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Syracuse University appoints Barclay Damon attorney to serve as general counsel
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Barclay Damon LLP says Syracuse University has selected attorney Gabe Nugent for the role of senior VP and general counsel. Nugent had

Greater Binghamton Chamber to host Aug. 10 job fair
DICKINSON, N.Y. — The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce is hosting a job and career fair on Thursday Aug. 10 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at

SU, UNLV announce Sports, Entertainment and Innovation Conference next summer
Syracuse University (SU) is among the organizations involved in announcing a “first-of-it-kind” Sports, Entertainment and Innovation Conference (SEI-Con), which is set for next summer. SU’s

Valley Health Services receives Community Foundation grant for food heat-retention system
HERKIMER, N.Y. — Bassett Healthcare Network’s Valley Health Services (VHS) in Herkimer received a $7,500 grant from the Wesley and Marion Small Fund at The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to purchase a Camduction Complete Heat System for hot-meal service at its facility. The system is designed to retain the temperature, quality, and
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HERKIMER, N.Y. — Bassett Healthcare Network’s Valley Health Services (VHS) in Herkimer received a $7,500 grant from the Wesley and Marion Small Fund at The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to purchase a Camduction Complete Heat System for hot-meal service at its facility.
The system is designed to retain the temperature, quality, and safety of foods being served bedside in a health-care facility.
“On behalf of our residents, we are very thankful for the meal-enhancing equipment we are able to acquire,” VHS Administrator Bryan Ehlinger said in a press release, adding the grant supports VHS in promoting optimal quality of life for older adults.
In its grant application, VHS said, “Palatable meals are essential to the enjoyment and wellbeing of our residents. In a nursing-home setting, the food-service program is more than a way to provide nourishment, but a highlighted experience.”
VHS is a 160-bed long-term care and rehabilitation facility that offers inpatient and outpatient services. Founded in 1984, it’s a corporately affiliated member of Bassett Healthcare Network

Grossman St. Amour partner named to Health Foundation for Western & Central New York board
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Linda Gabor, partner at Syracuse–based Grossman St. Amour CPAs, has recently been appointed to the board of trustees of the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York. The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York is an independent private foundation that advocates for continuous improvement in health and health
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Linda Gabor, partner at Syracuse–based Grossman St. Amour CPAs, has recently been appointed to the board of trustees of the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York.
The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York is an independent private foundation that advocates for continuous improvement in health and health care for the people and communities of Western and Central New York. The board of trustees provides leadership, oversight, and strategic guidance to the Health Foundation.
Gabor has been with Grossman St. Amour CPAs since June 2007. She leads the firm’s audit practice, employee benefits plan practice, and peer review practice. Gabor is a CPA in New York state and a certified fraud examiner. She is a graduate of Le Moyne College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics.

Area technology workforce-development programs receive funding
The New York State Pathways in Technology program received $31.5 million in funding to use toward preparing students for high-skill jobs in technology, manufacturing, health care, and finance. Programs in Onondaga and Oneida counties received funding. The New York State Pathways in Technology Early College High School (NYS P-TECH) Program incorporates an integrated program between
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The New York State Pathways in Technology program received $31.5 million in funding to use toward preparing students for high-skill jobs in technology, manufacturing, health care, and finance. Programs in Onondaga and Oneida counties received funding.
The New York State Pathways in Technology Early College High School (NYS P-TECH) Program incorporates an integrated program between four and six years long that combines high school, college, and career training. The program, a public-private partnership, provides students with mentorship and opportunities to learn through worksite visits, speakers, and internships.
The Syracuse Central School District, in partnership with Onondaga Community College and Micron Technology, received $2.7 million.
Madison-Oneida BOCES — in partnership with Mohawk Valley Community College and MACNY, The Manufacturers Association — was allocated $2.85 million.
“Early workforce development and career mentorship allow students to discover their passions and talents, develop their skills, and build relationships with mentors who can guide them on their career journey and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a press release. “This program will help ensure thousands of New York students can reach their full potential and gives employers access to a large pool of talent that can bring their enterprises to the next level.”
Students in the program can receive an associate degree in a high-tech field and are first in line for a job with participating business partners following completion of the program. Career pathways begin in ninth grade and include workplace learning, as well as high school and college coursework. The pathway continues through two years of postsecondary career and technical education — culminating in an associate degree.

AIS wins $98.5M Air Force contract for AI research
ROME, N.Y. — Rome cyber and information-security company Assured Information Security Inc. (AIS) was recently awarded an Artificial Intelligence-Based Endpoint Defense (ABED) $98.5 million contract focused on researching artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques. The goal is to enhance the effectiveness and increase the autonomy of cyber capabilities being developed by the Air Force and its partnering
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ROME, N.Y. — Rome cyber and information-security company Assured Information Security Inc. (AIS) was recently awarded an Artificial Intelligence-Based Endpoint Defense (ABED) $98.5 million contract focused on researching artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques.
The goal is to enhance the effectiveness and increase the autonomy of cyber capabilities being developed by the Air Force and its partnering combatant commands. It will result in the delivery of cyber capabilities with greater flexibility, wider applicability, increased precision, and better security, the company says.
“ABED is an opportunity for AIS to integrate and transition unprecedented defenses against the primary attack vectors employed by our adversaries, most notably embedding sophisticated attack code and data in digital files,” Salvatore Paladino, AIS director of cyber operations research and development, said in a news release. The work will leverage AI and machine learning (ML) techniques to reduce the manpower and expertise required to operate cyber tools effectively, at scale, and at the pace of cyber, he added. The solutions will provide an advantage to the Air Force, the Department of Defense, and commercial entities.
AIS will complete the work at its Rome headquarters with an expected finish date of Sept. 30, 2028. The contract will create up to 10 new jobs at AIS and secure 50 existing jobs for the next five years, per the company. The Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome is the contracting authority for the award.
“This critical federal investment puts Central New York at the center of the transition into the new AI age right here in Rome, by investing in artificial intelligence to advance U.S. cyber capabilities and integrate new and unprecedented defenses against American adversaries,” U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) said. “This major $98.5 million investment will not only strengthen our national security by harnessing the power of AI innovation, something I’ve been focusing on a lot recently in my new SAFE Innovation framework, but it will also provide a significant boost to the upstate economy and channel the talents of central New York’s world-class workforce for years to come.”
ABED is a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III award. The SBIR program is a competitive one that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in federal research and development aimed at commercializing solutions. A phase III project focuses on work that builds upon things developed under prior SBIR agreements. This is the third phase III SBIR contract that AIS was awarded and the second in the last three years.
Founded in 2001, AIS provides government and commercial customers with research, development, consulting, testing, forensics, remediation, and training services. AIS has more than 200 employees located throughout the U.S.

Walsh names new finance commissioner, Smart City manager
About Cannizzaro Cannizzaro has been working for the city since 2020, having started as director of accounting before being appointed deputy commissioner of finance in 2022, Walsh’s office said. “Michael Cannizzaro takes over as finance commissioner with a deep knowledge of Syracuse’s finances and a determination to further strengthen the City’s fiscal condition,” Walsh said
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About Cannizzaro
Cannizzaro has been working for the city since 2020, having started as director of accounting before being appointed deputy commissioner of finance in 2022, Walsh’s office said.
“Michael Cannizzaro takes over as finance commissioner with a deep knowledge of Syracuse’s finances and a determination to further strengthen the City’s fiscal condition,” Walsh said in a news release. “He has a strong track record of improving the City’s financial processes and increasing the accuracy and timeliness of our reporting. Michael is also a well-respected leader in our finance department and across city government.”
Cannizzaro, a certified public accountant, has more than 12 years of experience in finance and accounting. He has worked for major private companies and for regional and national accounting firms. As director of accounting with the city, Cannizzaro was instrumental in enabling Syracuse to eliminate material weaknesses in its annual audit in 2021, the first time in more than a decade, the mayor’s office said.
Cannizzaro graduated from Henninger High School and is also a graduate of Cornell University.
He succeeds current finance commissioner Brad O’Connor, who is returning to a position in the private sector. O’Connor served the city for nearly four years, first as its deputy commissioner of finance and then as commissioner of finance from 2020-2023.
“I’m very grateful to Brad O’Connor for his service to the City of Syracuse. Under his leadership, Syracuse made major progress on its path to fiscal sustainability. Brad guided the City through the fiscal uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, helped build the City’s fund balance to a responsible level, and played a critical role in improving the outlook the big credit ratings agencies have on Syracuse,” Walsh contended. “We are fortunate he brought his talents to city government.”

About Scipione
As Smart City manager, Scipione will develop data-driven, smart-city infrastructure and programs, Walsh’s office said.
Scipione will work with other city departments such as the office of analytics, performance and innovation (API) and information technology to bring together a “diverse set of government, academic and private-sector partners.”
Reporting to the director of strategic initiatives, the role plays a “key part” in the Syracuse Surge strategy — Walsh’s strategy for “inclusive growth in the New Economy.”
Scipione will support the development and implementation of local digital-equity plans, — including the community-broadband program — to address the “digital divide” in Syracuse. He will monitor the effectiveness of projects using Internet of Things and other “smart” systems to enable “more efficient and equitable” city operations.
He will also ensure projects maintain alignment with data, privacy, and surveillance-related policies and plans.
Scipione previously worked in a technical capacity at Caterpillar, Inc. and at SIDEARM Sports. In his previous roles, he developed cloud-based infrastructure, automated deployment tools, and managed digital-product launches.
Scipione earned his master’s degree in information management from Syracuse University, in addition to a certificate of advanced study in data science and his bachelor’s degree in information management and technology.
He has since returned to the university as an adjunct professor in the School of Information Studies, which is also known as the iSchool. He is also a 2022 graduate of FOCUS Greater Syracuse’s Citizens Academy and a founding member of the Salt Springs Neighborhood Association, Walsh’s office said.

Survey: New York manufacturing activity “held steady” in July
The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index fell 6 points in July to 1.1. The index had climbed 38 points in June to 6.6 after plummeting 43 points in May to -31.8. The general business-conditions index is the monthly gauge on New York’s manufacturing sector. The July reading — based on firms responding to
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The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index fell 6 points in July to 1.1.
The index had climbed 38 points in June to 6.6 after plummeting 43 points in May to -31.8. The general business-conditions index is the monthly gauge on New York’s manufacturing sector.
The July reading — based on firms responding to the survey — indicates business activity “held steady” in New York State, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in its July 17 report.
A positive reading indicates expansion or growth in manufacturing activity, while a negative index number shows a decline in the sector.
The survey found 29 percent of respondents reported that conditions had improved over the month, while 27 percent said that conditions had worsened, the New York Fed said.
It also found that new orders “inched up” and shipments “expanded.”
Survey details
The new-orders index was little changed at 3.3, indicating that orders edged higher, and the shipments index fell 9 points to 13.4, pointing to an increase in shipments, “though at a slower pace than last month,” the New York Fed said.
At -8.8, the unfilled-orders index remained negative for a third straight month, a sign that unfilled orders continued to decline. The inventories index also remained negative at -10.8, indicating that inventories moved lower.
The delivery times index came in at -6.9, suggesting that delivery times shortened.
The index for number of employees climbed into positive territory for the first time since January and, at 4.7, “pointed to a small increase” in employment. The average-workweek index rose to 0.3, indicating little change in hours worked.
Price increases continued to “moderate.” The prices-paid index fell 5 points to 16.7, and the prices-received index fell 5 points to 3.9. The prices-paid index has now fallen nearly 50 points over the past year, and the prices-received index has declined a “cumulative” 27 points, the New York Fed said.
The index for future business conditions edged down to 14.3, indicating that while conditions are expected to improve, optimism remained subdued. New orders and shipments are expected to increase modestly, delivery times are anticipated to continue to shorten, and employment is expected to expand modestly.
The capital spending index fell 5 points to 2.9, suggesting that capital spending plans “remained soft.”
The New York Fed distributes the Empire State Manufacturing Survey on the first day of each month to the same pool of about 200 manufacturing executives in New York. On average, about 100 executives return responses.

Finger Lakes Health’s affiliation with URMC begins Aug. 1
GENEVA — Finger Lakes Health (FLH) will officially join the health system led by the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) on Aug.1. Officials of both institutions announced the affiliation during a July 6 news conference in Geneva. The affiliation seeks to “maintain and expand access to high-quality health services close to home” in the
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GENEVA — Finger Lakes Health (FLH) will officially join the health system led by the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) on Aug.1.
Officials of both institutions announced the affiliation during a July 6 news conference in Geneva.
The affiliation seeks to “maintain and expand access to high-quality health services close to home” in the communities of eastern Ontario, Seneca, Yates, and Wayne counties served by Finger Lakes Health. It follows a recently signed agreement to collaborate with New York State Attorney General Letitia James to ensure the affiliation meets the health-care needs of Finger Lakes residents, FLH said.
“Affiliation ensures that we can continue to provide vital services for all our patients and focus on expanding their health care choices in the years to come,” Dr. Jose Acevedo, president and CEO of Finger Lakes Health, said. “We are proud to join the University of Rochester Medical Center, a center of research and patient care with a reputation for exceptional innovation, quality, and safety.”
Acevedo will continue overseeing all administrative operations and patient services provided by the new affiliate, which will be known as UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health.
Acevedo noted the advantages of joining a health system that has built “meaningful, productive” affiliations with other rural hospitals in upstate New York at a time when rural hospitals in other parts of the country are “financially fragile and at risk of closure.”
“This connection to one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers will build upon established clinical partnerships, increase access to specialty care, and enhance our ability to serve our communities for generations to come,” Acevedo noted.
About FLH
Finger Lakes Health currently employs about 1,350 doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and staff members who will join more than 27,000 faculty and staff members employed by URMC and its UR Medicine affiliates.
As a new affiliate, FLH adds two inpatient hospitals — Geneva General in Geneva and Soldiers & Sailors Memorial in Penn Yan — along with four long-term care facilities and 13 physician practices.
UR Medicine, the health system led by URMC, already includes Strong Memorial and Highland Hospitals in Rochester; Thompson Health in Canandaigua; Noyes Health in Dansville; Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville; and St. James Hospital in Hornell, as well as nursing homes, senior-housing facilities, home health providers, and physician groups.
Geneva General Hospital and Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan will retain local governance by community boards, with three URMC representatives joining the Finger Lakes Health board of directors and three FLH representatives joining the URMC board.
Moving forward
The affiliation will now proceed after several years of planning and following anti-trust investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and New York State Attorney General’s office.
The systems provided “extensive” documents and data demonstrating “substantial benefits” to patients and communities served by other rural hospitals after they joined UR Medicine, and showing that the same will be true for Finger Lakes Health. The parties will develop a detailed plan for maintaining and expanding patient services in the Finger Lakes Health service area, reporting progress to the attorney general annually for five years.
“We thank Attorney General James for her support in making this affiliation happen,” Dr. Mark Taubman, CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center, said. “We are also grateful to [U.S] Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Joe Morelle, who expressed strong support for the affiliation to federal and state regulators.”
Expanding on existing collaborations
Taubman noted that URMC and its physicians already collaborate with Finger Lakes Health to provide cardiology, stroke care, cancer treatment, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, urology and vascular-care services in the Finger Lakes Health service area. That includes performing surgeries at Geneva General Hospital and Finger Lakes Surgery Center.
Under the affiliation plan, URMC will work with Finger Lakes Health to expand access to a range of primary and specialty-care services; support implementation of the electronic medical record used by all UR Medicine affiliates to provide patients a “seamless care experience;” build operational efficiencies through group purchasing; and help recruit physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
“Our mission as a health system is to provide families across upstate New York with high-quality patient care as close to home as possible for nearly all their medical needs, with access to highly specialized services by traveling no farther than Rochester,” Taubman said. “We have high regard for Dr. Acevedo and his leadership team, and look forward to working more closely to expand access to care for Finger Lakes families.”
“Extensive” search for a partner
The affiliation process began in June 2019 with Finger Lakes Health’s board of directors initiating a request for proposals for potential partners. FLH sought to serve its large patient base in eastern Ontario, Seneca, Yates, and Wayne counties with “comprehensive and patient-centered” medical care.
“Our board was committed to serving our communities’ health-care needs,” Menzo Case, chair of the Finger Lakes Health board of directors, said. “The University of Rochester Medical Center clearly emerged as the best partner aligned with our mission, committed to our communities, and assuring ease of access to services close to home.”
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the formal affiliation, but in October 2020, the two organizations entered into a management-services agreement that the New York State Department of Health approved. The management-services agreement focused on expanding the “longstanding collaborative relationships” between Finger Lakes Health and URMC physicians and served as a “meaningful step” toward the affiliation, the health organizations said.
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