Th!nk Dutchess Alliance for Business Offers One-Stop for Economic Development
Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro joined with business and community leaders Friday to celebrate the official opening of the new Th!nk Dutchess – Alliance for Business headquarters at 3 Neptune Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The new offices, conveniently located off Route 9, serve as a “one-stop shop” for business, with five organizations co-located in the space including the Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency, Local Development Corporation, Workforce Investment Board, Women’s Enterprise Development Center and Dutchess County Government.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Dutchess County is an amazing place to live and work and there are endless reasons why businesses want to be located here. There is more than one billion dollars currently being invested in large projects underway throughout the county and another $2.1 billion in projects in planning and development. With this new Th!nk Dutchess Alliance for Business location, we have brought together the key agencies for economic development and are capitalizing on that energy and moving Dutchess County’s economy forward.”
The co-location enables the organizations to share space, office equipment and administrative staff, creating greater efficiency. The headquarters also includes satellite offices and meeting rooms for other Th!nk Dutchess Alliance partners including the Dutchess County Regional of Chamber of Commerce, Empire State Development, Dutchess Community College, Community Capital NY, and the Small Business Development Center. Dutchess Tourism, another partner, is located within the same building, enabling these 10 organizations to work together as one team on a countywide economic development strategy. Click below to watch a video from the event.
The new headquarters feature numerous locally sourced components. The office lighting fixtures were locally manufactured in New Windsor by USAI. Furniture was purchased at Hudson Valley Office Furniture in the City of Poughkeepsie and Alianza, a certified Minority Business Enterprise with an office in Beacon. Signage was created by Timely Signs and Sign Language, and glass was provided by Poughkeepsie-based Schmaling Glass.
Th!nk Dutchess is engaged in a marketing campaign highlighting the diverse aspects of Dutchess County including manufacturing, agriculture, aviation, data centers biotech and tourism. The new campaign, which includes social media, targeted emails, video and more, has generated a substantial number of inquiries, both from within the region and beyond.
Assistant County Executive for Economic Development Ron Hicks said, “There is amazing potential here in Dutchess County. Our Th!nk Dutchess Alliance for Business is proactively changing perceptions about Dutchess County, both inside and outside our county. We are seeing local businesses expanding and new businesses exploring opportunities to locate here in Dutchess County.”
The Th!nk Dutchess for Life marketing video showcasing Dutchess County’s education, workforce, transportation, lifestyle and recreation opportunities. View the video on Th!nk Dutchess Alliance for Business YouTube channel.
