Congratulations to our Board President, Ryan Benz, who will receive the Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) Crystal Ball Award on May 13, 2026. And a huge “thank you” to Ryan for selecting United Way of Central New York as his charity of choice for CNYSME’s  donation made in his honor.

In addition, Ryan is encouraging all guests at the 49th annual Crystal Ball & CNY Sales and Marketing Executive Awards to support United Way of CNY with a donation. Click here to visit Ryan’s personal donation page. 

Learn more about Ryan Benz

Ryan Benz is the Founder and CEO of Redev CNY, a Syracuse-based real estate development firm dedicated to revitalizing communities across Central New York through innovative, community-driven projects. Under his leadership, Redev CNY and its affiliated entities have delivered a growing portfolio of mixed-use, residential, and affordable housing developments that expand access to homeownership, reactivate underutilized properties, and contribute to more equitable neighborhood growth across upstate New York.

Among Redev CNY’s landmark projects is the Moyer Carriage Lofts, completed in partnership with Housing Visions and Acropolis Realty Group, a transformative mixed-income community that blends historic preservation with forward-looking affordability. The project created 128 new homes for Central New York families, including units dedicated to individuals with serious mental illness and survivors of domestic violence. Ryan and his team have also led the St. Matthew’s Condominiums in East Syracuse and The Lofts at 1117 West Fayette Street, pioneering efforts that expand attainable homeownership opportunities for moderate-income households. Redev CNY was the first development firm in New York State to utilize the Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program (AHOP), setting a model that has since been replicated across the state.

Building on that work, Redev is advancing new initiatives including a proposed adaptive reuse project in Rochester, converting a downtown office building into affordable homeownership opportunities, and the Block By Block initiative in Syracuse’s McKinley Park neighborhood. Led through Redev’s nonprofit affiliate, this effort will deliver high-quality, energy-efficient single-family homes on long-vacant parcels, bringing homeownership opportunities to families earning between 60% and 80% of area median income while helping to restore neighborhood fabric.

For Ryan, homeownership is more than a transaction, it is a cornerstone of stability, empowerment, and generational change. He believes that expanding access to ownership is one of the most effective ways to break cycles of generational poverty, strengthen neighborhoods, and foster long-term community pride.

Beyond his work in real estate, Ryan is a passionate entrepreneur and community builder. Together with his wife Leigh Ann, he owns two of downtown Syracuse’s most beloved establishments, Oh My Darling and its speakeasy counterpart, The Fitz, both of which have become integral to the city’s cultural and culinary resurgence.

Ryan’s commitment to community extends well beyond his businesses. He currently serves as Chair of the United Way of Central New York and Chair of the Syracuse Housing Authority, and sits on the Boards of The Salvation Army of Syracuse, the Center for Community Alternatives, and the South Side Community Growth Foundation. Across these roles, he champions equitable access to housing, education, and economic opportunity throughout the region.

A proud alumnus of Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management, Ryan earned his Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises and continues to give back as a guest lecturer, business plan adjudicator, and, as his schedule allows, an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Recognized for his leadership and regional impact, Ryan was named to City & State’s Economic Development Power 100 for New York State in both 2023 and 2024. His work is grounded in a commitment to innovation, inclusion, and the belief that community development and economic opportunity are most powerful when they advance together.