The August Issue: Making it Happen

New Yorkers know how to get things done. It's little surprise that the Empire State — that genesis of the eponymous New York Minute — is unceasingly aggressive, striving and industrious. Even knowing that, the depth and breadth of the State's impact on international manufacturing, technology, agriculture, art, and virtually every sector of both business and life, is staggering. The centuries of industrial power are evident in everywhere; look at Buffalo's opulent architecture, or Tannersville, Gloversville and Mechanicville,  towns whose names hint at former manufacturing-based economies. The Hudson River, the Erie Canal, our border with Canada (and Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont), geographic diversity that includes fertile acreage and plenty of water, and, now, nearly 20 million residents, have set us up to succeed — and we have. Where else can claim the roots of these world-renowned corporations: Kodak (Rochester), General Electric (Schenectady), IBM (founded in Endicott, now in Armonk), Bristol-Meyers (in Clinton, later Bristol Meyers Squibb when it merged with Brooklyn-founded Squibb), JetBlue Airways (NYC), Corning, Inc. (formerly Corning Glass Works) and Beech-Nut (Canajoharie)? The list is endless, and I guarantee it would surprise you (Jell-O). I can't count the times I've exclaimed, "THAT was started in New York?!" I should expect it by now, but I can't contain my enthusiasm for the State's consistent awesomeness — 300 years and still going strong. Some sources propose that if New York State were a nation, it would be the 16th largest economy in the world. August is a month for reaping the harvest, and with that I welcome you to the "Productive" state of mind. It's a chance to enjoy the bounty, in every sense of the word, created within our 62 counties, including the craftsmanship of New Yorkers on display in the gorgeous products on the NYSOM Marketplace. It's also a time to reflect on progress, or the lack thereof, by discussing what's 'productive' (read: constructive, beneficial) for the future, and what's not, in terms of politics, laws, agricultural and environmental shifts, and beyond. What does "Productive" mean to you? What motivates your "Productive" state of mind? And which changes do you want to see in New York State? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or share your thoughts below. And in the midst of so much productivity, I hope you'll stop to enjoy the fruits of your labor. From New York City, Christine