The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting Thursday at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego.

“Our community is emerging as a beacon of innovation and collaboration – setting the stage for exceptional progress and new regional development,” Sara Broadwell, executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Phil Church, Oswego County administrator and budget officer was the keynote speaker.

“The county has made it a priority to help advance initiatives that create an environment where businesses can grow and thrive,” Church said.

“As we prepare for opportunities on the horizon that Micron will bring to this region, investing in priorities such as community wide broadband, wastewater management and planning for the energy needs of the future will be critical as we work to ensure employers and residents are part of that future growth. I look forward to finding more ways to make the Oswego County business community even more successful along that trajectory.”

The chamber presented four awards:

• Small Business Award was presented to Cam’s Pizzeria. The award recognizes a small business for outstanding customer and employee relations, milestones, company growth or for having made a notable impact through their dedication to Oswego County.
• Impact Award was presented to the Richard S. Shineman Foundation. The award recognizes a nonprofit that demonstrates excellence and has significant impact to Oswego County.
• Community Investor Award was presented to CiTi BOCES. The award recognizes an organization that has invested in the improvement of Oswego County’s communities.
• Nancy L. Premo Woman of Distinction Award was presented to Brandy Koproski, executive director of Integrated Community Planning. The award celebrates a woman in business whose service has made a positive impact in the community, in honor of Nancy Premo, Centerstate CEO’s late vice president of human resources.

New fund launched

The event included the launch of the Oswego County Child Care Investment Fund. It will provide financial assistance and resources to child care providers for expanding facilities and support training. The program will be funded through an initial investment of $100,000 from Constellation as part of the company’s Powering Change workforce development initiative, which will be leveraged to seek additional private and public sector support.

“As we witness Oswego County’s continued growth, it is essential to focus on the community needs that are foundational to our success — such as the availability of accessible and affordable child care,” Broadwell said. “The Oswego County Child Care Investment Fund creates a sustainable foundation for addressing child care needs across the county. By making child care more affordable and accessible we empower parents to engage fully in the workforce driving economic growth while also contributing to better educational outcomes for our children.

“We are grateful for Constellation’s partnership as we work to implement an approach that creates an environment where families thrive as well as a sustainable foundation for our community’s progress.”

“We launched our Powering Change workforce development initiative with the goal of breaking down barriers to family-sustaining employment for individuals across the communities we serve,” said Susie Kutansky, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Constellation. “Securing reliable, affordable child care presents a major challenge for so many working families and we’re proud to support the Oswego County Child Care Investment Fund to expand quality care options and reduce costs of local families.”

“Operation Oswego County is proud to be an initial stakeholder in the Oswego County Child Care Investment Fund,” said Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County. “As the county’s authorized economic development organization, we fully support innovative public-private partnerships like OCCIF that will enable our residents to overcome barriers to participate in the labor force and support sustainable business growth.”

“Investing in quality child care is an investment in the economic and social future of our community,” said Rachel Pierce, executive director of the Workforce Development Board of Oswego County. “As a workforce development professional and a mother, I am proud to see elected officials and private sector employers recognize the profound impact this initiative has on our workforce and Oswego County as a whole. By prioritizing accessible high-quality child care we are strengthening families, supporting businesses and building a more resilient local economy.”

“Through implementing a Child Care Investment Fund, we are not only investing in the well-being of our children but also empowering our workforce and supporting local businesses,” said Koproski. “This investment supports the needs of working parents and strengthens our community by ensuring that every child receives the care and early learning they deserve.”