FLBC Officers
On January 15, 2023 the FLBC members held elections for officers of the club. We welcome the following beekeepers to their new leadership roles.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the club,
you can send a note to the Officers at hello@fingerlakesbeeclub.com.
President
Denise O’Leary
Denise got her start in beekeeping at Ithaca College in 2016. Since then, she has not stopped talking about bees! Certified as a Cornell University Master Beekeeper in 2021, Denise hopes to educate and spark passion for our pollinator pals! When not beekeeping, you can find her crafting culinary delights at Cafe DeWitt!
Vice President
Linda Allen Mizer
Linda Mizer, born in Great Britain, lives in to Groton, NY. She has taught gross anatomy, embryology and histology to veterinary students. She was honored to give bee anatomy lectures at CUCVM’s Cornell Honey Bee Health course, retired in 2020, and is an Emerita Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Linda has been active in the FLBC off/on for 15 years, and manages a home apiary that has held from 2-32 colonies. Currently she is Vice Chair of the Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS) and is actively involved in the planning and implementation of each annual EAS conference. Linda is the Editor for the EAS Journal that is published three times a year, and the Conference Program that is published annually. She is currently pursuing an interest in pollen sources available to the EAS states and provinces over the seasons – and continuing to learn about honeybees and other pollinators.
2nd Vice President
Nancy Munkenbeck
I don’t remember when I joined the bee club - it was over 15 years ago. I’ve been keeping a few hives since then, trying all sorts of methods of maintaining hives and enjoying the buzz. Before retirement I taught chemistry laboratory at Cornell with some excursions teaching intro bio at a few colleges. My graduate work (long ago) was in domestic animal behavior. I live in Ellis Hollow on a sheep farm. I hope to add to background work for the club such as identifying speakers/leaders for topics/workshops/gatherings (future???). I’m not an expert on Zoom, and I’m a slow typist, but I’m good on the telephone.
Secretary
Judy Swann
I am new to the club this year (and beekeeping) but have a background in marketing, management, librarianship, art, poetry, and dance. I am recently retired and can think of nothing so vital to the state of our world as healthy bees. For more about me, see www.jmswann.com and wheelsoffire.org.
Treasurer
George Myers
I’m entering my ninth year of beekeeping. I’ve had great joy managing my hives, and have learned most of what I know from my FLBC mentor and the club members who are always willing to share their expertise. When not tending the bees, I am a classical violist who tries hard not to get stung on the hand before a concert.
Apiary Manager
Peter Borst
Peter L Borst started the path to beekeeping in 1974, having read Maeterlinck’s "Spirit of the Hive.” He worked for several commercial beekeepers before landing a job in a beekeeping supply factory. He, his wife and 2 small kids were accepted into the US Peace Corps to teach beekeeping in Chile. In the 1980s he managed his own bee business of 450 hives. In 1999 he went to work at Cornell’s Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Research. He served 3 seasons at a NYS apiary inspector. For the past ten years he has been a steady contributor to the American Bee Journal. Peter is a long time member of the FLBC and has held officer positions and volunteered as apiary manager for many years. Affectionately known as Dr. Pete, he serves as a personal mentor to many. He is retired and lives in the woods near Ithaca.