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Broome County Health Department delivers air filters to schools and daycare centers
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The Broome County Health Department (BCHD) recently purchased and delivered more than 1,300 stand-alone air filters to Broome County schools and licensed

MetalCraft Marine in Watertown wins $32 million Navy contract
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — MetalCraft Marine US Inc. was recently awarded a more than $32 million contract from the U.S. Navy for oil-spill response (OSR) utility boats and OSR boom platforms. Work on the firm-fixed-price, six-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity pact will be performed in Watertown, and the first order is expected to be completed by August 2025, according
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WATERTOWN, N.Y. — MetalCraft Marine US Inc. was recently awarded a more than $32 million contract from the U.S. Navy for oil-spill response (OSR) utility boats and OSR boom platforms.
Work on the firm-fixed-price, six-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity pact will be performed in Watertown, and the first order is expected to be completed by August 2025, according to an Aug. 31 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds of $2.93 million (93 percent), and fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds of more than $236,000 (7 percent), for the first delivery order in the total amount of $3.16 million, will be obligated at time of award. Of that amount, more than $236,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract was competitively procured via the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment, with two offers received, per the contract announcement. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. is the contracting activity.

MVCC president tapped for Aspen Presidents Fellowship
UTICA, N.Y. — The Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program announced that Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) President Dr. Randall J. VanWagoner has been selected for the inaugural class of the Aspen Presidents Fellowship. The program focuses on developing a sustainable and comprehensive reform agenda that advances excellence and equity in student outcomes at scale. The
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UTICA, N.Y. — The Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program announced that Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) President Dr. Randall J. VanWagoner has been selected for the inaugural class of the Aspen Presidents Fellowship.
The program focuses on developing a sustainable and comprehensive reform agenda that advances excellence and equity in student outcomes at scale.
The 2023-2024 class of fellows lead colleges across 14 states that collectively educate more than 280,000 students. A total of 56 percent of the incoming fellows, which were selected through a competitive process, are women and 44 percent are people of color.
Over 12 months, they will work closely with a faculty of leading community college presidents and senior staff from the Aspen Institute to learn about and compare their practices to those of field-leading colleges. Fellows will also analyze their students’ graduation and post-graduation outcomes and advance their priority reforms aimed at delivering equitable student outcomes.
VanWagoner has been MVCC’s president since July 1, 2007, and authored the book “Competing on Culture: Driving Change in Community Colleges.” He has served as the co-facilitator of the Strategic Horizon Network for community colleges since 2016. VanWagoner is past chair of the New York Community College Association of Presidents and currently chairs the New York State Student Success Center Advisory Board. Since 2018, he has served on the national Policy Leadership Trust for Jobs for the Future and is co-chair of the Community College Workforce Consortium.
Prior to joining MVCC, VanWagoner was the chief academic officer at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska and chief student affairs officer, after serving as registrar and director of research and planning, at Red Rocks Community College in Colorado.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in efforts to achieve a higher standard of excellence and equips college leaders with knowledge and skills to inspire change. The Aspen Institute says it is a global nonprofit organization that gathers diverse, nonpartisan thought leaders, creatives, scholars, and members of the public to address some of the world’s most complex problems. It has locations in Washington, D.C. (headquarters); New York City; Aspen, Colorado; and 12 sites outside the United States.

Lockheed Martin Owego wins $60 million radar contract from U.S. Army
OWEGO, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Owego plant was awarded a $60.5 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army for modernized-radar frequency interferometer production and related support services. Work will be performed in Owego, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2026, according to an Aug. 30 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of
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OWEGO, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Owego plant was awarded a $60.5 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army for modernized-radar frequency interferometer production and related support services.
Work will be performed in Owego, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2026, according to an Aug. 30 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Fiscal 2023 Defense Production Act Purchases funds of $60.5 million were obligated at the time of the award.
Bids were solicited via the internet with one received, according to the contract announcement. The U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama is the contracting activity.

Preferred Mutual’s Raue named to RISE advisory board of directors
NEW BERLIN, N.Y. — Preferred Mutual Insurance Company announced that Michelle Raue, its senior VP and chief claims officer, was recently appointed to the Rising Insurance Star Executive (RISE) advisory board of directors. RISE provides young professionals entering the insurance industry with resources to help them build a successful career through networking, mentorships, training, education,
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NEW BERLIN, N.Y. — Preferred Mutual Insurance Company announced that Michelle Raue, its senior VP and chief claims officer, was recently appointed to the Rising Insurance Star Executive (RISE) advisory board of directors.
RISE provides young professionals entering the insurance industry with resources to help them build a successful career through networking, mentorships, training, education, recognition, scholarship, and leadership opportunities, according to a Preferred Mutual release.
Raue brings more than 30 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance field to RISE with an extensive background in claims. “She is forward-thinking and is well-respected for her ability to drive continuous process and performance improvements that deliver distinguished claims experiences for organizations, agents, and policyholders,” Preferred Mutual stated.
Raue said she is “incredibly passionate about the mission of RISE to grow and uplift the next generation of insurance professionals.” She cited data showing that more than half of the industry set to retire in the next 15 years and noted that it’s vital to promote the industry “as a worthy and honorable career option.”
Preferred Mutual Insurance offers property and casualty insurance coverage to more than 232,000 individual and business customers through a network of more than 560 independent agents located throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Downtown Committee seeks applications for Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Nonprofits that organize Syracuse festivals through the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund have until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 11 to apply for available funding. The City of Syracuse established the fund in “recognition that festivals and event programming contribute to a vibrant community,” the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. said in its announcement.
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Nonprofits that organize Syracuse festivals through the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund have until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 11 to apply for available funding.
The City of Syracuse established the fund in “recognition that festivals and event programming contribute to a vibrant community,” the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. said in its announcement.
Those interested can visit DowntownSyracuse.com/syracusefestivalfund to learn more and download the application.
The money is intended to support nonprofit community groups in “delivering celebratory events centered on a specific theme” that are free for the public to attend (no ticket purchase is required), held in public spaces, and provide entertainment and/or activities for patrons.
Festivals that will be held between December 2023 and September 2024 are eligible for consideration during this round and applications may be submitted for grant amounts of between $3,000 and $10,000 per festival.
Applications will be reviewed based on several factors including how the festival or event attracts visitors to public spaces, increases the community’s awareness of a variety of ethnicities and builds appreciation for diverse cultures, and traditions, and art forms. Those reviewing the applications will give “additional consideration” to events that “create opportunities to celebrate the diverse fabric of our region and showcase the artistic opportunities found within our city,” the Downtown Committee said.
The Downtown Syracuse Foundation, Inc. administers the funds that are designed to reimburse organizers for eligible expenses associated with awarded festivals and events.
Those interested must submit applications at least two months prior to the event or program date.
The Downtown Committee will make additional rounds of funding available based on fund availability.
Community Bank Trust Services changes name to Nottingham Trust
DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank Trust Services, the personal trust and custodial services provider subsidiary of Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU), underwent a name change in August to Nottingham Trust. The change comes almost a year after the creation of Nottingham Wealth in late 2022. Nottingham Wealth combined the financial planning and investment capabilities
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DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank Trust Services, the personal trust and custodial services provider subsidiary of Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU), underwent a name change in August to Nottingham Trust.
The change comes almost a year after the creation of Nottingham Wealth in late 2022. Nottingham Wealth combined the financial planning and investment capabilities of Community Bank Trust Services and Nottingham Advisors into a single offering. Community Bank System, which is also parent of Community Bank, N.A., acquired Nottingham Advisors in 2000.
The name change better aligns the brands and services offered, says Charles J. Perrillo, Jr., president of Nottingham Trust. The company opted to use Nottingham instead of the Community name because it’s common in the footprint the company serves, and it wanted something different.
The change is also part of a strategy to build synergies between Community Bank System’s various wealth-management subsidiaries — Community Bank Trust Services, Nottingham Advisors, and The Carta Group, an estate-planning and wealth-protection firm.
Those synergies include sharing expertise across the three business lines to better serve clients and attract new ones, Perrillo says. Customers can expect the same high level of customer service they’ve always experienced, he adds.
“Traditionally, most of our business is self-sourced,” he says. Now, the firm hopes to cross market between the three entities to provide more services to existing clients. Additionally, existing customers that use one of them may have needs one of the other entities can serve as well, Perilla adds.
Nottingham Trust has offices in Olean, Hornell, Elmira, Oneida, Oneonta, Albany, and Potsdam in New York state, as well as locations in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Williston and Manchester, Vermont.
Community Bank System’s wealth-management and employee-benefits businesses are collectively known as Community Bank Wealth Management (CBWM).
CBWM employs more than 120 people and has $8.5 billion in assets under management.

Addiction-treatment center opens in Auburn
AUBURN, N.Y. — Oswego–based Farnham Family Services is operating a new opioid-treatment program (OTP) in Auburn. The program provides a wide range of services for individuals impacted by addiction, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) said in a Sept. 14 announcement. The services include medical assessments, medication for addiction including
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AUBURN, N.Y. — Oswego–based Farnham Family Services is operating a new opioid-treatment program (OTP) in Auburn.
The program provides a wide range of services for individuals impacted by addiction, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) said in a Sept. 14 announcement.
The services include medical assessments, medication for addiction including methadone, counseling, and peer services.
The new OTP program is located at 13 Chapel St. in Auburn. OASAS provided $200,000 to support the creation of this program, the office said.
“As we continue to confront the worst overdose epidemic we’ve ever seen, expanding these services so that more people can access them is vitally important,” Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, OASAS commissioner, said in a news release. “By bringing these services to previously underserved areas, this new program will allow more people to access lifesaving services including medication for addiction, which is safe and effective and proven to save lives and keep people healthy.”
This program will “drastically cut down” on travel time for many people who need this type of care, OASAS contends. Previously, individuals in the area would have to travel an hour or more to access methadone.
This facility is part of a new initiative to increase OTP access in previously underserved areas and address the ongoing need for this type of treatment throughout New York State, OASAS said. This initiative is being funded through the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant, the office noted.
“Farnham Family Services is honored to be welcomed into the Auburn community to make OTP services more accessible to individuals with opioid use disorder,” Eric Bresee, executive director of Farnham Family Services, said in the OASAS release. “This initiative would not have been possible without the support of OASAS, Counseling Help for Alcohol and Drugs (CHAD), Nick’s Ride for Friends and Cayuga County Mental Hygiene.”
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports says it oversees “one of the nation’s largest” substance-use disorder systems of care with about 1,700 prevention, treatment and recovery programs serving over 731,000 individuals per year. It includes the direct operation of 12 addiction treatment centers where its doctors, nurses, and clinical staff provide inpatient and residential services to about 8,000 individuals per year.

Utica Mutual Insurance names new board member
UTICA, N.Y. — Tiffany L. Hawkins, COO of Momentum Advisors and founding partner of the Franklin Morgan Private Equity Fund, has been elected to the board of directors of Utica Mutual Insurance Company, the lead company of the Utica National Insurance Group. Hawkins joined the minority-owned wealth-management firm Momentum Advisors in 2014 as managing director
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UTICA, N.Y. — Tiffany L. Hawkins, COO of Momentum Advisors and founding partner of the Franklin Morgan Private Equity Fund, has been elected to the board of directors of Utica Mutual Insurance Company, the lead company of the Utica National Insurance Group.
Hawkins joined the minority-owned wealth-management firm Momentum Advisors in 2014 as managing director and was named COO in 2020. She directed the launch of a sister organization, a full-service, minority/women-owned insurance brokerage firm in 2019, serving as COO.
For the past three years, Hawkins has also served as co-host of Momentum Advisors, a SiriusXM radio show covering diversity in wealth and entrepreneurship.
She holds dual undergraduate degrees in communication studies and biological research and statistics from Morgan State University. Earlier in her career, Hawkins served in strategy, marketing, public relations, and business-development roles in a range of industries.
Hawkins has served as a board and committee member for multiple diverse organizations across financial advisement, diversity in the creative and technology sectors, social development, and franchisor advisory support. She is an investment manager for an organization supporting multicultural professionals and finance business manager for a social-justice media outlet. She is also an owner/franchisee of nine ZIPS Dry Cleaners and two fitness gyms.
Utica National Insurance Group is a group of insurance companies providing personal and commercial insurance products sold through more than 2,500 independent insurance agents. Utica Mutual Insurance Company, the lead company of the group, was founded in 1914. In addition to its New Hartford headquarters, the company has offices in Woodbury as well as Marlborough, Massachusetts; Columbus, Ohio; Richmond, Virginia; Duluth, Georgia; Richardson, Texas; and Des Plaines, Illinois.

Panera opens new location in Oakdale Commons
JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — Panera Bread — a chain of about 2,000 bakery-café, fast-casual restaurants — has formally opened a new eatery in Oakdale Commons at 615 Harry L Drive, bringing another restaurant option to the revitalizing area. Frank Gatto, area operating partner, says he is excited to bring another Panera location to the greater
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JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — Panera Bread — a chain of about 2,000 bakery-café, fast-casual restaurants — has formally opened a new eatery in Oakdale Commons at 615 Harry L Drive, bringing another restaurant option to the revitalizing area.
Frank Gatto, area operating partner, says he is excited to bring another Panera location to the greater Binghamton region. He also operates a Panera on Vestal Parkway in Vestal.
While the Oakdale Commons location was already planned before Gatto took over as the area’s operating partner a little over a year ago, he’s excited about being there. Oakdale Commons is undergoing a transformation by owner Spark JC, LLC from a former indoor shopping mall to an entertainment and shopping district.
“It’s location, location, location,” Gatto says. “We’re right on a busy road.” The area is also home to a Wegman’s grocery store that will draw people to the area and a Dick’s House of Sport.
He’s hoping to draw in hungry shoppers looking for a meal that’s fast and different from the typical fast-food options. Panera specializes in soups, salads, and sandwiches, along with bakery treats.
Panera officially opened on Sept. 22 and is open Sunday from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. and Monday to Saturday from 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
The 3,800-square-foot restaurant can seat about 90 diners and also includes a drive-thru, a newer offering that has replaced the curbside pick-up service offered during COVID, Gatto says. He predicts the drive-thru will be a popular option for families.
“This gives them another avenue to stay in the car and get some food,” that isn’t the usual burger and fries, he says.
This Panera location employs between 60 and 70 people, mostly in part-time positions.
Gatto, who has been with Panera for about 20 years, also operates cafés in Auburn, Ithaca, Big Flats, Oneonta, and Amsterdam in upstate New York.
Panera Bread, based in the St. Louis, Missouri area, is privately held by JAB Holding Company, a German conglomerate based in Luxembourg that also owns Caribou Coffee, Krispy Kreme, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
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