SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Business of the Year Awards in five categories, remarks from the organization’s top official, and a keynote panel discussion were part of CenterState CEO’s annual meeting held April 26, which attracted a crowd of nearly 600.

Business of the Year recipients included Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, which won in the “More than 50 Employees” category, while Wireless Business Group was honored in the “Fewer than 50 Employees” group. 

CenterState CEO also recognized Liberty Resources Inc. in the “Nonprofit” category, Gwen Inc. in the “Minority-owned Business” category (presented in partnership with the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance), and Kinney Drugs Inc. in the “Community Involvement” category.

Besides the Business of the Year Award announcements, Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, also addressed attendees at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter in Syracuse.

In his message, Simpson spoke about how the Central New York region is experiencing a “moment of exceptional opportunity” as it emerges from the pandemic, per CenterState CEO’s news release on the event.

“We are incredibly excited to be back in person for this event, which has always been a moment for our business community to come together and renew our shared sense of purpose to advancing the trajectory of our community and region,” Simpson said. “The past two years have tested our resolve, but Central New York has always faced its challenges head on. Data driven strategies set into motion over the past decade have laid the foundation for progress we are seeing today, be that population gains, businesses investing in and creating jobs in the region, growth in our innovation ecosystem, or being positioned to compete for major federal investments, such as the Build Back Better Regional challenge.”

In an April 28 CEO Focus email message to CenterState CEO members, Simpson called the focus of this year’s annual meeting, Transcend, “perhaps the most fitting adjective for this chapter in Central New York’s story.” 

Simpson said it “rightfully acknowledges the challenges of our past,” when global economic forces buffeted Central New York, weakening the area’s traditional industrial base, economic vitality, and the region’s self-image.

“Thankfully, that was not the end of our story, it was just the beginning. Together, we established a new set of strategies that aligned our assets and positioned us to capitalize on global trends. We made investments in our communities to create a sense of place and attract talent. Targeted investments helped spur entrepreneurial activity and establish a new center of gravity for the next economy,” Simpson said in the email. “Today, we’re seeing the results of these efforts. Businesses, including Amazon and Microsoft, are investing in our community. Startups can attract venture capital to accelerate growth and create jobs. New development projects continue to reshape our skylines. These efforts, led by many members of our business community, helped us achieve progress that is gaining national recognition.”

The annual meeting also included a keynote panel featuring Naria Santa Lucia, general manager of digital inclusion and U.S. community engagement at Microsoft Philanthropies, and Jennifer Cruickshank, head of public policy and community engagement at Amazon New York. The panel conversation focused on digital transformation, workforce inclusion, and the impact of community investment and collaboration.

“The conversation was particularly relevant given the region’s focus on digital transformation, workforce inclusion, and the impact of community investment and collaboration,” Simpson said.