13WHAM Made in Our Hometown

Made in our Hometown: Teenager's Gift for Opera

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:54:00 -0400

Rochester, N.Y. - One of the most talented young vocalists in the country is getting ready to begin a dual-major program at the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music. 18-year-old Aaron Bigeleisen will graduate from McQuaid and embark on a career that could take him to the great opera houses of the world.

Listen to his voice, that mature baritone that sounds years beyond his age, and you'll understand why.

"What we're projecting for Aaron is a career with an unlimited track," says Robert Swensen, the Eastman School Professor of Voice who has guided Aaron's development over the past two years. "We expect him to be able to sing anywhere -- if he chooses to be a professional opera singer, he will be singing at the great houses of the world."

Aaron Bigeleisen grew up in a musical family, but never knew he had that voice inside of him until he had to make a decision on what kind of performer he wanted to be. The night before his first voice lesson Aaron was doing what many kids do: he was watching The Simpsons. On that particular episode, Bart Simpson happened to make fun of Broadway show tunes.

"At the time, Bart Simpson had to be the coolest person on the planet, so I decided to take his advice," Aaron explains. "So for my lesson I walked in and said, 'No Rodgers and Hammerstein, no Rogers and Hart!' My teacher said, okay, fine, pulled out an Italian art song, and that's how I got started."

Over the last two years, this McQuaid senior has become a force on the national scene. He was one of only 12 students selected from roughly 10,000 contestants in the YoungArts competition. That led to a master class with the great tenor Placido Domingo -- "Amazing," Aaron says -- and a date to perform in June at the White House for President Obama.

He will choose his performance carefully; Aaron is a confident and articulate speaker, but he prefers to let the music speak. "I never feel like I can really fully communicate with somebody unless I'm singing," he says.

Opera is competitive, and one advantage for Aaron comes from his mother. She speaks five languages fluently, a number of others adequately, and teaches at McQuaid. When Aaron is learning a new piece, his mother Laurie Farber makes sure he understands the words. "I think it's been helpful in terms of his singing to give him a leg up on pronunciation, meaning, grammar," she says. "It's been special for us to work together. I'm proud, but I never want to push too much. There's an important line between pushing and simply wanting to guide someone. Aaron is making his own choices."

He could have gone anywhere to continue his education, but Aaron never considered leaving Eastman. This fall he begins a dual-major program at Eastman and the University of Rochester. He'll stay with Swensen, whom Aaron credits for much of his success. "I can't thank him enough," Aaron says, "and I can't imagine being anywhere else. I am so fortunate to grow up here and have this opportunity."

Aaron will finish high school with outstanding grades and a vision for his future -- no matter where it takes him.

"My opinion is that everybody should do their absolute best with their talents to help and shape the world around them," he says. "I've tried my hand at a lot of things here at McQuaid, and the thing that I do best -- the thing that I think helps the most people, or can help the most people -- is my singing."

Made in our Hometown: Diamond Packaging and the Valentine's Day Connection

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:42:08 -0400

Beyonce Heat. Godiva. Shania fragrance. This Valentine's Day, millions of Americans will deliver gifts to their valentines that come in glossy packages made right here in our hometown.

Diamond Packaging is responsible for making some of the industry's most ornate boxes and packages -- the kind that seem to jump right off the store shelves. We had a chance to go inside the Henrietta-based operation that has grown substantially over the past several decades.

Roughly one million cartons a day come off the lines and presses at Diamond. (The company prefers the term "cartons" over "boxes".) It's an operation that now employs 225 people, with annual sales around $50 million.

And even during the roughest economic times, in 2008, Diamond was hiring.

"That's when they hired me," says Abram Cotton. "The value to me was just to find a job at the time. But once I got here, I found there was so much to offer at this printing company."

Joe Interlicchia, hired in 2004, agrees. "The guys I work with are like my family," he says. "They're great. I love these guys. And the management team here is second to none. Period. They treat us fairly, and you just can't find a better work environment."

Many of the employees are surprised to find out -- when they first arrive at Diamond -- just how many brands get their packaging done here. Old Spice, Laureal, Elizabeth Arden, Procter & Gamble, Estee Lauder, Bausch & Lomb, and many more. But Diamond doesn't do it all; in fact, this is a company that routinely turns down potential work.

"We're not going after commodity-type packaging -- cereal boxes, cracker boxes, things like that," explains Dave Sydell, Chief Operating Officer. "We go after brands that really want to establish an identity. How do we do that? That's what we call a lot of value-added activity. We like to do hot-foil stamping, embossing, multi-colored printing, specialty coatings, things that will catch the consumer's eye."

And so we asked some of the Diamond Packaging team: Have you ever been walking through a store and noticed your own packages catching your eye?

"Absolutely," Cotton says, smiling. "I see it all over the place. Tops, Price Rite, and I can say, 'You know what? I had a hand in that.'"

Interlicchia is constantly noticing a product he uses every day. "Gillette cartons," he says with a laugh. "Every time we walk in there, those cartons just glow off the shelf. I can see why our customers are attracted to them."

Diamond was founded in 1911 and, having just celebrated 100 years, also celebrated a successful transition of power. CEO Karla Fichter assumed control of the company from her longtime colleague -- her sister. And Fichter's father spent years at the helm of Diamond. "This is a true family company," Rydell says.

When we met Fichter last month, she continually deflected credit to the employees. "How many companies say they're successful beacuse of the employees, but how many really mean it?" she said. "We can say with confidence that we're a locally-owned company and we have families that have depended on Diamond for decades. We're proud of that. That won't change."

So happy Valentine's Day. And who knows; maybe you're going home with a special package made in our hometown.

Made In Our Hometown: Caledonia's Allen-Bailey Tag & Label

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 07:32:11 -0400

Caledonia, N.Y. - A company in the small town of Caledonia is big time in it's industry. They have customers in almost all of the 50 states. They do business with high rollers in Las Vegas, fisherman in the Gulf and you might have one of their products in your desk right now. But it can be hard to put a label on exactly what Allen-Bailey Tag & Label does

"I say I make tags and labels and you get kind of a blank stare," says Director of Marketing and Owner Richard Phelps. But when he began to explain his work, we realized it's everywhere. "We do tags for the Red Cross... Macy's, we do tags for them that go on their rugs.... here's a tag for waste management."

And there is a lot of variety. Phelps showed us a tag that "is used for waste that comes off a nuclear powered ship... we make tags that go on those bales that go into caskets that we are all going to be lying on one of these days."

Avery is Allen-Bailey's largest customer. The blank tags and merchandise tags you see in Office Max, Staples and Home Depot all come from Allen-Bailey, even some Martha Stewart tags.

It all started with a wooden nursery stake in 1911 in the village of Dansville. The stakes were written upon and used to identify a shrub or a tree. The company moved to Caledonia two years later. Today it has 98 employees, many of them second generation Allen-Bailey employees like press operator Jack Dykstra. He once recognized the company's work in the movie "Ghostbusters". It was a "Danger" tag hanging on a fire extinguisher.

"I was surprised when I saw it," Dykstra said. "But I kept pointing it out to everyone when I saw it."

Much of the machinery the companu uses has been the same for 60 to 70 years. What it churns out can be different from day to day.

For example, when we visited, a luggage tag was on one of the printers. It was for the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. They printed and cut 60,000 of the luggage tags in 14 hours. Then they went over to the string and wire department.

And we haven't even mentioned the label department. Yes, Allen-Bailey Tag & Label is a busy place. Again, it's hard to put a label on all they do.

"You never know where the application is going to take us," said Phelps.

Which makes explaining the job hard, but one they've loved for more than 100 years.

Made In Our Hometown: Marc's Studio

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:16:42 -0400

Fairport, N.Y. -- Their product just recently hit the market, its first ads won’t run until next month – yet it’s found customers already – as far away as Washington State.

Our latest “Made In Our Hometown” subject is at Marc’s Studio and the Turk Hill Craft School in Fairport. It’s a product that could help the careers of thousands of craftsmen.

Then there’s pottery enthusiasts like Patrick Vitalone. He’s had to cut back in recent years because the physical work has caused problems: “I can feel the stress in my shoulders. I feel it in my arms,” he said.

The basic work of centering the clay to create different objects can lead to injury, including carpal tunnel and tendon damage. That’s where Marc Gaiger comes in. The master metalworker created a new centering tool called “The Strong Arm.”

For hobbyists like Vitalone (and for professionals), the tool offers huge advantages. “Right now, I have absolutely zero pain in my hands and arms,” Vitalone reports. “And it will allow you to throw larger, faster, and -- and this is very important for professional potters -- consistently."

Gaiger has sold 20 Strong Arm tools for $279 apiece, before most of the industry knows the tool exists. He’s heard from potters and craftsmen across the country – from the Turk Hill School all the way to the West Coast. “People who have had problems with their hands and back, it's been a career saver," he said.

With the early success of the Strong Arm, it's a real question about what happens if a corporation offers to buy the concept and start producing it on an assembly line overseas somewhere. Gaiger has a simple answer to that question: "Absolutely not. No way. Right here (pointing to his Buy American shirt)… that's the important thing. The people that are using these are American craftsmen. They hand craft what they make, and when they pull this thing out of the box, they'll say, 'wow, this was made for me by another artist, another craftsman. It's American made and whoever made it really cared.'"

Made In Our Hometown: President’s Inaugural Luncheon Gets A Taste Of Rochester

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:45:06 -0400

Rochester, N.Y. - You could say Seaway Trail Honey is the sweetest kept secret of Rochester.

“I've been keeping bees for over 35 years off and on as a hobbyist,” Pat Bono, owner of Seaway Trail Honey said.

Bono only started making money from her honey seven years ago.

“I use the motto always pure and natural. I don't use any chemicals with the bees, I minimally process it,” Bono said.

Bono’s honey is also certified kosher.

It’s a high standard people at the Presidential Inauguration will get to sink their teeth into January 21st.

The honey will be served alongside Hudson Valley Apple Pie with sour cream ice cream and aged cheddar.

“The honey won't just be a part of a recipe or a product it will be right there on a plate,” Bono said. “My honey - great.”

Seaway Trail Honey and Tierce Riesling; a wine made by three finger lakes wineries were hand picked by Chairman of the Inaugural ceremonies, Senator Chuck Schumer.

“It's going to shine a spotlight on two of New York's great industries, the wine industry where we're one of the best in the country and honey where we're best in the country as well,” Senator Schumer said.

New York's honey industry is one of the nations largest.

According to the most recently available data, it ranks tenth in total production in 2010.

In 2009, New York honey producers made more than three million pounds of honey; racking up $5.3M in sales.

Bono is a part of that; she produces about 1,000 pounds each year.

“I'm happy with the production I have now and would like to sell to more local shops,” Bono said.

With inaugural spotlight, that's bound to happen.

Bono makes her honey from her farm in Wayne County, but it is sold in a few stores in Rochester and farmers markets.

Bono’s honey was just judged as best honey in New York State at the 2012 state fair.

Made In Our Hometown: Sentry Safe

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:15:00 -0400

Rochester, N.Y. - Ask anyone at Sentry Safe in East Rochester and they'll tell you what they're really selling is peace of mind.

The company's CEO, Jim Brush, points to a recent photo taken of the devastation during Superstorm Sandy in Breezy Point, New York.

A couple smile broadly as they look at family genealogy documents discovered unscathed in a safe made by the company.

"Look at this picture, look at the smile on these people's faces...this is what our company is all about," Brush says.

Sentry Safe was started in Rochester in 1930 by Brush's grandfather and the family still owns and operates it to this day. It has more than 400 employees in Rochester who are treated just like one of the family.

Model shop technician Phil Race, who has worked for Sentry Safe for 35 years says, "Your birthday comes around, they give you a birthday card and they ask how you're doing."

CEO Jim Brush says he personally hands out the birthday cards to employees. He says a family atmosphere is evident in the company parties, picnics, even the handing out of turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Sentry Safe is a Rochester company with global reach. Brush says twenty percent of the company's business is done outside of North America.

Sentry Safe exports to over 40 countries around the world, including Canada, Mexico, Japan, the Phillippines and the United Kingdom. But Brush says, the heart of the business, its world headquarters will stay in Rochester.

"It has great infrastructure, a great community, if you want to manufacture a product, all the talents you need are right here," Brush says.

Employees are key he says to helping the company come up with cost-saving ideas, but the customer has input, too.

He says their ideas are helpful in creating innovation that helps the company "win" in the marketplace.

In fact, it was customer input that, just within the last decade, drove Sentry Safe to include water protection in its products.

Brush says customers are also demanding larger storage capacity and for those products to protect digital technology.

Sentry Safe products can be found at all of Rochester's major retailers.

Made In Our Hometown: LiDestri Focused on Growth

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:00:00 -0400

Rochester, N.Y. - They haven't made Ragu in Rochester for years, but the company with its roots in that classic spaghetti sauce is bigger and busier than ever.

LiDestri Foods puts out more than a thousand different products including sauces, salsas and, more recently, another kind of "sauce." The company is moving into spirits with a line of its own alcohol-based products, liquors and liqueurs made or packaged for other companies.

On the day we visited the Lee Road plant, workers on the line were filling freezer pouches for slushies for adults. In another area of the sprawling facility, bottles of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur were being filled and packed at a rate of 2,000 cases per day.

The operation is impressive, but there is less emphasis here on what is made than on the people who are making it. LiDestri has always put the focus on its employees. In fact, the company's mission statement reads: "The primary purpose for the continued existence of the LiDestri businesses is to provide safe, meaningful and well-paying jobs for all of its employees."

Employee Maureen Foster came to LiDestri after her job at auto industry manufacturer Valeo was moved to Mexico. After 25 years, she had to start over. Now she takes special pride in seeing LiDestri products in local stores.

"You tend to look more when your shopping to see what they carry that we make here," she said.

As for that mission putting employees first, President and CEO Giovanni LiDestri explains.

"We think that by taking care of the employees, we can get all of the other objectives done much better" he said. "So it's kind of a selfish thing if you really look into it."

Brothers Giovanni, or John, and Santi LiDestri came to work at what was then Cantisano Foods in the early 1960s. They worked the lines decades before they ended up running the company. And the never forgot where they got their start.

Santi said, "Our employees are an extension of our family. We know everyone by first name."

LiDestri employs more than 700 people full-time in Monroe County. There are also hundreds of contract employees here, and another 250 full-timers at LiDestri facilities in other states. Some of the products carry the LiDestri name. Others are made under contract for other companies, such as Newman's Own and Barilla. Others are private label brands for stores including Wegmans, Target, and Publix.

"I think once you take care of the employees, they're going to take of the customers and they're going to put out a good product, and there's just really no other way of doing it," Giovanni LiDestri said. And he emphasized the company is not just still doing business here, it is growing here.

Employee Christopher Campbell was recently promoted to quality control supervisor. He said, "It's a family business and there is not a lot of turnover. People that get in stay in."

Made In Our Hometown: Zotos Beauty Products

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:18:46 -0400

Geneva, N.Y. - The shampoo and conditioner you use at home or at the salon might be made a lot closer than you think.

From the outside -- there's not much to see at Zotos in Geneva, but step inside and you'll find the home of one of the strongest beauty product companies in the world.

"There's a high likelihood that if you visit a high-end salon, they'll be familiar with, or even using Zotos products," said sustainability chief Anthony Perdigao.

Each one of a group of state-of-the-art tanks is mixing a different hair-care product.

The entire process happens right in the plant--making the shampoo, creating uniquely shaped bottles, printing their own labels or screening and imprinting images directly onto the bottles, filling the bottles, and packaging and distribution.

From their 650,000 warehouse, Zotos products are shipped across the country and to 40 countries around the world.

Zotos now makes 88 million bottles a year. A lot of it is shampoo and conditioner, but the fastest-growing part of their business is hair coloring. The coloring product is now more than a fifth of their production.

But maybe you haven't heard of Zotos.

That’s because the company's name is not on the bottles. Instead, you'll find the individual brands: “Joico” being prominent, along with “bain de terre” and others.

Zotos is continually recruiting and hiring -- from entry level positions to engineers and managers

"Every day it’s something new,” said Dave Walker.

Walker is one of nearly 800 workers at Zotos. About 400 work directly for the company and another 400 work on contract status.

They've nearly doubled the staff in five consecutive years of growth.

It is a much bigger company than when Zotos came to Geneva nearly 50 years ago.

"We've been growing since I started here five years ago,” Walker said. “It's been great to be a part of, and I hope we continue to grow."

"We believe that we have one of the most component and motivated workforces in the region," Perdigao said.

And the company continues to grow -- an economic bright spot -- proving that even in a down economy, everyone wants to look their best.

***

Most Zotos products end up in salons, but some can be found at retail shops and at Sally Beauty in Canandaigua.

Made In Our Hometown: Springwater Sprouts

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:06:09 -0400

Honeoye Falls, N.Y. - You put them in salad, use them on sandwiches and in stir fries.

Sprouts. They may be small but they're big business for a company in Honeoye Falls.

Springwater Sprouts is the largest grower of sprouts outside of New York City.

President Bill Nies says the business grew from the seed of an idea 35 years ago.

Nies tells us, "I had seen them out in California, in Monterrey and I tried to grow them out of our house in Greece, New York and sold them to a handful of stores at that time, it was pretty unique at the time."

The idea took root in Rochester and soon customers were coming back for the bean sprouts, broccoli sprouts, and spicy radish sprouts.

All seeds are sanitized before they're sprouted. Each type of sprout requires a different kind of handling; such as broccoli sprouts which are grown in drums and then dipped into a rinse that kills off any microbes and cools off the sprouts so they stay fresh longer.

Ten variety of sprouts are grown and packaged here. They end up on store shelves all over the Northeast and as far south as Washington, DC.

Springwater Sprouts employs 25 people including Bill Nies' mom who still works in the office.

The company producers about 7,000 pounds of sprouts each week.

In addition to the sprouts they grow wheatgrass which is very popular with juicers.

Any excess from production is donated to area farms to feed horses.

Made In Our Hometown: Once Again Nut Butter

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 11:20:26 -0400

Nunda, NY -- If you search your house, will you find anything labeled "Made in Rochester"? It's possible, and maybe on things you never suspected. We are focusing on local businesses this week in a series called "Made in Our Hometown". We kick things off at "Once Again Nut Butter" in the Livingston County community of Nunda.

The company makes butters like peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter as well as honey and nuts. The logo for the company is a raccoon nicknamed Rocky.

Employee Jake Rawleigh says people "see that raccoon from across the aisle and they know that's us now."

Rocky is on the company's building in the small community of Nunda where they joke there are more cows than people. But this is no small town business.

"I am part of a company that started very small and now we've tripled our growth," says employee Ellen Halbert.

Like every employee at Once Again Nut Butter, Halbert wears many hats. She manages the website, the UPS department and the honey department.

Maybe you've seen their honey for sale in Wegmans. Or maybe you've tasted their cashew butter in Nature Valley granola bars.

Started in a basement in 1976 when it's founders "once again" created another worker co-op, the company moved to the Nunda location in 1981 and is expanding to a building in Perry.

The 40 employees make 59 products under the Once Again label, contribute to 300 private label products and sell ingredients to companies including General Mills.

The secret to succes? Ellen says, "I think Once Again is a big family and we all work together because it's our company."

Meaning, it's employee owned (technically an ESOP). Employees make the decisions, including which of the 88 local charities they support, like donating to a Living Legacy Teen Cancer Foundation event.

And there's an international commitment. Jake Rawleigh is one of the employees who's traveled to Nicaragua to help the farmers who grow the sesame seeds "Once Again" uses. He says, "If you go there and see the impact we have on those communities, it's priceless."

They help by setting up farm co-ops and by paying them US prices, two reasons they are proud to be labeled "fair trade".

In fact, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Once Again is hosting the Annual Domestic Fair Trade conference. It will bring people from all over the country and maybe the world to Nunda and Rochester.

In Nunda, they are labeled "growing". They added on to the south state street location in 2006. And, once again, they are looking to hire and expand.

Ellen jokes, "we'll have to buy half the block."