Trent Trahan, Chairperson
Trent Trahan resides in Chazy, NY. Trahan is the President and CEO of Champlain Telephone Company and is the Chairperson of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. He was appointed to the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency on September 27, 2006 by the Clinton County Legislature for an indefinite term. Trahan was an Education Major at SUNY Plattsburgh.
David Hoover, Vice Chairperson
David Hoover resides in Saranac, NY. Hoover is the Assistant Business Manager at I.B.E.W. Local 910 and is the Vice Chairperson of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. He was appointed to the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency on October 28, 2009 by the Clinton County Legislature for an indefinite term. Hoover received his Electrical Training Certification from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He has also completed course work in Labor Policy at the National Labor College and Business Management at the College of Misericordia.
Michael Zurlo, Secretary
Michael E. Zurlo resides in Morrisonville, NY. Zurlo is the Clinton County Administrator, is currently serving as the Vice President to the New York State Association of Counties and is the Secretary of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. He was appointed to the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency on October 23, 2002 by the Clinton County Legislature for an indefinite term. Zurlo was appointed county administrator in 2004 after three years as deputy county administrator. Prior to his service in Clinton County, Zurlo spent nine years working in the New York State Senate, during which he was legislative director for late State Sen. Ronald Stafford and served as secretary to the Senate Finance Committee. Zurlo received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Siena College in 1992. He earned his Master’s in Public Management from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany in 1995. Zurlo lives with his wife and children in Morrisonville, NY.
Mark Leta, Assistant Secretary
Mark Leta resides in Peru, NY. and works as a consultant providing construction, engineering, project management, & leadership professional services to the utility industry, including NorPro LLC/Northline Utilities, LLC. In addition, he is a member of the County of Clinton Industrial Agency, appointed on April 26, 2009 by the Clinton County Legislature. Leta received an Associate's Degree in Applied Science (Electronics) from Williamsport Area Community College and his Bachelors of Technology in Electrical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He additionally completed the Technical Leadership Program from SUNY Binghamton and the Executive Management Program from the University of Idaho.
Leta had a 35 plus year career at New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) as Regional Operations Manager where he was responsible for Electric & Gas Transmission & Distribution Operations, Construction, System Reliability, Safety, Vegetation Maintenance, Engineering and Hydro Operations for NYSEG, covering over 6,000 square miles from North Eastern New York State to the Hudson, NY area. In addition, Mr. Leta is a Trustee on the State University of New York (SUNY) at Clinton Community College, as well as a Board member for the Adirondack Park Institute (API). When not serving in his various professional roles, Leta enjoys spending time with his wife, Debbie, two children, Matthew and Ashley, traveling, and appreciating the outdoors.
Keith Defayette , Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Keith Defayette is retired as owner of Kenwood Moving and Storage which he operated from 1964 until 2013. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves and was honorably discharged in 1977. He has been an active member of several Clinton County Fire Departments and is the current Commissioner of South Plattsburgh Fire District. He is a life member of the Keeseville Elks Lodge 2072 and a member of the West Plattsburgh American Legion Post 1619. He also served as a Clinton County legislator from 1998-2011. He is the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. He was appointed to the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency on September 11, 2013 by the Clinton County Legislature for an indefinite term. Keith resides in The Town of Schuyler Falls, NY with his wife, Judy and is the proud father and grandfather to three daughters and five grandchildren.
Joey Trombley, Member
Joey Trombley is a life long resident of the area; he grew up in Champlain and graduated from Northeastern Clinton Central School in 1979. In 1985 he went into the real estate profession and in 1992 purchased Kavanaugh Realty from Frank Kavanaugh. He is married with three grown children and three grandchildren. He served for over twenty years on the Chazy Central School Board and was president for seven years. He is active in his local church and has served in many capacities. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Lions Club in Chazy.
John VanNatten, Member
John VanNatten resides in Plattsburgh, NY. VanNatten is the Vice President and Regional Manager of Glens Falls National Bank and a member of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. He was appointed to the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency on September 27, 2006 by the Clinton County Legislature for an indefinite term. VanNatten received an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in Accounting from SUNY Morrisville in 1984.
Molly Ryan, Executive Director
Molly Ryan has served as the Executive Director since January 2022. Previously Molly was the Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Billy Jones and brings a wealth of
experience and knowledge to the realm of economic development in the North Country Region. During her tenure with the State Assembly, she focused on local legislative issues in areas of rural health, infrastructure and the local environment. In the district, she worked with local community leaders, elected officials, and constituents to advance the economy of our region.
As a lifelong resident of Clinton County, she is continuing her work to help the region she knows and loves as her home. Molly has a long career in public service, having previously worked as the Constituent Liaison for Congressman Bill Owens. Additionally she worked as a Realtor for Kavanaugh Realty and was the Community Outreach Manager as well as the Manger of Volunteer Services at the University of Vermont Health Network- Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. Molly is a graduate of St. Lawrence University and resides in Rouses Point with her husband, and two children.
Toni Moffat, Executive Assistant
Toni joined the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency in September, 2018 starting as an administrative assistant and currently holds the position of executive assistant. She is also the Executive Secretary to the County Administrator in Clinton County. She resides in Plattsburgh, New York with her husband and son, and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from SUNY Potsdam.
Dorothy (Dee Dee) Brunell, Administrative Assistant
Dee Dee joined the CCIDA in the fall of 2020 as a part-time administrative assistant. Prior to joining the CCIDA, she worked at Pfizer for 32 years in various administrative roles at both the Manufacturing Facility in Rouses Point, NY and the Pfizer Drug Safety Research Facility in Chazy, NY. After the Pfizer closure, she worked at Bombardier Transportation for 10 years. Dee Dee resides in Chazy, NY with her husband, and has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Champlain College in Burlington, VT.
George W. Cregg, Esq., Special and Bond Counsel
George W. Cregg, Esq. resides in Schenectady, NY. Cregg is a Partner at HodgsonRuss LLP and the Special and Bond Counsel of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. He has been annually appointed by the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency since 1986. Cregg received his bachelor’s degree in Government from the University of Notre Dame in 1967 and his law degree from Cornell University Law School in 1971. He is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and New York State Bar Association, where he currently serves on the Executive Committee of its Municipal Law Section. Cregg is also a member of the New York State Economic Development Council.
Christopher Canada., Special and Bond Counsel
Christopher Canada is a Partner at HodgsonRuss LLP and the Special and Bond Counsel of the County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency. Chris frequently acts as counsel to industrial development agencies (IDAs), local development corporations (LDCs) and other public authorities throughout New York State. Chris counsels IDAs on commercial, manufacturing and renewal energy projects in connection with granting of financial assistance from IDAs, including exemptions from sales and use taxes, mortgage recording tax and real property taxes through PILOT Agreements. He routinely advises IDAs and LDCs on the General Municipal Law and the Public Authorities Law general, including assisting with inquiries from the New York State Authorities Budget Office (ABO) and the New York State Comptroller.
Chris has extensive experience acting as bond counsel to LDC, IDAs and other public authorities across New York State on tax exempt and taxable revenue bond financings for the benefit of colleges and universities, charter schools, retirement communities, hospitals and other 501(c)(3) organizations in public offerings, limited offerings and direct purchases. Chris is a graduate of Hobart College and received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D.
