Senator James H. Donovan is known for his numerous contributions to the State of New York. He served for fourteen years as the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee, as well as chairman for the Committee on Roads and Public Works, the Committee on Mental Hygiene and Addiction Control, and the Select Committee on Mentally and Physically Handicapped.
Senator Donovan passed away in 1991 after battling cancer. Institutions throughout the region were named in his honor, including the Donovan Stadium at Murname Field, Oneida County Republican Committee Headquarters, the James H. Donovan Science and Technology Building, Donovan Memorial Park, and many others.