Michael Oates of South Salem was appointed president and CEO of The Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. in New Windsor and will assume the position on Oct. 12.
Oates served most recently as vice president and regional director at HVEDC; he managed economic initiatives in Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Sullivan, Ulster and Putnam counties.
Oates joined HVEDC in 2007 from The Creative Marketing Field Group Inc. in Yonkers and Rockland, where he served as president and CEO.
After a nationwide search to replace Anthony Campagiorni, former head of HVEDC who resigned and then joined Central Hudson Gas & Electric, Oates was selected as the top candidate, according to Steven Lant, chairman and CEO of CH Energy Group Inc. in Poughkeepsie and chairman of the HVEDC board of directors.
“I think, at the end of the day, we”™re looking to continue to build on our momentum,” Oates said. “There are tremendous opportunities for developing a solar cluster in the upper Hudson Valley, a biotech cluster in the lower Hudson Valley and going after any new opportunities.”
Oates said he wants to build up corporate attraction and retention in the region.
“We have the proper infrastructure, the educational institutions and we want to market the ability of companies to come into the region and grow,” he said. “We”™re working with Congressman (Maurice) Hinchey”™s office and The Solar Energy Consortium to identify how to add high-quality, high-paying jobs to the region.
