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Ward Todd, President - ward@ulsterchamber.org

Ward Todd of Shandaken, N.Y. is President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Ulster County.

Mr. Todd is Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Ulster County Development Corporation. He serves on the Benedictine Hospital Board of Directors and the United Way of Ulster County Board of Directors. Mr. Todd is a member of the Phoenicia Rotary Club and is a Rotary International Paul Harris Award recipient. He is a member of the Junior Achievement Steering Committee and the American Cancer Society Legislative Committee.

Mr. Todd was a member of the Ulster County Legislature serving three years as Chairman and three years as Majority Leader. He was also President of the Kingston School Board and served on the Onteora Board of Education. He was Chairman for several years of the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk and was also a member of the Hudson Valley Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors. He was Vice President of WKNY’s Toys for Tots campaign and was President of the Children’s Annex Board of Trustees. He also served on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association, Rip Van Winkle Council Boy Scouts, American Cancer Society and Ulster County Girl Scouts. He is a well-known friend to many other charitable organizations and frequently volunteers as Master of Ceremonies at fund raising events.

Ward Todd was the 2003 Ulster County Arts Council “Arts Advocate of the Year” for his efforts to promote and advance the arts in Ulster County. He was recognized for his community service in 2004 as Gateway Industries “Toast of the Town” honoree and was honored in 2006 at the Belleayre Conservatory Snow Ball and given their “Spirit of the Catskills” Award.

Ward is a familiar voice to radio listeners in the Hudson Valley. He was most recently Operations Manager and Morning Program host at WKNY Radio in Kingston. He was Chief Staff Announcer at WTZA-TV (now WRNN) and in his spare time was a television ring announcer for professional boxing events involving former World Champions Billy Costello and Tracy Patterson.


Fran DePetrillo, Director of Membership - info@ulsterchamber.org

Fran DePetrillo is responsible for the management and oversight of the membership recruitment, development and retention process. Additionally, she assists new members with participation in a variety of health plans and insurance programs at reduced group rates. Ms. DePetrillo is also responsible for Chamber event marketing and sponsorships.

Fran has been co-coordinating the Ulster Leadership Development Institute, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Ulster County, since 1998. ULDI began at the Chamber in the fall of 1992. Its goal is to establish an ongoing cadre of men and women prepared to assume leadership positions on a wide variety of boards and foundations in Ulster County's non-profit organizations.

Ms. DePetrillo is a graduate of SUNY Ulster and SUNY New Paltz with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. Before joining the Chamber, Fran worked for 12 years at the Mental Health Association in Ulster County, Inc. and continues to maintain part-time employment at Fit Lady as a Fitness Instructor and a Membership Sales Representative.


Robert G. Hirsch, Director of Business Services and Communication - bob@ulsterchamber.org

Bob Hirsch joined the Chamber staff as Job Training Coordinator/Small Business Liaison. In that capacity he has been responsible for all Manpower Training and Development Programs. Under his direction the OJT Program has assisted more than 1500 individuals with obtaining employment while assisting local businesses with obtaining and training qualified workers. And he has saved local business owners several hundred thousand dollars by paying half of initial employee training costs.

Mr. Hirsch is currently the Director of Business Services and Communication for the Chamber and in addition to his duties as OJT Coordinator he is responsible for the Chamber's Small Business Programs where he develops and coordinates Chamber workshops, seminars and training sessions. Mr. Hirsch is also responsible for managing the office computer network and assisting the staff in computer software operation and training.

Bob has an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Ulster County Community College and graduated from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management at the University of Delaware. He received a certificate in Chamber of Commerce Management.


Sue Simon, Assistant to the President - sue@ulsterchamber.org

Sue Simon began her career with the Chamber as a part-time bookkeeper. Currently she is the administrator of the three medical plans that the Chamber offers its membership: MVP, GHI and CDPHP. She also coordinates the current dental insurance plan and acts as a referral for the Chamber's long-term disability program. She coordinates the Chamber's tourism division, representing the Chamber and working in conjunction with the Ulster County Tourism Office to assist groups of travel visitors and in planning special events.

Ms. Simon is responsible for managing the finances of the Chamber including the general account as well as the Health Insurance and OJT accounts. She prepares the monthly financial reports for the Board of Directors and assists with the annual audit and budget process.

Ms. Simon formerly served as Promotions Director for the Kingston Plaza.


Franzi M. Tuey, Office Manager - info@ulsterchamber.org

Fran Tuey is responsible for the overall office administration at the Chamber of Commerce which includes maintaining the Chamber's membership database, billing and updating membership dues, and taking reservations and payments for all Chamber events. In addition, she also handles hundreds of calls, emails and personal visits each week from the membership, travel visitors and people interested in relocating to Ulster County.

Franzi Tuey formerly worked in the banking industry with the State of New York Bank, Banker's Trust, Barclay's Bank and the Bank of New York.

 

 

©2004 Chamber of Commerce of Ulster County
photos provided by Ulster County Tourism