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Staff
Click on the name of a staff member to view his or her biography.
Staff Bios
Claudia Burcke, Managing Director, Business Development
Claudia Burcke joined GRE in July 2009. She currently serves as Managing Director, Business Development with responsibility to attract new businesses to the Greater Rochester Region as well as support the growth and expansion of new and established companies. Claudia will work directly with corporations, as well as with national site selectors.
Claudia was a 2008 Recipient of the Rochester Women's Network Up and Coming Businesswoman of the Year, and has garnered extensive knowledge of the principals and practices of Workforce and Economic Development with an established history of exceptional results over the past ten years. She previously served as Planner/Program Administrator for LaBella Associates and was Project Coordinator for the Midtown Redevelopment Project: SEQR/Environmental Impact Statement process.
Claudia is a native Rochesterian and is active in our community. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and Economics from Western New England College in Springfield, MA.
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Lisa Canedo, Director of Business Development
Lisa Canedo joined GRE in September 2005. She currently serves as Director of Business Development, responsible for marketing, promoting and facilitating regional business attraction, expansion and retension efforts. Her primary focus of targeted recruitment is in the region's energy innovation sector, including solar, wind, fuel cell, and biofuels. As a resource to local companies, Lisa works directly with domestic and international corporations and organizations, site selectors, colleges and universities, and R&D facilities. Additionally, Lisa has completed the coursework for the International Economic Development Council's Certified Economic Developers (CEcD) program.
Lisa began her career at GRE as a Research Analyst. Prior to joining GRE, Lisa was the Research Director at the Rochester Business Journal, where she was responsible for researching, gathering and analyzing accurate, relevant, inclusive and complete statistical and financial news, special supplements and resource directories.
A Rochester native, Lisa holds a Masters of Science Degree in Strategic Leadership from Roberts Wesleyan College and a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. |
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Winona Dixon, Research Analyst
Winona Dixon joined GRE in June 2003 as the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO. She currently serves as a Research Analyst. In addition to her research duties, Winona also manages GRE's IT systems as well as numerous site search requests and development of proposals for national site selectors.
Winona holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management and a Masters Degree in Management and Information Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology, and is a graduate of the United Way's African American Leadership Development Program. |
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Staci Henning, Marketing Director
Staci Henning brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to her role as Marketing Director of GRE. She is responsible for all aspects of GRE's marketing strategy and creative development including advertising, corporate communications, Internet marketing, and public relations.
Staci also co-produces a weekly radio show, Eyes on the Future, every Saturday morning at 10 am on WHAM -1180.
Prior to joining GRE in November 2004, Staci served as Corporate Advertising and Branding Manager for The PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh, PA. During her tenure at PNC, Staci managed marketing programs to reposition PNC's brand as well as promote the company's personal banking, corporate banking and investment services.
Before entering the world of financial services, Staci worked as a Marketing Manager and Advertising Manager at MCI WorldCom in Arlington, VA. She managed numerous broadcast advertising campaigns for MCI Friends & Family as well as other MCI branded services.
Staci's marketing campaigns have garnered industry awards for creativity as well as generating business results.
A Rochester native, Staci holds a Bachelors Degree in Advertising from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
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Matt Hurlbutt, Managing Director, Business Development
Matt Hurlbutt currently serves as Managing Director, Business Development at Greater Rochester Enterprise with responsibility for attracting new business to Rochester. Matt will work directly with corporations, as well as with national site selectors.
Matt most recently served as managing director of Finger Lakes Wired, which represents 21 business, higher education, philanthropic, economic and workforce development organizations dedicated to transforming the Rochester regional economy. Matt also served as executive director of RochesterWorks, Inc. There, he was responsible for overall management of the workforce development system.
Matt is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honor Society of Public Affairs and Administration. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from State University of New York College at Brockport and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, State University of New York College at Geneseo. |
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Laurie DeRoller, Executive Director of the International Business Council of Greater Rochester NY (IBC)
Laurie DeRoller brings a strong international business background and passion for trade. Born and raised in Rochester, Laurie has developed her trade skills by working in local industries to include distribution, manufacturing, textiles and logistics.
Prior to her taking the reigns of the IBC, Laurie served as an Officer of the Board for the IBC since 2000. Her private consulting firm provided hands on assistance to regional businesses with export or import needs. She worked several years in the semi-conductor industry and at major freight forwarders gaining additional expertise in trade.
Laurie has been inducted into the District Export Council, nominated by the US Dept of Commerce, she holds the Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) accreditation by the North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE) and guest lectures frequently at area colleges. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from West Virginia University. |
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Jay Martinez, Executive Director, High Tech Business Council
Jay Martinez currently serves as the Executive Director of High Tech Business Council (HTBC), a GRE affiliate organization. HTBC is a member-based organization of technology oriented companies in the Rochester/Finger Lakes Region.
Prior to joining HTBC, Jay served as Managing Director of Business Development at GRE since its inception in early 2003. In his regional economic development role at GRE, he was involved in efforts to attract companies to the Rochester/Finger Lakes region, as well as support the growth and expansion of new and established companies. Jay also brings more than 20 years of marketing and business development experience in technology-based businesses at Xerox, Kodak, and Edicon Systems (an entrepreneurial start-up company). He places considerable value on the breadth of experiences he has enjoyed while working at two global companies, as well as two start-ups.
Jay received an MBA degree from Rochester Institute of Technology and a BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University. |
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Mark S. Peterson, President & CEO
Mark S. Peterson is a focused visionary with an outstanding background in regional economic development, financial administration, and high-value fund raising. Recruited to join Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) as Managing Director in 2005, Mark was named President and CEO in early 2009 and charged with the continued creation and execution of GRE's strategic plan. Mark has proven himself to be a strong advocate for the Greater Rochester Region, building a reputation amongst his colleagues as an exceptional leader and proactive change agent. He is strongly invested in promoting the area, attracting quality businesses, and changing lives through job creation. A natural problem solver, Mark has true talent for connecting people with appropriate resources to generate results.
Previous roles have included Chief Executive Officer at Bishop Kearney High School, Chief Operating Officer at Telecomp, Inc., Director of Major Gifts at Hiram College, and Vice President at Philanthropy Management, Inc.
A certified fund raising executive (CFRE) since 1992, Mark has an impressive history of garnering substantial monies at several first-class nonprofit organizations totaling more than $100 million. He is an engaging public speaker and conference presenter, delivering up to 60 speeches annually. Mark received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saint John Fisher College in 1983 and went on to earn his Master of Business Administration in Kent State University's Executive MBA Program in 1994. In addition to his duties at GRE, Mark serves on many community boards and teaches graduate students as an associate faculty member within the Department of Public Administration at the SUNY College at Brockport.
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Heidi Schmitt, Events Coordinator
Heidi Schmitt joined GRE in November 2007 as our Events Coordinator. She quickly took control of numerous GRE, International Business Council and High Tech Business Council events.
Heidi previously worked as the Events and Special Projects Coordinator at the Rochester Business Journal where she managed events such as "40 Under 40" and "Healthcare Achievement Awards."
Heidi holds a Bachelors Degree in Communication from SUNY Geneseo. |
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Laurie Smith, Executive Assistant to the President & CEO
Laurie Smith joined GRE in December 2008 as Executive Assistant to Mark S. Peterson, GRE's President and CEO.
Prior to joining GRE, Laurie served as Executive Assistant to the President of North America & Global Operations at
Harris Interactive, a global market research firm based in Rochester, while also supporting their Brand, Communications and Consulting team.
Laurie brings with her a multi-faceted background from the fields of market research, academia, sales and marketing, and security systems wholesale distribution - with experience in finance administration, program and event coordination, institutional advancement and federal governmental relations, as well as eight years of marketing and graphic design experience.
Laurie earned her Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration with Distinction from Monroe Community College.
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Incentives available in the Greater Rochester Region:
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