BRAD O’CONNOR has been appointed by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh as the City’s new commissioner of finance. O’Connor replaces current Commissioner David DelVecchio, who is retiring from the position after a more than 37-year career with Syracuse. O’Connor currently serves as deputy commissioner of finance. He has more than 15 years of experience in financial management and public accounting, including significant experience in the municipal and private sectors. Most recently, he was director of finance for ChaseDesign, where he led advancement and efficiency initiatives for six years. Under his direction, the Fortune 500 advertising company experienced record growth and profits. O’Connor has also previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP; Firley, Moran, Freer & Eassa, CPA, P.C.; and Testone, Marshall & Discenza, LLP. He brings extensive experience in audits for clients in various industries including manufacturing, energy, and construction. O’Connor is a graduate of Villanova University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics and is a CPA. 

PATRICK TORRES recently joined Currier Plastics in Auburn as quality manager. Currier manufactures custom-molding products with expertise in design, injection, and blow molding. Torres earned his bachelor’s degree in quality management systems from Kennedy-Western University (now called Warren National University) in 2004 and comes to Currier with an extensive quality assurance background. Most recently, Torres served as global director of quality of the Industrial Process Division at ITT, where he was Six Sigma Black Belt-certified, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor-certified, and PROSCI Change Management-certified.

Unity House has promoted JUDI MAGEE from assistant director to program director of Unity House’s mental-health residential program. She has been with the agency since 2017 and began her new duties in May. Magee replaces outgoing director Sue Morley, who served in this role for 18 years. In her new role, Magee oversees about 110 residents in the supportive housing programs located in Wayne, Tompkins, and Cayuga counties and also manages 47 treatment apartments, and supervises nearly 40 employees. Magee holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Oswego. Prior to coming to Unity House, she was an outpatient-treatment care manager, a health-home care manager, and an intensive-case manager at other agencies in Central New York.

Major DARRIN S. PITKIN was recently appointed as the 30th Troop Commander of Troop D of the New York State Police. He replaces Major Philip T. Rougeux, who was promoted to the rank of inspector and is assigned to the Professional Standards Bureau – Central Region. Pitkin’s command covers seven counties in Central New York — Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego. Operating from 27 facilities, the officers of Troop D provide service to 167 towns, 89 villages, and five cities. Pitkin began his career with the State Police on Oct. 1, 1990, when he entered the New York State Police Academy. In February 1996, Pitkin was promoted to sergeant and in September of that year, he was promoted to station commander in Alexandria Bay. In July 1999, Pitkin was elevated to zone sergeant at SP Watertown, Zone 3 Headquarters. After working as a sergeant for four years, Pitkin was promoted to lieutenant in February 2000 and was assigned to Troop D Headquarters in Oneida. In January 2004, he was appointed to the rank of captain and assigned to Troop T Thruway – Zone 3 Headquarters in DeWitt. In May 2004, Pitkin was transferred to Troop D Watertown as Zone 3 commander. Pitkin is a 1989 graduate of SUNY Potsdam and in 2004, he earned a master’s degree from Marist College.