Mollene Bennison
DeJoy & Co.
Involved with the Community Foundation since 2016
How Mollene’s work fuels the power of community:
As a mother, wife, committed volunteer, and accounting partner at DeJoy & Co., Mollene Benison stays very active. Raised in the Bronx by a Jamaican mother and Southern-bred father, Mollene moved here when she was a teenager and has since nurtured a family, including her husband Dan Lynck and her daughter, while serving her community. Mollene credits the privilege of flexibility and a strong support system to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Mollene has been involved with the Community Foundation since 2016 when she joined the board of directors and later that same year the Finance Committee.
Mollene has made a name for herself in the accounting realm and has also been recognized among Rochester Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” in 2012 and as a Woman to Watch by the Democrat and Chronicle in 2017.
Using numbers to solve problems came naturally to Mollene since she has always been good at math. Her vast expertise in business allows her to pivot and adapt her work to focus on the most vulnerable issues. Her work fuels the power of community and supports business owners by offering financial counsel that is vital for business planning, such as helping entrepreneurs find their way to bank loans, which in turn helps create more local jobs.
Here are snippets from an interview between Mollene and staff member Ronisha Williams that helped us get to know her better:
Charitable involvement in Rochester:
- Community Foundation Board of Directors, Finance Committee, and Community Sponsors Committee;
- State University College at Geneseo Foundation Board;
- SUNY Geneseo Business Advisory Council;
- Summit Federal Credit Union Associate Board;
- YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County Investment Committee, 2005 to 2013
Hobbies: I like to play golf and watch football – and I enjoy having quality time with my husband and daughter. We like to travel, including to Las Vegas. I like playing craps and blackjack.
Favorite Rochester eateries: Reggae Jamaica Restaurant & Bakery and Yaad Style Jamaican Restaurant. As a self-proclaimed foodie, Mollene really enjoys Caribbean food.
Favorite Rochester event: Festivals in the city, two of my favorites are Rochester International Jazz Fest and Corn Hill Festival.
Favorite inspirational song: “There’s Got to Be a Way” by Mariah Carey
Published December 2023