NEW PALTZ — The School of Business at the State University of New York at New Paltz has received a $10,000 pledge from Dan and Dianne Devine.
Mr. Devine is currently a member of the School of Business Advisory Council and its Outreach Committee. He is also a mentor to one of the department’s Business Plan Contest teams and has volunteered to serve as the School of Business Community Relations Liaison.
Hadi Salavitabar, dean of the School of Business, said the generous donation would provide the school with resources to offer educational activities to students that would have not been possible otherwise.
“Dan and Dianne Devine are outstanding community leaders who deeply care about the education of our students and well being of the region,” said Salavitabar. “Their generous donation will be used to support many educational activities, such as speakers programs, business plan contests, and business students’ regional and national competitions, and for creating new educational programs in the School of Business.”
College President, Steven Poskanzer, said, “Dan Devine is a leader and banker of great vision who understands and supports New Paltz’s goal to make our Business School the premier program in the region. We are very proud of, and honored by, Dan and Dianne’s generous commitment – and above all by their friendship and faith in the college.”
Mr. Devine has recently retired from Rondout Savings Bank as the president and chief executive officer. Among his business interests are the strategic and financial planning for small- to medium-sized financial institutions.
Dianne Devine will be starting her third term as president of the Benedictine Hospital Auxiliary in January. She has been working with a variety of hospital and auxiliary functions, including her involvement with the team of outstanding men and women who operate the Benedictine Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop. Mrs. Devine has been active in a number of community affairs, including board membership on the Girl Scouts – Ulster County Council, the Mental Health Association in Ulster County and the Hudson Valley Senior Residence. She received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude in business with a concentration in finance and management, from Marymount College, now part of Fordham University, and received her master’s degree in human resource management from Mercy College.
Mr. Devine holds a bachelor of science from Syracuse University with a major in accounting, and an MBA in management from Farleigh Dickinson University. Devine has had additional professional, technical and investment education throughout his years in the banking industry. At his recent retirement, he was holding board seats and national committee assignments for the Community Bankers Association of New York State, America’s Community Bankers, The American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America. He also serves on the board of a banking industry-sponsored mutual fund that specializes in investing in large capitalization equities.
Some of Devine’s current and past community involvements include the Community Rehabilitation Center, Benedictine Hospital Foundation, Ulster County Development Corporation, United Way of Ulster County, United Way of Tri-State, Lions Club and the Hudson River Maritime Museum, among others.
Mr. Devine is interested in working with other School of Business Advisory Council members, staff and students to help continue the tradition of success at the School of Business.
To acknowledge their generous gift, the School of Business will dedicate one study area in van den Berg Hall to Mr. and Mrs. Devine.
For more information about the School of Business, visit www.newpaltz.edu/schoolofbusiness.
