The Business Council of Westchester’s State of the Economy Series Presented by Beacon Bank Highlights the Power of Community, Collaboration, and the Arts

The Business Council of Westchester hosted its latest installment of the State of the Economy Series sponsored by Beacon Bank. It was a powerful reminder that Westchester’s strength lies not only in its economic diversity, but also in its deep sense of community and shared purpose. Across sectors, one theme resonated clearly: progress happens when we show up for one another.

Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester, kicked off the program by posing the question: “How’s it going out there? What are you seeing on your industry horizons? What are your challenges? What are your opportunities? This is an important discussion… We are a community that cares about each other and supports each other, and we are all creative and resilient.”

Deputy County Executive, Joan McDonald, also emphasized the importance of community in her opening remarks, stating: “Our most important byline is that we govern with civility and competency. As we move through these turbulent times, it is really important that we remember those things.”

The panelists spoke to the importance of collaboration in navigating today’s economic challenges, emphasizing that businesses, nonprofits, educators, and cultural institutions are strongest when they work together. Whether addressing affordability, workforce development, or regional growth, the conversation underscored a collective commitment to supporting one another and building a more resilient local economy.

Katrine Aliha Beck, Partner at Fullerton Beck LLP, opened the panel discussion by reflecting on hybrid work models: “I think it impacts business in the sense that it takes away from the natural way of meeting and developing relationships, but it has also created new opportunities where you can meet with someone over Zoom for half an hour without having to commute.”

Edward “Teddy” Bugniazet, Commercial Risk Advisor at Marsh McLennan Agency, lifted the veil on key insurance trends, stating: “I would say right now what we’re seeing in the marketplace is some opportunity in the property market, which is encouraging… but I am sure everyone here has seen their auto insurance go up relatively significantly. We are seeing that as well on the commercial side.”

Paca Lipovac, President and CEO of Richmond Community Services, shared some of the challenges her organization is currently facing due to the HR1 bill: “We are fully funded by New York State Medicaid… with the changes that started last year, there is over a trillion-dollar cut to Medicaid services… Essentially, not paying enough in taxes affects us directly. HR1 also cut SNAP benefits, which is a serious issue that is going to affect many people with disabilities, as well as many New Yorkers and Westchester residents.”

Morgan McEwen, President of MorDance, spoke about the arts as an economic driver rather than something viewed solely through a charitable lens: “As an organization, we look at MorDance not as operating in a silo, but as part of an ecosystem… When people come to see a performance, they are going shopping, going to restaurants, spending money, and driving sales tax revenue within the county. That’s the opportunity the arts present—for all of us to think of ourselves as part of an interconnected ecosystem, even though we are in different sectors.”

Joseph Pizzimenti, CEO of CClean Commercial Cleaning, followed with a discussion on robotics and AI integration in the workplace: “There are so many things out there in every industry, but it really has to fit the structure of your business and the value you deliver to your clients. You have to think carefully about how it will integrate before you go down that road. It’s not going to save or change your business; you are the one who has to do that. You’re the chef; you have to pick your recipe.”

Michael Steiper, PhD, President of Purchase College, emphasized the importance of a liberal arts education in today’s uncertain economy: “The idea that our institutions of higher learning in Westchester funnel talent into the workforce… I encourage everyone in this room to rebuild those relationships with us as talent pipelines. We are adapting to this marketplace, and we are adapting to your needs.”

Waddell Stillman, President of Historic Hudson Valley, discussed the strategies that they are implementing to highlight one of their signature events, The Blaze: “We are very much hoping to be a leader in bringing people into the county. We are experiencing a K-shaped economy, and we are doing our best to serve both sides of that economy.”

Marsha Gordon concluded the program by stating: “At the BCW, we believe one of our roles is to bring people together, to do business with each other, to problem-solve, and to be an encourager. As always, we thank Mike Goldrick and his team at Beacon Bank for sponsoring this important program.”

For more insight, you can watch the video of our panelists speaking here and find it across all our social platforms.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting The Business Council of Westchester’s State of the Economy Series: Industry Horizons: Shifts, Challenges, and Opportunities. Your partnership and commitment help make meaningful conversations, powerful connections, and impactful programming possible for the Westchester business community. We are deeply grateful to our series presenter, Beacon Bank, contributing sponsors CClean, Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP, IMA, Marsh McLennan Agency, RM Friedland, Thalle Industries, and the Westchester County Office of Economic Development, as well as our media partner, Westfair Business Journal, for your continued support and dedication to strengthening our region’s economic future.