Employer Advisory

Mission

To provide a forum for employers and the Alfred University Career Development staff to engage in relevant discussion regarding a wide variety of career and employment issues from outside the University. Information gathered from these discussions will contribute to the quality and impact of career programs and services for Alfred University students.

Employer Advisory Board 2017-2020

Amy Bennett

Chief Operating Officer, Northern Lights Candles

Amy Bennett is the Chief Operating Officer of Northern Lights Candles, a preeminent luxury candle manufacturer in Wellsville, NY. The company employs 150+ candlemakers, selling candles world-wide for over 40 years.

She is an Alfred University alum with an MFA from the NYSCC, which opened doors to a career in product design. Her designs have circumnavigated the globe and taken her to fascinating corners of the world. Designing and developing products introduced her to manufacturing operations, quality and safety responsibilities, social and ethical compliance, consumer economics, sales, tradeshow design, logistics, product testing, planning, and purchasing. 

Bennett is a wife, mother, foodie, and avid art collector. She burns a candle at her desk every day.

Renée Duquette Sheer

Career Coordinator, Warsaw Central School District

Renée received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Alfred University in 2013. During her undergrad experience, she also studied Physics and French (spending a semester in Le Mans, France), worked as an academic tutor, and interned at the Career Development Center. Falling in love with career services, Renée decided to continue her studies at AU earning her MSEd/CAS in Mental Health Counseling in 2015. During her graduate studies, she continued to intern with the CDC and worked as a Resident Director (in then Reimer Hall).

After graduating from Alfred University, she joined Warsaw Central School District as the District’s Career Coordinator. A new role at the time, Renée created a Career Center that helps students in grades K-12. She partners with local employers to offer job shadows, mock interviews, and various other career exploration and development programs. She currently serves on the Agricultural Advisory Board at Warsaw Central and is in her fourth year of serving on the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association (MACCA) board.

Renée and her husband, Pete, reside in Rochester, NY.

Megan Hubbard, CPA

Principal at Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Co. LLP

Megan Hubbard received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Alfred University in 2008. Upon receiving her degree, she joined regional public accounting firm Mengel, Metger, Barr & Co. LLP (MMB), where she currently serves as a CPA and Principal within the firm’s tax department. Servicing clients throughout the Southern Tier and Northern Pennsylvania, Megan specializes in corporate and partnership tax for closely held businesses across various industries, including agribusiness, manufacturing, and rental real estate. As a member of the firm’s leadership team, she serves on several firm committees, including Tax Quality Control, Tax Administration, and Recruiting.

Megan resides in Avoca, NY with her husband Andy and their three children, Hayden, Maggie and Owen. In addition to enjoying time with her family, she is an active volunteer within her community. She currently serves as the President of the Board of Education for the Avoca Central School District, as well as the Commissioner of Youth Baseball for the Village of Avoca and Assistant Treasurer for the Buena Vista Wesleyan Church.

Caroline Buchas

Business Development Manager, martin group

Caroline Buchas received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Alfred University with a concentration in Graphic Design and a minor in Marketing. During her time at AU, Caroline was a Resident Assistant for Openhym Hall and an intern at the Career Development Center. After graduating from Alfred University in 2017, Caroline joined MiLB’s Hartford Yard Goats as a Creative Services Associate in Hartford, Connecticut.

Caroline has now relocated back to her hometown of Buffalo, NY, where she is the Business Development Manager for The Martin Group. Caroline is responsible for managing all potential business opportunities for the marketing agency across their Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany offices. With previous graphic designer roles at The Martin Group and Delaware North, Caroline has design experience supporting clients such as Wegmans, Niagara Falls State Park, and the Grand Canyon. She continues to design as a freelancer for clients like The Buffalo Zoo, Excelsior Orthopaedics, and the occasional professional sports team rebrand.

Caroline’s professional achievements include a Gold ADDY Award in 2020 for a Major League Baseball gift packaging design, as well as a top-selling cap design for Minor League Baseball in 2018. She currently serves as a board member for AAF Buffalo, where Caroline will begin her two-year presidential term in July 2021.

Caroline was married in August, 2021. She met her husband, Tucker, at Alfred University in 2013. They now reside in Lancaster, NY with their two dogs, Wayne and Bo.

Scotty Richmond

Director of Talent Development-Division, PCC Airfoils, LLC

Scotty joined PCC Airfoils in 1999 and worked in various manufacturing roles including engineering, recruiting, human resources, and professional development. In his current role he is focused on strategic development of Human Capital planning that includes recruiting and development of the co-op program for the Airfoils Division and its 18 manufacturing operations. Scotty has a BS in Safety Engineering from Fairmont State University an MS in Safety and Environmental Management from West Virginia University.

Kim Allen

Chief Executive Officer, Dixon Schwabl

As the recently named CEO of Dixon Schwabl, Kim is responsible for carrying on the legacy of the agency’s founders, Lauren Dixon and Mike Schwabl who now serve as officers of the firm’s board of directors. She oversees the overall growth and strategic direction of the agency. Kim ensures the 100 team members of Dixon Schwabl are growing along with the agency. She works alongside them to maintain the renowned employee-centric culture built over the agency’s 33-year history.

A graduate of Ithaca College with a BS in communications, Kim began her career in public relations in 1996 as an administrative assistant at Eric Mower & Associates. She joined Dixon Schwabl in 2001, taking on the role of managing partner in 2012. Kim has participated at the board level of many organizations throughout her career and currently serves on the board of directors for the American Heart Association and Mercy Flight Central. She is also a United Way of Greater Rochester 2021 Cabinet Member and serves on the board of advisors for RIT’s School of Communications, Advertising and PR.

Kim is a mom to two children, her daughter Norynn, 12, and son Simon, 11. She resides in Victor her kids and her husband, Josh (not the Buffalo Bills QB...).

Vince Pascarella

Business Rental Sales Executive, Enterprise Holdings

Vince Pascarella received his Bachelor of Science degree from Alfred University in Criminal Justice and Political Science.  During his time at AU, Vince was a devoted distance swimmer for the Saxon Men’s Swimming & Diving Team and was involved with the AU Political Science Club. After graduating from AU in 2012, Vince joined Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Hamburg, NY.

Since joining Enterprise, Vince has managed offices in Orchard Park, Cheektowaga, and Niagara Falls, NY. Vince’s passion for training and developing employees, coupled with his ability to manage sales operations, resulted in award winning customer service scores, increased profitability, and several promotions. In 2018, Vince was promoted to his current role as Business Rental Sales Executive.  In this role, Vince is identifying and partnering with local companies which rent or reimburse mileage to their employees.  After identifying the needs of local companies, Vince builds out a customized travel program with Enterprise and National Car Rental that specifically is tailored to each company’s ground transportation needs.

Vince is a dedicated AU alum, he is a member of the Saxon Circle and regularly participates in Saxon Nation events.  He is currently engaged to be married in 2020.  He and his fiancé Elizabeth reside in Lancaster, NY.

Douglas Wing

Senior Development Associate – Ceramics, Corning Incorporated

Doug received BS (Glass Science, 1992), MS (Ceramic Engineering, 1994), and PhD (Glass Science, 2003) degrees from Alfred University. He joined Corning Incorporated in 2004 and currently works as a Process Development Scientist and Technology Manager developing new products and processes in support of Corning’s Environmental Technologies Division.

Doug is an experienced technical leader with over twenty years of hands-on experience developing innovative new materials and processes. He has been recognized for the ability to deliver high quality products and processes that are on time and within budget, and technically advantaged in the marketplace. Doug has a proven track record of identifying opportunities, building teams, leading process innovation projects, and growing and mentoring others. He has demonstrated the ability to manage highly technical and non-technical projects simultaneously from concept through development, validation and scale-up.

Doug resides in Corning, NY with his wife, Erin, and their two daughters.

Bruce Kulp

Expert-In-Residence, McComsey Career Development Center at Alfred University

Bruce Kulp is currently an Expert in Residence at the Career Development Center of Alfred University since 1998, where he has provided volunteer support in student career counseling, as well as lecturing on networking and interview preparation for the CDC. He also has supported the CDC staff through strategic direction discussions on projects, such as the development of LinkedIn for student use at AU. Mr. Kulp has been an Honorary Alumnus of Alfred University since 2000.

He has also been an Executive in Residence at the Alfred University College of Business since 1997, lecturing on new innovations in e-commerce, ERP systems, security and global data communications, technology, networking and voice communications to undergraduate and graduate business students.

Mr. Kulp spent over 30 years pursuing a variety of executive and management positions in Data and Voice/VoIP communications at a regional, national and global level including Doyle Security, Excel Computers, Frontier Communications/Global Crossing, One Communications and Globalinx and VoIP Logic. He has worked on the development of a variety of innovative Networking and Internet based telephony technologies including: Managed Access, Managed Services, Managed Security, IP-VPN and Voice/VoIP services. He has recently retired from full-time employment and is currently a Consultant for VoIP Logic of Massachusetts. Bruce graduated with a BS from the University of Rochester in 1976.

Tim O'Neil

Executive Vice President, Toshiba Business Solutions

Tim's professional career has been dedicated to serving businesses and the Western New York community at large. He spent summers during college working at Business Methods in warehouse/shipping, then moved to selling used equipment after graduation. His career path continued upward eventually moving Tim into the corner office as President, and taking on a co-owner role in 2001. After merging with Toshiba in 2004, Tim remained as Executive Vice President. Today, he leads a 10-person document management sales staff, a 4-person MPS team, and a 4-person professional solutions group – with employee turnover of less than 5%. His sales team has one of the highest market shares across the country for Toshiba.