OCTAVIO MÁS-AROCAS was recently appointed as the new music director at the Clinton Symphony Orchestra. An award-winning conductor, Más-Arocas is director of orchestras and professor of orchestral conducting at the Michigan State University College of Music, serves as music director and conductor of the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio, is principal conductor of the Marquette Symphony Orchestra in Michigan, and is conductor-in-residence at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California. Más-Arocas has conducted orchestras across North America, South America, and Europe and has taught workshops and masterclasses in the U.S., Portugal, Brazil, and Spain. He is currently on the faculty of the Cabrillo Festival Conducting Workshop and the Ithaca International Conducting Masterclass. Más-Arocas was guest conductor for the Clinton Symphony Orchestra’s (CSO) last concert in October 2019. He returned to conduct the CSO’s Oct. 3 concert for the first time as the CSO music director. 

MICHELLE SMITH and COURTNEY MINER recently joined Masonic Care Community (MCC) as new staff members on its marketing and development team.

As MCC’s development manager, Smith will help build awareness for the Masonic Care Community’s philanthropic mission, programming, and resources. She brings over 18 years of experience to her role, having held positions with Madison-Oneida BOCES Continuing Education, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and The Central Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired. Her background includes program development, event management, marketing and communications, as well as health-care education. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree from Morrisville State College and a master’s degree from SUNY Oswego.

As MCC’s marketing and development coordinator, Miner will support marketing, communications, philanthropy, social media, and graphic design for MCC. She has a strong background in digital media, graphic design, photography, and videography. Prior to her position with the MCC, Miner served in the U.S. Marine Corps as the lead graphics specialist and platoon sergeant with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Communications, Strategy, and Operations.

ROBYN SMITH was appointed as community investments and partnerships manager at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for its Central New York region. Her responsibilities in this role include overseeing strategic investments with the goal of improving access to care, advancing specific health outcomes, and supporting similarly mission-driven organizations in the region. Prior to her new position, Smith worked at the Central New York Community Foundation since 2013, where she ascended to the role of director of strategic initiatives and managed the organization’s grant process and selection, among several other duties.

MEGAN WAGNER-FLYNN was appointed as director of early learning strategy at the Early Childhood Alliance (ECA), a coalition of community stakeholders with a shared vision for a more coordinated and strategic early childhood system. In her new role, Wagner-Flynn will lead, engage, and provide support to the diverse cross section of stakeholders working to improve the accessibility, affordability, and quality of childcare in Onondaga County. She will develop and advance an early learning and childcare advocacy agenda; partner with local, state, and national organizations to raise early childhood issues to the forefront and increase investment in priority areas; and promote and support the work of the Child Care Quality Improvement (CCQI) Pilot in partnership with Child Care Solutions. Wagner-Flynn most recently served as the Snow Fellow in nonprofit management at the Central New York Community Foundation. Prior to the fellowship, she served as senior program officer for the Gifford Foundation, working closely with grant applicants and recipients to ensure effective use of the foundation’s resources and to build the capacity of nonprofit organization in Central New York. A Central New York native, Wagner-Flynn earned her undergraduate degree in sociology at the SUNY Geneseo and her master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

SAMANTHA (SAM) MERITHEW, who was most recently the assistant store manager at the Tops located at 119 West Seneca St. in Manlius, has been promoted to the position of store manager at Tops’ DeWitt location. Merithew started her career in 2008 as a cashier for P&C Food Markets. She has held several positions over the years in several stores including customer-service manager and assistant store manager. Merithew was most recently assigned to temporarily assist with overseeing the Tops store in Sherrill. 

MIKE MCGRAW was recently promoted to senior advisor at Strategic Financial Services, Inc., an independent, Central New York–based wealth-management firm, In this role, McGraw will be responsible for managing new and current client relationships, as well as providing leadership to the Strategic advisory team. He recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary with Strategic Financial Services.