Page 47 - 2021 Westchester County Economic Development Guide

Top: Attending the BCW’s Entergy Day of Golf held on September 22, 2020 at Westchester Hills Golf Club were, from left, Wiley Harrison of Business
of Your Business, Jamie Schutzer of JDM Benefits, BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon and BCW Executive VP
and COO John Ravitz
Letitia James and Patrick Foye and Catherine Rinaldi of the MTA. In the early months of the pandemic, the BCW held Political Leadership Series programs featuring State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul. To kick off 2021, the Key Bank Speaker Series featured newly elected Congressmen Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones.
The BCW’s virtual programs were very popular with members. Total attendance in 2020 for Zoom, website events and programs exceeded 9,200. Attendance on Facebook was nearly 4,000 for a grand total of 13,200 attendees.
Economic development remains a top priority for the BCW. In response to the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic, the BCW established the BCW Economic Recovery Task Force comprised of nearly 50 leaders from a wide range of industry sectors in the county. The Task Force produced its first report in June which was delivered to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and County Executive George Latimer. The report included
recommendations and strategies to help our State and County governments with the reemergence of Westchester’s economy. A second updated report was produced and delivered to the Governor and County Executive. The Task Force will continue to meet virtually throughout the economic crisis.
In the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the BCW established the Anti-Racism Task Force committed to standing against racism. The goal of the Task Force is to advance the conversation to end racism with actionable steps to support real change. The BCW also launched an Anti-Racism Education Series and a Diversity Conference was held in February of 2021.
Looking ahead for 2021, the BCW has launched a new series called State of the Economy focused on key industry sectors of Real Estate, Infrastructure, Higher Education, Health Care and Hospitality/Retail. Each program features leaders in these fields. Other important ongoing BCW initiatives include the Energy Task Force, Coalition for Smart Development, Coalition for Westchester County Airport and Data Exchange.
“The Business Council of Westchester is sincerely grateful for the many members who continue to support our programs and events. Without a doubt, 2020 was a difficult and challenging time for everyone. Yet through it all, a resilient BCW emerged stronger than ever before, delivering to our members highly informative and timely programs as well as providing valuable assistance and information during the pandemic,” said BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon. “We look forward to 2021 with new and exciting programs and events relevant to our members during these rapidly changing times in our society,” she added.
“The Business Council of Westchester is sincerely grateful for the many members who continue to support our programs and events. Without a doubt, 2020 was a difficult and challenging time for everyone. Yet through it all, a resilient BCW emerged stronger than ever before, delivering to our members highly informative and timely programs as well as providing valuable assistance and information during the pandemic.” —BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon
WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 45