2025 Annual Meeting Agenda

2025 Annual Meeting

September 17, 2025 - September 19, 2025

The Sagamore Resort

Registration is Closed

Click Here to View the 2025 Annual Meeting Page

Wednesday, September 17  
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Board Investment Committee Meeting **
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Joint Audit & Finance / Executive Committee Meeting **
1:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Registration Open
Conference Center
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Chamber Meeting
Chamber Executives Only
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Board of Directors Meeting **
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. New Member & Anniversary Member Reception
Private Reception
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

President’s Reception

**Board of Directors Only

 

Thursday, September 18  
6:30 - 7:30 a.m. 5k Run
7:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Registration Open
7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Exhibits Open
Networking Lounge & Prize Display
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 
8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

Welcome

Master of Ceremonies

  • Colleen A. Matteson, Senior Vice President, President, Rochester NY [BIO]
    Market Trust Executive, Private Bank
    Bank of America

Anniversary Awards Presentation
Presented by:

  • Heather Mulligan, President and CEO [BIO]
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.
8:45 - 9:45 a.m.

Federal Policy Impacts on New York State

  • Rodney Davis, Head of Government Affairs [BIO]
    U.S. Chamber of Commerce
9:45 - 10:00 a.m. Refreshment Break / Visit the Exhibits
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Powering New York: Upgrading the Grid for the 21st Century

Moderator:

  • Jennifer Cruickshank, Director, Public Policy [BIO]
    Amazon

Panelists:

  • Vladimir Gutman-Britten, Director, Policy and Analysis [BIO]
    NYSERDA
  • Kevin Lanahan, Vice President, External Affairs & Corporate Communications [BIO]
    NYISO
  • Patricia Nilsen, Chief Executive Officer [BIO]
    NYSEG and RG&E
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

How Technology is Driving the Future of New York's Economy

Moderator:

  • Paul Zuber, Executive Vice President [BIO]
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Panelists:

  • Diana Doukas, Economic Opportunity and Advocacy for U.S. Public Policy [BIO]
    Meta
  • Aimee Privitera, New York Policy Manager [BIO]
    Waymo LLC
  • Kevin Russell, Senior Fellow and Associate Partner, MGI [BIO]
    McKinsey & Company
  • Lisa Wright, Founder/CEO [BIO]
    Landings
12:30 - 5:00 p.m. Recreational Activities | Free Time
12:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Golf (18 Holes)
Additional Fee of $160
Box Lunch Included
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Sightseeing Cruise
Scenic tour of Lake George aboard The Morgan
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Paint and Sip Activity
Sip on drinks and create your own artwork with instructor guidance
2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Pickleball
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Reception
7:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Dinner

 

Pledge of Allegiance

  • Heather Mulligan, President and CEO [BIO]
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Awards Presentation

Coolest Thing Made in New York
Winner Announced at Dinner

The Minority and Women’s Business Award
Sponsored by National Grid

  • Presented by: Ryan P. Delgado, Director, Government Relations - New York State
    National Grid

Winner Announced at Dinner

Fr. Peter Young Award for Community Service
Stacey Hengsterman, President & CEO
Special Olympics New York, Inc                                                                                                                   

The Chuck Steiner Memorial Chamber of the Year
Orange County Chamber of Commerce

  • Accepted by: Heather Bell, President & CEO

2025 Member of the Year
McDonald's Corporation

  • Accepted by: Elana Margolis, Director, State & Local Government Relations
     

Corning Award for Excellence

Presented by:

  • Joanne Fernandez, Director, U.S. Government Affairs
    Corning Incorporated
  • Heather Mulligan, President and CEO [BIO]
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Accepted by:

  • Dr. Marsha Gordon, President & CEO

The Business Council of Westchester


Keynote Address

  • David Axelrod, Chief Political Analyst, CNN, and Former Host, The Axe Files; Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics; Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama (2009 – 2011)

 
9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Hospitality

 

Friday, September 19  
7:00 a.m. - Noon  Registration
7:30 a.m. - Noon Exhibits Open
Networking Lounge & Prize Display
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.  Breakfast Buffet 
8:25 a.m.

Program Begins

Master of Ceremonies:

  • Rich Constable, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Government and Social Impact [BIO]
    The Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corporation
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.

President's Report

  • Heather Mulligan [BIO]
    President and CEO
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Annual Meeting of The Business Council Membership

Election of Directors
9:00 - 9:15 a.m.

Remarks

  • Honorable Thomas DiNapoli, Comptroller [BIO]
    State of New York 
9:15 - 10:00 a.m.

Looking ahead to 2026: Political Landscape and Voter Sentiment in NY

Moderator:

  • Paul Zuber, Executive Vice President [BIO]
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Panelists:

  • Annie Norbitz, Vice President, Research [BIO]
    Global Strategy Group
  • Honorable Jon D. Rivera, Assembly District 149 [BIO]
    New York State Assembly
10:00 - 10:15 a.m. Refreshment Break / Visit the Exhibits
10:15 - 11:15 a.m.

Next Steps for New York - Dealing with the New Economic and Federal Realities

Moderator:

  • Ken Pokalsky, Vice President [BIO]
    The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Panelists:

  • Ron Deutsch, Director [BIO]
    New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness
  • Bill Hammond, Senior Fellow [BIO]
    Empire Center

  • April Land, President/CEO [BIO]
    Capital Area Urban League

  • EJ McMahon, Adjunct Fellow [BIO]
    Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
  • Andrew Rein, President [BIO]
    Citizens Budget Commission
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Program Continues
12:00 p.m.  Conclusion / Wrap Up / Grand Prize Drawing