Talk CNY

If you’re leaving the Syracuse Hancock International Airport through Terminal A, and you look to your left after crossing through the glass doors, you’ll see a room with large screens on the walls. The screens are displaying air traffic control data, a microweather service and low-altitude flight detection and more. 

It's a room you may not have noticed if you weren’t looking for it, but it’s home to a keystone of the Central New York uncrewed aerial systems, or UAS, ecosystem, an ecosystem with a global reputation of innovation and success. This is the NUAIR Center of Excellence, headquarters for the NUAIR Alliance.

As the Central New York region grows as a hub of UAS technology, NUAIR works with its partners to enable the next generation of aviation in our region and across the country.

On this episode of Talk CNY presented by NBT Bank, NUAIR’s Executive Director Ken Stewart joins host Katie Zilcosky to discuss the organization’s success and how the industry is impacting Central New York. 

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Ken Stewart LinkedIn

Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn 

The Talk CNY Miniseries: Leadership Lessons is a new series where we sit down with business and community leaders to explore the personal and professional experiences that have shaped their journeys.

Kicking off the series is Merike Treier, Executive Director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse. In this role, she leads initiatives focused on development, revitalization, security, and environmental maintenance.

Ever wondered what it takes to create and sustain a thriving downtown? Merike shares with host Brittni Smallwood her perspective on downtown Syracuse’s remarkable transformation and the strategies she’s used to foster lasting growth.

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Downtown Committee of Syracuse Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Each year, uncrewed systems startups from across the globe apply to be a part of an accelerator program in Central New York. The five selected startups move to Central New York to take part in the world’s largest uncrewed aerial systems accelerator, GENIUS NY.

The GENIUS NY program, operated by CenterState CEO, awards $3 million in funding across the five selected teams and provides a suite of business services over the course of the program. It’s a program that produces results.  

Since the program’s start in 2017, Empire State Development has invested $24 million in these uncrewed systems startups. GENIUS NY teams have since gone on to raise more than $350 million in follow-on funding. 

GENIUS NY cohort 8 is currently underway. So what are these teams up to now?  

GENIUS NY program director Kara Jones and Flyhound co-founder Manny Cerniglia join this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, to talk about the GENIUS NY experience. 

Apply for GENIUS NY Cohort 9!

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Kara Jones LinkedIn

Manny Cerniglia LinkedIn

Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn 

This episode of the Talk CNY, Economic Champions Miniseries, presented by NBT Bank, features Hannah Henley, President and Head of Intelligent Sensor Solutions at INFICON. Hannah and host Kate Hammer talk about her clear passion for developing high performance teams with a growth mindset. Through her work at INFICON she’s collaborated across the semiconductor value chain as the industry evolved through several inflection points. These experiences have firmed up her view that possibilities are truly endless when teams work together and let go of traditional fixed pie mindsets. Hannah initially came to CNY from New Hampshire, to pursue Chemical Engineering as an undergrad, and later complete her M.S. in Engineering Management at Clarkson University. At INFICON, she began as a product specialist and transitioned through numerous leadership roles before stepping into her current role as president. Hannah shares her journey at INFICON as well as INFICON’s inspiring and stellar year in 2024, and its positive outlook for 2025.

Governor Kathy Hochul has a number of economic development initiatives in this year’s budget, from supporting the semiconductor supply chain to helping adults reskill for the new careers that will be available in the state.

Leading these projects and all other economic development in the state is Empire State Development. On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, President, CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development Hope Knight joins the show to discuss the state’s plans to see New York grow.

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Commissioner Hope Knight LinkedIn

Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn 

CenterState CEO’s vision of economic development is not narrow. It aims to enable inclusive and sustainable growth, bringing together a range of partners to find creative solutions that will make for a vibrant community. 

That means the work is varied. From multi-billion dollar investments like Micron to new restaurants opening in city neighborhoods. It’s all economic development. 

On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, CenterState CEO Vice President of Economic Development Nora Spillane discusses a range of projects currently underway in this region and how they’ll impact the community.

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Nora Spillane LinkedIn

Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn 

CenterState CEO is taking on an exciting new role as a sub-intermediary for Micron Technology’s workforce development investment through the CHIPS and Science Act. And we’ll get to work with one of our long-time partners, the Central New York Community Foundation, which will serve as the lead intermediary for the investment. 

The Central New York Community Foundation has invested more than $300 million in the region since its establishment in 1927. It also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region.

Joining host Katie Zilcosky on Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, to discuss the foundation’s work with Micron as well as its role in the community, is the Community Foundation’s President, Melanie Littlejohn. 

It’s a new year, and 2025 will be filled with a lot of work and a lot of opportunity. Micron is expecting to break ground this year, partners in Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Ithaca continue their work as a federally awarded Tech Hub, ON-RAMP will begin to take shape and we’ll be celebrating the opening of the new Tech Garden. And that is just a bit of what’s to come. 

On this episode of Talk CNY by CenterState, presented by NBT Bank, CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson discusses what’s to come and what it means for our community. 

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Rob Simpson LinkedIn

Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn 

Today’s conversation on Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, is with Miniseries, Economic Champions host, Kate Hammer and multi-hyphenated entrepreneur, Arel Moodie. You may know him as the host of Disney+ show, "Family Reboot", which is oh so much fun, but in this episode we discuss his current businesses and work as a professional speaker.

Arel is co-founder of the tech start up Talkadot, a top tool for professional speakers allowing them to capture leads, collect data, and prove their value with hard numbers.

He also co-founded Profound Mastermind, where he helps bring together some of the top entrepreneurs and business professionals in Upstate NY to partake in unforgettable experiences with unforgettable humans.

Beyond these exciting ventures, Arel spends quite a bit of time hopping from city to city as a professional speaker. We’re talking 48 states and 5 countries to audiences that add up to three quarters of a million people. Now that’s a big number, in fact if we compare it to the Syracuse metropolitan area, tack on another 100,000 folks and we’re in the ballpark!

Arel has been invited to speak at the White House twice, the TEDx stage three times, and has been quoted in media outlets like Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, and many others. 

Today’s conversation on Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, is with Miniseries, Economic Champions host, Kate Hammer and guest, Tom Huegel, founder and senior Partner at Wireless Business Group. Tom brings his clients over 35 years in the cellular industry, primarily working in corporate sales and engineering. And if you think you know what we mean when we say cellular, tune in because we are not just talking phones, we’re talking drones! 

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Guest: Tom HuegelLinkedIn

Guest’s Company: Wireless Business Group

Host: Kate Hammer LinkedIn