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

TC3, Syracuse University sign transfer agreement
DRYDEN, N.Y. — Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) and Syracuse University (SU) on Tuesday announced a new transfer agreement that provides TC3 graduates a direct

Ithaca startup REEgen wins $150K in FuzeHub competition
ITHACA, N.Y. — REEgen, a biomining startup based in Ithaca, has won the grand prize of $150,000 in FuzeHub’s 2025 commercialization competition. The contest was held as part of the New York State Innovation Summit in Rochester in late October. FuzeHub is an Albany–based nonprofit that is focused on empowering small and medium-sized manufacturing and

NNY Community Foundation names 2025-2026 Youth Philanthropy Council
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — The Northern New York (NNY) Community Foundation recently announced its 2025-2026 Youth Philanthropy Council class, welcoming 12 new and five returning students to the leadership program. The Youth Philanthropy Council is a NNY Community Foundation advisory committee that was chartered in 2010 to promote positive youth development and engage young people in

Seen Nutrition of Ithaca awarded $500,000 in Grow-NY competition
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Seen Nutrition of Ithaca won $500,000 in the seventh annual Grow-NY agribusiness competition held Nov. 12-13 in Canandaigua. Seen Nutrition is a food-tech startup in the menopause market, initially focused on bone health, with a patented dietary calcium chew made with dairy produced in Central New York, as described in the Nov.

WNY health insurer affiliates with MVP Health Care
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — A Western New York health plan is affiliating with Schenectady–based MVP Health Care. Independent Health will join MVP’s family of companies, subject to regulatory approvals. The boards of directors of both organizations unanimously approved the transaction, per MVP’s Nov. 18 announcement. Neither health insurer released financial terms of their agreement. In their

DEC announces land acquisition to preserve more than 3,300 acres in Herkimer County
SALISBURY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Oct. 22 announced the acquisition of 3,387 acres of forest and wetlands located in the towns of Salisbury and Norway in Herkimer County. The parcel, purchased from the Open Space Institute (OSI), will be managed for forest products, expanded recreational access, protection
Oneida County hotel business benchmarks improve in October
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County hotels posted an increase in a trio of three key indicators of business performance in October. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms

Utica First Insurance Company readies for leadership transition
UTICA, N.Y. — Utica First Insurance Company will have a new president and CEO when the calendar turns to 2026. Ryan Fleming will succeed retiring president and CEO Scott Shatraw. The firm announced Fleming’s appointment on Sept. 16. Fleming joined Utica First Insurance in 2024 as VP of marketing and agencies and has “demonstrated his

Fire crews battle another fire at Novelis plant in Scriba
SCRIBA, N.Y. — Fire crews from across Oswego County responded to another fire at the Oswego operations of Novelis in the town of Scriba. Atlanta,

UTICA, N.Y. — The City of Utica is seeking state funding for downtown-improvement projects from two New York programs focusing on such projects. The city
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.