2009 Distinguished Alumni Recipients

The Foundation of FM hosted its Third Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner Thursday, September 24 at Johnstown Holiday Inn.

This year’s recipients were Michael J. Campos, Stephen M. Tomlinson, and Lisa Queeney-Vadney.

Michael J. Campos, a member of FM’s first graduating class of 1966, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.  A teacher at Fonda-Fultonville Central School for 30 years, Mike has been involved in Martial Arts for 40 years, and is currently the Director of Zen-Do Kai (ZDK) Martial Arts in Johnstown.  While teaching full-time, Mike started his martial arts business part-time which has grown to an organization of over fifty clubs nationally and internationally.  Over the years, Mike has organized tournaments, seminars, an awards banquet, and other events designed to provide new opportunities for all ZDK members.  Mike is very involved with the community as he has been a member of the NOAH program since 1996; a presenter at the CHOICES Conference at FM for the past 20 years; organizes a ZDK Toy Drive each year for Gloversville’s Salvation Army; and has raised over $40,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project. 

Lisa Queeney-Vadney, Class of ‘78, received the Excellence in Business Award.  For nearly 30 years, Lisa has been with Wachovia/Wells Fargo Advisors LLC in Johnstown where she is a Private Investment Management Financial Advisor and Vice President of Investments. She has earned the titles of Certified Financial Planner, Certified Fund Specialist, and New York State Licensed Life, Accident and Health Insurance Agent to name a few.  Her day to day routine includes developing an asset base of over $65,000,000 and assembling an average of over $500,000 in new assets monthly.  Lisa currently serves on Fulton County EDC’s Board of Directors and is a member of the Board’s Loan Committee; Fulton County Community Services Board; and as a member of Soroptimist International of Fulton County.  She has been Treasurer and Secretary to the Friends of the Mayfield Library; Chair of Adirondack Foothills YWCA Board of Trustees as well as Publicity Committee Chair to Fulton County’s Insurance Women’s Association.  Lisa finds it imperative to give back to her community through pro-bono work and volunteerism. 

Stephen M. Tomlinson, a graduate of FM’s Class of ‘89, received the Excellence in the Professions Award.  Stephen started his career in the education field as a Physical Education teacher at Broadalbin-Perth Middle School and later became Principal of the Broadalbin-Perth Primary School where he oversaw the design and implementation of the Special Education Department Inclusion Program.  Today, Stephen serves as Superintendent of Schools for the Broadalbin-Perth Central School District.  Over the years, Stephen has been active as a volunteer coach in the district and for area youth programs as well as serving as a Big Brother for the Fulton County Big Brothers/Big Sisters Chapter in the early 90’s.  He is a member of the Broadalbin Youth Commission Board of Directors and for eight years served as Director of the Broadalbin Youth Commission which provided him valuable experiences working with various youth agencies in Fulton County and New York State.

Keynote Speaker for the event was FM graduate Joe Calderone, Capital News 9 Sports Director. 

FM HONORS 2008 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

On Wednesday, September 24, the FM Foundation hosted a Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner at Rolling Hills Country Club.  Originally known as the Foundation’s Annual Dinner Meeting, the College made a change last year to include honoring distinguished alumni who achieved outstanding success and made a lasting impact on their community.  Alumni and the community at large were asked to nominate graduates in the following categories:  Excellence in The Professions, Excellence in Not-For-Profit Management, Excellence in Business, Emerging Professional, Excellence in Academics, and Lifetime Achievement.

This year’s recipients included John E. Jablonski ‘81, Mary Jane Balzano Paris ‘67, and Faith Takes ‘77. 

John E. Jablonski , a 1981 graduate of FM, has been awarded with Excellence in The Professions.  He currently is Provost and Vice President For Academic Affairs at FM.  He has been a member of the FM family since 1986 serving in various capacities including Professor, Dean of Business and Technology, Vice President and Dean of the College, Acting President and now in his current position.  Some of his many accomplishments include overseeing the development of FM’s extension site at the Riverfront Center, the development of faculty-based assessment planning, and the evolution of the Evans Library to the Learning Commons.  His community involvement is vast as he is president of SUNY’s Association of Chief Academic Officers, President of Liberty ARC, Treasurer of the Amsterdam Rotary Club and recipient of the Sok Nam Ko Rotarian of the Year Award in 2007, past District Chairman and current board member of the Twin Rivers Council Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Board to name a few. 

Mary Jane Balzano Paris, a member of the College’s 1967 second graduating class and resident of Shelton, Connecticut, was awarded with Lifetime Achievement.  As a single parent, Mary Jane re-entered the workforce in 1982 at entry-level after being home for ten years raising her children.  She worked her way up the corporate ladder and eventually founded her own business in 2006.  Today, Mary Jane is President and Founder of Positive Impact Consulting Services, LLC where she assists 21st century leaders and employees realize and maximize their potential and improve business results.  Her volunteer participation includes Corporator of Birmingham Group Health Services, as well as a member of their Annual Holiday Gala steering committee; mentor for sixth grade students through People’s Bank Mentoring Program; Director of Shelton Economic Development Corporation; program facilitator and career counselor for the Women’s Business Development Center; and creator and chair of “Dancing with the Valley Stars” fundraising gala committee which raised over $10,000 to benefit the Birmingham Group Health Services’ Umbrella Program and the Shelton Safe Home, both serving battered and abused women and children.

Faith Takes, FM Class of 1977, received the Excellence in Business Award.  In 1985, Faith became president of Mildred Elley School, originally a continuing educational school for women which became co-educational under Faith’s leadership.  Hoping to run a small business school with 100 secretarial students, Faith founded the Empire Education Corporation which now has a total of 750 students in three schools in New York and Massachusetts.  Empire Education provides skill-based, post secondary training to primarily the adult market which includes two business colleges and one school specializing in the spa professions.  As CEO, her goal is to grow the school group to five and maintain the success that it boasts today.  Currently, Faith serves on the Board of Wildwood, a not-for-profit organization servicing the autistic population; is a member of the fund development committee for the Board of the Albany Symphony Orchestra; and president of the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Community in Albany for her third term.  She has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Career Award from the National Career College Association, the Italian American of the Year, and an award for chairing the State Advisory Council for Proprietary School Education.

The evening’s program also included the presentation of plaques to outgoing board members Bonnie Cooke, Mark Finkle, Jim Hinkle, and Mike Pepe.  Jeff Bray, outgoing board chair, was also recognized for his service.

The evening’s emcee was Cheryl McGrattan, FM Foundation Board Special Events Committee Chair.  Cheryl has an extensive background in marketing as she joined the board as an International Marketing Specialist for the NYS Department of Agriculture.  Prior to that, Cheryl served as the US Department of Commerce’s Rural Outreach Coordinator for International Trade.  Currently, Cheryl works as Public Relations Coordinator at Nathan Littauer Hospital.  Cheryl is the recipient of several awards and honors including the Capital District Business Review’s 40 Under 40 Award and the Woman of Excellence Award as Top Emerging Executive sponsored by the Women’s Business Council and the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

FMCC Honors First Distinguished Alumni

The Foundation of Fulton-Montgomery Community College held its Annual Dinner on Wednesday, September 26 at the Johnstown Holiday Inn.  For the first time, this year’s dinner included a presentation to the College’s First Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.

FMCC alumni and the community-at-large were asked to nominate graduates of the College who achieved outstanding success and made a lasting impact on their community.  The College is pleased to announce the following three alumni selected to receive this award:  (pictured left to right) Michael J. Pepe ‘78, Donna Gatto Fraley ‘67; and Dr. Donald F. Staffo ‘66.

Mrs. Gatto Fraley, a graduate of FMCC’s Class of 1967, is the Director of Literacy Learning Academy and Inclusion Facilitator for the Polk County School Board in Lakeland, Florida.  For her impressive work at the Academy, she has received accolades and national recognition as she travels coast-to-coast making presentations at national conferences to special educators across the country allowing them to implement the effective strategies she models for them.  In April of this year, Mrs. Gatto Fraley was inducted into the Gloversville High School Hall of Fame.  She also took the lead on planning FMCC’s 40+1 Reunion where the Class of 1967 hosted a celebration for the Class of 1966, the first graduating class of the College, this past October.

Michael J. Pepe, a graduate of FMCC’s Class of 1978, is Vice President/Regional Lending Manager for NBT Bank in Gloversville.  Over the past thirty years, Mr. Pepe has served both Fulton and Montgomery Counties through numerous boards, clubs, and organizations including Hospital Trustee, Finance Committee Member, and Advisory Board Member over an eight year period at St. Mary’s Hospital, Amsterdam; President, Vice President, and Treasurer over an eight year period for the Fulton County Economic Development Corporation; and more recently as Immediate Past President of the College’s Foundation Board of which he’s been a member for six years.  He is active in local basketball and softball leagues, coaching AAU & CYO girls’ basketball and softball, and spent thirteen years as a local radio sports announcer.

Dr. Donald F. Staffo, a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Education at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL and a member of FMCC’s first graduation class in 1966, was the recipient of the 2007 American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Honor Award. The Honor Award, established in 1923, is the second highest award in the profession and is bestowed upon members of the Alliance for meritorious service to the professions represented. The national honor award is the latest of several recent awards and recognitions that Dr. Staffo has received. While attending FMCC Staffo was co-captain of the varsity wrestling team and was the starting second baseman on the varsity fast-pitch softball team. In 1989, during the College’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, Dr. Staffo returned to the campus as a keynote speaker.

“There were several fine candidates from which we were able to choose,” said Dr. Dustin Swanger, President of FMCC.  “While we could only select three, if we could honor all of them, we would have been delighted. FMCC is proud of our graduates and all that they do for their communities. This is just the start of recognizing our outstanding alumni.