OSWEGO COUNTY
BUSINESS $4.50
February / March 2018
OswegoCountyBusiness.com
New #1 Exelon Generation, which operates three nuclear power plants in Scriba, has become Oswego County’s largest employer, surpassing SUNY Oswego, Oswego Health and county government. Top managers discuss what’s in store for the company
February / March 2018
$4.50
PROGRESS ISSUE
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In addition LPN or Certified Nurse Morningstar is a family owned and Morningstar is a family owned and Morningstar is a family owned and active and comfortable environment LPN or Certified Nurse LPN or Certified Nurse LPN or Certified Nurse Contact: Paula Whitehouse Contact: Paula Whitehouse a clinician and would like to work in houseily owned and operated Assisted Living clinician and would like to work in housey owned and operated Assisted Living uality and independence. In addition and independence. In addition yality owned and operated Assisted Living lity and independence. In addition dapt to their physical and cognitive Residence in Oswego, NY. Our missionthat is to provide ourand residents apt to their physical and cognitive New York. Our mission is to provide iduality and independence. In addition uality and independence. In addition uality and independence. In addition Morningstar is aAide, family owned and operated rehabilitation center provides Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA –at PT, PTA, OT, COTA Morningstar is a family owned als to join our team. als to join our team. Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA ––you (315) 343-0880 or als to join our team. activities or dietary. Please give us aindividucall. We ieve their individual best quality ofto life. residents to our fourth floor! We have LPN or Certified Nurse to our fourth floor! We have pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com sidents to our fourth floor! We have pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com and most qualified individuand most qualified et you! you! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If or aThe loved one isaisaconsidering are services and general support help eality services and general support to help would love to meet you! would love to meet you! and most qualified individuyou! eesidents services and general support to help would love to meet you! Whether you are an RN, and benefit package, comfortable and family owned and operated skilled nursing and operated skilled nursing and and independence. In addition operated skilled nursing and Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – rehabilitation center that provides , New York. Our mission is to provide New York. Our mission is to provide Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – competitive and comprehensive wage New York. Our mission is to provide competitive and comprehensive wage Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – at (315) 343-0880 or rehabilitation center that provides Gardens a family owned and operated Assisted Living The Gardens is family owned and operated Assisted Living competitive and comprehensive wage activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We The Gardens is family owned and operated Assisted Living ieve their individual best quality of life. e services and general support to help services and general support to help active and comfortable environment ervices and general support to help at (315) 343-0880 or are services and general support to help eadapt services and general support to help or dietary. Please give us a in call. We ve individual best quality of life. general support to help mily owned and operated Assisted Living ly owned and operated Assisted Living with an active and comfortable environment thatand promotes yactivities owned and operated Assisted Living operated skilled nursing and operated skilled nursing operated skilled nursing and operated skilled nursing and operated skilled nursing and skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that Contact: Paula Whitehouse Contact: Paula Whitehouse residents to our fourth floor! We have ot atheir clinician and would like to work in houseaservices clinician and would like to work in housePaula Whitehouse pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com Whether you are an RN, Whether you are an RN, clinician and would like to work houseWhether you are an RN, et you! Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA –Contact: adapt to their physical and cognitive to their physical and cognitive first six months and greatly appreciate rst six months and greatly appreciate dapt to their physical and cognitive st six months and greatly appreciate Morningstar is acomprehensive family owned and als to join our team. als to join our team. ence we would love to meet you. als to join our team. LPN or Certified Nurse services general support to help competitive and wage The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living ed nursing and n active and comfortable environment active and comfortable environment active and comfortable environment operated skilled nursing and Contact: Paula Whitehouse Contact: Paula Whitehouse Contact: Paula Whitehouse residents to our fourth floor! We have ot a clinician and would like to work in housea clinician and would like to work in houseContact: Paula Whitehouse clinician and would like to work in houseContact: Paula Whitehouse pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com a clinician and would like to work in houseuality and independence. In addition clinician and would like to work in houseet you! adapt their physical and cognitive adapt to their physical and cognitive Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents apt to their physical and cognitive dapt to their physical and cognitive o, New York. Our mission is to provide Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents New York. Our mission is to provide apt to their physical and cognitive New York. Our mission is to provide sidents to our fourth floor! We have pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com Morningstar is a family owned and operated Morningstar is a family owned and operated Morningstar is a family owned and operated rehabilitation center that provides you! rehabilitation center that provides individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services rehabilitation center that provides first six months and greatly appreciate supportive team atmosphere and high competitive and comprehensive wage Morningstar is a family owned and Morningstar is a family owned and The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living at (315) 343-0880 or at (315) 343-0880 or Morningstar is a family owned and Morningstar OUTPATIENT PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY! PLEASE CALL FOR INFORMATION at (315) 343-0880 or ry, activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We , activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We chieve their individual best quality of life. ieve their individual best quality of life. provides a competitive and comprehensive wage LPN or Certified Nurse LPN or Certified Nurse activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We ieve their individual best quality of life. LPN or Certified Nurse Contact: Paula Whitehouse adapt clinician and would like to work in houset! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or aloved loved one isconsidering considering Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a(315) one isOswego, Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or arehabilitation loved one is considering Whether you are an RN, Whether you are an RN, and benefit package, comfortable and and benefit package, comfortable and competitive and comprehensive wage to their physical and cognitive Whether you are an RN, and benefit package, comfortable and The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – a family owned and family owned and family owned and duality and independence. In addition ality and independence. In addition ality and independence. In addition Residence in NY. Our mission is to provide our residents rehabilitation center that provides rehabilitation center that provides rehabilitation center that provides first six months and greatly appreciate services general support to help at 343-0880 or at (315) 343-0880 or nter that provides center that provides Morningstar is a family owned and operated at (315) 343-0880 or y, activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We rehabilitation center that provides chieve their individual best quality of life. ieve their individual best quality of life. activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We eve their individual best quality of life. n active and comfortable environment active and comfortable environment at (315) 343-0880 or active and comfortable environment skilled nursing and (315) 343-0880 or ,residents activities or dietary. Please give us aCOTA call. We activities or dietary. Please give us call. We ieve their individual quality of life. ve their individual best quality of life. ctivities or dietary. Please give us aaacenter call. We ve their individual best quality of life. with an active and comfortable environment that promotes with anoperated active and comfortable environment that promotes with an active and comfortable environment that promotes st six months and greatly appreciate sted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting t! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or aMorningstar loved one isor considering and benefit package, comfortable and skilled nursing and rehabilitation that skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission isowned to provide our residents skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that gdence residents to our fourth floor! We have residents to our fourth floor! We have a family owned and and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com to our fourth floor! We have rehabilitation center that provides pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com meet you! et you! Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA –atyou Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA et you! Morningstar is abest family owned and operated Aide, PT, PTA, OT, –– at (315) 343-0880 and benefit package, comfort and supportive team is a family owned and Morningstar is a family owned and activities or dietary. Please give us call. We eve their individual best quality of life. Morningstar is a family and we would love to meet you. ence we would love to meet you. ence we would love to meet you. LPN or Certified Nurse LPN or Certified Nurse LPN or Certified Nurse re services and general support to help services and general support to help Contact: Paula Whitehouse a clinician and would like to work in houseservices and general support to help Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents competitive and comprehensive wage competitive and comprehensive wage t! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If or a loved one is considering with an active and comfortable environment that promotes The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living The Gardens a family owned and operated Assisted Living lled nursing and ed nursing and competitive and comprehensive wage The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living ed nursing and dapt to their physical and cognitive and benefit package, comfortable and operated skilled nursing and operated skilled nursing and operated skilled nursing and gresidents residents to our fourth floor! We have to our fourth floor! We have Morningstar isand a family owned and operated a family owned skilled nursing and rehabilitation center pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com that pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com residents to our fourth floor! We have duality and independence. In addition uality and independence. In addition pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com meet you! uality and independence. In addition et you! omprehensive wage et you! quality care and service. residents to our fourth floor! We have esidents to our fourth floor! We have dence we would love to meet you. pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com sidents to our fourth floor! We have et you! you! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or aPaula loved one isisais considering individuality and We provide healthcare services individuality and We provide healthcare services you! ul first six months and greatly appreciate first six months and greatly appreciate individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services supportive team atmosphere and high competitive and comprehensive wage supportive atmosphere and high competitive and comprehensive wage and benefit package, comfortable and six months and greatly appreciate with anGardens active and comfortable environment that promotes The is aindependence. family owned and operated Assisted Living The Gardens aaindependence. family owned and operated Assisted Living supportive team atmosphere and high competitive and comprehensive wage lled nursing sed Practical Nurses, qualified home health aides and personal care aides. The Gardens ateam family owned and operated Assisted Living family owned and provides afourth competitive and comprehensive wage provides aand competitive and comprehensive wage provides anursing competitive and comprehensive wage and rehabilitation center that Contact: Paula Whitehouse Contact: Paula Whitehouse physical and cognitive limitations so as to achieve their individual esidents toindividual our floor! We have tdapt aservices clinician would like to work in houseafirst clinician and would like to work in houseContact: Whitehouse pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com clinician and would like to work in houseyou! rehabilitation center that provides competitive and comprehensive wage adapt to their physical and cognitive competitive and comprehensive wage toskilled their physical and cognitive The Gardens is family owned and operated Assisted Living The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living atmosphere and high quality care service. competitive and comprehensive wage dapt to their physical and cognitive Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – The Gardens is family owned and operated Assisted Living Aide, PT, PTA, OT, COTA – at (315) 343-0880 or dence we would love to meet you. activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We eve their best of life. individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services Residence in Oswego, NY. 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We are accepting sted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting ort! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one is considering t! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one is considering st six months and greatly appreciate ted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting t! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! Ifteam you or arehabilitation loved one isor considering and benefit package, comfortable and and benefit package, comfortable and ence we would love to meet you. individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services and benefit package, comfortable and Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents Residence insupport Oswego, NY. Our mission to provide our residents enter that provides is a family owned and Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission isis to provide our residents a family owned and and general to help people overcome or adapt to their and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their supportive team atmosphere and high center that provides rehabilitation center that provides a family owned and and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their rehabilitation center that provides rst six months and greatly appreciate provides a competitive and comprehensive wage Morningstar is a family owned and operated Morningstar is a family owned and operated at (315) 343-0880 or at (315) 343-0880 or Morningstar is a family owned and operated ed nursing and and benefit package, comfort and supportive and benefit package, comfort and supportive team at (315) 343-0880 y, activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We hieve their individual best quality of life. eve their individual best quality of life. and benefit package, comfort and supportive team activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We eve their individual best quality of life. sisted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting best quality of life. Contact: Paula Whitehouse Contact: Paula Whitehouse residents to our fourth floor! We have ot a clinician and would like to work in housea clinician and would like to work in houseContact: Paula Whitehouse pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com a clinician and would like to work in houseResidence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their ort! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one is considering t! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one is considering with an active and comfortable environment that promotes with an active and comfortable environment that promotes Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents et you! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! Ifteam yousupportive or a NY. loved one isand considering with an active comfortable environment that promotes adapt to their physical and cognitive adapt to their physical and cognitive benefit package, comfortable and and benefit package, comfortable and dapt to their physical and cognitive and benefit package, comfortable and enter that provides Morningstar isand aand family owned and operated Morningstar isand aafamily family owned and operated and benefit package, comfort supportive s!Thank a family owned skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that a family owned skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that inis Oswego, NY. 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We dence we would love to meet you. their individual best of life. ieve their individual best of life. physical and cognitive limitations so as to achieve their individual individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services activities or dietary. Please give us a call. We eve their individual best quality of life. individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services supportive team atmosphere and high supportive team atmosphere and high with an active and comfortable environment that promotes supportive team atmosphere and high with an active and comfortable environment that promotes comprehensive wage quality care and with an active and comfortable environment that promotes killed nursing and lled nursing and atmosphere and high quality care service. competitive and comprehensive wage provides a competitive and comprehensive wage competitive and comprehensive wage provides a competitive and comprehensive wage with an active comfortable environment that promotes The Gardens aand family owned and operated Assisted Living The Gardens acare family owned and operated Assisted Living lled nursing and sted living community being developed inwage Oswego NY. We are accepting competitive comprehensive wage provides acommunity competitive and comprehensive The Gardens isiscognitive ais family owned and operated Living skilled nursing rehabilitation center that skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that The Gardens issupport now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that and general to help people overcome or adapt to their age, comfortable and ge, comfortable Residence in Oswego, NY. 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We have best quality of life. a family owned and omprehensive wage pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com quality care and service. residents to our fourth floor! We have pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their eet you! et you! and general support to help people overcome or adapt to their t you! best quality of life. age, comfortable and n center that provides center that provides and benefit package, comfort and supportive team and benefit package, comfort and supportive team individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services in NY. Our mission is to provide our residents Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents enter that provides and benefit package, comfort and supportive team Residence in Oswego, NY. Our mission is to provide our residents supportive team atmosphere and high individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services a very successful first six months and greatly appreciate the community individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services supportive team atmosphere and high supportive team atmosphere and high provides a competitive and comprehensive wage Morningstar is a family owned and operated Morningstar is a family owned and operated supportive team atmosphere and high sed Practical Nurses, qualified home health aides and personal care aides. Morningstar is a family owned and operated competitive and comprehensive wage competitive and comprehensive wage provides a competitive and comprehensive wage with an active and comfortable environment that promotes provides a competitive and comprehensive wage The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working competitive and comprehensive wage provides a competitive and comprehensive wage The Gardens is a family owned and operated Assisted Living ssisted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting sisted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting Waterville Resdiential Care Center is a 92 bed, family owned UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working physical and cognitive limitations so as to achieve their individual isted living community being developed in Oswego NY. We are accepting Life in Balance atmosphere and high tmosphere and high UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working mosphere and high skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that and general support to help people overcome adapt to their and general support to help people overcome oror adapt to their atmosphere and high d comprehensive wage comprehensive wage quality care and service. quality care and service. general support to help people overcome or adapt to their atmosphere and high quality care service. rt! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or aloved loved one is considering !nter Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! Ifteam you orand abest one considering comprehensive wage in early 2017! Stay tuned! quality of life. quality care and service. Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! 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Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a one support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one and general to help people or adapt to their www.morningstarcares.com support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one best quality of life. to open its community outpatient therapy service contact Paula Whitehouse at (315) 343-0880 or pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com nsed Practical Nurses, qualified home aides and personal care aides. and operated skilled nursing and rehabiltation facility located The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth We have had and service. and benefit package, comfort and supportive team and benefit package, comfort and supportive team The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had and benefit package, comfort and supportive team physical and cognitive limitations soWe as to achieve their individual individuality and independence. provide healthcare services individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services individuality and independence. We provide healthcare services supportive team atmosphere and high supportive team atmosphere and high supportive team atmosphere and and operated skilled nursing andrehabiltation rehabiltation facility located and operated skilled nursing and rehabiltation facility located to open its community outpatient therapy service to open its community outpatient therapy service atmosphere and high quality care service. provides acommunity competitive and comprehensive wage provides awage competitive and comprehensive wage and operated skilled nursing and facility located to open its outpatient therapy service support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! Iffloor! you or a high loved one provides a competitive and comprehensive wage care and service. re and service. continuum based here in Central NY. Please contact Joe Murabito re and service. best quality of life. best quality of life. UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working best quality of life. tmosphere and high comprehensive wage omprehensive wage quality care and service. quality care and service. omprehensive quality care and service. 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 and operated skilled nursing and rehabiltation facility located The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth We have had is considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. Please The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had age, comfortable and a very successful first six months and greatly appreciate the community n center that provides enter that provides enter that provides to open its community outpatient therapy service to open its community outpatient therapy service ensed Practical Nurses, qualified home health aides and personal care aides. nsed Practical Nurses, qualified home health aides and personal care aides. tar Residential Care Center. . . . to open its community outpatient therapy service sed Practical Nurses, qualified home health aides and personal care aides. 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 care and service. re and service. UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 is considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. Please is considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. 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The facility is part a92 health care provider comfortable and We accepting applications for Licensed Practical Nursed, www.morningstarcares.com contact Paula Whitehouse atmonths (315) 343-0880 or pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working Waterville Resdiential Center is a92 92 bed, family owned Waterville Resdiential Care Center abest bed, family owned support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! Iffloor! you or acommunity loved one Life in Life in Balance Waterville Resdiential Care Center isis a bed, family owned atmosphere and high d comprehensive wage comprehensive wage Life in Balance quality care and service. quality care and service. comprehensive wage quality care and service. The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had The Gardens is now accepting residents to our fourth We have had support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! Ifthe you or a had loved one support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! 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Please contact Joe Murabito atmosphere and high atmosphere and high tmosphere and high 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 and operated skilled nursing and rehabiltation facility located 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 and operated skilled nursing and rehabiltation facility located is considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. Please 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 and operated skilled nursing and rehabiltation facility located is considering an assisted living residence we would love meet you. Please to open its community outpatient therapy service is considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. Please home health aides and personal carePractical aides. isWe considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. 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Gardens now accepting residents our fourth We have had best quality of life. The isisfacility now accepting residents to our fourth floor! We have had very successful first six months and greatly appreciate the community (845)-750-4566 or Judy Harding (315) 525-4473 gstar Residential Care Center. . . (845)-750-4566 or Judy Harding (315) 525-4473 tar Residential Care Center. . (845)-750-4566 or Judy (315) 525-4473 to open its community outpatient therapy service to open its community outpatient therapy service (845)-750-4566 or Judy Harding (315) 525-4473 tar Residential Center. . . Waterville Resdiential is a 92 bed, family owned to open its community outpatient therapy service are and service. e and service. Life in Balance e service. We are accepting applications for Practical Nursed, in NY. facility is part of a health care provider in Waterville NY. The facility is part of a health care provider We We are accepting applications for Licensed Practical Nursed, in Waterville NY. The facility is part of a health care provider We are accepting applications for Licensed Practical Nursed, www.morningstarcares.com www.morningstarcares.com www.morningstarcares.com contact Paula Whitehouse at (315) 343-0880 or pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com contact Paula Whitehouse at (315) 343-0880 or pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com in early 2017! Stay tuned! UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working contact Paula Whitehouse at (315) 343-0880 or pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com UPDATE: Morningstar Care Center is working support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one m atmosphere and high atmosphere and high www.morningstarcares.com support! Thank you Oswego and Onondaga County! If you or a loved one 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 • 315.342.4790 atmosphere and high contact Paula Whitehouse at (315) 343-0880 or pwhitehouse@gardens-alf.com is considering an assisted living residence we would love to meet you. Please w.morningstarcares.com continuum based here in Central NY. Please contact Joe Murabito continuum based here in Central NY. Please contact Joe Murabito Community Outpatient Therapy Service Open continuum based here in Central NY. 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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 Issue 154
PROFILE WAYNE WESTERVELT As chief communication officer at SUNY Oswego, this avid baseball fan guides a staff that is focused on managing the college’s vast communication network, including news, media digital service, publications and marketing.....................................12
COVER STORY
SPECIAL FEATURES
Oswego County has a new No. 1 employer — Exelon Generation. The company now employs 1,525 workers. 58
Where in the World is Sandra Scott? Bolivia, which shares the border of Lake Titicaca, should be on everyone’s wish list .......... 16
Progress
Dying a Slow Death Shopping malls in Clay and DeWitt facing uncertain future as more stores close.................................... 18 Does Work/Life Balance Even Exist? Some say this notion is as outdated as faxing and the flip phone.... 20 First DBAs of 2018 They include a Constantia contractor and a couple in Tully who will sell collectibles online.................................... 34 The 92-Year-Old CEO Bruce Phelps started Fulton Tool Co. 59 years ago. At 92, he’s still going to the office every day....................... 44
• 20 business people comment on what they expect of 2018 • President of CenterState CEO: ‘Time of inclusion’ • Seven key sectors of the economy analyzed • Major projects in Fulton, Oswego 63
Fresh Water Project SUNY students are examining the many issues at play with fresh water, particularly access and potability..... 52
Best Bets for Breakfast
DEPARTMENTS
Millennials This is a generation like no other — managing them is not an easy job............................................................................................ 54 Funeral Business As traditions change, so does the funeral home business model........................................................................................... 90 Red-Hot Business Agribusiness benefits as lawmakers approve record funding for agriculture in the state budget..................................... 87
How I Got Started Laurie O’Brien, Port City Cafe & Bakery ................. 10 Newsmakers................................................................................................... 22 Dining Out Best bets for breakfast in Oswego........................................ 28 Business Updates.................................................................................................................................36 My Turn Corporate ruthlessness and The Four Way Test .................... 50 Economic Trends Waste water treatment facility under study.............. 69
We checked five options for breakfast in Oswego 28 4
Guest Columnist Get your boss to help build your career ................... 94 Last Page Tom Kells on the job to remove snow in Oswego .............. 98 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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1886 Malt House.........................5 Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home......................91 ALPS Professional Services....26 Amdursky, Pelky, Fennell & Wallen...................................40 Amerigas...................................23 Barclay Damon.........................11 Bascol.........................................48 Berkshire Hathaway ...............79 Bob Cat of CNY........................62 Bond, Schoeneck & King, Attorneys at Law................27 Borio’s Restaurant....................33 Breakwall Asset Mgmt..............9 Brookfield Renewable..............53 Builder’s First Source..............23 Burke’s Home Center..............26 Burritt Motors...........................75 C & S Companies.....................72 Canale’s Italian Cuisine...........33 Canale’s Insurance & Acct......40 Century 21 - Galloway............26 Century 21 Leah Signature.....75 Chase Enterprises.....................51 Colosse Cheese Store...............15 Community Bank.....................49 Cornell Coop Extension..........21 Crouse Hospital........................99 Custom Mktg Solutions..........27 D-K Manufacturing..................13 Dental Health Associates........14 Dowdle Funeral Home............88 Dunsmoor Construction...........6
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Dusting Divas...........................13 Dynegy......................................79 Eastern Shore Ass. Ins.............51 Edward Jones............................11 Eis House...................................33 Exelon Generation..................100 Financial Partners of Upstate.................................75 Finger Lakes Garage Doors....24 Fitzgibbons Agency.................21 Food Bank of CNY...................43 Foster Funeral Home...............47 Fulton CDA...............................26 Fulton Oswego Motor.............73 Fulton Savings Bank................43 Fulton Tool Co..........................73 Gary’s Equipment....................23 Greater Oswego Fulton Chamber of Commerce......49 Halsey Machinery....................26 Harbor Towne Gifts.................15 Harbour Hall.............................15 Haun Welding Supply, Inc......24 Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY..............62 Howard Hanna Real Estate....51 J P Jewelers................................15 Johnston Gas.............................24 K-9 Grooming & Pet Motel.......8
Lakeshore Hardwoods............15 Land & Trust Realty.................25 Laser Transit..............................61 Lawn King...................................9 Longley Brothers......................21 Mauro Bertolo Therapy.............9 Mimi’s Drive Inn......................33 Mitchell Speedway Printing...48 Mr. Sub.......................................33 NBT Bank..................................62 Nelson Law Firm......................57 North Country Storage Barns...3 Northern Ace Home Ctr..........24 Operation Oswego Co.............99 Oswego Alliance Church........91 Oswego County Catholic Charities...............................13 Oswego CFCU..........................74 Oswego County Mutual Ins...61 OCO.............................................8 Oswego County Stop DWI.....48 Oswego Health ..........................7 Oswego Industries...................51 Oswego Quality Carpet...........25 Over the Top Roofing..............24 Par-K Enterprises, Inc..............14 Pathfinder Bank........................57 Patterson Warehousing...........73 PC Masters Tech Repair..........47
Phoenix Press............................26 Port of Oswego Authority.......74 RanMar Tractor.........................26 Riccelli Northern......................47 RiverHouse Restaurant...........33 Riverside Artisans....................15 RJ Caruso Accounting.............27 SBDC – Small Business Development Center..........21 Scriba Electric............................23 Servpro of Oswego County....24 Southern Graphics Systems....79 St. Joseph’s Imaging Ass.........22 St. Luke Health Services..........91 Sun Harvest Realty..................26 SUNY Oswego – MBA...............5 SUNY Oswego, Office of Business and Comm...........47 Sweet Inspirations....................33 Tailwater Lodge........................72 The Gardens at Morningstar....2 The Landings............................57 Tobacco Free Network.............42 Tully Hill Chemical Dependency Treatment Ctr.......................88 Universal Metal Works............73 Valley Locksmith......................25 Vashaw’s Collision...................53 Volney Multiplex......................26 White’s Lumber .......................25 Wiltsie Construction................73 WRVO........................................95
Thomas C. Dunsmoor, Owner (315) 343-4380 u (315) 591-5020
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Our Community Impact Total Economic Impact on the Region - $179,345,000 Supply Purchase $71,816,000 Employer Impact $104,043,000 81
Capital Spending $3,486,000 Pulaski Family Health Center Lab/Rad Oswego Health Center Lab/Rad Oswego Hospital Oswego Health Services Center
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Chuck Wainwright Oswego County Business is published by Local News, Inc., which also publishes CNY Summer Guide, Business Guide, CNY Winter Guide, College Life, In Good Health– The Healthcare Newspaper (four editions), CNY Healthcare Guide and 55PLUS, a Magazine for Active Adults (two editions) Published bimonthly (6 issues a year) at 185 E. Seneca Street PO Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126. Subscription: $21.50 a year; $35 for two years © 2018 by Oswego County Business. All rights reserved. Third class postage paid at Syracuse, NY. Permit Number: 244
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How I Got
Started
Laurie O’Brien Started Port City Café & Bakery in Oswego at the age of 26
Where did the idea for the Port City Café & Bakery originate? I have always had an appreciation for good food and dining out. I recognized an opportunity to fill a niche with a gourmet sandwich shop in Oswego and thought I could make a sandwich as good as anyone, so I went for it. How nerve-wracking was it to open a business at 26? Did you have a business plan at the time? It wasn’t nerve wracking at all. It really just came naturally. I had learned a lot from my prior position at Toyota Motors and that was a great foundation for me. I did have a business plan. I looked at it several years later and my financial projections were very close to my actual numbers. Ironically, my target audience turned out to be much different than I had planned. Perhaps because I was so young, I had planned on my customer base being college kids. However, they were only a very small segment of my business. Instead, the demographic that mostly supported the business were older, professionals — bankers, lawyers, hospital employees, city workers, educators, nuclear workers, etc. So, I was lucky to be wrong. I understand Port City Café & Bakery had some pretty humble beginnings? It started in a 400-square-foot location across from the movie theater with restaurant furniture purchased from K-Mart and equipment from a used equipment auction. It was like pre-school compared with college. I learned a lot of fundamentals and was able to figure out what I wanted to be, make my mistakes and then reinvent myself a bit while still being true to myself and concept once I moved to a bigger, higher profile location. You relocated to First Street in 1999. Was it solely about needing space or were there other motivations for the move? How has it grown? I didn’t want to spend money on a piece of property owned by someone else and the location needed improvements. From the first day, sales increased 300 percent. Then many years of continued growth followed.
California native O’Brien started her business in 1996 after moving to Oswego to be with her husband Will. She got a $17,000 loan from the city of Oswego’s MicroEnterprise Training Program, hired three people and the business soon took off. She would go on to open an adjoining restaurant, The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co. Today the business employs 32. 10
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
The Red Sun Fire Roasting opened in 2010. Were you apprehensive at starting another business? I didn’t open Red Sun until I was open at Port City for 14 years. I had FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
aspirations along the way to open another restaurant. I had looked at other locations, Watertown, Syracuse, Auburn and Fulton. I got very close to opening in Fulton, but pulled out at the last minute. This was mostly due to a deep-rooted feeling that I was doing the wrong thing, both with regard to location and more importantly with regard to lifestyle. I wasn’t really enthusiastic about being in charge of two different locations where I had to spread my time between the two and be on the road traveling between them. Several years later, Jim Dauphin, the owner of the building next door, came to me and told me he was selling the building. My husband and I talked it over and decided we were going to buy the building so we didn’t have to worry about who would be our neighbor. We then had to decide what to do with the building. Originally when we had moved Port City Café & Bakery in 1999, there were plans of having a wood fire oven for pizzas. But we opted not to do it because of the expense. What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned through this whole process ? Owning a restaurant had definitely made me a better person. It has taught me to respect people for their opinions, their hard work and their passions. I have learned patience and self-control. I have gained self-confidence and humility all at the same time. I had so many obstacles. When I opened Port City, I was totally green. I had not even washed dishes or worked at a fast food chain. I just opened a restaurant without any experience at all. Opening Red Sun was a bit different, because I had 14 years of experience from PCCB. But I had no experience in a full service operation. It is unbelievably different and, trust me, I got tossed around a bit in the wake of inexperience there too — maybe even more so than with the first restaurant because I had a much bigger undertaking and an already built clientele and reputation that I couldn’t hide from. I had to live up to the reputation of PCCB from day one. That was hard physically and mentally. Monetarily, everything was in order, but as far as my own personal gauge of success, It took me probably five-plus years to get to the point where I actually felt I was doing things the way I wanted to and to be confident with the outcomes.
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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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PROFILE By Lou Sorendo
WAYNE WESTERVELT The Messenger: Chief Communication Officer at SUNY Oswego Makes Certain Everyone Is on Same Page
B
y Any Means Necessary”— For Wayne A. Westervelt, chief communication officer at SUNY Oswego, this phrase can stand as both a reflection of his professional approach as well as the name of his fantasy baseball league. For the Bronx native, both are key to a happy lifestyle. Westervelt, 48, is committed to excellence on both fronts. “I am a crazy Major League Baseball fanatic,” he said. He has been playing in the same fantasy baseball league for 20 years, hooking horns with former college buddies and friends. He is a five-time champion of his league, and the only owner who has won three consecutive titles. In a highly competitive 12-man league, those bragging rights are golden. “It’s a great way to keep in touch with college friends and people. The owners are from all over the state,” he said. “It’s day in and day out and very competitive.” Owners conduct a live draft, and also do a mid-summer get-together prior to the trade deadline. That normally involves a trip to New York City to take in a New York Mets or Yankees game. The other long-standing tradition Westervelt adheres to is getting with several of his longtime buddies and traveling to a different major league ballpark every year. “We’ve been doing that since the late ‘90s,” Westervelt said. “That has been a great way to not only ensure we get together once a year for three or four days, but to also travel to baseball stadiums in different cities,” he said. The group has about seven or eight stadiums left to complete the entire circuit.
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They have been to the iconic Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, as well as legendary Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. “I’ve always loved baseball,” said Westervelt, noting that people from the Bronx are “born in [Yankee] pinstripes.” “My family gives me a hard time now because my allegiance is to my players on my fantasy baseball team,” he said. Next on their agenda is a trip to Texas to take in the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. “My wife doesn’t go; it’s just the guys. It keeps us young,” Westervelt said. Given the extent of his job duties at SUNY Oswego, that need to rejuvenate is understandable. He is focused on the four core functions of the Office of Communications and Marketing — news and media;
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
digital services; publications; and marketing. From his office on the second floor of Culkin Hall, Westervelt guides a staff that is focused on managing the college’s vast communication network. “What I find most rewarding working on this campus is the culture and shared vision that comes from President Deborah Stanley and that is really shared by everybody,” he said. He said a shared commitment to excellence is tied to student success. “When our students go out into the world prepared, developed and succeed as alumni, it ultimately comes back on us. One of the biggest challenges and opportunities I have and our communications and marketing staff has is to broaden the exposure of those stories and the impact that our students, alum-
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
ni and the college has on the greater society,” he said.
Lifelines
Building blocks of knowledge
Birth date: Jan. 29, 1970 Birthplace: Bronx Education: Bachelor of Arts degree in English and communications, Le Moyne College, Syracuse; Master of Arts degree in public administration, Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Career highlights: 25-year career in public relations, communications and marketing in the public, private and higher education sectors Personal: Married to Julie, two adult sons Hobbies: Fantasy baseball, visiting Major League Baseball parks, walking, exercising, traveling
As an undergraduate at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, Westervelt’s original goal was to be an English teacher. While majoring in English, he dabbled in several marketing and advertising courses. He then experienced what would become a life-changing event. He began an internship during his junior year before he was slated to student teach. It was with Unity Life Insurance in Syracuse, working within its corporate relations department. During his internship, Westervelt attended to tasks that included working on annual reports with corporate relations personnel and developing internal communications and advertising with the chief executive officer. That was the spark he needed to begin engaging in a career in public relations and marketing. “I said, ‘Boy, I really like this. There is a lot of variety and I am really playing a role and having an impact on the organization’s success’,” he said. He was at a crossroads between his junior and senior year, and decided he would focus on working toward a bachelor’s degree in English and communications. Unity Life created a position for Westervelt after graduation as assistant director of corporate relations. He spent about four and a half years at the insurance company and met his wife Julie there, who was working in customer service. Westervelt grew up in Orange County, about an hour north of New York City. “I came up here to Le Moyne, got the job and met my future wife, who is from Syracuse. It’s a funny story because I say Central New York ‘had me.’ That was it,” he said. Westervelt then went on to work at Dairylea Cooperative in East Syracuse. “You get to a point where you’re learning as a young professional, but you want more,” he said. At Dairylea, he was the editor of a national cooperative magazine and began to understand cooperative member relations. He spent eight years at Dairylea, and then was hired at the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board in Syracuse. “That was really the time when I FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
started to become a true professional in communications and public relations,” he said. He handled all the public information and communications for a five-county regional planning board while focusing on economic development projects, land use and transportation issues, and environmental projects.
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continued on page 96 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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Publisher’s note By Wagner Dotto
O
swego County has a new No. 1 employer — Exelon Generation. The story behind how Exelon has become Oswego County’s largest employer is fascinating. It’s perhaps one of Central New York’s most successful stories of the 2010s. The region was about to lose more than 600 high-paying jobs when Entergy announced in November 2015 that it would close its James A. FitzPatrick power plant in Scriba, one of the three operating at this location. The reaction was immediate: the community got together, union workers mobilized and government and economic development officials pressured the state government to enact legislation that would help the nuclear industry in New York state. The months-long effort helped lay the basis for Exelon to buy James A. FitzPatrick from Entergy and keep all the jobs here. Exelon already operates two adjacent nuclear power plants,
Nine Mile Point 1 and 2. Since the acquisition, Exelon added 140 new employees, who replaced personnel that left for other employment or retired after the announced shutdown of the plant. In all, Exelon Generation now employs 1,525 workers in Oswego County, according to the 2018 CNY Business Guide. The number of employees places Exelon ahead of all other employers in the county, including SUNY Oswego, Oswego Health and Novelis. It’s worth noting that for each of these 1,525 workers, another 2.5 jobs in other industries are supported, according to a study by Camoin Associates, titled “Oswego County Economic Advancement Plan — Targeted Industry Analysis.” It’s great to have a company like Exelon in our backyard — it employs tons of people, pays its workers very well (the average annual wage for a worker at FitzPatrick is $120,000),
produces clean energy in a safe way and the company is fairly community-minded — it donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities and events taking place in the community. Excelon is a major sponsor of Harborfest, for example. “Our employees are also generous with their time and money,” said Chris Mudrick, senior vice president Northeast operations and chief operating officer, Exelon Nuclear in the cover story published in this issue. “Our employees logged more than 12,000 volunteer hours in 2016 alone.”
WAGNER DOTTO is the publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine.
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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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Where in the World is Sandra Scott?
Bolivia By Sandra Scott
South American country, which shares the border of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. It should be on everyone’s wish list
B
olivia, a landlocked South American country, is not on the radar or wish list of many travelers but maybe it should be. The majority of Bolivia’s landmass is located on the Altiplano plateau high in the Andes Mountain. It shares the border of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, with Peru. The area is considered the birthplace of the Incas and there are many fascinating archeological sites. The most significant site, Tiwanaku, is located between Lake Titicaca and Bolivia’s capital of La Paz. At
one time the shore of Lake Titicaca extended to Tiwanaku, a pre-Incan site and considered a spiritual site. The site’s Akapana Temple is situated on a manmade 50-foot hill with seven tiers with a stone statue framed in the opening. The interior walls of the nearby Sunken Temple are dotted with hundreds of heads — all different. A 10-foot high megalith, The Gateway to the Sun, may have been a calendar stone and was made from one huge stone not found locally. Bolivia is one of the few countries with two capitals. La Paz is the admin-
istrative capital and at an elevation of 12,000 feet is also the world’s highest capital city. Sucre, about 450 miles south of La Paz, is only at 9,000 ft. One of the most popular streets in La Paz is the Witch Doctor’s Street where vendors (witches?) in colorful dresses with a full skirt and a bowler hat tell fortunes by reading coca leaves. The stalls sell a variety of herbal remedies along with dried llama fetuses. It is no longer legal to sell dried fetuses so now they are only for show. Previously, before building a home, it was traditional to bury a
La Paz is Bolivia’s administrative capital and at an elevation of 12,000 feet is also the world’s highest capital city. 16
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
llama fetus on the site to ward off accidents and rid the building of bad spirits. Colorful handmade alpaca sweaters — known locally as “chompas” — make a great souvenir. For 100 years Quechua and Amaya women have considered bowler hats to be part of their native dress. The hats were introduced from England for the local railway workers who found the hats too small so they gave them to the women telling them it was all the fashion in England. Outside of La Paz is a place called Moon Valley which is a maze of canyons with unique sandstone formations of various shades of beige. There are two walking trails past some of the most interesting formations and places with the best views of La Paz. One of the health concerns when visiting Bolivia is altitude sickness, which typically occurs at an altitude of 8,000 feet or higher and can include difficulty breathing, headaches, loss of appetite, nausea or nose bleeds, but some lucky people have no problems while others may experience minor symptoms such as breathlessness at 5,000 feet. The best advice is to go slow, avoid strenuous activity, drink plenty of water, and avoid alcohol for 48 hours until acclimated, which usually happens in a day or two. Many hotels have oxygen for those who feel they need it especially while sleeping when breathing difficulties seem to be most pronounced. Americans visiting Bolivia need a valid passport and a visa which is good for 10 years and allows visa holders to stay 90 days a year. The fee is $160 and is available at any Bolivian consulate — in New York City, Washington, DC and other places. If that seems like a lot, it is, but it is the same amount Bolivians have to pay if they want a tourist visa for the U.S. It is referred to as a reciprocity fee.
Sandra Scott, a retired history teacher and the co-author of two local history books, has been traveling worldwide with her husband, John, since the 1980s. The Scotts live in the village of Mexico. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Traditional dress and hat of Bolivian women.
Tiwanaku, between Lake Titicaca and Bolivia’s capital of La Paz, is a pre-Incan site and considered a spiritual site.
Outside of La Paz is a place called Moon Valley which is a maze of canyons with unique sandstone formations of various shades of beige. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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SPECIAL REPORT By Kenneth Sturtz
Dying a Slow Death Shopping malls in Clay and DeWitt facing uncertain future as more stores close
I
n their heyday, Great Northern and ShoppingTown malls attracted an endless stream of people who fought for prime parking spots, hunted for sales at department stores and waited in long lines for their children to meet Santa Claus. But the suburban shopping malls in Clay and DeWitt have suffered a long decline as tenants have pulled out and shoppers waned. What is driving the decline and what might the future hold for Great Northern and ShoppingTown? “Retail across the board is changing for sure and I think the internet is the biggest driver,” says Robert Dou-
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cette, a developer who teaches real estate development at Le Moyne College and Syracuse University. “That’s a big chunk of sales.” Online retail has continued to grow and eat away at traditional brick and mortar retail. But the rise of online retailing is only a partial explanation. Many shopping malls – Penn Can Mall in Cicero, Tri-County Mall in Baldwinsville, Fayetteville Mall, Camillus Mall – struggled, were redeveloped or disappeared altogether long before the internet began eating into retail. “There used to be malls everywhere,” says Clay Town Supervisor Damian Ulatowski. “Now there are OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
skeletons of those left and the others are gone. There’s not even a footprint of them anymore. It’s sad to see that happen.” Experts long said Central New York had too many malls, as did much of the country. When Carousel Center was proposed 30 years ago critics asked if the community could support another, even bigger shopping mall. And the region has been plagued by stagnant population and a steady stream of large companies and jobs moving out. “There’s just so many retail dollars in the region,” Doucette says. “Perhaps there’s just too many FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
retail places for the buying power we have in Central New York.” Poor management almost certainly had a hand in the decline of Great Northern and ShoppingTown as well. California-based mall owner Macerich, which owned both properties, did little to revitalize them. The company ended up walking away from ShoppingTown in 2011 and Great Northern in 2015. Many experts have also pointed to competition from other malls, Macy’s facade at Great Northern Mall in Clay. The store closed in April 2017 as part of a massive reespecially newer shopping malls, as a structuring of the company that closed 65 stores across the country. Sixty-nine employees were affected reason many older at the local store. The space remains vacant. properties have struggled or folded. Great Northern into senior living or office space. “And now we’ve taken it one opened in 1988. ShoppingTown dates Mike Kohan, owner of Kohan step further by adding hospitality,” he to the 1950s, but was enclosed in the Real Estate Investment Group, bought says. 1970s. Great Northern last year for $8.5 Pyramid recently opened a 209The suburban shopping malls million. His company, which owns room hotel across the street from the scattered across Central New York had about 20 malls, specializes in buying mall. The developer is constructing a begun appearing as retail shopping in troubled malls. 192-room hotel at its Crossgates Mall downtown Syracuse faded. Then, in Kohan did not respond to phone property in Albany. 1990, the mall that eventually became messages, but his website hints at a Some space in ShoppingTown, Destiny USA opened in Syracuse. strategy of redeveloping malls into which recently lost its last food court “They affected some of the other mixed use space. That strategy would tenant, is already filled with non-retail malls here,” Doucette says. be in line with a growing trend in the uses such as gyms and clubs. But its Exactly how much Destiny USA shopping mall business away from the future remains uncertain. Its owner, affected older, smaller malls is hard traditional model of mostly retail. Moonbeam Capital Investments, did to say. Ulatowski believes Destiny “Entertainment and dining and not respond to phone messages. “sucked the life” from ShoppingTown, experiential, that’s what people are The company has experience reviPenn Can and Great Northern. craving,” says Joseph Castaldo, of Pyr- talizing malls and attracting non-retail Ulatowski says he thinks Great amid Management Group. “You need tenants. Northern hung on longer because it to give people a multitude of reasons Moonbeam was said to be finalizdrew a fair share of its shoppers from to come to the property.” ing plans a year ago to repurpose the the northern suburbs and Oswego Mall developer Pyramid, which mall with office, education or healthCounty. He still goes to the mall regowns Destiny USA, has been ahead of care tenants. At one point the idea of a ularly, but says on a recent trip it was the curve for years in moving toward call center was floated. impossible not to notice the vacancies. more tenants outside of retail, CastalBut plans for redevelopment “I don’t think we’re ever going do says. Its rebranding and expansion have yet to materialize and the mall to get back to what it was,” he says. of Destiny, which opened in 2012, remains in limbo. “There’s nobody that’s going to pull included restaurants and businesses Doucette says a property such as a rabbit out of a hat and reinvigorate offering entertainment and experiencShoppingTown will almost certainly Great Northern Mall as a shopping es. find a new use of some kind eventucenter. It’s going to have to be reimagEverything from bowling alleys, ally because of the heavy traffic in the ined.” IMAX theaters, and go-cart tracks, to area. What the reimagined space might trampoline centers, ropes courses and “It’s a prime location,” he says. be is anyone’s guess, Ulatowski says, fitness centers have entered Pyra“Could that be repurposed? Absolutethough he could see it being converted mid-owned malls, Castaldo says. ly.” FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
19
SPECIAL REPORT Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Does Work/Life Balance Even Exist? For some, the notion of achieving balance between work and life is as outdated as faxing and the flip phone
T
wenty years ago, workers left work at the workplace and home life at home. My, how times have changed! Constant connectivity, flextime, telecommuting, home-based businesses and growing entrepreneurship have blurred the lines between private life and work life. Is achieving work/life balance as outdated as faxing and the flip phone? Jackie Wallace, a career coach with 20
SUNY Oswego, said that managing the time to excel at both work and personal life “is more difficult” these days. “You’re always connected. It’s hard to carve out time to do stuff other than work, especially for an entrepreneur who’s always available.” Shifts in family dynamics, including more extra-curricular activities for children, dual income households, more single parent families and greater consumerism have crunched workers for OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
time. With less time, working people feel more struggle in their ability to meet the needs of both their work life and their personal life. Although the trend toward entrepreneurship means more people work in areas they enjoy and feel greater control over their work life, burnout is still possible if people remain “all work and no play” too often. “I am working within my passion, and I find myself working later,” Wallace admitted. “But you have to be careful with that to find enough time for other things.” She advises busy working people to say ‘no’ more to unnecessary obligations to carve out more personal time to exercise, spend time with family and just enjoy life. Talking with a mentor or personal coach may help cultivate ways to ensure both family and work get the attention they need. Jill Murphy, a life coach in Syracuse, said she advises clients to accept that sometimes work will demand extra time FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
and sometimes personal life will need more. Rigid “rules” about when and how much will result in frustration. But “if you’re out of balance in one area, it causes you to not be as successful in other areas,” Murphy said. “Take some time to reflect on your physical health, relationships and personal time. See if you need time to invest in any of those.” Wendy A. West Pidkaminy, licensed clinical social worker in Manlius, said that people “need to reset to be the best person we can be in each situation we’re in.” She tells clients to set aside time such as during their Wallace commute to shift out of “work mode” before seeing their families. Taking time to de-stress first can ensure quality family time. Remaining free of technology also helps reduce stress and break away from work worries. “Being present in ‘the now’ is so important. Don’t multi-task. Science is backing up that you should do one thing at a time and focus on what you’re doing,” said Pidkaminy. For those who operate home-based businesses, especially those that may involve the entire family such as farming, the work represents more of a lifestyle. But for many families, that lifestyle also provides a better quality of life that mitigates the effect of always being “on the job.” The work is more flexible and the family can enjoy more time together, even though it’s time spent working. Pidkaminy said that those most successful at lifestyle work ensure that every family member “feels good about what they’re doing and shares the values” about their lifestyle. But it’s still important to spend time together that doesn’t involve work and take time for one’s self. Pidkaminy wants employers to create a company culture where employees feel their private lives are respected, where someone could take time off to attend a child’s play, help an elderly parent move or use vacation time without repercussions, either actual or perceived. “Take a look at the employees and the policies,” Pidkaminy said. “See if you as a company are doing a good job at meeting your employees’ needs.” FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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NEWSMAKERS NEWS BRIEFS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES & BUSINESS PEOPLE
Adam Gagas Appointed CEO of Investment Firm Disciplined Capital Management (DCM), an SEC-registered investment adviser exclusively serving institutions, foundations, endowments and nonprofit organizations, announced that Adam C. Gagas, currently a principal of the firm, has assumed the title of president and chief executive officer effective Jan. 1. His new responsibilities will include strategic planning and day-to-day management of the company. He will also retain client portfolio and relationship responsibilities. “Our new titles are really just formalizing the roles that each of us has fulfilled since forming Disciplined Capital Management in 2015,” said Bob Ryan, a principal with DCM. “The past two and a half years that Adam and I have worked together have given him the opportunity to further refine his already strong leadership skills, work with our growing client base, and utilize his strategic vision to build an even stronger DCM. He is very well suited to continue delivering exceptional value to our clients.”
Ryan will now focus more on his role as chief investment officer. He will continue to oversee all aspects of DCM’s investment philosophy, research and incorporation of those concepts in the firm’s client portfolios. In addition, he will remain the primary contact on many client relationships. “DCM has an excellent set of resources to employ on behalf of our clients,” said Gagas, “not the least of which is the continued daily involvement of Bob as the overseer of our investment philosophy and Gagas process. We’re excited about our future and what we can do for our not-for-profit clients.” Adam and Ryan will continue to be assisted by Craig Buckhout, principal, and Ethan Gilbert, vice president of investments. Ted Scallon and Sharon Craig will also continue in their roles as executive vice president of client relations, and director of client relations/ chief compliance officer, respectively.
NBT Promotes Denny to Assistant VP NBT Bank Retail Market Manager Lori Teifke announced Pulaski Branch Manager Laura Denny has been promoted to assistant vice president. Denny has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She graduated from SUNY Cobleskill Denny with an associate’s degree in business administration. Denny is involved with The Greater Pulaski Community Fund, Pulaski Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, the Pulaski Alumni Association and the local Economic Task Force.
United Way Appoints New Finance Director Corrie Butler has been named the new finance director at United Way of Greater Oswego County. A native of Fulton, Butler, who holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oswego, previously worked as the accounts receivable manager at The Country Vintner in Richmond, Va. As financial director, Butler will be responsible for all financial aspects of United Way including tracking the re-
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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
sults of in-house United Way cam paigns conducted by local companies as well as donations from small businesses and individuals, payroll, audits, and the agency’s annual budget. “Corrie is a welcome addition to our staff,” said PatButler rick Dewine, executive director of United Way. “Her knowledge and experience, combined with her passion for helping others, will serve her well in her new position as finance director at United Way.” Butler, who returned home to be closer to her family, is pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of United Way. “Having been a stay-at-home mom for a few years I’m looking forward to working for such a great organization as United Way,” said Butler. “I was aware of United Way but I did not realize the scope of the work it does and how many programs and services it supports.”
Oswego Industries to Expand Production Oswego Industries is expanding its document imaging and digitizing program with plans to hire 18 more employees this year. The nonprofit agency located in Fulton was founded in 1968 with a mission to support Davis a n d i m p ro v e quality of life for adults with disabilities. It currently employs more than 180 people. Document imaging, scanning and shredding has been part of Oswego Industries operations for over three years. The document imaging and digitalizing program currently processes about 100,000 images per month, but has plans to increase output to more than 250,000 per month. One of the companies Oswego Industries partners with for its imaging demands recently agreed to supply FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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an additional 4.5 million images to be digitized over the next three years. This expansion nearly triples the workload of the digitizing department and created the opportunity for Oswego Industries to hire new employees. “Our community is experiencing slowed economic development and we hope that these new positions will stimulate growth,” said Laurie Davis, executive director of Oswego Industries. “We are excited to provide so many jobs for applicants from a wide range of employment experiences including recent graduates, people returning to the workforce and skilled professionals.”
New CPA Firm Opens in Pulaski Peters & Associates, CPAs, P.C., regional firm with six locations across New York state, is opening a new office in downtown Pulaski. The firm specializes in a wide range of financial services for businesses and individuals, including tax planning and preparation, small business accounting and consulting services, estate planning and investment advice. The Pulaski practice is being jump-started by the merger/acquisition of Kessler Accounting & Tax Service. Shirley Kessler has joined Peters & Associates, CPAs, P.C. as a tax manager. Matt Hill, who has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting, will head the office. He specializes in small businesses, agricultural and personal tax preparation, tax planning, management consulting, estate planning, business transfers and succession planning. Hill will also offer training and support for clients using QuickBooks accounting software. “By combining with our larger presence in Central New York, the Pulaski accounting practice will benefit from the broader resources of a much larger firm,” says Mark Peters, Peters & Associates, CPAs, P.C. president. The firm has locations in Syracuse, Utica, Old Forge, Seneca Falls, and New York City.
CPA firm Announce Promotions Grossman St. Amour CPAs PLLC, a certified public accounting firm based FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
in Syracuse that has been in business for more than 60 years, has announced the following promotions: • Alexander J. Dorn, CPA, has been promoted to manager. He has been with the firm for six years and practices in the areas of accounting and bookkeeping, income, payroll and sales tax return preparation. Dorn works with clients in various industries including advertising, construction, real estate, manufacturing and distribution and physicians and medical practices. He received his Master of Business Administration degree and Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Le Moyne College. He is a resident of East Syracuse. • Scott M. Heyman, CPA, has been promoted to manager. He has been with the firm for five years and practices in the areas of accounting and bookkeeping and income tax preparation for individuals, partnerships, S and C Corporations, trusts and nonprofit entities. Heyman works with clients in various industries such as transportation and shipping, construction and real estate, retail, financial advisers, and affordable housing. Heyman received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Le Moyne College. He is a resident of East Syracuse. • Jeffrey R. Vaughn, CPA, CVA (certified valuation analyst), has been promoted to manager. He practices in the areas of accounting, income tax preparation and income tax planning for businesses and individuals. His clients include physicians and medical groups, real estate companies, and various other industries. He has special expertise in business valuations and financial forecasts, and is a Microsoft Office Specialist Expert. Vaughn received his Master of Science degree in accounting from Syracuse University and his Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the Rutgers Business School. He is a resident of Fayetteville. • Sean M. Larkin has been promoted to supervisor. He has been with the firm for three years. Larkin practices in the areas of accounting and auditing. His clients include nonprofit entities, affordable housing, school districts, retail, and employee benefit plans. Larkin received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in accounting from Niagara University. He resides in Baldwinsville.
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Fitzwater Interns with Chirello Advertising SUNY Oswego junior Olivia Fitzwater has joined Chirello Advertising as an intern for the spring semester. Fitzwater, a native of Hammondsport, will work on researching, writing and advertising via social media for different events and clients in the community. Fitzwater will also be working on a variety projects involving video production and web design. Dealing with the business components of advertising, Fitzwater will experience day-to-day operations of an advertising firm and its communication with its clients. “I am delighted to welcome Olivia to our team,” said Steve Chirello, the agency’s owner. “Her marketing and statistics background will truly be an asset to our clients.” At SUNY Oswego, Fitzwater is a member of the Vega Women’s Honor Society. Within Vega, Fitzwater is a part of the public relations sector, where she assists in planning and advertising for fundraising and other community events. She is also a member of SUNY Oswego’s club basketball team, which was just established last year. The Women in Business club is also a new club at SUNY Oswego which she has taken part. Before joining Chirello Advertising, Fitzwater worked in the purchasing department of SUNY Oswego for a semester. Currently, she works at the college Lifestyle Center in the Mary Walker Health Center. As a student worker, Fitzwater coordinates with and assists students both in person and over
the phone, while completing a variety of office tasks. “Working in both of these SUNY Oswego positions has shown me that working in a marketing or public relations environment and interacting with people is my ultimate goal,” she said.
AmeriCU: Best Companies to Work For in NYS AmeriCU, a nonprofit financial institution serving nine counties in Central and Northern New York, was recently named one of the 2018 best companies to work for in New York state. Created in 2007, these celebrated annual awards are designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in New York, whose practices benefit the state’s businesses, economy, and work-
force. AmeriCU was previously awarded the honor in 2014 and 2016. “AmeriCU is honored to be chosen, once again, as one of the best companies to work for in New York state. Our commitment to providing our members with best-in-class service, top-of-theline technological offerings, and the right financial products to help them succeed is only possible because of the dedication, engagement, knowledge, and care of our outstanding employees,” said Mark Pfisterer, president and CEO of AmeriCU. “We know how important it is to invest in employee satisfaction, training, and development so that we can continue to attract and retain employees who provide excellent service and exceed our members’ expectations in every interaction,” said Pfisterer. AmeriCU will be honored at an awards dinner April 18 in Albany.
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DiningOut By Lou Sorendo
Restaurant
Guide
Best Bets for Breakfast Oswego has tradition of excellent breakfast venues for hungry Port City community
I
t’s fuel for thought. The Oswego community has many options when it comes to breakfast venues in the Port City. There is the iconic Wade’s Diner on the city’s east side and legendary Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner on the west side, but the city also offers an array of eateries with their own special niches. There is down-home family cooking at Maria’s Family Restaurant, a healthy approach at The Cutting Board, and a café atmosphere at Port City Café & Bakery and Oswego Tea Company Café & Bakery. Without a doubt, these eateries cater to virtually every taste imaginable.
Here is a recap of each: 28
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Wade’s Diner
W
hat Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In is to fish dinners and Texas hots, Wade’s Diner is to breakfast. The iconic restaurant has served customers in Oswego for more than 80 years. The original owner, Neal Wade, started the business in a Pullman car, or a railroad sleeping car. Anthony Zappala and Joseph Clark have owned and operated the diner since 1983. Wade’s is located at 176 E. Ninth St., Oswego, at the intersection of East Ninth and Bridge streets. For the last several years, Wade’s Diner has been enjoying a steady flow of college students. However, in 2017, that traffic slowed. “I don’t know why it seems they don’t know that we are here,” said Tracy Fox, manager and head waitress at Wade’s. She and her husband Teddy Straight, the head cook, met at Wade’s Diner. She noted perhaps many past graduates did not spread the word down to the younger students. Wade’s is now open until 1 p.m. on Sundays to accommodate a later crowd. “They don’t have to be done by 1. They just have to be in the door or in line by closing time and they will get fed,” she said. Fox advised patrons to car pool because of the lack of parking. She also noted that only cash is accepted. Fox said Wade’s is famous for its omelets as well as its homemade raisin bread and French toast. All omelets come with home fries and toast. In 2017, Wade’s started serving
The Cutting Board
Tracy Fox, right, manager and head waitress at Wade’s Diner in Oswego, joins server Kirstie DeGrande during a recent morning rush. a steak omelet, which is especially good with mushrooms and onions. “We make all our own bread here — white, wheat, cinnamon raisin and rye,” said Fox, noting Wade’s has its own bakery downstairs and makes its own bread four times a week. Patrons can also purchase breads to take out. Wade’s also is popular for its wraps, pancakes, frittatas, sausage gravy and biscuits, oatmeal, and several varieties of egg white omelets for those who enjoy a healthier selection. One of the unique aspects of Wade’s is the wait staff does not write down orders at tables. Instead, they memorize the orders then write down the specifics for the cooks. “It cuts down on time,” said Fox, who has worked at Wade’s for 15 years. Fox taught the different system to fellow server Kirstie DeGrande. “She was doing it within a month. It’s all about focus and concentration and really listening to what customers want,” she said.
Wade’s Diner in Oswego is known for its tasty omelets, home fries and cinnamon raisin toast.
Wade’s Diner Phone: 315-343-6429 Hours: Open from 6 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays Website: www.wadesdineroswego.com Facebook: @Wades-Diner
Chelsea Wahrendorf, owner of The Cutting Board in Oswego, gets ready to serve a breakfast burrito
F
or those looking for an alternative when it comes to breakfast fare, The Cutting Board, 35 W. Bridge St., Oswego, is quite a feasible option. The business features a deli, sandwich shop and restaurant. Owner Chelsea Wahrendorf has done an admirable job in transforming the business into an upbeat sandwich, salad and soup shop that features unique tastes and a great presentation within a hip atmosphere. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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The business opened on April 19, 2012. The Cutting Board itself was inspired by Wahrendorf’s desire to bring healthier and fresher options to Oswego’s breakfast and lunch crowd. “I feel a lot of young people these days are trying to move toward a more health-conscious way of eating,” Wahrendorf said. She noted there is also a large number of vegetarians and vegans among the college population, and many patronize her business because of its healthy offerings.
Wahrendorf noted the business offers an eclectic array of foods to choose from. Popular offerings include breakfast burritos, as well as smashed avocado toast with hard-boiled eggs and a breakfast bowl of hummus, poached eggs, avocado and mushrooms. Wahrendorf said her business is not a diner. “If you’re looking for that diner atmosphere, there are a lot of great options in Oswego. But if you’re looking for something different, there really isn’t [alternative venues]. I feel that sets me
apart. I’m not a diner but more focused on a composed dish as opposed to typical diner fare,” she noted.
The Cutting Board Phone: 315-343-1008 Hours: The Cutting Board is open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays. Facebook: @thecuttingboard35
Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner
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or many Oswegonians, Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner in Oswego is tradition. The diner, located at 359 W. First St., has been an Oswego dining staple for more than 35 years. “We provide a hardy, homemade, tasty meal in a social atmosphere. Our portions are big and are prices are fair,” said owner Philip Reitz Jr., son of founder Philip “Jocko” Reitz. “We focus on quality ingredients and in spite of rising food costs, we have increased quality and still kept pricing competitive. We hope our customers appreciate the care that has gone into providing value and making their dining experience enjoyable. A diner represents how food and community can come together to build a positive social experience. “That said, a diner is not only about providing a friendly, social gathering place for locals to eat and chat, but also about supporting the community as well,” he said. Ritz Diner has sponsored its Oswego Little League team for the better part of 30 years. Its vestibule area has been a regular posting place to advertise local gatherings, benefits, and businesses, and the diner has donated thousands of dollars to local benefits and charities during its 36 years of business. Reitz said the diner’s diverse crowd is a testament to the diner’s appeal as well.
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One of the featured selections on the breakfast menu at Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner is the breakfast boat. Teal Palmer, a server at Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner in Oswego, serves up a breakfast boat, a popular selection on an extensive breakfast menu. “Throughout our tenure, we have hosted an eclectic crowd — from college students, locals, regulars, seniors, tourists, families, fishermen and business customers. It really rounds out the social experience. We even have people come from out-of-town just to eat with us because they like our Facebook food posts,” Reitz noted. “It goes without saying, but we truly care about customer satisfaction, and over the past few years we have tried our hardest not to rest on our laurels, especially in the case of menu diversity,” Reitz said. The diner features daily, holiday, and seasonal specials, and it refreshes its menu every three months. “The items that become fixtures on our menu are entirely up to our customers. We analyze sales data and use that to establish more permanent menu items,” Reitz said. “In effect, customers vote on our menu OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
without realizing it. If customers are looking for something new, we always listen. So let us know.” Soon, the diner will be providing a breakfast and lunch catering menu for local businesses and gatherings. Of course, talking about the diner would not be complete without mentioning its founder, Philip “Jocko” Reitz. “Born an entertainer and always a gas, he was an unforgettable, original, accept no substitutions, charismatic, tell it how it is, electrifying kind of guy. He founded this business in earnest to bring people together and entertain them with his unique persona,” his son says on the diner’s website.
The Ritz Phone: 315-342-0947 Hours: The diner is open from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Website: www.jockosritzdiner.com Facebook: @JockosRitzDiner FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Maria’s Family Restaurant
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n Italy, breakfast is known as colazione. Maria Conzone, owner and general manager of Maria’s Family Restaurant, 111 W. Second St., Oswego, brings a taste of Italy to the Port City with her daily food specialties and allday breakfast. Conzone is celebrating her sixth year in business in February. She noted more college students are patronizing her business every year. “I feel that we are an in-between restaurant. We’re not expensive, and we are not a diner per se, not that they are bad or anything,” she said. “We’re in the middle where I can serve you a nice, home-cooked meal.” Of course, Conzone adheres to the “Italian way,” which is to ensure patrons’ bellies are full and appetites satisfied when they leave. The restaurant features its signature cinnamon roll pancakes. Conzone also makes her own raisin bread, and other
homemade delicacies include scalloped potatoes, sauces and desserts. “My parents were in the restaurant business and I was practically born in restaurant. It’s in my blood,” she noted. Conzone said she gets her gratification from seeing people enjoy her food as well as patrons who socialize from table to table. “As far as the college kids, if ever they are downtown and anything happens, we have a safe place and they can come here. We’ll take care of them,” she said. In terms of her senior and local customers, “they are my friends and family here at Maria’s,” she said. The family-owned-and-operated business offers plenty of street and parking lot parking.
The Oswego Tea Company Café and Bakery
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he Oswego Tea Company Café and Bakery, 157 E. First St., Oswego, is a breakfast and brunch restaurant. It is an upscale cafe and bakery that specializes in homemade breads and pastries, and is known for its “amazing” cinnamon raisin bread. All of its homemade breads are available for order, including raisin bread, garlic mozzarella, cheddar jalapeño, and gluten-free breads. The business serves breakfast all day and offers free lunch delivery with a minimum $10 purchase. “This is my absolute favorite place in Oswego. Great selection of teas, and the best raisin bread anywhere. They have specials for breakfast and lunch that are always delicious, and the service is top-notch. They also don’t mind if you hang out and use the Wi-Fi while drinking multiple pots of tea. Atmosphere is FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
comfortable and serene,” said Barbara Warren of Rochester online. Owner Lisa Shaw said online that the business is dedicated to using only the most fresh, locally sourced ingredients. “We offer a variety of homemade breads and pastries, made from scratch in house daily,” her website states. Her menus feature a variety of breakfast foods, salads, sandwiches, wraps and soups. The café and bakery also features coffee, specialty drinks and teas, including black, green, fruit, herbal, rooibos, and white teas. “We are proud to serve Starbucks beverages that our highly trained barista staff has perfected, giving you the drinks you love, local!” the website states. The business is popular for its omelets, frittata and crepes. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Jennifer Saltalamachia, manager at Maria’s Family Restaurant in Oswego, serves up an Italian omelet complete with a side of hashed browns and the restaurant’s famous cinnamon roll pancake.
Maria’s
Phone: 315-216-4562 Hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday Facebook: www.facebook.com/MariasFamily-Restaurant
One selection that may appeal to college students is The Kitchen Sink. It is a plate loaded with home fries, bacon, ham, and cheddar cheese. It is topped with two eggs of choice and sausage gravy. Breakfast burritos and sandwiches are also available. Also featured are pancakes and Belgian waffles. Brunch is served from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Lunch, vegetarian and gluten-friendly selections are available from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.
The Oswego Tea Company Café and Bakery
Phone: 315-343-0439 Hours: The business is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. Website: https://oswegoteaco. wordpress.com/ Facebook: @Oswegoteacompany
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SPECIAL REPORT Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Is the Office Romance Dead? At a time of ‘Me Too’ when women are denouncing men as sex predators, is there room for the office romance?
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ove can blossom in the strangest of places, including the conference room. But office romances can foster a bevy of problems for companies. What may begin as a mutually increasing romantic interest between two workers can morph into unwanted advances for one. If a person with authority makes an advance toward an underling, the latter can feel pressured into accepting unwanted advances for fear of repercussions. As demonstrated through the widespread “Me Too” movement, in which women have begun to speak openly about past alleged sexual assault in the workplace, inappropriate behavior can also go far beyond unwanted flirtations into criminal acts. For those reasons — and more — most companies discourage romantic relationships among employees. “The vast majority of companies that have written policies have a policy prohibiting romantic relationships between supervisors and their direct reports,” said Robert Rogers, founder of 3C Human Resources Consulting, LLC in Syracuse. “Virtually every handbook that I write for clients includes this type of policy.” He added that in general, some companies are expanding the policy to prohibit dating between supervisors and any employees, regardless to whom they report. Policies about relationships not involving a supervisory role aren’t as common. Usually, policies refer to
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prohibiting interference and distraction in the workplace rather than the relationship itself. Companies can’t control how people feel, only how they behave, while at work. Public displays of affection (PDAs) can make other employees feel uncomfortable, convey favoritism, and make the workplace less professional. PDAs also can cause clique-like behavior that undermines the teamwork employers want to cultivate among employees. But it’s even worse when a couple fights at work. “Not only does this become a distraction for the two employees but it often makes other co-workers uncomfortable and, in turn, can affect their performance at work,” Rogers said. “While I have actually seen a couple of workplace romances lead to marriage for the employees, more often, the relationship at some point ends.” When that happens, the ensuing drama can draw in other employees and greatly hamper productivity and esprit de corps. Rogers thinks that when a relationship interferes with work, human resources should address the situation like any other employee issue. “It is important to point out it is not necessarily the relationship that is being judged, rather it is the specific workplace behavior that must be modified,” Rogers said. The company should also delineate its policies between consensual relationships and harassment. “Where the concern is primarily is OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
if it’s a supervisor/subordinate relationship because that can lead to problems down the road if someone’s scorned,” said Amy Pietrafesa, manager with Pinnacle Human Resources LLC, in Syracuse. “They could say there were unwanted advances and twist things around.” Pietrafesa offered a sample policy: ABC Company prohibits fraternization among employees. These activities are forbidden to maintain company image and morale, to protect and ensure fair and uniform treatment of subordinates, to maintain organizational integrity and the ability to achieve operational goals, and to prevent unauthorized transfers of information. Relations and activities forbidden under this anti-fraternization policy range from romantic and sexual liaison, to excessive familiarity and disrespect of rank due to familiarity. “The above is quite restrictive and difficult to enforce,” Pietrafesa said. “A policy should clearly spell out which conducts are forbidden and which are permitted.” She added that a company policy may prohibit fraternization and romantic entanglements that pose a risk of a conflict of interest, disrupt business or create an unprofessional work environment, all in the company’s perspective. “The policy may require an employee who engages in a romantic relationship with a co-worker to report it to his supervisor so the company can determine if it violates the policy,” Pietrafesa said. Unfortunately, an employee who can’t comply with policy and allow a relationship to disrupt the workplace may be asked to leave. A policy that’s too restrictive can cause an employer to lose an otherwise good workers; however, a fair Pietrafesa policy combined with understanding from all parties involved can ensure that work and love can coexist. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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SPECIAL REPORT
Striking Out On Their Own
First DBAS of 2018
First small business certificates (DBAs) filed in Onondaga and Oswego counties in 2017 include a contractor who wants to donate part of hisprofits to charity and a retired couple who’s starting an antique business
1 King 1 Dream in Constantia Founded on Religious Belief
Jeremy Champney filed his dba at 2:14 p.m., Jan. 2. He was the first person to file a business certificate in Oswego this year.
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arly in the afternoon of Jan. 2, Jeremy Champney drove all the way to Oswego from Constantia, where he lives. Here, at 2:14 p.m. he handed the Oswego County Clerk’s office $42 and registered the county’s first DBA (doing business as) certificate of 2018. His newly formed business, 1 King 1 Dream, is a business of many functions. Primarily a local contracting business dealing mainly in residential remodeling and repair, 1 King 1 Dream’s services also include hardwood flooring, ceramic tiling, drywall, paving, concrete pads, carpentry, framing, decks, sidewalks, and painting. “We do any type of steel work or
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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
“I look at my business as more of a ministry than as a business.”
Jeremy Champney
welding that needs to be done,” he said. “We custom-build utility trailers and go-karts. We do frame body work on vehicles.” Champney told Oswego County Business carpentry and metal framing are his specialty. But what sets 1 King 1 Dream apart, he said, is really its pricing structure based on the customer’s income. Champney attributes that socially-concerned attitude to his religious faith, “serving the king, Jesus Christ, by serving mankind.” “People who can’t afford a regular contractor can call me, and in that way, I can help them out. I look at my business as more of a ministry than as a business.” The name for Champney’s new business comes from his new-found faith in Christianity. “There is only one king,” he said, “and only one dream, and that dream is to serve people and to love people for the king, Jesus Christ.” Champney also works with The Right Move and Associates, a Syracuse moving company. They, too, adhere to the means-based pricing structure of 1 King 1 Dream. Not only is his pricing structure altruistic, he said he intends to give a portion of his profits to Teen Challenge of Syracuse, a rehab center fighting opioid addiction. Champney is 21 and has a young daughter. He has been working toward this dream for the past year. “I really focus on quality over quantity,” Champney said. “Quality is what’s most important, that the job is done right, and that the customer is getting what they pay for.” He is insured and his work is guaranteed, he said. 1 King 1 Dream is located at 531 Salt Road but will work anywhere in Oswego and Onondaga counties. The business phone number is 315-6239066. Champney can also be found on Facebook and occasionally advertises on Craigslist.
By Randy Pellis FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Marvin Zimmerman and his wife Susan at their Tully home. The couple filed one of the very first business certificates with Onondaga County Clerk’s Office. They will sell collectibles online.
Couple from Tully to Sell Collectibles Online
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arvin Frederick Zimmerman of Tully filed one of the very first business certificates (dba) of 2018 in Onondaga County when he showed up at the Onondaga County Clerk’s office in downtown Syracuse Jan. 2. Zimmerman received his dba for Daxman Unlimited, an internet sales company in which he and his wife, Susan, will be selling collectibles. Daxman Unlimited will allow Zimmerman to continue his love of dealing in collectibles and augment his income, he said. The 66-year-old, a retired teacher from the Homer School District, said he’s been collecting since his 20s, and in a sense is following in his father’s footsteps, since his dad loved antique cars. He and his wife also enjoy going to auctions and thrift shops to hunt for their treasures. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
But Zimmerman plans to offer an inventory that’s quite extensive, which is why he’s included “Unlimited” in the title, and utilize various e-commerce sites, such as Poshmark, Craigslist, and Ebay. Eventually, he hopes to get on Amazon, as well, he said. While e-commerce sites do a lot of the marketing for their vendors, Zimmerman also studies the established sellers on these websites and what they use as the keywords to drive sales to their listings. His user name on Ebay is Teech51. He’s hopeful, too, that not only will his postings generate sales but let people know what other collectibles he may be looking to purchase. His goal is to eventually have 1,000 listings.
By Mary Beth Roach 35
Workers mount a sign in front of the new Comley’s Country Creamery on Fraser Road, Mexico. The dairy store is scheduled to open in late February.
New Dairy Store to Open in Mexico Comley’s Country Creamery to sell premium bottled milk, among a variety of other products
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couple years ago Will Comley, who milks about 70 cows on a farm in Mexico, says he and his family came to a realization. “We felt as though our choice was to get in the volume game and milk more cows, move on or find a way to make it more profitable,” Comley says. With preparations nearly complete, Comley plans to open a store, Comley’s Country Creamery, at his Fraser Road farm in late February. Along with items produced in the area — maple syrup, eggs, cheese and baked goods — he will to sell chocolate and regular bottled milk from his farm. “I’ve always wanted to connect with customers who consume my products,” he says. “We want people to feel confident with our products.”
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Comley is a lifelong farmer. Before moving to Central New York about a decade ago, he and his wife had a farm in Steuben County. Comley shared what every farmer who milks cows knows: the dairy business, especially for small farms, is “extremely challenging.” Volatile milk prices in recent years have hammered dairy farmers. In 2009 many farms struggled to survive when the price per 100 pounds of milk dropped below $12. Five years later the price had shot up to $24. But now prices are in the $15 range, which, Comley says, is about what he was getting for milk in the mid-1980s when he first started farming on his own. That fact led him to begin to consider other opportunities.
Comley and his wife have seven children. All are interested in the farm, but they mostly work jobs elsewhere, he says. It made sense to open a store in an effort to make the farm more profitable for his family, he says. “My goal really has been to be able to continue the satisfaction I have with the farm business and be doing it in a way that I can be profitable,” he says. Most small dairy farms simply wholesale their milk to a processor and get paid a flat rate. But the margins can be far better for a farm that can retail some of its own milk. Although they had plenty of experience producing and wholesaling milk, Comley and his wife had never retailed their milk before. So, he began by visiting more than a dozen farms that process their own milk to learn more about the process. Things slowly began to take shape. They built a store onto their barn and furnished it. And they converted a two-car garage into a needed walk-in cooler. They also acquired the necessary equipment for bottling and pasteurization. Comley says one of the biggest challenges was getting a store license and milk dealer’s license. The milk sold at the store will be pasteurized, but not homogenized, meaning the cream will rise to the top of the bottle. The dairy farm will continue to wholesale some of its milk, Comley says, and at first will sell bottles of milk only at its store. Eventually, depending on how successful the store concept is, Comley hopes to sell bottled milk to stores in the area and produce ice cream on his farm. Buying milk directly from the farmer has a number of advantages over purchasing it in a grocery store, Comley says. The milk will be as fresh as possible. And then there’s the taste, which he says most milk found in grocery stores today is lacking. “I believe the flavor will sell the milk on its own,” he says. “We won’t be the cheapest milk on the market, but we consider it premium milk.” And there is an added aspect to knowing exactly where a product comes from. “Customers will be able to look out to the pasture and see the cows,” Comley says.
BUSINESS UPDATE
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
By Ken Sturtz FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Architectural Rendering of The Pier, a banquet facility that is being built on the shores of Oneida River in Central Square. The facility is expected to be open for business in May.
Limp Lizard Owner to Open Banquet Center On Oneida River
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Site of former Calypso Cay and Dockside Grill in Central Square to become banquet facility
he shoreline of the Oneida River in Central Square is getting a new business this spring. The former Calypso Cay and Dockside Grill location is being renovated into a new wedding, banquet and events center called The Pier. The site on Dockside Drive was purchased late last year by Chuck Orlando, who owns the Limp Lizard Bar and Grill on Onondaga Boulevard, near Western Lights in Syracuse, and an extensive catering business. He opened that popular restaurant in 2004, and is also partner in the two other Limp Lizard restaurants in Liverpool and North Syracuse. “We’ve been looking for a place to do weddings, banquets, corporate, fundraisers,” Orlando said. “It’s the next phase for us.” Crews from GRF & Sons and Fire Brothers, two local contractors, are working on the renovation, which includes completely gutting the interior of the building, except for the kitchen. Although the majority of a large block wall still needs to be taken down and
steel installed, Orlando is confident the place will be done by mid-April for an opening in early May. There are already several weddings booked, he said. When completed, The Pier, which is 5,000 square feet, will feature an open floor plan of approximately 3,500 square feet that can accommodate 250 guests comfortably, a wall of new doors and windows with views of the river, a covered patio area, and parking for 110. For brides and grooms, there is also enough space to have the ceremony and the reception. And while the Limp Lizard is known for its barbecue, The Pier has its own kitchen, with a wide variety of food options being offered. Barbecue is still on The Pier’s menu, of course, but there is also a selection of hors d’oeuvres, Italian dishes, fish, poultry, pork and beef. While he is making sure The Pier has a presence at many of the area’s bridal shows this season, Orlando is also meeting couples at the venue, and the location seems to sell itself, with a little dose of Orlando’s enthusiasm. “I get excited. When I get them here,
BUSINESS UPDATE
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Owner Chuck Orlando, far right, with renovation crew members Keith Fire, Gary Fire and Greg Cross pause during work at the former Calypso Cay and Dockside Grill, which is expected to reopen as a banquet facility in May. I get them jazzed too,” he said. Orlando said he had looked at the property several years ago for a possible location for another Limp Lizard. “I looked at this eight years ago, and we were going to do a Limp Lizard here. Thank God, it didn’t work out. It’s too seasonal in this area for what we do,” Orlando said. He believes, though, the spot will work well for a venue to hold special events. He is hoping to operate it yearround, and is estimating having a staff of 10 to 15 employees. He declined to discuss any financial aspects of the business.
By Mary Beth Roach 37
Plans flow smoothly
Atom Avery, left, and business partner Mark Donabella recently opened 5 Points Wine & Liquor at the forks of the road in Oswego.
5 Points Wine & Liquor
Opens at Forks of Road in Port City Owners say it will fill void left by Paura’s Liquor store, destroyed by fire in 2017
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here are many options when you come to the forks in the road. For entrepreneurs and business partners Atom Avery and Mark Donabella, they have literally established a new business at what is commonly known as the “forks in the road” on the west side of Oswego. The business is 5 Points Wine & Liquor, 1 Washington Boulevard, located adjacent to West Bridge Street (state Route 104 West). The partners have known each other since the third grade in Oswego’s own Leighton Elementary School. “Actually, I’ve been interested in the wine and liquor business for a long time,” said Avery, noting he approached other liquor stores in the city about 10 years ago to find out what their future plans were. When a fire destroyed Paura’s Liquor Store on West Bridge Street last
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May, it left a void in the local market. That void deepened when Paura’s decided not to rebuild or reopen. “That opened the door for a replacement liquor store,” Avery said. The store’s sales floor features 2,000 square feet of space and features roughly 1,900 items and more than 40,000 bottles. Both partners are involved in the local real estate market as investors. They are also planning to create a convenience store adjacent to the business that formerly served as a kitchen. The new convenience store will feature products that complement the wine and liquor business, such as mixers, sodas, tonics, ice and beer. Avery noted the convenience store will make the business a “one-stop” shop for those planning special events and parties.
Donabella noted one of the foremost challenges in launching the business was dealing with the flood of distributors and their sales representatives. While there are two major distributors — Southern Wine & Spirits and Empire Merchants North — there are several reps selling different products. “The process was overwhelming at first. However, taking the time to meet and plan our initial orders with our sales representatives proved to be rewarding,” Donabella said. In terms of staffing, the owners hired three employees from the former Paura’s Liquor Store. One of the employees, Ann Yablonski, has worked for more than 18 years in the wine and liquor industry. On Feb. 22, the store will be offering a unique experience in the form of a bourbon seminar. Bourbon isn’t the only featured spirit on the shelves at 5 Points. The store also carries Ryze vodka, an award-winning beverage that is produced by Lock 1 Distilling Co. in Phoenix. There will be tastings set up to showcase Ryze and more throughout the year. Avery noted there is a market for people who desire New York state wines. White wines in particular have been very popular. While the two major distributors carry all the well-known brand names, the store partners will work with many local wineries that handle their own distribution. As a result, 5 Points carries New York state favorites, including Colloca Estate, Thousand Islands and Heron Hill wineries, all based in New York state. Many wine enthusiasts are loyal to particular wineries. “They want to support them, and we do too,” Avery said. Both owners are native Oswegonians. Avery is the owner of Avery Rental Properties, All Seasons Inn, The Beacon Hotel and co-owner of The Gardens by Morningstar, an assisted living facility in Oswego. Donabella, who was a school teacher for 12 years, now owns rental properties in Oswego.
BUSINESS UPDATE
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
By Lou Sorendo FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Michelle and Tom Dunsmoor of Dunsmoor Construction Inc. in Oswego Town look over plans for an upcoming project.
Dunsmoor Construction Inc. Celebrates 30-year Milestone Tom Dunsmoor was framing houses in Boston for a contractor who was his age. “I said to myself, ‘He’s doing it. Why can’t I?’ He and his then wife-to-be Michelle started their business in 1988
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ebruary marks the 30th anniversary for Dunsmoor Construction Inc. Owners Tom and Michelle Dunsmoor have enjoyed a fairly stable level of business for quite some time as their business turns 30. Tom has been in charge of construction and supervising while Michelle has managed office operations and human resources. The couple agrees that their skills complement each other, contribFEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
uting to the business’ success. “It is a milestone for us. When we started, I don’t think either one of us anticipated that we would have had a stretch this long,” Tom said. “Business is great, and that comes from Tom’s reputation for quality craftsmanship,” Michelle noted. Keys to their success also include cultivating solid relationships with employees, customers and vendors. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Michelle said, “The projects the company has done around the Oswego area and its reputation with local suppliers like Burke’s and Raby’s home centers are things that have made Tom a frontrunner in this business.” Michelle noted both suppliers highly recommend Tom for jobs. “You have to be honest with your customers and fair,” Tom said. “We’re fully insured and have always carried workers’ compensation and liability insurances.” “A lot of people — particularly the one-man operations — do not have that,” Michelle said. In terms of the bottom line, Dunsmoor Construction has been consistent as far as sales are concerned. The business has averaged $950,000 in annual sales over the past 10 years. It has eclipsed the $1 million mark, but most years its revenues are around $875,000 to $900,000. The construction company does all phases of construction, from small jobs right up to building custom homes or multi-million dollar projects. “That is a big part of the reason that we do continue to keep the work flowing is because Tom can accommodate all levels of construction,” Michelle said. Tom noted he has employees who have worked for him for more than 15 years. “Most guys that work for me have been with me for a while,” Tom said. “I have a lot of repeat business and customers, and they know my crew and trust them to come into their homes.” Tom said the company works with customers on designs and helps walk them through projects. “I give them suggestions and ideas and help them lay jobs out,” he said. “I work with their architects, which is a big factor, and give as much input to the job as I possibly can.”
Successful partnerships Tom has formed several business partnerships in the city, including with physician Corliss Varnum at Port City Family Medicine and the New York Heart Center, and also with William Galloway, co-owner of the Whitewater Commons at Bridie Square off West First Street. Dunsmoor Construction did both projects from start to finish. “Those are two commercial projects that I designed and worked with architects on. I basically designed the entire 39
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jobs,” he said. The Whitewater Commons at Bridie Square — the former site of the Whitewater Grill restaurant — now features eight high-end apartments on the Oswego River and office space for Century 21 Galloway Realty and Robert Berkley Physical Therapy. The restaurant closed years ago. “Bill [Galloway] and I had enough of the restaurant business and had enough of renting to restaurant businesses,” Tom said. “It was tough and didn’t work out. So we went back to our original plans to do housing.” Dunsmoor Construction has also done work on many other businesses in the area such as the Oswego Sub Shop, The American Foundry, St. Luke Apartments, Seaway Lofts, Clearview Pool and many others. The business does mostly residential, although it does some commercial and often works as a subcontractor for Rich and Gardner out of Syracuse.
26 East Oneida Street Oswego, NY 13126
Farming family
P: 315.343.6363 F: 315.343.0134
Michelle and Tom and their two sons — T.J. and Eric — have resided in Oswego Town for 27 years. At 29, Tom purchased his family home and made renovations to accommodate his construction warehouse and office location. In the late 1980s, Tom teamed with Candide Michaud, an accomplished carpenter, and the two started doing jobs together. “We worked for a couple of years together, and then went our own ways. I went to Arizona and Boston and worked at both places framing houses for contractors,” he said. While in Boston, Tom was framing houses for a contractor who was his age. “I said to myself, ‘He’s doing it. Why can’t I?’ So when I came back, I started picking up jobs on my own. I took old, dilapidated houses, gutted and renovated them, and rented them as apartments,” Tom said. “I just kept
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Dunsmoor Construction has averaged $950,000 in annual sales
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
building the business.” The couple launched their business in 1988, a year before they got married. They lived in a modest home on Albany Street in Oswego and moved to Oswego Town after they had their son TJ. “The reason we moved out here was because Tom’s dad wanted to pass it along to a family member, and it was ideal for us because of the warehouse,” Michelle said. Dunsmoor Construction employs eight full-time workers, a number that has been the average for the past 20 years. Michaud has worked with Tom for the past 10 years.
Future prospects “Right now for us, the future looks pretty bright. There are significant projects lined up throughout the winter and spring,” Tom said. He said a lot of his clients are repeat customers who plan ahead “because they know how busy we get.” One of the upcoming projects involves converting the former Salmon Shop on West First Street into a multi-use building. Two high-end apartments will be created upstairs while a doctor will occupy the lower level. “I enjoy taking something that is very unappealing and turning it into something to be proud of,” Tom said. He noted that he is seeing “a lot of positive attitudes toward things that are happening and people are feeling a little more comfortable and confident.” A year or so ago, people were frightened as the possibility of closing the James A. FitzPatrick nuclear power plant at Nine Mile Point in Scriba loomed. After about a six-month period, their fears were allayed when Exelon Corp. purchased the plant. “No one was doing anything,” Michelle said. “They were afraid to spend money. When things leveled out, then things really picked up.” Besides owning and co-owning four commercial properties, the family also is involved as owners in the housing rental business. Tom said, “I look forward to continued projects and working with my customers in the future. Michelle and I are grateful for our success and thank our customers, family, and friends for the support they have given us over the past 30 years.”
By Lou Sorendo FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Leading United Wire Technology, a family-owned business in Constantia: father Jim Ransom (middle) and sons Mike (left) and Don (right).
United Wire Technologies Thriving Years After Devastating Fire
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nited Wire Technologies plans on expanding this year — and its business is up 30 percent since a devastating fire in 2012. The fire that rampaged through their facility five years ago, didn’t stop the family business. United Wire procured the equipment they needed and then a space in Syracuse and never missed filling a contract. “We never missed a beat,” said co-owner Jim Ransom. “We had a period of time where it was critical. We had like three to five weeks to play [with].” The company rebuilt its presence back in Constantia where it had started in a newly refurbished building at 1804 state Route 49. It has worked out well. “We’re much greener,” Ransom said. “We’re pretty much energy efficient because, obviously, the building we put up this time was very highly insulated. We just built the whole building differently.” Ransom said he is much happier with the new place. “It’s all on one floor,” he said. “The biggest thing is that we have more property. We have room for more expansion down the road if we need to. Even with this new expansion we could probably expand two and a half times if we had to.” FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
The facility sits on about nine acres, and is expanding already. They’ve added 10,000 square feet to it, and plan to add four or five jobs, Ransom said. Presently United Wire Technologies employs 17 people. That number is expected to rise to 22. “This is very substantial growth for us,” Ransom said. “This is as much as we’ve ever grown. We plan to keep growing.” Ransom attributes the biggest part of their growth with the quality of their wire product and the pains they go to make it the best they can. But he also said the growth is from the growth of existing markets as well as the company’s forays into new areas. “It’s starting to come to fruition now,” he said. “We’ve gotten into the copper-clad steel, the copper-clad aluminums. That’s a whole new market for us.” United Wire Technology is a niche company. It exploits a demand for smaller orders from companies around the world. They custom make the wire for orders ranging from one pound to 10,000 pounds. Their wire goes into products like guitar strings, zippers and springs, to name a few. Currently they produce about one million pounds of wire a year, and sales are around $5 million. They have upOSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
wards of 200 clients, Jim Ransom said. United Wire Technologies was started in 1938 by the Ransom family. James,73, runs it with his sons Donald and Michael. He has seen quite a bit of change over the years. “I did a lot of business back in the 70s with Bethlehem Steel,” he said. “They’re gone now. There used to be three or four hundred wire companies in the United States. Now I think you’ve got less than 100 that actually make wire like us.” Ransom said he loves working with his sons, with whom he says there is little or no conflict. He also cares about his employees. He said in running a family business you work 24/7 for both his family and theirs. “You have a great feeling toward your employees because you know they depend on you,” he said. “You’re pushing for everybody. You’re pushing for your family and you’re pushing for their families.” Ransom said he has no plans to retire anytime soon. He, his sons, and the work force are a tight-knit group. “We’re very close to our employees because the fact is we appreciate them,” he said. “We appreciate what they do. Everybody does their job. Everybody knows each other. It’s just great.” United Wire Technologies is loyal to Constantia. They plan on hiring locals for the new positions if they can. They prefer to hire those without a background in the industry because it’s easier to train the prospect on the state-of-art equipment they have at the facility. For United Wire Technologies, getting back on its feet wasn’t something accomplished without help from the community. Jim Ransom took time to single out and commend the assistance of Mike Treadwell and David Dano from Operation Oswego County, the Oswego County designated economic agency. “They’ve been tremendous,” he said. “They have been there for us right from the get-go. From right after the fire we first talked to them and they helped us with financing some stuff, equipment. They’ve been very good.” As for the future of the company, Ransom is bullish. He sees bright horizons ahead for his family business. “The future of the company looks good,”he said. “I see more growth.”
By Matthew Liptak 41
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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Deadline Extended for $50,000 Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition
T
he Next Great Idea Oswego County Business Plan Competition (NGI) has extended its deadline for entries to March 1, a month past the original deadline. The business plan competition is open to all entrepreneurs with a new business concept and existing businesses looking to add a new product or service. Examples of eligible businesses include restaurants, stores, techbased businesses, and businesses involving manufacturing a product. Participation in the competition is $25 per entry and there is free business plan assistance from the Small Business Development Center that operates out of the Business Resource Center in Oswego. The first-place winner will be announced in September 2018 and receive $50,000 toward implementing their business plan. All participants will receive written feedback from the panel of judges on how to improve their business proposal. “We’ve designed the NGI program in a way to benefit all the participants involved, not just the ultimate winner of the competition,” said Austin Wheelock, deputy director of Operation Oswego County and NGI chairperson, said. “If we have one $50,000 prize winner come out of this, plus several bankable, feasible business plans with confident entrepreneurs then everyone wins, especially Oswego County.” Past winners of the Next Great Idea competition include Arco Art, Lakeside Artisans and Ocean Blue Technology. The competition website, http:// www.oswegocounty.org/NGI/index. htm, includes an overview of the event, a competition timeline, application guidelines, sponsors, and contact information. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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8/14/17 2:28 43 PM
The 92-Year-Old CEO Bruce Phelps started Fulton Tool in Fulton 59 years ago. About to turn 93, he still runs the company and shows up at the office every day. Retirement? No plans for it, he says By Payne Horning
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etirement has never been a consideration for Bruce Phelps. The owner and founder of Fulton Tool, an Oswego County company that uses computer-controlled machinery to make parts for manufacturers, chuckles when he’s asked at what point he plans to hand over the reins to his family. “That will be when the mortician looks at me,” Phelps said.
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Phelps is the only remaining founder of Fulton Tool. His former partners died decades ago. Since that time, Phelps has steered the business through rough waters, including the hemorrhaging of Upstate New York’s manufacturers and a 2003 fire that destroyed the facility. He’s also seen Fulton Tool grow over the years, adapting to a changing marketplace by expanding its footprint online and OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
finding new customers outside of New York and the United States. The resurgence is coming to a peak in 2018. The company is adding space and staff to accommodate its largest backlog of orders since the 1990s. And Phelps plans to be there for it. That unrelenting work ethic stems from his upbringing in Delta, British Columbia, where he got his first job at age 7. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
“I always had a job,” Phelps said. “My father wouldn’t allow anybody not to have a job.” Phelps’ father William owned a hardware and farming supply store in the small Canadian village. During the Depression, money was tight for many of its residents. So William would sell parts to farmers in exchange for maple syrup. “We were right in the middle of the sugar production in Ontario,” Phelps said. “A farmer would come in and need a double harness and didn’t have any money — there wasn’t any money in the Depression. It was all trading. And he would trade a double harness for so many gallons of maple syrup.” William would then sell that syrup to employees along the Canadian National Railway, which is where Phelps came in. It was his job to help build the wooden crates used to ship the syrup. “All I had to do was nail them together,” Phelps said. “That was my job after school. And in the spring, my job was to fill the syrup cans.” Phelps didn’t make much for the work — one dime per week. He would quickly blow through that when the mobile movie theater, operated by a traveling projectionist, would stop by the town hall to show movies. The cost of a ticket at the time was 15 cents. As he got older, Phelps started working at his father’s store as a clerk. That’s when his salary increased, albeit by his own doing. Phelps said he was slipping money out of the register. It wasn’t long before his father figured out what was happening. “He called me in the office and said, ‘You’re going to have to help me. I got a clerk out there that’s stealing.’ So he said, ‘You’re a big boy now. I shouldn’t keep giving you 10 cents a week. You just take whatever you need out of there and leave a note so I’ll know how much you’ve got and I’ll find the person who’s stealing.’ And that was the end of it,” Phelps said. Phelps said his father knew who was taking the money, but he didn’t want to call his son out. He wasn’t a disciplinarian. What his father was, Phelps said, was a great teacher. He learned a great deal from his father about business during his adolescence, despite the fact that William only had a fourthFEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
writing on the wall,” Phelp said. “He always told me if you ever start a business, start a business with more than one road in town and one road out. My father felt the small business like he had wouldn’t make it, and he was correct.” Larger, big-box stores in the area later drove many mom and pop stores out of business. Phelps said the block of stores he frequented as a child in Delta were derelict when he returned there with his family in 2016. The move to the U.S. turned out to be the right decision.
Taking the plunge
Painting at the main entrance of Fulton Tool’s headquarters on West Broadway in Fulton. grade education. Phelps said his father never passed up an opportunity to teach his children the trade. “We’d sit around the table for dinner and my father would say to us, my sister and I, ‘Joe Brown was in my store today and he bought some 22 bullets. And they were 49 cents. He gave me a dollar bill. How much would I give him back?’ We both came out of that with rapid calculation,” Phelps recounted. After graduating from high school, Phelps joined the Canadian Air Force. He served from 1942 until the end of World War II in 1945. Phelps said it was a dream come true. “For a kid out in the country, flying a plane was a great thing,” Phelps said. “It was exciting.” He returned to Delta to work with his father until he met his wife Barbara. She was vacationing with family in 1946 in the Beverly Lakes, near his hometown. Phelps was canoeing nearby when he saw Barbara sitting at the end of a bluff. She waved at him. “I turned right around,” Phelps said. They were married later the following year. After the honeymoon, Phelps moved with Barbara to her hometown of Fulton. Phelps said his father wanted him to stay and help run the store. But William knew that Phelps had a better future elsewhere. “I think he could see the handOSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Phelps started his career in Fulton at Sealright, a manufacturer of dairy products, later working in the company’s machine shop as an apprentice. That’s where he met his future business partner, Ed McGuane. The two decided they wanted to explore the possibility of part-time business opportunities. “My dad used to call me a plunger because I would jump into something without studying it hard enough,” Phelps said. “I would call him the same thing because that’s the way he did it. We were almost brothers in that respect.” And Phelps did make that leap of faith. To buy the necessary equipment and supplies, he and McGuane mortgaged their homes. The money was invested into a mail-order system for machine parts. Phelps had a good working knowledge of that system from his experience with his father’s maple syrup trade. Among other clients, Phelps said he sold a number of items to oil dealers. Joseph Metibier, the final founding member, joined Phelps and McGuane as the business started to take off. But getting the necessary capital to fully launch Fulton Tool Company proved to be a challenge. “Back then, there wasn’t good banking for new businesses starting,” Phelps said. “We had a couple of commercial banks in Fulton and then Fulton Savings, but the one commercial bank that we did our banking with wouldn’t loan us any money.” Fulton Tool was able to get the much-needed financing from a local businessman. Combined with what the three founders had saved, they were able to open the business in 1959. It started in a Fulton incubator. 45
“We had a great year the first year,” Phelps said. “We probably didn’t make any profit, but we were in business.” Phelps joined the company full time in 1960. The three-man shop grew slowly, but surely. Fulton Tool would go on to employ 60 people in a 23,000-square-foot building, creating parts for large companies in Upstate like General Electric and Carrier. Phelps credits that, in part, to his fellow owners. “We all felt the same way. We wanted to make a mark that people would remember,” Phelps said. “They were good partners, and very aggressive.” Both McGuane and Metibier died about a decade after the business started, within two years of one another. Phelps said it was incredibly difficult to lose them, but he didn’t even contemplate leaving. In fact, his role at the business grew substantially. He came in off of the road and took over operations.
Perseverance pays off As the years passed, Phelps navigated the business through a changing landscape. Manufacturers were fleeing Upstate and the country altogether. Job shops like Fulton Tool were being forced out of business. So the company broadened its horizons. Phelps started courting business outside of New York, including what turned out to be a very valuable trip to Texas in the early 1980s. “Business had just gone flat here,” Phelps said. “At that time, the news pointed out that Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City, along with Denver, had a lot of business. Their unemployment at that time and in those places was less than 4 percent and we were something like 7 or 8 percent. So I said to Barbara, ‘I’m going to go to Dallas.’” That trip started what would turn out to be a key change for Fulton Tool — moving into the defense industry. Another pivotal transformation was building a presence online. Where New York companies were once all of Fulton Tool’s customers, today they represent only 25 percent. Phelps’ ability to persist is one of his defining qualities, says George Joyce, who serves with Phelps on the board of Operation Oswego County, an economic development organi46
zation. He also operates a logistics business, Laser Transit, based in Lacona. “That’s dogged determination, that willingness to address whatever adversity gets in front of him — he never quits,” Joyce said. “Every challenge — he just moves on.” That perseverance was tested in 2003, when a fire ravaged most of Fulton Tool. “I felt devastated,” Phelps said. “We lost that whole manufacturing building.” Phelps said his top concern was keeping his employees working. The company bought a little machine shop in Granby. It only had enough space for five or six people to work, but it was enough to fill the orders for some of its customers. The company was out of commission for almost two years, according to Phelps. The questions of how to rebuild and where to do that were not easy, but he ultimately decided to stay in Fulton. “Some people, they would cash in at that point, but not Bruce,” Joyce said. “That’s the resiliency of his character.” The company has rebounded and is entering 2018 with more staff and orders than at the time of the fire.
Giving back Joyce says Phelps has been an invaluable member of Operation Oswego County since he joined in the 1970s, providing a pragmatic but optimistic viewpoint. “When I think of Bruce on the board, it’s always at the point of advocacy,” Joyce said. “He wants to do the right thing for the community and that’s what I enjoy about his outlook. He sees the big picture.” Phelps is also a board member OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
of the Oswego County Workforce Development Board. He said it’s the kind of work he has always sought out because it helps others in the community. “It kind of works on the compassionate side of a businessman to do something for others,” Phelps said. Phelps also served on the executive committee of the National Tooling and Machining Association, and in 1985, he became the organization’s chairman. He had to relinquish much of the day-to-day operation of Fulton Tool during the tenure because of the travel involved with the one-year term. It required traveling to many of the association’s 1,500 chapters spread throughout the U.S., which Phelps said he enjoyed. “It was kind of fantastic because you would get to the airport and one of the members would pick you up,” Phelps said. “You would go out to dinner and get to know people. It was quite an honor.” Phelps said he is equally proud of the time he has devoted to family and church. But even after a lifetime of accomplishments, Phelps said he still can’t think of any reason to retire — even at 92. Work is part of who he is. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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YouTube Video Shows Tracking of Salmon, its Value to Lake Ontario Communities A tag placed on a mature salmon July 13 in waters near Oswego was detected Aug. 31 in a Canada town 90 miles away
N
ew York Sea Grant has released a video highlighting the value of king salmon to the Lake Ontario ecosystem and local economies, and how Cornell University researchers and Sea Grant personnel are using pop-off satellite archival tags developed to work in fresh water to collect unprecedented data about salmon movement and behavior. Free access to the video is posted at https://youtu.be/pb4wJQc-O7A. New York Sea Grant Fisheries and Ecosystem Health Specialist Jesse Lepak wrote and narrated the three-min-
ute video that shows the tagging process and highlights the value of the data collected by the tags. King salmon is also known as Chinook salmon. “These freshwater pop-off tags allow for a unique view into the behavior of the fish and will provide data of interest to researchers, aquatic resource managers, and anglers,” Lepak said. “For example, the tags are equipped with accelerometers indicating when the fish are swimming quickly to catch prey. Sea Grant will be sharing that information with the
recreational anglers and charter services that are key economic drivers of the Lake Ontario regional economy,” Lepak noted. A tag that was placed on a mature salmon July 13 in waters near Oswego was detected Aug. 31 near Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, 90 miles away. That tag was recovered and contains data, including depth, temperature, and acceleration for the fish recorded at one-second intervals for 49 days. With funding from New York Sea Grant, James M. Watkins with the Cornell University Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, and biologist Christopher Perle of Florida State College, Jacksonville, Fla., are analyzing the data from the tags that can provide up to 90 days of tracking information. “With this tagging process, the fish become lake profilers. For example, data from the tags will track how closely the salmon follow their water temperature preference of 42 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and when they choose to leave that preferred temperature to enter either warmer or colder waters in search of forage,” says Watkins.
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Every year thousands of people buy commercial or residential properties in the region. Many of these people are new to the area and some are just buying newer, bigger properties. Either way, they all receive a complimentary subscription to Oswego County Business.
Reaching new property owners. Another good reason to advertise in Oswego County Business (315) 342-8020 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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Leading Business and Economic Growth in Oswego County
SUNY Oswego, Jerald Woolfolk Earn Diversity Award SUNY Oswego and its vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, Jerald Woolfolk, recently earned State University-wide awards as the SUNY Diversity Conference recognized their years-long commitment to fostering diversity, inclusion and social justice Woolfolk at the college. This is the first time the awards were bestowed. The institutional Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice Award recognized SUNY Oswego, under the leadership of President Deborah F. Stanley, for its innovative plan to effectively communicate, consistently practice and creatively develop cutting-edge programs supporting diversity, inclusion and social justice. “SUNY Oswego is honored to accept this SUNY-wide award for institutional efforts to make the college a welcoming, supportive and inclusive place for all,” Stanley said. “This college not only has a rich history and long record of celebrating and recognizing faculty, staff and students from diverse backgrounds, it has a plan to proactively, thoughtfully and with a participatory approach continue to move our efforts forward. We know we must do more and we are committed to doing more.” Woolfolk’s individual award recognized her leadership in the sustained effort to ensure the college embraces all, including members of traditionally underrepresented groups. Encompassing 17 college departments, from athletics to residence life, from admissions to career services, the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management under Woolfolk encourages employees to view their work on a daily basis through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. “Oswego is a wonderful place,” Woolfolk said. “I appreciate the opportunity President Stanley has given me to move the dial on diversity and inclusion.” FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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Bruce Frassinelli bfrassinelli@ptd.net
Corporate Ruthlessness and The Four-Way Test
M “These firms that commit themselves to operating on an ethical foundation will treat employees fairly, respect the environment and engage in fair market practices that take consumers and competitors into consideration.”
BRUCE FRASSINELLI is the former publisher of The Palladium-Times and an adjunct online instructor at SUNY Oswego. He served as a governor of the Rotary Club District 7150 (Central New York) from July 2001 to June 2002. 50
any view the business world as a dogeat-dog, survival of the fittest, take no prisoners planet. In their quest for advancement, some managers and employees commit unethical acts, cut corners, lie, cheat — in other words, do whatever is necessary to climb the corporate ladder. Sometimes this behavior is encouraged by those in top management, not publicly of course, because that would be too risky. It’s more of a “nice guys finish last” mentality, and if you have to kick a few competitor employees out of the way, well, just don’t let me see it. McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc once said, “If any of my competitors were drowning, I’d stick a hose in their mouth.” Not all companies are ruthless and embrace an “anything goes” approach. Many major corporations encourage and enforce ethical behavior. The importance of business ethics reaches far beyond employee loyalty and morale Companies that exhibit ethical behavior will see a payback from an increasingly positive public image, which is viewed favorably by employees, investors and shareholders. These firms that commit themselves to operating on an ethical foundation will treat employees fairly, respect the environment and engage in fair market practices that take consumers and competitors into consideration. Ask 100 businesspeople what “ethics” means, and you are likely to get 100 different answers. Ethical practices in business have come to mean various things, but, simply stated, it comes down to knowing what is right and wrong in the marketplace and doing what is right. I can mention scores of names of businesspeople and professionals who have scammed the public in the most unethical of ways. One of the most notorious is Bernie Madoff, whose name has become synonymous with thief, crook, liar, criminal and felon. Madoff perpetrated a “Ponzi scheme,” which resulted in the bilking of millions of dollars from hundreds of investors. In 2009 Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in federal prison for his crimes. Another notorious abuser of the public trust was Kenneth Lay, founder, CEO and
chairman of Enron. His role in corporate abuse and accounting fraud cost shareholders nearly $11 billion. At one point, Enron was one of the largest corporate sellers of natural gas, but years of unethical accounting practices resulted in the company filing for bankruptcy. About 4,000 workers lost their jobs. When a company’s largest — and sometimes only — concern is big profits, and it is willing to do whatever it takes to make the bottom line look impressive, its employees, customers and shareholders will likely suffer in the end. Rotary International, one of the world’s largest service organizations, has adopted The Four-Way Test as a guiding set of principles for its members, many of whom are pillars of the business community. The Four-Way Test asks: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?” Simple, powerful and true, The Four-Way Test offers a positive vision in a world of tension, confusion and unethical behavior, according to Darrell Thompson, a member of the Morro Bay, Calif., Rotary Club. The Four-Way Test is a fresh and positive vision for how to conduct oneself. This test is nonpartisan and nonsectarian and serves as an ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their professional and personal relationships. It was developed by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor during the Great Depression as a way to save his struggling business. He asked his department heads — a Roman Catholic, a Christian Scientist, an Orthodox Jew and a Presbyterian — to view the test and react to it. They all agreed that the test coincided with their religious beliefs but also provided an exemplary prescription for how to conduct one’s business and professional life. Of course, there are skeptics who scoff that the precepts of the test are simplistic and utopian, but I would like to believe that the test calls for thoughtful examination of one’s motives before taking action. The Four-Way Test’s emphasis on truth, fairness and consideration of others provides a sobering ethical and moral guide about how business should be conducted.
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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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SPECIAL REPORT By Payne Horning
A group of SUNY Oswego students attends class behind the college on the banks of Lake Ontario. Students from 11 classes in all four schools are examining the many issues at play with fresh water, particularly access and potability.
SUNY Oswego Takes on Fresh Water for New Project Eleven classes from across all four schools at SUNY Oswego are involved in the project this year
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or the first time in its history, SUNY Oswego is embarking on a campus-wide initiative. Students and faculty from the college’s four schools are coming together in the 2018 academic year to develop solutions to a global issue. The subject of the new Grand Challenges project is a familiar topic for the Lakers — fresh water for all. Leigh Wilson, director of SUNY Oswego’s interdisciplinary programs and activities center, helped launch the program, which is expected to take two years. She says the objective is to tap the strengths of students in different studies for a collaborative learning experience. “There will be multiple projects coming from multiple directions,
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across all of the disciplines and different creativities at work all addressing this particular project,” Wilson said. The college allowed faculty and students to select the focus for the first Grand Challenges project through a campus survey. Wilson says they received nearly 300 responses, and fresh water was the most nominated. With Lake Ontario as a backdrop, the college will examine the many issues at play with fresh water, particularly access and potability. “Fresh water is something that obviously is iconic around here,” Wilson said. “We’re surrounded by fresh water everywhere we look and in some ways, we’re extremely lucky. Many places are not. It is a matter of life and death across the globe.” OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
According to SUNY Oswego, the lack of fresh water is responsible for more deaths than war. Professors will be asked to add an assignment exploring one of the many aspects of that issue. Who has access to fresh water, who doesn’t, how does the world allocate those resources and who are the beneficiaries? For example, biology and chemistry students may focus on sampling Lake Ontario water and developing treatments for potential pollutants while art students create multimedia to inform people about the issue and warn them of the dangers of polluting. Wilson says this is the first time a SUNY college will work on a common problem across all of its schools. The idea originated with a similar FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
cross-discipline project. In 2015, Oswego and three other SUNY schools won a National Science Foundation grant that focuses on STEM teaching and learning. Eleven classes from across all four schools are involved in that project this year. Wilson says both the students and faculty have been so enthused by the experience that she wanted to replicate it for the entire SUNY Oswego campus. “The students in particular have a passion for issues,” she said. “They like throwing themselves into an issue. That excites them, which I found uplifting.” The Grand Challenges project is a core part of SUNY Oswego’s strategic plan “Tomorrow,” which encourages the college to contribute at the highest levels of theory and application to provide solutions to critical challenges. It also aims to get a vibrant, engaged and curious faculty, staff and students to delve into multidisciplinary investigation of problematic social and global issues. “Once they apply their learning, once they work with other disciplines, once they have a civic engagement experience — they’re really beginning to use their knowledge in ways that the real world is going to ask them to use it and that’s obviously very important for them,” Wilson said. At the end of the two years, Wilson says the college hopes to amass hundreds of artifacts, ranging from papers to research projects to posters. The college will profile the results on a website that an art class is designing. Wilson says some of that research and projects could then be passed onto local organizations that work with the Great Lakes and writers in the area who focus on ecology. But beyond what students can learn about fresh water in their research for the Grand Challenges project, Wilson says the very exercise of working with people from different backgrounds toward a common goal is an important lesson in today’s partisan atmosphere. “We live in kind of a split society right now,” Wilson said. “Everybody is worried about that, and that scares everybody. But one thing I like about this project is that it’s pulling all of us at least into a community where we are sharing our goals, our work and that will make SUNY Oswego a tighter and better community.” FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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Millennials: A Generation Like No Other
New Census study shows a dramatic shift in values for millennials: ‘They look different from prior generations in almost every regard,” says demographer By Ken Little
P
eople like to dream of a life of leisure unhindered by work and school. For millions of millennials in the 18-to-34 age group, that dream has come true, although it may include some nightmarish elements for those who support them. A recently released study by the U.S. Census Bureau — “The Changing Demographics and Economics of Young Adulthood 1975-2016” — finds that of all young adults, more live in their parents’ home than any other arrangement. The report looks at changes in young adulthood over the last 40 years, comparing today’s millennials with young adults coming of age in 1975, representatives of the voluminous baby boom generation. It found that many of the milestones of young adulthood are reflected in the living arrangements of young people, including when they move out of their parents’ home and when they form families.
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Young Adult ‘Definition’ Jonathan Vespa, a demographer with the Census Bureau who is author of the study, said that it provides a definition for what it means to be a young adult. The study looks at the population of 18-to-34-year-olds at two time periods, in 1975 and today, covering the years 2012 to 2016. “In prior generations, young adults were expected to have finished school, found a job and set up their own household during their 20s, most often with their spouse and with a child soon to follow,” Vespa said. By contrast, today’s young adults “take longer to experience these milestones,” he said. What was once ubiquitous to young people in their 20s “is now not commonplace until their 30s,” Vespa said. Vespa said that some demographers believe the delays “represent a new period of the life course between childhood and adulthood, a period of ‘emerging adulthood’ when young OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
people experience traditional events at different times and in a different order than their parents did.” The study makes clear that today’s young adults “look different from prior generations in almost every regard,” Vespa said. That includes the level of education obtained, their work experiences, when they start a family “and even who they live with while growing up.” “It comes as no surprise that when parents recall stories of their youth, they are remembering how different their experiences were,” Vespa said.
Living at Home Vespa said the study shows that more young people today “live in their parents’ home than in any other arrangement.” One in three people, or about 24 million 18- to 24-year-olds, lived in their parents’ home in 2015, Vespa said. More 18- to-34-year-olds live with a parent than with a spouse, according to FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
the study. That’s a major shift from the 1970s, when young people were more than twice as likely to live with a spouse. “Young people are delaying marriage, but most still eventually tie the knot,” Vespa said. He said that in the 1970s, eight in 10 people married by the time they were 30. “Today, not until the age of 45 have eight in 10 people married,” Vespa said. The study also found today’s young adults are more likely to be enrolled in college or graduate school than their counterparts in the 1970s. Those with children in college are counted as living at home in the report. What accomplishments young Americans believe are most important have also shifted in priority since the 1970s. “Most of today’s Americans believe that educational and economic accomplishments are extremely important milestones of adulthood. In contrast, marriage and parenthood rank low,” Vespa said. He said that over half of Americans believe that getting married and having children “are not very important in order to become an adult.” The study reported that many young adults who live at home “neither work nor study [and] have a high school diploma or less, and about a fifth have a child. Half are white, and the majority is male. About a quarter have a disability,” according to the study.
One Quarter Unemployed Among 25- to 34-year-olds living at home, 25 percent is neither enrolled in school nor has a job. The number nationwide totals 2.2 million people, a small percentage of the nation’s millennials “but a striking figure nonetheless,” the study states. The average of young adults 18-34 years old living at home rose from 26 percent in 2005 to 34.1 percent in 2015. In New York state, including Central New York, that figure is among the highest in the nation, at between 40 and 50 percent. The Census Bureau figures show that in New York state, there were 4.1 million young adults between 18-34 years old living at home in 2005, or 33 percent of the 2005 age group, compared to 4.5 million in 2015 or 40.6 percent of the age group, representing a 7.5 percent increase over the 10-year time frame. “In 2005, the majority of young adults lived independently in their own FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Who Are the Millennials Millennials (also known as Generation Y) are the demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates for when this cohort starts or ends; demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years. Source: Wikipedia household, which was the predominant living arrangement in 35 states. A decade later, by 2015, the number of states where the majority of young people lived independently fell to just six,” Vespa said. New York state is not among them. Delaware, with a 13.3 percent increase, leads the list, with Florida second at a 13 percent increase. The national average increase for the 10-year period is 8.1 percent. Figures from 2015 show that other Northeast states like New Jersey and Massachusetts, as well as New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada and most southern states have the highest percentages of young adults still living with their parents. The report said nearly nine in 10 young people who were living in their parents’ home a year ago are still living there today, “making it the most stable living arrangement for young adults.
Education, Work Experience Because the milestones are tied to young adults’ economic security, the report also looked at how education and work experience varies across young adult living arrangements. The study also found that “more young men are falling to the bottom of the income ladder,” Vespa said. In 1975, only 25 percent of men between 25-34 had incomes of less than $30,000 per year. By 2016, that share rose to 41 percent of young men. Incomes for both years are calculated in 2015 dollars. The study found that between 19752016, the share of young women who were homemakers fell from 43 percent to 14 percent of all women aged 25-34. “Of young people living in their parents’ home, one in four are idle,” meaning they neither go to school nor work, Vespa said. That figure represents 2.2 million 25- to 34-year-olds. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
CNY Millennials Living at Home: Highest Rate in the Nation The average of young adults 1834 years old living at home rose from 26 percent in 2005 to 34.1 percent in 2015. In New York state, including Central New York, that figure is among the highest in the nation, at between 40 and 50 percent. The report showing that young adults delay marriage and put off having children describes behaviors that are reflected in demographic trends for the population as a whole. “Do people believe that waiting later to marry or have children is a normal part of adulthood today?” the study asks. The 2012 General Social Survey asked Americans aged 18 and older about how important a variety of experiences are to becoming an adult. Over half of Americans say that getting married or having children are not important to becoming an adult, and only a third think they are somewhat important. “These trends align with research showing that less than 10 percent of men and women think that people need to have children to be very happy in life,” the report said. Instead, the highest ranked milestones are educational and economic. Finishing school ranks the highest, with more than 60 percent of people saying that doing so is extremely important to becoming an adult. The emphasis on education underlies the rising student debt that many young people carry. In 2013, 41 percent of young families had student debt, up from 17 percent in 1989. “Not only do more young families have student debt, they are also deeper in debt. The amount owed on student loans nearly tripled, rising from a median of $6,000 to $17,300 across the same period, in 2013 dollars,” the report stated.
Economic Security Economic security ranks second in the transition to adulthood. “About half of adults believe that having a full-time job and being able to financially support a family are extremely important to becoming an adult,” Vespa said. “Despite the prominence given to economic security, only a quarter of 55
Americans think that moving out of the parents’ home is a very important part of adulthood,” he said the report showed. “Given the attention paid to the ‘boomerang generation’ that has ‘failed to launch,’ it is surprising that Americans do not rate living independently as a more important step toward adulthood,” the report states. In another study by the Pew Research Center, most parents with co-residential adult children are just as satisfied with their living arrangements as parents whose adult children live elsewhere. “Similarly, more than two in three
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Managing Millennials Not an Easy Job
nlike your community soccer league when you were 8, you won’t get a little trophy for just showing up at work. Some millennials — people in their early 30s or younger — feel disappointed and defrauded after they enter the full-time working world. Despite the many advantages offered to their generation, such as growing up with unprecedented access to information, unlimited ability to promote themselves, and an equal playing field for entrepreneurship, they find employment is a big letdown. James F. Lewis, a licensed mental health counselor in private practice in Syracuse, said that millennials are mostly a very savvy demographic, but that the group also experiences greater rates of depression and anxiety — about 20 percent — Lewis than compared with Generation X and baby boomers. Part of the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the parents and grandparents that reared them. “Entitlement is one keyword, and a lot of privilege,” Lewis said. With “helicopter parents” who do everything for them, and indulging grandparents who cater to every whim, the “spoiled” segment of the millennial
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young adults who live at home are very happy with their family life,” the Pew study found. The report uses two surveys from the Census Bureau to look at the demographic and economic characteristics of young adults: the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey. It uses a third data source, the General Social Survey, to look at beliefs, attitudes and values that Americans have about adulthood. The ACS provides statistics on the country’s people, housing, and economy at various geographic levels, including the nation, states, and counties. It uses
generation has grown up with heightened expectations that the workplace cannot meet. Many facets of their lives can be customized and accessed on demand. Workplaces aren’t that accommodating. Their disappointment “may be the inability to tolerate frustration, especially in the workplace. They have an inability to tolerate expectations that aren’t met.” Their expectations go beyond a paycheck that their experience level doesn’t command. They want immediate gratification as the star of the workplace, not slogging away on projects for months as a team member. “Not having expectations met brings greater anxiety because they haven’t learned to process disappointment,” Lewis said. “It’s difficult to give constructive and helpful feedback and criticism. They’ve grown up without this. ‘Junior does everything well, but we never tell him where he can improve.’” Constant comparison with others’ exaggerated lives on social media has created an unrealistic goal which they can’t meet, such as buying a great car soon after finishing their degree, landing a prestigious job right out of college, and affording great place to live. Real life looks more like driving a beater, working up the ladder, and sharing an apartment with friends. “On social media, acceptance is the key,” Lewis said. “That perfect, flawless persona is what they want. In the workplace, that is where it doesn’t play out.” OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
a series of monthly samples to produce annually updated estimates for small geographic areas. In 2015, the ACS sampled about 3.5 million households. The report uses 2005 and 2015 ACS data to look at state-level changes in young adult living arrangements. The CPS collects information about the economic and employment characteristics of the civilian, non-institutionalized population. This report uses the survey’s 1975 and 2016 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, which have data on marriage and family, employment patterns, work hours, earnings, and occupation.
To help bummed millennials adjust, Lewis advises employers to walk the fine line between praising millennials’ abilities and helping them set goals for improvement. “Help them see constructive criticism not a personal attack,” Lewis said. “Show how it can benefit their skill building. It’s not that you don’t like them.” Jackie Wallace, career coach with SUNY Oswego, said that in general, millennials crave personal and professional growth, so long as it’s presented to them as an opportunity to benefit them and not as criticism. She said that a recent SUNY Oswego focus group revealed that millennials want to grow, obtain better work/life balance and like the environment in which they work. “Have those conversations early on about their expectations and what would motivate Wallace them,” Wallace said. “Even with on-boarding, they should feel their commitment with the organization. A mentor there can make a difference.” It also pays to remember that millennials are individuals. “I’ve seen so much leadership from them,” Wallace said. “Their level of involvement is impressive. They’re very supportive of their communities. Get to know them individually; don’t lump them together.”
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COVER Lou Sorendo
Exelon Generation owns and operates three nuclear power plants on the shores of Lake Ontario in Scriba, James A. FitzPatrick (in the forefront, dark red building) and Nine Mile 1 and 2 in the background.
The New No.1 Exelon, owner-operator of three countybased nuclear power facilities, becomes Oswego County’s top employer By Lou Sorendo
I
t was the business story of the year in 2017. With Oswego County facing economic devastation, Exelon Generation plucked the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba off the precipice of being shutdown in a last-minute move that saved more than 600 jobs. Former owner Entergy Nuclear was ready to wave the white flag and shutter the 838-megawatt nuclear facility that pays approximately $12 million in taxes to several entities in Oswego County. Entergy officials claimed the plant was a money-losing proposition. Exelon, owner of Units 1 and 2 at
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the adjacent Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, came to the rescue amid a wealth of community support backing the plant. The county’s nuclear facilities directly employ approximately 1,525 people, and for each of these workers, another 2.5 jobs in other industries are supported, according to Camoin Associates’ “Oswego County Economic Advancement Plan — Targeted Industry Analysis.” With an additional 600 jobs, Exelon is now the top employer overall in Oswego County in both the private and public sectors, according to the 2018 Oswego County Business Guide. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
It narrowly edged SUNY Oswego by 37 employees to jump into the No. 1 employer slot overall. SUNY Oswego had dominated as the No. 1 top public employer for many years, while Oswego Health now sits at No. 2 among private employers. FitzPatrick alone has an annual payroll of approximately $65 million. The average annual wage for a worker at FitzPatrick is $120,000. Wages at these facilities are generally well above county medians, the analysis noted. “Additional workers associated with periodic refueling make significant contributions as well,” the study stated. The report noted the refueling at the Fitzpatrick plant in 2017 required contract workers along with regional union labor, including pipefitters, boilermakers, electricians, laborers, and radiation protection technicians. “The influx of more than 1,000 outside workers and their associated spending at local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and stores provide a major economic boost to the community,” the analysis noted. Since the acquisition, 140 new employees have joined the FitzPatrick workforce, replacing personnel that left for other employment or retired after FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
the announced shutdown of the plant, according to Chris Mudrick, senior vice president Northeast operations and chief operating officer, Exelon Nuclear. The sale announcement came after the Clean Energy Standard was adopted in New York. Without the CES, FitzPatrick was slated for closure in January of 2017. New York’s nuclear energy plants — Units 1 and 2 at the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Generating Station, the FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant and Ginna Nuclear Generating Station in Wayne County — are a critical carbon dioxide bridge while New York moves from its current renewable energy baseline of 25 percent to its aggressive 50 percent renewable goal, according to Mudrick. The CES is credited with saving $3 billion that nuclear plants contribute annually to the state’s economy and 25,000 direct and indirect jobs, while spurring hundreds of millions of dollars in investments in energy infrastructure. Without the CES, FitzPatrick was slated for closure and other nuclear plants would also have been at risk of closure, according to state officials. Maintaining zero-emission nuclear power is a critical element to achieving New York’s climate goals, state officials claim. Starting in April 2017, the CES required all six New York investor-owned utilities and other energy suppliers to pay for the intrinsic value of carbon-free emissions from nuclear power plants by purchasing zero-emission credits. Taxpayers will subsidize Upstate nuclear power plants in the amount of $965 million over the next two years with adjustments to follow.
Powerful transition FitzPatrick’s 2017 refueling outage was a tangible accomplishment of the Entergy-Exelon agreement, reached in August 2016, for Exelon to purchase the plant, Mudrick said. Exelon sent numerous technical experts to assist with refueling outage work, provided equipment necessary to complete the outage and purchased new fuel for the reactor, according to Mudrick. Additionally, closing the transaction required regulatory review and approval by state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the New York State Public Service Commission. “It took significant effort from FitzPatrick’s highly skilled nuclear professionals to go from decommissioning FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
and shutting down to refueling and integration to a new company,” Mudrick said. “Their constant commitment to the safe, reliable operation of FitzPatrick never wavered throughout the process.” Immediately following the close of the sale transaction, teams of employees from across the Exelon fleet were on hand to help FitzPatrick personnel transition to company procedures and processes. “The FitzPatrick integration has moved along well. All activities are on or ahead of schedule and site morale is very high,” Mudrick said. “More than 75 percent of planned activities were complete at year-end and our target is to be 100 percent complete by the end of the first quarter,” said Mudrick, who has more than 30 years experience in plant operations in support of nuclear power stations, including his responsibilities at Exelon Nuclear. Mudrick was the senior vice president Mid-Atlantic Operations for Exelon nuclear sites at the Limerick, Peach Bottom and Three Mile Island generating stations in Pennsylvania, and the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in New Jersey. Nine Mile Point Unit 2 will complete a refueling and maintenance outage this spring. Approximately 1,700 contract workers will support the endeavor. The FitzPatrick plant will complete a refueling and maintenance outage in the fall, receiving support from approx-
imately 1,000 contract workers. During both outages, in addition to changing out one-third of the facilities’ fuel rods, a number of modifications will be performed to upgrade plant systems and components.
High-end performers Exelon’s New York state-based nuclear power plants, including the R.E. Ginna station near Rochester, all had strong performances in 2017, Mudrick noted. Exelon’s nuclear plants are among the most efficient in the industry, achieving more than a 94 percent capacity factor, a key measure of efficiency, he noted. “This reliable production helps offset the potentially severe price volatility of other energy sources — such as natural gas and fuel oil — and the intermittency of renewable electricity sources,” Mudrick said. In comparison, according to a report by the New York Independent System Operator, the capacity factors for wind are approximately 25 percent while solar is 15 percent. The demand for electricity is managed by NYISO, the regional transmission organization. Across the board, Exelon Generation’s plants had an average capacity factor of more than 94 percent in 2017, Mudrick noted.
Waiting on The Donald All eyes are on the Trump Administration, which is reportedly committed to the continued development of advanced nuclear technology as an important part of the nation’s energy mix. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry expressed his support for nuclear power last year, stating, “If you really care about this environment that we live in — and I think the vast majority of the people in the country and the world do — then you need to be a supporter of this amazingly clean, resilient, safe, reliable source of energy.” Perry was also quoted last year saying, “I believe the future of nuclear energy in the United States is bright and look forward to expanding American leadership in innovative nuclear technologies. Advanced nuclear energy projects like Vogtle are the kind of important energy infrastructure projects that support a reliable and resilient OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
grid, promote economic growth, and strengthen our energy and national security.” The two reactors being constructed at Plant Vogtle in Georgia were the first new ones to be licensed and to begin construction in the U.S. since 1978. “We’ve seen some action out of the Department of Energy that could be promising for both nuclear and coal plants — two types of power generation that can store fuel onsite for more than 90 days,” said Chris Mudrick, senior vice president Northeast operations and chief operating officer, Exelon Nuclear.. “I cannot speculate as to where that will ultimately end up, but I’m hopeful. “I think the public generally and policymakers see the value of preserving nuclear energy — not just for its environmental benefits, but for grid resiliency and national security reasons as well.” 59
As a base-load generator, Exelon produces energy at full power unless refueling or conducting maintenance, which accounts for its high capacity factor of more than 94 percent, said Mudrick, who is responsible for the oversight of Exelon’s Nine Mile Point, FitzPatrick, R.E. Ginna and Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plants. Calvert Cliffs is located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay near Lusby, Calvert County, Md. These sites, along with the other 10 Exelon sites, contribute more than 22,000 megawatts of electricity. Exelon Nuclear is the third-largest nuclear fleet in the world and the largest in America with nearly 20 percent of the nation’s nuclear generating capacity.
Spent fuel issue Meanwhile, used nuclear fuel at Nine Mile Point and FitzPatrick is being
Meet the Site
Vice Presidents Joe Pacher
Site Vice President James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant Joe Pacher, site vice president at Exelon’s James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant, formerly served as site VP at Exelon’s R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant near Rochester. He also served as engineering director and plant manager at Ginna. “I was the site vice president at Ginna during the station’s transition from Constellation to the Exelon man-
safely stored and managed at the reactor sites, Mudrick said. The NRC has certified continued on-site storage as safe while the federal government works to honor its legal commitment to remove the fuel for permanent disposal, he added. The Obama Administration halted work on the Yucca Mountain, Nev., site as a permanent repository, but the Trump Administration and a bipartisan group of members of Congress are working to restart work at the site, Mudrick said. “It remains uncertain when the federal government will be in a position to begin removing used fuel from reactor sites,” he said. “Regardless of outcome, we know that the used fuel is stored safely onsite and monitored daily.” Used fuel is safely stored at both FitzPatrick and Nine Mile Point in either fuel pools or dry fuel storage casks, Mudrick said. The “defense-in-depth” philosophy
used in the construction and operation of nuclear energy plants provides high levels of protection for public health and safety, he noted. “This is also true for dry cask storage. All dry fuel storage facilities meet federal regulatory design requirements, including cask designs to withstand the effects of natural phenomena such as tornadoes, lightning, hurricanes and flooding,” he added.
agement model,” the 52-year-old Pacher said. “This previous experience has helped me ensure any lessons learned from that transition are being applied during the FitzPatrick transition.” He earned his senior reactor operator certification at Ginna. The Bennington, Vt., native said his greatest sources of job gratification derive from working with highly trained nuclear professionals that work at Exelon’s facilities.
“Their hard work and commitment ensures our plants operate at the highest levels of performance,” he said. “I like the relentless pursuit of excellence.” In terms of his foremost challenges as site VP, Pacher noted the decision to continue operation of the FitzPatrick station required an aggressive re-staffing plan and an increase in investment into the station. “A majority of the re-staffing is complete and we are working to upgrade equipment and the facility to ensure long-term safe and reliable operation of the station,” the Webster resident added. Pacher said the continued development of new employees and a safely executed refueling outage are two important milestones for Exelon in 2018. “Ensuring our greatest asset — our people — are set for success and performing equipment upgrades and preventive maintenance activities during the outage will provide for success in 2018 and beyond,” he said. Pacher earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering management, both from Rochester Institute of Technology. He served as engineering director, plant manager and site VP at Ginna. Pacher is married with two daughters. Among his hobbies is motorcycle riding.
Joe Pacher, site vice president at James A. FitzPatrick, standing, and Pete Orphanos, site vice president at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station in Scriba. 60
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Community player Exelon is highly regarded as a corporate leader in its communities, supporting education initiatives, environmental and conservation projects, and numerous charitable organizations. Mudrick noted that Exelon has five giving focus areas: education, environment, health and human services, arts and culture, community and neighborhood development.
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Exelon donates more than $200,000 to Oswego-area charities and community events. The company is a premier sponsor of Harborfest and will continue supporting the event well into the future, Mudrick said. “Our employees are also generous with their time and money. Our employees logged more than 12,000 volunteer hours in 2016 alone,” he said. Beyond volunteer work, Exelon employees give back through financial support of hundreds of charities. “Our three New York nuclear facilities are among the largest contributors to local United Way campaigns each year, thanks to the generosity of our employees and a company match of 50 cents for every employee dollar donated,” Mudrick said. Employees across the three New York locations donate more than $300,000, making the company match
another $150,000 for a total of $450,000 in local charitable contributions for the “Employee Giving Campaign” alone, said Mudrick, who completed the Harvard Business School advanced management program in 2015. “Exelon also works to engage our broader community through educational outreach activities such as speaking with local elementary, high school and college students as well as hosting on-site events for groups such as the Girl Scouts,” Mudrick said. In the fall of 2017, Nine Mile Point achieved gold level certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council, the organization’s highest level of conservation certification. Employees involved with the station’s environmental stewardship committee pursued certification having completed a number of projects onsite, including installation of bat and duck houses, a bee hive and pollinator garden.
Peter Orphanos
The folks at Nine Mile Point are just great to be among,” he said. “Certainly, being part of our people development activities, refueling outages and our employees taking us to a world-class performing plant has been terrific.” Orphanos, who holds degrees in nuclear engineering technology and education, said among his foremost challenges as site vice president at Nine Mile Point is “probably just not enough time in a day.” “Between interacting with employees, plant activities and community commitments, I just run out of time,” he said. In terms of what it’s going to take to have a successful 2018, Orphanos said like any year, “a safe year for all of our employees.” “Additionally, we are preparing and looking forward to another successful refueling outage on Unit 2 in April,” he said. Orphanos has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering technology from SUNY and a bachelor’s degree in education from Southern Illinois University. He has held Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses at both Limerick and Peach Bottom nuclear stations, and he served honorably in the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine service. Orphanos and his wife, Carol, live in Oswego. He enjoys golf trips and sporting events with his family.
Site Vice President Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Peter Orphanos, site vice president at the Exelon’s Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, has been involved in the nuclear power industry for nearly 32 years. “This is a terrific industry and the employees are some of the best people you could ever work with,” he said. “The industry continues to build on excellent performance with more innovation, improved margins, improved capacity factors and continued emphasis on safe, reliable operations. Additionally, the importance of our role as a clean energy generator is more and more a part of our daily narrative,” Orphanos said. The site VP leads a team of 900-plus highly skilled employees and contractors and manages all aspects of plant operations. “From the surveys, employee meetings and other tools we use to continue to improve, I garner that our people appreciate my dedication, hard work, experience in the industry, and my passion to teach and continue to improve all of us,” he said. A native of Flushing, Orphanos said he “loves the mixture of people work, technical work, challenges and rewards.” “Never are any two days the same.
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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Progress FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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We’ve asked 20 business people in Central New York for their thoughts on the economic outlook for 2018. Here’s what they have to say “I am hoping the economy is going to grow a little. I am optimistic about it. New legislation — as far as grants to the county for economic development — will hopefully spearhead some new industries and businesses that should have a trickle-down effect to all of our communities.” Rick Rebeor, owner Valley Locksmith, Fulton
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“I don’t think it’ll get better, but I don’t think they’ll get to be like what they tell us on the national news. I just read the business section of Sunday’s paper and we’re not seeing these big spikes that we’re being told will happen. But we’re always the last ones anyway. We don’t see the big ups or the big downs in the economy. I’m not really looking for any big uptick. We keep trying and we’re still here, working. We keep plugging away up here.” 64
Jeffrey Schoenfeld, owner ANSUN Graphics, Syracuse
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“I think the outlook is good. I definitely think it will be better, especially with people trying to shop locally. There’s a lot of young people getting into business. I think together with older businesses, it will help us be prosperous.” Amara Ercums, owner US Beer Bites, Oswego
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“For Onondaga County, it should be better. I’ve got to believe that some of the run over due to the fact of the USBC Bowling Tournament should have a pretty big factor in the increase in volume. Hopefully it’s good for Oswego County as well. As of right now, it appears that the job market is good. Unemployment is down. The minimum wage is up, which hurts us small businesses, but it seems like OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
there’s a little more money being thrown around for fun time like eating out and recreation. The stock market is the best it’s ever been.” Randy Beach, owner Ale “n” Angus Pub, Syracuse
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“The tax thing will benefit individuals, but not the state, so there could be a slow down. In the nation, New York is ranked number four for the highest number of people leaving the state. I just moved here from Ohio. I see a lot more activity for the governor spreading money around the state, so it’s more liberal in New York. The economy is good. Investments need to move in different ways. I just bought this small business, the B&B, that’s quiet this time of year, but we’re gearing up for spring. We have races and various things that may keep us busy.” William Jacquin, owner Serendipity Bed & Breakfast, Oswego FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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always want to make it an optimistic attitude. You’re always looking for new markets and ways to serve existing clients better. We all want the economy of Oswego County to get better, but we’ve got an awful lot of problems.” Dave Mirabito, certified financial planner, Mass Mutual, Fulton
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“I think the economy may be on the upswing, but don’t ask me how much. It could be improving. It’s been improving, so I don’t see any reason why it won’t be.” Bill Symons, owner Canale Insurance and Accounting, Oswego
“I think it’s picking up. That’s what I see. It seems like there’s more work around.” Jim Soule, owner Scriba Electric, Inc., Oswego “I think it will be better this year. I’ve been getting more business for the month of January, and that’s usually a slower month. Hopefully, the trend will keep on going.” Megan Pecora, owner Port City Copy Center, Oswego “I think overall, 2018 will be good. The tax cuts coming are coming. My business is getting busier, so it’s looking up.” Tim Bonner, owner PC Masters Tech Repair, Oswego
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“Hopefully it will get better. I would hope with the new tax law passed by the federal government that will help immensely. With more money in people’s pockets, particularly in this area, it should spur the economy somewhat. The outlook is positive. We have to be positive. The state is in a very different situation with high taxes. Anything like this helps. I have a positive outlook.” Verner Drohan, owner Oswego Valley Insurance Agencies, LLC, Fulton
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“I think the outlook is good, especially for Phoenix. I think people are more focused on their local communities. Business is good. We have a lot of small customers that are local.” Barbara Reyes, owner Phoenix Press, Phoenix
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“I think it will be about the same. I don’t think we’ll see any increases or decreases. I see more changes on the national level that is changing than locally.” John Henry, owner Mitchell’s Speedway Press, Oswego
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“I’m always an optimist. I don’t know what’s in the works, but I FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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“I hope it continues with signs of slow, but steady development. I think that unemployment rates are continuing to decline which is a good sign for those who have been unemployed or underemployed for far too long.” Michael Carr, president Carr Recruiting, Baldwinsville
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“I hope 2018 is better than it was in 2017. I have to remain optimistic. We came off a good year. From the club’s perspective, we’ll have an even better year.” Michael LaRosa, member services manager Century Club, Syracuse
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“I’m discouraged. I work in the childcare industry and the access to high quality care is significantly diminishing. Parents of young children are less likely to enter or remain in the workforce. Businesses don’t recognize the importance of high quality care to their employees. There is not enough supply to meet the demand in Central New York. it’s so outrageously expensive that even for families who can afford it, the supply isn’t available. Childcare costs more than housing for many. The compensation for high quality workers is very low. Many make not much more than minimum wage. It’s not a profession many want to go into. The reality is if we don’t start our children off in high quality care, they’re not ready to learn. If they’re not ready to learn in kinderOSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
garten, they’re not going to do well in third grade. If they don’t do well in third grade, they’re less likely to graduate. If they don’t graduate from high school, they’re more likely to end up in criminal activity. It really does cost more in the long run to not provide them with quality care.” Lori Schakow, executive director Child Care Solutions, Syracuse
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“I think 2018 is going to be a great year. All indicators in our industry are that things are moving in a positive direction. We’re very optimistic. Fourth quarter was the best we’ve had. People were out buying and spending more than they ever have.” Ryan Novak, owner Chocolate Pizza Co., Inc., Marcellus
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“I’m thinking it will stay the same. That’s what I feel in my gut.” Chelsie Redmond, director CNY Healing Arts, Syracuse
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“I manage apartments and manage a golf course. Minimum wage is really killing us. We’ll have to raise our prices. It’s tough to do that. A golfer has told me he can’t afford to golf here if we raise prices. I don’t know how it will shake out. As for the apartments, we don’t have many high paying jobs around here. A lot of people have to be with Section 8. It’s tough. We’re getting to the point where it’s over built in this area right now. I don’t know what this tax reform will do. How will it work? How are you going to maintain the value of real estate when now they can’t deduct the tax they pay on it? It’s not great for New York state. Deanna Johnston, manager Cobblestone Square Apartments, LLC, Cicero
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“I don’t know which way it will go. I think the area will do somewhat better, but I don’t see a big difference from the way it did last year.” David Drucker, owner D.N. Drucker, Ltd., Fayetteville
Interviews by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 65
Progress
Era of Inclusion Economic leader says more effort must be made to upgrade impoverished neighborhoods in Syracuse By Lou Sorendo
W
hile attracting and retaining business and industry is a main staple on any economic planner’s plate, attending to some of society’s most alarming maladies must take priority. Say, for instance, poverty. Syracuse’s poverty rate stood at 32.1 percent in 2016, which ranked it 13th worse in the nation, according to the Census Bureau. In fact, one of out two children under the age of 18 live in poverty in Syracuse. Robert Simpson is president and chief executive officer of Syracuse-based CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO). He is also the former co-chairman of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. Simpson noted in his recent annual address that it is vital to include voices from people from traditionally marginalized communities in the decisions that impact the regional economy. Simpson said inclusion is important for many reasons. “All you have to do is look at demographics, not only of Central New York but of the country as a whole, to realize that our society is increasingly diverse,” Simpson said. “Places that are more tolerant and more inclusive are absolutely, unequivocally experiencing a greater amount of economic growth than those that are not.” “We’ve also seen painfully splashed on the front page of newspapers and media reports some of the challenges that Central New York has relating to economic inequality and economic racial segregation,” Simpson said. “These are not signs of a modern, progressive, successful city.” Simpson said area employers across
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the board are looking to increase the diversity of the workforce. “We are very fortunate to have a community that has a rich history of cultural diversity,” he said. “I think we need to celebrate that and do a better job of intentionally including populations that have historically been marginalized.” He said in Syracuse, the refugee and immigrant populations, African-American and Latino communities have experienced some of the highest rates of poverty in the country. Simpson said the project such as the
one involving upgrading South Avenue signifies a sincere effort to revitalize distressed neighborhoods. “We have to be intentional about going into communities and beginning to make investments that create a higher quality of place and create jobs. Ultimately, that’s what it’s going to take for us to be successful,” Simpson said.
Region Lackluster In his recent address, Simpson said the regional economy is still underperforming in the national and global race for investment, wealth, jobs and talent. Some of the figures and facts are indeed not impressive and Simpson noted economic optimism in the region is “muted.” For instance, unemployment is down nearly four points since mid-2012, yet it remains higher than the national average. Regional gross domestic product growth continues to lag the nation, he added, while job growth in the region remains “anemic” at 1.2 percent, he said. However, there is light at the end of
Robert Simpson, president, CenterState CEO OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress the economic tunnel. “First and foremost, the regional economy is showing signs of improvement. We just want it to be moving faster and want it to be stronger in comparison to our peers up and down the Thruway and the national economy,” he said. Simpson noted the good news locally is that 67 percent of forecasters are projecting sales and revenue growth in 2018, while 52 percent expect to hire and add new jobs. “All of that is a very good sign. However, if we want to accelerate the pace of growth we have here in the region, we need to be working harder, smarter and together,” Simpson said. Simpson said community leaders need to set aside past divisions and “collaborate on our economic success, which is really important.” “I think if you look at Central New York, we have some really exciting new leadership in important positions,” said Simpson, noting that City of Oswego Mayor William “Billy” Barlow and newly elected Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh fit that bill. “We have some new energy that has found its way into our decision-making structure,” said Simpson, noting that both Barlow and Walsh have a reputation for collaboration and engaging people in business and civic circles. “I think that’s a great sign,” he said. “I think we also have to remember that all of us really have a shared interest in growth and prosperity, and sometimes we may disagree on how to get there.” Simpson, who has been leading the regional business leadership organization since 2010, said all interests generally want the same things for Central New York. The nonprofit association serves more than 2,000 members across 19 counties in Central New York. “We want a community where business thrives and people prosper, and that sometimes means being willing to make compromises in the interest of moving our community forward,” he added. The Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce and CenterState CEO have developed a new strategic partnership to increase the reach and influence of both organizations. The new partnership formed in 2015 provides advantages to businesses and community stakeholders through FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
results-driven programs and services.
Cash Infusion Several projects approved in the latest round of funding through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council prove significant in terms of spurring further economic development down the road. Central New York was allotted $86.4 million to support 112 projects. Simpson said he is particularly proud of how the CNYREDC put forward several projects in several distressed neighborhoods in the Syracuse area. He said development along South Avenue in Syracuse will complement the investment made by Wakefern Food Corp. in that area of the city. The company invested $3.9 million to renovate and expand an existing warehouse, redeveloping it into a new 35,000-square-foot PriceRite supermarket on South Avenue. R.O.D.E South Ave., LLC will construct a new 33,000-square-foot mixedused facility on South Avenue. The facility will include commercial space, apartments and an events center. The project is being supported by $235,000 in CNY REDC funds. “I think the council put its money where its mouth is in terms of addressing poverty and economic segregation,” OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
he said. Marquardt Switches Inc., a manufacturer of electro-mechanical switches and control systems with North American headquarters in Cazenovia, was awarded $600,000 from Empire State Development to complete the $3.1 million Phase II of its global technology center. Simpson characterized Marquardt Switches Inc. as a strong, innovative manufacturer that looks to build upon it recent success. Fulton Group NA, Inc. and Affiliates was awarded $2.5 million from ESD to support an $11.25 million project, including the purchase of a facility in East Syracuse; renovations to facilities in Pulaski, East Syracuse, and Syracuse; purchase and installation of machinery and equipment; and research and development activities to develop new products offerings. In addition, Martens Companies, LLC was awarded $1.18 million from ESD to create a $4.7 million commercial food processing, packaging and distribution center in Cayuga County, focusing primarily on health-conscious foods. Simpson said the food-processing sector is a targeted industry. “We’re very bullish on the agribusiness sector here in Central New York,” Simpson said. “We know the global demand for food and nutrition is ripe exponentially and this part of New York state has always been a strong agrarian 67
Progress production region. He said increasingly, Central New York is turning that commodity production into value-added processing. “That’s a boon for the region and means more money for our farmers, more jobs for the region and it means we are in a better position to capture a greater share of the global economy and the global market for food and nutrition,” he said. Simpson said small to mid-sized businesses that are looking to grow and expand are a “sweet spot for us in Central New York.” “They have found a unique niche and are in the process of trying to dominate that niche in a global economy,” he added. “We want to see more of that.”
Closing the ‘Skills Gap’ Meanwhile, the “skills gap” plaguing Central New York and the rest of the nation continues to provide challenges. Essentially, the skills gap is the difference in the skills required on the job and the actual skills possessed by prospective employees. By 2020, an estimated 350,000 positions in New York that require mid-level skills will be unfulfilled, and many of those jobs are in advanced manufacturing. The skills gap in the United States is substantial. The National Federation of Independent Business found that as of the first-quarter 2017, 45 percent of small businesses reported that they were unable to find qualified applicants to fill job openings, according to bloomberg.com. “I think first and foremost, our employers and those in the business community need to communicate loud and clear what their emerging workforce and business needs are,” Simpson said. “When employers are up front and transparent about their emerging workforce challenges, the community, our educational institutions, workforce development providers and governments have a chance to respond and fill those needs.” Employers also need to be flexible, Simpson said. “The reality is as unemployment rates go down and the labor market tightens up, employers and their human resources departments need to be willing to look at non-traditional sources 68
“We are very fortunate to have a community that has a rich history of cultural diversity. I think we need to celebrate that and do a better job of intentionally including populations that have historically been marginalized.” of employment,” he said. “That means looking at folks who have historically been unemployed, underemployed, traditionally marginalized and in disadvantaged populations. That has been a big emphasis for us this year.” He said many people who have not historically had access to work are more than capable of walking into an employment environment and performing those tasks exceptionally well. “But what is necessary is collaboration between the workforce development system and our business community to develop the right programs for that,” he added.
Jump on the Work Train Meanwhile, CenterState CEO’s Work Train initiative has been enhancing the region’s workforce capabilities while addressing the challenges of unemployed and underemployed people in Central New York. Work Train assists businesses in recruiting, training and retaining skilled employees by listening to their needs and working together to develop innovative solutions. Work Train also works with community partners to assist residents to access training and obtain careers that pay family sustaining wages. “That represents the type of model that we are encouraging more folks in the educational and workforce development system to consider,” Simpson said. “The Work Train program builds off aggregated demand. Employers tell us where they are having pain points with respect to their workforce, and then we develop targeted training programs and work to engage and involve people who probably are traditionally outside of the normal labor market.” Simpson said Work Train is experiencing a high level of success. Metrics show upward of an 85 percent retention rate with employees OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
who get placed through the Work Train program, he said. “On the health care front, we’re saving employers somewhere on the order of $3,000 per placement because of that improvement in the retention rate,” he added. “This system not only gets more people in jobs, but keeps more people in jobs, saves employers money and helps those who would not ordinarily have a chance to work. We think it’s a win all the way around,” he said.
Investing in tourism Simpson noted the growth of Destiny USA and the new Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse continues to help the Greater Syracuse region from an economic development standpoint. “There is no question that tourism and hospitality remain an important part of the Central New York regional economy, and we continue to make investments in those regards,” Simpson said. “I think we are fortunate to live in a place with tremendous natural resources and some great culture and vitality. We do believe that there are opportunities to market and sell that to people across the state, around the country and in some cases around the world,” he said. Simpson said building Syracuse and Central New York as a destination is something many community and business leaders have all worked on for a long time. “I think increasingly, we are getting better at coordinating across many counties in the region, incorporating great festivals like Harborfest and other natural assets in Oswego and Cayuga counties and elsewhere,” he said. Simpson said from his perspective, it’s important to long-term success as a destination to be able to package all of the assets across a broader region as part of one common marketing message.
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
L. Michael Treadwell ooc@oswegocounty.org
Creation of Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility Under Study
T ‘Sewer services capacity needs to be expanded in Oswego County to support new businesses and development’
L. MICHAEL TREADWELL, CEcD, is executive director of Operation Oswego County based in Oswego. To contact him call 315-343-1545 or visit www.oswegocounty.org. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
According to the Oswego County Ecohe Oswego County Economic Advancement Plan, prepared by Camoin nomic Advancement Plan, the “sewer system Associates of Saratoga Springs, was limitations are the greatest barrier to future adopted by the Oswego County Legislature economic growth, creation of jobs and exNov. 9. One of the more important pieces of pansion of the tax base in Oswego County.” the plan was the analysis of infrastructure in It suggested the “reactivation of sewer services from the waste water treatment plant Oswego County. Infrastructure is used every day by every [at] the former Miller Brewing plant” into industry, every business and every person a regional municipal facility could alleviate in the county. Access to roads, sewer, water, sewer capacity deficiencies and spur future communication technologies and electricity economic growth. C&S Engineers will research potential are prerequisites for economic growth. The plan concluded that sewer service service areas and note where new waste capacity needs to be expanded in Oswego water conveyance infrastructure will be County to support new businesses and devel- needed, along with potential conveyance opment. Investment in the strategic extension route options. A preliminary cost estimate for the reof sewer services or the expansion of waste water treatment capacity would further con- activation of the facility will be provided, including the costs associtribute to the county’s ated with the construction attractiveness to potenEconomic Trends of new conveyance infratial developers and spur structure. The study will economic development opportunities and job creation. A major step also include a conceptual 20-year operations toward addressing the waste water treatment and maintenance budget, while identifying potential infrastructure ownership and opcapacity has been initiated. On Dec. 14, the Oswego County Legisla- eration arrangements options. C&S Engineers will work closely with the ture approved a feasibility study associated with the reuse of the waste water treatment facility owner, the County of Oswego IDA, plant at the former Miller Brewing facility and its partners, Operation Oswego County, Inc. and the Oswego County Legislature, to in Volney. As part of its approval, the Oswego Coun- review potential service area information. ty Legislature agreed to pay $49,000 toward They will also work in cooperation with the the $98,000 study. The remaining $49,000 village of Phoenix, the towns of Schroeppel, will be paid by Operation Oswego County Volney and Granby, and the city of Fulton. The IDA, OOC and the county are (OOC) and the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA). C&S Engineers, working together, as a team, to address the Inc. of Syracuse has been retained to conduct infrastructure issues identified in the Oswego County Economic Advancement Plan. The the study. The feasibility study will focus upon the study is integral and vital to this paramount potential reactivation of the former Miller initiative. Due to its strategic location along the NYS Brewing waste water treatment plant for the purpose of it serving as a regional waste water 481 corridor and potential capacity, the facility could, if developed into a regional waste treatment facility. The study will identify and document the water treatment plant, cover parts of Phoenix, reasons for undertaking the project, including Schroeppel, Volney, Granby and Fulton. Such a facility could open up the area for conveyance limitations, plant capacity and consent orders. It will also address the Oswego future business and industrial development, County Economic Advancement Plan findings as well as being able to support residential of the need to enhance infrastructure capacity housing that would boost economic growth. in order to further economic development The study will be completed within five months. potential. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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6
Sectors
By Lou Sorendo
Health
H e a l t h c a re s e c t o r continues role as leading industry, employment catalyst in Oswego County A vibrant health care sector in Oswego County continues to play a vital role in supporting economic development in the region while employing nearly 14 percent of the total workforce. Some of largest industries in Oswego County are health care and social assistance, followed by retail trade and educational services. Michael Harlovic, president and CEO of Oswego Health, said the organization impacts the economy and economic development in the county in several ways. “First and foremost, Oswego Health supports the local economy through its state-of-the-art facilities and high-quality health care services allowing residents to receive excellent medical care locally,” Harlovic said. The individuals who provide these health care services are well educated and compensated, making them major contributors to a healthy local economy, he added. Harlovic said 85 percent of the health system’s employees reside in Oswego County. The health system itself is also a 70
major contributor to the local economy with its purchasing of goods and services, he noted. Oswego Health, with 1,231 employees, is the second-largest private employer in Oswego County behind Exelon Generation. “Prior to this year, Oswego Health was actually the largest private employer in Oswego County for many years.” Harlovic said. “We believe the health system will continue to be among the top employers in the county well into the future as we continue to develop new services and employ highly trained individuals to provide these new and needed health care services,” Harlovic said. In 2017, Oswego Hospital earned its third consecutive “A” from The Leapfrog Group. Harlovic said his staff believes being recognized as one of the highest quality hospitals in the region by organizations like Leapfrog and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has resulted in more patients using both its inpatient and outpatient services. “In fact, we’ve had patients tell us they are aware of these accolades,” he said. “In addition, these recognitions validate the knowledge, skill and hard work of our entire team — from physicians and support staff — which fuels the continuous improvement process OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
necessary to be a top hospital in the future.” Also in 2017, Oswego Health unveiled two new services needed within the community — the Center for Wound Care and the Center for Weight Loss and Surgery. Moving forward, the health system will use a $13 million state Department of Health grant to completely renew its behavioral health service facilities and a neighborhood. “Plans are being developed that will completely renovate the former Oswego Price Chopper store into an efficient and attractive facility where effective inpatient and outpatient services are delivered,” Harlovic noted. Harlovic noted the new behavioral health services facility will benefit the community from both an economic and health care standpoint. “The renewed health care facility itself will offer more efficient care in an appropriate Harlovic setting that offers client and patient comforts,” Harlovic said. The funding will assist the health system to transform behavioral health services into a financially sustainable institution capable of preserving and enhancing essential health care services, FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress he added. “Historically, the health system has sustained financial losses while providing this service to the community,” he said. In addition to making behavioral health services financially viable, the health system will strive to integrate primary care and behavioral health services and receive an increase in its Medicaid reimbursement rate for these services, Harlovic added. Soon after completion, the new behavioral health services facility will create an additional 25 positions that along with the current staff of 106 will provide a positive economic boost to the area, he said. Oswego Health will also spend nearly $10 million this year on capital projects that will update its electronic medical record system and renovate a soon-to-be-announced hospital department.
Primary care arena Daniel Dey, chief executive officer at Northern Oswego County Health Services, Inc., said his organization contributes to the economic sustainability of Oswego County. “NOCHSI is a significant economic generator for Oswego County,” said Dey, noting it employs 230 staff members. It also has approximately 50 employ-
ment contracts with medical, dental, and behavioral health providers, who overall have higher salary levels that support the economy along with the school and county tax base, Dey added. “Provider recruitment is a No. 1 priority throughout the nation as it relates to rural access to quality primary care,” Dey said. “NOCHSI has done extremely well in meeting community demand, particularly through its successful recruitment of advanced practice professionals such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. These mid-tier providers work in a team-based environment with physicians as well as behavioral health and dental providers.” NOCHSI also gained recognition as a top Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home in 2017. The primary care medical home provides health care that is relationship-based with an orientation toward the whole person, Dey said. “Partnering with patients and their families requires understanding and respecting each patient’s unique needs, culture, values and preferences,” he said. “The medical home practice actively supports patients in learning to manage and organize their own care at the level the patient chooses.” Dey said recognizing that patients and families are core members of the care team, medical home practices ensure that they are fully informed partners in establishing care plans. NOCHSI expanded its dental ser-
Higher Education SUNY Oswego’s impact on community extends far beyond dollars and cents SUNY Oswego, the top public employer in Oswego and second overall, continues to play a vital role as an economic development driver. “SUNY Oswego has never been as strong as it is today,” said SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley said. “Sustained strength, as we have been able to provide for many years, becomes critical as we provide greater access and opportunity for growth and development and serve as a producer FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
of human capital.” SUNY Oswego cultivates and retains a workforce of more than 2,000 full-time equivalent employees with expertise in academic, social and cultural areas. It enrolls and retains approximately 8,000 students annually. “They come to us in search of a brighter tomorrow, and leave us with bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and advanced certificates in more than 110 program areas,” Stanley said. She said the college’s innovative program areas seek to understand the pulse of society as well as the state of the economy by forecasting business and industry demand for skills that will propel students and the communities OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
vices with the opening of a new dental practice and the hiring of new dental providers in Fulton in 2017. Dey said his organization will continue its provider recruitment to fill any available capacity among its six practice sites in Fulton, Mexico, Oswego, Parish, Phoenix, and Pulaski and among its six school-based health centers in the Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, Mexico, Pulaski and Sandy Creek school districts. Also in 2017, NOCHSI expanded walk-in hours at various practice locations and is expected to continue growth in its behavioral health services, Dey added. Nearly 19 percent of the population in Oswego County lives below the poverty level. Dey said a primary challenge in providing primary care to the underserved is making efforts to coordinate the other critical human service and social needs that are also prevalent in this population. NOCHSI is working to achieve this coordination through its participation in an Oswego County Integrated Delivery Network with the Oswego County Health Department, Oswego County Department of Social Services, Oswego County Opportunities and Oswego Health under the sponsorship of the Rural Health Network of Oswego County. The partners meet regularly to coordinate services and systems to better meet the comprehensive needs of clients, patients and families. in which they live well into the future. “We also broaden student access to applied learning opportunities each year through experiential learning partnerships with area business, industry, nonprofit and governmental employers,” she said. In addition to serving as an economic engine in the region, Stanley SUNY Oswego makes a difference in people’s lives through outreach and service to surrounding communities, Stanley said. “A commitment to serving, in a 71
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learning context, shapes the educational experience of our students, and has a broad impact on our community’s quality of life,” she said. “Students graduate from our institution and continue to find ways to impact and serve their communities.” Stanley said teaching and modeling the value of civility in respective environments assists faculty, staff and students to recognize and understand both the dynamic and divisive forces at play in the country and world.
Capital projects abound The campus is undergoing several capital projects this year that bode well for the SUNY Oswego community and the Greater Oswego area as well. The college is entering the final phase of a $50 million renovation of its School of Education in Wilber and Park halls. The investment will consolidate the School of Education into a unified complex and offer faculty and students state-of-the-art classrooms that enable 21st century pedagogy in K-12 teacher instruction. Also, the final phase of a $42 million comprehensive reconstruction project will focus on modernizing interior spaces to provide proper instructional, performance and support facilities in Tyler Hall, home of the college’s visual and performing arts. SUNY Oswego recently initiated the design-consultant phase of a $65 million capital investment project aimed at renovating Hewitt Union into Hewitt Hall, the new home of the nationally recognized communication studies program. Stanley said the state’s capital budget for the new fiscal year includes at least $550 million for SUNY state-operated campuses. “It’s part of a five-year state capital plan that features a strong investment in maintaining critical SUNY infrastructure and moving ahead with priority construction projects,” Stanley noted. “Many of our capital investments have a direct impact on the local economy,” Stanley said. “The college makes considerable effort to award bids to local firms, hire local labor and buy regionally whenever possible.”
Service to community The college’s strategic plan encourages members of the campus commuFEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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Progress Human Services Oswego County Opportunities provides hope, support to lessfortunate county residents While providing valuable human services to Oswego County’s less-fortunate population, Oswego County Opportunities also plays a significant role as an economic engine in the region. “OCO is a positive economic force in many ways — as an employer, as a service provider, and as a conduit for donors and sponsors to make a powerful local impact,” said OCO Executive Director Diane Cooper-Currier. With a workforce averaging around 600 employees, OCO has been among the top-10 largest private employers in Oswego County for well over a decade and ranks fifth according to Oswego County Business magazine’s 2018 Business Guide. Cooper-Currier noted that 93 percent of OCO employees reside in Oswego County. “That keeps the lion’s share of the agency’s annual $18.9 million payroll local, buying food, goods and services, paying mortgages, paying local school and property taxes, and so forth,” she noted. As a service provider, OCO puts that $28 million budget to work by delivering more than 50 programs that benefit every age and stage of life amongst the county’s most vulnerable and impoverished people. For example, OCO operates 12 residences across the county that are home to adults with developmental disabilities, Cooper-Currier noted. “Many of these residents hold jobs, go shopping, help prepare meals and perform daily chores, work in the garden, take vacations, and enjoy being part of their neighborhoods and communities,” she said. OCO also rents 40 apartment units countywide for adults with mental and physical disabilities who are able to transition to greater independence and self–sufficiency. 76
OCO Executive Director Diane Cooper-Currier.
OCO also rents space in churches and community buildings to deliver such important services as dining and activity centers for senior citizens, clinics for women to receive nutritional support for themselves and their infant children, day habilitation program for disabled adults, and supervised visitation services for families. Cooper-Currier said as a conduit for donor dollars, “OCO is proud to state that 90 cents of every $1 that comes in goes directly to benefit program services. “We are totally focused on Oswego County; that’s where all our resources are put to use.” Incidentally, the Better Business Bureau’s national Wise Giving Alliance gives accreditation to charitable organizations that spend at least 65 cents of every $1 on their charitable missions. “That shows how far above the standard OCO ranks,” Cooper-Currier said. Grant funding allows the agency to keep its administrative expenses to a minimum, she noted. “Regular reporting and auditing requirements assure the funds are spent appropriately and fulfills the agency’s mission — to inspire partnerships and provide services that empower people, support communities and change lives,” she said. “We invest in people as they seek to improve their lives through crisis intervention, better nutrition, development of job skills, learning to read, OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
acquiring better life skills, obtaining safe and affordable housing, recovering from addiction, and so much more,” Cooper-Currier said. She noted OCO’s supporters recognize and appreciate this.
Wealth of community support In 2017 alone, individuals, large and small businesses, community organizations and private groups donated more than $118,000 to support many OCO programs. “We take their trust and confidence very seriously and greatly appreciate their support,” she noted. Cooper-Currier observed that it is difficult to ascertain which of the human services OCO offers is more in demand. “This is a difficult question to answer, as high demand is only one component used to measure the priority and impact of any human service program,” she said. “A service provided to a seemingly small number of individuals may have a very high impact.” For example, OCO operates a day care center that has a capacity of 37 children. Without childcare, these parents might not be able to keep a job, resulting in a disastrous economic impact for the family and a loss to the community as well, Cooper-Currier said. “Or take a look at our chemical FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress dependence recovery program. The capacity is 16, which is a small number,” she said. “But a lasting, successful recovery from addiction, and what it means to a man’s self-worth, to reconciling a family, to being able to hold a job, is priceless.” Cooper-Currier said OCO continues to see increases among individuals and families in crisis who have immediate needs for food, shelter, clothing or safety. “The ability to safely and affordably house or re-house persons who are homeless, regardless of the circumstances, continues to pose serious challenges countywide,” she added. As OCO enters a new strategic planning cycle in 2018, “it will be interesting to see what the data collected through needs assessments, focus groups and surveys reveals about the demand for services,” Cooper-Currier said. “This will form our mission, vision and planning for 2019-2021.” Meanwhile, OCO continues to aim at lessening the “skills gap” which has proven challenging in terms of workforce development in the county. OCO has job training and educational programs focused on increasing math, reading and fiscal skills as well as soft skills for successful employment that include interviewing skills, how to work within a team, attendance, dress, and so forth. It also has a retail job-training site in Fulton — Backstreet Books and Bistro. “Everyone knows that obtaining
and keeping a job is an essential move toward become a self-supporting, contributing member of our community,” she said. “But it is only one piece in a much larger puzzle.” Cooper-Currier said poverty is a set of circumstances that puts up barriers to successful self-sufficiency. “It’s not a stigma and it’s not a definition of who you are,” she said. The OCO leader said it takes time to reveal the barriers and assist a client toward overcoming them. “Literacy is a good example. It’s not easy to admit that you are a 30-year-old adult who can’t read; or are moving from one family member’s house to another because you can’t afford a security deposit on a place of your own; or you can’t complete a job application or get a bank account.” Once these more basic and underlying needs are addressed, a person is more ready to acquire higher skill sets, Cooper-Currier said. She noted OCO has a “great relationship” with the Oswego County Workforce Development system and refers clients to its network of job opportunities and job search tools. “OCO is even a one-stop center with a computer kiosk for anyone to use,” she said. “We also encourage OCO employees to take advantage of the education and training services that can improve their professional skills, like classes on Microsoft Word and Excel.”
Manufacturing Advanced manufacturing: one of four target cluster in terms of economic development In the past, advanced manufacturing was associated with high-tech companies making products such as cell phones. “By my definition, an advanced manufacturing company is any manufacturer that’s making a product using the highest state of technology in terms of machinery and equipment,” said L. Michael Treadwell, executive director of Operation Oswego County, the county’s designated economic development FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
agency. He noted companies such as Fulton Tool, Pathfinder Industries, Universal Metal Works and an assortment of machine shops are all advanced manufacturers. “We have to look to make sure, particularly with existing companies, that they have the capability of being able to acquire and put into place the machinery and equipment that will make them competitive where they can get more work and employ more people,” he said. However, Treadwell cautioned that when talking about technology and machinery, in many cases that doesn’t necessarily correlate directly with jobs. He said one person running a maOSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
chine today may be capable of producing the same as five people on a production line in the past. However, he noted there is added value with that skilled operator, which translates into higher wages. Fortifying the manufacturing sector in Oswego County is the area’s “dominant and strong” metal working sector, Treadwell noted. “The Oswego County Economic Advancement Plan: Targeted Industry Analysis” prepared in September of 2017 by Camoin Associates, citing advanced manufacturing as one of four target cluster in terms of economic development in Oswego County, identifies some strategies in terms of helping Oswego County improve and enhance the metal working industry. Treadwell said the OOC will work with primary companies, particularly machine shops and several smaller companies, in terms of strategy. The goals include encouraging those in the sector to work together, enhance and make themselves more competitive, generate more business and attract other metal working businesses to the area, Treadwell said.
Novelis to supply aluminum to Jeep Wrangler In a recent development involving Novelis in Scriba, the major aluminum fabricator will reportedly supply lightweight aluminum for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The 2018 Jeep Wrangler will be about 200 pounds lighter than previous models thanks to the use of lightweight, highstrength aluminum for closures, which includes parts of the doors, fenders, swing gate and windshield surround, according to Novelis. The Novelis plant in Kingston, Ontario, Canada is also providing material to the Jeep initiative. “Novelis Oswego is proud to partner with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on the new Jeep Wrangler,” said Kevin Shutt, plant manager in Oswego. “As more automakers turn to aluminum for its many benefits, our team of employees is well-equipped to meet their needs.” Novelis is by far the largest manufacturer in Oswego County from an em77
Progress ployee standpoint, with 1,180 workers. That ranks it third overall among top private employers in Oswego County, according to the 2018 Oswego County Business Guide. Most aluminum sheet it produces is sold to automakers, but the plant also makes aluminum for beverage cans and other products. Novelis began shipping product from its Oswego plant for the F-Series Super Duty truck line in spring 2016. Ford’s first aluminum body truck, the 2015 F-150, was launched in December 2014.
Skills gap issue Treadwell said the “skills gap” issue plaguing the nation also greatly impacts Oswego County. “It’s an issue in terms of getting the right people with the right skills,” said Treadwell, noting companies such as Novelis and Huhtamaki in the county are having problems actually finding people with the skills sets they need. As of last December, the unemployment rate in Oswego was 6.8 percent, while the nation’s unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, the lowest it’s been in years. Treadwell said with the economy improving, demand for skilled workers is increasing. He noted the quality of an area’s workforce is a major element in attracting business and industry.
He said it is to a region’s benefit to train its workforce to be viable candidates for jobs for companies offering high-skill positions. He said in terms of being competitive from an economic development standpoint and having the ability to attract new business to the county, prospective companies must be comfortable that an available workforce is ready to train and take on skilled positions. Treadwell noted Oswego County is taking the proper measures by building on its capability of training while incorporating the needs of what companies are looking for. The Oswego County Workforce Development Board as well as the Advanced Manufacturing Institute at the Fulton branch of Cayuga Community College are at the forefront of these initiatives, he noted. “Those types of initiatives are going to be critical to make Oswego County competitive, but that situation really is across the board. It really applies to almost any community in the country,” he said. “We’re certainly going in the right direction. Are we there yet? No, but we are going in the right direction in terms of recognizing and identifying the issue,” he said. SUNY Oswego, CCC, The Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation and Cayuga Community College are all trying to lessen the problem collaboratively.
Real Estate Despite nationwide volatility, Oswego County on stable ground Despite uncertainty on the national front, Oswego County’s real estate market remains on stable ground. Florence Farley, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CNY Realty in Oswego, said three factors have created a sense of volatility nationally: the recent federal tax cut passed by Congress; the threatened government shutdown, and unknowns at the Fed78
eral Reserve and how slight increases in interest rates will affect investment. For states like New York and California, the recent tax cut bill caps the amount of mortgage interest that is deductible. Also, individual tax deductions are time limited while corporate deductions are not. However, in Oswego County, that will affect a smaller percentage of homeowners than in other parts of the state, Farley said. “Until the Internal Revenue Service is able to provide more solid details to accountants and legislators about these changes, the impact is still somewhat OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
unpredictable,” she noted. “Luckily, we all have another year before the major changes occur on our tax returns.” Farley noted the real estate sector is linked to the overall economy “to some degree.” “Sales activity is most closely linked to local employment, economic development and innovation taking place at the city and county level,” Farley said. “There is a great deal of optimism and new grants in the area to warrant it.” Farley noted the Oswego area has “a great deal of stability.” “We seldom have large bubbles or crashes,” she said. “Overall, the outlook is positive. So, this is a great year to buy or sell. Given the incremental increases in interest rates, procrastination is not a wise choice,” Farley noted.
Look ahead at 2018 Farley noted 2018 offers some unique challenges as well as opportunities. “For the next 12 months, Oswego County has some exciting new construction, and because local employers from Novelis to SUNY Oswego to Oswego Health are hiring, the outlook is positive,” she said. In terms of interest rates going forward, Farley said all members of the Federal Open Market Committee — a branch of the Federal Reserve Board — predict gradual interest rate hikes. The Bank of America, N.A. prime rate was 4.50 percent as of Dec. 14, 2017. Bank of America sets the prime rate based on various factors, including the bank’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans. “However, the FOMC is split as to how many [increases]. Some predict four over the course of the year; others two,” Farley said. She noted they should still remain at historically “very good rates” between 4-6 percent.
Sales numbers up in county In 2017, total closed sales in Oswego County were 1,167, an 8.9 percent FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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Progress increase from 2016 and a 38.9 percent increase from 2013. There were 1,689 new listings, and an inventory of 469 homes for sale. The months’ supply of inventory in Oswego was 4.8 in 2017, meaning it would take 4.8 months for the current inventory of homes on the market to sell given the current pace of home sales. Farley noted the limited choice of properties on the market sometimes causes buyers to “continue looking” since they did not have the number of options to choose from what they had a few years back. The median sales price of a home in Oswego during 2017 was $97,000, a drop of 3.3 percent compared to 2016 but an increase of 1.7 percent from 2013. Farley noted less supply has a bearing on home prices going forward. “The inventory has remained low nationally, statewide and locally,” she said. “That does offer homeowners an opportunity to get their home on the market at a potentially increased sales price.
“Whenever a clean, well-maintained home that is priced right comes on the market, it moves quickly and sometimes gets even more than one offer.” Trends in Oswego County show a minus-17 percent year-over-year drop in median sales price and an 18 percent rise in median rent per month. Farley addressed whether these numbers are an indication that people locally are opting to rent. “Certain people who are offered a new job in the area will definitely rent — for example, the U.S. Coast Guard or Border Patrol, because they may be transferred in a relatively short period of time,” she said. Farley noted Gen-Xers — or those aged 37-52 — may have paid off their student loans and are looking for tax deductions that owning a home offers. “Young people without children may want the convenience of going to work and coming home and leaving the snow shoveling and lawn care to someone else,” she noted.
Nationally, the tiny house movement happened because millennials along with Gen X and Y people set new priorities of wanting to travel or spending more on entertainment. The tiny house movement is the architectural and social movement that advocates living simply in small homes. A residential structure less than 500 square feet is generally considered to be a tiny home. However, as rental costs increase, it also creates a market for smart investors and first-time homeowners to reap the benefits of home ownership, Farley noted. “In our area, income does not necessarily warrant paying high rent when you can buy and your mortgage will be far less per month,” she said. “In practice, renters rarely accumulate any wealth. In no small part this seems traceable to the difficulties households face in trying to save absent either a clear goal or an automatic savings mechanism,” stated a Harvard University study.
Tourism Oswego County takes aggressive approach in nurturing fertile sport fishing industry Sport fishing continues to be the largest component of Oswego County’s tourism industry. Officials at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation estimate that the overall economic impact of sport fishing in Oswego County exceeds $42 million. This includes purchases people make while visiting like gas, lodging, groceries, dining, boat rentals and supplies. The Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning supports the fishing industry through a variety of marketing programs, according to Janet Clerkin, the county’s tourism and public information coordinator. The strategy includes print ads in 80
regional and national publications such as Outdoor News in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; Eastern Fly Fishing magazine; NY Game and Fish magazine; and On the Water. Outreach also happens through apps such as NY Pocket Ranger, a free mobile app from the DEC, ParksByNature and other fishing-related websites. A major initiative over the past two years has been a Market NY campaign with other counties along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Clerkin said the campaign markets Lake Ontario fishing through banner ads, print media, and some television in selected markets. “The media partners in this venture were selected based on their reputation and coverage in the market areas of greatest importance to us, specifically the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes states,” she said. Clerkin said the county participates in numerous consumer shows in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
especially during January through March when people are planning their vacations. Some of these shows include Suffern; Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, Pa.; Springfield, Mass.; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada markets; as well as closer venues such as Saratoga, Syracuse and Fort Drum. “The shows are very valuable in making one-on-one contact with potential visitors, distributing our printed materials, and providing information to potential visitors,” Clerkin said.
Website lures in visitors The county’s tourism website — www.visitoswegocounty.com — includes a comprehensive listing of licensed charter captains and fishing guides who do business in Oswego County. “We provide a free listing to all businesses as long as they’re current FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress with their property taxes and in compliance with the county occupancy tax law,” she said. The Oswego County tourism office is also the conduit for submitting information to the “I Love NY” website and works continuously with the ILNY marketing team to make it aware of the high quality and importance of fishing in the region. The tourism office produces and distributes a comprehensive 52-page fishing and hunting guide that is distributed at several shows and visitor information centers within a five-hour driving area of Oswego County. Approximately 50,000 guides are distributed annually. “All of our fishing businesses receive a free listing in the guide and there’s opportunity for them to purchase display ads at a reasonable price to enhance their exposure,” Clerkin said. Over the past few years, Oswego County has invested significant dollars into the WPBS production “Fishing Behind the Lines,” which is aired in 32 public television markets across the United States. The series features all types of local fishing experiences, both on the lake and on the rivers, with guides or charters taking out enlisted military and veterans. “It’s been a highly successful project and we’re proud of the product that’s resulted,” Clerkin said. Clerkin noted the tourism office works extensively with travel and outdoor writers to publish articles and blogs that describe local fishing experiences. “We’re very fortunate to have a number of captains, guides and businesses who help support this endeavor and host media visits,” Clerkin said. In May, the tourism office will host a “Spring Safari” for the New York State Outdoor Writers Association. “Basically, we look for every opportunity we can to help support and promote the many components of tourism in Oswego County,” Clerkin said. She said that includes state and federal agencies, particularly the DEC, in enhancing the fishing experience. “We realize that not all anglers come by themselves and we have a variety of ways of promoting other activities, such as historic sites, campgrounds, and special events for those traveling with FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
friends and other family members,” Clerkin added. In addition, this year the tourism department is partnering with its neighbors to the north — Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties — on a social media and marketing campaign to help Lake Ontario communities and businesses recover from the devastating high-water levels experienced last year along the shoreline.
Growth in tourism sector There are several new developments on the county’s tourism scene that promise to enhance the sector. The Tailwater Lodge in Altmar will begin a 24,000-square-foot expansion to include 46 new rooms, exercise facilities, spa and a swimming pool. The property recently co-branded with Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Work will begin on an indoor water park adjacent to the Quality Inn & Suites Riverfront on East First Street in Oswego. Also, the Children’s Museum of Oswego is planning to begin renovations to expand the museum and exhibit areas on West Bridge Street in the city of Oswego. Meanwhile, several local projects will receive state funds through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. They include new snowmobile trail grooming equipment for the Redfield and Square Valley snowmobile clubs; Douglas Outdoors will convert an existing building in Pulaski to a manufacturing facility for high-end fishing rods; and Virgilio’s Event Centre in Volney will build new cabins and an outdoor covered patio to expand its wedding and event facilities. The county will also be starting a project on state Route 481 north of the Oswego County Public Safety Center that will provide parking and access to the Oswego River. That section of the river, between Lock 5 in Minetto and Lock 6 in Oswego, “is very scenic but hard to get to for folks who enjoy canoeing and kayaking,” Clerkin said. The project is a partnership with the DEC and funded through New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Marine sanctuary stalls Meanwhile, steps are being taken to make the Great Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary a reality. The counties of Oswego, Jefferson, Wayne and Cayuga, along with the city of Oswego, New York state, and several community organizations nominated the Eastern Lake Ontario region for national marine sanctuary status based on historic shipwrecks in eastern Lake Ontario. The application was favorably accepted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and met the federal government’s criteria for inclusion as a national marine sanctuary. However, the process was put on hold in 2017 by President Donald Trump’s directive to launch a review of all national marine sanctuaries. The local organizing committee will meet this year to discuss the next steps and avenues to move the process along. On another front, the county will also be continuing its efforts to have the Fort Ontario State Historic Site/ Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum area designated as a national park. Clerkin said it is another effort to heighten the awareness of the historic importance of the Greater Oswego County area and bring more visitors to the region. “It’s anticipated the sanctuary would be a major tourism benefit to communities along the Lake Ontario shoreline from Jefferson to Wayne counties,” Clerkin said. The application was based on a similar Great Lakes model, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary on Lake Huron in Alpena, Mich. Clerkin said it is estimated that Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary annually generates more than $100 million to the regional economy and supports over 1,500 jobs. The visitor center for Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a major tourism destination for the region, hosting approximately 60,000 visitors annually.
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Progress
Oswego County’s Top Projects Projects coincide with newly developed economic advancement plan By Lou Sorendo
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swego County now has a roadmap in terms of heading in the direction toward economic prosperity. Camoin Associates developed “The Oswego County Economic Advancement Plan: Targeted Industry Analysis” prepared in September of 2017. Camoin Associates has provided economic development consulting services to municipalities, economic development agencies, and private enterprises since 1999. The study identified four main economic development clusters that Oswego County should focus on: energy, advanced manufacturing, food processing and tourism/recreation. “We certainly are taking to heart the results of the Camoin economic advancement plan study. A lot of the initiative — particularly the target industry side of it — was somewhat predicated based upon prior outcomes and results, and we will continue to go in the same direction,” said L. Michael Treadwell, executive director of Operation Oswego County, and county’s designated economic development agency. The following is a recap of some of the top projects and economic development initiatives happening in Oswego County:
that changed when Oswego Health was seeking a suitable site to expand into. It already offers an array of mental health services at its facility on Bunner Street in Oswego. “All that will be moved over to the new facility and expanded significantly,” he said. Treadwell said the former Price Chopper location was in the “right place at the right time” and it was a perfect logistical fit for Oswego Health. In addition, some funding the county anticipated for the incubator project — about 30 percent — became unavailable. “They didn’t have too many options and that was by far the most viable option,” said Treadwell, noting about 120 people will be employed at the new facility. “They are going to be addressing a major issue in the county, so that is a great project,” he said. The project got a jump-start being that OOC had already done preliminary work on the building while gearing up for a business incubator. That information proved valuable to Oswego Health in terms of its ability to assess the building,” he noted.
New State-of-the-art Access Build2. ing at the FitzPatrick Plant Oswego Health’s Behavioral Health
1.Services project
Among the top projects in 2018 is Oswego Health’s new behavioral health services project, which will be located at the former Price Chopper building off East Cayuga Street in Oswego. Treadwell noted the project is in the site plan review process. The OOC director said previous plans had targeted the location for a new business incubator facility, but 82
On the energy front, Treadwell said one project on the agenda for 2018 involves Exelon constructing a new state-of-the-art access building at the FitzPatrick plant. Construction of the $3 million project should start this summer, Treadwell noted. Treadwell said energy storage is a critical part of the renewables sector and its capacity to store power. Storage allows access to power 24 hours a day OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
and not just “when the turbines are blowing and turning and the sun is out,” Treadwell said. He said that developing technology is “certainly critical to making renewables more viable and reliable. Reliability is a big issue, and that’s why nuclear power plants are critical. They can go at any certain time and they never shut down.” Treadwell said direct benefits from energy storage will be realized in the long term. “There is within the current administration in Washington a stronger focus upon looking at nuclear power as a fuel source for the future,” Treadwell said. Two new nuclear reactors are being constructed in Waynesboro, Ga., the first new nuclear facilities to be built in the United States since 1978. “There were discussions and talks in recent years about the possibility of developing a model, or cookie-cutter approach, in terms of developing advanced small modular reactors where they can be spread out better and more effectively utilized while keeping development costs down dramatically,” Treadwell said. Advanced small modular reactors are considered by the U.S. Dept. of Energy to be a key part of its goal to develop safe, clean, and affordable power options. These models produce up to 300 megawatts and can be fabricated at a factory and shipped to the plant site by rail or truck. Treadwell noted that technology is still in the developmental states.
3.EJ USA
A major project under construction is EJ USA. Site work is being done on the 16FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress acre location at the Oswego County Industrial Park in the town of Schroeppel, and construction on its 65,000-squarefoot manufacturing facility is expected to begin in the spring. “Hopefully, the plant will be up and operating by the end of the year or first quarter of 2019,” Treadwell said. He said that initiative dovetails with the model the Camoin study presented. EJ USA is a fabrication company that manufactures infrastructure access solutions, such as manhole frames, grates, covers and hatches. The $9 million project is expected to create 91 jobs, and the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency and Empire State Development Corp. is providing financial assistance.
4.Teti Bakery
Treadwell said the Camoin Associates study also identified food processing as a target industry. The county has experienced a high level of success with processors, touting facilities such as Champlain Valley Specialty in the town of Oswego, and K&N Foods USA and Teti Bakery in Fulton. “We’ve lost a lot of food processing companies in the past,” said Treadwell, noting that the former Miller Brewing Co. in Fulton fell under that category. Miller shuttered its plant in 1994. “We’ve been fortunate in the last three to four years to pick up some additional food processing companies. We’re going to continue to push and try to attract more and to help those existing companies expand further in Oswego County,” Treadwell said. Treadwell said there has been a “fair amount” of turnover at Teti Bakery’s facility in Fulton. “But they are still moving forward with their project,” Treadwell said. Recently, the bakery restructured its financing in lieu of a significant amount of new money that is being directed into some other production lines at the facility. “Teti feels its growth is in the United States, and not in Canada. From a cost-effective standpoint, they would like to move some more production out of their headquarters in Toronto into the Fulton facility,” he said.
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5.Expansion of Tailwater Lodge
Another targeted cluster on Oswego County’s radar is recreation and tourism. Several projects are in the wings in 2018 to help enhance Oswego’s tourism offerings. One major project involves the Tailwater Lodge in Altmar, which is more than doubling its lodging capacity while also adding a fitness center, an indoor pool and other leisure amenities for guests. The project has already been approved by the IDA, and construction is expected in the spring “or maybe sooner,” Treadwell said. “Knowing Norm Swanson [developer and president of the Woodbine Hospitality Group, which owns the Tailwater Lodge], nothing really slows him down when he gets moving,” Treadwell said. Treadwell characterized the Tailwater Lodge as a tourism destination hotel that will soon be featuring 88 rooms when finished. In addition, Tapestry Collection by Hilton has added Tailwater Lodge to its newest collection brand. The other major project on the tourism front is part of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative in the city of Oswego.
6.Lake Ontario Water Park
An indoor water park will be constructed adjacent to the Quality Inn & Suites Riverfront off East First Street in Oswego. “That project is now beginning to move pretty quickly,” said Treadwell, noting the IDA recently passed a resolution qualifying the plan for financial assistance. “We’re working with the Broadwell Hospitality Group, the city and the DRI [Downtown Revitalization Initiative] program to help advance that project,” Treadwell added. It will be located just west of Subway on 21 E. Bridge St. and will be connected to the Quality Inn. Its owners, the Broadwell Hospitality Group, hopes the Lake Ontario Water Park will extend visitors’ stay in the Port City by another day or so with the added amenity. “I’m sure they all do a lot of business OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
associated with parties and things,” Treadwell said. “It’s a year-round facility and totally enclosed.” Treadwell referred to the water park as one of the more critical aspects of the DRI given its uniqueness. He said George “Buddy” Broadwell, co-owner of Broadwell Hospitality Group, has nurtured the idea for several years while developing various scenarios. “Now he is comfortable at the scale that it’s at. At one point in time, he was going to add rooms, but he decided that probably is not a good idea since there are two brand new hotels that have opened in Oswego,” Treadwell said. “He is going to have the facility to bring more people into his hotels as well as from other hotels as well,” he added. Also on the horizon is the Midtown Plaza project being overseen by The Sutton Companies.
7.Wastewater treatment facility
One of the most critical components of the economic advancement plan is addressing some of the shortcomings in Oswego County for business development, including wastewater treatment facilities. “That’s one of the bigger, tougher issues we have to deal with. That is already being kicked off in terms of hiring C&S Companies engineers to do a feasibility study of the former Miller Brewing Co.’s wastewater treatment plant and the potential of converting that into a municipal regional wastewater treatment plant,” he said. It would provide service to portions of the city of Fulton, and also the towns of Volney, Schroeppel and perhaps Granby. “That is one of the biggest steps that needs to be taken in order to really address what that economic development plan outlines as being critical and pertinent and being able to advance the economy in Oswego County,” he said. Treadwell said there is “no question” that over a long period of time, the county has lost potential projects between Phoenix and Fulton along the state Route 481 corridor because of the lack of wastewater treatment capacity. “We were fortunate to sneak in EJ USA because they don’t really have a significant stream of wastewater coming from their plant for treatment,” he said. 83
Aldi is the first business to locate on the former Nestle’s site in Fulton. It opened in December.
Fulton’s Sweet Spot Long-abandoned Nestle site in city of Fulton coming back to life By Lou Sorendo
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hen the Nestle plant in Fulton shut down in 2003, it left in its wake 24 acres of vacant land and buildings. Nearly 15 years later, what was once a wasteland of brick and mortar is poised once again to enhance the quality of living in Fulton. The city took a giant step toward redeveloping the former Nestle site when Aldi launched its new store recently. Fulton Mayor Ron Woodward Sr. sees it not only as a victory for his city, but also as a catalyst for further development. The mayor said business at Aldi is brisk and “it’s going to be an anchor for other places there.” The launch occurred about two years after the international supermarket chain purchased the two-acre site from the city in November 2015. The 18,750-square-foot Fulton store features open ceilings, natural and LED lighting and energy-saving refrigeration.
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While establishing Aldi at 555 S. Fourth St. is a win for the city, there are 22 acres of the site remaining to be developed. The grocery store is located at South Fourth (state Route 481) and Fay streets. South Seventh Street borders the northern portion of the former Nestle site. Woodward said there are several entities interested in locating at the site. “One is a professional building that probably will be at Seventh and Fay streets,” he said. “I like the idea of that if it comes to fruition because it’s a good buffer for the neighborhood.” “Most of the workers go home in the evening and business activity is limited to mostly daylight hours,” said Woodward, noting that scenario would be best for neighborhoods versus an active business that is open 24 hours a day. Woodward also said he would like to see a restaurant locate at the site. Woodward said Rochester-based RE/MAX Realty Group visited last OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
year and indicated it had a client who is interested in establishing two sites in Fulton in 2018. One is targeting the former Nestle site and is “some type of fast food place,” Woodward said. He said the name of the business is unavailable, but it is one that would be new to the city. He said the client is also eyeing the former Fay’s Drugs site on state Route 481. Woodward noted that word from the city’s Community Development office indicates a bank from the Southern Tier has also shown interest in developing at the former Nestle site. Two lots south of Aldi on South Fourth Street that have generated interest have water available, but sewer work needs to be done. “We’ll do what we need to do to get people in,” Woodward said. Woodward said the extent of infrastructure work needed depends on the specific location chosen within the FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress complex. “There are a lot of things that go into the picture,” he said. “For anyone who wants to develop along the Fay Street site, that will happen quickly because water and sewer access is right there.”
As of the end of January, two small structures were still up at the site once occupied by Nestle in Fulton, which shut down in 2003. Mayor Ron Woodward said there are several organizations interested in the location.
Multi-million cleanup project The cost of cleanup to this point has been about $3.5 million, the mayor said. The city was awarded a $250,000 grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Economic and Infrastructure Development Investment Program. The grant allows the city to install more than 3,800 linear feet of water and sewer mains and update storm sewer lines at the former Nestle facility. The city also received a $350,000 grant as part of the state’s Restore New York Communities Initiative. Woodward said this funding helps, but also noted the scope of the project. “You have to remember this is a 24-acre site that was off the tax rolls. It was 24 acres of buildings. Although that sounds like a lot of money, that’s an awful lot of buildings to take down,” he said. He noted the city is going to take an aggressive approach in drawing investors into the site. “We have quite a few that are interested but most people don’t want their names involved until they get closer,” he said. The mayor said the cleanup process will commence once winter weather conditions subside. “There’s not an awful lot more [in terms of cleanup],” he said. “We stopped because of the weather. We didn’t want the contractor to keep moving snow because we pay by the hour.” The mayor said a major benefit for a retail business to locate at the site is that about 22,000 vehicles pass by on state Route 481 every day. “And you already have a number of people going to Aldi. It’s all about people,” he said. Aldi operates more than 1,600 stores in 35 states. It plans to add nearly 1,000 stores in the United States by the end of 2022. Woodward is also intent on creating a museum that showcases Nestle’s history in Fulton. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Nestle came to Fulton in the late 1800s and became a staple in the city for more than 100 years. During its heyday, it employed as many as 1,700 workers. The mayor, who worked at Nestle for 17 years, said one of the remaining buildings will be rehabbed to accommodate a museum. The targeted building for a museum is located on the southern end of the complex and formerly was used for extraction of raw materials by Nestle. It will mostly be one of the last tasks at the complex, Woodward said, with the focus now being filling the site. Asbestos has been removed from the targeted building, but about 30 barrels remain that contain potentially toxic liquids that need to be sampled and shipped out. Woodward said plans also call for the three-acre parking lot across from the former Nestle site to be marketed. The lot is where the city traditionally stages its annual parades, but Woodward said, “It’s too big of a parcel to not market.”
Lake a focal point The mayor said the continued cleanup of Lake Neatahwanta is another major goal for the city in 2018. Last year, the Woodward-headed Lake Neatahwanta Revitalization Corp. worked closely with the Lake Neatahwanta Reclamation Committee in Granby in efforts to expedite the cleanup. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Unfortunately, the chairman of the Granby committee — former Granby Town Supervisor Ed Williamson — died earlier this year. Stevenson Beach and North Bay Beach were closed in 1988 due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. The beaches have remained closed since. Sediment build-up caused the lake to become shallower and warmer, helping the bacteria to thrive and blue-green algae to flourish. Large algae blooms can produce poisonous toxins and reduce oxygen levels in the water, making it difficult for some native wildlife to survive. Last year, the city purchased the same dredge responsible for much of the cleanup of sediment that has already been done. Included in the package was a trailer used for polymers, essential in the process of sediment treatment. Also included in the sale was three days of training, which Woodward will use to train his own staff and volunteers. In 2016, 20,000 cubic fee of sediment was extracted from the lake, enough to fill about 800 dump trucks. However, the cost was $200,000, the mayor noted. In 2017, about 10,000 feet of sediment was removed from the lake. Woodward said now that the city owns its own dredge, it’s possible to extract significantly higher amounts. “If we can get good operators on that dredge, I figure it will take five years for the whole lake to be done,” he said. 85
Progress trends and draw in those prospective residents as well as retain current residents. “We are creating neighborhoods where working-class families should want to live and we are building a downtown attractive to young professionals,” Barlow said. “We need to better inform those employees who are unfamiliar with our area of all our community has to offer.” The city needs to highlight its parks, neighborhoods, waterfront, culture, local assets and major annual events that take place in the community, the mayor said. In his recent “State of the City” address, Barlow announced a partnership with major employers to launch the “City of Oswego Resident Recruitment Initiative.” It is a comprehensive guide and introduction to the Oswego community to be given to all new hires at these facilities during their orientation process.
West Cayuga Street, Oswego.
Oswego Mayor William “Billy” Barlow says the city continues to take steps to enhance the quality of its neighborhoods, holding landlords accountable and ensuring they obey city code enforcement guidelines. “This is making an enormous impact on our community and quality-of-life issues throughout city neighborhoods,” he says.
Port City Hitting on all Cylinders Leader being proactive in attacking poverty, economic development By Lou Sorendo
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or City of Oswego Mayor William “Billy” Barlow, the proof of the pudding is in the progress provided. “We are an entirely different community now than we were the eve I took office,” Barlow said. “There are positive signs of progress that are undeniable.” The mayor said the city is in the midst of a complete revival and it is “our responsibility at this point is to seize the opportunity and capitalize on our recent resurgence.” After winning the election in the fall
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of 2015, Barlow took it upon himself to tour major employers in the area, including Novelis, SUNY Oswego, Oswego Health and Exelon. “These entities were struggling to encourage their new hires or daily commuters to consider living in the Oswego community, and in the fall of 2015, maybe that problem was well deserved,” he said. Barlow said the scenario today is quite different and leaders need to use the positive momentum to reverse past OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Bringing back pride During his “State of the City” address, Barlow noted the high level of private investment being made in the city and surrounding areas. “I believe residents and local business owners are seeing the transformation, progress and revival taking place in our community and that is giving them confidence, spurring investment and pride,” he said. Since taking office, Barlow has allocated more Department of Public Works resources to downtown Oswego than ever before. That includes expedited snow removal from city sidewalks, intersections and even in front of businesses. DPW personnel are also handling litter and trash control daily, attending to beautification projects around the community and trying to center city events like the Christmas tree-lighting and concert series around the downtown area, the mayor noted. “We will keep doing that,” he said. The city has made $250,000 available to prospective entrepreneurs in the community to help with start-up businesses and do improvement projects at existing businesses. Barlow said the city has another $600,000 coming in available grant money and small loan funding for businesses. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Progress “Probably most importantly, we completely changed and undoubtedly improved the building permitting process at City Hall,” he said. “We heard horror stories from the past of folks trying to go into City Hall to do an improvement project and invest in their business only to hear they became frustrated with city government and walked away. “That doesn’t happen anymore.” The city under Barlow’s guidance has expedited and simplified the permitting process and improved customer service as staff navigates people through the project. “Staff helps them follow the proper process, obtain the correct permits and keep the project moving, rather than simply just enforcing laws and walking away,” he added.
Neighborly approach Meanwhile, the city continues to take steps to enhance the quality of its neighborhoods. Barlow said the city is committed to holding landlords accountable and ensuring they obey city code enforcement guidelines. Landlords must also provide adequate living conditions as well as quality housing at reasonable pricing, while not taking advantage of low-income tenants, the mayor added. “This is making an enormous impact on our community and quality-of-life issues throughout city neighborhoods,” he said. Barlow said historically, challenging landlords in the city was viewed by administrations in the past as a political battle the city wasn’t willing to take on and could never win. “We finally stood up to landlords collectively and said enough is enough, we are taking back our neighborhoods,” he said. The city has passed legislation, conducted code enforcement sweeps, shut down and condemned property, evicted tenants, publicized violation lists and defeated landlords in court. “We won’t let up in any of those areas,” he said. Barlow said these changes have “undoubtedly had a positive impact on the greater community, have changed the culture and raised the expectations FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
the city and its homeowners have for neighboring rental property.” The mayor said the city has empowered neighboring home owners to call and complain about nearby rental property because “now they know it will not fall on deaf ears and will be addressed.” During his recent “State of the City” address, Barlow offered several proposals to “double down” on enforcement efforts by proposing to add another enforcement officer to the staff. He also wants to pass legislation and create funding to allow the city to hire a contractor to repair non-code compliant properties and charge that bill to homeowners’ taxes with interest. Barlow also will strive to permanently extend the home improvement tax exemption legislation he helped pass in 2015 as a councilor and appropriately link Housing and Urban Development inspections to the city’s code enforcement program. “We also are in the midst of a complete overhaul and re-write of our entire city zoning code,” he said. “We will have it complete by the next construction season, and it will fundamentally re-affirm and strengthen our current direction and expectations.”
Promising projects Barlow has targeted six projects that he is intent on creating or expanding with $400,000 in Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative funding. The city will be partnering with Oswego County Opportunities and will fund a $162,000 program and create a “community hub” of service providers for low-income residents to easily access comprehensive services and supports, the mayor said. The money will be used for OCO to employ an employment and retention specialist and recruit volunteer peer specialists to work with community partners to facilitate individual and group job readiness sessions, Barlow said. This new community resource will work specifically to promote self-sustainability and workforce development activities to help unemployed or underemployed low-income individuals overcome barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment, he added. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Barlow said the city will also make other allocations as it partners with the Oswego Salvation Army to implement the “Pathway to Hope” program and assist 25 families in the city to overcome barriers such as unemployment and unstable housing. “This program has a reputation of producing real, tangible results and our allocation of $101,000 will directly improve the lives of these 25 families,” Barlow said. Additionally, the city will fully fund a $26,000 program administered by Victory Transformation to improve the employability of disadvantaged groups. They include those who have limited work histories, personal or situational obstacles, suffer from drug addictions or have mental health disabilities, Barlow noted. The city will also allocate $22,000 to the Literacy Coalition of Oswego County to encourage home reading and improve reading skills for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It will also fund a $27,000 transportation initiative for lower-income employees of Oswego Health. Additionally, the city is allocating $55,000 to the County of Oswego Council on Alcoholism and Addictions, Inc., in partnership with Farnham Family Services, to provide peer advocate services in the city. “These two hired peer advocates will become more accessible due to this funding and will directly provide identified individuals with a connection to substance abuse treatment, physical health services, mental health services and many other services that can help people who truly wants to help themselves,” Barlow said. “When a member of our community makes the conscious and active decision to get help and better themselves, I believe their local government should be there to help.”
Solidify the foundation Barlow noted infrastructure is a major challenge for every community in the Northeast, and perhaps nationwide, and the Port City is no exception. He said virtually every day, city workers have to deal with issues that include water main breaks, patching pot holes, collapsing sewers and catch ba87
Progress John E. Dowdle Adrian J. Dowdle Andrew Dowdle
Dowdle Funeral Home
154 East Fourth St.. Oswego, NY 13126 Ph: (315) 343-9010 www.dowdlefh.com
sins, and urgent upgrade requirements to city facilities. In two years, the city has paved over $1.5 million worth of city streets along with rebuilding state Route 48 after its collapse. “We are pushing as hard as we can and gaining but it is slow and expensive,” he said. “We will continue paving as much roadway as our allocated funding allows.” One of the first things Barlow did after taking office was create a fiveyear capital investment plan to better forecast and budget for major infrastructure improvements and larger, expensive projects. “We will keep strategically investing and allocating our resources to produce the biggest return in service to our constituents and hopefully the state or federal government can make additional funding and resources available to localities,” he said. Barlow noted small municipal budgets “simply cannot handle the required investment to solve all of our infrastructure issues. Additional help will be critical and with all the political hostility at this time, I would imagine addressing infrastructure would be an issue everybody, regardless of party, could rally around and deliver. Now would be as good of a time as ever.”
The tourism piece
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Barlow said placing a focus on tourism enhances economic development in the Greater Oswego area. Investments are continuing to be made in the city’s annual Independence Day Parade and Celebration, the Oswego Summer Concert Series, Super DIRT Week and waterfront revitalization. “With all the changes taking place in our community, we need to inform folks from all over New York state of our recent success,” he said. “With the proper resources, we can make a concerted effort and be successful in adequately promoting our community.” Barlow said the city deserves its fair share of the significant bed tax revenue it generates for Oswego County. Nearly all of the funds collected through the bed tax are used to promote the local tourism industry, according to county officials. The county treasurer OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
retains 2 percent of the total collected for administration, but the remaining 98 percent is used to fund tourism promotion activities. “If we can have a reasonable portion of the money that our community actually generates for the county and we allocate properly by using 21st Century advertising techniques like web ads, video ads, social media, event promotion and strategic targeting, we can increase tourism and increase the return on investment,” Barlow said. He added the city also needs to do a better job in touting the unique assets it has that other communities do not, such as its waterfront, lighthouse tours, the Children’s Museum of Oswego, the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, the Oswego Speedway and recreational activities found at such places as Fallbrook Recreation Center and the nature trails behind the Oswego Middle School.
Tightening the belt Oswego city government today operates on $2 million less than it did the day Barlow took office. “We had to deal with budget shortfalls because of lost revenue and we did it by cutting waste, shrinking government and using a return on investment-driven philosophy when allocating city resources and budgeting,” he said. Significant investments were made in city infrastructure, buildings and equipment while the city was in budget-cutting mode, all in an effort to stabilize city finances. The city addressed overtime at the Oswego Fire Department and recently implemented a night shift in the summer time and a 24-7 operation at the Department of Public Works during the winter. Because of these changes, citywide overtime is down 30 percent from more than $1.2 million in 2015 to approximately $950,000 in 2017. “Now that we have cut waste, streamlined, consolidated, found efficiencies and translated that to cost savings while responsibly investing in our infrastructure, buildings and equipment, we now find ourselves on solid financial footing,” he said.
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SPECIAL REPORT By Ken Little and $15,000, while a cremation service can cost between about $2,000 to $5,000. Foster added that successful businesses like his do not focus on the revenue aspect, instead emphasizing providing the best service possible. “We don’t consider the economics of it. We’re here to serve the families through a grieving process. We don’t consider what [type of arrangements] they choose,” Foster said. “As long as they’re honoring their loved one in some manner it doesn’t matter if it’s traditional services [or] cremation services.”
Nationwide Trend
As Traditions Change, So Does the Funeral Home Business Model More cremations, fewer traditional services and a growing number of women entering the business mark major changes in an industry that hasn’t changed much
T
he funeral industry is continually adjusting to changing preferences. As they have in other phases of their lifetimes, members of the baby boom generation are helping to drive one trend in particular — more cremations with individualized services and fewer traditional funerals. Funeral homes in Central New York are reacting by providing the best individualized services possible to ensure continued business across generations. In addition to more cremations and fewer traditional funeral services, other changes in the industry include a growing number of women entering the business. “Cremation at this point in time is FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
chosen more than traditional burials nationwide,” said Paul Foster, president and owner of Foster Funeral Home Inc., which operates funeral homes in Fulton and Hannibal. The third-generation family business began operation in 1919, and Foster has been a licensed funeral director since 1973. He is a former president of the Central New York Funeral Directors Association. “It’s a generational philosophy. They like the idea of cremation, whether it includes traditional services or [only] cremation services,” Foster said. “The younger generation has gotten away from just about everything traditional.” He said the cost of a traditional funeral can range between about $8,000 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
The trend toward cremation is not regional or based on living in a city or the country, he said. “It’s not metropolitan and it’s not rural. I think that more families are selecting cremation over burial,” Foster said. “In Southern states, it’s more traditional.” The trend toward cremation is the general consensus of other Central New York funeral home directors and in line with what the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is reporting. “As baby boomers age and find themselves having to plan funerals for loved ones and themselves, they are making funeral choices based on values that are different than previous generations. Baby boomers see funerals as a valuable part of the grieving process and are seeking ways to make them meaningful,” according to the NFDA. But many prefer to dispense with much of the ceremony associated with a traditional funeral. Doug Tappan, who has decades of experience as a funeral director at Allanson Glanville Tappan Funeral Homes, Inc., on Main Street in Phoenix, has seen changes both in preferences and attitudes. Tappan recalled a statement recently made to him. “’I want this to be one and done’ and they’re talking about their father,” said Tappan, who joined the family business in 1992. Tappan’s father Gordon C. Tappan, who worked as a funeral director since the early 1960s, recently died. His son chose a top-of-the-line mahogany casket and a church service, reminiscent of the traditional approach where showing respect for a loved one meant 89
sending them out in style. Love and respect may still be important, but times have changed for many in terms of how funeral services are perceived. “People bury their dead like we live our lives. They’re always in a hurry,” Tappan said. “The social norms have changed.” Tappan estimates that 65 to 70 percent of services now chosen by clients of his business include cremation. He said funeral services are now, more than ever, tailored to the individual. Marty Ryan, of Edward J. Ryan & Son Funeral Home on Bellevue Avenue in Syracuse, said a successful business centers around meeting the individual needs of each client. The Syracuse funeral home, which is family-run like many others in the region, opened its doors in 1938. “They’re not as traditional. It’s not as important to [some of] them to have calling hours and church services, Ryan said. Ryan said that 20 years ago, “four or five cremations a year” was average. “It’s a lot more now,” about 40 percent at the Ryan & Son Funeral Home. “You have to change with the times,” he said.
Cremation or Burial? An NFDA report said that in 2016, just over half of Americans, at 50.2 percent, chose cremation, while 43.5 percent preferred burial. Funeral directors said that visitation with the body present can be held prior to cremation. Or, a memorial service with the cremated remains present can be held after the body has been cremated. Tappan sees more of what would be considered “non-traditional memorialization” that might include photos, artworks and other aspects of a person’s life that best reflect their interests. Having the body present is not mandatory. “They are really continuing the tradition of memorializing and remembering,” Tappan said. “They’re satisfied they’re remembering the person that died in their own way.” That may not always mean extended viewing hours over several days or a church service, which is the way most funerals were conducted for generations. “It’s some of the old tradition mixed in with new ways of doing it,” Tappan said. “I try to provide them with all the options and information so they can make a conscious decision.” 90
Paul Foster, president and owner of Foster Funeral Home Inc. with locations in Fulton and Hannibal: “Cremation at this point in time is chosen more than traditional burials nationwide.” As has always been the case, compassion and commitment to service remain the hallmark of a good funeral director. “We work 24-7,” Tappan said. People plan for the future with conventional funerals, cremations, revocable “trust accounts” and irrevocable Medicaid “trust accounts.” “There is such a variety in what people want and there are more options,” said John L. Nelson, general manager of the Nelson Funeral Home on West Albany Street in Oswego. Some people do choose to have a service before they are cremated, Nelson said. Traditional funerals and variations in between are offered at the Nelson Funeral Home. “There is such a variety in what people want and there are more options [now],” Nelson said. “People can have a service before they are cremated.” Others still prefer what would be considered a traditional funeral. “Another trend would be more and more baby boomers like to personalize their service. Memorabilia, hobbies and making it about their lives,” Nelson said. “We definitely try to accommodate our clients’ needs. They can pick and choose like they want to do.” In the close-knit communities of Central New York, elements of the traditional funeral service remain important to many families. “It will hold (here) probably for a period of time and it may again change,” Tappan said. “We’re talking about generations.”
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
Preplanning Nelson said more people than in previous generations are giving careful thought to their final plans. “I would say one of the trends is more people are preplanning funerals,” he said. He said some were compelled in the past to make decisions about loved ones who did not make their preferences known, and don’t want their children to go through the same process. Families are also now scattered all over the country, unlike with earlier generations. “They are spread out all over the place. Folks are trying to take the burden off the family and plan for themselves,” Nelson said. “As they age, they don’t want their kids to go through it.” People are more willing to discuss the topic these days and make their wishes known, Nelson said. “I think less people are [reluctant] talking about death. It’s inevitable,” he said. That allows funeral directors to personalize services more appropriately, Nelson said. “The social norms have changed,” Tappan said.
Women In The Business Nelson said when his father, Leonard William Nelson, graduated from mortuary school in 1964, none of his classmates were women. A niece FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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Doug Tappan, funeral director at Allanson Glanville Tappan Funeral Homes, Inc. in Phoenix: “People bury their dead like we live our lives. They’re always in a hurry,” Tappan said. “The social norms have changed.” who recently graduated from a similar program said that 50 percent of her class was female. “It was always a male role,” Nelson said. “I think women are finding their roles in the industry. I think they have very good personal skills and are very empathetic to the wishes and needs of a family.” The NFDA welcomes the infusion of women into the profession. Nelson said both of his full-time funeral directors are women. Foster said three of the five funeral directors at his business are female. “Women are the caregivers of the family fabric. They make excellent funeral directors,” Foster said. More than 60 percent of mortuary science students in the United States are women, according to the NFDA. Foster, Tappan, Nelson and Ryan all come from family backgrounds with a history in the business. While corporate entities such as Service Corporation International, the largest single provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services in the U.S., have become more prevalent in bigger cities, areas like Central New York remain dominated by family-owned businesses. “Being served by a locally owned funeral home is more customer-friendly than a corporation,” Foster said. “We see generations of families continue to call FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
on us in their time of need.”
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Funeral home managers in general are optimistic about the future. Many families use the same funeral home for all their needs. Tappan said that is the case with his business, which draws on the Phoenix area and northern Onondaga County. Many families are within the Phoenix Central School District. “If they went to the schools here The St. Luke Family of Caring they tend to go our way,” Tappan said. The St. Luke Family of Caring Providing a continuum of care and services to meet your needs. Nelson said being flexible to the • Memory Care • Home Health Services Providing a continuum of care and needs of customers is also important • Short-Stay Rehabilitation • Adult Day Health Care Skilled Nursing Care • Enriched Housing services to meet your• needs. to business. • Palliative Care • Assisted Living “If you serve a family well, they • Home Health With convenient locations and overServices four decades of experience, Our St. • Luke Family of Caring is The Right Decision! Adult Day Care will pretty much stay with tradition,” • Enriched Housing he said. “We’ve got to constantly change •St. Assisted Living with the times and provide families with The St. TheLuke Luke Family of Caring Family of Caring • Memory Care personalization. As long as we do that I Providing a continuum of care and services meet your ne Providing a continuum of care and services to meetto your needs. • Short-Stay Rehabilitation think we will be fine.” • Memory Care • Health Home Health Services • Skilled Nursing Care • Memory Care • Home Services (315) 342-3166 | www.stlukehs.com Ryan agreed. • Short-Stay Rehabilitatio Adult DayFamily Health Care The•Day St. of Caring • Short-Stay Rehabilitation • Adult Health CareCare • Luke Palliative “You have to change with the times,” • Enriched • Skilled Nursing • Enriched Housing • Skilled Nursing Care Care Providing Housing a continuum of care and services to meet your needs. With convenient locations over four Care he said. • Palliative • Assisted Living • and Palliative Care • Assisted Living • Memory Care • Home Health Services of experience, St. Luke •Our Short-Stay Rehabilitation • Adult Day Health Care Even with simpler services more With decades With convenient locations and over four decades of experie convenient locations and over four decades • Skilled Nursing Careof experience, • Enriched Housing Family ofLuke Caring is The Right Decision! popular than they used to be, Tappan Our St. St. Family of is Caring is The Right Decision! Luke Family Caring The Right Decision! • Palliative Care •Our Assisted Livingof emphasized that service is the key to With convenient locations and over four decades of experience, Our St. Luke Family of Caring is The Right Decision! continued success. “I always try to give them 125 perSt. Francis Commons St. Luke cent,” he said. St. Francis Commons St. Luke Health Services at St. Luke at St. Luke Health Services
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OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
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SPECIAL REPORT Ken Little
A Red-Hot Business in CNY? Try Agribusiness In 2017-18, for the third year in a row, lawmakers succeeded in securing record funding for agriculture in the state budget
F
rom farmer’s markets to crops like dairy products, vegetables and even Christmas trees, agribusiness is alive and growing in Central New York. Oswego County and Onondaga County are both favorable locations for agribusiness startups, according to those who work in the expanding field and support it through agencies like Cornell Cooperative Extension, Empire State Development and through elected officials and state government. The abundance of agriculture in New York state supports the state’s strong agribusiness presence in many ways, including creation of new jobs and growth in tourism. Agribusiness covers a wide range of products and business ventures, apparent by the diversity of related businesses in Central New York.
Scope of Agriculture Few people realize that 23 percent of all state land area is used for farming, which produces a varied array of field crops, fruits and milk, along with other products offered by successful businesses. Agribusiness, or business-related ventures that involve agriculture, “is at the root of our economy in Oswego County and there are so many opportunities to grow this key industry even further,” said State Sen. Patty Ritchie, whose 48th District includes Oswego County. Ritchie is chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Ritchie has sponsored a number of bills which support agribusiness and encourage new startups to the region. She helped spearhead record funding for agriculture in the current state budget. The $51 million spending plan 92
State Sen. Ritchie co-hosted a large agriculture-related meeting in December, which allowed various local ag stakeholders to testify about needs and concerns for 2018. She is a big supporter of agribusinesses. includes $10 million in restored cuts made in the executive budget proposal. The funding helps support dozens of programs farmers depend on, “as well as launch new initiatives designed to strengthen the connection between consumers and local foods,” Ritchie said. In 2017-18, for the third year in a row, lawmakers succeeded in securing record funding for agriculture in the state budget. “With the new legislative session now underway, and in my role as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I will be continuing my efforts to help our hardworking farmers become more successful, as well as encourage new people to take up careers in agriculture,” Ritchie said. A big part of that effort “will be listening to the insights and ideas those on the front lines have for helping their OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
business, and the entire industry, to grow. By working together, we have a chance to not only bring agriculture to new heights, but also to ensure their success for generations to come,” she said.
CNY Farms, Worldwide Market Many of the crops grown in Central New York are sold regionally and across the state. Others go out to suppliers across the U.S. and even internationally. “New York state works with and welcomes companies that create products from raw materials, whether food, beverages or wood, for sale here and around the world,” said Jane Thelen, agribusiness director for Empire State FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
Development, the state economic development agency. As recently as 2012, there were 639 farms in Oswego County, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are about 36,000 farms statewide. Among the 62 counties in New York state, Oswego County ranked third in cut Christmas trees and other “short rotation woody crops,” sixth in poultry and egg production, seventh in aquaculture and 13th in vegetable production. There are about 875 Christmas tree farms in New York that cover nearly 19,000 acres statewide, including at least 15 in Oswego County. New York state currently ranks first nationwide in yogurt production and is the second-largest producer of apples. The state’s top ranking in milk production “supports manufacturing of award-winning cheese and yogurt,” Thelen said. The state ranks second in cabbage and snap beans; third in grapes, grape juice and wine; and fourth in pears. New York’s forest covers 63 percent of the state’s total land area, supporting the wood products industry along with recreational opportunities. The state’s forest sector has an economic impact of $13 billion, according to ESD. “New York state beets and apples are among the many ingredients to successful products that get their start here. New York state timber also is a base for paper products, furniture manufacturing and flooring,” Thelen added. New York is currently the nation’s second-largest producer of maple syrup, after Vermont, with 2.3 million taps, or twice the total from 2009. Maple syrup is a $20 million annual industry in New York, with the state producing 18 percent of all maple syrup in the country. In addition, New York state syrup production in 2015 reached its highest level in 70 years, according to the USDA.
1886 Malt House New York state supports an ever-growing number of craft beverage manufacturers. The roster currently includes 460 wineries, 278 breweries, 124 distilleries and 35 cideries. One local success story involves the 1886 Malt House in Volney, which was established in 2016. The 1886 Malt House is a state-ofthe-art malted grain production facility on the site of the former Miller Brewing facility in Volney. The site is also home to the Sunoco Ethanol Plant. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
At full production rate, 1886 Malt House supplies 60 tons of New York state malt per week, or 2,000 tons of malt annually, making it one of the largest craft malting facilities in the United States. The 40,000-square-foot facility is equipped with the latest in malting technology, “as well as proven systems and personnel to support the reliable and consistent production of the highest quality malt demanded by today’s craft brewers,” according to the 1886 Malt House website. At full production rate, 1886 Malt House supplies 60 tons of New York state malt per week, or 2,000 tons of malt annually, making it one of the largest craft malting facilities in the United States. Noel McCarthy, malt operations manager of the malted grain production business, said that Oswego County has proven to be an ideal good location to do business. “I think it works well for us,” he said. Oswego County promotes farmer’s markets and u-pick operations, and works with Cornell Cooperative Extension to help develop agribusiness projects. OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
A total of $674 million in agricultural goods are produced annually in Central New York. Efforts to assist agribusiness by the state Department of Agriculture & Markets includes help from a staff of business assistance specialists, who provide different types of guidance and information to agribusinesses interested in locating in New York state, or existing firms that are looking to expand or diversify their operations. Agribusiness assistance staff members also are available to review business plans or assist in their development and offer regulatory guidance. ESD is also involved in efforts to boost agribusiness. With its abundance of farmland, New York State has much to lot to offer the agribusiness industry because of the programs and incentives supporting its wide range of growers and producers, Thelen said. 93
Lisa Prior
I ‘What’s the secret to transforming your manager into your best career ally? It’s a simple concept: have empathy for your boss. But the plan of attack is a bit more elaborate.’
Lisa Prior is the author of “Take Charge of Your VIEW: Career Advice You Won’t Get from Your Boss” (Nexus Impress LLC, July 2017). A 20-year veteran leadership coach and change consultant, she is the founder of Prior Consulting. She lives in Newton, Mass., with her husband and two children. 94
Recruit Your Boss to Help Build Your Career
s your boss taking time to help you nurture It might sound counterintuitive, but to your professional dreams? If the answer get where you want to go, it’s powerful to is yes, you’re one of the lucky ones. If the know where your boss wants to go. Try to see answer is no, that can change. And you can be things from your boss’ perch. Put yourself in the person who makes it happen. your boss’ shoes. What pressures is he or she The truth is, your boss is likely the top under? Then consider: how could you and resource you have at your fingertips to boost your boss be more of a team, working toward your career and get closer to your vision of achieving your collective goals? success. Unfortunately, this resource goes What do you see your manager doing that could largely untapped. Not every boss is primed to be delegated to you? be a resource, and most are so overwhelmed Many managers don’t know how to let with the pace and volume of their own work go of work that is no longer theirs to do. This and lives that they don’t know how to step week, scan the horizon for what’s happening back and be more strategic about developing on your team. Notice when your manager themselves, or you. takes on tasks that could be delegated. For For example, one study by researchers example, does your boss write a summary at Boston University found that 40 percent of report of the department’s activities? Liaise people who made career transitions said that with another department? Draft the agenda their boss was a significant, helpful influence. and facilitate an upcoming team meeting? The other 60 percent struggled to make the Scan the horizon outside of the company for relationship a win-win. It’s critical to learn how new technologies you can suggest. Draft a to make that win-win happen, and to leverage proposal for how you could help. your boss as a stepping How often do you give stone to bigger things. your manager positive feedGuest Columnist So how can you help back? your manager feel less overwhelmed by daily Positive feedback is one of the most untasks and more dialed-in when it comes to your derutilized tools in the workplace. You may professional development? What’s the secret be waiting for your boss to give you a pat on to transforming your manager into your best the back, but chances are today’s bosses don’t career ally? hear much when it comes to the things they are It’s a simple concept: have empathy for doing well. Give your boss positive feedback your boss. But the plan of attack is a bit more on a regular basis. Think about something he elaborate. or she did this week to help the team or you Empathy is “the social and emotional glue be more effective. Be specific about the action that helps us maintain our relationships,” says and its impact. educator Karla McLaren, and that glue goes a Find a way to tap into your manager’s profeslong way when it comes to encouraging your sional network in a way that’s a win-win boss to buy in to your development. In today’s Your boss may have access to people tough work environments, softer skills like in departments or other organizations who empathy are increasingly viewed as essen- you’d like to meet to learn more about their tial leadership qualities. Strengthening this work or professions. Most people assume all-important skill may not only improve your their boss wouldn’t want to make this kind of relationship with your boss, it may help you introduction. Identify a person you’d like to handle interpersonal conflicts more effectively meet and ask for your boss’ help in making the and build deeper connections with peers. In connection. This builds your boss’ reputation the long-run, your investment of time today in as someone who cares about developing her practicing empathy with your manager may people and who is good at making connection. lead to bigger career returns down the road. Believe it or not, it’s a big win-win. What are the practical ways to build a Although it may feel like you’re straying greater win-win relationship with your boss? from your own career advancement, taking By using what I call and “empathy map.” the time to empathize with your boss is the Below are the questions and scenarios that fast-track to enhanced career development together, create the map: and greater satisfaction in your work. What are your manager’s professional dreams? How do you support them? OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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WAYNE WESTERVELT “Know and understand your audience. If you don’t, you are just swinging in the dark and hoping.” from page 13 to be part of a “really reputable public institution and be part of Deborah Stanley’s team.” He had familiarity with Stanley through her involvement with the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council and CenterState CEO while he was working for the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board. “I’m in very much a service-catalyst role. There are departments and segments of the operation that I don’t control, yet the communication, promotion and information sharing is so key to the success of those individual pockets and segments of a business, organization or college,” he said.
Information overflow Westervelt said one of the biggest challenges in his job is handling the scope of information sharing and communication. He noted his job is to work as a collaborator. “It’s so important to really be a resource to everyone on campus and to work with them to try to be transparent, helpful and assist in sharing information and communicating with everyone,”
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Scrimger ers — like Del Allenof a How some work taking advantage of Sunoco — are programs in Central New ng variety of traini r-paying jobs York to get highe
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he said. “We really want to be — from the president down — as transparent and informative as possible on a regular basis,” he added. Westervelt said another challenge is keeping pace with ever-changing technology and the mediums and vehicles the college community uses to communicate. While email was popular many years ago, “today’s college student does not want to be bothered by email,” Westervelt said. “It’s social media and everyone is so attached to their phones. The question becomes how do we incorporate that into messages?” he asked. In terms of crisis communications, text alerts “are by far our most immediate and effective mode of transmission of emergency communications,” he added. The world of advertising has also dramatically changed as a result of technology, he noted. The emphasis now is on the growth of the web, search engine optimization and digital ads that are now on Twitter, Facebook and Pandora, he said. The focus is also exploring the most efficient ways to reach target audiences, whether they are traditional 18-to-22 year olds, prospective graduate study
INSIDE Immigrant The Enterprising Five Stories
students or perhaps potential transfers from the community college realm. “I think in any marketing, public relations and communications position, step one is to know and understand your audience,” he said. “If you don’t, you are just swinging in the dark and hoping.” While marketing, communications, promotions and public relations have been his forte, the new age has introduced crisis emergency communication and being part of 24-7 response teams to Westervelt’s plate. “If there is any safety or emergency matter on campus that requires us to act on that immediately, it’s often that communication, efficiency and expediency are the keys when safety of the campus community is involved,” he said. Westervelt resides in Manlius in a home he and his wife bought four years ago. He has two stepsons, and brought them up ever since they were 2 and 4 years of age. “I think it’s always challenging to be a stepparent,” he said. “Since I’ve been around from the time they were 2 and 4, you really feel you are part of their family.” “I say stepsons but I still view them as my boys, especially since we don’t have additional children,” he noted. “Even at a young age, I said two boys are good enough for me.” “It’s a commitment. Certainly when I married my wife, that was part of her and now, that becomes part of me and part of my family and all the worrying and encouragement that comes along with that,” he said. The couple recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.
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Best Business Directory INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING
ROOFING/GUTTERS
Dean Cummins — Over 35 years experience. All types of auctions and real estate. Route 370 in Cato. 315-2465407.
Canale Insurance & Accounting Service — For all your insurance, accounting, payroll and tax needs. Locally-owned and operated. Call 315-343-4456.
AUTO SALES & SERVICE
JEWELERS
Over The Top Roofing — Mike Majeski. Commercial & residential roofing. Quality craftsmanship. 50-year manufacturer’s warranty for residential roofs. Best price on seamless gutters. Call 882-5255. 400 Co. Rt. 7 Hannibal, NY 13074.
Bellinger Auto Sales & Service — Third generation business. Used cars, towing, auto repair and accessories, truck repair. Oil, lube & filter service. 2746 County Route 57 Fulton. Call 315-593-1332 or fax 598-5286.
JP Jewelers is your hometown jeweler offering supreme design at wholesale prices. Whether you’re buying or selling, JP Jewelers is here to be your local jeweler. 136 W. Bridge St. Oswego. 315-342-GOLD. Find us on Facebook.
AUCTION & REAL ESTATE
CONSTRUCTION Dunsmoor Construction Inc. – Residential-commercial construction. Serving Oswego County. Home improvement contractor. 315-343-4380 or 315-591-5020.
FIREWOOD Northern Firewood & Earth Products — www.northernfirewood.net, 315-668-9663. Seasoned and unseasoned split hardwoods. Block or log length. Free delivery! We accept all major credit cards and HEAP. Call today to place your order.
GLASS Fulton Glass — Oswego County’s only full service glass shop. Residential. Commercial. Shower enclosures. Auto glass. Window and picture glass. Screen repair. Window repair. Beveled mirrors and glass. M-Th 8-4, Fri 8-noon. FultonGlass.net, 840 Hannibal Street, Fulton, NY 13069, 593-7913.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
TRACTOR/LAWN EQUIPMENT RanMar Tractor Supply, Sales and Service of New and Used Tractors and Farm Equipment – 5219 US Route 11 Pulaski. Call 315-298-5109
KILN-DRIED HARDWOODS Lakeshore Hardwoods. We stock kiln-dried cherry, walnut, maple, butternut, ash, oak, basswood, mahogany, cedar figured woods and exotics. Also, hardwood flooring, moldings, stair parts and woodworking supplies. 266 Manwaring Rd. Pulaski. 315-298-6407 or visit www. lakeshorehardwoods.com.
LANDSCAPING D & S Landscaping office — Servicing Oswego & surrounding areas. Quality work, prompt and dependable service. Free estimates. Fully insured. Backhoe services, Lawn mowing, snow plowing, top soil, tree work. Hydro-seeding & asphalt seal coating. 315-598-6025 (cell 315-591-4303).
LUMBER D & D Logging and Lumber — Hardwood lumber sales. Buyer of logs and standing timber. Very competitive pricing. Call 315-593-2474. Located at 1409 county Route 4, Central Square, NY 13036.
Wet Paint Company. Paint, flooring, blinds & drapes. Free estimates. Call 343-1924, www.wetpaintcompany.com.
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Tom Kells Public works commissioner talks about challenging job of snow removal in snowy Oswego Q.: What types of changes have you made since your arrival in the position in 2016? A.: This is my third winter season. The first two were very easy and weren’t bad winters. This one obviously is a little more challenging. We’ve gone to a 24-7 operation this year, which was not done in the past. We’re being proactive instead of reactive. We are in front of storms by pre-salting versus being reactive and coming in after it’s already been snowing for one to two hours, especially on the weekends. We previously had no coverage on the weekends. Q.: Was a complete restructuring needed? A.: Pretty much. Instead of basically taking 55 snow response personnel and making them into two crews, we split them into six crews. That really limits the size of those crews. When you have a bad storm, one of those crews is not enough, but the way they overlap, we usually have two and also can call people in. It’s easier to call four of five guys to come in versus 16 to 22 guys. We’re always guaranteed at least approximately eight guys, and half the time, we have 16 guys and then we call in from there.
all of a sudden, you have to tell guys to be available 24-7 or that they need to come in this Saturday. That’s not always a very welcoming, happy decision. It goes back to the saying, “We’ve always done it that way and it worked.” On a weekend, when we should have 16 or 17 guys and only four guys come in, that does not work for me. Fire, ambulance and police units have to be able to respond to the public, and they are only as good as us. Q.: How has technology affected the department? A.: We recently installed GPS on all our equipment for several reasons. We can evaluate plow routes, know where are trucks are and protect our assets. It allows us to evaluate why it takes longer on one route than another. GPS can even determine how fast a truck is going and how long a truck has been running. It’s there to protect the workforce
By Lou Sorendo as well as build accountability. Q.: From a logistics standpoint, what are the more challenging aspects of snow removal? A.: The biggest challenge is traffic. If it’s the middle of the day during the week and traffic is heavy and snow is coming down, our response time to cover the amount of street miles that we have is hindered by that. Cars in the street are also a major slowdown and present safety issues in a lot of ways. We have to sometimes back up a street because cars are parked on both sides, and sometimes just a regular pickup truck or car has a hard time getting down that street. That’s really something the public can help us with — to recognize that if a car is on one side of the street, don’t park directly across from it. Give some room, not only for us, but for emergency vehicles. If we can’t fit a plow truck, there’s a good chance that the fire truck can’t also. Q.: Where does snow plowing start during an intense winter storm? A.: Snow removal starts in the city’s hub and its main arteries of Bridge and Utica streets. We work our way out from there. People on the outskirts sometimes don’t see us for quite a while, but that has gotten better. It still totally depends on the duration and the way the storm comes down. If it’s a continuous storm that goes on for days and days with just a little reprieve for a few hours, that makes it very difficult. Instead of a driver being able to go through his total route, halfway through he is coming back and hitting the mains again. People can’t go anywhere if Bridge Street isn’t plowed, and the main arteries need to be done more often.
Q.: How did your staff react to the changes? A.: A lot of the changes we’ve done haven’t been received well by our staff. Now 98
OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018
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