“MADE IN GREATER ROC” IS MORE THAN A LABEL
We have a maker mindset here in Greater ROC. Always have, always will.
We’re a region of makers. You can see it everywhere: in our neighborhood restaurants, on the sides of barns, in the towers downtown, all along the Finger Lakes. It’s a mindset that drives us to create no matter what it is we’re creating. We’re throwing ourselves into it as we build whatever comes next.
There’s so much more behind the phrase “Made in Greater ROC.” It’s not just what we make but the spirit in which we make it. It’s an attitude, a mindset. It’s who we are.
Take a closer look. You can see it everywhere.
Jell-O
What started as a homemade experiment would become a household name—all thanks to a Le Roy carpenter. Pearle Bixby Wait may not have anticipated his dessert would become known around the world, but that didn’t stop him from inventing it anyway. His spirit of discovery made Jell-O what it is, and that spirit has driven our region ever since.
Garth Fagan Dance
Creation is expression, and nowhere is that more apparent than Garth Fagan Dance. The man behind the studio is a Broadway icon in his own right, and he’s used his genius to transform Greater ROC into a haven for world-class contemporary dance. Just like our region, the company isn’t afraid to challenge conventions.
Joywave
Joywave’s electronic sound refuses to fit into a predictable mold. Their sense of invention and personality has earned them an international audience, but they’ve never lost sight of the place they call home. It’s that perspective that helps them resonate around the world.
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
We see what others can’t. Hermann J. Wiemer proved it by bringing his winemaking vision to life in the heart of the Finger Lakes. Now we see the region filled with rich tradition, but it wouldn’t have been possible if not for Wiemer’s experimentation with grape varieties, vineyard practices and winemaking techniques. It’s a legacy of pushing boundaries that we’re always carrying forward.
Optimax
Big things can have small beginnings. For Optimax, that can mean microscopic. But as it makes precision optics for technologies used in aerospace, medicine and beyond, it captures our manufacturing identity: highly skilled and fully dedicated to solving the tough problems while helping shape the future.
Tiny Fish Printing
Tiny Fish Printing saw a problem and decided to fix it. After being frustrated for years by poor screen-printing experiences, they founded their own company in 2007 and set out to become a more dependable production partner for artists and businesses alike. They wanted to create the experiences they wished they had—and that’s exactly what they do every day.
NextCorp
Being a region of makers means paving the way for the next generation. NextCorp takes that community mentality a step further, turning promising ideas into companies by connecting entrepreneurs with what they need to thrive. Mentorship, capital, customers, facilities—all of it combines to ensure innovation has a place to grow here in Greater ROC.
Some things are hard to slap a label on, but not Greater ROC. We’re iconic.