New York milk production increases more than 1 percent in August

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New York dairy farms produced 1.292 billion pounds of milk in August, up 1.1 percent from 1.278 billion pounds in the year-ago period, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. Production per cow in the state averaged 2,060 pounds in August, up 0.2 percent from 2,055 pounds a year prior. The number of […]

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CNY Tweets – October 21, 2019

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Some recent tweets that came across the @cnybj Twitter feed, offering various small business, marketing, HR, and career tips. SBA @SBAgovSBA #smallbusiness lending reflects strong economic trends. FY19 total loan volume reaches over $28B with more than 63,000 approved loans. Learn more — http://ow.ly/MxLP50wHWar NFIB @NFIBWhat is the Corporate Transparency Act – #HR2513 – and

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Some recent tweets that came across the @cnybj Twitter feed, offering various small business, marketing, HR, and career tips.

SBA @SBAgov
SBA #smallbusiness lending reflects strong economic trends. FY19 total loan volume reaches over $28B with more than 63,000 approved loans. Learn more — http://ow.ly/MxLP50wHWar

NFIB @NFIB
What is the Corporate Transparency Act – #HR2513 – and how could it affect #SmallBiz? Learn more about how this burdensome regulation could affect your small business: https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/09/corporate-transparency-act-of-2019.html

DreamGate Media @DreamGateLA
Top 11 Branding Strategies for New Businesses and Startups https://growth-hackers.net/top-branding-strategies-for-new-startups-businesses/ via @StartGrowthHack

Sanjit Mandal @CaliSEOPros
5 Ways Adding a Blog to Your Website Can Help Your Business Grow http://bnfr.me/2ms26tM #smallbiz via @smallbizbonfire

SBA Mid-Atlantic @SBAmidatlantic
Are you dealing with a regulatory dispute with a federal agency? #Smallbusiness owners can fill out a form on the SBA’s Office of the National Ombudsman’s website for assistance — http://ow.ly/1Yyi50wGOMd

OneidaCountyTourism @OCTevents
Get ready for Taste of Central New York at North Star Orchards in Westmoreland, NY on November 2. It’s a free event to highlight local foods from CNY. Enjoy wine samples, live entertainment, food, and more!

Anne Margaret Reyes @anne_margaret20
“A social media marketing strategy is a summary of everything you plan to do and hope to achieve on social media.” Read more here: http://bit.ly/2MbDtje

Michelle Garrett @PRisUs
Marketing tip of the day: Don’t forget to include the DATE when promoting events. Just got an email about an event – with NO dates mentioned. It’s one of the first things potential attendees want to know. Make it easy to find the date, location, etc.

Mark C. Crowley @MarkCCrowley
The root cause of #leadership indecision is the fear of failure. Some of this can be blamed on a manager’s lack of self-confidence. Some of it also can be blamed on organizations who routinely punish mistakes.

Suzi McAlpine @suzimcalpine
The most impactful conversation of my entire career, where my manager had a skilled coaching conversation with me about a blind spot of mine, lasted eight minutes. Coaching isn’t more work as a leader. It’s just a different way of approaching it.

Fast Company @FastCompany
3 mistakes that prevent you from hiring the best talent: https://www.fastcompany.com/90416048/3-common-hiring-mistakes-to-avoid partner=rss&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Hannah Morgan @careersherpa
6 Types of Networking Activities You Need To Land A Job https://buff.ly/2CYXBBI

UnretirementProject @UnretirementPro
Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think https://buff.ly/2FpDZGq (via @TheAtlantic) #careers

Shanae Ullman @nerdydivashanae
Today, I spoke with high school students about my career trajectory in User Experience and what makes a good design. It is so important to share what you know with the next generation. They are interested in how you got to where you are.

Bankers Healthcare Group CEO has a “dream” with firm’s upcoming expansion

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SYRACUSE — When Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG) held the groundbreaking for its new building near the Syracuse’s Inner Harbor, Al Crawford, co-founder, chairman, and CEO, asked the gathering to think about the number 5,000. “5,000 is a number to me that represents the number of employees that I think BHG can bring to the Inner

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“5,000 is a number to me that represents the number of employees that I think BHG can bring to the Inner Harbor and [the] Syracuse landscape in the future,” he said.

Acknowledging that he’s been cautioned about mentioning employee-count numbers for his company, Crawford also noted, “That’s my dream. That’s my personal dream. I think it’s a doable one, though.”

BHG, which currently employs 256 people in Syracuse, on Oct. 11 broke ground on the construction project for its future, new $35 million financial headquarters located on property at 300-324 Spencer St.

“The building [is] going to be an addition to our financial headquarters that’s already here,” Crawford, said in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony. “It will be five stories. We will have a garden environment rooftop on the top of the building.”

BHG — which is headquartered in Davie, Florida — currently has its financial headquarters at 201 Solar St. in Syracuse’s Franklin Square area. The company will relocate and consolidate several of its local operations into the upcoming facility.

“We would not have been able to do this without the support of the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York State, and CenterState CEO,” Crawford said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo first announced the expansion during an Oct. 9 appearance at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, the former Hotel Syracuse.

Project details

Spencer Street LLC will construct and furnish a 100,000-square-foot facility at 300-324 Spencer St. in Syracuse to house Bankers Healthcare Group and its Capital Collection Management unit.

The project will include the demolition and remediation of the existing property, and the construction and full equipping and furnishing of the new facility. The combined initiative will result in the creation of 330 new jobs.

During construction, BHG employees will remain at their current office locations in Franklin Square and Armory Square, and Capital Collection Management employees will continue working from the company’s Armory Square location.

BHG expects construction crews from Salina–based Parsons-McKenna Construction Co. Inc. to complete the project by the end of 2023. Crawford also credited King + King Architects of Syracuse, along with his wife, Michelle Crawford, for the building’s design.

New York is contributing $11 million for the project, including a $4 million capital grant and $7 million in Excelsior Jobs tax credits.

Randy Wolken, president and CEO of MACNY, the Manufacturers Association, said those gathered for the ceremony were celebrating what he “just learned is the Uber of loans.”

“It is high tech. It’s transformational. It’s why we’re here [and] so excited, and that’s why I do believe there’s going to be 5,000 jobs, because if you look at those companies like Uber, like Airbnb, they started as software platforms that transformed businesses … Great software is necessary to do that, but more importantly, great people are necessary to do that and that’s what’s here at BHG,” said Wolken.

Founded in 2001, Bankers Healthcare Group provides loans and financing to health-care practitioners and other licensed professionals. The firm surpassed $4 billion in total funded loans in 2018, according to its website.

Besides its corporate headquarters in Davie, Florida and its financial headquarters in Syracuse, BHG also operates a research and development office in New York City.

“At BHG, we set goals every day. We set goals every week. We set goals every month. We set goals every quarter, and we set goals every year. Consequently, I find that people really go after those goals, so one of the numbers we’re going to have written down is 5,000,” said Crawford. “It’s a big number, but it’d be a fun number to see Syracuse continue to grow, to get back to the days when these areas here were filled with factories and companies that were producing great products.”

New York manufacturing index rises 2 points in October

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

Manufacturing business conditions improved slightly in October, pointing to further expansion in the sector. The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index edged up 2 points in the month to 4.0, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported on Oct. 14. That beat economists’ expectations of an index reading of 0.8, according to The

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Manufacturing business conditions improved slightly in October, pointing to further expansion in the sector.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index edged up 2 points in the month to 4.0, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported on Oct. 14. That beat economists’ expectations of an index reading of 0.8, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The general business-conditions index had declined 3 points to 2.0 in September after rising half a point to 4.8 in August.

The October reading, based on firms responding to the survey, indicates “business activity grew slightly in New York,” the New York Fed said.

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

The survey found that 30 percent of respondents reported that conditions had improved over the month, while 26 percent said that conditions had worsened, the New York Fed said.

Survey details

The new-orders index was unchanged at 3.5, pointing to a “small increase” in orders, per the New York Fed.

After reaching its lowest level in nearly three years, the shipments index rose 7 points to 13.0, indicating that shipments “picked up.” The unfilled-orders index remained negative for a fifth-consecutive month, suggesting that unfilled orders “continued to decline.” Delivery times decreased slightly, while inventories were little changed.

The index for number of employees came in at 7.6, pointing to “ongoing modest employment gains,” and the average workweek index rose 7 points to 8.3, indicating that hours worked also increased.

Prices increased at a “slower pace” than the prior month. The prices-paid index moved down 6 points to 23.1 and the prices-received index slipped 3 points to 6.3.

Indexes assessing the six-month outlook suggested that optimism about future conditions improved somewhat but remained subdued, the New York Fed said. The index for future business conditions edged up 3 points to 17.1 but remained well below the levels seen for much of the past few years.

The indexes for future new orders and shipments were little changed from September, while indexes for future prices remained fairly elevated. Firms continued to expect solid increases in employment levels but no change in the average workweek in the months ahead.

The capital-expenditures index and technology-spending index both rose to 8.8.

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.

Junior League of Syracuse announces 2019-20 board of directors

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SYRACUSE — The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. has announced its 2019-20 board of directors to guide the nonprofit organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism and developing women leaders in the community. The board of directors officers and members are: President Audra Mueller of Baldwinsville, Secretary Brittany Moen of Manlius, Treasurer Julie Garcia of

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The board of directors officers and members are: President Audra Mueller of Baldwinsville, Secretary Brittany Moen of Manlius, Treasurer Julie Garcia of DeWitt, Assistant Treasurer Jennifer Pysnack of Manlius, Communications VP Julie Palmer of Syracuse, Community VP Casey Duffy of Syracuse, Fund Development VP Marie Norkett of North Syracuse, Membership VP Amanda Perrine of Syracuse, Nominating Chair Liz Lane of Cazenovia, and Sustainer VPs Lynne Hamilton-Johnson and Evonne Pacini, both of Baldwinsville.

Mueller, a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, said she is “honored” to have been selected as president for the Junior League’s 100th year of service in Syracuse, the organization said in a news release. She is looking forward to unveiling and implementing the league’s 100th anniversary projects, while continuing to expand upon its existing community partnerships and fundraising events. Mueller will also work to continue growing the league membership with women who want to develop as community leaders while serving the local community.

As part of its centennial celebration, the Junior League of Syracuse will be partnering with 11 local nonprofit organizations to fulfill their project wishes. It will be awarding grants and donating volunteer time to one local nonprofit each month during its 100th year. In its 12th month, the nonprofit will establish a new relationship with a local nonprofit, which will be voted on by its membership, per the release.

These projects will be in addition to the league’s regular community events including its partnership events with Chadwick Residence, National Volunteer Week, 8th Annual STEM Expo at Danforth Middle School, St. Lucy’s Thanksgiving Dinner, and 4th February Tea Party with YWCA and My Sister’s Closet.

EXPANDING TO BUFFALO

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

Pictured is The Silos at Elk Street building that is the home of the new Buffalo office of Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture, a Syracuse–based firm. The company was set to open the new 1,290-square-foot, leased office on Oct. 21. For more information on Appel Osborne’s expansion, check out the full story on page 3 of

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Cayuga County man charged with forging checks

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HOMER — New York State Police in Homer recently announced they arrested a Moravia man for presenting forged checks in exchange for cash. Christian A. Reynolds, age 22, was charged with two counts of 1st degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony. State troopers say they received a complaint in March, alleging that

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How to Avoid Becoming Obsolete on the Job

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Millions of us wake up one morning to the haunting realization that we’re losing the battle to avoid becoming obsolete on the job. It affects those in their 20s, while others don’t see the darkness descend until they’re much older. Some are high-school dropouts, while others are college graduates, or successful professionals. It can strike anyone.

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Oxford researchers Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osbourne, according to a USA Today article, estimate that “47% of American jobs are at high risk of automation by the mid 2030s.”

Some may run faster or be in denial, but Steve Tobak got it right on CBS Radio when he said, “Nobody wants to believe they’re the problem, that they’re in over their head.” In other words, that they’re obsolete. It can happen to anyone at any age, and at any point in their work life.

If you want to avoid becoming an obsolete worker, here are a few ideas to consider.

1. Don’t try to pass the passionate test

Those speaking passionately about their passion for their job may have a credibility problem. Anyone committed to their work doesn’t need to broadcast it. Their performance speaks more eloquently than anything they might say.

In fact, being passionate about one’s work is not all it’s cracked up to be — at least that’s what researchers at the University of Quebec at Montreal discovered. They found that being passionate about work leads to burnout, not success.

However, a colleague of mine cracked the code. At the end of every meeting, he wrote down a list of tasks that were discussed. He then announced, “Who’s going to do what to whom and when?” In other words, who’s going to get the job done? Believing we should be passionate about our work is naïve, while making a commitment to do our best work is a measurable objective.

2. Don’t expect work-life balance

The promise of a work-life balance isn’t new, but it got a boost as technology eroded the wall between the two.

Even so, trying to achieve work-life equilibrium may be dangerous. “The idea of balance is an unattainable standard that results in an almost constant feeling of failure,” says Jessica Lutz in Forbes. Or, as Olga Khazan put it in The Atlantic, “Despite the pressure to have it all, many workers still feel they are failing both in the office and at home.”

We may not like getting a text message at 2:11 a.m. that requires an immediate response, or our vacation interrupted with a crisis that demands attention. Like it or not, work demands upset the balance, just as can family needs and other personal issues. An imperfect work-life balance is the new normal.

3. Save the dreams for another day

Arguably, commencement speeches are less than memorable, even though schools may pay speakers who exhort their listeners to follow their dreams or go change the world. But dreams soon fade as life and jobs (or lack of them) take us far from what we studied in school.

Everyone would be better served if someone said, “Hey, look: The chances are your chosen career will be obsolete sooner rather than later. Start planning for it now. Your permanent job is getting ready for the next one.”

4. Embrace the inevitable as opportunity

Don’t let yourself get blindsided. It happens to those who ignore where their employer is going and who assume that “doing a good job is the best security.”

Kevin is someone who didn’t let it happen to him. For many years, he worked for a printing company handling pre-press responsibilities, a job requiring skill and technical expertise. Then, seeing the future, he knew his job would be automated. When it happened, he was prepared.

Kevin and his family lived in an iconic South Boston “triple-deckers” home, where he became skilled at taking care of the property. The word got around to “Call Kevin” if you needed a terrific handyman. To up his income, he was also on call at the Boston Convention Center, where he earned a reputation as being available when needed and doing a top-notch job. Then it happened. His boss landed a management position at the new $2.5 billion Encore Boston Harbor Resort and Casino — and he chose Kevin to go with him. A big win for Kevin.

Not everyone can be like Kevin, but we can train ourselves to anticipate trends, get ourselves ready for change by sharpening our marketable skills, and have a plan in place so we’re always ready to make a move.

John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He is the creator of “Magnet Marketing,” and publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com or johnrgraham.com

CVT hosts over 100 students at Manufacturing Day

Health Care, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

SHERBURNE — Chenango Valley Technologies (CVT) on Oct. 4 hosted more than 100 students from local high schools, as well as customers, vendors, and the general public as part of the national Manufacturing (MFG) Day 2019. The day sought to highlight modern manufacturing as “a vibrant and growing industry that offers diverse, high-paying career opportunities,”

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The day sought to highlight modern manufacturing as “a vibrant and growing industry that offers diverse, high-paying career opportunities,” according to a news release from CVT. The event showcased a tour of CVT’s plastic injection molding plant and tooling shop in Sherburne in Chenango County.

CVT is a custom contract manufacturing company, specializing in plastic injection molding and tooling. It is a family owned and run company that was founded in 1972.

“We highlighted local companies that we work with showcasing the parts that we produce for them. We also provided descriptions and examples of how a part goes from solid model, into design, mold design, mold making, and ultimately the production of the parts themselves,” CVT said in the release. “This allowed our attendees to see the process involved in the production of these parts and jobs associated with them” including: sales, engineering, process engineering, toolmaking, mold tech, and machine operator.

MFG Day, an annual, national event held at sites across the country, is supported by thousands of manufacturers as they host students, teachers, parents, and community members at open houses, plant tours to “change perceptions of manufacturing and highlight the high-tech and innovative companies that are solving tomorrow’s challenges today.”

Dan Bigger, director of sales/marketing with Chenango Valley Technologies, said, “Our event, and the larger MFG Day initiative, allows manufacturing companies like ours to showcase what manufacturing is really about. We are proud to highlight the innovative work we are doing in Sherburne and hope our event today inspires the next generation of workforce talent to pursue a rewarding career in plastics and manufacturing.”

First held in 2012 by its founder, the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International, MFG Day is now organized by the Manufacturing Institute — the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. The kick-off events around the country and month-long initiative gives manufacturers the chance to address the skills gaps they face, connect with future generations, and take charge of the public image of manufacturing, the release stated.

Dannible readies for tax and financial planning conference

Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Dannible & McKee, LLP, a Syracuse–based accounting firm, will host a tax and financial planning conference in Syracuse, Binghamton, and Schenectady on separate Thursdays in November. Each event provides “insight on recent tax, accounting, and financial changes that will impact businesses and individuals this year, to help you in planning your year-end tax

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SYRACUSE — Dannible & McKee, LLP, a Syracuse–based accounting firm, will host a tax and financial planning conference in Syracuse, Binghamton, and Schenectady on separate Thursdays in November.

Each event provides “insight on recent tax, accounting, and financial changes that will impact businesses and individuals this year, to help you in planning your year-end tax strategies,” Dannible & McKee says. Attendees can participate in the conference at no cost, the firm notes. Those attending can also earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits.

The first of these conferences is set for Nov. 7 from 12-6:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny. The conference in the Southern Tier is slated for Nov. 21 from 1-6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Binghamton Downtown.

In between, the conference in Schenectady will be held on Nov. 14 from 1-6:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Schenectady.

The keynote speakers at the conferences include Robert Simpson, president & CEO of CenterState CEO at the Syracuse event; Binghamton Mayor Richard David at the Southern Tier conference; and Mark Eagan, president & CEO of the Capital Region Chamber at the Schenectady event.

Syracuse conference

After Simpson’s remarks, Michael Reilly, managing partner at Dannible & McKee, will provide a federal tax update for businesses and Karl Jacob, one of the firm’s partners, will offer a federal tax update for individuals

The conference will include two breakout sessions, each offering three seminars focusing on conference-related topics.

For example, the topics at the Syracuse conference include “Accounting, Reporting and Corporate Governance Update;” “Estate Planning After Tax Reform: Debunking Myths That Everyone Still Accepts;” and “The Truth About Fraud …It Can Be Prevented. “

In the second breakout session, the topics include “Techniques for Evaluating a Company’s Financial Statements for Strengths and Weaknesses;” “2019 New York State Tax Update;” and “Tips for Buying or Selling a Business,” per the agenda on the firm’s website.

Binghamton conference

After David’s remarks, Reilly will provide a federal tax update for businesses and Jacob will do the same for individuals.

In addition, firm partners Kenneth Gardiner, Joseph Chemotti, and Benjamin Sumner will then provide an accounting, reporting, and corporate governance update, per the conference agenda.

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