Rep. Nick Langworthy, MAST Executive Director Todd Tranum, and Weber Knapp President Rhonda Johnson

Congressman Nick Langworthy discussed workforce development issues and manufacturing on a tour of Weber Knapp in Jamestown on Friday.

The Congressman from the 23rd District met with Weber Knapp President Rhonda Johnson and Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier Executive Director Todd Tranum.

Langworthy said when it comes to public policy and economic development, people always seem to be “chasing a grand slam,” “We should be hitting singles and doubles. And those are realistic goals. You see too often out of Albany this desire, and obviously every governor wants legacy projects, but it’s always gotta be something that’s pie in the sky.”

Langworthy said he’d rather see investments in proven companies as well new incentives to make products in the United States to avoid supply chain issues again that were made apparent by the Pandemic

Weber Knapp President Rhonda Johnson compared employment in manufacturing at the company to a “well-stocked mall,” “When you go into a manufacturing plant, if you don’t like to do this maybe you might like to do that. You like to help people, how about HR. You like to work in a group, on a team, we have that in manufacturing. You want to work individually, we’ve got that too. There’s something for everybody. And you can make a really good wage, raise your family, have good quality of life, so we need to get more people in to understand that.”

Johnson said while manufacturers want new technology, it doesn’t make sense to invest in multi-million dollar equipment if there are not employees who have the training or are willing to get the training, “We need to have the education in place. You have to have the people who are hungry to learn that skill. The more the minimum wage goes up, the less incentive there is for people to want to gain a skill and make more money because if they can live on what they’re making, there’s not a lot of incentives.”

Langworthy said he would do what he could with help with investments in workforce development.

Dream It Do It WNY Director Melissa Himes looks in on welding class

The Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier has announced the hiring of Melissa Himes as the Director of the Dream It Do It Western New York program.

Himes has 16 years of experience working in manufacturing and 23 years of experience in human resources. She replaces former Director Francine Rondenell.

MAST Executive Director Todd Tranum said Francine took a position with a partner organization, where she will be providing training to help individuals who are entering or re-entering the workforce.

Tranum said in a statement that Melissa Himes had previously been involved with the Dream It Do It program during her time working in manufacturing and has been involved in several other programs including P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) in Dunkirk and the Chautauqua County Education Coalition.
Dream It Do It Western New York, an initiative of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, has a mission to increase the skilled workforce pipeline entering manufacturing careers.

Himes will oversee implementation of a variety of DIDI programming such as the annual STEM Wars event, technology tours that connect local students to local manufacturing, engagement with teachers and counselors to facilitate an understanding of manufacturing careers, girls in manufacturing programs introducing more young women to manufacturing career opportunities, manufacturing camps and a variety of other initiatives.

DIDI Chautauqua County is seeking volunteers from industry, schools, and the community. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Melissa Himes at mhimes@didiwny.com.

To learn more about Dream It Do It, visit www.didiwny.com.

We speak with Dream It, Do It Coordinator Francine Rondenell and Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier Executive Director Todd Tranum about the Dream It, Do It program.

Dream It Do It coordinates tours of students, teachers and counselors through local manufacturing facilities. A group of students from Randolph with assistance from DIDI toured Stuart Tool & Die in Falconer this past fall.

A local program that works to get more skilled workers into manufacturing is starting strong after the pandemic put the program on pause.

Dream It, Do It Western New York‘s new coordinator, Francine Rondenell, said October is National Manufacturing Month, “What we tend to do during the month of October for Manufacturing month is to really try to get students into area manufacturers to tour, ask questions, see in person what today’s manufacturing looks like.”

Dream It, Do It is an initiative of the Manufacturer’s Association of the Southern Tier. MAST Executive Director Todd Tranum said workforce is the number one challenge faced by manufacturers and has been even before the issues brought on by the Pandemic, “We see Dream It, Do It as an important part of this. I mean, there’s other initiatives in the community that are important. JCC has made a significant investment in their workforce development side and in the Manufacturing Institute. We have the P-TECH program out of Dunkirk which is available to schools throughout the district. We’ve seen our specific schools make additional investments and recognizing the importance of skilled trades and manufacturing.”

Rondenell said the Dream It, Do It 500, which originated in Cattaraugus County, is coming to SUNY Fredonia this November. She said it’s a competition where students build and market rubber band powered cars, “But the task is for them to be on-site and coming up with the design and building it and testing it and then racing it. And we’ll have a panel of judges there who will be judging various criteria. We’re also planning on having some engineers from area manufacturers there who can help them with the design process.”

Rondenell said the competition had been held remotely last year, with over 300 students participating. She said STEM Wars also will be returning this Spring after being on hiatus.

For more information about the Dream It, Do It program, visit didiwny.com

Kathy Hochul

JAMESTOWN – The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier will hold a joint Annual Meeting on Friday, January 22 and featuring Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul as keynote speaker.

The Chamber will also present its Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award, named in memory of the first President of the County Chamber of Commerce who worked diligently to bring multiple organizations together. Representatives for both Boards of Directors will also be elected.

This event marks the 20th anniversary of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and the 120th anniversary of the Manufactures Association of the Southern Tier.

This joint Annual Meeting will be held online via Zoom at noon, January 22. You may register any time at ChamberRSVP.org.

Trinity Biotech in Jamestown will supply material for COVID-19 test kits while finalizing development of an antibody test for the virus.

[MEDIA RELEASE]

JAMESTOWN – Just outside of Jamestown, Trinity Biotech produces plastic media transport tubes, which is a container used to store infectious disease test swabs for processing.

“We have seen a huge increase in demand to help support the COVID-19 testing,” said Dennis Lefler, operations manager for the Jamestown facility.

In order to address the rapidly increasing need for test kits, Lefler explained the facility needed to upgrade some machinery.

“We normally only have one filling line for this product as it requires an old dispensing unit that was custom built for us many years ago and the backup unit was not functioning.”

With amplified pressure to increase production of tubes, Lefler turned to his neighbor, Tim Piazza, a self-proclaimed geek and problem solver when it comes to machinery and all things manufacturing.

Lefler added, “I knew Tim had a lot of experience with this stuff, was really smart and knew a lot of people, and was perhaps someone who could help us.”

Coincidentally and unbeknownst to Lefler, Piazza works for the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST), a local resource for manufacturers that includes workforce development and advocacy. MAST is also helping local manufacturers weather the COVID-19 storm.  Piazza took a look, made some alterations, and got the unit functioning. He also put Lefler in touch with a local fabricator who was able to make some necessary parts for the machinery.

“MAST exists to assist local manufacturing. I’m thrilled we were able to help Trinity expand their capacity quickly,” said Piazza. “It may be cliché, but we can do so much more together, and you never know when help is literally just around the corner.”

Along with a national hood supplier who sent a new laminar flow hood, with Trinity Biotech was able to get a second filling line running in order to double their manufacturing capacity.

Trinity’s Jamestown facility is also close to completing the development of an ELISA test in response to COVID-19. Also known as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, ELISA detects antibodies specific to a particular antigen, in this case the novel coronavirus. The company will follow-up with a Rapid antibody test soon thereafter. While a timeframe for final approval is unknown, the tests are being expedited due to the national emergency and will be launched in all of Trinity’s major markets as soon as possible. Such a test, which is fast, has high sensitivity, and specificity is crucial to understanding and controlling the spread of COVID-19.

In reference to living and working in Chautauqua County, Lefler said, “We’re a company that has been here for more than 25 years and we are like a family. We have a stable workforce and long-term employees who easily pull together in a crisis. We take care of each other.”

Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and Chief Executive Officer of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency said, “This is just another example of a company that is pivoting to address the needs created by the COVID-19 crisis. I want to commend the Trinity Biotech Team along with Piazza from MAST for making this happen.”

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said, “While my main priority is dealing with this health crisis, I am also very concerned for the short and long-term sustainability of our businesses. Trinity, along with a multitude of other companies, is alive and well and I commend them for doing their part to deal with this crisis while remaining economically viable.”

About Trinity Biotech

An international company based in Ireland, Trinity Biotech specializes in the development, manufacture and marketing of diagnostic test kits used to detect infectious diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, autoimmune disorders, cardiac arrest, and hemoglobin disorders. The company also develops tests to detect, monitor and control diabetes and is a significant provider of raw materials to the life sciences industry. Trinity’s Jamestown site specializes in the production of EIA assays and instrumentation mainly for infectious disease and autoimmune applications.

About Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST)

MAST is a pro-active leader, committed to enhancing the economic strength of Chautauqua County by acting as a primary resource for information and assisting in the promotion of manufacturing excellence. The Association works with government and various organizations to define and address the economic development needs of the manufacturing community.

About CCIDA

The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, visit, and conduct business. The organization facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the form of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention for our businesses.  For more information, visit www.ccida.com.

Pictured from left, MHA OPEN Team Leader Sheridan Smith, Executive Director Steven Cobb, and MAST Talent Pipeline and Apprenticeship Coordinator Tim Piazza meet at JCC’s Manufacturing Technology Institute to collaborate on worker retention and recruitment.

JAMESTOWN – The Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County (MHA) has created a program focused on workforce development.

Through funding from the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County and the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative (ESPRI), MHA created the Occupational Peer Empowerment Network program, known as OPEN. The program connects peer specialists with local residents to help lift them out of poverty by overcoming barriers to gaining, maintaining, and thriving as employees.

The OPEN staff work with employees to help tackle challenges that are keeping them from being happy, healthy, and eager to succeed.
MHA is collaborating with the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST) Talent Pipeline to apprise other local manufacturers of OPEN resources. The Manufacturer’s association is inviting their members to join OPEN staff at a Workforce Retention Roundtable on Thursday, June 27, at their location in the Manufacturing Technology Institute at Jamestown Community College.

Like all MHA services, all OPEN resources are free.

To learn more about the MHA, call 661-9044.

County Executive George Borrello greets the more than 900 local students who were at JCC’s Physical Education Building on March 14 to participate in STEM Wars 2019.

JAMESTOWN – It was a busy day at Jamestown Community College’s Phys Ed building Thursday when over 900 area middle and high school students participated in the 5th annual STEM Wars.

The event is a collaboration between the Chautauqua County chapter of the New York State Technology and Engineering Educators’ Association, Dream It Do It Western New York, JCC, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, and The Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier.

Chautauqua County Dream It, Do It coordinator Carly Abbate said it’s held each year to allow students an opportunity to showcase projects they’ve worked on while competing with others from around the region.

“The events incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics,” Abbate explained. “We have a math and science challenge to focus on those two. As far as the Technology component, we have a robotics competition. For Engineering we have a catapult that they have to engineer and create a catapult to launch items into a targeted area. So they’re using their creative juices to come up with these things. It’s awesome.”

In addition to the competition, representatives from several manufacturers and businesses were also on hand to give details about their operation and network with future job candidate.

County executive George Borrello was on hand to welcome the students in the morning. He said afterward that events like STEM Wars are good for engaging teenagers and young adults into thinking about careers after high school.

“Whenever there’s a level of competition like this it ups the game for their creativity and commitment to seeing this through, so I think this is a great opportunity for us to highlight and show these kids this is something incredibly important,” Borrello said. “And it gives them the opportunity to show us what they’re made of and what the future looks like here in Chautauqua County when it comes to the future of manufacturing.”

A total of 23 school districts from around the area competed in this years STEM Wars.

The JLDC board of directors held its first meeting of the new year and as part of new business the panel unanimously approved two resolutions that would provide $50,000 in grant funding to the National Comedy Center for an additional event at the Northwest Arena during the 2019 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in August.

In addition, the board approved a resolution that would give $50,000 in grant funding to the Jamestown High School Marching Band, along with an upfront $25,000 loan for a major fundraising event on Friday, July 19 at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. The Marching band is hoping to generate a net profit of $15,000 from the event.

The funding would come from city’s Downtown Programming Fund.

City Development Director and JLDC Executive Director Vince DeJoy said the funding for the Marching Band event would be used to cover various costs associated with the event.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts will be the location for a special fundraiser for the Jamestown High School Marching band on July 19, 2019 featuring a “significant name and talent” according to organizers who are unable to disclose more specifics until contracts are signed. Funding for the event is made possible, in part, to the city’s Downtown Programming Fund.

“The total expenses for this program, including talent, travel, hospitality, production costs, stage, lights, marketing, etc. is $119,000. It’s a very significant name and talent that the Marching Band is hoping to bring to the Reg,” DeJoy said.

Because contracts still have to be signed for the entertainment that will be participating in both events, specific details of what the events would entail were not disclosed and would be released at a later date.

Also, while the JLDC board approved the funding allocations, the resolutions must also be reviewed by the state and approved in order to be finalized. That’s because the grant money comes from a $600,000 pool of money from the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Grant the city received in 2017.

Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, who serves as the president of the JLDC board, also provided a reminder of what the event program funding can be used for.

“This program is intended not to fund existing events and activities that are already underway. We’re not here to pay for somebody else’s sponsorship or subsidy, but to deal with brand new events that otherwise wouldn’t occur. Or in the case of an existing event like the annual Lucy Fest that’s operated by the Comedy Center where there is a significant and quantifiable increase and expansion in an existing event, and that’s what’s happening with the NCC event,” Teresi explained.

The JLDC also reminds the community that additional funding remains available for anyone wishing to put on a major event in the downtown area of the city and needs support to do so.

In other news from the meeting, the JLDC board approved a unanimous consent resolution that was signed in late 2018 involving changes to the terms of a $180,000 JLDC loan for the Jamestown Brewing Company.

That loan was one of several loans and funding sources the business owners – father-son duo John McLellan Sr. and John McLellan Jr. from Buffalo – requested in 2017 in order to get their operation off the ground. However, delays in the renovation effort of the building where the business will be located forced a delay in the opening. As a result of the delay, all lending sources – both public and private –  made an effort to restructure their respective loans to accommodate the McLellans and ensure they have enough startup capital for its opening, now planned for March 2019.

Because the JLDC loan exceeded $100,000, the changes had to also be approved by the Jamestown City Council – which it did by a vote of 8 to 1 during its October 2018 meeting.

And the JLDC board also welcomed two new members. Vicki McGraw will be the representative of the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce, taking over for Russ Diethrick. And Chris Sellstrom will be the representative for the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, taking over for John Whitaker.  The JLDC  bylaws state that a representative from those two organizations, along with the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, must have a seat on the board.

During Monday night’s city council work session, Liuzzo said he would like to see the bylaws changed in order to transfer the power of appointment for three of the JLDC board’s nine seats back to their respective agencies, rather than having the mayor make the appointments.

Under the new JLDC bylaws approved by the JLDC board in late 2017, the mayor of Jamestown is to appoint representatives for the Manufacturers Association, Jamestown Chamber, and Jamestown Renaissance Corporation when the president of each respective organization is unable to serve due to not being a city resident or for any other reason. Under the original JLDC bylaws, each organization was allowed to select its own representative when its president was unable to serve.

The previous JLDC bylaws also stated that any amendments would have to be approved by the city council.  However, the new bylaws no longer carry that requirement.  Councilman Tony Dolce (R-Ward 2) on Monday night pointed this out, saying the council may not even have the ability to consider Liuzzo’s proposal. It would instead have to be taken up by the JLDC board.

• Original 1981 JLDC Bylaws [PDF]
• Updated 2017 JLDC Bylaws [PDF]

Mayor Teresi said he’ll ask the city attorney and city clerk to research the matter and return with a report next week.

It’s worth noting that there are three council members (Dolce, Council President Marie Carrubba, and council woman Kim Ecklund) who each serve on the JLDC board, along with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi. So even if the city council couldn’t amend the JLDC bylaws, it could make a motion to request any of those four individuals introduce the amendment at the next JLDC board meeting, where it could then be voted on by those members.