Excellus presents $30K health award to Mohawk Valley prenatal and maternal support program

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UTICA, N.Y. — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced it has presented a $30,000 Health Equity Innovation Award (HEIA) to Mohawk Valley Prenatal and Maternal Support (MVPMS)

Binghamton University awarded $1 million for nanofabrication lab equipment

Education & Training, Manufacturing & Engineering, Southern Tier, Technology

VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University will use a federal funding award of $1 million to purchase advanced–packaging equipment for its nanofabrication laboratory (NLAB). The funding

People news: Berkshire Bank names cash-management sales team leader

Banks & Credit Unions, Mohawk Valley

Berkshire Bank, which does business across New England and New York, announcedthat it has promoted Frank Tamburrino to senior VP and team leader of cash

UAS Hack event focuses on cybersecurity and drone technology

Technology, Mohawk Valley, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ROME — Rome will host the first-ever UAS Hack this summer, a hands-on event that explores the intersection of cybersecurity and drone technology. Set for Aug. 19-23 at the ORION at NTROPEE facility in Rome, the event is geared toward university-aged students and industry experts in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) landscape. It will foster

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Prymas reappointed to Herkimer College board

Education & Training, Mohawk Valley, Regional News, Subscriber Only

HERKIMER — Gov. Kathy Hochul has recently reappointed Joan Prymas, of Ilion, as a member of the Herkimer County Community College board of trustees for a term set to expire June 30, 2025, the college announced. Originally appointed to the board on Aug. 11, 2015, Prymas has served as board secretary since April 2021, according

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New York state honey production declines nearly 17 percent in 2023

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

New York state honey production fell 16.9 percent to almost 2.38 million pounds last year from 2.86 million pounds in 2022, according to a recent report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). New York beekeepers earned nearly $10.92 million from their honey in 2023, almost unchanged from $10.93 million the prior year, as

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USDA announces water infrastructure projects, including $9.5 million development in Massena

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Subscriber Only

MASSENA — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) New York State Director for Rural Development Brian Murray recently announced that the USDA is investing more than $82 million in 10 water and wastewater-infrastructure projects throughout rural New York state. The USDA is financing projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to help

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Syracuse University buys Hotel Skyler for new lodging option

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Education & Training, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

Move comes as Sheraton to become student housing SYRACUSE — Hotel Skyler Syracuse, located at 601 S. Crouse Ave., is now a Syracuse University property. Syracuse says it announced the acquisition as a follow-up to the recent release of the university’s inaugural strategic housing plan. The transaction also follows the university’s announcement that it will

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Move comes as Sheraton to become student housing

SYRACUSE — Hotel Skyler Syracuse, located at 601 S. Crouse Ave., is now a Syracuse University property.

Syracuse says it announced the acquisition as a follow-up to the recent release of the university’s inaugural strategic housing plan.

The transaction also follows the university’s announcement that it will convert the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center into student housing beginning this fall.

The school didn’t release any financial details of its acquisition agreement in its March 28 announcement.

“The University recognizes the impact the Sheraton transformation has on our campus community, particularly for teams and individuals responsible for booking hotel rooms, planning events and coordinating travel,” John Papazoglou, Syracuse University’s senior VP and COO, said in a release. “This acquisition will allow the University to continue providing first-class hotel services to our campus community in a way that aligns with the priorities and goals of our overarching strategic housing plan.”

Hotel Skyler Syracuse is located just up the street from the Syracuse University campus on South Crouse Avenue.

The three-story, 58-room hotel began operations in 2011 and became part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection in 2017. The LEED Platinum-certified building contains a bar and lounge, fitness room, market pantry, and business center. LEED is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The hotel’s ownership will transfer to Syracuse University, but Woodbine Hospitality will continue to operate and manage the hotel. Woodbine has several Syracuse–area hotels in its portfolio, Syracuse University noted.

As it brings the Hotel Skyler into its portfolio, Syracuse University says it has convened a cross-campus working group to “put processes into place” to make reserving rooms at area hotels and scheduling events “a more seamless process” for faculty and staff.

The group — led by Papazoglou and Tracy Barlok, senior VP and chief advancement officer — will provide more detailed information to the campus community in April, Syracuse University said.

“The University is evaluating how to best support the various accommodation and event space needs of our academic and administrative partners,” Papazoglou said in the release. “This includes exploring a more streamlined booking process, providing easy access to support resources, such as transportation and catering, and thinking proactively about other scenarios where various units on campus can be helpful.”

About the housing plan

Syracuse University developed the strategic housing plan following the completion of a three-year housing review. The effort found, “among other things,” that undergraduate students wanted more options for living in university housing on North Campus that “provides seamless access” to various campus facilities and amenities.

As part of the new strategy, Syracuse University will build a new residence hall at 700 Ostrom Ave. and demolish Marion Hall and Kimmel Hall and dining center and replace them with a “modern, new” residence hall.

The new strategy “works in concert with the overarching and recently refreshed Campus Framework,” Syracuse University noted.

The university also purchased 727 South Crouse, the apartment complex formerly known as the Marshall, which Syracuse will fully bring into its housing portfolio this fall and will be available to sophomore students, the university said.

N.Y. manufacturing index falls further in March

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index slipped deeper into negative territory in March by declining 19 points to -20.9. The index is the monthly gauge of New York’s manufacturing sector. Based on firms responding to the survey, the March reading indicates business activity “continued to decline” in New York state, the Federal Reserve

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The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index slipped deeper into negative territory in March by declining 19 points to -20.9.

The index is the monthly gauge of New York’s manufacturing sector. Based on firms responding to the survey, the March reading indicates business activity “continued to decline” in New York state, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in its March 15 report.

A negative index number indicates a decline in the manufacturing sector, while a positive reading shows expansion or growth in manufacturing activity.

The survey found “demand softened as new orders declined significantly, and shipments were lower,” the New York Fed said. It also found the six-month outlook improved, though optimism “remained subdued.”

Survey details

The new-orders index fell 11 points to -17.2, and the shipments index moved down 10 points to -6.9, pointing to a decline in orders and shipments, the New York Fed said.

The unfilled-orders index held steady at -10.9, a sign that unfilled orders continued to fall.

The inventories index was little changed at -12.9, suggesting that inventories were lower, and the delivery-times index came in at -1.0, indicating that delivery times held steady.

The index for number of employees fell 7 points to -7.1, and the average-workweek index fell 6 points to -10.4, pointing to a “modest decline” in employment levels and hours worked.

The prices-paid index edged down 4 points to 28.7, indicating that input price increases slowed, and the prices-received index was unchanged at 17.8.

Firms expect conditions to improve over the next six months, though optimism continued to be “subdued,” the New York Fed said.

The index for future business conditions held steady at 21.6. The capital-spending index was little changed at 11.9, suggesting capital-spending plans remained “somewhat soft.”

The New York Fed distributes the Empire State Manufacturing Survey on the first day of each month to the same pool of about 200 manufacturing executives in New York. On average, about 100 executives return responses.

CenterState CEO annual meeting to include keynote remarks on AI

Technology, Subscriber Only

Event also honors Business of the Year winners SYRACUSE — The “real-world opportunities” of artificial intelligence (AI) will be the subject of the keynote address at the upcoming annual meeting of at CenterState CEO, which is set for April 11 at the

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Event also honors Business of the Year winners

SYRACUSE — The “real-world opportunities” of artificial intelligence (AI) will be the subject of the keynote address at the upcoming annual meeting of at CenterState CEO, which is set for April 11 at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter in Syracuse.

The organization has also announced the finalists in five categories for its Business of the Year honors, which will also be unveiled during the annual meeting. The event is scheduled for 3-4:30 p.m., with a 90-minute networking reception to follow.

This year’s annual meeting will explore the theme “Aligned: Leading at the Pace of Change,” CenterState CEO said. Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, will also share remarks on “what our community can become if we are aligned in a forward-looking vision and committed to leading at the pace of change,” per the announcement.

“CenterState CEO’s annual event is an opportunity to celebrate our regional progress and outline the strategies that will enable us to shape a future that reflects our shared values and aspirations,” Simpson said in the announcement. “As we look ahead, we aren’t asking the question of if our economic fortunes will change, rather, what kind of community we want to be when it does. Just as Central New York is experiencing a moment of unprecedented growth, AI’s rapid pace of change is creating untold opportunities for how we live and work. We are incredibly fortunate to welcome Elizabeth Kelly as this year’s keynote speaker. Her work and remarks provide an important lens for thinking about how growth can best be maximized when we acknowledge the need for guiderails to ensure that all benefit equitably from this progress.”

Keynote speaker

In her remarks, Elizabeth Kelly, CEO of the U.S. AI Safety Institute at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will discuss how AI affects people and business.

Kelly will also speak about how human-centered strategies and governance can support AI’s “transformational impact, while mitigating potential societal and ethical risks associated with this technology,” CenterState CEO said.

“Our mission at the U.S. AI Safety Institute is to advance AI safety, so we can promote trust and speed adoption and innovation,” Kelly said in the CenterState CEO announcement. “The Safety Institute will further our understanding of how AI models and systems work, what their capabilities and risks are, and how to make them safer.”

Kelly previously served as special assistant to the president for economic policy at the White House National Economic Council. In that role, she helped lead the Biden Administration’s efforts on financial regulation and technology policy, including artificial intelligence.

Kelly was a “driving force” behind the domestic components of the AI executive order, spearheading efforts to promote competition, protect privacy, and support workers and consumers, and helped lead administration engagement with allies and partners on AI governance, according to CenterState CEO.

Business of the Year finalists

The organization named four finalists in five categories for its annual Business of the Year awards that recognize member companies and organizations for their “outstanding success and the role they play in strengthening the region.” The categories and finalists are listed below, and CenterState CEO will announce the winner in each category during the annual meeting.

More than 50 Employees
• Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC
• Crouse Health
• Tompkins Community Bank
• Woodford Bros., Inc.

Fewer than 50 Employees
• 325 Productions
• Drakos Dynamics
• Potter Heating & AC – Perrone Plumbing Services
• ResilienX

Minority-owned Business, in partnership with the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance
• Brackens Financial Solutions Network
• Cocoa’s Candle Bar
• La Liga
• SGTR LLC

Nonprofit
• Catholic Charities of Onondaga County
• ConnextCare
• Food Bank of Central New York
• Housing Visions

Community Involvement
• CPS Recruitment, Inc.
• Firley, Moran, Freer & Eassa, CPA, P.C.
• NBT Bank
• Novelis, Inc.

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Move comes as Sheraton to become student housing

About the housing plan

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Event also honors Business of the Year winners

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