November 2015 - Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce

November 2015
Chamber Talks One-on-One with Senate District 52 Candidates
Barbara Fiala
Fred Akshar
The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce prides itself on being a strong voice of advocacy for the
region’s employers on the local, state and federal levels of government. We view it as our responsibility to
engage with candidates to ensure they understand and respect the interests and priorities of our members.
Recently, the Chamber had the privilege of sitting down with both candidates running to represent the
region in the New York State Senate’s 52nd district. We provided each candidate four questions on topics of
particular importance to the regional economy and then asked them to join with members of our Board of
Directors to discuss their answers and vision for the future of the Southern Tier. These questions and their
answers will continue on page 2.
Election Day: Tuesday, November 3rd.
The 52nd Senate District: Includes all of Broome, Chenango and Tioga Counties; the towns of Deposit
and Hancock in Delaware County.
The Candidates:
Barbara Fiala (D, WF): Former Broome County Clerk, Broome County Executive and New York State
Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(R, C, I): Broome County Undersheriff, Graduate of the FBI Academy.
continued on page 2
Laurie Abess and Linda Salomons from A Room to Heal Keynote
Chamber’s 19th Annual Community Thanksgiving Luncheon
Presented by our Title Sponsor:
In partnership with our Event Sponsors:
In partnership with our Title Sponsor, Tioga State Bank, and Event Sponsors, Loomis Tax Service,
LLC, and NYSEG, we invite you to join us at the 19th Annual Community Thanksgiving Luncheon on
Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at The McKinley in Endicott from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Over 500 Chamber
members and guests attended this event last year to give thanks together as a community!
The Annual Community Thanksgiving Luncheon is a much-anticipated tradition of the Chamber, held to
give thanks for the positive and inspirational events that have happened in our community throughout the
year. This event also recognizes area Service Clubs and Company Executives and Senior Management
Officials new to our community.
continued on page 11
Chamber Staff
2
ChamberDirectory
Directory ofof
Staff
Chamber
Staff
Administration
Main Phone: (607) 772-8860 | Dial Direct: (607) 772-8863 + ext
www.GreaterBinghamtonChamber.com
L ou Santoni
Yvonne G las
P resident & CEO
& D irector , CVB
E xt. 330
F inance D irector
E xt. 339
S usan Kuhn
Teresa Myers
C hristine S tezzi
A dministr ati ve
A ssistant
E xt. 322
Technical
C oordinator
E xt. 315
R eceptionist /
S ecretary
E xt. 300
Communications & Membership
A my S haw
D ebby E vans
Vice P resident ,
M ember S ervices
& E xecuti ve D irector ,
GBEOP E xt. 313
P roject and E vent
C oordinator
E xt. 317
Government
Relations
B rendan O’B ryan
M anager of
G over nment R elations
E xt. 316
Carol
A rmstrong
Candidates continued from page 1
The answers below have been edited for clarity and space where
necessary but do not materially change the position or views of the
candidates.
1. What action, if any, would you take to rebuff the Governor’s
push through the New York State Wage Board of his proposal
for a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour for fast food restaurant
workers in New York State?
Fiala: “I disagree with the
way this has been approached
and would make my opinion
known in the Senate and to the
Governor.” Candidate Fiala
does believe that working
people in New York deserve a
minimum wage increase that
small businesses can afford but
that $15.00 goes “well above
that threshold and would be
devastating to Upstate New
York businesses.” In the Senate,
Fiala believes she will be in a
position to apply pressure on the
Governor and the Downstate
legislators who are the major
drivers of such an exorbitant
minimum wage increase
proposal.
Development
M anager
E xt. 321
D irector
Tr avel A dvisor
Tr avel A dvisor
Route 81N • PO Box 114 • Kirkwood, NY 13795
(607) 775-0156 • [email protected]
Convention & Visitor’s Bureau
Judi H ess
G ina Calisi
Cassandra G reen
M anager ,
Tour ism
& S pecial E vents
E xt. 329
M anager ,
C on vention S ales
E xt. 326
S ales
R epresentati ve
E xt. 328
Akshar: “The Legislature has
already passed a minimum
wage increase that was
phased in in such a way as to
minimize the negative impacts
on small businesses and jobs.
I believe it’s appropriate that
the minimum wage should be
handled by the Legislature,
and not by an appointed wage
board. Should there be an effort
to increase the minimum wage
again, I want everyone to be
part of that discussion—small
business, manufacturers,
workers and elected legislators.
It would be a mistake to raise
the minimum wage again if it
was to result in fewer jobs, less
opportunity and, ultimately,
lower or no wages.”
Akshar is also concerned
about the “many unintended
consequences” of another
minimum wage increase,
including: business closures
and relocations, job losses in
the Southern Tier and increased
costs being passed on to
consumers.
Gateway Information Center
K athi Murphy Jenny A rnold K ateri S ibley
November 2015
2. Do you support reforming New York’s workers compensation
system to make it less costly and burdensome on Upstate
employers? If yes, what specific reforms would you advocate for?
Fiala: “Yes, I support reforming
the workers compensation
system. There are competitive
issues with the State Insurance
Fund, which have created
unfair advantages over private
insurance carriers. The State
Insurance Fund has too much
market share that they can
leverage to the detriment of
Akshar: “Yes, I support
Workers’ Compensation reform
– we simply need to make it
more affordable and competitive
to do business in New York.
Implementing regional
assessments for high and
low risk areas like insurance
companies do could help lower
continued on page 3
ChambeReport
Chamber News
Candidates continued from page 2
private workers compensation carriers. This has caused premiums
to go up in many cases for employers that have private workers
compensation insurance.” Candidate Fiala also wants to examine
bureaucratic reforms within the large and expansive workers
compensation system in New York.
the rate for upstate businesses. Although it was recently reformed,
the state assessments for workers comp should cost less. Worker’s
compensation should not be a revenue source for the State – it
should do what it was designed to do and protect injured workers.”
3. The Southern Tier was recently rated as having one of the most challenging economic situations in the nation. What will you
do to help create jobs and strengthen our local economy?
Fiala: “I want to fight for public investment to be made into the
Southern Tier in the same manner as has been done in Buffalo.
We need to secure the Binghamton Billion which would leverage
$5 billion in new private investment, create at least 17,000 jobs
and have a $7 billion impact. We also need to help working people
have more money in their pockets with a minimum wage increase
that small businesses can afford along with increasing the earned
income tax credit. We also need to focus on workforce development
funding. We can create a lot of good paying jobs if we bring
back the apprenticeship model that has worked so well within the
building trades, mechanical trades, advanced manufacturing, and
agriculture.”
Fiala also recognizes the need to capitalize on regional higher
education institutions, wants to see income tax on small businesses
reduced from 6.5% to 2.5% and see recent real estate tax relief
measures enacted by the state extended to businesses.
Akshar: “The Southern Tier has been shortchanged by Albany’s
career politicians. Even the Governor has now admitted as
much. I’m going to fight to deliver our ‘fair share’ of economic
development aid from Albany which would support businesses and
attract new ones.”
“Job creation and improving the economic climate of this region
will be my top priority. That’s why I unveiled a job plan that will
cut taxes and red tape, and invest in people through job training
programs that have proven to work in other states. Our workforce
needs the skills to compete for ‘clean’ manufacturing jobs that are
in demand which will make our region more attractive for new
industrial jobs.”
Akshar also wants to capitalize on SUNY Binghamton’s worldclass research and brain-power, and better utilize SUNY Broome’s
proven expertise in preparing the workforce as key assets to recruit
new businesses and encourage entrepreneurs to create jobs in the
region.
4. Small businesses in New York State are some of the highest taxed in the nation while also having to navigate all the Stateimposed mandates. This has led to the state to be continually rated as one of the least business friendly states in the nation. What
would you do to help ease this tax burden and provide some real mandate reform?
Fiala: “I want to reduce the business tax rate from 6.5% to 2.5%
immediately for small and medium sized businesses. For small
business owners that also own their facility, we need real property
tax relief that is focused on the ability to pay not just on property
value. We need to immediately end the 18-a energy surcharge,
which would provide $125 million in savings to New Yorkers.
We also need to address unfunded mandates especially Medicaid
in Upstate counties. By focusing on having the State take over
the local share of Medicaid in Upstate, we can more realistically
attack it and provide millions of dollars in real tax relief to Upstate
homeowners and small businesses in reduced county property
taxes.
Fiala proposes to pay for the small business tax cut by spreading
out its costs across the whole of the state budget. She has seen
efficiencies and costs savings realized during her time as
Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and believes
similar efficiencies and savings can be identified elsewhere in state
government.
Akshar: “I believe State government should help and reward
entrepreneurs and business owners who are willing to take risks,
and help revitalize our economy, not make their jobs more difficult.
I support efforts to identify outdated and unnecessary mandates
and regulations, and eliminate them, so businesses can thrive and
create opportunity for everyone, and new businesses will be drawn
to locate here.”
Akshar also wants to deliver broad base tax relief, eliminate the
18-a energy surcharge, extend the STAR program to commercial
property owners, phase out the local share of Medicaid costs
and make the 2% property tax cap permanent. “New York
State’s property tax cap has already saved taxpayers in Broome,
Chenango, Delaware and Tioga Counties almost $200 million over
four years. As we encourage businesses to invest, expand and plan
for the future, they need a sense of confidence that they will be
protected from unforeseen spikes in their property taxes.”
3
November 2015
4
November Anniversaries
Barney & Dickenson, Inc.
Belknap Lumber, Inc.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP
First Niagara
Gagne, Inc.
Haylor, Freyer & Coon
Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP
International Paper Co.
J & J Sheet Metal Works, LLC
L3 Communications, Link Simulation & Training
Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP
M & T Bank Corp.
Miller Auto Team
National Pipe & Plastics, Inc.
Olum’s of Binghamton, Inc.
Park Outdoor Advertising
Louis N. Picciano - & Son Inc.
Public Loan Co., Inc. & Subsidiaries
Ridley-Lowell Business & Technical Inst.
Riger Marketing
Roberts Eyecare Associates
Security Mutual Life Ins. Co. of New York
SimplexGrinnell, LP
Thomas, Collison Meagher & Seiden
Universal Instruments Corporation
Van Cott Jeweler, Ltd.
Kampai Japanese Steak House, Inc.
American Cancer Society - Eastern Division
Best Western of Johnson City
Broadway in Binghamton
Realty USA.com
J. T. Coins
Akel Wholesale Grocery, Inc.
Ayres Mortgage Financing
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment
First Christian Church of Kirkwood
IHOP Restaurants
Ostrowsky Builders LLC
Shumaker Consulting Engineering & Land Surveying, PC
Country Valley Industries
Fidelis Care New York
George and Margaret Mee Charitable Foundation
Mirabito Energy Products
Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training Solutions
Scleroderma Foundation/Tri-State Inc. Chapter
Terra Cotta
Tioga State Bank
USA Traffic Signs
20 Hawley Street Members LLC /Alfred Weissman Real Estate
Robert S. Beehm, Attorney at Law
Ever Evolving Enterprises
Forte Interactive Inc.
HealthlinkNY
Lost Dog Cafe
North Point Technology, LLC
Riverside Family Chiropractic
Streeter Associates
Union Endicott Central School District
Worldwide Sports Supply
New Members
Triumph Business Center (Equilibrium Equities, I nc.)
John Morris
Triumph Business Center
One Grosset Drive
Kirkwood, NY 13795
PHONE: (570) 362-1700
FAX: N/A
[email protected]
http://www.equilibriumequities.com
REAL ESTATE-COMMERCIAL (MAIN),
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER
Samaritan Counseling Center
of the Southern Tier, I nc .
Marian Towers
202 E. Main Street
Endicott, NY 13760
PHONE: (607) 754-2660
FAX: (607) 754-0769
[email protected]
http://www.samaritanendicott.com
COUNSELORS & THERAPISTS (MAIN),
NON-PROFIT AGENCIES
Verde View Equestrian Center
Marissa Derrick
380 Palmiter Road
Harpursville, NY 13787
PHONE: (607) 656-9512
FAX: N/A
[email protected]
http://www.verdeviewec.org
EQUINE ASSISTED ACTIVITIES & THERAPY
(MAIN), NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Thank You for Your Membership
ChambeReport
5
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Convention & Events Schedule
ASK SCORE
November & December 2015 & Janury 2016
Date
Event November 7 – 8
Approximate # of
Overnight Visitors
Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open Wrestling Tournament
750
November 13 – 15 New York State Public High School Athletic Assoc.
500
Field Hockey
November 13 – 15 Southern Tier Hockey Association Veteran’s Day
Tournament
Solve Your Short-Term Staffing Needs
with Talented Temps
November 20 – 22 BU Athletic Hall of Fame Weekend
100
November 27 – 29 Greater Binghamton Sports Complex Thanksgiving
150
Soccer Tournament
Do you need extra help but aren’t sure about hiring additional full-time
employees? Temporary or contract workers are a great short-term solution.
December 25 – 28 Greater Binghamton Sports Complex Christmas
Soccer Tournament
More and more businesses of all sizes are relying on temporary workers
these days for one key reason: flexibility. According to the American Staffing
Association (ASA), U.S. firms hire approximately 12 million temporary
contract employees each year. What’s more, experienced temporary workers
often make natural candidates for full-time jobs in your business, eliminating
the need to go through the hassle of posting job ads and reading resumes.
January 18 – 19
Flight Simulation Update Annual Flight & Ground
Cfc. Main Course
January 25 – 26
Flight Simulation Update Annual Flight & Ground
Cfc. Main Course
January 29 – 31
I LOVE NEW YORK CUP Gymnastics Meet
For small businesses seeking part-time or temporary help, temp agencies
are a good way to go. They handle the sticky parts that you’d rather not deal
with, such as advertising, recruiting, paperwork and other chores, leaving you
more time to concentrate on other things. You’ll pay for that help, but most
business owners find it an amicable trade.
If the work is of the type that needs supervision under your direct control,
temps are probably better than independent contractors. Your odds of
success are best if you use resources and solutions that specialize in placing
temporary workers, rather than those that offer it as a sideline.
The Web has made finding suitable staffing agencies and workers easier than
ever. For example, StaffSeek at ASA’s StaffingToday.net is a free online
service that can help you quickly find a temp staffing agency perfect for
what you need. Simply select your state, the skills you need, including office,
clerical, professional, health care, technical and industrial, and the type
of arrangement you want, such as temp or temp-to-permanent, and click
“search.” StaffSeek will deliver a list of agencies, locations, phone numbers
and the types of employment placements they offer. ASA members operate
over 15,000 offices nationwide.
Other online temporary search options include Net-Temps.com, a Web site
that specializes in placing temporary workers. The “Employers” section lets
you post a job, search candidates or request help from staffing specialists.
You can search a continuously updated supply of temp job seekers, locally,
regionally or nationally.
Several well-established national staffing firms that assist small businesses
have also established helpful Web sites. They include Kelly Services at
KellyServices.com; Manpower, Inc. at www.manpower.com; and Olsten
Staffing Services at www.olsten.com.
If you would like to discuss this topic or business planning, business growth
strategies or a specific business issue, contact SCORE® “For the Life of
Your Business.” To contact the Greater Binghamton SCORE Chapter
217 for assistance call 607-772-8860. You may also contact SCORE®
for person to person counseling appointments at the above telephone
numbers. If you are already in business onsite assistance is also available.
The Greater Binghamton SCORE® Chapter 217 website is found at www.
greaterbinghamtonscore.org . The national SCORE® website is found at
www.score.org or sign up for email counseling at www.score.org
400
150
100
50
2,500
Convention Scoreboard 2015
C onvention & Events S cheduled For N ovember C onvention & Events Through N ovember Total O ut- of -Town visitors Through N ovember TOTAL DOLLARS THROUGH 2015
N ovember 5
158
52,390
$21,009,005
If you are interested in offering discounts and becoming part of our Give Away List sent to
Meeting & Event Planners, please contact the Greater Binghamton Convention & Visitors
Bureau at 772-8860. Meeting & Event Planners are sent offerings 90 days in advance.
Calling all event planners
The Greater Binghamton Convention & Visitors Bureau is beginning work on our
2016 Summer Calendar of Events. The Summer Calendar covers events taking
place between May and September 2016. In order to meet publication deadlines,
we are asking that event planners submit information no later than December 15,
2015. The printed calendar will feature annual events that would attract out of
town visitors.
Additionally, the Bureau is constantly producing in-house calendars and
publishing events on our website (VisitBinghamton.org). You can upload your
own events on our website, and they will go live after they are reviewed. To add
an event, go to www.visitbinghamton.org. On the home page click on the Events
Calendar, once on the Events Calendar page look in the far left column where
the months are listed. At the bottom of this column, click on the “Submit Your
Event” tab. The Bureau’s goal is to serve as a local clearinghouse of festival and
event dates all year long and our website is the perfect tool for that!
Be sure to include the following information for the printed calendar:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Name of the Event
Dates of the Event
Contact Person (including name, address, phone number, e-mail address)
Event location
Brief description (approximately 20 words)
Website address
A telephone number that can be published “For More Information”
Please get this information in writing to Judi Hess – fax 722-4513 or e-mail: judi@
visitbinghamton.org. Events specific to the Summer Calendar must be received
no later than December 15, 2015.
November 2015
6
Greater Binghamton Chamber’s “Business of the Week”
Each week, the Greater Binghamton Chamber randomly selects a chamber member business, which is named “Business of the Week”. The
business is spotlighted for one business week (M-F). The “Business of the Week” receives: a personal visit from Chamber representatives, the
week-long display of a stylish, prominent sign that formally announces their recognition, photo opportunities and an announcement on the
home page of the Chamber’s website.
Our “Business of the Week” program, sponsored by Visions Federal Credit Union, is another opportunity to show our appreciation to
Chamber members for supporting the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and investing in our community, as well as for Chamber staff to better familiarize us with our members.
We want to learn more about their company, how it fits in to our regional community, and how we can best serve their business.
September 14 – 18, 2015
for STEM-related programs and events.
September 28 – October 2, 2015
October 5 – 9, 2015
Since 1998, STC has hosted the Partnership
for Excellence Recognition Event to honor an
Outstanding Business Partner, an Outstanding
Educator, and an Outstanding “STC” Student from
19 area high schools. Since 2007, STC has awarded
career development and youth apprenticeship
scholarships to 27 students totaling more than
$17,000.
Broome-Tioga BOCES Schoolto-Careers Partnership
The School-to-Careers (STC) Partnership of
Broome and Tioga Counties is a 501(c)(3) not-forprofit organization affiliated with Broome-Tioga
BOCES. Our partners include school districts,
businesses, postsecondary institutions, community
agencies, professional organizations, and labor
organizations in the region. STC is governed
by an independent board of directors under the
leadership of the executive director and is located
at BOCES’ Leslie F. Distin Education Center,
435 Glenwood Road, Binghamton, N.Y. STC
operates within BOCES’ Division of Instructional
Programs, under the umbrella of the Center for
Career and Technical Excellence.
Originally known as the School and Business
Alliance (SABA), formed in 1987, STC joined the
Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce in
December 1988. Our membership in the chamber
has enabled us to network and form partnerships
with numerous companies over the years, thus
benefitting thousands of students throughout the
BOCES region. We partner with local businesses
to provide a variety of career development
programs and services for students (K-12),
including classroom speakers, career shadows,
mock interviews, worksite tours, career fairs, etc.
Since the early 1990’s, many local businesses have
participated in our Youth Apprenticeship Program
for high school juniors and seniors, the only
program of its kind in the state to receive “Career
& Technical Education Program Approval” from
the New York State Department of Education.
The mission of the School-to-Careers Partnership
is to facilitate a comprehensive educational
partnership between local educational institutions
and businesses, students, parents and community
agencies to provide youth with the employment
skills necessary to be successful in tomorrow’s
workforce.
STC serves as the funding conduit for the
Southern Tier Construction Career Day (CCD) and
the Eastern Southern Tier STEM Hub. Since 2009,
CCD, a one-day event held at the Broome County
Highway Department, has introduced hundreds
of students (grades 10-12) to career opportunities
in the construction industry, from laborers to
engineers. Students operate heavy equipment with
supervision, participate in hands-on activities, and
learn about educational opportunities beyond high
school. Funding for this event is provided through
grants and sponsorships.
With the growing focus on science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM), we established
the Eastern Southern Tier STEM Hub in 2014
with seed money provided by Lockheed Martin in
Owego. Since then, the STEM Hub has provided
nearly $60,000 to schools and other organizations
School-to-Careers often partners with the Greater
Binghamton Education Outreach Program
(GBEOP) by coordinating the education session
for the Broome Leadership Institute (BLI), which
includes tours of BOCES, and helping organize
career-related events for students, parents, and
educators such as “Pathways to Financial Careers”
at Visions Federal Credit Union in 2014, and
the “STEAM Pathways” event at Binghamton
University in 2015. Also, dozens of BOCES
students have benefitted from participating in
the Junior Achievement program in recent years
thanks to GBEOP.
September 21 – 25, 2015
Answer Pest Control, LLC
With over 18 years in the pest control industry,
Answer Pest Control has been serving the
Binghamton, NY, area to ensure that insects,
rodents and wildlife stay outdoors and away from
your residential home or commercial building!
We offer an array of services, from pest control
and bed bugs to wildlife animal removal. As a
full service pest management business, Answer
Pest Control LLC treats for all types of insects
including termites, spiders, ants, bees, wasps,
bedbugs, flies, mice rats, and nuisance wildlife.
Whenever possible, I always refer honey bee
services to Bee Apiaries.
Our business started in 2008, and we pride
ourselves on quality services at reasonable prices.
We value our reputation and think it is extremely
important to uphold state requirements.
Our credentials include:
• Licensed to perform Pest Control Business
In Both NY State and PA
• Licensed Nuisance Wildlife Trapper NY State
ABC Creative Group
ABC Creative Group began as a commercial
photography and design studio in 1986. In the
many years since, we have evolved into a fullservice marketing agency that prides itself on
strong creative capabilities and solid marketing
strategy.
We are dedicated to our clients’ needs and
proud of our foresight in adding services like
Web development, digital advertising, media
management, social networking expertise, content
generation and video production over the past
three decades.
The idea always comes first here and we believe
in developing a strong message that speaks to the
unique selling point before diving into an equally
creative strategy.
With our idea-based marketing philosophy always
at the core, we produce powerful campaigns using
print pieces, digital assets, video production and
anything else we can think of to bring our clients
success.
ABC is privileged to be a member of the Greater
Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and count
the Greater Binghamton Convention & Visitors
Bureau as a client. Our membership in the
chamber gives our agency the unique opportunity
to make connections in the community that fuel
our efforts to raise the profile of Broome County
as a great place to visit and do business.
Answer Pest Control understands the value of
eco-friendly practices which is why we strive to
protect and treat your home or building with the
latest industry materials. All of our materials fully
comply with the New York State and Pennsylvania
Federal rules and codes. Keeping your families,
pets and businesses out of harm’s way with low
chemical exposure is important to us, and we will
always be mindful.
Answer Pest Control LLC main philosophy in
business is to provide great service at a reasonable
price. The job is not complete until the customer
is satisfied.
Answer Pest Control LLC joined the Chamber
in 2009 and it has proven to be a great marketing
tool. Whenever needed the Chamber is always
there to offer support to the business.
Olds Financial Group
The Olds Financial Group of Ambassador
Advisors is a comprehensive planning firm
staffed with Certified Financial Planners,
Chartered Advisors in Philanthropy, attorneys
and other specialists that deliver truly unique
client experiences and outcomes. We use a
consultative approach to both our planning and
implementation, and our open architecture gives
us access to the “universe” of financial products
and services.
Our wealth management team helps clients grow
and protect their hard-earned wealth through
sound diversification and allocation decisions.
Our insurance team helps clients assess the risks
they may face, and then implement solutions in
the realms of Health, Disability, Life, and LongTerm Care insurance. Our charitable planning
team helps both nonprofits and donors understand
the nuances of planned giving and the challenges
we all face when trying to leave a lasting legacy.
Lastly, our tax and estate team helps ensure that
all of the other aspects of a client plan work in
concert and provide the most efficient means to
accomplishing one’s goals and objectives. Olds
Financial has been providing investment and
planning advice, in the area, since 1993.
Our business focuses on educating individuals,
businesses and nonprofits about how to do the
most with their income and assets. We believe that,
because our time on this earth is finite, we must be
the best stewards of our assets possible and work
to construct a tax-efficient legacy for the people
and causes we cherish. The structure of our team
enables us to help clients do just that.
I initially joined the Chamber for business contacts
and business relationships, but my #1 take away is
all the new friendships.
ChambeReport
7
Governor Cuomo Pushing for
$15/hour Minimum Wage
Governor Cuomo’s appointed Fast Food Wage Board recommended a
phased-in raise to $15 per hour for Fast Food workers by 2021. These changes
were approved and signed off on by the Department of Labor. An estimated
135,000 to 200,000 fast food workers and cashiers in New York State will see
their hourly wage rise gradually to $15 by the end of 2018 in New York City
and by 2021 in Upstate.
Capitalizing on this moment, Governor Cuomo said he would now push
for New York to become the first state in the country to impose a statewide
minimum of $15 an hour. “Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour will
add fairness to our economy and bring dignity and respect to 2.2 million
people, many of whom have been forced to live in poverty for too long,”
Cuomo told workers in New York City.
It is well within the Governor’s rights to form a wage board and raise the
minimum wage to $15 by going industry by industry. He would however need
State Senate and Assembly’s approval to impose a statewide $15 per hour
minimum. Minimum wage in the state is currently at $8.75 per hour and will
rise to $9 an hour next year. With such a large increase, Gov. Cuomo will
likely face many challenges in the State’s Republican-dominated senate.
Gov. Cuomo’s bid to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for all workers
would cost state and local governments, as well as publicly funded nonprofit
groups, hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The $15 minimum wage
would boost personnel costs by more than $25 million in the state’s executive
branches. When adding increases in costs to government contractors who
provide public services to citizens, that number climbs into the hundreds of
millions of dollars.
A nearly 50% pay raise for minimum wage workers will have far reaching
consequences. While some lucky workers who would get to keep their
jobs would benefit, some would lose their jobs because they can’t generate
equivalent revenue for their employers. Other victims include young people
looking for their first job who find the bar has been raised.
The final victim will be all of us, consumers of goods and services. The
increased cost of labor will have to be paid by someone, and it will end
up being paid by the consumers in the form of increased costs at the cash
register.
2016 Greater Binghamton Bridge Run
It’s official, the website is updated ...
and Registration will be open November 16th!!!
www.binghamtonbridgerun.org
What are your primary products and/or services?
The Vestal Coal House is a café and community
gathering place located on the Vestal Rail Trail.
We offer a wide variety of food and drink options,
including smoothies, milkshakes, all natural juices,
coffee, bubble tea, ice cream, specialty sandwiches,
chili dogs, pretzels, and much more.
A Conversation with:
Another component of the Vestal Coal House is the
special events that we host. We organize several races
and walks on the trail, many of them to benefit charitable causes. Other events at the
Coal House include, Haunted Rail Trail tours, Christmas and Easter Festivals, comedy
and magic shows, trivia
nights, open mic music,
Free Wednesday Night
Workouts, and many other
exciting events.
The third component of
the Vestal Coal House is
the upstairs flex room,
which is a multi-purpose
room that is rented out for
meetings, conferences, and
celebrations.
When was your business established?
The Vestal Coal House was built in 1908 and served as coal weighing station for a long
time. The Vestal Coal House Café was established in September of 2012.
What other information would you like people to know, such as recent news
coverage, community involvement, your mission or philosophy? In other words,
“what we might not know about your business?”
We are very much involved with the community. We host several charitable events each
year including the Veteran
Appreciation 5K Run/Walk,
Run For Your Heart 5K to
benefit the American Heart
Association, Run Wild
for the Binghamton Zoo,
Mirabito Charity 5K to
benefit the Children’s Home
of Wyoming Conference,
among several others.
Our mission at the Vestal
Coal House is to create
a community gathering place where the whole family can have fun in a safe, relaxing
environment. In the summer time we have an event each day of the week, and carry on
events through the winter. In addition of being a member of the Greater Binghamton
Chamber of Commerce, we are a member of STIR (Southern Tier Independent
Restaurants) which encourages members of the community to eat at local independent
restaurants.
What has membership of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce provided
for your business?
Membership to the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce has provided us with a
major networking source that has helped our business to grow exponentially. We have
developed several relationships and the Vestal Coal House has gained a lot of exposure
from Chamber meetings and luncheons.
8
ACHIEVE is pleased to announce that
it received a $2,000 IBM Community
Service Grant. This grant has been
awarded in recognition of the service of
Ellen Feldman. These funds will support
electronic tablet purchases for ACHIEVE
Supported Employment Program (SEMP).
The purchase of these tablets will allow
ACHIEVE employees to provide real
time documentation and tracking for the
Supported Employment Program.
ACHIEVE is pleased to announce that it
received a grant award of $8,420 from the
Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation.
The funding will renovate ACHIEVE’s
Tioga County Day Habilitation facility.
The award will renovate the day
habilitation kitchen and provide updated
technology for ACHIEVE’s day
habilitation program. Individuals in
the program will benefit from a safer
environment that will promote life skills.
ACHIEVE is pleased to announce
that it received a $1,200 grant from
The Women’s Fund of the Community
Foundation for South Central New York.
These funds will support a Healthy
Relationship curriculum for the women
in ACHIEVE’s residential program.
ACHIEVE’s program will create a forum
to educate women with intellectual and
developmental disabilities about healthy
and positive relationships.
Children’s Home
of Wyoming
Conference received
$5,000 from The
Grainger Foundation,
an independent private foundation,
in support of their Therapeutic After
School Program. This donation was
recommended by Anne Simms, Market
Manager of W.W. Grainger, Inc.’s Vestal,
New York location. The Children’s Home
is very appreciative of this grant.
The Dr. G. Clifford & Florence B. Decker
Foundation has approved a grant for the
purchase of signature tablets for The
Family & Children’s Society’s Family
Mental Health Clinic. These signature
pads will help the therapists complete the
electronic records by capturing the client’s
signature, which demonstrates their
participation in the treatment planning
process. The goal is to reduce staff time
needed to scan documents and printing
costs.
The Food Bank of the Southern Tier
and Wegmans celebrated the conclusion
of the 8th Annual Fill the Bus Campaign
at the Food Bank facility. The campaign
brought in 65,696 pounds of food for
the BackPack Program™. The Food
Bank presented the staff of the Johnson
City Wegmans with the award for most
donations with more than 22,000 pounds
Good News
of food for the BackPack Program™.
The Food Bank’s BackPack Program
provides healthy, child-friendly, and
easy to prepare foods to students at risk
of hunger over the weekend and holiday
breaks.
The Food Bank of the Southern Tier is
proud to announce the receipt of a $10,000
grant from the Red Nose Day Fund to
support the BackPack Program™. The
grant was facilitated by Feeding America,
the nationwide network of food banks
and the nation’s leading domestic hungerrelief charity. The BackPack program is
the Food Bank’s most important initiative
focusing on children. It is also one of
the organization’s most cost-effective
initiatives. Three dollars provides a child
with food to keep nourished over the
weekend and to be prepared to return to
school ready to focus on learning.
The Food Bank of the Southern Tier is
proud to announce the receipt of a $10,000
grant from the Triad Foundation of Ithaca,
NY to support Food Bank’s general
operating budget. The Triad Foundation
supports education, science, and human
services both locally and nationally.
Meier Supply hosted its 25th Annual
Frank M. Meier Customer Golf
Tournament in August. The tournament
included more than 140 of Meier Supply’s
best customers, top vendors and valued
employees. In addition to being a day of
enjoyment and recognition, the tournament
raised $2,255 in charitable contributions
for the American Cancer Society.
The I Run For... Half Marathon
Organization held a half marathon and
full marathon in the Town of Maine in
September, raising $3,000 for Meyer
Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical
College, and $250 for the Comprehensive
Cancer Center at The Ohio State
University. The half marathon was a soldout race with nearly 175 runners, and the
full marathon was the area’s first in the
21st century.
Tully Rinckey PLLC is bringing to
the Southern Tier an employee-driven
community support initiative that over the
past five years has supplied nearly $17,000
in donations to nonprofit organizations
located in the upstate New York regions
served by the full-service law firm’s
attorneys. For the firm’s first Southern
Tier donation under its “Jeans and
Sneakers” initiative, Tully Rinckey PLLC
Managing Partner Peter P. Charnetsky
recently presented a check for $250 to the
Binghamton Crime Victims Assistance
Center.
ACHIEVE (formerly Broome-Tioga ARC)
recently received accreditation from The
Council on Quality and Leadership. This
accreditation follows a thorough review
of ACHIEVE’s services and programs. It
demonstrates a commitment to excellence
in person-centered services and supports.
ACHIEVE has been awarded CQL
accreditation as a result of demonstrating
proficiency in the following areas:
Shared Values® (ensuring that
organizational mission/vision/values
promote person-centered excellence);
Basic Assurances® (ensuring
fundamental safeguards related to health,
safety and human security) and Personal
Outcome Measures® (supporting and
empowering people to achieve their goals
and dreams)
Binghamton University’s Integrated
Electronics Engineering Center’s (IEEC)
designation as a New York State Center
for Advanced Technology (CAT) was
extended for an additional 10-year term
by Empire State Development’s Division
of Science, Technology and Innovation
(ESD/NYSTAR). The IEEC, founded
in 1991, has been classified as a CAT
since the mid-1990s. As a result of the
re-designation, the Center will receive
nearly $10 million in NYSTAR funding
over the next decade.
The Broome
County Council of
Churches is pleased
to announce that its
Ramp It Up Youth
Mentoring Initiative of the Council’s
Faith in Action Volunteers reached a
milestone achievement on September 19
when Ramp It Up completed its 100th
wheelchair ramp for a Broome County
family, the 100th ramp since the initiative
began in 2009. The team of youth and
adult mentors who built the ramp is from
the Windsor Middle School Service Club
in Windsor, NY. The ramp is only the
most recent of several ramps the youth
group has built with the program since
Ramp It Up began.
CENTURY 21 Sbarra & Wells
in Johnson City announced that
CENTURY 21 Real Estate swept the
annual J.D. Power 2015 Home Buyer/
Seller Satisfaction StudySM awards for
the second year in a row by receiving
the highest ranking among national real
estate firms across all four customer
satisfaction segments in the study,
including: First-Time Home-Buyer
Satisfaction, Repeat Home-Buyer
Satisfaction, First-Time Home-Seller
Satisfaction and Repeat Home-Seller
Satisfaction.
CENTURY 21 Sbarra & Wells is
pleased to announce Heather Bell has
joined its firm as a sales associate. She
will specialize in residential property
sales in the Greater Binghamton
area. Bell just successfully completed
extensive training and licensing
through New York State and the Greater
November 2015
Binghamton Board of Realtors as well
as CENTURY 21’s exclusive Learning
System.
CENTURY 21 Sbarra & Wells is pleased
to announce Nancy Messemer has joined
its firm as a sales associate. She will
specialize in residential property sales in
the Greater Binghamton area. Messemer
just successfully completed extensive
training and licensing through New York
State and the Greater Binghamton Board
of Realtors as well as CENTURY 21’s
exclusive Learning System.
D & R Technical Solutions, Inc., is
proud to announce that it has successfully
completed its third consecutive verification
as a Veteran-Owned Small Business
(VOSB) and is listed in the Veteran
business database at www.vip.vetbiz.gov.
The verification process is conducted
by the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA), Center for Verification and
Evaluation (CVE). This verification was
the most stringent D & R has undergone.
When the Department of Veterans Affairs
was questioned on why the increased
scrutiny, they responded by saying that
they are committed to ensuring only
legitimate businesses earn VOSB status.
D & R Technical Solutions, Inc., is
pleased to report successful completion of
their annual ISO 9001:2008 surveillance
audit. All categories of the company’s
Quality Management System received a
rating of mature and no negative findings
were issued, signifying the system is
considered fully effective. As a result, D
& R remains an ISO 9001-2008 registered
provider of technical publications,
training, Integrated Logistics Support, and
3D simulation products.
Davidson, Fox & Company, LLP is
pleased to announce that Jamie Atkinson
has been promoted from supervisor to
manager and Jennifer Stone has been
promoted from senior accountant to
supervisor.
Davidson, Fox &
Company, LLP would
like to announce that
Andrea Shapley has
been promoted from
staff accountant to
senior accountant.
Additionally, they would
like to recognize Andrea for obtaining
her CPA licensure. There is educational
experience and exam requirements that
Andrea needed to complete in order to
achieve the CPA recognition. Please help
us congratulate her on this extraordinary
ChambeReport
accomplishment!
ENSCO Avionics employees volunteered
for the BOCES STEAM Summer
Academy, July 23 and 30. This handson program is aimed at helping students
learn more about project-based learning
opportunities, gain exposure to related
careers, and develop problem solving and
teamwork skills. This year’s challenge was
robotics. Their employees watched the
student presentations, provided input as to
work place best practices, and answered
questions.
ENSCO Avionics is pleased to
announce that it has passed its
AS9100C Annual Surveillance Audit,
effectively demonstrating that its
Quality Management System (QMS)
meets the requirements of AS9100C and
ISO9001:2008. A representative from SAI
Global conducted the Annual Surveillance
Audit of ENSCO Avionics’ AS9100C /
ISO 9001:2008 - based QMS, Aug. 3 – 5.
Audited processes included purchasing
and project execution. SAI Global will
return in July 2016 to conduct an audit in
support of our three year AS9100C/ISO
9001:2008 recertification.
Good Shepherd Physical Therapy has
announced a unique outpatient therapy
program designed to assist individuals
with Parkinson’s disease and other
neurological disorders. LSVT BIG™ and
LSVT LOUD™ are diverse treatment
approaches that have been supported by
research from the National Institutes of
Health. LSVT® stands for Lee Silverman
Voice Treatment. The LSVT® program
capitalizes on these concepts and utilizes
the principles of motor learning, skill
acquisition and neural plasticity to
maximize a patient’s potential so that they
may participate in daily life as fully as
possible.
The Binghamton Chapter of SCORE
recently recognized some of its members
at its annual meeting at the Binghamton
Country Club. At the banquet, the
chapter celebrated its success, as well
as the successes of the small businesses
it mentors. This year, SCORE honored
two organizations with Businessperson
of the Year Awards. Joan Smith-Reese,
Executive Director of the Animal Care
Sanctuary located in East Smithfield, PA
and Maryann Johnson, Board President
and Gail Belokur, Executive Artistic
Director of the Cider Mill Playhouse, a
theater producing comedies, dramas and
musicals located in Endicott, NY.
The Holiday Inn Binghamton is
delighted to announce that Maegen
Eddinger is their new corporate sales
person. Maegen brings to the table
a tremendous amount of Corporate
Hotel experience as well as a great
understanding of the community and its
importance. Keep an eye out for her, as
9
Good News
she will be visiting many businesses in our
great community.
ICS Solutions Group has been named
the #1 Computer/IT Consultant in all of
Central New York. ICS, which has been
in operation for nearly thirty years, tops
the list for having the largest team of
consultants as compared to twenty-four
other firms. With 42 IT consultants and
59 employees on board, ICS is more than
twice the size of the next largest company,
according to the list published by the
Business Journal News Network.
J&K Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. has
been awarded the mechanical contract for
the district wide capital improvements to
the Waverly Central School District. Dan
Sullivan will be J&K’s project manager.
J&K Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. has
been awarded the HVAC contract for the
Rensselaer County Public Safety Building
Improvements in Troy, NY. Bob Wensley
in J&K’s Albany office will be he project
manager.
Keystone Associates Architects,
Engineers and Surveyors, LLC, is
pleased to announce that Matthew
Kushner has joined the firm as a Senior
Architectural Technician. Mr. Kushner’s
duties include CADD drafting and design,
BIM, 3D modeling, and animation. Mr.
Kushner has 10 years’ experience in
project design including K-12 educational
facilities and retail commercial buildings.
William H. Lane Incorporated is
renovating two historical buildings into
the Printing House apartment complex
in downtown Binghamton. The project is
slated for completion in January 2016.
The Press Building at 19 Chenango Street
and the Kilmer Building at 21 Chenango
Street will together form the Printing
House. Both buildings, which were built in
the early 1900’s, will retain their historic
charm while offering modern amenities to
its tenants.
Levene Gouldin &
Thompson, LLP is proud
to announce that partner
Kathryn Grant Madigan
was listed as one of the
Top 25 Women Attorneys
in Upstate New York for
2015.
Lourdes Hospital is pleased to announce
the addition of Valet Parking Services for
the convenience of patients and guests at
the main campus at 169 Riverside Drive,
Binghamton. The Valet Parking Service
will be available at both the Main Entrance
and Towers Entrance during the following
hours: Main Entrance: Monday – Friday
5:45 am – 5:30 pm; Towers Entrance:
Monday – Friday 7:00 am – 5:30pm.
The service will not be offered on major
holidays and during medical office
closures.
The 25th Annual Frank M. Meier
Customer Golf Tournament, marked the
occasion for the announcement of Meier
Supply Company’s two annual industry
award winners: Manufacturer Rep of the
Year and Vendor of the Year. The 2015
Manufacturer Rep of the Year Award
was given to Alan Byers of Emerson
Climate Technologies. Alan has 34 years’
experience in the HVAC-R industry
and has been with Emerson Climate
Technologies since June, 2006. Gary
Weber, Distribution Sales Manager/ North
America accepted the 2015 Vendor of the
Year Award for Belimo. Belimo is a global
market leader in the design, manufacture
and marketing of electronic damper, Ball,
Globe and Butterfly valves and assemblies
plus the energy valve in heating,
ventilating and air-conditioning systems.
They are a listed clean technology
company with a staff of more than 1,400
worldwide.
The Oneonta Job
Corps Academy
hosted its 2nd Annual
Community Softball
Game at Damaschke
Field in August. Oneonta Job Corps staff
and students teamed up to play against the
crew from the local Dick’s Sporting Goods
store for a friendly challenge. Children
raced Bob the Bulldog around the bases
and five new community members were
inducted into the Oneonta Job Corps
Community Hall of Fame.
The Quality Inn and Suites on the Vestal
Parkway is excited to welcome Christine
Weiss as the new Director of Sales. Mrs.
Weiss previously was employed as the
Director of Sales for three hotels in the
Owego area, and lives locally in Vestal.
She brings a tremendous amount of
sales and marketing experience to the
property, and is very involved in the Vestal
community.
The Raymond Corporation hosted a
National Manufacturing Day event at
its headquarters in Greene, New York,
unveiling a 47,000-square-foot addition
to its facility and the reconfiguration of
manufacturing space. The creation of the
Raymond Operations Center accounted
for 32,000 square feet of the addition. In
this space, Raymond was able to add a
second level for office space for operations
and support, multiple collaborative
team rooms and an employee fitness
center. An additional 15,000-square-foot
expansion has been added to the west side
of the building for new 60-foot test bay
capabilities, office space, team rooms and
break rooms. Raymond also implemented
a number of upgrades to its manufacturing
technology, installing advanced automatic
welding and laser-cutting technology,
upgrading warehouse management
software, and integrating the corporate
logistics plan with just-in-time delivery of
equipment and materials.
The Raymond Corporation’s long
history in innovating narrow aisle lift
trucks continues with the introduction
of the new Raymond Model 7200 (24
volts) and Model 7300 (36 volts) available
in Reach-Fork® and Deep-Reach®
configurations. Design of the new models
incorporates Raymond’s hallmark design
philosophy Eco-Performance, an approach
to designing and engineering lift truck
solutions for maximum economic and
ecological benefits, as well as optimum
productivity, stability and maintainability.
Models 7200 and 7300 are applicationdriven to address customers’ narrow
aisle storage needs and high-volume
applications.
Red Barn Technology Group is pleased
to welcome a new employee, Amii Trivedi.
Amii moved to the Binghamton area from
NYC and is excited to be back in the IT
field.
Mary McLaughlin
has been promoted
to graphic designer
at Riger Marketing
Communications,
responsible for developing
design solutions with high
visual impact for various
advertising and marketing projects. This
involves working with agency account
managers and clients to understand
specific needs before making design
decisions. Previously she was account/
production coordinator.
Security Mutual Life Insurance
Company of New York was proud to
participate again this year in the annual
Day of Caring sponsored by the United
Way of Broome County. Security Mutual
employees helped beautify the Story
Garden exhibit at the Discovery Center of
the Southern Tier.
Security Mutual Life Insurance
Company of New York was pleased to
be a participant in this year’s Greater
Binghamton Business Expo (GBBE) held
on September 17, at the DoubleTree by
Hilton in downtown Binghamton.
Serafini Nissan-Volvo
is pleased to announce
that Mike Van Brunt
was recently named
General Manager of their
dealership on the Vestal
Parkway. Upon graduation
he became co-owner of his
family’s dealership, Van Brunt Motors of
Horseheads, in charge of dealer operations
with a focus on Sales Management and
Used Car Operations. For the past 8 years,
Van Brunt has held the position of General
continued on page 11
10
Calendars
November 2015
ChambeReport
Good News continued from page 9
11
Luncheon continued from page 1
Manager at 2 other Elmira area dealerships
and, most recently, he was Senior Dealer
Operations Manager for Nissan North
America’s Upstate NY/Albany area.
Southern Tier Veterans Support Group
held its 3rd Annual Veterans’ Information
Day on September 24. This event was
held at American Legion Post 1645 in
Binghamton, drew over 30 area veterans
of all ages looking for information on
healthcare, VA benefits, employment,
housing and community programs. This is
the biggest turnout since the event began
in 2013.
SUNY Broome Community College
is pleased to announce that Destination
ImagiNation has decided to host their
annual statewide competition at the
campus. The event will be held on April
9, 2016. Students from all over New
York State will have a chance to visit the
SUNY Broome campus while they are
competing.
United Methodist Homes is pleased
to announce a new partnership with
Lourdes Hospital, which brings
geriatric-based primary care to assisted
living and adult care residents at their
Hilltop Campus in Johnson City. Dr.
Jerome Mikloucich and Cathy Slocum,
FNP, will be available several days per
week to provide in-room services.
On October 17, Whole
Health Nutrition
Center attended
the Sustainable
Health Expo to promote and support
sustainable living and to help the
community take control of their health.
The team’s Client Advocate, JoAnne
Casterlin also began conducting
walking nutritional education/shopping
tours of the local Wegmans on October
19. This was a popular event for their
clients and they will have another one
in November.
We are interested in sharing your good
news with other Chamber members.
Every month we include a GOOD
NEWS section with one-sentence items
about good news from our members.
The deadline to submit the good news
information is the first Friday of the
month prior to publication. If you have
questions or would like to submit a
good news item for the ChambeReport,
please contact Judi Hess at judi@
visitbinghamton.org.
This year the Greater Binghamton Chamber is proud to have Linda Salomons and Laurie Abess
present the keynote address. These two women, wanting to make a difference in the greater
Binghamton area, founded A Room to Heal, a non-profit organization whose mission it is to serve
children affected by serious medical conditions. The idea came about after Linda experienced firsthand what it was like to have a seriously ill child after her son was diagnosed with leukemia. Thanks
to a life-saving bone marrow transplant, her son is now living a healthy and normal life.
That experience fueled Linda and Laurie’s passion for the need to create calming, peaceful and
uplifting environments for children afflicted with serious illnesses. Thus, A Room to Heal was born.
Since 2005, 61 room projects have been completed through the work of over 100 dedicated
volunteers, designers and artisans. A Room to Heal is entirely volunteer driven, with no paid staff
members.
The Greater Binghamton Chamber is truly grateful to have Linda Salomons and Laurie Abess serve
as this year’s Keynote Speakers and look forward to hearing the uplifting and heart-warming story
of A Room to Heal.
In addition to our keynote speakers, the Chamber also will present the 2015 Community Advocate of
the Year Award and 2015 Corporate Citizen of the Year Award. The Community Advocate of the
Year is awarded to an organization that has made significant contributions to the improvement and/
or enrichment of the neighborhood it serves, or the Greater Binghamton area as a whole. Previous
award recipients include: Roberson Museum and Science Center; Binghamton Mets Baseball
Club; Greater Binghamton Association of Realtors; Broome County Community Charities, Inc.;
and Downtown Binghamton Business Association.
The Corporate Citizen of the Year is awarded to a company that has made not only a financial
commitment to the Greater Binghamton area, but has also shown leadership and hands-on employee
participation. Previous award winners include: NBT Bank; Mirabito Energy Products; Hatala
Orthodontic, P.C.; Lockheed Martin MS2 Owego; BAE; Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP;
Horizons Federal Credit Union; and Visions Federal Credit Union.
Tickets sell out quickly for this event! Reserve individual tickets or a table of 9 today. Refer to the
flyer/registration form on page 19.
12
Annual Wine Tasting Event
November 2015
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED OUR ANNUAL WINE
TASTING EVENT AT THE DOUBLETREE BY HILTON BINGHAMTON
- - IT WAS A GREAT EVENT THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!!
Mark your calendars
for next year’s event...
October 21, 2016
ChambeReport
Annual Wine Tasting Event
13
to our Sponsors for an evening of
Wine Tasting, Craft Brew, Food & Music...
LEVENE GOULDIN
& THOMPSON, LLP
A T T O R N E Y S
the
PRESS & SUN-BULLETIN
BINGHAMTON
A Special Thanks to...
A T
L A W
November 2015
14
Chamber Happenings
September SBC Luncheon
A big Chamber “Thank You” to Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP
for sponsoring the September SBC Luncheon on September 10 at
Traditions at the Glen. Thank you to Sam’s Club and our Sponsor
for the wonderful prize give-aways!
Eggs & Issues
An excellent crowd gathered on October 1 for the Eggs & Issues
held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Binghamton. This program focused
on Physician Recruitment and the Economic Impact of Health Care
Jobs. A special “Thank You” to our Sponsor, Cushman Wakefield/
Pyramid Brokerage Company!
Thank you to our distinguished panel: Moderator: Keith Chadwick,
Interim Director, Family & Children’s Society; and Speakers: Kathy
Connerton, President & CEO, Lourdes Hospital; Cathy Hawkes,
Director of Medical Staff Development, Lourdes Hospital; Dr.
Rajesh Dave, Chief Medical Officer, UHS; Lori Walling, Physician
Recruiter, UHS
October SBC Luncheon
Chamber members enjoyed the October SBC Luncheon at Red
Lobster on October 8. Special thank you to our Sponsor, Feehan
Financial Services! Thank you to Levene Gouldin & Thompson,
LLP for the donation of the prize give-away.
PROMOTE YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS TO
OUT OF TOWN VISITORS!
The Convention & Visitors Bureau is updating one of its unique marketing
tools. The “Give-Away List” is a listing of area businesses willing to offer
some sort of discount on their product or service to groups of visitors to the
area.
Day of Caring
Members of the Staff of the Greater Binghamton Chamber again
volunteered on September 11 at the YMCA West Family Branch as
part of the United Way Day of Caring.
The 2014 Live Wire Class and current Live Wire members also
participated in the Day of Caring. Pictured from left to right are:
Jon Layish, Red Barn Technology Group; Tanya Wild, Wild 104; Ty
Muse, Visions Federal Credit Union; Liz DeRose, Verizon Wireless;
and Dan Norton, Hinman Howard & Kattell
Here’s a small sample of possible listings:
Organization
Give-Away
Lucy’s Snake Farm
Free Day Passes
Vestal Parkway
Vestal, NY 11223
(607) 555-1212
Contact: Purchasing Manager
Procedure
Call 30 days
prior to receive
passes
Golden Arches
Court Street
Binghamton, NY 11445
(607) 555-2000
[email protected]
Contact: Jane Doe
Please call
ahead
Buy one lunch entrée,
get one free
If you are interested in participating in this FREE listing and are a Chamber
Member in good standing, please send a written copy of your offer in the
same format as above by November 20th, 2016 for inclusion. You may mail,
fax or email your offers. If you have any questions please call Gina at 7728863, ext. 326.
Greater Binghamton Convention & Visitors Bureau
Attn: Gina Calisi / Giveaway List
49 Court Street
PO Box 995
Binghamton, NY 13902-0995
Fax: 607-722-4513
Email: [email protected]
ChambeReport
15
Envision Kitchen
& Bath, LLC
BLI Alumni Spotlight
Congratulations to Envision
Kitchen & Bath, LLC, 775 Main
Street in Johnson City on their
Grand Opening! They celebrated
with a Ribbon Cutting and Open
House on September 14.
The BLI Alumni Spotlight is a feature
developed by the Communications Committee
of the BLI Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Feehan Financial
Services
Feehan Financial Services, 99
Hawley Street in Binghamton,
celebrated their expansion of
brand-new offices with a Ribbon
Cutting and Open House on
September 25. Congratulations!
South City
Publick House
Name: Jamie Jacobs
BLI Graduation Year: 2013
Job Title/Organization: Account Executive at Riger
Marketing Communications, Worship Leader at First
Presbyterian Church of Endicott
Email Address: [email protected]
Tell us briefly about yourself: I was born and raised in
Broome County – and I dare say I still love it here. I graduated
from Windsor Central High School then Binghamton
University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in English. In
my last year of college, I began my career at Riger Marketing
Communications as an intern because I was drawn to an
industry that mixes wise business sense with the power of
creativity. About two years ago I decided that two jobs were better than one and accepted
a call into part-time ministry on the staff of First Presbyterian Church of Endicott, where I
join my husband Nate in leading our contemporary service’s worship team.
Please update your classmates on your personal/professional experiences since graduating
from BLI: Since my BLI graduation, I celebrated 10 years of working for Riger Marketing
Communications – and what a ride it has been. In the last two years, I’ve also expanded my
list of clients to now include an auto dealership, two foundations, a hospital, an eye care
practice, and even a tractor repair shop! The variety surely keeps me on my toes.
What a beautiful afternoon it
was for the Ribbon Cutting
celebrating the new name of South
City Publick House, 1200 Vestal
Avenue in Binghamton, (formerly
South Side Yanni’s) on September
25. Congratulations!
On the worship team front, I’ve recently taken on the fun and challenging task of learning
how to play piano. Music has always played an important role in my life and in the
expression of my faith, so finding a new way to make it has truly been a joy.
Favorite book: The Bible. (With George R. R. Martin novels and Julia Child cookbooks
tying for a way distant second place.)
APR Supply
APR Supply Co. has opened its
first branch in New York at the
site of the former Sage Supply at
85 Main Street in Johnson City.
The Grand Opening Ribbon
Cutting and Open House took
place on October 1.
Progressive Dental
The ribbon was cut on October
5 for the Grand Opening of
the newest Progressive Dental
office located at 51 Front Street
in Binghamton. Welcome to
Binghamton!
Favorite movie: The Neverending Story. Who couldn’t love that one?
Current and Past Notable Civic Activities: I’ve served as a board member, newsletter
editor, and media relations committee chairperson for the Binghamton Sertoma Club.
I volunteer through Faith-in-Action, a program of the Broome County Council of
Churches, and have also served as a Deacon and Sunday School Superintendent at Conklin
Presbyterian Church.
Interests/Hobbies: I love to travel, cook Sunday dinners, play volleyball, hike with my
beagle, and snuggle my baby nephews and niece.
How did your BLI experience change your perception of the community? Through my
time at BLI, I realized that many people in this community have a deep and wide passion
for their work. It was so encouraging to see people excited to welcome our class in, show off
their particular industry, and educate us on how their business plays its own unique role in
our community’s success.
How did your BLI experience motivate you to become more involved in the community?
BLI just makes you catch the “Binghamton bug.” If you’ve ever been in BLI, you’ll know
exactly what I mean. Before you know it, your sleeves are rolled up, your hand is in the air,
and you’re offering what you can to make this community an even better place to live and
work.
CHOW
The rain stopped just in time
to cut the ribbon for the Grand
Opening of CHOW’s new South
Side Community Wellness Center
located at 3 Otseningo Street in
Binghamton on October 13.
What was your most memorable BLI activity/moment? When our class spent a chilly
Saturday morning together, collecting toy donations outside Toys “R” Us in Johnson
City. As part of our class project, we sent the toys to Hurricane Sandy victims in time
for Christmas that year. I also really enjoyed visiting Tri-Cities Opera and Susan Jablon
Mosaics. Turns out this city is FULL of amazing artists!
What was the most valuable benefit to you from your BLI experience? The connections
I made – and continue to enjoy – with my classmates. It seems our different walks of life,
different ages, and different backgrounds didn’t change how we would always still root for
one another.
What “nugget of wisdom” do you have for your fellow BLI alum? Comfort zones are way
overrated. Reach out and meet someone new today.
November 2015
16
Broome Leadership Institute (BLI) Program
BLI Team-Building Retreat
of 2015 through a multi-pronged approach. Broome County’s market is the second highway
shop to open, along with one at the Todd Hill rest area on the Taconic Parkway in Dutchess
County.
With more than 50 NYS vendors at this location, 13 of them are based in the Greater
Binghamton area, including: Chroma Bakery, Hungry Hounds Beerscuits, Little Venice,
Lupo’s and Dutch Hill Creamery. Kaitlyn Sirna, TasteNY Store Manager explained how
Governor Cuomo’s initiative is impacting local farms in a positive way.
The BLI Class of 2016 met on an incredibly beautiful day with blue skies and sunshine
on Friday September 18th. Nicole Cambridge and her crew at the Wilderness Adventure
Center kept them on their toes with challenges in the field in the morning, balancing on the
whale platform, getting through the spider web, and experiencing some heights on the 30’
tall catwalk and the rock-climbing wall!
Next stop was the CHOW Farm with
Binghamton Urban Farm Manager,
Sean Cummings. for an overview, tour
and lunch. We heard about how this land is
being utilized to help increase the amount of
fresh produce being served through various
CHOW initiatives, as well as more about the
Binghamton FarmShare program.
They started out in the morning knowing only each other’s first names. They discovered last
names, job titles and work places later in the day with the “Who’s Who” challenge. As they
progress through the next six months, they will learn about all facets of the community,
discover what issues we are facing, and expand their civic and community involvement after
their graduation in March.
Our group traveled to Co-operative Feed
Dealers, Inc. Lon Stephens, General
Manager at Co-Operative Feed Dealers, Inc. explained about their company and the role
they play in the agricultural industry. CFD - Co-operative Feed Dealers, Inc - is a wholesale
distributor and offers a wide variety of product lines, excellent customer service, and
delivery capabilities in the northeast. They have partnered with 100’s of the nation’s top
suppliers to offer thousands of products for your farm, garden and pet needs.
CFD is a cooperative established in 1935
to assist independent feed mills and
increase their purchasing power to compete
effectively with the larger corporate mills.
CFD was founded under the cooperative
corporation laws of New York State. Under
the cooperative, independent dealers,
buying through CFD, receive competitive
prices on retail store merchandise and feed
ingredients. Throughout the years, profits
have been returned to CFD members in the
form of patronage dividends.
BLI Session on Agriculture
CFD has expanded to distribute agricultural,
garden and pet supplies to numerous market
segments. Their customers include feed
mills and retail locations (farm supply
stores, tack and feed stores, lawn & garden
centers, hardware stores, pet supply stores,
sporting goods stores and shoe stores).
The BLI class embarked on a full day of
agriculture, a major industry and economic
driver in New York State. Program Chair,
Laura Biasillo (BLI ‘09), Agricultural
Economic Development Specialist, Cornell
Cooperative Extension of Broome County,
began our day on October 1 at the TasteNY
Store at the Gateway Information Center.
The Taste NY store at the Broome Gateway
Rest Area, located northbound on I-81
between the Pennsylvania state line and exit
1 in Broome County, opened its doors over the July 4 holiday weekend. This Taste NY shop
is part of a statewide initiative proposed in 2011 by Gov. Cuomo to increase sales of New
York-produced items. The goal is to triple the gross sales of participating vendors by the end
A locally sourced lunch was enjoyed
by the group at Remlik’s, while Brian
Aukema, Agriculture Team Leader,
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome
County, and Lindsay Wickham, Regional
Representative, New York Farm Bureau,
presented about the history of agriculture
in Broome County as well as emerging
agricultural issues.
After lunch, the group journeyed to Winsor
Acres where the class learned about the dairy farming industry with Glenn Winsor, Owner
of Winsor Acres, which included a tour of the barns, milk parlor, nursery, and feed storage
areas.
ChambeReport
17
Broome Leadership Institute Program
Introducing…BLI Class of 2016
BLI Alumni Visit Muckle’s Ink
Thanks to Casey Coolbaugh and Chauna D’Angelo of Muckle’s Ink for hosting
our BLI Alumni Group on October 7! It started with an idea: to make a Binghamton
line of tees that depicted a fun and positive image of Binghamton, both for natives
and newcomers alike. Neither had the intention of ever owning a business, but a few
short years later, have grown the enterprise into something truly unique. We toured
their studio/factory to see how Muckle’s Ink products are designed and manufactured.
Thanks for inspiring our group with your passion and creativity!
RICK ANNUNZIATA, Commercial Services Officer, Tioga State Bank
JON BAUMGART, HR Senior Manager, Lockheed Martin
ALICIA BEEKMAN, Director of Youth Services, Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network
KEITH GORGOS, Attorney, Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP
RICHARD KEEHLE JR., Director of Support Services, United Health Services, Inc.
ROSEMARIE KLEITZ, Volunteer Coordinator, Broome County Council of Churches
SUSAN LIBOUS HEENAN, Lead Analyst, NYSEG
JONATHAN MACKO, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
KAREN MATOLKA, Business Manager, ICS Solutions Group
DAVID MAZZINI, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
SHANE MCGUIRE, Vice President of Finance, United Methodist Homes
WILBERT MIDYETTE, Business Controls Professional, IBM
KATE MOWER, Personal Lines Manager, Harding Brooks Insurance
KYLE NEDLIK, Board Member, Southern Tier Young Professionals
CHERYL ORZEL-TERIS, Nursing Director, Lourdes Hospital
THERESA PALMER, Sales and Marketing Analyst, Mirabito Holdings, Inc.
SEAN PASS, Banking Officer, M&T Bank
JESSICA REMZA, Events Development Manager, Roberson Museum and Science Center
JEREMY SEDELMEYER, Attorney, Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP
MARY SZE-TU, Staff Psychotherapist, Samaritan Counseling Center of the Southern Tier, Inc.
November 2015 SBC Network Luncheon
Sponsored by: FORESTERS FINANCIAL
Thursday, November 12, 2015 • 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
The Cider Mill Playhouse
2 S. Nanticoke Avenue • Endicott, NY
Lunch catered by: Marilu’s Catering
Donuts & Cider Compliments of The Cider Mill
Cider Mill Playhouse Preview of Upcoming Show
$18 Advance / $21 After 11/6
Cancellations after November 6 are non-refundable.
Call Christine to make your reservation(s) (607) 772-8860 or
[email protected]
NOW – An Even Easier Way to Pay!
Sign up and pay on-line at www.greaterbinghamtonchamber.com
18
November 2015
ChambeReport
19
20
November 2015
ChambeReport
21
22
November 2015
ChambeReport
23
The Greater Binghamton
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 995
49 Court Street, Metrocenter, Suite 200
Binghamton, NY 13902-0995
Phone: (607) 772-8860
Fax: (607) 722-4513
E-Mail:[email protected]
OR C U R R E N T R E SI DE N T
www.GreaterBinghamtonChamber.com
Board Chairman:
Terry Wood
Willow Run Foods
Publisher:
Lou Santoni
President & CEO
Editor:
Amy Shaw
Vice President, Member Services
The Greater Binghamton ChambeReport
is published monthly by The GBCC,
P.O. Box 995, Binghamton, NY 13902-0995.
Subscription: $50.00 per year
is included in Chamber Membership.
Standard postage paid at Binghamton, NY.
(USPS-Permit 1).
POSTMASTER: Send address change to:
The GBCC, P.O. Box 995, Binghamton, NY 13902-0995
Be part of the ChambeReport
ChambeReport Inserts
ChambeReport Inserts are an inexpensive and popular way for businesses to market their goods and services to area business
leaders and their staffs. For one low price, you can reach 3,000 destinations, with multiple readers at each location, without
worrying about postage costs or direct mailing requirements.
• A maximum of 5 inserts are allowed in each ChambeReport mailing, all on a first come, first serve basis.
• 3,000 of your inserts must be provided.
Publish Date Insert Needed By
December Issue 5/22/2008
November 5th, 2015
5/29/2008
January Issue
December 3rd, 2015
1/20/2009
1/27/2010
6/26/2008
6/19/2008
2/24/2010
2/17/2010
Don’t miss this great opportunity to
showcase your products and services!
Call 798-1131 today
for more information!