SOCIETY OFFICERS:
President
PRESIDENT, Frederick “Fred” Amato: Since coming to the Lighthouse after a successful career (retired) as both a Monroe County legislator and planner for the Fire & Security systems group at the Eastman Kodak Company, Fred is entering his 17th year of service as a Lighthouse trustee/officer. he served as the Society’s president from 2006-2010 and 2019-2022. Over his years at the Lighthouse he has implemented several new programs for the society including overseeing the creation of the Lighthouse website, implementing the Weatherbug system for WHEC-TV (channel 10), and the live camera for the WROC-TV (channel 8). Fred also oversaw the installation of the War of 1812 Bicentennial Peace Garden. In his spare time, Fred does community outreach by doing presentations on our historic Lighthouse for a wide variety of community organizations and overseeing the Society’s public relations efforts. He is also a member of the Ontario Beach Park Program Committee where he helps coordinate the Big Band dances and Concerts By The Shore at Ontario Beach Park. Fred also chairs the Communications Technology committee at Holy Cross Church, serves as the Lighthouse representative to the Charlotte Community Association, and serves as a board member of the CCDC (Charlotte Community Development Committee).
VICE PRESIDENT, John ” Jack” Kemp: Jack has been actively involved in the Society since the 1990s and has previously served as an officer and a trustee. Jack is an avid collector of local history and chairs the Charlotte Village History group for the Society. Jack is a native Rochesterian and is better known as the (retired) owner of the George Rennie Bicycle Shop in the South Wedge where many of us acquired our first bicycles under his guidance for 36 years.
SECRETARY, Susan Brown: I am married & have 5 children, 14 grandchildren, and 1 great-granddaughter. I attended Hilton schools & completed various evening college courses. I worked at Kodak for 10 years & Greece Central School District for 26 years, 15 of which were as the District Benefits Clerk. I enjoy the outdoors, hiking and camping, also knitting and crocheting, reading, and puzzles. I also enjoy my volunteer time with the Lighthouse.
TREASURER: Position Open. If you have a financial background and interested in volunteering as our Treasurer send us your interest and resume to info@geneseelighthouse.org .
TRUSTEES:
Bonney Bennett: Bonney has served as secretary of the organization for the past two years. She has been an active volunteer at the Lighthouse since May 2019, managing memberships, and has also written (and won) a few grants. Bonney is also on the board of directors of Rochester Global Connections. She is a Xerox retiree where she held numerous management positions and was a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Tom “Tommy” Borrelli: Tom has been a resident of Charlotte for 38 years and served as Vice President of the Society in the 1980s. Tom has also served as Director of the Charlotte Community Association Board of Directors and is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Tom served in the US Air Force for 4 years and is a Kodak retiree. He is presently employed at Lakeshore Country Club.
Tom Brewer: A lifelong resident of Charlotte, Tom has been an active Lighthouse volunteer since the Society took charge of the site in the 1980s. Tom is currently chair of our Marine History program. He also represents the Society as a member of the Great Lakes Historical Society and Toronto Marine Historical Society and is a Kodak retiree.
Tony Micciche: Tony has served as a trustee of the society since 2016. He was elected to the Monroe County legislature in 2011 and served until 2019 when he represented the 26th legislative district which included portions of Gates, Greece, and the city of Rochester (Charlotte and Maplewood neighborhoods). Tony worked for 25 years at General Motors and today is a licensed real estate agent. He also is a board member of the Charlotte Community Association (CCA)
Thomas I. Clayton: Began volunteering at the Lighthouse after retiring from a 41-year career in Supply Management at the Eastman Kodak Company and oversees the maintenance of the Lighthouse as chairperson of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. He was named the Lighthouse’s “Volunteer of the Year” in 2010.
Kathleen Connor: First elected as a Trustee, then as Secretary of the Society, and now a Trustee. She currently works as the Curator of the George Eastman House Museum. She also teaches at Nazareth College. She has been able to bring her knowledge and expertise to help the Society in accomplishing its mission.
Alan Eldridge: A lifelong resident of the Rochester area, Alan has served as a Tower Guide at the Lighthouse for four seasons. He retired in 2017 after 30 years in Business Administration and Communications for the NY State Police. He also served eight years in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, serving for two years as Flotilla Commander. He currently manages the Lighthouse’s, Facebook Page.
Sharon Elmer: Worked in the Finance Department of Greece Central School District for 35 years before retiring in 2020. Currently a volunteer for the Greece Public Library Used Bookstore, the Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf, as well as volunteering as Manager of the Lighthouse Gift Shop the past three summers.
Virginia A. Kobylarz: She is a founding Trustee and signed the Charter to Create the Society in 1984! She played a key role in the Society’s early years while working as a Legislative Aid for City Council representative, Robert Stevenson (deceased), and serving as Vice-Char of the City Preservation Board.
Michael J. May (Curator): In his twenty-third year, has served the Lighthouse as a volunteer, trustee, curator, and past President. He is a lifelong resident of Charlotte. Mike earned a B.S. in Management from St. John Fisher College and works at Excellus where he has advanced to the position of Analyst/Programmer in Emerging Technology during his 29-Year-Career.
Tony Micciche: Tony has served as a trustee of the society since 2016. He was elected to the Monroe County legislature in 2011 and served until 2019 when he represented the 26th legislative district which included portions of Gates, Greece, and the city of Rochester (Charlotte and Maplewood neighborhoods). Tony worked for 25 years at General Motors and today is a licensed real estate agent. He also is a board member of the Charlotte Community Association (CCA)
Nick Milonni: He is very honored to be elected as a Trustee on the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Board of Directors. He began volunteering at the Lighthouse in July of 2019. He has a great love of history and historical landmarks and found the story of the Lighthouse very interesting and intriguing. He also really enjoys helping people and appreciate the opportunity to share the knowledge he learned about the Lighthouse with others, and in taking visitors up into the tower. He was interested to learn that students at Charlotte High School assisted in saving the Lighthouse and that the Lantern room was built by students at Edison High School. It was great to hear that young people cared about this landmark. and wanted to preserve it for the Community. He plans to continue to volunteer at the Lighthouse, and as a young person, he hopes to bring a contemporary perspective to the Board. He graduated from Greece Arcadia High School and is currently a student at RIT.
Jason Vinette: Thank you for the opportunity to express my interest in a Board of Trustees role. I believe strongly in public service and have worked in the public sector for 25 years, serving as Director of Personnel for the Town of Irondequoit since 2015. Some of my volunteer experiences include IPMA-HR Eastern Region Board Member and sitting on various committees, Irondequoit Zoning Board of Appeals, Little League coach, School-Based Planning Team, as well as a Lighthouse cashier over the past year. I look forward to a successful bicentennial year at CGLHS.
James R. Wolfe: James is a Special Education (Reading) teacher for Monroe Boces and presently teaches in the East Rochester Office. James had lived in the Charlotte area for the past four years. He grew up in the Medina area of Orleans County. In his first two years, he taught in the City School District. He is very interested in history and the future development of Charlotte and is looking forward to becoming more involved at the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse. He is currently Chairperson of the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Garden Committee.
TRUSTEES:
Bonney Bennett: Bonney has served as secretary of the organization for the past two years. She has been an active volunteer at the Lighthouse since May 2019, managing memberships, and has also written (and won) a few grants. Bonney is also on the board of directors of Rochester Global Connections. She is a Xerox retiree where she held numerous management positions and was a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Tom “Tommy” Borrelli: Tom has been a resident of Charlotte for 38 years and served as Vice President of the Society in the 1980s. Tom has also served as Director of the Charlotte Community Association Board of Directors and is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Tom served in the US Air Force for 4 years and is a Kodak retiree. He is presently employed at Lakeshore Country Club.
Tom Brewer: A lifelong resident of Charlotte, Tom has been an active Lighthouse volunteer since the Society took charge of the site in the 1980s. Tom is currently chair of our Marine History program. He also represents the Society as a member of the Great Lakes Historical Society and Toronto Marine Historical Society and is a Kodak retiree.
Tony Micciche: Tony has served as a trustee of the society since 2016. He was elected to the Monroe County legislature in 2011 and served until 2019 when he represented the 26th legislative district which included portions of Gates, Greece, and the city of Rochester (Charlotte and Maplewood neighborhoods). Tony worked for 25 years at General Motors and today is a licensed real estate agent. He also is a board member of the Charlotte Community Association (CCA)
Thomas I. Clayton: Began volunteering at the Lighthouse after retiring from a 41-year career in Supply Management at the Eastman Kodak Company and oversees the maintenance of the Lighthouse as chairperson of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. He was named the Lighthouse’s “Volunteer of the Year” in 2010.
Kathleen Connor: First elected as a Trustee, then as Secretary of the Society, and now a Trustee. She currently works as the Curator of the George Eastman House Museum. She also teaches at Nazareth College. She has been able to bring her knowledge and expertise to help the Society in accomplishing its mission.
Alan Eldridge: A lifelong resident of the Rochester area, Alan has served as a Tower Guide at the Lighthouse for four seasons. He retired in 2017 after 30 years in Business Administration and Communications for the NY State Police. He also served eight years in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, serving for two years as Flotilla Commander. He currently manages the Lighthouse’s, Facebook Page.
Sharon Elmer: Worked in the Finance Department of Greece Central School District for 35 years before retiring in 2020. Currently a volunteer for the Greece Public Library Used Bookstore, the Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf, as well as volunteering as Manager of the Lighthouse Gift Shop the past three summers.
Virginia A. Kobylarz: She is a founding Trustee and signed the Charter to Create the Society in 1984! She played a key role in the Society’s early years while working as a Legislative Aid for City Council representative, Robert Stevenson (deceased), and serving as Vice-Char of the City Preservation Board.
Michael J. May (Curator): In his twenty-third year, has served the Lighthouse as a volunteer, trustee, curator, and past President. He is a lifelong resident of Charlotte. Mike earned a B.S. in Management from St. John Fisher College and works at Excellus where he has advanced to the position of Analyst/Programmer in Emerging Technology during his 29-Year-Career.
Tony Micciche: Tony has served as a trustee of the society since 2016. He was elected to the Monroe County legislature in 2011 and served until 2019 when he represented the 26th legislative district which included portions of Gates, Greece, and the city of Rochester (Charlotte and Maplewood neighborhoods). Tony worked for 25 years at General Motors and today is a licensed real estate agent. He also is a board member of the Charlotte Community Association (CCA)
Nick Milonni: He is very honored to be elected as a Trustee on the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Board of Directors. He began volunteering at the Lighthouse in July of 2019. He has a great love of history and historical landmarks and found the story of the Lighthouse very interesting and intriguing. He also really enjoys helping people and appreciate the opportunity to share the knowledge he learned about the Lighthouse with others, and in taking visitors up into the tower. He was interested to learn that students at Charlotte High School assisted in saving the Lighthouse and that the Lantern room was built by students at Edison High School. It was great to hear that young people cared about this landmark. and wanted to preserve it for the Community. He plans to continue to volunteer at the Lighthouse, and as a young person, he hopes to bring a contemporary perspective to the Board. He graduated from Greece Arcadia High School and is currently a student at RIT.
Jason Vinette: Thank you for the opportunity to express my interest in a Board of Trustees role. I believe strongly in public service and have worked in the public sector for 25 years, serving as Director of Personnel for the Town of Irondequoit since 2015. Some of my volunteer experiences include IPMA-HR Eastern Region Board Member and sitting on various committees, Irondequoit Zoning Board of Appeals, Little League coach, School-Based Planning Team, as well as a Lighthouse cashier over the past year. I look forward to a successful bicentennial year at CGLHS.
James R. Wolfe: James is a Special Education (Reading) teacher for Monroe Boces and presently teaches in the East Rochester Office. James had lived in the Charlotte area for the past four years. He grew up in the Medina area of Orleans County. In his first two years, he taught in the City School District. He is very interested in history and the future development of Charlotte and is looking forward to becoming more involved at the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse. He is currently Chairperson of the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Garden Committee.