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

NBT Bancorp to close on Salisbury Bancorp acquisition on Aug. 11
NORWICH, N.Y. — NBT Bancorp Inc., (NASDAQ: NBTB) announced it will complete its acquisition of Connecticut–based Salisbury Bancorp, Inc. on Aug. 11, now that it

Moody’s, S&P affirm “stable outlook” for Onondaga County bond ratings
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed Onondaga County’s bond rating of “Aa2” with a stable outlook, and S&P Global Ratings also affirmed its

M&T Bank announces commercial bank hires, promotions
Buffalo — M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) — which ranks No. 1 in deposit market share in the 16-county Central New York region — recently announced a group of leadership updates in its commercial bank unit. The changes include the following promotions and new hires. Tim Gallagher has been named head of commercial real estate (CRE).

Cerminaro named CEO of Community Bank Wealth Management
DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) recently announced that Michael T. Cerminaro has been appointed president and CEO of the Community Bank Wealth Management division of its Community Bank, N.A. banking subsidiary. Cerminaro joins the bank with more than 30 years of experience, having most recently served as market head for the
VIEWPOINT: Check fraud is on the rise
Your bank offers safer ways to pay Recently, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) issued a warning about check fraud and made an unusual request — it asked people to stop sending checks in the mail, and instead look to more secure ways of sending money. For the USPS — which has lost revenue as the

Community Bank System CEO, Tryniski, to retire at year’s end
DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) President/CEO Mark E. Tryniski will retire at the end of this year, and Dimitar A. Karaivanov,

Five Star Bank parent company to pay Q2 dividend in early July
WARSAW, N.Y. — Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank, recently announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 30 cents per common share outstanding. The banking company will pay the second-quarter dividend on July 3, to shareholders of record on June 15. At the banking

Auburn Community Federal Credit Union prepares to open Onondaga County branch
The credit union will announce an opening date and plans for the grand opening soon. ACFCU purchased the 3,100-square-foot former M&T location last November and

Survey: New York state manufacturing activity rises modestly in June
New orders and shipments were again factors as the general business-conditions index of the monthly Empire State Manufacturing Survey bounced back into positive territory in June by climbing 38 points to 6.6. The general business-conditions index is the monthly gauge of New York’s manufacturing sector. It’s been going up and down like a yo-yo the

AmeriCU names Todd to new North Country position
FORT DRUM, N.Y. — AmeriCU Credit Union announced it has appointed Michael Todd as the new small-business relationship manager of the credit union’s North Country
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.