STREDC Investment Complements “Southern Tier Soaring” - The Region’s Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy View renderings Here Empire State Development (ESD) today announced a groundbreaking event for expansion project at ACHIEVE in Dickinson, Broome County. The agency, which offers programs for Individuals with intellectual and other developmental challenges, will renovate11,000 square-feet of space at is Cutler Pond Road location to make way for its new Adult Social Program and Employment Services Department. ESD, through a Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council Capital Grant, is providing up to $111,000 for the project which is expected to be completed in April of 2019. Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “By incentivizing this expansion, the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council is helping ACHIEVE continue to invest in the potential of all people in Broome County by providing top-notch services and increasing opportunities in the region.” The expansion plan includes the construction of new offices and conference rooms, an open gathering area and a small kitchenette. The project will result in the creation of 10 new jobs; almost 450 will be retained. Acting ACHIEVE Chief Executive Officer Amy Howard said, “ACHIEVE is very proud and excited to start construction on our new Adult Social Program.  This is an opportunity for our organization to expand the high-quality services that we provide to our community while creating new options for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.   We are grateful for the incredible support of our local legislators, state agencies and other funders who made this project possible.” State Senator Fred Akshar said, “ACHIEVE is an incredible organization and family of professionals dedicated to providing opportunities for fulfillment and success to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. They have my and the entire 52nd Senate District’s thanks for their continued service to our community, which will only grow stronger when this project is completed. My thanks to Empire State Development and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities for their commitment to this worthy cause as well. I’m proud to have also been able to secure an additional $150,000 in this year’s State Budget to help ACHIEVE complete these much needed renovations and expansions. I feel that we as a community and a society have a fundamental and moral obligation to take care of people with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities. It’s just the right thing to do.” State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said, “ACHIEVE has touched countless lives through its services and programming. The expansion of this facility will provide increased opportunities for many individuals with developmental disabilities, helping them reach their full potential. Our community is lucky to have such a caring and dedicated organization.” State Assemblyman Clifford Crouch said, “This expansion project is a great addition to the Southern Tier and Broome County,” said Crouch. “Every person in New York state deserves to have the opportunity to reach their full potential and with the programs being instituted at ACHIEVE, the individuals of Broome County who have developmental challenges will have the resources that they need to succeed. I am grateful and excited to see this project develop.” Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “Thank you to Empire State Development and the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council for making this happen. Broome County is so lucky to have ACHIEVE in our community to provide services and programs to thousands of our residents. I am excited to see ACHIEVE grow and add this new Adult Social Program and I cannot wait to see the expanded opportunities this will bring to its clients.” For more information about ACHIEVE and its programs, click here. Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring  Today's announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $4.6 billion in the region since 2012 to lay for groundwork for the plan – attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Binghamton, Johnson City and Corning as a destination in which to grow and invest. Now, the region is accelerating Southern Tier Soaring with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 10,200 new jobs. More information is available here.   Contact: Jason Conwall | Jason.Conwall@esd.ny.gov | (518) 292-5107 | (800) 260-7313 Press Office | PressOffice@esd.ny.gov | (800) 260-7313

State officials today announced that OFD Foods, a leading supplier of freeze-dried food for the United States Military, has broken ground on a $25 million, state-of -the-art, nearly 50,000-square-foot facility in the Town of Henrietta, Monroe County. The facility, which will be operating by the end of the year, will focus on providing contract freeze-drying services in bulk industrial packaging for the company’s Midwest and East Coast customer base. The project is expected to result in the creation of up to 30 full-time jobs. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul made the announcement at a groundbreaking event at the Henrietta site today. "Businesses like OFD Foods, a global leader in freeze-dried technology, are recognizing that the Finger Lakes region is ideal for growth and expansion," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who participated in today's groundbreaking. “Our state’s commitment to economic development in Monroe County continues to deliver results. The strategy we have put forward is resulting in the creation of good-paying jobs, like the 30 full-time positions at this new facility in Henrietta. More and more companies are investing in New York and demonstrating their confidence in the future of the Finger Lakes region.” In order to encourage OFD Foods to construct its new manufacturing facility in New York, Empire State Development is providing up to $400,000 in Finger Lakes Forward Upstate Revitalization Initiative grant funds and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) is providing 1.75 megawatts (MW) of low-cost power under the Governor’s ReCharge NY program. Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “The OFD expansion will provide a great economic opportunity for the Greater Rochester region and further illustrates the success of the Finger Lakes Forward plan which has made supporting the growth of successful area businesses a top priority.” Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO, said, “The Governor’s ReCharge NY program has been a significant economic development catalyst throughout New York State, providing low-cost power to firms in exchange for commitments to create and retain hundreds of thousands of jobs. It is great news that OFD Foods will be creating 30 new jobs in the Finger Lakes and NYPA is proud that its RNY power incentive could be a difference-maker.” As the world's largest custom processor of freeze-dried products, OFD Foods, LLC, produces its own food brands, including Mountain House and Easy Meal for the Emergency Preparedness, Adventure Meal™, and Disaster Recovery markets. OFD Foods is also the leading supplier of freeze-dried food to the United States Military, consumer packaged goods, private food labels, pharmaceuticals, and provides services and ingredients to major food manufacturers. The shelf life of its products ranges from three to 30 years, depending on packaging and customer needs. OFD Foods Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, Engineering and Supply Chain John Damon said, “The State of New York, Monroe County and the Town of Henrietta have been great to work with, providing invaluable resources for OFD Foods through economic development entities such as Empire State Development and COMIDA. We're looking forward to becoming part of the community, investing in our employees as we start up our Henrietta facility later this year.” OFD Foods CEO and President, Jim Merryman said, OFD Foods appreciates the warm welcome we have received in the Greater Rochester area. We anticipate building a fantastic manufacturing facility, filling it with talented employees who are trained there, and having an overall positive impact in the community. If our current partnerships in the area are any indication, I think our future there holds much promise for all.” Headquartered in Albany, Oregon, OFD Foods, LLC is a leader in the breadth of uses for adapting freeze-drying technology. In addition to its Oregon facility, the company also has a commercial office in Japan. Support for the project was also provided by Monroe County, RG&E and Greater Rochester Enterprise. FLREDC Co-Chairs, Monroe Community College President Anne Kress and Rochester Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Bob Duffy said, "Supporting projects like this is aligned with the regional council's strategy. We applaud OFD Foods decision to build its new facility in Monroe County as it will serve to further strengthen the local economy as we continue the work of moving the Finger Lakes Forward." State Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle said, "Today's groundbreaking on OFD Food's new facility will mean the creation of new jobs with good wages that will strengthen working families and support our community's continued economic resurgence. I am grateful to Governor Cuomo and all of our community partners for their continued commitment to building a brighter future for our region." State Senator Patrick Gallivan said, “OFD’s decision to build its new facility in Henrietta is a huge victory for the Finger Lakes region.  The company’s investment will bring new job opportunities to residents and add to the continued economic development of upstate New York.  I welcome OFD to the community and look forward its grand opening later this year.” State Assembly Member Harry Bronson said, “I applaud Jim Merryman and the team at OFD Foods for their commitment to our region,” said Assembly member Harry Bronson. “Today’s announcement by the company and Governor Cuomo shows that the Rochester area has a strong, diverse, and skilled workforce and is in an economic position to create jobs for the future. I look forward to OFD Foods growth and the addition of new jobs at their new Henrietta campus.” Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo said, “Monroe County was thrilled to work with OFD Foods to help this industry-leading employer grow jobs and expand their investment right here in our community. I thank the OFD team for their commitment to doing business and supporting jobs in Monroe County, and I appreciate our state and local partners for collaborating with us on this exciting project.” Henrietta Town Supervisor Steven Schultz said, “We are very excited about the jobs and manufacturing that OFD Foods will be bringing to this area. Our team has enjoyed working with the OFD Foods team to help move this multi-million-dollar facility forward while minimizing the impact on their neighbors. We are very glad they chose Henrietta as the site for their east coast operations. They are a very welcome addition to the business community in our Town.” Joseph M. Rizzo, Manager, Economic Development, NYSEG and RG&E, said, “OFD Foods' decision to locate in the Finger Lakes region is a significant win for the community and the state. RG&E is pleased to participate in a collaborative effort with our community partners, National Grid, and OFD Foods to help make this job creation project a reality. For more than a decade, our economic development programs have been helping communities retain and attract businesses, and grow employment to further strengthen the state's economy.  We want to congratulate OFD Foods and wish the company continued success." Greater Rochester Enterprise President & CEO Matt Hurlbutt said, “Our strategic location near OFD Foods’ East Coast clients, coupled with an affordable cost of doing business, made the Greater Rochester, NY region a smart choice for this expansion. This groundbreaking brings OFD Foods one step closer to establishing its multi-million-dollar manufacturing facility in our community.” For more about OFD Foods, LLC click here. Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward  Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $5.2 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Rochester, Batavia and Canandaigua as a destination to grow and invest in. Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here. ReCharge NY ReCharge NY offers up to seven-year power contracts. Half of the power is 455 MW from NYPA's Niagara and St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt hydroelectric power plants, which provide some of the greenest, cleanest and lowest-cost electricity in the state. The remaining 455 MW is power bought by NYPA on the wholesale market. RNY allocations support more than 17,000 jobs in the Finger Lakes and more than $1 billion in capital investments. The Governor's ReCharge NY program is currently reducing electricity costs for more than 750 New York businesses and not-for-profit organizations, and has positively impacted the New York State economy by retaining and creating jobs, and sparking capital investment in regions throughout the state. Learn more about Recharge NY on NYPA’s website. About NYPA NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 70 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.     Contact: Shari Voorhees-Vincent (ESD) | Shari.Voorhees-Vincent@esd.ny.gov | (585)399-7055 | (800) 260-7313 Paul DeMichele (NYPA) | paul.demichele@nypa.gov | 914-390-8186

MASSENA—State officials today announced the opening of the North Country Children’s Museum in Potsdam, St. Lawrence County. The permanent establishment of the museum—which offers science, technology, engineering, arts and math oriented educational programming to children aged 12 and under and their families—was directly supported by New York State with $260,000 in funding. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul attended a ribbon-cutting event at the museum with Judge Eugene L. Nicandri, New York Power Authority vice chairman and resident of Massena, Stephen Hunt, Empire State Development regional director, and local elected officials. “I have spoken about the importance of STEM education, especially for girls, in communities across New York,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “The new North Country Children's Museum will offer a fun and interactive STEAM learning experience for all children, demonstrating to them the exciting careers they can be a part of when they grow up. Thanks to a significant investment from New York State, this museum will be a world-class attraction for both tourists and North Country residents.” The North Country Children’s Museum is a non-profit organization formed in 2012 by a group of educators. Their collective vision was to create a cultural and educational center for families in the region. They developed a Museums Without Walls program that made weekly stops at the Clarkson University Bookstore during the school year, and festival appearances throughout the region during the summer. The pop-up workshops offered engaging, interactive and creative programs for children, encouraging STEAM learning. Rea the full press release here.