WCA in the News

New Rochelle faces a flood of new residents to its downtown after the City Council signed off on another 3,000 housing units as part of its plan for the city's urban center.

The concept is straightforward. Give people internet in their homes, and the devices and training on how to use them, and they'll be better able to rise socioeconomically. A new pilot program is underway in a section of Yonkers known for a shortage of internet and technology that does just that — gives people Chromebooks, provides training on how to use them and supplies free internet for a year.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed the county’s new budget for 2022 at his home where he is recovering from Covid. Latimer spoke about his having contracted Covid, apparently at one of several events he attended last week, and reported that he has a “scratchy” throat and nasal congestion but has been able to conduct county business remotely.

"We think this is a critical pillar of improving the regional economy and for smart growth, that's why we wanted to galvanize these communities and set an example of the possible," says Michael Romita, CEO of the Westchester County Association.

Proof of vaccination against Covid was one of the health and safety requirements in place when the Westchester County Association (WCA) hosted its Annual Fall Leadership Event: Driving Westchester Forward at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown.

As one of the leading economic development and business advocacy organizations in the county, the Westchester County Association (WCA) recently partnered with the Pace University Energy and Climate Center to launch a Clean Energy Portal.

Over the course of this year and the last, access to quality broadband and the internet has revealed itself to be more essential than ever, as many workers transitioned to remote working, students pivoted to remote schooling and businesses and governments increasingly took their commerce and services online.

On October 21, the Westchester County Association in partnership with the City of Yonkers, STEM Alliance, Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), Fordham University, and Westhab launched the much anticipated Yonkers Zone (Y-Zone).

Y-Zone’s much-anticipated pilot program has just launched, bringing free and affordable internet to hundreds of Yonkers households.

Located along the Hudson River, Yonkers is the gateway between New York City and the Hudson Valley. Through Project OVERCOME, the leaders of the digital opportunity zone known as Yonkers Zone, or Y-Zone, will provide free Internet access to approximately 250-350 households in downtown Yonkers using spectrum in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) frequency band.

White Plains, New York - (November 10, 2023)….Over 450 members of Westchester’s professional community packed the Westchester Marriott ballroom on November 9th for the Westchester County Association’s 73rd annual leadership event.

White Plains (October 12, 2023) More than 300 job seekers lined up to meet with over 40 employers and resource providers at a regional career fair October 12 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.

Connect Westchester is Westchester County’s Office of Economic Development’s new initiative to bridge the digital divide through providing essential digital resources, education and affordable internet access to low-income residents.

White Plains, New York - (September 22, 2023)…In his keynote address at WCA’s “Toasting to a Healthy Westchester,” Michael J. Dowling, CEO, Northwell Health appealed to 250 key leaders in healthcare and business attending this annual dinner to try to solve what he called the social determinants of health, such as gun violence, poverty, obesity, and drugs and alchohol abuse. “If we don’t solve theses issues, we will never improve the health status of Americans,”he said, citing the pressures facing the industry today.

White Plains, New York -- (June 5, 2023) Close to 200 business, nonprofit, and government leaders attended the WCA’s 2nd Annual Sustainable Business Conference hosted in partnership with Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law. The event, held June 1 at the law school, focused on new opportunities in sustainable investing and real estate, navigating an evolving regulatory landscape, and the connection between sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion. New this year, a “Sustainability Bootcamp” workshop served as a primer for businesses of all sizes to get started with practical tools to develop a sustainability program.

White Plains, New York - (December 8, 2022) Susan Fox, WCA Board Chair, President & CEO, White Plains Hospital, and Michael N. Romita, President, and CEO of the Westchester County Association (WCA), announced this week that the WCA, the county’s premier business membership organization, will welcome eight new board members representing important industry sectors to bolster the WCA’s economic development and advocacy work.

White Plains, New York - (November 21, 2022)…. Westchester’s professional community packed the Westchester Marriott ballroom on November 17th for the Westchester County Association’s annual leadership dinner to honor Westchester’s most influential leaders and celebrate another year of impactful work by the WCA, the region’s premiere business advocacy and economic development organization.

White Plains, N.Y. (February 25, 2022) During the Annual County Executive’s Breakfast hosted by The Westchester County Association (WCA) on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel & Conference Center in Tarrytown, New York, County Executive George Latimer and WCA President & CEO Michael N. Romita jointly announced the launch of the Healthcare Talent Pipeline Program (HTPP).

The Westchester County Association (WCA) joined community leaders from Nonprofit Westchester (NPW), the Building and Realty Institute of Westchester and the Mid-Hudson Region (BRI), the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley (CIC), and the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR) to put forth an advocacy letter urging government officials to find statewide solutions to Westchester’s housing crisis.

Yonkers, N.Y. – Today, the Westchester County Association joined community leaders, elected officials, and project partners in a press conference at the Yonkers Public Library to highlight the latest developments since the launch of the Y-Zone (Yonkers Zone), a broadband pilot program funded by US Ignite and Schmidt Futures as part of Project Overcome.

St. Thomas Aquinas College is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Montefiore Nyack Hospital designed to make affordable undergraduate and graduate degrees accessible for the hospital’s employees.

ENR New York, a key publication covering the regional engineering and construction industry, announced LeChase Construction Service as its 2024 New York Contractor of the Year.

Salem Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center received the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Silver National Quality Award. This recognition signifies their commitment to continuous improvement in quality care. The award evaluates long-term care organizations based on rigorous performance standards.

Westchester County’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator, Powered by Cela, is now accepting applications from innovative tech startups for its next cohort. Chosen startups will experience a 10-week accelerator program that features a key curriculum, connections to investors and mentors, and more. The program will culminate with a Demo Day in November. 

Orange Bank & Trust Company announced that Michael Coulter has retired from the role of Chief Lending Officer. He will continue as an Executive of the Bank, in a part-time position, as Strategic Lending Relationship Officer, managing top client relationships as well as business development.

New York Blood Center recently declared a blood emergency due to dangerously low supply levels. Fox 5 New York featured moving stories of a donor and recipient as part of the network's special series, 'The Gift of Life.'

Westchester Magazine honored CClean's CEO Joseph Pizzimenti as a 2024 Healthcare Hero for his extraordinary efforts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. He was recognized for his efforts to keep the county’s hospitals, medical facilities, and therapeutic private schools clean and safe, which protected public health and prioritized healthcare workers' safety and comfort.

Phelps Hospital unveiled an $8.8M renovation of its fifth-floor medical/surgical unit, featuring 15 new, state-of-the-art single rooms with private bathrooms and Hudson River views, and dedicated comfort care rooms for end-of-life and palliative care. News 12 covered the upgrade, which speaks to the hospital's initiative to modernize and enhance the patient experience.

All aboard! Helicopter charter company Blade debuts a new, luxury bus service this summer to deliver passengers from Hudson Yards to the Hamptons. Blade partnered with The Jet on the Hamptons Streamliner, featuring 45-degree reclining seats, espresso martinis, PopUp Bagels, and Sweetgreen salads. Read about the posh new route in The New York Times' Style section.

Congratulations to Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County Government’s Director of Economic Development, who has been appointed to the NYS Economic Development Council (NYSEDC)’s Executive Committee. The NYSEDC promotes the economic development of the state and its communities. Gibbons was elected to the organization’s Board of Directors in 2021 and is currently serving her second term.