Meet Our Treasurer

When Cathy Braniecki, Board treasurer, joined the Cazenovia Recovery Board in 2004, she never thought that a family member would one day face the challenges of addiction.

“If it were not for my involvement here, I would not have understood what he was going through nor would I have been able to help,” she said, adding: “He is doing well.”

Cathy Braniecki, Board treasurer

Cathy is senior vice president of corporate responsibility at KeyBank, where she has been for 22 years. Among the areas she oversees are community development banking, work with not-for-profits offering affordable housing, outreach to low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, and the bank’s compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act. “It’s all about being a good corporate citizen and where the bank fits in within our community,” she said.

With such important career responsibilities, further increased by the recent First Niagara merger, Cathy still finds time to serve as treasurer of the Cazenovia Recovery Board.

Her introduction to our agency came when she met Executive Director Sue Bissonette while they both served on an Erie County Commission on Homelessness task force. Since then, our Housing program has continued to expand and offer new ways for those in need to find housing. Cathy became involved with our agency, she said, “because I saw what Sue wanted to do.” She was also instrumental in the creation of Amherst Station Apartments, an environmentally-friendly apartment complex our agency opened in 2010 for low-income individuals and families.

Cathy values the camaraderie among fellow Cazenovia board members, all dedicated to the organization’s mission. In her opinion, among the agency’s greatest strengths are the staff, its number and variety of programs, and its ability to deliver services while remaining  current.

“The staff inspire me with their dedication and everything they are trying to accomplish,” she said. “Recovery Day has shown me that people can recover. As a board member, I appreciate the opportunity to stand behind Sue and say: ‘Go ahead and do it. We’re here for you.’ ”