Operation Oswego County recognizes and presents awards to a total of three (3) businesses or organizations and (2) individuals each year at its Annual Meeting.

Ally Award

• must be a municipality, for profit or not-for-profit organization;
• must make a significant contribution to the economic development process in Oswego County; and
• such contribution must be outstanding within the organization’s ordinary scope of services.

Past Recipients

• 1987 Niagara Mohawk
• 1988 County of Oswego Department of Employment & Training
• 1989 NYS Department of Economic Development, CNY Regional Office
• 1990 Oswego County BOCES
• 1991 New York JDA
• 1992 Ed Vayner & Associates
• 1993 Greater Oswego Chamber of Commerce
• 1994 Oswego County Building and Construction Trades Council
• 1995 SUNY Oswego
• 1996 Niagara Mohawk / Fulton Savings Bank
• 1997 Oswego County Department of Planning and Community Development and Oswego County Planning Board
• 1998 NYS Empire State Development
• 1999 NYS Office of Recycling Market Development
• 2000 U.S. Small Business Administration, Syracuse District Office
• 2001 Local News, Inc.
• 2002 SUNY Oswego SBDC
• 2003 Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board
• 2004 Niagara Mohawk
• 2005 Empire State Development
• 2006 International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers, Local 43 and the United Association Of Plumbers And Steamfitters, Local 73
• 2007 Entergy Nuclear and Oswego County Public Utility Service
• 2008 Port of Oswego Authority
• 2009 U.S. Small Business Administration
• 2010 National Grid
• 2011 USDA Rural Development
• 2012 CenterState CEO

Business Excellence Award

• must be a private sector organization in Oswego County;
• must show adaptation and growth in a competitive business environment;
• must provide quality service and customer choice to its customers;
• must have received professional recognition for recent accomplishments or have passed a unique milestone in history; and
• must exhibit ongoing community service or support of community programs through donations of time and monetary resources.

Past Award Recipients

• 1995 GEO Hotel Co., Inc.
• 1996 Sithe Energies
• 1997 Fulton Tool Company
• 1998 Fulton Savings Bank
• 1999 Oswego Health, Inc.
• 2000 Agrilink Foods, Inc.
• 2001 Wayne Drug Company
• 2002 New York Bold, LLC
• 2003 Entergy Nuclear Northeast
• 2004 The Fulton Companies
• 2005 Oswego County National Bank
• 2006 Oswego Industries, Inc.
• 2007 Eagle Beverage Company
• 2008 Novelis
• 2009 Bosco & Geers Food Market
• 2010 Healthway Home Products
• 2011 Oswego County Opportunities, Inc.
• 2012 Huhtamaki

• must be a private sector employer in Oswego County;
• must make a significant capital investment and/or significant creation/retention of jobs in Oswego County; and
• must make a significant, overall impact on the Oswego County economy.

Past Recipients

• 1986 Blount Lumber
• 1987 General Foods
• 1988 Oswego Wire
• 1989 Morrill Press
• 1990 Alcan Aluminum Corporation
• 1991 Hammermill Papers
• 1992 Miller Brewery
• 1993 St. Luke’s Health Care Facility
• 1994 Nestle Chocolate & Confections
• 1995 Reynolds Metals
• 1996 Sealright Packaging Company
• 1997 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation
• 1998 Oswego Wire, Inc.
• 1999 Crysteel Manufacturing, Inc.
• 2000 Seneca Hill Manor, Inc.
• 2001 North Coast Software, Inc.
• 2002 Huhtamaki Packaging Worldwide
• 2003 Wal-Mart of Central Square
• 2004 Wise Buys Stores, Inc.
• 2005 New York Chocolate and Confections Company
• 2006 Lowe’s Home Improvement
• 2007 Felix Schoeller Technical Papers
• 2008 Kinney Drugs, Inc.
• 2009 Constellation Energy
• 2010 Oswego Health
• 2011 Sunoco, Inc.
• 2012 The Fulton Companies

Dee Heckethorn Entrepreneur Award

• Must be an individual who has a business in Oswego County;
• Must bring an innovative product or service to Oswego County that acts as a catalyst for further economic growth; and
• Must assume considerable initiative and risk bringing their product or service to Oswego County.

Past Award Recipients

• 2007 Douglas Caster
• 2008 Pat Jones
• 2009 Randy Yerden
• 2010 Heidi Hazen-Forte
• 2011 Edward Alberts
• 2012 George (Buddy) Broadwell

Martin Rose Economic Developer Merit Award

• must be an individual who is not a professional economic developer;
• must have a record of exhibiting outstanding leadership, support and/or cooperation in furthering economic development efforts in Oswego County; and
• must have a record of creating and implementing economic development strategies which benefit Oswego County.

Past Recipients

• 1986 H. Willard Pierce
• 1987 F. Hosmer Culkin
• 1988 Martin Rose
• 1989 Eben Poland
• 1990 Arthur Clawson
• 1991 Hollis Iselin
• 1992 Hon. John M. McHugh
• 1993 Hon. H. Douglas Barclay
• 1994 Donald S. Voorhies
• 1995 Arthur W. Ospelt
• 1996 Hon. James W. Wright
• 1997 Louis R. Pettinelli
• 1998 Hon. Frances Sullivan
• 1999 Steven W. Thomas
• 2000 Dee C. Heckethorn
• 2001 Lawrence O’Brien, Sr.
• 2002 Eugene G. Saloga
• 2003 Carolyn A. Rush
• 2004 Bruce B. Phelps
• 2005 Nancy J. Bellow
• 2006 Corte J. Spencer
• 2007 William A. Barclay
• 2008 Thomas S. Weatherup
• 2009 George Joyce
• 2010 Morris Sorbello
• 2011 Deborah Stanley
• 2012 Gary Toth