Team Mahoney: 'Best and Brightest' There are two ways to look at county executive-elect's transition teams
Syracuse Post-Standard
Delen Goldberg
November 20th, 2007
Joanie Mahoney promised a "fresh start" for Central New York during her campaign to become the next Onondaga County executive.
But in her first move as county executive-elect - appointing a transition team - Mahoney has turned to tried-and-true members of the community. Her list of top advisers reads like a who's who guide to Onondaga County politics, business and education.
"I recognize every one of those names," said Howie Hawkins, a Green Party member who lost a bid this year for an at-large Syracuse Common Council seat. "They are people who represent the establishment here."
"People that know the ropes and have contacts, expertise, are of course valuable," Hawkins continued. "But if we are looking for a new direction, I don't know if we are going to get it from the same group of people."
Mahoney announced the lead members of her transition team Monday. The group will oversee six new task forces which will review studies and reports about Onondaga County to find areas for improvement.
The group will report to Mahoney at the end of December so she can start making decisions Jan. 1, her first day in office, she said.
The new task forces and their chairs are:
Economic Development: Randy Wolken, president since 2001 of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York. Before heading MACNY, Wolken ran the Samaritan Center and worked for Onondaga County for almost seven years. In 2001, he tried to win the Republican nomination for Syracuse mayor, but eventually dropped out of the race in favor of Bernie Mahoney.
Government Modernization: Vito Sciscioli, executive director of Syracuse 20/20, a coalition of Central New York business and community leaders. Sciscioli previously worked in city government under four mayors and served on the board of directors of the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency.
Intergovernmental Affairs: Ryan McMahon, Syracuse Common Councilor. McMahon has represented the city's 3rd District since 2005.
Community Revitalization: Charlotte "Chuckie" Holstein, executive director of FOCUS (Forging Our Community's United Strength) Greater Syracuse. Holstein's 12-plus-page
resume includes decades of community leadership positions.
Workforce Relations: Cydney Johnson, co-founder of Spark Group Ltd., which works with retailers interested in selling dinnerware, flatware and glasses. Johnson is a former Oneida Ltd. executive.
Social Services/Education: Donna DeSiato, superintendent of the East Syracuse-Minoa school district. Before heading ES-M, DeSiato spent 31 years in the Syracuse school district.
Outgoing County Executive Nicholas Pirro and former Syracuse Mayor Tom Young are honorary co-chairs of Mahoney's transition team.
Pirro has served as county executive for nearly 20 years. In addition to working as mayor, Young served as state fair director for 10 years.
"It is very important to me that we have a broad cross-section represented" on the team, Mahoney said Monday. "Is there always more we can do? Yes. But we chose people that are the best and the brightest."
Benjamin Dublin, Mahoney's campaign manager, said Mahoney's full transition team includes "a lot of new names."
Delen Goldberg can be reached at dgoldberg@syracuse.com or 470-2274.