Economic
Development Newsletter
May/June 2004:
 Download
this newsletter
Back
to Publications
Economic
Development Activity, Merit Awards Highlight OOC’s 52nd Annual
Meeting
Operation Oswego County held its 52nd annual
meeting at the Captain’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant in Oswego,
in June.
In 2003, projects assisted by OOC resulted
in the creation or retention of 1,493 jobs with over $125 million
in capital investment and 76 new, expanded or retained facilities.
L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD, executive director
for OOC, outlined a number of top economic development highlights
for 2003, noting that OOC provided assistance to numerous projects
including:
- New York Chocolate & Confections
Company, a consortium of cocoa suppliers from Africa,
invested $25 million to reutilize the former Nestle facility in
the city of Fulton. Total employment of the company is anticipated
to be over 500 within the first three years in business. Funding
assistance was provided by the County of Oswego Industrial Development
Agency (IDA) and Empire State Development (ESD).
- Oswego Hospital broke
ground for its $28 million renewal project which includes a new
outpatient surgery center, intensive care unit, maternity department
and new operating rooms. This expansion will create 55 jobs. Funding
assistance was provided by HUD and the IDA.
- WiseBuys Stores, Inc.
located a new department store in the former Ames building in
Pulaski. The $1 million Pulaski store will be one of five stores
in the North Country and will create 60 jobs. The project received
funding assistance from an IDA loan.
- DeWald Roofing Company, Inc.
of East Syracuse relocated its business to the town of Hastings
creating 40 jobs. This project was assisted by a Small Business
Administration (SBA) 504 loan through OOC.
- Empire Fresh-Cuts constructed
a new 27,000 square foot onion processing facility in the town
of Oswego. The $3.6 million project will create more than 30 jobs.
Financing assistance was provided by the IDA, a SBA 504 loan through
OOC, ESD, NYBDC and the CNY Enterprise Development Corp.
- Mark’s Service Center
constructed a new 9,675 square foot building in the town of Hastings
with help from a SBA 504 loan. The automotive service center will
create seven jobs.
- Spear USA announced its
reutilization of the former Sonoco Flexible Packaging facility
in Fulton. The company produces labels for the beverage industry.
Sixty jobs will be created. Funding assistance was provided by
ESD.
- Felix Schoeller Technical Papers
invested in a $6.2 million small format imaging paper expansion
project in Pulaski which created 25 jobs. The incentive package
included assistance from ESD, IDA and the Oswego County Legislature’s
Economic Development Initiative Fund.
- Northern Oswego County Health
Services, Inc. invested $2.8 million for a 25,500 square
foot expansion of its medical facility in Pulaski. Funding assistance
was provided by the IDA and USDA. The project will create 10 jobs.
- Port City Family Practice
and a lab operation affiliated with Oswego Hospital located a
new 8,000 square foot office facility in the city of Oswego. Funding
assistance was provided by the IDA and the City of Oswego CDO.
Three business organizations and a well-known
development leader and public servant were honored for significant
contributions to economic development and job creation in Oswego
County.
The Ally Award for 2004
was presented to Niagara Mohawk, recognizing it
as an “ally” organization in the economic development
process in Oswego County for its continued commitment and partnership
in fostering economic development and job creation in Oswego County
and for its extensive support of the Nestle plant reutilization
by providing a $93,575 grant to help complete an environmental assessment
of the facility. Niagara Mohawk was also recognized for providing
a $10,000 grant to OOC for assistance toward marketing Oswego County’s
industrial parks.
The Business Excellence Award
for 2004 was presented to The Fulton Companies,
honoring the company for serving as an integral part of Oswego County’s
manufacturing sector for 55 years and for maintaining worldwide
sales of over $50 million. They were also recognized for securing
a contract with the U.S. Army in 2003 to provide thermal units for
the Army’s new laundry system and for its contribution to
community initiatives in education, youth development and community
safety.
The 2004 Jobs Award, recognizing
significant capital investment as well as job creation and retention,
was presented to WiseBuys Stores Inc., for its
commitment to locate its retail operations in Oswego County by reutilizing
the former 59,600 square foot Ames Department Store in Pulaski which
will result in the creation of 60 local jobs.
Bruce Phelps was honored
for his commitment to economic development and support of the manufacturing
industry in Oswego County for nearly 40 years with the 2004 Martin
Rose Economic Developer Merit Award. Phelps was honored
for his leadership on numerous boards and committees and for his
contribution to Oswego County’s economy as president of the
Fulton Tool Company for more than 45 years.
The OOC board of directors also recognized
out-going president Dee Heckethorn for distinguished service and
assistance in furthering economic development in Oswego County.
Back to Top
OOC Business Assistance: Operation
Oswego County offers an array of business assistance services to both
new and expanding companies throughout Oswego County.
Oswego County
Businesses Win Small Business Excellence Awards
Advantage Carpets of Oswego Inc. and WiseBuys
Stores Inc. each recently received the Small Business Administration’s
(SBA) Small Business Excellence Award.
Operation Oswego County (OOC) and the SUNY
Oswego Small Business Development Center nominated Advantage Carpets
for the award in recognition of their continuing commitment to provide
quality products and services at reasonable prices to both residential
and commercial customers throughout Oswego County. Since 1994, Advantage
Carpets has offered its customers a large selection of flooring
products including carpet, vinyl, laminates, hardwood and ceramic
tile, all installed attention to detail and personalized service.
Because their showroom and warehouse were
separately located, owners Judy and Thomas Kells combined both facets
of the business and relocated within the city of Oswego. Since their
expansion, the Kells have hired two additional employees and plan
to add two more which will bring their total employment to nine.
Financing for the expansion included a SBA 504 loan from OOC.
“The Kells’ perseverance and
clear understanding of their customers’ needs reflect their
true entrepreneurial spirit and determination to succeed as a small
business in Oswego County, “ said L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD,
executive director of OOC.
Also recognized for business excellence was
WiseBuys Stores Inc., who recently opened one of its department
stores in the former 59,600 square-foot Ames building in Pulaski.
The $1 million Pulaski store will create 55 local jobs. Financing
for WiseBuys included a loan from the IDA.
- An initiative of U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, a new border patrol station will be
constructed in the city of Oswego. The facility represents an
investment of $2 million in the community and is expected to be
complete in a year.
- Sashes
and Lace Furniture Gallery will expand its 19-year-old
retail home furnishing business in Pulaski by relocating to a
larger retail space and making improvements on their existing
warehouse. The project received financial assistance from the
IDA.
- The Oswego County Public Employees
Federal Credit Union will relocate to a new building
to be constructed in the city of Oswego. The project involves
the redevelopment of a vacant former Brownfield site and will
create 10 new jobs. The project received financial assistance
from the IDA.
Back to Top
Treadwell
Named “Economic Developer of the Year”
L. Michael Treadwell, executive director
of OOC received the 2004 Economic Developer of the Year award from
the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC), New York
State’s principal organization representing economic development
professionals.
The NYSEDC presents the Economic Developer
of the Year each year to an economic development professional who
has shown an outstanding record of achievement in development, an
unwavering commitment to the NYSEDC, and outstanding leadership
in the profession.
“For two decades, Michael Treadwell
has offered Oswego County an ideal mix of commitment and creativity,”
said Brian McMahon, NYSEDC executive director. “It’s
no wonder that his reputation as a leader in this field is not only
statewide but also nationwide. Whether he is closing a major plant-location
deal, loaning space to government agencies helping the county recover
from an ice storm, or mentoring younger development professionals,
Mike is a credit to this profession. NYSEDC is privileged to recognize
his achievements.”
NYSEDC also honored OOC’s website
www.oswegocounty.org with its prestigious “Best in Class”
award.
Back to Top
George Joyce
Elected President of OOC Board
At its annual meeting last month,
the Operation Oswego County board of directors elected Laser Transit
Ltd. CEO and owner George Joyce as its new president.
Laser Transit is located in Lacona and employs
46 people. Founded in 1995, the company operates 200,000 square
feet of warehousing for distribution services to manufacturing,
wholesale and retail service sectors.
Laser Transit also serves local and long
haul transportation needs with a fleet of trucks and logistic and
intermodal services. Fleet operations annually deliver approximately
10,000 truckload shipments throughout the United States and Ontario,
Canada.
In addition to OOC, Joyce’s other community
and business affiliations include Oswego Health, the Oswego College
Foundation, and PathFinder Bank. He is also a member of the New
York Motor Truck Association, the Greater Oswego Chamber of Commerce
and the Warehousing Education and Research Council.
In addition to Joyce, the new slate of officers
elected to the board includes Michael Pollock, vice president; Gregory
Kreis, treasurer; and Nancy Bellow, secretary.
Re-elected OOC board members include Nancy
Bellow, Bonnie Bostian, Thomas Greco, Dee Heckethorn, Alan Horna,
George Joyce, Edward Mervine, Michael Pollock, Michael Quenville
and David Vickery.
Back to Top
|
