2025 Grand Marshal

Michael Trainor

Michael Trainor has served the Town of Cornwall for many years and the Cornwall Independence Day Committee is pleased to have chosen him as its 2025 Grand Marshal in recognition of his service to our community.

Mike was born on July 26, 1971, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Newburgh to Lorraine Post and William Trainor Sr. He grew up on Avenue A in Cornwall-on-Hudson with his brother Bill and attended Cornwall schools, graduating from the high school in 1989.

He started working for the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson in 1990, initially in the sanitation department before moving over to the water department in 1994.

Mike has served as chief of the Storm King Fire Company in the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson three times. He joined the fire company in 1987. He worked at the West Point Fire Department in the summers of 1989 and 1990. Mike served at the Orange County Deputy Fire Coordinator from 2006-

He expanded his volunteering when he had the fire department coordinate the village’s New Year’s Eve celebration, with its famous ball drop, in 2016. And that summer he started coordinating Movies on the Hudson with Dominic Cordisco, John Vorlacher and the late Mark O’Keefe. The inaugural movie was ET. The movies are often shown at Donahue Farm and raise money for non-profit organizations, including Cornwall Little League.

Mike has also lent his time and talents to the Cornwall Independence Day Committee. When the committee decided to hold a Duck Derby as a fundraiser, he got involved by having a village firetruck go to Rings Pond in the Town of Cornwall to create a stream of water for the ducks to race across the pond.

When asked why he does so much volunteering, Mike said he “believes in the philosophy of wanting to be the change you want to see.”

Mike married Jennifer O’Dell on August 28, 1994. Rev. Richard Mills officiated the wedding at Cornwall Presbyterian Church in the village. They have two sons, Michael and Thomas, both of whom are village firefighters.

The family is close knit. Michael had an autoimmune illness that demanded a great deal of time, including traveling great distances for medical attention. With both parents working, Thomas often stayed home from school to help his brother when he couldn’t go to school.

“The fire department rallied for us,” Mike said.

In 2016, Mike became superintendent of the village’s water department, which services the town as well as the village. He believes in developing pride in his employees. Under Mike, the village began doing more of the work that had been contracted out. His approach has lowered costs and given his people more ownership of their work. The New York Rural Water System with 1,600 members recognized the Cornwall-on-Hudson Water Department with its 2024 Water System of the Year Award.

Regarding being chosen Grand Marshal, Mike said it’s a “humbling honor.”

“I don’t do things for recognition,” Mike said. “I enjoy working for people, serving the residents of the village and the town. I appreciate the Fourth of July committee’s efforts.”