STATE FAIR ADVISORY BOARD

Statute:

New York State Agriculture and Markets Laws Section 16 provides:

The department [of agriculture and markets] through the commissioner shall have power to . . . [p]rovide for holding a state fair to be known as the New York state fair and, for the purpose of seeking advice and counsel in relation thereto, consult with the state fair advisory board.

N.Y. Agric. & Mkts Law § 16 (28).

Section 16 further provides:

The advisory board shall consist of eleven members appointed by the governor, including one member on the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate; one member on the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly; one member on the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate; and one member on the recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly. The governor shall select a member of the advisory board to serve as chairperson. The members of the advisory board shall not receive compensation for their services, but may be paid their actual and necessary expenses incurred in serving upon the advisory board.

N.Y. Agric. & Mkts Law § 16 (28).

Members:

Henry M. Greenberg (Chair) (Appointed August 25, 2011)

Mr. Greenberg is the Chair of the State Fair Advisory Board. Currently, Mr. Greenberg is a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP in Albany, NY. From 2007 to 2010, he served as Counsel to then New York State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo. He previously served in a number of positions in state and federal government, including General Counsel for the New York State Department of Health, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, and law clerk to then Judge Judith S. Kaye of the New York Court of Appeals. Mr. Greenberg is a graduate of the Syracuse University College of Law and the University of Chicago.

Rockette Brunetti (Recommended by the Temporary President of the New York State Senate; Appointed June 8, 2011)

Ms. Brunetti retired in 2010 as a teacher from the English Department at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, following a 38-year career as an educator, including over 30 years in the Baldwinsville Central School District. She is a former volunteer director of the New York State Fair Parade.

Bethaida Gonzalez (Appointed August 25, 2011)

Since 2004, Ms. Gonzalez has served as Dean of University College at Syracuse University. Ms. Gonzalez has also served as president of the Syracuse Common Council and earlier was the Commissioner of Education for the Syracuse City School District. At University College, Ms. Gonzalez has additionally held the positions of Associate Dean and Director of Student Administrative Services, and Director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program.

Greg Lancette (Recommended by the New York State Senate Minority Leader; Appointed December 8, 2011)

Mr. Lancette has served since 2005 as Business Manager at Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 267 and is also President of the Central and Northern New York Building Trades Council.

David Moynihan (Appointed August 25, 2011)

Mr. Moynihan is a partner at Testone, Marshall & Discenza, CPAs, an accounting firm based in Central New York, where he runs the firm’s Audit Practice Group. Mr. Moynihan was appointed by the Board of Regents to the New York State Quality Review Oversight Committee where he currently serves as a member. Mr. Moynihan is a former president and member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and a former member of the Syracuse Economic Development Corporation.

Timothy Penix (Appointed August 25, 2011)

Mr. Penix is Vice President of Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center at Morrisville State College. Previously, Mr. Penix held several positions at Morrisville State College, including Associate Vice President for Academic Enrichment, Director of Multicultural Affairs, and Admissions Counselor. Mr. Penix has also served as a member of the Association for Program Administrators of Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Programs and Science and Technology Entry Programs, as a member of the Cornell Pathways to Success Advisory Board, and as President of the Council of Educational Opportunity Program Directors.

Clarence Rappleyea (Recommended by the New York State Assembly Minority Leader; Appointed September 14, 2011)

Mr. Rappleyea served in the New York State Assembly for more than 22 years, and was minority leader of the Assembly for 12 of those years. Mr. Rappleyea is a former chairman and CEO of the New York Power Authority. He has also served as Norwich City Attorney and as counsel to the Norwich School District, the Chenango, Delaware, Madison and Otsego BOCES, and the Norwich Urban Renewal Agency, Planning Commission and Water Board.

Robert Sekowski (Appointed August 25, 2011)

Mr. Sekowski is the co-founder and co-Executive Director of Empire Housing and Development Corporation, a not-for-profit company that works to develop affordable housing in New York State. Previously, Mr. Sekowski served as Executive Director of Northeast Hawley Development Association, Inc., and also spent three years as a staff member for State Senator Tarky Lombardi, Jr. He is a charter board member of Syracuse 20/20, a civic organization that aims to improve the quality of life and government in Syracuse.

Robert A. Smith (Appointed August 25, 2011)

Since 2006, Mr. Smith has served as Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Knowledge Exchange for Farm Credit East, ACA in Cobleskill, NY. He previously was Vice President, Government Relations at CoBank, a Farm Credit System bank. Mr. Smith has held a number of positions in state government, including Director of Support Services for the Office of General Services, Assistant Secretary to then-Governor Mario Cuomo, and Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Mr. Smith also worked at the New York Farm Bureau for eight years.

Albert A. Stirpe, Jr. (Recommended by the Speaker of the New York State Assembly; Appointed November 1, 2011)

Mr. Stirpe was elected in 2006 to represent the 121^st Assembly District, comprised of the towns of Cicero, Clay, Manlius, LaFayette, and Pompey in Onondaga County, which he represented until 2010. He was formerly a financial analyst with General Electric in Syracuse and was a founder of CID Technologies, an electronics manufacturer. Mr. Stirpe is a lifelong resident of Central New York and was born and raised in Clyde where his family owned and operated Albert’s restaurant for more than 26 years. He received a degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame.

Thomas Young (Appointed August 25, 2011)

From 1986 to 1993, Mr. Young served as Mayor of the City of Syracuse. Mr. Young is also a former Chairman of the New York State Power Authority, and has served as Senior Vice President of Telergy, Inc, a Syracuse-based telecommunications provider. From 1975 to 1985, Mr. Young was Executive Director of the New York State Fair. Mr. Young is also a co-founder of US Beverage Net, a Syracuse-based technology company.

Meetings:

Full Advisory Board

All meetings of the full Advisory Board take place at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY.

Past Meetings (2011-present)

November 14, 2011 (Agenda)

April 25, 2012 (Agenda)

June 15, 2012 (Webinar)

July 30, 2012 (Agenda)

October 16, 2012 (Agenda)

February 22, 2013 (Agenda)

Future Meetings (Tentative dates)

Monday, June 3, 2013

Monday, July 22, 2013

Monday, October 21, 2013

Committees:

The Advisory Board has three Standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Agriculture Committee and Outreach Committee. An Ad Hoc Committee was also created to develop a new mission statement for the Fair.