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MARCH 7, 2016 I MOHAWK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL I 1CNYBJ.COM

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Home Sweet Home: G&I Homes acquired by Clayton HomesPage 5.

MOHAWK VALLEY CONFERENCE & MEETING FACILITIES

Ranked by Maximum Exhibit Area in Square Feet

Rank

NameAddress

Phone/Website

Max. Exhibit Area(Sq. Ft.)—

No. of Mtg.Rooms

Max. RoomCapacity Seated:Banquet—

Theater

No. ofSleepingRooms Meeting Equipment Available

Top Management YearEstab.

1. Turning Stone Resort Casino5218 Patrick RoadVerona, NY 13478(315) 361-7711/turningstone.com

30,000—

221,400—

2,060

711 tables, chairs, drapes, lighting, decor, AVequipment, sound equipment Ray Halbritter, CEO

1993

2. The Beeches Inn and Conference Center

7900 Turin Road, Route 26NRome, NY 13440(315) 336-1700/thebeeches.com

10,648—

101,069—

80076

overheads, screens, PA systems, DVDplayers, LCD projectors, easels, and more

Orlando J. Destito, Owner & Operator 1908

3. Kallet Civic Center159 Main St.Oneida, NY 13421(315) 363-8525/kalletciviccenter.org

6,000—1

400—

7000

tables, chairs, portable stage, stagecurtains, concession stand, sound system,

lighting, projector, projector screen, babygrand piano, kitchen facilities

Carli A. Rodio, Executive Director 1983

4. Daniele's Banquet Specialists8360 Seneca TurnpikeNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 733-8358/danielesvalleyview.com

5,200—3

500—

5260

AV, screens, LCD projector, PA system,

chairs, tables, special accommodationsupon requestJeffery E. Daniels, General Manager 2005

5. Radisson Hotel Utica Centre200 Genesee St.Utica, NY 13502(315) 797-8010/radisson.com/uticany

4,600—

10400—

550162 screens, television, DVD player, computer/

laptop, LCD projector Michael Fults, General Manager 1980

6. Mohawk Valley Community College1101 Sherman DriveUtica, NY 13501(315) 731-5720/mvcc.edu/events

3,500—

20300—

450120

conference and distance-learningtechnology, projectors, audio-visualequipment

Bill Dustin, Events AdministratorErica Carrock, Events Coordinator

1946

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute100 Seymour RoadUtica, NY 13502(315) 792-7819/sunyit.edu/corporate_events/

3,000—

30220—

241180 teleconferencing and videoconferencing

capabilities, large screen video/dataprojection systems;

Connie M. Castellano, Director ofCampus & Corporate Events 1966

8. The Stanley261 Genesee St.Utica, NY 13501(315) 724-1113/thestanley.org

2,500—5

125—

3,0000 projector screen, easels, mic and podium

Jerry Kraus, Executive Director 1928

9. Holiday Inn Utica/New Hartford1777 Burrstone RoadNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 797-2131/holidayinn.com/uticany

2,496—6

200—

170100

TV/DVD, screen, podium, easels,microphone, flip chart with markers,

speaker phone, LCD projectorDenise Longo, General Manager 1990

10. Water's Edge Inn3188 State Route 28Old Forge, NY 13420(315) 369-2484/watersedgeinn.com

960—2

50—

50NA screen, LCD projector, overhead projector,

podium with electric, white board, easel,DVD/VCR player, television, WI-FI

Beth Tickner, General Manager 1986

THE LIST:MV

CONFERENCE & MEETING FACILITIES/

HOTELS7

HARTMAN PLANS

MAJOR EXPANSION

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BANK OF AMERICA BOOSTS EMPLOYMENT AT UTICA CONTACT CENTER

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MOHAWK VALLEY CONFERENCE & MEETING FACILITIES

Ranked by Maximum Exhibit Area in Square Feet

RankAddress

Phone/Website

Max. Exhibit Area(Sq. Ft.)—

No. of Mtg.Rooms

Max. RoomCapacity Seated:Banquet—

Theater

No. ofSleepingRooms Meeting Equipment Available

Top Management YearEstab.


30,000—

221,400—

2,060

711 tables, chairs, drapes, lighting, decor, AVequipment, sound equipment Ray Halbritter, CEO

1993

2. The Beeches Inn and Conference Center

7900 Turin Road, Route 26NRome, NY 13440(315) 336-1700/thebeeches.com

10,648—

101,069—

80076

overheads, screens, PA systems, DVDplayers, LCD projectors, easels, and more


3. Kallet Civic Center159 Main St.Oneida, NY 13421(315) 363-8525/kalletciviccenter.org

6,000—1

400—

7000

tables, chairs, portable stage, stagecurtains, concession stand, sound system,

lighting, projector, projector screen, babygrand piano, kitchen facilities


4. Daniele's Banquet Specialists8360 Seneca TurnpikeNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 733-8358/danielesvalleyview.com

5,200—3

500—

5260

AV, screens, LCD projector, PA system,

chairs, tables, special accommodationsupon requestJeffery E. Daniels, General Manager 2005


4,600—

10400—

550162 screens, television, DVD player, computer/

laptop, LCD projector Michael Fults, General Manager 1980

Mohawk Valley Community College1101 Sherman DriveUtica, NY 13501(315) 731-5720/mvcc.edu/events

3,500—

20300—

450120

conference and distance-learningtechnology, projectors, audio-visualequipment


1946

SUNY Polytechnic Institute100 Seymour RoadUtica, NY 13502(315) 792-7819/sunyit.edu/corporate_events/

3,000—

30220—

241180 teleconferencing and videoconferencing

capabilities, large screen video/dataprojection systems;

Connie M. Castellano, Director ofCampus & Corporate Events 1966

The Stanley261 Genesee St.Utica, NY 13501(315) 724-1113/thestanley.org

2,500—5

125—

3,0000 projector screen, easels, mic and podium

Jerry Kraus, Executive Director 1928

Holiday Inn Utica/New Hartford1777 Burrstone Road

2,496200

100TV/DVD, screen, podium, easels,

microphone, flip chart with markers, Denise Longo, General Manager 1990

CONFERENCE MOHAWK VALLEY HOTELS

Ranked by Total No. of Guest Rooms (Including Suites)

Rank

NameAddress

Phone/Website Toll-FreeReservationNo.

TotalRooms

—Suites

Meeting Rooms—Max. Exhibit Area(sq. ft.)

Guest Amenities General Manager or TopManagement YearEstab.


(800)771-7711

709—

14322

—30,000

wireless Internet, cable TV, business center, in-room safes, coffeemaker Ray Halbritter, CEO

1993

2. Vernon Downs Casino and Hotel4229 Stuhlman RoadVernon, NY 13476(315) 829-3400/vernondowns.com

(877)888-3766

173—-

6—

10,000

business center, wireless Internet, boardroom and

meeting facilities, weekday continental breakfastThomas Osiecki, President & GM,Tioga Downs & Vernon Downs

1994


(800)333-3333

162—3

10—

4,600

business center, complimentary wireless Internet Michael Fults, General Manager 1980

4. Quality Inn of Rome200 S. James St.Rome, NY 13440(315) 336-4300/qualityinnrome.net

(800)424-5423

104—4

1—

144business center, free wired and wireless high-

speed Internet access, free weekday newspaperMansukh V. Paghdal, GeneralManager 1991

5. Holiday Inn Utica/New Hartford1777 Burrstone RoadNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 797-2131/holidayinn.com/uticany

(888)HOLIDAY

100—4

6—

2,496

high-speed Internet, 32-inch flat panel TVs, free

morning newspaper, coffeemaker, business

center, self-laundry facilities, same day drycleaning, full-service restaurant

Denise Longo, General Manager 1990

6. LaQuinta Inn & Suites Verona5394 Willow PlaceVerona, NY 13478(315) 231-5080/laquintaverona.com

(800)-SLEEPLQ

97—9

1—

1,900

pool, hot tub, bar, lounge, free Wi-Fi, free shuttle

to Turning Stone Casino, business center,

complimentary hot buffet breakfast everymorning, free parking

Robert Richie, Director of Sales 2012

7. Water's Edge Inn3188 State Route 28Old Forge, NY 13420(315) 369-2484/watersedgeinn.com

-77

—16

2—

960indoor heated pool, dry sauna, Wi-Fi, arcade,

guest laundry, complimentary continentalbreakfastBeth Tickner, General Manager 1986

8. The Inn at the Beeches7900 Turin Road, Route 26NRome, NY 13440(315) 336-1775/thebeeches.com

(800)765-7251

76—7

10—

10,648microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, nightly

turndown service, complimentary cocktail,breakfast room and cafe

Orlando Destito, Owner & OperatorBrian Hartnett, Inn Manager

1908

9. Red Roof Inn & Suites100 Marginal RoadHerkimer, NY 13350(315) 866-0490/redroof.com

(877)656-6835

60—

250

—0

free wireless Internet, continental breakfast, guest

laundry available, microwave, fridge, iron, ironing

boards, hairdryers, extended cable & HBO

Paul Brown, General ManagerStephany Herringshaw, GuestServices Manager

1962

10. Travelodge Inn & Suites Little Falls20 Albany St.Little Falls, NY 13365(315) 823-4954/travelodge.com

(866)631-4470

52—4

2—

2,856

high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi, laundry service, irons,coffee makers, hairdryers Mary K. LaBreche, General Manager 1980

PAGE 4

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ConMed adds Aronson to board of directors

UTICA — ConMed Corp. (NASDAQ: CNMD), a Utica–based manufacturer of sur-gical devices, announced that it has added Martha Goldberg Aronson to its board of directors.

Aronson most recently served as execu-tive VP and president of global healthcare at Minneapolis–based Ecolab, Inc., where she oversaw the company’s global health-care division with revenue of about $600 million. She also served as a member of Ecolab’s executive committee. Aronson previously was president, North America at Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., where she oversaw all aspects of a $1 billion business. Prior to Hill-Rom, Aronson spent 18 years at Medtronic, Inc., where she was also a mem-ber of the executive committee.

“We are pleased to welcome Martha to our Board of Directors,” Mark Tryniski, chair-man of ConMed’s board, said in a news release. “We look forward to leveraging her years of diversified health care experience, financial management, and international expertise to help ConMed deliver on a myr-iad of opportunities within its key markets.”

Aronson received her MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.

UTICA — Covey Computer Software, Inc. formally opened its new office in Utica on Feb. 25. The company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce at its new location at 2520 Genesee St. on the city’s south side.

Covey Computer Software started oper-ating in the office in mid-December.

The larger location allows the five-year-old custom software and web development firm to accommodate its recent growth and set it up for future expansion.

Covey Computer Software last year added three software developers, to bring its employee count to seven, Jason Covey, founder and president, tells BJNN. The company is seeking one more business developer to add to the team by the end of this year.

Covey says his staff was previously jammed into a 1,200-square foot office at 8469 Seneca Turnpike in New Hartford. “We wanted more room so we could hire more people. We wanted more space to

collaborate as a team,” he says, explaining the move.

The new 2,200-square-foot space offers more than enough room for collaboration. Jim’s Home Improvements, a Frankfort–based, family-owned contractor, renovated the office — replacing carpeting with new flooring, repainting the walls, and demol-ishing a few desks, says Covey.

Covey says he bought the building for $140,000. It’s a two-story structure built in 1985 and formerly owned by Bahram Omidian, according to the 2016 Oneida County tax rolls. The full market value is listed at $134,286 on the tax rolls.

Covey Computer Software is growing. In 2015, the company posted annual revenue of $415,000, up from $260,000 in 2014, says Covey. He says he expects the business to “at least break half a million” in revenue this year.

Covey founded Covey Computer Software in 2011. He has a master’s degree in computer science from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

PHOTO CREDIT: GREATER UTICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Maria CarbonaroAssociate [email protected]

Covey Computer Software formally opens new location in Utica

Function Better Physical Therapy leases building in Rome

ROME — Function Better PT PLLC re-cently leased the 3,900-square-foot building located at 305 Locust St. East in Rome.

The company does busi-ness as Function Better Physical Therapy and Personal and Enrichment Centers of Central New York, which offer outpatient phys-ical therapy and fitness/wellness services.

Debra Acee of Cushman Wakefield/

Pyramid Brokerage Company brokered this lease transaction, according to a news

release from the real-estate firm. Financial terms were not provided.

In addition to its Rome site, Function Better Physical Therapy also has locations in Washington Mills, Yorkville, Utica, Oneida, and Herkimer

(a new 12,000-square-foot center), accord-ing to its website.

New York milk production rises more than 4 per-cent in January

New York dairy farms produced 1.22 bil-lion pounds of milk in January, up 4.1 per-cent from the year-ago period, the USDA’s New York field office reported.

Production per cow in the Empire State averaged 1,970 pounds in January, up 65 pounds from a year earlier.

The number of milk cows on farms in New York state totaled 620,000 head in January, up 4,000 head from a year ago, but unchanged from the prior month, the field office said.

New York dairy farmers received an average price of $18.80 per hundredweight of milk sold in December, down $1.20 from November and off $3.50 from December 2014, accord-ing to the field office.

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BY NORMAN [email protected]

ONEIDA — Tucked into a neighborhood in the city of Oneida stands a 25,000-square-foot building, the home of Hartman Enterprises, Inc. The structure is filled with modern com-puter-numerical-control (CNC) turning and milling machines, routers, grinders, welding equipment, cutters, and a wide assortment of tooling. In fact, there are so many machines that there is no room to expand.

“We’ve outgrown our current space,” says Jaime A. Sweet, Hartman’s president and CEO. “Our [strategic] plan projects a 40 percent to 50 percent increase in business over the next five years, which requires us to operate in 50,000 square feet with a bet-ter layout. Our current site doesn’t allow us to expand, so we need to find a location to accommodate our anticipated growth. My preference is to find an existing building on 5 acres that has the infrastructure we need and moderately priced electricity to reduce the cost of our heavy electrical consumption.”

Sweet, the third generation of the fam-ily to operate the company, which produces precision-machined parts, has already begun reaching out to area industrial-development agencies for guidance.

The start“Terry Hartman and my grandfather

founded Hartman Enterprises in 1972,” says Sweet. “He started out as a toolmaker at New York Air Brake in Watertown and moved to Utica to work with Bendix [Corp.] as an electrical project engineer, all while get-ting his MBA at Utica College [of Syracuse University]. Grandfather created Mohawk Industrial Labs, a machine shop in Vernon, before joining Terry Hartman. The two ac-quired Hinman Milking Machine Co. to make parts for milking machines and feed carts in the area before Hartman sold his interest to my grandfather. What began as a modest business serving the agricultural sector has blossomed into a manufacturer now serving the oil and gas, electrical-equipment, power transmission and generation, transportation, and fire-arms industries, to name just a few.”

Sweet gives credit to her father, Robert E. Sweet, Jr., for setting the company on a growth path. “Dad joined Hartman when he was 19,” she notes. “He didn’t attend college; [rather] he immersed himself in the busi-ness first as an apprentice to toolmakers, including my grandfather. He also received a certificate in welding and took multiple class-es on manufacturing. It was his persistence that introduced the first CNC machine into the operation, and he taught himself how to program the unit, called a Mori Seiki. When dad joined the firm in the 1970s, the busi-ness operated one shift with six employees. The company now employs 45 and runs two shifts. In his more than three decades run-ning the company, my father added 15,000 square feet to the original building to accom-modate the growth to our current level.”

The Business Journal estimates Hartman’s annual revenue at $8 million. The corporate stock, which owns the operating company and the real estate, is held by the Sweet family.

Growth plansSweet has set out aggressive plans for

growth. “I am in the process of applying to

New York State for certification as a wom-an-owned business enterprise (WBE),” she states. “The benefits of certification include being listed on the state directory of certified businesses, access to procurement oppor-tunities with state agencies and authorities, receiving alerts for upcoming procurement opportunities, access to lending and bor-rowing programs set aside for WBEs, and access to a statewide network of services and support. The WBE certification should also open doors to large corporations, which have similar outreach programs.”

The New York State program is oper-ated by Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. The program is designed to promote equality of economic opportuni-ties for minorities and women to eliminate barriers to participating in state contracts. According to the 2014-2015 division annual report, of more than $7 billion spent by state agencies and authorities in that fis-cal year, about $900 million was contracted to WBEs. In October 2014, Gov. Andrew Cuomo increased the participation-rate goal for minority and women-owned businesses to 30 percent. When he took office, the rate was 10 percent.

Hartman is also located in a HUBZone, set up by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for small companies that operate and employ people in a historically underutilized business zone. The primary goal of the pro-gram is to provide incentives for the federal government to contract with businesses op-erating in these zones.

“I believe the certifications will open up business especially from the Department of Defense and from the aerospace industry,” says Sweet. “These two sectors have the potential for substantial additional sales. Hartman is working now on being certified to work in both sectors. We are also see-ing increased orders from the transporta-tion and firearms sectors, which are both growing and offsetting decreases in oil and gas. Our continuing drive to diversify our markets is the main focus to grow our sales by 40 percent, which will necessitate an increase in employment of more than 20 percent.”

Sweet attributes the firm’s success to its staff. “Hartman has a very skilled work-force,” asserts the company CEO, “which is our biggest asset. Many of our employees have been with the company for more than a decade, and their accumulated skills allow us to create incredibly tight tolerances and consistency in the parts we produce.”

The management team includes Sweet; Jim Rager, the general manager, who joined Hartman in 2014; a shop-floor manager; pro-cess-controller engineer; and a night-shift supervisor. Sweet also acknowledges the contribution of outside professional firms that support the company: M&T Bank and Community Bank for financial services; Hancock & Estabrook, LLP for legal advice; D’Arcangelo & Co. LLP for accounting; and Nathan G. Hanna, LLC for investment and retirement services.

Hartman’s continued success depends on finding and hiring talented employees. “This is my biggest concern,” contends Sweet. “We have no problem retaining employ-ees, but it’s a challenge in this area to find skilled employees with a strong work ethic.

This problem is already … [inhibiting] the rate at which we can grow. I have reached out to BOCES and SUNYIT (now SUNY Polytechnic Institute) through open houses to attract their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students. The next step is to offer internships. There is a lot of competition for talent in this area, so we need to be aggressive in identifying potential new hires.”

Sweet’s ascension to the Hartman presi-dency in May 2014 was accelerated by the untimely death of her father who passed away at the age of 58. “This business was always my home,” says Sweet. “For years, I worked at Hartman alongside my father, and we shared not just the details of the business

but also his vision. Even though I pursued a career in nursing and became a nurse-practitioner, I always knew that someday I would run the company. After dad became sick, we talked at great length about the … [succession]. As difficult as it still is to deal with his passing, I felt prepared to ensure the continuity of Hartman.”

Jaime Sweet grew up in Oneida. She earned her associate degree in nursing and an associate degree in math and science from Mohawk Valley Community College in 2004. In 2011, Sweet earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree as a family-nurse practitioner. She has also taken business courses at Morrisville State College. Sweet resides in Frankfort.

Hartman Enterprises plans major expansion

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Financial Planning • Investment Advisory • Retirement Plans

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Financial Planning • Investment Advisory • Retirement Plans

As one of the region’s largest independent full service financial planning and investment firms, M. Griffith has over 67 years of history in helping families, foundations, non-profit organizations and corporations meet their financial goals.

keep life simple.

Jaime Sweet, president and CEO of Hartman Enterprises, Inc. in Oneida, stands next to one of the company’s many, high-tech, computerized machines. Hartman has outgrown its current 25,000 square-foot plant and is looking for a 50,000 square-foot replacement to accommodate its aggressive growth plan.


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Bank of America boosts employ-ment at Utica contact centerBY NORMAN [email protected]

UTICA — In December, Michael W. Brunner, Central New York market presi-dent for Bank of America, shared with local partners, clients, and friends the bank’s de-cision to expand its services at the Horatio Street customer contact center and boost the employment to handle the growing national volume of calls.

“There are approximately 600 employ-ees at the Horatio Street center,” Brunner says during an interview at his Syracuse office. “Bank of America is transferring 250 of the current positions in research and adjustments and in legal-order processing to bank locations in Atlanta and Newark, Delaware. Offsetting these transfers, the bank is adding 400 new positions [in Utica] to augment our phone-contact and chat per-sonnel. The net increase in personnel will total 150. The transfers will be completed by the end of July, and the new hires will join the center throughout 2016, bringing total employment at the center to approxi-mately 750 by year-end.

Bank of America’s growing mobile-banking customer base is compelling the moves.

“To give you just one idea of the vol-ume of activity driving this decision,” says Brunner, “the bank is adding 5,500 mobile customers daily, and in the third quarter [of last year] it processed 20 million checks from mobile customers. This center alone handles 75,000 [incoming] calls a week.” The contact center, which is one of several nationwide, operates Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on week-ends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.

The Bank of America contact center is located in a 164,000-square-foot, one-story structure situated on 60 acres. The facility originally opened in 1971 as the Horatio Mall, a shopping center with a W.T. Grant store as the anchor tenant. By 1976, it had failed as a retail operation, and con-verted to a high-tech center with Cogar Corporation manufacturing computer prod-ucts. International Computers Ltd. subse-quently acquired the business and began to wind down its operations in 1985. In 1987,

Norstar Bank created an operations center on the site, before it was acquired by Fleet Bank, which in turn was acquired by Bank of America.

Recent growthBrunner points with pride to the growth

of the Horatio Street site since 2012. “Just in the last three years, this center has doubled in size, and now it’s going to grow another 25 percent this year. This is a testament to our ability to hire employees in the Utica area and to their work ethic. We have a very strong base from which to hire, and our new hires bring to their jobs a desire to learn. With the growing number of products offered by the bank and their complexity, it’s critical that the employees are knowledgeable about our offerings. The Utica contact center has had strong performance from the existing team and remains one of the top-performing centers for the bank,” he says.

Brunner explains that “[c]ustomer in-quiries into the center range from custom-ers making payments to asking specific questions about their accounts. Many of the new [employee] roles will be focused on the chat component, which will make it easier for customers who need assistance while searching online. The center not only provides information, but in the long run, it also supports our sales and marketing activities. With all of the banking channels available to our customers, access to a live person is still essential. In short, the contact center, which is critical to our retail-delivery process, serves as an important channel for quickly finding information, resources, and expertise.”

Today’s customer contact centers are striving to change the public’s perception of the old call center. Many think of Lily Tomlin’s character “Ernestine,” the chatty, condescending telephone operator who showed little sympathy for her customers. Ernestine sat at her switchboard taking calls, except when she was busy talking to her boyfriend, and frequently responded to callers with barbed remarks. Customers are frustrated by some banks running

SEE BANK OF AMERICA, PAGE 6 4

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James Juarez, tier-two leader, left, Sondra Butcher, site leader, center, and Michael Brunner, Central New York market president, right, stand outside Bank of America’s 164,000-square-foot contact center located in Utica.


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Community Bank, N.A.’s parent company, Community Bank System, Inc., was ranked as the 8th-best bank in a listing of the Best and Worst Banks in America according to Forbes magazine.

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Herkimer County’s G&I Homes is acquired by Tennessee’s Clayton HomesBY ERIC [email protected]

SCHUYLER — A Tennessee–based com-pany has completed an asset acquisition of a Herkimer County–based retailer of manufactured and modular homes.

G&I Homes, which has locations across upstate New York, is now part of Maryville, Tennessee–based Clayton Homes, which describes itself as one of America’s largest home builders.

In the transaction, G&I Homes becomes a Clayton Homes brand, the new parent company said in a news release issued Feb. 10.

The transaction closed in late January, says Joe Bushey, regional VP of the Northeast region for Clayton Homes. Bushey spoke with MVBJ on Feb. 16.

Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) company, didn’t release any terms of its asset-acquisition agreement.

Through its affiliates and family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, fi-nances, leases, and insures manufactured and modular homes, along with commer-cial and educational buildings. Clayton has built homes since 1956.

G&I Homes will continue to operate as a family-run business, and the Bushey family will still manage all six locations in New York, according to the Clayton Homes release. G&I’s offices are in Cicero, Schuyler, Vernon, Oneonta, Whitney Point, and Ballston Spa.

G&I Homes is now operating as “a Clayton company,” says Bushey, who previ-ously owned G&I along with seven of his siblings. He formerly served as the VP of G&I Homes and was sales manager for its six offices, he says.

All eight siblings remain with the com-pany in roles similar to what they did prior to the sale, says Bushey.

However, G&I Homes is eliminating an accounting office that employed four people, since Clayton Homes has its own accounting department in its corporate of-fice, according to Bushey.

‘Biggest player’Bushey says Clayton Homes is the “big-

gest player” in the manufactured-housing industry.

He knew Clayton had opened some loca-tions in Pennsylvania and had heard New York was on its radar.

G&I Homes started working with the Clayton Homes factory in Lewiston, Pennsylvania to sell its homes in its role as an independent retailer, says Bushey.

He figured Clayton’s expansion north could represent either a big opportunity for G&I Homes, or a big challenge.

“Clayton’s going to be coming to New York sooner or later and I’d rather be work-ing with them than against them,” he says, recalling how he shared his feeling on the matter with his siblings.

The discussions that resulted in the asset sale started in the spring of 2014, Bushey says.

“The biggest advantage they brought to us is the capital resources that they have available,” he says of Clayton Homes.

Bushey concedes that G&I Homes had struggled the last few years and was unable to grow and make capital investments.

Expanded firmWith the addition of G&I Homes,

Clayton Homes now does business in 32 states, a spokesman for Clayton Homes said in response to an MVBJ email inquiry.

G&I Homes currently has 40 employees, he said.

They are now employees of CMH Homes, Inc., the corporate name for Clayton Homes, with the local company

doing business as G&I Homes, the spokes-man adds. CMH Homes employs more than 2,100 people total.

Clayton Homes will handle employee recruit-ment and hiring for G&I Homes. It will also offer its Energy Smart home option to the G&I Homes home series, the compa-ny said. It allows home-

buyers to upgrade their homes with “extra thick” insulation and other “energy-saving” features.

Gerald and Irene Bushey, the “G” and the “I” in the company’s name, founded G&I Homes in 1965. The Busheys launched the business as Latham Trailer Sales, but incorporated as G&I Homes in 1975, ac-cording to the firm’s website. The company was “one of the first in the industry to drop the name of ‘trailers’ and started referring to them as ‘homes’ to be more in line with what they were providing: housing,” the G&I website says.

Bushey says his parents retired in 1998. Irene Bushey died in 2009 and Gerald Bushey passed away in 2011, he adds.


httP://www.CBNAbusinessbanking.com


their call centers like cost centers, where time-and-motion studies encourage opera-tors to provide the least amount of service to satisfy the customer. This translates into minimizing the number and duration of calls. Others are put off by the lack of employee product knowledge or incompre-hensible speech.

“Retaining customer loyalty means win-ning the battle of the customer experience, and that only happens when the focus is customer-centric,” opines Brunner. “Our operators are trained to take whatever time is necessary to resolve customers’ ques-tions.”

Retail-banking research by Gallup, Inc. supports the idea that contact-center em-ployees successfully drive sales when they focus on the customers’ needs and not on the bank’s. According to Gallup, the key conversational drivers are the employee’s knowledge of the bank’s products and services, asking the right questions to identify customer needs, clearly explaining the overall benefits of doing business with the bank, understanding the customer’s financial goals, providing solutions that aligned with the needs, and expressing sincere interest in improving a customer’s

financial position.

Brunner In addition to his title as market presi-

dent, Brunner is also a senior VP, global commercial banking senior relationship manager. He is responsible for the more than 800 employees in Onondaga and Oneida counties where Bank of America operates 12 bank branches, the contact center, and two Merrill Lynch offices. As a senior relationship manager, Brunner is responsible for managing middle-market relationships in the region and coordinat-ing business-development activities. As he likes to say, “Our commercial region ex-tends between the falls — Seneca Falls and Little Falls.” Worldwide, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), the number two U.S. bank as measured by assets, serves about 44 million consumers and 3 million small businesses in 4,700 retail financial cen-ters. The Charlotte, North Carolina–based banking company operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and in 35 countries.

Community activitiesBrunner leads a team focused on com-

munity involvement and engagement, in-cluding overseeing philanthropic grants.

“Bank of America has instituted a nation-wide initiative to focus on the communi-ties we serve,” declares Brunner. “In the Central New York region, we are focused on three areas designed to help the commu-nity: housing, hunger, and creating jobs.”

Brunner explains. “The bank has part-nered nationally with Habitat for Humanity, launching a multi-city build which takes place simultaneously in 36 communities within a period of one week. It’s a $6 mil-lion commitment to local [Habitat] affiliates to help revitalize their communities. In Syracuse, the bank gave a $20,000 grant to sponsor Habitat for Humanity’s ‘veteran build.’ We are also proud that a number of employees volunteered to build walls dur-ing the week.”

Brunner next notes Bank of America’s efforts to allay hunger. “Nationally, the bank sponsors an enterprise initiative we call ‘Give a Meal,’ ” adds the market presi-dent. “This supports a national effort called Feeding America. Locally, the bank has channeled its charitable giving to the Food Bank of Central New York, and our volun-teers have pitched in to help and to offer support to the board of directors.”

Bank of America is also focused on eradi-

cating financial illiteracy. To this end, the bank has teamed up with the Khan Academy, a leader in online learning, to produce a pro-gram called ‘Better Money Habits.’

“The website — BetterMoneyHabits.com — is a free service that allows any-one to understand finances,” Brunner stresses. “The goal is to teach the under-lying principles of personal finance, which then puts an individual in the position to ask the right questions. Bank of America and Khan launched the website [in 2013], and to date we have received thousands of ideas and suggestions. This keeps us connected to the consumer and small-business people.”

The bank’s focus on financial literacy stems from a Bank of America/Harris Interactive poll taken in 2013, which iden-tified that 69 percent of U.S. adults cite money as a “top stressor,” 32 percent rec-ognize a lack of financial knowledge has led to making poor financial decisions, and 43 percent feel they have missed out on good financial opportunities.

In 2015, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation provided $303,607 in grants and matching gifts to the Syracuse/Utica market. The bank’s Central New York em-ployees logged more than 7,000 volunteer-hours in 2015.

BANK OF AMERICA: Brunner is responsible for managing middle-market relationships in the region Continued from page 4

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

CINDY A. FRANCO has been named senior ac-count manager for em-ployee benefits at Gilroy Kernan & Gilroy Inc. in New Hartford. She will work with employers across Central New York. Franco has more than two decades of experience in the employee-benefits field, most recently as VP of client services for employee ben-efits at Brown & Brown Insurance in Rome. Prior to that, she was a manager with the Meridian Group of New York in Utica. Franco graduated from Mohawk Valley Community College with an associate de-gree in computer science.

INSURANCE

MICHELLE M. KLEIN has been hired as an ac-

count manager for Scalzo, Zogby & Wittig, Inc. She began as a student intern at the insurance agency in February 2015 and was recently hired upon com-pletion of her internship. Klein holds an associate degree from MVCC and a bachelor’s degree in risk management & insurance from Utica College.

LANGUAGE SERVICES

MIKE LAUDUCCI has returned home to Central New York to work as business de-velopment director at the Multicultural Association of Medical/Legal Interpreters (MAMI Interpreters) in Utica, Syracuse, and Albany. His primary role will be to expand the customer base throughout MAMI’s service area in upstate New York. Lauducci’s last position was with Soffront, Inc of Fremont, Calif. where he designed and directed all

marketing activities for the company. From 2008 to 2015, he worked for StartUpSelling based in Natick, Massachusetts. Prior to that, Lauducci worked as an elementary teacher at Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada and an ESL teacher in the Utica School district. He was also citizenship and adult education coordinator for the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees in Utica.

STAFFING FIRMS

JOE COOPER has joined Fortus Healthcare Resources, headquartered in Utica, as a project coor-dinator. He will be work-ing with account managers on nationwide health-care searches. Cooper is a re-cent graduate of SUNY Cortland and previously completed an internship as a project manag-er with Annese & Associates in Clifton Park.

KAILA WILKINSON has joined Fortus Healthcare Resources as a project co-ordinator. Prior to working at Fortus, she worked with Winston Retail, a design, visual merchandising, and project management orga-nization.

WEB DEVELOPMENT

Quadsimia LLC recently hired JAMIE MCNEIL as a web developer. Her previ-ous experience includes a web-design internship at The Graphic Hive and a federal work-study posi-tion at SUNY Polytechnic Institute as a web de-signer and photographer. McNeil has experience with HTML, CSS, PHP, content-management systems, graphic design, photography, and responsive web development. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in communication and information design at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and will graduate this spring.

People on the Move NEWS

Franco

Klein

Cooper

Wilkinson

McNeil

Reach us on the Web www.bizeventz.com

http://www.bizeventz.com

http://www.cnybit.com


THE LISTResearch by Vance [email protected](315) 579-3911Twitter: @cnybjresearch

ABOUT THE LISTSInformation was provided by representatives of listed organizations and their websites. Other groups may have been eligible but did not respond to our requests for information. Organizations had to complete the survey by the deadline to be included on the list. While The Business Journal strives to print accurate information, it is not possible to independently verify all data submitted. We reserve the right to edit entries or delete categories for space considerations. This lists include facilities in Herkimer and Oneida counties.

NEED A COPY OF A LIST?

Electronic versions of all of our lists, with additional fi elds of information and survey con-tacts, are available for purchase at our website: cnybj.com/ListResearch.aspx

WANT TO BE ON THE LIST?

If your company would like to be considered for next year’s list, or another list, please email [email protected]

MOHAWK VALLEY CONFERENCE & MEETING FACILITIESRanked by Maximum Exhibit Area in Square Feet

Rank

NameAddressPhone/Website

Max. Exhibit Area(Sq. Ft.)

—No. of Mtg.

Rooms

Max. RoomCapacity Seated:

Banquet—

Theater

No. ofSleepingRooms Meeting Equipment Available Top Management

YearEstab.

1.Turning Stone Resort Casino5218 Patrick RoadVerona, NY 13478(315) 361-7711/turningstone.com

30,000—22

1,400—

2,060

711 tables, chairs, drapes, lighting, decor, AVequipment, sound equipment

Ray Halbritter, CEO 1993

2.The Beeches Inn and Conference Center7900 Turin Road, Route 26NRome, NY 13440(315) 336-1700/thebeeches.com

10,648—10

1,069—800

76 overheads, screens, PA systems, DVDplayers, LCD projectors, easels, and more


3.Kallet Civic Center159 Main St.Oneida, NY 13421(315) 363-8525/kalletciviccenter.org

6,000—1

400—700

0 tables, chairs, portable stage, stagecurtains, concession stand, sound system,lighting, projector, projector screen, baby

grand piano, kitchen facilities


4.Daniele's Banquet Specialists8360 Seneca TurnpikeNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 733-8358/danielesvalleyview.com

5,200—3

500—526

0 AV, screens, LCD projector, PA system,chairs, tables, special accommodations

upon request

Jeffery E. Daniels, General Manager 2005

5.Radisson Hotel Utica Centre200 Genesee St.Utica, NY 13502(315) 797-8010/radisson.com/uticany

4,600—10

400—550

162 screens, television, DVD player, computer/laptop, LCD projector

Michael Fults, General Manager 1980

6.Mohawk Valley Community College1101 Sherman DriveUtica, NY 13501(315) 731-5720/mvcc.edu/events

3,500—20

300—450

120 conference and distance-learningtechnology, projectors, audio-visual

equipment


1946

7.SUNY Polytechnic Institute100 Seymour RoadUtica, NY 13502(315) 792-7819/sunyit.edu/corporate_events/

3,000—30

220—241

180 teleconferencing and videoconferencingcapabilities, large screen video/data

projection systems;

Connie M. Castellano, Director ofCampus & Corporate Events

1966

8.The Stanley261 Genesee St.Utica, NY 13501(315) 724-1113/thestanley.org

2,500—5

125—

3,000

0 projector screen, easels, mic and podium Jerry Kraus, Executive Director 1928

9.Holiday Inn Utica/New Hartford1777 Burrstone RoadNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 797-2131/holidayinn.com/uticany

2,496—6

200—170

100 TV/DVD, screen, podium, easels,microphone, flip chart with markers,

speaker phone, LCD projector


10.Water's Edge Inn3188 State Route 28Old Forge, NY 13420(315) 369-2484/watersedgeinn.com

960—2

50—50

NA screen, LCD projector, overhead projector,podium with electric, white board, easel,

DVD/VCR player, television, WI-FI


MOHAWK VALLEY HOTELSRanked by Total No. of Guest Rooms (Including Suites)

Rank

NameAddressPhone/Website

Toll-FreeReservation

No.

TotalRooms

—Suites

Meeting Rooms—

Max. Exhibit Area(sq. ft.) Guest Amenities

General Manager or TopManagement

YearEstab.

1.Turning Stone Resort Casino5218 Patrick RoadVerona, NY 13478(315) 361-7711/turningstone.com

(800)771-7711

709—143

22—

30,000

wireless Internet, cable TV, business center, in-room safes, coffeemaker

Ray Halbritter, CEO 1993

2.Vernon Downs Casino and Hotel4229 Stuhlman RoadVernon, NY 13476(315) 829-3400/vernondowns.com

(877)888-3766

173—-

6—

10,000

business center, wireless Internet, boardroom andmeeting facilities, weekday continental breakfast

Thomas Osiecki, President & GM,Tioga Downs & Vernon Downs

1994

3.Radisson Hotel Utica Centre200 Genesee St.Utica, NY 13502(315) 797-8010/radisson.com/uticany

(800)333-3333

162—3

10—

4,600

business center, complimentary wireless Internet Michael Fults, General Manager 1980

4.Quality Inn of Rome200 S. James St.Rome, NY 13440(315) 336-4300/qualityinnrome.net

(800)424-5423

104—4

1—144

business center, free wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, free weekday newspaper

Mansukh V. Paghdal, GeneralManager

1991

5.Holiday Inn Utica/New Hartford1777 Burrstone RoadNew Hartford, NY 13413(315) 797-2131/holidayinn.com/uticany

(888)HOLIDAY

100—4

6—

2,496

high-speed Internet, 32-inch flat panel TVs, freemorning newspaper, coffeemaker, businesscenter, self-laundry facilities, same day dry

cleaning, full-service restaurant


6.LaQuinta Inn & Suites Verona5394 Willow PlaceVerona, NY 13478(315) 231-5080/laquintaverona.com

(800)-SLEEPLQ

97—9

1—

1,900

pool, hot tub, bar, lounge, free Wi-Fi, free shuttleto Turning Stone Casino, business center,complimentary hot buffet breakfast every

morning, free parking

Robert Richie, Director of Sales 2012

7.Water's Edge Inn3188 State Route 28Old Forge, NY 13420(315) 369-2484/watersedgeinn.com

- 77—16

2—960

indoor heated pool, dry sauna, Wi-Fi, arcade,guest laundry, complimentary continental

breakfast


8.The Inn at the Beeches7900 Turin Road, Route 26NRome, NY 13440(315) 336-1775/thebeeches.com

(800)765-7251

76—7

10—

10,648

microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, nightlyturndown service, complimentary cocktail,

breakfast room and cafe

Orlando Destito, Owner & OperatorBrian Hartnett, Inn Manager

1908

9.Red Roof Inn & Suites100 Marginal RoadHerkimer, NY 13350(315) 866-0490/redroof.com

(877)656-6835

60—25

0—0

free wireless Internet, continental breakfast, guestlaundry available, microwave, fridge, iron, ironing

boards, hairdryers, extended cable & HBO

Paul Brown, General ManagerStephany Herringshaw, Guest

Services Manager

1962

10.Travelodge Inn & Suites Little Falls20 Albany St.Little Falls, NY 13365(315) 823-4954/travelodge.com

(866)631-4470

52—4

2—

2,856

high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi, laundry service, irons,coffee makers, hairdryers

Mary K. LaBreche, General Manager 1980




Mohawk ValleyAWARDSPresented By:

Mohawk ValleyLEGACY

The Business Journal News Network and Berkshire Bank announce the 2nd annual Mohawk Valley Legacy Awards. In the spring of 2016, we will recognize local entrepreneurs who have built thriving corporations

and also generously supported their communities, both fi nancially and in terms of their time.

Thursday, May 5, 2016Stanley Theatre, Utica

The purpose of the awards is to emphasize the heritage each generation passes on to the next, and in recognizing the current recipients, remind future generations of their obligation to continue building

strong communities.

Visit bizeventz.com for updates, announcements, and to register!

Announcing Our First Two

Honorees!

Cathy Newell,President & CEO,

Mohawk Ltd.

�

Stay tuned for the announcement of our

other honorees!

Event Details:Event date: May 5, 2016Location: Stanley Theatre, UticaTime: 6:00 pm-8:30 pm

6:00 pm-7:30 pm: Enjoy delicious food stations, open bar, networking & live music! (Please note: this is not a sit-down dinner, it is open-seating)7:30 pm-8:30 pm: Awards Program, Dessert & Photos

Cost: $75/ticketBlack Tie Optional

Contact Joyl Clance with questions: (315) 708-3303 or [email protected]

Jim McCarthy & Marueen

McCarthy Tracy


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