special events

Scholarship Open committee members: Andy Raus, John Loury, Charlie Vita, Kevin Williams, Gavin Brownlie, Gretchen Wood, Kimberly Gaylord, Virgil Joseph, Sergio Esteban, Billy Farmer, Jason Socola, Edward Schuler 

Scholarship Open committee members: Andy Raus, John Loury, Charlie Vita, Kevin Williams, Gavin Brownlie, Gretchen Wood, Kimberly Gaylord, Virgil Joseph, Sergio Esteban, Billy Farmer, Jason Socola, Edward Schuler 

SCHOLARSHIP OPEN GOLFERS RAISE OVER $136,000 FOR MCC STUDENTS 

The Monroe Community College Foundation's 41st Annual Scholarship Open presented by Toyota was held June 23 at The Country Club of Rochester. Thanks to our community’s generosity, over $136,000 (net) was raised in support of deserving MCC students like Judi Razafintsalama ’25 to fund public higher education for Greater Rochester. A new record! 

The sun shone brightly and, despite high temperatures, golfers had a beautiful day out on the course. Our first-place winner for low net was Weckesser Brick Co. and Christa Construction came in as the first-place low-gross team. 

Under the leadership of Committee Co-chairs Billy Farmer and Kimberly Gaylord ’98 and the Scholarship Open committee, this year’s golf tournament was one to remember! 

PLATINUM SPONSOR

  • Toyota Motor Sales, North America 

SIGNATURE SPONSORS

  • Colliers Engineering & Design

  • M/E Engineering, P.C.

  • Janice & Eric ’84 Smith 

BRONZE SPONSORS

  • Crosby-Brownlie, Inc.

  • The Dolomite Group

  • UDN, Inc. 

FOURSOME WITH RECEPTION SPONSORS 

  • Catenary Construction Corp.

  • Construction Industry Association of Rochester (CIAR)

  • International Union BAC Local 3 NY

  • Klein Reinforcing Services

  • LaBella Associates

  • Schuler-Haas Electric Corp.

  • SWBR

FOURSOME WITH HOLE SPONSORS  

  • Adams Leclair LLP

  • Birnie CPA P.C.

  • Canandaigua National Bank & Trust

  • CloudDOCX

  • Elmer W. Davis, Inc.

  • Harter, Secrest & Emery, LLP

  • Laborers Local #435

  • Logical Control Solutions, Inc.

  • Milton Rents Inc.

  • Rochester Davis-Fetch Corp.

  • Skyworks Equipment Rental

  • West Herr Auto Group 

FOURSOMES 

  • Builders Exchange of Rochester

  • Catone Insurance

  • Christa Construction, LLC

  • LeChase Construction Services, LLC

  • M&T Bank

  • Manning Squires Hennig Co.

  • Pike Construction Services

  • Weckesser Brick Company, Inc.  

HOLE SPONSORS

  • FEG Investment Advisors

  • Vargas Associates, Inc. 

19TH HOLE SPONSOR 

  • G & J Contracting Inc. 

TEE GIFT SPONSOR 

  • Cause + Effect Strategy

SCHOLARSHIPs 

$5,000

  • Gavin Brownlie, Jr. 

$3,500

  • Catenary Construction Corp.

  • Elmer W Davis, Inc. / Jeff & Patty Davis

  • John T. Smith ’71

  • Gary L. Squires ’76 

$3,000

  • Andrew Raus

$2,000  

  • Edward T. Schuler ’81

  • Daniel Streicher 

 $1,000 

  • Joseph D. Catone

  • David Fiedler

  • Gallina Development Corp.

  • Mark R. Kulzer ’76

  • SWBR  

 $500

  • Cause + Effect Strategy

  • Edward Denning

  • Michael J. Dinan

  • Marc R. & Laura S. '12 Fischer

  • Fritz Odenbach

  • Western Concrete 

$100

  • Bert Brinkerhoff

  • David Crosby

  • Kimberly J. Gaylord '98

  • Dr. Michael Jacobs

  • Matthew J. Lester

  • Modular Comfort Systems, Inc.

  • Monster Tree Service of Rochester

  • Jason ReQua 

Gretchen Wood, Bobby Colón, Flor Colón, Jill Birmingham, Martin Birmingham 

Gretchen Wood, Bobby Colón, Flor Colón, Jill Birmingham, Martin Birmingham 

GOLD STAR GALA GUESTS RAISE $275,000 FOR MCC STUDENTS   

The Monroe Community College Foundation’s 27th Annual Gold Star Gala, Behind the Curtain, presented by M&T Bank, was a resounding success—raising $275,000 (net of expenses) to support Monroe Community College students. Held on April 26 at The Country Club of Rochester, the evening was a true celebration of community raising funds to support scholarships and meet the emergency needs of our students. 

MCC student speaker Susan Elizabeth Graham ’25, a Human Services major and scholarship recipient, shone during our scholarship call that evening. Honorary Chairs Jill & Marty Birmingham and Flor & Bobby Colón; Committee Chairs Naomi Silver, Desirée Silver and Morrie Silver; Auction Advocates Robin ’80 and Tim ’80 Wentworth; our evening’s emcee, Doug Emblidge; and our Gala Committee made this year’s Gold Star Gala one to remember!   

PRESENTING SPONSOR

  • M&T Bank

SHOWSTOPPER 

  • Flor & Bobby Colón

  • Five Star Bank

  • Maureen Lally & Wayne Smith

  • Tim ’80 & Robin ’80 Wentworth 

OVERTURE 

  • Dixon Schwabl + Company

  • ESL Federal Credit Union

  • Louis S. and Molly B. Wolk Foundation

  • McCarthy Tents & Events, LLC

  • Popli Design Group

  • Janice & Eric ’84 Smith 

ENSEMBLE

  • Barbara & John Bruning

SPOTLIGHT  

  • Elmer W. Davis, Inc.

  • Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

  • Konar Properties

  • LaBella Associates

  • M/E Engineering, P.C.

  • Pike Construction Services

  • QED Technologies International, LLC

  • Karen & Ed ’81 Schuler

  • SWBR

  • Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

  • Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP 

OPENING NIGHT  

  • Mary & Todd K. ’10 Baxter

  • Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC

  • Cause + Effect Strategy

  • Davie Kaplan, CPA, P.C.

  • Drs. Elizabeth & James Murray

  • The No-Nonsense Roundtable

  • Optimax Systems, Inc.

  • Rochester Red Wings

  • Rochester Regional Health

  • Royal Oak Realty Trust

  • University of Rochester Medical Center

  • Connie O. Walker, Esq.

  • Allen K. Williams

  • Laurie Zaucha 

Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna 

Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna 

Doug Emblidge

Doug Emblidge

SCHOLARSHIPs 

$7,000

  • Jeff & Patty Davis / Elmer W Davis, Inc.

  • Howard Konar

  • Kenneth A. Marvald

  • John T. Smith ’71

  • Summers Foundation, Inc.

  • Mary & John '64 Thompson 

$5,000

  • Olivia & David A. '73 Cornell

  • Cornell / Weinstein Family Foundation

  • Ken & Pamela Hines

  • Flor & Bobby Colon 

$3,500

  • Fiedler Family Foundation

  • Maureen R. Wolfe

  • ESL Federal Credit Union

$2,000  

  • Bond, Schoeneck and King PLLC

  • Teresa D. Johnson

  • John & Barbara Bruning

  • Katherine McClung

  • W. Jack Plants, II

  • Sanjeev Popli

  • Popli Design Group

  • Timothy Schmid

  • Paul Then

  • Naomi Silver 

 $1,000 

  • Patrick & Kathryn J. Bernunzio

  • David J. Beinetti

  • Stephen & Sandra Carl

  • Leo Catarisano

  • Larry Dewine

  • Erika Duthiers

  • Thomas & Joan Gears

  • R. Stan Holland

  • LaBella Associates

  • Theresa & Donald Mazzullo

  • Steven Metzger

  • Dr. Elizabeth Murray

  • Mark Pastorella '90

  • Dr. Gregory Previte

  • Jaime Saunders

  • Desiree Silver

  • Morrie Silver

  • Karoline & Michael Trojian

  • Alexis Vogt  

 $600

  • Richard & Amy Reingold

  • News10NBC / WHEC-TV 

$500

  • Marty & Jill Birmingham / Five Star Bank

  • Natalie & Heath Boice-Pardee

  • David G. Case

  • Sandra Cornet Accilien

  • Leonid Gurevich

  • Dan Mason

  • Kevin McGuire

  • Jennifer Newman

  • Diane L. Shoger & Timothy M. Coughlin

  • Kimm & Joseph '83 Wesley

  • James W. Worboys

Gretchen Wood, Nina Nasca, Mariellen Nasca, Gianna Nasca, Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Tom Battley, Daniele Lyman-Torres, Maureen Wolfe, Jim Sydor, Alexis Vogt 

Gretchen Wood, Nina Nasca, Mariellen Nasca, Gianna Nasca, Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Tom Battley, Daniele Lyman-Torres, Maureen Wolfe, Jim Sydor, Alexis Vogt 

SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE  

What a celebration! The Monroe Community College Foundation’s 33rd Annual Salute to Excellence was an evening filled with shining examples of leadership, philanthropy and Monroe Community College success stories. Nearly 400 business and community leaders, MCC alumni, students, faculty, staff and administrators celebrated with us on November 14 at the Floreano Convention Center. At the Salute to Excellence dinner representing Honorary Chair Dr. Millicent K. Ruffin, Corning Incorporated’s Michele Johnson and Committee Chairs David Beinetti and Kevin Williams set the stage for an incredible evening. 

Following the MCC Alumni Hall of Fame inductions of Kimberly J. Gaylord ’98, Michael P. Mandina ’75, Sheila M. Strong ’98 and Tashanda D. Thomas ’06, the 2024 Salute to Excellence award was accepted by three leaders in the optics industry: Tom Battley, James M. Sydor ’71 and the family of the late Richard A. Nasca. The award recognized their philanthropic commitments to MCC’s Optical Systems Technology program and the lasting impact their support has had on the local optics community. We also heard from Evan Elixman ’26, an MCC student who is looking forward to a career in optical engineering, who shared that the scholarships he receives keep him enrolled at MCC.  

PATRON TABLE   

  • AAC Contracting, LLC

  • AccuCoat Inc.

  • AmeriCOM Center for Optics Manufacturing

  • Builders Exchange of Rochester

  • Corning Advanced Optics Division

  • Davie Kaplan, CPA, P.C.

  • EFPR Group, CPAs

  • Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

  • LeChase Construction Services, LLC

  • Mariellen Nasca

  • News 10NBC/WHEC-TV

  • Optimax Systems, Inc.

  • Pike Construction Services

  • QED Technologies International, LLC

  • Sage Rutty & Company, Inc.

  • SWBR

  • James M. Sydor ’71 / Sydor Optics, Inc.

  • Vertus Charter School

  • Villager Construction

  • Connie O. Walker, Esq.

  • Allen K. Williams

  • Willow Domestic Violence Center 

GOLD SPONSOR 

  • Corning Incorporated

  • ESL Federal Credit Union

  • Rochester Gas and Electric 

SILVER SPONSOR  

  • Barbara & John Bruning

  • Konar Properties

  • M&T Bank

  • Janice & Eric ’84 Smith/ON Services

  • Thorlabs Lens Systems 

BRONZE SPONSOR 

  • LaBella Associates

  • M/E Engineering, P.C.

  • SPIE

  • Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. 

David Beinetti, Michele Johnson, Gretchen Wood, Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Kevin Williams 

David Beinetti, Michele Johnson, Gretchen Wood,
Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Kevin Williams 

Dr. DeAnna Burt-Nanna, Kimberly J. Gaylord, Sheila M. Strong, Tashanda D. Thomas, Michael P. Mandina, Gretchen Wood 

Dr. DeAnna Burt-Nanna, Kimberly J. Gaylord, Sheila M. Strong, Tashanda D. Thomas, Michael P. Mandina, Gretchen Wood