Archive: Business & Technology

Aurora, New York—Wells College is pleased to announce the addition of a major in Business to the College's program offerings. The major will provide students with the knowledge to build and manage successful businesses, engage them in the development of local and global communities, and encourage exemplary individual and corporate moral and ethical behavior. Having received approval from the New York State Department of Education, the College will begin to offer the major immediately.

"This is an addition to the curriculum that Wells has been looking at for a long time," said President Jonathan Gibralter. "We have the professors and we have the facilities to support a really robust major and create a meaningful program that helps prepare students for graduation. And from my point of view, this is just the beginning. We'll continue to see what works for our students and what potential students are interested in, and keep refining the way that we approach the major and the opportunities outside the classroom for business students to learn and to thrive."

Adminders, a promotional custom swag and apparel provider, was recently accredited by New York State as a 'Women Business Enterprise'.

Following a lengthy application process, Adminders is now officially able to bid on New York State contracts specified for 'Minority or Women owned businesses'.

TCAD (Tompkins County Area Development) welcomed its new Technology Business Advisor from the SBDC at Binghamton University, Chuck Schwerin.

Schwerin is the founder of two recent healthcare startups to spin out of Binghamton University and previously directed the implementation of worldwide software copy protection and license management at Pitney Bowes MapInfo. He holds three patents on geographic information technology.

Rochester, N.Y. – January 4, 2016 – Insero & Co. CPAs (Insero) and Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little, Mickelson & Company, LLP (CDLM) have merged as of January 1, 2016. The combined firm will operate under the Insero & Co. name, and employ more than 125 across five locations in Rochester, Ithaca, Corning, Cortland, and Watkins Glen.

"We have worked together for nearly two years and our merger will help us to continue to grow our practice across New York state," said Nancy Catarisano, who will serve as Managing Partner. "Insero has enjoyed a great reputation for client service and we work with many middle market and family owned businesses in the Rochester area. Together, we are excited to enter Central New York and the Finger Lakes region and create new opportunities for our clients and our staff."

Morgan Stanley announced Wednesday that it has made a charitable gift of $1,500 to the Downtown Ithaca Alliance. The grant enhances the ongoing volunteer activities of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management employees in the Ithaca office.
 
"Morgan Stanley Wealth Management employees continuously demonstrate their commitment to strengthening and supporting our communities. This gift from the Firm offers us an additional opportunity to make a difference in the communities and neighborhoods in which we live and work," said Rick Prybyl, Branch Manager.
 

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York wants everyone to have a scam and stress free experience so we have compiled the “10 things you need to know this holiday season” list to make everyone aware of common scams.

1. Star Wars counterfeit goods and tickets. Star Wars: Episode VII-The Force Awakens is due out in theaters Friday. Many Star Wars fans purchased tickets early for the premier, which means there could be fake tickets floating around the secondary market or in your inbox. People tell BBB an email that looks official tells them they won tickets to the premier, but all the email does is steal your information. Merchandise sales for the upcoming film are expected to be staggering opening the opportunity for all kinds of bogus products sold online and elsewhere.

Sometimes you hit an event in life that throws you for a loop.  Maybe you have lost a loved one, struggling through a divorce, undergone a major change in your life, or some kind of loss.  You may not be able to deal with these events, or even understand why they have brought you to a standstill in your life.  It goes beyond stress in that you don't know what to do to work through the issue.  That's where Margaret Snow comes in.  Snow is a Workplace Coach, Archetypal Consultant, and Reiki practitioner who specializes in giving clients the tools to handle these stressful situations.

"I see people who just have bumps in the road," Snow says.  "Life has thrown them a curve in one way or another.  They're just having trouble getting to the other side.  It's a way to learn to take care of themselves.  This is not long term therapy.  This is just another tool so people can learn to take care of themselves.  And Reike is something extra of great value that I can do for them."

When Judy Mauk first walked into the Nutritional Wellness Center in Ithaca, she was having difficulty losing weight, was always tired, and just wasn't feeling well. At age 60, she thought her symptoms were simply part of aging.

But after being tested at the Nutritional Wellness Center on Green Street, Mauk changed her diet, avoiding wheat, sugar and pasteurized dairy products, and started using whole-food supplements. "Within the first three months, I noticed a change, but about a year later, I felt like
a totally different person," she says. "I had lots of energy, and I had lost about 9 pounds."

Fishing and hunting bring a stream of cash to New York's economy, generating the second-highest expenditures in any state at approximately $5 billion, supporting local businesses and jobs across the state, according to a report released Wednesday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

"Our 7,500 lakes and ponds, 70,000 miles of rivers, streams and coastline and millions of acres of forest and open space are a natural draw," DiNapoli said.  "Meanwhile, residents' and visitors' spending on licenses, equipment and travel boosts our economy and supports our management of fish and wildlife programs."

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, COPPA and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen…  Whoops! COPPA is not one of Santa's eight tiny reindeer. It's the acronym for the "Children's Online Privacy Protection Act," a law that gives parents more control over who collects information from and about their children. The rules apply to all mobile apps and websites, even those based at the North Pole. The Apple and Google app stores list more than 50 Santa-themed apps this year; children can watch Santa feed live reindeer, track his sleigh on Christmas Eve, or relay their electronic Christmas wish-lists.

COPPA, updated in 2013, was designed to assure that parents have the opportunity to consent to the collection of personal identifiable information (PII) from children under the age of 13. PII can include names and addresses, email addresses, birth dates, photographs, or geolocation information… all of which a crook could use for identity theft.

On November 12, 2015, the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA) approved funding for two energy-related proposals from the Tompkins County Department of Planning. The proposals have strong support from Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD), who will collaborate on both projects.

The first proposal is for the Energy Focus Area Study. The study will identify energy infrastructure constraints and opportunities in keys areas of the County that are critical to a healthy economy. Initial focus areas will likely include the Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport, Downtown Ithaca and South Hill in the City and Town of Ithaca. Outcomes will include a comprehensive understanding of energy supply infrastructure and estimated future demand in these areas. The TCIDA approved $10,000 for the study to be matched by the Department of Planning.

Buffalo, NY - With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday and plenty of shopping on tap for consumers in the coming days and weeks, Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York (BBB), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), and U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) are teaming up to warn consumers and retailers of possible schemes and offer tips on keeping financially safe this holiday season.

Credit card fraud is behind a recent gift card scheme hitting major retailers and smaller chains which puts the public at risk. The Secret Service recently announced arrests of individuals who allegedly purchased a large amount of prepaid or reloadable gift cards using stolen credit card numbers. Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York and the Secret Service are advising the retail community to enhance point-of-sale fraud prevention procedures.