Earlier this fall, ABC public board member Tom Coakley was honored by New York Lt. Governor Mary Donohue as the New York State Small Business Advocate of the Year.
As the St. Lawrence University Vice President for Administrative Operations, a centerpiece of Mr. Coakley’s work has focused on a business development initiative for known as the ‘Canton Initiative.’ Mr. Coakley has designed this initiative to procure and properly use a combination of public and private funds to assist small-business start-ups, the renovation and beautification of local historical sites, and various other projects designed to improve the business environment in Canton.
The Canton Initiative has yielded terrific economic benefits for the community. Through the development of new and existing small business, approximately 60 new jobs have been created, resulting in an increase of the local tax base by approximately $3 million. Through these efforts, the economic future of Canton has become brighter.
In her speech, Lt. Governor Donohue expressed the thoughts of many New Yorkers in North County. “Thomas Coakley has been a champion of the small business community in New York for many years, giving his time, energy and ideas to numerous projects and initiatives that help other small business entrepreneurs succeed in realizing realizing their dreams.”
Small business advocacy is certainly understood by the O&P community. With hundreds of O&P facilities operating as small businesses, we all understand the unique enviromnment in which a small business operates. It is our honor to have Mr. Coakley as a leader and advocate for both O&P and small businesses. Please join us in congratulating Mr. Coakley on his award.
For more information, please visit the St. Lawrence University news release at http://www.stlawu.edu/news/coakleyaward.html.