About the St. Lawrence County IDA

The current Chairman of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency, Brian W. Staples has served on the Agency Board since 1983.

He is a Certified Public Accountant and owns/operates Brian W. Staples, CPA.

A graduate of Clarkson University, he holds a BS in Engineering and Management (1970) and a MS in Accounting (1975).  A past Lecturer and Coordinator of Pre-Management 4+1 MBA Programs
at St. Lawrence University, Chairman Staples is also a member of AICPA and NYSSCPA. He is the former Treasurer of the St. Lawrence County Solid Waste Disposal Authority and former Director of the Canton Housing Authority.

Mr. Staples resides in Canton.

His current term on the IDA Board expires in September 2026.

Ernest LaBaff has a distinguished history of public service, and is a long-time proponent of economic development for St. Lawrence County. He is President Emeritus of the Aluminum Brick & Glass Workers International Union and a former member of the St. Lawrence County Legislature (1974-1980; and 1981-1985).

First appointed to the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency in April of 1977, “Ernie” has served in various capacities, including Chairman, and is currently the Board’s Secretary.

In July of 2014, the St. Lawrence County IDA named its first industrial building in Canton the “Ernest J. LaBaff Industrial Building.” Ernie is involved in various community activities, including the Potsdam High School Hall of Fame, the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, VFW, AmVets, Moose, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, and Weller Mountain Hunting Club, just to name a few.

Ernest LaBaff resides in Potsdam, New York.

His current term on the IDA Board expires in September 2026.

Lynn Blevins was appointed to the Board of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency in June 2006 and currently serves as the Agency Board’s Vice Chair. Lynn is the owner of Blevins Brothers, Inc. in Ogdensburg. He is a graduate of SUNY Canton, with an AAS in Engineering. Lynn also serves on the St. Lawrence County Workforce Investment Board and formerly held the Board’s Chairmanship. He is an active partner in economic and workforce development efforts.

Lynn resides in Ogdensburg.

His current term on the IDA Board expires in June 2027.

Mark C. Hall was first appointed a member of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency (SLC-IDA) Board by the St. Lawrence County Legislature in December 2009.

Mr. Hall is a long-serving public servant who has combined his private business management experience and community involvement with his sincere and genuine enthusiasm for governance to improve the quality of life for North Country and NYS Adirondack Park residents, businesses, and visitors.  His continuous public service began in 2002 when he was first elected to the Town of Fine Town Board.  He served as the Fine Town Supervisor from 2007 to 2015, when he retired to pursue other interests.  Mr. Hall also currently serves as an Adirondack Park Agency (APA) Commissioner since first being appointed by the Governor in June 2020 and on the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) Board since first being appointed in February 2022.  He has previously served on the Adirondack Association of Towns & Villages (AATV) Board, the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board (AP-LGRB), and the Clifton-Fine Hospital (CFH) Board.

In his many roles, Mr. Hall has initiated collaborative relationships while being involved in major infrastructure projects that include: spearheading a $2.3 million project removing hazardous waste and industrial blight at the Adirondack Park’s most contaminated site, the former (ceased major operations in 1977) J&L Iron Ore Processing / Benson Mines properties in the Town of Clifton; a three County $11.08 million railroad rehabilitation project improving over 46-miles of short-line rail infrastructure, connecting multiple Adirondack Park “Industrial Classified” properties with the national rail network; and managing an award-winning (American Water Works Association “AWWA 2019 Project of the Year”) $12,308,000 Star Lake Water System Infrastructure Improvement Project (2012-2020) in the St. Lawrence County Towns of Clifton and Fine.  In addition, he has been heavily involved locally with a 2015-2016 Town Government Modernization, Efficiency, and Consolidation study, telecommunication projects, broadband projects, DOS Waterfront Revitalization projects, DEC Smart Growth grants, Restore NY grants, Northern Border grants, and was instrumental with NYS Officials in the effort to convert the Clifton-Fine Hospital from a Public Authority to a Non-Profit organization, enabling the hospital to affiliate with Samaritan Medical Center and remain open today as a Rural Emergency Hospital.

Mr. Hall is currently a NYS DOH Certified “IIA” -Surface Water Filtration Plant Operator, “C”- Groundwater Plant Operator, and “D”-Distribution System Operator employed as the Water Superintendent for the Star Lake Water District in St. Lawrence County since 2007.  Additionally, Mr. Hall is the Men’s & Women’s Assistant Golf Coach at SUNY Canton since 2020 and previously coached High School basketball at Clifton-Fine Central School from 1993-1998.  He previously owned Adirondack Tank Services (1993-2008), an environmental contracting business focused on commercial petroleum storage tanks and oil spill remediation.  Prior to returning to his native Star Lake and starting his own business, Mr. Hall was a manager at Fenley & Nicol Environmental, a Long Island NY-based environmental contracting firm.

His current term expires in December 2027.

Andrew McMahon was appointed to the Board of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency in August 2007.

Mr. McMahon is Superintendent of the Town of Massena Electric Department, one of 47 municipally owned power companies in New York State with a system that covers 131 square miles and provides power to over 9,000 customers. He worked at DuPont and also in various capacities at Duke Energy North America.

He received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Union College in Schenectady and has an extensive background in the energy industry to support economic development.  He is also a member of Rotary International, Vice President for the CITEC Board of Directors, and Chairperson for North Country Savings Bank.

Andy McMahon resides in Massena.

His current term on the IDA Board expires in September 2025.

James Reagen is St. Lawrence County’s Legislative Representative to the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency Advisory Board.  Legislator Reagen was appointed to the IDA Board in February 2019. His legislative district includes a portion of Ogdensburg.

Mr. Reagen worked as a local newspaper reporter and editor for 30 years. From January 2011 – December 2022, he worked on staff for New York State Senator Patti Ritchie’s office and currently owns/operates the Sherman Inn in Ogdensburg. Mr. Reagen is very involved with activities in the local communities, particularly with Kiwanis and Key Club. He is also the author of several North Country History books.

Mr. Reagen resides in Ogdensburg, New York.

His current term on the IDA Board expires in December 2025.

Steven Morrill was appointed to the Board of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency in February 2018.  He operates a family-owned dairy farm, located in Hermon, New York, and brings an extensive background in agriculture.

Mr. Morrill is a graduate of Cornell University and has been employed in the agricultural industry for 28 years. He is a basketball coach at Hermon Dekalb Central School and member of the Farm Credit Advisory Board.

Steven resides with his family in Dekalb Junction.

His current term on the IDA Board expires in February 2027.

Kimberly A. Gilbert was appointed as the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency’s Chief Financial Officer on December 9, 2015. Prior to her appointment as CFO, Kimberly served
the Agency as its Fiscal Manager.

As Chief Financial Officer, she is responsible for the care and custody of all funds of the Agency, and all of the funds administered by the Agency.

Kimberly is a St. Lawrence County native and a graduate of SUNY Canton with a degree in Accounting.

She resides in Hannawa Falls with her husband, Kevin, and their children.