Archive: Business & Technology

Michael Buza
Tompkins Trust Company has promoted Callyn Pyhtila to Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager and Courtney Reinhart to Officer, Branch Manager.

Pyhtila started with the company in 2011. She has 8 years of experience in finance and banking. As Branch Manager for the West End and Cornell Branches, she works with customers in all aspects of retail and commercial banking, while also serving a dedicated student population at Cornell. Pyhtila earned her Bachelors of Psychology at University of Phoenix. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four children. She is a certified notary and currently serves on the board of directors for Family Reading Partnership and for the United Way of Tompkins County.

Tompkins County’s Purchasing Division has identified a scam in which fraudulent purchase orders are being sent to businesses, which appear to come from government agencies.

Scammers are utilizing look-alike email addresses to make it appear that pricing is being requested from local governments and even federal government agencies. The scammers then issue a fraudulent purchase order that appears to come from a government agency; however, the purchase order requests that the items be shipped to a location not associated with the government agency.

Pretax profits in the securities industry reached $15.1 billion in the first six months of 2019, an 11 percent increase over the same period last year, and the best start in a decade, but a slowdown in the global economy and other factors pose threats to second half profits, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's annual report on Wall St.'s performance.

"Wall Street had a very profitable start in 2019, but uncertainties leave the second half of the year an open question," DiNapoli said. "Volatile markets, global trade tensions, and political turbulence have sown economic anxiety and slowed global economic growth. My office will continue to keep a close eye on the securities industry as the year progresses, because what happens on Wall Street directly impacts the New York State and New York City economies."

Tompkins Financial has promoted Jason Elliot to Assistant Vice President, Information Security Architect and Amanda Lippincott to Officer, Legal Analyst.

Elliott started with the company in 2013. He has 6 years of experience in the banking industry. Elliott is responsible for the verification of existing security technologies, polices, and procedures. His duties also include providing protection of customer and other sensitive information. He is responsible for designing new approaches of securing information based on current and emerging threats to the organization.

Tompkins Trust Company has promoted Callyn Pyhtila to Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager and Courtney Reinhart to Officer, Branch Manager.

Pyhtila started with the company in 2011. She has 8 years of experience in finance and banking. As Branch Manager for the West End and Cornell Branches, she works with customers in all aspects of retail and commercial banking, while also serving a dedicated student population at Cornell. Pyhtila earned her Bachelors of Psychology at University of Phoenix. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four children. She is a certified notary and currently serves on the board of directors for Family Reading Partnership and for the United Way of Tompkins County.

Tompkins Financial Corporation announced that its Board of Directors approved payment of a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.52 per share, payable on November 15, 2019, to common shareholders of record on October 29, 2019. The current dividend represents a 4.0% increase over the $0.50 cash dividend paid in the third quarter of 2019.

The company also reported diluted earnings per share of $1.34 for the third quarter of 2019, down 1.5% from the $1.36 per share reported for the same quarter last year. Net income was $20.2 million for the third quarter of 2019, down from the $20.9 million reported for the same period in 2018.

Rochester, NY - Waste Harmonics, a Rochester-based managed services provider in the waste industry, is pleased to welcome four new employees to its team: Tom Moran as vice president of operations, Lansing resident Matt Hollister as director of business development and sustainability, Brad Young as director of sustainability and Jennifer Robinson as director of marketing. The new team members will help the company continue to grow its sustainability, sales and marketing initiatives.

As vice president of operations, Moran is responsible for managing the equipment group, including compactor, baler and iWaste installation and repairs. He will also oversee the vendor relations team to ensure services for clients across Canada and the United States. Moran brings 27 years of waste-industry experience to his new role. He joins the team from Casella Waste, where he served as vice president of sales.

Aundre Seals has been promoted to Marketing and Community Relations Officer for Tompkins Trust Company, according to Abby Peterson, Marketing Communications Manager. Seals joined the company in February of 2018. His responsibilities include coordinating marketing initiatives, events management and community & public relations for Central New York. In addition, he will provide marketing support for other community banks throughout Tompkins Financial Corporation.

"Aundre's marketing expertise and community ties have allowed us to grow in the Ithaca community," said Abby Peterson, Marketing Communications Manager. "He is an important contributor to both our corporate strategy as well as to our local community. We are thrilled to elevate his position within the company."

Michael Buza has joined Tompkins Trust Company as Credit Analysis Manager in the Commercial Credit Department. He will report to Thomas Evans, Vice President of Commercial Credit Administration.  Buza was previously with M&T Bank. His responsibilities include management of the credit department, underwriting commercial loans, commercial appraisals, and maintaining credit policy standards for the Commercial Department.

"Mike is a welcome addition to the team," said Thomas Evans, Vice President, Commercial Credit Administration. "He has the credit skills and technical knowledge to excel, but most importantly he has been a good fit with the organization, as he has a likeable and approachable personality

Apple likes to think of itself as a re-imaginer.  The most recent paradigm changing product, the Apple Card, was introduced in August.  While there is a physical credit card, the Apple Card is mainly a virtual card, and while it can be used in traditional ways, it offers new ways to pay for things and manage your credit card account... if you have an iPhone with fingerprint or face recognition.  Like most people, I suppose, I have more credit cards than I really want to have, but curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to see what this newfangled credit card is all about.

To apply, open the Wallet app, and click on the plus sign (+) to add a card to your wallet.  Apple Card is a choice.  Tap that.  Click the Continue button.  Most of your information is pre-filled from your AppleID. A screen shows what your credit limit will be, APR and fees.  Click Accept Apple Card.  There is a slight delay while your application is considered by the issuing bank (Goldman Sachs) and (one hopes) you see that you have been approved.  You can immediately begin using your Apple Card, assuming it was approved, of course.

It all started when Marty Kaminsky, a retired fourth grade teacher at Cayuga Heights Elementary, decided to tutor four students who were struggling in school. The students' families couldn't afford to hire a tutor, so Kaminsky worked with them at no charge. In 2005, he decided to extend the opportunity to other students in the district and started a nonprofit group, Golden Opportunity, to match tutors with students who were falling behind in reading and math.

This year, as Golden Opportunity celebrates its 15th anniversary, the program has grown to 53 tutors working with students from grades two through eight in all the district's elementary and middle schools. During the school year, the students, who must qualify for free and reduced lunch to be eligible, will receive 4,200 academic support hours, each meeting twice a week with their tutor.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced two new laws further bolstering New York's nation-leading pay equity policies went into effect Tuesday. The new laws prohibit unequal pay on the basis of a protected class for all substantially similar work and forbid employers from asking prospective employees about their salary history. Governor Cuomo also called on businesses in New York to conduct internal reviews of their pay policies and make adjustments as necessary in accordance with these new laws.

"We are at a critical point in history when this country is finally recognizing the long-term discrimination against women and taking action to right the wrongs of an unfair system," Cuomo said. "There is no rational reason why women should not get paid the same as men, and these common sense measures will take us one step closer to true equality. Now it's time for businesses across the state to take a hard look at their pay policies and ensure women employees get paid the same as their male colleagues if they are doing substantially similar work."