Regional firms honored during Economic Champions Celebration

SYRACUSE — They created jobs, hired new employees, expanded operations, and made investments in their companies. CenterState CEO on Tuesday, Nov. 19 recognized the efforts of more than 300 regional businesses during its annual Economic Champions Celebration at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Cener at Oncenter in Syracuse. The event also included a special recognition for the Oswego operations of Novelis. The Economic Champions Celebration recognized 306 companies and organizations for “driving the region’s economy forward” through job creation, business expansions, investments in operations, new business openings, and commitments to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Together, recipients were recognized for their aggregate creation of more than 4,725 jobs, over 890,000 square feet of expansions, and nearly $1 billion in capital investments, CenterState CEO said in its announcement. “In a sign of positive economic momentum,” 118 businesses opened new storefronts, offices and facilities, 51 celebrated a milestone anniversary, 159 were received significant awards and achievements and 43 participated in efforts that advance DEI in their workplaces and community. Companies are nominated as Economic Champions by CenterState CEO and the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce; the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance; the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc.; peers, employees and staff; as well as self-nominations. “The annual Economic Champions Celebration is a reminder of the power of gratitude and of the importance of celebrating our individual and collective accomplishments,” Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, said. “This event is our opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the hard work of our business community. Thank you to those who choose to invest their hard-earned capital in buildings, in facilities, in their employees and in making our community a better place to live and work. My hope is that all those we celebrate through this event know they are appreciated for the role they play in the region’s growth and in Central New York’s continued transformation.”

Community Visionary Award

CenterState CEO also presented its Community Visionary Award, sponsored by Wegmans Food Markets, to Novelis, which has a plant in Oswego. The award is presented to an organization that “embodies a vision of economic opportunity and is creating a significant impact on community prosperity,” CenterState CEO said. On its website, Novelis describes itself as a “leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and a world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling.” Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, which specializes in aluminum, copper and metals; and a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group based in Mumbai, India, the website says. “Novelis is a proven community leader and partner — not just in Oswego — but within the greater Central New York region,” Evelyn Ingram, Wegmans director of community engagement, said in the CenterState CEO announcement. “Novelis has built meaningful partnerships with local organizations and nonprofits, and has shown an incredible commitment to sustainability, supporting STEM education, and preparing the next generation for career opportunities in advanced manufacturing through its support of the Oswego County P-Tech program. Novelis is deeply committed to the Central New York community where its employees and customers live and work. The company and their team of nearly 1,200 employees at the Oswego plant are deserving of this year’s Community Visionary Award, and Wegmans is proud to support its recognition.” The Novelis Oswego plant produces more than 1 billion pounds of aluminum sheet each year and represents Novelis’ first U.S. operation, CenterState CEO said. The plant stands as the company’s largest, wholly owned fabrication facility in North America. Novelis makes “significant” philanthropic investments to local nonprofits and community organizations, and its employees contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year to their community, CenterState CEO said. Its community partnerships include initiatives focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, health care, children’s advocacy and education, among others. This includes support for such organizations as the Oswego County P-TECH program, Oswego County Opportunities, the Oswego Health Foundation, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (The MOST) in Syracuse, Children’s Museum of Oswego, Food Bank of Central New York, and many others.