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Goldberg Segalla adds experienced trial attorney
SYRACUSE — Goldberg Segalla announced it has added Dennis T. Scanlon to the firm’s commercial litigation and arbitration group in Syracuse. An experienced trial attorney, Scanlon handles a range of commercial litigation and business disputes of all sizes for businesses, senior executives, investors, financial institutions, and nonprofit organizations, the law firm said. He draws on […]
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SYRACUSE — Goldberg Segalla announced it has added Dennis T. Scanlon to the firm’s commercial litigation and arbitration group in Syracuse.
An experienced trial attorney, Scanlon handles a range of commercial litigation and business disputes of all sizes for businesses, senior executives, investors, financial institutions, and nonprofit organizations, the law firm said. He draws on strong litigation and leadership experience developed while serving in various capacities as a captain with the United States Marine Corps.
As a judge advocate, Scanlon worked in the Pentagon, analyzing legal issues arising in military officer misconduct cases. Later, as trial counsel and certified special victims’ prosecutor, he tried dozens of courts-martial — many of which were fully-contested trials — to verdict. As a victims’ legal counsel, he represented special-victim clients while protecting their rights at all investigative stages and court proceedings. After leaving active duty, Scanlon began serving as a reservist in the Appellate Defense Division, representing Navy and Marine Corps appellants before military courts of appeal.
Scanlon earned his bachelor’s degree from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) and his law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law.
Buffalo–based Goldberg Segalla is a national civil-litigation law firm with 22 offices in 10 states spanning major metro markets across the U.S. and employing more than 450 lawyers. The firm’s Syracuse–area office is located on Widewaters Parkway in DeWitt, according to its website. It’s one of seven Goldberg Segalla offices in New York state.
Governor appoints SUNY Oswego alumna to College Council
OSWEGO — Carol Bradlinski-Watros, of nearby Mexico, has been appointed to SUNY Oswego’s College Council by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for a seven-year term. The College Council is mandated by New York State Education Law, which provides for the establishment of a local council to supervise the operations and affairs of each state-operated institution
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OSWEGO — Carol Bradlinski-Watros, of nearby Mexico, has been appointed to SUNY Oswego’s College Council by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for a seven-year term.
The College Council is mandated by New York State Education Law, which provides for the establishment of a local council to supervise the operations and affairs of each state-operated institution of the state university.
Bradlinski-Watros, who received her master’s degree in counseling services from SUNY Oswego in 1988, has dedicated many years to serving students and her fellow educators as a school counselor, career-development specialist, community-services coordinator, and transition specialist. She has spent most of her career in Oswego County schools: at CITI, as well as in the Hannibal and Central Square school districts. Bradlinski-Watros also worked for several years in roles at Madison-Oneida BOCES, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, and Syracuse University.
Now retired, Bradlinski-Watros has committed her time to serving the town of Mexico community, where she moved 30 years ago. She serves on the board of directors for the Mexico Public Library, coordinates the outreach committee for her church, and volunteers at a local thrift shop, which supports the community’s food pantry. She is also the office manager for Mexico’s Kellogg Memorials, where she lends her compassion to grieving families.
In addition to her degree from SUNY Oswego, Bradlinski-Watros also holds a certificate in advanced studies in educational leadership from SUNY Cortland and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and developmental disabilities from SUNY Brockport.
Bradlinski-Watros, who had a one-on-one meeting with SUNY Oswego President Nwosu, participated in her first College Council meeting on July 29.
Each state-operated campus of the SUNY system has a College Council, appointed by the governor. These councils function subject to the general management, supervision, and control of, and in accordance with rules established by the State University Trustees.
Crews complete resiliency project at Port of Oswego marina
OSWEGO — A construction project that will enhance resiliency at the Goble Marina located within the Port of Oswego is now complete. The state’s Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI) awarded the project more than $1.75 million. Marie Therese Dominguez, commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), announced the project’s
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OSWEGO — A construction project that will enhance resiliency at the Goble Marina located within the Port of Oswego is now complete.
The state’s Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI) awarded the project more than $1.75 million.
Marie Therese Dominguez, commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), announced the project’s completion during a visit to the marina Aug. 12.
“Today is truly a celebration of the wonderful collaboration that has taken place between our state and local REDI partners,” Dominguez said in the NYSDOT announcement. “As a REDI Commissioner I have participated in this cooperative effort to fortify the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shoreline communities against the increased frequency of extreme weather. With this final project, the last of five projects that are now complete, we have made significant investments to fortify this gateway to recreation and global commerce — making sure we can accommodate maritime traffic and cargo which is crucial for the region and state’s economic future. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s continued investment, each project undertaken within the REDI framework is contributing to a more secure, resilient, and prosperous future for New York and I could not be prouder of the work New York State DOT has played along with our partners, to bring these amazing series of projects to life.”
The effort involved installation of a new docking system that is better able to withstand extreme weather events. It’ll “help ensure that this popular location for recreational boaters seeking access to the city of Oswego’s vibrant downtown area is ready for the challenges posed by global climate change,” per the state’s announcement.
In 2019, flooding along Lake Ontario “devastated critical infrastructure” at the Port of Oswego, including further eroding the earthen dock used by the community to access the downtown area.
The Goble Marina project replaced the eroded earthen dock with a new docking system that will support up to 25 recreational boats. Additional improvements to the site included new sidewalks and lighting, upgraded electrical service and refurbishment of the existing bathhouse pavilion, the NYSDOT noted.
The marina was one of five REDI projects at the Port of Oswego receiving a total of $2.3 million in funding awarded by the REDI Commission.
The additional four projects are complete. They included a $300,000 award for the east operating dock. The project involved the installation of a cellular steel sheeting wall to break high-water wave action in the impacted area to protect the north end of the east operating dock.
This project will also “protect the integrity of the dock, ensuring continued operation and maintaining public safety,” the NYSDOT said.
Another project targeted the Port Authority Marina with a $40,000 award. In that effort, crews installed new, self-adjusting docks to replace docks that were at a fixed elevation.
The Port Authority West Pier project was awarded $149,513. It involved shoreline-stabilization measures along the West Pier where high water and excessive wave action had “negatively impacted the berm.”
In addition, $70,000 in state funding helped spur the West Pier, Le High Cement project. That project involved underwater wall repairs that sealed the face of the wall and will prevent future loss of fill behind the wall; stabilization of the existing concrete cap using tiebacks; and reconstruction of the working pier surface behind the wall, per the NYSDOT announcement.
Point Place Casino expansion to add new hotel, larger gaming floor
SULLIVAN, N.Y. — A new multi-story hotel, a larger gaming floor, and a new restaurant are all part of the Oneida Indian Nation’s more than $50 million expansion of Point Place Casino. The venue is located at 450-452 Route 31 in the Bridgeport area of the town of Sullivan in Madison County. Local elected officials,
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SULLIVAN, N.Y. — A new multi-story hotel, a larger gaming floor, and a new restaurant are all part of the Oneida Indian Nation’s more than $50 million expansion of Point Place Casino.
The venue is located at 450-452 Route 31 in the Bridgeport area of the town of Sullivan in Madison County.
Local elected officials, community leaders, partners in the building trades, and casino employees on Aug. 20 gathered at the casino for a formal groundbreaking ceremony.
The Oneida Indian Nation says its investment in the property will also generate more than 200 construction jobs, “grow regional tourism, and create new opportunities for Turning Stone Enterprises team members,” per the announcement.
The expansion at Point Place Casino will include a new multi-story hotel with 100 rooms, double the size of the existing gaming floor, add a new restaurant, create a new Perfect Pour Cafe satellite location in the hotel’s lobby, add an event space, and update the Fireside Lounge, doubling its current size and adding a 360-degree view of the wood-burning fireplace with cozy new seating.
“When we built Point Place Casino six years ago, we had a vision for what it could become as an entertainment destination and an economic engine for this community,” Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation representative and Turning Stone Enterprises CEO, said in the announcement. “As with everything we do, that vision was guided by the understanding that if you are not growing, you are going backward. That has been our motto across all of our enterprises and the reason we are so committed to constant diversification and growth.”
The Oneida Indian Nation says it has made continuous investments in Point Place Casino since its grand opening in 2018. They include two expansions of its gaming floor, the introduction of a sports book, and the creation of the Perfect Pour Cafe.
“The expansion of Point Place Casino and adding our first hotel to the town of Sullivan will have a tremendous influence on our town and county,” Town of Sullivan Supervisor Thomas Daviau said. “It will add a new flow of visitors and hundreds of new jobs.”
“We’ve been a partner with the Oneida Indian Nation since 1991 when we built the original Turning Stone Resort Casino,” Jeremy Thurston, president of the Hayner Hoyt Corporation, said in the Oneida Nation announcement. “Our relationship with the Oneida Indian Nation has allowed our business to flourish and we are one of so many businesses that reap the benefits of a relationship with the Oneida Indian Nation.”
New York home sales rise 3.5 percent in July
ALBANY — New York realtors sold 9,923 previously owned homes in July, a 3.5 percent gain from the 9,584 existing homes sold in July 2023. Pending sales also climbed almost 8 percent in July, pointing to further gains in closed sales in the next couple months, according to the New York State Association of Realtors
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ALBANY — New York realtors sold 9,923 previously owned homes in July, a 3.5 percent gain from the 9,584 existing homes sold in July 2023.
Pending sales also climbed almost 8 percent in July, pointing to further gains in closed sales in the next couple months, according to the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR) July housing report issued on Aug. 22.
“Home sales and new listings increased across the Empire State in July, while mortgage interest rates continued to decline,” NYSAR said to open its housing report.
Mortgage rates have dropped this summer, falling below 7 percent in July, NYSAR said. It cited Freddie Mac as indicating interest rates on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.84 percent that month, dropping eight-tenths of a percent. Freddie Mac is the more common way of referring to the Virginia–based Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
Pending sales totaled 10,618 in July, an increase of 7.8 percent compared to the 9,849 pending sales in the same month in 2023, according to the NYSAR data.
Home prices continued to climb, with the July 2024 statewide median sales price hitting $435,000, up 8.8 percent from the July 2023 median sales price of $400,000.
The months’ supply of homes for sale at the end of July stood at 3.1 months, down about 3 percent from the 3.2 months’ supply at the end of July 2023, per NYSAR’s report. A 6 month to 6.5-month supply is considered a balanced market, the association says.
The inventory of homes for sale in New York state totaled 28,045 in July, down 5.4 percent from the July 2023 figure of 29,642. New listings edged up 0.5 percent to 13,322 this July from 13,260 a year prior.
All home-sales data is compiled from multiple-listing services in New York, and it includes townhomes and condominiums in addition to existing single-family homes, according to NYSAR.
Bringing Together PR & Marketing for Business Success
In the communications industry, the relationship between public relations (PR) and marketing teams can be shockingly competitive, and even openly contentious at times. I’m continually surprised by the number of PR and marketing professionals who act as if their field is the only one their organization needs to succeed. In reality, public relations and marketing
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In the communications industry, the relationship between public relations (PR) and marketing teams can be shockingly competitive, and even openly contentious at times. I’m continually surprised by the number of PR and marketing professionals who act as if their field is the only one their organization needs to succeed.
In reality, public relations and marketing complement one another. When these two powerhouses collaborate, the results take organizations to the next level.
Over the past 15 years, I have worked in roles that were exclusively PR, others that were solely marketing, and a few that required both. Along the way, I’ve felt the resistance that colleagues in each field sometimes exhibit toward the other. One marketer once told me, “PR is the last thing on my priority list.” On the PR side, I’ve known business leaders who were so focused on securing positive media coverage that they neglected the company’s marketing efforts.
Although non-marketing and communications professionals often have trouble delineating between each field’s respective goals and responsibilities, a company needs both PR and marketing to be successful. The difference between the two is subtle, but important. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, PR is more reputation-based, focusing on “creating a positive image for the company,” whereas “marketing is focused on selling products or services” and concentrated on supporting the brand by driving revenue.
Of course, the two disciplines are intertwined. It’s easier to sell products or services when the company has a positive image, and it’s easier to get media coverage and cultivate a positive company image when there’s awareness of a quality product or service behind it.
Public relations and marketing professionals share three foundational goals when it comes to their organizations. Each role works to amplify visibility, build trust, and encourage loyalty. The “sweet spot” is activated when organizations align their PR and marketing strategies, leveraging each field’s strengths.
Here are the three most common challenges I have experienced when navigating the relationships between PR and marketing, and techniques to overcome them.
1.Leverage PR and marketing together for business success
Positive media coverage that highlights an organization’s key messages and unique differentiators brings a different level of credibility to a company than if it stuck to marketing alone. It’s one thing to hear marketers tell you that their business is great. It’s another thing if a well-respected journalist, who has done the work to dig into the organization’s offerings and leadership team, concludes that the business is great and writes about it or features the firm on radio or TV.
Positive news stories are also impactful material that can be used for digital, social media, and email marketing. By earning this media coverage, a company can get great soundbites, professionally produced video clips, and photos that it can then use to promote itself through its own channels — such as its website and social media — for free.
Personally, it is gratifying as a PR professional to help an organization secure media coverage and then turn around and repurpose that news content into marketing content. Oftentimes, these become some of an organization’s highest-performing marketing pieces.
At the same time, marketers can help PR pros by sharing feedback, questions, and trends they’ve identified on “owned” marketing channels (such as the organization’s website, newsletters, and social media) to generate new story ideas to pitch to media. Social-media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, can help spark new ideas for thought-leadership topics on which your business’s experts can comment.
2.Facilitate data sharing between marketing and PR
It can be hard to measure the quantitative value of having a good reputation. As public-relations professionals, we are often asked how we measure an organization’s return on the investment in PR.
With media relations specifically, sometimes the benefits of positive coverage are realized immediately. This happens when business leaders can point to a specific news clip and say, “this is when our business took off,” or when they are able to connect a new board membership or speaking opportunity to a TV news feature or thought-leadership column they wrote.
But more often, the benefits of strategic media relations take time to accrue. For example, a future patient may see a TV news story about a health-care company, but it will be a few months before they get sick and need the company’s services. Or, a future donor might learn about a new nonprofit in a newspaper article, but wait until Giving Tuesday (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving) to make a tangible gift.
The ability to show results more easily is one thing marketers love about their field. I understand the appeal. Having been a digital marketer, I know the particular delight of tracking “click-through rates” for links, new subscribers, open rates for promotional emails, impressions or reactions on social media, and the cost per click for a digital ad.
PR efforts also help drive results, but the data may not always be as easily accessible. Meaningful metrics for PR, such as the number of website visits or clicks on unique URLs after media coverage, are usually housed with marketing teams, who may be siloed and not share the insights they hold.
Freely sharing metrics and other insights allows both PR and marketing professionals to understand the effectiveness of their campaigns and make adjustments to ensure future projects are even more successful.
3.Integrate, but do not fully merge PR and marketing
If some organizations inadvertently create siloes between marketing and public relations, others can go too far and consolidate the two fields without regard for the expertise each requires. I have seen far too many job listings in which applicants are expected to be all marketing and communications things to all aspects of the business: media relations, internal communications, crisis communications, executive communications, digital marketer, email marketer, content marketer, social-media marketer, SEO marketer, and sometimes even fundraiser.
This is a monumental list of responsibilities that no one human being can perform. When marketing and PR services are demanded of one or two people in a larger organization, there are risks to both the individual and their employer, including burnout, staff turnover, loss of institutional knowledge, and otherwise avoidable costs to replace the team member.
Instead, PR and marketing professionals thrive through respecting each other’s unique skillsets and bringing them together to tell all their organization’s positive stories across a wide range of media. When marketers and PR professionals can do what they do best and are freely sharing content, ideas, and data, an organization gets the best of both worlds: a virtuous cycle in which a positive image drives product or service sales, and great product or service sales driving a positive image.
These challenges can also exist if your organization uses separate third-party vendors for PR and marketing and they don’t work with the same person or teams internally at your organization, and they don’t communicate with each other. But there are advantages to incorporating PR and marketing vendors in your organization’s efforts, including potential cost efficiencies, access to larger teams and expertise, and access to resources that the vendor has but your organization might not.
Either way — whether your teams are internal, you use the expertise of external vendors, or a combination of both — when you set up your teams for collaboration, the results for your organization will be greater.
Virgie Townsend, JD, is the VP of client strategy and business development at Strategic Communications, which says it provides trusted counsel for public relations, including media strategy, media outreach, monitoring, and analysis.
Oakdale Commons project wins up to $18M in state funding for next two phases
JOHNSON CITY — The effort to renovate the former Oakdale Mall into a mixed-use development in Johnson City is getting a boost from the state. The New York State government is providing up to $18 million for the next two phases of the project, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 12. Now
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JOHNSON CITY — The effort to renovate the former Oakdale Mall into a mixed-use development in Johnson City is getting a boost from the state.
The New York State government is providing up to $18 million for the next two phases of the project, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 12.
Now known as Oakdale Commons, the project’s second and third phases will include the construction of an 85,000-square-foot, regional medical campus, per Hochul’s office.
The phases also include the construction of a new 22,000-square-foot child-care center, administered by Broome County and operated by a contracted provider. The center will serve up to 208 children — including infant, toddler, preschool, Pre-K and school-age slots — and the creation of up to 45 new jobs, Hochul’s office said.
“This award underscores New York State’s dedication to investing in the revitalization of the Southern Tier and the commitment to improving the health of its communities,” Dr. Edmund Sabanegh, president & CEO of the Guthrie Clinic, said in the announcement. “These infrastructure improvements at the Oakdale Commons will enable Guthrie to provide an orthopedic and spine center of excellence. This will be anchored by an ambulatory surgery center that will offer our community clinical excellence in a state-of-the-art facility at lower costs.”
The project will also involve the construction of 125 residential units, located on the adjacent parcel, that will cater to the projected job growth in the greater Binghamton area.
Empire State Development is providing up to $18 million through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The total project cost is $200 million. Now underway, construction is expected to be completed in early 2026.
“We are tremendously appreciative of Empire State Development’s and Governor Kathy Hochul’s support of the Oakdale Commons project and their recognition that Oakdale is a transformative development for the region,” Marc Newman, managing member of the Newman Development Group, said in the governor’s announcement. “With ESD and the Governor’s assistance, we can continue to build on the progress we have made in our initial Phase and bring much needed child care, workforce housing and world class medical services to the Southern Tier. We are thrilled to be a part of the Community and look forward to completing a project that we all can take great pride in for many years to come.”
“ESD is proud to support Newman Development in its reimagining of this formerly distressed mall, which — with the addition of much-needed affordable housing, medical and child-care facilities — will further increase this community’s economic potential,” Hope Knight, president, CEO, and commissioner of Empire State Development, said in the release.
The first phase involved the redevelopment of the former Sears store into the Lourdes Pavilion, which included a health, wellness and fitness center, physical therapy, primary care, a drive-through pharmacy, and lab services. Other projects involved an aquatic swim center featuring three pools and group studios, among other things.
Also included was the addition of the two-story Beer Tree restaurant and brewery, and Broome County is utilizing on-site office space, with more than 200 employees working at the location. All told, the redeveloped building now has over new 500 employees and “attracts thousands of daily visitors.”
Still home to several successful retail outlets, the former Oakdale Mall, which opened in 1975, has close to 964,000 square feet of usable space.
Johnson City, which was also a round six winner in the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative and was among the first communities to be certified under the governor’s Pro-Housing Communities program, Hochul’s office noted.
Key hotel business indicators in Onondaga County improve in July
SYRACUSE — Onondaga County hotels welcomed an increase in overnight guests in July, as well as improvement in two other key benchmarks of business performance in the month. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in Central New York’s largest county rose 1.9 percent to 69.2 percent in the seventh month
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SYRACUSE — Onondaga County hotels welcomed an increase in overnight guests in July, as well as improvement in two other key benchmarks of business performance in the month.
The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in Central New York’s largest county rose 1.9 percent to 69.2 percent in the seventh month of 2024, compared to July 2023, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. Year to date, occupancy is up 0.5 percent to 59.9 percent.
Revenue per available room (RevPar), an industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, went up 3.3 percent to $91.53 in Onondaga County in July from a year earlier. Through the first seven months of 2024, RevPar was up 3.9 percent to $77.26.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, edged up 1.5 percent to $132.32 in July versus the year-ago month, STR reports. ADR was up 3.4 percent to $128.94 through July 31 of this year.
Raymond focuses on advanced energy solutions in new Kirkwood facility
KIRKWOOD — The Raymond Corporation will use its building at 196 Corporate Drive in Kirkwood, purchased earlier this year, as an advanced manufacturing facility for energy solutions as it works to continue to improve and innovate its electric materials-handling trucks. “It’s a culmination of many years’ worth of work,” Jennifer Lupo, Raymond’s VP of energy
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KIRKWOOD — The Raymond Corporation will use its building at 196 Corporate Drive in Kirkwood, purchased earlier this year, as an advanced manufacturing facility for energy solutions as it works to continue to improve and innovate its electric materials-handling trucks.
“It’s a culmination of many years’ worth of work,” Jennifer Lupo, Raymond’s VP of energy solutions, supply chain, and leasing, tells CNYBJ. The advanced manufacturing facility will work closely Toyota Material Handling North America’s (TMHNA) advanced energy-storage solutions development, prototyping and test center near Rochester. Raymond is a TMHNA company.
“This will allow us to transition technology from ideation to commercialization,” Lupo notes. In other words, the Rochester center can dream up the ideas, and the Kirkwood facility can turn it into reality — at least when it comes to energy technology for powering the trucks.
The focus is on lithium-ion batteries as well as TPPL, which is a next-generation lead-acid battery solution.
The goal is to create a smaller yet more efficient power source for the trucks, which Raymond’s customers rely on to move goods in their warehouses and distribution centers.
While Raymond’s trucks have been electric for about 70 years, the current lead-acid batteries are bulky and heavy, Lupo says. They must be removed from the trucks to charge, which means customers need to own several of them if they want to keep the trucks running. They just aren’t as efficient as today’s operations need them to be.
“When you’re talking about lithium, many of those things go away,” Lupo says.
Lithium-ion batteries are smaller, which opens up new truck design options, she says.
The lithium-ion batteries can also be charged on demand because they don’t need to be removed. An operator can plug the truck in during lunch break, ensuring it’s fully charged for the rest of the shift, Lupo says.
To scale up the advanced-manufacturing center, Raymond transferred some employees from its Greene headquarters and has plans to hire more, Lupo says.
“We are excited to welcome The Raymond Corporation to Broome County and are grateful for their decision to expand here, bringing new jobs, cutting-edge technology, and a boost to our local economy,” Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said in a news release issued by The Agency. “Raymond’s expansion is a strong vote of confidence in our community, and we look forward to support their growth and success for years to come.”
Raymond is proud to be part of the region’s battery technology hub and clean energy tech corridor, Lupo says. “For us, it’s very exciting to be in a position to support that narrative.”
Electric is the future, she says, whether people are ready for it or not. “For 70 years, we’ve been electric,” she says. “I think it’s time for people to understand this is not an if from us, it’s a when.”
Raymond will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility on Sept. 9.
Headquartered in Greene, Raymond is a member of the Toyota Industries family of companies. It delivers solutions to material handling and logistics with material-handling products and intralogistics solutions.
MACNY to expand workforce programs to Onondaga, Oswego counties
State grant funding is aiding the effort DeWITT — MACNY, the Manufacturers Association will use a state grant to expand two workforce-development programs to both Onondaga and Oswego counties. The organization plans to expand the Real Life Rosies and the Advance 2 Apprenticeship direct entry pre-apprenticeship program to those counties.
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DeWITT — MACNY, the Manufacturers Association will use a state grant to expand two workforce-development programs to both Onondaga and Oswego counties.
The organization plans to expand the Real Life Rosies and the Advance 2 Apprenticeship direct entry pre-apprenticeship program to those counties.
The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has awarded DeWitt–based MACNY $195,000 under the Direct Entry Pre-Apprenticeship (DEPA) program to help in the expansion, MACNY said in its Aug. 15 announcement.
“Registered Apprenticeships and Direct Entry Pre-Apprenticeships empower New Yorkers to get the skills they need to thrive in new careers while also helping businesses succeed,” Roberta Reardon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor, said in the MACNY announcement. “I applaud MACNY for expanding these essential workforce development programs to help more New Yorkers make their career dreams a reality.”
As part of the effort, MACNY is partnering with employers, education providers, and community-based organizations, such as Berry Global; Constellation; Giovanni Foods Company; JMA Wireless; N.E.T. & Die, Inc.; Cayuga Community College; Onondaga Community College; Refugee & Immigration Self-Empowerment (RISE); and the Oswego Workforce Development Board.
“Berry Global Syracuse is excited to launch the Real Life Rosies program in Onondaga county. Through our partnership with MACNY, we’re pleased to help create a training pathway through pre-apprenticeship to support women interested in exploring careers in manufacturing. With Berry Global, you can be it if you can see it!” the Berry global leadership team said in the MACNY announcement.
Real Life Rosies is the first NYSDOL-approved, direct-entry, pre-apprenticeship program in New York state for advanced manufacturing, according to MACNY. The program supports the training and skill development of women and individuals in underrepresented populations looking to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing. Through company tours and guaranteed job interviews, the initiative helps connect employers with skilled and job-ready individuals.
The Real Life Rosies program was launched in the Mohawk Valley in collaboration with Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC); The Workforce Development Board, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida Counties, Inc.; and community partners, with funding from Empire State Development’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development.
In partnership with MVCC and the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities at the University of Rochester, the Advance 2 Apprenticeship program is designed to increase access to apprenticeship, catering to individuals with and without disabilities who may benefit from additional support.
“As the first two direct-entry programs in New York State, we’re excited to announce the expansion of the Real Life Rosies and Advance 2 Apprenticeship programs into Onondaga and Oswego counties,” Randy Wolken, president & CEO of MACNY, said. “By providing supportive services, such as transportation and childcare, these programs are designed to address the real-life challenges that individuals face when trying to join the manufacturing workforce. With teamwork and collaboration between community partners, educational institutions, and local manufacturers, Real Life Rosies and Advance 2 Apprenticeship exemplify an innovative approach to diversify and strengthen the manufacturing industry.”
“Oswego County Workforce New York (OCWNY) is excited to be a partner on this endeavor to introduce more women to advanced manufacturing,” Rachel Pierce, director of the Oswego County Department of Workforce Development said. “Manufacturing is such a prominent industry in Oswego County and will continue to strengthen the local economy as more and more community members enter the field. We look forward to partnering with MACNY, Cayuga Community College, and local businesses, welcoming women to the industry, and providing workforce support to ensure program success.”
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