SUNY Oswego hosted the inaugural annual summit of the Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee, including progress reports and focusing on future goals, on Tuesday, June 11, to a large gathering in the Marano Campus Center auditorium.

SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu, who chairs the Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee, called it a “great collaboration focused on driving advancement, social and economic mobility, and prosperity in our county and beyond.”

“From its official launch in January 2023, our steering committee has served as a beacon of opportunity for this community,” President Nwosu said. “With Micron’s historic announcement of up to a $100 billion investment in Central New York over the next 20 years, we deeply understand the immense potential to shape our county’s trajectory for generations to come. Indeed, we are the stewards of our region’s future.”

The Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee consists of nine work groups drawing upon the talents of more than 100 community leaders. The work groups span childcare, economic development, education, healthcare, hotels/restaurants/tourism, housing, public and private infrastructure, transportation and logistics, and workforce training. 

“In my 10 months as president of this wonderful institution, I have witnessed the determination, the creativity and the cooperation that this committee and the committee chairs have demonstrated as we prepare for Micron’s arrival in Central New York,” President Nwosu said. “We celebrate not just the progress we’ve made but also our shared determination and commitment to continue to advance together and to ensure that this county, Oswego County, remains both a contributor and a driver of economic development in the region’s progress and success.”

"Micron's investment will transform our region and drive growth across our economy,” said CenterState CEO President Robert Simpson. “This progress will extend to Oswego County, and requires collaborative, strategic planning to ensure it benefits the entire community. I am grateful to the Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee for their leadership and work. Their report outlines an important roadmap for the community to meet this moment, and we look forward to supporting their efforts.”

“With Micron moving closer to the start of construction each day, Oswego County is poised to see significant and exciting change over the coming decade,” said Empire State Development Regional Director for Central New York Dan Kolinski. “Through the efforts of the Oswego County Micron Steering Committee, the county is choosing to focus on intentional growth by embracing the coming change and creating a vision for the future of the community. New York State is excited to continue partnering with Oswego County to meet this moment, and to help create thriving communities for generations to come.”

To support the need for a homegrown workforce, Micron is already investing and partnering in local communities, especially in STEM education, with such initiatives as the Micron Chip Camp and Girls Going Tech with more to come throughout Central New York. ”We’re committed to that work and we plan to expand that work in the coming years,”  Micron Technology Senior Manager of External Affairs Joe Nehme told the participants at the summit. 

“Many of the resources [in Central New York], whether that be energy, whether that be water, exist here in Oswego County,” and represent a key reason Micron chose Central New York, Nehme said. “These opportunities are going to come, and being able to organize yourself around that is something that is going to have a really profound impact. … The partnerships that we have [in Oswego County], we are only going to be as successful as all of us together.”

The workgroup chairs shared their achievements to dates, opportunities and challenges identified, additional research and plans for the road ahead.

Participants noted that with at least 100,000 people –- or considerably more by some estimates –- expected to move into the region to work at Micron and related companies in supply chains and supporting industries, building affordable and quality housing will be crucial. They estimated that the region would need to build 2,500 units of new housing in the region every year for the next 10 years to meet demand.

Other topics discussed included the need for growth in infrastructure, child-care availability, public transportation, healthcare and other sectors to meet the great demands and opportunities to come.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you and all the members of each work group for the time you have expended, the work you have initiated, the projects you have remained committed to completing, and the passion you have brought to our endeavor,” President Nwosu said. “Together, we will continue to significantly transform and strengthen our region for tomorrow and well into the future.”

For more information on the Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee, visit oswego.edu/micron.