Center for Regional Advancement is new name for Fredonia governance catalyst

SUNY Fredonia’s Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance (CRRDG) has been renamed the Center for Regional Advancement (CRA). The name change comes as the Center continues its strong commitment to serve as a catalyst to regional governance and development in rural Western New York.

“SUNY Fredonia is committed to its mission to partner with the community, in ways that enhance the learning experience for students and serve the needs of our community,” said Chuck Cornell, Center Director. “The Center will continue to serve as a resource for initiatives that grow the local economy and improve the efficiency of local governance. The Center Advisory Committee recommended the name change in an effort to more concisely represent our mission.”

Since its founding in 1997, the Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance has been a major catalyst for regional collaboration, governance innovations, community outreach and economic development. Its purpose is to engage the intellectual and analytical human resources of the SUNY Fredonia to enhance the region's governance and economic development capacity.
Specifically, the Center undertakes studies to provide blueprints for regional governance and development actions, as well as direct technical and strategic assistance to local government officials desiring to embark upon inter-municipal efforts. It also fosters projects, such as the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in Dunkirk - www.fredonia.edu/incubator , to enhance the regional economy.

The Center Advisory Committee includes:
• Chuck Cornell, Interim Director, CRA
• Dr. Lea Ann "Beez" Schell, Director of Professional Development, SUNY Fredonia
• Dr. Peter Sinden, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, SUNY Fredonia
• Michael J. Sullivan, Mayor, Village of Fredonia
• John Gullo, local attorney, County Legislator, and lecturer at SUNY Fredonia
• Daniel Schrantz, Portland Town Supervisor
• Amy Cuhel-Schuckers, Grants Development Specialist, SUNY Fredonia
• Dr. Richard Jankowski, Professor of Political Science, SUNY Fredonia
• Todd Tranum, President and CEO, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, and Executive Director, Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST)
• Dr. Kevin Kearns, Associate Vice President of Graduate Studies and Research, SUNY Fredonia