Oswego County Business, #175: August - September 2021 by Oswego County Business Magazine

www.cnybusinessmag.com

Serving Oswego & Onondaga counties

OSWEGO COUNTY

BUSINESS August / September 2021

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CNY’s Business Magazine

TOURISM SPECIAL ISSUE

FUN IS BACK AT THE RACETRACK! After more than a year without any activities, local racetracks, like the Oswego Speedway, are roaring back to life!

INSIDE

Is working from home more productive? Fulton Savings Bank celebrates 150 years Six women in charge making waves across CNY

Had a Stroke. Back on Stage. Crouse

Musician Todd Hobin KNOW THE SIGNS • CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY

Central New York music legend Todd Hobin knew nothing about stroke — but he does now. That’s why he’s raising awareness about stroke risk factors and its signs and symptoms.

FACE DROOPING

A. S. T.

ARM WEAKNESS

SPEECH DIFFICULTY

Fact: Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Important to know: Stroke can happen to both men and women — at any age. Good news: Stroke is preventable by managing medical risk factors and healthy lifestyle choices. What to do: Time lost is brain lost. So it’s vital to know the signs of a stroke — F.A.S.T. Four words to live by: Call 911 and say, “Take me to Crouse.“ When it comes to stroke, every moment matters. As one of just 10 hospitals in New York State tohave earned Comprehensive Stroke Center status, and with the region’s newest ER and hybrid ORs, Crouse offers the most advanced technology for rapid stroke diagnosis and treatment

Read Todd’s story and learn more: crouse.org/toddhobin.

TIME TO CALL 911

A place we call home!

“I enjoy eating in the dining room, especially the tuna salad, and playing dice games with friends. I love the staff and feel I’m treated like family.”

“I like the staff, the different activities they have — balloon toss, going outside — and the dining room. I enjoy the pasta salad.”

Ed M. resident since 2017

Jay D. resident since 2018

“I like the staff and the care they provide. I enjoy all the activities, especially crafts and going outside. I love eating spaghetti and meatballs in the dining room.” Aida G. resident since 2018

Building a Better Nursing Home • Short-term rehabilitative stay following (but not limited to) surgery, illness, or injury that may require physical or occupational therapy. • Long-term stay while maximizing the quality of life by privacy, dignity, and opportunities for social interaction and participation in the community. • Specialization in wound care.

• Dietitians certified by American Diabetes Association plan therapeutic and modified diets. • We also offer a personalized leisure time activities program, which includes music therapy and intergenerational activities. • Social service counseling, eye and dental services, and psychiatry and psychological services by professional staff are also available.

Pontiac Care and Rehabilitation Center, LLC 303 E. River Rd., Oswego, NY 13126

Call for a special tour of our facilities! 315-343-1800 | www.pontiaccare.com

go & Serving Oswe

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OUNTY OSWEGO C

smag.com www.cnybusines

BUSINESS $4.50

mber 2021

August / Septe

CNY’s ss Busineine Magaz

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

ISSUE 175

PROFILE TROY WAFFNER CIAL ISSUE

FUN IS BACK AT ! THE RACETRACK TOURISM SPE

s, any activitie a year withoutego Speedway, After more than ks, like the Osw local race trac k to life! are roaring bac

Cover Story

INSIDE e Is working from home? more productiv

Fulton Savings Banks celebrates 150 year ge Six women in char ss CNY ing mak waves acro

• Race tracks: Roaring back to life

Tourism Industry

• Optimism among key players • Strigo Vineyards: One year later

Women Special

• Profile of six women who have made a difference in CNY • Meet the 100 Women Who Care CNY group • Nancy Fox: CNY Arts Center Helps Revitalize Fulton •MACNY: Taylor Hodge is now in charge of workforce development

Health Industry

New York State Fair executive director has seen record levels of attendance during his tenure (1.3 million in 2019). A hands-on manager, he is known for his middle-of-thenight inspection tours to make sure the grounds are in good shape.........16

SPECIAL FEATURES On the Job Is working from home more productive?...................11 Next Big Idea Fourteen entrepreneurs advance for the next phase of competition, which will award $90,000 in prizes..................................31 Farming Labor shortage shutters Central Square sisters’ family dairy business...........................................................................................................35 Lumber Prices go down but experts say they will go up again in the fall. ‘Now it’s time to buy.”...........................................................................38 Milestone Fulton Savings Bank is celebrating 150 years in business. It’s Fulton’s oldester locally-owned business........................... 41 Shrinkflation Prices of some products have remained the same but their size or quantity is shrinking.....................................................................44

•Telehealth: Here to stay • CNY Fertility plans to expand in Florida, California, Midwest • Fewer doctors go into private medical practices

Dining out

Dennis Ouellette: His family Fall Jamboree is celebrating 20 years. P. 98

Green Planet Grocery posts strong sales despite pandemic. P. 93

DEPARTMENTS How I Got Started Jake Mulcahey, co-owner of Gateway Liquor............14 Where is Sandra Scott? Montenegro............................................................18 Newsmakers / Business Updates..............................................................20, 35

Burrata panzanella appetizer served at Red Sun Fire Roasting Co. in Oswego. 4

Tim’s Corner Remembering the pandemic.....................................................49 Economic Trends Operation Oswego County presents awards...........52 My Turn No wonder we called it ‘snail mail’........................................54 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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3 Sisters Gifts.........................28 Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home...................17 ALPS Professional Services.......21 Ansun Graphics.....................17 ARISE......................................39 Barclay Damon......................46 Bond, Schoeneck & King, Attorneys at Law................9 Buckingham Brothers...........67 Builder’s FirstSource............37 Burke’s Home Center...........21 C & S Companies..................61 C J Demears Mechanical........6 Canale’s Italian Cuisine........25 Canale’s Insurance & Accounting..................21, 23 CNYCF....................................63 Century 21 - Galloway Realty. 23 Century 21 Leah Signature..61 Chalet Whiteface / Rudy’s Scar Bar & Grille...............29 Compass Credit Union.........15 ConnextCare..........................13 Crouse Hospital.......................2 Dain Cullinan Funeral Home...................63 Dusting Divas..........................7 6

Advertisers E J USA....................................61 Eastern Shore Associates Insurance.............................9 Eis House Lodge...................25 Elemental Management Group ..................................5 Excellus - BlueCross BlueShield.........................91 Exelon Generation ................99 Financial Partners....................7 Fitzgibbons Agency..............47 Fort Ontario............................30 Foster Funeral Home............91 Freedom Real Estate.............12 Fulton Block Builders...........17 Fulton Savings Bank.............33 Fulton Taxi Service..................8 Fulton Tool Co.......................47 Gartner Equipment...............48 Greater Oswego Fulton Chamber of Commerce...28 Green Planet Grocery...........29 H. Lee White Museum.........29 Harbor Eye Associates..........22 Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY............87 Hunt Realty (Terri Beckwith).7 Johnston Gas..........................23

JTS Remodeling.....................33 L C Cleaners...........................24 Lakeshore Hardwoods.........28 Laser Transit...........................12 Local 43 (NECA EBEW).......48 Longley Dodge......................39 LW Emporium Co-Op..........30 Menter Ambulance...............87 Mimi’s Drive Inn...................25 Mitchell Speedway Press.....12 Mr. Sub ...................................25 NET Die Inc............................10 North Bay Campground......30 Northern Ace Home Center.....................21 Novelis....................................34 NTTS National Tractor Trailer School.......67 NYS Parks............................100 Olfactory Soaps & Scents.....28 Ontario Orchards....................9 Operation Oswego County..99 Oswego County Federal Credit Union.....................83 Oswego County Mutual Insurance...........................15 Oswego Health .......................8 Oswego Speedway................29

Over the Top Roofing...........21 Painful Acres Amish Furniture...............30 Pontiac Care & Rehabilitation Center ........3 RanMar Tractor......................21 RiverHouse Restaurant........25 Riverside Artisans.................30 Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In....25 Safe Haven Refugee Shelter Museum...............30 SBDC – Small Business Development Center........47 Scriba Electric.........................23 Spereno Construction...........23 Sweet-Woods Memorial.......23 Technology Development Organization (TDO).........12 The Medicine Place...............87 The Rooftop Restaurant (Litatro Building)..............83 Trimble Services....................23 United Wire Technologies....48 Vashaw’s Collision................46 Watertown Industrial Center of Local Development.....33 WD Malone............................23 White’s Lumber & Building Supply...........21 WRVO.....................................96 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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OswegoCountyBusiness.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto editor@cnybusinessmag.com Writers Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Christopher Malone Ken Sturtz, Steve Yablonski Mary Beth Roach Columnists L. Michael Treadwell Bruce Frassinelli, Sandra Scott Tim Nekritz Advertising Peggy Kain Richard Annal Office Manager Nancy Nitz

Lakeview Center for Mental Health and Wellness Cardiology Physical Therapy ENT Springside The Manor

CNY’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Parish Lab +Physical Therapy Central Square Medical Center +Urgent Care

Center for Orthopedic Care

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All your healthcare needs. Right at Home. We are not just a hospital or a community of medical providers. We are your neighbors, your friends and your family, and we are dedicated to providing exceptional healthcare services locally. No matter what medical emergencies, routine checkups, surgeries or wellness needs, we are a complete healthcare system you can count on. Right at home.

Layout and Design Joey Sweener Cover Photo File photo Oswego County Business is published 6 times a year by Local News, Inc., which also publishes Business Guide, CNY Summer, Fall, & Winter Guides, College Life Newspaper, In Good Health–The Healthcare Newspaper (in four regions), CNY Healthcare Guide and 55 Plus Magazine for Active Adults of Rochester and Central New York. Subscription: $21.50 a year; $35 for two years © 2021 by Oswego County Business. All rights reserved. PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Buffalo, NY Permit No. 4725

How to Reach Us P.O. Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126

oswegohealth.org

Phone: 315-342-8020 Fax: 315-342-7776 Editor@CNYBusinessMag.com OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

315-343-6328 7735 Rte. 104 (4mi. west of Oswego!) info@OntarioOrchards.com

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Cider Mill - Bakery - Nursery U-Pick Apples & Pumpkins Fall Jamboree

Bond understands the unique needs and opportunities of Oswego County businesses and we are committed to a thriving future for our clients and the communities in which we live. Want to learn more? Visit bsk.com or contact Rick Weber at rweber@bsk.com or Sunny Tice at stice@bsk.com.

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Publisher’s Note

e’re hitting the peak of the summer season — and things are looking up. The number of COVID-19 cases is drastically down compared to a few months ago, people in general have a bit more money to spend thanks to the federal stimulus checks, and the weather has been pretty decent. That’s all good news to hundreds of businesses in Central New York that depend on tourism. Campgrounds, fishing charter captains, hotels, motels, restaurants — they all depend on people getting out of the house and spending money. I have driven around, eaten at local restaurants and attended some public events and I can attest that people are out and about — and eager to do things, especially if it’s close to home. I know I am. Soon, we will see the start of the New York State Fair — in 2019, the last time it was held, it attracted 1.3 million people to the fairgrounds. It’s going to be tough to match that number but the fact that the fair is happening at all —

after being canceled last year — is great news to the entire region. More great news: The Oswego Speedway has resumed its races and all is in place for a great auto racing season. One of the highlights is the Super Dirt Week, a 10-day event that attracts thousands of people in early October. According to the owners, the event is the biggest revenue generator in the city of Oswego. “It would be hard to find someplace that didn’t benefit; the hotels, restaurants everyone,” Eric Torrese, one of the owners, said in an interview with this magazine. “The fans are going into town, eating, possibly going to the movies, buying stuff at the stores. Everybody that does business in the city feels the impact of Super Dirt Week,” Central New York and Oswego County need the tourism industry and this is prime time for the industry. Tourism was one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic. We went through a period of nearly 18 months that there were no activities — people were isolated, restricted to what they

could do. Now it’s the time to get out and have some fun. To help readers find things to do in the region, we have published a new CNY Fall Guide, which is widely distributed in the area (It’s also online at www. cnyfall.com). The guide brings a listing of events that run until mid-October. There are great events taking place in the region, in addition to the NYS Fair and the auto races. They include all sorts of festivals (featuring music, wine, arts and crafts) exhibitions, shows and much more. Hope to see you out and about!

WAGNER DOTTO is the owner and editorin-chief of Local News, Inc., the publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine for 30 years.

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ON THE JOB

‘Is Working From Home More or Less Productive Than The Office?’ Interviews by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

“Only if someone was quarantined or a member of their family was quarantined did any of us work at home. I was here every day. I’d say we were more productive because we could connect with people in more ways. The pandemic accelerated trends of working remotely. We have changed and upgraded in our business so more is able to be done remotely than in-person. We did have to do everything by phone for two months. Now we can give people the option to come in and meet with us in person or virtually.” David Mirabito Certified financial planner, MassMutual, Fulton “This isn’t the most straightforward question to answer because it depends

entirely on the person and their household situation. One of our agents was working full time from home prior to the pandemic and there has been no interruption in her work. I personally was far more productive at work because I have small children that were schooling from home which added distractions. Two of our other employees who don’t have children worked just fine from home but they both preferred to be in their office workspace. We approached it as a temporary situation as well, so this may have been different if we were planning to work from home going forward and set up workspaces in each of our homes. Nate Skinner Branch manager and licensed agent/ broker, H.G. Ellis Agency, Inc., Cazenovia

“We are all back to the office. Personally, I was a lot more productive working at the office than working at home because of my dog. I have 120 pounds of dog at home.” Karen Dunn Paralegal, The Steele Law Firm, Oswego “We kept coming into the office, all throughout the pandemic. “We realized that our employees are most productive when they are happy. And they are most happy when they are in comfortable environments, able to make time for the most important things in their life and have strong systems that allow them to perform at their best. So as long as we hire the right people and give them the right systems, we’ve got some of the happiest employees on the planet.” John Timmerman CEO Good Monster and Jaxon Jovie, Syracuse “My employees have always worked a mixture of home and or office and it is the same either way for us.” Brenda Weissenberg Owner Affordable Business Solutions, West Monroe “I think the productivity was about the same. I still have some at home but not COVID-related. No matter what business you have, you have to remain flexible and be able to withstand the changes like the COVID situation we just went through.” Jim Poindexter President, OVIA Oswego Valley Insurance Agency, Brewerton “At Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CNY Realty, we feel our agents are more productive at the offices versus working from home. Each agent is considered an independent contractor

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so they are able to do what works best for them but we find they are more productive being around other agents. Productivity creates more productivity and being present creates a culture of teamwork and collaboration. The office atmosphere brings like-minded agents together to achieve our goal of bringing buyers and sellers together.” Eric Pedrotti Associate real estate broker, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CNY Realty, Oswego and North Syracuse “Yes, I believe our office staff was more productive during the pandemic. The office closure allowed our staff to focus on projects that needed to be completed for our business’ functionality and efficiency. Our office has been reopened since the first phase of the reopening of New York, but we have allowed some of our staff to continue a hybrid schedule to meet the needs of their families during the ever-changing climate.” Meredith Hilton Office manager, Furdi’s Homes, Fulton “We are more productive in the office where we can see each other and more easily collaborate with one another.” Lexi Steril Legal assistant, Nelson Law Firm, Oswego “My employees had to make many changes to get used to working from home when the pandemic shut down business. There was major training to learn how to work remotely. Since we have opened back up my agents are way more productive and happier working in the office than when they were forced to work from home.” William Galloway Broker/owner, Century 21 Galloway Realty, Oswego “I think it could go either way. Some days are more productive at home than others. Our agency has everyone back at work.” Maura Dayton Multiline representative for Jeremy Chatterton State Farm Insurance, Central Square

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Say hello to healthy. 63 dedicated physicians and healthcare providers.

Say hello to a more convenient way to stay healthy in Oswego County. Formerly known as NOCHSI, ConnextCare offers a comprehensive set of services family and internal medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, psychiatry, social work under one medical group. Patients within our network can now visit any of six locations at any time. And because we’re seamlessly connected, our staff can access your medical records at the touch of a button. It’s a faster, more convenient and easier way to keep yourself and your family healthy.

Learn more at connextcare.org — or better yet, stop in to one of our six sites Located in Fulton, Mexico, Oswego, Parish, Phoenix, Pulaski and say hello.

Started How I Got By Steve Yablonski

Jacob ‘Jake’ Mulcahey Co-owner of Gateway Liquor & Wine in Fulton talks about how he got started in the liquor business

Q: Can you tell me a little about your background?

A: I grew up in Minetto. I lived there until high school graduation. In fall of 1995, I left for the Navy. I served as an aviation structural mechanic, in California and Texas. After the Navy, I spent a year in Oswego and then moved on to Oregon where I worked in lumber mills for a couple of years until I began attending community college as a sociology major, then political science. I did some campaign work and internship stuff. In 2003 I moved back to Oswego. Q: What is your new business?

A: Gateway Liquor & Wine, 417 S. Second St., Fulton. Q: Where were you working before you started the liquor store?

A: Before that, we have a construction company, Pinnacle, which is still going strong. We also now have a car wash in Camden, Camden Car Wash and Storage. We just bought that in December 2019. We have a great employee there who keeps things running smoothly. He takes care of the day-to-day stuff, so I don’t have to go there every day. That business was kind of slow as not many people went out during the pandemic. We’re staying busy with the construction company. I’m working a lot, but it keeps me out of trouble. Q: How did you start the liquor store? Why did you decide to start it?

A: We started the liquor store first, the car wash came later. One day, my business partner, Lance Pezzlo [a partner in the car wash, also], looks at me and says, “Do you want to open a liquor store?” I said, “Sure.” After that we started shopping for a location. It seemed like a good opportunity to diversify. Q: Was it difficult to get started?

A: Opening a liquor store has its own set of challenges because it is such a highly regulated product. So, starting out there was a big learning curve. Q: How much did you invest?

A: Once we found a location, we reached out to Pathfinder Bank and they were able to help us get started. Q: What problems did you face at the start?

A: We had to learn what products

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

“One day, my business partner looks at me and says, ‘Do you want to open a liquor store?’ I said, ‘Sure.’” people wanted and how much of what product to order. And, we had to establish relationships with suppliers, learn the liquor laws, secure the building and enter all products into our new POS [point of sales] system. Q: What services do you offer? What’s your best seller?

A: We strive to provide friendly and efficient service. We try to keep the store neat, clean and organized so when folks are in a hurry they are in and out. Flavored vodkas are big, Fire Ball, Titos and Recipe 21. We try to keep a diverse bourbon and whisky section. We also have a respectable selection of New York wines. Q: How many employees do you have?

A: We have six.

Q: How would you describe your business philosophy?

A: Friendly service in a clean and easy-to-manage environment. Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: I would say the best part of working at Gateway is dealing with the customers. The people who come in the store are fantastic. The city of Fulton has been a great partner since the beginning. Q: Who are the people who’ve influenced you the most?

A: My parents, they taught me to work hard and treat people with respect. That’s huge, I believe it’s all you really need in life to be successful. If you do those two things doors will open for you, you just need to make the decision whether or not to walk through. I learned a lot from my business partner, Lance. He’s kind of a natural with this stuff. When you’re going to put your neck out there, it’s nice to have AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

someone you trust at your side. Q: How has the pandemic had an impact on your life, personal and professional?

A: The pandemic has definitely been a learning experience, in all our business ventures. It’s certainly created a whole different set of issues. Lance’s wife, Sara, manages the store. She has always done a fantastic job. During the pandemic, Sara really stepped up. Q: How do you manage family time?

A: You just make it work. We have four kids: two boys, two girls. I help coach the kids’ lacrosse, Cub Scouts. There are a lot of outdoor activities. The kids play a lot of sports. We make it work somehow. It helps to have a lot of good people helping you; working with people you can count on, people you can rely on. Q: Does your wife work?

A: Yes. She is a school psychologist. She is on school hours. So that is helpful. My wife, Jenny, keeps us all organized for all the family stuff, sports schedules. I call her and say what’s going on this evening? Three kids need to be at soccer, another one needs to be at dance. OK, what do I have to do? She keeps me on top of things. Q: What kind of hours do you keep?

A: It depends. Seems there are always things that need to be dealt with. You’re the bottom line. You have to find good help and good leadership and try to balance it all out. Hopefully, I’ve done that. Q: If you weren’t doing this, what would your job be?

A: I imagine I could find something else to do. We tend to keep busy. Q: When do you feel the most at ease?

A: When the liquor store is closed for the night, all construction projects are safely secured for the day, the car wash is running well and my wife and kids are home. Q: Do you ever think about retiring?

A: Yeah. I think about it. Don’t think it will be any time soon. I don’t know if I want to retire all the way. I like staying busy. You know how it is; you’ve got to find something to do.

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PROFILE By Ken Sturtz

Troy Waffner NYS Fair director says attention to detail key to success as fair returns

ong after darkness blankets the fairgrounds and the final visitors trickle through the gates to their cars it’s not unusual to spot a slight, middle-aged man quietly exit a camper, climb onto a golf cart and speed off. The man is Troy Waffner, director of the New York State Fair, and his middle-of-the-night inspection tours — usually between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. — are his favorite time on the fairgrounds, no offense intended to the rest of the day. “It’s just an interesting place to be because a whole other city comes out,” he says. During the fair’s 18-day run, Waffner stays on site and is present each night when an army of workers begins preparing for the following day. Carnival workers replace broken light bulbs and perform repairs and maintenance on rides. Crews clean the bathrooms, buildings and parking lots. Workers water the flowers and reposition anything that’s been moved. Garbage trucks wind their way up and down rows of buildings and food stands, hauling away mountains of trash; street sweepers follow. Perhaps nowhere is the dedication of the overnight workers more noticeable than Chevy Court after a concert. Crews with leaf blowers make a small landfill’s worth of trash disappear. “So, when somebody walks in at 8 o’clock the next morning they would never know that Chevy Court looked like Woodstock the night before,” Waffner says. Although he has a staff, Waffner still makes it a point to conduct his late-night rounds personally. He takes a similar hands-on approach during the day. When he’s not checking the grounds or exhibits, he can be found doing a bit of everything as needed, including sweeping up trash and directing traffic. It’s part of his philosophy that a successful fair largely depends on seemingly small details: are the grounds clean, is traffic and parking tolerable, are staff courteous and helpful? His approach has worked; during his tenure, attendance has reached new 16

records — topping out at 1.3 million in 2019 — and he’s presided over the largest investment in the fair in decades, winning praise from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and every day fairgoers alike. His success is even more impressive given the fact that Waffner came to the nation’s third-largest state fair with no experience in managing large events, instead learning on the job. Growing up in Cazenovia, Waffner never imagined he’d run the sprawling year-round operation that is the New York State Fair. In fact, he didn’t have any specific career direction in mind. “But I’d always been involved in the various parts of politics since I was 17 or 18, volunteering with the Democratic Committee and on campaigns,” he says. That’s not to say Waffner came from a political family; his parents had no interest in politics, he says, but when he was 22 he got a job offer from then Assemblyman Bill Magee to work in constituent services. Waffner later spent 12 years as Magee’s legislative director. He mostly focused on agricultural policy as well as state finance and municipal law, helping negotiate and draft

hundreds of pieces of legislation. His most memorable, which he concedes was also one of the silliest, dealt with a fluke in the Vehicle and Traffic Law that made it a violation to have an open bottle of wine, even if you were bringing it home from a restaurant. “So, if you went to a restaurant and you bought a $100 bottle of wine and you only drank one glass, technically you had to leave it or drink it, which was the bigger problem,” he says. The bill Waffner worked on allowed the public to take an open bottle of wine home with them, albeit in a sealed bag. After Magee, Waffner worked a year and a half as director of policy development for state Sen. Dave Valesky. As much as he enjoyed the work, his job came with a serious catch. He was still living in Central New York, but spent six or more months each year in Albany staying on friends’ couches or in hotels and, eventually, an apartment. “After 14 and a half years of that it started getting old,” Waffner says. So, in 2010, he applied for an opening for assistant state fair director and got the job. Waffner was excited for the OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

challenge and to no longer be living out of a suitcase, but his enthusiasm was dampened when he read a newspaper article about his hire. “The headline was basically ‘Another overpaid political hack gets a job at the fair,’” he says. The headline was much kinder, but the first sentence referred to him as a “politically connected Cazenovia man with no fair management experience,” and the implication was clear: the 37-year-old was just another in a long line of people to receive a fair job as a political reward. Waffner was determined to prove his worth and got a crash course in fair management his first year. The fair staff was smaller then so he got involved with every aspect — from finance and public relations to operations and maintenance. He learned a great deal from many of the longtime fair staff and grew to respect their knowledge, experience and dedication. His first year at the fair was consequential in more ways than one. He also met his future wife, who had worked at family food stands there since she was a child. Waffner was named acting director in 2014 and formally became the fair’s director in 2018. Over time he’s gained a detailed understanding of the challenges associated with running the fair. He acknowledged the inherent challenge of balancing the agricultural and entertainment aspects of the fair. The important thing is drawing people here, Waffner says, even if they just come for the entertainment, such as the many concerts throughout the fair. “Once they’re here they can’t help but be educated,” he says. “They’ll leave here with a better appreciation of agriculture.” And the hardest part of running the fair? The preparation and planning

Lifelines Birthdate: Nov. 24, 1972 Birth Place: Cazenovia, NY Residence: DeWitt Education: SUNY Morrisville, SUNY Empire State College Personal: Married nine years to wife Susan, whom he met at the fair. Has a dog named Pandora and a cat named Black Kitty. Hobbies: Enjoys doing handyman work and building things. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

in the buildup to opening day, Waffner says. Once the first day is over, the fair is like a train going down the tracks. The whole operation has gotten smoother over the last several years, Waffner says, in part due to the continuity of the staff. During his tenure Waffner has overseen monumental changes and investment at the fair. The demolition of the old grandstand in 2015 and 2016 kicked off the changes. Waffner says many of the longtime staff were emotional when the grandstand was demolished. Even though he had gone to his first concert there, he says he didn’t have the same emotional attachment and welcomed the change, even if it came with pangs of doubt and worry. “You’re always nervous with those changes because this isn’t like changing the color of your house,” he says. “You can repaint your house.” Once the grandstand and track were removed, however, it opened the fairgrounds up and allowed the space to be reconfigured in a way that created a more enjoyable experience for visitors. A new RV park was built and the midway reorganized. More trees and green space were added, including the New York Experience, which includes 15 acres of grass and a 2-acre pond. The result has been a fairground layout that makes more sense, eliminating bottlenecks and giving visitors more space to stretch out, Waffner says. There was also the construction of a new main gate and projects to expand parking and ease traffic congestion. Waffner says the most gratifying project, however, was the massive new multipurpose Expo Center. Earlier this year Waffner says his staff had the honor of helping open up one of the largest mass vaccination sites in the country at the Expo Center. At one point nearly 10,000 vaccinations were being given every 24 hours at the site. After last year’s fair was canceled due to the pandemic, Waffner and his staff are focusing on ensuring the fair this year goes off without a hitch. Waffner says that during each fair visitors show up at the administration building and guest relations to provide feedback in person as well as via email and social media. Visitors have no qualms about letting them know what they’re doing well and what they’re not. “I always say the state fair is like a publicly held corporation,” Waffner says, laughing. “Everybody in Central New York thinks they own a share and the state fair itself becomes the annual shareholder’s meeting.”

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Where in the World is Sandra Scott? Montenegro

Once part of Yugoslavia, this Balkan country may be small, about the size of Connecticut, but it has an amazing diversity of scenery

ost people can’t find Montenegro on a map but this country is an excellent destination for those looking for beaches, adventure and history. Montenegro, which means “Black Mountain,” is a Balkan country that shares a border with Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and the Adriatic Sea. Once part of Yugoslavia, it may be small, about the size of Connecticut, but it has an amazing diversity of scenery from the clear waters of the sea to rugged mountains, including the Tara River Canyon that is over 4000 feet deep. Along Montenegro’s 150-mile coastline there are historic port cities, fishing villages and beaches. The Mediterranean climate means the summers are long, warm and dry, with calm winds. Many cultures have crossed paths in Montenegro which is evidenced by the country’s food, music, architecture and religions. One can get the feel of Albania and the East in the beautiful town of Ulcinj, where the majority of the population is of Albanian descent as evidenced by the kebab stands, lively music and elegant minarets from the many mosques. The town, a world heritage site, was founded in the 5th century BC making it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast. The walled old town sits high on a promontory overlooking the sea and beach. The quaint town of Kotor may be on the Adriatic but it is actually a river valley that opens to the sea. It provided shelter to sailors from the time of the ancient Greeks to when the former Yugoslavia used it as a military base. A14th-century Venetian fortification surrounds the town that has cobblestone streets closed to traffic and lined with 18

The town of Ulcinj, where the majority of the population is of Albanian descent, is a world heritage site founded in the 5th century BC, making it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Coast. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

cozy hotels, restaurants and shops. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. With a mile-long sandy beach, Becici is a popular beach destination. Some sections are private, some are reserved for hotel guests, and the rest is available to everyone. It is a Blue Flag beach meaning it gets high marks for cleanliness. The area caters to tourist with hotels in all categories, plenty of restaurants, and a variety of water activities. Not far from Becici is Budva, another UNESCO world heritage site. Budva is known for its beaches and nightlife but the most interesting part is the historic, well-preserved, medieval Stari Grad (old town) with narrow cobblestone streets. There are many shops, restaurants, and the 9th century Church of Santa Maria. While most visitors are interested in the area along the Adriatic, visitors looking for adventure should head inland to Durmitor National Park to hike, raft, observe the wild life or just relish the beauty of the area. It is home to the deepest canyon in Europe. Most visitors arriving by air will land in Podgorica, the capital and largest city. Before heading on to other places in Montenegro, check out the old town with a clock tower built by the Turks a century ago and visit the pink Petrovic Palace, which now houses Modern Arts Museum. From Podgorica there are buses to all the tourist destinations, including Ostrog Monastery, the country’s most holy site carved into the vertical mountainside offering a panoramic view of the countryside. Visitors should try the local food found in restaurants and sold as street food. Try to find a place where local music is being played or sung. There are accommodations in all categories, including what has been called “Europe’ most luxurious hotel,” the island resort of Sveti Stefan. U.S. citizens need only a valid passport. The official currency of Montenegro is the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted throughout the country.

Sandra Scott along with her husband, John, traveled the world for over 50 years. With John’s passing, Sandra has moved to Oswego and continues to travel. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

Ostrog Monastery, Montenegro’s most holy site carved into a vertical mountainside, offering a panoramic view of the countryside.

The quaint town of Kotor may be on the Adriatic but it is actually a river valley that opens to the sea. 19

NEWSMAKERS

NEWS BRIEFS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES & BUSINESS PEOPLE Scott Kingsley Appointed CFO at NBT Bancorp Scott A. Kingsley has been appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer at NBT Bancorp. Kingsley will join NBT’s executive management team and be based at the company’s headquarters in Norwich, Chenango C o u n t y. H e brings 35 years of experience to his new role, including 16 years as a member of Scott Kingsley the leadership team at Community Bank System, Inc., where he served as chief operating officer and prior to that as chief financial officer. Kingsley started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers and was employed there for eight years before joining the Carlisle Companies, Inc., a large publicly traded manufacturer and distributor, where he served first as corporate controller and then as chief financial officer of its Carlisle Engineered Products operating division. “Scott Kingsley is uniquely qualified to assume the CFO position at NBT at this time,” said NBT President and CEO John H. Watt, Jr. “He is a proven and successful leader in the financial services industry, and we welcome him to our organization. Scott’s previous experience in community banking across the markets NBT serves positions him to be an important driver of our growth strategies.” A certified public accountant, Kingsley earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at Clarkson University. He is a community leader and volunteer, serving on the Crouse Health Foundation board of trustees and on the audit and finance committee for the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. He also volunteers with OnMyTeam16, a nonprofit organi20

zation supporting children in the fight against cancer, and is currently training for the 2021 Boston Marathon as part of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute team.

United Way Announces Two New Board Members The United Way of Greater Oswego County recently elected two community members to their board of directors. Both will serve as directors of the board through 2023 and will help implement partnerships that work toward ensuring every resident of Oswego County has the opportunity and access needed to achieve their full potential. The new members are: • Tracy Wimmer is the vice-president and chief financial officer at ConnextCare, which is located in Pulaski and provides healthcare across Oswego County. She joined the board in February. Wimmer brings particularly relevant Tracy Wimmer experience to the board as she was previously employed by the United Way of the Mohawk Valley as director of finance. She also recently participated in Leadership Oswego County and the Oswego Health 5K. “I appreciate the collaboration between the United Way and their community partners to work toward giving back to the community,” Wimmer said. • Sarah Ingerson, program coordinator at SUNY Oswego Office of Business and Community Relations, was elected to the board in March. Her professional experience includes employment at Oswego County Opportunities and the Oswego County Department of Social Services, which she believes allowed her to understand both the demands and strengths of the community.

“As a native of Oswego County, I have always been passionate about issues impacting our residents,” she said. “I am interested in giving my time and talents to United Way to further its mission of raising awareness of local human needs and supporting solutions that address those needs.” “These new board members bring strong expertise and diverse expeSarah Ingerson rience to our engaged and insightful board of directors,” said Christy Huynh, chairman of the governance committee of board and past president. “Tracy and Sarah are committed to strengthening Oswego County and their enthusiasm about United Way will drive change for our community’s future health and well-being.” Patrick Dewine, executive director of United Way, said, “It is an honor to welcome these distinguished leaders who believe the power of unity can create lasting and impactful change in our community.

Tryniski Named Pathfinder Bank’s VP, Credit Manager Nick Tryniski has been named vice president, credit manager at Pathfinder Bank, according to Ronald Tascarella, executive vice president, chief banking officer. “We are happy to recognize Nick with this promotion,” said Tascarella. “With his extensive knowledge of lending, leadership skills and his commitment to customer service, Nick has proven to be a tremendous asset to the continued growth of Pathfinder Bank’s lending division.” As credit manager for Pathfinder Bank Market, Tryniski will manage OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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the residential and commercial underwriting for the bank and will bring his knowledge of lending and p ers on al ex perience as a credit analyst and lender to customers, his team of analysts Nick Tryniski and residential underwriters to this new role. Prior to joining Pathfinder Bank as a credit analyst in 2016, Tryniski was employed at M&T Bank. He earned a degree in finance from LeMoyne College and is a resident of Baldwinsville. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, home improvement projects and bowling.

NBT Appoints New Board of Directors Member NBT Bancorp Inc. recently announced that J. David Brown has joined the boards of directors for NBT Bancorp Inc. and NBT Bank, N.A. Brown is president and CEO of the Capital District YMCA, where

J. David Brown

he has worked for 28 years to create better opportunities for all through community programs and services. A past member of the NBT Bank Capital Region advisory board, Brown also served on the Siena College board of trustees. “We are excited to welcome David to board service at NBT,” said NBT Board Chairman Martin A. Dietrich. “David’s valuable insights will help strengthen our efforts to be responsive to our customers and communities. His strong executive experience in the nonprofit sector and knowledge of NBT’s Capital Region market make him a valuable addition to the board.” Brown’s experience also includes serving as a member of the Governor’s Regional Economic Council and the Diversity & Inclusion Council for the YMCA of the USA. His awards and recognitions include being selected as director of the year from the Association of YMCA Professionals, NYS Governor’s African American Community Distinction, 40 elite alumni honoree and 40 Under Forty honoree by the Albany Business Review.

NBT Selected One of Forbes America’s BestIn-State Banks NBT Bank has earned a spot on the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Banks 2021, announced on June 24. NBT Bank was the top-ranked national bank in New York state. Forbes identified America’s BestIn-State Banks 2021 based on an in-

dependent survey of approximately 25,000 U.S. consumers who were asked to rate banks at which they have or had checking accounts. Survey participants made recommendations regarding overall satisfaction; they also assessed banks in the following areas: trust, terms and conditions, branch services, digital services, customer service and financial advice. “Once again our customers have spoken and Forbes listened. This recognition is ratification of the deep commitment of the entire NBT team,” said NBT Bank President and CEO John H. Watt, Jr. “We often say that we’re ‘focused on what matters.’ For us, that means doing our best to consistently exceed the expectations of our customers and communities in every interaction.”

Foundation Announces Promotion, New Hire The Central New York Community Foundation has announced some staffing changes. • Darrell Buckingham has been promoted to the position of program officer working with the community investment team. His role is designed to assist in managing and implementing the Darrell Buckingham

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Community Foundation’s strategic initiatives and grantmaking that advance racial, social and economic equity. Before joining the Community Foundation in 2019, Buckingham served as personnel officer for Onondaga County Public Libraries and is the former chapter president for CNY/Mohawk Valley International Association of Workforce Professionals. Buckingham earned his Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in business management from Cazenovia College. He graduated from the Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders program and the Focus Greater Syracuse Citizens Academy. He serves as board trustee and co-chairman of the equity and engagement committee for the Everson Museum. Buckingham also serves as secretary on the Vera House board of directors and is also a board trustee. • Elisia Gonzalez was hired as program associate. Her role is to provide support that guides the grant distribution process and execution of initiatives. She was born and raised Elisia Gonzalez in Syracuse and graduated from Corcoran High School. Gonzalez also attended Syracuse University, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in geography. Before starting at the Community Foundation, Gonzalez worked at the Syracuse

Cooperative Federal Credit Union and Home HeadQuarters. The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity established in 1927 that receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive. It is the largest charitable foundation in Central New York with assets of more than $366 million and has invested more than $230 million in community improvement projects since its inception. As a grantmaker, civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the region and address the most critical issues of our time.

Professor Publishes Textbook for Business and Technology Incubation SUNY Oswego School of Business professor Sarfraz Mian’s expertise, experience and extensive network came together to author the first-ever textbook on entrepreneurial and startup support through business and technology incubation. In serving as lead editor of “The Handbook on Research on Business and Technology Incubation and Acceleration: A Global Perspective,” Mian drew

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on the pioneers and prime movers he has developed from decades working in this field. “Compared to some college majors, it’s a relatively new field, and there is no comprehensive handbook which covers all the incubation mechanisms,” Mian said of the product’s germination during his sabbatical. “I thought this would be great to be the first to put something Sarfraz Mian together and serve the field.” He secured Edward Elgar Publishing, one of the top publishers in business and economics, which released the book in April as part of its Research Handbooks in Business Management series. The idea of a business incubation center began in Upstate New York, when in 1959 in Batavia, Joseph Mancuso bought the abandoned 850,000-squarefoot Massey Ferguson factory after its closing cost 2,000 people their jobs. Mancuso provided office space, some business coaching, financing help and shared space — and the “incubator” tag came when one of the first clients was a chicken hatchery, Mian noted. In the more than 60 years since, incubators and technology parks around the world have hatched thousands of fledgling businesses.

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The sous vide duck leg at Red Sun Fire Roasting Co had a crispy, delicious skin braised with orange pekoe tea. It was also covered with a raspberry and Riesling coulis.

Basking in Flavor

The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co. in Oswego sizzles

here’s a lot to take in when stepping foot inside Oswego’s The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co., located at 207 W. First St. Of all the times I’ve driven or walked past the façade, save the countless times saying, “I have to try this place sometime,” it’s impressive seeing its guts for the first time. I audibly uttered, “Wow,” upon stepping in. Red Sun — how I’ll respectfully refer to this eatery with the mouthful for a name — is a lot larger than it looks. There’s a lot to take in, especially with the prominent exposed brick and murals. The atmosphere is casual and photogenic. I was seated at a solitary table because bar space was filled up on this busy weeknight. They told me a 10-minute wait but it was only a handful. After sitting and ordering my ommegang rare vos ($6), plus two appetizers, the Thai chicken lettuce wraps ($10) and burrata panzanella ($8), I had 26

a little bit of a wait before the two fresh starters came out. The burrata appetizer featured the soft mozzarella and cream ball propped up by two pieces of golden beet in the center of the plate. A ring of watercress, more beet chunks, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic reduction graced the plate and surrounded the bulbous cheese ball. The beets were cooked perfectly and, with the combination of the cheese and flavors, was nothing short of delightful. Plus, it’s great bursting the burrata and watching the deliciousness spill out. The Thai chicken lettuce wraps is an option for the adults who love to play with their food. Four romaine leaves were stacked next to a dish of ground chicken and shallots. Also on the plate was a condiment cup of the Thai peanut sauce. The ratio of the ground chicken with the four romaine leaves was spot on. There could have been a tad bit more of the peanut sauce but that’s because

it’s wonderful. The medium-thick sauce boasts a distinguishable amount of curry but it’s not overpowering. Where there is a wood-fired oven, sign me up for some pizza. Red Sun flaunts a unique, confident list of pizzas, and I opted for the one with garlic, truffle oil, portabella, and more. It’s called the forestiere ($14), which is a French term for “of the forest.” (I definitely looked that up on Google.) The bottom of the pizza was perfect but the edge crust was a little doughy. After heating up the leftovers the next day for dinner (and breakfast), it crisped it right up. When you dine, if you prefer a crispy crust, just ask. There are no complaints about the flavor of a good garlic pie. The truffle flavor was surprisingly subdued. Truffles can be overwhelming but this time it shared the spotlight with the mushrooms, cheeses and smoke from the oven. Blame my lack of attention or OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

reading the fine print too quickly, but in my haste I ordered two entrees that came with risotto and asparagus — the Chilean sea bass ($26) and the sous vide duck leg ($24). Aside from this oops, there are no regrets. The citrus herb risotto was something to take note of, considering one of my favorite things to make is risotto. Red Sun’s is creamy and has bright piquancy thanks to the orange, lemon and whatever the chef decided to throw in there. The Arborio rice was cooked to perfection. If there’s an option to order it à la carte, do it. No offense to the asparagus, which was sautéed perfectly, but risotto takes a little more TLC. The sous vide duck leg had a crispy, delicious skin braised with orange pekoe tea. It was also covered with a raspberry and Riesling coulis. That sauce saved the entrée because, unfortunately, the duck leg was a little overcooked. But it wasn’t dry like the Griswold’s Christmas turkey. There was still flavor to it. The Chilean sea bass was a nice, meaty fish. If there was any fishy pungency, it was hidden by the Moroccan basil chermoula. To best describe this wonderful sauce, it’s incredibly similar to its worldly cousins, pesto and chimichurri. It was nice to see a different fish entree aside from salmon, which wasn’t on the menu. Enjoying this colorful, well-plated fish dish was even better. Before tip, the bill was just under $100, which is reasonable when considering quality. The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co. doesn’t pull back when it comes to flavor. It’s definitely worth a visit and countless returns.

Burrata panzanella appetizer.

The Thai chicken lettuce wraps.

Red Sun Fire Roasting Co. 207 W. First St., Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-4406 redsunoswego.com facebook.com/The-Red-Sun-FireRoasting-Co-115475341798162/ instagram.com/theredsunoswego/ Sun.: Closed Mon. – Thurs.: 4:30–8 p.m. Fri. – Sat.: 4:30–9 p.m. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

Citrus herb risotto is something to take note. 27

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

BUSINESS UPDATE

14 Businesses Compete for $90,000 in Prizes Entrepreneurs advance for the next phase of the Next Great Idea Oswego County Business Plan Competition

he Next Great Idea (NGI) competition kicked off in spring 2021 when entrepreneurs submitted 24 business concept proposals ranging from manufacturing, biotechnology, mobile app development, hospitality, agritourism, micro brewing, retail, and specialized services. Of those, 14 semi-finalists have been invited to continue to the second phase, developing a full business plan. In September, they will submit their business plans which include a full business narrative along with financial projections to NGI’s panel of 10 judges to determine who will be selected as the finalists to compete in the final round of the competition this November. The winners of NGI will be announced at an awards luncheon to follow at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center. “The Next Great Idea is the result of business and community leaders joining together to launch a competition that encourages entrepreneurs to commit to new business development in Oswego County and offers cash and other prizes totaling $90,000 to help make several entrepreneurs dreams come true,” Austin Wheelock, deputy director of Operation Oswego County and NGI chairperson, said. The semi-finalists still competing in the Next Great Idea Oswego County Business Plan Competition are: • Bliztown Brewing, a start-up nano brewery owned by Eric McElveen, who would utilize the funds from NGI to produce high quality artisanal ales with locally sourced ingredients for their own tap room as well as work with local restaurants, hotels and pubs to develop their own house brand ales. • Empire Drone, owned by partAUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

ners John McGraw and Sean Falconer have proposed CropFlight, a suite of specialized agricultural drone services to their growing business which would create new technology jobs in Fulton as well as provide small to medium size farmers with an all-in-one technology platform to treat their fields more efficiently and effectively. • Feral Hive Meadworks, owned by Jonathan Shaver, is looking to capitalize on the craft alcoholic beverage boom in New York state by

establishing the mead works which will locally produce draft mead, a new and unique beverage. The product will be sold on site in a tap room as well as be available for carry out. • Fort Frisbee, owned by Steven Mollica, is looking to put its own unique spin on the pet boarding and grooming business. As a veteran-owned business, he plans to offer a one stop shop for pet services in Fulton, which will carry products from other veteran-owned pet businesses and would give back to 31

used dresses and other clothing. There will be special events including Prom Dress Pop-Ups and the store will work with local schools to provide dresses and clothing at low costs to those who need assistance.

veteran support organizations. • Mobile Hydraulic Hose, a start-up created by James Macklen, would utilize the NGI prize to develop a mobile hydraulic repair and fabrication business that would service the many manufacturing, agriculture and logging operations in and around Oswego County. This mobile service is especially needed in rural areas where extended downtime can be catastrophic to business. • Moth & Flame Basecamp, a unique concept “glamping” business developed by co-founders Amanda McLoughlin and Paula Barreto, would allow visitors to stay, play and support local in the outdoor landscapes of Oswego County while having a unique and secure stay and experience in nature. If funded, this business would develop distinctive basecamps in a scenic location that would complement the growing outdoor recreation and event tourism industry in Oswego County. • Peaceful Acres Hard Cider, founded by Dan Shutt, would create a niche farm cidery from all natural wild and heirloom apples grown on a hundred-year-old orchard on the shores of Lake Ontario. If awarded the NGI prize, funds would be used to scale up production and develop a tasting room in Mexico. • Sensory Space Kids Gym, created by Stacey Lawson, would provide a parent-led sensory-friendly space for children with autism and other sensory processing disorders. More than just a gym, the facility would have space for events, education, and personalized therapeutic sensory enrichment classes. • Six Acres Farm Brewing, founded by Jenna Behling in Mexico, would be the first niche beverage company of its kind to develop fruit-infused beers with locally grown fruit and proprietary methods to create naturally full-flavored fruit ale beverages. The business would utilize the NGI funds to scale production, develop a tasting room on site, and begin distribution. • Stress Biotech, LLC, a biotechnology research service proposal developed by Kestusis Bendinskas, would build on his academic background in developing research on stress which is an underserved market opportunity. There is an opportunity 32

Austin Wheelock, deputy director of Operation Oswego County and Next Great Idea chairperson. in stress research due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as increased political division. Better understanding stress could lead to better health, productivity, and relationships. This business concept could play an integral part in this growing market sector. • Super Paintball, a business created by founder and inventor George Kalkowsky, seeks to revolutionize the way that the sport of paintball is played with the development of new equipment that would be designed and manufactured in-house. As an avid paintball participant with a strong engineering background, George has created new products that he believes will provide the user a better experience and could be quickly adopted into the market. • The Break Wall, founded by Aubrey Avery, would be a self-pour tap room that would add a unique experience to downtown Oswego. This business would not only adopt new technology including PourmyBeer self-pour taps and large touch screens but it would allow the user to be their own bartenders. It would also be educational, providing information on each of the ingredients and the production process of each beverage. • Tulip’s Boutique, owned by Kristin Shanley Graves, is a startup niche boutique store offering gently

• Wellhouse Ministries, a startup nonprofit organization led by president and co-founder Kateri Spinella would use the funds from Next Great Idea to start Anthony House, a free 24-hour care facility for terminally ill residents with medical services provided by hospices. This type of facility would be the first of its kind in Oswego County. In addition to awarding $90,000 in cash and services to the winners, some of the anticipated outcomes from the Next Great Idea program include: developing a culture of innovation and entrepreneurism in Oswego County; improving the quality of life for the community by bringing innovative and needed businesses and services to Oswego County; fighting the ‘brain drain’ by encouraging the best and brightest to stay local; creating new job opportunities and markets; and expanding the tax base. “We’ve designed the NGI program in a way to benefit all the participants involved, not just the ultimate winner of the competition. If we have several finalist prize winners come out of this, plus many other bankable, feasible business plans with confident entrepreneurs then everyone wins, especially Oswego County,” Wheelock said. The Next Great Idea competition, originally started in 2008, has awarded four winners to date and has grown from a $25,000 winner-take-all competition to multiple winners with $90,000 in total prizes. The overall winner of the 2021 NGI competition will receive $50,000 cash toward starting or expanding their business in Oswego County. Second prize is $10,000 in cash and $15,000 in business services and third prize is $5,000 cash and $10,000 in business services. Support for NGI comes from the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, Operation Oswego County, Inc., Advance Media NY, C&S Companies, Pathfinder Bank, the SUNY Oswego Business Resource Center, the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, National Grid and Chirello Advertising. The competition website, www. oswegocounty.org/NGI/index.htm, includes an overview of the event, a competition timeline, guidelines, sponsors, and contact information. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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BUSINESS UPDATE

Labor Shortage Shutters Central Square Sisters’ Family Dairy Business Without workers, resurrected family dairy farm folds

isters Trista VanDuzer and Melissa Booth started Twin Mill Brook Farms, LLC, in Central Square in 2018; however, above all the other challenges of dairy farming—like animal health, weather, milk prices, feed costs, safety and the time-intensive work, for example — finding labor proved their dairy’s undoing. In early July, they decided to sell the herd and equipment. Their grandfather founded the farm in 1949, but the transition to the current generation was not as straightforward as many business successions. The sisters’ parents quit dairying in the 1980s as milk prices tanked and expenses rose. Though their parents raised beef cattle on a separate farm, that’s far different from dairying. In 2018, Booth returned to her grandfather’s farm to help her brother, Edson House, revive the dairy operation, and a year later VanDuzer quit her job in information technology to

join them. The brother moved on to other endeavors but the sisters continued dairying. The women had never milked cows and hired workers who had also no experience in dairying. Without realizing it, all their new hires were women (though they subsequently hired two men to join the operation). “We were all learning together, which was an amazing year and a half,” VanDuzer said. “We had to figure out things and ask questions and operate equipment that was all new to us.” VanDuzer expressed gratitude for the many neighbors, vets and friends who offered helpful advice and practical help in getting the dairy operating. Perhaps it was the gender-based camaraderie that fueled their farm’s work culture but their team worked well enough together to restart the farm, including building barns, buying stock and bringing the farm into modern times. For Twin Mill Brook, changing from

Part of the crew which until recently ran Twin Mill Brook Farms, LLC. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

a conventional electric milking system to a robotic system meant the farm would have at least a chance to become economically sustainable, dramatically reducing the cost of labor. On paper, it made sense that reducing labor would mean the farm could thrive. Bringing in two Lely Astronaut milking machines, a Lely Vector feeding robot and Valmetal comboxes enabled the crew of only one full-timer and six part-time people to care for 115 Holstein and Jersey cows. A Farm Credit loan and grants helped pay for the robotic system. Finger Lakes Dairy Services, Inc., helped with the planning process, which was overseen by Whitney Davis, a dairy equipment project specialist. The robots can service 60 cows apiece and the sisters found that 111 to 115 was the optimal number, along with 115 dry cows and calves. Creatures of habit, cows like the predictability of the robotic milking system. With only a short period of acclimation, cows readily take to the robotic system, which cleans their udders, milks them and records their information. Cows must be milked at least twice daily; however, with the Lely system, they may be milked whenever they would like during a 24-hour period. The cows can choose when and where they rest, eat and spend their time. The robotic system allows them to live based upon their natural herding instincts rather than a human-imposed schedule. The demands of dairying can wear on farmers. It is difficult to get away for the day because the cows must be fed and milked and their stalls cleaned morning and evening. That is why the sisters chose the robotic system, which reduced choring to cleaning and filling the commodity boxes for feeding. Reducing the labor hours of dairying allows farmers greater flexibility to 35

Trista VanDuzer, left, and her sister Melissa Booth. They had no experience in farming before they joined the farm their grandfather founded in 1949. They recently sold their herd and farm equipment due to a lack of employees to run the business. perform other revenue-generating work and spend more time with their families. They need to staff the barn only 12 hours a day with a robotic system. Twin Mill also installed security cameras in the maternity pen and the sisters took turns checking the cameras all night. Normally, cows calve without issues all by themselves. Their self-monitoring milking and feeding robots call about any little thing that hinders their ability to function. In robotic systems, each cow wears a unique tracking device on her collar that helps the system track the cows’ movement, feeding and milking times. The system tracks 130 data points, all accessible to farmers’ computers or mobile devices. “It even detects if it goes too long between cows,” VanDuzer said. “Sometimes, the cows will get a gate loose. They’ll stand and play with gates and might block themselves from getting to the robot. The robot will call us.” 36

The sisters also raise 220 acres of corn and lease 175 acres for hay. They buy feed and rely on the input of their niece and herd nutritionist, Jacklyn Booth, who is a senior at Cornell University. Some farms estimate that going robotic cuts about 45% of their labor force. The workers on these farms still have plenty to do. They must clean the robots three times daily and the barn every day. They also spend a few hours daily to fill the feeding system and manually feed calves. Despite the labor-saving nature of the robotic systems, Booth and VanDuzer could not maintain the minimum staff required to operate the dairy. They decided to sell the herd and robotic equipment in the coming weeks. “We’re down to myself and two part-time people,” VanDuzer said. “In past four weeks, I lost all the other employees. It’s a real challenge. We made the heart- wrenching decision to sell the

cows. We had a good running facility. We had a good run for two years here.” Aside from the nationwide labor shortage, agriculture has always struggled to find labor. “It’s hard to attract people to this industry,” VanDuzer said. “In order to really succeed you have to want to live the lifestyle.” That means hard, dirty work; unusual and often late working hours that are overtime exempt; and often dangerous working conditions. Although not a panacea for the labor issues dairy farmers face, robotic systems can help alleviate the problem. For this reason, Davis said that robots have become important in the dairy industry. “I have dairy customers who milk with robots who say, ‘If I didn’t have robots, I wouldn’t be milking cows,’” Davis said. “It’s not hard to do but it’s different from conventional means. It gives them a better way of life and they can be profitable.” Finger Lakes Dairy Services has about 50 customers with robots. Davis said that many think that the systems are very expensive. However, they save on labor and can help dairy farms get more milk — some as high as 15% more — from the same number of cows. The systems also improve herd health, as the equipment’s consistency and constant herd monitoring help farmers stay better attuned to their animals. “There are a lot of people who should at least consider looking at robots,” Davis said. “It’s the way for some dairies to survive, exist and be profitable. Dairies with robots say they know much more about their cows with this technology than they ever did milking conventionally. The information obtained detects problems in cows early on, so remedies are faster while impacts are reduced. There are plenty of experienced robot users in New York to visit to see the positive changes they’ve realized.” Twin Mill Brook sells its milk to Queensborough Farm Products in Canastota, which supplies yogurt maker Chobani. VanDuzer said that Chobani visited Twin Mill Brook 18 months ago as part of a routine tour of its supplying farms. VanDuzer said that they do not plan to sell the land, just the robots and cows. “We are selling the operation out as pieces,” she said. “We aren’t sure yet what it will be. We will still farm crops.”

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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BUSINESS UPDATE

Lumber Prices May Go Up Again in the Fall Prices have leveled out recently; experts say this could change

perfect storm of circumstances during the pandemic drove lumber prices to unprecedented levels earlier this year. With low supply and high demand, prices could only go up. But, in recent months, the prices have leveled out. Armed with stimulus checks and a lot of time on their hands, many people at home decided it was time to build a deck or garage or extra room. “Everyone was home and not going on vacations,” said Chuck Handley, owner of Burke’s Home Center and contractor in Oswego. “They decided to put their money into their homes.” He added that the trend lasted through last winter, when he had felt sure the demand would slow.

Residential building boom A shortage of houses on the market and increased demand for homes increased commercial demand for lumber. Many factors ramped up the real estate market, including people moving away from large cities and the desire 38

for extra space as people were working from home, schooling at home and caring for elderly relatives instead of placing them in nursing homes. “That has made the housing industry shoot up to the rate of 400,000 to 500,000 homes per year more than normal nationwide,” Handley said. “Right now, we’re at 1.6 to 1.7 million homes built per year, and 1.2 million per year in previous years. That’s a lot. The lumber industry wasn’t geared up for it. Mills had a tough time supplying.” Ice storms in Texas in January and February 2021 also affected cost. “All the resins that are used to make plywood and to make piping and everything used as a plastic resin was shut down over a month,” Handley said. “That made the supply chain tight. That drove the price up for building and renovation. It’s not just lumber, but a lot of items.” In addition, a low supply of lumber beginning in 2018 and idle mills during the quarantine period left lumber retailers understocked. Jamie Giarrusso, sales manager at Giarrusso Building Supplies in Syr-

acuse, said that mills curtailed their production of lumber through 2019 because demand had fallen off. “They were thinking 2020 would be the same,” he said. That assumption was part of the reason Giarrusso had little lumber to sell for the past year and why the prices skyrocketed. Once the quarantine hit, mills shut down for two months, exacerbating the problem. But that temporary shutdown was not the worst part. Once mills started up again, the labor shortage made filling those positions difficult. Giarrusso said that a shortage of truckers has made it difficult to obtain the lumber mills’ products and to deliver it to customers. “I have had signs out front for two years looking for drivers,” he said. “It took until late June to get a delivery driver.”

Leveling out Once demand began to fall off in May 2021, prices began to go down. Handley said media reports of higher OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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to buy, before people start buying lumber to prepare their homes for winter.” Plywood has remained high, as the resin issue caused a major setback in production. Giarrusso hopes that the lumber industry will learn to look further into the future rather than waiting until the supply is too low. He expressed gratitude that customers have mostly been understanding when the store was unable to supply them. “I’ve seen this before and customers weren’t as patient as they are now,” he said. “They see everything in the whole world harder to get.”

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Grab a copy of our 2021 CNY Fall Guide, available for free at 100s of locations across the region. www.cnyfall.com 39

SPECIAL REPORT

Fulton Savings Bank: Building Trust For 150 Years

ulton Savings Bank is the city of Fulton’s oldest, locally owned, longest-standing business at 150 years, according to The Friends of History in Fulton, Inc. The bank is governed by a board of trustees comprised of local residents and businesspeople, who oversee the its overall operations. Over the last 150 years, Fulton Savings has helped countless couples buy their first dream home, enabled scores of students to finance their college education, helped with home improvements and business start-ups and expansions. The bank has offices in Fulton, Baldwinsville, Phoenix, Central Square, Brewerton and Constantia with eleven automated teller machines (ATMs) throughout its service area. It has assets of more than $453 million and deposits of more than $317 million.

People Make the Difference “The bank’s most important asset has always been people,” said Michael Pollock, president and CEO of Fulton Savings Bank. “The bank provides opportunities for all of us to work as a team, learn and succeed. In turn, employees share a common vision to treat all customers with respect and dignity. The formula and the atmosphere it creates leads to long-term loyal employees and customers.” The bank has 71 employees; the majority of those employees have been with the bank for more than 20 years, said Annette Cotton, vice president, human resources and marketing. “The reason I have worked at Fulton Savings Bank for so long is the opportunity for advancement from within the organization,” said Debra A Braden, vice president, branch administration. “I began as a part-time teller in 1992 and am now a vice president. If an employee puts in the time and the work, they are rewarded.”

Roots Run Deep By an act of the New York State Legislature, Fulton Savings Bank was incorporated in March 1871, “to receive deposits from tradesmen, clerks, merchants, laborers, minors, servants and others.” That core mission remains and has been expanded over 150 years, according to bank officials. In September 1871, Fulton Savings Bank opened its doors in a rented room at the northeast corner of South Second and Oneida Streets in Fulton. In 1911, the bank grew AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

Fulton Savings Bank’s board of trustee members: Michael Pollock; Pamela Caraccioli; Brain Caswell; Thomas Johnston; Rev. John Canorro; Mark Backus and Jerome Mirabito. and expanded to move into its current headquarters on South First Street in downtown Fulton. “So many banks, over the years, no longer exist,” Pollock said. “We’ve stayed as a local community bank and we’re still a mutual savings bank, which means we have no shareholders. Mutuality has allowed the bank to put our customers, the communities we serve and our employees first. “Based on the size of the bank and the amount of reserves that we have, we’re probably the strongest bank in the state. Not that we’re the biggest, but for the amount of reserves we have compared to the size of the institution, we’re very, very financially strong,” Pollock said. 42

Fulton Savings Bank prides itself on its ability to change its services, adapting with the times, while still maintaining a high level of customer service. “Through all the world wars, the Great Depression, 2008 financial crisis, and now COVID, we have been able to survive and thrive thanks to community support,” Pollock said. Fulton Savings is there to help all the communities they serve. “If customers have a need, we are right there, trying to help them out,” said Jerome Mirabito, the bank’s executive vice president and secretary. “We’ve demonstrated that both through financial support to individuals and community involvement by our employees. We really pride ourselves on

being able to sit down and talk with people. You’re always welcome here at any of our offices, and we’ll spend time with you and listen to you.”

A Community Partner The bank’s employees have donated hundreds of hours of their own time to assist many civic and service organizations in the communities they serve. In addition, according to Cotton, the bank contributes an average of $2,000 a week in the local communities, which adds up to more than $100,000 a year to many local nonprofit organizations. Among these organizations are the United Way, Oswego Harborfest, the Fulton Jazz Festival, CNY Arts Center, OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

“So many banks, over the years, no longer exist. We’ve stayed as a local community bank and we’re still a mutual savings bank, which means we have no shareholders. Mutuality has allowed the bank to put our customers, the communities we serve and our employees first. Michael Pollock, president and CEO, Fulton Savings Bank

Futon Public Library, Friends of Fulton Parks, Friends of Great Bear, Central Square Lioness Club, Boy Scouts, local YMCAs, Oswego County Catholic Charities, youth activities and programs and many more. The bank also has a longstanding scholarship program that has provided scholarships to area students attending Cayuga Community College and SUNY Oswego. The program was instituted in 1998, and scholarships are awarded through all 10 local high schools. The participating districts include APW, Baldwinsville, Central Square, Fulton, Hannibal, Mexico, Oswego, Phoenix, Pulaski and Sandy Creek. To date, the bank has awarded over a half million dollars to local students through these scholarships.

Celebrating 150 years Although the pandemic sidelined early 2021 plans for celebrating its 150th anniversary, Fulton Savings has festivities planned for August. It will mark the date by hosting a customer appreciation week in their branches. It will be complete with giveaways, raffles and more activities at each branch. “We wouldn’t have stayed strong for 150 years without the good faith and support of our loyal customers, and we want them to know just how important they will always be to us as their financial partner,” said Brian Caswell, chairman of the board. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

From the Archives

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Main lobby of Fulton Savings Bank. circa 1980. 43

SPECIAL REPORT

The Shrinkflation Offensive Noticed the size or quantity of products is shrinking while prices remain the same? Call it ‘shrinkflation’ By Bruce Frassinelli

n a recent letter to the editor published in a local newspaper, an Onondaga County resident complained that the size or quantity of products is shrinking, but the prices stay the same, even increase. She’s on to something, but this sleight-of-hand is not something new. In economics, we refer to this as “shrinkflation” — the process of items shrinking in size or quantity, or even sometimes a reduction in quality with less expensive contents, while prices remain the same or increase. Consumer advocates see shrinkflation as a form of consumer fraud. They are critical of these policies because the 44

changes are not announced, nor are they immediately obvious to consumers. Smart marketers have learned that consumers are deterred more by price increases than by reduction in product. Some marketing experts have lobbied for legislation to compel companies to make an announcement when they reduce the contents of their products. Companies argue, however, that stores are compelled to post a unit price, so it is up to the consumer to compare and be aware of these differences. My favorite examples of shrinkflation are orange juice and ice cream, which, in the good old days, both came in 64-ounce (half-gallon) containers.

At first, the amount of orange juice decreased by 7.8% to 59 ounces. Now it’s down to 52 ounces with some brands, another 11.9% reduction. Through this contraction, the price has remained the same. The other sneaky part of it is that the bottle or cardboard container looks the same. The other day, I asked my daughterin-law whether she was aware that she is getting nearly 19% less orange juice than she did a few years ago. She was surprised and completely unaware of the change, but quickly added, “I was wondering why I seem to be buying more orange juice than I once did.” Maybe you wondered the same OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is perhaps most well-known for their 8-ounce cans. They’ve been changed to a taller can that appears to be bigger but, in fact, now has only 7.5 fluid ounces!

Breyer’s Ice Cream The ice cream chain’s product went from 64, to 56, to 48 ounces—a 25% reduction in product—but the price remained the same and then increased!

Snyder’s A bag of Snyder’s pretzels has gone from about $2 a bag to $3.69.

Maxwell House The company’s instant coffee went from more than 30 ounces to 26.8 ounces. While the price remained the same, there are now 30 fewer cups of coffee. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

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thing. My favorite ice cream, Breyers, along with many other top brands, went from 64 to 56 to 48 ounces — a 25% reduction in product — but the price remained the same for a while then increased and is now more than $4 a container. The familiar packaging, however, looks basically the same, so, unless you are specifically comparing ounces you might not detect the difference. I admit to being a pretzel addict. This is another product which has undergone a major contraction. Not that long ago, it was commonplace for a bag of pretzels to be 16 ounces that would sell in the neighborhood of $2 a bag. Some of the major brands, such as Snyder’s and Utz, still for the most part package one-pound bags, but their regular price is now $3.69. Store brands and others, however, are now packaged in 13.5- or 11-ounce bags, but the customer is still charged the same price. So the manufacturer is fooling us into thinking that there has been no price increase in a long time. This is true, but you are now paying the same price for less product. A few years ago, Coca-Cola had an 8-ounce can which changed to a taller can that appeared to be bigger but, in fact, had 7.5 ounces. The difference doesn’t sound like much, but it works out to 6.25% less Coke. Maxwell House instant coffee went from more than 30 ounces to 26.8 ounces. While the price remained the same, there are now 30 fewer cups of coffee. Remember the days when you would ask for a pound of ground coffee? Those bags are now 11 to 13 ounces. Those 1,000 sheets of toilet paper used to be the industry standard. No more, especially now that there is a confusing array of double-ply and other gimmickry that makes apples-to-apples comparisons difficult. Another ploy that toilet paper makers are using is shrinking the size of a sheet from 4.5 inches to 4 inches, an 11% difference. If you get the impression that the sheets are flimsier, meaning you use more of them, you are not imagining things. Crest toothpaste went from 5.1 ounces to 4.6 ounces in the same-sized box. That’s a whopping reduction of 9.8%. In many instances such as this, the consumers have no idea that they have been taken in by clever marketing. Canned tuna used to yield about 7 ounces per tin; now, it’s more like 5 ounces. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

‘Let’s be honest, who is going to go through the hassle of actually checking the net weight of products? If the price stays the same, you’re happy.’ Pet food cans not only hold less product, but many of the cans, especially of some brands of cat food, are just a shadow of their former size. I am sure some of you remember when a candy bar was 5 cents. Now, I have to spend $1 to get six two-bite, tiny Snickers bars. And don’t you just love the phraseology: “fun size?`” Some fun – paying more for less of the sweet stuff. Let’s be honest, who is going to go through the hassle of actually checking and memorizing the net weight of products. You’re likely to be concerned with the price of the item. If the price stays the same, you’re happy. Procter & Gamble, maker of Charmin and Crest, defends its packaging strategies, saying that product innovation comes at a price. It also says that pricing is the exclusive domain of the retailer, which I find disingenuous since the retailer obviously must make a profit. As such, retailers will increase prices as they are increased for them by the manufacturers. The whole “game” is underhanded, and we consumers turn out to be the losers. Here are some suggestions to help you become more aware of shrinkflation: • Look for sale items and use coupons. • Take advantage of rebates, and if your family is sizable enough, buy in bulk if you spot a good deal. • When looking at products that you buy often, be price and weight conscious, and be aware of the cost per ounce or unit. And here is some free advice to manufacturers of these products: Come clean with us consumers. Alert us to changes in the size of contents and explain why it is happening. This is an ethical business practice; what you’re doing now is definitely not. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

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Remembering the Pandemic Is Everybody’s Business So what do local journalists, historians and archivists think will be remembered of the coronavirus pandemic?

“Just like any historical event, there will be many and conflicting interpretations of the pandemic, why and how it happened and [how it] was handled.”

TIM NEKRITZ is director of news and media for SUNY Oswego, where he spearheads telling the stories of the campus community. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

hile we look forward to the pandemic being a distant memory and might want to forget its low points, it’s still important to tell the story of this pivotal point in history to future generations. Businesses struggled. Communities struggled. People of all ages struggled. Families struggled. From those struggles can come strength — and many stories. But think about how you learned history: It was likely top-down, so you heard about presidents, generals and inventors, but less so about the day-to-day lives of everyday people. The history of the pandemic shouldn’t follow this trend. Just chronicling what presidents and politicians and pharmaceutical company CEOs did would sell short what each of us have lived since spring 2020. Journalists create what historians call “the first draft of history,” as publications — including this one you’re reading — record the most accessible and reputable documents future generations can read to discover what happened during this momentous time. For Seth Wallace, editor of The Palladium-Times, that’s why it’s important to be as accurate and inclusive as possible in covering the day-to-day developments of the COVID-19 era. “I was acutely aware, from the very beginning, of the gravity of the situation and tried to treat it with the seriousness that it deserved,” Wallace said. In retrospect, Wallace found it interesting how the newspaper’s own phrasing evolved, starting with “COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS CoV-2” to headlines like “Viral vax clinic.” “This gives a little insight to how we, as journalists, were struggling with the pandemic as well: suddenly we all had to become experts on virology and transmission and health care policy and state agencies,” Wallace said. “Any first draft is

going to have errors and while we certainly tried to minimize them, I’m sure if you look back through our earliest stories you’ll find information presented as fact which now, with the benefit of a year of studying this virus, are probably incorrect or at least incomplete.” With so much misinformation throughout the pandemic, but especially in the beginning, “it was really important to always source and cite really diligently where we were getting our facts,” Wallace said. Future generations looking back at The Palladium-Times will see that “COVID blew everything else off the front page for like, six months,” Wallace said. “I knew what was happening around us and tried to document and catalog it really clearly because I knew it would last for a while. We have a ton of photos of the first drivethrough testing clinic at Oswego Hospital, events the city and state put on, and more stories than I can count.”

Tim’s Corner

Future historians take notes For future historians, the present provides a perfect lesson and opportunity to gain experience. “The pandemic has provided us, historians, with an excellent teaching moment,” said Murat Yasar of SUNY Oswego’s history department. “We always explain to our students that their personal or other records could be primary sources for future historians. However, most of us do not think and act like that.” Since the end of World War II, much of the world has lived a relatively peaceful time, where most big events are regional and with less global impact, he noted. As a result, whole generations “have difficulty connecting themselves to history due to this peaceful period we have lived in since WWII,” Yasar noted. “The pandemic and the global challenge it created 49

have changed their understanding of history. The pandemic showed our students that they were indeed living in and experiencing a major historical event in their lifetime.” Given the scope of the pandemic, students were either directly affected or knew those affected by the disease — as well as the stress on mental health that adjusting to new realities inside and outside their classes caused. “They now appreciate the fact that their experience can indeed be used by historians to understand this part of the 21st century,” Yasar said. “I have noticed that writing diaries, blogging and social media presence among my students have increased. I believe it will be a trend in the forthcoming years.” But recording the events of the pandemic, and providing perspective, is something everybody should consider practicing, he said. “Write everything, especially from your own perspective and on your own individual experience!” Yasar suggested. “We are lucky to live in the period of the fourth industrial revolution where we can keep every piece of writing stored on computers and clouds, without worrying too much about preserving them. Social media platforms have also helped in this process.”

‘Living history’ Oswego County Historian Justin White, also a board member and volunteer of the Oswego County Historical Society/Richardson Bates House Museum, said it showed everybody is “living history.” But while local historians encouraged the public to document and share contemporary experiences, feedback and participation was negligible — but likely for understandable reasons. “We learned that most people were in survival mode at that time and trying to adjust to everyday new changes, regulations and responsibilities to make regular life work,” White said. “This did not give the freedom to focus on submitting information or ideas suggested or ready to do so. While it may happen at some point in time, it may take time for people to consider oral histories or writing their recollections.” Zachary Vickery, an archivist librarian for SUNY Oswego’s Penfield Library, actively encouraged the campus and community to engage in documentation and preservation. “Two of the main functions of any archive is to provide long-term preser50

Seth Wallace, editor of The PalladiumTimes: “I knew what was happening around us and tried to document and catalog it really clearly because I knew it would last for a while.”

Murat Yasar of SUNY Oswego’s history department: “The pandemic has provided us, historians, with an excellent teaching moment.”

vation of its contents and provide access to users,” Vickery explained. “The sooner these ‘current history’ materials are identified, organized and described by professionals, the higher probability there is to meet these main functions of preservation and access. In other words, the sooner we get the stuff, the quicker and more often people can discover, study and learn from what’s there.” Vickery and Laura Harris, Penfield’s distance and open education librarian, set up a repository for SUNY Oswego faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community to contribute journals or creative works related to the pandemic. “I don’t think we had an idea of how long the pandemic would last, but we realized everyone would be staying home for a while,” Vickery said. “I think we wanted to create an outlet for people to share what they wanted to share and participate in an event we all knew had historical implications.” Knowing that SUNY Oswego, like any large organization, would communicate a large amount of information electronically meant “as the person tasked with maintaining the college archives, I wanted to capture as much official communication as I could so that future researchers could see how the first week, the first month, the first semester unfolded,” Vickery said. Like White, Vickery said he did not see a large outpouring of documentation

from those invited. “However, I remind myself that donations of COVID-19 related material will come when people are ready to donate,” he said. In terms of what businesses and individuals should conserve, “I say try to document as much as possible, but do it consistently,” Vickery said. “Take digital photographs of storefronts and public spaces one day each month,” he suggested. “Save your (clean) masks and signs you may have printed or put up. Take screenshots of websites and social media accounts you manage, before the information becomes lost. Find a way to include identification of people, places and things in the photographs, videos and audio recordings you create.” Including these subjects, locations and dates can provide the who, what, when, where and why to provide context. Vickery also cited the”3-2-1 rule,” a best practice from the Smithsonian Libraries. “Ideally there should be three copies of what you want to preserve, stored on two different media, with at least one stored off-site or in the ‘cloud,’” Vickery said. “While we want to take comfort in having a secure place for the things we want to keep, really two or more formats and locations increase longterm preservation of these significant materials.” OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

How will we remember?

So what do local journalists, historians and archivists think will be remembered? “Just like any historical event, there will be many and conflicting interpretations of the pandemic, why, and how it happened and was handled,” Yasar noted. “This was not the first pandemic in recent history and clearly won’t be the last.” The George Santayana advice from 1905, that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” still applies here, as it showed “we, as humans, did not learn some important lessons from the past pandemics,” Yasar said. “I am sure that in the next pandemic, people and states will be addressing the same issues as if it is happening for the first time,” Yasar said. “I know it is a little pessimistic, but as a historian, you get to learn that mistakes that can easily be avoided because they happened in the past are often repeated.” Vickery thinks technology and connectedness will play key roles. “Archivists have really taken a complex and detailed approach to col-

lecting and documenting the pandemic, from physical and digital records to representative and abstract works to government, community and individual accounts,” Vickery said. “I also think there’s been a conscious effort by archivists to seek out and encourage representation of everyday life during this pandemic, and to include community members in the process from start to finish,” Vickery added. “From all of this work I believe future generations will have a better opportunity to develop a more representative account of this event than previous world-wide events.” White noted that, throughout history, anniversaries previously garnered more attention, publications and historical displays. “Centennials are important and then the importance of preserving the history resurfaces,” White said. “An example is the commemorations of World War I in 2018. There were also commemorations that were a part of that time including the Spanish Flu epidemic that shocked the world at the same time in history. Those that suffered those times, it seemed to take some time before they were ready to

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talk about the past.” The Great Depression is another example that caused a lot of suffering and was significant, yet many did not want to remember, he added. “That seems as though some things never change,” White said. “Luckily there always seems to be a paper trial to help preserve our important past to learn from.” Wallace knows a lot of people were watching how others helped, or did not, when needed. “I’m always going to remember who acted how in the first few months, because it gave an extremely clear view of who cares about their fellow man and who very aggressively does not,” he said. “I think it’s really important to tell the full, honest, complete story of what happened,” Wallace said. “We had heroes in our community, that’s certainly a part of it. But our country was super unprepared for this crisis, and ideological differences over — if it was even a real problem — made it worse. I certainly won’t forget that, and it’s unfortunately probably my largest takeaway — more than 550,000 dead Americans is the true takeaway from the past 16 months.”

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E Richard S. Shineman Foundation, Wiltsie Construction Company, ConnextCare, Rebekah Alford, and Mayor William Barlow receive achievement awards from Operation Oswego County.

L. MICHAEL TREADWELL, CEcD, is executive director of Operation Oswego County based in Oswego. To contact him call 315-343-1545 or visit www.oswegocounty.org. 52

OOC Presents Achievement Awards

llen Holst, president of the Operation Oswego County (OOC) board of directors, welcomed approximately 50 representatives of businesses, government, education, labor and other ally organizations to the 69th annual meeting, which was held online July 14. L. Michael Treadwell, executive director of OOC, reported that in 2020, projects assisted by OOC and the County of Oswego IDA (COIDA) resulted in the creation or retention of 304 jobs with over $76 million in capital investment associated with 82 new, expanded or retained facilities. Treadwell also outlined select future initiatives in progress, including 17 projects slated to be developed through the Fulton Downtown Revitalization Initiative; potential funding opportunities in Round 11 CFA funding with the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council (REDC); the 2021 Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition, which will award three prizes to the winners this fall; the development of the COIDA Manufacturing Start-up Facility at the former Nestle site in the city of Fulton; and the acquisition of approximately 200 acres to expand the Oswego County Industrial Park in the Town of Schroeppel.

Three business organizations, a successful entrepreneur and a long-standing economic development advocate were also honored for significant contributions to economic development and job creation in Oswego County. • The Ally Award for 2021 was presented to the Richard S. Shineman Foundation in recognition and appreciation of the vision, commitment and leadership demonstrated to support countless nonprofit initiatives to improve quality of life and economic vitality across Oswego County; for providing 291 grants totaling over $9.4 million to 180 organizations and programs, such as the Next Great Idea Oswego County Business Plan Competition, the Oswego Renaissance Association, Fulton Block Builders, and the ACT Work Ready Community Workforce Development Initiative, since inception; for providing professional training programs and other resources to make Oswego County organizations more sustainable; and for being a vital and essential partner in economic development in Oswego County. • The Business Excellence Award for 2021 was presented to Wiltsie Construction Company in recognition and appreciation for demonstrating outstanding leadership, adaptation and commitment in operating and expanding Wiltsie Construction in

Economic Trends

Ellen Holst, OOC board president, William “Billy” Barlow, city of Oswego mayor, and L. Michael Treadwell, OOC executive director. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

L. Michael Treadwell, OOC executive director, Karen Goetz, Richard S. Shineman Foundation executive director, and Ellen Holst, OOC board president.

Ellen Holst, OOC board president, Peter Wiltsie, Wiltsie Construction Company president, and L. Michael Treadwell, OOC executive director.

L. Michael Treadwell, Ellen Holst, Tricia Peter-Clark, ConnextCare president and CEO, and Stephanie Earle, ConnextCare director of human resources.

Ellen Holst, OOC board president, Rebekah Alford, owner and chef at Rainbow Shores and Mill House Market Deli & Bakery, and L. Michael Treadwell, OOC executive director.

Oswego for over 50 years; for servicing the nuclear energy sector and other industries in the Oswego County region; for employing 30 highly skilled persons and hiring local tradespersons as needed; for contributing to many community events and charities, including Oswego Harborfest, the United Way of Oswego County, the Oswego County Humane Society and the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. • The 2021 Jobs Award was presented to ConnextCare in recognition and appreciation of the significant contribution and impact of ConnextCare’s over 250 jobs and over $14.4 million in payroll on the Oswego County economy; for providing over 50 years of critical healthcare services across rural Oswego County; for operating 13 locations across Oswego County and continuing to expand services to communities of need; and for being an integral part of Oswego County’s and Central New York’s healthcare industry. • Rebekah Alford received OOC’s 2021 Dee Heckethorn Entrepreneur Award in recognition and appreciation AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

of exceptional entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and dedication to improving the quality of life in the Pulaski area; for the acquisition and expansion of the Rainbow Shores restaurant on Lake Ontario in 2010; for the development of the Mill House Market Deli and Bakery in Pulaski in 2017; for over 10 years working to the improve the growing tourism industry in the Lake Ontario and Salmon River regions of Oswego County. • Mayor William Barlow was honored with the 2021 Martin Rose Economic Developer Merit Award in recognition and appreciation of his outstanding leadership and collaboration in economic development, thus improving the business climate and quality of life in Oswego and Oswego County; for his innovative service as mayor of the city of Oswego; for his commitment to downtown revitalization, neighborhood restoration and brownfield site rehabilitation; for the expansion of tourism and recreation through the restoration of Wright’s Landing and the Cahill Pier, development of the

Harbor Trail, and regeneration of city parks; for fostering business attraction, expansion and retention in the City of Oswego; and, for securing over $40 million in economic development and infrastructure grants for the betterment of the Oswego community. The OOC board of directors re-elected board members Brian Anderson, National Grid; Ed Gilson, Blake Equipment; Ellen Holst, retired, Oswego County Opportunities; Vincent Lobdell, HealthWay Home Products; John Sharkey, IV, Universal Metal Works; Joseph Solazzo, Laborers Local 633; Ronald G. Tascarella, Pathfinder Bank; and David Turner, Oswego County Department of Development, Tourism and Planning. The OOC board of directors also elected Abby Weaver, the Alberts Group, for a one-year term to fill a vacancy. A partial slate of officers was also elected including Tricia Peter-Clark, ConnextCare, as treasurer; and Peter Cullinan, Exelon, as secretary. 53

Bruce Frassinelli bfrassinelli@ptd.net

B Today’s Postal Service is a far cry from its glory days. If mail performance doesn’t improve significantly, expect long-term consequences for the Postal Service’s reputation for reliability and more frustration for us.

Postal Service: No Wonder It’s Called ‘Snail Mail’

ack in the Golden Age of Radio, there was an unrehearsed quiz program called “Can You Top This?” where comedians would tell jokes to see who could top the others in audience reaction. A variation of this springs to mind in the anecdotes the U.S. Postal Service customers are telling each other about the pace of mail delivery service these days. No wonder it’s called “snail mail.” One friend might say, “It took three weeks for my letter to get from Oswego to Binghamton.” Another might chime in, “Heck, that’s quick compared to my letter which took five weeks to go from Syracuse to Watertown.” I have had my own maddening experiences and challenges, most recently when I received a credit card bill in the mail four days after it was due to be paid. Fortunately, I had realized that the bill had not arrived at its usual time, so I tracked it down online and saved myself the interest

for a late payment. I am told, however, that most companies will waive the late fee if you call to plead your case, but getting through to any human at any company these days takes the patience of Job, and, quite frankly, I think even he would be put out by the wait times. Some area residents whom I contacted said the situation seems to be getting gradually better, but around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, it was horrendous. To make matters even worse, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced recently that the price of a first-class stamp will go to 58 cents, a three-cent (5.5%) increase. On top of that, proposed service standards, or the amount of time the agency says it should take to deliver a piece of firstclass mail, represent the biggest slowdown of mail services in more than a generation. It involves significant reductions in airmail — a Postal Service tradition dating to 1918 — and geographic restrictions on how far a piece of mail can travel within a day.

My Turn

BRUCE FRASSINELLI is the former publisher of The Palladium-Times. He served as a governor of the Rotary Club District 7150 (Central NY) from July 2001 to June 2002. 54

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

This means, for example, if Congress approves DeJoy’s “efficiency” plan, it would take a day to three days longer for mail to be sent from Central New York to states west of the Mississippi River. Now, the standard is to get mail from our area to anywhere in the continental United States within two business days. Please, don’t laugh. Quite a paradox, don’t you agree? The more unreliable the service, the higher the cost. No wonder the Postal Service is hemorrhaging cash. Attorneys general from 21 states, led by New York’s Letitia James and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, wrote to the Postal Regulatory Commission to oppose the changes, arguing they discriminate against mail consumers based on geography and that the Postal Service was likely to return to the poor operational decisions that slowed mail service last fall and winter. The Postal Service was under considerable pressure leading up to last year’s presidential election since there was so much reliance on mail-in ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Actually, the Postal Service performed fairly well in getting the ballots to their destinations on time. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for other mail. For the Postal Service, it was the proverbial perfect storm, a point acknowledged by Kim Frum, a spokesperson for the agency. “Under some of the most difficult circumstances we’ve faced in the past century, the U.S. Postal Service successfully processed and delivered both a record number of mail-in ballots and a record number of holiday packages for the American people, amidst a global pandemic,” Frum said. The Postal Service delivered more than 135 million ballots and more than 1.1 billion holiday packages. Politicians from both parties at the federal and state levels have been besieged by their constituents with complaints about the unreliability of mail service, and there are several Congressional investigations underway to try to do something about it. “Leader [Mitch] McConnell and Senate Republicans cannot continue to ignore the problems DeJoy’s reforms have caused or say a problem does not exist,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York. But one of the Postal Service’s staunchest allies, U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-New York, whose 24th Congressional District encompasses a wide swath of Central New York, called on CongresAUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

‘If Congress approves Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s ‘efficiency’ plan, it would take three days longer for mail to be sent from Central New York to states west of the Mississippi River.’ sional leaders to provide $25 billion in emergency appropriations to offset coronavirus-related losses, $25 billion for projects to modernize the Postal Service and $25 billion in unrestricted borrowing authority from the U.S. Treasury to ensure long-term solvency. “Since coming to Congress, I have consistently supported the U.S. Postal Service and the men and women who work there. The services that the USPS provides are critical to Central New York and our nation even more so now,” he said. “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” says the famous Postal Service motto of the ancient Greek Herodotus etched into the concrete above the New York City post office. Did you notice the word “swift”? Assuming you are having the same frustrations that I am when it comes to mail delivery, you are probably wondering what’s going on. Why is the mail so slow? “We have a situation where people are going days without the mail,” said state Sen. Vin Gopal, a New Jersey Democrat. “People rely on the United States Postal Services for a lot of crucial services. Obviously, technology has changed a lot, but a lot of people get their medication, they pay their bills — especially a lot of seniors. They still use the postal service, and I think that’s kind of unacceptable,” he added. Could all of this be tied to directives issued by DeJoy when he took over the job in mid-2020? DeJoy told employees in a video message that what he called a

“trajectory for success” would depend on the USPS focusing on creating a workable operating model that fulfills its public service mission. OK. So far, so good. But then his introductory message was followed by other orders that seem to fly in the face of his stated mission. Postal workers have been told that the agency is the midst of what has been characterized as a long-delayed “operational pivot.” When you scratch away all of the underbrush concealing the translation of such a phrase, it means that overtime will be eliminated, late-arriving mail will be left behind by carriers and delivered the next day, and other cost-cutting measures will be undertaken to make the USPS more efficient and put it on a road to long-term financial sustainability. It’s no secret that the Postal Service has been hemorrhaging money for years, but the effort to put these policies into place in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and with an important presidential election made no sense whatsoever. Traditionally a non-political institution that is part of the executive branch, the USPS has become less so under the previous Trump administration. The ex-president had called the agency “a joke” and insisted it must increase postal rates for big users such as Amazon, which, he said, is getting preferential treatment. Trump appointed DeJoy, a significant financial supporter of the former president and other Republicans. He is the 75th postmaster general in a list that dates back to the first one, Benjamin Franklin, in 1775, before the Revolution. The Post Office Department was created in 1792, five years after the ratification of the Constitution. As much as the administration of President Joe Biden would like to get rid of DeJoy and replace him with a more experienced administrator, it can’t. While the president can fire other high-ranking executive officials at will, federal law bars the president from terminating the postmaster general under any circumstances. The removal must be made by the postal commission which DeJoy heads, and, at this point, this is not in the cards in the near future. Today’s Postal Service is a far cry from its glory days. If mail performance doesn’t improve significantly, expect long-term consequences for the Postal Service’s reputation for reliability and more frustration for us. 55

COVER STORY

Oswego Speedway: Roaring Back to Life After a pandemic-forced hiatus in 2020, the speedway has officially reopened, with Super Dirt Week on the horizon By Steve Yablonski 56

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

uilt in 1951, the Oswego Speedway sits atop the hill on East Albany Street. The Caruso family built and owned the track from 1951 until April 2004 when Pat Furlong and Steve Gioia Jr. acquired the 5/8-mile asphalt oval track. They sold it to Eric and John Torrese (Circle T Motorsports) in 2011. This summer marks the 10th year the track is under the Torrese brothers’ ownership. Oswego Speedway began as a horse racing track. The track was converted to a 3/8-mile dirt track in 1951 and was paved in 1952. The track was lengthened to a 5/8-mile pavement track in 1962. It ran uninterrupted through 2019. The speedway’s 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has roared back to life on Saturday nights in 2021. Oswego Speedway is the Labor Day Weekend home of the 200-lap, non-wing, big-block supermodified Budweiser Classic and Race of Champions (a modified touring series event). Some Saturday nights, the speedway is loud; other nights it isn’t. “Sometimes, you can hear it in Fulton,” Eric Torrese said. “Just the way the sound travels.” Either way, The Steel Palace is known far and wide. Over the last 10 years, the Torreses have given the facility a facelift and rejuvenated waning attendance figures. Renovations at the facility were “quite intense.” “There is constant work being done here. You can see we’re working on the parking lot right now,” Eric Torrese said in late June. “I guess the biggest change in the past 10 years is Super Dirt Week coming to Oswego Speedway. That’s huge. It was canceled due to COVID in 2020, but it is back for 2021.” The Torreses have made sure the speedway is safe for everyone, fans as well as drivers. All the back grandstands got redone. More safety lighting and cameras were also added. For Super Dirt Week, it brought some state money to the facility to improve their show and improve the facility, as well. In 2016, Oswego Speedway hosted the 45th edition of World Racing Group’s Super DIRTcar Series Super DIRT Week. The track received the date on the schedule after construction of Central New York Raceway Park was delayed. The speedway was covered by approximately 6,900 cubic feet of clay for AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

DIRTcar modified drivers to compete in the NAPA 300, the richest dirt modified race in the world. The event took place on Oct. 5 to 9, 2016; the first time that the track had a dirt surface since 1952. The state of New York spent $1.1 million in renovations to the speedway that year. It received a new scoreboard and bleachers; the campgrounds got plumbing and electricity upgrades. The JumboTron is new, about five or six years ago. “It’s a constant evolution. It’s an old facility, it’s an historic facility. There’s constant painting, repairs, improvements,” Eric Torrese said. The campground has 135 full-service spots now, a bathhouse that wasn’t there before. We’ve expanded the camping area; both full-service and non-fullservice sections.” “Again, these are big ticket items we’ve done. There are always projects that we look forward to. If we can bring them to fruition is yet to be seen,” he added. “It’s a tough business, as is everything else these days. COVID didn’t help with anything.”

Community events There have been a lot of community events at the track like the food giveaways during the pandemic and the big Halloween event last October, trick-or-treat in a trunk. “That went over very well,” Torrese said of the Halloween event. “I think there were around 4,000 people for that. And, we’re going to do that again this year.” For the Halloween event, traffic was backed up out to [Route] 104 past Dunkin’ Donuts and down the Hall Road, also.

Oswego Speedway: What started as a horse racing track in the early 1950s has become one of the major attractions in CNY’s tourism industry 57

“It was great. The kids didn’t lose out on the holiday; a good safe way for them to do trick-or-treating,” he said. “We’re going to do it again this year. Only, hopefully, we’re going to do it as a walk-in event instead of with cars.” The food giveaways were very successful also. They had long lines as well. Oswego Speedway is a big part of the community. “It has actually brought a lot of attention to the city as well. We’ve had food drives here, other charity events, too. It’s all about the community. This track is a big part of that community,” he said. “We have different events throughout the year; breast cancer awareness, for example. We’ve lost a couple of people associated with the track. Instead of the Steel Palace, we’ve been the Teal Palace for Mary Gosek’s charity. There are numerous charity events throughout the year.”

Biggest improvements “I think the biggest improvements, like I said, are Super Dirt Week, all the community events that came out of COVID, the improved parking and camping. It’s an older facility and constantly every day, it seems, there is always something to do. We’re always looking to improve, to offer the best possible and safest racing experience 58

“I think the city will attest to it, [Super Dirt Week] is one of their biggest revenue generators.” Eric Torrese, owner of Oswego Speedway. for the drivers and fans alike,” he said. The speedway has signed an online streaming agreement in 2021 for FloRacing to broadcast weekly Oswego Speedway races. “That’s huge. So we’re getting a lot more viewers outside of, not just the state, but outside of the United States,” he said. “The Canadian border isn’t open yet [as of mid-July]. That has hurt the track’s attendance figures. Sure, absolutely. They’ve said that maybe at the end of June it will reopen. So, let’s hope that they do that, for everybody’s sake. We have Canadian competitors that can’t come over and compete. We have Canadian fans that can’t come over. They’re all waiting for a chance to be able to get out again. Just like us

Americans, when we got a chance to get out and get back to normal.” “There are a couple things out there. But I really can’t talk about that right now. It’ll bring national attention to the speedway,” he added. “We’ll never stop moving. You have to keep improving.”

Revenue generator “I think the city will attest to it, [Super Dirt Week] is one of their biggest revenue generators. During those 10 days of Super Dirt Week, the eastside businesses are impacted; they definitely get the bulk of it. But every business in the city feels the impact of Super Dirt Week,” Torrese said. “It would be hard to find someplace that didn’t benefit; the hotels, restaurants everyone. The fans are going into town, eating, possibly going to the movies, buying stuff at the stores. Everybody that does business in the city feels the impact of Super Dirt Week.”

History continues “This place has a lot of history, it does, it really does. There’s even a personal history. I never raced here. My brother, John, did,” Eric said. “My dad [John Torrese Sr.] raced during the first years that the speedway was built.” John Jr. raced at Oswego as well OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

as on the International Supermodified Association circuit. Eric Torrese also competed for a while aboard a winged super within the ISMA ranks. “My dad was the last living driver that won on dirt then asphalt. Now, Super Dirt Week is going to start this all over again. This was a dirt track the first half season. Guys like Jack Murphy and my father that won at that time and then won again when they paved it. Now with Super Dirt Week, guys like Max McLaughlin and Tyler Thompson race dirt and asphalt. Both those young guys have a chance to win on any surface,” Torrese said. With his asphalt Supermodified win at Oswego Speedway on May 15, the 21-year-old McLaughlin could be the first driver in history to win a Supermodified race at the Steel Palace and the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 during the 49th NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week (Oct. 6-10) in the same year. “It’s less expensive, for the most part, to race a dirt car. Supermodifieds are a very unique race car. Where there are probably 10,000 dirt modifieds in the country, there are only 100 Supermodifieds, in the whole world,” Torrese said. “So that also is part of the challenge. We’re the only weekly modified track in the country. Some travel, but they don’t run on a weekly basis.” “We’re trying to keep the history alive, create new memories here,” he added. “We have a lot of good people here, friends and family, who really do the day-to-day stuff and keep everything going. We had a good shout-out this year from Dale Jr. in his podcast. With Dale Jr. mentioning your speedway in any conversation it’s a great thing, a big plus.”

Competitive field “We had another first-time winner the other week with Mike Bruce. There are 10 guys that could win on any given night. Ten or 12 guys, that’s how competitive things are now,” he said. “We changed the rear wing three years ago and it made the older cars closer to the newer cars. It kind of evened the playing field. Anybody who comes out (to race), it’s a big sacrifice for everybody’s family to have a supermodified. Anyone who gets a win really deserves it.” The divisions are growing. Younger crowds are turning out. A lot of the Kartway drivers have moved on to the big track, Torrese pointed out. The Oswego Kartway is located AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

behind Oswego Speedway. Races are held on Friday nights from May through September. It offers “several competitive karting divisions and fast, affordable family fun for people of all ages.” “Tyler Thompson raced out there and he is our youngest Classic winner ever,” Torrese said. “They start in karts at 6 or 7 years old. So, by the time they are 17, they have 10 years of racing experience under their belts.” “With the younger drivers, guys like McLaughlin and Thompson, they definitely bring young kids to the race track, their friends and family. Kids 16 and younger are free, makes it affordable for a family to come to the races,” he added. The attendance had been waning when they purchased the track. It has come up. “I think it has kind of leveled off currently. It depends on the weather, obviously, like any event. But, you know, for Classic and Super Dirt Week, we still fill up the front and back grandstands,” Torrese said. “We have an over 12,000 capacity. That’s a lot of people to put in here.” There are probably a dozen or so campers that are already in the speedway’s lot. They bought season passes and spend summers at the track.

Increased attendance More people are coming back to the track. “It’s all about personal choices, how they feel about getting out, especially in a place with large crowds,” Torrese said. “It’s scary times, but hopefully the worst is behind us now and we can all get on with our lives and get back into enjoying life, as we should,” he added. They have been “very fortunate” weather-wise. They have only lost about half a dozen races due to bad weather in 10 years. “We made a commitment to get the races in as best we can the last 10 years. We’re going to get hurt attendance–wise, but that day was just too bad,” Torrese said, referring to a rainout earlier this season. “I don’t think there are too many businesses and certainly not any tracks that I’m aware of, that has that kind of percentage of getting shows in. The worst thing is when you cancel, and the weather turns and it’s a beautiful night. There have been nights where we’ve had to dry the track a couple of times and get in a little later than we wanted to. But, we got the shows in.”

Super Dirt Week Returns to Oswego Racing’s “Biggest Party” returns to the Oswego Speedway this fall. The 49th NAPAAuto Parts Super Dirt Week is scheduled for Oct. 6-10. And, all fans are invited. “There is no underselling the excitement of seeing Super Dirt Week with fans again,” Dirtcar CEO Brian Carter said on superdirtweek.com. “This is a special event not only for us and the drivers but for everyone in New York and the motorsports community. Like you, we’re eager to get this historic party going again.” The event features the best drivers from around the world in the Big Block, Small Block, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. There will be practice for all divisions from 5 to 7 p.m. and a free concert at 7:30 p.m., open to everyone on Oct. 5. The annual parade of cars is set for Oct. 6 at noon. New this year, fans who can’t make it to Oswego will be able to watch all six days of action at Super Dirt Week live on DirtVision with either the annual Platinum FAST PASS or the monthly FAST PASS subscription. For updated information, visit superdirtweek.com

If You Go Oswego Speedway Address: 300 E. Albany St., Oswego NY (about 35 miles northwest of Syracuse, just off state Route 104) Phone: 315-342-0646 Opened: 1951 Length: 0.625 miles (1kilometer) Banking: Semi-banked (about 13 degrees). The track is not truly an oval, but is more akin to a “fourcorner” track. Surface: Asphalt Grandstands: Covered and uncovered on the north side, as well as uncovered on the south side. Seating: Approx. 10,000+. 59

Dirt Racing Resumes at Fulton, Brewerton Tracks

he Fulton Speedway opened in 1961 as an asphalt track for oval racing and drag racing. The last race on asphalt was 1978 when clay was laid down. It has been a dirt track ever since. There was also a 1/8-mile drag strip that is still visible from the pits behind turn two. Drag racing took place from 1962 to around 1972. Fulton was originally Mill-Ray Speedway, owned and built by Millard (Bub) and his brother, Ray Benway. It was asphalt originally and then ran NASCAR and NEARA sanctioning. The Brewerton Speedway was built by Alvin Richardson. It was opened as a quarter-mile clay track in 1948. The track was paved in 1956. The current clay configuration 1/3mile track opened in 1973 and is stilled raced on with no changes to the track. Brewerton at one time was also an asphalt track. The track has been through many owners. The latest, John and Laura Wight, owners of Gypsum Express, Gypsum Logistics and Big Rec Towing, saved it. Harvey Fink was selling and it was going to be leveled for commercial or condo construction.

Brewerton is one of the oldest race tracks in Central New York. Both tracks are different. Brewerton is D shaped, thus the “D shaped dirt demon” moniker. The Brewerton track is tight, exciting, wheel-to-wheel with weekly Big Block Modified, Sportsmen, Four Cylinders and Mid Lite divisions. Fulton is wide and higher banked with plenty of room to move around. Brewerton runs weekly 358 Modifieds, Sportsmen, Novice Sportsmen and Late Models. They also have specials with Empire Super Sprints, demo derby, boat races, Enduro and monster trucks (coming up at Fulton Aug. 13-14). There is tremendous local support from area businesses as divisions are all sponsored. Brewerton track Mods are Tracey Road Equipment; DOT Food (Sportsmen), Fleet Repairs (Four Cylinders), AmerCU (Mod Lites). At Fulton there are the Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux Late Models and E&V Energy Novice Sportsmen. The tracks use social media heavily with Facebook and Twitter, as well as track web pages: fultonspeedway.com and brewertonspeedway.com.

By Steve Yablonski OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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TOURISM

Optimism Among Players in Tourism Industry Official: ‘We’re starting to see steady increase in the hotels’ By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

he itch to travel may take some people far away in the coming months as travel restrictions lessen. But it may also mean some will stay put to vacation in CNY. The area’s many attractions may draw some outside visitors to CNY. That’s the hopes of Danny Liedka, president, and CEO of Visit Syracuse. “We’re starting to see steady increase in the hotels,” Liedka said in mid-July. “We know people are coming based on the ads we’ve put out and the click-through rate. People are very interested in coming here.”

He believes that is in part because the state has invested so much in advertising with campaigns to encourage New Yorkers to explore the Empire State, as well as to draw outsiders to vacation here. “I’m optimistic,” Liedka said. “People want to get out and explore. The great outdoors is king coming out of COVID.” His logic makes sense, considering the limited number of public events in the past year. With draws like the New York State Fair—cancelled last year— and numerous other events and unique

attractions in CNY, this may be a good year for the local hospitality industry. Once travel within the state opened up last year, trips within the state may have helped locals reconnect with the variety of attractions the state offers. “Central New York is like a hidden gem,” said Lynn Kistner, travel agent with Canalview Travel Service in Fulton. “It’s not a destination place. If they’ve been here and know people here, they’ll come. There are a lot of great places to visit. I definitely think during the pandemic, travel in New York from people who live in New York was popular, to OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

go to Niagara Falls or the Adirondacks.” Judy Parkhurst, owner of Cruises, Inc., in Oswego, said that domestic travel—in particular, a six- to eight-hour drive from home—is what will continue to drive travel in the months ahead. “I think people will come to Central New York if things stay calm with the virus,” Parkhurst said. “I think things will be pretty good by the end of summer.” She bases her theory on the hotels becoming booked, indicating vacationers looking to stay away from home overnight, not day trippers from local areas. Carol Testa, owner of Fairmount Travel Service in Syracuse, thinks that the confidence of travelers will make a difference in whether they vacation in New York. “A lot of people are traveling instate,” she said. “I think it’s going to depend on if they think they’ll get sick or if they’ll be fine. I think it would be safer to stay home and take their vacations with their families in this state. Some people don’t believe the vaccine is effective or that it’s safe. I think people will go to Darien Lake and other local things.” She has heard of cruises undertaking the reopening process, booking a mere 400 on a vessel meant for 7,000 so that they can adequately keep a safe distance. But still, those cruising eat and do activities together, which Testa said “makes people skeptical.” A completely—or even mostly— vaccinated population is not enough to reassure some people, according to Testa. “Everyone will have their own way of thinking,” she added. “People who have children still at home are still thinking of not doing things and that they don’t want to subject their children to risk of illness. You cannot convince people of anything.”

Serving Oswego and the surrounding community for four generations Michael J. Cullinan

315-343-5120 • www.daincullinan.com

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TOURISM

Strigo Vineyards is located at 9272 Plainville Road in Baldwinsville.

Strigo Vineyards: One Year Later Owned by Oswego’s entrepreneur Joe Murabito and his wife, Baldwinsville vineyards on track to grow By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

n the perspective of 20/20 hindsight, starting a winery in the middle of the pandemic was probably a terrible idea. In 2020, who could imagine that the effects of the pandemic would last long? Yet for Joseph Murabito, president of Strigo Vineyards in Baldwinsville, it is working out. “We started very strong before there was COVID present. Upstate wasn’t hit like a lot of businesses,” Murabito said. “There was COVID around, but CNY wasn’t hit that hard.” By October and November of 2020, business was strong—a good sign he was on the right track with the winery and restaurant. But through the middle of March, “It was slow and unpredict64

able,” Murabito said. “We managed to limp through that.” Winter weather, wearing masks and “the fear factor,” he said, all played roles in slowing his business, which has been brisk all summer. He credits the culinary talents of Jeff Deloff, the business’ chef, as one of the big draws for Strigo, along with the wide selection of wine. Despite the struggles of the pandemic, some of the necessary restrictions have proven helpful for the business. Like some other restaurants, Strigo moved to a reservations-only policy to help promote smaller, safer crowds. “That lent well to a quiet, intimate space for people who are dining,” Murabito said.

Overall, the slower start helped Murabito get his feet wet with operating a restaurant. He operates Elemental Management Group in Oswego, a financial management company that specializes in skilled nursing facilities. His wife and business partner, Ana Maria Murabito, is the accounts payable manager there. He also operates five senior living facilities in the area. “Healthcare is a service-oriented business,” Murabito said. “You’re here for people. There is some carryover there. You’re there to improve people’s quality of life whether they’re here enjoying a meal or they’re receiving care.” The restaurant is open Thursday through Saturday for dinner and Sunday for brunch instead of every evening. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Dining and tasting rooms at Strigo has capacity for 50 to 60 people.

That has helped the new restaurateur figure out what works and what doesn’t. As another revenue stream, Strigo has hosted weddings and small parties, which has proven successful. Murabito has brought in live music to enhance the ambiance. Providing farm-to-table dining also appeals to customers. He has 10 of his 70 acres planted in grapes. Local crop farmers lease 35 acres suitable for cultivation. Murabito has been making wine for 18 years. This fall, he hopes to harvest his own grapes to make wine for Strigo. Unlike some wineries, Strigo isn’t just about attracting patrons to buy Joseph Murabito’s wine. He is glad to sell others’ vino. “It’s about making wine accessible,” he said. He thinks that wine has become too pretentious for many people to access comfortably. By offering it through the 32 taps on his wine wall, patrons can try new varieties they have not sampled before without the intimidation of a wine list. “They can decide what they like about it,” Murabito said. “I don’t think there will ever be a sommelier here. It pushes wine into a place that’s less AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

A Murabito Family Affair: Isabella, 16, and Joseph, 14, next to their parents, Ana and Joe Murabito. 65

accessible. We’re normal people who like good food and wine.” He and Ana Maria enjoy traveling and have enjoyed visiting “non-touristy” farms. “That’s what suits us best and a lot of times, the quality is better,” he noted. He also offers AirBnB accommodations for up to 14 on the premises in the farmhouse with the hopes of making Strigo a destination. In addition to financial sustainability, Murabito also wants to make the business environmentally sustainable. Most of the facility’s power comes from a half-acre of solar panels on the grounds. West Gen of Los Angeles installed the panels and a 50kilowatt hybrid battery. On most days, Strigo can run off the grid, although in winter, Murabito uses some diesel-generated power for the 2,000 square-foot farmhouse and 7,000-foot tasting room. He hopes to install another 10 acres of solar arrays to use and sell back to the power company. He admits that the “green” aspect is very marketable. However, going solar is practical as it saves him money on powering the operation. It is difficult to estimate his savings since he hasn’t had the solar panels for an entire year. While summer is sunnier, it also requires air conditioning. Murabito plans to continue insulating his buildings to make them more energy efficient. “There were days where we were net positive and other days where we needed some,” he said. About seven employees work at Strigo. “It was never meant to be a primary source of income but a quality-of-life balancing feature,” Murabito said. “If the facility is sustaining itself and I can provide employment to people and a good dining experience, wine and a gathering space, the goal is that it can continue to grow.” 66

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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WOMEN IN CHARGE

MEET THE WOMEN IN CHARGE These are some of the women who are making a big difference in Central New York 68

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Amy Collins VP, GM of NBC3, CBS5 and CW6

‘The vision I had for our team, when I became GM seven years ago, was to take our stations to No. 1, through a commitment to our community and business partners’ By Mary Beth Roach

elevision has provided entertainment and news for decades. But, there is a great deal of behindthe-scenes at work. Making sure those programs air on the local stations NBC3, CBS5 and CW6 and keeping them profitable is Amy Collins, vice president and general manager of the three stations and their website CNYcentral.com. She is also an associate group manager with Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns and operates the Syracuse stations. “Working with my team of department head leaders, I’m responsible for news, sales, engineering, programming, promotions and the overall business,” AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

she said. In addition to local news and network programs, there are many syndicated shows and sports on the schedule and Collins is ultimately the one who decides on when and what shows air. These choices have a big impact on the bottom line. “There’s a cost and benefit to all of those shows. Programming decisions equate to bringing more viewers or less viewers to the stations. The more viewers you have, the more valuable that program or station is to advertisers, which is how we fund all the salaries, technology investments, program costs and resources needed to support the

organization and serve the Central New York community. It’s a balance to program with the shows that are going to make our stations home to the mostwatched, fan favorites,” she said. Collins became the vice president and general manager of the triopoly seven years ago this July, bringing a wealth of sales and business experience. She had been an account representative with The Post-Standard, the now-defunct Herald-Journal and Herald-American, moved to WTVH-5 in early 1999 and worked her way up through its sales, eventually becoming the general sales manager. Within weeks of WTVH merging with WSTM and CW6 in March 2009, she was promoted to vice president of sales, overseeing all three stations and five years later was promoted to vice president and general manager. WTVH would eventually become better known to local viewers as CBS5 and WSTM as NBC3. “The vision I had for our team, when I became GM seven years ago, was to take our stations to No. 1, through a commitment to our community and business partners,” she said. While NBC3 has grabbed that top spot, she said CBS5, and to a lesser degree CW6, ratings have also grown, “which is wonderful to see as a result of the great team we have, the improvements we’ve made and how we position and program our stations.” Today, the triopoly is the leading broadcast media operation in the Syracuse designated market area, she said. Nielsen’s DMA includes 7½ counties surrounding Onondaga, with station coverage spilling into parts of Watertown and the Southern Tier. When she took over the stations, WTVH and WSTM had only been merged for five years. While today, these mergers are fairly common in the industry, it was more unique at that time, and it had been a difficult transition, with layoffs occurring at both stations, a great deal of negative media coverage and some unhappy WTVH viewers. “That was a challenging time for all involved,” she said. “But it was ultimately the best business decision for the long-term sustainability of the stations and allowed us to continue to offer multiple news options and voices in the marketplace.” Another challenge for Collins, of course, has been the COVID-19 pandemic. She applauds her team’s ability to adapt. The stations had to deploy about 40 of their 100-person staff to work remotely last year. Revenue for 69

WOMEN IN CHARGE

Lifelines Amy Collins Birth Place: Central New York Residence: Fayetteville Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing from SUNY Oswego; MBA from LeMoyne College Affiliations: President of the Ronald McDonald House board of directors; vice chairwoman-TV, NYS Broadcasters Association board of directors Hobbies: Spending time with her family; traveling

the station, she said, “was dramatically impacted because our business partners were all struggling during the pandemic.” Yet, the sales department persevered, she noted, and the news department worked tirelessly to inform and protect the community. “The news team going out in the field, to report the news and keep everyone safe, put themselves at risk,” she said. “Yet, they did it with such a deep sense of duty and pride.” Collins added, “None of what we accomplish in news or sales can be achieved without the contributions from our master control, engineering, promotions and business departments.” With challenges come rewards, and to Collins, it’s the achievements made by the stations’ team that mean the most to her. These include fundraising initiatives that have raised more than $1.2 million for local nonprofits in 2020 alone, the introduction of a new local newscast, and many new award honors. “I’m so incredibly proud when we accomplish a goal as a team or we launch a new venture with great success like the 7 p.m. news in October of 2019,” she said. The newscast was created for families who are busy during the early evening traditional 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. time. The Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Overall Excellence” and for “Best Documentary,” were awarded to NBC3 and the Sinclair stations in Rochester and Albany for their New York state special titled, “The New, New York,” which focused on how the pandemic has changed our lives. Chief Meteorologist, 70

Wayne Mahar, will be inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame later this year. The best achievement, she said, is the positive feedback they get from viewers, business partners and the stations’ employees.

“When we hear from our team that they’re happy, working hard toward our goals and are having a fun while doing it…when we see them building each other up, I know we’re doing something right,” she explained.

Keiko Kimura Associate VP & Dean of Cayuga Community College’s Fulton Campus

‘Being part of an industry sector that leads to self-empowerment and continuous improvement is what keeps me in the field of education and training’ By Steve Yablonski

s the child of two Japanese immigrants, Keiko Kimura was always interested in how public education can serve as the access point

to a better life, more opportunities and the chance to contribute to the vitality of a community. Now, as associate vice president OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Lifelines Keiko Kimura Birth Place: Canada Residence: New York Education: Doctor of Education degree in adult and higher education; Master of Arts degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages); Bachelor of Science in biology Hobbies: Cycling, reading

and dean of Cayuga Community College’s Fulton Campus, she is at the forefront of that crusade. Kimura not only oversees the branch campus in Fulton but has college-wide responsibility for the offices of assessment, institutional research, library, and Center for Academic Success. Founded in 1953, Cayuga Community College is one of 64 accredited institutions that make up the State University of New York system. Courses are offered at campuses in Auburn and Fulton and online. Kimura came to Cayuga Community College with a strong background in academic affairs having held various administrative and teaching positions in the United States, Japan and Chile. “I’ve worked in the community college sector for almost 20 years, starting as a part-time ESL [English as a second language] instructor at a college branch campus. This was after I had spent six years teaching and living abroad, first in Japan and then in Chile,” she said. She has been with the college since 2017 and says “it’s been an invigorating four years.” “I am thrilled and honored at the opportunity to be a part of the Cayuga community,” she said in a interview in 2017. “During the interview process, I met so many talented and motivated staff, faculty, administrators and board members, not to mention some very impressive Cayuga Community College students. I look forward to making positive contributions to support the college’s ongoing commitment to student success.” “Since starting at Cayuga, I’ve been proud of the moments where our college partners with local businesses, AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

agencies and school districts to create new opportunities and career avenues,” she said recently. “We developed an occupational therapy assistant program, which offers a degree in an essential healthcare field. Our early college high school program is a great example of us partnering with school districts and businesses to establish pathways for high school students to earn college credits toward college degrees in information technology or health sciences.” “The Advanced Manufacturing Institute we’re establishing on the Fulton Campus is another example of us partnering with businesses and agencies to advance workforce development. All of these examples are essential to our mission and examples of how we’re working to support our students and the community,” she added. Prior to coming to the Fulton campus, she was the dean of language arts at San Jose City College in California. Before that, she was the associate dean and then dean of academic enrichment and language studies at William Rainey Harper College in Illinois.

Creating pathways “I’m more recently involved in engaging with local employers to create pathways into careers as well as opportunities for skill enhancement leading to career advancement. This is a new arena for me but very timely given the current global situation,” she said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have received a very warm welcome from the workforce community here in both Oswego and Cayuga counties.” Her philosophy on education is

‘Exploration, being open to new ideas and demonstrating respect and sensitivity for the perspective of others are values that I have learned from [my parents].’

simple. Education, she said, is a social and economic equalizer. Therefore, it belongs to everyone. “The pandemic has taught me patience and also forced me to increase my organizational skills,” she said. “It’s a challenge to spend your work life and your home life in a confined space, especially with a teenager!” “My parents influenced me the most. I admire them both so much for taking the leap to leave their home country in search of new opportunities,” she said. “Exploration, being open to new ideas and demonstrating respect and sensitivity for the perspective of others are values that I have learned from them.” Her parents emigrated from Japan in the late 1960s, she said. “My dad was trained as an instrumentation technician and came to Canada ready to be a part of a land full of opportunities,” she said. Neither of her parents was fluent in English. “But, they both worked hard to learn the language and the culture by enrolling in adult English as a second language classes in the evenings,” she added. Although she did not grow up thinking that she would end up in education, “when I eventually found myself teaching ESL (first abroad and then in the suburbs of Chicago) it struck me that my work as an instructor was now supporting the same system that helped my parents rise through the socioeconomic ranks, enabling them to support their local economy,” she said. “Like my parents, the students in my classes could see that education would provide them with the tools they needed to become contributing members of their community in their new country,” she continued. She holds an Doctor of Education degree in adult and higher education from Northern Illinois University, a Master of Arts degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Teacher’s College, Columbia University, and an undergraduate degree in biology from McGill University. “In addition to the fact that I will always have deep respect and interest in the teaching and learning process, being part of an industry sector that leads to self-empowerment and continuous improvement is what keeps me in the field of education and training,” she said. 71

WOMEN IN CHARGE

Lifelines Heather DelConte Birth Place: Madison, Wisconsin Residence: Black Creek Farms, County Route 45, Volney Education: Cornell University (BS ‘95; MS ‘98) Affiliations: Oswego County Farm Bureau, American Hereford Association, Oswego County 4-H, Oswego County Fair, Oswego First United Methodist Church Hobbies: Farming, hiking, national park and Civil War battlefield exploration, painting/art, horseback riding, dog training, canoeing

Heather DelConte President of Oswego City School District Board of Education

‘It’s hard to regret a life devoted to service’ By Steve Yablonski

eather DelConte grew up on a small farm outside Ithaca. Her father was an agricultural engineer. “I also spent a few childhood years living in New Delhi, India, with my family while my father helped local farmers,” she said. She met her husband, Scott, while they were both studying environmental sciences at Cornell University, where she also obtained a Masters of Science degree in education. “Scott and I married in 1996 and lived for a few years in Lexington, Virginia, while he completed his law degree,” she said. “During some of that time, I worked as a family development specialist for the Total Action Against Poverty HeadStart program. In 1998, 72

we returned to our Central New York roots and moved to Oswego.” Scott worked as an attorney for Bond, Schoeneck and King, PLLC, and Heather became the human development educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County. “In 2006, after welcoming four children into our tiny Oswego city home, we started Black Creek Farms in Volney, specializing in registered Hereford breeding stock and heritage sheep,” she said. “In 2017, we embarked on another business venture when we opened the DelConte Law Firm.” They ran the firm together until 2019, when Scott began his term as a New York State Supreme Court Justice. Over the years, she has been very active in many local community service

organizations and served on a number of boards (Oswego City-County Youth Bureau, Oswego County Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County). She has also coached for youth athletic programs (Fulton Youth Soccer, Leprechaun League), ran a large county-wide 4-H dog obedience club, served as the educational and youth livestock superintendent for the Oswego County Fair, worked to promote agriculture through educational programs at area schools and served in various mission-related capacities at the United Methodist Church in Oswego. Their two oldest daughters are now attending Cornell University and their two sons are students at Oswego High School. “In 2013, I was elected to the Oswego City School District Board of Education for a three-year term,” she said. “I was elected in 2015 to represent parts of the city of Oswego, Scriba and Volney in the Oswego County Legislature. In 2019, I was reelected and returned to the school board, where I have served as president for the last two years.” “I decided to run for the Oswego County Legislature when, as a school board member, I began to realize that many of the issues we faced as a school district had systemic roots in the larger community. I had come to understand that many problems plaguing the school’s ability to be successful require solutions with greater reach, Oswego’s troubling health indicators, for example, and generational poverty,” she explained. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

As a county legislator, her most rewarding moments included interacting directly with her constituents and the ability to link them to needed resources or county services. She also used the position to advocate for agriculture, education, youth, and environmental and fiscal sustainability. She helped encourage research-based nutrition curriculum in county school districts and supported comprehensive family support programs. “I served on special committees intended to grow county agriculture and spoke often on the floor about keeping tax dollars local and maintaining a fiscally conservative approach to decision making while facing unpredictable changes in our county revenues,” she said.

said. “Relative to the school district, the pandemic has reinforced my commitment to supporting a tide that lifts all boats. It has also highlighted my lack of skill with computers and technology.” She said she feels the most at ease when she’s on the farm, on a sunny day, working with her family. “There really is no substitute for feeling a sense of cooperative accomplishment, all while enjoying the beauty of God’s creation,” she said.

A big influence “My husband, Scott, is an incredible

source of encouragement and support. But, he also continually pushes me to move out of my comfort zone, which allows me to grow as a person,” she said. “Our children teach me something new every day and continually challenge me through their examples to be and do better. I am also very fortunate to have had parents who instilled in me the value and importance of dedicating my blessings to the service of others.” “The only thing I want out of life is to use the gifts and talents divinely given to me to bless others. It’s hard to regret a life devoted to service,” she said.

Full circle “Ironically, while I was serving in the legislature, I came full circle in my understanding of community challenges and our limitations to productively address them. I began to realize that if our schools fail to meet the emotional and educational needs of all students, we will not be successful as a community. I developed a respect for the direct connection between the health of our schools and that of our county,” she explained. “I decided to return to my roots and passion, only this time with a macro-understanding of where school board work fits into the grander perspective.” She said she is “so grateful” for her years in the legislature as they provided her with tools and networks that she has been able to bring back to the district. “I feel very strongly that Oswego, both the county and city school district, will grow in a sustainable, healthy manner if we support a culture of inclusion and embrace the diversity inherent in this community. This involves authentic, institutional self-reflection and subsequent action,” she said. “I am excited to collaborate with the board and the administration to complete this important work.” With so much national and global division right now, the pandemic has been an ironic source of common ground, according to DelConte. “Although it has certainly posed various degrees of challenge for different people, we have all had to deal with it at some level. Personally, it has forced me to slow down, enjoy simplicity, think creatively and listen more,” she AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

Karen Belcher Executive director of the Food Bank of Central New York

‘Food is one part of poverty. How do we serve the whole person going forward?’ By Mary Beth Roach

t was January of 2020, and Karen Belcher was named interim executive director of the Food Bank of Central New York. She knew the orga-

nization well, having started there in 2001 as its comptroller, overseeing the finance department, human resources and shared technology resources, before 73

WOMEN IN CHARGE being named the chief operating officer in 2015. Then less than two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything changed. Many businesses had to close, causing people to lose their jobs or be furloughed. The need to feed families and individuals throughout the 11 counties that the organization covers skyrocketed. The search for the new executive director was suspended as Belcher and the Food Bank staff and volunteers readied themselves, their agency and their partner programs to meet that need. According to Belcher, in the 20182019 fiscal year, (July 2018-June 2019), the Food Bank distributed about 15.6 million pounds of food, the equivalent of more 13 million meals. In contrast, in the fiscal year 2019-2020, because of COVID-19 and its impact from March to June 2020, the organization distributed about 20.4 million, which equates to approximately 17 million meals. She further pointed out that they distributed approximately two million pounds each month from March to June of 2020, whereas a normal month’s distribution is around 1.4 million. That’s a 43% increase in monthly pounds distributed. For the calendar year 2020, about 24.1 million total pounds were distributed, equating to a little more than 20.1 million meals. She expects that for fiscal year 20202021, the Food Bank will distribute 24 million pounds of food, due to its work and distribution of food going up more than 50%. She anticipates that the need will continue and they will be in what she referred to as “recovery mode” for a good year or more. And a lot of new ideas came out of it as well, according to Belcher. Usually, when new ideas are proposed, she said, it requires months of strategizing. “You didn’t have a month. You thought of it and you said, ‘Let’s do it.’ And we did it,” she said. New streams of inventory were coming in; the programs that the Food Bank works with, such as food pantries, had to rethink change over to a drivethrough model; and new partnerships and programs were developed, she explained. “To look back at the past year, it’s incredible to think of all that we went through,” she said. “I’m really, really proud of how the staff just jumped in when the pandemic hit, the collaboration and the teamwork from all of them 74

to make sure our work continued.” Yet, these weren’t the only changes. Belcher, who had served on the search committee for that executive director, withdrew from that group and put her name in contention for the job herself on a permanent basis. Prior to COVID-19, she said she hadn’t considered taking the executive director position, since she enjoyed work on the operations side of the organization. But as the pandemic continued, she began to give it more thought. “As I went through the first few months of that, I was ‘If I can get through this, I can get through anything.’ I enjoyed working with the staff in this new capacity, working with the community, the collaborations that have been built throughout the 11 counties,” she said. After the search committee reviewed about 80 applications, Belcher was offered the job September 2020. Her responsibilities as the executive director include overseeing the staff, resources, the financials, the budget, interacting with its many donors and community partners, making sure they remain fiduciarily responsible, and making an impact in the community. One of the 200 food banks under the Feeding America organization, the Food Bank of Central New York is the main supplier of food for about 280 emergency food programs, such as food pantries and soup kitchens, in its 11-county service area, which comprises Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties. The Food Bank also works with some non-emergency partners, selling them product at the wholesale price. Servicing those programs and picking up donated product is a fleet of 17 vehicles, up from three when Belcher started two decades ago. In addition, the Food Bank offers direct services through various programs. In addition, it offers a community outreach program that assists families and individuals with the SNAP program. The Food Bank of Central New York’s budget is $14 million annually. In addition, donated foods from food drives, individuals and manufacturers and products from the retail partnership program — including Aldi’s, Hannaford, Walmart, Wegman’s, Target and Sam’s Club — and the USDA Commodities, all add to the total revenues and expenses for the year. These bring the valuation closer to $27 million to

Lifelines Karen Belcher Birth Place: Auburn Residence: Mexico, Oswego County Education: Bachelor’s through the former SUNY Institute of Technology (now SUNY Polytechnic Institute), Utica; also earned her CPA Affiliations: AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants); NYS Society of CPAs; treasurer of Feeding New York (the NYS Association of Food Banks) Hobbies: Gardening both flowers and vegetables, baking, canning (learned from her mom) during the summer and fall

$28 million. Looking toward the future, Belcher would like to see the Food Bank work with other community partners to take a more comprehensive view of poverty and the individuals they serve. “Food is one part of poverty,” she said. “How do we serve the whole person going forward? I think success for me is to see pounds go down and knowing that food insecurity rates have decreased in our service area. We can’t do that alone. So, it’s really building those partnerships, building the awareness and getting help to families and individuals, whether it’s job training, housing, transportation. How do we help them to live the best life that they can?” While she has held this job for a relatively short time and during extreme circumstances, she has found many favorite things about it, so many she said she didn’t know which one to put first. One is her team at the Food Bank. “They’re incredible. Their ideas, their thoughts, their energy. They’re amazing. This year was just incredible with all of them. I’m so thankful for them. That’s just as rewarding, to be able to work alongside of them.” Another one comes from the individuals and families they serve. She told of a woman who came through one of the distribution sites last year, and when she received her food, she gave the workers irises from her garden as a way of saying thank you. These flowers have been planted along the walkway OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

that leads to the main entrance of the Food Bank facility on Interstate Island Road, near Warners. “To me, that’s a reminder of the joy that we bring to individuals, the

happiness for families to be able to put a meal on a table. I think seeing that and being able to be part of that, that’s very rewarding,” she said.

Lauren Kochian President of the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology

‘My goal specifically for myself as president is to make sure that the workplace is enjoyable, fair and fun’ By Mary Beth Roach

t’s hard to have a bad day here when you work in a science museum because it is a lot of fun.” This, according to Lauren Kochian, president of the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (the MOST), in downtown Syracuse’s Armory Square. While the MOST is a lot of fun, with its big and bright hands-on displays, AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

there is a business side to the operation that Kochian oversees, enabling thousands of people of all ages to enjoy its many exhibits and programming. Kochian began as the MOST’s chief director of development in 2016 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming vice president and then president in the summer of 2019. As the head of the museum today,

she manages a staff of about 25 and works with the supervisors of the various departments, including facilities and operations, education, finance, information technology and guest services. In addition, she works with the museum’s board of trustees and the board of its foundation and, since the MOST is a nonprofit, Kochian said she does a lot of fundraising. The mission of the MOST, she explained, is “to provide informal and science education in a way that is handson and in a way that is fun” through exhibits, programs and special events. It’s this mission that drives their business model. “We shifted away from just being a place to come look at exhibits to a place where students can get science education programming,” she said. The operational side of the museum, which amounts to half of its $2 million annual budget, includes admissions, membership, birthday parties, facility rentals and educational programming. Each of these categories has a budget, a marketing plan, a calendar and a staff. The MOST’s foundation, which is key to its fundraising efforts, makes up for any deficit. Adding to the expense of the operation is the fact that the MOST is located in a former armory building that is more than 100 years old, with 35,000 square feet of exhibits and annual attendance of about 120,000 people (pre-COVID-19). “One of our goals, because we’re in a 110-year-old building, is staying on top of capital improvement projects and making sure that the building doesn’t get to a place where something has to close. That’s a huge part of the day-today work,” Kochian said. Like so many businesses in the past year and a half, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the MOST to look at different ways to raise revenue. They have increased the number of summer camps this year to about 15, and they are already sold out. They introduced the STEAM Explorers program, offering hybrid and virtual school students more STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) support, supervised homework and remote schoolwork with MOST education staff, museum exploration and STEAM projects and games. And the staff is welcoming the Slime Lab this summer. Yet, Kochian and her team are looking at the silver lining to the pandemic. “We try to make an opportunity out of this pandemic,” she said. One of those opportunities is a 75

WOMEN IN CHARGE

Lifelines Lauren Kochian Birth Place: Syracuse Residence: East Syracuse Education: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Syracuse University Affiliations: President of Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance in Onondaga County; member on the advisory council for Golisano Children’s Hospital Hobbies: Spending time with her two teenaged children; running; an avid dog-walker, enjoying fitness in Central New York’s four seasons

new state-of-the-art digital planetarium and theater. Because that portion of the MOST was already closed due to COVID-19 and since the theater with dated equipment is not financially feasible, she said, they have embarked on a massive capital campaign to reopen the theater in a digital format. The unique domed screen will remain; there will be more than 200 seats and they’ll be adding planetarium shows, documentaries and a multi-media lab. “It’s more than a $2 million project. So it’s a tall order. The business model for an analog theater is just not profitable. Companies aren’t making analog films, so you’re paying exorbitant amount for a film or you’re using an old film, in which case your ticket sales are never going to be what they need to be,” she explained. They are planning an opening in 2022. Because of an anonymous donor’s offer to do a matching campaign, Kochian said their goal is to have $1 million in matched dollars by November, which marks the 40th anniversary of the MOST, which actually started in a building on Clinton Street. As a result of the pandemic, the MOST’s summer camps have also seen an increase. They had been doing three one-week camps, but now they’re doing about 15 camps, which are all sold out for the 2021 summer season, she said. She credits her team with much of the MOST’s success, but it also speaks to the culture of the workplace and her leadership capabilities. “My goal specifically for myself as president is to make sure that the work76

place is enjoyable, fair and fun. When the culture is good in an organization, my work almost does itself,” she said, with a chuckle. “We have a staff doing a job and doing it well.” She said she believes her greatest leadership skill is her ability to see other people’s talents and how to bring out those strengths. She also strives to lead by example.

“I see myself as a problem-solver. I don’t need to tell you how to do your job,” she said. “A lot of our supervisors encounter problems, and I see myself as the person that helps them through that. I also try to model good leadership skills, the kind of behavior that I want to see, so that the staff better understands how to be leaders themselves.”

Marisol Hernandez Editor-in-chief of the CNY Latino newspaper, producer of ‘Hablando con Central New York’ radio show

‘We realize that a lot of the [Latino] business owners might not know all of the rules and regulations that need to be followed here’ By Mary Beth Roach

o much of Marisol Hernandez’s professional life has been about realizing opportunities and “pay-

ing it forward.” Moving to the Bronx at the age of 20 in 1984, with her mother, from Puerto OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Lifelines Marisol Hernandez Birth Place: Puerto Rico Residence: Tully Education: Bachelor’s degree in human and community services from SUNY Empire State College with a concentration in child and family studies Affiliations: WISE Women Business Center; Latinas Unidas, Rochester; diabetes prevention coach at YMCA; co-facilitator of the local YMCA’s Salsa, Sabor y Salud (Sauce, Flavor, and Health, a program geared toward the Hispanic community, to help prevent childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes Hobbies: Spending time with family and new grandson; hiking and exploring Central New York with partner Hugo Acosta; attending area concerts featuring their musician friends; cycling; reading, especially self-help, business and empowerment books; cooking healthy meals

Rico, she only spoke Spanish. She was encouraged by family and friends to continue her schooling, get a college degree and learn English. “When I came from Puerto Rico and started my professional life in New York, I realized that a lot of the opportunities I had and a lot of the things I learned about the community I was moving into were passed down to me by people who were there before,” she said. Now, she is helping to create possibilities for other Latinos in the Central New York community. She serves as editor-in-chief of the “CNY Latino” newspaper, which she and her life partner, Hugo Acosta, run as part of a media consortium. The other components of the media group include a radio program, called “Hablando con Central New York,” of which she is the producer; and a translation interpreting service, which she oversees as managAUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

er. The weekly radio show broadcasts Wednesdays on 87.7 FM and WVOA. com. The translation and interpretation services, she said, came about because they saw that advertisers needed to have their websites translated and to recruit bilingual people for their companies. These services are not limited to material for the newspaper and its advertisers, but for any material that needs to be translated into either Spanish or English. What’s more, she was hired to run a program called “Exito!” (which means success in Spanish) several years ago, a small business training development program through the WISE (Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) Women’s Business Center (WBC), which is administered through the Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management and the Small Business Administration. She has been able to link her career endeavors with her ongoing interest in serving the community. She and her mother moved to Auburn in 1995, where she worked in a Headstart program and earned her bachelor’s degree in human and community service, with a concentration in child and family studies. However, she said she came to realize that she was not really reaching into the Hispanic community through her job there as she had wanted to, so she began to research where the largest Latino populations were in Upstate New York. She was very close to applying to SUNY Brockport, near Rochester, for a master’s degree in social work, but when she learned about a job opening at the Spanish Action League during a visit to Syracuse, she applied and got the position in 1999. A few months later, she was named to the youth development center at the Spanish Action League. She also met Acosta in 2004 and began attending business shows with him in her free time as a means to help expand exposure for the “CNY Latino” newspaper and to build more contacts in the Latino community. After the grant that was funding her job at the Spanish Action League was cut, she left there and began studying the business part of Acosta’s media company. Through the business shows and by being out in the community, she and Acosta found that the Latino wouldbe entrepreneurs needed guidance in getting started. “We realize that a lot of the business

owners might not know all of the rules and regulations that need to be followed here. Some people put their life on the line; they get a mortgage and start a business. But if they don’t do it right, they will fail. So, getting them connected to those resources that we know are out there is important for them to be successful,” she said. Being someone who can open doors for people is important to Hernandez and she opened a big one several years ago when she and Acosta brought an idea to the WISE Women’s Business Center (WBC). The pair had been attending several annual WISE symposiums, offered by the WBC, when they began to notice that few Latinas were attending. They approached the WBC and proposed that Hernandez host a session for Latino women. And since 2011, there has been a WISE Latina session as part of the annual symposium. The program and symposium would energize the women for a while, but Hernandez said, there were few who would go back to the WBC during the year for assistance. So when the then-WBC director Joanne Lenweaver learned of a program by the Small Business Administration called DreamBuilder — to help women start and grow their business — she brought the idea back to Syracuse, found sponsors to do a pilot, called it “Exito!” and launched it in 2015. Hernandez was then hired to run the program. It has grown and evolved over the years. Now, with help of co-coach Kathryn Adams, president and CEO of Cognos Performance Consulting in Skaneateles, the program has a curriculum, with attendees representing a range of cultures. For the future, Hernandez sees the possibility of moving the parts of their consortium to a format that’s more digital, expanding their coverage base, and of course, continuing to teach others in the community. “Being that bridge to open the doors for people to be able to learn and feel comfortable enough to come in and get help from the WISE Women’s Business Center is important to me. It helps them and it helps the community as a whole,” she said.

WOMEN’S REPORT

A representative of a nonprofit group explaining why members of the 100 Women Who Care CNY should fund her organization. Photo was taken before the coronavirus pandemic. Photo provided.

100 Women Who Care CNY Works to Help Local Nonprofits The group has raised more than $120,000 for 15 different local nonprofits By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

very quarter, nearly 200 Central New York women gather to network, enjoy refreshments and write a check for a minimum of $100 to a local 501(c)(3) charity. Their organization, 100 Women Who Care CNY, is part of a national organization. Led by Anne Selover, the CNY chapter founders include Jennifer Savastino, Jody Martino and Annette Peters. The women started the chapter in fall of 2016. “We have raised more than $120,000 for 15 different local nonprofits,” said Peters, a Baldwinsville resident. “They run the gamut from refugee resettlement organizations, one that supplies diapers for parents in need, another that builds and delivers beds and bedding to kids who don’t have their own beds, shelters, homeless, hospice programs and at-risk youth.” The members nominate organizations and select three randomly. The board of 100 Women vets the organizations. Representatives of those three groups present their organization at the following meeting for five minutes and answer any questions from the ladies present. The 100 Women 78

members anonymously vote on which will receive their checks that quarter. “Many women bring more than one check because it’s always hard to decide,” Peters said. Women unable to attend still write a check. Of course, since the pandemic began, the meetings have been virtual. Peters misses the networking and the energy generated by the in-person meetings. However, meeting via Zoom allows the women to connect despite bad weather. It also keeps the donations flowing. “At the following meeting, the benefited organization comes to talk about how they used the money,” Peters said. For example, Empower Parkinson, Inc., of Syracuse recently received funding to purchase spin exercise bicycles to help improve their clients’ movement. “We receive appeals from organizations, but we ask that nominations come through members,” Peters said. “It enhances our connections in the community as like-minded women. We get to do something good with a minimal investment of time and money.” OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

The meetings last about 90 minutes. Anyone may attend one meeting — no check required and no voting allowed — to see if she would like to become a member. That one visit is usually all it takes. “Usually, they want to come to the next one,” she said. In addition to the pleasant feeling of doing good in the community, Peters said that she enjoys learning about the area. “Every time we have a meeting, interesting things surface,” Peters said. “You think you know your community and what’s happening, but there hasn’t been a meeting that I’ve not walked away amazed at what people are doing, and at the needs.” A single quarterly donation by the group is normally several thousand dollars. Members may give above their minimum if they would like. In recent meetings, donations have been a bit lower. Peters thinks that the lack of in-person meetings may be dampening their excitement. Some members may also have a different financial situation as well. The meetings “bring to light the unbelievable work that people are doing in our community and the great need still out there, and it offers a way for women to meet each other and do something good together,” Peters said. Though giving $100 a quarter may not be feasible for everyone, Peters encourages everyone to be charitable in some way. “There are a lot of ways to give back to our community and it doesn’t have to be monetary,” she said. “Onondaga County has volunteer opportunities to help with the vaccination process, for example. We can give of our time if we can’t cut a check.” AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

Group Now Has 350 Chapters

he first chapter of 100 Women Who Care was founded in Jackson, Michigan, by the late Karen Dunigan. Dunigan had learned that local mothers were bringing their babies home and putting them to sleep in boxes and dresser drawers because they couldn’t afford cribs, leading to the death of the infant in some cases. Rather than seek a few large donors to meet the $10,000 goal for the project, Dunigan thought she knew 100 women who would be willing to donate $100. Those women raised more than $12,000 for the project and 100 Women Who Care was born. Now, there are more than 350 chapters in the 100 Who Care Alliance, including chapters of 100 Kids Who Care and 100 Men Who Care. The CNY chapter of 100 Women Who Care has donated to: Hope Print, Purpose Farm, Franciscan Northside Ministries, David’s Refuge, CNY Diaper Bank, A Tiny Home for Good, Building Men program, In My Father’s Kitchen, Brady Faith Center, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, The Good Life Youth Foundation, Chadwick Residence, Honor Flight Syracuse, We Rise Above the Streets, Friends of Dorothy House, and Empower Parkinson, Inc.

WOMEN’S REPORT

Nancy Fox, CNY Arts Center Helps Revitalize Fulton The group celebrated 10 years recently; it is preparing for a new, post-pandemic season By Steve Yablonski

t an age where many others are easing into retirement, Nancy Fox isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. “I was always a stay-at-home wife and mom who volunteered in whatever my kids were involved in. I have a background in community theater, a BS in arts administration from SUNY Oswego, and an MFA in drama from SU,” Fox said. She started a small theater company in Oswego, Port City Theatre, in 2006 with her husband. “We were starting our third season when my husband passed away suddenly in 2008,” she said. “When all was said and done, and I had to decide what to do with the rest of my life. I decided I wanted to do something that mattered.” The CNY Arts Center started as a grassroots organization 10 years ago, in April 2011. “I wrote the letter to the editor and invited people to meet and talk about Fulton. My husband grew up here. This is what he left me, so I chose to devote myself to developing an arts identity in Fulton in the honest belief the arts can make a difference,” she explained. The letter was a call to action to discuss the sad state of affairs in Fulton, the steady decline, the hopelessness and the negative reputation that permeated social media, according to Fox, the executive director of the CNY Arts Center. Fourteen people responded. A plan was formed to stimulate an arts presence in Fulton, to call artists to share their art, to beautify the city and create a place where people could find art, make art and enjoy art, she said. “There was a strong belief that the arts could bring a revitalization to the area, stimulate economic activity and create a new identity,” she said. By July, a nonprofit was formed, approved by the IRS in September and 80

a board of directors was seated. “Programming began immediately as weekly meetings continued. In January 2012, we introduced the first Snow Day with a children’s carnival and snow themed entertainment and games — even though there was no snow that year!” Fox said.

Several homes over the years One year later, 2012, the group settled into the basement of State Street Methodist Church to begin programming with art classes and Arty Camp. A stained-glass mural was designed and created with community participation during Oswego’s Harborfest. The city of Fulton built and erected a steel frame to house the mural in Indian Point Park at the north entrance to the city. The Shineman Foundation provided a grant for a sound system and a light system was donated. Lights hung on large tripod “trees” facing the stage from only two directions at the back of the house. A large stage was built in the dining hall (with no backstage, only wing access) and theater productions began in December 2012. “In the spring of 2013, a second location was opened for a downtown art gallery while monthly programming continued with art classes and four to six stage productions a year continuing at the church on State Street,” she said. “From Shakespeare to children’s productions, the theater was well-attended and the group continued to grow through all of 2014.” In the fall of 2014, the Arts Center moved to donated space at Cayuga Community College at the south entrance to the city. The hope was that the better location would provide more visibility and opportunities to grow, Fox noted. The location was popular

Nancy Fox started the CNY Arts Center in April 2011. for theater productions with ample seating and parking, but there were no accommodations for classes and no storage, she added. “Once again, the Shineman Foundation granted us an upgrade to our lighting system so we could get lights off the floor and hung on a grid overhead. A tech booth was built in and flame retardant curtains were added to the collection,” she said. In late 2017, it became apparent the college was having issues with availability of the space and the Arts Center needed to find a new home. An empty downtown building became available and discussions began to purchase and renovate the building. Donors were secured and the building was purchased in June 2018. “Renovations began immediately,” Fox said. “There were no theater productions or programming, except for Arty Camp, which took place in the downtown gallery during the eight months of renovations.” By February 2019, a restricted certificate of occupancy was granted for building use on the first two levels. It was enough for the center to debut “Little Women” on the new stage. The old OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

lights and sound system were installed and learning to work with the steeply angled, sloping roof line over the stage became the challenge. With barely seven and a half feet head clearance on Stage Left, any ‘second story’ locations, or the attic as called for in Little Women, had to be creatively designed. A final certificate of occupancy was awarded later that year with the completion of a sprinkler system on all three floors and a wheelchair lift for lower level access. “Over the next two years, we learned with each show and production — values greatly improved. Thanks to a state grant, the light system was replaced with an amazing state-of-theart LED system that has more potential than our intimate stage with a sloping ceiling will currently allow. “Our children’s theater productions grew to such popularity that more than 50 children typically auditioned for our annual junior production. However, our stage wouldn’t hold more than 30,” she said.

Coronavirus hits The successful theater productions were their single biggest source of earned revenue, helping to support other arts programming. A hearty concessions stand and creative basket raffles and fundraisers were a part of each production. Groups were formed supporting other arts, a writer’s café, song circle for guitarists, a screenwriters and actors group for workshopping new screenplays, and more. “We were within two weeks of opening a major musical production [“Children of Eden”] with a full cast of adults and children when the pandemic shut us down,” Fox said. “Our next junior production, “Frozen”, was cast and in full rehearsal. We immediately lost all income.” While they waited for live theater to return, they used the time to finish projects in the renovation such as the finished buildout of the commercial kitchen space. “Once we were allowed to reopen, we launched a small cookie shop to generate another revenue stream and hope to add cooking classes soon,” she said. “We have focused on developing our studio arts program with classes and groups and created regular opportunities for art vendors to show and sell their art. We launched a weekly outdoors arts market for sidewalk art sales.” AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

Board of directors during the 2019 announcement of DRI $10 million award. From left, front row: Jess Tetro, Nancy Fox, Alice lamb and Bonnie McClellan. From left, back row: Nicholas Barnes, Adam Schmidtmann, Don Crowe, Cheryl Green and Bill Grace. With the support of the Shineman Foundation once again, they secured a grant for a movie projection system. This January, they debuted Fulton Cinema Arts Theatre during their 10th annual Family Fun Snow Day by showing the feature film “Snow Day.” “We can only seat 25% of the house, around 20 people per showing. But, it gets people into the theater again and provides another potential revenue stream,” she said. “We got a different grant to support the cost of movie rentals for a year, giving us time to build audience loyalty. We will offer movies at least monthly until we reopen for live performances.” In the year prior to the pandemic, Fulton was the winner of the latest $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. As a recipient organization, CNY Arts Center is poised to receive funding to raise and level the roof line over the stage, with the governor’s approval of their proposal. “This project excites us for the improved experience we will deliver to audiences once our stage lights are at the correct height. Production values should grow exponentially with this improved shape and design of our stage,” she said. “We will also add much-needed programming space and even some balcony seating. We all miss theater desperately and have attempted some virtual events with less than satisfactory results.” As restrictions have eased, they’ve begun offering some events. They have applied for a grant for crucial equipment to produce better

quality live-streaming capabilities. “I am surrounded by people who are passionate about the arts and about Fulton. They keep the momentum going. As a team, we have accomplished more than I could have hoped for or imagined! I mean, have you seen this place? It’s amazing! They are amazing!” she said. “And, the blessing of the folks dedicated to the arts center means we are gradually putting qualified people in all the important roles such as artistic director of performing arts, artistic director of studio fine arts, cinema arts director, culinary arts directors, etc. etc. They are still volunteers, but working for the passion and opportunities to create and have a say in how the center is run. I’m now focused on securing the foundation of the center so we can hire a real staff including a professional executive director who can provide a great working environment for all these multi-talented people who inspire us to create art. But, the pandemic set us back a bit!” she continued. Fox vowed to keep on going. “Yes, I am old enough to retire. I do think about it. I didn’t technically enter the workforce full-time until 2011. So I’m just now at the 10-year mark — our 10th anniversary this year,” she said. “And, I miss doing art and creating art. But, the responsibility as executive director leaves little brainspace for creative thinking, especially at my age! Retirement will come when someone can take over.” 81

WOMEN’S REPORT

MACNY Has New Workforce Development Specialist

The ultimate goal is to connect students with opportunities in Central New York

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

elping young people find their purpose in life comes naturally to Taylor Hodge. Her recent appointment as a workforce development specialist at Partners for Education & Business, Inc., an affiliate of Manufacturers Association of Central New York, Inc., seems an ideal fit. In her new role, Taylor promotes the organization to educators and employers. Taylor grew up in Theresa, north of Watertown. She selected Cazenovia College to further her education because “when I stepped on the campus, I was in love with it,” Taylor said. She studied inclusive elementary education and enjoyed her student teaching experience. After graduation in 2013, she attended graduate school at SUNY Potsdam and discovered the satisfaction of helping with college students. She began substitute teaching and ended up moving back to Cazenovia to fill a new position, operations

coordinator for the Center of Career and Extended Learning. During her six years in that role, she worked with offsite programs, helping students figure out how to fit college into their lives. Family responsibilities and working full-time can create barriers to higher education for adult students. “What we’d do is offer the second half of the bachelor’s degree to adult students in a convenient way like evenings,” Taylor said. “It creates opportunities for students they’d never have otherwise.” Her caseload of 70 to 80 student advisees were all part-time students. Taylor ’s second experience at Cazenovia College helped her see the exodus of students from the area, juxtaposing the plight of local employers lacking qualified employees. She saw the opportunity at MACNY as a way to recruit quality workers from CNY to fill these needs. She also relished the idea

of staying in Central New York. “My husband and I are both very happy in this area and I want to do work that’s important to me in our own back yard,” Taylor said. “I’ve spent a total of 10 years — that’s a third of my life — and most of my adult life in Cazenovia. I love Caz. I think being able to have a new experience, being able to step outside my comfort zone and learn and grow is important to me. “By going to MACNY, I have that opportunity to develop myself as a professional. The more I invest in myself the better I am to serve the students.” As part of her role, she engages companies in support of two of the organization’s P-tech programs, Auburn School District and Institute of Technology within the Syracuse City School District. P-tech is a worldwide initiative that helps high school students develop employment-oriented skills. Taylor plans facility tours, makes students aware of internship opportunities and organizes STEM events. “The ultimate goal is to connect students with opportunities in Central New York,” Taylor said. “We’re building our future workforce.” She believes that her teaching education and experience helped her become more comfortable with public speaking, knowledgeable about education and better equipped to work with high school students. “There’s a lot going on, a lot of different projects,” she said. “You get pulled in a lot of different directions. Where I came from has prepared me, being able to prioritize and to be able to get everything that needs to get done, done. I am enjoying where I am with Partners for Education and MACNY. It’s an incredible support system.” MACNY and Partners for Education are beginning a collaboration with Le Moyne College’s ERIE21. Taylor will serve on an advisory committee. ERIE21 provides intervention as early as middle school through high school to encourage young people in technology and engineering careers. “It’s most rewarding to do this work because I’m helping create equitable pathways and connect students to jobs that need filling right here in our community,” she said. “It’s helping our MACNY member companies. It’s such an exciting time because our community has opportunities for growth.” Taylor and her husband, Justin, have two dogs, Easton and Penny. They live in Manlius. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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www.cnyfall.com 83

HEALTH SPECIAL

SPECIAL ON HEALTH

From telehealth to treating fertility, there are big changes in the world of healthcare happening right here in Central New York. 84

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Telehealth: Here to Stay A tool during the pandemic, it continues to evolve By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

s the pandemic caused businesses everywhere to try to reduce foot traffic, healthcare and mental health providers turned to telehealth to treat patients with certain non-urgent needs once telehealth was approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that administers the nation’s major healthcare programs. Before COVID-19 hit, few patients and providers exhibited interest in telehealth. However, its acceptance has become one of the unexpected and positive outcomes of the pandemic—and it’s here to stay. Bhavneet Walia, assistant professor of public health at Syracuse University, found in her research that more than 40% of health care professionals polled will continue with telehealth post-pandemic. “Originally, it started to increase access for rural people or those with some sort of disability where it was hard to see a physician,” Walia said. “That was the original incentive. With the pandemic, I think that it became a necessity.” Currently, close to 60% of visits are via telehealth. Walia said that initially, providers and their administrative staff had a AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

bit of a scramble to develop and learn both the technology and the procedure for telehealth. They had to figure out how to keep the patient’s health information secure to comply with privacy requirements in HIPAA law under these unusual circumstances. They also had to walk some patients through how to use telehealth. “At this point, I do feel that the physicians are very quickly getting comfortable in solving problems and figuring out ways to do this,” Walia said. “It’s more systematic. I think it definitely increases access. The physicians are realizing that.” Increasing access is not only important to those who lack transportation, ease of mobility, childcare and a nearby provider (some rural residents drive more than two hours round-trip), but also because of the nationwide physician shortage. Technology issues aside, telehealth visits are more efficient and can allow providers to see more patients in a day. Barriers to care such as bad driving conditions need not cancel a visit again. “I see this going in a very positive way,” Walia said. “My research covered the physician’s side of this. I see a really bright future and increasing access at a very large scale.” Patients also seem to like telehealth. “I believe the use of telehealth has

been a welcome addition to the St. Joseph physician practices,” said Austin Tsai, chief medical information officer at St. Joseph Hospital. Tsai cited follow-up visits for depression or anxiety as examples of visits well-suited for telehealth for most patients. “We have had many patients who have been elated to have telehealth as an option during these stressful times,” Tsai said. “It may allow people to avoid taking time off from work or having to find someone to watch their kids just to go to the doctor’s office. With improved follow-up, this allows us to provide even better patient care. In addition, telehealth can allow us to better assess the severity of cases to direct patients to the appropriate care.” For people who feel stigma about their issue, telehealth can provide more privacy and thus increase the chance that they will seek professional help. That could be the reason behind the initial increase in compliance observed at Crouse Health. Monika Taylor, licensed clinical social worker and director of Addiction Treatment Services at Crouse Health, said that convenience or novelty could be other reasons. “About three months into it, the initial increase in compliance bottomed out,” she said. She thinks that ideally, a hybrid 85

Michael Stephens model would allow patients to seek care whichever way they prefer. Each offers advantages. Online the patient’s facial expressions and whole body are hard to observe and are impossible to note on the phone. Appearance can offer clues about the patient’s condition. Does she look tired? Why are his clothes untidy? Why does she have a bad odor? Why is he unsteady on his feet? Those types of clues are lost during virtual meetings. For some people, building a doctor-patient relationship is harder online. Telehealth can offer a few advantages to caregivers when evaluating patients. They can learn more about their home life and see them more relaxed in their surroundings—providing they feel comfortable with the platform. “The non-verbal is as important as the verbal,” Taylor said. “I feel it is really important as a field that we have telepractice moving forward beyond the epidemic.” She hopes that reimbursement for telehealth at the same rate as in-person visits will continue. “At the height of the pandemic, about 85% of counseling sessions at Crouse Health Addiction Treatment Services were delivered telephonically or using a videoconferencing platform,” Taylor said. “For patients lacking access to the technology, in-person individual sessions continued to be available using PPE, while following social distancing and infection control guidelines.” Physician Michael Stephens, associate chief medical officer and primary 86

Stefania Buta care provider at Oswego Family Physicians, said his practice’s in-person visits have decreased from 67% to 90% since the height of the pandemic. But he does not think that means telehealth is going away. “For mental health, definitely improves no-show rates, patient compliance and patient satisfaction,” he said. “There’s not much of a physical exam with mental health.” For generally healthy patients, telehealth may be helpful in addressing some routine issues, such starting an antibiotic for a patient presenting with classic urinary tract infection who has had these in the past. Or someone whose blood pressure machine is accurate and needs changes in medication. “We can reduce ER and urgent care visits where costs are higher,” Stephens said. “There is a decreased costs and reduction in overhead as there’s less time with a nurse screening a patient, check-in and check-out.” Issues like a sick child may be tougher to diagnose remotely. Or vague symptoms that could mean any number of illnesses or injuries. Stephens fears this could lead to over-prescription of antibiotics, which can lead to resistance issues. Typically, an RN triages patients to help determine who needs to come in and who can be seen remotely. “It’s definitely not for everything,” Stephens said. “We still encourage adult health exams and well child to in-person visits for preventative medicine.

“All of this will continue to evolve and we’ll continue to get better at it. But we need fed and state direction and what payors will pay. Medicaid, Medicare and BlueCross BlueShield will continue to pay telehealth through March 2022. But after that, they won’t pay for certain diagnosis codes. There has to be the appropriate bounds.” Telehealth is also mostly out of reach for a few populations, including those who lack high-speed internet or a device to use it and for those who do not know how to use the technology. These are barriers, according to Stefania Buta, CNY Community Outreach & Organizer for New York Statewide Senior Action Council. “We don’t have equitable and affordable digital infrastructure,” Buta said. “They don’t have the connection to their healthcare providers. It’s wonderful that telehealth has made healthcare more accessible, but a lot of people have been left behind.” To help make telehealth accessible to all, her organization has launched telehealth access sites at local agencies in Oswego County this summer, in addition to connections at local libraries. She also hopes to offer digital literacy classes in Fulton and Oswego in the fall. “Telehealth isn’t going anywhere,” Buta said. “That’s why we need to figure out community-based solutions until we make digital accessible and affordable to all New Yorkers.”

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HEALTH SPECIAL

CNY Fertility Plans to Expand: Florida, California, Midwest Syracuse-based fertility clinic has facilitated the birth of more than 20,000 babies By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

oard-certified reproductive endocrinologist Rob Kiltz could little imagine in 1997 that his concept of a low-cost fertility clinic would birth eight fertility clinics and four wellness-oriented spas. One of the reasons that his practice has been so successful is that it provides fertility treatments at affordable rates. CNY Fertility’s treatments start at $4,900. The national average is $12,000 and at some clinics, the costs can soar to $30,000. CNY Fertility also provides in-

house financing—virtually unheard of in the industry—without a credit check. More than 20,000 babies have been born through the work of CNY Fertility. Currently, Kiltz operates fertility centers and spas in Syracuse, Rochester, Atlanta and Albany and fertility centers sans spas in Buffalo, Montreal, Colorado Springs, and Philadelphia. In addition to breaking the financial barriers to care, Kiltz accepts more challenging cases, such as age, body mass index, and low hormone levels. Any of these issues can make achieving preg-

nancy harder and some fertility clinics decline working with these patients. CNY Fertility provides invitro fertilization, genetic testing, reproductive immunology, frozen embryo transfer and elective single embryo transfer. CNY Fertility works with providers local to patients’ homes for preliminary testing and monitoring. This helps reduce travel expenses as another benefit to patients. The offices with spas provide wellness care, including acupuncture, skincare, massage therapy and yoga OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Above Rob Kiltz, owner and founder of CNY Fertility based in Syracuse. Left CNY Fertility and Healing Arts

facility on Intrepid Lane, Syracuse.

for fertility. “We’re also getting our Healing Arts to partner with other practitioners in the area,” Kiltz said. “We’re connecting with acupuncture, yoga and massage therapist around New York and even beyond that to help build their businesses when it comes to those seeking fertility.” The Healing Arts locations support patients seeking help for other issues, including pain, anxiety and depression. The pandemic proved a busy time for both CNY Healing Arts and CNY Fertility. “People want more natural ways to care for their health and there’s maybe more focus on families, and building families,” Kiltz said. “They may have anxiety, depression and they’re seeking a combination of Western treatments and integrating Eastern modalities like yoga, meditation, prayer, acupuncture and massage.” Kiltz said that his colleagues in the fertility world have also expressed that their businesses have been busy. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

“When we see the tremendous loss of life, maybe it gets us to realize our families are so important,” Kiltz said. “When it’s not happening naturally, we’re seeking it out.” Currently, Kiltz is working on expanding CNY Fertility in Syracuse and developing Fertile Spirit, an online emotional support and online fertile yoga. As an unexpected outcome of the pandemic, much of Kiltz’s time these days is spent in phone or video conferences with clients around the globe. He has launched a line of private label supplements to support fertility for men and women. As for his current goals for CNY Fertility and CNY Healing arts, “it’s about supporting our practitioners to better provide care to their clients,” Kiltz said. “We want people to know who we are, what we are and what we do. It’s focusing how our practitioners can better share their knowledge through live webinars, supplements and other services that maybe don’t require clients

to come see them personally.” This strategy can help increase the reach of CNY Fertility and CNY Healing Arts, regardless of where clients live. “We’re hoping to build that even more,” he added. “It’s not one way or the other. We need both ways so we want to integrate the personal touch face to face. That’s required for acupuncture and massage, but self-care and acupressure points, meditation, prayer, yoga and tai chi they can learn remotely. Or, taking a walk in nature to listen to an inspiring podcast by one of our practitioners.” He plans to open a fertility clinic in Sarasota, Florida, in a few months and is eying California, Texas and the Midwest. “I may consider someday franchising this out but it’s the personal touch that really matters to people,” Kiltz said. “I started this 25 years ago and never dreamed it would grow this much in this amount of time. We see the need for more affordable care for fertility and healing arts. If we keep the dream there, it will unfold.” 89

HEALTH SPECIAL

Fewer Doctors Go Into Private Medical Practices

Experts say some don’t want the hassle of running a private practice, prefer a steady paycheck By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

n American Medical Association survey shows more doctors are now working in larger health systems, such as hospitals, than in private practice. Of 3,500 physicians who responded to the survey, only 49% reported working in private practices. This is the first time the number has fallen below 50% and the trend will most likely continue, according to the medical association. A few different factors play into this shift from the physician working at a privately owned and operated practice to working at a facility owned by a hospital system, national chain such as CVS or Walmart or federally-funded clinic. 90

One reason is that fewer newly minted doctors can or want to operate their own facility. “They owe a lot of money in medical school debt and can’t afford to open their own practices,” said Kathleen E. Dyman, executive vice president of the medical society that covers Oswego County. As the cost of entrepreneurship has increased in many ways, including labor, real estate and supplies, the cost of medical malpractice insurance has also increased. Dyman said that many new physicians are joining hospital systems to work as a hospitalist or at another

facility to avoid footing this expense. According to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a medical malpractice insurance brokerage in Houston, the average annual cost of the malpractice insurance is $75,000 for a family practice physician in New York state. Although medical malpractice insurance is not required, most physicians want it to avoid financial ruin in case of litigation. For mid-career independent doctors, the additional rules added by changes such as the institution of electronic medical records has proven too onerous. Instead of spending most of their time caring for patients, they find that recordkeeping and documentation OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Family Owned and Operated – Since 1919 910 Fay Street • Fulton • 315-592-2313 837 Cayuga Street • Hannibal • 315-564-6288 fosterfh@windstream.net www.fosterfuneralhome.com

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devours much of their day. “They’re tired of the federal rules and the cost of federal rules,” Dyman said. “They want to get rid of all the paperwork.” She added that independent physicians must rely heavily on a good manager and administrative staff to ease these burdens. At a hospital, documentation, billing and collections are all handled by the health system. A doctor may enjoy better quality of life since the system may be able to better staff than an independent practice. Providers may face financial instability while establishing a new practice, along with long hours. The “business” side also challenges many new physicians. According to the Harvard Business Review, “most doctors in the U.S. aren’t taught management skills in medical school. And they receive little on-thejob training to develop skills such as how to allocate short- and long-term resources, how to provide developmental feedback, or how to effectively handle conflict leadership skills needed to run a vibrant business.” These educational shortfalls can make starting an independent practice very challenging. “There’s an economic certainty getting a paycheck every two weeks that’s attractive,” said Ken Schoetz, vice president of Health Care Association of Western and Central New York, (HAWCNY), which includes member hospitals Oswego Health, Auburn Community Hospital, Upstate University Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health are among its members. One of the challenges of working independently is the difficulty in negotiating sufficient reimbursement from payors. Larger organizations’ volume enables them to obtain better reimbursement from drug manufacturers and insurers, just as a big box store orders goods from manufacturers at a much higher volume than a small store and can receive volume discounts on the items. “It’s more beneficial to the physician than the hospital as scale moves the entire economy, including health care,” Schoetz said. “Better pricing benefits the provider and the patient.” The physician has a few personal “costs” by working for a larger health system, including the sacrifice of some freedom. Unlike the entrepreneurial model of the independent practice, the physician is not the boss. “You’re not running your practice the way you might want to,” Schoetz 92

Kathleen E. Dyman, executive vice president of the medical society that covers Oswego County: “[New doctors] owe a lot of money in medical school debt and can’t afford to open their own practices,” she says. said. “You have to follow the hospital’s rules and use their technology, which you might not like. They may say to start the day at 8, not 10.” Physicians also have less say over who works under them. They also cannot determine their own salary, compared with if they start a practice and manage it well. Patients may also experience a few drawbacks. Perception is a big one. “Sometimes, I think that anything that’s big, whether it’s AT&T or Wegmans or Ford Motor Company, there can be some impersonality,” Schoetz said. “People still like the idea of a provider knowing who they are. They want a close, personal relationship. Doctors who go into these arrangements try to keep these relationships.” But the health care system may be able to provide a better level of care with the additional physicians on staff

than without them. With more physicians, they can expand capacity to treat more patients, which can improve their finances and offer more specialized care. Patients needing multiple specialists may also enjoy a “one-stop-shop” experience versus traveling from office to office. “Anytime a provider can reduce costs and by having the economic scale of a larger facility, patients benefit in terms of cost and the care they would receive,” Schoetz said. He added that this is a trend he does not foresee going away in the short-term or long-term. “There will be differences from what it used to be,” he said. “The hope is, you will get better care and make hospitals better able to withstand the challenges. The ultimate outcome will be better patient care.”

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Success Story

By Steve Yablonski

Eric Mena, the general manger of Green Planet Grocery in Oswego.

Green Planet Grocery Natural health food store, with locations in Oswego and Fairmont, continues to post strong sales despite pandemic. They had more than $2.4 million in sales last year

or most businesses, COVID-19 was a scourge. However, for Green Planet Grocery it hasn’t really hurt business. “COVID wasn’t that much of a problem for us. In fact, I’d say we were doing very well and continue to do so,” said Brent Lewis, owner. “People are more interested in eating well now. Because, you know, one of your best defenses against COVID is to be healthy, right? You need to have a strong immune system. We are still experiencing growth in sales; more new customers, at this time.” “We did very well sales-wise during the pandemic. We also experienced no employee infection. We practiced all the AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

usual abatement methods and reduced our hours of operation slightly. Our staff qualified for and was vaccinated early on,” he added. They have two locations, one in Oswego, the other in Fairmount. “We started Green Planet Grocery Oswego in 2004 [in the lower level of Mid-Town Plaza] after realizing it wasn’t always easy to source the highest-quality fresh, local and wholesome food in Central New York,” Lewis said. Green Planet Syracuse opened in 2010. The Oswego store investment was $200,000 and the Fairmount store, which is twice the size, cost $500,000 plus interest on the SBA seven-year loan.

The gross revenue for the Oswego store was $360,000 first year. It was $720,000 last year. For Fairmount, the figures are $650,000 first year and $1,700,000 last year. “Oswego had no real problems breaking even; but building to significant profitability took several years, due in part to our poor visibility location, and maybe we were a little ahead of the trend toward natural and organic,” he said. “Fairmount, it was a struggle to reach profitability because we didn’t have a lot of backup capital. Although we were profitable within 18 months, it was tough to survive.” The Oswego store has been in its 93

Aisle featuring nuts at Green Planet Grocery.

Produce available at the Oswego store. 94

Various teas and products on display. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

new location at Hillside Commons, 250 W. Seneca St. since December 2018. “It’s been about two and a half years. Time goes by pretty fast.” They were thinking of going back to Mid-Town Plaza. “But we’re very happy with this location. We’re close to the college. It’s really a nice location for us. Before, we were basically underground and invisible from the road. But, people knew we were there,” he said. The business is called Green Planet Grocery because it is a grocery and a health store, according to Lewis. “Most health stores only focus on supplements. They sell some food; a lot of it is grab-and-go stuff. We actually

want to be a full-service grocery store. If people are interested in eating well, they can shop in our store and get most everything they want. That’s why we have such a selection of items; we offer an amazing depth of selection for such limited space. Supplements also account for about 40% of our sales.” The stores carry Finger Lakes yogurt, milk and other dairy products. About eight or 10 local farmers provide produce to them. “A lot of it is delivered up to the Fairmount store. Every Thursday, I bring down a load of mostly produce. I think that’s key to being a grocery store, you’ve got to have produce. You have to have a good selection,” Lewis said.

They have a bulk spice rack and other bulk products like nuts and oats, veggies, fruits, candies, ice cream, snacks; everything is natural or organic. There is a freezer and fridge aisle, too. It also features a lot of hypoallergenic bath products and many allergy-friendly foods like dairy-free, gluten-free options. They’ve worked hard to build strong relationships with their vendors, which helps keep costs down so they can pass those savings on to customers, Lewis said. The store has five staff members, three full-time and two part-time. “We have good hours of operation. We are open seven days a week. Our hours are not as extensive as preCOVID. We used to be open until 9 o’clock. Now it’s a bit earlier (7 p.m.). Our prices are competitive, our service is outstanding,” Lewis said. “Eric [Mena, manager of the Green Planet Grocery in Oswego] has been with us since 2007. He is the face of our store here in Oswego. How many businesses have a manager that’s been with them for 13, 14 years? It’s a rarity. He’s a highly skilled individual. We have very competent people working for us. Most are drawn into the business because they can see how important good health is.” “We offer organic and natural foods, these are foods that are certified. Organic foods have to meet certain growing standards. The soil has to be in a certain condition and you can’t use artificial products to help things grow; you have to use natural methods. It’s a rigorous standard,” Lewis explained. People used to eat a more healthy diet, he pointed out. “We’ve lost a lot of that over the years. People don’t eat good, fresh healthy foods like we used to. There were gardens all around; people ate a lot healthier,” he said.

Locations Hillside Commons, 250 W. Seneca St., Suite C, Oswego, New York 13126 315-207-0016, greenplanetoswego@gmail.com

Brent Lewis is the owner of Green Planet Grocery. He started the business in Oswego in 2004; in 2010 he opened a second location in the Fairmount are of Syracuse. He is shown at the Fairmont location. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

3514 W. Genesee St., Syracuse, New York 13219 (315) 488-7777, greenplanetgrocery@gmail.com 95

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BEST BUSINESS DIRECTORY AUTO SALES & SERVICE Bellinger Auto Sales & Service — Third generation business. Used cars, towing, general auto repair & accessories, truck repair. Oil, lube & filter service. 2746 County Route 57 Fulton. Call 315-593-1332. Jake’s Automotive of Oswego, Inc. Auto repair and service of brakes, steering, suspension, diagnostics, oil change, tires & more. We also sell performance parts. 801 E. Seneca St. Phone: 315-342-6871. Munski Automotive-brakes, exhaust, NYS inspections, shocks & struts, steering and suspension, check engine & ABS light, tires. 14 West Seneca St., Oswego. 315-343-6229 or visit www.munskiauto.com Port City Car Care, 315-207-0500 www.portcitycarcare.com Oil, lube, NYSI, alignments, tires, brakes, electrical, air conditioning, suspension, tune-ups & timing belts, complete car care. We do it all! Over 28 years’ experience, 20 Ohio St., Oswego.

BAKERY GLUTEN FREE Sweet Cindy’s Gluten Free Bakery. Bread and buns to cookies and crackers. Cakes and pies to take-n-bake entrees. Amazing cinnamon rolls. Full menu at sweetcindysglutenfreebakery.com. Stop in or pre-order. 55 W. 1st St. S., Fulton. 315-598-3669.

BIKES, SERVICE & SALES Murdock’s-Oswego County’s only authorized Trek dealer. We service all brands of bikes. Check out our website: www.murdockssports.com call us 315-3426848 or stop by 177 W. 1st St., Oswego.

DEMOLITION Fisher Companies. Commercial and residential demolition. Great prices. Fully insured. Free estimates. 50 years of experience. Call Fisher Companies at 315652-3773 or visit www.johnefisherconstruction.com.

EXCAVATING

PICTURE FRAMING

Gilbert Excavating. Septic systems. Gravel & top soil. Septic tank pumping. 685 County Route 3, Fulton, 13069. Call 593-2472.

Picture Connection offers custom matting & framing for photos, posters, prints, oils and more. Shadow boxes, object framing, art print source. 169 W. 1st St., Oswego. 315-343-2908.

FLOORING & CARPET With over 40 years’ experience House Works Carpet offers high quality and affordable waterproof luxury flooring, hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile and carpet for all your residential and commercial flooring needs. Family owned and operated since 1984 our dedicated and knowledgeable staff are here to assist you. We do it all from design to installation. 315-593-2113, 318 W. Broadway, Fulton, Housewoeksfulton.com, or email us at the houseworks2windstream.net.

FLORIST/TUX RENTAL Everything you’re looking for in a local florist. Full service w/del. 36 years experience. Tux/suit rentals-holiday and sympathy designs available. DeVine Designs, 200 E. Broadway, Fulton. 315-592-4245 dvinedesign.com

GRAPHICS Car wrap + vehicle and window graphics. Upward Graphics. 21 S. 2nd St., Fulton. Visit upwardgfx.com or 315-402-2099.

KILN-DRIED HARDWOODS Lakeshore Hardwoods. We stock kiln-dried cherry, walnut, maple, butternut, ash, oak, basswood, mahogany, cedar figured woods, and exotics. Also, hardwood flooring, moldings, stair parts & woodworking supplies. 266 Manwaring Rd. Pulaski. 298-6407 or visit www.lakeshorehardwoods.com.

LUMBER White’s Lumber. Four locations to serve you. Pulaski: State Route 13, 315-298-6575; Watertown: N. Rutland Street, 315-788-6200; Clayton: James Street, 315686-1892; Gouverneur: Depot Street, 315-287-1892.

PLUMBING & HEATING SUPPLY Pullen’s Plumbing & Heating Supply has a large variety of plumbing & heating repair parts & fixtures. Water heater, furnace, boiler & all plumbing installations available. We do our own excavating for water service & sewer replacement. 22 Ohio St., Oswego, 315-343-1906.

PLUMBING & HVAC AHR Plumbing & HVAC service, sewer cleaning, hydrojetting, video inspections, water heater installs, new construction & remodel service & repairs. 315668-6569 AHRPlumbing.com.

POOL COVER REPAIR Trust the experts! Let us repair your in-ground pool cover. Free estimates. Everybody says “call this guy”. Cortini shoe zipper canvas repair Fulton 315-5938914.

SCREEN PRINTING & EMBROIDERY Valti Graphics-Creating garment graphics on customized apparel in screen printing, embroidery, Greek apparel & custom lettering. 315-402-2099. 152 West Bridge St., Oswego.

TRACTOR/LAWN EQUIPMENT RanMar Tractor Supply, sales and service of new and used tractors and farm equipment. 5219 US Rte 11 Pulaski. 315-298-5109.

UNIQUE GIFTS SHIPPING SERVICES One-stop-shop for unique gifts for that hard to buy for person. We are an authorized FedEx, UPS and USPS shipping and drop-off location. Ship-It/The Village Shops. 2 W. 1st St. N, Fulton. 315-592-9357.

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Oswego County Business Magazine, P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

LAST PAGE

Dennis Ouellette Promoter of popular Fall Jamboree in Sterling is ready to celebrate the event’s 20th year anniversary Q. The Fall Jamboree is celebrating 20 years this year. When you launched it, did you ever imagine that it would last so long?

It is going on 20 years of growth. Agricultural tourism has certainly helped to expand the growth and development of the jamboree. Q. How popular is it? Roughly how many people attend the event?

The jamboree is especially important to the local people and to the public. Reaching out over 100 miles makes it a destination visit for thousands of people.

Q. What’s so special about it? Why people come year after year?

The completeness of the jamboree. First of all, it is a family event with entertainment, foods, tastings and a farm market; second, a real farm activity with wagon rides, U-pick apples and pumpkins, walks, enjoying the country settings. Q. You said you’re not promoting the event through advertising. How do you draw people?

With 20 years of activity, word-ofmouth is No. 1 for promotion. Social media with the help of print, TV and

radio all help to advertise. The need for extensive cost has been addressed by the above. Q. How many people are involved in organizing the event?

The jamboree is our family event. Myself, Kathy, Laurie, Tim, Nichole, Taylor along with approximately 30 employees are involved. Q. Is it a money-making event or you do it as a hobby?

You have to understand, events are not hobbies. They have to create a profit or they will eventually disappear.

Dennis Ouellete is the owner of Ontario Orchards in Oswego, which sponsors the Fall Jamboree, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 18-19 at 15273 Center Road. For more information, visit www. ontarioorchards.com.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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