SUNY Potsdam Welcomes Retired IT CEO Ronald Fischbeck ’80 as Keynote Speaker for Commencement on May 17
Ronald Fishbeck ’80 will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Commencement ceremony at SUNY Potsdam on Saturday, May 17.
The State University of New York at Potsdam will honor the Class of 2025, as hundreds of students earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees, during the College’s 205th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 17.
Keynote speaker
This year’s keynote speaker for Commencement is the successful SUNY Potsdam alumnus Ronald Fishbeck ’80, the retired CEO of Systems Made Simple, who also serves as the vice president of the Potsdam College Foundation Board of Trustees.
Fishbeck earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science at SUNY Potsdam, where he met his wife, Teresa Fishbeck (Hon. ’19). After graduation, they moved to the Northern Virginia area, where he began his career with Computer Sciences Corporation, working on anti-submarine warfare systems, combat control systems and satellite communication networks. In 1985, Fishbeck joined Presearch Inc. to develop a software engineering competency for the company. In 1986, the couple and their two young children relocated to Syracuse, N.Y.
In 1990, Fishbeck and a business partner established a computer services company called Systems Made Simple, headquartered in McLean, Va. As CEO of the $350 million company, Fishbeck and his executive management team were successful in helping the company achieve recognition in the Inc. 500/5000’s List of Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies, beginning in 2009. The company repeated on the Inc. 500/5000 lists for five years running. The bulk of the company’s contractual work was done in service to the nation’s veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Under Fishbeck’s leadership, Systems Made Simple was named to the Washington Fast 50 in 2010 and 2012; the Top 100 Federal Contractors list in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; and earned the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s ePioneer Award for Innovative Solutions in eGovernment, as well as NECCC’s Cost Reduction and Cost Avoidance Award. In 2014, the Lockheed Martin Corporation acquired Systems Made Simple, which had become a leader in the healthcare information technology industry.
Now retired, the Fishbecks reside in Aroda, Va., and spend time with their two grown children, Jonathan and Nicole, and five grandchildren, who live nearby in the Virginia area. They have hosted a number of events to steward giving to support the College and have generously given more than $700,000 to support scholarships and programs at SUNY Potsdam.
SUNY Potsdam will celebrate its 205th Commencement on Saturday, May 17 at 10:15 a.m. in the Academic Quad. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/commencement.
Ceremony details
SUNY Potsdam will hold its Commencement Ceremony outside in the Academic Quad, rain or shine, unless there are extreme weather conditions. Guests are asked to dress appropriately for the weather, and bring umbrellas, blankets or sunscreen if needed. There will be an option for guests who are uncomfortable with weather conditions to watch the ceremony live on a large screen inside, in the Knowles Conference Center.
For family and friends around the world, SUNY Potsdam will stream the ceremony live on the College’s YouTube channel again this year.
There is an emergency weather plan for Commencement, in case of extreme conditions like lightning or freezing temperatures. Under the emergency plan, an indoor ceremony would be held at 10:15 a.m. in the Maxcy Hall Jerry Welsh Gymnasium. Graduates would be given four tickets for guests, with overflow seating made available in the Maxcy Hall Ice Arena.
Immediately following the ceremony, a reception will be held for graduates and guests.
To learn more about Commencement at SUNY Potsdam, visit www.potsdam.edu/commencement.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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