Business

Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

As Batavia’s oldest service club prepares to celebrate its 100^th anniversary, it will be honored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce with the Special Service Recognition of the Year on Saturday.

Rotarian Christopher White stressed the importance of the Rotary Club of Batavia in the community when he nominated it for the Chamber award.

“Founded by local businessmen looking for camaraderie and an opportunity to give back to their community, the Club has made meaningful contributions, not just financial, but of their time, talent and expertise to make Batavia a better place to live,” White wrote.

Rotary’s contributions to the Batavia community include support of Batavia Concert Band, Genesee County Youth Bureau Community Garden, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Crossroads House, Genesee Symphony Orchestra, GO ART!, Fourth of July Picnic in the Park, Genesee/Orleans ARC and United Memorial Medical Center.

And they support local youth in ice hockey, minor league baseball, Boy Scouts, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), YMCA Camp Hough and the YMCA Summer Adventure Program. 

The Rotary Scholarship Program provides $18,000 each year to high school students from Batavia, Notre Dame and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.

Rotary also gives local high school students a chance to spend a year abroad, and has hosted foreign exchange students looking to experience life in the United States and Western New York. Two of these students, one from Australia and the other from Denmark, are in Batavia now and attended a recent meeting to tell of their experiences at Algonquin Provencial Park in Ontario, Canada.

Rotary has also provided youth leadership training to many local high school and college students through Rotary International. And they support the world by continuing to raise funds from club members to support Rotary International in its quest to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.

Batavia Rotary hosts the annual girls’ and boys’ high school basketball tournaments, the annual Father’s Day Fly-in Breakfast at Genesee County Airport, the annual Beerfest and raffle, and the Memorial Day Flags and Flowers Sale.

Not to be forgotten are the Rotary shows which were put on for so many years.

White noted that many of the current 75 Rotary members sit on boards of local organizations and nonprofit agencies, lending their support and knowledge to them. They can be found making an impact outside of the Club itself, he said. Members range in age from 28 to 88 and all believe in the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”

Batavia Rotary was founded in 1919 by Batavia businessman Carlton M. Sleight, who had only lived in the city little more than a decade, according to William F. Brown Jr. in his book "Service Above Self: The Story of a Rotary Club."

Sleight had attended a Rotary meeting in Elmira, while living and doing business in Canandaigua, and Brown believes that his visit may have inspired him to form a club in Batavia. On March 13, 1919, Sleight invited 25 business and professional men to meet at the Holland Club with Dr. John H. Ready from the Rochester club to learn how to form a Batavia unit.

The group was so enthused that, two months later, a dinner meeting was held at the Batavia Club to discuss the reports of committees working on bylaws and a constitution. Officers were installed May 26 at the Odd Fellows Temple (the former St. James Episcopal Church on Ellicott Street). More than 200 Rotarians attended from Rochester to Niagara Falls and enjoyed a five-course dinner served by the Eastern Star. 

Batavia became Rotary International’s charter No. 491.

Batavia dentist Joseph Rowbottom is a 50-year member of Batavia Rotary, along with Dave Schwartz and Don Iwanicki.  

Rowbottom first became exposed to Rotary after moving to Corfu. When he was a freshman in dental school, he had a friend whose fiancee’s mother knew a dentist in Corfu who was retiring. That turned out to be Guy Patterson and Rowbottom bought his building. (Guy Patterson's daughter was the famous swimmer Greta Paterson, who swam across Lake Erie in 1955.)

In 1966, the Vietnam War was heating up, and Rowbottom didn’t want to be drafted, so Patterson agreed to hold the building and Rowbottom enlisted. He served two years in the military and after returning home, started attending Rotary meetings with dentist Patterson. 

“I’ve been coming ever since,” Rowbottom said. “I continued to block off time on my schedule from noon to 1:15 p.m. so I could attend Rotary. I’ve always had a lot of fun at Rotary. I also liked the Buffalo Club, but they were so formal.”

Rowbottom said his friends challenged him in the beginning to propose that women be allowed to join Rotary. At the time, the Batavia Jaycees were thrown out of the organization for accepting a female member. He proposed Rotary welcome in Terry Carauna, the dean of Business at Genesee Community College.

“They didn’t accept her and I almost got thrown out of Rotary,” Rowbottom said. “Today, we would be in a world of hurt without women. This club could not function as it does without women.”

One of the newer, younger members is Pam Sivret, who joined in 2017. Her sister, Teri Yasses has been a member since 1994 and Sivret has helped her with the fly-in breakfasts and Rotary shows. 

When Yasses said Sivret should join, she did.

“I love the friendship and how we are all very like-minded,” Sivret said. 

She was the first winner of a Rotary Youth Leadership Award to become a Rotary member. She won the award in 1990 while a student at GCC.

Lori Aratari was working for Triple AAA when she joined Rotary. 

“They encouraged us to be part of our community and get involved,” Aratari said. “I explored the service clubs locally and Rotary stood out.”

She has chaired fundraisers and is in her second term on the board.

“I’ve made amazing friends through Rotary and my husband enjoys participating in Rotary events,” Aratari said.

Editor's note: The  2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., a dairy cooperative owned by 340 farm families located throughout Western New York, will be honored March 2 as the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Agricultural Organization of the Year.

“On behalf of our member-owners, especially those located in Genesee County, we are honored to be presented with this award by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce,” said Keith Telaak, senior marketing manager of Upstate Niagara Cooperative. “We are grateful of this recognition and are proud to be a part of the Genesee County community.”

Upstate Niagara Cooperative is a result of several mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations of local dairy processors over the past 100 years, as dairy farmers realized the need for increased efficiencies to be able to grow their businesses and compete in the changing marketplace, Telaak said.

In 2006 Upstate Farms Cooperative and Niagara Milk Cooperative consolidated, bringing together two of the nation’s top dairy cooperatives. Its history, however, goes back even further.

Some of Upstate Niagara Cooperative’s family-owned farms have been in existence for more than six generations, according to Telaak.

The cooperative operates seven manufacturing facilities – three fluid plants (Buffalo, Rochester and Williamsport, Pa.), with their main office in Buffalo; two cultured facilities (West Seneca and North Lawrence); one cheese plant in Campbell; and O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia. The Membership Office is also located in Batavia, Telaak added. 

“Our mission is to serve each one of our customers the highest quality dairy products and services, in order to market milk and maximize returns for our dairy farmer owners, while providing a rewarding environment for our employees,” Telaak said.

“Our commitment to quality dairy products extends to every stage of production, from the farm to the consumer. The success of our cooperative begins with the passion and dedication of our farmer-owners to work hard every single day to produce the highest quality milk.”

Upstate Niagara’s high-quality dairy products have earned several first-place awards at dairy competitions, including their Bison French Onion Dip and light sour cream. They are marketed to consumers throughout the country.

Their products include milk, flavored milk, yogurt, dip, sour cream, cheese and ice cream marketed under the Upstate Farms, Valley Farms; Intense Milk for consumers looking for a healthier way to indulge; Bison; and Milk for Life. 

“We are also a private label manufacturer of dairy products for many of the largest retailers throughout the country,” Telaak said. 

Today, Upstate Niagara employs more than 1,400 people in their offices, manufacturing facilities and distribution network. 

Batavia was chosen as the site for the Membership Office because of its central location to member farmers in Western New York, Telaak said. Mike Davis is plant manager of the Batavia plant.

Press release:

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) is very pleased to announce that it has been named one of the "Best Companies to Work for in New York State" for 2019 for the second year in a row.

Best Companies Group analyzes employee survey data to determine what companies are selected and how they are ranked.  

“We decided to participate again this year because the feedback we received last year was really helpful," said John Bennett, executive director. "We continue to look for opportunities to enhance employees’ day to day job satisfaction in meaningful ways."

“This honor is because of our amazing employees and board of directors,” said Shannon Ford, director of Communications and Development.

GCASA will be honored at a public awards dinner to be held at the Albany Marriott on Wednesday, April 24. During the event, GCASA will learn its rank among the 26 companies in the category for small employers with 15-99 U.S. employees.

GCASA has been serving Genesee and Orleans Counties for more than 40 years. Services include prevention education and outpatient and residential treatment for individuals with substance use disorders; and an employee assistance program.

GCASA is located at 430 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

Due to dangerous winds, Chassix-Automotive LLC, located at 4320 Federal Drive in Batavia, will be closed for the third shift this evening at 10:30 p.m. (Feb. 24) and will reopen Monday for the first shift at 6:30 a.m. (Feb. 25).

Submitted photos and press release:

Last year, Homeland Security Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 28,000 seizures of counterfeit goods valued at $1.4 billion. One raid alone in Laredo, Texas, brought in 181,000 items valued at $42.9 million. The serious issue of counterfeit merchandise hits much closer to home, however, with ongoing investigations and detective work occurring each year at the New Era Field in Orchard Park throughout the Buffalo Bills season.

John K. Payne, senior detective with the Orchard Park Police Department will share his vast experience and knowledge about counterfeiting NFL products and other merchandise on Wednesday, March 6, at 1 p.m. in room T102 as part of Genesee Community College's Fashion Business Speaker Series. The event is free and open to the public. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Counterfeiting is a form of theft and seriously impacts businesses, the economy, and our society. The International Chamber of Commerce estimates nearly $500 billion in lost economic activity in one year alone as illegal competitors steal brands and products from legitimate companies who hold genuine trademarks and patents.

Many companies have invested years of research and millions of dollars in product development, typically they employ U.S. citizens, and also support local communities. Stealing revenue from these companies through counterfeiting their products not only affects their bottom line, but also significantly hurts their ability to innovate and invest back in the company and community.

This crime can also pose a serious health risk with products in the food and pharmaceutical industry. 

Detective Payne began his efforts to curtail counterfeit merchandising at football games nearly ten years ago when the Buffalo Bills alerted local law enforcement that numerous vendors were selling illegal items outside the stadium. NFL officials worked closed with the Orchard Park Police Department to train key members of the force to identify legitimate products against the counterfeit.

Detective Payne assembled a task force which included the assistance of federal agencies. In the past few years, numerous arrests have been made including a major supplier, and thousands of dollars of counterfeit merchandise has been seized and destroyed. 

With more than 25 years in law enforcement, including 20 years with the OPPD, Detective Payne has a broad base of experience in criminal justice. He has been a SWAT Team member, sniper, observer, major crimes and fire investigator, as well as an instructor with the Erie County Police Academy. He earned both a master's degree in Police Administration and Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Hilbert College.

"This is the first time the Fashion Business Lecture Series has covered the topic of counterfeit merchandising, and we are honored to have Detective Payne share his expertise to our campus and community," said Laura Taylor, instructor of Fashion Business.

"This is not only an important subject to my fashion business students, but GCC's criminal justice and business students will also gain a vast amount of information from his lecture."

Below, Orchard Park Police Department Senior Detective John K. Payne and some counterfeit NFL merchandise.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center is pleased by the announcement today that Ryan Homes has officially broken ground on its new residential project in Oakwood Hills in Batavia.

Ryan Homes broke ground on the first of 56 new homes which vary in size ranging from 1,483 square feet to 2,190 square feet. Affordably priced and located conveniently to all Genesee County has to offer, these new sites will sell quickly.

The Oakwood Hills project will provide single-tenant living along with homes containing up to five bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a basement. All of the homes are designed with an open floor plan that places an emphasis on allowing natural light to come into the homes. The homes will be affordably priced from the $190's.

“The growth happening within Batavia is undeniable, so it is extremely satisfying for us to be a part of fostering that growth by building more housing options for both residents and newcomers alike,” said Shawn Benzer, Regional Sales and Marketing manager of Ryan Homes.

The Oakwood Hills development is located within a community experiencing significant business activity. Food and beverage manufacturing companies have invested nearly $500 million into the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, and the next phases of development at the 1,250-acre WNY STAMP campus and Batavia’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative are catalyzing future growth.

“More people will be moving to Batavia and Genesee County as new opportunities and businesses open up, which means we need more housing options,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

“Batavia is filled with so many incredible people and providing both current and future residents with beautiful places to call home is a strong asset in our continued economic growth.”

The new construction by Ryan Homes also supports Genesee County’s Smart Growth development plan and the need identified in county’s 2018 market analysis for new single-family homes. The analysis projects a housing demand for more than 1,100 new single-family homes by 2040 in a mid-range growth scenario for Genesee County.

“As we recently learned from our housing needs assessment, the rise of new businesses and attractions locating in Genesee County over the next 20 years will lead to a rapidly growing demand for new housing options,” said Felipe Oltramari, director of the Genesee County Planning Department.

“Targeted new home construction in Batavia helps meet our housing needs as our county continues to grow, and supports Genesee County’s Smart Growth development plan.”

Ryan Homes encourages interested prospective tenants to join a VIP list at RyanHomes.com to be the first to get information on the community and exclusive access to VIP-only offers like special pricing and incentives for the early birds.

For more information regarding the houses, visit oakwoodhills.co. or click here.

Press release:

The Batavia Development Corporation (BDC) Board of Directors reviewed the agency’s 2018 results and set goals for 2019 at their last board meeting.

In 2018 the BDC assisted eight projects that invested $3.5 million and pledged to create 38 new jobs. The JJ Newberry Building, award winner of the Robert Macon Award from the Community Design Center of Rochester, was the signature project opening its doors in February of 2018.

“The BDC is positioned to help small businesses and building owners in the City advance their projects,” said Pier Cipollone, president of the Batavia Development Corporation.

“We are also working to advance the Batavia Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) sites including Ellicott Station, Creek Park, City Centre, the Medical Corridor and the Harvester Campus.”

Other planning efforts guiding the BDC’s work include the recently updated Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Revitalization Investment (DRI) Strategy.

“The BOA, Comprehensive Plan and DRI Plan were created through a civic engagement model that allowed input and direction from the community to create a road map for land use and economic development in the City,” said Martin Moore, City of Batavia manager.

“The plans identify some of the most pressing issues in the City including blighted, contaminated and underutilized sites, housing issues and recommendations to reverse these trends.”

With the DRI award of $10 million the BDC plays a critical role in overseeing and advancing DRI projects. Currently the BDC is working with all of the DRI project owners and multiple state agencies to coordinate and assist projects.

The BDC successfully launched the $600,000 Batavia DRI Building Improvement Fund and is in the process of working with applicants before final selections are made.

“The momentum and excitement of the DRI has attracted new businesses and developers across the City,” said Rachael Tabelski, director of Economic Development for the BDC. “We will start to see scaffolding and construction starting in 2019.”

BDC Board approved 2019 goals:

• Secure capital/business commitments of $5 million;
• Secure business pledges to create 25 jobs;
• Secure a micro-enterprise grant/loan program for the City of Batavia to foster new start-up businesses;
• Achieve the BDC’s 2019-2020 budget;
• Successfully administer and implement the Batavia DRI Building Improvement program;
• Encourage, enable and incentivize downtown building owners to add new upper-floor apartments and new residential living in the City of Batavia;
• Participate in the City’s environmental investigation and planning around the BOA Creek Park site;
• Continue to enhance the BDC’s value and build strong relationships with the City of Batavia government, schools, businesses and residents, and other economic development organizations.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) has announced that the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) will receive the Economic Development Partner of the Year award at the agency’s annual business meeting, which takes place March 8 at Batavia Downs.

GVEP serves more than 24,000 students in 22 school districts in  Genesee, Livingston, Steuben and Wyoming counties. The Partnership offers a wide range of programs and services including career and technical education, special education, alternative education, instructional and technical support services, and management services.

“The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership has been instrumental in advancing workforce development initiatives in Genesee County and across the GLOW region,” said President and CEO of GCEDC Steve Hyde. “We look forward to celebrating the Partnership’s tremendous achievements as we continue to invest in the youth of Genesee County.”

GVEP played an instrumental role in bringing a new program called Edge Factor into Genesee County schools. Edge Factor provides a high-tech Web platform and creates high-end videos for students, parents, teachers, counselors and businesses that help introduce the stakeholders across the county to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) career pathways that align with the type of jobs currently in demand across the region.

“The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (the Partnership) is honored to be selected as the Genesee County Economic Development Center’s 2019 Partner of the Year,” said District Superintendent for The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Kevin MacDonald.

“We truly appreciate our partnership with the GCEDC as we create and develop new programs and services that are aligned to meet the needs of our communities, businesses and workforce. We are pleased to support the introduction of Edge Factor as a local resource for students to explore regional career prospects.”

The theme of this year’s annual meeting is “Investing in Our Strongest Assets.” The event will emphasize the GCEDC’s workforce talent development and shovel-ready site development achievements, and thank the partners involved in those efforts.

A statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) on the decision of Amazon to axe their HQ in New York City:

“Talk about making ‘Open for Business’ a punchline – the governor and New York City politicians have failed to close the deal with Amazon but there is hope for Mr. Bezos: Western New York is truly open for business and we would gladly accept Amazon’s Headquarters to be located at our STAMP site.

“I have already been in contact with the Orleans County IDA and Economic Development Center in Genesee County to make this a reality and I’m confident our 57 local colleges and universities educating more than 300,000 students could easily accommodate their labor needs.”

Press release:

Press release:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has shared his concerns with recently reintroduced legislation, the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act (S2837), in a letter to the bill’s Senate sponsor, Senator Jessica Ramos.

Senator Ranzenhofer is requesting that the bill’s sponsor garner feedback from the agriculture industry.

“For years, many local farmers have shared their fears regarding serious unintended consequences of this legislation,” said Ranzenhofer in the letter. “Agriculture is the largest industry in the state, and I believe it is critically important that local farmer concerns and the concerns of the greater agriculture community be heard.”

Senator Ranzenhofer believes that the proposal could have a devastating impact on local jobs and family farms.

“Simply put, the stakes have never been higher for farmers across New York State and additional employer mandates could have catastrophic consequences for many rural Upstate communities and consumers,” Ranzenhofer said.

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel announced the official opening of its new Gatsby bar with a ribbon cutting on Friday at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel. The Gatsby bar is located just outside Fortune’s restaurant and will feature high-end bourbons, gins and other spirits along with other handcrafted cocktails. 

“We’re excited for guests to check out the Gatsby Bar for quick drink or appetizer before dinner in Fortune’s,“ said Vice President of Operations Scott Kiedrowski. “Alternatively it’s a nice place to get a quiet drink if 34 Rush is busy with sports or live entertainment.”

The bar will also feature New York State Lottery Games like Quickdraw and will have a self-service terminal to place horse wagers.

“This is the first phase to open of our new expansion,“ said Henry Wojtaszek, president and CEO. “This and those that follow will better serve our valued guests.”

Expansions for more seating at Thurman’s 34 Rush and Fortunes are due to open in the following months. A new look inside the “Park Place,” formerly known as the Paddock Room, is near completion.

“This is another banner day in the history of our facility,“ said COO Michael Nolan. “We pride ourselves on customer service and giving our guests what they want. Our expansions continue to make the facility a premier entertainment destination.”

Press release: 

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to accept applications for incentives from Graham Manufacturing and Gateway GS, LLC at the agency’s Feb. 7 board meeting. 

Graham Manufacturing is investing $1.075 million for capital improvements to expand various properties at its campus in the City of Batavia. The company will renovate an existing 8,000 square feet of buildings, including an expansion and renovation of its 4,000-square-foot welding school to meet market demand for welders. 

An existing 4,000-square-foot manufacturing building also will be repurposed and the company will build a new 5,000-square-foot warehouse for storage needs. The capital investments will help Graham retain 291 jobs in the City of Batavia.

The company is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $130,000. For every $1 of public benefit offered, Graham Manufacturing is investing and helping generate an economic contribution/ impact of approximately $5.90 into the economy. 

Gateway GS, LLC is investing $450,000 to build out the interior of an existing 27,000-square-foot speculative building the company constructed in 2018 at the Gateway II Corporate Park in Batavia. The project would create five new jobs.

Gateway GS, LLC intends to lease the space where tenants would provide input to the final buildout. Among the various uses that the building offers includes space for warehouse, distribution, light manufacturing, technology and commercial operations.

The company is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $206,000. For every $1 of public benefit offered, Gateway GS, LLC is investing and helping generate an economic contribution/ impact of approximately $12.60 into the economy. 

“We are very excited to support two great projects that will have significant economic impacts for Genesee County and Batavia,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia.

“These projects demonstrate the importance of assisting companies such as Graham Manufacturing that are retaining jobs and in the instance of Gateway GS creating new jobs and hopefully even more new jobs as they bring in tenants to their spec building.”

From the Genesee County Economic Development Center:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center will hold its annual Meeting & Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 8, at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel in the Paddock Room.

Cost is $25 per person. Batavia Downs is located at 8315 Park Road in Batavia.

To register click, here.

The GCEDC enjoyed another successful year in 2018 and its partners in business, government and education are spending 2019 "Investing in Our Strongest Assets" in growing the local economy.

The center and its staff looks forward to having you join them in celebrating Genesee County's economic progress and showcasing the next steps in their mission at the upcoming Meeting & Luncheon.

The event will start with an informal networking opportunity and the program follows promptly at noon.

Come and learn more about the accomplishments and opportunities the GCEDC is working hard to bring to local communities.

For questions or more information, contact Jim Krencik, director of Marketing & Communications at:  jkrencik@gcedc.com or phone 585-343-4866.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider accepting applications for incentives from Graham Manufacturing and Gateway GS, LLC at the agency’s Feb. 7 board meeting. 

Graham Manufacturing is seeking incentives for a $1.075 million capital investment for various properties at its campus in the City of Batavia. The investment would renovate 8,000 square feet of existing space for expanded workforce training and add 5,000 square feet of new space for the construction of a warehouse. The project would help retain 291 jobs.

Gateway GS, LLC is proposing to invest $450,000 to build out the interior of a spec building the company constructed in 2018 at the Gateway II Corporate Park in Batavia. The project would create five new jobs.

Since each project would receive benefits of more than $100,000 public hearings would be scheduled if the applications for incentives are accepted by the GCEDC Board.

All GCEDC Board meetings are open to the public. Meetings are at 4 p.m. unless noted otherwise and take place at 99 MedTech Drive in Batavia across from Genesee Community College.