Mancuso, the creator of the Batavia Industrial Center, dies at age 88

Joseph Mancuso, of the Mancuso Business Development Group (MBDG), died April 22 at the age of 88. He started one of the world's first business incubators in 1959 in response to high unemployment and economic uncertainty.He led the transformation of a million s/f, empty, obsolete industrial building into the Batavia Industrial Center, a productive multi-tenant, multi-use campus that helps people start businesses and create jobs. Thousands of businesses have been served, creating thousands of jobs and filling millions of s/f of empty buildings in the region using the lessons learned there. MBDG is now led by his son Thomas Mancuso and operates over 2.5 million s/f of business center properties in the upstate area. MBDG is exploring projects in Sicily and southern Ontario. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Beverly, five children and five grandchildren.