Fifteen members of the Upstate Medical University community will be honored with the inaugural Award for Exemplary Service presented by the Upstate Medical University Council. The awards will be presented at the conclusion of the President’s State of the University Address Wednesday, April 20 in Medical Alumni Auditorium.

As the highest local honor bestowed on campus, the Exemplary Service Award recognizes those who have provided extraordinary service to or on behalf of Upstate Medical University “beyond the usual boundaries of excellence, in support of the Upstate mission to improve health within the region it serves and beyond, through education, patient care and biomedical research”.

This year marks the first time the awards are being presented by the Council, the statutory oversight and advisory board to the Upstate President and senior leadership.

In a statement announcing the awards, Council Chair James E. Sparkes said: “The Upstate Medical University Council believes that at this pivotal moment as our nation gratefully moves beyond the unprecedented adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is of vital importance to acknowledge the truly extraordinary efforts put forth and the numerous remarkable outcomes achieved by the Upstate Medical University community throughout the pandemic, despite the onslaught of innumerable challenges and hardships never before encountered.

"The individuals being honored by this award are institutional leaders who ensured that our mission of education, patient care and biomedical research was not only preserved, but excelled throughout this tumultuous time.”

Receiving the Award for Exemplary Service are:

David Amberg, PhD, Vice President for Research

Tammy Austin-Ketch, PhD, FNP,FAANP, Dean of the College of Nursing

Katherine Beissner, DPT, PhD, Dean of the College of Health Professions

Lynn Cleary, MD, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Larry Chin, MD, FAANS, FACS, Dean of the Norton College of Medicine and Robert B. and Molly G. King Endowed Professor of Neurosurgery

Robert Corona, DO, MBA, FACP, FACSCP, Chief Executive Officer, Upstate University Hospital

Rajesh Dave, MD, MBA, Dean of the Binghamton Clinical Campus

Mantosh Dewan, MD, President, Upstate Medical University

Nancy Page, MS, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, Emeritus

Eileen Pezzi, MPA, Vice President for Development

Mark Schmitt, PhD, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, VP for Research

Eric Smith, CPA, MBA, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

Amy Tucker, MD, MS Chief Medical Officer, Associate Dean of the College of Medicine

Stuart Wright, CPA, MBA, Chief Financial Officer, University Hospital

Mark Zeman, Chief Information Officer

 

Caption: Winners of the Upstate Council Award for Exemplary Service are front row, from left: Amy Tucker, Lynn Cleary, David Amberg, Tammy Austin-Ketch, Eileen Pezzi, Lawrence Chin, and Robert Corona. Back row, from left: Stuart Wright, Nancy Page, Mark Zeman, Rajesh Dave, Eric Smith, Mark Schmitt and Mantosh Dewan.