Empire State Development

This month marks a meaningful milestone for me — four years since my confirmation as President, CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul for her steadfast leadership and confidence, to the entire ESD team, our regional and local partners, and the people of New York who inspire us every day.   To all of our partners — local governments, community organizations, educational institutions, workforce training providers, business leaders, and most importantly, the people of New York — thank you for your partnership, your ideas, your energy and your commitment.   Reflecting on this journey, I’m proud of the progress we have achieved together in building a stronger economy for all New Yorkers. From tourism to trade missions to life sciences, what we have accomplished together is remarkable.    Under Governor Hochul’s guidance and our collective effort, we welcomed the monumental decision by Micron to invest $100 billion in a semiconductor manufacturing campus near Syracuse — establishing the Empire State as a national hub for advanced manufacturing and innovation. The project — the largest manufacturing project in New York’s history – will help create 50,000 jobs over the next two decades.   While much of our focus has been on spurring growth in the innovation industries of tomorrow, we have also leveraged New York’s strengths in other sectors. Chobani, the U.S.’s largest producer of Greek yogurt and whose roots run deep in New York, announced its plans to build the nation’s largest investment in a natural food manufacturing facility in Rome – expanding the critical agricultural and food processing industries in New York. The $1.2 billion project will create 1,000 jobs.    This is just a small sample of the work that we have accomplished in advancing, expanding and strengthening NYS' economy, I am looking forward to growing industries statewide and creating more economic opportunities for all New Yorkers. With gratitude and determination,   Hope Knight President & CEO, and Commissioner Empire State Development

This month marks a meaningful milestone for me — four years since my confirmation as President, CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul for her steadfast leadership and confidence, to the entire ESD team, our regional and local partners, and the people of New York who inspire us every day.   To all of our partners — local governments, community organizations, educational institutions, workforce training providers, business leaders, and most importantly, the people of New York — thank you for your partnership, your ideas, your energy and your commitment.   Reflecting on this journey, I’m proud of the progress we have achieved together in building a stronger economy for all New Yorkers. From tourism to trade missions to life sciences, what we have accomplished together is remarkable.    Under Governor Hochul’s guidance and our collective effort, we welcomed the monumental decision by Micron to invest $100 billion in a semiconductor manufacturing campus near Syracuse — establishing the Empire State as a national hub for advanced manufacturing and innovation. The project — the largest manufacturing project in New York’s history – will help create 50,000 jobs over the next two decades.   While much of our focus has been on spurring growth in the innovation industries of tomorrow, we have also leveraged New York’s strengths in other sectors. Chobani, the U.S.’s largest producer of Greek yogurt and whose roots run deep in New York, announced its plans to build the nation’s largest investment in a natural food manufacturing facility in Rome – expanding the critical agricultural and food processing industries in New York. The $1.2 billion project will create 1,000 jobs.    This is just a small sample of the work that we have accomplished in advancing, expanding and strengthening NYS' economy, I am looking forward to growing industries statewide and creating more economic opportunities for all New Yorkers. With gratitude and determination,   Hope Knight President & CEO, and Commissioner Empire State Development