If you were to ask a Siena student “How did you hear about Siena?”, they probably will say “I saw an ad” or some other social media pitch. But for some of us, Siena has been in our families for generations. We’re called “legacies”, descendants of former students who walked these halls many years ago.
I just so happen to be a legacy myself….2nd generation, actually. Before me, my grandfather and his older brother attended Siena. We’ve lived locally for my entire life, so Siena has become a second home for us. Today I got the chance to talk with the reason I’m a legacy: my grandfather, Michael Bossert.
An accounting major from the Class of 1968, Michael has lived in Albany his entire life. He just retired from Tri City Rentals a few years ago from a CFO position, and he recently finished his term on one of Siena’s boards. Before I even existed, my grandfather was taking his own children – my mother and my uncle – to Siena men’s basketball games when they still played in the ARC and eventually to the Times Union when the team moved there permanently.
He loves watching the games with me, and now that I am attending Siena we are closer on an educational level. When I asked if we could sit down to talk about his time at Siena, he happily obliged.
Her Campus Siena: What made you choose Siena over schools such as UAlbany, Russell Sage, and Saint Rose?
Michael Bossert: A couple of things. One, Siena was a Catholic school. I grew up in a Catholic family, and went to Catholic grammar school and high school, so it was a tradition to go on to a Catholic college. We had limited resources in our family. Siena was the only college that I applied to because I knew I would have to both work while I went to college and live at home. Being a resident student was a luxury my family couldn’t afford.
HCS: Was accounting your first choice when deciding on your major?
MB: Interestingly, in high school I didn’t take any business-related courses. When I applied to Siena, I had decent marks in high school and applied as a history major. During the summer, Siena approached me based upon my academics and suggested I switch to being a math major. For whatever reason, I thought all the issues through and chose to enter in the business division as an accounting major. It was a very good decision for me.
HCS: When you were at Siena in the 1968 class, it was still a male-only school. What was it like back then?
MB: Back in the 60s, most of the schools were male- or female-oriented. Saint Rose and Russell Sage were for women, Siena was all men. At my high school, Vincentian Institute, the Brothers of Holy Cross only taught men, so I had no women in my classes through high school and going on to college it was really just continuing what I was used to. There weren’t any women on the campus other than a few secretarial positions and in the library.
HCS: What extracurriculars did you do while at Siena?
MB: I was very limited in my extracurriculars. I played intramural basketball, touch football, but I worked two nights a week and on Saturdays.
HCS: During the 60s, it was the height of the Vietnam War. What impact did it have on Siena?
MB: The Vietnam War had a very significant impact on all of us in the 60s. The draft was in place, if you weren’t in college you would be drafted and likely go to Vietnam. Siena had a very prominent ROTC program which was mandatory for all freshman and sophomores. As I was about to graduate, I found an opportunity to join the Army Reserves as a medic. I went active for 6 months and then served the remaining 6 years of my active duty locally at the VA Hospital.
HCS: Can you tell me about your career path?
MB: Fortunately, I had 3 careers in my life. Upon graduation, I joined one of the big 8 accounting firms, Peat Marwick Mitchell (aka KPMG), where I worked for 4 years and earned my CPA certificate that opened other career opportunities. I then chose Higher Education, spending 6 years at RPI followed by 12 years at the Russell Sage Colleges as the Vice President for Administration and Finance. I wanted to make a career change for another experience. I joined Tri City Rentals, Massry Realty Properties as CFO and became a junior partner for the last 24+ years as my 3rd career.
HCS: Can you tell us a little bit about your various careers?
MB: My first career in Public Accounting, I was on the audit team primarily in the banking industry and in not-for-profits, some high schools, some other not-for profits. I moved on to Higher Education at RPI and ultimately the VP for Finance and Administration at the Sage College, where everything that was outside the area of the academics fell under my responsibility. After 12 years, I chose a 3rd career. I became the CFO at Tri City Rentals, a privately-held, real estate organization with 400+ employees owning and operating 45+ apartment communities primarily in upstate New York – Albany, Rochester, and Buffalo – with about 12,000 units owned and operated by the staff at each property. After 24+ years, at age 69 I retired happily with my with Lea to enjoy partial residence in Florida.
HCS: It seems like 3 very interesting careers. Now that you are retired, what do you do in your free time?
MB: I enjoy more free time with my family, traveling and playing golf.
HCS: It’s my understanding that you had the opportunity to serve on a few different boards. What were they like? MB: I was fortunate to have an opportunity to give back to the community, and have service on a number of boards of director. I am on the regional Boy Scouts Audit Committee. I’ve served on the board of the Rensselaer Chamber of Commerce, and continue as a UAlbany Housing board member. My two most important boards are the Commission on Economic Opportunity – a large community-action organization with a $20+ million budget – and the Siena Board of Associate Trustees and as a member of the Finance Committee. My two terms recently expired.
HCS: Sounds important. So now that I’m going to school here, what advice can you give me with regards to campus life, activities, classes, etc.?
MB: There’s no substitute for hard work. That’s the first and most important advice that I can give to you. I also encourage you and others to become involved in as many extra curricular activities as possible because college affords the opportunity for people to grow both educationally and as people so in the future they can make their contribution to the community.
HCS: I want to ask a question that you probably don’t hear a lot: If you could go back in time to right before you started at Siena, would you change anything about your college experience?
MB: My Siena experience was wonderful. I enjoyed it a great deal. The one thing I did miss, and if I could do it again I would have wished to be a resident student. I left campus every day about 3 o’clock and never had a chance to be a participant in campus life.
HCS: I think we’re almost done here. Do you have any advice for current students regarding career choices and how to make the most of your time at Siena?”
MB: I was fortunate that the economy in 1968 was very strong and I had excellent opportunities for employment. I would encourage people to get a well-rounded education but to pick a professional career that they will enjoy and be able to achieve gainful employment.