BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Mckensie Stoltzfus has been promoted to digital strategist/media buyer at Riger Marketing Communications in Binghamton. She is responsible for connecting digital and
Here are some recent tweets that came across the @cnybj Twitter feed, offering various business, career, personal, and digital/social-media tips. NFIB @NFIB Does your #smallbiz give “free” samples? Here’s how to ensure they’re numbers-driven—and targeted—for maximum #ROI: http://bit.ly/2zhClou Mitch Mitchell @Mitch_M Developing A Business Development Plan http://pcaofcny.com/marketing/developing-a-business-development-plan … Kelsey Mahoney @kmahoneyADP Your #SmallBiz is really
NEW HARTFORD — The gift shop, The Indigo Tree, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 8 with the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce to formally celebrate its new location in the New Hartford Shopping Center in New Hartford. The Indigo Tree opened its new store to customers on Sept. 1. It had previously been located
NEW HARTFORD — The gift shop, The Indigo Tree, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 8 with the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce to formally celebrate its new location in the New Hartford Shopping Center in New Hartford.
The Indigo Tree opened its new store to customers on Sept. 1. It had previously been located in New York Mills.
The retailer says shoppers can find unique gifts for their friends, boss, significant other, and themselves in the shop. The Indigo Tree sells risqué socks and towels, jewelry, dolls, and more “one of a kind items”. It carries products from companies including Nora Fleming, mudpie, and Stonewall Kitchen, and also features items from 12 local artists.
Citizens Bank, a top 10 bank in the Utica–Rome and Syracuse markets, has launched a new digital lending capability that it says will make it easier for small-business customers to apply and receive approvals for loans. The new service will enable small businesses to apply for loans and lines of credit through a “simple” online
Citizens Bank, a top 10 bank in the Utica–Rome and Syracuse markets, has launched a new digital lending capability that it says will make it easier for small-business customers to apply and receive approvals for loans.
The new service will enable small businesses to apply for loans and lines of credit through a “simple” online application, Providence–based Citizens Bank said in a news release. In most cases, customers are notified of approval decisions on the same business day, and loans are funded within three business days.
The digital lending service is offered through a collaboration with Fundation, a digitally enabled lender and credit-products provider.
Fundation will also offer credit to some customers that do not meet Citizens’ credit guidelines. The service will also be rolled out in other channels including retail branches.
“We understand that our small business customers are busy running their businesses and serving customers, so there’s little time left for lengthy applications, documentation, meetings and waiting for answers,” Jack Murphy, president of business banking at Citizens Bank, said in the release. “With our new digital lending technology, we have simplified the process of applying for smaller credit requests and are making it possible for more businesses to access the credit they need online, with rapid decision making and funding.”
The service offers an all-digital experience, including electronic closing, an online portal to manage the loan and funds deposited directly into a Citizens Bank business checking account. Customers can also talk with a Citizens relationship manager to “guide them” through the entire process, if they would like.
Citizens Bank said it made this new digital lending capability available to some small- business customers in September. The bank expects to make it widely available to all small businesses across its customer base over the next several months.
This partnership with Fundation follows Citizens Bank’s previous launch of a digital advisory service called SpeciFi, which offers customers integrated banking and digital investment services.
Citizens Bank’s parent Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: CFG) had $151.4 billion in assets as of Sept. 30. Citizens Bank operates about 1,200 branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions.
Citizens Bank ranks eighth in deposit market share in the Utica–Rome metro area, where it has four branches, and 10th in deposit market share in the Syracuse metro area, where it has eight offices, according to the latest FDIC statistics.
VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University announced it will offer a master of public health (MPH) graduate-degree program, beginning in the fall of 2018. Yvonne Johnston, founding director of the new MPH program, says the MPH is an “interprofessional and interdisciplinary” type of degree that will be “attractive” for nutritionists, dentists, doctors, nurses, and social workers,
VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University announced it will offer a master of public health (MPH) graduate-degree program, beginning in the fall of 2018.
Yvonne Johnston, founding director of the new MPH program, says the MPH is an “interprofessional and interdisciplinary” type of degree that will be “attractive” for nutritionists, dentists, doctors, nurses, and social workers, along with anthropologists, psychologists, statisticians, and engineers.
“You can take public health and put it with just about anything because everything can relate back to your health,” she said in a university news release.
As a result, the MPH “should appeal to a broad range” of student interests and can lead to a “variety” of careers in public health. Those could include state and local health departments, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and community-based health and human-service agencies.
The degree could also lead to careers in the private sector in industries such as insurance, pharmaceuticals, informatics and communications, the school said.
Johnston’s hope is that the program, which is expected to enroll about 25 students in its first class, will grow to become a department and, one day, perhaps a school.
“There’s a good fit with what we’re trying to start here and [with] Binghamton University’s goal of developing a college of health sciences,” said Johnston.
Evans has been president and COO since 1997, the company said. As CEO, Evans will focus, “primarily, on the company’s long-term mission and strategies,” per
SYRACUSE — The Upstate Medical University College of Nursing wants to increase the number of family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (FPMHNP) in rural communities and in “medically underserved” communities, “such as Syracuse.” It’ll use grant funding worth more than $1.8 million as it pursues the goal. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of
SYRACUSE — The Upstate Medical University College of Nursing wants to increase the number of family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (FPMHNP) in rural communities and in “medically underserved” communities, “such as Syracuse.”
It’ll use grant funding worth more than $1.8 million as it pursues the goal.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the four-year grant, Upstate Medical said in a news release.
The grant is part of the HRSA’s behavioral-health workforce education training program (BHWET), designed to develop a “culturally competent and diverse” workforce.
Upstate’s College of Nursing will use the grant primarily to expand the school’s recruitment efforts to attract nurses from the targeted communities to its master’s and doctorate degree programs that specialize in family psychiatric mental health.
The nurse-practitioner students will focus on the management of patients with psychiatric disorders and comorbidities, such as substance abuse, and the integration of behavioral health into primary care.
Upon graduation, the expectation is that these FPMHNPs will practice in “medically underserved” and/or rural areas.
Providing stipends
The grant’s first year will provide up to 20 stipends to nurses enrolled in the college’s FPMHNP master’s degree program, Bambi Carkey, assistant professor in the College of Nursing, said in the release.
Up to three stipends will be provided to FPMHNPs enrolled in the college’s doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree program. The number of stipends will increase in each of the remaining three years.
“We are very excited about this HRSA award,” said Carkey. She serves as director of the FPMHNP program and principal investigator on the grant.
In addition, the HRSA-BHWET team also includes Karen Klingman, grant director; Alice Boyce, data manager; and Joyce Scarpinato, who serves as assistant dean for graduate programs, as well as director of the DNP program, and chief nursing administrator for the College of Nursing.
Other grant benefits
In addition to providing stipends, the grant will also increase the college’s capacity to provide clinical experiences in behavioral health care for rural communities and those which are “medically underserved.”
The college is currently partnering with community-based behavioral agencies throughout the region. The grant will also be used toward increasing the number of preceptors in each partnering agency and providing preceptors faculty development sessions.
The award will “enhance” the education of FPMHNP students, clinical preceptors, and faculty through the “dynamics” of working on “interprofessional teams that focus on the social determinants of health, common comorbid medical/psychiatric problems, and the opioid epidemic,” Upstate Medical said.
The grant will also add a student-success specialist who will support stipend recipients, and additional FPMHNP faculty will be jointly appointed to the College of Nursing and the department of psychiatry through the grant.
SALINA — Alion Science & Technology recently leased 12,441 square feet of office space at 301 Plainfield Road in the town of Salina. It relocated to this building in the Salina Meadows Office Park from a different one in the same office park, according to a news release from CBRE/Syracuse. Bill Anninos, of CBRE/Syracuse and
SALINA — Alion Science & Technology recently leased 12,441 square feet of office space at 301 Plainfield Road in the town of Salina.
It relocated to this building in the Salina Meadows Office Park from a different one in the same office park, according to a news release from CBRE/Syracuse.
Bill Anninos, of CBRE/Syracuse and Suzanne White of CBRE/McLean, Virginia, represented the tenant. Harry Harkaway, of CBD Companies, was the representative for the landlord, per the release. Lease terms were not disclosed.
Alion is a McLean, Virginia–based provider of advanced engineering, IT, and operational services to customers in the defense, civilian government, and commercial industries. It has locations across the U.S. and in 11 other countries, according to the firm’s website. Locally, Alion also has an office at 160 Brooks Road in the Griffiss Business & Technology Park in Rome.
BALDWINSVILLE — Solvay Bank’s planned new office in the village of Baldwinsville is expected to open in early 2018. The new 3,2000-square-foot branch will be located at 197 Downer St., the site of a former branch of First Niagara Bank. The new office will be Solvay Bank’s 10th branch. Solvay Bank plans to hire five
BALDWINSVILLE — Solvay Bank’s planned new office in the village of Baldwinsville is expected to open in early 2018.
The new 3,2000-square-foot branch will be located at 197 Downer St., the site of a former branch of First Niagara Bank.
The new office will be Solvay Bank’s 10th branch.
Solvay Bank plans to hire five people to work at the branch, according to Karen Tracy, senior VP and the bank’s chief business strategy and marketing officer.
The Baldwinsville office will be a “smart” branch, designed to integrate banking-technology tools with personalized customer service.
“Extensive” renovations to the existing structure and property started in early fall, according to Tracy.
Zeck Builders Inc. of Camillus is the construction firm, she says. A sign at the construction site indicates that a firm called Norcott Contracting is also working on the project.
It appears that construction crews have knocked down much of the interior walls and features of the former First Niagara building but kept the same foundation and much of the building’s structural shell.
Solvay Bank declined to disclose the cost of the construction work.
The bank paid $565,000 to buy the property — a 2,900-square-foot-building on nearly 1.2 acres of land — from prior owner John Szczech, according to Onondaga County’s online property records. The sale closed on June 23 of this year. The property is currently assessed at $200,000. It had previously sold for $700,000 in January 2016.
The office will have an open floor plan that will include a tech bar, an area where employees will offer hands-on demonstrations of digital products for both consumer and business clients, according to Solvay Bank.
“Branch staff roles have evolved from being strictly transactional to being a source of knowledge on financial-technology products,” Paul Mello, president and CEO of Solvay Bank, said in a statement. “We are going to create an atmosphere of engagement, where folks can experience all that we have to offer or simply to ask a question about a particular loan or deposit product.”
The upcoming Solvay Bank Baldwinsville branch is located across the street from an M&T Bank office.
Founded in 1917, Solvay Bank (OTC: SOBS) says it is the “largest” independent commercial bank headquartered and operating in Onondaga County. Its corporate offices are located at 1537 Milton Avenue in Solvay.
Solvay Bank also has a branch at the Milton Avenue location as well as eight additional branches located in Camillus, Cicero, DeWitt, Fairmount, Liverpool, North Syracuse, downtown Syracuse, and Westvale. It also owns Solvay Bank Insurance Agency, Inc.
To promote the upcoming branch, Solvay Bank has in recent weeks run billboards on I-690, with the tagline: “B’ville See You Soon.” That slogan also appears on a sign at the construction site.
The winners of the 10th Anniversary CNY BEST Talent Development Awards were announced at the ATD Central New York Chapter’s awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. CNY ATD annually presents CNY BEST Talent Development Awards to recognize local excellence in this field. Organizations that link learning to the strategic
The winners of the 10th Anniversary CNY BEST Talent Development Awards were announced at the ATD Central New York Chapter’s awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.
CNY ATD annually presents CNY BEST Talent Development Awards to recognize local excellence in this field. Organizations that link learning to the strategic growth or success of organizations and individuals are honored as CNY’s BEST in Talent Development.
Nominations for this year’s CNY BEST Talent Development Awards represented a range of organizations and individuals including AmeriCU Credit Union; Binghamton University Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development; Crouse Health; The First Tee of Syracuse; The Gifford Foundation; The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.; Indium Corporation’s Jim McCoy; Indium’s Rick Short; NYSERNet and SUNY SAIL Institute; OBG; Oneida Nation Enterprises, LLC; The Raymond Corporation; Turning Stone Resort Casino; and University College of Syracuse University.
Nominations were evaluated by a panel of local and national judges representing the profession and community. They looked for quality of talent-development practices, practice results and impacts, and demonstrations of how the practices linked to the strategic growth or success of the organization and individuals. The judges for the 2017 CNY BEST Talent Development Awards included: Bernadette Barber, Community Bank, N.A.; Gayle Bays; Michelle Campanella, Agile Alignment; Laura Carroll, SUNY Upstate Medical University; Chris Coladonato, Farmers Insurance Group and national advisor for chapters at ATD; David Freund, MACNY; James N. Jerose, Nuvenu Business Advisors; Beth King, O.C. Tanner; Linda Maher, UMR (formerly POMCO); Rich McNulty, KPH Healthcare Services, Inc.; Nancy Rizzolo, Gillespie Associates; Sue Torrell-Szarek, SRC Inc.; and Amy Wood, Charter Communications.
The honorees were as follows.
CNY BEST Talent Development For-Profit Organization Gold Award
OBG was recognized with the CNY BEST Talent Development For-Profit Organization Gold Award for linking talent development to its strategic growth or success with its “Cultivating a Strong Safety Culture” program. After the company reviewed the current state of OBG’s safety program, there was consensus that while the program met fundamental compliance requirements in terms of processes and training requirements, there was an opportunity to foster a more robust safety culture. One that could meet the needs of clients, to mitigate risk for the company, and more importantly, to educate employees to be safe on a day-to-day basis. OBG launched safety perception surveys, gathering input directly from employees in categories consistent with the “4 Pillars of a Strong Safety Culture: Leadership, Process, Structure, and Engagement.” In reviewing survey results, OBG’s leadership team came to understand that it is critical to understand the progression of safety-culture development phases and focus company attention on moving to the next phases of the DuPont Bradley Curve. OBG’s Safety Culture program has moved the organization from a reactive safety culture to a dependent safety culture with solid leadership, compliance, policies, procedures, and safety engagement. Judges asserted, “It is wonderful to see executive recognition of the importance of using change management as a business partner, especially when it is so beautifully incorporated into the organization’s strategic plans and well executed.”
CNY BEST Talent Development For-Profit Organization Diamond Award
Oneida Nation Enterprises, LLC received the CNY BEST Talent Development For-Profit Organization Diamond Award for linking talent development to its strategic growth through success with its “Operation First With Our Guests” program. With new state-licensed casino gaming competition increasing, Oneida Nation Enterprises’ competitive stakes became higher. To raise the bar in guest service, the organization created and deployed a comprehensive and consistent methodology for establishing, training, and measuring guest-service standards. The organization’s mission, vision, and values, and team habits provided a strong platform for guest-service expectations, however, a higher, more tailored set of standards and criteria specific to each department and position were established to shape and brand the guest experience. Training and resources were provided to support achieving the new standards, and measurement with accountability criteria aligned to specific positions were instituted to ensure success in bringing the “First with Our Guests” values to life to create the ultimate guest experience. Oneida Nation Enterprises has seen increases in performance and behavior — helping to raise the level of guest service it provides. And, amid increased competition, the Oneida Nation Enterprise-owned Turning Stone Resort Casino was recently named the best gaming resort in New York for 2017 by Casino Player magazine for the second consecutive year. Judges identified a “very comprehensive initiative with powerful results,” along with “a detailed, systematic approach to developing best in class service.”
CNY BEST Talent Development Not-for-Profit Organization Gold Award
NYSERNet and SUNY SAIL Institute were honored with the CNY BEST Talent Development Not-for-Profit Organization Gold Award for linking talent development for external stakeholders to the organizations’ strategic growth via success with its CIO Leadership Academy. When NYSERNet asked college and university chief information officers (CIOs) to name their top priorities, their answers weren’t about the cloud, network capacity, or emerging technology. Instead, the CIOs said they needed to attract and retain information technology (IT) talent, train staff to be leaders, and establish solid succession plans. NYSERNet joined forces with SUNY Strategic, Academic and Innovative Leadership (SAIL) Institute to create the CIO Leadership Academy. It’s a multi-disciplinary program designed to prepare the next generation of IT leaders. Participants work on self-discovery, skill development, and knowledge creation — gaining better leadership skills and insight into the role of the CIO in educational institutions. Current and past higher-education CIOs were enlisted as subject-matter experts during the training design and serve as mentors establishing relationships with participants to keep them engaged and learning during and following the program. The CIO Leadership Academy has seen some promising results with participants overwhelmingly indicating that the program was valuable from the skills development to the current higher education CIO mentors. One participant praised it, saying, “So much collective knowledge.” Judges agreed stating, “Great job; Strong program; High impact project.”
CNY BEST Talent Development Not for Profit Organization Diamond Award
AmeriCU Credit Union received the CNY BEST Talent Development Not for Profit Organization Diamond Award for linking talent development for its internal stakeholders to the organization’s strategic growth through success with its Member Advocacy Program. AmeriCU Credit Union determined that its sales and member service training program needed to be updated, brought in-house, and specialized to reflect AmeriCU’s vision, mission, and values. AmeriCU’s Member Advocacy Program focuses on the behaviors and activities that transform transactional service excellence to relationship building and solution-based guidance for members throughout their lives. By asking important questions, and understanding a member’s financial life phase, staff can determine the right financial services and help anticipate future needs for their members. Moving from a reactive sales approach to a proactive, engaged method allows for fulfilling members’ financial needs while building valuable relationships based on trust, expertise and understanding. Equal emphasis was placed on active and continual coaching by managers who were trained on the principles of coaching required to maintain consistency and provide ongoing support of the process as well as employees’ professional development. Staff have consistently reported building confidence in their fact-finding conversations and the solutions they present to members. Retail managers have seen a marked improvement in their employees’ engagement and quality of interactions; and, cross sales of financial products and services are steadily increasing. Judges’ commented on the credit union’s outstanding needs assessment and excellent job of linking the practice to AmeriCU’s mission and strategic goal.
CNY BEST Talent Development Individual Awards
Jim McCoy and Rick Short of Indium Corporation were presented with CNY BEST Talent Development Individual Awards for contributing to internal or external customers’ talent development growth via success with Indium’s Student Recruitment Program. Indium became an early business partner in Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH), which prepares students for high-skills jobs of the future in technology, manufacturing, health care, and engineering. In order for Indium’s participation and contribution to the P-TECH program to be successful, the company needed to select employees to participate in the program that had the technical knowledge needed along with passion and enthusiasm. Both Talent Acquisition Supervisor Jim McCoy, and Corporate Associate VP and Senior Director of Marketing Communications Rick Short, led students in real-world projects enabling students to integrate numerous areas of knowledge from science, technology, engineering, and math, along with providing workplace skills such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving. McCoy and Short brought passion, enthusiasm, and success to Indium’s investment in this Student Recruitment Program. Comments from educators included, “You were able to get through to the students in a way that school staff cannot,” “The students are walking away with more knowledge and confidence to boost them to a successful future,” and “This is the embodiment of what strong business and educational partnerships can achieve.”
Chapter Excellence Award
ATD (Association for Talent Development) recognized CNY ATD with a Chapter Excellence Award for Excellence in Strategic Partnership for its CNY ATD Scholarship Program. Since its inception in 2011, CNY ATD has awarded 13 scholarships to talent-development professionals and students pursuing professional development and continuing education in the field of talent development.
ATD noted, “CNY ATD successfully captured the spirit of this award with its successful Scholarship Program. This impressive program encourages and supports professional development and continuing education in the field of talent development and addresses a need in the local community for financial support for talent development professionals to pursue professional development and continuing education.” Jennifer Homer, ATD’s VP of communications stated, “The impact our chapters have in their local communities and in support of the talent-development profession is impressive. Winning a Chapter Excellence Award shows the chapter’s level of dedication to meeting ATD’s mission of empowering professionals to develop knowledge and skills successfully.”
Certified Professional in Learning and Performance
Gayle Bays was recognized for achieving the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) designation, the only credential covering the entire talent-development profession. Becoming CPLP-certified enhances one’s credibility by recognizing that you have met performance standards, have an overall understanding of the body of knowledge of the talent-development field, and can apply what you know. The process of being certified is broad-based and addresses the 10 areas of expertise as defined by the ATD Competency Model. An individual needs to pass rigorous standards including knowledge and skills assessment exams to achieve this special designation.
CNY ATD Scholarship Awards
Melissa McLean was awarded the John Burns Memorial Scholarship for her pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in instructional design. Tanya M. Eastman and Cindy Renno were awarded Ken Steiger Leadership Scholarships. Eastman is seeking her doctorate in executive leadership at St. John Fisher College, and Renno is pursuing a coaching certification. CNY ATD established the CNY ATD Scholarship Program to encourage and support professional development and continuing education in the field of talent development. The scholarship awards are named in honor of CNY ATD’s 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award winner John Burns, and 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Ken Steiger.
Keynote Speaker
The keynote speaker for this year’s CNY BEST Talent Development Awards ceremony was Jim Fox, CEO of OBG. Jim’s keynote speech, entitled “Why Talent Development?” discussed the importance of talent development, its role in the success of OBG and why talent development is important for all organizations. Fox reiterated, “Talent development is a strategic business investment that, if done purposefully and with clarity, can support the growth and efficiency of any organization — no matter the industry, no matter the size of the organization. Strong people make a strong business.” OBG received the 2015 CNY BEST Learning and Performance Organization Award.
Sponsors
CNY ATD thanks the following sponsors for their support of the CNY BEST Talent Development Program: OBG; Indium Corporation; Business Journal News Network; Visual Technologies Corporation; Oneida Nation Enterprises, LLC; Emergent, LLC; O.C. Tanner; and The Raymond Corporation.
CNY ATD is the local affiliate chapter of Association for Talent Development (ATD). Celebrating 45 years in 2017, CNY ATD has been connecting talent-development professionals throughout the region and contributing to the growth of the profession. Currently, CNY ATD has over 140 members from various businesses covering 16-plus counties from the Canadian border to the Pennsylvanian border in the central area of New York state.
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