Graze Craze store in Clay is company’s first location in New York

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CLAY, N.Y. — Graze Craze, which offers graze-style dining with its “artfully designed” charcuterie spreads, has started operations in the town of Clay. The new

Mid-Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corporation announces new executive director

Mohawk Valley, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Featured, Nonprofits, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

UTICA, N.Y. — The Mid-Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corporation (MUNPC) has hired Leslie Pasco as executive director, the first person to hold the position in more than 20 years, the organization announced. In the new role, Pasco will focus on strategic planning, programming, and support for the planned West Street Impact Center, a key component of

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In the new role, Pasco will focus on strategic planning, programming, and support for the planned West Street Impact Center, a key component of the $77 million Cornhill Revitalization Project spearheaded by the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties.

MUNPC is a key partner, as well as the landowner, for the future site of the center. The organization, commonly known as the Leisure Time Activity Center, offers adult social programming, physical fitness, and Bible studies through its Bessie Hicks Senior Program and coordinates Utica’s annual Juneteenth celebration.

“MUNPC was founded 45 years ago with a mission to serve the greater Utica community through strategic partnerships to end blight, facilitate healthy living, and preserve Utica’s cultural history,” MUNPC President and Board Chair Hilda M. Jordan said in a news release. “Our formal partnership with the Community Foundation fosters a new generation of collaboration to recreate larger community-directed impact centers in Cornhill. We are excited to announce and welcome Leslie Pasco, with an extensive background in marketing and strategic partnership, as our executive director to steward the storytelling and administrative processes needed to help our collaborative community efforts shine.”

Pasco brings experience in marketing, strategic partnerships, and community engagement to the role through a career that includes positions as director of marketing at Legends Sales at Syracuse University, director of annual giving at Le Moyne College, VP of marketing at AmeriCU Credit Union, and director of off-campus retail operations at the Colgate University bookstore.

“We are thrilled to welcome Leslie to our team,” MUNPC Board Member Kevin Alexander said. “Her extensive experience in advancement, marketing, and program management will be invaluable as we strengthen our board and build our capacity to expand our current programs. Leslie’s expertise will also be pivotal in collaborating with the Community Foundation and People First for the anticipated impact centers, a project that will significantly benefit our community.”

Leslie Pasco (Photo credit: The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties)

The Community Foundation awarded MUNPC a five-year, $300,000 grant to position the organization for growth, expanded opportunities, and hiring an executive director.

“This is pivotal moment for the Cornhill community, and the hiring of Leslie is a critical step in driving meaningful change,” Community Foundation President/CEO Alicia Fernandez Dicks said. “Strong leadership is essential for bringing partners together, creating opportunities, and building a sustainable future for this neighborhood.”

Lockheed Martin wins nearly $71M Navy contract modification

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

SALINA — Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) was recently awarded an almost $71 million modification to a previously awarded U.S. Navy contract. The cost-plus-incentive-fee, and cost only contract adjustment will exercise options and provide funding for engineering labor, program management and engineering other direct costs, travel, and material, in support of continued AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship

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Rome Health Foundation names six new board members and board president

Health Care, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Mohawk Valley, New York News, Nonprofits

ROME, N.Y. — The Rome Health Foundation recently announced the addition of six new members of its board of directors. The foundation board also elected

Lyons Bancorp pays Q4 dividend of 40 cents a share

Banks & Credit Unions, Southern Tier, Subscriber Only

LYONS — Lyons Bancorp, Inc. (ticker: LYBC), the parent financial holding company of the Lyons National Bank, recently paid its quarterly common stock cash dividend for the fourth quarter. The banking company paid out 40 cents per share on Jan. 15, to all common stock shareholders of record as of the close of business on

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Current Broadway in Syracuse season attracts tens of thousands

Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

First two shows generate $14 million in economic impact SYRACUSE — The current Broadway In Syracuse season at the Landmark Theatre still has four more shows, but the first two brought in big

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First two shows generate $14 million in economic impact

SYRACUSE — The current Broadway In Syracuse season at the Landmark Theatre still has four more shows, but the first two brought in big crowds and boosted the local economy.

Broadway In Syracuse and the Landmark Theatre say the venue attracted 60,000 patrons for “Les Misérables” and Disney’s “The Lion King.”

The estimated economic impact of both Les Misérables and The Lion King exceeded $14 million, according to the Jan. 8 announcement.

Broadway in Syracuse says it used a calculation from the Broadway League, which factors in related patron spending such as restaurant and parking income. Broadway League is the national trade association for the Broadway industry.

Les Misérables and Disney’s The Lion King represented the first two shows of the 2024-2025 M&T Bank Broadway season.

“The financial impact these spectacular touring Broadway shows have on the Landmark and on our community can’t be overstated,” Mike Intaglietta, executive director of the Landmark Theatre, said in the announcement. “Just as important is the vibrancy… restaurants packed, hotels booked, our sidewalks and streets lined with people. We look forward to continuing to attract high caliber arts and entertainment in 2025.”

Broadway In Syracuse’s season started Oct. 22 with Les Misérables, which ran for eight performances. The cast and crew of 90 patronized and lodged in the downtown area.

Disney’s The Lion King moved into the Landmark on Dec. 3, bringing with it 17 trucks, and 118 cast and crew members. While in Syracuse, company members patronized the downtown area for two weeks during their 16-performance run, using 68 hotel rooms.

“The Lion King tour has always been so warmly welcomed in Syracuse, and we were delighted to return for a third time,” Jack Eldon, VP, domestic touring and regional engagements, Disney Theatrical Group, said in the announcement. “We remain overwhelmed by the enduring response to the show and thank the Syracuse community and our partners at The Landmark Theatre and Broadway In Syracuse for another sensational engagement. We look forward to returning in the near future.”

Local businesses welcomed these productions with show-specific specials, and entertained thousands of customers as they visited the downtown area.

“With our restaurant in close proximity to the Landmark Theatre, we see a significant increase in our sales when the Broadway shows come into town,” said Ryan Benz, owner of nearby restaurant Oh My Darling, said in the announcement. “From a percentage perceptive, I’d estimate it’s a 40 percent bump compared to nights when the theatre is dark — and more importantly, the City comes to life!”

The remaining shows of the current season are still to come in 2025. They include “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical;” “Mamma Mia!;” “The Cher Show;” and “Beetlejuice.”

Binghamton U academic to research application of thin polymer films with grant

Education & Training, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Southern Tier, Subscriber Only, Technology

BINGHAMTON — Binghamton University and the University at Buffalo recently received a $517,969 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research into a manufacturing technique for producing thin polymer films essential to the microelectronics, health care, and energy industries. According to an online article in BingUNews on the college’s news website, researchers will

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According to an online article in BingUNews on the college’s news website, researchers will integrate experiments, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence/machine learning methods to develop a framework for the process necessary to deposit the film via electrospray.

“Electrospray deposition is increasingly recognized as an effective, low-cost method for creating versatile polymeric films,” the NSF grant abstract noted. “However, a significant gap remains in understanding how the electrospray deposition process influences the characteristics of the resulting films, which has limited the widespread adoption of this technology in manufacturing.”

Through the research funded by the grant, the goal is to establish electrospray deposition as a viable manufacturing tool.

Binghamton University professor Paul R. Chiarot has worked on perfecting the process for more than a decade. One of the main things limiting the widespread use of electrospray is finding a way to make sure it is consistently applied to the desired specifications.

“The role of electric charge in the process is really important, and that is not something you can physically see,” he told BingUNews. “You kind of infer it based on how it interacts with its neighbors or how it interacts in its environment. With electrospray, the material it spits out has a high electric charge, and that charge accumulates on the surface as the material is depositing. Measuring the accumulation and decay of that charge is very difficult to do experimentally.”

Chiarot’s co-investigators are Associate Professor Daehan Won and Professor Sangwon Yoon from Watson College’s School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering along with Associate Professor Xin Yong and Assistant Professor Yu Jin of the University at Buffalo.

“If we have a better understanding about the underlying physics in electrospray deposition, can we also control the parameters?” Won said to BingUNews. “And what are the optimal parameters to get the desired level of quality we want? It’s a very complex problem, and it’s very hard to control.”

The grant-supported research will work to discover how charge transport influences the characteristics of an electrospray-deposited film and discover previously unobservable physics of the process with a goal of reducing processing costs and enabling the prediction of outcomes in manufacturing processes.

The project also aims, in collaboration with the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology (AM&T), a nonprofit based in New York’s Southern Tier, to grow the manufacturing workforce through student training programs.

“While we are revitalizing the U.S. manufacturing industry, one of the keys is smart manufacturing, because it will help to reduce unnecessary labor and increase efficiency,” Won said. “With labor costs here compared to other countries like China or India, that is one way we could make it work.”

Leadership Greater Syracuse launches Class of 2025

Subscriber Only

DeWITT — Leadership Greater Syracuse (LGS), a nonprofit that offers a yearlong civic-leadership training program, recently announced its Class of 2025, the 35th class in the organization’s history. The LGS Class of 2025 starts its journey in January into an experiential program that immerses participants into the achievements and challenges of the area community. The

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The LGS Class of 2025 starts its journey in January into an experiential program that immerses participants into the achievements and challenges of the area community. The goal of this program is to provide the knowledge, skills, and connections needed for all participants to take leadership roles within the Central New York community.

“LGS’s flagship program is a unique, experiential program that builds new skills, encourages networking and relationship-building, and fosters pride in our growing community,” Michele Diecuch, LGS executive director, said in a Jan. 6 news release. “Participants graduate from the program feeling energized to take action within Central New York, which is more important than ever with the exciting growth happening in our area.”

Throughout the year, participants learn about and engage with community leaders from both public and private sectors in areas such as economic development, local government, health, community services, and more.

The 52 members of the 2025 LGS Class, listed below, represent a cross-section of citizens who live in various communities across Central New York.

Participants in the LGS Class of 2025 represent a cross-section of individuals who are diverse in age, race, ability, and residence, per the release. They come from corporations, nonprofits, and small businesses with varying job roles and backgrounds.

Leadership Greater Syracuse, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1990 by CenterState CEO, Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, and Onondaga Community College. It is financially supported by many organizations including United Radio, Community Bank, and Turning Stone Resort Casino.

To date, the LGS program has graduated more than 1,500 participants — 80 percent of whom still live in the Syracuse community. Upon graduation, participants become more civically involved by volunteering in various capacities, joining nonprofit boards, and encouraging co-workers to engage in the community.

LGS Class of 2025

Listed by name, employer, residence

Araba Black, AccessCNY, East Syracuse
Chelsea McClellan, Advocates Incorporated, Liverpool
Joseph Paice, AmeriCU Credit Union, Camillus
Chanel Frias, B&F Consulting & Therapeutic Services, Wellpath Healthcare, Syracuse
Jessica Cushman, Baxter, Skaneateles
Loren Wahl, Bowers & Company CPAs PLLC, Syracuse
Michael Jennings, Brackens Financial Solutions Network, Syracuse
Gabrielle Eure, C&S Companies, Syracuse
Susan Phillips, CenterState CEO, Syracuse
Leah Sharkey, Centolella Law, P.C., Dewitt
Jessica Brandt, City of Syracuse, Syracuse
Colleen Casler, Clear Path for Veterans, Chittenango
Alicia Reese, Community Financial Systems, Inc., Syracuse
Mollie Burnett, Dairy Farmers of America, East Syracuse
Ryan Lavin, Deloitte, New York
Robert Padula, Empower Federal Credit Union, Syracuse
Nicholas Moore, Globe Life (Moore Organizations), Syracuse
Conor Utter, Hayner Hoyt, Syracuse
Nicholas Bouchard, Hematology Oncology Associates of Central New York, East Syracuse
Andrea Price, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Manlius
John Murphy, Hueber Breuer, Syracuse
Scott Lombardo, Key Private Bank, Syracuse
Joshua Gadek, Lifetime Benefit Solutions, Syracuse
Evan Matson, Lockheed Martin, Liverpool
Sarah Vaccaro, Lockheed Martin, Liverpool
Edwin Theetge, Longhouse Council, Scouting America, Syracuse
Adam King, Loretto, Syracuse
Sonal Trivedi, Lotte Biologics USA LLC, Syracuse
Jeremy Vitale, M&T Bank, Syracuse
Elise McMillan, NY Air National Guard, Syracuse
Diana Abdella, NYS Assembly, Syracuse
Jessica James, NYS Office of Attorney General, Syracuse
Katherine Schmid, PFS Investments, Inc., East Syracuse
Erin Lewis, Pyramid Management Group LLC, Syracuse
Adrienne Votra, Quality Mechanical Services LLC, Syracuse
Britani Ingison, Rescue Mission, Syracuse
Sarah Peterman, SIDEARM Sports, Syracuse
Sheila Dion, Small Town Girl Marketing, Baldwinsville
Janna Nelson, SRC, North Syracuse
Thomas Baniewicz, Suburban Propane, Syracuse
Ronnie Bradford, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse
Sarah Bruce, Syracuse Habitat for Humanity, Inc., Syracuse
Melissa Patnella, Syracuse Orthopedic Surgeons, East Syracuse
Cory Miller, Syracuse University, Syracuse
Zeeshan James, TIP Quotient, Fayetteville
Chyongyuh Hsieh, Turning Stone Enterprises LLC, Verona
Dominick Nicoletti, UMR / UnitedHealthcare, Syracuse
Alissa Tubbs, United Way of Central New York, Syracuse
Derek Snyder, USAF, Syracuse
James Dalpe, VIP Structures, Syracuse
Bridget Rooney, Visit Syracuse, Syracuse
Penny Snell, YMCA of Central New York, Syracuse

Syracuse exterior cleaning company certified as SDVOB

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Small Business, Subscriber Only

ALBANY — New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner Jeanette Moy recently announced that 35 businesses across the state were certified as service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (SDVOB), including one small firm in Syracuse. The New York OGS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD) issued the certification to S. Vets Exterior Cleaning, which is

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The New York OGS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD) issued the certification to S. Vets Exterior Cleaning, which is a Syracuse–based full-service residential and commercial exterior cleaning company, the OGS announced on Dec. 26.

Elsewhere in upstate New York, Gartom CNC, a manufacturer of fabricated metal products located in West Henrietta; Life Tree Services, a provider of arborist services based in Amherst; VLP Solutions, a project management company located in Canandaigua; JIT Consulting Services, based in Colonie and a provider of consulting services to government agencies for accounting, internal controls, human resources, and operations; MelniCo, located in Albany and specializing in management-consulting services for strategy, operations, IT, human capital, supply chain, and more; Sobrino Enterprise, situated in Grand Island and specializing in commercial and residential painting; and Markel Law Office, located in Orchard Park and a provider of legal services, were also recently certified as SDVOBs.

The DSDVBD was created by New York State government in May 2014 through passage of the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act. The state currently has about 1,300 certified businesses.

For a business to receive certification, one or more service-disabled veterans — with a service-connected disability rating of 10 percent or more from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs for National Guard veterans) — must own at least 51 percent of the company. Other criteria include: the business has to be independently owned and operated and have a significant business presence in New York, it must have conducted business for at least one year prior to the application date, and it must qualify as a small business under the New York State program. Several more requirements also need to be met.

Pyramid Management secures loan extension for Sangertown Square

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Mohawk Valley, Subscriber Only

NEW HARTFORD — Pyramid Management Group says it can continue to reinvest in Sangertown Square in New Hartford and “ensure its vitality, vibrancy and sustained success” in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. That’s the significance of the firm’s Jan. 9 announcement that it has secured a three-year extension on the loan on the

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First two shows generate $14 million in economic impact

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