Byrne celebrates 90 years of business; speaks on expansion in Cortland County (Photos Included)

Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon, center, proclaimed Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 as Byrne Dairy Day for the company's 90th anniversary. Also pictured is Carl Byrne, CEO of Byrne Inc. (left); and Mark Byrne, CEO of SonByrne Sales Inc. (right). (Photo via the Byrne Dairy Facebook page).

Ninety years of business by Byrne Inc. was celebrated with a proclamation on Friday.

A ceremony took place at Byrne Dairy’s DeWitt facility, a plant that’s been operating since 2004. At the ceremony, Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon proclaimed Friday, Feb. 3 as Byrne Dairy Day.

Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon speaks at the Byrne DeWitt facility on Friday, proclaiming Feb. 3, 2023 as Byrne Dairy Day for the company's 90th anniversary. (Photo Source: Timothy A. Bennett, Owner & Publisher of The Cortland Voice).

“It’s just amazing,” said Mark Byrne, CEO of SonByrne Sales, Inc., said of the milestone moment for the company.

Mark praised Bill Byrne, Byrne Dairy’s former presidents for 10 years and staff member for 42 years overall, for keeping the company in the family.

“He’s the reason it’s passed on to the next generation,” Mark Byrne said. “The family wanted the business to succeed more than let’s just take a bunch of money out of it. That made a really big difference.”

Bill Byrne, who retired from Byrne Dairy nine years ago, was the company's president for 10 years and an overall staff member for 42 years. (Photo Source: Timothy A. Bennett, Owner & Publisher of The Cortland Voice).

Mark Byrne noted the difficulty to make generational changes within the company, but acknowledged Bill’s success in moving it on from generation to generation.

“We were able to keep it going and keep it in family management,” said Bill Byrne, who retired nine years ago from Byrne Dairy.

Carl Byrne, CEO of Byrne, Inc., noted the company’s presence in Cortland County, with Byrne Dairy convenience stores currently in the village of Homer and the city of Cortland.