HORSEHEADS, N.Y. – John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. (JGUA) is pleased to announce the addition of three distinguished professionals to its Board of Directors: Christine Gallagher, Meleata Pinto, and Jason Nickerson. Their appointments follow the retirement of Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr., whose leadership and contributions to the Board have left a lasting impact on the firm.
The Board of Directors provides strategic guidance and oversight to ensure JGUA continues to serve clients with excellence. With these new additions, the Board now comprises 11 members:
- Robert Cole, M.D.
- David Hale
- John Nozell
- Robert O’Reilly, Jr.
- Barbara (Bobbie) Ullman
- John G. Ullman
- John G.M. Ullman
- Howard Zingler
- Meleata Pinto
- Christine Gallagher
- Jason Nickerson
“We are thrilled to welcome Christine, Meleata, and Jason to our Board of Directors,” said John G. Ullman, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer. “Their diverse expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow and serve our clients. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Art Kirk for his years of dedicated service. His guidance has left an enduring legacy, and we are honored to have had him as a member of our Board.”
New Board Members
Christine Gallagher brings extensive experience as a financial executive and investment banker, with deep expertise in capital markets, strategic finance, and risk management. She has advised on over 300 M&A and financing transactions, guiding companies through complex financial decisions. Christine is the founder of Alkamont Advisors and serves as an Executive Coach for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s Circle of Advisors program. Previously, she was a Managing Director at Truist Securities, leading Equity Capital Markets for multiple sectors. She also held senior roles at BMO Capital Markets, C.E. Unterberg, Towbin, and J.P. Morgan. Christine serves on the Board of Directors for Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals and is a Trustee Emeritus of Colgate University.
Meleata Pinto is a seasoned marketing leader with expertise in strategy, brand positioning, and demand generation. She currently serves as Sr. Director of Marketing at HCLSoftware, driving strategic development and revenue growth initiatives. Previously, she spent over a decade at Lenovo and IBM in leadership roles, including Global Marketing Director. Before transitioning to tech, Meleata had an award-winning career as a television producer, earning both an Emmy and a Peabody Award for ESPN’s SportsCentury series. She also served as Executive Producer for Duke-Carolina: The Blue Blood Rivalry. Meleata holds an M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Jason Nickerson is the President & Chief Operating Officer of John G. Ullman & Associates and a member of the firm’s Advisor Team. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and IRS Enrolled Agent, he has been with JGUA since 1998, working through nearly every department before being appointed President in 2023. With over 26 years at the firm, Jason is deeply committed to its client-first philosophy. In 2024, he was honored with the Eileen Collins ’76 Professional Achievement Award by SUNY Corning Community College. Passionate about financial education, he regularly teaches personal finance in classrooms and speaks at colleges and community organizations.
Current Board Members
Robert Cole, M.D. retired in March 2016 after a distinguished 50-year career as a general surgeon. He began his medical career with surgical training in the U.S. Army and later practiced in Corning, Elmira, and Bath, New York. Bob is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of several medical organizations. Bob has been a Director at John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. since 1979 and continues to serve as a Trustee of the Bobbie & John Ullman Family Foundation. In addition to his professional achievements, he has made significant contributions to his community, including leadership roles with the Corning Painted Post Area School District, Steuben ARC, and the Rotary Club, earning numerous awards for his service.
David Hale is the executive vice president and chief operating officer at the University of Richmond, overseeing divisions such as Advancement, Information Services, Athletics, and Business Affairs. He joined the University in 2013 as vice president for business and finance and treasurer. Before Richmond, Hale spent 20 years at Colgate University, including 12 years as vice president for finance and treasurer. His earlier career includes roles at Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, and Deloitte. Hale holds a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a master’s degree in accounting from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
John Nozell is the Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Access Alternative Investments, a fin-tech platform specializing in asset-supported alternative assets. He has held this role since 2019. Previously, John was the founding CEO of PayCargo Finance and CFO of PayCargo Europe. He also served as Head of School at Cheshire Academy, where he led a successful financial turnaround. From 2011 to 2014, he was COO of John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. John has held senior roles at Seabury Group, AWAS Aviation Services, and Advion BioSciences. He spent 18 years at Chase Manhattan Corporation in various executive positions. John holds a degree from Colgate University and an MBA from Cornell University. He is also active in community service, including roles at the Rockwell Museum and the Food Bank of The Southern Tier.
Bob O’Reilly is a partner at Acorn Innovestments, a venture capital firm investing in advanced material manufacturing companies with positive environmental impacts. He is also the founder and CEO of WellFleet Management, an education management firm focused on the childcare industry, and an active angel investor. Bob previously worked as a Private Wealth Adviser at Goldman Sachs in New York, managing $1 billion in assets and advising clients on philanthropic giving, estate planning, and asset allocation. He holds an MBA in Strategy from Duke University and a BA in Economics from Boston College.
Barbara (Bobbie) Ullman, has been with John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. since 1978, serving as Director and First Vice President. She has been a member of the corporation’s Strategic Planning Committee and had served as Chairman of the Behaviors and Training Committee. To be additionally helpful to John G. Ullman when JGUA was founded, Bobbie took the required courses and exam to become licensed with the firm as a General Insurance Broker. Before joining the firm, Bobbie spent over a decade as an elementary school teacher, teaching at Eisenhower Elementary School in Lansing, Illinois, and later at Frederick Carder Elementary School in Corning, New York. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from the State University of New York at Oswego and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Elmira College. Active in the community, Bobbie is the President and Trustee of the Bobbie and John G. Ullman Family Foundation, Inc. Bobbie’s extraordinary and visible long-term dedication to education, leadership, and community development has been well recognized and represents her passion, caring and lifelong commitment to making a significant and highly positive impact for children.
John G. Ullman, (“JGU”) is the CEO and Chairman of the John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc.’s Board of Directors. JGU founded John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. in 1978, serving as President through 2023. Before establishing the firm, he held various staff and management positions at Corning Glass Works, now Corning Incorporated, from 1972 to 1978. JGU also served as part-time faculty at Elmira College from 1972 to 1982, earning the designation of Adjunct Professor. He holds a B.A. with a concentration in Economics from Johns Hopkins University and an M.B.A in Financial Management from the University of Chicago. John is deeply involved in the community and has been recognized with numerous honors, including the W.C. Mepham Wall of Fame, Small Businessman of the Year by the Corning Chamber of Commerce, and The John G. Eberenz Enterprise Award. JGU is a Paul Harris Fellow and member of Rotary International, where he also served as a Past President and subsequently as District Governor for the Interact Club. John has contributed to youth sports as a Little League and Babe Ruth League Manager and has held leadership roles with the Corning Community College Business Development Center and the Elmira Pioneers Advisory Board. A member of Tau Epsilon Phi and Alpha Phi Omega fraternities, he has published business articles and interviews with local, regional, and national publications. Since 1993, John has been a trustee of the Bobbie & John Ullman Family Foundation, Inc., continuing his commitment to children, education, business, and community development.
John G.M. Ullman is the Director of Safer Chemicals and Procurement at Health Care Without Harm, a global non-profit organization. He develops strategies to help health systems procure safer products with reduced environmental impacts. Previously, John was a Sustainability Manager at Harvard University, where he focused on health and wellness initiatives and managed the university’s Green Revolving Fund. He holds an MBA and a Master’s in Environmental Management from Duke University, and a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Johns Hopkins University, where he also worked as a cancer researcher.
Howard Zingler retired from Corning Incorporated in 2011 after 34 years of service, holding various senior management roles, including Division Vice President and Vice President of Shared Services. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Industrial Administration from Carnegie-Mellon University. Howard has been an active member of the Corning community, serving on several non-profit boards, and currently serves as an independent Director on the Southern Tier Network Board.
Honoring Dr. Art Kirk’s Legacy
Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. brought decades of experience in higher education leadership when he joined the JGUA Board of Directors. He was a transformative college and university president for over 32 years, leading turnaround efforts at Keuka College and Misericordia University before serving as President of Saint Leo University for 18 years. Under his leadership, Saint Leo grew from a small campus of 730 students to a nationally recognized institution with over 16,500 students across multiple states and a thriving online education program. During his tenure, the university’s annual revenue grew from $26 million to over $170 million, and its endowment expanded from $6 million to over $100 million.
“Art’s leadership, wisdom, and commitment to excellence have been invaluable to our Board,” said Ullman. “We are incredibly grateful for his service and the legacy he leaves behind at JGUA.”
About John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc.
John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc., was founded in Corning, N.Y. in 1978. The firm is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) registered federally with the Securities & Exchange Commission*. As an independent, fee-based investment management firm JGUA provides comprehensive wealth management strategies and services to their clients. The firm manages over $1 billion in client assets, with a staff of more than 70 employees over four locations, including Horseheads, N.Y., Rhinebeck, N.Y., Charlotte, N.C. and Corning.
If you are interested in learning more about how JGUA could help you, visit our website HERE, or call 1 (800) 936-3785. You can follow us on, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and The JGUA Blog.
*Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training
