Board of Directors

2023 Board Meetings are open to the public and all minutes and agendas can be found on the righthand sidebar. If you plan on attending via Zoom use this link: Board Meeting

If a member of the public wishes to attend in person, please call 315-684-3001 at least 4 hours prior to the meeting

Board of Directors Members and Bios:

Erick Haas, President

Erick is a resident of the Town of Sullivan, and manages 65 acres of tillable land and hardwoods. He produces Maple Syrup, fresh eggs, baby chicks, and has a number of horses under the name of Rolling Acres Homestead. Erick is employed by Great Plains Manufacturing as their Northeast Territory Manager. Through his professional career, Erick has participated on a number of boards of advisory, and educational youth programs throughout NYS including CCE Madison 4-H, Tractor Safety, Morrisville College, MVCC, Genesee Watershed, NYFVI Precision Ag., NYS Soil Health Training program, and more. Erick holds a degree from Morrisville State College in Environmental Studies. He is also an active member of his community. Erick is the EMS Lieutenant for the Chittenango Vol. Fire Dept., he has been a volunteer with the Master Forest Owner program through CCE, a Certified Crop Advisor, and was formerly a Rescue Capt. with the Cazenovia Vol. Fire Dept.

Jenn Borkowski, Vice President

Jenn is a Massachusetts native who relocated to Georgetown in November of 2021. She studied natural resources at an agricultural high school in Massachusetts, which led her to study at UMASS Amherst's Stockbridge School of Agriculture, where she majored in Arboriculture and Community Forestry. Shortly after college she moved to rural Vermont and worked various positions in farming and landscaping. From there, she crossed paths with the owners of Eaton Hemp/JD Farms, and has been with them for 3 years, starting out as an intern, moving to the marketing team, to now her position of Director of Marketing and Operations for Eaton Pet and Pasture, a natural pet care brand. She is very excited to plant her roots and grow within Madison County.

Dave Rogers, Finance Committee

Dr. David E. Rogers is the eighth president of SUNY Morrisville. Throughout his career at the college, which began in 1999, Dr. Rogers has earned the respect of the campus community and helped make the college a top destination for prospective students seeking top-notch hands-on learning, as well as talented faculty and staff. Dr. Rogers’ approach to community partnership has strengthened the college’s ties to industry partners, business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others seeking practical solutions to grow New York State’s dynamic economy. Dr. Rogers earned his Ph.D. in labor economics, collective bargaining and econometrics from the SUNY College of Industrial Labor Relations at Cornell University. He also received a master’s degree from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Rogers is married to Jan Rogers, an associate professor in the college’s School of Science, Technology and Health Studies. He has two grown children and four grandchildren.

Monica Cody, Secretary

Monica moved to Madison County in 2006 and has taken increasing roles in her husband’s 4^th generation dairy farm, first while working as an Engineer and Continuous Improvement Project Lead at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and now full time while raising their four children. She studied Bioengineering and Engineering Management at Cornell University. She currently serves on the Town of Fenner Planning Board and has previously served on the YWCA of Syracuse and Onondaga County’s board and as Greater Syracuse Society of Women Engineers’ president for four terms. Monica is presently pursuing “ag-vocacy” initiatives to provide agriculturally-accurate books to libraries and schools.

Mathew Webber, HR Commitee

Mat is a life-long Cazenovia resident, growing up on a dairy farm there.Mat, now retired, was the Project Watershed program director for the Izaak Walton League of America. This stream monitoring and water resource education program went to many regional schools, engaging over 3000 students every year in stream water quality monitoring activities. Adding to the program's educational value, the collected data is used by state and local government agencies. Mat also brought that program to Cornell Cooperative Extension in Onondaga County, bringing a hands-on outdoor learning experience to city kids, among others. Mat, elected to the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame in2019, serves on several boards and as a volunteer for numerous organizations, striving to improve, and protect, our natural world.Mat has a large garden, and gives presentations throughout the region on growing garlic.

Alexandra Erath, HR Committee

Alexandra Erath is a Sherburne, NY native. She moved back to CNY in 2012, after completing her undergraduate degree and starting her career in Ontario, Canada. She has been partnered with her father, Bruce, in the financial services industry since that time. The two of them formed their own company, Hearth Financial Partners in 2017, which has offices in both Hamilton and Norwich. Alex has been proud to call the village of Hamilton home since moving back to NY. She is an active member of both the Chenango County and Hamilton communities. She is an active member of both the Chenango County and Hamilton communities, and serves as a board member on several local not-for-profit organizations.

Kyle Hirt

Kyle Hirt is a 5^th generation dairy farmer from New Woodstock, NY. He attended SUNY Morrisville and studied Animal Science. Kyle then worked as a herdsman on a 4,000 cow dairy and then as a herd manager on a 200 cow dairy before returning home to work in partnership with his family on MITHVA Farms. 

Lori Shepard

Lori Shephard has been a science educator in Madison County public schools for over 30 years. She is involved with her local Union, coaches modified track, and is a certified field hockey official. All four of Lori’s children grew up in 4-H, and she was part of a dairy farm for over 20 years. Lori loves the outdoors and all that CNY has to offer.

Lorna Wilson

Lorna is Principal Broker and Owner of Hamilton Village Real Estate. She grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania, has a BS in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology from The Pennsylvania State University. She is a member and past president of both Lifelong Learning Program and Hamilton Rotary Club. She was a 4-H member and club leader. While looking for a science project for her 4-H club, she applied and received a National Science Foundation grant to teach teenage girls about STEM subjects relating them to driving and maintenance of cars. She lives on a small horse farm with her husband and business partner, Reg. They have 2 daughters and son-in-laws and 4 grandchildren.

Elizabeth Tompkins

Beth is a Financial Planner with Prudential Advisors in Oneida. Beth lives in Munnsville with her husband, Ray and son, Liam. She has always had a passion for agriculture and graduated from the first Morrisville State College 4-year Ag Business Program in 2011. She graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Development as a member of Omicron Delta Kappa. Beth has been in insurance and financial services since 2013 and in her current position as a financial planner since 2015. Beth is an active member of the community, currently serving on the Oneida County Chamber as chair of the Fundraiser Committee. She is also the Nursery Coordinator for RLF Church and a Board Member of David’s KidZ International. 

Paul Curtin

Paul is an Attorney in Cazenovia. His areas of concentration are residential and commercial real estate, inclusive of land development, zoning, condominium offerings, homeowners’ associations, commercial leasing and financing and he works with many local developers in these areas. Mr. Curtin is a member of the New York State, Onondaga County, Oneida County, and Madison County Bar Associations. He has served on the Boards of numerous organizations including Hospice of Central New York, Hospice Foundation, Huntington Family Center Inc., Huntington Foundation, Madison Environmental Support Alliance, Inc., New York Military Academy where he was the President of the Board of Trustees, Erie Canal Museum and the Cazenovia Advisory Conservation Commission. He was also an Adjunct Professor at SUNY ESF teaching a Land Use and Development course.

Dave Jones

Danielle Hautaniemi

 

Last updated May 30, 2023