Community Foundation Appoints Six New Trustees - Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties recently welcomed six new members to its Board of Trustees to succeed departing members who have completed their service.

New members are:

Colleen Gaetano served as the vice president, global education and artistry, at Estée Lauder for five years after holding multiple positions at Estée Lauder since 2006. Gaetano earned a master’s degree in opera performance from the Curtis Institute of Music and has performed in operas around the world.

Stephen Gorczynski is the executive vice president and central New York regional president of M&T Bank. He worked for M&T and its predecessor On Bank & Trust Co., as a commercial relationship manager from 1993-2002 before returning to M&T in 2010. Gorczynski holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Le Moyne College.

Kay Sinclair held a 22-year long career at Lockheed Martin serving in different roles related to systems integration and database management. She was also an adjunct professor in SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Computer Science Department, working specifically as a STEAM Workshop Leader. Sinclair received her master’s degree in business administration from Humboldt State University.

Winston Oluwole Soboyejo serves as the president and chief administrative officer at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and has a long history of working and conducting research with universities and institutions around the world. Soboyejo has a Ph.D. in materials science and metallurgy from Churchill College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.

Stephen Surace recently retired from his roles as president and chief financial officer at Tidal Basin and Rising Phoenix Holdings Corporation after serving the companies for over 24 years. Surace holds a master’s degree in technology management from SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

Elias Zeina is the founder and general manager of Lafa Mediterranean by Zeina’s which he launched in 2021 after working for over a decade at his family’s business, Zeina’s Café. Zeina holds a master’s degree in technology management from SUNY Polytechnic Institute where he also received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration.

Greg McLean, president and founding partner at Caruso McLean & Co. and David Manzelmann, market president at M&T Bank, are terming off the Board of Trustees after years of service.

“Our organization is very fortunate to have board members that share in our passion to create a more vibrant region,” said Alicia Fernandez Dicks, president/CEO of the Community Foundation. “I can’t begin to explain how supportive and involved our board is in the work we are doing. They simply want to see the very best for this community and their open-minded way of thinking is what will really bring our work to the next level. Although we will miss Greg and Dave very much, we are excited to welcome our six new members to join us during this pivotal time in our history.”

Other members of the board are: