Outstanding Alumni

Terry Saturno - 2007

Terry Saturno graduated from OCCC in 1996 and again in 1997. Terry started at Orange County Trust Company in 1970 as a teller. Through the years she worked her way up, becoming head teller soon after starting. In 1997 she was promoted to Senior Vice President and COO. In 2004 she was elected to the Bank's Board of Directors and in 2005 she was named Executive Vice President. In June of 2006 Terry was named President and CEO of the bank. Terry is President Elect of the Kiwanis Club and a member of the Middletown Salvation Army Advisory Board as well as many other organizations and Associations.

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Harriett Clark - 2006

Harriett Clark graduated from OCCC in June, 1973. She was secretary to the Registrar of OCCC for 17 years. Harriett served on the Affirmative Action and Kindercollege committees. She received the Alumni Association Service Award in September 1995 for outstanding volunteer service to the Alumni. Harriett has been a member of the Alumni Board of Directors since 1975 serving as secretary from 2005-2007.

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Ada DeGeus - 2004

Ada DeGeus began as Executive Director of the Orange County Community College Alumni Association in 1981, guiding it through several award-winning years.

The Alumni Association, under her direction, earned several Outstanding Alumni Programming Awards for excellence and innovation from the Confederation of Alumni Associations.

In 2003, DeGeus was elected to the SUNY Council for University Affairs and Development Hall of Fame.

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Susan L. Davis, RN, Ed. D - 2001

Susan L. Davis, RN, Ed.D, class of '76, is President/CEO of St. Vincent's Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT.

Formerly President and CEO of Vassar Brothers Hospital in Poughkeepsie NY for 15 years.

In addition, Dr. Davis is involved in many community organizations, including the Dutchess County Unit of the American Cancer Society, Hospice, the Board of Mount Saint Mary College, Rehab Programs, Inc., and United Way of Dutchess County. Davis earned her AAS in Nursing at OCCC, her BS in Nursing at Mount St. Mary, her master's in Nursing Administration and her Ed. D from Columbia University.

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George F. Shepard Dean Emeritus - 2000

George F. Shepard, Dean Emeritus Received an Honorary Distinguished Alumnus Award for his 32 years as Dean of Students.

He was a conscience, confidante, inspiration and most of all friend to OCCC students.

He was founder of the Alumni Association

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Robert J. McGarry - 1999 - Class of 1953

Robert J. McGarry is the founder of a Florida-based company that created exhibits for Disney World, the space program, the Olympics, the Statue of Liberty and many Fortune 500 companies, has been named Orange County Community College's Distinguished Alumnus for 1999.

McGarry, a native of Goshen, served in the Marine Corps after graduating from SUNY Orange in 1953. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial design from Syracuse University in 1961. After five years with the Martin Marietta Aerospace Division in Florida, during which he designed and built the demonstration models used by Walter Cronkite during CBS missile and space coverage, he formed Presentations South, Inc. of Orlando, a full-service international exhibit house.

During his career, McGarry's firm has designed and built exhibits for the imigration display at the Statue of Liberty, the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum, the Nation Park Service, the Holocaust Museum in Florida, the Astronaut Hall of Fame, EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Seaworld of Florida, Cape Canaveral, Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Universal Studios in Florida, and Hollywood, and ten floats for the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Bicentennial Parade.

His corporate work includes the 1996 Centennial Olympics at Atlanta and other projects for AT&T, Campbell Soup, Coca Cola, IBM, Kodak, Lucent Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Motorola, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, and Pfizer, among many others.

Most recently he has made a generous donation of furniture to the college, as well as helping the college's Alumni Association create and preserve permanent displays of the early years of the college, which celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2000.

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Deborah A. Boyle RN, MSN, OCN - 1998 - Class of 1974

Debi Boyle knows cancer nursing. She has practiced, studied, taught, and written about her specialty for 20 years on three continents.

A licensed practical nurse when she entered OCCC, Debi earned her AAS and RN in 1974, a bachelor's degree from Southern Connecticut State in 1976, a master's from Yale University in 1979, and accreditation as an Oncology Certified Nurse in 1988. Her professional assignments have taken her from New Haven to Los Angeles to Seattle to Phoenix to the Washington, D.C. area where she now lives.

She is co-author of two books on cancer chemotherapy, and has published more than 60 articles and papers. Debi has presented major lectures throughout the U.S. and in Canada, Ireland, England, Holland, France, Austria and Australia. In 1994 the Yale University School of Nursing named her a Distinguished Alumni.

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Richard Mazzone - 1997 - Class of 1959

Richard Mazzone has served the college with distinction both as a faculty member and as an administrator. He was selected as the award winner for 1997 based on thirty years of distinguished academic service and his many public service achievements.

As an OCCC student, Richard Mazzone qualified for Dean's List status every semester and was a member of the OCCC Student Honor Society. After graduating from OCCC, Mazzone earned his bachelor's degree from Harpur College of the State University of Binghamton and a master's degree from Renssealer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

He joined OCCC's Biology department in 1966, and in 1973 he was named associate academic dean. In 1975 he became academic dean, a post he held until 1984 when he returned to teaching.

Professor Mazzone was awarded a National Defense Graduate Fellowship at Iowa State University in 1961. In 1963 he received both the National Science Foundation Fellowship and a National Institute of Health Fellowship at Columbia University Collge of Physicians and Surgeons.

Mazzone is president of the OCCC Staff and Chairman's Association and a member of the board of director's of the OCCC Alumni Association. He has chaired the biology department since 1986. Twice voted the Faculty Member of the Year by the OCCC student body, he has served in several public service and environmental advisory capacities.

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William J. Deblock, NYSP - 1996 - Class of 1972

Bill DeBlock enforces the law. Bill is a Staff Inspector in the New York State Police, and currently oversees all narcotics and organized crime investigations.

Before his promotion to NYSP headquarters in Albany, he commanded Troop F, the largest of all 10 State Police units in the state. A 1972 graduate of OCCC, Bill earned a bachelor's degree at Michigan State University, a master's degree at SUNY Albany, and graduated from the FBI National Academy. After 30 months as a New Jersey trooper, he joined the NYSP in 1977.

He was promoted to Investigator in 1981 and Lieutenant in 1986. In 1990 he became a Captain and directed all criminal investigations in Troop K, Poughkeepsie. Two years later, with the rank of Major, Bill took over all NYSP investigations in New York City. In 1994 he took command of Troop F and in 1997 joined the State Police headquarters staff.

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Dr. Mary A. Nickles - 1995 - Class of 1962

Dr. Nickles is a master teacher and classical scholar in the field of English and Greek literature, with a distinguished 20-year career as a professor of drama and literature at SUNY New Paltz, where she also served as Associate Dean of Students.

She has lectured widely in the Hudson Valley area, New York City, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, and Athens, Greece, and assisted with the establishment of Orange County Community College in 1951.

She started her own education after her family was raised and in college. Her bachelor's degree is from SUNY New Paltz. Master's and Doctorate from New York University.

Listed in Directory of American Scholars, Who's Who of Scholars of Greek Learning and Who's Who of American Women.

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William C. Myers - 1994 - Class of 1969

William Myers is an active alumnus and a member of the College Association Board and has remained a stauch supporter of the college throughout the years. His selfless devotion to the causes of the community continues to be demonstrated through his many volunteer leadership positions in both business and civic organizations.

In 1992 Mr. Myers was honored with the community service award by the Middletown Jaycees, naming him Citizen of the Year. He is a member of numerous community organizations and was recently named Chairman of the United Way of Orange County Campaign. He was charter chairman of the Middletown Business Improvement District and holds Board positions with the Area Fund of Orange County, the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, and others. Mr. Myers is also active in St. Joseph's Church, serving as lector and as a member of the finance committee.

He earned his bachelor's degree at Texas A&M, and his master's degree at Marist College. He began his career at Middletown Savings Bank in 1971, rising all the way to the rank of president.

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Christopher Schmid - 1993 - Class of 1954

After an earlier career as a teacher and a coach, Chris Schmid now owns one of the largest residential and commercial real estate companies in the Albany, New York area.

But when he arrived at OCCC in 1952, Chris was an underqualified student and gained admission only on the condition that he maintain a B average. Not only did he achieve the B, he became a campus leader in athletics and co-curricular activities, and was accepted by Cornell University where he earned a bachelor's degree. A master's degree followed from the University of Rochester.

Success as a high school teacher and coach gained Chris an appointment to the physical education faculty of Union College where he coached basketball, football and lacrosse before switching to real estate in the 70s.

The New York State Special Olympics and OCCC scholarships are among many causes that Chris and Realty USA support.

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John J. McMahon - 1992 - Class of 1953

Jack McMahon is a 1953 graduate of Orange County Community College and is a 1955 graduate of Hamilton College.

Jack is a strong advocate and supporter of SUNY and Orange County Community College. While serving as OCCC's public relations and information officer, he was president of SUNY/CUAD and a member of the Alumni Confederation Executive Board.

Jack was one of the organizers of OCCC's Alumni Association and his continuous involvement has been an inspiration to his fellow alumni and colleagues.

Jack is a member of the college's Board of Trustees and served as Board chairman for three years. He received the 1983 SUNY/CUAD Distinguished Achievement Award and 1987 SUNY Alumni Confederation Distinguished Service Award; in 1992 Jack received OCCC's Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Among his civic activities, Jack is a volunteer firefighter serving as secretary of the fire department and a volunteer for many community organizations.

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Philip Parisi, ASCW, Diplomate - 1991 - Class of 1969

After graduating from OCCC in 1969, Phil Parisi went on to achieve a bachelor's in psychology from Domican College, a master's in social work from Fordham University, post-master's work from Columbia University, and finally a doctorate from New York University.

He is currently a vice-president in charge of Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Services at Pius XII Youth and Family Services, where he has worked since starting out as a Social Work Supervisor in 1973.

A member of the OCCC class of 1969, Parisi currently directs and administers all Chemical Dependency Services for five full time outpatient Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Clinics in Orange County.

Parisi has also been board chairman of the Middletown Narcotics Guidance Council Board and a member of the Orange County Task Force on Child Protection, the Orange County Mental Health Association and the Orange County Community Child Protective Services Assessment and Planning Committee.

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Robert T. Brown - 1990 - Class of 1961

On September 1st, 1974, Bob Brown became the first community college alumnus to be named president of a SUNY college.

With degrees from OCCC (1961), Northern Arizona University and Marist College, he had worked in administration at SUNY New Paltz and at Ulster County Community College before taking over as Ulster's third president.

In 1987, he was named one of the outstanding community college presidents in the United States. A leader of many civic and development activities in the Ulster County and Mid-Hudson area, he is a community college advocate on the state level through the SUNY Council of Presidents, Associated Colleges of the Mid-Hudson area and the Association of Colleges and Universities of New York State, and on the national level through the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges and the Association of Community College Trustees.

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William F. Benedict, M.D. - 1989 - Classs of 1961

Dr. Bill Benedict's medical research has produced major gains in the science of human genetics and our understanding of the origins of human cancer.

He earned world-wide recognition in 1983 when he identified the genetic defect that leads to retinoblastoma, a childhood eye cancer.

After OCCC studies in 1960-61, Bill earned his bachelor's degree at Drew University and M.D. at Albany Medical College. He was a researcher and faculty member at the University of Southern California School of Medicine from 1973-88 and then became professor of biotechnology and director of the Clayton Cancer Program at Baylor University College of Medicine at Texas.

A Distinguished Visiting Professor in Japan and a General Motors Cancer Research Foundation Professor, he has been honored by the National Cancer Institute. the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Center, and the University of Southern California.

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Nicholas W. Illobre - 1988 - Class of 1971

Professional and civic committment are Nick Illobre's specialty.

An OCCC liberal arts graduate who then earned a degree in labor relations at LeMoyne College, Nick is a manager of staffing development for Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc.

His civic activities include volunteer firefighter and trustee of his community's fire department, a past chairman of the local civil service commission, a former director of the county unit of the American Cancer Society.

In addition, he is a council member for St. Thomas Aquinas College, past chairman of the Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management, a past chairman of a BOCES Advisory Council, Occupations Board of Directors, and a former director of the OCCC Alumni Association.