How Binghamton volunteer's business background helps opera succeed
Ron Platt of Binghamton combines his love for opera, eagerness to give back and his knack for numbers in his volunteer work for the Tri-Cities Opera.
“I like to be helpful to other people,” he said.
Platt serves on the opera’s board of directors and serves as the treasurer and chairman of the board’s finance committee. He is one of numerous volunteers who help the opera each year both on and off the stage.
“Volunteers help us to function smoothly whether onstage, behind the scenes, or at our opera center,” said Cate Berger, who serves as the opera’s director of community engagement. “We use about ten to fifteen volunteers per production for our front of house management needs (ushers, ticket takers, food and beverage sales). We also have volunteers who open their homes to our out-of-town performers, housing them for the duration of rehearsals and performances.”
Tri-Cities Opera also uses as many volunteer chorus members as needed for its productions. Local community organizations often send groups of volunteers to help with projects around the opera center such as painting. The opera is grateful for every single volunteer, she said, and Platt has been a dedicated volunteer for the opera.
“Ron is such a pleasure,” Berger said. “His passion and professional expertise have both been a huge benefit to TCO. He has generously assisted and guided us to financial stability.”
Now in his 15th year serving on the board, Platt still enjoys his volunteer work for the opera.
“I stay involved with opera because I love it as an art form,” he said.
More: Binghamton teen helped improve accessibility at the Forum: Here's how
Now retired, he spent his professional career working for Merrill Lynch and the New York Stock Exchange. He uses his business experience to help the opera thrive financially.
“I look it at as giving back. I am very fortunate that I had a successful business career,” he said. “This enables me to give back with what I gained through that particular process.”
He and other finance committees oversees the opera’s finances and investments and ensure the financial health of the organization, he said. The work entails a lot of planning and strategic planning, numerous meetings plus number crunching but he doesn’t mind.
“I love challenges,” he said. “I love to come up with ideas and to better things. This gives me the opportunity to do that.”
Platt wants to help the opera in any way he can and wants to do his part to promote opera to people who have never seen a production before.
“Our efforts now are to try to make it available to everybody and to expand our audience and get people more involved in this particular art form,” he said.
Platt said he enjoys his work with the opera. At 87 years old, he has no plans to slow down.
“I love to be involved and keep busy and do things for people. It keeps you young,” he said. “I plan to keep going as long as I can.”
More about Ron Platt
Hometown: Bay Port, Long Island
Home: South Side of Binghamton
Family: Wife of 64 years, Elaine; two grown daughters, two grandchildren and three great grandchildren
Career: Retired from a financial career which included Merrill Lynch and the New York Stock Exchange
How to help: To learn more about the Tri-Cities Opera including how to donate or volunteer, go to tricitiesopera.com/donate/
Do you have an idea for an upcoming Giving Back column? Send an email to givingbackpressconnects@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Tri-Cities Opera volunteer brings passion, professional expertise
