Fisher Well Represented on RBJ’s Power 100 List

St. John Fisher College is well represented in the Rochester Business Journal’s inaugural Power 100 list, a compilation of 100 “power players” in the Rochester community. More than 15 administrators, faculty, alumni, and members of the Board of Trustees were included on the list, which highlights individuals helping to shape Rochester’s future.

Among those on the list are Dr. Gerard J. Rooney, president of the College. Throughout his tenure as president, he has made an indelible student, academic, community, and College-wide impact through a variety of initiatives guided by the College’s Strategic Plan: “Renewing our purpose. Broadening our impact.” Using a student-centered approach, President Rooney has spearheaded several efforts to create transformative experiences leading to increased levels of student engagement and success. In 2018, the College launched The Fisher Edge, an innovative program offering students an integrated approach to academic advising and career planning and exploration.

Under President Rooney’s leadership, Fisher has added a variety of new undergraduate and graduate offerings. His vision for developing institutes and academic centers led to the creation of the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, the Family Business Initiative at the School of Business, the Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing, and most recently, the DePeters Family Center for Innovation and Teaching Excellence.

President Rooney has also launched Fisher Forward: The Campaign for St. John Fisher College, the largest fundraising campaign in the history of the College, with a goal of $75 million. To date, more than $55 million has been raised. The campaign is centered on four priority areas: enhancing Fisher’s campus, shaping the student experience, creating immediate impact, and securing Fisher’s future.

In his profile in the Power 100 list, he shared his thoughts on his personal and professional accomplishments:

“Personally, I am most proud of my family. They will always be my biggest accomplishment in life. Professionally, and most recently, I am very proud of the success of the Fisher community — our students (and their families) and employees — for our collective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we effectively adapted our campus living and learning environments to meet our current needs and accomplished several strategic priorities that continue to advance the college. We have also kept a focus on serving our community, helping to meet the needs of others during this challenging time.”

An assistant professor in the Wegmans School of Nursing, Dr. Yvette Conyers was also included on the list. Conyers, who became a certified nurse practitioner in 2013, is also an alumna of the College, earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice in May 2018. Her dissertation, “The effect of an evidenced based cultural competency educational program on registered nurse’s cultural competence,” explored pathways to reducing health care disparities and bring both clinical and academic work together by utilizing the culturally linguistic and appropriate services approach.

Conyers joined the Wegmans School of Nursing faculty in 2019; she teaches courses in community nursing, population health, and leadership in the undergraduate program. Prior to joining Fisher, she held teaching and administrative positions at the University of Rochester School of Nursing. At UR, Conyers helped found the Rochester chapter of NBNA; today, she serves as president of the local chapter.

In her Power 100 profile, Conyers shared her hopes for the community in the coming year:

“My hopes for the Rochester community in 2021 and beyond include a sense of belonging for all who live in this area. Unity in every way imaginable is so vital right now. I want the Rochester community to be able to heal and help other communities similar to us.”

The full list of Fisher leaders, alumni, and board members featured in the RBJ Power 100 include:

• Marty Birmingham, Five Star Bank, Board of Trustees member
• Christopher Booth, Lifetime Healthcare Cos., Former Board of Trustees member
• Dan Burns, M&T Bank, Board of Trustees Member
• Jackie Campbell ’12 (Ed.D.), ROC the Future at the Children’s Agenda
• Yvette Nicole Conyers ’18 (DNP), St. John Fisher College
• Tom Golisano, Paychex/Golisano Foundation, Trustees Emeriti Society member
• Seanelle Hawkins ’13 (Ed.D.), Urban League of Rochester
• Myra Henry ’20 (Ed.D.), YWCA Rochester & Monroe County
• Raymond Isaac ’88, Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
• Jared Lusk ’94, Nixon Peabody LLP
• Martin Mucci ’81, Paychex, Inc., Trustees Emeriti Society member
• Lesli C. Myers-Small ’01 (M.S.), ’09 (Ed.D.), Rochester City School District
• Sharon Napier ’81, Partners + Napier
• Gerard Rooney, St. John Fisher College
• Victor E. Salerno ’66, O’Connell Electric Company, Inc., Board of Trustees member
• Greg Smith ’73, Jay Advertising
• Jerome H. Underwood ’89, Action for a Better Community

To see the full RBJ Power 100 list, visit https://rbj.net/2021/02/26/rbj-power-100-list-2021/.