Uncrowned Community Builders

Tommy L. Pressley, Jr. taught electronics at Hutchinson Central Technical High School, Buffalo, NY, for twenty-one years until his retirement in June of 2009. He is also a graduate of Tech, class of 1965. He has devoted his life to working with young people in the church for more than thirty-nine years and in the public schools for twenty-three of those years. As the faculty advisor to Techââ?¬â?¢s annual African-American History Program, Mr. Pressley has given many talented students an opportunity to express themselves theatrically. He was the boyââ?¬â?¢s track coach for five years and has served as advisor to the First Priority Bible Club, National Society of Black Engineers and the Drill Team. In addition to his day school schedule there were several years that he taught adult continuing education courses at Tech, Seneca, and BVTC High Schools.

Mr. Pressley is also the founding pastor of Genesis Community Church. The church was incorporated in 1984 to spread the Gospel of the Grace of God throughout the world. Pastor Pressley worked full-time, and pastored two different churches while continuing his college education. He is a graduate of Erie Community College and a graduate of the IBEW Electrical Apprenticeship Program. The New York State Teaching Certificate he earned was through course work at State University of New York College at Buffalo. He also holds a Bachelorââ?¬â?¢s Degree from Empire State College and has studied Bible at Houghton College. His work experience includes various positions in the Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering and Construction Industry. He has been a union electrician, Local Union # 41(IBEW) since 1970. He was the owner of an engineering and drafting service firm Presst-o Design Company, Inc. Tommy has written a book relating his educational experiences and his families from slavery time to the present entitled: ââ?¬Å?The Race Against Public Schools Why Jonnie Jones Canââ?¬â?¢t Read.ââ?¬

In 2009 Mr. Pressley was recognized in an exhibit of Black Educators at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library. In 2007 he was one of the fifty recipients of the ââ?¬Å?Generation of Men Community Service Award.ââ?¬ He received the ââ?¬Å?James A. Dockery Community Center Service Awardââ?¬ in 2004. The ââ?¬Å?Career and Technical Educators Awardââ?¬ was presented to him in 2001. As a result of his work with the Hutch Tech Drill Team and the annual drill competition the Crusaders Marching Unit presented him with Memorial Awards in 1998, 1996 and 1994.

Pastor Pressley is married to Veresser and has four children, Diana, Kimberly, Dawn, and Tommy Samuel, two stepchildren, Tracie and Ulysses, and seven grandchildren (they all call him ââ?¬Å?Papaââ?¬). They live in Buffalo, New York.

He is a member of the Baptist Ministersââ?¬â?¢ Conference of Buffalo and now serves on the Board of the Buffalo Christian Center and the Bible Society of WNY. Pastor Pressley hosts a weekly radio program Sunday morning at 8:30AM on WUFO, and has had radio programs on stations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia.