FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 14, 2022
Contact: Audrey Schwartzberg, ANCA Communications Officer, aschwartzberg@adirondack.org,
518.891.6200

 

ANCA Annual Meeting Focuses on the Future

Guest speakers, attendees will gather at The Wild Center on Friday, September 23

 

TUPPER LAKE, N.Y. — North Country residents, businesses and community leaders are invited to join the
Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) to explore the future of the region’s economy with a focus
on small businesses, local food systems, clean energy, and equity and inclusion. At its 2022 annual
meeting, entitled “Growing the New Economy of Tomorrow,” the regional economic nonprofit will
convene its staff, board, partners and constituents to share stories of people who are creating positive
change across the region.

The meeting will feature live and recorded presentations from guest speakers who are working with
ANCA to advance economic opportunities for businesses and communities across northern New York.
The in-person event is open to all and will take place at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, N.Y. on Friday,
September 23, 2022, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Registration is open at adirondack.org/2022AnnualMeeting.
“We are all still navigating new normals and next steps following the pandemic. This transitional time
offers us an exceptional opportunity to assess what we’ve been through, where we are today, and where
we want to be ten years from now,” said ANCA Executive Director Elizabeth Cooper. “At our annual
meeting, we want to reconnect with our North Country neighbors and explore ways we can work
together to achieve a prosperous future for our region.”

The slate of in-person presenters for the event include RENZ Consulting’s Dr. Lorenzo Boyd, who works
with ANCA’s Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI) and its community policing program; Mark Luciano,
stakeholder relations manager at Brookfield Renewable; Max Nason, owner of Happy Camping RV in
Vermontville, N.Y.; Pete Nelson, co-founder of ADI and educator at North Country Community College;
Emmett Smith, co-owner of Northern Power & Light in St. Regis Falls, N.Y.; and team members from
Compost for Good, a composting initiative administered by ANCA and AdkAction.

Video presentations will feature commentary from Julian Mangano, owner of Della Terra Farm in
Castorland, N.Y.; Chrissie Wais & John Levy, new owners of the The Belvedere Restaurant and property in
Saranac Lake, N.Y.; and community liaisons from ANCA’s Center for Businesses in Transition partnership
who support business ownership transitions throughout ANCA’s service area.

Attendees will also hear from ANCA’s staff and board including Cooper; Board Vice President Kelly
Chezum; Entrepreneurial Economy Program Director Danielle Delaini; Local Food System Program
Director Adam Dewbury; Energy Circuit Rider Erin Griffin; ADI Director Nicky Hylton-Patterson; ANCA
board member and Wild Center Executive Director Stephanie Ratcliffe; and Board President Jim
Sonneborn.

Registration for the annual meeting includes entry to The Wild Center, its museum, elevated Wild Walk,
outdoor trails, gift shop, and café. Participants will also have the opportunity to tour the Center’s new
Climate Solutions exhibit with Ratcliffe.

“This exhibit complements ANCA’s ongoing efforts to build economic systems that are not only
prosperous, but also sustainable,” Ratcliffe said. “Just as the passion and vision of the day’s speakers will
inspire us to be changemakers in our local businesses and communities, the Climate Solutions exhibit
allows us to meet the people who are already doing climate work, finding solutions. ANCA and The Wild
Center are dedicated to creating this kind of positive action. That’s what this annual meeting is all
about.”

ANCA’s annual meeting will take place at The Wild Center, 45 Museum Dr, Tupper Lake, N.Y. on Friday,
September 23, 2022 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be followed by an outdoor reception,
where attendees will enjoy light refreshments from three North Country businesses — ADK Food Hub
and Raquette River Brewing of Tupper Lake and Four Maples Winery & Vineyard of Champlain, N.Y.
Registration costs $25 per person and is open to all: adirondack.org/2022AnnualMeeting.

Questions about the event can be directed to events@adirondack.org or 518.891.6200.

ANCA is an independent, nonprofit corporation with a transformational approach to building prosperity
across northern New York. Using innovative strategies for food systems, clean energy, small businesses,
and equity and inclusion, ANCA delivers targeted interventions that create and sustain wealth and value
in local communities.

Attached: one (1) PDF and one (1) photo.
Photo by Rick Godin, The Wild Center
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