SBA’s upstate office seeks T.H.R.I.V.E. business training participants

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Entrepreneurs interested in participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) T.H.R.I.V.E. business training have until the end of the month of May to submit an application to the SBA Upstate New York District Office. T.H.R.I.V.E. — which is short for Train, Hope, Rise, Innovate, Venture, Elevate — is a free national […]

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T.H.R.I.V.E. — which is short for Train, Hope, Rise, Innovate, Venture, Elevate — is a free national training program for small-business leaders, formerly known as Emerging Leaders.

The SBA is currently recruiting small-business applicants who have been in business for at least three years, have annual revenues of at least $250,000, have at least one employee other than the owner, and who can commit to participating in the six-month program from July 5 to Dec. 16.

Those interested can learn more about eligibility, how to apply, program format, and locations by visiting www.sbathrive.com.

“T.H.R.I.V.E. is a unique SBA program that can be instrumental for entrepreneurs aiming to grow or expand their small businesses. Throughout the course, participants will receive core business knowledge, work directly with a business coach, meet with peers and develop a three-year Strategic Growth Plan,” Bernard J. Paprocki, director of the SBA upstate New York district office, said in a release. “We will select 20 participants for the Upstate New York cohort, and I strongly encourage small-business owners who are ready for growth to consider applying for this opportunity by the May 31 deadline.”

The SBA’s T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined provides complimentary entrepreneurship education and training for executives of high-performing small businesses. Over six months, the intensive executive entrepreneurship training series includes in-person coaching and virtual, self-paced instruction, the agency said.

The hybrid program allows participants to work with a network of experienced subject-matter experts in core business topics like accounting, business strategy, marketing, and human resources customized for the unique needs of small-business owners.

“T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined initiative will provide up-and-coming small business leaders with tools, knowledge, and access to the best and the brightest minds in economic development to help them accelerate their growth and help them become competitive in an increasingly global economy,” Isabella Casillas Guzman, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, said.

Broadwell starts new role as Cayuga Strategic Solutions CEO

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AUBURN, N.Y. — After serving as executive director of the Fulton Community Development Agency, Bradly Broadwell has started his new position as CEO of Cayuga Strategic Solutions (CSS). CSS is a joint venture of the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce and the Cayuga Economic Development Agency (CEDA). Broadwell began his new duties on April 27,

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AUBURN, N.Y. — After serving as executive director of the Fulton Community Development Agency, Bradly Broadwell has started his new position as CEO of Cayuga Strategic Solutions (CSS).

CSS is a joint venture of the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce and the Cayuga Economic Development Agency (CEDA).

Broadwell began his new duties on April 27, Devon Roblee, marketing manager at CEDA, tells CNYBJ in an email.

He succeeds Tracy Verrier, who announced last August she was leaving the organization for a new job, Roblee adds.

Broadwell brings to Cayuga Strategic Solutions more than 30 years of economic-development experience at the local, state, and federal levels, CSS said. He has roots in Cayuga County and has managed federal and state labor programs in the county.

His previous experience includes economic-development leadership or consulting work in North Carolina, Maryland, and Vermont. He’s also worked in the federal government at the U.S. Department of Commerce and overseas in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Mongolia, per the CSS announcement.

“There are many people that are concerned about the uncertainty in our economy,” Broadwell said. “Families are struggling, companies are looking for a reliable, committed workforce, markets have fallen, financing has become harder to find, and inflation continues to have a dramatic influence on our daily decisions. I am pleased to have come on board and see this as an opportunity to work with outstanding professionals to find opportunity in the economic struggle. Cayuga Strategic Solutions will continue to look for new ways and solutions to current issues to stabilize and grow Cayuga County’s current workforce of 27,478 people working across 1,696 businesses.”

Broadwell has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and is a certified practitioner through the Smart Cities Academy.

Broadwell and his family have been a part of Northern Cayuga County for more than 50 years, CSS said. He volunteers as a member of the NOAA Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council and the Town of Sterling and Village of Fair Haven waterfront advisory committee.

Syracuse, CenterState CEO to help small firms train workers for digital industry

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The City of Syracuse and CenterState CEO will use a $500,000 grant help target digital literacy and support entrepreneurship, small businesses, and workforce training for digital industries. Microsoft Philanthropies awarded the $500,000 Skills for Jobs and Livelihoods grant, CenterState CEO said. A team representing Microsoft recently met with Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh,

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Microsoft Philanthropies awarded the $500,000 Skills for Jobs and Livelihoods grant, CenterState CEO said.

A team representing Microsoft recently met with Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, and partners from CenterState CEO to discuss how community impact will be driven through the grant.

The Microsoft officials included Naria Santa Lucia, general manager of digital inclusion and U.S. community engagement at Microsoft Philanthropies. Santa Lucia participated in a panel discussion during CenterState CEO’s annual meeting on April 26. The group conversation focused on digital transformation, workforce inclusion, and the impact of community investment and collaboration.

“Microsoft Philanthropies is making another major investment in the Syracuse Surge,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said. “This is public-private collaboration at its very best. With this grant funding, the City of Syracuse and its Syracuse Surge collaborators will give more city residents the skills and abilities they need to build successful careers in the New Economy. I am deeply grateful to Microsoft for its early and consistent commitment to the Syracuse Surge and to the people of the City of Syracuse.”

CenterState CEO will partner with the City of Syracuse — under the Syracuse Surge initiative — to foster digital equity by enabling residents to increase their digital skills and better navigate online services; gain access to career pathways in software-related fields; and launch and grow companies.

The grant will pay for programs that will focus on members of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, as well as women.

“By expanding access to digital skills, supporting small businesses, and accelerating the startup ecosystem, we are expanding opportunity,” Santa Lucia said. “We are excited to work with the Syracuse community to drive digital literacy and workforce training programs needed for in-demand jobs.”

The Syracuse Surge is the plan “to make Syracuse a world leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution” and “jumpstart investment to create economic growth, shared prosperity and neighborhood transformation,” Walsh said in outlining the Syracuse Surge initiative during his 2019 State of the City address.

In those remarks, Walsh described the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” as that which “depends on connectivity — to one another, to jobs, to the internet, devices and data.”

Grant-targeted programs

The Microsoft grant will target three areas of programming, CenterState CEO said.

They included digital-literacy programming that involves implementing solutions “through digital equity and inclusion programming” for Syracuse city residents that address “key community needs.”

The funding will also target entrepreneurship and small-business development to advance programs, including the “Surge Accelerator” and “Surge for Small Business,” led by CenterState CEO and aligned with the city’s Syracuse Surge strategy.

In addition, the funding will pay for “New Economy (Tech) Workforce Training” with the development of programs in coding, software, and digital customer service.

These investments will also continue work funded by JP Morgan Chase AdvancingCities and the American Rescue Plan Act, CenterState CEO said.

United Way of CNY board elects Ingram chair

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Evelyn Ingram, director of community engagement at Wegmans Food Markets, was recently elected chairperson of the board of directors of United Way of Central New York. She had served as board vice chair for the last two years. Kerry Tarolli, a partner at King + King Architects, has been elected the new

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Buffalo private-equity firm acquires ICM Controls

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CICERO, N.Y. — ICM Controls, Inc. of Cicero and its affiliates are now under the ownership of Lorraine Capital, LLC, a Buffalo–based private-equity firm. ICM Controls is a manufacturer of electronic control products. ICM, which has about 300 employees, is based in Cicero at 7313 William Barry Blvd., off East Taft Road. Lorraine Capital acquired

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New York Business Plan Competition Winners for 2022

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NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — The Upstate Capital Association of New York recently announced the list of winners for its 2022 New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC). The association named the 2022 Grand Prize winner, along with special prize winners at Venture NY, which it says is its “marquee early-stage event.” The NYBPC Grand Prize Winner

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NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — The Upstate Capital Association of New York recently announced the list of winners for its 2022 New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC).

The association named the 2022 Grand Prize winner, along with special prize winners at Venture NY, which it says is its “marquee early-stage event.”

The NYBPC Grand Prize Winner is Photonect from the University of Rochester. Photonect provides fiber-to-chip attachment solutions for companies like CISCO with proprietary technology. The team won $15,000 in cash, as well as mentorship and connections from industry leaders throughout the Upstate Capital Association’s ecosystem of innovators.

The Upstate Capital Association of New York says it has been leading the statewide intercollegiate entrepreneurship competition for the past five years to support New York’s next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. The NYBPC has three goals: to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and skills, to build personal networks connecting students to organizations in New York, and to launch new ventures. The program started in 2010 and has served more than 6,000 students and helped launch hundreds of ventures.

The NYBPC is supported by more than 100 people and organizations with personal donations and corporate sponsorships, including NYSTAR, the SUNY Research Foundation, NY Ventures, and the Techstars Foundation.

2022 New York Business Plan Competition Results:

Grand Prize Winner: hotonect, University of Rochester

Founders: Juniyali Nauriyal and Sushant Kumar

First Place Track Winners:

Health & Wellbeing: BioSpire, University of Rochester

Food & Agtech: Happy Loose Leaf Tea, Syracuse University

Safety, Power & Mobility: KLAW Industries, Binghamton University

Media, Art & Entertainment: Open Beats, University at Buffalo

Products & Hardware: Photonect, University of Rochester

Software & Services: Lawn Admin, Siena College

Special Prize Winners:

KeyBank Healthcare Founder, awarded to an under-represented founder in the health-care space: Maternal Health Monitoring Service, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Gryt Award, presented to a founder with building a community as part of the business model: Step 2,3, SUNY Purchase

Tech Garden Special Prize, awarded to a historically under-represented founder that may become a Tech Garden resident, based in CNY or a neighboring region: AI Learners, Cornell University

Genius NY Prize, awarded to a founder leveraging drones, autonomous systems, robotics and/or big data in their business model: Small Farm Automation from SUNY Polytechnic Institute

In total, the NYBPC awarded $50,000 in cash prizes to more than 20 teams from more than 200 teams that competed.

“This program has impacted more than 6,000 students since its inception in 2010, with more than $150 million of economic impact that can be attributed to student-led ventures that have gone through the program, and hundreds of innovations that have led to commercialization over the past decade,” Upstate Capital President and CEO Noa Conger-Simons said in a statement.

The Upstate Capital Association of New York says it is a member-driven organization that increases access to capital for companies and deal flow for investors by maintaining a statewide network of capital providers, professional advisors, and supporting organizations.

CEO FOCUS: Support Small Businesses, Key Drivers of Economic Growth

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National Small Business Week [which ran May 2-6, presented] a time to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small-business owners. In the Syracuse metro area, small businesses with fewer than 100 employees represent about 11,500 companies, which employ more than 80,000 people and contribute over $3.5 billion in annual payroll to the local

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National Small Business Week [which ran May 2-6, presented] a time to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small-business owners.

In the Syracuse metro area, small businesses with fewer than 100 employees represent about 11,500 companies, which employ more than 80,000 people and contribute over $3.5 billion in annual payroll to the local economy. These companies are powerful economic drivers that help our communities create a vibrant sense of place. We know the pandemic was disproportionally disruptive to many of these companies, which is why it’s even more important to focus on ways we can support an engage them to drive their growth and success.

For our part, CenterState CEO officially [launched] Click (https://centerstateceo.force.com/click/s) on May 9. This new digital platform was created in response to an expressed interest by members for a place to interact directly with each other and make meaningful connections in an increasingly virtual world. Click offers an ever-growing library of e-books, video tutorials, and other expert-authored business content, member-only discussion forums, access to on-demand webinars on key business topics and a more robust system of membership and technical support. Sign up to get started on the Click website or contact info@clickcny.com to learn more.

CenterState CEO is also launching The Surge XBE Exchange, a pilot program through Syracuse Surge to help connect select businesses to other larger businesses and anchor institutions for procurement opportunities. The program specifically targets minority, woman, veteran, and/or disabled owned businesses, as well as those with 50 or fewer employees, among other qualifications. Contact CenterState CEO’s Honora Spillane, senior director of business and economic development, at hspillane@centerstateceo.com to apply.

There are also several upcoming events to support small businesses, including CenterState CEO’s Small Business Toolbox Series (https://www.centerstateceo.com/news-events/small-business-toolbox-series) and the popular Buy Local Bash, back in person May 19 at the CNY Regional Market’s F-Shed. Attendees can shop and sample offerings from more than 50 different food and retail vendors during this unique annual event. Ticket information can be found at: https://www.centerstateceo.com/news-events/buy-local-bash-presented-by-americu.

We all have a role to play in celebrating our community’s small and locally owned businesses. I encourage you to think about where your business procures its services, where you host business lunches or meetings, where you shop for yourself or your family, and how you connect to businesses in our community. By shifting even a portion of your spending to small businesses you are helping drive growth and progress in our region.

Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This article is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on May 5.

New Jiffy Lube being built in Clay

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Subscriber Only

CLAY, N.Y. — The property at 5229 W. Taft Road in Clay will soon be home to a new Jiffy Lube service center that is under construction. Guggenheim Development Services recently purchased 1.43 acres at that address and is building the Jiffy Lube. Lee Salvetti and Patrick Hillery, of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company, helped

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Port of Oswego opens grain-testing lab

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OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Port of Oswego Authority (POA) has opened its grain-testing lab, which is part of the new $15 million grain-export center. The

State employee arrested for trying to scam state retirement system out of more than $4,000

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New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and the New York State Police announced on May 3 that a former New York State Department of Education employee — Shannon Brady, 52, of Albany — was arrested. Brady allegedly falsely claimed to the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) that she never received a

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