MONTICELLO – The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development has announced that Dr. Theresa Hamlin, President and CEO of the Center for Discovery, will be honored as the 2026 Walter A. Rhulen Award recipient at this year’s Annual Meeting on October 8th at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello.

The prestigious Rhulen Award recognizes an individual or individuals for business excellence, community commitment, and service to humanity.

Dr. Hamlin has dedicated her life to the mission of the Center for Discovery, a New York State-designated Center of Excellence recognized for its work with children and adults who have complex developmental disabilities, including autism and mental frailty. With 43 years of service, Dr. Hamlin has been instrumental in advancing innovative models of care that integrate health, education, and research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. She is the author of Autism and The Stress Effect, a widely regarded guide for parents and educators and the architect of SynergyE6, an evidence-based whole-body approach to teaching and care.

With an employee population soon to reach 2,000 workers, The Center for Discovery is the largest employer in Sullivan County and one of the largest in the Hudson Valley region. In 2024 alone, the Center generated $243 million in total economic output with operating expenditures of over $151.8 million and $9.2 million in construction and capital investments, the majority of which stayed in New York State and the Hudson Valley region. The Center continues to innovate and invest in its program with the opening of its Children’s Specialty Hospital and soon its Transitional Living Community at the very facility where Walter A. Rhulen ran Frontier Insurance many years ago. “The Center for Discovery has been a pillar of the Sullivan County community since its inception nearly 80 years ago,” said Michael Zalkin, Chairman of the Sullivan County Partnership Board of Directors. “Its world-renowned critical care and research for children and adults with mental disabilities and its impact on the Sullivan County economy have been profound” he added.

Additionally, the Partnership will recognize Fred Stabbert III as its Distinguished Service Award winner.

Fred Stabbert III is the current publisher of the Democrat now entering its 137^th year of publication, with the Stabbert family running the community paper for 100 of those years. Fred has been elected to the board of the Partnership for over three decades, serving as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary as well as Chairman of the Marketing Committee, and serving on various other committees to support the mission of the Sullivan County Partnership. He served as Chairman during the organization’s most trying times and continues his service to this day. “Fred has been a staunch supporter of the Partnership and a calming influence during his long tenure. His thoughtfulness of others both on the board, the community at large and his cheerleading for all things Sullivan County is truly cherished,” said Marc Baez, President and CEO of the Partnership. 

The Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 8^th at Resorts World Catskills from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. To RSVP or to become a sponsor, call 845.794.1110 or email Jen Cassaro at cassaro.jen@scpartnership.com.