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

Tompkins County has $45K in tourism grants available
ITHACA, N.Y. — The Tompkins County Tourism Program is accepting applications for its fall 2025 funding rounds from two of its established grant programs designed

IKEA is coming to Destiny USA this fall
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Destiny USA on Tuesday announced home-furnishings retailer IKEA is “coming soon.” A graphic on the Destiny USA announcement says Fall 2025. The

Health Foundation awards grant funding to area college, Health WorkForce New York
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Cayuga Community College and Health WorkForce New York (HWNY) are among the recipients of a total of $500,000 from the Health Foundation

Upstate Medical University breaks ground on new Upstate Pathology Institute, expects to add jobs
DeWITT, N.Y. — Upstate Medical University on Monday, July 7 broke ground on a new, 109,000-square-foot clinical pathology laboratory facility, known as the Upstate Pathology

SUNY Oswego financial-aid leader appointed to NCAA board to support student-athletes
OSWEGO, N.Y. — SUNY Oswego says Rodrick Andrews, the school’s assistant VP for admissions and financial aid, was recently appointed to the NCAA Division III financial-aid committee. The school sees the appointment as providing Andrews the “opportunity to support student-athletes nationwide,” per its announcement. “I’m bringing in [more than 25] years of experience working with
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
OSWEGO, N.Y. — SUNY Oswego says Rodrick Andrews, the school’s assistant VP for admissions and financial aid, was recently appointed to the NCAA Division III financial-aid committee.
The school sees the appointment as providing Andrews the “opportunity to support student-athletes nationwide,” per its announcement.
“I’m bringing in [more than 25] years of experience working with financial aid, plus a perspective of working with student-athletes on financial aid,” Andrews said in the announcement. “Also, I provide the perspective of somebody working for a public school, where we do things differently than private schools might.”
Andrews has worked for SUNY Oswego since 2019.
The opportunity became available via an opening for a four-year term that an existing member had partially fulfilled. The NCAA put out a call for a qualified financial-aid representative to provide this key perspective, and Wendy McManus, Oswego’s assistant VP for intercollegiate athletics, reached out to Andrews.
“The main focus is on reviewing financial aid policies for Division III, and also making recommendations on any changes,” Andrews said. “If violations come up from an institution, we review them and make recommendations to the NCAA on how to remedy them.”
The appointment includes two full meetings for the committee in February and October, but the group also meets when needed during the year, SUNY Oswego said.
“For me, this is exciting because the previous institutions I’ve worked for are Division I, so I can bring that perspective in as well,” said Andrews, who in 2024 earned selection to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Emerging Leaders program.
“I definitely would like to see, as we go forward, more clarity going to Division III departments and institutions about how financial aid should work,” Andrews noted. “One of my focuses is on what we can do to better educate students about it.”

Bassett, ONC BOCES graduate 23 LPN students
ONEONTA, N.Y. — Bassett Healthcare Network’s A.O. Fox Hospital and Otsego Northern Catskills Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ONC BOCES) on June 26 graduated the first class of licensed practical nursing (LPN) students who began their studies since the program transitioned to the hospital in the fall of 2024. “You didn’t just complete a program,
Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
ONEONTA, N.Y. — Bassett Healthcare Network’s A.O. Fox Hospital and Otsego Northern Catskills Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ONC BOCES) on June 26 graduated the first class of licensed practical nursing (LPN) students who began their studies since the program transitioned to the hospital in the fall of 2024.
“You didn’t just complete a program, you answered a calling,” ONC BOCES Director of Student Services April Erkson told the graduating class. Erkson delivered the welcome address at the June 26 ceremony at SUNY Oneonta, celebrating 23 graduates.
The 10-month program required students to complete intensive classroom study in the areas of nursing fundamentals, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, growth and development, maternity and pediatrics, ethics, and other clinical disciplines. The class observed and rotated in clinical areas at A.O. Fox Hospital, Fox Nursing Home, and across Bassett Healthcare Network, gaining hands-on experience alongside the program’s academic components. Students also engaged in clinical simulation laboratories to apply practical skills.
Joan MacDonald, president and CEO of Helios Care, and Jennifer Gerster, clinical instructor, led the pinning ceremony, which marks a nurse’s official entry to the field.
Bassett Healthcare Network’s nursing recruitment team is working with the graduates as they pursue positions within the health system.

David S. Urban has also joined Fust Charles as a tax associate. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accountancy and supply chain management from Syracuse

Michaela M. Lohr has joined Fust Charles as a tax associate. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Lohr

Taina Fussa has joined Fust Charles as an audit associate. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Oswego. Fussa is originally from Washington

The Reading League — a Syracuse–based national nonprofit whose mission is to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction — has appointed
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.