CANTON -- A SUNY Canton alumnus will share his tale of transitioning from a ski bum to a successful North Country entrepreneur during the college's first spring installment of the Excellence in Leadership Lecture Series.

Christopher Stone, vice president of Hyde-Stone Mechanical Contractors Inc., will be presenting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in SUNY Canton's Nevaldine North Room 102.

Hyde-Stone is a commercial and industrial contractor specializing in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, temperature controls and refrigeration.

"Chris represents the success of our signature HVAC Engineering Technology program," said Michael J. Newtown, dean of the Canino School of Engineering Technology. "Many of our most accomplished alumni have launched their careers through this degree."

Stone joined Hyde-Stone in 1986 and took classes in the college's HVAC program while working with his family at the company. He oversees four offices in Potsdam, Watertown, Syracuse and Plattsburgh. He is responsible for seeking efficient ways to improve sales, estimating, customer relations, and integrating new technology to bolster the company's future growth.

Some of the company's recent clients include Great Lakes Cheese Company Inc., Kraft Heinz, Lowville Academy, and SUNY Canton.

The presentation will be of particular interest to students from the engineering technology programs and to students who plan on becoming an entrepreneur. All Leadership Lecture Series events are free and open to the public.

Excellence in Leadership Lecture Series events connect working professionals who are experts in their fields with current SUNY Canton students. The events are funded by Corning Incorporated Foundation and presented by the Canton College Foundation and the SUNY Canton President's Office. Other spring speakers include Paul Travers, founder, president and CEO of Vuzix, and Tamara Montalvo, senior vice president of finance and operations at VOZ Advisors.