About Us

Certificate of Incorporation:

Officers & Committee Members

Organizational Chart

Appointed Corporation Personnel:

  • Ira Steingart, Chief Executive Officer
  • Jennifer M. Flad, Executive Director, Contracting Officer for Property Disposition, and Procurement Officer
  • Julio Garaicoechea, Project Manager, Language Access Coordinator and FOIL Officer
  • Bethanii Padu, Economic Development Coordinator

Board of Directors Biographies:

  • Howard Siegel – Chairman, Treasurer, and CFO of TSCILDC. Mr. Siegel is the past president and CEO of Irwin Siegel Agency, Inc., and actively serves on multiple boards including Metro Community Health Centers and the Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress. His past leadership includes roles with the Monticello Rotary Club (past President), Rock Hill Business Association, and NYSARC Trusts Appointed on May 9, 2016 by sole appointing member of the Corporation, the Sullivan County Manager.  Reappointed January 1, 2017.  Reappointed effective January 1, 2023 for a term expiring December 31, 2025.
  • Kathleen Lara – Vice Chairperson of TSCILDC. Ms. Lara was appointed to the TSCILDC. Board by the Sullivan County Manager effective March 30, 2023 for a term to expire 12/31/2025.  On January 8, 2024, the TSCILDC Board appointed Ms. Lara as Vice Chaiperson of the TSCILDC Board. Current term expires 12/31/2025.
  • Scott Smith – Assistant Treasurer of TSCILDC. Mr. Smith is the Council Representative for the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.  Appointed May 9, 2016 by sole appointing member of the Corporation, the Sullivan County Manager.  Reappointed effective January 1, 2021, and again effective January 1, 2024.  Current term expires December 31, 2026.
  • Paul Guenther – TSCILDC Member. Mr. Guenther was the former chairman of the New York Philharmonic and Fordham University boards, and retired in 1995 as president of Paine Webber Group. Mr. Guenther currently serves on the boards of Bethel Woods and SUNY Sullivan. Appointed May 9, 2016 by sole appointing member of the Corporation, the Sullivan County Manager.  Reappointed January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2022.  Current term expires December 31, 2024.
  • Sean Brooks –TSCILDC Member. Mr. Brooks was appointed to the TSCILDC Board effective April 1, 2021 by the sole appointing member of the Corporation, the Sullivan County Manager.  Reappointed effective January 1, 2022.  Current term expires December 31, 2024.
  • Philip Vallone – TSCILDC Member.  Mr. Vallone was appointed to the TSCILDC Board effective January 1, 2022 by the sole appointing member of the Corporation, the Sullivan County Manager.  Current term expires December 31, 2024.
  • Ira Steingart – TSCILDC Member. Mr. Steingart was appointed to the TSCILDC Board effective January 1, 2024. He served as Sullivan County Legislator for District 8 for twelve years from 2012 through 2023.   As a lifelong resident and dedicated business owner in Sullivan County, Ira is unwaveringly committed to driving economic development in his local community.  In his role as Chairman of the County of Sullivan IDA from January 11, 2012, to March 21, 2021, Ira played a pivotal role in spearheading projects that significantly contributed to community progress. Current term expires December 31, 2026.
  • Joseph Perrello – TSCILDC Member. Mr. Perrello was appointed to the TSCILDC Board effective August 15, 2024. Mr. Perrello is the Sullivan County Legislator for District 7, serving as Vice-Chair of the Legislature and Chair of the Public Works Committee.  He works at and co-operates Brother’s II Auto Body and is co-owner of Fallsburg Service Center, Fallsburg Car Rental, and J & G Home Developers. Previously, he worked for many years as co-owner of Perrello Limousines before selling the company. Mr. Perrello also served as a TSCILDC Board Member from May 9, 2016 to April 1, 2021. Current term expires 12/31/2025.
  • Edward T. Sykes – TSCILDC Member. Mr. Sykes is the Vice Chairman of the Board at Jeff Bank and the Chairman of Callicoon Cooperative Insurance Co. Board. He owned Mike Preis Inc. for 25 years, and is the former Chairman of Southern Tier Title Agency and former Town of Delaware Supervisor.  Mr. Sykes is also a member and past President of the Callicoon Kiwanis Club, a retired member of the Callicoon Vol. Fire Dept. and a founding member of the Callicoon Business Association. Mr. Sykes served on the County of Sullivan Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors from 1996 to 2016, 2017 to 2023, and July 2025 to present. Appointed July 23, 2025 by the sole appointing member of the corporation, the Sullivan County Manager. Current term expires December 31, 2026.

Staff Biographies:

  • Ira Steingart –  Chief Executive Officer.
  • Jennifer Flad – Executive Director of TSCILDC. Ms. Flad serves as a liaison with the County of Sullivan and local and regional economic development agencies, in an effort to promote and administer the work of TSCILDC. She previously worked for the Sullivan County Division of Planning and Environmental Management, focusing on agricultural land use planning and economic development. Jennifer holds a BA in Peace, War and Defense from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an MA in Social Science from the Environment and Community Program at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA. Appointed by the Board on May 9, 2016.
  • Julio Garaicoechea – Project Manager of TSCILDC.  Mr. Garaicoechea provides the necessary administrative, budgeting and financial reporting support to enable TSCILDC to make responsible and prudent policy and programmatic decisions, and maintains strong working relationships with private stakeholders, elected officials, public agencies, community partner organizations and the business community. Julio holds a MA in Economics from Hunter College in New York City, focusing on the effects of microfinance.
  • Bethanii Padu – Economic Development Coordinator. Ms. Padu assists with the administration of the IDA’s tax abatement programs, loan and lease programs, grant programs, and maintains relationships with the agency’s Board, project representatives, and other stakeholders. Prior to joining the IDA in 2023, Ms. Padu was in commercial banking industry for three years. Bethanii holds a BA in Finance from Georgia State University.

Professional Service Providers:

  • Auditor: Cooper Arias, LLP
  • General Counsel: Walter F. Garigliano P.C
  • Bond Counsel: Harris Beach PLLC