Expansions, mergers, new leaders mark the 2014 CNY year in business

SYRACUSE - Area companies expanded, opened or closed offices, merged with other businesses, launched new projects, and changed leaders. The Business Journal News Network looks back at the year that was in local business, as chronicled in the weekly editions of The Central New York Business Journal (marked by dates in bold).

JANUARY

(1/3) Offsite Accounting & Management, Inc. - a more than three-year old company that handles accounting duties for small businesses, local governments, and nonprofits - opened an office in Rochester on Nov. 1, 2013.

Onondaga Community College (OCC) and the State University of New York at Potsdam on Dec. 17, 2013, announced a 2+2 partnership agreement, the sixth such agreement OCC has signed. The agreement allows students who earn an associate degree at OCC to transfer to SUNY Potsdam with junior status to pursue a bachelor's degree.

(1/10) Polaris Library Systems, a Salina-based provider of automation software for public libraries, says it added 20 employees to the payroll in 2013 to support a "significant" increase in customers. The firm added staff members in all departments, including customer support, product management, marketing, quality assurance, research and development, and administration.

Matthews Auto Group, Inc. of Vestal is operating a sixth location after opening a location at 3512 Birney Ave. in Moosic, in November. Moosic is the third used-car location for Matthews, in addition to the firm's Norwich and Vestal stores.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Jan. 6 announced details of a more than $2 billion tax-relief plan that he says is designed to attract and grow businesses statewide.

(1/17) Syracuse-based law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC on Jan. 1 added attorneys from the Manhattan-based law firm of Kehl, Katzive & Simon, LLP and on Feb. 1 would add the Long Island-based law firm of Kennedy & Gillen. The additions meant 22 attorneys would join the 15 lawyers already practicing in Bond, Schoeneck & King'sNew York City office.

C Speed LLC, a Salina-based radar-design and development company, was in the process of delivering the first LightWave system, under contract to the United Kingdom'sManston Airport in Kent where the system will eliminate "clutter" at the Vattenfall 51 megawatt Kentish Flats offshore wind farm.

(1/24) The Scotsman Press, Inc., a Syracuse-based company that produced niche publications and offered commercial-printing services for other publications, announced it would soon have local ownership. Badoud Enterprises, Inc., the Virginia-based owner of the Scotsman Press, on Dec. 17, 2013, signed an agreement to sell the company's assets to William Veit, the firm's president.

Hiscock & Barclay, LLP added an Elmira office after combining with Davidson & O'Mara, P.C. The move positions Hiscock close to the natural-gas drilling boom in Pennsylvania and continues its growth strategy by adding experienced attorneys from other firms.

CEO confidence across upstate New York in 2013 recovered from a "significant' drop in 2012 and increased over the previous year for the first time since 2010. That's according to the new Upstate New York Business Leader Survey that the Siena (College) Research Institute (SRI) issued in partnership with The Central New York Business Journal and other upstate publications.

SAM North America, LLC, a supplier of converting machinery for package printing, specialty coating, and extrusion coating and laminating, on Jan. 21 formally opened its extrusion-technology center. It is located inside SAM's new local headquarters, a 10,000-square-foot space in the Oswego County Industrial Park in the town of Schroeppel.

(1/31) Three early-stage companies were hoping to capture the top prize in a business competition that seeks to provide a financial boost for the entrepreneurs involved. Centscere, LLC, Crowsnest Labs, and Regattable pitched their business plans during CenterState CEO's Startup Labs Syracuse Demo Day competition.

Solvay Bank detailed its plans for 2014, including a new "smart branch" in DeWitt and several new technology components that will improve the customer experience, bank officials say.

FEBRUARY

(2/7) The Centers at St. Camillus, a nonprofit health-care facility in the town of Geddes, prepared for an improvement project meant to relocate and improve its resident-gathering space.

Otis Technology, a Lewis County-based manufacturer of gun-cleaning kits, started 2014 with a new CEO and several new products that it says help promise growth. Leonard Puzzouli on Jan. 1 stepped into the role as CEO, replacing company founder Doreen Garrett as part of a plan crafted five years ago to put a new executive in place to handle the day-to-day operations.

Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) and the North Country Family Health Center (NCFHC) announced details of a plan the organizations had devised to help "stabilize" the operations at NCFHC. The New York State Department of Health in October 2013 appointed SMC as the temporary operator of NCFHC as the clinic had announced plans to close.

(2/14) Kinney Drugs on Feb. 10 formally opened a health clinic inside its store at 104 Lafayette Road in Syracuse, providing customers a variety of health-care services. The "Healthy You Wellness Center" is a collaboration and partnership between Kinney Drugs, Inc.; Pulmonary Health Physicians, PC; and the Franciscan Companies, an affiliate of St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center of Syracuse.

Ioxus, Inc., a high-tech company in the former National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, expected to open a second Oneonta facility in April for electrode and module assemblies of its ultracapacitors. Ioxus had leased an additional 24,000 square feet of manufacturing space to begin the year, as it was nearing production capacity.

Skewed Brewing Co., a brewpub and restaurant located near the entrance of the Regal Cinema at Salmon Run Mall in Watertown, generated $360,000 in the final three months of 2013 after opening last October. The owners were projecting revenue of $1.5 million in 2014.

Junior Achievement (JA) of Rochester on Feb. 3 announced it has expanded its service area to include the territory that Junior Achievement of Central New York formerly covered. JA now delivers programs in 25 counties, the largest of any JA chapter in New York.

(2/21) More than five months after launching operations, a new local chartered-transportation company was anticipating strong growth in 2014. Ultimate Arrival, LLC, a family-operated business is located in a 4,500-square-foot space at 971 Spencer St. in Syracuse. The business has three divisions: motor-coach buses, executive transportation, and aircraft charter brokerage.

Solvay Glass, LLC, which also serves as the local retailer for Renewal by Andersen, is now covering a larger area for those Andersen products in the southern part of New York. Solvay Glass, located at 735 Erie Blvd. West in Syracuse, sells and installs glass for windows and doors. Renewal by Andersen in the summer of 2013 informed the local company that it was expanding its service territory to include the Southern Tier all the way to the Pennsylvania border.

(2/28) Two Syracuse investment-management firms, Rockbridge Investment Management and RJR Associates, Inc., announced an agreement to consolidate their accounts to "better serve" individual and institutional clients.

Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) announced plans to build a 4,600-square-foot branch office in the town of DeWitt The company's banking subsidiary, Community Bank NA, in January bought a 1.5 acre property at the intersection of Bridge Street and Widewaters Parkway.

Sun Environmental Corp. relocated to Clay from its previous home in DeWitt. The environmental firm leased nearly 15,000 square feet of warehouse space at 4655 Crossroads Park Drive in Clay, according to a news release from Pyramid Brokerage Company.

MARCH

(3/7) 11T Goulds Pumps, Inc., a unit of ITT Corp. (NYSE: ITT, was in the midst of an expansion project to add 75,000 square feet of manufacturing space and at least 50 jobs at its plant in Seneca Falls. The business manufactures pumps for the oil and gas, mining, chemical, energy, and pulp and paper industries.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Feb. 26 announced the launch of the STARTUP NY approval board, which will review and decide on plans for tax-free areas that private universities and colleges submit The program is a means of attracting businesses, drawing new private-sector investment, and generating jobs.

(3/14) Marny Nesher acquired the CNY Business Review, Inc. (better known as The Central New York Business Journal) from her parents, Norman and Joan Poltenson. Nesher also purchased the sister company, BizEventz, Inc., from a family trust Nesher, who had been serving as the companies' COO, is now sole owner and president

Avalon Document Services expanded into Ohio with the acquisition of two offices of Cleveland, Ohio-based ProFile Discovery. The deal adds Cleveland and Akron, Ohio to Avalon's list of office locations.

Expansion seems to be the name of the game of Slack Chemical Co., Inc. of Carthage, which recently opened a new 26,000-square-foot, $2.4 million plant in Saratoga Springs. The new facility will help the company better serve the Fast Coast region as well as provide necessary space for Slack to break into some new markets, company owner and president Robert Sturtz says.

Gov. Cuomo and the Oneida Indian Nation on March 11 initiated the first of "substantial dedicated payments" to Madison and Oneida counties, marking the formal approval of their "milestone" settlement That's how Cuomo's office described the development in a news release about the payments. U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence Kahn accepted the New York and Oneida Nation agreement of 2013 that settled decades of dispute and put to rest outstanding land claim, gaming, tobacco taxation, and revenue-sharing issues.

Dr. David Skorton, president of Cornell University, announced he would leave in mid-2015 to become the next secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the university announced on March 10. The Smithsonian board of regents voted to approve Skorton's appointment on March 9.

(3/21) Sustainable Office Solutions, LLC is leasing warehouse space inside the former Will & Baumer Candle Co., which is nestled on property at 100 Buckley Road in Salina. The company, which currently operates a short distance away at 900 Old Liverpool Road in Salina, eventually hopes to make the facility its permanent home

Bartell Machinery Systems, L.L.C. said it was planning to open an office in Qingdao China to complement its sales and service offices in Rome, N.Y. and Telford, UK The latest move supports Bartell's export focus, which represents 90 percent of the company's revenue. Its headquarters and manufacturing plant are located in Rome.

PAR Technology Corp. (NYSE: PAR) on March 14 reported a profit for the fourth quarter and the full 2013 year, compared to losses during the same periods in 2012. However, Ronald Casciano, PAR's president and CEO, indicated the firm is "not satisfied" with the results in 2013, according to its earnings news release.

Davidson Auto Group in Watertown marked the end of 2013 by going online with a 3,000-panel solar-power system in Watertown and already has plans to expand the solar plant's size and reach this year.

(3/28) Gov. Cuomo on March 25 outlined his proposal to cut property taxes during a visit to the DeWitt Community Room. Cuomo also encouraged local governments to reduce their costs.

Utica-based Upstate HomeCare and VNA Homecare of Syracuse signed an agreement allowing Upstate to supply the infusion, oxygen, and medical equipment that VNA patients need. The organizations on March 24 announced their "preferred-provider relationship" in a joint news release.

Valpak, a Largo, Fla based company that specializes in direct mailing of local print and digital coupons to consumers, announced it is targeting the Syracuse area as one of 18 areas to add franchise territories in this year. Valpak is the doing-business-as name (or dba) of Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on March 20 announced a settlement with Schenectady-based MVP Health Care after an investigation uncovered "widespread" violations of mental-health parity laws. The probe found the health insurer denied mental-health benefits to 'thousands" of New Yorkers, Schneiderman's office said.

Five attorneys, who were formerly part of the Bousquet Holstein PLLC law firm in Syracuse, formed their own firm. Centolella Lynn D'Elia & Temes LLC is a business law firm operating in AXA Tower I.

APRIL

(4/4) PeopleSystems, a Syracuse-based firm that specializes in providing business services to clients nationwide, partnered with the local franchise of Sandler Training to develop a training division.

Polaris Library Systems, a Salina-based provider of automation software for public libraries, came under new ownership. Emeryville, Calif.-based Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a firm that also specializes in library technology, on April 1, announced it acquired Polaris the day before.

Corked, a new division of Tom Cavallo's Restaurant, formally opened on April 11. Noelle Cavallo-Nattress, owner of Cavallo's, said she was looking forward to bringing more of a "local flare" to the restaurant with this new wine-bar division.

(4/11) The Le Moyne College board of trustees on April 3 elected Linda LeMura as the school's 14th president LeMura, who had been the university's provost and vice president for academic affairs, succeeded Frederick Pestello as president of Le Moyne. Pestello became the president at St Louis University.

Five Star Urgent Care's expansion push continued with its latest office addition in the town of Camillus. On March 28, the provider of walk-in, urgent-care services announced the opening of a location at 3504 W. Genesee St in the Fairmount area of Camillus</location>.

Lewis County General Hospital (LCGH) in Lowville on March 20 announced plans to affiliate with St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in Syracuse. The LCGH board of managers voted to authorize the hospital to enter "exclusive" negotiations to develop a "beneficial collaborative arrangement between both facilities," LCGH said in a news release.

Danlee Medical Products, Inc., a DeWitt-based provider of medical and cardiology supplies, said it was hoping to generate additional revenue through e-commerce as it moves into its third decade of operation.

(4/18) COR Development Company, LLC on April 9 announced the start of the demolition work in advance of plans to break ground on development of a Starwood Aloft hotel at Syracuse'sInner Harbor in June. COR is demolishing the canal-maintenance building at the Inner Harbor.

CenterState CEO on April 14 welcomed more than 1,100 members of the Central New York business community to its annual meeting and luncheon, which included an appearance from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. CenterState CEO also awarded Centscere of Syracuse$200,000 in cash and prizes as the winner of the latest Startup Labs Syracuse competition.

Kendal at Ithaca, a nonprofit continuing-care retirement community in the village of Cayuga Heights, announced plans for a $39 million expansion project to launch during the summer. The project will create about 20 new jobs at the facility, according to Kendal at Ithaca. Construction operations will employ between 250 and 300 workers for varying durations. The project includes a new nursing home and a new apartment building.

(4/25) The National Institutes of Health (NM) awarded Rheonix, Inc. a grant as the company works to develop a system that it contends will simplify testing for the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. The NIH awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I fast-track grant or more than $189,000. The firm expects a follow-up, 18-month, Phase II award of about $1.5 million.

The SU athletics department on April 16 introduced the new uniforms that the Orange football team would wear in its 2014 season. The school unveiled the uniforms in a ceremony at Destiny USA. SU worked with Nike, its uniform provider, to design the new threads.

MAY

(5/2) The Mirabito family of companies acquired the Manley's Mighty Marts convenience store and gas station chain in the Southern Tier. The acquisition closed on April 28, says Jason Mirabito, vice president of sales and marketing at Mirabito.

Symphoria, Central New York's symphony orchestra, on April 28 announced a 20-concert, six-venue series for its 2014-15 season.

After 15 years in the environmental-construction service field, the owner of Paragon Environmental Construction, Inc. (PEC) decided to expand the business by opening a new concrete and masonry business. Peter Paragon, owner and CEO of PEC, is opening Paragon Masonry, LLC in February seeking to meet the rising demand for these services in the Northeast

The board of trustees of Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown appointed Dr. Vance Brown as president and CEO of the Bassett Healthcare Network and BassettMedical Center, effective July 1. Dr. Brown came to Bassett from Portland, Maine-based MaineHealth, where he had been chief medical officer since 2008, Bassett said in a news release.

(5/9) Monolith Solar Associates, Rensselaer-based solar-installation business, on May 5 announced plans to open a regional office in the Binghamton area, creating 20 new jobs.

PAR Technology Corp. (NYSE: PAR) on May 1 reported a net loss from continuing operations of $989,000, or 6 cents per share, in the first quarter that ended March 31. That figure was worse than the net loss from continuing operations of $369,000, or 2 cents per share, that PAR reported in the year-ago quarter.

MACNY, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, on May 6 announced that Richard Rothenberger, vice president of engineering and new product development at Eaton Crouse-Hinds, won the 2014 MACNY Innovator of the Year award.

First Niagara Benefits Consulting (FNBC), a division of First Niagara Risk Management, Inc., announced its launch of a private-insurance exchange. FNBC will offer the First Niagara Benefits Exchange to companies that employ 100 people or more.

The YMCA of Greater Syracuse announced it was organizing the CNY Corporate Games in which teams of employees from area companies challenge others in "friendly" sports competitions summer. The YMCA is hoping the Corporate Games will help local businesses and nonprofits build "team spirit," boost staff retention, and lower health-care costs, says Erika Adigun, corporate wellness coordinator at the YMCA.

(5/16) The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on May 5 honored the achievements of five local businesses with excellence awards. The SBA honored LOFO Farm to Table Restaurant Lowenstein & Mead, CPAs, PLLC and Small Business Payroll Services, LLC; Unimar, Inc.; Farone & Son Funeral Home, Inc.; and Picasso's Pastries & Cafe.

Currier Plastics has added new molding machines to help the company grow its capacity as it works to become a one-stop shop for bottle and container customers. The Auburn firm, which offers both injection and blow-molding services for containers, recently added multiple Automa Electro Series extrusion blow-molding machines.

The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) has expanded its compost site in the Amboy section of Camillus. It reopened the facility at 6296 Airport Road in November 2013 after completing work on the $2.4 million system and additional $2 million in heavy equipment OCRRA held a reception May 8 to mark the formal reopening.

Infinit Technology Solutions relocated to a new facility in DeWitt that doubles its space. The firm moved to its new 16,000-square-foot place at 7037 Fly Road in DeWitt in January, after having operated in a 6,000-square-foot space at 5786 Widewaters Parkway in DeWitt.

(5/23) Agrana Fruit US, Inc. began operating its fourth U.S. fruit-preparation plant at 8864 Sixty Road in Lysander in northwest Onondaga County Agrana on May 15 hosted an event to formally open the facility The firm in March 2013 had announced plans to invest more than $50 million to build the facility and create about 120 jobs.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported May 15 that its Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index climbed nearly 18 points to 19, its highest level in nearly four years.

Hospitals and health systems in Central New York and across Upstate are facing a shortage of doctors, especially primary-care physicians, according to a new report from the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS). In the 2013 HANYS Physician Advocacy Survey, based on responses from health-care facilities across the state, excluding New York City, respondents reported a need for more than 1,000 physicians, of which 266 are primary-care physicians.

StartFast Venture Accelerator, LLC, a startup accelerator currently operating in downtown Syracuse, reached an agreement with Le Moyne College to move its operations into the Madden School of Business.

Capital District Physicians Health Plan (CDPHP), an Albany-based health insurer with subscribers in Central New York, on May 20 announced a "strategic alliance" with a health insurer based in Western New York. CDPHP will work with Independent Health, which is headquartered in the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville, to "explore opportunities to enhance their efforts to further transform health care in their respective communities, while remaining independent"

(5/30) Stevens Office Interiors, a company that specializes in office-furniture products, consolidated its operations in DeWitt and sold its previous Syracuse building to a Rochester food market Stevens on April 28 opened a new 10,000-square-foot showroom at 6804 Manlius Center Road in the town of DeWitt. It's part of a 22,000-square-foot space that also includes 12,000 square feet of warehouse space.

Colgate University created "The Thought Into Action Entrepreneurship Institute," (TIA), a student incubator that makes ideas go live. The concept involves mentoring students who have an idea to help turn the idea into action, says Andy Greenfield, incubator founder, serial entrepreneur, and Colgate alumnus class of 1974.

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Community Plan of New York announced it is offering health plans that provide access to home- and community-based services, enabling people in eight upstate counties to stay in their homes longer. The counties include Onondaga, Oneida, and Broome

JUNE

(6/6) The Community Preservation Corp., Inc. (CPC) announced the closing of a more than $12 millionFreddie Mac mortgage to support the Merchants Commons building at 220 S. Warren St in Syracuse. Merchants Commons, a combination of the former Snow Building and Merchants Bank Building, includes 66 residential units and more than 34,000 square feet of commercial space.

Onondaga Flooring, Inc. on May 29 opened its third store in the Marketfair North Plaza in Clay "The 3,000-square-foot showroom is conveniently located for suburban families in the north," says Scott Perry, co-owner with his brother Michael.

Work got underway to expand the administrative offices of the Jefferson County Local Development Corp, which is housed at the Watertown Center for Business & Industry (WCBI). The WCBI, which includes four buildings and is located at 800 Starbuck Ave. in Watertown, is a business incubator created through public and private partnerships in 1994.

Welch Allyn, Inc., a Skaneateles Falls-based manufacturer of medical-diagnostic equipment, on June 3 announced it has acquired certain assets of PediaVision Holdings, LLC, an Orlando-area-based developer of vision technologies. Welch Allyn didn't release any financial terms of the acquisition in its news release.

After more than a decade of planning, the YMCA of Greater Syracuse on May 22 started site work on the $20 million, 100,000-square-foot Northwest Family YMCA at 8040 River Road in Lysander. Local leaders, donors, and other key supporters gathered at Timber Banks Golf Clubhouse at 3536 Timber Banks Parkway for a groundbreaking ceremony.

Syracuse University's S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications announced it would dedicate the new Newhouse Studio and Innovation Center on Sept. 29 on campus. Special guest Oprah Winfrey was invited to join students, alumni, media executives, and other VIPs to celebrate the reopening of the school's Newhouse 2 building, which underwent an $18 million renovation.

(6/13) Two Syracuse hospitals launched electronic medical-records (EMR) systems and a third has plans to implement a system in 2015. Upstate University Hospital and St Joseph's Hospital Health Center partnered with Verona, Wis.-based Epic Systems as their EMR and practice-management application vendor. Crouse Hospital is planning to implement the Soarian electronic medical-record system from Siemens.

Computer Connections of Central New York, Inc. in Utica says it has earned the responsible recycling (R2) certification, described as "the highest" industry standard for recycling of electronic waste, according to environmental health and safety measures. Computer Connection is a systems integrator, reseller, and recycler of information-technology networking and security hardware.

SUNY Cortland's project installing more than 3,600 solar panels on campus, which went online in May, was the first project of its kind for the 64-campus SUNY system. The $3 million solar system is expected to produce 1.5 million kilowatt hours of solar electricity annually.

Engineers with the Binghamton office of Edmonton, Alberta-based Stantec, Inc. (NYSE: STN) helped SUNY Cortland's newly constructed Dragon Hall earn a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification. Stantec designed the $22 million, four-story building.

(6/20) Bowers & Company CPAs PLLC, a Syracuse-based accounting firm, was finalizing plans for construction of a new 7,800-square-foot office to house its two Watertown locations.

SRC Cyber, LLC and TERACAI formed a "strategic partnership" to provide cyber-security services. The firms will work together to provide cybersecurity services for organizations to help reduce risk in their information-technology (IT) environments.

(6/27) Following eight months of renovation work at the DeWitt Town Center, the 184,000-square-foot shopping center at 3179 Erie Blvd. Fast said it was adding six new tenants. That's according to the Syracuse-based Icon Companies, a commercial real-estate firm, which organized an afternoon press event June 24 to mark the end of the renovation work The tenants include Time Warner Cable Business Class, Jreck's Subs, and a relocated showroom for Pella, a window and door retailer.

Two members of the workgroup that Syracuse University (SU) Chancellor Kent Syverud assembled to review options for a "Carrier Dome Backup Plan" provided an overview of its findings on June 19. Rick Burton, a sports-management professor and workgroup chair, said Syverud's request was "a fact-finding mission" on his behalf to look at the "ways in which ... the Carrier Dome roof could fail, what our backup plan would be were the Dome to be made inoperable" in the event of a roof failure.

Chris Arnone, the president of Image Press in Cicero, on May 7 inked a deal with Richard Hubeny, president of Syracuse Signage, Inc., to sell the assets of Syracuse Signage. The sale of the operating company's assets was an all-cash deal It did not include Hubeny's 7,200-square-foot building located at 220 Commerce Blvd. in the town of Salina

JULY

(7/4-11) Two employees of Strategic Communications, LLC acquired the company's assets as the firm's owner began stepping away from the business and into a consulting role. Crystal (Smith) DeStefano, the firm's director of integrated media for public relations, and Frank Caliva III, the firm's director of public affairs & strategy development in the Washington, D.C. office, acquired the majority of the assets. Caliva used his acquisition to spin off a new firm in the company's former office in the nation's capitol.

The Scotsman Press, Inc., which does business as Scotsman Media Group, closed its printing operations in Syracuse and Chenango Bridge on July 3, ending about 60 years of operation in Central New York The shutdown meant the layoff of about 90 employees. William Veit, the firm's president, had attempted to acquire the business and obtain additional financing, but the effort was "ultimately unsuccessful," according to a company news release.

The Syracuse Crunch announced the "Frozen Dome Classic," the first professional hockey game to be held in the Carrier Dome versus the Utica Comets on Nov. 22.

(7/18) Empire Brewing Company in Syracuse'sArmory Square said it was working to build its Empire Farmstead Brewery in Cazenovia to grow hops and create a bottling facility. Empire Brewing, a Syracuse-based brewer of handcrafted ales and lagers, would use the facility to bottle its own beer for the first time in the company's 20-year history. It sought $200,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assist in the expansion effort

Stamford, Conn.-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and COR Development Co., LLC said they were partnering to bring a second hotel under Starwood's Element brand to the Syracuse Inner Harbor. That announcement was part of a July 10 groundbreaking ceremony at the Inner Harbor for Starwood's planned Aloft Hotel.

Integrated Marketing Services, Inc., a firm that has specialized in direct-mail marketing services for more than 20 years, acquired Automated Graphics, Inc. of DeWitt in a purchase that closed on June 18.

CenterState CEO on July 9 announced the B2B Marketplace, an event set for Oct. 29, "succeeding the long-standing CEO Business Showcase." The Marketplace's purpose was to provide area businesses the chance to participate in training and education programs and networking events," the organization said.

(7/25) WYNIT Distribution, LLC on July 9 signed a deal to purchase "substantially all the assets" of the Navarre division of Speed Commerce, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPDC), a publicly held company headquartered in Minnesota.

The DeWitt location of New Horizons Computer Learning Center has new owners. Jason Krolak, the owner of the firm's locations in Albany and Buffalo, partnered with his brother, Todd, to purchase the local New Horizons facility Todd Krolak is currently the CFO of New Horizons Albany. The Krolaks bought the location from Linus Dirnberger and Margie Polls.

SUNY Upstate Medical University on July 18 formally opened its new Upstate Cancer Center, which sits adjacent to Upstate University Hospital at 750 E. Adams St. in Syracuse. The $74 million, 90,000-square-foot center occupies three of the five floors in the new structure, which cost $100 million to build. Dr. Leslie Kohman, the Cancer Center's medical director, called it "a vision fulfilled."

Saying its the first Central New York hospital to do so, Crouse Hospital posted the average prices for its "most common" medical procedures on its website. Estimated average prices for more than 300 medical services are included on the site, according to Crouse.

POMCO Group, a Syracuse-based third-party administrator of self-funded health-care and risk-management plans, added 65 new employees at its corporate headquarters as it administers a new plan offered through the Affordable Care Act The employee growth is to accommodate the "continual rapid growth of the company's plan membership" due to the impact of Health Republic Insurance of New York (HRINY), the Affordable Care Act's consumer-operated and oriented plan (CO-OP).

AUGUST

(8/1) University CrossFit, LLC, which does business as Urban life CrossFit, announced plans to expand its space in its current location, adding a spinning studio. The company also unveiled plans to open a second location on the SU hill that too will focus on spinning, an indoor-cycling workout The second studio is a space in the CVS Pharmacy building at 704 Crouse Ave. in Syracuse.

The upstate New York construction industry has seen a "positive improvement" in the last couple years, according to the 2014 Upstate New York Contractors State of the Industry Study that The Bonadio Group released.

ConMed Corp. (NASDAQ: CNMD), a Utica-based surgical-device maker, said it was moving ahead with new leadership after its CEO stepped down and its founder retired. The company on July 23 announced that Joseph (Joe) Corasanti resigned as CEO, president, and board member, effective immediately. The company provided no reason for Corasanti's departure. The board appointed Curt Hartman, an independent director of ConMed, as interim CEO. In addition, founder Eugene (Gene) Corasanti decided to retire, effective immediately, from the board and as an employee after nearly 44 years with ConMed, the company said in a news release.

Five businesses will expand or locate in Binghamton through the START-UP NY program, the initiative that creates tax-free areas associated with colleges and universities statewide. The state projects the five businesses will invest $2.3 million and create more than 80 new jobs in tax-free areas that Binghamton University sponsors, according to the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The businesses include Advanced Material Analytics, LLC; Charge CCCV, LLC; ClickCare, LLC; Innovation Associates, Inc.; and Sonic Blocks, Inc.

(8/8) The U.S. Department of Transportation'sFederal Aviation Administration awarded five regional airports grant funding for upgrades at each facility The funding benefitted airports serving Syracuse, Oswego County, Rome, Ithaca, and the Elmira-Corning area.

WellTrail, Inc., a Van Buren-based health and injury-management services company, said it was aiming for additional growth in 2015, both in Central New York and in its service area in the Midwest The firm works with companies of all sizes and demographics to determine the best options to help employees improve or sustain "optimal" health, says Kelly LaPage, the firm's founder, CEO, and sole owner.

(8/15) The Central New York Community Foundation announced plans to add two tenants - the Onondaga County Bar Association and the Central New York Land Trust - at its Central New York Philanthropy Center facility at 431 E. Fayette St in Syracuse.

Southern Tier Harley-Davidson on Aug. 6 announced it had acquired Independence Harley-Davidson in College Station, Texas, its first store outside New York The acquisition also represents Southern Tier Harley-Davidson's third location with stores locally in Binghamton and Painted Post, the motorcycle-dealership business said.

Wireless Business Group, LLC, a cellular-consulting firm, relocated its office to a 2,000-square-foot space at 1620 Burnet Ave. in Syracuse. The firm previously operated in a space of about 500 square feet at 106 S. Main St. in North Syracuse.

The Federal Aviation Administration authorized NUAIR Alliance and Griffiss International Airport in Rome to conduct testing of drones, or unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS). The application approval for the certificate of authorization (COA) clears the way for testing under the FAA-designated Griffiss International Airport UAS test site.

(8/22) The Syracuse-based law firm of Anelli Xavier opened a new office in Buffalo, adding to its existing upstate offices in Syracuse, Rochester, and Albany. The firm, which focuses on defending clients accused of driving while intoxicated, has handled cases throughout New York, says Tom Anelli, managing attorney at Anelli Xavier.

The Tech Garden, an affiliate of CenterState CEO, on Aug. 18 provided nine area firms with a financial boost with funding awards through its Grants for Growth program. The Tech Garden awarded nearly $475,000 in the program's 11th round. The investments will leverage more than $919,000 in matching funds to support "emerging" regional companies, the organization said.

Whoosh, a mobile-phone application, went live on Aug. 18, allowing individuals to pay for parking directly from their devices. Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner made the announcement the next day, while speaking to reporters along the 300 block of South Franklin Street in Armory Square. Residents can "download an app on their phone and pay for parking on their phone," Miner said.

(8/29) IPD: Engineering, a Syracuse-based engineering firm, on Aug. 25 announced the addition of a structural department and three new employees for the division, who had joined the organization a few months earlier. The firm's customer base "typically has a need" for structural engineering, says Sam Cosamano, president and co-owner of IPD: Engineering.

UHS Home Care settled into its new home, allowing it to centralize its operations and set the stage for future growth. The home healthcare provider is now headquartered at 601 Riverside Drive in Johnson City

Danlee Medical Products of DeWitt announced it has signed an agreement to acquire SonicBrite, a brand that is focused on the cleaning and disinfecting of dental appliances. Under the agreement, the SonicBrite Brand will operate as SonicBrite, LLC, a subsidiary of Danlee Medical Products.

CenterState CEO joined the Preservation League of New York State in pushing Congress to renew and enhance the federal historic tax credit, which some lawmakers have targeted for elimination. The credit, which economic developers see as a tool in revitalization projects, is "at risk of elimination" as part of an effort to cut federal spending.

SEPTEMBER

(9/5) The Syracuse-based law firm of Smith Sovik Kendrick & Sugnet, PC., which focuses on civil litigation, opened a new office in the Buffalo market The office enables the firm to "further expand" its client base into Western New York and will afford "easier access" to its existing clients in Buffalo, Rochester, and areas west of Syracuse.

(9/12) Construction started on Binghamton University's smart energy research and development facility. The school on Aug. 27 held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $70 million, 114,000-square-foot building at the Innovative Technologies Complex in Vestal. Binghamton sees the new facility as part of its "pursuit of path-breaking research" on energy-efficient technologies.

St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center on Sept. 4 formally opened its $63 million, 104,000-square-foot tower, which includes 110 private rooms and new intensive-care units. The surgical tower is part of the final phase of an expansion project first outlined in 2004.

JMC Benefits Group, a Syracuse-based provider of employee benefits and business insurance, on Sept. 1 joined CH Insurance Brokerage, Inc.Joseph Courcy, who operated JMC Benefits Group, has been hired by CH Insurance and brought his customers with him, according to Joseph Convertino, Jr., president of CH Insurance.

The NUAIR Alliance on Sept. 2 announced the hiring of Cady Kepler, Jr. as its new airworthiness manager. NUAIR Alliance is short for Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance.

Green Planet Grocery, which currently operates stores in Camillus and Oswego, announced plans to open a third location in Cicero in early October. The Cicero store is part of an expansion plan that could include up to 10 locations in the next three to five years, says Joe Scripa, a minority owner in grocery store.

(9/19) New York Air Brake Corp. has grown its workforce in the past two years with new products and systems to make North American freight railroads "safer and more productive." The company has added about 100 employees over the past year-and-a-half at the Watertown facility to support the expansion of products and the increase in customer volume, says Michael Hawthorne, president of NYAB.

Cayuga Milk Ingredients, LLC is now in full production following the installation of its drying equipment on Sept. 15. The company, located in Aurilius, was established to manufacture quality dairy ingredients for use in the global-food and nutrition industries.

The Syracuse Arts Learning & Technology (SALT) Makerspace, an open community lab that provides equipment and space for woodworking, metalworking, and 3D design and modeling, held a grand opening on Sept. 11. More than 150 people attended the ceremony at the facility located inside the Delavan Center on West Fayette Street in Syracuse.

AT&T (NYSE: T) and several local partners on Sept. 11 teamed up to announce the Central New York Civic App Challenge. Community members, and particularly the hacker and technology community, are to build software applications over a 60-day period, Seth Mulligan, vice president for innovation services at the Tech Garden for CenterState CEO, said in his remarks at the Tech Garden event Participants competed for cash prizes totaling $18,000.

SU's College of Law formally opened Dineen Hall with a series of grand-opening events involving students, faculty, alumni, friends, and the legal community. The 200,000-square-foot building becomes the sixth venue to serve as the home to the SU College of Law.

MedTech - a Syracuse-based trade association for bioscience and medical technology (bio / med) companies in New York state - released its 2014 bio/med industry report, providing a snapshot of the industry in the Empire State, with special emphasis on upstate New York "The study reveals a developing eco-system on par with some of the country's hottest Bio / Med locales," MedTech said.

(9/26) Inficon, Inc. of DeWitt on Sept. 23 formally started its $20 million, 64,000-square-foot building expansion with a ceremony outside its DeWitt facility The expansion will help create 40 new jobs and help to retain 240 existing jobs at its location at Two Technology Place, just off Fly Road. Nearly 80 percent of the products that Inficon manufactures in DeWitt are sold elsewhere in the world.

Work started on a new 5,000-square-foot building for Simon's Agency, Inc. at 4938 W. Taft Road in Clay, across from a Wegmans store. Simon's, a collections business, on Aug. 27 broke ground on the new building that doubles its operating space. The firm currently operates in a space at 3713 Brewerton Road in Clay.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sept. 16 announced that SUNY-ESF and OCC had won a $20 million grant as part of the NYSUNY2020 program. The schools will use the funding for a SUNY Water Research and Education Center at Syracuse'sInner Harbor.

The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University will use a two-year, $1 millionNew York named the Maxwell School as one of five institutional grant recipients through its initiative, entitled "Rigor and Relevance: Bridging the Academic-Policy Gap," the school said. With the funding, the Maxwell School will create the Carnegie International Policy Scholars Consortium and Network.

Runnings, a Minnesota-based, family-owned retailer that is expanding in Central NewYork, announced plans in early September to open a store in Clay next spring. The business, which markets itself as "Your Home, Farm, and Outdoor Store," has product offerings that include outdoor sporting goods.

OCTOBER

(10/3) Business Machines & Equipment, Inc. (BME), a growing Mohawk Valley office supply company, is under new ownership, and has a new affiliation with Hummel's Office Plus. Harrison (Chip) Hummel III, chairman of the board of directors of Hummel's, has "taken a majority stake" in the BME firm and now serves as president Steve Mitchell,

BME's vice president of sales and development, is also one of the firm's co-owners.

Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications on Sept. 29 dedicated its new Studio and Innovation Center. The $18 million renovation of Newhouse 2 features the Dick Clark Studios and the Alan Gerry Center for Media Innovation. Oprah Winfrey spoke at the event.

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded Onondaga Community College a grant of $2.5 million for job training in the agribusiness food-processing industry. The funding comes from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program.

(10/10) The sensor systems business unit of Saab Defense and Security USA, LLC of DeWitt will serve as the main subcontractor on a radar contract the U.S. Air Force has awarded to Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN). The contract should add to the workforce at Saab Defense and Security, the company said. The Salina plant of Lockheed Martin had also bid for the same contract.

Binghamton University announced plans to build a $60 million, 70,000-square-foot School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on property near UHS Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo allocated $10 million in capital resources to support initial planning and development costs, including the acquisition and site preparation at 96 Corliss Ave.

The Central New York Community Foundation on Oct. 6 announced it awarded more than $180,000 in grants to 10 nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties seeking to better measure the effectiveness of their programs.

A new scholarship program introduced in September by MedTech will help students obtain hands-on experience with medical products as it also works to create a pipeline of talent for Central New York's medical-device makers. The scholarship, a $3,750 matching grant, will benefit students participating in Engineering World Health'sSummer Institute.

(10/17) Auburn - based Bo-Mer Plastics, LLC said it was set to end 2014 on a strong note and keep the momentum going strong in 2015 following a year filled with new equipment and new contracts. That momentum has been building for 13 years, says company president Thomas Herbert who bought the plastics manufacturer in 2013 and focused on diversification and controlled growth.

A renovation project on a studio-art building and new curriculum are two of the objectives that Cazenovia College President Mark Tierno hopes to meet in the final 21 months of his tenure leading the college. Tierno has announced plans to retire from his position on June 30, 2016.

The design phase got underway on the Southern Tier High Technology Incubator, which the state describes as a "major" economic-development project in downtown Binghamton. The incubator seeks to be an "entrepreneurial ecosystem for emerging high-technology companies" and should help create more than 900 jobs within the next nine years, the state contends. Binghamton University broke ground on the project on Oct. 2.

A planned 2 megawatt solar array near Potsdam will give students access to real world data to use throughout their studies to better prepare them for the jobs awaiting them after graduation, according to Clarkson University. The solar array will also provide nearly 10 percent of the power used at Clarkson. The school announced the project on Oct. 6.

(10/24) Researchers at Syracuse University (SU) have developed a data tool that provides information on the performance of more than 900 federal district court judges. The data tool, developed by SU's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) officially launched Oct. 14.

(10/31) Eric Mower + Associates (EMA), the largest advertising agency in Central New York, on Oct. 22 announced plans to combine with a New York City-based public-relations firm. Middleton & Gendron (M&G) formally joined EMA on Nov. 1, the local agency said in a news release. M&G will continue operations as M&G/Eric Mower + Associates until the end of 2015 and then adopt the EMA name.

A recent investment in a soil-modeling tool for the agricultural industry is the first investment of what Armory Square Ventures expects will be a very busy year for the young venture-capital firm. The Syracuse-based firm is one of three companies that invested a combined $2.2 million in Agronomic Technology Corp. to expand its tool that provides insights on soil leading to more profitable and environmentally sound fertilizer, crop, and irrigation decisions.

First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FNFG) on Oct. 24 reported a third-quarter net loss available to common shareholders of $665 million, or $1.90 per share. Results included a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $800 million, along with a pretax $45 million reserve to address a process issue related to certain customer-deposit accounts.

NOVEMBER

(11/7) Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) on Oct. 30 announced it had agreed to acquire Salina - based Systems Made Simple, a firm that provides health-information technology products to the federal government Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin, which has a plant in Salina employing about 1,600 people, didn't disclose any financial terms of the acquisition agreement in its news release.

Avalon Document Services on Nov. 3 announced that it had acquired Graphics of Utica, a locally owned graphic design and printing business. Avalon didn't disclose any financial terms of its acquisition agreement Avalon's Utica office now employs four people, and the firm's total employee count now stands at 95.

The American Red Cross has once again restructured its Central New York region. The nonprofit humanitarian organization has consolidated its three upstate New York regions into two. As a result, nine CNY and Southern Tier counties merged with the Western New York region. The Red Cross laid off 10 employees in the CNY region the week of Oct. 13.

Detroit, Mich.-based Racer Trust, which owns the Salina Industrial Powerpark at 1 General Motors Drive in Salina, is working with Cushman & Wakefield / Pyramid Brokerage Company to market the former General Motors (GM) auto-parts plant that GM shuttered in 1993. Pyramid Brokerage held an Oct. 30 open house at the facility as it pursues additional tenants and a buyer for the property.

(11/14) Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs, LLC (DB&B) on Nov. 10 announced it is merging with Kane, Bowles & Moore, P.C., a Liverpool-based accounting and consulting firm. Kane, Bowles & Moore will operate under the Dermody, Burke & Brown name beginning Jan. 1.

Cathy's Corner Cafe, which previously operated at 731 James St., moved to a larger building at 929 Avery Ave. where it will serve dinner. That space formerly housed Smorol's Restaurant, which closed in the spring of 2012. Owner Cathy Corner says she always wanted to serve dinner at her eatery, which has been a caterer and lunch provider for 18 years.

(11/21) Smart-phone applications (apps) focused on local tourism and finding available food banks claimed the grand prizes in the AT&T Central New York Civic App Challenge. PocketSights and TXT2EAT, each created by Ithaca developers, earned prizes of $7,500. Other smart-phone apps, Play2Sign and Page Turner, captured second-place prizes of $1,500. Participants were competing for cash prizes totaling $18,000.

Kishmish, Inc., a Syracuse-based provider of network and IT services, has landed 87 new clients and boosted sales from $2 million to $3 millionMark Hollingshead, president of sales and marketing, joined the firm in August 2013.

A franchise location of the Popeyes restaurant chain, which specializes in Southern-style fried chicken and biscuits, is planned for Route 11 in Salina. The franchisee, Erie Chicken, LLC, has signed a long-term lease for the 2,565-square-foot building at 3609 Brewerton (corner of Elbow Road and Route 11), according to John Bouck, broker and owner of Auburn-based Bouck Real Estate, who negotiated the transaction.

The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration supported loan activity in fiscal year 2014 that represented a 10 percent increase in number of approvals and a 14 percent rise in dollar value over the last fiscal year. The agency backed 648 loans valued at nearly $147 million during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

(11/28) Roth Global Plastics, a manufacturer of blow-molded polyethylene residential septic, cistern, and rainwater tanks, signed a 10-year lease extension at the Salina Industrial Powerpark with its landlord, Detroit, Mich.-based Racer Trust

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signed the Craft New York Act that he says cuts "burdensome" requirements placed on craft-beverage manufacturers and eases restrictions on the marketing of products. Cuomo also launched two craft-beverage grant programs. The $3 million in promotional funding includes a $2 million craft-beverage marketing and promotion-grant program, and $1 million craft-beverage industry tourism-promotion grant.

DECEMBER

(12/5) Rochester-based Bonadio Group and Testone, Marshall & Discenza, LLF (TMD) of Syracuse will merge to form Central New York's largest accounting firm, effective Jan. 1. It's a deal that both firms have discussed over the past four years, says Thomas Bonadio, CEO and managing partner of The Bonadio Group.

The October stock offering of Pathfinder Bancorp, Inc. was oversubscribed, generating more than $37 million and signaling that investors approve of the banking company's business direction, according to Torn Schneider, president and CEO of Pathfinder Bank. The bank had offered 2.6 million shares of its common stock for sale at $10 per share, and proceeds above the $26.4 million maximum were returned to eligible account holders, who were all depositors of Pathfinder Bank.

The Nurse Connection Staffing, Inc., an Albany-based provider of nursing staff for long-term care facilities, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and school districts, is expanding into the Syracuse market. When an organization calls and says it needs a nurse or a certified nursing assistant, Nurse Connection Staffing has people it can deploy to fill that shift.

Southern Tier HealthLink (STHL) plans to merge with Taconic Health Information Network and Community (THINC) into a single "qualified entity" called HealthlinkNY. A qualified entity (QE) was previously referred to as a regional health-information organization (RHIO), according a news release the organizations issued on Nov. 17. STHL and THINC are calling the action a "step toward unified exchange of health information in New York."

(12/12) Welch Allyn, Inc. on Dec. 8 announced that it had acquired substantially all the assets of Healthlnterlink, LLC of Omaha, Neb. from its investment firm parent Prairie Ventures. The Skaneateles Falls-based manufacturer of medical-diagnostic equipment is making a bet on medicine's move toward telehealth - monitoring and treating patients remotely with digital technologies.

Ashley McGraw Architects, D.P.C.'s new downtown Syracuse office has numerous attributes and features incorporating sustainability. The architecture firm moved to a 9,000-square-foot space on the 15th floor of Onondaga Tower at 125 East Jefferson St in September from its previous space at 500 S. Salina St The new office includes light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, daylighting, occupancy controls (or motion sensors) on the lights, along with flooring from a former gymnasium floor acquired from the Geneva City School District

After having worked as a senior marketing manager at Welch Allyn for the past 12 years, Victor Ianno is now the sole owner of Weaver Machine & Tool in Auburn. He acquired the business from the family of the late Ronald (Bucky) Weaver and started working there in September. The purchase became final on Oct. 24, he says.

Albany-based Rebuild NY Now is calling on state lawmakers to use all or part of more than $5 billion from settlements with overseas banks to fund repairs for New York's aging roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Rebuild NY Now is a coalition that "actively engages" federal and state elected officials to support public policies "that promote safe roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and other vital infrastructure."

BlueRock Energy Holdings founded BlueRock Energy Services, a company focused on helping businesses and homeowners reduce their energy consumption and cut energy costs. The company expects to add 40 jobs over the next two years to fill energy audit, engineering, design, sales, accounting, and purchasing positions.