Leadership

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The Power of Public-Private Partnership

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission and its non-profit partner, the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund work together with federal, state, and local agencies and organizations to plan for, encourage, and assist in historic preservation, conservation, recreation, interpretation, tourism and community development throughout the National Heritage Corridor.

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission

Created by Congress in 2000, the federally-appointed Erie Canalway Commission is tasked with managing activities of the National Heritage Corridor. It receives financial support and technical assistance through the National Park Service, subject to annual Congressional appropriations.

Officers
ChairKal WysokowskiCanandaigua
Vice ChairHarry Sicherman
Lockport (NY-27)
SecretarySusan Herlands Holland Ithaca (Sen. Gillibrand)
TreasurerCarl Blowers
Montour Falls (NY-23)
Secretary of the Interior Designee (ex officio)Gay VietzkeNational Park Service
Commissioners
Paul Beyer NYS Department of State
Fred Bonn NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
Clinton BrownNY-26 (Buffalo)
John CallaghanAt-Large (Waterford)
Laura DiBettaNYS Department of Environmental Conservation
James FarrNY-25 (Rochester)
Sean KelleherNY-21
Dr. Cornelius Murphy, Jr.NY-24
Steven RanalliEmpire State Development
Pieter SmeenkAt-Large (Fairport)
Mary Elizabeth StewartNY-20 (Albany)
Brian StrattonNYS Canal Corporation
Alan VincentNY-22
Peter Wiles Jr.At-Large
pendingNYS Agriculture and Markets
pendingNYS Department of Transportation

Past Commission Chairs

Eric Mower, 2001-2008
Joseph Callahan, 2008-2010
Judy Schmidt Dean, 2010-2014
Russell Andrews, 2014-2016
Pieter Smeenk, 2016-2019
Barbara Blanchard, 2019-2022

Erie Canalway Heritage Fund Board

The Erie Canalway Heritage Fund is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that assists in carrying out the work of the Commission. The Heritage Fund secures additional private and public resources and helps implement the Corridor's award-winning Preservation and Management Plan.

Officers
Chair Judy McKinney-Cherry Watkins Glen
Vice Chair Paul Comstock Houston, Texas
Secretary Brad Packard Getzville
Treasurer Mark Hettler Liverpool
Board of Directors
Carl Blowers Montour Falls
Bonney Hartley Williamstown, MA
Marilyn Higgins Canastota
Susan Herlands Holland Ithaca
Kate Morse Greenwich
Harry Sicherman Lockport
Erin Tobin Albany
Kal Wysokowski Canandaigua
Past Heritage Fund Board Chairs
Tom Blanchard 2010-2018
Paul Neureuter 2018-2021