John T. and Susan Hoskins will receive the President’s Distinguished Service Award at the 139th Commencement celebration, Saturday, May 14, during the 2:00 p.m. baccalaureate ceremony in the Sports Arena.

Since John Hoskins was first appointed chair of the Buffalo State College Council by Gov. George E. Pataki in 1998, he and his wife, Sue, have displayed an unwavering dedication to the university. Extremely generous and diverse in their support, John and Sue Hoskins have together led the way as exemplary stewards of the institution.

In his remarks upon accepting the council chairmanship, John said: “We must be the college’s eyes and ears to the community it serves. We must help garner resources and support it. We must ensure it is included in community and government initiatives. We must help open the doors of opportunity as the college moves toward its future.”

With these guiding principles, John has promoted campus growth and development for more than a decade. He and Sue continue their solid support of Buffalo State by providing educational opportunities for students and career opportunities for graduates.

The Hoskinses are lifelong residents of Buffalo and owners of Curtis Screw Company, a leading manufacturer of precisionmachined components. They have demonstrated their passion for enriching the Western New York community and for serving others in numerous ways.

John is the recipient of many community awards, including the New York State Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention, the Community Champion Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Precision Machined Products Association’s Merit Award. He also serves on the board of directors of Merchants Mutual Insurance Company.

Sue has served on the boards of Buffalo Prep, Buffalo Hearing and Speech, Gilda’s Club, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center Council. She is a founding member of the Peggy Balbach donor circle of the Western New York Women’s Fund, an organization established to raise awareness in the community of issues affecting women and girls.

In 2008, John and Sue received the Buffalo State College Foundation’s Leadership by Example award in recognition of their generous and diverse service to the university, including making major donations, hosting and sponsoring events, and establishing scholarships. They are longtime, generous supporters of Buffalo State’s two biggest annual fundraisers, the Foundation Scholarship Gala and the Golf and Tennis Scholarship Classic.

In honor of Sue’s uncle, artist Arthur E. Smith, ’39, the couple established the Arthur E. Smith-Hoskins Art Conservation Fellowship. They also established the Curtis Screw Quality Scholarship Endowment, awarded to eligible students enrolled in the Technology Department’s quality program. In addition, for many years, the Hoskinses hosted a graduation-day gathering for hospitality and tourism majors and their parents, during which they presented monogrammed professional cutlery sets to the graduates.