During my career I have been part of the startup of a variety of organizations, businesses and programs. As noted earlier, I was part of a team that created a business plan, built and started up the Manufacturing Technology Institute in Jamestown, NY. In 2006 I was part of a team that started a local health insurance program that focused on local medical management, encouraged wellness programming and fostered cost containment. I led the start-up and have managed Chautauqua Benefit Specialists, a private insurance brokerage agency that provides insurance benefits to Chamber and MAST members and manages approximately $4 million dollars in premiums. In 2009, working with my colleagues, we launched the Dream It Do It corporation and programming in Chautauqua County and within two years had expanded into neighboring Cattaraugus County. Throughout the years I have worked with several local startup companies. Some were successful and some were not. These have been incredible experiences from which I learned and developed skills that have helped me in other aspects of my work.
As business associations, the organizations that I have had the good fortune to lead, are often involved in advocating for economic development and infrastructure investments in the region. In my leadership positions I have supported economic development planning efforts, have stood before elected officials and zoning boards encouraging approval of projects and have advocated for necessary investments to bring projects to fruition.