ESD to appoint MACNY’s Wolken to co-chair CNYREDC beginning in 2018

Empire State Development (ESD) plans to appoint Randy Wolken to co-chair the Central New York regional economic-development council (REDC), beginning in 2018.

Wolken is president and CEO of the DeWitt–based Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY).

Wolken will replace Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, who has served as the business co-chair since the council’s inception in 2011, ESD said in a news release issued Wednesday.

Simpson will complete his co-chair term, ending in December, and continue serving as a member of the REDC going forward.

Wolken will join academic co-chair Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena, president of SUNY Upstate Medical University.

The CNYREDC seeks to “grow the economy” in the five-county Central New York region, which includes Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, Cortland, and Madison counties.

In the ESD release, Wolken said he is “deeply honored and humbled” to assume the role.

“I would like to thank Gov. Cuomo and his team for this opportunity. The Central New York region has experienced meaningful growth under the hard work and continued dedication of the council these past seven years. Our successes have given us so much to work with as we continue this journey of growth. I am looking forward to working alongside my co-chair, Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena, and the hard working regional economic council. I also wish to extend my utmost gratitude to Rob Simpson and his efforts of leadership and guidance these past seven years as the co-chair of the CNYREDC,” said Wolken.

Wolken leads MACNY, which serves more than 300 companies with more than 100,000 employees in a 26-county region in upstate New York.

In addition, he is also president and CEO of the Manufacturers Alliance of New York, which operates at the same location as MACNY. The Manufacturers Alliance is a coalition of manufacturing groups representing over 2,500 companies and over 425,000 manufacturing employees throughout New York.

Prior to joining MACNY, Wolken served as executive director of the Samaritan Center in Syracuse; as a senior budget analyst in the division of management and budget for Onondaga County government in Syracuse; and was an officer on active duty at both Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome and at Fort Drum in Watertown, according to the ESD.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com