CenterState CEO Celebrates 2016’s Economic Champions!

CenterState CEO Celebrates

2016’s Economic Champions!

295 Companies Recognized for Creating Jobs, Growth and Expansion, and Capital Investments and New Business Openings

CenterState CEO Community Visionary Award Presented to St. Joseph’s Health

SYRACUSE, NY – CenterState CEO today recognized 295 companies as 2016 Economic Champions for their collective hiring of 3,163 employees, more than 1 million square feet of expansions, and over $650 million in capital investments. In keeping with this year’s theme, Celebrating Business Beginnings, 68 companies were also recognized for opening the doors to a new business.

"This region is home to industries across sectors, businesses large and small, legacy companies and an ever-growing entrepreneurial culture,” said CenterState CEO President Robert Simpson. “This year we are celebrating the innovators, risk takers and new business owners who are making their goods and their livelihood in Central New York. They are among the many Economic Champions that make this region such a great place to grow a business.”

The Economic Champions Luncheon, presented by Fust Charles Chambers LLP and CR Fletcher Associates, brought together a sold out crowd of more than 600 CenterState CEO members, community leaders and guests to the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter. Honorees were recognized for their contributions to the economic growth of the region through capital expenditures, hiring of new employees, expansion or relocation due to growth, and achievements such as major milestone or state or national recognition. Companies were nominated as Economic Champions for their accomplishments throughout the year by peers, employees and staff. New this year, companies celebrating the opening of a new business or location were also recognized.

The luncheon also featured remarks from Wiley Cerilli, co-founder and CEO of Good Uncle, who spoke of his own experiences as a serial entrepreneur, and his latest startup venture.

"Starting any new venture can be a scary prospect. It takes focus, determination and risk," said Wiley Cerilli, Co-founder & Co-CEO of Good Uncle. "But if you surround yourself with great people - whether it’s investors, other entrepreneurs, mentors and partners - that risk can pay off in dividends. At Good Uncle, as with any startup, we are constantly looking at new markets and new opportunities, and we are excited to be growing our new company in Central New York."

The CenterState CEO Community Visionary Award, sponsored by Wegmans, was presented to St. Joseph’s Health. This award is given to a person, company or association that embodies the vision of economic opportunity and has had a significant impact on community prosperity.

“St. Joseph’s Health has exhibited the vision, commitment and leadership that are so critical to advancing opportunities to create greater prosperity in our community,” said Evelyn Carter, director of community relations at Wegmans. “Over the past decade, St. Joe’s has invested more than $250 million in its campus to help spur growth on Syracuse’s Northside, and it has been a leader in developing training and employment opportunities for the residents of its neighborhood, and beyond. Wegmans is proud to support CenterState CEO's Community Visionary Award, and to recognize St. Joseph's Health for all their efforts.”

CenterState CEO Thanks the 2016 Economic Champions LuncheonSponsors

Presenting:                                          Fust Charles Chambers LLP

                                                            CR Fletcher Associates

Corporate:                                           Time Warner Cable Business Class

Lockheed Martin

Community Visionary Award:             Wegmans Food & Pharmacy

Speaker Sponsor:                               NBT Bank

Parking Sponsor:                                C&S Companies

Media:                                                 Business Journal News Network

                                                            Visual Technologies Corp.

                                                            Advance Media New York

News Radio 570 WSYR Now on 106.9 FM

About CenterState CEO

CenterState CEO is an independent and forward thinking economic development strategist, business leadership organization and chamber of commerce; dedicated to the success of its members and the prosperity of the region. We serve as an advocate and resource for smart business, catalyze and facilitate regional growth, and promote community prosperity through results-driven partnerships, planning and problem-solving. www.centerstateceo.com

About Wiley Cerilli, Co-founder & CEO of Good Uncle

Wiley dropped out of Syracuse University at age 19 to join the founding executive team of Seamless, now a public company GrubHub ("GRUB"), where he was the EVP of Sales & Marketing, and helped build Seamless from its infancy to be named the fourth Fastest Growing Private Company in The U.S. by Inc. Magazine and eventually acquired by ARAMARK over $300 million. In 2010, Wiley started SinglePlatform, a digital marketing platform for local businesses, and it was acquired in 2012 for $100 million by ConstantContact ("CTCT").

He was on the executive team at Constant Contact until July 2014 when left to join First Round Capital as a Venture Partner in New York City, with a focus on impact investing. After a year of investing, he got the itch again and was ready to start another company. Wiley left First Round in December 2015 is now Co-Founder and CEO of Good Uncle, a food delivery startup launching in Syracuse in October 2016, and backed by the best investors in the world, including locals Carmelo Anthony and Armory Square Ventures. Good Uncle partners with top restaurants in New York City and is launching delivery-only locations across the country. Customer place their orders via the app, and they get the best food from New York City delivered to their doorstep. Wiley has been featured in publications from Forbes to GQ, and was named among the Top 25 CEOs in New York and the 100 Most Influential People in New York by Business Insider.

Outside of work, Wiley is on the advisory board of the Syracuse iSchool as well as Service Year. Wiley is most passionate about his nonprofit summer camps, Experience Camps, which are free sleep away camps for boys and girls 8-15 who have lost a parent or sibling. He has been a board member and volunteer camp counselor and there for seven years, and volunteers weeks every year as a camp counselor at all of their camps across the country.

 Full List of Economic Champions

For Immediate Release  

Contact:  Elle Hanna

315.470.1800

 [email protected]

October 20, 2016            

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