Oswego County Business, #190: February - March 2024

MOVING SUNY OSWEGO FORWARD

New President Peter Nwosu wants to double the number of students graduating from SUNY Oswego at a time of declining enrollment. Can he do it? He talks about his plans and his background. P. 52

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REQUIREMENTS

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Five+ years management experience, healthcare experience strongly desired Must have demonstrated leadership capabilities, fostering a collaborative team environment, a creative approach to problem solving and corporate growth

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Mark J. Charlamb, MD

Jorge Davidenko, MD

Christopher A. Nardone, MD

Michael Fischi, MD

Charles Perla, MD

Theresa Waters, DO

Andrew M. Weinberg, DO

Timothy D. Ford, MD

Robert L. Carhart, Jr., MD

Debanik Chaudhuri, MD

Hani Kozman, MD

Sakti Pada Mookherjee, MD

Amy Tucker, MD

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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.

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.

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.

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The Project That Will Transform Central New York

What Is Your Business Outlook for 2024?

OCC Preparing Students for a Micron Future

Communities Successful at Securing State Funds for Revitalization

Companies Are Expanding, Investing in Oswego County

CenterState CEO to Lead ON-RAMP Project

PLUS: 10 Key Sectors of the Economy

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Eds and Meds

We are in the process of distributing the 2024 Business Guide, which we published late last year.

Higher education and medical institutions — known as ‘eds and meds’ — remain the largest employers in Central New York, according to the guide, based on data collected in November 2023.

SUNY Upstate leads the list — it employs 11,725 people, followed by Syracuse University (5,000) and St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center (3,976), according to the guide.

In Oswego County, Oswego Health is the No. 1 private employer, with 1,318 employees. In the public sector in Oswego County, SUNY Oswego is the largest employer. When we combine private and public sectors, SUNY Oswego comes on top with 1,568 employees, not counting nearly 2,000 student-workers.

The prominence of eds and meds is nothing new — it has been a trend for the last 20 years or so in most of the country.

A study by Brookings Institution conducted several years ago shows that a college, university or medical institution is a top 10 private employer in every one of the 20 largest cities in the U.S. Upstate New York is no different. Eds and meds are the dominant sectors in Buffalo, Rochester and Albany. Organization like University of Rochester Medical Center and Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo employ thousands of people.

Manufacturing is also big in the region, the guide shows. Novelis, Huhtamaki and Fulton companies lead the list of largest manufacturers in Oswego; Lockheed Martin, Tessy Plastics and Raytheon Technologies lead the list in Onondaga. Micron, we hope, will soon join the pack.

Our 30th annual guide is packed with detailed information on nearly 300 organizations. It also brings profiles of dozens of business and community leaders. We feature profiles of bankers, plant managers, chief executive officers, educators, leaders in the nonprofit world and much more. They talk about their educational background, career, man-

agement style, hobbies and, equally important, they talk about ways CNY can become a better place to live and work.

The Business Guide also brings information on demographics. Central New York’s population remains predominantly white. In Oswego County, 91.3% of the 118,287 people (as of 2022) are white, followed by Cayuga (87.9%) and Jefferson (82.5%). In Onondaga County, 74.1% of the population is white

The Business Guide is truly a great resource. It’s all there — right to the point, easy to follow and with all the hard data easily accessible. It’s our most ambitious project of the year.

If you haven’t received the publication, you can still get one for free — just subscribe to Oswego County Business online —www.OswegoCountyBusiness.com — or by mail. We will be happy to send you a copy.

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

Wagner Dotto editor@cnybusinessmag.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Stefan Yablonski syablonski@twcny.rr.com

WRITERS

Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Christopher Malone, Stefan Yablonski

Aaron Gifford, Mary Beth Roach

Tom and Jerry Caraccioli

Jacqueline DeMarco, Laurie Haelen

COLUMNISTS

Austin Wheelock, Tim Nekritz

ADVERTISING

Peggy Kain | p3ggyk@gmail.com

Rob Elia | roblocalnews@gmail.com

SECRETARY

Alisson Lockwood localnewsoffice@gmail.com

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 $21.50 a year; $35 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.

HOW TO REACH US:

is the editor and publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine.

WAGNER DOTTO is the editor and publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine.

P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126. Phone: 315-342-8020 Fax: 315-342-7776 editor@OswegoCountyBusiness.com

Cover of the 2024 Business Guide.

The Upstate Cancer Center provides services offered nowhere else in the region. With the strength of academic medicine, patients have a team of experts devoted to their type of cancer. Upstate is among the select centers in the nation to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Commission on Cancer multiple times.

In our newest location in Verona, we o er the same convenient access to surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and clinical trials.

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The ahi tuna: This is that dish of the year. The taste was as vibrant as the presentation.

DINING OUT RESTAURANT GUIDE

TAKING OSWEGO’S CULINARY SCENE TO THE SKIES

Rooftop Lounge has everyone looking up

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Oswego’s culinary prowess is winning me over.

The Port City has a little bit of everything — from greasy spoons to upscale bistros — and is catering to various diets and palates.

I’m also proud to admit I had a “stop everything” moment this early in the year. It’s like a movie trailer preemptively claiming its film is the best of its genre for the year while you, sitting in front of whatever screen you’re watching, say, “Really? For Pete’s sake, it’s only January.” But then the expectations are met.

I’ll get to that in a minute.

The Rooftop Lounge in the Litrato building on West First Street has been on my radar for a bit.

The restaurant offers a meal with a view. The main dining area of the fifthfloor eatery is sandwiched between two outdoor areas — one with a clear view of the water and the other an urbanesque treat looking over downtown Oswego. Neither is a bad choice but, since it’s

winter, eating outside isn’t an option.

The Rooftop Lounge specializes in craft cocktails, with a lengthy spirit and wine list to boot and small plates. At first glance and thought, the modern restaurant prides itself on being a place for people to gather, talk and relax — plus, you know, eat and drink while listening to live music and taking in a Central New York sunset.

It’s got everything and it’s not afraid to take risks when it comes to the food.

While glancing over the menu, I enjoyed the pecan old fashioned ($12), which is made up of a pecan whiskey, a Japanese whiskey, chocolate bitters and an orange rind. The rim of the glass is coated with crushed pecans for that extra nutty wink to pair well with the beverage. It’s not overly sweet but just enough.

The menu is stacked with tantalizing options. The weekly specials menu doesn’t make decision-making any easier. But I kicked off the meal with the soup trio ($8). Three soups are

presented in little cups. I was able to try their gumbo, Tuscan-style shrimp bisque and a chowder comprised of potato, bacon and corn. The chowder was hearty, the gumbo was nice and spicy and the bisque was just right. If I had to pick a favorite — I’d go with the gumbo. It didn’t hold back, it was packed with ingredients (chicken, pepperoni, long grain rice and more) and made me want to revisit New Orleans.

The Rooftop also has menu sections dedicated to charcuterie boards and flatbreads. Leaning toward flatbread, the burrata and prosciutto ($15) caught my attention.

There were just enough ingredients, so the dough did not falter. Aside from the creamy cheese to cool things down, the light fare had a nice kick to it thanks to the red pepper flakes. The homemade marinara sauce’s flavor is also something to note, plus there was just enough; any more may have made the flatbread a little soggy.

There’s an option to get a filet with mushroom risotto or just get the

Pecan old fashioned is made up of a pecan whiskey, a Japanese whiskey, chocolate bitters and an orange rind. The rim of the glass is coated with crushed pecans for that extra nutty wink.

rice dish as a side ($10), which we did. Don’t let the word “side” deter you from going that route. The creamy risotto emphasized by fresh mushrooms came as a generous, shareable amount. In response to our enjoyment, wife said: “We need to make risotto more often.”

The coq au vin small plate ($22), which translates simply to chicken with wine, is also more than braised bone-in chicken thigh. The stewy dish came with carrots, mushrooms and onions. The concoction was made with red wine and finished with bourbon. These all sat atop a heaping scoop of pureed potatoes.

The flavor was pretty outstanding. And what more perfect dish for a winter’s day? Despite its unapologetic heartiness, it wasn’t overly filling. It’s another easily shareable small plate at The Rooftop Lounge but you may end up ordering more for the table.

The ahi tuna ($15) — this is where it’s at. This is that dish of the year. The sesame-crusted tuna came out, bearing all its pink glory. It was joined by tiny soy sauce pearls and pickled ginger. The trio sat atop a wasabi cremé drizzle and there was a side of Teriyaki glaze.

The taste was as vibrant as the presentation. The pink and green stood out on the black plate. The soy sauce — nice and light and salty. The slightly thicker wasabi drizzle had that perfect eye-opening potency, clearing the sinuses but not overstaying its welcome.

As intriguing as the desserts were, sadly, the meal focused on the savory. But the burnt ends ($10) brought some sweetness. This plate is like the grand finale of a fireworks show — there’s a little bit of everything, a feast for the mouth. The melt-in-your-mouth pork is presented with a maple Cajun glaze, pepper slaw and a side of spicy blackberry jam.

It’s a poster child for sweet and savory ecstasy. Six pieces of fatty burnt ends are presented with the rest of the dish’s components. It’s amazing the overall flavor, especially with the slight kick of the berry jam. Each bite is explosive and colorful.

Before tip, the bill totaled $102 and change.

The Rooftop is like a diamond in the sense it has its own “seven C’s.” It’s classy and chic with a strong emphasis on comfort. One thing it’s not — cliched.

The Oswego restaurant is taking on cuisine with a contemplative approach all the while building and re-emphasizing the importance of community.

Dining out is an experience. The Rooftop Lounge puts that responsibility in the hands of its patrons, as it should be. Its team is here to simply make sure you’re happy and satisfied.

The Rooftop Lounge

Litrato Building

189 W. First St., 5th floor, Oswego, NY 13126

315-207-2078

therooftoplounge.com

facebook.com/therooftoploungeoswego

instagram.com/therooftoploungeoswego

Sunday and Monday: Closed Tuesday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

The coq au vin small plate, which translates simply to chicken with wine. The flavor was pretty outstanding.

RSUNY Oswego

Planetarium Gets Upgrade

ecent software updates and renovations to SUNY Oswego’s Shineman Planetarium have provided expanded technology, ease-of-use and additional learning opportunities for students in the university’s astronomy minor.

Planetarium shows, which are free and open to the public, take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays during semesters. With the increase in interest in astronomy topics in advance of the eclipse, including on-campus planetarium shows on the day of totality on April 8, the timing worked well.

Natalia Lewandowska, the planetarium’s director and assistant professor of physics at SUNY Oswego, said that the upgrade process began more than a year ago, and started with learning about the limitations of Starry Night, the then-current software used by the planetarium.

“I went with the late Dr. [Scott] Roby [the previous planetarium director] to a workshop in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, where the company from which we had bought software in the past, Spitz Inc., is based,” Lewandowska said.

At that workshop, Lewandowska learned that the acquisition of Spitz Inc., which created Starry Night, by another planetarium company, Cosm, meant that the platform would no longer be supported, replaced by an updated planetarium software system Digistar.

Thanks to a grant from the Shineman Endowed Fund, the planetarium upgrades include the software itself, computers to run the program and updated Windows iterations for each new computer.

“The whole planetarium is basically working on two computers; both these computers were completely exchanged, and the new software, Digistar 7, was delivered with these,” Lewandowska said.

“We had a colleague here from Spitz Inc. here for about a week in August, and during that time he took out all of the old components, put the new stuff in, and then he checked all of the software to see if it was working,” Lewandowska said. “On Friday morning, he gave me the opportunity to test it and play with it.”

HOW I GOT STARTED

By Stefan Yablonski

ANTHONY PAULDINE

He started in business as a roofer more than 40 years ago and quickly became a contractor and developer. Today he owns six companies, including the Canal Commons and Curtis Manor, both in Oswego. He employs about 30 people.

Q: How long have you been in business?

A: I’ve been in business since 1989.

Q: How did it all start?

A: I went to work for my brother in 1977 after high school graduation. At that time we specialized in roofing. I bought the company later and expanded it into siding, insulation, construction and roofing divisions.

Q: And then you became a developer?

A: In about 2001 I wanted to be a developer and changed my business cards to reflect “general contractor/developer” to set a course and make it happen.

Q: What was your first big project?

A: The first thing was the King Arthur building [in downtown Oswego]. My first opportunity came with the sale of the Buckhout-Jones building downtown by the city and the IDA [which became the King Arthur building]. While creating King Arthur’s Steakhouse and the hotel above, I was hooked on downtown and began negotiating for the vacant Greens department store owned by Don Cole of Cole Muffler shops. From there we went on to purchase the B&D Photo, Main Moon and Vona’s Building and add them to the new Canal Commons.

Q: You’ve done a great job saving old buildings. Is that your passion?

A: Our first major tackling of a super distressed building was actually the Crazy Eddy building that housed Edward Jones Financial. It was a tax sale purchase that we were the only bidder due to part of the building being demolished and the remainder probably should have been as well. I found a passion to take on the hardest projects to see how we could save and restore them! By the time the Cahill building came up for auction, I was hooked. I had to save that building and make it shine again! The Curtis Manor farm was an even bigger challenge to save. Soon after the former YMCA building that was condemned was on the schedule.

Q: What was it like starting out?

A: Starting out was slow and funding was not available for what we wanted to do. Later we found that investing out of pocket was the way to get things done. In the middle of our projects, Pathfinder Bank became a believer in what we were doing and saw the betterment in the community. Pathfinder is now our sole bank and partner

‘If you’re juggling balls, if you can learn to juggle two or three or four it’s not that hard to add one. The problem is you can’t stop when you have a lot of balls up in the air.’

Q: How much did you invest?

A: I don’t know if there is a way to calculate how much we’ve invested in Oswego. It goes way, way back. It’s quite a lot. I think it’s worth noting that every single property we own is located within the city limits of Oswego. We take pride in using local people, local vendors and lumber stores.

Q: How many employees do you have?

A: We have about 30 employees across several companies and great crews that allow expanding and growing. It’s an honor the have a core of employees that are like family and many years with me. I am very blessed to work with two sons who are super dedicated and hard working!

Q: Are you working on anything right now?

A: Yes, the building next to Curtis Manor. It’s going to be a second wedding venue, with an industrial theme. It has substantial larger capacity. We’ll be able to hold larger events — 100 plus people.

Q: Anything else?

A: Eventually, the former Ladies Home in Oswego. It will become like a bed and breakfast. We’ve been on a tear, doing as much as we could do. We’ve got a couple things in the works, but I’m not ready to talk about that yet.

Q: How do you balance everything?

A: I think if you’re juggling balls, if you can learn to juggle two or three or four it’s not that hard to add one. The problem is you can’t stop when you have a lot of balls up in the air.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: My hobbies are only two. Work and the gym and I do both seven days a week.

Q: Ever think about slowing down or even retiring some day?

A: I can’t see myself ever retiring or doing anything else! My job certainly has been hard and at times gut-wrenching, but it is addictive, fun and a passion I can’t see myself removed from.

PROFILE By Stefan Yablonski

DIMITAR KARAIVANOV

New Community Bank System’s CEO looks to build on past success, plans to expand in Albany and other markets

The new president and CEO of Community Bank System Inc. is 42 and came to the United States about 20 years ago for grad school.

Dimitar Karaivanov was born and raised in Bulgaria.

“I came over to my new homeland for my MBA, which I did at the Ohio State University,” he said. “Ohio State was a great experience.”

Karaivanov is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

“I’m privileged to be in Syracuse, New York, working at this wonderful company,” he said.

He spent 15 years on Wall Street, working with financial services companies including Community Bank System — “which is how I got to know the company and management really well,” he said.

He joined the company from Lazard Middle Market, where he served as a managing director and member of the Financial Institutions Group since June 2018.

Prior to Lazard, he spent more than a dozen years in investment banking at a number of leading financial services firms after he began his career in public accounting.

“I met my wife during a two-year stint in Philadelphia. We have three young kids — two boys [9 and 6] and a girl [2.5]. We have really enjoyed our move to Upstate and the kindness of the people,” he said.

“And my wife is actually from Canada, so snow and cold is her kinda thing,” he laughed. “It’s a nice move here; she’s closer to family and friends. She was born in Calgary.”

Small world

“One of our neighbors is also Bulgarian and there is another one like just five minutes away from where we are as well,” he said. “What are the chances that you move to Central New York and within a five-minute radius there are three people from your home country?”

He was always fascinated by the exposure one got from working as a trusted adviser to companies, he explained of his career path.

“I did not have specific plans to work in banking, but have always strongly believed in the apprenticeship model in my career,” he said. “It just so happened that the best mentors I found when I was a junior employee were in the financial services space and I chose to follow their path. And then I had the unbelievable opportunity to move from an adviser to an operator at Community Bank System.”

Community Bank System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company based in DeWitt. It’s focused on four main business lines — banking, benefits administration, insurance services and wealth management. Total assets at Community Bank exceeds $15 billion.

“Numbers are just numbers. The

responsibility we all have — and me in particular, is to our clients, colleagues and communities,” he said. “That is the duty of care I am focused on and that is what drives our culture and ultimately performance and growth. Keeping that ground level mindset is imperative for our long-term success.”

He hopes to build on the work done by his predecessor, longtime CEO Mark Tryniski, who retired at the end of 2023.

“I was fortunate when I was in my investment banking shoes to have Community Bank as one of my clients and get to know the company and Mark [Tryniski] and the team pretty well over those years,” Karaivanov said. “I worked with them on most of the important decision points in the company’s development over that time and got to know the culture.”

Karaivanov said during that time at Lazard, they were writing a letter together outlining the reasons to partner with Community Bank and listing the company’s successes.

“Typically, you list all kinds of reasons why you want to do that,” he said.

At the top of one of those letters, Karaivanov said Tryniski wrote, “humility of management.”

“That took me a little bit of time to process — what does that really mean? I was very much struck by that approach. That’s one of the main reasons why I’m here,” he said. “It’s one of our core values.”

“We have a tremendous set of

foundational values in our company — integrity, teamwork, excellence and humility. The first two are the most common. Humility is very rare, in fact this is the only company that I’ve seen that uses that word as a core value,” he added.

“We also have a truly enviable business and competitive position across our banking, benefits administration, insurance and wealth businesses,” he continued. “The plan is to keep building upon all of that; empower and grow our main asset — our people, leverage data in everything we do and adhere to our core values.”

For example, he pointed to the company’s big push into the Albany area.

“Absolutely. We have plans to expand in all of our larger markets,” he said. “We have had great success in Albany and love to invest behind success. We continue to grow the team. In fact, we recently added a leader for our retail banking business for Albany and are actively looking at additional locations.”

For him, free time can be a scarce commodity.

“Between being a glorified chauffeur for all the kids’ activities and

focus on the company there frankly isn’t a ton of free time,” he quipped. “I do like to read, both professionally to learn from others and also for entertainment — historical fiction and sci-fi are my favorites.”

As part of Karaivanov’s initial three-year employment agreement, he will have an annual base salary of at least $900,000, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

He joined Community Bank in June 2021 as its executive vice president of financial services and corporate development. He assumed leadership responsibilities for the company’s non-banking subsidiaries and financial services businesses and operations, including the employee benefit services and institutional trust businesses, the wealth management and investment advisory businesses and the insurance and risk management businesses.

He was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer Oct. 1, 2022. In this role, Karaivanov had oversight responsibilities for all banking, wealth management, employee benefit services, insurance operations and related business activities.

He became CEO of the bank Jan. 1.

Community Bank System, Inc. operates more than 230 customer facilities across Upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts through its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A.

The DeWitt headquartered company is among the country’s 125 largest banking institutions.

Community Bank System, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the company’s stock trades under the symbol CBU.

Lifelines

Name: Dimitar Karaivanov, Position: President and CEO Community Bank System, parent company of Community Bank NA

Birth place: Bulgaria

Residence: Syracuse area

Education: MBA from Ohio State University

Personal/family: Wife; two sons and a daughter

Hobbies: Reading

For years, Independence Power Plant employees have been committed to this community and to powering Oswego County and New York with safe, reliable, and affordable electricity.

Now, Independence is part of Luminant, a company that’s been committed to the communities where its employees live, work, and serve for nearly 140 years.

Our name may be different, but our commitment will never change.

www.luminant.com

NEWSMAKERS

NEWS BRIEFS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES & BUSINESS PEOPLE

Operation Oswego County Has New Marketing Manager

Operation Oswego County, Inc.

Alexandra Fitzpatrick

(OOC),thecounty’s authorized economic development organization, has recently named Alexandra Fitzpatrick as the organization’s marketing and communications manager.

In this position Fitzpatrick will coordinate comprehensive marketing, promotion, and community relations initiatives on behalf of the organization to position Oswego County as a premier location for business and industry.

Fitzpatrick has over nine years of marketing and sales experience. Most recently she served for two years as the owner and director of marketing at Quintessential Creative in Fulton, assisting both businesses and municipalities in developing marketing and advertising campaigns and fostering brand awareness for a diverse list of clients. She is adept at liaising between businesses, nonprofit organizations, elected officials and community members alike.

Fitzpatrick has strong local ties to Oswego County. She is a native of Oswego and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from SUNY Oswego. She lives in Fulton.

“We are very pleased to welcome Alexandra to our economic development team,” said OOC Executive Director Austin Wheelock. “Her extensive background in marketing and advertising as well as her existing relationships with many of our key partners and stakeholders will make her an asset to our efforts to recruit, expand and retain businesses here in Oswego County.”

Operation Oswego County is a pri-

vate, nonprofit economic development organization that works to enhance and protect the business climate of Oswego County.

Mills Appointed Executive Director at Fulton CDA

Jessica Mills was appointed late

last year as the executive director of the Fulton Community Development Agency (CDA) by the Fulton Community Development Agency Board of Commissioners.

Mills, who has been with the agency for nearly 10 years, holds a bachelor’s degree in business, management and economics from SUNY Empire State College. She is also certified as a HUD housing choice voucher (HCV) specialist and housing quality standards specialist as well as a HUD certified housing counselor providing housing counseling services in the areas of financial management, housing affordability, fair housing, homeownership, avoiding foreclosure and tenancy.

In her role as executive director, she is responsible for the management and administration of low-income public housing programs and any programs authorized by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). She supervises all agency operations, maintains contact with HUD and New York state housing programs representatives, as well as supervising participation in federal grants and other sources for funding. She also develops, implements and oversees the agency’s budgets, while managing dayto-day operations and keeping board commissioners informed.

Mills has served for more than two years as a housing counselor–senior law assistant at the Hiscock Legal Aid Society in Syracuse.

Mills was born in Oswego, but grew up in Colton, St. Lawrence County. When she was 15 her family came to Fulton. She lives in Fulton with her husband, Kurtis, and teenage sons Tyler and Anthony.

Loren Wahl Named Partner at Bowers CPAs & Advisors

Loren Wahl, CPA, has been

promoted to partner at Bowers CPAs & Advisors in Syracuse. She has over 15 years of extensive experience in public accounting.

Graduating magna cum laude from SUNY Oswego with a dual degree in accounting and computer science, Wahl’s joined Bowers CPAs & Advisors in 2008.

According to the firm, her professional expertise spans a diverse spectrum, with specific industry knowledge in manufacturing, financial services, real estate and the restaurant sector. “Her in-depth understanding of the intricacies within these domains positions her as a trusted advisor and a go-to resource for financial guidance,” according to a company news release.

Beyond her professional commitments, Wahl actively engages with professional affiliations and community organizations, contributing significantly to the broader landscape. Her affiliations include membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and roles as director and treasurer of The Central New York Land Trust.

Loren has also served as past director and treasurer of AFWA (Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance) and OCPA (Ontario Center of Performing Arts), where she

Jessica Mills

Loren Wahl

still frequently volunteers.

Michael Frame Promoted at MACNY

MACNY, The Manufacturers Asso

Michael

Frame

ciationofCentral New York announced that it has promoted Michael Frame as the association’s executive vice president. He started in this new role on Jan. 4. Reporting directly to the president and CEO, the executive vice president serves as second-in-command and a key member of MACNY’s executive leadership team responsible for all policy and strategic decision-making including operations, budget, programmatic offerings, talent development and partnerships.

“Mike’s promotion is a true testament to his leadership in many key functional areas. We are excited to continue to leverage his skills and experience to further MACNY’s mission, develop our team, and support manufacturers and business in New York,” said MACNY President & CEO Randy Wolken.

Frame first joined MACNY in 2022 as senior vice president of workforce development and chief operations officer.

Prior to joining MACNY, Frame had extensive experience working for several institutions of higher learning including SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Florida State University, the State University of New York and Binghamton University.

OCWA Names Chief Financial Officer

OCWA — Central New York’s Water Authority — recently appointed Sheilla A. Roth as chief financial officer. She started on the position late in December.

In this role, Roth will oversee accounting, finance, purchasing, inventory and payroll for operations, maintenance, and capital projects.

Roth is a certified public accountant with an extensive background in governmental and nonprofit accounting.

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She most recently served as the school business executive for Mexico Academy & Central Schools. Prior to that position, she served as the controller for higher education institutions including Onondaga Community College and Cazenovia College. In addition, she is a longtime Central New York native and a graduate of Alfred University.

“We are thrilled to have Sheilla join the OCWA executive team. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the job. Her 25 years of distinguished service as a certified public accountant in both the public and private sectors will be a tremendous asset to the authority,” said OCWA Executive Director Jeff Brown.

OCWA serves approximately 500,000 residents in Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Cayuga and Oneida counties. The authority is among the 125 largest public drinking water systems in the country, operating two major water treatment facilities, over 2,150 miles of main, 13,300+ fire hydrants, more than 60 storage facilities, and 47 pump stations.

Eastern Shore Insurance Agency Opens Liverpool Location

Eastern Shore Insurance Agency, a leading provider of comprehensive insurance solutions, recently celebrated the grand opening of its newest location in Liverpool.

“This strategic expansion marks an exciting milestone for the agency, reinforcing its commitment to serving the community with exceptional insurance services,” said Eryl Christiansen, president and CEO of Eastern Shore.

The new office, located at 4709 Crossroads Park Drive, officially opened its doors Oct. 10.

“We are thrilled to extend our presence to Liverpool and surrounding areas. This new location allows us to better serve our clients by providing them with accessible, local expertise. We look forward to building lasting relationships within the community and being a trusted partner for all their insurance needs,” Christiansen added.

Eastern Shore Insurance Agency is a 100% employee-owned client-focused agency. It operates offices in Camden, Fulton, Liverpool, Pulaski, Walworth and Waterloo.

Paul Forestiere Honored by Fulton Lions Club

Lion Paul Forestiere, Lions District 20-Y governor, was presented with the Melvin Jones Fellowship award—the highest honor given to a Lion— at the Fulton club’s January meeting.

“The Melvin Jones Fellowship is the Lions International Foundation’s highest honor,” said club President Patrick Devendorf. “It represents humanitarian qualities such as generosity, compassion and concern for the less fortunate. District Governor Paul Forestiere embodies these qualities and has been an exemplary lion, serving twice as president of his Pulaski Lions Club, and participating in countless community projects over the years.”

Forestiere was the guest speaker at the joint meeting of the Fulton and Oswego Lions clubs, and he focused

on his mission as governor: to improve family literacy throughout District 20-Y, by mobilizing the nearly 50 Lions clubs he oversees to take action. The district borders the St. Lawrence River to the north, the southern shores of Lake Ontario to the east, almost to Rochester, Pennsylvania to the south, and the Capital District to the east.

Forestiere is also a member of the Literacy Coalition of Oswego County, (LCOC), a network of agencies, institutions, businesses and volunteers with the mission to promote literacy and advocate for literacy services in Oswego County. He is also the executive director at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County. The Fulton club presented him with a $1,000 donation to LCOC.

Lion Paul Forestiere, second from right, Lions District 20-Y governor, was presented with the Melvin Jones Fellowship award—the highest honor given to a Lion— at the Fulton club’s January meeting. He is shown with club President Patrick Devendorf, second from left. His wife, Patty, and Fulton Past President David Guyer.

Home&Business

NeedSigns

McCraith Named AVP, Senior Branch Manager at Pathfinder

Colleen McCraith has been hired

as assistant vice president, senior branch manager of Pathfinder Bank’s Oswego offices.

McCraith will be responsible for managing and maintaining the day to day operations of Pathfinder Bank’s three Oswego locations, while developing retail and commercial business and building relationships with the local community.

“We are pleased to welcome Colleen to our Pathfinder Bank team,” said Robert Butkowski, senior vice president, chief operating officer. “With her extensive knowledge of the banking industry and strong leadership skills, Colleen has proven to be a key asset to our organization and the Oswego community. We are confident that she will excel in this role, and we look forward to supporting her growth.”

Prior to joining Pathfinder Bank, McCraith served as vice president and senior branch manager at M&T Bank’s North Syracuse office.

McCraith lives in Volney with her two daughters, Lindsay and Kayla.

Colleen McCraith

The Path of Totality Traverses Through Oswego

Once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse to be seen from the shores of Lake Ontario

By Tom and Jerry Caraccioli

During its onset, the sky surrounding the afternoon sun becomes very dark, very quickly and turns a deep dark blue.

Stars and planets suddenly pop up out of nowhere as if it is nighttime. The temperature drops more than 10 degrees. A gray veil falls over everything. And the atmosphere becomes a little scary.

In the final seconds, the dull blackness from the west suddenly springs up out of the Earth like a gigantic curtain traveling at supersonic speed. The moon’s shadow covers the sky with blackness. The positive electricity of the

moment envelopes everyone around sharing this experience.

For those lucky enough to experience a total solar eclipse of the sun, it is sometimes defined as a life-altering experience.

On April 8, beginning at 2:08 p.m., Oswego, will be the scene of phenomena that is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for this Port City.

For two hours and 26 minutes the moon, 400 times smaller and 400 times farther from the sun, will pass between the orbits of the Earth and sun.

The moon’s shadow —the umbra — will cross the Earth’s surface and

cause the sun to disappear in the path of totality that creates a total eclipse of the sun.

For three minutes and 30 seconds, people in Oswego will experience what many “umbraphiles” — those who spend thousands of dollars traveling the far reaches of the world to witness a total eclipse of the sun in person — can only dream of by viewing it without leaving their own backyards.

The English word “eclipse” is derived from the Greek “ekleípō,” meaning disappearance. In ancient times people who were not involved in science did not understand what was

happening and became fatally frightened during the experience.

The ancient Greeks believed the gods were punishing the king and the eclipse foretold this punishment. Ancient Egyptians also associated the sun’s disappearance with misfortune since cloudless, clear skies suddenly became dark and nighttime stars would appear. The ancient Aztecs believed demons were possessing the sun and would soon bring an end to the world as they knew it. Norse Vikings hooted and hollered in an effort to scare eaters of the sun and moon, Skoll and Hati. In Native American cultures, some see the solar eclipse as rebirth, a rebalancing, while others see the phenomena as a bad omen. Ironically, in this “Year of the Dragon” in Chinese culture, the ancients once believed the eclipse was caused by an invisible dragon eating the sun.

In early April, officials in the city of Oswego expect the Port City to experience prosperity with hopes of the population swelling tens of thousands to Harborfest-like crowds coming to the area to witness the path of totality of this solar wonder.

“It’s hard to put a number on our expectations,” said Dan Breitweg, deputy director of community development, tourism and planning. “The eclipse will certainly draw people to our area for this once-in-our lifetime event. We are certainly looking forward to an uptick of people visiting our local businesses and establishments and staying in our hotels. If people are planning to come to Oswego County on April 8, many communities will be putting on free viewing events. And if travelers are looking to budget, they should be aware that some hotels are requiring minimum stays of three nights. We also are preparing for more visitors from surrounding counties who will not experience totality or will only experience it for a shorter amount of time.”

Incredibly, not only will people be able to see the total eclipse, Oswego County Tourism also is one of only three locations in New York state that has a LightSound box allowing people who are visually impaired to experience the eclipse through sound. There also are scheduled plans to livestream the sounds from that device making the eclipse accessible to everyone.

Oswego Mayor Rob Corradino said the city has plans for a block party on West First Street between Bridge and Oneida streets. Though no one can be sure of the specific economic impact of the event, the planned festivities

including food vendors, music and other special entertainment events will undoubtedly prove to be a boon.

“There will be a lot of people coming to town and our hotels will be filled,” Corradino said. “We’re also encouraging our restaurants to stay open on Sunday, as well as our downtown stores.”

Broadwell Hospitality Group director of special events George Broadwell also thinks the solar eclipse events of the weekend leading to the path of totality event on Monday could generate “Harborfest-like” visitors to the Port City.

“A lot of people don’t really know what to expect,” Broadwell said. “Historically, April usually has nothing going on. This year we will be sold out at the Best Western Plus and Clarion Inn Suites for the solar eclipse events.”

At SUNY Oswego, Katelyn Barber, assistant professor of meteorology, is involved with helping organizing events before and during April 8.

“It’s not unreasonable to expect about 10,000 visitors to campus that day,” Barber said. “We are inviting anyone that wants to come out including area schools that want to bring their classes here. There is a registration form they need to fill out so we can organize their visit.

On the day of the eclipse we are going to lead off with some noted dignitaries — experts in astrophysics from Yale University, University of Glasgow and Ohio State. That kicks off at 9 a.m. and is open to the public in Shineman Center. There also will be weather balloon launches every hour that the public can view. We will have activities for younger students — mask-making, a ‘Baily’s Beads’ section where kids can make friendship–keepsake bracelets to mark the event, telescope viewing and whitelight binoculars to look at the sun before the eclipse and during, as well as presentations on helio-physics and eclipses in general.”

Trajectory

As the moon’s shadow traverses west to east across the daytime sky on April 8 in what is known as the “Great North American Eclipse,” the path of totality begins in Mexico and travels northeast through 13 states from Texas to Maine including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

It will methodically begin to cover the brilliant solar disk in the atmosphere

we know as the sun. When it gets to Oswego, the sun’s corona, with its pearly outer atmosphere, will softly glow against a deep twilight blue sky over Lake Ontario until it disappears.

When the last sliver of the sun’s light shrinks behind the shadow of the moon, the sun’s corona will become visible and the last vestiges of sunlight will glare through valleys on the moon creating a “bead” effect at the moon’s edges. Known as “Baily’s Beads,” they will dance around until the very last one brightens into a huge bead providing viewers with the famous “diamond ring” effect for a moment. And, while some people will take their filtered glasses off during the “diamond ring” effect, technically, it is ill-advised until the sun is totally gone.

At 3:23 p.m., totality will be complete and the skies of Oswego will be dark for more than three minutes.

During totality, viewers won’t need to wear the protective eyewear that is necessary during the onset of totality. They will see the corona burst into view as the diamond fades and appear as if wispy-white cotton candy has filled the “black hole” that’s been cut out of the blue-black sky. Tongues of red fire may become visible around the edges of the sun known as solar prominences. Spectators that look away from the eclipse for a moment also will see a blaze of sunset orange enveloping the entire horizon.

At 4:34 p.m., nearly two-and-a half-hours after it began, the solar eclipse will end. The adrenaline rush of the experience will begin to subside. Shadows will return. The sky will fill with light again. And the path to a new beginning will surface as the majestic star at the center of our solar system also will return.

Despite thousands of cameras and cell phones that will inevitably chronicle this once-in-a-lifetime event in the Port City, it is safe to say no photo will ever quite do justice to the indelibly-etched memories of those who were lucky enough to have experienced the “path of totality” from Oswego.

Tom and Jerry Caraccioli are freelance writers originally from Oswego, who have co-authored two books: “STRIKING SILVER: The Untold Story of America’s Forgotten Hockey Team” and “BOYCOTT: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.”

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Mirabito Financial Moves to New Site

Mirabito Financial Group has recently moved into its new space at 909 W. First St. S. in the River View Pediatrics building in Fulton.

For 24 years, the location served as the home of Angelo’s Big M, owned by the Mirabito family.

“It’s absolutely wonderful to be here,” said David Mirabito, MFG owner. “It’s really something special to be in the building in which I worked more than 50 years ago with my family.”

Mirabito Financial Group occupies about 3,250 sq. ft. and has five employees. It provides financial services to clients throughout Central New York and across the country. “This location is a great improvement over our last space,” said Tiffany Hoff, MFG chief operations officer. “The open concept design provides a great workflow and promotes a team environment. We certainly accomplished our goal of creating a much more efficient space in which

to operate.”

The MFG suite has three conference rooms and is configured to adapt to up to three new employees with future growth. “A percentage of our clients are elderly, and the abundant parking and ease of accessibility here is ideal for them,” Mirabito said. “And we’re already getting new business. We had just put our sign up on Nov. 30, and within a couple of days we had an inquiry from a couple who said they saw it and wanted to ask about our services.”

Mirabito started his business offering financial services in Fulton through MetLife in 1993. “In 2016, we switched to MassMutual and in September 2019, we formed the Mirabito Financial Group. The one constant, however, is that we want to take care of the people we work with and stay involved in our community. I encourage anyone who is interested to stop in any time and see our new offices.”

David Mirabito, owner Mirabito Financial Group (right), shares a framed news clipping with photos of Angelo’s Big M with Tiffany Hoff, chief operations officer, and Jason Shannon, financial adviser. Mirabito’s

Training Dogs of Celebrities

Sandy Creek-based trainer has helped train dogs of celebrities like Brooke Shields, Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills and Beth Baldwin

By Stefan Yablonski

After training more than 6,000 — Neil Mathews knows dogs.

Mathews, owner and trainer at Certified Canine Services in Sandy Creek, was 12 years old when he saw a program on TV about dog training. He started to try the techniques on his family’s Boxer, Misty. Because he was 12 — “it was fun, but the results limited.”

His interest in training continued. In 1997, Mathews graduated from the National K-9 School for Dog Trainers in Columbus, Ohio. He completed the master trainer’s course and was certified in basic and advanced obedience, puppy development, behavior modification, basic police K-9 and other training methods.

“We know how to push your dog’s buttons to see if he or she has what it

takes to be a service dog. Not all dogs can be service dogs and not all dogs make good hunting dogs,” he cautioned.

He worked at Stickley Furniture for about 11 years, he said.

“We have been here [at 8166 state Route 3) since 2011. We are actually in the town of Sandy Creek. We built this ourselves. We were closed from the previous place, which was over on 62 just out of Pulaski [for about five years]. Previous to that, we were over in Altmar for five or so years. That’s where we were when we became Certified Canine Services, when I opened the business. We were closed for a couple months while we were building this. We were rushing to open,” he explained.

“We do basically everything; the majority — our bread and butter — is

just family pets. We are doing more and more service dogs and therapy dogs, a lot for schools,” he added.

Mathews has worked with some famous names. “We trained Brooke Shields’ two dogs for six weeks. We did a dog for Sean McDermott [of the Buffalo Bills],” Matthews said. “And there’s been a few others.”

His wife, Rachel, could almost always be found surrounded by animals growing up. Her interest in training began when she was looking for a trainer for her dog, Brutus, a rottweiler “with some aggressive tendencies.” She is a 2007 graduate of the National K-9 School for Dog Trainers.

“Neil and I met when I started working with him 14 years ago. We have 10 therapy dogs for different

Mathews walks with his dog Ramzi, a German shepherd, at Sandy Island Beach down the road from his business.

schools right now and we do service dogs for a program called Victory For Vets in Syracuse,” Rachael said. “We also have several dogs for Children’s Miracle Network [service dogs for children] and we get quite a few phone calls — people want a therapy dog for private practice.”

“We actually have a therapy dog for a school in New Jersey,” Matthews added. “And we are doing one right now, Emmett, a therapy dog for a dentist in Wilmington, North Carolina. We’re training a dog currently for the Oswego City Police Department.”

Certified Canine Services’ staff includes trainers Brad Dawley, a 2017 graduate, and Desiree Haynes, who graduated in February 2023.

Brooke Whitaker is the puppy development program trainer — “she has had a soft spot for puppies ever since she could walk.” She grew up watching her parents operate Certified K-9 and has been involved with puppies and dogs from an early age. Her goal is to get puppies off to the best possible start for

a smooth transition to their new homes. The most difficult thing for her is giving the puppies back after she “falls in love with each one of them.”

Roberta Tousant is the kennel attendant.

Is it tougher to train a certain breed?

“No — it’s not the breed, it’s the personality. There are six different personalities. So the dogs that are struggling, whether it is aggressive or separation anxiety or scared — it’s always about the personality. It’s not the breed,” Matthews explained. “Those different personalities you find in every breed. That is actually what we train to here; that’s what we look at. Aggressive, fear biter, shy, hyper, basket case and”… “happy go lucky,” Rachel added.

“There is a difference between them, but many of the dogs — most all of them actually — we’ll see one that is happy go lucky and hyper. They have a lot of energy. What we see more than

anything, I think, is dogs that people think are aggressive that don’t truly have an aggressive personality, they’re fear biters. They might be acting out aggressively, but they are doing it out of fear — they’re scared, the environment that they are in is making them nervous so they are barking and lunging and doing all these things,” Matthews said.

If you see a big rotweiller and he’s barking and carrying on and everything — you think first of all it’s a rotweiller so they are scary and mean and everything, he said as an example.

“I would say of every breed we’ve ever trained, we’ve seen big teddy bears … pit bulls, they get a bad rap because they can do so much damage. But we’ve seen pit bulls that are absolutely darlings, just sweet, adorable and loving puppies — everything you’d want in a dog.”

Bad bites

“We have had bites, bad bites. Probably the worst bite I’ve ever had was

Neil Mathews is the owner and trainer at Certified Canine Services in Sandy Creek. He is shown with Gunner, a dog he is training.

Mathews has trained more than 6,000 dogs, including the ones from celebrities.

from a basset hound,” Matthews said. “That’s an example. It wasn’t because he was a basset hound. It was because he truly had an aggressive personality. When you get bit, it’s not the dog’s fault — it’s our fault, the trainers. We weren’t paying attention.”

“Sometimes, it is the way we raise small dogs,” Rachel said. “People do a lot of stuff with smaller dogs that you can’t do with bigger dogs. With bigger dogs, people tend to get rules set in place right away. But with little dogs, people will carry them around in their purse, dress them up and kind of privilege them and it confuses the dogs; so it creates a dog that has fear and anxiety … they’re treated like a child and not a dog and it confuses the dog.”

Training people, that is part of the program that goes with every dog, Matthews said.

“The dog stays here. It’s a camp program. So if you have a dog and you want him trained, you bring him here and you drop him off for depending on the dog, how old it is and what it’s being trained for, anywhere from two weeks to six or eight weeks and you wouldn’t see the dog during that time.”

“There are a couple video lessons the owner does while their dogs are here,” Rachael said. “Then when they pick them up, we do about an hour an hour and a half session going over what the dog learned, how they did.”

The first couple weeks they “install the language.”

“In other words, you have a way to communicate with the dog — sit, down, heel, come and the word ‘no,’ that’s the most important thing,” Matthews said. “When we look at a dog and we say ‘no’ that is in a disappointed tone NOT an angry tone — there is a big difference. You should always sound disappointed, not angry.”

“When a dog does something and we say ‘no’ they think, ‘OK, what I’m doing right now is wrong,’” he said. “That is what we work on the first couple weeks and once that language is installed then we start to set them up —– we put them in situations where maybe they’re not going to want to listen (the cats walking by or other dogs around for examples).”

“Once they’re good to do that and still responding, then we start going to town with them and taking them to stores and doing things with them. We even go to Lowe’s in Oswego. We load up a couple vans with dogs and go up there,” he added.

Favorites

They have several “favorite breeds.”

“Rachael and I have a German shepherd, which is one of my favorite breeds,” Matthews said.

“You can get one that is just perfect. But there are some that are, unfortunately, just a wreck, for a variety of reasons,” Rachael added. “Our dog’s name is Ramzi. We just really like the ring of his name.”

“Doodles” make great therapy dogs and service dogs — they’re just perfect for that, she added.

“We see so many dogs and sometimes they are just mutts, but you’re just drawn to them and you’re like ‘I would have this dog for my own!’ It’s just because of the dog’s personality,” Matthews said. “Every single dog, I guarantee I can find a high strung dog in that breed. It is the way it is.”

“It’s kind of like having siblings. You can have four sisters and they are all different,” Rachael said.

Green room = fun

The Green Room has artificial carpeting; waste just drains right through and there is stone underneath it so the dogs can come out here and go to the bathroom wherever they want and we can just take the hose and spray it away. It makes it feel like they are outside, Matthews explained.

“We test them first to make sure that they are OK with other dogs,” he said. “Every morning first thing when we open up they all come out here run around and get exercise — we call it the social.”

That’s when the kennels are being cleaned. Then the dogs go in and they have breakfast.

Another social is in the afternoon around 12:30 or 1, right after lunch.

“The dogs all come back out run around, play, have a good time. So they understand it’s not just about the training; you’re not just here for obedience or whatever it is we’re teaching — you can have a good time, too. Socializing is an important part of the training. It helps them to relieve stress because being here is stressful, it just is. They are in a boarding environment, their owners have left them, they are being trained very intensely and more than they are used to in their daily lives,” Matthews said.

“This gives them a chance to kind of relieve that stress and just run around

and play. We found that it just makes it so much better for them for their stay,” he added. “It is heated and air-conditioned so we can use it year-round no matter what the weather is outside. We also use the room for training. We’ll bring a dog out and do some obedience training.”

Beth Baldwin: Certified Canine is ‘Worth the Drive’

Beth Baldwin from Camillus got a new puppy about a year and a half ago.

“My daughter also brings her dog here and she said what excellent training they have. So I am willing to take that hour and 15 minute drive to come all the way out here,” she said. “You get the boarding and the extra training while the dog is here and I think that is great.”

Her puppy “needs a little boot camp while she is here,” Baldwin quipped.

“I don’t do the boot camp at home all the time — we pamper her more,” she said. “I think we all do that. It’s like kids, we kind of let them get away with you-knowwhat and then when I bring her back out here I know they’ll take care of her.”

Baldwin — the sister of actors Alec, Daniel and Stephen Baldwin — said she has had this breed awhile.“I have had four of them. We lost two dogs that were six months apart. They lived to 14, but they died exactly a year apart on the same day. My mom went behind my back and ordered this puppy,” she said.

“My mom [Carol] was 92. She died. So my mom picked out this puppy online and she died. So it was her wake, her funeral and the next day we went to pick up the puppy. My 16 grandchildren named the puppy. My mother was Gram to them and she was a Baker — so the puppy’s name is GrahmCracker Baldwin. My mother was an activist for breast cancer. We thought it was cute to name the puppy G R A H M with a cracker on it.”

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Got a Bad Credit Score? That Will Cost You

How a bad credit score can affect you and what you can do to change that

By Jacqueline DeMarco

If you fall into the bad credit category, you will have less favorable outcomes when it comes to getting loans to buy a house or car, or even getting opportunities in the rental and job markets.

Prospective lenders, landlords and employers, as well as others that you approach for credit, will see you as more at risk of defaulting and will charge you higher interest rates or deny you.

You don’t have to live with a bad credit score and can proactively take steps to improve your score and your outcomes.

If you have bad credit, you might have more trouble taking out a credit card, car loan or mortgage — and if you do get accepted for a credit card or loan, you can expect to pay

higher interest rates.

A FICO score of less than 669 would be considered a fair score and one below 579 is rated a poor score. If you want to get a mortgage loan to buy a house, for example, you should aim for at least a 620 score. If you do have a poor credit score, you could find yourself dealing with a variety of additional hardships on your financial journey.

What are the disadvantages of bad credit?

The effects of having a low credit score can reach fairly far and wide. The consequences of bad credit can even extend to your job search or apartment hunt. Since both employers and land-

lords want to work with people who have a history of managing money responsibly, your credit score is one way of showing that.

However, you don’t have to let bad credit keep you from achieving your long-term financial goals. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the main disadvantages of bad credit, as well as steps you might be able to take to avoid them.

• You’ll get fewer credit card options and higher interest rates

Bad credit can make a real impact when shopping for a new credit card. You can find many credit cards or those with poor credit, but they won’t offer as many perks or benefits as cards available to those with higher credit scores. Interest rates on these cards can

be extremely high — as high as 29% or more, or higher than the current average interest rate.

If you have a strong credit score, on the other hand, you’ll have plenty of solid credit card options available to you with lower interest rates and good cardholder perks (think: rewards, annual credit and other more premium benefits).

• You might see higher insurance premiums

In general, credit scores are used to determine how likely you are to fall behind on your payments. For potential lenders, the lower your score is, the higher chance you are to miss a payment. When purchasing insurance, you have an insurance score that’s similar to a credit score (and based on much of the same information), but it also takes into account how likely you are to file a claim.

Although credit scores and credit-based insurance scores are slightly different, your insurance score is still affected by your credit history. This is because, like a credit score.

Typically, the higher your insurance score, the lower the rates on your policy will be.

• Your car loan options could be more expensive

pending on your down payment, the cost of your home, your location and other factors, you could be looking at an average of about 8 percent with a score of 620 or lower, compared to about 6.5% with a score of above 760. This makes the overall cost of buying a home much higher.

• You’ll face steeper apartment competition

Landlords can run credit checks on potential tenants during the application process, using them to gauge whether an applicant has a strong financial history and is likely to pay rent on time each month. Landlords can only see your credit report, not your specific credit score, and they’ll likely look at the payment history portion of a credit report. If it’s reported, they can see if an applicant has been evicted in the past, which is likely to affect their decision.

Not all landlords do credit checks, but large property management companies are more likely to require one. So

you are to pay a deposit when setting up an account. Some utility providers may also accept a letter of guarantee, which is a letter from someone who agrees to pay your bill on your behalf if you can’t make the payment.

• Your job applications could be flagged or even disregarded

One somewhat unexpected scenario in which your credit score plays a role is during a job search. Some employers review a candidate’s credit history during the application process as a way to gauge how reliable and responsible you are. Seeing patterns of late or missed payments or a history of defaulting on loans can be a red flag to potential employers that you won’t be a responsible, reliable employee.

• You might face difficulty starting a business

Nowadays, the consequences of bad credit can even extend to your job search or apartment hunt

When it comes time to take out an auto loan, your credit history will play a role in whether you can get your hands on a loan, as well as the rates you’ll receive. If you have strong credit, you may be able to find auto loan offers with interest rates as low as 4.29 percent. On the flip side, if you have a low credit score, you may face interest rates as high as 20 percent.

• You may pay higher mortgage rates

Mortgage lenders typically fear that applicants with poor credit histories are more likely to default on their mortgage. While there is no credit score threshold that automatically disqualifies borrowers from getting a home mortgage loan, having a low score can make it difficult to find a lender to underwrite your loan.

A credit score of at least 620 will make it easier to get a conventional mortgage loan. Even if you are able to secure a mortgage with a lower credit score, you’ll likely see significantly higher interest rates on your loan. De-

if you have bad credit, renting from a landlord with a smaller portfolio may be more easily attainable. Having a lower credit score can also lead to a landlord requiring a larger upfront payment. Taking on a co-signer with a good credit history can give the landlord confidence they’ll receive rent each month.

• You might have to provide security deposits for utilities

Your utility providers take your credit report — particularly, your payment history — into consideration when setting up your account. If you have a poor payment history, chances are you’ll need to provide the utility company with a deposit to get service.

Although the FTC outlines that utility companies requiring deposits must require them for either all new customers or none, many providers waive deposits as long as you meet their credit criteria. This means that the poorer your credit, the more likely

Sometimes it takes money to make money. If you’re starting a business and need funds to make that happen, a low credit score can make it harder to be approved for a business loan or a business credit card at good rates. Even if you can get your hands on a business loan that accepts a low credit score, chances are you’ll receive a lower loan amount and higher interest rates than you’d get with a higher credit score.

The bottom line

While bad credit can make it harder to access credit cards, loans and mortgages — and might even affect your job prospects — there are plenty of ways to improve your credit history and build your credit score.

Start by making on-time payments on all of your current credit cards and begin paying down your old debt.

Consider taking out a secured credit card or personal loan to build a positive credit history and increase the amount of credit available to you. Your credit score should improve as you continue to practice good credit habits and use credit responsibly.

This story was previously published in the personal finance website www.bankrate. com. Reprinted with permission.

INVESTING Your Money and the Elections

By Laurie Haelen

Even though we are only in the early months of 2024, with a surprisingly robust 2023 stock market performance fading in the rearview mirror, anxiety about the elections is already starting to become a topic at client review meetings.

According to the latest investor survey by Janus Henderson, a British-American global asset management group headquartered in London, the upcoming election is investors’ top source of anxiety as we head into 2024. While the economy thus far has avoided one of the most anticipated recessions, as unemployment remains near historical lows while inflation declines, concerns about the election can trump (pun intended) even the best-laid plans for an optimistic forecast.

So, what do we know so far about the election?

Even though we are in the early stages of the election cycle, it appears a rematch between Biden and Trump is a highly probable outcome. Biden faces minimal opposition to the Democratic

Party’s endorsement, while Trump has won GOP primaries handily in Iowa and New Hampshire as of this writing. Certainly, something could change, but at the moment it appears like it’s “déjà vu all over again,” as the great baseball player Yogi Berra once said.

The question is, does it matter—at least from an investment perspective— who wins the election?

A review of historical data indicates that there is minimal correlation between national election outcomes and capital market performance. Even though election results can impact government policy, laws and foreign relations, data studied over the past 85 years indicate there is minimal impact on financial market performance based on possible election outcomes.

The average return of the S&P 500 Index between 1937 and 2022 shows that election-year returns have on average been positive for portfolios. Specifically, the average return from 1937 to 2022 of the S&P 500 was 11.9%. In non-election years, it was 12.5%, and in election years

it was 9.9%, according to Janus Henderson. So, while election years have been less accretive to portfolio returns, they still have historically been positive.

Conversely, economic and inflation trends show stronger and more consistent effects on market returns than election outcomes. Generally, rising growth and falling inflation are a combination that has led to returns above long-term averages while the opposite corresponds to below-average market returns.

This does not mean there will never be a negative impact on the markets due to the election cycle. Policy changes can affect individual or corporate tax rates, as well as certain sectors and industries. But the actual election is unlikely to create anything more than short-term volatility. For long-term investors, this is unlikely to have a meaningful effect on financial goals.

So, if this is true, why are investors still full of anxiety and what should they do about it?

Here are a few ways to assuage

concerns and keep calm during the next several months of daily doses of election updates.

The 24-hour news cycle and social media have been major contributors to the reason investor anxiety has risen over the past several election cycles. Combined with financial concerns, this formula makes emotions run high and allows uncertainty to rule the day. This can lead to poor decisions, which can impact our long-term financial goals.

First of all, remember that your time horizon is an important consideration for the allocation of your investment portfolio. If you are pre-retirement or in the early stages of retirement, you could have a 20-30 year time horizon. Therefore, time should easily smooth the volatility inherent in capital markets. Review your allocation to ensure it is appropriate for your long-term goals, rebalance if necessary, and stick to your strategy.

But if you are in the later stages of retirement, perhaps a review of your allocation—and some adjustments— could ease some of your anxiety. After all, a shorter time horizon means less time to recover from market downturns. Perhaps a less risky portfolio, with a higher amount in cash or fixed income, could be considered. A review from your financial professional can help you see the impact of this on your overall plan.

Besides the financial impact of the election, there is also an emotional impact that cannot be discounted. Since it is such a polarizing event, full of often nasty rhetoric, it is important to protect yourself from becoming overwhelmed from the frenzy. Stay informed, but don’t let the news rule your day. It is a long cycle, and your mental-and physical health are more important than the outcome of one election.

No matter what, stick to your financial plan. If it needs updating, this is a great time to do it, as you may not be able to control the election results (besides voting)—but you can control your own financial picture.

This election year will eventually be over, make it a year of financial fitness and you will be in a better position to endure the outcome.

Laurie Haelen, AIF (accredited investment fiduciary), is senior vice president, manager of investment and financial planning solutions, CNB Wealth Management, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. She can be reached at 585-419-0670, ext. 41970 or by email at lhaelen@cnbank.com.

College Enrollment Nationwide Continues to Decline

Many higher education institutions struggle with debt, lack of students

By Aaron Gifford

These days, it’s not unusual for high school seniors to be inundated with emails from colleges they never showed interest in or never even heard of.

It’s a sign of desperation when the number of higher education institutions in the United States far exceeds the number of available or interested students. According to a recent report from MyLearningWorld.com, college enrollment nationwide went down 12.8% or 2.1 million students, in the past decade.

In the past year for New York state alone, three small private schools closed or announced they will be closing following years of shrinking enrollments — Cazenovia College, Medaille College in Buffalo and the College of Saint Rose in Albany.

Dozens of other colleges and universities in New York state, public and private, are struggling financially and with declining enrollments, as are hundreds more across the country, according to statistics from the National

Center for Education Statistics.

The national decrease is attributed to declining birth rates, skyrocketing tuition costs, a growing number of certificate programs that prepare students for careers right out of high schools and the increase of online degree programs that benefit some schools to the detriment of others.

Schools use money from their endowments to cover scholarships. Endowments are typically funded by alumni donations and can also be used for new programs and capital projects. At many less competitive small private colleges, alumni contributions are relatively small and less frequent. By contrast, the endowments at elite private institutions like Colgate University or Hamilton College are approaching or exceeding $1 billion and grow faster than they are spent down. Cazenovia College’s endowment at the time of its closure last year was only $4.1 million, not enough to cover its debts, let alone fund future scholarships to deeply discount its $54,000 per year sticker price.

Campus closures hurt local economies that relied on students and employees to spend money at restaurants and stores, not to mention money leaving the real estate and housing rental markets. Fewer college graduates affect the national economy because individuals who chose not to pursue a degree are likely to make less money. MyLearningWorld estimates that economic impact at $2 trillion in lifetime earnings per 2.1 million students that don’t earn a four-year degree.

André Torres, director of guidance at Manhattan Bridges High School in New York City, said school closures in recent years have changed the way guidance counselors do their jobs. His alma mater, the College of New Rochelle in Westchester County, closed in 2019 after declaring bankruptcy. Not only does Torres research enrollment and financial trends of schools, he also pays attention to which ones are cutting academic majors and programs.

“You have to keep in mind that some of these schools may not be around

for very long,” he said.

Most of the students from Manhattan Bridge High School are minorities and come from low-income households. Torres said SUNY schools have been increasingly aggressive in student recruiting efforts in recent years, yet he is aware of very few students who have taken advantage of the state’s Excelsior program that pays full SUNY tuition for income-eligible students. Rather, he said, high-achieving students are getting a better deal at private schools, including several who went to Cornell University or Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh on full academic scholarships.

In response to the fierce competition for students between public and private universities, Gov. Kathy Hochul recently proposed a plan to automatically admit students in the top 10% of their class into the most competitive SUNY schools, which includes the university centers in Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton and Stonybrook. The policy, which does not yet detail scholarship or financial aid components beyond automatic admission, will be mulled over by state officials in the months ahead.

Paul Hassen, communications and marketing director for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, said the main factor is demographics. In addition to a shrinking population of people in their late teens and early 20s compared to decades past, there has been a major population shift to the southeastern or western parts of the country from the northeast, where there’s an abundance of colleges, public and private. He said

a number of community colleges and four-year schools in the SUNY system are operating at $10 million or $20 million deficits, as exemplified by the recent announcement that the current Clinton Community College campus will close and relocate to the nearby SUNY Plattsburgh campus by 2025. SUNY Fredonia will cut 13 low-performing degree programs to close its budget gap, while Buffalo State College enacted a hiring freeze in response to its $16 million deficit.

The NAICU challenges small liberal arts colleges to be more competitive by replacing some traditional majors with programs that are either more popular or lead to better career prospects. That list includes health sciences, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and sports management. Schools can also add sports teams, like football or lacrosse, which require large rosters. While doing so may require an upfront investment in staff, facilities and equipment, the school can boost enrollment with dozens more students and take in more than enough tuition money over a short amount of time to cover those costs, Hassen explained.

“Esports is also becoming very popular,” Hassen said. “Schools should be asking themselves, ‘what do we need to do to attract an 18-year-old today?’”

Hassen said small colleges also need to assure they are “right sizing” their staffing levels based on the number of students. Many schools across the nation are grossly overstaffed. And many have also relaxed their enrollment goals too much in recent years. It’s not

acceptable for a school that traditionally had 1,000 students a year to tally 970 or 980 students for three or four consecutive years.

“Hitting the enrollment target is a critical point,” he said. “If they [small colleges] don’t have debt, there’s a lot they can do to remain financially viable.”

Russell Sage College in Albany reduced its deficit from $20 million to $8 million over a four-year period by merging two separate campuses (Russell Sage Colleges was originally two schools, one for men and the other for women) into a single school, boosting enrollment slightly, cutting several programs and obtaining donations to fund some of the costs for upcoming capital projects, according to a January story in the Albany Times Union.

The Council of Independent Colleges recently published a collection of success stories from small private schools It notes how Eastern University’s (Pennsylvania) enrollment increased from 3,059 in 2019 to 6,112 in 2023 after that school added online courses and football, cheer, dance and sports teams. Culver-Stockton College in Missouri increased its 2023 enrollment to 356, up 25 from the prior year, after that school strengthened relations with local high schools and alumni network and opened its doors to transfers from other nearby colleges.

Nationwide, the average annual sticker price at public colleges (four-year schools) and universities this academic year for in-state residents is $11,260 and for out-of-state residents $29,150. That’s

André Torres is director of guidance at Manhattan Bridges High School in New York City.

an annual increase from the previous year of 2.5% and 3.0%, respectively. For private schools, the average sticker price for 2023-2024 is 41,450, up 4% from last year, according to the College Board.

Hassen noted that the list of free tuition or loan-free programs for income-eligible programs at private nonprofit colleges for 2024-2025 is quite long. This includes Aquinas College

(Michigan), Baker College (Michigan), Olivet University (Michigan), Bethel University (Indiana), Nebraska Wesleyan University, Grand View University (Iowa), Farleigh Dickson University (New Jersey), Houghton University (New York), Roanoke College (Virginia) and Washington & Jefferson University (Pennsylvania). And at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, the annual

ENROLLMENT DOWN

ENROLLMENT UP

SOURCE: NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

cost to attend will be cut by 60%, from $46,374 to $17,500.

In Upstate New York, many colleges and universities that recruit students from Oswego County and the Central New York area have reported enrollment decreases in the past decade (2012 to 2022). according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Forbes: Excellus Among Best Midsize Employers in America

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield was ranked No. 8 on the Forbes 2024 list of America’s Best Midsize Employers.

This is the second consecutive year that Excellus BCBS has been named to the list.

“We’re thrilled to once again be named a top employer in the United States. It is thanks to our employees that we maintain an inclusive, supportive culture where we work collaboratively to ensure our members have access to high quality, affordable care,” said Excellus BCBS President and CEO Jim Reed.

“We remain committed to cultivating an environment where our employees can thrive by focusing on employee wellbeing, growth and development, diversity, equity and inclusion, comprehensive employee benefits, a flexible work environment and more,” Reed added.

This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., a global data and business intelligence platform established in Germany in 2007.

America’s best employers are identified using an independent survey from a vast sample of more than 170,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the U.S.

The final ranking is based on two types of evaluations:

• Personal - Given by employees, also known as direct evaluations.

• Public - Given by friends and family members of employees, or members of the public who work in the same industry, also known as indirect evaluations, with a much higher weighting for personal evaluations.

The ranking is divided into two lists of 600: one for the top large companies with more than 5,000 U.S. employees, and another for the top midsize companies with 1,000 to 5,000. Based on the results of the study, Excellus BCBS has been recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best Midsize Employers 2024.

See Forbes’ full list of America’s best employers on Forbes.com.

MOVING SUNY OSWEGO

Forward

New president recalls his educational journey

By Stefan Yablonski

President Peter O. Nwosu presides at SUNY Oswego’s Welcoming Torchlight for fall 2024. Photo by Jim Russell

Jason Leone and Ed Gosek have mementos of championship basketball and hockey games, respectively, displayed in their college offices.

In Peter Nwosu’s Culkin Hall office, a pair of decades old shoes has a place of prominence.

They are the shoes of a young immigrant from Nigeria.

They are the shoes of the college’s president.

“You see those shoes?” he asked proudly. “This is the pair of shoes that I wore when I first came to the United States. They don’t define me — they remind me of the journey that I have made and how far I have come. I always say this to students and others, if I as an immigrant in a nation that provides opportunities, if I can become [college] president you too can become a professor … and president!

“Come in your own shoes — but the journey does not define you, it humbles you and indeed prepares you for the next journey. Look at how far these shoes have brought me! If a young man can leave his country — thousands of miles away — learn to adjust and learn to adapt, so can you. Oswego, I’ve loved

it since I got here.”

It’s been nearly 40 years since he first arrived in this country as a graduate student. He’s worked at various places around the country winding up as the president of SUNY Oswego.

Nwosu (the “N” is silent) was named on June 6, 2023, as the 11th president of SUNY Oswego, effective Aug. 15, 2023. He is the college’s first Black president.

In a message shortly after his appointment, Nwosu wrote, “It is a great honor and joy to be named your 11th president by the State University of New York Board of Trustees. I find myself humbled to be joining an extraordinary community of teachers, scholars, staff and learners at this storied institution, a community that has kept faith with a transformational promise made 162 years ago — to contribute to the common good by enriching the human spirit and offering to as many as could realize the opportunity to be so enriched.

“As an individual who came to the United States as an immigrant student decades ago and was the first in my family to go to college, I find this promise extraordinarily powerful. Education transforms lives and ignites new

possibilities. As your president, I am committed to advancing this promise, working together with you to build on the solid foundation laid by our founders and all those who have preceded me in this role. As we embark together on this new chapter, let’s remember that we are all SUNY Oswego. Let’s continue to advance this powerful promise. Go Lakers!”

He grew up in the southeast region, of Nigeria and graduated with a degree in mass communication and journalism from the Institute of Management and Technology in Enugu, Nigeria.

He decided to continue his education in the United States. It was here that he ultimately decided to become an educator.

Energy and excitement

The first 70+ days of his presidency “have been filled with energy and excitement about our strategic direction,” he said in mid-December as the fall semester was drawing to a close.

He is a graduate of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education and received his Ph.D. in communication studies from Howard University in

SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu and Kathleen Kerr, vice president for student affairs, talk with graduate student Kranthi Kumar Erra during the Aug. 24 Taste of Oswego campus event. Photo by Jim Russell

SUNY Oswego President Peter Nwosu at his office on Jan. 25. Photo by Chuck Wainwright

Washington, D.C., his MA in liberal studies from Towson University and his BA in mass communication and journalism from the Institute of Management and Technology in Enugu.

He was provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and student success at CUNY Herbert H. Lehman College. He previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Clark Atlanta University, a historically Black college or university and Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution.

He also served as associate vice president for academic programs and accreditation liaison officer at California State University, Fullerton, a Hispanic-serving institution and one of the 23 campuses of the California State University System. And he was associate vice president for academic affairs, planning and assessment and special assistant to the president for institutional planning at Tennessee State University, Nashville, one of the then 27 campuses of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the nation’s sixth largest public higher education system.

The fact that he’s been in all of those places prepared him to be able to be at Oswego, he said.

Cross-culture adaptation, he explained, allows him to not just adapt to the environment but to the people,

a trait he learned from his parents that helps him adjust to new environments.

“And at each one of those places, as a student, it was a learning experience — an exposure to the culture of the United States. It was my first time in the country and I learned a lot of things,” he said.

He knew about (SUNY) Oswego for awhile because he had been a part of the SUNY system [City University of New York], he explained.

“I have come to love this institution. When I visited I liked the institution — thank goodness it wasn’t in the winter! I took a tour and I enjoyed the visit and the people I met. I tend to tell stories like this,” he laughed making exaggerated gestures with his hands. “But, they all add up.”

He said he was “impressed by the golden opportunities in this region.”

“That was an attraction for me because of the work I had done at Lehman. Economic development and upward mobility, educational attainment and diversity and inclusion — the things that always attract me. Those areas tend to draw my attention,” he added.

There was some sunshine and rain during his visit to the campus.

“I remember it was slightly chilly, but rainy and I remember I asked for a hat. They brought me two hats; one was white and one was green and I took

the green one. I wore that green one the whole day,” he said.

Snow? “Of course they did mention that,” he laughed. “You have to remember, I came to this country as an immigrant. I came from a country where we don’t necessarily have snow.”

All of his life’s travels prepared him

After graduating from Towson University in Maryland and Howard University in Washington, DC, he debated: stay or go home.

“I wasn’t really wanting to be in the United States, quite frankly. A number of immigrants when they come they come to go to school and then they return back to their country,” he said.

However, he wound up in California. While at Howard, he had written a paper for a class; his professor encouraged him to “go fix it up and submit it to a conference.”

And he did.

“It was a conference of the association of journalism and mass com,” he recalled.

“It was the best student research paper for that year. There was a woman at that conference [head of the department of journalism at California State University in Sacramento]. She asked me if I would come and present the

President Peter O. Nwosu meets with Oswego Mayor Robert Corradino. Shown from left are Jamal Coleman, director of operations in the office of the president; Kevin Caraccioli, city attorney for the city of Oswego; Corradino; Nwosu; and Kristi Eck, assistant vice president of workforce innovation and external relations. Photo by Jim Russell

paper. And I said, ‘Sure’ — this was my final year as a doctoral student at Howard University.

“I went there and when the presentation was over, she handed me a paper — ‘here’s a job application, can you apply for this job?’ she said. So I did apply and got some offers.”

He finished his Ph.D. work before accepting a job offer and relocating to Sacramento.

“But there was this tension, pull and pull. I wanted to stay, I wanted to go back,” he recalled. “I debated. I decided to stay and began the process of applying for a work visa and all that stuff. I was an assistant professor and that began the extraordinary journey.”

He began his career in higher education as a faculty member at California State University, Sacramento, rising through the ranks to become a tenured full professor of communication studies.

He went on to Atlanta where he became provost, the No. 2 o person at the university, and then moved on to New York.

“All of those journeys — every one of these journeys — for me as an immigrant has been a learning experience,” he said. “I very quickly adapt to become a part of the community.”

His focus has been on increasing educational opportunity.

“It’s so important for me because if it wasn’t for that education, I wouldn’t be here. Education transforms lives — that’s why I’m where I am. Education ignites possibilities,” he said.

If he didn’t have the education, he said he wouldn’t be thinking when that search firm reached out to him that he was prepared.

“I would be thinking I’m not prepared. But with education — ‘oh, I can do this.’ And every step of the way, everywhere I’ve gone … this is what education can do for you,” he said. “There will be rough and tumbles on the journey — but you can get there!”

He recalled meeting one new student from downstate.

“He came to visit [Oswego], fell in love with the place. Then, he said ‘it’s not too far from New York and not too close so my parents won’t come bothering me,’” Nwosu said laughing.

“We are the most mission-critical public comprehensive university in greater Central New York. It’s a lot we have,” he said.

He has had one-on-one meetings (drop in with the president, for example).

“I just go to the Campus Center or another location and people just come … an hour meeting. I go to student events. I don’t tell them I am going to

show up. I never confirm it — I surprise them and they love it. I never just make a speech and leave. I’m there with them through the event,” he said.

He has also met with alumni. In New York City he “met with more than 50 for a reception for me there” and also from Florida.

“My job is also external and when I’m external I’m fundraising and friend-raising,” he said. “I’ve also spent time at the Syracuse campus, meeting students there. People really do care about this place. I have felt it and it’s really warming.”

“This institution began in 1861. Our founder came here in 1857 and a few years later started this college and in all those years we have had only 10 presidents. I am the 11th. Each one has expanded on the promise of Sheldon that he laid out for us,” he continued. “That’s what I want to do — build on the foundation laid by our founder and the past leaders of this institution and to further expand the door of opportunity for young people — and adults. That’s the legacy I want to leave behind, that’s the work I aim to do.”

“Our work together is just getting started and we have so much to look forward to achieving in 2024.”

LEFT: President Peter O. Nwosu addresses graduates and their families and supporters during December 2023 commencement. Photo by Jim Russell

RIGHT: During one of his drop-in sessions with students, President Peter O. Nwosu meets with students working at the Rich ‘N’ Pour Cafe, a student-run cafe in Rich Hall on campus. Photo provided

President Nwosu Has 4040 Vision

SUNY Oswego envisions doubling its annual number of graduates by 2040

By Stefan Yablonski

Early on in his tenure, SUNY Oswego President Peter Nwosu, Ph.D., unveiled “Vision 4040: Expanding SUNY Oswego’s Promise,” described as “a bold plan to increase upward mobility and advance regional economic development.”

The college envisions doubling its annual number of graduates by 2040 to meet the needs of the Central New York region, he explained.

“Before COVID-19, it was 2,000. For 10 years that’s 20,000. What if we doubled it by 2040?” he asked rhetorically. “If we are going to remain relevant as an institution we are going to have to respond to regional needs.”

Only 9% of 18-24 year olds have college education in Oswego County, he said.

“If you look at all Central New York, it’s 12% — only the New York City area is in the 20% range. We have a declining enrollment because we have a decline in birth rates that is significant in the northeast corridor of the United States. It’s all over the country, but its impact is greater here,” he said. “We also have an aging population. You need young people to continue to strengthen the population; the current workers are aging out. If you do nothing, you have a problem.”

“Vision 4040: Expanding SUNY Oswego’s Promise” establishes a pathway for the college to stabilize degree attainment of 4,000 awards per year — or 40,000 per decade — by the year 2040, he said.

“Vision 4040 builds upon SUNY Oswego’s mission to contribute to the common good and aligns with SUNY Chancellor John King Jr.’s and SUNY system’s four pillars: (1) student success, (2) research and scholarship, (3) diversity, equity and inclusion and (4) economic development and upward mobility,” he added.

“As an individual who came to

the United States as an immigrant student decades ago and was the first in my family to go to college, I find this promise extraordinarily powerful,” Nwosu told Oswego County Business Magazine during a late December interview. “Education transforms lives and ignites new possibilities. As Oswego’s president, I am committed to advancing this promise, working together to build on the solid foundation laid by our founders and all those who have preceded me in this role.”

Central New York remains undereducated

The five counties of Central New York remain undereducated in higher education relative to the rest of the state — especially compared to the most industrialized counties in the state, such as around New York City and Long Island, he said.

Across 3,143 counties in the nation, the percentage of young adults aged 18 to 24 who have already completed at least a bachelor’s degree ranges from zero in several places up to 55% in Arlington County, Virginia, and 90% in Wibaux County, Montana.

Oswego’s rate of 9% lags the national value of 12%, which the five-county region has achieved.

To move CNY’s rate of baccalaureate degree attainment up to the state’s 18% rate would require educating 5,000 more young adults 18 to 24 years old, Nwosu explained.

Similarly, the degree attainment rate of adults 25 and older in Oswego County (20%) lags the CNY rate of 31%, which itself lags the national value of 33% and significantly behind the New York state rate of 37% and the 40% associated with the most economically productive region in the state’s southeast corner.

“To bring CNY up to the state-

wide rate would require providing a four-year degree opportunity to 32,000 more adults over age 25 that live in the region,” he said. “That’s why I launched 4040. It talks about growth; that really speaks to the challenges we are facing. It paints a picture of where I want to take the university.”

Points for growth

The work of doubling the number of awards granted annually to 4,000 requires many significant planning decisions. A few of these include:

• Increasing the number of transfer students.

• Re-engaging former SUNY Oswego students and alumni.

• Growing enrollment pipelines into SUNY Oswego from population dense regions, cities, states and countries.

• Increase retention and completion rates.

• Increasing the awareness, utilization and impact of SUNY Oswego’s Syracuse Campus.

• Continuing to develop online majors, programs and courses.

By preparing for the expected business and population growth in Central New York, the global demographic and population shifts and the continued changes in market demand for flexibility in course format and delivery, SUNY Oswego will be ready and able to double the number of graduates annually by 2040, he said.

Working toward Vision 4040, SUNY Oswego will expand its impact on more students, enabling them to achieve more social mobility and in turn make a bigger impact on their communities — SUNY Oswego will be a more powerful economic engine for the region and its graduates will carry forth a spark to ignite more growth, he said.

2023 – Present: SUNY Oswego

President and professor of communication studies

2019-2023: Herbert H. Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York

Provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and student success and professor of journalism and media studies

2016-2019: Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia

Provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of communication

2014-2016: California State University, Fullerton

Associate vice president for academic programs; accreditation liaison officer; and professor of communication studies

Nwosu’s Journey

2010-2013: Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee

Associate vice president for academic affairs, planning and assessment (2011- 2013) and professor of communication; special assistant to the president for institutional planning (2010-2011); and professor of communication

2004-2011: California State University, Northridge, California

Special assistant to the provost for academic planning and diversity initiatives (2009-2010); professor of communication studies American Council on Education Fellow, posted to Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee (2008-2009); chairman, department of urban studies and planning (2007-2008); chairman, department of communication studies (2004-2007); director, Center for Human Relations (2005-2010); professor of communication studies (leave of absence from March 2010 through August 2011).

1990-2004: California State University, Sacramento, California

Associate chairman, department of communication studies (19941995); director, Fulbright-Hayes Group Projects Abroad Program (1994-1995); professor of communication studies (2000-2004); associate professor of communication studies (1994-2000); assistant professor of communication studies (1990-1994).

Nwosu is a graduate of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education and received his Ph.D. in communication studies from Howard University, his Master or Arts degree in liberal studies from Towson University, and his Bachelor of Arts in mass communication and journalism from the Institute of Management and Technology in Enugu, Nigeria.

What Happened to the Officer-in-Charge Mary Toale

Mary C. Toale, who led SUNY Oswego after the retirement of longtime president Deborah Stanley, has been selected to serve as SUNY Geneseo’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs. She assumes the role on March 28.

“I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Toale to SUNY Geneseo’s leadership team and community,” President Denise A. Battles said. “Her proven track record and unwavering commitment to academic excellence give me great confidence in her ability to be a dynamic and visionary leader for Geneseo. As our new chief academic officer, Dr. Toale brings a wealth of experience to one of the nation’s premier public liberal arts colleges. With her leadership, we aim to achieve the objectives outlined in our

strategic plan, build upon our collective successes and fully realize Geneseo’s highest goals.”

She is currently deputy to the president for strategy and planning at SUNY Oswego, where she was officer-in-charge from January 2021 through August 2023, after serving the university in various leadership roles since her arrival in 2014.

“I am honored to join SUNY Geneseo as the next provost and vice president for academic affairs,” Toale said. “The outstanding reputation of Geneseo’s faculty, staff and students and shared commitment to excellence, equity and student success is inspirational.” Toale will succeed interim provost Daniel Blankenship, who has served in the role since August 2023.

‘As 2024 unfolds, let’s not think of this column as an obituary but a reminder. Whatever you do this year and beyond, the true measure of your legacy is what you do for others and how your life makes other lives better.’

ATIM NEKRITZ

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

Tim Nekritz

Remembering a Pair of Lives and Legacies Dedicated to Others

s much as 2023 represented a year of many gains and reasons for excitement for the local social and cultural scene, every year comes with losing people critical to our community fabric.

Tim’s Notes

Thus I feel it’s worth remembering a pair of losses from outstanding people who greatly enriched those around them and even people they never met.

Pat Parsnow and Eric Bresee had two very different paths in life but shared a passion for what they did and a devotion to putting others first. They also served as role models for all of us in 2024 and beyond.

You always knew when Pat Parsnow was in a room because you could hear his signature laugh. The laugh was like Pat himself — unique, unrestrained and always making others feel welcome.

Pat was one of the foremost bluegrass players in Upstate New York. You’d never know it — I didn’t at first because of his humble, everyman demeanor. But I would see younger players and music fans alike pay him great reverence and sing his praises. And with good reason, as Pat could pick a banjo or slap a bass with the best of them. Perhaps he was best known for his work with The Delaney Brothers, among other bluegrass combos, but he was the type of musician who would jump onstage to help others when his name was called. Moreover, he happily mentored and inspired so many younger musicians, formally and informally, in ways large and small.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Upstate New York bluegrass scene wouldn’t be what it is without Pat’s role as an enthusiastic ambassador. His legacy lives on through his son Luke — who is very talented on mandolin, fiddle, guitar and vocals, often in a bluegrass vein — and in so many groups and individuals who are the next generation of bluegrass talent, keeping the genre not just alive but thriving.

At many a jam in recent years, Pat

would play his antique upright bass Maudee (the name and history are legends in themselves) and banjo. Throwing to him for a solo was a privilege. I would often say that as soon as Pat walked into a room, I was instantly the second-best bass player. If his wife, Gloria, the love of his life, was with him, I’d become third at best.

But the real measure of Pat was that, every time he saw me, he’d ask, “How’s your boy doing?” Family was that important to him. The great musical family across the region was saddened by his passing, but ultimately enriched by his existence.

Establish a Foundation

When I heard about the passing of Eric Bresee in November, I was in disbelief. Clearly the Facebook message saying it happened was a hack, it was all a hoax.

This was a seemingly healthy 44-yearold man who was just starting to establish a legacy. Even when I finally saw Eric’s obituary, it seemed surreal because Eric’s love for life and for others was so abundant.

Eric’s calling was the field of human services, in helping those less fortunate, not an easy job. But he did it so well and with so much vigor, that you would admire him after your first conversation, later reinforced by seeing the differences he made.

At the time of his passing, Eric was working wonders for Farnham Family Services. He had become the executive director and guiding light of this organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment and recovery supports for substance use disorder.

Eric was key to the biggest project in Farnham’s history, a 16,000-square-foot facility that will begin construction this year. He recruited a wide range of community members with various skills — in full disclosure, including me — to become the founding board members of the Farnham Foundation, a nonprofit to sustain the

WHERE IDEAS TAKE FLIGHT.

group’s activities.

Helping others and the general cause of humanity was his day-to-day life. Honestly, many people look down on those with addictions and dependencies and wouldn’t even think of helping them. But addiction can happen to anybody, anywhere and Eric and his fellow Farnham folks sought to raise up those ignored by other sectors of society.

He has helped — and will continue to help through all he’s done — so many people that others wouldn’t lift a finger to assist. Yet “lift” has been Eric’s life, sadly one that is too short.

Eric and I became fast friends when we first met through volunteering. We were among the inaugural Forty Under 40 that this publication, Oswego County Business, established back when we both met the age qualification. He worked for Oswego County Opportunities then and his dedication to serving others took him through various fields where he helped so many others. His star continued to rise through his work ethic, devotion to doing good deeds and the positive power of his personality.

He also asked how my kid was doing all the time and you could see how proud he was of his son, Brayden.

He even brought Brayden and a friend to a Songwriters Circle one time and Eric himself greatly enjoyed playing percussion with us all. As always, a selfless supporter. Eric kept saying he wanted to stop by next month or maybe the next. But none of us are guaranteed tomorrow, no matter how amazing we are.

The services for Pat and Eric showed how popular they were. Pat’s calling hours had a line that snaked well into the parking lot and an amazing bluegrass jam to enjoy while waiting. Eric’s services were mobbed by the many he touched in too short a life.

You can yearn for all the material wealth in the world that you want but, as the saying goes, you can’t take it with you. Pat and Eric were into things that were much more meaningful and left others richer and more blessed for knowing them. That is a true legacy.

And as 2024 unfolds, let’s not think of this column as an obituary but a reminder. Whatever you do this year and beyond, the true measure of your legacy is what you do for others and how your life makes other lives better. That is a lesson that Pat and Eric provided, one that we can only hope to pay forward.

Eric Bresee

Pat Parsnow

Minimum Wage Hikes Mean More Headaches for Small Businesses

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Raising minimum wage may seem like a way to help entry-level workers get ahead. However, its unintended consequences are causing problems for small employers — even those who pay more than minimum wage.

“Minimum wage has made an impact on candidate expectations,” said Michelle Jevis, professional in human resources at CR Fletcher Temps and CR Fletcher Industrial in Syracuse.

“A few years back in 2021, when minimum wages was $12.50 an hour, we would hear from entry-level candidates that they would only consider $14-plus and hour. That mentality of not being willing to work for minimum wage has continued.

“Now that minimum wage is $15plus an hour, it is very rare for us to find an entry-level candidate willing

to work for less than $18 an hour. That means that companies need to increase their starting wages to well above the minimum. Then, for pay equity, all positions within those companies need to be evaluated to ensure there is the ‘right’ increase from role to role as more experience is gained.”

Randy Wolken, president and CEO of Manufacturing Association of Central New York (MACNY), rubs shoulders with many leaders in the skilled and advanced manufacturing industries. He said that raising minimum wage causes wage compression.

“If the lowest-paid person gets more, each person needs to be paid more,” Wolken said.

It’s tough to convince employees with experience and seniority that the newbie in the workforce will make comparable wages as they do. Their ten-

ure should be worth more. Not raising their wages also can lead to employees quitting for greener pastures.

And companies that pay no employees minimum wage still feel pressure to raise wages because companies that start workers at minimum wage raise the wages of their other workers to compensate.

Raising minimum wage costs employers more money and to compensate for that shortfall, they must increase the cost of goods and services.

“Throughout a community, it causes higher prices,” Wolken said. “It is part of what’s driving inflation. Costs go up for eating out and hospitality. It tends to cost more to do and have things. All of those things are impacted by a higher minimum wage.”

He added that small companies, nonprofits, hospitality and government

Future increases will be based on an indexed schedule to be set by the Director of the Division of the Budget in NYS in consultation with the Department of Labor following an annual review of the impact.

entities, which tend to pay at a lower pay scale, are affected by the wage hike the most.

Inflation can affect wages as well.

Elvis Mehmedovic, franchise owner at Express Employment in Syracuse, said that any job that involves driving to work because the employer is located away from public transportation, is hard to fill for an hourly rate of less than $17 an hour.

“It’s pressure of economics and people’s needs,” he said. “The vehicle requires gas and maintenance. Irrelevant of the minimum wage, that requirement raises the cost.”

Like Wolken, he has observed companies raising prices to allocate funds for making their payroll. Another strategy has been to increase their retention efforts.

“If you have turnover, it’s more expensive than if you can keep people, so decreasing turnover is a cost savings,” Mehmedovic said.

In addition, some companies are cutting staff and cross-training existing staff to consolidate positions. Technology can also help with completing some tasks. Automation and AI are reducing the amount of work people need to do.

Michelle Jevis

Randy Wolken

Hottest Careers for 2024 — and Beyond

‘Change’ is the word to describe the CNY economy

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

With the reverberations lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic, skyrocketing student loan debt and the future Micron development, Central New Yorkers will see some professions growing rapidly in the coming years.

Commission sales

Overwhelming school loan debt has motivated many recent graduates to seek positions that provide higher pay — and away from those that don’t pay as well, fulfilling as they may be. For example, working as an occupational therapist at a daycare would pay nearly half that of a similar position at a healthcare facility because it involves an educational institution.

“For sales positions, it’s an economic incentive as these jobs have higher pay because of commission,” said Elvis

Mehmedovic, franchise owner of Express Employment in Syracuse.

Administrative

One of the major shifts in employment during the pandemic was away from in-person work and toward remote work, known as work-from-home (WFH). Of course, only certain types of positions may be WFH, which means that more people seeking WFH are seeking this kind of work.

“There’s been a lot of demand for positions as administrative assistants, data positions and HR,” Mehmedovic said. “It’s a lot more of the younger generation who particularly want workfrom-home jobs.”

Trades

Because of the longstanding trend

of pushing young people to attend college, fewer people work in handson trades, such as electrical, plumbing, masonry, and CDL driving. The need to train more people for this type of work is a concern of Randy Wolken, MACNY president and CEO.

“Our members are looking for technicians today,” he said. “Many are onthe-job trained skills. CNC machining, welding, electrical, mechanical: they’re in burning hot demand. Into the future, those same trades specific to advanced manufacturing and semiconductors are growing. We’re already seeing it in the Mohawk Valley and it will come in CNY. It’s driving hiring.”

Many companies have developed 18-month apprenticeship programs to fill the need. Wolken said that the growth in fields like technology, including biotech, defense, energy and AI are driving the demand for these workers.

“You’re seeing significant growth in AI and other forms of technology,” he added.

He noted that Micron’s projected $100 billion investment should bring 2,500 to 5,000 people on site and will also bring additional jobs to the community to increase necessary infrastructure.

“It’s a massive amount of work,” Wolken said. “We’re hoping a lot of people in the community seeing more employment.”

Whether at Micron or elsewhere, the jobs slated to grow this decade include many hands-on positions, according to Karen Knapik-Scalzo, analyst with the New York State Department of Labor Division of Research & Statistics in Syracuse.

“There is strong demand for construction workers, i.e., construction laborers, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, HVAC workers, heavy and tractor trailer truck drivers,” KnapikScalzo said. “Demand is also strong for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) occupations including engineers (civil, electrical, industrial etc.), technicians, software developers, data scientists and others.”

Healthcare

The pandemic both highlighted and exacerbated the pre-existing healthcare staffing crisis. An estimated 20% of healthcare workers left the industry during the pandemic. The older baby boomers are retiring without sufficient new workers replacing them.

“The large healthcare sector also needs more workers across the board including registered nurses, dental hygienists, pharmacists, home health aides and personal care aides, among others,” Knapik-Scalzo said.

Service positions

Work that involves serving others typically involves long hours, sometimes low pay and may have inherent risks. As baby boomers retire, fewer workers seek to fill these openings. Knapik-Scalzo said that locally, teachers, bus drivers, police officers, and vocational rehabilitation counselors represent more examples of careers where employers are hiring to replace retiring boomers.

What Jobs to Pursue Right Now

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Ideally, you should find a job that you enjoy, pays well and also will continue to remain in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics outlook predicts that 4.7 million jobs will join the nation’s economy between 2022 and 2032. Many of those will be among the following hot jobs (statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics):

1. Software developer

Median salary $127,260. Job growth: 25.7% or 410,400 new jobs.

As technology continues to advance, software developers will be in high demand to create the software necessary. A degree isn’t necessary. However, a bachelor’s degree in computer science is helpful and experience is a must-have.

2. Medical and health services manager

Median salary $104,830. Job growth: 28.4% or 144,700 new jobs.

As baby boomers continue to age and require more healthcare, any profession related to the medical field will continue to grow, including those who manage healthcare facilities. A bachelor’s degree in health administration is likely required, along with working in healthcare in a hands-on role. A master’s degree would open further opportunities.

3. Financial manager

Median salary $139,790. Job growth: 16% or 126,600 new jobs.

Managing a company’s finances is a vital role for mid-sized and larger firms. Most companies require a bachelor’s degree, but hiring agents prefer a master’s.

4. Nurse practitioner

Median salary

$121,610. Job growth: 44.5% or 118,600 new jobs.

Along with physician assistants, nurse practitioners represent advanced healthcare practitioners who are filling the role of primary care provider to patients who have basic healthcare needs. As with any role in healthcare, the need for nurse practitioners will continue to stay robust. Nurse practitioners must become bachelor’s trained registered nurses and then complete a master’s within their specialty before passing a state licensing exam and national certification.

5. Dental hygienist

Median salary

$81,400. Job growth: 7.4% or 16,300 new jobs. While previous generations tended to only go to the dentist when a problem arose, baby boomers, Gen X and millennials are all about prevention. Caring for teeth can prevent many oral health problems, meaning hygienists have plenty of work cleaning, treating and examining the teeth and mouth. Hygienists need to have an associate degree and license from their state.

6. Management analyst

Median salary: $95,290. Job growth: 9.7% or 95,700 new jobs.

The business world has become ever more complex as the world “shrinks” and technology advances. Management analysts help guide companies as they create plans for financial sustainability and growth. A bachelor’s is essential, but companies prefer a master’s degree.

7. IT manager

Median salary: $164,070. Job growth: 15.4% or 85,900 new jobs. Technology is integral to modern life and IT managers keep companies’ tech working through maintenance, repair and upgrades. Most IT managers have a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s would offer an advantage over other candidates.

8. Lawyer

Median salary: $135,740. Job growth: 7.6% or 62,400 new jobs. Attorneys have numerous opportunities to practice law, from civil to criminal to corporate legal matters. A juris doctor degree is required, along with passing the state bar exam.

9. Data scientist

Median salary: $103,500. Job growth: 35.1% or 59,300 new jobs. Statistics help business and consumers plan and make decisions. They also influence machine learning (AI), an emerging trend in many industries. A data scientist should have a bachelor’s degree in mathematics or computer science. A master’s degree or doctorate gives the data scientist an edge.

10. Physician assistant

Median salary: $126,010. Job growth: 26.6% or 39,300 new jobs. Like nurse practitioners, physician assistants’ role augments that of a physician. Both are known as “physician extenders.” The physician assistant must have a bachelor’s degree, although a doctorate is preferred. Unlike nurse practitioners, physician assistants don’t follow a nursing educational track.

Central Square Entrepreneur Helps Business Budget ‘Profits First’

‘There’s nothing a business can do to grow if they don’t have a solid financial foundation or the clarity in their finances,’ she says

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

File

clerk.

Typist. Insurance underwriter. Secretary. Deputy village clerk. Bookkeeper. Debbie Bilello has done them all.

“My kids laugh because I never held a job for more than six years,” she said with a chuckle.

But in reality she has had the same

function all along: acting as the glue to hold the office together.

Founder and owner of Virtual Office Solutions in Central Square, she is doing the same thing now, although on a consulting basis. She also serves as the administrator for Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Bilello founded Virtual Office Solutions in 2009. She had been helping her brothers by providing bookkeeping services to their business when one of their tax accountants asked her, “Why don’t you start your own business?”

Since she had been laid off from her position as a deputy village clerk in southern Oswego County, the timing was right for hanging out a shingle. But first, she needed to get some training.

Although well-versed in accounting, she needed to learn more about how to operate a business. She completed the Fast Track for Business at Onondaga Community College, which is led by a certified NYS Small Business Development Center business adviser. The 20-hour course includes business plan development, legalities, hiring employees, marketing, social media, financial management and business financing options. Now she is a speaker at the Fast Track program talking to other new business owners about financial record keeping and “Profit First.” Wordof-mouth advertising helped her gain additional clients.

Bilello helps business owners in phases, beginning with a discovery session. At this point, she explores the possibility of taking on the business as a client.

“I will meet with anyone for an hour for free because I don’t know if we’re going to be a good match until I know what their problem is,” she said. “We go through their pain points and what they’re struggling with. Sometimes, it’s not anything I can help them with.”

During the next step for those she takes on as clients, she looks over their accounting system or sets up an accounting system, usually on QuickBooks or on whatever industry-specific software they may use.

At this point, she helps them learn how to structure the company’s finances so that they can both make a profit and pay the bills. This often includes trimming fat from the budget such as entertainment and unused subscriptions.

“I had a client who paid a lot of money for commercial rent space,” Bilello said. “He had three offices and three conference rooms but no one ever came to his office. He paid thousands of dollars for space he didn’t use. We talked about subleasing and other options. We found out that his reason for having the space is because of Google Analytics. As we dug into the marketing budget, the Google listing wasn’t even accurate or driving the business he had hoped to that space. The marketing he thought

Debbie Bilello is the founder and owner of Virtual Office Solutions in Central Square. She is also the administrator for Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce.

he was getting a return on wasn’t even offering the return. We cut that expense and he negotiated for another location.”

She also refers clients to trusted professionals to help in areas outside of her scope, such as insurance or payroll.

A few years into her business, a client gave her a copy of the book “Profit First: A Simple System to Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine” by Mike Michalowicz. The book proved eye-opening to Bilello, as it shares how business owners can plan their businesses better so they can make money (see sidebar).

“When I read the book, it made sense to me, the whole methodology,” Bilello said. “This is what my clients needed. The more I pursued it, the more I was convinced that this was the answer I was looking for to help my clients.”

Michalowicz offers Profit First certification, which Bilello has achieved so she can teach others the methods. She also offers private and group coaching sessions that teach Profit First for business and personal finance.

Bilello believes that authenticity “is the key to doing business with people,”

she said. “I’m trusted with people’s finances. Money has raw emotional ties. Small business owners feel like they have to know everything about everything, but they don’t.”

Instead, she encourages them to subcontract areas in their business administration that lie outside their area of expertise or that are too time-consuming. Bilello enjoys handling the financial piece of business administration.

“There’s nothing a business can do to grow if they don’t have a solid financial foundation or the clarity in their finances,” Bilello said. “I can’t tell you how many businesses I talk with that don’t know how much money they make. It’s sad because they work so hard to build something.

“As their trusted adviser, I bring that financial clarity to their business.”

Bilello’s Virtual Office Solutions serves 20 business clients, she said.

Bilello is a member of the Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce, Women Business Opportunity Connections (WBOC) and Business Referral Network (BRN). In her free time, Bilello enjoys spending time with family, quilting and crafting.

It’s All About ‘Profit

First’

Developed by Mike Michalowicz, Profit First is a cashflow method that aids business owners in planning how to effectively use money. They divide the money in their business into five accounts, (or more if needed for a specific purpose like sales tax) an income account to collect revenue, another for profit (which will hold 5% of revenue), owner’s pay (50%), taxes (15%) and the rest for operating the business (30%).

Bilello said that many business owners do not set aside any profit from the business, nor do some pay themselves. Taxes may also be forgotten.

“It’s not uncommon for people to panic because they get a tax bill and don’t know where the money is

coming from,” she said. This creates a ripple effect in their cash flow as they have to take it from their operating expenses, causing financial stress on the business.

Money going into the profit account should initially be used to pay off any business debt. Next, it should establish an emergency fund to cover any surprises in the business’s operating expenses.

“In case something crazy like a pandemic hits, they’ll have money set aside and be able to sustain their business over time,” Bilello said. “Once we’ve done that, we talk about their dreams and goals. How do they want their business to serve them? Do they have a philanthropic vision they want to contribute to?”

THE PROJECT THAT WILL TRANSFORM CENTRAL NEW YORK

Ground breaking on building Micron set for the fall, with targeted completion in 2026 and operational wafers out the door in 2027

By Stefan Yablonski

Last year, Micron announced plans to invest up to $100 billion over the next 20 years to build the largest semiconductor fabrication facility in the U.S. right here in Central New York.

The commitment includes the creation of nearly 50,000 jobs and a $500 million community investment fund across the region.

“We are in the midst of our state and federal environmental review processes,” said Micron’s senior manager for external affairs Joseph Nehme. “Those are very critical comprehensive processes — critical to allow construction to begin.

“With that being said, there is a lot of other work happening around the project as we prepare for our expansion here in New York.”

That includes things like workforce development, community investment work, work getting communities ready for supply chain opportunities and more, he said.

“There is a lot going on and we are really excited,” Nehme said. “There might not be a lot of action on the surface; but below, there is a lot of energy and effort from people all across the company and all across our community partners — working to get going here.”

They will begin to hire workers for some jobs, both remote and local jobs are posted, he said, adding, “A lot of them

have to do with some of the construction work and things of that nature.”

The plan is to break ground on Micron in the fall of 2024, with targeted completion in 2026 and operational wafers out the door in 2027, he said.

“It’s a $100 billion investment, 9,000 employees and we anticipate 40,000 ancillary jobs along with it,” he said. “We will be hiring and building up staff here in Central New York. We will be building up the staff — I am one of the first, but there are many, many more to come.”

Nehme, a Utica native, now lives in Syracuse.

Onondaga County as well as Oswego County will be major players in the project for years to come; but he also foresees Oneida County and Herkimer County as part of the plan.

Some employees will choose to make their home in the Mohawk Valley, according to Nehme.

“It’s an exciting time for the region,” he said. “And I think we are ready to meet the moment.”

It’s possible they could move some Micron workers here.

However, Nehme said, “We really want to focus on doing everything we can to recruit the folks that are here. We really want to tap into the workforce that is here. We have tremendous manufacturing and tremendous educational

institutions — that’s one of the reasons Central New York was chosen for this project.

“We want to make sure we are providing opportunities for people here in Central New York and that includes not only people from the city of Syracuse but also Oswego County and all across the region!”

“I think one of the reasons Micron chose Central New York is really a lot of that educational workforce infrastructure is already here,” he continued. “We want to work and partner with those stakeholders so we can get folks to be ready to start working. A lot of that work has been done over the past year. It will continue to be done as we move forward. We are really confident that we have the partners that we need to accomplish that. We’re hopeful that some of our suppliers from other parts of the country will follow us here and set up shop here and want to call this area home.”

The port

About a year ago, Micron representatives visited the Port Authority of Oswego.

“It is certainly an asset for the region and we are exploring ways to utilize that — both for construction and operations,” he said.

Since the announcement was made, Micron has had people from various communities working with its partners — educational partners, colleges, manufacturing associations — people pulling together to have everything come together, Nehme said.

“They are all working together thinking about curriculum, certification for skills that will be needed to work at the facility and making sure our partners have the information they need from us to implement and execute and start training folks,” he said. “That is happening all across the region. In particular SUNY Oswego, CiTi BOCES, Cayuga Community College — they are all part of that.”

Construction began in late 2023 on Onondaga Community College’s Micron cleanroom simulation lab — it is scheduled for completion sometime in 2025.

The lab will be a 5,000 square foot training site for students in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries.

“We are partners on that. It speaks to we really want to help our partners in the educational phase do what they can to help us build a workforce,” Nehme said. “We hope to equip them with curriculum and technical skills that some of our employees will need.

“

obstacles, Nehme admitted.

“There is going to be challenges and hurdles; there is no doubt about that. But we feel that with our partners at the local, state and federal levels, in the nonprofit world, educational world and really with all the expertise that we have here at Micron we will be able to overcome those hurdles whatever they might be,” he said. “There won’t be anything we can’t overcome with the partnership and teamwork that we have here with Micron folks as well as our partners here in Central New York and across the state.”

Right now the focus is on site preparation and environmental reviews.

“We want to make sure we are not cutting any corners. We have a great working partnership with our partners at the state and federal levels and the agencies that we will work with,” he said. “In the near term, over the next several months, the focus is going to be on really making sure that our environmental reviews are sound.

Community involvement

“It’s a 20-year project. We know that this is a long-term thing,” he said. “It’s about doing what we can to be a part of the community and making sure that the project lifts up the entire community along with us. That is really important.

“We’ve appointed a community engagement committee to help us gather input from the community. We are really listening right now. We want to make sure that the community has an opportunity to have input. Micron is new to the area, but what has been constant is that there has been a desire to listen and really, really take feedback from the community and set priorities based on the grassroots feedback.”

Reestablishing America’s leadership

Micron is located in Boise, Idaho. There are sites and facilities all over the world. It is the only US-based manufacturer of memory semiconductors.

‘There might not be a lot of action on the surface; but below, there is a lot of energy and effort from people all across the company and all across our community partners — working to get going here.’

Micron’s senior manager for external affairs Joseph

Nehme

“It’s not just unique to OCC. I look at the CiTi BOCES — particularly their PTECH program it is an exceptional program being led by some amazing folks.

They are the types of programs we really want to lead into and make sure that they have what they need from a technical perspective to train the workers and make sure that the opportunities at Micron are really available to everybody.”

It’s going to be a region wide effort — someone who is in high school today somewhere in Oswego County will have an opportunity down the road to come work at Micron, he added.

Overcoming challenges

When you are talking about a project of this scale, there certainly are some

“We previously announced and we intend stick with a 2024, end of 2024, beginning construction. However, all that is contingent on the environmental review. We are not allowed to start construction until we have approval and permits at the state and federal levels. We’re going to work really hard to get that done and move as quickly as possible.”

The construction workers, trades in Central New York they are used to working in cold weather — the weather isn’t going to stop them from doing what they do, he said.

“We have an agreement with buildings and trades here locally and we know that construction workers here know how to build in all kinds of weather,” he added. “The winters have been much more mild than the old days, I will agree on that point.”

“

“Memory is foundational to every technology that we use today. It is in our cell phones, in our computers, it’s in the data centers in the cloud, in our vehicles, in defense applications and everyday appliances,” Nehme said. “So as technology continues to evolve, particularly artificial intelligence, the demand for memory is really going to continue to grow in the future and that is why we need this kind of investment.

“On top of that, this is really an opportunity to reestablish America’s leadership in the industry and we want to be one of the poster childs of that — to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States. It is critical to our economic security, but it is also critical to our national security. Things evolved quickly. It is really important that the United States continues to be at the forefront. We are really excited and we think that Central New York is the perfect place to go.”

OCC PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A MICRON FUTURE

By Stefan Yablonski

Onondaga Community College is creating new programs and certificates that will prepare students to work at Micron.

Its professors are working with Micron to tailor curricula to their specific needs so that students learn what they need to know to gain a career in the semiconductor industry.

With at least 85% of OCC graduates already staying in the Central New York region after graduation, OCC President Warren Hilton expects this new partnership will propel that number even higher.

“Onondaga Community College is preparing students for a Micron future. Let me give you a rundown of OCC’s Micron-related things,” said Roger Mirabito, OCC’s executive director of communications.

“In the fall 2023 semester we started our new Micron-related degree program, electromechanical technology A.A.S. (Associate in Applied Science). This is a two-year degree program focused on the troubleshooting of electrical and mechanical systems,” he said.

Construction began in late 2023 on OCC’s Micron cleanroom simulation lab — an enclosed space used in manufacturing to keep particulates and other contaminants away.

It is scheduled for completion sometime in 2025.

It was designed by Ashley McGraw Architects. The general contractor is PAC Construction of Oswego and the electrician is Patricia Electric of Syracuse.

Cleanroom Simulation Lab

“The lab will be a 5,000 square foot, ISO class 5 and 6 cleanroom for training students in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries,” Mirabito said. “This will be a vital tool for OCC to prepare students for a job at Micron’s Clay campus, which will be home to the nation’s largest cleanroom at approximately 2.4 million square feet, the length of nearly 40 football fields!”

OCC’s cleanroom will be housed in the Whitney Applied Technology Center on campus.

It will horizontally divide an existing high-bay space to create new square

footage to house the cleanroom and preserve space below to support the expansion of industry training facilities in other technologies to be developed under a separate project.

The project includes all necessary infrastructure to support the cleanroom environment as well as all furniture and equipment to facilitate training students to meet industry needs.

Micron-related activities

• Girls Going Tech camp happened at OCC on May 12, 2023. Participants were approximately 50 eighth grade girls from the Lafayette, Onondaga and Syracuse City school districts.

• Chip Camp happened July 11, 12, 13 with approximately 100 rising eighth and ninth graders from ESM, SCSD, Lafayette and Oswego County high schools. July 11 was on the OCC campus, July 12 was at a cleanroom at Cornell and July 13 was at The MOST.

• Girls Going Tech in Espanol took place Oct. 18, 2023, with approximately 50 students. Completely in Spanish, the program focused on Syracuse City School District female students from specific schools with a high Spanish-speaking population.

Plus, Micron will need other types of jobs to support their facility and operations, he said, adding that OCC’s has offerings “that will help support related needs for this industry.”

Roger Mirabito, OCC’s executive director of communications.

LET MICRON KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY PRIORITIES

The Micron community engagement committee continues to look for feedback from Central New York residents about the tech company’s $100 billion investment in the region.

The committee launched Phase 2 of the survey to learn more about responses provided during Phase 1.

“We’re grateful to everyone who participated in the first part of this survey. However, we’re not quite done yet,” said Oswego County Office of Strategic Initiatives Director Dave Turner. “The committee just released Phase 2 of the survey which digs a little deeper into the priorities that were identified in the first phase.”

This is an opportunity for people to provide more detail about projects they feel are important, he explained.

“For example, the survey offers 10 project ideas — such as historic home rehabilitation grants, sustainable and green housing solutions and senior housing initiatives — in the area of housing development. Participants can select which, if any, they want to see

prioritized for investment.”

Phase 2 also asks people to identify their priority projects in the areas of education, employment, health and child care, transportation, utilities and natural resources, quality of place and various types of businesses.

“This next stage is necessary to narrow the focus on what our most pressing needs are as this historic investment continues to move forward,” said Turner. “For those who have already participated in Phase 1 of the survey, we ask them to come back and complete Phase 2. For those who haven’t started the survey, it’s not too late to get started. Please take five minutes and join the conversation to help protect and grow your community.”

Community members are invited to go to www.microncec.org and scroll down to click on the “Take Our Survey” link. The first question will direct participants to either Phase 1 or Phase 2 of the survey. Each section takes less than five minutes to complete.

The Micron CEC announced that

approximately 3,000 people have taken Phase 1 of the survey since it launched in September 2023.

Key priorities identified include housing, education, workforce development, community infrastructure and neighborhood investment. The group aims to create an investment plan based on survey responses that will ensure growth and prosperity across the region in the years to come.

The Micron CEC was established to work with community leaders and develop a list of priorities in areas such as workforce development, education, transportation, infrastructure, housing, health care and community assets. These will serve as a guiding strategy to ensure positive meaningful progress across Central New York.

To complete the survey, find other opportunities to get involved or sign up for email updates, visit at www. microncec.org.

To learn more about the economic impact of this important opportunity, go to https://esd.ny.gov/micron.

Dave Turner is the director of Oswego County Office of Strategic Initiatives.

CENTERSTATE CEO TO LEAD ON-RAMP PROJECT

During her recent State of the State announcement, Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled her proposal for the One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP).

Through the ON-RAMP program, Empire State Development will make strategic workforce investments across the Thruway to better enable communities to recruit, train and place individuals from underrepresented communities into high tech manufacturing jobs, with a flagship location in Syracuse, according to Eleanor Hanna, CenterState CEO’s senior vice president of marketing and communications.

the work CenterState CEO’s been doing to help all members of the Central New York community access the advanced manufacturing careers that exist in the region. CenterState CEO will lead the planning and design of the ON-RAMP hub in Upstate New York.

This proposal is informed, in part, by the work CenterState CEO’s been doing with NYS Empire State Development on the federal tech hubs program, Syracuse Surge and Syracuse Build initiatives and the Future Ready Workforce Innovation Consortium.

“This is yet another exciting opportunity to work with our Upstate neighbors. By working together, we are expanding success past a singular region and establishing Upstate New York as a super region growing the advanced manufacturing industry in New York,” Hanna added. “We thank Gov. Kathy Hochul for her continued partnership and vision.”

The governor organized ONRAMP to create workforce development centers in four high-impact locations across Upstate New York.

This builds on the governor’s commitment to preparing New Yorkers for the jobs of tomorrow with several

proposals to strengthen workforce development across New York state. ONRAMP offers credentials and training related to advanced manufacturing and focuses on providing opportunities for disadvantaged populations.

The program will focus on regions in Upstate New York, along the I-90 corridor from the Buffalo-Syracuse-Rochester tech hub to Albany, modeled after Buffalo’s Northland Workforce Training Center.

ON-RAMP will catalyze partnerships between employers, educational institutions, community organizations, and State and local governments. Each center will build the skills of the local labor pool, connect employers with the skilled workers they need, and develop long-lasting economic on-ramps to training, apprenticeships, and employment for disadvantaged populations.

Burritt Motors, Oswego

WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR 2024?

Now that the year is underway, here’s what a few area business leaders think about it

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

“We are expecting 2024 to be strong in several ways. There are lots of project opportunities in the public and private sector for planning, engineering and construction. The federal and state funding is as strong as it’s ever been, so that will drive some work for us. Our team is strong and ready to get a lot of stuff done.”

John Camp, President and chief operating officer, C&S Companies, Syracuse

“As we embrace the uncertainties and promises of a new year, the real estate market in 2024 appears to be a complex tapestry of challenges and opportunities. Anticipating the trends that will shape the coming months involves a careful examination of factors such as inventory shortages, market dynamics, interest

rates and the resilience of the commercial real estate sector.”

William R Galloway,

Licensed real estate broker Century 21 Galloway Realty, Oswego

“Every single day is very exciting. It’s a fast-paced, growing industry and we’re considered an industry leader.

and they’re advertised as though they can fly themselves but there’s so much more involved. They wonder why they get bad performance. We’re the ones writing the playbook. There’s no real guides currently on how to do this. The people who make the drones contact me about how I’m doing these operations.”

“ “

“The Central New York economy is healthy and is in a very strong position. Job growth continues in the region as unemployment rates remain low and the local labor force is expanding. Many upcoming local projects are underway that will continue to create job opportunities for the region’s workforce. Central New York’s employers are actively recruiting workers across a broad spectrum of industries, occupations and educational - skill levels.”

KAREN KNAPIK-SCALZO, Labor market analyst, New York State Department of Labor Division of Research & Statistics, Syracuse

I’m being shipped off to conferences to speak because most people buy drones

Rick Jordan, Owner, CNY Drone Services, Clinton

“I expect the year will go the way we plan it to go. As the year unfolds and we are moving in a specific direction that is unplanned, we should be flexible enough to adjust our sails. Keeping an eye on our resources and our funds will be key in things ‘going as planned’ or knowing when to adjust.”

Debbie Bilello, Virtual Office Solutions, Central Square

“Interest rates have come down slightly, if they continue to do so I expect this year to be a good year for real estate. People are anxious to buy. A positive factor for our area is the Micron effect. Builders and investors are just starting to act upon future possibilities. I’m excited about the economic changes coming to our area with the arrival of Micron. Micron will create lots of jobs and bring lots of people to the area. Those people will all need housing. Whether they are looking in Oswego County, Onondaga County or other surrounding counties, we are looking forward to the opportunities that I believe are going to come. So, how do I think this year is going to go? I think it’s going to be a year filled with opportunities for Central New Yorkers.

increase in visitors to the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum. Our 80th commemoration of the arrival of the former refugees to Oswego in August will be a positive draw.”

Judy Rapaport,

Acting president, Safe Haven, Oswego

“I expect 2024 to be the same as 2023. We are in for a busy year again and I’d love to see pricing of materials and fuel lower and interest rates fall.”

Tony Pauldine, Owner, Anthony M. Pauldine General Contractor, Inc., Curtis Manor, Gosek Electric, Oswego Rental Properties, Oswego

Leah Haggerty, Owner, Century

21 Leah’s Signature, Fulton

“I think it’s going to go really well. New business is turning up. The hotel is now a longterm stay venue. I think it’s been going well as it attracts nurses and doctors who are working at the hospitals and plant workers. It changed over from the Beacon Hotel in July 2022 to executive suites. It’s for professionals traveling for work.”

Julie Avery, General manger, Beacon Executive Suites, Oswego

“We already have seen an increase in travel booked for 2024 and don’t see it slowing down. Our expectations for this year are to keep up with the demand

““We’re in a growth phase as a community. It’s a new way to look at life. We’re not used to it growing quickly and having people move here. An estimated 100,000 people are moving here. That’s a lot of people. We’ll be getting used to delays for construction and traffic. That will change our life. But higher wages and investment are positive changes. No one in this generation has experienced this. It’s growth on the level of the Erie Canal. Even rural areas will see growth. It’s part of a mindset change. Housing is something we’ll need more of. Schools will see increases in students. It reminds people that these investments are fantastic, but it changes things.”

“We expect a good year and are looking forward to it. There will be some big changes to our deck for customers to look forward to. And we are booking parties every day. Our menu is expanding and we are introducing several new dishes, so all in all, we are looking forward to this year.”

“owners. We will continue to offer nocost, one-on-one counseling sessions tailored to the unique needs and challenges of each woman entrepreneur we work with. Our experienced counselors will provide guidance, advice, and mentorship to help women navigate the complexities of business ownership and achieve their goals. WISE WBC is committed to offering high-impact training programs designed to empower women entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s competitive business landscape. Our programs will focus on providing practical and actionable training in areas such as business management, marketing strategies, financial management and technology integration, equipping participants with the tools they need to thrive. We recognize the importance of reaching, supporting, and connecting women entrepreneurs in underserved areas. WISE WBC is committed to building strong relationships and networks in these communities, ensuring that women have access to the resources and support they need to succeed. Through outreach efforts, partnerships with local organizations and targeted programming, we will continue to expand our reach and impact in underserved areas.”

RANDY WOLKEN, President, Manufacturing Association of Central New York

and to hire another in-house travel consultant in the coming months.”

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

Sue Ryan, Owner, Tavern on the Lock, Fulton

“While we struggle to find good, qualified news reporters to fill out our staff, the outlook is strong, our readership is solid. Financially, we are starting out 2024 very strong.”

Fred Reed, President Dot Publishing, Inc., OswegoCountyToday.com and CnyAlive.com

“We have received positive affirmations about or new exhibits with an

“As far as the tax season is going, we are still unable to e-file New York returns. But I am able to data enter, calculate and print the entire return. Hopefully New York will get its act together!”

Bill Symons, Accountant, Canale Insurance and Accounting, Oswego and Fulton

“Our 2024 focus is personalized, nocost small business counseling. At WISE WBC, we understand the importance of personalized support for small business

Meghan Florkowski, Director, WISE Women’s Business Center, Syracuse

“Chuck Chaisson has been taking care of Oswego for more than 15 years. We’re growing each year. We’re keeping up with Oswego. We are participating contractors with New York State Clean Heat Program, an incentive to help people to go toward clean, electric heat. We can help people go for the latest trend in heating. We can help people with 10- to 15-year-old equipment and new, modern equipment.”

Nathanial Hohman, Manager, Chaisson’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Oswego

2024 OUTLOOK FOR CNY’S LARGEST EMPLOYERS

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

The size and complexity of large employers creates a unique set of challenges when it comes to planning and the company’s yearlong outlook. We recently spoke with a few of the area’s largest employers to gain their perspective on what 2024 will bring. Oswego Health, Inc.

Oswego Health, Inc.

‘In 2024, our strategic priorities are growth and reinvestment’

“On behalf of our board of directors and our leadership team, I’m proud of Oswego Health for the work we did last year as

we focused on the stabilization of our healthcare system. With a strong foundation built upon 143 years of dedicated care to the Oswego County and Central New York community, we are proud to be part of the revitalization we have seen in Oswego with great expectations on what is to come in the city of Fulton.

“In 2024, our strategic priorities are growth and reinvestment. As the largest private employer in Oswego County, we strive to be the employer of choice as we build partnerships to develop the caregivers of the future through our employee tuition assistance program. We are also reinvesting in our current dedicated workforce through our recognition events, dress-foryour-day initiative and a progressive compensation program. As we grow,

inclusive collaboration will be critical in our community as we focus on improving access to care locally. We are also bringing several enhancements to our infrastructure and investing in additional technology to support service line growth.”

Michael Backus President and CEO, Oswego Health

EJ USA

‘Local projects, like reconstruction of I-81 and the proposed Micron facility, will utilize many of our products’

“EJ is the global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of access solu-

Plant of Novelis Corporation on the shores of Lake Ontario, Oswego. Novelis is Oswego County’s largest manufacturing company;.

tions for the world’s growing infrastructure. We work in collaboration with our customers to create solutions for tomorrow’s challenges.

“The EJ legacy dates back to 1883 and this year we celebrate our 140th anniversary. EJ continues to be 100% owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generations of the Malpass family. Many things have changed over the course of five generations, but one thing has not — our commitment to operating under the guidance of a clear set of values and holding ourselves to the highest standards. Our company is strong and well positioned to serve our markets through our state-of-theart facilities. The core strength of our business is our dedicated employees employees who embrace our values, understand the importance of fostering relationships, and strive for excellence.

“Our order activity is strong, and we’ve been able to maintain full employment, while reinvesting in our facilities. This includes a new state-ofthe-art robotic welding cell installed last year at our Syracuse fabrication facility. Our strategic investment in talented people and processes positions us to meet the demand for our products. The breadth of EJ product offering, from cast iron, fabricated, composite and water products, across many markets, gives EJ a significant advantage over our competitors.

“Local projects, like reconstruction of I-81 and the proposed Micron facility, will utilize many of our products. Recent Buy American clauses also help increase demand for our Made in USA product offerings.

“EJ is committed to developing innovative products, such as, the SELFLEVEL, STORMSURGE and EM3 (Explosion Mitigation) manhole frame and cover, SAFEHATCH and many other inventions, which assure EJ products are differentiated and valued by our customers.

“EJ has a bright future, and we are ready for the opportunities this new year will bring.”

Tim McKernan Facility manager

Constellation

‘Making sure the units are well maintained and operate close to 100% of the time’

“We’ll have announcements

throughout the year companywide about new initiatives. With our nuclear plants, we’re focused on operational excellence and making sure the units are well maintained and operate close to 100% of the time.

“We contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to worthwhile and charitable organizations. We really value those community partnerships we have. We’re economic engines in places like Oswego. We employ a lot of people and have much larger numbers of people who come in during scheduled refueling outages when thousands more come in. Many come in from out of region and stay in hotels, eating at restaurants and use dry cleaning services — things like that. It means a lot more business for Oswego. Anecdotally, I know people who are contract workersduring an outage who sometimes add vacation time to their trip to enjoy the area.”

Mark Rodgers Senior manager, communications, Constellation

Elemental Manage- ment Group

‘Upstate health care providers need everyone’s support’

“Healthcare is at a crossroads in New York state. Patient throughput across the continuum is hamstrung by a lack of labor, insufficient funding from Medicaid, overutilization of community directed services, unreasonable regulatory influences and unfunded mandates. It is important that all community members be involved in conversation with their local and regional representatives to assure our healthcare system and the continuum of patient care is supported into 2024. There have been 32 nursing home closures in recent years and 11 closures in the last two years alone. Upstate health care providers need everyone’s support. Community members must make themselves heard. Healthcare services are the heart of a stable community and economy along with education. When either of these two fundamental building blocks is injured, there is a long-term ripple effect throughout the community. We need to stay ahead of the ball and prevent further facility closures.”

Joseph Murabito President and managing member, Elemental Management Group, Oswego

LorettoCorporationManagement

‘We continue to step up to meet the demands of the community’

“Innovation and efficiency are key for Loretto in 2024. We continue to step up to meet the demands of the community both for advanced dementia care as well as higher acuity short-term rehabilitation. We are introducing new memory care services and advancing the type of care we can provide in shortterm rehab which is leading to caring for patients from outside Central New York as we assist our regional hospitals in decanting patients. We are investing in technology to ensure our staff can operate efficiently as we expand our offerings and our geographic reach. Loretto is providing levels of care like no other in our community and it’s pivotal to not only our growth but the support we provide to our regional healthcare networks.”

Kim Townsend President and CEO Loretto in Syracuse

Novelis

New equipment making plant more efficient

“This fall, Novelis completed a critical step in the expansion project at the Oswego plant.

“The motors in Oswego’s hot mill were replaced with a newer model that could double the mill’s horsepower. The new model will be more energy efficient with AC power (instead of the older DC power), new switch gears, transformers, and drives to supply power to the new motors.

“The massive project involved the removal of 604.5 tons of existing equipment and the delivery of 445.6 tons of new equipment, along with thousands of hours worked.

“The new motors positively impacted productivity and the next milestone in the project will be a new, upgraded coolant house that will be completed in 2024. This will allow improved quality, enhance the motors’ impact on productivity and enable Novelis to increase hot mill capacity by 124,000 metric tons at the plant.”

Kristen Nelson Plant manager, Novelis

Brewerton will now begin the process of developing strategic investment plans to revitalize its downtown and waterfront.

Oswego County Communities Successful at Securing State Funds for Revitalization

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Feb. 5 that the towns of Hastings and Cicero together will receive $4.5 million to benefit the hamlet of Brewerton, as one of the Central New York region winners of the second round of New York Forward.

Economic Trends

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.

This is the fourth successful application from Oswego County for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward programs.

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative — or DRI — was originally created in 2016 to assist small cities across New York state with redeveloping their downtowns and building on local assets like waterfront, arts, culture and existing industries by strategically investing state funding in multiple projects developed in collaboration with the private sector. The New York Forward program (NYF) was created two years ago to address a similar need in smaller, more rural communities across the state.

Over this time, Oswego County communities have developed a strong track record of developing winning proposals and implementation processes through a series of public and private projects that have leveraged up to 10 times the private investment for every dollar of state funding.

Before the Brewerton announcement, previous Oswego County winners were the city of Oswego (DRI in 2016), the city of Fulton (DRI in 2019) and the village of Phoenix (NYF in 2023).

DRI and NYF winners from Oswego County

• In 2016, the city of Oswego was awarded $10 million during the first round of DRI. Oswego’s vision was to build off recent momentum and target funding to buildings and sites that had great potential to spur further development. The proposal was highlighted by projects like the Litatro Building, Riverwalk, Cahill Landing,

Eastlake Commons among others that would transform the downtown and waterfront through the addition of new mixed-use developments, which would bring additional jobs, visitors and residents to the city of Oswego. Oswego also had several public space improvement projects like the Water Street Pocket Park and the 104 Corridor Streetscapes improvements that supported and complemented the new private investments as well as other downtown and waterfront assets.

Fast forward to July 2023 and Oswego was the first community in New York state to successfully complete all of its DRI projects with the completion of Splash Indoor Water Park. The $10 million in DRI funding was able to leverage almost $100 million in private investment in the city of Oswego and has led to dozens of other private sector investments without state support.

• The city of Fulton was named a Round 4 $10 million DRI winner in August 2019. Fulton’s proposal was to leverage the city’s historic downtown waterfront and the economic drivers found in Fulton’s health, service and manufacturing industries and its innovative entrepreneurs to enhance the city’s natural and cultural attractions.

Shortly after winning, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the implementation progress considerably, delaying the final list of state-supported projects until May 2021 and led to unanticipated cost increases and supply chain issues that have slowed some of the larger projects.

Nonetheless, many of the 16 total projects like Huhtamaki’s streetscape improvements and equipment modernization, Oswego Health campus expansion, Good Guys Barber Shop expansion, new fast casual restaurant development, Canal Landing Marina and others have been completed or are underway.

In early 2024, new city of Fulton Mayor Jim Rice reconstituted the Fulton DRI committee to assist in getting the remaining projects completed.

• In 2023, the village of Phoenix developed a winning proposal by focusing on the community’s rich 19th century history and character centered around Lock 1 of the Oswego Canal on the Oswego River.

Phoenix’s Canal Waterfront District and an emerging commercial district near the elementary school on Volney Street were the focus of New York Forward funds. After a seven-month public process that ended in November, the local planning commission submitted 15 projects to the NYS Department of State for a total of $6.5 million in grant requests, of which $4.5 million will be awarded.

Projects submitted were from both the private and public sector ranging from mixed-use downtown redevelopment and waterfront development to expanding much needed services like healthcare, childcare, fire protection and sewer infrastructure.

Due to the unique public waterfront

assets in Phoenix, the redevelopment of North Island into a tourism destination with an entertainment pavilion, boat docks, dog park and recreation trails was a key submission in the final list of projects. Awards should be announced in late February or early March 2024.

Brewerton Gets $4.5 Million

In 2024, the hamlet of Brewerton — which encompasses the waterfront communities of the towns of Hastings and Cicero and straddles both sides of the Oneida River — embraced the opportunity to bring the two towns together to collaborate on a joint, mutually supported application.

Given both communities’ proximity to the Micron semi-conductor site, New York Forward investments are being viewed as the first step toward intentional, strategic and collaborative planning and development to address the opportunities and challenges presented by Micron by welcoming new residents, visitors and businesses in the years to come.

Brewerton will now begin the

process of developing strategic investment plans to revitalize its downtown and waterfront. A local planning committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders will lead these efforts, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners to help Brewerton determine how to best spend $4.5 million.

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward programs have been extremely successful statewide and have provided small cities and communities with much needed resources to reinvent themselves and attract new investment.

Over the past seven years the program has also generated numerous case studies from winning proposals as well as technical assistance resources for additional communities that are interested in participating.

Operation Oswego County, Inc. looks forward to continue working together with the municipalities across Oswego County to put together winning proposals and assisting them to implement projects.

LEFT: From left to right Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County, Inc.; Mike Aregano, town of Cicero supervisor; Richard Klein, Oswego County legislator; Tony Bush, town of Hastings supervisor.

RIGHT: City of Oswego skyline in 2022 showing multiple completed DRI projects in downtown.

COMPANIES ARE EXPANDING, INVESTING IN OSWEGO COUNTY

Millions of dollars are being invested in Oswego County.

Several new companies are looking to move into the L. Michael Treadwell Oswego County Industrial Park in 2024.

These companies will occupy several of the few remaining development sites making it more imperative to continue expanding into the 185-acre OCIP expansion site owned by the IDA, according to Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County.

beginning in mid-2024.

Some of these projects include:

• Daldrop SBB, LLC, is a German -owned clean room manufacturing, sales, service and engineering company. It has been approved to build a 32,000-sq.-ft. cutting edge facility in the industrial park. With design and engineering complete and the site plan approved, construction on this $7 million project is slated to begin this year. At completion the company will relocate 10 jobs from Onondaga County and create 20 new production and engineering jobs, Wheelock said.

• FabSite Industries is an 8-year-old construction fabrication and site development company currently located in Volney. It is expanding at the industrial park. The company is proposing to build an 11,700-sq.-ft. industrial facility for steel fabrication and to store vehicles and equipment. The company currently employs 15 and plans to employ an additional 10 by project completion. The project is approximately $1.5 million. It has been approved by the OOC real estate development committee and the next steps are site plan approval and hopefully construction

• ACLS, a printing manufacturing company in Onondaga County, is working with OOC to relocate and expand at the OCIP. The company, currently working out of lease space in Liverpool, is proposing to build an 18,000 square foot facility for production, sales, design and mailing services. The $1.2 million project would relocate 12 jobs and create eight new jobs at the industrial park.

• Think Variant is an additive metal manufacturing and prototyping company co-located with R&D Design and Associates in the OCIP. The company is growing through taking on manufacturing, testing and assembling drones for specialized medical transport uses. The project will help to retain five jobs and create two new jobs at the park as well as an additional job off-site for testing.

• Tormco — The redevelopment of the former Miller Brewery’s 700,000-sq. ft. distribution warehouse is currently underway.

The $26.5 million project includes comprehensive renovations including new roof, new lighting, new HVAC and other infrastructure improvements. To date, a new roof has been installed on approximately 350,000 square feet and approximately 105,000 square feet of space has been fully renovated and able for lease.

By April 2024, the company

will have 200,000 square feet of contiguous space available for industrial tenants. By the end of the year approximately 350,000 square feet will be completed and available.

The remaining 350,000 square feet has more extensive renovations and is not slated to be completed until 2026.

This facility at completion will be one of the largest and best served locations for new manufacturing and other industrial tenants in all of Central New York.

• Canfield Machine & Tool — OOC recently closed on the sale of 3.6 acres of property at the Airport Industrial Park to Canfield Machine & Tool to support the business’s expansion. Canfield has received site plan approval from the town of Volney to build a 10,000 square foot addition to its existing manufacturing facility that would create eight-10 new manufacturing jobs and help them to retain their existing 40 jobs.

• In Mexico, the redevelopment of Beck’s Hotel is underway in the village and will be transformed into a café, hotel rooms and a full-service restaurant. The redevelopment of Beck’s Hotel is supported by a $1.8 million grant through the Empire State Development Restore NY program.

• CiTi BOCES has proposed the development of a state- of-the-art manufacturing and automation lab that will provide P-TECH students with hands-on experience for advanced manufacturing.

The $1.4 million project has submitted a grant to the Empire State Development Office of Workforce Development for $720,000. This critical project has received tremendous local support

Rendering of the Daldrop SSB building expected to be built at the L. Michael Treadwell Oswego County Industrial Park.

with the IDA providing the project with $100,000 in financial assistance along with $500,000 from the Oswego County Legislature and additional financial and in-kind contributions from industry.

• In Scriba, OOC and the IDA are working with Novelis to act as a conduit for grant funding to complete a major rail modernization at the plant.

The project would allow them to ship aluminum domestically from a new plant in Kentucky much more cost effectively as well as more environmentally friendly than current methods.

The $3.5 million project would be supported by $2.8 million in grant funding (if approved) through NYS DOT and $700K from the company. The project would not create any new jobs — but it would help to retain the over 1,100 jobs at the Oswego plant and could lead to additional future projects, Wheelock said.

• Adventures at Burritt’s is a boat and marine products sales, service and storage facility approved recently by IDA in the town of Scriba.

The $1.4 million project will create 29 new jobs over the next five years, with an estimated $1.8 million in new payroll and bring new boat sales to the Oswego area enhancing the outdoor recreation tourism industry here.

L. Michael Treadwell Oswego County Industrial Park

The IDA is moving forward with obtaining site plan approval with the town of Schroeppel for the 185-acre expansion of the L. Michael Treadwell Oswego County Industrial Park, said Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County, which operates the park. This is a critical step to move forward with building a road into the site as well as bringing public and private infrastructure to support new business development, he added.

“There has been significant interest in the expansion site with many companies inquiring to the date it will be ready for new business development,” he said. “The IDA anticipates gaining site plan approval this spring with site development hopefully beginning before the end of 2024.”

The types of businesses that are being courted include the semi-conductor supply chain as well as other advanced manufacturing uses and warehousing and distribution.

OPPORTUNITIES PROLIFERATE ALL ACROSS OSWEGO COUNTY

By Stefan Yablonski

In every corner of Oswego County progress is evident — a reflection of the boom being experienced by the entire region.

“I think that especially because of Micron and the opportunities that that provides, it also provides some challenges that we have known for a while,” said Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County. “But now we really have to solve these. Many of them are infrastructure-related — especially in the areas where they are going to see the most potential for growth.”

In southern Oswego County you have some infrastructure challenges, he said.

“They are more rural areas and have been able to get by without having infrastructure upgrades for a while, so it is something we are working through,” he added. “We are working through the expansion in the Industrial Park in Phoenix. We are working with our infrastructure partners to make sure that we can meet the needs for industry over the next several years by expanding infrastructure into the new park expansion. We are working on funding for that right now. We hope to see some movement — shovels in the ground later this year or early 2025.”

He was at the old Miller site “just there recently meeting with the owner. They are going to have about half that space ready.”

“When I say half — it’s 700,000 square foot — so when I say half, that’s about 350,000 square feet that will be ready,” Wheelock said.

The remainder of that space will be ready the next year.

“That is a premier location, not just for Central New York but all of New York state,” he added. “There just are not buildings of that size with that type of infrastructure and access to rail sitting around available in New York state.”

It is “a huge attraction site” for the area.

“When we are going after major projects that are looking to expand, that is a premier site because it is a building that already exists and there just isn’t

that many of that kind with that kind of infrastructure,” he said.

There is some infrastructure that needs to be modernized, he noted, “But it’s a great facility. We are working with the owners and they are going full speed ahead.”

Micron

“Things are going great. The Micron steering committee, which I’m a part of, is being lead by SUNY Oswego. They are getting close to releasing their action plan on that. That will probably be near the end of February or early March,” he said. “Everything is moving forward related to that. We have identified a lot of positive momentum and some areas that we need to improve. One of those is infrastructure, another is housing.”

Some of the other things they are looking at are workforce, adding additional workforce programs, looking at obstacles to getting folks into the workforce like transportation issues and health care.

“We are trying to solve a lot of things. But I think we are creating a good road map of where we are at and what we need to do, some best practices of how to get there,” he said.

Collaboration

“I have been up here in Oswego County going on 18 years now and I have never seen as much collaboration and working together between government and nonprofit organizations and industry as I have seen over the last year plus,” he said. “Educational institutions, government, nonprofits, industry and everybody — all working together! I think we all see an opportunity in front of us. We all know that this is bigger than any one of us.”

It’s not just because of Micron that everyone is all working together, he added.

“Micron sort of exacerbates it. It’s a challenge and an opportunity for existing companies to find all the people that they need — if you throw a large player like Micron into the mix it makes

things harder.

“A lot of our workforce partners including CiTi BOCES PTECH, Workforce Development Board, all of these groups are coming together. CenterState CEO is also working together with New York state and other partners to improve the workforce for the future.”

They are putting all the pieces together.

“I think it’s going to be great for Oswego County. It’s going to keep more of our young talent here,” he said. “They are going to see opportunities here and not think they have to go elsewhere.

“I think there have always been opportunities. But this is something that is so big that everybody knows about it. You don’t have to go looking for it. This isn’t going to just help Micron, it’s going to help a lot of our other manufacturers. This is going to bring a lot of recognition to our area for people that are here who maybe going into high school right now and also people looking from outside the area. They see Central New York as a real opportunity to start and to continue a career.”

What they are trying to do is prepare everything from the infrastructure to real estate, he explained.

“We are working on a bunch of different things right now. There are a lot of locations — we just have to get them ready (one possibility is the former Nestles site in Fulton) so that when these opportunities come we won’t have to play catch up. We are going to see a lot of construction going on in Oswego County over the next five to 10 years; not just for industry but residential as well.”

Something to look out for in the spring is going to be the construction and groundbreaking for the Daldrop project; the cleanroom manufacturing down in the industrial park, he added.

“I believe right now they are starting to bid projects. Hopefully, we will see construction there this spring and continuing through the summer. They hope they will have a building up by the end of the year, but we’ll see how the weather treats us,” he said.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Oswego-Fulton Chamber Director Looking Ahead to a Good Year

By Stefan Yablonski

“We’re excited and looking forward to our 2024 annual meeting, which explores the theme Momentum and speaks to the many opportunities ahead of us — from the historic investment and impact of Micron, to so much other growth we are seeing in our community,” said Sara Broadwell, executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

“It also pays homage to the businesses and cornerstones of our community that set the foundation that supported Micron’s decision to choose Central New York.”

The GOFCC’s annual meeting is set for noon on Feb. 29 at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center, Oswego.

Business and community leaders will celebrate the impact that small local and community-minded companies have throughout Oswego County.

The event is presented by Constellation.

It will feature keynote remarks from Joe Nehme, senior manager of external affairs, Micron Technology, Inc. Nehme will provide an overview of Micron’s New York megafab project, its community and workforce commitments and how the impact of this significant investment stands to benefit all of Central New York, including Oswego County.

The GOFCC will also honor members and community leaders, presenting its:

• Small Business Award: Recognizing small business owners for outstanding customer and employee relations, milestones, company growth or made a notable impact through their dedication to Oswego County.

• Impact Award: Recognizing a nonprofit that demonstrates excellence and has driven significant impact to Oswego County.

• Community Investor Award: Recognizing an individual or organization

that has made a substantial investment in and commitment to the improvement of Oswego County’s communities.

• Nancy L. Premo Woman of Distinction Award: Celebrating a woman in business whose service has made a positive impact in the community, in honor of Nancy Premo, CenterState CEO’s late vice president of human resources.

“We’re focused on building connections, fostering collaboration opportunities and retaining talent,” Broadwell said. “Last year, we launched and hosted a pilot talent and attraction program in partnership with the Oswego County Workforce New York Career Center and Operation Oswego County, with the support of local sponsors.”

The unique opportunity brought new hires and recruits at local employers to network and engage one-on-one with industry and community leaders, she added.

Key stakeholders from public, private and nonprofit sectors participated to showcase Oswego County as an attractive place to work and live.

Recruits and new hires were able to network with top public and private employers; local nonprofits; realtors; higher education institutions; tourism and community development agencies; childcare agencies; financial institutions and health and wellness providers.

The event was “a great success” and the GOFCC is looking forward to building this out more in 2024 by hosting several specific to Oswego County and possibly expanding the program regionally across CNY with the support of CenterState CEO, she added.

“We will continue growing the Novelis Employee Discount Program and have expanded a similar program to another large employer in our county, which we will name at the annual meeting,” she said. “This program offers hard-working community members the opportunity to receive discounts at local businesses and encourages workers to shop locally, keeping spending in our local economy.”

She will continue to serve on the Oswego County Micron steering committee, heading the hotel, restaurant and tourism sector. It provides an opportunity to bring forward challenges and help outline solutions as we prepare our community, workforce and economy for what’s to come with Micron.

“It’s truly impactful to sit on this committee to bring the voice of small businesses to the forefront of conversations and preparation,” Broadwell said.

Sara Broadwell, executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM KEY SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY

Stories by Stefan Yablonski

REAL ESTATE

Area Realtors Keeping an Eye on Interest Rates

Buying or selling real estate is one of the most important decisions people will make. Since 2022, the Oswego County area has remained a seller’s market, according to an Oswego Housing Market report.

That means prices tend to be higher and homes sell faster.

In 2023, homes in Oswego sold for 11.1% more than they did in 2022. That percentage translates to more than $15,000. The median sold price was $150,000.

“Real estate for sellers in 2023 was extremely strong and I foresee that continuing for 2024,” said Karen A. Hammond of Hunt Real Estate. “The sellers that listed their house at a fair marketable price, saw their houses selling very quickly and some still with multiple offers.”

What is keeping this real estate market strong is there is still great number of buyers still looking for homes. The largest hurdle for buyers in 2023 and still seeing it to continue a bit in 2024 is the lack of inventory of houses, she added.

“The past several years have proven to be a very tough environment for buyers, particularly buyers just entering the market for the first time — as it has been an environment with low inventory,” said Patrick Haggerty, associate broker with Century 21 Leah’s Signature. “It has been a very competitive environment in which the demand has exceeded the supply of homes creating many multiple offer scenarios, which has caused prices to increase at a rapid rate.”

Additionally, 2023 saw a sharp increase in interest rates, which has

created an even tougher situation, where buyers are not only paying more for homes, but also paying more for the money they are borrowing to buy homes, according to Hammond.

Mortgage rates are still elevated, higher home prices and low housing availability has made it difficult for new homeowners entering the market, agreed Leah Haggerty, owner-broker at Century 21 Leah’s Signature..

“The local real estate market has been extremely strong for sellers since 2020,” said Teri L. Beckwith, licensed real estate salesperson with Hunt Real Estate, ERA. “Due to the amount of buyers still in need of a home, we predict this to continue throughout 2024,”

The prediction of interest rates dropping will certainly guarantee a great 2024, she added.

“If mortgage rates continue to come down as forecasted and the market opens up with more confident sellers, then our spring market should be good,” Leah Haggerty said. “It’s difficult to predict when so many factors are involved.”

“It is hard to predict exactly what the policy will be moving forward on interest rates. But, if they continue to stay elevated, it may continue to keep homes off of the market in which the homeowners have, as an example, a 3% or 4% interest rate,” Patrick Haggerty added. “Homeowners that would ideally like to downsize or upsize but have such a favorable interest rate as 3% or 4%, are deterred from selling and then buying another home at a 6% or 7% interest rate, which further restricts the supply of available houses.”

“There was slight lull in late summer and fall — fall when interest rates increased in 2023. But after the initial shock that rates where not going back to the low of 2% or 3% buyers adjusted to new rates and started searching again for their new homes,” Hammond said. “I believe the interest rates for 2024 will stay around the rate of 6% to 7 % and no major increases in the interest rates.”

“A positive factor for our area is the Micron effect. Builders and investors are just starting to act upon the future possibilities,” Leah Haggerty added.

Teri Beckwith

Patrick Haggerty

Farmers Still Facing a ‘COVID Hangover’

New York is a leading agricultural state, worth $5.75 billion in revenue 2017, the latest data provided by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and Farm Credit East.

“Speaking from smaller scale operations like ours, one of the biggest challenges is increasing costs of supplies, vet bills, feed and so on,” said Heather DelConte of Black Creek Farms in Volney.

Creating a much smaller profit margin, small-scale or family-run farms usually boast high quality products that are raised or grown in humane, conscientious and sustainable ways, she added.

“There is definitely a market for that, but ever increasing costs of inputs threaten the viability of those businesses,” DelConte said. “Additionally, the clear evidence of changing and unpredictable climate factors also hurt the smaller farmer.”

Another big challenge for CNY farming, according to DelConte, is that the average age of producers in New York hovers near 60 years old.

“It’s very difficult for young people, especially those without farming

backgrounds, to get started,” she said.

There is a whole host of issues that challenge much larger scale operations.

“At the start of a new year, many people look for ways to live a healthier lifestyle — and locally produced dairy products, like milk, cheese and yogurt is one of the best ways to do just that,” according to American Dairy Association North East president Audrey Donahoe of Clayville.

“Dairy provides nutrients we all need to grow and maintain stronger bodies and minds. And, with milk containing 13 essential nutrients for around a quarter a serving, it’s an affordable option for families.”

The best way people can support dairy farmers, she said, is as simple as continuing to purchase and enjoy their favorite dairy products.

It’s easy to check where your milk was processed — just look for the number 36 at the top of the jug or carton. That means it was processed in New York state.

Milk is produced every single day of the year; not many foods can say that, she added. “For example, milk from my cows that leaves my farm today will be on store shelves in Albany tomorrow.

From the dairy side, it’s been a big challenge coming out of the COVID-19 time, according to Bruce Gibson, president of the Oswego County Farm Bureau board and a managing partner of Locust Hill Dairy Farms in Lacona and Ellisburg.

“It’s like a COVID hangover, if that makes sense,” he said. “2020 was rough for everybody; 2021 and 2022 weren’t too bad in some respects. But there was inflation that crept in and began to ramp up. For the most part I would say that our products did well to keep up.”

In 2023 and 2024, so far, while the rate of inflation has decreased it’s still a bit higher than a lot of people grew accustomed to; the products that we produce have retreated back toward more traditional pricing.”

“Inflation has definitely outpaced what we received for milk. I think that’s probably true for a lot of the other farmers — the grain croppers, the guys growing soy bean and corn — look at the futures markets in those commodities they’ve come way down. They’re going to feel the pinch,” he added.

Back to dairy, when the grain goes down the feed gets cheaper and “that does soften the blow on some of the

Heather DelConte

Audrey Donahoe

Bruce Gibson

other parts, things that we use,” Gibson said. “It’s a little bit of a mixed bag, but I would say that we’re on the short end of he stick.”

“The other thing that I don’t see a lot of people talking about — and this would vary from producer to producer

— interest rates. A guy going to buy a tractor maybe borrows some money to do that … that has gone up quite a bit. If you’re a farmer who is 35 years old you don’t remember interest rates like they were. But if you’re 55 you definitely do — but it doesn’t make us feel any better.

It’s like homebuyers – people are like ‘whoa look at these rates.’ When your product is settling back … and you’re paying additional interest on top of that, it’s a double whammy,” he said.

OVERTIME PAY THRESHOLD ALREADY IN PLACE

The phased-in, gradual reduction in the overtime pay threshold for farmworkers began Jan. 1, with the threshold set at 56 hours per week. It was 60 hours previously.

The process will continue with the threshold limit reducing by four hours every other year until reaching 40 hours per week in 2032.

“Our agricultural industry is the backbone of New York, feeding people across the country, and farm workers are an essential piece in that process,” said New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “Introducing a phased transition allows farmers the necessary time for adjustments while

protecting the farm workers who are a huge part of putting food on New Yorkers tables. These regulations reinforce New York state’s ongoing dedication to its workers.”

“People think, ‘Oh my god, farmer workers don’t get paid overtime until they get to 60 hours.’ But they don’t realize that in 46 other states there was no overtime at all,” said Bruce Gibson, president of the Oswego County Farm Bureau board. He is also a managing partner of Locust Hill Dairy Farms in Lacona and Ellisburg.

“On our farm I don’t know that we find it such a problem that New York wants us to pay overtime as much as the states we are competing with — the

TOURISM

Oswego County Tourism Launches New Website

Visitors and residents alike are invited to explore Oswego County Tourism’s new website: https:// visitoswegocounty.com.

The re-designed site has updated content, new features and enhanced accessibility for desktop and mobile devices.

“Our new website will make it easier than ever for visitors to plan their trip to Oswego County,” said Oswego County Legislator Mary Ellen Chesbro, District 10, chairwoman of the Legislature’s Economic Development and Planning committee. “The website is easily accessible on computers, tablets and cell phones, providing a more user-friendly experience than our previous site. Our homepage features an eye-catching video displaying the many

things Oswego County has to offer throughout the year and the website design allows users to easily navigate our many attractions and events.”

The website continues to promote Oswego County’s rich history, worldclass fishing, unique attractions, charming accommodations and more.

New features include an interactive map displaying attraction locations and a blog section with articles written by local experts and tourism staff highlighting various activities, events, restaurants, museums, shops and more.

“There are a lot of exciting things coming up in Oswego County, and we’re glad to have an updated website to help showcase everything there is to see and do here,” said Daniel Breitweg, deputy director of the Oswego County

other dairy states like Wisconsin, Michigan Pennsylvania. They ship to the same processors that New York dairy farmers do. They don’t have that cost in their structure; it doesn’t exist.”

It’s just something to consider that affects the bottom line, he added.

“The crop guys, their windows are so condensed. Their planting windows are short; their growing season is shorter than other parts of the country. They have got to do the job when the weather allows. That leads to long hours and overtime. It’s something that New York farmers bear that those in other states don’t.”

Community Development, Tourism and Planning Department. “The website will continue to change and expand as we make improvements and add more features. One example is our interactive map, which will be updated seasonally to show visitors optimal attractions for that time of year.”

Visitors can stay up to date on Oswego County happenings by checking the events page or viewing Oswego County Tourism’s social media pages, which are linked on the homepage of the website.

Weekly fishing reports and winter trails reports are also accessible on the site, as well as Oswego County guides. Users can order physical copies of the Fishing and Hunting Guide and the Visitor Guide online or download the digital versions.

Oswego County guides can also be ordered by calling Oswego County Tourism at 315-349-8322 and fishing and winter trails reports can be heard by calling 1-800-248-4FUN (4386).

THE Ys

Oswego YMCA Membership Surpasses 1,200

The Oswego YMCA amplified its impact as membership grew to more than 1,200 members in 2023 with more than 41,800 visits throughout the year.

“More importantly, the organization provided more than $87,000 in scholarships to provide access to many programs and services for those in our community in need,” Oswego YMCA CEO Cheryl Baldwin said. The Y fosters connections through family programs and community events such as Healthy Kids Day, Kids Night Out, Family Nights, the Pumpkin Festival and other holiday events, she added.

Last summer, the Y provided more than 106 children with the opportunity to be creative, use their imaginations and foster friendships during Oswego YMCA Summer Camp programs.

The Oswego Y’s Play and Learn Center was visited by more than 3,600 young children in 2023, supporting families and providing opportunities

to 7,084 youth and teens to stay active and engaged through Oswego YMCA youth sports and enrichment programs, including free after school open gym programs and the YMCA Youth Center.

More than 3,693 adults participated in YMCA events like the Harborfest 5k and 10k, Reindeer Run, wellness challenges, group fitness classes, pickleball and adult sports leagues to support individuals’ health and well-being.

Filling a critical need in the area, the Oswego YMCA continues to offer licensed before and after school childcare programs for K-6 grades in the Oswego city and Mexico school districts and is expanding in 2024-25 to other school districts to help meet the urgent childcare needs in Oswego County. The program currently serves more than 240 children for families requiring before and after school care.

As the Oswego YMCA looks to the future, the organization reflects on “the past year of positive opportunities we

were able to provide to our Oswego County area youth, families and individuals,” Baldwin said.

These highlights are just a snapshot of the community impact and outstanding accomplishments the organization has celebrated over the past year, she added.

“Our success only reflects the outgrowth of the generosity, friendship and involvement of our community — and we’re excited about the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Baldwin.

She stressed that all the positive outcomes are only possible through the dedicated staff, committed volunteers and generous supporters of the Y — “They have all been responsible for our ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of all those we serve.”

FULTON YMCA EXPANDING OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING

The Fulton Family YMCA currently offers 24-hour fitness center and gymnasium access, said Amy Leotta, executive director.

The Y also offers a competitive swim team, swim lessons, aqua aerobic classes, group exercise classes and personal training, she added.

“We also offer before and after-school childcare in the Fulton City School District and a full daycare center offered onsite,” she said.

“In 2024, we are planning on expanding our outdoor programming, including kayaking and archery,” she continued. “We’re fostering community relations and working to improve our facility.”

The YMCA movement has always held a strong focus on youth development and healthy living.

The Y also believes that a part of that movement includes different recreational experiences outside

of the traditional fitness center and group exercise experiences. “The Fulton YMCA has recognized the need for our rural communities to have opportunities to use our natural surroundings as a way of exercise,” Leotta said.

“The Fulton YMCA’s location is set perfectly to offer such experiences. This past summer, we launched a kayaking program for our community that included all ages.”

This was a collaboration between Oswego Expeditions, the YMCA and Fulton City’s Parks and Recreation.

“We had seed money for this program through funding from the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services,” she said.

Due to the success of this program, the YMCA wants to continue to offer outdoor recreational activities.

“In the coming year, we would like to offer snowshoeing on the city

trails behind the YMCA, offer programming throughout city parks and launch a beginner archery for youth,” she said. “We hope that each year we can continue to grow and bring in unique recreational opportunities for all ages at our facility and throughout the community.”

Fulton YMCA Amy Leotta

Oswego YMCA CEO Cheryl Baldwin

Area Nonprofits Emerging From the Pandemic

Nonprofits continue to work diligently to recover from the challenges of the pandemic.

Most notable are the arts organizations that are struggling to reclaim their audiences.

“In general, job stability is a

challenge for nonprofits, in terms of acquiring and retaining staff. Many nonprofits are short-staffed and are having trouble keeping up with programming demands,” said Frank Ridzi, vice president of community investment for the Central New York Community

Foundation.

For instance, housing continues to be a large need for residents and nonprofits working in this area are struggling to find and retain the staff needed to keep good quality housing in good repair and rentable, he added.

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity “that turns community dollars into community change.”

Job stability and having funds to pay bills also continues to be key needs for the clients they serve. Nonprofits are “actively looking to diversify their funding sources,” he said.

There has also been a growth in Black-led organizations that are seeking to serve unmet community needs.

As for the organizations that Community Foundation assists, grants are given to nonprofit organizations in five counties: Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, Oswego and Cortland.

Established in 1927, the foundation receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to address the region’s greatest needs.

It has invested more than $270 million in community projects that benefit Central New York.

“The gifts we receive come from those who want to give back to Central New York in some way — either during their lifetimes or as a legacy that carries on after they are gone,” according to Katrina Crocker, vice president of communications, Central New York Community Foundation. “We then turn those community dollars into community change — by supporting and mobilizing nonprofit efforts around the region’s most critical needs.”

They have given more than $5K to organizations in the past fiscal year, she added.

Frank Ridzi, vice president of community investment for the Central New York Community Foundation.

CONSTELLATION: A SHINING STAR IN ENERGY PRODUCTION

The

nation’s largest provider of carbon-free energy discusses its challenges

in Oswego

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

For the past decade, Constellation Energy Corporation has remained America’s top producer of carbon-free energy with the lowest rate of carbon dioxide emissions among the 20 largest privately owned energy companies nationwide, according to the annual Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United States report.

The independent analysis bases the findings on publicly reported data on air quality.

“We’re really proud to be America’s largest producer of clean, zero-emissions, zero-carbon energy with our fleet

across the country,” said Mark Rodgers, senior manager communications for Constellation. “And here in Upstate New York, we operate our three nuclear clean energy centers, including Nine Mile Point and FitzPatrick in Oswego and Ginna in Ontario. Our plants play a big role in providing the state of New York with reliable, clean energy and we take that job very seriously. We’re honored to do it.”

One of the company’s biggest dayto-day challenges is attracting talent. Rodgers said that Constellation tries to hire locally first, offering “a highly competitive salary and benefits. It’s

always a challenge to make sure that we’re attracting the right talent.”

With a tight labor market, that’s not easy. Although some of Constellation’s openings require degrees and experience, others offer on-the-job training.

Another challenge for Constellation is that many consumers don’t understand much about nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is sometimes viewed as risky or environmentally unstable. But Rodgers views nuclear energy as “clean energy.”

“It’s two different ways of saying the same thing,” Rodgers said. “It’s something we’ve wanted to help

Overview of Constellation Energy Corporation in the Oswego area. The company operates James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant and Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station. It’s the second largest private employer in Oswego County with 1,300 employees.

educate the public about. We’re not putting greenhouse gases in the air, and we never have. That is one of the benefits of nuclear at a time the country and state of New York are prioritizing reducing carbon emissions to address climate change.”

Constellation operates nuclear, solar, wind and hydroelectricity plants which generate about one-tenth of the carbon-free energy in the US. The next “cleanest” energy producer had more than 4.5 times the rate of carbon emissions as Constellation.

“After this year of record-shattering weather, it is clear that all industries must move faster to reduce emissions and lay the foundation for our clean energy future,” said Joe Dominguez, president and CEO of Constellation in a statement. “As we transition to a clean grid, we must ensure the lights stay on in every hour of every day and nuclear energy is the only clean energy resource that can operate around the clock in all weather extremes. Backed by the unmatched reliability of our nuclear fleet, we are continuously seeking ways to increase our clean generation capacity, while helping customers achieve their own sustainability goals through innovations such as clean hydrogen and

hourly carbon-free energy matching.”

The Benchmarking Air Emissions report noted primary air pollutant emissions, including nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mercury, from the 100 largest power producers nationwide. The data comes from reports from the US Energy Information Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The report stated that zero-carbon energy generation represents 41% of US energy generation in 2022. Of that

41%, nuclear energy comprised 44%, higher than any other category. Among all means of generating energy, nuclear was 18% nationwide.

Headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy Corporation employs 800 at Nine Mile Point and 500 at James A. FitzPatrick, facilities in Oswego. It’s the second largest private employer in Oswego County The RE Ginna facility in Ontario, New York, employs 350, totaling 1,650 across Upstate, plus additional contractors during refueling outages.

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Manufacturing Summit Planned in Oswego County

Operation Oswego County is starting to plan a spring manufacturing summit.

“We will be having that up here in Oswego. The date hasn’t been determined for sure yet, but I would say probably in early to mid April,” said Austin Wheelock, executive director.

OOC will bring together all of its partners in the manufacturing ecosystem to learn about things like grants for manufacturers or workforce programs or electrical and gas subsidy programs.

“We want to bring them all together and say, ‘hey these are all the programs out there to help you that you might not know that are out there.’ We want to bring as many manufactures as we can to the table and let them know that these are the programs they should be looking into,” he said.

OOC is looking to do it in the spring so that these companies have time to check out new programs; specifically a number of these state programs come out in late spring and early summer.

“We want them to have time to apply and the best chance to be competitive,” he explained. “This is for everybody — from the smallest manufacturers to the Novelises and everything in between.”

Oswego County’s target industries are metal manufacturing, logistics, food processing, energy and tourism.

These clusters align with the county’s assets, according to Wheelock. With an experienced workforce, supply chain networks and ample infrastructure, there are varied opportunities to expand these sectors, he said.

There

Building

momentum of

state’s successful Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the $100 million NY Forward program adopts the same “Plan-then-Act” strategy as the DRI to support a

more equitable downtown recovery for New York’s smaller and rural communities.

In November, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the village of Phoenix will receive $4.5 million in funding as the Central New York region winner of the first round of NY Forward.

Awards are made to smaller communities in each of the state’s 10 economic development regions to support development and implementation of a revitalization plan for their downtowns.

After a seven-month public process that ended in November, the local planning commission submitted 15 projects to the NYS Department of State for a total of $6.5 million in grant requests, of which $4.5 million will be awarded, Wheelock said.

Projects submitted were from both the private and public sector ranging from mixed-use downtown redevelopment and waterfront development to expanding much needed services like healthcare, childcare, fire protection and sewer infrastructure.

The village of Phoenix put out its list of projects and they are awaiting word from the state about which projects will receive funding.

“You’ll see a lot of growth down in the village of Phoenix,” Wheelock said. “There is a lot going on all over Oswego County. With the state funding programs that have been put together to help some of our rural communities, we are going to see communities like Pulaski, Mexico, Hastings and Parish all sort of putting together plans and hopefully revitalize their downtowns.”

Due to the unique public waterfront assets in Phoenix, the redevelopment of North Island into a tourism destination with an entertainment pavilion, boat docks, dog park and recreation trails was one of the main projects submitted, he added.

With the new mayors in Oswego and Fulton, the ball is going to get rolling again related to many projects — especially in the Fulton DRI, Wheelock said.

“It’s going to be good for the city of Fulton. Many of those projects will get off the ground or even completed in 2024,” he added. “Oswego’s mayor is looking to keep up momentum started by the previous administration. ConnextCare going into the old Oswego education building will help bring more activity to downtown.”

THE ARTS: ALIVE AND WELL IN OSWEGO COUNTY

By Stefan Yablonski

The arts scene is alive and well around Oswego County, according to Michele Southgate, retired educator, past president of Art Association of Oswego, former executive director of Arts and Culture for Oswego County and co-founder of Lakeside Artisans.

“Yes, believe it or not, there are an awful lot of people who are involved in the arts in Oswego County. There are all kinds of groups — Art Association in Oswego and there is the Pulaski Art Association, Fulton has one as well,” she said. “So it’s the entire county, not just the city of Oswego. The whole county has a lot of artists that are involved.”

It’s not just visual art, she added.

“You’ve got performing arts — The Oswego Players. We’ve got music — Oswego Opera Theater at SUNY Oswego. There are a lot of different types of arts that are available to people here in the county,” she said.

There are a lot of different organizations in the county; at one point, there was even a poets’ group that met at the Coffee Connection in Oswego, Southgate said.

“I’m not sure that most people are aware of what is available to the general public in terms of the arts. I think the Players do a pretty good job of

advertising their stuff. And you see the exhibitions from the Art Association,” she said. “Right downtown in Oswego in the Canal Commons, you’ve got the Riverside Artisans. It’s a big window area so that you can see what they have to offer. And the college does a lot too to advertise its stuff.”

She also mentioned the Central New York Arts in Fulton, musical groups like Concinnity — a diverse group of women who join together in song “united by a love of music, harmony, humor and humanity.”

According to SUNY Oswego’s theatre department’s current season website, the only production for spring is “Addams Family.”

Also, you can find the performing arts schedule for other main spring performances on the Artswego page: ww1.oswego.edu/artswego/

Oswego Players

Established in 1938, The Oswego Players is one of the oldest continuously operating community theater organizations in the country.

Formed by a group of Oswego residents interested in presenting theater productions in Oswego, the organization staged its productions in Robinson Auditorium in the old high school and other venues where a play could be staged.

In 1963 the group obtained a lease for Building No. 30 in the Fort Ontario Park complex that would ultimately house the Oswego Civic Arts Center and on March 20, 1964, the Oswego Players was granted a Provisional Charter by the New York State Board of Regents for the purposes: “to advance cultural activities of the community through theatrical productions and through stimulating interest and participation in activities relating to the drama; to render assistance, advice, and service, to other community organizations and individuals in drama-oriented projects; and to sponsor an education program of children’s theater including periods of instruction for children, and presentations by and for children.”

Over the years the Oswego Players, Inc. has continued to fulfill its charter obligations and on April 25, 1969 was granted an absolute charter by the Board of Regents. The Players now operate out of the Frances Marion Brown Theater in the Civic Arts Center. They stage six major productions a year, all with volunteer participation and no paid staff.

PORT HAS RECORD ALUMINUM INTAKE, SPECIALTY FREIGHT PROJECTS

Whether it was thousands of tons of aluminum ingots, grain or a giant transformer, the Port of Oswego Authority handled them all, had another record year in 2023, and is poised to exceed that performance in 2024, said William Scriber, executive director.

“Our performance in 2023 continued building on the momentum of our past half-decade of progress,” Scriber said. “In December, we had an intake of more than 74,000 tons of aluminum (more than 100,000 aluminum ingots) which is a 243% increase during the same time since 2018.

“In addition, we moved more than 11,000 tons of specialty freight in 2023. These included components for a new lithium battery recycling facility in Rochester, a Novelis production line update and a transformer for a local nuclear power plant.”

The list of these and other 2023 port highlights are in its annual report, “The Port of Oswego: Great Lakes Commerce Leader,” available to for download on the port’s website, portoswego.com

Francis Enwright, chair of the POA board said: “With the advent of new potential customers like Micron, the port is perfectly positioned to assist them with the import of major components for construction of their semiconductor manufacturing facility in Clay —which plans to break ground this year —with our abundant warehouse space, yard laydown space and growing rail capacity. In addition, the formation of our historic Oswego City-Port Advisory committee has ushered in a new era of collaboration and communication between the city of Oswego and the port as we move into another bustling year of activity and growth.”

Among other highlights in the report are securing its first Foreign Trade Zone customer; the new, $2.1 million Goble deep-water marina that will open for the 2024 season and the $35 million breakwall repair project to repair the entire harbor breakwall and repair the foundation of Oswego’s iconic West Pierhead Lighthouse. In addition, the port was awarded $5 million in grants to purchase a new ship loading system ($2

million) and make major upgrades to its rail service at its Fitzgibbons Intermodal Terminal ($3 million). Construction of a fifth storage track will make the port the largest operating rail yard in Oswego County, Scriber said.

Also in 2023, the port was named a 2023 CenterState Economic Champion for its contributions to economic development in Central New York and for the fourth time in the past five years, the port received the Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for increases in international cargo tonnage shipped through the port in 2022.

The port was also recognized in 2023 by a U.S. Canadian research study showing that, over the past five years, the Port of Oswego Authority made a $513 million impact on the local and regional economy and supported 2, 229 jobs by its maritime activity. During this time, the port generated $201.2 million in wages, salaries and local consumption expenditures for the regional economy.

The port moved more than 11,000 tons of specialty freight in 2023. These included components for a new lithium battery recycling facility in Rochester, components for a Novelis production line update and a giant transformer (pictured) for a local nuclear power plant.

10 YEARS OF CONNEXTCARE

The heart of ConnextCare’s success: It’s all about the employees, the CEO says

By Stefan Yablonski

Established in 1975, ConnextCare

Pulaski is a patient-centered health care practice providing northern Oswego and southern Jefferson County residents with a variety of comprehensive health care, dental and related services.

The center is operated by ConnextCare, a private, federally-funded non-profit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors.

It started as Northern Oswego County Health Inc. It is now celebrating

10 years under the ConnextCare banner and is looking forward to a bright future.

“ConnextCare’s employees, guided by our dedicated leadership team and volunteer board of directors, are at the heart of our success,” said Tricia Peter-Clark, ConnextCare’s president and chief executive officer. “This team understands the unique opportunities within Oswego County and has the proven ability to adapt quickly to changing environments to achieve the outcomes desired.”

Over the last 10 years, they have strategically built upon core infrastructure to add important pieces that continue to make the organization stronger as a whole, she said.

Peter-Clark was chosen by ConnextCare to serve as its next president and chief executive officer. The former chief executive officer, Daniel Dey, retired in June 2021.

Peter-Clark is responsible for a patient-centered network of health care practices that has grown to provide

ConnextCare Leadership Team: Seated, from left,: Tracy Wimmer, senior vice president and chief financial officer, eight years of service; physician Patrick Carguello, senior vice presidet and chief medical officer, 20 years of service; Julie Hogle, chief behavioral health officer, 14 years of service. Standing, from left: Tricia Peter Clark, president and chief executive officer, 19 years of service; dentist Melissa Noel, vice president and chief dental officer, 16 years of service; Stephanie Earle, senior director of human resources, seven years of service; Ken Martin, senior director of information services, 10 years of service. Not shown in Nancy Deavers, senior vice president and chief nursing and quality officer, nine years of service.

services to tens of thousands of patients.

In the beginning

“On our first day together in January of 2013, we were required to bill for services rendered so we could start capturing revenue to offset the increased expenses we immediately incurred under our new structure,” she said. “This quickly transitioned to the training of all staff on one electronic medical record system, which required the transition of three sites from paper charts and two sites from a different electronic medical record in order for this to happen! It was a huge undertaking. However, the staff’s willingness to work with us through this important transition made it possible.”

Once they had a unified system for billing and patient charting, “we could then work to standardize workflows between all staff. This was keenly important as it allowed for us to flex staff between sites when a support person was needed and no matter where they went, we were all doing things within one system,” she continued.

They took three disparate cultures — policy and procedure manuals and layers of supervision and over time cultivated the best practices each group brought into one set of standardized operating procedures.

This was made possible as a result of the clinical leadership they had — and currently still do — who met weekly to review workflows, establish written protocols and work through whatever challenge came up.

Following the integration of the three disparate primary care systems, came the inclusion of mental health in the main sites; as well as the expansion of dental at the main site in Pulaski as well as Fulton, which were all made possible as a result of grants through the Health Resources and Services Administration.

These programs again built upon the primary care foundation and offered vital services to patients that improved their overall well-being, she added.

And then, COVID-19

Things were going “very well, programs were thriving, services were expanding” and then the public health emergency was declared.

Despite this significant disruption to the entire country, ConnextCare never skipped a beat, “in fact we prevailed, quickly adjusting to delivering care remotely, which included the launch

of telehealth, literally overnight,” Peter-Clark said.

“We were fortunate to keep all sites open and operational by floating staff from one site to another to fill necessary holes, but also deployed staff

from areas such as school-based health, referrals and dental into other roles to support the broader system,” she added. “There were zero involuntary layoffs — instead we got creative with our staffing models so each person served

Physician Scott VanGorder, associate medical director, and nurse Becky are comparing weekly metrics for an initiative to provide better and faster service for our patients.

a critical function to best respond to the COVID pandemic. It was because of our large network built over the previous seven years that offered the capacity to quickly shift directions and respond to the daily regulatory changes received — this would not have been possible as a stand-alone site!”

ConnextCare’s previously established relationships with the local schools, formed through its schoolbased health center program, were essential as “we were able to support our districts with return to school and play protocols following a positive COVID test/exposure,” Peter-Clark said.

They expanded this partnership to include providing onsite vaccinations for all students and staff.

“ConnextCare was the first in our county to administer COVID-19 vaccines and today, we are proud to say that we have provided greater than 34,000 vaccines, receiving federal recognition as one of the top 10% of all health centers,

nationwide for our response during the PHE,” she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic taught many valuable lessons that they were later able to incorporate in to their capital plans, “including the importance of segregating our sick and well patients, not just during the pandemic but for routine care overall.”

ConnextCare established designated sick time across all its sites, to minimize risk between patients and created two new service lines at its main site in Pulaski, which now offers its entire network of patients with access to care in the safest way possible. The External Respiratory Care Center was designed with the patient in mind, as staff saw time and time again the challenges some elderly adults, intellectually disabled patients and those with overall general limited mobility, had in accessing essential services.

The ERC has a covered canopy to protect patients from inclement weather

and two exam rooms equipped with negative pressure units that allow patients to go directly from their car in to an exam room for care.

“We have held multiple vaccination clinics, allowing patients to stay in their vehicles for the entire service, so we can ensure that our most vulnerable patients receive the essential care they need, without having to overcome any additional obstacles,” she said.

In addition to the ERC building, ConnextCare renovated a vacant site in its Pulaski location to establish an acute care suite to manage all non-respiratory related visits through a same day or walk-in model. Prior to COVID-19 they offered walk-in services at all locations and based on patient demand.

“We worked to bring this back in a more segregated and efficient manner,” she said. “We have seen great success with both of these models and will continue to adjust workflows to improve our patient experiences overall.

Dentist Melissa Noel, chief dental officer, and Heather exam a patient after their hygiene visit.

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“ConnextCare’s success has been driven by community need as we are constantly reviewing quality metrics to determine where our greatest opportunities are and then finding ways to get it done.”

During the PHE while some entities were closing, ConnextCare rose to the challenge.

“We opened a new service center in Central Square and the Mexico Elementary SBHC, added dental services in both schools within the Pulaski district, we started providing dental in a longterm care facility and started planning for a new Oswego practice and the opening of another SBHC in the Oswego City School District,” she said. “Outside of these large initiatives we never lost sight of the importance of providing quality care and ensuring patient safety, investing several thousands of dollars in to resources and applications that would improve our patient outcomes, while also improving our efficiencies within operations. We are progressive in our thinking and remain true to our vision of being an innovative leader!”

Connexted

ConnextCare has stayed true to its roots and values of providing rural primary care — “except now we are no longer just in ‘Northern Oswego County.’ We are a robust network of ‘Connexted’ health centers, spanning all across Oswego County and we are stronger than ever before!” Peter-Clark said. “We have worked through all of the initial, anticipated growing pains of basically bringing five separate families under one roof, who first had to learn to talk to one another, then to work together and support each other, before we could really operationally function as one! This took time, nurturing and an

unbelievable amount of enthusiasm to make happen — but we did it!”

They are not only connected through the technical aspects of their system but “we truly are connected as employees, willing to work between sites to help each other out or to donate PTO hours when a fellow colleague is in need. The silos that were once there are no longer, as each program, site and department are included in the bigger picture of who we are,” she added.

What has changed is how they look at each situation and the possibilities that come out of every challenge — it is no longer a break-fix type of response, she explained.

“The leadership team is constantly thinking about how it can improve the outcomes of our community and proactively takes time to research applications or supports that could assist them in accomplishing their goals,” she said. “So we stay ahead of the changes before we are forced to act on them.”

One of the greatest challenges they had as a system when they first transitioned to one EMR system was the lack of a robust IT infrastructure to support the internet bandwidth required to run the applications. Documents took forever to load and staff and provider frustrations were felt as the system was incapable of running as fast as they all wanted and needed it to.

ConnextCare invested in outside IT support that offered the knowledge to build a stable connection between locations.

“And now we have fully transitioned to the cloud, with great speed and minimal disruption. As a system, we are able to connect to our EMR [electronic medical records] from any location as long as we have internet, increasing our ability to respond in emergent situations or set up a practice

in the middle of a gymnasium should another PHE occur,” Peter-Clark said.

ConnextCare embraces change and appreciates that its customer base wants to access health care in different ways than those 50 years ago did, she added.

“We now offer things like telehealth, online bill pay, automated appointment reminders and remote pre-visit check-in and soon we will begin sending clinical screening forms electronically to patients to complete before they come in to the office,” she said. “Patient demand is driving our business model and we are fortunate to have a team who is willing to commit the time and energy to make it all possible.

“ConnextCare has benefited from the advancements in social media, posting pertinent information daily to our Facebook page, where we see within minutes how quickly one post can be shared with thousands of other users — this is such a powerful tool that is key to sharing up to date information with our users on services provided, hours of operations, events, etc.”

A cautious outlook

“At the rate in which health care has changed even in the last two years, I am reluctant to provide a vision for our next 10,” Peter-Clark said. “I can however share that we have outlined a very detailed plan for the next three years, above that we will stay true to seeing through.

“When asked if we plan to do a specific service my safe response is always, ‘not yet.’ This is my non-committal way of leaving the options open, should a good opportunity present itself and then I will say to my team: Rise up ConnextCare!”

The ConnextCare Behavioral Health team in a case discussion.

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By Deborah Jeanne

Randy Wolken

Micron Effect: MACNY chief sees an influx of 200,000 new people in the region — he discusses what sectors of the economy are poised to grow the most because of Micron

Over the next 20 years, Micron Technology Inc. plans to invest $100 billion in Central New York, generating 9,000 jobs to Clay, plus another 40,000 across the community. Its memory and storage technology production plant represents the largest investment in US history. But in addition to that industry growth, many other companies and industry segments are ready to grow as well.

We recently discussed the growth potential with Randy Wolken, president and CEO of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, Inc.

Q: When will this growth start?

A: That will happen more immediately. The first memory facility will start

in 2024. This is right around the corner. Housing will be built, roads.

Q: What segments in manufacturing are poised to grow because of Micron’s investment?

A: Because of the type of manufacturing that’s moving here, there are a lot of related industries that will grow. Because of that kind of migration, construction trades will have significant growth, from the fabricators themselves, to childcare facilities and housing, they’ll grow significantly to scale the infrastructure.

Q: How will the growth affect the job market for skilled manufacturing?

A: We’re already seeing a need for

skilled workers in the technical spaces, not just in memory. We’re seeing growth in nearly all sectors, not just semiconductors. You’ll see growth in EJ [in Schroeppel] and Novelis [in Scriba]. I think you’ll see a lot of growth, not necessarily related to semiconductors. Part of what we’ll see is the ecosystem of talent will grow.

Q: How about the population in CNY? Do we have enough home-grown workers?

A: People are going to move here, 100,000 people in Onondaga County and not even including Oswego County. People will move here in the supply space or semiconductor space. I think at least three regions, between Rochester and Syracuse and from between Utica-Rome and Syracuse. If you are relocating, it will include these areas. You’ll see even as far south as Cortland. This is going to be a super-regional growth pattern. I think the numbers are small. I foresee 200,000 in the bigger areas over the next 20 years.

Q: What are some examples of similar growth elsewhere?

A: If you look at Global Foundries in Saratoga, they had a growth of 3,000 connected jobs and 20,000 all-in. All the other businesses like dry cleaners and pizza shops come with it to serve the people who have moved here and are working here. We’ll see growth we haven’t seen in decades.

Q: How about customers of Micron?

A: Things that use semiconductor chips will also want to be here, like EV vehicles and other industries will move here because of the availability of chips. They’re everywhere, I think even in my toaster. It’s a foundational industry.

Q: Are there any other manufacturing sectors in which you foresee growth?

A: We’re going to see fabricators, like plastic and metal: all up and down the supply chain, there will be opportunities. Micron is dedicated to green energy, so we’ll see more than that. It’s not just specific to Micron’s need but the larger manufacturing space. South Korea’s Lotte Group, which owns Bristol-Myers Squib, is another space that will grow. Biotech is tangential to manufacturing. I think it will all become real when we see the cranes. We won’t need more proof when we see the roads coming in.

Celebrating Over 50 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.