Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.

M&T announces expanded role for René Jones, names CFO successor
BUFFALO, N.Y. — M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) announced today that Vice Chairman René F. Jones will take on new managerial responsibilities effective May 2.

People news: Unity House promotes program manager to director position
AUBURN, N.Y — Unity House of Cayuga County, Inc. announced it has promoted Allie MacPherson to director of Grace House from program manager. Unity House

Paradigm Consulting receives WBE certification
UTICA, N.Y. — Laurie Schoen, president and CEO, and Amy Mielnicki, executive VP, of Paradigm Consulting, Inc., recently announced that their firm has been granted

Bergmann Associates has hired ELENA MOXON as an administrative assistant in the firm’s Horseheads office. Before joining Bergmann, she worked at Iowa Concrete Paving Association

Zausmer-Frisch, Scruton & Aggarwal, Designers/Builders of Syracuse announced that TIESHA MCNEAL has joined its design team. She is a graduate of the Syracuse University School
Erie Materials has promoted MIKE KELSALL to general manager and promoted TRACY NOBLE to operations manager of the company’s Syracuse sales location. Kelsall was most
VIP Structures has added two new construction team members. CHRISTINE STEVENS joins VIP as project executive. She has spent the last eight years working in

MARK ABDALLA has joined Strategic Financial Services, Inc. of Utica as a research analyst. He is a Carnegie Mellon University graduate with a bachelor’s degree

Harmony Financial Services, an office of MetLife, has appointed ROBERT A. ROLFE as MPCG financial planner. He has worked in the financial-services industry since 1994.

St. Joseph’s Health recently named JAMIE ARNOLD communications and marketing officer for the nonprofit regional health-care system. In this capacity, he will oversee all marketing,