NYS, FTC among those pursuing antitrust lawsuit against Amazon

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New York, 16 other states, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are suing Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), alleging that the ecommerce giant is a monopolist. The entities accuse Amazon of using “a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power,” the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James said […]

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New York, 16 other states, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are suing Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), alleging that the ecommerce giant is a monopolist.

The entities accuse Amazon of using “a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power,” the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James said in its Sept. 26 announcement.

The lawsuit alleges that Amazon’s actions allow it to stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.

The Seattle, Washington–based online retail and technology company operates a fulfillment center in Clay and a delivery station in DeWitt.

The complaint alleges that Amazon violates the law not because it is big, but because it “engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging,” James’ office said in a news release.

By stifling competition on price, product selection, and quality, and by preventing its current or future rivals from attracting a critical mass of shoppers and sellers, Amazon “ensures that no current or future rival can threaten its dominance,” the suit alleges.

Amazon’s “far-reaching schemes” impact hundreds of billions of dollars in retail sales every year, touch hundreds of thousands of products sold by businesses big and small and affect over a hundred million shoppers.

“Amazon illegally raised prices for consumers and took advantage of online sellers in its storefront and they should be held accountable,” James said in the release. “Amazon’s monopolistic behavior is hurting consumers, online sellers, competition, and the overall economy. Today my office is leading a multistate coalition in joining the FTC to put an end to Amazon’s abusive and manipulative practices to protect consumers and small businesses nationwide. Every company, big or small, must abide by the law and my office is not afraid to hold those that don’t to account.”

Amazon reaction

In an article about the lawsuit on the website of ABC News, Amazon reacted saying, “Today’s suit makes clear the FTC’s focus has radically departed from its mission of protecting consumers and competition,” Amazon said. “The practices the FTC is challenging have helped to spur competition and innovation across the retail industry, and have produced greater selection, lower prices, and faster delivery speeds for Amazon customers and greater opportunity for the many businesses that sell in Amazon’s store.”

The company also added, “The lawsuit filed by the FTC today is wrong on the facts and the law, and we look forward to making that case in court.”

Amazon has cooperated with the FTC over a years-long investigation, the company noted. “It was our hope the agency would recognize that Amazon’s innovations and customer-centric focus have benefited American consumers through low prices and increased competition in the already competitive retail industry,” the company added.

Shared services net savings for Broome County

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Municipalities have worked for decades to share services and cut costs, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar tells CNYBJ in an interview. In both small and large ways, shared services have been happening for a while. “There are tons of things that local governments are doing already to save money,” he says. In Broome County that

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“There are tons of things that local governments are doing already to save money,” he says. In Broome County that includes anything from a shared water plant to sharing highway materials.

But when the state launched the shared-services initiative, it opened up an opportunity to capitalize on the savings achieved by municipalities working together, Garnar adds. Since the initiative began, the county has completed a number of projects.

Broome County worked with the Maine-Endwell and Whitney Point school districts to share caseworkers, saving about $325,000, and coordinated a public-safety radio tower consolidation.

A Medicaid Advantage prescription-drug purchasing alliance with municipalities and school districts allows the group to get the best prices. This helps lower the cost of the coverage Broome County provides to its retirees and saved about $2 million.

The Town of Deposit and Village of Sanford within the county combined their two separate courts into one, saving about $150,000. Deposit also dissolved its police department.

A joint-purchasing coalition for prescription drugs has saved the county about $3 million, Garnar says. “The state turned around and cut us a check for $3 million.”

“We have done four plans, and we have saved approximately $8 million,” he notes. The county will receive the rest of the matching funding once the state verifies the county’s savings, he adds.

At the recent meeting, the plan proposed for the next cost-savings initiative will have the county working with the Binghamton City School District to add an employee to the district to work on housing situations. Once again, the position will come out of the county’s social services department, so that 50 percent of the cost is reimbursed by the state.

“It’s a nice program for counties to get in,” Garnar says. Broome County has 23 different villages, towns, and cities located within its borders.

Other counties that have participated in the initiative include Onondaga, Otsego, Oswego, Jefferson, Chemung, and Tompkins.

Sciarabba Walker has had a busy year of growth

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ITHACA, N.Y. — Sciarabba Walker & Co., LLP is keeping busy in 2023 with the addition of a new building and at least nine new employees as the accounting and business consulting firm continues to grow. “We started about five years ago experiencing meaningful growth,” says Dave Iles, managing partner. With growth exceeding Sciarabba Walker’s

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“We started about five years ago experiencing meaningful growth,” says Dave Iles, managing partner. With growth exceeding Sciarabba Walker’s annual projections, he attributes the increase to the firm being more intentional in serving clients and adding new clients.

Growth also came out of the pandemic, especially as businesses were struggling to understand the different government programs and resources available to them, he adds, and the growth has just continued from there.

In 2013, Sciarabba Walker moved into its existing building at 410 East Upland Road in Ithaca. Right from the start, the firm fully occupied the building, Iles says, so the challenge was how to grow and add employees within that space.

The firm approached the owner of the building next door with interest in purchasing it if the owner ever sold, and about three years ago, the owner was ready to move forward.

Plans were paused for a time during the pandemic, but Sciarabba Walker ultimately decided to tear down the existing building and start fresh with a new net-zero energy building. In late March, the firm opened the new building, where it occupies about 2,300 square feet for its growing outsourced accounting team. The remaining 3,200 square feet are currently leased to the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium and provide space for future firm growth if needed.

Sciarabba Walker’s outsourced accounting department, which serves as a traditional CPA firm handling things like taxes and audits, has grown from about seven people doing some bookkeeping for clients to a team of nearly 20 now.

“We provide the back-office accounting and finance functions for our clients,” Iles says. Particularly with the region’s workforce shortages, Sciarabba Walker has seen tremendous growth in the need for those services. “A lot of our clients are struggling,” he says. Outsourcing the work allows businesses to function when they can’t find someone to fill that CFO position.

For other companies, the service allows them to scale their business. Maybe the companies don’t need an in-house, full-time person in the role right now, Iles says. They can work with Sciarabba Walker and scale up as the business grows.

Along with the outsourced accounting team, Sciarabba Walker has also seen growth within its audit and tax teams.

Iles attributes the growth — in employees, in clients, and in revenue — to being client-service and employee focused. That means spending the time to learn clients’ needs and delivering on those and putting equal energy into employees, especially in terms of job satisfaction and career hopes.

He credits a hybrid work environment for part of that job satisfaction. It’s something Sciarabba Walker has been doing for about 15 years, long before the pandemic sent everyone home to work. In fact, the company had announced to employees in January 2020 that it was promoting a flexible work schedule. When the pandemic caused the shift to remote work, Sciarabba Walker was well prepared for it, Iles notes.

The firm also worked hard during that time to make sure that employees still felt connected and involved and put a priority on mental health as everyone worked to cope with the difficult time. That was vital to operations during the pandemic, Iles says.

Founded in 1976 by Andrew J. Sciarabba and J. Kenneth Walker, the firm employs about 60 people. Accounting and business-advisory services include consulting, audits, finance and accounting services, peer reviews, and business and individual tax services.

Syracuse College of Law dean to step down after academic year

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University College of Law Dean Craig Boise plans to step down from the role at the end of this academic year. He has served as dean since 2016. Following a sabbatical, Boise will return to the College of Law to teach, mentor, and continue his work as a legal scholar, Syracuse

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University College of Law Dean Craig Boise plans to step down from the role at the end of this academic year.

He has served as dean since 2016.

Following a sabbatical, Boise will return to the College of Law to teach, mentor, and continue his work as a legal scholar, Syracuse University said in an online announcement.

Information on the search effort to identify Boise’s successor is “forthcoming,” the school noted.

“Craig’s impact has been transformative,” Gretchen Ritter, Syracuse University vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer, said in a university statement. “Under his leadership, the College of Law has been exceptionally strong in research, which is not traditional for law schools, and it has been innovative and entrepreneurial, particularly as it relates to evolving the legal education space to meet the needs of today’s students, increasing accessibility and opening doors to those who may come from post-traditional pathways. Craig has been an outstanding leader, partner and innovator and will leave behind an incredible success on which to be built.”

Boise came to Syracuse University from the Cleveland State University College of Law during a “period of great stress in legal education” when there were substantially fewer law-school applicants and a soft legal job market, Syracuse said.

“Craig saw these challenges as opportunities,” Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud said. “He knew that law schools that could quickly pivot and creatively figure out ways to develop collaborative, interdisciplinary, novel and relevant course offerings and degrees would stand out competitively and attract talented students and faculty. I look forward to his continued contributions to Syracuse University as a legal scholar and colleague.”

When Boise stepped into his role as dean of the College of Law, Syracuse University said he described his vision to create “a sustainable law school that leverages the knowledge, skill and imagination of its faculty and staff to expand legal education in innovative ways.”

Seven years later, Boise is announcing his decision to step down “with that vision achieved,” the university contends. The College of Law is on “strong” financial and academic footing with new, “innovative” programs, partnerships and modalities, and students and graduates “performing at high levels during and after their legal education,” it adds.

“No dean remains in the role forever — we are merely stewards of our institutions for the time that we serve, with the goal of leaving them better than we found them,” Boise said. “I’m gratified to know that the College of Law is in a strong position on all fronts and that we can embrace the future with confidence. What our outstanding faculty and staff have created together — supported by our remarkable alumni — will serve as a solid foundation on which the next generation of extraordinary Orange lawyers will build their professional lives as they, in turn, strengthen the college’s reputation and impact.”

Accomplishments

In its announcement, Syracuse University listed several accomplishments for the College of Law under Boise’s leadership. They include launching the JDinteractive online J.D. program, “the first such program in the country to utilize virtual classrooms” and the “only online J.D./MBA program in the country” in partnership with the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

In addition, the Syracuse College of Law launched the Orange Advance pipeline program with Spelman and Morehouse Colleges and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta. The College of Law also significantly increased both the diversity and credentials of the student body; on average, students of color have comprised 30 percent of entering classes, with a record 37 percent for the entering class of 2022, the university noted.

In addition, Boise has “significantly strengthened” the college’s financial position, by operating with a balanced budget and “raising more philanthropic dollars than ever before,” the college noted.

The annual fund surpassed $1 million for the first time in the college’s history and will exceed its $38 million Forever Orange Campaign goal more than one year ahead of schedule.

New York’s cybersecurity strategy and what it includes

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ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s first-ever statewide cybersecurity strategy aimed at protecting the state’s digital infrastructure from today’s cyber threats. The strategy articulates, for the first-time, a set of high-level objectives for cybersecurity and resilience across the Empire State, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul said in announcing the strategy on Aug. 9 It clarifies

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ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s first-ever statewide cybersecurity strategy aimed at protecting the state’s digital infrastructure from today’s cyber threats.

The strategy articulates, for the first-time, a set of high-level objectives for cybersecurity and resilience across the Empire State, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul said in announcing the strategy on Aug. 9

It clarifies agency roles and responsibilities; outlines how existing and planned initiatives and investments “knit together into a unified approach;” and reiterates the state’s commitment to providing services, advice, and assistance to county and local governments.

New York State’s cybersecurity strategy provides public and private stakeholders with a “roadmap” for cyber-risk mitigation and outlines a plan to protect critical infrastructure, networks, data, and technology systems.

“Our interconnected world demands an interconnected defense leveraging every resource available,” Hochul said in the announcement. “This strategy sets forth a nation-leading blueprint to ensure New York State stands ready and resilient in the face of cyber threats.”

The strategy unifies New York’s cybersecurity services in order to protect critical infrastructure, personal information, and digital assets from malicious actors. It also provides a framework to align the actions and resources of both private and public stakeholders, including county and other local governments, Hochul’s office said.

Hochul announced her commitment to bolster New York’s centralized cybersecurity during this year’s State of the State address. The $90 million investment for cybersecurity included in the state budget made $30 million in shared-services funding available to help local governments in strengthening their own defenses against cyber threats.

Part of this strategy includes providing $500 million to enhance New York State’s health-care information technology, primarily cybersecurity infrastructure, as well as $7.4 million to expand the New York State Police’s cyber analysis unit, computer crimes unit, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Center.

Defining principles

The state’s cybersecurity strategy is defined by three central principles: unification, resilience, and preparedness.

When taken together, New York State can “lean on these tenets to present a unified and more resilient” defense against new and more sophisticated cyber threats; preventing the vast majority of attacks but also isolating, controlling, and mitigating potential threats; and preparing, adapting and “always being ready for the cyber challenges of the future,” Hochul’s office contended.

The strategy offers a blueprint for cybersecurity stakeholders across New York, from state agencies to local governments, to understand how they fit into a larger plan. The blueprint provides objectives, lines of effort, and a commitment from the governor that they can use when doing future planning and program design.

Hochul also signed legislation to expand New York’s technology workforce and provide funding to help ensure that New York–based employers are able to hire and retain necessary cybersecurity staff.

Ask Rusty: I’m a Veteran. How Do I Get My Extra Social Security?

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Dear Rusty: As a military veteran, I was told that the final amount of my Social Security should be a little higher as a reward for my military service. If so, I have two questions: 1. How much is the boost? 2. How can I know that amount has been applied? Signed: Unsure Dear Unsure:

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Dear Rusty: As a military veteran, I was told that the final amount of my Social Security should be a little higher as a reward for my military service. If so, I have two questions: 1. How much is the boost? 2. How can I know that amount has been applied?

Signed: Unsure

Dear Unsure: We receive questions about this fairly often from our military veterans. I want to first thank you for your service to our country and then assure you that, as a military veteran myself, I have thoroughly investigated this subject — the so-called “Special Extra Credit for Military Service,” which is widely misunderstood. Although someone suggested that your Social Security benefit “is supposed to be a little higher” because you are a military veteran, allow me to share how this somewhat obscure rule actually works.

Any extra money for military veterans does not come in the form of a special “boost” to their Social Security benefit because of their military service; instead, certain older veterans receive extra credit to their earnings for the years they served. Those extra earnings are applied only to those who served in specific years, as additional dollars added to their actual earnings record for their service-years. The amount added to the veteran’s true service-year earnings varies a bit depending on which years you served. For example, if you served between 1957 and 1977, your actual earnings for each service-year would be increased by $300 for each full quarter you had active duty pay to a maximum of $1,200 additional earnings per service-year. The credit is computed a bit differently for those who served from 1978-2001, but the maximum annual earnings credit for those service years is the same — $1,200. And, for clarity, those who served before 1957 get extra earnings credit under an entirely different formula, and those who served after 2001 receive no extra credits for their military-service years.

So how might this affect your Social Security benefit? Well, when your benefit is claimed, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews your lifetime earnings record, inflates each actual annual amount to equal today’s dollar equivalent, and selects the highest earning 35 years from your lifetime record to calculate your “Primary Insurance Amount” or “PIA” (your PIA is the amount you are entitled to at full retirement age). If your military service-years are among the 35 years used to compute your PIA when you claim, then the “Special Extra Credit for Military Service” will result in a somewhat higher PIA (a slightly higher monthly SS benefit). If the highest earning 35 years in your lifetime record do not include your military-service-years, then those extra credits added to your earnings for your military-service-years will have no effect on your Social Security benefit (because using those service-years would result in a lower benefit). How the SSA applies those special extra credits to your service-year earnings also varies depending on when you served. Those who served before 1968 needed to show their DD-214 to get the extra credits, but those who served in between 1968 and 2001 were automatically given the extra credits based on their military-service records.

So, if your military service was between 1968 and 2001, your earnings during the years you served were automatically increased by the SSA to reflect your “special extra” earnings and — if those years are among the highest of the 35 years used to compute your Social Security benefit — you are now receiving the extra benefit amount you’re entitled to from those credits. If you have at least 35 years over your lifetime where you earned more than your pay while serving in the military, your current benefit is more than it would be if your military-service years were included. If you have questions about your earnings during your military service years, you may wish to obtain a copy of your lifetime earnings history from the SSA to review those amounts (easiest way to get your lifetime earnings history is via your personal “my Social Security” account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

Dermody, Burke & Brown hires accounting & auditing associate

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs, LLC recently hired Lauren Stapleton as an accounting and auditing associate in the firm’s Syracuse office. Prior to being hired on a full-time basis, she interned in Dermody, Burke & Brown’s accounting and auditing and tax departments. She is working to complete the certification process to earn

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Bonadio Group brings Texas CPA firm into the fold Nov. 1

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An accounting firm in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 1 will combine its operations with the larger Bonadio Group. Rochester–based Bonadio sees the combination with Howard, LLP as one that “strengthens its commitment to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex,” per the Oct. 4 announcement. It didn’t divulge any financial terms of its agreement with Howard. The Bonadio Group

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An accounting firm in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 1 will combine its operations with the larger Bonadio Group.

Rochester–based Bonadio sees the combination with Howard, LLP as one that “strengthens its commitment to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex,” per the Oct. 4 announcement. It didn’t divulge any financial terms of its agreement with Howard.

The Bonadio Group describes itself as the largest independent provider of professional services in upstate New York. Founded in 1978, the Bonadio Group is a CPA firm offering accounting, tax, and advisory and consulting services to clients of all sizes across a variety of industries. It operates an office at 432 N. Franklin St. in Syracuse.

When the deal goes into effect, all 85 employees of the Dallas–based CPA firm will join the Bonadio Group and Howard, LLP will begin to operate under the Bonadio Group name, the firm said. Bonadio currently has more than 800 employees total, per its website.

The two firms had been discussing a combination deal for about a year, per an article on the website of Accounting Today.

The Bonadio Group opened its Dallas office in October 2018, “based on increased client needs and the potential for growth in the robust regional business environment,” Bonadio said. Combining with Howard “represents a continuation” of the Bonadio Group’s ongoing growth strategy, which includes the “expansion of both capabilities and footprint.”

Tim Pike, CEO of Howard, LLP, will serve as regional managing partner of Bonadio’s Dallas location and a member of the firm’s board, effective Nov. 1. Pike joined Howard in 2004 and has served as CEO since 2021.

“Howard and The Bonadio Group share important compatibilities in our approaches to client service and corporate culture,” Pike said in the Bonadio announcement. “We look forward to building on the successes of our firms’ combined 90+ years of experience and are excited about the benefits our clients and employees will gain from this.”

Jeff Wexler, current Dallas regional managing partner, helped open the Dallas office in 2018 and has been integral to the success and expansion of the firm throughout the region. As Wexler transitions the role of regional managing partner to Pike, he will refocus his efforts on business development and client service to support “continued strategic growth” in Texas, Bonadio noted.

Howard, which was founded in 1973, provides experience in tax and compliance services including business, individual, estate, and franchise-tax planning. Those tax capabilities “complement” the Bonadio Group’s assurance and advisory and consulting services, providing clients with “enhanced offerings, capabilities, and expertise to help optimize business performance,” the firm contends.

“Howard features a strong roster of clients across multiple industries, a team of outstanding professionals, a culture that mirrors our core values, and an excellent reputation in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex,” Bruce Zicari, CEO of the Bonadio Group, said. “For those reasons and more, Howard is the ideal CPA firm for us to join with as we seek to provide superior service for our clients and increased development opportunities for our people. We’re thrilled to welcome Howard to The Bonadio Group.”

Grossman St. Amour CPAs names new partner

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Grossman St. Amour CPAs, PLLC recently announced it has promoted Jaimie P. Galante, CPA to partner at the downtown Syracuse–based accounting firm. Galante’s career at Grossman St. Amour began in 2011 when she joined as an audit intern. She holds an MBA degree and a bachelor’s degree in accounting, both from Le

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Wenban joins Coughlin & Gerhart as special counsel

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, a Binghamton–based firm, announced that it recently added Carrie A. Wenban as special counsel to its legal team. She was previously a partner at Levene, Gouldin & Thompson, LLP, another law firm based in Binghamton. Wenban brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in the legal areas of

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, a Binghamton–based firm, announced that it recently added Carrie A. Wenban as special counsel to its legal team.

She was previously a partner at Levene, Gouldin & Thompson, LLP, another law firm based in Binghamton. Wenban brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in the legal areas of business, banking, real estate, and commercial transactions.

As special counsel, Wenban will focus on providing legal services to clients in various practice areas, including business and banking law, cannabis, real estate, and energy law — both in New York state and Pennsylvania, according to a Coughlin & Gerhart news release. Her diverse background and extensive experience will enable her to offer comprehensive and strategic legal advice to individuals and businesses, alike, the firm contends.

Wenban earned a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in 2000 and her law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law in 2004. Admitted to the New York State Bar in 2005 and the Pennsylvania State Bar in 2013, Wenban is well-versed in the legal landscape of both states, per the release.

Throughout her career, Wenban has been an active member of several professional organizations, including the Broome County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Beyond her legal accomplishments, Wenban is deeply involved in her community. She has been an integral part of the Jewish Community Center of Binghamton, serving as the board president from 2016-2019 and continuing to serve as a member of the board, Coughlin & Gerhart said. Wenban also chaired the JCC Early Childhood Center Parent Committee for many years. Additionally, she is a member of the executive leadership team for the American Heart Association Southern Tier Heart Walk.

“Carrie’s extensive legal knowledge and her dedication to her clients make her a valuable addition to our team. We are confident that the depth of her experience will greatly benefit our business and banking clients and further strengthen our firm’s capabilities in the area of commercial transactions,” Rachel Abbott, managing partner of Coughlin & Gerhart, said about Wenban joining the firm.

Founded in the 1890s, Coughlin & Gerhart has more than 55 lawyers and professional support staff. In addition to its main office in Binghamton, the law firm has locations in Bainbridge, Ithaca, Owego, Hancock, and Walton, N.Y., and an office in Montrose, Pennsylvania.

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