Chamber Awards: Susie Boyce -- 'fair-minded, dependable and tireless'
Susie Boyce works indefatigably to help make her community a better place. She's got a reputation for being good at organizing, a multitasker with a ready smile and the ability to work well with behind-the-scenes colleagues who take on events, from the mundane to the sublime, fund-raising, and scores of committees.
"Susie is passionate about the organizations that she serves and gives 110 percent to everything she is involved in," said Jane Scott, of Five Star Bank, in her nomination paper. "(She) is well respected and liked throughout the community. She is fair-minded, dependable and tireless."
The Batavia resident is the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce 2015 Genessean of the Year.
(The late Barry Miller is also being honored with this award tonight.)
Scott says she has known Boyce since 2004, when they met while attending Leadership Genesee. Since then, they have worked on numerous committees and boards, and served with organizations together.
Where does Boyce get all the energy to work full time as an account executive at Lawley Genesee Insurance agency and volunteer countless hours on behalf of nonprofits?
"When you're helping people in the community," Boyce said, "you don't think about the energy or effort it takes. If you're helping others and you're passionate about what you do, you just get it done."
But she credited others for helping make her contributions possible: her employer, one that encourages community involvement; her fiance, who doesn't complain about their lack of dinners together; coworkers, who share her passion for public service; and great, smart people who serve with her in various organizations.
"It's just a part of my life," Boyce said. "I always stay busy. I volunteer because that's how I was raised. My mother volunteered. It's who I am. Luckily, I have great parents who taught me to give back."
Her volunteerism can be traced to her teenage years, when she attended Byron-Bergen High School.
These days, Boyce volunteers on behalf of Genesee County United Way for years, chairing the 2008 pledge campaign and spearheading its annual Day of Caring, which she continues to co-chair. The event brings together hundreds of volunteers to do about three dozen much-needed, long-overdue projects countywide -- from picking up trash and painting, to planting flowers and cleaning attics. In addition, Boyce serves on the United Way's Allocations Committee, helping to distribute more than $250,000 to community agencies.
The Batavia Rotary Club awarded her its highest honor for her exemplary contributions, naming her a Paul Harris Fellow. In Rotary, Boyce is the Social Director and chairs the popular annual Christmas Party, plus she serves on its Scholarship, Brewfest and Fly-in Breakfast committees.
She has served on the board of the Rochester Regional Healthcare/United Memorial Hospital since 2008 and is now serving as the hospital Foundation president. In the past, she has served on its finance and executive committees. She is chair of the Dessert Dash Committee for the annual Hospital Auction.
In Leadership Genesee, from which Boyce graduated in 2004, she was named Alumni of the Year in 2011. She has served on various Leadership Genesee committees, led day sessions, and was the former Class Radar for Leadership Wyoming's Class of 2008.
Since 2004, Boyce has volunteered on behalf of the Jim Kelly Celebrity Golf Classic, which benefits children via the Kelly for Kids Foundation.
For Eagle Star Housing, a private not-for-profit (with facilities in Pembroke and Spencerport) providing transitional homeless housing for veterans and their families, Boyce chairs fundraising events.
She's on the board of the Batavia Development Corp. and has been since 2007; currently serving as treasurer.
Annual "Walk the Villages" -- an initiative started by former NY Sen. Mary Lou Rath -- is also something Boyce participates in. Participants visit and “walk the villages” of as many participating municipalities as possible. Walkers are encouraged to learn more about each community and visit local merchants.
As for the Chamber award, Boyce said "I actually was surprised. I am humble that somebody would be honoring me as Geneseean of the Year. We live in a great community. We are lucky to have the Batavia Development Corp., the hospital, the Day of Caring, which has the most wonderful committee. There are so many good people out there."
