2. TCAD’s Mission
TCAD is dedicated to building a thriving and sustainable
economy that improves the quality of life in Tompkins
County by fostering the growth of business and
employment.
TCAD’s Vision
A flourishing economy with exciting, innovative firms that
inspire and attract a talented workforce.

3. Myth:
TCAD is completely funded by local government.
Fact:
Tompkins County Area Development is funded from
three main sources of revenue:
•Local Government
•Local Employers
•Fees for services provided to customers

4. TCAD seeks businesses with a sound, strategic reason to
be in Tompkins County, such as the need for access to
technology from Cornell University or proximity to a
cluster of similar businesses. Projects must be compatible
with existing infrastructure and supported by our regional
workforce. Once all of these conditions are confirmed, only
then will we consider investing community resources and
incentives to help a business succeed.

5. Entrepreneurs Value TCAD
TCAD has developed an innovative loan program that
better serves the needs of early-stage companies at a time
that it’s difficult for them to get traditional financing.
To quote one of our local entrepreneurs,
“TCAD ROCKS!”
Tom Schryver
CEO
PI Experiential Learning

6. “Our partnership with TCAD will enable us to slowly
develop in-house testing capabilities and migrate our
assembly process in-house to our facility in the South Hill
Business Campus.”
Jon Greene
Chief Executive Officer
Widetronix

7. TCAD maintains a close working relationship with the
County’s Workforce Investment Board, which is unusual
among its peers in economic development.
TCAD and the WIB collaborated to create a new
workforce strategy that was released in the winter of 2010.

8. “Economic development agencies like Tompkins County
Area Development are to be commended for the work
they do, especially with regard to maintaining and
developing manufacturing jobs.”
Elia Kacapyr
Chair of the Department of Economics, Ithaca College

9. TCAD has managed a revolving loan fund program meeting
the needs of businesses and creating quality jobs since
1989.
Since then we have loaned $1.8 million to 52 companies
that have created 841 jobs.

10. “We have worked with TCAD on several large scale
projects critical to the future of Cayuga Medical Center. The
support they provided, guiding us through the complex tax
exempt financing process, was invaluable. It is a very
effective organization, a true asset to the community.”
John Rudd
Senior VP & CFO, Cayuga Medical Center

11. TCAD’s is unique among economic development
organizations across the nation. The board includes elected
officials from the City, County and rural towns; senior
management from Cornell, Ithaca College and TC3; and
CEOs from virtually every type of private sector business.
Even more unique is the representation from organized
labor, tourism, not-for-profits, and agribusiness.

12. “We are very fortunate to live in a community where
innovation and entrepreneurship are abundant. In TCAD we
have access to many of the resources needed to
successfully commercialize innovation and create good
paying jobs.”
Andy Sciarabba
Treasurer/Secretary TCAD
Managing Member, South Hill Business Campus, LLC

13. TCAD’s Projects Create Real Jobs For Real People
Tompkins County Area Development grows businesses and
jobs in our community. The average non-managerial wage
paid by our projects is over $19 an hour plus benefits.

14. TCAD’s Projects Create Real Jobs For Real People
Tompkins County Area Development grows businesses and
jobs in our community. The average non-managerial wage
paid by our projects is over $19 an hour plus benefits.

15. TCAD is committed to sustainability in our initiatives as
well as the businesses we assist. Over the years, we have
helped launch the Cayuga Venture Fund, Workforce
Investment Board, Air Service Board, and the Finger Lakes
Entrepreneurs Forum. Each of these efforts has been based
on long-term needs and the capacity for operating
independently without TCAD .

16. “Investment in TCAD is an investment in the community—
its businesses and families.”
Greg Hartz
Vice Chair of TCAD
President of Tompkins Trust Company

17. A word from TCAD Chair of the Board Charlie Trautmann

18. A word from TCAD Chair of the Board Charlie Trautmann

19. Tompkins County Area Development
A Different Kind of Economic Development Corporation