Samuels named to NYSTAR Regional Partnership Organizing Committee

Samuels Named to NYSTAR Regional Partnership Organizing Committee

January 15, 2007

RBA CEO and President Al Samuels is among 13 that have been invited to join the New York State Office of Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) Regional Partnership Organizing Committee for the Hudson Valley region.

Samuels said his inclusion in the organizing committee was significant for the RBA, which was the only business membership organization on the organizing committee and the only representative from Rockland. The appointment means Samuels will take an active role in identifying partnership members and helping allocate state grants through NYSTAR.

"This is an exciting opportunity because it brings prestige and respect to our organization and because it will help make NYSTAR grants more available for our members. I am hoping that several RBA companies will join the greater Regional Partnership and take an active role in this initiative to develop the area's economy," Samuels said.

The organizing committee was created to help recruit "small and large businesses, commercial lending institutions, venture capital firms, community colleges, colleges and universities, research institutions and workforce development organizations," that will help stimulate commercial and entrepreneurial development.

According to a release from NYSTAR the intended services and results of the partnership include:

Solicit and review applications for program funding
Provide capital for designated projects/programs and ensure venture capital within the regions
Offer expertise in technology, finance and business to assist established businesses and entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and plan for growth
Coalesce the region’s high tech economic development community to help innovative new companies commercialize emerging technologies
Identify, link and leverage existing and future resources
Promote collaborations, initiatives by NYSTAR, technology enterprises, economic development organizations
Offer mentoring opportunities to merging technology companies in order to provide resources and industry knowledge to create opportunities for growth
Maintain partnership database and informational website
Industry cluster support
Financial assistance services

Other members of the partnership include:

Harold King, Executive Director of the Council of Industry of Southeastern New York
Richard Altman, Executive Director of the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board
Anne. N. Conroy, President and CEO of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corp.
Frank Falaytan, President and CEO of Fala Technologies
Anthony Campagiorni, President and CEO of Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp.
Les Neumann, Executive Director of Hudson Valley Center for Innovation
Thomas G. Phillips, Sr., Executive Director of Hudson Valley Technology Development Center
Laurie Rumpf, Director of Hudson Valley Technology Development Center
Vincent Cozzolino, Executive Director of the Institute for Business Innovation
Al Lemberger, Executive Director of Mid-Hudson Technology Council
Andres Fortino, Ph.D., Associate Provost and Dean of the Westchester Campus of Polytechnic University
Jason Chapin, Coordinator of the Westchester Regional Center – New York State Small Business Development Center