Rashida Sawyer Bakery formally opens storefront in Ithaca

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ITHACA, N.Y. — Rashida Sawyer Bakery recently formally opened its first storefront in downtown Ithaca. The bakery held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 9 with City of Ithaca and Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) representatives at the storefront at 110 W. Green St. Rashida Sawyer Bakery is known locally for its selection of homemade cheesecakes. Now […]

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ITHACA, N.Y. — Rashida Sawyer Bakery recently formally opened its first storefront in downtown Ithaca.

The bakery held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 9 with City of Ithaca and Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) representatives at the storefront at 110 W. Green St.

Rashida Sawyer Bakery is known locally for its selection of homemade cheesecakes. Now that it has its storefront, the small business plans to expand its offerings to include more cheesecake varieties, homemade artisan bread, cupcakes, pound cakes, layer, sheet and wedding cakes, gluten-free blackout bars, and other gourmet baked goods, according to a DIA news release.

Loraine Rashida Sawyer, executive chef, “is the local legend behind crafting cakes. partly from the skills she obtained from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, her Southern soul-food upbringing, and just plain ol’ meticulous tinkering,” the DIA said.

For years, Sawyer made cakes for local caterers, restaurants, and a Ben & Jerry’s storefront formerly on Cayuga Street in Ithaca. She and her husband, Csiko Sawyer, also operated a booth at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market under the name “Rashida’s Deluxe Baked Goods.”

“Some time ago, Rashida stepped away from the baking business to raise her children, but she never stopped her passion for developing and improving time-tested recipes,” the release explained.

In 2018, her oldest son, Kibwe (KC) Sawyer, revisited the idea of starting a small bakery with his mother’s recipes at the core. Teaming with his wife, Shaina Sawyer; cousin Jennifer Phelps and her husband Jon; his father, Csiko Sawyer; and of course, his mom, Loraine Rashida Sawyer, the family moved forward with the launch of Rashida Sawyer Bakery.

DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson said, “We’ve had Rashida Sawyer Bakery in our sights for a while. We’re thrilled it now has its brick and mortar location in our community where everyone can enjoy its fresh-baked treats.”

Rashida Sawyer Bakery is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

NYS Innovation Summit set for Turning Stone in November

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VERONA, N.Y. — The New York State Innovation Summit — an annual showcase for technology and discovery — is set for Nov. 8-9 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona. The annual event brings together New York’s “brightest minds, most promising tech and manufacturing companies, and most resourceful innovation support services,” event organizers boasted

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VERONA, N.Y. — The New York State Innovation Summit — an annual showcase for technology and discovery — is set for Nov. 8-9 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona.

The annual event brings together New York’s “brightest minds, most promising tech and manufacturing companies, and most resourceful innovation support services,” event organizers boasted in a news release.

The summit is back this year after the 2020 event, which had been planned for the Mohawk Valley, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2019 Summit, held in Rochester, attracted more than 500 innovators, business leaders, and entrepreneurs, as well as 100-plus exhibitors, “providing a boost to area hotels, restaurants and attractions.”

Through a series of speakers, breakout sessions, and pitch sessions, attendees will have the chance to demonstrate, discover, and collaborate on new and emerging technologies. This year’s event also includes an annual commercialization competition.

NYSTAR — Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation — and FuzeHub, the statewide center for the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP), organize the Innovation Summit.

Those interested in attending can register at https://nysinnovationsummit.com/registration/.

Several prominent executives and leaders are scheduled to speak at the 2021 Summit, including Gregg Lowe, president and CEO of Durham, North Carolina–based Cree, Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE), which is building a silicon-carbide fabrication facility in Marcy. In addition, the speakers include Andrew Marsh, president and CEO of Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG); Guha Bala, president of Velan Studios; and Joshua Ness, Verizon 5G Labs senior manager.

“This year’s lineup not only illustrates the strength of New York State’s innovation economy, but also represents some of its key sectors: clean technology, semiconductors, digital gaming and information technology. And with a $1 billion chip fabrication plant rising near Utica, the Mohawk Valley is the perfect location to showcase — and accelerate — our state’s technological prowess,” Matt Watson, senior VP of NYSTAR, said in the release. “Many attendees and exhibitors — including companies represented by our keynoters — have received support from NYSTAR’s extensive network. The summit brings them together to spur even more growth, which in turn creates jobs and strengthens New York’s economic future. We look forward to the return of this vital event and to the inevitable success stories that will be traced back to November 2021 at the New York State Innovation Summit.”

Additional speakers and panelists for the 2021 New York State Innovation Summit will be announced in the coming weeks.

Breakout sessions

NYSTAR and FuzeHub will use the event to feature companies and researchers “at the forefront of advancements in technologies and production capabilities.” Experts in several areas — including biotechnology, new materials, energy innovation, and artificial intelligence — will explore current technology-convergence opportunities, ways to speed up commercialization, and issues of manufacturing sustainability.

The Innovation Summit will include breakout sessions, in which participants will learn about economic development in New York, including today’s capital-funding landscape and the state-supported programs that provide “critical resources and incentives” for manufacturing and technology companies.

The sessions will also focus on national trends related to the future of electronics packaging and manufacturing, innovations that protect bodies of water and promote sustainable food production, and emerging strategies for manufacturers in a post-COVID era.

In addition, the breakout sessions will also focus on disruptive technologies, including the impact of quantum breakthroughs, the competitive advantages of harnessing data and artificial intelligence, and the opportunities that exist for innovators in biotechnology and advanced health care.

Commercialization competition

FuzeHub’s annual Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund Commercialization Competition will be a new addition to the Innovation Summit this November. Now in its fifth year, the Commercialization Competition awards funding to companies from across New York. Finalists pitch their products in front of a live audience, and a panel of industry experts select the winners based on the commercialization potential of their technologies.

FuzeHub and NYSTAR awarded a total of $300,000 to six companies during last year’s Commercialization Competition.

“At the heart of each Innovation Summit has been the potential for commercialization of cutting-edge technology developed and manufactured in New York State,” Elena Garuc, executive director of FuzeHub, said. “That’s what makes our Commercialization Competition a natural fit — I expect the bar to be higher than ever before. As in the past, startups and manufacturers will also have access to resources from NYSTAR and NY MEP to help them get to the next level.”

Jeff Lawrence, who died in 2015, was a top executive at the Albany–based Center for Economic Growth, the MEP Center for the Capital Region, and a supporter of New York manufacturing and entrepreneurial communities, according to FuzeHub.

Lockheed’s Salina plant wins $21M modification to Navy pact

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SALINA, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (NYSE: LMT) Salina plant was recently awarded a $21.2 million modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for Navy equipment, components, engineering services, and other direct costs. This effort will award the procurement of Navy equipment and engineering services. Work will be performed in Salina (66

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Ithaca firm awarded federal grant for energy-efficiency program work

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ITHACA, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Performance Systems Development of Ithaca a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for its proposed project, “Supercharging Standardized Asset Data with EnergyPlus.” The DOE’s Building Technologies Office funded nine SBIR Phase II Release 2 projects, totaling $8.9 million, including the PSD award. The DOE

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The DOE’s Building Technologies Office funded nine SBIR Phase II Release 2 projects, totaling $8.9 million, including the PSD award. The DOE didn’t list specific dollar amounts for the grants awarded in its Aug. 3 news release announcing the funding.

Performance Systems Development (PSD) says it a provider of energy-efficiency programs and software services, including its Compass software platform, for utilities and their customers. PSD’s main office is located at 124 Brindley St. in Ithaca.

The phase II project seeks to help building owners improve the real-estate value of their energy-efficient properties, expand the range of utility-rebate incentives available to customers, and reduce the costs associated with obtaining financial-rebate incentives.

Through the SBIR grant funding, PSD says it will expand its engineering and software-development teams in Ithaca and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“We continue to grow our data-configuration services because of [research & development (R&D)] grants like this. This project will allow us to grow our software-development team in Ithaca and Philadelphia,” Rich Andrulis, director of product development and delivery, said.

The SBIR program is a DOE initiative intended to help small businesses conduct R&D to meet specific energy needs. PSD will use DOE funding to build software products that help states and utilities use energy efficiency to support the electrification of buildings as part of meeting climate-change decarbonization goals.

Key partners on the project include the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Honeywell.

“Utilizing these new software tools with our partners will help energy efficiency programs become more efficient and access deeper savings,” Greg Thomas, founder of PSD and the project’s principal investigator, said. “They will also add more real-estate value to the homes that are improved. These research and development investments are critical as we all work to decarbonize our buildings.”

PSD was selected as one of 110 SBIR/STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) Phase II awardees to build on years of DOE research and development programs like EnergyPlus, HPXML, and Home Energy Score to streamline and credential energy calculations for utility programs.

“We are excited that this work demonstrates how DOE’s investments in simulation tools and data standards can be leveraged to reduce the cost of energy efficiency programs and support state and national goals for building decarbonization,” Madeline Salzman, management & programs analyst at the U.S. Department of Energy, contended. “This effort will put building energy data to work in New York and other states to simplify heat pump and efficiency deployment and combat the climate crisis.”

New fishing-access site opens in Broome County

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MAINE, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced the opening of a new fishing-access site on Nanticoke Creek in Broome County. The new Shadowbrook Fishing Access Site is located off State Route 26 at the end of Shadowbrook Drive, south of the village of Maine. “The new Nanticoke Creek

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SUNY Oswego awarded STARS silver rating for sustainability work

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OSWEGO, N.Y. — SUNY Oswego announced it has earned a STARS silver rating in recognition of its sustainability efforts from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–based Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS — which is short for the sustainability tracking, assessment, and rating system — “measures and encourages” sustainability in all aspects of

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STARS — which is short for the sustainability tracking, assessment, and rating system — “measures and encourages” sustainability in all aspects of higher education, per an Aug. 27 university news release.

AASHE says it is an association of colleges and universities working to create a sustainable future. It provides resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable colleges and universities to “model and advance sustainability in everything they do,” from governance and operations to education and research.

By participating in STARS, SUNY Oswego aligns itself with “high” campus-sustainability standards and “commits itself” to continuing to work toward a “more sustainable campus.” In previous years, the college has participated in STARS and looks to continue this participation.

“It has been an inspirational experience to work with a team of dedicated professionals from across our campus to gauge our progress towards a more sustainable future through the STARS reporting process,” Kate Spector, SUNY Oswego’s sustainability manager, said in the release.

SUNY Oswego’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website.

Through SUNY Oswego’s commitment to being a more sustainable campus, STARS recognized the school’s campus food pantry SHOP (Students Helping Oz Peers). It supplies nonperishable food items, personal-care products, and clothing to students in need.

AASHE also gave SUNY Oswego high marks for diverse academic offerings that include sustainability-focused topics as well as the large percentage of faculty members who take part in sustainability-centric research opportunities and grants.

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the “most widely recognized framework in the world” for publicly reporting information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas that include academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” Meghan Fay Zahniser, executive director of AASHE, said. “SUNY Oswego has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS silver rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

The STARS program is open to all institutions of higher education.

Syracuse CoE becomes channel partner of Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The SyracuseCoE, New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, is now a channel partner of the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2). The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) co-administers the IN2. IN2 is a $50 million technology incubator and platform funded by the Wells Fargo

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The SyracuseCoE, New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, is now a channel partner of the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2).

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) co-administers the IN2.

IN2 is a $50 million technology incubator and platform funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Housed at NREL in Golden, Colorado, IN2’s objective is to “speed the path to market” for early-stage, clean-technology entrepreneurs, the SyracuseCoE, which is led by Syracuse University, said in a news release.

The SyracuseCoE is one of only two New York–based, clean-tech partners to join the nationwide network of channel partners. The network includes more than 60 colleges and universities, business incubators and accelerators, and their affiliated clean-technology programs.

An invitation-only program, IN2 relies on channel partners like SyracuseCoE to refer promising companies to the program for consideration in a competitive application and down-selection process prior to being invited to join the next cohort.

Cohort 10, a cleantech-demonstration cohort, will be launched within the next few months.

The SyracuseCoE has spoken with three Syracuse-area startups, one located downstate, and another in Florida to gauge their interest in participating, Tamara Rosanio, associate director of partner programs at SyracuseCoE, tells CNYBJ in an email.

Those companies are assessing their R&D needs before deciding by the mid-September deadline, Rosanio added.

Launched in 2014 with an initial focus on supporting “scalable solutions” to reduce the energy impact of commercial buildings, IN2 has since expanded its focus to “advance technologies” that address the sustainable production of agriculture and housing affordability.

IN2 supports clean-energy startups and agriculture companies by providing funding for projects of up to $250,000, including technical assistance that leverages the capabilities, facilities, equipment, and expertise available through NREL, as well as at the St. Louis, Missouri–based Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (Danforth Center).

To date, 56 portfolio companies have each received up to $250,000 in technical and project assistance from the IN2 program. For every IN2 program dollar awarded, on average, IN2 companies raise more than $95 dollars in external follow-on funding. IN2 portfolio companies have gone on to raise $1.1 billion from external follow-on funding, creating 774 jobs.

“Relationships with DOE national labs are critical to growing the clean-tech innovation cluster in New York state,” Eric Schiff, director of SyracuseCoE. said. “We are thrilled to become an IN2 Channel Partner. In addition to providing much-needed support for project funding, startups that are invited to join an IN2 cohort are paired with experts from NREL or the Danforth Center who can help them address critical milestones on their paths to commercialization.”

Taitem Engineering promotes Bronsnick to VP

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ITHACA, N.Y. — Taitem Engineering, PC — a design engineering and energy-consulting firm based in Ithaca — recently promoted Yossi Bronsnick, a senior engineer and partner, to vice president. Bronsnick joined Taitem in 2006, became a partner in 2013, and has led the design engineering department for many years, the firm said in a news

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ITHACA, N.Y. — Taitem Engineering, PC — a design engineering and energy-consulting firm based in Ithaca — recently promoted Yossi Bronsnick, a senior engineer and partner, to vice president.

Bronsnick joined Taitem in 2006, became a partner in 2013, and has led the design engineering department for many years, the firm said in a news release. His current responsibilities include decision making and guidance as a partner in the corporation, managing a team of seven engineers, and overseeing about 200 projects annually. He is also completing his own specialized work in design engineering, design review, and green-building consulting services.

“Yossi has made a positive difference in many ways at Taitem and will be a wonderful addition to our management team. He has deep roots in the community, and his interests in building sustainably have always been a part of his work. He has been around building projects in one way or another since he was a toddler,” Taitem Engineering President Lou Vogel said.

When he was a child, Bronsnick would make site visits with his father (a retired construction project manager) to the Cornell University campus, the firm says.

Bronsnick graduated from Cornell with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering in 2005.

“Yossi’s commitment to sustainable buildings is part of his long-standing love for the natural world that is so abundant in his community and his desire to preserve the environment,” Taitem Engineering said in the release.

Taitem Engineering is a full-service consulting-engineering firm founded in 1989. Taitem’s clients include public and private entities, and its projects include buildings in many sectors, including education, multifamily, commercial, industrial, and health care.

Taitem Engineering has continued to expand its offerings in energy efficiency and net-zero energy. Its staff of 34 includes 10 licensed professional engineers and six LEED-accredited professionals, among other licenses and certifications.

SU among 32 colleges selected to help manufacturers reduce their carbon footprint

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen Syracuse University (SU) and 31 additional colleges and universities to help local manufacturers improve their energy efficiency. It’s part of a $60 million DOE investment, SU said in an Aug. 10 news release. The DOE and its “largest-ever cohort” of university-based Industrial Assessment Centers

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen Syracuse University (SU) and 31 additional colleges and universities to help local manufacturers improve their energy efficiency.

It’s part of a $60 million DOE investment, SU said in an Aug. 10 news release.

The DOE and its “largest-ever cohort” of university-based Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) will help small- and medium-sized manufacturers in reducing their carbon emissions and lowering energy costs, while training the next generation of energy-efficiency workers.

The investment will help remove barriers to decarbonization across the manufacturing sector and advance the goal of reaching a clean-energy economy, Syracuse said.

“America’s best and brightest university students are successfully helping local manufacturers reduce pollution, save energy, and cut their electricity bills,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the release. “DOE’s university-based Industrial Assessment Centers are assisting small- and medium-sized businesses — particularly those in disadvantaged and underrepresented communities — in the transition to a clean energy economy, building the next-generation energy workforce, and propelling America toward a carbon-free future by 2050.”

The IACs will focus on improving productivity, enhancing cybersecurity, promoting resiliency planning, and providing trainings to entities located in disadvantaged communities. The cohort will also engage in a new pilot project to expand to the commercial-building market.

As part of the pilot, selected IACs will partner with community colleges and technical programs to train diverse students and professionals to conduct energy-efficiency assessments of small to medium-sized buildings, including those located in disadvantaged communities.

To date, the IACs program has provided nearly 20,000 no-cost assessments for small- and medium-sized manufacturers and more than 147,000 recommendations for improvement measures. Assessments typically identify more than $130,000 in potential annual savings opportunities.

The IACs program — one of DOE’s longest-running programs — is managed by the department’s advanced-manufacturing office.

At SU, 10 to 15 students are involved at a time and the team conducts 20 assessments each year, Jackie Anderson, assistant teaching professor and engineering management graduate program director, said. She is part of the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

“I am looking forward to working alongside our students to make an environmental impact by helping improve energy efficiency at manufacturing facilities across the state,” Anderson added.

REDI project in Jefferson County addresses flooding, turtle crossing

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LYME, N.Y. — It was a project that sought to address a flooding problem and the safe passage for a threatened species of turtle. Crews have completed construction work on a $5.4 million project awarded to Jefferson County through New York State’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). The project addressed the flooding of an

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LYME, N.Y. — It was a project that sought to address a flooding problem and the safe passage for a threatened species of turtle.

Crews have completed construction work on a $5.4 million project awarded to Jefferson County through New York State’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI).

The project addressed the flooding of an 1,800-foot section of County Route 57 and its shoulder, which falls between Chaumont Bay and Lake Ontario in the town of Lyme, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced. Crews also installed a culvert to create an underpass for safe passage of the Blanding’s turtle.

“High-water events” made travel on that highway difficult, requiring county highway department crews to “routinely monitor and periodically close, clear, and repair” the roadway, as it provides the only land access to the peninsula for area homes, Hochul’s office said.

Resiliency measures implemented in this project included raising the vulnerable section of roadway three feet to mitigate potential flooding and halt further road deterioration. Additionally, rip rap was installed to provide wind, wave, and ice protection.

“The County Route 57 project — also known as the Isthmus — epitomizes the REDI commission projects,” Jefferson County Chairperson Scott Gray said in a release. “It captures the essence of resiliency by raising the roadbed 3 feet and the seawalls a total of 8 feet to halt nearly annual washouts in high water conditions and accompanied danger of rocks catapulted by the high waves. This is a collaboration between Jefferson County and New York State that has served the public well and will ultimately save the taxpayer money.”

Blanding’s turtle crossing

In coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), this project also includes a turtle crossing.

The long stretch of road is bordered on both sides by sensitive wetland habitat with no crossing structures for the nearby population of Blanding’s turtles, Hochul’s office said.

The Blanding’s turtle is a medium-sized turtle with an average shell length of about seven to nine inches and a maximum length of 10 inches, per the DEC website. A major feature that distinguishes this turtle from other species is its distinctive bright, solid yellow chin and throat.

The turtle is named after William Blanding, an early naturalist in Pennsylvania, per the website of the Nature Conservancy, an Arlington, Virginia–based environmental nonprofit.

The destruction of its nesting and wetland habitats is a “major challenge” for the Blanding’s turtle. Roads that cross turtle migration routes between wetlands and ponds where turtles hibernate — and upland areas where turtles nest — are “particularly hazardous to this species, as vehicle strikes are common,” the DEC said

Loss of adult females by vehicle strikes is “likely the most significant cause” of population declines across the species’ range. Since Blanding’s turtles mature late and their populations depend on adults reproducing throughout their relatively long lifespan, the loss of even a single female can have a “major impact” on a population, per the DEC website.

About REDI

In response to the “extended pattern of flooding” along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, REDI was created to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region, per Hochul’s office.

The state established five REDI regional planning committees to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public-safety concerns. The REDI committees include representatives from eight counties: Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, and Wayne.

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