SALINA — Sirius Computer Solutions recently leased 3,420 square feet of professional office space at the business park at 225 Greenfield Parkway in the town of Salina. 

Samuel J. Vulcano of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company represented the tenant in the lease, the real-estate firm announced. Lease terms were not provided.

Sirius Computer Solutions describes itself as “a national integrator of technology-based business solutions that span the enterprise, including the data center and lines of business.”

The firm says it offers integrated, multivendor technology solutions that meet the requirements of organizations ranging from businesses with fewer than 500 employees to large enterprises with thousands of employees and hundreds of locations.

Since its founding in 1980, Sirius has grown to be one of the largest IT solutions integrators in the U.S., according to its website. It has more than 5,000 active clients in the U.S., and more than 2,700 employees, with sales locations across the U.S.

Sirius Computer Solutions is privately held and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Joe Mertens is the company president and CEO.

Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions declined in October compared to a year ago.

The figures are part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released Nov. 20.

All the Central New York regions gained jobs between October 2017 and this past October, except for the Elmira area, which lost positions in the period. That’s according to the latest monthly employment report that the New York State Department of Labor issued Nov. 15.

 

Regional unemployment rates

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area was 3.5 percent in October, down from 4.7 percent in October 2017.

The Utica–Rome region’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent from 4.8 percent; in the Watertown–Fort Drum area, it declined to 4.1 percent from 5.6 percent; in Binghamton, the jobless rate sank to 3.8 percent from 4.9 percent; the Ithaca region’s rate slipped to 3.0 percent from 4.1 percent; and in the Elmira region, the jobless rate fell to 3.9 percent from 5.2 percent in the year-earlier period.

The local-unemployment data isn’t seasonally adjusted, meaning the figures don’t reflect seasonal influences such as holiday hires. The unemployment rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state Labor Department said.

 

State unemployment rate

New York state’s unemployment rate decreased from 4.1 percent in September to 4.0 percent in October, “matching its lowest level on record”, which was last reached in May 1988, according to preliminary figures from the state Labor Department. The October rate was well below the 4.7 percent reported a year ago.

The state’s jobless rate, however, was higher than the U.S. unemployment rate of 3.7 percent in October. The federal government calculates New York’s unemployment rate partly based upon the results of a monthly telephone survey of 3,100 state households that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts.

 

October jobs data

The Syracuse region gained 3,600 jobs in the past year, a rise of 1.1 percent.

The Utica–Rome region gained 600 jobs, an increase of 0.5 percent; the Watertown–Fort Drum area added 400 jobs, up 0.9 percent; the Ithaca region picked up 1,900 positions, an increase of 2.9 percent; the Elmira area lost 800 jobs, a decrease of 2.2 percent; and the Binghamton region gained 100 jobs in the past year, a rise of 0.1 percent, per the Department of Labor data.

New York state as a whole gained more than 123,000 jobs, an increase of 1.3 percent, in the last year. The state economy gained 22,000 jobs, a 0.2 percent increase, between September and October of this year, the labor department said.

Construction projects, expansions, leadership changes, and acquisitions were among the highlights 

SYRACUSE — Construction projects, leadership changes, acquisitions, job cuts and additions, and startup companies pursuing growth made headlines during the past year as The Central New York Business Journal reviews some of the stories that we reported in 2018 (through the month of November).

 

JANUARY

(1/8) Construction workers with HBP Joint Venture started building the 136,000-square-foot Expo Center at the State Fairgrounds in Geddes. HBP Joint Venture is a partnership between Syracuse–based Hueber-Breuer Construction Co. Inc. and the Rochester–based Pike Company. QPK Design of Syracuse handles the architectural-design work. The contract with HBP Joint Venture is valued at more than $62 million — with $50 million included in the fiscal year 2017-18 state budget and the balance coming from the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. 

ConMed Corp. (NASDAQ: CNMD) on Jan. 2 announced it appointed Todd Garner as its next executive VP and CFO, “effective immediately.” ConMed in November 2017 announced that Luke Pomilio, who has served as the Utica–based surgical-device maker’s executive VP and CFO for the past three years, had announced his plan to retire.

Disciplined Capital Management, LLC began 2018 with one of its principals now holding the titles of president and CEO. Adam Gagas, a founder and principal of the firm, assumed the leadership role on Jan. 1. 

(1/15) Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on Jan. 6 took the oath of office for a second time during a public inauguration held inside the Landmark Theatre on a snowy Saturday morning. “…It is with great pride, humility and — most important — optimism that I assume the duties of Mayor of the City of Syracuse,” Walsh said in opening his remarks.

Businesses and residential customers in parts of Central New York and the Southern Tier can now buy electricity powered by a new solar array in Enfield, just west of Ithaca. BlueRock Solar, a division of Syracuse–based BlueRock Energy, said the 2.3 megawatt array was completed and connected to the power grid.

The board of directors of the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) formed a search committee to find the nonprofit health system’s next president and CEO who will replace its current leader in 18 months. Scott Perra, president and CEO of MVHS, plans to retire on June 30, 2019, the health-care organization announced Jan. 8.

 (1/22) The Agency on Jan. 9 formally opened FIVE South College Drive, a 17,500-square-foot, newly constructed economic and business-development center in the town of Dickinson. It is the first building to be constructed in Broome County for the purpose of co-locating business and economic-development organizations. The Agency, which describes itself as the lead economic-development organization for Broome County, now operates in the facility located on the south end of the SUNY Broome Community College campus.

A new report found that 52 percent of nearly 200 CenterState CEO members surveyed expected an increase in jobs and hiring in 2018, down 1 percent from 2017 projections. The report also found that 56 percent of those surveyed generated growth in 2017, down from 67 percent in 2016. That’s according to the 2018 Economic Forecast report for the CenterState region of New York state that CenterState CEO released on Jan. 10.

United Radio, a DeWitt–based repairer and remanufacturer of high-tech electronics, plans to expand next door. The idea calls for the purchase of 100,000 square feet of space it currently leases and buying an adjoining 100,000-square-foot building as it increases its local workforce by 8 percent in the coming years.

Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca fired two nurses in an effort to end a unionizing drive, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) judge ruled, ordering the hospital to rehire the nurses and reimburse them for back pay and related expenses. 

(1/29) By July, the 23-year old Craftsman Inn & Conference Center in the town of Manlius will have a new look and the inn’s Limestone Grille may have a new name. Phase one of the two-phase renovation plan has begun, explains Robert Richie, director of sales and marketing at the Craftsman. The 69-room inn, on the west side of the property, is undergoing renovation. Phase two will involve renovating the east-side building, including 21 suites, meeting rooms and the Limestone Grille, he says.

The Village of Canastota will use a nearly $1.7 million Restore NY grant to help pay for the construction of a facility that will be the new home for Dutchland Plastics’ New York operations. In order to encourage Oostburg, Wisconsin–based Dutchland Plastics to expand in Central New York, Empire State Development (ESD) offered up to $475,000 in performance-based tax credits through its Excelsior Jobs program, which are tied to job-creation commitments, Cuomo’s office said.

The Redhouse performing-arts center is getting ready to move to its new home inside the building at 400 S. Salina St. in Syracuse now known as City Center. City Center was named to “reflect its place in the business and cultural center of Syracuse,” according to a news release from Cornerstone Real Estate Opportunities of Syracuse. In its history, the structure was once home to Sibley’s department store before it closed in the late 1980s.

 

FEBRUARY

(2/5) CEO confidence across upstate New York fell last year from the high level reached in 2016, according to a new survey. The Upstate New York Business Leader Survey, conducted by the Siena (College) Research Institute (SRI) mostly in late 2017, measured CEO confidence at a reading of 97.1 last year, down nearly 7 points from 103.8 in 2016 when it rose to its “second highest rate” of the survey, which is now in its 11th year.

Banks that serve Central New York were among many across the country that announced bonuses, pay raises, and other employee perks in the wake of tax cuts passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in December 2017. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act reduced the top federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. That triggered a tsunami of public companies announcing raises and bonuses for employees.

(2/12) Syracuse University (SU) describes it as “one of the single largest gifts” in its history, one that will benefit an upcoming addition to its campus. SU on Feb. 5 announced a $20 million donation from life trustee Daniel D’Aniello and his wife, Gayle, for the upcoming National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC). The donation will help pay for the construction of the NRVC. The $62.5 million, 115,000-square-foot facility will open in the spring of 2020.

DeWitt–based law firm Centolella Green Law, P.C. combined with a law firm based in the Richmond, Virginia area that focuses on health-care law. The firm’s merger with Glen Allen, Virginia–based Hancock, Daniel & Johnson, P.C. became effective Feb. 1, said Jason Centolella, a partner in and president of Centolella Green Law. The Virginia law firm markets itself as Hancock Daniel.

The $90 million building New York State built for California light-bulb maker Soraa, only to have the company pull out, moved a step closer to usefulness Feb. 6. The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) approved a 15-year, $3.1 million payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with a different California firm to take over the empty space in DeWitt.

With undergraduate enrollment up more than 20 percent, Utica College is planning to build new housing on campus for 144 students. More than 100 Utica College students currently stay at the nearby Ramada, says Jeffery Gates, the school’s senior VP for student life and enrollment management. The new housing will allow those students to live on campus and accommodate some growth beyond, he says.

A group of 10 Fort Drum soldiers completed a training program through SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) that provided skills and connected them to New York’s advanced manufacturers. The National Science Foundation funded the project to provide “marketable, in-demand skills” to transitioning soldiers, SUNY Poly said.

(2/19) United Radio was planning to eliminate 15 unprofitable lines of work by the end of March. When 30 workers were notified of the changes, they were given an application to transfer to one of the 20 open positions in the company. 

Dannible & McKee, LLP, a Syracuse–based accounting firm, began 2018 with a completed acquisition that it said was part of its “strategic plan to strengthen its position throughout the Southern Tier.” Dannible & McKee on Feb. 13 announced it had acquired Sbarra & Company CPAs, P.C., an Endicott accounting firm in a deal that took effect Jan. 1. It didn’t disclose the transaction’s financial terms.

David Manzano, Jr. helped launch MyTown Realty, LLC, a firm that focuses on residential real estate. It operates in a 10,000-square-foot space inside the Icon Tower at 344 S. Warren St. in downtown Syracuse. Manzano, Jr. has equal ownership in the firm along with Grazi Zazzara, Jr., who also serves as president of the Icon Companies, a commercial real-estate firm also located in the Icon Tower. 

(2/26) Dot Foods Inc., which says it is the nation’s largest food industry redistributor, announced it is paying $500 bonuses to all its full-time workers, including nearly 300 at the company’s facility in the town of Salina. Joining other companies, Dot credited the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — passed at the end of 2017 and signed by President Donald Trump — for the bonus. Dot — headquartered in Mt. Sterling, Illinois.

The Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) organization chose Kimberly Boynton, president and CEO of Crouse Health, as the 42nd recipient of its annual Crystal Ball Award. Boynton said she is “absolutely honored” that CNYSME selected her as this year’s recipient.

 

MARCH

(3/5) NexGen Power Systems was approved for $15 million in state aid, but the California company is liable for millions of dollars in “clawbacks” if it doesn’t create the jobs it has promised, under a grant agreement approved Feb. 26. The state Public Authorities Control Board voted unanimously to OK a $15 million grant for NexGen’s project at 50 Collamer Crossing Parkway in DeWitt, an 82,000-square-foot structure built with $90 million in taxpayer money to house a different California company.

The Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY) announced it was planning to recognize Gregory Owens and Kirk Wardell for their efforts in the region’s manufacturing sector by inducting them into its Manufacturers Wall of Fame. Owens is CEO of Liberty Tabletop of Sherrill, a division of Sherrill Manufacturing Inc., and Wardell is president of Marquardt Switches in Cazenovia.

The Pomeroy College of Nursing (PCON) at Crouse Hospital says general-education courses that PCON nursing students are required to take will be offered through Le Moyne College and taught by its faculty at the PCON campus. The expanded partnership was to begin in the fall, Crouse Health and Le Moyne College said.

(3/12) TCGplayer’s workforce has doubled to 200 in past four years and CEO Chedy Hampson expects it reach 500 in the next five years. He recently accepted a $10 million equity investment to help make that happen. The 20-year-old company provides an online marketplace (TCGplayer.com) for collectible gaming cards and related products — things like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: the Gathering.

Sonostics Inc., a Binghamton University startup firm and spinoff, on March 5 opened a Syracuse–area office at 5016 W. Genesee St. in Camillus. Sonostics, which also has an office at 204 Washington St. in Endicott, has developed a product it calls the HeartPartner. The opening of the Camillus office is part of an “aggressive,” three-year plan that will include bringing 135 new jobs to the Central New York region, Kyle Washington, executive VP of Sonostics, said in his remarks during the company’s formal-opening ceremony.

Hardinge Inc. (NASDAQ: HDNG), an Elmira–based manufacturer, agreed to be acquired by Atlanta–based Privet Fund Management for $18.50 per share in cash. Privet, which already holds shares of Hardinge, agreed to buy all shares of the company that it didn’t already own. At that price, Hardinge is valued at roughly $245 million.

Lake Placid is looking ahead to 2023 when the North Country community will host the Winter Universiade (also called the Winter World University Games in English) for the second time. The International University Sports Federation (FISU) selected Lake Placid to host the event, which is an Olympics-style competition for university athletes from around the world. 

The Oneida Indian Nation on March 1 formally opened the $40 million Point Place Casino and the grand-opening continues through the weekend. The 65,000-square-foot facility is located at 450 Route 31 in Sullivan, near the corner of Bridgeport-Kirkville Road, just a few hundred feet from the border with the town of Cicero. The casino has created more than 200 full- and part-time jobs that focus on gaming, food and beverage, maintenance, security, and management. The project also created 250 construction jobs.

(3/19) A New York City program that has sent at least five homeless families to live in Broome County is illegal and must stop, said county officials. “After being relocated by New York City, these individuals then seek medical, food, cash, and other forms of public assistance from the targeted county,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “That is illegal and could have a significant impact on our taxpayers in Broome County.”

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) said it was “likely” to add jobs to its suburban Syracuse location after the company announced a deal on a joint venture to provide Germany with an air and missile defense system. Lockheed Martin, a Bethesda, Maryland–based defense contractor, and MBDA Deutschland on March 8 announced a new joint venture to pursue “TLVS,” the next generation integrated air and missile defense system for the German Bundeswehr, or the nation’s armed forces. TLVS is short for Taktisches Luftverteidigungssystem.

In his first annual “Message to Shareholders,” M&T Bank’s new leader paid tribute to his predecessor and explained an unprecedented change in business borrowing. M&T Chairman and CEO René F. Jones began the message acknowledging the legacy of Robert Wilmers, who died suddenly in December at the age of 83. Jones also discussed in depth what appeared to be a weakness in the bank’s 2017 performance: a decline in commercial and industrial loans.

Upstate Refractory Services (URS), a contractor, installer and distributor of refractory materials in Newark in Wayne County, acquired the assets of Cicero–based Hanyan-Higgins Company Inc. Hanyan-Higgins, which has a main office located at 7397 Taft Park Drive in Cicero, has been providing refractory sales and service to industrial, commercial, and municipal customers for nearly 90 years.

(3/26) For the first time since 2014, the Ferrari Challenge was scheduled to return to Watkins Glen International. Landing the race — one of six scheduled for North America in 2018 — involved networking, phone calls, and building relationships, says Watkins Glen President Michael Printup.

The Syracuse University College of Law is offering what it says is the “first live” online juris doctor (J.D.), or law-degree, program. The Chicago, Illinois–based American Bar Association granted the school a variance to allow the online program, Syracuse announced on Feb. 26.

 

APRIL

(4/2) Systems Management Planning (SMP), an information-technology (IT) company, expanded into the Syracuse market. It opened a 600-square-foot office at 499 S. Warren St. in December, says Kevin Pierce, an account manager who operates the office. Founded in 1997, the company is headquartered in West Henrietta, near Rochester. 

Just eight days after Sanmina Corp. announced it would be shutting down its facility in Owego, 32 companies took part in a job fair to recruit from among the 274 workers employed at the printed circuit-board plant.

Nearly 60 employees are affected by the Mohawk Valley Health System’s (MVHS) plans to close its outpatient surgical services at its Faxton campus and consolidate outpatient imaging services.

The Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) organization honored Kimberly Boynton, president and CEO of Crouse Health, as the 42nd recipient of its annual Crystal Ball Award. It’s awarded to a local businessperson or group of business people “in recognition of their contributions to the sales and marketing profession and for their endeavors in the areas of community development and support.”

(4/9) More than 60 farms and businesses have received research permits under New York’s Industrial Hemp Agricultural Research Pilot program. The Industrial Hemp Agricultural Research Pilot Program received applications from more than 100 farms and businesses, 62 have received research permits for the 2018 growing season, according to a release from the governor’s office.

 (4/16) Started with $25,000 and three partners in 2001, Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG) has reached a valuation of $1 billion, according to Chairman and CEO Albert (Al) Crawford. BHG has gotten where it is by supplying loans to health-care professional — doctors, dentists, and veterinarians from the start, adding nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physical therapists, and physician’s assistants more recently.

Cayuga Medical Center of Ithaca and the Family Health Network (FHN) of Central New York, Inc. announced they plan to collaborate “to advance clinical care throughout the region.” Both organizations will “continue to operate independently and engage in other projects with regional partners, but will collaborate on clinical services, regional planning, and community outreach,” according to a joint news release.

The Ice Cream Stand was preparing to open in a new 1,250-square-foot, first-floor space at 200 West Water Street inside the Amos Building, across from Clinton Square. Amanda Hughes is owner and operator of the Ice Cream Stand.

Fotokite, a firm based in Switzerland, captured the $1 million grand prize in the second installment of the Genius NY business-accelerator competition. Fotokite was one of six Genius NY finalists that competed during the competition’s pitch night held at the Marriot Syracuse Downtown.

(4/23) The previously vacant West Middle School at 217 Genesee St. in Auburn has been redeveloped with apartments inside. New York on April 16 announced the formal opening of West Middle School Apartments, a $20 million, three-story development with 59 apartments for area residents.

FM Office Express Inc. (FMOE), which operates in the Rochester area, acquired Stevens Office Interiors of DeWitt in a deal that represents a succession plan for Stevens co-owners Thomas Maugeri and Patrick Lewis. The acquisition deal closed March 31, said Maugeri. 

(4/30) Crews started work on a $5 million improvement project to renovate and upgrade the property at Ben Weitsman of Syracuse in Solvay. The business is a division of Owego–based Upstate Shredding – Weitsman Recycling, which calls itself the “East Coast’s largest privately held scrap-metal processor.”

The Syracuse University community is remembering the man for whom the institution’s School of Management is named. Martin J. Whitman died April 16 at the age of 93. Syracuse described Whitman as “an investment industry visionary and generous benefactor to Syracuse University and its management school that bears his name.” Whitman, who graduated from Syracuse in 1949 and earned an honorary degree in 2008, was an honorary trustee at the time of his death, the university said.

Oswego–based Pathfinder Bancorp (NASDAQ: PBHC), parent of Pathfinder Bank, announced plans to open a new branch in Clay in the fall, making it its third Onondaga County office. The bank purchased the building at 3775 State Route 31 in Clay, which used to be home to a KeyBank branch. 

 

MAY

(5/7) The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) honored Cicero–based Air Innovations, Inc. as the New York winner of 2018 Small Business Exporter of the Year Award. At the same time, Air Innovations was selected as the SBA’s region II 2018 Small Business Exporter of the Year. The SBA’s region II includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Serial entrepreneur Michael John Heagerty has a new enterprise, an artisan gallery in Armory Square. Wildflowers Armory features art, jewelry, clothing, soap, candles, shaving kits, and other products made by local artisans. The business, situated at 225 West Jefferson St., across from the MOST, opened May 4.

The KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) Business Boost & Build program on May 1 awarded $115,000 to CenterState CEO. The funding will help CenterState CEO expand its popular UP Start Syracuse program, KeyBank said. KeyBank announced the funding award at the South Side Innovation Center to help mark the start of National Small Business Month.

(5/14) Cleveland, Ohio–based KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) expects to allocate up to 35 percent of the overall $16.5 billion figure in its national community-benefits plan in the overlapping KeyBank and First Niagara markets in upstate New York and Pennsylvania. KeyBank spent close to $30 million in 2017 in supporting affordable-housing projects in the Syracuse area with low-income tax credits and affordable-housing loans, says Stephen Fournier, market president for KeyBank in Central New York.

A firm based in Saratoga Springs, north of Albany, will lead a consulting group in conducting a redevelopment study on 600 Main St. in the town of Union, the former site of the defense contractor BAE Systems. The Agency selected Elan Planning Design and Landscape Architecture to lead the group, it said in a May 3 news release.

Eric Mower + Associates rebranded, trimming the name down to Mower. Eric Mower, who founded the advertising agency in 1968, will continue to serve as chairman and CEO. The firm designed a new logo for the new name. Presented in uppercase letters, in a custom, sans serif typeface, “Mower” will be seen in different bright colors.

Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport joined other airports in the region in preparing to kick off a
$22 million renovation. The airport — which offers direct flights to Newark Liberty International Airport, Detroit, and Philadelphia — used a $14.2 million state grant to help pay for the work to “revitalize and expand” the facility, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

Hartwick College believes a new hospital-suite simulation unit in the school’s nursing department will help it “better prepare” nursing students to enter the field. The $300,000 grant that Hartwick will use to help pay for the unit will also help it add another 10 students to the department, the college said.

(5/28) Onondaga County’s development agency voted to keep COR Inner Harbor Company LLC as the agency for developing Syracuse’s Inner Harbor. The original agreement was signed in 2015. It expired at the end of 2017, according to Tony Rivizzigno, OCIDA’s attorney. 

The boards of directors and the leadership of Hospice of the Finger Lakes (HFL) and Hospice of Central New York (HCNY) agreed to merge. The decision followed “several months of negotiations,” the organizations said.

For decades Colella Gallery was a fixture at 123 East Willow St. in Syracuse. The old brownstone stood apart on the north side of the street; behind was only Interstate 690. That’s where Dale Colella went to work fulltime for his uncle Nicholas (Nick) Colella in 1982. The gallery moved to the Marriott Syracuse Downtown in mid-November and Colella sold the brownstone in early December for $435,000. The buyer was OIP Holdings, which Colella says plans to renovate it into a high-end Italian restaurant.

Speedway Press, an Oswego–based provider of printing, signage, and marketing products, acquired the Phoenix Press at 594 Main St. in Phoenix. Neither firm disclosed terms of their acquisition agreement. The deal became effective on May 15.

 

JUNE

(6/4) The shutdown of Premier Aviation Overhaul Center in Rome will cost 127 workers their jobs. In a legally required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, Quebec–based Premier said 127 workers would be laid off Aug. 22.

Lowery Bros. Chrysler Jeep, on Syracuse’s automobile row, has a new owner and will be moving in a couple of years. Maguire Family of Dealerships purchased the Lowery Bros. dealership. Lowery Bros. will now “focus its auto retail and service operations on its nearby Infiniti brand location,” it said.

Upstate Shredding, LLC, and sister company Weitsman Recycling, ired a new COO and CFO to help lead the firm’s operations. The Owego–based business announced it had hired Jack Canty as COO and Timothy Rake as CFO. The firm believes both Canty and Rake “will help position Upstate Shredding – Weitsman Recycling for additional growth and expansion in the latter half of 2018 and into 2019,” per a company news release.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Clarkson University a $75,000 grant to develop a “more efficient” ammonia removal and recovery process for food-waste digesters. The effort seeks to reduce the volume of food waste sent to solid-waste landfills, “simultaneously addressing the objectives of improving air quality and revitalizing land,” the EPA said.

 (6/11) Galaxy Communications has a new name and new investors. CEO Ed Levine says the company is now Galaxy Media and is bringing aboard up to 10 new investors to buy out the shares that had been owned by a private investment firm and help the company reduce debt. Those investors are local people, Levine says, including his long-time friend Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim.

Central New York’s largest cable-television provider returned local anchors to its news channel. Spectrum, the company created when Charter Communications purchased Time Warner Cable in 2016, is reversing a move made by Time Warner in 2005. So starting May 29, the day after Memorial Day, Central New Yorkers began seeing locally anchored newscasts from midday until 5 a.m.

After having served in an interim role since the start of the year, HealthlinkNY appointed Staci Romeo as the organization’s permanent executive director. HealthlinkNY operates the health-information exchange (HIE) connecting providers and patients in 13 counties in the Southern Tier, Hudson Valley, and Catskills regions of New York.

With 10 community solar farms built and an 11th soon to get underway, Renovus Solar is looking to bring the concept to a wider market. The company has built residential solar-power systems in the area, says Ryan McCune, Renovus’ head of marketing, but until now has only built community solar farms in areas served by New York State Electric and Gas Corporation. The 11th farm, to be built on commercial property in Homer, will be the first in National Grid’s service area, McCune says.

Crews were preparing to renovate the top three floors in Axa Tower I in downtown Syracuse where Hancock Estabrook, LLP will operate once the work is complete. The law firm signed a 13-year extension of its current lease in the building, Hancock Estabrook recently announced. 

(6/18) A Utica–based investigative firm formally rebranded as Sotera Investigative Group, LLC following its split from Canada-based Investigative Solutions Network (ISN) and is eyeing steady growth in the future.

Cummins Diesel Inc. completed a nearly $4 million expansion and renovation to it facility on Eastern Avenue in Syracuse, according to William Taylor Architects. In a release, Taylor explained that continued growth required the motor-repair shop to expand, putting on two additions.

Enterprise Lease Solutions (ELS), which helps clients manage the leasing and financing of equipment to customers, opened a new office in Denver, Colorado. ELS operates its main office in a 13,000-square-foot building at 6370 Vip Parkway, off East Molloy Road, in DeWitt. 

ICS, an information-technology (IT) support firm, settled into its third office, a 1,000-square-foot space located at 840 Hanshaw Road in the village of Cayuga Heights, near Ithaca. The firm has operated at that location since Jan. 1.

Nasir Ali, co-founder and CEO of Upstate Venture Connect (UVC), says the prosperity that a successful entrepreneurial economy can create isn’t limited to dollars. Successful entrepreneurs not only invest in other growing businesses, they can help fund museums and symphonies and other social goods, Ali says. They also bring their experience to not-for-profits, creating “social good.” “Entrepreneurs,” he says, “are our most precious resources.” 

(6/25) New York State’s utility regulators threatened to undo the cable merger that created Spectrum, saying the company had failed to keep its promises to expand internet access. The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) ordered Spectrum to pay two $1 million fines and ordered that the company unequivocally accept the terms the state set in 2016 for the merger of Time Warner Cable and Charter “or face the risk of having the merger revoked,” the PSC said in a June 14 release.

After 23 years in the event business, 10 of them with Syracuse University, a Syracuse women is joining a franchise. Me’Shae Rolling says the move will allow her to expand her business quickly and help her line up federal contracts. Rolling is the first franchisee for EventPrep in New York state, according to a release from the Florida–based company.

Smith, Sovik, Kendrick & Sugnet P.C., a Syracuse–based law firm, opened an office in White Plains, adding to its presence in the New York City area. The new office allows the firm to “cover more efficiently a greater territory” north of New York City where client demand for the firm’s services is “growing,” the firm said.

 

JULY

(7/2) The Greater Binghamton Airshow drew about 8,500 visitors to the Greater Binghamton Airport in the town of Maine despite damp, low clouds that forced some participants to change their acts, organizers say.

Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare (SBH) changed its name to Helio Health as part of an organization-wide rebrand. The name change to Helio Health won’t alter any of its current services, and its relationships with referral partners will remain the same, the organization contends. The rebrand also won’t result in any change to staffing, leadership, or current locations.

The Speach Family Candy Shoppe — a 98-year-old candy company passed down through four generations — launched a new line of fruit convections called Fruit Workz, designing new arrangements and flavors of fruit mixed with chocolate.

The two McDonald’s locations in Auburn are now operated by a franchisee that also runs six other restaurants in the Southern Tier. Chicago, Illinois–based McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) on June 7 finalized a franchise agreement with Cayuga Restaurant Group, which has its main office in Elmira Heights in Chemung County.

More than $360 million of investment activity is either underway or announced and 3,600 people call downtown their home, the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. reports. “And this [downtown population] number will continue to grow,” said Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee. The figures were part of the “State of Downtown” report that Treier delivered during the organization’s annual meeting on June 21. 

(7/9) Yeti Frozen Yogurt & Smoothies opened in early June on Westcott Street, near the Syracuse University campus, offering self-serve frozen yogurt, along with a variety of drinks such as smoothies, milkshakes, and teas.

Crews finished work on the first phase of the project to preserve the Gustav Stickley House located at 438 Columbus Ave. in Syracuse for future use as a museum and hotel. The restoration of the home’s exterior now “replicates its design” when the craftsman furniture maker lived there, according to a news release from the Gustav Stickley House Foundation Inc. and the University Neighborhood Preservation Association (UNPA).

Local IT firm Infinit Technology Solutions is expanding in the western New York market with its recent acquisition of Infogistics IT of Fairport. “It helps us expand our brand in the Rochester, Buffalo arena,” says Thomas Klink, Jr., Infinit Technology’s president. Infinit and Infogistics IT had been discussing a possible deal for “approximately two years prior to the acquisition,” he says. The deal closed in mid-April. 

(7/16) After 13 years, Robert Daino stepped down as president and CEO of WCNY at the end of the month. The WCNY board appointed Caroline Basso interim president and CEO effective Aug. 1, according to a release. The board also appointed Daino to a newly created position, director emeritus of the WCNY board, according to Jeffrey Scheer, WCNY’s board chairman.

 Three top executives at Schneider Packaging Equipment Co. have bought the business from the Schneider family. President Bob Brotzki, Executive VP Greg Masingill, and VP of Engineering and Services Mike Smith closed on the acquisition June 22. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Northeastern Electronics Co. in Elbridge is growing rapidly and expects to keep expanding. Sales last year grew some 40 percent, says Brent Peltz, territory manager. This year the company is on track to grow sales by 100 percent, he says, hitting $10 million. To handle that growth, the business is planning to double its work force from the current 50 to 100 by the end of the year.

Oswego Health officials say plans are being finalized to turn a former grocery store into a modern 20-bed behavioral-health care facility. Oswego Health plans to convert 43,000 square feet of the former Oswego Price Chopper at 29 East Cayuga St. into a facility with secure outdoor spaces, a kitchen, and “comfortable interior spaces.”

The City of Rome selected 11 projects that will benefit from its $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award. The state announced Rome as the Mohawk Valley winner in the second round of the DRI competition in September 2017. 

Geriatrics, the branch of medicine that deals with the health and care of older adults, is the focus of a new clinical department at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. The creation of a department of geriatrics will bring additional funding for “enhanced” services, faculty positions and research, “all aimed at the care and wellbeing of older adults,” Upstate Medical said. Geriatrics’ status as its own department became effective on July 1

(7/23) As more employers report difficulties in finding qualified employees — in CenterState CEO’s economic forecast for 2018, members said it was getting harder to find skilled workers — some are turning to public transit for help. Square Deal Machining Inc. (SDMI), on Route 11 in Marathon, has been growing, adding equipment and employees. Looking for help with the latter, it reached out to Cortland Transit.

Barclay Damon LLP on July 17 announced that the lawyers and staff of Menter, Rudin & Trivelpiece, P.C. were joining it, effective Aug. 1. The Menter firm’s 31 employees, including 14 attorneys, will become part of Barclay Damon, the firm tells CNYBJ. Nine of its 14 lawyers are joining Barclay Damon as partners.

Fastrac Markets, an upstate New York chain of gas station/convenience stores, opened a new store in the village of Pulaski. Fastrac last fall acquired the property at 3821 Rome Road, which was formerly home to a Nice N Easy store, Jim Allen, Fastrac’s VP of marketing, tells CNYBJ in an email. The firm demolished the structure and built a new 4,500-square foot convenience store offering eight fueling stations, and indoor and outdoor seating. 

Both Watertown and Cortland plan to use a portion of their respective $10 million funding awards in the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) on projects that would help small businesses. The projects involve both funding and spaces for operations.

(7/30) A Red Roof Inn and adjoining restaurant, formerly called the River’s Edge, in Owego rebranded and reopened as the Quality Inn Owego and Bistro 1100. The newly branded hotel and renovated restaurant, located at 1100 State Route 17C, are both owned by Rudra Management Group, a Buffalo–based company that owns more than 50 properties in upstate and central New York.

Visions Federal Credit Union (FCU) announced that it had formally opened a branch office on the Binghamton University campus and is now the “official financial services partner” for the university. The new branch is Visions FCU’s 48th overall.

M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) chief financial officer (CFO) Darren King says the Buffalo–based banking company, which ranks No. 1 in deposit market share in the 16-county Central New York region, is always looking for acquisitions where it can make a return but is finding fewer opportunities at this time. King said that M&T’s approach to mergers hasn’t altered since Rene Jones succeeded the late Robert Wilmers as CEO and chairman in late December 2017.

 

AUGUST

(8/6) After months of renovation work, the Craftsman Inn and Suites’ updated and upgraded look is starting to come into focus. Work is complete on the hotel section of the property, where a more open lobby greets visitors. Labor continues in the suites section of the hotel and in the restaurant and banquet areas, which are being overhauled and expanded.

The City of Auburn said it would soon begin the process of developing a “strategic-investment plan to revitalize” its downtown area. The state awarded the Cayuga County community $10 million in funding as the Central New York winner of the third round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).

Nearly 30 veterans were preparing to finish their work in Syracuse University’s 11th annual Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV). EBV is a nine-day, “intensive” program for veterans who are focused on starting and building a business. The program has the support of the school’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF).

The Tom Ash Agency, based in Owego in Tioga County, expanded into Broome County with a new office in the hamlet of Endwell. Jennifer Welch, owner of the Tom Ash Agency, tells CNYBJ that she decided to open a second office because “we were ready to expand. And we do have current clients this way.” It was the first time the agency had opened an additional location.

The group that describes itself as the state’s largest insurance-producer trade association says it still has “concerns” about the state’s final regulation of a standard for those selling life insurance and annuity products in New York. DeWitt–based Big I New York on July 19 reacted to the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) approval of the regulation. Big I New York is the former Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. (IIABNY). 

(8/13) ICS added seven employees and more than 100 customers with its acquisition of J.B. Kane, a Liverpool information-technology (IT) firm. The acquisition closed June 1, says Kevin Blake, ICS president and CEO, declining to provide any financial terms of the acquisition. ICS is an IT support firm with offices in DeWitt, Endicott, and Ithaca.

Ichor Therapeutics purchased the former LaFayette Family Health Center at 2561 Route 11 to expand its operations with plans for additional hiring. Ichor (pronounced EYE-core) Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that develops therapeutic interventions for age-associated disease. The firm, located at 2521 Route 11 in LaFayette, on Aug. 2 announced it was getting the building for additional research and development (R&D) work.

The Nob Hill Apartments, one of the largest apartment complexes in the region, was sold for $58.5 million. Sinatra & Company Real Estate of Buffalo bought the 761-unit multifamily complex located at 100 Lafayette Road in Syracuse, in a joint venture with Santa Monica, California–based hotel management and development company, Windsor Capital Group, and a minority equity investment from Basalt Capital LLC, a real-estate investment and advisory firm. The seller was Nob Hill of Syracuse Apartments LLC.

The WISE Women’s Business Center relocated to the lobby of Axa Tower I after operating at the nearby Tech Garden since 2012. It occupies half of a 3,000-square-foot space in Axa Tower I. It previously operated in a 1,000-square-foot space in the Tech Garden.

The Cortland County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced that it had recently hired Meghan Lawton as its new executive director. The organization is the “official” tourism-promotion agency for Cortland County and operates at 37 Church St. in Cortland.

(8/20) The Mohawk Valley Health Center in Ilion is now known as the Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing at Mohawk Valley after a New York City–based health-care organization acquired the facility. The Grand Healthcare System of Queens purchased the 120-bed nursing facility for an “undisclosed amount,” according to a Grand Healthcare news release.

A Manlius business that provides an online portal to track relocation and crating services is planning to double its revenue and number of employees by the end of next year. Relo Solutions Group, a third-party technology platform that can track crating and relocation service providers, will release a new software system in September, after more than a year of development.

 

SEPTEMBER

(9/3) The Village of Owego in Tioga County is working to figure out how to spend its $10 million award in the third round of the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Owego will use the $10 million in state funding and investments to “revitalize its downtown neighborhoods and generate new opportunities for long-term growth,” the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Brockett Creative Group — a Mohawk Valley advertising, marketing and internet strategy firm — announced it had moved back to where the business first got its start in Clinton. In the last year, Brockett Creative Group has expanded from nine employees to 11, so it needed more space, according to Catrina M. Dibble, the firm’s director of marketing.

The NFIB, a national small-business association, on Aug. 28 named Syracuse University graduate Ashley Ranslow the assistant state director for New York state. NFIB says it advocates on behalf of more than 10,000 small businesses in New York and represents 325,000 members nationwide.

(9/10) Troy Waffner on Sept. 4 started preparing for the 2019 New York State Fair with a change in his official title. That same day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Waffner’s appointment as the permanent director of the New York State Fair within the Department of Agriculture and Markets, “effective immediately.” Waffner has served as acting director for the past five state fairs, a time of change and growth at the annual event and its State Fairgrounds.

Consumers who shop at Tops Markets stores in Syracuse’s Valley Plaza, the Westvale Plaza, and in Fulton will soon have to find someplace else to buy their groceries. Tops Markets, LLC on Aug. 30 said it plans to close one store each in Syracuse, Geddes, and Fulton by the end of November. They’re among 10 “underperforming” stores that Tops plans to shutter, the company said.

The New York Power Authority and Ontario Power Generation will continue to share management of the Moses-Saunders Power Dam for another 15 years. The collaboration in the extended agreement involves the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project in Massena and the R.H. Saunders Generating Station in Cornwall, Ontario, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. The structure spans the St. Lawrence River between Northern New York and Ontario. 

(9/17) Sheldrake Point Winery in Ovid in Seneca County plans to use its new 7,000-square-foot geothermal wine-production facility this fall as it “continues to build upon its sustainability initiatives.” “With construction nearing completion,” the winery held an official unveiling of the building on Aug. 25.

Destiny USA and Syracuse University Athletics are hoping they can attract a lot of visitors to Central New York. The organizations on Sept. 10 announced a “multi-year strategic tourism partnership designed to drive travel and tourism to Central New York and Onondaga County.”

ENV Insurance Agency is adding a 5,000-square-foot space to its existing 5,000-square-foot building at 7789 Oswego Rd. (Route 57) in the town of Clay to accommodate its business growth. ENV is a provider of employee-benefit programs, property and casualty insurance, home and auto insurance, and other financial services.

 

OCTOBER

(10/1) Feldmeier Equipment, Inc. moved into a new 133,000-square-foot, high-tech manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in DeWitt, but has already begun planning another expansion. Feldmeier Equipment — which makes stainless steel tanks and other equipment for the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, and brewery markets — formally opened the $15 million facility at 6655 Old Thompson Road with a ribbon-cutting event on Sept. 24.

Syracuse–based Cadaret, Grant & Co. Inc. is working on internal measures after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) slapped it with fines for providing a recommendation “without a reasonable basis” on an investment. The firm, two of its top officials, and a broker were all fined.

Wired Telecom, an Oswego–based early-stage company, captured the $50,000 prize in the 2018 “Next Great Idea” (NGI) Oswego County Business Competition. Wired Telecom provides standardized information-technology (IT) and communication services geared toward medium and large-sized commercial franchise companies nationwide.

(10/8) Both Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG) and Simple Admit, LLC are interested in the patient-lending market and they’ve recently reached a deal to team up. BHG, a provider of financing for licensed health-care professionals, announced it has acquired a 20 percent stake in Simple Admit, a Baldwinsville–based health-care technology company. The deal closed Aug. 14. BHG didn’t disclose the dollar amount of its investment. 

The current semester will be the last for Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena as president Upstate Medical University, announcing that she’ll step down from the position on Dec. 22. The announcement of Laraque-Arena’s decision comes weeks after the Albany Times-Union reported that the Onondaga County District Attorney’s office had started a grand-jury probe of Upstate Medical University that’s focused on “hiring decisions, severance packages, and construction projects,” according to a Sept. 7 article on the Times-Union website.

Nascentia Health, which specializes in home health-care services, on Sept. 19 formally opened its new operational headquarters at 1050 W. Genesee St. in Syracuse in an event that included an open house, speakers, and a ribbon cutting. Nascentia Health is the rebranded name of the organization that involves the “unification” of VNA Homecare, VNA Homecare Options, Home Aides of Central New York and all their respective affiliated organizations and foundations.

(10/15) Since the start of 2017, Greek Peak Mountain Resort in Cortland County says it has spent about $2.5 million on improvement projects. The resort in Virgil, south of Cortland, spent about 

$1 million during 2017 and another $1.5 million on the ski area and lodging this year.

SparkCharge, a Syracuse University startup company, captured the $1 million grand prize in the recent 43North business competition in Buffalo. SparkCharge offers a portable electric-vehicle (EV) charging unit. The company developed the “portable, ultrafast charging unit for electric vehicles that fits in the trunk of a car and charges at level 3 speed, giving users one mile every 60 seconds,” according to Syracuse University. 

Seneca-Cayuga Bancorp, Inc. (ticker symbol: SCAY), the holding company for Generations Bank, on Oct. 1 completed the merger with Medina Savings and Loan (MSL) Association, located in Orleans County in western New York. The banking company expects the merger to increase Seneca-Cayuga’s consolidated assets to $335 million, up from $291 million as of Dec. 31, 2017.

Crouse Health on Oct. 4 formally opened the newly completed final phase of the $38 million emergency-services and expansion project at Crouse Hospital. The final phase involved the relocation of the PromptCare service. The two-phase project was partially opened in July 2017, with completion of the 21,000-square-foot main (ER).

Cayuga Health System of Ithaca announced that president and CEO John Rudd, who serves in the same capacity for Cayuga Medical Center, plans to retire in the fall of 2019. Dr. Martin Stallone will succeed Rudd as president and CEO of Cayuga Medical Center on Jan. 1, 2019, the organization said. To assist with the transition, Rudd will continue as president and CEO of Cayuga Health System until the fall of 2019 when Stallone will assume those additional responsibilities.

(10/22) Digital Hyve, a Syracuse–based digital-marketing agency, has generated explosive growth since its founding in mid-2014, and the firm plans more growth in the year-ahead, including opening a new office in Western New York. Digital Hyve has grown from $102,000 in revenue in 2014 to $5.2 million in 2017, according to Jeff Knauss, co-owner. And he’s projecting the firm to finish 2018 with revenue of $8 million.

The Syracuse Crunch minor-league hockey club agreed to play its home games at the Onondaga County War Memorial Arena through the 2029-30 season. The team, Onondaga County, and arena manager SMG (Service Management Group) announced the 12-year lease extension on Oct. 12.

The New York Mets’ decision to move their Triple-A affiliate and the upcoming renovation work at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse requires “a big investment.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Oct. 16 made the comment during his remarks at a ceremony inside the stadium, noting that the state and Onondaga County are each contributing $12.5 million and the City of Syracuse is adding $1.2 million to the stadium-renovation effort.

Miller King LLC, a law firm that previously operated in Tully, combined with Syracuse–based Hancock Estabrook, LLP, in a deal that became effective Sept. 24. Hancock Estabrook didn’t disclose any terms of its agreement with Miller King.

(10/29) Wisconsin–based Dutchland Plastics moved its upstate New York plant from Sherrill to a 50,000-square-foot refurbished building in Canastota. The upstate New York operations of Oostburg, Wisconsin–based Dutchland Plastics had previously operated in a smaller space in Sherrill. With the expansion, the company plans to create 42 new full-time jobs over the next two years, Dutchland said. It’ll also move the 23 employees from the Sherrill plant to the new facility. 

Five Star Urgent Care rebranded and changed its name to WellNow Urgent Care. The organization describes itself as “one of New York’s fastest growing urgent-care providers.” Throughout the rebrand process, WellNow will be “focused on continued growth,” with additional location openings in Oneida and Irondequoit “planned for this fall,” per the release.

Loretto plans for an $11 million project involving renovations and new construction to “expand and enhance” dementia care at three of its locations. They include the Nottingham in DeWitt, along with the Heritage and the Cunningham buildings on Loretto’s main campus in Syracuse, Loretto said.

The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) approved Northern Credit Union’s application to convert its charter to conduct business to a New York State charter, effective Oct. 18. Prior to the conversion, Northern Credit Union operated as Northern Federal Credit Union, the DFS said. In addition to the charter conversion, Northern Credit Union announced it has broken ground on a new branch office in Adams.

Construction workers finished a remodeling project at the Yorkville branch office of Rome–based AmeriCU Credit Union. Plans for the project started in late 2017, and crews started working on the initiative at 4957 Commercial Drive earlier this year, says Nicholas Cray, VP of member relations and marketing, who spoke with CNYBJ on Oct. 22.

 

NOVEMBER

(11/5) Recognition for more than 300 local companies, KeyBank, and outgoing Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney marked the annual CenterState CEO Economic Champions luncheon held Oct. 30. The organization recognized 302 companies as 2018 Economic Champions for hirings, expansions, and investments in the past year during the event at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter. More than 1,000 people attended the event.

Wayfair — a Boston–based online retailer of furniture, home furnishings, and décor items — formally opened its new operations center in Big Flats in Chemung County with a ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 30. The 63,000-square-foot facility is a customer service and sales office and it first opened in July, according to Griffin Carroll, a company spokesperson.

Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) unveiled what its downtown hospital project will look like when completed near the end of 2022. MVHS on Oct. 26 revealed the exterior design of its new, 373-bed, 672,000-square-foot hospital in downtown Utica. The presentation included a timeline that indicates MVHS hopes to begin construction in September 2019.

Construction work started on a $12.8 million affordable and supportive housing development at 8700 Knowledge Lane in the town of Cicero. Developed by Webster, New York–based CDS Housing, Spring Village will provide 50 energy-efficient apartments for adults 55 and over, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) announced Oct. 26.

(11/12) Contractors formally completed work on the $62.4 million renovation project at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The redevelopment of the Syracuse airport was undertaken as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization competition, his office said. Of the project’s total cost, $35.8 million was provided by the state, $14.9 million came from the federal government and $11.7 million was provided by the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority and Onondaga County, according to a release from the governor’s office. 

Elmira Corning Regional Airport completed a $61.5 million renovation project “that will ease travel and promote economic opportunities for the entire Southern Tier.” The redesigned airport features a larger terminal with about 60 percent more floor space, 300 additional parking spaces, new food and beverage options, Cuomo’s office said.

The New York State Canal Corporation and the New York Power Authority in early October announced that a proposal by the Madison County Planning Department was one of two winners in the “Reimagine the Canals” Competition. As a winner, the project will receive $1.5 million to assist the Village of Canastota redevelop a 2.5 acre Erie Canal-side parcel into a residential development, according to the Madison County government.

Le Moyne College started the process of establishing an undergraduate major in risk management and insurance following a $7 million donation to spur the effort. The McNeil family of Cortland, “one of Le Moyne College’s third-generation families,” donated the funding, the school said. Le Moyne announced the donation at its Founders’ Day Gala on Oct. 19. 

The president of Welch Allyn accepted a new job as a CEO “in the healthcare provider space” and will be leaving the company Dec. 1. Word of Alton Shader’s upcoming departure was included in a filing from Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.’s (NYSE: HRC) with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) about its fiscal fourth quarter financial results. 

(11/19) The Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) appointed Darlene Stromstad as the next president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2019. She’ll replace Scott Perra, the current MVHS president and CEO, who announced his retirement at the start of this year. 

Spaulding Support Services has formally become part of AccessCNY, following the merger of the two nonprofit disability providers, which closed on Nov. 1. The two organizations had already essentially been operating as one entity since the spring through a memo of understanding between the two organizations, Matt Seubert, associate executive director of development at AccessCNY, tells CNYBJ in an email.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Nov. 12 announced $5.1 million in planned, major upgrades — largely funded by government — at the city-owned NYSEG Stadium for the 2019 season. The Double-A minor-league baseball team, an affiliate of the New York Mets, also announced it would stay in Binghamton through 2026 by extending its lease at the ballpark.

The board of trustees of Syracuse University unanimously elected Kathleen Walters as its next chairperson, the first woman to hold the position. She currently serves as a vice chair of Syracuse’s board of trustees, the university said. Walters, who graduated from Syracuse in 1973, will succeed current board chair Steve Barnes, whose term ends in May 2019.

The Village Basement Consignment Shop in New Hartford formally opened under its new owners. The New Hartford Chamber of Commerce welcomed the new owners — Amanda Hanna of Barneveld and Kate Hoover of Newport — on Nov. 10 with a ribbon cutting and grand reopening celebration at the store at 70 Genesee St. The event commemorated the Village Basement changing hands after 19 years under former owner, Diane Evans.

(11/26) The SUNY board of trustees appointed Dr. Mantosh Dewan as interim president of Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. His appointment is effective Dec. 23 and he will serve until a permanent president is selected, SUNY announced. He will take over for Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena, who announced in late September that she would step down on Dec. 22.

Five Star Bank, a unit of Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), recently announced a reorganization in its executive leadership team, which it says will “more effectively meet the needs of customers across all segments of its business in support of the bank’s continued growth.” Five Star Bank, based in Warsaw in Wyoming County, has more than 50 branches throughout Western and Central New York. Its CNY branches include offices in Auburn, Geneva (2), Seneca Falls, Elmira (2), and Horseheads.               ν

DocuPet, a Kingston, Ontario–based pet licensing firm, has opened its U.S. headquarters in Axa Tower II as a tenant of CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden. DocuPet launched its first municipal pet-licensing program in Ontario, Canada in late 2014. Since that time, DocuPet has partnered with more than 30 municipalities and regions.