by Linsey | Jul 24, 2019
Colleen grew up in Hamburg with her parents and four sisters, one of whom is her twin. She attributes her love of math to her father who nightly checked over her homework and gave her extra problems “just for fun!” She loved school and decided to pursue a career in teaching. Colleen graduated from D’Youville College with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Mathematics. She married Jim and began their family. They moved to Notre Dame, then to Maine, back to South Bend and finally to Hamburg. During these years they added four children to their family and Colleen also began her Master’s Degree at Indiana University of South Bend, completing it at Buffalo State. She also taught 4 years in private schools before moving to Hamburg. Returning to Hamburg, Colleen was hired at Hamburg for the part-time Pre-Kindergarten program at Charlotte Avenue. Even though she enjoyed her time there, Colleen left for full time work in Second Grade as their oldest son was about to begin College. From Charlotte Avenue, Colleen moved to Union Pleasant for ten years where she taught mostly second grade. However, there was always a goal to teach Math, so her final move was to the Middle School where she taught 6th Grade math for ten years. Retired, Colleen enjoys reading, traveling, walking, bocce and water aerobics. She volunteers in the office of St. Vincent DePaul at her church and the Tutors for Kids program. Colleen is grateful for the many years she taught in Hamburg and holds those memories close to her heart.
by Linsey | Jul 24, 2019
Tom was born in Hamburg, NY and achieved success in both academics and athletics while at Hamburg High School. He graduated near the top of his class and earned varsity letters in both soccer and baseball. Tom captained the 1974 Soccer team that went 19-1 and won the WNY championship. He received All WNY, All NYS, and regional All American honors. Tom represented the Western Region in the 1978 Empire State Games on the Gold medal handball team. Tom attended the University of Rochester and continued his soccer career and was elected Captain his junior season. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology cum laude in 1979. He went on to graduate from medical school at SUNY Syracuse. He remained in Syracuse for his residency in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery. After his residency he moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Tom became board certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery and was voted as one of Phoenix’s Top Doctors.
by Linsey | Jul 24, 2019
Michael was a unique Track and Field athlete and terrific Cross Country runner. His first year of track as a freshman, he was a jumper and set the freshman record of 5′ 6″ in the high jump. He also did the long and triple jump. His junior year he switched to running and lettered in Cross Country and by his senior year he became team captain. Michael surprised many early in the season by winning the Lake Shore invitational Cross Country race. He improved his time every race during the season and on the last dual meet of the year, he set the Chestnut Ridge course record of 14:49. He held the record for 26 years! He won the Erie Country Cross Country championship race, placed 7th in the western New York Sectional race and went on to compete in the New York State Championships. Michael continued running in college and was a walk-on athlete at the University of Oregon with best times of 31:45 in 10k and 1:10:02 in a half marathon. After earning an MS degree in Physical Education, Michael coached Cross Country and Track and Field at the community college, high school and middle school levels. Michael’s love for fitness had him open his own business, Body Kinetics in San Francisco in 1990. He currently owns 3 health clubs in Marin Country and works with two of his brothers, John and Joey Hoeber.
by Linsey | Jul 24, 2019
NYS Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was elected in 2014. Prior to her role as a statewide official, she was elected at both the Federal and local level — she was a Member of Congress in New York’s 26th Congressional District, served as Erie County Clerk, and began her career in public office on the Hamburg Town Board in 1994 and proudly served her hometown for 14 years. In this capacity she fought for safety improvements on Legion Drive to protect students at Hamburg Middle and High School. She also worked to protect the character and the quality of life in the Village of Hamburg where she grew up. The Lieutenant Governor chairs Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils, which have reinvented economic development by empowering local leaders in business and academia. She is actively engaged in the rebirth of Western New York. As the highest ranking female elected official in New York, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul is committed to inspiring a new generation of women to enter public service or aspire to leadership within their chosen field through the #NYWomenLead initiative. The Lieutenant Governor is dedicated to her role as the Governor’s eyes and ears on the ground. She makes a point of traveling to all 62 counties every year she’s in office, traveling enough miles to circle the globe over 4 times. The Lieutenant Governor credits the Government Studies program she took as a junior as one of the inspirations for her passion for public service. She also says her teachers, Peter James and Jim Owen were strong influences in her decision to work in government. Kathy joined her mother and aunt in starting the Kathleen Mary House, a transitional home for victims of domestic violence.
by Linsey | Jul 24, 2019
Jayne was destined for greatness as one of the best long distance runners Hamburg has ever seen, beginning in her freshman year of 1979 as she broke the school record in the mile. As a junior, Jayne captained the cross-country team, which for the first time in school history took first place at an ECIC meet held in Akron, with Jayne’s lead the team with 50 points. That same year, Jayne helped lead the team to take the Divisional Meet Champions of Division I, which achieved a school record 12-win season. During this season, Jayne set a new school record of 18:39 at the Chestnut Ridge Park 3.1 mile course. In 1983, Jayne broke her own school record by setting the Chestnut Ridge course record in an incredible 17 minutes, 31 seconds. She went on to represent Section VI as a member of the State Cross Country Team, and also broke a long distance record for the undefeated season of the outdoor track team, as well as breaking the indoor record in the 3000 meters by running it in 11:17.9. As a senior, Jayne continued improving the school record in the mile, by breaking the 1500mm record in a blazing 4:41! In fact, her records in cross-country, mile and 2-mile still stand today. Jayne went on to competitively run in college at the University of Rochester, where she set records and captained the team in college. Today, Jayne lives in Sierra Nevada Mountains near Lake Tahoe, and owns her own computer engineering consulting firm.
