Cuomo awards $100.3 million to WNY Economic Development Council

The Western New York region has reason to celebrate. Governor Andrew Cuomo has awarded $100.3 million to the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council. Newly elected state Assemblyman Sean Ryan calls this a huge win for Western New York. “The work of the Regional Council very important. They to put together a very impressive plan, but this really puts in the nice course for the future. It provides a framework that allows the vehicle for nice comprehensive investment for New York State in Western New York to help grow our economy,” said Ryan. The Governor created the Regional Economic Development Council initiative in an effort to redesign the way state government works to drive economic growth and create jobs. UB president Satish Tripathi and businessman Howard Zemsky served as co-chairs of the Western New York council and met with people across the region to develop the plan. Tripathi released the following statement: “Our plan's selection as a "best plan" awardee is a giant leap forward for Western New York. I applaud the governor for his vision in creating these regional councils to encourage collaboration, healthy competition and innovative thinking across all sectors, and I am grateful for this strong vote of confidence in our regional vision for the future. Western New York is widely known for its collaborative spirit and its determined optimism, even in the face of challenges. Both of those qualities have been very much in evidence throughout this process. For the first time, we have come together as one community to envision our future -- to think collectively about where we want to go as a region, and our best strategies for getting there. While it is the product of many different perspectives, our proposal reflects a very clear and focused vision for Western New York’s future: We want to create a dynamic, vibrant region that is a worldwide destination for people to live, learn, work and visit, and for entrepreneurs and businesses to invest their time and capital. To realize this vision, our plan seeks to maximize our existing strengths and resources in higher education, business and industry, and to create the environment that can help our people and institutions reach their fullest potential. Speaking personally, it has been an amazing experience to work closely with such a diverse group of Western New Yorkers -- including all the members of our Regional Council, our visionary co-chair Howard Zemsky and the members of the various council working groups -- all dedicated to realizing a bright future for this region. And the public response has been overwhelming: a tribute to the collaborative spirit of the region as a whole. The result is a plan with great potential for success -- one that harnesses our region’s unique strengths and puts them to work together in innovative and highly effective ways to create new opportunities for growth, prosperity and quality of life.”