Board of Directors

Chair – Anders Tomson, Chemung Canal Trust Company President & CEO (Elected 12/2023 – 12/2026)

In December of 2016 Anders Tomson was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Chemung Canal Trust Company (CCTC), the oldest community bank in New York State founded in 1833.  CCTC now has 32 branches spread across 13 counties in NY and PA.  Prior to being named President of CCTC, Anders held the title of President and Chief Operating Officer at the bank, where he had regional oversight of the Capital Bank Division in the New York Capital Region.  From 2010-2015, Anders served as the President of Capital Bank, and was instrumental in facilitating the merger and acquisition of Capital Bank by Chemung Canal Trust Company. Read more.

Vice Chair – Heather Mulligan Esq., The Business Council of New York State President & CEO (Elected 12/2021 – 12/2024)

Heather Mulligan, Esq. is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Business Council of New York State, Inc., the primary, statewide association advocating for New York’s business community. Ms. Briccetti is a dynamic leader, trusted advisor and champion for economic growth, good jobs and strong communities across New York.  Ms. Briccetti joined The Business Council in 2007, as vice president of government affairs, overseeing the organization’s legislative and pro-growth agendas. Read more.

Treasurer – John S. Harris Esq., Partner, Brown & Weinraub, PLLC
(Elected 12/2023 – 12/2026)

A partner at Brown & Weinraub, a government relations and full-service law firm, Mr. Harris focuses his practice on the intersection of law, business and government. He has significant experience working with clients on environmental, energy and government affairs matters. Mr. Harris has also represented clients before state and local agencies in connection with the regulatory review, permitting, financing and development of projects such as residential apartment complexes, solid waste and recycling facilities and generation projects. Read more

Secretary – John Vero Esq., Delaney Vero, PLLC 
(Elected 12/2023 – 12/2026)

John furnishes legal services to new, emerging and established businesses, commercial entities, not-for-profit and tax exempt organizations, religious organizations, healthcare organizations, municipal entities, professional service entities, civic groups, business organizations and individuals in the formation, merger, restructuring, sale, acquisition, capitalization, management, operation and financing of real and personal property, including contractual, licensing, reporting and compliance matters. Read more.

Anthony Gaddy, Co-Founder and President/CEO, UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce
(Elected 12/2021 – 12/2024)

As a Co-Founder and President/CEO of the UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce, Anthony is committed to helping build a stronger overall business community in the Capital Region and Upstate New York. The UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce is one of more than 145 U.S. Black Chambers in the U.S. and Canada. Read more.

David A. Parente, Director, McVeigh Funeral Home Inc.
(Elected 12/2021 – 12/2024)

David has extensive experience as a funeral service professional, serving Albany area families for more than 30 years. David is very active in related business associations, as well as within the wider community. He currently serves as president of the Capital District Funeral Directors Association; member and trustee of Blessed Sacrament Church, Albany; past president of the Parish Council at Blessed Sacrament Church, Albany; and board member and vice president of The Community Hospice Foundation. Read more

Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, University at Albany President
(Elected 12/2023 – 12/2026)

Dr. Havidán Rodríguez was appointed by the SUNY Board of Trustees as the 20th president of the University at Albany in June 2017. He took office in September 2017 with more than 25 years as a leader in higher education. Before coming to UAlbany, he served as the Founding Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). He also served as President, Ad Interim, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas – Pan American (UTPA). Read more. 

Karen Torrejon, Glauconix Founder & CEO (Elected 12/2023 – 12/2026)

Karen Is the Founder & CEO of Glauconix,  a start-up company that owns a patented technology geared toward facilitating the discovery of glaucoma therapeutics. Karen’s company uses technology invented at SUNY’s Polytechnic Institute and utilizes it to test glaucoma medication for effectiveness. She received her Ph.D. in Nanoscale Engineering at the University at Albany (SUNY) where her research focuses on tissue engineering. Read more.

Kaweeda Adams, Deputy Executive Director, Conference of Big Five Schools
(Elected 12/2021 – 12/2024)

Kaweeda G. Adams is Superintendent of the City School District of Albany. She leads a diverse urban school district of nearly 9,700 students in New York State’s capital city. Adams joined the district on Aug. 14, 2017. A third-generation educator, she served in increasing levels of responsibility for 28 years the in the Clark County School District in Nevada before accepting her position in Albany.  Adams began her career in education as a secondary-level English teacher, working at the middle and high school levels for 6½ years before moving into administration. Read more.

Michael Castellana, President & CEO, Broadview Federal Credit Union
(Elected 12/2021 – 12/2024)

Currently serving as SEFCU’s President & CEO, Castellana joined SEFCU in 1988 as a member of the executive management team and during his tenure has seen the credit union grow both geographically and in overall size. Currently the largest credit union in the Capital Region and the seventh in the state, Castellana has successfully negotiated and completed six mergers throughout the Capital Region, the Southern Tier of New York, and the Buffalo Region. Read more.

Michael M. Fancher, Director, NYS Center for Advanced Technology in Nanomaterials and Nanoelectronics (CATN2), University at Albany CNSE (Elected 12/2023 – 12/2026)

Michael Fancher serves in the role of Vice President of Business Development and Economic Outreach, and Associate Professor of Nanoeconomics at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE). He also serves as the Executive Director of the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Nanoelectronics and Nanomaterials (CATN²) and oversees the SUNY Small Business Development Center for the Mohawk Valley Region. Read more.

Sonya del Peral, Nine Pin Ciderworks Co-owner and Manager
(Elected 12/2021 – 12/2024)

Sonya is a proprietor and the Manager at Nine Pin Ciderworks, a New York craft cider company located in Albany’s warehouse district. Sonya is also a Partner of Bowers & del Peral, PLLC and her law practice focuses on intellectual property, real estate, alcohol industry licensing and wills. She spent the first five years of her legal practice in large law firms in New York City and Albany. In 1996, she opened her practice in Columbia County. Sonya received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Albany Law School in 1991, where she served as an Editor of the Albany Law Review. Read more.

Officers
Ashley Mohl – Interim President

 

ABOUT THE BOARD

Capitalize Albany Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors elected by Corporation investors. The Board of Directors terms are staggered.  Elections are held at each Annual Board Meeting. The Board of Directors drive Capitalize Albany Corporation’s mission and set the course to pursue an integrated approach to economic development in order to maximize results, leverage resources and create efficiencies.