Schneiderman urges 15 health plans to implement pharmacy-exemption rules

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Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on June 3 sent letters to 15 New York–based health-insurance plans, calling on them to change their policies to permit certain members to purchase specialty-drug prescriptions at retail pharmacies instead of through mandatory mail-order services. The letters urge the 15 companies to adopt “Specialty Prescription Drug Fulfillment Hardship Exception Criteria,” similar […]

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The letters urge the 15 companies to adopt “Specialty Prescription Drug Fulfillment Hardship Exception Criteria,” similar to one the attorney general helped negotiate earlier this year with Empire BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS).

Schneiderman’s office has sent letters of inquiry regarding specialty-pharmacy exemptions to Rochester–based Excellus BCBS, Schenectady–based MVP Health Care, and Minnetonka, Minn.–based UnitedHealthcare (NYSE: UNH), and Albany–based Capital District Physicians Health Plan.

It also sent letters to Hartford, Conn.–based Aetna Inc.; New York City–based AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company; and Philadelphia–based CIGNA (NYSE: CI); New York City–based EmblemHealth, Inc., Fidelis Care New York, Healthfirst, HealthNow New York Inc., Independent Health, Oxford Health Plans, LLC, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, and Indianapolis, Ind.–based WellPoint, Inc.

The attorney general’s push to release health-plan members from “unnecessarily burdensome” mail-order requirements comes as the office’s health-care bureau helpline has received dozens of “hardship” complaints from health-care plan consumers relating to mail order and non-retail pharmacies’ requirements, Schneiderman’s office said.

The bureau first intervened with Empire, among New York’s largest health-care plans, after the company notified its members that, as of Jan. 1, 2013, drugs on Empire’s “Exclusive Specialty Drug List” must be purchased through its specialty mail-order pharmacy, CuraScript, and could no longer be obtained through retail pharmacies.

Negotiations with Empire came as members complained that the insurance company’s new mandate would pose “undue hardships” for them, including “compromised privacy, delivery challenges, and interference in physician changes in drug-dosing schedules,” the attorney general’s office said.

Empire agreed to implement procedures that will permit qualifying members to be exempted from its specialty mail-order pharmacy mandate.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

MCK Building Associates expands management team, plans growth

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — MCK Building Associates, Inc. recently took some steps to not only grow the construction business, but also to expand its management team and groom the next leaders. Robert Medina and Ted Kinder, hammers at their sides, founded MCK Building Associate in 1978 working on small residential properties. Through the years, the size of

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SYRACUSE — MCK Building Associates, Inc. recently took some steps to not only grow the construction business, but also to expand its management team and groom the next leaders.

Robert Medina and Ted Kinder, hammers at their sides, founded MCK Building Associate in 1978 working on small residential properties. Through the years, the size of the projects grew and the company expanded as well. As the company took on larger commercial and institutional projects, employment grew as well from that initial two-man operation to today’s 22-employee company.

“We continued to grow all the way through the 90s,” says Kinder, now the company’s secretary and treasurer.

Along with expanding into commercial and institutional projects, MCK Building Associates also took on the role of developer. With a variety of partners, MCK has a hand in more than 10 different projects — ranging from townhouses and lofts to commercial properties.

Kinder has enjoyed watching the company expand over the years, but both he and Medina are looking ahead to retiring within the next five to seven years. To prepare, MCK Building Associates made some recent management changes. While Medina remains CEO, Kinder has stepped down as company president, making room for Timothy Stitt to take over that role while Kinder’s son Jamie Kinder assumes the role of vice president.

“We’re moving forward with Tim and Jamie taking over the construction side of the business,” Ted Kinder says.

When they founded the business, Kinder oversaw the procurement side of the business, working with subcontractors and suppliers, while Medina looked after the financial end of things. Going forward, Stitt will take over those banking duties while Jamie Kinder oversees the procurement side.

Stitt has been with MCK Building Associates for 28 years, starting as a form carpenter and working his way up the ranks to supervisor and project manager. Jamie Kinder has been with the company for nine years, although he grew up working in the business, and most recently served as a project manager.

One of the first projects the new management team is tackling is updating the company’s website with help from Syracuse Design Group. The goal is to make the website, www.mckbuildingassociates.com, more interactive and user friendly. Jamie Kinder says he hopes the new site is live by the end of summer.

Also on the technology front, Kinder says “we’re also looking at various estimating software and project-management software that we can use to streamline things a little more.”

“We have a great product here,” Stitt says. The technology improvements will only enhance that.

New marketing efforts will also help spread the word about MCK, Ted Kinder says. The company plans to do some direct mailing as well as some print advertising and networking with other developers. The goal is to grow both public and private business, Kinder says.

MCK Building Associates has carved out a solid niche over the year with historic building renovations, but he hopes to further expand the company’s commercial and institutional projects. Right now, about 50 percent of MCK’s work involves public projects, with the other half in private work both on its own as a developer or in partnership with other developers.

The company’s revenues are currently in the $8 million to $12 million range, and Kinder hopes to grow that with the new management team, technology, and marketing efforts. He declined to share a specific revenue goal.

This year is already off to a good start, Kinder says, with a development project in Rochester and several school projects under way. The work includes five elementary schools in the Baldwinsville area, Lansing High School, and a $3.5 million renovation project on West Street in partnership with the Syracuse Housing Authority and the National Housing Trust.

Contact The Business Journal at news@cnybj.com

Indian Springs starts manufacturing-facility expansion in Lysander

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

LYSANDER — Indian Springs Manufacturing Co., Inc., a manufacturer of hazardous-materials containment equipment and custom-machined products, is expanding its operation at 2095 W. Genesee Rd. in Lysander. Construction on the $1 million project started April 3, says Shawn Ferguson, company president. The firm currently operates in a 9,000-square-foot structure. The expansion covers an additional 9,000

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Construction on the $1 million project started April 3, says Shawn Ferguson, company president.

The firm currently operates in a 9,000-square-foot structure. The expansion covers an additional 9,000 square feet, but it’s also replacing part of the existing structure. When completed in mid-August, the expansion will grow the company’s space from 9,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, Ferguson says.

Parts of the building date back to the 1950s and they’re becoming outdated, Ferguson says.

“Our manufacturing workflow was not optimized because it was kind of a patchwork of building additions over the years,” he adds.

The firm is using several sources to cover the $1 million cost of the expansion.

“It’s a combination of bank financing, government-backed loans, and company assets,” Ferguson says.

Indian Springs is using a loan from M&T Bank, but Ferguson declined to disclose the amount of the loan. A 504 loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration is covering 40 percent of the financing package, he adds.

Architect Jill Fudo of Auburn designed the project. Construction Associates, LLC of Phoenix serves as the project manager, Ferguson says.

Subcontractors include Fingerlakes Construction Co., Inc. of Clyde, which is handling construction of the building. BS Enterprises LLC of Baldwinsville is handling the site work.

Halco of Phelps is doing the electrical and mechanical work on the project, Ferguson says.

Beyond the construction, crews will also install climate-control systems for the shop.

“So the entire manufacturing facility is going to be air conditioned,” Ferguson says.

The firm is also installing all LED (light-emitting diode) lighting inside the expanded manufacturing area for energy efficiency.

The floor plans are also designed for a more efficient flow of materials, Ferguson adds.

Indian Springs also has potential work “opportunities” later in 2013 and in 2014 that are going to require additional equipment and space, Ferguson says.

Those opportunities, he says, will impact both the contract-manufacturing and hazardous-materials equipment sides of the business.

About Indian Springs

Indian Springs Manufacturing is a contract-manufacturing company, producing a variety of different parts to customer specifications for industrial and commercial customers.

Clients for the contract-manufacturing side of the firm’s business are “primarily” from New York but that customer base does expand outside the state as well, Ferguson says.

“We serve a variety of markets from military, to LED lighting, to custom manufacturers that use our components in their products,” he says.

On the contract-manufacturing side, Indian Springs is a computer-numerically controlled (CNC) machine shop for the manufacture of parts (meaning it doesn’t involve molding, bending, or fabricating), Ferguson says.

“Typically, they’re metal parts for which the customer will provide specifications on [a] drawing,” he says.

In addition to contract manufacturing, Indian Springs, also makes several products used in the hazardous-materials safety industry, including a “core” set for emergency kits.

“These kits will stop leaks in containers that have hazardous chemicals in them,” Ferguson says.

The firm also makes safety clothing, breathing apparatuses, training devices, training videos, and accessories for use with the hazmat equipment, Ferguson says.

On the hazardous-materials equipment side, about 40 percent of the Indian Springs products ship “internationally,” he adds.

Incorporated in 1958, the owners of Indian Springs Manufacturing include Ferguson, his parents Maurice and Patricia Ferguson, and Wendy Racha. The elder Fergusons are the majority owners, while Shawn Ferguson and Wendy Racha are minority owners, according to the younger Ferguson. He declined to disclose their percentage of ownership.

Shawn Ferguson serves as the company president, and Robert (Rob) Wolniak is the company’s vice president.

Indian Springs employs 13 people, including nine full-time workers. The staff also includes four part-time employees, according to Ferguson. The firm has no current plans to add staff during 2013.

Both Maurice and Patricia Ferguson own the company’s facility as 2095 West Genesee Road Associates, LLC.

Ferguson declined to disclose the amount of revenue Indian Springs generated during 2012, but said the revenue figure increased five percent compared to 2011. The firm anticipates a 10 percent revenue increase in 2013.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

U.S. construction spending edges up 0.4 percent in April, led by nonresidential projects

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

Spending on U.S. construction projects rose 0.4 percent in April compared to March, the U.S. Commerce Department reported on June 3. The April figure is 4.3 percent higher than what the department estimates was spent in the year-ago period. During the first four months of 2013, national construction spending totaled $250.7 billion, up 4.5 percent

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Survey: NY contractors maintain employment levels, pay higher health-care costs

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Health Care, Subscriber Only

Contractors in upstate New York are “strategically and tactically” trying to stretch their dollars to survive as they strike to satisfy their employees’ needs. That’s according to the 2013 Upstate New York Contractors Compensation and Benefits Study that The Bonadio Group, released in late May. Headquartered in Rochester, The Bonadio Group is an accounting and

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Contractors in upstate New York are “strategically and tactically” trying to stretch their dollars to survive as they strike to satisfy their employees’ needs.

That’s according to the 2013 Upstate New York Contractors Compensation and Benefits Study that The Bonadio Group, released in late May.

Headquartered in Rochester, The Bonadio Group is an accounting and business-advisory firm that operates seven offices in upstate New York, including Syracuse and Geneva, along with New York City and Rutland, Vt., according to the firm’s website.

The Bonadio Group has about 300 clients that are either contractors or companies that service the construction and real-estate industry, says Scott Cresswell, a Bonadio partner who leads the construction group in Rochester.

“People constantly ask and we try to give our clients a feel for how they’re doing; benchmarking them to their peer group,” he says.

The Bonadio Group conducted the survey early in 2013. The firm notifies its clients through a letter and provides a link where they complete the survey online.

Respondents had between the start of the year and the end of February to submit their data. On average, about 100 participants take part in the survey, Cresswell says.

Employees, health-care costs

When asked employment levels, respondents indicated the differences between 2012 and 2013 would be “minimal,” according to the Bonadio report.

The survey found most firms are either holding the line or adding employees, Cresswell says. Less than 10 percent said that they were reducing employment levels in 2013, he added.

However, the survey also indicates a shift toward small-employment growth.

For 2013, about 34 percent of respondents said that employment levels in their company will increase; about five percent plan to decrease their employee count; and 61 percent anticipated no change, according to the Bonadio survey.

About 93 percent of respondents said their company provided employees with a health-care plan, which is up from 85 percent in 2012, according to the report.

“It’s not surprising to see that the number of companies having some type of health-care plan has increased,” the report says.

Both figures are up from 78 percent in the 2011 survey.

With the Affordable Care Act requiring health-care coverage in 2014, the trend “will most likely continue,” according to the Bonadio report.

The survey also found most respondents (90 percent) reported an increase in health-care costs. Only seven percent indicated a decrease in their health-care expense.

Most of the responding firms are either offering their employees health-maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred-provider organization (PPO) plans. Traditional plans are down 70 percent from the 2011 survey and health-savings accounts (HSA) have increased from 10 percent in 2009 to 33 percent in 2013.

For health-care coverage of a given family, the report indicated small firms covered 83 percent of the premium cost; mid-sized firms covered 61 percent; and large firms covered 83 percent of health-insurance costs.

The respondents indicated reducing their health-care costs is the biggest concern about their overall benefits package, Cresswell says.

The survey asked respondents to consider 10 options for methods of controlling health-care costs. Of those options, respondents indicated “significant interest” in redesigning their health plan (35 percent), increasing employee-payroll contribution (31 percent), and increasing employee cost sharing (44 percent), according to the report.

About one quarter of the respondents also indicated significant interest in implementing health-savings accounts.

Cresswell doesn’t foresee construction firms providing family coverage at 80 percent of the cost in the future because of the overall expense.

“The cost of insurance is just growing exponentially, it’s crazy,” he says.

About the respondents

The Bonadio Group sought responses from small (under $10 million in annual revenue), medium (between $10 million and $50 million), and large (more than $50 million) contractors.

Small firms provided 46 percent of the responses; medium-sized firms, 39 percent; and the large firms provided 10 percent of the responses, according to The Bonadio Group.

The categories of contractors included those focused on construction management, general construction, heavy highway, mechanical, and specialty contractors. The specialty contractors focused on areas including electrical; environmental; plumbing and heating, air conditioning, and ventilation; roofing and siding; and utilities, according to the Bonadio report.

Just over half (51 percent) of the respondents are specialty contractors, 24 percent are general contractors, 21 percent focus on heavy-highway projects, and the remaining respondents are construction managers.

Only six percent of responding firms have headquarters in Central New York, and three percent have their headquarters in the Southern Tier. About half the respondents have headquarters in Western New York, and another 35 percent are headquartered in the Capital District.

Since 2013 is an odd-numbered year, this survey focused on construction firms’ benefits and compensation. In even-numbered years, the focuses on the state of the industry, Cresswell says.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Crouse adds patient-tracking system in operating room waiting area

Health Care, Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE — Crouse Hospital has installed a patient-tracking system in the family-waiting area of its Witting Surgical Center. The technology provides families with real-time, patient-status updates during the surgical process through a virtual view on a flat-screen monitor. Each surgical patient has a unique identification (ID) number. Crouse makes the number available to any family

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Cuomo awards grants to area schools in NYSUNY 2020 Challenge

Health Care, Subscriber Only

Area campuses of the State University of New York (SUNY) will share in newly announced grant funding benefitting four projects in the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge grant program. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 3 awarded a total of $60 million in equal amounts to the projects. The 19 SUNY schools collaborated, developed, and submitted the economic-development

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Area campuses of the State University of New York (SUNY) will share in newly announced grant funding benefitting four projects in the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge grant program.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 3 awarded a total of $60 million in equal amounts to the projects. The 19 SUNY schools collaborated, developed, and submitted the economic-development projects.

Cuomo first unveiled the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant program in May 2011. The governor signed the NYSUNY 2020 bill on Aug. 9 of that year, providing a “rational tuition policy” for the SUNY system, maintenance of state funding invested into each system, and capital funding for SUNY’s four university centers, according to the governor’s office.

Cuomo announced the program’s second round in his 2012 State of the State address with the $60 million appropriation enacted as part of the 2012-13 state budget. The Democrat also announced a third round of $55 million in this year’s State of the State address, which is included in the 2013-14 budget.

SUNY Institute of Environmental Health and Environmental Medicine

SUNY ESF, Upstate Medical University, SUNY Oswego, and Onondaga Community College will share the $15 million awarded to the SUNY Institute of Environmental Health and Environmental Medicine.

The project, described as “the first of its kind in the nation,” intersects medicine, environment, engineering, entrepreneurship, technology and education.

It will expand new research, provide academic and industry collaborations, and offer associate through doctorate degrees with a focus on improving health through understanding the environment’s impact on health and medicine.

The Institute will collaborate with area industry partners including Welch Allyn, a medical-device maker headquartered in Skaneateles Falls; the C&S Companies, an engineering and architectural firm in Salina; O’Brien & Gere, a Syracuse–based engineering firm; Utica–based ConMed Corporation, a medical-technology company; and Philadelphia–based Colden Corporation, an occupational health, safety, and environmental consultant that operates an office in Dewitt.

The project expects to create 400 construction jobs, 651 permanent jobs in the wireless-technology field and other areas of development, and expanded-student enrollments. It also expects to contribute to 20 patents and at least 22 new start-up companies in five years, according to the governor’s office.

SMART

The SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT) in Marcy, Mohawk Valley Community College, Herkimer Community College, and Morrisville State College are among the campuses sharing $15 million for the SUNY Manufacturing Alliance for Research and Technology Transfer (SMART).

Through this collaboration, SMART will operate as “the educational core” for the Center for Global Advanced Manufacturing (CGAM).

CGAM will directly support manufacturers by coordinating education and training of the workforce and by providing incubation, acceleration and technology-transfer facilities in the Mohawk Valley and Mid-Hudson Valley regions.

It’ll provide training in “areas of high demand” for both employers and students, according to the governor’s office.

The initiative will generate or preserve an estimated 1,700 jobs in the two regions through new-product development; process improvements; access to regional, national and global-supply chains; and employee training and education, the governor’s office said.

NYS Bioenergy Learning Collaborative

The SUNY College of Agriculture at Morrisville will share in the $15 million awarded to the New York State Bioenergy Learning Collaborative (NYSBLC), which proposes to develop three commercial-scale, one megawatt (1 MW) anaerobic biodigesters at the SUNY campuses in Morrisville, Cobleskill, and Delhi.

The anaerobic biodigesters are intended to result in energy production, waste reduction for an “expanding” dairy industry, and training academic and applied expertise for a scalable waste-reduction, energy-producing initiative.

The project helps to create “an economical avenue to dispose of regional agricultural residuals,” including cow, horse and other livestock manure, the governor’s office said.

It also includes partnerships with Greek yogurt producers Chobani and Fage; Orange County, N.Y.–based food processor Beech-Nut; and local fast food restaurant franchises including McDonald’s and Burger King; along with area dairy farms, feedlots, vegetable growers, apple growers, and other regional agri-businesses for feedstock supply.

The NYSBLC is also expected to create 200 construction jobs and 30 engineering and project- management support jobs at each of the locations for a total of 690 jobs worth over $8 million.

The project can also sustain about 75 private-sector jobs in dairy production, food-processing and yogurt-manufacturing industries worth more than $3 million with $734,000 in annual payroll and benefits as academic support at the colleges, according to the governor’s office.

Broome Community College will also share $15 million with three other SUNY campuses in Alfred, Corning, and Jamestown as part of the project, called “Retooling the Southern Tier.”

The project responds to industry demand to provide more skilled and technical workers and to stimulate and grow the economy through the support and development of the local manufacturing base across the Southern Tier.

Retooling the Southern Tier

Retooling the Southern Tier is a training program with local advanced-manufacturing companies that includes The Raymond Corp. of Greene. It will expand manufacturing training programs by 50 percent to meet local demand.

The initiative will provide training courses for the companies for up to 300 students annually who will become qualified candidates for new and expanded manufacturing jobs. Training would be linked to stated needs of companies across the region and identified through a collaborative Industrial Advisory Board, the governor’s office said.

Each campus has plans to create a facility, develop training programs, implement and expand academic programs, while leveraging outside funds at a ratio of 1:1.

The Retooling the Southern Tier initiative estimates that an additional 2,340 jobs will be introduced to the Southern Tier region by 2022, with an estimated 1,100 introduced within the first three years due to facility obligations, faculty hires, and industry hires and retention.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Sports & Fitness, LLC purchases Sports Center 481 indoor sports facility

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

DeWITT — A new entity, Sports & Fitness, LLC has purchased the Sports Center 481 indoor sports facility in DeWitt. Dylan Bruns of JF Real Estate represented the Sports Center 481, LLC, Collamer Road, LLC, and Delta Development, LLC, and was the sole broker in the transaction. The price and other financial details were not

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CNY ASTD honors BEST Learning and Performance Award winners

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SYRACUSE — The winners of the Sixth Annual CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards were announced at CNY ASTD’s (Central New York Chapter of the American Society for Training & Development) CNY BEST awards ceremony on Thursday, June 6. The CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards recognize excellence in learning and performance practices in the

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The CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards recognize excellence in learning and performance practices in the Central New York area. Organizations, consultants, and internships that have linked learning to strategic growth or success were recognized as CNY’s BEST in Learning and Performance.

The keynote speaker for this year’s awards ceremony was Mark Britz, manager corporate training for Systems Made Simple, who discussed The Shift. Britz described the opportunity for learning and development to lead organizations to even greater success through the ongoing changes in systems and structures in these turbulent times.

Nominations for this year’s CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards represented a wide range of organizations. A panel of local and national judges representing the profession and community evaluated the nominations for quality of learning and performance practices, practice results, and demonstrations of how the practices linked to the strategic growth or success of the organization. The winners are as follows.

LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE INTERNSHIP

LaFayette Big Picture High School

LaFayette Big Picture High School was recognized for its Learning Through Internship program providing internship opportunities for college or high-school students, contributing to the interns’ learning progress or success while linking to the organization’s strategic growth or success. At LaFayette Big Picture High School, internships are key to student learning. Internships enable students to improve their education and personal growth while addressing their interests, passion, and curiosity with personalized learning plans under the guidance of school advisers and workforce mentors. Working with local businesses and organizations, students start with job shadowing, and then develop projects that benefit their learning while also contributing back to the internship site. Students learn skills needed to be successful in post-secondary opportunities and/or employment. The judges stated there was “a clear alignment between the internship program and the success of students” noting that these internships were “a key component of an increase in high school graduation rates.”

CONSULTANT

goFLUENT, Inc.

The consultant recognized for helping link learning to clients’ strategic growth or success was goFLUENT, Inc. for its English@O-I program. Responding to the needs of a Fortune 500 U.S.–based company, goFLUENT developed an innovative, personalized, blended learning (eLearning, telephone lessons, online coaching) business English training program to help employees improve business English skills to a level to facilitate accurate, efficient, and professional communication between employees and international clients. The program provides uniform quality of training for globally distributed employees, addressing the specific English needs of any employees regardless of their level, native language, or professional profile. The client’s learner level growth has improved across all countries, attracting more learners every year. The judges acknowledged a “creative, effective plan and friendly e-learning solution for a highly complex need and deployment.”

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare

The not-for-profit organization recognized for linking learning for its internal and external stakeholders to the organization’s strategic growth or success was Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare for its Aspiring Leader Program. Since the consolidation of two hospitals creating Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, leadership development has been identified as an area of need. As learning opportunities for existing managers grew, Faxton St. Luke’s realized it needed to do more to develop future leaders. The Aspiring Leader Program provides a comprehensive approach with foundational skill development, an understanding of the organization culture, as well as experiential team projects that benefit the organization. Participation in the program has led to promotional opportunities for many of its graduates while providing Faxton St. Luke’s with a vehicle to increase leadership bench-strength with individuals who are committed to the organization. The judges remarks included “excellent response to meet organization’s needs, excellent results with evidence of proven success, and strong focus on continuous improvement.”

FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

SavOn, LLC

The for-profit organization recognized for linking employee learning to the organization’s strategic growth or success was SavOn, LLC for its Managing the Legendary Guest Service Experience program. Following the implementation of a successful mystery shopper program, SavOn’s guest service experience had become good, but not exceptional or “legendary.” To stand out from the competition and drive customer loyalty, SavOn knew they needed to engage their employees at the grassroots level and shape their business culture to deliver consistently outstanding service. The SavOn Legendary Service Experience program engages SavOn employees in recognizing above and beyond moments in guest service through written nominations that then serve as examples of best practices for the rest of the SavOn team. This concentrated focus on guest service in its stores has significantly improved both its guest experience and retail-business metrics. The judges’ observations included “it’s clear that the company values customer service with a strong connection between their mission/values and their desire to improve their customer’s experience,” and “a very impressive customer centric program with a strong organizational investment.”

JOHN BURNS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Steven DeHart

Wendy Carl Isome

Nona Gormley

Stephen Sauriol

In addition to recognizing excellence in learning and performance practices, CNY ASTD awarded CNY ASTD John Burns Memorial Scholarship Awards to Steven DeHart and Wendy Carl Isome and recognized Nona Gormley and Stephen Sauriol for their recent CPLP designation.

CNY ASTD established the CNY ASTD Scholarship Program to encourage and support continuing education and professional development in the field of workforce learning and performance. The scholarship awards are named in honor of CNY ASTD’s 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award winner John Burns. The CPLP (Certified Professional in Learning & Performance) is a credential for learning and performance professionals offered by the ASTD Certification Institute. The CPLP designation is a recognition that you have met performance standards, have an overall understanding of the body of knowledge of your field, and can apply your knowledge successfully.

About CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards

CNY ASTD is in the sixth year of recognizing excellence in learning and performance practices in the Central New York area with the CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards. Past CNY BEST Learning and Performance Award recipients have included: Aspen Dental Management, Inc.; Completely Organized, Inc.; EnergyWright; Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce; Institute for Veterans and Military Families; ITT Technologies; Laboratory Alliance of CNY; LaFayette Big Picture School; Loretto; MACNY (The Manufacturers Association of Central New York); Mohawk Valley Manufacturers Consortium; New Horizons Computer Learning Center; North Syracuse Central School District; Oneida Nation Enterprises; Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse; SRC; Saab Sensis; SavOn; Time Warner Cable; and Westcott Community Center.

This year, CNY ASTD received nominations representing a wide-range of organizations including: Crouse Hospital; Dale Carnegie of Central NY; Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare; goFLUENT, Inc.; ITT Corporation; LaFayette Big Picture High School; New Horizons Computer Learning Center of Syracuse and Rochester; REACH CNY, Inc. – HIV/STI & Viral Hepatitis Regional Training Center; SavOn, LLC; and Welch Allyn

The distinguished panel of judges for the 2013 CNY BEST Learning and Performance Awards represented local and national individuals from the profession and community including: Jane Amico, CenterState CEO; Rita Barger, Insight Instrcutional Design and CNY ASTD president elect; Pamela Brunet, Leadership Greater Syracuse; Karen Zannini Bull, M.Ed., Onondaga Community College; Michelle Cooper, Oneida Nation Enterprises; Pamela E. Gavenda, CNY SHRM president; KimGessini, Suburban Propane, LLC; Bruce F. Hamm, MACNY; Eileen Hudack, independent business process analysis and learning consultant; Kelli Loveless, ESL Federal Credit Union and Genesee Valley ASTD president; Kevin McCartan, AXA Equitable; Jamie Millard, Lexington Leadership and ASTD national advisor for chapters; and Maria Salomone, ITT Corporation – Industrial Process.

CNY ASTD (CNY Chapter of American Society for Training & Development) serves learning and performance professionals in Central New York. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, CNY ASTD has been connecting learning and performance professionals throughout the region while contributing to the growth of its members and the recognition of the profession. Currently, CNY ASTD has more than 125 members from various businesses in the region.

Summit Auto Group expands into Oneida

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

Establishes Chrysler and Jeep dealership in $3.5 million project ONEIDA — Summit Auto Group kicked off June with a brand new location in Oneida, expanding the Syracuse–based auto dealership’s reach to the east. Located where Routes 365A and 5 meet, just across from the Wal-Mart Supercenter, the new 18,000-square-foot Chrysler and Jeep dealership features

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Establishes Chrysler and Jeep dealership in $3.5 million project

ONEIDA — Summit Auto Group kicked off June with a brand new location in Oneida, expanding the Syracuse–based auto dealership’s reach to the east.

Located where Routes 365A and 5 meet, just across from the Wal-Mart Supercenter, the new 18,000-square-foot Chrysler and Jeep dealership features a showroom, sales area, parts department, and service center, says Stephen DiMarco, CEO/CFO and partner at Summit.

Summit Auto Group purchased several parcels of land, totaling just under five acres, from the Cook family. When all is done, Summit will spend $3.5 million on the project. The company worked with Oneida Savings Bank for the mortgage as well as the construction loan, DiMarco says.

The new dealership is located just down the street from a Nye Automotive Group dealership, and DiMarco says he expects both Summit and Nye to benefit from his new location. “The more dealerships in the area, the better because it brings more people,” he says.

At press time, the project was nearly complete with some paving and landscaping left. DiMarco hoped to open the first week in June.

Currently, Summit Auto Group (www.summitcars.com) operates a Dodge and Ram dealership in Syracuse; a Ford and Lincoln dealership in Auburn; a Chevy, Buick and GMC dealership in Auburn; and a Goodyear Tire, CARQUEST Auto Parts, and collision center in Elbridge.

“We wanted to be able to have the Chrysler and Jeep products to complement the Dodge and Ram” dealership in Syracuse, DiMarco says. Oneida is the ideal location for the new dealership because it spreads Summit’s reach further east, but is still within easy reach of the company’s Syracuse headquarters, he contends.

On top of that, the markets are close enough where radio and television stations overlap, which means marketing costs won’t increase, he adds.

The timing was right to take the leap, DiMarco says, of the new location. “We’ve seen a pretty good upswing in car sales year over year and we hope to see that continue,” he says.

Summit Auto Group sells between 3,000 and 3,500 cars annually between all its locations, and DiMarco expects the Oneida dealership will add another 1,000 vehicles to that total.

The auto dealership has hired about 20 employees so far and expects to add more in the sales, service, and parts department, as well as the office, once the dealership is up and running at full speed.

Summit Auto Group hired Rich & Gardner Construction Co. of Syracuse as the project’s construction manager. Woolley Morris Architects of Syracuse and W.M. Engineers of Camillus also worked on the project.

Contact The Business Journal at news@cnybj.com

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