Rochester Business Journal Leading source of business news and information in Rochester, N.Y.

At ESL Federal Credit Union, having diversity in every level of the organization is important to  serve every community in the greater Rochester area, whether it is people who are underserved by financial institutions and “underbanked,” or people who are high-net ...

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of technologies, as well as the development of new ones in the insurance industry, as companies turned to the option more than ever to continue to do business.   The need for digital services — including ...

Achieving a diverse, equitable and inclusive community will take the help of everyone, including local business leaders, says Seanelle Hawkins, president and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester.   “We all have to take a piece of the puzzle and do our part,” Hawkins says.   ...

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect insurance premiums in lines across the board, with some in the field believing the increased hikes and altered terms will be short-term, while others believe they may be in place longer. “The marketplace for ...

As I reflect on my time with the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, I couldn’t be prouder of this organization. This is not your grandfather’s Chamber.   We have just completed a brand refresh to stay modern and cutting edge, launched a new website and CRM, codified our organizational values and are currently in the process of updating our strategic plan. ...

When I was growing up, my mother often reminded me that “you can’t judge a book by its cover” and “beauty is only skin deep.” Those were important lessons for an image-conscious teenager. But I don’t think the lessons apply to companies ...

Businesses continuing to struggle under the COVID-19 pandemic received another potential life line on September 7, 2021, when the U.S. Small Business Administration announced changes to the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL). These changes include an increase in the size ...

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Allendale Columbia School was able to use some of the resources it already had to help continue its mission. Shannon Baudo, Allendale Columbia’s Head of School, says the school was able to utilize ...

If we’ve learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the value of being prepared for the unpredictable. This is particularly true when it comes to protecting the financial well-being of our families and the economic future of our businesses. The current low-interest ...

Conventional thinking says that higher rates of economic growth will lead to higher stock returns for investors. Conventional thinking is wrong. Although the connection between economic growth and stock returns might seem intuitive and obvious, there is not necessarily a ...

At Hope Hall School, student wellness has increased dramatically because all of the students are now in-person, says Carol White Llewellyn, who works in advancement at the school.  Llewellyn notes that Hope Hall uses a multisensory program to educate students ...

“Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.”  —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  The time has come to pass the torch to the next generation of Bonadio health and human service experts. After 251 columns published in the RBJ since 1996, I ...

My first encounter with Jonathan (fictitious name) was at the Friendly’s Restaurant on Monroe Avenue in Brighton. My brother and I owned the franchise rights to the chain in Western New York and I thought it was an accommodating place to meet. Jonathan contacted me via a friend ...

Early this summer, Forbes and CNBC reported private school enrollment gains after years of pre pandemic slow to no gains in enrollment.  On a local level, private schools reported a range of increased enrollment numbers, from slight gains to as much ...

In 2014, the Stephen Beck, Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act created a mechanism whereby disabled Americans could establish a tax-advantaged savings account, appropriately referred to as an ABLE account, to supplement their lifestyle needs. As defined by the Social Security Administration ...