Rockefeller College Honors Alumni for Public Service

Contact(s):  Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150, ([email protected])

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 3, 2008) -- The Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service, a University at Albany professor of political science, and the legislative policy adviser to Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo are among those being honored on Nov. 13 at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy Alumni Reception and Awards Ceremony.

"Rockefeller College has one of the best programs in the nation in public affairs and public policy," said Rockefeller College Dean Jeffrey D. Straussman. "As we celebrate 60 years of top-ranked education for graduate students in public service, it is fitting to honor our alumni who serve at all levels from the local to the global. They are models for our current students when we recognize their many achievements."

The event begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, 411 State St., Albany.

2008 Alumni Award Recipients include:

Nancy Gleason Groenwegen, B.A. '79. Groenwegen is President of the Civil Service Commission and Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service. Groenwegen will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award in Political Science. She oversees an agency that handles human resources for executive branch agencies of state government employing nearly 170,000 people.

Thomas G. Clingan, B.A. '73, M.P.A. '75, Albany County Clerk, will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award in Public Administration & Policy. Re-elected to a fifth term as Albany County Clerk in 2005, Clingan is Albany County's longest-serving County Clerk in 260 years. The County Clerk is the chief records officer of the county, responsible for annual revenues of more than $34 million, as well as all mortgages and deeds.

James J. Malatras, B.A. '99, M.A. '00, Ph.D. '08, legislative policy adviser to Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, is the recipient of the Rockefeller College Young Alumni Award.  He is responsible for the Attorney General's legislative program and serves as a liaison to the legislative and executive branches.

Thomas W. Church, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Political Science at Rockefeller College, will receive the Rockefeller College Distinguished Service Award.  He joined the UAlbany faculty in 1982. Church's research and teaching focus on public law and environmental policy.

Richard L. Dunham was the Director of the Division of the Budget under Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller. Later, he was the chairman of the Federal Power Commission, now the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Dunham will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. He recently retired from the Rockefeller College Advisory Board, on which he served from 2003-2008. Dunham was a member of the board's Development Committee.

Joseph B. Sano, B.A. '70, M.A. '73, is executive director of the New York State Organization of Management Confidential Employees (OMCE). He has represented the interests of public employees for more than 37 years. Sano is receiving the Distinguished Extended Learning Leadership Award of Excellence. Trained as an educator at UAlbany, Sano was a social studies teacher and president of his teachers' union in Guilderland, N.Y.  Since 1988, he has served as executive director of OMCE. 

Cost is $20 per person. Guests are asked to R.S.V.P. by Nov. 7 at https://www.albany.edu/alumni/register.htm .

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