pleased, and now it is time to allow consumers access to the belts. OI will continue to make leather belts, but is now delving into the BioThane and web lines. DiBartolo’s first stop was to visit Renee Doney at The Village Shops in downtown Fulton. “Her jaw just dropped, and she said, ‘Do whatever you have to do,’” said DiBartolo, noting the owner was eager to fully support the initiative and get it off the ground. A target demographic for the belts are golfers due to their many benefits, including various colors and style. In that vein, DiBartolo also called upon Kristen Aluzzi, who runs Kristen’s at Battle Island State Park Golf Course. She too was receptive to the belts. A major triumph was gaining the support of the Oswego Country Club and head professional golfer Ryne Varney. DiBartolo said once people understand what the mission is and that profits are channeled back to the organization, they are all aboard. The 315 Studio in downtown Oswego, owned and operated by Rose Favata, is also featuring the belts as well. “The response from the community has been fantastic,” said Kasovski, noting both businesses and individuals are on board. “We want to start locally and get feedback from the community.” “We want to do our own production, which is a step away from some things we have done in the past,” he added. “We want the whole process done from soup to nuts by our labor force here. He said the goal is to have the program intact no later than the end of August. While OI is starting to market the belts in Oswego County, it intends to extend its reach throughout Central New York. “Our goal is to go much further than our local community,” Kasovski said. OI also wants to create its own e-commerce platform touting the belts. Customers can purchase the 1.5” wide BioThane belts for $24.95. For a more casual look, 1.25” wide web belts available for $11.95 offer a lightweight construction that complements sporting or casual apparel. They feature military-grade nylon webbing and coated flip-top buckles. Currently, both types of belts are stocked in sizes 32-44 at The Village Shops and 40-44 at Battle Island Golf Course. 40
BUSINESS UPDATE Additional sizes are available through special order.
Mission of hope OI services about 400 challenged individuals that take advantage of a myriad of programs, including working on government contracts and receiving support services during the day. OI also has a career employment department that works with people with mental disabilities who need support getting and maintaining a job. OI has a staff of 200 workers, ranking it among the top-20 private employers in Oswego County. In the past, OI had large contracts with the likes of Miller Brewing Co. and Nestle Co., and served essentially as an outsource-subcontractor like many similar types of facilities across the country. “Those contracts employed a large number of people,” Kasovski said. “These buildings used to be packed with people and various types of things that we would assemble and package.” When companies such as Miller and Nestle disappeared, so did the business flow at OI. “We transitioned during that time and our workforce shrunk across the board on the business services side,” he said. However, since Kasovski’s arrival about five years ago, business has been incrementally increasing as more services are being added. “This will not only bring revenue into the organization, but it will provide more opportunities for people with and without disabilities,” he added. Another upside is that when revenue comes to OI, it is spent locally as most of the people that work and are serviced there live within the community. “The underlying thing for us is to empower individuals, and that’s why Oswego Industries is here,” Kasovski said. OI has programs designed to improve daily living skills, enhance social engagement and build confidence for those less fortunate. It also puts folks to work through its custodial and textile divisions, as well as belt making and document imaging.
it felt good to be doing positive things for people. However, “my main hurdle was when I told people where I worked, nobody knew what goes on here,” DiBartolo said. “That was kind of a punch in the gut because there is so much good going on here. “We don’t want to be the best-kept secret in Fulton,” he said, noting one of the goals of this type of project is to gain notoriety. Kasovski said that 70 percent of people with disabilities are unemployed. “We’re trying to do our part in creating various opportunities and growing our business here. People looking for work and to build skills can come to Oswego Industries and hopefully one day move on to bigger and better things,” he added. “It’s all about the people we serve,” Kasovski said. Word of mouth will play a key role in the success of the product, as well as social media exposure under the guidance of Rebekkah Frisch, OI’s marketing and communications associate. Kasovski said. DiBartolo said product reviews are coming in as consumers are saying what they like about the product. He said belts featuring plastic clips may also be featured down the road for workers at nuclear power plants to avoid delays at metal detectors, while other adaptations may in store for police officers. On the business services side, projects have to “stand on their own two feet,” Kasovski said. “Whether it is document imaging or anything else, it’s just like any other business. We go ahead and spec out the work, hire the labor, and go out and perform the project. At the end of the day, our goal is to have a couple bucks left over on top of the hours and everything else we put into it,” he said. Government funding through the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities helps support day rehab and pre-vocational training services. OI also receives funding to support its career employment services program where staff finds work out in the community for the people it serves. Its sister agency, Arc of Oswego County, provides services to children and seniors with disabilities.
Creating name recognition
DiBartolo said when he was hired, he wanted to work somewhere where OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
By Lou Sorendo AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019