Commencement speakers Jim Ranney (left) and Craig Harris.
Speakers named for the May 16 Commencement in SUNY Fredonia’s Steele Hall are alumni Jim Ranney and Craig A. Harris.
Mr. Ranney, speaker for the morning ceremony, serves as Director of Communications and Senior Advisor to New York State Senator Patrick Gallivan. He manages all aspects of communications, including media relations, social media and constituent relations. Ranney is also a 25-year veteran of broadcast journalism, having served as Station Manager and Director of News for WBFO and WNED radio in Buffalo. He has received numerous awards for news coverage and has moderated political debates, conducted interviews and hosted programs on both public radio and television.
In addition, Ranney is an adjunct professor in the Communication Department at SUNY Buffalo State University and a past member of the New York State Associated Press Board and Public Radio News Directors Incorporated. He has been a trustee of the Captain John Levulis Memorial Foundation since 2015.
A 1988 graduate of SUNY Fredonia, Ranney earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in Political Science and is a current member of the Fredonia Alumni Association Board of Directors. He also earned a master’s degree in Education from D’Youville University in Buffalo in 2002.
Mr. Harris, speaker for the afternoon ceremony, is Vice President of Development for Catholic Health System in Buffalo, NY. Prior to his current role, Harris served in multiple institutional advancement and student affairs leadership positions including Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Marketing at Daemen University, and Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Canisius High School.
As the chief philanthropy officer for the Foundations of Catholic Health since April 2019, Harris’ primary responsibilities include oversight of six separate 501c3 foundations, principle, major and planned gift acquisition, board governance, budget management, community relations, grant management, new privately funded program development, annual and grateful patient programs, staff development/supervision and special event coordination. He also plays a pivotal role as a member of the new business development lead team. His additional responsibilities have included the re-launch and co-supervision of the physician liaisons program, assistance with specialty pharmacy initiatives and the execution of investigative ROI studies on outpatient service lines.
Harris currently serves as a member of the Buffalo Zoo Board of Directors, Buffalo Club Board of Directors, Amherst Chamber of Commerce Economic and Public Policy Committee, Health Sciences Charter School Advisory Board and Hamburg Lions Club. He has been honored as a member of the Buffalo Business First 40 under 40 and Buffalo Business First Who’s Who in Healthcare and was selected to participate in the Council for Independent Colleges Senior Leadership Academy and Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities Leadership Academy.
Harris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from SUNY Fredonia in 1998 and a Master of Science degree in Student Personnel Administration from SUNY Buffalo State University. He resides in Lake View, NY, with his wife, Dr. Denise Harris, and children, Abigail and Andrew.
