June 18, 2010: Economic Development
Agency Presents Annual Activity Summary, Achievement Awards
Operation Oswego County (OOC) held its 58th
annual meeting at the SUNY Oswego Campus Center, Friday, June 18.
Nancy Bellow, president of the OOC board
of directors, welcomed more than 150 representatives of businesses,
government, education, labor and other ally organizations to the
meeting.
Key note presenter Gary Center, new facility
manager for the Sunoco ethanol manufacturing plant in the town of
Volney, updated attendees about progress to date and future plans
for the 100-million-gallons-per-year plant which was acquired by
Sunoco last year.
L. Michael Treadwell, executive director
of OOC, reported that in 2009, projects assisted by OOC resulted
in the creation or retention of 659 jobs with over $99 million in
capital investment associated with 77 new, expanded or retained
facilities.
Several of those projects were outlined at
the meeting including:
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Steven’s Auto Store expanded
its automotive repair and restoration business and acquired
a 7,200 square foot building in the city of Fulton. Five jobs
will be created. The project involves renovations to the building
and was funded by the County of Oswego Industrial Development
Agency (IDA);
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Oswego Sub Shop expanded its sandwich/sub restaurant business
in the city of Oswego. The project involves the addition of
a bakery to service the needs of the business, the addition
of a catering service and building renovations. Funding assistance
was provided by a SBA 504 loan through OOC and the County of
Oswego IDA
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Sabona’s Café, a new restaurant in the town of
Richland, acquired the former Waffle Works. OOC assisted with
securing a SBA 7a loan to create 14 jobs;
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Bardy’s 4 Seasons Tire will expand its automotive repair
business and construct a new 6,000 square foot building on a
17-acre site in Sandy Creek. In business since 2006, Bardy’s
will also continue to focus on its tire repair service and sales
business. Funding assistance provided by a SBA 504 loan through
OOC and the County of Oswego IDA;
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Pulaski Early Learning Center was assisted by the County of
Oswego IDA. The agency helped the not-for-profit with debt restructuring
by refinancing two prior loans;
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Otis Technologies gun cleaning systems and research and development
company acquired and renovated a 20,000 square foot building
in the Oswego County Industrial Park in the town of Schroeppel.
The $1.3 million project received funding assistance from the
County of Oswego IDA and is projected to create 15 jobs;
-
Oneida Lake Ready-Mix is a new company located in the town
of West Monroe that will specialize in the production of concrete
for commercial and residential use, as well as heavy equipment
repairs and sales. The $1.6 million, 7,300-square-foot facility
will employ 29 people with an estimated annual payroll of $800,000.
Funding assistance was provided by the County of Oswego IDA;
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Sunoco acquired the former Northeast Biofuels plant in the
town of Volney. The company will put the facility in full production
of 100 million gallons of ethanol per year in 2010, and projects
the creation of 69 jobs at the plant with an annual payroll
of around $4.5 million.
-
BioSpherix expanded its tech manufacturing and research and
development business in the village of Lacona which targets
specialized needs in cell research, cell therapy and regenerative
medicine. The expansion will result in the retention of 37 and
creation of 30 jobs with an estimated $700,000 in new annual
payroll. The project will be funded by the County of Oswego
IDA;
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The Bake Shop Eatery is a new retail eating/bakery business
in the village of Mexico. The woman-owned business created five
jobs and received funding assistance from the County of Oswego
IDA. The owner is a Micro-Enterprise Training Program graduate;
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Oswego Hamilton Homes Phase II in the City of Oswego involves
the renovation of 59 affordable housing units and expansion
of a community room. The $14 million project received funding
assistance from the County of Oswego IDA;
-
Healthway Home Products relocated and expanded to the former
18,000 square foot Ontario Iron Works facility in the village
of Pulaski. Renovations of the historic structure will house
the company’s headquarters and air filter manufacturing
operations. The expansion will create 20 new jobs. OOC assisted
the company with securing financial assistance from Empire State
Development Corp.;
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Oswego County Opportunities’ Senior Nutrition Kitchen
project was established in a 6,582 square foot renovated building
located in the village of Mexico. More than 2,000 seniors will
be served and provided with nutrition, recreation and health
information. The $1.4 million project created 2 jobs and retained
26, and was funded by the County of Oswego IDA;
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Dunkin Donuts new 1,980 square foot store in the city of Fulton/town
of Granby is the seventh Dunkin Donuts to be established in
Oswego County. The store features new architectural design and
its location selection in the Fulton Commons near Cayuga Community
College was assisted by the County of Oswego IDA; and
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Fulton Thermal, a manufacturer of commercial and industrial
heat transfer equipment located in the town of Richland, expanded
their product lines with the addition of equipment. The expansion
created 13 jobs. OOC assisted the company with securing financial
assistance from the Development Authority of the North Country.
Treadwell also outlined several future projects
and initiatives in progress including expansions at Huhtamaki in
Fulton, Novelis, town of Scriba, Fulton Thermal, town of Richland,
Fulton Medical Center in Fulton, as well as new projects including
Seaway Lofts, Best Western Conference Center and Stevedore Lofts
in Oswego and Distribution Centers of America in the town of Scriba.
Economic development initiatives presented included the $1 million
USDA Intermediary Relending Program, “The Next Great Idea”
$25,000 Oswego County Business Plan Competition and a targeted marketing
effort by OOC to reutilize the assets of the former New York Chocolate
and Confections plant in Fulton.
Three business organizations, a successful
entrepreneur and a long-standing economic development advocate were
also honored for significant contributions to economic development
and job creation in Oswego County.
The Ally Award for 2010 was presented to
National Grid, recognizing it as an “ally” organization
in the economic development process in Oswego County. National Grid
was recognized for providing $134,390 in funding to complete a master
plan for energy asset management and development at Riverview Business
Park in the town of Volney, and for consistently providing funding
and prospect outreach assistance to Operation Oswego County to help
enhance the marketing of Oswego County for economic development.
The Business Excellence Award for 2010 was
presented to Healthway Home Products for its ability to adapt, innovate,
and grow in a competitive business environment to become a global
leader in the production of state-of-the-art air cleaning products,
for acquiring and renovating a vacant 18,000-square foot historic
structure, Ontario Iron Works, and expanding the company’s
manufacturing, research and design, and corporate headquarters operations
in the Village of Pulaski, and for its commitment to enhancing the
quality of life through the creation of indoor air quality solutions.
The 2010 Jobs Award, recognizing significant
capital investment as well as job creation and retention, was presented
to Oswego Health for being the second largest private employer in
Oswego County with more than 920 employees, and for its recent expansions
to Oswego Hospital and future expansion of the Fulton Medical Center
which represent a combined capital investment of more than $70 million
to enhance access to quality health care for the citizens of Oswego
County.
Heidi Hazen-Forte was the recipient of OOC’s
2010 Dee Heckethorn Entrepreneur Award. Hazen-Forte was recognized
for her entrepreneurial spirit and determination in establishing
an innovative business, an indoor sports facility tailored for girls’
fast pitch softball training and preparation for successful college
recruitment and for taking considerable risk in building a new 6,400-square-foot
building in the Rich Corporate Park in the town of Hastings.
Morris Sorbello was honored with the 2010
Martin Rose Economic Developer Merit Award for his record of exhibiting
outstanding leadership, support and cooperation in furthering economic
development efforts in Oswego County through his service as an Oswego
County Legislator since 1995, during which he served several years
as Chairman of the Oswego County Legislature and as Chair of the
County’s Economic Development and Planning Committee; as a
board member of the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency
since 1999; and for serving as an ex-officio board member of Operation
Oswego County.
The OOC board of directors re-elected board
members Barbara Bateman, Alliance Bank; Nancy Bellow, SUNY Oswego
Office of Business and Community Relations; Thomas Greco, Fulton
Savings Bank; George Joyce, Laser Transit; Edward Mervine, Pathfinder
Bank; Michael Quenville, Pathfinder Bank; Ken Sherman, Sherman Vincent
Associates; and David Vickery, Vickery Insurance.
The OOC board of directors also elected Eric
Bieling, Owner of Bieling Orchards, and Kevin LaMontagne, CFO of
The Fulton Companies to the board.
Retiring from the board were Michael Pollock,
Fulton Savings Bank and Alan Horna, former CFO for Oswego Wire.
A new slate of officers was also elected
including Nancy Bellow as president; Lloyd “Buddy” Stemple,
retired, Novelis, as vice president; Barbara Bateman as treasurer;
and Roy Clark, Dunkin Donuts, as secretary.
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