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Fontaine expands role at Tompkins
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins Financial Corp. (NYSE: TMP) announced it has appointed Alyssa Fontaine as chief risk officer, adding to her current role as executive

Herkimer College receives funding for second chance education program
HERKIMER, N.Y. — Herkimer County Community College will participate in the third round of the Second Chance Pell Experiment, an initiative launched in 2015 to

SBDC at Onondaga Community College recognizes area small businesses
ONONDAGA, N.Y. — The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Onondaga Community College (OCC) is presenting “Small Business of The Year” awards to one business

People news: Constantino joins Barclay Damon as associate
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Barclay Damon LLP announced that Nick Constantino, associate attorney, has joined its insurance coverage & regulation and torts & products liability defense

Herkimer College to graduate more than 330 on Friday
HERKIMER, N.Y. — Herkimer County Community College will hold its 54th commencement on Friday, May 13 at 4 p.m. in the physical education building. Admission

Cayuga Strategic Solutions names Broadwell new CEO
AUBURN, N.Y. — Cayuga Strategic Solutions (CSS) has announced Bradly Broadwell as its new CEO. CSS is a joint venture of the Cayuga County Chamber

Black River Systems wins $76 million Air Force contract modification
UTICA, N.Y. — Black River Systems Company Inc. has been awarded a more than $76 million contract modification from the U.S. Air Force. The modification is for a previously awarded pact for operational counter-small unmanned aircraft system (C-sUAS) open-systems architecture, according to an April 25 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense. The objective
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UTICA, N.Y. — Black River Systems Company Inc. has been awarded a more than $76 million contract modification from the U.S. Air Force.
The modification is for a previously awarded pact for operational counter-small unmanned aircraft system (C-sUAS) open-systems architecture, according to an April 25 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The objective of this effort is to rapidly enhance and commercialize the technology and approach developed under the previous Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract in order to support rapid research, development, prototyping, demonstration, evaluation, and transition of C-sUAS capabilities.
Work will be performed in Utica, and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2023, per the contract announcement. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation funds; fiscal 2021 procurement funds; and fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is nearly $264.4 million. The Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome is the contracting authority.
Black River Systems designs, develops, deploys, and analyzes radar, infrared, acoustic, and electronic-warfare sensing systems for the Department of Defense and prime contractors. The company, headquartered at 162 Genesee St in Utica, also has offices in Ohio, Minnesota, and California.

Flooring Environment leases more than 9,400 square feet of space in Yorkville
YORKVILLE, N.Y. — Flooring Environment, Inc., a provider of environmentally sustainable commercial flooring, recently leased 9,445 square feet of space at 55 Oriskany Blvd. in Yorkville. Jeff D’Amore, of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company, helped arrange the transaction, per a release from the real-estate firm. No lease terms were disclosed. The 51-55 Oriskany Blvd. property
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YORKVILLE, N.Y. — Flooring Environment, Inc., a provider of environmentally sustainable commercial flooring, recently leased 9,445 square feet of space at 55 Oriskany Blvd. in Yorkville.
Jeff D’Amore, of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company, helped arrange the transaction, per a release from the real-estate firm. No lease terms were disclosed.
The 51-55 Oriskany Blvd. property is owned by CMB Oriskany Corp., according to Oneida County’s online property tax rolls.
Oneida County hotels see 8 percent rise in occupancy in March
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County’s hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) increased 8.1 percent to 52.9 percent in March from the year-ago month. That’s according to a recent report from STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. Through the first three months of the year, occupancy in the county
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UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County’s hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) increased 8.1 percent to 52.9 percent in March from the year-ago month.
That’s according to a recent report from STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. Through the first three months of the year, occupancy in the county is up 13.6 percent to 48.3 percent.
Revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, jumped 27.9 percent to $58.96 in the third month of the year, compared to March 2021. Year to date, RevPar has increased 33.6 percent to $54.47.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, went up 18.2 percent to $111.38 in Oneida County in March.

BOCES supervisor honored by state school administrators association
HERKIMER, N.Y. — The School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) presented Sarah Trunfio, supervisor of instructional support services and mentoring for Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES, with the 2022 Leadership and Support Award. The award recognizes outstanding leadership efforts of members whose responsibilities require leadership through support services to educators and students across and between school
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HERKIMER, N.Y. — The School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) presented Sarah Trunfio, supervisor of instructional support services and mentoring for Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES, with the 2022 Leadership and Support Award.
The award recognizes outstanding leadership efforts of members whose responsibilities require leadership through support services to educators and students across and between school buildings and districts.
Trunfio has been instrumental in impacting teacher retention, student literacy rates, and helping staff build better relationships with students while addressing social, emotional, and mental health, according to a news release.
She created a BOCES-specific mentoring-induction model, developed from research and best practices in mentoring, that has had a positive impact on teacher retention. The three-year induction model places an emphasis on teaching best practices and social and emotional learning wellness.
Trunfio is also facilitating a district-wide initiative developed from needs-based planning sessions with district leadership. The Science of Reading is another of her initiatives that involves training on foundations and research behind teaching students to read. She is also working with BOCES’ alternative high school to discover the root causes of reading barriers and to implement a multi-tiered system of supports model to resolve them.
Trunfio has been with BOCES for nine years, including time as a special-education teacher and mentoring coordinator. She received her school building leader and school district leader certifications from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, her master’s degree from SUNY Cortland, and bachelor’s degree from Illinois College.
SAANYS recognized Trunfio and fellow award winners at a May 6 awards celebration at the Crowne Plaza Albany-Desmond Hotel.
SAANYS represents more than 8,000 school administrators, supervisors, and coordinators and provides direction, service, and support to members in their efforts to improve the quality of education and leadership in New York schools.
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.