June 23, 2006: Economic Development
Agency Presents Achievement Awards at Annual Meeting
Operation Oswego County held its 54th annual
meeting at Fairway Manor in the town of Granby, Friday, June 23.
George Joyce, president of the Operation
Oswego County (OOC) board of directors, emphasized the continuing
significance of small business development to Oswego County’s
economy as well as initiatives in marketing and workforce development.
“As we look to the future, Operation
Oswego County’s efforts will continue to focus on helping
to make our existing businesses more competitive, helping to facilitate
investment and job creation/retention of our manufacturing base,
and continuing to promote and develop strategic initiatives to compete
for and attract new employers to our county,” Joyce said.
In 2005, projects assisted by OOC resulted
in the creation or retention of 384 jobs with over $92 million in
capital investment and 52 new, expanded or retained facilities.
L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD, executive director for OOC, outlined
a number of economic development highlights in 2005, noting that
OOC provided or helped arrange assistance to numerous projects including:
- Fulton Tool Company re-established its
business in the former Oswego Wire building in Fulton, which was
retrofitted for the company whose building was destroyed by fire
in 2003. The project received funding assistance from the County
of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and National Grid,
employee training assistance by the Workforce Develop¬ment
Board of Oswego County and the Oswego County Department of Employment
and Training, and a low-cost power allocation through the “Power
for Progress” program;
- Harbor Lights initiated the expan¬sion
of its outpatient clinic for adults and adolescents suffering
from alcohol and/or drug abuse related issues. A new 7,360 square
foot building will be constructed as well as renovations of an
existing building at its new loca¬tion on Scenic Avenue in
Mexico. The project received funding assistance from Community
Bank, an SBA 504 loan through OOC and the IDA;
- The Manhattan Moon in Constantia opened
a full-service, 90-seat res¬taurant, which replaced the former
Lakeview Inn. The new owner is a graduate of the Micro-Enterprise
Training Program and received fund¬ing assistance from the
IDA;
- Fulton Machinery, a manufacturer of machinery
components for the paper, film and foil-converting industries,
located in the Start-Up Facility in the Oswego County Industrial
Park in the town of Schroeppel;
- A new Arby’s located in Pulaski
and created 18 jobs. Financing assistance provided by the IDA.
The IDA has also assisted Arby’s restaurants located in
Fulton and Oswego;
- Lower Falls Development acquired and
is converting the historic Brick¬house Building in Fulton
to a mixed-use facility including offices, retail, restaurant
and residential space. The $700,000 project will create 21 jobs
and received funding assistance from the Fulton Community Development
Agency (CDA), the Community Pres¬ervation Corporation and
the IDA;
- Brascan Power received an IDA PILOT for
capital improvements to two of its hydroelectric plants located
in the town of Orwell;
- Biodiesel manufacturer NextGen Fuel is
locating at the Riverview Business Park in the town of Volney.
The $1 million project will enable the production of five million
gallons of biodiesel a year, which will be sold to fuel distributors.
Financial assistance will be provided by OOC and the USDA and
the project will be located in the Fulton Empire Zone;
- KLG Transport expanded its woman-owned
trucking business in the town of Granby. The owner is a graduate
of the Micro-Enterprise Training Pro¬gram and received funding
from the IDA and Oswego County National Bank. The $146,000 project
created and/or retained six jobs;
- Huhtamaki Consumer Packaging completed
its warehouse optimization expansion located in the Fulton Em¬pire
Zone. The $2.7 million project received funding assistance from
the IDA, the County of Oswego “Power for Progress”
low-cost power program, and a New York State grant secured by
Sen. James Wright. The project created 60 jobs;
- Central Square Farm and Equine Supply
is a new retail feed, home, farm and garden products business
in West Monroe. The $191,000 project received financial assistance
from an SBA 504 loan through OOC, the IDA and Fulton Savings Bank.
The new business will create four new jobs;
- Precision Wood Flooring Products is a
new company that will manufacture high quality, pre-finished flooring
to be sold to national and international distributors. The company
acquired the 200,000-square-foot former Jef¬ferson-Smurfit
plant which is located in the in the town of Volney. The $7.3
million project is located in the Fulton Empire Zone and will
create 54 jobs. The project will receive funding assistance from
the IDA and the Fulton CDA;
- Cannon’s Place motel and camp¬ground
in Albion was acquired through funding assistance from a $370,000
SBA 504 loan through OOC and Adirondack Bank. The project created
three jobs; and
- Old Man’s Place is a new 4,800
square foot convenience store in the town of Granby, which includes
gaso¬line pumps, propane, a laundromat and a liquor store.
The project re¬ceived funding assistance from Fulton Savings
Bank, a SBA 504 loan through OOC and the IDA. The $650,000 project
will create 12 jobs.
Additionally, one of OOC’s key goals
last year was to promote the Oswego County Public Utility Service’s
(OCPUS) “Power for Progress” low-cost electrical energy
program for new and expanding businesses in Oswego County. The purpose
of the program is to create jobs using low-cost electricity produced
by Entergy Nuclear North¬east at the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear
Power Plant in Scriba. In 2005, 12 companies were awarded over 1.8
mega¬watts of discounted power. OCPUS will continue to allocate
up to 10 megawatts of low-cost power at $32 per megawatt-hour per
year through 2010.
In addition to announcing the 2005 economic
impact summary and recognizing top development projects, the OOC
board of directors honored the memory of Dee C. Heckethorn, who
passed away in March, by announcing that the entrance road to the
Lake Ontario Industrial Park will be named “Dee Heckethorn
Drive.” In addition to serving as past president, vice president
and treasurer in his capacity as a member of the OOC board of directors
for more than 20 years, he also served as a leader in several local
organi¬zations including the IDA, Adiron¬dack North Country
Asso¬ciation, Work¬force Development Board of Oswego County
and Greater Oswego Chamber of Commerce. The board announced it will
also institute a new annual award titled the “Dee Heckethorn
Entrepreneur Award,” which will recognize entrepreneurs who
have demonstrated measurable growth, increased employment opportunities
and innovation necessary for long-term business success.
Three business organizations and a well-known
development leader and public servant were also honored for significant
contributions to economic development and job creation in Oswego
County.
The Ally Award for 2006 was presented to
the partnership of the International Brotherhood Of Electrical
Workers, Local 43 and the United Association Of Plumbers And Steamfitters,
Local 73, recognizing it as an "ally" organization
in the economic development process in Oswego County. Together,
the two unions played a crucial role in facilitating the future
production of ethanol in the Riverview Business Park in the town
of Volney by providing funding assistance of $3 million. They were
also recognized for their continuing commitment to fostering economic
development and job creation in Oswego County.
The Business Excellence Award for 2006 was
presented to Oswego Industries, Inc. for providing
vocational training and long-term employment to people with disabilities
in Oswego County for the past 36 years, and through its collaborative
partnerships with local businesses, providing capable, reliable
workers at cost-effective rates while providing disabled adults
with meaningful employment opportunities.
The 2006 Jobs Award, recognizing significant
capital investment as well as job creation and retention, was presented
to Lowe’s for its commitment to locate its
retail operations in the city of Oswego which resulted in the creation
of 170 local jobs and for offering the community quality home improvement
products at affordable prices, while delivering superior customer
service.
Corte Spencer, managing
director of Oswego Health and Oswego Hospital administrator and
CEO, was honored with the 2006 Martin Rose Economic Developer Merit
Award for assisting with the development of the Oswego Health system
which includes Oswego Hospital, The Manor at Seneca Hill, Springside
at Seneca Hill, O.H. Properties Inc., O.H. Services, and Hospitals
Home Health Care. Spencer was recognized for initiating the recent
expansion of Oswego Hospital to include a new surgery center, intensive
care unit and maternity department and for helping to expand and
strengthen health services provided in Oswego County with the addition
of major services not before available including medical and radiation
oncology and cardiac rehabilitation. He has also served on numerous
community boards and committees that play an integral role in economic
development including OOC, Pathfinder Bank, and The SUNY Oswego
School of Business Advisory Board.
The OOC board of directors also elected Mark
Hofmeier, manager of Lowe’s in Oswego, Kerry Dorsey, associate
vice president for development and alumni relations for SUNY Oswego,
Joe Solazzo, business agent for the Laborer’s International
Union, Local 214, and Tom Meucci, director of operations for Huhtamaki,
to the board.
Re-elected to another three-year term were Ed Gilson, vice president
of manufacturing for Fulton Boiler Works Inc., Thomas McAuslan,
executive director of the Port of Oswego Authority, Carol Rutledge,
director of the Fulton Community Development Agency, Millard Sullivan,
retired from Birds Eye Foods, Gary Toth, business manager for Carpenter’s
Local 747, and David Turner, director of Oswego County Department
of Community Development, Tourism and Planning. Re-elected for a
one-year term was Gregory Kreis, president and CEO of Oswego County
National Bank.
The new slate of officers elected to the
board includes George Joyce, president of Laser Transit, Ltd., as
president; Nancy Bellow, director of SUNY Oswego’s Center
for Business and Community Development, as vice president; Michael
Pollock, president of Fulton Savings Bank, as treasurer; and Alan
Horna, general manager and CFO of Oswego Wire, Inc., as secretary.
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