Press release:
Genesee Community College Board of Trustees learned at the August monthly meeting that two members of their own, as well as a long-term GCC faculty member, have been selected to receive awards recognizing their dedication, leadership and service.
GCC Trustee Maureen Torrey Marshall has been selected to receive the Marvin A. Rapp Award for Distinguished Trustee Service by the New York Community College Trustees. Mrs. Marshall began her service as a GCC trustee in 2003, and just concluded her two-year term as chairman last month. She is a lifelong resident of Genesee County and co-owner of the 10,000 acre Torrey Farms, Inc. She serves on several agricultural associations at the state and national levels.
Current Board of Trustee Chairman Diane D. Torcello has been selected to receive the 2014 Donald M. Mawhinney Trustee Leadership Award. Appointed to GCC's Board of Trustees in 2005, Mrs. Torcello is vice president Community Banking manager for Tompkins Bank of Castile, former chair of the Presidential Search committee for GCC, former chair of Genesee County United Way, and she continues to serve as a member of the Board and the Campaign Cabinet. She also serves on the Mary Immaculate Church Finance Committee and she is the Treasurer of the Pavilion Republican Committee. Diane was also named to the Buffalo Business First 40 Under 40.
Both honors will be recognized at the 60th Annual NYCCT Conference entitled "Celebrating 60 Years of Trustee Education and Leadership" on Saturday Sept. 20 at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs.
GCC's Professor of Business M. Richard (Rick) Dudkowski has been selected to receive the Northeast ACCT Faculty Member Award at the Winds of Change Leadership Congress '14 this October in Chicago, sponsored by the Association of Community College Trustees. This award honors excellence in teaching through innovative programming, special initiatives, problem solving and leadership within two-year postsecondary institutions as well as the local community.
Throughout his 30 year tenure at GCC, Mr. Dudkowski or "Mr. D.," as his students are fond of calling him, has been an exceptional contributor to the college community as a dedicated professor, mentor, success coach, colleague, civic leader and friend. He teaches 10 different courses in the business division and is the lead faculty member of the Fashion Merchandising Management program that produces the annual Fashion Show, which will enjoy its 34th annual production in 2015. He is a "go-to" staff member volunteering for many additional assignments, such as serving on the planning committees for the College's 40th anniversary, the retirement reception celebrating Stuart Steiner's 37 years as president and the inauguration of James Sunser, GCC president in 2011.
Mr. Dudkowski is a two-time recipient of the State University of New York New Chancellor's Award for Excellence, first in 2002 for Excellence in Teaching and in 2008 for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. He also was recently inducted into Susan Makai's Personal Best Model and Talent Agency Hall of Fame for Marketing Individual Excellence in a Competitive World.
