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GARRY VANGORDER NAMED TO BDC/IDA POST; CHAMBER BEGINS SEARCH FOR REPLACEMENT

Cortland, NY – Garry VanGorder, executive director of the Cortland County Chamber of Commerce since 2001, has been named executive director of the Cortland County Business Development Corporation/Industrial Development Agency. VanGorder, 53, was appointed to the post during today’s meeting of the BDC board at its Church Street offices. He replaces Tom Gillson, who resigned earlier this year for health reasons. VanGorder will begin work with the BDC/IDA September 8, and the Chamber begins a search for his replacement immediately. “We are pleased to be able to announce this today, and I want to thank the search committee members and the full board for their support in this process,” said BDC/IDA chairman Paul Slowey. “We conducted an arduous search and had a high caliber field of candidates that made the process rewarding but very difficult. I am pleased that in the end it was Garry that survived the numerous cuts and evaluations that took place. The fact that he is a Cortland native and knows best the strong quality of life attributes that we are blessed with should prove very beneficial in his new role.” A Cortland native, VanGorder joined the Chamber of Commerce nearly eight years ago after a three-year stint with the Metropolitan Development Association, a regional economic development agency based in Syracuse. A variety of new programs and projects have been initiated in VanGorder’s time at the Chamber, and under his leadership the organization played a crucial role in the formation of the Cortland Downtown Partnership, the Cortland Regional Sports Council, the Main Street Music Series, the East End Farmers’ Market, and the Cortland Public Education Foundation. VanGorder also serves as the community’s liaison to SUNY Cortland and the New York Jets in planning for the team’s summer training camp here. He is a board member of the Downtown Partnership, the Regional Sports Council, the Public Education Foundation, the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board and the Chamber Alliance of New York State. He is a past board member of the Music Series, Cortland County United Way, the Cortland Housing Assistance Council, and the Cortland City Youth Bureau, and is a past member of the Cortland Common Council. VanGorder is active in a variety of other community gateway and beautification initiatives and also serves as the public address announcer for SUNY Cortland football and basketball. He holds an A.A.S degree in journalism from SUNY Morrisville and a B.A. degree in political science from SUNY Oswego. He and his wife, Valarie, have three daughters: Stephanie, 20; Emily, 18; and Aubrey, 16. “I am thankful for this new opportunity and I look forward to continued work on behalf of Cortland County,” VanGorder said. “I’ve enjoyed my time at the Chamber and I think we’ve accomplished a lot, but this represents a logical next step for me professionally. I wouldn’t have left for anything else.”

Chamber president Paul Corriveau said the organization will move quickly to find its new director. “The role of the Chamber of Commerce in the community is an important one, and running the organization requires a broad-based skill set. However, we do expect that there will be a great deal of interest in the position and we're confident that the right person is out there for us,” Corriveau said. “Thanks to Garry's hard work and professionalism, he has taken this Chamber to the next level while providing excellent service to the Cortland County business community. He will be sorely missed and we wish him continued success,” The BDC, a private, nonprofit local development corporation that is publicly funded, works to retain, create and attract jobs to Cortland County. The BDC staffs the Cortland County Industrial Development Agency and works closely with other economic development partners including the Chamber of Commerce, Cortland County Planning Department, Cortland County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Cortland Regional Sports Council, Cortland Downtown Partnership, New York State Electric and Gas Corp., National Grid Power Corporation, and Empire State Development. The BDC started in 1982 as the Economic Development Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, but has operated as a separate organization offering a full range of economic development services since 1984.