AEDC Welcomes Santana and Kathy To Team!

Local Roots Opens With AEDC Loan

Congratulations to owner Elizabeth Johnson of Local Roots, who opened a greenhouse located in Crown Point. Ms. Johnson recently closed on a loan with AEDC to provide funding to allow for the move of her recently purchased greenhouse business to a bigger location.

Local Roots grows local annual flowers and provides seasonal annuals and perennials for home and commercial use. They have a thriving Christmas tree and wreath business late in the year. 

We were so pleased to be able to “seed” this great business in Crown Point!

Pictured: Elizabeth Johnson, owner of Local Roots located in Crown Point, NY, at recent loan closing.

AEDC Celebrates Nine Years of Service by Stephanie Donaldson

Stephanie Donaldson, AEDC’s Entrepreneurship Program Director, is celebrating 9 years at the organization this month! She came to AEDC in 2016 as a Business Counselor, was promoted to Entrepreneurship Program Manager in 2022 and in 2025 to her current title.

Stephanie is the glue for the Entrepreneurship Assistance Center program as well as the several other technical assistance programs that AEDC houses. Her organizational skills and drive to help small business clients have made her integral to all operations. Thank you Stephanie for almost a decade of service to North Country businesses!

Pictured:Stephanie Donaldson, AEDC.

AEDC Launches New Program to Assist Entrepreneurs through the Empire State Development (ESD) State Small Business Credit Initiative-Technical Assistance (SSBCI-TA) Program

AEDC is excited to embark on a new program to expand its technical assistance to small businesses through the SSBCI-TA grant provided by ESD. Victoria and Santana spent a day at the beautiful mid-town Manhattan offices of ESD with all grant recipient representatives and the full ESD Capital Access team.

The program expands AEDC’s financial assistance/business counseling activities and also provides resources for contractual assistance for greater reach and to pay for small business services to professionals such as attorneys, accountants and bookkeepers for needed services in preparation for business launch or expansion. AEDC houses a SSBCI loan fund (its Small Business Revolving Loan Fund) and will also provide warm hand-offs to the other 6 state SSBCI capital programs. We are excited for the positive impacts to come from this program. For more information, contact Santana Vicencio-LaBarre at svicencio-labarre@aedconline.com.

Pictured: Executive Director Victoria Duley and Business Counselor Santana Vicencio-LaBarre at Empire State Development New York City offices for program launch.

AEDC Team Enjoys North Country Chamber Winter Gatherings

Our team enjoyed several winter events hosted by the amazing North Country Chamber of Commerce during the late winter months. In January, AEDC sponsored the Annual Dinner event which was held at SUNY Plattsburgh, enjoying lively table company and good times with many colleagues from across the region.

In February, AEDC attended the “State of the City, Town and County” breakfast in Plattsburgh and enjoyed updates from the Clinton County leaders and what to expect in 2025.

In March, the AEDC team attended the legislator breakfast with Senator Stec, Assemblyman Jones, and Assemblyman Simpson to hear updates, and a lively Q&A about Albany happenings. 

Thank you to the North Country Chamber for these incredible events and connections! 

Pictured: Victoria, Jamie and Santana fronm AEDC at the North Country Chamber of Commerce Legislator’s Breakfast.