What We Do

The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) accelerates economic opportunity in Albany/NY’s Capital Region by developing and implementing strategies to attract, expand and create businesses and jobs. As the regional economic development organization, affiliated with the Capital Region Chamber, CEG is a catalyst that works with partners and stakeholders to shape a vibrant, thriving future. 

CEG houses the region’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center, Manufacturing Solutions, which provides strategic guidance to small-to-middle sized companies in manufacturing and technology sectors.

 

Investors/Partners

CEG’s work and vision is supported by more than 150 investors in business, government, higher education, and the nonprofit sectors who are committed to sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity.

 

Mark Eagan
President & CEO
marke@ceg.org | 518.431.1424

Thomas J. Bell
Project Director, Manufacturing Solutions
Manufacturing Extension Partnership – Capital Region
tomb@ceg.org | 518.431.1484 

Ellyn Davis
Program Manager, Manufacturing Solutions
Manufacturing Extension Partnership – Capital Region
ellynd@ceg.org | 518.431.1489

Carlos Flores
Vice President, Business Development, Manufacturing Solutions
Manufacturing Extension Partnership – Capital Region
carlosf@ceg.org | 518.431.1483 

Katie Newcombe
Chief Economic Development Officer
katien@ceg.org | 518.431.1480 

Meredith O’Connell
Manager, Workforce Development
mereditho@ceg.org | 518.431.1486 

James Schlett
Director, Research & Communications
jamess@ceg.org | 518.431.1488 

John Taylor
Director, Economic Development 
johnt@ceg.org | 518.431.1491 

Andrea Thompson
Director of Marketing, Talent & Business Attraction
andreat@ceg.org | 518.431.1482 

Lucy Totino 
Manager, Grants & Contracts, Manufacturing Solutions
Manufacturing Extension Partnership – Capital Region
lucyt@ceg.org | 518.431.1485 

Cristina Valentin
Manager, Marketing & Graphics 
cristinav@ceg.org | 518.431.1487 

Don Wiesenforth, M.B.A.
Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Solutions
Director, Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
donw@ceg.org | 518.431.1481

Executive Board

  • Board Chair: Stephen Obermayer
    Chief Financial Officer, BBL Companies
  • President & CEO: Mark N. Eagan
    Center for Economic Growth
  • Secretary/Treasurer: Kimberly Ireland
    Regional Director of External and Community Affairs, National Grid
  • David S. DeMarco
    President & CEO, Arrow Bank
  • Dennis McKenna, M.D.
    President & CEO, Albany Med Health System
  • Brian G. O’Grady
    President & CEO, CDPHP
  • Francis O’Rourke
    Market President, KeyBank

Leadership Board

Members of Executive Board serve on Leadership Board   

  • Brian A. Akley
    Sr. Business Development Manager, Gilbane Building Company
  • Thomas  L. Amell
    President & CEO, Pioneer
  • David M. Buicko
    Chief Executive Officer, Galesi Group
  • Steve Bulger
    County Administrator, Saratoga County
  • Dean Burns
    Executive Director, Commercial Banking, JPMorgan Chase
  • Bryant Cassella
    President, Eastern NY Region, Community Bank
  • Antonio Civitella
    President & CEO, Transfinder
  • Greg Connors
    President, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation
  • Gerald Conway
    General Counsel, Plug Power
  • Louis Coplin
    Executive in Charge, Hudson Valley Community College
  • Chris Del Vecchio
    President & CEO, MVP Health Care
  • J. Tyler Desmond
    General Manager, Crowne Plaza Albany, The Desmond Hotel
  • Dan Dinsmore
    President, Overit
  • Christopher Dowd
    President & CEO, Ballston Spa National Bank
  • John Eberle
    President & CEO, Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region
  • Daniel Fariello
    President, Capital Bank
  • Patricia Fusco
    President, Fusco Personnel, Inc.
  • Peter Gannon
    President and CEO, United Way of the Greater Capital Region
  • Jennifer Garvey
    New York Market Affairs Manager, Ørsted
  • Eileen Guarino
    President & COO, Guarino Industries, Inc.
  • Steven D. Hanks, M.D. 
    President and CEO, St. Peter’s Health Partners
  • James Harris, Jr.
    President & CEO, Janitronics
  • John S. Harris, Esq.
    Partner, Brown & Weinraub, PLLC
  • George R. Hearst, III
    Publisher, Times Union
  • Richard Hendrick
    CEO, Port of Albany
  • Michael Hickey
    Vice President and Chief of Staff, Siena College
  • David Hollander
    Vice President, LeChase Construction Services
  • Robert Hull, Ph.D
    Vice President for Research, RPI
  • Daniel Hurteau
    Office Managing Partner, Nixon Peabody, LLP
  • Paul Kelly
    Chief Operating Officer, NY CREATES
  • Kesh Kesavadas, Ph.D
    Vice President for Research and Economic Development Executive Council, University at Albany
  • Ashley King
    Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Ayco
  • Hui Peng Koh
    General Manager, GlobalFoundries
  • Josh Kowalski
    VP, Sales & Business Development, Carver Companies
  • Joe Lodise
    General Manager, Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady
  • Mary Malone McCarthy
    CEO, M3 Placement and Partnership
  • Dennis P. McKenna, MD
    President & CEO, Albany Med Health System
  • John McManus
    Managing Partner, Harris Beach, PLLC
  • Marlene McTigue
    Board Member, Albany County IDA
  • Paul A. Milton
    President & CEO, Ellis Medicine
  • James Morris
    NY President and Managing Director of Commercial Real Estate, Berkshire Bank
  • Philip Morris
    CEO, Proctors
  • John J. Nigro
    President, Nigro Retail Properties
  • Kevin O’Connor
    CEO, Advance Albany County Alliance
  • Michael Paparian
    Senior VP, Middle Market Banking, Citizens Commercial Banking
  • Robert Pasinella
    President, Rensselaer County IDA
  • Charles Pinckney
    Regional President, M&T Bank
  • Kevin J. Quaranto
    Senior Leader, Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York
  • Robert Schofield
    Co-Partner, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna
  • Thomas A. Selfridge
    President, Swagelok
  • Hon. Kathy Sheehan
    Mayor, City of Albany
  • Jim Siplon
    President & CEO, EDC, Warren County
  • Richard P. Sleasman, SIOR
    President & Managing Director, CBRE Upstate NY
  • Carl E. Stewart, III
    Executive Vice President, Turner Construction
  • Peter Stuto
    Acting Chief Executive Officer, Albany International Airport
  • Barnabas Szilagyi
    Chief Strategy Officer, Broadview Federal Credit Union
  • Al Testa
    President of Eastern NY & Connecticut, NBT Bank
  • Cricket Thomas-O’Dell
    Statewide Pre-Apprentice Program Coordinator / Director of Community Engagement, Workforce Development Institute
  • Walter Thorne
    Market President & Publisher, Albany Business Review
  • Toyin Tofade
    President, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  • Michael J. Uccellini
    President, United Group of Companies
  • Renee Walrath
    President, Walrath Recruiting
  • Deshanna Wiggins
    CEO, Albany Black Chamber of Commerce
  • Brian Williams
    Executive Director, Capital Region Workforce Development Board
  • Marie Zimmerman
    Partner, KPMG

Funding Partners