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Fingar elected GOP chairman
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| New County Republican Chairman Greg Fingar, right, chats with 2006 gubernatorial candidate John Faso and County Clerk Holly Tanner following his election Thursday at the Columbia County Courthouse. (John Mason/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers) |
Valentino officially resigns at convention
By John Mason
HUDSON — Greg Fingar of Clermont was unanimously elected the new chairman of the county Republican Party by committee members at the party’s convention Thursday evening at the Columbia County Courthouse.
Fingar, the president of Fingar Insurance, will replace Angelo Valentino of Copake, who resigned at the same meeting after four years on the job.
In his resignation letter, Valentino said the chair is elected in October, but he was stepping down early to allow the new chairman time to prepare for the November election.
“This is our fourth year,” Valentino told the committee members. “It’s been a wonderful experience.” The highlight, he said, was helping former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso of Kinderhook win the nomination for governor in 2006.
“We have very important elections coming up this fall,” Valentino said. “It’s time for new blood, new enthusiasm to lead this party. We can do it: We need not be intimidated by the money or the rhetoric of the other side.”
Fingar is coming on at a time when registered Democrats have surpassed Republicans in the county for the first time, and when the GOP’s once-commanding majority on the Board of Supervisors is now much closer. In 2004 there were 19 Republican to four Democrats; now it’s 13 Republicans to 10 Democrats.
Former county GOP Chairman Glenn Wallace called Valentino “a great gentleman,” whom he’d known a long time. “I want to thank you and Shirley [Valentino’s wife] for putting up with our nonsense. I know what you went through.”
Faso thanked Valentino for “all his support of me. I ran against a guy you might remember, Eliot Spitzer. He’s gone and I’m still standing.”
He said he and Valentino had known each other 27 years. “Shirley was always the brains behind the operation,” he joked. “Thank you for your leadership.”
Faso then nominated Fingar, whom he has also known for many years.
“We worked on many issues in Germantown and Clermont ... we had great experiences,” he said. “Greg believes in this party, he strongly believes in Columbia County, he strongly believes in good government in Columbia County. He wants to revitalize this community.”
Fingar would give the party “new energy, enthusiasm and vitality,” Faso said.
County Sheriff David Harrison Jr. said he had seen Fingar interact with people on the local, state and federal levels.
“He has the ability and drive to take us to a new level,” Harrison said in seconding the nomination. “He will do a great job.”
Joseph Phelan, chairman of the board of Taconic Farms in Germantown, also seconded the nomination.
Fingar thanked Valentino for his support, calling him a “joy to work with.”
“We have a lot of challenges ahead of us,” he said. “We need to revitalize our people and restore the confidence of our electoral base. Our party’s taking it on the chin — it won’t be easy. But we have a great opportunity with the 20th Congressional District seat up. I think we can take that seat.”
He then introduced Dick Wambach of Red Hook, who’s managing the campaign of James Tedisco for the congressional seat. Wambach said volunteers are needed to go door-to-door on the Route 9 corridor from Germantown to Kinderhook and in Claverack. An office has been established in Red Hook, he said.
Matt Drwenski of Tedisco’s Saratoga office called it an exciting race, one that could revitalize the party not only here, but nationally as well. Columbia and Dutchess counties are, he said, probably the biggest battlegrounds in the special election.
“We have 5,000 targeted households that need to be called,” he said. “We’re calling on each town to host a volunteer event.”
“We can take this seat back,” Fingar said. “If we can win in Columbia County we should be able to take the seat back.”
He went on to say there are 17 county supervisor seats up for election come November, and the party should make a push to win them. Funds have to be raised; Fingar said he wants to see a Web site that would allow donors to click to give $2 or $5. The Clermont Newsletter will be on it.
“We have a tax-and-spend government in Albany,” he said. “The pendulum has swung to the left; let’s bring it back.”
Faso, who was one of six candidates being considered by the county chairs of the 20th District to replace Kirsten Gillibrand when she was named to the U.S. Senate, declined comment on Tedisco.
Fingar’s family has been in the Germantown area since 1710, when they arrived with the original Palatines. His grandfather, Luther Palatine, started the family insurance business in 1931. It was later taken over by Greg’s father, Peter, and now he and his brother, Mark, run it.
Greg Fingar attended Germantown Central Schools and graduated from Pine Bush Central in Orange County. He earned a degree in business administration at the University of Cincinatti, and went on to become the banjo player for Vernon McIntyre and the Appalachian Grass, appearing twice on the Grand Old Opry.
He serves on the boards of Columbia Memorial Hospital, Columbia Economic Development Corp. and the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, and is the president-elect of the Rotary Club. He’s been a Republican committeeman for 15 years and served on the Clermont Town Board from 1994 to 1998, an experience he recommends to everyone.
He and his wife, Donna, have three children, all in college, Peter, Nina and Alex.
To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
By John Mason
HUDSON — Greg Fingar of Clermont was unanimously elected the new chairman of the county Republican Party by committee members at the party’s convention Thursday evening at the Columbia County Courthouse.
Fingar, the president of Fingar Insurance, will replace Angelo Valentino of Copake, who resigned at the same meeting after four years on the job.
In his resignation letter, Valentino said the chair is elected in October, but he was stepping down early to allow the new chairman time to prepare for the November election.
“This is our fourth year,” Valentino told the committee members. “It’s been a wonderful experience.” The highlight, he said, was helping former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso of Kinderhook win the nomination for governor in 2006.
“We have very important elections coming up this fall,” Valentino said. “It’s time for new blood, new enthusiasm to lead this party. We can do it: We need not be intimidated by the money or the rhetoric of the other side.”
Fingar is coming on at a time when registered Democrats have surpassed Republicans in the county for the first time, and when the GOP’s once-commanding majority on the Board of Supervisors is now much closer. In 2004 there were 19 Republican to four Democrats; now it’s 13 Republicans to 10 Democrats.
Former county GOP Chairman Glenn Wallace called Valentino “a great gentleman,” whom he’d known a long time. “I want to thank you and Shirley [Valentino’s wife] for putting up with our nonsense. I know what you went through.”
Faso thanked Valentino for “all his support of me. I ran against a guy you might remember, Eliot Spitzer. He’s gone and I’m still standing.”
He said he and Valentino had known each other 27 years. “Shirley was always the brains behind the operation,” he joked. “Thank you for your leadership.”
Faso then nominated Fingar, whom he has also known for many years.
“We worked on many issues in Germantown and Clermont ... we had great experiences,” he said. “Greg believes in this party, he strongly believes in Columbia County, he strongly believes in good government in Columbia County. He wants to revitalize this community.”
Fingar would give the party “new energy, enthusiasm and vitality,” Faso said.
County Sheriff David Harrison Jr. said he had seen Fingar interact with people on the local, state and federal levels.
“He has the ability and drive to take us to a new level,” Harrison said in seconding the nomination. “He will do a great job.”
Joseph Phelan, chairman of the board of Taconic Farms in Germantown, also seconded the nomination.
Fingar thanked Valentino for his support, calling him a “joy to work with.”
“We have a lot of challenges ahead of us,” he said. “We need to revitalize our people and restore the confidence of our electoral base. Our party’s taking it on the chin — it won’t be easy. But we have a great opportunity with the 20th Congressional District seat up. I think we can take that seat.”
He then introduced Dick Wambach of Red Hook, who’s managing the campaign of James Tedisco for the congressional seat. Wambach said volunteers are needed to go door-to-door on the Route 9 corridor from Germantown to Kinderhook and in Claverack. An office has been established in Red Hook, he said.
Matt Drwenski of Tedisco’s Saratoga office called it an exciting race, one that could revitalize the party not only here, but nationally as well. Columbia and Dutchess counties are, he said, probably the biggest battlegrounds in the special election.
“We have 5,000 targeted households that need to be called,” he said. “We’re calling on each town to host a volunteer event.”
“We can take this seat back,” Fingar said. “If we can win in Columbia County we should be able to take the seat back.”
He went on to say there are 17 county supervisor seats up for election come November, and the party should make a push to win them. Funds have to be raised; Fingar said he wants to see a Web site that would allow donors to click to give $2 or $5. The Clermont Newsletter will be on it.
“We have a tax-and-spend government in Albany,” he said. “The pendulum has swung to the left; let’s bring it back.”
Faso, who was one of six candidates being considered by the county chairs of the 20th District to replace Kirsten Gillibrand when she was named to the U.S. Senate, declined comment on Tedisco.
Fingar’s family has been in the Germantown area since 1710, when they arrived with the original Palatines. His grandfather, Luther Palatine, started the family insurance business in 1931. It was later taken over by Greg’s father, Peter, and now he and his brother, Mark, run it.
Greg Fingar attended Germantown Central Schools and graduated from Pine Bush Central in Orange County. He earned a degree in business administration at the University of Cincinatti, and went on to become the banjo player for Vernon McIntyre and the Appalachian Grass, appearing twice on the Grand Old Opry.
He serves on the boards of Columbia Memorial Hospital, Columbia Economic Development Corp. and the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, and is the president-elect of the Rotary Club. He’s been a Republican committeeman for 15 years and served on the Clermont Town Board from 1994 to 1998, an experience he recommends to everyone.
He and his wife, Donna, have three children, all in college, Peter, Nina and Alex.
To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
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