NY SBDC honors Watertown oral surgeon with Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year Award

WATERTOWN, N.Y. — Logan Curtis was playing football at age 15 when he broke his jaw and lost seven teeth. The injury led to his first experience with an oral surgeon and ultimately his career inspiration. Dr. Logan Curtis, a U.S. Army and Fort Drum veteran, is the Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Curtis operates Upstate Oral Surgery and Dental Implants at 22755 Summit Drive in Watertown. The recognition was among three awards that the New York State Small Business Development Center (NY SBDC) presented on Aug. 22. Small businesses in Camillus and Oswego were also honored. That same day, Curtis cut the ribbon on the new location for his practice, per the NY SBDC announcement. After serving 20 years in the U.S. Army, including his final four years at Fort Drum, he started his practice with guidance from the North Central SBDC office at Jefferson Community College. What began as a solo venture evolved into a team of multiple surgeons and 15 employees. Sonya Smith, state director of the New York SBDC, presented the awards. All three businesses are clients of the North Central SBDC, which is headquartered at Onondaga Community College (OCC). Bob Griffin, regional director of the North Central SBDC, also participated in the presentations. Oswego, Camillus honorees

In addition, NY SBDC recognized Bill Greene, Sr. of the Oswego Sub Shop with the Family-Owned Business of the Year Award. A family-owned business for 55 years and counting, the Oswego Sub Shop has been a “cornerstone” of the Oswego community, employing more than 40 people. The Oswego Sub Shop operates at 106 West Bridge St. in Oswego. Oswego Sub Shop’s lengthy menu includes a sub named in honor of well-known NBC weather forecaster and SUNY Oswego alumnus Al Roker. The NY SBDC presented the Community Impact Business of the Year Award to Karyn Dieffenderfer and Rosemary Morgese of Birch Tree Montessori at 6429 Newport Road in Camillus. Dieffenderfer and Morgese, who are both retired teachers with more than 30 years of experience, own and operate the business. The North Central SBDC assisted them with finding a location, formation of an LLC, construction of a business plan, and a list of business partners who provided clients accounting, insurance, and legal guidance for their businesses. About North Central SBDC The North Central SBDC, located at OCC, serves an 8-county region including Cayuga, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego, and Seneca counties. It offers no-cost, confidential advisement services tailored to every stage of the business process — from pre-venture planning to succession strategies. Over the years, the North Central SBDC has supported more than 58,000 individuals, helped launch over 4,400 businesses, and contributed to more than $700 million in small-business investment.