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

Five Star Bank parent reports Q3 net income jumped 52 percent
WARSAW, N.Y. — Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank, recently reported net income of nearly $20.5 million in the third quarter of this year, up 52 percent from almost $13.5 million in the third quarter of 2024. The company, in its Oct. 23 earnings report, cited strong performance in each […]

Corning Inc. donates $185K to school food centers in Chemung and Steuben Counties
CORNING, N.Y. — Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) has awarded a $185,000 grant to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier to support eight school food centers in Chemung and Steuben counties. Each school will receive $22,500 to sustain school-based food pantries, with an additional $5,000 allocated for project management, Corning Inc. said in an Oct.

Tompkins Chamber names new VP who will help lead key initiatives
ITHACA, N.Y. — The Tompkins Chamber recently announced it has chosen Rob Montana to serve as its new vice president. Montana has 25 years of community-focused experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, and organizational leadership, including the last four years as communications manager for Visit Ithaca, a division of Tompkins Chamber. His ability to foster strong

Dominican-style fried chicken restaurant formally opens in Utica
UTICA, N.Y. — Downtown Utica has a popular new fast food, fried chicken restaurant with the formal opening of Equis Pica Pollo. The Dominican-style fried-chicken restaurant officially opened a new location at 1155 Mohawk St., Suite 10, with an Oct. 9 ribbon-cutting event held with the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce. The restaurant opened to

Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO) — the Florida–based parent of Brown & Brown of New York, Inc., which has an office in Syracuse — recently announced that its board of directors has increased its regular quarterly cash dividend by 10 percent. The insurance-brokerage firm will pay a dividend of 16.5 cents per share on

Kotlikoff formally inaugurated as Cornell’s 15th president
ITHACA, N.Y.— Michael I. Kotlikoff was officially installed as Cornell University’s 15th president in a Friday, Oct. 24 ceremony in Barton Hall on the university’s campus. Kotlikoff had been appointed as Cornell president back on March 21, after having served as interim president since July 2024. The inauguration event followed a dinner for Cornell trustees,

VIEWPOINT: From Startup to Long-Term Success: How SBA Loans Can Help Businesses Grow
The journey to becoming a small-business owner is challenging yet rewarding. Each stage of this endeavor has opportunities and obstacles — from planning and development to launch and expansion. Fortunately, there are valuable resources available to support and empower entrepreneurs along the way. When you’re ready to scale your business, a loan with support from

VIEWPOINT: In Fight Over ACA Tax Credits, the Stakes are Lowest for NYS
As Washington, D.C. skirmishes over the future of enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), New York State (NYS) has relatively little to gain or lose. The number of New Yorkers using any ACA credits, enhanced or not, stands at about 119,000 or 0.6 percent of the population, the lowest proportion of any
VIEWPOINT: Navigating the Shift from FIRE to IRIS
IRS changes for Forms 1098, 1099, and other information returns If your business files Form 1098, 1099, or other information returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a major shift is on the horizon. The IRS has recently announced the launch of its new Information Return Intake System (IRIS), which is set to go live

Drakos Urgent Care opens new location in Camillus
CAMILLUS, N.Y. — Drakos Urgent Care says it has opened an urgent-care center in Camillus, representing its third location providing urgent-care services. Drakos Urgent Care
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.