Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
VIEWPOINT: Overcoming a Historic Funding Failure for Nursing Homes
As a business leader, can you think of something your business needs to keep its doors open that has increased in price since 2008? Have you increased prices for your products and/or services since 2008? At the start of 2023, the New York State Medicaid program was paying for care for 75 percent of the […]
VIEWPOINT: Awareness and Consciousness
Most of us believe what we see with our own eyes. At the same time, we know that looks can be deceiving. We all have at least some sense of the fallibility of our perception, and a healthy respect for the mysteries we cannot grasp. We often use “awareness” and “consciousness” interchangeably to refer to
Ask Rusty: What If I Delay but Die Before Claiming Social Security?
Dear Rusty: Hypothetically, if I plan to sign up for Social Security at age 70 and pass away before that, I will get nothing. My spouse would still get a boost in the amount she receives because I made more, but everything I put into the program vanishes. I haven’t reached my full retirement age
VIEWPOINT: Plant Closings and Mass Layoffs Under the WARN Act
In a recent decision, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a district court’s ruling that an employer was not subject to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and New York Labor Law § 860 (the WARN Acts) when it closed a buffet restaurant and laid off more than 100 employees. In Roberts v.
VIEWPOINT: Communities benefit when access to financial health is inclusive
For business leaders who have achieved success professionally and personally, the things that come easily to you may seem insurmountable for some of your employees. Whether it’s gaining experience or building credit, getting a first foot on the ladder of success can feel out of reach for many. The Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) tracks household
Ask Rusty: I’m Concerned About Social Security Solvency
Dear Rusty: I retired at age 58. My husband and I worked 40 years of employment each. I had a 401(k) only — no other benefits. We saved, we invested through our financial advisor, and have done okay watching our investments grow (except for the last three years). Neither my husband nor I have taken

VIEWPOINT: We’re Preparing for the Next Chapter in our Economic Story
The Greater Binghamton area is at an inflection point. Despite the national and global challenges of recent years, we have seen several important economic metrics moving in the right direction. But have we succeeded in becoming all that we want to be as a community? There are many definitions of success and I’m sure you’ve
VIEWPOINT: Why Businesses and Families Are Choosing To Relocate To Binghamton
COVID-19 has changed the fabric of daily life in America, reshaping our communities and how we think about the future. The rise of remote work means people, increasingly, can live anywhere. So when it isn’t a job that drives a person’s decision on where to live, what is it? In Binghamton, we’re seeing those answers
STRATEGIC MINUTE: The solution for employee burnout? Proper team structure
The past 10-15 years of business have been dominated by an obsession with efficiency: How can we accomplish more work with fewer employees to save money and maximize profitability? Certainly, continued efforts to reach new levels of efficiency are important to business growth and sustainability. But the most recent three to five years have shown
Ask Rusty: About Social Security Benefits for my Minor Children
Dear Rusty: I will be 62 in 2024 and am considering starting Social Security benefits at that time. I will have two children under the age of 18. One of them will be 10 and the other 15. Will they be able to draw benefits in addition to my benefits? Signed: Father of Two Dear
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.