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Fritz has lived in Verona all his life and grew up on his family's dairy farm. After earning his Associate Degree at Herkimer County Community College in Radio/TV Broadcasting, Fritz worked for his Dad on the farm. While still working full-time on his Dad's dairy farm, Fritz went to college full time at the SUNY Institute of Technology. He completed his Bachelor's Degree in Business & Public Management with a minor in Marketing in May 1995. In 1996, Fritz took a job with the Madison County Department of Social Services (MCDSS). While employed at MCDSS, Fritz returned to the SUNY Institute of Technology to work on his Master's Degree in Business & Public Management with a minor in Human Resource Management. Fritz graduated in May 1998. While employed at MCDSS, Fritz started coordinating the St. Jude Children's Hospital Bike-A-Thon in Central New York. Fritz led this community initiative for five years. In November 2000, Fritz took a job in the New York State Government. His first job in New York State Government was the Office of the NYS Comptroller (OSC) in On April 11, 2008, Fritz was selected by the Division of State Government Accountability at the Office of the New York State Comptroller (OSC) in Albany, NY to win an award at the Employee Recognition Awards Ceremony, which covered the nomination period of August 1, 2007 through January 31, 2008. Fritz was the supervisor of the Desktop Publishing Unit, which was nominated in the Customer Service category, for "the team's outstanding work in converting draft and final reports to the public format; proof reading the reports, distributing the reports to the audited agency / agencies, and other officials within OSC, the New York State Division of Budget, and the New York State Legislature." In 2010, Fritz created the Fred Scherz Sr. Memorial Scholarship for Volunteer Community Service. This annual award is given to a senior from the Town of Verona who is voluntarily engaged in community service. Fritz, in his role as Councilman on the Verona Town Board, started hosting Town Hall-Style meetings, so residents from the Town of Verona could personally meet with him to discuss matters they're concerned about. In the fall of 2010, Fritz was named to the Oneida County Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors. In 2011, Fritz was named Law Enforcement Liaison of the Verona Community Neighborhood Watch. Fritz helped coordinate the Town of Verona "Safety Awareness Day" that was held in June 2011. In the spring of 2012, Fritz was named 2nd Vice President of the Oneida County (NY) Assocation of Towns. In June 2012, Fritz was named to the Leadership Mohawk Valley Board of Directors, where he served until February 2013. On March 13, 2013, Fritz was one of eight honorees at the 2013 Follow the Leader Award Dinner, hosted by Leadership Mohawk Valley. On July 22, 2013, Fritz was presented with an "Honorary Councilman of Oneida County" plaque by Oneida County Executive, Tony Picente and Oneida County Sheriff, Rob Maciol. On October 15, 2013, Fritz was named President of the Oneida County Association of Towns. On November 5, 2013, Fritz was re-elected as Councilman on the Verona Town Board. On December 18, 2014, Fritz was inducted into the Vernon Verona Sherrill High School Wall of Fame. On November 7, 2017, Fritz won re-election to Councilman on the Verona Town Board. On November 2, 2021, Fritz won re-election to Councilman on the Verona Town Board. Fritz is also an adjunct professor at Mohawk Valley Community College (Utica Campus), where he teaches Principles of Marketing. Fritz also teaches at Morrisville State College (Norwich Campus), where he teaches the following subjects: Principles of Marketing, Human Resource Management, Business Organization & Management, Analytic Marketing, Management Communications, and Promotion Management. He has also taught Advertising at Herkimer County Community College and Marketing at Cazenovia College. Additionally, Fritz has been a guest speaker at Syracuse University and the Baldwin Research Institute, and has spoken at regional training conferences in Albany, New York City, and Syracuse. One of Fritz's hobbies is performing in his modern-style polka band, Fritz's Polka Band. Over the years, Fritz has performed at numerous benefits in Central New York, ranging from helping people that had cancer, to another that had Stevens-Johnson Syndrome to some people who lost their house to fire. On November 25, 2023, Fritz was inducted into the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Independence, Ohio! |