Charles Cornell

About the SUNY Fredonia Center for Innovation and Economic Development (CIED)

A Certified Business Incubator Manager, Chuck Cornell has led the Center for Innovation and Economic Development, formerly the Fredonia Technology Incubator, at the State University of New York at Fredonia since 2014. Prior to his appointment as Director of the Incubator, he served as the Director of the Center for Regional Advancement (CRA) at SUNY Fredonia (2008-2014) where he directed projects that enhanced regional economic vitality through community engagement. In 2019, Cornell was assigned oversight of Fredonia’s economic development programs, including StartUp NY. 

Cornell earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany. Following his graduate work, Cornell was selected to serve in the New York State Senate Postgraduate Fellowship program. He is a graduate of SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. He earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Jamestown Community College. He earned his Business Incubation Management Certificate from the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA). 

As an adjunct faculty member of Fredonia and Jamestown Community College, he has instructed courses in Professional Business Selling, Entrepreneurship, Public Speaking, American Politics, Interpersonal Communications, Business Pathways to Success, Business Communications, Media and Politics, New York Government, and Environmental Policy. Cornell serves as the campus representative for StartUp NY and serves on the American Democracy Project. He also served as co-chair of Fredonia’s Carnegie Classification Task Force. 

Cornell currently serves on the Chautauqua County Land Bank Board of Directors. He was Chairman of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities and was also on the board of the Dunkirk Local Development Corporation (DLDC). He is a member of the Chautauqua Leadership Network (CLN) Class of 2014. Cornell has also served on the boards of the Chautauqua County Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force, the Greater Jamestown Empire Zone, the Manufacturing Technology Institute, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), and the Chautauqua County Parks Commission. He was an ex-officio member of Northside PRIDE, a grassroots neighborhood revitalization group in Jamestown that he founded. Cornell served as a mentor to finalists in New York State’s 76 West Clean Energy Business Competition from 2016-2019. He was also a member of the Chautauqua County Growing Food Connections Steering Committee. Serving two terms in the Chautauqua County Legislature representing the City of Jamestown’s north side, Cornell served as Chair of the Planning and Economic Development Committee, a member of the Audit and Control Committee, and Majority Leader. Prior to his election he served as Clerk of the Chautauqua County Legislature. While living in Washington, D.C., he was on the staff of U.S. Senator Carl Levin of Michigan and U.S. Representative Paul Kanjorski of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Cornell resides in Bemus Point NY with his wife, Lori, and sons Ben, Nate, Zach and Nick.