WCA in the News

Some Hudson Valley officials and business community leaders are reacting positively to an initiative announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul to make reforms to the environmental review process under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).

At the Westchester County Association’s  (WCA) Annual Business Breakfast held Jan. 22 at the New York Athletic Club in Pelham Manor formation of the Westchester Economic Alliance was announced.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins has outlined his priorities for 2026 after the county passed a challenging budget that eliminated more than 100 positions and raised taxes for the first time in seven years.

The New York State Environmental Quality Review Act — SEQRA — just turned 50. And it’s not aging well. As the state remains mired in a serious housing crisis, SEQRA is a primary culprit.

Welcome Home Westchester (WHW), a multi-stakeholder pro-housing advocacy effort, announced the release of its Housing Policy Scorecards for all 43 cities, towns, and villages in the county at Pelham Village Hall on Friday, December 12.

As the newly elected Westchester County Executive Kenneth B. Jenkins began to speak at the Westchester County Association’s “Impact in Action” annual leadership event – held Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle – WCA President and CEO Michael R. Romita handed him a note.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators celebrated Italian American Heritage Month on Monday night with a ceremony recognizing two exceptional honorees: Michael N. Romita, President and CEO of Westchester County Association, champion for Westchester’s economic development and environmental sustainability and Paula Miritello, founder and director of My Brother Vinny, a nonprofit organization that provides furnishings for formerly homeless U.S. veterans.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during an appearance at the Westchester County Association’s (WCA) Toasting to a Healthy Westchester event at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown called on health care providers to do more with artificial intelligence.

Want to grow your career or your presence in the industry? These business associations and job and apprenticeship banks are here to help.

The Westchester County Association (WCA), Westchester County, and The STEM Alliance recently hosted the second annual CONVERGE: Hudson Valley Digital Innovation Conference, bringing together business, government, nonprofit, and education leaders to explore how artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and digital inclusion can power the region’s economy and create a more equitable, resilient future.

White Plains, N.Y. (October 21, 2021) – Today, 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). This project is made possible through support from US Ignite, the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award # CNS-2044448), and Schmidt Futures. By utilizing Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, the newly deployed, digital opportunity zone provides free internet access to approximately 250 to 400 need-based households in downtown Yonkers.

The Westchester County Association (WCA) is hosting their 2nd Annual Regional Workforce Summit on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EST. Join the WCA and leaders from business, education, government, and nonprofits as they gather to discuss the mega shifts occurring in our region’s talent ecosystem. This event will showcase how businesses are leveraging the “new normal” in training, recruiting, and retention developments of the region’s talent.

The Westchester County Association (WCA) is one of seven lead organizations to have been selected by US Ignite, a national non-profit accelerating the smart city movement, to participate in Project OVERCOME. Project OVERCOME, a $2.7 million effort is designed to expedite the delivery of broadband services to underserved communities across the United States. The U. S. National Science Foundation (NSF) conceived of and is providing $2.25 million in funding for the project, with Schmidt Futures joining as a financial and strategic partner to extend Project OVERCOME’s geographic reach with an additional $450,000. The project explores novel approaches to connectivity in both rural and urban communities with an eye on replicating these efforts on a national scale.

The Westchester County Association (WCA), and Nonprofit Westchester (NPW), are hosting a free virtual event, An Open Conversation with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, on February 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST. This event will discuss the most pressing issues impacting regional businesses and nonprofits and will include an audience Q&A. Topics that will be addressed in this event include: • COVID relief and the rest of Senator Schumer’s 2021 legislative agenda • Economic development priorities in the lower Hudson Valley • The importance of nonprofits to the regional economy • The challenges of legislating in the current political environment

The Westchester County Association (WCA), in partnership with Westchester County’s Office of Economic Development, is hosting a free virtual webinar, All Access Healthcare: Spotlight on Westchester’s Bioscience Ecosystem, on February 11, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EST. This event will showcase the growing bioscience ecosystem in the county and highlight why more life science companies are moving to Westchester County. Opening remarks will be made by Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

The Westchester County Association (WCA), Westchester’s leading economic development and business advocacy organization, today announced the appointment of five new members to its board of directors.

Regional experts in real estate and housing will share best practices and offer potential solutions to the lack of affordable and diverse housing stock in the region – where more than 11,000 additional such units are needed -- at the Westchester County Association’s fourth annual Real Estate and Housing Virtual Summit on October 30 at 9:30 a.m. EST.

Dr. Philip Ozuah, president and chief executive officer of Montefiore Medicine, will deliver the keynote address at the Westchester County Association (WCA)’s online 70th Anniversary Leadership Event, which will celebrate business and nonprofit movers and shakers, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and local healthcare heroes, on November 19 at 4 p.m. EST.

The initiatives are outlined in “Towards a Stronger Future,” a newly-released report from the WCA’s Post Pandemic Working Group (PPWG), which is a select committee of business, nonprofit, and education and government leaders who are working collaboratively to support the recovery and long-term prosperity of the region.  The Towards a Stronger Future report, which is available for download on the WCA’s website, sets forth a clear advocacy and action agenda in those Four Foundational Pillars of Economic Recovery where the WCA is well-positioned through its proven expertise and deep professional network to achieve significant impact: healthcare and bioscience, real estate and housing, digital connectivity, and energy and sustainability.

Optimism for Westchester’s economic future, combined with a sense that the region’s financial recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will take between one and three years, are among the key findings from a public survey conducted by the Westchester County Association (WCA), the results of which were announced today. The survey also found that healthcare, entrepreneurship, higher education and hospitality are among the most important industry sectors to the region’s economic future, while high taxes, unemployment, broadband/digital technology, and affordable housing are key economic issues moving forward.

Westchester County Tourism & Film (WCTF) is asking businesses that hosted media production this past year, including filming, overnight accommodations, basecamps, parking, holding, or catering, to complete a confidential, economic impact survey by February 13. Responses will help WCTF provide services for facilitating local productions and market Westchester as a top-tier location for film and TV production—generating economic activity and revenue.

Westchester County and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have appointed Bonnie Blumer as the Partnership Representative for the RPI and Westchester Partnership. She will serve as a dedicated connection between RPI and Westchester County employers, expanding access to education, talent, and collaborative research opportunities across high-growth STEM sectors

Congratulations to our WCA members recognized as 2026 City & State Health Care Trailblazers. City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Health Care highlights leaders shaping health care across New York. We are proud to see our members recognized for their impact.

Join ArtsWestchester on March 13 at Brae Burn Country Club for the organization's annual Arts Award Luncheon celebrating the power of the arts in Westchester. More than 300 artists, leaders, patrons, and officials will gather to honor this year’s award recipients

Iona University offers summer intern housing from June 1 to August 15. The daily summer rate is $65 per guest. Furnished suites, high-speed internet, laundry, communal kitchens and lounges, parking, and additional campus amenities included

Burke Rehabilitation has secured $300,000 in state grants, led by Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Members Gary Pretlow and Michael Benedetto, to purchase 30 smart beds—enhancing patient safety, comfort, and recovery outcomes through advanced, contact-free monitoring technology

Long Island University celebrates 100 years of academic excellence, innovation, and impact. Founded in 1926 to expand access to quality education, LIU is now a nationally recognized research institution, proudly serving Westchester, Rockland, and the region for over 50 years

WCA members play a leadership role at the state level, with strong representation on the HANYS Board of Directors: Mark Geller, Montefiore Nyack Hospital; Derek Anderson, Northern Westchester Hospital; Shelly Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Kevin Beiner and John D’Angelo, Northwell Health; Brian Donley, NewYork-Presbyterian; Susan Fox, White Plains Hospital; David Lubarsky, WMCHealth; Laurence Smith, Montefiore Health System; and Michael Spicer, Saint Joseph’s Medical Center. In addition, Kevin Plunkett of Simone Development Companies was appointed to the Board of Governors of Healthcare Trustees of New York State (HTNYS), a division of HANYS.

NewYork-Presbyterian announced a transformative $20 million gift from Emilia Fazzalari to launch Fazzalari Women’s Health in Manhattan and Westchester. Led by Dr. Mary Rosser, the program delivers coordinated, lifelong care with a focus on perimenopause and menopause, in collaboration with Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine.

Sarah Lawrence College, the prestigious, coeducational liberal arts college that consistently ranks among the leading liberal arts colleges in the country, is celebrating 100 years in 2026. The year-long centennial celebration’s theme is SLC100: Timely Education. Timeless Values.