Black River Systems wins $76 million Air Force contract modification

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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 […]

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Flooring Environment leases more than 9,400 square feet of space in Yorkville

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

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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Oneida County hotels see 8 percent rise in occupancy in March

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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

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BOCES supervisor honored by state school administrators association

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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

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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.

Weichert joins commercial-lending team at Community Bank

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DeWITT, N.Y.— As Community Bank, N.A.’s new senior VP, commercial banking group manager, Lindsay Weichert is excited for a lot more than working for her hometown bank. Working for a bank where decisions are made locally was a huge draw for the Syracuse native. That the bank shares her passion for economic development and community

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DeWITT, N.Y.— As Community Bank, N.A.’s new senior VP, commercial banking group manager, Lindsay Weichert is excited for a lot more than working for her hometown bank.

Working for a bank where decisions are made locally was a huge draw for the Syracuse native. That the bank shares her passion for economic development and community service is another perk, she adds.

Weichert joined Community Bank just over two weeks ago, bringing 18 years of commercial-banking experience. Prior to joining Community Bank, she worked at M&T Bank in several positions including commercial real estate group manager and overseeing Fitch Ratings as a director of performance analytics.

“I was brought in because of my background in lending,” Weichert says. In her new role at Community Bank, she oversees two lending teams with a staff of about eight. One team focuses on Onondaga, Cayuga, and Oswego counties, while the other team concentrates on the North Country.

The bank is looking to grow organically across the region, she says, and her teams are at work to make that happen.

“It’s really just a matter of getting out in the community,” and letting potential customers know what Community Bank has to offer, Weichert says. That list of offerings is extensive including “anything you could possibly need in terms of balance-sheet lending, “along with wealth management, insurance, 401(k) and pension plans, and even human-resources services.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lindsay to the Community Bank family and are excited to see her grow in her new role,” President of Commercial Banking Jeffrey Levy said in a news release. “Lindsay’s commercial real estate finance experience will be an excellent complement to our commercial banking team.”

Weichert earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University, where she majored in multi-language with minors in economics and mathematics. She received her master’s degree in real estate with a finance and investment concentration from New York University.

She is president of the Syracuse City Ballet, treasurer of the Downtown Syracuse Foundation, a board member of Humane CNY and the United Way of Central New York, a committee member of NUAIR UAS Job Fund, and a member of the Syracuse Surge Business Development Workgroup. She was honored in 2015 as one of The Central New York Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 honorees.

Community Bank is the banking subsidiary of Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) which operates more than 215 branches across New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and western Massachusetts. Headquartered in DeWitt, Community Bank System has more than $15.5 billion in assets.

A recap of the CenterState CEO annual meeting

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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

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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.

Fraser joins St. Joseph’s Health

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — St. Joseph’s Health recently welcomed Dr. Cynthia Fraser, obstetrician and gynecologist, to its St. Joseph’s Health Infant Services unit. Dr. Fraser is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with more than 25 years of clinical experience. Prior to joining St. Joseph’s Health, she was a laborist at Upstate Community Hospital in the town of Onondaga.

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MV Chamber Alliance meeting covers downtown revitalization

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WHITESBORO, N.Y. — The Chamber Alliance of the Mohawk Valley met on May 3 to celebrate 25 years of the alliance and to hear from one of the region’s newest companies, Wolfspeed, about its plans for employment. Adam Milton, VP of Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab silicon-carbide wafer fabrication facility that just opened in Marcy, said

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Adam Milton, VP of Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab silicon-carbide wafer fabrication facility that just opened in Marcy, said the company currently employs more than 250 people and is looking to hire many more. Wolfspeed projects it will employ 600 by 2029.

“We’ve had a lot of employees move from out of town,” he said, noting that he and his family relocated to Clinton from North Carolina.

As those employees move to the area, it’s crucial that the area offers them the things they need to thrive, Jennifer Waters, VP of business development and communications at Mohawk Valley EDGE, told the gathering.

That’s why things like workforce development, expanding childcare, improving broadband access, and fostering business resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are all crucial.

Creating vibrant downtown districts is also vital, she said, and that’s why the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) with $600 million in funding is so important.

“These compact, walkable downtowns are key,” Waters said. By the end of 2021, the Mohawk Valley region had received $40 million in DRI funding.

A number of Mohawk Valley communities have already received funding including Oneonta, Rome, and Utica. They have used the money for a host of projects including Hartwick College’s Grain Innovation Center in Oneonta, Copper City Lofts set to break ground later this year in Rome, and plans to redevelop underutilized buildings and bolster arts and cultural offerings in Utica.

Little Falls is using funding to plan and develop its waterfront district from a group of separate development areas into one more cohesive district highlighting the Erie Canal and Mohawk River.

To the west, Oneida has already used funding to open a new, modern library and will allocate additional funds for projects including wastewater upgrades and creating pocket parks around the city.

Prospective recipients of the DRI funding are nominated by their local regional economic development council based on the downtown’s potential for transformation. The Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council plans to meet in mid-June.

Established in 1997, the Chamber Alliance of the Mohawk Valley consists of 23 chambers of commerce and affiliate partners from six counties. In 2021, the Genesis Group took on the administrative duties of the alliance, which became a committee within the framework of Genesis.

New York’s local sales-tax collections rise 21% in Q1

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Local government sales-tax collections grew by 21.1 percent, or $901 million, in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period last year, according to a report released April 29 by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Collections for the three-month period totaled nearly $5.2 billion, with growth at least partially driven by

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Bond adds Long Island law firm in downstate expansion

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC — a Syracuse–based law firm with 250 attorneys across 13 offices — has been on a mission to expand and become a full-service law firm in the greater New York City area. The firm has taken another key step in that direction with its announcement that it

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The firm has taken another key step in that direction with its announcement that it will soon be combining with a smaller Long Island firm.

Effective June 1, Lazer, Aptheker, Rosella & Yedid — which is based in Melville, New York and also has an office in South Florida — will join Bond, bringing 23 lawyers. That includes about 15 partners. Bond will also add 14 support staff from the Lazer firm.

The combination will boost Bond’s Long Island presence to 40 attorneys — the firm already has an office in Garden City — and continue its downstate expansion. A little over a year ago, Bond combined with New York City–based Putney, Twombly, Hall & Hirson, adding 15 lawyers. Bond also opened an office in Westchester County last fall.

“For a long time now, we’ve been looking to make our downstate practice, in particular our Long Island practice, full service. Currently in our Garden City office, we represent a lot of public-sector clients, we do a lot of litigation work, and labor and employment in particular. But we’ve always had a strategic plan to expand and diversify the practice,” Kevin Bernstein, chair of the Bond, Schoeneck & King management committee, tells The Central New York Business Journal in an interview. “[Lazer] provided us exactly what we’re looking for, and that is they are a commercial business and litigation firm. They do a lot of things, and basically, they would turn our practice downstate into a full-service location.”

Bond and Lazer had discussed combining on and off over several years and like a lot of things in business, COVID put things on pause for a while. But the timing looked right now.

“Why now? The opportunity presented itself. We finally got past some, but not all, of the

difficulties of COVID, and it just seemed like the time was right …so that we could move forward with a really comprehensive and actually fairly large-sized Long Island practice,” Bernstein explains.

Founded in 1987, Lazer, Aptheker, Rosella & Yedid began as a small commercial litigation firm. Since its founding, it added services in real-estate conveyance, financing, and leasing; general business and corporate law; mergers and acquisitions; debtors’ and creditors’ rights; tax; trust and estate; and banking litigation.

“Our culture is a great fit with Bond’s, making this combination something that our attorneys are looking forward to. We have referred services to Bond over the years in practice areas that we didn’t offer and know many of the lawyers professionally and personally,” Ralph Rosella, managing partner of Lazer, said in a statement. “This will be beneficial to our clients, and we’re excited to be part of a firm that can offer a broader array of legal services and excellent client service to help them realize their objectives.”

Rosella is coming aboard Bond and will be the Melville co-office managing member with Craig Olivo, who has that role now in Bond’s Garden City office.

Bernstein says that as soon as Bond’s leadership met the leadership of the Lazer firm to forge an agreement, “we knew we could work well together.”

“I could tell right from the beginning that we would enjoy practicing law together. And that’s really what you’re looking for in kind of a collegial, collaborative approach to the practice of law, which to me makes up a large part of what law firms like to call culture,” he notes.

After the Lazer lawyers join, the Bond law firm, which was founded in 1897, will grow to 15 offices in five states and 275 attorneys. The Lazer office in Melville encompasses 20,000 feet while its office in West Palm Beach, Florida is about 4,000 square feet, according to Bernstein.

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