HUDSON VALLEY, NY – The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley today announced four newly elected trustees for 2016-2017 and one newly appointed officer. Leading citizens from across the Hudson Valley serve on the Board of Trustees of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley (CFHV).
 
“Our trustees represent all regions of the Community Foundations’ service area and are chosen for their expertise in matching resources with new challenges and opportunities,” said March S. Gallagher, President and CEO. “They each bring an exceptional range of skills in business, finance and philanthropy that will be invaluable to the Community Foundations in continuing to grow charitable assets and grant-making activities for our region.”
 
“It is a pleasure to serve the Hudson Valley region through the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley,” said Arthur R. Upright, CFHV Chair. “I am proud of the work we have accomplished together this year and am pleased to welcome our new board members.”
 
Charles A. Freni, Jr., a trustee since 2014, has been appointed Vice Chair – Dutchess, an officer position on the board of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. With that appointment, he also will serve as Chair of the Advisory Board of the Community Foundation of Dutchess County, a CFHV affiliate.
 
The four newly elected CFHV trustees include:
 
Peter J. Brent, CFP®, Trustee: Peter Brent of Dutchess County is a certified financial planner and enrolled agent. He moved to the Hudson Valley upon graduation from Boston College in 1965 and taught business education in the Wappingers Central School District for 21 years. In 1986 he opened Brent Financial Group LLC, of which he is the senior partner. An active member of the New Hackensack Reformed Church, he previously served as finance chair and chair of its 250th anniversary celebration. He is also past president of the Board of Directors for the Hudson Valley chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and remains passionate about fighting that disease.

Yu-Shin Chen, Trustee: Yu-Shin Chen of Dutchess County is a Dunkin' Donuts franchisee owner. With an undergraduate degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Binghamton University, Chen became a franchisee in 1993 to assist his parents, who had operated the Dunkin' Donuts family business since 1982. Today, Chen and his brother own a total of five Dunkin’ Donuts stores in Hyde Park, Pleasant Valley, Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls. Yu-Shin Chen has been involved with the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley for the past year serving as a member of the Dutchess County Advisory Board.

Darlene L. Pfeiffer, Trustee: Darlene L. Pfeiffer of Ulster County is a champion of women and education who has dedicated her life to community service and philanthropy. After graduating summa cum laude from SUNY New Paltz, Pfeiffer became the first woman in New York to establish a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise, eventually building five restaurants. She has twice served as President of the Kentucky Fried Chicken National Franchisee Association, as well as on the National Advertising Board of Directors, the National Franchisee Advisory Board and the Association of KFC Franchisees. She credits her dear friend KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders with inspiring her toward philanthropy and expanded the KFC Colonel’s Scholars Program, which awards up to $20,000 to high school seniors to complete a bachelor’s degree program, to include direct donations from franchisees, resulting in millions of new dollars raised for education. She has since funded several scholarships for Hudson Valley students.
 
Ms. Pfeiffer established the Kentucky Fried Chicken Scholarship Presented by Darlene Pfeiffer with the SUNY Ulster Community College Foundation and later created the Darlene L. Pfeiffer Center for Entrepreneurial Studies which supports the study and execution of entrepreneurial business development and management. This endowed gift was the single largest gift and pledge to the College by a living donor, earning her recognition from the New York Community College Trustees with the Benefactor Vision for Tomorrow Award. She currently serves on the SUNY Ulster Foundation Board as Vice Chair.
 
Ms. Pfeiffer previously served as president of the YMCA Board of Directors and Kingston Kiwanis Club, on the board of the Benedictine Health Foundation and was inducted into the Chancellor’s Society of the State University of New York. Honors include a YWCA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Sister Mary Charles Award from Benedictine Health Foundation, the “Making a Difference Award” from Always There, the “Outstanding Philanthropist” award from the Mid-Hudson Association of Fundraising Professionals. She was featured in Helen Engel and Marilynn Smiley’s book, Remarkable Women in New York State History and was honored by the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley for her community service and philanthropy at its 2015 Garden Party.
Charles “Chip” Simon, CFP®, Trustee: Chip Simon of Dutchess County is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional and founder of Taconic Advisors, Inc. in Poughkeepsie, a New York State Registered Investment Advisor and fee-only financial planning firm. Chip earned an undergraduate degree from Colgate University in 1974 and holds a graduate degree in accounting from New York University. He was trained in accounting and finance at KMPG Peat Marwick in New York City and completed his Certified Financial Planner Professional Certificate program through Marist College. Simon currently serves on the board of the Chamber Foundation and is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, the Financial Planning Association, the Hudson Valley Estate Planning Council, and the Hudson Valley Collaborative Divorce and Dispute Resolution Association. He served as board chair of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners in 2008.