2013 Volunteer of the Year Award Winners
New York State Chapter
Division Awards
The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to a person or organization from each Division that
exemplifies the highest levels of volunteer leadership, support and commitment to advancing the
mission of the March of Dimes.
Jim McCarthy – Central New York Division
Jim McCarthy has served as a member of the Central New York Division Board since 2009. He joined
the organization after his twin daughters were born prematurely. Jim served his first year as the board
secretary and in 2011, he became the board chair. In 2012, he led the Mohawk Valley March for
Babies effort as chair, helping to propel that site to achieve record financial success.
Also active in the Syracuse March for Babies, his family team is one of the top fundraising teams for
the last four years. In addition, Jim was instrumental in developing sponsorship for the Syracuse walk,
as well as for Signature Chefs Auction.
A tireless leader, Jim actively attends all the division’s events and has represented the organization in
the media, as well as at kick-off events. During his time as board chair he has striven to lead by
example and has helped to recruit six new board members to the division. The Central New York
Division recognizes Jim McCarthy as its Volunteer of the Year.
Deborah C. Stamps – Genesee Valley/Finger Lakes Division
Deborah C. Stamps is the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Newark-Wayne Community
Hospital. She initially became involved with the March of Dimes through Rochester’s Black History
Month Reception in February 2012, which she co-organized again in 2013. She also accepted the role
of the Finger Lakes March for Babies Revenue Chair for 2013 and brought her hospital on board as a
presenting sponsor. Her team at Newark-Wayne included over 20 internal department teams and this
overall effort translated to March for Babies exceeding its goal by over $11,000.
Deborah will serve as incoming board chair in the Genesee Valley/Finger Lakes Division for 2014.
Hard at work over the last several months, she has recruited her successor for the Finger Lakes March
for Babies, the new revenue chair for the Rochester March for Babies and the Nurse of the Year
Awards Chair, all for 2014. Most recently, she has worked to bring Newark-Wayne Community
Hospital back as the 2014 Presenting Sponsor of the Finger Lakes March for Babies. Please
congratulate Deborah Stamps as Volunteer of the Year.
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Patricia Catalina – Long Island Division
Patricia Catalina was recruited in September of 2013 to specifically spearhead the Long Island
Signature Chefs Auction. She embraced the challenge and helped raise over $150K in less than 6
weeks. Patricia teamed up with her colleagues, vendors, family and friends to assist her. She also
enlisted the help of a colleague at AriZona Beverage Co. named John Posillico as a mission
spokesperson, because he was touched by the March of Dimes mission. Patricia worked closely with
staff and volunteers, sharing best practices and tools for success. The Long Island Signature Chefs
Auction took place on October 28, significantly exceeding all goals. Patricia has become a champion
for March of Dimes and through her efforts, is growing a strong team of supporters. Sharing her
passion and dedication, she has effectively spread the March of Dimes name and mission throughout
the AriZona Beverage Co. It’s a pleasure to present her with the 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award.
Jane Chmielinski – New York Division
Jane Chmielinski is the Chief Operating Officer of AECOM. She joined the New York Division Board
of Directors in 2006 and remains an active member. Jane also serves on the division’s Revenue
Development Committee and sits on the Transportation and Construction Luncheon Committee. Since
2001, AECOM has supported the Transportation and Construction Luncheon as a major sponsor, and
in 2005, Jane was honored with the Service to Humanity Award. Through her leadership, AECOM
sponsors March for Babies and also participates as a corporate team. For three consecutive years,
AECOM has supported the division at the highest level, as a Platinum Sponsor. In 2013, they increased
their commitment to become a 75th Anniversary Sponsor.
Jane Chmielinski is a highly-effective board member, an avid fundraiser and a valued friend to the
organization. It is fitting that she is honored as the 2013 New York Division Volunteer of the Year and
we congratulate her on receiving this award.
James Thompson – Northeastern New York Division
Jim Thompson has served on the Northeastern New York Division Board of Directors since 2011.
Since that time, he has concentrated on Major Gifts and NICU Family Support® funding, as well as
being an integral part in the success of the Signature Chefs Auction of Saratoga.
Jim’s volunteer commitment goes well beyond just supporting events. Not only is he a member of the
March of Dimes President’s Society, but he has reccruited new members to the Northeastern New
York Board, along with new corporate sponsors to March for Babies and Signature Chefs Auction. Jim
was the catalyst in securing Ellis Medicine as a partner for the 2013 March for Babies campaign.
Jim has four beautiful children. Ian is 2 ½ years old and was born prematurely. His wife, Angela,
recently had premature triplets named Tabatha, Molly and Duke, who are all doing well. As part of that
connection to the mission, Jim is willing to speak on behalf of March of Dimes whenever possible. The
Northeastern New York Division is proud to present Jim Thompson with the Volunteer of the Year
Award.
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James F. Hurley – Northern Metro Division
Jim Hurley is a 35-year veteran in the construction industry. He is president of Pavarini North East
Construction, a member of the international Structure Tone Organization. He is also executive vicepresident of Structure Tone and a member of its Executive & Advisory Board. As president of
Pavarini, Jim provides guidance, oversees the performance of key managers and provides training to
junior employees to become skillful in the construction industry.
The same level of commitment that Jim applies to his professional duties, he carries over into his
dedication to numerous charitable organizations, especially those focused on children. Jim has served
as the co-chair of the March of Dimes Real Estate Award Breakfast in Westchester for the past three
years. He has been a major force in recruiting honorees and has personally raised nearly $20,000 a year
to support the event. In addition, Jim’s company has taken the Title Sponsorship for the Real Estate
Award Breakfast for the past three years. The Northern Metro Division is pleased to present Jim
Hurley with the 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award.
Sunoco/7-Eleven Page Avenue – Staten Island Division
Sunoco/7-Eleven is being honored with the Staten Island Division Volunteer of the Year Award due to
the enormous dedication of its franchise principals – Frank D’Amato and Andy Gonchar. Mr.
D’Amato and Mr. Gonchar have been instrumental in the success of the March of Dimes Staten Island
Division’s Gourmet Gala.
Due to Superstorm Sandy, the 2012 Gourmet Gala was rescheduled to January 2013. Understanding
the impact this would have on the division’s revenue goals, Mr. D’Amato and Mr. Gonchar graciously
volunteered to co-chair the event again, for the second time in less than 11 months. Undaunted by any
challenge in front of them, together they set an ambitious revenue goal for the Gourmet Gala, which
resulted in great success. We sincerely appreciate the commitment of Mr. D’Amato and Mr. Gonchar,
who recently accepted leadership positions on the division’s board of directors. The March of Dimes
Staten Island Division is fortunate to have the support of Sunoco/7-Eleven Page Avenue and we are
proud to honor them with the 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award.
Anthony DeYoung – Western New York Division
Anthony has been a volunteer with the March of Dimes since 2012. He came on board to assist with
the Golf Classic and was subsequently enlisted to help with Signature Chefs Auction and March for
Babies, as well. He was the revenue chair for the 2013 Signature Chefs Auction and has agreed to be
the co-chair for the 2014 event. Anthony has also recently accepted the nomination as vice-chair for
the Western New York Division Board, starting in 2014. He has enthusiastically embraced every task
and every event, from grilling hot dogs with his sons at March for Babies, to securing restaurants,
sponsorships and in-kind gifts for Signature Chefs Auction and the Golf Classic. Anthony continuously
gives freely to the March of Dimes with an open heart and helping hands. The Western New York
Division is proud to name Anthony DeYoung as its Volunteer of the Year.
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Chapter Awards
Don Tomasulo - Communications
Entercom Buffalo has been a dedicated partner for the March of Dimes for nearly 15 years and Don
Tomasulo is the one person primarily responsible for that unwavering commitment in the Buffalo
media market.
Don was instrumental in making the Buffalo March for Babies event such a success over the past
decade. Each year, in addition to finding a recognizable radio personality to front the campaign, he
also consistently runs $35-$50,000 in promotional spots across all Entercom stations to support the
effort. Don has even been receptive to ideas to enhance the annual partnership, such as the Healthy
Baby Radio Contest with Tops Friendly Markets and Beech-Nut Baby Foods. This unique approach
brought on an additional $30,000 of radio airtime each year, as well as an increase of web site traffic
and email blasts to the stations’ listeners. The campaign has repeatedly been recognized as a “best
practice” and used as a benchmark throughout the March of Dimes.
Through Don, Entercom has supported the Western New York Division’s Golf Classic and for the past
three years, they have been the radio sponsor for the Signature Chefs Auction of Buffalo. This newest
collaboration has helped bring the March of Dimes deeper into the Entercom Buffalo team with a host
of new personalities and support for the mission. Though, the radio industry and the Buffalo market
have changed over the past two decades, Don Tomasulo’s commitment to the babies has remained
unchanged. Congratulations, Don Tomasulo and Entercom Buffalo as the Communications Volunteer
of the Year.
Marla A. Peers – Program Services
Marla Peers is a Lamaze-certified childbirth educator and fellow of the American College of Childbirth
Educators. She is the current secretary of the Westchester/Putnam/Rockland Lactation Consortium and
has served for the past 15 years on their board. Marla has actively volunteered for the March of Dimes
Northern Metro Division since 1989, serving on the division’s Program Services Committee and the
New York State Program Services Committee (PSC).
Marla is a “worker bee” and is passionately committed to advancing the mission of the March of
Dimes. Over the years she has represented the organization at local conferences and community health
fairs. This year, she attended and represented the March of Dimes at the Westchester County
Department of Health’s Health Planning Summit, “Working Together for a Healthier Westchester”.
She currently sits on the New York Student Convocation, Community Grants and Women’s Health
Education Navigation, PSC subcommittees. Marla serves as the Northern Metro Division’s March for
Babies Mission Chair and has coordinated the March for Babies Mission Table for the past 14 years.
For the last three years, she has also served as a March for Babies Team Leader for her synagogue,
Temple Beth Abraham. She is an invaluable resource and an exceptionally dedicated volunteer. We are
pleased to present her with the 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award.
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Dave Smingler – Advocacy & Government Affairs
March of Dimes is pleased to announce that Dave Smingler is the 2013 Volunteer of the Year for
Advocacy & Government Affairs. Dave has volunteered with March of Dimes since 2011 and is
currently a member of the Advocacy & Government Affairs Committee, where he chairs the
Regulation & Legislation Subcommittee. Always willing to offer a helping hand, he graciously accepts
assignments, such as presenting at committee meetings and researching potential legislative issues.
In addition to his work on the Advocacy & Government Affairs Committee, Dave has been an active
participant in the Northeastern New York Division’s March for Babies Campaign, walking with his
employer’s team, Ellis Medicine, while also recruiting for the March of Dimes Advocacy
Network. Dave was also instrumental in fostering a stronger connection between Ellis Medicine and
March of Dimes. He assisted in the submission of a proposal to implement the “Interconception Care
in a Family Medicine Practice” Project at Ellis Medicine, which was selected for a Community Award
in 2012. This year, March of Dimes was selected as Ellis Medicine’s Charity of Choice.
Long Island – Lawrence Aiken Award for Outstanding Special Event Volunteer and Revenue
Development
The Lawrence Aiken Award was created to honor the Chapter Board Chairman Emeritus Lawrence
Aiken, who served as a distinguished volunteer for nearly 25 years. He was the Honorary Chairman
and driving force behind the tremendous success of the annual Beauty Ball, the organization’s longest
running and largest special event that raised nearly 25 million dollars during his tenure. Larry also
served as Chairman of the Greater New York Board of Directors, where he oversaw the merger of
Long Island and Northern Metro Divisions into the Greater New York Chapter, as well as the
consolidation with upstate to form the New York State Chapter.
The Lawrence Aiken Award for Outstanding Special Event Volunteer and Revenue Development is
presented to the Long Island Division, which exceeded its 2013 Budget of $1,308,567. Leading the
way was the Joe Namath Celebrity Golf Tournament that raised over $1 million for the first time in
that event’s history. The Signature Chefs Auction of Long Island raised $183,000 -- an increase of
22% from last year and $30,600 over budget. The chapter congratulates the Long Island Division for
their great work and success in 2013.
William D. Christ – Leo Jaffe Distinguished Volunteer Service
One of the New York State Chapter’s most esteemed awards is the Leo Jaffe Distinguished Volunteer
Service Award. Leo Jaffe was President and CEO of Columbia Pictures and served as board chairman
of the Greater New York Chapter from 1976 to 1978. The first Leo Jaffe Award was given in 1987 in
honor of Mr. Jaffe’s volunteer service to the March of Dimes. This award is given to one outstanding
volunteer whose work and tenure of service in all areas has helped advance the mission of the March
of Dimes to the highest degree.
Bill Christ is a highly-respected partner in the law firm of Phillips, Lytle LLP in Buffalo, NY and a
great friend of the March of Dimes. He was recruited to the organization in 2001 and soon thereafter,
became the volunteer development chair in the Western New York Division. A year later, Bill became
the chairman of the division.
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In 2005, Bill was nominated to chair the Upstate New York Chapter and he was a key leader during the
consolidation process with the Upstate and Greater New York Chapters. He then spent the following
three years helping to lead the state as vice-chair for the newly-formed New York State Chapter. In
2011, he became the chairman of the New York State Chapter Board of Directors, a term that ends at
the close of this year. Under Bill’s leadership and stewardship, the chapter has achieved three
consecutive years of profitability and the rate of preterm births in the state has steadily declined.
From the beginning, one thing that set Bill apart was that his involvement was always personal. He
brought into the mix many of his colleagues at the law firm, his friends from around the community
and most importantly, his family, consisting of his wife and five children. He not only served on the
board and standing committees, but would also fill in on event committees for Signature Chefs
Auction, March for Babies, Golf Classic, Gourmet Gala and everything in between, when needed.
His hard work and dedication are a testament to his tremendous commitment to the March of Dimes
mission. He is one of our most devoted volunteers and a longtime Champion for Babies. We commend
Bill for his continued support of the March of Dimes and are proud to recognize him with the 2013
Leo Jaffe Distinguished Volunteer Service Award.
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