Message From the President

Message from A.J. Baynes: May2023 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO As businesses are facing the challenges of a tight labor market, there are a multitude of ways for employers to separate themselves from their competitors when trying to recruit new talent to their team. At the Chamber, we have worked with many recruiters to help…

Message from A.J. Baynes: April 2023 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO The first quarter has ended, and now is the time to take stock if you are achieving the targets you wanted to set forth. One of the goals we set forth this year was to ensure we continued to maintain the pulse of our…

Message from A.J. Baynes: March 2023 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO The month of March is budget season in Albany for our New York State elected officials, and while it is vital throughout the year to let your voice be heard, now is the time as citizens to engage with your elected officials on the…

Message from A.J. Baynes: February 2023 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO To kick off the month of February, we had an incredible show of support from our business community and elected officials at our Annual Meeting. We were back in person for the first time in nearly three years for this event, and the energy…

Message from A.J. Baynes: January 2023 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO The early days of a new year are upon us, and every business owner should be excited about the possibilities ahead. January is a time to take action, set your goals, celebrate the small victories, and avoid letting any setback discourage you from moving…

Message from A.J. Baynes: November 2022 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO It is no secret to anyone reading this article that the labor market is tight; Western New York unemployment numbers are hovering around 3.3%, even lower than the statewide average of 3.9%. According to the Department of Labor September market briefing, nearly 80% of…

Message from A.J. Baynes: October 2022 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO The Event – Celebrating Business Excellence 2022 is later this month, and we are thrilled to announce our award recipients. Excelsior Orthopaedics has the proud distinction of being nominated and chosen for our Business of the Year Award. Excelsior Orthopaedics, with seven locations and growing…

Message from A.J. Baynes: September 2022 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO While September signals the end of summer and children are returning to school, now is the time to jumpstart your focus on a more regimented schedule that you may have let loose over the past few summer months and reinvigorate the goals you may…

Message from A.J. Baynes: August 2022 A.J. Baynes, President & CEO It has been a thrill to travel around our region the past two months, taking in all our area offers during the summer months. The energy in our community is incredible, and it is great to see people engaging with each other and exploring…

Message from A.J. Baynes: July 2022 President/CEO A.J. Baynes We are halfway through the year, and I hope you take time to reflect on where you have been, where you are, and where you want to be. While the summer is in full swing, it is easy to fall into the trap of a third-quarter…