Bowers & Company CPAs, PLLC has named JOSEPH E. ROCCO, III an audit partner in the Syracuse office of the firm. He graduated from Hartwick College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, with a minor in finance and economics. Rocco is a CPA and has more than 12 years of experience in public accounting. Before joining Bowers & Company, he began his career with PwC in Boston, where he earned multiple promotions. Rocco’s experience includes concentrations in financial services, manufacturing, transportation, and not-for-profits.

The Bonadio Group’s Syracuse office has promoted the following in-charge accountants to the role of senior accountant as of Jan. 1: LULU ZHANG, commercial team; BENJAMIN NOVAK, health care tax-exempt team; STACI PULLANO, SBA team; MATTHEW DABROWSKI, tax team; DANIEL TOSCANO, tax team; and ELENA MARGERY, tax team.

Pinckney Hugo Group has hired DANA NICOLETTI as an assistant account manager. Prior to joining Pinckney Hugo, she gained experience in marketing at American Food & Vending Corp. Nicoletti has a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a concentration in public relations and advertising, from The College of Saint Rose.

ACCESS Federal Credit Union has promoted MICHAEL MURROCK to chief information officer. He has 35 years of experience in the bank and credit union fields. Murrock has a bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University and first joined ACCESS in 1996 as manager of information systems. In his first few years, he implemented and transitioned the credit union to a new, state-of-the-art core banking software application. In 2001, he was promoted to VP of operations. In his new position, Murrock will continue to oversee the credit union’s technology infrastructure and information-systems tools, as well as lead the credit union’s efforts to enhance its electronic product and service offerings. 

The Hangar Theatre has named R.J. LAVINE managing director, effective Jan. 11. She is an Ithaca native who returned to the area nine years ago. Lavine has served as director of development and communications for the Kitchen Theatre Company since 2018. She was promoted from her prior role as the manager of growth and giving this past July. Lavine holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from American University and has studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute through a grant from Community Arts Partnership and is a graduate of the Actors Workshop of Ithaca. She has served in several other local acting roles. Lavine is succeeding MaryBeth Bunge, who served as managing director from 2017-2020, and retired in April 2020. Alfred Butler has since served as the interim managing director, co-leading the organization with interim artistic director Shirley Serotsky.

MICHAEL D. SISTI has joined the Vernon office of Delta Engineers, Architects, Land Surveyors, & Landscape Architects, DPC, as a construction inspector in the Vernon Civil Group. His professional background includes transportation planning work, as well as construction projects, inspection work, and managerial/administrative duties. Sisti recently became a licensed professional engineer. In addition, he has been teaching engineering courses full time at Mohawk Valley Community College for the past three years. Sisti is responsible for inspections to ensure that building codes, ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications are met.

PAUL SANSONE, M.D. has joined the Palliative Care department at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. Dr. Sansone, who assumed his role last summer, leads a team of clinicians, whose focus is improving the quality of life for patients coping with serious and complex illnesses. Leading up to his fellowship in hospice & palliative medicine, Sansone spent six years as the director of pain medicine at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Prior to that, he was an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Sansone earned his bachelor’s degree in physics and medical degree from the University at Buffalo. He went on to complete an internal-medicine residency, anesthesiology residency, and pain-medicine fellowship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. During his anesthesiology residency, he served as chief resident. After practicing pain medicine for several years and prior to joining St. Joseph’s Health, Dr. Sansone returned to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center to complete his fellowship in hospice & palliative medicine. He is board certified in pain medicine, anesthesiology, and internal medicine. St. Joseph’s Health has also appointed

JULIE EDMUNDS SMITH VP, financial operations and planning, effective immediately. She will be instrumental in setting and achieving performance metrics as well as working with operations on new business ventures. Smith joined St. Joseph’s Heath in April 2016 after 14 years of progressive experience with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Syracuse and Atlanta, Georgia. During her nearly five years at St. Joseph’s Health, she served first as the director of finance, then system controller. In those positions, she has been responsible for accounting, finance, budget, strategic planning, and financial analysis. Smith has led several initiatives that improved the competency and efficiency of St. Joseph’s Health financial operations. She is a CPA and holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Le Moyne College. 

Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture has recently made the following promotions.

TIM BONAPARTE has taken the reins as the managing partner of the firm. He has been with Appel Osborne since 1998 and has been a partner since 2008. Over the past 20-plus years, he has designed and overseen projects in the K-12, higher education, commercial, and athletic markets.

BERNIE MARTIN, after 11 years as a project manager, has been named an associate. He joined the firm after graduating from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture in 2007. Martin earned his New York State registered landscape architect license in 2016. As a project manager, he has designed and managed projects for K-12 campuses throughout New York state, improving their facilities through the design of pedestrian and vehicular circulation, outdoor athletic complexes, and outdoor learning areas.

JENNIE KURTZ has been named an associate after nine years with the firm. She earned her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2011 and joined Appel Osborne as a designer upon graduation. During her tenure at Appel Osborne, Kurtz has designed sites for K-12 and higher-education campuses, including athletic facilities. As a project manager, she has become a mentor to many of the firm’s designers. Kurtz obtained her New York State registered landscape architect license in 2018.

RYAN MACKERER has been a designer at Appel Osborne for two-and-a-half years and has been promoted to a project manager. He began at Appel Osborne in 2016 as an intern and worked in this capacity throughout his fourth and fifth year of college. He became a full-time designer upon graduating from SUNY-ESF in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. He has designed projects for a multitude of clients in the K-12, higher education, health care, and corporate markets. 

Turning Stone Resort has hired KAY MCMAHON as its newest golf teaching professional. She is one of the few LPGA instructors who is also a member of the PGA of America. McMahon also received the distinction in 2020 as one of the top four elite LPGA instructors. During her amateur playing days, McMahon captured the Minnesota State Public Links Championship twice. Her professional playing career includes qualifying and playing in three U.S. Women’s Open Championships, among many other LPGA events. McMahon’s leadership in the industry included teaching tour players to rank beginners, women, men, juniors, and seniors. She is also director of instruction and co-founder of eduKaytion Golf, featuring her innovative teaching program, Golf 8.5, her simplified approach to learning, and improving every aspect of the golf swing. Using her trademarked technique, McMahon will be conducting in-person lessons, clinics, and golf schools at Turning Stone’s Golf Dome, with health and safety protocols, which include mandatory face coverings.