This special award will be given to Stakeholders Board Members and staff who had an early and influential impact on the formation and success of Stakeholders.
The GOBY Awards (Get on Board Volunteer Awards) are designed to recognize companies, organizations and individuals who have provided exemplary volunteer services in New York’s Capital Region. The GOBY Awards will be presented in a Hollywood-style ceremony on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at the GE Theatre at Proctors in downtown Schenectady, New York.
Two hundred Capital Region business and community leaders are expected to gather to honor the 2014 honorees, starting at 5:30pm with a lavish networking cocktail party, followed by the Oscar-style award show at 6:30 pm (minus the long-winded speeches!). Hosted by Robert Clancy, owner of Spiral Design Studio and author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Soul, the ceremony will be enhanced by performances from area bands and other musical groups.
To purchase tickets: http://www.stakeholders.force.com/events_v
Catherine M. Hedgeman, Founder and CEO
A Native of Albany, New York, Catherine Hedgeman is a magna cum laude graduate of Union College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with Department Honors in 1996. Catherine received a Juris Doctorate degree from Albany Law School in 2000 where she was an associate editor of The Albany Law Review and was awarded the Dominick Gabrielli award for excellence in Appellate Moot Court.
In 2004, Ms. Hedgeman founded GenNEXT, a business council of the Albany- Colonie Chamber of Commerce for business professional ages 23-40. In January of 2007, Ms. Hedgeman started her own law firm. In September of 2007 Ms. Hedgeman founded The Stakeholders. In 2008, Ms. Hedgeman was appointed to the New York State Young Leaders congress by the Spitzer administration to advise the administration on economic development issues pertaining to the attraction and retention of young people in New York, and how to build sustainable communities. Ms. Hedgeman was also featured in the March 2008 edition of Success Magazine, and is also the recipient of the 2008 Woman of Distinction Award: Junior Trailblazer from the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, the 2005 Capital District Business Review 40 Under 40 Award and the 2005 Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce Women of Excellence Award for the Emerging Professional.
In November of 2008, Ms. Hedgeman appeared in O Magazine as one of 80 Women who received a Women’s Leadership Award for her work on economic development issues, philanthropy and volunteerism, from the White House Project and O Magazine, The Oprah Magazine. In August 2010, Ms. Hedgeman was appointed to the New York State Commission on National and Community Service by Governor Patterson.
Over the past ten years, Catherine has served on a number of civic and nonprofit board of directors including, the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District Public Relations Committee, the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Center For Economic Growth, the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, and the Tech Valley Civic Forum, which involved stakeholders from all sectors – business, government, nonprofit, education, in creating the vision for Tech Valley.
James J. Salengo, Board President
Jim Salengo has been Executive Director of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation (DSIC) in Schenectady, NY, since 2008.
The non-profit organization works on behalf of property owners and businesses to enhance the vibrancy of Downtown Schenectady through daily cleaning & maintenance, visual improvements, promotion & marketing, business development and more.
Prior to joining the DSIC, Jim graduated Magna Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Vermont with a degree in English. Jim worked for five years as Director of Communications at the Downtown Albany (NY) Business Improvement District. Prior to that, Jim spent nearly 14 years in public relations, programming and as an on-air spokesperson at WMHT public television and radio in Rotterdam, NY.
Jim is a founding member and Board President for Stakeholders, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Albany, NY, with a mission to inspire and equip people to act in the community through volunteer service. He also serves on the boards of the New York State Urban Council and Haven of Schenectady, Inc.
Jim was named one of the Business Review’s “40 Under Forty” business leaders in New York’s Capital Region in 2006. His efforts also contributed to “Mark of Excellence Awards” for the Downtown Albany BID from the Capital Region Chapter of the American Marketing Association in 2005 & 2007, the “Leaders of Tomorrow Award” for Stakeholders from the Center for Economic Growth in 2010, the “Community Partner Award” for the DSIC from the Chamber of Schenectady County in 2011, the “New Patroon Award” for Stakeholders from the Albany Roundtable in 2011, and an “Achievement Award” for the DSIC from the International Downtown Association in 2012.
Alan Alexander, Board Treasurer
Alan Alexander joined KeyCorp in 1993. He has been with KeyBank Commercial Banking since May 2007 and is currently a Senior Relationship Manager for KeyBank’s Capital Region Commercial Banking Group. Mr. Alexander is responsible for new business development for KeyBank within the Capital Region as well as managing a large commercial loan and deposit portfolio.
Prior to May 2007, Mr. Alexander was previously employed by KeyBank Capital Markets (“KBCM”) where he spent more than four years in the Financial Sponsors Group. He was primarily involved in the structuring, underwriting and deal management of leveraged buyout transactions in support of Financial Sponsor client acquisition of target portfolio companies. Prior to joining KBCM, Mr. Alexander spent five years as a Portfolio Manager at Key Corporate Capital Inc.
Mr. Alexander is focused on the sustainability of the Capital Region. He has served as the Treasurer of the Board for the Stakeholders, Inc. since 2009 and is currently the Finance Trustee for St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church of Albany, NY. He also coaches Little League Baseball at Tri Village Little League in Delmar, NY.
Mr. Alexander received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (Major in Accounting) from the University of Notre Dame in 1993. He received an MBA from the State University of New York at Albany in 2000.
Jason Lane
Jason E. Lane is Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Planning at the State University of New York (SUNY) as well as deputy director for research at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY’s public policy think tank. He is also an associate professor of educational policy, senior researcher at the Institute for Global Education Policy Studies, and co-director of the Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT) at the University at Albany (SUNY).
In addition to overseeing all academic program development across the system’s 64 campuses, he is responsible for the graduate education, research, and economic development portfolios on behalf of the SUNY Provost’s Office. Lane’s research focuses on the organization and leadership of higher education institutions and their relationship to governments.
Lane has written numerous articles, book chapters, and policy reports and authored or edited seven books, including Higher Education Systems 3.0: Harnessing Systemness; Delivering Performance (SUNY Press, 2013, w/ Bruce Johnstone), Academic Leadership and Governance of Higher Education (Stylus Press, 2012, w/ Robert Hendrickson, James Harris, and Rick Dorman) and Colleges and Universities as Economic Drivers (SUNY Press, 2012 w/ Bruce Johnstone).
He has served on the boards of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), Council for International Higher Education (CIHE), the Gulf Comparative Education Society (GCES), and SUNY Korea.
Richard Nacy
Fundraising. Marketing. Communications. Public Relations. Community Relations. Not-for-Profit Administration and Management. Board Development. Volunteer Coordination. Special Event Planning. Grant Writing. Foundation Relations. Government Relations. Bookkeeping. Graphic Design. Web Design. Database Management. Since 1996,
Richard Nacy has done it all for a variety of for-profit and not-for-profit
In 2012, Richard struck out on his own, creating his not-for-profit consulting practice (Metamorph Consulting) while launching an independent record label and music/video production company (Disko Systems LLC) and serving as Operations Manager for Dining Out For Life® International Association.
Richard is currently living as a nomad in the wilds of Central New York with his fiancé, Thomas.
Justin Priddle
Justin Priddle was born and raised in Averill Park, NY and currently resides in Niskayuna, NY. Justin has 8 years of banking experience, currently serving as a Vice President Relationship Manager, with Berkshire Bank.
Prior to Justin’s role as a Relationship Manager he led Berkshire’s Delmar office and their Regional Headquarters branch in Albany. Before joining Berkshire, Justin was an Assistant Manager at Citizens Bank.
Community involvement is important to Justin; he serves on the Advisory Board for The Stakeholders, the Board of Directors for the Albany Roundtable and Chairs the Steering Committee for the Tech Valley Young Professionals Network. Justin received his AA from Hudson Valley and a BA from SUNY Albany.
Brianne Ptak-Mimura
Brianne currently works as the Marketing Coordinator for the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York. She has been working with non-profits for almost two decades.
Her first passion in helping non-profit organizations was for Crime Victims Awareness. For over five years she put together several Crime Victim Awareness Week campaigns throughout Dutchess County which were recognized by the New York Senate, Assembly, Family Services, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office.
As a board member and co-chair of the marketing committee of the Stakeholders, Brie created several materials, helped with the organizational rebranding, redesigned the website, helped to develop a strategic plan, and mentored several interns. She also co-chaired the Arts Ambassador Institute.
Since joining the Stakeholders, Brie has designed ads and posters for the Artist Guild’s First Fridays, volunteered for the Food Bank, and supported several other non-profits in the area. Brie received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from Sage College of Albany.
Karen Trudell
Ms. Trudell joined the Stakeholders in 2009 with a shared vision to make the Capital Region a better and more sustainable place to live, to work and to play. Within her four (4) years of service on the Board of Directors, Karen spearheaded the marketing and branding efforts of the organization and worked diligently to promote the organization and its mission.
To date, Ms. Trudell is known as: Chocoholic, creator, visionary, and Chief Bestower of Gratitude and mastermind behind Sweet Perfection. Her goal is to live in a world where doing business is personal, showing appreciation doesn’t get lost in the ritual of the daily grind, people are sincere in their words of praise and each “thank you” note is written by hand.
Ultimately, all of Ms. Trudell’s work is about inspiring entrepreneurs to create an attitude of gratitude within their brand. Because building a business is more effective when you say “Thank you.”
Michael Weidrich
Michael Weidrich has been a Capital Region philanthropist and community activist for over a decade, since relocating to the area in 2003. He has held positions in several not-for-profit organizations in Albany, from volunteer to board to staff. Michael currently is the Deputy Director of the Pride Center of the Capital Region, having previously sat on the board of directors and volunteered as gallery manager. Michael previously was the Director of Corporate Development at the Albany Institute of History & Art and Executive Director of the Lark Street Business Improvement District, having produced the largest LARKfest in the event’s 30 year history.
As a board member of the Upstate Artists Guild, Michael founded 1st Friday Albany, the monthly arts walk on Lark Street and Downtown, and coordinated it for over 7 ½ years. As a board member of The Stakeholders Inc, Michael founded the Arts Ambassadors Institute, a companion program of the Young Philanthropists Institute. Under his direction, the Institute programs were merged into one Stakeholders Institute, and oversaw the graduation of over 100 emerging philanthropists.
Michael is a graduate of the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Tech Valley program (Class of 2010) and has been a member of the LTV Steering Committee ever since. He is also the Communications Committee co-chair for the Chamber’s Tech Valley Nonprofit Business Council and also sits on the board of CARES Inc. Michael has been recognized for his work in the community, having been awarded the Business Review’s 40 Under 40 Award, the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Hospitality Excellent Award, the Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council’s Volunteer of the Year and honored by the Lark Street Business Improvement District. Michael is a life-long artist whose digital art has been shown internationally. Michael holds a Masters in Business Administration from the College of Saint Rose; a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University; Advanced Graduate Certificates in Instructional Technology and Not-for-Profit Management from the College of St. Rose; and is currently pursuing a Certificate of Graduate Study in Public Sector Management from Rockefeller College at the University at Albany.
Stephen M. Martini, Chief Financial Officer
Stephen was born in Albany, NY. ‘Martini’, by which he is affectionately known, attended the historic Christian Brothers Academy where he earned the rank of Lt. Colonel in the JROTC program. As a senior, he was awarded the prestigious John Philip Sousa Band Award as the most outstanding musician at CBA as well as being inducted into the St. Miguel Honor Society for his academic work. He next attended Manhattan College, where he received a B.S. in Biology/Pre-Med. After graduating, Stephen switched gears and took his talents to Wall Street.
Stephen began his Career at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as a Specialist Trader and then became a Vice President at Barclay’s Capital and later, at Goldman Sachs. In 2002 Stephen earned the prestigious distinction of becoming a Member of the NYSE. Due to the automation of the NYSE trading floor, Stephen began his own Financial Services Company in Red Bank, NJ near the Jersey Shore.
In 2010, Stephen moved back home to focus on a career in Finance. Stephen is the former Director of Fiscal Operations for the Albany County nursing home and currently serves as the Stakeholders CFO.
Most of his work is done behind the scenes, but he is an instrumental part of the continued success of the Stakeholders not only now, but for the future ahead.
Ray Patterson, Volunteer Information Director
Ray is a business advisor, consultant, educator, and entrepreneurial catalyst to corporations, companies, organizations and individuals, who want to thrive during change. His areas of expertise include strategic thinking, planning, and decision implementation at the organization/enterprise, as well as the individual level. Ray is an exceptionally proficient facilitator, collaborator, innovator and motivator of individual and organizational accomplishment.
Ray is a native “Buckeye” who moved to the Capital Region in 1977 as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He served 5 years active duty at the Watervliet Arsenal, being promoted to Captain before leaving active military service. He converted to civil service and served an additional 13 years with the Army and DoD. Ray then joined the Agility Forum, an industry & academia collaborative think tank focused on how organizations and individuals deal with change. He became a full time consultant in 1996 with his company, Capital Consulting Group, llc.
Ray has been a long-term supporter of The Stakeholders, initially assisting with planning and now with Volunteer Management Training and supporting nonprofit and volunteer recruitment.
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