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LeChase Construction acquires downstate firm
LeChase Construction Services, LLC, a construction-management and general-construction firm, announced it has acquired C.W. Brown, Inc. of Westchester County to help boost its growth in the downstate area. LeChase, headquartered near Rochester, operates several offices in upstate New York, including locations in Syracuse, Ithaca, Binghamton, Corning, Buffalo, and Albany. The firm employs 83 people […]
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LeChase Construction Services, LLC, a construction-management and general-construction firm, announced it has acquired C.W. Brown, Inc. of Westchester County to help boost its growth in the downstate area.
LeChase, headquartered near Rochester, operates several offices in upstate New York, including locations in Syracuse, Ithaca, Binghamton, Corning, Buffalo, and Albany. The firm employs 83 people in Central New York, according to CNYBJ Research, and its Syracuse office is situated at 609 Erie Blvd. West.
Under the contract terms, which took effect on April 1, C.W. Brown, based in Armonk, will operate as a division of LeChase Construction, with the same workforce and market focus, according to a LeChase news release issued April 6.
The Rochester company didn’t release financial terms.
The combination of the two companies creates a “highly skilled construction company with the size and power to provide outstanding services in the health care, education, industrial and manufacturing, science and technology, and commercial markets throughout the tri-state region,” LeChase contended in the news release.
The acquisition is designed to help serve the firm’s construction customers in the Northeast with “more offices and more skilled construction professionals who have regional experience and a firm grasp of local resources and conditions,” the firm said.
LeChase currently employs about 700 people, while C.W. Brown employs about 80, including office and construction employees, LeChase said.
The addition of C.W. Brown is a “natural fit” and “enhances” the firm’s presence in the region, William Goodrich, president and CEO of LeChase, said in the release. “C.W. Brown is a like-minded company with long-standing relationships in similar industries that will help LeChase continue to grow in the Northeast. The management team, staff and field personnel at C.W. Brown are welcome additions to the LeChase team,” said Goodrich.
LeChase’s annual revenues “consistently” average $700 million in building construction, the company said. Besides the New York offices, LeChase also operates facilities in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Founded in 1984, C.W. Brown has averaged about $50 million annually in building construction volume over the last several years, according to the release.
“This announcement is great news for our employees and our customers because it not only increases our ability to take on larger and more complex projects, but we share the same culture and mindset as LeChase, which is rare in the construction industry,” Renee Brown, president and CEO of C.W. Brown, said. “This unification will allow our company to carry on for years and years to come.”
C.W. Brown is a general-contracting and construction-management firm specializing in high-end interior alterations and renovations.
Area businesses battle rising threat from counterfeit cash
CAMILLUS — An area Byrne Dairy store is one of several local businesses where scammers or unknowing customers have presented counterfeit cash to buy goods. The crime is on the rise in the area, including the spread of fake $100 bills, according to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.). Employees at Byrne Dairy’s stores
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CAMILLUS — An area Byrne Dairy store is one of several local businesses where scammers or unknowing customers have presented counterfeit cash to buy goods.
The crime is on the rise in the area, including the spread of fake $100 bills, according to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.).
Employees at Byrne Dairy’s stores use counterfeit-detection pens on any bill larger than $50, according to Christian Brunelle, senior executive vice president of Sonbyrne Sales, Inc., which does business as Byrne Dairy Stores.
Brunelle said he thinks the pens deter scammers … “knowing that we have them,” he said.
One Armory Square business also faced the problem of imitation cash.
“It’s just really hard for local, small businesses to absorb the loss from the counterfeit money,” said Breanne Barzee, general manager of Empire Brewing Company, a Syracuse–based brewer of handcrafted ales and lagers.
Both Brunelle and Barzee joined Schumer and local police at an April 6 press conference to speak about the issue at the Byrne Dairy store at 3385 Milton Ave. in Camillus.
The senator and his staff also mentioned Wegmans and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que as other examples of area businesses where customers have used phony cash to make payments.
Schumer used his visit to Camillus to publicly urge the U.S. Secret Service to “step up” its efforts to combat the “uptick” in counterfeit money circulating in the Syracuse region, including the $100 bogus bills.
A scammer used counterfeit cash at a Byrne Dairy location close to the store where Schumer spoke.
“Over the last year, and even over the last month, counterfeit transactions have reached alarming proportions,” Schumer said in his remarks to the assembled media.
Authorities have identified about $100,000 worth of counterfeit money in the Syracuse region over the last year, which means it is “likely” that hundreds of thousands more dollars are in circulation and has gone undetected, Schumer’s office said.
In the last month, 10 stores in the Syracuse area have reported counterfeit transactions.
“We use our crime-analysis center to track the various counterfeit currency that comes into our area. Last month alone, we were able to track 10 separate cases
throughout Onondaga County,” Frank Fowler, chief of the Syracuse Police Department, said in his remarks.
Police from several local agencies stood behind Schumer as the Democrat spoke.
Schumer called it a “recent and unfortunately growing” trend in the Syracuse area.
Many scammers have used the introduction of a new $100 bill, and retailers’ lack of knowledge of the bill, to their advantage, Schumer noted.
Many of the recent counterfeit instances have involved imitation $100 bills, he added.
Merchants don’t always recognize when a bill is not the real McCoy, but then the business owner faces a rude awakening when trying to deposit the money at the bank — it won’t accept the bills.
“You’re out the money,” said Schumer.
Phony cash is a “serious” problem for local shop owners, since they have little to no recourse for recouping the money they are owed, the senator added.
Schumer is urging the Secret Service to work with local law enforcement to figure out the source of the fake currency and to supply the resources that local retailers need to identify fake bills.
“We are asking the Secret Service, the federal government, which has jurisdiction over counterfeit dollars, to come in and step up their efforts,” Schumer said.
The agency has a “number of investigations underway,” the Democrat added.
The Secret Service is a federal law-enforcement agency established in 1865, “solely to suppress the counterfeiting of U.S. currency,” according to its website.
He also wants the Secret Service to help local businesses be aware of what to look for in the currency they handle on a day-to-day basis.
“We need some local workshops. We need to work with the chamber of commerce to do just that, so Syracuse stores are not taken for a ride any longer,” said Schumer.
Pivotel’s Branham knocks it out of the park despite tough timing
NORWICH — Hitting a home run does not mean swinging hard; it’s all in the timing. This aphorism, attributed to Yogi Berra, also applies to starting a business. Just ask Mary C. Branham, president of Pivotel, LLC, headquartered in Norwich. Branham launched her telecom business in May 2001, just before the great technology bubble
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NORWICH — Hitting a home run does not mean swinging hard; it’s all in the timing. This aphorism, attributed to Yogi Berra, also applies to starting a business.
Just ask Mary C. Branham, president of Pivotel, LLC, headquartered in Norwich. Branham launched her telecom business in May 2001, just before the great technology bubble burst. In August of that year, Syracuse–based Telergy, a provider of integrated broadband communications services that was struggling under a mountain of debt, collapsed when it couldn’t refinance $200 million in loans. The company subsequently filed for bankruptcy liquidation, putting 615 employees out on the street. The local bankruptcy foreshadowed by a few months the bankruptcy of two national telecom firms — Global Crossing and 360networks. The $1 trillion in debt run-up collectively by the high-flying telecom industry jolted banks and stockholders into designating the sector “radioactive.” The cause of the problem was simple: An oversupply of capacity built during the boom years exceeded the demand.
Pivotel, which is certified as a women-owned business enterprise (WBE) since 2002, began by selling supplies to telecom installers, including premise-wiring systems and accessories; cables; test equipment; racks, frames, and cabinets; power equipment; and conduits. The unfortunate timing of Branham’s entry into the telecom business was offset in part by a growing awareness among larger corporations to embrace diversity. As a WBE, she was invited not just to sell telecom supplies, but also to do engineering and installation.
“What started as an operation with one employee has now … [blossomed] into a business with 45 employees,” says Branham. “Of that number, 30 do telecom installations, the rest do temporary staffing. We work directly with major telecom and broadband carriers as well as major telecom OEMs (original-equipment manufacturers), providing engineering, installation, testing, quality inspections, pre-wire, and project management. Ten of our installers are located in states such as Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky, and we work on projects as far away as Hawaii and Puerto Rico.” Pivotel leases 2,200 square feet of space for its office in downtown Norwich. The company has historically generated between $3 million and $5.8 million in annual revenue. Branham is the managing stockholder and has two other women partners. Pivotel’s growth has been entirely organic.
“This is a volatile business,” avers Branham. “Back in 2009 and 2010 when telecom carriers were busy in the residential market promoting fiber to the premises, we added 15 installers. It’s difficult to maintain a strong core group when the volume of business is so irregular. One way I deal with volatility is by ‘leasing’ my employees temporarily to work on other contractors’ projects.
“The telecom business is also very competitive,” continues Branham. “That’s why we’re on call 24/7 to respond to the demand and to field customer problems. When I get a Friday night call from a customer who needs help immediately, Pivotel is there to respond. I think of our customers as family and treat them like family. Another way we compete is by being flexible and quick to react. That’s the advantage of being a small company. But the best way to be competitive is to do the work professionally and consistently. I always say that our best sales people are our installers. After 14 years in business, we’re no longer a sub-contractor for installations; we’re a contractor working directly with 10 major customers.”
Branham attributes her company’s success to its employees. “We have four skill-levels of employees,” notes Pivotel’s president, “from the level-one entry position to the level-four installer. It takes years of training and experience to advance to a level-four position. Occasionally, we are able to recruit an experienced installer, but most of the time we hire people without the … [requisite] skills and train them. That’s a long, expensive process, but it’s the only way to be sure we have enough qualified installers.”
Branham continues, “Since most of our work is outside New York state, we also need to hire people who are willing to travel on assignment. That eliminates many people who have families. The difficulty in finding installers, however, is offset by the fact that our employees tend to stay with us for a long time, because they are assured of being … [continuously] employed. And even when an employee leaves Pivotel to join a client, they may end up being a buyer for the new company. That’s one reason why I never burn any bridges.”
Branham also points to Norwich–area professional-service companies that have helped Pivotel grow: NBT for banking; Cwynar & Company, [CPAs, PLLC] for accounting; and Nelson & Flanagan [Attorneys at Law] for legal help.
Branham, a native of nearby Oxford, started her telecom career at Professional Teleconcepts, Inc., a/k/a Pro-Tel. She worked there as the office manager from 1985 until 1988, before joining Norwich Valley Supply company. Starting as a receptionist, she worked her way up to construction, commercial, and industrial sales of plumbing, heating, and electrical products, ultimately becoming the assistant store manager. While working at Norwich Valley Supply and after the birth of her first child, Branham went back to school to earn a business degree (1993) from SUNY Morrisville Agricultural and Technical College. The Pivotel president resides in Oxford with her husband David and their three daughters — Hollyann, Hailey, and Amy.
Contrary to Yogi Berra’s adage, Branham has hit a home run despite the timing. Considering her untimely launch, she nevertheless found a path to success through dint of hard work, producing a quality product, and responding quickly to customers’ needs. Perhaps Branham should coin her own adage: An entrepreneur will find a way to get it done.
Note. To become certified as a women-owned business, the business must show that at least 51 percent of the company is owned, managed, and controlled by a woman, the business must be open for at least 6 months, and the owner must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident-alien. Further, the contribution of capital and/or expertise by the woman business owner must be real; substantial; and the woman owner must direct the management, policy, fiscal affairs, and operations of the company. Finally, the woman-owner must perform without relying on the finances or resources of a firm that is not owned by a woman. (The citation is from MWBE.com, the national referral site for minority- and women-owned businesses.)
New ESD CEO Zemsky believes in collaborative approach to economic development
SYRACUSE — When Howard Zemsky worked at Russer Foods in Buffalo, the company was a supplier to the Hofmann Sausage Company in DeWitt. Zemsky, the new president and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD), noted the relationship as a “connection” he has to the Syracuse area. He shared the anecdote while speaking at
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SYRACUSE — When Howard Zemsky worked at Russer Foods in Buffalo, the company was a supplier to the Hofmann Sausage Company in DeWitt.
Zemsky, the new president and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD), noted the relationship as a “connection” he has to the Syracuse area.
He shared the anecdote while speaking at the annual meeting of CenterState CEO on April 2 at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter.
Zemsky, who previously served as co-chair of Western New York’s regional economic-development council (REDC), also explained why he accepted the ESD role.
“I have a great respect for [Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s] completely decentralized, strategic, collaborative approach to economic development. It’s 180 degrees different and better from the way New York state did it forever,” Zemsky said.
Upstate New York, he contends, needs to have the executive branch “lead the way” in the economic turnaround.
Zemsky contended he’s never seen a governor “as focused” on upstate New York as Cuomo.
In his remarks, Zemsky also read some quotes from newspapers such as the Toronto Star, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe offering praise for Buffalo’s turnaround.
Zemsky also noted a recent article in Buffalo Business First that discussed the $16 billion in private-investment backlog in Buffalo.
“That’s why I’m doing the job because we have a governor who has changed economic development across the state who is focused first and foremost on upstate New York,” said Zemsky.
He also congratulated Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, who sits on the Central New York REDC.
“Do you know this council has won $344 million over the last four years, more than any other [REDC) council in the state of New York?” Zemsky asked the crowd, which responded with applause.
The REDC process is a “collaborative” one, he said.
It involves the collaboration of academia, community development, industry, and political leadership, noting the large crowd that attended the CenterState CEO annual meeting is “testimony to that.”
He also advised the gathering to work at retaining young professionals in the region.
“Look at things through the lense of young people. Make sure you don’t forget that that’s an important component of economic development,” Zemsky said.
Keys to business success
In his confirmation hearing, Zemsky said that he told the New York State Senate that he’ll be “a good listener.”
When he was in the food business, he would go to supermarkets and listen to the deli clerks.
“We got our best ideas talking to deli clerks all around the country,” he noted.
Those deli clerks provided insight into what consumers wanted, he added.
Zemsky also intends to “lead by example” and will try to “be there.”
“If you care, you’ll be there. We did business in 45 states. I was in 45 states. We do business in 10 regions around the state. I have not spent two nights in same
town in 30 days,” he said.
Zemsky suggests business owners find their niche and be strategic. “You can’t be all things to all people,” he said.
About Zemsky
Zemsky also used his remarks to introduce himself to the Central New York business community
“Always nice to be with a 1,000 people you’ve never met,” he quipped after arriving at the podium.
Zemsky was born in Brooklyn, grew up on Long Island, and attended Michigan State University.
“Thank you for hosting such a great weekend for the Spartans!,” Zemsky said, referencing the school’s two victories in the NCAA Tournament’s East Regional at the Carrier Dome on March 27 and 29.
He moved to Buffalo 34 years ago. He has a degree in meat science and food marketing.
Besides his role as ESD president, Zemsky also serves as managing partner of the Larkin Development Group in Buffalo, which has redeveloped about 1 million square feet of historic-building space in Buffalo since 2002.
“His efforts have focused on reclaiming Buffalo’s earliest industrial neighborhood, the Larkin historic district,” Deborah Stanley said in introducing Zemsky.
Stanley, the president of SUNY Oswego, is chairperson of the CenterState CEO board of directors.
In a Jan. 12 article, Zemsky told The Buffalo News that he’s taking a $1-a-year salary for the full-time ESD job and had no plans to step away from his development company.
CenterState CEO unveils Upstate Minority Economic Alliance
SYRACUSE — CenterState CEO has introduced a partnership with the new Upstate Minority Economic Alliance (MEA). Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, announced MEA during the organization’s annual meeting held April 2 at Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter. Leaders in the minority community approached CenterState CEO two years ago
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SYRACUSE — CenterState CEO has introduced a partnership with the new Upstate Minority Economic Alliance (MEA).
Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, announced MEA during the organization’s annual meeting held April 2 at Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter.
Leaders in the minority community approached CenterState CEO two years ago to help in the effort to “enhance economic opportunity” for that segment of the population, Simpson said.
“We were eager to partner,” he added.
Economic and demographic trends indicate minorities are an “increasingly important and soon to be the majority part of our population in our communities,” Simpson said.
Demographics are changing across the country, Edward Cuello, president of MEA’s board of directors, said in addressing the gathering at the Oncenter.
Latinos account for 17 percent of the national population, while African Americans account for 13 percent and Asian make up more than five percent, according to Cuello.
But in New York state, the three groups total more than 30 percent of the population and “we’re growing,” he added.
“While our demographics are growing rapidly, economic opportunities have not kept pace,” said Cuello.
In the 16-county Central Upstate region, Cuello said, the combined populations of blacks and Latinos is more than 340,000. The region also includes more than 8,500 black and Latino-owned businesses.
The joint buying power of the black and Latino citizens of New York exceeds $170 billion, he added.
“This tremendous economic and entrepreneurial potential has not had an organization representing them until today,” said Cuello.
He then announced the creation of the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance, or MEA.
MEA’s mission, Cuello said, is to “harness” the economic power of the minority community for the benefit of the region.
Its “core” services include connecting qualified candidates of color to employers looking for new talent.
MEA will also work to secure memberships for professionals of color, giving them access to new clients and customers; and to sponsor memberships for minority high-school and college students to prepare them for economic success and to recruit them to stay in the area, said Cuello.
The organization will also serve as a “clearing house” of information for minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) and for professionals of diverse backgrounds, he added.
And through its partnership with CenterState CEO, MEA will also offer traditional chamber-of-commerce services and networking opportunities between the members of both organizations.
“So, whether you seek to access a pool of talented minority professionals; need favored access to a group of entrepreneurs who could become your clients; or want to tap into a larger share of the $170 billion buying power of the region’s black and Latino community, we look forward to working with you,” said Cuello.
He went on to announce that the MEA awarded the inaugural Minority-owned Business of the Year award to the CHC Group, Inc.
CHC Group provides construction-management services for its clients, according to the video that accompanied the award presentation.
The Top 10 Employee-Handbook Mistakes that Businesses Make
Done right, employee handbooks serve multiple functions. They provide employees with important information about a company, its practices, and the working environment. They also help protect employers legally by setting clear expectations and standards. But, done wrong, employee handbooks can do more harm than good. Policies that are too specific and rigid can potentially
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Done right, employee handbooks serve multiple functions. They provide employees with important information about a company, its practices, and the working environment. They also help protect employers legally by setting clear expectations and standards.
But, done wrong, employee handbooks can do more harm than good. Policies that are too specific and rigid can potentially limit an employer’s flexibility when dealing with real issues. Policies that are too general make it difficult for employers to hold employees accountable for their actions. Below are 10 of the most common employee handbook mistakes, and what to do about them.
10. An overly detailed discipline procedure
Some employers like to include a detailed discipline procedure in the employee handbook, specifying what disciplinary steps they will take if an employee violates company policy. Unfortunately, these discipline procedures are often too detailed and constricting to address workplace realities.
For instance, a policy promising a verbal warning as a first disciplinary step does not make sense if the first incident is a serious violation of a harassment-prevention policy or an act of workplace violence. In such a situation, an employer wants the flexibility to skip steps, or even ignore the process entirely. If an employer has a policy of employment at-will — that is, that termination and everything leading up to it can happen for any reason that is not illegal — then the employer has no obligation to provide a specific discipline procedure, much less explain it in detail.
To avoid confusion and maximize flexibility, an employer should specify at the beginning of the handbook that violation of any company policy — even one not stated in the handbook — has the potential to lead to discipline.
9. Not controlling meal and rest periods
Many employers address breaks by only generally promising to comply with the law, without explaining what that means. Employees should be advised that if they do not take their meal and rest periods as described, they must notify their supervisors immediately. Also, if denied the right to take their meal or rest periods, employees should be advised how to bring complaints. These precautionary measures put the burden on employees to take meal or rest periods and reduce the employer’s legal exposure.
8. Not controlling overtime
Like meal and rest periods, unauthorized overtime can create significant liability for employers. Overtime policies should be structured to limit unauthorized overtime. First, employers should define the “workweek” for purposes of calculating overtime. For example, the workweek could be Sunday at 12 a.m. to Saturday at 11:59 p.m. Otherwise, employees may be free to define the workweek as they choose, potentially increasing overtime liability.
The overtime policy also should specify that employees are not permitted to work overtime without prior supervisory authorization. Though an employer cannot refuse to pay an employee who works unauthorized overtime, the employer can discipline employees who fail to follow the specific directive not to work overtime without permission.
7. Improper deductions and proper reimbursements
Some employers make a big mistake not only in making improper or illegal deductions from a paycheck, but also in reflecting that practice in their handbook. Carefully ensure that any policies relating to deductions do not violate the law; employers should include a “safe harbor” policy that addresses deductions for exempt employees. This policy should require exempt employees to notify the employer immediately if they believe illegal deductions — such as certain deductions for partial-day absences — have been made from their salaries.
Many employers make mistakes when drafting expense-reimbursement policies. Commonly, employers seek to encourage employees to submit business expenses for reimbursement promptly by stating that failure to do so within a certain timeframe will result in no reimbursement. As with unauthorized overtime, employees should be directed to submit their expenses on time and in certain form. If they fail to do so, they can be disciplined. However, the employer cannot refuse to pay the expenses.
6. Putting a cap on medical leaves
Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers may be required to permit an employee with a disability to take time off if doing so will allow the employee to recover and return to work. Unfortunately, few employers are aware that a policy imposing a “cap” on the amount of leave provided for this purpose — such as three months — can create legal problems.
In the past few years, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) challenged several employers’ leave policies with longer but definite time limits, such as one year.
When deciding how much leave is appropriate, the ADA requires an individual assessment. Employers can limit the possibility of problems with the EEOC — or employees filing lawsuits — by maintaining flexible leave policies that make clear each situation will be evaluated individually.
5. Use it or lose it vacation policies
Employers cannot encourage employees to take vacations with a “use it or lose it” policy. Under such a policy, an employee who fails to use all his or her vacation at the end of the year loses the right to take it. Because vacation is considered a wage, such a policy deprives employees of a vested right.
Instead, vacation policies should be written to allow accrual up to a maximum, with no additional vacation accrual once an employee reaches the maximum. If an employee’s accrual falls below the maximum, then he or she begins accruing vacation again. The maximum should be a “reasonable” amount, so that employees have sufficient opportunity to take time off. The Labor Commissioner has stated, for example, that one year’s worth of vacation is not reasonable. Employees should be permitted to accrue more than one-year’s worth of vacation. Generally, adopting a maximum or “cap” of 1.25 times the annual accrual should be sufficient.
4. Electronic-communications policies
The reality of many workplaces today is that employees need access to email, the Internet, and other modes of electronic communication to do their work. For employers, these technologies have potential downsides, such as wasted time, security problems, and the possibility that employees will use these means to violate company policy. To control these problems, some employers specify that electronic communications and systems can be used only for business purposes.
However, the federal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has taken the position that an employer’s rigid policy prohibiting the use of its electronic-communications systems for any non-business purpose may have the effect of “chilling” union organizing. Such a restriction, the NLRB reasoned, could violate the National Labor Relations Act. Therefore, a policy on electronic communications should not entirely prohibit use of electronic systems for non-business use.
3. A rigid harassment-prevention policy
A “no harassment” or harassment-prevention policy is a must-have for all employee handbooks. It helps employers defend claims of harassment when employees fail to follow the company’s internal processes for reporting potentially harassing behavior. But, employers should not focus on “unlawful” harassment. For example, if a policy defines a “hostile work environment” in the same way the law does, then any violation of the policy will automatically be a violation of the law. To avoid this result, the employer should define “harassment” under the policy using a stricter standard than the actual legal definition. A policy could define harassment as “disrespectful or unprofessional conduct based on a protected characteristic, such as sex, race or national origin.” Then, an inappropriate joke based on one of these characteristics would violate the policy, not the law.
2. Over- or under-acknowledging
Employers should request that employees acknowledge receiving and reading the handbook.
Most importantly, an acknowledgment is a key place to reiterate a concept that the employer should have communicated many times already: employment at-will. That means either party can end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, and with or without notice. The acknowledgment should also specify which specific person (such as the company CEO or president) could make an agreement to the contrary on the company’s behalf, in a written agreement only. This language gives the company the flexibility to make a written agreement in the limited circumstances in which it might prefer to — perhaps when hiring a highly sought executive — without unknowingly creating an agreement to the contrary.
1. Not reviewing/revising the handbook regularly
Employment laws change frequently. Keeping policies up-to-date ensures decision-makers and employees are informed.
Scott Ludema is an outsource risk manager at Ottawa Kent Insurance in Michigan. Contact him at sludema@ottawakent.com
Presenting the 2015 CNY Manufacturing Directory
Welcome to the third edition of The Central New York Business Journal’s Manufacturing Directory. The directory provides readers with key information and vital data on Central New York manufacturing companies — large, medium, and small. In this publication is information on manufacturers from across the 16-county CNY region that includes number of employees, products manufactured locally,
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Welcome to the third edition of The Central New York Business Journal’s Manufacturing Directory. The directory provides readers with key information and vital data on Central New York manufacturing companies — large, medium, and small.
In this publication is information on manufacturers from across the 16-county CNY region that includes number of employees, products manufactured locally, markets served, certifications, key management, and revenue figures (if available).
Listed alphabetically, the directory’s listings range from large manufacturers — such as BAE Systems, ConMed, ITT Goulds Pumps, and The Raymond Corp. — to smaller manufacturers — such as Advanced Design Consulting USA, Inc., Manth-Brownell, Inc., Slack Chemical, and Thermopatch Corp.
We hope that you will find this directory informative, interesting, and useful.
Advanced Design Consulting USA, Inc.
126 Ridge Road
Lansing, NY 14882
(607) 533-3531/adc9001.com
– ear Established: 1995
– NY Employees: 22
– mployees Companywide: 31
– 014 Revenue: $4 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Design and fabrication of precision motion systems and scientific equipment
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 18,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: scientific community, universities, large research laboratories
– resident: Alexander Deyhim
– dministration: Rebecca Schindler
Advanced Tool Inc.
9169 River Road
Marcy, NY 13403
(315) 768-8502/advancedtool.com
– ear Established: 1975
– NY Employees: 10
– mployees Companywide: 10
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Custom end mills, blueprint end mills, miniature end mills & Helical form tools, application-specific milling solutions & problem-solving, unique sizes and configurations, unique geometries, stocked high performance & micro carbide end mills
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: milling applications for aerospace, automotive, medical, electronics
– resident & CEO: Sherry DePerno
Alcoa-Massena Operations
Park Ave. E.
Massena, NY 13662
(315) 764-4011/alcoa.com
– ear Established: 1902
– NY Employees: 750
– mployees Companywide: 59,000
– 014 Revenue: $23.9 Billion
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Molten aluminum, billet, sow, rod
– ertifications: ISO 9001.2000, ISO 9002, QS 9000 and TS-9000
– arkets Served: transportation, aerospace, construction, defense
– rimary Location Manager: Robert Lenney
– lant Manager: Steve Rombough
Anaren, Inc.
6635 Kirkville Road
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 432-8909/anaren.com
– ear Established: 1967
– NY Employees: 600
– mployees Companywide: 1,000
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Manufacturer of complex RF/microwave networks & components for wireless, satellite, defense, consumer electronics, health-care, and IoT applications
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 203,000
– ertifications: ISO, etc.
– arkets Served: wireless infrastructure, consumer electronics, aerospace/defense, medical devices, IoT applications
– resident & CEO: Lawrence A. Sala
Auburn Vacuum Forming Co., Inc.
40 York St.
Auburn, NY 13021
(315) 253-2440/avfco.com
– ear Established: 1969
– NY Employees: 12
– mployees Companywide: 12
– 014 Revenue: $2 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Custom thermoformed plastic parts
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 68,000
– arkets Served: industrial, medical, automotive
– EO: Paul Hickey
– FO: Kristine Hickey
BAE Systems
1098 Clark St.
Endicott, NY 13760
(607) 343-6141/baesystems.com
– ear Established: 1949
– NY Employees: 1,250
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Software, systems integration, support for defense applications, electronic-control and power-management systems for military, commercial air, and land vehicles
– arkets Served: technology, defense, commercial
– ite Executive: Mike Kosydar
Bartell Machinery Systems, LLC
6321 Elmer Hill Road
Rome, NY 13440
(315) 336-7600/bartellmachinery.com
– ear Established: 1940
– NY Employees: 140
– mployees Companywide: 160
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Highly engineered industrial machinery systems, 85 percent of products are exported outside the U.S.
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 140,000
– ertifications: ISO 2008:9001
– arkets Served: tire & rubber, oil & gas, and wire & cable
– resident: Patrick J. Morocco
– ontroller: Jeff DiOrio
– P of Operations: Bill Rostiser
– VP of Sales & Marketing: Brian Turvey
– P of Engineering: Paul Gatley
BSC Associates, LLC
151 Court St.
Binghamton, NY 13901
(607) 321-2980/bsc.com
– ear Established: 1990
– NY Employees: 21
– mployees Companywide: 21
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Traffic collision and avoidance systems (TCAS), enhanced ground proximity systems (EGPWS), terrain avoidance and warning system (TAWS), and ethernet interface replacement cards for use in simulators
– arkets Served: military and commercial simulator users, worldwide
– EO: John Matthews
– OO: Greg Stanton
Buckingham Group, Inc.
1-11 Travis Ave.
Binghamton, NY 13904
(607) 773-2400/buckinghammfg.com
– ear Established: 1896
– NY Employees: 296
– mployees Companywide: 301
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Climbing and fall-protection equipment for linemen and arborists
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 45,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001-2008 certification; 17025-2005 accreditation
– arkets Served: utilities and arborists
– resident: H. Andrew Batty, Jr.
– P Sales and Marketing: James Pennefeather
– P HR & Materials: James Nichols
Burrows Paper Corporation
501 W. Main St.
Little Falls, NY 13365
(315) 823-2300/burrowspaper.com
– ear Established: 1919
– NY Employees: 238
– mployees Companywide: 915
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Worldwide supplier of lightweight specialty paper and packaging; withinCNY, Burrows manufactures more than 100 million pounds of specialty paper annually. Burrows makes machine-glazed, machine-finished, and creped papers that are used in a variety of industrial processes and in food, medical, and pharmaceutical packaging.
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 495,000
– ertifications: ISO9001:2008; FSC; SFI; PEFC
– arkets Served: global
– resident & COO: Rose Mihaly
– VP & CFO: Philip Paras
– P Manufacturing: John Sterzinar
– P HR: Elizabeth Hoey
C & H Plastics, Inc.
145 Conger Ave.
Waterville, NY 13480
(315) 841-4101/chplastics.com
– ear Established: 1970
– NY Employees: 42
– mployees Companywide: 42
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Thermoplastic injection molding, part design, rapid prototyping, assembly, and packaging
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 56,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008, UL certified
– arkets Served: medical equipment, electronics, construction, architectural, appliance
– resident: William Clark
C-Flex Bearing Co., Inc.
104 Industrial Drive
Frankfort, NY 13340
(315) 895-7454/c-flex.com
– ear Established: 1993
– NY Employees: 11
– mployees Companywide: 11
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Metal flexures, pivots, flex couplings, lattice couplings, transfer lines
– ertifications: working toward ISO 9001:2008 certification
– arkets Served: aerospace, industrial, semiconductor, instrumentation, food packaging
– resident/Marketing: D. Joanne Willcox
– P: Wayne A. Smith
CEM Machine, Inc.
571 West End Ave.
Carthage, NY 13619
(315) 493-4258/cem-machine.com
– ear Established: 2000
– NY Employees: 50
– mployees Companywide: 53
– 014 Revenue: $9 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: High-production log chippers for conventional chips and micro-chips, hydro-turbine rotor repairs
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 80,000
– arkets Served: pulp and paper, biomass, pellet
– orth American Sales Manager: Timothy P. Nettles
Clinton’s Ditch Cooperative Co., Inc.
8478 Pardee Road
Cicero, NY 13039
(315) 699-2695/clintonsditch.com
– ear Established: 1967
– NY Employees: 175
– mployees Companywide: 175
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Carbonated soft drinks, seltzers, energy drinks, and purified water
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 250,000
– ertifications: ISO 22000 AIB certified
– arkets Served: Upstate New York and various markets in New England and on the East Coast
– eneral Manager: Michael A. Moehringer
CONMED
525 French Road
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 797-8375/conmed.com
– ear Established: 1970
– NY Employees: 900
– mployees Companywide: 3,600
– 014 Revenue: $740.1 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Devices and equipment for orthopaedic, general and minimally invasive surgery, gastrointestinal procedures, cardiology, and critical care
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 500,000
– arkets Served: Arthroscopy, cardiology, critical care, endomechanicals, gastroenterology, orthopaedics, powered surgical instruments, sports tissue & biologics, surgical energy and visualization
– EO: Curt Hartman
Crucible Industries LLC
575 State Fair Blvd.
Solvay, NY 13209
(315) 487-4111/crucible.com
– ear Established: 2009
– NY Employees: 250
– mployees Companywide: 250
– 014 Revenue: $80 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Manufacturer of high-tech specialty steel products for use in high-end applications
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 1,200,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: automotive, aerospace, power generation, industrial machining
– resident: James D. Beckman
– P Administration: Lorna E. Carpenter
– P Finance: William R. Lester
Currier Plastics, Inc.
101 Columbus St.
Auburn, NY 13021
(315) 255-1779/currierplastics.com
– ear Established: 1982
– NY Employees: 130
– mployees Companywide: 130
– 014 Revenue: $32 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: custom design, precision-injected molded and blow-molded components
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 120,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008
– arkets Served: Cosmetic, consumer, medical, packaging, personal care, telecommunications
– resident & CEO: John F. Currier
– FO: Michael D. Cartner
– P New Product Development: Gary Kieffer
– low Molding Plant Manager: Steve Valentino
– P Business Development: Massimo Leone
– irector of Talent: Diane Pisciotti
DeIorio Foods Inc.
2200 Bleecker St.
Utica, NY 13501
(315) 732-7612/deiorios.com
– ear Established: 1924
– NY Employees: 175
– mployees Companywide: 180
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Frozen pizza dough, bread, rolls, cookies, and brownies
– arkets Served: retail, pizzerias, private label, bakeries, schools/institutions, convenience stores, theme parks/rec centers
– EO: Robert Raguso
– P SM: Robert Horth
Divine Brothers Company
200 Seward Ave.
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 797-0470/divinebrothers.com
– ear Established: 1892
– NY Employees: 100
– mployees Companywide: 100
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Manufacturer of buffing wheels, brushes, felt pads, polishing products, compounds, & lubricants
– arkets Served: Automotive, medical/ dental industries, jewelry, industrial, manufacturing, government, lighting, marine. and aerospace
– resident: Bradford W. Divine
– FO: Thomas N. Banks
Eaton Corp.
1201 Wolf St.
Syracuse, NY 13221
(315) 477-7000/eaton.com
– ear Established: 1897
– NY Employees: 1,033
– mployees Companywide: 102,000
– 014 Revenue: $22.6 Billion
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Industrial and hazardous area electrical products, IEC-explosion-protection products, commercial products
– arkets Served: industrial, electrical, commercial
– resident, Cooper Crouse Syracuse: Bill VanLandingham
– lant Manager, Horseheads: Dale Webb
Emerson Network Power, Surge Protection, Inc.
100 Emerson Parkway
Binghamton, NY 13905
(607) 721-8840/emersonnetworkpower.com/surge
– ear Established: 1971
– NY Employees: 40
– mployees Companywide: 130,000
– 014 Revenue: $24.5 Billion
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Surge-protection equipment
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 40,000
– ertifications: UL, CSA, ISO
– arkets Served: industrial, commercial, broadcasting, fire/alarm/security, telecommunications, traffic, water/wastewater
– irector of Finance: Daniel Kreeger
Empire Fibreglass Products Inc.
P.O. Box 1006
Little Falls, NY 13365
(315) 823-4030/empirefiberglass.com
– ear Established: 1961
– NY Employees: 32
– mployees Companywide: 32
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Chemical storage/process vessels, scrubbers, platforms, grating, stairs, duct systems, stacks, and special entertainment-parks structures
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 42,000
– arkets Served: waste-water treatment, general industries, entertainment
– resident: Thomas Baum
– P: Neil F. Baum
– echanical Engineer: James Tylor Schmid
Endicott Precision, Inc.
1328-30 Campville Road
Endicott, NY 13760
(607) 754-7076/endicottprecision.com
– ear Established: 1960
– NY Employees: 125
– mployees Companywide: 125
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Precision sheet-metal fabrication, stampings, weldments, CNC mill & waterjet machining, mechanical assembly
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 80,000
– ertifications: AS9100 “C”
– arkets Served: aerospace, electronics, vehicles, ships, commercial, & military customers
– eneral & Sales Manager: Ronald Oliveira
The Eraser Company, Inc.
123 Oliva Drive
Syracuse, NY 13221
(315) 454-3237/eraser.com
– ear Established: 1911
– NY Employees: 30
– mployees Companywide: 30
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Industrial processing equipment including wire & cable strippers, wire, cable & tubing cutters, wire twisters, infrared heating equipment, reelers, de-reelers & winders, measuring tools, fiberglass brushes
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008 certified
– arkets Served: all
– resident & CEO: Marcus BeVard
ERG Lighting
(division of Endicott Research Group, Inc.)
2601 Wayne St.
Endicott, NY 13760
(607) 754-9187/ERGlighting.com
– ear Established: 1979
– NY Employees: 75
– mployees Companywide: 75
– roducts Manufactured Locally: LED drivers for solid-state lighting; energy-saving LED troffer retrofit kits; general purpose DC-DC converters; DC-AC inverters for CCFL and EL lamps
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: architectural and general lighting; backlit displays
– resident: Nate Burd
– P Sales & Marketing: Scott Barney
The Fulton Companies
972 Centerville Road
Pulaski, NY 13142
(315) 298-5121/fulton.com
– ear Established: 1949
– NY Employees: 325
– mployees Companywide: 1,000
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Manufacturer of steam, hydronic, and thermal fluid heat transfer systems
– arkets Served: buildings & facilities, chemical/pharmaceutical processing, food processing, paper processing, dry cleaning, asphalt preparation, bio-diesel, clean steam, Green buildings, textiles
– P & General Manager, U.S. Operations: Kathy Sega
– P of Manufacturing & New Product Dev.: Mark Hilton
F.X. Matt Brewing Company
811 Edward St.
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 624-2400/saranac.com
– ear Established: 1888
– NY Employees: 102
– mployees Companywide: 123
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Beer & soft-drink beverages
– arkets Served: beverage distributors and retailers in 26 states
– hairman & CEO: Nicholas O. Matt
– resident: Fred Matt
GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
4754 State Route 233
Westmoreland, NY 13490
(315) 853-3936/gea-farmtechnologies.us
– ear Established: 1981
– NY Employees: 39
– mployees Companywide: 18,000
– 014 Revenue: $40 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Barn and dairy equipment
– arkets Served: commercial dairy industry
– irector of Manufacturing Operations: Todd Finn
Gehring-Tricot Corp
68 Ransom St.
Dolgeville, NY 13329
(315) 429-8551/gehringtextiles.com
– ear Established: 1946
– NY Employees: 175
– mployees Companywide: 230
– 014 Revenue: $32 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Highly engineered warp knit, circular knit, and stretch woven fabrics used in industrial, military applications, composites, athletic, and safety applications
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 450,000
– arkets Served: medical, industrial, military, footwear, firefighting apparel, and other highly engineered fabrics
– resident & CEO: Skip Gehring
– VP: Paul Gutowski
– P Finance: Laura Donna
– P Manufacturing: Gary Farquhar
– P Sales: Bill Christmann
Giotto Enterprises
(Fiber Instrument Sales, Inc.)
161 Clear Road
Oriskany, NY 13424
(315) 736-2206/fiberinstrumentsales.com
– ear Established: 1985
– NY Employees: 402
– mployees Companywide: 402
– 014 Revenue: $80 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Communication fiber-optic connectors, cable and test equipment; safety relays, injection molded plastic components, CNC machining, sheet-metal fabrication, LED lighting, custom printed school/office products
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 200,000
– ertifications: ISO
– arkets Served: telecom & broadband providers, contractors, utilities, government agencies & educational facilities, resellers and end-users, OEM automotive, firearms, pump, compressor, sensor, medical, and consumer products
– resident, CEO: Frank Giotto
– VP of Accounting & CFO: Susan Grabinski
– VP of Sales: Kirk Donley
Giovanni Food Co., Inc.
6050 Court Street Road
Syracuse, NY 13206
(315) 457-2373/giovannifoods.com
– ear Established: 1934
– NY Employees: 68
– mployees Companywide: 70
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Pasta sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, bruschetta, BBQ sauce, etc.
– ertifications: SQF certified, certified organic, certified gluten free, certified kosher par eve
– arkets Served: United States
– EO: Louis DeMent
– wner: Mary DeMent
– FO: David Guido
– uman Resources Manager: Nicole Hopkins
– lant Manager: Tim Budd
– irector of Business Development: Tammy Panipinto
Hardinge Inc.
One Hardinge Drive
Elmira, NY 14902
(607) 734-2281/hardinge.com
– ear Established: 1890
– NY Employees: 415
– mployees Companywide: 1,500
– 014 Revenue: $312 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Hardinge CNC lathes, Bridgeport Machining Centers, Bridgeport Kneemills, Kellenberger, Jones & Shipmen, Hauser Tschudin, USACH Grinders, Hardinge workholding and rotary products
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 515,000
– arkets Served: job shops, aerospace & defense, automobile & transportation, communications & utilities, construction, medical instruments
– hairman, President & CEO: Richard L. Simons
Human Technologies
2260 Dwyer Ave.
Utica, NY 13501
(315) 724-9891/htcorp.net
– ear Established: 1954
– NY Employees: 405
– mployees Companywide: 600
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Narrow-web sewn harnesses, carriers, strapping, safety devices, wiring harnesses, federal and NYS uniform programs, embroidered and screen-printed products, warehousing, and distribution
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: federal-defense, federal-civilian, New York state law enforcement and civilian commercial-industrial, retail/wholesale-consumer goods
– resident & CEO: Richard Sebastian
i3 Electronics, Inc.
1701 North St.
Endicott, NY 13760
(866) 820-4820/i3electronics.com
– ear Established: 2013
– NY Employees: 400
– mployees Companywide: 400
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Vertically integrated provider of high-performance electronic packaging solutions
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 800,000
– ertifications: AS9100C, EN 9100:2009, JISQ 9100:2009, ISO 9001:2008, ISO 13485:2003, ISO 14001:2004
– arkets Served: aerospace & defense, medical, computing & communications, automated test equipment, industrial
– resident & CEO: Jim Matthews, Jr.
Indium Corporation
34 Robinson Road
Clinton, NY 13323
(315) 853-4900/indium.com
– ear Established: 1934
– NY Employees: 444
– mployees Companywide: 700
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Materials manufacturer and supplier to the global electronics, semiconductor, solar, thin-film, and thermal management markets
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: electronics assembly, semiconductor fabrication & packaging, solar assembly, thin film, & thermal management
– resident & CEO: Gregory P. Evans
– P SM: Ross Berntson
– P Operations: Wayne Hosey
– P Technology: Ning-Cheng Lee
INFICON Inc.
2 Technology Place
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 434-1100/inficon.com
– ear Established: 2000
– NY Employees: 255
– mployees Companywide: 360
– 014 Revenue: $305.5 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Instrumentation, critical-sensor technologies, and process-control software for vacuum processes; detection equipment for emergency response, military, security, petrochemical, and public utilities; service tools for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration professionals
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 220,000
– ertifications: ISO9001, ISO14001
– arkets Served: semiconductor, display, optics, solar, emergency response & security, military, environmental monitoring, petrochemical, energy, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, automotive, public utilities, research and development
– resident: Peter Maier
Infitec, Inc.
P.O. Box 2956
Syracuse, NY 13220
(315) 433-1150/infitec.com
– ear Established: 1981
– NY Employees: 44
– mployees Companywide: 44
– 014 Revenue: $4 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Industrial and commercial controls and systems, time-delay relays & modules, flashers, alternating relays, temperature controllers, liquid level, AC phase/ speed, DC speed, AC & DC current sensors and virtually unlimited custom design capability. Offer UL Recognized and CE Marked products and will work with client testing lab on any specialized test requirements.
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 23,000
– arkets Served: metering pumps, food-service equipment, material handling equipment, coin-operated vending, telemetry systems, pellet burning stoves & furnaces, humidification/ dehumidification, airport ground equipment, specialty marine equipment & many other aftermarket industrial, commercial, and vehicular systems
– resident/CEO: George W. Ehegartner, Sr.
– P Engineering: George W. Ehegartner, Jr.
– ecretary – Treasurer: Kim Bremerman
ITT Goulds Pumps
240 Fall St.
Seneca Falls, NY 13148
(315) 568-2811/gouldspumps.com
– ear Established: 1848
– NY Employees: 1,000
– mployees Companywide: 9,500
– 014 Revenue: $2.7 Billion
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Industrial pumps, monitoring & controls equipment
– arkets Served: oil & gas, mining, chemical, power, general industry, pulp & paper, biopharmaceutical
– resident, ITT Industrial Process: Aris C. Chicles
Kionix, Inc.
36 Thornwood Drive
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 257-1080/kionix.com
– ear Established: 1993
– NY Employees: 162
– mployees Companywide: 183
– roducts Manufactured Locally: MEMS inertial sensors, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and combination sensors, as well as sensor fusion software
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008 and TS 16949 certified, and RoHS compliant
– arkets Served: consumer-electronics manufacturers, automotive, industrial, and health-care sectors
– resident & CEO: Nader Sadrzadeh
– VP & CTO: Timothy J. Davis
– P Finance & CFO: Stephen Hughes
Kwik-Kut Manufacturing Co.
125 Columbia St.
Mohawk, NY 13407
(315) 866-2741/kwik-kut.com
– ear Established: 1947
– NY Employees: 8
– mployees Companywide: 8
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Manufacturer of food choppers and other specialty items for personal & restaurant use; also a factory store in Mohawk featuring USA-made kitchen items
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 10,000
– arkets Served: wholesale grocery, restaurant supply, retail internet sales for home use, hardware stores, kitchen supply stores, chain restaurants
– wner: Mary F. Morse
Legrand Electrical Wiring Systems
P.O. Box 4822
Syracuse, NY 13221
(315) 468-6211/legrand.us/passandseymour
– ear Established: 1890
– NY Employees: 100
– mployees Companywide: 2,600
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Electrical wiring devices and accessories
– arkets Served: residential, commercial, industrial construction and remodeling
– P, General Manager: Pat Davin
Manth-Brownell, Inc.
1120 Flyer Road
Kirkville, NY 13082
(315) 687-7263/manth.com
– ear Established: 1951
– NY Employees: 160
– mployees Companywide: 160
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Precision machined parts
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 140,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008, UL, and ITAR
– arkets Served: telecommunications, electrical connectors, heavy truck, recreation, automotive
– resident: Rob Pike
– FO: Glenn Sparling
Marquardt Switches, Inc.
2711 Route 20 East
Cazenovia, NY 13035
(315) 655-8050/us.marquardt.com
– ear Established: 1981
– NY Employees: 440
– mployees Companywide: 7,000
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Electrical and mechanical control systems
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 100,000
– ertifications: TS 16949
– arkets Served: automotive, power tools, white goods, and industry
– resident: Jochen Becker
MSi Molding Solutions Inc.
6247 State Route 233
Rome, NY 13440
(315) 736-2412/moldingsolutionsinc.com
– ear Established: 2006
– NY Employees: 29
– mployees Companywide: 29
– 014 Revenue: $35 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Molded and fabricated plastic components, assemblies, and packaging
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 35,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2000
– arkets Served: medical, electronics, fiber optic, and industrial components
– resident: Tom Bashant
– perations: David Garcia
Novelis
448 County Route 1A
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 349-0121/novelis.com
– ear Established: 1963
– NY Employees: 928
– mployees Companywide: 11,200
– 014 Revenue: $9.8 Billion
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Rolled aluminum products
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 1.6 million
– ertifications: OHSAS 1801, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO TS 16949:2009
– arkets Served: automotive and transportation, consumer and industrial, building and construction, beverage cans
– lant Manager: Chris Smith
Pall Corp.
3643 State Route 281
Cortland, NY 13045
(607) 753-6041/pall.com
– ear Established: 1946
– mployees Companywide: 10,400
– 014 Revenue: $2.8 Billion
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Develops and manufactures filtration products
– ertifications: ISO 9001, ASME U, National Board R, ASME PP, ISO 14001
– arkets Served: aerospace, biopharmaceutical, fuel, beverage companies
– resident & CEO: Lawrence D. Kingsley
PAR Technology Corp.
8383 Seneca Turnpike
New Hartford, NY 13413
(315) 738-0600/partech.com
– ear Established: 1968
– NY Employees: 400
– mployees Companywide: 1,300
– 014 Revenue: $233.6 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Provides hardware, software, and services including point-of-sale systems, property-management systems, and government technical-contract services
– ertifications: ISO 9001
– arkets Served: hospitality industry including hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and federal government agencies
– EO & President: Ronald J. Casciano
The Raymond Corporation
20 S. Canal St.
Greene, NY 13778
(607) 656-2311/raymondcorp.com
– ear Established: 1922
– NY Employees: 1,670
– mployees Companywide: 1,920
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Designs and manufactures electric lift trucks, fleet management, and warehouse solutions
– ertifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 certified
– arkets Served: material handling for retail, grocery, manufacturing, home improvement, third-party logistics
– resident, Operations & Engineering Division: Mike Field
– VP Sales and Marketing: Tim Combs
Remet
210 Commons Road
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 797-8700/remet.com
– ear Established: 1972
– NY Employees: 46
– mployees Companywide: 125
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Investment casting waxes, binders, pattern washes, enhanced waxes
– ertifications: ISO 9001 certified
– arkets Served: precision investment casting (PIC) industry
– resident & CEO: John S. Paraszczak
Riverhawk Company
215 Clinton Road
New Hartford, NY 13413
(315) 768-4855/riverhawk.com
– ear Established: 1993
– NY Employees: 95
– mployees Companywide: 95
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Rotating equipment accessories
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 30,000
– ertifications: ISO9001-2010
– arkets Served: Power generation, petrochemical/oil and gas, nuclear, wind energy, steel, mining, manufacturing, construction, cranes
– eneral Manager: Edward Gunn
Slack Chemical, Inc.
465 S. Clinton St.
Carthage, NY 13619
(315) 493-0430/slackchem.com
– ear Established: 1944
– NY Employees: 100
– mployees Companywide: 100
– 014 Revenue: $36 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Chemicals
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 164,000
– ertifications: ISO, NACD, NSF
– arkets Served: New England, all NY, PA, Ohio, NJ, MD, VA, WV
– resident: Robert R. Sturtz
– eneral Manager: Derek Davis
– irector of Human Resources: Paul Pierce
– ir. Regulatory Affairs: Norm Barkley
– anager: Jeff Patrie
Sovena USA
1 Olive Grove St.
Rome, NY 13441
(315) 797-7070/sovenausa.com
– ear Established: 1991
– NY Employees: 150
– mployees Companywide: 160
– 014 Revenue: $225 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Branded and private-label olive oils, vegetable oils, frying oils, organic oils, vinegars
– ertifications: SQF, ISO, AIB, Organic, Kosher, IOC
– arkets Served: retail, food service, industrial markets
– EO: Luis Arriba
– FO: Frank Talarico
– OO: Gabi Estevez
SRCTec
5801 East Taft Road
North Syracuse, NY 13212
(315) 452-8700/srcinc.com
– ear Established: 2006
– NY Employees: 133
– mployees Companywide: 986
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Counter-fire radars, air surveillance radars, counter-IED systems, ground-surveillance radars, unattended ground sensors
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 136,500
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008
– arkets Served: defense, environment, and intelligence
– resident: Drew James
Steel Sales, Inc.
8085 NYS Highway 12
Sherburne, NY 13460
(607) 674-6363/steelsalesinc.com
– ear Established: 1964
– NY Employees: 30
– mployees Companywide: 31
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Snow-plow blades, construction cutting edges, plow shoes, welding, punching, drilling, rolling, plasma table, railings fabrication
– ertifications: WBE
– arkets Served: manufacturers, town and county highway departments, farmers, masonry contractors, welding/fabrication shops, excavators, building contractors, sawmills, lumber yards, general public
– resident: Brenda S. Westcott
– M: Dick Wright
Thermopatch Corporation
2204 Erie Blvd. E.
Syracuse, NY 13224
(315) 446-8110/thermopatch.com
– ear Established: 1934
– NY Employees: 50
– mployees Companywide: 300
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Heat-seal machines, garment identification labels, direct-textile imprinting systems, apparel embellishments
– arkets Served: industrial/commercial laundries, apparel industry, direct sale, promotional products
– resident: Tom DePuit
– P Sales & Marketing: Bob Fudge
Trenton Technology
1001 Broad St.
Utica, NY 13501
(315) 797-7534/TrentonSystems.com
– ear Established: 1977
– NY Employees: 150
– mployees Companywide: 50
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Single-board computers, computer backplanes, computer motherboards, contract-manufacturing service
– ertifications: ISO9001:2008 certified
– arkets Served: defense, government, telecommunications, industrial automation, video display walls, digital signage, energy, medical diagnostics, and infrastructure
– resident, Trenton Systems: Michael Bowling
Unimar, Inc.
3195 Vickery Road
North Syracuse, NY 13212
(315) 699-4400/unimar.com
– ear Established: 1989
– NY Employees: 14
– mployees Companywide: 15
– 014 Revenue: $6 Million
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Controllers
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 21,000
– arkets Served: broadcast, renewable energy, wireless, telecom
– resident: Michael A Marley
– irector of Marketing & Business – evelopment: Terry Zarnowsli
Upturn Industries Inc.
2-4 Whitney Way
Bainbridge, NY 13733
(607) 967-2923/upturnindustries.com
– ear Established: 1983
– NY Employees: 24
– mployees Companywide: 25
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Aerospace, commercial contract turning & milling manufacturer
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 16,000
– ertifications: AS9100
– arkets Served: aerospace, commercial
– wner/CEO: Michael Horoszewski
Young & Franklin Inc.
942 Old Liverpool Road
Liverpool, NY 13088
(315) 457-3110/yf.com
– ear Established: 1918
– NY Employees: 335
– mployees Companywide: 335
– roducts Manufactured Locally: Turbine controls
– quare Footage of Local Facilities: 170,000
– ertifications: ISO 9001:2008
– arkets Served: worldwide
– EO: Dudley D. Johnson
–
Region Must Evolve to Keep Pace with Global Competition
At the recent annual meeting of CenterState CEO, 1,000 members came together to help mark the fifth anniversary of the organization and explore our theme of evolution and continuous innovation. Evolution is at the heart of some of our most recent civic successes — downtown Syracuse’s revitalization, a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and an improved industrial
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At the recent annual meeting of CenterState CEO, 1,000 members came together to help mark the fifth anniversary of the organization and explore our theme of evolution and continuous innovation. Evolution is at the heart of some of our most recent civic successes — downtown Syracuse’s revitalization, a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and an improved industrial sector. However, if we are to fully meet the challenges and seize the opportunities before us, we must act together at a pace and scale we have never seen.
We don’t have to look any further than the private sector to find examples of those that have adapted to external pressures, turning challenges into opportunities. This includes businesses like Novelis, which is helping auto manufacturers like Ford, and its new F-150, meet new fuel economy standards. It also includes Ephesus, which seized on the global need for energy efficiency, growing from a startup at The Tech Garden to lighting the Super Bowl in five short years.
In his keynote address at the annual meeting, Dr. Parimal Kopardekar, a NASA scientist and leading innovator in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), shared his vision for the future of the industry. He highlighted the pace at which UAS technology is advancing; the innovations taking place and the significant opportunities they’re creating; and the need for a nationwide system to increase efficiency, safety, and capacity of airspace operations.
Kopardekar’s perspective is incredibly relevant given CenterState CEO’s leadership role with the NUAIR Alliance — [a not-for-profit coalition of more than 70 private and public entities and academic institutions working together to operate and oversee UAS test ranges in New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan. It is headquartered at Griffiss International Airport in Rome.]
NUAIR operates and manages one of just six UAS test sites in the country, helping to establish the case for safe UAS operations in the nation’s commercial airspace.
It’s also timely given the opportunity presented by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s $1.5 billion Upstate Revitalization Initiative. As Howard Zemsky, the new president & CEO of Empire State Development clearly stated, this investment is our chance to turn our visions for transforming our economy into a reality.
The Upstate Revitalization Initiative is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s critical to our continued economic reinvention and growth. I encourage you to become involved in these conversations and opportunities. As always, please contact me at president@centerstateceo.com to share your thoughts.
Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This editorial is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter the organization sent out on April 3.
A Budget That Leaves Out the Middle Class is Not Good Enough for New Yorkers
As New York state legislators Prepare for the second half of the Legislative session, it is vital we address the failures of the recently passed budget. With nowhere near enough help for middle-class families, and a major swing-and-miss on ethics reform and education, much remains to accomplish. I remain dedicated to advancing measures that will
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As New York state legislators Prepare for the second half of the Legislative session, it is vital we address the failures of the recently passed budget. With nowhere near enough help for middle-class families, and a major swing-and-miss on ethics reform and education, much remains to accomplish. I remain dedicated to advancing measures that will improve the tax and business climate, create jobs, and ensure our children get the education they deserve in this state.
Smart solutions offered, but not adopted
The Assembly Minority conference offered a number of amendments to the budget that would have helped New Yorkers across the board, but were unfortunately rejected on the floor. The Small Business Full Employment Act would cut taxes and provide mandate relief to help create jobs and grow the economy. We also pushed for a permanent middle-class tax cut and elimination of the state sales tax on gasoline and a number of other everyday products. Part of the Assembly Minority’s plan for all New Yorkers also included the:
– Establishment of the Division of Regulatory Review & Economic Growth to cut red tape that holds businesses back;
– Move toward a state takeover of the local cost of Medicaid within the next five years;
– Immediate repeal of the 18-A tax to cut utility bills; and
– Merging of the Thruway Authority with the Department of Transportation to cut costs.
The good, the bad, and the ugly
There are some pieces of the 2015-16 enacted budget that the Assembly Minority conference is proud to have helped pass for New Yorkers. We are glad to see a
$603 million restoration to the Gap Elimination Adjustment, an increase in aid for community-college students, and a $4.2 million increase in farming local assistance. However, too many common-sense solutions were left out of the spending plan.
The budget woefully missed the mark on addressing Common Core and will force another round of pointless tests on students in the coming weeks. The ethics package that passed leaves the door wide open for loopholes, and does nothing to address leadership term limits and pension removal for convicted legislators. Also, the winners-and-losers approach to upstate development falls far short of the broad stimulation that New York needs. And again there is no unfunded-mandate relief to ease the burden of the state’s outrageous property taxes. No permanent tax relief for the middle class was included, despite credits for luxury yacht owners and Hollywood elites.
Without addressing the root problems in our economy, we will be having the same conversations about the misguided direction of New York state during the next budget season. Until New Yorkers get the financial relief they need, an education policy that will prepare our future leaders, and ethics reform that will provide transparency and accountability that we can all be proud of, much work remains to be done.
Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C–Canandaigua) is the New York Assembly Minority Leader and represents the 131st Assembly District, which encompasses all of Ontario County and parts of Seneca County. Contact him at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us
CNY REDC seeks community help to compete in Upstate Revitalization Initiative
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Central New York regional economic-development council (CNY REDC) wants ideas and proposals from the public to boost its submission to the
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