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

SBA Syracuse-Upstate district office seeks nominations for 2024 National Small Business Week Awards
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse-Upstate New York district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) says it is seeking nominations for the 2024 National
Community Bank Trust Services changes name to Nottingham Trust
DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank Trust Services, the personal trust and custodial services provider subsidiary of Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU), underwent a name change in August to Nottingham Trust. The change comes almost a year after the creation of Nottingham Wealth in late 2022. Nottingham Wealth combined the financial planning and investment capabilities

New York manufacturing activity bounces back in September
The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index rebounded into positive territory by rising 21 points in September to 1.9. The index had plummeted 20 points in August to -19 after declining six points in July to 1.1. The general business-conditions index is the monthly gauge on New York’s manufacturing sector. The September reading —

People news: KeyBank names VP, area retail leader
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Kevin Westcott has joined KeyBank as VP, area retail leader, the bank announced. In this role, he is based in Key’s downtown

People news: AmeriCU names Rome financial center manager
ROME, N.Y. — AmeriCU Credit Union has named Ashten Roberts financial center manager of the credit union’s Rome location in Griffiss Business and Technology Park.

Interest-rate hikes impact Salina 1st project
SYRACUSE — A partner in the Salina 1st project the effort is now working on an updated schedule prompted by all the recent interest-rate increases. The Salina 1st project site is located south of downtown Syracuse at 1081 S. Salina St., across from the JMA Wireless campus. Salina 1st describes itself as Syracuse’s first minority

NBT helps finance growth of housing in Syracuse
SYRACUSE — With housing a top concern in Syracuse now and looking ahead to when Micron arrives, NBT Bank is working with organizations to do its part to alleviate the housing strain. The latest such project, in partnership with Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., is the Creekside Landing project, which will bring about 200 new homes

People news: Jones named chief marketing officer at Five Star Bank
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank, announced that it has hired Blake Jones as its new senior
Onondaga County hotels post positive business data so far in 2023
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County hotels generated solid increases in a trio of indicators of business activity in the first seven months of 2023, according to a recent report. The county’s hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) rose 4.9 percent to 59.3 percent year to date through July, compared to the

Community Bank donates $50K to Oswego Health Foundation Endowment Fund
OSWEGO, N.Y. — DeWitt–based Community Bank (NYSE: CBU) recently donated $50,000 to the Oswego Health Foundation Endowment Fund “to support the fund and the transformation
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.