The Fredonia College Foundation was founded in 1964. Through endowments established with the foundation through assistance from individual benefactors, foundations, corporations and other partners in philanthropy, SUNY Fredonia was able to award over a million dollars in student scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year. The foundation is also partnering with the SUNY Research Foundation to establish a not-for-profit corporation to advise and otherwise benefit the new SUNY Fredonia Business Technology Incubator. Other support provided by the foundation to the university includes funds for student enrichment, faculty educational advancement, and visiting lectureships, performers and artists-in-residence.
The mission of the Fredonia College Foundation is to promote, advance and support the activities and programs of SUNY Fredonia. In doing so, the foundation administers resources and supervises the investment of philanthropic funds and other revenues for the university. The foundation was established to accept financial contributions, to hold and invest endowment accounts, and to award grants to strengthen the educational programs of SUNY Fredonia. It is a not-for-profit corporation separate from the university that exists solely for the benefit of the school and a volunteer board of directors oversees its activities.
