New President’s Council Members Attend November Executive
Leadership Series Event

Several of our newest Council members joined Council veterans in generously giving of their advice, direction, and good listening ears to our young alumni and seniors in attendance at the November 2009 Executive Leadership Series. Clockwise from below, left: George McCartney, Mary Jane McCartney, Nora Ahern-Grose and Ed Blount. Read the full story.

A Primary Goal of the President’s Council Reached in the 2009 Fall Semester

President Father McShane has set a number of goals for the President’s Council including leadership support for the Founder’s Dinner and helping to attract the brightest applicants to accept Fordham’s acceptance of admission. But perhaps, nearest to Father's heart, is to increase the level of contact between Fordham's current generation of leaders — the President's Council — with Fordham's next generation of leaders — its students. This goal is attained through guest teaching a class, leading a special seminar, developing a mentoring relationship, or hosting a gathering at the Council member’s firm. In just the fall semester of 2010, fourteen President’s Council members rose to that challenge: Vince Cappucci, Mario Torsiello, Jim Fernandez, Steve Colletta, Tom Humphrey, Charlie Brown, Robert Valdes-Rodriguez, Brian MacLean, Maura McGourty-Poiesz, Ed Stroz, Don Almeida, Bob Gach, Ed O’Brien, and Joe Quinlan.

Above: President’s Council member Jim Fernandez speaking with a student attendee of his annual “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which took place at the
Tiffany & Co. New York Corporate Headquarters
on October 1, 2009.

President's Council member Steve Colletta giving
a tour to Professor Sharon Livesey’s
class of a green building project executed by his
firm Sciame Construction at Cooper Union.

President’s Council Member Frank Sciame Hosts Donor Cultivation Event

In addition to mentoring current students and young alumni, reaching out to prospective top students, and providing leadership for the Founder’s Dinner, Father McShane asks Council members to be ambassadors of the University, and all of its goals. That is the role Frank Sciame easily slipped into when hosting a donor cultivation event at his home in Old Saybrook, CT. This special place was the childhood home of Katherine Hepburn, and has been restored with loving care by the Sciame Family. It was truly a special Fordham night for all in attendance.

Father McShane expressing his thanks to Frank.

Father McShane addressing the evening’s guests;
in the foreground is Fiona Sciame, FCRH ’09.

President's Council Executive Committee member Michael Davidson wrote and signed this year's fall annual appeal letter.

Click here to read Michael's moving and persuasive words.

Business Leaders Discuss Corporate Ethics and Governance

The Counci's own Anne Mulcahy, Chairman of Xerox,
was a featured speaker at a conference on campus
discussing corporate ethics and goverance.
Please click here to learn more.

The transformative work of the President's Council Is featured in the
campus bi-weekly Inside Fordham

To read about the impact of the Council's mission on future generations of Fordham leaders, please click here.

University Applauds 2009 President's Council Achievements
And Outgoing Chair

At a June 1 reception held at the new Bank of America Tower at Bryant Park hosted by President's Council member Michael Davidson, Father McShane thanked the President's Council for its leadership and engagement during the academic year, while recognizing both the outgoing chairman, Peter Sacripanit, and the man who will take his place, Jerry Crotty.

To read the full story, please click here.

Vice President Al Checcio sharing a laugh with Council members Vince Cappucci and Peter Howe.

Father McShane visiting with Council members
Betty Burns and Ed Stroz.

Father McShane chats with (from left to right) Henry Miller, Joe and Janis Skrzypczak, and Dick Bonini.

Our Council host Michael Davidson welcoming
the group.

Father McShane thanking outgoing President's
Council Chair, Peter Sacripanti.

New President's Council Chair, Jerry Crotty,
sharing his vision.

President's Council Members Serve on Panel for Executive Leadership Series

John Alberto, John Longobardi and Ed O'Brien represented the President's Council and shared their perspecitives on the topic "Marketing Yourself in a Challenging Economy" with an audience of young alumni at the spring Executive Leadership Series. For the full story, please click here.

Council Members Give Pointers to HEOP Students

On April 23, President's Council members Michael Davidson, FCRH'94, Senior Vice President, Corporate Work Place Executive at Bank of America, and John McGinley, FCRH'94, Vice President and Director of Management Services at Grubb & Ellis, spoke to a packed Freeman Hall auditorium of HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program) students at Rose Hill on the topic of "Preparing for Your First Year Out of College."

Michael and John shared with these students, who due to the HEOP criteria come from some of the most economically disadvantaged backgrounds, their own journey from Fordham to employment, and the paths their careers have taken.  Each reminisced about key junctures such as a Fordham alumnus who opened a door, a Fordham activity or class that broadened their perspective, that played a role in their success.  With humor and sincerity, the Council volunteers dispensed both wisdom and practical advice to these eager, inquisitive students seeking to build their own foundations for life after Fordham, and transition from the relatively protected world of college to the more unpredictable business world.  But armed with a Fordham education and a Fordham experience, Michael and John assured the students they would have a special edge and perspective.

Jim Houlihan Hosts CEO Breakfast at Rose Hill

President's Council Executive Committee member Jim Houlihan greets students after their conversation over breakfast about the current New York commercial real estate market. Read the full story.

February and March 2009 Marked by Council Engagement with Students

In February and March of 2009, President's Council members shared career and professional wisdom with current students both on- and off-campus.

• Jim Flaherty, FCRH '69, Managing Partner of Cannon Capital, LLP hosted a Breakfast at the Royale Automobile Club in London with our Fordham GSB students studying abroad for the semester;
• Colleen Jones, GBA'88, Senior Vice President of Klingenstein Fields & Co., LLC acted as a presentation coach to the NYSSA student group at the Graduate School of Business Administration;
• Mike Delfino, GBA '72, Principal and Director of Taft Hartley Services at Pinnacle Associates, LTD also visited GBA as a part of the Dean's Breakfast Series, discussing his career in finance and fiscal outlook, covering potential and future careers.
• Bob Gach, GSB '80, Global Capital Markets - Industry Managing Director hosted thirty GSB students in his offices for a CEO Breakfast.
• Robert Valdes-Rodriguez, FCRH '86, pictured below, visited Rose Hill as a part of Finance Day.