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

OCC, area hospitals allocated money for health-care projects
ONONDAGA — Onondaga Community College (OCC) is planning renovation work to help students pursuing health-care careers to learn in an environment offering real-life health-care scenarios. “So, our nurses, our physical-therapy assistants, our [radiologic technology] assistants … they’ll all be learning in a co-located space that simulates what they’re going to experience out in the workforce,” […]
Excellus names three new members of senior leadership team
UTICA, N.Y. — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced it has recently appointed three new members of its senior leadership team. Mona Chitre was named president of pharmacy solutions in addition to her role as chief pharmacy officer. In her expanded role, she will focus on delivering clinically sound pharmacy solutions to enable growth and diversification and

Solvay Bank’s Fernandez appointed to Home HeadQuarters board
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Solvay Bank recently announced that Michele Fernandez, VP, enterprise risk manager & CRA officer, has recently been elected to join the Home HeadQuarters Inc. (HHQ) board of directors as a private-sector member. Fernandez joined Solvay Bank in 1991 and leads the bank’s enterprise risk management department. In addition to being elected to

Investment boosts Launch NY program for underserved entrepreneurs
“We’ve historically served about 40% minority- and/or women-led companies, so we are incredibly grateful that JPMorgan Chase recognizes the importance of doing even more to support underrepresented founders,” Marnie LaVigne, president and CEO of Launch NY, said. “We welcome others to join their lead as well, because we know we have only scratched the surface

People news: Preferred Mutual names Donahue director of product and underwriting strategy
NEW BERLIN, N.Y. — Preferred Mutual Insurance Company announced it has appointed Thomas Donahue as director of product and underwriting strategy. In this role, Donahue

Pathfinder Bancorp to pay 4th quarter dividend of 9 cents per share in February
OSWEGO, N.Y. — Pathfinder Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBHC), the bank holding company of Pathfinder Bank, recently declared a quarterly cash dividend of 9 cents a share on its common stock. The fourth quarter 2022 dividend will be payable to all shareholders of record on Jan. 17, and will be paid on Feb. 10, according to

Spotlighting the SBA THRIVE program’s 2022 graduates
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The nine graduates of this year’s SBA THRIVE program in the upstate New York district include small-business owners from Syracuse, Munnsville, Endwell, and Cooperstown. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) THRIVE program seeks to help small businesses grow nationwide. THRIVE, a free national training program, is short for train, hope, rise, innovate,

New year brings new pay-transparency law, minimum wage
The first thing employers should do, if they haven’t done so already, is make sure their employee handbook is up-to-date and includes anything new required under law, says Michael Sciotti, a partner with Barclay Damon LLP in Syracuse. His law practice includes defending employers, business owners, and company managers in all types of discrimination, harassment,

State law sets insurer-coverage requirements for hate crimes
A new state law prohibits insurance companies from canceling insurance, raising premiums, refusing to issue a policy, or declining to renew a policy solely on the basis that one or more claims have been made for a loss that is a result of a hate crime, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced. The new law will

AAA announces new director of branch operations
AAA Western and Central New York has promoted Josie Nicotra to director of branch operations. Over the past eight years, she has held several management roles with AAA, including manager of the Amherst and the Orchard Park travel and insurance centers, the AAA said in a Dec. 5 announcement. In her new role, Nicotra will oversee
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.