Governor names seven Orange County representatives to regional council

Monroe Supervisor Sandy Leonard among group appointed to economic development panel GOSHEN — Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s selection of seven representatives to the state’s Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council clearly shows the state’s confidence in the Orange County marketplace as a key region for economic growth, according to Orange County Partnership Chairman Alan Seidman. The seven are: Payal Malhorta, vice president of marketing, Café Spice GCT, Inc., New Windsor. Tom Endres, president and COO of Continental Organics of New Windsor. James Taylor III, CEO of Taylor BioMass, LLC of Montgomery. Orange County Executive Edward Diana. Orange County Partnership President Maureen Halahan. Sandy Leonard, Supervisor, Town of Monroe. Jonathan Drapkin, president, CEO, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, Newburgh. “The business and political leaders that make up the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council are outstanding and to have seven representatives hail from Orange County I believe is a ringing endorsement from Governor Cuomo of Orange County’s potential for economic growth,” Seidman said. Both Halahan and Taylor serve as directors of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation’s board. The group’s mission is to serve the economic development needs of the same region that the Mid-Hudson Regional Council represents. The first meeting of the Mid-Hudson Regional Council will be Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 3 p.m. at SUNY New Paltz. The Mid-Hudson Council will be chaired by Dennis Murray, president of Marist College of Poughkeepsie, and Leonard S. Schleifer, MD, PhD, president of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Tarrytown. The Mid-Hudson Council, which coordinates economic development in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties, is one of 10 regional councils established by the governor to stimulate economic development across the state. The councils, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, can now apply for a total of $1 billion in state funding for projects they determine to be part of their regional strategy.