The Catskill Chronicle

BRIDGEVILLE, NY (September 21, 2013) – The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development has announced that Patrick Dollard, president and CEO of The Center for Discovery, has been named the 2013 recipient of the Walter A. Rhulen Award. James Bates, managing member of Ecological Analysis, has been named this year’s Distinguished Service Award winner.

Both awards will be presented at the Partnership’s 19th Annual Meeting to be held on October 10 at The Sullivan in Rock Hill.

“Thanks to Patrick Dollard’s vision, The Center for Discovery is on a path to being a world leader in its field,” said Fred Stabbert III, Partnership Board Chairman. “James Bates (photo left) has been an active participant in the Partnership, and has helped drive membership growth in support of our mission. Both of these gentlemen are assets to not only the Partnership but also to the Sullivan County community as a whole.”

The Rhulen Award, which is presented annually, recognizes an individual for “business excellence, community commitment and service to humanity.” The award recipient is selected through nominations made by the Sullivan County Partnership’s Board of Directors.

As a nationally recognized thought leader, Dollard (photo right) is one of the field’s most innovative visionaries in the development of new models of cost-effective high quality care for special populations. Under his more than three decades of leadership, The Center for Discovery has grown from a facility with 30 employees to more than 1,500 full time staff, providing research, intervention, and residential services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and medical complexities, including autism spectrum disorders.

Dollard also pioneered the development of environmentally advanced health care and educational facilities that utilize energy efficient technologies and sustainable construction materials. The Center is the first healthcare facility in the country to be registered with the U.S. Green Building Council (U.S.G.B.C.) and was a recipient of the prestigious LEED certification.

The Center for Discovery contributes a total of more than $184 million in economic impact for New York State, $134 million in Sullivan County. With a proposed $20 million project to build a High-Risk Assessment Clinic in Harris that will add some 200 new jobs in Phase One and an additional 200 in Phase Two, The Center will become an even larger economic engine in the years ahead.

The Distinguished Service Award is given to the Sullivan Partnership member who has shown the greatest service to the Partnership. Recipients are chosen by the Partnership’s staff members.

This year’s recipient, James Bates, is responsible for day-to-day operations of Ecological Analysis, LLC, a multi-disciplinary Middletown firm specializing in planning and ecological resources. Bates has been working in the environmental and fisheries field since graduating from Mansfield University in 1986.

Bates and his staff work with clients both large and small to shepherd their projects through the planning board SEQRA process and permit approvals with different agencies. He and his team also do wetland delineations and then collaborate with the other agencies to have the wetland lines verified and signed off on. In any permits or mitigation is required, both Bates and his staff work to complete the necessary tasks.

“The Center for Discovery has had an incredible economic impact on Sullivan County for decades and that is directly related to Patrick Dollard’s vision, commitment, and tenacity,” Marc Baez, president and CEO of the Partnership, said. “James Bates is passionate about the issues that affect Sullivan County and doesn’t hesitate to offer his input and expertise to advance a positive discussion.”

This year’s Annual Meeting will also feature a presentation of the Annual Report and the official installation of the recently elected/re-elected members of the Board of Directors (2013-2016 TERM), including: Michael Dollard, MDM Fitness Factory, Inc.; Glenn Gidaly, Barton & Loguidice; Daniel Grady, Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc.; Lela Nussbaum, First Niagara Bank; Gerald Skoda, Skoda Enterprises; Alan Zuckerman, Verticon LTD.

The Sullivan County Partnership is an organization made up of both private and public entities that work together to serve the needs of new and expanding businesses throughout the county. Founded in 1994, The Partnership offers a number of effective programs and services that help companies get started, relocate and grow. To RSVP to the Annual Meeting or for sponsorship information, please contact the Partnership at 845-794-1110.