College to honor leadership winners

James W. Taylor Jr., Ralph Martucci Jr. and Don Przytula will be honored MIDDLETOWN — The Educational Foundation of SUNY Orange will honor three Orange County residents for their leadership efforts in business, community and educational endeavors during the Foundation’s Second Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon, set for noon on Friday, Nov. 9 in the college’s Orange Hall Gallery. James W. Taylor Jr. will receive the Leadership in Business award, Ralph Martucci Jr. will be presented the Leadership in Community award and Don Przytula will accept the Leadership in Education award. “This awards program is a terrific way for the Foundation to recognize the outstanding work that is being done by folks within the community,” said Vinnie Cazzetta, SUNY Orange’s vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the Educational Foundation. “They have served as outstanding role models for their colleagues and peers, and each is certainly deserving of this award.” Taylor, chairman of Taylor Recycling, is a renowned industry expert in the areas of recycling, debris sorting and recovery, and renewable energy. A SUNY Orange graduate, Martucci recently concluded a 10-year stint as chairman of the College’s Educational Foundation. Among his many community leadership posts are the roles of director emeritus of the Orange County Partnership and former director of the Orange County Capital Development Corporation. He is director of corporate business operations for Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. Przytula boasts nearly 30 years of experience as a guidance counselor in Orange County school districts. He has worked in the Monroe-Woodbury school district for 19 years, serving as director of guidance for the past 13 years. He spent 11 years as a guidance counselor at Minisink Valley High School. He also has worked with SUNY Orange to initiate an instant admissions program for seniors who did not have any postgraduate education plans. That has since been expanded to other districts.