Putnam Economic Development Corp Welcomes New Directors

With a change at the helm and five new members on its Board of Directors, the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation is ensuring that investors, business owners and entrepreneurs know that Putnam County is the place where opportunities are possible.

Joseph D. Roberto, president and CEO of PCSB Bank (formerly Putnam County Savings Bank), was elected as the board’s new chairman. Also, James Bates, Cathy Cassidy, James Copeland, Alana Mikhalevsky and Richard Weiss have joined the board.

“Joe Roberto has done an incredible job expanding the reach of PCSB Bank while strengthening the company’s core value, of being an accessible community bank,” said EDC President Jill Marie Varricchio in a prepared statement. “His keen insight and strong leadership will help Putnam EDC move forward and support the business community in the county.”

Roberto has been the president, chairman and CEO of Putnam County Savings Bank since March 2012. In 2015, the bank acquired CMS Bancorp and now operates 15 banking centers, with eight branches in Westchester County and others located in Putnam, Dutchess, and Rockland counties. Following the expansion Putnam County Savings Bank changed its name to PCSB Bank.

“Putnam County has so much potential for business development,” Roberto said. “It is the perfect place for so many different types of industries to do business. The EDC is going to promote the resources we have for existing companies, incentives offered to relocating businesses and trainings available for new businesses. I am proud to be the chairman of the EDC Board of Directors and I am excited about what the future holds for Putnam County.

Roberto joined Putnam County Savings Bank in October 2005, and served as the bank’s chief financial officer until he was named executive vice president in February 2011. Prior to joining Putnam County Savings Bank, he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Empire State Bank (Newburgh) and chief financial officer of Yonkers Financial Corporation, where he began his career when it was Yonkers Savings and Loan Association.

Roberto has been on the EDC board since 2013. He succeeds Jeff Kellogg as the chairman. Kellogg, who has been on the board since 2011, was chairman for one year and will remain on the board.

“The role of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation is to drive the economic vitality of Putnam County by fostering an environment conducive to the creation and retention of business delivering an enhanced quality of life for its residents,” said Varricchio. “We welcomed five new board members who are stakeholders in the community and leaders in their fields of study. They will be able to assist the EDC with identifying the right opportunities for relocating or expanding businesses in Putnam County.”

James Bates is the managing director of Ecological Analysis, LLC. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the environmental and planning consulting firm, which specializes in ecological, environmental, storm water and wetland services to advance projects. Bates has 30 years of experience of working in both the environmental as well as aquaculture and fisheries fields. He is a certified professional in erosion and sediment control as well as storm water quality.

Carmel resident, Cathy Cassidy, is managing director of International Matrix Management Institute. She has worked with matrixed organizations for over 10 years, and has helped leaders at all levels of the organization. Cassidy consults with senior leadership teams to define horizontal governance structures and create project systems. She is an expert trainer and facilitator who has developed collaborative leadership skills in project management, decision making and innovating business solutions. She also coaches leadership teams on maintaining a new paradigm for managing and leading without authority.

James Copeland of Garrison is the founder and principal architect of Hudson Design Architecture and Construction Management. He has 30 years of experience in architecture. In 1993, Copeland moved his firm to the Hudson Valley to develop their reputation in recreation, hospitality and residential design work for public and private clients. Under his leadership, the firm has developed an expertise for consulting on projects with unique technical demands and in unique physical environments. In 2004, Copeland was awarded First Honors for Architectural Excellence from the American Institute of Architects.

Alana Mikhalevsky has been the project manager of business development and government affairs for Central Hudson since 2013. She administers and manages the Central Hudson’s eight economic development fund programs. In addition, Mikhalevsky is the company’s liaison to local elected officials and state agencies. She is also a member of the statewide utility working group to advocate for utility and customer interest. Prior to joining Central Hudson in 2009, Mikhalevsky worked at as program analyst for the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C.

Richard Weiss of Mahopac is the founder of Weiss Financial Group, where he currently works as a consultant. His extensive tax and financial expertise is an invaluable resource for the company and its clients. Having been in the financial services industry for over 40 years, Weiss has earned many designations. He is a certified financial planner (CFP®) professional, as well as a certified public accountant (CPA), with an emphasis on estate and trust planning. He also earned the certified estate planner (CEP®), certified life underwriter (CLU®), chartered financial consultant (ChFC®) and personal financial specialist (PFS®) designations.

Photo caption: Members of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors pictured left to right: Patrick McIntyre, CPA, Richard Weiss, Kathleen Abels, Jeff Kellogg, Chairman Joseph Roberto, Jim Bates, Joseph Hart, Angela Briante, Alana Mikhalevsky and Jerry Klein. Missing : Tom Kelly Esq, James Copeland, Cathyrn Fadde, Catherine Cassidy/contributed