First Source’s DeMetri named to American Heart Association’s local board and Circle of Red co-chair

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NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. — The American Heart Association’s local board of directors has appointed Amy DeMetri, executive VP of First Source Federal Credit Union, as a board member. In addition, she has been appointed to a leadership role for this year’s Go Red for Women’s “Circle of Red” committee, according to a First Source news […]

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Lockheed Martin’s suburban Syracuse plant wins $22 million Navy contract modification

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only, Technology

SALINA, N.Y. — The Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems unit in the town of Salina was recently awarded a $22.1 million modification to a previously won contract from the U.S. Navy. The firm-fixed-price contract modification is to exercise options for Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare System Low Rate Initial Production units, according to a Sept.

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NY egg production rises nearly 2 percent

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, New York News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

New York farms produced 150.9 million eggs in August, up 1.6 percent from 148.5 million eggs in the year-prior month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. The number of layers in the Empire State averaged nearly 5.77 million in August, up 1.4 percent from almost 5.69 million in the same month in

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Lockheed Martin Owego plant awarded more than $30 million Navy contract modification

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OWEGO, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Owego plant has won a more than $30.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Navy. This adjustment “adds scope to provide for the design and development of the Advanced Digital Receiver/Processor (ADRP) upgrade to the existing E-2D AN/ALQ-217 Electronic Support Measures Receiver/Processor, as well

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Bouck Real Estate is now part of The Real Estate Agency

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

AUBURN, N.Y. — Following its acquisition, Bouck Real Estate of Auburn will continue to operate under the same name as a commercial branch of another Auburn firm, The Real Estate Agency. Matthew Chalanick, owner of The Real Estate Agency, didn’t disclose the sale price but confirmed he has purchased the firm, including its assets and

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AUBURN, N.Y. — Following its acquisition, Bouck Real Estate of Auburn will continue to operate under the same name as a commercial branch of another Auburn firm, The Real Estate Agency.

Matthew Chalanick, owner of The Real Estate Agency, didn’t disclose the sale price but confirmed he has purchased the firm, including its assets and name, “effective immediately,” per the Sept. 30 announcement.

Bouck Real Estate is located at 32 E. Genesee St. in Auburn. The Real Estate Agency, which currently has 10 agents, is situated at 110 Genesee St. in Auburn.

John Bouck, owner of Bouck Real Estate, indicated that it was time for him to retire and begin the next phase of his life, which will include more travel with his wife, Connie, as well as writing. Bouck was the firm’s sole employee, Chalanick told CNYBJ in an email message.

“It was time,” Bouck said. “I’m very happy that The Real Estate Agency, and Matt Chalanick, will carry on the very important work for the commercial sector in Central New York. The Real Estate Agency is an honest, hard-working group, that I’m certain will prove to be of great benefit to the area’s business owners, now and into the future.”

Bouck will be working with Steve Baier from the Real Estate Agency during the transition phase. Baier will be the lead commercial agent in his office, Chalanick noted.

“I am excited for Steve to take this opportunity and hit the ground running. With his experience and expertise as a real-estate agent combined with his work ethic, Steve will exceed expectations and maintain Bouck Real Estate as the leading commercial brokerage in the area.”

Chalanick plans on rebranding Bouck Real Estate by updating its signs, website, and marketing platform.

About Bouck Real Estate

Bouck Real Estate has been in business for 60 years. Bouck founded the company in December 1962 and established it in Cayuga County. The firm has been in continuous operation since then. Bouck holds broker licenses in New York state and Florida, and will retain his licenses, as a consultant with the Real Estate Agency.

Bouck Real Estate transitioned to a primarily commercial agency about 20 years ago. During that time, Bouck said the firm has been involved in the sale or lease of “virtually every major commercial real-estate property in the Auburn area.”

Chobani boosts wages to bolster recruitment, retention efforts

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Subscriber Only

SOUTH EDMESTON, N.Y. — With unemployment still low and the competition for potential employees fierce, Chobani, Inc. has taken steps to boost its attractiveness to candidates. The company recently implemented a pay increase, the second raise this year, which boosts its total wage increase this year to between 20 percent and 30 percent. The increase

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SOUTH EDMESTON, N.Y. — With unemployment still low and the competition for potential employees fierce, Chobani, Inc. has taken steps to boost its attractiveness to candidates.

The company recently implemented a pay increase, the second raise this year, which boosts its total wage increase this year to between 20 percent and 30 percent.

The increase applies to all hourly manufacturing employees at the plant, which has a new entry-level manufacturing employee wage of at least $18.50 per hour. The approximate average hourly wage at the plant is now $23.50, according to a release from the company.

“We want to be market leaders when it comes to our wages,” says Brandon Dansie, VP of people at the yogurt manufacturer. The wage change will hopefully help the company attract new employees while also rewarding current employees, he notes.

Compensation isn’t an exact science, Dansie says, so it’s important for a company to figure out what it is trying to accomplish when changing wages. Some companies may give salary increases but take away something else from employees, he says, and that was something Chobani wanted to avoid.

“We kept our benefit package,” he says. “We kept our bonuses. We didn’t want to play that game.”

Chobani currently employs about 800 people in South Edmeston and 2,300 across the United States including its plant in Idaho and a number of remote corporate positions. The company is actively hiring, Dansie says, and has between 20 and 30 open positions in South Edmeston. Those positions include entry-level jobs such as fillers, packers, and stackers, technical roles; and entry-level leadership roles.

Dansie acknowledges that it can be challenging to recruit for the company’s rurally located plant. “We certainly do your typical advertising,” he says, including ads on social media. For positions higher up the corporate ladder, the company uses professional recruiters.

“Occasionally we find someone from the area who wants to move back,” he adds.

The company’s biggest marketing tool when it comes to potential employees is the brand itself, he says. Many are familiar with the Chobani products, while others are familiar with founder Hamdi Ulukaya’s TED Talk from 2019.

“We have a very strong brand that people want to work for,” Dansie says. “That’s a real recruiting advantage for us.”

Through new employees and new products, Chobani continues to grow, innovate, and try new things, he says. One of those new things includes the company’s biggest product expansion to date — the addition of oat-based drinks and blends along with dairy-based creamers in 2019. In 2021, the company launched Chobani Coffee ready-to-drink coffees that feature Chobani’s oat milks and dairy creamers.

Chobani had also planned an IPO, filing paperwork last November; however it withdrew that in early September. According to the IPO filing, the company produced net sales of $1.2 billion and a net loss of
$24 million for the first nine months of 2021.

Chobani got its start in 2005 when Ulukaya, founder and CEO, used a Small Business Administration loan to purchase an old Kraft yogurt plant in South Edmeston. In 2007, the first Chobani yogurt cups hit grocery store shelves. In 2011, the company broke ground on a second plant in Twin Falls, Idaho and bought Bead Foods in Australia.

Clarkson’s Chezum elected first female chair of ANCA board

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, People on the Move, Regional News, Subscriber Only

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — After seven years as VP of the board of directors of the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), board members felt it was time for Kelly Chezum to lead the group. The board’s vote makes Chezum the first woman to serve as board president in ANCA’s 67-year history, the organization said in

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SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — After seven years as VP of the board of directors of the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), board members felt it was time for Kelly Chezum to lead the group.

The board’s vote makes Chezum the first woman to serve as board president in ANCA’s 67-year history, the organization said in its Oct. 7 announcement.

Chezum serves as VP of external relations at Clarkson University in Potsdam in St. Lawrence County. She succeeds the outgoing chair, Jim Sonneborn.

“We are so grateful to have Kelly at the helm during this exciting time at ANCA,” Elizabeth Cooper, executive director of ANCA, said. “During her 11 years on our board, Kelly has been an instrumental team member who consistently demonstrates remarkable leadership, insight and open-mindedness. She is a strong leader and positive example for our board and staff as we work together to grow economic opportunities throughout the Adirondack North Country.”

Chezum joined the ANCA board in 2011 and has over 25 years of experience as a creative marketing professional and administrator in the public, private, nonprofit, and government sectors.

“The Adirondack North Country is a special place for residents and visitors alike,” Chezum said. “ANCA’s energetic team collaborates with local communities to have a positive economic impact. It’s an organization that makes a real difference. As a board member supporting ANCA’s mission, it’s important to me — as a parent as well as a colleague and local business patron — that we have opportunities to advance the quality of life for our friends and neighbors and create opportunity and prosperity for future generations.”

The ANCA board also confirmed a new slate of officers and one new board member at its quarterly meeting held Sept. 23. The meeting directly preceded ANCA’s annual meeting at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, where more than 120 people gathered to learn about the organization’s current programming and impacts.

In addition to Chezum, officers include Noah Shaw of the New York City office of Foley Hoag LLP as VP; J. Daniel Mohr of Adirondack Bank as treasurer; and Katie Malinowski of Tug Hill Commission as secretary.

Antonio DeSpirito, managing director of BlackRock and chief investment officer of its U.S. Fundamental Active Equity program, was elected as ANCA’s newest board member, ANCA said.

About Chezum

In addition to her volunteer leadership role at ANCA, Chezum served as past education program chair for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) at the United Nations, where she received WED’s Education Pioneer Award in 2016, per the ANCA announcement.

Chezum is a member of the Adirondack Global Sports Commission, whose planning has advanced international tourism opportunities like the International Children’s Games and 2023 World University Games. She is also a director for the Public Policy Institute for the New York State Business Council and a member of the education committee for the New York State Economic Development Corporation and serves on several local chamber boards.

Chezum’s professional experience includes marketing, book and magazine publishing, direct-mail campaigns, public relations, grant writing, and strategic planning.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Carroll University in Wisconsin and an MBA from Clarkson University. Chezum also earned a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern University in Boston.

Wells College launches new workforce initiative

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

AURORA, N.Y. — Wells College recently announced that it has started a new strategic initiative in workforce development and hired Amy Considine, Ph.D. to join the administrative team as the VP for workforce partnerships. In her new position, Considine will partner with industry leaders, creating certification programs that will provide local and regional businesses with

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In her new position, Considine will partner with industry leaders, creating certification programs that will provide local and regional businesses with new resources to develop and advance their employees, the college said.

“Wells is thrilled to have Dr. Amy Considine join us as we launch our new strategic initiative to connect Wells to the workforce needs of our time. She brings a wealth of experience to Wells and will lead our initiative to tailor our educational opportunities to meet company needs,” Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter, Ph.D., said in a Sept. 29 release. “Bringing higher education together with business and industry is critical for all of us and Dr. Considine is just the person to move us forward.”

Wells College will task Considine with forging partnerships between the college and regional employers. The goal is to generate new opportunities for professionals in the region to develop their skillsets and advance their careers. These new certification and professional-development programs also will allow Wells College to become a broader resource for the community, it contends.

Considine brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience, having worked in a range of industries, the college stated. She has extensive experience in logistics, project management, and customer experience, per Wells. Considine holds a master’s degree in business management from Nazareth College, as well as a doctorate degree in education in executive leadership from St. John Fisher University.

Wells College is a private coeducational liberal-arts college located in Aurora, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. The college says it offers dozens of majors and minors in the sciences, arts, humanities, and pre-professional programs. It also offers 15 NCAA Division III athletic teams.

Workshop covers technology to improve quality of health care

Health Care, New York News, Regional News, Subscriber Only, Technology

Focused on utilizing solutions while ensuring cybersecurity UTICA, N.Y. — Quanterion Solutions, Inc. recently facilitated a local workshop to demonstrate the potential impact of an Internet of Things (IoT) Living Laboratory by leveraging IoT medical technologies to improve health-care accessibility and quality of care. The workshop focused on utilizing solutions while ensuring cybersecurity. Quanterion brought together

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Ask Rusty: About Applying for Social Security Benefits

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Dear Rusty: I will be turning 65 this December and will most likely continue working until July 2024 at my current job. It is possible I could leave a year earlier. With that being said, when should I submit paperwork to start collecting Social Security (SS) benefits? Is there anything I should know prior to

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Dear Rusty: I will be turning 65 this December and will most likely continue working until July 2024 at my current job. It is possible I could leave a year earlier. With that being said, when should I submit paperwork to start collecting Social Security (SS) benefits? Is there anything I should know prior to applying that will make sure the process is relatively seamless?

Signed: Ready to Retire

Dear Ready to Retire: The Social Security Administration recommends you apply for benefits two to three months before you wish your benefit payments to begin, but you can apply up to four months prior. When you apply, you will specify your desired benefit-start-month on the application, and that is when your benefits will start. Be aware that Social Security pays benefits “in arrears,” meaning your benefit is paid in the month following the month earned. So, for example, if you apply for your benefits to start in January your January benefit will be paid in February.

The exact date of your payment depends on the day of the month you were born. If born between the 1st and 10th of the month, you get your payment on the 2nd Wednesday; if born between the 11th and 20th of the month, payment is made on the 3rd Wednesday; and if born after the 20th of the month, your payment will be received in your bank account on the 4th Wednesday of every month.

You can apply in person, either over the phone, or by visiting your local Social Security office. You can also apply for your benefits online at www.ssa.gov/retire. Applying online is, by far, the most-efficient method. To apply online, you will first need to set up your personal “my Social Security” online account which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. I suggest you create your online account now, even if you don’t plan to claim your SS for a while yet. Once you have your online account set up, you can see your estimated-benefit amounts at different ages, which can help you decide when to claim.

Since you are still working, you should be aware that if you claim at any time prior to reaching your full retirement age (FRA) you will be subject to Social Security’s earnings test. If you will be 65 in December 2022 your FRA is 67, and that is the point at which you will get 100 percent of the SS benefit you’ve earned from a lifetime of working. If you claim any earlier, your benefit will be permanently reduced, and the Social Security “earnings test” will apply. The earnings limit for 2023 will be a bit more than the 2022 limit of $19,560. If you are collecting SS and exceed the earnings limit, you will lose benefits equal to $1 for every $2 you are over the limit. In the year you reach your FRA (2024) your earnings limit will be about 2 ½ times more than the normal annual limit and the penalty is less, and once you have reached your FRA there is no longer a limit to how much you can earn. For clarity, you can also wait and claim after your FRA and gain a higher benefit (your benefit will grow up to age 70).

So, how can you make the process “relatively seamless?” Create your online “my Social Security” account in advance and verify that your lifetime earnings as recorded by Social Security are accurate. Then, when you’re ready to claim, simply go to www.ssa.gov/retire and follow the instructions. The online-application process is quite intuitive, and you should have no trouble even if you have limited computer skills. Social Security will contact you if they need more information after you apply online. Of course, you can also apply whenever you’re ready by calling Social Security to make an appointment to apply over the phone but applying online is much more efficient.

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.

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