Gary C. Dake ’82

Despite a demanding schedule as the President of Stewart’s Shops, Gary Dake ’82 has always found time for his alma mater and its students. Gary, who graduated with a degree in economics, was active on campus as a brother of Phi Kappa Sigma, an Admissions tour guide and a member of KSLU Radio. 

In his professional life, Gary has helped build a strong company in Stewart’s Shops, a family business, with over 340 stores located across upstate New York and southern Vermont. His corporation employs over 5,000 people, and can proudly add their employees own over 40% of the company through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Stewart’s Shops also gives back to various communities, donating nearly $2.5 million annually to local non-profits. Gary is very involved in service to the community. He founded The Dake Foundation for Children, whose mission is to provide assistance for children and young adults who have physical disabilities and provide support for their families. He also just completed his term as Chairman of St. Peter’s Health Partners and still remains on the board, and serves on both the Advisory Council for Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park and CAPTAIN Community Human Services and on the board for both Saratoga National Bank and its publicly traded parent company, Arrow Financial Corp. 

In 2000, Gary was named one of the “40 under 40” top business people by the Albany Business Review. A graduate of Leadership Saratoga, he was honored by the national Association for Community Leadership in 2000 by being named one of the Distinguished Leadership Award recipients. City and State magazine (cityandstateny. com) recently named Gary to the 2021 Upstate Power 100, a list of the 100 most “powerful” people in upstate NY. 

Gary has been an engaged alumnus both with his time and generosity. He has helped support the Annual Saratoga “Day at the Races” event with St. Lawrence, and is a longtime volunteer for Career Services programming including SLU Connect, Laurentians Investing in Networking and Careers (LINC), and Laurentians in Residence. Most recently in August of 2019, Gary and Stewart’s Shops arranged for a St. Lawrence-themed ice cream flavor, “SLU-Ha-Ha,” and Gary participated in a launch event at one of the Canton stores. A Sustaining Saint donor since 1993, Gary is a longtime supporter of the St. Lawrence Fund. He recently supported both the Fox Center for Academic Opportunity, and in partnership with his family and Stewart’s Shops, made a significant gift to establish an Internship Fellowship Endowed Fund.