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

SUNY Poly names new chief of staff
MARCY, N.Y. — Wayne Westervelt has joined SUNY Polytechnic Institute as the new chief of staff and VP for external relations. Westervelt brings more than

Ogdensburg realtor named National Association of Realtors Region 2 VP
Jennifer Stevenson, of Ogdensburg, was recently named the 2024 National Association of Realtors (NAR) Region 2 vice president at the recent NAR Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C. NAR regional VPs include 13 elected members who are appointed to oversee the work of the national association in their respective region. NAR’s Region 2 covers New

Cortland County man charged with grand larceny for jet-ski theft
MARATHON, N.Y. — New York State Police in Homer on June 27 arrested Benjamin C. Truitt, age 28 of Marathon, for fourth degree grand larceny, a felony, after he allegedly stole a jet ski and trailer. The State Police say there was a report of a jet ski and trailer stolen in April from outside
Onondaga County hotels post increase in occupancy, other business-performance data in May
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County hotels generated substantial growth in business activity in May in three different benchmarks, according to a recent report. The hotel-occupancy
Broome County hotel occupancy rises slightly in May, other business indicators up strongly
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Broome County hotels registered a small increase in guests in May compared to the year-earlier month, while two other business indicators rose much more substantially. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county edged up 0.5 percent to 62.8 percent in the fifth month of this

New York home sales slide more than 20 percent in May
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York realtors closed on the sale of 8,819 previously owned homes in May, down 20.4 percent from 11,075 existing homes sold in the state in the year-prior month. Pending sales also declined more than 4 percent, foreshadowing further but smaller declines in closed home sales in the next couple of months.

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,

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

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