Wednesday afternoon, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced MCC President Dr. Anne M. Kress will serve as the academic co-chair of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council effective immediately. Dr. Kress replaces Joel Seligman, who served on the Council since 2011.
"The Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council made significant progress over the past five years in driving economic growth, revitalizing the region and creating thousands of well-paying jobs," Governor Cuomo said. "I am proud to welcome Dr. Anne Kress as co-chair of the Regional Council to continue that upward trend and keep the Finger Lakes moving forward. I would also like to thank Joel Seligman for his tremendous leadership and dedication to the Council, and wish him all the best in the years ahead."
"Through the FLREDC, and under the exemplary leadership of Joel Seligman, our region has made significant economic progress in the past few years," Dr. Kress said. "With the recent Upstate Revitalization Initiative award, the opportunity for the Finger Lakes to continue its important work grows even greater. Together, we can and will move our region forward, assuring all members of our community can access pathways to prosperity and enjoy brighter economic futures. I thank Governor Cuomo for the honor of this new role and look forward to working with all members of the FLREDC in advancing the Council's efforts and our region's transformation."
Recent investments through the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council have helped to build upon the region’s strengths and create 25,000 new jobs since 2011. Looking to the future, the Rochester area was recently selected as the site for a national Institute for Manufacturing Innovation focusing on field of integrated photonics, for which the State has committed $250 million in support. The FLREDC was also named an URI Best Plan Awardee by Governor Cuomo in December 2015 for its strategic plan, entitled “United for Success: Finger Lakes Forward.” As a result, the Finger Lakes will receive $500 million over five years to fund projects that will meet their plan goals of creating jobs, leveraging private investment, increasing wealth and reducing poverty. The Finger Lakes Region’s URI plan consists of three industry clusters that will act as the core drivers of job and output growth: optics, photonics and imaging; agriculture and food production; and next generation manufacturing and technology.
About the Regional Economic Development Councils
The Regional Economic Development Council initiative is a key component of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s transformative approach to State investment and economic development. In 2011, Governor Cuomo established 10 Regional Councils to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth for their regions. The Councils are public-private partnerships made up of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government, and non-governmental organizations.
To learn more about the FLREDC, visit:
https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/content/finger-lakes