Alumni Hall of Fame - Joseph M. Rizzo

Joseph M. Rizzo ’79
Manager, Economic Development,
NYSEG and RG&E

Nominated by Sergio Esteban

“The education I received at MCC was the foundation for my future education and eventual employment at RG&E. The Engineering Science Program was very challenging. I was blessed with excellent professors and it was a true wake-up call to really prioritize my daily activities for both my studies and employment.”

Joe Rizzo first worked at RG&E from 1979-1982 through a Rochester Institute of Technology co-op program. He would then work for several years in marketing and management positions before joining the Economic Development department at RG&E and NYSEG in 2003. Joe served in management positions in economic development for the Greater Rochester region and community relations before taking his current position. Joe’s work finds him in partnership with allies at the local, regional and state levels to attract and retain businesses in the NYSEG and RG&E service territories.

Joe’s primary responsibilities include management and implementation of various programs for NYSEG and RG&E, which are subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc., a leading, sustainable energy company with operations in 24 states, including Upstate New York and the nine-county region surrounding the City of Rochester. These programs include grant assistance; support for productivity and efficiency improvements for manufacturers; assistance for start-up companies/entrepreneurs; and revitalization of main streets and business corridors.

Since 2010, through Joe’s leadership, NYSEG and RG&E have provided over $125 million in economic development assistance to support over 1,100 projects, leveraging over $6.5 billion in private sector and capital investments and approximately 70,000 jobs retained and created. Joe continues to have oversight of projects helping businesses expand and grow.

Joe currently serves on the board of directors for several economic development organizations including Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, Greater Rochester Enterprise, Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation, and NextCorps Inc.

Joe’s family instilled in him the importance of such values as honesty, integrity, respectfulness, and hard work. Joe fondly remembers his father, Vincent, who understood the importance of education and the value it brings in life, telling him that “no one can ever take away your degree, it is yours to keep throughout life.” With his father’s philosophy in mind, Joe began his formal education by attending MCC, receiving an associate degree in Engineering Science.