KeyBank more than doubles financial commitment to its community-benefits plan

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — KeyBank plans to more than double how much money it commits to its community-benefits plan that focuses on “economic access and equity

Cornell dean chosen as next president of University of Richmond

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, People on the Move, Regional News

ITHACA, N.Y. — Kevin Hallock, dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, will become the next president of the University of Richmond, effective

Nearly one-third of Oneida County adults have received at least one COVID vaccine dose

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Health Care, Nonprofits, Regional News

UTICA, N.Y. — Almost one in three adults in Oneida County have now received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, the county government

MVHS to reinstate visiting hours on Wednesday

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Health Care, Nonprofits, Regional News

UTICA, N.Y. — The Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) plans to reopen visiting hours for its facilities — with some restrictions still in place —

Nearly 40 small Syracuse firms use $350K in latest COVID grants

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Health Care, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Nonprofits, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — COVID-19 relief grants totaling $350,000 will benefit 39 Syracuse small businesses and organizations as their operations continue during the ongoing pandemic. The Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) awarded the funding, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced Feb. 25. The second round of grants comes from federal CARES Act funding. The $350,000 figure brings the

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CNY closed, pending home sales fall in January amid tight inventory; home prices rise

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

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A 30 percent drop in available homes for sale put a crimp in housing sales in Central New York to start the year. Closed sales in the six-county CNY area covered by the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors (GSAR) fell 3.6 percent to 617 in January from 640 a year ago and

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Walker-Czyz starts as Rome Health’s new president & CEO

Health Care, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ROME, N.Y. — AnneMarie Walker-Czyz recently began her new duties as president and CEO of Rome Health. Rome Health, an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Health, on Feb. 26 announced it named Walker-Czyz to the organization’s top position as of March 1. She succeeds Mark Murphy, who had served as CEO since November 2019. Murphy has

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ROME, N.Y. — AnneMarie Walker-Czyz recently began her new duties as president and CEO of Rome Health.

Rome Health, an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Health, on Feb. 26 announced it named Walker-Czyz to the organization’s top position as of March 1.

She succeeds Mark Murphy, who had served as CEO since November 2019. Murphy has returned to St. Joseph’s Health and resumed his role as VP, chief strategy officer. At the request of the Rome Health board of directors, Murphy will continue to serve as a liaison between both organizations.

“The board is grateful to Mark for serving as the hospital’s [CEO] through the challenges of the COVID pandemic,” Dr. Ankur Desai, president of the Rome Health board of directors, said in a release. “He willingly extended his role beyond the initial 90-day interim period to provide stability. Now that we’re on the other side of the recent [COVID] surge, AnneMarie will lead us as we continue to advance our strategic objectives to provide easy access to the highest quality care here for our community.”

Walker-Czyz is a “trusted leader” with over two decades of service to St. Joseph’s Health, per the release. In addition to her role as chief nursing officer, she served as VP of clinical and educational services and COO at St. Joseph’s Health.

“Last September, we welcomed AnneMarie to the senior leadership team as a consultant to provide additional operational support to the hospital to position us for long-term success,” said Dr. Desai. “With her demonstrated leadership, we are pleased that she has accepted her new role as [president and CEO]. She has a proven track record for building strong teams to advance patient-centered care and deliver strong business results.”

Walker-Czyz said she’s “honored” to have been chosen to lead Rome Health.

“Building on its rich history, the hospital has transformed into a comprehensive health system. I am very pleased to be part of Rome Health’s future as we welcome new providers and introduce new services for the health and well-being of our community,” she added.

Employed at St. Joseph’s Health Hospital since 1997, Walker-Czyz earned her nursing degree from the St. Joseph’s College of Nursing and completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. She also holds a master’s and clinical nurse specialist degree from Upstate Medical University, Rome Health said.

In 2015, Walker-Czyz graduated from St. John Fisher College with education doctorate degree in executive leadership. She is also certified as a nurse executive from the Silver Spring, Maryland–based American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Rome Health, founded in 1887, currently has about 700 full-time employees.

New Mohawk Valley sign business thrives amid pandemic

Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

WHITESTOWN, N.Y. — While some businesses have closed their doors due to the pandemic, others have been able to start up and prosper. For Becky D’Aiuto, owner of Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions, her business-ownership dream became a reality in January, after securing a location at 5994 Judd Road in the town of Whitestown. This

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WHITESTOWN, N.Y. — While some businesses have closed their doors due to the pandemic, others have been able to start up and prosper.

For Becky D’Aiuto, owner of Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions, her business-ownership dream became a reality in January, after securing a location at 5994 Judd Road in the town of Whitestown. This was followed by a formal opening at a ribbon-cutting event in early February. D’Aiuto was presented with a “First Dollar of Profit” Award from the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce.

After researching various franchise concepts through a franchise broker, D’Aiuto was able to determine the scope of her business. She found the challenges that surrounded COVID-19 supported her choice to start a sign-making business during the pandemic. The public-health crisis has made social distancing and mask signs necessary, which made businesses need new signage that they could not have imagined needing before. This influenced D’Aiuto to focus on serving business clients. Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions, creates indoor and outdoor signs, custom signs, vinyl signs and graphics, and vehicle wraps.

“There’s a lot of people that think that during an economic downturn is a great time to start a business,” D’Aiuto tells CNYBJ, noting that it has been for her as well. “The phones have been ringing and there’s been a lot of inquiries through our website.”

Even though D’Aiuto is a first-time business owner, she has had experience running a not-for-profit as the executive director of the Rome Hospital Foundation. She also comes from a background of public relations and marketing. D’Aiuto has spent 28 years working in public relations, marketing, and development roles in various industries, including professional sports, the restaurant industry, advertising agencies, and fundraising organizations.

D’Aiuto adds that her husband Paul has been there for moral support for the business and has helped with heavy lifting of some of the firm’s equipment.

Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions’ facility at 5994 Judd Road, was previously home to Oriska-Summit Motor Works LLC and a CrossFit gym. Now, Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions is the sole occupant of the 3,700-square-foot space that it leases. However, Oriska-Summit Motorworks still owns a building on the property, where used-car sales are made. Brian D. Snow, from Pavia Real Estate Services in New Hartford, served as D’Aiuto’s real-estate broker in finding the property.

Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions currently has three employees: D’Aiuto, a shop assistant, and a graphic designer/sign specialist.

D’Aiuto projects revenue of about $250,000 this year. She declined to reveal her total investment to get the business started.

Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

St. Bonaventure president’s death called “tremendous loss”

Health Care, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne President Linda LeMura said the death of Dennis DePerro is a “tremendous loss.” DePerro — the 21st president of St. Bonaventure University and a former VP at Le Moyne College — died at age 62 on March 1 at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse. He had spent several weeks in the

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne President Linda LeMura said the death of Dennis DePerro is a “tremendous loss.”

DePerro — the 21st president of St. Bonaventure University and a former VP at Le Moyne College — died at age 62 on March 1 at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse. He had spent several weeks in the hospital being treated for COVID-19 complications.

“Dennis worked so hard for St. Bonaventure and had accomplished so much in such a short period of time,” LeMura said in a statement. “He was beloved and touched so many lives at Le Moyne and kept in touch with many members of our campus community. He was a wonderful colleague, friend and confidant, and I will miss his one-of-a-kind sense of humor. Our prayers and sincere condolences go out to his wife Sherry, and sons Matthew and Andrew. He will be deeply missed.”

Prior to becoming president at St. Bonaventure, DePerro served as VP for enrollment management at Le Moyne for 18 years.

In 2013, he became the inaugural dean of Le Moyne’s Purcell School of Graduate and Professional Studies. He also served as a professor of management in the Madden School of Business.

DePerro had tested positive for the coronavirus on Christmas Eve and was hospitalized in Syracuse on Dec. 29. He had been placed on a ventilator in mid-January.

He assumed the presidency at St. Bonaventure on June 1, 2017. In less than four years, DePerro oversaw the school welcoming the three largest incoming freshman classes in the last 11 years.

He implemented new enrollment and marketing strategies and “championed” new academic-program development. Under his watch, St. Bonaventure’s online graduate initiative grew 329 percent in enrollment since fall 2017.

“Words simply can’t convey the level of devastation our campus community feels right now,” Joseph Zimmer, provost and VP for academic affairs at St. Bonaventure, said. “I know when people die it’s become cliché to say things like, ‘He was a great leader, but an even better human being,’ and yet, that’s the absolute truth with Dennis. We are heartbroken.”

Zimmer was named acting president late last month while DePerro was in recovery.

The university flag will fly at half-staff on the St. Bonaventure campus in his honor through the end of March.

DePerro’s wake was held March 5 at the Thomas J. Pirro Funeral Home in the town of Salina. His funeral service took place the next day at the Church of the Most Holy Rosary in Syracuse.

A Buffalo native, DePerro spent his entire 39-year career in college administration. He worked for eight years (1982-1990) in admissions and alumni relations at his alma mater Canisius College. He would then spend the next five years (1990-1995) as dean of admission and financial aid at Marietta College in Ohio, before joining the Le Moyne administration in 1995.

Excellus’ annual financial report reveals pay, net-income data

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Insurance & Financial Services, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The top three officers of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Central New York’s largest health insurer, all had seven-figure salaries in 2020. CEO Christopher Booth was paid a salary of more than $3.2 million; Stephen Sloan, chief administrative officer and general counsel earned more than $1.4 million; and CFO Christopher Gorecki received more than

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The top three officers of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Central New York’s largest health insurer, all had seven-figure salaries in 2020.

CEO Christopher Booth was paid a salary of more than $3.2 million; Stephen Sloan, chief administrative officer and general counsel earned more than $1.4 million; and CFO Christopher Gorecki received more than $1 million in 2020.

Executive compensation is set by the nonprofit company’s board of directors based on “comparable market data and performance.”

The health insurer also reported net income of $97.2 million on $6.2 billion in premium revenue in 2020. Excellus’ net income fell 43 percent last year from the $171 million it generated in 2019.

The Rochester–based nonprofit insurer disclosed the figures in an annual financial report filed with the New York State Department of Financial Services.

The 2020 results amount to a net income of $68.40 per member for the entire year, down from $113.87 in 2019, Excellus said in a Feb. 26 news release.

“No one has ever faced a year like 2020,” Booth said. “The COVID-19 crisis required a strong and comprehensive response to assure our members were able to receive the care they needed and to help assure the health care system itself would survive. The pandemic devastated the economy and sickened tens of thousands of upstate residents.”

Excellus’ reserves stood at $1.2 billion at the end of 2020, or the equivalent of 70 days of claims and expenses. Reserves are like a savings account to be drawn upon for unforeseen higher expenses such as a pandemic or lower revenue, the insurer said.

“The health plan spent more than $5 billion, or an average $14.2 million every day, covering the health-care cost for our 1.5 million members,” Gorecki said.

The health plan’s total membership grew by more than 13,000 during 2020, representing the fourth consecutive year in which membership has grown, Excellus said. Total membership now totals more than 1.5 million.

Excellus also noted that it paid $530.5 million in federal and state taxes in 2020. Those taxes included $112 million for the federal tax to pay for the Affordable Care Act, which had been suspended for 2019 but reinstated for 2020.

The health insurer says it also addressed community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic through financial support last year.

The support included $102 million to pay for increased telemedicine coverage and increased provider-reimbursement rates. It also included more than $40 million in cash advances to providers approved beyond the normal $192 million in advances, $1 million in grants to hospitals for COVID-19 testing supplies and personal protective equipment, and $250,000 in grants to hospitals for COVID-19 testing machines.

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