Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
State launching mobile center to deal with foreclosures
The state Department of Financial Services (DFS) will send a 36-foot-long van around New York in an attempt to prevent mortgage foreclosures. Foreclosure counselors will
State gives grants to flood-damaged Southern Tier towns
Five Southern Tier municipalities will receive grants from the New York State Department of State to help them recover from flooding that swept the region
Fourth-quarter slide doesn’t derail record full-year earnings at Chemung Financial
ELMIRA — The acquisition of Fort Orange Financial Corp. in the second quarter of last year helped push earnings at Chemung Financial Corp. to record
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet reopens after flooding
JOHNSON CITY — Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, which closed its Johnson City store during last fall’s flooding after just a month in business, will reopen the
NBT unit, Mang Insurance, makes acquisition
NORWICH — NBT Bancorp, Inc. subsidiary Mang Insurance Agency, LLC has acquired Harvey-Triumpho Insurance Agency of Fort Plain (Montgomery County). Going forward, the agency will
Upcoming conference focuses on small-business diversity, resources
BINGHAMTON — In an Internet age, owners of new and emerging businesses have a lot of information at their fingertips, but entrepreneurs often don’t know
Health-care employers face tough time finding qualified workers
Health-care providers continue to struggle to find skilled candidates or job openings, particularly specialized, technical positions. More than 37 percent of health-care employers have jobs
Peoples 4th-quarter profit slips, but annual earnings rise
HALLSTEAD, Pa. — Peoples Financial Services Corp. (Ticker: PFIS) recently reported that its profit in the fourth quarter fell from a year ago. But that
Binghamton University named a top value among public colleges
BINGHAMTON — The Princeton Review named Binghamton University the nation’s number four “Best Value Public” college for 2012. The Massachusetts–based education-services company profiles Binghamton University in its newly published book, “The Best Value Colleges: 2012,” and on its website www.princetonreview.com/best-value-colleges.aspx. In the profile of Binghamton, the editors at The Princeton Review praised the school for
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BINGHAMTON — The Princeton Review named Binghamton University the nation’s number four “Best Value Public” college for 2012. The Massachusetts–based education-services company profiles Binghamton University in its newly published book, “The Best Value Colleges: 2012,” and on its website www.princetonreview.com/best-value-colleges.aspx.
In the profile of Binghamton, the editors at The Princeton Review praised the school for its “top-tier academics and palatable sticker price,” and noted that in quotes from student surveys, the university is described as a place where students save money while getting an “amazing education.”
“We commend Binghamton University and all of the extraordinary colleges on our 2012 ‘Best Value Colleges’ list for all they are doing to keep costs down and/or offer generous aid to applicants with financial need — all while maintaining excellent academic programs,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s senior vice president/publisher and lead author of the book.
“The Best Value Colleges,” 2012 Edition, subtitled “The 150 Best Buy Colleges and What It Takes to Get In,” features profiles of 75 public and 75 private colleges with detailed information about campus culture, facilities, and financial-aid offerings. Of the 75 schools in each group, the top 10 colleges are ranked with the remaining 65 listed in alphabetical order.
The Princeton Review selected its “Best Value Colleges” based on institutional data and student-opinion surveys collected from 650 colleges and universities the company regards as the nation’s best undergraduate institutions. The selection process analyzed more than 30 data points broadly covering academics, cost, and financial aid.
O’Brien & Gere plans to double work force in Charleston office
SYRACUSE — The acquisition of Lindbergh & Associates of Charleston, S.C. will help Syracuse–based O’Brien & Gere continue to grow its work with the federal government in the Southeast and elsewhere, company leaders say. O’Brien & Gere acquired the remaining 55 percent ownership stake of Lindbergh in December. The firm previously owned 45 percent, with
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SYRACUSE — The acquisition of Lindbergh & Associates of Charleston, S.C. will help Syracuse–based O’Brien & Gere continue to grow its work with the federal government in the Southeast and elsewhere, company leaders say.
O’Brien & Gere acquired the remaining 55 percent ownership stake of Lindbergh in December. The firm previously owned 45 percent, with Lindbergh President Tony Price owning the rest.
The companies first began working together on some joint projects in 2003. Over the years, O’Brien & Gere made a series of investments in Lindbergh, says Lee Davis, O’Brien & Gere president and chief operating officer.
O’Brien & Gere was looking to ramp up its business with the federal government and Lindbergh had a strong base of federal work, Davis says. The plan was for O’Brien & Gere to acquire Lindbergh in full once Lindbergh grew larger.
O’Brien & Gere leaders decided to pursue more federal work as the firm’s state and local government clients were facing stiff budget pressures. And while the federal budget faces its own fiscal challenges, the government remains an enormous potential customer, according to the company.
Also, O’Brien & Gere’s overall share of the federal market is small, leaving plenty of room to expand, company leaders have said.
O’Brien & Gere now has 40 employees in its 8,000-square-foot Charleston office and about two-thirds of them are from Lindbergh, says Richard Garcia, senior vice president and general manager of the Charleston office. The firm plans to double the work force in that office in the next two to three years, Davis adds.
When O’Brien & Gere first opened in Charleston in 2003, it employed one person in the market. Lindbergh had three employees at the time.
Lindbergh was founded in 1982. It provides planning, design, and management services for federal, state, municipal, and commercial clients throughout the U.S. Services include architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, structural engineering, land surveying, civil engineering, master planning, and construction management.
O’Brien & Gere provides a range of engineering and other services. The firm employs 850 people at 30 offices throughout the country.
O’Brien & Gere will continue to use the Lindbergh brand, along with its own name, in the Charleston market for some time, Davis says. Lindbergh has a strong reputation in the region as well as in the federal market.
Charleston is a key location for O’Brien & Gere, Davis says, and serves as the hub for the firm’s federal business in the Southeast. The city’s port is planning a major expansion to accommodate larger ships, which should provide plenty of opportunities for industrial and commercial work as well, he notes.
The Navy and the Air Force both have a strong presence in the region, Garcia adds. And while Lindbergh has been focused mainly on the federal sector in the past, it will now be able to expand into other O’Brien & Gere business areas like water, energy, and environmental projects.
The two firms have worked together on more than 1,000 projects since they first teamed up, Garcia says. They have worked throughout the Southeast and elsewhere, including on a wastewater study for West Point.
The addition will bolster O’Brien & Gere’s business in other regions, Davis says. Lindbergh’s resources should aid projects with clients like Fort Drum and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.