LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Lou Santoni upon the occasion of his
retirement after 41 years of distinguished service to the Greater Bing-
hamton Chamber of Commerce

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and honor
those distinguished citizens who demonstrate great courage and diligence
in providing for the care and welfare of the citizens of their communi-
ties and this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Lou
Santoni upon the occasion of his retirement after 41 years of distin-
guished service to the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce; he will
officially retire in April of 2016; and
WHEREAS, A life-long resident of the Southern Tier, Lou Santoni joined
the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce in 1974 as an on-the-job
training counselor; in the mid-1980s, he became Vice-President of
Economic Development after the chamber merged its Industrial Development
Department with the Convention and Visitors Bureau; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, Lou Santoni has contributed greatly to commu-
nity life and the local economy; he oversaw the opening of the Gateway
Information Center on Interstate 81 in 1995, and served as the chamber's
Senior Vice President and Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau
and Gateway during the late 1990s; and
WHEREAS, In 2008, this esteemed civic leader was named permanent Pres-
ident and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of
Commerce after serving three times in an interim executive role; and
WHEREAS, During his illustrious tenure, President and CEO Lou Santoni
expertly fulfilled the various wide-ranging responsibilities of his
office while directing the 800 members and 20 employees of various cham-
ber divisions including the Gateway Information Center, Convention and
Visitors Bureau, and the Greater Binghamton Education and Outreach
Program; and
WHEREAS, Lou Santoni has been called upon to contribute his time and
talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always given
of himself unstintingly; he is a past President and past Treasurer of
the New York State Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and a
former President of the Central New York Tourism Region; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Lou Santoni has served on the board for the
Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena, and the Children's Home;
currently, he serves as a member of the Southern Tier Regional Economic
Development Council; and
WHEREAS, In his official acts, Lou Santoni was governed by a keen
sense of duty and always showed a unique grasp of human problems, earn-
ing him the admiration, esteem and affection of his colleagues; and
WHEREAS, The quality and character of life in this Nation, and in the
great State of New York, is reflective of the purposeful lives and good
works of those civic-minded community members who dedicate their lives
and careers to the service of others; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when civic
leaders of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Lou Santoni upon the occasion of his retirement after 41 years of
distinguished service to the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, and
to wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Lou Santoni.