Marcella Fugle
Hamburg Teachers Association
Biology teacher Marcella Fugle became a building representative for the Hamburg TA shortly after earning tenure in 1967. Nearly six years later, she was instrumental in contacting other teachers in western New York to gather the support and votes needed to form one statewide union through the merger of the New York State Teachers Association and the United Teachers of New York.
"Marcella was the mentor for most of the people who followed her," said Clifford Huen, Hamburg TA president. An early pioneer in the establishment of teacher centers, Fugle served on the NYSUT Teacher Center Task Force and was instrumental in establishing the Southtown Teacher Center, serving as director for 14 years.
Before retiring from the NYSUT Board of Directors in 2000, Fugle served several terms as Director of Election District 1 and as an at-large Director for ED 1 and 2. Fugle now serves as vice president of the NYSUT Western New York Retiree Council and chairwoman of the area retiree political action committee.