New York State Executive Chamber | Governor Eliot Spitzer

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GOVERNOR MAKES APPOINTMENTS TO BUFFALO FINANCIAL, HEALTH AND TRANSPORTATION BOARDS

Governor Eliot Spitzer and Lieutenant Governor David Paterson today announced two appointments to the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority (BFSA); one appointment to the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority (ECFSA); two appointments to the Board of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute; one nomination to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA); and one appointment to the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority.

Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority

George K. Arthur is appointed to serve as a Director of the BFSA. Mr. Arthur served as President of the Common Council for the City of Buffalo from 1984 to 1995, following five years of service as a council member at large. He is a lifetime member of the NAACP and has formerly served as President of organizations such as Shiloh Housing, GoodWill Industries, and CEPA Gallery. Mr. Arthur earned his B.A. in political science from SUNY Empire State College.

Wayne Mertz is appointed to serve as a Director of the BFSA. Mr. Mertz has been a Buffalo City business leader for over 30 years. He began his career as an executive for M & T Bank, eventually leaving in 1986 to become President and Owner of Goergen-Mackwirth Co., Inc., an industrial contracting and custom made metal fabrication company located in Buffalo. Since that time, he has owned and run a number of manufacturing firms including West Metal Works, Inc., S. Howes, Inc., and MLS Machine Shop. A former Navy pilot, Mr. Mertz was honored as the United States Small Business Administration’s Veteran Small Business Advocate of the Year in 2000. He earned his B.A. from St. John Fisher College and his M.B.A. from Canisius College.

These appointments represent two of the nine directors of the BFSA. Seven of the directors are appointed by the Governor –one of which is based on the recommendation of the Comptroller, and one on the joint recommendation of the Temporary President of the Senate and the Assembly Speaker. The two remaining directors are appointed by the Mayor of Buffalo and Erie County Executive, both of whom serve in an ex officio capacity.

Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority

Robert M. Glaser is appointed to serve as Vice Chair and a member of the Board of Directors of the ECFSA. Mr. Glaser currently serves as Managing Director of Freed Maxick and Battaglia, CPAs, PC. Mr. Glaser has more than 39 years of experience in public accounting including 13 years with a Big 4 international accounting firm. Additionally, Mr. Glasser sits on the Audit Committee of Kaleida Health System and the Editorial Advisory Board of CPA Managing Partner Report. He has previously served as Vice-Chairman of the Erie County Private Industry Council, President of Park Country Club, Trustee of the Leukemia Society of America and a Director of CPA Associates International, an affiliation of over 60 accounting firms across the U.S. and around the world. Mr. Glaser earned his B.A. in accounting from Canisius College.

The ECFSA is administered by seven directors appointed by the Governor, including one recommended by the Temporary President of the Senate, one recommended by the Speaker of the Assembly, and one recommended by the State Comptroller. The Governor also designates the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Authority.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corporation

Michael L. Joseph is appointed to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corporation. Mr. Joseph is currently a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Joseph serves as President of Clover Construction Management, Inc., a construction company that specializes in multi-family construction. Before entering into the real estate business, he was a Special Limited Partner and Director of Real Estate Finance at Mabon Nugent and Co. Currently, Mr. Joseph sits on the governing boards of the Jewish Federation of Western New York, Elmwood Franklin School, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, University at Buffalo Foundation, and the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies. Mr. Joseph received a B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton and his M.B.A from Boston University.

R. Buford Sears is appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Roswell Cancer Institute Corporation. Mr. Sears has served as Senior Vice President of Health Care and Non-profit Banking for Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company since 2003. Previously, he served as Vice President of Health Care Banking and National Banking for M & T. He is a former Trustee and Chair of the Finance Committee for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute Foundation and a former Trustee of the Niagara Health Quality Coalition. He currently serves as Chair and Trustee for the Nichols School and is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care. Mr. Sears earned his Bachelors of International Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Masters of International Economics and Studies from Johns Hopkins University.

The corporation is governed by fifteen directors, seven of whom, including the Chairman of the Board, are appointed by the Governor.

Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority

Adam Perry is nominated to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the NFTA. Mr. Perry is a Partner in the law firm of Hodgson Russ, LLP, concentrating in employment-related litigation. He has represented nonprofit organizations, governments and businesses in complex litigation. He is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Erie Community College and a Member of the NAACP. Previously, he was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Buffalo Urban League. He received his A.A.S. in Business Administration from Erie Community College, a B.A. in Communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

The NFTA is governed by an eleven member Board of Directors nominated by the Governor, including the Chairman. The Erie County Executive and the Erie County Legislature each recommend one of the eleven members. All nominations must be Senate confirmed.

Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority (Peace Bridge)

Paul Koessler is reappointed to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority. Mr. Koessler is the former president of Alphagraphics, Printshop of the Future, a provider of print-related and digital publishing services for businesses worldwide. From 1988 to 1994 he served as president and then vice chairman of Sullivan Graphics, Inc., a printer of color comics, advertising inserts and magazines for newspapers. He is a trustee of Canisius High School, and member of several boards of companies and non profit organizations. Mr. Koessler graduated from the University of Detroit and the Harvard University Advanced Management program.

The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority is administered by two directors appointed by the Governor, one appointed by the New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner, one appointed by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, one appointed by the Attorney General, and five appointed by the Canadian Minister of Transport.

All of the appointments announced today are unsalaried positions.