Items

• Roger Sullivan
  During his many years of leading enrollment management at SUNY Oneonta, Roger Sullivan’s accomplishments are extraordinary. Freshman applications grew from 6,400 to over 11,500; the mean high school average increased from 81.99 to 91.20; mean combined SAT scores (math/critical reading) grew from 996 to 1134; freshman/sophomore retention rose from 60.2% to 87.4%; four year graduation rates went from 27% to 55%; six year graduation rates rose from 40% to 68%; underrepresented student enrollment increased from 8.2% to 20.3% of new entering students; and overall undergraduate enrollment grew from 5,136 to 5,863. A secondary, but nonetheless important outcome of SUNY Oneonta’s enrollment management initiatives, had been the College’s rise in a host of national rankings, most notably from Tier III status in in the US News and World Report College rankings to Tier I and Top 10 Northern Public/Masters institutions.
• Huntington Library
  Demonstrating why she has been so successful communicating about and leading the library as its Director, Tina Winstead reminds us of what the world was like in 1917 when the library was first started through the generosity of the Huntingdon family. The library has a unique charter and solid budget. It is also assigned the task of overseeing the surrounding park, such a marvelous green space adjacent to the downtown historic district. She discusses circulation and attendance numbers as well as a variety of popular services and programs. For example, the benefits of the 4 county library consortium. Other attendees, several of them members of the Friends group or Board Members, also comment about their contributions and past memories
• Bob Brzozowski (Part 2)
  Growing up in rural New Hampshire, Bob worked after college with a crew rebuilding colonial homes and barns before receiving a master’s in cultural anthropology at the University of the Americas in Mexico. Thus he obtained skills of great use for his career as Director of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society (GOHS). He joined the GOHS Board in 2003, became Board President in the same year and has very successfully been GOHS Executive Director for about a decade. During his Directorship, he has raised over $1 million, used mostly for building renovations; built a dedicated board, along with dozens of volunteers; worked to create a city historic district; was elected a member of the city’s Common Council; and through all the programs, exhibits and archival development – fostered though the service of all those devoted to the Mission of GOHS – created GOHS as a thriving cultural hub of the city and region . He recently received the Albert Morris Award, presented by the GOHS Board for all his contributions.
• Bob Brzozowski (Part 1)
  Growing up in rural New Hampshire, Bob worked after college with a crew rebuilding colonial homes and barns before receiving a master’s in cultural anthropology at the University of the Americas in Mexico. Thus he obtained skills of great use for his career as Director of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society (GOHS). He joined the GOHS Board in 2003, became Board President in the same year and has very successfully been GOHS Executive Director for about a decade. During his Directorship, he has raised over $1 million, used mostly for building renovations; built a dedicated board, along with dozens of volunteers; worked to create a city historic district; was elected a member of the city’s Common Council; and through all the programs, exhibits and archival development – fostered though the service of all those devoted to the Mission of GOHS – created GOHS as a thriving cultural hub of the city and region . He recently received the Albert Morris Award, presented by the GOHS Board for all his contributions.
• Erna Morgan McReynolds (Part 2)
  Having been a successful producer, she also worked as a producer for NBC, during the years of such well known figures as Tom Brokow and Cameron Swayze. But because of her desire to be with Tom, she soon moved back up to our region in the late 1980's, where she launched another very succesful carreer as a broker partnering with Tom. (Her career in communications certainly played a role in her success as a broker.) She discusses in detail the work she did in obtaining licenses, establishing an office, developing and training a staff, and signing up clients for what is now known as Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. She also found time to serve on several non profit boards, including among others, Hartwick College, United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties and Glimmerglass Opera. Her numerous honors include Barron's Top 100 Women Financial Advisors and Otsego County Chamber Citizen of the Year. One award from the Girl Scouts of America in particular cites some reasons for her service and success: "courage, confidence and character."
• Erna Morgan McReynolds (Part 1)
  Born and raised in Gilbertsville, Erna discusses the early struggles of her parents to support their family, her work to achieve success academically and a Dow Jones Journalism internship award which helped direct her career path. She did work for a local paper before moving to New Zealand in the early l970’s, where she gained notice writing about the energy crisis of l973. Moving again, while traveling the world, she settled in London and soon became the producer of the renowned “The A.M. Show”, broadcast by London Broadcasting throughout England and the continent. By 1981, she had moved again back to New York and married her busband, Tom Morgan.
• Gayane and Hovhannes Torosyan
  Alan Donovan speaks with SUNY Oneonta Associate Professor Gayane Torosyan and her husband Hovhannes about the story of their immigration to the United States from the former Soviet Republic of Armenia. Hovhannes Torosyan works as Quality Control Director at Norwich Pharmaceuticals while his wife Gayane teaches in the Department of Communication & Media at Oneonta. During her studies in the doctoral program at the University of Iowa, Torosyan was separated from her family for a year and a half after they were denied entry visas to the United States.
• Tom Rathbone
  Tom Rathbone was the driving force behind the ongoing facilities transformation on the Oneonta campus for the last 30 years. His vision for his work was "To create the campus with the best darn facilities in the SUNY system." His work - 7/24 - has certainly resulted in that. The discussion ranged over topics from planning (Campus Master Plans), to on going challenges, to infrastructure, to renovation, to new construction. His success was informed by his ability to work with a wide variety of campus constituencies. An illustration of his success was his unique awareness that the changing of pedagogical styles would be a major influence in the renovations to be made in our academic buildings -- an illustration of form following function. He also realized that of all facilities, it was those in their curricular area (major) choice which made the most difference to perspective students.
• Oneonta Urban Renewal
  A wide ranging discussion took place with Gary Wickham leading the way, joined in by Al Colone, Liz Morley and Bob Brzozowski, among others. The original reasons for urban renewal down town came about because of the great increase in vehicular traffic and the proliferation of new shopping centers outside the city. General consensus then, as well as now, seems to be that the urban renewal efforts were a mixed blessing at best. One change bearing this out was the demise of Board Street, which at one point housed 31 establishments, including stores, restaurants, the YMCA and a hotel. Most of these commercial entities disappeared never to return. A notable exception was the YMCA. However good memories were prompted by the exhibit's numerous pictures of before and after changes.
• Downtown Revitalization
  A panel discussion featuring Dr Nancy Kleniewski, President of SUNY Oneonta; Dr Carly Ficano, Professor of Business and Economics, Hartwick College and Gary Herzig, Mayor of the City of Oneonta. The discussion is moderated by Gary Wickham, Lecturer in Mass Communications, SUNY Oneonta. Also included are comments and questions from the audience.
• Stacy Packard
  Stacy Packard has the honor of being named a winner of the Women's Master Physique and Woman's Open Physique at the OCB Atlantic Body Building Championship held in Syracuse in late March. Now a Fitness Trainer at Foxcare Fitness, Stacy talks about her diet, training routines and what it takes to become such a champion. In our conversation she certainly reveals the drive, determination and devotion to become a champion. A trade secret: before beginning a posing routine for the judges, most body builders enjoy a... Reeses Peanut Butter Cup.
• Neighborhood Stores
  A lively discussion occurred, beginning with a presentation by Tony Drago about his parent’s store, famous for its sausage. He was followed by Wayne Wright, Curator of the exhibit at the Greater Oneonta Historical Society, talking about neighborhood stores in Oneonta’ East End. Bob Wood Jr. then added his comments about running Woody’s Market for 17 years. Bruce Van Buren told us about his parents’ store on River Street and the number of chickens they tended for market. Other comments came from Liz Morley and Patrice Macaluso, who detailed the nature of immigration to Oneonta.
• Nick Barberio
  Nick Barberio remembers his growing up in Mohawk, New York as the son of a proud legionnaire. He joined the Navy at the age of 18 during World War II. Serving on the USS Vincennes II, his tour took him to the South Pacific, beginning in January, 1944. For his service he received a number of medals. When he returned to civilian life, he worked for a time in Ilion, before enrolling in SUNY Potsdam in teacher education. It was there he met his wife Mildred Clark. Soon after he received his graduate degree from St. Lawrence University, he joined the Education Faculty at SUNY Oneonta where he spent his career and raised his family of three sons.
• Music in Oneonta
  Greater Oneonta Historical Society Discussion: The discussion ranged widely from the beginnings of classical groups in Oneonta such as the predecessor to the Oneonta Concert Association in the mid l920's, to famous Oneonta musicians to concerts with well known popular music figures often held on the SUNY Oneonta campus in the l970's. Such local groups as the Catskill Symphony and Catskill Choral Society were mentioned. Popular local figures -- Al Gallodoro, Jerry Jeff Walker and Larry Santos were remembered. And concerts featuring famous stars like Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel were remembered. Contributing to the conversation were Patrice Macaluso, Molly Swain and Peg Twasutyn.
• Mike Zagata (Part 3)
  Mike discusses his work with Transco, another oil company installing pipelines. In 1995, he began his work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, after being appointed Commissioner by the Governor. After that he moved to become Director of the national Ruffed Grouse Society. Throughout these discussions, he details important principles of environmental stewardship.
• Mike Zagata (Part 2)
  Mike talks about his move to D.C. in 1975 to work at the National Wildlife Federation, the Audubon Society, and the National Research Council. After 5 years working for these agencies, he was offered and accepted an offer at Tenneco Oil Company as Manager of Ecological Sciences and then Director of Environmental Health and Safety.
• Mike Zagata (Part 1)
  In this first of three conversations, Mike details his growing up in West Davenport, going to Oneonta High school, then receiving his degree from SUNY Oneonta. After teaching for several years at the high school level, he then went on to earn his PhD. and taught at the University of Maine in Environmental Sciences. Much of this and the following discussions are based on information in his recently published book: A Journey Toward Environmental Stewardship.
• Airport Memories
  Following the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Oneonta Municipal (OMA) on September 17, 2016, the following discussion was held at the Greater Historical Society. David Brenner, former Mayor of Oneonta at the time Catskill Airways ceased its service to New York City, and Dennis Finn, current mayoral appointed Airport Commissioner, talk about their experiences with OMA throughout the years. Both were participants in the 50th Celebration.
• John Remillard
  John Remillard has served for 27 years as President and CEO of A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital and will be retiring in December, 2015. In our conversation, John talks about his growing up in the North County in Peru, N.Y. and his early career in health care. Since coming to Fox in the spring of l988, he has accomplished a number of significant accomplishments. Among these are the renovation of the operating suite; the purchase and opening of the Fox Care Center in l997; and the conversion of all of Fox’s rooms to single occupancy, more spacious ones. He also comments on the general changes occurring in medical services in the past few years and those yet to come.
• Daniel Larkin
  Dan Larkin looks back on his 50 year career with SUNY Oneonta. Growing up in Rome, Dan talks about his SUNY education at Brockport and the University at Albany. Arriving to the History Department in 1965, he sees many changes in student learning behaviors during his decades of teaching undergraduates. After to his service as a visiting administrator in the Provost’s office at SUNY Central, he then steered the academic programs of the College for over a decade as Provost himself. He talks about his research activities, especially his numerous articles, books and presentations particularly about the Erie Canal and its construction. Of course he is a man of wide interests as he alludes throughout the conversation.
• Lost Oneonta
  On March 21, 2015 the Greater Oneonta Historical Society presented a discussion of its display called "Lost Oneonta." Mark Simonson, city historian, gave an over view of the buildings featured and then members of the audience offered their memories. The buildings discussed included the Stanton Theater, Old Main, Academy Street School, the Roundhouse, and, of course those on Broad Street.
• Milly Parish
  Alan Donovan interviews Milly Parish, who recalls growing up in Oneonta, life on the family farm, SUNY-Oneonta, her teaching career, and inception of the Plains at Parish retirement community.
• Homer Folks TB Hospital (Part 3)
  Reactions to a bunker visit with Nancy Cannon and Bill Simons
• Homer Folks TB Hospital (Part 2)
  Bill Simon’s recollections of his days as faculty-in-residence at the old nurses building.
• Homer Folks TB Hospital (Part 1)
  Session from the history center.