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Click any of the Boards below to view more about each member.
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Board of Directors
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Pat LaFontaine, President
Jim Johnson, Executive Director
Roger Simon, Treasurer
Richard Pluta, Merrill Lynch
Bruce Komiske, Childrens Memorial Hospital
Marybeth La Fontaine
Jerry Wood, Morgan Stanley
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Board of Trustees
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Graham Fraser, North America Sports
Thomas Golisano, Paychex
Donald Meehan, Newport Sports
George Ross, The Trump Organization
Brian Valentine, Amazon.com
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Honorary Board |
Michael J. Fox
Denis Leary
Mario Lemieux
Tim Robbins
Michael Rosenbaum
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Medical Board |
Dr. "Patch" Adams
Charles Griffin
Dr. James Kelly
Dr. Jeffrey Minkoff
Chris Reichart
Dr. Ernie Valutis
Steve Wirth |
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To read more information about any of the following Board Members below, please click on their name.
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Pat LaFontaine -
President |
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A perennial All-Star in the
National Hockey League, Pat
LaFontaine was not only a great
player, but also a great
humanitarian in whatever city he
represented. That combination was
recognized in 2003 when it was
announced that LaFontaine would be
the first player inducted into both
the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto
and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in
Minnesota in the same year.
In 1998, after 15 years in the NHL,
Pat retired prematurely as a result
of a series of head traumas and
concussions suffered through his
career. With support and inspiration
from family, friends and most of
all, the kids in those hospitals,
competing not for goals, but for
life, Pat drew upon their courage
and got through the most difficult
time of his life. From that point
on, Pat’s fight for children took on
new meaning and clearly defined
where all his time and energy were
going to be focused: helping kids
through this Foundation.
He lives on Long Island with his
wife and 3 children.
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Jim
Johnson -
Executive Director |
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Mr. Johnson
was involved in sales and marketing
for the New York Islanders from 1982
through 1995 and initiated a host of
successful ticket and promotional
concepts. He went on to manage the
largest authorized technology
training organization in North
America (Westcon Services) and
served on advisory councils at
Microsoft, Novell and IBM. Johnson
was an industry leader in the
delivery of instructor-led training
via satellite and streaming video.
In 1999, while at TEN-TV, he created
and managed the online subscription
service, www.ExpertsOnDemand.com, a
web-based video library of IT
content that delivered “real world”
solutions to a global audience of IT
professionals.
He served on the CiC Foundation’s
board of directors for 3 years
before joining as executive director
in 2003. He holds a degree in
Journalism from Morrisville College
and lives on Long Island with his
wife and son.
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Roger
Simon-
Treasurer |
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Mr. Simon
is a partner at Gibson, McAskill and
Crosby in Buffalo. He is a graduate
of Brown University, the University
of Buffalo Law School and was
admitted to practice in 1964. His
primary experience is in probate
law, estate planning, trusts law,
school law, and education law.
He is a member of the Financial
Planning Counselors of Western New
York, a trustee of The Park School
of Buffalo, a member of Estate
Analysts of Western New York, and a
fellow of American College of Trust
and Estate Counsel. He lives in
Snyder, NY with his wife.
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Richard
Pluta -
Merrill
Lynch |
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Richard
Pluta, Senior Vice
President-Investments, has been with
Merrill Lynch since 1982. He
graduated with a dual degree in
Economics and Political Science from
Miami of Ohio and the University of
Luxembourg. While at Merrill Lynch,
Richard has received specialized
training from New York University in
the options and fixed income
markets. Currently, Richard
possesses the designations of Wealth
Management Advisor and International
Financial Advisor.
As a senior partner with The Pluta/Selvin
Group, Richard specializes in
overseeing the team's institutional
asset management, structured
products, and alternative
investments. In addition, Richard's
areas of concentration include
Philanthropic and Charitable
Organization planning,
Pension/Employee Benefits, and
Offshore Trust & Investment
strategies.
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Bruce
Komiske-
Children’s Memorial Hospital |
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Mr. Komiske, who recently handled pre-construction planning for a $1.5 billion hospital construction project at University of California-San Francisco, was selected by Children’s Memorial Hospital to head the redevelopment and relocation of the facility to Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. The facility will be the tallest Children’s Hospital in the world. Komiske, managed the building and development of several hospitals on the East Coast, including the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Westchester, NY. He believes it is very critical to design spaces that use art, landscaping, gathering areas and the latest technology to comfort patients at a time when they experience the “heights and depths of their emotions.”
In 2007, Komiske published Designing the World's Best: Children's Hospitals--The Future of Healing Environments Volume 2. He recently completed a six-month stint at the invite of the royal family in Doha, Qatar, where he participated in the planning of a Children’s and Women’s Hospital that is part of an $8 billion healthcare initiative in that country.
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Marybeth LaFontaine |
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Mrs. LaFontaine has been involved in the foundation since its inception in 1997. She and her husband donated luxury suites at the HSBC Arena for the children of Buffalo and delivered televisions and cable service to the Buffalo Children’s Hospital. She also worked with Sabres Wives on many fundraising campaigns during her time in western New York.
She is currently a homemaker on Long Island, raising the couple’s three children. She remains involved in community service work on Long Island offering countless hours of service to area food banks and family support centers.
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Jerry Wood -
Morgan Stanley |
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Mr. Wood
is a managing director in charge of
executive recruiting at Morgan
Stanley. He served at the firm from
1978 until joining Credit Suisse
First Boston in 2003 as global head
of fixed-income investments. He
returned to Morgan Stanley last year
at the urging of his colleague CEO,
John Mack. Wood has a masters degree
in business from New York
University. He and his wife Monica
have been extremely supportive of
the work of the CiC Foundation and
helped fund the Lion’s Den Room at
Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
of New York Presbyterian.
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