Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.

People news: Grossman St. Amour CPAs hires supervisor in tax services group
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Grossman St. Amour CPAs announced it has added Maria C. Gersbacher, CPA as a supervisor in its tax services group. The firm

Syracuse University to convert the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center into a residence hall
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University on Wednesday announced it plans to convert the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center into a nearly 400-bed, on-campus

Binghamton Rumble Ponies are searching for a new general manager
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets, are searching for a new general manager. The team on Wednesday

Herkimer man arrested for stealing more than $5,000 in items from Lowe’s store
HERKIMER, N.Y. — A Herkimer man was arrested after allegedly stealing more than $5,000 worth of items through the self-checkout lane at a major home-improvement

People news: Slocum-Dickson adds physician to pediatric department
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. — Slocum-Dickson Medical Group has announced the addition of physician Elaine Tsukayama to its pediatric department effective Nov. 13. Dr. Tsukayama is

Herkimer County IDA receives more than $4M state grant for Schuyler Business Park improvements
SCHUYLER, N.Y. — The Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency (HCIDA) recently received $4.37 million from the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York (FAST NY) grant program to make improvements at its Schuyler Business Park. HCIDA will use the funds toward a $5.1 million project to install a 500,000-gallon water-storage tank to ensure adequate water
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
SCHUYLER, N.Y. — The Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency (HCIDA) recently received $4.37 million from the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York (FAST NY) grant program to make improvements at its Schuyler Business Park.
HCIDA will use the funds toward a $5.1 million project to install a 500,000-gallon water-storage tank to ensure adequate water pressure and fire-suppression capabilities, along with improvements to the existing entrance to address traffic concerns. The project will allow for future development on more than 80 acres in the business park. The agency is working to attract clean-tech and renewable energy and interstate distribution and logistics businesses to the park, which is already home to a number of businesses including Wilcor International and The Fountainhead Group, Inc.
“Through the FAST NY grant program, New York is continuing its commitment to investing in and expanding economic growth and opportunity across the state,”
“This funding will prepare shovel-ready sites that key industries like semiconductors and renewable energy are looking for and will create good jobs and grow local economies for generations to come,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release announcing the FAST NY grants across the state.
Herkimer’s award was one of six FAST NY awards in the state totaling nearly $90 million. Other recipients were the Genesee County Industrial Development Agency ($56 million), the town of Coeymans in Albany County ($17 million), the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency ($5.25 million), the town of East Fishkill in Dutchess County ($2 million), and the Counties of Warren and Washington Industrial Development Agency ($4.7 million).
FAST NY, administered by Empire State Development, awards grants for pre-development activities and infrastructure improvements to develop sites to attract businesses in eligible industries including high-tech manufacturing, semiconductors, clean-tech renewable energy, life sciences, agribusiness, optics, transportation equipment, materials processing, industrial machinery manufacturing, other advanced manufacturing, and interstate distribution and logistics.
To date, nearly $130 million has been awarded to 13 locations across the state.

SRC names Jewett director of marketing and corporate communications
CICERO — SRC, Inc. recently promoted Mike Jewett to director of marketing and corporate communications. Jewett started with SRC as an intern in 1998. Since then, he has served in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as the company’s senior manager of marketing. In his new role as director, Jewett will be responsible for overseeing
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
CICERO — SRC, Inc. recently promoted Mike Jewett to director of marketing and corporate communications.
Jewett started with SRC as an intern in 1998. Since then, he has served in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as the company’s senior manager of marketing.
In his new role as director, Jewett will be responsible for overseeing the corporate brand and outreach activities, including marketing, recruiting and public relations, as well as employee activities and internal communications, SRC said in a news release. The role involves close collaboration with senior leadership and all facets of the business to develop and execute integrated marketing campaigns that attract new customers and candidates, enhance employee morale, and strengthen SRC’s communications strategy.
“Mike’s extensive experience and proven track record will help him to be impactful in this important role,” Kevin Hair, president and CEO of SRC, said in the release. “His strong leadership skills and deep understanding of our organization, combined with his strategic mindset, will undoubtedly contribute to our continued success.”
Jewett holds a bachelor’s degree in art studio and computer applications from SUNY Geneseo.
SRC is a not-for-profit research and development company based in Cicero that combines information, science, technology, and innovation to solve problems in the areas of defense, environment, and intelligence.
Tompkins Financial to pay quarterly dividend of 60 cents on Nov. 15
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins Financial Corp. (NYSE: TMP) recently announced that its board of directors has approved payment of a regular quarterly cash dividend of 60 cents a share for the latest quarter. The dividend is payable on Nov. 15, to common shareholders of record on Nov. 7. At Tompkins Financial’s current stock price, the
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins Financial Corp. (NYSE: TMP) recently announced that its board of directors has approved payment of a regular quarterly cash dividend of 60 cents a share for the latest quarter.
The dividend is payable on Nov. 15, to common shareholders of record on Nov. 7.
At Tompkins Financial’s current stock price, the payment yields about 4.4 percent on an annual basis.
Tompkins Financial is a banking and financial-services company serving the Central, Western, and Hudson Valley regions of New York and the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Ithaca, Tompkins Financial is parent to Tompkins Community Bank and Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc., and offers wealth-management services through Tompkins Financial Advisors.

S.E.E.D. Planning Group names head of financial planning division
SALINA, N.Y. — S.E.E.D. Planning Group, LLC recently announced it has promoted Jeff Chase to head of the firm’s financial planning division. He currently works from the firm’s office on Elwood Davis Road in the town of Salina. Since joining the firm in 2020, Chase has spent the last two years working alongside the S.E.E.D.
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
SALINA, N.Y. — S.E.E.D. Planning Group, LLC recently announced it has promoted Jeff Chase to head of the firm’s financial planning division.
He currently works from the firm’s office on Elwood Davis Road in the town of Salina. Since joining the firm in 2020, Chase has spent the last two years working alongside the S.E.E.D. Planning Group’s CEO, Travis Maus, in the training and development of planners and serving as the firm’s financial planning education manager.
“Jeff has shown and contributed incredible value to S.E.E.D., with his participation in our Mentoring Program, Specialized Teams, and as the Financial Planning Team’s Education Manager. This will open a new and exciting chapter for both Jeff and the Financial Planning Team,” Maus said in a news release.
S.E.E.D. Planning Group has offices in Binghamton, Whitney Point, Salina, as well as Knoxville, Tennessee.
Oneida County hotels post slight rise in guests in September
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County’s hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) edged up 1.1 percent to 67.1 percent in September from the year-prior month. That’s according to a recent report from STR, a Tennessee–based hotel-market data and analytics company. Year to date through September, occupancy was up 1.5 percent to 61.8
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County’s hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) edged up 1.1 percent to 67.1 percent in September from the year-prior month.
That’s according to a recent report from STR, a Tennessee–based hotel-market data and analytics company. Year to date through September, occupancy was up 1.5 percent to 61.8 percent.
Revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, moved higher by 3.4 percent to $93.34 this September in the Mohawk Valley’s largest county, compared to September 2022. Through the first nine months of this year, RevPar was up 7.2 percent to $82.92
Average daily rate (ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, went up 2.2 percent to $139.03 in Oneida County in the ninth month of 2023, versus the same month a year earlier. Year to date, ADR was higher by 5.6 percent to $134.08.
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.