PM Rotary Welcomes Adrian Hale of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

 

    Rotarian Marty Medina introduced his good friend Adrian Hale, who currently serves as Manager of Strategic Initiatives with the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Before he told the assembled members about his work with the C of C, however, Adrian chose to share some of the details of his life that led him to this point.

     He was raised on Avenue D in Rochester, he said, and would have been headed for the “street life”  if he had not been introduced at the age of 12 to Marty Medina through their mutual love of speed skating. Marty “took him under his wing” and made sure he got to skating practice on time each day, and guided him to stay in school and look to a future beyond the inner city neighborhood. After graduating from John Marshall High School, Adrian enlisted in the Marine Corps and served two tours in Afghanistan, an experience which provided a further “global perspective” to his outlook on life.

     Following his military service, Adrian started classes at Monroe Community College where he encountered another Mentor in his life – former Rochester Mayor and Police Chief Bob Duffy, who now serves as President and CEO of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Through this association, Adrian continued his education at Yale University, where he graduated in December of 2016.

     While this education prepared Adrian for many career opportunities, he chose to return to Rochester, where he could work with his mentor, Bob Duffy, and the Chamber staff to help deal with the many challenges facing the city. As Manager of Strategic Initiatives, he works closely with many other entities, including the City School District, Photonics, and others in confronting the issues of poverty and employment.

     Of all that his work entails, Adrian noted, he is most passionate about programs and activities that can help steer young people away from the “street life” and prepare them for a future of meaningful work and responsibility within the greater community.