Board of Directors

Fiscal Year 2021-2022

Francis Enwright - Chairperson
Connie Cosemento - Vice-Chairperson
Ranjit Dighe - Secretary/Treasurer
Thomas Schneider
John Kares Smith

Francis Enwright - Chairperson

Connie Cosemento - Vice-Chairperson
I have been married to my husband John since 1965, watched our two daughters become engineers and grow their own families. My commitment to my community persists after retirement from teaching high school biology for thirty years and public service as an elected official to represent the first ward and as City Clerk. I continue to stay active by serving on the Boards of Port Authority of Oswego, Sterling Nature Center, Oswego County Opportunities and competing and teaching agility with my dogs at the championship level. 

Ranjit Dighe - Secretary/Treasurer
Ranjit Dighe has been in Oswego since 1997. He is a Professor of Economics at the State University of New York at Oswego, where he teaches courses in money and banking, financial crises, and his specialty, American economic history. He has served as president of the Economic and Business History Society. He has done extensive research on the Great Depression and Prohibition, among other topics. Dighe holds a doctorate from Yale University and a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College. 

John Kares Smith
Dr. John Kares Smith, Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies, has over forty years experience serving the faculty of SUNY-Oswego and the Oswego community.  He is a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service award, presented by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity "for dedication and service to the college and Oswego community."  He is also a Recipient of the International Awareness and Peace Award, presented by The Coalition for Peace Education for Outstanding Dedication to Peace Education and Leadership in 2000.  Dr. Smith has earned the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching bestowed by the Chancellor of the State University of New York, "in recognition of superb performance as a classroom teacher,"  and is also the State of New York and United University Professions Excellence Award for Professional Service, given to "exemplary faculty and professionals in the Professional Services Negotiating Unit in recognition of sustained, outstanding performance and superior service to the State University and to the State of New York."  Since 2000, he has been included in Who's Who Among American Teachers and has been profiled in the Directory of American Scholars.  Dr. Smith has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Oswego Opera Company, a member of the Board of Assessment Review for the City of Oswego and as a member and Vice-Chairman of the Oswego Zoning Board of Appeals.  He and his family have lived in Oswego for over forty years.

Thomas Schneider 
Tom has served as President and CEO of Pathfinder Bank since January 2000 and has spent his entire 35 year career in the Financial Services industry.  Within the industry, Tom is on the Advisory Council of the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the Wharton School of Business. He served as past Chairman; current member of the Executive Committee, and current board member of the New York Bankers Association.  He also was an officer, followed by becoming Chairman, of the Community Bankers Forum.  Tom believes that a community bank serves its constituents best by being a strongly engaged, locally informed member of the community, committed to strengthening our economic, social, civic and cultural community fabric.  Within our community, Tom serves as a current member of the board of directors of CenterState CEO and is a board member for both WCNY and The MOST.  He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Oswego State University, teaching a graduate level finance course in the SUNY School of Business. He serves on the Oswego State School of Business Advisory Council and Economic Development Council and was past Chairman of Oswego Health and former board member. He is Treasurer and board member of the Shineman Foundation and is a board member and Audit Committee Chairman of the Port of Oswego. He is past President for Springside at Seneca Hill (an Oswego Health affiliate). 

Board Committees, 2021-2021

Executive Committee:
-Defines roles of Board Members and the Executive Director

-Provides Board orientation process

-Oversees public relations

-Maintains organizational chart, and reviews personnel polices

-Provides annual review of the Executive Director

-Makes recommendations for labor agreements

-Maintains job descriptions

Committee Members -
Francis Enwright, Chairperson
Connie Cosemento, Vice-Chairperson
Ranjit Dighe, Secretary/Treasurer
Thomas Schneider, Audit Committee Chair
 

Planning and Development Committee:
-Oversees special planning projects

-Identifies, plans and sets benchmarks for Port services

-Maintains listing of Port assets

-Oversees capital projects and asset acquisition

-Security

Committee Members -
Ranjit Dighe, Committee Chair
Connie Cosemento
 

Governance Committee:
-Develops and implements policies and procedures relating to the rules and regulations of the Port regarding hiring, contracting, civil service, pensions and benefits, ethics and conflicts of interests of staff and Board Members, and management of such as it may relate to the governance of the Port of Oswego Authority.

Committee Members -
John Kares Smith, Committee Chair
Connie Cosemento
 

Audit and Finance Committee:
-Reviews both internal and external audit functions, including, but not limited to, working with the outside auditor, reviewing the audit, and implementing actions.

-Reviews budgeting, purchasing, sales, procedures, contracts, leases, consultants, employment, and benefit costs, on at least an annual basis.

Committee Members -
Thomas Schneider, Committee Chair
Ranjit Dighe
Francis Enwright