February 4 2015 - Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce

FEBRUARY 2015
Letter to the Membership
With Thanks for a Great Year
Jennifer Tavares, CEcD, President
The Chamber staff and
membership community spent
2014 demonstrating how
truly strong and spirited it
is. Weathering several major
changes in one year could cause
trouble in some organizations,
and yet we survived a leadership
transition, a facilities debacle,
and personnel changes. We are
stronger today than before, and
headed in a great direction.
This is because the Chamber
has been built by its members, its staff, and this community over
the course of 118 years to be a robust and resilient organization.
Not many other organizations in our community can boast such
a long history of community engagement and advocacy. We
are so fortunate to have such a solid foundation, and I know
that we also have Jean McPheeters to thank for much of what
the Chamber has become today.
I’m proud to say our accomplishments in 2014 included:
• Continued implementation of our strategic plan, which
focuses on Grow, Learn, Advocate, and Market strategies
(as well as “Administer”);
• A second round of OJT grant funding, which provided
nearly $90K to help train 25 individuals;
• A stronger Convention & Visitors Bureau under the
leadership of Bruce Stoff, with a banner year of tourism
to boast for the efforts;
• Hosting numerous high quality events in 2014 with total
attendance exceeding 4,200;
• Providing new professional opportunities to two internal
staff members;
• 75 new members were added to our ranks—more than
the last four years;
• Our membership now exceeds 740 members (including
courtesy listings) representing over 50,000 employees;
• Advancing community efforts such as beautification, the
Cayuga Waterfront Trail, and the Friends of the Stewart
Park Project;
• Laying the groundwork for a comprehensive Wayfinding
Community Signage Program;
• Supporting the important leadership development work
of the Leadership Tompkins program, and the young
professionals group Tompkins Connect;
• Wonderful support from numerous event hosts and
sponsors throughout the year, for which we are very
grateful!
In 2015, we look forward to enhancing our marketing and
social media strategies; continuing efforts to advocate for
business and economic development needs; pursuing quality
Chamber and community events; and working to enhance the
quality of life to continue making Tompkins County a great
place to live, work, learn, and play.
Through the investments of our supporters, boards,
committees, and countless staff members, this organization
has grown and evolved with the Ithaca and Tompkins County
community. We look forward to continuing to serve you in 2015
and beyond, and I thank you sincerely for your warm welcome!
Ithaca is Gorges and
More
The spring 2015 tourism grant funding round has been
announced. Created by the Tompkins County Tourism
Program to help local organizations draw visitors from
outside the county, the grants have helped launch many
successful initiatives from a variety of tourism interests
including arts, culinary, sustainability, and more.
Applications are due Feb. 20 and more information can
be found online at tompkinscountyny.gov/tourism.
NETMA (the “Nobody Tells Me Anything” roundtable)
will be Thursday, February 5, 12pm, at the Greater Ithaca
Activities Center (GIAC), 301 West Court St., Ithaca.
Hospitality/tourism organizations meet for discussion and
share news. For more information, contact Jodi LaPierre
at jodi@visitithaca.com.
Get ready for the inaugural Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon
on Sunday June 14, 2015, a 13.1 mile loop course on city
streets, the waterfront, and surrounding parks. Tickets are
available online at www.IMAthlete.com. Hosted by Red
Newt Racing (www.rednewtracing.com), the Chamber of
Commerce, and headline sponsor Cayuga Health Systems.
Save the Dates
Details and more at tompkinschamber.org
Wed. 2/11 5p
February 2015 Business After Hours
sponsored by the Community Foundation
of Tompkins County, at Coltivare
Thu 2/19 12noon February 2015 Networking At Noon at
The Boatyard Grill
Thu 2/26 5:30p
Amalfi Coast and Rome 2015 Pre-Tour
Briefing at the Chamber
Thu 3/5 12noon Economic Summit at Lakewatch Inn
(details TBA)
The Tompkins County Chamber of
Commerce is a progressive, forwardthinking organization linking
business and government, community
organizations, residents and institutions,
dedicated to making Tompkins County
a great place to live, work, learn and
play. Tompkins County Chamber of
Commerce, 904 East Shore Drive,
Ithaca, NY 14850. Telephone (607) 273-7080; Fax (607)
272-7617; Email: info@tompkinschamber.org; www.
tompkinschamber.org
NY-0000733531
Chamber Travel
Amalfi Coast and Rome 2015!
Pre-Tour Briefing Feb. 26, 2015
Learn all about the Chamber’s upcoming tour to the
Amalfi Coast and Rome at our Pre-Tour Briefing:
Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, 5:30 – 6:30 PM
Chamber of Commerce
Borg-Warner Morse TEC Conference Room
904 East Shore Dr., Ithaca, NY 14850
Pre-register at tompkinschamber.org
607-273-7080
Tour dates: Nov. 8-16, 2015. Travel by private coach
from Ithaca to JFK International airport and fly to Rome,
Italy. Stay six nights in the picturesque town of Sorrento
and one night in Rome at 1st class hotels. Included are
day trips and attractions on the Amalfi coast and a tour of
Pompeii, optional day tours to Naples, Salerno and ancient
Peastum, and the Isle of Capri. Option to extend your stay
in Rome for 2 extra days. Details and registration info at
tompkinschamber.org - click on Events.
Features
Last Chance:
Business After Hours Real Deal 2015
Attention, Chamber Members: save $ on registration
for the monthly Business After Hours events by paying in
advance for 11 remaining BAHs in 2015, February through
December, for just $110. Forget about having to call in
your reservation at the last minute - just breeze through
registration. Your name badge will be waiting for you.
Chamber Members only. Act now! This offer expires on
Wednesday, February 11, 2015. For more information call
607-273-7080.
Learn About FREE
Energy Audits from
NYSERDA
Head over to the Tompkins Public Library on February
11th from 9:00 to 11:00 am to sit down with some of the
leaders in energy efficient building systems in our county.
Join with Woodcock & Armani, Taitem Engineering,
NYSERDA and M&T Bank to learn more about FREE
energy Audits from NYSERDA, the financial benefits of
taking actions to improve your businesses energy efficiency,
and some of the easy steps you can take to move your
business/ property in the right direction.
And the Award Goes To…
At the Chamber’s Annual Dinner and Awards on January
29 at Ithaca College the following individuals and businesses
were honored for their extraordinary dedication to the
Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce: Entrepreneurs
of the Year: John Guttridge and David Kuckuk of
PressBay Alley for their focus on microenterprise and
creative repurposing of a commercial property in downtown
Ithaca.
Non-Profit of the Year: Ithaca Neighborhood Housing
Services (INHS) for its long-term commitment to providing
energy efficient, affordable housing in our community,
and to redeveloping vacant commercial and municipal
properties. Distinguished Business of the Year: Tompkins
Cortland Community College (TC3) for its progressive
solar energy project, educational farm, and farm-to-table
restaurant, Coltivare. Key Member of the Year: David Hall
of National Book Auctions for his thoughtful guidance
during the Chamber’s recent transition in leadership,
and for generously providing auctioneer services to the
annual Chamber Auction. The Chamber also gave special
recognition to longtime Chamber member and volunteer
Paul Steiger, who passed away in December.
New Members
Culligan: Shannon Storms
1316 College Ave., Suite 3, Elmira, NY 14901
(607) 737-2748 | culliganwater.com
Water Treatment
Earth Connection, LLC: Susan Rausch
129 Hammond Hill Rd., Freeville, NY 13068
(607) 844-317 | www.campearthconnection.com
Campgrounds
Infinit Technologies: Rashid Zadi
100 Graham Rd., Apt. 14B, Ithaca, NY 14850
(862) 251-2839 | infinit-technologies.com
Education & Teaching Supplies
Unwind Café: Kevin Griffin
The Shops at Ithaca Mall, 40 Catherwood Road, Ithaca NY 14850
607-266-9644 | www.facebook.com/
unwindcafeshopsatithacamall
Restaurants, Food & Beverages
“Wage Theft” Reform Bill Simplifies
Wage Reporting for 2015
The Government Affairs Committee of The Business
Council of New York State has announced that all private
sector employers in New York will get welcome relief under
the “wage theft” reform bill signed by Governor Cuomo
on Dec. 30, 2014. This reform bill repeals the Labor Law
mandate that, each January, employers notify and receive
written acknowledgement from all in-state employees about
their rate of pay, allowances, pay day and other information
– a notice that largely replicates information that is required
to be on every pay stub issued during the prior year. This bill
also included amendments intended to improve compliance
with wage laws and enhance enforcement in cases of wage
theft. More information may be found at www.bcnys.org.
New Member Profiles
St. John Design Group is a
full service creative agency that
specializes in tradeshows, retail
interiors, websites, graphics, motion
graphics, packaging, and product
design. Local tradeshow clients
include Rheonix and Fine Line
Bistro. But if you’ve visited Purity Ice Cream Ithaca recently
you’ve seen SDG’s work in everything from the front counter,
menu boards, and interior graphics, to kitchen layout, freezer
layout and promotional materials.
Owner Pete St. John says his firm is often called upon to help
companies with an overall branding strategy. “We believe in
keeping teams small and expert,” he says. “That way overhead
stays low and the customer gets personal, direct communication
with their designer.” St. John sees it as a significant value to
clients to have to go to only one agency for multiple concerns.
Brand strategy continues to be a company goal in 2015 as
SDG approaches its 10-year anniversary. The company looks
forward to working with Jan Biotech and other local startups,
partnerships with Cornell, and will bring some internal products
to market, too.
St. John Design Group
216 S. Main St., Groton, NY 13073
(888) 311-7582 | www.stjohndg.com
Dailey Electric/Geothermal is dedicated to the installation
and service of energy efficient and environmental safe heating
systems, providing electric, plumbing, HVAC and geothermal
installation to customers in Upstate New York.
Begun as a one man business in 1985 by Bert Dailey, the
company became Dailey Electric in 2007 and is headed by
Bert’s son, Ryan Dailey. In 2014 the company installed over
sixty-five geothermal systems and WaterFurnace and Hydron
Module geothermal heat pumps. Recent projects include
installing new Waterfurnace systems in new home construction,
generator panels for the new Bath Ambulance building, and
electric service for the new Yates County Recreation Center.
Cost-saving service programs are available for full service
residential and light commercial heating and cooling for
your home, office and business. The company also services
residential and light commercial electrical services, and
provides a complete line of residential plumbing services.
Dailey Electric / Geothermal Inc.
140 Sheppard St., Penn Yan, NY 14527
315-531-8108 | daileyelectricinc.com
Member News
Ithaca’s Moosewood Restaurant has hired Keith Rogers as COO.
Rogers is a Cornell Hotel School alumnus with a successful career
in food industry operations and development both nationally and
internationally. www.moosewoodcooks.com
The Ithaca Native Landscape Symposium will take place on
Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, 2015, at Cinemapolis, on The
Commons in Ithaca. It was founded in 2009 by Chamber members
Rick Manning, L.A., and Dan Segal, owner of The Plantsmen
Nursery, to educate professionals, homeowners and gardeners about
native landscapes. IthacaNativeLandscape.com
The Peace of Mind Yogathon will benefit Family & Children’s
Service of Ithaca with an afternoon of yoga for all skill levels, on
February 22, 2015 at Ithaca High School. $40 for adults and teens
ages 15 years and up, $10 per child. For more information or to
register visit www.peaceofmindyogathon.com.
Triad Foundation, Inc., a Roy Hampton Park Family Legacy, has
appointed Melinda Oakes as its new Executive Director. Previously,
Oakes served with LEGO Company, Inc., Hallmark and the Hartford
Civic Center. Stephanie Parente has been promoted to Associate
Director, Jeff True has been promoted to Communications and
Program Director, and Caitlin Schryver’s position has been redirected
to the role of Chief Investment Officer.
The Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) will hold its
17th Annual Adult Spelling Bee on Sunday, March 1, at 2:00 pm in
the Ithaca High School Wellness Center Gym. All proceeds support
IPEI grants for teachers that provide innovative educational projects
for students and connect the Ithaca City School District with the
community. All event costs are covered by our event sponsors. ipei.org
Cornell’s Office of Community Relations, led by Director
Gary Stewart, was recognized with the Martin Luther King Jr.
Peacemaker Award, on Jan. 17. The award, from the Community
Dispute Resolution Center and the Greater Ithaca Activities Center
(GIAC) was presented during the annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Breakfast, held at the Beverly J. Martin Elementary
school gymnasium in Ithaca.