Category: CNY C-Suite

TDO- The Community’s Best Kept Secret; Serving Central NY Since 1988

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By: Janelle Davis

Jim D’Agostino – CEO / MEP Center Director

Mike Metzgar – Business Development Manager

Scott Laundry – Senior Project Manager

Sarah Burlingame – Senior Project Manager

Marc Bicknell – Senior Project Manager

“We’re not the traditional consultants,” says Jim D’Agostino CEO and MEP Center Director for TDO (Train Develop Optimize).

Jim is a degreed mechanical engineer who has been working in manufacturing for over 20 years. He has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, in addition to his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University.

D’Agostino has worked in several manufacturing jobs. Some of these jobs include quality roles, plant manager, and working in operations management. He has also worked in a variety of industries including automotive, precision machining, paper manufacturing and the furniture industry.

D’Agostino was recruited to TDO by a headhunter. “I was happy with my current role, but the allure of TDO, its mission, and the ability to assist numerous manufacturers in the CNY region was too much to pass up,” he admits.

About TDO

TDO, based in Syracuse, NY, is a not-for-profit consulting and training organization working primarily with manufacturers.  Founded by local economic development officials in 1988, TDO began as The Central New York Technology Development Organization. Covering the five-county Central NY region (Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Madison and Oswego), TDO became the New York State CNY Manufacturing Extension Partnership center designation (MEP). 2018 brought to TDO (Train, Develop and Optimize), a new logo, and more determination and passion than ever to reflect their mission.

“Our mission is to help those small to mid-size manufacturers,” says D’Agostino. “We help with a lot of those nitty gritty engineering and technical consulting projects that deliver hard impacts and savings for our clients,” he continues. TDO offers this assistance in order to grow the local economy. They achieve this goal by helping companies increase revenue, reduce costs, and increase productivity. A lot of the work TDO does is technical consulting and engineering support.  They also look for ways to improve productivity and reduce costs.

TDO helps their clients grow by offering certifications, like the Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt Certifications. The Lean Six Sigma is a combination of the best attributes of “Lean Manufacturing” and “Six Sigma.” TDO offers these in-house trainings and workshops with the model to empower your company, innovate new paths, transform your organization, optimize for continuous improvement and bring to light your growth potential.

One of the more popular certifications TDO offers is Toyota Kata. “With Kata, we teach our manufacturers how to think scientifically and how to tackle those everyday obstacles to achieve their target condition or goal. It’s a structured scientific approach to continuously improve,” says D’Agostino. The Toyota Kata is offered with several options, including half day and full day simulations.

To further enhance your company, TDO offers access to free webinars via their website. These webinars cover relevant topics to move your company forward. You will learn from professionals like CEO’s and Client Development Specialists on topics such as, finance during the pandemic, grant information, and help to upskill your current workforce.

What makes TDO different

 “We have shared skin in the game,” D’Agostino says.

What he means, is that after TDO finishes a project with a client, six months later the client will receive a survey from a third party asking them if TDO helped them with any of the following; create/save jobs, grow/save their sales, develop cost savings, etc. All this data is compiled into a report card they get from the federal government every quarter. This report rates them on how good of a job they are doing at hitting those impact categories. It also provides them with an assessment that they can evaluate.

“It’s a neat model we have at TDO,” D’Agostino says. He continues, “This makes us a little different because if we find that we didn’t help a client be more competitive and achieve savings and productivity improvements, then we will get a subpar score and that will affect our grant funding. We are accountable, so when we go into a job, we see ourselves as an integral part of the team and are right there alongside them.”  

TDO has impacts to prove that they are making a difference with their clients. “The number of repeat clients that we have is incredible,” D’Agostino said.

Grant Assistance

Another benefit working with TDO are the multiple grant funding opportunities. As the regional MEP center, they have access to two exclusive grant funds. There are productivity funds through National Grid and NYSEG (Rochester Gas and Electric). Both companies have a reimbursable grant program offering funding between 40% and 60% of project costs. Both programs offer grants up to $40,000 for eligible applicants.

If you are a manufacturer in the five-county region working with TDO, then you can have access to those funds. From which source is dependent on who the client’s utility provider is. “40%-60% funding could make a huge difference for a manufacturer.”  D’Agostino explains that a lot of times this funding is the difference between a project getting approved.

Grant funding can help small to mid-sized manufacturers reinvent themselves, increase profits, create jobs, and establish a foundation for long-term business growth and productivity.

TDO can also connect clients with the Workforce Development Institute (WDI), who also has manufacturing funds available. CNY Works has really good lucrative funds as well. Each grant application is different and TDO will help you navigate through the process.

D’Agostino says, “We are able to connect clients to a bevy of funding partners depending on their need.”

Staff

D’Agostino made sure not to miss the opportunity to highlight his team. Speaking with respect and admiration, he explains that they all have similar skills. They have two, soon to be three, senior project managers, as well as a business development manager.

“We are all degreed in engineering and computer science, and heavy with technical confidence,” He explains. “We are all experienced in lean manufacturing.” He goes on, “We have an electrical engineer, an industrial engineer, a computer scientist and I am a mechanical engineer.”

“We are a very well-rounded team!”

‘Everyone in the organization is critical to success’ AmeriCU Credit Union President & CEO Ron Belle talks about leading through growth, challenges, and community focus.

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By Martha Conway

Ron Belle, President & CEO

AmeriCU Financial Center located at Griffiss Technology Park, Rome

Belle presents Lisa Posselt, Consumer Loan Underwriter III, with an AmeriCU Service Award recognizing her 30th anniversary with the credit union.

Ron Belle, originally of Camillus, joined the AmeriCU team four years ago; as of last year and coinciding with AmeriCU’s 70th anniversary, he is now leading the team.

Belle graduated from Utica College of Syracuse University as well as earned executive management certifications from University of Wisconsin at Madison and Case Western Reserve University. After graduation, he entered the world of financial services before accepting a job at a Syracuse-area bank as a branch manager. From there, he worked his way up, securing increasingly responsible positions and managing greater numbers of people and teams.

During his career, Belle has moved five times living in four states as his career advanced; in 2017, he came home to central New York and AmeriCU. He’s been the president and chief executive officer there since May 2020.

“My wife is originally from Poughkeepsie, so this was a great homecoming opportunity for our family.”

His progress on the way up the financial institution ladder allowed Belle to observe and learn from several managers; two he considers mentors and speaks with regularly.

“At every level, you hone your management traits,” Belle said, adding that management skills evolve as you mature with experience and age.

To lead people through the realities of adapting to change, Belle said the most important functions of his job at AmeriCU are maintaining a strong foundational culture, having a well-designed strategy, and consistently communicating how change supports AmeriCU’s vision, mission and strategic plan.

“You have to focus on individuals,” he said. “You have to get to know the team and what drives them.”

Belle believes in a ‘shadow of the leader’ philosophy, with the understanding that people at every level in an organization can provide a positive influence that can affect sustainable change.

And one place AmeriCU’s nearly 350 teammates are focused on continuing to lead is in their respective communities. With 19 financial centers across nine counties, there are plenty of opportunities for the AmeriCU team to continue to engage with their communities through volunteerism and serving on boards for a variety of non-profits. AmeriCU is committed to providing comprehensive financial wellness, working with schools, colleges and businesses to provide financial resources on a variety of topics from home ownership to caregiving for aging parents, as well as learning about loans and building credit, all provided through in-person or live video seminars and online training programs.

“Across our central New York footprint, financial wellness education has grown and expanded, and participating schools and businesses have grown each year,” Belle said. “We often hear from teachers, students and businesses owners that the financial information we provided made a positive impact on people and families; that makes you really proud.”

AmeriCU’s growth has more than doubled in the past decade, and Belle said investing in technology is a necessity that has helped fuel that growth. Online features such as easier loan applications and better online banking services, attractive to new and long-tenured members, have been widely accepted and implemented.

Another reason for AmeriCU’s growth has been team. Belle said the company has expanded significantly, with a good mix of long-term, tenured professionals who have grown with the credit union, and new teammates who have brought new ideas and process changes from their experience at other organizations.  

“We always talk about how valuable teamwork is,” Belle said. “It is possible to grow too fast and put too much pressure on our people to meet the added demands. As processes change, you can’t do things the same way or even use the same technology, so it’s crucial to communicate these changes to all team members and remind them how critical they are to our success.”

 

In addition, visionaries at the top of the organization must look at all facets of implementing new programs or services and weighing technologies against each other to see if the benefits and growth support the cost of the planned innovations. One of the biggest challenges facing credit unions right now is striking the right balance between banking entirely online using self-serve technology or the more traditional in-branch model.

“We will always strive to maintain that balance between technology and personal human interaction,” said Belle.

AmeriCU is reimagining its vision and mission statement, which Belle said will build upon its community-focused and community-based ideals. The organization is focused on increasing its community involvement and leveraging the expertise of its team members in the communities where they are located.

“AmeriCU’s name is synonymous with members’ prosperity and growth, and every day we make sure the breadth and depth of services dovetail with our vision and mission, as well as align with our core values,” Belle said. “Our visibility in the community aligns with our strategic plan.”

Belle said he is proud to have AmeriCU based in central New York, a local full-service financial institution that provides members services and advice, from a new member’s first account up to and including retirement and insurance needs.

Belle said some people are uncomfortable with the word ‘member’ versus ‘customer’ or ‘depositor’ at other financial institutions; simply stated, credit unions are non-profit cooperatives owned by members.

Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in AmeriCU’s nine-county field of membership and their immediate family; anyone who works for a number of employer partners; and active or retired military and their immediate family.

“We’ve built a great brand with AmeriCU,” Belle said. “We’re working hard to ensure AmeriCU is the best financial institution, and along with our community support and involvement, we strive to be one of the most admired organizations out there.”

For more information on AmeriCU, visit AmeriCU.org or call 800.388.2000.

An Opportunity To Design New Hybrid Workforce Models

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By: Pierre Morrisseau, CEO, OneGroup

Pierre Morrisseau headshot

Remote work for many appears to be here to stay. The pressing challenge for CEO’s is finding the right hybrid mix of remote work and in-person collaboration to sustain the corporate culture, values and mission.

Connecting people remotely with technology has had a profound impact on business. In many ways, it has increased focus and productivity. The bad news is we can’t quantify what we are losing. Are we really connecting? Are we truly developing strong relationships? Are we missing the many casual opportunities to mentor and teach that happen when we are together?  I believe that finding the right balance between remote work and returning to the workplace is critical to our success. We need to find the best way to gathering around the proverbial water cooler.

We’ve seen that remote work calls for additional skills development and communication techniques. We’ve learned that further innovation is needed to make remote work more productive and engaging. We question: How do we re-engineer in-person activities? Is this a chance to create new work models and facilities that enhance the focus on relationship building, learning and engagement when we do come together?  I believe there is tremendous opportunity for innovation here as well.

When OneGroup built its new building, we wanted to create a truly innovative space that facilitated teamwork, collaboration, innovative thought, engagement, and holistic solutions.  Not just for our employees, but for our clients, our partners, and our communities.  The innovative workspaces allow teams to collaborate to ask better questions. It facilitates diverse groups of our employees, vendors and our community coming together.

One of my favorite parts of that journey was taking a group of employees to the Herman Miller design studio in Michigan where they explained, demonstrated, and lived the concept of deconstructing the office.  They asked these questions (and many more): What is the true use of the space? What is the impact on human psychology in that space? How will it enhance the users’ objectives?

They realized that an office was meant to be highly functional for everyone.  Their model defines several types of work, yet 80% of an employee’s time is spent doing just one of these.  They showed us that you can build your primary space for the 80% of work and build other spaces in the building that fit your other types of work—to build in flexibility and creativity. To see some of this in action you can go to www.hermanmiller.com/stories/why-magazine/.

In the end, the journey to learn and open our minds to new ways of working was as valuable for our culture as the final construction of our new facility. We learned there is real power in teams. They are more impactful in quickly bringing solutions, and they create a more rewarding experience for our team members. The process—although we had no idea at the time—also prepared us to easily transition to remote and safe in-office work while not missing a beat in serving our many clients.

I think the quest for the hybrid work environment follows the same thought process: deconstruct the workplace and perhaps even the total work concept. As CEO’s it provides a great opportunity to ask better questions and to collaborate with each other, our employees, our partners, and our communities. Every organization is different and will want to develop their own specific solutions, but our challenges are remarkably similar. We share business fundamentals that can be applied in each of our organizations. I see this as a tremendous opportunity for each of us to take our organizations to a higher level.

Dr. Robert Corona, CEO Upstate University Hospital; Digging Deeper for the Greater Good

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By: Sarah Hall

Medical staff showing vaccines

Upstate University Hospital CEO Dr. Robert Corona and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amy Tucker are part of a “lead by example” campaign for the COVID-19 vaccine. Upstate was named a hub by the Governor’s office to facilitate the vaccine rollout for five counties in Central New York.

Medical staff

Upstate Medical University President Mantosh Dewan, MD, (center) and Hospital CEO Robert Corona,  MBA, (right) receive an update from staff during an on-site vaccination clinic. As the hub, Upstate vaccinated staff from other hospitals as well.

Photo Credit: Kathleen Froio

“When things are tough, like in a tough game, you’ve got to dig down,” said Robert Corona, DO, the CEO of Upstate University Hospital.  “You do not want to let your teammates down, so you keep digging deeper.”

Digging deeper is what Dr. Corona’s team—the thousands of doctors, nurses, technicians, lab workers and others—has been doing since the COVID-19 pandemic reached Central New York. The hospital has treated hundreds of patients who contracted the virus, implemented new tests, developed new therapies, and—as part of SUNY Upstate Medical University—was alongside the creation of one of the most accurate and affordable COVID-19 tests and the first vaccine approved for use by the FDA.

Most recently, Upstate University Hospital was named the vaccine hub for five counties in Central New York. These hubs, established by the governor’s office, are led by local hospital systems to work with the counties and community leaders and to guide the stages of the state’s vaccination plan.

Dr. Corona said Upstate has been able to handle the COVID-19 challenge because the institution has always focused on people, both those it employs and those in the community. “When our people work hard, they do it for the greater good, not because of a bonus check or hazard pay,” he said. “As a [state-regulated hospital] their compensations are negotiated at the state level, but they still do their jobs with courage and caring. I could not imagine being on any other team.”

Dr. Corona brings a range of experience to his role as CEO. He holds a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree (DO), an alternative to an MD with an equal scope of practice and licensing requirements to MDs. Among his fellow DO alumni is Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who is President Joseph Biden’s personal physician and a decorated Navy physician.

Dr. Corona’s clinical training started in neurology at Upstate, but he quickly realized his interest was in the pathology of neurological diseases. This led to a residency in anatomic pathology and fellowship in neuropathology. He also did a special fellowship in neuropathology, concentrated in neuromuscular diseases at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. That fellowship was under the direction of Dr. Joe Parisi, another Upstate alumnus, who went on to be the chief of neuropathology at the Mayo Clinic. 

In addition, he has earned an MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

After his fellowship, Dr. Corona came to work at Upstate. He served as one of the region’s only neuropathologists and started Upstate’s Telemedicine and Medical Informatics Program in 1995. He then spent 16 years on the business side of medicine as chief medical officer and vice president of medical and scientific affairs at Welch Allyn. During his time there, he remained involved with Upstate and returned in 2012 to chair the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

At Upstate, he continues to serve as a named professor, and awards for teaching include the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. His past positions at Upstate include chief innovation officer and vice president for business development. He also led the development and implementation of the Upstate MIND (Medical Innovation and Novel Discovery) at the CNY Biotech Accelerator.

Dr. Corona said he was drawn back to Upstate because he loved being part of a teaching hospital and was honored to be appointed to the CEO role in 2018. “I missed the unique stimulation of being in an academic medical center,” he said. “It also may sound a little unusual in referring to a place of this size, but Upstate is a family.”

In addition to the officers in his hospital C-suite, Dr. Corona says that excellent working relationships with Upstate President Mantosh Dewan, MD, and College of Medicine Dean Lawrence Chin, MD, has made his job enjoyable, even as they all face challenges from the pandemic.

“We feel like we are the go-to institution for the most complicated and complex problems,” Dr. Corona said. “I mean, imagine an institution of medium-size in a medium-sized city having such an impact on the world.”

Upstate Medical University is the region’s largest employer and is composed of four colleges; the clinical system overseen by Dr. Corona, which includes two hospital sites and a biomedical research enterprise. The COVID test called Clarifi COVID-19 was developed by the Upstate research team, led by Dr. Frank Middleton, and Quadrant Biosciences. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in December that the test is among the most sensitive in the world in detecting the virus in its earliest stages. The saliva test is also cost-effective and easy to use, as patients can administer it themselves. The SUNY system has used the tests and Upstate’s unique pooled testing system to process up to 200,000 tests a week.

On the therapeutic side, Upstate Chief of Infectious Disease Dr. Stephen Thomas served as the coordinating principal investigator for the worldwide Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine trial. Upstate is one of the global phase-three trial locations. The vaccine was the first to be approved for use against COVID-19; the first doses were administered in December.

While COVID currently dominates the headlines, the hospital is advancing other medical care with new treatments and procedures in the fields of neurological disorders, surgery, cancer and many others.

Those innovations will help serve patients the numerous clinical services and specialty centers that are unique to Upstate, from the Cancer Center to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital to the Comprehensive Stroke Center to the Upstate Heart Institute, and more. And because those centers are connected to a larger facility, multiple departments can address patients’ needs.

“That multidisciplinary collaboration is the huge benefit of being a teaching hospital,” Dr. Corona said. “That collective expertise means you have physicians who are at the top of their fields to discuss the cases across departments, so you get additional expert opinions. They also are teaching the next generation of the profession. That keeps everyone on the forefront of skills and knowledge. All this goes to the benefit of the patients in our community.

“The environment changes every day, and in this pandemic, it changes dramatically every day,” he said. “You have to have a tool set that you can call on depending on the environment you encounter that day. Because we have so many talented staff, we are able to optimize for the problem we are confronting.”

He’s confident Upstate’s team can overcome any challenge.

“In the hospital, I think the future is very bright,” Dr. Corona said. “We are in the midst of deploying the vaccine, and we will build upon the innovations that came with COVID-19. We have come into our own in the past couple of years, and I think we are on a flight path that is allowing us to do great things.”

In service to the mission

As a leader at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Dr. Corona is responsible for upholding Upstate’s mission and values. “Upstate’s mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve through education, biomedical research and patient care,” he said. “The hospital intersects with all parts of the mission.”

Dr. Corona said Upstate leadership relied on input from thousands of employees across education, research and patient care to develop its core values, which are to:

  • Drive innovation and discovery
  • Respect people
  • Serve our community
  • Value integrity
  • Embrace diversity and inclusion

Those values dictate everything Upstate does, he said. They also helped him establish the four strategic pillars specific to the clinical system. These are:

Quality of Care

“These are the objective measures to show that we’re always striving to care for our patients with the greatest expertise, in the safest environment,” he said

“We also reach goals for awards set by external agencies. We are accredited by DNV Healthcare, and this process helps us live up to national and international best practices.”

The Upstate Experience

“This is about the subjective experience, or how you feel when you are a patient here,” he explained. “We want to ensure that our people are courteous and that your clinical team is communicating with you in the way you need.

“The Upstate Experience also relates to the work environment for our employees. We all want our employees to feel valued, protected and safe.”

Advanced Technologies and Innovation

“When patients come to Upstate, they are expecting the most advanced and expert care—it’s a hallmark of being a teaching hospital,” he noted. “In addition to offering the latest technologies, we are also looking to be innovative in our setting. We have teams of employees who are looking at new ways to improve and fine tune how our system works.”

Sustainability and Growth

“We strive to grow strong and be sustainable for healthcare and employment, and we also want to be a system that supports a healthy planet. We are a big place, so how we handle our resources really matters,” he said. “Doing the right thing for the environment directly ties to doing the right things for the health of our patients, of our employees and for Upstate.”

Donna Tupper, Owner/President, Infinity Northeast, Inc. : Approaching 40 years and still growing.

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By: Martha E. Conway

Donna Tupper - Headshot

Donna Tupper, President, Owner, Infinity Northeast Inc.

Jeffrey Schoonover - Headshot

Jeffery Schoonover, Peninsula Lifestyle Capital

After 37 years in construction, Infinity Northeast, Inc., owner, and President Donna Tupper, 59, is continuing to diversify; she is branching out into owner-developer properties and a partnership with principals in IRL Social.

Tupper studied business then attended Cayuga Community College. At 22, with her husband traveling extensively for work and unwilling to hire daycare, she said she had to get creative.

“I went to a few friends at the Small Business Administration and in the real estate industry to see if they could use any help,” she said, adding that she started by cleaning and performing minor repairs before graduating to a full-blown handyman service for the properties. “I painted, hung wallpaper, did trim and hung doors.”

Because the buildings were vacant, she said she could do the work at any hour.

“My mom would watch the baby, and I would work evenings, sometimes all night, eventually growing into having an all-girl crew.”

After expanding her menu of capabilities, Tupper worked for other construction companies starting as commercial project management then into construction executive positions. She decided to go out on her own and learned very quickly that she did not care for the residential work.

“The clients can be very demanding in residential work with minimal financial benefits,” she said. “I love everything about commercial projects. The people who work for Infinity are loyal and dedicated, and I wanted to take care of them.”

She did not want them out working in inclement weather and she could control that.

“Commercial work allows me to take care of the Infinity team,” she said.

“I want to ensure my own future without my daughters worrying about taking care of me, but I also want to make sure the business is stable, and they are taken care of – if and when I decide to get out of the company,” explaining that this year has been something of a challenge, but she is confident she can keep her people busy by moving toward the development end of the business.

Tupper said she has a core group of permanent team members (she doesn’t like to call them ‘employees’) between superintendents, administrative positions and field crews, and they are another reason she’s moving into development.

“Their future is also important to me,” she said.

Property development, ownership and management initiatives are on the horizon, as is entry into the IRL and PropTech arenas.

“I am planning a comprehensive medical center in Naples, Fla., where I will be in the own-developer position,” she said. “I am planning to have physical therapy, a high-tech wellness gym, offices for specialists and possibly a pharmacy, to lease space out.

PT is sorely lacking in Naples. I want to end the necessity of people having to make multiple stops to take care of themselves by consolidating medical services in one building.”

In addition, she is in the initial stages of acquiring land in North Carolina to build single-level, high-end housing for the 55-and-older crowd, and she is planning a resort in Clearwater, Fla. Both will have wellness gyms and a focus on comfortable living.

“There are people, singles and couples, who don’t want the hassle of taking care of properties or climbing stairs anymore,” she said. “I want to give them a great experience and help them really enjoy the last 10 or 20 years of their lives. This will also provide a safe secure environment for the residents.

“After I’m settled into development, I will have set myself up for when I’m no longer working and out of the business. All three daughters reside out of state, so there is really nothing tying me to stay in New York, but the corporate office of Infinity will remain in Syracuse. I can work remotely from anywhere.”

Within the IRL Social field, Tupper said she will invest and partner with Jeffrey Schoonover of Peninsula Lifestyle Capital to assist in the construction development and management pieces of the businesses, with maintaining a financial investment. Schoonover, who is well-versed in e-sports, said Infinity Northeast is ideally placed to identify franchise and emerging market entertainment opportunities due to its work in the gaming/resort/hospitality and food-and-beverage markets. Their partnership, he said, provides an opportunity for investors to get in on the ground floor of these emerging prospects and enjoy a one-stop shop for the digital-IRL Social integration concept.

According to Schoonover, the IRL Social concept drives foot traffic and can play a vital role for malls that have an urgent need to re-purpose unoccupied retail spaces.

“Donna chose the partnership because the founders of IRL Social have in-depth knowledge of the retail real estate sector in closely held investments, recently acquiring more than seven million square feet of commercial retail space in 17 states over the past 18 months,” Schoonover said. “In addition, founders also have stakes in a top-12 professional e-sports organization globally and vast experience in content creation. Founders also have stakes in the PropTech sector, which is growing.”

‘PropTech’ is defined by Vincent Lecamus on Medium.com as a collective term used to define startups offering technologically innovative products or new business models for real estate markets. It includes all available technology to help find properties and investors, match clients to properties, manage properties, finance the business transactions and more.

Development may be in her immediate future, but Tupper said her long-term vision and a career highlight converge in her outreach work: informing young people and displaced workers about the opportunities available in the construction trades.

“I’ve learned a lot over the years, and I’m very proud of the work I’ve done getting younger generations involved in the construction trades,” Tupper said. “It’s one of the most important things I can do.”

Tupper attends and presents at various events. She has led women’s classes within the Carpenters Union, the SBA’s Women in Construction program and with Girls’ World, a 21-year-old national program that aims to connect girls to resources and partners in their communities to help them realize their potential. Syracuse has been a host to the organization in 2018 and 2019 and Tupper spoke, hoping to inform and educate those in attendance.

“The girls come to look at opportunities that are available,” she said. “If you have no idea about construction, how would you know the opportunities that are out there? We try to explain what is out there and the vast avenues for girls to become involved in the construction industry.”

“The union is a good place to start,” she said. “All kids don’t want to go to college; lots of schools have eliminated shop classes. Displaced adult workers have opportunities, too, and construction has been relatively COVID-proof. We only stopped operations for four days.”

Tupper said success is finishing the project and hearing the compliments; on the workmanship, yes, but more so on the integrity of her firm and the workers who represent it.

“I’m experienced, knowledgeable and have a reputation for success in my projects,” Tupper said. “I don’t bid competitively because I believe we have a specific purpose on certain projects. People with experience having Infinity on their projects seek to contract us because of the team’s performance. We all have very good reputations for our knowledge, experience and getting the projects done successfully.”

“We’re one of the few companies that have a record of consistently leaving a project without a punch list. Our crews have always been directed to never leave a site without getting a detailed punch list, so they can complete any discrepancies and will not have to return. A timely completion is an important part of every project.”

Her advice for those thinking about striking out on their own is simple.

“Don’t get too comfortable, work hard and always look ahead,” she said. “As an owner, when you receive your first big check, plan its use. People new to business tend to think they are rich at the start. But they must know not to mismanage funds if they want to stay in business. You need the cash flow to keep the business moving forward.

“Always remember, never treat anyone badly; money isn’t worth your integrity. If you do things underhandly, you will eventually fail. You cannot cut corners and communication is key. You can always look at a way to make yourself and your company better – and that may cost a little more – but you cannot compromise safety or integrity.

 “As long as you use these key points, clients will come, and your company will grow. I love what I do, and most of the time it does not feel like work. Challenges are only a perspective and should be handled with confidence.”

For more information on Infinity Northeast construction and development projects, call 315.657.2381. Tupper said, anyone interested in investing in IRL Social or Ultra Starz should contact Jeffrey Schoonover at 407.474.6244.

Editor’s note: Molly English-Bowers contributed to this story.

A Shot of Hope

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Dr. Kimberly Townsend, President and CEO, Loretto Management Corporation

Dr Townsend headshot

Dr. Kimberly Townsend, President and CEO, Loretto Management Corporation

It is an honor and a privilege to be a trailblazer for the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 60% of the United States population is anxiously awaiting their turn. To be in an industry that is among the first to receive this vaccine is monumental. In business, being “the first” means two things: first-mover advantages, as well as pioneer costs. These two things do not exist in a vacuum – whether you like it or not, you get both.

As the President and CEO of Loretto, I am eager for my frontline healthcare workers and residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As a leader, I would never ask my employees to do something I am not willing to do myself. A few weeks ago, when we offered the vaccine to employees and residents, I was among the first to receive the vaccine because I want to express my confidence in research and science. At the same time, I was not eager to be at the front of the line, as I know there are those more vulnerable than I who will not have the opportunity to get the vaccine right away.

Am I grateful that I have immunity from getting very sick from COVID-19? Yes. But at the same time, my heart breaks for my mother-in-law, who is in her 80s, with pre-existing conditions. She is not among the first group because she isn’t a resident at a senior living facility or a hospital patient. It’s not enough to have a vaccine. We have to get people vaccinated.

This is where pragmatic altruism – my philosophy that doing good is good business – comes into play.

Pragmatic altruism is not charity or only doing good for good’s sake. Rather, it is doing good with a vision, a purpose; in a way that’s a “win-win” for yourself and your business. I have written two books on this topic, Lifecircle Leadership and Lessons in Lifecircle Leadership, a workbook companion released in January 2021. While the pandemic proved to be a challenging interruption to my writing, I stayed the course, as I sensed during a crisis, people needed leadership support more than ever.

It turns out pragmatic altruism has implications today that I could not have predicted. During this pandemic, leaders have a significant opportunity to make an impact – positive or negative – in the lives of their employees and their greater community. Being a leader is not limited to an organization – it extends into leadership within a community.

At Loretto, one of the first things we did when the pandemic started was to connect employees with those others who could provide childcare. We wanted to ensure that our employees could continue making their shifts without stressing about finding childcare when schools and daycare facilities closed. And now, being among the first to receive the vaccine and part of the Upstate Medical University Vaccination Hub Advisory Board, I feel energized to be a passionate advocate committed to determining how we reach all people with what is expected to be a life-saving vaccine.

None of us are safe until all of us are safe. Access is a big piece of the puzzle, but so is education. Many of our employees are understandably hesitant to get a new vaccine, so we are making an effort to educate staff on the facts. We are also creating awareness among our employees that, right now, a vaccine is the sole source of light at the end of this very dark, long COVID-19 tunnel.

This long, dark tunnel is much bigger than healthcare. There is a downstream disaster that we can’t ignore – people struggling due to unemployment, poverty, permanent caregiving at home for remote learning, extreme stress from isolation, the political divide in our country, and more. But, as I tell our employees, this vaccine is a shot of hope to get closer to the light. Our community needs this message and this vaccine.

In conclusion, yes, it is an honor and a privilege to be a trailblazer during a pandemic. But I want to ensure the trail I blaze leads to access to a vaccine and treatment for everyone in our community. I challenge you to do the same – what can you do to make sure that everyone in our community has an equal shot at life?

Dr. Kimberly Townsend, MBA, MPA, JD, Ed.D, CPA, FACHE, is President and CEO at Loretto Management Corporation in Syracuse, NY and an expert in healthcare management and leadership. She is also the author of the books Lifecircle Leadership: How Exceptional People Make Every Day Extraordinary, and Lessons in Lifecircle Leadership: A Practical Guide to Pragmatic Altruism. After nearly twenty years in the field of healthcare, Dr. Townsend has seen how leaders at all levels have the power to make a positive impact on employees, the people they serve, and the community at large. The key is to approach problems and their solutions with the mindset of pragmatic altruism, which believes that every problem has a solution that benefits all parties.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield President/CEO-Elect James Reed to Take Lead with Confidence, Competence, and Compassion

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By: Tami Scott

When Excellus BlueCross BlueShield President and CEO-elect James Reed discusses his past, present, and future roles with the nonprofit health plan, his response is both competent and instinctive. Having joined the team almost 25 years ago, he is educated in virtually all areas of the organization.

 “I’ve been fortunate over the majority of my career, to have been in positions that have allowed me to interact with our customers (both in the community and in the provider network) on a routine basis,” said Reed, an Elmira native who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Le Moyne College in Syracuse.

Through his participation on the senior leadership team over the last decade, Reed has had the opportunity to regularly engage with employees. This variety of roles has given him an appreciation and understanding of different and unique perspectives.

Reed will succeed long-standing President/CEO Christopher Booth, who is retiring in May 2021. Described by Reed as a “man true to his word,” Reed said his integrity is most admirable.

   “[Booth] cares about the company; he cares about the employees; he cares about the community; and he cares about the mission of our company,” Reed said. “When you couple that with his extremely high integrity, it’s clear to see why he has been a fantastic leader and role model for so many over the past 10 years.”

Company Mission and Culture

Reed is passionate about two vital components of Excellus BCBS: satisfying the mission of the company and maintaining the corporate culture.

“The focus on our mission has been critical to the success of the company,” Reed said. “I believe if we’re taking action in making decisions that we believe will either impact the quality of healthcare, the affordability of healthcare, or improve access to healthcare in our community, then inherently we will be successful as a business.”

Customers, he said, from Medicare members to employer group clients, base their decisions on a company’s reputation, product price, size of the provider network, and brand reputation. Over the last decade, for example, the company prioritized these essentials, which resulted in positioning products competitively in the marketplace and gaining a stronger reputation.

But success isn’t based on one goal alone. It’s also the result of good morale, and Reed plans to continue Booth’s legacy of maintaining a strong company culture where employees are engaged and committed to the organization’s overall health and wellbeing.

“That to me is one of the keys to our overall success, and as I think about turning the page on leadership, the culture has been really one of the most important aspects of our success,” he said. “I want to make sure that we continue to keep growing, improving and working on the culture at Excellus BCBS.”

Community Investment

Headquartered in Rochester, Excellus BCBS has operating sites in Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Buffalo, with satellite offices in Binghamton, Elmira, Watertown, and Plattsburgh. As a local, community-based health plan, Excellus BCBS partners with dozens of nonprofits across all regions. It sponsors programs that promote healthy cooking and provide meals to children in low-income areas. It’s the annual presenting sponsor of the nationally renowned Boilermaker 15K Road Race in Utica, which uses its platform to promote year-round programs such as an urban garden and kids’ after-school running programs.

“We live and work within the communities that we serve, and we have historically been very generous with our investments into community-based initiatives,” said Reed, who sits on the board of directors for Centerstate CEO, the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, and HealtheConnections.

In recent years, Excellus BCBS has deliberately focused on aligning its community investment dollars to the organization’s mission. Reed illustrated this concept by using food banks as an example.

“Obviously we’re in a very unique situation this year with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Reed said.  “In our communities, many businesses and therefore, many people, are struggling to get by and food insecurity and access to food is a growing issue.”

As a result, Excellus BCBS distributed $600,000 to support food banks and pantries across its 39-county upstate New York territory.

“The link between food insecurity and overall health is very clear,” he said. “If we’re able to partner with nonprofit organizations in our communities that are doing great and meaningful work across our different territories, and that work aligns to affordability, access and improved quality of healthcare — then that’s a homerun for all of us. That’s what we’re trying to achieve.”

Pandemic Response

The ceaseless goal of first-rate client care has also been exhibited through its comprehensive response to the pandemic. Excellus BCBS expects to spend an unbudgeted amount of at least $162 million, which is being funded through the health plan’s reserves.

Excellus BCBS has responded to the pandemic by taking measures such as increasing reimbursement rates for telehealth; waiving out-of-pockets costs for telehealth; expediting payments of hospital claims and implementing a 20 percent increase in reimbursement for COVID-19 admissions. This, Reed said, is all to reduce the administrative burden on the provider community.

“Leadership wanted to remove any obstacles physicians might have had in providing care to members through virtual services,” he said. “And in terms of our business, we’ve made investments in how we interact with our provider community and what benefits we offer to our members with the intent to make sure there are no barriers, either financial or administrative, that would prevent someone from seeking care to either be tested or to receive treatment should they be infected with the virus.”

In addition to the behind-the-scenes adjustments made during this difficult time, the team uses the company website to inform its members, providers and the public about the latest in news and resources related to the coronavirus through a landing page that includes resources and up-to-date information on coverage.

Another public platform hosted by Excellus BCBS, “A Healthier Upstate,” offers lighter reading on topics including the importance of well-child visits and nutrition. “This has proven to be a valuable tool in getting information out to the community,” said Reed. Contributing writers from throughout Excellus BCBS share their knowledge on www.ahealthierupstate.org regarding trends and tips connected to both remote work and distance learning.

Vision for Future

As Reed begins his role as President/CEO elect, he’s contemplating what the next 10 years might be like. With remarkable statistics behind and beside him, he’s optimistic in gauging a promising future.

“Looking back, a true measure of our success can be seen in the uninsured rate in the Upstate and Central New York communities,” he said.

In 2018, the uninsured rate for Upstate New York was 3.5 percent, the lowest in modern times, and less than half the national rate of 8.9 percent, according to the 2018 American Community Survey.

Additionally, rate requests for 2021 were well below the New York state average for both individuals and small groups for the fourth year in a row.

On August 13, New York state reduced that rate request even further, cutting individual premium by 0.2 percent and giving small group, community-rated products an increase of less than one percent.

“To me, that’s the result of the mission focus on health care affordability,” Reed said. “If 10 years from now we can look back and say that in the communities we serve, we still maintain uninsured rates that are lower than the rest of the country; that we’re still rated as a high-quality health plan; that we are still a nonprofit that is mission-oriented, and focused on our local community; then, to me, that’s the measure of success.”

   James Reed currently resides in Skaneateles with his wife and three children. For more information on Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.

Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Offers Full-Spectrum Spine Surgery

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By: Thomas Crocker
4 MD headshots

At Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists (SOS), a four-physician team of orthopedic surgeons specializing in spine surgery performs the gamut of procedures for neck and back pain, including a variety of outpatient operations at the practice’s
ambulatory surgery center.

In most cases, nonoperative treatments provide sufficient relief from neck or back pain to allow patients to carry out daily functions and enjoy favorite activities. Options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, chiropractic care, acupuncture, nerve-blocking cortisone injections and physical therapy (PT), which is available from the orthopedics and sports therapy team at SOS. Nonoperative care is also available from one of SOS’ partners in care, New York Spine & Wellness Center.

“PT is a mainstay of spine care and is quite effective at treating most back problems,” says Richard DiStefano, MD, orthopedic surgeon at SOS. “It’s an advantage to have PT in our practice because it’s easy for physicians and therapists to collaborate to tailor therapy for patients.”

Surgical Solutions
When conservative therapies prove ineffective, surgery may be appropriate. Large operations, such as cervical laminectomy, cervical fusion, cervical laminoplasty, and lumbar laminectomy and fusion, typically require hospitalizations of two or more days, and SOS spine surgeons perform these procedures at St. Joseph’s Health and Crouse Health.

Many spine surgeries do not require a hospital stay, and for these, SOS has a dedicated home: Specialists’ One-Day Surgery Center, located at 5801 East Taft Road in North Syracuse. There, surgeons perform anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, lumbar discectomy, and one-level laminectomy. Another outpatient procedure, sacroiliac joint fusion, may provide relief for individuals with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Requiring just two small incisions in the buttocks, the procedure allows a spine surgeon to solidify the joint with a cage-like implant.

One of the most common procedures that Dr. DiStefano performs at the Specialists’ One-Day Surgery Center is spinal cord stimulator implantation. Spinal cord stimulation uses implanted electrodes and a small generator to deliver mild, pain-relieving electrical impulses to the cervical or lumbar spine. Candidates include individuals for whom back surgery did not provide relief or who have chronic back or leg pain, degenerative spine changes, reflex dystrophy in the foot or knee, or painful neuropathies in the feet or hands, according to Dr. DiStefano.

“Patients undergo a one-week trial using electrodes placed percutaneously and an external battery pack,” Dr. DiStefano says. “If that’s successful, we permanently implant the electrodes in the spine through a small incision in the upper or lower back. The wires are connected to a generator in the buttocks. Patients can adjust the strength of the electrical signal with a remote.”

The variety of outpatient spine procedures available at the Specialists’ One-Day Surgery Center is indicative of the sweeping nature of spine care at SOS.

“Ours is a comprehensive spine program,” Dr. DiStefano says. “We perform procedures on all parts of the spine in inpatient and outpatient settings, and we also offer a wide range of nonsurgical treatments. Patients get all-encompassing care at SOS.”

Telemedicine Appointments Available

Video visits played a crucial role in allowing Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists to continue caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine appointments through the SOS Virtual Visit App remains an option for initial and follow-up appointments, as appropriate, for patients who wish to see their orthopedic surgeon from the comfort of home.

History Has Shown the Construction Industry will Endure

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By: Earl Hall, Executive Director, Syracuse Builders Exchange

It is early September.  The cool mornings and slight tint of colors in trees illustrate the beginning of change.  It is a timely and expected change, transitioning summer to fall.  The annual upstate New York tradition also means contractors are busy wrapping up projects over the next few months in preparation for the expected change to winter.

Unexpected change is inevitable, but how we as a society and construction industry executives react to uncertain changes can vary.  Although the country is still in the midst of a pandemic, construction industry employers have adapted to new “norms” both in the office and on the construction job site.  What are the new “norms” when bidding a project?  What lessons have been learned about how to bid on projects during a pandemic, and for how long will these new “norms” be in place?  Have contractors and project owners alike done all they can do to mitigate risk and liability exposures, and are those measures adequate protections in the event of unexpected issues?

Over the decades, the construction industry has endured many eras of uncertainty and recessions.  The industry has many wonderful success stories of second and third generation construction companies which have survived similar times.  Lessons have been learned and new best practices have been adopted during each occurrence, so I suspect the current economic and industry turmoil resulting from COVID-19 is no different – except for those who have no experience.

History is a great teacher of delivering the most difficult lessons.  Some examples of recessions in the United States that have led to eventual recoveries and survival of construction contractors include:

The Asian Flu Pandemic lasted from the summer of 1957 through April of 1958.  While the coronavirus originated in China, the Asian Flu originated in Hong Kong.  It ripped through India and Europe and eventually made its way to the United States.  It killed over 1 million people world-wide and initiated a global recession.  In an effort to end the recession, then President Dwight D. Eisenhower convinced congress to pass a stimulus package addressing national infrastructure needs in the Federal Aid Highway Act.  Notice any similarities today?

The Oil Embargo from 1973-1975 resulted in the longest U.S. economic recession since the Great Depression from 1929-1933.  Unemployment reached approximately 8.8% and gas prices soared, increasing the cost of consumer goods and services.  In an effort to end the recession, the Federal Reserve significantly lowered interest rates, which would later lead to high inflation in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Sound familiar?

From July 1981 to November 1982, the U.S. endured yet another oil-related recession when the Iranian Revolution ended and the new regime exported oil at very low prices, keeping gas prices in the U.S. high.  With inflation in the U.S. at an all-time high, the Federal Reserve increased interest rates to 21.5% which then lowered the inflation rate, however, the economy declined by 3.6% over the next 16 months while unemployment soared to over 10%.  Then President Ronald Reagan attacked this problem by reducing taxes and increasing military spending.

The Savings and Loan crisis and Gulf War lead to a recessionary era from July 1990 through March 1991.  This modest recession saw GDP decline to 1.5% while unemployment reached 6.8%.  Although the recession officially ended in 1991, the U.S. experienced 7 consecutive quarters thereafter of very slow growth.

Who could ever forget the short and swift Dot-Com crash in 2001, and the horrific events of September 11, 2001?  During this recession, the Nasdaq fell 75% while the S&P 500 lost 43% between 2001 and 2002.  What lead the U.S. economy out of this recession:  The housing market.  What later initiated the next recession?

From December 2007 to June 2009, the housing market imploded and triggered the Great Recession.  Some of the largest U.S. financial institutions collapsed under the default weight of mortgage-backed securities.  During this time, unemployment rates hit 10.5% and the GDP declined 4.4%.  What did the government do to re-energize the economy?  Congress passed a $1.5 trillion stimulus package.  

What lessons did the construction industry learn during these past recessions and why is history so important to those who are responsible for developing a strategy for 2021?  The circumstances and events we find the U.S. in today, and those in upstate New York, are not unique.  History has proven the construction industry has endured those same challenges we are experiencing today.  And while the politicization of the coronavirus is evident, some pundits have argued the over-reaching of governmental authority has crippled the economy more than the virus itself.  Through it all, the construction industry has learned how to not only endure times of uncertainty but position itself to be stronger when the crisis is over.

People often ask me what I think about the current state of the construction industry in upstate New York.  My answer is the current state of the industry is strong, despite the pandemic and the new “norms” mentioned above that has caused the industry much angst and money.  While 2020 is still in play, I do have concerns for 2021 and 2022 for the reasons mentioned in my prior article about the lack of funding for future public and private projects.  The many regional architects and engineers I speak with share my belief, in that this recession will end when a vaccine is developed and our elected officials in Washington, D.C. pass a meaningful infrastructure stimulus package to address the crumbling infrastructure in our country – but specifically in New York State.

During this time, and while planning for 2021, I would encourage construction industry executives to identify:

  • Means to become more efficient
  • Market segments that provide your company the best return on your investment
  • How to improve the quality of your team
  • How to improve your firm’s information technology
  • Future training and/or equipment needs
  • Other areas to achieve economies of scale

Recessions and market trends come and go.  Those of you who have been in the construction industry long enough know this and have positioned your company to endure the hardship, only to ultimately persevere and prosper in the long run.  What is new about the current environment?  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s ability to unilaterally control businesses opening and closing.  Such strict governmental mandates and regulations on businesses is unique in our history, so we have no history lessons to lean on to know how to react when governmental mandates adversely impact businesses and the employees they hire.

In the end, upstate New York’s construction industry and those executives who lead their companies will be resolute.  Perseverance will overcome fear and determination will overcome governmental mandates.  Lessons will be learned from COVID-19 that will resonate for generations. 

The construction industry will lead the way to our regional economic recovery; unfortunately, there will be tumultuous times ahead as I anticipate a very challenging time in 2021.

The Best Defense For Risk Is a Strong Offense

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Pierre Morrisseau, CEO, OneGroup

Risk has been around for as long as there have been people on this planet. What’s fascinating is the changing nature of risk. From the risk of becoming dinner for a hungry dinosaur while out hunting to the usual natural risks of meteorites, earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods to sophisticated new risks like cyber attacks, risks are evolving right along with our own evolution.

Nowhere is this more evident than business risk. The very function of creating and operating a business is to run headlong into myriad risks while creating new ones. Sometimes, creating risk is even part of the business strategy. Let me explain that.

When businesses take on innovation and opportunity risk, they knowingly put themselves in a position to fail. That same risk can also lead to great reward, as other companies are either to fearful to take the risk or do indeed fail. Similarly, companies that start up or create a new division in a competitive market take on competitive risks that could damage or even kill their current business model. Again, knowingly putting the company at risk opens the door to potentially great success and rewards. The strategy is to identify all the other risks and take steps to reduce, eliminate or use financial tools like insurance to protect them.

During this long-running pandemic, we have been working with our clients and other companies to go on the offensive—to identify risks and accelerate learning to foresee and control risk. One example is our work with local and regional manufacturers. We saw their stress navigating as essential businesses while the virus was marching across the world. Instead of waiting to see how risks would play out—many of which were not yet recognized—we formed and facilitated a roundtable of manufacturers to share what they were seeing, what actions they were taking, and discuss new ways of operating. The results of these weekly ad-hock video calls were more than impressive.

These manufacturers were of every size from a hundred employees to more than 55,000. They openly shared their fears, failures and solutions as well as various vendors for PPE and other services. What would have been an agonizing and drawn out learning curve for each of them resulted in a greatly accelerated process of risk mitigation. While OneGroup was there merely to facilitate and answer any risk management questions, we learned a great deal about the value of openly communicating with others in your industry, even your competitors. When asked after several weeks of meeting every Friday if they would like to continue meeting, they unanimously said they felt they were getting great value out of sharing as well as having made valuable new contacts.

Taking what we learned, we quickly acted to form additional roundtables in other areas including construction and small business while clients asked about doing the same for them.

Interestingly, OneGroup was formed years ago with the vision of assembling hundreds of experts and specialists and developing the skills and technology tools to put them in front of business leaders—virtually—when they need help. The concept was to create a unique business model that would allow us to hire the best people anywhere, dramatically speed our ability to collaborate with each other regardless of geography, and meet clients’ needs without suffering the time and expense of travel, lodging and weather. Little did we know when we were designing our business that we were setting ourselves up to mitigate the risk of a global pandemic on our own operations.

To my peers reading this, I am always available to share what we have learned or to discuss facilitating a roundtable or virtual meetings. We are here to help you go on the offensive when it comes to risk and we believe the best way to do that is to share knowledge openly and freely.