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IDA Board Members /
Officers |
Frank S. Venezia
Chairman
Telephone: (518) 785-0134
E-mail:
fsv@marvincpa.com
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Robert B. Ward
Vice
Chairman
Telephone: (518) 465-7511, Ext. 271
E-Mail:
wardr@rockinst.org
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Joseph P. Richardson
Secretary
Telephone:
(518) 439-4800
E-Mail:
jrichardson@deltapointcapital.com
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Sam NeJame
Assistant
Secretary
Telephone: (518) 475-3065
E-mail:
ssnejame@yahoo.com
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Brian
T. Stenson
Treasurer
Telephone: (518) 443-5831
E-mail:
brianstenson@gmail.com
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Victoria Stanton
Sweeney
Member
Telephone:
(518) 431-5409
E-mail:
victoria_stanton@farmfamily.com
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Mark Hennessey
Member
Telephone: (518) 478-9408
E-mail:
mhennessey@townofbethlehem.org
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IDA Staff |
Terrence W. Ritz
Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: (518) 439-4955, Ext. 1139
E-mail:
tritz@townofbethlehem.org |
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Suzanne Traylor
Chief Financial Officer
/ Contracting
Officer
Telephone: (518) 439-4955, Ext. 1123
E-mail:
straylor@townofbethlehem.org
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Thomas P. Connolly, Esq.
Assistant Executive Director,
Assistant Secretary & Agency Counsel
McNamee, Lochner, Titus & Williams, P.C.
677 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
Telephone: (518) 447-3303
E-mail:
connolly@mltw.com |
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Deborah M. Kitchen
Assistant
to the Executive Director
and Clerk
Telephone: (518) 439-4955, Ext. 1159
E-mail:
dkitchen@townofbethlehem.org |
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Frank S. Venezia
Frank
Venezia is a CPA
with over 30
years of public
accounting
experience,
which include
the last 24 with
Marvin and
Company. He
became a
Director of the
firm in 1985 and
was appointed
Director of
Accounting and
Auditing
Services in
October 1995.
Since 1985 he
has been the
director in
charge of the
audits,
management
advisory and
other services
to a number of
organizations
providing
services to the
developmentally
disabled, and
other
not-for-profit
organizations.
Various
for-profit
organizations in
a variety of
different
industries are
also among his
clients. A
frequent
lecturer and
seminar
instructor, Mr.
Venezia has
conducted
various
presentations on
business and
other issues
throughout New
York State.
Mr.
Venezia
graduated, with
honors, from the
Rochester
Institute of
Technology in
1976 with a BS
degree in
Accounting and
from the College
of St. Rose in
1992 with an MS
degree in
Accounting. He
is a member of
the American
Institute of
Certified Public
Accountants and
the New York
State Society of
Certified Public
Accountants. He
is a member of
the board of
directors of the
Bethlehem
Chamber of
Commerce, serves
as treasurer for
the New York
State Museum
Institute, board
member of the
Town of
Bethlehem
Industrial
Development
Agency.
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Robert B. Ward
Robert Ward is
deputy director
and director of
fiscal studies
of the Nelson A.
Rockefeller
Institute of
Government, the
public-policy
research arm of
the
State University
of New York.
Mr. Ward
has written
extensively on
state and local
government in
New York, and how government
policies can
promote the
growth of
businesses and
jobs in the
state.
He is
author of the
leading text on
New York State
government for
students and
citizens, New
York State
Government:
Second Edition,
published by the
Rockefeller
Press.
Mr. Ward
previously
worked on the
staff of the New
York State
Assembly, where
he served as a
researcher and
writer for the
chairman of the
Ways and Means
Committee.
Before that, he
was a reporter
and editor with
The
Knickerbocker
News in Albany.
An Albany
native, he is a
graduate of
Syracuse
University.
He
serves as
chairman of the
Board of
Directors of
Peter Young
Housing,
Industry and
Treatment, Inc.,
a nonprofit
organization
that seeks to
"create
taxpayers" by
helping former
prison inmates
and homeless
individuals
recover from
substance
addiction and
find employment.
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Joseph P. Richardson
Joseph P.
Richardson is an
Operating
Director for
DeltaPoint
Capital
Management, LLC,
a private equity
fund for change
of control
transactions.
He retired from
Berkshire Bank
on September 30,
2009 as the New
York Regional
Executive. He
joined the Bank
on November 28,
2005 after a
brief time as
Director of
Economic
Development for
the
Albany-Colonie
Regional Chamber
of Commerce.
Before that he
worked for
forty-two years
in corporate
banking. His
banking career
began in 1963
with the State
Bank of Albany,
which has become
the Bank of
America, where
he became a
Senior Corporate
Lender and
Senior Vice
President
responsible for
the statewide
Specialized
Lending group.
In 1993, Mr.
Richardson
joined ALBANK as
the Senior Vice
President
responsible for
Commercial
Banking, which
Bank was later
acquired by
Charter One Bank
and further
acquired by
Citizens Bank.
He retired from
Citizen Bank on
February 18,
2005.
A 1963 graduate
of St. Lawrence
University, Mr.
Richardson is
also a June,
1978 graduate of
the Stonier
Graduate School
of Banking at
Rutgers
University where
his thesis
entitled, "The
Employee Stock
Ownership Plan:
It's
Applicability,
Validity and
Utility as a
Method of Bank
Lending" was
accepted for the
library and
published. He
holds several
Graduate
Diplomas from
the University
of Oklahoma
National
Commercial
Lending School
and is a
Certified
Commercial
Lender as
designated by
the American
Bankers
Association.
Mr. Richardson
has been an
active member of
many community
organizations
and recently was
the former Chair
of the
Albany-Colonie
Regional Chamber
of Commerce
Board of
Directors; Vice
Chair, Town of
Bethlehem
Industrial
Development
Agency; member,
New York
Business
Development
Corporation
Capital
District/Champlain
Regional Loan
and Advisory
Committee;
former President
of the Upstate
New York/Vermont
Chapter of The
Leukemia
Society; a
former President
of the Empire
Chapter of
Robert Morris
Associates;
former Race
Director for the
Hudson-Mohawk
Road Runners
annual Delmar
Dash and a
founding
Director and
first President
of the Capital
Affordable
Housing
Partnership.
Currently, Mr.
Richardson is a
Trustee at St.
Lawrence
University and a
Director and
Treasurer of the
Terramere
Homeowners
Association;
Event Treasurer
for the annual
GHI Workforce
Team Challenge
Road Race and
was elected
Board Chair at
WMHT in June,
2009. He was
re-elected to
the Town of
Bethlehem
Industrial
Development
Agency on July
12, 2006. Mr.
Richardson is a
member of the
Tech Valley
Angel Network
and a member of
the Fort Orange
Club since
1980. When not
volunteering,
you can find Joe
hiking,
canoeing, biking
or perhaps even
running a
marathon!
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Sam NeJame
Sam NeJame is a
Partner in the
Albany office of
Wilson Elser
Moskowitz Edelman &
Dicker LLP.
His practice focuses
on corporate and
government-related
matters.
Sam brings a wealth
of knowledge and
experience to New
York's largest and
most successful
lobbying firm.
Prior to joining
Wilson Elser, he
spent six years as a
Senior Government
Affairs Specialist
helping to build an
upstart lobbying
firm to a top tier
company. Prior
to that, Sam served
under Mayor Roy
Bernardi (now Deputy
Secretary of HUD) in
the Office of
Corporation Counsel
for the City of
Syracuse.
Sam has in-depth
knowledge in various
areas, including
municipal
government, the
private health care
industry, economic
development and
racing and wagering.
He has served a
wide-range of
clients and issues
over the past six
years including
various municipal
governments; the
home health care
industry; the
ambulance industry;
several hospitals,
nursing homes and
hospices; OTB, VLT
and racing
operators; the
energy industry; as
well as architects,
engineers and
developers. He
has experience in
State, New York City
and Federal
government lobbying.
Additionally, Sam is
a guest lecturer at
the Rockefeller
College of Public
Affairs. He,
also, has
considerable
political and
campaign experience
at both the State
and local level.
Sam has resided in
the Town of
Bethlehem for the
last 8 years.
During that time he
has been involved in
various community
activities including
coaching his
daughter in the
Bethlehem Soccer
Club.
Admissions
New York State Bar
Massachusetts State
Bar
U.S. District Court,
Northern District of
New York
Education
Syracuse University
- Maxwell School of
Citizenship & Public
Affairs, B.A.
Villanova University
School of Law, J.D.,
1998
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Brian T. Stenson
Brian Stenson is
a management
consultant
working with the
U. S. Treasury
Department, the
International
City/County
Management
Association, and
other national,
state, and local
public and
non-profit
clients.
Previously, he
was a Director
with RBC Capital
Markets, an
investment
banking firm and
before that
Deputy Director
of the
Rockefeller
Institute of
Government, the
public policy
research arm of
the State
University of
New York, where
he concentrated
on state and
local government
fiscal issues.
He has written
numerous reports
on state
government
finances and has
addressed groups
of state
government
leaders in New
York and other
states.
Brian has also
served as Vice
Chancellor for
Finance and
Business for the
State University
of New York,
where he oversaw
the finances of
the SUNY system,
including the
operating
budget,
financial
management and
reporting,
internal
controls, human
resources, other
business
functions, and
capital planning
and financing
for residence
halls. He had
previously
served in the
New York State
Division of the
Budget, most
recently as
Deputy for
Fiscal Planning,
Management and
Authorities. In
that capacity,
he was
responsible for
the development
of the State's
financial plan
including
projections of
receipts and
disbursements,
the State's
borrowing and
capital
financing plan,
public
authorities and
local government
relations. Brian
received his
bachelor’s
degree in
political
science and
master's in
public
administration
from the
University at
Albany. He and
his family have
lived in Delmar
since 1988.
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Victoria Stanton
Sweeney
Victoria Stanton
Sweeney has
lived in the
Town of
Bethlehem since
1989. She uses
her maiden name,
Victoria
Stanton,
professionally.
Victoria M.
Stanton
currently serves
as Executive
Vice President,
General Counsel
and Secretary of
the Farm Family
group of
insurance
companies. Since
joining Farm
Family in 1991,
she has held
various officer
positions with
responsibility
for the legal,
corporate
secretary and
human resources
functions at
Farm Family.
Prior to joining
Farm Family, Ms.
Stanton was an
attorney with
Rogers & Wells
(now known as
Clifford Chance)
in New York City
and McNamee,
Lochner, Titus &
Williams in
Albany, New
York. She also
managed an
independent
insurance agency
prior to
becoming an
attorney.
Ms. Stanton
received a
Bachelors of
Arts in
Economics and
Political
Science from the
University of
Rochester, a
Juris Doctor,
magna cum laude,
from Albany Law
School and a
Masters of Law (LL.M.)
in taxation from
the New York
University
School of Law.
She also has
earned the
insurance
designations of
Chartered
Property
Casualty
Underwriter (CPCU)
and Chartered
Life Underwriter
(CLU). Ms.
Stanton is
admitted to
practice law in
New York.
Ms. Stanton has
served on the
Board of
Trustees of
Albany Law
School since
2000 and the
Board of
Directors of
each of the Farm
Family insurance
companies since
2004.
Ms. Stanton is
active in
industry and
community
organizations
including the
Life Insurance
Council of New
York and St.
Peter’s
Episcopal
Church. She is a
member of the
American Bar
Association, the
New York Bar
Association, the
Albany County
Bar Association,
the American
Society of
Corporate
Governance
Professionals
and the Society
for Human
Resource
Management.
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Mark Hennessey
Mark Hennessey is a
Town Councilman
serving on the
Bethlehem Town
Board. He is the
town board
designated Bethlehem
Town Government
representative on
the Bethlehem IDA.
In addition to this,
Mark is also an
Assistant Medicaid
Inspector General
with the New York
State Office of the
Medicaid Inspector
General. Prior to
this he worked for
the New York State
Assembly for 11
years. Through his
work Mark has
advanced over twenty
State laws and
written numerous
legislative
reports. He
specialized in
Technology and Local
Government Law.
Mark received his
Bachelor’s and
Master’s Degree in
Political Science
from the University
at Albany.
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IDA Staff |
Terrence W. Ritz
Terry
Ritz is a
life long resident
of the Town. He
holds a Bachelor
of Science
degree from
the State
University of
New York
Maritime College
at Fort
Schuyler. Upon
graduation he
obtained a
United States
Coast Guard
Third Mates
license for
ocean vessels of
any gross tons.
He has been a volunteer firefighter since
1981, and is
currently
serving as
Assistant Chief
of Selkirk Fire Company No.1. He started
working for
the Town's
Engineering
Division in 1985,
and has held
various
positions as a
Town employee. He
currently has
the title of
Assistant
Engineer-Land
Surveyor.
The
majority of his
time is spent
working with the
Economic
Development &
Planning staff
reviewing projects
that require
Town Board or
Planning Board
approval.
He is
responsible for
oversight of the
Development
Planning
Committee (DPC),
which was
created in an
effort to
streamline and
improve early
communication
between
developers and
the Town during
the review and
approval
process.
Mr. Ritz was
appointed to
serve as
Executive
Director and
Chief Executive
Officer of the
Agency on
February 6,
2009.
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Suzanne Traylor
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Thomas P.
Connolly
Tom
Connolly, a
resident of the
Town since 1965,
currently serves as
assistant
executive
director,
assistant
secretary and
counsel of the
Agency. Mr.
Connolly has
practiced law
with McNamee, Lochner, Titus &
Williams, P.C.
since 1966 and
represents
financial
service
institutions and
corporations in
commercial
transactions and
litigation. He
has been bond
counsel,
issuer’s counsel
and disclosure
counsel for tax
exempt and
taxable
municipal
financings. Mr.
Connolly was
vice president
and a member of
the executive
committee of the
New York State
Bar Association,
a fellow of the
New York State
Bar Association,
chairman of the
Real Property
Law Section of
the New York
State Bar
Association and
president of the
Albany County
Bar
Association.
Mr. Connolly is
a member of the
American College
of Real Estate
Lawyers and
National
Association of
Bond Lawyers.
Mr. Connolly is
admitted to
practice in
Connecticut,
United States
District Court
for the Northern
District of New
York, United
States Court of
Appeals for the
Second Circuit
and the United
States Supreme
Court. He
received an LLB
degree from Yale
University and a
BA degree from
Williams
College.
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Deborah
Kleinke-Kitchen
Deborah
Kitchen has been
employed by the
Town of
Bethlehem since
November 1998.
She has served
as Assistant to
the Executive
Director and
Clerk of the
Agency since
January 2006.
Ms. Kitchen has also
served as an
Assistant to the
Director of
Economic
Development &
Planning, the
Town Engineer,
Town Planners,
and the
Administrator of
Parks &
Recreation.
Deborah also
represents the
Town as a member
of the Flags &
Flowers
Committee and
Coordinator of
the Community
Clean-up
program.
Ms. Kitchen is
active member of
the Bethlehem
Lutheran Church
where she
previously
served as
a member of the
Board of
Christian
Education and
superintendent
of the Sunday
school program
from 2002 to
2007.
She also served
as a member of
the Board of
Youth from 2007
to 2009.
Prior to
her position
with the Town, Ms.
Kitchen worked
as a
consultant for
Bitwise Designs,
Inc. providing
software
training
throughout NYS
for
organizations
that were using
the company's
paperless filing
system. She
also served as
Customer Service
Representative
for the
Government
Services
Division
of Chemical Bank
and Assistant to
the Director of
the
International
Development
Program of the
Graduate School
of Public
Affairs for SUNY-Albany.
Ms.
Kleinke-Kitchen
is a life-long
resident of the
Town; a graduate
of Bethlehem
Central High
School (serving
one term as
President of the
Future Business
Leaders of
America); and a
former member of
the Ladies
Auxiliary of the
Elsmere Fire
Company A.
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