Giving Back Builds Your Community and Your Company

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The season of giving is not just during the holidays. While we tend to be generous during that time, companies should also think about giving back to their community throughout the year. In the same way that giving gifts is good for our personal well-being, corporate giving is good for business. Businesses that engage […]

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Businesses that engage in community programs are able to reap many benefits leading to greater employee engagement, improved business performance, and stronger relationships with clients and customers.

Here are ways that giving back is good for business.

Employees will feel good about where they work

People want to feel good about the places in which they work. Not feeling connected to a job or feeling ambivalent about an employer means employees invest less of themselves in their work. Businesses that focus on giving back to the community can build stronger emotional connections with their employees and help them feel good about where they work. Corporate-giving campaigns show employees that you care about more than just the bottom line.

Employees can learn new skills

Some of the new things employees can learn while giving back include making new social and business connections, organizing and managing resources or people, or building awareness for a cause through marketing and social-media channels.

Your company will gain new perspectives

Giving back will help your business develop a sense of corporate empathy, or recognizing how others feel. Giving and volunteering can help a company see the world through the community’s perspective, which strengthens the understanding of how the business fits into that community.

Your business will connect with the community

Giving back allows your company to connect with your community. As a member of the community, your firm is more likely to find avenues for collaboration with other local businesses or community organizations, both of which are good for business.

You show your true colors

Outside of a corporate mission, companies should believe in a core set of values. Corporate philanthropy programs not only help a company solidify its values but also show the rest of the world your values. Giving not only strengthens these values as your involvement grows, but also can eventually become a part of your daily operations.

Giving back is fun

Learning new skills, engaging with your community, and gaining a new perspective certainly can help your business succeed. Giving back is worth the effort. Giving back is a lot of fun, too. Companies that volunteer or donate to the community rarely have any regrets about it, and once they start, they generally find they enjoy it and want to give more.

Brand Bash

As a consultant, I am exposed to many different companies in many different industries. When something jumps out at me as a great idea, I like to share it with other clients as it might spur some ideas for them.

I recently became involved in just such a creative community program that does just that. ABC Creative Group started a program called the “24 hour Brand Bash” in 2014. It was designed as the ultimate community project and it did not disappoint.

ABC began soliciting nominations in April for local nonprofits to be considered for a full-blown marketing rebrand — free of charge. Everything from a new logo (if needed) to a new website — all delivered within 24 hours. Sound ambitious? It was. And the firm pulled it off.

After receiving more than 50 nominations, ABC selected HOPE for Bereaved as the recipient of this rebrand. All employees of the agency, plus some outsiders (like me), stayed locked in the office from 8 a.m. Thursday until 8 a.m. Friday and created HOPE’s new look and feel. When HOPE officials left the office on Friday morning, they left with a new logo, new website, collateral materials, video, billboard placement and design, radio spots, and posters to promote their fundraising events.

The donation ended up being worth more than $50,000 in services to the organization. I spoke with Travis Bort, ABC’s owner/creative director, about the inspiration behind the Brand Bash.

“We’re very proud of the work we’ve done in cause-related marketing over the years and the 24-hour Brand Bash is an extension of that,” he says. “For us, it’s the perfect blend of supporting a community cause, challenging ourselves creatively and, really, having a lot of fun doing it.

“We are able to give an organization marketing that they would otherwise not be able to get as a nonprofit,” Bort added.

The agency has kicked off this year’s event with open nominations. A lucky recipient will be chosen in early May. I encourage you to nominate any local nonprofit with which you work. Watching the reaction from HOPE for Bereaved last year and seeing the impact it has had on the nonprofit has been an amazing experience for me.

Learn more or nominate your favorite organization at www.24hourbrandbash.com.

Jennifer Cline owns Nordique Consulting Group and is a consultant for The Business Journal News Network.

Onondaga Lake to host Masters Regatta; county to purchase rowing course for event

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GEDDES — The Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club will host the 2nd annual USRowing Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (NEMA) Masters regional championships on June 28 on Onondaga Lake. In support of the event, Onondaga County has committed to purchasing a new, seven-lane, 2,000-meter course it hopes will also attract future rowing competitions to the area. The Syracuse

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GEDDES — The Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club will host the 2nd annual USRowing Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (NEMA) Masters regional championships on June 28 on Onondaga Lake.

In support of the event, Onondaga County has committed to purchasing a new, seven-lane, 2,000-meter course it hopes will also attract future rowing competitions to the area.

The Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club joined Visit Syracuse and Onondaga County officials to announce the event in early March.

The regional championships will provide a “full slate of racing opportunities” for competitors in all boat classes on a new, seven-lane, 2,000-meter course, according to a news release posted at the website of VisitSyracuse.

“We applied for the regatta,” says Joe Bufano, president of the Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club.

Bufano spoke with CNYBJ on April 20.

Beyond his role as president of the rowing club, Bufano is also an attorney with the DeWitt law firm of Ferrara, Fiorenza, Larrison, Barrett & Reitz, P.C.

The Onondaga Lake venue is a “great fit” for the event, A.J. Dominique, events manager for USRowing, said in the news release.

“Its central location in the region makes it easy to get to from the New England states, New York, and New Jersey,” said Dominique.

The competition

The Masters competitions are broken up by age groups from “age 23 and beyond,” according to Bufano.

“There’s a boat average that’s calculated and that determines what particular class you’re competing in,” he adds.

The competitors are generally members of USRowing, Bufano notes.

Participants will compete in the new course that Onondaga County lawmakers have committed to purchase.

“The course itself is approximately $60,000,” says Bufano. “That’s a prerequisite for any regatta that you’re going to apply for … that you have that course.”

The Chargers will locate the course on the eastern shore of Onondaga Lake with the anticipated starting line located in Willow Bay.

It’s possible to break the course into varying lengths, according to Bufano.

International, collegiate, and junior-national competitions use the entire 2,000-meter length. High-school races use a 1,500-meter course, and masters races are 1,000 meters, he says.

“We’re buying a 2,000-meter course so that we have the ability, long term, to attract multiple types of regattas,” Bufano adds.

The course, which has seven lanes, includes anchors, wires, and bouys.

Economic impact

The Masters event has the “potential to distribute millions of dollars” into the Syracuse economy, Nikita Jankowski, communications manager for VisitSyracuse, said.

In 2014, the Masters National Championships brought an estimated $2.2 million to the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan over four days (300 competing crews and 500 competitors).

In addition, the Northeast Junior District Championships brought in more than $550,000 to the Lowell, Massachusetts area, Jankowski added.

VisitSyracuse is an affiliate of CenterState CEO and “Onondaga County’s official marketing organization for tourism-related economic development.”

VisitSyracuse was formerly known as the Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau.

History, partners

Rowing on Onondaga Lake dates back to the 1870s, when the Boating Association of Syracuse University was founded and began hosting collegiate races, according to the March 6 news release from VisitSyracuse.

It served as the site of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships from 1952 to 1992, as well as 1994.

From 1995 to 2000, the Syracuse Chargers hosted the USRowing Club National Championships, as well as the 1996 USRowing Masters National Championships.

“Syracuse has a rich history of hosting regattas,” Bufano notes.

In addition to the Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club, Onondaga Lake is home to Syracuse University men’s and women’s varsity rowing programs and Liverpool High School crew. Each spring, the Syracuse Chargers Junior Invitational Regatta consistently draws more than 1,000 New York state high-school athletes and their families to the area.

The Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club is a nonprofit organization that Bill Sanford, former Syracuse University men’s rowing coach and Onondaga County legislator, formed in 1972.

USRowing is a Princeton, N.J.–based nonprofit organization that the U.S. Olympic Committee recognizes as the governing body for the sport of rowing in the U.S.

USRowing has 75,000 individual members and 1,200 member organizations, offering rowing programs for all, according to its website.

Onondaga County Parks, which is among the partners that helped secure the rowing event, maintains more than 6,500 acres of park land, including a zoo, nature center, trails, beaches, shelters/lodges, museums, and special events.

Auburn Doubledays announce radio agreement with WAUB

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AUBURN — The Auburn Doubledays minor-league baseball team on April 17 announced it has forged a radio broadcast agreement to air 38 of its games on WAUB 98.1 FM / 1590 AM (Finger Lakes News Radio) this upcoming season. Financial terms were not disclosed. This year, all Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Doubledays games

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SBA announces Syracuse, Utica InnovateHER winners

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SYRACUSE — For the Health of It Foods, LLC of Syracuse, which does business as Avocadough, and Daughter for Hire, LLC of Whitesboro are the local winners of a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) entrepreneur competition. The SBA’s InnovateHER: 2015 Innovating for Women Business Challenge is a nationwide competition for entrepreneurs who are developing

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Hamilton College’s Wellin Museum receives $100,000 grant

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CLINTON — The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded Hamilton College’s Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art a two-year, $100,000 grant to study the museum’s educational programs for local public schools. The study will help the Wellin Museum work more effectively with public-school educators to supplement school curricula within the structure of the

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CNY in Good Position for State Economic Award, but Cutting Taxes Would Benefit All

Opinion, Subscriber Only

There are a lot of things to be positive about in Central New York. Unfortunately, the economy is not one of them. Over the last decade, job growth in the Syracuse area has been anemic. The lack of jobs, among other things, has caused an outward migration of population, which places additional stress on our

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We are not alone. Almost all of upstate New York is facing similar challenges. Naturally, as with any crisis, state government wants to provide solutions.

Unfortunately, these solutions are often politically expedient reactions rather than rationally thought-out, long-term solutions.

One of the hallmarks of Gov. Cuomo’s economic-development policy is to provide state subsidies to private entities in hopes of boosting private investment. This is the idea behind the Buffalo Billion that he championed three years ago. This program is meant to provide the Buffalo area with $1 billion of state money over 10 years in an effort to spur private development. The governor says this program is bringing a “seismic” shift to the Buffalo economy. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing this because there has been no public reporting on the effectiveness of the program.

Notwithstanding the unknowns of the Buffalo Billion, in this year’s state budget, the governor pushed through a similar $1.5 billion economic-development plan for other parts of upstate New York. This plan differs from the Buffalo Billion in that it is a competitive plan in which seven upstate regions will compete for three $500 million economic-development awards. Because of its zero-sum outcome for the regions that don’t win, the governor’s plan has been dubbed a “Hunger Games” approach to economic development.

I am not convinced that providing direct government subsidies to, for the most part, large corporations in the hope that they make capital investments and hire people in our state is the best approach to economic development. A better way would be to cut the cost of doing business in New York across the board so that both large and small businesses can benefit and better compete in our global economy. I’m not alone. Legislators from both sides of the aisle are questioning the governor’s Start-Up NY program, which promised 2,100 new jobs over a five-year period [by allowing businesses to operate tax-free in zones near universities and colleges across the state]. New York has spent $50 million on advertising and promoting the program, yet only created 76 jobs [in its first year, according to the state Department of Economic Development].

Putting my general concerns about these economic-development programs aside, one thing I am confident about is that Central New York will be able to put together an economic-development plan that will successfully compete for the $500 million. I look forward to working with our local economic-development officials in coming up with this plan. I also urge everyone who has any ideas or proposals for the Central New York development plan to either contact my office or the Central New York regional economic development council with your ideas. You can reach the council at (315) 425-9110 or by mail at 620 Erie Boulevard West — #112, Syracuse, N.Y. 13204.

William (Will) A. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or (315) 598-5185.

Women and the 2016 Election

Opinion, Subscriber Only

Let’s drop in on a big party. We see a mob of guys gathered around the barbeque on the patio. There’s a bouquet of women relaxing under the big tree. Now let’s toss the subject of weddings into each group. Suddenly, we hear chatter about dresses and hair styles. And shoes and bridesmaids.

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Let’s drop in on a big party. We see a mob of guys gathered around the barbeque on the patio. There’s a bouquet of women relaxing under the big tree.

Now let’s toss the subject of weddings into each group.

Suddenly, we hear chatter about dresses and hair styles. And shoes and bridesmaids. And bridal showers and flowers and music. From which group would you expect most of these comments?

Yes, there are women who know all the linebackers in the NFL. And men who rise to raptures over the wallpaper in powder rooms. But they are the exceptions. If we peer at issues through certain lenses, we will more likely get the attention of women. When we change lenses, we will more likely win the attention of men.

Let’s look at the 2016 presidential election campaign. The successful candidates will shape their messages with women uppermost in their minds.

Women outnumber men in the U.S. and women vote at higher rates than men. Put these ingredients together and the result is women may make up 55 percent of the upcoming electorate or more.

So, all candidates will hone their messages with women in mind. It looks to me as if Hillary Clinton will go them one better. Her strategy will be to present everything and anything in women’s terms. Through women’s lenses to appeal to the large base of women voters. Her messaging is likely to resonate more with women, since she is a woman and because she could become our first woman president.

Clinton is banking on something like this: She will say we need more jobs that offer childcare. Jobs that offer wages enough to support families. And jobs that insure good health coverage, while providing maternity benefits. Her male opponent may deliver a similar message. Hers will resonate more with women voters than his. Because she is a woman. That is what her bet is. And if she gains a high percentage of women’s votes, victory is a cinch.

Hillary knows millions of women will vote for her because she is a woman. No matter her flaws or failures. These voters want a woman president, come hell or high water.

She knows millions of women may not be so extreme. But, for the same reasons, they lean toward her. With them, it may come to mentally flipping a coin before voting. If so, they will use a Susan B. Anthony dollar. And if Susan does not come up, they will flip a few more times.

We will see this strategy at work from now until November next year. We have seen it already. Hillary updated her latest book — to add that the birth of her granddaughter inspired her to seek the White House. The campaign already brought daughter Chelsea front and center. And left ole’ Bill in the background.

You can expect the influence of women, women, and more women in all presidential campaigns from now on. And this time around, in Hillary’s campaign, you will

see it in spades, capital letters, 3-D, Google vision, high-definition, and more.

From Tom…as in Morgan.

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial, and other subjects from his home near Oneonta, in addition to his radio shows and TV show. Contact him at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com

People news: MVP Health Care hires two executives

Insurance & Financial Services

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — MVP Health Care (MVP) has hired Dominick Bizzarro as executive vice president of business development and informatics, and Carole Montepare as vice

People news: Commerce Chenango hires Bunce as economic-development specialist

Regional News

NORWICH, N.Y. — Commerce Chenango — Chenango County’s primary economic development, tourism, and chamber-of-commerce organization — announced it has hired Liz Bunce as economic-development specialist.

New York attorney general sues tanning firms, companies respond

Law, Accounting & Taxes

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is suing the company that operates Total Tan, accusing the franchise of “unlawfully concealing indoor tanning risks.” In response,

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