Putnam County Economic Development Corp Hosts Annual Symposium

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — The Putnam County Economic Development Corporation will host a
breakfast symposium Oct. 3 at the Putnam County Golf Course.

The event will feature a keynote presentation by Joseph Cotter, President, National Resources, Inc. entitled “Downtown Revitalization in the Hudson Valley.” National Resources is a leading real estate development firm located in Greenwich, CT.

The program will also include a panel discussion by subject matter experts including Adam Bosch, President and CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress; Carla Castillo, Executive Director of Hudson Valley Regional Council and Linda Malave, Regional Director of Empire State Development’s Mid-Hudson Regional Office. The panel will be moderated by Alana Daly, Chair of the PCEDC Board of Directors and Vice President of Communications & Public Policy, Northeast Gas Association.

“The PCEDC is thrilled to host our third annual symposium with such outstanding speakers.” said Kathleen Abels, President, PCEDC. “Our goal is to raise awareness of our organization with prospective and existing businesses in Putnam County, and to provide insight into economic trends and opportunities.”

Featured Speakers and Moderator

Joseph Cotter is the President of National Resources. As founder of the company, his focus is on strategic aspects of growth and development of the business. National Resources is best known for its landmark Hudson River waterfront residences, its innovative i.Parks and state-of-the-art film studio complex in Yonkers, New York.

Joe has been active in real estate investment and development for over 30 years and has acquired and successfully developed over $2B of commercial and residential projects. His visionary approach has been recognized by the Urban Land Institute and NAIOP. Cotter graduated from Williams College, completed a year of graduate study at Oxford University and has an MBA from New York University. He is a guest lecturer at New York University Stern School of Business and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Adam Bosch is the president and CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, a policy, planning and research organization that was founded in 1965. Pattern focuses its regional planning and studies on topics that are important to the growth and vitality of the region, including housing, downtown revitalization, infrastructure, transportation and community planning. Bosch began his career in journalism, working as a reporter and editor at publications, including the Times Herald-Record, The New York Times and Scientific American. He earned six Associated Press awards. He also served as an adjunct professor of journalism at SUNY New Paltz. He earned his bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz and his master’s degree from Columbia University in the City of New York.

Carla Castillo, MCP / MS, serves as the Hudson Valley Regional Council’s (HVRC) Executive Director. Carla oversees HVRC’s delivery of technical assistance to Mid-Hudson Region counties and municipalities across HVRC’s core programmatic areas: economic development grant application guidance to municipalities and eligible entities through the US DOC EDA Partnership Planning Assistance Program, water quality planning assistance through the NYS DEC 604(b) Program, clean energy action attainment through the NYSERDA CEC Program, and wastewater infrastructure IUP and grant application assistance through the US EPA’s Rural & Small Technical Assistance Program. She also oversees direct climate action planning support to Westchester County municipalities through HVRC’s Climate Action Planning Institute and building performance standards support to five Westchester cities through the US DOE Community-Led Energy Future Program. Carla serves on the boards of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, the HREMAC, and is an appointed member of the Orange County Municipal Planning Federation, the Orange County Climate Smart Communities Task Force, and the Cornwall Conservation Advisory Council. Carla received an MCP in City & Regional Planning and an MS in International Development & Appropriate Technology from the University of Pennsylvania as well as a BA in Latin American Studies from UCLA.

Linda Malave is the Regional Director of Empire State Development’s Mid-Hudson Regional Office. Linda oversees state-led economic development efforts in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties that contribute to job creation and economic growth throughout the Mid-Hudson Region.

Linda possesses over twenty years of leadership experience and her background includes a long history of civic engagement and working with diverse populations seeking housing and services to improve their lives. Prior to joining ESD, served as the Associate Executive Director for Hudson River Housing, a nonprofit housing and service provider in Dutchess County, overseeing residential services, programs and staff. Linda lives in the City of Poughkeepsie and can often be found with a camera photographing the scenic beauty of the Mid-Hudson region.

Alana Daly is the Vice President of Communications & Public Policy at the Northeast Gas Association. Prior to joining Northeast Gas Association Alana spent 13 years at Central Hudson Gas & Electric, most recently Alana was the Director of Public Relations responsible for corporate communications, community relations, media relations, government affairs and economic development. Earlier in her career Alana worked at the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington, DC.

Alana is Board Chair of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation. She has previously served on the Poughkeepsie Business Alliance and as a trustee for the Archdiocese of New York Dutchess County Regional School Board. Alana was honored with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 award in 2020. Alana resides in Beacon, New York with her family.

Registration, networking and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. Tickets for the event are $45/person. To purchase tickets click here.