Our Board
Chairperson
Thomas P. Donahue, Certified Family Business Specialist
Donahue Financial Management Group
Tom founded the New York Family Business Center in 2008 and was instrumental in establishing the strategic relationship with Le Moyne College. He is the principal of Donahue Financial Management Group, an independent firm in the financial and insurance industry, advising family owned businesses, institutions, and individuals. He earned his designation as a Certified Family Business Specialist in 2005 from The American College, a designation held by approximately 300 financial services professionals worldwide. He has held industry positions of Investment Specialist, Director of Wealth Management and Annuity Specialist throughout his career. Early in his career he worked in a family business owned by his father. Tom formerly owned and managed the financial operations of multiple Southwest Florida Firehouse Subs restaurants. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Tom currently serves as a National Ski Patrol Alpine Patroller and is Director of the Song Mountain Ski Team. He is a past Supervisory Committee Board of Directors member, Visions Federal Credit Union, and has served as Board of Directors member, President and Chairman for many civic and philanthropic organizations.
Member
Gail Cowley
Vice President, Cowley Associates
Gail is executive vice president of Cowley Associates, Inc., a Syracuse-based marketing firm offering fully integrated advertising, public relations, direct marketing, digital marketing/media and other communications services. She oversees business development and operations for the agency, and also provides leadership to the account service team and high-level strategy support for agency clients. Gail has three decades of involvement in charitable causes, including board and leadership positions for the Family Business Center, CNY Community Foundation, CenterState CEO, the Madden Advisory Board at Le Moyne College, Upstate Medical Center Foundation, Woman Presidents Organization, Cayuga Community College, Notre Dame High School, American Red Cross, Faith Heritage School, The Rescue Mission, Cancer Connects, and Thursday Morning Roundtable, among many others.
Member
Jim Joseph
Dean, Madden School of Business, Le Moyne College
Jim is the dean of the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne College. As dean, Jim has been instrumental in putting the Madden School on the global stage. He spearheaded the launch of the Global Jesuit Case Series, signed nine international collaboration agreements, and lectured on six continents. Jim was instrumental in moving the Woodstock Business Conference to the Madden School from Georgetown University. He has personally recruited StartFast, the Family Business Center, and the Famous Entrepreneur Series to the Madden School. During his tenure as dean, three Centers of Excellence have been created: Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, Savage Center for Reflective Leadership, and Hetterich Center for Global Engagement and Impact. Prior to arriving at Le Moyne, Jim was the president and chief executive officer of Oneida Ltd., the number one tabletop brand in North America. He served the company in a variety of other positions as well, including senior vice president and managing director of Oneida International (which included time in Mexico City and London) and executive vice president, worldwide sales and marketing. During his time at Oneida, Jim also served as a member of the Le Moyne College board of trustees. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Le Moyne and a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. Following graduation from Maxwell, he was named a Presidential Fellow and went to work for both the Reagan Administration and Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Jim is board president of Utica Notre Dame Schools and also serves on the boards of Stratus Properties (Austin, TX); Eagle Group (India); and The Beijing Center (China).
Member
Paul Banuski
Marketing Manager/Consultant, HR One, Inc.
Paul Banuski joined HR One in 2013 and has worked with employers across the country to develop employee handbooks and personnel policies that comply with complex state and federal employment regulations and establish organizational best practices. He is also the HR One in-house expert on understanding and navigating new regulations, taking the lead in developing the practice’s Paid Family Leave and Sexual Harassment Prevention guides. He has conducted training for employers across industries. He is an active member of the Syracuse Executives Association and the New York Family Business Center at the Le Moyne College Madden School of Business. Prior to joining HR One Paul worked in Alexandria, Virginia for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, and before that spent five years at that organization’s New York chapter. Paul attended the American University in Washington, DC and currently lives in Skaneateles, NY.
Member
Andy DiLaura
Vice President of Sales & Marketing, CADimensions
Andy has been part of CADimensions since 2007 and he and his brother Tom are the 2nd generation in the business. In his role as President, he is responsible for working with a team of 50+ employees across the Northeast to ensure revenue and growth targets are met, while sustaining a positive company culture. Prior to his current role, Andy has served as an account manager, Sales Manager & VP of Sales & Marketing during his time at CADimensions.
Andy is a 2005 graduate of St. John Fisher College and prior to joining the family business he worked as Director of Ticket Operations for the Rochester Redwings, a Triple-A baseball team in Rochester, NY. He joined the NY Family Business Center in 2011 and has been a regular participant in the Peer Groups and Mastermind series. Outside of work Andy spends a lot of time with his family coaching a variety of youth sports for his daughter and son.
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Member
Pat Delmonico
Partner, Delmonico Insurance Agency
Pat is a Partner at Delmonico Insurance Agency, a second generation family business located in Syracuse and Skaneateles, NY. For over 35 years, Delmonico Insurance Agency has specialized in risk management products for businesses and families. Prior to joining the family business in 2015, Pat was a successful commercial real estate leasing agent for Syracuse-based, Pyramid Management Group and Indianapolis-based, Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG). A 2006 graduate of St. Lawrence University, Pat earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics.
Chairperson
Greg Smith
Tax Manager, Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs, LLC
Greg, CPA, MBA, joined Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs, LLC in 2011. As a Tax Manager at the firm, Greg provides tax, financial statement and bookkeeping services to a variety of industries including contractors, manufacturers, professional services, distribution companies and small business clients. He graduated from The State University of New York at Oswego with a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Greg is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He is a QuickBooks Pro Advisor and works closely with startup businesses at The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY. In 2013, Greg was a 40 Under Forty Recipient.
Member
Marny Nesher
President, CNY Business Journal
Marny Nesher, Owner and President of the Central New York Business Journal, was raised in Syracuse and currently lives with her family in Fayetteville. The CNY Business Journal is a 2nd generation family-owned business that has been around for more than 30 years started by her father, Norman Poltenson.
The CNY Business Journal is the only business to business provider of news, information and networking for the Central New York region. Marny currently serves on the WISE Women’s Business Center advisory board. She is a 2104 graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program (SBA) and the Leadership Greater Syracuse Class.
