Speaking of Rochester; 113; Susan Holliday

How do you do ladies and gentleman. I'm Barber cannibal and this program is called Speaking of Rochester. Wherein we explore the glorious past of our community. The. Hopeful present and the potential of the future. With one of our distinguished citizens. Our guest today is Susan Holliday. She is particularly well-placed. To have some sense of the. Present Condition of our community and its future because she is the majority owner. And the publisher of the Rochester Business Journal. She also is a very active member of the community and all the nonprofits that are such an important part of our community. Welcome to the program Susan we're very happy to have you with us. Barbara I'm delighted to be with you thank you. You started out here in Rochester you're unusual from that point of view on this program anyway we've had a number of people who came from somewhere else. You went to St. Agnes is that correct. And then.

And then to Cornell where you went to the ag school. Apparently you were thinking of western New York as an agricultural place which of course it is to a very substantial extent. And then for about ten years you worked for Telemark in agricultural credits and and have a very strong view of the state of agriculture in this area. And then in a remarkable suede shoe you acquired an interest and and became the leader of the business journal which had been here under another name since the 60s probably seven 70s. And you've been in that position for about 10 years. It's now called the Rochester Business Journal and it's successful and competitive business journal in the upstate area. You have in this role been privileged to be able

to see what's going on here to a very substantial extent. And I want to talk to you some about that because your viewpoint is different from those who have focused more on the past in some of our earlier programs. Susan just recently your Journal did an annual feature called 40 under 40 and you picked 40 young business people who are going to be part of the future. I just like you to tell us a little something about what your conclusions were about this group. We've had a sense that all our young people were leaving around here and going to other states. And I suppose that many of these are people who were originally Rochester Ariens some of them from outside also. But how can you generalize about them. To some extent they're there generally in their

30s I suppose they are. Barbara we created this program three years ago in the fall of 1995 because we felt it was time to recognize the next generation of. Our communities leaders. And so we asked. All kinds of representatives from the business community to nominate people for this award or the regular nomination process it is a nomination process. We have a form that people fill out. Anyone can be nominated and the nominees are then chosen by a panel of five judges of business community leaders and the group is selected on two primary criteria. The first is obviously that they have achieved professional success but secondly we're looking for people in the community who are civically involved who are giving back to the community because obviously this community is full of not for profits both charitable and civic. And we feel

if these young people are working hard on their careers many of them also have young families. But then yet have time to devote to the good of our community will be a much stronger community in the future. And they're probably more successful in business because they are involved in the community as well it looks that way so far you know. So we've had three groups of 40 so far each year now we've brought the prior winners together with the new class and it's been a very successful and very heartwarming to see the camaraderie that they're building. And it gives us all a great sense about the future of Rochester most of them involved in small business. There's a cross-section. We've had people from the large companies from universities and colleges here and then also many small business people so they're not all engaged in commercial business. Some of them are safe in universities there. There are some from our local colleges some from that even the not for profit sector. And and. They are they fairly evenly divided

among men and women. Probably a few more men than women but we also have minority representation as well so it's a good cross-section of the business community. Well that's important that the community the community be represented by a diverse group of people because we are a diverse community absolutely. Russia's tour is a very self-contained community isn't it. Many of these people probably are most of their activity is right here they don't they're not involved in or in state and national affairs to any great degree. A few of the winners are but because of their youthful age many have not yet achieved the national involvement. That's right. Most of them are owners of their own businesses the ones who are businesspeople Not necessarily. Some are still in middle and senior management. Some are professionals attorneys accountants physicians. So

there's a wide range of people. I tell you it it must be generally generally difficult to generalize about them because it appears that you've got. A very broad net that you've cast to and we've worked hard to diversify the group so that it is representative of the entire community. And and these are people who will become increasingly important in all probability since they are already important as young people. That's true when we've already seen with some of the folks who are in the class of 95 if you will some of them have already attained even for their professional achievements. Now it's heartwarming to see that we were writing about you break down ratings as they say. I'm think it's a fascinating subject to dwell on because as we look ahead we have a tendency here in New York State to be quite negative about the future. And so to find some very strong and optimistic and promising people on this level on their

way up. That's right. Is encouraging thing for the community isn't it. It's good for all of us. And you expect to continue to do this. In the Rochester Business Journal absolutely right here. Absolutely. There are other similar projects that you have at the business journal that you pick. Older citizens for some purpose are not well a few people have asked us to do 60 over 60 so you have to say OK well that's I think you'd find a lot of those do. There are there are. AS. Soon as you look ahead do you feel some optimism about our community. Absolutely. I think economically Rochester has enjoyed the best couple of years. Recently that we have in the last decade. Well of course we've had a general period of general prosperity here in the country. That's right. Unfortunately we've been able to participate in it. Rochester I think more so than the rest of upstate New York.

Many people have seen in Rochester a decline of the very dominant big businesses here and assume that that meant the future was not a happy one. But but we still have this trained labor force that attracted by these giants like Eastman Kodak and Xerox and others. That have in many cases gone off into businesses of their own. Absolutely right and have started. Highly skilled high tech firms which employ good obviously well-paying people and so it's been very good for our community we have broadened the base of small and medium sized businesses and so over the last couple years I think we actually have become less dependent on the largest couple of companies and so can sustain some of the layoffs that we've seen. I described earlier as a self-contained community but a lot of these small businesses are like the big ones and gauged in the export trade also aren't they. Absolutely. Rochester has the highest per capita export in the

country. And so our small and medium sized businesses as a result of their exporting business less dependent on what's going on in Rochester very really global. Businesses doesn't that mean that Rochester is likely to participate in the general prosperity more fully than communities that have business mostly directed to the local market. Absolutely right and we are participating obviously of as we've seen over the last couple years. We're a really economically better off than Buffalo in Syracuse our neighbors. And it's because we have diversified our company base and because these companies are doing so much more of their business outside the area other than the fact that much of this new business in Rochester is smaller business than it used to be. Is there any change in the character of the business going on here. Technology is

racing on in every expanding in every direction. And if we have a highly trained labor force they want to see opportunities that were previously outside Rochester's experience. Absolutely we're seeing a lot of high tech companies here as we are across the state and across the country. There are a lot of companies that provide outsourcing services that previously were done by the major companies the large companies that are now being handled and provide services provided by the smaller companies. So it's a very diversified base of business. The Rochester Business Journal has prospered under your leadership. Can you tell us a little something about that you have a relatively small readership but I suspect that your papers are passed on particularly those that go to business enterprises that have a number of employees. That's right. So you have a larger readership than one might imagine from the circulation.

That's right. Readership studies that we have done would indicate that our readership is around 40000 people in the metropolitan area because it's a weekly. It does allow people to pass it along and still be able to read it in this timely fashion till still current. That's right yes that's right. Well that's that's interesting and I certainly wish you well in that business as as time goes on I will continue to grow and be an important source of information for not just our workforce but for our community as a whole. Now you exemplify this same sort of characteristics that are part of your 40 under 40. You very been very active in the community here in the nonprofits. Can you tell us a few of the things that you're doing in that respect. Well Barbara I've been involved for a couple of years with the Rochester museum and Science Center. With Eastman House when they are bored with University of Rochester Medical

Center. And with the United Way the United Way is always a very happy point for me because I've been interested in the United Way for a long time. Rochester despite the decline of size Kodak continues to be one of the most successful United Ways in the country doesn't it. It is we're very fortunate to have a very well-run United Way. Very good. They do business in a very cost effective basis. Well that's one of the great things about the United Way it is cost effective. The cost of raising money through the United Way is much less than it is if the charities are going on their own in most cases. That's right. And they have worked very hard to work with the the not for profits in the community to encourage them to collaborate and work together and do business more cost effectively. So it's a great way to donate your dollars in the community and make sure that your dollars are working on a per capita

basis are we still the best in the in the country we are. Well that's a matter of considerable pride. Absolutely you know it says a lot about the individuals it's not just the big companies that are donating here to the United Way. It's everybody in the community. In other words that's a tradition that survived the downsizing. Absolutely and it's the way it should be. It should be the community supporting those in need as opposed to just the corporations. From your point of view is Rochester a special place also because of its educational institutions. You see that your you you mentioned that you were on the board of the medical center at the University of Rochester. It seems to me that we've been quite fortunate in our universities here and that they have a network of communication that permits them to be more than the sum of their parts as far as the community is concerned.

Absolutely yes. And because they there are such a wide assortment from the two year MC S.. And they're training programs for corporations all the way up to the University of Rochester and then to the outlying Geneseo in Brockport as well as the private schools Fisher and we have a nice complement of educational institutions that serve. All righty being part of them also to partner with all of the corporations in town to provide well educated employees to the workforce so they can they can address the Rochester workforce specifically and prepare people for the jobs that are available out there. But so often we train people for jobs that just don't exist. Even the chamber has been very involved of late training initiatives and working hard to address the needs of local companies to create the kind the workforce that we will need in the coming decade. Now the diversity of the economic opportunity then is something that means that our young people can educate

themselves here for almost any opportunities available here doesn't it. And there are many opportunities here that we still are unable to fill. So. There's a great opportunity for young people we just need to convince them that they want to continue to live and work here. You know we hear so much negative stuff about New York state generally. New York has been driving people out far as business opportunity is concerned by its high tax structure and by a leadership that is as sought. Not sought business as such. That's right. But try to be a matter of relevance to individuals everywhere. That's important but it's important also to have jobs and most many of our young people are leaving. You mentioned that Rochester is fortunate relative to some of the other urban areas in the state.

But. As we as we move ahead what do you think we need most for better business climate here less regulation lower taxes what bar were you put the words in my mouth. Absolutely. This is still an expensive state in which to do business. Governor Pataki and the state legislators have obviously worked hard over the last year or so to bring down workers comp they have done a good job of that. Unfortunately we still have a relatively high worker's comp rate because other states have worked hard to reform their worker's compensation programs as well. They're ahead of us are they. Well they're always and they are. So we still need to keep an eye on workers comp and continue to reform the program but we also have in this state a history of a lot of of hidden taxes. Gross Receipts taxes for a number of industries things that we don't necessarily see from an income tax standpoint that make the cost of

doing business here very expensive and in the end it makes the products sold here more expensive than they are in other states. So if you produce goods here and then try and sell them and compete with products produced in other states we often are more expensive as we tend to think in state terms about we do about the business climate right. But actually one of the problems has been that the state is mandated as it's tried as it's run out of money and tried to cut back its mandated costs on local government which means that the burden has fallen back on regressive taxation sales tax residence taxes and so forth real estate taxes that's absolutely right. And how does Rochester stand on that where we participate in the general tax level the way certainly we do. And I think if you were to ask the county executive or the mayor they would talk about the onerous burden that they have executing programs that the state wants but are not necessarily I'm sure you say but aren't ended.

That's right that's right. So so the business climate is something we should concern ourselves about and we should concern ourselves about it at all levels of government clearly. Let's talk a little about agriculture you have a experience in that you you went to Cornell school with a bunch of young people who now are very strong farmers in this area. That's right. And we do participate in in a very successful agriculture here in New York state generally. But what we tend to rely very heavily on dairy. We do. And milk prices are low oil prices are down to the point now where it's almost break even for farmers and they're one of the ones who have been vulnerable to state costs. The real estate taxes for farmers have been one of their major issues. And the state has taken a look at it for them over the last year or two and is beginning to give them a

reprieve but still it's an expensive state for the dairy farmers to do. Is there such a thing as a family farm out there. No. Well it's getting very expensive to be a family farm. I remember when Cornell said that the optimum size of a dairy herd was 50 cattle. I don't think anybody has. There are very few farmers with 50 cattle anymore. They all have very large herds and have to engage in all the economies of mass don't they. Absolutely. There's Rochester benefit from this at all not not a great deal I should think although the greater Rochester area has some very successful farms and they do and I think as a state we benefit. Again diversifies the economy. And it's it's good for for the state. We stand somewhere. We're the second state in the Union I think in terms of agricultural production generally. In other words we are an agricultural state to a degree that many people don't realize that's right that's right and if you get outside our metropolitan areas were and upstate New York is the source.

That's right. Obviously then that's that's part of our economic climate here in Rochester isn't it. Yes it is very definitely we've got a lot of processing plants upstate being one of them. We're going to be providing a lot of people I know we process a lot of surplus milk for foreign export. That's right. Curtis Burns is headquartered right here in Rochester processing a lot of fruit and juices. We used to have a lot more. Food processing and we do know much of that is moved to California where there's irrigation and a more stable supply. And a year round climate. But but the the food processing business is still important in this area. Yes it is absolutely. Right. It's still a powerhouse here. All along the lake shore. Wayne County you know not long lake shore also oil production is important that's right. Well do you I take it you don't spend a lot of time on that anymore. No we don't anybody but it

was but it's part of your experience of it isn't it. It's part of what makes our economy and a stable economy. From your point of view what does the community need more than anything else. That's a tough question. I know and it's kind of a dirty question to throw at you because. It depends on your point of view to a very substantial extent. But we do need the capacity to continue to create jobs don't worry. We do need an environment that will be more more conducive to job creation. And I think we need we need a vision but we also need to think well of ourselves our best ambassadors are our own constituents and when people travel away from Rochester they need to speak well about Rochester about our climate about what a good place it is to do business. The people who think the best of Rochester have lived somewhere else and have then either moved back here or moved here

for the first time. Those are the folks who really treasure what we have to offer and see our comparative advantages to a great degree. But I sometimes think that's true of immigrants into this country too. They come in and see the American the environment the freedom that we have here and become very very strongly connected in America on this that's right. Well the same thing we could do in our community definitely. Well that's something to think about. I trust in your paper that you will you'll focus on this aspect of the community as you move ahead to the extent you can so that it won't just be a business journalist such but a community a community service in which the perspectives of community life shine. That's what we hope to do we work hard to be a partner in the business community but in the community as a whole because what's good for Rochester is good for the business. This is the

only place that we do business. So it's important that we have a good strong community. Do you you say it's the only place you do business. You don't have much of a subscription outside the community. A small amount but basically the Rochester business community is what the Rochester Business Journal is all about. Well we're glad there is an organization here that will focus on the needs of Rochester and focus on the practical aspects of our environment that can make this a self-sustaining community to the same extent it has been in the past. Susan you have a family. I do. You have the children that are growing up here and you want them to stay here I'm sure I certainly do. And and your your husband is stellar Is he not. Yes yes he is. So that you see you have a lot of influences bearing on your life that and we have a big stake in the community.

Yes I think you probably do. Clearly an enterprise like yours depends on the success of the community to be successful itself. That's right. Well we're glad we do have people around that have that degree of commitment to the community. And thank you very much for being on our program today. Ladies and gentlemen our guest today has been Susan holiday the owner and publisher of the Rochester Business Journal. She's given us something to think about for the future not just about the traditions of the past. And we appreciate her again and thank you also Ladies and gentlemen for listening to our program. If you'd like a copy of this program send 1095 to WXXI. Post Office Box 21 Rochester New York 1 4 6 0 1.