Visions CEO Muse receives AACUC Lifetime Achievement Award

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ENDWELL, N.Y. — The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) recently announced Ty Muse, Visions Federal Credit Union (FCU) president and CEO, as the 2022 honoree of its Pete Crear Lifetime Achievement Award. The Pete Crear Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes “a credit union professional or volunteer whose career best embodies the AACUC’s mission to increase the […]

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TCGplayer will be under eBay’s ownership in 2023

Small Business, Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE — TCGplayer, the Syracuse–based marketplace for collectible-card game enthusiasts, will be under new ownership in early 2023. eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) on Aug. 22 announced an agreement to acquire TCGplayer, which operates at 440 S. Warren St. in Syracuse. The deal has a total value of about $295 million, per eBay’s announcement. The deal

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SYRACUSE — TCGplayer, the Syracuse–based marketplace for collectible-card game enthusiasts, will be under new ownership in early 2023.

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) on Aug. 22 announced an agreement to acquire TCGplayer, which operates at 440 S. Warren St. in Syracuse.

The deal has a total value of about $295 million, per eBay’s announcement. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including requisite regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023.

Based in San Jose, California, eBay is an e-commerce company that says it connects millions of buyers and sellers around the world. In its announcement, eBay says trading cards are an “attractive category, which has seen substantial growth.” It describes TCGplayer as a leading technology platform for the collectibles industry, which will continue to “operate autonomously” as one of the largest online marketplaces for trading-card games.

The acquisition complements eBay’s focus category strategy and furthers the company’s commitment to trading-card enthusiasts — providing eBay with “strategic omnichannel capabilities” like order fulfillment and cart optimization, “maintaining its position as a desirable platform for trading card sellers, and enhancing the overall experience for all customers,” per its announcement.

“eBay continues to build on our 26 years of experience in trading cards, powering local hobby stores and Main Street retailers to deliver an online destination that collectors love,” Dawn Block, VP of collectibles at eBay, said. “eBay has always fueled our customers’ passion in this space and facilitated connections between buyers and sellers, and with TCGplayer, we can enhance the customer experience across categories, forge even more relationships, and cater to enthusiasts around the world.”

In a separate statement, Chedy Hampson, founder and CEO of TCGplayer, said his company plans to “join forces” with eBay.

“Unlike a traditional acquisition, upon close, TCGplayer will continue operating independently,” Hampson said. “We will have the autonomy and flexibility to continue running TCGplayer just as we always have, and I will continue to lead the company as CEO, ensuring our commitment to [customers] and the entire collectibles community remains enshrined and protected long into the future.”

He went on to say that as part of the transaction, all 688 TCGplayer employees — hourly and salaried — will “share in the financial rewards of this deal” as a result of the firm’s employee stock option plan.

Hampson said he is “confident” that with eBay’s partnership, his firm will be “even better positioned” to serve the collectibles community.

“We will have the opportunity to benefit from eBay’s decades of industry experience and deep financial resources to expand our catalog of products, level up our tools and services and ensure hobbyists all over the world are able to shop from their favorite local hobby stores,” Hampson said.

The TCGplayer CEO also indicated that the company would have no change in how it works with customers.

“This means that any orders you’ve placed via the TCGplayer Marketplace or agreements you have in place with us will remain unchanged. Your contacts at TCGplayer will also remain the same, and all business will continue as normal. As always, we will continue to communicate any new information leading up to close and beyond,” Hampson said.

DFS announces 2023 health- insurance premium rates

Health Care, Subscriber Only

The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has approved health insurers’ premium-rate increases for 2023, which it says will save consumers and small businesses almost $800 million over the increases that insurers sought. Adrienne Harris, superintendent of financial services, announced the premium rate increases on Aug. 17. In the small-group market, DFS reduced

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Adrienne Harris, superintendent of financial services, announced the premium rate increases on Aug. 17.

In the small-group market, DFS reduced insurers’ requested rates by 52 percent, while in the individual market, the department trimmed insurers’ requested rates by 48 percent. Over 1.1 million New Yorkers are enrolled in individual and small group plans.

The rising cost of medical care — including in-patient hospital stays and drug costs — remains the “main driver” of insurance premium rate increases, and medical claims have increased as New Yorkers catch up on medical appointments and services postponed due to the pandemic, the DFS said.    

In addition, “recognizing the continued uncertainty” of the pandemic’s effect on consumers’ health-care costs and the economy, DFS held insurers’ profit provisions to a “historically low” 0.5 percent, the department noted.

Small-group market 

Almost 850,000 New Yorkers are enrolled in small-group plans, which cover employers with up to 100 employees.

Insurers requested an average rate increase of 16.5 percent in the small-group market, which DFS cut to 7.9 percent for 2023, saving small businesses $632.4 million, the department contended.

A number of small businesses also will be eligible for tax credits that may lower those premium some more, such as the small business health care tax credit.

NYSCOP reaction

New York State Conference of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans (NYSCOP) that same day issued a statement on the 2023 health-insurance premium rates.

“The premium rate requests made by NYSCOP member health plans earlier this year reflected the challenges in keeping up with rising health care costs. While the final approved rates announced by the state today are significant, in some instances, DFS fails to fully account for the increasing cost and utilization of health care services.

NYSCOP plans strive to limit rate increases to the lowest amounts possible. However, in order to protect coverage for consumers, premiums need to keep up with skyrocketing prescription drug costs, increasing state taxes, new mandates, and the continued impact of the COVID pandemic. In fact, rising drug prices continue to have an unsustainable impact on overall medical spending trends.

NYSCOP members are hopeful that State lawmakers will take meaningful action in the next year to address the true drivers of rising health care costs so that all New Yorkers can access affordable coverage and care.”

The New York State Conference of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans is a partnership of Rochester–based Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, and New York City–based Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield. Together, the health-insurance plans provide health coverage for millions of New Yorkers, NYSCOP noted.

Employees of marketing firm Mower now own the company

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The employees of Mower, a Syracuse–based marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, now own the company. Eric Mower, the firm’s chairman and CEO, transferred 100 percent ownership of the company to its employee through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Mower, who began his career at the agency in 1968, will remain in

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The employees of Mower, a Syracuse–based marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, now own the company.

Eric Mower, the firm’s chairman and CEO, transferred 100 percent ownership of the company to its employee through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

Mower, who began his career at the agency in 1968, will remain in his current position, as will other senior Mower executives, the firm said in its Aug. 10 announcement.

Mower is headquartered inside the Jefferson Clinton Commons building at 211 W. Jefferson St. in Syracuse’s Armory Square area.

The ESOP makes about 150 employees new “employee owners” of the agency at no cost to them, with equity in the business and an additional retirement benefit, Mower said.

It also provides the agency a “smooth ownership transition into the years to come.”

Mower’s executive team includes Stephanie Crockett, president and COO; Doug Bean, vice chairman – chief brand officer; Chris Steenstra, chief administrative officer; CFO Cheryl Duggan; Doug Kamp, chief creative officer; and Rick Lyke, executive VP, managing director, public relations and public affairs.

“The ESOP allows Mower to remain independent, to maintain our professional standards and practices and for our employees to know that their future is in their hands,” Eric Mower said. “The ideas and energy of this committed team of next generation employee owners, all dedicated to collaboration, creativity and problem solving, will prove a powerful force for growth, as well as a powerful tool to attract and retain talent. I look forward to seeing our new employee owners maintain their fierce friendships while doing great work that supports the success of our clients.”

The firm shared the news with Mower employees at gatherings hosted in Syracuse and in Greenville, South Carolina, a “central location for employees” from the agency’s Charlotte and Atlanta hubs. Employees traveled from a total of 12 cities around the country to “learn about the future of Mower and their pivotal role as new employee owners,” per the announcement.

“The ESOP will have meaningful benefits to our business, positively impacting our clients as well,” Crockett said. “We know talented advertising, marketing and public relations professionals are attracted to the idea of employee ownership, and the model is shown to inspire longer tenures for executives. Just as many of us at Mower have made this business a home for our careers — I’m celebrating 18 years — we want to inspire others to invest their time and talent into the agency, and reap the rewards for that investment, too.”

New York milk producer prices up nearly 43 percent versus a year ago

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

Milk prices at the producer level in New York state remained elevated in the latest month for which data is available amid continued inflationary pressures. New York dairy farms in May were paid an average of $27.10 per hundredweight of milk, unchanged from April but up almost 43 percent from the $19 average in May 2021.

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Empire Center names three policy fellows

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

ALBANY, N.Y. — The Empire Center recently announced it is expanding its research operations with the addition of three research fellows. Ken Girardin has been named the fellow for labor policy. He helped to produce the first independent analysis of New York’s property tax cap, which demonstrated the cap’s effectiveness and boosted efforts to extend

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New parking area at Potato Hill State Forest opens in Tompkins County

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Regional News, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

CAROLINE — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) have announced the opening of a new parking area at Potato Hill State Forest in the town of Caroline in Tompkins County. DEC and FLLT initiated the project to address public-access needs for Potato Hill State Forest and

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DEC and FLLT initiated the project to address public-access needs for Potato Hill State Forest and Summerland Farm Nature Preserve on Blackman Hill Road. With support from Finger Lakes Trail Conference, FLLT funded construction of the parking area on the state forest property. DEC designed the parking area and issued a permit for construction. It is now open to the public and provides safe access to Potato Hill State Forest, Summerland Farm Preserve, and the Finger Lakes Trail, which traverses both properties, the DEC said in a news release.

“We are grateful for the commitment of the state and the Finger Lakes Trail Conference,” Andrew Zepp., FLLT executive director said. “This new parking area will provide safe access to a growing network of conservation lands.”

Potato Hill State Forest encompasses 915 acres of land and is a popular destination for recreational activities including hunting, hiking, snowmobiling, camping, birdwatching, and fishing. The six-acre pond located on the northern portion of the forest offers peaceful scenery as well as valuable habitat for waterfowl, various mammals, snakes, salamanders, frogs, and aquatic invertebrate insects such as dragonflies.

The 140-acre Summerland Farm Preserve has a mix of forest and meadow and sweeping views of the surrounding hills. Bobolinks and Meadowlarks grace the grassland habitat here, and black bears have been observed roaming the hills. Remnants of old logging roads pass through forested sections of the property, guiding visitors through large stands of northern hardwoods.

Both properties are part of the Emerald Necklace, an effort to link 50,000 acres of existing public open space that extends in an arc around Ithaca – from Finger Lakes National Forest in the west to Hammond Hill and Yellow Barn State Forests in the east. These lands host 78 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail, a nearly 1,000-mile system that covers some of the most scenic land in New York.

The new parking lot “provides safe parking for people hiking this portion of the approximately 1,000-mile-long Finger Lakes Trail. The FLTC invites you to park in the lot on Blackman Hill Road and do the short hike to the high point on the FLLT’s Summerland Farm Preserve and admire the amazing views of Tompkins and Tioga counties,” Finger Lakes Trail Conference Executive Director Debra Nero said.

Seneca Foods’ net sales rise nearly 13% in latest fiscal quarter

Small Business, Subscriber Only

FAIRPORT — Seneca Foods Corp. (NASDAQ: SENEA, SENEB) — a Finger Lakes–based provider of packaged fruits and vegetables, with facilities across the U.S., including Geneva and Penn Yan — recently reported that net sales for the three-month period ending July 2 rose 12.9 percent to $265.2 million from $235 million in the year-ago quarter. The company

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The company attributed 70 percent ($21.2 million) of the $30.2 million increase in sales in the period to higher selling prices/improved sales mix and the other 30 percent ($9 million) to increased sales volume.

Gross margin as a percentage of net sales in the latest quarter was 8.6 percent, compared to 14.3 percent in the prior year. The year-over-year decrease is mainly due to a $16.4 million increase in the firm’s LIFO (last in/last out) charge.

“First quarter results delivered strong sales growth mostly driven by pricing actions. However, historic inflation has created a significant non-cash LIFO charge of $19.2 million in this quarter,” Paul Palmby, president and CEO of Seneca Foods, said in the company’s Aug. 11 report. “On an adjusted net earnings basis, the Company continues to perform well and the Q1 financial results exceeded a robust prior year by approximately 20%. Finally, we had a solid start to our raw product pack that has helped increase our inventory levels. This increase in inventory is welcomed and will help us support steady customer demands and avoid the out of stock situations that plagued us over the past two years.”

Seneca Foods says it is one of North America’s leading providers of packaged fruits and vegetables. Its products are primarily sourced from more than 1,400 American farms and are distributed to over 80 countries. The firm’s corporate office is in Fairport, near Rochester. Seneca says it holds a large share of the market for retail private label, food service, restaurant chains, international, contracting packaging, industrial, chips and cherry products. Products are also sold under the brands of Libby’s, Aunt Nellie’s, Green Valley, CherryMan, READ, and Seneca.

VIEWPOINT: How to Tell If you Are Burned Out (and What to Do About It)

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Many people suffer from burnout in their careers and life in general but may not realize it. Going through the motions, dreading the fact that it’s time to go to work, and feeling mentally exhausted are draining, but they can take a toll on one’s attitude, work performance, and quality of life. Knowing the signs of

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We live in a time when all we do is rush from one point to the next, constantly being busy with work, tasks, and life chores. Before long, this can lead to people feeling emotionally depleted.

Recognizing the signs and taking action can help people overcome them and feel great. It can also help ensure that it doesn’t happen again. According to the National Institutes of Health, burnout is a term that was coined in the 1970s by an American psychologist. The term is widely used today to describe the condition where people experience various symptoms, including mental exhaustion, feeling unmotivated, detached and helpless, feeling like a failure, having an increasingly pessimistic outlook, and not feeling satisfied with life.

People who experience burnout often feel like they have a lot of bad days, that the things they do don’t matter, and that they are not appreciated. These feelings all lead to a decrease in life satisfaction, and until it’s addressed, things will stay the same or even continue to decline.

Here are some things that can be done to address burnout.

• Take a serious look at your job. Burnout is often caused because people are not satisfied with their job. When this happens, it’s time to determine what can be changed. Perhaps it’s time to switch jobs or plan to move into a new career field.

• Cut back on the number of hours worked that may be contributing to the problem. Some people put too many hours in at the office, and others still take their work home once they leave it. Set boundaries so that there are hours when work is not a part of your life and schedule.

• Work on improving your attitude by practicing gratitude, meditation, exercising regularly, and engaging in activities that bring you joy. Your work-life balance must be balanced in order to help create happiness.

• Pay close attention to those you surround yourself with to limit the time spent with people who are overly negative or drain you emotionally. This goes for people at work and in your personal life.

• Take some time off. Taking a sabbatical or planning a vacation doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to be something that will allow you to relax, unwind, and re-charge. Relaxation time needs to be a part of your weekly schedule, too.

• Get help if you feel that you cannot overcome it. Work with an impact coach, career coach, or counselor to get the help you need to help move things in the right direction.

I’ve worked with many people to help them address and avoid burnout. When you finally take control and stop letting it control you, you will improve your quality of life. It’s better to address it now rather than let it go on, getting worse.

Katie Sandler (katiesandler.com) is a popular impact coach and provides health and wealth coaching and personal and professional development. She offers retreats around the world, as well as private coaching and corporate impact coaching opportunities. She focuses on helping people become more successful so they can live with purpose and make an impact in our world.

OPINION: The New York State Fair is Bigger and Better than Ever

Opinion, Subscriber Only

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Each year, New Yorkers and visitors from around the country are treated to world-class entertainment, quality locally grown produce, contests, music and more at the Great New York State Fair. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, the fair attracted a record 1.33 million visitors during the 13-day event. Founded in 1841, the annual tradition features an enormous array of attractions and performances that virtually guarantee there is something for everyone to see — this year, expect more of the same.

Home of the nation’s first state fair, our state fair also offers a tremendous opportunity for our agriculture and viticulture industries to showcase what they have to offer. New York state has some of the best locally sourced products in the world, and the State Fair is a great way for our farmers and vendors to provide a taste of Upstate to fairgoers from near and far. Residents from all over the state, as well as visitors from other states and countries, descend on Central New York to take part in the festivities. There is a ton to see here, and I encourage visitors to take in some of the beautiful local scenery while visiting.

This year, the fair runs almost two weeks from Wednesday, Aug. 24 to Monday, Sept. 5 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes. Among some of the features I am most looking forward to are daily Birds of Prey demonstrations, the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, the Historic Train Exhibit and Armed Forces Day. On Armed Forces Day, which will take place on Thursday, Sept. 1, all veterans and active-duty service men and women will be offered free admission.

Further, the live music offerings are sure to entice fans of every type as the Chevy Park Concerts series will feature mega-acts like Foreigner on Sunday, Aug. 28, Boyz II Men on Monday, Aug. 29, and Dropkick Murphys on Saturday, Sept. 3. Be sure to check out the Chevy Court Concerts for even more great acts featuring 13 days of free entertainment, with two shows daily. And, whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking for the highest, fastest roller coaster or the Tea Cups are more your speed, this year’s Midway will offer more than 50 rides.

There will also be an incredible selection of vendors on hand dishing out goods from all around New York. In addition to the traditional favorites — who can visit without seeing the Sand Sculpture or Butter Sculpture — the fair is also featuring a few new exhibits including the Skilled Trades & Manufacturing Exhibit, the New York State Energy & Environment Experience, and the interactive social-media experience, The Butterizer.

If you’re planning to attend, be sure to check the fair’s official website for important information about tickets, parking, transportation, and other safety considerations. Enjoy, be safe, and soak up some of that one-of-a-kind New York state flavor. I look forward to seeing you there.

William (Will) A. Barclay, 53, Republican, is the New York Assembly minority leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County.

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