Oswego County Business, #192: June - July 2024 by Oswego County Business Magazine

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: PREPARING THE WORKFORCE FOR MICRON

June-July 2024

BANKING MORE WOMEN ARE NOW IN CHARGE At Fulton Savings Bank, five of the seven top leaders are women

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CNY’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.cnybusinessmag.com

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AUBURN’S HARRIET’S LANTERN TRAIL P.26

INDOOR WATER PARKS IN UPSTATE NY P.44

UPSTATE’S BEST SUMMER EVENTS P.16

Get a free copy of the 2024 CNY Summer Guide — over 100 pages of things to see and things to do this season. Free when you subscribe to the Business Magazine.

Visit www.oswegocountybusiness. com/subscribe or scan the QR image

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2024

UPSTATE CARDIOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW Get The Upstate Advantage for your heart. Our united expertise brings you advanced technology and streamlined care. As the Upstate Cardiovascular Group, we provide connections to research and surgical care.

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

CONTENTS

JUNE / JULY 2024

ISSUE 192

WOMEN IN BANKING Top leadership at Fulton Savings Bank: Five of the top seven leaders are women.

FEATURES

BANKING

Paper checks: do people still use them? | Why are so many bank branches closing? | Cybersecurity and the banking sector 8

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

ECON. DEVELOPMENT

Micron is coming: How is the region preparing its workforce? | Nucor Steel of Auburn about to celebrate 50 years | Think Variant on the cutting-edge JUNE / JULY 2024

RETIREMENT

Study says you need to have a $1.45 million nest egg to retire comfortably | What retirement plans are available for sole proprietors? | Collecting SS at 62

MORE CONTENT

Features 34 Cannabis

Fulton, Pulaski may soon have a cannabis store

37 Oswego: East vs. West More businesses favor the east

side of Oswego. See why

40 Teen Entrepreneur

Fair Haven teen starts business at 14, already plans succession

42 Manure Expo

North American Manure Expo coming to Auburn

44 Barber School

Barbershop business in Camillus opens barber school

80 Nonprofit

Melanie Littlejohn takes the helm at CNY Community Foundation

100 Success Story

The Rooftop Lounge restaurant in Oswego

Departments 10 Publisher’s Note 14 Dining Out

Upstate picnic favorite brands

20 How I Got Started

Matt McGill, owner of Matt McGill Collision in Brewerton

22 Profile

Christopher Baszto, new Farnham’s executive director

26 On the Job 28 Newsmakers / Biz Update 46 Tim’s Notes

Young entrepreneurs in CNY By Tim Nekritz

69 Guest Columnist

Workforce development always a priority at Cayuga Community College By Brian M. Durant

100 This is the amount of money you need to comfortably retire: study

78 Economic Development

Oswego County: A ‘Work Ready Community’ with a skilled workforce By Austin Wheelock

106 Last Page Q&A

Dan Harrington, Harborfest JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Summer Time FR

ere it is. Our 30th annual Summer Guide — The Best of Upstate New York. The 108-page booklet is packed with information about events, fun things to do and things to see. It includes a comprehensive events calendar, listing great events from June through October. I should say this is one of the most enjoyable publications we work on during the year. For a month or so, we forget about economic development, manufacturing and business-related stories. Our concerns are about the hottest events, the best places to visit and the best attractions in the region. We’re now in the process of distributing more than 40,000 copies all over the region. The publication is available through all Wegmans, many Tops Friendly Markets, Price Chopper and other local grocery stores. In addition, we place the guide at local hotels, motels, campgrounds, RV sites, restaurants, diners and many other high-traffic locations. All advertisers — from Buffalo to the Adirondacks to Cortland — get boxes of the guide and make it available to their patrons. We’re also at three major visitor’s centers along I-81: Two in the Thousand Islands area and one in Preble, just south of Syracuse. Those places get a tremendous volume of visitors. I’m a bit biased but the publication looks pretty good: it’s visually attractive, has great content, a great calendar of events and many offers from unique advertisers. It is fun and easy to read. As they say in the industry, it’s very reader-friendly. Turn the pages and you’ll find all sorts of stories and advertisements highlighting fun stuff to do and see. We thank the more than 200 advertisers who chose to advertise with us. They provide us the funds to produce

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Stefan Yablonski syablonski@twcny.rr.com WRITERS Deborah Jeanne Sergeant, Stefan Yablonski Aaron Gifford, Mary Beth Roach Edd and Cynthia Staton COLUMNISTS Austin Wheelock, Tim Nekritz Brian M. Durant ADVERTISING Peggy Kain | p3ggyk@gmail.com Rob Elia | roblocalnews@gmail.com SECRETARY Alisson Lockwood localnewsoffice@gmail.com

THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP IN THE FINGER LAKES P.36

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Wagner Dotto editor@cnybusinessmag.com

AUBURN’S HARRIET’S LANTERN TRAIL P.26

INDOOR WATER PARKS IN UPSTATE NY P.44

UPSTATE’S BEST SUMMER EVENTS P.16

and distribute the publication. In exchange, they get unparalleled exposure. We estimate the glossy publication reaches over 250,000 readers in the region — visitors and residents alike. Our website — www.cnysummer.com — gets about 10,000-15,000 hits a month. Our hope is that many of those readers will patronize those who advertise. PS: Get a free copy of the 2024 Summer Guide in the mail by subscribing to Oswego County Business. It’s only $30 a year and in addition to the guide, we will send every issue of the magazine (six issues a year), plus the 2025 Business Guide and, later on, the CNY Winter Guide. See our coupon on page 3.

LAYOUT & DESIGN Angel Campos Toro COVER PHOTO Chuck Wainwright

OSWEGOCOUNTYBUSINESS.COM OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS MAGAZINE is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., publisher of the Business Guide, Upstate Summer, Fall, & Winter guides, College Life Newspaper, In Good Health—The Healthcare Newspaper (across four regions) and 55 Plus Magazine for Active Adults in Rochester and Central New York. Subscription rate is $30 a year; $40 for two years. Single-copy price is $4.50. PRSRT STD US Postage PAID, Buffalo, NY, Permit No. 4725. © 2024 Oswego County Business. All rights reserved. No material from this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher.

WAGNER DOTTO is the editor and publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine. JUNE / JULY 2024

HOW TO REACH US: P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126. Phone: 315-342-8020 editor@OswegoCountyBusiness.com

SAY HELLO TO HEALTHY

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ADVERTISING INDEX 31 Sheds...................................32 A-Plus Tax Services..................29 Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home......................45 ALPS Professional Services......32 Armstrong Appraisals................73 BarclayDamon...........................49 Best Copy Now..........................45 Bond, Schoeneck & King, Attorneys at Law..................12 Brennan Beach..........................19 Brookfield Renewable Power....83 Builder’s FirstSource.................31 Burke’s Home Center................30 C & S Companies....................107 Canale’s Insurance & Accounting ..........................21 Cayuga Community College........6 Century 21 - Galloway Realty....30 Christy’s Motel...........................19 CNY Arts......................................4 Colonial Financial Group...........15 Community Bank.......................55 Compass Credit Union..............49 ConnextCare.............................11 Crouse Hospital...........................2 E J USA.....................................61

Elemental Management Group ..................................17 Evergreen Hills Golf Course......19 Felix Schoeller North America...39 Fitzgibbons Agency...................36 Foster Funeral Home.................83 Fulton Oswego Motor Express................................75 Fulton Savings Bank..................45 Fulton Taxi.................................36 Fulton Tool Co...........................75 Gartner Equipment....................65 Greater Oswego Fulton Chamber of Commerce........15 Green Planet Grocery................18 H. Lee White Museum...............18 Harborfest....................................4 Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY.................6 Howard Hanna Real Estate.......51 International Monetary System.................................54 Johnston Gas............................30 JTS Remodeling........................31 Key Bank...................................99 Lamb’s Handyman Service........31 Laser Transit..............................75

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2024

Lasnicki Landscaping & Nursery.............................23 Longley Brothers.......................36 LW Emporium Co-Op................18 MACNY......................................77 Menter Ambulance....................83 Mimi’s Drive Inn.........................16 Mirabito Financial Group...........99 NBT Bank..................................79 Novelis.....................................108 Nucor Steel Auburn...................43 NYS Office of Parks...................95 Onondaga Community College.13 Ontario Orchards.......................19 Operation Oswego County......107 Oswego Community Development Office..............33 Oswego County Federal Credit Union.........................54 Oswego County Mutual Insurance.............................21 Oswego County Opportunities OCO...............57 Oswego County Promotion Tourism Department..............5 Oswego County Workforce New York — Career Center.........73

Oswego Sub Shop.....................16 Pathfinder Bank.........................83 Patterson Warehousing.............75 Peter Realty ..............................57 Plumley Engineering..................65 RiverHouse Restaurant.............16 Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In...........16 Scriba Electric............................32 SOS — Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists............................23 Speedway Press........................51 St. Joseph’s Health....................25 Sweet-Woods Memorial............31 TDO...........................................79 United Wire Technology............65 Universal Metal Works...............75 Upstate Cardiovascular Group....7 Valti Graphics............................36 Vashaw’s Collision.....................29 Walker’s Cleaners.....................29 Whelan & Curry Construction....77 White’s Lumber & Building Supply....................30 WRVO.....................................104

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food

Upstate Picnic Foods

Hailing from Upstate, your picnic isn’t complete without these favorite brands. By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

t may seem like locally founded brands like Hofmann hot dogs and Terrell’s potato chips are available everywhere; however, these brands and more are sold only across the region (unless one orders online). The following popular brands have become essential parts of Upstaters’ picnics. Hofmann Sausage Company, Syracuse

Grilled hotdogs are essential to many families’ picnics. Hofmann Hots are CNYers’ top choice. The Hofmann family emigrated from Germany to New York in 1861and founded a meat market. By 1879, 14

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

they settled in Syracuse and began establishing their line of authentic German franks, sausages, Snappy Grillers, beef jerky, Hunter Sticks, and condiments, the most recent of which is a line of relishes.

generation of the same family now owns the business, making red and white, skinless and pop open hotdogs; franks, sausage, chorizo, Italian sausage, kielbasa, deli meat, meat balls.

Zwiegle’s, Rochester

Gianelli Sausage, Syracuse

As far as Upstaters are concerned, the only other New Yo r k h o t d o g i s Zweigle’s. In 1880, C. Wilhelm and Josephine Zweigle opened a butcher shop in Rochester. The 5th JUNE / JULY 2024

A grilled sausage smothered in tender onion and green pepper brings flair to any picnic. Anyone in Upstate seeking an authentic Italian sausage looks no further than Gianelli. Founded in

1946 by Lou and Gary Davis as G&L Davis Meat Company, the operation has grown to include sausage links, patties, ground sausage and coiled sausage in a variety of flavors under the Gianelli label.

Dinosaur BBQ Sauces and

Rubs, Syracuse A good sauce slathered on the meat goes a long way towards a delicious grilled meal. Many CNYers reach for Dinosaur BBQ sauces and rubs to boost the flavor of their picnics. The lineup of Dinosaur goods come from the restaurant chain of the same name. In 1983, founder John Stage and friends decided to sell high-quality food targeting bikers at the Harley Rendezvous, a motorcycle gathering near Albany. They called their mobile concession stand “Dinosaur” after “Dino,” one of the founders, and as a tribute to a Hank Williams song. The business remained mobile for five years until they settled in Syracuse. The restaurant side of the business has expanded to Rochester, Manhattan, Troy, Newark, N.J., Brooklyn and Buffalo. Dinosaur also caters with mobile barbecue food trucks. But if you can’t get out to Dinosaur location, their bottled sauces and rubs can bring the flavor home. Hinerwadel’s Salt Potatoes, Syracuse In the 1800s, Irish salt miners in Syracuse prepared small, new potatoes for their lunch by boiling them in salt. The result was not unlike a baked potato with a crisp skin and tender but not mushy flesh inside. A little more than 100 years ago, entrepreneur John Hinerwadel began serving salt potatoes along with their other clambake fare at Hinerwadel’s Grove, his restaurant in Syracuse. His success made salt potatoes a summertime staple in CNY. Bags of Hinerwadels’ potatoes —then sold at grocers throughout the region — became a must-have for anyone hosting a cookout. Although the Hinerwadels stopped serving their clambakes in

2018, the tradition of salt potatoes continues at picnics across Upstate. Adirondack Beverages, Scotia Refreshing beverages are always a welcomed part of every picnic. An Upstate favorite, Adirondack has been leaving condensation rings on New York’s picnic tables since 1967. The classic flavors are still available— orange, black cherry, cola, ginger ale, root beer and cream soda—along with newcomers. These include sparkling water and Frannie’s, a sparkling beverage with vitamins, antioxidants, energy and no sugar. Adirondack sources from a local protected glacial aquifer. Terrell’s Potato Chips, Syracuse In 1946, William Te r r e l l f o u n d e d Terrell’s Potato chips, a company now operated by his grandson Jack Terrell. The chips come in original, ripple, barbecue and “Syracuse Style” flavors. Terrell’s acquired Jean’s potato chips. Remember them, the ones in the blue (original) or red (ripple) boxes? But Jean’s is no longer in production.

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Heluva Good! Dip, Arkport What else could you dip y o u r Te r re l l ’ s into than Heluva Good! brand dip? It originates from Heluva Good!, a cheese company founded in Sodus, Wayne county in 1925. A customer tasting the new product exclaimed, “That’s a hell of a good cheese!” and the brand earned its moniker. Although now part of HP Hood, LLC, the dip and condiments parts of the company are in Arkport. The dip flavors include French onion, bacon horseradish, buttermilk ranch, bodacious onion, jalapeno cheddar, and white cheddar bacon.

Through business development assistance and collaborative connections to hundreds of member businesses, we ensure that businesses of all sizes in Oswego County have access to the resources they need to thrive and grow. SCAN TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU!

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Dining Out Whether you’re looking for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, these eateries are available to conquer your cravings! SUBS • SALADS • DELIS • WRAPS • PANINIS • WINGS

Oswego

Sub Shop

106 W. Bridge Street, Oswego, NY 13126 | 315-343-1233

www.oswegosubshop.com

Telephone:

SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER

Serving 7 days a Week - Fast Service Fresh Coffee - Plenty of Parking

Lakeside Drive-In

Our Family Feeding Yours Since 1946

Mimi’s

Drive In

Rt. 481 North, Fulton

593-7400

78 Ct. Rt. 89 • Oswego NY Rudyslakeside.com 315-343-2671

OPEN Tues-Sat 7am - 8pm Sun-Mon 7am - 3pm

(315) 509-4281 Website:

www.riverhouserestaurant.net 4818 Salina St, Pulaski, NY 13142

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

summer hours:

May - end of August Sun-Thursday: 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

Fish Brugers Hots & Homemade Desserts

Like us on facebook RudysLakesideDrive-In Order Online at

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CALL 315-342-8020 TO ADVERTISE YOUR BEST DISHES. REACH BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE PLUS LOCAL RESIDENTS.

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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2024

WE CARE LIKE FAMILY We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry. To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.

Become a part of Our Family!

Life in balance.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com

Our Mission.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

Our Vision.

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

Waterville RESIDENTIAL CARE CENTER

220 Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com

Our Team.

Registered Nurses Licensed Nurses Physical Therapists Occupational Therapists Speech Therapists Social Workers Recreational Therapists Dieticians Nurse Aides

Assisted Living Community

132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com

Aaron

Manor

Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

100 St. Camillus Way, Fairport, NY 14450 585-377-4000 | www.aaronmanor.com

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

LW EMPORIUM CO-OP

E X P L O R E THE BEST OF UPSTATE NY 18

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Gifts, Antiques & Home Decor

The Feathered Nest Gift Shop

WhistleStop Antique Center

10a.m.–5p.m. Tues. thru Sun. • Closed Mon. 6355 Knickerbocker Road • off Rte. 104 in Ontario

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Specializing in Organic & All-Natural Products

& Skin Care Products • Thousands of Grocery items • Highest Quality Supplements, Multi-Vitamins • Vegetarian/Vegan & Sports Nutrition Items Food Selections • BIGGEST Selection • Gluten-Free/ of pay-by-weight bulk Dairy-Free Foods foods, herbs & spices • Shampoos, Soaps, Lotions,

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HILLSIDE COMMONS, OSWEGO, NY 250 West Seneca Street | 315-207-0016 Mon.–Sat., 9am–7pm | Sun., 11am–7pm

Museum & Gift Shop 1–5 P.M. DAILY JUL. & AUG. 10–5 P.M.

Lighthouse Boat tours Available through September Visit our website for more exciting waterfront activities

hlwmm.org

W. 1st St. Pier Oswego, NY

315.342.0480

Reach over 20,000 readers in the region. Call 315-342-8020 JUNE / JULY 2024

Located in Oswego, New York, Evergreen Hills is a 9-hole course that is great for golfers from ALL walks of life. we are located a few short miles from the campus of SUNY Oswego and downtown Oswego.

Summer Hours:

7 days a week, 8am till close

285 County Route 20, Oswego, NY 13126

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We Are One of New York State’s Largest and Most Complete “Farm Markets” OPEN DAILY, 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR

Vegetables - Fruits - Cider From Our Farm & Local Farmers

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GIVE YOUR “WORD-OF-MOUTH” ADVERTISING A BIG BOOST Advertise in Oswego County Business magazine and reach thousands of decision-makers in the area. Please call 315-342-8020

SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

NEXT ISSUE OF OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS For advertising information, email: Editor@OswegoCountyBusiness.com

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

HOW I GOT STARTED By Stefan Yablonski

MATT MCGILL

Owner of Matt McGill Collision in Brewerton started business in his parents’ home garage over 40 years ago. ‘If I had to start up now like I did then, I’d never make it,’ he says

Q: When did you start this business? A: I started in October in 1981. Q: So you’ve always been a car guy? A: I started from scratch in my parents’ house garage. My grandfather on my mother’s side gave me an old compressor from the farm. I did odd jobs. I bought a paint gun from Sears and didn’t know what I was doing (laughs). That was a bit before ’81, before I actually started the business. In the late 1960s I would race go-carts and I would paint up my go-carts and 20

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

take them to car shows in the winter time — races in the summer time. My dad liked motorsports. He’d take me to car shows and he’d take me to the races, Brewerton and Oswego. That was a treat — I liked that, I enjoyed it. My idea of fun was working on cars. I went to car shows, met mechanics and absorbed everything I could about cars simply because it was fun. Q: How many employees do you have? A: I have my two kids, Nick McGill, 30, Devin McGill, 26; my wife, Denise JUNE / JULY 2024

McGill; Ryan Hinan, entry level tech; and myself. We could use some extra help. We’re looking for competent help. It’s not easy, but that is the same challenge everybody has these days. I am not big into the certification because some people can do good on tests but when it comes to the real world, they fail. Teachable people is what I need. Q: Have you kept up with all the changes in the industry?

A: We’re doing the best we can. The cars change all the time. You’ve got to keep

up with it. You have to have people who can adapt and learn, constantly learning. You almost need to have a computer degree. There are a lot of areas I fail in and computers are not my strong suit. It’s a miracle that I have made it this far. It’s expensive to keep up with all the technology today. We’ve made a more than $200,000 investment; even some of the bigger shops are hesitant to spend that much money. We did and we specialize in it and we are doing good. Q: How is the competition? A: One thing that is to my benefit, I think, is I have a good name — and that is important. You’ve got these MSOs, which is multi-shop owners, there is a myriad of them, they are popping up all over the place and taking over. I’m the dinosaur. It’s not easy running a business — and keeping it going for more than 40 years. You have got to stay on your toes as best you can. Q: Tell me about your towing business. A: Last year, we had close to 300 cars. This year we are at about 150 cars right now between the mechanical and the body business. We started the towing business in 1985. I wouldn’t be here without it. That’s how we get a lot of our work; they break down, we tow them in. We had a customer last week; we towed her car and the lady said, ‘were you on the radio back in the ’80s on the oldies channel?’ I said yup that was me. I was surprised she remembered that long ago. Q: Is the start of the winter season your busy time for towing?

A: No, we are busy all year round. We tow for the rental car people, too, 9-11, repos. We get as many as 70 tows a month. Q: So you’re real busy? A: We’re busy; there are people waiting to get in. We’re doing the best we can — we are not hurting for work now. But things can change. We’re not resting on our laurels. Q: How have you stayed in business so long?

A: God’s grace, I’ll tell you that right now. I have some good help — from the almighty. I don’t deserve what I got, but I’m thankful! We do business the old-fashioned way — with a handshake and firm commitment to customer satisfaction.

‘I am not big into the certification because some people can do good on tests but when it comes to the real world, they fail. Teachable people is what I need.’ Q: Tell me about the Crystal Ball Cruise program

A: That was something I started back in 1990. I noticed the number of wrecked vehicles attributable to teenage drinking and drug abuse began to grow every year. I picked a school and made a deal with the seniors. If they would pledge not to drink or use drugs for just one day, my pals and I would chauffeur them to the prom in a classic car. I saw the need with the behavior of our young people and fancy cars. I put the two together. It had great potential. There are a lot of great ideas that never make it. I had an idea and I went for it I’m not involved with it any more; it consumed a lot of time. It was simply taking too much time away from my family and business. I left around 2003. [It is still going today under new leadership.] Q: What advice would you give someone just starting out today?

A: If I had to start up now like I did then, I’d never make it. There’s no way. So if you’re looking to start these days you better have plenty of help. It’s not easy and these woke politicians — even at the local level. Local government, they are clueless as far as the obstacles and challenges that they create for small business. Taxes are tough, inflation is a killer. I work hard and they grab me for a lot of taxes. Q: Any thoughts about slowing down or maybe even retiring?

A: My two boys are looking to take over the business and their workmanship is very good. I am a body man who owns his own business. I’m not a bean counter. That’s why it’s a miracle that I’ve made it this long. I know some people that are business people that didn’t make it. So I’m blessed. But retire? You’ve got to do something. I probably could afford to retire; I don’t want to. I want to stay active, keep going.

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

PROFILE By Stefan Yablonski

CHRISTOPHER BASZTO

Helping others live their best lives: Farnham’s new executive director looks to continue legacy of his predecessors

eing named executive director of Farnham Family Services comes with a sense of duty as a servant leader to help carry the torch into the future. Having been with Farnham for 13 years, the new executive director has come to care deeply about the work that the organization does. “I feel that we have a commitment to the community we serve, as the sole provider of comprehensive substance use disorder prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction services,” Christopher Baszto said. He took over the reins in the wake of the untimely death of former executive director Eric Bresee late last year. “Candy Herbert was my interim co-executive director. She and I became co-executive directors in November 22

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when Eric passed,” he said. “We both interviewed for this position and the board picked me. She currently holds the director of operations position. Her help was crucial in helping to stabilize leadership after the loss of Eric. People really felt it helped stabilize things after Eric’s passing. The agency didn’t miss a beat.” Baszto joined Farnham prior to Bresee’s arrival. “[Eric] really made an effort to connect with everybody. He was known by everybody,” Baszto recalled. “I think he was the soul and mind of the agency. It was nice to see him come in and carry on former executive director Jean Unger’s visions. I’m trying to tap into that legacy of where they were headed — to carry the torch.” JUNE / JULY 2024

Baszto grew up in Watertown and graduated from Watertown High School. “My dad had a disability,” he said. “It kind of gave me a sense of disability and living with dignity at an early age. “I had my first experiences with working with underserved populations — working with individuals with developmental-intellectual disabilities, at Jefferson Rehabilitation Center in Watertown, working in a residential setting providing direct care,” he said. “There I had an opportunity to practice a deeply held belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. That’s where I got my first taste of working with people with disabilities. It was somewhat formative in that area. There I developed a deep understanding of

the essential dignity and respect that everyone deserves.”

Coming home “My wife, Rebecca Lewis, and I were actually friends in high school. We have different last names as she has a private practice as an ND (naturopathic medicine doctor) and it made professional sense for us to keep our last names. [Her family owns Green Planet grocery in Oswego and the one in Camillus as well.] Her family had moved to Watertown from Seattle, Washington,” he said. “I attended undergraduate school across the border in Kingston, Ontario, at Queen’s University; studying biochemistry as a pre-requisite toward a career in medicine.” They moved out west to Seattle to attend Bastyr University to study naturopathic medicine for several years. “I have always had a deep curiosity for what contributes to pathology and what cultivates wellness and healing. While in naturopathic medical school, I fell in love with the theory and practice of depth psychology and continued my studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Southern California,” he said. “After graduation, my wife and I made the decision to move back home to the East Coast to begin our careers and start a family, feeling the importance of giving back to our communities and raising our son, Simon Baszto [now 8 years old] surrounded by loving grandparents and extended family. My family was here and her family was here.” Recalling being interviewed at Farnham for a clinical position in 2011, he said he felt an immediate resonance with the mission at Farnham under then-executive director Unger. “It was apparent that Farnham was an organization committed to providing quality services with professionalism and compassion. It was also clear that the leadership and organizational culture was such that it treated staff and patients with equal care, having integrity as a core guiding principle,” he said. “I knew that this was an organization through which I could help make a meaningful impact on the wellness of my community and one that would help support my growth early in my career.” From that date on, he has been committed to serving Farnham’s mission “in any way that I could be of use.” “Therapy — I love it — I’d do it for free,” he said. He considers his approach to therapy “real therapy.” “I started out practicing for several

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years as a therapist in our Fulton clinic, then as senior clinician helping foster the development of our team of skilled therapists. Then from there as outpatient program director supporting the outpatient programming across multiple locations,” he said. “Most recently, I was senior director of services overseeing prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction as well as grant programming. Basically all the services Farnham has.” Throughout his years at Farnham, his commitment to the agency has always been to “try to be of use in the service of our mission, independent of role or title, focusing on trying to be in the position that allows me to maximize my impact within the organization,” he said. Being named as executive director gives him a sense of excitement that grows from the confidence he has in the team around which he is surrounded, he said, adding, “Farnham has some of the most passionate and talented individuals of any organization I’ve known — people who truly care about the quality of services that we provide and who are inspired by the transformational work that is possible as a result. I am aware that while the role of executive director is the role of one individual, it is a symbolic extension of the good work that Farnham does as a team.”

Lifelines Name / Position: Christopher Baszto, executive director Birth Date: July 6, 1984 Birth Place: Watertown Residence: Currently, in Camillus, with wife and son Education: 2008-2011: Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, California, Master of Arts in counseling psychology, with emphasis in depth psychology; 20062008: Bastyr University, Kenmore, Washington, completed two years of training toward naturopathic doctorate before accepting enrollment in counseling program at Pacifica Graduate Institute; 20032006: Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario,Canada, Bachelor of Science degree, honors biochemistry Personal/family: Wife, Rebecca Lewis; son, Simon Baszto, 8 Hobbies: Distance running, depth psychology, meditation, playing tag with my son, creating amateur experimental music, reading literary fiction, philosophizing with friends, watching films with my wife.

Going forward His first priority going forward “is to ensure stability and continue to cultivate healthy organizational culture.” “I believe it is a testament to Eric’s leadership that, in his passing, Farnham has paradoxically grown stronger — with staff rising to meet the challenges of the moment — acknowledging that we are all leaders in this organization and all play an important role in its health and sustainable growth,” he said. “Eric’s singular vision has transformed into a shared agency-wide set of possibilities. Losing Eric was such a big deal — it hit everyone so hard — it was so unexpected.” As executive director, he “will continue to nurture and cultivate Eric’s shared vision through close dialogue with staff and stakeholders to ensure the stability of what we already have set in motion.”

Collaborative spirit The most important message that he’d like to convey to stakeholders 24

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and the surrounding community is a collaborative spirit. “I am committed to seeking out new partnerships and creative ways to help promote wellness in our communities — willing to think creatively and collaboratively to develop novel solutions to complex problems, moving beyond our individual silos with the recognition that meeting human needs is never a zero-sum endeavor and that Farnham is excited to leverage the synergy that is arrived at through cooperation,” he said. “Eric used to say that there is nothing that couldn’t be done provided the right resources. I am of the belief that these resources are, by and large, all around us and that the key to unlocking them is to make the right connections.” One of the big goals that he has is to “try our best to meet as many of the needs in this county with Farnham instead of having to send people to different places, different counties for services,” he added. Although Farnham looks very JUNE / JULY 2024

different today than it did 13 years ago when he started his career, what has been unchanging, Baszto said, is that it remains a very special agency that values relationships, thoughtfulness, a depth of perspective, a relentless focus on quality, that operates with compassion, creativity and an openness to continue to do what it takes to be responsive to community needs. The landscape for helping people with substance abuse right now is very different than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago, he pointed out. “It’s just a lot more accommodating for people in recovery. There is more of an acceptance today of people about who they are,” he said. “We offer medical services now, too. That’s relatively new — at our clinics we can offer you primary care in a limited capacity. I think people feel pretty safe coming to our clinics. We don’t have a waiting list — we don’t turn people away. We have grown quite a bit in the past five years. We started recovery services with one peer, now we have 20.” Some of his medium-term goals as executive director include the following: • To help build the right level of organizational capacity to support the rapid growth, helping Farnham scale up to meet ever-increasing community needs, • Developing the administrative apparatus to support the rapid growth of multi-departmental grant-funded initiatives. • Developing Farnham’s Training Institute, which serves an important community role in developing a sustainable workforce. • Promoting the presence of certified recovery peer advocates in community-wide engagement and harm-reduction efforts • Enhancing the accessibility of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and psychosocial services to rural populations • To position prevention efforts strategically in community-facing venues to strengthen Farnham’s ability to provide services across the continuum of care, reaching more diverse populations across the lifespan • To help reduce stigma for mental health and substance use in the community, normalizing and celebrating recovery while promoting awareness • Providing enhanced medical services to our patients thereby reducing gaps in medical care and wait-times for engagement with primary care

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

ON THE JOB

We’ve asked area business leaders what they do to relax from their workplace stress Interviews by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

“

I teach yoga, which is a lifesaver. I practice meditation. We have a lot of people who come in here in need, whether nutritional counseling, counseling or someone to listen. Sometimes you take that on. Self-care is huge in my industry.” Kimberly Kempston Manager, Riverview Wellness Center, Oswego “I like to fish, mostly. I like to do a little boating and cutting wood.” Nolan Bradbury Owner, Bradbury’s Boatel, Brewerton “I find a lot of peace in cooking, spending time with my family, going on for walks and going on vacation. We’re not picky: it could be a cool climate, warm climate or fall. It could be a weekend or two weeks.” Elizabeth Clark Secretary/treasurer, Sanford & Burtis Fire Equipment, Inc., Fulton

“I like to watch mindless TV and hope I don’t get a text that someone won’t show up the next day.” Ali Scanlon Owner of The Press Box, Oswego “I try to schedule enough time for activities like golf. I also love watching sports. And I love anything to do with family.” Bill Galloway Licensed real estate broker and owner, Century 21 Galloway Realty in Oswego “I spend time with my grandkids. It gives me the most joy.” Cassie Clare Executive director, Peregrine Home Care Services, Skaneateles

“Each person has a different way of relaxing from the stresses of being in the real estate profession. For me, personally, I enjoy being with my family and friends. Seeing and being with my grandchildren is an instant stress relief. Giving and receiving all that unconditional love makes the stress just melt away.” LEAH HAGGERTY , Licensed real estate broker, owner, Century 21 Leah’s Signature, Fulton

“I have a lot of hobbies. I do martial arts and have since I was 12. My wife 26

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JUNE / JULY 2024

joined and will be a black belt in a year. I’ll have my fourth degree black belt by the end of 2026. I like games like board games with friends. I am an avid reader and converted an extra room into a library. I have an old school record player so I sit down and listen to a record with a book. Talking with people helps. The biggest stressor for me in this job is not being able to help enough.” Elvis Mehmedovic, Franchise owner, Express Employment Professionals, Syracuse “I will relax with a good book and a cup of very strong coffee. If it’s been a very stressful day, I will put some good music on. I like post-modern fiction and the music depends on the day. If it’s really stressful, I listen to 1970s punk. If I just need to relax a little bit, I’ll listen to anything from classical to classic rock.” Todd Maclean Sales associate, Oswego County Monuments, Oswego “I watch TV when I get home, movies, etc.” Laurie O’Brien Owner Port City Café, Oswego

“I like video games. I like Fallout Four.” Joshua Gavin-Hall Production manager, Port City Copy Center, Oswego “It’s quilting — believe it or not — it’s still relaxing to go home and do what I do here. I also scrapbook, love to read, garden, tend houseplants and do outdoor planting and camp. I do a lot of relaxing stuff when I get the time to do it.” Robin Hall Owner, The Robin’s Nest, Fulton “I play with my kids and like going to play golf.” Jake Richardson General manager, Scriba Electric, Scriba

“I play a lot of Dungeons & Dragons. There are a couple of places in town now to do that. And I play a lot of video games. Lately, I’ve been playing the classic games. The new skate park is great.” DAVID YORK-EAGAN, Team member, SherwinWilliams, Oswego

“I have four children who play sports. That to me is kind of my relaxation: sitting and watching them do what they love and enjoy themselves. It’s something that brings peace to me. Everything else is non-stop with work. Watching them is relaxing.” Shane Stepien Owner, Step One Creative, Oswego “I hang out with the family.” Justin Taber, owner Torbitt’s Service Center, Inc., Oswego “I like to exercise and do yoga.” Brenda Wilson Owner, Travis Floral, Hannibal

“Go home and just relax. Try to turn the world off for a little while. In the summertime, I sit by my pool. In the wintertime, just go home and maybe sit on the couch with no TV on and scroll through social media like TikTok to get a laugh. I think it’s funny. I don’t answer the phone or anything. If I can, I get away to Florida.” ASHLEE BEVACQUA, Office manager, Universal Metal Works, Fulton

“I like to go home and unwind at night — nothing special.” Jim Bushey Owner Valti Graphics, Oswego

“I go on a nice, long vacation — just kidding! I wish I could. This is a family-owned business. We probably all feel the same: we like to spend time with family, even though we all work together. We like spending time with each other outside of work. And we all have the travel bug. That’s what all of us do here. We like to get out and enjoy vacation time. For me, I like to get out and garden and do something outdoors.” Samantha Bonnet General manager, Bonnet Sales & Service, Central Square “I like to hang out with friends and stay out in the sunshine and walk the dog, an Australian shepherd.” Susan Cottet Administrative assistant, Breathe Easy of CNY, Constantia “I try to go to the gym as often as I can. I enjoy cooking. I made scratch lasagna and it came out amazing, right down to the noodles. I like boating, being the owner of a marina. I’d say that’s my number one hobby is snowmobiling in the winter.” Chris Renslow Owner, Brewerton Boat Yard, Brewerton

“I spend time with my family and “At home, I clean my dog. It’s cattle dog and they have a lot of house. I wasn’t this way energy. I like doing anything outdoors.” Cliff Smith Assistant, DTS Truck Service, as a teenager, concerned Syracuse about cleaning. Usually, “I like to oil paint on the dishes get done first. The whole house takes all canvas, knit, and read. There are so many things; weekend.” I could go on and on. In DEBBI LAW, Office manager, Wet Paint Company, Oswego the summertime, I like to “I like spending time with family play golf and go camping and traveling. I like to go to Vero Beach so I can relax as I sit by and Cape Cod. Those are our two favorites.” the water.” Kiara Coon Office manager, Wiltsie Construction Company, Oswego

“I have a camp and I go to my camp as often as possible.” Brenda Weissenberg Tax accountant and owner, Affordable Business Solutions, Central Square

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

NEWSMAKERS

NEWS BRIEFS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES & BUSINESS PEOPLE Maraviglia Atrium Dedicated in SUNY Oswego’s School of Education

SUNY Oswego’s Wilber Hall recently had its atrium rededicated in honor of a generous donation by Frank Maraviglia of the class of 1958. In the front row, Frank (seated, second from left) receives thanks from SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu (third from left), joined by his brother Raymond Maraviglia of theclass of 1961 (right) and Raymond’s wife, Krista Hockey (left). In the back row from left are Frank and Raymond’s nephew Mark Procopio of the class of 1995; Lee Doucette (family friend), technology education major and student; speaker Bryan Diaz-Ximello of the class of 2025; Provost Scott Furlong; dean of the school of education, Laura Spenceley; and Vice President for University Advancement Mary Gibbons Canale of the class of 1981.

Port of Oswego Embarks on a $35 Million Breakwall Repair Project

More than 60 rail cars of granite blocks arrived recently to begin the west breakwall repair and reconstruction project at the Port of Oswego. A total of more than 300 rail cars are expected to arrive at the port’s rail yard for the project this year, and in July, the construction company Dean Marine & Excavating, Inc of Michigan will begin placing these blocks in the breakwall. “The project could not be completed without the resources the Port of Oswego brings to bear,” said William Scriber, executive director and CEO, Port of Oswego Authority (POA). “Our rail engine and rail yards ensure that project logistics are covered. Over the next two years, we estimate that more than 780 rail cars with stone quarried and shipped from Vermont will be necessary to make the repairs. The largest 28

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Crews unload the granite blocks that will be used in Oswego harbor’s breakwall repair.

stones required are 12-14 tons each. In addition, we have the capacity to store these materials at our Fitz storage area, as well as other locations on our property.” The $35 million project, under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will extend into 2025, and will repair the major portion of the harbor breakwall— including repairs to the foundation of Oswego’s iconic West Pierhead Lighthouse. The port requested and received a member item— earmarked federal funding—with JUNE / JULY 2024

the assistance of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make the critical repairs. “Tremendous damage was done to the shoreline of the port and the city of Oswego in 2017 and 2019. This project will not only repair the damage and strengthen our breakwall, but it will also mean an influx of workers that positively benefits our local economy. These workers stay local, eat local and buy local,” said Scriber.

Heinl Named Principal at Beardsley Architects + Engineers

Beardsley Architects + Engineers announced that Jared R. Heinl has been named a principal of the firm. Heinl is a New York state licensed professional engineer and registered landscape architect with a degree in civil and Jared Heinl environmental engineering from Clarkson University. Heinl joined the firm in 2007 as a civil engineer. He has served on Beardsley’s board of directors since 2016. As principal, Heinl will leverage his experience and strong leadership skills to help Beardsley grow across a range of markets, and will continue to work closely with its clients to help them achieve their goals. In addition to his role as principal, he serves as a project manager for federal, civic, municipal and renewable energy clients.

Workforce Development Specialist Joins MACNY

MACNY, The Manufacturers As sociation,recently welcomed Amanda Wilson to the team as a workforce development specialist. In this role, Wilson will s u p p o r t MACNY’s New York State Manufacturers Intermediary ApAmanda Wilson prenticeship Program (NYSMIAP). She will play an integral role in maintaining relationships with new and existing companies participating in NYSMIAP, while also coordinating related technical instruction and on-the-job training for apprentices. Wilson will also be actively engaged in other workforce development

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initiatives, such as supporting the expansion of current apprenticeship programs and advancing opportunities for women in manufacturing through the Real Life Rosies pre-apprenticeship program. Prior to joining MACNY, she was employed at ProLiteracy Worldwide as the annual fund manager where she planned and implemented various donor communication and solicitation campaigns and led initiatives such as the annual Day of Giving fundraiser. Prior to working at ProLiteracy, she spent five years at Cazenovia College as the assistant director and interim director of the Cazenovia Fund. In that role, she expanded and oversaw the student giving program. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in interior design from Cazenovia College. “We are excited to welcome Amanda to our growing workforce development team,” said MACNY President & CEO Randy Wolken. “As our members’ needs for skilled workers continue to expand, Amanda’s expertise will be incredibly valuable to our apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship program initiatives that are bringing opportunities to both employers and community members throughout New York state.”

Official Joins Inaugural SUNY Black Leadership Institute

SUNY Oswego Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Gabriel Marshall is a member of the inaugural SUNY Black Leadership Institute (BLI), launched in March. Marshall is among the seven fellows Gabriel Marshall in the first-ever class announced by State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. on March 5. BLI, modeled after SUNY’s nationally recognized and highly successful Hispanic Leadership Institute, will support, retain and foster the success of emerging and current leaders. “So far it’s been fantastic,” Marshall said. “I was excited about the opportunity but wasn’t sure what to expect. At

JUNE / JULY 2024 8/12/21 12:05 PM

our welcoming retreat, I was impressed with how thoughtful and thorough the process has been and what we will be doing over the next eight months.” “I’m really interested in applying what I’m learning now at SUNY Oswego and how that can apply to student success,” Marshall noted. “For example, as part of new student orientation, how can I clearly communicate with students and families about the variety of experiences they will have at Oswego, and how they can proactively take responsibility for themselves, their education and their future.” Marshall said participating underscores “adding tools to our leadership toolbox — you can’t use a hammer for everything,” and these tools can be applied to supporting student success and working towards fulfilling President Peter O. Nwosu’s Vision 4040. “It will impact and enhance my ability to support students and respond accordingly to their perspectives and thoughts,” Marshall said. “Higher education has been a big part of my life. I’m big on improving the student experience and promoting excellence in all aspects on our campus, and this will help me do that even more. Marshall came to SUNY Oswego after serving as assistant vice president and senior adviser for student success and retention at Buffalo State College, and previously as director of student access and achievement programs at Nazareth College, senior Educational Opportunity Program coordinator at SUNY Brockport and resource specialist at Monroe Community College, and taught undergraduate courses. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Daemen College; a master’s degree and certificate of advanced study in counseling from SUNY Brockport; and his doctorate in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College. Marshall leads four SUNY Oswego student affairs units: Student Engagement and Leadership, Campus Events and Conference Services, Campus Recreation, and Student Orientation and Family Engagement.

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on April 13 awards for five New Yorkbased projects at the Engineering Excellence Awards Gala in New York City. All five projects submitted to ACEC New York’s Engineering Excellence Awards Competition won in their designated categories. The projects are: city of Oneida wastewater treatment plant improvements project; city of Sherrill wastewater treatment plant and collection system improvements; Watertown Crisis Clinic renovation; city of Geneva downtown streetscape project; Rensselaer County Emergency Operations Training facility. The Engineering Excellence Awards are presented annually to projects that excel in the public and private sectors in several categories. Over 50 ACEC NY member firms submit projects that are judged by a panel of industry experts on a rigorous set of criteria, which includes complexity, innovation and value to society.

AmeriCU Named One of the Best Companies to Work For

year. This recognition underscores the credit union’s commitment to fostering a positive work environment and cultivating a culture of excellence. Created in 2007, the annual awards honors employers dedicated and committed to their employees through their policies, practices, and employee experiences. AmeriCU was recognized at a ceremony held on April 18 in Albany, where it was announced that the credit union ranked among the top 20 in the large companies category. “We are excited to be recognized as one of the best companies to work for in New York,” said Karen LaPlante, chief talent officer for AmeriCU. “We are committed to continually enhancing our workplace environment and fostering our mission vision people (MVP) one team culture of collaboration and ongoing talent development.” AmeriCU currently employes more than 400 individuals of diverse backgrounds and skillsets across New York and beyond. Collaborating as MVP ONE Team, AmeriCU teammates are dedicated to serving the needs of one another and the credit union’s members as well as actively volunteering in their local communities.

AmeriCU Credit Union has been named one of the best companies to work for in New York state for the eighth

Caraccioli Appointed to NYS Charter Advisory Board

Pamela Caraccioli, president and CEO of Fulton Savings Bank, has been appointed as a board member representing financial institutions on the state charter advisory board of the NYS Department of Financial Services Pamela Caraccioli “Pam’s appointment to this position is a credit to her, and to Fulton Savings Bank,” said Mark Backus, chairman of the FSB board of trustees. “As a representative of financial institutions, she will have first-hand knowledge and input on issues, policies and trends affecting the banking industry in our state. Her experience and solid understanding of our customers, our community and our market make her an ideal fit for this position.” Caraccioli was named president and CEO in 2022 and served as a trust-

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ee of FSB since 2015. Before joining the bank, she served as deputy to the president for external partnerships and economic development at SUNY Oswego. Prior to that, she served as a faculty member in SUNY Oswego’s School of Communication, Media, and the Arts. She also served as deputy director for Operation Oswego County, Inc. Caraccioli holds a bachelor’s degree in law and society from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The Department of Financial Services (DFS) supervises and regulates the activities of nearly 3,000 financial institutions with assets totaling more than $8.8 trillion as of Dec. 31, 2021. The types of institutions regulated by the department include more than 1,700 insurance companies and 1,200 banking and other financial institutions. In addition, the DFS registers, approves, permits, authorizes and de-authorizes certain other entities.

Welcome to Oswego, New York Where Family Meets Community.

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OSW E G O N Y.O RG Student Earns Fulbright to Teach in the Czech Republic

Issac McGee, a graduate student majoring in AN K YOU business and HE FOLLOWING FOR marketing eduOF PHOTOS IN THIS CHURE: cation, will conwego County Tourism Office tinue a SUNY Oswego tradition as a finalist for the prestigious U.S. Student Fulbright English Teachi n g Aw a r d when he travels Issac Mcgee to the Czech Republic for several months. McGee will teach English as a teaching assistant from August 2024 to June 2025, and it is the next chapter in a transformation from the world of business into serving the world in the field of education. “The Fulbright is a really prestigious grant,” McGee said. “For me, I’m looking forward to becoming a cultural ambassador, and not only will I be teaching English, but I’ll be giving them insight on being an African American in America. It’s just a great opportunity to be an ambassador.”

Be in the heart of it all with views of the water — Oswego River and Lake Ontario — shopping, dining, outdoor recreation, including riverwalk trails. Young professionals, empty nesters, families — hundreds make their home right in Downtown Oswego. The downtown living offers a variety of options to suit everyone's specific needs. And the living spaces themselves, from modern apartments and condos to spacious lofts in historic buildings, are beautifully distinctive.

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The Oswego area bolsters a wide vareity of events yearround from festivals, world-class fishing, movie theater & a drive-in theater, several music and performing arts groups, races and derbies, museums and historical sites, bustling night life and accommodations available in walking distance to attractions. There is something for every individual and family to choose from.

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Oswego, New York is a waterfront community located on the Southeastern shore of Lake Ontario and along the Oswego River. The city is embarking on a transformation to build upon its strengths to embrace our rich history, natural assets, and promotes the development and restoration of healthy, vibrant neighborhoods surrounding Oswego’s downtown.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORT

Fulton, Pulaski May Soon Have a Cannabis Store By Aaron Gifford

hirteen municipalities in Oswego County are legally open to future recreational-use marijuana businesses and state-issued licenses for cannabis businesses are pending in Fulton and Pulaski. But if and when the county will see the benefits of subsequent sales tax collections and economic developments remains to be seen. According to New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management, there is one existing cannabis-related business in Oswego County, though it is not retail, Happy Healing 420 LLC, a designated microbusiness located at 69 Wilcox Road in Fulton. That address is the site of Veteran’s Ananda, a nonprofit organization located on farmland that provides medical and psychological services to military veterans. As for the two pending licenses, both are for adult use retail dispensaries. The business in Pulaski will be called CL Canna Holdings LLC and the one in Fulton, listed at 956 S. First

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

St., is named Leafy Wonders LLC. The state Office of Cannabis Management website does not say when those shops are expected to open. Several towns and villages in the county, including population centers like Mexico, Cleveland, Central Square and the town of Oswego, have passed local laws prohibiting cannabis businesses. By contrast, other population centers to include Fulton, Hannibal (town and village), Hastings, Minetto, Parish (town and village) Phoenix, Pulaski and the city of Oswego will allow — by virtue of not passing laws banning them — retail cannabis dispensaries and consumption sites, according to the state Office of Cannabis Management. Consumption sites require additional regulations beyond the standard state-issued license. One business in the Central New York location, FlynnStoned Cannabis Company, in Syracuse, is awaiting permission to open a tasting lounge above its retail dispensary,

JUNE / JULY 2024

which set up shop in the Armory Square neighborhood last year. According to the business’s website, the lounge will feature a glass-enclosed smoking area “as well as a bar serving craft cannabis cocktails and various edibles.” FlynnStoned, along with the retail dispensaries in Clay, Salina and DeWitt, presumably get their fair share of customers from Oswego County. Ranjit Dighe, an economics professor at SUNY Oswego, said most towns, villages and cities throughout the region would collect 4% sales tax at the cannabis retail shops. While he’s confident there’s a strong customer base in Oswego County, it’s hard to know whether many of those folks have developed a loyal following to any of the existing businesses in Onondaga County and would change their shopping routine with a closer location. Think of beer sales, he explained. A neighborhood convenience store has six-packs and cases of the most familiar

FlynnStoned Cannabis Company in Syracuse, along with the retail dispensaries in Clay, Salina and DeWitt, presumably get their fair share of customers from Oswego County.

brands, but those seeking a better selection of imported or craft beers may prefer to drive further to specialty stores. “People are going to buy weed in the same way they buy beer,” he said. But some of the most remote locations in the county, like Boylston, Sandy Creek or Pulaski, could benefit, Dighe said. “At some point it’s really inconvenient to drive to the city,” he said. “This is a big county.” Even though Oswego County doesn’t have a retail cannabis shop yet, Dighe said, enough time has passed to see that legalization has not been a burden on public safety or other tax-funded public services. “You can smell it all around,” he said, but there has been no indication of a significant number of arrests or accidents. That could change, however, if and when tasting rooms and consumption sites open.” With none of the shops in Onondaga County open a full year yet, it’s too soon to gauge if legal marijuana sales will be a significant boost to the tax coffers. According to the Onondaga County Comptroller’s Office, local sales tax collections in that county for 2024 through mid-April totaled $145,872,366. The forecasted total for this entire year is $467,714,088, compared to the actual totals of $445,117,795 for all of last year and $400,379,700 in 2022.

In neighboring Wayne County, to the west of Oswego, all but two municipalities — the village of Red Creek and the town of Walworth — are legally open to marijuana businesses. Its first dispensary, Native Haze, opened in the town of Macedon in May. The other pot-related business, a distributor in the village of Newark, opened last year. Through the fourth quarter of 2023, the county sales tax collected from the distributor business totaled less than $100, said Rick House, Wayne County administrator. House expects that the opening of any retail pot shops will be delayed by an ongoing court battle regarding preferential treatment in the license-granting process to veterans. Meanwhile, Wayne County has been plagued by several illegal marijuana retailers. If multiple legal cannabis businesses ever open, House said, the economic impact will be minimal. “It probably will cost us more to manage it in the treasurer’s office,” House said. “We’re basically just the bookkeeper.” But with dozens of retailers already open statewide and more than 100 licenses pending to include medical, retail, onsite consumption, delivery, cultivation processing, nursery operations and cooperative uses, New York state is expecting to eventually realize significant revenues through its share of the sales tax plus the 9% excise tax.

Rick House, Wayne County administrator, said the two cannabis businesses in his county through the fourth quarter of 2023 totaled less than $100 in sales taxes.

The Office of Cannabis Management estimates that could amount to at least $100 million for 2024, with upwards of $670 million when more business open across the state in the year ahead. According to the Office of Cannabis Management, 845 of 1,528 municipalities in the New York state have passed laws prohibiting retail cannabis dispensaries or consumption sites, but that still leaves nearly 700 cities, towns or villages that could collect local and state taxes from cannabis businesses. A quick look at the website of retail dispensaries across the state indicates that most of these businesses are open at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Their menus are extensive, with a dozen or more choices for every product type, whether flower, pre-rolled joints, vapes, concentrates, edibles, drinks, topicals and tinctures. Colorado, during its first full year of legalized marijuana, 2016, raked in $200 million in sales tax from cannabis sales. Massachusetts legalized pot before New York, with the first retail dispensaries there opening in 2019. There are currently 350 stores for adult recreational use in the Bay State, with 50 more licenses pending, according to the “State of Cannabis in Massachusetts” report released on April 25. The total number of marijuana-related businesses in Massachusetts is 1,767 to include cultivation facilities, research and testing labs and trans-

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portation companies, according to the report. Adult recreational use sales dating back to 2018 exceed $6 billion and that doesn’t even include totals for medical marijuana. State and local sales tax on legal cannabis sales in Massachusetts since 2018 amount to about $1.1 billion, according to the report. Some of those revenues are spent on education programs to inform the public of the dangers and risks of pot consumption. This includes a driver safety program for young motorists — “Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving.” The report said 50,000 young drivers complete the marijuana awareness safety programming annually. “This education is crucial for the safety of new drivers and others utilizing our roads,” the report said, “especially because this is the first generation of drivers to be licensed since cannabis became legal in Massachusetts.” Traffic safety is also a concern. New York state legislators and policymakers are trying to balance with the growth of the cannabis industry here. A July 2018 state report on the potential impact of regulated marijuana in New York state noted that, nationwide, the number of drivers who use marijuana has steadily increased since 2007. There is currently no breathalyzer test for cannabis products and blood tests, because of their invasive nature, are unlikely to become the standard method for assessing if a driver is high. With public safety enforcement measures for drivers impaired by marijuana still undetermined, the future of another massive tax generator for New York state and its municipalities — cannabis consumption sites and tasting rooms — hangs in the balance. On May 10, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that she will overhaul the Office of Cannabis Management due to the bottleneck in the licensing process, inefficiencies in the legal cannabis industry and lack of enforcement in the black market. Her announcement did not specifically address ongoing delays for retail consumption licenses or new traffic safety enforcement measures, but it did note that state-level staff will be beefed up for licensing, compliance and enforcement functions. “We promised to build the strongest, most equitable legal cannabis market in the nation,” Hochul said in the news release “and we’re announcing long-needed steps to make New York’s cannabis program work as promised.”

SPECIAL REPORT Looking west on East Bridge Street near Oswego Plaza.

Why More Businesses Favor the East Side of Oswego East vs. west: Projects abound on both sides of Oswego but they are more massive on the east side. Experts explain why the east side has seen more growth over the decades By Stefan Yablonski

he Port City is expanding. Garnering most of the attention is the city’s eastern edge. Popeye’s, Texas Roadhouse and a new Splash Car Wash have all opened along 104 East. And a Hobby Lobby is about to open at the former JC Penney location. Burritt’s Boats is also scheduled to open in the coming months. Development on the east side can be traced backed to the 1960s when W.T. Grant built a store; it was later occupied by J.C. Penney and is now being resurrected as a Hobby Lobby.

The Oswego Plaza came into being around that time, also. The area, then, was predominantly farmland. Most of Oswego’s west side land was already occupied. The city’s current increase in business activity coincides with new stores opening and existing ones expanding, according to Mayor Rob Corradino. “This has resulted in an increase in the city’s sales tax revenue, which is certainly welcomed,” said Corradino. It is an accurate indicator that “Oswego is a great place to do business,” Corradino added.

Many of these new openings are occurring on the eastern end of the city’s business corridor due to the fact that land and locations are available, he said. “There are even more new businesses planned in the immediate future for our community, which bodes well for our local job market,” Corradino said. The city’s planning committee has had several items on the agenda that were for new businesses, he said, adding, “there is no reason that will slow down in 2024.” “The progress in the city looks to continue beyond 2024 with the construc-

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Whacko Gringo opens

Oswego Mayor Rob Corradino: “[New businesses on the east side] has resulted in an increase in the city’s sales tax revenue, which is certainly welcomed.”

Austin Wheelock, Operation Oswego County’s executive director: “I’d say there is probably an equal amount of projects on the west side — they are typically small business expansions.”

tion and eventual opening of the Micron facility just a 35-minute ride south of our community,” the mayor said.

project. You also have the In Vogue expansion. They are moving into the former Mother Earth Baby space right next door. They will have both those buildings right next door to each other and expand their services.” While they aren’t the same kinds of commercial expansions, there are commercial expansions on the west side as well, he said.

Westside projects “I’d say there is probably an equal amount of projects on the west side — they are typically small business expansions. So it’s not the same size projects you’re seeing on the east side where you have the larger more visible projects,” said Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County. One reason, he agreed, is the availability of space to build. “What I’d say is that on the west side you have some projects that are going to be 2024 projects. The big one is the Market House Oswego brewery and apartments going into Old City Hall,” he said. “That’s a major project that is happening. That should be getting done here in 2024.” Another project happening over on the west side is the Whacko Gringo relocation to the building right behind its current space on Bridge Street. “That’s a project we are involved in helping to finance,” Wheelock said. “And you have the Vona’s renovations 38

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Salon addition planned “My first salon was on the east side and an opportunity presented itself to purchase the blue Victorian house that the salon is in now, 62 W. Bridge St.,” said Tonia Reed, owner of In Vogue. “It’s the same thing with the green house that is going to be our future spa.” The opportunity presented itself which allowed her to expand into the house next door. “Both locations are close to city center, close to our downtown restaurants and shops, hospital, college,” she said. “Plus being on the Main Street has a lot of advantages as well. The west side Bridge Street appearance in general is much more pleasing to the eye, in my opinion.”

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“We opened up the food trailer almost a year ago, March 17 of 2023 out front of our place now. We were open through Feb. 2 [2024]. We closed the trailer down on Feb. 2 and started renovating this site. March 12 was our first official day open,” said Daniel Mckelvey, founder and creator of Whacko Gringo at 107 W. Bridge St. The Hannibal native moved away and worked in casinos for 12 years. He has created two other successful food concepts. “This is my third. When I moved back a year and a half ago, I was looking to buy a restaurant. I was looking at things for sale; some were on the east side — but I knew I wanted to be on the west side,” he said. “I live over here on the west side and the west side demographics just seem better. That is why I chose this place. I always loved this property. I can’t believe it was vacant for 15 or 20 years. It was an easy decision. I have parking here — a lot of places in the city you don’t have parking. This property just has it all.”

New location — on the east side “You may have noticed that we are no longer at our cute little downtown shop at 43 W. Bridge St. That’s because we are busy preparing a new location,” Lindsay Gaffney, co-owner of Organic Earthling posted on her Facebook page a few months ago. “We are now located at Widewaters Commons 437 State Route 104 East.” “We moved to the east side mainly because parking was a big issue. We had two customers have their cars swiped in the three plus years we were there. The elderly customers were complaining to us, they were nervous about getting out of the car on [West] Bridge Street. So parking, along with a rent increase, sent us to look for other options in Oswego,” said James Gaffney, co-owner. Now the commercial space that they are in has some challenges as well, he added. “More insurance, the cost of buildout [plumbing] was expensive. But the management at Widewaters Commons has been wonderful to us and very accommodating,” he said. “We will miss our downtown neighbors — but overall, we will have better parking and we look forward to seeing old friends and welcoming new friends to our new Widewaters Commons location.”

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BUSINESS UPDATE Sixteen-year-old Madison Leszczynski of Fair Haven started her Fair Haven Water Bikes business when she was 14. She is training her brother Tanner, 11, to take over when she goes to college.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

JUNE / JULY 2024

She Started Her Business at 14. Now at 16, She Already Has a Succession Plan in Place

“We’ve introduced holiday speadison Leszczynski, 16, is a high helped me with everything including school student — completing her developing a business plan, marketing cials, yoga sessions on the bikes and I’m sophomore year at Red Creek and even helping me with maintenance even considering night glow rides,” she said. “I also try to participate in comHigh School. Besides juggling school on the bikes.” munity events and tie in our attraction work she’s busy running the business to also benefit local businesses.” she started: Fair Haven Water Bikes. All in the family Madison reached out to several At the age of 14, she launched her business. Her brother, Tanner, 11, has also Fair Haven businesses about creating “Our first season was summer 2022. helped her on the rentals since he was water bike stops, which are now availI started this with the help of my father 10, she said. “He aspires to take over the able at Turtle Cove Resort & Marina, Little Sodus Inn, Colloca Estate Winery [Mike] when I was just 14,” she said. business when I go to college.” “We came up with the idea in 2021 after She said she will take him on as an and Pleasant Beach Hotel. Renters are spending time with my grandmother understudy this summer to train him encouraged to use them to grab food and beverages and explore when we were at a family the village. reunion in Buffalo.” “To me, it’s all about They “happened to see getting people to come to the water bikes for rent there” community and stay a while and they thought it would — eat lunch or dinner, visit the be a great idea to bring it as boutique shops and enjoy the an attraction to Fair Haven, water,” she said. she explained. Her mother, Jamie, said Water bikes are hushe and her husband are hapman-powered water crafts py to see the community helpthat simulate the feeling of ing the young entrepreneur. riding a bike. Water bikes It can be difficult balmount a seat, handlebars and Fair Haven Water Bikes features six water bikes, humanancing school and your own pedals atop two kayak-like powered water crafts that simulate the feeling of riding a bike. business, Madison admitted. floatation devices, allowing “I’d say juggling school users to cycle across the surface of water at speeds on the business so he can take it over at work, sports and just being a teenager has been the hardest part of owning up to 10 mph. 13/14 when she goes to college. “Now that Fair Haven is our home, “Tanner will work with me this my own business,” she said. “We try to I wanted to find an attraction that was summer and until I graduate and ide- open up as soon as the weather allows unique to our bay and also fun for ally take over Fair Haven Water Bikes and often that’s when I’m still in school. families,” she said. when I go to college,” she explained. Our typical season though is Memorial Madison said she is “very fortunate “He’s really good with the customers Day to Labor Day.” As a high school sophomore, she to have the support of her family” — and and he’s our greatest ambassador at entrepreneurial guidance from not only school and around town. My goal is to said she’s not sure on what college she’d her dad but both of her grandmothers. start to explain more about the business like to go to. “But I am very interested in some“My family helped invest in my first end this season and involve him more four water bikes and then over the last in the decision process so he’s familiar thing in healthcare — specifically physyear, I’ve saved and reinvested to pur- with expenses, sales tax, marketing and ical therapy or mental health. I really like helping people,” she said. chase two additional bikes,” she added. how to expand.” “My dad has been my mentor from Right now, they have six water inception and as we come up on our bikes for rent. You can rent for 90 minthird season,” she continued. “He has utes, half day or full day. By Stefan Yablonski JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

The North American Manure Expo held last year in Arlington, Virginia. This year it will take place July 17-18 in Auburn.

BUSINESS UPDATE

North American Manure Expo Coming to Auburn

Industry-wide expo comes to Cayuga County for the first time By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

bout 2,000 people are expected to attend the North American Manure Expo in Auburn this summer. Held in different locations throughout North America each year, the expo will be part trade show and part farm tour as Cornell’s PRO-DAIRY program leaders along with University of Vermont Extension agents co-host the event. “Folks get to go out to farms and see things happening in our region,” said Jason Oliver, Ph.D., and senior extension associate and dairy environmental system engineer for PRO-DAIRY. “It’s an educational event.” Oliver anticipates attendees from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New England. While manure as a topic may not seem rife with educational opportunities, it certainly is for farmers. Manure represents to agriculture both a problem and an opportunity. Dairy farmers need to do something with their animals’ waste that’s safe, odor-reducing and efficient. One Holstein dairy cow generates about 100 pounds of waste daily. An average dairy herd in New York is 183 head, according to American Dairy Association North East, an industry trade organization. You do the math. That’s a lot of poop.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

But manure also offers opportunities. In light of fluctuating chemical fertilizer prices, averaging per acre $99 in 2020 to $273 in 2022 and now about $160, learning more about using manure for soil fertility makes sense. And learning that manure does far more for farmers. “One of the key takeaways is manure is more than fertilizer,” Oliver said. “It’s a soil health amendment. The organic matter is good for soil. It’s a crucial part of a livestock operation’s circular economy. They’re taking a byproduct of milk production to grow crops. “Our dairies in the Northeast are relatively quite sustainable. They’re producing a lot of their feedstuffs with manure on the farm. The average farm show you might have shiny new manure equipment but you don’t get to see it in action. A big part of the show is seeing it in action. The farmer and custom manure haulers, you can see it performing in the field to shape their understanding of how it works and is it worth investing in.” The expo will include sessions with experts about safety and innovations in agronomy, soil health and the environmental aspects of spreading. Most farmers want to hand down their farms to their children. Part of creating that kind of economic sustainability is JUNE / JULY 2024

protecting the water quality on the farm, including preventing manure runoff into water sources and manure spills. Oliver said that the expo will include sessions on manure spreading, custom liquid spreading by third parties and manure treatment processes that separate solids so they can be sanitized to recycle as bedding. More farmers are turning to lowtill and no-till systems that reduce the amount of tillage on a field. This practice is helpful in maintaining soil health because it disrupts the soil microbiome less than conventional plowing. Oliver said that the expo will discuss ways to inject manure into fields to reduce odors and retain nitrogen and integrate into a low-till or no-till system. “It’s all about best management of those nutrients,” Oliver said. Some farms load manure and sometimes restaurant food waste into on-site methane digesters to generate electricity. Oliver said that one of the farms on the tour operates a digester. Farmers using methane digesters to power their own operations and sell the superfluous electricity to the power company. Annex Media organizes the Manure Expo. The event is slated for July 17-18. Tickets are $5 to $30, depending upon the number of days and tours attended.

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

BUSINESS UPDATE Saving Face Barber Academy’s graduating class in May 2024. The school was started by a barbershop in Camillus, co-owned by Taylor Horsman (standing, second from left).

Saving Face Barbershop Launches Barber School

Can’t find workers? Train them yourself By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

n the wake of a worker shortage, Anthony Nappa found a creative solution: train workers to man his barbershop empire. At age 19, Anthony Nappa founded Saving Face Barbershop in Camillus in 2009. His business has grown to four locations, Manlius (2019), Saratoga Springs (2019) and Baldwinsville (2022). But his most recent venture is Saving Face Barber Academy, a freestanding organization launched Jan. 8. Nappa’s business partner, Taylor Horsman, who co-owns the school and three of Nappa’s barbershops, heads the

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

school. The academy is a state-accredited private trade school which prepares students to take the New York state practical exam and issue a New York state master barber license. Nappa said that the closest barber’s school is in Rochester. That makes it tough to recruit new barbers. The site ourworldisbeauty.com lists two schools in Rochester, one in Albany and three Downstate. Nappa’s school is the seventh barber school statewide. “We’ve apprenticed a lot of people, but we wanted to take a deep dive into how difficult it would be to open a JUNE / JULY 2024

school,” Nappa said. “It was challenging, but the need was there. We want to train these students up and keep some of the good ones and put some into the community. It’s been great so far.” It takes apprentices about two years to complete their education and that’s at the mercy of a busy barber’s schedule. At the academy, students train for five months and 540 credit hours before they can take the state exam. “The driver is that we want to be able to streamline the process of getting licensed barbers,” Nappa said. “There’s not a ton of barbers coming out of

schools but many move to other areas. We can offer job placement to them as well, which is attractive. There’s a demand for it. The scarcity of schools is not reflective of the demand.” At a recent career fair at a high school, Nappa showed the students that there are opportunities to earn a good living that don’t have to do with going to college and ending up “with a mountain of debt,” he said. Saving Face Barber Academy charges $12,400 tuition and nearly immediate placement after licensure. According to state regulations, Saving Face Barber Academy has the capacity to train seven per square feet available at the school. Five graduated in the first group (two men and three women, interestingly) and the next cohort started in June and another will start in October. Each of those slots is filled. Nappa and Horsman dealt with “a lot of red tape with the state” to begin the school. It involved paying fees, assembling a business plan, filling out a plethora of forms and taking courses through the state to become certified as a training school. Horsman acts as its full-time director and instructor and Nappa teaches part-time. A good portion of the early part of the schooling involves book work and theory. Next, students move on to applying their knowledge to mannequins and eventually friends and family. For the second half of the class, they offer $5 haircuts to passersby with an instructor overseeing their work “so people leave looking good, but they know they have students working on their haircuts.” Applicants are required to have a high school diploma or GED. The state requires barbers to be at least 17 years of age. To modify his North Syracuse school’s location into what he needed, Nappa spent about $60,000 and another $25,000 to pay for fees and other administrative expenses to get the school going. He doesn’t view many other barbershops launching their own schools, especially since they cannot do so from their existing shop, according to state regulations. “Getting into this was a headache and cost a lot more than starting a barbershop,” Nappa admitted. “The barrier of entry is a lot harder.” Nevertheless, he sees plenty of opportunity for his graduates. “There are a lot of barber shops out there. Hair keeps growing,” he said.

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Tim Nekritz nekritz@gmail.com

Young Entrepreneurs Flourishing in Central New York Only 6 percent of entrepreneurs are under 30, according to an April 2024 report by Zippi. Meet four CNY young entrepreneurs who are bucking the national trend.

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

hile Upstate New York has long been concerned about the outward migration of young professionals and entrepreneurs, a new generation of business owners continues to emerge. And while Sarah Welkley, Maddie Leszczynski, Cait Devin and Kelly Holbrook have started and run very different businesses, they all have found ways to turn their passions into success. They also buck nationwide entrepreneurship trends. Only 6 percent of entrepreneurs are under 30, according to an April 2024 report by Zippia, a company that provides online recruitment services nationwide. The vast majority (64 percent) are 40 or older. They also stand out in a field where, nationally, men comprise around 58.5 percent of entrepreneurs. For Welkley, who owns and operates Sweets by Sarah Bakery on Main Street in Fair Haven, baking is in her family’s DNA. “My great grandparents and great great grandparents owned two restaurants, one in Seneca Falls and one in Newark,” Welkley said. “Growing up, my whole family baked, and we would spend days baking with my grandmother around the holidays. I always enjoyed baking and watching simple ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, etc. turn into an amazing dessert!” A 2018 graduate from North Rose-Wolcott, Welkley would earn an associate’s degree from Finger Lakes Community College’s culinary school. She started with a roadside pop-up and order-taking business and, living with her fiance near the Red Creek-Wolcott line, “was looking for the perfect spot to open the bakery of my dreams,” she recalled. “Fair Haven is such a beautiful and friendly town, I saw the building up for sale and figured it would be perfect for a bakery.” Welkey was just 20 years old when she looked at the building and 21 when

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JUNE / JULY 2024

the establishment — in a building that had been many things, most recently a pizzeria — on the eastern edge of Fair Haven’s business district opened in 2021. She earned recognition quickly for her quality products and one-pound cinnamon roll. Welkley quickly earned a following and recognition including the Best and Sweetest New Business in Cayuga County Award in 2022 from the Cayuga County Office of Tourism. Across town and on the western shores of Little Sodus Bay, an even younger entrepreneur saw an idea that connects with Fair Haven’s substantial tourism trade. Leszczynski opened her business, Fair Haven Water Bike Rental, on the docks of Turtle Cove Resort and Marina in spring 2022. The 16-year-old has just wrapped up 10th grade but is in her third year of running the business. She recalled seeing water bikes during a visit to Buffalo in summer 2021, and wanted to bring the experience to her local community. The business launched in spring 2022. Strong family role models played a part in this as well. Her parents are Mike Leszczynski, an entrepreneur himself and president of MTC Developments, and Jamie Leszczynski, senior vice president of communications and chief brand officer for Oswego Health. “Both my mom and dad work very hard and their dedication and persistence made me excited to start my own business,” Leszczynski said. Her passion and poise at a young age are evident to customers as well as winning the November 2023 Wayne County Economic Development Corp. Kick Start Business Pitch Event. “I try my best and always make it my goal to give the customer a great overall experience in hopes they will come back,” Leszczynski said. The 22-year-old Devin is a multi-

Tim’s Notes

Young entrepreneur Cait Devin’s endeavors include running Cait’s Character Corner, where she and other employees portray popular children’s characters for birthday parties and other gatherings around Central New York.

Sarah Welkley, owner of Sweets by Sarah Bakery, stands in her shop in Fair Haven.

faceted entrepreneur, performing as before and have found it very beneficial, do a lot more. I used to make films and a singer-songwriter, managing Cait’s so that is so rewarding to know I’m also skits with my friends in middle school, Character Corner, writing for Guitar helping fellow businesses out in the so it feels full circle to be pursuing it.” Devin accomplishes all this despite Weekly and hosting a recurring talk process of doing what I love,” Devin show called “Communicait” with other said. “I’ve always had an immense ad- living with chronic pain because of a miration for working with children, and condition called trigeminal neuralgia; musicians on Instagram Live. “I frequently play live music around getting to implement acting and music she has shared her story on this condition to help others. Central and Upstate New “I just seem to York, sometimes out have an inner comof state,” Devin said. pass leading the way, “I book all of my own “Being a business owner doesn’t mean you get to no matter what obshows and operate kick your feet up and watch everyone do the work stacles present themindependently, so it’s for you. Your business is only as successful as you selves,” Devin said. never not a hustle, but “Creation has always it’s a hustle that I’m personally are.” been a part of me privileged and lucky and it’s fallen hand to have.” - Kelly Holbrook in hand with busiCait’s Character ness management. Corner, about a year Gary Vaynerchuck is and a half old, came someone who I find to when Devin “found be inspirational in the world of entrethat there was a niche within the Utica along with that has been a dream.” In addition, Devin will take her preneurship as I follow him online.” - Rome area catering to family events Holbrook, now 25, was returning with character meet and greets,” which performance skills into film acting, with for her company features Devin and a role in an independent film starting from maternity leave in 2022 when she others playing characters popular with production in August. “It was great realized she wanted more control over timing, because I was just starting to her work and priorities. The result was children. “Many of the venues I work with send out self tapes and scope out nearby the jump to opening Mindful Aesthetic have never had character entertainment opportunities,” Devin said. “I plan to Studio in Salina in July 2023. JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Kelly Holbrook stands in her business, Mindful Aesthetic Studio in Salina.

“I decided to open this business because I wanted a perfectly curated spot to treat my clients that is a warm, inviting space but also provides clinical results,” Holbrook said. The studio is “a salon specializing in aesthetic services,” and while she specializes in facials and treatments for acne, other staff work in such areas as makeup artistry, lash extensions and lifts, eyebrow waxing and other services. “Working under someone limits how much you can be in control of,” Holbrook noted. “My time in the treatment room became more limited after having my son and I felt I needed to use all of my time to its full advantage.” Like some others interviewed for the story, a family role model helped inspire her. “My dad owns a restaurant in Phoenix, N.Y. [RFH Hideaway], and I’ve always admired the hard work that he puts into his business,” Holbrook explained. “He taught me that if you want something you’re the only person that can make it happen for yourself.”

Challenges and rewards

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Leszczynski (not in the photo) opened her business, Fair Haven Water Bike Rental, in spring 2022.

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Being an entrepreneur, especially at a young age, takes a lot of work and versatility. “One thing people may not realize with the bakery is for the most part I am a one-woman show,” Welkley explained. “I do all of the photography, baking, wedding tastings, planning, desserts, cakes, special occasion cakes, online orders, all of the online posts, emails and much more by myself. I do have a few high school helpers on the weekends and in the summer, my parents and husband help me on the weekends, but other than that it’s just me!” Devin said “willpower” is what keeps her on the road to success. “It takes all of you,” she said of entrepreneurship. “There’s a certain kind of finesse when it comes to balancing your mental health and various business endeavors. I’m still mastering that.” “It’s hard to get your scheduling right and handle everything so young,” Leszczynski said. Holbrook noted that many parts of the job are unseen to clients. “For example, not only am I an esthetician seeing clients, I am also the social media manager, doing all the laundry, cleaning lady, bookkeeper and so on,” she said. “Being a business owner doesn’t mean you get to kick your feet up and watch everyone do the work for you. Your business is only as successful as you

personally are.” However “a great support system and schedules” really help business operations as a young mother. “I time-block everything in my day to exactly what needs to be done in order to stay on top,” Holbrook explained. “This even includes creating content for social media and when to post it. Time is so valuable and during my work hours I try to not waste any of it.” But for all the challenges of being a young entrepreneur, those interviewed said the positives far outweigh everything. “My favorite part about running my own business is coming up with an idea and being able to go do it right then and there!” Welkley said. “I love talking and getting to know my customers, I enjoy going to events and meeting new people, telling my story and growing my business.” “My favorite part of running a business is allowing myself to take full creative control,” Holbrook said. “With also being a mom, I am able to create a schedule that supports me and my family during this season of life.” “My favorite part is being able to pick when I can work and being able to pay myself and be in charge,” Leszczynski noted. With Cait’s Character Corner, Devin’s favorite part is “easily getting to provide families with memories that will last a lifetime. The world is tough, so to preserve magic where it can be preserved is really important to me.” The work provides additional satisfaction to Devin as well. “I also get to relive my childhood through going to various birthday party events,” she said. “Having chronic illness — pain as well, I didn’t think I would ever get to feel those feelings again, but I was luckily very wrong. It’s moved me to tears seeing so many children excited and in the present. For my music endeavors such as live gigs, it’s just an honor to explore the music scene and be included amongst such talent in our area.” For anybody, of any age who wants to start a business, Welkley encourages exploring options. “My advice for others would be pursue your dreams.” Welkley said. “No matter how challenging or hard it seems, you really can do anything you put your mind to. I went from baking for friends and family out of my parents’ house, to a small roadside stand, to my now brick-and-mortar bakery in Fair Haven. I am so glad I decided to pursue my dreams.“

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RETIREMENT

How Much Money Do You Need for a Comfortable Retirement? Experts say $1 million may not be enough By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

t may be time to set aside the notion that saving $1 million for retirement means you’re all set and will have no more money worries. In light of soaring inflation, $1 million could be far too little for many people. But many factors help decide how much is “enough” when it comes to retirement funds. Do your retirement plans include travel? And what type of travel? Do you plan to help the grandkids through college? Have you included what you will need for rising medical expenses as you age? Or will your expenses decrease because you plan to move into a smaller home and you no longer need to travel and dress up for work? So how much will you need to retire? “The needed amount depends primarily upon the lifestyle expectations of the individual or couple involved and their other income sources in retirement,” said Randy L. Zeigler, certified financial planner, chartered financial

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consultant and private wealth adviser with Ameriprise Financial Services in Oswego. “There is certainly no one right answer to this question. A couple who both have earned NYS pensions and sizable Social Security benefits due to having had a double income prior to retirement often need much less accumulated capital to support a comfortable retirement lifestyle than someone who worked for a small business that had no retirement plan for its employees.” In addition, the individual’s life expectancy, health and desire to work or not work matter a lot. “People who choose to retire at earlier ages — say 55 or 57 and before being eligible for Social Security income — and do not wish to rely upon work income after they retire (i.e. by pursuing a second career or part-time type of job) will often require much larger capital bases than someone who retires at age 67, Social Security’s normal retirement age for most,” Zeigler said. “So cash flow forms help to document desired lifestyle need and then a clear analysis JUNE / JULY 2024

can be completed to compare needs to available income sources. Inflation must always be taken into account in this analysis since the purchasing power of a fixed pension will decline over time as inflation increases consumer prices over one’s lifetime.” The $1 million goal sounds tidy, like saying we need to drink eight glasses of water a day or take 10,000 steps. But like with these health goals, $1 million isn’t the right answer for every wouldbe retiree. “Not one size fits all,” said Terri Krueger, chartered financial consultant, senior financial adviser and owner of Krueger Advisors, LLC in Syracuse. “It could be $1 million, depending on their lifestyle. It could be $500,000 or $5 million.” Krueger noted that timing also matters, as people who retire younger will naturally require more money for retiring as they will likely spend more of their lives spending and fewer of their years earning. Krueger also said that upcoming

changes in law will affect retirement. Unless the president continues them, the Trump-era Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is slated to end in 2025. “You could have some surprises coming up in regard to increased taxes,” Krueger said. “Increased taxes whittle away at retirement funds. High net worth earners — anyone making $200,000 a year or more — will start to feel the effects of new tax laws as Congress makes them. The gloves are off when the TCJA sunsets.” Krueger listed saving money only in a bank as one of the largest mistakes people make regarding retirement. “Any interest rate paid on a non qualified or non-IRA account is taxed as ordinary income,” she explained. “If you earn 5% and you’re taxed 28% on that gain, you’ve not taken care of inflation. Funds held in an investment account held after 12 months are paid out at a capital gains rate, which could be lowered by capital losses within the same withdrawal. Therefore, your 8% return in the market is far greater than a fixed rate at a bank due to the tax implications.” She encourages anyone concerned about tax implications or who is undergoing any retirement or financial planning to work with a financial adviser who can look at their specific financial situation. Cynthia Scott, a chartered financial consultant and founder and president of OMC Financial Services, Ltd. in DeWitt, also doesn’t adhere to a hard-and-fast rule about a dollar amount goal for retirement. “Unfortunately, the majority of people are not saving enough and will not have enough for retirement,” she said. “As to the amount, it depends on if you have a pension, how much your Social Security is and if you’ve money outside of whatever retirement vehicle you’re using. All of those things come into play.” Her firm advises clients to withdraw from their retirement investments only 5% each year once they retire so that the funds will continue to grow. Withdrawing more would mean the fund would not have a sufficient level to grow. For someone with $1 million, a 5% withdrawal would be $50,000 withdrawn annually. “With Social Security and a pension, it might be enough to live on,” she said. She encourages people to review their plan annually to evaluate whether they’re on track or coming up short.

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RETIREMENT

New Number for Your Retirement: $1.46 Million

mericans’ “magic number” for retirement is surging to an all-time high — rising much faster than the rate of inflation while swelling more than 50% since the onset of the pandemic. These are the latest top-level findings from Northwestern Mutual’s 2024 Planning & Progress Study, the company’s proprietary research series that explores Americans’ attitudes, behaviors and perspectives across a broad set of issues impacting their long-term financial security. U.S. adults believe they will need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, a 15% increase over the $1.27 million reported last year, far outpacing today’s inflation rate which currently hovers between 2% and 3%. Over a five-year span, people’s ‘magic number’ has jumped a whopping 53% from the $951,000 target Americans reported in 2020. By generation, both Gen Z and Millennials expect to need more than $1.6 million to retire comfortably. Highnet-worth individuals — people with more than $1 million in investable assets — say they’ll need nearly $4 million. Meanwhile, the average amount that U.S. adults have saved for retirement dropped modestly from $89,300 in 2023 to $88,400 today, but is more than $10,000 off its five-year peak 52

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of $98,800 in 2021. “In 2023, the soaring cost of eggs in the grocery store symbolized inflation in America. In 2024, it’s nest eggs,” said Aditi Javeri Gokhale, chief strategy officer, president of retail investments and head of institutional investments at Northwestern Mutual. “People’s ‘magic number’ to retire comfortably has exploded to an all-time high, and the gap between their goals and progress has never been wider. Inflation is expanding our expectations for retirement savings, and putting the pressure on to plan and stay disciplined. Making a ‘magic number’ appear isn’t about waving a wand; it’s about using time-tested techniques and learning from a skilled adviser.” Across all segments, there are large gaps between what people think they’ll need to retire and what they’ve saved to date.

The ‘Silver Tsunami’ is here In 2024, more than four million Americans will turn 65. That’s an average of 11,000 Americans per day, and it will continue through 2027. It’s the largest surge of Americans hitting the traditional retirement age in history. The 2024 Planning & Progress Study found that among generations closest to retirement, just half of boomJUNE / JULY 2024

ers (49%) and Gen X (48%) believe they will be financially prepared when the time comes. On average, Gen X believes there is a 42% chance they could outlive their savings, while boomers put the probability at 37%. Across both generations, more than a third (37% and 38%, respectively) have not taken any steps to address the possibility of outliving their savings. “The ‘Silver Tsunami’ is here,” said Gokhale. “While younger generations are focused on building wealth and protecting what they’ve already built, Gen X and boomers have an additional important task: paying themselves first in retirement. Where they have savings can be just as important as how much they have saved. Done well, a comprehensive financial plan can preserve thousands of hard-earned dollars to fund these golden years. For anyone who is not sure how to streamline and preserve every penny, an expert financial adviser can be a great resource.” When digging into some of the most pressing challenges associated with retirement planning, the research shows that boomers and Gen X don’t have markedly strong confidence in their preparedness.

RETIREMENT

Retirement Plans for Sole Proprietors By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ole proprietors don’t have an employer matching their 401k contributions or setting up a pension program. They do have options for saving for retirement — and it’s important to start doing so early. “You can do so many things,” said Terri Krueger, chartered financial consultant, senior financial adviser and owner of Krueger Advisors, LLC in Syracuse. She listed a simplified employee pension (SEP), SIMPLE IRA, solo 401(k) and traditional IRA for those with modest earnings from their business. “If your business is growing and you have revenue that’s very high, you can borrow from yourself from a non retirement account,” Krueger added. “There are also insurance policies that can grow tax-deferred and transfer to heirs tax-free which will help them with the tax implications they will receive.”

She encourages people planning for their retirement to enlist the help of a financial adviser who can address their specific situation. In addition to the Roth IRA and regular IRA savings vehicle, Cynthia Scott, a chartered financial consultant and founder and president of OMC Financial Services, Ltd. in DeWitt, advises the solo 401k for those who have registered their business as an LLC. “They can contribute as employee and as employer,” Scott said. “The amount they can contribute is quite substantial. I have a client who can contribute $50,000 a year. It’s based on income. It gives someone substantially more money to put away if they have it.” The solo 401k is only an option to sole proprietors — not entrepreneurs who have employees. Saving for retirement through investments should be regular and not sporadic. Contributing systematically

to an IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA or solo 401(k) builds capital, explained Randy L. Zeigler, certified financial planner, chartered financial consultant and private wealth adviser with Ameriprise Financial Services in Oswego. Although matching contribution from an employer “would be great, the bigger issue is getting money invested to support one’s retirement,” Zeigler said. “I strongly advise my clients to diversify their retirement investments and not treat their business as their primary retirement asset.” Some people believe that once they’re ready to retire, they can live off the proceeds of the sale of their business. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out the way they had imagined. Their heirs may not possess the funds or credit rating required to buy or borrow to buy the business, for example. Or they may not have interest in taking over the business at all.

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Selling to someone outside the family may not work out as a means to fund retirement either. “A business may not be worth what the owner expects or forecasts when it is actually time to retire, ––as industry trends and values can change,” Zeigler said. “Building retirement investment capital to support one’s retirement, in addition to the business value, helps to create greater surety of the ability to retire in a financially sound position or at an earlier age than anticipated — should that be needed due to health or family circumstances. “Business owners can always create non qualified investment accounts in addition to qualified plans like IRAs, SEP IRAs and 401(k) plans as noted above to build retirement capital too.”

Popular Financial Retirement Plans for Sole Proprietors • Simplified employee pension (SEP) — An individual retirement account (IRA) available to employers or self-employed people that often has higher contribution limits that annual and higher than regular IRAs and 401(k)s. Account holders can skip contributions in years when the business revenue is down. • SIMPLE IRA — A traditional IRA for small companies and self-employed people that offers tax-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth until withdrawn in retirement. Self-employed people can contribute 25% of their net earnings, up to $61,000 in 2024. • Solo 401(k) (aka individual 401(k) – Self-employed people act as the contributing employer and employee, meaning the contribution level is higher than a traditional 401(k) since the self-employed can match their own contribution and the contributions can help lower the taxable income. The investments allowed include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, real estate investment trusts and more. Withdrawals after age 59.5 are free from federal income tax. • Traditional IRA – It wasn’t really designed for self-employed people but can still work for them. The contributions are tax-deductible up to $7,000 per year (plus $1,000 additional “catch-up” contributions for those older than 50).

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RETIREMENT Edd and Cynthia Staton: “We both started receiving Social Security at age 62 ... when the Great Recession of 2008 swept away our careers and much of our net worth.”

Glad We Started Collecting Social Security Benefits at 62 ‘In making our decision, we ran all the numbers, including the most valuable number of all: time’ By Edd and Cynthia Staton

s retirement approaches you must face the question, “What is the best age for me to claim Social Security?” Experts declare that you should avoid taking reduced payments at 62 unless you need the money immediately or have health issues that may shorten your lifespan. They almost unanimously advise waiting until full retirement age (66 and 6 months in 2024) to receive 100% of benefits earned. Postponing until the maximum payout at age 70 is even better, since 8% is added to your monthly check for each year you delay.

A Missing Term in the Equation From a purely financial perspective, 56

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the logic is irrefutable. But there is another asset often ignored. One that could be considered even more valuable than money because it is constantly being spent and can never be saved. Time. We both started receiving Social Security at age 62, and it has turned out to be one of the best decisions we have ever made. Well, actually the choice was made for us when the Great Recession of 2008 swept away our careers and much of our net worth. Had what seemed at the time like a calamity not happened, we would have most likely followed conventional wisdom and kept working to save more money. Instead we took a leap of faith, moved abroad to a lower cost of living and found ourselves staring at a blank canvas titled “Our Future” far sooner JUNE / JULY 2024

than planned. It is said there are three phases of retirement — Go-Go (age 60 to 70), Slow-Go (70 to 80) and No-Go (80 and up). We hit the ground running at the beginning of our Go-Go period, and what an unexpected blessing those extra years have turned out to be in the following important aspects of life.

Improved Health It is estimated that seven out of 10 Americans aged 65 and older will need some form of costly long-term care. The most proactive way to be among the 30% who avoid this expense is by optimizing your health. Full-time workers have trouble finding enough hours in their schedule for fitness and healthy food prepara-

tion. A recent study reveals only 25% of American adults meet CDC exercise standards, while another indicates a paltry 10% eat enough vegetables. Early retirement provides an opportunity to jump start improving one’s health. In addition to our pedestrian lifestyle (we haven’t owned a car for 14 years), devoting time each week to strength training, yoga and cardiovascular exercise keeps us in outstanding physical condition. Creating nutritious meals filled with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is a fun activity instead of a chore.

Less Stress According to the American Psychological Association, stress is at an all-time high in the United States. At the same time, research from Age Wave and Merrill Lynch reveals that retirement is the happiest and most content period of our lives. Our experience certainly mirrors those findings. Leaving behind financial worries and the daily grind by retiring early has rewarded us with bonus years to expand our social network and pursue long-postponed activities and new interests.

More Time with Grandchildren Before moving to Ecuador we lived three time zones from our family. That travel distance combined with limited vacation days made visits shorter and less frequent than we desired. Now, even though our residence is on a different continent, we have been fortunate to spend weeks at a time each year being with our grandchildren as they’ve grown from infants to pre-teens. This level of connection would have been difficult with only occasional long weekend trips.

Active Travel We can share from a travel perspective that the Go, Slow and No-Go periods are accurately described. During the first decade of early retirement we flew back to the States multiple times each year as our four grandchildren were born. Between visits we explored Ecuador, cruised around the tip of South America, and spoke at conferences throughout Latin America. Post-COVID, we recently concluded a full-time travel adventure of 2.5 years to Mexico, Europe, Colombia,

Argentina and locations within the United States. Now squarely in the Slow-Go years, we are acutely aware that the level of activity we sustained for over a decade is no longer possible despite being in excellent health. Our bank balance would without a doubt be higher if we could have waited until age 67 or 70 to begin collecting Social Security. Yet looking back, how thankful we are to have retired early and been able to share so many priceless memories during those initial retirement years.

How Long You Live vs. How Much As you contemplate when to begin receiving Social Security benefits, carefully envision your ideal retirement. What do you want to accomplish, see and do? If you intend to work until the maximum retirement age of 70, keep in mind that the Social Security Administration estimates that American men who reach that age are likely to live another 13.5 years, on average; American women, almost another 16 years. Keeping this information in mind, be realistic about your physical capabilities when making plans. Do you really want to spend the most active years you have left in the office and your entire, extended retirement in your Slow-Go and No-Go years? How unfortunate it would be to devote your Go-Go years to the workplace, only to find yourself having to use the extra income to pay for health issues instead of enjoying those activities you’ve looked forward to. It is tempting to fear you can never accumulate sufficient assets to retire comfortably. Instead, consider asking yourself, “How can I manifest the future I’ve dreamed of with what I have?” Discovering ways to make more money in retirement is possible. But you can never create another minute of precious time.

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Edd and Cynthia Staton write about retirement, expat living and health and wellness. They are authors of three best-selling books and creators of Retirement Reimagined!, an online program to help people considering the retirement option of moving abroad. Visit them at www.eddandcynthia.com. Story republished with permission from www.nextavenue.org.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

THIS PAGE: Scrap bucket is moved over the furnace; old recycled scrap will be melted down to make new steel. OPPOSITE PAGE: Finished rebar is stored waiting to be loaded and shipped; finished products from the Nucor Steel Auburn facility are shipped via truck and rail. Photos provided 58

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MANUFACTORING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Nucor Auburn Prepares to Celebrate 50 in Central New York With a new general manager and a new generation of workers, company is poised for more growth By Stefan Yablonski

ucor is one of the few steel manufacturers in the region. Located in Auburn, it is one of the largest companies in Cayuga County. The company is preparing to celebrate 50 years in Central New York. Like many companies, Nucor is poised for significant growth as a results of the government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Buy America program).

What’s new at Nucor? “Our team! Of our roughly 275 teammates, more than half of them have been with the company less than 10 years. Having so much new talent is a new situation for us,” said Blake Turner, head of human resources. Also new is the plant’s general manager. Metka Kolm has served as GM of Nucor Steel Auburn since November 2023. She began her career with Nucor in 2010 as an accountant at the company’s bar mill division located in Norfolk, Nebraska. Metka has held multiple roles over the 13 years in Nucor — from accounting, technology and business process teams. The last six years she’s been controller in the Nebraska division. Metka and her husband, Allen, are the parents of two children. “My vision for the team is a future where every teammate goes home safe every day and our division meets and exceeds its financial goals, while being

a partner in the Auburn community and New York,” Kolm said. “That’s the vision we’re striving for. We’re building a culture where safety is the foundation of our success, driving innovation and efficiency that leads to sustainable profitability.” Turner said, “Our big focus at this point is setting up our business for the next generation. We are a multi-generational facility.” In May 2025, Nucor will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Auburn mill and many of their teammates who had spent multiple decades at the mill have recently hit retirement age, he added. “As a result, we have needed to bring in a lot of new talent at Nucor Steel Auburn. With so many new teammates, we have been challenging ourselves to look at our operations from a new perspective,” he said. For example, they have asked the new teammates to use their fresh eyes to see where and how Nucor can improve on the safety front. At Nucor, safety is the No. 1 priority, “because we work in an industry where any incident can

shatter lives.” “That is why we have worked to create a culture where working safely is the most important thing we can do. Our main focus each day is to send our team home to their families and loved ones in the same way they came in,” he said. They are also working on doing a better job at telling Nucor’s sustainability story. “At our Auburn mill, 97% of the inputs we use to make our steel is recycled content, which results in some of the cleanest steel being made anywhere in the world today. The recycled content we use comes from scrap metal that is sourced locally — so instead of this material being dumped in a landfill, we are able to take it and turn it into new steel that goes into the everyday world around us,” Turner explained. “And when those products hit their end of their useful life — whether it’s a highrise, a bridge or a highway — we will reclaim the scrap and do it all over again.” Nationwide, Nucor recycles more than 20 million tons of steel across 26 mills and turns it into new steel. This method of steelmaking has made Nucor the largest recycler of any type of material in North America and one of the top five recyclers in the world. “Recycling has also made us one of the most sustainable steel producers in the world. Our Nucor steel mills produce less than 1% of the particulate emissions and are only one-third as carbon-intensive compared to traditional

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Steel products at the Nucor Steel Auburn facility are made up of over 97% recycled scrap steel. All the scrap use at the company is sourced within 200 mile radius. Photo provided.

extractive steelmaking methods that use a blast furnace and require coking coal,” Turner said. “And our Auburn bar is even cleaner! Because we produce our bar steel using nearly 100% recycled content and clean hydroelectric electricity to power our furnace, Nucor Steel Auburn’s greenhouse gas intensity is only 4%-5% of the average extractive steelmaker using a blast furnace.”

What the future holds Local officials are excited about the future as the expected growth and changes to the area provide a huge opportunity and need for steel. “With a renewed interest in manufacturing and bringing good manufacturing jobs back to the United States — and specifically to Central New York — we are excited for the future of our region and all it has to offer,” he said. “In addition, large investments are being made in education, specifically in skilled trades and we believe that these investments will continue to produce new opportunities and new teammates for our facility for many years to come. We are also excited to be rolling out a new partnership with the MOST [Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology in Syracuse], which we will use to strengthen our commitment 60

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the local community and to educate students and others about our modern steelmaking operations.” They also see some challenges on the horizon, he added. The steel industry in this area competes in the global marketplace and not only does Nucor have competition from domestic steel manufactures, “we also have to compete with international steel manufacturers that do not have the same high standards compared to the U.S. with regard to safety and sustainability,” Turner said. “As we look to the future, we are looking at what is coming from a regulation and energy standpoint. Operationally, we rely heavily on our ability to procure reliable and affordable baseload power and so far have benefited from having access to a robust and clean electric grid. With new pending regulations and changes to how the state views energy use, we find ourselves navigating some new challenges, but we are confident that we can find a solution that benefits both the state of New York and Nucor,” Turner said.

Schumer supports US steel During a stop at Nucor in Auburn on May 20, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–NY) called on JUNE / JULY 2024

the federal government to stop China and other countries from sending steel through Mexico to avoid tariffs. When cheap, Chinese-made steel products flood the market through Mexico, it hurts Central New York steel producers like Nucor in Auburn, Crucible Steel in Geddes and Novelis in Oswego, which cannot compete with this “unfair dumping,” Schumer said. “The Biden administration’s just-announced actions to hit back against China’s continued rule-breaking are a big step in the right direction. But more needs to be done now to address the Mexico steel dumping loophole,” Schumer said in his announcement. “That’s why I am calling on the feds to level the playing field for American-made steel and prevent Chinese exports from exploiting loopholes to gain access to U.S. markets.” The Trump administration negotiated the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and left loopholes when it comes to Chinese exports entering the U.S. market via Mexico, the senator said. To support American manufacturers, President Biden has committed to tripling the existing section 301 tariff rate on Chinese steel and aluminum from 7.5% to 25%.

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MANUFACTORING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Polycaster, a fully polymer electric guitar designed and fabricated by Think Variant, features classic 1960s rock and roll electronics. It stands out as one of the first fully 3D printed guitars.

Think Variant’s Goal: Making the Impossible Possible

Southern Oswego County startup merges 3D metal printing with other manufacturing techniques, holds 90 patents By Stefan Yablonski

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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The Polycaster, a fully polymer electric guitar designed and fabricated by Think Variant, features classic 1960s rock and roll electronics. It stands out as one of the first fully 3D printed guitars.

Think Variant leadership team, from left: Isaac Budmen, Harold Watkins, Scott Antonacci, Matthew Antonacci and Stephanie Budmen.

hink Variant, “a machine shop of the 21st century,” is a small start-up company that is doing cutting edge products in the town of Schroeppel in southern Oswego County. They have 10 employees. Founded by Scott Antonacci, Stephanie Budmen, Harold Watkins and Isaac Budmen, its origin is rooted in the COVID-19 pandemic. The Budmens were running Face Shield Operation at Budmen Industries, continuously producing about 200 face shields every 24 hours using 3D printing. “Spring 2021 is when we all officially gathered for the first time. Steph, my wife, and I, had been running Budmen Industries officially since 2016; before that we were freelance. We started that business to manufacture desktop 3D printers for creative professionals and then when the pandemic hit, we started making face shields,” said Isaac Budmen. During this time, “we received a call from Scott Antonacci and Harold Watkins, who proposed the idea of injection molding to scale up production,” he explained. “Injection molds are not cheap; they’re like tens of thousands of dollars, right? Hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. We said that would be

amazing, but I gotta tell ya, I don’t think it’s in the budget. And Harold said, ‘don’t worry about it, we think we can make that happen.’” They quickly adapted the design; manufactured the mold and delivered the first batch of 600 injection-molded shields within five days. “This rapid and effective collaboration allowed us to donate more than 30,000 shields statewide [between Buffalo and Albany], showcasing the power of merging 3D printing with other manufacturing techniques. That was the moment where I think the four of us thought ‘wow,’” he said. “The pandemic had brought the four of us together and there was just such great working relationship, such an overlap of shared values and purpose.” That success led them to envision a future where they could continue to innovate together. “Steph and I were looking at using Scott’s business R&D Design and Associates to do some of the injection molding of the component for our next project,” Budmen said. “As we got to working with Scott and talking with Harold, the four of us just started to solidify this idea — what if we could direct print 3D metal, what if the four of us work together? This feels good! That’s where it all came from.”

Their name reflects the circumstances that brought them together — a COVID ‘variant’ — “and embodies our philosophy of challenging convention at every step,” he added. “We seek to make the impossible possible, pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in manufacturing — to accelerate the rate of human innovation by developing unconventional manufacturing technologies and providing 21st-century solutions.”

Experience Think Variant’s team of unique individuals has more than 50-plus years of experience in mechanical, robotic and electrical engineering, software design and design thinking. Collectively, they have more than 90 patents and have been featured on CNN, Fox News, NBC, ABC and Wired Magazine for their work in additive manufacturing. “It’s a team that has a shared set of character values and the four of us together — there is energy there — there are very few moments of adversity that we ever have any trouble coming through it,” Budmen said. “Working with these folks is like the greatest time of my life.” They bridge their expertise in advanced technology and traditional

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Metal Parts Demonstrating Diverse Technologies: Metal parts produced using both modern and traditional technologies, including laser cut and bent sheet metal parts, CNC machined components, and binder-jet 3D printed pieces. These parts are made from various grades of steel and aluminum.

manufacturing solutions “to help our clients move from prototype to full-scale production. Additionally, we create our own cutting-edge technologies to address unique challenges and push the boundaries of what’s possible in manufacturing,” he added. “We’ve always been here [the L. Mike Treadwell Industrial Park]. Happy to be here, we have some great neighbors,” he said. “We share space with Scott’s legacy company R&D Design and Associates. They are primarily focused on injection molding and they have part of this facility and we just put up a new building just across from that building.” Think Variant does two business operations. One is developing technology. The other one is they are a solutions provider, Budmen explained. “Folks will come to us with, ‘hey, we have this one issue with this one part which we’re trying to do something better with’ — we can do that one part and help them with design issues, produce the part for them or we can do the full assembly. We do everything from prototype all the way to distribution.” The challenges change all the time. Their favorite projects, favorite clients, are the ones who say, ‘everybody else we took this to said the part can’t be made or can’t be molded or we can’t do it in this material. Do you agree?’ “And what we’ll say is, we don’t 64

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know, but we’re willing to try and find out,” he said. “And most of the time we end up finding a path for them. We love that challenge. I think that is like the connecting tissue for the four of us — ooh somebody said it can’t be done — there’s got to be a way to do it, right?” There is a variety of different ways of doing it [printing metal], he said. “We’re about to file provisional patents but we’re not there yet. A printer that we make in house, the Vault 3D Printer, is capable of printing full size car hoods. It’s the largest 3D printing services in Upstate New York,” he said. “The desktop systems we have coming on line have a build area of about 20 inches by 12 by 12 — so smaller parts.”

Genius “We are working with two of the Genius NY companies,” he said. Genius NY is a startup accelerator sponsored by Empire State Development that invests $3 million annually into seed-stage startups focused on uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility. “One is Blueflite who makes the emergency delivery drones. And the other is Greenjets who make propulsion systems for drones,” he said. “We were introduced to both of JUNE / JULY 2024

them this past fall. They were looking for local manufacturing and it’s a great fit for both of our teams. “Startups are always focused on the bottom line. We are trying to get them to the next level. We are big believers in rising tides for small boats and when it comes to how we price and work with our clients we want to cheer them on and get the big win with them. So we don’t charge them too much up front; we want to truly set them up for success so we can grow together.”

Long relationship Scott and Harold have a relationship going back about 15, 20 years, Budmen said. “Harold is a mechanical engineer who has quite the repertoire of patents; I think it’s 70-something at most recent count. He had been working in the connector industry for different organizations around Central New York. He was looking for a supplier to mold something and he and Scott formed a very strong relationship, taking on ambitious molding projects together. They were able to mold things that people were saying you could never mold. The two of them would be like, ‘hmm, let’s give it a try.’ And so the two of them built this incredible repertoire and reputation in injection molding by being willing to try things that the industry wasn’t willing to.”

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MANUFACTORING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

THIS PAGE: John Sharkey IV, president of Universal Metal Works. NEXT PAGE: A metal sign for a theater company. Welder woking on a new part.

Universal Metal Works Streamlines Operations Company recently invested half million dollars in new equipment

By Stefan Yablonski

niversal Metal Works has made a big investment in its future. John Sharkey IV, president of Universal Metal Works, said the effort is to streamline the organization and make it more efficient. “We are continually striving to grow by expanding our client base and 66

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growing into different sectors,” he said. “At one point, we were approximately 80% in the paper converting industry and we are now approximately 30% in that industry. The decrease is a result of expanding our customer base and evolving into different sectors.” The metal fabrication facility locatJUNE / JULY 2024

ed at 159 Hubbard St., Fulton, specializes in design and engineering, assembly, complete pre-assembly and more. Among the services at Universal Metal Works are saw-cutting, water-jet cutting, laser cutting, welding and fabrication. Its biggest investment in the past year has been in the forming department. “We have invested over $500,000 in the department in the last year and have made a major investment in our machine shop over the last few years,” he said. “We have really been focused on streamlining our organization and making it more efficient. We moved a bunch of equipment around. We are set up a lot more efficiently now.” During that process the company purchased some new machines as well

— $500,000 for the investment on the forming area. “We have two big lasers that were part of the reorganization,” he said. “They’re at the end of the facility to make it more streamlined.” The lasers are Mazak 4.0kw machines and they both have the ability to cut one-inch mild steel and a half-inch stainless steel, he explained. “The Cincinnati machine is part of our half million dollar investment in our forming area,” he said. It is a 350-ton machine with precision tooling; it has a 16-foot bed with 14 foot between and is loaded up with seven-axis CNC controls, hydraulic clamping, auto crowning and sheet followers. “This allows us to compete with high-volume precision forming,” he

said. Additionally in that area, the white “Pacific” brake has a 20-foot bed and is a 400-ton machine that is capable of bending three-eighths inch HR A36 Plate at 20 foot. “The white Mazak Mill is part of our investment in the machining area. The machine is a MAZAK VTC 80030SRKY and has really allowed us to expand our machining department,” he added. “We do any kind of fabricated parts. We do that for a lot of different customers, a lot of different municipalities,” he said. “The scope of the projects we have done in the past vary from parts that are less than $1 to large capital projects that exceed a half a million dollars. We are an extremely flexible organization that is able to adapt to our customers’ needs.”

“It will be 14 years in September. Before that it was C and C Metal Fabrication. My father purchased it in 2010 and changed the name to Universal Metal Works,” he said. “We have around 30 employees; a couple part-time, too. That is where we have been for the past couple of years. “The difference at Universal Metal Works is our employees. We strive to hire and retain employees that are both smart and talented. We look for employees that are able to problem solve, interpret prints and complete multiple steps of a project. Our employees are true craftsmen and are able to interpret prints, fabricate and weld. “We are hoping this creates a lot of new opportunities for our company. We’d like to continue to improve, but we are running out of real estate,” he said.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Nicole Broadnax and Egzona Imeri were the first to receive their Journeyworker certificates for the Software Developer trade with the City of Syracuse under MACNY group sponsorship.

MACNY Works to Make Manufacturing Stronger Syracuse-based nonprofit boasts over 300 business members across the region

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

anufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), a nonprofit 501(c)(6) association, is 111 years old. Although begun as the Manufacturing Association of Syracuse, the organization now serves 26 counties and at 342 members represents the state’s largest manufacturing trade organization. “We serve the smallest to the largest organizations,” said Randy Wolken, president and CEO. “We also have non-manufacturing members like architectural firms and law firms. It’s a wide variety of organizations that want to make manufacturing stronger.” MACNY hosts about 200 events annually, including tours, networking opportunities, educational seminars and an annual dinner for members. In addition, MACNY serves as a state leader for manufacturing advocacy at the local, state and federal level. 68

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“We do that for all types of manufacturing issues like taxation, energy policy and workforce policy, specifically HR,” Wolken said. “We cover the gamut.” MACNY is also the go-to for regional workforce development as it provides program management for more than 24 different trades in apprenticeships. Currently, MACNY manages 1,000 individual apprentices administered from places local to the region between Buffalo and Long Island. Direct apprenticeship programs prepare less experienced workers for apprenticeship programs. “Manufacturing jobs are very technical,” Wolken said. “Because they’re technical, some preparation is very helpful. With a high school diploma and 12 weeks’ training, you can go to work in many manufacturing facilities and have a great career pathway. Manufacturing JUNE / JULY 2024

has significantly evolved. AI is used in manufacturing, for example. You’re seeing a greater need for technical skills.” Beginning in middle school through high school, MACNY’s Partners for Education in Business program offers career awareness and preparation for careers in manufacturing. MACNY works with 24 different school districts in various New York state counties and operates five P-TECH programs in schools. As high-tech learning opportunities in high schools, P-TECH aids in creating an easier segue from school to manufacturing. “Career awareness, career preparation and apprenticeship are our largest focuses,” Wolken said. “We serve thousands of young people and people statewide.” MACNY’s services to employers extend beyond workforce development. MACNY also provides members with a healthcare consortium for those who have 100 to 500 employees so they can collectively purchase health insurance. A larger employee pool in a health insurance plan lowers costs because the risk is spread further. MACNY offers members advice on HR matters — a big help for smaller firms that lack a human resources department. Issues in human resources can become costly, both in money and in company reputation. Manufacturers tend to specialize to become profitable, yet that can also feel isolating. MACNY tries to bring manufacturers together for their mutual benefit. “MACNY becomes their go-to for networking, for being competitive in the 21st century,” Wolken said. “Manufacturers rarely compete with each other, so they learn from each other. Our factory tours are very popular because they learn how to get safer and lower waste. Collectively, we can be stronger than any one on its own.” Annual membership ranges from $1,000 to $9,000, depending upon the company size, but the average is $1,000. Wolken said that although that’s higher than a chamber of commerce membership, “the service level is deeper and broader.” “We’re growing as an organization, in size and numbers and in features and opportunities,” Wolken said. “The most significant growth sector in Upstate is manufacturing. This is our time. It’s growing. Making your mark in the last 100 years as a manufacturer has never been more exciting. Now is the time to invest in the community.”

By Brian M. Durant

Workforce Development Always a Priority at Cayuga Community College

t’s a fascinating moment in Central New York, especially if you’re looking at your career pathways and potential. It seems wherever we turn we see new industries forming or established companies breaking ground on exciting new initiatives. This optimistic spirit speaks well of the creativity and determination of our business and industry leaders and the promise these ventures offer our communities. What they need to succeed, more than ever, is a workforce determined to keep pace with emerging career skills, training and trends. That’s where Cayuga Community College and other institutions fill an essential role in our region. In any industry, the skills needed to succeed are not stagnant. Employers are always looking for a workforce that’s ready to change and grow with them — and community colleges like Cayuga are a prime resource to access training and courses. We actively work with employers to make sure our courses stress the skills they need in their workforce, thereby helping the employees or potential employees identify new career opportunities. Everybody wins with this team-based approach and it’s a theory we’ve embraced at Cayuga. At the heart of our efforts in Cayuga County is the emerging Cayuga Community College Workforce Development Center. Located on Grant Avenue in the city of Auburn, once opened this facility will serve as a one-stop option for those looking to identify career options, access employment services, register for trainings and more. Cayuga’s Office of Community Education and Workforce Development will be located in the building, as will other career- and employment-dedicated agencies. The Workforce Development Center is under construction, but we expect that it will open in late 2024 or in 2025. At our Fulton Campus, construction is moving quickly on the new Oswego County Regional Police Academy. This exciting project, developed in conjunction with the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies, will

‘Cayuga has an array of courses and pathways for high school students and we’re always looking for ways to expand these platforms to prepare students for the future.’ create an opportunity for students to simultaneously earn their degree and complete Phase I of the academy. It will also connect students with local law enforcement agencies. This not only helps our students identify potential careers, but also creates a pool of possible employees for regional agencies and employers. Oswego County was a tremendous supporter of this initiative, awarding $400,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to Cayuga for its completion. Construction should be complete this year. On both campuses, students and community members can take advantage of classes at our Advanced Man-

ufacturing Institutes. With Micron and its promise of significant career opportunities in the near future on everyone’s mind, it’s important now more than ever to secure a seat in training programs. Cayuga offers extensive manufacturing-focused training programs. One of the strengths of these opportunities include credit- and non-credit options. Already earned a degree but you need to take one or two classes to boost your skills? We offer that. Need to earn a degree in the next one or two years in mechanical or electrical technology? We offer that, too. All of these courses and programs are designed with your future success in mind. Workforce and training opportunities at Cayuga include our partnerships with local school districts. Cayuga has an array of courses and pathways for high school students and we’re always looking for ways to expand these platforms to prepare students for the future. We’ll have more announcements about degree pathways for students in the months ahead. But I want to mention two specific opportunities for students that are already available. Cayuga offers two dual enrollment distance learning pathways connected to manufacturing: advanced manufacturing and industrial maintenance technology. Students who complete these programs will not only earn certificates, but also the skills needed to begin pursuing a successful career in the regional manufacturing market. Cayuga and our like-minded community partners are here to help, no matter what your current or planned career pathway. We know the importance and skill of our workforce and we believe their undeniable talent is an essential element to our regional growth and success. That’s why we’re here, with the classes and degrees you need to take the next step in your career. Let us know what we can do for you.

BRIAN M. DURAN is the president of Cayuga Community College in Auburn. The college also has a campus in Fulton.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Brian Heffron is the administrator of workforce development and community relations at the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi).

Students from P-TECH work in the mechanical technology lab at Onondaga Community College.

Area Industry, Students Benefiting from CiTi Program By Stefan Yablonski

he relationship between local industry and students in high school is reaping rewards to manufacturers who recognize the value of staying proactive, according to Brian Heffron, administrator of workforce development and community relations at the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi). “You’ve got some very passionate people in this county. Back in 2016, when we were just starting this program, we had to go knock on doors and ask industries to like us,” he said. “We have come a long way since then. Now it’s like they just come to us. It’s funny how things have changed in just eight, 10 years.” The success they are experiencing

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with students successfully transitioning from school to workspaces is rooted in an active investment from industry to build relationships with students as early as ninth grade, he said.

Workforce development recognition In February, Oswego County met goals established by ACT to become the first designated Work-Ready Community in New York state as well as the northeastern United States. “What this designation recognizes is that we have a certain percentage of individuals in the community who have completed the ACT Work Keys career assessments and we have a certain

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percentage of employers in the county who have recognized the value of the ACT Work Keys in supporting an individual’s transition into employment,” Heffron said. “This is a significant achievement — the outcome of partnerships between Oswego County IDA, Shineman Foundation, CiTi BOCES, Oswego County Workforce Development. More kids are choosing to work toward careers. At [high school] graduations it used to be they announced all the kids [going to colleges] and then they’d add ‘workforce,’ he said. “And now, it’s like kids are going workforce — great money, a great investment for the community. The old perception is changing, a lot. And

I find that is changing with parents as well since when I started in 2016,” Heffron added. “The purpose of a career program is to transition kids into careers. The majority of questions I get from parents is, ‘how many credits does this transfer over to the college degree?’ Yes, they do transfer over — but the purpose is to ready the kids to enter the workforce. “I think parents had that stigma thing — ‘oh, your kid is going to workforce.’ Now it’s more like, ‘Do you know what happened to Joe who graduated last year? He’s working for Novelis or

National Grid and making X amount of dollars.’ All of a sudden it is becoming a lot more attractive.” When other kids hear about what a kid has done after the program — they are going to want to do it, Heffron said. “I think that’s why we are seeing a record number of students this year. Micron has helped tremendously; they have a publicity machine that is far greater than anything we’ve ever had. A lot of parents are asking, ‘my kid wants to work at Micron, how does he do that?’ This is becoming normal now.” What he hears most from em-

ployers and what sets these graduates entering the field apart from traditional pathways is their advancement in the areas of professional skills, he added. “Manufacturing, in terms of student population, is one of our biggest programs. I would say our biggest and most popular courses are things like welding, heavy equipment … handson,” Heffron said. “We have started to see some upticks in our nursing program and even in our coding program. “We’re excited here. We are running out of room — we’ve got to find more room, more classes.”

CiTi Programs Driving Changes in Workforce Landscape CiTi programs are actively driving the transformation of Central New York’s workforce landscape through innovative initiatives and strategic partnerships. Examples include the following: • CiTi’s Career Technical Education Program in Central New York offers 18 industry-based programs with opportunities for work-based learning and internships. Each program is approved by NYSED, providing students with a range of benefits including academic credits, graduation pathways and industry certifications. The instructors, mostly industry professionals, bring real-world experience to the classroom, while industry advisory committees ensure curriculum relevance. Additionally, the program covers all costs for supplies, materials, certifications, and licensures, removing barriers for students pursuing careers in local industries. • CiTi’s Distance Learning Program, in collaboration with Onondaga Community College and Cayuga Community College, has been enriching high school education with early college opportunities for 25 years. Open to students in grades 10-12 from various districts, the program seamlessly integrates college-level courses through interac-

tive videoconferencing. State-of-theart labs support synchronous and asynchronous classes, facilitating up to four districts simultaneously. Currently offering pathways in American sign language, health science, general education and criminal justice, the program is expanding to include advanced manufacturing and teaching assistant-teacher pathways. Students can earn up to 12-14 college credits per year, with courses contributing to potential certifications or associate degrees. The program, which supported 577 enrollments in 2023-24, demonstrates its commitment to workforce readiness through initiatives like Virtual Summer College, providing comprehensive educational opportunities beyond the traditional academic year. • CiTi’s Adult Education offerings, including practical nursing and entry level driver training, are actively boosting Central New York’s workforce. With practical nursing, the program plans to enroll 50 students, offering a comprehensive 1,200-hour curriculum encompassing didactic, lab and clinical experiences, leading to certification as practical nurses who serve vital roles in healthcare settings. Meanwhile, the entry-level driver training program, enrolling up to 80 students annually, adheres to

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration standards; ensuring graduates become safe drivers who meet industry regulations. Graduates of both programs find employment in essential sectors such as healthcare facilities, trucking, construction, and government departments, thus directly addressing workforce demands in the region. • CiTi’s Pathway in Education Early College High School (P-TECH) program is actively enhancing the future workforce in Central New York by offering ninth-grade students a unique opportunity to earn both high school and college credits through an advanced manufacturing pathway. This program, in collaboration with Onondaga Community College, culminates in a two-year associate degree. With a curriculum emphasizing hands-on learning and a blend of academic, technical and professional skills, tailored to meet the demands of local industries such as Novelis, Huhtamaki, EJ USA and Constellation, students are well-prepared for future employment or higher education. Essential to their success are industry mentoring, job shadowing and internships, providing invaluable real-world experience and facilitating a smooth transition into rewarding careers in local manufacturing.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

Paid internship at Micron: Vincent Hubbard, a P-TECH student, is a senior at Fulton High School and is majoring in mechanical technology; Will Appleton is a senior at Central Square High School and an electrical technology major at Onondaga Community College. There among 40 students nationwide selected for the Micron internship.

Two P-TECH Students Chosen for Micron Paid Internships By Stefan Yablonski

wo Oswego County P-TECH students will do paid internships at Micron this summer. Vincent Hubbard and Will Appleton are two of the 40 students nationwide who were selected. Appleton will spend his summer working at Micron in Manassas, Virginia. Hubbard will be working at Micron in Boise, Idaho. “It’s like Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket,” Appleton said of learning he had been selected for the internship at Micron. “It does feel like getting a golden ticket,” Hubbard agreed. 72

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Appleton is a senior at Central Square High School and an electrical technology major at Onondaga Community College through the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program. The P-TECH program provides high school students the opportunity to work toward their high school diploma and associate degree simultaneously and ultimately a pathway to an in-demand job. Hubbard, also a P-TECH student, is a senior at Fulton High School and is majoring in mechanical technology. Students from across the country were able to apply. JUNE / JULY 2024

“They were only accepting 40 community college students,” said Hailey Warren OCC’s assistant director of early college pathways. In eighth grade, students go through an application process and if selected to attend P-TECH they actually attend their classes at CiTi BOCES in Mexico, Warren explained. In their junior year they start coming up to OCC a couple days a week and start on-campus course work. “We are so proud of Vincent and Will. They’ve done outstanding work in the P-TECH program which Micron has recognized and rewarded them with an amazing opportunity this summer,”

said Onondaga Community College President Warren Hilton. “We look forward to hearing about their experiences working in the semiconductor industry which will inspire P-TECH students in future years.” Appraisals • Consulting It was like applying for any job, Research • Review Appleton said. General Certifi COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL APPRAISALS “The two of us got accepted into Appraiser an ed THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE AND RESIDENTIAL these Micron positions. It’s a pretty Serving the St d APPRAISALS IN MOST AREAS. big thing with Micron coming here of New York foate Specializing in Commercial/Industrial some time in the next few years,” he over 30 years r added. “I’ve had people I didn’t even and Residential Property Appraisals know coming up to me and say, ‘hey you’re the guy who got the internship.’ (888) 788-3141 | dfontana@armstrongappraisals.com That’s cool.” He said his internship will run from May 20 to Aug. 9. “After that, we come back here and finish up our degrees. Then if they liked us, they’ll offer a full-time position,” he said. “It will be like once you finish college here is a full-time position you can accept it now. It’s like a short contract to test out whether they want to employ you.” “I’m starting June 3 to August some time,” Hubbard said. He said he’d likely be doing some machine work, as he’s majoring in mechanical technology. “My major is in electrical technology; so I don’t know exactly which position I’d be taking,” Appleton said. “Eventually I want to go on to an engineering position, but that’s down the road.” During the application process, Micron wanted to know about the students’ work experience, what their work ethic was like, whether they • Job Postings were reliable and were they able to be ALL FREE SERVICES! passionate about the work that they • Resume screening Take advantage of our free services and let us help you were doing. And hands-on work outside of • Organizing on-site recruitments withofyour Take advantage oursearch for the best employees. school in your field was also important, Weband Development Appleton added. • New hire incumbent worker wage • Scholarship & Licensure OUR SERVICES and let us Having any type of hands-on free ex- services Application Development Funding • Job Postings & Resume perience would give you a leg up; try training program • reimbursement Job Postings Media Marketing you with your • New HireSocial & Incumbent Worker to acquire hands-on experience in the help Screenings (eligibility criteria apply) Training Wage Reimbursement filed that you’re aiming for, he advised • Resume screening • Jobfor Fairsthe & On-site search best other students. • Supportive Services for Recruitments “They are giving me a fully fur• Organizing on-site recruitments Employees •employees. Online Take Skill-Building advantage of&our nished apartment, $250 a month, $600 • Participation in Youth Work Weband Development Professional Development for travel as well as fully compensating • New hire incumbent worker wage Experience free services and let us all travel to Manassas and from ManasApplication Development Contact Jamie Jenks at (315) 591-9077 or jareimbursement mie.jenks@training oswegprogram ocounty.com sas,” Appleton said. Social Media Marketing help you with your Workforce NY Career Oswego County Center “I think it’s about the same thing in Oswego County Workforce NY Career Center (eligibility criteria apply) Boise,” Hubbard said. “They are picking (315) 591-9000 search for the best • ocwny@oswegocounty.com 315-591-9000 up the majority of the housing costs and ocwny@oswegocounty.com stipends for travel.” 200 North 2nd Fulton, NY 13069 nd 200 North 2Street, Street, Fulton, NY 13069 employees. User The two students were recognized www.ocwny.org www.ocwny.org by the Oswego County Legislature at its March 14 meeting. Oswego County Workforce NY is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

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Contact Jamie Jenks at (315) TTY 591(315) -90591-9247 77 or jamie.jenks@oswegocounty.com Oswego County Workforce NY Career Center (315) 591-9000 JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS ocwny@oswegocounty.com 200 North 2nd Street, Fulton, NY 13069 User www.ocwny.org

Eileen Donovan, senior workforce development specialist at MACNY.

Workforce Preparation in CNY Accelerates Due to Micron

By Stefan Yablonski

he Central New York’s workforce climate was changing well before Micron announced its plans to build a microchip factory in Clay.

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“CNY manufacturers had been struggling to resolve the ‘skilled worker shortage’ challenge for years,” according to Eileen Donovan, senior workforce JUNE / JULY 2024

development specialist at MACNY. “The anticipation of Micron’s arrival has accelerated the need to prepare our emerging workforce for both existing and future positions in advanced manufacturing.” MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, has been working to address this challenge with its employer members, community partners and legislators at all levels across the state. In 2017, MACNY became the first association of its kind in New York state to be approved by the NYSDOL to group sponsor advanced manufacturing trades (MIAP — the Manufacturers Intermediary Apprenticeship Program — funded in part by the New York state budget). “Since 2017 and in alliance with trade association members through New York state, MIAP has enabled manufacturers to offer registered apprenticeship programs on their worksites while MACNY or a regional MIAP partner manages DOL compliance,” Donovan explained. Registered apprenticeship is a benefit to employers as it provides standardized training and education to help sustain companies’ futures, even as their highly skilled workers are retiring. An employer that offers registered apprenticeship signals to a prospective employee that they are prepared to invest in that worker’s development, thereby improving retention probabilities, she added. A registered apprentice employee earns a nationally-recognized journey worker credential, having been trained on the job and gaining college credits — without college debt. The program has grown statewide since 2017, with more than 965 individuals registered. In the past year, MACNY has launched direct entry pre-apprenticeship programs. “Real-Life Rosies focuses on women in manufacturing; Advance 2 apprenticeship targets individuals with disabilities. These programs seek to address underrepresented groups, like women and others, in manufacturing and to remove some of the traditional obstacles to these well-paying, high-demand positions,” Donovan said. “The goal for the participants is that they find themselves employed in a local company that offers registered apprenticeship. In conjunction with community partners such as SUNY, the Workforce Investment Board, CNY Works and the Alliance Partners throughout the

state, MACNY is working to expand Direct Entry programs like these across the state. “We have long been aware of the fact that future skilled workers need exposure to manufacturing well before they graduate from high school,” she said. “MACNY’s affiliate organization, Partners for Education and Business, has worked for the past 30 years with school districts and employers to bridge the gap between high school and future employment. PEB has managed the career exploration component of the P-TECH initiative with several school districts and has expanded its services through BOCES contracts and other Career and Technical Education programs in Central New York and beyond.” There are companies in Oswego County that offer registered apprenticeship programs under MACNY sponsorship: N.E.T. and Die and Huhtamaki in Fulton, are examples. Canastota NC runs a registered apprentice program under its own sponsorship (although MACNY got them started). Novelis runs what they call an apprenticeship program, but it doesn’t result in a journey worker credential. “I know they have been exploring the possibility of rolling out a registered apprentice program, but I’m not sure where they are with that,” Donavan added. “Our best educational partners for Oswego County employers are Cayuga Community College, Onondaga Community College, CitiBOCES and OCM BOCES.” Said Matthew Cook, district superintendent of the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES, “OCM BOCES has always had a good working relationship with MACNY; but that has ramped up since the Micron announcement. Our adult education programs work very closely with MACNY, CenterState CEO and all the partners in the workforce development field to ensure that people in our region can maximize the opportunities to develop skills they will need for employment.” Cook added, “In addition to that, we have had productive conversations with MACNY about our K-12 programming and how to get students energized, especially in the STEM fields related to advanced manufacturing and the supply chain jobs that are coming to our region.”

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Amanda Wilson is MACNY’s newest workforce development specialist.

Helping Manufacturers Find Workers Is All in a Day’s Work

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

NY’s manufacturers need skilled workers — pronto. CNYers need work but may lack knowledge of manufacturing and the skills to perform the work. That’s where Amanda Wilson comes in. As MACNY’s newest workforce development specialist hired in March, Wilson occupies a newly created position among the organization’s now seven specialists. Her job is to help cultivate the area’s skilled manufacturing workforce. “It’s a good position if you like problem-solving,” said Amy Stage, director of apprenticeship and workforce development. The problems Wilson solves in-

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clude how to develop the local community’s talent pipeline and foster connections between manufacturers and educational organizations. “Based on MACNY’s mission to be the voice and business solution leader for manufacturing in Upstate and CNY and Amanda’s work previously maintaining relationships with community partners and businesses, we knew she would be a good fit for MACNY,” Stage said. MACNY’s community partners include local high schools, refugee organizations and workforce development boards. These organizations work synergistically to create a means for job seekers to gain the education they need to fill local manufacturing positions. JUNE / JULY 2024

“I really enjoy cultivating relationships,” Wilson said. “It’s something I enjoyed when working in the nonprofit space. I’m excited to provide companies with solutions to workforce challenges.” One of her projects is the Real Life Rosies, which will help more women see themselves in a manufacturing career. Women account for half the US workforce, yet only 29% of manufacturing roles, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “She provides recruitment and support resources to participants to ensure they have a high rate of completion,” Stage said. “She coordinates tours with employers and interviews with manufacturers. Real Life Rosies is the first Department of Labor-approved direct entry pre-apprenticeship program for manufacturing.” The pre-apprenticeship programs differ from standard apprenticeship programs in that an individual does not have to be employed by the company offering the program to participate. Stage said that pre-apprenticeship programs focus on under-represented populations — women, in the case of Real Life Rosies — to bridge the gap between career seekers and manufacturers who need skilled workers. “It allows an individual to explore an opportunity they may not have considered,” Stage said. “Many go on company tours and receive interviews upon completion. They get to learn about what they’ll be doing and get a foot in the door. It is direct access to employers.” Typically, companies hire them for employment and after a probationary period, they are willing to put them into an apprenticeship program. “Not all manufacturing opportunities are dark, dirty and dangerous,” Stage said. Wilson, who grew up near Buffalo, has always had familiarity with manufacturing as her father worked in the industry his entire career. She graduated in 2010 from Cazenovia College with a degree in interior design. “I’ve always had a passion and commitment to helping others,” Wilson said. “I wanted to continue helping people, helping them be successful.” Wilson lives in Cazenovia. She and her husband have two children and enjoy spending time together outdoors. More than 300 businesses across CNY and Upstate New York belong to Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), a nonprofit 501(c) (6) association.

The New York State Manufacturers Intermediary Apprenticeship Program (MIAP) MIAP makes it easy for companies to identify training and education mentors, source related technical instruction, develop curriculum, and establish New York State Registered Apprenticeships. Benefits of starting a Registered Apprenticeship program: 2023

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Austin Wheelock ooc@oswegocounty.org

Oswego County: A WorkReady Community with a Skilled Workforce ‘An event is being planned for this fall in Oswego County to celebrate the designation with officials from ACT.’

AUSTIN M. WHEELOCK, certified economic developer (CEcD), is the executive director of Operation Oswego County, Inc. For more information, call 315-343-1545 or visit www. oswegocounty.org.

Designation expected to help close the large skill and work readiness gap that exists, especially among historically disadvantaged populations

orkforce development and skill-building are hot topics across all industries in the current economy. Recruiting candidates with the appropriate aptitude to be successful within an organization and offering opportunities for skill development toward internal advancement as a retention tool are fundamental to building a workforce. More than ever, businesses are attracted to areas that can show there is a skilled and available local workforce to support economic growth. Oswego County is focusing efforts to build and measure the skill levels and aptitudes of residents to demonstrate the potential of the local labor market through quantitative data. Workforce development and economic development agencies can then market the workforce when recruiting new businesses as well as retaining current employers. In February, Oswego County earned the designation of a Work Ready Community through ACT WorkKeys. This prominent workforce development designation was earned through the hundreds of National Career Readiness Credentials (NCRC) earned by area students and individuals within Oswego County. The NCRC is a portable, industry-recognized credential that clearly identifies an individual’s skills in workplace documents, applied math and graphic literacy through standardized assessments. Being designated as a Work-Ready Community allows Oswego County stakeholders to use the NCRC to help: • Business and industry know exactly

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what foundational skills they need for a productive workforce and to easily communicate their needs; • Individuals understand what skills are required by employers and how to prepare themselves for success; • Educators close the skills gap via tools integrated into career pathways with stackable industry-recognized credentials; and • Economic developers use an on-demand reporting tool to market the quality of their workforce. Oswego County’s designation as a Work-Ready Community was earned by meeting benchmarks and targets of assessments, credentials and business supporters through collaborative partnerships between school districts, higher education, economic development, the local workforce development board, philanthropic organizations, community-based agencies, private businesses, and the leadership and support of the Oswego County Legislature. “The best way I can think of to tell the world that Oswego County is ‘ready for business’ is to become the first certified ‘Work-Ready Community’ in the Northeast,” said Oswego County Legislator Roy Reehil, who led the effort toward gaining the designation for the county starting in 2016. “With so much regional business growth in the pipeline, the implementation of the NCRC for businesses in hiring and for students — college-bound or not — will become obvious almost immediately. Other counties and regions throughout the Northeast are already looking to follow Oswego County’s lead, but I’m proud to say, we will always be

Economic Trends

the first!” Across the United States, ACT Work-Ready Communities have given over 5.9 million individuals the opportunity to explore careers, identify their skill gaps, and improve their skills and work readiness. Over 28,000 employers in these communities have a reliable measure to validate and identify skilled job candidates. Hundreds of economic development agencies have actionable data to market the quality of the local workforce, giving them a competitive advantage in recruiting new business growth and retaining current employers. Even prominent business advisement services like Site Selection Magazine uses NCRC community data within their annual State competitiveness formula for business attraction. Being a Work-Ready Community will bring systemic change to Oswego County and the opportunity to close the large skill and work readiness gap that exists, especially among historically disadvantaged populations. The process of expanding WorkKeys and the NCRC focuses on aligning education, workforce development, and economic development strategies for Oswego County. As the first Work-Ready Community in New York state and the entire Northeastern United States, Oswego County has positioned itself to provide opportunities for the existing labor force and emerging workforce to grow with the unprecedented economic boom on the horizon for the Central New York region. An event is being planned for this fall in Oswego County to celebrate the designation with officials from ACT as well as local leaders from business, workforce development, economic development, education, non-profits, and government. Goals of the event will be to increase awareness of the credential program for job seekers as well as employers. The event is being organized by CiTi BOCES, the Oswego County Department of Workforce Development, Operation Oswego County, Inc., and the Richard S. Shineman Foundation. More information about the Work Ready Community designation through ACT WorkKeys and the National Career Readiness Certificate can be found here www.workreadycommunities.org.

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New Leadership at Central New York Community Foundation Melanie Littlejohn’s goal: Making the region a better place

elanie Littlejohn wants to make the world a better place for her grandchildren — and everyone’s children, too. The CNY Community Foundation named Littlejohn as its next president and CEO late last year. The appointment was effective March 1. She succeeds Peter Dunn, who served as the president and CEO since 2008. Dunn left in June 2023, after 15 years, for a similar position in Worcester, Massachusetts. She is the first Black person to hold the job. Katrina Crocker, vice president of communications for the Community Foundation, declined to say what Littlejohn will be paid. Littlejohn’s salary will become publicly available in the IRS Form 990 that is released fall 2025. During his final year, Dunn reportedly earned a base salary of $284,000 and total compensation of $372,000. Littlejohn’s salary is similar. In December 2023, Littlejohn announced her plans to retire from National Grid Feb. 1. She worked for National Grid since 1994, when she initially joined the company as director of inclusion and diversity — U.S. operations. In this role, she was responsible for the company’s overall strategy for inclusion, diversity and compliance. Most recently she served as vice president of customer and community engagement. Prior to starting at National Grid, Littlejohn served as executive director of the Urban League of Onondaga County and manager of international client services for Banker’s Trust Company in the Wall Street district. She holds a master’s in business administration degree from Syracuse University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She said she plans to “apply my career and life experiences to the Community Foundation’s work by supporting community transformation and fully engaging residents, including those impacted by specific issues and

By Stefan Yablonski

“I have had this wonderful relationship with the Community Foundation for a really long time. I am a grandmother. I am doing this not only for my grandchildren — and I have two — I am not only doing it for them, I am doing it for all children. They deserve to inherit a region that is thriving.

to them.” What does she do to relax? “Relax? (laughs); my down time used to be spent doing something creative. I used to be a jewelry maker many years ago. I may resume that because when you think about art and creativity, it really allows your brain to become really innovative when you design. It’s a way to escape all of the noise that can happen in a day. That and yoga will get me through,” she said. They have a havanese, a miniature poodle and a pit bull — “my granddogs” — Sonny, P’nut and Wade. The dogs belong to Littlejohn’s sons. “Our pit bull is a big baby. He’s the most gentle, loving of the three. He’s 90 pounds and thinks he’s a lap dog; he’s got to kiss you,” she said. “Pit bulls some times get a bad rap — but ours is just adorable.”

donors of varying backgrounds.” She was born and raised in Queens and that is where she met her husband, David. She met her husband when she was 5 years old — they grew up in the same neighborhood in Jamaica Queens. In addition to their biological children, Melanie and her younger brother, her parents raised 24 foster sisters. Littlejohn describes her parents as “my heroes.” “They taught me what service looks like,” she said. “Being married for 35 plus years, I have two adult sons: Jared, 31 and Cameron, 28.” Jared works at Exelon in Maryland and Cameron is a second-grade teacher in Syracuse. She has lived in Syracuse for more than 30 years. And she has two grandchildren “one 9 months old and one teen years old and two beautiful daughters-in-law and I am thrilled they are in my life. I want to leave the world better not only for my children and grandchildren but for everyone’s children and grandchildren,” she said. “I look at them, even though I am tired — really tired — I’m there for them because I owe that

‘A beautiful thing’ “Well, I was planning to retire anyway. So when this opportunity presented itself, I said, ‘wow, this would be a beautiful thing to do as I close one chapter and open my next chapter,’” she said. “I had the great fortune to cover National Grid’s New York state territory. I was traveling three plus days a week for the last 15 plus years,” she added. “It was time to come back home and to be here.” A few years ago, she joined the Community Foundation’s board; and chaired the board between 2011 and 2013. “I have had this wonderful relationship with the Community Foundation for a really long time,” she said. “I am a grandmother. I am doing this not only for my grandchildren — and I have two — I am not only doing it for them, I am doing it for all children,” she stressed. “They deserve to inherit a region that is thriving. “You know what drives me to help the community? I live here and

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

it is important to be a steward, a good steward, of the community that has been good to you. When I see children who suffer or I see people and families who are unhoused or people who need access to services — I think about what we need to do to give children the best foot forward in their lives, equity and health care. I am committed to that and I think about this moment and that is one of the catalytic things to me — this moment of great change in the region.”

Community Foundation’s mission The mission of the foundation is to be a public charity and its objective is to steward donors’ dollars to ensure that good happens with those dollars. “Right now there are so many opportunities that we may partner with more and more people to keep driving positive impacts,” she explained. There is plenty of work to go around, she said, adding that she held listening sessions in April. “I have had a total of five listening sessions. I’ve talked to hundreds of people and some of the biggest things that have emerged — and some not a surprise — housing affordability and access to healthy homes. The region has probably one of the highest concentrations of lead poisoning. Those things came up. Education K-12, how are we going to provide an opportunity for our young people and how are we going to ensure our school system can provide that curriculum. But also thinking about the massive responsibility that school systems have in children and families’ lives — how might we support them more?” she said. Workforce development and getting people through workforce programs and having them in a meaningful and living wage job when they end up is also an issue. “Part and parcel of that is how do we make that happen,” she said. “Health care, child care and different forms of health care in facility or in home off hours — how do we re-imagine all of this?”

The Micron moment “You heard about this little company called Micron. I have seen so much collaboration, so everyone can capitalize on the moment. It’s exciting to be a part of it,” she continued. “This community has been good to me. I owe them … to stand up and help this community be all that it can be. It just means so much! I can’t think of more important work to do right now.” “The Micron moment happened and the changes on I-81 happened — it’s creating an opportunity to coalesce around a moment,” she pointed out. “I am seeing a lot more collaboration. There have been so many people — good folks — working on some of these really tough and big issues for a long time and have already started to put the right things in place to change the trajectory of lives. Whether you live in an urban setting or a rural setting, there has been so much work and commitment to really try to strengthen the region in really important ways.” “How are we going to take this moment — with all of our partners and all of us rowing together — to make Central New York that thriving and resilient community?’’ she asked rhetorically. “I think the foundation will be knee deep in that.”

The poverty problem “Eradicate poverty, that’s what we have to do because there is so much

under that — issues of equity, child care, transportation, health care, affordable housing — all of that is underpinned under that whole view of eradicate poverty,” she said. One of the strongest things that kept coming up during the listening sessions was mental health and well-being and the fear, post-COVID, around the increase in mental health issues, Littlejohn said. “Someone told me at one of my meetings that between the ages of 10 and 25 they see the most significant increase in mental health issues,” she said. “SUNY Upstate does tremendous work in that regard; St. Joe’s and others also. We need more, right? We need more supports.” “One of the other common things that I think is also important — as much as I heard around these issues — I also heard a theme of people wanting to roll up their sleeves together to get stuff done! I have been in this community almost 40 years and I think the crescendo around what we have to do together is louder than I have ever heard it,” she added.

Not done yet “For me, there is no better place to be than with this foundation and in this tremendous community,” Littlejohn said. “After almost 30 years at National Grid, I understand the power of service and the importance of collaboration to leave our communities and neighborhoods a little better than we found them. This is truly a transformative time for Central New York, so leading the Community Foundation at this moment of great promise is an honor. There is more to grow, more to happen as well — so stay tuned!”

Community Foundation: $20.7M Awarded in 2023 The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that turns community dollars into community change. Established in 1927, it receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to address the region’s greatest needs. Each year, the foundation provides millions of dollars in grants to a va-

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

riety of projects, some designated by donors but most selected by the board. The foundation, over its 96-year life, has invested more than $270 million in community projects that benefit Central New York. It also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region and address the most critical issues of our time.

JUNE / JULY 2024

The Community Foundation receives contributions from donors and invests them, averaging an annual return of about 7%. At last count, the organization held assets of $393 million. Last year alone, the foundation awarded $20.7 million in grants to hundreds of organizations.

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Jessica Faust, Owner Top This Pizza

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

t wasn’t until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act passed in 1974 that women in the U.S. could open a bank account on their own.

According to forbes.com, women won the right to open a bank account in the 1960s, but many banks still refused to let women do so without a signature from their husbands — and unmarried women were often refused service by financial institutions. Fifty years later, many women have reached the upper management levels in the financial world. However, while women may have made significant progress, there is still some disparity between the genders when it comes to those in leadership roles.

For example, in the fall of 2023, the Credit Union National Association noted that a majority (51%) of credit union CEOs are women, nearly 14 times the rate observed at publicly traded banks (3.7%). We talked with more than a dozen women in Oswego and Onondaga counties who hold leadership positions in banks or credit unions about their careers, the changes in banking, the progress they believe women have made in this field, and their views on the future. Many have been in banking for years, having weathered various mergers and acquisitions. Others have held finance-related jobs in other companies and have moved over to the banks. While they credit bosses, mentors, coworkers and family members for support, these women have put in the work and have taken or created their opportunities for advancement.

Story and Profiles Written By Mary Beth Roach 84

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Lindsay Weichert

Commercial banking group manager, Community Bank Lindsay Weichert brings her longtime love of real estate as well as a newfound appreciation for middle market banking to her job as commercial banking group manager for Community Bank’s Syracuse region, which encompasses a nine-county region: Onondaga, Cayuga, Madison, Oneida, Herkimer, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties and the North Country. She is responsible for co-managing a team of commercial

bankers that lend to businesses and commercial real estate developers. She has long been interested in real estate. “Even as a kid, I loved looking at buildings and architecture and I knew I wanted to do something with real estate,” she said. She graduated from St. Lawrence University and was preparing to go into real estate law, but she learned of an opening in the analyst program in commercial mortgage-backed securities at Fitch Ratings,

Maureen Gillan-Myer

Chief human resources officer, Community Financial System Inc. As chief human resources officer for the Community Financial System, Inc. and someone with 34 years in the banking industry, Maureen Gillan-Myer understands the challenges and the progress in the industry and how corporations must adjust in the next few decades. And she’s been able to hone in on what makes a good leader. With a degree in finance, Gillan-Myer went into the lending and service side of banking at the start of her career with HSBC. She was then tapped for a position in human resources and although she said she didn’t see her career going in that direction, she realizes now it’s exactly where she should be. She came to Community Bank in October of 2021. Her responsibilities, she explained, cover all of the aspects of the Community Financial System’s human capital, from attracting and hiring talent across

Community’s four businesses; compensation and training programs and performance management. Community operates four entities with just less than 3,000 employees in 34 states. These entities are One Group Insurance; BPAS, a benefit plan administration business; a wealth management business; and, of course, banking, with 200 branches. She said 73% of Community’s employees are women. She believes that she has been able to grow her career because “I was somebody who was comfortable getting into a room and talking and giving my opinion and trying to solve a problem — before welcoming differences of opinion became more of a tagline; just listening to other people and what their perspective was and trying to solve problem.” She added that when she has observed business colleagues attempting

a credit rating agency in New York City. Within a week, she found herself in NYC and was working on credit research for institutional investors. From 2004 to 2011, she worked at Fitch, but the Syracuse native wished to return home and went to work at M&T Bank. She started with Community Bank in April of 2022. She believes that being intentional about building out a diverse talent pipeline — for instance through mentorship or programs like Community Bank’s Emerging Leaders Program — can make a significant difference. Currently, Weichert is paired with a mentor, a regional president in Pennsylvania. Having leaders, both men and women, who can pull people out of their shells and make sure their voices are heard is key, she said, adding that she is pleased that leadership development programs now focus on arming managers with this skill as well as broadly approaching talent from a lens of support and intentionality. to work out problems, it doesn’t matter their gender, race or age, but their knowledge. “It’s the experience they bring,” she said, adding that while they may have started in another field, they are bringing that know-how with them. Looking ahead, Gillan-Myer said that consumer-related corporations are having to shift how they operate in order to accommodate societal changes. “We know more women are coming out of higher education and entering the workforce. We know that the transfer of wealth is going to likely end up in the hands of more women than men, because women are outliving men,” she explained. The family unit, too, is changing and that will drive businesses to provide more flexibility in their practices. In looking ahead, too, she is optimistic about women in leadership roles in the financial industry. While the data alone may not show a healthy percentage of women in these jobs, Gillan-Myer said with her years in the industry and seeing female leaders around her, she believes that those who have behaved more like their male counterparts tend to be less successful because, as she noted, “they tried to be someone they weren’t.” Her advice is to own who you are and let that be how you grow your career.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

Jennifer Rupert Chief executive officer, Compass Credit Union

hen Jennifer Rupert began as a part-time teller with Compass Credit Union in 2002, she never imagined that she would today become CEO of the institution — the first woman to assume that post in the credit union’s 62-year history. While she was working at the credit union, she started taking classes at SUNY Oswego, both in-person and online and earned her degree in accounting in 2007. “It really, really clicked for me,” she said. At the time she received that degree, she was a loan officer with Compass. She thought that perhaps she would eventually become the head of the loan department. However, when the position of CEO opened up about four years ago, Rupert said she applied, was interviewed and was named to the position. 86

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In her 20-plus years at Compass, she has worked at every level, becoming a loan officer in 2006 and senior loan officer in 2017. Looking ahead, Rupert said she wants to build on the success that her predecessors had had and would like Compass to become a “larger player” in Oswego County. “I’m just looking forward to successfully growing, offering more services to members and giving more back to the community,” she said. She wants to grow the Bank at School program in both Oswego and Fulton schools, which is an initiative to provide students with financial education. At the beginning of the school year, students are able to open up accounts and then volunteers and employees go to the schools one day a month and accept deposits from the students, she explained. JUNE / JULY 2024

For members, a new website and app have been launched. Compass will soon be able to have new customers open an account online and while construction of its Fulton branch was done before Rupert became CEO, its opening in 2020 was just a few months after she was promoted to that position. She also plans to continue Compass’ commitment to giving back to the community. She cited some of its programs, including toy and food drives, a movie night and a visit from Santa at the holidays. She also pointed out that the credit union was recently named the Oswego County Opportunities’ Donor of the Year. To serve as CEO is something for which Rupert is grateful. “Not that long ago, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity to run this institution and be a part of this team,” she said. What’s more, she sees her role as a lesson to her 7-year-old daughter. “Being the CEO is showing my own daughter that women can be in charge of things too. Whatever she wants to be, she can be,” she said.

Jen Wolfe

WOMEN IN BANKING

Chief operating officer, Empower Federal Credit Union

omen in leadership roles in credit unions are many, according to various credit union associations. The Credit Union National Association, for example, posted in the fall of 2023 that the majority (51%) of credit union CEOs are female. For Jen Wolfe, who was named chief operating officer at Empower Federal Credit Union in Syracuse about eight months ago, this number comes as no surprise. “I’ve seen a lot of growth in this area throughout my career. So, I’m excited that we’re part of this trend,” she said. “Collaboration is at the heart of what a credit union is. People helping people, and I think that philosophy opens up a range of ideas and thoughts and willingness to collaborate across diverse groups of people,” she added. In her role, Wolfe oversees 570 employees. She said she has the “privilege to have over-arching responsibility for the member experience,” including such

things as retail services, member contact center, office operations, lending and information technology. Since its founding in 1939, Empower FCU has grown to more than $3.5 billion in assets, serving more than 250,000 members, with 26 branch locations across Upstate New York. It is a nonprofit financial cooperative owned by and operated for its members. Empower FCU is the fourth credit union that Wolfe has worked at in her career. She started working inside a lending call center and quickly moved into management from there. Through the years she said she’s been fortunate to have had opportunities to lead areas that focus on direct customer interactions as well as back-office shared services. “These opportunities have provided me a holistic journey across the operations of the credit union” and prepared her for her current position as COO.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

Standing from left: Laurie Smith, Julie Mazzoli, Tina Stephens, Melissa Keller. Seated is Pam Caraccioli.

Pamela Caraccioli President and CEO, Fulton Savings Bank

he path that led Pamela Caraccioli to her current role as president and CEO of the Fulton Savings Bank has been atypical. She had been serving on the Fulton Savings Bank’s board of directors since 2015 and was tapped for this leadership position in 2021, upon her retirement as deputy to the president at SUNY Oswego.

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

“At the time I was asked to serve as president and CEO, I had zero expectations I was being considered and even questioned how the board arrived at this decision,” she said in an email statement. “I’m not a CPA nor do I have a finance background, but I think the board recognized my commitment to our community, as well as the culture of our institution with the impending JUNE / JULY 2024

retirement of longstanding CEO Michael Pollock.” She credited Pollock with helping to change the culture of the bank, pointing out that five of the seven leadership positions at the bank are filled with women. “Without question, his gut and intuition were solid, as he knew this was the talent needed to move the bank forward,” she said. Caraccioli’s focus on the community remains a primary focus for her. She sees her main responsibility as providing accountability to customers, employees, her fellow trustees and to the community as a whole, since the bank has a local and regional impact, she explained. “It is truly humbling to sit in this role where decisions affect so many lives, particularly in one of our high growth areas — home mortgages. I wholeheartedly believe that homeownership is one of the most impactful decisions made by individuals that directly contributes to the health of both the community and economy,” she said. She remains mindful of the bank’s role to its customers and the community as she assesses its achievements over the past few years and looks forward to future endeavors. She described how one of her first tasks was working toward moving all of the bank’s customer service representatives and tellers to a single “universal banker role.” Today, she said, those roles are “100% cross-trained throughout our branch footprint and while this has been challenging for employees, I believe they now understand how important this is for our customers and our institution.” She added that the bank’s six branches will be “retrofitted to embody this transition,” with the Baldwinsville branch being the first one to have universal banker workstations. “Customers will not be confused or second-guess where they need to go when they come into the bank, as these state-of-the-art, customer-friendly, handicapped-accessible and obvious service areas are the first line of sight when they walk through the door,” Caraccioli said. Like many of her female colleagues, she believes that women in banking’s C-suites are increasing, reflecting the shift in customer trends. As earlier noted, societal changes in the 1960s and then legislation in 1974 made it possible for women to get bank accounts and credit cards in their own name. Caraccioli said that she believes

that Fulton Savings Bank was the first bank in the county to appoint a female, Carolyn Rush, to its board of directors. Calling Rush a trailblazer, Caraccioli said, “I feel both lucky and privileged to count her as a mentor and colleague from the county, SUNY Oswego and Fulton Savings Bank.” “Women in leadership positions in the financial services industry certainly bring additional perspective as our

customers are also shifting—and it’s our responsibility to both anticipate and understand these shifts,” she said. She cited an article in Forbes magazine that noted there will be an “unprecedented shift of finances over the next 20 years,” adding that “my gut tells me that this wealth transfer will increasingly include women. Just look around and you will see that the decision-makers in many households

Julie Mazzoli

Senior vice president and Community Reinvestment Act officer, Fulton Savings Bank One of the longest-serving key personnel is Julie Mazzoli. She started with the bank in 1990 as a teller and today is

senior vice president and Community Reinvestment Act officer. In that role, she oversees the lending operations,

Tina Stephens

Vice president of branch administration, Fulton Savings Bank

Tina Stephens is the vice president of branch administration, overseeing the bank’s six branches. She started with Fulton Savings Bank in 2022, but

has been in the banking business since 1996, when she began as a teller with the one-time Marine Midland Bank, which became HSBC. While there she said she

Melissa Keller

Senior vice president and chief financial officer, Fulton Savings Bank Melissa Keller joined the bank in 2017, having previously worked as a senior auditing manager with Dermody,

Burke and Brown. She is currently a senior vice president and chief financial officer for the bank who oversees

Laurie Smith

Vice president of human resources and marketing, Fulton Savings Bank Laurie Smith is vice president of human resources and marketing at the bank and brings a mix of banking and corporate experience. She started with Pathfinder Bank about 14 years ago; took a break to start a family and be a

stay-at-home mom. In 2015, she got back into the workforce in human resources at the city of Fulton. She later worked for Huhtamaki, where she got involved in building the local social media presence and marketing campaign — work that

are female.” She further noted this shift on both the state and national levels, with Adrienne Harris leading the New York State Department of Financial Services, Rebeca Romero Rainey heading the Independent Community Bankers of America and Clare Cusack as president and CEO of the New York Bankers Association.

loan compliance, compliance software and she is the fair lending officer. The bank provides opportunities and inspires loyalty, she said, even helping to pay for her education when she received her accounting degree. “If you want to put in the time and show what you can do, and you just keep going, there’s no reason you can’t rise to the top,” she said.

got involved in as many facets of the business as she could — investments, operations, administration, branch management and brokerage. “Things kept evolving, doors opened and I saw opportunities,” she said. She sees her role in banking as a means to help people, “helping them to plan for the future,” she said.

the accounting department; works with internal and external auditors, regulators; reports to the board and prepares monthly, quarterly and yearly financials. Banking “is not a man’s world anymore,” she said, with women having as many opportunities as their male counterparts.

she found she loved. She’s been with Fulton Savings Bank since 2023, and describes her work as anything “people-related” as well as marketing. Both are ever-changing, ever-growing fields, which she enjoys. “With Fulton Savings Bank, it’s that small community feeling that we have here with the employees and our involvement in the surrounding local community that’s important to me,” she said.

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

Julia Trivisonno

Senior vice president, CNY Key Private Bank, KeyBank NA

ver Julia Trivisonno’s career in the banking industry, she has seen and appreciates that the institutions are willing to invest in their employees’ growth and present many career opportunities along the way. She is the senior vice president, CNY Key Private Bank market leader, leading a team of 13 experts (the majority of whom are women). They help families, business owners and institutions, solve complex financial problems. They do this by customizing a comprehensive wealth management plan focused on wealth preservation, growth and wealth transfer based on the goals and needs of their clients. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and started her master’s at Syracuse University Whitman School of Management thinking that perhaps she’d follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and become a business owner. But she was destined to make her own footsteps. She started her professional career with ADP in its outside 90

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sales group, working with clients on payroll and HR solutions. “I had an admiration for people that work with clients helping them to solve problems. I developed relationships with centers of influence and partners in the community,” she said. One of those partners was a banker running his financial institution’s small business division, and he asked Trivisonno if she had ever considered working at a bank. Initially, she said she had no interest in that field, but he explained that the relationships she enjoyed with her clients were very similar to the approach in banking. “I decided to take a leap of faith,” she said, as she started her career in banking. As the bank realigned its business banking partnerships, she demonstrated success so they increased her branch responsibility and directly aligned her with a partner. When that bank left the area she was part of that downsize. In retrospect, she said it was one of the best things that happened to her. JUNE / JULY 2024

She took the opportunity to network, interview at various companies and explore her options. She decided to stay in banking and worked at M&T for more than 13 years before ultimately coming to KeyBank. She appreciates that banking has invested in her, partly because she has always expressed an interest in learning. She believes, too, that KeyBank has offered her the support to grow “in any capacity.” “It’s allowed me to really take those steps along the way to get to where I am today.” She said this as she completes a Heritage Specialist designation with the Heritage Institute focusing on family governance. Her philosophy on leadership, too, has played a part in where she is today. “Women are natural at being able to lead from their logical and emotional brain. Leading with your head from the heart — that is our superpower,” she said.

WOMEN IN BANKING

Sabrina Webster

Senior vice president, CNY Commercial Banking Team, KeyBank

ne of Sabrina Webster’s guiding principles is to be her authentic self. That mindset led the St. Lawrence University graduate into the banking industry, helped her navigate various bank acquisitions throughout her career and led her to her current position of KeyBank’s senior vice president, Central New York commercial banking team. In this position, Webster oversees KeyBank’s commercial banking line of business with companies whose revenue sizes are $10 million to $1 billion. Graduating in 1999 as an economics major and education minor, she said she was told at that time that as a woman in finance who didn’t have a 4.0 GPA in economics, it would be difficult to land a job in corporate America. So she decided to pursue teaching. However, there were several months between graduation and the start of the school

year and she had bills to pay, so she interviewed for a commercial credit analyst with then-Fleet Bank. She said she didn’t know what that job entailed, but she recalled telling herself, ‘I have an economics degree and I’m going to be my authentic self.’ And she got the job. After an extensive training program, she began work, underwriting loans for middle market businesses. She said she worked alongside the bank’s relationship managers because “they were going out and meeting with all these business owners and helping them. I really want this career.” That career, over the next few years, would be marked by changes — whether it was that the banks where she was working were merging or being acquired or better job opportunities were presented. About 11 years ago, she feared another acquisition at the bank where

she had been, so she chose to move to KeyBank, attracted by the products it had that she felt could help clients grow and how it supported women, including its KeyBank4Women Group. A few years later, she saw an opportunity at KeyBank for the team lead position. She was concerned that a possible deterrent was that she was not a senior banker. But, she recalled, “I have the chops. I’ve got the desire. I’ve got the work ethic. I can handle this.” And she got promoted. That was five years ago. Just last year, Webster’s team was the No. 1 commercial banking team last year throughout the KeyBank region. “A true leader, whether male or female,” she said, “you lead by example, you lead with value, you lead with integrity. And you have to be your authentic self.”

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

Annette Burns

Chief financial officer, NBT Bank

his past May, Annette Burns realized both a professional and personal goal when she was named chief financial officer for NBT Bank — the first female to hold that position at the bank. “When I think about the aspect of being the first female CFO, it is an honor to be the person to shatter a glass ceiling,” she said in an email statement. “That will always be special to me. But, from my perspective, it is also important to celebrate that I am privileged to work on an executive leadership team alongside four other powerful women at a company where 65% of managers are women.” What’s also special to her, she pointed out, was that she was able to accomplish this goal at NBT, where she

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

said she has grown and developed her experience over the past 11 years. She credits strong relationships, mentors and NBT’s “commitment to development.” “I am really excited to be the person that is now representing the company in this public-facing role. This is something I’ve always challenged myself to achieve and I am finally here, and that feels great,” she said. But this new position also holds personal significance to her — as a wife and mother. She underscored the support she has had from her husband and her son and daughter, especially during times when she had to make certain sacrifices. “Now, to see how proud they are of

JUNE / JULY 2024

me and to be able to be a role model for my daughter — and my son — showing them that when you work hard you can achieve your goals is rewarding,” she said. Moreover, she said that women in executive leadership positions can be role models for younger women coming up in the industry. Early in her career, when she was one of just a few women in bank board rooms, she was told that in order to succeed, she had to think and act like a man. “Today, I feel women are more able to be ourselves and bring our unique perspectives and skill sets to the role we’ve chosen,” she said, adding that she doesn’t believe that her daughter thinks about gender barriers as much as she might have when she was her age. And yet, there remains a gender gap that women are still fighting to close, she said, but added that “we’ve come a long way and I am excited about what our future generations will achieve. I feel it’s important for women leaders to play a

proactive role to create an environment where women who are just beginning their careers feel empowered and safe to be true to her own style and share her perspectives.” As chief financial officer, her responsibilities include creating and supporting the strategic direction of the company and oversight of the finance function including financial modeling and reporting, profitability, budgeting and forecasting and accounting operations. For Burns, though, the new position is a lot more than numbers. “I’ll also spend time fostering relationships with our investors, keeping them informed of NBT’s performance and growth strategies,” she explained. “I get the privilege of working alongside every department within the company and I love that!” Burns’ interest in finance began with her parents, who instilled in her

the importance of financial security, education and independence. Through her studies in business, she said she learned the inner working of companies and how the activities “rolled into the

financial statements.” “Accounting and auditing became intriguing — it allowed me insight into how every activity and strategy contributes to the bigger picture,” she said.

She brings decades of financial experience to the new post. Most recently serving as chief accounting officer, she joined NBT in 2013 when the company acquired Alliance Bancorp, where she had been vice president of financial reporting and accounting policy. A certified public accountant, she has more than 25 years of experience in accounting and finance and has held leadership positions in finance with Pathfinder Bank as controller and PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP as business assurance manager. She realized her interest in community banking, she said, “when I started to see the impact the bank could have on its community by supporting customers with various banking needs and activities. In my role, I am passionate about translating numbers into the stories that show real impact and position us for long-term success.”

Lori Teifke

Territory manager/ senior vice president, NBT

ori Teifke has been involved in banking for 23 years — the last 16 at NBT Bank — and within the last decade, she said she has seen significant positive changes for women in the banking industry that causes her to be optimistic for the future. “It’s pretty exciting to be in the industry at this time as we see women in executive leadership roles increasing, especially in the last 10 years,” she said. When she first began in the field, she said, a majority of the women in banking were tellers and bank managers, with some as district managers. However, the executive leadership teams were primarily men. “I have been lucky enough to work for organizations that have women in leadership roles, but the ratio of women to men in those roles were low — today, that has changed significantly. We’re seeing more women being recognized as leaders for their contributions and expertise,” she said.

She is currently a territory manager/ senior vice president at NBT and as such, she oversees the retail branches in Onondaga and Oswego counties and is responsible for recruiting, staff development and supporting teams. She said that she sees women “really focusing on development opportunities to give employees and customers a better experience.” She also noted that the needs of the customers are different in the last four to five years. With all the different options for banking available to customers — online banking, ATMs, various apps — people aren’t necessarily coming into the bank lobbies to make simple transactions. As she explained, “Customers are coming in for more complex issues and comprehensive financial advice. In most of the retail branches you are seeing most of these consultative roles filled by women.” The role of women in banking, she

believes, is “only going to get better. You’re seeing the trend is just so positive and it’s continuing. Women are finding their voices, they’re sharing and people are listening. It’s giving people the confidence to really speak up and share their voice and at NBT Bank, we encourage that. And we listen.”

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

Top women at Oswego County Federal Credit Union: Ashley Koskowski, left, and Aimee Glerum.

Ashley Koskowski

President of branch operations, Oswego Federal Credit Union

of the five branches; ensures that the frontline staff complies with policies and procedures; handles the hiring, onboarding and training of new staff, and the training of existing staff. In her early days in the financial world, she said that women held positions as tellers or in middle management but very few in upper management, she said. But over time, she has seen definite growth in women achieving leadership roles.

hen Ashley Koskowski started as a teller in a financial institution in Florida in the early 2000s, she had never had a goal of reaching upper management levels. But, today, she is president of branch operations for the Oswego Federal Credit Union. She has been with the Oswego FCU for 13 years, moving up through the ranks, and was named to her current position in 2019. As such, she oversees the day-to-day operations

Aimee Glerum

Vice president of lending, Oswego County Federal Credit Union

imee Glerum has spent her entire professional career with the Oswego Federal Credit Union, starting as a part-timer 21 years ago. Today she is vice president of lending. Throughout her career at Oswego FCU, Glerum has made sure to learn 94

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a little bit about every department of the operation. “I quickly found my passion in helping other people,” she said, adding that her role in the lending division is a perfect fit for that passion. To “be able to help people every

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Her own growth to a position in upper management resulted from her work ethic and by becoming wellversed in those areas of the job that appealed to her. “The biggest thing is find what speaks to you and master that,” she said. Koskowski believes that her “personal passion eventually became teaching others and that was how I ended up here.” She also cites additional leadership training provided by Oswego Federal Credit Union and support from the Oswego FCU CEO Bill Carhart, as keys to her success. “In my experience here with at Oswego FCU, I’ve never felt any limitations to where I could go or what I could do here,” she said. single day has been a blessing,” she said. “The credit union industry as a whole is just a different feeling. We really are here for the community and our members. It has touched my heart in so many ways that I don’t want to leave. I love what we do every day.” She credits Chief Executive Officer Bill Carhart, who has headed the organization since 2004, with providing opportunities for advancement within the organization, explaining that he sees talent and cultivates it, regardless of the individual’s gender.

Fewer Bank Branches Nationwide

anks have been shuttering branches at an alarming pace since 2010, according to American Banker, a Manhattan-based trade publication covering the financial services industry. However, that rate finally begun to slow in 2023. The year 2009 was the final year that brick and mortar banks increased. Almost 100,000 branch offices operated nationwide. But today, fewer than 80,000 exist, according S&P Global Market Intelligence, a leading provider of financial and industry data, research, and news to investment professionals. Many point to the surge in online banking. Why should banks pay the overhead expenses of leasing a building and hiring staff when consumers and businesses seem just as happy opening a banking app for handling their financial needs? Few banking services require in-person interaction. For those, a trip to the other side of the city or the next town suffices. A growing number of consumers have begun using virtual banks that operate no storefront at all. The pandemic also landed a blow to the cause of in-person banking. S&P Global states that between opening and closing branches, a net 2,298 branches closed in 2021, the most on record and a spike in closings of almost 40% from the year before. Some branch offices never reopened when “temporarily” shut down during the quarantine. Banking management discovered that the absence of branch offices made no difference in their revenue or customer satisfaction. S&P Global also indicated that the branch closing effect is slowing. In 2023, a net 1,409 bank branches shuttered, compared with 1,854 in 2022 and 2,298 in 2021. In late 2023, the Hudson Valley Post reported on projected 2024 bank closings, including Bank Of America shuttering three New York locations in Washingtonville, and two in New York City. For Key Bank, an Ithaca branch is closing. Expect closures at JP Morgan locations in Peekskill, Flushing, Great Neck, and Harrison. For Wells Fargo, the Port Chester location is closing. Three of Capital One’s Downstate branches are closing, as well as a Stantander Bank branch in New York City. JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

WOMEN IN BANKING

Top women at Pathfinder Bank, from left: Paloma Sarkar, Regina Bass and Cassandra Gehrig.

Regina Bass

First vice president, corporate controller, Pathfinder Bank

egina Bass, first vice president, corporate controller Pathfinder, came to the bank in January of 2022, bringing substantial financial experience from a career in public accounting and it’s that experience that she feels brings an added value to her role with the bank. She started at Pathfinder as vice president, financial analysis manager. A year later, she became corporate controller and earlier this year, she was named to her current position. She oversees the accounting team of six people, is in charge of the accounting

OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

general ledger and reports to the CFO. She is also responsible for SEC reports, compliance and regulatory filings and the bank’s 401K and Employee Stock Ownership Plan reporting. While working in public accounting, Bass was a tax professional and developed a niche with financial institutions and the banking industry. She handled tax returns, tax planning and tax consulting and at the last accounting firm she worked at, Pathfinder Bank was one of her clients. One of the biggest factors in banking today is the impact of technology. JUNE / JULY 2024

“Technology has truly transformed the banking sector,” she said. “Since I first entered the field, there’s been a huge shift in how we operate and serve our customers. Alongside technological advancements, the influx of mergers and acquisitions has its share of challenges. Banking requires agility in decision-making and a strategy that looks at these challenges from all angles.” In discussing women in the business, Bass told about an article she had read about women in the workplace that suggested that women lead with empathy, enhancing their teams to grow and become successful. For Bass, that success is shared among all levels of staffing. “It’s not just about personal success; it’s about the success of those around us. We want to contribute to that collective achievement,” she said.

Cassandra Gehrig

First vice president for marketing, Pathfinder Bank

“

I get to be a forever learner,” said Cassandra Gehrig, first vice president for marketing at Pathfinder Bank. An understatement, perhaps, when one considers that her role, which includes developing and implementing marketing and communications plans and strategies, changes constantly with the ever-evolving social media and technological advances. Gehrig’s work encompasses the entire banking system, with its 11 branches across Onondaga and Oswego counties, including a limited production office in Utica. A SUNY Oswego grad with a background in marketing and economics, Gehrig stayed in Oswego after gradu-

ation and got a job as a part-time teller at one of the Pathfinder Bank branches. She saw the job as a learning opportunity in which she could use a little bit of her background. “I didn’t, for one minute, think there was a level of growth that I have experienced,” she said. She moved into the loan department and expressed an interest in marketing, which at the time, was what she called “traditional marketing,” with print, TV and radio. Today, digital marketing, additional technology and evolving customer needs are significantly changing the scope of her job. And while technology is making significant impacts in the financial com-

munity, what is the impact that women in leadership roles? For Gehrig, she sees it more in terms of life experiences than just gender. “I believe it’s about leaning into the human experience that makes someone a great leader. Organizations are a collection of people that all come from different life experiences, hardships, challenges,” she said. “Knowing yourself, reflecting on your life experiences, drawing knowledge from them, and then applying the lessons learned to our work can be really powerful.” Drawing from her experience, she said she has seen that many of the female leaders that she has worked with have flexibility, adaptability and self-awareness. For many women like Gehrig, who is also a wife and the mother of a toddler, life is a balancing act, with responsibilities both at home and at work, but it’s that ability to juggle and to realize what’s important in both universes that can make for a good manager.

Paloma Sarkar

First vice president, enterprise risk manager, Pathfinder Bank

“

Pressure is a privilege.” This quote, from tennis great Billie Jean King, is one that Paloma Sarkar, first vice president, enterprise risk manager at Pathfinder Bank, uses in describing her role as a woman in the banking industry. She sees it as a responsibility and a privilege to act as a role model and bring other women into the field and she is committed to expanding opportunities, since she said that young women in her native India were not often presented with these chances. She would like to see more women in leadership positions. With the general population being nearly evenly split between men and women, Sarkar said she’d like those percentages better reflected in women in leadership roles. Sarkar shared a 2018 article from the International Monetary Fund that outlined findings from a 2016 survey. The results showed that banks with higher shares of women board members had higher capital buffers,

a lower proportion of nonperforming loans and greater resistance to stress. IMF explained that a higher share of women on bank and supervisory boards may contribute to financial stability because they may be better risk managers; more women on boards leads to diversity of thought; that discriminatory hiring practices may mean that the few women who make it to the top are better qualified or more experienced than their male counterparts; and that those institutions that attract and select women in top positions may be better-managed in the first place. Sarkar’s own journey to her current position has been a combination of hard work and opportunities that she saw or created for herself. She came to the U.S. in 2010, having earned her bachelor’s degree in technology-computer engineering in India in 2007. While still in India, she was working on coding on the finance module for a company and this sparked her interest in the field of finance. She

then decided to continue her education in the United States and went to SUNY Oswego, where she earned a master’s in business administration with a concentration in finance. One of her professors was Tom Schneider, who was also president of Pathfinder at the time. She inquired about internships with the bank and started at Pathfinder as an intern in 2011. She became a full-time employee in 2011 and since then, she has served as a loan operations analyst and then worked in the credit and risk divisions of the bank. In 2020, she was appointed to her current position. “I feel privileged that I can help other women,” she said. “About 60 or 70 years back, women couldn’t even open bank accounts. And the fact that we are able to sit here, and discuss this, I consider this both a responsibility and a privilege. It is a time of exciting change and I am glad that I get to live in this time. It is our time.”

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

BANKING

Is Writing Checks Passe? When was the last time you paid with a check? By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ou used to see people whip out a checkbook to pay for their groceries at the checkout line or cover the tab at a restaurant. Do you recall standing in line at the bank on a Friday night to deposit your paycheck? Have you converted most of your bills to automated payments (or at least electronic payments)? It feels like check writing has gone the way of the dodo. It’s hard to deny the convenience of swiping a card, receiving direct deposits from the company and setting up bill payments to occur automatically. Many credit cards offer cash back or points that may be redeemed for gift cards — more reasons to insert a chip in a card reader at the store rather than fill out a check (especially since checks cost users money). Receiving direct deposits spare employees a trip to the bank to make the deposit. With online banking, it’s not hard to keep track of deposits. Automated bill paying can save consumers late fees, envelopes, stamps and time and it doesn’t cost anything. The convenience is tough to beat. With all of these reasons to forgo checks, it’s easy to see why their use is declining. Andrew Van Dam, a Washington Post writer, stated in an article in late 2023 that in 2000, six out of 10 non-cash payments were made by check. That number now is one in 20 98

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Randy L. Zeigler, certified financial planner, chartered financial consultant and private wealth adviser with Ameriprise Financial Services in Oswego, said that “many businesses still issue regular business checks in payment of bills. Many business owners have converted regular bill payments — utilities, cell phones, regular fixed inventory purchases — onto their credit card accounts to make payments automatic and tracking simpler. “Then the resultant bill for the credit card is paid with one business check instead of making several individual payments. And the business may earn credits or cash back as part of the payment structure.” Younger people are less likely to write checks than older people. Writing checks is largely a “generational thing,” according to Cynthia Scott, a chartered financial consultant and founder and president of OMC Financial Services, Ltd. in DeWitt. “The older someone is, the more likely they are to not use technology and to write checks,” Scott said. Venmo, PayPal and automatic payments require using a computer. Usually, one party must pay a convenience fee for the transaction. If that burden falls on the consumer, some consumers want to avoid the extra fee and base their source of payment on what costs them least. JUNE / JULY 2024

The website ChecksUnlimited. com charges about $.76 per check, plus shipping. However, buying more checks offers a volume discount. The cost per payment is the same, regardless of the purchase price. Some online sales methods like PayPal base the transaction fee on the size of the purchase price, similar to how credit cards operate. Checks can offer easy documentation. Some transactions should have a paper trail for legal reasons. For example, Scott advises people acting as power of attorney to write checks, as this can provide an easy paper trail. Another area where Scott sees more paper checks used than others is for people patronizing small businesses. “My hairdresser and manicurist like checks because they can’t absorb the 3% surcharge for credit cards,” Scott said. “Some of the fees are higher with Square with other companies.” Still, many consumers prefer the convenience of digital payment options, along with increased safety, according to Lori Teifke, territory manager at NBT Bank. She cited the “recent increase in criminal activity targeting checks through the postal service. It is not wrong to say that check usage has decreased. However, many customers still use checks to conduct their banking business.”

Cybersecurity in Banking

How do banks keep money safe from scammers and thieves? By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

onsumers reported losses of $330 million to text message scams in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission. T h a t ’ s m o re than twice the amount reported in 2021. Scammers pose as bank officials and trick consumers into handing over their information. Usually, scammers frame the messages with terms that create a feeling of urgency — as if an untimely response will result in significant losses. That element of the scam can fool account holders into acting without thinking about what they’re doing. The victim “confirms” their account number with the scammer who can then bleed the account dry. “NBT offers our customers — both individual and business — a variety of tools and services to help protect them from fraud and cyber-attacks. But, more so than any product or offering, we focus a lot of our time on educating customers on how they can protect themselves,” said Lori Teifke, territory manager with NBT Bank. “The best line of defense is education. Our website has a dedicated fraud information center for individuals and businesses. In addition, we offer business customers access to our information security team to help educate their employees.” One important defense is knowing how your bank contacts you. If you have set up automatic notifications on your phone that signal you about ATM withdrawals or large transactions, the text may be legitimate. But typically, these texts are automated — not sent directly by a person seeking a reply. What you do next is of the utmost importance. Instead of replying directly to the text message, call the bank at number you know is safe, not a number in the text message. The personnel at the

bank can help you verify what’s going on if anything. Account takeovers represent another type of banking cybercrime. In this type of crime, the identify thief uses a business’ or individual’s credentials to move funds without the accountholder’s knowledge. “We in the financial intelligence unit receive alerts on a daily basis that make us aware of potential suspicious activity,” said Daniel Cardi, corporate security officer at Community Bank. “These alerts help us to identify unusual or suspicious transactions that may uncover fraud being perpetrated against our customers.” Using a bank’s recommended safeguards helps prevent account takeovers. This can include using password-protected internet connection, not a public Wi-Fi connection, for example. It also helps to talk with bank personnel if you suspect illegal activity on your account. “Whenever customers report online account takeover, we work with them to make sure their devices have been cleaned and are free of viruses so they can use their online banking again with ease and peace of mind,” Cardi said. “We have an Information Security team at Community Bank that works around the clock to make sure our systems are safe and secure.” He added that all Community Bank employees are trained on safeguarding customers’ information, and the bank’s systems and staff are audited and tested to ensure they are effective and efficient. “We use multi-factor authentication for certain transactions and communications to protect our customers,” Cardi said. Remember that legitimate bank personnel would never call or email you to ask for account information.

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JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

SUCCESS STORY By Steve Yablonski

THE ROOFTOP LOUNGE Restaurant credits success to teamwork, quality of food and service and great vistas of Oswego

he Rooftop Lounge rises above others — five stories, actually. It crowns the Litatro Building in the heart of downtown Oswego. Opened in November 2021, it boasts a picturesque view from two outdoor terraces sandwiched between an elegant indoor dining space. It’s managed by Kyle C. Walton, co-owner and operations manager. The other partners are Atom Avery, his wife, Falecia, and his sister, Anita Shiel. Walton credits the success of the business to teamwork. “Atom and I have worked together for almost 10 years. He had the idea for this building — we were lucky enough to be a part of the DRI grants,” Walton explained.

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As part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, Oswego was awarded $10 million in state funding. “It was one night, I was at Five Points [liquor store owned by Avery]; working in the office over there and he says, ‘hey I got an idea.’ He tells me about Litatro and he said he wants to open up this rooftop lounge and bar. I said I’d give him whatever help I could and he said, ‘No I want you to be a partner.’ “We had seen the progression of the city and really this concept was let’s give the city something that it didn’t have. This building is both figuratively and literally the cornerstone of the new Oswego landscape — being right here at the corner of First and Bridge over-

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looking the lake,” he added. “The one thing I always, always tell people is there is no way we are where we are at right now without our team. I can never take credit for anything; it’s 1,000% the team atmosphere that we have created. We try to create a very team unified spirit here. It is helping one another out, working with each other helping bring out the best in everybody,” Walton said. “We are two and a half, three years into this now and the response from the community has been fantastic.”

Keeping it local Right now on staff they have 18 employees. That fluctuates from eight

Kyle C. Walton is co-owner and operations manager of The Rooftop Lounge. JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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full-time employees and depending on the season, anywhere from 10 to 14 part-time employees. A lot of their employees work other jobs, Walton said. Some work in the school district, some at other bars or restaurants in town. “But again, we have probably a third of that staff has been with us since day one. In the restaurant business that is tough to do,” Walton said. “We started working with BOCES. We have cooking interns that help out in the kitchen during the school year. We work with New Visions through the high school. I’ve had interns with me who are studying business. “Being able to branch out and continue to grow that next generation is truly something that I enjoy doing. I will never claim that I know anything about anything. We have a collaborative kitchen, a very collaborative structure. It is helping build and pick each other up — that’s the biggest reason for our success. I can say to you how we have continued to progress so much — it’s through that dynamic we’ve created.” The menu focuses on small plate dining. Desserts are sourced by other local businesses. You can also choose from 120 different whiskeys, 32 beers or 108 wines. “We encourage patrons to explore all that the downtown dining scene in Oswego has to offer,” Walton said. “Our first menu was one page, it was 102

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5x7, it was a one pager. I think we had about eight items on it. Now we’ve got a three and a half page menu with all sorts of eclectic things. That’s what we built with our team … Let’s try this new idea … are they all going to work? Nope. But the ones that do, we’ll expand on them. They are the ones we all worked together on.”

Major foods “Our overall methodology is we do small plates. Our filet with mushrooms is probably kind of our main dish. Our bigger selling items are duck dumplings. Dumpling style but on the inside it has roasted corn, duck bacon, cream cheese and we top it with Mike’s Hot Honey. It creates a beautiful blend of a little bit of heat, but with the sweet and richness of duck and the corn,” he said. “Our ahi tuna just won an award in Syracuse this past summer — it’s one of my personal favorites on the menu. It’s sesame encrusted tuna on a bed of wasabi. It’s fantastic.” Their charcuterie board has been a staple since Rooftop opened. Recently, they launched a new menu. It’s seasonal. “We started adding a lot of seafood items. Oysters have been our number one seller the past week and a half almost three to one to our next highest selling item,” Walton explained. “We typically do three big menu changes throughout the year going with the JUNE / JULY 2024

season and what’s available. This being the summer, overlooking the water, how can you not do a bunch of seafood?” They also offer vegan foods, vegan desserts.

The view “Obviously, everybody wants to come up when it is sun shiny and it’s great beautiful sunsets. During the day out on the river side, you get to see the entire Oswego River leading into the beautiful Lake Ontario. You can sit and watch the ships come in and out at the port and unload,” Walton said. “When you transition over to the city side, you see the buildings, but at night, you get that transition with the setting sun and the city illuminates with the lights. ”But I also tell people it’s awful nice to sit inside during bad weather — you get like a thunderstorm or foggy days. Snow, it’s fun to sit up here because you kind of get that snow globe effect. You see it all around you and especially being five stories up … it is beautiful, a lot of fun.” Friday nights are the busiest times, thanks in part to live music. “We do live music every Friday night. We bring in acts from all over and they play right here in the dining room. It is everything from duos to solo acts. Interior we can fit about 55 to 60. When we open up the balcony that adds another 40 seats outside (20 and 20). So

on a beautiful summer night we almost double our occupancy.”

Catch-22 “People want to hold events here — baby showers, wedding showers, engagement parties. We have booked corporate events especially in the holidays,” he said. “Parking has been an issue. It’s a catch-22; the downtown community grew so much — and unfortunately the parking didn’t grow with it. Especially during the summer, we are always going to have parking issues. Parking premium, it gets congested in summer as people want to go out to eat — here, the Bistro, Southern Fare and other downtown businesses. But we hope even if people have to park a block or two away the walk and experience once they get up here would be worth it.” “There is a lot that goes on in this building throughout the entire day,” Walton said. “We have 20 apartments in the building. We have six on the second, third and fourth floors. So that’s 18 and we have two penthouse apartments right behind us on the fifth floor.” On the first floor is Southern Fare and a couple small businesses. “The crew over at Southern Fare — I can’t give them enough love,” Walton said. “A lot of people think we are directly associated. We are not directly associated, but yet again, we treat them just like our own staff. It’s a very symbiotic relationship. “People can eat there and come to Rooftop for drinks later or vice versa. I want you to enjoy both places whether having a cocktail and small plate here then going downstairs for dinner or starting downstairs then coming up here for a cocktail and dessert. Again, the more the merrier. We want people to truly experience what downtown Oswego has to offer. It is such a beautiful and vibrant community — we want people to continue to enjoy those aspects of Oswego.”

Looking ahead “Who knows what will happen in the future? We’ve thrown around some ideas and stuff; but right now it’s let’s build on our foundation,” Walton said. “I always say start small and start smart — you can build from a good foundation. If you start trying to do too much, that’s where you run into trouble.”

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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.johnfisherconstruction.com.

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING Offering residential-commercial-and industrial services. 3 Creamery Road, Oswego, NY 13126, www.scribaelectric.com, 315-342-7681.

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

LEGAL SERVICES Reed Law PLLC — Dedicated to helping families with their individualized Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, Probate and Real Estate. Clear Legal Solutions, Impartial Compassionate Assistance & A Strong Helping Hand when you need it most. 218 Syracuse Ave., Oswego. 315-274-2040

LUMBER Whites Lumber. Four locations to serve you. Pulaski :3707 State Route 13 (315-298-6575); Watertown: 231 N. Rutland St. (315-788-6200); Clayon: 945 James St. (315-686-1892); Gouverneur: 71 Depot St.., (315-287-1892).

MENTAL HEALTH Fulton Family Psychiatry. Offering 100% Online Psychiatric Private Practice. We see both children & adults. We use medications in addition to vitamins & supplements for the treatment of mental illnesses in a holistic approach. Call (315)-887-1059 or visit us at FultonFamilyPsychiatry.org.

OUTDOOR RECREATION Murdock’s Bicycles & Sports. New Bikes, TREK, FUJI, SALSA, SURLY & KINK. We repair all brands of Bikes. Keen Footwear and Darn tough socks available.

SAUSAGES Garafolo’s Importing — ‘Famous for Our Sausages’ — Catering, custom cuts meats, cold beverages, fresh Italian bread. Come and check out our specialties. 155 E. Bridge St. Oswego. 315-343-0580 – http://www.garafolos.com.

SCRAP Flood Drive Properties. WANTED: All Household Appliances. Washers, Dryers, Stoves, Cars and Trucks. Top dollar paid. 315-592-4251 180 Flood Drive Fulton NY 13069.

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

TRAILER SALES & SERVICE Brooks Trailers, Trailers, Parts & Service. Lawn care equipment, parts & service. UTVs & much more. Two locations: 7911 Rt 104, Oswego, and 240 Rt 104, Ontario. Financing available. Call 315-207-2047 for Oswego store & 585-265-1366 for Ontario store. www. brooksfactorydirecttrailers.com.

PICTURE FRAMING 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.

GLASS REPAIR Fulton Glass. Storefronts and Glass repair. Over 50 years serving Oswego County. FultonGlass.net 315593-7913.

HEADING: LISTING:

$169

for 1 year! Want to be listed in our Best Business Directory? Fill out this form and send it, with payment, to: Oswego County Business Magazine, P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126

JUNE / JULY 2024 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS

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Q&A teers this year. The hardest part is trying to find volunteers to man the parking lots. That is the worst part. Those volunteers get a lot of abuse from people trying to find parking. Q: How is your staff? A: If I didn’t have that staff in the office, I’d be lost. Barb Manwaring and Carol Dillabough and everyone take care of things very well. Q: You’ve been associated with Harborfest since 1990 and became the president in 2023. Is it still fun being in charge of the festival? A: Yes it is. This year is a little bit stressful what with the barges and all. But I’m having a good time. On Thursday and Friday nights, we have some really good music. Thursday is Blood Sweat and Tears and on Friday we have Mark Farmer of Grand Funk Railroad American Band.

Dan Harrington is Harborfest’s executive director.

Planning for Harborfest Enters the Homestretch Festival celebrates 35 years this year By Stefan Yablonski Q: What is your budget this year? A: We’re running, I want to say, around $750,000. Three-quarters of a million. Q: Who’s sponsoring the fireworks? A: Pathfinder Bank is taking care of the whole ball of wax again. [Cost to run the fireworks is $115,000.] Q: Any new big sponsors? A: Not really; we still have our main sponsors — Constellation, Novelis, Pathfinder, Dorsey Eagle Beverage and a whole bunch of other people.

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Q: What’s new this year? A: We have a lot more stuff for the kids. This year, Thursday and Friday, we have a circus that will take up the whole area down there in the Novelis Park, the children’s park. There will be a ton of stuff for the kids. Also, the shuttles are going to be free this year. Being our 35th anniversary we decided to take care of the shuttles. There will be a stop up by the Speedway. The Speedway has advertised for camping for Harborfest this year. Q: Do you have enough volunteers? A: Yes, we will have enough volunJUNE / JULY 2024

Q: Any concerns? A: The thing I was having the hardest time with this year is we had to take care of our own barges for this year’s fireworks. The barges the last couple of years were taken care of by the city by Mayor Barlow and Malone Excavating. Bill Scriber [Port of Oswego director] got me in touch with this company up in Clayton. We’re talking really expensive [$75,000]. Q: How did you get involved with Harborfest? A: My wife, Patty, got started in Harborfest back in 1990 by volunteering on the trolleys. I was crewing for Joe Gosek and Harborfest was always the same weekend as a race in Sandusky, Ohio. But one year, I decided to stay home and attend Harborfest — helping on the trolleys with my wife. I really liked it and continued to volunteer. I started around 2001. And the rest is history. I became director in January of 2023. Q: What do you do outside of Harborfest to relax? A: I’m still involved in the race car with Joe Gosek. We haven’t been up there yet this year, but we’re looking to go this week. My wife and I enjoy camping with our travel trailer during the warm months. During the winter months, we enjoy attending the SUNY Oswego men’s ice hockey games. We also enjoy kayaking in the good weather when we can.

Celebrating 60 Years in Central New York A proud member of the Central New York community, Novelis is the world’s premier producer of rolled aluminum and the global leader in aluminum recycling, producing more than a billion pounds of high-quality aluminum sheet each year. Novelis Oswego is an important part of a global network of aluminum recycling and rolling facilities, producing aluminum for products like Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks, beverage cans and architecture. We enable our customers to make their ideas real, and we help consumers to enjoy the products they want today while knowing they are contributing to a better world tomorrow.

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