2021 Commencement Speaker & Honorary Degrees
To ACPHS Community,

It is my great pleasure to share with you that Hugh Johnson will be the speaker at the College's 141st Commencement exercises taking place on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. He will also receive an honorary degree from the College.

Hugh is the Chairman and Chief Economist of Graypoint LLC, and is also the Chairman and Chief Economist of Hugh Johnson Advisors, a division of Graypoint. Hugh has more than 40 years of investment experience, and his work on the U.S. economy and financial markets guides the firm’s investment strategy. Hugh is a nationally recognized expert and has been sought out to provide his commentary on major economic issues and trends by various media outlets including The New York Times, CNN and Wall Street Journal.

In addition, the College will be presenting honorary degrees at Commencement to Walt Borisenok and Tom McPheeters.

Walter Borisenok co-founded Fortitech Inc, in 1986 and served as its CEO until the sale of the company to the global Dutch life science company DMS in November 2012. Fortitech was a developer and manufacturer of nutritional products to the food, pharmaceutical and life science industries. Fortitech became a global industry leader with four business units and seven manufacturing plants across the world. The company was a strategic supplier to a number of companies including Abbott Labs, Nestlé, Novartis and Coca-Cola. Walt has served on the College's Board of Trustees since 2013.

Tom McPheeters is a retired newspaper reporter and editor, urban organizer, community activist, and not-for-profit executive who works as the Chief Operating Officer of AVillage…, Inc., a South End community-building organization. He has helped shelter the homeless, feed the hungry and lift up impoverished neighborhoods. His current focus is the South End Community Collaborative, the Innovation Blocks project, and supporting new health programs. Tom also serves as an advisor to the Lincoln Fund, a charitable fund focusing on the South End of Albany, that was created with proceeds he donated from the sale of a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to his great-great-grandfather.

We are very much looking forward to seeing our graduates in-person to celebrate the achievements of the ACPHS Class of 2021!

Greg Dewey
ACPHS President