Courtesy EDC Warren County
The board of directors of EDC Warren County has named board member Jim Siplon as interim president following the unexpected death of Ed Bartholomew in July.
“We know we cannot fill Ed Bartholomew’s shoes and his legacy will endure here at EDC forever,” said board Chairman Matthew Fuller. “We also know that, if Ed were here, he would tell us to keep moving forward and get the work done. Jim Siplon will help our board ensure that the many critical economic development projects that Ed was spearheading continue to move forward. There is so much work to do, and we will do it together and in Ed’s honor.’’
EDC will begin a search for a new president in the coming months.
“This is a critical time for EDC and our community, especially as we seek to help local businesses and municipalities recover from the economic damage of COVID-19,’’ said Fuller. “That recovery mission was so important to Ed, and we are fortunate to have in Jim an experienced executive, board member and community leader who can step in to continue the business-support initiatives and assistance programs that Ed was leading.’’
“Jim Siplon is a very capable leader, and we look forward to helping him bring to fruition the many projects Ed was working on,” said Glens Falls Mayor Dan Hall.
Siplon was chief operating officer of JUST Water, leading a successful effort to create in Glens Falls an environmentally sound alternative to bottled water: spring water drawn from the Adirondacks and served in 100 percent recyclable plant- and paper-based packaging.
He forged JUST’s first-of-its-kind fair trade water agreement with the City of Glens Falls and established the company’s headquarters in the re-purposed St. Alphonsus Church on Broad Street. JUST Water now is produced in a new facility in Queensbury and is sold worldwide. Siplon completed his work at JUST earlier this year.
He previously served as the managing director of FIJI Water, responsible for building its tropical-island production to its current world-class output. Upon leaving FIJI, he led large-scale water efforts in New Zealand, Africa and the United States.
He is a former senior executive at MCI, GE, Roll International and Teleflora. Siplon also founded Rethinkh20, a consulting firm that helps large-scale water users reduce water consumption. Rethinkh20 helped Cedars Sinai Hospital in water-scarce Los Angeles conserve 20 million gallons of water annually.
He served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and holds an undergraduate degree in astrophysics from Utah State University and an MBA from Boston University. He and his wife, Susan, reside in Glens Falls.
“I look forward to the challenge of continuing Ed’s work, but no one will replace Ed. The best we can do is emulate him,” said Siplon. “Ed knew more about economic development in New York state than anyone I know. I particularly admired his ability to get things done through intellect, his connections with people at every level of government, and sheer force of will. I look forward to working with EDC’s great staff and my colleagues on the board.”
“Ed Bartholomew is irreplaceable, and we will feel his absence acutely in the coming weeks and months. But Warren County is very pleased that EDC is in the capable hands of Jim Siplon while its board of directors works on the next chapter of this accomplished organization,” said Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore.
Queensbury Supervisor John Strough said he had come to appreciate Siplon’s breadth of skills over the past five years through their interactions related to JUST and more recently EDC. “As town supervisor and EDC board director, I saw Jim work with the greater community to create and develop a very unique, now very successful business, called JUST Beverages. He will provide the type of leadership we need to bridge the EDC to the next level.”