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Deep Expertise. Seeing the Bigger Picture. How OneGroup’s expanding surety capabilities bring insurance, risk management and specialized construction expertise together to help contractors protect what they’ve built and prepare for what’s next.

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By Tami S. Scott


In the vast, ever-changing construction industry, OneGroup offers companies of all sizes access to experts who understand the risks, demands, and opportunities that come with running a construction business. A leading independent provider of insurance, surety services, risk management, employee benefits and HR consulting, OneGroup provides tailored protection and business solutions for individuals and businesses.

“Contractors don’t need another insurance broker,” said Pierre Morrisseau, OneGroup CEO. “They need an adviser who understands [that] risk, insurance, financial strength and surety intersect with the way they actually run and grow their businesses. Much has changed in the contractor’s world, especially risk, but risk isn’t a silo. We look holistically at the business so it’s a relationship, not a vendor transaction as individual agencies have in the past.”

The Syracuse, New York-based firm launched in the late 1980s when two reputable family-owned insurance agencies joined to form Bailey & Haskell Associates Inc., bringing a combined century of experience serving clients. In 2000, another agency strengthened the firm further by expanding its regional reach. Thus, Bailey, Haskell & LaLonde (BHL) was born.

As clients’ needs evolved, so did BHL. The company expanded beyond insurance, offering employers employee benefits and human resources consulting through a new Benefit Consulting Group (BCG). By 2014, with multiple agencies now part of its core, the company brought them together under one culture and rebranded as OneGroup.

“Over the years, OneGroup has evolved from an insurance agency into a broader advisory partner because our clients’ needs have evolved,” said Morrisseau. “Our goal is to bring the right expertise to the table and, just as importantly, understand how those areas connect. For contractors, that means looking beyond the policy or the bond and understanding the business as a whole, so we can help them manage risk today and prepare for where they want to go tomorrow.”

Today, OneGroup employs over 250 people and serves clients from across the country and internationally. It prides itself on being “a mile wide and a mile deep,” offering contractors access to specialized areas of expertise while understanding how those areas intersect.

That philosophy is also behind OneGroup’s expansion of its surety capabilities with the addition of Chris and Kelly Shea to the team. With a combined 75 years of experience in surety bonding, commercial insurance and risk management, the Rochester-based team adds another layer of expertise for contractors, navigating the connection between risk, bonding capacity and growth. The goal is not simply to secure a bond when a project requires one, but to help contractors understand how their overall risk and financial picture can affect their ability to compete for new opportunities.

OneGroup works with contractors seeking their first bond as well as established firms looking to strengthen an existing program. The goal is not simply to issue a bond, but to help the contractor understand what a surety partner will evaluate and to build a credible case for capacity.

That breadth also extends to the insurance marketplace. As an independent broker, OneGroup works with more than 250 insurance carriers, giving its professionals the ability to evaluate multiple options and develop solutions tailored to each client’s needs.

A relationship, not a transaction

Personable, gracious, sincere, loyal — and deeply rooted in the construction industry. Those are the qualities clients repeatedly use when describing their experience with OneGroup.

Take Lovett Mechanical Inc., a commercial mechanical and plumbing contractor based in Syracuse. In 2010, it had four employees. Since then, it has grown to just under 40.

When asked about OneGroup and its customer service, Owner and President Thaddeus Lovett described it as “excellent.”

“Other companies we’ve dealt with seemed to have a revolving door of representatives. With OneGroup, Brett Findlay has been our main contact from day one, and the office staff who handle our day-to-day needs for both business insurance and employee benefits have stayed remarkably consistent,” he said. “That continuity makes everything run smoother.”

Since 2013, OneGroup has handled Lovett Mechanical’s corporate insurance, workers’ compensation and employee health benefits.

“From our very first conversation, Brett took the time to understand my business and showed a real interest in what we needed,” Lovett added. “That kind of attention isn’t something you find everywhere, and it made the decision to choose OneGroup easy.”

For Findlay, that kind of relationship is rooted in something more than insurance experience. It began with construction itself.

Findlay joined OneGroup in 2012 as a Commercial Insurance Account Executive. He now leads the construction unit as Senior Vice President, Construction Practice Leader. Before entering the insurance industry, he worked in construction for his father, a contractor.

In fact, Findlay was literally sitting in an excavator digging a hole when he encountered John Haskell, principal of Bailey, Haskell & LaLonde, the predecessor of OneGroup. Haskell recognized Findlay’s business acumen and asked to meet with him.

“He says, ‘Hey, I really want to grow construction out. It’s not an area we focus on a ton, but we do have business there.’ So I met with them,” Findlay recalled.

The conversation ultimately convinced Findlay to take a chance on the agency and its vision for construction. At the time, construction was about the agency’s eighth-largest practice area. Today, he said, it is the agency’s second- or third-largest.

A significant part of that growth, Findlay said, came from the agency’s willingness to invest in the construction unit before it had the clients or revenue to support it.

“Pierre gave us the means to build the infrastructure out for the unit before we had clients or revenue to do it,” Findlay said.

Findlay approached that development from the perspective of a contractor.

“What do I need?” he asked. “I need certs and ID cards quickly. I need super-responsive service. We need quick turnaround times. We need expertise with contracts.”

Those needs became the foundation for OneGroup’s construction service model.

“Our service model has been built upon understanding the very specific needs of a construction company,” Findlay said. “Everything we’ve done has basically been built around that premise: What can we do to better serve the client?”

But construction isn’t the only area in which OneGroup’s professionals bring firsthand industry experience to the table.

Megan Coville has more than 15 years of experience in safety and risk management. Her background in occupational therapy at The Arc of Ulster-Greene, a private nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, eventually led her to OneGroup, where she began as a Risk Management Consultant and now serves as Vice President of Risk Management.

Initially, Coville’s primary responsibilities included consulting with New York Arc chapters to improve their safety and workers’ compensation programs. She also focused on safe patient-handling programs within health care organizations and coordinated the implementation of OneGroup’s EmploySmart: The Informed Hiring System with clients to improve their hiring processes.

“Many of us have worked in the industry. I worked for one of our clients,” she said, referring to her time at The Arc of Ulster-Greene. “We can think through being in the business, in the operations. What’s important to us? What is the political environment, the economic environment that a traditional insurance person may or may not be able to recognize just because they don’t have their feet in those work boots?”

That same service model extends to other departments.

Senior Human Resources Consultant Brittani O’Connell said her department’s entire existence is built around customer service — a reflection, she said, of OneGroup’s philosophy about the importance of serving its clients.

“My whole role is to support clients,” she said. “I’m here to help them understand the many changes that are happening in the regulatory space, the employment law space. I’m spending a lot of time just talking clients through these changes and helping them understand how it affects their business.”

That support also comes with an emphasis on responsiveness.

“Not only do you typically know who you’re talking to, but we’re really committed to turnaround time as well,” O’Connell said. “A lot of times, the questions that come my way tend to be critical, timely, time-sensitive. It’s not only the fact that they know who they’re talking to, but they know that they’re going to get an answer. We may have to spend some time researching it, but we’re going to turn that around as quickly as we possibly can.”

That responsiveness is an agency-wide standard. Findlay said that if an inquiry comes in before 4 p.m., the client receives a response that day.
“That doesn’t mean you have what you need or an answer before the end of day, but you have a response,” Findlay said. “You know somebody’s working on it.”

Sun Environmental Corp. specializes in environmental services, including industrial cleaning, remediation, waste management, abatement and spill response. The company employs more than 150 people and operates throughout New York State, with locations in Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and Albany, as well as in the Philadelphia and New Jersey region.

Having been a client for almost seven years, Sun’s President Matt Notaro can attest to OneGroup’s accessibility.

“OneGroup’s customer service is second to none,” Notaro said. “Their team is responsive and available whenever we need support — 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

The company utilizes OneGroup’s insurance, risk management and business solutions services and credits Findlay’s expertise and the team’s extensive understanding of its industry and unique needs for why it chose OneGroup.

“We established an immediate connection, and their team took a proactive, strategic approach to understanding our insurance requirements and helping manage our risks,” Notaro said. “Their commitment to customer service, combined with their experience and industry knowledge, has made them more than just a vendor, but a trusted partner for our business.”

New York’s New Work Rules: What Contractors Can’t Afford to Miss

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By: Rick Boyle, Esq. and Diana Plue, Esq. Sheats & Bailey, PLLC

Four employment law changes will affect your crews, payroll, and personnel policies in 2026. One change is already in effect, and three more take effect before year-end. Together, they will affect how contractors schedule crews, maintain personnel files, screen applicants, and structure employee repayment agreements. Reviewing these practices now can help prevent payroll disputes and costly compliance problems later.

Cancelled Shifts can cost you money

Construction schedules change quickly. Weather, delayed deliveries, and an unavailable work area can leave a crew with little or nothing to do. Under the Construction Reporting Pay Act, sending workers home—or canceling too late—can still trigger a payment obligation.
The Construction Reporting Act adds Labor Law §§ 196-e and 224-g and applies across both public-sector and private construction projects. Labor Law § 224-g applies to public work construction projects. Starting December 8, 2026, the Act requires employers to pay two hours of cancellation pay, at the prevailing wage rate including supplemental benefits, to any employee whose scheduled shift is canceled with less than 12 hours’ notice. It also requires at least four hours of reporting pay, or payment for the number of hours worked if greater than four, for any employee who reports for a shift and is sent home early. If the applicable prevailing wage schedule provides greater cancellation or reporting pay benefits, the employer must follow that schedule.

Under Labor Law §196-e, for private construction projects, employees reporting for work at the employer’s request triggers a minimum payment of four hours, or the regularly scheduled shift if shorter, at the employee’s promised hourly wage. Canceling a scheduled shift with less than 12 hours’ notice requires two hours of pay.

Since reporting pay and cancellation pay are considered wages, employees may bring an action for non-payment of wages if not properly paid. Therefore, contractors should designate who may cancel shifts and use written, time-stamped notices to document when workers were notified. Employers should make sure their payroll system distinguishes hours actually worked from reporting and cancellation payments, account for required supplements, and handle applicable certified-payroll reporting.

If an owner or another contractor gives late notice that work cannot proceed, your company may still owe its employees. So, contractors should update their contracts to address how cost for cancellation or reporting pay will be allocated.

Personnel files will become easier to access:

Effective November 8, 2026, New York Labor Law § 210-b will require New York employers to provide current and former employees access to, and one free copy of, their personnel records within five business days after receiving a written request. Employers must retain the following records, if prepared by or provided to the employer, for at least three years after employment ends:

• Name, address, date of birth, job title, and job description;
• Pay rate and other compensation paid to the employee;
Employment start date;
• Job application;
• Resume or other employment inquiry materials submitted to the employer;
• Performance evaluations, written warnings, disciplinary actions, and similar records;
• Employee waivers; and
• A copy of the employee’s notice of termination.

Employers must also notify an employee within 10 days after placing in the personnel file any disciplinary record or other document that could negatively affect the employee’s transfer, employment, promotion, or compensation opportunities. Employees may submit a written rebuttal, which must be included in the personnel file.

Employers that deny access or otherwise violate the law may face penalties from the Attorney General’s Office ranging from $500 to $2,500.

Employers should create protocols for responding to record requests and notifying employees when negative information is added to a personnel file.

Rethink Credit Checks before you hire
Credit Check Restrictions—Effective April 18, 2026:

NYS amended the NYS Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit an employer, except in limited circumstances, from requesting and using an individual’s credit history when making employment decisions. The restriction reaches hiring, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment, including promotion and termination decisions.

An employer generally cannot avoid the restriction by asking the individual to supply a credit report directly or by obtaining it through a background screening company. Contractors should review employment applications, screening authorizations, and instructions to background screening vendors. Remove routine credit checks unless a specific exception applies and document the basis for any check that remains.

Review repayment clauses before investing in training:
Under the Trapped at Work Act employers may not require, as a condition of employment, that an employee or applicant execute an employment promissory note that requires an employee to pay the employer a sum of money for reimbursement of training expenses or nontransferable education expenses, if the employment relationship terminates before a stated period. The law includes exceptions, but those exceptions have conditions. Employers should review training reimbursement agreements and repayment provisions before the effective date. Whether a clause is permissible depends on what it covers and how it is structured, rather than its label.

Taken together, these changes make early compliance planning essential for New York contractors. Reviewing scheduling practices, personnel-file procedures, hiring screens, and repayment provisions now can help avoid wage claims, penalties, and project disruptions once the new rules take effect.

If you need further assistance or have additional questions, please contact Sheats & Bailey, PLLC. www.TheConstructionlaw.com; Tel. 315-676-7314.

The information provided above is not intended to serve as specific legal advice for any particular situation. Competent legal and experienced counsel should be consulted.

Building Surety Confidence: Five Keys to a Stronger WIP Schedule

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Kaitlyn H. Axenfeld, CPA/CFF, CFE, Dannible & McKee, LLP

For many construction companies, bonding capacity is an important tool for supporting growth. Whether a contractor is pursuing larger projects, expanding into new markets or competing for public work, the surety needs confidence that the contractor understands its numbers.

Financial statements show where a company stands at a point in time, but the work in progress (WIP) schedule provides insight into how individual jobs are performing and the risk associated with work still underway. It helps sureties assess whether estimates are realistic, margins are changing, losses are being recognized in a timely manner and management is monitoring project performance.

A well-prepared WIP schedule can strengthen a contractor’s credibility and support bonding capacity. An inaccurate, inconsistent or difficult-to-explain schedule can quickly raise concerns.

From a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) perspective, the WIP schedule is more than an internal management report. For contractors recognizing revenue over time under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, it often supports the measurement of progress, estimated total contract costs, revenue recognized to date and related contract asset or liability balances. As a result, WIP estimates need to be current, supportable and consistent with the financial statements.

1. Accurate Cost-to-Complete Estimates
The foundation of a reliable WIP schedule is a realistic estimate of what it will cost to finish each job.

Problem jobs often begin with overly optimistic cost-to-complete estimates. Even relatively small forecasting errors can result in significant profit fade by project completion. Strong contractors regularly update forecasts, incorporate input from the field, monitor labor productivity and material costs, and reflect known problems as they emerge.

When jobs consistently finish near the gross profit projected during construction, it demonstrates strong estimating discipline and project oversight.

2. Timely Recognition of Job Losses
Few things undermine credibility with a surety faster than delaying recognition of an expected job loss. Sureties understand that not every project will perform as planned. The concern arises when significant losses appear suddenly after months of favorable reporting.

Under U.S. GAAP, when current estimates indicate that a contract will result in an overall loss, the expected loss is generally recognized in the period it is identified rather than deferred until project completion.

Contractors therefore need a disciplined process for identifying cost overruns, reassessing estimated costs and recognizing anticipated losses. Warning signs can include significant underbillings on troubled jobs, repeated profit fade, substantial year-end adjustments, and sudden write-downs. From a surety’s perspective, transparency builds trust. Surprises do not.

3. Consistency Between Financial Statements and WIP Reports
The WIP schedule should reconcile to the contractor’s financial statements. Job costs should agree with the general ledger, revenue should align with accounting records, retainage should be reconciled and contract asset and liability balances should be supported.

ASC 606 changed the terminology and presentation historically associated with underbillings and overbillings. Amounts previously described as costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings, or billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings, are commonly presented as contract assets or contract liabilities, depending on the facts and circumstances. This makes reconciliation among the WIP schedule, billing records, retainage and general ledger particularly important. 

4. Monitoring Profit Fade and Gain
Sureties pay close attention to changes in estimated gross profit. Some fluctuation is normal, but recurring profit fade may indicate estimating problems, weak project management or delays in identifying cost overruns.

Contractors should compare original estimated gross profit with current estimates and, actual results once a job is complete. Analyzing these trends can improve future bidding and demonstrate that management is actively evaluating project performance rather than simply reporting it.

5. Clean Underbilling and Overbilling Positions
Material underbillings often generate questions. Some result from normal timing differences, but significant or recurring balances may indicate unapproved change orders, collection issues, contract disputes or revenue recognized before it can be billed.

Overbillings can benefit cash flow, but unusually large balances may require explanation. Management should understand material underbilling and overbilling positions and be prepared to provide supporting documentation.

Building Surety Confidence
Contractors seeking to strengthen bonding capacity should make WIP reporting part of their regular project management process. Monthly reviews involving project managers and accounting personnel can keep forecasts current, while consistent cost-to-complete methodologies and detailed change-order tracking improve reliability.

Management should analyze profit fade, investigate significant variances and use completed-job results to improve future estimates. Periodic review by an outside accountant experienced with construction and surety expectations can provide additional perspective and help identify weaknesses in the reporting process.

Sureties do not expect every job to be perfect. They expect the information to be reliable and management to understand what the numbers are saying.

A timely, accurate and well-supported WIP schedule demonstrates financial discipline and operational control. That confidence can support greater bonding capacity, expanded access to project opportunities and stronger relationships with sureties, lenders and project owners.

For contractors, the WIP schedule should not be viewed simply as an accounting requirement. It is a valuable management tool for understanding project performance, identifying problems earlier and demonstrating the financial discipline necessary for long-term growth.

Kaitlyn H. Axenfeld, CPA/CFF, CFE, is an audit partner at Dannible & McKee, LLP, a certified public accounting firm. She has more than 13 years of experience providing audit, review, compilation and advisory services to a wide variety of clients with a focus on the construction industry. For more information on this topic, contact Kaitlyn at kaxenfeld@dmcpas.com or (315) 472-9127. Learn more at dmcpas.com.

The Never-Ending Decline in New York Workers’ Compensation Loss Costs

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Steve Bell, VP Underwriting & Sales, Lovell Safety

Just when you think New York workers’ compensation loss costs cannot go much lower, they do.

Effective October 1, 2026, New York has approved an average 21.9% reduction in workers’ compensation loss costs. This is the tenth consecutive year of statewide average loss cost decreases and another significant reduction in what has become a very long-term trend.
The obvious question is: What continues to drive loss costs down, and how long can it continue?

There is no single answer, but the biggest factor continues to be fewer claims. The Rating Board’s five-year analysis shows an annual claim frequency trend of -6.1%. Claim costs are still increasing, indemnity severity increased 1.9% annually and medical severity increased 3.0%, but claims are occurring less frequently.

At the same time, wages continue to increase. The Rating Board used expected annual wage growth of 4.3% in developing the new loss costs. Since workers’ compensation loss costs are generally applied to payroll, rising wages combined with declining claim frequency can substantially reduce the amount needed for every $100 of payroll.

The numbers behind this year’s filing make that pretty clear. Looking just at the latest two policy years of loss experience, the indicated change was only a 1.1% decrease. The much larger reduction comes from the projected relationship between claim frequency, claim severity and wage growth. Taken together, the Rating Board calculated a total trend factor of -23.2%.

This Has Been Going on for a Long Time

The 21.9% reduction gets your attention because of its size, but the bigger story is how long this has been going on. We have now had ten consecutive years of loss cost decreases.

It is also important to distinguish between loss cost and premium. An employer can receive a significant loss cost decrease without seeing the same percentage decrease in its actual premium. Payroll may be increasing, and experience modifications, classifications, CPAP, and other rating factors can all affect the final cost. Your carrier may also move you to another subsidiary with a higher loss cost multiplier. All these items impact your final cost, but if your workers’ compensation costs didn’t go down this year, you should be asking why.

Still, there is no question that the underlying cost of workers’ compensation in New York has come down significantly.

What We Have Seen in Our Safety Groups

What I find particularly interesting is what has happened in our safety groups during this same period. Our groups have absorbed the same continuing statewide loss cost decreases without increasing the loss cost multiplier to offset those decreases. At the same time, we have been able to increase average upfront discounts and continue returning favorable underwriting results to participating employers through dividends.

To date, more than $1.31 billion in dividends have been returned to participants in Lovell-managed safety groups.

I think that is an important part of the story because of how safety groups are structured. The groups are nonprofit in nature. Lovell manages them for a flat service fee. We do not receive a percentage of the underwriting profit. When a group performs well, the benefit of that favorable underwriting result remains with the group and can ultimately be returned to its participants through dividends.

Of course, dividends are never guaranteed, and results can vary from year to year and from group to group. But well-managed groups with disciplined underwriting, effective loss control and appropriate reserving can produce favorable underwriting results and consistent dividends over time. When that happens, the participating employers are the ones who ultimately benefit.

Lower Loss Costs Don’t Mean Safety Matters Less

There is also another side to all these loss cost reductions. Every time loss costs go down, there are fewer premium dollars available to pay claims and expenses. A 21.9% reduction is significant. It means underwriting, safety and claims management become more important, not less important.

You cannot continually take loss cost out of the system without also having the loss results to support it. That is why we continue to focus so heavily on underwriting, safety and accident prevention, claims oversight and getting injured employees back to work.

The same applies to the safety groups themselves. A group cannot depend on favorable statewide loss costs to produce good results. It still has to select the right risks, price right, prevent losses, manage claims, and maintain appropriate reserves. That discipline is what allows a group to continue performing even as the amount of premium being collected declines.

How Much Further Down Can Loss Costs Go?

That is probably the most interesting question now.

I certainly would not assume that reductions of this size can continue indefinitely. Claim frequency cannot decline forever, and there are still pressures moving in the other direction. For example, increases in maximum and minimum weekly benefits added approximately 2.4% to the Rating Board’s overall loss cost indication.

For now, though, the numbers continue to support lower loss costs.

The 21.9% reduction effective October 1, 2026, is the latest and largest chapter in what has been a remarkable 10-year period for New York workers’ compensation. From our perspective, what is just as interesting is what has happened alongside those decreases. Our safety groups have absorbed years of declining loss costs while average discounts and dividends have increased.

That tells me something important about the safety group model. When you combine lower underlying workers’ compensation costs with disciplined underwriting, strong safety and claims management, and a nonprofit structure where favorable underwriting results are returned to the participants, well-run safety groups can continue to be market leaders in both price and service, even in a market where loss costs just keep going down.

For more information on New York Workers’ Compensation Loss Costs, please reach out to Steve Bell, VP Underwriting & Sales, Lovell Safety at 212-709-8832, email SBell@LovellSafety.com or visit online at www.LovellSafety.com.

The Impact of the USA v Canada Tariff War on the NYS Construction Industry

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Earl R. Hall, Executive Director, Syracuse Builders Exchange

The continuing trade dispute between the United States and Canada is creating a significant level of uncertainty for the New York State construction industry. The issue is particularly important to New York because Canada is the state’s largest trading partner, and Canadian-sourced materials, such as lumber, steel, aluminum, plywood, cement, and other construction products, which are integrated into New York’s construction supply chains. Recent developments in September increased the potential for higher material costs, supply disruptions, project delays and greater financial risk for contractors and project owners.

New York’s construction industry is a major component of the state’s economy, employing more than 400,000 New Yorkers and contributing more than $66 billion annually. The state has previously identified steel, aluminum, and lumber as important construction material affected by tariffs and warned that higher material costs can result in fewer projects, delays, and increased project costs.

Impact on Construction Contractors

For contractors, the most immediate concern is price volatility. A contractor may develop a bid based on a supplier’s quoted price, only to discover that a tariff or retaliatory measure has increased the cost before the material is purchased. This creates substantial exposure, particularly on fixed-price contracts where the contractor has limited ability to recover unforeseen increases.

The problem extends beyond materials imported directly from Canada. A product manufactured in the United States may contain Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, or other components. As a result, purchasing from an American supplier does not necessarily eliminate tariff exposure.

Contractors are therefore likely to place greater emphasis on early procurement, supplier commitments, escalation clauses, allowances, contingencies, and alternative sources of supply. Owners and contractors may also face more negotiations over responsibility for tariff-related increases after a contract has been awarded.

Impact on Material Costs

The construction materials most exposed to the dispute in New York include lumber and engineered wood products, steel, aluminum, copper, plywood, and cement. Existing tariffs on steel and aluminum can reach 50%, while additional tariffs imposed during 2026 have expanded the number of Canadian construction-related products potentially affected.

Canadian softwood lumber is particularly important because Canada has historically supplied a substantial majority of U.S. softwood lumber imports. New York contractors, homebuilders and remodelers therefore have exposure to changes in Canadian lumber pricing even when the supplier is located in the United States.

Impact on Construction Project Owners

For project owners, the principal consequence is increased uncertainty in establishing and maintaining project budgets. Public agencies, private developers, hospitals, universities, manufacturers, and commercial property owners may face higher costs between initial design, bidding, and construction.

Projects that were financially feasible under earlier material prices may require additional funding or redesign. Owners may also encounter longer procurement periods when contractors seek alternative suppliers or wait for pricing to stabilize.

For public projects, these issues can be particularly significant because funding is often established well before construction begins. A substantial increase in steel, aluminum, lumber, or other materials can create a gap between the original project budget and the contractor’s actual cost.

Contracting and Risk Management

The New York tariff environment reinforces the importance of carefully drafted construction contracts. Owners and contractors should consider clearly defining who bears the risk of newly imposed tariffs, establishing material escalation provisions, identifying notice requirements, and determining how changes in law will affect the contract price.

Contractors should also consider obtaining firm supplier quotations, identifying tariff exposure during estimating and purchasing critical materials earlier when economically justified. Owners can reduce uncertainty through early contractor involvement, design flexibility, and realistic contingencies.

Outlook for New York

The most significant issue may be uncertainty rather than any single tariff. New York contractors operate in a highly competitive market where bids are often prepared months before construction begins. Rapid changes in trade policy can make conventional estimating assumptions less reliable.
The U.S.–Canada tariff dispute therefore has the potential to increase construction costs, compress contractor margins, delay projects, and cause owners to postpone or modify planned investments.

For New York’s construction industry, the coming period will require greater attention to procurement, contractual risk allocation, material sourcing, and cost forecasting. Until trade policies become more predictable, both contractors and owners should assume that material pricing and availability can change materially between the time a project is estimated and the time construction is completed. Whoever bears the fiscal responsibility for such unexpected and unanticipated changes should be illustrated in a contract.

The U.S.–Canada tariff dispute represents a material risk to New York’s construction industry. Its effects will extend beyond the importer paying the tariff and can ultimately reach contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and most likely project owners through higher prices, reduced availability, and increased uncertainty. Effective risk management, early procurement, contractual protection, and realistic project contingencies will become increasingly important as New York’s construction industry navigates the evolving trade environment.

Note: Reviewed and amended with the assistance of Microsoft Word and Chat GPT

Caring for the Caregiver: How David’s Refuge Supports Families in Central New York

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By: Kate Houck, Chief Energy Officer/Executive Director

Airline safety briefings tell passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before helping anyone else. David’s Refuge uses that image to describe its mission: offering care to the caregiver. For parents raising children with significant medical or developmental needs, that advice is easy to agree with and nearly impossible to follow.

A Need That Is Easy to Overlook

One in every 26 American families is raising a child with a disability, and many of those parents provide round-the-clock care with little relief. Friends and family can pull away because they no longer know how to relate, and a child’s needs can dictate the family’s every move, leaving parents little say over how they spend their time. Self-care falls to the bottom of the list, and exhaustion follows.

David’s Refuge exists to interrupt that cycle. Its mission is to provide respite, resources and support to parents and guardians of children with special needs or life-threatening medical conditions, so they can be refreshed, restored and renewed in their role as caregivers.

The Heart of the Work

The organization’s signature offerings include an overnight weekend respite program, wellness programming and community events. During respite, caregiving couples receive a getaway at no cost, typically two nights at a Central New York bed-and-breakfast, made possible by donations from the community.  The weekends encourage social connection where several couples attend at once, allowing for parents to meet others walking a similar path. For families who often feel isolated, that connection can matter as much as the rest.

Because not every family can make a scheduled weekend work, David’s Refuge offers a reimbursement respite program allowing parents to plan their own one- or two-night break, on a weekday or weekend, pay up front, and apply for reimbursement afterward.

The wellness programming covers five areas (physical, emotional, spiritual, social and financial) and includes a monthly newsletter along with virtual and in-person offerings. David’s Refuge has also partnered with CNY Mental Health Counseling to support caregivers and their families with their mental health needs.

Community programming is hosted throughout the year, both virtual and in person, some for whole families and some for caregivers alone, and offers a private Facebook page where caregivers can connect. Each November, during National Caregiver Awareness Month, caregivers can find weekly wellness tips and education about caregiver burnout.

Growth and Recognition

David’s Refuge has grown considerably. What began in 2012 as a small start-up serving 43 parents a year has grown to support nearly 1000 families annually with extensive year-round programming.  The mission continues to draw wider notice and recognition.  In 2026, SUNY Upstate selected David’s Refuge as its Your Cause charity, which brings volunteer support and funding to expand support for caregivers and their children.

How to Help

Demand is high, and the organization relies on the community. It receives no state or government funding. Supporters can give monthly, volunteer, give through their business or attend one of many wonderful fundraising events.  Caregivers who need support, or anyone who knows one, can find the application and all event information at davidsrefuge.org. In a system that mostly focuses on the child, David’s Refuge reminds parents that they matter too, and that families and our community thrive when we do one simple thing- care for the caregiver.

Join us! Davidsrefuge.org

Crouse Health’s Unique Culture: Blending High-Quality Care, Career Longevity, and a Community Feel

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By Elizabeth Landry

Both Seth Kronenberg, MD, and Lynne Shopiro, RN, have deep ties to Crouse Health – they both used the word “family” when talking about their connection with the hospital.

For Dr. Kronenberg, Crouse’s President and CEO, Crouse was there from the very beginning: it’s the hospital where he was born, and where his four daughters were also born. The first clinical position of his career, before going on to become a private practice internal medicine physician admitting his patients to Crouse, was as a pharmacy technician at the hospital. Over the years, Dr. Kronenberg also served as Crouse’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer before following in his father’s footsteps, who served as Crouse’s President and CEO from 2004 to 2014.

For Shopiro, who has served as Crouse’s Chief Nursing Officer since 2019, her professional connection with Crouse dates to when she enrolled at the Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1980, graduating in 1982 and beginning her nursing career in 1983 at Crouse as a bedside nurse on a medical floor – a role she held for half her career. She eventually went on to become the nurse manager of the cardiac care unit, then the director of the cardiac services line at Crouse, before stepping into her current role. She’s now enjoying the 43rd year of her career with Crouse.

“Even before I came to nursing school here, this was my family hospital. My father had multiple surgeries at Crouse. I kind of grew up here, so it’s very family-oriented to me,” Shopiro shared.

One aspect of Crouse that both Dr. Kronenberg and Shopiro identified as being an integral reason for their long-standing, successful careers at the hospital is the organization’s deep-seated culture of respect among providers. For Dr. Kronenberg, this important, community-based culture stems from Crouse’s unique position as a high-quality, regional medical center with a strong commitment to the local area.

“We’re the only locally-governed hospital in Syracuse – we’re the only community hospital in the state that has a regional perinatal center and a comprehensive stroke program,” explained Dr. Kronenberg. “Our stroke team is consistently meeting – and exceeding – national averages for door-to-treatment times, and we’re the only hospital in the region with two hybrid operating suites to provide the most advanced endovascular stroke rescue capabilities. To be able to balance the high-acuity, high-end clinical care with that community hospital culture is something we’re very proud of. We’ve spent a lot of time continuing to enhance that, and it’s why I love coming to work every day.”

A Culture Built on Respect, Support, and Teamwork

According to both Dr. Kronenberg and Shopiro, a key element of the culture at Crouse is the strong sense of teamwork shared among the various providers and staff members.

“We’re all part of the care team. We say it takes a village to take care of our patients, and the relationships that our nurses have with providers, therapists, our environmental services staff, our nutritional services staff – it takes all of us,” said Shopiro. “To be able to have that culture where we’re all working together for what’s best for the patient, it’s priceless.”

Dr. Kronenberg shared that although working in healthcare can be very stressful and challenging at times, Crouse’s culture rooted in respect helps overcome challenges so employees can enjoy coming to work.

“Our culture is our people, and it’s about how everybody treats each other with mutual respect. All of us play an integral role in the patient experience. Healthcare can be extremely challenging, but when relationships are based on mutual respect, you’re able to get through those challenges,” he said, adding that the collaborative relationship between physicians and nurses especially is critical for high-quality patient care and patient outcomes, and is one of the things that makes Crouse special.

Since stepping into leadership roles at Crouse, Dr. Kronenberg said he’s gained a stronger realization of how important culture is to an organization. “Crouse’s mission is to provide the best patient care and promote community health. You can’t do that without a vibrant culture; you can’t have high-quality health care, have engaged employees and continue to enhance the services the institution delivers without that amazing culture as the backbone,” he said.

Workforce Development Pathways for Retention and Success

Looking back over her decades-long career at Crouse, Shopiro emphasized how the supportive culture among nurses and providers made each step of her healthcare journey enjoyable.

“I can’t say enough about the people who have supported me and mentored me through my career, particularly the nurses and physician staff here at Crouse. As a bedside nurse, the providers supported me in my journey, taking those teachable moments and helping me become the best caregiver I could be that patients deserve,” said Shopiro.

Alongside mentorship of newer employees, Dr. Kronenberg and Shopiro shared that Crouse leadership has also prioritized hardwired workforce development pathways as a means of increasing retention and battling workforce shortages across global healthcare as well as specifically within nursing – leading to more career longevity.

“Workforce development is one of our most important strategic priorities. We are in a global health care workforce shortage. When someone starts their journey at Crouse, we want them to spend their entire career here. In addition to being a hospital, we’re a very large business with 3,500 employees. Anything you want to do in your career, you can do at Crouse. That’s why we say, at Crouse, grow with us,” said Dr. Kronenberg. “We don’t want anyone to have to figure it out on their own. We’re partners with our employees, and offering those hardwired career pathways to help people progress is extremely important to us.” A partnership with Crouse’s union, SEIU 1199, offers a training fund program to help employees advance in their careers, he added.

On the nursing side of the equation, specifically, the Pomeroy College of Nursing is an important aspect of helping employees progress in their professional journey at Crouse.

“We’ve had several of our employees attend our nursing school and now they’re working as RN’s though out our hospital,” said Shopiro. “Recruiting exceptional nurses is important – but retaining the talented nurses we already have is equally essential. We want to be an organization where nurses choose to build their careers, grow professionally, and feel valued for the meaningful work they do every day.” Experienced nurses play an important role in mentoring, developing, and inspiring the next generation of nursing professionals, she said.

“We really focus on listening to our staff. I believe we have a strong shared governance model here at Crouse, including a structure where nurses are part of the decision making. I think nurses really feel held to an organization where they know they can make a difference,” explained Shopiro. “We also do a lot of wellness initiatives here at Crouse, and recognition is really important, as well. We want to make sure our nurses are recognized for doing their jobs well, and we do that through participating in the Daisy Foundation.”

Expanding, Advancing and Caring for the Community

For Dr. Kronenberg and Shopiro, maintaining the unique culture among providers and nurses at Crouse and building and retaining a strong workforce is central to Crouse’s mission to provide the best care for patients. In many cases, this can start in the Emergency Department where Crouse has the shortest wait times.

Several recent expansions and enhancements of Crouse’s health care services are advancing this mission, as well, Dr. Kronenberg explained, including the Sunny B Would Care Center that opened in July of this year and the recently completed transition to the state-of-the-art electronic medical record system, EPIC.

Crouse plans to expand cardiac services at the Miron Cardiac Care Center in the near future, which currently includes interventional cardiology, an EP lab and the region’s only pediatric catheterization lab. As the largest group of employed cardiologists in the area, and the first to offer Heartflow technology and the first to implant a Watchman device, this expansion will continue to grow Crouse’s cardiology service offerings.

Additionally, Crouse plans to modernize and expand the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Providing high-risk care for moms and babies from 17 affiliate hospitals within a 14-county region, Crouse is a Regional Perinatal Center with the highest-level NICU. With an average length of stay of 33 days, the NICU at Crouse cares for approximately 900 babies each year, including about 300 transferred in annually. As a Regional Perinatal Center, Crouse is able to provide access to a continuum of timely, appropriate obstetric and pediatric specialized care for those moms and babies who are high-risk, helping to produce healthier outcomes for the region.

Crouse’s outpatient footprint will expand, as well, through a new ambulatory site that is planned for the old Switz’s and CXtec building on South Bay Road in North Syracuse. Alongside expansion of services, Crouse also plans to continue and grow its role as a pillar in the community.

“We greatly value the trust that the community gives to us to provide care, and we want to return that trust by remaining active members of the Central New York Community,” said Dr. Kronenberg. “Crouse is the only locally governed, independent hospital in Syracuse. We have the ability to make local decisions about what’s best for our patients here and what the community needs. We’re more than a hospital, we’re also a member of the business community. So, community engagement is something we spend a significant amount of time on, whether it’s providing a visit to Hospital Land for first-graders or partnering with the Syracuse City School District or working with the American Heart Association. We greatly value our role in the community.”

Looking back to the organization’s history and looking ahead to its future, Dr. Kronenberg is excited about how Crouse’s unique position in the Central New York community will continue to serve the region for years to come.

“Crouse has been here for 140 years and we’ll be here for another 140 years,” he said. “We’re active members of the community, and we know there’s no solution for health care in Central New York that doesn’t involve Crouse Health. We’re very excited for all the growth that’s coming to our region, and we know we’re going to be here to meet the demands of the community as we move forward.”

The Impact of the USA v Canada Tariff War on the NYS Construction Industry

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Earl R. Hall, Executive Director, Syracuse Builders Exchange

The continuing trade dispute between the United States and Canada is creating a significant level of uncertainty for the New York State construction industry. The issue is particularly important to New York because Canada is the state’s largest trading partner, and Canadian-sourced materials, such as lumber, steel, aluminum, plywood, cement, and other construction products, which are integrated into New York’s construction supply chains. Recent developments in September increased the potential for higher material costs, supply disruptions, project delays and greater financial risk for contractors and project owners.

New York’s construction industry is a major component of the state’s economy, employing more than 400,000 New Yorkers and contributing more than $66 billion annually. The state has previously identified steel, aluminum, and lumber as important construction material affected by tariffs and warned that higher material costs can result in fewer projects, delays, and increased project costs.

Impact on Construction Contractors

For contractors, the most immediate concern is price volatility. A contractor may develop a bid based on a supplier’s quoted price, only to discover that a tariff or retaliatory measure has increased the cost before the material is purchased. This creates substantial exposure, particularly on fixed-price contracts where the contractor has limited ability to recover unforeseen increases.

The problem extends beyond materials imported directly from Canada. A product manufactured in the United States may contain Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, or other components. As a result, purchasing from an American supplier does not necessarily eliminate tariff exposure.

Contractors are therefore likely to place greater emphasis on early procurement, supplier commitments, escalation clauses, allowances, contingencies, and alternative sources of supply. Owners and contractors may also face more negotiations over responsibility for tariff-related increases after a contract has been awarded.

Impact on Material Costs

The construction materials most exposed to the dispute in New York include lumber and engineered wood products, steel, aluminum, copper, plywood, and cement. Existing tariffs on steel and aluminum can reach 50%, while additional tariffs imposed during 2026 have expanded the number of Canadian construction-related products potentially affected.

Canadian softwood lumber is particularly important because Canada has historically supplied a substantial majority of U.S. softwood lumber imports. New York contractors, homebuilders and remodelers therefore have exposure to changes in Canadian lumber pricing even when the supplier is located in the United States.

Impact on Construction Project Owners

For project owners, the principal consequence is increased uncertainty in establishing and maintaining project budgets. Public agencies, private developers, hospitals, universities, manufacturers, and commercial property owners may face higher costs between initial design, bidding, and construction.

Projects that were financially feasible under earlier material prices may require additional funding or redesign. Owners may also encounter longer procurement periods when contractors seek alternative suppliers or wait for pricing to stabilize.

For public projects, these issues can be particularly significant because funding is often established well before construction begins. A substantial increase in steel, aluminum, lumber, or other materials can create a gap between the original project budget and the contractor’s actual cost.

Contracting and Risk Management

The New York tariff environment reinforces the importance of carefully drafted construction contracts. Owners and contractors should consider clearly defining who bears the risk of newly imposed tariffs, establishing material escalation provisions, identifying notice requirements, and determining how changes in law will affect the contract price.

Contractors should also consider obtaining firm supplier quotations, identifying tariff exposure during estimating and purchasing critical materials earlier when economically justified. Owners can reduce uncertainty through early contractor involvement, design flexibility, and realistic contingencies.

Outlook for New York

The most significant issue may be uncertainty rather than any single tariff. New York contractors operate in a highly competitive market where bids are often prepared months before construction begins. Rapid changes in trade policy can make conventional estimating assumptions less reliable.

The U.S.–Canada tariff dispute therefore has the potential to increase construction costs, compress contractor margins, delay projects, and cause owners to postpone or modify planned investments.

For New York’s construction industry, the coming period will require greater attention to procurement, contractual risk allocation, material sourcing, and cost forecasting. Until trade policies become more predictable, both contractors and owners should assume that material pricing and availability can change materially between the time a project is estimated and the time construction is completed. Whoever bears the fiscal responsibility for such unexpected and unanticipated changes should be illustrated in a contract.

The U.S.–Canada tariff dispute represents a material risk to New York’s construction industry. Its effects will extend beyond the importer paying the tariff and can ultimately reach contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and most likely project owners through higher prices, reduced availability, and increased uncertainty. Effective risk management, early procurement, contractual protection, and realistic project contingencies will become increasingly important as New York’s construction industry navigates the evolving trade environment.

Note: Reviewed and amended with the assistance of Microsoft Word and Chat GPT

Caring for the Caregiver: How David’s Refuge Supports Families in Central New York

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By: Kate Houck, Chief Energy Officer/Executive Director

Airline safety briefings tell passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before helping anyone else. David’s Refuge uses that image to describe its mission: offering care to the caregiver. For parents raising children with significant medical or developmental needs, that advice is easy to agree with and nearly impossible to follow.

A Need That Is Easy to Overlook

One in every 26 American families is raising a child with a disability, and many of those parents provide round-the-clock care with little relief. Friends and family can pull away because they no longer know how to relate, and a child’s needs can dictate the family’s every move, leaving parents little say over how they spend their time. Self-care falls to the bottom of the list, and exhaustion follows.

David’s Refuge exists to interrupt that cycle. Its mission is to provide respite, resources and support to parents and guardians of children with special needs or life-threatening medical conditions, so they can be refreshed, restored and renewed in their role as caregivers.

The Heart of the Work

The organization’s signature offerings include an overnight weekend respite program, wellness programming and community events. During respite, caregiving couples receive a getaway at no cost, typically two nights at a Central New York bed-and-breakfast, made possible by donations from the community.  The weekends encourage social connection where several couples attend at once, allowing for parents to meet others walking a similar path. For families who often feel isolated, that connection can matter as much as the rest.

Because not every family can make a scheduled weekend work, David’s Refuge offers a reimbursement respite program allowing parents to plan their own one- or two-night break, on a weekday or weekend, pay up front, and apply for reimbursement afterward.

The wellness programming covers five areas (physical, emotional, spiritual, social and financial) and includes a monthly newsletter along with virtual and in-person offerings. David’s Refuge has also partnered with CNY Mental Health Counseling to support caregivers and their families with their mental health needs.

Community programming is hosted throughout the year, both virtual and in person, some for whole families and some for caregivers alone, and offers a private Facebook page where caregivers can connect. Each November, during National Caregiver Awareness Month, caregivers can find weekly wellness tips and education about caregiver burnout.

Growth and Recognition

David’s Refuge has grown considerably. What began in 2012 as a small start-up serving 43 parents a year has grown to support nearly 1000 families annually with extensive year-round programming.  The mission continues to draw wider notice and recognition.  In 2026, SUNY Upstate selected David’s Refuge as its Your Cause charity, which brings volunteer support and funding to expand support for caregivers and their children.

How to Help

Demand is high, and the organization relies on the community. It receives no state or government funding. Supporters can give monthly, volunteer, give through their business or attend one of many wonderful fundraising events.  Caregivers who need support, or anyone who knows one, can find the application and all event information at davidsrefuge.org. In a system that mostly focuses on the child, David’s Refuge reminds parents that they matter too, and that families and our community thrive when we do one simple thing- care for the caregiver.

Join us! Davidsrefuge.org

The Workforce Predicament

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For years, workforce conversations in Central New York and beyond have centered on a familiar question: How do we find more people? But today, business leaders should be asking an equally important question: How do we create an organization where good people want to come and want to stay? That distinction has become critical. Employers continue to face a difficult combination of skills shortages, changing workforce expectations, demographic pressures, and competition for talent. For manufacturers, where technical knowledge and experience can take years to develop, losing an employee can mean losing far more than just a name on the payroll. It can mean losing institutional knowledge, productivity, customer relationships, and future leadership potential. That’s precisely why workforce attraction and retention can no longer be viewed primarily as HR functions. They’re business strategies.

The Employment Relationship Has Changed
Compensation and benefits will always matter. But employees increasingly evaluate a potential employer based on the complete experience of working there, including the company’s leadership, communication, opportunities for development, workplace culture, flexibility where possible, recognition, and whether they believe their contributions matter. In other words, employees are evaluating the complete relationship.

That relationship is built, or weakened, through everyday interactions. Does a supervisor communicate expectations clearly? Are employees asked for their ideas? And when they’re asked for ideas, does the company respond to them? Does leadership explain why changes are occurring? Are people given opportunities to develop new skills and advance? Do employees understand how their work contributes to the organization’s success? None of these require extravagant employee programs, but they do require intentional leadership.

Retention Begins Long Before Someone Resigns
Unfortunately, many organizations discover an employee is unhappy only after receiving a resignation letter. By then, the opportunity to address the underlying issue may have passed. Retention should instead be treated as a continuous process. Regular conversations between managers and employees can uncover frustrations, career aspirations, and improvement opportunities long before they become reasons to leave. Supervisors should understand that managing people is not simply about assigning work and measuring output. It’s about developing the individuals responsible for producing that output.

This is especially important as experienced employees retire and organizations bring newer generations into the workforce. Transferring knowledge, building skills, and developing future supervisors require strong relationships between employees and leaders.

Your Culture Is Also a Recruiting Tool
The employer/employee relationship also influences attraction. Candidates have unprecedented access to information about potential employers through social media, online reviews, and personal networks. What current employees say about an organization can be considerably more powerful than what appears in a job advertisement. Companies that create environments where employees feel respected, challenged, supported, and connected to the organization’s mission develop a reputation as a place where people want to work, which is something that’s difficult for competitors to replicate. For Central New York manufacturers, that reputation will become increasingly valuable as companies compete for many of the same skilled workers.

Invest in the People You Already Have
At TDO, we regularly work with manufacturers to improve productivity, processes, leadership capabilities, and workforce skills. One lesson consistently emerges during our work: sustainable operational improvement depends on people. Organizations can invest in automation, equipment, and technology, but those investments reach their full potential only when employees are prepared and motivated to use them effectively. And when those employees are retained.

The companies that succeed in the workforce competition will therefore do more than just recruit. They’ll develop supervisors into leaders, communicate openly, invest in employee skills, recognize contributions, and give people meaningful opportunities to participate in improvement. In a competitive labor market, your strongest workforce strategy may not begin with the next person you hire. It may begin with strengthening the relationships you have with the people who are already there.

TDO is a consulting and training organization based in Liverpool, NY. Our mission is to grow the local economy by helping Central NY manufacturers and technology companies drive operational excellence and cultural transformation to reach their full potential. TDO’s support of the local mission generated $265 million in economic impacts in the last contract period supporting jobs, investments, cost savings, and profitable growth. If you would like to talk further, TDO’s team is experienced and fully certified to help. Reach out today to learn more and schedule a free consultation!