News

WCNY Names Tonello as VP of Advancement, Communications and Content Delivery

by Rouhollah Goudarzi

April 16, 2012

WCNY-TV/FM, Central New York’s public media company, has named John S. Tonello, of Baldwinsville, as Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

Tonello will be responsible for driving the strategy and execution of all WCNY advancement activities, including the completion of the $20-million “Campaign for WCNY,” membership, volunteers and events, development, grants and overall fundraising. The “Campaign for WCNY” is the capital campaign to raise the remaining $3.5 million needed to complete funding for WCNY’s new Broadcast and Education Center in downtown Syracuse.

In addition, Tonello will oversee WCNY’s brand image, wcny.org, on-air trafficking, messaging on all WCNY platforms, public relations and media services.

“As a member-supported organization, it’s critical that our programming, content, messaging, development strategy and branding are always completely aligned and passionately executed on all our delivery platforms – television, radio, web and print,” said Robert J. Daino, WCNY’s President and CEO. “With his strong leadership and technical and managerial background, I’m confident John will be a valuable member of the WCNY team.”

Tonello is a 1987 graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School and has more than 20 years of experience in communications, public affairs and information technology in corporate, higher education and government settings.

He was director of communications for Cornell University’s Graduate School for nearly eight years before becoming the school’s director of information technology in 2010. In December 2011, Tonello completed two terms as Mayor of the City of Elmira. He previously worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, online manager, and media-relations professional.