Rialto Wealth Management partner joins Unity House board

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AUBURN — Michael Antonacci, a partner at Rialto Wealth Management in Syracuse, joined the board of directors of Unity House at the start of the year, the Auburn–based nonprofit’s CEO Liz Smith announced. An expert in financial and investment management, Antonacci will help the Unity House board navigate the changing markets and will serve on […]

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An expert in financial and investment management, Antonacci will help the Unity House board navigate the changing markets and will serve on the board’s development committee.

Antonacci has been a member of Unity House’s Planned Giving Advisory Council since 2022. He has more than 10 years of experience in the investment advisory and private wealth management industry. In addition to working directly with clients, Antonacci specializes in complex estate and tax-planning matters. Prior to joining Rialto, he was a financial advisor at Rockbridge Investment Management.

“I’m excited to work with Mike on the board,” Smith said. “He is engaged on our Planned Giving Advisory Council, and has already provided some financial overview training to our board members. His area of expertise will move Unity House to the next level surrounding fund development, and will help us find alternative revenue sources.”

Antonacci earned a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College, an MBA from Union Graduate College (now part of Clarkson University), and a law degree from Albany Law School. He is a chartered financial analyst and has been admitted to practice law in New York state. He also serves on the SUNY ESF Foundation board of directors, and on the Cayuga Community Fund Leadership Council.

“I was first introduced to Unity House’s good work while watching honorees receive the Fred Atkins Community Service Award for exceptional volunteerism,” said Antonacci. “I got to hear from some of the individuals whose lives have been touched by the work that Unity House does on a daily basis. Working to empower the lives of people with disabilities is critically important work. I am excited for the opportunity to help further this mission in our community.”

Unity House says it empowers people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and substance-use disorders. Every day, the organization helps nearly 800 adults in seven Central New York counties learn the skills they need to lead fuller, more independent lives. The nonprofit provides transitional and permanent housing, as well as rehabilitative, respite, and employment services. Through innovation, education, and advocacy, Unity House is freeing our communities of misconceptions associated with disabilities.

Rialto Wealth Management says it is a fee-only, fiduciary, advisory firm offering services that include financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, employee benefits and compensation, tax planning, and estate/legacy planning. It’s office is located at 126 N. Salina St., Suite 404 in Syracuse.

SUNY Poly to host regional New York Business Plan Competition for college students

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MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) will serve as the host site for the Mohawk Valley region in the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC). The competition, which is set for April 5, involves college students from across the area competing for a total of $3,500 in prizes. Organized by the Upstate Capital

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MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) will serve as the host site for the Mohawk Valley region in the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC).

The competition, which is set for April 5, involves college students from across the area competing for a total of $3,500 in prizes.

Organized by the Upstate Capital Association of New York, the competition promotes entrepreneurial opportunities for students as they pitch their business plans and engage with mentors and judges from the business community.

“NYBPC offers students extraordinary, perhaps once in a lifetime, opportunities to creatively develop new venture concepts that have the potential to positively transform lives and society,” Robert Edgell, professor of technology management at SUNY Poly,said in a press release announcing the contest. “Past participants have emphasized the usefulness and confidence building that they experienced by collaborating with other team members, pitching to live audiences, and getting expert feedback.”

Edgell also serves as NYBPC’s regional chair for the Mohawk Valley competition.

The categories, or tracks, for the competition are food and “agtech” including agricultural technology, food products, and food service; health and wellbeing including health IT, life science, “medtech”, and wellbeing; learn, work, and live including education, community building, productivity, and “fintech”; safety, power, and mobility including defense, energy, climate tech, first responder, infrastructure, mobility, and transportation; products and hardware for business plans that don’t fall into other tracks; and software and services for business plans that don’t fall into other tracks.

Regional competitions take place from early to mid-April in 10 regions across the state, based on the state’s 10 economic-development regions.

In the Mohawk Valley region, interested student teams from SUNY Poly, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Hamilton College, Hartwick College, Herkimer County Community College, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, Mohawk Valley Community College, Pratt Munson, St. Elizabeth College of Nursing, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cobleskill, and Utica University are eligible to compete in the Mohawk Valley regional, but must apply by March 1.

Winners from each of the 10 regions will have the opportunity to submit their materials for a chance to earn a spot in the state finals, which take place April 25 and offer a grand prize of $25,000.

SUNY Poly alum Elias Zenia participated in the NYBPC twice as a student, first pitching an idea for a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant and later refining it into Lafa, a restaurant he has opened since graduating. Located on Commercial Drive, the successful restaurant was recently recognized by the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce at its Business of the Year awards.

“Participating in the NYBPC was a pivotal experience during my student years as I pitched two different business ideas,” Zenia said. “The transformative journey began as our team collaborated with professionals who played a crucial role in refining our concept into a potential business for our community. The constructive feedback received at regional and state competitions not only honed our ideas but also equipped me with strategic planning, creative thinking skills, and the confidence to establish my own business. In 2021, Lafa Mediterranean, a fast-casual restaurant, emerged from this competition, underscoring the impactful outcomes possible.”

Students can find more information about the competition by visiting nybpc.org/students2024.

People news: Cathedral Corporation names new chief technology officer

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ROME, N.Y. — Cathedral Corporation announced it has appointed John Slaney as its chief technology officer (CTO). Slaney, former CTO of Content Critical Solutions, has a track record of success in leading technology systems and content-management solution organizations, Cathedral said in a news release. He focused on developing and implementing automated platforms and providing clients

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NYS Fair Director Hennessey leaving, interim director appointed

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GEDDES, N.Y. — New York State Fair Executive Director Sean Hennessey is leaving the role for a new job with the New York State Department of Labor. Julie LaFave, operations director of the NYS Fair, will also serve as the Fair’s interim director while the search for a permanent director continues, Hanna Birkhead, associate director

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GEDDES, N.Y. — New York State Fair Executive Director Sean Hennessey is leaving the role for a new job with the New York State Department of Labor.

Julie LaFave, operations director of the NYS Fair, will also serve as the Fair’s interim director while the search for a permanent director continues, Hanna Birkhead, associate director of public information with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets told CNYBJ in an email.

In a statement provided by the department, Hennessey will serve as the Commissioner of Labor’s regional representative in my home area of the North Country.

“I’m incredibly proud to have directed the Fair since 2022 and to have been a part of the achievements realized during that time,” Hennessey said in the statement. “Over the past two years, the team at the Fair has successfully revived the complete Fair experience post-pandemic, helped fairgoers experience an unmatched variety of musical acts —some of which were record breaking, launched new family-friendly exhibits and the inaugural Asian Village, and solidified the Fair’s established presence as a hub of entertainment, all while maintaining the Fair’s deeply rooted tradition in New York State agriculture.”

LaFave also provided a statement, indicating that the work preparing for this summer’s is ongoing and will continue.

“The State Fair has an incredible, talented staff that is working hard to bring fairgoers the very best State Fair yet this summer. I’m honored to be a part of the team and to provide my support during this transition,” LaFave said. “Having had the experience of working closely with Sean over the last year and through an incredibly successful Fair, I feel ready to hit the ground running as Interim Director as we enter the 2024 Fair season. I look forward to building on his work with our team to bring New Yorkers another great year at the Great New York State Fair.”

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball thanked Hennessey for his time and effort as the State Fair’s director and “can say without a doubt that we are in capable hands” under the direction of LaFave as interim director, per a statement that the department provided.

SUNY Chancellor King visits Oswego, ESF campuses as state increases funding for mental-health services

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — SUNY campuses are allocating nearly $10 million in annual state funding to increase their mental-health services and support for students, faculty, and staff. The funding will expand services at 28 campuses, support more than 200,000 students,and build on its Statewide Tele-Psychiatry Network (STPN) and new tele-counseling option for community colleges, the office

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SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr., pictured here speaking at Onondaga Community College in October 2023, on Wednesday visited both SUNY Oswego and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse. He used the visits to discuss funding for mental-health services at both campuses and at SUNY campuses statewide. (Eric Reinhardt / CNYBJ)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — SUNY campuses are allocating nearly $10 million in annual state funding to increase their mental–health services and support for students, faculty, and staff.

The funding will expand services at 28 campuses, support more than 200,000 students,and build on its Statewide Tele-Psychiatry Network (STPN) and new tele-counseling option for community colleges, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday

This money was secured through the state’s $163 million recurring increase in direct operating aid to SUNY’s state-operated campuses this year, per Hochul’s office.

SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. discussed the funding’s impact during Wednesday visits to SUNY Oswego and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse.

“Mental health is health, and as more students seek mental–health care, we need to be there for them with expanded services, including having enough counselors on campus or online 24-7,” King said in a state news release. “Mental health care is a critical support for student success, and we are grateful for the Governor’s ongoing commitment and investment across SUNY’s campuses, including $10 million in annual funding for mental health support.”

Oswego, ESF impacts

At Oswego, he spoke with students about mental health and met with counselors and staff at the recently renovated Mary Walker Health Center. The center houses the campus counseling services and is named after Oswego native Mary Walker, the only female Medal of Honor recipient, Hochul’s office said.

SUNY Oswego is allocating its new state funding toward hiring more staff to support students, such as staff that specialize in providing care to students from marginalized backgrounds. The school is also entering tele-counseling contracts to provide more access to therapy and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, and extending counselor contracts so they can provide services over the summer months. The funding is also allowing the campus to provide an increase in pay to per–diem staff who offer much-needed services, Hochul’s office noted.

SUNY ESF will use its funding to hire additional staff to support the campus community. It’ll also utilize the money to host a mental-health symposium to bring together staff, faculty, and students for an event that focuses on topics related to mental health. The ESF campus will also launch a peer–ambassador program to assist with programming initiatives on campus.

First Wynn Hospital nurse honored with DAISY Award

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UTICA — Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) announced that one of its registered nurses (RNs) has won the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses — the first to be awarded to a nurse working at the new Wynn Hospital in downtown Utica. The award recognizes nurses for the compassionate care they perform on a daily basis.

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State Route 34B bridge in Tompkins County receives national award

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LANSING — The State Route 34B bridge over Salmon Creek in Lansing in Tompkins County was nationally recognized with the American Institute of Steel Construction and the National Steel Bridge Alliance’s 2024 Prize Bridge Merit Award, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Feb. 7. The awards program, held every two years, honors significant and innovative steel

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New York soybean production jumped almost 19 percent

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Farms in New York state produced more than 17.3 million bushels of soybeans in 2023, up 18.6 percent from just over 14.6 million bushels the previous year. That’s according to a USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop-production summary issued on Jan. 12. The total soybean yield per acre in New York state averaged 51

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Lockheed Martin Owego wins more than $150M Navy contract modification

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only, Technology

OWEGO — Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) in Owego recently won an up to $150.56 million modification to an order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement from the U.S. Navy. This contract modification adds scope to provide non-recurring engineering and add/eliminate efforts in support of bringing six MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from a standard foreign

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Memory special-care unit now open at Loretto’s The Commons on St. Anthony

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AUBURN — The Commons on St. Anthony in Auburn, which is part of the Loretto system, now offers a memory special-care unit (MSCU). Loretto’s fourth MSCU is the “first facility of its kind dedicated to dementia care in Auburn,” and seeks to “to help meet significant, continuously growing demand for memory-care services in Cayuga County,”

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AUBURN — The Commons on St. Anthony in Auburn, which is part of the Loretto system, now offers a memory special-care unit (MSCU).

Loretto’s fourth MSCU is the “first facility of its kind dedicated to dementia care in Auburn,” and seeks to “to help meet significant, continuously growing demand for memory-care services in Cayuga County,” Loretto said in its Feb. 7 news release.

This newly designed memory-care floor features imagery and technology that “soothes and supports” those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. This redesigned unit provides a new home for 40 long-term, memory-care residents.

The unit offers the Montessori method because, as Loretto put it, “today’s dementia patients have new and evolving needs.” The Montessori method is described as an “innovative” approach to activities programming that combines rehabilitation principles and educational techniques to “improve the lives” of those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The development of this new MSCU took six months of planning and three months of construction to complete.

Loretto used a $200,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to pay for the floor redesign of The Commons MSCU, Kathleen White, manager of marketing and public relations at Loretto, tells The Central New York Business Journal in an email. The agency also used $18,500 in funding from the United Way of Cayuga County to fund renovations to a classroom at The Commons, which is used to teach the Montessori method, White added.

“Today is a significant step for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and their families, in Cayuga County,” Kim Townsend, president and CEO of Loretto, said in the release. “As the region’s leader in memory care, Loretto continues to provide residents with a high quality of life, improving their well-being through empowerment.”

Loretto has been providing memory-care services for those in need for more than 30 years, the agency noted. It cites the New York State Department of Health (DOH) as indicating more than 410,000 people in New York State are living with Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to grow to 460,000 by next year.

DOH’s data also indicates 22 percent of that population (around 90,200 people) live in Onondaga and Cayuga counties where Loretto provides services.

Loretto describes itself as the fourth-largest health-care provider and the sixth-largest employer in Central New York. The agency has about 2,500 employees at its 19 locations, delivering care to close to 10,000 people of all ages, income levels, and care needs in Onondaga and Cayuga counties annually.

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