Goetz, a 27-year-veteran entrepreneur and company executive, will succeed the Shineman Foundation’s first executive director, Lauren Pistell, who is moving out of state for family reasons.

“Karen Goetz grew up in Oswego and graduated from Oswego High School before leaving for Indiana University and a degree in education,” said Barbara Palmer Shineman, board chair of the foundation established by her late husband’s bequest. “I have known Karen for decades and have watched her grow as a self-trained, successful businesswoman. I have admired her strengths in strategic planning, business organization, effective collaborations and customer-first practices. I am confident she will advance the Shineman Foundation, assisting our mission to enhance the quality of life in Oswego County.”

Goetz, a charter member of the Shineman Foundation’s Board of Directors, resigned from the board Sept. 30. Devoting herself wholeheartedly to her new duties with the not-for-profit private foundation, Goetz also stepped down from day-to-day operations of Inforia, a Syracuse-based vendor of electronic health records software and a range of other paperless products for the medical community. She will remain as chair and a principal owner of the company.

Pistell and Goetz will work together starting Monday, Oct. 6, to ensure a seamless transition for the Shineman Foundation, a catalyst for change in Oswego County and Central New York since its founding.

“We will miss Lauren Pistell deeply,” said Shineman. “Lauren intrepidly dived in and helped me form a strong and multitalented board of directors, worked tirelessly to develop ties with other organizations in the region that serve those in need, and assisted us in identifying worthy -- and potentially transformative -- grant proposals.”

Goetz, co-founder of Select Ticketing in 1986 to serve the arts, sports and entertainment industries, was president and a principal owner until 1998. Renamed TicketsLive! -- the first to sell tickets live over the Internet -- the company was sold and ultimately became Tickets.com. Goetz received Ernst & Young’s New York State Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1999. She has led Inforia since 2000, and in recent years completed the U.S. Small Business Administration’s rigorous e200 Emerging Leaders Initiative.

“Having nurtured two successful entrepreneurial businesses the past 27 years,” Goetz said, “I have worn many hats: principal owner, chief executive, board chair, marketplace analyst, sole supervisor, occasionally top salesperson and marketing director. Now it is time to apply these skills to the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, helping it make meaningful change in the community, and by so doing, directly impacting people’s lives in a positive way.”