From the smallest non-profits to the largest corporations, executives traveled from locations across Onondaga County to United Way’s offices in downtown Syracuse for a wonderful show of support for our community. Whether they came with gigantic checks, or accompanied by a team of runners, a fire engine or an electric car, they came with a shared message: Central New York’s leaders are willing to walk the talk.

All told, nearly 50 companies and non-profits participated, delivering more than $1 million in campaign contributions in less than an hour. The final message from Campaign Chair (and long-distance runner) Steve McCormick was clear: We can accomplish great things when we show our spirit to do so.

Many thanks to all of our business executives who helped make Walk the Talk 2006 a huge success. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event! Please visit our Salute to Leaders to see just how dedicated (and creative!) local executives proved to be.

Salute to Leaders
Anheuser-Busch – Steve McCormick
At the heart of the event was Steve McCormick’s run from Baldwinsville to Syracuse. The Anheuser-Busch Plant Manager was accompanied by Doug Luke, a representative of Teamsters Local 1139. The two made the 12.6-mile trip to Syracuse in about two hours, arriving with a police escort to a cheering crowd and delivering a check to United Way in the amount of $120,049.

Business
Bond, Schoeneck & King – Jim Mackin
Bristol-Myers Squibb – Steven Lee
Carrier Corporation – Anthony D’Angelo
Citizens Bank – Richard Shirtz
Crouse Hospital – Paul Kronenberg
Dermody, Burke & Brown – Bernie Corbishley
Dot Foods – Matt Holt
Empire Federal Credit Union – Ray Curtin
Excellus BlueCross/BlueShield – Ellen Wilson
Gallinger Realty USA – John Osta
LeMoyne College – Steve Kulick
Lockheed Martin – Carl Bannar
M&T Bank – Allen Naples
MACNY – Randy Wolken
National Grid – Joe Ash
Onondaga County – Nicholas Pirro
PricewaterhouseCooopers LLP – Matt Parrilli
St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center – Ted Pasinski
SUNY ESF – Dr. Neil Murphy
SUNY Upstate Medical University – Ron Young
Syracuse City School District – Dan Lowengard
Sysco Food Services – Joe Wood
Testone, Marshall & Discenza – Frank Discenza
TFG CPAs – Chuck Baracco
Veterans Administration Medical Center – James Cody
Wegmans – Shari Constantine

Non-profit
ARISE – Tom McKeown
Aurora – Diane LeBeff
Catholic Charities of Onondaga County – Brian Walton
Consortium for Children’s Services, Inc. – Patricia Campany
Enable – Sara Wall-Bollinger
Epilepsy Foundation – Debra Lewis
Family Ties Network – Liz Crockett
Huntington Family Centers – Michael Melara
Liberty Resources, Inc. – Carl Coyle
Salvation Army – John Morrison
Samaritan Center – Mary Beth Frey
Syracuse Northeast Community Center – Tom Bazydlo
Vera House – Randi Bregman
YMCA of Greater Syracuse – Hal Welsh

Organized labor
Central New York Labor Foundation – Mark Spadafore
Employees of Carrier/SMWIA #58 – Christopher Poole
IBEW Local 97 – Jim Card
Sheetmetal Workers Local #58 – Marty Gay
Steelworkers Local 1277 – Al Marshall
Syracuse Fire Fighters Local 280 – James Ennis
Teamsters #317 – Richard Golden
UAW Local 624 – Jim Begay