Erie Materials announced that BILL RAY has been promoted to general manager of the firm’s distribution center in Syracuse. He had previously been operations manager at the facility. Ray joined Erie Materials in 1997 and has worked in the warehouse, as a driver, in the purchasing department, and as an inside sales representative at the Syracuse branch. STEVE SCHANTZ has joined the general contracting/architectural department as a territory manager for the Syracuse and Central New York market. He has been with Erie Materials as an inside sales representative at the Syracuse branch since 2013. Schantz previously worked in contractor sales and in the building trades. GARY EWAIN and BRIAN DIEHL were named inside sales representatives at the Binghamton branch. Ewain has been with Erie Materials since 2012, starting as a driver, moving into the warehouse, and serving as a hybrid inside sales/warehouse person. Previously, Diehl worked for a building-materials distributor in Pennsylvania. SAM VROMAN transferred from Binghamton to the Elmira branch as an inside sales representative. He started as temporary warehouse help in 2004, was hired for the warehouse full time in 2005, and then was promoted to inside sales in 2007.

The Hayner Hoyt Corporation has hired JACK BARNI as its new pre-construction project manager. A 30-year industry veteran, he has extensive pre-construction and project-management experience. Barni was previously the pre-construction manager at LeChase Construction and the Widewaters Group. He has specialized construction knowledge and also served in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer.

NICOLE RIO has joined Hayner Hoyt as a production admin. She was previously the billing coordinator at Kopp Billing Agency and worked in corporate customer service at Wegmans Food Markets Inc. Rio received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University.

The Schweinfurth Art Center has hired MARIA WELYCH as marketing director. She was hired with a $43,000 grant from the Regional Economic Development Council and the New York State Council on the Arts. Welych worked as marketing director and grant specialist for the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology from May 2013 to February 2018. Prior to that, she worked at The Post-Standard for 25 years in various reporting and editing roles. 

The Syracuse Fire Department recently held a ceremony at Syracuse City Hall Council Chambers to honor the following employees who were recently promoted: CAPT. JEREMY COUGHLIN, CAPT. JORGE ROLON, LT. MICHAEL CORBETT, LT. JAMES DONNELLY, LT. THOMAS MACDONALD, LT. JOEL MCNALLY, and LT. MATTHEW SCIALDONE.

CORI GRUBNER has been named talent-acquisition specialist for the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS). She previously worked for Upstate Cerebral Palsy (UCP) in Utica as a recruiter, staff-development specialist, and credentialing specialist. Grubner was a CPR instructor at UCP and volunteered at its therapeutic-riding program for people with disabilities. She also worked as a recruiter for Staffworks in New Hartford. Grubner earned her bachelor’s degree in professional studies in business management with a specialization in equine business management from Cazenovia College.

SCOTT A. SHATRAW, former senior VP and chief financial officer of Utica First Insurance Company in Oriskany, has assumed the position of president and CEO. He succeeds longtime president and CEO, RICHARD J. ZICK, who will act as executive consultant to the board of directors. Shatraw, a graduate of Le Moyne College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, joined Utica First Insurance in 1990 as controller. He is a CPA and a chartered property and casualty underwriter. 

DUANE MESZLER has joined Preferred Mutual as a personal-lines underwriting manager. He will be responsible for managing the firm’s New York and New Jersey underwriting teams. Meszler brings more than 17 years of experience in the insurance industry. He previously worked as a manager of MBP underwriting and administration for a Midwestern insurance carrier. Prior to that, Meszler was a licensed independent insurance agent after having gained experience on the carrier side as an underwriting assistant manager, underwriting supervisor, and underwriter/senior underwriter. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and government from Campbell University.