Honor Mark D. Gearan

Senate Resolution No. 2874 BY: Senator HELMING HONORING Mark D. Gearan upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and WHEREAS, From time to time this Legislative Body takes note of certain extraordinary individuals it wishes to recognize for their valued contributions to the success and progress of society and publicly acknowledge their endeavors which have enhanced the basic humanity among us all; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Mark D. Gearan upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers; and WHEREAS, Mark D. Gearan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in government cum laude from Harvard University; he furthered his education by obtaining his law degree from Georgetown University; and WHEREAS, Mark D. Gearan was appointed President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1999; the longest serving President, he has led the institution through a period of unprecedented growth; and WHEREAS, During his tenure, he was responsible for many important advances at the Colleges which have furthered its reputation as a prominent liberal arts institution; and WHEREAS, Through his esteemed role as President, Mark D. Gearan has accomplished numerous economic development goals within the Finger Lakes Region; and WHEREAS, At the close of his first year at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Mark D. Gearan began the development of a five-year strategic planning initiative called HWS 2005; he then led the next two phases, HWS 2010 and HWS 2015, as well as Campaign for the Colleges, which raised significant funds to support facilities, endowment and annual giving; and WHEREAS, Mark D. Gearan has made service to individuals, communities, and the planet a foundational component of his term at the Colleges, one that pervades the significant commitments HWS has made to diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability and the Colleges' valued relationship with the Geneva community; and WHEREAS, According to a 2015 analysis by the Commission on Independent Colleges and University, under President Gearan's innovative direction, Hobart and William Smith Colleges is a significant economic driver, with a total impact of $269.2, an increase of approximately $25 million since 2013; independent institutions of higher education had a nearly $80 billion impact on New York State's economy; and WHEREAS, The $269 million HWS total includes direct spending by the school, construction and labor costs, and estimated student and visitor impact; and WHEREAS,The Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, a three-story,

65,000-square-foot facility which greatly enhances the Colleges' role in local and regional advancement of arts and culture, had a significant impact on institutional spending; and WHEREAS, HWS impact on the region through student and visitor spending was responsible for more than $21 million in benefits to the tourism-rich Finger Lakes region; this number includes discretionary spending at restaurants, hotels and retailers by students, as well as their visiting friends and family; and WHEREAS, In 2015, Hobart and William Smith Colleges employed 1,660 people through direct and spillover impact, with an additional 10 spinoff jobs from research projects; salaries totaled more than $102 million; and WHEREAS, Through the tireless efforts of President Mark D. Gearan, and the significant economic impact of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the City of Geneva has received both state-wide and national attention for its revitalization and community-wide initiatives; and WHEREAS, The City of Geneva was also given a $10 million investment through the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, which is part of a $100 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative to encourage development in 10 communities across New York State; and WHEREAS, In 2015, for its inclusive, innovative and ongoing efforts to influence positive, community-wide change, Geneva was named a 2015 All-America City, a highly selective honor by the National Civic League bestowed upon only 10 cities across the entire country; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality and character of life in this great Empire State is indelibly enriched by the faithful efforts of those economic leaders such as Mark D. Gearan, who devote their purpose to promoting economic vitality and service to the public need; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor Mark D. Gearan upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Mark D. Gearan.