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Trustee Profile: Gary L. Avigne
Trustee Gary L. Avigne credits his
good friend <strong>and</strong> fellow Trustee, <strong>Dr</strong>. Robert
A. Crocker, for his current association
with NYCC. <strong>Dr</strong>. Crocker <strong>and</strong> Mr. Avigne
were roommates <strong>and</strong> friends at Boston
College. Impressed with <strong>Dr</strong>. Crocker’s
ability to rise above childhood polio,
Avigne is also a strong advocate for chiropractic
<strong>and</strong> for alternative healthcare,
<strong>and</strong> stated, “I was honored to be asked
to serve a leading institution in this field.”
Avigne continued, “He thought my small
business background would complement
the existing board. This was a happy <strong>and</strong>
honored accommodation to my old
friend.”
To say that Mr. Avigne has a business
background is an understatement. A
leader in the hotel industry for more than
two decades, his first considerable foray
into that field began through a chance meeting with Bob Dunfey
(of Dunfey Hotels) in the mid-70s. Dufney <strong>and</strong> Avigne, both
in middle management positions, joined forces in 1986 to form
the Dunfey Collins Manning Hospitality Group, which ultimately
developed into the Dunfey Hospitality Group in 2001,
providing hotel management services to hotel <strong>and</strong> motel owners
throughout the northeastern United States.
In 1989, Mr. Avigne formed Coventry Hotel Associates, a
collaboration of six first-class hotels in New Engl<strong>and</strong> totaling
over 750 rooms. His partner was Greenall’s Group PLC, a
billion-pound public company in the United Kingdom. In
2001, he embarked on a new partnership with Kenny Patel
<strong>and</strong> started another management company, Shield Hotel Management,
which focused on the operations of the hotels in the
Patel family. In 2003, Avigne, Dunfey, <strong>and</strong> Patel joined forces
to create Dunfey-Shield Hotel Management. The three men
continue to work together.
Business Strengths
Mr. Avigne’s business strengths include an ability to devise
trustees’
PROFILE
<strong>and</strong> implement strategic <strong>and</strong> long-range
business plans, along with excellent communication
<strong>and</strong> leadership skills – skills he
will utilize in addressing the challenges
faced by the chiropractic profession <strong>and</strong>
the College. According to Avigne, “The
challenges for the College are related to
the challenges facing the profession. The
College is positioned as a leader in the field.
The greater the dem<strong>and</strong> for the profession,
the greater will be the dem<strong>and</strong> for
the College <strong>and</strong>, accordingly, the more
healthy the College will be as a business.”
He stressed the importance of educating
the general public about chiropractic’s
benefits <strong>and</strong> those of alternative healthcare
generally. Mr. Avigne believes that favor-
Trustee Gary L. Avigne able consumer response to alternative
healthcare can translate into rising applications
for NYCC.
Mr. Avigne has four children. Andrea, 21, is an honor student
at Pratt Art Institute in New York City. He credits her
with being “a very happy <strong>and</strong> successful <strong>and</strong> accomplished
person at a relatively young age.” Jason, 18, is doing well at
community college. Shawn, 14, is an accomplished soccer
player, a recognized runner, <strong>and</strong> “places in his age group in any
<strong>and</strong> every road race he enters.” His youngest, Ryan, a diver, is
“perhaps the most popular kid in his school.”
Between work <strong>and</strong> family, Mr. Avigne has little time for
outside interests. He enjoys long-distance running tremendously
<strong>and</strong> runs an average of 30 miles a week, entering every road
race <strong>and</strong> half-marathon he can find. He also engages in one
full marathon a year. He says, “I just ran the Boston Half
Marathon…with my best personal half-marathon time, 2:04:48
(which is nothing to write home about, but my best nonetheless).”
He ran to support Team Dana Farber <strong>and</strong> raised $500
for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Trustee Avigne concluded the discussion with, “It is a pleasure
<strong>and</strong> an honor to serve the school, <strong>and</strong> indirectly the profession,
in this way.” Thank you, Mr. Avigne.
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