The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Warren County approved a new slate of officers and board members at its annual meetingin November.
Beginning Jan.1, Charles Barton, COO of Barton International, will succeed Michael Borgos, president of Borgos & DelSignore, as the organization’s chairman.
Joining Barton as incoming officers, with terms running through Dec. 31 are:
Kurt Jaeger, Jaeger & Flynn, vice chairman; Arleen Girard, NBT Bank, treasurer;
“I thank Mike Borgos for his outstading leadership over the past two years and look forward to continuing the work with EDC’s board and professional staff to attract new business investment to Warren County, while continuing to provide important business development services to our existing employers,” said Barton.
“We are committed to stimulating private sector business investment and making careful use of those funds entrusted to us by public sources and the local businesses who invest in our mission.”
Following a revision of EDC’s bylaws in early 2012, for the first time this year the organization installed members of the board nominated by eligible investor businesses and elected by its investor base.
“This change allows the private sector businesses who have invested in EDC to help steer the ship,” said Borgos. “This provides transparency to the process and invites our investors to be full participants in charting our course, through their nominations and votes on the board’s composition.”
In addition to its officers, the EDC Warren County board of birectors includes 16 representatives of local businesses and organizations, five of whom are newly elected:
Jeffrey Anthony, The LA Group; Peter Aust, Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce; Chris Barden, North Country Janitorial; Rob Baron, Finch Paper; Jack Bieniek, Cool Insuring; Borgos, Borgos & DelSignore; Sue Corney, Navilyst/AngioDynamics; Ron Heacock, Ph.D., SUNY Adirondack; Kara Lais, Esq., Fitzgerald Morris Baker Firth.
Don McCoy, Six Flags Great Escape; Kurt Moser, Glens Falls National Bank; John Murphy*, National Grid; J.E. Tori Riley, Washington County LDC; Stephan vonSchenk, Adirondack Trust.
The EDC Warren County board of directors reorganized in 2011 to reinforce its economic development efforts under a Working Committee structure. Demonstrating the organization’s interest in involving local businesspeople in its operations, any investor in the EDC is welcome to serve on a committee. The Committees and their chairpersons are as follows:
Marketing & Communications Committee, Chris Barden; Product Improvement Committee, Chris Hunsinger; Finance, Audit & Compliance Committee, Arleen Girard; Projects Management Committee, Jack Bieniek; Sports, Recreation & Entertainment Committee, Don McCoy; Investor Relations Committee, Kurt Jaeger.
“Our committee structure has been effective in moving issues ahead and allowing for broader input in our decision-making,” noted EDC President Vicki Pratt Gerbino. “Some committees focus on critical areas of our ongoing operations, while others are oriented toward strategic initiatives, such as stimulating new business investment in Warren County in the sports, recreation, and entertainment sectors.”
EDC is a public-private non-profit partnership focused on driving private-sector business investment in Warren County. Established in 1992, it has delivered assistance to businesses responsible for impacting over 5,000 jobs and more than $480 million in new investments across Warren County.