Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.

CNY RPDB awarded nearly $4 million in federal funding for biking, walking trail development
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board (CNY RPDB) will use a nearly $4 million federal award to develop plans

Syracuse airport had its busiest year ever in 2024
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — More than 3 million passengers passed through Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) in 2024, making it the busiest calendar year ever in

Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY names new CEO
DeWITT, N.Y. — Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY (HOA) has appointed Jennifer Pichoske as its next CEO, effective Feb. 15. Pichoske will succeed the retiring Maryann Roefaro, who has served as CEO since 2002, HOA has announced. Described as a “long-time member of the HOA family,” Pichoske has filled “progressively responsible” leadership roles in the organization
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
DeWITT, N.Y. — Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY (HOA) has appointed Jennifer Pichoske as its next CEO, effective Feb. 15.
Pichoske will succeed the retiring Maryann Roefaro, who has served as CEO since 2002, HOA has announced.
Described as a “long-time member of the HOA family,” Pichoske has filled “progressively responsible” leadership roles in the organization since 2012 when she became the director of nursing. In 2020, she became chief clinical officer, and in 2023, began serving as HOA’s COO.
Her nearly 30 years of experience in hematology and oncology care also include serving as a nurse practitioner at HOA; as an instructor at Crouse Hospital School of Nursing in Syracuse; and a hematology/oncology nurse practitioner and nurse in Buffalo.
“As a leader for HOA, [Pichoske] has driven innovation, operational excellence and patient advocacy efforts, and we are thrilled to have her as our new CEO,” Dr. Tarek Sousou, president of the board of directors at HOA, said in a statement. “Her deep industry knowledge and visionary leadership will be instrumental in continuing our mission to provide the highest level of quality care in a healing environment for the mind, body and spirit of patients dealing with cancer and blood disorders.”
Pichoske said she’s “excited and honored” to take on the new role.
“I look forward to continue working with the talented team at HOA to build on our organization’s strong foundation to drive continued ground-breaking therapies, expand our reach and create the highest quality caring environment for our patients, their loved ones and our employees,” she added.
Established in 1982, Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY is a private community cancer center that provides care for those dealing with cancer and blood disorders. A member of the Community Oncology Alliance, HOA has offices in Auburn, Camillus, and DeWitt.

The House of the Good Shepherd selected as 2024 Neighborhood Champion by Bank of America
UTICA, N.Y. — Bank of America announced it has named The House of the Good Shepherd as its local 2024 Neighborhood Champion. As part of

Crews complete $3.5M bridge project along I-81 over East Colvin Street in Syracuse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Construction crews have wrapped up work on a $3.5 million project to fix up the bridge carrying Interstate 81 (I-81) over East

Verona Collective to open two more cannabis dispensaries in January
VERONA, N.Y. — The Oneida Indian Nation will open two new cannabis dispensaries later this month in Sherrill and Chittenango, doubling its number of dispensary locations. Verona Collective’s grow facility exceeded production expectations in 2024. As a seed-to-sale cannabis enterprise, the Oneida Indian Nation oversees every aspect of production including cultivation, harvesting, processing, packaging, and
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
VERONA, N.Y. — The Oneida Indian Nation will open two new cannabis dispensaries later this month in Sherrill and Chittenango, doubling its number of dispensary locations.
Verona Collective’s grow facility exceeded production expectations in 2024. As a seed-to-sale cannabis enterprise, the Oneida Indian Nation oversees every aspect of production including cultivation, harvesting, processing, packaging, and retail sales.
The Sherrill location will open Jan. 16 at 10 East State St., while the Chittenango dispensary opens Jan. 23 at 606 East Genesee St. Both locations will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will offer a selection of products from Verona Collective’s four exclusive brands.
“Our guests’ response to the quality of our cannabis, competitive pricing, our large selection of products, the professionalism of our team, and the incredible experiences they find at our dispensaries has been overwhelmingly positive,” Turning Stone Enterprises VP for Retail Ryan Riggs said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome new guests to our locations in Sherrill and Chittenango and introduce them to an exceptional cannabis experience.”
Verona Collective plans to open two more dispensaries by the end of this year.
The Verona Collective is an enterprise of the Oneida Indian Nation, whose business employ more than 4,500 people.

New York State of Agriculture address at Oncenter focuses on education, workforce development
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — New York’s top agriculture official reviewed the state’s efforts to provide increased support for agricultural education and agricultural-workforce development in 2024, and

Former mayor of Tioga County community pleads guilty to stealing from village
CANDOR, N.Y. — The former mayor of the Village of Candor in Tioga County pled guilty to stealing $23,000 from the village government’s coffers. New

Cayuga Health hires Tompkins County public health director
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins County’s public health director will soon take on a new role at Cayuga Health System. Effective in March, Frank Kruppa, director of public health for the Tompkins County Health Department, will join Cayuga Health System as assistant VP of community program development and partner integration. In this new position, Kruppa will
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins County’s public health director will soon take on a new role at Cayuga Health System.
Effective in March, Frank Kruppa, director of public health for the Tompkins County Health Department, will join Cayuga Health System as assistant VP of community program development and partner integration.
In this new position, Kruppa will “support efforts to stand up the federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) for clinically underserved communities in Elmira and Ithaca and will play a key role in Cayuga Health’s Crisis Stabilization Center project,” which is set to get underway either at the end of 2025 or in early 2026, the health system announced.
“Cayuga Health is fortunate to have Frank joining our team,” Jeff Penoyer, VP of ambulatory services and COO of Cayuga Medical Associates, said in a statement. “Frank has been a valued partner to Cayuga Health for many years and is a proven advocate for our community. His in-depth knowledge of Public, Mental and Behavioral Health operations will add valuable insight as Cayuga Health enhances the services we provide to some of our most vulnerable patients.”
Kruppa completed his undergraduate degree at Binghamton University and earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University at Albany and Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Central Florida.

Genius NY accepting applications for 9th round of accelerator competition
SYRACUSE, N.Y.— The Genius NY program is accepting applications for this year’s 9th round of the yearlong competition. Genius NY — operated by CenterState CEO
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.