Archive: Around Town

(Ithaca, NY) The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce held the second of two awards luncheons at the Holiday Inn in Ithaca Friday.  The luncheon honored Cornell University as the County's Large Business of the Year, and Sciencenter as the Not For Profit of the Year.  Last month Strebel Planning Group of Ithaca, NY received the 2006 David R. Strong Memorial Small Business of the Year Award, while Felicia's Atomic Lounge was named New Business of the Year.  "We thought we would try something new this year," said Chamber Board Chair Kyle Tuttle.  "In additional to our annual dinner we would recognize companies and present awards during the year."


Tuttle says the Chamber has expanded the evaluation process for recognizing excellence in local businesses.  They rate businesses for growth in their workforce, growth in sales, commitment to the community, volunteerism, philanthropy, and leadership, involvement in the Chamber of Commerce, and innovation.  He said the awards will be presented semi-annually starting this year.

Featured speaker Jeff Bercuvitz spoke engagingly about being innovative about promoting local communities by taking advantage of what is unique about them.  Bercuvitz works with communities around the globe, and has recently moved his home base to Ithaca.  He encouraged the attendees to 'think big and start small,' challenging the group to come up with ideas and rewarding them with chocolate when they did. 


He gave countless examples of communities that turned their unique qualities, not always obviously positive ones, and turned them to their advantage by creating events that promote the community and bring tourist business.  One such example is International Falls, MN, where it was said they could only attract visitors during three relatively warm days per year.  But Bercuvitz says they were able to attract visitors by creating the 'Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Road Run.'

This kind of innovative thinking was all part of what the Chamber honors in local businesses.  Cornell University was founded in 1865, and has become the biggest employer in Tompkins County.  Within the past two years alone the university has been recognized as among the top 100 Best Employers for Working Mothers, the 2005 Best Employer for Workers Over 50, The 2006 Best Campus for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Students, and one of the 2006 Best Places for Postdocs to Work.

Accepting for Cornell was Vice President of Human Resources Mary George Opperman.  "Cornell is part of this county, and the County is part of Cornell," she said.  "We welcomed and benefited from the partnerships we have forged with area residents and businesses."  Opperman said that Cornell has worked very hard to meet the needs of their employees.  "We are honored that our efforts to create a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive educational and work environment are being recognized at the local level."


The Sciencenter has grown tremendously since they took over the old Ithaca waste water treatment plant building.  In 2003 they tripled their space, and the museum is visited by 85,000 visitors per year.  Executive Director Dr. Charlie Trautmann not only thanked the Chamber for recognizing the museum, but took the opportunity to announce a new initiative.  "I am announcing here today that the Sciencenter will undertake a major new initiative on science and sustainability," he said.  "We will begin to actively incorporate sustainable practices into our own business, and we have committed 1% of our 2007 budget to help us start on this path."

He said that looking ahead the museum will take on the challenge of showing others how to sustain the world for future generations.  And that fit nicely with the goals he said the Sciencenter has set for itself in general.  "Our vision is to touch the minds of each young person in out community, and expand our reach and depth over time," he said.  Secondly we want to provide opportunities for students that want a deeper experience with science.  And third, we want to save the world."

Opperman and Trautmann were presented with plaques which they shared with fellow employees of their respective businesses who had come to see their workplaces honored. 

----
v2i48