School of Business announces 2008 Hall of Fame

NEW PALTZ — The School of Business Selection Committee at the State University of New York at New Paltz is pleased to announce the 2008 School of Business Hall of Fame inductees.

The four inductees – William Spearman, Business Person of the Year; Art Palmiotti (’83), Alumnus of the Year; Jeannie Henriques, Student Leader of the Year; and Daniel Devine, recipient of the 2008 Dean’s Award for Excellence – will be recognized at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, at the Wiltwyck Country Club in Kingston.

(left to right) Dan Devine, Art Palmiotti, Jeannie Henriques and William Spearman

William Spearman is the president and CEO of Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union (MHV), a position he has held for 12 years. Mr. Spearman led the conversion of the former IBM Employees Federal Credit Union into Mid-Hudson Valley. During his 35 year tenure, MHV has grown from $6 million to $570 million in assets, and exceeded national averages for U.S. credit unions in asset, loans and share growth.

Art Palmiotti is the program director of IBM WW Design Centers & Solution Integration Team. These Centers, located in Poughkeepsie, Makuhari, Japan and Montpellier, France, work with select customers to architect complex IT infrastructures using state-of- the-art server and software technologies. His contribution to the SUNY New Paltz School of Business and the campus at large can be summarized into three major areas: first, his successful effort in bringing the IBM Virtual Lab to the campus; second, his devotion to the Business Advisory Council (BAC) of the School of Business, and, finally, his longtime commitment in serving the campus community.

Jeannie Henriques is an undergraduate student majoring in accounting who will be graduating in May 2008. After graduation, she plans to be employed locally in the accounting field to gain real world experience before attending graduate school. Ms. Henriques is a member of the School of Business Accounting and Finance Association, SUNY New Paltz Student Association Programming Board and New Paltz Women’s Rugby Football Club.

Dan Devine retired from Rondout Savings Bank after serving for 17 years as the president and chief executive officer. His current business activities center around two financial service groups working with financial institutions offering innovative executive benefit plans. He also consults with financial institutions in the areas of public relations, profit improvement and strategic planning.

Complete profiles of the inductees can be reviewed online at www.newpaltz.edu/schoolofbusiness/about_halloffame_inductees2008.html

The presenting sponsor of the event is Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union. Corporate sponsors include: Central Hudson Energy Group; Everton H. Henriques ‘78&’83g & Jeannie Irvine ‘78; and Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, CPA, LLP. The business sponsors of the event are Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union; Art & Jill Palmiotti; and Ulster Savings Bank. Company sponsors include: Alfandre Architecture; Rondout Savings Bank; Rose & Kiernan, Inc.; and Orange County Capital Development Corporation.