Business Leaders Convene with Federal Reserve Bank of New York President for Roundtable in Goshen

Orange County Partnership President & CEO, Conor Eckert giving an economic overview of Orange County, NY.

On Thursday, May 7, the Orange County Partnership hosted a Business Roundtable Discussion with John C. Williams, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, bringing together a diverse group of Orange County’s business leaders at the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame.

The discussion was opened by Conor Eckert, President & CEO of the Orange County Partnership, who provided a brief market overview highlighting key trends shaping the local economy. His remarks focused on continued activity across core sectors, particularly advanced manufacturing and distribution, as well as the strength of the industrial real estate market, where speculative development and shovel-ready sites are playing a critical role in meeting demand and accelerating timelines.

Representing industries including construction, finance, law, agriculture, real estate, healthcare, and education, participants engaged in a candid and productive dialogue that reflected real-time conditions on the ground. The roundtable created a valuable forum to not only identify shared challenges, but also to explore practical opportunities for moving forward.

Several key themes emerged throughout the discussion:

• Energy & Power Demand: Businesses emphasized the growing need for reliable and scalable power infrastructure to support expansion, new development, and increasingly energy-intensive operations.
• Workforce & Talent Pipelines: Labor shortages and workforce availability remain persistent challenges, underscoring the need for stronger alignment between employers, educators, and training providers.
• Education Alignment: Participants highlighted the importance of tailoring education and workforce development programs to meet the evolving needs of today’s industries.
• Rising Costs & Economic Pressures: Conversations touched on tariff-related price pressures, ongoing supply chain disruptions, increasing labor costs, and wage inflation—particularly in sectors like healthcare, where maintaining affordability for patients remains a top concern.
• Shifting Workforce Dynamics: The rise of remote work continues to reshape the labor market, with local employers noting the challenge of competing for talent against higher salary benchmarks from New York City-based firms, particularly in professional services such as law and accounting.

The Orange County Partnership remains dedicated to amplifying the voices of our employers and ensuring that the challenges and opportunities facing Orange County businesses are heard far beyond our county borders.