Looking to strengthen its presence in Westchester County, Empire State Development Corp. has created a new position in the county and last week hired a South Salem resident to fill it.
Michael Oates, a former senior sales and marketing executive, began work last week as the state economic development agency”™s Westchester director of business development. His appointment was announced by Empire State Development Co-Chairman Patrick Foye in Manhattan.
Empire State Development is about to sign an office lease for Oates in downtown White Plains, said agency spokesman A.J. Carter. He would not disclose the office location until the lease is finalized. The office will be a satellite of the agency”™s mid-Hudson region office near Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, Carter said.
“We”™ve always had a satellite office in Westchester,” Carter said. But the agency wants to increase its visibility and upgrade the office by putting a director of Oates”™s strength and skills “on-site there in a county as important as Westchester,” he said.
Empire State Development officials said Oates will be the agency”™s “face” in Westchester, reaching out to businesses and partners in the region. He will give businesses direction as to state, local and federal incentives, help structure the agency”™s financial incentive packages and manage the agency”™s relationships with elected officials, community groups, advocacy groups and nongovernmental stakeholders such as universities, chambers of commerce and nonprofit groups.
Oates said he will work with both public and private officials in Westchester to assist in retaining the county”™s work force and in recruiting and keeping businesses here, while promoting the county and its business opportunities.
Oates is a former executive vice president for commercial services at Prudential Rand Realty in White Plains and also served as president of a construction company that built homes in Columbia County.
Regarding his appointment by Empire State Development, Oates said, “It was a good time in my career. I was very interested in being involved in public service. I certainly like the governor”™s vision for Westchester and the state.”
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