ROME — “All you men want to do is talk about buses,” Timothy (Tim) Claude Birnie remembers his mother saying. Birnie is the president of Birnie Bus Service, Inc. with headquarters located at 248 Otis St. at the Griffiss Business & Technology Park in Rome. “My father, Martin K. Birnie, joined his brother-in-law [Martin J. […]
ROME — “All you men want to do is talk about buses,” Timothy (Tim) Claude Birnie remembers his mother saying. Birnie is the president of Birnie Bus Service, Inc. with headquarters located at 248 Otis St. at the Griffiss Business & Technology Park in Rome.
“My father, Martin K. Birnie, joined his brother-in-law [Martin J. Nunn] in 1947 to run a small transportation company that had one motor coach, two school buses, and a station wagon. He bought the bus [operation] in 1953 and incorporated in 1960 as Birnie Bus Service … My mother was right; all the family talked about were buses,” says the current president.
After 10 years of teaching public school, Tim Birnie joined the bus company in 1979. At that point, the fleet had 55 buses, mostly transporting children to school. “When I joined the company, we only had one contract with the Rome School District. Over the past 33 years, our fleet has grown to more than 1,200 vehicles,” Birnie says. “School buses now represent [only] 60 percent of our revenues. We also transport handicapped adults, which is another 20 percent. The transit and motor coach divisions each generate 10 percent.”
The transit operation includes non-emergency transportation for Medicaid recipients in five counties: Oneida, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, and Otsego. Birnie Bus also runs a shuttle from Syracuse to Turning Stone Resort Casino and has operated a Little Falls to Syracuse route for 20 years. Diversification includes campus shuttles for Colgate University and Hamilton College and a sub-division (Quality Coach Lines, Inc. in Syracuse) that serves the athletic programs at Colgate, Hamilton, Utica College, Herkimer Community College, Mohawk Valley Community College, Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, the Syracuse Crunch professional hockey team, and the Syracuse Chiefs pro baseball team.
Birnie Bus is also certified by the U.S. Department of Defense to transport military personnel, and the company is affiliated with the Trailways Transportation System, a national carrier comprised of about 80 independent bus companies.
“People don’t realize that we are the 12th largest, privately owned bus company in the country,” Birnie notes. “We have 18 locations in New York and with the recent contract for Jacksonville [Florida], Birnie is probably now the 10th largest company, … transporting 100,000 passengers every day. The company has 1,482 employees [of whom] two-thirds are part-time.” Birnie declined to disclose the company’s annual revenue, but confirmed it is well north of $50 million.
“The Rome site contains 22 acres, so there is plenty of room for expansion. The headquarters building, which is owned by the company, is about 60,000 square feet and was a former vehicle-maintenance shop at Griffiss [Air Force Base].”
Birnie Bus’ growth has come through diversification. While expanding the traditional school-bus service, Bernie Bus also was granted rights in 1982 by the Interstate Commerce Commission to transport groups and tours anywhere in the United States. In 1988, the company started a handicapped-transportation program for the Rome Developmental Center, under the auspices of the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, and in 2008, Birnie Bus announced its affiliation with Trailways. “Our growth over the years has been 50 percent organic and 50 percent through acquisitions,” says Birnie. “Today, we now have such a large repair, parts, and paint facility that we fix and paint buses as well as sell parts not just for ourselves but also for school districts [that own their own buses] and for other bus companies.”
The diversification has also created a complicated table of organization and myriad corporations. Birnie Bus Service, which is structured as a C-corporation, has a number of sister corporations including Birnie Bus Tours, Inc.; T&K Real Estate; Birnie Transport Service, Inc. in Corning; Reliable Bus Parts, Inc.; and Arthur F. Mulligan, Inc., near Kingston.
Birnie Bus has grown so large that its competition to transport school and handicapped passengers is now large national and international companies. Birnie Bus competes for contracts with firms such as First Student, Inc., which has 54,000 buses operating in 38 states and nine Canadian provinces; the National Express Corporation, which operates more than 17,000 school buses in 30 states; and Student Transportation Inc. (NASDAQ: STB), with more than 9,000 vehicles serving more than 200 school districts.
Birnie says “… my success in growing the company has come from hiring employees who are looking for a career, not a job.” Leading the company is the executive team, which in addition to Birnie as the company president, includes Terry Inkawhich as the vice president of finance, Eric Taylor as the vice president for operations, and Paul D’Aiuto and Bonnie Bates as regional managers.
At age 65, Tim Birnie is not slowing down. “I have a passion for this business,” says Birnie, who maintains his license to drive a bus. “I am very optimistic about the future growth of the company … 60 percent of the [school] districts still own their buses … As school budgets grow tighter, more are realizing they can save money by outsourcing their transportation and still deliver quality service … I think more school districts are looking favorably at privatization so they can focus on what they do best — educating the children.” While not revealing any details, Birnie is positioning the company to ride what he sees as a growing trend.
To accomplish his vision of continued growth, Birnie is focusing on the question of succession. “I have twin daughters and a son who have grown up listening to my passion for the company. Lauren is working for JPMorgan [Chase] and her sister Kait is currently working in the fashion industry. Both are getting outside experience, which I think is important. The girls have worked summers and while they were in college at the company. My son is still a teenager in high school,” Birnie says.
Birnie Bus works with local vendors for key services. “Our lead bank to finance operations, buy buses, and fund real estate in New York is NBT. When we did the Jacksonville contract, which was a $20 million project, we worked with Wells Fargo and SunTrust. For our legal work, we use Bond, Schoeneck & King for labor issues and the Matt Law Firm, PLLC in Utica, which is of counsel to Hiscock & Barclay. For accounting, we work with Mike Fitzgerald [Fitzgerald, DePietro & Wojnas CPAs, P.C.],” says the company president.
“Birnie Bus is also active in the local community. The company has been a sponsor of the Utica Boilermaker Road Race, Special Olympics New York, the Heart Run & Walk, the Kennedy Arena, Stuff the Bus, Rome Hospital Tree of Lights Festival, and the Rome Clean and Green Initiative, to name a few,” says Birnie … We’re part of this community, and it’s important to be civic-minded.”
“I was born into this business,” avers Birnie. “I have long had a vision to create a company where there is mutual respect, … a company with just compensation, benefits, and work atmosphere so employees enjoy coming to work … We [need] to treat our customers with respect, good service, and [fair] pricing … We can grow our business within our core concept of safe, reliable transportation, create a stable environment while still taking advantage of opportunities, and creating diversification around [our] core business.”
Birnie thinks back nostalgically to his mother’s comment about the Birnie men only talking about buses. “My children hear the same thing growing up [I heard],” says Birnie. He hopes to hand over to the third generation of Birnies a bus company that is growing through diversification. Judging by his current vehicle fleet, which is more than 20 times larger than when he started at Birnie Bus, and his passion for the business, Birnie Bus will continue to grow and compete on the national scene.
Birnie keeps an autographed photo of Jackie Gleason in his office dressed as Ralph Kramden, the 1950s TV character who drove a bus. Kramden was fond of saying “And away we go.” Birnie has adopted the phrase as he steers the company in new directions.
ROME — Rome Memorial Hospital has introduced a new television system to provide patient and staff education on the hospital’s 1500 N. James St. campus. The Rome Hospital Foundation, the hospital’s fund-raising arm, secured a $50,000 grant from M&T Bank for the purchase of a nine-channel medical media-on-demand system. It delivers patient education on topics
ROME — Rome Memorial Hospital has introduced a new television system to provide patient and staff education on the hospital’s 1500 N. James St. campus.
The Rome Hospital Foundation, the hospital’s fund-raising arm, secured a $50,000 grant from M&T Bank for the purchase of a nine-channel medical media-on-demand system. It delivers patient education on topics such as relaxation, diabetes, lung disease, surgeries, pregnancy and newborn care, lifestyle, and general health advice.
The programming, which will be selected by the hospital’s education department, will be broadcast through the existing local cable system in patient rooms and staff areas as closed-circuit channels.
“We are grateful to M&T Bank for their generosity and ongoing support of Rome Memorial Hospital,” Gregory Mattacola, board president of the Rome Hospital Foundation, said in a news release. “The new television system will help educate our patients and their families and enable them to learn more about their diagnosis while they recuperate in the hospital.”
With the help of this education program, patients are able to better understand their diagnosis, treatment, and be prepared to care for themselves properly at home, according to Gale Barone, director of education and employee health at Rome Memorial Hospital.
“Studies done on hospitalized patients show that only 50 to 60 percent of the information provided to them by health-care professionals is retained,” Barone said in the release. “Our patient education television system reinforces key information in a format that is easy to understand. This will improve patient outcomes and satisfaction and decrease re-admissions to the hospital.”
In addition to the patient education program, the hospital will also initiate a staff education channel through this television system.
“New medications, treatments, and technologies are developed every day,” Barone said. “Health-care providers need to constantly update their knowledge. The staff education channel is one more tool to help educate caregivers and employees, many of whom work various shifts.”
Rome Memorial Hospital has nearly 1,000 full and part-time employees, 181 physicians, 130 acute-care beds, 80 long-term care beds, and 6,000 yearly patient visits, according to its website. The hospital’s total operating budget in 2012 was $93 million.
UTICA — “Our goal is to hit $1 billion in assets within two years,” says Alan R. Leist, III, the senior portfolio manager at Strategic Financial Services, Inc. The firm is headquartered at 114 Business Park Drive in Utica, with additional offices in DeWitt and West Palm Beach, Fla. Alan R. Leist, Jr., company CEO
UTICA — “Our goal is to hit $1 billion in assets within two years,” says Alan R. Leist, III, the senior portfolio manager at Strategic Financial Services, Inc. The firm is headquartered at 114 Business Park Drive in Utica, with additional offices in DeWitt and West Palm Beach, Fla.
Alan R. Leist, Jr., company CEO and founder, says, “I started in 1979 in wealth management and estate planning. I ran out of money in three months … and went to KeyBank for a $25,000 loan … It took three to four years before [the business] blossomed.” His son, Alan R. Leist, III, notes that, “the firm [currently] manages and advises on assets of over $850 million.”
From its modest start, Strategic Financial Services expanded in 1988 into investment management, when Judy Sweet, now the firm’s president, came onboard to co-found Strategic Investment Advisors, the firm’s registered investment advisor. Around 2000, Strategic Financial embraced company-sponsored retirement plans. “Today, we have 27 full-time employees of whom 10 are focused on research, one is in marketing/sales, and the rest service and support our clients,” says Leist, III. “Our [annual] revenue is around $5 million.” Leist, Jr. notes that “… the company owns the 9,000-square-foot building in Utica and leases the 960-square-foot office in DeWitt and the 450-square-foot office in Florida.”
Strategic Financial caters to high-net-worth clients. “Our clients [typically] have $1 million to $20 million in liquid assets and a net worth of $5 million to $50 million … Our institutions also have endowments of $1 million to $20 million,” says Leist, III. “This is our sweet spot, our core competency,” adds his father. “On the institutional side, we have 32 relationships … [of which] 31 are in Central New York … Many of our individual investors also own businesses, and we handle their company retirement plans.”
Contributing to the firm’s growth is the executive committee, which includes eight employees. In addition to Leist, Jr., Sweet, and Leist, III, the committee includes Jeremy Stewart, managing director, information and data systems; Nancy Meininger, managing director, finance and operations; Iris Buczkowski, managing director of wealth management; David Lemire, managing director, senior market strategist; and Laura Powers, director, retirement-plan services.
Strategic Financial has appeared regularly in Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors, based on assets managed, revenue produced, and quality of practice. “We’re proud of our being recognized by Barron’s, … [especially] considering the number of competitors, which range from international bankers and pure investment managers to other independent advisors,” says the CEO.
“What sets us apart is our value proposition,” adds Sweet. “We’re not selling a product … We’re giving investment advice based on a thorough understanding of our clients’ needs and goals. That means taking the time not only to gain this knowledge but [also] to establish a comfort level and earn their trust … Our clients have access to key executive talent … When you talk to us, you talk to a team of money managers … focused directly on your investment strategy … We focus on quality to protect assets in the short-run and [compound] returns in the long-term … Process, people, and persistence drive investment success.”
Michael Leist, who focuses on marketing and client relations, says to add “… communications to the mix of what sets Strategic Financial apart from the competitors. We have created a communications platform which includes regular publications in print and online. We are looking at adding videos and considering information seminars … We also advise our clients what’s new at Strategic Financial so they are aware of any changes.” Leist, Jr. also points out that “… two members of the staff focus on scheduling appointments between the relationship managers and the clients to [ensure] regular meetings … If a client has a question, we provide the answer by the end of the day or we call to say we’ll have the answer by tomorrow.”
“Education of our staff also sets us apart,” continues Leist, Jr. “[Just] look at the impressive credentials of our employees.” The CEO is referring to an alphabet soup of initials attached to the firm’s employees. “[For example], it is unusual for a firm our size to have so many CFAs,” he avers.
Leist, Jr., Sweet, and Leist, III are stockholders in the company. Leist, Jr. held management positions at Elder Pharmaceuticals, Xerox, and Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. before founding the company in 1979. Prior to joining Strategic Financial, Sweet held investment positions at Marine Midland Bank and the Bank of New York, where she was responsible for equity and fixed-income management of trusts, estates, and investment-management accounts. Leist, III led the technology-trading team at Merrill Lynch before moving to Fulcrum Global Partners, LLC to run the trading operation. He joined Strategic Financial in 2005.
“Our firm is committed to the community … We are proud to sponsor over 65 different local organizations, such as St. Elizabeth’s Foundation, United Way, The Community Foundation, Utica Public Library, and Leave a Legacy,” says the company’s CEO. “We give six figures [annually] back to the community, and we try to grow it each year … Our employees also sit on 19 or 20 boards of not-for profit organizations.” Strategic Financial also works with local vendors. It has maintained a 34-year relationship with KeyBank for financing and relies on Fitzgerald, DePietro, & Wojnas CPAs, P.C. for its accounting work.
Strategic Financial is committed to growing the business. “That’s the reason we brought Mike [Leist] in, to focus on business development,” says Leist, Jr. “We have a good share of the Utica marketplace; we need to be more aggressive in Syracuse now that we have opened an office … Longer term, we need to [develop] Albany… Syracuse and Albany [are the ends] of the barbell … To develop the business, we also need to concentrate on succession, on continuity in the company … We have to retain the institutional knowledge while attracting young people.” Leist, Jr. is 66; Sweet is 52; Leist, III is 40; and Michael Leist is 32.
Leist, Jr. muses that he started the business “… because I was doing too much traveling. I moved my son (Alan, III) to three different schools in three years. I needed to feed my family … Because I grew up in Syracuse, I figured Utica (residents) would consider me an expert since I came from 50 miles away,” the founder says jokingly. Leist, Jr. and his wife Connie of 43 years, live in New Hartford near their two sons who returned to work in the family business. Their daughter, Libby Leist, works as a senior producer for the “Today Show” in New York City.
AUBURN — Michael N. Reynolds, senior associate, project manager, and senior architect with Beardsley Design Associates (BDA), Architecture, Engineering and Landscape Architecture, PC, has been
SYRACUSE — The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities received a $500,000 donation from PepsiCo, Inc. on Wednesday. The contribution brought the total donation from
OSWEGO – SUNY Oswego plans to roll out a “community incubator” initiative next month to engage business, government, education, human services, and nonprofits to foster
SYRACUSE — Upstate Medical University has received a $1.54 million gift from the estate of alumnus Stanley A. August, M.D., of Brooklyn, that will help
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