ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS ACCELERATOR INTRODUCES ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

New Windsor, N.Y. – December 22, 2009 – Orange County Business Accelerator (OCBA) Managing Director Michael J. DiTullo today introduced Peter J. Gregory as Enterprise Development Director.

A venture business expert, Gregory has provided his expertise as a seasoned business leader to CEO’s, presidents, and business owners across the nation for more than 25 years. Gregory has spent the last 10 years working exclusively as a business development advisor to high-growth startup ventures, delivering compelling market solutions to diverse industries.

Before joining the Accelerator team, Gregory helped guide high-growth businesses in the New York State solar economic ecosystem, engaged as a third party resource by The Solar Energy Consortium. He also founded BrightGarden Strategies, a business plan and marketing strategy firm.

“We are pleased and privileged to have Peter as a member of our team,” DiTullo said. “His expertise in entrepreneurial development, venture capital and business evaluation adds currency and proficiency to our mission.”

Gregory is active in developing local seed investment networks, including the Dutchess County Angel Network. He has extensively coached CEO’s in the art of raising capital, having engaged dozens of client companies from Boston to Miami over the last nine years, advising and implementing methods of improving capital and marketing position.

Gregory earned his M.B.A. with concentrations in Finance & Entrepreneurship at William E. Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester. He also holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology.

OCBA, located at 4 London Avenue in New Windsor, Stewart International Airport, is a business incubator program launched by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA). The incubator, 10,000 square feet of class-A high-tech research and development space, is designed to attract new entrepreneurial investment by providing businesses with below market occupancy costs, a menu of mentoring programs and a high-tech plug-and-play office environment.

Tremendous Initial Response to OCBA

So far, there has been tremendous initial interest in the Accelerator. Since opening just two months ago, a pipeline of nearly a dozen start-ups have expressed enthusiasm for our premier services and we recently signed two contracts with up-and-coming businesses.

Businesses around the Hudson Valley and beyond are already acknowledging the exclusive, unique approach the Accelerator is taking to turn product ideas into successful business models, and our services will only grow from here. Soon after the New Year, we will announce the names of our first clients, and would like to thank everyone who has lent their support of Orange County’s newest endevour thus far.

Happy Holidays!