Jeff Belt Recipient of the 2012 Brooks Patterson Community Leadership Award

The Cattaraugus County Planning Board, at its July 25thAnnual Dinner Meeting, presented the 2012 Brooks Patterson Community Leadership Awardto Jeff Beltfor his outstanding leadership in community involvement and economic development in the City of Olean and Cattaraugus County. The meeting was held at the Cattaraugus County Olean Airport in Ischua with 88 people in attendance.

The recipients of this annual award are chosen to give Countywide recognition to leaders and volunteers who make lasting contributions to the people and communities of Cattaraugus County and its region and who exemplify the outstanding spirit and example that Torrance Brooks and Donald Patterson set during their lifetime of dedicated service to their respective communities, County Legislature, County Planning Board, and regional agencies.

Jeff is the President of SolEpoxy, Inc., of Olean, which was founded in 2010 by Western New York investors who admired the remarkable legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship that endured at the Olean Hysol R&D and Manufacturing Center. Some of Jeff's community involvements are: 1) SolEpoxy supported the improvements to Haggerty Field at Hysol Parkwith nearly $10,000 so that the JCC Women's Softball Team could have a home field that met college softball standards. 2) Jeff commissioned and funded the study of existing conditions on Olean's main commercial thoroughfare and recommended a plan of action, called Walkable Olean, to revitalize the downtown. 3) Jeff championed the importance of street treesin the City of Olean and donated $10,000 to begin replanting tree lawns between sidewalks and curbs throughout the City and 4) SolEpoxy is supporting innovations in educationat the Southern Tier Catholic School and Archbishop Walsh Academy by sponsoring the third grade classroom-of-the-future with a $20,000 gift.

Jeff states,

"I am committed to supporting projects in the community and in education that will make Olean more attractive to people desiring to stay or move here. We need to attract and retain brilliant people to our growing company and community. Being able to offer a few excellent choices in education for children will help us and other employers attract and retain talented young employees."