Oswego County Business, #174: June - July 2021

www.cnybusinessmag.com

Serving Oswego & Onondaga Counties

OSWEGO COUNTY

BUSINESS June-July 2021

$4.50

CNY’s Busine Magazi ss ne

INSIDE

The Struggle to Find Willing Workers Trainer Helps Dogs Adjust to Owners’ New Schedules Labor Unions About to Get A Major Boost

THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING IN CNY Randy Wolken, President of MACNY, discusses what the manufacturing sector will look like in the coming years

Meet Jeff Weigand: New Publisher at Pall-Times, Valley News

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.

F.

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

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smag.com www.cnybusines

BUSINESS $4.50

June-July 2021

CNY’s Business Magazine

JUNE / JULY 2021

PROFILE JEFF WEIGAND

INSIDE

The Struggle to Find Willing Workers s Dogs Adjust to Help Trainer edules Owners’ New Sch ut to Labor Unions Abo r Boost Majo A Get

THE FUTURE OF IN CNY MANUFACTURING usses what MACNY, disc years , President of in the coming Randy Wolken g sector will look like turin the manufac

Meet Jeff Weiga

nd: New Publish

er at Pall-Time

s, Valley News

Cover Story

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• Future of manufacturing in CNY

Economic Development

76

• Cayuga moves forward with Advanced Manufacturing Institute • How one manufacturer is preparing for the future • EJ USA: Ready to help rebuild America’s infrastructure • Q&A with TDO’s Jim D’Agostino • The missing piece of the economic development puzzle

Real Estate

Issue 174

64

New publisher of The Palladium-Times and The Valley News has spent several decades in sales and advertising, most recently on newspapers in Auburn and Rome. In his new job, he plans to beef up ad sales, bring on new reporters, increase readership 18

SPECIAL FEATURES On the Job What qualities do you value in your employees?.......11 Stressed Out Dogs Trainer helps dogs, owners cope with separation distress due to owners’ new schedules....................................34 Harborfest Director Peter Myles discusses decision to cancel Harborfest this year and what the future holds for the festival......... 42 Clout With low population growth, NYS loses clout in D.C. .............46 Boost to Labor Unions The PRO Act: A potential major change to labor law, which will greatly benefit labor unions................................56 Rentals The flip side: Mom-and-pop landlords still struggling.....58 Shineman New book by author Jeff Rea explores the origins of Oswego-based foundation...................................................................................60

• Value of homes in CNY the highest ever seen

Banking

64

• Some of the changes banks have instituted are likely to continue • What you should know before applying for a business loan

Dining out

30

CNY employers struggle to find willing workers despite high unemployment rates P. 48

Sherrill Manufacturing — America’s last flatware maker defies the odds, experiences solid growth P. 100

DEPARTMENTS How I Got Started Barry Thompson of Thompson Consulting Group......16 Where is Sandra Scott Macau, Southeast Asia.........................................22

Po’boy at the new Southern Fare in Oswego. The restaurant boasts a chic, minimalistic look, and great southern-style food.

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Newsmakers / Business Updates..............................................................24, 34 My Turn Our attitude toward police.......................................................62 Economic Trends Key projects move forward in Oswego County.......85 Last Page Career need a re-do?.............................................................106 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Looking For A Stable Career?

Rapid Response Monitoring A Leading CNY Employment Provider Since 1992

www.rrms.com/careers 3 Sisters Gifts.........................33 AHR Plumbing......................27 Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home...................19 ALPS Professional Services.27 Ansun Graphics.....................65 ARISE......................................35 Avery Rental Properties.......69 Barclay Damon......................13 Bond, Schoeneck & King, Attorneys at Law..............15 Buckingham Brothers...........41 Bugs Bee Gone.......................65 Builder’s FirstSource............10 Burke’s Home Center...........27 C & S Companies................107 C.J. Demars Mechanical.......96 Canale’s Italian Cuisine........29 Canale’s Insurance & Accounting .......................12 Century 21 - Galloway.........25 Century 21 Leah Signature..79 CiTi BOCES..............................9 CNYCF....................................45 Compass Credit Union.........19 ConnextCare..........................14 Crouse Hospital.......................2 Dain-Cullinan Funeral Home...................63 Driver’s Village.......................3 6

Advertisers Dusting Divas........................79 Eis House Lodge...................29 EJ USA.....................................75 Elemental Management Group ................................87 Empower Federal Credit........5 Financial Partners of Upstate NY........................55 Foster Funeral Home............77 Freedom Real Estate.............63 Fulton Block Builders...........20 Fulton Oswego Motor Express...................41 Fulton Savings Bank.............15 Fulton Taxi..............................13 Fulton Tool Co.......................63 Gartner Equipment...............75 Giovanni Foods.....................55 Greater Oswego Fulton Chamber of Commerce...33 Green Planet Grocery...........32 H. Lee White Museum.........32 Harbor Eye Associates..........61 Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY............89 Howard Hanna Real Estate.........................21 Hunt Realty............................58

Oswego County Mutual Insurance Co.....................35 Johnston Gas..........................27 Oswego Speedway................32 JTS Remodeling.....................21 Over the Top Roofing...........25 Key Bank................................69 Pathfinder Bank.......................7 L C Cleaners...........................47 Patterson Warehousing........41 Lakeshore Hardwoods.........32 Pistol Safety Course..............12 Laser Transit...........................52 Pontiac Care and Longley Brothers...................35 Rehabilitation Center ......43 LW Emporium Co-Op..........33 Port of Oswego Authority....63 MACNY..................................79 Rapid Response Monitoring..6 Medicine Place, The..............28 RiverHouse Restaurant........29 Menter Ambulance...............28 Riverside Artisans.................33 Mimi’s Drive Inn...................29 Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In....29 Mopping Mamas...................25 SBDC.......................................78 Mr. Sub ...................................29 Scriba Electric.........................27 NBT Bank...............................39 Speedway Press.....................41 NET & Die Inc........................55 Spereno Construction...........27 North Bay Campground......32 Sun Harvest Realty...............19 Northern Ace Sweet-Woods Home Center.....................25 Memorial Co.....................27 Novelis..................................108 TDO.........................................45 NTTS National Trimble Services....................25 Tractor Trailer School.......52 United Wire Technology......96 NYS Parks................................8 Vashaw’s Collision................41 Ol’ Factory Watertown Industrial Center Soaps & Scents..................33 of Local Development.....75 Operation Oswego County.107 WD Malone............................25 Oswego County Federal White’s Lumber ....................25 Credit Union.....................38 WRVO...................................104

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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“My bank that I’d been with for a long time had a PPP loan cutoff and I got cut, even though I’d been with them forever. I worked my entire life, got my kids through school as a single mom, worked three jobs and continued education for myself. This was my life dream and I could have lost it. Pathfinder Bank stepped in and really saved me. They made it easy for me to get the funding and support I needed to stay up and running and I’m eternally grateful. I changed my accounts over to Pathfinder – I’m the biggest Pathfinder cheerleader.”

– Cindy Reed, Owner/Stylist Port City Day Spa, Oswego, NY

When you work with Pathfinder Bank, you gain a true partner. We don’t think of our customers as numbers on a page – they’re our neighbors, friends and community members. We strive to build relationships with our small business owners as they help to build stronger communities. With Pathfinder Bank, decisions are made locally and money stays right here at home.

We look forward to guiding you toward your financial goals, every step of the way.

315.343.0057 pathfinderbank.com Oswego • Fulton • Mexico • Central Square Lacona • Cicero • Clay • Syracuse • Utica JUNE / JULY 2021

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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CNY’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE OswegoCountyBusiness.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto editor@cnybusinessmag.com Writers Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Christopher Malone Ken Sturtz, Steve Yablonski Columnists L. Michael Treadwell Bruce Frassinelli, Sandra Scott Steven E. Abraham Advertising Peggy Kain Richard Annal Office Manager Nancy Nitz Layout and Design Joey Sweener Cover Photo Chuck Wainwright

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.

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How to Reach Us P.O. Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-342-8020 Fax: 315-342-7776 Editor@CNYBusinessMag.com 8

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

Auto Technician* CDL-A (Tractor Trailer) CDL-B (Dump Truck) Dental Assisting NEW Dental Assisting National Board Online Review Class!

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Early Childhood Development* Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning* Heavy Equipment Maintenance & Operation Medical Assisting Nurse Assisting Office Assistant* Practical Nursing Welding *Coming this fall pending COE Approval

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

ON THE JOB

‘What Two Qualities Do You Value in Employees?’

Interviews by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant “Hard work. I have a lot of hard workers, that’s for sure. They have worked especially hard during COVID with all the changes that have taken place.”

Janice Scott Director of housekeeping services, St. Luke Health Services, Oswego

to be disciplined to go make calls and handle rejection. People say no more than yes. I do sell something people need, like sinks, pipes and plumbing.

You have to keep after it to sell them though.”

John Zanewych Owner, Big John Sales, Inc., Oswego.

“What I value is honesty and dedication. Those are two very important values that a good employee should have and something I certainly look for in employees.”

Jonathan Shaver Founder and board member, Children’s Museum of Oswego, Oswego.

“One of our top qualities is the ability to be flexible. They should also be punctual, work with a team, honest and trustworthy, as they’re working with children. Someone who wants to make a difference in the lives of others is also good.”

Natalie Scavone Executive director, BASCOL, Liverpool

“All my workers are commissioned, independent people. You have to have discipline to work that way.

Without it you’d sit at home in your pajamas all day long. They have to be honest and go-getters. It is difficult anymore to find people who want to work. I have a headhunter who works for me and she works for Fortune 500 companies in Cleveland. She said even for those big companies, it’s impossible to find people who want to go to work right now. I’m in sales for plumbing and heating equipment. It’s a continuous battle. Organization skills are important to stay on top of everything. You have

JUNE / JULY 2021

“Patience and loyalty because of the pandemic. Knowledge is huge to stay up to date with all the changes in our industry. Things are changing so much right now. You must have employees that keep up with all the new travel protocols. I have been very fortunate for the loyalty of employees coming back and trying to stick it out.

They are doing the best that they can.

This pandemic has been hurting us. We just got back to work and we are only part-time right now. People are calling now that they are getting their vaccines and they are starting to travel. We value

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

how employees engage with old and new clients. That they go the extra mile right now with keeping them informed with the travel safety protocols.”

Sandy Shue Manager, Canalview Travel Service, Inc., Fulton.

“Integrity, honesty and dependability. Those are important no matter what you do. Without that, you have no foundation on which to build anything in business or life.”

Tim Buckingham Owner Buckingham Market, Constantia “Having the ability to accept and adapt to change. Having the ability to ask the hard questions. This applies to editorial, advertising, circulation and in the press and mail rooms.”

Jeff Weigand Publisher and chief revenue officer, The Palladium Times and The Valley News, Oswego.

“I value their dedication and hard work, honestly, reliability and professionalism.”

Janet Yuckel Owner, Done Right Cleaning, West Monroe

continued on next page

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“A strong work ethic and drive is important. And honesty.”

Anthony Pauldine Owner, Pauldine’s Contractors, Inc., Oswego.

“That they have integrity. I want them to show up on time when they say they will. I’ve had employees arrested for stealing in the past two years, so honesty is important to me. They need to be substance-free and want to work.”

Bob Morrow Owner, Wholesale Homes, Central Square “Commitment to Oswego County Opportunity’s mission and desire to have a positive impact on changing people’s lives; being an effective team player.”

Diane Cooper-Currier Eexecutive director, Oswego County Opportunities, Inc., Fulton.

“I value an employee’s loyalty to the company and an employee’s willingness to learn.”

William Galloway Broker and owner, Century 21 Galloway Realty, Oswego.

“Reliability and loyalty. You show up on time every day with a ‘can-do’ attitude.”

John M. Henry Owner, Speedway Press, Mitchell Printing & Mailing Inc. and The Phoenix Press, Oswego.

“Integrity: if you make a mistake, own it and fix it! And dedication.”

Brenda Weissenberg Owner, Affordable Business Solutions, Central Square.

“The two qualities are being timely, honest.”

Susan Ryan Owner, Tavern on the Lock, Fulton.

“I chose honesty and integrity as being the two most important qualities for licensed real estate salespersons and associate brokers who work as independent contractors for a real estate brokerage. Honesty is of utmost importance as our licensed real estate OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

salespersons are dealing with the purchase or sale of a client or customer’s home. This is likely the largest monetary transaction most people will make in their lives. It is important that clients and customers have the comfort of dealing with licensed real estate salespersons or associate brokers whom they know will be honest in all their dealings. Integrity is the next most important quality. It is vitally important that licensed real estate salespersons and associate brokers exhibit an adherence to moral and ethical principles as well as a soundness of moral character. Clients and customers can have the comfort of dealing with people who can represent their interests first, above all else. These same two qualities, honesty and integrity, are also of extreme importance when independent contractors interact with the brokerage with whom they are affiliated and with other licensed real estate salespersons and associate brokers during the course of their daily activities.”

Leah Haggerty Licensed real estate broker and owner, Century 21 Leah’s Signature, Fulton and Liverpool.

“Innovation and creativity.”

Christopher J. Todd, District superintendent, CiTi BOCES, Mexico.

“Conscientious and poised.”

Laurie Obrien Owner, Port City Café and The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co., Oswego.

“The two most important qualities in an employee are being a team player and being able to see the bigger ‘team’ goals and wins and being teachable and coachable.”

Michele R. King Licensed and board-credentialed occupational therapist and owner, Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers of Oswego.

“A positive attitude and ownership of one’s work.”

John Trimble President and CEO, C&S Companies, Syracuse.

“We want good communication skills, and in our role, it’s critical to have ‘front of room presence.’ When you are leading a class and talking with an executive management team, you JUNE / JULY 2021

need to command the room. Someone could be the most technically competent person but might not be able to communicate well and have that commanding presence. That is one thing we really look for. We are also looking for honest, ethical people of integrity who of course have the technical competencies.

Many times, we end up being trusted advisers. You have to maintain that open relationship with these clients through good character.”

James D’Agostino CEO and MEP Center director, Train Develop Optimize (TDO), Liverpool.

“I believe integrity and work ethic are the two most important factors I consider in an employee.”

Tom Pirro Sr. Owner, Winter Harbor Marina, Central Square.

“Two qualities that I value in employees are having a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. Having a positive attitude creates pleasant interactions with our clients as well as our fellow employee-owners. It motivates others within the office to strive for their best and fosters a more enjoyable work environment. A positive attitude tends to develop stronger relationships with our clients. An employee that is willing to learn is also valuable to the team. The insurance industry is ever-changing and there is always a need to learn more. Being eager to broaden his/her horizons, recognizing the importance of knowledge and staying up to date on topics are all crucial.”

Stacy Hurlbut Commercial lines manager, Eastern Shore Associates.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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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.

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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.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

The loan specialists at Fulton Savings Bank have built a reputation providing personal services to growing small businesses in our area. If you need a mortgage loan or financial help to fund growth of your small business, we can help.

For answers to all your questions call or email: Tom Greco 315-592-3158 tgreco@fultonsavings.com NMLS #449773

Greg Rodgers 315-515-6784 grodgers@fultonsavings.com NMLS #58588

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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.

One Lincoln Center, Syracuse, NY 13202 • 315.218.8000 • BSK.COM JUNE / JULY 2021

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Started How I Got

By Steve Yablonski

Barry Thompson Left banking industry to start consulting company, Thompson Consulting Group

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

A: After graduating from SUNY Oswego, I started my career as a staff accountant for PriceWaterhouse. I left public accounting to work for a small bank. During my career, I have held the titles of assistant treasurer, security officer, compliance officer, treasurer, executive vice president and senior vice president. Also, working in volunteer associations, I’ve been a member of Rotary, SUNY Alumni Association, Success by Six, United Way and Salvation Army. I’ve served as a board member for Rotary for 15 years, president of the Alumni Association and master of the Mexico Masonic Lodge.

Q: What was the impetus to form your company, Thompson Consulting Group?

A: In 1999, I was chairman of a national committee for America’s Community Bankers that prepared a conference on “Operations, Technology and Security.” ACB asked me if I’d be interested in forming my own company, focusing on security, becoming a consultant to their banks nationally.

Q: And so, how did Thompson Consulting Group come to be?

A: America’s Community Bankers’ offer would provide me thousands of banks as clients on day one of the new business. As this was a niche market that’s hard to enter, my competition would be limited. Most of my competitors would be gone in five years; it made sense to become a consultant. I would establish Thompson Consulting Group, LLC, in 2000.

Q: Can you tell us how much you invested in the company?

A: As a private company, we don’t release our financial information.

Q: Is your business state, national or international?

A: While we’ve worked internationally in Europe and the Caribbean Islands, we seldom take those assignments. We’re nationally based, having taught or worked with individual clients in 49 states. When I started this business one goal was to visit the entire United States having someone else pay my travel costs. It looks like I may have to become a tourist to visit that final state.

Q: What state haven’t you visited?

A: Alaska. That state is interesting;

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

bank robbers really can’t run and hide easily.

Q: Sounds like your business has some interesting or unusual services. Can you tell us about bank robberies?

A: When a branch of any financial institution is robbed often, they believe it was their time to be robbed. Normally, after the third robbery in a short time, we’ll receive a call from them. We recently worked with a bank in Des Moines, Iowa, who had been robbed three times in seven weeks. What we train at our programs is to think like a criminal. When we arrive at a location that’s been robbed regularly, we review many different factors, using crime prevention thorough environmental design, a science on what causes people to rob. We review the bank premises, starting several blocks away from the branch, looking for halfway housing, methadone clinics, businesses or other things that would be attractive to the criminal element.

We know bank robbers seldom rob an institution without first casing it in advance. We review the building looking to harden the target. We enter without management or anyone accompanying us, to see if staff will even recognize us in the first 60 seconds. If they don’t, we case the interior, like bank robbers have said they do, to determine if this location feels right to them.

Q: What services do you offer?

A: Our mission is to assist financial institutions in competing more effectively. We provide services and strategic alliances specifically targeted to risk management and security. Our primary objective is to provide education that changes people’s work habits, perceptions and abilities.

These services include, but are not limited to, full- and half-day workshops, webinars, keynote addresses, conference breakout sessions and onsite training. The topics we instruct on regularly include internal fraud, robbery awareness, physical security, fraud, social engineering and emerging trends.

Our alliances allow us to offer additional programs on penetration testing, computer forensics, account takeover analysis and workplace violence.

Q: Your business also uses social engineering in working with financial institutions. What is that?

A: Social engineering is confidence games played by criminals to gain access JUNE / JULY 2021

‘I’d traveled more than 100 days a year until the pandemic began.

We only just recently started teaching live programs. As a result of the pandemic, we’ve become a complete online training business.’ to information or your premises. Your readers would want to know a weakness they may have that can be easily exploited. We always read what signs they have on entry doors. If they have a door marked ‘employee entrance,’ that is a weak point to attack. The night we arrive, we check the doors after the staff has gone home. Computer penetration companies, social engineers and people like ourselves have many ways to enter through that door.

Another entry point for criminals is the ‘smoker’s door.’ Just walking around the building after hours you’ll find that location easily; just look for cigarette butts, coffee cups or other items that reflect that this is the entry they use. We have even seen what is referred to as ‘attractive nuisances’ like a chair left outside an entry door.

Sometimes we will even find a bar that tells us they jam this door open during the day. This provides social engineers another entry point. They just dress as someone you would expect to see inside the building allowing a social engineer to go just about any place they would want. One of our staff recently penetrated a business in New Jersey all the way to the CEO’s office. He took the CEO’s business card off his desk to prove he’d been there.

Q: How many employees do you have?

A: We have three support staff and six subject matter experts.

Q: How would you describe your business philosophy?

A: Treat every client like you would want to be treated; with respect, understanding and professionalism. Above all OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

else, really listen to them to understand their needs.

Q: How has the pandemic had an impact on your business?

A: Our life changed on March 13, 2020, when a majority of our clients canceled conferences for the duration of 2020. On March 16, 2020, all of our clients started contacting us to change our programs to virtual or online presentations. I’d traveled more than 100 days a year until the pandemic began.

We only just recently started teaching live programs. As a result of the pandemic, we’ve become a complete online training business. We are working now to place all the programs that we teach to a new online training platform that can be accessed 24/7 by banks or credit unions. We perform customized training for financial institutions right down to using their PowerPoint formats, at a cost. However, our clients have found the cost for one full day of training for their entire staff is often less than sending one person to a national training program or sending multiple people out of office for training. This even applies if they want us to teach them in person.

We have trained several local financial institutions, some on a regular basis.

Q: How about in your personal life?

A: The biggest change in my personal life is being home with my wife and dogs. They all seem to enjoy having me around.

Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: I personally have trained more than 54,000 banking professionals and the firm has trained more than 150,000 people.

The best part of the job is the personal interaction with people during our programs. We work hard to make it look easy, said one of our consultants.

Q: If you weren’t doing this, what would your job be?

A: Retired.

Q: When do you feel the most at ease?

A: When I am spending time with my wife and while playing with my dogs.

Q: Who influenced you the most?

A: My teachers and mentors, who are too many to mention by name.

17

PROFILE

By Ken Sturtz

Jeff Weigand New publisher of The Palladium-Times and The Valley News plans to beef up advertising sales, bring on new reporters

J

eff Weigand has spent several decades in sales and advertising, but he’s always had his sights set on achieving one career goal.

“When I got into this business I wanted to be a publisher,” he says. “It took me a while to get there and I’ve had some ups and downs and some hurdles, but I’ve been able to overcome that and here I am.”

Now Weigand is putting his experience in the newspaper business to use in Oswego County.

He became publisher of The Palladium-Times and The Valley News in March, replacing longtime publisher Jon Spaulding. Both papers and their shared website, OswegoCountyNewsNow. com, are owned by Pennsylvania-based Sample News Group, which publishes more than 70 newspapers in six states.

Although Weigand was born and raised on Long Island, his father, who worked in advertising, moved the family to Los Angeles in the 1980s for his job.

So most of Weigand’s career was spent in the western United States.

After leaving a job selling cable advertising in the early 2000s, he moved to Arizona to be closer to his parents, who had retired there. He took a job training and coaching newspaper sales executives who needed to learn how to sell against cable advertising. Weigand’s experience made him a natural fit and he enjoyed the constant travel that came with the job.

“It was all about the miles,” he says. “I loved it.”

For several years his life mirrored that of George Clooney’s character in “Up in the Air.” He was on the road for work up to 49 weeks a year and kept a sparsely furnished apartment in Scottsdale that he returned to on weekends.

But after a few years Weigand hit a wall at the job, made worse by his father’s death. He left and was hired to be advertising director for a 18

family-owned newspaper in northern California. He loved supervising the staff and enjoyed the atmosphere of a family-owned business.

In 2006, however, he decided he should be closer to his mother and took a sales manager position back in Arizona. That job turned out to be a mistake, Weigand says, and he eventually found a new job as a sales executive at The Arizona Republic. He met his future wife there and enjoyed the work. But during his six years at The Republic he hadn’t been able to work his way back into management. So, he kept looking for jobs that would give him a chance at running a newspaper someday.

In January 2014, Weigand flew to Central New York for an interview at The Auburn Citizen. He was living in Arizona at the time and didn’t own a winter coat. To his shock, he opened the blinds in his hotel room the next day to discover four inches of fresh snow.

Despite the rough introduction to New York winters,

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

he signed on as advertising director.

He and his wife, Rhea, made a point to become involved in the community.

“We became immersed in Auburn,” he says. “We loved Auburn.”

He joined the boards of the Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District, Cayuga Museum of Art and History and Unity House as well as volunteering with the United Way. In 2017, he was promoted to general manager, responsible for overseeing everything from sales and production, to distribution and finance. Only editorial remained in the hands of the executive editor. Weigand says he enjoyed how close-knit the staff was.

“We were like family over there and that’s what I liked about it,” he says.

“Everybody knew everybody.”

Then in 2019, Lee Enterprises, which owns The Citizen, cut positions and Weigand lost his job.

He was hired by The Rome Sentinel as revenue director. He says he liked working for the family-owned newspaper. When the pandemic hit last year the paper, like its peers, struggled.

We i g a n d

JUNE / JULY 2021

was proud of the resilience of the staff.

They made use of the Paycheck Protection Program, but also developed several special newspaper sections and a shop local program to bring in extra revenue. But in January, with the pandemic continuing, Weigand was laid off.

As he looked for a new job, Weigand was determined to remain in management. He says nothing was off the table; he considered positions as far away as Tennessee and Vermont. Neither he or his wife have any family ties to Upstate New York, but they had grown accustomed to the area.

So, when he learned about the opportunity in Oswego, it seemed like a good fit. He knew the area well and preferred to work for a family-owned business, such as Sample News Group.

His first week on the job was admittedly a chaotic one. Weigand started his new job one day and the next day he and his wife had movers coming to truck their things from Rome to Oswego.

What changes does Weigand have in mind? Nothing major, at least at first, he says. The Palladium-Times, for example, will continue to be published Tuesday to Saturday for the foreseeable future, he says. Right now, he’s mostly focused on watching and learning how the organization operates.

That’s not to say Weigand doesn’t have ideas about how to improve the newspapers long-term. He points to a seven-page action plan he developed.

With a smirk, as if acknowledging it’s a bit overkill, he says the document has grown to 14 pages with additions and notes from his boss.

Many of the long-term changes Weigand is considering reflect his background in sales and advertising.

For example, he is launching an advertising matching grant program for businesses that have been hit hard by

Lifelines Birthdate: May 6, 1966 Birth Place: Manhasset, NY Residence: Oswego Affiliations: Boards of Auburn Downtown Partnership, Cayuga Museum of Art and History, Unity House, Kirkland Art Center, Rome Capitol Theater. Plans to become involved in the Oswego community as the pandemic recedes.

Personal: Wife, Rhea.

Hobbies: Fan of Formula One racing, interested in history.

JUNE / JULY 2021

the pandemic. If a business invests a certain dollar amount, the newspaper will match it.

“I want to do that to help locally owned and operated businesses in the community,” he says.

Weigand also wants to beef up his advertising team, which currently consists of only two people.

“I do want to bring on more sales people,” he says. “Without advertising we don’t have a paper.”

It’s not just a matter of returning to business as usual. The pandemic has changed the nature of sales, Weigand says. After more than a year of mostly avoiding in-person meetings business owners want to see their sales representatives, but they don’t want to be sold. Often, they want someone to vent to and are looking for help rebuilding their business.

“You’ve got to get out and see your people, you’ve got to come in with an idea or a solution,” he says. “If you’re not doing it, someone else is.”

In addition to hiring more sales staff, Weigand says he plans to spend some of his spare time going on sales calls, partially as a way to get to know the community and introduce himself.

With increased advertising revenue Weigand would like to bring more reporters into the newsroom. Aside from adding reporters, he says he wants to keep out of editorial and leave most decisions to the newsroom’s editors.

He would, however, like to redesign the front pages of the newspapers in the future and get to a point where they don’t need Associated Press stories to fill out the front page. He also plans to make an e-publication of the newspaper available online for subscribers since a lot of content in the newspaper isn’t currently published online.

Changes aside, Weigand says he has a solid foundation to build on. The newspaper has its own printing press on site. Although more than 40 years old, having a press is an asset and gives the newspaper a great deal of flexibility, he says.

There’s also the staff. Although Weigand says he’s usually the first one in and the last to leave the office, his staff works extremely hard to put out a quality product. A small, close-knit staff is a significant asset, he says, especially when the company is family-owned.

“There’s something different about working for the family-owned newspapers,” he says. “We’re not managed by a hedge fund that has shareholders; here everyone matters.”

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Publisher’s Note

W

e’re absolutely thrilled with the new edition of the Summer Guide — The Best of Upstate New York (or the CNY Summer Guide, as we call it).

We just printed 40,000 copies of the publication and are in the process of distributing them.

The guide is one of those big projects that require a great deal of work from a team of about 15 people. We spend countless hours selling advertising space, writing feature stories, doing research for the event’s calendar and designing all the 100-plus-page publication. It’s nice to finally see the project come to fruition and in the hands of readers.

With an attractive layout, great feature stories focusing on some of the best destinations in Upstate New York, the Summer Guide lists over 700 attractions and events taking place in the region — from festivals, to farmers markets to musical events and county fairs.

We’re happy that nearly 200 advertisers chose to advertise with us. They provide us the funds to produce and

Adirondacks and the 1000 Island region.

Locally, a team of five drivers drop off the Summer Guide in nearly all hotels, motels, diners, campgrounds, banks and other high traffic locations. In addition, all Wegmans grocery stores carry the publication in all its locations in Central New York — free of charge.

All advertisers also get free copies of the publication so they can share it with their customers.

Subscribers to Oswego County Business magazine also get a copy the publication in the mail. Not a subscriber? Check our coupon in this issue and become one — it’s $21.50 for the year.

We’ll send you a copy of the guide in the mail right away. distribute the publication. In exchange, they get unparalleled exposure — we estimate the glossy publication reaches more than 250,000 readers in the region — visitors and residents alike. Our hope is that many of those readers will patronize those who advertise.

We place the Summer Guide in strategic locations in the Finger Lakes,

WAGNER DOTTO is the owner and editorin-chief of Local News, Inc., the publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine for over 25 years.

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Where in the World is Sandra Scott?

By Sandra Scott

Macau: Vegas of the East City is an intriguing and unique blend of Europe and Asia

A

trip to Macau is a sure bet to change any preconceived ideas one may have been harboring about the city, based on casino advertisements or old movies.

To think of Macau as the “Vegas of the East” is to miss the real Macau.

Others put Macau at the end of a long list of places they want to visit because their image of Macau is one derived from old movies.

Gone are the dingy waterfront cafes and dangerous alleys where all manner of decadence takes place.

Macau was a Portuguese territory

until 1999 when it became an autonomous region of China. It is located on the south coast of China across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong.

Macau is only 37 miles from Hong Kong making visiting a temptation too hard to resist when in Hong Kong. Of course, some fly directly into Macau International Airport but the slick one-hour turbo-jet from Hong Kong to Macau is reasonable, complete with an English-language video and attendants to take food and beverage orders. It departs every 15 minutes.

Macau is an intriguing and unique

blend of Europe and Asia. The influence of the Portuguese weaves itself through the fabric of Chinese life producing a unique culture all its own. Baroque churches and colonial mansions are side by side with Chinese temples.

Start exploring Macau at St. Paul’s façade perched on a hilltop.

The view is spectacular, especially when illuminated against a night sky, but during the day it provides a panorama of Macau. The cathedral dates back to the early 17th century and is the remains of the first Christian church in China. Like everything in Macau, it

A boat race competition is one of the many events that take place annually in Macau.

22

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

A-Ma Temple is a place of pilgrimage for Macau’s fishing community. is a blend of East and West. It was designed by an Italian jesuit and built by Japanese Christian stonemasons who had fled persecution in Japan. A fire in 1835 destroyed all but the façade, which illustrates the history of Christianity in Asia, including biblical quotations in Chinese.

Next to St. Paul’s is Fortaleza de Monte, a good place to reflect on the defensive role it played against Dutch assault in 1600s. And, now part of the fort, is the Macau Museum where one can get an overview of the energy that came together to form Macau.

Exhibits illustrate life in Macau over the past four centuries, emphasizing the multi-cultural character of the city created by the coming together of people of different faiths and life styles creating the distinctive Macanese culture.

From St. Paul’s, descend the steps and wander slowly into the heart of the city. Brush shoulders with the Mancanese as they go about their daily routine. Stop to watch almond cookies being made. Try some — yummy! If you need a rest, stroll down a side street where you will discover little courtyards, sit on a bench under a tree, and you will think you are in a small town in Portugal.

Continue into the heart of the city JUNE / JULY 2021

The style of buildings and streets shows a heavy Portuguese influence. Macao was a Portuguese colony until 1999.

and Senado Square with its wave-patterned stone mosaic that is symbolic of the blending of east and west. Stop in the 17th century St. Dominic’s Church with its magnificent altar, decorated wooden ceiling and religious art museum housed in the old belfry. Along the Rua Almirante Sergio it is easy to find a restaurant to sample Macanese food that brings together the best of Portuguese, Chinese and Indian — and Malaya — cooking.

The classic Chinese temple of A-Ma rests at the base of Penha Hill. Its name derives from Tin Hau, Queen of Heaven or the honored mother. Legend has it that a poor girl saved the fishing vessel on which she was travelling from the ravages of a storm. In tribute to her this temple was built and is a place of pilgrimage for Macau’s fishing community. The Kun Iam Temple, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, is not far away. Kum Ian’s statue gracefully towers over the Ecumenical Center of Eastern Religions and is a place where people of all faiths can rest, reflect and meditate.

And, of course, there is the gambling for which Macau has long been famous. Macau is said to have the widest range of casino games in the world.

Try your luck with baccarat, blackjack, roulette, boule, “big and small,” OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

or fan-tan or feed your coins to what the locals call “hungry tigers” (slot machines).

The Venetian Resort is the second largest casino in the world and seventh-largest building in the world by floor area.

Visitors should take time to visit the colonial neighborhoods like Colonane, quiet parks, sandy beaches and hike in the woods, go duty free shopping and enjoy one of the many festivals.

Nothing highlights the multicultural nature of Macau better than its festivals from Chinese New Year to the Feast of the Drunken Dragon, from Macau Arts Festival to the International Music Festival, from the Macau Open Golf Tournament to the Macau Grand Prix.

Macau may be small in size but it is big in variety.

Sandra Scott, a retired history teacher and the co-author of two local history books, has been traveling worldwide with her husband, John, since the 1980s. The Scotts live in the village of Mexico.

23

NEWSMAKERS

NEWS BRIEFS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES & BUSINESS PEOPLE Braheney Named Controller of Pathfinder Bank Rebecca Braheney has been named controller of Pathfinder Bank, according to Walter F. Rusnak, senior vice president, chief financial officer.

With this appointment to controller, Braheney will oversee all of the bank’s accounting operations including the internal, external and regulatory financial reporting of Pathfinder Bank, its holding company and its subsidiaries.

Braheney will maintain ultimate control over the accuracy and integrity of the bank’s financial information as produced by the bank’s accounting department.

“Rebecca’s knowledge of the inner workings of our accounting department will be extremely valuable in her new role as controller,” said Rusnak. “We believe that Rebecca will continue to act as an integral part of Pathfinder Bank’s operation and we look forward to watching her grow as she settles into her new role.”

Prior to joining Pathfinder in 2017 as the bank’s financial reporting specialist, Braheney was employed by The Bonadio Group as a staff auditor where she specialized in the audits of community banks and credit unions. Braheney was previously named assistant vice president, financial reporting specialist, in January 2021.

Braheney is a certified public ccountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration from SUNY Oswego. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the New York State Society of CPA’s, and is an active member of Leadership Oswego County.

Braheney lives in Baldwinsville with her husband, Timothy, and in her 24

spare time, she enjoys CrossFit, hiking and spending time with her dogs.

CNY Community Foundation Announces Promotions The Central New York Community Foundation has recently announced two promotions.

• Danielle Johnson was elevated to the position of senior director, grants and programs. She joined the Community Foundation in 2007 as a program associate. After serving the organization for over 14 years, she is now servDanielle Johnson ing as senior director, grants and programs.

Johnson oversees and manages the Community Foundation’s $1.7 million community grant program as well as its nonprofit leadership development and capacity building programs. In addition to her position at the Community Foundation, she also sits on the advisory board of the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York. Johnson resides in Baldwinsville with her husband and children.

• Jenny Green has been promoted to the role of philanthropic services officer.

Green started as a development associate at the Community Foundation in 2016. In her new role as philanthropic services officer, she serves constituJenny Green ent data-related needs across the organization, analyzes OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

data and provides consult for technology issues related to the foundation’s software systems. Green received a bachelor’s degree in technology management from Alfred State College and is set to soon receive a master’s degree in Information Systems from Marist College.

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity established in 1927 that collects 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 nearly $260 million and has invested more than $200 million in community improvement projects since its inception.

Wright Named Vice President, Business Deposit Manager Jennifer Wright has been named vice president, business deposit manager at Pathfinder Bank. “ We a r e pleased to recognize Jennifer with this promotion,” said Ronald G. Tascarella, first vice president, sales manager. “With her experience a n d p ro d u c t knowledge, Jennifer has been a beneficial asset to our organization, and we look forward to watching her progress in this new role.”

As vice president, business deposit manager for Pathfinder Bank, Wright will be responsible for managing the bank’s business and municipal deposit solutions and growing their deposit balances with the bank. In addition, she will manage the bank’s merchant services, credit card and remote deposit capture products.

Prior to joining Pathfinder Bank in 2009, Wright was employed by another regional bank as an assistant branch JUNE / JULY 2021

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manager, consumer loan officer, and assistant sales manager.

Wright is a graduate of SUNY Oswego and holds a Bachelor of Science in finance and economics. She lives in Parish with her husband, John, and their two daughters, Mackenzie and Kailey.

In her spare time, Wright acts as an ambassador for CenterState CEO and volunteers at ARISE in Oswego. She also enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors, skiing, golfing and travelling.

Farnham, Fulton YMCA Among Foundation Awardees Six nonprofit organizations have been awarded grants totaling $335,000 from the Richard S. Shineman Foundation in the first of three 2021 grant rounds at its April board meeting.

Projects reach a wide range of people and organizations that focus on health and human services, education, community revitalization, and arts and culture.

Farnham Family Services was awarded $130,000, enabling the organization to take over the Harbor Lights facility in northern Oswego County, so that it can sustain and expand substance use disorder treatment services to the most rural and underserved parts of the county.

Another health and human services grant was given to the Salvation Army of Oswego County, for bridge funding to keep its award-winning Pathway of Hope program going until its New York State regional economic funding is received.

In education, the Shineman Foundation awarded a grant to the Fulton Family YMCA in support of the opening on May 1 of its new childcare program for children ages 6 months to 5 years.

Community revitalization grants were given to the Fulton Wrestling Club for its brand new facility being built in Fulton, and the Kingsford Park Home and School Association for completion of its planned new playground.

The Shineman Foundation also awarded a grant to Symphoria, to fund its return to Oswego in July to present a free outdoor community concert on the historic grounds of Ft. Ontario.

For more information on grant recipients and the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, visit www.shinemanfoundation.org. You can direct questions to info@shinemanfoundation.org and 26

keep up with us day-to-day on Twitter (@shinemanfound) and on Facebook.

Andrew Alaya Promoted to DavisStandard Vice President Davis-Standard recently announced that Andrew Alaya has been promoted to vice president – aftermarket sales.

A l a y a brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role having held various customer-centric positions at Circonix Technologies, a

division of Davis-Standard.

His more than 20 years of experience in providing upgrade solutions for PLC, drive and mechanical systems has enabled customers worldwide to optimize their equipment investments.

This includes expertise in machine fabrication, alignment services, engineering design, rebuilds and retrofits, maintenance training, installation, commissioning and startup.

“Andrew will provide strategic leadership as we continue to develop and promote Davis-Standard’s multi-faceted portfolio of aftermarket products and services,” said Zachary Ament, Davis-Standard’s executive vice president of aftermarket sales. “He has an excellent understanding of customer needs and available technologies. This aligns well with our goal of providing customers with the solutions that improve their processes while supporting their profitability and product quality.”

Courtney Pachoud of Novelis presents Kate Davis Pitsley of the United Way of Greater Oswego County with $8,329.87 check.

United Way Receives Donation From Novelis The United Way of Greater Oswego County was the recipient of a recent donation from Novelis employees, adding to the total raised as part of its workplace campaign.

Courtney Pachoud, employee campaign coordinator for Novelis, presented the $8,329.87 check to Kate Davis Pitsley, resource development director at United Way of Greater Oswego County.

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“We recognize and appreciate everything that Novelis and their employees do to support the residents of Oswego County,” said Pitsley. “Courtney is so dedicated to the success of the Novelis campaign and inspires her fellow employees to give back to the community. Her effort to share the mission of United Way with Novelis employees is truly commendable.”

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Fulton Savings Bank Sponsors New Literacy Coalition Website Fulton Savings Bank has made a $3,000 contribution to the Literacy Coalition of Oswego County, (LCOC), for the design, hosting and domain registration for a new LCOC website.

“For many years, Oswego County has generously provided a space for us on the county website,” said Paul Gugel, LCOC president. “We are extremely grateful to the county for their support. With the expansion of some of our events and programs, like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we needed to establish our own domain and website to easily facilitate our growth and capabilities.

“Thanks to Fulton Savings Bank, we’ll be able to construct and upload a new site to our own domain. This will help us instantly gain easier online visibility and more flexibility. In return, the Fulton Savings Bank logo will be prominently displayed on the home page and other pages as our website

sponsor. “ Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books each month to children from birth until their fifth birthday, regardless of the family’s income. Every school district in Oswego County participates in the program.

LCOC members Patrick Dewine, executive director, United Way of Greater Oswego County; and Mike Egan, past LCOC president, launched the program in November 2018. Since then, 3,500 children have been registered with Imagination Library. As of March 31, 2,681 children were active in the program, and 671 children have “graduated” from the program.

The Literacy Coalition of Oswego County is a coalition of local organizations and individuals dedicated to improving literacy in our county. The LCOC works to address the literacy needs of people of all ages, the areas they cover include basic literacy, workforce literacy, computer literacy, health literacy, and financial literacy. “The Literacy Coalition of Oswego County is dedicated to supporting and expanding literacy services so that people can work, our economy can grow, families

Fulton Savings Bank has made a $3,000 contribution to the Literacy Coalition of Oswego County, (LCOC), for the design, hosting and domain registration for a new LCOC website. Annette Cotton, left, Fulton Savings Bank vice president, human resources & marketing, presents the check to LCOC President Paul Gugel.

can thrive, and our community can prosper,” Gugel said.

Visit imaginationlibrary.com for more information and to register a child so they can experience the excitement of receiving a new book delivered just to them each month!

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JUNE / JULY 2021

Dining Out Whether you’re looking for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner—these eateries are available to conquer your cravings!

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144 Academy St., Mexico, NY 315-963-3830 www.theeishouse.com

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Lunch and Dinner Service Monday - Saturday 11am - 9pm Business Meetings | Seminars Parties | Receptions Salads, Burgers, Sandwiches, Pastas, Seafood, Beef, Chicken, Pork

Hush puppies at Southern Fare in Oswego come on a small plate ($8).

See review on next page.

Reach more than 25,000 hungry customers by contacting us at editor@oswegocountybusiness.com or calling 315-342-8020.

JUNE / JULY 2021

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

29

Di n i ng Out

By Christopher Malone

Restaurant

Guide

The po’boy at Southern Fare comes with crispy salt-andpepper-seasoned fries and pickled veggies.

All’s ‘Fare’ in Love and Food

N

Southern Fare simmers into Oswego’s culinary scene

ever judge a wine based on its label, nor a book by its cover.

But what can be said about a restaurant by its bathroom wallpaper?

How can a person dismiss — or forget — flamingos with women’s legs wearing stilettos?

Southern Fare, located at 189 W First St. in Oswego, has just that.

Why am I starting out with comments about the wallpaper of an impeccably clean bathroom? It’s not expected.

It’s right in line with what seems to be Southern Fare’s M.O. — “be atypical.“ And there aren’t too many restaurants in the region specifically focusing on southern-style cuisine.

Southern Fare is a belle in itself.

Where many restaurants in Oswego work with their historic walls and aesthetics, the new eatery boasts a chic,

30

minimalistic look. The walls aren’t suffocated by miscellaneous tchotchkes and random memorabilia. Instead, large-paned windows welcome plenty of natural light and a view of the city.

Overall, it’s comfortable not only for these crazy times but the normality down the road.

The one-page menu (the beverage list is on the other side) offers a variety of snacks, small plates and entrees.

Honestly, choosing among the selections made for difficult decisions.

While we mulled everything over — brewskies and chips and dip. Beers range from $4 to $7, depending on the brewery and style.

I also enjoyed one of the house cocktails, the Smoke & Mirrors ($10).

The beverage (smoked over cedar), which features Sazerac rye, chai rum, OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Benedictine D.O.M, hit the spot. Plus, cocktails can be prepared for takeout and enjoyed at home.

The homemade chips and IPA beer cheese ($7) was a great primer. Warm cheese and candied bacon proved to be a dynamic pair. Tring to ration the cheese is a challenging task. It’s tempting to take as much of the queso as possible; however, this is as much of a social faux pas as drinking directly from the cup.

The temptation is real.

Five hushpuppies come in Southern Fare’s small plate ($8). The golf ball-sized orbs of sweet cornmeal are fried up to a crispy, golden brown. The maple butter serving as a complement to the corn fritters boasts a subtle, sweet maple flavor. (The same rules apply to the butter as the IPA cheese.)

Sliders were created to convince JUNE / JULY 2021

The jambalaya ($19, was bright and beautiful. As a heat lover, the spices are delightful, not overpowering.

Side of Brussels sprouts and bacon ($4).

Smoke & Mirrors ($10). The beverage (smoked over cedar) features Sazerac rye, chai rum and Benedictine D.O.M.

Five hush puppies come in Southern Fare’s small plate ($8)

people they were getting more food but, aside from the bread, is an appropriate amount. The brisket sliders (three for $13) are generous in size. The mini rolls hold the eponymous meat and pickled onions. The horseradish goat cheese, two potent flavors in their own right, blend in well with the tender, smoked meat.

Because Brussels and bacon make a valiant pair, we requested a side ($4).

The generous side was much larger than expected and was presented in a small cast iron skillet. The brilliant green sprouts still had a fresh crunch without being completely roasted. The pieces of bacon were thick cut and on the crispy side. I personally enjoy a nice char on my Brussels but the bits of bacon added that textured necessity.

The jambalaya ($19), a notable New Orleans staple, was bright and beautiful.

Three breaded shrimp were some of the crispiest shrimp I’ve ever enjoyed — accompanied with long grain rice with plentiful slices of andouille sausage, scallions, thick pieces of celery and bell peppers. As a heat lover, the spices were delightful, not overpowering.

JUNE / JULY 2021

Some may feel differently. As a whole — incredibly filling and memorable.

The fish po’boy ($14) featured cornmeal-crusted catfish on a bed of tomato, lettuce and onion, and drizzled with remoulade. Although a typical New Orleans po’boy is larger, the bread, crispiness of the fish, and the overall flavor of the Southern Fare proved size does not matter.

The po’boy came with crispy saltand-pepper-seasoned fries and pickled veggies. The fries were great but there was something about the veggies that really stood out — their crispiness.

The vinegar wasn’t overpowering either, and the original flavor of the veggies were able to come through.

The fried chicken ($17 for half-bird, $20 for whole) is talk for the town. The incredibly crispy exterior — thanks to more cornmeal and distinct pepper — gives way easily when bitten into. This presents perfectly tender, juicy chicken bursting with flavor.

Mac and cheese came as a side for the fried chicken and presented in a small skillet, similar to the Brussels sprouts. The flavor was delicious with OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

cheddar on the forefront. The pasta itself was overcooked, unfortunately.

When you hit up Southern Fare, be prepared to drop an easy $100 before tip (for two people), like I did. It’s not that the place is expensive — it’s fairly priced, in my opinion. It’s just that you’re just going to want to try everything you can. There was much more I wanted to explore, including the frog legs and shrimp and grits, but that’ll be for next time.

Southern Fare 189 W 1st St., Suite 1 Oswego, NY 13126 315-632-4406 southernfarerestaurant.com facebook.com/southernfarerestaurant instagram.com/southernfarerestaurant/ Sun.: 4-10 p.m.

Mon. – Tues.: closed Wed. – Sat.: 4-10 p.m.

Kitchen closes at 8:30 p.m.

31

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Trainer Helps Dogs Adjust to Owners’ New Schedules

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Expert: Man’s best friend needs to get accustomed to some ‘alone time’ to curb separation distress

f returning to the office feels awkward to you, imagine what it is like for your dog, who has become accustomed to your extra time and attention while you have been working at home.

Many people brought home a new puppy while they worked at home. It seemed both good timing for a puppy’s time-consuming needs and something positive to focus on while the pandemic upended the rest of their lives.

While professional dog trainer Andrea Giordano is pleased to see more dog adoptions — she’s even heard of shelters that emptied during the pandemic — she sees a few issues that can arise when working at home with a dog.

“The downside is it might have given people and their dogs a false sense of reality,” Giordano said.

Giordano owns and operates Dogs Among Us, LLC, a dog training campus in Oswego and has introduced “home schooling” for dogs that can help dog 34

owners address unwanted behaviors, including separation distress.

Dogs may be so accustomed to their humans being home nearly 24/7 that when workers return to their offices, what’s a stressed dog to do but bark, chew furniture and get into mischief?

The effect can be especially difficult for puppies.

“The puppies have not learned to spend time by themselves,” Giordano said. “That is a skill. Dogs love spending the entire day with us and we bred them for companionship except for working dogs.”

She acquired a puppy in late January, 2021, but planned some “alone time” for her puppy. From the very first day, she made sure she did not spend every single moment with the animal.

“It could be as simple as closing doors between you and your puppy, such as the restroom,” Giordano said.

“Maybe you could be folding laundry OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

and you put laundry away in the bedroom with the door closed. It helps the puppy know you’re coming back. Gate puppies so they can’t follow you. I teach my dogs in general to stay out of the kitchen. Maybe your puppy will get a stuffed Kong in a crate. That builds a positive association being alone.”

Kong is a firm rubber chew toy with a hollow center. Spreading a dab of peanut butter inside motivates dogs to spend time chewing instead of engaging in destructive behavior.

Giordano also uses crate training for puppies. While some people may think putting their dog “in a box” is cruel, Giordano counters, “We’ve been putting babies in boxes forever: cradles, cribs, playpens. They’re basically a crate for our babies. Why? Because it keeps them safe.”

She is very careful to place in the dog crate only a toy that is safe. The crate is not used as a punishment nor only used when she is gone. That type of use would make the crate a negative space. Rather, Giordano wants her dog to realize that the crate is a safe spot to relax and nap, sometimes when she is gone and sometimes while she is home.

As with a baby, she places the puppy in the crate for a nap during the time of day when the dog usually would nap.

“The puppy is used to the room and me being there and the other dog, but sometimes you need to be alone,” Giordano said. “When she wakes, I hear JUNE / JULY 2021

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Andrea Giordano owns and operates Dogs Among Us, LLC, a dog training campus in Oswego. She has introduced “home schooling” for dogs that can help dog owners address unwanted behaviors, including separation distress. her and go in to get her out. I don’t want to risk an accident.”

Wetting in the crate followed by immediate removal teaches the dog an easy way out. Dogs also dislike soiling their sleeping spot.

Getting back to a regular working routine is harder to do cold turkey. Giordano said that some people returning to work may need to hire a dog sitter and slowly wean their dog off constant human attention. For those who have a timeline of when they will return to work, spending short intervals of time separated from their dog and then absent will help the animal feel more comfortable, “even if it’s going out to the mailbox or around the block,” Giordano said. “Start with little bits of time. Make it variable. No one wants to make it harder all the time. A dog may not be ready to have the whole house and may be bored.”

Bored dogs will find something to do, like devour the couch, so crating or closing the dog in a smaller room can help.

Giving the dog plenty of exercise JUNE / JULY 2021

will help prevent issues while you are gone.

“Get up earlier and take your dog for a long walk,” Giordano said. “Plan training that’s mental. Our dogs probably slept all night and recharged their batteries. We’re going to go out and be mentally and physically stimulated during the day. We’re moving and have a purpose all day long. We’ll have a task to do that will burn energy.”

It is hardly fair to expect a dog to sleep all day. Younger dogs may need a morning and mid-day walk, both for exercise and elimination.

“Work something out if you and your neighbor are on a part-time schedule,” Giordano suggested. “Maybe you both have dogs that get along and taking some time to get each other’s dogs for social play for a short time can help.

Don’t take them for each other all day, because that defeats the purpose.”

Dogs home alone may enjoy a dog DVD or soothing background music.

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BUSINESS UPDATE

Bosco’s Now Under New Ownership New owner of grocery store in Oswego aims to continue Bosco’s family tradition

T

he steady stream of vehicles in and out of the parking lot is the same. The name is the same; so are the storefront and all the products and staff. The service is still top-notch.

And, that’s just how the new owner wants to keep things.

Mike Ward owns a store in Chili, a Rochester suburb, and now expanded his enterprise with the addition of the eastside Oswego landmark.

The intention is to leave everything the same, Ward explained.

“It’s going to be the same folks that are here, Bosco’s name and Bosco’s tradition. It’s what attracted us to the store to begin with. So we don’t want to change anything. I’m not looking to make a big splash. This store has been 36

so successful for decades. I can see, maybe down the road a few months, some little things, but nothing’s that’s going to disrupt the flow of things,” he said. “I am just kind of learning what the mix is here first. “I want to get to know the customers, what they like and what they want. We’ll take a good look at everything. If folks are looking for something, we’ll try to get it for them.”

There may be some little things in merchandising, maybe some different varieties.

“This will be our second location,” Ward said. “Our other store is in Chili, New York, on the other side of Rochester.”

“We actually buy from the same meat supplier [as Bosco’s]. They apOSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

proached us and said we have this location that we think is kind of unique and we think that you’d be a good fit for it. They said it is something that you want to take a look at and we said, ‘yes.’

Theresa [Himes] has done so much here, we respect what the family has done, the way they run the store, the quality products … that was the connection.

We got together and started talking and here we are,” he said.

Bosco’s Meats was opened in 1959

by Joseph and Barbara Bosco across the street from where it currently stands at 343 East Ave. After 33 years, they retired, selling the store to their three children, Joseph, John and Theresa Himes.

Currently, Himes is president and chief financial officer.

She started working at the store when she was 14 years old.

“I can’t forget it; I had to work Christmas Day that year,” she laughed.

“Officially, on the books kind of thing, I started in 1972.”

“I started nights in high school. I got done in 1973 and my dad said, ‘alright, you’re in charge of everything but the meat department,’” she continued.

Ward’s commitment to continuing Bosco’s legacy was “one of the things that were so encouraging for me,” Himes said.

“When Mike put in his purchase offer, he said he wanted to keep our business the way it is. He didn’t want to come in and re-invent the wheel. He wanted to come in and just enhance what we did. This will carry on our name; because we didn’t have succession if we didn’t do something,” Himes said. “I felt very comfortable handing the reins to him, I’ll tell you that. Mike took the baton.”

Neighborhood atmosphere “Right down the line we have been very invested in this community, our neighborhood. We want to hire kids, people that live around here; we want to invest in our community,” Himes said. “Mike feels the same way. So, it’s going to be a win-win for everyone.”

Himes has had people who’ve worked for her when she was younger, and now their children have started working for her, and their kids are coming in with them.

“We’ve been very fortunate. We’ve had a lot of community support,” she said. “We’ve been lucky to draw from the community for our employees and JUNE / JULY 2021

Bosco’s grocery story, owned by the same family since 1959, sold to a Rochester area grocer.

staff. We have a fantastic staff; our staff made us. We could not do what we did just the three of us, Joe, John and I. We had to have help to expand the property and keep our products at the quality that we wanted to be. So we’re really pretty lucky.”

A win-win situation “I’m going to retire. It was a pleasure, 99% of the time, truly. I love my costumers. I love my staff. And honestly, you know, it is hard work. This business is hard work, it is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart; trust me when I tell you that. It’s a 24/7 and you just have those days when you go home and you think, ‘why?’ and there are days when you go home and think, ‘wow, this is a great day,’” she said. “It’s a win-win, for all of us.”

“I love what I did and I know Mike loves what he does, he loves the business. That’s the one thing, when you love what you do, the time flies by. Fifty years went by so quick; I don’t know where the time went! I really don’t. We put our kids through school, they got to work here, they got to learn work ethic and they got to meet some great people,” Himes added. “We have wonJUNE / JULY 2021

Theresa Himes, president of Bosco’s on the east side of Oswego, recently sold her family-owned grocery store to Mike Ward of the Rochester area. Ward owns a store in Chili, near Rochester. derful, wonderful customers; and when I had [daughter] Melissa, I probably got 20 dresses from our customers. It’s just so sweet that these people think of you as part of their family. I think this community is very family-oriented and I love that about Oswego.”

Part of the store’s longevity can be attributed to treating customers “like family and vice versa,” Himes explained. The relationships formed with the customers inside the store has resulted in friendships outside the store, she pointed out.

“People appreciate having the best for their meals, their holiday meals.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

People do appreciate the fact that we are so conscientious, that we do our best. We don’t want anybody to be unhappy; I think Mike will continue that,” Himes said.

Himes said she is happy to have had great people to work with and wonderful customers every day … “I love being here, it’s been my life.”

“I actually am really looking forward to spending more time with my family and friends,” she added.

By Steve Yablonski 37

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BUSINESS UPDATE

SUNY Oswego Endowment Outperforms National Average This marks the for 14th consecutive year the college surpasses the performance of other college endowments

F

or the past 14 years, the SUNY Oswego endowment has outperformed the average rates of return among the 705 U.S. colleges and universities who responded to a 2020 survey by the National Association of College and University Business Officers — Commonfund Study of Endowments.

This means, according to the college, that SUNY Oswego is a smart investment where donors who invest in the college will see great returns on their philanthropy — both in terms of student outcomes and in the financial returns generated by the college endowment’s performance. They can take pride in knowing their charitable contribution is being stewarded skillfully and is making the biggest impact possible.

The endowment, managed by the Oswego College Foundation Investment Committee, surpassed the performance of other college endowments over a one-year, three-year, five-year 40

and 10-year span. In fact, the Oswego endowment ranked in the top 10% of performers — significantly outperforming the average rate — when looking at the five- and 10-year rates of return.

Mary Canale, vice president for development and alumni engagement, credits the leadership of President Deborah F. Stanley with empowering SUNY Oswego’s robust endowment.

“Early on in her presidency, she recognized the important role that alumni play in the life and prosperity of the college, and she created a senior level position to champion a focused, strategic effort,” Canale said. “She has been inclusive in her thinking and has helped recruit some strong talent with diverse perspectives and experiences to the College Foundation board.”

Canale said the endowment has done so well because of the experience and expertise of the investment committee and board of directors.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

SUNY Oswego endowment has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, from $11.5 million in 2011 to more than $50 million in 2021 “While we target a 70% equity and 30% fixed income portfolio very typical of higher education endowments of our size, the committee has the latitude to select individual asset classes within each category. The choices they make, such as being overweight to the large cap US equity markets within our JUNE / JULY 2021

equity allocation or maintaining a higher cash balance within our fixed income allocation, have all allowed slight improvements in our annual rates of return,” Canale said. “This Mary Canale string of annual out-performance, when maintained consistently for so many of the past 15-plus years, has resulted in the very strong long-term results we see in our relative five-year and 10-year rates of return.”

The latest endowment report for SUNY Oswego shows a gain of 4.4%for the past fiscal year, which is 2.6% higher than the average return of 1.8% nationally, according to the 2020 NACUBO-Commonfund Study.

The college also outperformed the national 10-year return average of 7.5% by returning 9.4%. This number is particularly significant because it allows the college to maintain a 5% target spending rate while covering the 10-year inflation rate.

“In short, the strong rate of return enables the college to provide more direct support for our students. During the fiscal year of 2020, the Oswego College Foundation provided $1.18 million in scholarships and student program dollars to SUNY Oswego,” said Canale.

Thanks to the support of SUNY Oswego donors and stewardship of those investments, the overall endowment has grown exponentially over the past 10 years from $11.5 million in 2011 to more than $50 million in 2021.

The endowment is sustained by the support of the donors; thousands of alumni, employees, parents, students and partners who direct their philanthropy to the college every year.

Last fiscal year, more than 5,000 donors made gifts to the college.

“The college is incredibly grateful to the dedicated group of alumni and friends who volunteer their time and expertise to help manage the college investments,” Stanley said in a prepared statement. “Their consistent, exceptional service has helped us maintain a level of excellence in our endowment’s performance that directly benefits our students and enables us to accomplish more as an institution of higher education.”

By Steve Yablonski JUNE / JULY 2021

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Peter Myles holds a poster commemorating 30 years of Harborfest, in 2017.

Q: Not having a festival last year hit the organization hard. How do things look financially?

A: Some of the revenue from a festival is start-up money for the following year. None of the part-time employees have been working since last year. We do not have any full-time employees. I hope that the community members continue to support the festival financially.

Q: What about the fireworks, will they still be on for 2022?

A: As far as I know, both sponsors are still on for the fireworks.

Two Years Without Harborfest Director Peter Myles discusses the decision to cancel festival for the second year in a row.

He talks about the future of the festival

By Steve Yablonski

A

pall has fallen over one of Central New York’s premier summer festivals again this year.

In late April, organizers decided Harborfest 2021, like Harborfest 2020, wouldn’t be held. Executive Director Peter Myles explains why the decision was made and what the future holds for Harborfest.

Q: The New York State Fair is a go. What’s the difference?

A: Unlike many other festivals, Harborfest has multiple venues, none of which have a single point of entry. That makes it difficult to control attendance.

In addition, it would be very difficult for Harborfest staff to enforce social distancing and the wearing of masks.

Q: Why was it decided to cancel this year’s festival?

A: “The decision to cancel this year’s festival really came down to our inability to safely have Harborfest.

Q: Going forward, what does this mean for sponsorship?

A: I think we will be fine in 2022.

The majority of our sponsors have indicated that they are looking forward to next year’s festival.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Q: Are you planning any sort of fundraising events to help raise money for the 2022 festival?

A: We just recently did a food event fundraiser on Lake Street. We are thinking about doing something in July.

There’s nothing in stone yet.

Q: Will the community continue to support the festival after a twoyear absence?

A: I think by next year people will be looking forward to a great community festival. The office has been closed since last year. We hope to begin planning for Harborfest 2022 in the fall.

Q: Will it be a problem finding performers?

A: I don’t think not having a festival for two years, back to back, will hinder our ability to attract top performers.

They will come and perform if we have the money to pay them. Top name performers are very expensive and we cannot book them without having the funding in hand. This is why financial support from every part of the community is very important early in the planning process.

Q: What do you do in absence of the festivals?

A: Keep in mind, we are a very small part-time or seasonal staff; just four or five people. What we do when not planning for Harborfest is probably pretty typical stuff ranging from home projects to traveling.

JUNE / JULY 2021

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Mark LaFountain, assistant superintendent for personnel at the CiTi BOCES in Mexico, shaking hands with a student at a recent LPN graduation ceremony. Photo provided.

Longest Standing Administrator at BOCES Announces Retirement After 39 years in the education system, Mark LaFountain says it’s time to let a younger generation take over

L

By Steve Yablonski

ife has been an on-going education for Mark LaFountain.

Soon, the assistant superintendent for personnel at the Center for Instruction, Technology and Innovation in Mexico will write a new chapter in his life: retirement.

LaFountain’s professional career began as a sixth grade teacher, in 1982, at Sackets Harbor for two years and then, in 1984, he started as a second grade teacher at North Rose-Wolcott, a position he held for 12 years.

He did an administrative internship at BOCES (CiTi) for the summers of 1992 and 1993 as migrant summer school principal.

“Originally, I was hired at BOCES as a special education administrator [supervisor of special education], and then I was promoted to principal for the career and technical education program,” he said. “Then, I received another promotion and moved over to the district office as director of human

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resources. During the search for our current district superintendent [2011], I was named interim deputy superintendent.”

Once Chris Todd was hired as superintendent, the board changed LaFountain’s title to assistant superintendent for personnel in 2012, he added.

During his tenure at BOCES, he has worked with three superintendents.

“Just to be totally transparent, since I was able to buy back time when I worked as a custodian when I was in high school that is how I get to retire this coming July with 39 years of service credit. That is why I am leaving in December instead of July,” he explained.

LaFountain earned a liberal arts degree at Jefferson Community College and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SUNY Oswego. At Oswego, he also earned his CAS certification (certificate of advanced study), which enabled him to secure any leadership job in P-12 schools in New York state.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

From the very beginning, he has enjoyed his tenure in education.

“I enjoyed the interaction with students, hoping that I was able to positively alter a student’s vision that would have an impact on their future,” he said. “As an administrator, I hope that I was able to provide them with the necessary guidance and tools to be successful in their job.”

“The hardest part of my present position is having to tell people that they don’t have a job for whatever the reason. I think that regardless of the situation I was always able to do it with dignity. But you never feel good about it,” he added.

Over the course of his career, he has seen many changes in the field of education.

“The biggest change I think is all the standardized testing that has been mandated over the years and requiring a Regents diploma for all students,” he said. “I definitely agree that you need to raise the bar. But we are not ‘one size fits all.’ I know that as a student, I struggled in school and these requirements would have been extremely difficult. I think that actually helped me as a teacher because I could understand the struggles that the students had with academics.”

“I think the biggest change in my tenure at BOCES has been the development of all the various programs to meet student needs, especially in exceptional education. We really want all students to succeed and I think we provide the pathway to success,” he said.

“I truly have enjoyed my career.

I found something that I liked to do 39 years ago and have enjoyed every minute of it,” he continued. “If I had to choose my career path all over again, I would not change a thing.”

“I will miss the people. I thoroughly enjoy working with people and I think it is important for your staff to see you take time to learn about them and their families. It is hard to do in a large organization, but not impossible,” he said.

“Staff and students need to know that you care about them and they need to see you when things are going well and not just when things go wrong.”

“I would hope people will remember me as someone who would always take time to listen to them and someone who was honest, trustworthy and caring,” he said. “I believe that my words were always good and I could keep my word.”

LaFountain has a quote “that I tend to live by, which I believe was from President Roosevelt, which is: ‘People don’t JUNE / JULY 2021

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LaFountain is retiring at the end of the year after 39 years in the education system, the last 25 spent at CiTi BOCES. care how much you know, they only want to know how much you care.’”

When he retires, he said he is looking forward to spending time with his wife, Sharon.

“I met my wife when I was student teaching in Hannibal. We got married in 1983. So this August will be our 38th anniversary,” he said. “We lived in Fulton for the first 20 years, and then built a house in 2003 in East Syracuse, my wife’s hometown,” he said.

His wife retired from the Hannibal school district after 33 years as an elementary teacher.

His parents still live in Watertown and they will be celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary this June.

LaFountain is active in the community as well. He served on the ES-M school board from 2007-2010 and has been a member of the Nortrip Masonic Lodge since 1993.

In the future, he said it’s possible that he will volunteer for adult literacy and spend “more time with my various hobbies.”

In his free time, he enjoys wood-turning, gardening, wine making, model railroading, golf (“which I hope to do more of”), cooking and traveling.

Between attending school, working as a summer custodian at Case Junior High School in Watertown and his professional career, he has spent 56 of his 61 years in school.

“It has been a magnificent career.

But as the oldest and longest standing administrator at BOCES, it is time to move on and let the young folks take over.”

JUNE / JULY 2021

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45

With Low Population Growth, New York Loses Clout in D.C.

By Bruce Frassinelli

T

he results of the much troubled 2020 decennial census are in, and, as feared, New York will lose one congressional seat (27 to 26) and with it one electoral vote (29 to 28).

Despite the loss and the political upheaval in Albany, most political observers predict that New York will remain firmly in the Democratic column for the 2024 presidential election.

Aside from congressional representation, the decennial census — meaning that it is constitutionally required every 10 years — is one of the nation’s most important programs. Results of the census will determine New Yorkers’ fair share of federal funds for programs essential

46

to health care, education, housing, economic development and transportation.

The representation loss continues the decades-long trend even as our population edges up, but not nearly as much or as fast as some of the southern and western states. The 2020 numbers show the nation’s population at 331,449,281 or 7.4% higher than 10 years ago, but it is the slowest rate of growth since the 1930s.

New York’s population has crossed the 20 million mark, ticking up more than 835,000 over the last 10 years — from 19.38 million in 2010 to 20,215,751 in 2020, a gain of 4.3%.

Many believe this number is badly OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

undercounted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, weather-related issues and nationwide racial demonstrations. In counts that are close to making significant differences in states either losing a seat or failing to pick one up, look for some of these states to go to court to ask for relief, maybe even a recount.

Among them is New York, because if 89 more people had been counted in the state, it would have kept its departing member of Congress; instead, it went to Minnesota, which just missed losing a seat.

It was the narrowest margin by which a state lost a seat in the modern era, according to census data. The JUNE / JULY 2021

next closest was in 1970, when Oregon missed by 231 persons.

Many political observers were surprised that New York did as well as it wound up doing, because there were dire predictions that the Empire State was going to lose two representatives.

Still, the loss could be costly.

Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, said that such a razor thin margin can make a huge political and financial difference for the state.

While it is not known which district will be eliminated until the congressional districts are sliced and diced, it is likely to be the district held now by Tom Reed, a Republican who is retiring at the end of 2022 as he faces allegations of sexual harassment.

Reed represents a district that stretches from Western New York through the Finger Lakes and into the Southern Tier. The sprawling district comprises 11 counties, including all of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins and Yates and parts of Ontario and Tioga.

New York’s population had grown modestly over the last half-century, from 16.8 million in 1960 to 19.38 million in 2010, or 15.4%.

In the 24th congressional district, represented by John Katko, a Syracuse Republican, there has been little growth in the past decade. The district includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties and about two-thirds of the western portion of Oswego County.

The remainder of Oswego County is in the 22nd District, represented by Republican Claudia Tenney of New

... If 89 more people had been counted in [New York State], it would have kept its departing member of Congress...

Bruce Frassinelli Hartford, and is sandwiched in among a number of counties stretching from the Pennsylvania border through the Southern Tier and into much of Central New York east of Syracuse, including Utica and Rome.

Because of the static numbers in both districts, there is likely to be many municipal realignments to either district.

The goal is to create districts whose population is as uniform as possible. In 2010, the so-called ideal district would have included 717,707 people. Then, the 24th district had about 687,000, while the 22nd had about 676,000. In 2020, the population ideal will be 777,529.

It’s obvious that both local districts will have to add contiguous municipalities because they will be so much further out of whack.

In case you are curious, here was the most recent population of local counties prior to the 2020 count and their rank among the 62 counties in the state: Onondaga, 11th, 462,872;

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Oneida, 16th, 229,959; Oswego, 24th, 118,339; Jefferson, 25th, 112,842; Wayne, 31st, 90,519; Madison, 37th, 71,285, and Cayuga, 34th, 77,425.

We won’t know official municipal population figures and demographic information until about mid-August, census officials said, about a nearly sixmonth delay because of pandemic-induced issues in collecting data in 2020.

From the time when the colonies became states until 1962, New York state had the greatest population in the country but gave up that lofty position to California. Today, New York is the fourth most populous state, also behind Texas and Florida.

The irony is not lost on state officials that gains in economic and political clout in these warm-weather states have been helped along by the out-migration of New Yorkers.

The state’s 27-member congressional delegation is made up of 19 Democrats and eight Republicans. This is a far cry from the 45 representatives that the state had after the 1930 and 1940 census counts.

The new map to be drawn for 2022, which will be in existence until the 2030 Census, will be heavily tilted toward the Democrats, who also lay claim to both U.S. senators — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Redrawing district maps has been a contemporary pain in the neck, and with the hyper-partisan atmosphere that permeates Albany and Washington these days, we can expect nothing less when legislators begin to slice and dice the 2020 numbers.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

SPECIAL REPORT

The Struggle to Find Willing Workers CNY employers having a hard time hiring new workers, despite high unemployment rates

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

H

ave noticed a bumper crop of “Help Wanted” signs springing up?

Are you one of the many employers vainly trying to find workers?

The problem is widespread — and stressful.

Nick Canale, owner of Canale’s in Oswego, has decided to close the restaurant on Mondays. It’s not because of a lack of business but because he cannot adequately staff the business. He said he has been short-staffed since January.

Closing on Mondays gives his workers a chance to rest.

If anyone on his skeleton crew cannot make it to an assigned shift, it is difficult to cover that role.

Canale said that he offers a competitive hourly rate

JUNE / JULY 2021

for the industry and has advertised widely for take-out staff and kitchen help. The only applications he receives are from teens with no work history. However, Canale said he cannot staff a shift with only inexperienced teenagers.

Canale believes that the cash incentives the unemployed have received in recent months, which are scheduled to last until September, is behind the dearth of applicants.

“There’s more incentive for people to stay on unemployment than to work,” Canale said. “The unemployment system needs to go back to the way it was before COVID and everything will change.”

He has also observed other businesses struggling to staff, such as suppliers who must offer even higher wages

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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to lure workers from unemployment.

“It’s driving the prices up. Meat packing plants are lacking help,” he offered as an example. “The only end I can see is when the system goes back to the way it was before — trying to get people to go back to work — instead of incentivizing them not to work.”

The staffing problem is not limited to the food industry.

Janet Yuckel, owner of Done Right Cleaning in Central Square, finds it “extremely difficult right now to find employees,” she said.

She said that since May 2020, it has been hard to recruit staff and especially since November. She cited the same reason as Canale: why work when unemployment benefits pay so well?

Some applicants have told her they will not work as a cleaner for less than $20.

“That’s not a sustainable business model,” Yuckel said. “How much more can I raise my prices? People won’t have my service.”

Her average rate is $15 per hour, depending upon experience.

Yuckel said that she has seen “help wanted” signs at numerous places of business throughout Upstate New York and noticed slow service from businesses because of the lack of workers.

“I think that stopping the additional unemployment pay is the only thing that will force people to go back to work,” she added.

Delles Corner Store in Syracuse has received no responses to an employment ad posted for two months, according to Morgan Delles, the store manager.

The ad boasts an hourly rate of $14 to $15. Delles’ father, Rick Delles, owns the store as well as Delles Automotive, also in Syracuse. Both businesses have struggled to find workers since the pandemic began.

“I think people don’t want to work when you could sit at home and get extra money from unemployment,” Morgan Delles said.

The family has two positions open at the store and one at the four-bay repair shop, which Rick Delles currently operates alone because he cannot find more workers to assist him.

“We take care of our staff but it’s hard to get people in here who want to work,” Morgan Delles said.

She has tried offering hiring bonuses, pays well above minimum wage and offers paid time off to employees.

“I grew up in this industry and 50

Morgan Delles, the store manager at Delles Corner Store in Syracuse, has received no responses to an employment ad posted for two months. “I think people don’t want to work when you could sit at home and get extra money from unemployment,” she says.

I’ve seen how it has changed,” Morgan Delles said. “I’ve worked here since I was 15. With the pandemic, things have taken a turn for the worse.”

The need for skilled workers has stressed Thomas Pirro, Sr., owner of Winter Harbor Marina in Central Square.

Pirro wants to find people who can perform paint and body work and a mechanic.

“It’s the income supplements people are receiving; there’s no incentive to go back to work,” he said.

He also blames in part the disinterest in hands-on work, as fewer people want to attend trade schools.

Pirro said that friends who are plumbers and electricians have shared a similar struggle. He has run multiple ads through various websites and job programs with little response. Even low-skill tasks seem beyond the reach of some seasonal workers he manages to acquire.

“The younger generation is not taught at home how to do anything,” he said. “We struggle with even summer applicants that don’t know how to wash a car or sweep. They’re not encouraged to look at trades in school.

“I’d like parents to encourage their children to use skills with their hands and brain. Those who have the ability to teach them, make the effort to educate your children. Teach them basic repairs and anything constructive around the house.”

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Extra Pay Designed to Help the Unemployed In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) extended many of the past pandemic relief bills’ unemployment benefits until Sept. 6. Recipients receive: • $300 in extra weekly benefits for those receiving state unemployment benefits under Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). The $300 continues even after they have exhausted their state’s unemployment benefits.

• $100 in weekly benefits for W-2 earners and at least $5,000 from Form 1099 self-employment the year before filing for unemployment as part of Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). Typically, 1099 workers do not qualify for unemployment benefits.

In March 2020, under the Trump Administration, unemployed workers were receiving $600 per week as a supplement unemployment income — on top of their state benefits. The additional pay, was part of the stimulus plan enacted by the government. The extra money was paid to unemployed people during four months.

JUNE / JULY 2021

SPECIAL REPORT Norman Dann picks up a delivery order from his step-daughter Denise Damiano, owner of Damiano’s Eatery, in Mexico. Dann works the lunch shift three days a week.

Norman Dann of Palermo is ready for his shift at Damiano’s Eatery in Mexico.

The 80-year-old stepped back into the workforce after his stepdaughter had problems finding drivers to deliver pizza.

No Workers? No Problem!

Facing shortage of drivers, Mexico pizzeria owner reaches out to her 80-year-old stepdad, who gladly accepted the job

By Ken Sturtz

A

fter 34 years on the line at the Nestle chocolate works in Fulton, followed by a decade as a home health aide, Norman Dann had no plans to start a new career.

He soon discovered, however, that he disliked the idleness of retirement.

So, earlier this year when his stepdaughter, who owns a pizzeria and was short on delivery drivers, asked Dann for help, the 80-year-old waded back into the workforce, this time toting an insulated food bag.

“When you hear businesses talk about not being able to find help, that is so true for us,” says Denise Damiano, owner of Damiano’s Eatery in Mexico.

Employers nationwide are struggling to hire workers, especially in manufacturing, construction and restaurants. Job openings surged this spring, but unemployment has remained higher than before the pandemic. Experts say a variety of factors are responsible, including fear of getting JUNE / JULY 2021

the coronavirus, child care issues and continuing unemployment benefits.

Damiano struggled to hire enough delivery drivers even before the pandemic.

She says her drivers average $23-28 an hour with tips and closer to $30 on weekends. Her hole-in the-wall shop competes with two other pizzerias up the street, and in a town of 5,000 people, applicants can be hard to come by.

Once the pandemic set in last spring the manpower shortage became critical.

With restaurants shuttered, delivery orders skyrocketed.

“And I just could not find any help,” Damiano says.

She was limping along with three drivers when the situation worsened.

One driver, a student home from college, had to quit when the university reopened for in-person classes. Another driver was exposed to a friend who tested positive for the coronavirus. That meant he was gone for two weeks due OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

to quarantine requirements.

Damiano searched in vain for more delivery drivers, posting signs in her shop and quizzing friends if they knew of anyone looking for part-time work.

By January she was putting in 14-hour days, manning the counter during the day and trading her flour-covered apron for a delivery bag in the evenings.

“I don’t know what made me ask Norm,” she says. “I only asked him to help one week when we were in dire need.”

Damiano had asked her stepfather to work in the pizza shop years before, but he’d still been working as a home health aide and begged off. Dann hadn’t delivered pizzas before and was initially a bit hesitant, but agreed to help.

“I got thinking it over and I said ‘You know, I think I will,’” Dann says.

“And so, here I am.”

It wasn’t just a matter of helping his step-daughter out in a pinch. After decades of working, retirement had left Dann with a lot of free time. He enjoys fishing and goes whenever he has the chance, but still found himself with too much time on his hands.

“He’s not one to sit still anyway and he kind of drives my mom nuts,” Damiano says, laughing.

When Dann filled in that first week he enjoyed the work and the money he made, so he decided to stay on. He typically works three weekdays a week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., although he’ll work extra hours if someone is needed to fill in.

On a typical day Dann might make a dozen deliveries. At first, he made his deliveries without a smart phone for directions. They upgraded Dann’s phone so he could use it to navigate, but he returned from one delivery and said his phone had taken him the long route to his destination. After that, Damiano says, he decided he didn’t need the technology.

“He’s delivering old school with no GPS,” she says. “He would rather figure out where it is.”

That’s not as difficult as it might sound. Many of the deliveries are group lunch orders for nearby schools, banks or offices that are frequent customers.

The pizza shop has a delivery range 51

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

between five and seven miles and Dann, who has lived in the neighboring town of Palermo for 20 years, knows most of the addresses he delivers to.

“Ninty-nine percent of the time I remember where they live,” Dann says.

On the rare occasion there’s an address Dann hasn’t delivered to before and it’s out of the way, a worker will jot down directions for him as a backup.

Dann says he has no problem keeping up with the pace of deliveries.

When it’s busy, Dann will often return from a delivery and have another order waiting. When it’s slower, he sometimes pitches in washing dishes or doing other tasks.

“I care about the job, I care about the business,” he says. “And not just because she [Damiano] is my stepdaughter.”

Damiano says she cares for her stepfather, but never worried about his making deliveries. In fact, she was more concerned when he helped unload 50-pound bags of flour and 40-pound bags of chicken wings, and when she arrived at work on a wintery day to find him shoveling snow out front. That’s not to say making deliveries is easy. Dann says earlier this year he occasionally had to wade through snow up to his knees because people hadn’t cleared their driveways or walks.

Most of the time, however, he delivers an order to a customer without a hitch and leaves with a decent tip.

“The people I deliver to, 95% of our customers are wonderful,” he says.

“And the customers love me because I’m courteous with them.”

Dann plans to keep working part time as long as he’s able.

He turned 80 in March and renewed his driver’s license for another eight years. He uses a hearing aid and is diabetic, but says he controls his blood sugar with medication and diet. He doesn’t drink or smoke either.

“I take care of myself,” he says.

“And I feel great.”

Damiano is still trying to hire more delivery drivers. She says she’d keep her stepfather on a couple days a week even if she eventually hires more drivers. That doesn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon.

It was still morning on a recent weekday, but lunch orders were already trickling in. A worker loaded food into a delivery bag and slid it across the counter to Dann, who scooped up the bag and zipped out the door. A sign seeking delivery drivers was still tacked up near the register.

JUNE / JULY 2021

SPECIAL REPORT An instructor working with a student driver at National Tractor Trailer School (NTTS) in Liverpool. Since 1971, the school has trained and placed thousands of people into professional driving careers.

We’ve seen it. There are more job opportunities than there are people to fill them,” said George Joyce, CEO of LaserTransit in Lacona. “We’re at a loss trying to figure out how to attract and retain new drivers.”

Things such as safety and salary are also somewhat to blame for the shortage.

Predominantly Male Profession

Dramatic Shortage of Professional Truck Drivers Rolls On It’s predicted that the industry will soon need to fill more than a million jobs

By Steve Yablonski

T

he supply (capacity) side of the freight market was very tight in 2020 and it appears to be getting tighter into 2021.

It isn’t because equipment is scarce.

According to the American Trucking Association, the industry is short between 50,000 to 80,000 drivers. That number will grow as older drivers retire.

Many drivers are leaving the industry in search of jobs that offer better pay, benefits and working conditions. They’re simply not happy or satisfied with the lifestyle driving a truck for a living provides, according to smarttrucking.com Over the last two decades, the amount of tonnage shipped across the country has steadily gone up. Yet, the number of truck drivers hasn’t fluctuated much, remaining near three million.

That means roughly the same number of

JUNE / JULY 2021

drivers have been hauling an increasing amount of goods.

Between the retiring workforce and increased demand, the driver shortage is growing too fast for the industry to keep up.

Baby boomers nearing retirement age make up the bulk of working drivers. At the same time, the next generation, the one that should be ready to take over jobs as they become available, is about 12% smaller, according to fullbay.com More than half of truck drivers are 45 and older. There are currently about 1,871,700 jobs. It’s predicted there will be nearly two million by 2026. With 55%of the driver base looking to retire within the next 15 years, that means the industry needs to fill more than a million jobs over the next few years.

“Absolutely, there is a shortage.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Historically, truck drivers spend a lot of time on the road, away from home.

That way of life contributed to a high divorce rate among drivers.

“The baby boomer generation is aging. Fewer new drivers are entering than there are older drivers leaving,” Joyce said.

To get a CDL-A license, you have to be at least 21 years old. Most trade schools, such as CiTi, can train students to become plumbers, electricians or other trades and be ready for work at a younger age.

“The attraction of being a truck driver isn’t what it used to be,” Joyce said. “It’s a serious job. We need to hire professionals.”

The industry as a whole is going more with automatic transmissions, as many younger drivers don’t know how to drive standard.

“I believe all companies have a huge focus on driver recruiting. But, what dovetails into that is also retention.

If you recruit great drivers, do your utmost to keep them! That is where companies fall short,” said Robin Hansen, a driver recruiting specialist with First Student Bus in Syracuse. She recruits for Syracuse, Binghamton, Auburn, Skaneateles, Watertown, Indian River, Gouverneur and Lisbon/Ogdensburg.

First Student Bus employs hundreds of school bus drivers all over, including the North Country and Onondaga County.

“Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are currently in demand in the Central New York region. The 53

occupation has favorable employment prospects based on our long-term occupational projections for Central New York and New York state,” said Karen Knapik-Scalzo, associate economist with the New York State Department of Labor, Division of Research and Statistics in Syracuse.

The statewide long-term occupational projections growth rate (6.8 %) in this job title is outpacing the national growth rate of 5.8 % in this occupation, according to Knapik-Scalzo.

Many companies don’t want to take a driver without any experience.

“They are more of a liability. Some companies, two years ago, actually lowered the experience rate from two years to one year or from one year to six months,” Hansen said. “It is very difficult to hire quality drivers, those without accidents, tickets, bad habits.”

“We try to hire people out of the military. We also get people who are maybe changing professions; these are mostly part-time employees,” Joyce said.

It’s not a job that traditionally attracts women. Less than 7% currently are female. But, Joyce said he’d hire a qualified woman driver.

Market is Hungry for Truck Drivers Since 1971, National Tractor Trailer School (NTTS) in Liverpool has trained and placed thousands of people into professional driving careers.

Receiving its commercial drivers course certification in July of 1998 from the Professional Truck Driver Institute, NTTS became part of a unique group of professional driver training schools in the United States and Canada. Since its inception, NTTS has remained under the same name and ownership and remains committed to offering courses certified by PIDI. Jamie Sather, placement director at NTTS, said, “The market is hungry for truck drivers and there will never be enough CDL drivers.”

Through its job placement assistance, qualified NTTS students and graduates can choose from employment opportunities with local, regional, dedicated and national trucking companies.

“There also will be growing demand for additional tractor-trailer truck drivers as new local warehousing and distribution facilities come online this year and the economy continues to improve,” Knapik-Scalzo said.

The type of work you are hiring for 54

“Absolutely, there is a shortage.

We’ve seen it.

There are more job opportunities than there are people to fill them. We’re at a loss trying to figure out how to attract and retain new drivers.”

George Joyce, CEO of LaserTransit, Lacona. will help you focus your advertising/ marketing campaign, Hansen said.

Work types can vary from no touch freight, to heavy touch and lumping (actually unloading product with hand carts and pallet jacks) or just drop and hooking.

“No touch freight is the best. Minimal effort, good pay,” Hansen said, adding, “In the trucking world, no job is 9-5. You can be home daily or over the road. Home daily can be anytime depending on your start time. You can expect to run a 10-, 12- or 14-hour day.”

Data from Labor Insight (Burning Glass Technologies) HWOL on hardto-fill jobs indicates that tractor-trailer truck driver job postings take about 1 to 1½ months to fill in the Syracuse MSA, which is in line with the national average.

In addition, there were 1,895 (very high) job postings for this occupation between March 1, 2020 and Feb. 28, 2021 in the Syracuse MSA. The average salary in the occupation is $46,550.

“As far as NTTS enrollments, we have definitely seen an increase,” Sather said. “People are interested in a career that is stable, pays well and is always in demand, given all the recent layoffs that have been occurring.”

Trucking is listed as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.

The drivers also encounter elevated stress levels as they face the challenges of the four-wheelers on the road (cars OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

and pickups) who think you can cut off a big rig without consequences. “Some of these trucks are hauling loads in excess of 65,000 pounds,” Hansen cautioned.

“They do not stop on a dime.”

“The industry is doing a lot of techniques to attract new employees.

Things like more safety features, air-conditioning, comfy sleeping compartment, an attractive schedule. It’s a challenge. Home time is a big part of it,” Joyce said. “A lot of drivers today are home every night and sleep in their own bed. They’re not always out on the road for weeks at a time. Home time is a big issue.”

Not all driving is OTR (over the road). If you are looking for a “home daily” job, they are out there, according to Hansen.

Many companies are utilizing enhanced electronics (in the cab creates an additional distraction; one that you ultimately get used to) that not only govern the speed of the rig but lane sensors and more. These devices omit a sound and have colored lights to denote various hazards.

Some companies are utilizing cameras that not only are outward facing, but that face the driver. If you are one of those companies with cameras facing the driver, there are drivers that flat out will not work for you, regardless of whether you give them a tremendous salary or not, Hansen pointed out.

The logs are also electronic devices now, no more paper log books.

Companies have been known to up their sign-on bonuses during challenging times.

One company offered an $8,000 sign-on bonus (paid out over the course of a year). Some companies will drag the payout over two years, Hansen said.

“Drivers know that their CDL license is their golden ticket and they can go to work anywhere in the United States. If they don’t like the weather here, they can move to Arizona, Georgia and so on,” Hansen said. “That license is like gold!”

It’s not a one-size-fits-all industry.

The struggle is the same for school bus drivers. This is a part-time job driving children. You need a special person who is willing to tolerate children as their “cargo” on a daily basis.

Their license is a CDLB with a P&S endorsement.

“The shortage goes right down to pizza shop delivery drivers. I spoke to one of those folks this week and they are struggling to find drivers, too! Imagine that,” Hansen said.

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GUEST COLUMNIST

The PRO Act: A Potential Major Change to Labor Law Favoring Unions US labor law may be changed significantly in ways that will benefit unions greatly and restrict management in a number of ways

By Steven E. Abraham

T

he National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) — the law governing private sector labor relations throughout most of the United States — has not been changed in well over 50 years.

On March 9, however, the House passed a law known as the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. If that law is enacted, it would change labor law in this country in ways that would greatly enhance unions’ power and limit management in a number of ways.

The version of the PRO Act that passed the house makes many, many changes to the NLRA as it currently reads. Some of the most important provisions will be discussed below.

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Coverage of the NLRA Only “employees” as defined in the NLRA are protected by that law, and currently, both supervisors and independent contractors are excluded from the definition of employee in the NLRA. The PRO Act would restrict the definition of who qualifies as a supervisor and an independent contractor in ways that would greatly increase the NLRAs coverage. In other words, under the PRO Act, many more workers would be considered “employees” under the NLRA. This would greatly increase the number of workers in the US who would be entitled to unionize and would be entitled to the NLRA’s protections.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Election Rules In order for a union to represent an organization’s employees, the union would have to win a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) representation election. The PRO Act would greatly change the way elections are conducted, and the effect of these changes would make it much more likely that unions would prevail in elections that are held.

First, there would be much less time in between when a union first petitions the NLRB for an election and when the election actually is held; the election would be held much closer to the date the union seeks an election. Research has shown that the longer the delay between the election petition and the election date, the greater the chance that the union will lose the election. Thus, it is much more likely that unions will prevail in NLRB elections that actually are held.

Under the NLRB’s current interpretation of the NLRA, employers can prohibit pro-union employees from using company communications systems (e.g., email) as part of their effort to persuade other employees to vote for the union. The PRO Act would deny this interpretation, specifically allowing company email systems be used for unions’ solicitation purposes.

Under the NLRA, as it is currently interpreted by the NLRB, an employer can hold meetings in which the employer attempts to persuade the employees JUNE / JULY 2021

not to vote for the union — as long as the employer does not threaten the employees or promise the employees benefits for voting against the union.

Further, the employer does not need to give the union equal time to rebut the employer. Under the PRO Act, it would be illegal for an employer to require employees to attend such a meeting; employees can only be required to attend meetings that are a part of their traditional job duties.

Currently, NLRB elections are held at the employer’s premises, and the employees must vote in person at the worksite. The PRO Act would specify that NLRB may conduct the election at a location other than the employees’ workplace, or via certified mail, or via electronic voting, etc.

The cumulative effect of all of these changes would make it much more likely that unions will prevail in elections that are used to determine whether an organization’s employees will be represented by a labor union.

Bargaining Once a union is chosen to represent the employees of an organization, the union seeks to reach a collective bargaining agreement (contract) with the employer, setting out the employees’ employment terms.

Currently, it frequently happens that a union is unable to obtain a new collective bargaining agreement following its election and the employees work without a contract for months.

Under the PRO Act, if a contract is not reached within 90 days after the union is chosen and put in place, either party can seek mediation in an attempt to help the parties reach a new contract.

If mediation fails, within 30 days, the mediator will refer the situation to a tripartite arbitration board composed of an employer representative, a union representative and a neutral.

That arbitration board will have 120 days to decide on what the parties’ new contract will be. The PRO Act also specifies the factors on which the panel shall base its decision about the contract’s terms. Those factors include not only the employer’s financial status, but also its “prospects,” as well as the employees’ ability to sustain themselves, their families, and their dependents on the wages and benefits offered by the employer. Those initial terms would be binding for two years.

Thus, it is much more likely that the employees of the newly unionized JUNE / JULY 2021

The cumulative effect of all proposed changes to the current labor laws would make it much more likely that unions will prevail in elections workplace will be covered by a collective bargaining agreement within a few months after they choose union representation.

Strikes and Picketing Under the current interpretation of the NLRA, employees to go on strike in an effort to pressure the employer into reaching a new contract may be permanently replaced.

A new section of the PRO Act would specifically overrule this interpretation and make it illegal for employer to hire permanent strike replacements. It would that be illegal for the organization to hire temporary replacements to work at the organization while the employees are on strike, but the striking employees would have to get their jobs back immediately upon the end of the strike.

This will make it much more difficult for an employer to replace employees who go on strike.

The NLRA permits only picketing when it is directed at a primary employer with which the union has a lawful dispute. The PRO Act would permit secondary picketing, meaning that unions could picket a neutral employer for the purpose of pressuring it to cease doing business with the primary employer.

In other words, if a union is in a dispute with company A, the union would be able to exert pressure on company B, a totally independent company, in an effort to put indirect pressure on company A. The PRO Act also would expressly permit intermittent strikes.

Remedies The PRO Act would greatly expand the remedies available to an employee whose rights have been violated under the NLRA. These remedies would include OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

liquidated damages, civil penalties (which can be doubled if there was another violation in the last five years), and statutory remedies for cases of discrimination and retaliation.

Further, under the PRO Act, the NLRB could hold directors and officers liable for civil penalties in situations in which they directed or committed the violation, had established a policy that led to such a violation, or had actual or constructive knowledge of and the authority to prevent the violation and failed to prevent the violation, among other things.

Finally, under the NLRA currently, and employer can only address an organization’s violation of the NLRA through the NLRB. Under the PRO Act, employees will be able to challenge an organization’s actions by bringing a civil suit in federal district court. In sum, the potential penalties against an organization and against officers of an organization who violate employees’ rights under labor law would be much greater if the PRO Act is enacted.

There are other provisions of the PRO Act that are beneficial for unions and detrimental to management as well, but those provisions are less relevant to most readers of this magazine.

While the version of the PRO Act that passed the House is not likely to make it through the Senate in its current form, it is likely that many provisions of that bill will be passed by both Houses.

Further, President Biden has indicated his support for the PRO Act and he is almost certain to sign any bill that makes it through both Houses. Therefore, it is quite likely that US labor law will be changed significantly in ways that will benefit unions greatly and restrict management in a number of ways in the near future.

Steven E Abraham is a professor in the School of Business at SUNY Oswego.

He received his B.S. from Cornell University, his J.D. from NYU school of Law and his PhD from University o f Wi s c o n s i n , Madison. He teaches courses related to employment law, union–management relations and human resource management.

He can be reached at steven.abraham@ oswego.edu 57

SPECIAL REPORT

The Flip Side: Mom-and-Pop Landlords Still Struggling Eviction moratorium has placed hardships on many landlords during pandemic

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

M

om-and pop landlords, or those who own just a few properties, have faced unprecedented challenges since the beginning of the pandemic.

While legal protection has helped prevent massive evictions among those who have lost employment during the pandemic, it has also unwittingly created loopholes exploited by dishonest tenants financially unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic.

David Lochow of Phoenix, Oswego County, owns 12 rental units among five houses in Syracuse.

Two tenants currently owe him back rent and feel confident that they will eventually be able to repay him.

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But he also had two others who had not paid rent since the beginning of 2020 — that’s a year and a half without receiving any rent.

And, another has not paid since acquiring the unit in October, claiming that COVID-19 has affected the ability to pay rent.

“With the CDC declaration, all a tenant has to say is ‘I was affected by COVID’ with no check on it. I can’t evict them,” Lochow said. “It’s a joke. A number of these people are still working.”

In early May, state lawmakers voted to extend the moratorium on eviction to Aug. 31, forcing landlords to wait even longer for their money.

Emergency Rental Assistance ProOSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

gram is making $25 billion available nationwide for areas not covered by local funding. The $24.5 million made available from the US Treasury to Onondaga County through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program helps landlords and tenants. However, Lochow said that because his business isn’t operating as a dba, he does not qualify.

Landlords living in Onondaga County receive priority; Lochow lives in Oswego County.

Other impediments to landlords include the tenants’ cooperation. Both the tenant and landlord must apply and qualify for the landlord to receive funds.

Lochow estimates that he has lost $25,000 in rent, plus the cost of damage to his properties. Lochow said that the police won’t help in cases of vandalism in his rentals as that is a civic matter handled in court.

Despite these losses, he counts himself fortunate. Other landlords posting on his New York Landlord Rights Facebook page have experienced far worse. Many landlords have shared that once eviction bans were enacted, some of their tenants quit paying rent, saved their money for a down payment and bought a house. Some landlords who have not received rent say that after stimulus money is disbursed, they see numerous boxes for expensive items like flat-screen TVs on the curb outside their units.

“Because of the stimulus money, Walmart has done well,” Lochow said, “but landlords aren’t getting their rent.”

With courts shut down during most of the pandemic and moratoriums on evictions, landlords have no means of obtaining rent. Lochow said that even if they can take tenants to court, they will receive little if any money should they win because the tenants are not working or else they refuse to pay.

Some landlords report damage to their property as vengeful tenants feel harassed by landlords asking for their rent money. Based upon what other landlords have told him, Lochow estimates that 20% to 30% of New York tenants not paying rent still have jobs or receive unemployment.

Lochow has done well because he owns his properties. Many of those still paying mortgages on their units are struggling to stay afloat or find means of mortgage relief.

It has helped Lochow that he has maintained positive relationships with most of his tenants. He has kept rent low JUNE / JULY 2021

and only increased it when his taxes and insurance premiums increase. Since the pandemic started, he has worked with tenants unable to pay. He is willing to wait a few months to receive rent from tenants who have ordinarily paid on time. He has also helped tenants look for work.

COVID-19 Hardship Sharon Sherman, executive director of Greater Syracuse Tenants Network in Syracuse, sounds far more positive.

“At this point, things are moving forward,” Sherman said in April. “If the tenant is not claiming a financial hardship, then they should go ahead and do what they normally do. It is true that for a while now, the court has been virtual in Syracuse and in some towns in Onondaga County. Starting in May more courts will be back in person.”

Virtual evections are tough for many small landlords. To help, Sherman’s organization provides training.

The network also advises tenants to apply for rent relief through Onondaga County (or through the statewide or local programs for those outside of Onondaga).

“For landlords, it’s really going to cost them less if they can get their ten-

ants to apply for the rent relief money and then they won’t have any cost of renovating the apartment to rent to someone new,” Sherman said.

She said that eviction is difficult and often requires hiring an attorney.

She also advises landlords to have an attorney review their lease agreements and any other documents passing between them and tenants.

Sherman hopes that the current crisis will not put good small landlords out of business. She admits that some people have continued working without paying rent.

“There’s no moratorium on turning off cell phones or falling behind on their car loan,” Sherman said. “People make decisions and with the moratorium on eviction, rent moved to the back of the list.”

Gary Valerino, partner at Meggesto, Crossett & Valerino, LLP, in Syracuse, Watertown and Chittenango, focuses on landlord issues and is a landlord. He said that smaller landlords are “taking the brunt of this” and face multiple challenges, including cooperation of tenants on seeking rent relief.

Landlords successful in applying for rental assistance can recoup any owed back rent from March 2020 through up to three months of future

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While landlords can evict tenants, all a tenant must do is claim COVID-19 hardship to block that action.

“It’s very difficult to challenge the hardship declaration,” Valerino said.

“It’s not just financial. There are other things such as not having a place to move to. Or if moving would pose a health risk, they can’t afford moving expenses, if they have childcare responsibilities or care for an elderly or sick family member.”

In addition to landlords’ personal financial losses, Lochow foresees a shift in the local rental markets that could make renting more expensive to tenants.

“There are sharks who will buy properties from landlords who are hurting,” he said. “They’ll pay $60,000 for a $100,000 house and will wait nine months. They can afford to. Then they can evict the tenants, fix the house and raise rent. In better neighborhoods, they can get premium rent.

“The rest of us will be more sensitive as to who will be renting. It will be harder for entry level people to get in a place, as we will be checking their backgrounds and employment more carefully. People refusing to pay rent now—the ones who can—they are shooting themselves in the foot.”

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

59

SPECIAL REPORT

Jeff Rea, author of “The Shineman Legacy: The Founder Speaks,” Barbara Shineman, co-founder of the Richard S. Shineman Foundation (center), and Kathy Fenlon, the foundation’s chairwoman.

Book Explores Origins of Oswego’s Richard S. Shineman Foundation

By Payne Horning

E

veryone in Oswego County and the broader Central New York community knows about the Shineman Foundation, the private foundation that awards more than $1 million annually to support regional nonprofits.

The organization’s wide-reaching impact is hard to miss.

But the story of how the foundation started and the man behind it is not as well-known.

Enter “The Shineman Legacy: The Founder Speaks,” a new book that delves into the humble beginnings of what has become one of the region’s most beloved and powerful organi-

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zations.

Jeff Rea, a newspaper veteran and former employee of SUNY Oswego, wrote the book, which he describes as equal parts memoir and philanthropic history. He was tasked with the project by none other than one of the founders of the organization, Barbara Shineman.

“Barbara was getting concerned that the memories of Dick would fade and all that Dick wanted for the foundation,” Rea said.

Of paramount importance to Barbara Shineman, according to Rea, is that people remember that it is technically the Richard S. Shineman Foundation.

After all, it was his initiative and OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

inheritance that made it possible.

Richard’s father Edward Shineman Sr. made his millions at the Beech-Nut Packing Company, now known as the popular Beech-Nut Baby Food company. Edward started work there in 1904 as an entry-level accountant, climbing the corporate ladder to take positions as treasurer, vice president and eventually as chairman of the board in 1948.

Edward retired in 1954 and when he died, left behind a fortune for his children. Richard would inherit somewhere north of $30 million, says Rea, though no one ever suspected it.

As is explained in greater detail in the book, Richard and Barbara led JUNE / JULY 2021

Richard, a former humble lives. They SUNY Oswego lived for most of chemistry profestheir lives together sor. in a simple ranchThe college style house across has also been able the street from to expand its ShelSUNY Oswego, don Institute for where both of them Barbara Shineman continued working Scholars, a proas professors even gram and scholarafter the inheriship fund to train tance arrived. the next generaAlthough Rea tion of educators in said the Shinemans honor of Barbara, gave away hunwho taught as a dreds of thousands professor of edof dollars before ucation at SUNY Richard died in Oswego.

2010, the wealth Other recipiwas nurtured rathents of grant funder than spent. ing include the Os“By all acwego Renaissance counts, he didn’t Association, Fulspend a tiny frac- Cover of the new book about the ton Block Buildtion of it during his Shineman Foundation. ers, the Oswego life,” Rea said. “He Children’s Museum, Oswego Health, wanted to do good with that money.”

Little did Richard know just how Farnham Family Services, the Salvation much good he would do. The Shine- Army of Oswego County, Fulton Family man Foundation, which began with YMCA, Symphoria, the Oswego Playa bequest of $25 million, has grown ers, the CNY Community Art Center, to more than $38 million today. By Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Museum the end of 2020, the foundation had and many more.

Executive director of the Shineman awarded nearly $12 million to dozens of nonprofits and other organizations Foundation Karen Goetz said the difference this organization has made in in Central New York.

Perhaps the largest beneficiary the local community is nothing short has been SUNY Oswego, which was of dramatic.

“The Oswego County organizaable to build the multi-million dollar, 233,000-square-foot Richard S. Shine- tions have said, without fail, that we man Center for Science, Engineering, don’t know where we would be withand Innovation. It’s a state-of-the-art out the Shineman Foundation because math and science facility in honor of before the Shineman Foundation was

formed and started giving grants to the community, there was no one up there and the Central New York foundations by and large were not giving grants up in Oswego County,” Goetz said. “The fact that the Shineman Foundation started giving grants in 2013 really changed the landscape of the community.”

While Rea said Barbara thinks Richard would never have wanted his name on a building, let alone a book dedicated to his memory, “The Shineman Legacy” serves a purpose beyond just recognition.

“Barbara has been singularly focused on what it was that Dick wanted,” Rea said. “She understands that foundations have to grow, evolve and adjust to conditions on the ground in Oswego, but she also realizes that it has to keep his core values and vision.”

The hope is to provide a guide for the next generation, and specifically those future Shineman Foundation board members, about who Richard was and his goal to make this gift a “catalyst for change” in Oswego County.

“Now there is a book that new members of the board will be given and expected to read so they don’t forget the beginnings and the vision of this foundation and they can stay true to that vision and stay true to the memory of Richard and Barbara as they carry out all of the things that the foundation will be doing in the future,” Goetz said.

“The Shineman Legacy: The Founder Speaks” is available for purchase now at the River’s End Bookstore in Oswego and amazon.com. All proceeds will go to the Richard S. Shineman Foundation.

120 East 1st. St., Oswego • 315-343-2020 • www.HarborEyeAssociates.com JUNE / JULY 2021

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

61

Bruce Frassinelli bfrassinelli@ptd.net

Our Experiences Shape Our Attitude Toward Police As a society we need to realize that this is a time when we must remove bad actors from law enforcement

So while each of us might assess our views of the police because of individual experiences, as a society we need to realize that this is a time when we must remove bad actors from law enforcement, but we must be careful that in the process we don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.

T

here is abundant research that shows that our perceptions of police are largely based on our own experiences with them.

For those without any personal experiences, they may be influenced by what they read, hear or see in the media, from anecdotes by those who have had positive or negative encounters and from other sources.

During tumultuous periods of protests touched off by the deaths of African American suspects at the hands of white police officers, we try to temper the backlash against the police with our desire to support the concept of policing and the vast majority of officers who do their jobs effectively day in and day out.

Business owners are terrified that protests will get out of hand and result in significant damage to their properties. They have

BRUCE FRASSINELLI is the former publisher of The PalladiumTimes. He served as a governor of the Rotary Club District 7150 (Central New York) from July 2001 to June 2002.

62

seen how businesses have been vandalized or burned to the ground during this lawlessness. For this reason alone, the business community is reliant on the protection and good will of the police department.

Many business owners go out of their way to promote a symbiotic relationship between themselves and the police officers who patrol their area.

Right about now, we might take a minute to reflect on how our own memories and attitudes have been shaped by our encounters with police.

Mine started at age 3 when I fled from my babysitter after a bath and ran naked into the business district of my small coal-mining community in northeastern Pennsylvania before being corralled by a congenial local police officer.

Two years later, at the age of 5, on the first day of kindergarten and terrified over the prospect of going to school, I escaped through a large open window in my elementary school, jumped to the ground and took off, as my startled teacher screamed for me to stop.

Later, I was found by the community police chief and my mother asleep, hiding behind a tombstone in a nearby cemetery. I feared the worse, but, aside from a stern lecture from my mom, there were no reprisals from either the police chief or the kindly kindergarten teacher. I assume they were relieved that I was OK. During my 65-year driving career, I received two tickets — one when I was 17 for a stop sign violation and the other two years later for failing to come to a complete stop at a blinking red light. Guilty as charged, officers.

When I became a journalist, I cultivated police as sources of information for news stories, but I also got to know them as individuals.

This is when I was able to understand that they were not simply faceless cops behind a badge but human beings with all of the ups and downs and hopes and fears all of us have.

My Turn

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

Unlike most of us, they had the intense additional pressure of the understanding that, even in small communities, there is an outside chance that they might not make it home at the end of a shift.

Until the Supreme Court decision in 1966 in the Miranda case (“You have a right to remain silent…”) and the Vietnam War protests a few years later, the police and reporters had a close relationship — perhaps a bit too close.

Sometimes I would have breakfast or go for an after-hours drink with my police sources.

We would bend the rules on occasion when an officer asked us to hold a news story so the suspect would not flee from the area. It was a reasonable request that we agreed to in the name of public safety.

After the landmark “Arizona v.

Miranda” case, police became much more guarded with details of crimes, especially big ones such as murder, for fear of jeopardizing their case and having it thrown out of court on a technicality.

Getting information was like pulling teeth. This is still going on, especially with high-profile cases, 55 years later.

What really soured the relationship between the police and the media was when police officers were called “pigs” by protesting young people, the disenchanted, even on occasion by the media.

The catalyst was the August 1968 protests by a group called the “yippees” outside of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They had a small pig as their mascot which they proposed as their presidential candidate.

When police tried to break up the demonstration, they started calling the police “pigs,” and the expression caught on. Extensive media accounts really ticked off the police and their supporters, and much of their criticism was aimed at the news media for giving a platform and coverage to these chanting and often disruptive protesters.

This ended the close relationship other journalists and I had with our police sources. From then on, with few exceptions, police sources kept my colleagues and me at arm’s length.

So while each of us might assess our views of the police because of individual experiences, as a society we need to realize that this is a time when we must remove bad actors from law enforcement, but we must be careful that in the process we don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.

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REAL ESTATE

Real Estate: Home Sellers Still Calling the Shots Value of homes in CNY the highest ever seen, according to real estate agents

By Steve Yablonski

W

hether this is a good time to buy a house depends on several factors, such as your financial situation, life goals and readiness to become a homeowner. Mortgage rates are currently low, making buying a home more affordable.

A seller’s market happens when there are more prospective buyers than homes for sale. Currently, demand for homes is high. Inventory is low. That makes this a seller’s market across Central New York.

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“Oh yes, absolutely. It is still a seller market,” said Janice Egan, a licensed real estate salesperson with Better Homes and Gardens SELECT in Fayetteville.

“Today it is definitely a seller’s market. The value of homes is gradually increasing day to day,” agreed Sarah Tarson, a licensed real estate salesperson with Century 21 Tucci Realty in Cicero.

“This has to do with the competitive interest rates, the cost of material such as lumber and finding labor. These are subject to why properties are currently OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

skyrocketing. We predict this to go on for about 18 more months. This could go more or less.”

Ryan Yamini, an associate broker at Procopio Real Estate in Clay said the real estate market continues to offer sellers the opportunity to sell their homes for some of the highest values ever seen.

“It seems clichéd to say, ‘Now is the best time to sell your home.’ But, with what sellers are getting for their homes, that statement is truer than ever. I have even debated on selling my home I just JUNE / JULY 2021

Janice Egan is a licensed real estate salesperson with Better Homes and Gardens SELECT in Fayetteville. purchased two years ago because of the increased value in such a short period of time,” On the buyer side, when showing and preparing offers on homes, the conversation with buyer clients has changed dramatically.

“We have seen clients starting to rethink their needs and sacrifice some of their wants and needs due to the possibility of having to compete with other buyers. Waiving of home inspections, offering prices at or above asking, and other extraordinary offer terms have become the uncomfortable norm,” Yamini said. “Creativity has become a necessity when putting together the strategy for

offering a home. Multiple offer scenarios on most homes are driving competition while driving values of the properties at the same time. With the relaxing of restrictions due to COVID, I think the remote working scenario could also start to fade but, it may still be in the back of buyers’ minds.”

According to the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors, home prices are going up across the region; and, homes are selling faster.

“Not a lot of homes on the market right now. Interest rates are low. So there are a lot of buyers, Egan said. “Almost every listing is selling with multiple offers and going over list price. It is a great time to sell your home. For buyers they are getting a low interest rate, but not a great deal on a house. If buyers wait until next year to buy a house and if rates go up...I think it could be a wash for the type of deal they get. But yes, it is a seller’s market now.”

In March, 83% of existing homes sold were on the market for less than a month, according to the National Association of Realtors. The typical time on the market hit a record low of 18 days, down from 29 days in March 2020, the association said.

Pending home sales increased in March, snapping two consecutive months of declines, the association reported. All but one of the four major U.S. regions experienced month-overmonth gains in March, while each area recorded year-over-year growth.

“The increase in pending sales transactions for the month of March is indicative of high housing demand,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

Also, most people are waving con-

tingencies, meaning they’re not doing home inspections or radon testing to make their offer more enticing, Tarson pointed out.

“This is why it is crucial to make sure you have a place to stay before selling your house because it is very easy to sell right now as the market is starving,” she said. “People today, with the pandemic and working remote, are looking for convenient spaces such as an office. Some are even buying houses with an extra bedroom to convert to an office space. I see this ever growing because companies are still on the trend of their employees working from home.”

Some agents caution that sellers, who then become buyers, are having a hard time competing with first-time home buyers or other buyers who don’t have the contingency of having to close on their home to buy a new one, according to the NAR. “We have been in a seller’s market for a few years due to low inventory.

But with the economic changes from the pandemic, including record low interest rates and population fluctuations, the sellers market strength is at an all time high,” Yamini said. “The inventory has hit an extremely low point having less than 300 active listings in all of Onondaga County as of last month. With low interest rates staying steady, the surge of new buyers to the market continues showing limited signs of a correction.”

Sellers call the shots and the proof is in the pricing. The median home price rose to $303,900 in January 2021, a 14.1% increase compared with 12 months before, according to a National Association of Realtors report.

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Pandemic Changes in Banking to Continue Some of the changes banks have instituted are likely to continue post-pandemic

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

P

erhaps your company has grown to rely on remote deposits more during the pandemic than ever before.

If that’s your case, you’re not alone.

The growth of online banking has surged during the pandemic and local experts think that trend will continue, even though lobbies have long since opened.

The pandemic has also influenced other banking trends, like consolidation.

“In the last 14 months, and even before coming into the pandemic, clients have wanted banking options to include 66

the ATM, their phone and online,” said Steve Fournier, CNY market president and retail leader for KeyBank.

To meet the demand for more efficient digital banking, KeyBank instituted a one-time passcode.

“What we found is a lot of times, people want a text message to their phones to get access rather than a security question,” Fournier said.

That saves time over accessing accounts through email confirmation.

“Some of this was an evolution with more people interested in banking remotely,” Fournier said.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Timothy Brown, business banking leader for the CNY and Rochester markets at KeyBank, said that remote deposit capture has grown dramatically.

“Business owners realize the tools they have like remote deposit capture and our online banking platform that they don’t always have to go into the bank,” Brown said.

Initially, KeyBank temporarily raised the maximum amount permitted for remote deposit capture. As the pandemic continued, the bank made the change permanent.

“Online features can free their JUNE / JULY 2021

Stephen Fournier of KeyBank: “The savings rate has gone through the roof.”

Tom Roman of NBTBank: “[Online banking] isn’t a replacement for relationship banking.”

Jim Dowd of Pathfinder Bank: “People are a little more concerned about their money.”

staff up to work on other things at the business. But we always do have the availability for branch personnel so if a business owner wants to go into the branch they can and we can provide the business owner with a small business financial review while they’re there.

They can see where their business is and we talk about where they want to go and make recommendations,” Brown said.

As another pandemic trend, Brown has noticed that attempts to perpetrate fraud have increased, prompting financial institutions to ramp up their fraud protection efforts.

“Our clients on the business side and personal side have become more in tune with fraud protection,” Brown said. “They’re asking how we can safeguard their business.”

Fournier has also observed that banking customers are more attuned to their financial concerns than at any other time. “The savings rate has gone through the roof. There’s been more focus on financial wellness,” he said.

That has prompted more banking customers asking to speak with bank representatives on their financial matters.

As with other businesses, banks have had to pivot and adjust with the times. Similar to retail stores, banks have experienced fewer in-person visits in favor of online interactions with customers. Like other banks, KeyBank has pared back its branches or relocated them to reflect shifts in consumer preferences.

“In the ‘80s, we saw people flee to the suburbs,” Fournier said. “Now folks are coming back to the city. How do we reposition an efficient franchise?

We want to be close to where people are doing transactions. We still recognize people will still visit the branch.”

The interest in online banking has spurred Key to launch Laurel Road, a digital bank targeting medical and dental professionals.

Despite these advances, banks are not ready to automate everything.

“We’ve still given options to have a human connection, like virtual meetings with clients to go through their financial wellness during the pandemic,” Fournier said. “It could be a simple conversation or talking about how to navigate to get their restaurant open with online transactions.”

The KeyBank 2020 Financial Resiliency Survey released in February 2021 shows that 85% of Americans say they will use digital tools to conduct some or all their financial transactions after the pandemic. A surprise of the study was that more than one in four younger adults—millennials and Gen Z—prefer to use both in-person and digital banking. That trend may reflect the “financial firsts” this age range is experiencing during these unprecedented times.

The survey also showed that 41% of respondents are spending less and saving more since before the pandemic.

withdraw the cash and spend and others choose to save it. Deposits continue to grow at a rapid pace. Consumers are being more conservative.”

The pandemic has also affected short-term interest of savings vehicles like CDs and money market accounts.

Dowd said that some people earned 2% pre-pandemic and now see around .4% to .5%.

But the lower current loan interest rates compared with February 2020 have made borrowing more enticing to consumers.

As with the other banks, Pathfinder has experienced “a dramatic increase in internet and mobile banking and even our drive-through,” Dowd said.

He believes that the customer experience interacting with Pathfinder’s decision makers is one of the distinctions that sets the bank apart. However, Pathfinder is working to find ways to demonstrate customer service, such as upgrading the remote and mobile banking platform.

While area banks have relied upon virtual banking, they would agree that in-person banking is here to stay.

“As we collectively continue to navigate the impacts of the pandemic, we’re taking stock of what we learned from the shift to virtual and maintaining those processes that added convenience and flexibility for our customers,” said Tom Roman, senior commercial banking relationship manager at NBT Bank. “It’s important to note that digital banking isn’t a replacement for relationship banking, but rather a tool that helps complement our services as we continue to help our communities recover economically.”

JUNE / JULY 2021

Money Concern Growing interest in improving financial security is a trend observed

by Jim Dowd, chief operating officer at Pathfinder Bank.

“People are a little more concerned about their money,” Dowd said. “The economic incentives have caused an increase of deposits. Some chose to OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

67

level. We need to know these things.

Have you approached your vendors and talked with them with how your repayment is going? Are you being paid by your clients in a timely fashion?

• “Depending on the size of the business and the sophistication of the business, we’d like to see monthly or quarterly budgets for the rest of 2021 with some assumptions addressing their finances and how they’re turning things around. It’s better to provide with more information than not enough.”

Tips from Tom Roman, senior commercial banking relationship manager, NBT Bank

What You Should Know Before Applying for a Business Loan Be prepared before you seek assistance for your business

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

nterest rates are down compared with before the pandemic. It may be a good time for your business to seek a loan. Area banking leaders offered their tips about how to prepare for a loan application.

Tips from Timothy Brown, business banking leader for CNY and Rochester market, Key Bank • “Especially this time, they have to come prepared. We’d want to see financial information. We all know that the pandemic hurt a lot of businesses, but some have flourished. We want to know what they were doing before and what happened during the pandemic.

Did they get PPE loans? Was that loan fully or partially forgiven? Did you receive the SBA economic injury disaster loan or any other loan? If your company did suffer during the pandemic, what did you do as a business owner to adapt

68

to what was going on? We also want to see since things are starting to open up, has your business started to recover?

What changes did you make? Will they be long lasting?

• “We also have concern about their employees. How did they fare through this? Did you have to adjust your workforce? Do your employees need assistance? Do they need to talk with someone? This is important for them. It’s important to know there’s someone who can help their employees.

• “We want to see internal financial statements for first quarter 2020 and first quarter 2021. Did you in fact recover and where were you prior to that? If there were some expenses because of the pandemic that happened, we’d like documentation of that.

• “Be open and honest with your banker. We are there to help and for every question we ask, there’s a reason behind it. Let us know if you personally had to inject cash or cut your income

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

• “The process of applying for a commercial loan is as unique as the business or organization applying. For newer businesses, we encourage applicants to research the many resources available through the Small Business Administration’s website at SBA.gov.

These tools offer guidance and a great starting point for what to expect when you are preparing for a business loan application. NBT Bank also works closely with, and refers many small business customers to, many local economic development corporations. Even before an individual goes to a bank to discuss a request for startup financing, these offices can offer guidance on alternative financing sources, grant funding, site selection and drafting business start-up plans. Because new businesses don’t have the benefit of actual financial performance to demonstrate the potential for future success, it is important to have a business plan to guide conversations with bankers.

• “For established businesses, we generally look at the most recent three to five years of financial results, while also focusing on how the loan will serve to enhance or stabilize the performance of the business going forward.

• “Whether you are a new or established business, having a good relationship with your banker as early on as possible will help support your goals and ensure a smoother process. And be prepared to spend time with the bank, so that they can really understand your business. This allows them to provide the best recommendations and products to help the business be successful in the long-term. Ideally, your lender will take a proactive approach that addresses the unique financing needs of your business not only today, but also into the future.”

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Tips from Nick Tryniski, vice president and credit manager for Pathfinder Bank, Syracuse • “Review personal credit history.

As part of the underwriting process, banks will obtain a credit report on owners of the business. The information reported on an individual’s credit report is one indicator of a potential borrower’s credit worthiness. It is important to understand what is on your credit report as this can affect a small business’ ability to borrower through traditional financing options. Make sure that all accounts are current. It is also important to verify that the information reported on your credit report is accurate. If inaccuracies are found it is important to correct these to prevent any delays in the underwriting process.

• “Compile all necessary information. In order to prevent delays in the review of your request it is important to provide your bank with all required

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information, including a business plan, projections, business financial information and personal financial information.

• “If the business is a startup, it is important to develop a business plan.

This will allow you the opportunity to show the bank how the business will be able to repay the loan requested. The business plan should include financial projections, information on the owners and their ability to operate the business, market analysis, operation plan and financial plan.

The Oswego Small Business Development Center can assist with this.

• “Projections including critical assumptions to show the bank that the business will generate enough cash flow to repay the loan. The Oswego Small Business Development Center can assist with this as well.

• “Have two to three years of federal income tax returns or independently prepared financial statements for businesses that you own. This will help the lender understand the present condition OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

of your companies.

• “Have two to three years of personal federal tax returns ready to provide to the lender. This will help the lender understand the support that is provided from any guarantors of the loan. Banks will also require that you provide a Personal Financial Statement.

This is a list of all assets and liabilities you have personally.

• “Research financing options. Under traditional lending programs banks will require borrowers to contribute equity (20% to 25% of purchase price) when purchasing a business, real estate or equipment. There are alternative loan programs that borrowers should consider such as the SBA 504 program. This program allows borrower to put down less money (10% to 20 % of purchase price) for eligible transactions. The 504 program consists of 50% bank loan, 40% SBA loan and 10% equity. Borrowers will typically get a lower fixed rate on the SBA portion of the loan, which makes this program even more attractive.”

69

COVER STORY

Future of Manufacturing in CNY Despite challenges, industry’s future in the region remains bright, expert says

By Ken Sturtz 70

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

C

entral New York’s identity has been inextricably linked to manufacturing for nearly two centuries. Buoyed by geography and transportation advancements — first the canals, then railroads and later highways — the area has always counted itself a place that makes things.

Mills and factories once churned out everything from automobiles, air conditioners and televisions to typewriters, window shades and wool.

Workers made salt, chemicals and caskets as well as frozen vegetables, chocolate bars and beer.

But manufacturing jobs in Central New York dwindled as the United States suffered a decades-long decline in the industry.

In 1980, the U.S. had nearly 20 million manufacturing jobs, but that number had plummeted to 12 million following the Great Recession. Between 2000 and 2010 alone, the country hemorrhaged 5.7 million manufacturing jobs.

Despite the headwinds facing the industry, Randy Wolken says he’s optimistic about manufacturing’s future in Central New York.

Wolken is president of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York. The nonprofit represents more than 300 businesses and organizations that employ more than 50,000 workers.

In nearly 20 years with MACNY, Wolken said he can’t remember being more excited about the industry’s future.

“It’s actually a fascinating time to be in manufacturing,” he said. “Because there’s never been more opportunity and never been more upside.”

20-30 Years from Now

Production line at Novelis.

Photo Provided.

JUNE / JULY 2021

The long-term decline of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. is well-known, and its drivers — automation and globalization, especially competition from Chinese imports — often discussed.

Less noticed has been the growth in manufacturing jobs in recent years.

Since 2010, the sector has added nearly 1 million jobs. That doesn’t make up long-term losses, but it’s a significant achievement. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, it represents the longest sustained increase in manufacturing employment since the 1960s.

And here in Central New York, where many companies have invested in upgrading or expanding their operations, there’s a shortage of skilled workers for manufacturing jobs. Wolken said companies are “desperately interested OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

in hiring” and have made recruitment a priority.

“We have literally hundreds of job openings, thousands statewide, that can’t be filled because people don’t have the skill sets.”

So, what will the manufacturing industry look like in 20 or 30 years when we reach the middle of the 21st century?

And how can Central New York remain competitive?

In many ways, the future of manufacturing is already here. To better understand what the landscape will be like, one only needs to look at the changes already under way.

“Manufacturing has changed primarily in the way in which we make things,” Wolken said. “The reality is just much more automated and it’s also using a lot of high-tech skills.”

Other industries, such as agriculture, have undergone similar shifts, relying more on technology and automation to increase efficiency and production. There are few low-tech manufacturers now and, in the future, they’ll be virtually nonexistent, Wolken said. A sign of the shift is evident in a fact from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York: manufacturing output has increased even though employment in the sector is a fraction of what it was in the 1980s.

In some ways there’s a disconnect between the public’s idea of manufacturing today and the reality. Modern manufacturing facilities in Central New York bear little resemblance to the loud, hot and dirty factories of the 20th Century.

“If you get a chance to walk through them like me you’re utterly impressed by how they make things,” Wolken said. “The hand assembly days are over, nobody does that.”

“It’s actually a fascinating time to be in manufacturing.

Because there’s never been more opportunity and never been more upside.”

Randy Wolken President of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York 71

Randy Wolken, MACNY’s president, at Gear Motions, a leading gear manufacturer in Syracuse: “Manufacturing has changed primarily in the way in which we make things. The reality is it’s just much more automated and it’s also using a lot of high-tech skills.”

It’s not uncommon to see automated fork trucks zip by in a plant now. And tools that might not have been present in factories even a decade ago — advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and data analytics — are becoming commonplace.

In the future, Central New York will likely continue to have around 8%-9% of its workforce employed in manufacturing, Wolken said. But that workforce will be more educated and skill-oriented.

Manufacturers will continue to produce a constellation of products here, but it will be done with intelligent machines and highly-skilled workers.

Preparing the New Generation In addition to the trends toward automation and broader skill sets, Central New York is likely to see new kinds of companies making different products, said Patrick Penfield, a professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University. Some of the larger manufac72

turers that have historically anchored the region are likely to be replaced by smaller companies focusing on making niche products.

“You’re going to see small, I think, specialized types of manufacturing in this area,” Penfield said.

Manufacturing will rely even more heavily on skilled workers than it does now, but finding those workers has been a challenge.

As Central New York’s aging workforce retires, companies face the task of replacing them as well as filling new positions. Several reasons account for the difficulty in finding and hiring workers. One issue is that many young people never consider a career in manufacturing because they have little understanding of what modern manufacturing looks like.

“That’s part of the challenge,” Wolken said. “For so long people have driven by manufacturing facilities and they have no idea what people are doing inside.”

Young people preparing to enter OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

the workforce often don’t realize that entry-level jobs in manufacturing are available and tend to pay significantly more than comparable positions in the hospitality and service sectors and often include benefits. Consequently, they neglect to develop the skills needed for those types of jobs.

“These are highly technical jobs,” Wolken said. “And if people don’t prepare for them and train for them, they’re not going to be able to get them.”

For some positions, companies will provide most if not all of the needed training. But in many cases a high school degree is required as well as additional training or learning. That could include an apprenticeship, a community college program or special certification.

MACNY has several initiatives aimed at attracting young people to manufacturing. Wolken said it’s important to start talking to students early through career awareness programs.

If students learn about opportunities sooner, they can take courses in high school that will prepare them to get a job when they graduate.

One example is the New York State Pathways in Technology (P-Tech) programs, which creates a public-private partnership to prepare high school students for high-skill jobs in technology, manufacturing, healthcare and finance.

Students eventually earn an associate degree at no cost and are first in line for jobs with participating companies when they graduate. MACNY supports six P-tech programs and is starting a pre-apprenticeship program with the Syracuse schools that will allow students to begin apprenticeships before graduation.

MACNY also works directly with companies such as Novelis to create apprenticeship programs to help companies fill open positions. MACNY has rolled out approximately 50 such apprenticeship programs.

Wolken said that with the appropriate skills and experience — through an apprenticeship, community college or other program — many students can enter the workforce on track for jobs that pay $25-$30 an hour plus benefits.

New Products If the manufacturing workforce of the future will be highly skilled and trained, what kinds of things will they make?

Wolken said higher-end products that have technology built-in or require skilled, technology-savvy workers to JUNE / JULY 2021

produce will likely be manufactured here. He cited the fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology as well as radar systems.

He said an example in Oswego County is Novelis, with its focus on recycling and premium aluminum products for the automotive and beverage industries.

“The technologies that are driving the future of both products, energy consumption, recycling, these are all things that we want to do as much as we can locally because of their high wages and because those jobs are here to stay,” Wolken said.

While manufacturing in the future will largely be shaped by long-term trends already under way, Penfield and Wolken say the pandemic caused by the coronavirus will cause changes in manufacturing going forward.

“It’s really exposed a lot of our weaknesses in certain industries,” Penfield said. “We realized through the pandemic that we’re very exposed from a supply chain standpoint because we’re very reliant on other countries to make things that are critical to our survival.”

Disruptions to manufacturing overseas caused shortages of numerous items, notably pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment and medical supplies. Supply chain shortages likewise caused production issues for domestic manufacturers. Shortages of semiconductors, for example, forced auto manufacturers to slash production.

The shortages and disruptions during the pandemic are encouraging companies to shorten their supply chains and localize production where possible. That could mean a significant reinvestment in American manufacturing, Penfield said, particularly in areas that pay workers high wages and generate economic growth.

It remains to be seen exactly how government policy post-pandemic might affect production of certain items

Since 2010, the manufacturing sector has added nearly 1 million jobs. That doesn’t make up long-term losses, but it’s a significant achievement.

JUNE / JULY 2021

in the future. Penfield said it’s possible certain industries could be federally mandated to manufacture their products in the United States out of health, safety and security concerns. He cited pharmaceuticals, computer chips and defense contracts.

“Being self-sufficient in certain industries is absolutely the way to go,” Penfield said. “The pandemic has shown us we really have to have certain industries in the U.S. that will help us protect our livelihoods and our health and safety.”

Remaining Competitive But how can Central New York remain competitive to ensure high-paying manufacturing jobs in the future end up here?

Part of that question will depend on New York state making wise policy decisions that encourage growth in manufacturing. Wolken said policymakers need to understand that manufacturers will only make their products here if they feel there’s a strategic advantage.

“The dilemma we have here in New York is that our taxes are high and we’ve got a lot of regulations,” Penfield said.

“We’ve got to figure out what makes sense for us from a state standpoint to attract and help businesses grow.”

Grants and other support programs may be necessary to help existing manufacturers survive and to lure companies to the state, especially in emerging industries. It’s wise for the state to make these kinds of efforts, Penfield said. When manufacturers move to the area they generate wealth that lifts the entire region.

“But the state has to have that type of vision and think that way,” he said.

In the past the state has pursued economic development aggressively, but turned in a mixed record, Penfield said.

For example, the state’s Empire Zones and their lucrative tax credits were panned as an enormously expensive quagmire.

New York has also erred in trying to create industries and jobs, rather than making policy decisions that lessen tax and regulatory burdens where possible and encourage companies to grow, Penfield said. Such was the case when the state spent millions of dollars trying to create a film industry in Central New York, but ended up creating few jobs.

“We get in that trap where the government thinks it can create jobs and I think that’s always the wrong OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Patrick Penfield, a professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University: “You’re going to see small, I think, specialized types of manufacturing in this area,” he says regarding the future of manufacturing in CNY. approach,” he said. “Don’t try to create the industries, have the industries come to us.”

As manufacturing jobs continue to shift from low skill to high skill positions, Central New York will need to leverage its human resources. For example, Wolken said, the region has a quality education system at the secondary and collegiate levels, which gives it the ability to develop talent, which is an advantage.

“A lot of companies don’t want to move because they can’t get their people to move with them,” Wolken said. “So, it’s hard to say I’m going to shut down my facility. Now over time they can stop investing, that’s different. But to literally just pick up and move?”

Encouraging companies to continue investing in their operations in Central New York will be crucial. And a workforce of highly skilled people will be important in anchoring companies here long-term.

One of the greatest concerns manufacturers have is being able to find and keep skilled workers, Wolken said.

Maintaining their labor forces will be even more important for companies in the future. The average factory worker is in his or her mid- to late-50s.

“Someone else will give them a plot of land, maybe even give them the whole facility or a lot of it at an inexpensive cost, but it is people that make that stuff run,” Wolken said. “Workers are not just interchangeable anymore.”

73

Randy Wolken: Central New York’s Manufacturing Go-To Guy

By Ken Sturtz

G

rowing up in West Point, a small farming community in northeast Nebraska, Randy Wolken could scarcely have imagined the career path that would make him one of the region’s chief advocates for the manufacturing industry.

Wolken has served as president of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York for two decades now. Under his leadership the organization has expanded its services and grown to include more than 300 businesses in 26 counties across Central and Upstate New York.

His journey to Central New York began in Nebraska, where his family raised cattle, pigs and chickens on a farm about 75 miles north of Omaha. Wolken was pondering his future after high school when a family friend encouraged him to apply to the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. He was accepted to both and chose to trade West Point, Nebraska for West Point, New York.

“It was just a fantastic opportunity for a small-town boy to go to West Point,” he says.

Wolken treasures his experiences there and still keeps in touch with many of his classmates. Mark Esper, the former secretary of defense, was one of Wolken’s roommates.

After graduating in 1986, Wolken became a military intelligence officer assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. The division had only recently been reactivated and wasn’t fully formed. The expansion of Fort Drum then underway hadn’t initially included the airfield, so the division’s aviation elements were housed at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome.

Wolken was assigned to be an intelligence officer for a cavalry squadron of scout helicopters and Humvees as well as for the aviation brigade. There was just one problem: they didn’t exist. They had to be built from the ground up. When Wolken reported to Griffiss, there were just five officers there.

“And we had to go build a unit with a couple hundred people and $200 million worth of equipment and get it combat-ready in a year,” he says. “So, I really had a chance to do things that a lot of 22-year-olds don’t get a chance to do.”

Wolken says the opportunity to help build an Army unit from scratch was a fascinating experience that taught him a great deal about management and organization.

Although he enjoyed the military, Wolken’s wife Denise was a pediatrician in the Syracuse area and the couple had fallen in love with Central New York. The prospect of continuously moving influenced his decision to leave the service.

After earning a master’s in public administration from 74

Syracuse University in 1991, Wolken worked for 6 ½ years as a budget analyst for Onondaga County. He then spent 3 ½ years running the Samaritan Center, a Syracuse nonprofit that serves meals to those in need.

In 2001, Wolken considered a foray into politics when he unsuccessfully sought the Republican Party designation to run for mayor of Syracuse; he also sought the party’s support in 2005. Though he never made it as far at the primary, Wolken, who was 37, caught the eye of the head of MACNY at the time, who invited him to lunch. He convinced Wolken to apply to be the next head of MACNY. Wolken became president of the organization in 2001.

“It was a great opportunity,” he says. “I mean obviously I learned a lot very early.”

Quite a bit has changed since then. MACNY has grown from a mostly regional operation to an organization with statewide activities. Its staff has increased from 12 to 22 and the programs and initiatives designed to support manufacturing have grown.

The last year has underlined how much has changed.

When Wolken arrived at MACNY they still used fax machines and snail mail. Before the pandemic they might have done 10 virtual programs all year. In 2020, MACNY hosted nearly 400 virtual events in support of the manufacturing industry.

After two decades at the helm of MACNY Wolken, 57, shows no signs of fading away. He and his wife still live in Syracuse; their three daughters are grown. Wolken has his hobbies—fly-fishing, spending time outdoors, watching SU games—but he says he enjoys his job too much to consider leaving anytime in the future.

“I’m going to try and do this as long as I can,” he says.

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CCC Moves Forward with Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Fulton

By Ken Sturtz

A

new Advanced Manufacturing Institute to be opened at Cayuga Community College’s Fulton campus will provide vital support to both workers and manufacturers in Oswego County.

Initial renovations, which are scheduled to begin over the summer, will create a 7,500-square-foot facility at the college’s Fulton campus at River Glen Drive. The project is the result of partnerships with local industry as well as the county Industrial Development Agency and the Cayuga Community College Foundation.

“We know that manufacturing is one of the economic drivers of Oswego County and one of the drivers of the economy,” says Brian Durant, president of Cayuga Community College. “For years the college has had a connection with industry leaders and been in conversation about how we can support the industry needs that exist.”

Throughout Central New York, and in Oswego County in particular, manufacturers have long struggled to find and hire qualified workers.

That has remained true even during 76

the pandemic caused by the coronavirus. Job openings rose rapidly this spring, but unemployment remained higher than before the pandemic. Businesses across the country have struggled to hire enough workers, especially in food service, construction and manufacturing.

Manufacturing continues to be a key driver of the local economy with entry-level jobs typically starting at above minimum wage and offering opportunities for advancement.

So, what keeps people from filling the positions?

Experts say one of the biggest challenges is that many potential workers simply don’t have the skills necessary for today’s technology-heavy manufacturing jobs. Another issue is many people entering the workforce don’t consider careers in manufacturing due to outdated notions of factory work. Younger workers especially are more likely to be unfamiliar with what modern manufacturing careers entail.

The institute will address those challenges by providing state-of-the-art learning opportunities and hands-on OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

training, says Keiko Kimura, associate vice president of academic affairs. Its goal is to help existing workers enhance their expertise as well as equipping students with the skills to fill available manufacturing jobs in the area.

Kimura, who oversees the Fulton campus, says most of the new facility’s space will be occupied by an advanced laboratory and training center with equipment for training professionals and students in electrical and mechanical maintenance, which will be the focus of the institute.

“We’ll have equipment that trains on electrical motor controls, pneumatics and hydraulics and the technology required to operate and maintain them,” Kimura says.

She says there will also be space for a small machine shop for tool and die training as well as classroom space as needed.

This isn’t Cayuga Community College’s first Advanced Manufacturing Institute or the first time it has expanded its presence in Oswego County. The college, which has 6,500 total students, created its Fulton campus in 1994. The branch occupied several different locations before moving to a much larger space at River Glen Drive a decade ago.

In 2016, the college opened an Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Auburn.

Durant says the success of the Auburn institute and the lessons learned there encouraged the college to pursue a similar facility in Oswego County.

“We know the strength of the institute really comes from the connectivity JUNE / JULY 2021

between industry and the college,” he says. “If everyone is on the same page and sees the value, that’s a strength.”

The college spent years building relationships with a consortium of more than 20 Oswego County manufacturers as well as other stakeholders. Its longest standing partnership has been with Novelis, which employs 1,200 people at its aluminum plant in Scriba.

In 2015, Novelis announced a long-term commitment to help launch the manufacturing institute, which included an $80,000 endowment. The aluminum manufacturer is also helping secure equipment to replicate processes found in manufacturing environments.

Kimura says the Advanced Manufacturing Institute and the college’s associated curriculum — the school offers an industrial maintenance certificate and a degree in electrical technology — provide ideal resources for manufacturers interested in starting or expanding apprenticeship programs.

Traditional apprenticeships have existed for centuries, but employer-driven programs combining structured on-thejob training with classroom instruction have grown in popularity in many fields such as advanced manufacturing.

All manufacturers in the area will be

There is a

able to take advantage of the Advanced Manufacturing Institute to support their apprenticeship programs. Kimura says the facility will be an especially good fit since many of them were involved in supporting development of the curriculum and providing feedback on the facility’s design.

While the institute will allow students to develop skills and training needed to be successful in manufacturing, Durant says the facility offers an important opportunity to expose students to the possibility of a career in manufacturing just as the college does with other fields such as health care or criminal justice.

“It has the opportunity to expose youth and other individuals to what modern manufacturing really is,” he says. “We want to create the programming and exposure for youth to understand what it can be and give people a sense of is this for them.”

“The more that we can help build that awareness and provide baseline training, that helps regardless of whatever training might happen on the job.”

The Advanced Manufacturing Institute is scheduled to open in late 2021 or early 2022.

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Oswego County Community Foundation Accepting Grant Applications Application deadline is July 15

T Ron McDonald and Larry Malfitano of Bond, Schoeneck & King with Michele Hourigan, director of business and community development, Oswego Health Foundation.

Bond, Schoeneck & King Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of Oswego Health Golf Tournament

B

ond, Schoeneck & King again served as the presenting sponsor the Oswego Health’s golf tournament, which took place June 7 at the Oswego Country Club.

Embarking on its 34th year, proceeds from the annual Oswego Health tournament are used to directly impact patient care and ensure exceptional healthcare services are offered in the community. In 2020, the tournament

raised over $131,000 for the healthcare system.

“The global pandemic underscores just how important Oswego Health is to our community. Now more than ever Bond is proud to be sponsoring a fun event to thank the men and women who have been, and continue to be there for us,” saidLarry P. Malfitano Bond, attorney and legal counsel to Oswego Health.

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he Oswego County Community Foundation is now accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations serving Oswego County.

The grant application deadline is July 15.

Proposals are encouraged from a variety of program areas including education, health, social services, arts and culture, civic concerns and preservation of historic resources. Requests may range from $500 to $5,000. Grants must directly benefit the residents of Oswego County.

Nonprofit organizations 501(c)(3) or other publicly supported organizations serving Oswego County residents may apply.

Organizations must submit their applications using the online grant application. Please visit cnycf.org/ oswego to learn more about the application process and guidelines.

For more information, please contact Sean Reed Jr. at OswegoGrants@cnycf. org.

The Oswego County Community Foundation, created in 2013, is a geographically specific fund created to serve as a source of permanent charitable dollars available to nonprofits serving residents of Oswego County. Grants are awarded from the endowment fund annually to aid vital programs in education, health, social services, the arts, civic and environmental concerns, as well as the preservation of historic resources in Oswego County.

The fund has awarded over $125,000 to support community-based projects and programs since inception.

To learn more about the Oswego County Community Foundation, including how to make a contribution, visit cnycf.org/ oswego.

The Oswego County Community Foundation is an affiliate fund of the Central New York Community Foundation, cnycf.org.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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79

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Novelis is a leading producer of flat-rolled aluminum products and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum.

How One Manufacturer Is Preparing For The Future

By Ken Sturtz

I

n this issue of Oswego County Business, Randy Wolken, president of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, discusses how manufacturing is changing and provides a glimpse of what the industry might be like in 20 or 30 years.

While flying cars are still a way off, the manufacturer of the future will operate a state-of-the-art facility with more automation, but will also be dependent on highly-skilled workers.

Wolken highlighted Novelis as an example of a local manufacturer that is preparing for the future today, through investments in new technology and equipment as well as developing the pool of skilled labor.

Novelis is Oswego County’s largest manufacturer, employing 1,200 workers at its Scriba aluminum plant (the compa80

ny refers to it as Novelis Oswego due to its proximity to the city). We asked plant manager Jeff Cruse about the company’s efforts to adapt for the future.

His responses have been edited for length.

How is Novelis preparing for the future? What steps is it taking to remain competitive in the manufacturing environment of tomorrow?

Novelis recently announced new sustainability targets and goals as a part of our ongoing commitment to becoming a net carbon-neutral company by 2050 or sooner and reducing our carbon footprint 30% by 2026. Novelis as a whole has also committed to becoming a fully circular business and a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

By working towards and meeting these OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

goals, we remain competitive and maintain our position as a premier provider in the supply chain.

Novelis aluminum can be found in the aerospace, automotive, beverage can and specialty industries so we recognize the vital role aluminum plays in our regional and global infrastructure. At Oswego, we will hone in on investments to not only maintain and sustain our operational and physical infrastructure but invest in growth and innovation to improve our capacity, and whether that is through automation and robotics or through energy efficient machine centers, it will require top talent to build, maintain and operate our facility.

Furthermore, we are seeing the value of aluminum and the role it will play in increasing sustainability within the supply chain and for our valued cusJUNE / JULY 2021

tomers, Novelis intends to lead in this regard. Remaining competitive requires us to collaborate and partner with our customers and provide solutions for them. The most recent examples include our recently announced partnership with Ford to supply aluminum for the new electric F-150, “Lightning.”

It is incredible to see the impact high-strength, lightweight aluminum has had on reducing environmental footprint, and now taking it to the next level with the electric vehicles is truly exciting progress.

What have been some of the key investments?

In 2018, Novelis worked to establish a global network of Customer Solution Centers to accelerate collaborative innovation between Novelis and automakers for the next generation of vehicle design. Novelis has worked closely with original equipment manufacturers to determine how to maximize lightweight, high-strength aluminum to design the best solutions for specific applications at the right cost to better compete against steel and other materials. We have a number of the industry-leading researchers, designers and engineers located right here in Oswego collaborating with our regional CSC in Novi, Michigan, which is in close proximity to automakers’ manufacturing sites in the U.S. We have made investments in research and technical platforms, operations and commercial development to increase collaboration and innovation to best support our auto customers.

Our global and regional investments include high-tech development from computer-aided design software to virtual collaboration capabilities and visualization technologies.

Novelis has further invested and continues to invest in the use of more alloys with higher recycled content to help curb CO2 emissions and establish more secure supply chains. Another notable advancement as a result of investment in innovation includes new automotive alloys that offer greater bendability for increased light weighting as well as improved safety.

Why invest in manufacturing in Central New York versus somewhere else?

Established in 1963 [formerly known as Alcan], Oswego represents Novelis’ first U.S. operation and stands today as the company’s largest, wholly owned facility in North America. Our JUNE / JULY 2021

Jeff Cruse, plant manager at Novelis, Oswego County’s largest manufacturing company. File photo. innovative closed loop manufacturing model reduces energy, water and landfill waste associated with operations, and lowers the carbon footprint of products made using our aluminum— minimizing environmental impact and establishing a secure supply chain. Our proximity to Ford’s facility in Dearborn, Michigan, also helps position us to be efficient in the supply chain for OEMs. Equipped for aluminum scrap remelting, ingot casting, hot and cold rolling, and aluminum finishing, Oswego generates premium aluminum products used by the automotive and beverage can markets. We have a longstanding tradition of subject matter expertise here in Oswego. As such, having served as a trusted and knowledgeable partner for various industries, including but not limited to auto and beverage can, we have made significant investments in programs like P-Tech and in higher education to support the developing pipeline of future STEM professionals and industry experts. We see a significant return on such investments — allowing us to recruit and retain top talent right here in Central New York.

How has the company been working to ensure it has a skilled pool of workers to meet its labor needs in the future?

None of what we do is possible without our people. We make it a priority to identify the very best talent and provide them with the right growth and development opportunities. We OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

offer training, access to professional development and continued education to ensure our skilled workforce builds and strengthens its expertise and remains at the forefront of industry standards. We also have an entire world class manufacturing pillar dedicated to education and training for our people.

Manufacturing is truly powered by people. From the machine centers to automation, every innovation is designed by, maintained and run by our talented workforce.

Novelis has an ongoing partnership with the CiTi BOCES P-Tech program for work-based learning. Through mentorship and collaboration, we aim to support the development and learning opportunities for bright students who make up a strong pipeline of future STEM and manufacturing professionals.

With a retiring workforce (30% in the next five to seven years) it is now more imperative than ever that we participate and invest in programs like P-Tech (and educational institutions such as the MOST, CMOO, SUNY Oswego, local school districts, etc.) to foster development of the next generation of skilled problem solvers, innovators and skilled technicians and craftsmen.

By providing these opportunities we are not only empowering students to pursue advanced education, career opportunities and to be contributing members in the local economy but also fulfilling a major need in the manufacturing industry here in New York.

81

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Tim McKernan is facility manager for the EJ USA plant in Schroeppel.

Ready to Help Rebuild America’s Infrastructure EJ USA is gearing up for major contracts as started production January 2019 at the new facility in Oswego County Industrial Park

By Steve Yablonski

A

s the American Jobs Plan looms on the horizon, an Oswego County business is ready to do its part to help rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.

The plan is an investment in America, designed to create millions of good jobs, rebuild the infrastructure and position the United States to out-compete China.

82

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, yet ranks 13th when it comes to the overall quality of its infrastructure.

The plan would modernize 20,000 miles of highways, roads and main streets. Alongside his American Jobs Plan, President Biden released a Made in America tax plan to make sure corporations pay their fair share in taxes OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

and encourage job creation at home.

President Biden’s plan would reward investment at home, stop profit shifting and ensure other nations won’t gain a competitive edge by becoming tax havens.

In total, the plan will invest about $2 trillion this decade. If passed, alongside the Made in America corporate tax plan, it will be fully paid for within the next 15 years and reduce deficits in the years after, according to the administration.

“Demand for our products currently is strong across most regions of the world,” said Tim McKernan, facility manager for the EJ fabrication facility located in the Oswego County Industrial Park in Schroeppel.

“It is up to the Senate and House to pass this bill, then on to President Biden,” he said. “I believe they are negotiating how much spending and where right now.”

The cost of each project can vary from small, for example: Route 11 in North Syracuse at $3.1 million, to very large like the I-81 reconstruction project in Syracuse at $2 billion, McKernan said.

EJ makes cast iron, composite and fabricated products that include manhole frames and covers, drainage grates, detectable warning plates, tree grates, fire hydrants, gate valves and aluminum access hatches.

“In addition to producing standard products, we are the leader in producing innovative products,” said McKernan.

“Innovation is key to the success of EJ. We invented innovative products, such as, Safe Hatch, which combines covering the vault opening, fall through protection and controlled confined space entry (this product changed the access hatch market).”

Others products include the Self Level adjustable floating manhole frame and cover, Infra-Riser Multi-Purpose Rubber Composite Adjustment Riser, Campression Watertight Manhole Frame and Cover and Eon Lock lock nut and Captive Hinge, assembly which prevents the theft of manhole covers taken for scrap.

With a growing market, EJ leaders moved operations from their Cicero site and constructed a new fabrication facility in the Oswego County Industrial Park to improve efficiencies, upgrade operational flow and bring its manufacturing, engineering, sales and distribution operations under one roof. They broke ground for the construction of the new fabrication facility in the spring of 2018.

JUNE / JULY 2021

Samples of products manufactured

by EJ USA in Oswego County.

The investment in the new fabrication facility consists of an approximately 71,300-square-foot facility on a 16-acre site. Initially, plans called for a 65,000-square-foot building, but those expanded when EJ decided to also make it the Northeast hub for logistics and distribution.

Poised for growth The company is a strong believer in employee training. That played a part in its decision to move into Oswego County. The availability of training programs associated with the Oswego County Workforce Development Board, Cayuga Community College, the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation and the county’s Department of Employment and Training were important factors to them.

And proximity to its Cicero facility, which the company could not expand to JUNE / JULY 2021

increase production capabilities, meant EJ could retain its existing workforce.

Production started in January 2019 at the new facility.

“Our employees include welders/ fabricators, machinists, CDL drivers, engineers, maintenance personnel, inside and outside sales, forklift operators and administrative staff,” McKernan said, adding there is room for employment growth down the line.

“We have been hiring ever since the new plant was built. We currently have four open positions. We have additional capacity on our second shift for new growth,” he said.

The company works with many suppliers and manufacturers of domestic steel products.

“We support ‘Buy American’ iron and steel laws,” he said. “EJ has made a huge commitment to manufacturing in the USA by investing in a new stateof-the-art foundry in Elmira, Michigan, OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

and our new steel and aluminum fabrication facility in Schroeppel, New York.”

These investments have poised EJ for growth, and “we are ready for this new infrastructure spending,” McKernan said.

“The infrastructure bill will directly benefit our local manufacturing plant and other EJ sites throughout the USA,” McKernan added. “Thanks to state representatives like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Congressman John Katko, they assured that strong Buy America provisions were attached to the infrastructure spending bills. This assures that our tax dollars are spent on Made in USA products.”

EJ has a diverse product offering.

“Our products are used on highway, bridge, airport, water and wastewater projects. All product lines will benefit from the new infrastructure spending,” McKernan said. “When a bill like this is passed, they usually have 83

what would be called ‘shovel ready’ projects where the money could be spent right away. Other projects would be like the I-81 reconstruction in the city of Syracuse. That will come later.”

The company provides a full line of access solutions for the infrastructure systems of municipalities, utility companies, airport and port authorities and private companies. In addition to traditional materials of gray or ductile cast iron, a continuously expanding array of innovative solutions are offered

in composites, fabricated steel and fabricated aluminum.

EJ also provides products for water supply systems including fire hydrants and valves, valve and service boxes, and various other water supply products.

EJ supplies products to infrastructure projects in six of the seven continents.

The company continues to be 100% owned by descendants of William E. Malpass. Members of the family continue to be active in managing the business.

The fourth and fifth generations remain

Headquarters of EJ USA in East Jordan, Michigan.

EJ USA: Presence in Several States, Countries Founded in 1883, company still owned by founder’s family

In 1886, William’s The EJ USA legacy brother, James, joined the dates back to 1883 when business and the company its first manufacturing was renamed East Jordan facility was built in East Iron Works.

Jordan, Michigan. DeIn the 1920s, when cades later, it is a global the lumbering era came enterprise that spans six to a close, the company continents; promoting welcomed the second geninnovation, quality and a eration to the business and commitment to customer expanded into new markets service. allowing continued success In 1883, William E. Malpass and his fa- President of EJ USA, in changing times. Production shifted to street castings, ther-in-law, Richard W. Tracy Malpass. water works valves, fire hyRound, established a foundry on the shores of Lake Charlev- drants and various industrial castings.

Through World War II, the foundoix, in the town of East Jordan, Michigan. This foundry was called Round ry produced castings for the war effort. and Malpass Foundry and originally In the 1950s, semi-automation was produced cast parts for the lumber in- introduced into the foundry.

During the 1960s, the third generdustry, machinery, ships, agricultural ation automated the foundry with the equipment and railroads.

84

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

dedicated to maintaining the company’s long-established culture and values, setting strategies and priorities. This has allowed EJ to remain one of the most stable, progressive and well-tooled manufacturing companies in the world.

The corporate headquarters remains in East Jordan, Michigan.

To view some of what the company does, visit: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IKv4_9vGAv0

addition of a high-pressure molding line. By integrating automatic sand processing and mechanized casting handling systems, the company was operating the largest automated molding line in the United States and maximized production capabilities.

Since the late 1980s, the business has been led by the fourth generation descendants of the Malpass family.

They have transformed the Midwest business into an international leader of providing access solutions to infrastructure systems.

Beginning in the 1990s, acquisitions throughout the United States allowed the company to expand product lines, sales offices, distribution capabilities, and customer services across North America.

In 2001, a new foundry was built in Oklahoma providing additional capacity to service growing markets in the United States, as well as Central and South America.

The fifth generation of the Malpass family began joining the company in the late 1990s, continuing the strong family commitment to the company’s success.

In the early 2000s, East Jordan Iron Works began turning its attention to expansion in other parts of the world, with the acquisition of Cavanagh Foundry in Ireland (2000), Norinco in France (2004), McCoy Construction Castings in Canada (2006), and HaveStock in Australia (2010).

In 2012, East Jordan Iron Works and its affiliated companies began doing business using the same name and brand, EJ. One global name and brand, supported by a single mission, vision and set of values has unified the company.

This action leverages all company resources to improve internal operations, as well as provide superior product offerings and services to its valued customers.

JUNE / JULY 2021

L. Michael Treadwell ooc@oswegocounty.org

Key Projects Move Forward in Oswego County They address economic advancement plan objectives ‘In addition to marketing properties, OOC owns and manages several properties in an effort to promote business growth and development in the County of Oswego.’

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.

JUNE / JULY 2021

I

step closer to implementn 2017, the County Economic Trends ing the development of of Oswego and the a manufacturing startup County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA) re- facility on the site of the former Nestle comtained Camoin Associates of Saratoga Springs plex in Fulton. The $4.3 million project will to develop an economic advancement plan include the development of a 30,000-squarefor the county. Key objectives in that plan foot, modern, flexible industrial space on a included identifying, planning and complet- 3-acre parcel, as well as bringing a new Sixth ing infrastructure upgrades; identifying and Street extension and utilities into the Nestle acquiring large land parcels ideal for indus- site. The project has funding commitments trial development; and, building strategically from the County of Oswego IDA, New York State Empire State Development and the City located speculative buildings.

Below are examples of how the IDA, of Fulton Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

The building and site have been designed Operation Oswego County (OOC), the County of Oswego and their other partners to be flexible enough to support multiple industrial tenants that could include manare satisfying these objectives. ufacturing, research and development, and service businesses. The project received Nestle Manufacturing approval from the city of Fulton to acquire 3 Startup Facility acres of the former Nestle site and the IDA has With the recent announcement of the purchased the site. Site plan approval from Fulton Downtown Revitalization Initiative the city of Fulton planning board is already project funding awards, the County of Os- in place. The project is designed to honor the wego Industrial Development Agency is one city of Fulton and the Nestle site’s history of

New life in the old Nestle site in Fulton. The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency is one step closer to implementing the development of a manufacturing startup facility on the former Nestle site. The 4.3 million project will include the development of a 30,000-square-foot, modern, flexible industrial space on a 3-acre parcel.

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manufacturing, while also looking to the future to provide modern flexible space and infrastructure for today’s business needs.

Oswego County Airport and Airport Industrial Park Sewer Extension In 2020, ground was broken on a sewer service extension to the Oswego County Airport and the adjacent Airport Industrial Park, at the corner of county Route 176 and Howard Road in the town of Volney. The $2.5 million project has been in planning for almost 10 years.

However, lack of funding kept the project from being started until last year.

The project is a collaboration between Oswego County, the town of Volney, the city of Fulton and the Oswego County Industrial Development Agency.

The sewer extension, once completed, will provide the existing businesses and residences access to sewer services, as well as provide a new marketable asset to attract new businesses to the 140-acre Airport Industrial Park owned

by OOC. The lack of public sewer has always been a limiting factor that’s held back investment at the airport and the adjacent industrial park. Once complete, this project will encourage new business attraction and existing business expansion in the surrounding area. Homeowners will also have the opportunity to hook up to this new, more efficient system for an additional cost. This could potentially reduce the number of septic systems in an area known for poor drainage which, in turn, could also help improve water quality in the area.

As the sewer extension project is completed, the next step will be to apply for funds to bring utilities and roads into the industrial park property, which already had initial conceptual plans completed. The Airport Industrial Park property is being marketed to companies that would have a competitive advantage by being located next to a regional airport, as well as to other businesses that fit into the surrounding area.

Funding for the $2.5 million project came from the Northern Border Regional Commission and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, as well as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, thanks to NYS Sen. Patty Ritchie (48th District). The IDA is also contributing $250,000 to support this infrastructure initiative.

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Oswego County Industrial Park in Schroeppel, owned by Operation Oswego County. The purchase of additional 200 acres of industrial-zoned property adjacent to the park will make the site suitable for larger projects.

Oswego County Industrial Park Expansion The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency made the decision to purchase approximately 200 acres of industrial-zoned property adjacent to the existing Oswego County Industrial Park owned by OOC. It has been selected as a location for many industrial businesses since its original development in the 1980s.

Its easy highway access, modern utilities and proximity to the Syracuse market for supply chain and talent make it a superior choice for businesses looking at Oswego County and the Central New York region.

Most recently, EJ USA chose to build a 71,300 square foot facility on a 15-acre parcel in the Oswego County Industrial Park to manufacture products for infrastructure development and to serve as the company’s distribution and logistics hub for the northeast. They now employ over 100 employees at the park. While the decision was great for Oswego County and the business, it did highlight a growing issue at the park — a shrinking availability of quality land for additional projects.

There are still parcels available in the park for smaller developments.

However, there are very limited options for larger developments that would need 20 acres or more. The decision was made to pursue additional land to more than double the size of the park and have the flexibility to accommodate both large and small development projects. It was also determined that, while the utilities at the park were adequate for the existing businesses, there would need to be additional capacity to allow for more development.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

The IDA hired C&S Companies to study the existing utility infrastructure in the park and determine, based on the new land acquisition and the types of industry most likely to build there, what the additional utility needs were.

C&S Companies also developed conceptual site plans, utility plans and project budgets for bringing roads and utilities onto the acquired property.

These studies will also be used to apply for federal and state grant programs, over the next several years, to fully build out the industrial park expansion.

The IDA is also partnering with the County of Oswego, village of Phoenix, and the town of Schroeppel, where the industrial park is located, to develop inter-municipal agreements for utility services and to make a collaborative effort to fund the improvements needed for new development. Most notably, wastewater treatment capacity was identified as a critical need at the village of Phoenix wastewater treatment facility. Based on the analysis from C&S and input from our partners, it was quickly determined that collaborating to improve the wastewater system would benefit not only the industrial park but also the village of Phoenix and town of Schroeppel for their future development needs.

C&S Companies has developed plans that will improve the current issues at the 600,000 gallons-per-day wastewater treatment facility, as well as options to increase capacity up to 1 million gallons per day, if approved.

The increase in capacity will allow economic development professionals to market the industrial park expansion as an ideal location for new business development without the limitations that currently exist.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Q.: What do TDO and MEP do?

A.: MEP is manufacturing extensions partnership. It’s part of a national network of companies and organizations like TDO that help manufacturers out. We are funded congressionally. In New York, there is one main MEP hub and that is through NYSTAR, which is a part of Empire State Development. From there, NYSTAR has 11 centers like TDO that covers New York state. We have the five-county CNY region. We do a lot of lean manufacturing, six sigma quality management and productivity support.

Sometimes, a manufacturer needs something that is not a core competency like HR, sales and marketing and those types of things. We have a wide partner network regionally we connect with to help fix those issues, even ones that we can’t fix directly.

Q A &

with

James D’Agostino CEO of Train Develop Optimize (TDO) and director of Manufacturing Extension Partner (MEP) center discusses how his group assists manufacturing businesses in improving their operations to increase profit and lower costs

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 88

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Q.: How do you accomplish your mission?

A.: A client will reach out to us and say, “We’re having this problem” or “We have this training need.” We sit down with them to get a thorough understanding of their pain points and diagnose the issue and root cause.

Then we can apply a number of things, like helping to train their employees in a manufacturing skillset, like help bridge the gap for whatever the issue is. Sometimes we’re called on to do an engineering project for them. Maybe there’s cost savings associated with it like installing new equipment. From there, depending on the client’s needs, we’ll either do it ourselves or direct them to the solution. A lot of times, the work we do takes the form of training, advising, and coaching.

Q.: Who is your target market?

A.: We stay wide open. Our mission is built around smaller to mid-sized folks as they generally don’t have as much resources as the bigger guys.

There’s nothing holding us back form helping larger manufacturers as well.

The bigger ones already have experts and on-staff resources they can pull on.

Q.: How do you market TDO? A.: We have a business development manager. That’s a new position I created a year ago. We’re still inventing ourselves in how we want to market ourselves. We haven’t done a lot of traditional marketing because we’ve always had a lot of good business through word-of-mouth marketing. We really haven’t had to work too hard to market ourselves because folks come JUNE / JULY 2021

knocking whether we’re looking for them or not. We have repeat clients. A majority of our clients are repeat clients.

We are always trying to connect to new folks as well. When I came to TDO, I was plant manager for a mid-sized manufacturer in Syracuse. I didn’t even know TDO existed. Had I known, and that TDO had access to lucrative funds, I would have leaned on them. I’m always trying to connect with new folks to let them know we’re here to help if and when they need us. We do networking through MACNY and other organizations. I’m on the board with several of organizations and I try to keep the TDO name out there.

Q.: What is the biggest misconception that people have about TDO? A.: That we are not as technically equipped as we really are. We’re all degreed engineers and come from manufacturing and manufacturing operations backgrounds. Some of our partners in the MEP system don’t have the technical horsepower like TDO. They actually operate under a third-party model where they do business development and find clients who need help but subcontract to consultants in the area. Our model is a little different

from other MEPs. TDO is connected to virtually every facet of the educational development community. TDO isn’t just good at engineering and technical stuff. We work with MACNY, CenterState CEO and others in the consulting community to deliver soft skill offerings we might not do. We are very well connected. It’s a good segue in terms of funding. We have exclusive access to National Grid and NYSEG funding dollars for training. It’s exclusively disbursed through MEP network. We also are connected with Empire State Development, CNY Works and there are fed government grants. TDO is an economic development conduit, whether we’re delivering the work or not.

Q.: What are your biggest challenges since the pandemic began?

A.: Making the pivot to a pure virtual model wasn’t the hardest thing but was a paradigm shift. Usually, clients want us onsite, rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty. We had to shift and invest a lot in virtual tech, platforms and things like that. We pivoted really quickly and we did not skip a beat at all. Now the challenge is keeping up with all the business we

have. I just hired another senior project manager a month ago.

Q.: What are your biggest challenges during ordinary times?

A.: From a high level, the biggest thing for us—and this is a constant exercise—is having to stay well connected to the entire economic community.

We have new funds coming into play all the time, new organizations, new third-party consultants. Staying well connected to that community allow us to be a better partner if we’re on top of who’s doing what and what’s out there.

Q.: What are your organization goals for 2021?

A.: We have already hired a new person, so we have accomplished that goal. But we also want to grow the TDO team beyond the five folks we have onboard now. We want to grow the business to the point where every manufacturer in Central New York knows who TDO is. I’m not saying we need to be engaged with them all, but we’re here when they need help. There’s a big part of Oswego and Cayuga counties that we haven’t really connected with.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

89

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Missing Piece of the Economic Development Puzzle Officials are increasingly focusing on sewer infrastructure as crucial to economic growth

By Ken Sturtz

I

n Oswego County conversations about growing the local economy and creating good-paying jobs are commonplace.

Besides a skilled workforce, eager politicians and economic development officials tout convenient access to major highways and rail systems, as well as a deep-water port and fully-equipped airport.

But sewer infrastructure, which is largely missing or inadequate outside the county’s two cities, remains a significant hindrance to development.

A 2017 infrastructure analysis report commissioned by the county identified sewer system limitations as “the greatest barrier to future economic growth, creation of jobs, and expansion of the tax base in Oswego County.”

Sewer service is mostly constrained to a handful of population centers along Route 481 and Interstate 81.

Besides the cities of Oswego and Fulton, relatively small sewer systems currently operate in Minetto, Phoenix, Mexico, Parish, Central Square, Pulaski and Cleveland.

Residents and businesses outside those communities typically use private septic systems.

As vital as sewer infrastructure may be to economic development, as well as pollution control, it tends not to get the same kind of attention as other infrastructure.

For one thing, building and main90

taining sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants can be exceedingly expensive. There’s also another consideration, according to Mark Klotz, director of the Division of Water for the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The public just doesn’t think that much about sewers.

“Once it goes down the drain or the toilet it’s out of their minds,” Klotz said. “There’s a lot that goes on down at that other end and it’s a huge cost. It’s a huge expense and it’s a major part of the overall assets of the municipality.”

Most communities in the state were established long before serious thought was given to waste treatment. People built their homes and added pipes for the wastewater and general drainage.

Waste usually drained into the nearest body of water. That resulted in many heavily polluted waterways throughout the state, Klotz said.

In the 1970s, the federal government and the state began cracking down on water pollution. A key part of that effort was constructing wastewater treatment plants. Major federal grants allowed municipalities to build sewer systems and treatment plants at a fraction of the actual cost. Water quality improved, but in the 1990s the grants transitioned to a low-interest loan program. That left municipalities largely on their own when their sewer infrastructure reached the end of its useful life after 25 to 35 years.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

“That infrastructure is so old and a lot of times it doesn’t get looked at and repaired or replaced until it breaks or you see a real problem with it,” Klotz said.

That’s also the reason municipalities often struggle to raise the revenue needed to properly manage and maintain their water and sewer infrastructure through rate increases.

“The public doesn’t like to see their rates go up,” Klotz said. “When municipalities choose to raise rates, there is usually an uproar from the public.”

While the state has doled out hundreds of millions of dollars for critical water infrastructure improvements in recent years, many problems could be avoided if municipalities did a better job managing their infrastructure, Klotz said. Less than 40 percent of municipalities statewide have capital improvement plans for their sewer infrastructure.

To that end, the DEC created a longterm pilot program in 2015 to assist 10 municipalities with asset management.

The goal was to teach municipalities how to properly manage infrastructure assets, such as water and sewer systems, so they don’t end up facing seemingly insurmountable expenses in the future.

If done correctly, the municipalities can also realize long-term savings, Klotz added.

The city of Oswego offers a cautionary tale. Persistent problems with JUNE / JULY 2021

unpermitted sewer overflows led the city to enter into a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency and the DEC in 2010. It took the city a decade and tens of millions of dollars to resolve the issues with its aging system.

President Joe Biden campaigned on a wide range of infrastructure issues, including fixing sewer systems and upgrading treatment plants. It’s not clear, however, if Congress will pass Biden’s colossal infrastructure package given the federal government’s aggressive spending on fighting the COVID-19 virus and propping up the flagging economy.

Without additional support from the federal government, the state and municipalities appear destined to struggle to cover the soaring costs, making asset management all the more important. A conservative estimate in 2008 by the DEC put the cost of repairing, replacing and updating New York State’s municipal wastewater infrastructure at more than $36 billion over 20 years.

Certain infrastructure required to attract development Unfortunately, most companies considering doing business in Oswego County won’t take an IOU on sewer infrastructure.

In the past, it was common for officials to make a pitch to prospective companies. At the turn of the century, for example, Fulton’s leading citizens determined to entice the Swiss company Nestle to open its first factory in America here. So, they raised the money to buy a piece of land south of town for the factory. That, and the abundance of cows nearby, sealed the deal.

That’s not the case anymore, said David Turner, director of the county’s Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.

Now, prospective companies often use third-party “straw men” to conceal their identity when shopping for a site. They typically send a request for information with a long checklist of requirements.

“If you don’t have any one of those critical pieces, forget it,” Turner said.

“You never even make it to the next step. You don’t even get the chance to discuss what you could do.”

Even sites tailor-made for development have seen their prospects stunted. For example, Operation Oswego County controls roughly 160 acres of land adjacent to the Oswego County Airport in Volney. It acquired the land JUNE / JULY 2021

Mexico Public Works Superintendent John Powers points out new waste drying beds at the village’s waste treatment plant. The facility was constructed in 1978, but went decades without significant upgrade before being renovated into a stateof-the-art treatment plant. years ago in anticipation of a proposed bypass that would’ve located Route 481 near the airport, Executive Director L. Michael Treadwell said. The bypass never materialized and Operation Oswego County has struggled to develop the property as an industrial park.

The airport itself would seem to be ripe for development. Close proximity to air transport could be desirable for many companies and Oswego County has invested in upgrades over the years.

Today, more than 80 small aircraft are based there and the airport’s two asphalt runways support more than 20,000 takeoffs and landings annually.

National Grid, Exelon and a tool and machine business have facilities located there. But, most of the land remains vacant.

“We have been significantly limited in terms of attracting other businesses out there,” Treadwell said. “Primarily it’s because of lack of infrastructure.”

For years there were no sewers or public water at the site. The county created a capital project to expand intermunicipal wastewater service to Volney a decade ago, but the funding didn’t materialize. However, a few years ago, water service was extended to the area.

In June, officials broke ground on construction extending sewer service into Volney, to include the airport and industrial park. It took the collaboration of the town, the city of Fulton, Oswego County and the Industrial Development Agency to make it a reality. The project OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

is wrapping up.

Treadwell said having municipal water and sewer service at the airport and industrial park will increase the odds of attracting development to the area.

“It’s not that it makes it easier, it makes it possible,” Treadwell said.

“Without wastewater treatment in many cases you have no opportunity to finalize any type of deal even if logistically the location would be good.”

Limited sewer capacity prevents expansion Areas lacking sewer service aren’t the only development black holes. The county’s infrastructure analysis report found that even in communities with established municipal services, existing infrastructure can prove inadequate to support development.

“Sewer systems that are operating at or close to capacity limit the number of additional connections that can be made to the system,” the report said. “Wastewater treatment is also constrained by the service life of the systems, many of which were installed in the 1970s.”

Older systems often have leaking and infiltration issues. Treatment plants in Parish, Phoenix and Mexico are currently experiencing such issues.

The Oswego County Industrial Park in Schroeppel in many ways represents an ideal site for development.

More than 100 acres of land sits adjacent 91

The Oswego County Airport in Volney and the Oswego County Industrial Park in Schroeppel are part of tools used to marketing the region as a destination for employers.

to Route 481 and not far from Onondaga County and other major highways. The site has rail access as well as power and water. The park has attracted companies, but much of the space remains undeveloped. The site also has sewer service; an eight-inch line connects to the village of Phoenix’s treatment plant a mile away.

Economic development officials scored a significant victory several years ago when EJ USA decided to construct a 70,000-square-foot steel and aluminum fabrication plant and distribution center on a 15-acre site at the industrial park.

The company—which makes infrastructure access solutions such as manhole frames, grates, covers and hatches—was operating out of an antiquated facility in Cicero and needed to expand.

The $9 million plant employs nearly 100 people. Officials would like to continue to grow the park, but Phoenix’s treatment plant is relatively small and doesn’t have the excess capacity to handle wastewater from large industrial operations. Treadwell said the sewer system was able to handle the addition of EJ USA’s facility because the company’s fabrication plant doesn’t have significant wastewater treatment needs.

Modernizing older sewer systems and treatment plants doesn’t necessarily mean sewer service can be extended to 92

new areas.

The village of Mexico completed a municipal water system in 1913, but most of the village’s waste ran downhill and ended up in a creek running through the center of town, said Public Works Superintendent John Power.

The village finally completed a waste treatment plant in 1978, but the sewer system and treatment plant went decades without significant upgrades.

A decade ago the village began planning a multi-phase renovation of the aging system. The result of all the renovations, which would not have been possible without millions of dollars in state funding, is a state-of-the-art waste treatment plant.

Workers upgraded waste drying beds, renovated the main lift station and pumping stations and rehabbed the processing tanks. Chemical treatment was replaced with an ultraviolent (UV) light system for disinfection. The final phase of the project will involve adding a screw press to more efficiently dry solid waste before it is trucked away to the landfill.

The treatment plant doesn’t use any pumps; everything is gravity-fed. Most of the plant’s original infrastructure is still in use, but one noticeable exception is the tiny brick building where chlorine was previously used as a disinfectant.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

The village used to spend $12,000 a year on chemicals, Powers said. The equipment is kept functional as a backup. But now effluent flows to a building below ground where it passes through a UV light disinfection system before being released into the Little Salmon River.

The whole system is highly automated, which allows the village to run its water and sewer systems with just two full-time employees, Powers said.

Even with automation, the treatment plant must be partially staffed every day of the year.

“It’s the most expensive line item on the village budget, operating the sewer system,” Powers added. “It’s an expensive proposition, but it’s an important one.”

Despite Mexico’s state-of-the-art upgrades to its treatment plant, the sewer system still doesn’t have the capacity for the kind of expansion that might help lower the tax burden.

That’s because the treatment plant has a permitted capacity of 300,000 gallons of wastewater a day. The plant handles well over 200,000 gallons on an average day, but the village’s sewer system has significant issues with leaking and infiltration. In especially wet weather, the system can be overwhelmed with more than 800,000 gallons a day, far more than its permitted capacity.

JUNE / JULY 2021

The village is working to resolve issues with leaking and infiltration, Powers said. That process, however, is both tedious and expensive. In the short-term it’s unlikely the system could handle the waste from a large development project.

Sewer solutions slowly coming together Although there is no silver bullet for the county’s sewer infrastructure limitations, there’s still reason for optimism going forward.

Officials have known for years that infrastructure is a crucial issue, but the report commissioned by the county pinpointed sewer infrastructure as a major obstacle that needs to be addressed to make the county competitive for economic development projects, Treadwell said.

Treadwell—who has headed Operation Oswego County for nearly four decades—said he’s seen more water and sewer development in the county in the last five years than the previous 25 years. The Hastings area has seen enough growth that the capacity of the treatment plant there is being expanded. Officials in Pulaski are looking at options to expand their sewer system, too. Of course, the cost of larger sewer JUNE / JULY 2021

infrastructure projects can quickly soar and often end up being economically unfeasible.

“You have to do it little by little,” Treadwell explained. “There’s no billion-dollar checks sitting out there waiting to pay for all these things. You have to demonstrate and document that there is benefits that will be associated with those types of infrastructure developments that warrant the investment.”

Government and economic development officials have cherry-picked projects that could realistically be implemented and funded, such as extending sewers to the county airport and adjacent business park. Treadwell said they’re also studying options to expand the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant in Phoenix, which would support future growth in the village and at the industrial park in Schroeppel.

Another expansion project is beginning to take shape in the town of Scriba.

In the fall officials announced they’d secured a $15 million loan through the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program.

The plan calls for a new treatment plant to be built near Lake Ontario. The plant would be capable of handling 500,000 gallons of wastewater a day.

Existing sewer lines would be extended down county Route 1 and County Route 1A to the Nine Mile Point and James A. FitzPatrick nuclear power plants.

Close to 1,000 residents would also gain sewer service.

The project would address two issues, said Scriba Supervisor Jim Oldenburg. First, it would resolve a significant number of failing septic systems in that part of the town. Second, it would save the power plants from upgrading their systems. Each plant has an existing wastewater treatment facility, but they are aging and in need of updating. Instead they would redirect their systems to the town’s new treatment plant.

The project is still in the planning phase and likely years from completion.

Sewer service has been added piecemeal in recent years, especially along waterways where heavy flooding has damaged private septic systems.

Record flooding along Lake Ontario caused millions of dollars in damage.

The towns of Oswego and Sandy Creek received funding through the state’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative to help expand sewer service to properties along the lake.

The town of Oswego is in the first phase of a $4.8 million plan that would OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

extend sewer service from the city of Oswego along Fred Haynes Boulevard and County Route 89.

Supervisor Richard Kaulfuss said the project will be beneficial for both homeowners and businesses. Residents along the lake have experienced problems with their septic systems failing due to increased flooding. Several businesses including Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In, an ice cream stand and a campground along the lake would also benefit from sewer service.

Kaulfuss said tapping into the city’s sewer capacity to extend sewers farther into the town is a positive first step that benefits both municipalities.

He would, however, like to see sewers someday extend along the entire state Route 104 corridor.

“You’re not going to get commercial development if there’s no sewer, that’s the bottom line,” he said. “In order for the county to continue to grow, in order for this area to grow, we need infrastructure.”

Schroeppel also received state funding to assist with a $600,000 project to extend a sewer line to 47 properties on Ainslee Drive. The project tapped into the sewer system in Hastings.

Schroeppel Supervisor Lynett Greco said a majority of the town has municipal water, but only about a third of residents have access to sewers. The project, which wrapped up in late 2020, was a priority because Ainslee Drive is on the Oneida River. The water table there is quite high, causing many of the septic systems in the area to fail and drain into the river, Greco said.

Despite the inroads made in the last few years, sewer infrastructure limitations will likely remain a hindrance to economic development for the foreseeable future. Building sewers and waste treatment plants can be exceedingly expensive, time-consuming and face public pushback. Existing infrastructure is too often outdated or at capacity.

If recent sewer projects haven’t solved all the area’s infrastructure problems, that’s hardly the point. The fact that those issues are a part of the conversation and long-term planning is what matters, Treadwell said.

“The good aspect of it is those things are being addressed,” he said.

“Five, six, eight years ago nobody was paying a whole lot of attention to any of these things even though they were there then. But, now they’re being focused upon.”

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P-TECH Program: A Win-Win For Students, Industry It’s not an educational initiative, it is an economic initiative where students can get a diploma and gain industry-relevant experience in advanced manufacturing

By Steve Yablonski

T

he Oswego County P-TECH program is dedicated to offering students from all school districts in the county the opportunity to concurrently earn a Regents high school diploma and an associate’s degree, while gaining industry-relevant experience in advanced manufacturing.

There are about 38 P-TECH programs around the state currently. It started in a Brooklyn high school. The model was a partnership between higher education and industry to serve 94

students; to help them transition from high school, through college and into industry.

“The Oswego County P-TECH program was launched in 2016. The goal was to provide students not only technical and academic skills to succeed in the field of advanced manufacturing, but develop the professional skills that local industry had communicated was lacking in the workforce, said Brian R. Heffron, principal, Oswego County P-TECH. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Facing a growing shortage of skilled workers in the field, the model was built on a partnership between K-12, higher education and local industry.

“The idea was to build a program that provided students a high school Regents diploma, an industry-recognized associate degree and workforce experience through industry mentoring, job shadowing, paid internships and industry credentialing that led students straight from college into careers in Oswego County and beyond” Heffron said. “More importantly, it gives students a pride and ownership of finding a lucrative career in Oswego County where they could grow families and contribute to local economies.”

P-TECH is not an educational initiative, it is an economic initiative, he added.

The local program is funded through a grant, shared by the department of education and the local school districts.

“We have a staff size of 16, 11 of which are teachers. Our curriculum ranges from traditional classes such as English, math, physics and social studies to specialized classes in technical report writing, coding, machine tools, intro to JUNE / JULY 2021

Opposite Top row: Grant Williams,

Joe Murphy, Christian McKay, Cooper Dawson, Austin Schouten Bottom row: Laurrie Starbird, Principal Brian Heffron, Sadie Lurcock, Faith Johnson manufacturing and more,” Heffron said.

P-TECH students are provided a sixyear window to complete the program requirements that include a cost-free college education. The students participate in a curriculum designed by local advanced manufacturing professionals.

“We provide the support for the students; we give them what they need to succeed,” Heffron said.

“Oswego County P-TECH students are familiar to us. By the time they graduate from the program, we have had multiple opportunities to interact with the students through manufacturing plant tours, industry challenges, job shadowing and internships,” said Greg Hilton of Huhtamaki. “We have observed them developing and applying their technical and professional skills to real world problems that relate to our business. The Oswego County P-TECH students are prepared and ready to add value to our business.”

According to Andrew Quinn, director of human resources at Novelis: None of what we do in manufacturing, especially at Novelis, would be possible without our people. The innovative technologies, complex machine centers… those are all designed, maintained and run by people. Manufacturing is truly powered by people.

Programs like P-TECH help us actively participate in the development of future STEM and manufacturing professionals, as we contribute our subject matter industry expertise to help develop the curriculum and participate in the mentoring and tutoring of the bright and motivated P-TECH students. Through these programs we can identify top talent and provide them with learning and career opportunities.

“P-TECH graduates have participated in rigorous training and development. Not only in technical trades but in skills that make them critical thinkers, curious problem solvers and, perhaps, most importantly strong team players and collaborators,” he added.

First graduates In May of 2021, the first class of P-TECH completed the program. They started in 2016 as ninth graders.

JUNE / JULY 2021

Students averaged the age of 19, owed no college debt and were offered good paying jobs in the field of electrical technology and mechanical technology.

The average starting salary of our graduates was $62,000, Heffron pointed out.

More than 140 students are currently enrolled in the P-TECH program representing nine school districts. There are more than 10 partners including: EJ, Novelis, Huhtamaki, NET & Die, Healthway, C&S, Fulton, Davis-Standard, ATTIS and the Oswego County Workforce Development.

More than 40 industry mentors partner up with the students five times a year.

The industry partners don’t just sign on and say, ‘we support the program,’ Heffron said. They are boots on the ground, actively involved and helping the students succeed, he said.

“Our industry partnership with the Oswego County P-TECH program is a specific workforce development strategy for our business. We know that in order to maintain our business success we need a highly skilled workforce that can grow with us,” Hilton said. “The Oswego County P-TECH program is delivering a pipeline of candidates that helps support our workforce needs.”

“Novelis, along with our industry partners, invest and participate in P-TECH to help foster the development of the next generation of skilled problem solvers, empowered to meet the challenges before us through critical thinking, skill development and teamwork,” Quinn said. “Through ongoing mentorship and collaboration, Novelis collaborates with the P-Tech program for work-based learning, empowering students to pursue advanced education, career opportunities and to be successful in the global and local economy.”

The program is curriculum focused, and can be challenging.

They only accept students entering ninth grade. The May graduates completed the work in five years; the program is designed to be six years.

Students apply to be admitted during the transition from middle school to high school. Each year, 35 to 40 students are accepted into the program. They undergo a rigorous on-line application. A letter of recommendation is required, from a teacher, a parent and a counselor. Next, the student has a virtual interview with a representative from the education side and the industry side.

“Based on the interview and recommendations, we select students OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

for the program,” Heffron explained.

“We’re looking for those students who are motivated, with passion and drive to succeed. The program is challenging.

But, the reward at the end of the day for students is great.”

They are adding new students left and right, Heffron said. There are more females taking part in the program now; there was an increase this year, he added. Currently, they have 32 female students out of 140 in the program.

The program is putting pride back into a new generation of skilled workers, according to Heffron.

“They are passionate about their work, passionate about their communities and passionate about giving back to other students out there who want to work in the field of STEM and don’t want to have to leave the region or state,” he said.

On the flip side, there is excitement building when you talk to local manufacturers about a future trained workforce to help move the county forward, he added.

The students are ready to go to work; industry no longer has to look outside Oswego County for workers.

The kids are going to stay in the county, raise families here, Heffron said.

Current students act as ambassadors, visiting school districts to help promote the program.

“With a retiring workforce (30% in the next five to seven years), it’s absolutely critical that we collaborate with educational institutions such as CiTi BOCES, the MOST, CMOO, SUNY Oswego, local school districts, etc. to create space and opportunities for the next generation of skilled problem solvers, innovators and skilled technicians and craftsman,” Quinn said. “Workforce development is a key priority. We need highly skilled individuals. Whether it’s electricians, engineers, technical craftsman… there are many opportunities for high paying and rewarding careers. Programs like P-TECH are so critical for our industry because they help build a strong pipeline of STEM and manufacturing professionals.”

The deadline for new students entering Cohort VI ended in April.

“We will be recruiting students (Cohort VII) during the winter of 2021-22,” Heffron said. “Interested students should contact their home district’s school counselor or principal. They can also visit wwww.citiboces.org/ptech.”

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

The Port in Oswego: Much More Than Just A Port No other port is going through as much investment and expansion as Oswego, according to its director

By Steve Yablonski

T

he Port of Oswego Authority is a public benefit corporation and state authority established pursuant to Title 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 43-a of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York.

Part of its mission is to enhance the commercial, recreational, historical and other aspects of the region.

“There are only two ports Upstate.

There’s Ogdensburg and Oswego and we have about double the numbers of ship calls and tonnage per year than Ogdensburg,” said William Scriber, director of the Oswego Port. “No port is going through as much investment and expansion as we are. When you look at numbers, in just the last year and a half, we’re investing a little less than $26 million into a number of items.

They all mark a huge economic impact for the local area in jobs and an increased ability for commercial and recreational expansion.”

“A lot of people don’t understand this, but the Port Authority that was established in 1955–’57 and was built in 1961–‘62 wasn’t just a port. It was not designed to be just a port. It was an authority,” he continued. “Because we took over the city harbor commission, and the name was the Port of Oswego Authority, we assumed the role of commercial, industrial, recreational and historical for the Oswego Port District, covering Oswego as well as Scriba. A lot of people get the impression that the Port of Oswego is just a port. We’re not. We are mandated to facilitate commercial, industrial, recreational and historical activity within our district — the Oswego Port District. What we’re attempting to do now is to fulfill our JUNE / JULY 2021

mandate completely.”

“When I became director, I had a good relationship with Albany. I reached out to Albany and the new DOT commissioner and basically gave a vision of where I’d like to see the port of Oswego go,” Scriber said.

The port recently announced the completion of the third of five projects awarded to the Port Authority of Oswego, as part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI).

The project addressed high water damage to the north end of the Port Authority’s east operating dock, which is located directly on Lake Ontario and highly susceptible to wave action and flooding. During high water events, the existing stone retaining wall failed to break waves, resulting in a breach of the wall and direct undercutting of the main dock, Scriber said.

“The completion of work on the east operating dock will ensure the safety of our employees and ensure that the vital work that we do here continues without interruption,” Scriber said.

In addition to the east operating dock, other projects completed under the REDI Commission at the Port of Oswego include $40,000 for the installation of new, self-adjusting docks to replace docks that were at a fixed elevation and nearly $150,000 for shoreline stabilization measures along the West Pier, where high water and excessive wave action had negatively impacted the berm.

“I’ve been here a number of years.

I saw what the port needed to do to grow. The board I have now is very aggressive and very forward thinking.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Basically where we’d like to be and where we are pushing to go is back to maritime history of this port and this town,” Scriber said. “Oswego is called the Port City for one important and inescapable reason. Maritime commerce and maritime trade created the city of Oswego and the surrounding area. And in 1955, when the legislation was taken away from the Oswego Harbor Commission, which was the city of Oswego, and moved to the state with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the state in its own legislation said that we need a state authority to manage the maritime development of the area. And the area we were given was Oswego and Scriba and the waters within that jurisdiction – we are the only port in New York State on Lake Ontario. And we’re the first eastern port of call on the Great Lakes.

For us, that means it’s a short run from Montreal to us, the busiest port outside of New York – New Jersey.”

Port Projects • Goble Dry Dock — The project involves dredging of sediment and rock removal within the former dry dock area to establish the necessary draft and harbor limits for dockage to be installed to accommodate at least 26 vessels within the formal limits of the former dry dock and extending northward along the west side of the existing West Pier Wall. It was in disrepair. And it had been for a number of years. The port saw an opportunity to expand into that area and do improvements. It was under-utilized. This is in keeping with the port’s vision to expand its recreational opportunities as part of their duty to uphold their responsibility as an authority of the state of New York.

“We’ll create a new marina. We’re going to provide boaters with the opportunity to make that quick connection between the water and downtown Oswego. This is a real historical area,” Scriber said.

• East Operating Dock Repairs — This project involves installation of new steel sheeting and placement of rip-rap to restore and protect the north end of the East Operating Dock and shoreline from further scour and erosion damage.

• Lehigh Cement Wall Repairs (POA Dock) — The proposed work includes repairs to the existing timber crib and concrete cap along an approximately 250-foot length of pier at the southeast end of the West Pier adjacent to the Lehigh Cement Facility. Status: The project was awarded to Crane Hogan on Dec. 7, 2020. Additional funding 97

from NYS to cover unanticipated NYSDEC requirements has been allocated to the port. Construction is set to begin in spring 2021 with project completion occurring on or before Aug. 31.

• West Terminal Pier — This project involves reconstruction of the north end of the West Terminal Pier to repair/ replace the existing timber cribbing and concrete cap that was damaged during the lake’s recent high-water levels and waves/surges from storm events.

• East Terminal Project — This project involves performing localized underwater repairs to the face of the existing steel pier wall to prevent the ongoing loss of the retained material behind the wall. It also involves filling in the resulting voids behind the pier wall and restoration of the two existing railroad tracks parallel to the dock which have settled and shifted to the point where they are no longer in service.

• Central New York Regional Agriculture Export Center Expansion Project — The Port of Oswego is preparing to embark on its largest grain expansion project since its inception. The Central New York Regional Agriculture Export Center Expansion Project will repurpose one existing bulk storage structure and construct a new grain tower with new dump pits for rail and truck, as well as the construction of a ship loading and container system. Construction of this $15 million project will triple the movement of agriculture products between the Port and suppliers in Central New York and Connecticut, and will broaden the Port’s export business to include international markets. The Port is responding to the needs of its shippers and manufacturers, and completion of this project will be a significant improvement to its existing system through increased capacity, efficiency, and flexibility.

“We came up with a number of items that we wanted to expand. We had, in 2018, exported 15% of all soy beans grown in New York State. We did that by ship. We did that under a temporary permit from the US Department of Agriculture,” Scriber explained.

“Farmers were happy, a higher price was paid to them because the less you handle a product it doesn’t cost as much to handle it.”

Early in 2019, the port sent a large freighter to Egypt. But after that, they got a letter from the USDA saying that they would no longer allow the Port to export without a fully compliant scale system and lab.

“Anything that comes out of 98

America to a foreign market needs to be graded just like your meats by USDA, right? So that shut us down.

I was already in discussion with the DOT to build an export center here. When we got the letter, it became very apparent that we needed to do it because we could export anything,” Scriber said. “After a number of months we developed a plan that we could utilize to adhere to USDA regulations. We created a facility that could, on paper, adhere to the requirements of USDA. And in that plan we had to do a cost benefit analysis. We don’t North dock being repaired. do anything unless you prove it, right? We proved our case rail yard in Oswego County. The largest that it was going to have a positive is at the ethanol plant. The Port can put more than 100 cars into its system, economic impact.”

The port’s only grain storage site Scriber said.

“So we’re not just relying just on was torn down in the 1990s.

“So we had no options other than ships. We run around the year,” he said. to build new. We went into a planning stage. We went into talks with DOT Needed Improvements and USDA and created an ‘export center.’ We sold it to the state of New In 2017, the Port was impacted by York and Gov. Cuomo and the state high water. Its damage was greater than DOT commissioner actually saw the the city’s, Scriber said, adding, “We have numbers and saw that that was a great more than $6.15 million in repairs that idea,” Scriber said. “We went out to bid are on-going right now.” and I’m happy to say that WD Malone, “Over the years as the docks failed, a local company which employs a lot of they weren’t replaced. A third of the people in Oswego County, won the bid capacity was lacking at the Oswego and will break ground in early March.” Marina. So, in the REDI money I asked It will be located at the deeper part for docks. We went through a dock of the channel so ships can be loaded rebuilding project and added an addieasily. It will be somewhat shorter, but tional 12 docks—that’s an additional wider, than the previous storage site.

24 spaces. And we’re adding another “In 2017, a down year for us, we four this year,” Scriber said. “We’ve still produced more than 209 jobs and actually rebuilt to when that marina brought $26.7 million in activity. The was originally built. We’re one of the numbers went up the next year. This bigger marinas in the area; the only is a growing market,” Scriber said. “In deep water marina.”

2019, even with them taking our license Work is also being done to repair away, we still exported 31 thousand areas where the rail system is in danger metric tons. When I hear people say, of failing. ‘there isn’t a market,’ (I say,) ‘oh, God “When you add it up, we’ve comthere is a market!’” pleted the revetment, the high wind The Port operates the second largest repairs, the docks and the north end OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Artist rendering of proposed performing arts center.

—and most of the construction is done by local guys,” Scriber explained.

Project Costs The cost of the revetment was $290,628.

East and West Terminal high water repairs cost $6,159,258.60 The high wind repairs had a price tag of $92,298.48 The work at the marina docks is $77,388 For the West Pier Lehigh (cement) it’s $1,204,135.81 Repairs have been made at the West Pier – Sprague (fuel) at a cost of $149,513.15 The cost for the Goble Boating Center comes in at $1,750,486.85 The East Operating Dock North End $611,000 The Agricultural Center will cost $15,000,000 Total cost of the Port’s projects: $25,334,708.89 Oswego had been ignored because it had just one port, according to Scriber.

“But now it is being noticed. It is one of only 32 that are part of the Marine Highway. We’re the only one in New York state. The designation enables the Port to get funds to do projects. We’re JUNE / JULY 2021

on a rebuild stage here at the Port. We’re not stopping.

We have six active projects right now,” he said. “The bottom line is that the impact that the Port has on the surrounding region isn’t being recognized for the accomplishment of what we’re doing. We want to change that perception. What we’re trying to do is be as big a positive impact on not just the city but the county and the state.

We’ve gone too long with out fulfilling our mission.”

Recently, the Port completed a study on a waterfront performing arts center. Further plans have been put on back burner due to COVID-19. The Port is suffering just like everyone else during the pandemic. Even more so than some, Scriber acquiesced.

“But we’re looking toward the future,” he said. “We’re a year-round transportation hub. We do warehousing, we do rail, we do trucking, we do water, we do marinas, storage, agriculture, we lease property and we operate a marina. We operate as a business. We create stuff that benefits the community, but the community is not paying for it.”

“There are a lot of things at the Port people just aren’t aware of. This city was a maritime community. We had a big part in building this city. This place OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

(Port) hasn’t invested in improvement in years. That’s what we’re doing now,” Scriber explained.

The Oswego Port District includes the Oswego Marina, the H. Lee White Marine Museum, the historic maritime district, as well as 14 companies that call it home for its domestic and international operations.

The Port is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Plans To Advance The Vision Among the plans are: The Authority has submitted an application to be a Foreign Trade Zone. It would be the only FTZ within the county. It would allow the Authority to partner with development agencies within the Port district to offer added incentives to encourage businesses to locate in the Oswego Port District; Continue infrastructure investments to accommodate larger vessels and feasible niche markets; Dredge to maintain channel depth; Improve Port access—rail and highway; Maintain state of good repair and expansion for Port facilities.

99

Success Story

By Ken Sturtz

Greg Owens and Matt Roberts, the owners of Sherrill Manufacturing.

Sherrill Manufacturing America’s last flatware maker defies the odds, experiences solid growth during pandemic

M

atthew Roberts sat in his office at Oneida Ltd.’s sprawling factory in Sherrill, Oneida County, reflecting on everything about to be lost and stubbornly weighing his options.

What followed was a 16-year quest, often perilous and desperate, to save a slice of this community’s industrial legacy, build up a company and continue manufacturing the last flatware made in America.

Oneida, once the world’s largest flatware maker, began in Sherrill in the 19th century. At one time 2,000 employees churned out more than 3 million pieces of shining flatware a week. Even the city’s nickname — The Silver City — paid homage to Oneida’s 100

connection to the community.

Roberts grew up in Sherrill and came to work for Oneida as an engineer in 1991, eventually becoming a vice president. But by the early 2000s, the growth of cheaper flatware made overseas, particularly in China, dealt a fatal blow to Oneida’s domestic operations.

During a meeting with the CEO and CFO, Roberts learned Oneida would eventually wind down operations and close the Sherrill factory.

In 2004, the company officially announced plans to shutter the plant and move its remaining manufacturing overseas.

“I was actually running the factory when we had to close it, so I had the fun job of laying off everyone and slowly OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

shutting the factory down,” Roberts said. “It was horrible.”

Roberts blamed Oneida’s decline largely on China’s practice of currency manipulation as well as its abundant supply of ultra-cheap labor, lax environmental regulations and virtually nonexistent labor laws. So lopsided was the competition that a fork or knife made in China and shipped to the United States cost less than the raw steel for a domestically produced piece of flatware.

As the clock ticked down, Roberts spent several months formulating a plan. He knew the community, the factory and the business. Oneida’s plant was a highly automated and technologically advanced flatware factory, Roberts said.

He knew they were fairly competitive in certain niche areas, such as midrange and higher end flatware.

“I thought there was a business here if you stripped away all the legacy costs that Oneida had to deal with” he said.

JUNE / JULY 2021

Even free of the legacy costs — the pensions, high pay and six weeks paid vacation — and operating on a much smaller scale, it was still a risky proposition. No one else had even expressed interest in buying the factory.

And Roberts possessed little sales and marketing experience.

So, he turned to Greg Owens, a friend and fellow Oneida executive. The pair had become friends during a stint at one of Oneida’s plants in Mexico.

“I called him up and I said ‘Greg I got this crazy idea,’” Roberts said. “Let’s buy the factory.”

The two men would be equal partners. They planned to lease the space they didn’t use, manufacture flatware for Oneida and eventually develop their own brand for retail. With no one else interested in buying the 90-acre plant and its million square feet of space, they negotiated a deal with Oneida and signed the paperwork on Feb. 16, 2005.

“So, ironically that was my wife’s birthday,” Roberts said. “So, I came

home and I said, ‘Alice happy birthday, I just bought you a factory.’”

The next day they started Sherrill Manufacturing.

Roberts became president and Owens its chief executive officer.

They hand-picked 150 workers and went into business. In order to make ends meet as they got started, Sherrill Manufacturing made flatware for Oneida as the company slowly outsourced its production. Sherrill also did contract work for the General Services Administration, Cutco Cutlery and a handful of high-end designers.

The work for Oneida eventually disappeared after the company filed for bankruptcy in 2006, but Sherrill managed to remain in business.

At that point, Sherrill Manufacturing was a $5 million company surviving on razor-thin margins. In spite of the lost business from Oneida, Roberts and Owens invested $750,000 in tooling for their own line of flatware designs, which they considered key to develop-

ing a competitive flatware brand and surviving long-term.

“And then in 2008 the economy stopped,” Roberts said. “Companies that were buying from us had all this inventory and no sales.”

With the Great Recession bearing down, months went by without new orders. When customers did begin buying flatware again it was a fraction of their previous orders. Sherrill limped along a couple more years until filing for bankruptcy in October 2010.

Before shuttering the plant, Roberts and Owens did one last production run using the remaining steel. The $50,000 worth of flatware was a pittance of what the factory was capable of producing, but it was enough inventory to create a possible lifeline. The idea was that if they could sort things out with their creditors, they might be able to sell their flatware directly to consumers online.

Despite his 14-year run with Oneida, Roberts had never experienced the bankruptcy process firsthand and

Selection of utensil collections produced by Sherrill Manufacturing

“Prestige”

“Pearl”

“Calavera”

“Industrial Rim”

“Kensington”

“Betsy Ross”

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

101

Dinner knives being removed from the furnace. possessed a bleak view of how it would play out.

“I thought when you declare bankruptcy all of a sudden they show up, they lock the doors, they kick everybody out and you go home and they take your house and they take all your belongings,” Roberts said. “The exact opposite happened.”

As it turned out, their bank wasn’t interested in owning a massive factory and was even less interested in entering the flatware business.

While Roberts struggled to keep the pipes in the plant from freezing, Owens sorted through the financials.

They started over, creating a web business to sell the little inventory they had managed to cobble together.

They continued to do some contract work for the military and Cutco Cutlery, which helped keep the lights on. In 2010 they sold $35,000 worth of flatware online and reinvested most of that back into another run of flatware. The plant, which was capable of making millions of pieces of flatware, became a shadow of its former self. Every few months, a handful of part-time employees trickled back to produce about 10,000 pieces of flatware to be sold online.

But Roberts said their online sales gave them a chance to slowly claw their way back. They named their flatware brand Liberty Tabletop and focused their marketing on the fact that they were the only domestic flatware maker left. If someone wanted to buy flatware made in America, they were the only 102

Eric Lawrence tools and designs a piece of flatware.

Sherrill Manufacturing’s sales grew from $5 million in 2019 to more than $7 million in 2020. Number of employees jumped from 45 to 68 during the period. The reason?

Strong online sales during the pandemic. option.

Business slowly improved. Roberts and Owens auctioned off most of the extra equipment in the plant, including dozens of giant drop presses, which helped Sherrill Manufacturing pay down some of its debts. And in 2013 they sold the 90-acre plant to an investor and leased back a 125,000-square-foot portion to continue making flatware.

That allowed Sherrill to pay its secured creditors.

In 2014 the company brought in another investor and exited bankruptcy.

Roberts said the company has a plan to eventually pay back every creditor.

It’s been 16 years since Sherrill Manufacturing began where Oneida left off. They don’t make anywhere near the volume of flatware Oneida once did. But Sherrill Manufacturing has defied the odds, stubbornly refusing to shrivel and die. Sales have grown to four times what they were in 2014 when the company exited bankruptcy.

“There were a lot of times I thought we weren’t going to make it,” Roberts said.

The company has expanded in part OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

by aggressively marketing its Liberty Tabletop brand. Even its raw material is sourced domestically, making it the poster child for buying products that are made in America.

“So, the steel you’re eating off of was made in Pittsburgh, Tennessee or Alabama,” Roberts said.

The company eschews harmful chemicals in its manufacturing process and sources its packaging materials from a family-owned company in Earlville, on the border of Madison and Chenango counties. Its buffing compounds come from Utica and Detroit.

Online retail has been the great equalizer for Sherrill, Roberts said. It has allowed them to be more competitive with other high-end flatware brands and to cut out the expensive markups that come with selling through traditional retailers.

In addition to positioning Sherrill Manufacturing as the only true American flatware maker still in business, Roberts and Owens stumbled upon another idea that has helped give them an edge in the online retail space. It was five or six years ago when a couple JUNE / JULY 2021

Inside Sherrill Manufacturing Factory in Oneida County. employees came to them with an idea to design a zombie-inspired pattern of flatware featuring skulls. The employees reasoned that customers would be drawn to the unique pattern. Roberts and Owens listened patiently, but were skeptical.

“As soon as they left the room we said, ‘What’s wrong with them?’” he said.

Flatware designs were typically very traditional. And Roberts knew from market research that the average person is likely to buy flatware just three times in their lifetime. He struggled to imagine one of those times being such an unusual pattern.

The employees were persistent and eventually got Roberts and Owens to agree to a small run of 1,000 pieces of flatware featuring skulls on the handles.

Roberts assumed this niche flatware would collect dust for years.

To his surprise, with the help of marketing on social media, the skull line sold out in two months.

That was the first of a series of socalled affinity lines that have proven immensely popular thanks to social media.

After the skull design, which is currently one of Liberty Tabletop’s bestsellers, they added other nontraditional designs: Celtic, Woodstock, Flames, Holidays. In October, they added a Honey Bee pattern that features bees and honeycomb along the handle. It JUNE / JULY 2021

was proven so popular that they can’t keep it in stock.

“We’ve taken a product that you buy because you need it and turned it into an impulse buy,” Roberts said.

Those customers are a welcome addition to the groups Sherrill Manufacturing had been targeting. Those groups included customers who will buy American made products regardless of a higher price, as well as customers who will buy American made products if the price is somewhat competitive.

“But having these affinity designs changes the game because someone is going to buy something because they think it’s cool,” Roberts said.

When the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, Sherrill initially closed down its plant. It turned out that the manufacturer was considered an essential business because it makes products for the government, Roberts said, so the factory continued operating on a smaller scale to meet government contracts. When the hospital ship USS Comfort prepared to sail to help fight the coronavirus, for example, they placed a huge order with Sherrill to stock up on flatware.

About a month after the pandemic caused widespread shutdowns, Roberts said there was an unexpected uptick in the company’s online sales.

“Our web business exploded,” he said. “When I say exploded, it was 250% of what we budgeted.”

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Roberts believes consumers stuck at home were looking for ways to spruce things up and turned to online shopping. And widespread supply issues, particularly with Chinese imports, likely nudged people to seek out American made products, he said.

The company used the inventory they had to fill orders until they were able to bring production back to full strength, which allowed them to recover from the period when the factory was idled.

As perilous as the first part of 2020 was for the company, Roberts said Sherrill Manufacturing’s sales grew from $5 million in 2019 to more than $7 million in 2020. The fourth quarter of 2020 was the company’s best ever. And its workforce grew from 45 to 68 employees, mostly by adding factory workers to keep up with production needs.

“We actually are in the opposite predicament that most people would think,” Roberts said. “We are having a difficult time keeping up with demand.”

The company’s success thus far has been due to its dedicated workers, a lot of hard work and a good amount of luck, Roberts explained. He wants to continue growing Sherrill Manufacturing, but sees the effort as much more than a simple business.

“It’s a cause,” he said. “Manufacturing needs to be one of the cylinders in the economic engine of the United States.”

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wrvo.org: everywhere OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

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.

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 JUNE / JULY 2021

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

105

LAST PAGE

By Holly Caplan

Career Need a Re-do?

Here are five tips to turn your life experience into your full-time career

I

f you have found yourself wondering if you are truly fulfilled by your current career you are not alone.

Plenty of us are reviewing the last 25 years of our work-life and are reconsidering how to approach the next.

The pandemic has certainly pushed this process along and has brought serious doubt to the future of several industries and the careers attached to them.

However, our second act is right in front of us, and in these moments of uncertainty is our opportunity for career reinvention. We can look in the rearview mirror at all of those years of experience and turn it into a full-time career.

It can be the answer to happiness, fulfillment and security.

Here are five tips to reevaluating, and turning your life experiences into a full-time career”

1.List your skills and accomplishments

Know that your skills and talents are what makes you different and special. When considering your reinvention write down all of those personal and professional skills and back them up with your accomplishments and awards.

Seeing these on paper will remind you of your years of accolades and direct you toward your strengths that align with self-connected career.

2.Brainstorm your business

Make a list of all of the things you ever wanted to do. Don’t worry how silly some may seem, just know that brainstorming and thinking freely will bring new ideas. Then, take your time and slowly vet your list to identify what is realistic, fulfilling and sustainable for your personal needs.

This list can change over time. The most important part of

106

Holly Caplan is a confidence and workplace coach and author of “Surviving the Dick Clique: A Girl’s Guide to Surviving the Male Dominated Corporate World.” For more information visit www. hollycaplan.com.

this is that you get started.

3.Find a mentor

When you reinvent your career outside of the fray of what you did previously, you will need to find someone to look to for encouragement and guidance. Identify an individual who has already been through a reinvention and is willing to provide you inspiration, honesty and unconditional support.

4.30 minutes a day

Work on your new reinvention project for at least 30 minutes a day. Many who are in this process are still in other job roles and can’t make it a full effort just yet.

Use this allotted time to secure your new website address, schedule networking meetings, or do market research for your new business. Giving yourself the permission to take these 30 minutes will help you keep the momentum going and increase your confidence day by day that you are working towards what you really want in life.

5.Be Patient with Yourself

We all want answers and to experience success overnight. We can also tend to be hard on ourselves if we don’t know immediately what we want to do or how to achieve it. Be patient with yourself. Since you are now embarking on your own endeavor you can take it at your pace and on your own terms.

Enjoy taking this time to reinvent yourself. Your professional experiences and personal progression are bringing you right into this moment to do what you really want in your second act.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2021

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