Latest news with #Marya
NBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
California professor sues university over suspension for online comments on Gaza
A professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco filed a lawsuit Wednesday, alleging that the university violated her freedom of speech by suspending her for her online comments on Israel's war in Gaza, according to court documents. Rupa Marya's social media posts included expressing 'solidarity with the hospitals and healthcare workers that Israel was attacking in Gaza,' according to court documents. The complaint stated that Marya 'felt an obligation to speak out and did so using her X account.' Israel's war in Gaza has left more than 52,000 people dead since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 people hostage. Israel has received intense criticism from around the world, including from the United Nations, for its actions in Gaza. 'Firing Dr. Marya doesn't only violate her right to free speech, it threatens all of us,' attorney Mark Kleiman said in a statement. 'We all need to urgently speak up against these kinds of attacks on our basic rights to advocate for justice, and we expect the Court will agree with us that Dr. Marya's rights have been violated and must be remedied.' Marya was placed on leave in September 2024 and her clinical privileges were suspended by the UCSF Executive Medical Board on Oct. 1. The board called her a 'possible imminent danger' and cited social media posts, according to court documents. Her privileges were reinstated on Oct. 15. According to court documents, Marya received 'rape and death threats' as well as 'repeated harassment and threats' because of her posts, according to court documents. Before her suspension, Marya had several interactions with the university regarding her online activity. In November 2023, the dean of UCSF's School of Medicine notified Marya that the school would be assessing whether her social media activity violated university policies. In response to one of Marya's social media threads that went viral in January 2024, UCSF posted a statement regarding a circulating 'conspiracy theory.' 'Although the statement did not name Dr. Marya, Dr. Robert Wachter acknowledged in an email that it was in direct response referring to Dr. Marya's social media thread from January 2,' the complaint claimed. 'UCSF's January 6 statement accused Dr. Marya of promoting a 'racist' and 'antisemitic' 'conspiracy theory.'' According to court documents, Marya's posts "never impeded the performance of her duties as a physician or faculty member, or the regular operation of the University.' 'As a medical doctor, American citizen and as a person of South Asian descent raised in the Sikh religious tradition, Dr. Marya has long been concerned about American foreign policy, including in the Middle East and the issues surrounding the conflict between Israel and Palestine,' the complaint reads. 'Her posts take aim at state policy and supremacist political ideologies, not at any religious or ethnic group.' A spokesperson for the University of California, San Francisco said that because of privacy laws, the school is unable to comment on the lawsuit. Marya completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of California at San Francisco in 2007, was subsequently offered employment and joined the faculty. For the past five years, however, Marya had no teaching duties and focused exclusively on patient care in the non-teaching hospital medicine services, according to court documents. Marya was also appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Healthy California for All Commission in 2021, an initiative to advance a system for universal healthcare in the state.
The Intercept
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Intercept
A Doctor Said Israel's War Is Fueling Health Crises in Gaza. UCSF Fired Her.
Support Us © THE INTERCEPT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Health care workers demonstrate against the genocide in Gaza in Chicago on Nov. 16, 2023. Photo: Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images A doctor and professor is suing the University of California, San Francisco, alleging school officials fired her for her advocacy for Palestinian human rights in an attempt to silence her. In late May, UCSF terminated Rupa Marya following a nine-month suspension from the elite medical school based on social media posts in which she criticized Israel's genocide in Gaza and questioned how Zionist ideology affects health care outcomes. As a part of her dismissal, UCSF officials will place a letter of censure in Marya's file for 10 years, which she said will likely damage her ability to seek future employment and continue practicing medicine. In two free speech complaints, filed simultaneously this week in state and federal courts in Alameda County, California, Marya alleges the school discriminated against her for advocating on behalf of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students and colleagues. She told The Intercept that it's especially important that those who work in medicine feel free to call out the conditions in Gaza, where Israel's attacks on hospitals and its blockade on aid have caused a suite of overlapping health crises, prompting a famine risk amid ongoing bombardment. 'It's critical that we have the ability to speak out about this as professionals, as health care workers, as citizens, and not only of the United States but of the world, but also as U.S. taxpayers whose money is going to fund this genocide,' Marya said. Her lawsuits seek damages for loss of income and emotional and psychological distress — and come at a time when the University of California system has censured multiple faculty and staff members for speaking out about Palestine. The University of California and UCSF did not immediately respond to The Intercept's requests for comment. The complaints, which name as defendants UCSF officials including the school's Chancellor Sam Hawgood, allege that UCSF began to target Marya's advocacy even before she began to speak out about Palestine. Marya's scholarship includes research into the impacts of colonialism and structural racism in health care. The state complaint says her advocacy for her Black or unhoused patients had drawn criticism from some of her white colleagues, who allegedly used 'racist tropes' against Marya, a woman of Indian descent and raised in a Sikh household. 'UCSF leadership repeatedly characterized Dr. Marya's advocacy for marginalized patients as 'unprofessional,' 'aggressive' and 'harmful,'' the complaints read. Such targeting was magnified, the complaints argue, when Marya began to speak out on social media against Israel's offensive in Gaza following Hamas's October 7 attacks. After she criticized the school's silence on the killings of Palestinians in her posts, UCSF Provost Catherine Lucey called Marya in for questioning, according to the state complaint. Marya continued to post about Gaza. She posted a viral tweet calling for solidarity with Gaza's health care workers, drawing threats of death and rape. Marya notified school officials, including Lucey, about the threats, asking the school to temporarily remove her personal email and her profile from the school's public website, the complaints said. In the past, Lucey and school officials had taken similar protective measures amid the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. In this instance, however, UCSF officials ignored Marya's requests. Instead, Talmadge King Jr., the dean of UCSF's School of Medicine, emailed Marya, informing her that officials would assess whether Marya's social media posts about Gaza had 'violated university policies,' the complaints alleged. Marya had also reported 'racist, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian remarks,' including Islamophobic comments made by her colleagues in school email threads to the school's anti-harassment and discrimination office. The cases were closed without any serious investigations, the complaints alleged. Meanwhile, the university went on to highlight controversial pro-Israeli speakers such as Elan Carr, a U.S. Army veteran and CEO of the Israeli American Council, an influential pro-Israel lobbying and advocacy group, despite complaints from a broad coalition of Jewish, Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, LGBTQ+ students and staff at UCSF. A November investigation by The Intercept revealed widespread anti-Palestinian and pro-Israeli bias across UCSF, which runs the biggest hospital system in San Francisco. UCSF officials canceled and censored lectures by medical researchers for mentioning health impacts on Palestinians under Israel's apartheid system and its assault on Gaza. Some doctors were subject to internal investigations after giving talks that mention Palestine. One nurse practitioner, who had previously volunteered in Gaza, was fired earlier this year for wearing a watermelon pin to work. And in April, UCSF fired Denise Caramagno, a therapist and pioneering violence prevention advocate at the school after she spoke out in defense of Marya. UCSF isn't the only school in the University of California system accused of stifling pro-Palestine speech. A January report issued by the UCLA Task Force on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Muslim Racism found similar patterns of bias at UCLA's medical school, ranging from censoring academic work; suppression of speech of students, medical residents, and faculty around Palestine; and ignoring incidents of racism against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim members of campus. And in early May, UCLA fired a faculty member, Eric Martin, for taking part in UCLA's pro-Palestine encampment one year earlier, the first known faculty firing of its kind across the UC system. Marya said she hopes her legal fight will help others know they can speak out against Israel's genocide despite ongoing attacks on pro-Palestine speech by both universities and the federal government. 'I'm hoping that a legal remedy would push the university for accountability, would educate the public more fully about what's happening — where our free speech rights are being violated around the country, as we are trying to stand for the right for all people to live in peace,' Marya told The Intercept. Read our complete coverage Since Palestinian solidarity encampments erupted on campuses nationwide in the spring of 2024, school officials have punished students and professors with arrests, firings, suspensions, and expulsions amid pressure from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. The Trump administration has only escalated such attacks on universities and colleges over the supposed failure of schools to address reports of antisemitism, cutting federal funding at schools such as Columbia and Harvard, revoking visas for thousands of international students, and abducting pro-Palestinian students and professors. The Trump administration now plans to target the University of California system. Last week, Leo Terrell, head of the Justice Department's antisemitism task force, told Fox News the UC system should expect 'massive lawsuits' in the coming days. 'We are going to go after them where it hurts them financially,' Terrell said later in the Fox News interview. The UC responded by pledging to cooperate with the Trump administration to 'counter and eradicate [antisemitism] in all its forms across the system.' 'Dr. Marya's case fits this pattern that we're seeing across the United States,' said Wade McMullen, a human rights attorney who is a part of Marya's legal team, 'where universities and academic institutions are bowing to pressure from elected officials, whether that's the federal government or state and local government, combined with billionaire donors who sit on the boards of trustees and run these universities, to weaponize notions of antisemitism to suppress pro-Palestinian speech and organizing.' The new complaints nod to the outside pressures on UCSF to quiet its pro-Palestine movement. Mentioned in the complaint are social media posts from January 2024 in which Marya questioned the impacts of Zionism on health care, calling it 'a supremacist, racist ideology.' The posts drew immediate criticism from pro-Israel colleagues and from Democratic California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who accused her of antisemitism and 'attacking Jews.' The complaints allege that Wiener publicly criticized Marya on social media 'intentionally and maliciously in coordination with others.' Shortly after his post, Canary Mission, a pro-Israeli site that doxxes and blacklists academics and students who criticize Israel, created a profile on Marya, 'unleashing a flood of defamatory statements, hate mail, and threats against Dr. Marya.' The Helen Diller Family Foundation, UCSF's largest donor, gave $100,000 to Canary Mission in 2016, the complaint notes. Jaclyn Safier, the foundation's president and a member of UCSF's board of directors, has since distanced herself from the 2016 donation, which was handled by her late father, Sanford Diller. The university responded to the controversy by publishing a statement across its social media accounts addressing the posts without naming Marya, disavowing her statements as a 'racist conspiracy theory' and 'antisemitic attacks.' One of the complaints notes that a public records request later revealed the statement was indeed meant to target Marya. Wiener, the San Francisco-based lawmaker, immediately thanked UCSF for the statement. Wiener went on to single Marya out on social media for the September social media post that led to her suspension. In a tweet, Marya wrote that UCSF students were concerned that a first-year student from Israel may have served in the Israeli military in the prior year, then asked, 'How do we address this in our professional ranks?' Wiener shared Marya's tweet, accusing her of evoking 'an age-old antisemitic conspiracy theory that Jewish doctors are harming patients.' 'Wiener again misrepresented Dr. Marya's post on his social media, publicly accusing her of wrongdoing and mentioning her employment at UCSF,' the complaints state. The federal complaint called students' fears 'objectively reasonable,' citing the two Israeli military veterans who sprayed students at Columbia University with a noxious gas last year and an Emory University medical school professor who volunteered with the Israeli military in Gaza after October 7 before resuming classes and practicing medicine at the Atlanta school. During her suspension last October, the complaints allege, Marya's direct supervisor had attempted to solicit one of her colleagues at UCSF to file an incident report against Marya 'to claim that she was posing a threat to patient safety.' The colleague ultimately declined the request, according to the suits. In filing the lawsuits, Marya and her attorneys said they also seek to uncover any possible collaboration between the Diller Foundation, other donors, lawmakers, and university officials in the school's crackdown on pro-Palestine speech. The federal complaint asks the court to prevent the University of California from affecting her ability to practice medicine and to bar the school from sharing 'any comments about Dr. Marya based upon anything other than her clinical competence' with other hospitals. She had originally intended to seek injunctive relief from the courts to prevent her firing, but she received a surprise notice for dismissal on May 20. Marya and her attorneys said the university violated its own bylaws in firing her without a hearing before the school's academic senate. Marya said her firing was was largely based on her various social media posts and Substack essays that referenced her advocacy for Palestinians, in which she at times called out her colleagues for their support of Israel's genocide in Gaza. Some of her Jewish colleagues have responded by accusing her of creating a hostile work environment. Marya and her supporters at UCSF, who include anti-Zionist Jewish colleagues, have dismissed the conflation of anti-Zionism — which critiques an ethno-nationalist political ideology — with antisemitism. Mark Kleiman, a member of Marya's legal team, said this conflation 'disenfranchises a vast number of younger Jews, medical students, residents and younger clinical faculty, all of whom are terrified of speaking out, but certainly have very very strong feelings that what's happening [in Gaza] is horrendous and is a war crime.' Marya said she hoped the lawsuit and her continued advocacy would draw attention back to the unfolding genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. 'The real issue is that the entire health care system in Gaza has been destroyed, and health care workers have been kidnapped and tortured — some have been raped to death like Dr. Adnan Al Bursh, who's a professor of orthopedic surgeon surgery in Gaza,' Marya said. 'The real issue here is not whether what I said hurt the feelings of some people.' Join The Conversation
Gulf Today
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Inspiration of Faith, beauty of Nature, joy of Peace mark Marya Adnan's art
'My art is a celebration of the harmony and timeless beauty found in Nature,' says Marya Adnan. 'Inspired by its divine artistry, I strive to craft works that evoke serenity and joy, offering a sense of calm in life's ever-changing journey.' Besides being a noted artist with a creditable exhibition history, Marya is also a specialist in the allied field of interior design. She is a B.A. of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the American University in Dubai, and has worked as Junior Interior Designer at Studio M-Arch, Dubai, and as a Freelance Interior Designer at Decorster, Dubai. She has shown her works in exhibitions at The Paintly Store, Dubai; Art4You Gallery, Dubai; the 13th Edition of RAK Fine Arts, Dubai; at Artezaar, Dubai; World Art Dubai and at Dubai International Art Centre. She has also won the second place (youth category) at the prestigious Al Bader Award, Fujairah. The Al Bader Award is conferred on emerging and professional artists, aiming to enhance the connection of youth with their Islamic heritage and produce artworks inspired by the Prophet (PBUH), his merit and the greatness of his morals and values. Artwork titled Floral Feathered Friend. 'I also draw inspiration from Islamic motifs and symbols, as well as my faith, which guide my creative process and add layers of meaning to my work,' Marya says. 'Through my art, I aim to transform ordinary environments into sanctuaries of peace and inspiration, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the beauty within and around them.' Marya speaks to Gulf Today What is the link between interior design and fine art? Art is an important part of interior design, because it helps enhance the overall look and feel of a space. Art brings personality, emotion and a sense of story to an interior. It also helps create balance and harmony through colour, shape and placement. Together, they make a space both functional and visually appealing. How do you blend secular and religious features in your art? My art is rooted in the intention to bring serenity and joy to any space, whether inspired by secular themes or spiritual reflections. I create expressive abstract backgrounds layered with natural elements such as flowers and plants, symbolising life, peace, and renewal. Fatimid Florals and Forms. When exploring faith-based concepts, I weave Arabic calligraphy and Islamic motifs into an artwork to reflect spiritual depth and cultural heritage. This blend allows each piece to speak both to the heart and the soul, creating a visual experience that is both calming and meaningful. Who are the artists who motivate you? Why? Two artists who truly inspire me are Elli Milan and Tahlia Stanton. Elli Milan motivates me with her focus on the artist's identity and purpose — her work and teachings have helped me see art as a calling, not just a skill. Tahlia Stanton inspires me through her expressive use of colour and freedom in her style; there's a bold energy in her work that encourages me to be more confident and intuitive in my own creative process. How have exhibitions been a learning experience for you? Exhibitions have been a valuable learning experience for me. They've taught me a lot about how people connect with my work — what pieces draw attention and the kind of audience my art resonates with. It's also been a lesson in patience and resilience, especially in learning to handle rejection, which is a common part of an artist's journey. Over time, I've become more comfortable with it and less affected by it emotionally. Exhibitions without sales is futile. Is it so? Not necessarily. While selling is important, exhibitions also allow people see your work, help build your reputation, and opens doors to future sales, opportunities, and collaborations. They're also a great source of inspiration — seeing other artists' work motivates me to keep creating and improving my skills. What drives you as an artist? Art has always been my passion, and I want to achieve much as an artist. The thought of not giving it my all and falling short of fulfilling that passion, motivates me to push harder. It drives me to keep growing, keep learning, and keep creating with purpose. Marya Adnan is based in Dubai. What colours do you like most? Why? I love pastel colours for the soft, calming touch they bring to any artwork. At the same time, I'm drawn to jewel tones like turquoise, emerald green, purple, and navy blue for their richness and depth — they add a sense of elegance to my work. Is motherhood an impediment for an artist (you are a young mother)? I don't see motherhood as an impediment to being an artist. I've learned to manage my time by painting during my daughter's naps, or in the early mornings and late nights. It's definitely a balancing act, but I make room for creativity because art is a core part of who I am. In many ways, motherhood has deepened my inspiration and made my artistic journey even more meaningful. How do you see yourself as an artist in ten years' time? In ten years, I see myself working from a dedicated studio, selling my paintings, and participating in international art fairs. I aim to evolve my own signature style, establishing myself as a professional artist with a meaningful voice in the art world, and being recognised for it.
The Journal
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
US students entering fifth day of 'complete fast' in protest over universtity ties to Israel
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS TAKING part in a fast in protest against their universities' ties to Israel say they were partially-inspired by Irish republican hunger strikers. A number of Stanford University students were arrested after they staged a sit-in protest last month. The students taking part in the fast want the charges dropped. Since an encampment last year involving hundreds of students, the university has enacted new rules around when, where and how people can protest, which the protesters want reversed. The university has also rejected calls for divestment from companies contributing to Israel's siege in Gaza. It argued that any changes to investments to 'advance any particular social or political agenda' would conflict with its policy. The 15 students and faculty members at Stanford who are now on their fifth day without food say they won't relent until the university meets their demands. Among the strikers is Owen Martin, a first year physics student who said his ancestors moved from Belfast to America during the famine. 'We came here during one man-made famine, and now we have the worst man-made famine in history spreading across Gaza,' he said. 'There's a very strong personal connection that I feel.' Asked how he's feeling after days without food, Martin said: 'I'm holding up. I think one of the biggest things that keeps me going is that I can break the strike anytime that I want. I can end my hunger, but our brothers and sisters in Gaza cannot.' He hopes that the extreme measure will see the university 'finally start to listen'. In a statement a spokesperson for Stanford said it 'does not intend to negotiate' with the protesters. They said Stanford respects the rights of students to express their views as long as it's within the restrictions introduced last year. Advertisement Dr Rupa Marya, a veteran activist and professor of medicine for 23 years, is supporting the students involved. Her research focuses on the impact of colonialism on health. She said it was incredible that the students' actions were being met with 'deafening silence from the administration of these schools'. The hunger strikes are not only inspired by Irish history, but recent action taken by students in Trinity College Dublin. An encampment on the grounds and a blockade of the Book of Kells tourist experience resulted in the university committing to divestment from Israeli companies. Marya said the protest was 'tactical brilliance'. Stanford students are doing what is known as a 'complete fast', meaning they don't eat any calories, but they do drink water. Marya has been providing information to them about what happens to the body when it fasts, as well as their rights should they become hospitalised. 'If someone's unconscious and they show up to an emergency room, we have to do everything we can to make sure they don't expire and make sure they don't die. Martin said that another group is ready to begin fasting should the university continue to refuse to engage. Yousef Belal Helal, a masters student in electrical engineering, is another striker. He said that his muslim faith inspired him to protest against what he sees as injustice. 'The movement is never going to be just sunshine and rainbows, right? It's not just going to be going to protests with your friends and having a jolly old time. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to stand up for what's right,' he told The Journal . Helal said the 'authoritarian' rules around protesting on campus infringe on their right to freedom of speech – a claim Stanford denies. The Stanford protests are part of a wider student movement in the US right now, concentrated in the state of California. Other universities involved include San Jose State University and San Francisco State University. There is also a group of 11 protesters staging a fast at Yale, on the east coast. Last year, a former IRA hunger striker and an ex-British soldier took part in a 24-hour fast to raise funds for victims of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Community Financial System, Inc. Appoints Marya Burgio Wlos as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 11, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community Financial System, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: CBU) and its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A. (the "Bank"), announced the appointment of Marya Burgio Wlos as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank, effective as of March 31, 2025. Joseph E. Sutaris, who previously notified the Company and the Bank of his intent to retire as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will remain with the Company and the Bank through July 1, 2025 and will work closely with Ms. Wlos during the transition period. Ms. Wlos, age 47, has served as Managing Director and COO Investment Bank at M&T Bank since January 2021. Ms. Wlos served as Head of Management Accounting, Finance at M&T Bank from September 2018 through January 2021 and as Head of Trading Relationship Management, UBS Asset Management at UBS AG from November 2013 through August 2018. Prior to that time, Ms. Wlos served in various finance roles at Citadel LLC from April 2008 through September 2012 and at Bank of America from January 2007 to April 2008. "We are very excited to welcome Marya to our executive management team," said Dimitar A. Karaivanov, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Marya is an accomplished leader with significant financial experience and industry knowledge, and we believe she will play a critical role in leading our financial team and working with the rest of executive management team to execute our strategic plan going forward." "We also extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to Joe Sutaris for his years of dedicated service to the Company and the Bank," Mr. Karaivanov continued. "Joe's contributions and commitment have played an important role in the continued success of the Company and the Bank during his tenure as Chief Financial Officer and we wish him all the best on his well-deserved retirement." About Community Financial System, Inc. Community Financial System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that is focused on four main business lines – banking, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management services. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A., is among the country's 100 largest banking institutions with over $16 billion in assets and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. The Company's Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration, and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The Company's OneGroup NY, Inc. subsidiary is a top 75 U.S. insurance agency. The Company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Wealth Management operating unit. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company's stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about Community Bank visit or Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the Company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause the actual results of the Company's operations to differ materially from its expectations: the macroeconomic and other challenges and uncertainties related to or resulting from recent bank failures; current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects on commercial real estate and housing or vehicle prices, unemployment rates, high inflation, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, and global economic growth; fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events; litigation and actions of regulatory authorities; management's estimates and projections of interest rates and interest rate policies; the effect of changes in the level of checking, savings, or money market account deposit balances and other factors that affect net interest margin; future provisions for credit losses on loans and debt securities; changes in nonperforming assets; ability to contain costs in inflationary conditions; the effect on financial market valuations on the Company's fee income businesses, including its employee benefit services, wealth management services, and insurance services businesses; the successful integration of operations of its acquisitions and performance of new branches; competition; changes in legislation or regulatory requirements, including capital requirements; and the timing for receiving regulatory approvals and completing pending merger and acquisition transactions. For more information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations, refer to its annual, periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the discussion under the "Risk Factors" section of such reports filed with the SEC and available on the Company's website at and on the SEC's website at Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. View source version on Contacts Joseph E. Sutaris,EVP & Chief Financial OfficerOffice: (315) 445-7396 Sign in to access your portfolio
