Miscellaneous, Charles Hinkley, Man of the Year, 1972

Charles Hinkley, Man of the Year

1972

 

Charles Hinkley

 

Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY]:  Charles F. Hinkley will be honored this Saturday night, Dec. 9, as the Bainbridge Man of the Year.  The Chamber of Commerce will stage a dinner in his honor at Rock Inn when a Plaque will be awarded him.  Speaker of the evening will be Jerry Cleary.

 

Mr. Hinkley came to Bainbridge in February of 1950, shortly after graduation from Cornell University, to work for the Charles Eldred Company.  In July of the same year, he married Elizabeth C. Church of Norwich and they made their home at 53 West Main Street.  In June, 1951, he went into the insurance business for Prudential and has been selling insurance ever since.  He has had his own general agency since 1959.

 

In 1959 he was elected president of the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce by unanimous vote.  It was during his presidency that the Chamber installed identification signs at each end of Bainbridge on Route 7, founded the Development Corporation in 1960, and installed in the village park the fountain named for Mrs. Danforth. The Chamber also organized the Canoe Regatta which at first paid out more money in prizes than there was money in the treasury.  But the regatta justified their faith and is quite a success today.

 

Mr. Hinkley also worked on the committee that had the old Mirabito Coal Sheds torn down and parking lots installed.  Mr. Mirabito had offered to lease the land to the village for $1 per year if the village would tear down the sheds. 

 

 In 1966 Mr. Hinkley was elected Village Trustee, a position he held until 1969 when he was selected Supervisor, an office that he presently holds. 

 

While he was on the Board, the village fluoridated the water, put village employees under the state health and retirement plans, and the sewer plant was constructed.  During his term as Supervisor, the town has help to establish the joint landfill, has finished up the first phase of comprehensive planning and is starting the second phase on the growth plans for Bainbridge. 

 

Mr. Hinkley is a member of St. John's Catholic Church, past president of the Bainbridge Development Corp., a member of the Bainbridge Sportsmen's Club, and past president of the Chenango County Federation of Sportsmen's Club.  He is also a past member of the Bainbridge Fire Department.

 

Civically active in the community, he has, at one time or another, served in some capacity on just about every drive.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Hinkley are the parents of seven children:  Robert, a senior at Fordham University; James, a sophomore at the University of South Carolina; Anne, a freshman at Vassar; William a senior at BG; Mary, a BG freshman; Margaret, 7th grade at BG and Tom, 5th grade at BG Central School. 

 

Due to the fact that the dinner is already a complete sellout, admission will be by ticket only.

 

 

Man of the Years:  Charles F. Hinkley (right) was presented a plaque at a dinner in his honor last Saturday evening at the Rock Inn.  The plaque was given by Gerald Cleary on behalf of the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce and read:  "Presented by the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce to Charles F. Hinkley, 1972 Man of the Years, in recognition of his Leadership, Dedication and Efforts on Behalf of Our Community."  Among other mementoes Charley was also given letters of congratulation from President Richard Nixon, and from Governor Nelson Rockefeller as well as a certificate of recognition from the Vatican and the Pope.  Toastmaster Gerry Cleary presented a thumbnail sketch of some of Charley's many accomplishments.