Progress of the Southern Tier 2024

MARCH 26, 2024 • OLEAN TIMES HERALD

CUTCO MARKS 75 YEARS IN OLEAN

‘We’ve been able to build something strong that a lot of people rely on’

By BOB CLARK

OLEAN — On April 29, 1949, several men loaded a sedan with boxes off of a loading dock. Packed inside were 50 knife sets, bound for a Wear-Ever Aluminum warehouse in Kensington, Pa. Millions more would follow over the next 75 years

Cutco Corp. marks a diamond anniversary this year, with a local workforce of about 700 employees. Growing from a collaborative effort between a Pittsburgh metals manufacturer looking to grow its consumer products and a Pennsylvania knifemaker, the company now is one of the largest employers in the area and is under local control. The company also employs around 100 sales managers na-

tionwide, in addition to 15,000 to 20,000 independent sales representatives working as contractors every year.

“We were founded to sell high-quality cutlery through direct sales — and that’s what we’re doing,” said Cutco President and CEO Jim Stitt. “We’re thriving at 75 — not just surviving, but thriving.”

Alcas Corp., the original parent company of the Cutco brand, was founded in 1949 by aluminum producer ALCOA and W.R. Case & Sons of Bradford, Pa., as Alcoa sought to diversify its household manufacturing into cutlery. With rising costs and shifts by rivals to overseas production, Alcoa began to move away from consumer product manufacturing in the 1980s. The firm consolidated

marketing and other services for the Alcas division in Olean in early 1982. In September of that year, five local managers, led by Erick Laine, purchased the company. Laine led the company until he retired in 2008, passing along the CEO mantle to Jim Stitt, whose sons now run the firm — Jim Stitt heading Cutco, and John Stitt heading KA-BAR.

MORE RECENTLY, the Stitt brothers said that the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led to record sales thanks to prudent planning and financial health of the company — helping keep employees on the payroll despite government-ordered shutdowns.

“We didn’t really know what was happening,” Jim Stitt said. “The purpose that we

have with this company is providing livelihoods — we couldn’t not pay them. We felt that they earned it.

“We felt they would be able to pick up and start moving again,” he said, which proved to be the case at the best time. “Our business took off because people were home. When we started up again, we had an eight-week backlog in the factory — 2020 became a very successful year in that regard — not necessarily our best year or happiest.”

John Stitt said the company couldn’t make product fast enough.

“We blew through four months of inventory in six weeks — it was Black Friday every day for 14 months,” he said. “2021 was our best year, 2020 was our

Photos courtesy of Cutco Corporation Robert S. Adams (from left), Nelmer Johnson and John O’Kain load up the first shipment of Cutco knives produced at the Olean facility on April 29, 1949.

• Behavioral Health

• Cancer Care & Radiation Medicine / Roswell Affiliate

• Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehab

• Cardiology / Adult & Pediatric

• Dental

• Designated Stroke Center

• Diabetes Education & Nutrition

• Dialysis

• Electrophysiology

• Full Service Emergency Department 24/7

• Imaging / Radiology

• Intensive Care Unit

• Interventional Cardiac Cath Lab

• Interventional Radiology

• Laboratory Services

• Meals on Wheels

• Neurology

• OB / Maternity & Delivery

• Occupational Health

• Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

• Outpatient Ambulatory Care

• Outpatient Rehab Service / Occupational Therapy / Physical Therapy / Speech Therapy

• Outpatient Surgery Center / Surgical Services

• Pain Management & Physical Medicine

• Pastoral Care

• Pavilion / Long & Short Term Skilled Nursing Care

• Pediatrics

• Primary & Specialty Providers

• Pulmonology

• Respiratory Services

• School of Radiography

• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) / Adult & Pediatric

• Sleep Disorders Center

• Subacute Rehab

• Urology

• WIC

• Vascular Surgery

• Wound Center & Hyperbaric Medicine

second-best, and 2022 was our next … it was a very interesting 30 months.”

Jim Stitt said it was in the middle of 2023 when Cutco got its inventory “back in position,” with orders slowing as the factory finally caught up.

There was one important benefit, the brothers said — with no travel expenses, limited special events and other cost savings, it gave the company the funds needed to invest in equipment and infrastructure. Jim Stitt noted advances in equipment

to improve quality, make manufacturing more efficient, cut costs or to make work safer.

“We put a lot of time into innovation and efficiency — we have to,” he said.

Now that things are getting back to normal, the company is making up for lost ground in terms of getting product into the public eye.

“We had 10,000 events last year,” Stitt said, growing from virtually zero just four years ago. Those events — which include booths present at trade shows and county and state

fairs — do not include temporary showcases at Costco warehouses.

MOVING AHEAD, “our internal focus at this company is sustainability,” Stitt said. “We’ve been able to build something strong that a lot of people rely on.”

When asked what the next 75 years for Cutco looks like, “in simplistic terms, it’s to keep doing what we’re doing,” Stitt said.

The company needs to remain mindful that customers get value, products they need and want, and that the goods are cost appropriate.

“We need to nail what our customers want at a price they feel is in their favor,” Stitt said. “If we can do that, we can be here in 75 years, providing jobs and being an economic pillar in this community.”

To mark the anniversary, new products are rolling out throughout the year, Stitt said, with releases available through independent sales staff, in stores, the Cutco Visitors Center on East State Street, or at www.cutco.com.

“For some of it, we’re bringing back old products, some of it is new products — but it’s something special every month,” Stitt said.

CUTCO TIMELINE

LATE 1940S — ALCOA, looking to diversify away from the metals for military gear and aircraft, seeks to expand civilian product lines under its Wear-Ever brand. Eventually, officials partnered with Bradford, Pa.-based knifemaker W.R. Case & Sons and selected a site in Olean as a new factory.

APRIL 29, 1949 — The first shipment of Cutco knives leaves the Olean factory.

1952 — The ergonomically-designed “hand-perfect” wedgelock handle is added to Cutco cutlery, ensuring a comfortable grip.

1960 — The exclusive Double-D® edge is added to several Cutco items.

1972 — ALCOA purchases Case’s share of Alcas, making Alcas a wholly-owned ALCOA subsidiary. An improved

universal wedge-lock handle is added to Cutco Products.

1982 — The Alcas management team, led by Erick Laine, purchases the company from ALCOA in a management buyout.

1985 — Alcas acquires Vector Marketing Corp. establishing it as Alcas’ wholly-owned Cutco marketing subsidiary in the U.S.

1990 — Vector Marketing expands into Canada.

1996 — Alcas acquires KA-BAR Knives, Inc.

2001 — Cutco opens a visitors center next to its

corporate headquarters.

2005 — Cutco opens its first brick-and-mortar retail store in Erie, Pa. Today, the company has 14 retail stores in nine states.

2009 — The Alcas Corporation name is changed to Cutco Corporation — focusing on its core business — as the company marks its 60th anniversary.

2014 — Cutco begins direct-to-consumer sales through its website, www.cutco.com.

2024 — Cutco celebrates its 75th anniversary with special product launches.

TOURISM IS BIG BUSINESS IN CATTARAUGUS COUNTY

By RICK MILLER

Tourism is big business in Cattaraugus County — very big business.

In 2022, the latest year for which the statistics were available, the county reported tourism spending of nearly $300 million, eclipsing Chautauqua County’s by $4 million.

The 2022 total for tourism-related spending was $376 million more than in 2021 and 124% above 2019 spending, said Crystal Abers, director of the Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism.

Abers said there are 4,301 jobs in the county dependent on tourism, representing about 14.7% of county employment.

“Tourism is a big driver of Cattaraugus County’s economy,” Abers said. “It’s not just recreation and entertainment, it’s gas and food sales at convenience stores. It helps all our little businesses from restaurants to bars to convenience stores.

Most of it is from people visiting from outside the county.”

The “Big Three” tourism draws include Allegany State Park, the Seneca Allegany Casino and Ellicottville, Abers said.

The Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism allocates a portion of the county’s bed tax to Chambers of Commerce in Ellicottville, Olean and Salamanca to spend on advertising tourism-related events.

The department also has a pot of money from the bed tax it uses to promote and advertise not-for-profit and municipal events outside of Olean, Salamanca and Ellicottville.

While the “heavy hitters” like the state park, the casino and all things Ellicottville — from skiing and snowboarding to village nightlife — may be flashy, “There are a lot of hidden gems in the county from hiking trails, kayaking, breweries and the Amish Trai,” Abers said.

The eclipse on April 8 is another example of the Tourism Department’s support for local events expected to draw visitors from out of the area. The county is promoting it and distributed thousands of eclipse glasses for the event.

“We just try to keep above all of it,” Abers said of tourism promotion. “We work with small organizations to let people know what is going on. We try to get the word out to help everyone throughout the county.”

The Amish Trail, which the county has been promoting for several years, “has had a big impact in that area of western Cattaraugus County,” Abers said.

Not only do Amish businesses get advertis ing through Amish Trail promotions, but other businesses along the trail are advertised as well, Abers said. “They are as original as it gets,” she added.

The Amish drive horse-drawn buggies, not cars and trucks, and do not have electricity or telephones in their homes. Visitors are asked to respect their wishes not have their faces photographed, Abers said.

Give their slow-moving buggies a wide berth — and be especially watchful on the roads at night.

Many of the black buggies

have lamps in the front, but only reflective triangles on the back.

“It’s about the experience,” said Abers. “That’s what we want visitors to remember.”

Cattaraugus County does its share of promoting tourism at the Onoville Marina on the Allegheny Reservoir, which it operates under lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The county offers more than 100 campsites and 400 slips for boats, many of

There is literally something for everyone: skiing and snowboarding, snowmobiling, camping, horseback riding, sleigh rides, bowling, galleries and art spaces, biking and mountain biking, fishing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, skating, hinting and cross country skiing — for starters.

There are dozens of events in municipalities around the county each year which also draw visitors both local and from outside the county.

of agri-tourism at agcatt.com. The site lists dozens of participating farms that welcome visitors. Topping the list is Pumpkinville, the seasonal destination spot for families from inside and outside the county. For more information about county tourism, check the website EnchantedMountains.com, as well as AmishTrail. com and historicpath. com for more tourism-related ideas.

Photos courtesy of Cutco Corporation The Cutco headquarters on East State Street.

Special red-handled 5-inch Petite Santoku knives coming down the wash line, cleaned and ready for final inspection at the Cutco factory.

Honing is a highly-skilled, hands-on operation that requires the operators to hold the knife at the right angle and pressure to add a sharp edge to straight-edge knives at the Cutco factory on East State Street.

One of the many manufacturing robots Cutco has added in recent years, improving efficiency and safety.

A YEAR OF PROGRESS, REPOSITIONING FOR OLEAN, BRADFORD HOSPITALS

With more than 415 rural hospitals on the brink of closure in 2024, Olean General Hospital and Bradford Regional Medical Center turned 2023 into a year of progress, growth, and repositioning to ensure their Twin Tiers communities have access to quality healthcare.

The vision of leadership to create a financially sustainable healthcare system is to improve efficiency, enhance quality, and execute growth opportunity initiatives.

Leadership paved the way by creating annual benchmarks to address these initiatives.

Behind every initiative is a workplan that will help drive the two hospitals in the Upper Allegheny Health System to financial sustainability. Staffing shortages continues to impact many workforces, especially nurses in healthcare. Through various recruitment and retention efforts, UAHS recruited 25 graduate nurses and more than 30 experienced nurses throughout 2023, surpassing the goal created at the beginning of the year. Through recruitment efforts, the nurses displaced costly agency nurses throughout the organization reducing expenses, but also put the lives of our community members back in the hands of nurses who

live in the community. The effort was equally focused on retention with UAHS’ turnover rate reaching record lows last year.

“We’re starting to see a cultural shift in our organization. This isn’t by chance, but by choice. We’re creating a work environment where our staff wants to be,” Dr. Jill Owens, president of UAHS, said. With more invested staff comes better quality. UAHS reported higher consumer assessments of healthcare providers and systems in responsiveness, which was a focus for 2023. Through developing efficiencies, advocacy work, and focusing on areas of growth, UAHS made a $40 million turnaround in a one years’ time. The financial turnaround is partly attributed to growth at BRMC. The leadership at the Pavilion worked diligently to increase the

census, improve quality, retain staff, and create an improved culture for both residents and staff.

“With the additional resources of adding two sleep study rooms within our hospital, we’ve been able to increase testing by over 75%,” Owens said. “The team has been able to not only accept more patients for studies but have enhanced the efficiency of processes.”

In 2023, UAHS continued to prioritize recruitment of new providers to the healthcare system. New physicians and advanced practice providers have joined service lines that are currently offered, but UAHS has added physicians that will be introducing new services.

This includes new vascular services with the recruitment of Dr. Thomas Langan, vascular surgery, who is practicing in Olean and will be opening up a vascular clinic at BRMC once credentialed in Pennsylvania.

In 2023 other providers that were onboarded include Dr. Robert Jones, general surgery; Dr. Dana Dunleavy, vascular and interventional radiology; Dr. Ian Wilson, vascular and interventional radiology; Dr. Charles Patterson, dentistry: physician assistant McKenzie Kaplan, general surgery; nurse practitioner Phyli-

cia Patterson, oncology; and physician assistant Michael Hickey, orthopedics and sports medicine. Owens said UAHS continues to out-recruit other rural healthcare systems due to the resources and wide breadth of services available in the region. Owens herself continues to be a factor in advocating for rural healthcare both in New York and Pennsylvania. A Bradford native, Owens has participated in healthcare summits focusing on the needs of rural healthcare. The advocacy work is important for political leaders to understand the perfect storm that healthcare organizations across

the nation are currently facing — three-quarter lower reimbursement rates, higher costs, and staffing shortages. Her work and advocacy, along with other healthcare leaders in rural New York and Pennsylvania, is meant to find solutions to help struggling hospitals — whether with financial relief efforts or improved reimbursements. Without Olean General and BRMC, communities will be isolated in regions without healthcare and having to travel far distances to receive basic care.

As an organization, UAHS has worked to support local neighbors and show that the care provided is not only in the four walls

of hospitals, but out in the community as well.

Both Olean General and BRMC, along with staff, have contributed to fundraising events and charitable efforts for community causes, while also providing outreach in the communties to promote healthier lifestyles and awareness of proactive testing and procedures to head off more serious medical problems.

“The work that’s been accomplished is only the beginning and there is still more to be done,” Owens said. “However, I stand behind the effort that our workforce of 1,300 provide to our region. We’re in this together.”

TIMBERHUT, REBECCA ROSE RECOVERY CENTERS PARTNER TO BUILD SOBER LIVING COMMUNITIES

By DEB EVERTS

GREAT VALLEY —

In partnership with the Rebecca Rose Recovery Centers of Western New York, TimberHut Cabin Company is involved in a groundbreaking initiative to design and build a sober living community featuring architecturally advanced tiny homes. Located on Route 219 in Great Valley, TimberHut was established in 2020 by Brooks Anderson to craft comfortable, secure spaces that beckon individuals to enjoy the wonders of the great outdoors. The company designs, builds and customizes guest-ready cabins for desert resorts, rural glampgrounds and winter sports destinations.

The collaborative effort, funded by grant funding from Erie County and generous contributions from local donors, aims to promote natural healing and recovery for individuals dealing with addiction.

Over the past year, TimberHut has worked closely with Pastor Al Robinson of Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry in Buffalo to bring this project to life, said Jim Dailey TimberHut vice president of development.

“We are partnering with the Rebecca Rose Recovery Centers to

provide a safe, secure and comfortable environment for a solid foundation, so people can start their process of recovery,” he said.

Inspired by their own experiences with addiction, TimberHut’s Anderson and Robinson are committed to providing a transformative environment that supports individuals on the path to recovery.

“Our collaboration isn’t just a partnership,” Robinson said. “It’s a joining of hearts and minds to create something extraordinary for those newly embarking on the path of sobriety.”

The tiny homes, designed in collaboration with ELEV8 Architecture, will not only offer a safe and secure living space but will incorporate innovative architectural designs and technology to foster natural healing and combat depression through creative use of colors and natural lighting, explained Anderson.

“Pastor Robinson has an extreme amount of education under his belt relating to neuroscience and the science behind recovery, dependency and that sort of thing,” Dailey said. “We will be incorporating some pretty amazing support technology mechanisms into these units for the aiding of recovery.”

According to Dailey, the technology uses

methods like chromotherapy, or light therapy. He said they will also be incorporating facial recognition technology that recognizes expression. They are using technology to best determine how they can support the individual inhabiting a particular unit on a day-to-day basis.

“If the technology recognizes their facial expression and they are not in a well-balanced position, the tech will be able to automatically do things like adjust the light, temperature and humidity in the unit to put that person in the most balanced state possible to continue to support their recovery,” he said.

THE PROTOTYPE of the sober living tiny home is expected to be completed by the end of March, with plans to refine and produce 12 units by this summer.

The initial village will be situated on property owned by the Rebecca Rose Recovery Centers of Western New York in Lovejoy, Buffalo. Dailey said they anticipate other communities will be constructed in Dunkirk, Jamestown and Olean.

“We are working with the various counties and county funding. We have received great support and interest from Erie County and the expansion into

Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties has been equally supported,” he said. “If things go the way we would love them to go, we’ll be able to open up those communities as early as summer 2024.”

Anderson envisions the potential for these tiny homes to be replicated easily, offering communities across the country and worldwide a blueprint for supportive and healing environments.

Dailey said there are many future possibilities for the program and TimberHut is currently working on other prospects with the tiny homes including veterans’ communities.

“I don’t think there is anything like this in

Western New York, and possibly the state,” he said. “I hope it becomes more prominent, not just from our involvement, but I hope a lot of other people will start providing these same resources.”

Dailey said they are very excited about the project and have some aggressive plans. He said Robinson is really trying to develop this project, so as many people as possible can participate and get the support that’s needed, but not necessarily available.

TimberHut’s manufacturing facility and headquarters are located at 4580 Route 219 in Great Valley. A unit similar to the program’s prototype can be toured and is being raffled off to raise funds for the Rebecca Rose Recovery Centers.

For more information about the company, call (716) 945-4887 or visit online at timberhut.com.

“We are trying to give the people that are participating in the Rebecca Rose Recovery Centers the best leg up and the best step forward,” he said. “TimberHut’s involvement is that we are still building extremely high-quality, artisan-crafted cabins that we would be building for some of our commercial real estate customers. We are still building the same units, but we are building them differently to make a difference.”

Photo provided In partnership, the Rebecca Rose

Olean General Hospital

Dr. Jill Owens

CATTARAUGUS COFFEE COMPANY PUTS PROCEEDS

TOWARD LOCAL, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

By DEB EVERTS

CATTARAUGUS

— A new business in the village, RocketCup Coffee Company at 18 N. Main St., is making an impact from the local community it serves to students in Ecuador.

Co-founders Tom Cullen, Steve McClain and MacKenzie Bush are on a mission to revitalize the world through their specialty coffee. With their slogan in mind, “Drink Coffee. Revitalize the World,” they craft premium coffee that supports their efforts to make the world a better place environmentally, emotionally and economically.

RocketCup’s mission is to revitalize the world by supporting great projects. Cullen said they have chosen several local projects and RocketCup’s first international project, Mission Revitalize the World, providing computers to an elementary school in Tulipe, Ecuador.

“Our belief is if we can inspire one person to do something, then it will inspire the next person. We’re trying to create a lot of sparks that will help progress grow,” he said. “If you look at the village here, the renaissance is happening. Five new businesses have started up in this village within the last few months.”

Lovers of RocketCup’s fine coffee can subscribe online at rock-

etcupcoffee.com to order the specialty blends, available in beans or ground, that are mailed directly to their homes. A dollar from every bag sold goes directly toward community projects around the world.

RocketCup Coffee also gives $1,000 launch grants to people around the world to help do revitalization projects in their communities.

In addition, RocketCup is also focused on creating and providing high-quality coffee for wholesale customers to serve in their office buildings as well as other cafés, restaurants and bars.

Cullen said the building where they are headquartered is their first big revitalization

project. He said the building is a hub where they package the coffee and ship it out. It’s also where they conduct their research and development. Their business customers come there to learn how to use the equipment, brew coffee better and about taste-testings.

The café is an extension of the coffee business. The space has been beautifully redone with trendy, exposed brick walls that display local art from watercolorist Robin Clark and photographer Michael Weishan. Local musicians come occasionally to perform.

“People can join our Mug Club, choose a mug and hang out at the café to support a proj-

ect,” Cullen said. “The mugs are all handmade by local potters Elliott Hutten of Hog-Shed Studio Pottery, Eric Holbein of New Albion Clay Works and Ed Doherty of Horn Hill Pottery.”

TO FIND THE finest coffee beans to produce their premium-grade coffee, the trio went to three farms in Brazil, Honduras and Colombia where they did hundreds of tastings and found specific coffees that they really loved. Then they took those three beans and blended them to create their own unique blends. According to Cullen, coffee is one of the biggest commodities in the world, claiming 73% of people have drank

coffee in the last 24 hours. It touches people in all parts of the world from the poorest to the wealthiest, he said, and is also a social thing because it brings people together. It’s healthy and brings energy and vitality to those who drink it, he said.

“Coffee is the perfect thing to help us get the word out and help grow our mission of revitalizing the world,” he said. “We are starting here in Western New York and we ship our beans across the country every day.”

Originally from Cattaraugus, Cullen returned about five years ago after living in Chicago for 18 years. Upon his return, he was determined to bring new life into the community and area. He had a business in Chicago and sold it before moving back, but he knew he wanted to get into the coffee business.

McClain hails from Olean and Bush lives in Orchard Park. Cullen said the three of them met while helping to set up Laine Business Accelerator, which is a program designed to support entrepreneurs in growing their businesses.

Cullen said the café has been very well-received by the community.

“Our community has been amazing. The support has been incredible. We feel very grateful,” he said. “I think when people come in here they get a vibe; they get a feeling for who we are and what we have to offer. The café is part of revitalizing the community because people have a place to meet and connect.”

For more details about RocketCup or to place an order, visit online at rocketcupcoffee.com. The business may also be contacted through its Facebook page or email at hello@ rocketcupcoffee.com. A phone number will be available soon.

The trio started their wholesale coffee business about a year ago, then opened the café Oct. 21 to promote their business locally.

KINLEY CORP. TO MOVE TO ALLEGANY HEADQUARTERS IN JUNE

ALLEGANY — Kinley Corp., an Allegany business with almost 130 years of history, is preparing for the next chapter of the company.

Last year Kinley purchased the former Carter Events Center at 2383 W. Five Mile Road. Its crews are renovating the 10,000-square-foot structure for its new headquarters in a $2.3 million project.

Over the years Kinley has transformed from residential construction to a focus on commercial projects. The family-owned company is one of the top local contractors. It is now a six-generation company.

Kinley and Sons was formed in 1895 by Adam Kinley. The family owned and operated a leather tannery and a timber harvesting business.

In 1911, Kinley Oil

Co. was formed to capitalize on the region’s oil and gas resources. Kinley Corp. was formed in 1964 to focus on commercial construction. In the 1980s the company expanded to Nebraska by acquiring and managing fuel terminals. In 1988, the growth of the construction business led to the formal establishment of Kinley Construction.

In the 2000s, the now Texas-based Kinley Construction Group became known nationally as a general contractor serving the industrial and mechanical fueling industries in the aviation, railroad, energy and government industries. Kinley in Western New York continued to build and grow its commercial construction business.

Two years ago, Kinley Construction formed Kinley Advanced Technical Services (KATS),

and located in the former Dresser-Rand plant in Wellsville to offer turbine and compressor services.

Mike Giardini is chief operating officer for Kinley Corp. and is overseeing the transformation of the event center into the company’s new offices. They are scheduled to be ready June 15.

The company plans to keep its local roots no matter how much it branches out, Giardini said. “We’re all over the country. This is a small portion of it.”

It’s a company that attracts and keeps its employees. For example, Don Wilcox, vice president of operations, has been with the company for 52 years.

The new headquarters represents real growth in the company and positions it for future growth. A new

5,000 square-foot metal fabrication shop will be constructed at the site as well as a building for storage. “We’re growing and we need room.”

While Kinley crews are taking the lead in the renovations, several area contractors are working at the site including Mazza Mechanical, Kel-Kur Electric, Paint Medics, Billings Sheet Metal and Acme Business is doing IT and security work. Local supply houses are also being used. “Kinley is big on keeping it local,” Giardini said.

One feature of the new headquarters will be conference tables

made from trees from the company’s land in Allegany, Giardini said. That is very satisfying.

“The new offices are close to the highway (Interstate 86) with plenty of room to grow,” said Giardini. The site has 9.3 acres. “We’ve really outgrown our Maple Avenue site,” Giardini added. “It is overcrowded and inefficient. We may sell it. The site is on the market. We’ll see what happens.”

The work will allow for bringing on more employees. The application for inducements from the Cattaraugus County Industrial

Development Agency shows 25 full-time workers are expected to be added.

Corey Wiktor, IDA executive director, noted that the project helps the agency, as Kinley is often a contractor on IDA-related projects and is one of the firms typically recommended to applicants for consulting or construction services.

“It cements and commits them to Cattaraugus County,” Wiktor said. “To continue to have the headquarters in Allegany, N.Y., is quite the feather in the cap of Cattaraugus County.”

Photo by Rick Miller

for its new headquarters.

Photo by Deb Everts RocketCup Coffee Company was started in 2022 by co-founders Tom Cullen (left), Steve McClain and MacKenzie Bush (not pictured). Their mission is to revitalize the world by supporting great projects through their specialty coffee.

FIELD OF DREAMS CONTINUES ADDING SENIOR LIVING COTTAGES, 17 TOTAL PLANNED

By KELLEN M. QUIGLEY

ALLEGANY — The first two batches of independent living cottages at Field of Dreams have been sold, and the senior living campus has moved on to its third phase of homes.

Construction on the next three homes has already begun with the frames expected to be set on the property by the end of March for a total of nine houses in just one year.

The Field of Dreams project is helping to provide more options to keep the aging population active and residing in the local community.

“In less than one year, we have fully constructed six new homes as the start of our independent living community, with construction beginning already on the next three homes to complete the first row,” said Danielle DeLong, who coordinates mar-

keting and development for Field of Dreams. Local contractors and suppliers had been working on the development since April 2023 until the start of winter. With the construction on the final three underway now, which would finish off the first row, DeLong said they will start on the next row in the coming months. Field of Dreams received approval to build 17 homes in total. All six of the completed homes are sold with residents currently living in them, DeLong said. One of the next three is sold with two available for purchase now, she added. The homes being constructed now will be available by this summer. “The residents in the cottages are really enjoying their new space,” she said. “Many downsized from their large homes that they lived in for most of their lives to these still-spacious

cottages, which allowed them to simplify life.”

DeLong said the growing community has given its new residents peace of mind that they are more prepared as they age and will not have to deal with selling a home again or sorting through all of their belongings in the future. She said the cottage owners are a mix of couples and singles and have welcomed each other to their new neighborhood with welcome baskets and cookies.

“You don’t see many neighborhoods where the neighbors engage with each other like they used to. This community has that,” she added. “Most of the folks are in their retirement and enjoying social clubs in the community or time with their grandchildren.”

Project Manager and Field of Dreams Maintenance and Grounds Director John Crisafuli is leading the projects

using members of his maintenance department, a team of local contractors and local suppliers.

“We met with the (Cattaraugus County) Department of Aging last year and learned that a smaller option for singles would be beneficial for this area so we are currently working with our architect to develop out a smaller concept such as duplex or townhomes for an option available in the future,” DeLong explained.

THE COTTAGE owners can participate in any activities in the main Field of Dreams building or day program as well as volunteer with either program, DeLong said. Cottage owners also have access to outdoor spaces including the gazebo, fishing ponds and patios.

“As residents of the cottages, if one of the occupants needs to uti-

lize our day program for respite care for a spouse, they can do so free of charge,” she said.

Using feedback from the current cottage residents, DeLong said Field of Dreams is developing other areas of the campus for walking trails complete with a gazebo and resting areas and installing raised bed gardens for cottage owners to plant in. She said those developments are expected to be complete by this fall.

“Additional amenities will be added as we develop out the property including a community building with a small café area, a gym, meeting spaces and recreational spaces,” she added.

Meanwhile, the main building is thriving and residents are moving in each week, DeLong said. There are more activities, programs and recreational opportunities available for our assisted living residents

and memory care residents, she said.

“We really try to encourage physical activity and movement to keep our residents healthy and strong so we started a monthly walking challenge with incentives to get moving,” she said.

Field of Dreams owner Nick Ferreri is committed to developing this campus and providing more options for the local community as they age in place, DeLong said.

“We have many people from the south and from other states that are looking at moving back to the area because we now have this type of housing options available,” she added.

For more information or to set up an appointment to see the new independent living community, interested parties can call DeLong at (716) 543-4200.

CHAIN RESTAURANTS, RETAILERS CONTINUE EXPANSION IN REGION

OLEAN — The past 12 months have seen a number of openings — or in-progress developments — for chain businesses in the region, as COVID-stifled expansions moved forward.

After its local restaurant on North Union Street closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pizza Hut reopened April 25 under franchisee Atlantic Development Corp. The firm also operates 22 Pizza Hut restaurants in Pennsylvania, including Bradford and Warren.

“We’ve been anticipating this for a year and a half,” said general manager Kerri Jordan at the grand re-opening. “It was a lot of hours — a lot of cleaning by myself. This end result is really worth it. I didn’t expect it to happen. But to have a line, it’s amazing.”

Three openings occurred in the former Kmart plaza on West State Street. Chipotle, the Mexican fast food chain, opened its first Southern Tier location on June 28 in a newly-built store that went up after the former Ponderosa location was demolished in 2020.

Shortly after its opening in June, Gary Sandeen, Upstate New York team director for Chipotle, said business had been nonstop since the restaurant opened. Two men reportedly were good-naturedly fighting to be the first one in line, he said.

“This is more of a P.M. destination,” he added. “Tonight is going to be even busier. There is a pent-up demand for Chipotle. People love the brand and are excit-

ed to have it close by.”

WellNow Urgent Care moved to the plaza in a newly constructed structure next to Chipotle on Sept. 8. Aaron Silver, director of clinical

operations at WellNow Urgent Care, expressed his excitement about opening the new location.

“WellNow has been so proud to be a part

of this community at our other location for years,” he said. “We’re honored to be able to stick to our mission to provide great healthcare in this outstanding

community and do so in an updated and comfortable building.”

Hobby Lobby followed later in the month, with the large craft store chain open-

ing in a portion of the former Kmart store in the plaza.

Tim Hortons made its East Olean debut in November before a Dec. 1 ribbon cutting, located on the corner of East State and North Clark streets. The eastern end of the city had been without a chain restaurant since Dunkin’ Donuts closed in May 2020.

Owner Blake Tarana, under CDT Enterprises of Jamestown, brought their total number of stores to nine throughout southwestern New York. Throughout the nine stores, their total employment is 200 team members. Future expansion includes additional locations in the works at Wellsville and Hornell.

To add to the competition for Olean’s caffeine fix, Ellicott Development has also begun construction on a Starbucks coffee shop in the West End. Work is expected to wrap up later this spring.

And in Wellsville, the farm and outdoors chain Runnings opened to the public in the Riverwalk Plaza in March to large crowds leading up to the annual trout derby. It’s the company’s 11th store in New York and its 14th store in the Northeast.

The new Runnings store moved into the former Kmart building and spent several months renovating it. Runnings President Brian Odegaard said the Wellsville opening has been one of the biggest and best responses the firm has received for an opening in the Northeast.

Staci Werlau Agent

OBDC HOPES TO HELP FILL 1,500 JOBS WITH ‘COME HOME, STAY HOME’

By BOB CLARK

OLEAN — Sitting in a recently constructed office space on the top floor of the former Olean Business Institute building, Olean Business Development Corp. Executive Director Bob Forness offers a sneak peak at several videos made by the group to highlight the largest local manufacturers and businesses.

It’s quite the undertaking for the small nonprofit, but the push for such videos — which will number around eight when released this spring — is to help those businesses recruit over 1,000 workers over the next few years.

“As we collected info from entities and businesses … it’s over 1,500 jobs now,” Forness said, with about 60% of those positions being created in the next few years, while the other 40% are aimed to fill positions vacated by retirements. “It’s a mix of what I’d call organic growth and retirements.”

And who is the target audience?

“We want to have previous area residents move home, knowing that there’s jobs here. The whole gamut — from startups to established firms,” Forness said.

The Come Home, Stay Home initiative includes a social media campaign, a series of articles on job opportunities and direct outreach to potential jobseekers. So far, OBDC has been involved with two job fairs with Cattaraugus-Allegany

BOCES to help students realize what jobs are in the area, as well as a January job fair with Cattaraugus-Allegany Workforce Development Board and Jamestown Community College which attracted around 100 people.

“This is a really good time for Olean,” said John Bartimole of OBDC. “It is a safe community, the cost of living is good. The job opportunities are good.”

That job fair was timed not in line with many normal hiring cycles for graduates, but for those college students who were home for the semester break, Bartimole said, helping them see opportunities to return to the area after graduation or the beginning of their careers.

Bartimole noted that he, as well as Forness, were originally from the area, left for careers and later returned for work. That model could be key to helping fill the many vacancies expected to open up in the near future.

Along with big firms — Cimolai-HY reactivating much of the former Siemens Energy plant for structural steel manufacturing, expansions at Great Lakes Cheese in Frankl inville, efforts at Cutco on East State Street — Bartimole noted that nonprofits like Olean General Hospital and school districts, along with smaller business es, expect to expand or replace retiring workers in the next few years.

“This is an opportu nity that Olean can take

advantage of — Olean and the surrounding communities,” Bartimole said. “If we don’t strike while the iron is hot, it may pass us by.”

LAINE BUSINESS ACCELERATOR CONTINUES TO SHOWCASE SMALL BUSINESSES

The Laine Business Accelerator highlighted 11 more ventures — 10 for-profit and one

Farm, ZET’s Entertainment and Miss Heidi’s Music Studio.

Along with giving presentations on their ventures during an event in the Cutco Theater on Olean’s Jamestown Community College campus, the cohort voted for Marissa Magro of Magro Speech Therapy to receive the James Stitt Sr. Community Builders Award. The award aims to honor community impact, in the case of Magro working to create an inclusive Halloween party at Challenger Learning Center catering to children with neurodivergent conditions.

The accelerator program is hosted by OBDC in collaboration with the St. Bonaventure University Innovation Center and SUNY Jamestown Community College.

In its first two years, LBA helped 14 businesses to grow. Including the $5,000 in funds for each participant in the current cohort, the program has now provided $135,000 in support to local businesses.

The namesake of the program is the late Erick Laine, former chairman and CEO of Alcas and Cutco. Laine passed away Dec. 1, 2020, at the age of 87.

File photos

Bob Forness, executive director of the Olean Business Development Corp., poses in The Hub, a communal working space in the OBDC headquarters on North Union Street.

By KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE — For more than 100 years, industrial sites owned by Ljungstrom-ARVOS have been economic drivers in Wellsville, and as the company builds momentum in a 21st century industry, it continues to be so.

For decades, the company, known locally as Air Preheater, was a pioneer in heat recovery systems; today it has transitioned itself into the world of off-shore energy production with the manufacture of components for wind turbines.

For months the company has advertised with giant signs at its Andover Road facility and Main Street site its need for welders and offered well-paying jobs for those skilled laborers. Its manufacturing space has undergone renovation as it transformed itself into a facility in which to produce the new components.

And today, while it has not been officially acknowledged, the original Main Street plant is showing signs of reopening.

It used to be said that everything is good in Wellsville when we saw the men sitting outside

on the bench at the Air Preheater eating their lunch. That has yet to come, but the scene may be in the village’s future once again.

As recently as last fall, Ljungstrom issued the following press release: “LJUNGSTRÖM continues to support the growth of offshore wind on America’s East Coast.

“LJUNGSTRÖM has signed a contract with Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. to provide specialized structural steelwork for another offshore wind project. Ocean Wind I, New Jersey’s first offshore wind project developed by U.S. offshore wind leader Ørsted, will be located 15 miles off the coast of Southern New Jersey.”

The project will generate 1,100 MW of energy, which is enough to power more than 500,000 homes and is expected to begin commercial operations in 2025.

“We are thrilled to support our valuable partner, Riggs Distler, with another offshore wind farm project utilizing our strong manufacturing capabilities and highly skilled workforce,” said Matt Ferris, managing director of LJUNGSTRÖM USA.

“We are committed to support the growth of offshore wind power in North America with our experienced know-how and unique know-why. We are pleased that current orders emphasize the trust in our technology and solutions.”

With this additional project LJUNGSTRÖM has structural component orders for more than 2,800 MW of offshore wind capacity, and these deliveries for the Ocean Wind I project will be made to Ørsted’s offshore wind advanced foundation component center at Tradepoint Atlantic in Maryland, where Riggs Distler will employ more than 125 skilled tradesmen and women from local labor unions to assemble the components.

“LJUNGSTRÖM is making a name for itself as the first U.S.-based supplier of secondary structural steel components for the U.S. offshore wind industry,” Ferris continued. “Being a supplier to Sunrise Wind, Revolution Wind, South Fork Wind and now Ocean Wind I, LJUNGSTRÖM proves its leadership in high-quality fabrication, assembly, coating and shipping components that are essential to the

wind turbine foundations. Dedicated to delivering exceptional quality and service, the company continues to further expand its workforce and manufacturing capabilities at its facility in Wellsville, New York.”

America’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm is officially open, helping to pave the way for a succession of large wind farms.

Danish wind energy developer Ørsted and the utility Eversource built a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind east of Long Island’s Montauk Point. Gov. Kathy Hochul

went to Long Island March 13 to announce that the turbines are delivering power to the local electric grid.

“It’s great to be first, we want to make sure we’re not the last,” the governor told Associated Press. “That’s why we’re showing other states how it can be done, why we’re moving forward, on to other projects. “This is the date and the time that people will look back in the history of our nation and say, ‘This is when it changed,’” Hochul added. AP reported that 2023 brought challeng-

es for the nascent U.S. offshore wind industry, as Ørsted and other developers canceled projects in the Northeast that they said were no longer financially feasible. High inflation, supply chain disruptions and the rising cost of capital and building materials were making projects more expensive as developers were trying to get the first large U.S. offshore wind farms opened. Industry leaders expect 2024 to be a better year, as interest rates come down and states ask for more offshore wind to meet their climate goals.

JONES MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SEES MAJOR MILESTONE IN 2024

By KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE — Jim Helms, president and CEO of UR/Jones Memorial Hospital, called it a “momentous day” in February when the hospital celebrated the completion of $25 million in upgrades and modernizations.

The upgrades were the culmination of a process that began in 2018 when Helms and former CEO Eva Benedict first applied for state funding for the effort. The project was nearly completed by the end of 2023 with finishing touches taking place throughout the past month. The improvements were boosted by $17 million in state funding.

Helms also thanked the Cornerstone Donors, who helped to raise $2.2 million to fund increased costs. Guests on that day visited the new

operating room suite on the ground floor (the former Walchli Room) and tours of the new medical village, new operating and procedure rooms and the new, permanent MRI tower were given by staff.

Rich Shear, chairman of the capital campaign fund, spoke about the way the community and longtime supporters of the hospital (part of Wellsville since the 1950s) stepped forward to raise the initial $2 million for the project.

“We were extremely happy with the outcome and the way so many different people stepped up along with lifetime supporters,” he said.

“We were very excited when we raised $2.2 million.”

A special donor wall was established in the main lobby recognizing the scores of contributors. Those who gave $25,000 or more are highlighted at the top of

the Cornerstone Donors tablet and include doctors, professionals, businesspeople and more, including the Jones Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, which pledged more than $100,000 for the project.

Karol Marciano, in charge of recruiting medical personnel for the hospital, said, “This transformation and modernization project will ensure the future of Jones Memorial Hospital and help us recruit and retain top notch medical professionals for this top notch facility.”

Helms reemphasized the improvements, saying, “This is a facility to be proud of and proud to be the leading hospital of choice in this area.”

He went on to describe, “With its 14,000 square feet of medical village offices for local doctors, four major operating rooms and a

fixed MRI tower with room to expand, what this project taught me is that you plant the seeds and those ahead will build on it. This is not the finale. There is more to come.”

The Cornerstone Donors, those who contributed $25,000 or more, are: Alco Federal Credit Union, Dr. and Mrs. Paul Axtell, William and Pat Childs, Dr. William Coch and Martha Lash, Community Bank NA, Donald and Jackie Comstock, Luann Comstock, Patrick and Katie Comstock, Bill and Becky Fish, Bill and Jeri Ford, Brandon and Sloan Comstock Gage, Clint and Samantha Gilkey, Jeff Eli and Janine Greene, Gridley and Marsh Trust; James and Dena Helms, Dan and Kim Johnson; Jones Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Charles Joyce, Charles and Lorraine Joyce Family

Foundation, Erland and Pauline Kailbourne, Dr. Zahi and Rayanna Kassas, Theodor Kaufman and Holly Conway, Dr. Heather Lanphere, Karol Marciano, Northern Lights Candles, the Pike Company, M. Gretchen Probst, Randy Shayler and Denise Aumen, Rich and Gwyn Shear, Shorts Oil Company, Wayne and Lisa Stephen, the Walchli Family, Sherry Walton, the Whitehouse Family and the L.C. Whitford Family.

MAMMOGRAPHY SERVICES BACK

Meanwhile, JMH brought mammography services back to Allegany County, with a new diagnostic machine available in mid-February.

“While we appreciate the support over the last few years form our affiliate and partner, St. James Hospital (in Hornell), together we agree that to maximize early detection, both facilities need to provide these services,” Helms said.

Both Jones Memorial and St. James are affiliates in the University of Rochester Medical Center system.

In fact, Helms said, JMH intends to make advancements to the prior mammography service and install a 3D tomosynthesis unit.

“This tool improves the ability of mammography to detect early breast cancers and decreases the number of women ‘called back’ for additional tests for findings that are not cancer,” he added.

Between 2017-19, according to New York

State Department of Health, nearly 25% of women in the state diagnosed with breast cancers died from their disease. More than 35% of cancers found were already in late stage when diagnosed.

With this initiative, Helms said, Jones Memorial is committed to improving these statistics for our community.

PRIMARY CARE MOVE

Martin Street Primary Care has moved into space at 127 N. Main St. to become UR Medicine | Jones Memorial Wellsville Primary Care.

The space was renovated and offers more exam rooms, better lighting and more space.

Providers in the new office include Dr. Devin Thompson, Dr. Steven Pinto, physician assistant Cortni Monroe and nurse practitioner Molly Dempsey. The UR Medicine | Jones Memorial Wellsville Primary Care practice is currently accepting new patients.

Martin Street was closed March 14-15 for the move and it was expected to be open for patient care at its new location the following week. The phone number for patient appointments is the same, (585) 593-4250. Current patients do not need to take any action to transfer care to the new office.

The 127 N. Main location was previously Jones Memorial Hospital Women’s & Children’s Clinic, which recently relocated to the hospital’s third-floor medical village.

Photos provided by

Photo provided by the Associated Press

The first operating South Fork Wind farm turbine stands east of Montauk Point. South Fork Wind, America’s first commercialscale offshore wind farm, was built with components manufactured in Wellsville.

$718M GREAT LAKES CHEESE PLANT ON SCHEDULE

‘We should be producing

By RICK MILLER

FRANKLINVILLE —

The nearly $720 million Great Lakes Cheese Co. plant in Franklinville/Farmersville is on schedule to begin production of cheese in the fourth quarter of this year or very early in 2025.

And with that cheese production, a tradition of Southern Tier cheesemaking in Cattaraugus County dating back to the early 1800s will continue.

Great Lakes Cheese plans to double both employment and production at the new plant as it closes its Cuba production facility.

Once fully operational, the Franklinville plant — most of which actually sits in the town of Farmersville — will employ about 500 people and double its purchase of milk from area co-ops to about 4 million pounds a day.

Hiram, Ohio-based Great Lakes Cheese had initially sought other sites in Allegany County to build a new state-of-the-art cheese plant to replace its aging Cuba cheese production facility.

When the site selection process began to drag on with the specter of eminent domain proceedings by Allegany County to secure a site, Great Lakes Cheese got a call from a Freedom dairy farmer with property in Franklinville/ Framersville that might fit the company’s needs. Great Lakes Cheese wanted to stay as close as possible to the Cuba area, where many of its employees live, so the new site did fit the bill.

Hundreds of dairy farmers who already provided a steady supply of milk were encouraged to increase production. They will be ready with more milk when the time comes, compa-

ny officials say.

cheese by the end of the year’

The Cattaraugus County Legislature paid for studies that showed the site was shovel ready. Later county lawmakers paid for water and sewer lines from the village of Franklinville to the plant.

Work has been progressing since before the official groundbreaking at the nearly 200-acre site on April 28, 2022. In February, packaging operations began in a section of the new plant with both employees from the Cuba plant and new hires.

Matt Wilkinson, Great Lakes Cheese vice president for technology and business development, is pleased with the progress made at the plant by hundreds of skilled tradesmen.

The roughly $200 million in increased costs due to inflation and supply chain delays were a little hard to swallow, but would

have occurred elsewhere as well, Wilkinson said.

“We’re pretty close to on schedule,” Wilkinson said recently. “We should be producing cheese by the end of the year.” He visits the site often.

Initially, there were some concerns over the availability to hire another 250 employees, but the company’s efforts and those of its partners in local economic development have overcome those concerns, he explained.

Over the past year, Great Lakes Cheese has added about 70 people to its workforce and plans to add another 100 over the coming 18 months, Wilkinson said, adding, “The hiring has gone surprisingly well.”

Corey Wiktor, executive director of the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency, said when the Allegany County site was dropped by Great Lakes Cheese, the

Cattaraugus County Economic Development Team went to work to help find a suitable location in this county.

The Cattaraugus County IDA has induced the project with tens of millions in sales tax and property tax exemptions, as well as eliminating mortgage recording taxes.

After Jason Schwab of Freedom offered his cornfields and other farmland to Great Lakes Cheese, the IDA oversaw each step of the studies designed to determine if the site was shovel-ready. County lawmakers provided seed money for those studies. State lawmakers helped the project maneuver through the state’s regulatory hurdles.

Wiktor had nothing but good words for Great Lakes Cheese, which “did everything

they said they would.” The family-owned company is partially owned by employees. “Identity and legacy is everything to them. Employees are part of the family.”

Wiktor said the county was once widely known for cutlery and woodworking. “Now the county will be at the top of the cheese makers. It’s great to see this plant in Cattaraugus County.”

Great Lakes Cheese’s new plant has already begun to generate interest by some ancillary businesses, Wiktor said. “There are four or five projects we are actively working on as a direct result of Great Lakes Cheese.”

They include various adaptive reuse projects and some housing, he said. adding there could be more business spin-offs.

NUMBER OF COUNTY FARMS DOWN, BUT BUREAU DIRECTOR SEES BRIGHT SPOTS

By RICK MILLER

The number of farms in Cattaraugus County continued to decline between 2017 and 2022, but farm acreage was only down 2%.

According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, there were 833 farms in Cattaraugus County in 2022, down 123 farms or 12.8% from the 956 farms reported in 2017. Nationally, the number of farms was down 9% over the five-year period.

Farm acreage was down from 166,240 in 2017 to 162,947 in 2022, the latest year for which the statistics are available from the Agriculture Census. The loss of 3,293 acres of farmland in the county represents about 2% of all farm acreage.

Cattaraugus County Farm Bureau Director Tim Bigham said the 2022 Agriculture Census said a bigger concern is a projected 25% national drop in farm income from 2023 to 2024. Those projections are not yet available on a state or county basis.

“That’s quite a bit,” Bigham said, noting it could drive more local dairy farmers out of business. “I think it’s because farmers’ expenses are so high and income hasn’t kept pace. The expenses for producing milk continue to increase. It’s not improving.”

The census shows the

number of dairy farms dropping by more than 100, from 176 in 2017 to 70 in 2022. The number of dairy cows increased during the same time from 14,416 to 16,896. The number of beef farms declined from 265 farms with 3,354 cows to 207 beef farms with 2,808 cows.

There were 85 farms in ranging in size from 1-9 acres in 2022 compared to 81 in 2017. The census showed 212 farms with 10-49 acres in 2022 compared to 216 farms in 2017. In 2022 there were 313 farms with 10-179 acres compared to 409 in 2017.

There were 173 farms with 180-499 acres in 2022 compared to 199 in 2017, 27 farms with 500-999 acres in 2022 compared to 37 in 2017, and 23 farms with over 1,000 acres in 2022 compared to 14 in 2017.

Looking at maple syrup production in the county, 37 farms in 2022 produced 15,000 gallons from 100,500 taps compared to 67 farms with 74,200 taps producing 13,234 gallons in 2017.

Bigham said the dairy situation in general is that costs for fuel, fertilizer, seeds, chemicals, labor are increasing significantly faster than the price of milk. “It’s putting the pinch on our dairy farmers.” Cattaraugus County net cash farm income actually doubled over the five years from 2017 to 2022, according to the

U.S. Census of Agriculture for News York.

A bright spot, Bigham said, is that Cattaraugus County dairy farmers belonging to the co-ops that will supply the new Great Lakes Cheese Co. plant in Franklinville/Farmersville are gearing up to increase their production of milk as the plant will double daily milk purchases to 4 million pounds.

Bigham said farmers are growing older, with the median age in New York rising from 55.8 years in 2017 to 56.7 in 2022. It’s difficult for older farmers to sell their farms to younger farmers because of financing. Often, a young man will work with an older farmer looking to sell his farm, he said.

The number of new farmers dropped slightly from 2017 to 2022, Bigham said. In 2017, there were 6,718 farmers in New York under age 35. In 2022, there were 6,235.

More often, however, when a farmer decides not to farm anymore, the farm ends up being sold to larger farmers who need more land to grow crops to expand their dairy herd. Alternatively, the farmland can be leased to other farmers.

Bigham notes that farm efficiencies have left farmers with the ability to do more on smaller acreage farms. Very small farms and

very large farms have increased over the five years period. “Farming is a double-edged sword,” Bigham said. “People choose it because it is an enjoyable lifestyle. Then you have all the headaches that go along with it.

“Some of the kids who have grown up on a farm see the headaches, but they really love the lifestyle,” he continued. “Each young person is an individual. They make their own value choices. I’ve heard parents try to steer kids both ways.”

Younger people who recognize how important value-added products are can keep

a small farm going by selling cuts of meats to family and friends, for example, Bigham said. “It keeps people in the industry that wouldn’t normally stay. They see a potential to do something they like and sell more than just a raw product.”

There was a proliferation of small egg producers during the pandemic, Bigham said. Many of them are still in business.

Livestock and beef, goat, sheep, pig and chicken producers found the staying power of value-added products and are able to control more of their net income, he said.

Community support-

ed agriculture, where people buy subscriptions, has probably also grown somewhat. Two groups that stand out are Canticle Farm and Native Offerings. “Vegetable shares are most common,” Bigham said.

“I do see some bright spots in agriculture,” Bigham said. “Look at the farmers markets and road stands that sell eggs, honey and maple syrup. It’s a way to produce something and enjoy that aspect of the culture. There is a lot of satisfaction in turning something into a product people can use — and sometimes it’s profitable.”

Photo by Rick Miller

The new $718 million Great Lakes Cheese Co. plant along Route 16 in Franklinville should be ready to begin producing cheese by the end of the year. At full capacity it will employ 500 people.

Antle of Allegany came to SUNY Jamestown Community College after his first year at an out-of-state university as a pre-med student proved less fruitful than he had hoped. Antle only saw JCC as being close to home and a stepping stone to a fouryear degree. He soon learned he had room to explore his career path, and ultimately shifted his educational pursuit toward research fields.

“At first I was taking biology courses at the (Cattaraugus County) campus, and then I took my general chemistry courses there as well,” Antle recalled. “Organic chemistry was only offered on the Jamestown Campus, so I started commuting to Jamestown.”

Antle took classes from Corey Damon, associate professor of chemistry, and Sean Nowling, assistant professor of physics. He credits them both with teaching interesting classes that sparked his curiosity in areas he had previously not considered — like mechanisms, and mathematics.

Antle decided to change course from pre-med to a Chemistry major. His enjoyment of Math was a surprise, because Antle hadn’t considered it a strength in high school, and it ultimately became his minor.

is really arithmetic, and you’re not really learning what mathematics really is,” Antle shared. “At the college level, you get insight about proofs and an understanding that the math you learn in high school is quite different from what mathematics really is.”

Damon connected Antle with a professor at St. Bonaventure University, who was looking for a summer student to help with research. Damon kept in touch with his student, and continued to be part of his studies by contributing to a paper Antle wrote called “Applying Density Functional Theory to Common Organic Mechanisms: A Computational Exercise.”

“He [Antle] was able to publish his undergraduate research, which started as part of a summer pipeline straight from here to SBU,” Damon explained. “In chemistry, publishing as an undergraduate is huge for getting into grad school, which was Jon’s goal.”

Antle said the transfer to St. Bonaventure was easy because “they offer a transfer scholarship there.” He continued his studies at another campus that was close to home, while still learning and growing from his professors at JCC. While at St. Bonaventure, Antle

started doing research with a professor at the University at Buffalo, and that led him to pursue his grad studies there.

“The main work I do is on PFAS, which are per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are used in nonstick cookware and firefighting foams — they’re a really good surfactant, and so they have a bunch of applications,” Antle explained. “They’re called ‘forever chemicals,’ and now we’re realizing that these aren’t good for any living organisms because they are very persistent in the environment.”

Antle’s research aims to predict the neural toxicity of PFAS, with a goal to develop a model that can be used by other groups and agencies to be able to determine the toxicity of combinations of PFAS in an environment.

“I work on the computational side, where we’re trying to use ma-

ST. BONAVENTURE TO SHARE VISION FOR JANDOLI SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

ST. BONAVEN-

TURE — For 75 years, St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication has distinguished itself as a world-class program.

Now the community is invited to see its students in action and learn how the acclaimed school will become even bolder in the years ahead.

On April 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the John J. Murphy Professional Building on the SBU campus, the university will present, “Bold Visions: Celebrating a Legacy of 75

Years of Journalism and Communication Excellence and Preparing for Future Innovation.”

The free public event will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by tours of the building and student demonstrations.

Attendees will enjoy an SBU-TV newscast, an advertising competition pitch and a sports photojournalism class.

“We look forward to welcoming members of our local community to campus,” said Aaron Chimbel, dean of the Jandoli School. “So much of what we do ev-

ery day in our school is about serving our community. I can’t think of a better way to talk about our bold future than to share the exciting work of our students.”

The Jandoli School is one of just 19 private university journalism and mass communication programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Alumni include instantly recognizable and highly regarded communications professionals such as Pulitzer Prize-winner

chine learning to build a model that would predict that,” he said.

In reflecting on his JCC experience, Antle said he would strongly recommend it to students who are just getting started.

“College is getting more and more expensive — I think it’s an extremely well-educated decision to go to JCC first,” Antle said. “The level of education that I received at JCC was very comparable to what I received at a four-year university,” Antle said.

Antle describes his college experience as having gotten off to a slow start. Over time,

attention in class, doing homework and “asking or coming up with good questions to ask your professor” improved his abilities as a student.

“The thing is, classes get harder, but you will become a better learner as long as you do what you’re supposed to be doing,” Antle advised. “Start out as best you can, and that will just make a compounding effect as you’re finishing your studies and you’ll be a much better student at the end of it.”

COURSES COMBINE IN-PERSON, ONLINE LEARNING

JCC enhanced course offerings starting this spring semester by adding seven HyFlex courses to its catalog.

While many instructors have continued post-pandemic to make it possible for students to attend classes online as needed, HyFlex courses aim to combine in-person and online learning more formally. Students enrolled in any of JCC’s HyFlex courses will be able to attend

pus, virtually through Zoom, or entirely outside of the class meeting times.

“HyFlex learning is a dynamic educational opportunity that blends traditional in-person interaction with the flexibility of online learning,” said Crystal Rose-Williams, assistant vice president of academic affairs at JCC. “Students can choose their path and tailor their learning experience to suit their needs and preferences at a given time.”

HyFlex offerings at JCC this semester are Intro to Business, Foundations/Education-Teaching Pro, English Composition I and II, Introduction to Solid Modeling, Introduction to Sociology and Introductory Spanish I.

Rose-Williams says this is more than a slight shift in teaching style, calling it a “transformative force” in reshaping the landscape of higher education.

Explore all course offerings at JCC at sunyjcc.edu/spring.

Dan Barry of the New York Times, bestselling author Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, Sports Business Journal’s Rachel Axon, ESPN’s Adrian “Woj” Wojnarowski and three-time New York Sportswriter of the Year Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post.

The Jandoli School is one of five pillars in the university’s $125 million Bolder Bonaventure fundraising campaign, in which more than $105 million has been raised and utilized to date.

Beginning later this year, the Murphy Building will undergo a transformation to create more flexible, accessible and modern spaces for classes.

“The expansion will include a state-of-the-art communication center with a digital newsroom

to bring together our student media outlets and create a collaborative, modern facility to facilitate cross-platform journalism and communication,” Chimbel said. Architectural renderings of the planned changes will be on display during the event.

To register, visit https://netcommunity. sbu.edu/2024-bold-visions or call (716) 3752507 by April 3. More information about the Bolder Bonaventure campaign can be found at the website www.sbu.edu/ bolderbonaventure.

BROWN AND WHITE VENTURES NEW NAME OF BONA FUND

The St. Bona Venture Fund 1 LLC has changed its name to

Brown and White Ventures LLC, the fund announced in a recent press release, to accommodate St. Bonaventure University.

Regardless of name, the goals of the fund remain the same — provide investors with a private investment vehicle to help start-up and emerging companies grow and to donate a portion of the profits to the university based in Allegany, N.Y.

In announcing the fund’s new name, and the sunsetting of the fund’s former brand, Brown and White Ventures founder Chuck O’Neill, a St. Bonaventure Class of 1983 alumnus, invited alums and friends of the university to come together as a collective in the effort.

A healthcare en-

trepreneur who has launched 12 companies, O’Neill said the fund will invest in 15 to 20 companies over a fiveyear period, according to the release, with the first investment projected to be distributed in January 2025.

“Brown and White Ventures is an investment vehicle that will benefit the businesses and investors by bringing like-minded people together who wish to do good for others while doing well for themselves,” he said.

The release stated Brown and White Ventures will target businesses in health, medical and healthcare services, energy and new technology as well as women and minority-operated companies. It expects to invest alongside other

investment groups for some investments as well. O’Neill said the fund will also focus on start-ups and young businesses in Western New York as well as the Rochester and Finger Lakes regions of the state, but reserves the right to invest in the best opportunities available for the highest investor return.

Investments in companies chosen by Brown and White Ventures will range from $25,000 to $200,000 with a cap on investment at five percent of the fund’s value, the press release stated.

At the conclusion of the fund, a charitable donation from its net profits will be extended to the St. Bonaventure University School of Business.

Student internships will be provided as part of the fund’s operation, said O’Neill, who added that fund management will make time for students as “professionals in residence” as part of the fund’s mission.

“Our lead investors will be people who’ll want to share their experience with the businesses the fund selects,” he said. “We believe it’s an important way to grow business success beyond your own.”

Brown and White Ventures is a limited liability limited partnership based in Tampa, Fla., and organized under Florida law in November 2023. Visit brownandwhiteventures.com for more information.

DEVELOPER GOES THROUGH PROCESS IN RESET OF OLEAN MALL

By BOB CLARK and RICK MILLER

OLEAN — Olean Towne Center LLC is going through the process with the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency on a $9.5 million proposal for the first phase of redevelopment of the Olean Center Mall.

Olean Towne Center was formed by Olean Center Mall owner Angelo M. Ingrassia, who submitted a revised application to replace an earlier proposal presented in October 2023.

The application seeks sales tax and mortgage recording tax exemption and a payment in lieu of taxes (P.I.L.O.T.) based on phases of work on the mall.

A separate outparcel on the property under contract with a third party developer, the Buffalo-based People Inc., is not part of the application, attorney Stephen Hall emphasized in a meeting with the IDA in February. The group has not publicly announced its plans, but Hall said it would involve 60-65 apartments. It was initially conceived to be senior housing, but it is now

conceived as a mix of workforce housing, some senior housing and other groups. Olean Towne Center has an agreement with the city of Olean to keep the base assessment of the property at $450,000. The city asked the IDA to be the lead agency on a State Environmental Quality Review Act investigation of the property.

Hall told the IDA board of directors that as time goes by, Ingrassia will have a better idea of what the mall will become. First, however, the building needs to be stabilized and new roof installed.

Hall said the redevelopment will probably have a mix of retail, professional offices and even light manufacturing. There may also be an opportunity for some government offices.

Ingrassia has said a key to the site’s redevelopment will be to draw traffic from North Union Street. Plans call for the demolition of the former Bon Ton portion of the mall in order to make the area more attractive, and for new retail stores with up to 30,000 square feet near the entrance to the property. There may also be two quick

service restaurants with drive-thru access.

He said he is working with national retailers to come up with a variety of stores and shops for the retail aspect of the redevelopment. Ingrassia did not mention any specific examples to the IDA. Ingrassia is the redeveloper of the former Irondequoit Mall outside Rochester and owner of other mall properties.

Phase 1 work calls for construction of two buildings totaling 20,700 square feet and building a new mall entrance where the Bon Ton now stands. Exterior improvements, including to the facade, are planned, as is removal and replacement of roof systems. Also, the parking area will be reduced and more green space created including access from North Union Street to Olean Creek.

Olean Towne Center is seeking $427,731 in sales tax savings, $56,250 in mortgage tax savings and an unspecified 25-year P.I.L.O.T.

The mall currently has about 14 tenants, the largest of which are anchors J.C. Penney with 85,000 square feet and Kohl’s with 56,000 square feet.

$20M DEVELOPMENT ON SOUTH BARRY

Meanwhile, nonprofit DePaul is going through the regulatory process on an approximately $20 million development for 62 units of rental housing — the majority in a two-story structure at 224 S. Barry St., with four others in a smaller structure at the corner of East Henley and South Barry streets. The nonprofit has acquired six parcels on the west side of the 200 block of South Barry Street in 2022 and 2023, according to Cattarau-

gus County property records. Barnes said the group plans to acquire eight properties in total for the project. Developers told the Times Herald in mid-2023 that they had been working to build in the county for almost a decade, and would be working with Southern Tier Environments for Living Inc., a Dunkirk-based nonprofit, for services for those in need.

DePaul will also have 24-hour security and support staff.

Across 15 counties, the nonprofit offers — along with affordable housing — addiction prevention and support

services, mental health residential services, senior living communities and support and vocational programs.

The city Zoning Board of Appeals is being asked for a variance to decrease the number of required parking spaces from 102 to 51 with the possibility of adding a dozen more at a later date if needed. Another variance being sought is to be allowed to build closer to property boundaries than the city code typically allows.

City fire officials have reviewed the setbacks and did not offer concerns.

JESTER SERVES AS INTERIM OLEAN CHAMBER DIRECTOR, OTHER STAFF IN PLACE

OLEAN — The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce opened 2024 with several new additions to its team as it works to enhance local business success through the promotion of tourism and community events.

The Chamber’s previous chief operating officer, Meme Yanetsko, departed in late January to serve as director of advancement for HomeCare & Hospice and Total Senior Care, bringing to a close her career with the Chamber that spanned three decades.

Shortly thereafter, Adam Jester, former Chamber board vice president and CEO of local business consulting firm Bamboo Strategy Group, stepped in as interim executive director.

“For the better part of the last 33 years in

this area, the phrase ‘Chamber of Commerce’ has been synonymous with the name Meme Yanetsko,” Jester said. “The Chamber itself, and the greater Olean area business community, were incredibly fortunate to have benefitted from her talents and dedication over that tenure, and we wish her much success and enjoyment in her future pursuits.”

With several needs to fill, a busy February

was spent recruiting and onboarding multiple new team members to bolster the Chamber’s capabilities as it continues to innovate its approach to fulfilling its mission.

The Chamber remains steadfast in its pursuit of supporting and promoting local commerce, Jester said, through its member businesses, encouraging and facilitating local tourism, and enhancing the overall quality of life in the Greater Olean Area through the production and promotion of high quality events and activities.

With those goals in mind, the Chamber announced several additions to its team:

• Christina Collins, owner of Southern Tier Event Planning, has been contracted to spearhead the Chamber’s events

efforts. Collins has a depth of experience with events management, having spent time with Disney and American Cruise Lines. She has also managed events locally for Holiday Valley and the Bartlett Country Club.

• Christine Pecherzewski joins the team with over two decades of experience in financial planning and, more recently, event coordination.

• Joining Pecherzewski in the office is Lindsay Gardner. With an extensive customer service background in the field of nursing, Lindsay also owns and operates Lindsay Gardner Photography in Olean. Jester said the team is eager to greet members and customers alike, while working

closely with Collins to deliver a lineup of seasonal events the Chamber is known for.

Jester also said the Chamber extends its gratitude to fiscal services manager Carol Palidar and member services manager Lyndsey Churakos for their efforts and flexibility while the organization worked through a busy start to the year. “Their efforts have been instrumental in maintaining the Chamber’s high level of service to members during a time of significant transition,” Jester said. With the team in place, Jester said the Chamber has turned its attention to the final planning and rollout of the 2024 events slate.

The first scheduled event is May 11 and will mark the return of the Community Wide Garage Sale.

For a $5 fee, anyone who holds a garage sale on that day will be included on the official promotions and sale list, which is then distributed to the public. As part of registration, the Chamber needs participants’ addresses and any additional detail about items being sold.

The deadline to register is noon May 8.

Area maps and the official list of the locations of the garage sales will be available at the Chamber office, on the Chamber website, and Facebook page on Thursday and Friday, May 9th and 10th.

Garage sale information can be registered with Christine Pecherzewski at Christine@Oleanny.com, by drop off or mail to the Chamber office at 301 N. Union St., Olean, NY 14760, or by calling 716372-4433.

Adam Jester

File photo

Angelo Ingrassia, a Rochester developer planning to redevelop the Olean Center Mall, describes plans to members of the

Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency in October.