Jayme B. Lahut

Jayme Lahut was appointed to the Board of Directors in June 2017 and elected Chairman in 2019. Jayme was the first Executive Director of the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority in 1999. Under his leadership, Metroplex has awarded $175 million in financial assistance for capital projects. Downtown revitalization projects alone have built, reconstructed and adaptively reused more than 1,500,000 square feet of new and renovated space for arts, entertainment, and cultural activities; commercial, office, and retail uses adding 5,000 jobs.

A native of Troy, he brings 30 years of progressive experience and broad-based achievement in economic and community development.

His background includes experience gained at the State and County levels. At New York State, he served as an Assistant Commissioner at the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (now Homes and Community Renewal), and as Project Manager at the Urban Development Corporation (now Empire State Development Corporation). At the County level, he has worked in Rensselaer and Columbia counties in economic development.

He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Union College in 1983, and a Master of Arts in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Chicago in 1985.