Voice of Business - Summer 2020

VOICE

OF

SUMMER 2020

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Together We Emerge Stronger

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The Changing World of Events

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Messages from the Board

Your Stories: COVID-19 Business Impact

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NY Forward: Guide to Reopening

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STOP THE SPREAD The following habits are crucial to keeping our community safe and our economy open.

PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING Stay six feet apart whenever possible.

WEAR A FACE MASK When you are not able to maintain social distancing.

PRACTICE GOOD HAND HYGIENE Wash your hands often with soap and water.

DISINFECT OFTEN Practice routine cleaning of commonly touched surfaces.

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Welcome New Members!

COMPANY NAME

WEBSITE

Academic & Childcare Excellence, LLC Akoustis Technologies www.akoustis.com AutismUp, Inc. www.autismup.org Barbetorium www.barbetorium.com Blackhawk Emergency Management Group, LLC www.blackhawkemg.org Clean Pro Supply, LLC www.cleanprosupply.com COMET Informatics www.comet4children.com Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School www.emhcharter.org Facehead Digital www.faceheaddigital.com First Choice Glass www.firstchoiceglass.com Hanna Commercial Real Estate www.hannacre.com/rochester Hill & Markes Inc. www.hillnmarkes.com Imprintable Solutions, Ink www.imprintablesolutions.com Info Advantage, Inc. www.info-adv.com ITX Corp. www.itx.com Jan-Pro of Upstate New York jan-pro.com/upstateny Jennifer Sanfilippo, Executive Coach | Group Facilitator KD Outsource, LLC www.kdoutsource.com King Law www.robertkinglawfirm.com Laurelton Enterprises Long Construction NY LLC www.longconstructionny.com Marsherall Partners www.marsherallpartners.com Marvelous Minds Academy www.marvelousminds.com MBT Beauty www.MBTBeauty.com Medical Product Source www.medicalproductsource.com Mitchell Design Build www.mitchelldesignbuild.com Monroe Fluid Technology Inc. www.monroefluid.com Monroe Sealers www.MonroeSealers.com NOWAVE www.nowave.com Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women www.mercyhs.com Poseidon Systems, LLC www.poseidonsys.com Princeton Medical Supply www.princetonmedicalsupply.com Pure Water Technology of WNY www.purewaterwny.com RDI Diamonds www.rdidiamonds.com ROC Pole & Fitness www.rocpolefitness.com Rochester Industrial Control, Inc www.rochesterindustrial.com Rochester Optical www.RochesterOptical.com Rochester Shuttle Express www.rocshuttle.com Sessler Companies www.sesslerwrecking.com TruCare Connections Inc. www.trucareny.com

Partner Members

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Together

WE EMERGE Stronger Bob Duffy President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

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reater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is honored to serve as your resource for the advocacy, information, and services your organization needs to make informed decisions and undertake responsible, factbased planning for continuity during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. We are here for you through the crisis and beyond.

Together, we will do the work necessary to come out stronger on the other side.

I had the honor of accepting Governor Cuomo’s invitation to serve as his special advisor for the phased reopening the Rochester and Finger Lakes region in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Cuomo has emerged as a national leader through this crisis and I am proud of how he has led New York.

Through my work as Governor Cuomo’s advisor, I gathered information from stakeholders on the things they are doing, the support they need, and their view on how to reopen safely with a plan driven by data. That is a key part of what Governor Cuomo is looking for to get businesses going again. Meetings with federal, state, and local elected officials, industrial development agencies, chambers of commerce and business associations, business owners, executives, employees, and leaders from all nine of the Finger Lakes region counties helped gather the data and input that drives decisions in Albany. The governor does not want to reopen too quickly and spike illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Regardless of when any industry gets the go-ahead from New York State, I recommend preparing now for reopening.

Every business or organization should first work on basic components: Face masks and appropriate personal protective equipment, hand sanitizing availability for employees and

customers, social distancing plans, and facility disinfecting protocols. Governor Cuomo and I know that many people are upset and frustrated. Everyone is losing something during this process. We get that. However, the governor is not going to be pushed into a rapid reopening by criticism or protests. Anyone who chooses to violate the state’s executive orders may be putting their business at risk of enforcement action. As much frustration as we are seeing now, I urge businesses to not compound their troubles by adding more problems down the road. We do not want any business owner to feel more pain than they are feeling right now. We understand the financial pressures people are under. It is horrible on many fronts. Again, public health data will drive Governor Cuomo’s decisions. This is a killer virus and the decisions being made are to protect life.

We cannot be hasty and return to square one.

The phased approach to reopening the state focuses on the compilation of infection rate and hospitalization data as well as a rolling evaluation of the capacity for testing and results of contact tracing. Based on an assessment of the data gleaned from these areas, the governor will either continue easing restrictions or implement another pause. We can expect the slow and steady pace to inform Albany on making the proper decisions.

Moving forward to post-pandemic planning, businesses should explore how they can reinvent themselves for the future. One of my biggest fears is that when our economy reopens more, people will justifiably hesitate to flock back immediately. I expect a great deal of fear on the part of consumers going forward until there is a reliable vaccine available.

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That could throttle spending even after the public is less at risk of contracting the disease.

The remote workplace is something that Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and many other companies learned to embrace in a matter of weeks. I am proud of how the Rochester Chamber team responded to seamlessly and remotely provide the advocacy and services our members need to navigate the pandemic. We are on point every day, available 24/7, but not doing it the way we usually do. We are not out visiting and touring member businesses to learn how we can help them. We are not hosting in-person networking and professional development events. We are now doing all of those things remotely through technology. I see this continuing even well after the pandemic at Rochester Chamber and other businesses as a way to create efficiencies and save money.

Rather than thinking about just getting back to work, let’s reimagine how we can work in the future.

I close by expressing my sincere thanks to the health care professionals and first responders serving our community on the front lines. They have done such an outstanding job and make us all proud. Before the pandemic, many of these people worked in anonymity. Their value has now risen to the top.

They risk their lives and in many cases the lives and health of their families every day, not just here in our region but across our state and across our country. In a previous career, I was on the front lines in public safety and never took anything for granted. But when I look at what these men and women have done, it reinforced the great value, courage, and integrity they bring, asking for no recognition in return. So, I ask on their behalf for all of us to both demonstrate and extend our greatly deserved gratitude.

The spirit of this community is something of which I am very proud. Crises do not make individuals, organizations, and communities, but a crisis does show what we are made of. Our region has responded remarkably to this pandemic. What we are doing is working. Now is not the time to let up.

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HR

services

Summer HR Benchmarking Surveys Start Soon

In mid-June, Corporate and Partner members will be sent an email invitation to sign up to participate in a variety of benchmarking surveys taking place throughout the summer.

Members that participate automatically receive complimentary results as a benefit of membership. Below is a summary of upcoming surveys.

Health Benefits Survey

This comprehensive benchmarking survey collects Rochesterarea data on many health insurance topics including: average health plan premiums, domestic partner and part-time benefits, retiree benefits, high-deductible and self-insured health plans, and dental plans.

Kathy Richmond Sr. Director Human Resource Services

Jennifer Suppé Sr. HR Services Specialist

SUMMER SURVEY PLANNING Web Survey Participation Estimated Survey Link Emailed Deadline Release Timing (week of) (week of) (week of) Health Benefits Survey

July 6

July 27

September 28

Pay Trends Survey

July 13

July 20

September 7

August 3

August 17

September 21

Holiday Closing Survey Policies & Benefits

September 14 October 19

March/April 2021

Pay Trends Survey

This annual survey reports pay adjustments (merit, cost of living, etc.) received as a percent of pay in firms giving increases.

Holiday Closing Survey

This annual survey reports anticipated 2021 paid holiday observances.

2021-22 Policies & Benefits

This comprehensive biennial survey reports policies and practices on topics such as paid time off, working conditions, pay practices, and more.

Emails with web survey links for each of the above surveys will be sent out to those who sign up. To sign up to participate in any/all of the summer surveys, click here.

Please contact Kathy Richmond at (585) 256-4618 or Jennifer Suppé at (585) 256-4608 with any questions on surveys. As a reminder, only Corporate and Partner members are eligible to participate in Rochester Chamber benchmarking surveys. To discuss options for upgrading membership, or joining Rochester Chamber, so that your company may participate in various wage and benefits benchmarking surveys, please contact Kevin Donahue in membership at (585) 256-4651.

2020 Employer’s Guide to NYS Labor Laws Released

This comprehensive guide provides information on New York State labor laws, including clear and concise explanations of each law, compliance and recordkeeping requirements, required posters, and more. This guide is published by Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and updated each year by Nixon Peabody LLP. Topics covered in the guide include the paid family leave law, wage deductions, employment of minors, hours of work, pay frequency, meal periods, termination notices, Wage Theft Prevention Act requirements, and more.

As a benefit of membership, a complimentary PDF copy of the guide is sent via email each April to HR contacts at Rochester Chamber member companies at all levels. This year the guide was released in May due to COVID-19 delays. To order a hard copy of the guide, please click here to download an order form. Rochester Chamber members (membership must be current) can request a resend of the free PDF of the guide or just the updated pages (for those who maintain a hard copy) by contacting Jennifer Suppé at (585) 256-4608 or Kathy Richmond at (585) 256-4618.

honoring yo u n g l e a d e r s w h o h av e l i t a s pa r k w e d n e s d ay, s e p t e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 4 : 3 0 - 8 : 0 0 p. m . l o c at i o n : t b d The Rochester Chamber IGNITE Award honors young professionals who strive toward the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishment, who excel in their chosen field, devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and forge paths of leadership for others to follow.

Nominate one young leader from the ROC / FLX Community today!

Deadline for submission: Monday, August 24, 2020.

Apply here

become a sponsor Susan George Director, Events & Affiliate Relations (585) 256.4612 • Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

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The

ChangingWorld of Rochester Chamber Events Susan George Director, Events and Affiliate Relations

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OVID-19 hits like a spear right to the heart, and the world of events as we previously knew it has changed. The Rochester Chamber events department, like so many others, went from organizing small to large size gatherings under one roof to network, connect, socialize, and celebrate, to a complete halt in March.

For the first two weeks, it was incredibly challenging, trying to be sensitive to what businesses were going through, and deliberately taking a back seat from hosting these planned in-person events, to begin developing a strategy to pivot to a different platform, all while dealing with this unprecedented shutdown.

My events department team and I had already planned our events for the year, with our focus mainly being organizing and coordinating with members, event supporters and partners, promotion, and securing sponsors. With hosting these in-person events no longer being an option, we had to scrub many of our planned topics to focus more on relevant and current trends, and pivot to hosting these events via webinar. Hosting an online event is much different than hosting a physical one. While renting a venue and hiring a catering company is not necessary, planning and hosting our own online webinars is easier said than done. At the same time, the benefits of hosting a webinar are virtually limitless.

We realize that offering events through webinars is not a new concept for many. In fact, for some, it is a way of life and a totally normal way to present informative programming.

However, for the Rochester Chamber events department, it quickly became a learning experience.

Hosting a webinar around a topic – whether it’s related to current trends, legal insights for our small business owners, professional development strategies for member organizations and their staff, ways to handle stress during this time, social webinars with a happy hour component, or a virtual 5K race for our members to get out and get active, and more – puts the speakers and sponsors on a virtual pedestal, while our registrants choose to stay connected, learn more, and stay on top of current trends.

Our webinars are free for members, and we continue to strive to offer valuable information that is unique and interesting. With dozens of webinars planned and executed for nearly 5,000 participants in the first months of offering them, we still struggle with the unknown future of our signature in-person events. We have already moved the ROC Tech Conference to a virtual platform. We don’t yet know the pandemic’s impact on the potential of hosting the Rochester Chamber Top 100 awards celebration, the Rochester Chamber IGNITE award where we recognize future leaders, and our annual GO! women’s conference.

What is our world going to look like if we can’t gather in time for these planned signature events? Well, the good news is that we are all in the same boat, so we collectively get the dilemma we are in. However, despite the unknown, we must continue to pivot to ensure we still recognize the accomplishments of so many who have worked hard during this shutdown while maintaining sanity through it all. We must strive to support each other, while we remain open to innovative ideas that will help us think of new ways to showcase our community virtually.

We continue to work with Rochester Chamber supporters, sponsors, and partners of these signature events to come up with different ways to celebrate, recognize, and honor Rochester’s great contributing companies and business and community leaders. We will find a way! We must!

If you wish to contribute to our success and our plans to be more innovative given the times we are in, please feel free to contact me at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber. com or call (585) 256-4612. I would love your input, innovative ideas, and support. Together we will get through this and be a stronger community. Be that change leader!

To stay connected and up to date with all our webinar offerings, and our plan for future signature events, please visit us at GreaterRochesterChamber.com.

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Thank you

to our elected officials and community leaders for joining our Policy Matters series during this challenging time.

CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE Congressman Morelle joined Rochester Chamber CEO Bob Duffy for multiple updates, where he answered member questions and gave updates on the federal COVID-19 response.

MONROE COUNTY HEALTH COMMISSIONER DR. MICHAEL MENDOZA As the lead for Rochester’s response to this health crisis, Dr. Mendoza shared data, facts, insight, and advice with Rochester Chamber members.

SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer shared his thoughts on the federal response to the pandemic and gave insight on future planning.

LT. GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL LG Hochul shared an update from the State Capitol.

COMPTROLLER THOMAS P. DINAPOLI The New York State Comptroller provided an update on the pandemic’s impact on New York State finances.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, County Clerk Jamie Romeo, and ESD Director Vinnie Esposito, also participated in Policy Matters online events.

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Rochester Chamber webinars addressed a number of key issues related to doing business in these trying times, and gave members a chance to relax and connect socially. biz.Exchange: Self-Care During Trying Times

Future Leaders: Bold Ideas Needed Now

biz.Exchange: Crisis Communication

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Chamber Counsel: What’s Next?

biz.Exchange: Leading Through Challenging Times

biz.Exchange: Emotional Stamina

TRENDS: Best Practices for Post-COVID-19 Business

Your Stories Coronavirus / COVID-19 Business Impact The Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the business community and the people it supports.

Since the beginning of pandemic protocols, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has collected photos and stories of how members are coping, helping, and changing. The photos below illustrate the challenges, triumphs, pain, and unforeseen circumstances this historic moment in our nation’s history has brought to businesses in the Rochester and Finger Lakes region. Note: Some photos were submitted before current masking and distancing protocols.

L-Tron Corporation “Business has dropped off significantly apart from our essential business clients. Over the last weeks during the COVID-19 crisis, our essential clients continue to place orders, and in many cases, demand has increased. Demand for our mobile X-ray components used on the healthcare front lines has tripled, and we have kept right up with delivery. Our essential team is diligently working on-site, not only to keep up with demand, but to deliver the quality that we promise.”

Jewish Senior Life “Jewish Senior Life has distributed more than 12,000 pounds of food to 500 employees. Food giveaways have included chicken dinner packages, picnic kits, garbage plates, and a farmer’s market featuring fresh produce. We want to show our appreciation to employees – our everyday heroes – for all their hard work every day to ensure the health and safety of our residents.”

New York Electrical Inspection Agency “Based in Rochester, we are out there performing electrical inspections throughout the state. We believe that electrical inspections should educate, not intimidate. Our inspectors put a high value on safety, communication, technology, and exceptional customer service.”

Black Button Distilling “When it looked like we were going to need to shut down our production facilities in light of the pandemic, we instead made the critical decision to shift our operations to help address the shortage of hand sanitizer.

In less than 48 hours we learned a new set of federal regulations, retooled a major production plant, and trained teams of employees to make a food grade product for the first time.”

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Greenlight Networks “We are providing fiber-optic internet to the community, a vital service that many rely on to live, work, learn, and play. As we continue to connect homes to our service, the health and safety of customers and employees is the top priority. Our technician team is trained to follow CDC protocol, equipped with masks, gloves, shoe covers and sanitizer, while ensuring that all customers are comfortable before we begin a home installation.”

LiDestri Food and Drink “We have donated dozens of pallets of pasta sauce and salsa to Foodlink and started manufacturing “Recipe 21” hand sanitizer through our spirits division.

A portion of the sanitizer sales proceeds is going to charitable organizations including CORE, Children of Restaurant Employees, which assists food service workers in crisis.”

CAUSE + EFFECT Strategy “In spite of all the stress and worry about work (and life) the last month, there’s this. And this, is what we’ll never forget. #silverlinings #motivation”

Huther Doyle “We want the community to know that Huther Doyle is here - ready, willing and able - to provide Substance Use Disorder services via telehealth. We are accepting new clients. Please reach out if you or a loved one are struggling.”

Foodlink and Julia K Caters “Thank you to the wonderful team at Julia K Caters for working with our Foodlink kitchen staff to produce additional healthy meals for schoolage kids at our Rochester sites! We were happy to collaborate with and support a great local biz during these challenging times.”

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T.L. Cannon Applebee’s “Since this pandemic started, we have been providing family meals for four each week for our furloughed team members.

Our Henrietta location provides 33 employees and their families with free meals. As they said, “We’re all family!” Yep, we sure are!”

FASTSIGNS of Rochester FASTSIGNS has put all essential business on high priority. Distancing signs were designed from the start of COVID-19 and later we started producing face shields for medical and law enforcement. The safety of our community is important to us. We also want to do our part stopping the spread to reopen ALL local businesses!”

The Perfect Granola “More than 100,000 Perfect Granola pouches were donated to support Feeding America banks throughout New York and about 50 school districts to supply children with healthy food. The silent heroes are those on the front lines distributing to the hungry. Proud to do our part.”

Adrian Jules “Adrian Jules has shifted production to medical PPE masks. We’re so grateful we get the opportunity to give back to the community. We’re in this together and the team at Adrian Jules loves that we get to be a part of making a difference in people’s lives! The real heroes are on the front lines. We are just fortunate we get to help!”

Rochester Midland Corp. and Iron Smoke Distillery “We are delighted to be collaborating with Iron Smoke to try to scale hand sanitizer production as quickly and safely as possible. The raw material supply side has been incredibly volatile and both Rochester Midland Corporation and Iron Smoke have been working hard to fill the needs of our community and others in need.”

Web Seal

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“Web Seal is die-cutting components, such as these plastic parts for face shields, to supply local and regional companies who are manufacturing essential equipment and supplies for health care and other vital industries.

This is not the way we had hoped to celebrate our company’s 60th anniversary this year, but we are honored to do our small part in helping everyone to more successfully get through this crisis.”

Tiny Fish Printing “Tiny Fish Printing had to furlough 80% of our staff. Two local artists designed shirts for Tiny Fish, which are up in our online store. $5 from each item purchased will go Foodlink. The rest of the money will be divided among our impacted staff.”

Sager Beer Works “Sager Beer Works released All-Together IPA. A New York State IPA, it’s a cross between West and East coast styles. A bit of fruitiness and hop bitterness.

All proceeds will provide financial support to our furloughed employees.”

Century Mold “Century Mold has shifted operations to making medical shields for doctors and nurses on the front lines. It’s been difficult, but fortunately, we have a company that worked many years to put ourselves in a position to weather a storm.

We’ll weather this storm the best we can.

We’re not worried about the future. We just need to get through this dark period.”

Rochester Red Wings “Our AMAZING food and beverage department donated 300,000 of their medical grade gloves to Monroe County to be used to help us beat this virus and get us back to baseball!”

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Wegmans “We know these are hard times and many are feeling the effects. We feel it is our responsibility to continue to support those in need. One way to do this is by supporting local food banks that can provide food directly to those who need it most. Given the unknown duration and overall impact of this crisis, Wegmans has donated $4 million across all our partner food banks and continues to support our community partners directly as needed to successfully get through this crisis.”

Eastman Kodak Company “In an effort to provide assistance during the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, Kodak has entered into an agreement with New York State to supply isopropyl alcohol to aid in the production of “NYS Clean” hand sanitizer for use in New York.”

ConServe “The ConServe team is embracing technology to continue to have successful business meetings. As a team, we can do anything!”

JSM Technology “JSM Technology is using its Shelter Goods Program to deliver care packages to local EMTs and workers at the Palmyra Road post office in Pittsford.”

CRH Americas/Oldcastle “The CRH Americas/Oldcastle Rochester recruiting center has moved to virtual meetings. We make safety our family business and it is the first value we operate by at CRH. We protect each other, look out for one another, and when we see something, we stop and do something.”

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PrintRoc “PrintRoc is open for business, currently working on medical packaging printing. PrintRoc’s mission is to improve the lives of all segments of our community. This includes customers, vendors, employees, and all people of the communities we serve.”

Fisher Associates “Our Fisher Associates team still met for a virtual happy hour and some even gave home tours! Things definitely look different but staying connected is now more important than ever.”

RP Fedder Industrial “RP Fedder, a premier filter solution supplier for some of the world’s largest companies, donated a roll of filter media to a local group of volunteers that is sewing masks for healthcare workers throughout the region. The RP Fedder donation is enough to complete 2,000 masks.”

Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester “Lollypop Farm has shifted some animal care to volunteer foster homes and limited our team members in the shelter to care for the most critical cases. Animal intake is restricted to urgent cases like Enzo’s broken legs and adoptions are virtual and by appointment only. Through this all, we are inspired by the spirit of the community providing support for us and so many who are on the front lines caring for each other.”

Click here to share your Coronavirus/COVID-19 business impact photos and stories.

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Messages from the Rochester Chamber Board of Directors Under the leadership of its Board of Directors and Chairman Rob Sands, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has adjusted operations to fully meet the advocacy and support needs of members during COVID-19 pandemic protocols. Through interviews with the Voice of Business magazine, a group of board members shared personal messages for Rochester Chamber members.

Click on linked photos below to watch the full interviews.

ROB SANDS Constellation Brands Executive Chairman Rochester Chamber Chairman “This is an unprecedented situation for businesses, and for our community. As we all navigate through our new day-to-day realities, it’s important to remain grounded in, and guided by, the values that define each of our companies.

Stay connected with your employees as much as possible, and stay connected with other companies. Reach out to your fellow chamber members; we have a resilient community that works together, and rallies to support each other during challenging times. Lean on each other for support, share ideas, and leverage the power of our workforce and community.

We’re in this together. "

LAUREN DIXON Dixon Schwabl CEO “Our community has always risen. We have been through some pretty crazy things over the years.

The resiliency and perseverance by leaders and team members in our community is just unbelievably great.

We’ve always been a great place to live and work, and we’re going to be a better place to live and work in the future. I’m confident of that. If any community can do it, our community can.”

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DR. HEIDI MACPHERSON SUNY Brockport President “We are all in this at the same time, so we can talk to each other and try to find out ways in which we can connect. As a SUNY president, I can say there is now a whole group of people who have graduated and are available for the workforce. They have shown resilience, and they have shown flexibility, and they have shown that the youngest of the newest graduates are going to be great people to work in Rochester in the future.

Find them, they’re there.”

FAHEEM MASOOD ESL Federal Credit Union CEO “I would like to congratulate the Rochester Chamber staff, doing an admirable job working remotely getting information out to businesses, trying to support them on what resources are available, what’s happening, keeping them well-informed and bringing their voice forward to our government officials, which is very important.

The government plays a very important role here. I think all of us in Rochester have to remember we are in this together. I know the chamber will take a leadership role, along with many of our other institutions throughout Rochester, to provide solutions that will help in this situation. Make no mistake, these are challenging times, but when we work together, as I’m sure we will, we will find solutions.

Rochester has a long history of being resilient and being able to adapt. I’m confident that we will work together to find the solutions to support each other for a better future.”

MARTY MUCCI Paychex CEO “The bad news with this situation is it’s health related and has impacted a tremendous amount of people’s lives. That’s been very difficult. The positive side is there is not a deep financial crisis at this point that caused it like the last recession. So, I do feel we will come out of this once there’s better testing, a vaccine, and other things that will help the health situation. Just months ago, we had record low unemployment and the biggest business problem was finding people to fill jobs and the demand. So I do think it’s going to come back. It’s temporary. It’s certainly challenging and frustrating and discouraging, but I think if businesses can hold on and take advantage of all of the federal and state support, the stimulus, and certainly support from companies like Paychex, it will really make a difference as we come out of this. If you take care of your employees the best you can, and I know these businesses are, they’ll be there as we start to grow out of this.”

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Networking in a Relaxed Atmosphere.

Jun. 6 • Virtual 5K Fund-Racer Jul. 23 • A Virtual Scavenger Hunt Sept. 24 • Rochester Chamber/Small Business Council Golf Scramble 2020

Timely information on today’s hottest topics.

Jun. 11 • Reopening After COVID-19: Solutions to Modifying Your Space Jun. 25 • Higher Ed., SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson Oct. 14 • Jeremy Bell - FBI - Buffalo Field Office / Rochester Resident Agency

Addressing key areas of business concern with state, local + federal influencers.

Jun. 3 & 10 • Joe Morelle Jul. 16 • Madhuri Kommareddi, NYS Director of Workforce Development Dec. 10 • Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to NYS Governor Cuomo

Discounted Member Pricing Available

Topical expertise to help you grow professionally. In partnership with SBC.

Informed analysis and management of essential legal issues.

Jun. 12 • Reopening Rochester Businesses: Mitigating Risks to Customers and the Public

June. 9 • Building a Resilient Team on the Change Rollercoaster

Sept. 10 • Evaluating the Health of Your Business Oct. 15 • Best Practices Throughout the Hiring Process Nov. 12 • Digital Marketing and Why it Matters for Your Business

An open, interactive discussion with top executives.

Jun. 2 • Maintaining a Workplace Culture While In Transition Nov. 10 • Small Business Focus

Hands-on tours + behind-the-scenes experiences.

Jul. 30 • Railroad Beer Hall - Rohrbach Brewing Co. Oct. 8 • Love Beets

Indicates Complimentary for Rochester Chamber Member Organizations and their Staff

Signature Events ROC

Sept. 17 • ROC Tech Conference A virtual online experience exploring the changing landscape of technology. Hit the refresh button and start transforming how you do business!

Sept. 30 • 2nd Annual I G N I T E Rochester Chamber IGNITE Award An awards program that honors young professionals between the ages of 21 to 40 years for leadership, community service, and personal and professional achievements.

ROCHESTER CHAMBER

May. 13, 2021

TECH CONFERENCE

Nov. 5 • 34th Annual Rochester Chamber Top 100 Awards Celebrating the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the Greater Rochester region.

Jan. 21, 2021

AWA R D

35th Annual ATHENA Awards Recognizing women who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession.

Business Person of the Year Award This program recognizes small business leaders who have demonstrated success in both civic and professional areas, specifically in the areas of growth, leadership, achievement, and community service.

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STAND OUT

AMONG THE REST Sponsorship opportunities are available for upcoming Greater Rochester Chamber signature events.

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the region’s most elegant and exciting occasions. To learn more, email Susan George at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com.

Community Service & Volunteerism Program.

July-Aug. • Pencils and Paper Drive Aug. 6 • Backpacks with SBC Nov. 20 & 21 • Chamber/SBC Cares

Empowering young professionals + community action.

Aug. 5 • Mindfulness @ Work Oct. 8 • Structured Networking Nov. TBD • Taking Charge: Dispelling the Myth that Management = Leadership

Rochester Chamber Workforce Training & Development Offerings Discounted Member Pricing Available

Successful Supervision July 14 - 28 Oct. 27 - Nov. 12

Human Resource Management June 3 - July 8

Leadership For Managers Sept. 18 - Oct. 16

All dates and programs are subject to change.

Visit GreaterRochesterChamber.com for updated information

Rochester Chamber Affiliates

Greater Rochester Quality Council http://www.grqc.org

Small Business Council of Rochester https://www.rochestersbc.com

Women’s Council https://rocwomenscouncil.org

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The New York Forward plan to reopen New York State focuses on people getting back to work and easing social isolation without triggering renewed spread of the virus or overwhelming the hospital system. Click here for the full book of New York Forward guidelines.

New York Forward Business Reopening Safety Plan Template Each reopening business must develop and post on site a written safety plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. A business may fill out this template to fulfill the requirement or may develop its own safety plan.

This plan does not need to be submitted to a state agency for approval but must be retained on the premises of the business and made available to the New York State Department of Health or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection.

Affirming Obligation to Operate in Accordance with New York Forward Guidelines As industries become eligible for reopening, individual businesses must electronically affirm that they have reviewed and understand their obligation to operate in accordance with New York State guidance for reopening activities and operations. Click here for an example of the business affirmation form.

Visit Empire State Development’s website for frequently asked questions on how the New York Forward reopening plan impacts your business.

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Coronavirus/COVID-19 Business Resources Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce provides online resources for businesses to make informed decisions and undertake responsible, fact-based planning for continuity during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Have a question or need support? Send an email to Chamber@GreaterRochesterChamber.com.

New York Forward Industries Reopening by Phase Phase 1

Construction, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, Retail (Limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop-off), Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade

Phase 3

Restaurants / Food Services

Phase 2

Professional Services, Retail, Administrative Support, Real Estate / Rental and Leasing

Phase 4

Arts / Entertainment / Recreation, Education

Not sure what phase a specific business or industry is eligible to reopen?

Use the New York Forward Business Reopening Lookup Tool.

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a message from the future leaders advisory council As we reach the second anniversary of the creation of the Future Leaders Advisory Council (FLAC), we’ve come to our first leadership transition. Alanna Stage (Paychex) and Joseph Sayre (Simon Business School) will be taking the reins from Chelsea Conway (Beam Mack Sales & Service) and John Loury (Cause + Effect Strategy) to continue to drive the mission of the FLAC forward, which includes:

New to the program this year, the FLAC Mentorship committee designed a curriculum that matched CLIMB participants with executives from the business community, forming a partnership designed to explore specific leadership challenges and foster a two-way dialogue between seasoned and emerging leaders in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region. We believe that the relationships formed during this program will continue to endure and enrich the experience of all participants as they continue in their careers.

• Representing the voice of young professionals to the Greater Rochester Chamber Board of Directors, staff, and membership as a champion of visionary and inclusive leadership.

The CampusROC initiative was born through the FLAC in August 2019, with the mission of driving economic growth in Rochester • Furthering the organization’s mission of passionately serving, by retaining the talented individuals that graduate from our promoting, and advocating in order to secure economic local colleges. This initiative was able to gain traction and has prosperity for the Rochester/Finger Lakes region. been absorbed into the ROC2025 working groups focused on economic growth. CampusROC will utilize a robust internship • Fostering ongoing learning opportunities to support program and social schedule to show college students that the success of diverse young leaders, and engaging Rochester is the place to live, work, and play post-graduation. in solutions to pressing business and community issues.

Going forward, we will continue to drive the FLAC mission forward Chelsea and John’s work over the first two years has built through a variety of avenues. Our first effort as co-chairs will be a phenomenal foundation for us moving forward. Some of focusing on re-imagining the CLIMB curriculum for 2020-2021 the accomplishments in the first two years include further with an emphasis on virtual sessions, given the uncertainty we strengthening the CLIMB program curriculum, building and face over the next year. This new virtual curriculum aims to take implementing a mentorship program for Rochester’s future advantage and make the most of our “new normal,” incorporating leaders, and developing and spinning off the CampusROC the unique growth opportunities the CLIMB program provides initiative. participants, such as incredible access to our area’s leaders, experiential learning, leadership development and one-on-one In its third year, CLIMB again brought together young members executive mentoring with flexibility. of the Rochester/Finger Lakes business community to learn and grow together, making connections and acquiring insight that Next, we will focus on building the FLAC’s ability to represent the will help them ascend to new heights of leadership and success. voice of young professionals in the Greater Rochester area by Through a cutting-edge exploration of the regional economy, building an advocacy arm. This advocacy arm will listen to the including intimate conversations with CEOs and executive teams, important issues of Rochester’s young professionals and then participants learned the strategies that fuel the success of these dissect these concerns through interviews with business leaders, organizations, and now better understand the opportunities and community leaders, and elected officials, sharing their thoughts challenges in the regional and global marketplace. Participants back with the young professional community. were also joined by community and political leaders, and received yearlong personalized leadership development from We are extremely honored and excited for what the next two The XLR8 Team, focused on the critical internal foundation that years will bring as we take over from Chelsea and John, and will allows great leaders to motivate and inspire. do our best to further the mission of the FLAC. Thank You, Alanna Stage & Joseph Sayre

as the world changes around us, leadership is needed more than ever.

Young professionals connect to the unmatched resources, information, and insight of Rochester Chamber and the Finger Lakes region during this ground-breaking leadership development program, which will be held virtually during 2020-21.

Applications are open now through June 30.

Learn more here.

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WE’RE OPEN

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY WITH NEW SAFETY MEASURES

including

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N o m i n a t e yo u r f a s t - g r o w i n g company for the Rochester C h a m b e r To p 1 0 0 .

The 2020 Rochester Chamber Top 100 Awards dinner is November 5. Apply now to include your fast growing company to the Rochester Chamber Top 100 coveted list.

APPLY TODAY GreaterRochesterChamber.com

S P O N S O R S H I P S AVA I L A B L E

The Awards are a premium networking opportunity, helping you gain direct access to business decision makers.

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Your Business Can Only Be as Good as Your People.

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STAFFING

Our Job Placement Specialists take the time to build meaningful, lasting relationships with our candidates, and match their skillsets to your staffing needs.

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SCREENING

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Rochester Chamber

MASK GIVEAWAY

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce received a generous donation of surgical masks from board member and CloudCheckr founder Aaron Newman and an anonymous donor. On Wednesday, April 15, members of the Rochester Chamber team handed out more than 8,000 masks to members and other businesses in need. An additional 2,000+ have been distributed to local churches and neighborhood groups.

Brought to you by:

In partnership with:

COLLABORATE. CREATE. INNOVATE.

A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

CALL FOR SPONSORS 9.17.20 • #RTC20 We are very excited to announce that Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has again partnered with Innovative to host the ROC Tech Conference. The goal is to increase awareness of this area’s technology commitment, bring together a diverse group of businesses and organizations, retain top talent in our region, and educate our community.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 | TIME: 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M Visit www.roctechconference.com for more information, or contact Susan George at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com