SRAA transitions to new airport police department at Syracuse airport

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) has announced the completed transition of law-enforcement duties at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) to

Byrne appointed to M&T Bank Directors Advisory Council for CNY

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — M&T Bank recently announced it has appointed Mark V. Byrne, president & CEO, of Sonbyrne Sales Inc./Byrne Dairy Stores, to its Directors Advisory Council for Central New York. Serving as ambassadors to the business community, the 10-member council meets regularly throughout the year to provide bank leadership with valuable perspectives and solutions

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SRCTec awarded more than $99M U.S. Army contract

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only, Technology

CICERO, N.Y. — SRCTec, LLC has won a U.S. Army contract exceeding $99 million for AN/TPQ-50 Radar Systems and Engineering Change EC1 upgrade kits. The work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2028, according to a Jan. 31 contract announcement from the U.S. Department

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Toomey elected to serve on the Healthcare Trustees of New York State board of governors

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OSWEGO, N.Y. — Katie Toomey, VP of member engagement at CenterState CEO and an Oswego Health board member, was recently elected to serve on the Healthcare Trustees of New York State (HTNYS) board of governors for a three-year term. The HTNYS board of governors aims to strengthen the health-care system of New York state through

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Pathfinder Bancorp profit slips 10 percent in Q4

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OSWEGO, N.Y. — Pathfinder Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBHC), the holding company for Pathfinder Bank, recently reported net income of $3.5 million, or 58 cents a share, in the fourth quarter, down 10 percent from $3.9 million, or 64 cents, in the year-prior quarter. The banking company reported total revenue (net interest income plus total noninterest

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Tessy makes first foray into N.Y.’s apprenticeship program

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SKANEATELES, N.Y. — A group of four apprentices is working at Tessy Plastics Corp., representing the firm’s entry into New York State’s apprenticeship program. As part of the program, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is offering to supplement wages with grants of up to $15,000 per year per apprentice and tax credits

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SKANEATELES, N.Y. — A group of four apprentices is working at Tessy Plastics Corp., representing the firm’s entry into New York State’s apprenticeship program.

As part of the program, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is offering to supplement wages with grants of up to $15,000 per year per apprentice and tax credits of between $2,000 and $7,000 per year per apprentice, per a Tessy Plastics announcement.

The U.S. is currently dealing with a “national shortage” of trained and certified skilled tradespeople, according to Tessy. Occupations such as toolmakers, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) positions are in “high demand with [reduced] employment numbers.”

New York businesses are having difficulty finding people who are trained and qualified to meet the project demands, Tessy said.

For years while most high schools’ academic focus has been toward preparing students for college attendance, “skilled trade preparation has languished as the ranks of certified journeymen, who are the trainers for the next generation, are aging and retiring — leaving a gap in the manufacturing and fabrication pipelines,” Jim Weishaar, apprenticeship mentor at Skaneateles–based Tessy Plastics, said in a statement.

SUNY schools are additionally offering $5,000 grants for related classes, books, and fees covering the majority of the college credits to support this effort.

“Having completed a 4-year apprenticeship of OJT (on the job training) and academics, a journey worker will have a solid foundation in skill sets much in demand and without any school debt,” Weishaar said. “Our future and the standard of living in New York are dependent upon us taking action now.”

In addition to their state certification in tool making, each Tessy apprentice will also be federally certified through the U.S government, the company noted.

“I am excited and honored to partner with Tessy Plastics Corp. in their new mold maker apprenticeship program as their [NYSDOL] apprenticeship training representative … It is a great opportunity for apprentices to earn an income while they learn a trade and for employers to develop and retain highly skilled employees,” Melissa Gale, apprenticeship representative at NYSDOL, said in the Tessy announcement. “Apprenticeship training is growing in New York State, and employers, employees, and the community as a whole benefit from apprenticeship opportunities just like this.”

Longtime Downtown Ithaca Alliance leader retiring at end of June

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ITHACA, N.Y. — The man who has led the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) since 1999 has plans to retire in June. Gary Ferguson has helped lead revitalization efforts in downtown Ithaca for more than two decades, per a DIA announcement. “I have been honored and privileged to lead the Downtown Ithaca Alliance for nearly a

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ITHACA, N.Y. — The man who has led the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) since 1999 has plans to retire in June.

Gary Ferguson has helped lead revitalization efforts in downtown Ithaca for more than two decades, per a DIA announcement.

“I have been honored and privileged to lead the Downtown Ithaca Alliance for nearly a quarter century,” Ferguson said in announcing his upcoming retirement. “During that time, we have fundamentally transformed Downtown Ithaca into one of the most dynamic and vibrant city centers in New York … We have shepherded Downtown through monumental change and tremendous challenges. I am proud of our work and believe we have made a lasting and measurable impact on this Downtown and our community. But it is now time to move on to a new chapter and bring in a new leader to guide Downtown through the decades ahead.”

During Ferguson’s 24 years of service with DIA, downtown Ithaca tripled its size in total built square feet, growing from around 1 million square feet to an estimated 3 million square feet by next year, the organization said.

The growth included three new hotels, a rebuilt Commons pedestrian mall, and the addition of about 1,000 new housing units.

Ferguson served as the author of several 10-year strategic plans and oversaw the economic development portion of DIA’s “downtown renaissance” work, the DIA said.

During his tenure, the DIA grew from a two-person operation with a budget of $200,000 to an organization with 12 office staff and eight ambassadors with an annual budget exceeding $1.4 million.

Ferguson also noted that guiding downtown Ithaca through the coronavirus pandemic was the “most challenging part” of his 45-year career in downtown management and development.

“Gary Ferguson’s visionary leadership of the DIA for more than 20 years has played a decisive role in making downtown Ithaca the wonderful place it is today,” Ashley Cake, DIA board president, said in a statement. “Downtown Ithaca is entering a new chapter, becoming a highly desirable place where more people than ever want to live, work, and play. The board of directors looks forward to building on Gary’s legacy with a new executive director to turn that page with the community and us.”

VIEWPOINT: 6 best practices for evaluating creative project proposals

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The meeting is about to begin. The creative team has spent days, weeks — maybe even months — massaging their concepts, tactics, and messaging into the perfect presentation. You can see the beads of sweat forming on their foreheads, signaling something big is at stake here. The speakers speak, and the ideas miss the mark. There’s no way around it: this presentation fell short of perfection, or even reasonable expectations. How do you tell the creative team its best ideas weren’t good enough?

The way we react to a teammate’s ideas, pitches, and proposals will have a huge effect on whether we decide the work is “right” or “wrong.” It will also help determine what actions to take if a redirect is needed.

Here are six best practices for evaluating a creative proposal that might be less than perfect:

Level-set

Before the presentation, ask your creative team to topline the creative, or strategic brief, from which the ideas were generated. If the team wasn’t given a brief to work from, here are a few discussion points that will help ensure everyone evaluates the ideas using the same criteria:

• Objective — What is the primary purpose of the work? This will help remind everyone of the goal and help set expectations for those who weren’t at the project kick-off.

• Main message — What do we want the audience’s takeaway to be upon viewing the creative?

• Audience — Who is the messaging created for? The more specific, the better.

• Call to action (CTA) — What specific action are we asking the audience to take (buy, click, learn etc.)?

• Measurement — How does the team plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the creative proposal?

Time for quiet

Listen closely as your creative team sets up a presentation. Find out what you are being asked to respond to and when. Some prefer questions be held until after the presentation is complete, while other creatives encourage banter throughout. It’s best to land on common ground to avoid upsetting their momentum with your expression of love for a particular headline or visual.

Think big(ger)

Early on, don’t get too hung up on online breaks, colors, FPO (for placement only) images, etc. Try to keep your focus on the ideas, the thinking. There will be plenty of time to fiddle with minutiae as you progress into the execution phase.

Wield a velvet hammer

Ad great Bill Bernbach once said, “An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.” Hold this thought close as you begin formulating comments about a particular idea or concept, because the way in which you share feedback will have a dramatic effect on how the creative team responds. Many great ideas have been dispatched into the ether, or left with a limp, by the urge to provide immediate commentary. Yes, you may have a “gut reaction” to the work. But give the ideas time to marinate before reaching for the red pen.

Get beyond “I like it”

When the time comes for your sage commentary, be specific and honest. Speak to the work based on the criteria established at the beginning of the presentation. Trust your brief. If there are facets of the work that don’t align with the brief, point them out. But stop short of trying to “fix” the idea. Nothing chaps the britches of a creative like someone trying to repair their ideas on the fly. Rather, simply state your points and allow the creative team the time and the opportunity to go back and make the adjustments. Remember, if your observations are supported by the brief, they’re warranted.

Encourage the unexpected, and you’ll get the extraordinary

Ideally, your relationship with your creative team should be one based upon mutual respect and trust — a camaraderie, if you will. You want the team members to feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table that both satisfy the objective and challenge your way of thinking. And they want to feel safe doing so.

John Ferin leads the content strategy and development team at ddm marketing + communications, a marketing agency for complex and regulated industries, including health care, financial services, and global manufacturing. He provides direction and creative oversight on the planning, projecting, and monitoring of all content-creation efforts.

The Center in Utica helps match employers with immigrant workforce

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Nonprofits, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

UTICA, N.Y. — The Center in Utica says it has just what some employers may have been seeking — a pool of people ready to work. Through its employment and workforce development, career pathway builder, and professional pathways programs, The Center, located at 201 Bleecker St., works with immigrant and refugee populations to help them

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UTICA, N.Y. — The Center in Utica says it has just what some employers may have been seeking — a pool of people ready to work.

Through its employment and workforce development, career pathway builder, and professional pathways programs, The Center, located at 201 Bleecker St., works with immigrant and refugee populations to help them not only gain the skills they need for employment, but also to find that employment.

Some of that training includes covering basics of the work system in the United States, which can be different from those in other countries, according to Zaid Erzaij, employment manager at The Center. Other topics include English classes, computer skills, résumé writing, interview preparation, and workplace expectations.

The Center also works to overcome other obstacles including language barriers and transportation issues. The organization can provide employers with translators to help overcome language barriers. Transportation issues can be more difficult to overcome, Erzaij says, adding the organization tries to collaborate with employers to provide transportation. Many already do, with the expense worth the cost in order to have a dependable workforce, he adds.

For employers, The Center also provides a variety of training programs, including cultural-awareness training, to help employers successfully work with English-language learners.

“Our folks are a great workforce,” Shelly Callahan, executive director, says. “It’s definitely in the interest of employers to be open to our population.”

The Center logs more than 300 job placements annually and has ongoing relationships with over 80 employers. The retention rate for those placements is about 90 percent.

“We stay connected to the people, and we stay connected to the employer,” Callahan says. Knowing how costly it is to have a high turnover rate, The Center helps employers work through any issues with their new employees. One company had a 30 percent retention rate for new employees before it began working with The Center, she said. The retention rate is now more than 70 percent.

Through the professional pathways program, The Center also assists new residents with degrees and professional work experience to continue their career path in the U.S., says Dan Vellone, a job coach. The program, in partnership with the state’s Office for New Americans, helps immigrants and refugees find work in their respective fields.

Program offerings include job-search support, résumé and cover-letter development, interview practice, English skills, specialized job courses, training and certification opportunities, and connections to employers.

The goal is to prevent “brain waste,” Vellone says. “These people already made the investment in their education.” There’s no reason that someone trained as an engineer in their home country should have to work as anything other than an engineer in the U.S., he contends.

Since it opened in 1981, The Center has helped more than 16,500 refugees and immigrants call the Utica area home. They have come from more than 35 countries including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Bhutan.

Buy Madison seeks to connect farmers with other businesses

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, New York News, Regional News, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

HAMILTON, N.Y. — Buy Madison is hosting a “matchmaker” event on March 22 to bring together agriculture producers and businesses in the county. “We’re trying to find ways to connect our agriculture businesses to other small businesses,” says Samantha Field, public information officer for Madison County. The county hosted a similar successful event in 2017

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HAMILTON, N.Y. — Buy Madison is hosting a “matchmaker” event on March 22 to bring together agriculture producers and businesses in the county.

“We’re trying to find ways to connect our agriculture businesses to other small businesses,” says Samantha Field, public information officer for Madison County.

The county hosted a similar successful event in 2017 and wanted to bring the idea back, she says. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the farming landscape of the county has changed. While some farms have gone out of business, other new ventures have started up. It’s a perfect time to host another agriculture “speed dating” event, she says.

“I think it’s just getting people back together, meeting, and having conversations,” Field notes.

The event’s goal is to forge connections between business owners and local ag producers, to build a market for the farmers and give local businesses local products to sell or restaurants local ingredients for their menu.

“It’s about making sure the dollars stay in Madison County,” says Melissa Davis, director of the Hub small-business incubator in Hamilton. The Hub will host the March 22 event, which is set for 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at its 20 Utica St. location. “Farmers are so great at doing the farming,” she adds, but often need help with marketing, networking, and more to get their products into the hands of customers.

A local restaurant, for example, may not be aware of the products available to them from producers right in the county, Davis said. Some of the products produced in the county include maple, honey, pork, lamb, beef, bison, dairy products, grain crops, hops, fruits, and vegetables.

“We’re just trying to bring everyone together because we know how time consuming the research is,” Field says. The event will serve as a one-stop-shop for the businesses that attend.

At the event, along with meeting other small businesses owners, participants will learn more about the Buy Madison County program and learn about the services the Hub provides to local businesses.

The state-certified business incubator offers coworking space, workshops, networking opportunities, professional advisors, mentorships, funding opportunities, and more.

The last agricultural census in 2017 showed 691 farms in Madison County. “Agriculture is our number one source for jobs,” Field says. About 45 percent of land in the county is agricultural. Of those agriculture businesses, nearly 70 percent have been in the same family for 20 or more years, and about 40 percent have been the same family for at least 50 years.

All participants at the matchmaking event are entered to win a chance to be included in future commercials and videos used in the Buy Madison marketing campaign. They will also be added to the Buy Madison website and marketing campaign, which showcases local products and the businesses that offer them.

“We want the consumer and customer to know where their food is coming from,” Field says.

Response to the program has been positive so far, Field says. A number of businesses and producers have registered already, and walk-ins will be welcomed the day of the event. There is no fee for the event.

More information about the event is available at www.buymadisoncountyny.com.

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