President Biden has nominated Daemen Board of Trustees member Robert Gioia for the position of Commissioner of the International Joint Commission, where he would serve as a key leader in the Biden administration.
The panel is composed of six commissioners, three from Canada and three from the U.S., and is responsible for investigating transboundary issues and for approving projects that impact water flows across the border. Gioia would be filling a vacant U.S. Commissioner spot.
In a statement announcing President Biden’s nominees, the White House said, “Robert D. Gioia has been an influential community leader dedicated to the betterment of the Buffalo-Niagara region for decades, leading many of the region’s most consequential initiatives.”
Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, was quick to praise Gioia’s skills: “Throughout his career, whether as President of the John R. Oishei Foundation or his service on several public commissions, Robert Gioia has shown he is not only a trust steward of his community’s greatest assets, but a leader who can advance these assets to truly make a positive difference in our world now and for decades to come.”
Gioia has dedicated decades to improving the WNY region and has led many important initiatives. After 15 years, Gioia recently retired as the President of the John R. Oishei Foundation. In addition to the Daemen Board, he serves as the Chair of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, a nonprofit that oversees some of the area’s largest health care and research partners to improve access to and the quality of health care delivery. He is also the Chair of the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology.
“We extend a heartfelt congratulations to Trustee Gioia for being nominated to this prestigious position,” said Daemen President Gary Olson. “This nomination is a tribute to Robert and his decades of work helping to make our region a better place for us all.”
The nomination will now go before the Senate for final approval.