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Sciarabba Walker & Co., LLP announced that effective Jan. 1, Tom D’Alessandro, CPA, has been named head of the Tax Department, taking over from Chris

Sciarabba Walker & Co., LLP has announced the appointment of David Iles, CPA, and Chris Hart (pictured), CPA, as co-managing partners, effective Jan. 1. Iles

Hochul visits Upstate University Hospital with $200M earmarked for facility renovation
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday met with the leadership of Upstate Medical University to discuss the state’s $200 million investment for Upstate
Oneida County hotel business indicators were mixed in December
UTICA — Oneida County hotels had a mixed month of business performance in December, as measured by three key benchmarks. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) edged down 0.9 percent to 43.9 percent in the final month of 2024 compared to the year-prior month, according to a report from STR,
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UTICA — Oneida County hotels had a mixed month of business performance in December, as measured by three key benchmarks.
The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) edged down 0.9 percent to 43.9 percent in the final month of 2024 compared to the year-prior month, according to a report from STR, a Tennessee–based hotel-market data and analytics company. For the full year, occupancy was off 0.1 to 60.4 percent.
Revenue per available room (RevPar), an important industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, rose 1.9 percent to $53.96 in December 2024 in the Mohawk Valley’s largest county versus December 2023. For all of 2024, RevPar gained 5.6 percent to $85.42.
Average daily rate (ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, increased 2.9 percent to $122.90 in Oneida County in December 2024, compared to the same month a year earlier. For the entire year, ADR went up 5.7 percent to $141.51.

NextGen Label Group names new president and CEO
CICERO, N.Y. — NextGen Label Group says has appointed Dan Rosenbaum president and CEO, effective April 1. Rosenbaum has been serving as the firm’s CFO as well as the president of the company’s Van Alstine division since the February 2024 retirement of then-division president Gary Riley, Sr. NextGen Label Group provides labeling and packaging products
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CICERO, N.Y. — NextGen Label Group says has appointed Dan Rosenbaum president and CEO, effective April 1.
Rosenbaum has been serving as the firm’s CFO as well as the president of the company’s Van Alstine division since the February 2024 retirement of then-division president Gary Riley, Sr.
NextGen Label Group provides labeling and packaging products for a range of industries. Its Syracuse Label & Surround Printing location operates at 200 Stewart Drive in the town of Cicero.
In its announcement, NextGen Label says of Rosenbaum, “A seasoned leader with a proven track record of excellence, Dan brings a deep understanding of NextGen’s business and strategic vision, positioning the company for continued growth and innovation.”
Tom Sargent, who has served as NextGen Label’s president and CEO for the past several years, will step down as part of a planned transition and will assume the role of corporate advisor.
In that capacity, Sargent will work with the leadership team to advance strategic initiatives while remaining an active member of the board of directors.
“Tom Sargent’s leadership has been pivotal in shaping NextGen Label Group,” Kathy Alaimo and Nick Van Alstine, who co-chair the firm’s board of directors, said in the announcement. “His vision and dedication have driven key milestones, and we are grateful he will continue to play a role in guiding the company forward.”
“I have had the privilege of witnessing Dan expertly guide our organization through critical milestones and transitions, demonstrating exceptional judgment, impressive business acumen, and unwavering integrity,” Sargent said. “Dan has my absolute confidence, along with the full support of the Board of Directors in his new role. I am excited to see the ambitious next chapter of NextGen’s evolution unfold under his strong leadership.”
Reflecting on his new role, Rosenbaum said he’s “honored” to step into the role of President & CEO of NextGen Label Group.
“The dedication, expertise, and innovation of our employee-owners are what make this company extraordinary. I look forward to building on the strong foundation and driving NextGen forward, delivering exceptional value to our customers, employees, and stakeholders,” Rosenbaum said.

ANDRO awarded $2 million Naval research contract to study AI integration
ROME, N.Y. — The Marconi-Rosenblatt AI Innovation Lab at ANDRO Computational Solutions, in collaboration with Syracuse University, has received a $2 million Small Business Technology

ACCESS FCU names assistant VP of risk management
CLINTON — ACCESS Federal Credit Union (FCU), which serves eight counties in Central New York and Upstate, on Jan. 9 announced the promotion of Alyssa Lawrence to assistant VP of risk management. Lawrence has worked for ACCESS for more than six years. Thomas Owens, president and CEO of ACCESS FCU, announced the promotion. In
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CLINTON — ACCESS Federal Credit Union (FCU), which serves eight counties in Central New York and Upstate, on Jan. 9 announced the promotion of Alyssa Lawrence to assistant VP of risk management.
Lawrence has worked for ACCESS for more than six years. Thomas Owens, president and CEO of ACCESS FCU, announced the promotion.
In this new position, Lawrence will manage the credit union’s security program, serve as chairperson of the safety committee, and supervise the card-services processor and electronic-services processor, per the announcement.
Lawrence will also be responsible for the internal audits of loans, branches, and departments, and will act as a liaison with external auditors and the supervisory committee.
ACCESS Federal Credit Union is a community credit union. The organization has its main office in Clinton and additional locations in Camden, Oneida, Rome, and Sherrill, per its website.
If someone lives, works, worships, or go to school in Madison, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Montgomery, Oneida, or Otsego counties, they may join ACCESS FCU. In addition, businesses and other legal entities located within these counties are eligible to join, the credit union noted.

NBT reports 18 percent profit growth in Q4 and 2024
NORWICH — NBT Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBTB), the parent company of NBT Bank, N.A., reported strong profit growth for both the fourth quarter of 2024 as well as the full year 2024, following the integration of acquired Salisbury Bancorp, Inc., in August 2023. NBT generated fourth-quarter net income of $36 million, or 76 cents per
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NORWICH — NBT Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBTB), the parent company of NBT Bank, N.A., reported strong profit growth for both the fourth quarter of 2024 as well as the full year 2024, following the integration of acquired Salisbury Bancorp, Inc., in August 2023.
NBT generated fourth-quarter net income of $36 million, or 76 cents per share, up more than 18 percent from $30.4 million, or 64 cents, in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Full-year net income at the Norwich–based banking and financial-services company totaled $140.6 million, or $2.97 per share, also up over 18 percent from $118.8 million, or $2.65 per share, in 2023.
“Three consecutive quarters of growth in net interest income and margin along with continued strong results from our diverse mix of fee business drove NBT’s operating performance in the fourth quarter of 2024,” NBT President/CEO Scott A. Kingsley said in the Jan. 27 profit report.
During a Jan. 28 conference call with investors, analysts, and the media, Kingsley noted that all three of NBT’s non-banking subsidiaries — NBT Insurance Agency, LLC; EPIC Retirement Plan Services; and wealth-management services — performed well, helping drive noninterest income up 11 percent to $42.2 million. He credits strong financial markets for some of that increase.
The integration of Salisbury Bancorp in August added 13 branches, $1.18 billion in loans, and $1.31 billion in deposits to NBT in 2024.
Total deposits at NBT Bank were $11.55 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024, up 5.3 percent from the end of 2023.
In 2025, NBT Bancorp is going full steam ahead on its planned acquisition of Evans Bancorp, Inc., with plans to close the transaction sometime in the second quarter, after NBT received the required regulatory and shareholder approvals in late 2024.
NBT and Evans entered into the all-stock transaction agreement on Sept. 9. The acquisition will add Evans’ 18 Western New York branches into the NBT Bank network. Evans has assets of $2.28 billion, deposits of $1.9 billion, and net loans of $1.76 billion.
“Our partnership with Evans is a natural geographic expansion of NBT’s footprint,” Kingsley said during the conference call. He noted the deal isn’t just about adding Evans branches, but also actively growing NBT in the western part of the state. “I think we feel very bullish there is growth opportunity for us.”
As of afternoon trading on Jan. 29, NBT’s stock price was almost unchanged year to date, but up about 24 percent in the last 12 months.
Headquartered in Norwich, NBT Bancorp is the parent company of NBT Bank, with 155 branches in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut; EPIC Retirement Services, a national benefits-administration firm in Rochester; and NBT Insurance Agency, a full-service insurance agency based in Norwich.

CFCU Credit Union partners with Brandmint on marketing efforts
ITHACA, N.Y. — CFCU Community Credit Union recently announced a strategic partnership with Brandmint — a Rochester–based full-service marketing agency, which has an Ithaca office

The Summit unveils its EarlyPay service
ROCHESTER — The Summit Federal Credit Union (The Summit) says its newest service is called EarlyPay. It allows Summit members — who have direct deposit into a checking account — to have their paychecks available up to one day earlier than their regular payday. The credit union cites a 2022 survey by the American Payroll
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ROCHESTER — The Summit Federal Credit Union (The Summit) says its newest service is called EarlyPay.
It allows Summit members — who have direct deposit into a checking account — to have their paychecks available up to one day earlier than their regular payday.
The credit union cites a 2022 survey by the American Payroll Association as indicating 93 percent of U.S. workers get their paycheck via direct deposit, and more than 99 percent of Social Security recipients receive their funds through direct deposit as well.
With EarlyPay, all members of the Summit who currently have direct deposit into their checking accounts can receive their paychecks, Social Security, tax returns, and other benefits up to one day early. This service is automatic, meaning members don’t have to sign up and no fees to pay to get started, per the Dec. 10 announcement.
“We are continuously developing products and services that help make the financial lives of our members easier,” Twanda Christensen, VP of marketing and community engagement, said in the credit union’s announcement. “Early access to direct deposits is one of the features that our members have been requesting and, as their trusted financial partner, we are thrilled to now be able to offer this safe and convenient service.”
Founded in 1941, The Summit Federal Credit Union is a nonprofit, member-owned, full-service financial cooperative.
With more than $1.3 billion in assets, The Summit has more than 230 employees and provides financial products and services to more than 93,000 active members in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and Western New York.
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.