Albany Roundtable

Bob Belber to Address Albany Roundtable 2/8

2012-01-18T20:20:00.001-05:00

General Manager of Times Union Center slated to speak on February 8, 2012

ALBANY, NY – January 18, 2012 – Bob Belber, General Manager of the Times Union Center on South Pearl Street in Albany and SMG Northeast Regional Manager of Live Entertainment, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, February 8.

Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the National Register-listed University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, and are open to the public.

Located in downtown Albany, the Times Union Center is upstate New York’s premier sports and entertainment facility. Home to the Siena Saints Division I men’s basketball team and Albany Devils AHL hockey team, the Times Union Center hosts a variety of events ranging from concerts to family shows to sporting events.

For the past 16 years, Bob Belber has worked with agents and promoters while they are routing tours, leveraging the other 18 arenas in the Northeast Region to attract more performing artists to Albany.

Belber will discuss the history facility as outlined in the “Milestones of the Times Union Center” report, trends in arena entertainment, and the role of facilities like the TUC in downtown revitalization.

Corporate support for this luncheon is provided by NAI Platform Realty, a full service commercial real estate brokerage firm with headquarters in Albany.

The cost for the luncheon is $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations for the January 11 luncheon are required by Monday, January 9 and may be made by calling 518-431-1400 (the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com.

Mayor Jennings to Speak on January 11

2011-12-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

ALBANY, NY - December 16, 2011 - Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings will address the first Albany Roundtable luncheon of 2012 on Wednesday, January 11.

Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the National Register-listed University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, and are open to the public.

Mayor Gerald D. Jennings was elected the 74th Mayor of the City of Albany in 1993. Born in North Albany, Jennings had a 21-year career as a teacher and high school administrator for the Albany City School District and served 13 years on the Albany Common Council representing the 11th Ward.

The Mayor has successfully established collaborative partnerships with New York State, the business community, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations that have produced new development projects representing more than $6 billion in new investment since 1994.

The Mayor will discuss the city's recently completed comprehensive plan which will help determine what lies ahead for Albany. Albany2030 looks forward twenty years, while at the same time considering where the city is now and where it's been. Through a series of public meetings, development of the plan has engaged hundreds of citizens in all aspects of city life: housing, recreation, transportation, sustainability, infrastructure, and more.

The cost for the luncheon is $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations for the January 11 luncheon are required by Monday, January 9 and may be made by calling 518-431-1400 (the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com .

Rex Smith, Editor of Albany Times Union - 11/9

2011-11-04T16:01:00.002-04:00

Rex Smith, Editor and Vice President of the Times Union, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, November 9. As he does on The Media Project, which airs weekly on WAMC, Smith will offer an inside look at media coverage of current events.

Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the National Register-listed University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, and are open to the public.
Rex Smith has been Editor and Vice President the Times Union in Albany since September of 2002. He had been Managing Editor/News of the paper for seven years before that, and had come to the Times Union after serving four years as Editor of The Record newspaper of Troy. Rex came to New York’s Capital Region as state capitol bureau chief and national correspondent for Newsday, where he spent 11 years on various reporting beats. Earlier in his career, Rex was a congressional aide in Washington and editor of the daily newspaper in Rensselaer, Indiana. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the national Society of Professional Journalists, the World Hunger Media Award, the New York League of Women Voters Citizen of the Year Award and numerous other prizes for reporting and editorial writing.

Smith grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and graduated cum laude from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He was awarded a master’s degree with highest honors from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, which awarded him a Pulitzer Fellowship.He is past president of the state daily newspaper association, vice-chair of the New York Fair Trial/Free Press Conference, and is in demand as a guest speaker and contest judge. He has twice been a Pulitzer Prize juror.
Smith and his wife, the author Marion Roach, live in Rensselaer County, New York, with their daughter, Grace.

The cost for the luncheon $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations are required by Monday, November 7 and may be made by calling 518-431-1400 (the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

New Patroon Award to be Presented to Catherine Hedgeman, Stakeholders

2011-10-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

Civic engagement, arts, philanthropy booster will be honored on October 12

The Albany Roundtable has selected The Stakeholders, Inc. and its founder Catherine M. Hedgeman, Esq. to receive its prestigious New Patroon Award for the organization’s efforts to cultivate support for philanthropy, civic engagement, and the arts among the region’s young professionals.

“The Stakeholders, since its founding in 2008, immediately brought a new vitality to an area traditionally populated by a hoarier demographic – philanthropy,” said Colleen Ryan, President of the Albany Roundtable. “Further, The Stakeholders are stemming ‘brain drain’ by working to make our region a sustainable and stimulating place to live and invest. By encouraging younger people to stake a personal claim in our community’s future, the Stakeholders are actualizing a vision long espoused by the Albany Roundtable: that the urban centers of New York’s historic Capital Region should be a preferred destination for living, business and entertainment. We are delighted to honor Kate and The Stakeholders with the New Patroon award.”

Formerly known as the Good Patroon Award, the Albany Roundtable established the recognition program in 1988 to celebrate outstanding contributions to the community by institutions and individuals. While the Good Patroon Award has traditionally honored organizations and individuals with a long record of service to the community, the Roundtable board is seeking, with its New Patroon Award, to highlight and encourage the work of nascent organizations.

Ellen Sax, Vice President of Community Relations for KeyBank, will present the Award at the first meeting of the Albany Roundtable’s 33rd season on Wednesday, October 12th. Ellen serves on the Stakeholders Advisory Committee.

The featured speaker for the October luncheon is Meika Loe, Associate Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at Colgate University who will discuss her new book, Aging Our Way: Lessons for Living from 85 and Beyond (Oxford University Press, September 2011.)

The Stakeholders, Inc., is a non-profit organization founded on the belief that people are key to the sustainability of New York’s Capital Region. The group seeks to retain and attract residents, workers and visitors and foster regional pride by connecting individuals with area resources and providing enrichment through programs on Education, Capacity Building and Philanthropy.

The October 12 Roundtable Luncheon begins at 12:00 noon and will be held at the National Register-listed University Club of Albany at 141 Washington Avenue. The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations are required by Monday, October 10 and may be made by calling 518-431-1400 (the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

The most recent Good Patroon Award winners include Maude Baum, Artistic Director of eba Dance Theatre; housing and social justice advocates Roger and Maria Markovics; and Christine M. Miles, Director of the Albany Institute of History and Art.

“When he died in 1839, Stephen Van Rensselaer III was remembered as ‘The Good Patroon’ for his benevolent attitude toward the residents of Rensselaerswyck,” said Ryan. “The Good Patroon Award is the Albany Roundtable’s primary means of honoring those leaders who make our community a better place to live. We are so pleased to be able to present Kate and The Stakeholders with this award.”

Albany Roundtable Welcomes Author of "Aging Our Way"

2011-09-20T15:24:00.000-04:00

Professor Meika Loe will address luncheon on October 12　

Meika Loe, Associate Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at Colgate University, will address the Albany Roundtable at the first luncheon of the 2011-2012 season on Wednesday, October 12.

Professor Loe, a Delmar resident, will discuss her new book, Aging Our Way: Lessons for Living from 85 and Beyond (Oxford University Press, October 2011). Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the National Register-listed University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany.

Following the everyday lives of 30 elders living at home – including many in the Albany area – Loe explores how the very old navigate the practical challenges of living as independently as possible. Drawing on the latest interdisciplinary scholarship, this book reveals that maintaining social capital as we age can make all the difference in staying healthy, connected, and comfortable.

Loe is also the author of The Rise of Viagra: How the Little Blue Pill Changed Sex in America and co-editor of Technogenarians: Studying Health and Illness Through an Ageing, Science and Technology Lens.

The Roundtable’s New Patroon Award will be presented at the October luncheon to The Stakeholders, Inc. and its founder, attorney Catherine M. Hedgeman, for the organization’s efforts to cultivate support for philanthropy, civic engagement, and the arts among the region’s young professionals.　

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations are required by Monday, October 10 and may be made by calling 518-431-1400 (the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

RSVP Deadline 5/13 for "An Evening with Janet Flammang"

2011-05-06T16:41:00.004-04:00

The Albany Roundtable Presents “The Taste For Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society” on May 18

Janet Flammang, Ph.D., will be Visiting Speaker at Annual Meeting

Janet Flammang, author, professor and chair of political science at California’s Santa Clara University, will be the featured speaker at the Albany Roundtable’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.

The event is open to the public, and will be held at the historic University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street. The reception will take place from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., and will feature a social hour with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a short update on the Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon Series and a presentation by the visiting speaker. Tickets are $30.

Janet Flammang is the author of The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society, (Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009.) The book explores the idea that table activities – the mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving and dining – lay the foundation for a proper education on the value of civility, the importance of the common good, and what it means to be a good citizen.

The arts of conversation and diplomatic speech are learned and practiced at tables, and a political history of food practices recasts thoughtfulness and generosity as virtues that enhance civil society and democracy. In our industrialized and profit-centered culture, however, foodwork is devalued and civility is eroding.

Janet A. Flammang teaches courses in U. S. politics with an emphasis on women and politics. Her current research explores the relationship between meals, conversation, community and democracy. She is the author or editor of books and journal articles on women’s politics including Women's Political Voice: How Women Are Transforming the Practice and Study of Politics.

“Since the Albany Roundtable was founded in 1979 it has provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and information – as well as an opportunity to break bread with people from all walks of life,” said Colleen Ryan, president of the all-volunteer not-for-profit organization. “As James Beard, the dean of American cookery once said, ‘Food is our common ground, a universal experience.’ Recent trends may point to an erosion of civility, but Albany Roundtable luncheons have a long tradition of offering participants a chance to talk, to listen, and to ask questions of civic leaders.”

The Albany Roundtable’s previous Visiting Speakers have included Colin Beavan (No Impact Man), Jaime Correa (planner, architect and professor at the University of Miami); Stan Eckstut (NYC architect, Battery City Project); Tony Hiss (Project for Public Spaces); Robert McNulty (Partners for Livable Places); Paul Pritchard (National Parks and Conservation Association); Richard Bradley (proponent of Downtown business districts); Ray Oldenburg (The Great Good Place); James Howard Kunstler (author and new urbanist); Jane Holtz Kay (architecture critic, author of Asphalt Nation); Joseph P. Riley (Mayor, Charleston, South Carolina); Richard Reinhart (Buffalo Place); and others.

Tickets for the reception must be reserved by Friday, May 13. For more information, visit www.albanyroundtable.com, email albanyroundtable@yahoo.com or call the University Club at 518-463-1151.

Click here to download and print a PDF flyer with clip-off RSVP form.

An Evening with Janet Flammang

2011-04-26T18:32:00.020-04:00

Wednesday, May 18
6:00 p.m. ~ 8:00 p.m.
The University Club of Albany
141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street

Reception ~ 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Light Fare and Open Bar
Program ~ 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Janet Flammang is a writer, professor and chair of political science at California’s Santa Clara University, and the author of The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society, (Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009.)

The book explores the idea that table activities – the mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving and dining – lay the foundation for a proper education on the value of civility, the importance of the common good, and what it means to be a citizen.

Tickets $25 for members, $30 for the general public.
2011 membership list is available online here.
Join when you purchase your ticket and save $5!

View and download flyer with RSVP form here.

NO FOOLIN' - Yet another speaker change

2011-04-01T15:14:00.004-04:00

Christine Ward to Address Albany Roundtable on 4/13
New York State Archivist and CEO of Archives Partnership Trust

ALBANY, NY – April 1, 2011 – Christine Ward, head of the New York State Archives and Archives Partnership Trust, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, April 13.

Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany.

The New York State Archives holds many of the oldest and most important archival treasures in the nation. Established in 1971 and opened to the public in 1978, the NYS Archives is a program of the State Education Department, with its main facility located in the Cultural Education Center on Madison Avenue in Albany. There it cares for and provides access to more than 200 million documents that tell the story of New York from the seventeenth century to the present.

The Archives Partnership Trust, a 501c3 non-profit organization, was founded in 1992 to build an endowment and provide project support to enhance humanities programs, increase access to these outstanding treasures, and continue the preservation of New York's historical records.

Ms. Ward received a bachelor’s degree in history from Russell Sage College in Troy and a master’s degree in Library Science from the University at Albany. Under her leadership, the State Archives facility has been completely renovated to include state-of-the-art storage for its 200 million records and modern public service space, and it has received nearly $3 million in federal grants for preservation and access work.

Reservations for the April 13 luncheon are required by Monday, April 11 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30.

All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a pair of passes to the Albany Symphony Orchestra’s Vanguard Show House which opens on May 3 in Loudonville.

Advance-sale tickets will also be available for the Albany Roundtable’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the University Club. The event will feature a social hour with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and a presentation by Visiting Speaker Janet Flammang, the author of The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society, (University of Illinois Press, 2009.) The book explores the idea that table activities – the mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving and dining – lay the foundation for a proper education on the value of civility, the importance of the common good, and what it means to be a citizen. Tickets are $30.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.com or www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com .

NEW SPEAKER - Paul Beyer on April 13

2011-03-26T15:33:00.000-04:00

Paul Beyer to Address Albany Roundtable on April 13
Director of Smart Growth Planning at the NYS Department of State

ALBANY, NY – March 25, 2011 – Paul Beyer, director of Smart Growth Planning at the New York State Department of State, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, April 13. Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany.

Various New York state agencies are involved with the Smart Growth initiative, which is committed to working with localities to use smart, sensible planning to create livable communities, protect our natural resources and promote economic growth. Smart Growth bolsters and complements the state’s overall sustainability agenda.

Among other things, Beyer will discuss the Smart Growth Infrastructure Policy Act of 2010, which emphasizes infrastructure investments in smart growth projects.

In his position as director, Beyer oversees the governor’s Smart Growth cabinet, a group of state agencies committed to promoting Smart Growth on the state and local levels in New York. His experience in land use and Smart Growth began when he worked in the New York State Assembly, where he focused on land use, environmental policy and public health policy. Beyer served on the board of directors of Partners for a Livable Western New York, the premier Smart Growth advocacy group in the Buffalo area. Beyer has a law degree from the University at Buffalo.

Reservations for the April 13 luncheon are required by Monday, April 11 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a pair of passes to the Albany Symphony Orchestra’s Vanguard Show House which opens on May 3 in Loudonville.

Advance-sale tickets will also be available for the Albany Roundtable’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the University Club. The event will feature a social hour with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and a presentation by Visiting Speaker Janet Flammang, the author of The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society, (University of Illinois Press, 2009.) The book explores the idea that table activities – the mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving and dining – lay the foundation for a proper education on the value of civility, the importance of the common good, and what it means to be a citizen. Tickets are $30.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.com or www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com .

Matthew J. Driscoll to Address Albany Roundtable on March 9

2011-02-17T10:16:00.004-05:00

Matthew J. Driscoll, President and CEO of the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, March 9.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are open to the public and held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany. A vegetarian option will be available.

The NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) provides low-cost capital and expert technical assistance for environmental projects in New York State. EFC helps public and private entities comply with federal and State environmental protection and quality requirements in a cost-effective manner that advances sustainable growth. The Corporation administers and finances the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Since 1990, EFC has provided over $14.5 billion in low-cost financing and grants for over 2,100 water and sewer infrastructure projects across New York State.

Matthew J. Driscoll became the President and CEO of the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation in January 2010. From 2001 through 2009, Mr. Driscoll served as the 52nd Mayor of the City of Syracuse, where his tenure was distinguished by his environmental and sustainability initiatives. As Mayor, Mr. Driscoll’s action plan for energy conservation, sustainability initiatives, and environmental protection efforts earned Syracuse the title of “The Emerald City” and recognition by Popular Science magazine as one of the Nation’s greenest cities (ranked #17).

Reservations for the March 9 luncheon are required by Monday, March 7 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a “Lark Street Shopping Spree” by dropping a business card at the registration table.

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Dr. Douglas North, The Albany Academies to Speak Feb. 9

2011-02-01T13:31:00.002-05:00

Dr. Douglas North, Head of School of The Albany Academies will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, February 9.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are open to the public and held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany.

Dr. North was appointed Head of School of The Albany Academies on July 1, 2009 and has already posted a significant number of accomplishments, including: balancing the school budget, preparing a five-year financial plan and establishing a firm identify for the institution – comprised of Albany Academy for Girls and The Albany Academy.

A graduate of The Albany Academy, North has a doctorate degree from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from Yale University.

For the past two decades, he served as a successful university president. Before returning to the Academies, Dr. North was the President of Alaska Pacific University – a liberal arts and professional university that emphasizes experiential and active learning – in Anchorage, Alaska. He also served as President of Prescott College, an independent liberal arts college in Prescott, Arizona.

Reservations for the February 9 luncheon are required by Monday, February 7 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle by dropping a business card at the registration table.

For additional information visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ or http://www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com/ .

Mayor Jennings to Speak at Jan. 12 Luncheon

2010-12-24T18:03:00.002-05:00

ALBANY, NY – December 22, 2010 – Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings will address the first Albany Roundtable luncheon of 2011 on Wednesday, January 12.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are open to the public and held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany.

Mayor Gerald D. Jennings was elected the 74th Mayor of the City of Albany in 1993. Born in North Albany, Jennings had a 21-year career as a teacher and high school administrator for the Albany City School District and served 13 years on the Common Council representing the 11th Ward.

The Mayor has successfully established collaborative partnerships with New York State, the business community, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations that have produced new development projects representing more than $6 billion in new investment since 1994.

In 2010, Albany began work on the development of a comprehensive plan which will help determine what lies ahead for the Capital City. Albany2030 will look forward twenty years, while at the same time considering where the city is now and where it’s been. Through a series of public meetings, the plan will address all aspects of city life: housing, recreation, transportation, sustainability, infrastructure, and more.

KeyBank N.A. is sponsoring the January 12 luncheon. “Key is pleased to provide charitable support to area cultural and educational resources, to volunteer efforts that help build local neighborhoods and livelihoods, and to civic leadership,” said Mitchell Miller, Senior Vice President, KeyBank. “Key’s success – and the success of our communities – is one and the same.”

Reservations for the January 12 luncheon are required by Monday, January 10 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle by dropping a business card at the registration table.

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Mike Breslin, Albany County Executive, to address Roundtable on November 10

2010-10-29T17:08:00.001-04:00

ALBANY, NY – October 25, 2010 – Albany County Executive Michael G. Breslin will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, November 10.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, but remain open to the public.

Mike has lived in Albany County all his life and was president of his graduating class at Vincentian Institute. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and later served a year in Vietnam where he was a company commander in the 4th Infantry Division.

After graduating from the University of Toledo Law School, Mike was an attorney in private practice for more than 20 years, including more than a decade with his brothers Neil and Tom in the firm Breslin, Breslin and Breslin. Mike’s community service includes more than 20 years on the board of Hospitality House, a residential drug treatment facility, 13 years as attorney to Saint Anne Institute, a facility for adolescent girls, seven years on the board of LaSalle School for Boys and more than ten years of coaching youth baseball and softball teams.

A longtime member and former chairman of the Bethlehem Democratic Committee, Mike was appointed Albany County Executive on January 1, 1995. Voters elected Mike to a full, four-year term the following November. During his tenure, Mike has been committed to providing essential services to the people of Albany County, while increasing the efficiency and reducing the size and cost of County government.

Reservations for the November 10 luncheon are required by Monday, November 8 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for free membership in the University Club through the end of 2010.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.com.

Albany Roundtable Opens 2010-2011 Season with GlobalFoundries

2010-09-26T19:30:00.000-04:00

Travis Bullard will address luncheon on October 13

ALBANY, NY – September 27, 2010 – Travis Bullard, public affairs and communications manager for GlobalFoundries, will address the Albany Roundtable at the first luncheon of the 2010-2011 season on Wednesday, October 13.

GlobalFoundries is currently building its Fab 8 fabrication plant, or “fab,” at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County. Fab 8 is designed to be the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility in the world and is currently the largest economic development project in the United States.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are open to the public and held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany.

The development of the Fab 8 facility at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County is the latest step in the rejuvenation of an area which was once known as a national leader in manufacturing and innovation. The construction project is expected to take approximately two years to complete and an additional 12 to 18 months to reach full operating mode, with manufacturing beginning in 2012 and volume production anticipated in early 2013. The total capital budget for Fab 8 is estimated at approximately $4.6 billion, including local construction expenditures of approximately $880 million. The build-out is expected to create approximately 1,600 new construction jobs, plus an additional 2,700 local construction-related jobs. Once completed, Fab 8 is expected to create approximately 1,400 new direct jobs and an additional 5,000 in-direct jobs in the region.

The Roundtable’s Good Patroon Award will also be presented at the October luncheon to community arts advocate Maude Baum, Artistic Director of eba.

Reservations for the October 13 luncheon are required by Monday, October 11 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a bottle of fine wine donated by the University Club Foundation.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.com or www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com.

Good Patroon Award to be presented to Maude Baum, eba Inc., on 10/13

2010-09-22T22:50:00.002-04:00

The Albany Roundtable has selected community arts advocate Maude Baum, artistic director of eba, Inc., to receive its prestigious Good Patroon Award for her efforts to cultivate and develop an understanding of and interest in the performing, visual and technological arts. This annual award was established in 1988 to recognize outstanding contributions to the community by institutions and individuals.

“Since its founding in 1972, eba has celebrated the creative potential within each individual, and led the way in integrating creativity with daily life,” said Colleen Ryan, President of the Albany Roundtable. “As economist and social scientist Richard Florida points out, the creative class is a driving force for economic development in our post-industrial cities. Through her work with eba, Maude continues to provide opportunities for people of all ages and all walks of life to collaborate in design, education, and arts and to experience the sheer joy that arises from creating new ideas. For her unflagging dedication to a vision of a more creative future, we are delighted to honor Maude and eba with the Good Patroon Award.”

Jeremy Johannesen, Executive Director of the New York State Alliance of Arts Education will present the Award at the first meeting of the Albany Roundtable’s 32nd season on Wednesday, October 13th. The luncheon’s featured speaker is Travis Bullard, the spokesperson for GlobalFoundries, a microchip producer with a new chip-fab plant under construction in Saratoga County.

“On behalf of everyone at eba, we are so honored to accept the Good Patroon Award,” said Baum. “The lives of those we touch are the real beneficiaries of this award. Without the appreciation and participation of the community, our mission would be vacant. Usually, we work in near-seclusion creating and preparing for a few days of performance for the community. It is wonderful to take a moment and reflect on the value of creativity in our lives – all of our lives.”

To fulfill its mission, eba operates five distinct programs: eba Theater, a historic building on Lark Street which houses all eba programs; everything but anchovies Dance Theatre, eba’s arts-in-education company; eba Center for Dance and Fitness, offering classes for teens, adults and senior citizens; Kids Dancspace @ eba, eba’s school of creative learning for children aged 3-12; and Maude Baum and Company Dance Theatre, the oldest and farthest-traveled dance theatre company in the region and has been heralded as Albany’s “Premier Dance Theatre.”

In addition to programming at the Theater, eba’s work with schools, libraries and communities brings Dance Theater and the creative process to students, teachers and families. Special needs students are always integrated into eba classes and workshops, and eba works with a number of at-risk or underserved populations, including clients of St. Catherine’s Center for Children, Parsons Child & Family Center, Glenmont Job Corps, the College of St. Rose, and Girls, Inc.

Throughout the month of September, eba competing for a grant of $250,000 to purchase fitness equipment and remodel the first floor of their Lark Street heaquarters through the Pepsi Refresh Project. Votes can be cast at www.refresheverything.com/ebafitnesscenter.

The October 13 Roundtable Luncheon begins at 12:00 noon and will be held at the historic University Club of Albany at 141 Washington Avenue. The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30.

Reservations are required by Monday, October 11 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com. For additional information visitwww.AlbanyRoundtable.blogspot.com.

The most recent Good Patroon Award winners include housing and social justice advocates Roger and Maria Markovics; Christine M. Miles, Director of the Albany Institute of History and Art; Parsons Child and Family Center and its Executive Director Raymond Schimmer; Capital Repertory Theater and its Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill; and the Albany Housing Authority and its Executive Director Stephen Longo.

“When he died in 1839, Stephen Van Rensselaer III was remembered as ‘The Good Patroon’ for his benevolent attitude toward the residents of Rensselaerswyck,” said Ryan. “The Good Patroon Award is the Albany Roundtable’s primary means of honoring those leaders who make our community a better place to live. We are so pleased to be able to present Maude and eba with this award.”

“No Impact Man: An Evening with Colin Beavan”

2010-05-06T21:57:00.004-04:00

Beavan will be Visiting Speaker at Annual Meeting on May 18

Author, blogger and environmentalist Colin Beavan will be the featured speaker at the Albany Roundtable’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

The event is open to the public, and will be held at the historic University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street. The reception will take place from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., and will feature a social hour with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a short update on the Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon Series and a presentation by the visiting speaker. Tickets start at $35.

Colin Beavan is the author of No Impact Man (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, September 2009). Beavan describes himself as an author who “got tired of listening to himself complain about the world without ever actually doing anything about it.” Thus, in November, 2006, Beavan launched a year-long project in which he, his wife, his two-year-old daughter and his four-year-old dog went off the grid and attempted to live in the middle of New York City with as little environmental impact as possible.

Beavan has a Ph D in electronic engineering from the University of Liverpool. He spent several years as a consultant to philanthropic organizations such as social housing providers, drug treatment agencies and hospitals. He is director of the No Impact Project, a visiting scholar at New York University, an advisor to the University’s Sustainability Task Force, and sits on the board of directors of New York City’s Transportation Alternatives and on the advisory council of Just Food.

“The Albany Roundtable was founded in 1979 to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information among people active in business, the arts, education, not‐for‐profits, governments, neighborhoods and other urban activities,” said Colleen Ryan, president of the all-volunteer not-for-profit organization. “The Albany Roundtable has long embraced the ideals of sustainability, as well as civic and personal responsibility. To be better citizens, we must all grapple with the question Colin Beavan asked at the beginning of his book: ‘Is it true that a guy like me can’t make a difference? Or am I just too lazy or frightened to try?’”

The Albany Roundtable’s previous Visiting Speakers have included Jaime Correa (planner, architect and professor at the University of Miami); Stan Eckstut (NYC architect, Battery City Project); Tony Hiss (Project for Public Spaces); Robert McNulty (Partners for Livable Places); Paul Pritchard (National Parks and Conservation Association); Richard Bradley (proponent of Downtown business districts); Ray Oldenburg (The Great Good Place); James Howard Kunstler (author and new urbanist); Jane Holtz Kay (architecture critic, author of Asphalt Nation); Joseph P. Riley (Mayor, Charleston, South Carolina); Richard Reinhart (Buffalo Place); and others.

Tickets for the reception must be purchased by Friday, May 14. Invitations and RSVP forms can be viewed and printed by following these links. For more information, email albanyroundtable@yahoo.com or call Colleen Ryan at 518-428-9348.

Earth Day Screening of "No Impact Man"

2010-04-17T12:59:00.003-04:00

Please join us at a community screening of the film No Impact Man to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and to promote the appearance of "No Impact Man" Colin Beavan in Albany next month.

Thursday, April 22, 2010
6:00pm - 8:00pm
University Club of Albany
Washington Avenue at Dove Street
Albany, NY

Beavan will be the Visiting Speaker at the Albany Roundtable's Annual Meeting and cocktail reception on Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Both events are open to the public, one need not be a member of the Albany Roundtable or the University Club to attend. Dinner and beverages will be available for purchase.

The screening will take place downstairs in the Grille Room on the 60" television. Seating is limited, please RSVP to 518-463-1151. Suggested donation of $5 to the University Club Foundation which is co-hosting this event with The Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon Series.

Agenda for 4/14 Meeting - Speaker Change!

2010-04-14T10:46:00.002-04:00

Gavin Donohue will be unable to address the Albany Roundtable today. In his stead, Duncan Stewart, Executive Director of the Albany Convention Center Authority, will provide an update.

agenda-04-10

Albany Convention Center Authority Update - 4/14/10

2010-03-27T16:04:00.002-04:00

Gavin Donohue, Chair of the Albany Convention Center Authority to address Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon

Will provide a progress report on the Albany Convention Center

ALBANY, NY – March 21, 2010 – Gavin J. Donohue, the Chair of the Albany Convention Center Authority, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, April 14.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, but remain open to the public.

The Albany Convention Center Authority (ACCA) was created in 2004 as a public benefit corporation under the New York State Public Authorities Act. The ACCA was created to meet an immediate need to institute a comprehensive, coordinated program of convention activities in the City of Albany with the goal of building and maintaining a convention center and hotel.

“The new convention center will become an important part of the revitalized downtown,” said Donohue. “We look forward to opportunities like this to meet with area residents and other stakeholders to ensure the best fit of this new center within the rich historic fabric of Albany’s downtown.”

In addition to chairing the board of the ACCA, Mr. Donohue is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. (IPPNY), a statewide trade association organized in 1986 as a not-for-profit corporation.

This luncheon is sponsored by NAI Platform Realty. Located in Albany, NAI Platform’s experienced team includes 18 commercial specialists with approximately 200 years of combined real estate experience. Their professionals have been responsible for some of upstate New York’s most significant deals, specializing in Office, Industrial, Land, Retail, Investment, Nonprofit, and Multi-Family.

Reservations for the April 14 luncheon are required by Monday, April 12 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30.

Albany Roundtable to participate in Community Connections II

2010-03-23T12:38:00.000-04:00

March 25 mixer will promote downtown neighborhoods and organizations

ALBANY, NY – March 17, 2010 – The public is invited to attend a mixer celebrating Albany’s historic downtown neighborhoods on Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 6:00 - 8 p.m.

Community Connections II will take place at the University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street. The University Club of Albany Foundation, Inc. is hosting this event, dress is casual and one need not be a member to attend.

There is no cost to participate in the mixer, which will feature information on many of Albany’s not-for-profit institutions, including: The Albany Institute of History & Art; The Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon Series; Equinox, Inc.; Girls, Inc.; Historic Albany Foundation; Washington Park Conservancy; and the quarterly publication Capital Neighbors. Representatives will be on hand to let neighbors know how they can join or support these important organizations.

“The Albany Institute is honored to be a part of Community Connections II,” said Steve Ricci, the Institute’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing. “There are so many outstanding nonprofits working to enrich our community. Community Connections is an opportunity for them to meet the public, and each other, so we can all learn more about we do and lend support to those efforts.”

The Center Square, Hudson/Park, Washington Park, Park South and Mansion Neighborhood Associations will also have information available for those who would like to become members.
The cost of delicious appetizers will be underwritten by neighborhood business and individual sponsors, and beer, wine and soft drinks will be available.

The first Community Connections was held in November 2009, and Community Connections II was brought back by popular demand.

“This is a great opportunity for residents of our historic neighborhoods to reconnect with old friends and welcome new neighbors into our community, while celebrating downtown living and building stronger connections among neighbors and groups,” said Colleen Ryan, one of the event’s organizers. “We hope to see many of our neighbors at Community Connections II on Thursday, March 25.

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Agenda for 3/10/10 Luncheon

2010-03-08T12:55:00.001-05:00

agenda-03-10

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher to address Roundtable on 3/10

2010-02-22T15:26:00.002-05:00

Will discuss the Public Education Empowerment and Innovation Act and SUNY’s strategic plan

ALBANY, NY – February 22, 2010 – Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher, the 12th Chancellor of the State University of New York, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, March 10.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, but remain open to the public.

Dr. Zimpher became Chancellor on June 1, 2009, and began her work at SUNY with a tour of the system’s 64 campuses. She has launched a statewide planning process for the SUNY system that will serve as a model for statewide collaboration for public education in New York State and beyond.

The Chancellor began her career as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in the Ozarks, and has never lost her passion for providing accessible, quality education for every student.

Previously, Dr. Zimpher served as President of the University of Cincinnati, where she led a bold, aggressive strategic planning process, UC21: Defining the New Urban Research University, which transformed the campus into a national powerhouse and a model for urban universities in the 21st century.

Chancellor Zimpher holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education and Speech, a master’s degree in English Literature, and a Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Higher Education Administration, all from The Ohio State University.

Reservations for the March 10 luncheon are required by Monday, March 8 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a certificate for an overnight stay at the Morgan State House in Albany.

Agenda for 2/10 Luncheon

2010-02-09T16:16:00.003-05:00

agenda-02-10-10

Kirsten Keefe, Consumer Housing Attorney, to Address Albany Roundtable on 2/10

2010-01-25T16:35:00.004-05:00

Empire Justice Center attorney to discuss predatory lending, foreclosure issues

ALBANY, NY – January 25, 2010 – Kirsten Keefe, a senior staff attorney with the Consumer Housing, C.A.S.H. and Community Development Unit in the Albany office of the Empire Justice Center, will address the Albany Roundtable on Wednesday, February 10.

She will discuss the subprime and foreclosure crisis as it relates to New York State, and outline the innovative steps the state has taken to help homeowners in terms of foreclosure prevention.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are now held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, but remain open to the public.

Kirsten works on anti-predatory lending initiatives and is a member of the HomeSave Coalition of the Capital Region. Lately she has been focusing on policy and legislative work on the state and federal levels. She is also frequent trainer of counselors and lawyers on consumer law issues and taught consumer law at the Beasley School of Law at Temple University.

Kirsten is also the founding director of Americans for Fairness in Lending, a national message campaign to raise awareness of abusive lending practices and push for regulation and was appointed in 2009 as a member of the Federal Reserve Board’s Consumer Advisory Council.

Reservations for the February 10 luncheon are required by Monday, February 8 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a unique gift donated by master woodworker Peter Leue.

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Lunch Agenda - Jan. 13 2010

2010-01-16T12:50:00.001-05:00

agenda-01-10[1]

Mayor Gerald D. Jennings to Address Albany Roundtable

2010-01-06T14:53:00.000-05:00

First civic luncheon of 2010 slated for Wednesday, January 13

ALBANY, NY – December 17, 2009 – Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings will address the first Albany Roundtable luncheon of 2010 on Wednesday, January 13.

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are now held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, but remain open to the public.
Mayor Gerald D. Jennings is the 74th Mayor of the City of Albany. First elected in 1993, he is about to embark on his fifth term as Mayor of New York’s Capital City. Born in North Albany, Jennings had a 21-year career as a teacher and high school administrator for the Albany City School District and served 13 years on the Common Council representing the 11th Ward.
The Mayor has successfully established collaborative partnerships with New York State, the business community, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations that have produced new development projects representing more than $6 billion in new investment since 1994.

In 2009, Albany once again captured the title of All-America City. Albany’s rich history and culture, proven civic engagement and youth programming embodied the goals of this prestigious award from the National Civic League, which is a testament to the many efforts that take place throughout the community to improve the quality of life for all our residents.

KeyBank N.A. is sponsoring the January 13 luncheon. “Key is pleased to provide charitable support to area cultural and educational resources, to volunteer efforts that help build local neighborhoods and livelihoods, and to civic leadership,” said Mitchell Miller, Senior Vice President, KeyBank. “Key’s success – and the success of our communities – is one and the same.”

Reservations for the January 13 luncheon are required by Monday, January 11 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. All luncheon participants are invited to enter the Roundtable Raffle for a $50 gift certificate to Pearl Grant Richman’s in Stuyvesant Plaza.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.com or www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com .

Save the dates for 2010!

2009-12-21T11:52:00.005-05:00

Upcoming Speakers

January 13, 2010
Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings

February 10, 2010
Consumer Housing Attorney Kirsten Keefe

March 10, 2010
SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher

April 14, 2010
Albany Convention Center Authority Chair Gavin Donohue

Agenda for 11/10 Luncheon

2009-11-09T19:51:00.002-05:00

agenda-11-09

Kevin O'Connor to speak on TUESDAY, Nov. 10

2009-10-29T15:55:00.001-04:00

CEO of Tech Valley Communications will discuss voice, data and wi-fi innovations

ALBANY, NY – October 29, 2009 – Kevin O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer of Tech Valley Communications, will address the Albany Roundtable at a special TUESDAY luncheon on November 10. (The luncheon will be held on Tuesday due to the Veterans’ Day parade slated for November 11.)

The Albany Roundtable luncheon meetings are now held at the historic University Club, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street in Albany, but remain open to the public.

Tech Valley Communications is a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier located in downtown Albany, providing telecommunications services to businesses and residents throughout the Tech Valley region of New York State. Mr. O’Connor, a co-founder of Tech Valley Communications, joined the company as the CEO in July 2000.

Headquartered in Albany, Tech Valley Communications (TVC) is the region’s preeminent provider of voice, data and related services over its advanced FirstLight® fiber optic and high speed wireless networks. TVC owns and operates over 425 route miles of fiber optic cable connecting some 340 office buildings in upstate New York. Tech Valley Communications employs approximately 70 people in downtown Albany and has received the NYS Public Service Commission’s Commendation for Excellent Service each of the past four years. TVC, in partnership with the City of Albany, is also proud to provide “Albany FreeNet,” a free high-speed Wi-Fi Internet service, to a growing number of locations throughout the City.

From 1992 to 2000, Mr. O’Connor served as the President of the Center for Economic Growth, a business and government supported economic development organization providing managerial and technical assistance to small and medium-sized businesses. Prior to that Mr. O’Connor worked in New York State Government in various capacities from 1980 to 1992, which included regulatory and staff assignments in the Department of Health, Division of Budget, Governor’s Office and the Department of Economic Development. Mr. O’Connor holds a Bachelors and Masters degree from the State University of New York at Brockport.

Reservations for the November 10 luncheon are required by Friday, November 6 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com . The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30.

For additional information visit www.albanyroundtable.com or www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com .

Agenda for 10/14 Luncheon

2009-10-13T21:06:00.000-04:00

agenda-10-09

Good Patroon Award to be Presented to Maria and Roger Markovics

2009-09-25T20:04:00.002-04:00

Housing, social justice advocates will be honored on October 14

ALBANY, NY – September 25, 2009 – The Albany Roundtable has selected community organizers Maria and Roger Markovics to receive its prestigious Good Patroon Award for their efforts to ensure that Albany residents have access to decent and livable housing – regardless of their income. This annual award was established in 1988 to recognize outstanding contributions to the community by institutions and individuals.

“United Tenants of Albany knows, better than most, that Albany is a city of many neighborhoods,” said Colleen Ryan, President of the Albany Roundtable. “From well-kept, tree-lined streets to blocks where every other building is dilapidated or vacant, these neighborhoods are both the key – and an obstacle – to this city’s success. By working for equity and justice in housing, Maria and Roger have in fact become staunch champions for a revitalized and sustainable city. Through more than a third of a century of upswings and downturns, the continued success of United Tenants of Albany is the tangible result of their unwavering leadership, and we are delighted to honor them with the Good Patroon Award.”

Susan Cotner, Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Partnership of the Capital Region will present the Award at the first meeting of the Albany Roundtable’s 31st season on Wednesday, October 14th. The luncheon’s featured speaker is Kirby White, a founder of the Capital District Community Loan Fund and author of two mystery novels set in upstate New York.

“We moved to Albany in 1970 and began working in a small storefront crisis intervention program called Providence House in Albany’s South End,” said Roger, whose efforts with his wife Maria brought together a group of low-income tenants that eventually became the United Tenants of Albany (UTA). “Now, almost 40 years later, we maintain a similar job sharing arrangement, now with Catholic Charities, to continue working on housing and welfare issues.”

Maria and Roger’s leadership at UTA encouraged staff and volunteers to create several other community-based regional organizations addressing the socio-economic roots of housing problems, including the Capital District Community Loan Fund, the Albany Community Land Trust, the Affordable Housing Partnership, and Albany Area Housing Opportunities. As these organizations have grown they have formed an informal network connected with UTA to both develop and preserve affordable housing with an expanding grass roots leadership.

At UTA, Maria currently coordinates a Homeless Intervention Program and manages administrative and fund raising affairs. Roger concentrates on reinvestment work with the Capital District Community Loan Fund, the Albany Community Land Trust, and the Affordable Housing Partnership, including related efforts with an anti-predatory lending campaign (HomeSave), the Capital District Regional Homeownership Collaborative, and the Capital District Labor Religion Coalition.

The October 14 Roundtable Luncheon begins at 12:00 noon and will be held in a new location this year – the historic University Club of Albany at 141 Washington Avenue. The luncheon is open to the public and the cost is $15, which may be paid at the door. The University Club will serve lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations are required by Monday, October 12 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by sending an e-mail to albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

The most recent Good Patroon Award winners include Christine M. Miles, Director of the Albany Institute of History and Art; Parsons Child and Family Center and its Executive Director Raymond Schimmer; Capital Repertory Theater and its Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill; and the Albany Housing Authority and its Executive Director Stephen Longo.

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Albany Roundtable Elects New Members, Officers

2009-09-15T14:35:00.004-04:00

The Albany Roundtable is pleased to welcome four new members to its board of directors:

Robert F. Bristol, FASLA
Chair, CEO and President, Senior Principal, Saratoga Associates
Judith Johnson
Director of the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization, City of Albany
Ed Parker
Partner, Integral One Network Solutions
Jerry Shaye
Director, International Trade Development, Empire State Development

The following members of the board were elected to an additional term in their respective offices: Colleen Ryan, President; James Dennehey, Vice President; Lori Harris, Secretary; and Mark Patten, Treasurer.

Committee chairs are: Al DeSalvo, Good Patroon Committee; Elizabeth Griffin, Friends Committee; and Justin Priddle, Nominating Committee.

Returning board members include: Paul Bray (Founding President), Guy Alonge, Chris Betts, Nancy Burton, James Carr, Mary Darcy, Mark Eagan, Christopher Hawver, Catherine Hedgeman, Paul Larrabee, Marcus Pryor, Daniel Sanders, Jeff Sherrin, and Ruth Walters.

The Albany Roundtable is an all-volunteer not-for-profit corporation founded in 1979. Their civic luncheon series is open to the public and presents speakers with diverse viewpoints on timely subjects relating to the region.

Reservations for the October 14 luncheon featuring Kirby White are required by Monday, October 12 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (through the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com. The luncheon will be held at the University Club of Albany and the cost is $15. Lunch will be served from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30.

Excerpt of Jaime Correa's speech on KunstlerCast

2009-06-04T15:00:00.001-04:00

http://kunstlercast.com/shows/KunstlerCast_67_Jaime_Correa.html

Thanks to James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary for making this happen!

Talk about Albany is still on the table, 30 years later

2009-05-31T11:56:00.000-04:00

By PAUL GRONDAHL, Times Union Staff writer
First published in print: Thursday, May 28, 2009

ALBANY-- The Albany Roundtable will celebrate its 30th anniversary in much the same way it began in 1979, with a provocative talk on urban planning, followed by a lively discussion about how to make the capital city more livable.

"The Albany Roundtable was talking about New Urbanism before there was a New Urbanism," said the group's president, Colleen Ryan, who is communications director of the Preservation League of New York State.

She took over the reins of the civic group last year from founder Paul Bray, a writer on urban planning issues who is an associate counsel at the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

"When we started, the concept was called managed growth and there have been other flavors of the months over the past 30 years," Bray said. "Often, it's a matter of two steps forward and one step back. There's still a lot of work to be done in Albany."

The 30th anniversary event will be held tonight at the University Club in Albany. The speaker is Jaime Correa, an architect and professor at the University of Miami. About 120 people have signed up. The group has a paid membership of 60 and its monthly luncheons are open to the public.

Bray was the catalyst for an organization that started in the same decade as Historic Albany Foundation, Urban Cultural Parks and other preservation-minded groups. Banker Mark Patten and attorney James Dennehey were also founders and are still actively involved. The group has hosted more than 200 speakers, including politicians, academics and business leaders.

"We call it networking now, but when we started it was just a forum for leaders and people who were active in the community to come together to discuss issues," Bray said.

Ryan has attracted younger attendees through a Web site, blog and Facebook page.

"We're using social media to strengthen the mix," Ryan said. "We feel that positive things happen when people from different walks of life and backgrounds sit down together to talk about what's going on in their city and their neighborhood."

The group's durability stems from keeping events open to all.

"We're not a club and you don't have to belong in order to come share your opinions and hear what other people have to say," Ryan said.

Paul Grondahl can be reached at 454-5623 or by e-mail at pgrondahl@timesunion.com.

To learn more, visit their Web site at http://www.albanyroundtable.com/

RSVP deadline Friday 5/22 for 30th Anniversary Event!

2009-05-16T12:38:00.002-04:00

"Jaime has been on the front lines and is regarded as one of the leading New Urbanist architects in the western hemisphere," said former Albany Roundtable visiting speaker James Howard Kunstler, author of The Geography of Nowhere, The Long Emergency, and most recently, the novel, World Made by Hand.

If you haven't purchased your tickets yet -- nearly 100 of you already have -- please act now to join the Albany Roundtable on Thursday, May 28 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM, at The University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue, as we celebrate 30 years of civic discourse with visiting speaker Jaime Correa!

An urban planner, architect, and professor at the University of Miami, Correa is the author of Seven Recipes for the New Urbanism, published January, 2009, and SELF-SUFFICIENT URBANISM: A Vision of Contraction for the Non-Distant Future.

Your ticket will allow you to enjoy beer, wine, soft drinks and delicious appetizers from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. with people who – like you – are active in business, the arts, not-for-profits, governments, neighborhoods and urban activities. A thought-provoking and insightful presentation from Jaime Correa follows a brief program commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Albany Roundtable, wrapping up at about 8:00 p.m.

The University Club will offer a cash bar from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. for guests of the Albany Roundtable who wish to continue networking and socializing after the program.

Please make your reservations for this historic event by close of business on Friday, May 22. Download an RSVP form (link at right under photo) and send it in with your check to show us that you value the Albany Roundtable, and the role that it plays in engaging a wide variety of people in the business of envisioning our future!

Hope to see you on May 28!

Colleen Ryan
President, Albany Roundtable

Print it before we mail it!

2009-04-21T16:30:00.006-04:00

Review, download or print the invitation for the 30th Anniversary Reception on Thursday, 5/28/09.

Invitations were mailed on April 27, but you can still print an RSVP card and mail it to The Albany Roundtable at PO Box 7101, Albany, NY 12224.

Invitation Final Final

Celebrate the Roundtable's 30th Anniversary!

2009-04-14T16:44:00.003-04:00

WHAT: 30th Anniversary of the Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon Series

WHEN: Thursday, May 28, 2009 – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: The University Club of Albany
141 Washington Avenue, Albany

Jaime Correa, urban planner, architect, and professor at the University of Miami, will be the Keynote Speaker at the Albany Roundtable's 30th Anniversary Reception.

Correa is a respected authority in the fields of architecture, town design, and sustainable development. He is the editor of THE CORREA REPORT, a newsletter developing a new consciousness of traditional sustainability and the author of Seven Recipes for the New Urbanism, published January 2009 and SELF-SUFFICIENT URBANISM: A Vision of Contraction for the Non-Distant Future.

Tickets to the 30th Anniversary cocktail reception start at $30. Honorary Committee and Corporate Sponsorships are also available. For more information e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

The Albany Roundtable’s previous visiting speakers have included: Stan Eckstut (NYC architect, Battery City Project); Tony Hiss (Project for Public Spaces); Robert McNulty (Partners for Livable Places); Paul Pritchard (National Parks and Conservation Association); Richard Bradley (proponent of Downtown business districts); Ray Oldenburg (The Great Good Place); James Howard Kunstler (author and new urbanist); Jane Holtz Kay (architecture critic, author of Asphalt Nation); Joseph P. Riley (Mayor, Charleston, South Carolina); Richard Reinhart (Buffalo Place); and others.

The Albany Roundtable, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) corporation, provides a vital forum for civic discourse by hosting luncheons and presenting speakers with diverse points of view on timely subjects. The Albany Roundtable’s civic luncheons are open to the public and typically attract wide range of people active in business, the arts, not-for-profits, governments, neighborhoods and other urban activities.

RSVP deadline Monday for Congressman Tonko at Roundtable

2009-03-31T22:17:00.004-04:00

Dear Friend of the Roundtable --

If you have not already done so, please reserve your seat for next week’s Albany Roundtable Luncheon - Wednesday, April 8, 2009 - featuring Congressman Paul Tonko.

Congressman Tonko represents New York’s 21st Congressional District, which includes the cities of Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Amsterdam, among others. Paul has over two decades of administrative, legislative and policy experience having served in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 2007, and as President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) from 2007-2008.

Congressman Tonko is a nationally recognized expert on energy issues. An engineer by training, Paul served as chairman of the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Energy prior to leaving the Assembly to join NYSERDA. As chairman, Paul fought to protect consumers, fought against utility deregulation and worked to upgrade our aging energy infrastructure. While at NYSERDA, Paul worked to advance an aggressive green agenda for businesses and residents throughout New York State.

Congressman Tonko has been a strong voice for responsible energy policy, job growth in Upstate New York, unionized labor and affordable and accessible healthcare for all. In Congress, he is a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and serves on the subcommittees for Higher Education and Healthy Families and Communities. Congressman Tonko is also a member of the Committee on Science and Technology, which merges his energy expertise with his environmental agenda. Serving on subcommittees for Energy and Environment, Research and Science Education and Technology and Innovation, Paul is a strong advocate for a “green economy” and “green-collar jobs.”

Tech Valley Communications is sponsoring this luncheon. Tech Valley Communications (TVC), headquartered in Albany NY, is the region’s preeminent provider of voice, data and related services over its advanced FirstLight® fiber optic and high speed wireless networks. TVC owns and operates over 425 route miles of fiber optic cable connecting 340-plus commercial office buildings in the Tech Valley Region of Upstate New York. Tech Valley Communications has experienced steady, organic growth since its inception in 1999, and has also increased its local presence through a series of successful mergers and acquisitions. TVC is committed to rebuilding the Region’s broadband infrastructure to support the growth of the business base, particularly for new technology companies.Currently Tech Valley Communications employs approximately 70 people in downtown Albany. TVC has received the NYS Public Service Commission’s Commendation for Excellent Service each of the past four years. TVC, in partnership with the City of Albany, is also proud to provide “Albany FreeNet,” a free high-speed “Wi-Fi” Internet service, to a growing number of locations throughout the City.

Reservations are required by Monday, April 6 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before April 6, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. (Click here to get your bearings with Google Street View. Disregard signs on front doors that say you must go around the back to enter ... )

For additional information visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ or http://www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com/ .

Cheers,
Colleen Ryan
President, Albany Roundtable

PS: Be sure to bring a business card for the Roundtable Raffle ... we have a delicious prize this month! The Good Leaf Tea Company has provided a $25 gift certificate for their gourmet teahouse and boutique at 274 Lark Street in Albany. Everyone who attends the Roundtable Luncheon may enter the drawing, you must be present to win.

Congressman Paul Tonko to Address Albany Roundtable on 4/8/09

2009-03-24T10:50:00.003-04:00

Congressman Paul D. Tonko, currently serving his first term in the United States House of Representatives, will address the Albany Roundtable at a luncheon on Wednesday, April 8, 2009.

Congressman Tonko represents New York’s 21st Congressional District, which includes the cities of Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Amsterdam, among others. Paul has over two decades of administrative, legislative and policy experience having served in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 2007, and as President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) from 2007-2008.

Congressman Tonko is a nationally recognized expert on energy issues. An engineer by training, Paul served as chairman of the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Energy prior to leaving the Assembly to join NYSERDA. As chairman, Paul fought to protect consumers, fought against utility deregulation and worked to upgrade our aging energy infrastructure. While at NYSERDA, Paul worked to advance an aggressive green agenda for businesses and residents throughout New York State.

Congressman Tonko has been a strong voice for responsible energy policy, job growth in Upstate New York, unionized labor and affordable and accessible healthcare for all. In Congress, he is a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and serves on the subcommittees for Higher Education and Healthy Families and Communities. Congressman Tonko is also a member of the Committee on Science and Technology, which merges his energy expertise with his environmental agenda. Serving on subcommittees for Energy and Environment, Research and Science Education and Technology and Innovation, Paul is a strong advocate for a “green economy” and “green-collar jobs.”

Reservations are required by Monday, April 6 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the Albany- Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before April 6, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. (Click here to get your bearings with Google Street View. Disregard signs on front doors that say you must go around the back to enter ... )

For additional information visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ or http://www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com/ .

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Agenda for 3/11 Lunch with Paul Grondahl

2009-03-11T11:06:00.000-04:00

agenda-03-09

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RSVP deadline Monday for Paul Grondahl - Weds. 3/11

2009-03-05T10:10:00.002-05:00

Dear Friend of the Roundtable --

If you have not already done so, please reserve your seat for next week's Albany Roundtable Luncheon – Wednesday, March 11, 2009 --featuring journalist and author Paul Grondahl.

Grondahl has been a staff writer at the Albany Times Union since 1984, where his assignments have taken him from the Arctic to Antarctica; from Northern Ireland to Africa; and across New York State, from Ground Zero on 9/11 to the Adirondack wilderness.

His in-depth newspaper projects have won a number of local, state and national journalism awards including the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award; more than a dozen New York State Associated Press writing contest awards; and the Hearst Eagle Award, the highest recognition for a reporter in the Hearst Corporation.The author of four books, including Mayor Corning: Albany Icon, Albany Enigma (Washington Park Press, 1997), Grondahl was named Albany Author of the Year in 1997 by the Albany Public Library. He has been featured on C-SPAN's "About Books" and "Book TV."

His newest project, JournalismTours.com, provides a fresh and dynamic multimedia experience for aspiring photographers and journalists seeking field experience as well as fans of documentary films. In collaboration with photographer Steve Jacobs, Grondahl recently released a commemorative DVD of the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. He will show an excerpt of the video at the luncheon, and copies will be available for purchase for $10.

The law firm of O’Connell and Aronowitz is sponsoring the March 11 luncheon. With offices in both Albany and Plattsburgh, O’Connell and Aronowitz offers its clients the resources of a big-city firm, with the comfort and familiarity you expect from your neighborhood lawyer.

Reservations are required by Monday, March 9 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at http://us.mc553.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before March 9, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. (Click here to get your bearings with Google Street View. Building is currently surrounded by scaffolding. Disregard signs on front doors that say you must go around the back to enter ... )

For additional information visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ or http://www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com/ .

Cheers,
Colleen Ryan
President, Albany Roundtable

PS: Be sure to bring a business card for the Roundtable Raffle ... we have a great prize this month! Capital Repertory Theatre has provided a pair of tickets to a show of your choice at their theatre at 111 North Pearl Street. Everyone who attends the Roundtable Luncheon may enter the drawing, you must be present to win.

Paul Grondahl at Albany Roundtable - Weds. 3/11

2009-02-17T17:45:00.002-05:00

Journalist and Author Paul Grondahl to Address Albany Roundtable Civic Luncheon on Wednesday, March 11

ALBANY, NY – February 17, 2009 – Paul Grondahl, journalist and author, will address the Albany Roundtable at a luncheon on Wednesday, March 11, 2009.

Grondahl has been a staff writer at the Albany Times Union since 1984, where his assignments have taken him from the Arctic to Antarctica; from Northern Ireland to Africa; and across New York State, from Ground Zero on 9/11 to the Adirondack wilderness.

His in-depth newspaper projects have won a number of local, state and national journalism awards including the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award; more than a dozen New York State Associated Press writing contest awards; and the Hearst Eagle Award, the highest recognition for a reporter in the Hearst Corporation.The author of four books, including Mayor Corning: Albany Icon, Albany Enigma (Washington Park Press, 1997), Grondahl was named Albany Author of the Year in 1997 by the Albany Public Library. He has been featured on C-SPAN's "About Books" and "Book TV."

His newest project, JournalismTours.com, is a fresh and dynamic multimedia experience for aspiring photographers and journalists seeking field experience as well as fans of documentary films. In collaboration with photographer Steve Jacobs, Grondahl recently released a commemorative DVD of the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. He will show an excerpt of the video at the luncheon, and copies will be available for purchase for $10.

Reservations are required by Monday, March 9 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .
The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before March 9, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. (Building is surrounded by scaffolding. Disregard signs on the front doors on Broadway that say you must enter from behind the building.)

For additional information visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ .

###

Just in case you thought Sen. Breslin was kidding yesterday ...

2009-02-12T13:32:00.000-05:00

Uncovering the Perks of Albany’s Fallen G.O.P.

By DANNY HAKIM

Published: February 11, 2009

ALBANY — Democrats took control of the State Senate last month after more than four decades of Republican rule, then set out to determine how the Senate’s own budget of nearly $100 million and its attendant perks were being distributed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/nyregion/12repubs.html?th&emc=th

Photos from 2/11/09 Luncheon

2009-02-11T15:17:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends of the Roundtable --

I've posted some photos from today's Luncheon on Flickr. If you click on the slideshow at right you can view the images full size.

Thank you to Senator Breslin for sharing his thought-provoking insights into the New York State Senate!

Please note: Congressman Paul Tonko is unable to address our meeting in March, but may be available in April. We will try to bring our April speaker, Kirby White, back in the fall, and I will provide information on our March speaker just as soon as I line someone up!

Cheers,
Colleen Ryan
President, Albany Roundtable

RSVP Deadline for Sen. Breslin -- Monday, 2/9

2009-02-04T20:34:00.002-05:00

Dear Friend of the Roundtable --

Please RSVP (ASAP!) for next week's Albany Roundtable Luncheon -- Wednesday, February 11, 2009 featuring New York State Senator Neil D. Breslin (D-Albany).

Senator Breslin was elected to the state Senate in 1996 and Chairs the Senate Insurance Committee. He also serves on the Senate Agriculture, Banks, Codes, Education, Finance, Judiciary and Labor Committees. He is a member of the Executive Committee and is chair of the NAIC/NCOIL Liaison Committee (National Association of Insurance Commissioners / National Conference of Insurance Legislators).

Neil has been a community leader for many years. His involvement in civic and social areas in Albany includes 15 years as a board member of Arbor House, a residence facility for women in need. He has been the attorney for St. Anne's Institute in Albany and has done work for Hospitality House, the International Center and Hope House, a drug treatment facility. Further, Neil was Vice President of the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless from 1994 to 1998. He is an active member of the New York State Bar Association and has served as a lecturer on real estate law.

Reservations are required by Monday, February 9 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

Special thanks to M&T Bank for sponsoring this luncheon, which is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before February 9, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. (Click here to get your bearings with Google street view. Building is currently surrounded by scaffolding. Disregard signs on front doors that say you must go around the back to enter ... )

Be sure to bring a business card for the Roundtable Raffle ... we have a great prize this month! Albany Symphony Orchestra has provided a pair of tickets to the final show of the 2008-2009 Season at the Palace Theatre on Saturday May 9 at 7:30 p.m. It's the world premiere of The River, a new symphony for chorus and orchestra by Daron Hagen, featuring Albany Pro Musica with the ASO. Everyone who attends the Roundtable Luncheon may enter the drawing, you must be present to win.

Colleen M. Ryan, President
Albany Roundtable Civic Lunch Forum
www.albanyroundtable.com

Feb. 11 Roundtable features Senator Neil Breslin

2009-01-28T18:43:00.005-05:00

New York State Senator Neil D. Breslin (D-Albany) will address the Albany Roundtable at a luncheon on Wednesday, February 11, 2009.

Senator Breslin was elected to the state Senate in 1996 and Chairs the Senate Insurance Committee. He also serves on the Senate Agriculture, Banks, Codes, Education, Finance, Judiciary and Labor Committees. He is a member of the Executive Committee and is chair of the NAIC/NCOIL Liaison Committee (National Association of Insurance Commissioners / National Conference of Insurance Legislators) .

Neil has been a community leader for many years. His involvement in civic and social areas in Albany includes 15 years as a board member of Arbor House, a residence facility for women in need. He has been the attorney for St. Anne's Institute in Albany and has done work for Hospitality House, the International Center and Hope House, a drug treatment facility. Further, Neil was Vice President of the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless from 1994 to 1998. He is an active member of the New York State Bar Association and has served as a lecturer on real estate law.

Reservations are required by Monday, February 9 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before February 9, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. (Click here to get your bearings with Google street view. Building is currently surrounded by scaffolding. Disregard signs on front doors that say you must go around the back to enter ... )

PS: Please join the Friends of the Roundtable in 2009, our 30th Anniversary year! You can download a membership form below. Your support for the Albany Roundtable will allow us to continue to discuss the challenges and envision the opportunities that might be in store for our area during the next three decades. We'll look forward to seeing you at the Albany Roundtable!

Membership Application - Roundtable 09

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Photos from January Roundtable

2009-01-14T15:53:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all who attended the first Albany Roundtable luncheon of 2009! Click the photo above to view a slideshow from the event.

Watch this blog for more information about the next luncheon on 2/11/2009 with our featured speaker Senator Neil Breslin!

1/14 Roundtable is SOLD OUT!

2009-01-09T10:43:00.002-05:00

If you have already RSVP'd for the first Albany Roundtable luncheon of 2009, we'll see you on Wednesday, January 14.

If you have RSVP'd, but are UNABLE TO ATTEND -- please phone me directly at 518-428-9348 by close of business on Monday, 1/12 and let me know so we can seat another in your place.

Gerald D. Jennings, Mayor of the City of Albany, will be our featured speaker, and Key Bank N.A. is sponsoring the luncheon. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street.

Please be sure to bring a business card for our Roundtable Raffle. When you check in for the luncheon, drop your card to enter a drawing for a gift certificate from Capital Wine & Liquor, at the corner of State and Lark Streets in Albany. Thank you to Mark Brogna for donating this prize!

See you next week.

Colleen

PS: Membership form to join the Friends of the Roundtable will be available at the Luncheon, or you may download one by clicking on the link on this page. I hope we can count on your support as we celebrate our 30th year!

An Appetizer for 1/14/09

2009-01-05T17:45:00.000-05:00

To give guests an idea of some of the topics that may be addressed at meetings of the Albany Roundtable, we'll offer an "appetizer" a week or so before the luncheon. Please let us know what you think! And if this whets your appetite for more civic discussion, please RSVP by Monday, 1/12 by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

You entered Albany’s political arena as a maverick… what made you decide to seek elected office?
I was a past educator and school administrator in the City School District of Albany, as well as a member of the City’s Common Council, and in those roles, I worked diligently to ensure that the underrepresented felt like they had a voice and an advocate. So, I’d have to say what made me run for Mayor is continuing to fulfill that goal and serve the people who need it most.

Can you briefly discuss the City’s role in the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial?
The Quadricentennial celebration is going to be an exciting event here in the City of Albany. In concert with the City’s Office of Special Events, we have planned a full-day celebration commemorating our Quadricentennial anniversary in September 2009, which will feature historical re-enactors and educational activities for the whole family. There are too many details to cover here, so for more information, please visit our website at http://www.albanyevents.org/ or call Special Events at 518-434-2032.

What efforts is your administration making to advance sustainability and create a greener City?
I am honored to have been one of the first signatories of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) agreement, which not only promotes “green initiatives,” but also encourages civic leaders to share knowledge and support local governments in the implementation of sustainable development and the promotion of environmental responsiveness.

As the Albany Roundtable celebrates its 30th anniversary, could you share your vision of what the next 30 years might hold for the City and the region?
In the next 30 years, I see the City of Albany and the greater Capital Region utilizing more shared resources, greater collaboration, and a high level of cooperation to solve collective problems. I believe parochial attitudes will give way to a more sophisticated urban mindset and we will be better able to address issues related to urban living.

Mayor Jennings to address Roundtable on 1/14/09

2008-12-21T14:14:00.003-05:00

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings will address the first Albany Roundtable luncheon of 2009 on Wednesday, January 14.

Mayor Gerald D. Jennings is the 74th Mayor of the City of Albany. First elected in 1993, he is currently serving his fourth term as Mayor of New York's Capital City. Born in North Albany, Jennings had a 21-year career as a teacher and high school administrator for the Albany City School District and served 13 years on the Common Council representing the 11th Ward.

The Mayor has successfully established collaborative partnerships with New York State, the business community, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations that have produced new development projects representing more than $2 billion in new investment since 1994.

KeyBank N.A. is sponsoring the January 14 luncheon. "We are delighted to support the efforts of the Albany Roundtable to offer a platform for lively discussion of timely ideas and opinions," said Mitchell Miller, Senior Vice President, KeyBank. "Sponsorship of events like this is just one way that KeyBank strives to improve the quality of life and economic vibrancy of the places where our customers, employees and shareholders live and work."

Under Mayor Jennings' leadership, the City of Albany received the prestigious City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Mayor was also recognized with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and by the National Council for Urban Economic Development for public-private partnerships. Albany's programs, initiatives and successes have served as models nationwide for effective local government.

Reservations for the January 14 Luncheon are required by Monday, January 12 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before January 12, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street.

For additional information call Colleen Ryan at 518-428-9348 or visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ or http://www.albanyroundtable.blogspot.com/ .

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Agenda: Nov. 12 luncheon

2008-11-04T17:38:00.000-05:00

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Join the Friends of the Roundtable!

2008-11-04T17:00:00.003-05:00

The Albany Roundtable, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) corporation, will celebrate its 30th season in 2009. Our civic luncheon series is open to the public and frequently attracts 60 – 80 participants each month, and attendance fees generally cover the cost of the luncheon. Accordingly, our luncheon sponsorships and “Friends of the Roundtable” memberships are channeled to a modest account which is used to offset the cost of honoraria and travel expenses for occasional special speakers.

Please consider joining at the 30th Anniversary level!

Click on the box in the upper right hand corner to view full-screen, or click on "iPaper" to print or for other options.
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An Appetizer for 11/12/08

2008-11-03T19:45:00.000-05:00

the $15 million, 45,000 square foot Physicians Pavilion unveiled in 2007
support of the Hilton Garden Inn at Albany Medical Center, which opened in 2007, through the lease of Medical Center property
the leasing of 77,000 square feet of new office space currently being constructed at 22 New Scotland Avenue
the recently proposed $360 million expansion of Albany Med’s Patient Tower.

What efforts is Albany Medical Center making to advance the sustainability and create a greener facility?
Albany Medical Center is very proud of its environmental programs and its commitment to reducing waste and preserving natural resources. The Medical Center has received international and national recognition for its effort. Most notably in 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency honored Albany Med with its Environmental Achiever award, referring to the institution as a “catalyst for environmental change” in its community.

Albany Med’s complete environmental program includes a state-of-the-art solvent reclamation system, a SHARPS disposal program (in which used needles and other medical waste is collected in plastic containers), an electronic recycling program, a comprehensive battery-recycling program, a chemical recycling program, and a hazardous chemical waste reduction and reclamation program.

What is the most exciting and promising research going on right now at Albany Medical Center?
At Albany Medical Center, scientists are engaged in many exciting areas of biomedical research including infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, addiction, cancer, and neuropathy. Their never-ending quest for knowledge may one day lead to important discoveries and medical innovations to be used right at the patient’s bedside. Recent grants issued to Albany Med faculty have included:

A $1.6 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (National Institutes of Health) to continue studying whether lessening the immune response to a deadly form of bacteria could actually prevent death.
A $5.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to explore the development of a “universal” vaccine for flu, including avian flu that would protect individuals from all forms of influenza, regardless of the latest strain or mutation.
A $960,000 grant from the American Cancer Society to examine what role the oncogene WWP1 could play in future breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and target therapy treatments.

What could be done to enhance the relationship between Albany Medical Center and the community?
Albany Medical Center is deeply invested in the community and committed to serving its wide array of needs. From offering regional programs that are not available elsewhere in the region (HIV/AIDS treatment; heart, kidney and pancreas transplantation; child cancer services and the Children’s Hospital) to actively engaging in promoting public health, health education and conducting various health screenings, Albany Med has firmly established its partnership with the community.

Albany Med CEO to Address Roundtable on 11/12

2008-10-29T21:58:00.000-04:00

James J. Barba, President and CEO of Albany Medical Center, will address the Albany Roundtable at a luncheon on Wednesday, November 12.

Mr. Barba oversees the medical education, biomedical research and patient care activities of northeastern New York 's only academic health sciences center. The Albany Medical Center, which has approximately 7,000 employees, consists of the Albany Medical Center Hospital ; the Albany Medical College; the Albany Medical Center Faculty Group Practice; and the Albany Medical Center Foundation, Inc. It also owns the former Child's Hospital, now the Albany Medical Center South Clinical Campus.

In July 1994, Mr. Barba was named chairman of the Medical Center 's Board of Directors, and in March of 1995 was named president and chief executive officer. Mr. Barba served as the Medical Center's board chair for twelve years, stepping down in June 2006. He was formerly senior counsel to the Albany law firm of Hiscock & Barclay. He is an expert on banking law, corporate law, trust and estate law and employee benefits law.

Hiscock & Barclay is sponsoring the November 12 luncheon. "Jim Barba will undoubtedly highlight the strategic relationships between the Albany Medical Center and the neighborhood, city and region," said Thomas J. O'Connor, Managing Director of the firm's Albany office. "Our support of the Albany Roundtable serves to underscore Hiscock & Barclay's local insight and perspectives, as well as our regional capabilities."

Mr. Barba, who graduated summa cum laude in 1966 from Siena College , received his law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School, graduating cum laude in 1969. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and holds a number of other civic and private appointments.

Reservations for the November 12 Luncheon are required by Monday, November 10 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The luncheon is open to the public. The cost is $12 for those who register on or before November 10, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m. It is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street.For additional information call Colleen Ryan at 518-462-1900 or visit www.AlbanyRoundtable.com.

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Breaking bread helps the Capital Region

2008-10-12T16:34:00.000-04:00

Paul Bray's monthly column in the Times Union provides a history of the Albany Roundtable

First published: Sunday, October 12, 2008

The Albany Roundtable lunch forum is a civic ideal I guided as president for three decades. With Colleen Ryan, an outstanding Albany civic leader, as the new Roundtable president, I can think back about how it got started and about the couple of hundred luncheons and programs it has sponsored.

I vividly recall how the lunch forum idea developed. In the 1970s, a good time for Albany, I was on the board of the now-defunct Albany League of Arts, a civic organization supporting local arts. At one meeting, the wife of a banker said in a huffy way that her husband's work was too important for him to offer any of his time to a community activity the League was planning. What a shame someone, no matter how important he or she is, could not give a little time to support the community.

These days, I hear it called being in silos when units of business, government or community are isolated or not functioning well with each other. I saw the arts and business communities in Albany in their own separate silos. I didn't see the town square in Albany where community members could meet and exchange ideas.

These thoughts led to the notion of organizing a civic lunch forum where a cross-section of people from business, media, education, arts and neighborhoods, among other interested citizens in Albany, could have lunch together and listen to a community leader speak. The seed may have been planted in the 1950s, when I was president of the Key Club at Albany High School and was invited to attend Kiwanis Club luncheons.

Organizations like the Rotary Club and the various chambers of commerce offer a fair share of breakfast and luncheon programs. The Roundtable was intended to be different in the sense that it was public with a simple agenda of fostering an informed sense of community.

Enough local residents shared my enthusiasm to organize the nonprofit Albany Roundtable. Some stalwarts, like Realtor Mary Alice Leary and banker Mark Patten, have served from the beginning. The state Education Department offered use of the members room at the State Museum. We were ready to go.

Albany continues to be above all else a political city; City Hall casts a large shadow. Even though the emphasis was on the civic realm, I bowed to reality by inviting then-Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd to be the speaker at the first Albany Roundtable Luncheon in 1979. Corning enthusiastically accepted the civic lunch forum and he agreed to speak.

With Corning's appearance we started the practice of having the city's mayor give a state of the city talk each year, a practice that ended last year. During the few years before his death, Corning spoke each January and brought news of some new project that was going to happen. He also attended luncheons when he wasn't the speaker.

Initially about 35 people, who usually knew the speaker or came from the same sector as the speaker, attended. When the mayor spoke, attendance spiked to 50, representing a wide cross-section of interests. Here was another example of how Albany's mayor was involved in every aspect of city life.

The pattern changed when we moved to larger quarters at State University Plaza that could accommodate a hundred people. Today's audiences, ranging from 60 to a 100, are a mix coming from business, professional, government and nonprofit sectors. We also have a small, loyal contingent of retirees who want to stay in touch with what is happening in the city.

The Roundtable succeeded by keeping to the basics of its original purpose of offering a luncheon opportunity for community networking and to see, meet and hear leaders talk about their work.

Paul M. Bray is Founding President of the Albany Roundtable civic lunch forum. His e-mail is secsunday@aol.com.

Agenda: October 8 Luncheon

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Chris Miles to receive Good Patroon Award on 10/8

2008-10-04T11:10:00.000-04:00

ALBANY, NY – September 30, 2008 – The Albany Roundtable has selected Christine M. Miles, Director of the Albany Institute of History and Art, to receive its prestigious Good Patroon Award for her commitment to making the museum a broadly accessible cultural and educational resource. This annual award was established in 1988 to recognize outstanding contributions to the community by institutions and individuals.

“Chris has done so much to solidify the important connection between the arts and business,” said Colleen M. Ryan, President of the Albany Roundtable. “When a delegation from Albany traveled to Austin, Texas in 2003 to determine how the predicted growth in high technology might affect our community well-being, Chris was there. And when the Upstate Artists Guild launched ‘First Friday’ in Albany, Chris advocated for the Institute’s participation in this cutting-edge approach to arts and culture. The continued success of the Albany Institute over two decades of momentous change is a testament to her visionary leadership, and we are delighted to honor her with the Good Patroon Award.”

Wally Altes, host of The Bottom Line with Wally Altes on WMHT – Channel 17 and former President of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, will present the Award at the first meeting of the Albany Roundtable’s 30th Anniversary Season on Wednesday, October 8th. The luncheon’s featured speaker is Robert Altman, President and CEO of WMHT Educational Telecommunications.

“Over the years, the Albany Institute has worked with the corporate and business sector to garner support for many high impact projects, the most successful to date being the GE-funded Excavating Egypt which drew record crowds from all over,” said Miles. “Visitors to Albany and our area ate in our restaurants, stayed in our hotels and shopped in our stores. Our current exhibition, Impressionist Giverny: American Painters in France is built on a similar model. As Jan Smith of GE Power Systems said while speaking at an Albany Institute Corporate Breakfast, ‘... projects like Excavating Egypt are a win-win situation for the public, our businesses and the arts -- our whole community.’ ”

The Albany Institute of History and Art is a cultural and educational institution dedicated to public service. As a museum, it mission is to collect, preserve, and interpret the art, cultural and history of Albany and the Upper Hudson Valley Region in a global context from the 17th century to the present. In 2009, the Institute will feature “HUDSON RIVER PANORAMA: 400 Years of Art, History and Culture,” based on new research and largely drawn from the Institute’s vast holdings, documenting life in the Hudson Valley.

Prior to coming to the Capital District, Christine Miles worked in New York City and Washington, DC at a number of museums. She has a BA in Art History from Boston University and an MA in American Culture and Museum Studies from George Washington University. Miles has been active in the museum and arts community state-wide and served as President of two boards: Museum Association of New York State and Gallery Association of New York State. Miles is active in the community, and currently sits on the board of the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She was born in Madison, Indiana and grew up living in the mid-west, the east coast, and England. Christine and her husband, Jake Kelliher, live in downtown Albany.

The October 8 Roundtable Luncheon begins at 12:00 noon and is held in the third floor former courtroom of the old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. The cost of the Luncheon is $12 for those who register on or before October 6, and $15 at the door. Reservations are required by Monday, October 6 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com. For additional information call Colleen Ryan at 518-462-1900 or visit www.AlbanyRoundtable.com.

The most recent Good Patroon Award winners include Parsons Child and Family Center and its Executive Director Raymond Schimmer; Capital Repertory Theater and its Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill; and the Albany Housing Authority and its Executive Director Stephen Longo.

“When he died in 1839, Stephen Van Rensselaer III was remembered as ‘The Good Patroon’ for his benevolent attitude toward the residents of Rensselaerswyck,” said Ryan. “The Good Patroon Award is the Albany Roundtable’s primary means of honoring those leaders who make our community a better place to live. We are so pleased to be able to present Chris with this award.”

Robert Altman to address Roundtable on 10/8

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ALBANY, NY – September 19, 2008 – Robert Altman, President and CEO of WMHT Educational Telecommunications, will address the first meeting of the Albany Roundtable’s 2008-2009 season on Wednesday, October 8.

Robert Altman has been at the helm of WMHT since December, 2007. WMHT provides public television and radio services that reach more than half a million households in Eastern New York and Western New England as well as a suite of educational services designed to enhance learning opportunities for the region’s residents.

Previously, Mr. Altman designed and directed the Public Television Major Giving Initiative, a project funded by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting to increase major and planned giving to public television stations.

Prior to his work in public broadcasting, Mr. Altman served as Managing Director of the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey and General Manager of the Pennsylvania Ballet. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Kenyon College, he holds a Masters Degree from the Catholic University of America.

The Roundtable’s Good Patroon Award will also be presented at the October Luncheon to Christine Miles, director of the Albany Institute of History and Art.

Reservations for the October 8 Luncheon are required by Monday, October 6 and can be made by calling 518-431-1440 (the reservations hotline of the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) or by e-mail albanyroundtable@yahoo.com .

The cost of the Luncheon is $12 for those who register on or before October 6, and $15 at the door. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon, and is held in the third floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street.For additional information call Colleen Ryan at 518-462-1900 or visit http://www.albanyroundtable.com/.

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After 30 years, new leadership for Albany Roundtable

2008-09-20T11:03:00.000-04:00

Colleen Ryan succeeds Paul Bray as President of Civic Lunch Forum

ALBANY, September 10, 2008 -- The board of directors of the Albany Roundtable has elected Colleen M. Ryan of Albany as its President. Ryan will succeed Paul Bray, who has served as President since founding the group in 1979.

The Albany Roundtable, Inc. is a non-profit civic lunch forum that presents speakers with diverse viewpoints on timely subjects relating to the Albany region. It is supported by the Friends of the Albany Roundtable.

“Paul’s visionary leadership of the Albany Roundtable has enriched our civic life for three decades by providing a venue for the exchange of ideas and information among people active in business, arts, not-for-profits, governments, neighborhoods and other urban activities,” said Ryan. “I’m looking forward to charting a course for the future by incorporating social media and other technology tools, while continuing the spirit of the Albany Roundtable as a professional networking opportunity.”

According to Bray, “the strong civic interest of Albany residents and neighbors and the willingness of leaders in the community to be Albany Roundtable speakers” have contributed to the success of the forum.

“In addition to being a Friend of the Albany Roundtable for many years, Colleen has experience in not-for-profit, government and business communications and new media,” said Bray. “She is well suited to take this organization to the next level, and I’m looking forward to participating in upcoming Albany Roundtable events.”

Bray will remain on the board of the Albany Roundtable as Founding President. Vice President Mary Alice Leary, GRI, of Roberts Real Estate and Treasurer Mark Patten of Wilber Bank were re-elected to their posts. Lori Harris of the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal was elected Secretary.

Ryan will preside over the first Albany Roundtable meeting of the 2008-2009 season on Wednesday, October 8, when the featured speaker will be Robert Altman, President and General Manager for WMHT Educational Telecommunications. The buffet lunch begins at 12:00 noon, and is held in the 3rd floor former court room of the Old Federal Building, now part of SUNY Plaza at the foot of State Street. For more information, visit the Roundtable’s website at http://www.albanyroundtable.com/ .

A lifelong resident of Albany County and a graduate of the College of St. Rose, Ryan is Director of Public Relations for the Preservation League of New York State. Previously, she was Director of Communications for Malkin & Ross, an Albany lobbying firm; Executive Director of the Capital Region’s first not-for-profit Internet provider, CRISNY; and has held positions with the New York State Senate and Assembly. She served as President of the board of Historic Albany Foundation from 2002-2004.

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