Reporter:  Tiffany Bloss

 

Dr. Martin Stallone, President and CEO

Cayuga Health

 

COLTIVARE and on Zoom

Join the Zoom meeting

NOTE: you can watch previous meetings by going to our YouTube channel!

 

President Angela Sullivan called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and then asked members and guests to join her in the Four-Way Test—which was followed by Angela’s fifth element, “Will it be fun?”  And “GO BILLS!”

 

Angela introduced our guests from the podium:

 

Angela Sullivan shared that Coltivare has closed its restaurant service, and Adam’s Corner’s Café provided lunch for January 22^nd.  Rotary meetings will be held at Coltivare through February while a new home is being scouted.

 

Angela Sullivan announced that CNY Rotary is holding a Rotary Birthday Extravaganza on Sunday, February 23^rd from 2 to 4 PM.  And you ask where it will be?  TEN sites are hosting, including Ithaca—and cupcakes will be provided!

 

Mike Katz reported that no formal meeting will be held on January 29^th, but the “Lunch Bunch” will meet at the regular Rotary time at Old Mexico.  Details to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

As chair of the Nominating Committee, Dale Flinn presented the slate of officers for the 2025–26 Rotary year.  Members have two weeks to contemplate the slate, and then we will vote!

 

Secretary:  Juliet Gibbs

Treasurer:  Kati Flynn

President:  Mike Katz

President Elect:  Paul Martin

(Drum roll here……..)

Vice President:  Katie Marks

 

 

 

Rotarian Susan Riley introduced our guest speaker Michael I. Kotlikoff, who has been serving as Interim President of Cornell University since July 1^st.  Prior to his appointment, Kotlikoff was Cornell’s longest-serving Provost, holding that office from August 2015 to June 2024.  Concurrently with his administrative duties as department chair, dean, and provost, Kotlikoff has also overseen an NIH-funded laboratory comprising senior scientists, postdocs, and graduate and undergraduate students, studying cardiovascular biology and heart repair.

 

Throughout his tenure at Cornell, Interim President Kotlikoff has overseen numerous initiatives and landmark changes to advance the university’s excellence in teaching, scholarship, and outreach, and to enhance academic collaboration across Cornell’s disciplines, colleges, and campuses.

 

Kotlikoff reminisced of being a speaker at Rotary nearly 20 years ago, sharing about his research.  He was recruited to Cornell in 2000 as the founding chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and chair of the Mammalian Genomics Life Science Initiative and served as the Austin O. Hooey Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine from 2007 to 2015.

 

Kotlikoff remarked that it is not easy being President of an Ivy League school at this time and faces many challenges.  Cornell has been clear on their policies and will focus on protecting the right to free speech.  Kotlikoff noted Cornell is currently in a good financial position, but their growth in employees is occurring at a rate they cannot sustain.  They are working to unify campuses and introduce AI faculty across the country.  The campus is also leaning to partnerships within the community, which it holds to high value and importance. 

 

Comment by Jean McPheeters:  We are proud to live in a community with Cornell.  We can feel the anxiety and pressure Cornell receives.  We support you—let us know what we can do.  Kotlikoff response:  Pressure comes from all avenues.  We are either not being tough enough or we are being too tough.  “I am doing my job if no one is happy with me.”

 

Question from David Kay:  Talk about how you envision the land grant and how that relates to the community.  Kotlikoff response:  Cornell is different than all other Ivy League schools.  We have personnel in every county in New York State.  The visions of Andrew Dixon White and Ezra Cornell are at the forefront.

 

Question from Mary Berens:  From the point of Cornell faculty and alumni—what important traits and attributes are being looked at for the next President?  Kotlikoff response:  There has been no decision made on when to begin a search.  I came in with a minimum service of two years.  The federal legislation currently in process poses challenges that need to be priorities.

 

 

In consideration of the inauguration on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Nathan Lyman selected several of King’s thoughts:

Most inspirational:  “Go Bills!”

 

There is no meeting on January 29^th.  Our next meeting is February 5^th when the speaker is Dr. Martin Stallone, President and CEO of Cayuga Health.

 

Membership Type:  Corporate Affiliate

Employer:  TST BOCES

Primary Member:  Delmer Padgett

Position:  Director CTE

Affiliate Member:  Heather Cooper

Position:  Business Liaison/Job Developer

Affiliate Member:  Christine Alexander

Position:  Principal TST P-Tech Academy

Affiliate Member:  Matt Hartz

Position:  WBL Coordinator

Sponsor:  Paul Martin

 

Membership Type:  Individual

Name:  Aarti Patel

Position:  Physician, Cardiology and Cardiac Electrophysiology

Sponsor:  Mary Kane

 

Membership Type:  Individual

Name:  Brian Greene

Sponsor:  Mary Kane

 

01/29    No formal meeting

02/05    Dr. Martin Stallone, CEO Cayuga Health

02/12    Kate de la Garza, Executive Director, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services

02/19    Amy Kremenek, President, Tompkins Cortland Community College, “TC3:  Your

             Community’s College for 50 Years and Beyond”

03/05    Liz Kreitinger, Executive Director, Cayuga Lake Watershed Network

03/12    Paul Debbie, Director of Research, Boyce Thompson Institute

03/19    Dr. La Jerne Terry Cornish, President, Ithaca College

03/26    No formal meeting

 

Newsletter Reporter:  Tiffany Bloss

Program Chair:  Beverly Baker (January)

Photographer:  Mike Brown

Greeter:  Gail Lyman

Newsletter Editor:  Loralyn Light

 

Setup/Teardown:  Greg Kops, Katie Marks

Cashier/Kettle Watcher:  Katie Marks

Audio/Visual Setup:  Mike Brown

Recording Archive:  Paul Martin; click here

Club Service Facilitator:  June Losurdo