Com·mu·ni·ty (noun): a group of people who come together for a common purpose
For Stacey Duncan, there’s nothing more important than the community she calls home. From walking the halls of Maine-Endwell in the early 90’s, to working with small businesses and major corporations today, it’s a value and life lesson this 1993 grad has always held onto. As the CEO of both The Agency (Broome County IDA/LDC) and the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, Duncan has dedicated her life to making Broome County a premier destination, while celebrating all the traditions and staples that make our community special.
“My role has afforded me the opportunity to work on behalf of our community now, but also to create a healthy economy for future generations. I want to see the M-E students that are in school now have a wealth of job opportunities here when they graduate. I want them to know that they can stay here and have a great career in whatever they choose to do,” said Duncan.
When Duncan wasn’t playing field hockey as a Spartan, or attending football and basketball games with friends, she was editing the school newspaper – an activity that supported her love for research and writing. She credits Maine-Endwell for providing her with endless opportunities, while helping encourage and support her interests.
“My time at Maine Endwell meant so much. It was the place that helped shape my values and relationships. I gained a diversity of perspective from my teachers and had the opportunity to be pursue so many things that interested me,” said Duncan.
Following graduation as part of the class of ‘93, Duncan attended St. Bonaventure. After crossing the stage with her diploma as a Bonnie, she originally set her sights on law school, later shifting her focus to Binghamton University. It was there where Duncan would earn the distinct honor of being a part of one of the first classes of B-U’s then brand-new Masters in Public Administration program, where she also served as a Teacher’s Assistant. When it came time to look for an internship, she landed a job in government relations, working for the Chamber of Commerce. That was where it all began.
“This was an open door to learning about our community and working on behalf of businesses to create a healthy economic climate,” said Duncan.
For Duncan, it was a job that supported many of the interests she developed at Maine-Endwell.
“It is a good deal of finance, real estate, analytical thinking, politics, research and communications. All the things I love,” said Duncan.
The 1993 grad would later move to the local IDA, now known as “The Agency” where she’s been ever since. Today, this one-time intern can now call herself the CEO of both The Agency and the Chamber of Commerce. Her mission remains; highlighting her community, while making sure Broome County remains a great place to work, live, and raise a family for generations to come.
“My role has afforded me the opportunity to work on behalf of our community now, but also to create a healthy economy for future generations. I want to see the M-E students that are in school now have a wealth of job opportunities here when they graduate. I want them to know that they can stay here and have a great career in whatever they choose to do,” said Duncan.
As a student in the 90’s, Duncan remembers the hard times our community faced.
“I was in high school when we saw jobs leaving, and there was a lot of uncertainty about the future. My generation was actively encouraged to leave. Can you believe that? I watched as people lost optimism about being here and investing in our community and it really bothered me. I realize now how the connection to my time at Maine-Endwell set me up to do the kind of work that I’m doing now,” said Duncan.
From that point on, Duncan was inspired to think boldly and do the hard work of trying to make generational change. Today, leading The Agency and the Chamber of Commerce, that’s exactly what she’s doing.
“We’re addressing a lot of disinvestment, whether it be through the redevelopment of places like the former Oakdale Mall, by turning old EJ buildings into housing rather than tearing them down, and trying to create areas for new investment to come in and create job opportunities for our young people. I truly feel like it is a full-circle moment. When I hear my kids say that they can see themselves staying here and building a life, it is so wonderful. But that wasn’t always the case. We can’t take that for granted,” said Duncan.
Duncan encourages students of today to not be afraid to veer off their path a bit. One dream could lead to another, and before you know it, you may find your passion where you’d least expect it.
“Very rarely is your path a straight line. It’s the areas that you think are outside of what you want to do that you often find most rewarding. I am not in the profession that I thought I’d be in 7th grade or 11th grade, but every day I get to use skills that encompass all of the things that I wanted to do in those years, and Maine Endwell provided that opportunity to me,” said Duncan.
She continued, “Just focus on doing it well and opportunities will find you. Hard work does get rewarded. I would also say to be patient. I see so many recent college graduates, or young men and women in their early twenties that want to find the “perfect job,” or have the perfect opportunity and put a lot of pressure on themselves to find that right away. Your professional life, like your personal life, is ever evolving. Focus on learning new things, pursuing what makes you feel most like you, if that makes sense, and I promise you will be successful,” said Duncan.
Today, Duncan and her family are proud Spartans, once again living in the Maine-Endwell community; a community she credits with inspiring her to this day.