Business

This is the fourth in a series of five stories about the honorees at this Saturday's annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony. The ceremony is being held at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

The Firing Pin in Bergen is a friendly place to visit. Owner Brandon Lewis is a big reason why. Open and gregarious, he's eager to help his customers and ensure when they come to use the range they do so safely and get the most enjoyment from it as possible.

The store is brightly lit, clean and well-stocked.  

It's no wonder, the Firing Pin was selected by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce as the Innovative Enterprise of the Year.

Lewis, the owner, said he was humbled to receive the award.

“When you go into business, you never know what’s going to happen,” Lewis said. “To be recognized for the work you do is the icing on the cake. It can’t get better than that.”

Lewis started planning to open The Firing Pin in 2011. He wanted to offer a facility with a full range of products and services, that was not a typical gun shop. He felt it was something the community needed, and the public responded well to the business.

“We cater to those who are afraid of guns, and those who use guns,” Lewis said. “We cater to every skill level. We’re a destination for anyone who is looking to be better.”

The facility, located at 8240 Buffalo Road, was built in 2013 and opened in 2014.

Lewis went to Alexander High School when he thought of the idea of running his own place. The idea took time to develop, so he went to St. John Fisher College.

He took a job at Gander Mountain, and decided he wanted to open a place that gave more training, the right training, and safe training.

Lewis is an eagle scout, a certified NRA pistol and rifle instructor, a certified GLOCK Armorer and a black belt in Taekwondo.  

“Everywhere down south there are gun shops and ranges,” Lewis said. “It is popular down south and it’s something I felt we needed.”

The Firing Pin is open seven days a week, Monday from noon until 8:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. They offer group rates, memberships and firearm rentals, in addition to one-on-one training with NRA certified instructors.

More information and pricing can be found here.

Eli Fish Brewing, the new downtown restaurant and brewery going into the former Newberry building, was adorned with its new sign on the front of the building today.

Inside, managers and more than a dozen new staff members were busy with training and setup.

The business should be open to the public within a couple of weeks.

In July 2017, we welcomed a new business to Genesee County – but its building has history dating back to the 1820s. On Main Street in Le Roy sits the beautiful Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn.

Walk in the front doors and you’ll find yourself in a cozy downstairs tavern and restaurant. Journey upstairs, and you’ll be blown away by the stunning gathering spaces and overnight accommodations. And no matter where you step, you’ll be able to see the view of the Oatka Creek bed – stunning in both the summer and winter months.

With so much beauty and finery, you’d never know that Farmer’s Creekside has a rich and tragic history. The building was constructed in the 1820s and was one of Main Street, Le Roy’s first locations. Over the years, the building served as a hat factory, a bank office, and several private residences. But in 2004, a fire nearly claimed the building for good, destroying almost all of the structure and interior.

Restoring this building and opening Creekside has truly been a labor of love for owner Bill Farmer. He acquired the building in 2007 and is welcoming visitors to enjoy the space – 10 years later.

Now that the wait is over, it’s time to make your reservation. Executive Chef Sean Wolf offers a tavern menu with sandwiches, salads and snacks, and a more upscale dinner menu featuring modern expressions of classic tavern fare. You’re bound to find something to make your mouth water. And with a well-stocked bar featuring 18 beers on tap and a selection of regional and global wines, there are plenty of drink options to complement your meal.

Once you’ve filled your belly, check out the view – or check into one of three brand new suites. Each one is decorated differently and features a modern yet timeless design that perfectly blends into the building’s brick walls, black Marcellus shale, and original wood beams.

On occasion, Farmer’s Creekside will host special events that are open to the public. They also offer space for private events and gatherings with advance reservation.

Support Genesee County’s newest offering! Farmer’s is open for lunch and dinner, Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. The Bar is open for extended hours in the evenings, and overnights can be booked year-round.

Learn more about Farmer’s Creekside and their story at: http://www.farmerscreekside.com/. Or visit www.VisitGeneseeNY.com to learn more about Genesee County's unique attractions and local offerings.

Pam and Mondell Elliott completed their first escape room in Canada a little over five years ago. When their youngest child moved out, Pam Elliott decided it was time to open their own escape room to keep themselves busy and have fun doing it.

Six Senses Escape Rooms in Batavia opened its doors on Black Friday in Batavia City Centre. Both Pam and Mondell work full-time jobs but enjoy the family adventure.  

“The kids come help out when they can,” Pam said.

Six Senses Escape Rooms, located at 106 Main St. in Batavia, is open Friday from 4 until 10 p.m., and 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are required and can be made through the website located here. Special events, such as birthdays can also be held at Six Senses Escape Rooms.

The hours for Six Senses Escape Rooms do not match the Batavia City Centre hours, so guests should use the back entrance instead of going through the mall.

Each room has its own theme and storyline with a series of challenges that must be solved within 60 minutes. The rooms are designed for people of all ages and skill sets. No special knowledge is needed to solve the puzzles.

Currently, there are two rooms; an Egyptian theme called Pharaoh’s Crossing, and an outdoor woods theme called Cabin Fever.

“When you’re in the escape room, you should feel like you’re in the game,” Pam said. “You solve one puzzle and it will give you a direction, key, combination, or something to take you to the next puzzle.”

There can be crossword puzzles, simple math puzzles, physical puzzles, scrabble tiles. Every escape room is completely different.   

“It is a lot of fun,” Pam said. “It is you, a group of your friends, your family, or complete strangers. It doesn’t matter. You’re all working together to solve a puzzle or clue, and then go to the next one.”

One escape room can hold 10 people at a time, and the other holds eight.

“Four players are doable in the room,” Pam said. “You do not have to have a huge group of people. Small groups can have fun also.”

The escape rooms have turned out to be a good family night out.

“The kids don’t overthink things and they are so good at the treasure hunt parts,” Pam said. “It’s amazing how much fun the kids and parents are having together. The kids enjoy it just as much as the adults.”

Pam said that most people that come and complete the escape room can’t wait to do another. Escape rooms are a new form of entertainment that people seem to enjoy, she said.

The space that Six Senses Escape Rooms occupies now can hold five rooms, Pam said.

“We’re at the point now where we have two different options for people to come out and give the escape room a try,” Pam said. “We really want to continue to build and continue to make new escape experiences in our space.”

Elliot would like to have a children’s room for the little kids, with basic colors, ABCs, and higher-level entertainment for older children.

“The sky is the limit,” Pam said.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) announced that four hospitals in his district will receive funding included in the Bipartisan Budget Act so they will be able to continue serving those most in need. The Bipartisan Budget Act provides an extension of the Medicare Dependent Hospital program and Low-Volume hospital payment adjustment for five years, providing necessary certainty to hospitals largely in rural areas.

“This funding means life or death for rural hospitals,” Collins said. “In the event of an emergency, my constituents in need to know that the lights will be on and they have somewhere to go for treatment.”

The hospitals that will receive funding are Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, and the Wyoming County Community Health System in Warsaw. In total, Collins secured more than $8 million for the four hospitals through FY2022.

“The Medicare Dependent Hospital and Medicare Low-Volume payment adjustment help ensure New York's rural and small community hospitals can continue to provide essential healthcare services to patients in need," said HANYS President Bea Grause. "We thank Rep. Collins for supporting the reinstatement and extension of these important policies.”

“We appreciate Congressman Collins' recent efforts in assuring inclusion in the federal budget agreement programs that have been essential for hospitals like WCCHS,” said Donald Eichenauer, CEO of Wyoming County Community Health System. “Over the past decades, these programs were generally included in legislation with authorization for only one or two years.

"The short-term extensions put us in a positon where almost annually we had to invest efforts in searching for ways to cut staffing or reduce expenses if the programs were not reauthorized. The five-year extension will give us greater confidence that services can be maintained, jobs retained and our efforts can be focused on continuing patient care at its high level.”

“The Low Volume adjustment is critical for Noyes Hospital to help offset the cost of providing services as well as uncompensated care,” said Amy Pollard, president and CEO of Noyes Memorial Hospital. “Emergency Services at Noyes and other hospitals must operate fully staffed 24/7.

"Last year 14,600 patients were treated at the Mary Saunders Beiermann Emergency Department at Noyes. The continuation of the Medicare payment adjustments helps assure that these vital services remain intact. I am very grateful to Congressman Collins for his support of the rural hospitals and thus, our community.”

Collins added: “I was proud to support this Bipartisan Budget Act and the important funding included for rural hospitals. I have and will continue to stand against any cuts in funding for hospitals in rural communities.”

Press release:

New York State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced his support today for a broad-based 2018 Jobs and Opportunity Agenda. The plan focuses on regulatory and economic development reforms, as well as comprehensive tax relief, to help make New York more competitive and foster job growth.

“Families, individuals, homeowners, seniors, veterans, local leaders, small businesses and manufacturers continue to tell me that New York’s overly burdensome regulatory practices and high taxes hinder job creation. The Jobs and Opportunity Agenda will help to make the state more competitive and business-friendly. Enacting this plan will create jobs and opportunities for all of our residents and jumpstart our state and local economies,” Ranzenhofer said.

According to the State Department of Labor, in 2017, the Rochester area lost 3,500 jobs, while the Buffalo-Niagara region lost 4,600 jobs. The entire state lost a total of 500 jobs, for the period December 2016 through the end of last year.

The Jobs and Opportunity Agenda includes:

Cutting Tax Rates on Small Businesses:

• New Tax Relief for Businesses -- $495 million: Reduce the amount small businesses and farms must pay in taxes by increasing the corporate tax threshold from $390,000 to $500,000 and lowering the rate to 2.5 percent. The proposal also expands the small business exemption to all businesses filing the personal income tax regardless of whether they have employees; increases the threshold to $500,000; and increases the exemption to 15 percent (additional 5 percent for farmers).
• Tax Relief to Boost Manufacturing -- $90 million: This proposal would extend the zero percent Corporate Franchise Tax parity to all manufacturers in New York regardless of how they are organized. Currently, only approximately 25 percent of manufacturers – those organized as C corps – can receive the zero percent rate on business income.
• Reduce Energy Taxes -- $280 million: Eliminate the 2-percent Gross Receipts Tax on utility bills, ($190 million) and terminate the 18A assessment tax ($90 million).
• Create STAR for Small Businesses - $275 million: Allow real property owned by a small business (100 or less employees) to be eligible for the STAR property tax savings program.

Reducing Red Tape and Overregulation: 

• Prevent Regulatory Steamrolling: Curtail state agency overuse of the emergency regulation process to ensure it is only used when necessary to protect public health and safety. This proposal also includes allowing the Administrative Regulations Review Commission to delay the adoption of new rules by 90 days. This will help when businesses raise concerns about possible rulemaking inconsistencies with statutory authority or legislative intent, or could potentially burden taxpayers or local governments.
• Improve the State Rulemaking Process: Reform the regulatory, licensing, and permitting processes to make them easier to understand, more responsive to businesses’ concerns, increase transparency, improve consistency, and reduce overly burdensome or unnecessary requirements.
• Remove Speedbumps to Development: Create a new statutory “Fast-Track” process for certain economic development projects.
• Advocate for Small Businesses: Make the state an advocate, not an adversary, by creating a small business liaison to help startups navigate the state agency bureaucracy. The advocate would hear concerns, advocate within an agency on behalf of small businesses, and increase education of and outreach to entrepreneurs.

Revamping Economic Development Programs: Several of New York’s economic development programs and strategies are not producing the results that taxpayers expect and lack the transparency needed to help the state be more fair and competitive: 

Shut down START-UP NY: The Governor’s program has failed to produce the job-creating results that were promised. This proposal would stop the state from accepting new applications for the program at the end of 2018.

Improve Transparency with a Database of Deals: Ensure greater transparency and accountability in state contracting by creating a searchable database of all state subsidy and economic development benefits so that individuals, businesses, and public officials can monitor how taxpayer dollars are spent.

Promote Additional Oversight: Create an Independent Oversight Panel for all large public work projects and state procurements of $50 million or more.

Strengthen In-School Training Programs: Expand and make permanent the P-Tech School Programs that prepare thousands of New York students for highly-skilled jobs in technology, manufacturing, healthcare and finance.

Promote Practical Skills and Experiences: Allow academic credit for high school students who participate in internships and other practical experiences and encourage schools to promote apprenticeship participation.

Use Better Metrics: Enhance outreach, education, and reporting by the state Department of Labor on employment and training programs.

Bonnie Ames saw the empty restaurant building on Ellicott Street Road near Shepard Road and knew it was the place for her.

"I saw the building was empty and when I walked in it reminded me of a place when I was very little, and I said, 'oh, my God, I've got to do it.' "

Ames, with daughter Amy Goodenow, has opened the Route 63 Diner in Batavia. 

She said it's just a traditional diner with good American food.

She's undaunted by the fact four other restaurant owners have tried to make it at the same location in the past few years.

She said the reason she's optimistic is she's met a lot of wonderful people during her first four weeks in business and they all seem to appreciate a good home-cooked meal.

"They're wonderful," she said. "I feel that with the way they feel about the food, they are coming back. It's a great location. I think our attitude, and good food, is what's going to make it."

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) is relocating its urgent care services in Le Roy from 8745 Lake Street Road to 3 Tountas Ave. The move is part of Rochester Regional Health’s plan to expand primary care, diagnostic and urgent care services in the area.

After a renovation project at the 3 Tountas Ave. location, residents will have more timely access to care in a convenient, modern and comfortable setting. 

“It is important we remain focused on patient-centered care and acknowledge the needs of the community. Centrally locating these services will enhance access, operations, communication and patient engagement,” said Jennifer Dunivent, United Memorial Medical Center’s director of operations, outpatient services. 

To accommodate the project, Urgent Care services in Le Roy will temporarily close effective Friday, Feb. 16 until the project is finished this spring.

During this transitional period, patients can visit UMMC’s urgent care location at 16 Bank St. in Batavia. The urgent care in Batavia will have additional staff, expanded hours and onsite laboratory and radiology services. The location is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Diagnostic services at the 8745 Lake Street Road location in Le Roy will not be affected and will remain open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

This latest project reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to ensuring patients have local access to the care and services they need; all while staying connected to emergency room services and a team of highly skilled specialists when patients need them.

Submitted photo and press release:

On March 7 Kristine McCarthy (in photo above) will be part of Genesee Community College's Fashion Business Speaker Series sharing her inspiring story of dedication, hard work and success. McCarthy currently serves as a senior vice president, operations lead at P.W. Minor.

P.W. Minor has been making shoes in America since 1867 and operates the second oldest shoe factory in the country.

McCarthy's presentation will take place in room T102 of GCC's Conable Technology Building at the Batavia Campus from 1 - 2:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; however seating is limited.

Those wishing to attend can RSVP by calling (585)345-6830 in advance. If you are unable to attend the event, McCarthy's presentation will also be streamed live at www.genesee.edu/home/event-streaming/.

For the past decade McCarthy has led product development teams at Coach Inc. and Ann Inc. working with and managing the development process from design conceptualization to supply chain management and product profitability. McCarthy's learning and experience has taken her to New York City and China, and she now enjoys working in her hometown of Batavia.

McCarthy said, "Believing that anything is possible and not backing down from any challenge, I have delivered consistent results throughout my career on a global scale and I am proud of the work I do every day."

She graduated from GCC in 2001 with an associate degree in Fashion Merchandising and then transferred to Buffalo State College to earn her Bachelor of Science in Fashion Textile Technology in 2003. After 12 years in NYC, McCarthy currently lives in Batavia with her husband Brian McCarthy (also a 2001 GCC graduate) and their two sons, Jack and Ronan.

When Avraham Farzan, an engineer and clothing entrepreneur, heard that the Melton Company shut down, he decided to purchase it in 1998.

Farzan has been operating a successful clothing company in Downtown Los Angeles, but recently has been working to bring the Melton Company back to Batavia.

“I want to start from the seeds and roots that are in Batavia,” Farzan said. “I want to have some kind of memory to be alive in Batavia.”

In October 1918, Joseph Horwitz opened the Melton Company in the city of Batavia, according to a book written by Ruth McEvoy, written in 1993, titled “History of the City of Batavia.” He leased the upper floors of the old post office building located at 10 Jackson St., and began manufacturing shirts under the company name, “Horowitz Shirt Company.” The factory employed 15 girls, and moved to a more permanent location in July of 1920, at 43 Liberty St. in Batavia.

“It was one of the first shirt factories in the United States,” Farzan said.

Horowitz began making shirts for the J.C. Penney Company, Montgomery Ward and Company, and other large firms in 1934. He expanded the building, to accommodate 225 employees as the company grew.

In 1941, Horowitz made 150,000 shirts for the Army. Horowitz died in 1955, and the Horowitz Shirt Factory closed soon after. His sons sold all of the sewing machines, folding machines, cutting tables, desks and stools at auction.

In 1965, Abraham and George Alpert leased the Liberty Street building and hired former Horowitz Shirt Factory employees to make Enfield Shirts. They sold the business to Monroe Davidson, who made woolen shirts and jackets under the name, Melton Shirts.

Davidson needed more space, and soon moved the company to 56 Harvester Ave.

“Melton was in Japan since 1969,” Farzan said. “I’ve tried to bring it back to the U.S.”

Farzan said they sold clothes made in the United States to many countries, such as Japan, Germany and other European nations.

In 1996, The Melton Shirt Company announced that it would not manufacture shirts at its plant due to the high cost of production, and would make the shirts or buy them outside of the United States. The retail operation and outlet stores were expected to expand, but its outlet stores closed less than two years later.

Farzan would also like to open a museum about Melton and retail store at the original site.

“My goal is to open a museum and small shop in Batavia because there are not too many companies like Melton,” Farzan said. “Melton was the first.”

Farzan said once he gets funding for the museum, which he is hoping will come from the owner of the building and the City of Batavia, he hopes to finalize the plans.

Any residents who have any information about the Melton company or memories to share, should contact Judy Stiles, Judy.Stiles@co.genesee.ny.us

Batavia-based P.W. Minor -- the nation's second-oldest shoe manufacturer founded here in 1867 -- has been sold to Tidewater+Associates, which has offices in Delaware and California.

P.W. Minor CEO Peter Zeliff will transition to board member and Hundley Elliotte of Tidewater's leadership team will become managing CEO.

"We have made significant progress turning this business around," Zeliff said in a press release about the sale. "I now feel that it is the right time to step away from my day-to-day involvement and I'm extremely confident in Tidewater's ability to guide this business to the next level of success."

That's good to know and no doubt a relief for Zeliff, who saved Genesee County's oldest business from doom when he and then-business partner Andrew Young bought the business in mid-2014. It was set to close due to slumping sales and a frumpy product line, despite having outsourced 100 jobs to China in a bid to keep it going.

Zeliff and Young poured investment into P.W. Minor, located at 3 Treadeasy Ave. in the city, and worked with state and local officials to bring back the  jobs lost to China. Young subsequently left the company; he's a real estate broker, investor and county legislator representing District 4 (towns of Batavia and Stafford).

It was a big task. Production facilities were upgraded and automated. New designers were hired and the product line was revamped. Shoe molds were brought over from Italy, world-renowned for its shoes and leather goods. The price tag to do all this was estimated at $7.5 million.

Empire State Development pledged to provide up to $1.75 million in performance-based tax credits, including a $900,000 state-backed aid package to re-shore the China jobs and add jobs. Though some layoffs were made in the interim.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce named P.W. Minor its 2015 Business of the Year.

"We are excited to be a part of the resurrection of this American icon," Zeliff told The Batavian in an interview before the 2016 awards ceremony.

He also admitted there was a sizable learning curve for him; he's been in the landfill-gas-to-energy business. And he expressed frustration with the bureaucratic slowness of state government.

Although the company's reputation was built on its orthopedic shoe line, rebuilding the brand and the business in that market has proven to be difficult. It currently operates three key brands -- P.W. Minor; Abram Boot Company; and the Batavia Boot & Shoe Company. A subsidiary -- Minor Brothers Boot and Shoe Manufacturer -- develops and makes products for several leading brands in the United States.

Tidewater's Elliotte says "We believe there are significant opportunities to scale P.W. Minor's social and environmental benefits through its current core brands and to embark on new developments.

"The organization's legacy of craftsmanship and capabilities to deliver product sustainability can be leveraged to expand and grow the brand base."

Tidewater has a history of more than 80 years of focusing on "small cap brands and businesses," to which it applies a unique loyalty business model and operational expertise to accelerate and scale, according to a statement released by the company.

Press release:

With a projected 18 percent growth in job opportunities in the next five years, it is an exciting time to be in or entering the medical profession. To meet the workforce demand, The BEST Center at Genesee Community College is offering three exciting professional training opportunities with tuition scholarships available! With registration deadlines just two weeks away, interested applicants should apply today! 

Patient Access & Registration Professional -- This 90-hour comprehensive program prepares students for patient intake and healthcare experience coordination including patient confidentiality, medical ethics and law, medical terminology, insurance billing and coding basics, appointment scheduling, medical records management and much more! This course costs $1,950 which includes required textbooks. Registration deadline is Feb. 26 and the course runs Mondays and Wednesdays, March 5 through May 14!

Clinical Medical Assistant -- This 140-hour course includes an optional 160-hour clinical externship. During the course, students will train to assist physicians by preparing patients for exams and treatments, routine laboratory procedures and diagnostic testing. Students will review technical aspects of phlebotomy, pharmacology, the proper use and administration of medications, taking and documenting vital signs, cardiology including proper lead placements and the legal aspects of healthcare. This course costs $2,599 which includes required textbooks. The optional externship costs an additional $350 which includes CPR Certification, background check, immunizations, drug screening, uniforms and more. Registration deadline is February 26, 2018, and the course runs March 5 through June 11, 2018!

Phlebotomy Technician -- This 90-hour hands-on program prepares students to collect blood specimens for laboratory analysis. Classroom and lab work includes coverage of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, blood collection procedures, and skills and techniques for performing puncture methods. This course costs $1,799 which includes required textbooks. Registration deadline is Feb. 27 and the course runs Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 6 through May 6!

All of these training programs take place at GCC's Batavia Campus located at One College Road in Batavia. Registration for these programs requires a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Additional information on each of these programs is available at www.genesee.edu/cms/best/development/certificate-programs/healthcare-certificate-programs/. All participants can register under "View our classes now" at www.genesee.edu/best. 

Those who are underemployed, unemployed and under skilled may be eligible for tuition scholarships through NY INSPIRE. GCC is part of the statewide program that focuses on training qualified candidates for high demand growing industries in the areas healthcare, advanced manufacturing and information technology.

The $20,000 grant to GCC will help offset tuition costs qualified recipients in this year's healthcare training programs. Scholarships are designated for those who are over 17 years of age and do not exceed the income threshold of $40,000 per year.

Don't delay! Contact The BEST Center at (585) 343-6868 or visit www.genesee.edu/best to find out if you are eligible!

Press release:

Genesee Community College is excited to share the details of the fifth annual Creativity Conference: Creativity in the Entrepreneurial Zone taking place Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the Batavia Campus. Do you have a hobby or passion? Ever consider turning it into your own business? Then you won't want to miss this conference!

"So many people in the world dream of being their own boss. What they don't see is just how realistic that opportunity is!" Lina LaMattina, Ph.D., director of GCC's Business Programs. "This year, every piece of the creativity conference has been carefully aligned to inspire those creative business ideas and show participants just how far their entrepreneurial aspirations can take them."

The Creativity Conference will open for participants to check in at 8:15 a.m. in the Conable Technology Building lobby. The conference cost is $49 per person. For GCC students, faculty or staff, the conference cost is $25 per person. Registration includes a continental breakfast and delicious lunch.

Seating is limited, so register today at www.genesee.edu/best under "View our classes now!"

At 9 a.m. the conference will begin with keynote speaker, Erica Swiatek. She will address the link between creativity and entrepreneurship. Swiatek has made her living doing just that as one of the founders of Innovate Faster, a training, consulting and facilitation company based in Buffalo. Innovate Faster offers training courses on the creative process, enhancing teamwork, managing change, customer service and much more. Details on Innovate Faster are available at www.innovatefaster.com.

Swiatek's own creative thinking and ideas have come to fruition in her business, 3600 Escape, a company located in Buffalo that hosts groups in one of two specially dedicated Escape Rooms. Participants select either the "Conspiracy Theory" or the "Mineshaft" room and then are locked inside!

They have to work as a team to find and put together clues to escape the room -- and they only have 3,600 seconds to do it! Swiatek has now taken this concept on the road allowing her to perform the escape room experience for companies and corporate events on their premises through a package of creative characters, clever clues and utilizing the participant's own spaces.

The escape room experience can be done just for fun, or as a real-life learning tool. Swiatek's post-experience debrief session breaks down the steps and actions taken by individual participants during the exercise to help them understand the personality traits that they draw from while working to solve a problem.

Learning about one's strengths and tendencies is a powerful way to unite a team, helping them to understand each other better and to work together more efficiently. More information is available at www.3600escape.com.

Swiatek earned her master's degree in Creative Studies and is currently an adjunct professor at Buffalo State College. At both Innovate Faster and 3600 Escape, Swiatek blends her expertise in the fields of innovation, learning and development to design activities, courses, programs and experiences to facilitate innovation, professional development, change management and teambuilding.

Certified in Myers-Briggs, DiSC and FourSight assessments, Swiatek draws on these tools to help participants problem solve, communicate and understand each other better.

From 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Swiatek's will host a special escape room experience right here at GCC! Participants will work in small groups to look for clues, propose hypothesis and race against other teams to solve the problem first.

At the end of the session, Swiatek will breakdown the skills and tools used by each personality type to help participants better understand their individual problem solving strengths. Anyone registered for the conference can sign up for this special breakout session which costs an additional $15 per person and is limited to 30 participants, so sign up quick! 

For those not attending Swiatek's escape room experience, there will be nine unique and inspiring breakout sessions featuring entrepreneurial leaders from our region to share stories of their own startups, answer audience questions, and inspire the next generation of great new ideas.

Conference participants will be able to select three of these sessions to attend. Each session will be offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon.

Among the breakout sessions will be:

• Rashaad Santiago, special effect/ makeup artist, Face Off-Season 6 Winner (2014)
• Sue Fuller, owner of Della's Chocolates in Medina
• Trace George, owner of VSP Graphic Group in Buffalo, (the official graphic company for the Buffalo Bills) and GCC Alum
• Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoos in Medina
• Maureen Spindler, owner of The Village Photographer in Hilton and GCC's own visual communications specialist/photographer

Additional sessions will be available and session schedules are subject to change.

At 12:45 p.m., everyone will come together for a sit-down lunch, provided by American Creative Dining, served in the centrally located William H. Stuart Forum.

After lunch, the team from Startup Genesee will conduct a powerful wrap-up session for all conference attendees with giveaways and a very exciting announcement sure to help take entrepreneurial ideas to the next level!

The Creativity in the Entrepreneurial Zone conference, presented by GCC, is made possible through partnership with the Startup Genesee Committee and the Ain Center at the University of Rochester's ongoing support for the "Year of Entrepreneurship" series.

Behind every great business is a great idea! Let GCC be a resource for your idea and your path to success! GCC offers both an associate degree and a Certificate program on Entrepreneurship. Check out the options at https://www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/business/entrepreneurship/.

Press release:

Timing is everything, and now is the time to leave as executive director of YWCA of Genesee County after six and a half years, Jeanne Walton says.

“I have been fortunate to work with a lot of people and take the organization to a new level,” Walton said. “And we’re at a point where a lot of things need to be addressed and we need a person with a different skill set to work on them.”

When Walton took the position in July 2011, her goals were to work with staff to increase exposure and awareness of YWCA, its offerings and mission to empower women and families and eliminate racism.

That tall order was achieved with the addition of the Care+Crisis Helpline in 2015; a total renovation of the My Sister’s Closet thrift shop; expanding the agency’s awards event into a nationally aligned Women of Distinction function; and increased devotion to serving the needs of domestic violence victims and child care families.

“Being here has taught me a lot about the need for these services in the community. I was not aware, especially, for the need of crisis services,” Walton said. “We’ve worked hard to change things in the domestic violence department to provide services we hope will urge clients to make significant transformations in their lives.

"For the past four years we’ve really brought some significant change to the lives of people, especially those who have gone into our Safe House; some have completely turned their lives around. And the Care+Crisis Helpline has filled a huge void.”

Although some ventures have come and gone, such as the Artisans at North Street and a teen youth program, they have all been important “to the process and to our learning development,” Walton said.

She is proud of the agency’s more recent and ongoing programs and events, which have also included the Stiletto & Sneaker 5K, a Healthy Relationships course taught in local schools, peace and justice vigils, support groups and the You Engaging Success transition program for domestic violence victims.

They all prove that the agency’s vision can be interpreted in a variety of ways, she said.

“I’m appreciative of the continuous support the community has offered to me, but more importantly, to YWCA as a whole in supporting new ventures we’ve undertaken,” Walton said.  

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Board Member Roula Alkhouri said that Walton’s experience in management and business helped YWCA raise awareness about the needs of those affected by domestic violence and other related struggles.

“Her personal passion for helping others has enabled the YWCA to grow its programs and increase its outreach and funding,” Alkhouri said. “We are indebted to Jeanne’s steadfastness, commitment and vision for all the new programs that YWCA offered in our community.”

Millie Tomidy-Pepper has begun her new role as executive director and looks forward to working on agency initiatives to eliminate racism and empower women.

As a former executive director of the Mental Health Association in Genesee County, Tomidy-Pepper brings several years of experience and a background in nonprofit management, including the oversight of fiscal stability and growth, employee and facility management, advocating for clients at a national, state and local level and strategic planning to reach fiscal stability, quality service and enhanced community awareness.

She has a bachelor’s degree in organizational management and has received many awards for significant accomplishments in leadership, staff management and community involvement.

"At this time in our nation’s history, when women's rights and civil rights are being challenged every day, I cannot think of a place I would rather be working than the YWCA, an organization whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women,” Tomidy-Pepper said. “This job is a dream come true for me."

YWCA of Genesee County’s three primary programs are Domestic Violence Crisis & Prevention Services, Children & Family Services and the 24-hour Care+Crisis Helpline.

The agency is the sole provider of domestic violence services in Genesee County and offers before and after school child care at seven sites in Genesee and Livingston counties. For more information, call (585) 343-5808.

Sports continues to become a bigger part of Genesee County's tourism economy, Kelly Rapone, tourism marketing director for the Chamber of Commerce, told members of the Ways and Means Committee during an annual update on Wednesday.

For years, since the Batavia Sports Park opened, Batavia has been home of the Empire Cup soccer showcase and this year the two-weekend event will be supplemented by a third weekend of soccer for another tournament.

That additional tournament will mean an addition 4,000 room nights for local hotels and about $500,000 of local economic impact.

June is also booked solid with sports. In this case, baseball.

Genesee County has long been a top destination for Canadian golfers, though last season the number of golfers crossing the border dropped off because of an unfavorable exchange rate. The exchange rate still isn't good, Rapone said, but golfers started booking packages in January, which may be a sign that the Canadians have mentally adjusted to the new prices and are ready to make the trip anyway.

Music has also grown into a source of tourism dollars, Rapone said. The venues have grown from beyond just Darien Lake to include The Ridge, in Le Roy, entering its eighth season, and Batavia Downs.

The first concert series at the Downs last year was a success, so officials there are apparently planning on booking more shows this year.

It's not so much that the concerts sell out, Rapone said -- the concerts help increase casino traffic and lead to more room nights booked at the new hotel.

The hotel hit its first anniversary in October, Rapone said, and in the fourth quarter, as a result of the hotel being open, there was a bump in local tourism revenue in 2017.

Rapone said she believes Batavia Downs is looking to book more expo-type of events, which brings more people to town, more people into the casino, and leads to more nights booked at the hotel.