Oneida County History Center to Host Panel on the History of the Boilermaker Road Race

The panel will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 2 p.m. at the Oneida County History Center and explore the past, present, and future of the Boilermaker Road Race.
The event will include a panel discussion, followed by a brief question and answer with panelists.

UTICA, N.Y. (March 27, 2025) – The Boilermaker Road Race and the Oneida County History Center are partnering for a one-of-a-kind panel exploring the past, present, and future of the Boilermaker. On April 12 at 2 p.m., Joe Kelly, John Pitarresi, Jim Stasaitis, and Vikki Townsend will discuss the founding of the acclaimed road running event as well as the evolution of the Boilermaker organization into a year-round community institution.

The Boilermaker Road Race began in 1978 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of founding sponsor Utica Boilers, now known as ECR International. 876 runners ran the inaugural event, beginning near Utica Boiler’s headquarters in East Utica and continuing for 9.3 miles before finishing at F.X. Matt Brewing Company in West Utica.

Today, the Boilermaker has evolved into a week-long extravaganza that attracts over 20,000 runners, spectators, and volunteers. Four panelists will dive into the history of the event, each bringing a unique perspective to the discussion.

Joe Kelly ran his first Boilermaker in 1981. After that experience, he became a fixture of the organization, covering the event as a journalist and joining the Boilermaker Committee to help with event logistics and execution. Kelly was the assistant race director for the Boilermaker for many years, the first director of the National Distance Running Hall of Fame, and is the star of “The Joe Kelly Show” on WUTR, where he covers local events and connects with community leaders.

John Pitarresi has been involved in the Boilermaker’s media coverage for over 40 years, starting out writing advance stories and typing up race results. Pitarrest is the author of “Utica Boilermaker – America’s Premier 15K Road Race,” which charts the race’s growth from 1978 to its 25th-anniversary celebration in 2002.

Jim Stasaitis is the current race director of the Boilermaker Road Race, a position he’s held since 2008. Stasaitis ran his first Boilermaker in 1983 but volunteered at the very first event in 1978 as a timer, calling out mile splits to runners. After joining the Boilermaker Committee in 1984, he volunteered for various tasks, from stuffing goody bags to course directing, earning the Volunteer of the Year award in 2007. A seasoned runner, Stasaitis credits the Boilermaker with sparking his love for running, a sport he excelled in, eventually running 25 Boilermakers and 16 marathons.

Vikki Townsend ran her first Boilermaker in 2013, and from that year on, she made the ten-hour roundtrip to run what quickly became her favorite race. She now works full-time for the organization as its Community Outreach & Marketing Manager, working on programs like the Access Program, which provides free entries and footwear to those facing financial struggles, and the Charity Bib Program, which provides free bibs to local nonprofits to use in fundraising efforts.

This panel would not be possible without the Oneida County History Center, a private 501(c) (3) not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to preserving the history, heritage, and culture of the Greater Mohawk Valley for present and future generations.

“Boilermaker Panel Discussion: Past, Present & Future” will be held at the Oneida County History Center located at 1608 Genessee Street in Utica on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. The event is free for History Center members, with a $5.00 suggested admission for nonmembers. Please contact the History Center at 315-735-3642 or visit oneidacountyhistory.org for additional information.