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

Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier Executive Director Todd Tranum said manufacturing is the backbone of the economy for Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties, “$7.5 billion in shipments are exported from this region every year. And here’s the impact on the lives of people in our region of what that $7.5 billion in shipments means – It supports 18,000 family-sustaining jobs. It produces $805 million in payroll. And it provides $241 million in benefits.”

Ring Precision President and CEO Dale Gier said one of his company’s strugges is the loss of experienced employees due to retirement, “So, the reason we have been so actively pushing for the advancement in manufacturing and the technologies we need is, selfishly, we need these people to come and work for us to produce productive hours that then we can use to ship our products throughout the world. We are a global shipper so Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Israel – all daily conversations.”

Jamestown Community College and P-Tech Student Hope Smith has been part of the program for six years and will be graduating this Spring with a certificate of design in CAD. She said a manufacturers meeting between businesses and students led to her being able to get a summer internship with Bush Industries, “From there my summer internship ended and I went back for my senior year of college. Since then I was recently welcomed back as their new engineering technician and I’ve been working there for around three months.”

Smith said she encourages students to look into manufacturing because of the opportunities available.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley sat down Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Tranum to reflect on his 20 years with the Manufacturer’s Association and the Chamber as he prepares to move on from the chamber at the end of this month

Chamber Board President Fred Johnson said, “As the key Executive Assistant for the last three of our County Executives, Dan is both intimately acquainted with the details that make up the business environment of Chautauqua County and also with a strategic level County-wide perspective on the issues and opportunities facing us as we go forward. We had several excellent candidates for this position. We conducted an extensive search and executed a thorough process to ultimately hire Dan.”

Heitzenrater replaces Todd Tranum who previously had announced his retirement for the position.

According to a media release from the BPU,  the program is designed to facilitate innovation focusing on climate technology company formation, enhance regional workforce development, create jobs in the growing clean energy sector, and strengthen connections among manufacturers across the Western Southern Tier counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany.

The funding was awarded under NYSERDA’s “Accelerate the Southern Tier” program opportunity, which seeks to boost the formation and growth of early-stage innovation in the Southern Tier to help New York State advance its climate and clean energy goals and continues development of the region to help foster growth of climate technology businesses.

“We are very pleased that New York State leadership recognizes that significant investment in climate technology manufacturing will benefit existing Jamestown-area companies as well as to help attract new companies to the region,” says BPU General Manager David Leathers. “This BPU-led program supports our western New York legacy as a manufacturing powerhouse in the State and speaks to our potential as a climate technology manufacturing resource for decades to come.”

The Manufacturing Clean Energy in the Southern Tier project will encompass four initiatives:

• Climate Technology Studies designed to evaluate the regional and individual manufacturer’s potential to enter the climate technology manufacturing market in the Western Southern Tier.
• Climate Technology Workforce Development which will augment training and educational programming at Jamestown Community College.
• Climate Technology Manufacturing Conference and Tradeshow held in Jamestown and designed to attract manufacturing interests from across the country.
• Climate Technology Marketing Campaign promoting the Western Southern Tier’s status as a climate technology manufacturing hub for the expanding domestic supply chain.

“Climate technology businesses provide a bright future for innovative manufacturers and, in the Western Southern Tier, we’re poised to capitalize on that future,” adds Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist. “The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities stands as one of the most important economic development assets in our region. With our partners, this award will help us identify our shared potential to augment climate technology manufacturing, promote the region as a climate technology ‘hub’ and contribute locally to a 21st Century workforce.”

“Jamestown and Chautauqua County businesses can only benefit from a program designed to augment our successful local companies and attract new partners, new ideas and new investment,” states Todd Tranum, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer. “Doing so now, at a time of critical need for our region, exemplifies our relentless determination to build a better future.”

“The Gebbie Foundation looks forward to being a part of bringing a Climate Technology Conference and Tradeshow to the Jamestown area as soon as it is safe and prudent to do so,” says Greg Edwards, Chief Executive Officer at the Gebbie Foundation. “In keeping with the Foundation’s strategic focus of revitalizing downtown Jamestown, we invest in community and economic development projects such as this, that draw further investment from public and private partners. By becoming known as an ideal conference and convention location, we can attract people to our region to experience all the area has to offer.”

This effort complements New York State’s national-leading climate and clean energy goals as outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to lower greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050. The Accelerate Southern Tier Awards complements other State innovation and economic development initiatives such as the 76West Clean Energy Business Competition and Southern Tier Soaring.

76West recently awarded $2.5 million to four companies, to expand operations in the region, and previous competition finalists and semifinalists have successfully integrated themselves, raising $51 million in private capital, making multimillion-dollar investments in property and equipment in the region while spending more than $1.7 million on key suppliers.

Workforce training through Jamestown Community College (JCC) will increase the number of available skilled workers with knowledge of clean energy-specific technologies.

“Jamestown Community College is pleased to be part of the Manufacturing the Climate Technology Future in the Southern Tier consortium in partnership with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, which calls for a four-pronged initiative designed to facilitate climate technology company formation, growth, recruitment, and job creation across the Western Southern Tier counties,” says JCC President Daniel DeMarte.

“JCC’s specific role in this initiative,” continues DeMarte, “is to develop a Climate Technology program comprised of fundamental courses in residential and commercial electricity as well as more advanced offerings in Building Automation Systems focusing on the installation, repair, and maintenance of computer-based systems designed to control a building’s mechanical and electrical equipment including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and energy management systems. Courses will be available beginning fall 2021.”

Students in JCC’s program can also benefit from scholarship support from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation (CRCF).

“The CRCF is proud of its heritage administering over 300 scholarship funds to local students,” explains the Foundation’s Executive Director, Tory Irgang. “This partnership will offer our local students access to unique training and education for good paying jobs in this growing sector of our economy.”

The intended impact from the program will extend beyond Jamestown’s borders across Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties.
“With more Americans working in climate technology-related industries than ever before, job growth in this sector continues to exceed expectations,” notes Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CEO of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA). “The CCIDA and our counterparts in the Western Southern Tier—a region with more than 330 manufacturers responsible for more than $7.5 billion dollars of commerce—see tremendous value in making smart investments in climate technology manufacturing.”

Boosting manufacturers across the three counties is a significant goal of the program. Through individual manufacturing studies evaluating value-added investments in climate technology to a conference and tradeshow event meant to connect local firms with national investors and potential partners, new ideas and new jobs are on the agenda.

“Emerging climate technologies and the long-term trend toward sustainable climate technology solutions presents myriad opportunities for manufacturers across the Western Southern Tier,” says Tim Piazza, talent pipeline and apprenticeship coordinator at the Manufacturing Association of the Southern Tier (MAST). “From individual studies analyzing a manufacturer’s potential to efficiently enter the climate technology supply chain, to conferences and shared marketing designed to draw attention to the region, the program’s benefits are substantial.”

“I’m so proud of the JBPU and City of Jamestown team members who led the successful application process, along with a long list of local and regional community partners,” says Leathers. “This grant award outcome is recognition of a tremendous example of preparedness, teamwork and collaboration.”

Supporters of the proposal include: the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, Chautauqua County Visitors’ Bureau, Chautauqua County Education Coalition, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the City of Jamestown Department of Development, the Gebbie Foundation, Jamestown Community College, Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, the Manufacturer’s Association of the Southern Tier, and the Small Business Development Center.

The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, and the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, together announce the launch of CHQbuylocal.com, a website geared towards promoting local restaurants and retail businesses who are still providing services.

The website will initially contain a full list of restaurants that are offering takeout or delivery food services as well as links to their websites and/or social media pages. Restaurant owners can also utilize a fillable form on the site to ensure their business is included.

“As long as you remain in good health, maintain social distancing, good hygiene, and common sense, there’s still a lot of things to do and essential services available in Chautauqua County,” said County Executive PJ Wendel Jr. “Please support our local restaurants and small businesses and order some take out or buy a gift card.”

For consumers, we urge caution in all of your transactions. Some businesses are taking orders and payments by phone with credit card payment. We urge you to always call ahead to place takeout orders and tip generously. This situation is changing daily and some food service providers may have to make rapid changes in their plans.

“We encourage the public to continue to support local businesses by safely patronizing their establishments,” stated Todd Tranum, CEO of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. “In addition to directly buying services and products the public should make an effort to buy gift cards. Every purchase makes a difference for these small businesses. Please keep promoting our local establishments on your social media pages. Shop safe! Shop small! Shop local!”

Any comments or questions regarding this announcement should be addressed to Deputy County Executive for Economic Development/CCIDA Chief Executive Officer, Mark Geise, at geisem@co.chautauqua.ny.us.

JAMESTOWN – Jamestown Mayor-elect Eddie Sundquist has put together a Transition Team and established a series of public input sessions as he prepares to launch his initial mayoral term on Jan. 1.

During a special announcement Friday morning at the National Comedy Center in downtown Jamestown, Sundquist was joined by several supporters and members of his transition team. According to Sundquist, his transition team is a voluntary committee designed to create a community conversation on his priorities, evaluate current city operations, and provide suggestions and recommendations for immediate and long term goals to help ensure a smooth transition from one administration to the next. He also said the team is non-partisan and includes representatives from a variety of community organizations and businesses will be broken down into four subcommittees.

Sundquist said the team will be focused on his top priorities for 2020:

• Creating a City for the Future;
• Strengthening Housing Initiatives and Supporting or Neighborhoods; and
• Tackling Financial Burdens.

“We are embracing openness as we focus on creating the Jamestown of the future,” Sundquist said. “To do that we will build on our strengths, work collaboratively with community partners, businesses, neighborhoods and employee groups. Community input is not only welcome, it is strongly encouraged. We hope to have a good turnout for these public meetings, and I am very pleased with the Transition Team that has been assembled.”

Economic and Business Development Subcommittee

• Rich Dixon, Chief Financial Officer with the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency
• Greg Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of the Gebbie Foundation
• Tory Irgang, Executive Director of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation
• Ricky Turner, President of Blackstone Advanced Technologies.

Housing and Public Safety Subcommittee

• Len Faulk, Professor Emeritus at SUNY Fredonia
• Rev. Luke Fodor, Rector at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
• Dr. Lillian Ney, former City Council Chair, and former Medical Director and VP of Medical Affairs and Cardiology at WCA Hospital
• Taylor Scott, real estate agent with ERA Team VP Realty.

Financial Stability Subcommittee

• Tom Benson, Managing Director of Vineyard Group, LLC
• Maria Kindberg, Dean of Arts Humanities, & Health Sciences at Jamestown Community College
• Todd Tranum, President and CEO of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier
• Kristy Zabrodsky, shareholder of Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C.

City Operations and Human Resources Subcommittee

• Andy Johnson, Senior HR Advisor at TitanX Engine Cooling
• Peggy Kaltenmeyer, owner of Forté the Restaurant
• George Panebianco, President of Lewis & Lewis
• Patrick Smeraldo, Teacher/Education Consultant at Jamestown Public Schools/Chautauqua Connections Inc.

Serving as Communications and Public Relations Liaison for the Transition Team is Sheila Webster, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Governmental Affairs for the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce.

Public meetings have been scheduled for December to get input and recommendations from the community. They will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. as follows:

• Economic and Business Development Subcommittee, Thursday, December 5, at Jefferson Middle School
• Housing and Public Safety Subcommittee, Tuesday , December 10, at Washington Middle School
• Financial Stability Subcommittee, Wednesday, December 11, at Persell Middle School
• City Operations and Human Resources Subcommittee, Tuesday, December 17, at Jamestown High School.

“The purpose of these sessions is to listen and to open a dialogue. Primarily, we are seeking input, recommendations, and comments relative to each subject area. This will provide the subcommittees with crucial information as they begin their evaluation process in early January,” Sundquist said. “The experience and diversity of backgrounds in this group is a great starting point. We not only welcome, but invite, all input from all residents of Jamestown.”