CNY's Response to Global Energy and
Climate Change Challenges: Is It Sustainable?

Presenter Biographies

Please take a moment to read about our dynamic team of moderators and panelists!
Biographies will be added as speakers are confirmed.

• Panelists - April 30, 2008 – Municipalities
• Panelists - June 12, 2008 - Community Education and Outreach
• Panelists - September 18, 2008 - Private Sector
• Panelists - October 16, 2008 - Agenda in Action

 

Program Chair and Moderator
Richard Smardon, Ph.D., Professor, Environmental Studies, SUNY-ESF
Richard C. Smardon has lived and worked in Vermont, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Oregon and California before coming to the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry. At SUNY/ESF he is a Professor with the Department of Environmental Studies and has graduated over 75 graduate students besides being department chair for 10 years.  He has a Ph.D. in Environmental Planning from the University of California, Berkeley and a Masters in Landscape Architecture and Bachelors in Environmental Design from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has edited/written three books; The Future of Wetlands; Assessing Visual-Cultural Values (1983) with Allenheld-Osmun; Foundations for Visual Project Analysis (1986) with John Wiley and Sons; and The Legal Landscape: Guidelines for Environmental and Aesthetic Protection (1993) with Van Nostrand Rhinehold. He is also engaged in writing a book "Sustaining the World's Wetlands" with Springer Press, which will focus on the role of NGO's in international wetland management.

He was appointed by the Governor of New York to the Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council in 1989 and has chaired the council. He was initially included in Who's Who of the East in 1991-92 as well as Who's Who in America and Who's Who in Education for 1992-3; and has been appointed to the National Research Council -Transportation Research Board from 1986 to 1995. He currently serves on the board of Landscape and Urban Planning, Environmental Science and Policy, Science International, and the International Journal of Asian Environmental Science. He also writes a bi-monthly column on energy and environment for the Central New York Business Exchange magazine.   His major areas of expertise include landscape assessment and management, wetland assessment and mitigation, energy policy, environmental management and citizen participation, law and aesthetics, ecotourism/heritage resource management, and Great Lakes and coastal management policy.

Moderator
Dave Eichorn, Chief Meteorologist, News Channel 9
Chief Meteorologist, Dave Eichorn, is an Upstate New York native. He studied Meteorology at SUNY Oswego, the University of Oklahoma, and North Carolina State University. Dave is the recipient of several awards for the coverage of special weather events including Hurricane Gloria, and the Blizzard of 1993. He is recognized with the American Meteorological Society’s Seal of Approval and has held office in the Central New York Chapter of the American Meteorological Society many times in the last decade. Dave heads-up the NewsChannel 9 Storm Team Academy, visiting countless schools each year, teaching your children about weather and the environment. In addition to visiting schools, Dave is an adjunct professor at SUNY Oswego. His reliable StormTeam forecasts are featured on NewsChannel 9 at 5:00, 5:30 and 6:00, and NewsChannel 9 Eleven at 11:00.

 

Panelists - April 30, 2008 - Municipalities Back to Top

Ravi Raman, President, RAM-TECH Engineers, P.C.; Chair, County Energy Advisory Committee
Biography coming soon

Gay Nicholson, Ph.D., Program Coordinator, Sustainable Tompkins; Community Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County Energy$mart
After a decade of graduate study and staff research in sustainable agriculture at Cornell, Gay answered a calling to work in environmental ethics.  During a three-year stint at Cornell's Program on Ethics and Public Life, she worked on global warming, the social psychology of environmental ethics, and the environmental, psychological, and spiritual costs of over-consumption.  She then served as the executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust for seven years, providing innovative and visionary leadership and transforming the organization at all levels to become a significant force for land protection in upstate New York. 

Since 2002, Gay has worked as a consultant; first with the Land Trust Alliance to introduce a new grant program for capacity building of New York’s land trusts, and now with Sustainable Tompkins in designing and implementing an integrated program to advance the creation of a more sustainable regional community.  Gay served as the founding president of the Green Resource Hub of the Finger Lakes, a new nonprofit providing consumer education, workforce training, and professional development in the areas of green building, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.  She also serves as the Regional Coordinator for the Southern Tier Energy $mart Communities Program for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. 

Gay’s undergraduate degree (with High Distinction) is in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia (1979), and her Master’s (1982) and Doctorate (1991) are in Crop Physiology and Integrated Pest Management from Cornell University.  She has been an active volunteer in numerous community and environmental organizations, providing leadership from the local to the national level.

Paul Thompson, NYSERDA Energy Smart CNY Program
Paul has lived and worked in central New York and the City of Syracuse most of his career.  After a short tour in the Service in 1969-70, Paul started his career as the Coordinator for Building Codes for the City of Syracuse.  After 11 years with the City, Paul went to work for Niagara Mohawk for in their Engineering Department for 11 years as the Regional Coordinator for Energy Programs.  Paul came back to City Government Syracuse for the 6 years as the Cities Energy Coordinator in the City’s Engineering Department. Paul is currently at the CNY Regional Planning and Development Board as their coordinator of Energy Programs Coordinator and also as NYSERDA’s Regional Energy Smart Communities Coordinator.  He holds degrees in Architectural Technology, English, and a Masters degree from SUNY ESF in Environmental and Resource Engineering and is currently working on his PhD in Environmental Studies.  Paul was appointed to the Onondaga County Citizens Energy Committee, he has been an officer of Stoneleigh Housing Corporation for 16 years, he is ACS Certification in the Insurance Industry, holds the standing of CPCA from New York State Building Officials, is Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified along with being affiliated with a wide variety of local “green” organization committees.

Scott Smith, Senior Project Manager, NYSERDA
Biography coming soon

Norman Jones, Manager of Building Services, Rochester Bureau of Operations
Biography coming soon

Michael Long, AICP, Director of Capital Projects and Grants, City of Auburn
Michael H. Long, AICP, is currently the Director of Capital Projects and Grants and oversees the City of Auburn, NY’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The NY Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) has recognized Auburn for energy projects such as the installation of water source heat pump (manufactured in Auburn by McQuay International) and for a Landfill Methane Landfill gas recovery projects. Over the last decade under Mike’s dedication, grants and revenue enhancement programs have brought over $100 million dollars into this community of 28,500. Currently, there are over 20 active capital projects underway in Auburn including work with the NY Power Authority (NYPA) on a $4.35m Energy Conservation program and Geothermal project at the Fire & Police Station, which is estimated to save $250,000 per year in energy costs.

Another major Energy project currently underway is the development of a “Bio Energy Digester”.  This $12m project is a public private partnership project with CH Auburn, LLC, which will utilize City of Auburn Methane Gas in concert with a German technology “sludge digester” that will create 3 megawatts of electric power.  This new power will provide the energy to power the city’s Waste Water Treatment plant and create additional electricity and hot water that will be available as a tool for economic development.  There have been three major grants from the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) that have helped to provide the startup funding to bring this project to reality.  A fall 2008 ground breaking is anticipated.

Mike Long has a MPA in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and both an MLA and BLA of Landscape Architecture from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) at Syracuse. Currently, Mike serves as the President of the NY Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) and has been on the staff assigned to City of Auburn’s Municipal Power Agency. Over the last several decades, he has volunteered time as a founding Board member of the Community Preservation Committee, Inc. (Willard Memorial Chapel), the Cayuga Museum (Case Research Lab) and Chamber of Commerce “Leadership Cayuga” Program. Most importantly, Mike has had the opportunity to coach CYO in basketball, Auburn youth hockey, Little League, Babe Ruth, and Auburn YMCA gymnastics teams with his kid’s teams over the last 25 years.

 

Panelists - June 12, 2008 - Community Education and Outreach Back to Top

Rhea Jezer, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Environmental Policy, Cazenovia College
Dr. Rhea Jezer holds the position of Senior Lecturer of Environment & Politics at Cazenovia College. She founded and chairs the annual "Symposium on Energy in the 21st Century," which includes speakers of national note and attracts over three hundred attendees from all parts of New York State.

Rhea Jezer has been active in the environmental field in New York State and nationally for many years as a consultant to eco-businesses, candidates, environmental groups, as well as an advisor to elected officials for both major parties. She was the Central New York Area environmental coordinator and environmental representative of a labor-environmental-business coalition on trade issues, and in 1995 was appointed by Governor George Pataki as regional coordinator of Clean Air/Clean Water Bond Act of 1996. He later appointed her to serve on the New York State Superfund Reauthorization Working Group. She served on President Bill Clinton's transition environmental committee, and Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's transition team, and has been an environmental advisor to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for the past eight years. She presently serves on Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's environmental committee.

Rhea Jezer is a board member of the League of Conservation Voters where she serves on the Policy Committee and the Political Committee. She was the Chair of the Atlantic Chapter of Sierra Club for several years, and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club National Council of Delegates. She is a board member of the Onondaga-Oswego Red Cross, and is a board member of the New York Interfaith Power and Light.

Rhea Jezer was Chair of the Dewitt Democratic Party for three years and was candidate for the 25th Congressional Seat in 1992 and 1994.

Dr. Jezer holds a Ph.D from Syracuse University, MA from Columbia University, BA from Brooklyn College. She was awarded a Congressional Fellowship on Women & Public Policy where she penned major legislation for the encouragement of women and under-represented minorities to enter the fields of science and math. This became part of the Higher Education Act.

Rhea Jezer is as well a noted musician and performed extensively as a harpsichord soloist for many years, including at the Skaneateles Music Festival.

 

Todd Rogers, Coordinator, New York Energy$mart Teachers and Students, The NEED Project
For the past fifteen years, Todd Rogers, CEM has been designing innovative programs in the energy and education fields. As the Director of New York Programs for the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) Todd led the development and implementation of the New York Energy Smart Students Program, in a partnership with NYSERDA.  This program reached over 2,500 NY State classrooms with teacher workshops, hands-on kits, and follow-up support.  In addition to delivering teacher workshops nationwide, his work with NEED has included the development of curriculum pieces related to energy efficiency and energy management in schools, as well as climate change and alternative fuels.  Todd is a former elementary teacher and Certified Energy Manager, with experience as an energy analyst, who has implemented energy and sustainability awareness programs in schools, universities, public housing authorities, and other agencies.

 

Chuckie Holstein, Exectutive Director, F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse
CHARLOTTE (CHUCKIE) HOLSTEIN is founder and Executive Director of F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse, a citizen driven organization that fosters creativity to impact change in Central New York by enabling individuals, organizations, and communities to build their capacity through deliberative democracy approaches. F.O.C.U.S. celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

In honor of her service to the local, state, and national communities, in 1998 she received an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from LeMoyne College, a Jesuit college located in Syracuse.

She is active in a number of local, state and national organizations.  She is an Honorary Vice President of the American Jewish Committee. As an expression for her concern for women, she chaired the AJC National Committee on the Role of Women and participated in the AJC sponsored “Women’s Interreligious Mission” to Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Israel.  She delivered a paper on elderly women at the 1985 United Nations NGO Conference for Women in Nairobi, Kenya and led an AJC delegation to the 1995 U.N. World Conference in Beijing, China. She co-led a delegation to four countries in South America where they met with the President of each country. She also met with Pope John Paul at his residence in the Vatican.

She is a founder of Leadership Greater Syracuse and Youth Leadership Greater Syracuse and served as Executive Director for 10 years.

On October 16th, 2007 the City of Syracuse Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll proclaimed the day as “Charlotte (Chuckie) Holstein Commitment to Community Day” and planted a red maple tree in her honor in Hanover Square, downtown Syracuse as “a living tribute to her work in creating a healthy and sustainable community”.

She is the recipient of many awards for volunteer leadership. She is the recipient of the “All Time Woman of Achievement” given by the Syracuse Post Standard newspaper.  Nationally she was recognized with the “Purpose Prize for Americans Leading with Experience”, University Continuing Education Association Award for establishing the Syracuse “Citizens’ Academy”, the “National Leadership Award” from the American Jewish Committee, National Council on Aging “Ellen B. Winston Founder Award”, and the “Volunteer of the Year” award given by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aged where she served as a member of the national Ethics Commission.  She was selected as one of The Eckerd “Salute to Women” national honorees for dedication to volunteerism in the year 2000.  Locally, she received the City’s Achievement Award from Mayor Tom Young, the Temple Adath Yeshurun “Citizen of the Year” award, the Civic Education Award from the Onondaga Citizens League, the Syracuse Rotary Award, and recognition by the Syracuse section of the National Council of Jewish Women for dedicated community services. The Central New York InterReligious Council presented their Distinguished Leadership in Diversity Award to Chuckie and her husband Alexander at a community-wide ceremony in 2001.

The State of New York Court of Appeals appointed Holstein a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Lawyer’s Fund for Client Protection. She is also a member of the Central New York District Board for Key Bank.

She served for 13 years as chair of Loretto, a multi-service cluster of organizations that provides care for older people.  She spearheaded the development of The Nottingham, the first retirement community in New York State. Loretto honored her by naming the Loretto Administration building the “Charlotte G. Holstein Administration Building”.

A founder of the Syracuse Commission for Women, Meals on Wheels, and the City/County Office on Aging, Chuckie also served President Jimmy Carter on the Advisory Committee for the White House Conferences on Families, Governor Nelson Rockefeller on the New York State Board of Social Welfare, and Governor Hugh Carey as a member of the New York State Division for Youth.  Recently, in partnership with University College at Syracuse University, she was instrumental in founding the “Citizens’ Academy”, an eight week course of study about local governments. She has spoken to groups abroad and at home on a variety of topics.  A number of her speeches and articles have been published.  .

She is married to Alexander Holstein, also a civic leader, has two married daughters, two married sons and 8 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren, 2 grandchildren through marriage, and two great grandchildren.  Her children are all involved in their respective communities as volunteers and civic leaders.

Dereth Glance, Executive Program Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Dereth Glance is the Executive Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) and has been part of the CCE team since 2002. She also serves as Vice Chair on the board of Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) and chairs the agency’s Recycling Committee. Dereth is active in a wide range of environmental issues including: the Great Lakes, air pollution, water quality, energy policy, conservation, waste and recycling, and wildlife protection. With a long standing commitment to public education and activism, Dereth previously worked for Defenders of Wildlife; the utility-consumer watchdog, Citizen Action Coalition of Indiana; and the Michigan League for Human Services. Dereth attended Michigan State University where she earned her B.A. from the James Madison College of Public Affairs and currently lives in Syracuse, New York.

 

David Wall, Director, Corporate and Public Partnerships/Workforce Development, Onondaga Community College
Dave Wall is currently the Director of Corporate and Public Partnerships at Onondaga Community College. He is responsible for several college departments, including the Public Safety Training Center, College for Living, Small Business Development Center, JOBSplus! and Workforce Development; and recently the Sustainability Institute at OCC.

He is also an adjunct instructor for Onondaga Community College, Keuka College and the Center for the Development of Human Services at SUNY Buffalo.

Prior to assuming his position at OCC, Wall spent two years working at the Public Safety Training Center at OCC assisting in the development of the Emergency Management program.

Prior to Onondaga Community College, he spent four years working as a Transportation manager for a large regional grocery distributor.

Wall retired as a Chief Deputy for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office after twenty five years of service. In this position he was responsible for all administrative functions of the Sheriff’s Office.

Wall has a Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University, a Masters in Management Science from Keuka College and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Wall has served as a member of the Board of Directors of McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Site, Huntington Family Centers, Inc, the Rape Crisis Center, Home Aides of Central New York and The Syracuse Onondaga County Youth Bureau.

He and his wife Mary Anne have three grown children and reside in Marcellus, New York.

Gay Nicholson, Ph.D., Program Coordinator, Sustainable Tompkins; Community Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County Energy$mart
Please see above biography section for April 30th.

 

Panelists - September 18, 2008 - Private Sector Back to Top

David Ashley, Director of Healthy & High Performance Design, Ashley McGraw Architects
David C. Ashley, AIA, LEED AP, Director of High Performance Design at Ashley McGraw Architects, is the first person in Central New York to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED Accredited Professional. He has worked on research projects funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the U.S. Department of Energy and is a member of the task force which developed NY-CHPS, NY State version of CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) for use in New York State schools.

Mr. Ashley has given many lectures and seminars on green building principles, including the E-4 Conferences for EBA and NYSERDA, NYSERDA Green School presentations, lectures at SUNY ESF, AIA, CSI, ASID, subcontractors’ associations and Society of Military Engineers. He regularly conducts classes on becoming a LEED Accredited Professional. He assists in sustainable issues on all of his firm’s projects. One such current project is the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems which is being designed to achieve a LEED platinum level certification. He assists with the Ashley McGraw ABS Studio which is dedicated to low energy use design. Thee studio currently has some designs for zero non renewable energy buildings for upcoming projects. Ashley McGraw is a signee to the 2030 Pledge promoted by Architecture2030.com and endorsed by the AIA and the federal government. Our position is to do it now, not wait until 2030.

 

Michael Kelleher, Director of Renewable Energy Systems, SUNY-ESF
Mike joined the College of Environmental Science and Forestry as the Director of Renewable Energy Systems in 2007. In that position he is focused on expanding the use of sustainable technologies and energy efficiency to reduce the College’s carbon footprint.  Mike is also an adjunct professor at the college, teaching courses in energy markets and renewable energy, as part of the new ESF program in Renewable Energy.

Prior to joining ESF Mike served as an executive with National Grid and Niagara Mohawk.  He has extensive hands-on senior management experience in market assessment, strategic planning, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, and transaction structuring.

Mike and his team built and maintained strong relationships with customers for National Grid.  In addition, he developed effective economic development and pricing programs to attract and retain customers. Mike’s other responsibilities for National Grid included managing the treasury function and developing new business opportunities.   In those roles, he has served as an Officer and Board member on numerous National Grid subsidiaries and joint ventures in Brazil, Malta, Canada, and the US. 

Mike joined National Grid as part of the company’s acquisition of Niagara Mohawk. At Niagara Mohawk, he was a principal negotiator in the merger with National Grid, and led the merger integration which delivered over $190 million in annual savings.

Mike was also responsible for the divestiture of Niagara Mohawk’s generation assets and unregulated businesses, yielding over $2 billion in proceeds; was a principal in the restructuring of Niagara Mohawk’s $11 billion Independent Power Producer obligations; and was a primary driver in the Company’s successful financial restructuring.  He has held a variety of financial and resource planning positions with Niagara Mohawk.

Mike earned an MS in Agricultural Economics, and a BS in Agricultural Engineering Technology from Cornell University.

 

Peter Lindabury, Vice President, RobsonWoese Inc. Consulting Engineers
Mr. Peter Lindabury, a Vice President with RobsonWoese Inc Consulting Engineering located in Syracuse, NY, has over 25 years of experience as an HVAC Engineer and Project Manager.  Lindabury has experience managing, designing, and coordinating construction administration for a variety of LEED registered buildings.  He is currently serving as the LEED Certification Facilitator for numerous projects in New York State   He is the Project Manager for RW’s NYSERDA “green building” and energy technical assistance New Construction Program contract and is actively providing commissioning services for LEED and non-LEED projects.

Lindabury is a strong advocate of the USGBC LEED program and he promotes energy efficiency and environmental responsible building design and construction both within RobsonWoese and the community.  He has spoken on LEED and sustainable design across New York State

Lindabury is a founding Board Member and current Chairman of the United States Green Building Council New York Upstate Chapter that represents the majority of New York State.  He is also a founding member of Greening USA, where he is an ex-board member.

Panelists, October 16, 2008 - Agenda in Action Back to top

Joe Barry, Sustainability Consultant, City of Syracuse

Biography coming soon

 

Ed Bogucz, Executive Director, Syracuse Center of Excellence

Ed Bogucz has more than 20 years of experience in building successful collaborations involving university, industry, and government partners in education, research, technology transfer and economic development projects. 

Since August 2003, Ed has served as Executive Director of the Syracuse Center of Excellence (CoE) in Environmental and Energy Systems, a collaborative federation of over 200 partners working to develop pioneering technologies and integrated systems that improve human health, productivity, and security; energy efficiency; and ecosystem sustainability in built and urban environments.  The SyracuseCoE partners include more than 100 faculty members and researchers at 12 universities and research institutions in Upstate New York, as well as firms and organizations throughout New York State. 

Previously, Ed served more than eight years as Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University. Ed first came to Syracuse University in 1985 as a faculty member in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He holds Ph.D. and B.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University and an M.Sc. in heat transfer engineering from the Imperial College of the University of London.  Ed currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Herley Industries (Nasdaq: HRLY), the Erie Canal Museum and the Near Westside Initiative in Syracuse, NY.  He is also President of Healthy Buildings 2009, the premierinternational meeting ofresearchers, architects, equipment manufacturers, engineers and practicing professionals workingon buildings and built environments, to be held in Syracuse in September 2009.\

 

Lori Dietz, Assistant to the President, Metropolitan Development Association

Lori Dietz is Assistant to the President of the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York (MDA).   The MDA is a private, not-for-profit business leadership and economic development organization, made up of the chief executives of approximately 200 companies.

Ms. Dietz holds assignments within the Essential New York Initiative, the MDA’s comprehensive twelve-county regional development strategy with programs focused on technology commercialization, workforce development, entrepreneurship and innovation, access to capital, sector-based attraction and retention, and regional marketing.  In particular, Ms. Dietz guides promotion of the region’s greentech and renewable energy sector and is actively involved in the regional “Green Team” effort.   Ms. Dietz directed the Battelle Memorial Institute’s green industry competitive analysis project and has participated in numerous outreach efforts related to green technology.   She has a thorough knowledge of Central Upstate New York’s strengths and opportunities in this industry sector.

Ms. Dietz manages the MDA’s efforts to redevelop of Hancock Airpark and Electronics Park.  Hancock Airpark – the 425 acre site of a former U.S. Air Force Base – is now the fastest-growing business / light industrial park in Onondaga County, home to 15 businesses with 750 employees.  Electronics Park, LLC, is the 181 site of a former General Electric facility, which is now home to Lockheed Martin and five other high-tech / light industrial corporations employing 2,700 people. 

Ms. Dietz also coordinates the activities of the Hancock Military Affairs Community Council which promotes the continued growth of the Hancock Field Air National Guard Base and other local military units.  Hancock Field is most notably home to the 174th Fighter Wing – an F-16 squadron which is transitioning to become the nation’s first guard unit to operate the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle. 

Prior to joining the MDA, Ms. Dietz was involved in all aspects of municipal solid waste management and associated environmental issues.  Ms. Dietz holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Clarkson University and a Masters in Business Administration from East Carolina University.  She is a licensed Professional Engineer in NYS.

 

William Emm, Chief Financial Officer, Onondaga Community College

William Emm is the Chief Financial Officer at Onondaga Community College. In this position, Bill is responsible for oversight of Finance, Facilities, Campus Safety and Security, Auxiliary Services and Human Resources. Bill joined Onondaga in 1997, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in Administration from Keuka College. In May 2007, Onondaga Community College President Debbie L. Sydow, Ph.D., joined with 300 other college and university presidents in the signing of the Presidents’ Campus Climate Commitment. In Bill’s capacity as CFO, he is one of the College’s key administrators at Onondaga leading and implementing sustainability programs on campus and in the community, including the College’s Sustainability Institute launched in October 2007.

 

Sue Miller, Deputy Director, Onondaga County Lake Improvement Project

Biography coming soon

 

Thomas Rhoads, Executive Director, Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency

For the past twelve years, Tom Rhoads has enjoyed the privilege of leading an excellent team of co-workers at OCRRA as its Executive Director.  OCRRA is a non-profit, public service agency serving 450,000 people in Onondaga County, New York with award-winning recycling and solid waste management programs.

Prior to joining OCRRA, Mr. Rhoads was a County Administrator in central Pennsylvania.  He also worked previously in the engineering and construction fields.  He has degrees in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration and is a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania.

 

This program is sponsored in part by a Regional Economic Transformation Through Energy and Environmental Systems Grant from the New York State Department of Labor.