Doug Hoffman

Doug Hoffman is a product of upstate New York. The second of four children, he was raised by a single mother in Saranac Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Park. At an early age Doug started working to help his mother pay the bills. By the time he was fourteen he was pumping gas at a local service station and in his free time he’d help out the mechanics. Before he turned sixteen he had totally rebuilt a 1955 Chevrolet which was to be was to become his first car and the first example of the grit, determination, and “can do” attitude that has led Doug through life. Though he graduated near the top of his class at Saranac Regional High, his future looked bleak. He simply could not afford the cost of a college education, but local business and civic leaders believed in him and soon raised the scholarship money he needed. Over the course of his undergraduate career Doug attended North Country Community College, SUNY Canton and graduated in 1973 from SUNY Plattsburgh with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. While attending college Doug had enlisted in the Army serving as a member of the New York State National Guard from 1970 – 1973 and the U.S. Army Reserves from 1973 -1976 He held the rank of Staff Sergeant at the time of his discharge. "Upon graduation from Plattsburgh, Doug set off with his new wife, Carol, for Hartford, Connecticut, having accepted a position with Price-Waterhouse & Company. The ensuing years were busy ones, with Doug effectively balancing a demanding career with his obligation to the U.S. Army Reserves. During these years Carol gave birth to their first two children, (Ashleah and Douglas), while Doug continued his education as a part-time student, earning an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Connecticut (1976) and his certification as a CPA (1977)." In 1977 Doug and his family returned to the North Country for a new job as Assistant Controller for the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Organizing Committee. On his first day on the job his boss quit and at 27 years old Doug assumed the position of Corporate Controller, overseeing a budget of $150 million and eventually 2,500 employees and 6000 volunteers. After the completion of the Olympics, Doug managed to negotiate the purchase of a local accounting firm and thus launch his career as CPA, entrepreneur and civic leader. Today, 29 years later, Doug is a Managing Partner of Dragon Benware Crowley & Co. ( www.dragonbenware.com ) with five offices across the North Country and oversees Hoffman Family Enterprise ( www.hoffmanfamilyenterprises.com ) a diverse group of companies involved in Investments, Real Estate, Construction, Hospitality and Tourism in and around the Lake Placid/Saranac Lake area. Over the years Doug has played an active leadership role in his community donating time, energy, and wisdom to such organizations as the: Adirondack Medical Center, Adirondack Medical Center Foundation, Olympic Regional Development Authority, North Country Community College, Adirondack Economic Development Corporation, Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau, Lake Placid Fire Department, North Elba/Essex County Republican Committee, Lake Placid Lions Club and the Adirondack Community Methodist Church.