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

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

Northeast Grocery completes executive team
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI) says it has completed its executive team with the promotion of John Persons to the role of chief operating officer (COO) and a couple of other personnel moves. NGI is the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets. Persons has spent 39 years with Tops,

Avalon’s new CEO leads firm with fast-growing cyber division
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — After joining the business a few years ago as COO, Jon Bates is now leading Avalon as the firm’s CEO. The Syracuse–based company announced the promotion on May 22. JP Midgley, who previously was Avalon CEO, stepped down from the position in April and will now serve on Avalon’s board of directors

Zero trust, MDR add strength to cybersecurity efforts
ROME, N.Y. — This spring, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released recommendations regarding zero trust, an approach to cybersecurity that limits access to data, networks, and infrastructure to only what is minimally required. On top of that, the legitimacy of user access must be continuously verified. The approach is a tool businesses may

Comptroller: State needs to better protect water supply against cyberattacks
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s Department of Health (DOH) and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) can do more to protect the state’s water systems from cyberattacks, terrorism, and the threats posed by natural disasters like storms. That’s according to an audit that New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released June 27. “New

Digital literacy summer program for students includes cybersecurity
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — AT&T (NYSE: T), Syracuse University, Tech4kidz and the Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School plan to host a free digital literacy and education summer program. The AT&T ‘Cuse Youth Digital Ambassador program seeks to address equity issues in technology education and careers, “while supporting local students impacted by the digital divide by

New dean of Syracuse University’s iSchool has Upstate connections
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — He was educated in the Capital Region and previously worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Andrew Sears will soon begin his time as dean of the Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool). Sears’ appointment, which was approved by the executive committee of the Syracuse University board of trustees, begins
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

Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO), the Florida–based insurance-brokerage parent of Syracuse–based Brown & Brown Empire State, recently announced it has appointed Barry Hensley as chief security officer (CSO) and Rob Burch as chief information security officer (CISO). “With the addition of a CSO role and the talents of Barry and Rob, Brown & Brown
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.