Four New Members!
The Rotary Club of Ithaca is pleased to introduce four new members who have joined the service club during the last quarter. These community members bring professional experience from the business sector and volunteer in Tompkins County. Ithaca Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self.” Membership is open to all community members who share in this belief; new members are accepted year-round.
Ithaca Rotary welcomes:
Matt Mullen was raised on a gentleman’s farm near Waverly, NY,
where he gained an appreciation of animal husbandry. A graduate of TC-3 in
Dryden, Matt worked for Rynone Manufacturing, then secured a job as an
environmental technician with HADCO Corp. in Owego. In 2004, he joined his
father in the family real estate business, and became a broker in 2006. They
opened their second United Country Real Estate office in Ithaca this July. As
managing broker, Matt hopes to extend United Country Real Estate’s reach beyond
the Finger Lakes. Matt has completed nine marathons and seven triathlons. He
and his family live in Spencer. They have hosted three Rotary exchange
students, and their son was an exchange student to Brazil in 2009.
A native of Spencer, NY, Emily Russell-Smalls graduated from
Penn State University with a degree in hotel management, and spent four years
working for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia. She returned to Ithaca in
1997 to pursue a career in development/fundraising; she has worked at Cornell,
the SPCA, and Ithaca College. In 2005, she joined her mother's business, The
Frame Shop on Buffalo Street, which has operated in Ithaca for 55 years. Emily
is vice chair of the SPCA board, is involved
with the Tompkins Chamber’s Small Business Committee, and has volunteered with
the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, Hospicare, the Tompkins Sports
Council, and the Community Arts Partnership. She is married to State Theatre
concert promoter Dan Smalls.
Joan Schnaper was born in The Bronx and raised in Bergen County, New
Jersey. She is a retired RN with a background on coronary care and medical
surgical nursing. She managed a geriatric practice, and is a certified care
manager. Joan and her husband Murray moved to Ithaca 12 years ago to be near
their daughter. In 1995, she started her own business – Nightingale, Inc. – an
in-home assisted living service for seniors. Ten years later, she launched a
second business, LifeSpan magazine,
publishing information and resources for people over 50. Joan is a peer-leader
of the chronic disease self-management course, and volunteers at a women’s
health clinic.
Lisa Whitaker is the new CEO/President
of CFCU Community Credit Union. Prior to joining CFCU, Lisa was COMSTAR Federal
Credit Union’s president and chief executive officer for eight years, located
in Maryland. Lisa has accumulated broad financial experience over a 30-year
career. She is a graduate of Hood College and earned her MBA from Mount Saint
Mary’s University. Lisa is a member of the Tompkins and Cortland Chambers of
Commerce, and recently was appointed to the United Way of Tompkins County Board
of Directors. Lisa and her family are in the process of moving to Ithaca from
the greater Washington D.C. area.
New Rotary members are invited to serve on projects and committees that are beneficial to Ithaca and the global community. Activities range from a few hours to longer time commitments. New members meet fellow Rotarians at weekly luncheon meetings held at the Holiday Inn downtown beginning at Noon every Wednesday. The public is welcome to attend a lunch meeting to learn more about Rotary.