Robert D. Gioia, president of , will serve as speaker for Trocaire’s Fall 2019 Commencement ceremony on Dec. 18.

Gioia has served as president of the Oishei Foundation, one of Western New York’s largest private foundations with a mission to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the Buffalo Niagara region, since 2007. He is responsible for guiding the Foundation’s long-term strategic direction, empowering his staff to respond quickly to the needs of the community, and collaborating with community partners as they strive to improve the quality of life for all Western New Yorkers.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Gioia was a principal with the Food Group of Strategic Investments and Holdings, Inc., one of the most experienced equity acquisition groups in the country, from 1992 to 2007. He began his career in 1970 as part of the third generation of the Gioia family operating the Gioia Macaroni Company.

A native to Buffalo, Gioia is a community leader who has been dedicated to the betterment of the Western New York region for decades. He served as chairman of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) from 1990 to 1998 and oversaw the completion of the $120 million expansion of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

In 2007, Gioia was named as chair of Great Lakes Health, a not-for-profit corporation formed to “right size” the area’s health care systems, which oversees some of the area’s largest health care and research partners.

Gioia was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to serve as chair of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation in 2012, where he has overseen the transformation of Buffalo’s waterfront that now attracts millions of visitors annually and has been an economic driver for the region.

Gioia has also served as board president of the Martin House Restoration Corporation and Nichols School, and chairman of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also served as director of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute and as a trustee of St. Lawrence University.

Gioia has received numerous awards, including the Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year by UB School of Management (2009), the Distinguished Citizen Achievement Award from Canisius College (2013) and the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation (2013). He has received the Distinguished Service Award from the ECMC Lifeline Foundation (2014) and the prestigious “Spirit Award” by the Kaleida Foundation for his community service work (2015). He has also been one of The Buffalo News’ Citizens of the Year three times.

Gioia is a graduate of Amherst High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He resides in Buffalo with his wife Sally. They have three daughters, Allison, Lauren, and Carolyn, and two grandchildren, Lily and Jack.

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“Forget about the stigma. The pay is great, the opportunities are endless and you end up going home every day knowing that you did something very positive for someone else.” — Jorge Gitler, 50, oncology nurse manager; former business owner ()

Trocaire offers a number of healthcare pathways for men including LPN, RN, and BS, Nursing program offerings. The college is also focused on supporting students and helping them understand the challenges of the industry. That’s why Trocaire recently hosted a “Men in Nursing Mentoring” event to discuss men in the nursing field. Leading the event were two guest speakers, Steve Marks, MS, RN, Vice President of Clinical Education & Professional Development for Catholic Health System, and Jon Delay, BSN, RN, a Nurse Manager of a Medical Surgical Unit at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo.

The two shared insight and their personal experiences in the field, helping Trocaire students get a glimpse into what their career paths can look like.

Speaker Bios

Steve Marks, MS, RN, is the Vice President of Clinical Education & Professional Development for Catholic Health System. With 30 years of clinical and administrative experience, Steve’s career path has included roles in critical care nursing, nursing and clinical recruitment, emergency medical services, and staff training/education. At Catholic Health, he is responsible for all aspects of clinical training and professional development to help clinicians maintain and enhance their skill set.

Steve is completing a Doctorate of Philosophy in Education, specializing in Educational Technology from Walden University in Minneapolis. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Science degrees in Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino. He also holds additional undergraduate degrees in Nursing from Loma Linda University and Emergency Medical Services from Crafton Hills College.

Steve came to Catholic Health from Mount Carmel Health System, a multi-hospital system located in Columbus, Ohio. He served as Regional Director of the System’s Center for Innovative Learning, a clinical skills and simulation center he developed in 2012. His responsibilities included simulation-based learning, education and training development, and continuing medical education.

Steve has published and presented nationally on different topics related to simulation-based learning, career progression, and interview preparation.

Jon Delay, BSN, RN, is a Nurse Manager of a Medical Surgical Unit at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. Jon graduated with his Associates Degree in nursing from Ģ����ý in 2009. After graduation he accepted his first nursing job on a Surgical Oncology unit at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester N.Y. where he performed the role of a bedside RN for 5 years. In 2014 Jon then stepped into the role of an Assistant Nurse Manager and one year later accepted the position of Nurse Manager on that same unit. In 2016 Jon achieved his BSN from the University of Rochester and then returned home to Buffalo to be closer to family. Currently Jon is considering returning to school to achieve his Master’s Degree in Nursing Leadership.

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