Board of Education
THREE ELECTED TO BOARD OF EDUCATION ON MAY 19, 2009
District residents elected three trustees to three-year Board of Education terms on May 19. They are incumbent Jay Rifenbary and newcomers Aaron AuBuchon and Steve Grandin. To learn more, read the biographical information below.
AARON AuBUCHON
Aaron AuBuchon, a resident of Greenfield Center, is a native Kansan who was born, reared and educated in Pittsburg, Kansas, before moving to Saratoga Springs in 2003. His interest in the concerns and issues of the educational system come naturally to him. He is the son of educators--his mother a twenty-nine year veteran English teacher and his father a college administrator for forty years. Mr. AuBuchon graduated from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and a major in finance. As a scholarship athlete, he garnered two-time All-American status as a collegiate golfer, and in September 2008 he was inducted into the Pittsburg State University Sports Hall of Fame.
Mr. AuBuchon has worked with biotech companies for the past twelve years. His current position is with Genoptix Medical Laboratory. He also has a background experience in banking, working with a regional bank in Kansas as an investment broker. He has participated in numerous management/leadership courses, including Leadership Pittsburg. These positions and courses have helped Mr. AuBuchon fine-tune his communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Mr. AuBuchon and his wife Sandi have two preschool children, Averie and Chase, who will be attending Saratoga Springs schools in the near future.
STEVE GRANDIN
Steve Grandin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Arts from Cornell University in 1977. He is a Senior Account Executive at Capitol Hill Management Services in Albany; his duties include serving as Administrative Director of two national organizations (the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators and the Academy of Certified Archivists), Editor of the New York State Legislative Reference Guide, and Administrator for the New York State Education Department's Ophthalmic Dispensing practical licensing examination.
Mr. Grandin, who has lived in Saratoga Springs for 27 years, previously worked as an editor for Gannett News Service, including seven years as Sports Editor of The Saratogian. He has served on the Saratoga Springs City School District's Facility and Space Planning Team, and is an active member of the New York State Sports Writers Association. Mr. Grandin and wife Renee live in the Geyser Crest neighborhood of Saratoga Springs and have three sons, all graduates of Saratoga Springs High School -- Philip (Class of 2001), a high school physics teacher in Leominster, MA; Alex (Class of 2006), a junior at Boston University, majoring in Classics Education; and Will (Class of 2008), a freshman at Binghamton University, majoring in Music.
JAY RIFENBARY
Jay Rifenbary was first elected to the board in 2006. He is president of the Rifenbary Training & Development Center, and author of the international best-seller, “No Excuse – Incorporating Core Values, Accountability, and Balance Into Your Life and Career.” The book earned the “Book of the Year” award from the North American Book Dealers Exchange. Mr. Rifenbary is a professional speaker, trainer, and consultant, and has provided his expertise in the areas of personal development, leadership and communication training to Fortune 500 companies, associations and schools nationwide.
He serves on the Board of Directors for the YMCA and Patriot Hills of New York, and is a member of the 20th Congressional District selection committee for the nation's service academies. He received his bachelor of science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1980, with a concentration in nuclear physics. Residents of Saratoga Springs, he and his wife, Noni, have two children: Nicole, 25, and Jared, 21, who are graduates of Saratoga Springs High School.