FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 20, 2025
Contact: Audrey Schwartzberg, ANCA Communications Director, [email protected], 518.891.6200
ANCA Board of Directors Welcomes New Member
Peter Waldt brings real estate and finance experience to regional nonprofit
SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) Board of Directors has announced the addition of Peter Waldt of Saranac Lake, N.Y. to its team. Waldt brings over 40 years of experience in real estate, finance and business development to the regional economic development nonprofit. He was elected to the ANCA Board at its quarterly spring meeting.
“Peter’s deep ties to the North Country and his decades of experience in finance and creating economic opportunities make him a tremendous asset to ANCA’s board,” said Kelly Chezum, ANCA Board President. “He brings not only professional expertise, but also a personal commitment to the region he calls home. We’re excited to welcome his thoughtful leadership as we continue building vibrant communities and strong local economies together.”
Waldt currently serves as Senior Vice President of Real Estate Finance and Economics with WSP USA Advisory Services, where he leads the firm’s efforts in value capture and real estate transactions. He has over four decades of experience in asset management, commercial lending, real estate finance, and other areas that relate to ANCA’s work with North Country small businesses, farms, community groups and municipalities.
Waldt has also held senior positions with Amtrak, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Empire State Development Corporation (ESD). He holds a bachelor’s degree in American history and a master’s degree in public policy analysis from the University of Rochester. Waldt lives in Saranac Lake, N.Y. with his wife Dorothy, who serves as executive director of the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation.
Waldt said he is looking forward to serving on the board. “ANCA’s mission is one that clearly has an impact on the North Country. I hope to draw upon my 43 years of professional experience, including 16 years of economic development underwriting at ESD to contribute guidance and creativity to ANCA’s myriad of key focus areas that are crucial to the success of local businesses and communities,” he said. “Job access is another area I would like to help ANCA develop to make small businesses more competitive in our region.”
Waldt joins the ANCA Board as the organization prepares to launch a new strategic plan this summer that will inform its programs, outreach, and development strategies in order to advance its mission to help North Country businesses and communities build prosperity.
As economic challenges and opportunities for local businesses and organizations continue to shift, ANCA’s targeted programs that help them build stability and resilience are as critical as ever, said Elizabeth Cooper, the organization’s executive director. She said ANCA’s main focus areas — clean energy, small business, local food systems, and welcoming and belonging — are key components to a strong and sustainable regional economy in northern New York State.
“ANCA and our partners are working at a pivotal time for our region, where investments in our rural communities now are essential for building long-term economic sustainability and prosperity,” said Cooper. “We are excited to welcome Peter to our board. His experience fostering growth and development through finance and real estate sectors, with attention to the complex needs of local communities, will be invaluable to ANCA and our work across the Adirondack North Country.”
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.
Provided: one (1) photo
Photo provided by Peter Waldt, who was elected to ANCA’s Board of Directors in March 2025.
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