Warren County EDC Board Names Interim President

The Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporation of Warren County

announced today that board member Jim Siplon has graciously stepped forward to

assist EDC and serve as interim president following the unexpected death of EDC

President Ed Bartholomew last week.

Said EDC Board chair Matthew Fuller: “We know we cannot fill Ed Bartholomew’s shoes

and his legacy will endure here at EDC forever. We also know that, if Ed were here, he

would tell us to keep moving forward and get the work done. Jim Siplon will help our

Board ensure that the many critical economic development projects that Ed was

spearheading continue to move forward. There is so much work to do, and we will do it

together and in Ed’s honor.’’

EDC will begin a search for a new president in the coming months.

“This is a critical time for EDC and our community, especially as we seek to help local

businesses and municipalities recover from the economic damage of COVID-19,’’ said

Mr. Fuller. “That recovery mission was so important to Ed, and we are fortunate to have

in Jim an experienced executive, board member and community leader who can step in

to continue the business-support initiatives and assistance programs that Ed was

leading.’’

“Jim Siplon is a very capable leader, and we look forward to helping him bring to fruition

the many projects Ed was working on,” said Glens Falls Mayor Dan Hall.

“Ed Bartholomew is irreplaceable, and we will feel his absence acutely in the coming

weeks and months. But Warren County is very pleased that EDC is in the capable

hands of Jim Siplon while its Board of Directors works on the next chapter of this

accomplished organization,” said Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore.

Queensbury Supervisor John Strough said he had come to appreciate Mr. Siplon’s

breadth of skills over the past five years through their interactions related to JUST and

more recently EDC. “As Town Supervisor and EDC Board Director, I saw Jim work with

the greater community to create and develop a very unique, now very successful

business, called Just Beverages. He will provide the type of leadership we need to

bridge the EDC to the next level.”

As chief operating officer of JUST, Mr. Siplon led the successful effort to create in Glens

Falls an environmentally sound alternative to bottled water: Spring water drawn from the

Adirondacks and served in 100 percent recyclable plant- and paper-based packaging.

He forged JUST’s first-of-its-kind fair trade water agreement with the City of Glens Falls

and established the company’s headquarters in the repurposed St. Alphonsus Church

on Broad Street. JUST Water now is produced in a new facility in Queensbury and is

sold worldwide. Mr. Siplon completed his work at JUST earlier this year.

Mr. Siplon previously served as the Managing Director of FIJI Water, responsible for

building its tropical-island production to its current world-class output. Upon leaving FIJI,

he led large-scale water efforts in New Zealand, Africa and the United States. He is a

former senior executive at MCI, GE, Roll International and Teleflora. Mr. Siplon also

founded Rethinkh20, a consulting firm that helps large-scale water users reduce water

consumption. Rethink20 helped Cedars Sinai Hospital in water-scarce Los Angeles

conserve 20 million gallons of water annually.

He served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and holds an undergraduate degree in

astrophysics from Utah State University and an MBA from Boston University. He and his

wife Susan reside in Glens Falls.

“I look forward to the challenge of continuing Ed’s work, but no one will replace Ed. The

best we can do is emulate him,” said Mr. Siplon. “Ed knew more about economic

development in New York State than anyone I know. I particularly admired his ability to

get things done through intellect, his connections with people at every level of

government, and sheer force of will. I look forward to working with EDC’s great staff

and my colleagues on the board.”

For More Information:

Matthew Fuller, Chair Board of Directors

Warren County EDC

(518) 668-2199

Jim Siplon

(518) 761-6007