(Syracuse, NY –Nov. 2015) Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is pleased to welcome to its board of directors Al Gough, Hal J. Mevec Jr. and Melissa A. Piper.
Al Gough returns to the Friends of the Zoo board of directors after serving as treasurer of the board from 2003-12. He presently serves as chair of the finance committee and treasurer of the board. Gough is CFO of the Hotel Syracuse Restoration. He is a financial executive and business strategist with a broad corporate leadership background. His previous experience includes serving as vice president of finance and operations at CXtec and financial leadership positions with Pyramid Management Group and ONBANK. He resides in Sherrill.
Hal J. Mevec Jr. is a supplier quality engineer with Welch Allyn Inc. and has been with the company since 2001. An engineer with over 15-plus years of experience in the electronics, chemical and medical industries, he previously worked for Anaren Microwave and Buckbee Mears Corporation. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College in applied management analysis. Mevec serves on the Friends board’s government relations committee. A lifelong resident of Central New York, Mevec resides in Syracuse with his wife, Vira Zownirenko. He is the father of two grown children, Michael and Jessica Mevec.
Melissa A. Piper has been with National Grid/Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation since 1991. Newly named project manager for the company’s New Energy Solutions Delivery team, she was previously responsible for the company’s New York clean energy program portfolio. A 2015 graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse, Piper holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Colgate University, a master’s degree in economics from The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and an MBA from Le Moyne College. In the local community, she is also a member of the Girl Scouts and Ducks Unlimited. Piper serves on the Friends board’s education committee. An avid and lifelong horseman, she resides in Camillus with her family.