Economic News for Ithaca and Tompkins County
June 2022
We Moved!
Last week, IAED moved its office to the former Tompkins Community Bank headquarters at 119 E. Seneca Street in Ithaca. The second-floor suite features 5,000 square feet of office space, large enough to house IAED’s growing team and that of our partner, the Tompkins County Workforce Development Board.

IAED President Heather McDaniel said, “The move keeps us centrally located downtown, close to the Commons and our community partners. Tompkins Community Bank has really made this an easy process for us. We’re grateful for their help and excited about maintaining our presence downtown. This is a win-win situation for everybody.”

Stay tuned for details about an open house in the coming months! In the meantime, stop in and see us–our door is always open.
IAED Delivers Again on Creative Annual Meetings
IAED once again hosted a series of annual meetings at area businesses that have benefited from our services. This year’s format featured a cocktail reception at Tompkins Community Bank and southern-inspired lunch at the Legacy Café in Ithaca Tompkins International Airport. Attendees heard remarks from IAED Board of Directors Chair, Dr. Greg Galvin; IAED President, Heather McDaniel; Tompkins Community Bank President, Greg Hartz; and Airport Director, Roxan Noble.

The networking events are intended to be casual and more intimate and provide opportunities to showcase IAED’s work throughout the community. Thank you to our hosts and all those who make these events and our work successful!
Open Enrollment: Direct-to-Work Manufacturing
Training Program
In partnership with Alliance for Manufacturing Technology, IAED is launching its new Pathways to Manufacturing Direct-to-Work program aimed at preparing non-college bound high school graduates for entry-level positions with Tompkins County manufacturers. 
 
Direct-to-Work is a FREE 6-week independent, self-paced training that will run from July 5 through August 12. Participants that successfully complete the online classes, including pre- and post-tests, will receive a Certified Manufacturing Associate certification (CMfgA) through Tooling U-SME. The CMfgA certificate is a nationally recognized credential designed for individuals new to the manufacturing industry.
 
Afterward, participants will receive a $500 bonus and work with IAED to setup interviews with participating manufacturers in Tompkins County. 

The application deadline is June 30.
 
For more information, contact:
Danielle Szabo, Director of Workforce Innovation

Listen to Dani's interview about the program with Joe Salzone from WHCU Radio here!
United Airlines Invests in Ithaca-based Dimensional Energy
Transforming Yesterday's Emissions into Tomorrow's Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Earlier this month, United and United Airlines Ventures announced an investment in Ithaca-based Dimensional Energy. This announcement is a step toward achieving United's 100% green net zero commitment by 2050, without the use of traditional carbon offsets.

Dimensional Energy's novel technology removes the need for fossil fuels, converting carbon dioxide and water into usable ingredients to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
Ithaca Area Economic Development | 607.273.0005 |