Tupper Lake hemlock cone

Investing in the people and potential of Tupper Lake

Tupper Community Builders connects young residents with skilled trades and career pathways and works to ensure that Tupper Lake continues to be a place people choose to stay, return to, and call home.

Tupper Lake  ·  Adirondacks  ·  New York

Community-driven. Future-focused.

Tupper Community Builders formed to invest in the people and potential of Tupper Lake on two fronts: connecting young residents with skilled trades and the career pathways needed to fill critical regional jobs — in fields ranging from construction and engineering to healthcare and life sciences — and strengthening the community itself so that Tupper Lake continues to be a place people choose to stay, return to, and call home.

We believe that workforce opportunity and community vitality reinforce each other, and that building both is the surest path to lasting growth.

TCB is a nonprofit in formation, operating under fiscal sponsorship and in partnership with Adirondack Community Foundation, led by a volunteer Steering Committee of Tupper Lake residents.

Workforce & Career Pathways

Connecting young residents with trades careers and the pathways needed to fill critical regional jobs — in construction, engineering, healthcare, and beyond.

Young Resident Retention

Building the conditions that make Tupper Lake a place people are proud to call home — whether they choose to stay, return or discover new futures here.

Community Project Facilitation

Identifying and facilitating projects that strengthen the social and economic fabric of our community.

Rooted in Tupper Lake. Committed to its future.

TCB operates with a lean, focused structure: a contracted Executive Director, a volunteer Steering Committee serving as local advisors and community champions, and a growing network of school, workforce, and philanthropic partners.

Leadership
Adam Boudreau
Chair & Founder
Kentile Excavating
A lifelong Tupper Lake resident and owner of Kentile Excavating, Adam founded Tupper Community Builders to invest in the next generation of local tradespeople and allow talented young people to find the jobs they need to stay in the community they love.
Lisa Gillis
Steering Committee Member
Former TLCSD Guidance Counselor & Realtor
Lisa brings firsthand knowledge of student pathways and the Tupper Lake housing and community landscape, with strong local networks built over decades of service at the school.
Amanda Lizotte
Steering Committee Member
Lizotte Logging
Amanda is a business owner, community volunteer and Tupper Lake parent with deep ties to the multigenerational working families who power the local economy.
Joe Salamy
Steering Committee Member
J. Salamy Carpentry
Joe is a trades contractor who has been an early adopter of AI in the trades, with a clear-eyed view of how fully integrating technology can grow the sector.
Larry Richards
Steering Committee Member
Richards Logging
Larry brings the perspective of the region's independent business community and a deep knowledge of the state's wood products ecosystem and trades economy.
Staff
Melissa McManus
Executive Director
Melissa McManus LLC
Melissa leads TCB's day-to-day operations and partnerships, bringing her love of Tupper Lake, two decades of connections in the community, and funding acquisition, project management and organizational skills to Tupper Community Builders.

Tech Room Transformation

TCB's inaugural project puts our mission into action — transforming the Tupper Lake Central School District's existing Tech Room into a modern, fully equipped trades learning environment. Students will gain hands-on experience in construction and related fields, with direct connections to local contractors and trades career pathways.

$82,500
Three-year grant commitment from Generous Acts and Aseel Legacy Fund at Adirondack Community Foundation
TLCSD
Tupper Lake Central School District — project host and educational partner
$65,000+
In pledged donated materials and services from 18 local businesses — led by Tupper Lake's trades contractors, supplemented by regional professionals and suppliers who support the trades community

Illuminating Career Pathways

TCB is working with Tupper Lake Central School District personnel to strengthen the school-to-employment pathway connecting Tupper Lake students with skilled careers — mapping current TLCSD programs, enhancing messaging, and developing apprenticeship and mentorship opportunities to link students with employers and training resources in the region.

This pathway building will expand over time, reaching beyond the trades into other regional career opportunities for Tupper Lake youth.

Funded by Adirondack Community Foundation and sponsored by Franklin County Economic Development Corporation

Let's build something together.

Whether you're a funder, contractor, educator, or community member who wants to get involved, we'd love to hear from you.

Send us a message:

info@tuppercommunitybuilders.org
Location
Tupper Lake, New York