NORWICH – Tickets are available for a dinner recognizing Thomas Emerson as the 2012 Distinguished Citizen of the Year and for his outstanding achievements in Chenango County.
Emerson will be honored by the local Boy Scouts of America at a dinner to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 10 at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich. Selection was made for the award by a committee of local citizens which includes past recipients, and is co-chaired by Dave and Mary El Emerson. Last year’s recipient was George Echentile.
Emerson was born in Terrace Bay, Ontario, Canada on the northern shore of Lake Superior. By Tom’s fifth birthday, his family had moved back to Oxford. The Emerson family moved to Chenango County from Candia, New Hampshire in 1806. Tom has resided in Oxford except for the years spent at Allegheny College in Meadville PA (BA 1970) and Syracuse University College of Law (JD 1973). He met his wife Bonnie in second grade and they started dating in fifth grade. They both graduated from Oxford Academy in 1966. They were married in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oxford in 1969 and have four children and nine grandchildren: son Nathaniel (teacher in Norwich), lives in Oxford with his wife Courtney (also a teacher), and children Samantha (8) and Sylas (5); daughter Katharine ( homemaker) and husband Garry Root (Director of Community Relations for UHS-Chenango Memorial Hospital and videographer/owner of Visual Roots) live in Preston with children Delaney (9), Sophia (8), Spencer (5) and Layla (3); daughter Mary (pediatric sensory integration occupational therapist), lives in Oxford with husband Greg LaMonica (NBT Financial Services) and their children Quinnlin (5), Emerson (3) and Paxton (1); and daughter Jennifer (teacher) lives in Dryden with her husband Sten Anderson (graduate student) and their dog Simon.
Tom’s first job after law school was with Edward J. Lee at 35 West Main Street in Norwich in the Lee firm started by Ed’s father in July, 1907. The firm still proudly bears the Lee name continuing over 100 years of providing legal services to the community.
Emerson has served as a delegate to the New York State Bar Association, Secretary of the Federation of the Bar of the Sixth Judicial District, and is a former President of the Chenango County Bar Association. He is currently a member of the Chenango County, Broome County and New York State Bar Associations. He served on the Committee on Professional Standards covering the 28 Counties of the Appellate Division, Third Department (2003-2009) and was its Chairman in 2008-2009. He has served in the following organizations in various offices, directorships and trusteeships: Chenango Memorial Hospital (General Counsel 1977-2007, Board Chair 2007-2011); UHS, Inc. Board; NBT Bank Advisory Board; Northeast Classic Car Museum; Vestry Member, Prayer Leader and Lay Reader for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Oxford; Norwich Family YMCA (Past President and Board member and currently a Trustee); Chairman Oxford Village Zoning Board of Appeals (1974-2002); Oxford Lions Club (past President); Lost Pond Club (past President); Director of the Greater Norwich Foundation, R.C. Smith Foundation and the Roger W. Follett Foundation; Trustee of the Mary Elizabeth Macksey Charitable Trust, Rex and Edna Irene Mickle Charitable Trust and Crosby Charitable Trust; member of Hospice Endowment Advisory Board. Tom also performs pro bono work for many other religious and charitable organizations.
This is the 27th Annual Distinguished Citizen of the Year dinner benefiting the local Scouting program. Each year the Scouts recognize local community leaders for their outstanding contribution to the betterment of the community and service to their fellow citizens.
Reservations for the event may be made by contacting the Baden-Powell Council service center at 648-7888 or toll free at 1-877-674-8876 and asking for information on the Chenango Distinguished Citizens Award Dinner. Seating is limited, so please send in your reservation early.