Board of Directors

ANCA’s Board is made of members from across the 14-county region, with individuals who have experience running businesses and non-profits, who work in agriculture, local government, economic development and the energy sector.

PRESIDENT
Kelly Chezum — Vice President for External Relations, Clarkson University

TREASURER
Antonio DeSpirito —  Managing Director (retired), BlackRock

SECRETARY
Katie Malinowski — Executive Director, Tug Hill Commission

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS
Antonio DeSpirito
Edward Smoke —  Business Services Specialist, Office of Economic Development, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe

DIRECTORS
Alberto Bianchetti — Regional Customer and External Affairs Director, CNY Division, National Grid
Ryan Demers — Cooperative Development Specialist, Cooperative Development Institute
Victoria Duley — Executive Director, Adirondack Economic Development Corporation
Andrew Foster — Attorney (retired), Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Stephanie Guzik-Lendrum — Founder and Owner, Cedar + Pearl
Kaila Kelleher — Director of Client Planning & Strategy and Certified Financial Planner, Mercer Advisors
Julian Mangano — Owner, Della Terra
Adam Pearsall — Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, Pearsall Wealth Management of Raymond James
James L. Sonneborn — Attorney, Bousquet Holstein PLLC
Troy Trombley —  Government and Community Relations Manager, NYSEG
John VanNatten — Regional Market Leader, Arrow Bank
Peter Waldt — Senior Vice President of Real Estate Finance & Economics, WSP USA Advisory Services
John Walker — Principal, J. Walker Marketing

DIRECTORS EMERITI
Richard R. Bird — Owner, Bird’s Marine and Adirondack Real Estate
Kelly Blazosky — President, Oneida County Tourism
Dale G. Brown — Retired, NBT Bank
James T. Ellis — Former Principal, Tupper Lake High School
Stephen M. Erman — Regional Development Consultant
Eugene T. Falvo — Vice President, Falvo Manufacturing
John C. Kiechle — Owner, Philadelphia Grass Company
Daniel Mason — Retired, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering
Ross Whaley —  Retired, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry

Please view the current ANCA Board of Directors Bylaws here.