Board of Trustees
The SUNY Orange Board of Trustees is comprised of 10 members who together govern the College. Five trustees are appointed by the Orange County Executive with the approval of the County Legislature, and four are assigned by the Governor of the State of New York. The tenth member is a student who is elected by the student body at large and maintains full voting rights. All trustees are appointed to seven-year terms, except for the student trustee who completes a one-year term.
The Board of Trustees follows a set of bylaws in order to provide fiduciary oversight of the College. The Board also approves all College policies, and has established committees to assist the Board in conducting its buisiness.
Members
Frederick A. Watson (Chair)
Appointed on November 29, 2013. Frederick A. Watson is presently the president of
Three Cities Management LLC (formally Watson Services, Inc.), an institutional food
service management and consulting firm headquartered in Middletown, New York. A certified
food executive, certified food service director and a certified food service sanitation
manager, Watson possesses more than 35 years of food management experience. Prior
to establishing Three Cities Management, he was vice president of Ja-Ce Company, Inc.,
a New Jersey food service management company where he developed and implemented policies,
procedures and budget forecasts for more than 50 school districts in central New Jersey.
While at Ja-Ce Company, Watson was president of Jersey Associated Commercial Equipment, Inc., a Ja-Ce subsidiary. Additionally, Watson is a Certified ServSafe® Instructor and Registered
ServSafe Examination Proctor for the National Restaurant Association. He received his master’s degree in food service administration from New York University and his bachelor’s degree in dietetics and institutional management from Virginia State University. Watson recently served on the boards of Teamsters Local 445 Health, Welfare, Pension, Annuity and Training Funds, and has served on the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., the Industrial, Technical and Professional Employees-National Maritime Union/Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (ITPE-NMU/MEBA) Annual Benefit Fund, and as an alternate trustee of the ITPE-NMU/MEBA Health and Welfare Fund. Additionally, served as an adjunct professor at Long Island University-C.W. Post campus where he taught Food Service Management II to dietetic students for several years.
- Appointed: 1/14/14
- Term expires: 6/30/19
- Hometown: Newburgh
- County appointment
Ralph Martucci Jr. (Vice Chair)
Appointed by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus on May 18, 2018, Ralph Martucci
is a Finance Executive with more than 35 years of experience in financial management,
operations and business development. A resident of the Town of Wawayanda, he is currently
the Director of Business Development for M&R Energy Resources Corp. in New Windsor.
Ralph was previously Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
for Alteva Inc., formerly WVT Communications. Prior to joining Alteva, he was Director
of Corporate Business Operations for the Dow Jones Local Media Group. Ralph has previously
served on the Board of Directors of the SUNY Orange Foundation, including a 10-year
stint as Chairman. He was recently appointed Director Emeritus of the SUNY Orange
Foundation, in recognition of his longtime service to organization. Ralph has served
on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce since 1992 and
currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair.
- Appointed: 7/1/2018
- Term expires: 6/30/2021
- Hometown: Middletown
- County appointment
Thomas H. Hunter (Secretary)
Appointed December 8, 2010. Tom Hunter is the Vice-President and Senior Relationship
Manager for the Income Property Group of Key Bank in Manhattan. He is a life-long
County resident, who grew up on a dairy farm in Blooming Grove, NY. Tom is a current
member of the Urban Land Institute, New Jersey Apartment Association, Real Estate
Finance Association of Connecticut, Apartment Association of Greater Philadelphia,
New Jersey Future, New Jersey Mortgage Banker Association, the National Association
of Office and Industrial Properties, and the Hamptonburgh Democratic Committee. He
has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Orange County United Way,
Hudson Valley Better Business Bureau, and the Warwick Rotary Club. He has supported
many local charities and organizations, and volunteered for numerous community service
projects and youth sports programs. Tom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology
from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and an MBA from Pace University, Pleasantville,
N.Y. He is an avid cyclist, golfer, skier and squash and tennis player. Tom and his
wife Cathie live in Campbell Hall.
- Appointed: 11/2/10
- Term Expires: 6/30/17
- Hometown: Campbell Hall
- Governor's appointment
Florence Hannes
Appointed by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus on May 18, 2018, Flo Hannes recently
retired following 40 years as a professor and department chair (since 2001) in SUNY
Orange’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. Flo has served on numerous
advisory boards and with many community organizations, including the SUNY Orange BRIDGES
Advisory Board, the New York State Regents Board for Occupational Therapy, the Orange
County Office for the Aging and the Orange County Mental Health Association. She is
a resident of Salisbury Mills.
- Appointed: 7/1/2018
- Term expires: 6/30/2021
- Hometown: Salisbury Mills
- County appointment
Margaret Murphy
Re-appointed September 23, 2010. Sister Margaret Murphy served for seven years as
Secretary to the Board and is currently the Vice Chair. She is a Professor of Religious
Studies at Mount Saint Mary College. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education
from St. John’s University and her Master’s in Pastoral Counseling from Iona College.
Sister Peg also holds a Master of Clinical Social Work Degree from Yeshiva University
and a Doctorate of Ministry from Drew University. She has received the Orange County
Woman of Achievement Award, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Award and
the New York State Senate Woman of Distinction Award. Sister Peg was a Volunteer
with the Parents Apart Program of the Orange County Mediation Project, and has also
served as a Member of the Board of Trustees of Molloy College, Rockville Centre, N.Y.
- Re-Appointed: 9/23/10
- Term expires 6/30/17
- Governor's appointment
William Vacca
William Vacca, a New Windsor resident with 52 years of banking experience, is Walden Savings Bank’s Vice President of Business Development, a post he's held since since 2013. He is responsible for assisting branch managers with existing clients and prospects and promoting bank products and services. He also works closely with new businesses as part of the bank’s Commercial Lending Team.
Vacca previously was Senior Vice President of Retail Banking at Sterling National Bank (1997-2013). He started his banking career in 1966 at Key Bank and worked there until 1997 when he left as Senior Vice President, Cash Management. Vacca serves on The Arc of Orange County’s Board Directors and on the Hudson Valley Food Bank’s Advisory Board. He is a past chairman of the boards of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, the Orange County Partnership and the American Heart Association Heart Walk.
Full terms for SUNY Orange Trustees are typically seven years. Vacca, a SUNY Orange graduate, was appointed to a term that will expire on June 30, 2024.
- Appointed: 1/14/19
- Term expires: 6/30/24
- Hometown: New Windsor
- County appointment
Thomas Weddell
Appointed by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus on May 18, 2018, Tom Weddell is
a managing partner with RBT CPAs and has been with the firm for 40 years. His industry
experience includes, but is not limited to, transportation, manufacturing, non-profit,
and wholesale, retail, and distribution. Tom’s various community affiliations include
serving as a founding member of the Orange County Community Foundation. He has also
worked on the Board of Directors of Mid-Hudson Pattern for Progress and is currently
serving on the board of directors for The Newburgh Armory Unity Center and the National
Purple Heart Hall of Honor.
- Appointed: 7/1/2018
- Term expires: 6/30/2025
- Hometown: Newburgh
- County appointment
Aaliaya Patterson (Student)
Sworn in on September 17, 2019, Aaliaya Patterson will serve a one-year term as student
trustee. Aaliaya is a criminal justice student from Montgomery and a graduate of Valley
Central High School. She is on track to complete her criminal justice degree in May
2020 with the hopes of ultimately enrolling in law school. She has been actively engaged
in student life at the College, having served as a member of the College’s Middletown
campus Student Senate as well as the student-led Board of Activities. She is currently
the treasurer of the All 4 Jesus student club after having previously served as its
president. She is also a member of the Criminal Justice Club. This past summer, she
was one of three SUNY Orange students to attend the Student Global Leaders Experience
as part of the SUNY SAIL (Strategic Academic Innovative Leadership) Institute. She
is also a graduate of the College’s “I am a Leader” program, a year-long series of
workshops and presentations designed to helps students strengthen their leadership
skills and build relationships with academic and community leaders.