Edward Szczesniak
Commander - Army
EDWARD J. SZCZESNIAK
ejszcz1@gmail.com ejszcz@twcny.rr.com
315-288-4008(h)/ 315-263-7468(c)
Edward J. Szczesniak has a demonstrated record of leadership and service
to country, to community, Church, and to the Democratic Party. His
knowledge, experience, and willingness to share it have earned him a
reputation as an expert in election administration as well as political
campaigning at the local, state, and national levels. He and his wife of
57 years, Mary Jane, live in the Town of Cicero in Onondaga County,
New York.
Ed Szczesniak was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US
Army in 1965 and was on active duty from January 1966 through July
1971 serving tours of duty in Korea (company executive officer) and
Viet Nam (company commander). He was transferred to the United
States Army Reserves and retired from the Military with the
distinguished rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He is the recipient of the
Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster,
and many other United States and Vietnam military decorations. Ed
is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Liverpool/Clay Post
951 and was elected as Commander in December 2021 and continue to
the present. He was recognized on the list of All-State 2021-2022 Post
commanders.
Ed Szczesniak has been a leader in the Democratic Party. He was
elected Democratic Commissioner of Elections for the Onondaga
County Board of Elections in 1991 and had been re-elected every two
years since then and retired on 2/7/08. Ed has served as chair of the
Executive Committee of the New York State Election Commissioners
Association (NYSECA) and as chair of the Democratic Caucus of the
NYSECA. In 2003, he was selected to be the first Democratic
representative for New York State to the federal Election Assistance
Commission Standards Board and served thru January 2008.
His interest in public office began in 1981 when he ran for the office of
Clay Town Supervisor. Not to be discouraged, Ed ran for the County
Legislature in 1983, in 2009, and in 2015 losing by less than 138 votes in
each contest. He has been a key campaign coordinator for Assemblyman
Michael Bragman, former Majority Leader of the New York State
Assembly, and in 1986 he was campaign manager for Rosemary Pooler,
candidate for the 27th NY US Congressional district. After six years of
tireless work on behalf of the Democratic Party and its candidates, Ed
was elected Chairman of the Onondaga County Democratic Committee
in 1988 and led the party until 1994. During 1988- 2018, he was elected
and then re-elected to the Executive Committee of the New York State
Democratic Committee and, from 1992 to 2018, he had been elected and
reelected as a Vice Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee.
Ed was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1992 and a
Rules Committee member for the Democratic National Convention in
1996. He was recognized as the Onondaga County Democrat of the
Year in 1997, the Valley Democratic Club’s " U Dun Good” award in
1998 and Clay Democrat of the Year in 2005. In August 2000 Ed
organized a fund raiser for Hillary Clinton’s US Senate race at Edward
Green’s home in Cazenovia. Over 400 guests, including President Bill
Clinton, attended and raised over $100,000.
Ed Szczesniak has an impressive history of community service. He
served as Chairman of the Board of Managers of the North Area YMCA
and was President of the Greater North Syracuse Chamber of
Commerce. In addition, Ed was co-founder and first President of the FB
Federal Credit Union and was elected to numerous leadership
positions, including President and Junior Football League
Commissioner while a member of the Liverpool Jaycees. He became a
Knight of Columbus in 1965 and served as Grand Knight for the Bishop
Cunningham Council 10904 and as Faithful Navigator for the Bishop
Joseph T. O’Keefe Assembly 2663 in Cicero, New York. As Grand
Knight, he led his Council to the Supreme Council’s - Star Award for
2012-2013 and Double Star Award for 2013-2014. He achieved the
honors of membership in the Knights of Columbus NYS Council Circle
of Honor Gold for the 2013-2014 Columbian Year. He was recognized as
his Council’s 2015 Knight of the Year. Ed and his wife Mary Jane were
recognized as the 2022 Family of the Year for Bishop Cunningham
Council 10904. Ed was appointed the 4th Degree New York District 3
Master St. Issac Jogues Province by Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly
effective 9/1/22.
Ed has served Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cicero as a member of
it’s parish council as well as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister.
Ed Szczesniak was involved in real estate investment and development
for over thirty-five years. He owned and managed a combination of
residential and commercial properties. He was also employed by Miller
Brewing Company in Fulton, New York as the Manpower Coordinator,
and prior to that time, he was an account executive with Merrill, Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner and Smith in Niagara Falls, NY.
Ed Szczesniak was born in Buffalo, New York on November 22, 1943.
He graduated from Canisius High School in 1961 and from Canisius
College in 1965 with a B.S. degree in history. Ed is a member of the
Canisius College Alumni Association, and with his wife Mary Jane have
created Honors and Polish Heritage scholarships, and because of his
leadership and hard work on behalf of the college, he was inducted into
the college’s prestigious Di Gamma Honor Society. Ed and Mary Jane
(Nagowski) have three sons: Jim (Karen), Mark (Nancy) and David
(Jennifer). Their eight grandchildren include Sydney Marie (1995), Ian
James (1996), twins Brynn Alexander and Joshua Grey (1999), Heather
Tesia (2001), Emma Victoria (2002), Eric Michael (2003) and Mason
Edward (2006).
as of 11/28/2022
