Celebrating a Legacy, Sharing Our Impact

On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, OneROC welcomed partners from across Greater Rochester to Oak Hill Country Club for a special reception honoring former Board Chair and current Chair Emeritus Rob Sands.

The evening recognized Rob's contributions to economic development and regional leadership, including his instrumental role in founding ROC2025, now OneROC. During the reception, he was presented with a joint proclamation from City of Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello in recognition of his many years of extraordinary commitment and service.

The evening also marked the release of OneROC's 2025–2026 Impact Report.

The report highlights the progress made over the past year across OneROC's portfolio of regional initiatives, from advancing the Regional Revitalization Partnership and NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub to supporting downtown, business attraction and expansion, regional talent strategy, promoting the Greater ROC region, and fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.

These accomplishments belong to many organizations and countless individuals. OneROC's role is to help bring those efforts together, ensuring that our collective impact is greater than the sum of its parts.

As we celebrate Rob Sands' legacy, we are equally excited about what comes next. The challenges and opportunities facing our region continue to evolve, but the collaborative model he helped establish remains as relevant today as ever.

We are grateful to Rob for his vision and leadership, to our Board of Directors for their continued guidance, and to the many partners who choose every day to work together on behalf of Greater Rochester.

More photos here.