A Welcome from the Chairman John Buono

Welcome to the New York State Canal System Website!

The Canal Website offers its users a unique look at the 524-mile, historic New York State Canal System. This user-friendly Website places Canal education and vacation planning at the users' fingertips.

Here, users can view suggested itineraries and photographs of Canalside towns, parks, wildlife preserves, wineries, battlefields, museums, festivals and the Canalway Trail for hiking and biking. This site also can help you plan a vacation on the Canal; learn how to start a business along the Canal; allow you to view the Canal Corporation’s Calendar of Events; catch up on Canal news and much more.

So please take some time to browse our Website and learn more about the many services and amenities New York State’s historic Canal System has to offer.

Biography

John L. Buono is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the New York State Thruway Authority and its subsidiary, the New York State Canal Corporation. He was nominated to the post by Governor George E. Pataki and confirmed by the New York State Senate on June 20, 2002. His term will expire on January 1, 2011.

Mr. Buono was named president of Hudson Valley Community College in 1998. It was a homecoming of sorts for the city of Rensselaer native, who graduated in 1968 from Hudson Valley Community College before earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University at Albany. Mr. Buono retired from Hudson Valley Community College on December 31, 2003.

Mr. Buono has made a career of public service. Following a two-year period in which he served as an administrator and teacher at St. Agnes School in Loudonville, he served in the mid-70’s as Commissioner of Employment and Training for Rensselaer County, overseeing vocational and job skills training programs. From there, he was appointed Deputy County Executive.

He was elected Rensselaer County Clerk in 1978, and he held that position until deciding in 1985 to run for Rensselaer County Executive. Mr. Buono served as Rensselaer County Executive from 1986 to 1995, and during that time he helped streamline county government and maintain excellent bond ratings. He was frequently at the forefront of consolidation and regionalization efforts, and actively lobbied on behalf of the county at the state and national levels.

In 1995, Governor Pataki appointed Mr. Buono to direct the New York State Dormitory Authority. As one of the largest municipal bond issuers and public construction agencies in the country, the Dormitory Authority has a combined portfolio of outstanding bonds totaling more than $24 billion.

Mr. Buono spent three years as executive director of the Authority. During that time, he worked to consolidate two other agencies – The Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency and the Facilities Development Corporation – into the Dormitory Authority. This reduced the size and cost of the three agencies, while also providing one-stop service for project financing and construction.

In 1998, Mr. Buono was asked to assume the presidency of Hudson Valley Community College. He worked to expand the college's role in the Capital Region and actively sought out collaborative initiatives with local businesses and civic organizations.

Mr. Buono has been honored on numerous occasions. Among other honors, he received the Troy Good Scout Award from the Twin Rivers Council of the Boys Scouts of America, the President ’s Award from the Urban League of Northeastern New York, the Distinguished Alumni Award from SUNY Rockefeller Institute, the National Association of Counties Achievement Award, and the SUNY Golden Anniversary Chancellor’s Recognition Award.

Mr. Buono and his wife, Roberta ("Bobbie"), have two children, Christine and Nicholas.