Orange County Partnership to honor Women of Achievement this October

The Orange County Partnership is recognizing three recipients of its 2026 Women of Achievement in Economic Development Award, marking the first time since the award’s inception that the honor will be presented jointly.

The award will be presented during the Orange County Partnership’s 2026 Investor Breakfast on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at The Barn at Villa Venezia in Middletown.

The Orange County Partnership Board of Directors unanimously supported the recognition of Maria Bruni, director of economic and community development for the City of Middletown; Valerie Maginsky, executive director of the City of Port Jervis Community Development Agency; and Cherisse Vickers, executive director of the City of Newburgh Industrial Development Agency.

Collectively, Bruni, Maginsky and Vickers have dedicated more than five decades to advancing economic and community development in Orange County. Their leadership, with the support of their respective elected leadership, has helped secure tens of millions of dollars in state investment, transform downtown business districts, revitalize neighborhoods, preserve historic assets, expand housing opportunities, and attract significant private investment and job creation that continues to strengthen the county’s economy.

“One of the greatest strengths of Orange County is that economic development isn’t accomplished by any one organization, it’s built through partnerships. We’ve had the privilege of working alongside Maria, Valerie, and Cherisse on projects that have grown local communities and strengthened our regional economy,” said Conor Eckert, president and CEO of the Orange County Partnership. “Economic development is often measured by new buildings and investment announcements, but those milestones are only possible because of dedicated professionals who spend years working behind the scenes to move projects forward. Maria, Valerie, and Cherisse represent the very best of that work. They have championed downtown revitalization, supported local businesses, advanced housing and infrastructure, and helped create the conditions for long-term private investment and job creation. Their leadership has elevated the Cities of Middletown, Port Jervis, and Newburgh, while making Orange County stronger and more competitive as a whole.”

About the honorees

Since joining the City of Middletown in 1994, Maria Bruni has contributed to many of the city’s most significant redevelopment initiatives. Her accomplishments include helping secure and implement Middletown’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award, advancing the Rail Trail Commons redevelopment, leading extensive downtown streetscape improvements, assisting with the launch of the successful Race 4 Space initiative that helped fill long-vacant storefronts, and guiding redevelopment planning for the former Middletown Psychiatric Center campus, one of the largest redevelopment opportunities in the city’s history.

Since 2014, Valerie Maginsky has helped guide Port Jervis through a period of sustained revitalization. She played a leading role in securing the city’s $10 million Round VI Hudson Valley DRI award and now oversees its implementation while continuing to advance downtown redevelopment, business recruitment, housing rehabilitation and the restoration of the historic Erie Turntable.

Since 2018, Cherisse Vickers has helped lead many of Newburgh’s most transformative redevelopment initiatives. Under her leadership, Brookfield’s 700 South Street Industrial project has broken ground, the Liberty Street Corridor has been positioned for new mixed-income housing, plans continue to advance for a redeveloped waterfront and public pier, and the city is seeing a substantial uptick in job creation opportunities.