Courtesy EDC Warren County
Edward M. Bartholomew Jr., president of the EDC Warren County and the lead voice for economic development in the Glens Falls/Lake George Region, died on July 21 at the age of 70.
He was responsible for many projects in the county including the Glens Falls Civic Center, a project which he oversaw as mayor in 1979. He continued his economic development efforts right up to his death, officials said.
“Throughout the COVID-19 (pandemic), Ed was a fixture at economic response and recovery meetings and was an integral partner in stabilizing the future of Warren County’s local economy post-pandemic,” said Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore said.
Matthew Fuller, chairman of the county EDC, said Bartholomew was “tireless” in his pursuit of progress and entirely bipartisan in his approach to solving problems.
Fuller said Bartholomew died from complications from a medical procedure.
Bartholomew became a leading architect of the modern City of Glens Falls when in 1977 he was elected mayor at just 28 years of age, the EDC pointed out in a statement. He was the youngest mayor in New York state at the time and set about healing political divisions in his hometown over the building of the Glens Falls Civic Center, now Cool Insuring Arena.
“He made it his mission to make the Civic Center a success. Ed recruited a big-name Civic Center director in Union College’s legendary hockey coach Ned Harkness and landed an American Hockey League team in the Adirondack Red Wings,” the EDC said. “These were just the first of many Ed Bartholomew projects over the next 40+ years to benefit the City of Glens Falls, Warren County and the entire North Country region.”
EDC pointed out that as mayor, he built a modern ball park and brought minor league baseball to Glens Falls. He brought new industry to Pruyn’s Island and an intermunicipal sewage project to the Upper Hudson River. He helped establish the Greater Glens Falls Transit System. He helped set the course for the revitalization of Downtown Glens Falls.
Bartholomew worked on solving the intricate political, financial and logistical challenges of complicated projects to benefit the communities he loved.
“After several years in state government, Ed came home in 2013 to lead EDC Warren County where, with his signature enthusiasm and energy, he secured federal, state and local funding for major public works projects and large and small businesses throughout Warren County, including a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Grant for Glens Falls.
“We at EDC have lost a beloved colleague and Warren County has lost a devoted lifelong champion whose enduring contributions to our quality of life will benefit many generations to come.”
Thoughts on Bartholomew came in from all over the state.
“I am deeply saddened,” said Heather Briccetti, president and CEO of the Business Council of New York State. “Ed earned a well-deserved reputation for being a dedicated and skilled public servant, in his many professional roles throughout his career where he brought great value to the communities he served. He was also a great friend, whose genuine warmth, intelligence and wit were apparent to everyone he encountered. He will be greatly missed.”
The Adirondack Thunder and the Adirondack Hockey Civic Center Coalition said “Ed was an integral part of bringing hockey to this great town and we will be forever grateful for his contributions.”
The effort top keep hockey in Glens Falls was one of many things Bartholomew was heavily involved in.
“His lifetime in public service had forged close friendships with many federal, state and local officials who admired him and often relied on his wise counsel,” Fuller said. “Ed was not only a trusted leader but a trusted mentor to me and so many other people. Ed didn’t see obstacles, he saw opportunities, and our entire region will forever be grateful for the countless contributions he made. His efforts cannot be replaced.”
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said the Glens Falls region “has lost an irreplaceable public servant, but moreover, I like so many of you, have lost a good friend,” and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand cited his hard work “to secure funding and support for the projects that have built present-day Warren County, including his leadership in the continued revitalization of downtown Glens Falls.”
Former New York Gov. George Pataki said Bartholomew was “a dedicated public servant and his passing is a tremendous loss. Throughout his career, in the state Senate, as mayor and as head of the Warren County Economic Development Corporation, Ed was a person who always cared deeply about making a positive impact.”
State Sen. Senator Betty Little noted how Bartholomew “put his heart and soul into every single project that he worked on.”
Amanda Metzger, marketing director for the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, said Bartholomew “dedicated himself to the growth and progress of Glens Falls and the surrounding area, and for that we are truly grateful. His work helped revitalize Glens Falls, a benefit to both locals and visitors. His impactful legacy will continue to be felt long into the future.”
In 2019, he was honored by the State Legislature on the occasion of being the recipient of the Community Spirit Award by St. Mary’s-St. Alphonsus Regional Catholic School and contributions to the community.
The resolution that day said “rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individual for the benefit of others which Edward Bartholomew has displayed throughout his life … It is the sense that when individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire State.”
A statement from The FUND for Lake George executive leadership said the Lake George region “has lost one of its greatest champions … over the decades his immense contributions grew to encompass our entire region, and particularly the Lake that he loved so much. As an inaugural member of The FUND for Lake George Council of Business Advisors, Ed was a tremendous advocate for the health of the lake and the region’s lake-based economy.”