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Alumni Hall of Fame
The Department of Communication was pleased to have Mr. Chris Pierce, Senior Director of Merchandise and Venue Services for the New York Jets and SUNY-Albany Department of Communication alum, as our 2009 commencement speaker.
Mr. Pierce is entering his seventh season with the Jets, and is responsible for all retail ventures. This includes the Jets Shop e-commerce business, Jets Shop Catalog, Jets Shop at the Meadowlands, Jets Shop at Training Camp, and Jets Shop retail stores. In his role he directs the design, development, and production of all Jets licensed products. He also oversees the food and beverage business on game days, and is responsible for the Fan Experience initiative of the Green Team. The Green Team manages every aspect of the customer experience, with the goal of improving the overall fan experience during games.
Prior to joining the Jets, Pierce held various director and merchant positions with Lord & Taylor, Joe Boxer, Diesel, and J.Crew. Pierce graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Communication, minoring in Business Administration and Sociology, with a concentration in the areas of organizational and interpersonal communication. Pierce was recruited on campus by Lord & Taylor to begin his career.
He reflects fondly on his time at UAlbany: “My time at UAlbany was one of great personal and professional growth. I had intended to become a Meteorology Major and in my sophomore year became a Communication major. I was moved by two professors in particular: Dr. Richard Wilkie and Dr. Donald Cushman. Each of these men has had a lasting impact on me. Dr. Wilkie had a sign in his office that said “Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part”. It certainly impressed upon me that I was accountable for my actions and that I needed to rely on my own problem solving skills. Dr. Cushman was the reason that I felt such a connection with organizational communication and how much impact I could have in the corporate world with that skill set. I am grateful for my experiences at UAlbany. The staff and faculty helped prepare me for the corporate world and shaped me in ways that have helped me immeasurably”. Chris Pierce and his family currently reside in New Jersey.
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David P. Wehner was unanimously chosen as the New York State Insurance Fund Executive Director by the Board of Commissioners in December of 2005. Since joining NYSIF, Mr. Wehner has played a major role in the implementation of the recent reform of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law. Under Mr. Wehner’s direction, NYSIF’s total assets grew to more than $12.3 billion in 2006.
Mr. Wehner has broad experience governing labor and workplace safety issues. After 9/11, he testified before a Congressional panel regarding the agency’s efforts in assisting those affected by the World Trade Center attacks. He has also spoken extensively about worker protection and labor standards issues worldwide while participating in a national association of labor officials.
Mr. Wehner joined NYSIF after two years as Chairman of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), a position for which he was nominated by then Governor George E. Pataki. With Mr. Wehner’s leadership, the Board continued to set new standards in customer service and to improve services for New York’s injured workers and employers. Mr. Wehner’s commitment to abolishing fraud led to a record-setting 148 arrests for workers’ compensation fraud committed against NYSIF in 2006, representing restitution and estimated future savings of $17 million.
Prior to being named WCB Chairman, Mr. Wehner was Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor for more than three years. Mr. Wehner also served more than three and a half years as Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Public Affairs.
He also served as Chief Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Labor and Director of Communications. A past President of the National Association of Government Labor Officials (NAGLO), he was previously State Media Director in the U.S. Senate where he worked for 10 years in both Washington, D.C. and Albany.
NYSIF is a non-profit agency of the State of New York that was created as part of the Workers’ Compensation Law of 1914. By law, NYSIF is a competitive insurance carrier that sells workers’ compensation and disability benefits insurance to any employer doing business in New York State. Approximately 186,000 employers hold NYSIF workers’ compensation insurance policies, constituting about 37% of the market.
In December of 2006 Mr. Wehner was honored by the New York Claim Association’s Award of Excellence, in recognition of outstanding service to the insurance industry. Mr. Wehner was also the recipient of the State University of New York Chancellor’s Recognition Award, and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York.
David Wehner is a native of Rochester, New York, and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany.
Christine L.Schorpp
She is now a producer for MetLife, where she is licensed to sell life, health, auto, and home insurance in New York and New Jersey. “I think my inherently optimistic nature, combined with the education I received at SUNY prepared me to become a Financial Sales Representative with MetLife. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at SUNY Albany and if I had it to do all over again, upon graduation from East Brunswick High School in NJ, I'd choose the same course of study—Communication. I truly internalized what I was taught. I loved my professors, and their commentary and views on education and diversity have followed me in my travels.” Ms. Schorpp currently resides in Clifton Park, NY.
Upon moving to New York City, Mr. Gallagher was jointly appointed by Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg to the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the agency created after September 11 to plan an execute redevelopment, and the agency given oversight of the billions in federal funding sent to New York after the attacks. After serving a brief stint as a political consultant and communications director for Jeanine Pirro's Attorney General campaign, Mr. Gallagher accepted his current position with Mayor Bloomberg, a post he has held for almost two years. In that time he has traveled to twenty states and several foreign countries with the Mayor, and has overseen responses to some of the biggest stories in New York City. Mr. Gallagher says his time at UAlbany helped prepare him for a competitive job market. "Throughout my career I've worked with people who came out of some of the most prestigious schools in the country, and I've always felt that I had the tools I needed to compete. UAlbany didn't just provide an education; it provided me a level of self-confidence and self-assurance that I've needed to get ahead. I'd hire a UAlbany graduate in a minute, because I know the person from UAlbany is going to be motivated, aggressive when needed, and isn't going to need their hand held to get things done." Congratulations to John Gallagher for being the first inductee into our Hall of Fame!
The Department of Communication was pleased to have Mr. John Gallagher, First Deputy Press Secretary and Spokesman for the Mayor of the City of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, as our 2008 commencement speaker. Mr. Gallagher earned his MA in Communication from the University at Albany in 2004. He started his career working in the State Assembly as a public affairs assistant, quickly becoming press secretary and then campaign manager for Senator Patricia McGee. He was made press secretary to the Vice President Pro Tempore where he spent over four years, simultaneously serving as press secretary for several state senate campaigns across the state and earning his MA.
Tell us how you're doing! Each semester we will feature a department alum in our Hall of Fame who has gone on to do great things in the field of communication. Would you be a good candidate? Please let us know by submitting your information to Paige Koehler Bowles at pkbowles@albany.edu today!
Advisement:
Majors and minors
New majors:
Mandatory meeting