New York milk production slips slightly in November

Get our email updates

Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.

New York dairy farms produced 1.24 billion pounds of milk in November, down 0.2 percent from 1.243 billion pounds in the year-ago month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. Milk production per cow in the state averaged 1,975 pounds in November, off 0.5 percent from 1,985 pounds in the year-prior month. The […]

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Lockheed’s Owego plant to perform half the work on nearly $22M Navy contract

Manufacturing & Engineering, New York News, Regional News, Subscriber Only, Technology

OWEGO, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (NYSE: LMT) Owego operation recently won a $21.7 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the U.S. Navy. This contract provides tear down and evaluation of the P3-C aircraft mission systems hardware, as well as obsolescence studies and technical support to maintain the P3-C mission systems for the government of Taiwan,

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Welch Allyn has a new parent company as Baxter completes acquisition of Hillrom

Health Care, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only, Technology

Welch Allyn — the medical-device maker in Skaneateles Falls whose presence in Central New York dates back more than a century — has a new owner. Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), an Illinois medical-products company, on Dec. 13 announced it has completed its acquisition of Hillrom (NYSE: HRC) in a $10.5 billion deal. Hillrom is the

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Welch Allyn — the medical-device maker in Skaneateles Falls whose presence in Central New York dates back more than a century — has a new owner.

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), an Illinois medical-products company, on Dec. 13 announced it has completed its acquisition of Hillrom (NYSE: HRC) in a $10.5 billion deal.

Hillrom is the parent company of Welch Allyn.

Baxter paid $156 in cash for each outstanding share of Hillrom common stock, per Baxter’s news release.

Including the assumption of Hillrom’s outstanding debt obligations, the enterprise value of the transaction is about $12.5 billion.

Hillrom, a global medical-technology firm, is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, while Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, a Chicago suburb.

Baxter’s proposed acquisition of Hillrom was announced on Sept. 2.

Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. in June 2015 announced plans to acquire Welch Allyn Inc. for about $2.05 billion in cash and stock. Nearly three years later, Hillrom formally dedicated a $12.7 million expansion project that adds about 100,000 square feet to the Welch Allyn campus.

Welch Allyn employs about 1,000 people in Skaneateles Falls, according to CNYBJ research.

“The Baxter-Hillrom combination unlocks the next phase of our transformation, presenting a new wave of potential to drive greater impact for patients, clinicians, employees, shareholders and other communities we serve worldwide,” José (Joe) Almeida, chairman, president and CEO of Baxter, said. “Integrating our complementary capabilities introduces additional opportunities for growth across our broad geographic footprint and also creates remarkable new possibilities for connectivity with leading-edge digital health innovation focused on enhancing care, lowering costs and increasing workflow efficiency.”

The combination unites two med-tech organizations in a “shared vision for transforming healthcare and advancing patient care worldwide.”

Baxter says plans to build on its global footprint, including commercial and service infrastructure, to expand legacy Hillrom and Welch Allyn products into new international markets, and bringing the collective portfolio of products and services to even more patients and providers worldwide, per its news release.

Stanley to transition to SUNY interim-chancellor role

Health Care, Subscriber Only

ALBANY, N.Y. — SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley is heading toward retirement on Dec. 31, but her immediate plans will keep her quite active in the education sector. The SUNY board of trustees on Dec. 20 announced it has appointed Stanley as interim chancellor to lead SUNY after Chancellor Jim Malatras steps down on Jan.

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

ALBANY, N.Y. — SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley is heading toward retirement on Dec. 31, but her immediate plans will keep her quite active in the education sector.

The SUNY board of trustees on Dec. 20 announced it has appointed Stanley as interim chancellor to lead SUNY after Chancellor Jim Malatras steps down on Jan. 14.

Malatras announced his resignation on Dec. 9 after documents pertaining to the sexual-harassment probe of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed that Malatras had conversations that included comments about Lindsey Boylan, a Cuomo accuser and a former Malatras co-worker that used language involving an expletive. The New York State Attorney General’s office the previous week had released the documents on the sexual-harassment probe of Cuomo.

Malatras noted in his resignation letter that “the recent events surrounding me over the past week have become a distraction.”

In her new role, Stanley brings nearly 45 years of campus leadership to SUNY and will begin serving as interim chancellor on Jan. 15. She’ll retire as the 10th president of SUNY Oswego at the end of this month after serving in the role since 1997 and as interim president for two years before her appointment to the permanent role.

“…President Stanley is the right educator at the right time to lead this prestigious university system,” Merryl Tisch, who chairs the SUNY board of trustees, said in a release. “With President Stanley’s decades of leadership, commitment to academic excellence, and her unwavering support for students, she is well-positioned to serve our 64 campuses with a proven record of accomplishments, integrity, and intellect.”

Stanley made the following statement about her new assignment:

“During my tenure at SUNY, I have had the great pleasure of collaborating with exemplary leaders at all levels throughout our system, and it is an incredible honor to continue that work with the SUNY Board of Trustees and our campus presidents,” she said. “I do not take lightly our responsibility to make sure we are providing a safe and welcoming environment that allows our students to grow academically and provide the foundation to pursue and reach their goals and dreams. During this leadership transition, their success will be my highest priority, and I look forward to leading this great university system to new heights.”

Fred Kowal, president of United University Professions, called Stanley “an immensely accomplished leader” and hopes she will “effectively lead SUNY through this transition period.”

“Today, we also renew our call for a nationwide search for a permanent SUNY chancellor with a high priority on candidates of diversity, and an open, communicative process,” Kowal said in a Dec. 20 statement. “In the coming year, there is critical work that will need to be done and we look forward to working with the Board of Trustees, Dr. Stanley, and the other unions representing SUNY employees to deliver resources and support for our members, our students, and our patients across New York.”

The SUNY board of trustees also announced it will begin a “global search” in January for the permanent SUNY chancellor. The board plans to work with an executive-search firm to identify, recruit, and encourage potential candidates; review the qualifications of applicants; and verify the credentials of all finalists, per the release.

Versatility Enterprises buys Erie Boulevard building for $400,000

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

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Versatility Enterprises, LLC recently purchased the 6,720-square-foot, freestanding building located on about one acre at 2700 Erie Blvd. E. in Syracuse. Versatility Enterprises is a licensed and bonded freight shipping and trucking company. The purchase price was $400,000 on this transaction, which closed on Oct. 1, according to Onondaga County’s online property

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Community Bank System appoints Knauss as new independent director

Banks & Credit Unions, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, People on the Move, Small Business, Subscriber Only, Technology

DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) recently announced it has appointed Jeffery (Jeff) Knauss to its board of directors as a new independent director. His election expands the banking company’s board to 13 directors, 12 of whom are independent. Knauss was also appointed to the board of directors of Community Bank, N.A.,

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) recently announced it has appointed Jeffery (Jeff) Knauss to its board of directors as a new independent director.

His election expands the banking company’s board to 13 directors, 12 of whom are independent. Knauss was also appointed to the board of directors of Community Bank, N.A., the company’s wholly owned banking subsidiary. He will serve on the company’s risk and governance committees and as the board’s representative to the company’s technology committee.

Knauss has extensive experience in digital marketing and technology development, having served as the CEO and co-founder of Digital Hyve, a Syracuse–based digital marketing and advertising firm. It was named the 52nd fastest growing private company in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine in 2018 and has remained on Inc.’s 5,000, a list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S., for the following three years. Knauss and his business partner, Jake Tanner, sold Digital Hyve to Butler/Till, a Rochester–based women-owned, employee-owned, marketing agency, in June.

Knauss also has significant entrepreneurial experience with numerous startup ventures and as an angel investor to several companies. He currently is an investor in several businesses including food-service firms and startups focused on medical research, professional networking, e-commerce platforms, and mobile-payment apps.

“We are pleased to welcome Jeff Knauss as a new independent director to the Board of Directors of Community Bank System, Inc. and Community Bank, N.A.,” said Sally A. Steele, chair of the board of directors. “His knowledge of the digital technology sector and entrepreneurial experience will be an asset to the Board during this age of digital commerce and we look forward to his contributions in the areas of marketing, technology development, and business matters.”

Mark E. Tryniski, president and CEO of Community Bank System, added this comment: “Adding Jeff to our Board of Directors is an exciting opportunity because he will bring new energy and innovative ideas as we continue our transition to digital platforms in our operations and delivery of financial services. His experience in the areas of digital technology, cyber security, consumer-centric marketing, entrepreneurship, and forward-looking perspective, will be an asset as we continue to utilize technology to effectively serve our customers.”

Prior to Digital Hyve, Knauss was an advertising account executive and sales manager with national-affiliated broadcast stations in Central New York and with a media group providing marketing strategies for internet and mobile applications.

Knauss graduated from SUNY Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in public relations, with a concentration in marketing. Knauss lives in Central New York, which is a key geographic region for Community Bank System and devotes substantial time and energy to nonprofit organizations and initiatives to benefit these communities. He is currently a member of the board of directors of CenterState CEO, the Onondaga Community College Foundation, the Loretto Foundation, the SUNY Oswego Foundation, and the United Way of CNY. Since 2016, Knauss has served on the board of directors of Byrne Dairy, Inc., a producer and distributor of dairy products based in Central New York.

Community Bank operates more than 215 branches across upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and western Massachusetts. With assets of more than $15.3 billion, the DeWitt–headquartered company is among the country’s 125 largest banking institutions.

Survey: 86% of hotels see supply- chain issues impacting operations

Manufacturing & Engineering, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

More than 70 percent face increased costs, lack of availability for key items Supply-chain disruptions are affecting the operations of more than eight in 10 surveyed hotels, and nearly three out four hotel operators say the disruptions are negatively impacting their business revenue, according to a recent survey of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) members.

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Toale to lead SUNY Oswego during SUNY search for next school president

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, People on the Move, Subscriber Only

OSWEGO — The leadership transition at SUNY Oswego will include an officer-in-charge as SUNY searches for a new permanent president for the campus. SUNY has appointed Mary Toale as officer-in-charge. Her duties in the role are effective Jan. 1, 2022, SUNY Oswego said in a news release. She most recently served as deputy to the

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

OSWEGO — The leadership transition at SUNY Oswego will include an officer-in-charge as SUNY searches for a new permanent president for the campus.

SUNY has appointed Mary Toale as officer-in-charge. Her duties in the role are effective Jan. 1, 2022, SUNY Oswego said in a news release.

She most recently served as deputy to the president, affirmative action officer, and campus safety monitor.

Toale will assume leadership duties following the Dec. 31 retirement of long-serving school president Deborah Stanley. SUNY on Dec. 20 appointed Stanley interim chancellor of the SUNY system, effective on Jan. 15.

Toale has served SUNY Oswego in a number of leadership roles since her arrival in 2014. In addition to her most recent duties, Toale has also served as the liaison to the SUNY employee relations and general counsel’s offices, the school said.

She joined SUNY Oswego in 2014 to create and launch the strategic communication graduate program. Toale has been in higher education for more than 25 years, having spent the past 20 years as a faculty member at schools including SUNY Oswego; West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia; and Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, per the release.

“I have been extremely fortunate to work closely with President Stanley, the dedicated members of our President’s Council, administrators, faculty, staff and students across our campus,” Toale said. “As a first-generation Pell grant recipient, I love SUNY Oswego’s mission and learner-centered focus. I am looking forward to the continued partnerships as the SUNY Oswego community searches for our next president.”

Toale has been deeply involved in and advanced all high-level initiatives of the SUNY Oswego President’s Office. She recently partnered with President Stanley and Rodmon King, the college’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, to create the Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Transformative Practice.

SUNY Oswego’s presidential search committee, led by College Council Chair James McMahon, has already started a national search for a permanent president for the campus. The university is working with SUNY and Academic Search — a Washington, D.C.–based executive-search firm catering to colleges and universities — to recruit prospective candidates, the university said.

VIEWPOINT: 5 Things Confident Professionals Never Do

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

It’s said that confidence is the most sought-after thing you can possess. So, why do so many people struggle to attain it professionally in the workplace? Why are some of your colleagues so confident while others seem to be afraid of their own shadow? What does confidence actually look like and what do truly confident people

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Here are just a few things confident people don’t do:

• They never put up a false front: Truly confident people are honest on all accounts, especially when they don’t know something. They’re not afraid to look “dumb” because they know they’re not. They’d rather learn than pretend. Authenticity is more important than false credibility. The best part is they are who they really are on every occasion.

• They don’t try to be people pleasers: Confident people don’t hold back their beliefs or sugarcoat things. They say what’s on their mind whether others agree or not. They are driven by internal validation. They don’t need your opinion to remind them of their awesomeness. Sure, it’s nice when others appreciate them, but it’s not necessary to their existence.

• They don’t compare themselves to others: Confident people understand that “comparison is the death of joy.” They are so comfortable in their own skin and so secure in their own abilities, that it doesn’t matter what other people are doing around them. They always play their game and aren’t distracted by other people’s approach or success.

• They don’t judge or criticize: Truly confident people don’t need to take other people down in order to make themselves feel good. They appreciate and accept the uniqueness in others and know that standing out is a good thing. They’re champions of authenticity, not critics. Even if they disagree with what you have to say, confident people respect your opinions.

• They don’t hog the spotlight: You may think that a confident person would want to shine in every situation. Stealing the show doesn’t make you confident. It makes you a show-off. In fact, there’s nothing more irresistible than people with quiet confidence. Their actions speak louder than words and that’s all that truly matters.

Leslie Ehm is author of the book, “Swagger: Unleash Everything You Are and Become Everything You Want.” She also provides training services to companies, with her clients having included Google, Shell, and Honda. Contact Ehm at www.leslieehm.com/connect/

VIEWPOINT: Healthy Eating Facts for the Holiday

Business Mentors, Health Care, Subscriber Only

Small choices that add up to better health With the holiday season in full swing, the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives for all, reminds people of the importance of maintaining a balanced approach to healthy eating during the upcoming festivities. “It is possible to enjoy special occasion foods in moderation and

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Small choices that add up to better health

With the holiday season in full swing, the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives for all, reminds people of the importance of maintaining a balanced approach to healthy eating during the upcoming festivities.

“It is possible to enjoy special occasion foods in moderation and maintain an overall eating pattern that supports health,” says American Heart Association Syracuse Board President, Peggy Thomas, deputy director of nursing at Upstate Community Hospital. “The stress around trying to eat healthy comes from an all or nothing mindset. Instead, find the simple ways you can make healthier choices and add in more nutrient dense food when possible.”

The American Heart Association’s latest dietary guidance offers tips to keep in mind for maintaining a heart-healthy diet this holiday season.

• Sip smarter: Ditch sugary drinks and, if you do drink alcohol, limit alcohol consumption during meals. And choose still or sparkling water with fresh fruit for a festive twist.

• Be picky about fats: Opt for liquid non-tropical plant oils such as olive oil when cooking your favorite holiday recipe. A recent study highlighted the benefit of plant-based fats, linking higher intake of vegetable and polyunsaturated fat to a 12 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those eating less of these kinds of fats.

• Think lean when it comes to protein: Plant proteins like nuts and legumes, fish or seafood, low fat or non-fat dairy, and lean cuts of meat are the best bet when picking protein. Research shows that replacing red and processed meat with other protein sources is associated with lower death rates from cardiovascular disease.

• When in doubt, add color: Choose a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to include during holiday celebrations.

• Keep moving: Balance food and calorie intake with physical activity to maintain a healthy weight. Take a walk with loved ones after a holiday meal or play fetch with your pet.

Thomas says what’s most important is for your overall eating pattern to be healthy. “An occasional indulgence during the holidays isn’t something to stress about. Making huge, calorie laden meals your go-to is the real problem. Look at the big picture and savor the season in moderation.”

Whether you are preparing your own meals, visiting loved one’s or eating takeout, keep these tips top of mind for a healthful holiday season. For more healthy eating tips, visit heart.org/eatsmart.

Get our email updates

Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.

Get our email updates

What's New

Upcoming Events

Project Homecoming Job & Career Fair 2025

Annual Nonprofit Conference 2026

2026 CenterState CEO Economic Forecast Breakfast

CNYBJ Job Board

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get Instant Access to This Article

Get our email updates