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GCEDC receives community college partnership award

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) announced that the agency was presented with the Edward J. Pawenski Business/Industry Partnership Award at the New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT) annual awards ceremony on Oct. 21. The GCEDC was nominated for the award by the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees.

The Edward J. Pawenski Business/Industry Partnership Award is the highest recognition that can be bestowed upon a business or individual and recognizes a partnership and commitment with a community college. Pawenski was one of the founding Trustees at Niagara County Community College.

“The growth and success of Genesee Community College is due in large part to our long-standing collaboration and partnership with the GCEDC,” said GCC President James M. Sunser, Ed.D. “We are training our students to meet the demands of the ever-changing workplace especially in the areas of advanced manufacturing in the agricultural and renewable energy sectors.”

The GCEDC and Genesee Community College have collaborated on programming and curriculum related to agribusiness and advanced manufacturing among others. The goal of the collaboration is to prepare the next generation of workers to fill jobs for businesses operating in the Genesee County Agri-Business Park and the anticipation of businesses opening in the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP).

“On behalf of our Board and staff, the GCEDC is honored to be recognized with such a prestigious award,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. “Our partnership with Genesee Community College is critically important to our efforts to economic development efforts in Genesee County.”

The NYCCT is a voluntary nonprofit association of community college trustees established to strengthen the effectiveness of New York’s community college trustees as an active force in the development and implementation of public policy impacting community colleges. The NYCCT represents the appointed board members who govern the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

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