"This is absolutely a great fit for what I had been doing for Erie County," says Coan. In Erie County, which includes the city of Buffalo, Coan was responsible for six independent and financially self-supporting corporations with total assets of $52 million and combined annual budgets of $6.5 million. Previous to his post with the Erie County Industrial Agency Group, he served as first deputy commissioner of Environment and Planning for the County of Erie.

While noting that Western New York State has had tough economic times of late, Coan's accomplishments in Erie County included the creation of an $11-million regional venture capital-growth fund. The ECIDA has closed nearly $50 million in export-trade financing and $250 million in export credit insurance since 1996.

"Ron Coan's background is strongly entrepreneurial, and he has an outstanding record of innovative achievements as a leader of Erie County's ECIDA," says Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus. "He will make a valuable contribution to further strengthening and expanding our local economy for the benefit of the families and businesses of Dutchess County."