Economic News for Ithaca and Tompkins County

September 2022

IAED Open House – Sept. 29 (5 – 7p)

In June, IAED moved its office to the former Tompkins Financial headquarters at 119 E. Seneca Street, Suite 200. In our announcement, we expressed excitement about the new space and cited an impending Open House in the fall. The time to celebrate has arrived!

Join us on Thursday 29 September from 5–7p for an informal tour, food, beverages, and one-on-one conversations in a small group setting. Click here to RSVP. We hope to see you soon!

Tompkins Community Recovery Fund Information Session – Sept. 28 (Noon – 1p)

Tompkins Chamber, Downtown Ithaca Alliance, and IAED will host a virtual session on the Tompkins County Recovery Fund (TCRF), a one-time grant funding opportunity created by the Legislature to assist with pandemic recovery. Presenter Tracy Verrier of MRB Group will provide an overview of program priorities, eligibility, guidelines, and timelines. Click here to register, or visit tompkinscountyny.gov/communityrecoveryfund to apply.

How It’s MADE: Manufacturing and Development Expo – Oct. 7 (All day)

Tompkins and Cortland Counties are hosting “How It’s MADE: Manufacturing and Development Expo” on Manufacturing Day, Friday, October 7 at TC3. The event is in partnership with local businesses, agencies, and educational providers to showcase hands-on work to future job seekers. Employers are encouraged to engage attending high school students in active demonstrations in the morning and job fairs in the afternoon. For more information about participating, contact Rosemary Avila at ravila@tompkins-co.org or (607) 274-7526.

Employer Conference: Increasing Organization Productivity Through Training Initiatives – Oct. 12 (8:30a – 12:30p)

Join TC3 for a presentation by Melinda Mack, Executive Director of the NY Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP), and group discussions about leveraging available resources to make your organization thrive. A networking event is available afterward. The registration deadline is September 30, the cost is $25. To register, or for more information, click here.

Community Job and Internship Fair – Oct. 20 (2 – 6p)



Employers are encouraged to showcase their spring/summer internships, seasonal jobs, and part-/full-time openings at this hiring event open to students from all regional colleges and community members. The deadline to participate is September 23, the cost is $100. For more information, contact Dara Riegel at dr087@tompkinscortland.edu.

Rosie Acquired by Instacart

Ithaca-based Rosie, which offers independent grocers affordable and easy-to-use e-commerce website and mobile apps, announced recently it was acquired by Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America. The acquisition means Instacart will add to its robust offerings e-commerce solutions built specifically for local and independent retailers, allowing them to expand customer engagement and grow business while also retaining their unique store experiences and brand identities.

“For nearly a decade, our team has lived, breathed, and devoted ourselves to the success of local independent grocers and I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said Nick Nickitas, Founder and CEO of Rosie. 

The Rosie team will stay in Ithaca and lead Instacart’s business strategy and technology development for local independent grocers. Read the full press release here.

C&D Assembly Celebrates 30 Years



C&D Assembly, the leading domestic electronics contract manufacturer, is celebrating its 30th anniversary! The company has come a long way since its first $2,000 purchase of supplies to produce circuit boards in a basement, now specializing in automated SMT and Thru-hole assembly in a 20,000 sq. ft, state-of-the art facility in Groton. High-tech circuit boards manufactured at C&D Assembly go into printers, measuring equipment, lighting, and much more. Read more about C&D Assembly and owner, Jeff Cronk, in the Tompkins Weekly here.

*Photo by Linda Competillo.

Odyssey Semiconductor Achieves

Rating Milestone

Odyssey Semiconductor, an Ithaca-based semiconductor device company specializing in high-voltage power switching components, announced their Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based processing chips achieved a 1200-volt rating in critical tests. 

“The importance of achieving this milestone cannot be over-emphasized,” said Mark Davidson, Odyssey’s CEO. “Our vertical GaN products will deliver high power conversion efficiency at almost 10x a silicon carbide transistor for the same application.”

Electric vehicle manufacturers, among others, are principal targets for Odyssey’s proprietary technology. Odyssey has received two loans through IAED’s Revolving Loan Fund to support R&D and continued business growth.

See Odyssey’s press release here.

TC3 Receives $150,000 ARC Grant for

Workforce Training

Tompkins Cortland Community College, in partnership with Southern Tier 8 Regional Board, was awarded a $150,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant to develop micro-credentials to train local workers and provide pathways for career growth in the healthcare and wellness-related fields.

Tompkins Chamber Healthy Workforce On-the-Job Training Grant



Deadline: Rolling

Purpose: Support people in recovery by receiving education and training support, new job opportunities, and maintaining a recovery-friendly workplace and employer base.

For more information or to schedule an appointment to discuss OJT funding, contact Cloud Kelley, at ojt@tompkinschamber.org.