Talk CNY

We are in the final month of 2024 and thinking back on all this region’s accomplished this year, you’d be forgiven if you missed or forgot some of the great work that’s been done to make Central New York a place where all people can prosper.  This season on Talk CNY, we’ve had the privilege to hear about the progress we’re making from vital partners as well as some of our talented and thoughtful c...

CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden expansion project would not be possible without the entire Central New York community. Support from our local and state leaders, as well as from the surrounding business community is essential to achieving our vision. For some, they’re not only supporting the future vision, but also giving back to a place that helped them grow.   On this episode of Talk CNY, presented...

One of the most exciting projects that CenterState CEO has underway right now is the expansion of The Tech Garden into a new center of innovation at 235 Harrison Street. The expansion is a physical symbol of how much our innovation economy has grown. We’re not just expanding the building, but also the program offerings. We want this new building to be open to everyone, a welcoming space for all ty...

Today’s conversation is with Heather Drake Bianchi, CEO and Founder of Drakos Clinical Dynamics, an award winning umbrella organization created as a foundation of innovation to provide accessible laboratory and healthcare resources to all walks of life in Central New York.  Drakos Dynamics was named the 2024 Centerstate CEO Business of the Year Award in the ‘Fewer than 50 Employees category’ after...

Today’s conversation is with CenterState CEO member and Business of the Year award winner (in partnership with the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance), Eli Smith, Founder & Managing Director of E. Smith Contractors. In this episode you’ll hear about how this local builder with national reach is evolving and taking on incredible projects, like the renovation of Micron’s downtown office space on...

Today’s conversation is with Dakota Malone, Managing Partner of Community Solar Authority, a do-it-all, done-for-you, bolt-on partnership that delivers turnkey access to enhanced sustainability leveraging the most significant solar developers in the country. Dakota was born and raised in Central New York. In this episode you’ll be inspired by this five-heart surgery survivor with a love for entrep...

We are in the last quarter of 2024, but that doesn’t mean things are slowing down. The team at CenterState CEO is working on numerous projects and events to celebrate and advance Central New York’s economy.  On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, we’re catching up on the last few months and looking forward to what 2025 will hold. CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson joins the podcast...

Today's guest of Talk CNY - Quarterly Market Insights presented by NBT Bank is Ken Entenmann, Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist for NBT Bank. Ken joins us today to share what's happening in the markets and how it impacts you. Kenneth J. Entenmann is Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer & Chief Economist at NBT Wealth Management. Ken has ov...

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been declining nationwide over the last few years. But the values of those initiatives are vital to business and overall community success. As Central New York grows and we strive to create a region where all people can prosper, it’s become even more important to prioritize DEI work and create an inclusive economy. On this episode of Talk CNY,...

Syracuse’s future ON-RAMP facility needs to be a place where diverse people from across the community can feel welcome to utilize resources that can aid their success. So, a vital part of the ongoing planning and design process of this future workforce training facility is community engagement and input.  Helping to lead the community engagement portion of the ON-RAMP planning process is the Urban...

The NY SMART I-Corridor, a consortium of partners from Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, is one of just 12 groups to receive a federal Tech Hub award and the only Tech Hub focused the semiconductor industry. The federal government saw local leaders’ strategy and existing regional assets and determined the NY SMART I-Corridor region has what it takes to be the next globally critical semiconductor in...

Around 400 communities applied to the federal Tech Hubs program, a program designed to support tech-based economies in underinvested areas. Of those, only 12 received a Tech Hub designation and federal dollars to support and implement their strategies. The NY SMART I-Corridor, a coalition of partners from Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Ithaca, is one of those 12 Tech Hubs. And it’s the only desi...

We’ve said it before on Talk CNY, but it’s a really exciting time in Central New York. So far this summer, a delegation of Taiwanese semiconductor industry and supply chain representatives paid a visit to Central New York, the Central New York Community Engagement Committee released the Community Priorities Document, and the federal government awarded the NY SMART I-Corridor a multimillion dollar...

Today's guest of Talk CNY - Quarterly Market Insights presented by NBT Bank is Ken Entenmann, Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist for NBT Bank. Ken joins us today to share what's happening in the markets and how it impacts you. Kenneth J. Entenmann is Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer & Chief Economist at NBT Wealth Management. Ken has ov...

When thinking of any bank or financial institution, it’s likely you think of a place to manage your money, maybe a physical building or an ATM. All of that is a part of the banking ecosystem, but it’s not the whole of it. Our financial institutions are involved in much more, from financing the projects that enable us to grow to supporting nonprofits.  This podcast is an example of that work, with...

New infrastructure don’t just appear. It requires a skilled workforce. So, as the Central New York region grows, we’ll need more people in building trades careers to construct and maintain all that we need. And to grow equitably, it’s vital that the workforce is representative of our entire community. Women and people of color are traditionally underrepresented in the building trades. But if more...

CenterState CEO’s unique position as both a chamber of commerce and an economic development organization allows us to implement holistic strategies when working towards our goal of creating a region where businesses thrive and all people prosper. One example of this is our workforce development team.  On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, CenterState CEO’s Vice President of Workforce...

Central New York needs a skilled workforce that is representative of its population to build a vibrant, equitable economy. That’s something our partners at SUNY Oswego know well.  As the largest public employer in Oswego County, SUNY Oswego is committed to making a positive economic, social and civic impact. They recently established the Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations (OWIER...

Talk CNY: Economic Champions Miniseries, presented by NBT Bank, gives us a chance to celebrate all the amazing businesses that make Central New York a great place to live and work. Host Kate Hammer speaks with a different business leader each episode to discuss who they are, what they do and how they’re tackling the growth in the region.   On this episode, Kate talks to VIP Structures CEO Meg Tidd...

Talk CNY: Economic Champion Miniseries, presented by NBT Bank, gives us a chance to celebrate all the amazing businesses that make Central New York a great place to live and work. Host Kate Hammer speaks with a different business leader each episode to discuss who they are, what they do and how they’re tackling the growth in the region.  On this episode, Kate talks to Dr. Bianca Gonzalez, CEO of A...

Talk CNY: Economic Champions Miniseries, presented by NBT Bank, gives us a chance to celebrate all the amazing businesses that make Central New York a great place to live and work. Host Kate Hammer speaks with a different business leader each episode to discuss who they are, what they do and how they’re tackling the growth in the region.   On this episode, Kate talks to Haun Welding Supply and Hau...

Central New York’s current economic development pipeline, the mechanism we use to monitor economic opportunities, is 20 times what it was in 2019. As of May 2024, it’s tracking around $10 billion in interest investment, and advanced manufacturing projects make up around 75% of that. It’s a big shift from what we were seeing even a year ago. But CenterState CEO’s economic development work isn’t lim...

Communities don’t often have the advantage of being able to plan for exponential growth until they’re in it. However, Central New York has the unique opportunity to do just that.   Because there is time to plan, there’s a chance to address the region’s current and upcoming demand for housing without creating unsustainable, inequitable conditions that often result from significant economic investme...

We are a quarter of the way through 2024, and the team at CenterState CEO is working to keep pace with the region’s growth. From convening a housing taskforce and creating career pathways with our partners to supporting our members’ growth and building a new center of innovation on Harrison St., CenterState CEO is engaging in a wide range of projects.  On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT...

Today's guest of Talk CNY - Quarterly Market Insights presented by NBT Bank is Ken Entenmann, Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist for NBT Bank. Ken joins us today to share what's happening in the markets and how it impacts you. Kenneth J. Entenmann is Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer & Chief Economist at NBT Wealth Management. Ken has ov...