CHAMBER News:
A panel discussion on Economic Development Projects in Los Alamos and across New Mexico may help answer questions on the minds of local businesses, financial institutions, elected officials and nonprofit organizers.
The Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept 14, will feature a panel discussion by Patrick Sullivan, Therese Varela and Will Gleason, who will discuss upcoming projects from their unique professional perspectives.
Sullivan is executive director of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation. Varela is with the State Economic Development Office and Gleason is principal of the consulting team Dekker/Perich/Sabatini,
Varela has worked in the State Economic Development Department since she graduated from New Mexico State University in 1992. She started as a program manager and after a few years was placed in charge of the JTIP (Job Training Incentive Program). In 2011 she was promoted to a division director position. She also is part of the NM Big Idea program, which works toward activating ideas in economic development.
Gleason is the principal/urban planner at Dekker/Perich/Sabatini. As a partner and senior planner at D/P/S, Gleason is committed to creating places that have enduring value. He specializes in master planning efforts that require a high level of coordination between the public and private sectors. Apart from managing the Los Alamos Bond Project, Gleason’s recent work includes the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART), Innovate ABQ, and the UNM Health Sciences Center Master Plan. A certified planner and LEED accredited professional, he received his Master of Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico and his Bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College.
Sullivan was named executive director of LACDC in 2014. Previously he was the financial manager of the New Mexico Consortium where he led the finance team responsible for the accounting, planning and analysis of the company’s funding. He also was the main interface with local governmental organizations on behalf of the consortium. Prior to working at the Consortium, he was a financial business analyst for the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Sullivan also is a former employee of LACDC where he worked as the business development director for seven years. In that capacity he led programs related to business retention, recruitment and expansion. He also managed the business incubation program.
Wednesday’s breakfast is in Building 2, room 230, on the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos campus, 4000 University Dr. Daniel’s Cafe will cater the breakfast with french toast sticks, fresh fruit and coffee. LANL’s Community Programs Office is sponsoring the Chamber Breakfast series. Register on the events page of the Chamber of Commerce website losalamoschamber.com/events. For more information call 505.661.4872 or email nancy@losalamos.org.
The Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation is a private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization serving Los Alamos since 1983. LACDC serves as the umbrella organization for the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, Los Alamos MainStreet, the Los Alamos Meeting & Visitors Bureau, Los Alamos Small Business Center, Los Alamos Research Park, project Y and Launch LA.
