Downtown Albany BID Board of Directors Voting Open
The following slate for the BID's Board of Directors is being advanced to all members by the current Governance Committee. Please take a few minutes to review the slate of candidates listed below and vote by 4:00 PM on Friday, July 23, 2021 online here or by downloading the ballot here.
Qualifications: In order to be eligible to vote on the BID Board of Elections, you must own, represent, or reside within a property that pays the special BID assessment tax. If you are not the designated representative, please pass this ballot along to the proper individual. Incomplete or illegible ballots will be discarded. The slate this year includes one Class A Property Owner and two Class B (i) Commercial Tenants. Only property owner and commercial tenant members of the BID, as defined by our by-laws, are eligible to vote. Per the BID Bylaws, Article I-Purposes, Section 3. Membership:
Class A: Owners of record of real property in the District as are registered with the City of Albany to receive real property tax bills for such real property located within the District, shall be Class A members of the Corporation, provided such persons have applied for membership in accordance with Section 1e hereof or have become owners of record on the rolls of the City of Albany by the September publication of such records by the City of Albany. Owners of properties wholly exempt from real property taxes are not eligible for membership, nor representation on the Board of Directors as Class A Property Owners, unless said ownership provides a payment in lieu of the property tax.
Class B: (i) Commercial Tenants who are occupants pursuant to leases of office or retail space in a building that receives real property tax bills for such real property within the District shall be a Class B member of the Corporation provided such persons have applied for membership in accordance with Section 1e hereof.
Class A Property Owners
Neil McGreevy: Class A Property Owner (new candidate up for election)
Neil McGreevy founded McGreevy ProLab & ProPress in 1990 (located in Downtown Albany). He oversees nearly every facet of managing the business and is heavily involved in day to day production. Neil grew up in Lake Placid, NY and Burlington VT. He received a BFA in Fine Art and Art History from the University of Vermont and studied a year abroad at Camberwell Art School in London. In 1989 he received a MFA graduate degree in Photography and Painting from the State University at Albany. Neil is an avid runner and soccer coach; he knocks about on the guitar and plays a half-decent blues harmonica. Currently he is restoring a 1980 MacGregor 25’ sloop and hopes to sail it the length of the Hudson River, around the island of Manhattan and then back up to Albany.
To learn more about Neil McGreevy's professional background, please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-mcgreevy-6aa1b315/
Lena Hart: Class A Property Owner (up for renewal)
Lena Hart is a Downtown property owner, a Downtown business owner of Precision Fitness, and a Downtown resident. She is a graduate of Fordham University and is a Managing Partner of MNM Holding, LLC, a development company focused on revitalizing historic buildings in Downtown Albany.
To learn more about Lena Hart, visit https://downtownalbany.org/shopping/precision-fitness
Frank O'Connor III: Class A Property Owner (up for renewal)
Frank O’Connor III is the property owner of a current residential conversion in Downtown and a Managing Partner of Gleason, Dunn, Walsh and O’Shea located at 40 Beaver St. Prior to his affiliation with the firm, he served in the New York State Court of Claims from September 1980 through February 1989. He has active community involvement, having served on several Boards and Associations in years passed.
To learn more about Frank O'Connor III's professional background, visit https://gdwo.com/gdwo/biographies/frank_oconnor.php
Class B (i) Commercial Tenants
Leyla Kiosse: Class B (i) Commercial Tenant (new candidate up for election)
Leyla Kiosse is the owner of The Yard Hatchet House & Bar and Boozy Moo! in Downtown Albany. She took her affinity for fun and outdoor activities and created a place where lawn games can be enjoyed year-round. Leyla hand- crafts her premium alcohol-flavored Boozy Moo! ice cream in small batches at The Yard and has cultivated growth in both business ventures since launching each of them in 2020. A graduate of Union College and Albany Law School, Leyla has practiced law for the past 15 years, receiving several awards and serving on the Boards of both the Capital District Women’s Bar Association as well as the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York. Leyla has been and continues to be an engaged member of her community and is always coming up with innovative and exciting ideas to bring joy to all those who visit downtown Albany.
To learn more about Leyla Kiosse's professional background, please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leyla-kiosse-01634445/
Kenneth Countermine: Class B (i) Commercial Tenant (new candidate up for election)
Kenneth Countermine is currently the SVP, Capital Region Commercial Group Manager for Community Bank N.A. He has been with Community Bank since April of 2018 when Community Bank made the decision to open a commercial loan production office in the Capital Region. In his current role, he oversees all commercial loan and deposit origination, and portfolio administration for the Capital Region. Ken has 25 years of experience in the financial industry, spending his entire career in the Capital Region. Prior to joining Community Bank, he was Middle Market Senior Relationship Manager with TD Bank. Outside of the office, Ken is actively involved in his community, currently he is the incoming chair for the SUNY Schenectady Foundation and is a member of the Capital Region Chamber Finance Committee. In addition, he has contributed time within the Burnt Hills School District. Ken earned his Bachelor of Science in finance from Siena College and his Master of Business Administration in finance from University at Albany. He also is a graduate of New York Bankers Association’s Management School for Career Development. Countermine resides in Glenville with his wife, Kate, and their two daughters.
To learn more about Kenneth Countermine's professional background, please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-countermine-049bba1/
Ballots must be emailed, postmarked, or stamped as received by 4:00 PM EST on Friday, July 23, 2021. To vote electronically on the 2021 BID Board of Directors Election Ballot, click here. Please note: If you vote electronically you do not need to submit a hard copy ballot. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Kate Medhus at 518.465.2143 or via e-mail at [email protected].
