Smith Opera House Elects Board Members

At its 2006 Annual Meeting, the Finger Lakes Regional Arts Council/Smith Opera House elected four new members to its board. Paula Burden, Robert Flowers, and Noel Uzemack of Geneva and Stewart Orcutt of Penn Yan immediately began one-year terms on November 14. Additionally Michael Mirras and Wendy Marsh were elected president and secretary, respectively. After four years, outgoing President Gregory Barnard chose not to seek another term. Carl Fribolin was re-elected Vice President and Robert McFadden was re-elected Treasurer. Governed by an all-volunteer board, the FLRAC’s mission is to provide diverse and quality performing arts and educational enrichment opportunities for Finger Lakes residents and visitors in its restored historic venue, the Smith Opera House.Burden is a former educator in the Geneva City school system. She is a Eucharistic minister and lector at St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church.With twelve years experience in college student affairs, Flowers is the Associate Dean of Students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.For twelve years, Uzemack was the technical director for the Washington National Opera in Washington, DC. He also has ten years experience with Seattle Opera and San Francisco Opera.Orcutt is a marketing and promotions professional with over 20 years of experience in the performing arts. He has toured professionally in a music group and has managed and co-owned a 3,000 seats concert venue in Milwaukee, WI.A member of the board for seven years, Mirras is an attorney in Seneca Falls where he is a partner in the law firm of Midey and Mirras. Marsh is also an attorney with Hancock and Estabrook, LLP in Syracuse. She has served on the board for one year.Also at the meeting, former President, Treasurer, Secretary, and longtime board member Robert Schick, chose not to serve another term. An integral player in The Smith’s $3 million, multi-year restoration efforts, the Lyons National Bank president and CEO has proven himself to be an invaluable asset in the growth and long-term prosperity of the organization. The board wished him well and thanked him for his many years of dedicated service. Additionally, he was honored by Barnard and Executive Director Kevin Schoonover at October’s “Swing Under the Stars,” The Smith’s fall fundraiser, with a framed print by Yolanda Schofield.The Smith Opera House is located at 82 Seneca Street. Built in 1894 and seating 1,438, The Smith is a fully-restored performing arts venue that schedules a variety of musical and theatrical performances and films, on the largest indoor movie screen in the region, throughout the year. It is supported, in part, with public funds from the State Council on the Arts, the City of Geneva, the Town of Geneva and by individual contributors.For more information on the Smith Opera House, call 315-781-LIVE (5483) or toll free 866-355-LIVE (5483) or visit www.TheSmith.org.