Superintendent of Schools

Michael Cornell currently serves as Superintendent of Schools for the Hamburg Central School District, which educates nearly 3500 students each day in four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Mr. Cornell also serves as the President of the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association and is the Co-Chair of the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) Legislative Committee. He has also served two terms on the NYSCOSS House of Delegates.

Prior to working in Hamburg, Mr. Cornell served as the Principal of Amherst Middle School from 2010 – 2015. With more than 30% of the students at Amherst Middle School qualifying for Free/Reduced Lunch, Mr. Cornell was able to maintain the school’s status as one of the highest performing middle schools in Western New York, ranking 7th in overall academic performance out of more than 100 public middle schools. He also served his administrative colleagues as president of the Amherst Administrator’s Association.

Mr. Cornell was recognized by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) as the 2013 Middle School Principal of the Year for Western New York, and by Phi Delta Kappa as the 2014 Middle School Principal of the Year.

He began his administrative career in 2006 as an Assistant Principal at Lancaster High School.

Mr. Cornell was a social studies teacher at Kenmore West High School in the Kenmore Town of
Tonawanda Union Free School District from 1995 – 2006, where he also served as a Department
Chairman, Chairman of the Kenmore Staff Development Center Policy Board, and 2nd Vice President of the Kenmore Teacher’s Association.

Mike has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Niagara University, teaching The Capstone for the
School District Leader to students in their Educational Leadership program.

Also active in public affairs outside of education, Mr. Cornell was appointed by then-Governor George Pataki to serve on the Niagara River Greenway Commission in 2004, and was appointed to the Niagara County Redistricting Commission in 2011.

Jerry lives in Hamburg with his wife Gloria and daughter Georgia.

He graduated from St. Francis High School and attended Buffalo State College.  Mr. Deionno’s career at West Herr Automotive Group started in 1988.  He is now a Service Manager.  Jerry has accumulated several honors from Ford Motor Company including multiple Medallion Elite Recognitions, and has helped West Herr earn Ford’s distinguished President’s Award 26 times.

He is Master Certified with  Ford in Service Management and Service Advisor training.  Jerry is a  4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of its Hamburg Council.  He also participates yearly in the M.S. Great Lake Escape ride.

Managing Partner, Harvest Time Partners, Inc.

David is a combat veteran, business executive, husband, father, and creator of character-building resources that help individuals, families, and businesses reach their full potential in an uncertain world. He launched his business career as a sales representative achieving success through a sharp focus on understanding customer desires, tailoring solutions for unique client needs, and continually delivering results far above conventional expectations. His leadership skills and ability to seize opportunities enabled him to quickly rise through the ranks of corporate America, advancing to become the president of a $100-million-plus medical diagnostics company. Under David’s management, his teams drove results well above established expectations for growth in sales, customer retention, and employee engagement.

During his undergraduate years at West Point and by way of subsequent leadership assignments in the US Army Infantry, David’s character and leadership skills were cultivated and nurtured. As an airborne ranger infantry officer, David led a rifle platoon of 39 men with the 101st Airborne Division through several combat operations in the Gulf War. He was recognized with a Bronze Star for combat operations in February 1991.

David, his wife Tracy, and their four children have enjoyed the good fortune to live in many different parts of the United States and to meet all types of people. David and Tracy have focused much of their energy on developing programs and resources designed to strengthen the character of individuals and to build and sustain healthy relationships among marriages and families. This includes Character Creates Opportunity®, an initiative that was specifically designed to improve the character development of children, adolescents, and adults. They also established and sponsor the Harvest Time Partners Foundation, a charitable organization that supports children and young adults in the pursuit of character-building opportunities.

In addition, David and Tracy are the creators of a patented, award-winning conversation game, Abundant Harvest®, that continues to be especially embraced by families, schools, counseling programs, and faith-based organizations worldwide. The game’s popularity is based on its ability to open the door to more productive dialogue and encourage decision making based on principles such as honesty, loyalty, and commitment. Reinforcing the law of the harvest, the game’s primary takeaway is the age-old adage that you will always reap what you sow.

David balances a fast-paced work schedule with his family life and activities such as coaching sports, enjoying the outdoors, and doing charitable work. He holds an MBA from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from West Point. David has appeared on CBS, NPR, and PBS and has been featured by many other news outlets.

Andrew P. Fleming was admitted to practice in New York State in 1986. He is a graduate of SUNY at Buffalo Law School and a 1979 graduate of Pace University where he received his B.A. cum laude. Mr. Fleming served three years on active duty with the Marine Corps as an Infantry Officer before attending law school.

Mr. Fleming is a member of Chiacchia & Fleming, L.L.P. where his practice is concentrated in personal injury and labor and employment law. He represents businesses and individuals in wrongful termination litigation, including claims of sexual harassment, race and sex discrimination and breach of contract. The firm represents claimants in personal injury cases.

Mr. Fleming is an active member of the Bar Association of Erie County and its Labor Law Committee; from 1995 through 1998, he was elected to and served a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the 3,500+ member Bar Association. He served a two-year term as Chair of the Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Committee.

Mr. Fleming was elected Village of Hamburg Judge in 2006. Mr. Fleming has lectured extensively on the issues of sexual harassment, reverse discrimination and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Fleming, a 1975 graduate of Hamburg High School, was a charter member of the Hamburg School Foundation Board of Directors and has served for seven consecutive years. He is also on the Board of Directors of the “Friends of St. Luke’s” Mission of Mercy, a Corporate Roundtable member for Buffalo City Mission, and an active participant with Churches in Action of Hamburg.

Gerry was born and bred in Western New York. He grew up in Amherst and attended St. Benedict’s elementary school and Canisius High School. After receiving his BS in Mathematics from LeMoyne College, he completed his Masters of Education in Mathematics at SUNYAB. For five years he taught math and coached basketball at Cleveland Hill High School and then returned to SUNYAB to receive his Masters of Architecture in Building Systems Design and his Doctorate in Educational Administration. Possessing teaching experience and having the necessary educational degrees and certifications, Gerry spent the rest of his professional career in the realm of public education. In 2000 he retired as Superintendent of Schools from the Frontier Central School District.

Since his retirement he continues to keep his hand in educational issues by consulting on a variety of topics ranging from school district consolidation studies to recommendations on facilities, finances, staffing and enrollment forecasts for individual school districts. He has also served on the Board of Trustees at Canisius High School and Immaculata Academy.

Gerry has been and continues to be involved in a number of volunteer activities. He has served as an active member and past chair of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Board, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Board, the Hamburg Youth Services Consortium, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Blessed John Paul II Parish Leadership Team and Parish Finance Committee. He has also served on the Town of Hamburg Youth Advisory Board, the Hamburg Development Corporation Board of Directors, the Parent Child Connection Advisory Board and was a Little Cagers Basketball Coach in the Town of Hamburg. He is a licensed presenter for the Franklin Covey “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”.

For the last 20 years Gerry has resided in Lakeview with his wife, Maureen. He has three children—Eric, Martin and Matthew.

Born and raised on Buffalo’s West Side as one of 4 children to Italian-American working class parents, Russ attended Buffalo Public Schools. After graduating from Riverside High School, Russ matriculated to SUNY Binghamton where he not only earned a B.A. in Political Science, but he also met his future wife Jileen with whom they have shared over 40 years of blissful marriage and 5 wonderfully gifted children. He is also very proud of his beautiful grandchildren

Russ’s first professional position was as Assistant to SUNY Chancellor Ernest L.Boyer where he helped coordinate and improve communication with student leaders throughout the State; this was followed by other positions in SUNY dealing with government and labor relations. While serving on the NYS management negotiating team, Russ was contacted by Congressman Jack Kemp and was asked to serve as the Congressman’s District administrative Administrative Assistant. For seven years, Russ ran the Congressman’s District Offices and forged important contacts with the Buffalo business and civic leaders.

In 1985, Russ was appointed Senior Vice President of Community and Government Relations at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo where he assumed responsibilities for fundraising and public relations. After leaving Children’s to start his own consulting business, Russ entered the telecom field and worked with a number of regional and national firms selling telecom equipment as well as voice and data services.

He now serves as a Territory Account Executive with Time Warner Business Class Service where he develops and implements IT solutions for businesses throughout Western New York. Russ lives in Hamburg, New York with his wife Jileen and attends the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg as well as St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.