Governor Kathy Hochul Names Thomas Burns ’92 & ’97 of Norwood, N.Y., & John Finnegan of Massena, N.Y., to SUNY Potsdam College Council
Thomas Burns ’92 & ’97 of Norwood, N.Y., has been appointed to the SUNY Potsdam College Council.
Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed two new members to join the SUNY Potsdam College Council, including Thomas Burns ’92 & ’97 of Norwood, N.Y., and John Finnegan of Massena, N.Y. Both will undertake four-year terms, filling two open seats on the board.
“We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued support of SUNY Potsdam and for appointing two leaders with such deep experience,” said College Council Chair June F. O’Neill (Hon. ’99). “Tom Burns brings a lifetime of experience advancing public education, and John Finnegan offers invaluable expertise in infrastructure and public service. Their perspectives will strengthen the Council’s work as we support student success and the long-term vitality of the College and our region.”
Since graduating from SUNY Potsdam, Thomas Burns ’92 & ’97 has dedicated himself to the betterment of educational practice and outcomes for the youth in Northern New York and beyond.
Burns’ time as a high school social studies teacher gave him the civic mindedness to recognize school districts as agents of promoting change in one’s community. As his career further progressed into administration, he himself became an agent of change for the Parishville-Hopkinton Central School community, where he served as both the high school principal and district superintendent. His ability to enrich educational practice was further expanded as he assumed the role of district superintendent and CEO of the St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), a role he held for 16 years, until his retirement in August 2025.
Since retiring, Burns has continued to contribute to education through consulting and leadership coaching. He currently serves as an executive leadership coach with ILO Group, and as an educational consultant for White & Partners, assisting with district consolidation studies and strategic planning. In honor of his accomplishments, the SUNY Potsdam School of Education Alumni Association presented Burns with the St. Lawrence Academy Medal in 2023.
“This opportunity is meaningful, to be able to circle back to where it all began for me, and reconnect with the College, now that I am retired. I am excited to be able to apply the experience I have gained over 30 years in public education to help support the current generation of SUNY Potsdam students,” Burns said.
A resident of Massena, John Finnegan has a depth of knowledge on electrical infrastructure and a long record of community involvement. He graduated from Madrid-Waddington Central School and has degrees from Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Empire State.
After starting out as a high voltage lineman for the New York Power Authority, he became the transmission department supervisor, including managing the day-to-day operations, as well as the response to multiple major storms and unplanned emergency outages. Finnegan recently retired as a construction specialist II for NYPA, where he was a team leader for the transmission portion of the Smart-Path and Smart-Path Connect projects, among other duties.
John Finnegan of Massena, N.Y., has been appointed to the SUNY Potsdam College Council.
Finnegan is also a member of the Massena Electric Utility Board and has coached minor hockey, along with supporting numerous other community organizations.
“My family has a very deep connection to the College counting many members as alumni. Over the years, we have had and continue to enjoy fond memories attending numerous sporting and performance events with family and friends. I was honored to be asked to serve and felt it was an excellent way to give to back to the Institution and the community as a whole,” Finnegan said.
The two new members join Chair O’Neill and the other College Council appointees, including Molly Clough ’92 of Massena, N.Y., Jeff Cole of Watertown, N.Y., Alex Hammond of Waddington, N.Y., and Steven O’Shaughnessy of Massena, N.Y.
In addition to the seven members appointed by the Governor, the elected Student Government Association president serves as a voting member of the SUNY Potsdam College Council. Incoming SGA President Kadi Palmer ’27 is the current student representative on the council.
For more information about the College Council, visit https://www.potsdam.edu/about/administration/council.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.