O&R Names Richard Struck Economic Development Director; Key Focus on Business Attraction,
Expansion and Retention
PEARL RIVER, NY December 18, 2009 — O&R today named Richard M. Struck, a 26-year company
veteran, with broad experience in both economic development and energy efficiency fields, as
Director of Economic Development.
Struck, currently a Project Director in O&R's Customer Energy Services group, assumes his
new post January 1.
Struck's focus will include new business attraction and current business expansion
and retention as well as the promotion of energy efficiency programs and practices
throughout O&R's service area.
In working to enhance the business climate in the region, Struck will be promoting energy efficiency
programs as part of a larger sustainability strategy for not only newly recruited businesses
but for current businesses as well. His business development and recruitment efforts also will
be targeting energy efficiency manufacturers to either start up their businesses in the O&R
service territory or move their businesses here.
O&R President and CEO Bill Longhi said, "Rick Struck is an enthusiastic, can-do guy with a
track record of success and accomplishment. His unique talent, training and experience
make him the right man at the right time for this job. As the economy begins to show
signs of improvement, we want to be ready to help the business community take advantage
of that improvement as quickly as possible. That's Rick specialty."
Longhi said, "Rick will also use his experience in promoting energy efficiency programs at O&R
to spread the word among the business community. We believe that employing energy
efficiency programs is a winning strategy to achieve greater business sustainability."
Longhi added, "We also want Rick to use his expertise in the energy efficiency area to help lay
the ground work for the creation of an energy efficiency industry here in the O&R service
territory. We want the people who build the solar panels and other equipment that
make our use of energy cleaner, greener and more affordable to build them here."
Struck said, "We have a very attractive setting here for new industry. We have a splendid labor
pool, fine schools, strong housing stock and a great location. We want new development
to create jobs for our people and to expand the tax base to keep our communities
affordable."
Today's announcement represents a coming home of sorts for Struck who directed O&R's Economic
Development efforts from 1984 to 2005. During that 20-year period, he was responsible
for O&R
economic development operations and partnerships that resulted in attracting or expanding
155 major companies.
In his economic development capacity, Struck served from 2001-2003 as Board Chairman of the Hudson
Valley Economic Development Corporation, a nine-county consortium of economic development organizations.
He also is a past board member of the Orange County Partnership, the Rockland Business Association,
the Orange County Chamber of Commerce and the Mid-Hudson Pattern for Progress.
During his most recent assignment as a Project Director in O&R's Customer Energy Services
group, Struck was responsible for major elements of the Company's energy efficiency
programs' administration, outreach and education components. He played a key role
in the administration of the company's own internal energy efficiency initiatives
and is the company representative on the Green Council of the Rockland Business Association.
He also served on the Community Environmental Committee in Orangetown.
Struck is a U.S. Army veteran who holds a B.A. from Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y. He and his
wife Jeanne live in Pearl River, N.Y. |
