IAED Closes Th!nk Tompkins Investment Initiative, Hosts Party for Investors

IAED officially closed the Th!nk Tompkins, 2024-28 investment initiative on April 10^th during an investor-only event at Knickerbocker Bed Company. Attendees took a private tour of the 220,000-square-foot, state-of-the art facility in Dryden before a welcome message from Knickerbocker CEO Richard Polevoy and remarks from IAED President Heather McDaniel. McDaniel announced to the crowd that IAED had secured $1.9 million in commitments from 72 investors, of which 21 are new. Knickerbocker and its sister company, Wiggins Plastics, are Gold investors in IAED.

IAED Sponsors, Leads Workforce Panel at 2024 Economic Summit

At the 2024 Economic Summit, IAED President Heather McDaniel moderated a panel discussion titled “The Intersection of Workforce & Economic Development: Why it Matters to Employers.” Participants included Amy Durfee (CenterState CEO), Kamala Keeley (Three Rivers Development Corporation), Carol Miller (Alliance for Manufacturing & Technology), and Danielle Szabo (IAED).

Topic areas included an overview of the nationally recognized Industry Partnership model, sector-based training, and workforce attraction and retention, especially untapped talent.

The Summit was co-hosted by Cinemapolis and Coltivare. Other panels and presentations included Ithaca’s Downtown Plan, Why DEI Matters in Tourism, Healthy Community, and the Future of Higher Education. Andrew Fish (CenterState CEO) provided a keynote address on preparations around the Micron announcement.

First Direct-to-Work Cohort of 2024 Underway

IAED’s Direct-to-Work: Pathways to Manufacturing spring program is officially underway! Eight participants will be completing the Tooling U-SME curriculum, VR technical skills lab, hands-on blueprint reading and drawing, dial calipers and micrometers, and team-building exercises. They will also spend a half day at all eight participating manufacturers (Borg Warner, C&D Assembly, Incodema 3D, Knickerbocker, Lansing Instrument, Precision Filters, Stork, Therm). This first cohort is expected to graduate in early May, after which they will take the Certified Manufacturing Associate certification test and interview with an employer of their choice. Recruitment for the summer program will start mid-May.

From Lab to Launch: Cornell’s Entrepreneurship Day

Cornell hosted their annual entrepreneurship conference April 11-12, convening hundreds of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community partners. The two-day event consisted of featured speakers and fireside chats, an eLab Demo Day, the Student Business of the Year and BenDaniel Venture Challenge competitions, and networking. Congratulations to 2024 Student Business of the Year, Aunt Flo’s Kitchen; BenDaniel Challenge winner, Esger; and 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year, Tim Barry, Founder/CEO of VillageMD.

Web Compliance Webinar – May 15

The New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership is hosting a web compliance webinar on Wednesday, May 15 focused on laws, tips, and tools for ensuring your website is accessible to people with disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, businesses that are open to the public must make their programs, services, and goods accessible to all – including websites.

Learn more or register >>