Thomas McQuade, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC), today announced the promotion of Catherine A. Maloney to President and CEO of the organization. Maloney has served as the acting President and CEO of DCEDC since January of this year. Maloney had been DCEDC’s Director of Business Development since January of 2008. Her advancement is effective immediately.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro observed, “Catherine Maloney has been an integral part of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation and we congratulate her on her new position as President and CEO of the organization. The realignment of the economic development structure in Dutchess County, with Cathy Maloney leading the DCEDC and Ron Hicks serving in county government as Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Planning & Development, enables us to strategically focus on our 4R Future plan to reform, retain, reinvest and recruit. As we seek to rebuild our local economy and lead Dutchess County to greater economic stability and growth, we look forward to working with Cathy in our continued partnership with the DCEDC for a successful future.”

The announcement comes just prior to the 2012 DCEDC Annual Breakfast on May 3 at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, and the April 26 Board of Directors meeting at Saint Francis Hospital. Thomas McQuade is a business coach and proprietor of The Entrepreneur’s Source in Poughkeepsie.

McQuade noted, “Dutchess County is a terrific place in which to live and work. Our staff, under Catherine’s solid leadership, is committed to making it even better. Our number one goal is to create new jobs, both by attracting modern, innovative businesses, as well as retaining current Dutchess County jobs. This entails helping area businesses maintain market share as well as expand, through a number of initiatives and programs, both inventive and traditional.”

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Catherine has made the Hudson Valley her home for more than 30 years. A graduate of SUNY/New Paltz, with a B.S. in Business Administration, Catherine previously served as Executive Director of the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce and was a small business owner herself. For 12 years Catherine was Zone Coordinator for the Kingston/Ulster Empire Zone of New York State. Catherine serves on the Board of Rural Ulster Preservation Company and the Kingston Sailing Club.

Catherine Maloney said, “I am proud and honored by the confidence the DCEDC Board of Directors has shown in me. It’s been a pleasure getting to know more about area business operations in such a diverse range of companies. I’m excited about delivering programs and services to help all of our businesses grow and thrive. When one firm prospers, the entire business scene is strengthened.”

Started in 1978, the DCEDC is a private, nonprofit organization serving the cities, towns, and villages of Dutchess County. Dutchess County Tourism is a division of the DCEDC, and both receive funding from the County of Dutchess. DCEDC supports and promotes business development in Dutchess County through a variety of business attraction, expansion, grants and entrepreneurial development programs. Their offices are located at 3 Neptune Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie. Visit their website. 

The Senate bill, S.4242-A, authorizes the sale of wine produced by farms, wineries or micro-wineries at licensed roadside farm markets. This means that more local products will be available to shoppers in the area, opening up a new avenue of business for companies that are an integral part of a proud tradition of excellence right here in the Hudson Valley.

In addition to the many wineries and vineyards in our region, the bill has the full support of the Hudson Valley Food and Beverage Alliance, a group that promotes and represents the wide range of organizations in the food and beverage industry that call our area home. Leading the way in this sector is the winemaking industry, which traces its roots in this region back hundreds of years.

For generations, winemakers have supported local families and communities, and we feel that it’s time for New York to do what it can to ensure a bright future for these companies that mean so much to the Hudson Valley. This effort serves as a way to boost business for these organizations, as well as allow them to hire more employees as they grow their brands.

The bill itself takes action by amending current alcoholic beverage control laws in order to allow for the sale of wine produced by small farms, wineries and micro-wineries at roadside farm markets, as long as the stand is within 20 miles of where the wine is produced. Those of us in support of the measure think it makes sense due to the fact that local wines are derived from agricultural products grown right here in New York.

While the bill expands local vineyards’ abilities to market to a new customer base, it still requires regulations that ensure the responsible sale of alcoholic beverages at farm stands. These stands will be supervised by the State Liquor Authority (SLA), and they will be able to sell wines from a maximum of two wineries each. Tastings will also not be allowed, as stands may only offer wine by the bottle.

In addition to winemakers, the bill also benefits farm markets themselves, as it gives the farmers who run them another locally grown product to sell — one with the potential to attract more customers to their stands. We know that buying local helps the communities here in the Hudson Valley, and this measure will help foster more of those types of purchases.
With some fairly small adjustments to state law, we have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact on a local industry that we take pride in throughout the region. It’s a common-sense approach that allows us to do a great thing for both wineries and farmers.

We encourage all citizens to express their support of this positive effort as it approaches the Assembly. If enacted, it will have great short-term and long-term effects on the outstanding winemaking industry we’re fortunate to have in the Hudson Valley.

By Sen. William J. Larkin Jr. and Mike Oates

Sen. William J. Larkin Jr. is a Republican and Conservative serving New York’s 39th District. Mike Oates is the CEO and President of Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp.