VIEWPOINT: How Resiliency & Reconnection Drive Our Community Forward

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There has been a lot written about how the past 18 months have been like nothing we’ve experienced efore, and while we hope that we never have to experience anything like the coronavirus pandemic again, it’s remarkable to think about all that we achieved by working together. Every member of our community has played a critical role […]

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There has been a lot written about how the past 18 months have been like nothing we’ve experienced

efore, and while we hope that we never have to experience anything like the coronavirus pandemic again, it’s remarkable to think about all that we achieved by working together.

Every member of our community has played a critical role in pandemic response and recovery. As we endured this shared hardship, our drive to support each other never wavered — if anything it grew stronger. At the federal, state, and local levels, our delegates advocated for COVID-relief and recovery programs.

Following the second wave of pandemic closures, as winter months gave way to spring, 86 percent of downtown Syracuse storefronts had reopened by March 2021, providing motivation — and momentum — for all of us to keep pushing forward.

Fortunately, work in downtown Syracuse never stopped. As we continue to move through the pandemic, $80 million of investment activity has been completed. While we were on pause, the incredible amount of real-estate development and investment taking place throughout downtown Syracuse continued to attract employers, new residents, and retailers. That included the following.

• On moving its regional headquarters to 250 South Clinton St. in April 2021, M&T Bank reaffirmed its commitment to the center of our community.

• At downtown’s northern-most boundary, “The Post” will soon serve as the new headquarters for VIP Structures and new tenant, ChaseDesign in Clinton Square.

• Along South Warren Street, TCG Player expanded its footprint in The Galleries, making space for more than 300 employees focused on fulfilling game-card requests — a hobby that many people rediscovered during quarantine.

• Across the street, CenterState CEO will expand the Tech Garden. Thanks to support from the state delegation, construction is projected to start in 2022.

Whether it’s strolling through the Downtown Farmers Market every Tuesday, waving hello in coffee shops, at lunch, or a chance encounter and chat on the sidewalk, it’s nice to see signs of office life returning to downtown Syracuse. Now that we’re past Labor Day, it’s estimated that more of downtown Syracuse’s typical 29,000-person workforce is back in the office a few days a week. Whenever I run into someone on the sidewalk, our interaction reflects how genuinely happy we are to be able to re-engage. It’s often in these chance meeting connections where ideas are born, new friendships are formed, and collaboration begins.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why downtown Syracuse continues to be a residential destination — instinctively, we want to be where the action is.

Right now, more than 4,300 residents call downtown Syracuse home. Throughout 2020, developers completed 281 new apartments, providing room for downtown’s population to grow another 12.5 percent. Keeping consistent with a trend that downtown Syracuse has experienced for the last five years, as fast as developers are able to create new spaces, people are moving in — often signing leases before the final phases of construction are complete.

And, like the classic “chicken-and-egg” scenario outlines, just as people continue to flock to the center of our city, new businesses continue to appeal to them — providing ample shopping, services, and dining opportunities. From March 16, 2020 through Sept. 1, 2021, Downtown Syracuse welcomed 32 new retail businesses.

Among the highlights, the Salt City Market — downtown’s first new construction project in 10 years — opened at 484 South Salina St. in January 2021. With this monumental project came 10 new restaurants, downtown’s first full-service grocery store, the Syracuse Cooperative Market, the Salt City Coffee & Bar, and an outdoor playground.

As you walk throughout downtown Syracuse this fall to check out the new places, vibrant, visual cues will signify that downtown Syracuse is open for business — and ready to welcome you. Street-level businesses received “Downtown is Open” flags, thanks to COVID-19 relief funding provided by the Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) to our Downtown Syracuse Foundation. Together, the flags symbolize the resiliency of our business community, which weathered two rounds of pandemic closures.

Downtown’s residents also enhance the streetscape through 13 posters displayed in kiosks as part of our “Live Like a Local” campaign. Looking for recommendations on where to go, what to do, and what to eat while you’re in downtown Syracuse? Residents share their recommendations through the posters.

Festivals, concerts, and performances are at the top of many recommendation lists — and we’re excited to continue to add more events to our calendars this fall.

As national touring companies for Broadway shows “Cats,” “Tootsie,” and “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory,” plus The Blue Man Group make temporary work homes for extended rehearsals at the Landmark Theatre and the Redhouse Arts Center, dozens of cast members, crew, and support staff are expected to generate up to $10 million in associated economic impact throughout our community.

Downtown’s museums continue to engage and educate the public through creative programming:

• hroughout the summer, the Erie Canal Museum raised the visibility of the Canal corridor, the new Empire State Trail, and the local brewing industry through its Beers, Bikes and Barges event.

• he Everson Museum of Art curates a variety of ever-evolving exhibits ranging from hometown artists to its world-class ceramics collection. Later this year, we can look forward to a new café experience at the museum, enhancing an artistic experience.

• n, February, a new, state-of-the-art digital theater is expected to open at The Museum of Science and Technology (The MOST), featuring planetarium shows, documentaries, interactive learning, and gaming space.

• he Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) continues to bring history to life through a series of innovative hybrid in-person and virtual events, all designed to educate and encourage appreciation for our past through our community’s great stories. As the keeper of our community’s history, the OHA is actively involved with the City of Syracuse’s Heritage Park Commission tasked with re-imagining the area around Columbus Circle. The goal is to make a space that provides healing for our whole community.

With so many moving pieces fueling momentum, the ways in which we access and move through downtown Syracuse is vital.

In the spring, Centro introduced the SYRculator, a continuous, free, 15-minute bus loop connecting all major downtown neighborhoods and attractions.

Summer road construction is unveiling smooth, newly paved streets. Later this year, South Clinton Street will change to two-way traffic south of Jefferson Street.

Over the summer, the City of Syracuse announced a new provider for its bicycle and scooter-share program, introducing VeoRide to bring back more than 200 pedal-assist bikes.

And as we move into fall, a new sign positioned at downtown’s western gateway will greet motorists at West Genesee Street, thanks to a partnership among Digital Hyve, Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today (or TNT), Laser Focus Printing, and a number of community members.

Together, these collaborations and investments highlight engagement in our community, further amplifying our resilient spirit. We saw many business pivots turn into successful new paths forward.

Every member of our community played a critical role in pandemic response and recovery. And, by working together, we learned we can chart our own course to come back strong.

Merike Treier is executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. In this role, she leads a team to support a dynamic, vibrant downtown and promote future growth through economic development and revitalization initiatives, marketing and events, security, and environmental maintenance. Treier is also president of the Downtown Syracuse Foundation, Inc. and currently serves on the board of directors for The Gifford Foundation. Contact her at MTreier@DowntownSyracuse.com.

Board & Bar Charcuterie owners pivot in more ways than one

Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — The pandemic has been a period filled with pivots and constant reinvention for every business sector, especially the restaurant industry. After Défi Cuisine, of which Nick Salvetti was co-owner, closed during the pandemic, he and his wife, Laurie Salvetti, put their efforts into rebranding and exploring a concept more in line with the

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They are now co-owners of Board & Bar Charcuterie, which they say is Syracuse’s first and only restaurant centered entirely around the charcuterie-board approach to dining.

“We needed to change and to adapt to the new normal,” Nick says. “I don’t think it’s going to ever change back. I think people will always be a little more leery about it.”

Before the pandemic, Défi Cuisine had developed a reputation of being a fine-dining restaurant, “a destination,” Nick says. The concept — very intimate dining in an open kitchen, in which customers interacted with the chef — simply did not lend itself to take-out or outdoor seating, the new staples of pandemic-era dining.

“It was the perfect time to make changes,” he says.

Board & Bar Charcuterie opened earlier this summer at 208 W. Water St. in downtown Syracuse, the space that once housed Défi Cuisine. It offers a variety of meal options, all delivered to patrons on charcuterie boards.

The concept was inspired by the Salvettis’ own approach to food. Not only do their eating habits include a lot of proteins, cheeses, and vegetables — the charcuterie board basics — but they found themselves picking at an assortment of options, rather than sitting down for traditional full meals.

“We would catch ourselves eating the smorgasbord at home,” Laurie says with a laugh.

So, they created similar options for their customers. People dining at Board & Bar Charcuterie get to choose from a range of charcuterie options, like traditional, seafood, and vegan boards. The menu even includes a handful of dessert boards, as well as, on the weekends, a variety of brunch boards.

The goal is to offer a multitude of options with every board — each of which has an assortment of different items — bringing customers back again and again. Thus far, their clientele has run the gamut, from younger to older diners and families as well. Sensitive to dietary restrictions, the Salvettis aim to have something for everyone.

“Each bite can be something different,” Nick says.

The owners are hoping their charcuterie-board concept will give patrons the chance to connect with each other while they share a meal, something people certainly missed during the worst of the pandemic.

“The overall concept gives people the opportunity to interact with one another,” Laurie says.

They hope to encourage this with the restaurant’s look and feel, as well. While the open-kitchen layout remains — with the chef located in the center of the action – they are aiming for a relaxed, casual feel, they say. Board & Bar Charcuterie also has outdoor seating it unveiled in August, with music and string lights at night.

For those not comfortable with dining in a restaurant setting, the team created the charcuterie boards with to-go orders in mind, making them easily packed as take-out options.

While the pandemic hit the restaurant industry particularly hard — an industry that was already risky to enter during normal times, with high failure rates — it provided the ideal backdrop for an establishment like Board & Bar Charcuterie. The exact timing was fortuitous. When restrictions began to ease and restaurants opened beyond take-out only, Board & Bar Charcuterie opened its doors.

“It helped out and worked in our favor, being something new and exciting for people to look forward to,” Laurie says.

Now, even with the possibility of more pandemic restrictions and changes coming in the fall, the duo is confident their charcuterie-board business model will see success — even if they are forced to offer take-out only.

Along with the pandemic timing being opportune in some ways, the Salvettis are happy to be a part of the revitalization they see in downtown Syracuse, as well.

In terms of the restaurant industry, Nick remarked that in the past four or five years, there seem to be many more different restaurant options in the downtown-restaurant scene. With the millennial and younger generations having developed a less fine-dining approach to deciding where to gather for dinner, he predicts those changes will continue.

“It’s fun to be on the cusp of something here, where things are changing,” Nick says. “You can feel it. People want a new concept and something that’s different.”

Downtown Syracuse store rebrands as Ecodessa

Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Ecodessa — the rebranded name of the downtown Syracuse store that originally opened as Gypsy Freedom — has been operating under its new moniker since June 1. The store, which describes itself as the region’s “first sustainable retail fashion company,” sells women’s clothing and accessories. It is located at 312 S. Salina St.

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SYRACUSE — Ecodessa — the rebranded name of the downtown Syracuse store that originally opened as Gypsy Freedom — has been operating under its new moniker since June 1.

The store, which describes itself as the region’s “first sustainable retail fashion company,” sells women’s clothing and accessories. It is located at 312 S. Salina St. in the Pike Block building.

Caeresa Richardson, the store’s sole owner, is an engineer and originally from Buffalo. She is also a 2007 graduate of Syracuse University, earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in fashion design.

Besides rebranding the store, Richardson has been using a social-media show to help attract customers, something she created to help boost business amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Rebranding

Sometimes after launching, a business makes a change based on learning more about its targeted customer base.

Such is the case with Ecodessa. It opened as Gypsy Freedom on Aug. 31, 2020, but over time, Richardson realized she needed a new name.

“Over the year, I learned really who my customer was … my target market being middle-age professional women mostly that need beautiful clothing to wear to and from work in their daily lives,” says Richardson, who spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 20.

She believes the store’s original name sounded too “youthful” and made it difficult to attract the customer base she was targeting.

“And Ecodessa is definitely a lot more representative of that modern, professional woman,” Richardson adds.

The new name is a nod to Richardson’s grandmother, Odessa, and the Eco part is based on the store’s “eco-loving values.”

Ecodessa “closely represents a lifestyle brand dedicated to elevating purpose driven, sustainable-fashion brands and empowering women to support brands that align with their values,” per a news release about the store’s rebrand.

The store sells women’s clothing and accessories from “ethical, sustainable, and socially conscious” fashion brands.

Richardson acknowledges that rebranding a business is “actually really not easy.”

“It’s very difficult, especially when you’ve done as much as we did to get our brand out there during [the COVID-19 pandemic],” she says.

Richardson says that she had to update the store’s website, signage, and marketing materials.

In-store purchases generate about 70 percent of the store’s revenue, while online shopping accounts for the other 30 percent, she says.

Sip & Shop show

Richardson created a digital Sip & Shop show that she offered every month live on Facebook and Instagram. It gets more than 400 viewers per month, she says.

She calls it a “key” component of her business that allowed the store to grow during the pandemic.

Sip & Shop allowed consumers to have a beverage and watch as Richardson and her models showed off the store’s new arrivals.

“To improve the production, I introduced live models … my brand ambassadors who I use for every Sip & Shop,” she adds.

She called the online shows a “great way” to get to know her customers, to replace the pop-up shops that were cancelled, and to sell many of the items that the store had in inventory during that time.

The Sip & Shop shows are currently held on the third Thursday of every month, live on Facebook and Instagram. Richardson had to make an exception on Aug. 19 as she was among the participants in the KeyBank Business Boost & Build virtual-pitch event. She had hoped to secure the $10,000 grand prize to make her Sip & Shop show into a series on YouTube.

Instead, Richardson ended the evening in fourth place, securing $1,500. She planned to use that funding for the August Sip & Shop show, which was scheduled for Aug. 26 at Commonspace on Warren Street. It was slated to be a live event, so she could have an audience, something she says her customers had requested.

The show was also going to serve as a celebration of the store’s one-year anniversary. In addition, Richardson planned to “use that broadcast to pitch to other investors so I can get the funding that I need to hopefully to turn it into my own show,” she says.

Syracuse football coach Dino Babers tests negative for COVID-19

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Nonprofits, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism

The Syracuse Football Twitter account posted the following message on Thursday morning” “Coach Dino Babers’ PCR test has come back negative for COVID-19. In accordance

New Luna Loca restaurant carries on where The Mission left off

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Leigh Ann and Ryan Benz opened a California-style Tex-Mex restaurant called Luna Loca at 304 E. Onondaga St. in downtown Syracuse in early June. Luna Loca (means Crazy Moon in Spanish) is in the former space of a popular Mexican eatery, called The Mission Restaurant, and formerly the site of a historic church.

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VIEWPOINT: Every business leader now has a new role: Healer-in-Chief

Business Mentors, Health Care, Subscriber Only

A study released by the CDC in early July revealed some eye-opening statistics about frontline workers in my industry: • Since March 2020, respondents (health-care workers) reported experiencing traumatic events or stressors. • 72 percent felt overwhelmed by workload or family/work balance • 11.8 percent have received job-related threats because of work • 23.4 percent have felt bullied, threatened, or harassed because

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A study released by the CDC in early July revealed some eye-opening statistics about frontline workers in my industry:

• Since March 2020, respondents (health-care workers) reported experiencing traumatic events or stressors.

• 72 percent felt overwhelmed by workload or family/work balance

• 11.8 percent have received job-related threats because of work

• 23.4 percent have felt bullied, threatened, or harassed because of work

These numbers are as alarming as they are disheartening. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve all weathered the same storm albeit in different boats. But the frontline workers in the health-care industry — the caregivers who stood firm during some of the rockiest times by working day and night caring and tending to others — are feeling exhausted and in need of care and attention themselves.

The Washington Post also reported in April 2021 that about 3 in 10 health-care workers have considered leaving their profession.

As leaders and managers, we may be grieving a loss in our company’s bottom line and be anxious to get back to normal. But, as anxious as we are to push for normalcy and implement a plan to recover from financial losses, now is just not the time. Now, we must focus on a new role — healer-in-chief.

The role of healer-in-chief requires a mind shift. Rather than asking for employees’ ideas on how to boost the bottom line and get back to normal, we need to be making an extra effort to ask how they’re doing and what we can do to help them. This mind shift isn’t restricted to work — it can also be applied as you relate to family and friends in your personal life.

The first step to establish this mindset is to recognize and meet people where they are. To help us do that, I offer these three key groups from “Helping Your Team Heal,” by the Harvard Business Review:

• Worried Well: These employees are healthy and have not experienced sickness in their immediate family. They may be missing key milestones (for example: graduations, weddings), normal work life (in person, not remote), and concern for the future. If they are optimists, they are hoping for the best. If they are less optimistic, they may be feeling the sky is falling.

• The Affected: These workers were sick themselves or are close to someone who was impacted by COVID. This group needs validation and accommodation.

• The Bereaved: These employees have lost a loved one and are grieving a death. Most will be far from acceptance at this point.

Once we understand people’s point of view, we can better understand how to approach them and what kind of support they may need. While the approach may differ, there are guidelines for handling life as the healer-in-chief:

• Acknowledge the facts.
• Accept the uncertainties of the present and the future.
• Acknowledge employees’ feelings.
• Be authentic.
• Go first.
• Employees hear bad (and good) news first.
• Create a culture of mutual support.
• Be intentional about creating meaning at work.

These guidelines come from “The Pandemic Conversations That Leaders Need to Have Now,” written by a faculty member at Harvard Business School and his research associates. I highly recommend you check it out — at https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-pandemic-conversations-that-leaders-need-to-have-now — if you’re looking for more in-depth information on this topic.

One final note — we are all human. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Honesty and vulnerability combined will get you far as you navigate the seemingly awkward conversations with co-workers, family, and friends. While our boats may be different, we can all feel the storm. And now more than ever, your organization and your team need a healer-in-chief.

Kimberly Townsend, Ph.D. is president and CEO of Loretto Management Corporation in Syracuse. She is an expert in the fields of health-care management, board governance, and leadership. Townsend is also author of “Lifecircle Leadership: How Exceptional People Make Every Day Extraordinary” and “Lesson in Lifecircle Leadership: A Guide to Pragmatic Altruism.”

Landmark Theatre installing new seats, new marquee in renovation project

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

SYRACUSE — Crews spent the late part of August and early September installing new seats at the Landmark Theatre in downtown Syracuse, part of a renovation project that will also involve replacement of the venue’s exterior marquee. The renovation project and state funding for it were both announced in October 2019. Mike Intaglietta, executive director

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The renovation project and state funding for it were both announced in October 2019.

Mike Intaglietta, executive director of the Landmark Theatre, spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 18, which represented the third day of the seat-installation process. He expected crews to finish installing all the new seats around Labor Day.

Irwin Seating Co. of Grand Rapids, Michigan is the vendor providing the new seats.

The Landmark Theatre is preparing for upcoming 2021 shows that include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is set for Oct. 12-16; Daughtry’s The Dearly Beloved Tour on Nov. 10; and the show Waitress, which is set for Dec. 7-12.

Those walking or traveling along South Salina Street have likely noticed the structural steel that held up the Landmark Theatre’s previous marquee. Intaglietta says the organization wants to get the new marquee installed this fall. But with performances coming up, the Landmark had to make a decision.

“When it comes down to what do we need to do shows, we need chairs more than we need the marquee. That took the majority of our attention and resources to make sure that we could get this seating project done in a timely fashion,” says Intaglietta.

Wagner Electric Sign Co. of Elyria, Ohio is manufacturing the new marquee. Intaglietta described Wagner Electric as one of two marquee manufacturers in the country.

The cost of the project is between $2.4 million and $2.5 million. The Landmark Theatre used a portion of its general fund to complete the project, he notes.

The 2022 Landmark Theatre schedule includes Blue Man Group performing Feb 24-27; Hasan Minaj on March 3; performances of the musical “Hamilton” between March 15 and March 27; and “Cats” from April 26-30, per its website.

“We’ve got a great Broadway season prepared as well as several single-night shows that are both announced and unannounced,” Intaglietta says.

Project history

New York State Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D–Syracuse) announced the state funding during an October 2019 event inside the Landmark Theatre. At the time, Magnarelli noted that the seat-replacement project is “long overdue.”

“These important capital improvements will help to sustain the historical and iconic building for years to come,” Magnarelli said in his remarks.

The Dormitory Authority of State of New York will administer the $2 million grant funding, per a Landmark Theatre news release about the project.

The original plan was to have the work completed in the summer of 2020 until the coronavirus pandemic put the work on hold.

Festivals return, providing downtown with a boost

Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Festivals finally returned to downtown Syracuse this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped them out in 2020 and delayed their return this year as well. Festivals are a big deal because they attract new visitors to downtown and showcase it, while boosting the urban lifestyle for downtown’s growing population. Kicking things off was

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SYRACUSE — Festivals finally returned to downtown Syracuse this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped them out in 2020 and delayed their return this year as well.

Festivals are a big deal because they attract new visitors to downtown and showcase it, while boosting the urban lifestyle for downtown’s growing population.

Kicking things off was the 50th anniversary edition of the Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival, held July 23-25, along E. Onondaga, E. Jefferson, and Montgomery Streets. It was the first festival held in downtown Syracuse since 2019.

Throughout the weekend, attendees were able to shop and browse a variety of contemporary arts and crafts, including ceramics, sculptures, photography, painting, woodwork, and jewelry. The festival drew about 130 artists, representing 23 U.S. states. Strolling musicians, performers, and summer refreshments were also part of the festival.

“The traffic was constant. People were so happy that the festival was able to happen,” says Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc., which puts on the Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival. “I think people were definitely in the mood to spend because all of the artists and all the vendors did well during that weekend. People were just so thankful to have that return to normalcy.”

Other festivals that followed in forthcoming weeks included the Bacon Festival in Clinton Square, Aug. 13-14; the Syracuse Irish Festival Sept. 10-11, also in Clinton Square; and Festa Italiana Syracuse, held near City Hall Sept. 17-19.

Another key event that brought pop-up entertainment to downtown Syracuse for seven weeks was the new Salt City Summerfest, put on by CNY Jazz Central. Stretching from July 23-Sept. 11, the event brought street entertainment across the downtown area. That included Wednesday lunch-hour concerts at noon for downtown residents and workers in Perseverance Park at South Salina and Fayette streets. Jazz evenings on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown’s patio were also part of the event. And on Fridays and Saturdays, strolling musicians would serenade sidewalk dining areas in Hanover Square and Armory Square.

“So there are these smaller moments of just music for patrons and visitors to downtown to enjoy,” says Treier.

A new offering this year was the Shop Small Sunday event in the Salt City Market parking lot, the fourth Sunday of each summer month. More than 40 small-businesses — including antiquers, crafters, and creators — would display and sell their wares.

“There’s definitely a trend toward some of these smaller popup events in lieu of some of larger festivals that have not been able to happen because of restrictions. You’re seeing the popularity of some of these small popup events where people enjoy the opportunity to get out and support the local businesses and local artists,” says Treier.

Another key downtown event was the Party in the Square, held every Wednesday late afternoon/evening in Clinton Square from early July through the end of September. Live local music, food, and drinks were the calling cards of this party.

CEO FOCUS: GENIUS NY 5.0 Teams Work Toward Pitch Finals

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

In mid-August, we announced the five new companies participating in the GENIUS NY program’s fifth round. These companies moved into CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden and put down roots in Central New York as they work to scale their businesses and advance their technologies. Supporting high-growth companies in the unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS) industry is a focus of the GENIUS

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Supporting high-growth companies in the unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS) industry is a focus of the GENIUS NY program, which, since 2017, has invested $12 million in 22 companies from around the world. Those businesses have attracted more than $40 million in follow-on funding and created more than 50 jobs in New York.

These five teams were selected from the most competitive pool of applicants the competition has seen to date. Additionally, three of the five companies are international teams, a record number for the program. [The five finalists are Circle Optics of Rochester; Airtonomy of Grand Forks, North Dakota; Airial Robotics of Hamburg, Germany; CarScanner of Krakow, Poland; and WindShape of Geneva, Switzerland.] The quality of the teams and the international interest reflect the region’s growing reputation as a global leader in the UAS industry.

The announcement was made at AUVSI Xponential 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia, where CenterState CEO, NUAIR, and other partners were representing the region to highlight the unique assets we have here and the opportunities for companies in this sector to grow in Central New York. In addition to showcasing our community’s expertise, our business-development team connected with companies interested in joining the dozens of other companies we have attracted to the region over the past decade. Those companies, and all the GENIUS NY teams to date, represent a burgeoning industry and ecosystem of support and leadership that we have worked hard to foster.

We are excited to welcome these five new companies to Central New York. We will invest $3 million to support their growth, including a $1 million grand prize. A virtual Pitch Finals event, is set for Oct. 26. To learn more about these teams, contact GENIUS NY Director Kara Jones at kjones@centerstateceo.com.

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 Aug. 19.

Tech & Culture speaker series focuses on workplace diversity

Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE — For people who want to pursue a career in engineering, David Richardson would advise them to “stay the course” and “network, network, network as much as possible.” He also tells them to get involved in as many organizations as they can. “Attend [events] like this. You never know who [you’ll] meet. You have

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SYRACUSE — For people who want to pursue a career in engineering, David Richardson would advise them to “stay the course” and “network, network, network as much as possible.”

He also tells them to get involved in as many organizations as they can.

“Attend [events] like this. You never know who [you’ll] meet. You have to have a degree and the grades, too, but the networking piece, I think, is very big. Always be open to new opportunities,” Richardson says when asked about offering advice to others pursuing engineering.

He would also advise those interested in the technology field to not “get too caught up” in your successes and failures.

Richardson is a system and test engineer at Cicero–based SRC Inc., a nonprofit research and development company that focuses on areas that include defense, environment, and intelligence.

He spoke virtually July 28 as part of CenterState CEO’s Tech & Culture speaker series.

Hosted by Generation Next, the Tech & Culture speaker series seeks to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging in tech-related fields through diverse speakers who are leading in the tech industry.

Generation Next is a CenterState CEO initiative that seeks to “attract diverse talent to Central New York, foster opportunities for career advancement, and connect talented diverse professionals through social engagement and networking opportunities,” per the CenterState CEO website.

Richardson, a graduate of Syracuse University, started his career at Saab Sensis before eventually moving to SRC.

About the moderator, series

Marcus Webb, economic-inclusion fellow at CenterState CEO, moderated Richardson’s talk, asking questions throughout the hour-long presentation.

The speaker series started in July 2020 and 18 speakers have participated since the beginning, according to Webb. Videos of the speakers are available on the Tech Garden website and on YouTube.

CenterState CEO is using an AdvancingCities grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to try to bring diversity to the local technology sector, making sure that people on Syracuse’s South Side are “accessing opportunities and resources in the tech ecosystem here in Syracuse,” Webb told CNYBJ in a July 30 phone interview.

“We put a lot of money into the initiative that we created, which is called tech and culture, which is really about attracting and retaining diverse talent from outside of Central New York and have them come to work here… also, cultivating opportunities for our talent that we already have here,” says Webb.

The speaker series has included people from outside the state as well as those on a regional and local level. They talk about their careers in technology in hopes that they can “really motivate individuals from within those communities that we’re targeting to get into tech,” says Webb.

Joy Huggins, a cybersecurity professional from Washington, D.C., was the August speaker. She owns a business called Defender’s Academy in which she educates young people about the benefits of working in cybersecurity. She was scheduled to speak Aug. 26 at the OneGroup education center, representing the first in-person speaking event.

In September, the speakers include Korie Grayson, a biochemical engineer, who will speak virtually about STEM careers on Sept. 29.

When asked how this speaker series can help to revitalize those who work in the field and those who would like to, Webb says that the speaker series brings together people from diverse backgrounds “who may feel socially alienated in their organizations.”

“Being part of this Tech & Culture network, we’re trying to build something where people can come together and they can have these conversations and they can build the great rapport and relationships and talk about their experiences in these different tech fields and areas also serve as mentors to aspiring young individuals who are looking to get to where they’re at in life,” Webb tells CNYBJ.

Webb joined CenterState CEO in February 2020 for a year-long fellowship, but he says it’s been extended. The JPMorgan Chase grant funded the fellowship and Webb has been leading the group that’s coordinating the speaker series, he notes.

Webb is a 2013 graduate of Henninger High School in Syracuse. He later attended Onondaga Community College, where he earned an associate degree in business administration and management in 2017. Webb then transferred to Syracuse University, where he graduated with a degree in economics in 2019. He’s currently pursuing an MBA degree at Syracuse.

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