Unshackle Upstate leader to headline Commerce Chenango legislative luncheon on Aug. 20

NORWICH, N.Y. — On Aug. 20, Commerce Chenango will host a legislative luncheon, featuring keynote speaker Brian Sampson, executive director of Unshackle Upstate.

The event will begin next Wednesday at 11:30 am at Fred’s Inn at 5149 State Hwy 12, south of Norwich.

“With elections looming this fall it is imperative that our community understand the issues affecting small business,” Commerce Chenango said in a news release announcing the luncheon. Sampson’s presentation is expected to discuss the steps New York state has taken to repair its reputation, from on- time budgets to tax cuts for targeted industries, and identify where there is still more that can and should be done to make the state truly “open for business,” the organization said in its release.

As the executive director of Unshackle Upstate, Sampson is responsible for coordinating his organization’s political and policy agendas, advocating for reform in state government, and promoting the overall growth of the coalition and engagement of its partners. Prior to joining Unshackle Upstate, he was with Empire State Development as upstate director for business outreach.

Unshackle Upstate is a bi-partisan coalition of more than 80 business and trade organizations representing upwards of 70,000 companies and employing more than 1.5 million people. They have one goal: to achieve reforms in Albany that make upstate New York a stronger place to do business, according to the release.

For more information on the event, call Commerce Chenango at (607) 334-1400, or visit www.chenangony.org.