Rochester’S Most Visionary Ideas for Popular Business Change at Colgate U.S
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B ook of Lists Profile Special Report Explore the 2020 Angela Sims Manufacturers edition of developing adhere closely to Rochester’s most visionary ideas for popular business change at Colgate U.S. food safety reference Rochester Crozer standards. publication. Divinity School. Page 9 Special Section Page 4 inside. VOLUME 35, NUMBER 38 WWW.RBJ.NET DECEMBER 20, 2019 Han-Tek on cutting edge with robots, office amenities By VELVET SPICER It’s hard to say what gets more Helping “oohs” and “ahs” on a visit to Han- Tek Inc.’s new Honeoye Falls facil- people lead ity: a hip entrance that features a robotic coffee maker; the executive their best life lounge, complete with wet bar, big screen TV and adult beverages for those long days and nights work- ing on projects; or the array of col- laborative robots and automated equipment housed in the company’s warehouse and manufacturing ar- eas. The “wow” factor is a well-de- served pat on the back. In the last year or so, the company has roughly doubled its staff to 75 people, grew sales some 30 percent from 2017 to 2018 and expects to double its bookings this year. Photo by Velvet Spicer The secret sauce, said company Pallet stacker for American Packaging. President Patrick Tobin, is ensuring Han-Tek understands its customers’ to you; we’re making you aware of needs. what’s available in automation and “Our belief is the RFP is the start- you tell us what you want and we’ll ing point,” Tobin said. “We want to help you in providing that.” come in, we want to talk to you, we Han-Tek was founded in the early Rochester Rehab (100 years) and Happiness House (50 years) celebrate want to understand all of the in- milestones of helping people thrive. Special Section starts on Page 13. puts and variables and your needs. Continued on page 7 And we’re not dictating a solution Bank of America Funke, Robach called spirited voices for Rochester nounced the same decision a week ear- “There’s a level of frustration, for opens virtual By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA lier, meaning his 28-year career work- sure,” Funke said. “The Assembly is ing in the state legislature on behalf of heavily Democratic and heavily down- financial center the Rochester area will end. state. I think people are starting to “Looking to the future, it is critical realize what the New York State Sen- downtown that those seats be filled with individu- ate Republicans were able to stop from als willing to advocate strongly for our happening (when they controlled the By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA region, regardless of party affiliation,” Senate). said Michael Kracker, executive direc- “Politics is politics and sadly, but In opening a virtual financial center tor of Unshackle Upstate, a nonpar- accurately, politics gets in the way of in Sibley Square, Bank of America has tisan advocacy coalition. “A vibrant good public policy too often. People stepped out of the past and into the fu- Funke Robach economy in Rochester and the Finger know what the right thing to do is but ture. Lakes benefits all of New York, and we they let politics get in the way.” While the company has 300 employ- When New York state senators Rich are eager to work with any legislator Robert Duffy, president and CEO ees in the Rochester area, this branch at willing to stand up for area businesses of the Greater Rochester Chamber of the corner of East Main Street and Clin- Funke and Joe Robach bid farewell to Albany at the end of 2020, their succes- and taxpayers.” Commerce, knows the Albany politi- ton Avenue is employee-less. Customers While Funke, 70, and Robach, 61, cal machine well. The former Rochester can, however, connect face-to-face with sors will face a challenge — and scru- tiny. each say it is time to move on, they mayor served as lieutenant governor a representative through the self-service also were growing weary of battling under Andrew Cuomo from 2011 to kiosk. The video concierge then may Funke, R-Fairport, announced ear- lier this week that he would not seek the power brokers downstate. And now 2014. direct customers to one of three pri- that Democrats hold the majority in He commended both for their abil- vate video conferencing rooms for more re-election in the 55th District when his third Senate term ends next year. the Senate, they were even more disen- ity to work across the aisle and also for Continued on page 5 Robach, R-Greece, (56th District) an- chanted with New York politics. Continued on page 35 > $2.00 04 6 330 77 74470 0 WEEKLY PAGE 2 ROCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL / RBJ.NET DECEMBER 20, 2019 ICON Honors celebration More than 300 people attended the • Ray Hutch, Synergy IT Solutions ICON Honors awards celebration Mon- • Don Jeffries, Visit Rochester day, Dec. 9, at the Genesee Valley Club. • George Karpus, Karpus Invest- The ICON Honors awards recognize ment Management Rochester-area business leaders over • Barbara-Ann Mattle, Child Care the age of 60 for their notable success Council Inc. and demonstration of strong leadership • Gary Mervis, Camp Good Days both within and outside of their chosen & Special Times field. Hope Hall School and St. John • Stuart J Mitchell III, PathStone Fisher College were reception sponsors. Corporation The 2019 honorees were: • Sharon Napier, Partners and Na- • Bradford Berk, UR Medical Cen- pier ter • Walter Parkes, O’Connell Elec- • Daan Braveman, Nazareth Col- tric Co. Inc. lege • Nagappa Ravindra, Ravi Engi- • Jack DePeters, Wegmans Food neering & Land Surveying, P.C. Markets, Inc. • Fred Sarkis, Yes Pa Foundation • Diana Dolce, SSJ, Hope Hall • Naomi Silver, Rochester Red Alice Holloway Young, retired Rochester City School District educator and founding trustee of Monroe Community College, receives her award from RBJ Publisher Kevin School Wings Momot, left, and RBJ Group Publisher Suzanne Fischer-Huettner. • Carvin Eison, RCTV, College at • William Valenti, Trillium Health Brockport • Chris Whitman, Complemar • Emerson Fullwood, Xerox Cor- Partners poration Go to rbj.net/events/icon-honors to • Jim Grossman, Barclay Damon see more photos from the event or to LLP nominate for the 2020 ICON Honors • Alice Holloway Young, Roches- awards. ter City School District Photos by Matt Wittmeyer Nazareth College President Daan Braveman, a 2019 ICON Honors winner, networks with Roberts Wesleyan College President Deana Porterfield before the awards dinner Jack DePeters, Wegmans Food Markets Senior Vice President of Store Operations, receives his award from RBJ Editor Ben Jacobs, left, and RBJ Group Publisher Suzanne Each ICON Honors winner received a custom artwork as an award. Fischer-Huettner. ESL Charitable Foundation Board chair David Fiedler, left, a 2018 ICON Honors winner, The 2019 ICON Honors award winners. and Wegmans Food Markets President and CEO Colleen Wegman talk before the awards dinner. DECEMBER 20, 2019 ROCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL / RBJ.NET PAGE 3 The Corporate Counsel Awards recognize legal leaders for their sustained commitment and professional successes. Whether navigating complicated contract negotiations, defending companies in high-stakes litigation, or protecting an organization’s most important assets - corporate counsel have a positive impact on our business and legal community. NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! NOMINATION DEADLINE January 17, 2020 nydailyrecord.com/corporate-counsel-awards March 30, 2020 SAVE THE DATE Hyatt Regency Rochester For additional event information, please contact Jessica Sims at [email protected] For sponsorship information, please contact Kevin Momot at [email protected] PAGE 4 DECEMBER 20, 2019 ROCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL ‘CONFLUENCE OF SKILLS’ New leader of divinity school developing visionary ideas for change By DIANA LOUISE CARTER Angela Sims arrived at an interest- ing time for Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. She started work just a few weeks before the school moved out of its Hogwarts-like campus following a decision to sell the property to a de- veloper. On Aug. 20, Sims led a pa- rade of faculty and staff in a walk from the old campus down Good- man Street to the new location in Photo by Kate Melton modern yet largely anonymous of- fice space on the edge of the Village Gate complex. in the memory banks of the school, academic school year. womanism – the latter a term bor- “I’m really glad that I got to spend considering that many of its em- She also sees changes coming in rowed from author Alice Walker my first few weeks…at 1100 South ployees had worked there 15 years the curriculum, noting that divinity that describes women-centered per- Goodman St. It gave me a greater or more before her arrival. schools affiliated with certain de- spectives from women who aren’t sense for the feel of the place,” she Sims most recently worked as a nominations sometimes have taught just white. said. The former campus runs deep vice president at Saint Paul School in ways that discourage inclusion, as “I take seriously the experiences of Theology in Kansas City, Kan., the denominations may have rules of black women, particularly think- (the school also has a campus in against same-sex marriage, for ex- ing of black women as sources of Oklahoma City) before becoming ample, or ordination of women or moral discernment,” Sims said, not- Angela D. Sims the first female president at CRCDS gay people. “We may miss an oppor- ing that she doesn’t discount the and the first female African-Ameri- tunity from an educational perspec- other voices that have always been at Position: President, Colgate can president at any Rochester-area tive,” Sims said. “When I think about the table. Denied the chance to be Rochester Crozer Divinity School college.