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Press Release: Bethlehem IDA Elects New Leadership

TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Press Release – For Immediate Release
August 3, 2021
Contact:  Tom Connolly, Executive Director 518-573-2200
 
Bethlehem IDA Elects New Leadership
 
(Bethlehem, NY) Members of the Bethlehem Industrial Development Agency elected Victoria Storrs as their new Chair and Catherine Hedgeman, Esq. as their new Vice Chair at the July 28 Regular Meeting.
 
Ms. Storrs is the President and founder of Storrs Associates, LLC, an economic development and development finance consulting firm headquartered in Bethlehem. She has assisted municipalities and their public and private partners for more than 20 years, working at First Albany Corporation, and then the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation. She taught at the State University of New York at Albany School of Business, and was an independent economic development consultant before joining Camoin Associates of Saratoga Springs, where she became their Development Finance Practice Leader. She was appointed to the BIDA in 2012 and served as Vice Chair before being elected as Chair.
 
Ms. Hedgeman received her Juris Doctorate degree from Albany Law School and leads her own firm, the Hedgeman Law Firm, a New York State Certified Women Owned Enterprise with offices in New York and Washington D.C. Ms. Hedgeman represents Public Authorities, Not-For-Profit Corporations and Businesses. She specializes in Real Estate, economic development projects, and serves as General Counsel to several area economic development and nonprofit corporations. Over the past ten years, Ms. Hedgeman has served on a number of civic and nonprofit board of directors including the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District Public Relations Committee, the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Center for Economic Growth, and the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region.
 
Newly elected Chair Ms. Storrs remarked, “I’m honored to follow Frank Venezia as Chair, and will always be grateful for both his leadership and his mentorship. He always encouraged us to engage, deliberate, and be heard, so we could each give our best service to the town.”
 
Newly elected Vice Chair Ms. Hedgeman said, “I am honored and excited to become vice chair of the Bethlehem IDA. The Town of Bethlehem is a great place to live and build a business and I look forward to playing a role in the future of economic development within the town.”
 
Bethlehem Town Supervisor David VanLuven said, “Bethlehem is fortunate to have these experts in economic development and law leading our Industrial Development Agency and helping further build our town’s thriving industrial and commercial sectors.”
 
Thomas Connolly, BIDA Executive Director, said, “Ms. Storrs and Ms. Hedgeman have the skill and experience needed by the town to attract high quality commercial and industrial jobs and investment appropriate for Bethlehem.”
 
The new leadership comes about due to the resignation of longtime member and chair Frank Venezia. Mr. Venezia was a 25-year member of the BIDA and served as chair since 2005. Mr. Venezia was essential to the creation of the Vista Technology Campus. After years of false starts and delay, Mr. Venezia led the IDA to provide financial assistance to six projects in the Campus, thereby making the Campus a reality and a shovel-ready site for future commercial and industrial projects. Additionally, Mr. Venezia was instrumental in the creation of an IDA program to provide grants to small businesses in the Town for the purpose of purchasing personal protective equipment and other fixtures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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