S.I.T.R.A.C.
SI Track Running and Community
Board of Directors
Vin Gattullo - President
Vin is “Mr.non-profit/community service” on Staten Island. For 57 years he has served as the Director of the Staten Island Zoo: President, CEO, Board Chairman of the American Parkinson Disease Association: Physical Director of the Eastern District YMCA; former chairman and member of the Staten Island Community Fund: Supervisor of Science C.S.D. 31: Founding member of the Staten Island Chapter (RSSA) and founding member of the S.I. Science Teachers Association (S.I.T.A.). Vin has worked as an adjunct professor at C.S.I. Wagner College, St.John’s University and Hunter College. He has a third year degree in Administration and Supervision from C.S.I.;M.S in Science Education from Wagner College and a B.S. in Biology from St. John’s University. At Curtis H.S he threw the shot put and set the Staten Island record. At St. Francis College (Brooklyn) and St. John’s University he threw the shot put,12lb, and 16lb hammer and the 35 lb. weight throw. In the U.S. Army he was the Fort Carson and the 5th Army track coach. Vin became a board member in June of 2009.
Pete Whitehouse - First Vice President
Pete Whitehouse is one of Staten Island’s native sons. He was born in West Brighton in 1942 and attended Blessed Sacrament Grammar school and St. Peter’s Boys High. In 1960, after finishing an outstanding high school career in track and field he rejected athletic scholarship offers from several eastern colleges, choosing instead to take a less traveled path to Notre Dame in what was considered then to be the "distant" mid west. In the words of Robert Frost, "that made all the difference." At Notre Dame he thrived. He earned a degree in sociology in 1964, sharing that proud moment in South Bend with his father and mother, Leo and Julia. His was the first college degree earned in his family. At Notre Dame he served as team captain and monogram club secretary. By his senior year he set the record as the highest point scorer in Notre Dame track history. He finished that memorable year by earning first team All America honors when he took second place in the 110-meter high hurdles in the NCAA championship meet in Eugene Oregon. Later that summer he qualified for and ran in the 1964 Olympic trials. After graduation Pete moved straight into the profession he always envisioned for himself, that of teacher and coach. He taught in both Catholic and public high schools but finished his 33-year career at Tottenville high school in 1997. The track teams he coached won more city championships than any other team in any other sport in PSAL history. His cross country program was ranked among the top five in New York State for the decades of the eighties and the nineties.
JoAnne received her B.S. in Athletic Administration and an M.S. Elementary Education, both from St. John's University. She has been a teacher for the past 23 years at Sacred Heart School. For the past twelve years after classes every day she journeys to St. Joseph by the Sea HS where she is the head coach for girls. Her teams have won titles in indoor and outdoor track and a CHSAA Sectional title in Cross Country. Joanne has held numerous offices in local T&F organizations since the 1970’s. Currently she is Vice President of the S.I.H.S.Track and Field Association and is New York CHSAA Sectional Representative on the Games Committee for the CHSAA Intersectional Meets. For the past 20 years at NYC Marathon time, JoAnne has been a tireless volunteer working at the starting line. She did her high school running at Tottenville HS where, among her other honors, she was the SI champion for 400 meters.
Alberto Garcia - Secretary
Al has been involved with track and field for most of his life. He graduated from Mount St. Michael High School in the Bronx, where he was the city champ four times in the 1600m(2), 3200m and 4 x 800. Al went on to run at St. John’s University where he was elected Captain and became a multiple scorer in many collegiate events. He was part of the 4 x 1500m relay that was ranked 5th in the country in 1987. At St. John’s Al also met his wife of 17 years, Youree, who was an exceptional runner. Al and Youree reside in the Silver Lake section of Staten Island with their four daughters Pariis, Brianne, Ariella and Sofia. After college Al’s running career didn’t end. In 1988 he won the very prestigious Mercedes Mile, Metropolitan section in 4:10.23. In 1989 Al was Puerto Rico ’s National Champion in the 1500m. Al is an admired runner on Staten Island . He has run for the SIAC team since moving to Staten Island in 1989. In 1995 Al set the St. Patrick’s Day Forest Avenue Mile record (4:13). That record still stands today. Additionally, in 2008 Al was inducted into the Mt. St. Michael’s Hall of Fame at which he still holds all the records from the 1500m to 5K Cross Country. Co-Founder of Island Express Youth Track Club. At this time Al coaches at Notre Dame Academy high school and at Our Lady of Good Counsel CYO track program. He is the meet director for the annual track and field Mad Dash meet. He also finds the time to coach the CYO basketball team at OLGC and the Unity Games. Al is a leader in his community and volunteers a lot of his time which he enjoys greatly. He has been working for the department of education for the past 22 years and 15 years as a supervisor. He is currently an Assistant Principal in NYC Public High School.
Jack Minogue - Treasurer
Jack Minogue has been involved in Staten Island sandlot baseball for more than a half-century. He has coached teams in nearly every sandlot level: Kiwanis Junior, CYO, Titan League, Babe Ruth, American Legion, and the Twyford-Muche Major League, which he helped reorganize, eventually ran and still runs. He began coaching in 1955, as an assistant for the Violets, a role he continued with the perennial Kiwanis Junior state champions until the team disbanded in 1960. He also started and coached CYO baseball and basketball teams at St. Rita’s parish in 1956. In 1968, Jack organized a twilight baseball league that continues to operate with 28 teams and bears Fred Muche’s name. Jack also teamed with Murphy League president Rich Guarino, a former player, to organize the S.I. Baseball Alliance, which combined into one operation the three Sunday leagues (top-seeded T-M, mid-level Murphy, and entry-level Pete Tomasino) with the Fred Muche League. Jack also still finds time to coach a team, Victory Sports. Jack taught at St. Peter’s H.S. for two years, at Port Richmond for 13 years, and then transferred, in 1974, to help start and administer the St. George School, a GED school. He retired in 1993, and then, five years later, was asked to reprise his role for the St George evening program. He retired again in 2002.Jack is best known by Staten Islanders for his work as sports writer and columnist at the Staten Island Advance. In 1960 he began working part-time as a sports reporter/columnist and today, as a full timer was one of the most influential sports writers the SI Advance employed. He retired from the SI Advance in November 2008.
Everyone would agree that Bill is the "dean" of all coaches and runners on Staten Island. Consider that he coached numerous champion athletes up to the level of the Olympics. Consider again that during his running career (which continues through today), he was one of America’s top-ranked distance runners. Honors that have been bestowed upon him are too numerous to list, but they include the highest in all categories related to running and coaching. He is a member of the SI Sports Hall of Fame and that of St Francis College. He has a lifetime membership in the SI Athletic Club and the Central Jersey RRC. He was there when the first SI high school cross country championship was held in 1954--- sponsored by his team, Augustinian Academy. Between 1946 and 1964 if there was a distance race of merit contested in the metropolitan area, Bill was probably in it and probably the winner. While he was discouraging the running competition, he was coaching successful runners as well. First at St. Francis College and then at high schools and clubs. His greatest coaching moments were perhaps at New Dorp High School beginning in the 1970’s. His coaching knew no boundaries as indicated by the variety of stellar performers. Bill knew the shot. hurdles, vault, sprints, distance and especially the high jump, where his pupil Billy Jankunis went on to qualify for the Olympics. Bill Welsh’s wisdom, optimism, good cheer and character give SITRAC a dignity it could not get anywhere else.
Jim began coaching track and field at the Parish of St. Clare on Staten Island in the spring of 1977, two years after competing his high school running career at Moore Catholic H. S. He, and his twin brother John ran cross country and track. Both excelled as exceptional sprinters. The St. Clare cross country and track and field programs have for some years numbered several hundred and have taken more than their share of Staten Island C.Y.O. Championships. Many athletes of St Clare have had successful high school and college careers in track and field. For thirty years Jim has been instrumental in developing and coordinating the CYO Track and Field program on Staten Island, the New York Archdiocesan Track and Field Championship Meet, and the CYONY team. The last mentioned has sent teams to the AAU National Track and Field Team Championships and the AAU Junior Olympics. He, along with the assistance of about a hundred volunteers, directs an average of 500 competitors in each cross country meet and more than 1000 competitors throughout each of the meets of the outdoor season.Jim has also been a track and field and cross country coach at Moore Catholic since the fall of 1977 and is the President of the Staten Island High School Track and Field Association a post he has filled with distinction for 25 years. In recent years, Jim and coaches Tom Kelly and Bob Orazem guided the Moore HS track program, which won the coveted New Balance Team of the Year Award. Jim graduated from Moore Catholic High School in 1975 and Pace University’s New York Campus in 1980. He has been teaching at Moore since 1980.
I am a partner in Parisi Rampulla & Lenza, P.C. along with spouse, Valerie Lenza Rampulla, Esq., and have practiced law for more than thirty (30) years. My practice specialty includes business law, real estate and estate resolution. I am a director of Staten Island Business Trends, a business newspaper mailed exclusively into the business and not-for-profit community. I consult with Internet companies where we introduced affinity based email. I have worked with MLB Properties Advanced Media, and currently consult with websites desiring member acquisition and strategic alliance. Managing Member of Lamp of Knowledge, LLC., d/b/a KnowledgePoints Learning Center Co owned with spouse Valerie Lenza Rampulla. I consulted with a former NYC Commissioner for Youth and Community Development who was a member of the Central Board of the NYC Board of Education, and NYC Area Director of the NYS School Boards Association. I consulted with the NYC Central Board of Education and participated in the formulation of online Internet safety rules and advisories. I am one of the founding members of the Michael J. Petrides Parent Athletic Club which has enrolled students in Staten Island athletic programs including the SI Soccer League, P.A.L. basketball, and competitive swim. These programs have operated more than a dozen years and have served thousands of children and families. I served five (5) years as an assistant coach with the Petrides School baseball team. I am a Board member of the Staten Island Heroes Foundation, a not-for profit which has hosted an essay contest for school age children who recognize heroes in the people that impact their lives and not the false idols of sport and entertainment. I am a Board member of the Staten Island Creative Photographers Guild, dedicated to the introduction of photographic arts to the community including presentation and instruction to school age children.
Jim has worked for M-F Athletics since the spring of 2005 covering the Mid Atlantic region. He was with UCS for 10 years until their move to
Edward Calvin Josey was born September 22, 1940, in New York City to the Late Anna and James Josey. As an infant Edward and his parents moved to Tottenville Staten Island. He received his education at P.S. 1 and Tottenville High School , both in Tottenville. He graduated from the College of Staten Island in 1964. Edward has been a member of Bethel United Methodist Church for over 40 years and has served as Vice President of the Trustee Board, a Boy Scout Committeeman and is currently the Chairman of the Church Council. Edward worked in the communications field for over 37 years retiring from Lucent Technology in August 2000. Membership and affiliations have included:President of the SI Branch NAACP Since 1997; President of the Staten Island League for Better Government; Treasurer of the Brown Bombers SAC of Staten Island; Board member of the College of Staten Island Alumni Association; Membership- Sandy Ground Historical Society; Membership-Staten Island African American Political Association; Member-SI North Star Lions Club. Awards Received: 1997- New York City Police Department Certificate of Appreciation; 1997-Distinguished Citizen Award from Tottenville High School; 1998- Superintendents Conflict Resolution Award from the New York City Board of Education; 1998- Rossville A.M.E. Zion Church Men’s Club Award; 1999-120 Pct. Community Council Award; 2000- New York State Conference of NAACP Branches Foot Solders Award; 2000- Staten Island H.O.P.E. Humanitarian Award; 2000-Rev. Arthur D. Phillips Humanitarian Award; 2001- Inducted into the College of Staten Island Alumni Hall of Frame; 2001- Brown Bombers Achievement Award; 2004- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award from Councilman Michael McMahon; 2004- 369th Vets Association Distinguished Service Award; 2008- Celebrating the Dream Award from Stapleton UAME Church; 2009- Presented Community Leadership Award by the Richmond City Democratic Committee. Edward and his wife Doreen of 35 years live in the Clifton Section of Staten Island.
Jeffrey W. Giordano
Mr. Giordano currently serves as CEO of IR Holdings International, LLC and is a Partner in Cava Capital, LLC. Mr. Giordano is a veteran Marketing Service Executive with deep expertise in Direct to Consumer Media and Marketing. Mr. Giordano has built, acquired, sold and been the CEO of a variety of successful companies, including: Media Syndication Global, Media Solution Services, and the Spiritual Cinema Circle. Mr. Giordano is an oft-quoted expert in Direct Marketing and has served as Chairman of the Electronic Retailing Association. Mr. Giordano is an Attorney and resides in Connecticut.
Christopher Benbow, Esq
Christopher H. Benbow, Esq. is currently the Principal Law Clerk to the Hon. Marcy L. Kahn, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, Criminal Term. He was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York in 1988.He is also certified to practice law in New Jersey, California and the District of Columbia. A long-time Staten Islander, Chris has served on boards of directors of the Greenbelt Conservancy, the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island and the recently reconstituted National Lighthouse Museum. He is a member, Friends of the College of Staten Island and Protectors of Pine Oak Woods. He is the immediate Past President, Ward Nixon Association and former member of board of directors of the Mud Lane Society for the Renaissance of Stapleton and the Staten Island Chamber Music Players.
Frank Sanchez
Frank is the general manager of the Staten Island Hilton Garden Inn. A graduate of St. John's University and Staten Island Tech. High School he has worked on many fundraising and charity events. Frank has won several awards including the 20 under 40 award presented by the SIEDC (Staten Island Economical Development Corporation) and the Rocco Laurie Award.
James Mortimer
A native Staten Islander, Jim grew up in New Brighton. He attended St. Peter’s Grammar School and St. Peter’s Boys High School , where he had an outstanding career as a cross country runner, a miler and a two miler including two Staten Island Cross Country Championships and a Bronx Manhattan Westchester Cross Country Championship. Jim then moved on to Manhattan College where he ran cross country and track until his junior year when injuries ended his career. While at Manhattan , Jim set a freshman record in cross country and was a member of Manhattan ’s winning team in the 1964 Metropolitan Cross Country Championships. While at Manhattan, Jim earned a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering in 1968. He then earned a Masters of Science Degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Construction Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1980. Jim is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New Jersey. After a three year stint as a Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, including a combat tour in the Republic of South Vietnam in 1970, Jim has worked in the construction industry for over 30 years. He is currently a Vice President with Hill International, Inc. a worldwide Construction Management and Construction Claims firm headquartered in Marlton, New Jersey, where he was selected as the Project Manager of the Year in 2002. Additionally, he taught classes in estimating and building methods and materials as an Adjunct Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology from 1988 to 2000. Jim still lives on Staten Island with his wife of 40 years, Kathleen. In addition to his professional life, Jim also coached CYO basketball for 25 years at St. Rita’s parish, was the race director of the D.A.R.E. Mini-Marathon for three years and is currently an organizer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Staten Island Community Walk.
Michael McMahon
Michael is a former Democratic U.S. Representative for New York's 13th Congressional district, which includes all of Staten Island, plus southwest Brooklyn, including Bay Ridge. While in Congress, Michael served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He was also elected Freshman Whip by the members of his class. Michael served on the New Democrats' Financial Services Task Force. He is credited with drafting the derivatives regulatory language (HR 3300), which was adopted in Dodd-Frank; bringing billions of dollars in infrastructure improvements to New York City; introducing and passing the Iran Human Rights Sanctions Act; and founding the Invisible Wounds Caucus, which continues to focus on veterans' mental health issues. Michael is a recognized leading voice in defending our nation's financial and real estate investment companies and promoting their importance to New York's economy. Prior to his time in Congress, Michael was a Member of the New York City Council. He was the Chairman of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management and a Member of the Land Use and Finance Committees. While on the Council, Michael spearheaded the implementation of a new Citywide Solid Waste Management Plan, wrote numerous laws revamping the City's recycling program, and oversaw the rezoning of hundreds of properties in the City. Earlier in his career,Michael worked for State Assembly Members Eric Vitaliano and Elizabeth Connelly. Michael has built a reputation as a pragmatic deal maker who has won support and praise from both sides of the aisle. He was endorsed multiple times for reelection by Mayors Bloomberg and Koch, Governor Cuomo, as well as the Conservative/Republican Borough President of Staten Island, James Molinaro. Prior to being elected to public office, Michael was a partner at the law firm of O'Leary, McMahon & Spero in Staten Island. He obtained his B.A. from New York University and his J.D. from New York Law School. He also studied for two years at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and speaks fluent German. He is a lifelong resident of Staten Island and is married to New York State Supreme Court Justice Judith McMahon. They have two children—Joseph, a senior at Notre Dame, and Julia, a freshman at Dartmouth.
Randy Horowitz
Randy Horowitz is the Associate Executive Director at the Eden II Programs. Randy completed School Administration and Supervision Certificate program at the College of New Rochelle and received a Master’s of Science in Education at Queens where she has been an adjunct lecturer in the special education department for the better part of ten years. Randy's interests include preparing and supporting students with autism for inclusion in mainstream activities. She has written (and has been awarded) numerous grants to support the inclusion of children and adults with autism into general education and other community based facilities and activities. Randy was rewarded for her work with the Dedication to ABA within New York State Award of Excellence and the Dedication to NYS Association of Behavior Analysis Award.
Rebecca Kekelishvili
Rebecca, born in 1993, recently graduated the Staten Island Technical High School and is currently studying electrical engineering and computer science at MIT. She developed interest in Robotics through her work as a programmer and web-developer on her high school’s robotics group – Team 375. She was a member of the MIT-Lemelson Invent team, Techsmart, and contributed to the development of a new Comfort Control Wheelchair Seating System which includes heating and cooling components, bacteria-free, porous seating fabric, and a pressure-relief aspect. She worked on the omnidirectional drivetrain which allows the wheelchair users to move in all four cardinal directions without making wide turns. With respect to this project, she and her team appeared on Science Friday radio show and several news stations. In addition to participating in Robotics and MIT-Lemelson program, Rebecca also took part in the NYU-Poly Inno/Vention and Business Plan challenge which she and her team won. In four years, she became proficient in C++ programming, networking for robot-to-computer communication, graphics and web design.
Frank Scrangello
Frank Scarangello Jr, a native Staten Islander grew up in Great Kills where he resides with his wife Kim and their son Frankie. A graduate of The City University of New York, Frank attended Tottenville High School and it was here that he took up the sport of track and field. Frank has maintained his passion for running since high school and still enjoys competing in marathons and road races throughout the City. Frank is President of his Family Owned business - Scaran Heating and Air Conditioning. He, along with his brother Tom, manage the day to day operations. Frank and his family are committed to supporting and serving the community where they live. In addition to supporting SITRAC, Frank also serves on the Board of the Staten Island YMCA, The St George Theater, and The Staten Island Chapter of the American Cancer Society, The Staten Island Rotary and The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. Frank also coaches both CYO basketball and YMCA baseball.
Ted Brown, PHD
Dr. Ted Brown grew up in Missoula, Montana, where he set high school track records in the 100 (10.0) and 220 (21.3) yard dashes and where he won the Montana State AA track meet two years in a row (‘63, 64). He entered the Johns Hopkins University and received a BA in 67, MS in 69, and Biophysics PhD in 73. He received an MD from Harvard Medical School in 74. He came to New York City, trained in Internal Medicine, and Medical Genetics. In 81, he became Chairman of the Department of Human Genetics of Staten Island’s Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR). In 91, he became Director of the Jervis Clinic, and a Professor at the Downstate Medical Center. In 2005 he became IBR’s Director. His research focuses on autism, Fragile X and premature aging. He is on the board of directors of the Mud Lane Society for the Renaissance of Stapleton and the Alice Austen House Museum. He is married to Donna, a speech pathologist, and has two children, Hunter and Montana. They live in a St Pauls Ave Victorian house that has been recently featured on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.
To be updatedStacy Lament
Dr. Andrew Warchol