Syracuse Tech Garden under new leadership after Clonan departure from CenterState CEO

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Technology Garden is now under new leadership that includes four members of CenterState CEO’s existing staff.

That’s according to a Tech Garden newsletter emailed Tuesday.

It follows the departure of Rick Clonan, who had been serving as VP of innovation and entrepreneurship at CenterState CEO. Clonan has stepped down from the role to pursue his own startup venture, per the newsletter.

Members of the portfolio staff will jointly lead operations and programming of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship portfolio, CenterState CEO said. They include Caitlin Moriarty, Tech Garden director of operations; Jeannine Rogers, Tech Garden director of programs; Kara Jones, Tech Garden director of communications; and Jeff Fuchsberg, director of GENIUS NY.

During Clonan’s five years with CenterState CEO and the Tech Garden, he oversaw a “significant” expansion of the organization’s innovation programming and helped position the Tech Garden as a “leading voice” in the tech and incubation space in upstate New York, CenterState CEO contends.

Clonan was instrumental in overseeing the successful GENIUS NY program, expanding Tech Garden membership, growing the Clean Tech Center, and developing “improved and consistent” processes for regional entrepreneurs to navigate not only CenterState CEO startup programs and resources, but also the “regional innovation ecosystem at large.”

CenterState CEO said a number of ongoing and new initiatives in 2021 will “advance its support of entrepreneurs and startups.” They include the expansion of the Tech Garden, development of new innovative lending and funding models for regional startups and other firms, and targeted events and programs.