ITHACA, N.Y. – Ithaca Area Economic Development (IAED) appointed its 2022 Board of Directors at the first quarterly meeting of the year in January. New annual appointments include Tompkins County legislators, Shawna Black and Anne Koreman; City of Ithaca Mayor, Laura Lewis; and Ithaca College Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Wendy Kobler. Those starting 3-year terms include Groton Central School District Board of Education President, Sophia Darling, and Tompkins Trust Company President, Greg Hartz. A full board list can be found at IthacaAreaED.org/about-iaed.
“IAED board members represent every sector of our economy, from education and healthcare to government, non-profit, and industry. They contribute to the organization’s culture, strategic focus, effectiveness, and financial sustainability, as well as serving as ambassadors and advocates. I look forward to the foresight, oversight, and insight of the new and returning members,” said IAED President, Heather McDaniel.
At the same meeting, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to elect as officers Greg Galvin (Rheonix), Chair; Cathy Hart (Ithaca Marriott Downtown on the Commons), Vice Chair; Jeff Gorsky (Sciarabba Walker & Co LLP), Treasurer; and Mary Opperman (Cornell University), Secretary. All are engaged both personally and professionally in the Ithaca and Tompkins County communities and combined, have over 40 years of leadership experience at IAED.
“IAED is the only organization in our community specifically focused on supporting new and existing businesses, often in ways that tend not to be very visible to the public. IAED is the conduit to economic incentives and takes on projects that affect all businesses in the area,” added Galvin.
The IAED Executive Committee, which includes the officers and Lisa Holmes (Tompkins County), Chris Malcolm (Wegmans), Lewis, and Hartz, serve in the same capacity for IAED’s 501(c)3 subsidiary, TCAD Foundation. The TCAD Foundation was established in 2013 to advance economic development in the Finger Lakes region. It currently oversees administration of the company’s Appalachian Regional Commission grant to construct a 17-mile broadband extension to facilitate redevelopment of the former Cayuga Operating Company coal plant.
About Ithaca Area Economic Development
Ithaca Area Economic Development is a private non-profit economic development organization serving Ithaca and Tompkins County. It is New York State’s first and only Accredited Economic Development Organization, one of only 71 across North America. Since 1964, Ithaca Area Economic Development has worked to grow, retain, and attract companies that provide high-quality employment opportunities and strives to create a supportive environment for businesses and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit IthacaAreaED.org.
About Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency
The Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA) is a public authority created by the Tompkins County Legislature. It is guided by federal and state law as well as policies established by its Board of Directors. The mission of the TCIDA is to deliver economic incentives to business and industry to diversify and strengthen Tompkins County’s tax base and enhance community vitality by supporting job creation, business and industrial development, and community revitalization.
