2 | TALENT SEARCH FEBRUARY 6, 2017 | VOL. 53, No. 6
17 | MOVIE MAKEOVER
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Pepsico plans Valhalla expansion BY ALEESIA FORNI aforni@westfairinc.com
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Balducci’s General Manager Angel Caban talks with chef Laura Granston during the store’s opening day. Photo by Bob Rozycki
epsiCo Inc. plans to erect a new three-story building at its Global Beverage Research and Development Center campus in Valhalla. The proposed 122,000-square-foot research and development building will contain laboratory and office facilities. “We welcome the expansion,” said Mount Pleasant Town Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi. “Anything we can do to keep PepsiCo in the town of Mount Pleasant is something we look forward to doing.” Fulgenzi said the possibility of increased property tax revenues and the hiring of both project
construction workers and new PepsiCo employees once the expansion is completed will benefit Mount Pleasant. Along with the new structure, PepsiCo also plans to renovate and modernize the interiors of the two existing buildings at 350 Columbus Ave. and 100 Stevens Ave., including a 15,000-squarefoot expansion to one of the building’s mezzanine levels and a vestibule. The Purchase-based food and beverage giant has proposed to expand parking and improve the site’s landscaping, utility infrastructure and stormwater management. Aurora Gonzalez, senior communications director at PepsiCo, said the company is in the “initial » PEPSICO, page 6
Beefed-up IDA seen as Mount Vernon ‘economic engine’ BY BILL HELTZEL bheltzel@westfairinc.com
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he Mount Vernon I n d u s t r i a l Development Agency bulked up and toughened up at its annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 31. It bulked up by hiring two
employees and two consultants. It toughened up by introducing a more detailed financial assistance process. “We can’t develop the economy with an army of one,” Mayor Richard Thomas, the IDA chairman, said after the meeting. “This is a team of teams to help coordinate projects across the city.”
The army of one refers to Sean McIntrye, who was hired as interim executive director in August to replace the agency’s sole employee, Margaret Finlayson. On Tuesday the board appointed Maria Donovan as strategic director, at $95,000 a year, and Roberta James as business development director, at $86,000
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a year. Donovan, who was already serving as special counsel to the mayor, will manage long-term policies, oversee key initiatives, implement the mayor’s economic development agenda and develop marketing materials. James, who had worked on Thomas’ mayoral campaign in
Lisa Arrichiello
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2015, will do market research, monitor the city’s growth, collaborate with the business community and identify business opportunities. The board also hired two consultants. Daniel Macom, president of DJM Inc. in Riverside, Connecticut, » IDA, page 6
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