Biography

Steve Yurgartis (age 57) was elected Mayor of the Village of Potsdam in November 2011. He started village service as a member of Potsdam Planning Board, joining in 2005. He also served as chair of the 2006 Village Comprehensive Plan Committee. From December 2007-2011 he served as a Village Trustee. He has been involved in the relicensing of hydroelectric projects on the Raquette River, co-founding the North Country Raquette River Advocates to represent local interests in the license negotiations. He first discovered Potsdam as a Clarkson University student in 1976. He went on to graduate school, receiving his MS degree from Stanford and PhD from RPI, with a stint working for Bell Labs. In 1988 he returned to teach at Clarkson. He is an associate professor of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. His wife, Pam, is active in many community groups, a past president the Potsdam Library Board and now president of the Potsdam Holiday Fund. They have raised three sons, Ben, Greg, and Tom, all still living in the North Country.

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Downloadable photograph for the press