Vitality in the Valley Exhibitors

Black Squirrel Farms, located in the heart of the Finger Lakes, grows, collects and processes black walnuts at the only 20-C licensed facility processing black walnuts in New York State. We create premium black walnut products from a currently wasted agricultural resource to meet a growing demand for local nuts. Our community-based sourcing model turns overlooked trees into valuable assets and keeps trees standing.

The Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech works to grow the food and agriculture economy in New York by connecting businesses and entrepreneurs with the services and resources they need to succeed. Since forming in 2018, we’ve worked with over 1,100 businesses – from startups to multinational companies – to create and retain over 1,500 jobs and generate nearly $200 million in economic impact for New York.

The Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency (HCIDA) is the lead economic development organization for Herkimer County, NY. It drives regional growth by facilitating corporate financing, offering tax incentives (such as PILOT programs), managing grant programs, and helping businesses expand or relocate to the area.

KING'S Rustic is a snack company focused on delivering delicious yet healthful snacks that can be enjoyed even by those with various dietary restrictions. Our flagship product is a light and satisfyingly crunchy seed cracker that is perfect on its own or alongside a host of products like cheese, meat, jam, hummus and other spreads. They also happen to be naturally vegan and gluten free.

Love & Cupcakes Studio is an experiential bakery devoted to bringing people back to the table to celebrate, connect, and create together—intentionally and in person. We offer highly artistic custom desserts for every occasion, hands-on workshops for all ages, corporate connection experiences, and thoughtfully crafted care packages for loved ones afar. Rooted in family tradition and continually evolving, L&C Studio is where artistry meets heart and where every cookie tells a story.

KeyBank supports manufacturers and middle‑market businesses with practical banking, payments, and treasury solutions designed to improve cash flow, visibility, and control. We work with finance and operations teams to streamline receivables and payables, protect against fraud, and optimize liquidity through services such as commercial depository solutions, ACH and wire payments, integrated payables, and reporting tools. Our focus is helping businesses operate more efficiently while supporting growth, investment, and workforce expansion across New York State

We harvest and bottle fresh Maple Sap for drinking purposes on our 25 acre farm in the Hudson Valley. We offer four flavors either fresh or shelf stable. Through the use of cold storage we’re able to offer fresh Sap year round. We’re New York Grown and Certified.

Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) advances technology-driven economic growth and commercialization across New York State. Through a network of more than 70 funded assets, including Centers for Advanced Technology (CAT) and Centers of Excellence (COE), NYSTAR provides critical resources, expert support, and funding to assist companies from start-up through maturity.

NYS Farm Brewery located in scenic Schoharie County. We produce 11 beers using NY grown ingredients and serve NY alcoholic beverages.

Advanced Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) is a designated NYSTAR and NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center that supports small and medium-sized manufacturers throughout the Mohawk Valley Region. AIM provides training and technology development services in cybersecurity, technical training, process improvement, quality management, access to strategic resources, and supervisory management. Through these services, AIM helps manufacturers operate more efficiently, increase profitability, develop new products, create and retain jobs, and reduce costs.

Our mission is to drive job creation and jumpstart the community revitalization across the valley. We guide state-backed programs down to the local level, includes Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and NY Forward. Our office is located in Utica and serves six counties that include Oneida, Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery, Otsego and Schoharie county.

Founded in 1966, Herkimer County Community College has maintained a reputation of excellence fostered by dedicated faculty, innovative programs, and outstanding support services.

MACNY is the voice and business solution leader for manufacturers in Upstate New York. Through our collective expertise and leadership, we are able to speak uniformly and with authority on the issues impacting manufacturers. MACNY is the primary resource for business solutions that enable members to operate more effectively and profitably. MACNY services include advocacy/government relations, workforce development, training and leadership development, networking events, HR consulting, and energy purchasing programs. MACNY, The Manufacturers Association serves over 300 businesses and organizations across New York including industrial manufacturing companies and non-industrial service providers that support the manufacturing community.

Apparatus Manufacturing is a precision sheet metal and metal fabrication manufacturer serving industries including food equipment, transportation, industrial machinery, technology, and specialty products. Our capabilities include laser cutting, CNC forming, welding, machining, hardware installation, and powder coating, allowing us to provide complete in-house manufacturing solutions from prototype through production. We specialize in complex, fast-turn projects and collaborative problem solving for companies looking for responsive manufacturing partners in New York State.

The Herkimer County Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit membership organization. The Chamber’s mission is to foster a positive business environment for private and public entities operating in the County to assure the successful continuation of, and growth of, current and new business in our region.