Laurentians in Residence February 2014

Panelist Biographies

JD Delmonico '03

JD is a partner at Delmonico Insurance Agency, which has locations in Syracuse, Skaneateles and Canandaigua, N.Y. He has helped lead his company to double-digit annual organic growth as well as the successful acquisition of four companies. Delmonico Insurance Agency has been voted one of the best places to work in Central New York. Last fall, JD was selected as one of Central New York’s “top 40 under 40” business people.

JD spends a significant amount of time engaging in civic leadership. He sits on the Board of Directors of the NY Family Business Center and Adapt, CNY, Inc., and has been active in organizations such as Leadership Greater Syracuse, 40 Below, Come Home to Syracuse and Ducks Unlimited. A psychology major, He lives in Skaneateles, N.Y., with his wife, Mary Amidon Delmonico ’03, and their three boys.

Carla von Trapp Hunter '06

After graduating from St. Lawrence in 2006, Carla took a job at Burton Snowboards. She has been working in various capacities in the snow sport industry ever since. As the director of marketing at SheJumps, Carla is responsible for the strategy and oversight of all of the non-profit’s marketing and public relations efforts. She also advises the Partnerships Team, helping to ensure that SheJumps’ relationships and trademark-based product collaborations are sound and mission-driven.

Independently, Carla is a consultant. She delivers product development, marketing and sales solutions supporting a wide variety of individuals and companies. Carla maintains professional membership in the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC) and the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). She serves on the Interim Board of Directors at SheJumps and on the Advisory Council for Fringe Diplomacy of the Aspen Institute’s Global Alliances Program.

Noelle Laing '03

Noelle identifies and researches MRI investment opportunities across asset classes and serves as a resource to generalist consultants in the firm by monitoring managers in clients’ MRI programs. She is also staffed on client relationships that have a particular focus on social or mission-related investments. She currently works with private clients and foundations.

Prior to rejoining the firm in 2010, Noelle was a senior investment advisor at the IAM National Pension Fund, where she focused on alternative assets. She also worked as a public markets investment analyst for the American Red Cross, where she conducted asset allocation analysis and manager due diligence for the public market portfolios of the endowment, pension, corporate accounts and 401K programs. Noelle began her career at Cambridge Associates as a consulting associate in 2003. An honors graduate with a mathematics major, she is a CFA Charter holder.

Thomas Sy '82

Aspire of WNY is a leader in providing a full range of services to the developmentally disabled throughout Western New York. Under Tom Sy’s leadership, Aspire has grown from serving 2000 individuals to serving over 3200, and its budget has more than doubled.

Prior to assuming his leadership position at Aspire, Tom was a healthcare administrator for 16 years, serving in increasingly senior administrative positions in hospitals in New Hampshire and New York. He serves his community and his profession in numerous volunteer roles, and as a St. Lawrence alumnus he has been a member of the Alumni Council and the Saints Network Planning Group for Western New York, as well as an Laurentian Admissions Associate. He was recently named one of Western New York’s “Power 250,” a list of influential people as noted by Business First magazine.