HIA-LI, Long Island’s leading force and economic engine for regional development and the steward of the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge (formerly the Hauppauge Industrial Park), has launched a task force to begin implementation of the recommendations of the Opportunity Analysis recently completed by the Suffolk County IDA and Regional Plan Association. Members of the Innovation Park Task Force include Terri Alessi-Miceli, President & CEO of HIA-LI; Joe Campolo, Managing Partner of Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP and Chairman of the HIA-LI Board of Directors; Carol Allen, President & CEO of People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union; Anthony Manetta of HB Solutions; Rich Humann, President & CEO of H2M Architects + Engineers; Jim Coughlan, Principal of TRITEC Real Estate Co.; Bob Quarte, Managing Partner of AVZ Certified Public Accountants; Jack Kulka of the Kulka Group; and Kevin O’Connor, President & CEO of BNB Bank.
The Opportunity Analysis revealed after months of research, interviews, and studies that the Park is the anchor of Long Island’s tradable economy – those industries that bring new dollars into the region. Comprised of Long Island power players and stakeholders in the Park, the Task Force has already begun work on critical economic strategies recommended in the Opportunity Analysis to capitalize on this unparalleled growth opportunity. The group is focused on programs to facilitate business growth, attract and retain key knowledge workers, strengthen training and workforce development, promote innovation, and build connections and partnerships among businesses, government, and institutions.
On Long Island as a whole, tradable industries are small, making up only 23 percent of Nassau and Suffolk’s economy, compared to a national average of 36 percent. However, the Opportunity Analysis revealed that 58 percent of the jobs in the Park are in tradable industries.
“These findings confirmed and expanded all of our conclusions and suspicions about the Park,” said HIA-LI Board Chairman Joe Campolo. “Our mission now is to accelerate this growth by relentlessly spreading the word about the Park as the region’s premier hub for growing businesses, and to continue building bridges between the public and private sectors to truly make an enormous impact.”
“While the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge already delivers tremendous economic benefits for Long Island, we’re working on a specific and strategic plan to truly maximize the Park’s long-term potential,” said Terri Alessi-Miceli, President and CEO of HIA-LI, “and the members of this Task Force have the expertise to transform its vision into a reality.”
The IDA and RPA Opportunity Analysis was led by James Lima of James Lima Planning + Development, a national NYC-based planner who has worked with Silicon Valley giants to help build their campuses and ecosystems.