Congratulations to the 2024 Wagner College Alumni Association award recipients. These six alumni are being recognized for their consistent service, leadership and achievement.
Ann Taranto Giordano ’69 M’70 — John “Bunny” Barbes ’39 and Lila T. Barbes ’40 Wagner Alumni Laureate
Ken Mitchell ’87 — Kevin Sheehy ’67 M’70 M’92 H’99 Alumni Leadership Medal
Cliff Oster ’69 — Distinguished Graduate of Wagner
Andrea DeLoney ’10 & Michael Pinto ’10 — Wagner Alumni Key
Charles Gysel ’80 — Reverend Lyle Guttu Award
This year’s awards will be presented during the Grand Celebration of Wagner Weekend scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20, in the Union’s Main Dining Hall. Click here to register.
John “Bunny” Barbes ’39 and Lila T. Barbes ’40 Wagner Alumni Laureate
In appreciation of Distinguished Service
Ann Taranto Giordano ’69 M’70 knows what it means to serve others. Born and raised on Staten Island as the oldest of eight children, Taranto Giordano has coached sports, taught math and science, consulted on accounting and financial system software for companies and more.Â
At Wagner, she majored in mathematics, played on the women's basketball team and was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She stayed at Wagner for her graduate degree and married her husband, Mike, while in graduate school. The couple has three sons: Adam, Michael and Matthew.
After receiving her master’s degree, Taranto Giordano went on to teach math and science at a high school. In addition to teaching, she was assistant basketball coach, helped with the softball team and gave tennis lessons.
“It was like a continuation of school, but I was on the other side of the desk,” Taranto Giordano said.
Taranto Giordano stopped teaching in 1974 and entered the world of accounting software in 1979, helping companies in the installation and setup of their accounting rules and reports.Â
She eventually joined the Wagner College Alumni Association Board.
“I enjoyed working with other alumni but noticed we had no budget to assist in our goals,” Taranto Giordano said. “I initiated the Alumni Development Fund and now we can count on the income from that to subsidize events.”
When her father passed away, Taranto Giordano and her siblings raised $100,000 for the Barney Taranto scholarship offered at Wagner College.Â
Though retired, Taranto Giordano still assists in multiple family businesses and serves on the executive board for the Wagner College Guild.
Kevin Sheehy ’67 M’70 M’92 H’99 Alumni Leadership Medal
For consistent leadership and service
Ken Mitchell ’87 credits his uncle Alex Mitchell ’57 with inspiring him to attend Wagner and earn a degree in economics and business administration. As executive director of the Staten Island Zoo, Mitchell aims to pass on his inspiration to many Wagner College students who work as interns at the zoo.
“This valuable hands-on experience has given them important animal health fieldwork to cite in the competitive admissions process to veterinary schools,” Mitchell said.
Before the zoo, however, Mitchell worked in law, earning his degree from New York Law School in 1997. He worked as a principal law clerk in the New York State Supreme Court and was elected to New York City Council for Staten Island's North Shore in 2009. He spearheaded funding for Staten Island schools, cultural organizations, parks and libraries during his tenure.
When the Staten Island Zoo's former executive director retired, Mitchell agreed to serve as interim executive director in 2010. It turned out to be an ideal fit and the Zoo board officially named him executive director a year later.
“My Wagner College experience helped pave multiple career paths for me,” Mitchell said. “I grew up near the Staten Island Zoo and visited it many times, never imagining one day I would serve as its director. Fittingly, this role ties together my interests in civics, service to the community and leadership.”
Additionally, Mitchell serves on the board of directors of the Staten Island Economic Development Corp. and Lifestyles for the Disabled and United Activities Unlimited. In 2016, he was appointed Staten Island Borough Commissioner to the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission.
His biggest piece of advice for students: “Be open to new challenges and opportunities as you never know where life will take you.”
Distinguished Graduate of Wagner AwardÂ
For bringing honor through your career and contributions to your community
Cliff Oster ’69 of New Hampshire is a man of many passions. The history major has a deep interest in Indigenous American culture, art, music, geology, transcendental meditation, spirituality and more.
One successful path for Oster was the beverage industry. He was the director of purchasing and production at After the Fall, an early natural beverage company. Oster was also one of the founders of Vitaminwater in the 1990s. He supervised production of products during the company’s early years and was primarily responsible for ensuring the quality and taste.
When not creating new flavors, he can be found making stained glass art. He invented one of the world’s top silver stains used by prominent stained glass artists around the world — from Hard Rock Cafe to Westminster Hall and beyond.
At Wagner, Oster was a member of Phi Alpha Theta and Omicron Delta Kappa. After college, he received his master’s in history from City College of New York and worked as a teacher in New York. He has been a long-time support of the college and member of Inner Circle.
Oster and his wife, Marcia, have three children — Christopher Oster, Ajlan Beer and Brenden LaRock — and two grandchildren, William and Ellery Beer.Â
“I am grateful for the quality of the education received at Wagner,” Oster said. “It prepared me to overcome many challenges later in life.”
Wagner Alumni Key AwardÂ
For your professional achievements and dedication
Andrea De Loney ’10 is the senior manager for learning and organizational development at Warner Music Group to drive talent and facilitate collaboration. Her Mentoring Remixed Program there was nominated for the Agent of Change Award at the 2023 Music Biz Conference in Nashville in its first year.
De Loney studied business administration with a double concentration in marketing and management at Wagner before obtaining her MBA in strategic business management from Hofstra University. Both degrees have enabled her to apply business methodologies to her work as a DEI practitioner.
“Professor Frank DiSimone was an inspirational figure who ignited my passion for business management,” De Loney said. “His ability to foster critical thinking was unmatched. While uncertain of my career path at the time, I knew his guidance had equipped me with invaluable skills in decision-making and strategic planning.”
Among her accolades, De Loney has received the Long Island Business News’ Diversity in Business Award and the Black Women of Long Island Power Brunch Award. She was a Bishop Barbara J. Sims Scholarship honoree and recognized as one of the Suffolk County Legislature’s 2023 Champions of Diversity awardees.
In October 2023, De Loney launched LevelUp Coaching & Consulting LLC, an agency that designs transformative coaching and consulting solutions that enable their clients to elevate their careers and organizations. She has her Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance Certificate from Rutgers University and is a certified Hogan Assessment Facilitator.
Wagner Alumni Key AwardÂ
For your professional achievements and dedication
Michael Pinto ’10 is a lifelong Staten Islander whose face is likely recognizable by students as well as alumni. He was the president of the Student Government Association while attending Wagner and is currently a member of the adjunct faculty, teaching various pre-law classes such as Mock Trial and topics including the criminal justice system and American legal history.
“I still vividly remember arriving for orientation back in August 2006,” Pinto said. “I had no idea how fast the next four years would go. Commencement was one of the happiest days — and one of the saddest days, leaving a place where administration, faculty and staff looked out for and cared for each and every one of the students. The real world is not like that, which makes Wagner much more special. Each semester I tell my students to enjoy and cherish each and every moment at the College. You will not find another place like it.”
Pinto received his juris doctor from St. John's University School of Law in 2013. He worked for various law firms in New York City and in November 2023, he was elected as the youngest judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York. He currently sits on Kings County Criminal Court, where he presides over criminal arraignments, calendar parts and hearings.
Outside of the courtroom, Pinto is passionate about theater. He founded The Minty Organization for the Performing Arts in 2010, which has donated over $150,000 to high school theatre programs. Pinto has also overseen and implemented various educational programs taught by Broadway professionals. The organization has an award ceremony that attracts an audience of over 1,100 students, families and friends.
“I am incredibly humbled to be recognized by a place I truly consider my second home,” Pinto said. “Any success I have attained throughout my career would not be possible without the Wagner College community with its unwavering and steadfast support since I was a student.”
Reverend Lyle Guttu AwardÂ
For spiritual contributions and serving the needs of the local and global communities
Charles Gysel ’80 has fond memories of Wagner College. His favorite place to hang out was the 10th floor of Harbor View Hall with his friends from thechoir and Alpha Tau Mu sorority. The lounge was often filled with eating, laughing and — importantly — singing.
Music is one of Gysel’s greatest passions, having been the organist for the Wagner College Chapel and multiple area churches throughout the years. In 2023, he became the interim organist for Trinity Lutheran Church.
“One of the great joys of being a church organist is the feeling you get when you are the only person in a sanctuary,” Gysel said. “The first time I got that feeling was playing in the Lutheran sanctuary in the Kairos House, the former home of college presidents.”
Gysel grew up on Staten Island and attended Trinity Lutheran School — which was founded by Wagner’s Pastor Frederick Sutter — as a child. Most of his teachers graduated from Wagner, and a few years later, he had the pleasure of learning from Wagner Choir Director Arnold J. Running.
“To be conducted by him was a religious experience,” Gysel said. “He led every concert with a prayer backstage. He taught me to put my heart and soul into singing, even in a group.”
Another love of Gysel's is France. After receiving his degree in education, Gysel earned a master’s in French literature from Hunter College. He worked as an adjunct French professor at Wagner, in addition to teaching French, German and Spanish at local schools. In 1976, Gysel received a medal for devotion to the French language from the French Committee for the Bicentennial of Independence of the United States. He also studied at Université Laval in Quebec and taught in Toulon and Lyon, France.
