The story of local rental website, OrangeHousing.com

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As a property manager in Syracuse, during the late 1990s, Donna Glassberg noticed a problem that needed a solution. Renters struggled to find housing in an easy, accessible way. While walking in her Syracuse University neighborhood, Glassberg would see cars pulled off to the side of the road, with people writing numbers off the for-rent […]

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As a property manager in Syracuse, during the late 1990s, Donna Glassberg noticed a problem that needed a solution. Renters struggled to find housing in an easy, accessible way.

While walking in her Syracuse University neighborhood, Glassberg would see cars pulled off to the side of the road, with people writing numbers off the for-rent signs plastered on the sides of the buildings. She thought this was a terribly inefficient way to find housing for students and faculty moving to the area. Since she was immersed in the industry and understood the process well, Glassberg knew she could create something that would help both her employers and her renters to connect in a more efficient way.

A change was needed, and Donna knew she could make that change. Her son was 10 years old at the time and he was learning how to make a simple website. He explained to his mother that his friends would be able to see this website from their own homes. This was a novel concept since during this time period there were only about 200,000 websites around. The innovation process began for Donna and she thought, “I could create a website that could be the answer to the problem I wanted to solve.” She launched her website before Google and before smart phones, so this was quite an innovative concept. She wasn’t even sure how renters would find the site.

Find the site they did, and OrangeHousing.com became the first rental website in Syracuse, exploding with popularity. Within in a month, the Syracuse University chancellor’s office called to ask what exactly this website was and if they would be allowed to link to it for the entire university community to see. After a short period of time, more links were made to SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), Onondaga Community College (OCC), SUNY Upstate Medical University, and Le Moyne College.

As the market changed, Glassberg started to notice another potential problem. She was limiting her audience. She needed to start marketing her website to more than just students and faculty looking for housing in Syracuse. So, OrangeHousing.com diversified and began opening the site up to young professionals wanting to rent in Syracuse. The thought was: Why just cater to one demographic? There were many who needed this service.

The competition has definitely increased globally with over 2 billion websites, and many national rent sites with which OrangeHousing.com must compete. But that is not affecting OrangeHousing.com too much since Glassberg continues to stay one step ahead of the trends. The site is constantly drawing new property managers and owners posting the openings they have. Using a local phone number instead of an 800 number works to her advantage. People want that personalized service, that human connection; and that is what Glassberg offers. A personal feature the site provides is a list of resources that new residents might need such as identifying an eye doctor, where to get winter clothing, and whatever other local services the renters have questions about.

It is quite remarkable that this small website that was formed in 1997 is not only in operation to this day but it is still the go-to for many newcomers to the area. Glassberg credits this to the fact that she is not afraid to look for assistance with her business. “Seeking out help from others, like Melissa Zomro Davis at SBDC, is beneficial to one’s business even if you have been running a successful business” says Glassberg.

To keep it successful, a business owner must observe his or her surroundings. What is the environment of the industry? How can a business run better? Constant evaluation of what the clients’ needs are is one way to continue to grow. As the demand changes, the business must change. Having a growth plan is a great way to ensure that your business stays in the forefront of the industry.

Donna Glassberg has no intention of settling with where she is at now. She is always looking to the future. Her latest growth plan involved obtaining her Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification so that she would be more of a benefit to her strategic partners, such as SU, ESF, OCC, Upstate Medical, and Le Moyne, who all value working with minority and women owned business enterprises (MWBEs).

I referred Donna to Lamont Mitchell, who oversees the MWBE certification for the city of Syracuse. Lamont assisted Donna with the process and now she is Syracuse City WBE certified.

“I will continue to seek out help when needed. I believe the future for my website will be continuing to grow with housing options as well as partnering with businesses and nonprofits who want to advertise as well on the site,” Glassberg says.

Glassberg has begun working on her next project to stay ahead of the trend. She is going to start promoting housing options on the OrangeHousingNY IG (Instagram) site.

Working with her community resource partners, staying engaged with her community, and acknowledging the strategic partnership’s wants and needs, Glassberg has made OrangeHousing.com a staple in the community. When the times changed, so did OrangeHousing.com. “Being open to change and trying to stay one step ahead of the times helps me to stay in business,” says Glassberg.

Donna is truly a woman entrepreneur pioneer, one who will ensure her business continues to stand the test of time by being willing to foster change, growth, and use her innovation skills to be beneficial to her strategic partners in the community.

Advisor’s Business Tip:

Building your community partner resource network and keeping abreast of what is happening within your industry locally and globally can help you succeed in your venture.

Melissa Zomro Davis is an advanced state-certified business advisor at the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) located at Onondaga Community College. Contact her at m.lzomro@sunyocc.edu

Baker to start as new Summit CEO on Feb. 1

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ROCHESTER — The woman who has been serving as senior VP and COO of the Summit Federal Credit Union (FCU) is set to become the organization’s top official. Rochester–based Summit announced it has chosen Laurie Baker as its next president and CEO, effective Feb. 1. Baker will replace Mike Vadala, who is retiring after working

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ROCHESTER — The woman who has been serving as senior VP and COO of the Summit Federal Credit Union (FCU) is set to become the organization’s top official.

Rochester–based Summit announced it has chosen Laurie Baker as its next president and CEO, effective Feb. 1.

Baker will replace Mike Vadala, who is retiring after working at the Summit for more than 35 years, including 25 years as CEO.

The selection of Baker followed a “nationwide search,” Summit said.

Baker brings to the role a “wealth of experience” as a credit union senior executive, as an industry advisor and strategist, and as a community leader, the credit union said. She has worked at the Summit for more than 25 years, including as COO since 2001.

As COO, Baker oversees the credit union’s human resources, marketing, business relations, member service center, branch operations, and retirement and investment services units.

“Laurie rose to the top of a very qualified candidate pool and demonstrated a great vision for the future of our credit union,” Tom Quirk, chairman of the Summit’s board of directors, said in a statement. “Laurie is already known throughout the credit union industry as being a leader on credit union issues and will continue to be a positive influence in this next chapter of our growth.”

As the Summit’s assets have grown to more than $1 billion, Baker’s appointment makes her a member of a “small, esteemed group.” The Summit cites National Credit Union Administration statistics, indicating that women lead a “mere 13% of billion-dollar credit unions in the U.S.”

Baker’s time as COO included business planning and development initiatives for the Summit’s employees; expanded community-relations efforts; and a focus on programs and products that address members’ “evolving needs,” per the release.

Outside her work duties, Baker has chaired and is a member of several community and industry boards of directors.

As a board member and former board chair of Villa of Hope, Baker was honored as the organization’s inaugural “Champion of Hope” in 2017. She was also a finalist for 2018’s Rochester Business Journal Athena Award, recognizing female leaders in the Rochester area.

Founded in 1941, the Summit Federal Credit Union is a nonprofit, member-owned financial cooperative. With about $1 billion in assets, the Summit has more than 230 employees and provides financial products and services to more than 85,000 members in Central and Western New York. Its Central New York branches includes offices in Syracuse, Cicero, Camillus, Cortland, and Seneca Falls.

NYSERDA seeks applicants for 76West clean-energy competition

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Subscriber Only, Technology

Clean-energy companies have until March 2 to apply for the next round of the 76West clean-energy competition. Now in its fifth year, 76West is one of the “largest competitions in the nation focused on supporting and growing emerging clean-energy businesses and economic development,” the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) says. About

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New York manufacturing index rises in January

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

New York manufacturers are feeling a little more confident about business conditions in the new year, according to a new report. The general business-conditions index of the Empire State Manufacturing Survey, produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, rose to 4.8 in January from 3.3 in December. That beat market expectations for a reading

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New York manufacturers are feeling a little more confident about business conditions in the new year, according to a new report.

The general business-conditions index of the Empire State Manufacturing Survey, produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, rose to 4.8 in January from 3.3 in December.

That beat market expectations for a reading of 3.55, according to the website fxstreet.com.

A positive general business-conditions index reading indicates expansion or growth in manufacturing activity, while a negative number points to a decline in the sector.

The New York Fed’s survey found 28 percent of respondents reported that conditions had improved over the month, while 23 percent said that conditions had worsened, according to the Jan. 15 report.

Survey details

The new-orders index rose nearly 5 points to 6.6, indicating that orders were higher. The shipments index was measured at 8.6, pointing to a “modest” increase in shipments, the New York Fed said.

The unfilled-orders index improved by 11 points, but remained negative at -2.7, indicating that unfilled orders “continued to decline.” Delivery times shortened and inventories held steady.

The index for number of employees held steady at 9.0, indicating that employment expanded for the 5th consecutive month. The average-workweek index came in at 1.3, a sign that the average workweek was “essentially unchanged,” per the New York Fed.

Price increases picked up “noticeably.” After falling to a multi-year low last month, the prices-paid index rose more than 16 points to 31.5, and the prices-received index climbed over 10 points to 14.4.

Indexes assessing the six-month outlook suggested that optimism about future conditions “remained restrained.”

The index for future general business conditions edged down 2.5 points to 23.6. The index for future shipments climbed nearly 5 points to 32.7, indicating that firms expect shipments to increase in the months ahead, and employment and hours worked are expected to grow “modestly.”

The capital-expenditures index held steady at 25.3, and the technology-spending index moved down almost 5 points to 22.6.

The New York Fed distributes the Empire State Manufacturing Survey on the first day of each month to the same pool of about 200 manufacturing executives in New York. On average, about 100 executives return responses.

Newhouse School at Syracuse University gets $75M donation

Health Care, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications will benefit from a $75 million donation, representing “the largest gift in the university’s 150-year history.” The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation on Jan. 13 announced its plan to make the donation. Donald Newhouse, who graduated from Syracuse in 1951, made the announcement at an event at

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The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation on Jan. 13 announced its plan to make the donation.

Donald Newhouse, who graduated from Syracuse in 1951, made the announcement at an event at the Newhouse School on the Syracuse campus.

The gift, which would be “one of the largest ever to any communications school,” will support multiple academic initiatives, under the leadership of the school’s next dean.

It expands the visions of the school’s two most recent leaders, Syracuse said. David Rubin, who retired in 2008 after 18 years as dean, and Lorraine Branham, who died of cancer last year after nearly 11 years as dean. A national search for the next dean is underway, with the goal of having a new leader in place by July 1 of this year, the start of the new fiscal year.

“I have great confidence that the search committee will find an outstanding successor to David and Lorraine,” Newhouse said. “In this era in which public communications is undergoing continual and radical change, my family and I expect to continue our long-term commitment to ensure that the school my Dad helped found almost 60 years ago remains the leading communications school in the world for another generation.”

Donald Newhouse is an honorary trustee of Syracuse University. His son, Michael, is a voting trustee.

The Newhouse School is named for Donald Newhouse’s late father, Samuel I. Newhouse, who founded Advance Publications in 1922. His initial gift of $15 million in 1962 — the largest gift in University history at that time — supported the construction of the first of the school’s three buildings, Newhouse 1, which was dedicated in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The second building, Newhouse 2, was dedicated in 1974 by William Paley, chairman of the board of CBS.

With support from the Newhouse Foundation, the third building, Newhouse 3, was dedicated in 2007 by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts.

Donald Newhouse and his late brother, S.I. Newhouse Jr., were present at all three dedication ceremonies, Syracuse said.

CathBuddy made best investor pitch in Medical Device Innovation Challenge

Health Care, Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE — The judges chose CathBuddy Inc. of Woodbury on Long Island as the winner of the Jan. 10 pitch event in the Medical Device Innovation Challenge. The pitch event was held at the CNY Biotech Accelerator at Upstate Medical University, located at 841 E. Fayette St. in Syracuse. The CNY Biotech Accelerator sponsors the

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SYRACUSE — The judges chose CathBuddy Inc. of Woodbury on Long Island as the winner of the Jan. 10 pitch event in the Medical Device Innovation Challenge.

The pitch event was held at the CNY Biotech Accelerator at Upstate Medical University, located at 841 E. Fayette St. in Syracuse. The CNY Biotech Accelerator sponsors the competition.

CathBuddy didn’t win any funding for its successful presentation but walked away knowing the firm’s investor pitch “is solid,” Darryl Geddes, director of public and media relations at Upstate Medical University, tells CNYBJ.

CathBuddy was among six medical-device startup companies making their product pitches at the Medical Device Innovation Challenge.

A panel of judges assessed how well the startups highlight consumer need, product benefit, potential market, and other issues.

The startups are developing such products as a breast pump, breath-powered video controller, and a shoulder-mounted portable IV system. Below is a listing and description of each of these companies.

Participants and products

• CathBuddy Inc., of Woodbury on Long Island, is making reusable urinary intermittent catheters system for people with a neurogenic bladder — or the loss of bladder control due to brain or spinal cord or nerve problem.

• Halamine Inc., of Ithaca, is working to develop a new category of “hydrogel skin” coated urinary catheters with improved infection control.

• Liberation Lactation, of Syracuse, is developing a breast pump that women can use while involved in daily activities, whether at the workplace or at home. The product’s goal is to “eliminate the time women must spend solely on pumping.”

• ZephyRx, of Albany, designs breath-powered video-game controllers so popular video games can be used in respiratory therapy for conditions that include pneumonia, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

• MedUX, of Syracuse, is creating a shoulder-mounted portable IV system (called L-IV, for Liberating Intravenous) that allows people in hospital settings or disaster situations to get IV treatment “comfortably and efficiently” without being tethered to an IV pole.

• Revital Therapeutics, of New Jersey, is a tissue engineering company that works at creating off-the-shelf tissue grafts for a wide range of conditions and surgical procedures.

Upstate Community Hospital to gradually open new patient unit

Health Care, Subscriber Only

ONONDAGA — Upstate Community Hospital has started using a portion of a 24-bed unit following a $2.8 million renovation project. The hospital announced plans to hire an additional 60 people to staff the unit when it’s fully operational later this year. The hospital is recruiting, hiring, and training staff for the new unit. “The process

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ONONDAGA — Upstate Community Hospital has started using a portion of a 24-bed unit following a $2.8 million renovation project.

The hospital announced plans to hire an additional 60 people to staff the unit when it’s fully operational later this year. The hospital is recruiting, hiring, and training staff for the new unit.

“The process is ongoing … We still have about 40 more people to hire [as of Jan. 13],” says JoAnn Featherstone, associate director of nursing at Upstate Community Hospital.

Gradual opening

The new space opened with a few beds made available on Jan. 9.

“Given the community need for inpatient beds to support our area, there’s an ongoing increase in patients that are being admitted. This addition of beds is to support that community need,” says Featherstone, who spoke with CNYBJ on Jan. 13.

The 24 new beds are for patients who have had surgery at Upstate or need to be admitted to the hospital. As more staff come on board, additional beds will be opened. Six beds will open in the first stage.

“It’s going to be a rolling open. As our staffing increases, our bed capacity will increase,” says Featherstone.

The unit should be fully operational later in the year, she notes.

Renovations to the western wing of the fourth floor (4 West) of Upstate Community Hospital started last summer. The project cost totaled $2.8 million, which included $200,000 for design, $1.6 million for construction, and $1 million for new equipment.

Upstate’s in-house construction team handled the work.

The renovation of 4 West included all new paint, lighting, cabinetry, beds and furnishings. Patient bathrooms were renovated and spaces for staff were freshened. Upstate Community Hospital began planning the project in August 2017.

“It was more of a makeover,” Featherstone says.

That section of the fourth floor was originally designed for patient rooms but had been converted into office space when it was still operating as Community General Hospital. The rooms remained offices after SUNY Upstate Medical University acquired Community General in 2011. About 45 Upstate staff working in those spaces were moved to other locations throughout the building to accommodate the renovations.

Auburn OB-GYN and her practice join St. Joseph’s Health

Health Care, Subscriber Only

AUBURN — Women’s Health Specialists of Auburn is now operating under the St. Joseph’s Health brand. The Syracuse–based St. Joseph’s Health tells CNYBJ that Dr. Eileen Murphy, who operated the practice, has joined St. Joseph’s Health women’s health services. Murphy is an Auburn physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She will continue to serve patients

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Crouse Health using AI software for stroke care

Health Care, Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE — Crouse Health announced it is using a computer-aided triage system in its stroke-care services. A company called Viz.ai is providing the system. Viz.ai has offices in San Francisco, California and Tel Aviv, Israel. The firm says it focuses on using applied artificial intelligence (AI) software in health care to “reduce time to treatment

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SYRACUSE — Crouse Health announced it is using a computer-aided triage system in its stroke-care services.

A company called Viz.ai is providing the system. Viz.ai has offices in San Francisco, California and Tel Aviv, Israel. The firm says it focuses on using applied artificial intelligence (AI) software in health care to “reduce time to treatment and improve patient outcomes,” per a Crouse Health news release.

Crouse didn’t disclose any financial terms of its agreement with Viz.ai.

How it works

When a patient is transported to the Crouse Hospital emergency room with a suspected stroke, staff take CT scans “immediately” to “aid in an accurate” diagnosis. The cloud-based Viz.ai software analyzes the images automatically to detect a large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke and then securely transmits those images to the appropriate Crouse medical staff “in real time.”

“In most hospitals, the CT scan process typically takes 30 to 60 minutes,” Jameson Crumb, clinical director of Crouse Neuroscience Institute, said. “This software cuts that timeframe in half, allowing us to move that patient toward the best individualized treatment plan much quicker and in a more synchronized fashion.”

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S. as well as a major cause of permanent disability, Crouse Health said. The key to effective diagnosis and treatment is “reducing the length of time” between onset of symptoms and medical intervention.

“Crouse Neurosciences continues its commitment to bring the latest and most advanced innovations to our region to benefit patients suffering an acute stroke,” Dr. Seth Kronenberg, COO and chief medical officer, said. “We are proud to bring transformational technologies, such as Viz.ai, to Central New York.”

Crouse said it is now one of 300 hospitals using the Viz.ai product nationwide and one of just four in New York using the applied artificial intelligence-based technology.

The others using the Viz.ai product in the state are Kaleida Health in Buffalo; Mount Sinai Health System and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York City; and South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, per the Crouse release.

“Time is brain”

Public-health campaigns have been communicating for years that “time is brain,” Crouse Health noted.

When a stroke occurs, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked. The average patient loses nearly two million brain cells for each minute a stroke is untreated. Dr. David Padalino, medical director for neurovascular surgery, said this deterioration is what contributes to disability or death.

However, if the stroke is identified early, several medical treatments and interventions are available to help slow down or even halt this process and allow the stressed brain to recover. Better outcomes have been shown to correlate with how quickly these treatments can be initiated, and every minute counts.

New York grain-corn production declined in 2019

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New York farms produced 86.1 million bushels of corn for grain last year, down 11.9 percent from 97.8 million bushels in 2018, according to the Jan. 10 Northeast Crop Production Report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. New York farms harvested an estimated 545,000 acres of corn for grain in 2019, down more than 11

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