William P. Leitch, III
Project Director, Upper Hudson Research Center at Troy
William P. Leitch, III
William P. Leitch, III joined the staff of Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries in early 2007 as Project Director for the Upper Hudson Research Center at Troy. A respected leader in New York State and Capital District economic development, Leitch is directing the Institute’s government, academic and community relations initiatives, with special emphasis on the recently announced Upper Hudson Research Center in Troy.
Prior to joining Beacon institute, Leitch served as Deputy Director of District Operations for former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. In that role, he managed a staff of 30 and was responsible for oversight and implementation of economic development policy for Senator Bruno, including work on significant state initiatives such as the Empire Zone, brownfield remediation, waterfront development and Pipeline for Jobs programs. Leitch also led the NYS Senate negotiating team in the $1.2 billion New York State effort to secure AMD Corporation’s presence in Tech Valley and directed development efforts for the Luther Forest Technology Campus and an accompanying $150 million, multi-partner infrastructure agreement to allow for the project.
In the mid-1990s, Leitch served as Committee Director of the Senate Committee on Business and Economic Development and was instrumental in ushering in new laws and policies to improve the business climate in New York State. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Leitch served as Committee Clerk and Coordinator for the Senate Committees on Environmental Conservation and Banks, respectively. His work with the New York State Senate Committee on Banks led to an important co-authored Senate report on state and federal legislation related to banks and money laundering. This effort also produced a comprehensive package of legislative initiatives, signed into law, that serve to enhance and strengthen New York State law relating to criminal activity in the financial industry.
Leitch, a lifelong resident of the Capital District, serves on the board of the Center for Economic Growth. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Assumption College in Worchester, MA.
