Glens Falls Business Journal - January 2023

Stec: 2023 Needs To See New York State Start Reducing Taxes, Fees For Small Businesses

BY SEN. DAN STEC

As state lawmakers head into the 2023 Legislative Session, we must chart a better direction for our state and communities. Years of neglect and poor state planning, combined with the aftermath of the pandemic, have led to an exodus of New Yorkers from our state and fewer opportunities for existing residents and business owners to prosper.

Given the uncertain economic outlook nationwide, it only makes sense for New York state to offer small businesses some sorely needed financial breathing room by reducing the taxes and fees that drive up costs and make it harder for them to stay open, much less grow and develop. During a time of increased energy and supply costs, it’s incumbent upon state government to not exacerbate these problems.

Last year, the state comptroller released an audit on the Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance assessment surcharge. It revealed that billions in improper payments from businesses and overpayments to New Yorkers were issued, due to poor oversight and an antiquated system.

This is deeply troubling, and I’m looking to remedy this situation moving forward. First, we must take steps to shore up the infrastructure and operations at the DOL to ensure further waste and fraud is prevented. Offering financial remuneration to small business owners for their overpayments, which only exacerbated the economic difficulties they faced during the pandemic and its aftermath, is also essential.

With the decrease in taxes, there must also be a decrease in state spending. For too long, New York state government has treated business owners and residents as an ATM for its costly, often ineffective bureaucracy and agenda. Instead of funneling money into topdown initiatives and controversial economic development programs, financial resources are better left in the hands of those who actually create jobs and opportunities in our communities.

Along with affordability, state government must ensure expanded opportunities for economic growth. Crucial to that is finally making affordable, high-speed broadband and cell phone service a reality.

Last year, I helped to pass a repeal of a costly fiber-optic tax that made it near-impossible for broadband to be installed in rural communities in our region. With that eliminated and an ongoing state investment, this should be the time to finally ensure 100 percent (or close to that mark) broadband access. Having it is an essential tool for new and developing businesses alike, connecting them to potential customers and resources they may not otherwise have access to.

Ideally, our economy should reflect our local character and attributes. For the North Country and Adirondacks, that means taking advantage of our natural resources and beauty.

Stewart’s Shops Annual Holiday Match Program Amasses $2M For Area Nonprofits

The 2022 Holiday Match Program conducted by Stewart’s Shops has raised over $2 million for local children’s organizations, the company said.

From Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day, Stewart’s customers donated $1,011,281 to the program. Each individual donation was doubled by Stewart’s Shops. With no administrative fees, 100 percent of the funds benefit local, nonprofit children’s organizations.

“We are continually amazed by the generosity of our customers. We are proud to double their gifts allowing us to share more with our communities. These gifts have the power to accelerate progress where it’s needed most and support projects and services that can fuel real change in our communities,” according to Jennifer Frame, Stewart’s Shops director of corporate philanthropy.

Some 1,716 children’s organizations received funding from last year’s Holiday Match campaign.The grants help children all year long.

All local children’s charities are encouraged to apply for funding from the Holiday Match program. Organizations can apply online through Jan. 31. All groups applying must be locally based, benefit children under 18, and be a qualified, charitable 501c3 organization.

All the funds will be allocated in March, the

company said.

Stewart’s Shops and customers have raised over $36 million since 1986 through the holiday program.

World University Games In Lake Placid Will Have Major Economic Impact On The Region

BY PAUL POST

The Lake Placid-based, January 12-22 World University Games are having a direct economic impact on the entire North County including Warren County as Great Escape Lodge in Queensbury is the official athlete village for 200 people taking part in freestyle ski events at Gore Mountain.

This includes athletes, coaches, delegates and officials from more than two dozen countries.

“We worked closely with community and state leaders to provide a bid for the opportunity to host this amazing event,” said Jennifer Mance, resort marketing and sales manager. “We’re honored for the opportunity to provide a fantastic experience for visiting athletes. While the popularity of our property

is year-round given our indoor waterpark, we are proud to support this event along with our entire region and believe it will have a positive impact for many businesses in our area for the duration of the Games.”

Equally if not more important for Warren County tourism, ESPN will broadcast competition around the globe, providing priceless exposure that pays dividends by attracting visitors for years to come.

“North Creek has seen increased advertising and marketing that will have a lasting impact, long after the Games,” said Jon Lundin, Olympic Regional Development Authority spokesman. “On January 18, the resort and community will receive nationwide exposure from ESPN2’s live broadcast of slopestyle ski-

Marc Yrsha Of Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Is ARCC Board Chairman For 2023

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) has selected Marc Yrsha as chairman of its board of directors for 2023.

ARCC also announced the addition of four new members to its board of directors in 2023.

Yrsha is executive vice president and director of relationship banking of Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co.

“The ARCC plays a critical role in our region by championing the needs, ideas and goals of our business community. I am very appreciative of the opportunity to chair this great board of highly engaged volunteers and work alongside the tremendous team at the ARCC,” Yrsha said.

“Together, we will continue to be the local leader supporting, educating, advocating and delivering for the members of the ARCC and our business community. Thank you to all the members of the ARCC. We appreciate you,” he said.

“The ARCC is so fortunate to have a board that is dedicated to the organization and our business community. We are grateful for past board members’ service and excited to welcome on our new board members. We can achieve so much together,” said ARCC President and CEO Tricia Rogers.

The new board members are Ray Agnew, Bill Moon, Paula Traina and Daniel W. Washburn.

Agnew is vice president for hospital and community engagement at Glens Falls Hospital, taking on that role in February 2020. Previously he served

Sen. Dan Stec’s 45th District includes Warren and Washington counties.

The Stewart’s Shops 2022 Holiday Match program raised $2 million for area nonprofits.

Courtesy Stewarts Shops

Marc Yrsha, chairman, Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

Courtesy ARCC

Gore Mountain will host skiing and snowboarding competitions at the World University Games. Some 1,443 athletes, representing more than 540 universities and 46 nations will participate. Paul Post

Personnel Briefs Employment Training For Adults Program Gets Grant To Help People Enroll In Its Sessions

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) hired Ava Kanninen as membership manager.

Kanninen was formerly employed by Stewart’s Shops, working across upstate New York. She also spent close to a decade working in the wine and spirits field, most recently as a territory sales manager, She moved to Warren in 2009 and became a Glens Falls homeowner in 2021. She is a long-term community coordinator for the Red Cross Blood Program, as well as a five-gallon donor herself. She is also an ambassador for C.O.R.E., Children Of Restaurant Employees. *

Lexi Carroll has been hired as convention services coordinator at the Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Also, Emily Petit Frost was hired as membership manager at the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The LGRCVB is a division of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and serves as an extension of the Warren County Tourism Department to promote year-round group business.

Carroll, of Granville, is a graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh. She began her professional career at Country Meadows Barn in Fort Ann, serving as a wedding coordinator. She continued her career in the weddings industry at Kate Taylor Weddings & Events, where she served as an assistant coordinator, directing wedding day events, ceremony timing and coordination of all vendors on site.

Her new role involves servicing and supporting all conventions, sporting tournaments and meetings booked and assisted by the LGRCVB sales team and contributing to developing and delivering meeting/con-

vention services. She will work closely with the sales manager, reunion/sports coordinator, marketing coordinator. These services include but are not limited to the coordination of pre-event services and attendance building marketing, providing attendee resources, executing press and media on the event, registration and logistics during meetings/events, as well as post-event follow up.

Frost, of Queensbury, is a SUNY Potsdam graduate. She will be responsible for the evaluation of the Chamber’s dues structure, membership collateral and recruiting efforts to grow the Chamber’s membership.

She will also be responsible for advertising sales opportunities in the Chamber’s annual Four-Season Guidebook, internet sales and brochure display sales at the Village Information Center on the corner of Beach Road and Canada Street in Lake George.

She started her professional career in Syracuse at Techtronic Industries, completed a sales training program and managed a team of 12 representatives for five years. Upon her return to the area, Frost began her career as a real estate salesperson for Julie & Co. Realty.

* * *

NBT Bank announced that Catherine Raymond has joined the company as talent acquisition manager.

Raymond, who has more than a decade of experience in talent management, will design, implement and manage effective hiring strategies for candidates across the company’s seven-state footprint that align with NBT Bank’s business goals.

Most recently, Raymond served as talent acquisition operations manager for Oneida Nation Enterprise. Prior to that, she was the division manager for an accounting and finance staffing firm.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nazareth College and has received numerous awards for her work. Active in her community, Raymond volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club and with the Wounded Warriors Project.

The Gene Haas Foundation recently awarded the local Employment Training for Adults (ETA) Machine Tool Technology program a grant to assist with student tuition and program needs.

ETA is affi liated with the WashingtonSaratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES. The grant will help people enroll in the Machine Tool Technology program and prepare themselves for a successful career.

Dave Sharpe, local sales engineer with Allendale Machinery, recently presented the check to ETA instructor Jason Viele and Michelle Stockwell, administrator for adult programs.

Allendale Machinery Systems supplies manufacturing solutions for local businesses with a main product provided by Haas Automation, the largest supplier of American-made machine tools in the country. Both Allendale and Haas are big supporters of education.

“If you look around, you won’t see a product that didn’t have a machine tool involved in its creation,” Sharpe said. “For example, your toaster, refrigerator, or furnace all had machine tools making components or tooling. Medical products like the MRIs used in diagnosis are made locally. The list seems endless. The demand is behind the supply for

trained people to operate the manufacturing equipment for industry.

“The ETA Machine Tool Technology program has proven itself one of the best in helping its graduates to better their careers as well as the companies they work for.”

The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999 by Gene Haas, founder and owner of Haas Automation, Inc.

Seeing a growing need for skilled manufacturing employees industry-wide, the foundation’s mission also includes support for manufacturing training programs throughout North America and beyond. By providing scholarship grants, sponsoring individual and team computer numerical control (CNC competitions) and partnering with the best CNC training programs in the world, the foundation helps expand the availability of high-quality manufacturing technology training worldwide.

Kathy Looman from the Gene Haas Foundation was given the priority of helping schools such as Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex (WSWHE) BOCES to succeed.

More information about the ETA Machine Tool Technology Program can be found online at www.etaprogram.org/apps/pages/ MachineTool.

Michelle Stockwell, ETA administrator for adult programs, and ETA instructor Jason Viele, center, receive a check from Allendale Machinery local sales engineer Dave Sharpe.

Courtesy ETA

BY JILL NAGY

Diner.

“People love consignment stores,” said Lori Arpey who opened the new venture with her sister Lisa Arpey.

Fashion Follies is almost like two stores in one. One section offers day-to-day items like casual clothing, pocketbooks, and jewelry. The other side features wedding gowns, prom dresses, fancy hats, and other special occasion clothes.

“Everything is gently used” and much of it looks new, Arpey said. Some items still have their original price tags. We want things other places don’t have,” she said.

The store accepts contributions by appointment. They insist that everything be clean and in good condition.

“If it needs cleaning, we usually ask the consignor to take it back and clean it,” Arpey said. Proceeds are shared equally between the

consignor and the business.

The sisters undertook the business as a retirement project. Both have experience in retail sales and consignment businesses, but this is their fi rst time as business owners. Others in their family banded together to help, both with fi nancing and with renovation work.

“It’s a beautiful space, a very old building, and we love it,” Arpey said. Still, it needed quite a bit of work, including refi nishing floors and painting the walls, before they were ready to open in November.

She said while the work was going on, a sign in the window informed passersby of what was coming and, by opening day, the sisters had as much inventory as they could handle.

“We are going to keep it small,” she said.

Fashion Follies is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The telephone number is 518-769-2337. They also have information on Facebook, Google and Yelp.

Bryn Schokmel Is The New Curator Of The Permanent Collection At The Hyde Museum

The Hyde Collection has appointed Bryn Schockmel, Ph.D., as the museum’s new curator of the permanent collection.

Schockmel, a curator specializing in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art, comes to The Hyde from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA) and joined the museum staff on Jan. 9.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Schockmel to The Hyde Collection team. A dynamic expert in her field, she is joining The Hyde at an incredibly exciting time as we celebrate the museum’s 60th anniversary,” said Norman Dascher Jr., CEO. “Dr. Schockmel shares our passion for the mission of The Hyde to maintain a museum for the exhibition of the permanent collection and to promote and cultivate the improvement of the fine arts for the education and benefit of the residents of Glens Falls and vicinity and the general public.

“Through her work at other museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Harvard Art Museums, and The Clark Art Institute, she has applied her academic rigor to bring new insights to art collections that forge interdisciplinary conversations about important topics.”

As curator of the permanent collection, Schockmel will advance the vision of Charlotte Pruyn Hyde by ensuring the 5,000-plus works in the collection advance a greater understanding and appreciation of the museum’s collection among all audiences through research, lecture, and writing. She will plan and execute exhibitions related to the permanent collection.

“I am excited to return to The Hyde Collection, now in the role of curator, as it will provide the opportunity for me to engage with an exceptional collection of art and develop exhibitions that can foster interdisciplinary conversations,” Schockmel said. “I am energized by the museum’s mission and commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

Originally from upstate New York, Schockmel earned her B.A. from Skidmore College, her M.A. from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, and her Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance art history from Boston University. After graduating in 2019, Schockmel moved to Oklahoma City to begin her Kress/AAMD Fellowship for Provenance Research at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

In the fall of 2020, she began her new position as curator at OKCMOA. Her first major project was coordinating curator for the large-scale traveling exhibition The Painters of Pompeii: Roman Frescoes from the National Archaeological Museum, Naples. That was followed by an original exhibition, The Perfect Shot: Walter Iooss Jr. and the Art of Sports Photography. The monographic retrospective featured 85 works spanning the over 50-year career of legendary Sports Illustrated photographer Walter Iooss Jr. At OKCMOA, Schockmel also curated several smaller exhibitions and gallery rotations, offered tours to the public and school groups, gave lectures, and taught a class on early modern women artists.

Before moving to Oklahoma City, Schockmel worked at several museums in the Northeast, including The Clark Art Institute and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and had an internship at The Hyde Collection in 2013-14.

While in Boston, she taught classes at Boston University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Boston College. She also spent a summer volunteering at an Etruscan archaeological excavation in Caere, Italy, run by Queen’s University.

Fashion Follies in Glens Falls offers casual clothing, pocketbooks, jewelry, wedding gowns, prom dresses, fancy hats and other items for special occasions.

Bryn Schockmel, Ph.D., curator of the permanent collection at The Hyde Collection.

Courtesy The Hyde

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Four From Region Get Volunteerism Awards At State Office For Aging Event

The state Office for the Aging recently honored 94 older adults for their volunteerism, including Betsey Kagey and Eugene Merlino of Warren County, and Deborah Beahan and Dale Grinnell of Washington County, as part of its annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration.

“The word ‘volunteer’ cannot capture fully the accomplishments of this group of incredible individuals,” OFA Director Greg Olsen said in his remarks at the event. “Older adults impress us all with their commitment to a greater good and a greater cause. You tell the real story of what’s good about people, what’s good about New York. Through your deeds and actions, time and again, you show us how valuable you all are to those you touch, to those you serve, to the families and communities and lives you make better.”

Kagey was an asset to the Warren County Department of Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since moving to Warren County, she has volunteered at the vaccination clinic since the effort began. Prior to the pandemic, Kagey offered her knowledge and services to the Warren County Emergency Preparedness Program.

Her background in public health and environmental health has provided a sound basis for helping develop public health response plans for potential emergencies like chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives events. She was chair of a Georgia work- group which provided guidance for developing statewide plans for a public health response to a radiation incident.

Merlino has served his community as a planning board member, a town council -

man, and town supervisor for the past 15 years, in addition to sitting on the Warren County Board of Supervisors. Among his many accomplishments, the Lake Luzerne Town Complex and Senior Center stands as a testament to Merlino’s devotion to the town and its older adults.

He has served in many volunteer capacities over the years. Originally from New Jersey, Merlino is a U.S. Marine veteran.

For the past nine years, Beahan has been a volunteer at the Senior Center of the Kingsbury & Fort Edward Area, Inc. in many roles. She has a long record of volunteerism. She also worked in the Department of Motor Vehicles for 20 years and served as deputy county clerk and county clerk over a 12-year span.

Grinnell, of Glens Falls, is a representative of the Finch-Pruyn Retirees’ Association and treasurer of the Washington County Historical Society, which nominated him to be the administrator of historical markers. In that role, Grinnell oversees and maintains historical markers throughout Washington County. He is vice president of the Fort Ann Historical Society and contributed to the Fort Ann Historical book “300 Years of History,” published in 2007.

His record of volunteerism includes work with the local food pantry.

As a group, older New Yorkers age 55 and over contribute more than 495 million hours of volunteer service each year at an economic value of $13.8 billion. The 94 volunteers recognized during OFA’s 2022 Older New Yorkers’ Day program ålive in 55 counties. Collectively, they represent 5,500 years of life experience and have volunteered for a combined 2,568 years of service.

Washington County New Business Registrations

DECEMBER

Dennis Landscaping and Construction

434 County Route 47 Argyle, NY 12809

Myco Buoys 14 Grove Street Cambridge, NY 12816

Sheri Johnsons Cleaning 54 Center Street Fort Edward, NY 12828

All Aspects Construction 7 May Street Fort Edward, NY 12828

Sweet Chiq 113 Holcombville Rd. Granville, NY 12832

JH and Son Excavation and Demolition 60 North Street Granville, NY 12832

Lets Get Cruising 10 Brenda Dr. Hudson Falls, NY 12839

Let There B Light 1668 County Route 64 Salem, NY 12865

Heron Feathers Books 21 Ferguson Lane Salem, NY 12865

Betsey Kagey

Deborah Beehan

Dale Grinnell

Eugene Merlino

The City of Glens Falls innovative Urban Agriculture Project reached a key milestone in December when a one-ton heat pump system was installed on the roof of the Lapham & Parks building at 22 Ridge St.

The three-story building houses the city’s indoor hydroponics project that will grow fresh produce.

The farm will produce leafy greens from cilantro to lettuce as part of a state pilot program and, if economically viable, will seek to be replicated in other regional cities in upstate New York.

The project, funded by a grant from Empire State Development’s Smart Cities Innovation Partnership, has been in the works for more than a year.

Pooling together contractors and consultants throughout New York, the project is intended to demonstrate the ability of cities to address the problem of “food deserts” by repurposing older, underutilized industrial buildings into farms that supply upstate New York cities and villages with fresh organic produce.

“The arrival of this ultra-efficient heating and cooling system is both a symbolic and substantive leap forward in our efforts to complete the project and start producing,” said Glens Falls Economic Development Director Jeff Flagg.

The next step for the city will be the installation of a reverse osmosis watering system. Flagg noted he hopes indoor farm will begin fertilization and growing micro green in mid-January.

The third floor of 22 Ridge St., was chosen as the location for the Glens Falls urban agriculture pilot

vertical garden. Building owner Brian Bronzino offered the space at no cost. A number of equipment suppliers from around the country offered discounts on necessary materials and several local plumbers and electricians have donated their services. National Grid has also provided financial and technology support for the energy-entensive project.

To get a grant, municipalities were required to partner with technology companies. Glens Falls partnered with New York City-based Re-Nuble, a company that helps communities utilize food waste for more sustainable growing practices, as well as Syracuse-based The Tech Garden, a technology incubator.

The pilot program was slated for 2021 but was delayed due to COVID. Pandemic-related cost increases and material shortages have proved challenging.

The vertical garden takes up about 480 square feet of the 2000-square-foot third floor. It will be used to grow a variety of greens, lettuces, and herbs.

One of the goals of the pilot program is to ensure that the vertical garden is complementing, not competing with, local farmers. The pilot program is designed to demonstrate whether vertical gardens are economically viable while identifying potential stumbling blocks.

For further information, contact Tony DeFazio at Sustainable PR via email tony@sustainablepr. com or call 518-223-9962.

Historic Neighborhood Report Gets Funding

The village of Fort Edward is one of several municipalities in the state to receive part of the $33 million in Community Development Block Grant funds awarded for local infrastructure improvement and housing rehabilitation projects.

The grants are designed to help communities provide decent affordable housing and safe living environments primarily for low- and moderateincome residents.

The village of Fort Edward in Washington County was awarded $48,000 to complete an engineering assessment of the Historic Fort Neighborhood.

Also in the region, Mechanicville in Saratoga County will use $47,500 in grant funds for the development of an engineering report documenting issues with the city’s stormwater infrastructure.

“By supporting improvements to build affordable housing, enhance public water facilities and strengthen local infrastructure, this funding will lay the groundwork for stronger, more resilient neighborhoods across New York,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “These critical investments in our public infrastructure will help provide safe, stable housing and affordable amenities to New Yorkers while allowing businesses to grow and thrive, and I thank the New York Congressional Delegation for securing this vital funding for our state.”

The Community Development Block Grant program is a federally funded program administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal that helps counties, cities, towns and villages with projects that improve communities and benefit residents across the state.

Grants can be used for housing rehabilitation of owner-occupied or renter-occupied homes, down payment assistance for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers, and private water/wastewater system assistance for low- and moderate-income homeowners.

The grants can be used for improvements to public water, public sewer, stormwater sewer and flood drainage improvements. For 2022, Homes and Community Renewal awarded over $23 million for 21 public water, public sewer, and public facility projects.

Foundation Gives Funds To Community Groups

The Common Roots Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Common Roots Brewing Co., announced grants to be awarded to nine recipients, all aimed at community and environmental wellness.

The $20,000 in grants from the foundation add to a total of more than $47,000 given since the organization’s inception in 2021.

Amounts range from between $1,000 and $2,500.

Recipients include:

• Books Offer Opportunities Kids Succeed, which provides 10,000 free books to kids in lowincome families.

• The Crandall Park Beautification Committee, which updates and provides improvements to Crandall Park in Glens Falls.

• The Glens Falls Youth Center, which provides aid for educational, recreational and life skills programs for kids in grades 5-12.

• Habitat for Humanity, which builds affordable homes in the area.

• St. Mary’s Food Pantry, which supports the local chapter of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and serves as many as 100 families per week.

• Tri-County Literacy, which aids high school GED, English as a new language and literacy tutor programs.

• Up Yonda Farm, which provides aid for outdoor recreation and education.

• Wait House, which supports services for homeless youth ages 16-24

• World Awareness Children’s Museum, a hands-on children’s learning space.

“When we first established the Common Roots Foundation, our goal was simple: to give back to the tremendous community that supported us through difficult times and continues to step up for their neighbors,” said Common Roots Foundation board president Bert Weber. “Between our sustaining and new members, well-attended fundraising events, and our first legacy partner, Boralex, the Foundation has been able to support even more programs that are truly making a difference in the lives of the people we want to serve.”

Chris Graves Wellness

This one-ton heat pump was installed recently at the Lapham & Parks building at 22 Ridge St. It is necessary in order for the indoor farm to begin fertilization and growing produce.

©2023 Saratoga Photographer.com

Health & Fitness

Local Hospitals Get High Marks

For Patient

Safety Procedures From Watchdog Group

Two Albany Med Health System facilities—Saratoga Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital—have earned high grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group for fall 2022.

The two hospitals lead the Capital Region, with grades of A for Saratoga Hospital and B for Glens Falls Hospital. These high marks place both hospitals in the top 25 percent of New York state facilities for this report.

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit watchdog organization that serves as a voice for health care consumers and purchasers, using their collective influence to foster positive change in U.S. health care.

“Our Leapfrog score reflects our culture of safety and 24/7 commitment to protecting patients from preventable harm and errors,” Saratoga Hospital President and CEO Jill J. VanKuren said. “The A grade is a tribute to our team and a source of assurance to our patients, who can be confident they’re receiving care at one of New York’s safest hospitals.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns letter grades twice a year to nearly 3,000 U.S. general hospitals based on over 30 measures of patient safety. Th irty percent of U.S. hospitals earned the highest rating of A. Twenty-eight percent earned a B.

VanKuren and Glens Falls Hospital President and CEO Paul Scimeca view the Leapfrog results as an opportunity to share best practices for patient safety throughout the Albany Med Health System.

“Quality improvement across the System occurs through collaboration. As we continue to work together, we are seeing many benefits,” Scimeca said. “The Albany Med Health System will continually evolve and improve in the future, and we look forward to working even more closely with Albany Medical Center, Columbia Memorial Health, and Saratoga Hospital.”

VanKuren emphasized the System hospitals’ shared commitment to excellent patient care and continuous quality improvement.

“Patient safety is a top priority for the entire System,” she said. “Our goal, through collaboration and sharing of best practices, is for all our hospitals to achieve the highest grade.”

Comprised of Albany Medical Center, Albany Medical College, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, and the Visiting Nurses, the Albany Med Health System is the largest locally governed, nonprofit health system serving northeastern New York and western New England. The system is the region’s largest private employer, and each member institution carries a century-long tradition caring for our communities.

The Albany Med Health System has 1,520 hospital beds, more than 800 physicians, 125 outpatient locations, a children’s hospital, and research enterprise serving the three million people of our region.

Bus Converted To ‘The Mobile Meditation Studio’ Brings Yoga, Therapy To The People

BY JILL NAGY

For people unable to go to Grounded on Glen, Kayla Kraft’s meditation studio, the studio can come to you. Kraft has transformed a former school bus into a movable meditation studio.

The bus was completely gutted from top to bottom, Kraft said. It now has vinyl planking on the floor and mock subway tile on the walls. It is outfitted with lights, heat, generator power, and diff users. It can accommodate up to six participants at a time.

The bus is parked behind Grounded on Glen, the non-mobile studio at 282 Glen St. in Glens Falls, “all set up and ready for you to come on the bus,” Kraft said.

“We go wherever,” she said, with a focus on school systems, health care facilities, and fi rst

responders. The aim is to promote relaxation through meditation, yoga, and similar modalities.

“We just launched in September,” Kraft said, “and we got really busy.”

Kraft’s yoga business, Yoga Kayla, is in its 10th year. Grounded on Glen added meditation, somatic therapy and relaxation techniques.

Kraft drives the bus and conducts the sessions. So far, she has no employees. However, she has a goal “to have 100 of these buses rolling around the United States” five years from now.

The next site will probably be somewhere else in the Northeast.

The telephone number for the meditation studio is 518 361-3564. The website is themobilemeditationstudio.com.

Glens Falls Hospital earned high grades for patient safety in a recent report.

The mobile center created by Kayla Kraft of Grounded on Glen is outfitted with lights, heat, generator power, and diffusers. It can accommodate up to six participants at a time.

Health Department Continues To Stress Flu Vaccinations For People Age 6 And Up

The state Department of Health continues to emphasize the importance of everyone aged six months and older getting a flu shot, with the Department’s latest report showing an additional pediatric death in New York, bringing the total to five so far this season.

“One pediatric flu death is already too many,” state Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “With yet another death being reported in New York, we urge every New Yorker, parent, and guardian to get themselves and their children their flu shot immediately. It is not too late to get the most important protection for yourself and your family possible against becoming seriously ill.”

The state’s new flu surveillance report, with data through Dec. 17, shows a total of 217,094 positive influenza cases across all 62 counties in New York have been reported to date. Additionally, there were 61 outbreaks in acute care and long term care facilities.

Outside of New York City, week-over-week lab-confi rmed flu cases are up 4 percent, rising from 34,599 cases to 36,047. The report also found that confi rmed cases in New York City dropped 19 percent, while overall hospitalizations were down 3 percent from the previous week ending the week of Dec. 17 at 2,709 hospitalizations across the State.

Nationally, the weekly U.S. surveillance report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there have been 12,000 deaths across the country attributed to the flu so far this season, including 47 pediatric deaths. CDC’s report found an estimated 190,000 hospitalizations due to influenza, putting the cumulative rate at 6 times higher than the highest rate for this same time over the last decade.

Officials urged New Yorkers to take precautions to protect against the flu. Th is includes getting the annual flu shot and wearing a well-fitting mask, especially for those who experience symptoms or live with, care for, or are considered at the heightened risk of severe illness (children 5 years of age or younger, pregnant people, older adults, and/or those with underlying health conditions such as a weakened immune system, diabetes, heart and/or lung disease, and/or asthma).

To treat flu infections, there are antiviral medications that can be prescribed by health care providers, such as Tamiflu, which can reduce the length and severity of the flu. Amid reports of spot shortages in some areas, the federal government recently gave the state permission to tap into the Strategic National Stockpile to secure Tamiflu and ensure supplies are available as needed.

Avoiding illness by getting the flu shot remains the most effective way to prevent infection and reduce the risk of severe illness for children and adults. According to research gathered by the CDC, vaccination has significant health advantages, particularly for people at risk of getting very sick, including: Officials said it prevents people from getting sick with the flu, cutting the risk of having to go to the doctor by 40 to 60 percent. In children, the vaccine reduces the risk of severe, life-threatening influenza by 75

percent; decreases flu-related hospitalizations by 41 percent; and cuts the risk of emergency department visits in half.

The health department said flu vaccination during pregnancy reduces the risk of being hospitalized by an average of 40 percent and helps protect the baby from flu for several months after birth, when babies are too young to get vaccinated. For older adults, the vaccine reduces the risk of flu-associated hospitalization by about 40 percent.

Among those with chronic health conditions, the vaccine is associated with lower rates of some cardiac events, as well as reducing the risk of hospitalization from flu-related worsening of lung diseases and diabetes.

The state is utilizing a number of tools to increase public knowledge about rising flu rates and the importance of vaccinations as a critical prevention step, including sharing information on social media platforms Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The flu vaccine is also widely available, found at pharmacies, health clinics and physician’s offices across the state.

To locate a flu vaccine location, visit vaccines.gov.

In addition to getting the vaccine and wearing a mask when indoors or in crowds, simple preventative actions can help stop the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when sick.

• Cover cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For more information about influenza in New York, visit NYSDOH’s flu website.

NYS Health Department Warns About The Dangers Of Electronic Cigarettes, Vaping

The state Department of Health is urging all New Yorkers who use electronic cigarette (e-cigarettes) and other vapor devices to make a New Year’s resolution to quit using these highly addictive and dangerous products.

While traditional tobacco use has been declining for decades, a new Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey report published by the Department found that among New York adults, the highest rate of e-cigarette use is among young adults, ages 18 to 24, which is more than triple the e-cigarette use rate for adults 25 years of age and older.

“According to research, both e-cigarette users and those who are exposed to secondhand emissions may experience long-term health issues,” state Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “I encourage New Yorkers who use e-cigarettes to ring in the New Year by making a resolution to quit using e-cigarettes and other vaping devices, which contain highly addictive nicotine, in order to prevent long-term harm to people’s health.”

Key findings of the Department’s latest BRFSS report include:

• The prevalence of e-cigarette use among adults in New York State in 2020 is 4.1 percent.

• E-cigarette use is significantly higher among the following groups of adults: 18 to 24 years of age at 10.6 percent; current cigarette smokers at 10.2 percent.

• I ndividuals reporting frequent mental distress at 6.9 percent.

• Individuals enrolled in Medicaid at 5.9 percent.

• Individuals identifying as male at 5.7 percent.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an annual telephone survey of adults developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and

conducted in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several US Territories. The New York BRFSS is administered by the Department of Health to provide statewide and regional information on behaviors, risk factors, and use of preventive health services related to the leading causes of chronic and infectious diseases, disability, injury, and death.

Officials said that while 1.7 million adults in New York still smoke cigarettes, many also use cigars, smokeless tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. According to the Department, tobacco use continues to be a serious public health issue, with more than 22,000 persons in New York state dying from diseases brought on by smoking and secondhand smoke exposure each year.

Another report on cigarette use, recently highlighted by the Department for the Great American Smokeout, showed that disparities and inequities in cigarette smoking and addiction persist among adults in New York State and nationally.

New York state has enacted policies to promote the health and well-being of all New Yorkers. As of November 2017, the use of electronic cigarettes is banned indoors everywhere that smoking is prohibited in New York. Additionally, as of May 2020, the sale of flavored nicotine vapor products is prohibited.

The free and confidential state Smokers’ Quitline assists thousands of New Yorkers every year in their attempts to break free from smoking and other tobacco use by providing information, expert quit coaching, support, and free starter kits of nicotine replacement therapy. Call 1-866-NYQUITS (1-866-697-8487), text 716-309-4688, or visit the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at https://www. nysmokefree.com/ for more information or to chat with a Quit Coach.

REGIONAL

Stock

Albany International Corporation 104.24 100.88 98.74 98.70 98.59

Arrow Financial Corporation 35.23 33.43 34.40 34.35 33.90

AT & T Inc. 19.02 19.09 18.49 18.31 18.41

Ball Corporation 55.81 53.56 51.32 51.63 51.14

Ballston Spa Bancorp, Inc 58.67 60.00 60.00 60.00 60.00

Bank of America Corporation 36.08 32.38 31.70 32.47 33.12

Best Buy Co., Inc 86.60 81.81 79.48 81.35 80.21

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. 41.70 39.81 38.33 38.90 39.37

Espey Manufacturing & Electronics Corp 13.42 13.44 13.42 14.02 14.20

General Electric Company 86.88 81.45 77.65 81.79 83.79

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. 141.42 137.43 130.99 126.43 126.36

The Home Depot, Inc. 327.99 320.48 323.34 318.73 315.86

International Paper Company 37.10 36.08 35.61 34.73 34.63 KeyCorp 18.55 17.42 16.62 17.18 17.42

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. 214.84 201.77 206.14 201.88 199.24

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. 365.73 356.94 348.22 338.59 337.97

M&T Bank Corporation 365.73 356.94 348.22 338.59 337.97

McDonald’s Corporation 273.40 272.04 266.12 267.57 263.53

National Grid Plc 62.46 62.33 60.73 60.84 60.32

NBT Bancorp Inc. 46.27 42.23 41.76 43.40 43.42

Plug Power Inc. 15.81 15.81 14.02 12.34 12.37

Quad/Graphics, Inc. 3.76 3.43 3.73 3.71 4.08

Starbucks Corporation 105.05 101.79 98.83 98.27 99.20

Sysco Corporation 85.33 82.23 78.68 78.09 76.45

Latham Group, Inc. 3.57 3.28 3.22 3.12 3.22

Target Corporation 164.16 152.28 146.45 143.15 149.04 The TorontoDominion Bank 68.59 66.35 63.25 64.98 64.76 Kaspien Holdings Inc. 0.82 0.74 0.71 0.59 0.56

Trustco Bank Corp NY 38.57 37.97 37.16 37.62 37.59

Verizon Communications Inc. 38.18 37.40 37.12 38.41 39.40 Walmart Inc. 153.22 145.31 142.75 143.77 141.79

Economic Outlook 2023

BY KENNETH J. ENTENMANN

This past year has been a volatile one for the economy and the financial markets. The main factors that drove uncertainty in 2022 remain the same as we enter 2023— the stubbornness of inflation and its effect on the Fed’s interest rate policies, and the looming threat of economic recession and its impact on corporate earnings. All are interrelated.

The main catalyst of uncertainty has been the persistent and pervasive nature of inflation. In response, the Federal Reserve Bank has embarked on an historically aggressive monetary policy change that has quickly and significantly increased interest rates. This change in monetary policy clearly dampened economic activity. The first and second quarter GDP were negative (-1.6 percent and -0.6 percent) while the third quarter GDP rebounded to 2.9 percent. The economy limped into year-end and overall GDP growth will be modest, at best, in 2022. For 2023, the consensus forecast for GDP growth is sobering, with a 60 percent-plus chance for a recession in the first half of the year.

In the post-COVID economy, it was hoped that inflation would be “transitory.” Unfortunately, inflation continues to remain problematic heading into 2023. The good news is inflation, as measured by the Producer Price Index (PPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), appears to have peaked. PPI peaked at 11.7 percent in March and was 7.4 percent in November. CPI posted a peak rate of 9.0 percent in June and was 7.1 percent in November. Both indices have declined every month since their peaks. While this trend is encouraging, inflation remains far above the Fed’s 2 percent target. There continues to be three primary drivers of these pessimistic inflation expectations: supply chain disruptions, commodity prices and labor issues. While some of these factors have improved, others still are a significant concern.

Yet, a positive: supply chain disruptions have improved. At the outset of the COVID pandemic, a dramatic shift in consumer demand severely affected the supply chain. In “normal” circumstances, the U.S. economy is driven by the service sector.

With the COVID lockdown, consumer demand shifted significantly to goods. While we were in lockdown, we refurnished the house, finished the basement, replaced the appliances. This dramatically increased demand for commodities and finished goods. The supply chain buckled under this change.

Demand is now shifting back to “normal,” meaning the consumer has returned to buying services instead of goods. Afterall, how many new refrigerators can one buy? We are back in restaurants and hotels and air traffic is at record levels. This shift in demand has allowed “goods” inflation to decline and commodity prices to fall significantly.

Another area of inflation improvement is the housing market. Clearly, the dramatic increase in mortgage rates from less than 3 percent at the start of 2022 to roughly 6.5 percent has impacted housing activity. Existing home sales have declined for nine consecutive months and that has allowed home prices to decline.

Unfortunately, inflation remains problematic in one area: the service sector. Services represent nearly two-thirds of the economy, and services inflation is driven by one key factor—labor costs. And the labor market remains tight! November’s Unemployment Rate was a historically strong 3.7 percent. Unfortunately, this low rate is misleading and masks what is a challenged labor market.

The Labor Participation Rate (62.1 percent) has yet to recover to pre-COVID levels. The JOLTS report (Job Opening and Labor Turnover) shows there are 10.3 million job openings—nearly 1.9 times the number of unemployed individuals. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Jobs Report states that 90 percent of small businesses report few or no qualified applicants for open positions.

As a result, wage inflation has been growing more than 6 percent.

This dysfunctional labor environment suggests that wage inflation will remain problematic in 2023, particularly in the small business economy of NBT’s footprint

The Fed has responded to persistent inflation by aggressively increasing the Federal Funds interest rate. Since March, the Fed Funds rate has increased from 0 percent to 4.75 percent. This is an historically fast pace for the Fed. To provide some perspective, the last time the Fed embarked on a prolonged rate hike strategy, it raised rates by 3.25 percent over the course of three years (2010-2012). In addition, the Fed continues to reduce the size of its balance sheet, i.e., quantitative tightening, and that has an ongoing tightening impact.

However, the Fed is in a difficult spot. The aggressive policy clearly has slowed the economy, but service inflation remains problematic. This may force the Fed to raise rates further and then maintain them at a higher level for a longer period of time, increasing fears that they will “go too far” and force the economy into recession.

Indeed, the slowing economy and the threat of a recession has challenged the financial markets. Both stocks (S&P 500 -20 percent) and bonds (-12 percent) posted significantly negative returns due to the double whammy of rising interest rates and declining earnings.

The economy has already reacted negatively to this aggressive change in monetary policy and uncertainties abound for 2023. Housing activity has been materially impacted. Industrial commodity prices have declined. Manufacturing activity has slowed. M2 money supply (the Fed’s estimate of total money supply, including cash, checking deposits and non-cash assets that can easily be converted into cash) has declined significantly, and the 2–10-year Treasury yield curve is inverted by 50 basis points, both historic indicators of recession. Indeed, consensus economic forecasts suggest a 60 percent-plus probability of a “short and shallow” recession in the first half of 2023.

The direction of the economy and the financial markets will be determined by inflation. If recent trends continue and wage pressures abate, inflation may decline toward the Fed’s 2 percent target. This would allow the Fed to complete its interest rate hiking cycle. With the fear of further rate hikes over, the economy would be poised for renewed growth.

With stable rates, corporate earnings may begin to grow again. However, the main risk for 2023 is that inflation will remain stubborn. That would require the Fed to raise rates further and keep them “higher for longer,” something the economy and the markets are not anticipating.

Reflecting these fears, the consensus economic forecast calls for a modest recession in the first half of 2023. Hopefully, any recessionary activity will be muted by strong corporate and consumer balance sheets. The expectations are for a rough start to 2023 as the economy works through the challenge of tight labor markets and persistent inflation.

It is hoped that inflation will dissipate in the first half, setting the economy and the markets up for a strong second half of 2023.

Kenneth J. Entenmann, CFA, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist, NBT Bank. Courtesy NBT Bank

Corporate Tax / Business Planning

‘Get A Sense Of Where You Stand’ Among Tips For Small Businesses Looking To 2023

BST & Co. CPAs, LLP, an area accounting and management consulting fi rms, has released a series of year-end tax tips designed to help small businesses prepare for fi ling season.

Dawn Doherty is a partner at BST & Co. and a certified public accountant and tax expert with more than 30 years of experience. She began her career with the Internal Revenue Service.

Doherty shared the following tax considerations for Capital Region residents:

• Get a sense of where you stand.

Many families will see smaller refunds when they fi le their 2022 taxes because pandemic-related tax provisions, such as the expanded child tax credit and the dependent care credit, have expired and these credits revert to pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

Although tax tables and the standard deduction have favorably changed with infl ation, taxpayers may still not have enough tax withheld or otherwise paid in throughout the year to avoid a balance due at tax fi ling time. Check your latest pay stub for taxable wages and withholdings. If underpaid, make an estimated tax payment on or before Jan. 15.

The IRS has a tax withholding estimator on their website that can help with a simple calculation, but it may not be useful for complex situations, pension income, or for nonresident alien status fi lers.

If using a tax preparer or accountant, get in touch with them to notify them of transactions during the year, or changes in your circumstances.

• If you’re in business and planning to purchase assets such as vehicles or equipment, consider purchasing and placing in service before the end of 2022.

For tax year 2022, federal bonus depreciation of 100 percent of the cost is allowed for eligible tangible property used in a trade or business. Th at fi gure will be reduced to 80 percent in tax year 2023. The property must be both purchased and placed in service by year-end.

• If planning to make charitable contributions, bunch them into one tax year.

For those with itemized deductions such as mortgage interest, charitable contributions and taxes (capped at $10,000) amounting to less than the standard deduction for 2022, you may consider bunching up charitable contributions you would otherwise make across a few tax years into one year to maximize the tax benefit. Unlike prior years, there is no $300 ($600 for married fi ling joint) adjustment to AGI for charitable contributions, regardless of whether itemizing or using the standard deduction.

• Contribute to your retirement account(s).

If you are covered by an employer plan and have not fully maximized your 401(k), depending on your employer’s set up and cycle time you may be able to make a last-minute

change and increase your contribution before your last paycheck. For those with an IRA, self-employed plan or other qualified retirement plan, you still have time to contribute and have it count toward your 2022 taxes.

• Get organized and start gathering your records now.

Whether receiving your tax documents electronically or in paper form, set up your folders now to collect the documents you’ll need to prepare your tax fi ling; it will make tax time much smoother. For example:

Those who received a STAR check for property taxes will likely have the check stub to document the amount received.

Place a copy of your last pay stub for the year in the folder to compare to your W-2.

Stash your stamped paid property tax bills in the folder as you receive them.

If you used a Health Savings Account (HSA), it will be helpful to have your receipts for co-pays and medical expenses that were paid from or reimbursed from your HSA account in one place to validate the distributions.

It is also prudent to have a copy of any qualified education costs in the tax folder; this will help with fi guring any tax credits the taxpayers may be eligible for, as well as verifying distributions from a 529 plan.

Many information documents, such as 1099s, W-2s, and 1098s are issued in January and early February. Save these important documents in your tax folder.

You want to ensure that your tax records are complete before fi ling. One item that’s new in 2022 is the 1099-K. Th is form is issued by third-party payment platforms such as MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, Venmo and Square for payments in excess of $600 for goods and services. These forms need to be sent out by payment settlement entities by Jan. 31.

Business Report

New Years Financial Resolutions

BY MEGHAN MURRAY

It’s that time of year when many of us promise ourselves we’ll go to the gym more, or learn a new language, or take up a musical instrument, or any number of other worthy goals.

But this year, when making New Year’s resolutions, why not also consider some financial ones?

Here are a few to consider:

Don’t let inflation derail your investment strategy. As you know, inflation was the big financial story of 2022, hitting a 40-year high. And while it may moderate somewhat this year, it will likely still be higher than what we experienced the past decade or so.

Even so, it’s a good idea to try not to let today’s inflation harm your investment strategy for the future. That happened last year: More than half of American workers either reduced their contributions to their 401(k) s and other retirement plans or stopped contributing completely during the third quarter of 2022, according to a survey by Allianz Life Insurance of North America. Of course, focusing on your cash flow needs today is certainly understandable, but are there other ways you can free up some money, such as possibly lowering your spending, so you can continue contributing to your retirement accounts?

It’s worth the effort because you could spend two or three decades as a retiree.

Control your debts. Inflation can also be a factor in debt management. For example, your credit card debt could rise due to rising prices and variable credit card interest rate increases. By paying your bill each month, you can avoid the effects of rising interest rates.

If you do carry a balance, you might be able to transfer it to a lower-rate card, depending on your credit score. And if you’re carrying multiple credit cards, you might benefit by getting a fixed-rate debt consolidation loan. In any case, the lower your debt payments, the more you can invest for your long-term goals.

Review your investment portfolio. At least once a year, you should review your investment portfolio to determine if it’s still appropriate for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. But be careful not to make

changes just because you feel your recent performance is not what it should have been.

When the financial markets are down, as was the case for most of 2022, even quality investments, such as stocks of companies with solid business fundamentals and strong prospects, can see declines in value. But if these investments are still suitable for your portfolio, you may want to keep them.

Prepare for the unexpected. If you encountered a large unexpected expense, such as the need for a major home repair, how would you pay for it? If you didn’t have the money readily available, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments or retirement accounts.

To prevent this, you should build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses—or a year’s worth, if you’re retired—with the money kept in a low-risk, liquid account.

These resolutions can be useful, so try to put them to work in 2023.

Meghan Murray is a financial advisor with Edward Jones Financial in Glens Falls.

Dawn Doherty, partner, BST & Co. CPAs, LLP.

Courtesy BST & Co. CPAs, LLP.

Economic Outlook 2023

Outlook 2023: Stec

Continuing to allocate resources to combat Lyme and tick-borne diseases remains a major focus, so our trails remain safe for hikers and tourists. Protecting our lakes and waterways is also a must.

To that end, we will continue to combat invasive species and educate boaters on the need to protect our waterways from invasive species and preserve our local ecosystems. By maintaining that commitment, we can ensure our ecosystem remains a vital tourism and economic hub.

Th is year presents a crucial opportunity to

BY MARK SHAW The economic outlookfor 2023 is the dreaded R word—Recession.

It`s here. We know the media and our government are not exactly forthcoming saying it’s here, but if you are a consumer you see the change. Technology is often the canary in the coal mine. When tech companies start cutting jobs, that is when we see things starting.

Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and just a few days ago Salesforce, recently cut their workforces. Additionally, the news was just released that the financial sector cuts are coming. These two major driving economic forces are the first to start the layoffs. Next up, all of us.

But as a small business owner there is some comfort in the fact that you can probably find some places to cut costs and save money. Ideally, you have probably been doing this all along as the inflation numbers have grown. When it comes to your technology, if you currently have an IT staff, even if it’s just one person, you can use some cost-effective, time-tested methods to meet your needs.

In today’s world you can outsource your information technology for often a fraction of the cost of retaining a fully loaded employee. Multiple studies shown that firms with 1-10 IT staff members have seen significant savings by outsourcing to an IT consulting firm. I have firsthand experience of the best ways this can and has been done.

First, outsourcing doesn’t have to mean firing people and leaving them without a job. We all put people first and finding a balance is ideal. So, you are now left wondering how do I save money, cut staff, and still get great technology support and

turn those fortunes around and improve our economic outlook.

The signs of growth and potential are there. For example, the 2023 FISU World University Games will be a boon for Lake Placid and surrounding communities. Our tourism industry continues to succeed. And with the proper planning and policies, we can help create goodpaying careers in housing and construction, manufacturing and other sectors.

I’m confident that we can make strides towards accomplishing that and build a vibrant, lasting economy right here in this region.

BY JIM SIPLON

Economic development is in the midst of major change. So is our region.

We can no longer focus exclusively on attracting employers. We’re also focused on attracting more people. Warren County and many communities like us are engaged in a war for talent. If we bring great people here, local employers can grow again, and other opportunities will follow.

When asked to step in after the sudden passing of Ed Bartholomew in mid-2020, I assumed the role was focused on attracting, retaining, and growing local business. In short, economic development in the traditional sense.

What I’ve learned is that achieving sustainable local economies and communities requires those things but so much more. We need analysis, strategic planning, and tactical execution in a wide swath of areas that exceeds and underpins the traditional approach.

Our communities and many of our businesses are struggling to adapt to a future with fewer workers, an aging population, and new stresses on our traditional assets. Significantly, the birth rate locally and nationally has not resulted in enough new workers to replace those who are retiring since the early 1970s.

Because our local population is older on average than the rest of the nation, New York state and the Capital Region is experiencing this  sooner than other areas. Warren County’s average age is 48. To put that in context, New York State is 39 while the nation is 38 and those are viewed as problematic.

bring voice to as well as we engage with them including pathways to connecting and serving their new community.

advice? Well, there are a few ways to do this. Let’s talk about what using a third party company to manage your IT needs can do to dramatically improve your life.

No more loaded costs with 401k, healthcare, vacations

No more worries about all the keys to the kingdom in one person’s hands

No more fears over someone else scooping up your critical tech staff

No myopic view of the world. Only seeing your business and no ability to benchmark what the best of the best are doing.

Imagine you now take those dollars spent on internal IT staff and move them to someone else.

Attracting new residents to augment our workforce is the right answer, but one major impediment is housing. For a variety of reasons nationally, we have not built enough housing for more than 20 years to meet the demand as our demographics have changed. Time was when many family members, often including one or two generations, lived under one roof.

Today, seniors live on their own, as do newlyweds and many recent college graduates. In the 1970s, a typical Warren County home had four to five residents (depending on where) on average. Today, that number is fewer than two. The result is increased demand for our existing housing supply, which means higher prices and which inhibits the inflow of new residents who can replenish our shrinking, aging workforce. Incoming residents have other needs, too.

They need reliable, professional childcare, which since the pandemic has been in short supply. They may also need transportation services. They have other needs we are working to

The real-world consequences are already all around us: restaurants that cannot open more than a few days a week due to lack of help; employers with scores of open and unfilled jobs; our reliance on large numbers of traveling nurses and healthcare workers just to keep our local healthcare systems working; local fire departments once staffed by volunteers now turning to paid staff and communities dealing with lengthening emergency response times; and declining school populations in literally every school district in the North Country.

Projecting current trends forward twenty years results in a grim picture. Without addressing these troubling trends, our communities and local economy will become increasingly older and unbalanced with a workforce that is unable to maintain current levels of output and public investment.

There is some good news here as the area is experiencing a renewed demand with your professionals and families looking to rebalance their lives and make their way in our Warren County communities. Even better news is that the EDC and local communities are taking action now to reverse these trends: Investing in universal and competitively priced broadband and working with local communities to provide connected transportation, increased childcare capacity and more housing—all types of housing, including transitional housing for older residents, newer formats such as

Mark Shaw, president and CEO of Stored Technology Solutions Inc. (StoredTech).

Jim Siplon, president, CEO, EDC Warren County. Courtesy StoredTech

Courtesy EDC Warren County

BY ASSEMBLYMAN MATTHEW SIMPSON

The year 2023 presents an opportunity for the state of New York to put the COVID-19 emergency era governing behind us. The biggest priority for lawmakers in Albany this year will be to undertake a fundamental shift from responsive governing and pivot to rebuilding a foundation which allows New York families and businesses to thrive.

We need to acknowledge the elephant in the room: The state’s population loss is a big deal. Stability and prosperity are easy goals to talk about but if the people don’t see a viable path towards success, they will seek it elsewhere. From 2021 to 2022, New York saw a reduction of 180,000 citizens.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, the state’s share of this country’s millionaires has also declined from 12.7 percent in 2010 to 8.9 percent in 2020. Why should we pay attention to this? A large percentage of the State’s revenues generated from personal income taxes come from a proportionately small group of high earners.

The top 1 percent of earners in New York whose bottom dollar figure begins at around $656,000 contribute 46 percent of the State’s income tax revenues. Additionally, the mean household income from those who left during the last Census was in excess of six figures. Fiscal policy relying on politically charged maxims like “tax the rich” is not a sustainable path.

Individuals and families continue removing themselves from the State’s increasing over-reliance on them to fund rising spending. Opportunities for a prosperous life for our outgoing neighbors does not outweigh the cost of pursuing one. Simply put, the juice is not worth the squeeze. New York has an affordability problem that will not be solved by policy predicated on transferring wealth and not on creating an environment of opportunity. We need to unleash the potential of New York’s residents and allow them to fully participate in the modern economy. The state can have a positive role in this and restore their ability to lead a prosperous life on their own.

The first step is continuing the push for quality reliable broadband and cellular access. Modern connectivity is a pre-requisite for economic growth. Last year, New York passed a budget that included well over $1 billion to build out our broadband capabilities. Absent are any programs or means for communities to access these funds. Setting these resources aside was a monumental first step. Now we need to follow through by unlocking these funds. Removing unnecessary red tape and government mandates like Department of Transportation Survey fees that inflate costs of expensive rural and last-mile buildouts are also encouraged. There are still too many tax-paying hard-working New York families and businesses that remain disconnected from the modern economy.

Consider the potential for entrepreneurs with modern connectivity now having access to markets outside their communities to sell their goods or services. Think about the advantages trades technicians have with the ability to troubleshoot problems on-site and order materials in real-time.

We even have potential for true work-fromhome employees living hundreds of miles from their employer if properly connected. From skilled labor in the construction and service trades to qualified care providers in our hospitals and nursing homes to entry-level openings for individuals pursuing broader long-term goals, introducing these options to our future workforce is achievable by preparing our youths for modern careers.

Enhanced investment is needed to develop and expand access to our Career and Technical Education (CTE) & Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) programs.

We must also amplify the dialogue regarding the benefits of introducing these programs to elementary and middle school students. Our state must be proactive in expanding practical and innovative curriculum that offers viable paths for

student success and post-graduation opportunities. Workforce development and skill building leads to stronger students, stronger adults, and greater preparedness for opportunity.

Skilled individuals in proximity to modern broadband and cellular capacity with the ability to enter the workforce during and immediately following high school graduation would fill an urgent need for the entire regional economy. However, persistent difficulty sourcing this help is tied directly to the current housing affordability crisis.

We cannot realistically expect individuals to stop leaving the State if they cannot afford a place to live. Providing public monies for affordable apartment units cannot be the only way in which this problem is addressed. Albany must look at it from the perspective of all stake holders including and explore how regulations contribute to prohibitive building costs resulting in developers only seeing value in high-end homes and rental complexes.

We must leverage more partnerships with both private and non-profits developers such as Habitat for Humanity and explore comparable models for housing variety that provides opportunities for individuals and families to build personal equity and generational assets coupled with a review of tax policies that hinder long-term affordability. From this, entry to the middle-class becomes possible and vibrant communities can take root.

New York’s outmigration stops when rooted individuals, families, and businesses create vibrant communities.

Having a strong and skilled workforce connected to a modern economy with a modern education system and the added security of stable housing are great incentives to keep people from leaving their community. However, we cannot ignore the critical infrastructure underneath our feet that ensures we can experience these benefits in a healthy manner. New York has some of the oldest water and sewer infrastructure in the country. The state and its Agencies have legislated or promulgated new rules and standards to rectify this issue for good reason.

What lags are the matching resources for communities to meet these standards. While it must be noted that state funding has been made available in recent years, it has simply not been enough, nor is it easily obtainable.

Critical water and sewer infrastructure are essential to industry and commerce, not just the health and well being of residents. This infrastructure is so critical that businesses will not move into a region without them. New York must take a thorough look at how we are deploying resources to update and modernize our communities to ensure proper water infrastructure.

Making New York state an attractive place to live will require plenty of work. From a policy perspective, it is disadvantageous to lose population year after year. It diminishes our voice at the federal level, and it harms our economic diversity and viability. Nevertheless, there are remarkable people who have remained after having built a prosperous life. Together, we will turn this trend around and create an environment that allows individuals to build their version of the American Dream right here in the State of New York.

BY SARA MANNIX

Many business leaders are predicting a recession to come our way soon, and the majority of those we have spoken with are at least preparing for an economic slowdown in 2023.

You wouldn’t think this would inspire positive vibes, right?

Not necessarily. If there is one thing that I have learned about economic downturns, it is that when they happen, those who invest in marketing are usually the ones that come out of the recession the strongest.

This is true for both of Mannix Marketing’s focuses: digital marketing and tourism marketing.

The digital marketing industry has been growing since the 1990s, and that should continue into 2023. As always, businesses will need to invest advertising and marketing dollars where their customers are - and now more than ever that’s online and on apps.

From SEO to PPC to social media marketing, industry leaders know that during economic dips they need to focus on their core business and their people. They will partner with marketing experts to handle the digital marketing. Failure to successfully market during these times can be devastating to companies for several reasons, including a) losing customers and market share during the recession and b) not being ready when the economy starts buzzing again.

An exciting trend that has been making some noise in the digital marketing world is the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the possibilities this may bring us.

If you haven’t already heard about AI’s influence and some of the new tools out there (i.e., ChatGPT), you will in 2023. Our perspective at this point in time is that the currently available AI tools will provide a number of efficiencies to marketing professionals. This will be in the form of administrative support and simple tasks, streamlining processes, brainstorming content ideas, and more.

Some companies and marketers may try to use AI as a shortcut in developing content and making decisions. But they will be relying solely on unproven technology in its infancy, with no real idea of what is going into the decisions. Those companies will most likely stumble shortly after. It is the companies who grasp onto the real advantages of leveraging AI that will come out ahead at the end of 2023.

With inflation hitting the U.S. economy in the second half of 2022, it would be natural to think that people would be less likely to travel. That was not the case. And 2023 looks bright as well (although the global economy could greatly impact what actually happens with travel and tourism).

It seems that COVID and the initial lockdowns have left a mark on many of us when it comes to how we spend our time and our money. People are not only itching to make up for postponed and lost trips, but they are valuing experiences more than ever. Even with the current inflation levels, they are telling us that it is worth traveling and going on vacation, whether to new locations or old family getaways.

Research is showing that lodging guests would prefer to make their reservations directly with the accommodation.

This means that travel and tourism businesses can’t rely solely on travel website aggregators and other third party sites to generate brand awareness and sales. They need to make sure that their own website is being seen, and that guests can easily make a reservation once there.

So while we do see the need to be aware of what the overall economic environment has in store for 2023, when it comes to digital marketing and tourism marketing, businesses that want to be best positioned when the rebound happens will continue to invest strongly in these areas.

Assemblyman Matthew Simpson represents the 114th Assembly District.

Courtesy Matthew Simpson

Sara Mannix, president and CEO of Mannix Marketing.

Courtesy Mannix Marketing

BY DOUG FORD

What a wild and crazy year 2022 turned out to be. I for one went into 2022 optimistic after coming off the COVID experience and thought we were headed back to a more stable business climate.

I could not have been more wrong and I’m sure many others would say the same. Being part of the construction industry for more than 46 years I can attest it was the most challenging year of my career for many reasons, labor being the biggest factor. Unfortunately, many of those same challenges will carry over into 2023.

According to the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), the housing industry will likely see a double digit decrease in 2023. Locally it may not be as bad, but down from the past few years. Multifamily construction remains strong both nationally and locally and that trend will likely continue into 2023. Remodelers remain active with a backlog of work to complete partially due to the country’s aging housing stock.

As we start the new year the big question is what’s lies ahead? There are many opinions, and the signals are mixed much like the previous year. Inflation continues to be a major concern fueled by ongoing supply chain snarls brought on by pandemic stresses as well as the Russia/ Ukraine war.

As a result, prices jumped on key construction materials significantly and getting them was even more challenging. In my opinion, supported by many industry experts 2023 will continue to be plagued by many of the same challenges we encountered in 2022 as stated before. However, as the forecasted housing demand softens, we should start to see the supply chain and pricing stabilize.

Inflation and mortgage rates should improve as a result as well. Unfortunately, the lack of labor shows no sign of improving anytime soon. Ultimately to cope with this growing challenge long term, construction companies will need to focus their investment of both time and money on identifying, fostering, and adopting technological advancements as well as fighting for more effective and efficient regulations over building. If these key areas are not addressed, many of the issues we are facing today will only continue to worsen.

Additional challenges stemming from permitting and zoning regulations are making it harder and more restrictive to build homes, especially affordable units. Even with laws in place, local regulators are often resistant to building affordable units.

A lack of labor in any industry has many

implications, from decreases in productivity to increases in workers compensation claims. For the construction industry the labor shortage has led to delays in project completion, quality control, increased builder costs and so much more.

The lack of labor in the trades is not a new issue however the problem is compounded due to many other industries now dealing with the same issue. Locally a Workforce Development Coalition for the trades was formed five plus years ago as a spinoff from the Saratoga Builders Association in conjunction with Curtis Lumber. The coalition comprised of over forty different members has focused on educating young people and adults on the opportunities within the trades and the benefits associated with them. It educates on the various pathways to enter the industry and the lucrative job opportunities and benefits available.

Although the coalition has had a lot of success locally with students, there are still many misconceptions about the trades that need to be overcome.

In summary, we will see construction costs continue to rise through 2023. Supply chainrelated disruptions are expected to ease, but ongoing global labor and product shortages will hamper production and logistics capacity.

As a result, long lead times and material shortages will likely continue in the short term. The construction industry will continue to face numerous labor challenges, including a smaller talent pool, an aging workforce (1 in 5 workers is currently older than 55) and strong competition from other industries i.e., logistics. Construction demands are expected to remain healthy for the near term.

Although the possibility of an economic downturn isn’t off the table, pent-up demand for new construction, including a nationwide housing shortage and government infrastructure projects should help sustain activity.

BY GINA MINTZER

Last year was quite a year to live, work and play in the Lake George region as we emerged from the pandemic, yet still reeling from various side effects.

Looking ahead for 2023 we are planning for much of the pre-pandemic typical cyclical business highs and lows that the tourism industry realizes due to seasonal travel patterns and annual events, yet still on guard for staffing and supply chain challenges and managing what we can for the best outcomes for our businesses, employees, and the community at large.

As we know, the tourism sector is crucial to our Lake George regional economy. The health of this industry affects all who live in the area, whether directly working in hospitality or not. Tourism dollars spent in the area help to offset the local tax burden by thousands of dollars each year. A robust tourism sector also means more attractions, dining, shopping and more to offer to residents as well.

The collaborative efforts that began among many cross-sections of our business community have continued to make our region stronger, nimble and safer. As customer service will continue to be a strong focus of business, we will see more focus on in-house training as each guest, for lodging, dining and retail are more important than ever to keep our business sustainable.

Based on successes of 2022, we are kicking off the year with major winter happenings.

As this is being written, we are experiencing warm weather that may impede our original hopes for January with the World University Games at Gore Mountain, Winterfest activities, Ice Castles and moving into February with Winter Carnival events.

Mother Nature will rule these first few weeks of the year. On the bright side, our Canadian visitors returned and that impact was felt during the holidays. We are planning to welcome them back in full force throughout the year with targeted marketing campaigns specifically around Canadian holidays, winter/spring school breaks and more.

The investment in the infrastructure throughout Warren County by the county as well as other organizations including individual towns, the Lake George Land Conservancy, the Lake George Association and others in hiking, biking, boating, fishing and other outdoor recreation is key to our continued success as more businesses warm up to being open year-round because of the new demand for the Lake George area that was generated throughout the pandemic.

The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB has enjoyed a high retention rate of members as well as strong demand for advertising in our Four-Season Travel Guide to the point whereby we are adding four pages of content and increased distribution out of the area to surrounding

states.

Under our organization’s umbrella, investment in technology training, data and automation are on tap for our organization across all of our business units.

The Chamber, which has close to 470 members, the Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau (LGRCVB), a division of the Chamber and extension of the Warren County Tourism Department, and the Taste NY program at the Adirondacks Welcome Center are on the frontline with visitors throughout the year interacting with more than 275,000 people through various outlets.

The Chamber office, through calls, walkins, and inquiries; the seasonal Village Information Center staff and the Adirondacks Welcome Center team, assisted by the LGRCVB team, connect businesses with visitors each and every day.

Through enhanced data and other focused strategies, we will strive to assist our partners with destination management just as we did in a different way during the pandemic, yet with the same objective to keep our tourism economy healthy and vibrant.

Some strong focus will be on bus tours as the LGRCVB works hand in hand with the Warren County Tourism Department on enhancing outreach to this segment of group business and working closely with the county and Hood Communications on a new marketing initiative: lakegeorge. tv. The Adirondacks Welcome Center has produced a series of videos in conjunction with Advokate featuring local producers that will be rolled out over the coming months to showcase the variety and creativity of our regional farming and artisan community.

Exciting changes are happening for the Chamber administration as long-time staff retire and we usher in a new generation of board and staff management. Adaptability and collaboration are still priority keys to our success as we embark on another 70 years of service to our tourism economy.

Gina Mintzer, executive director, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce. Courtesy Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce

Doug Ford is vice president of Curtis Lumber Company.

Courtesy Curtis Lumber Co.

BY TOM ALBRECHT JR.

As we enter 2023, we cannot forget to look back at 2022. Hilltop Construction was able to have one its best years in its 46-year existence despite facing challenges. These challenges presented in leadership changes, inflation, material price increases, and labor costs.

The main issue in construction last year was the inflation of material costs to the housing markets. According to many sources inflation in the construction industry increased by over 14 percent for 2022.

The projects were still coming in fast and furious even though inflation was sky rocketing. We noticed that we had to turn down many projects in 2022 due to costs, driving projects over budget. I would say it was the first time in many years that we were faced with these decisions.

The past several years the area seemed to be focused on labor shortage, Hilltop has done a great job at retaining over 30 employees.

My concern moving into 2023 is that labor costs will continue to go up due to lack of new workers entering the construction field. Moving forward we need to encourage more students into entering construction industry. According to the National Association of Home Builders, construction sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 248,000, a 3.3 percent increase since November 2021. We don’t have 3.3 percent of kids graduating high school or college that are going into the construction sector. This is scary going into 2023 as the labor shortage is going to continue to get worse.

In 2023, we will see material prices start to correct themselves by the second or third quarter. I believe the first six months of 2023 we will see a slowdown in construction projects. As the fourth quarter of 2022 just ended, we have already seen a shift in the number of projects we are getting calls on.

For the last two years we have not been able to field all the calls coming in for new projects, while in the last four months we have been able to manage all the calls.

I was around for the crash in the construction industry in 1992, so I am well aware of signs of

slowing industry. In December, I reached out to all of the 10 architects we work with to see what the work load could look like for 2023. Much to my surprise, 2023 is looking like a great year, based on the continued pent-up demand cited by the architects.

Interest rates have increased many times in 2022. Based on the Wall Street Journal, 2022 was one of the worst years since 2008. Many developers experienced a slowdown in new house construction in 2022. Much of this is based on interest rates being at an all-time high, this makes it tough for first time home buyers. I expect that this will continue into 2023 with a possible correction coming in late 2023. Hilltop saw a shift from new construction to remodeling in the fourth quarter.

I was taught many years ago not to be a one dimensional company, so Hilltop continues to get calls on new houses, commercial projects, remodeling, etc.

What’s nice about the area that we live in is that we have many people that come to vacation in their lake homes or to visit our lovely Saratoga Race Course and this makes it so we don’t ever see a major downturn in our economy. I see that this will continue to increase as we enter a new year.

As we enter 2023, we expect to see the business continuing to grow as more people will hire companies with long standing good reputation and quality craftmanship even in times of slowdowns.

Study: Capital Region Employers Hire More Despite Recruiting, Economic Issues

Neither ongoing recruiting challenges nor the threat of a potential recession will deter Capital Region employers from moving ahead with plans to increase hiring in 2023, according to the fall 2022 Alaant Hiring Index released by Alaant Workforce Solutions, the region’s leading professional workforce services firm.

The Alaant Hiring Index is based on a survey conducted between Nov. 9 and Dec. 11 that generated responses from 95 Capital Region hiring and human resource managers—48 from companies with 100 or fewer employees, and 47 from firms with more than 100 employees.

Asked about 2023, 68 percent were very optimistic or optimistic about job growth, with 26 percent unsure and only 6 percent very pessimistic or pessimistic, according to Alaant.

Additionally, 55 percent expect hiring to increase in the new year, with 36 percent seeing no change and only 9 percent forecasting a decrease. And, 76 percent of employers say concerns about a possible recession will not reduce their plans for hiring.

Tempering those expectations are the continuing difficulties in recruiting top professionals: 70 percent of employers expect hiring to be very challenging or challenging in the first six months of 2023, though 25 percent see the situation improving. The biggest challenge remains a labor shortage, cited by 47 percent of employers, which more than doubled other contributing factors, such as salary and wage demands (20 percent) and a skills gap (14 percent), the study indicated.

“Employers are optimistic about hiring and job growth in the new year, even as the challenges in recruiting and retaining top talent remain,” said Miriam Dushane, managing partner of Alaant Workforce Solutions. “We’re encouraged to see employers responding proactively by raising salaries, supporting hybrid and remote work, allowing flexibility, and streamlining their hiring processes. They will need to double down on those efforts in 2023 to attract, hire and keep great employees in a job market that is historically tight and extraordinarily competitive.”

A vast majority of employers, 77 percent, said they are increasing salaries to attract and retain

employees, and 59 percent say they’ve altered their recruiting process to expedite hiring.

However, when asked if they’re considering remote workers to fill open positions, employers remain hesitant: 41 percent say yes, while 59 percent say no. In addition, 39 percent say the remote and hybrid work trend has made it easier to hire, with 42 percent seeing no change, and 19 percent saying it’s made hiring more difficult.

As the new year gets underway, just over half of employers – 51 percent – say they have transitioned to, and will remain, a hybrid and/or remote workplace. Of the rest, 29 percent have mandated an in-office work policy for 2023; 3 percent plan to during the year; and 17 percent are still discussing their policy.

Looking back at 2022, 72 percent of employers saw hiring increase from the previous year; 19 percent saw no change; and 9 percent reported a decrease in hiring. IT topped the list of fastestgrowing jobs at 14 percent, followed by engineering (13 percent) and healthcare (10 percent). A majority of employers, 58 percent, said they are primarily recruiting employees from within their region.

The Alaant Hiring Index was launched in 2015. It is a measure of the Capital Region’s job market, used by organizations across a wide range of industries to inform their recruiting strategies, according to the company.

The next index will be released in Spring 2023. For more information, visit www.alaant.com. Over the past decade, Alaant said it has helped more than 400 Capital Region companies attract, acquire, engage and retain over 4,000 elite employees through its innovative practice areas, such as Talent Acquisition Partnerships and Employer Brand Strategy. It has been recognized by Forbes for five consecutive years (2017 through 2021) as one of America’s best recruiting firms. It has received the Best of Staffing Client Award and Best of Staffing Talent Award from ClearlyRated for the past six and four years, respectively; was selected by HR Tech Outlook as one of the nation’s Top 10 Employer Branding Consulting/Services Companies for 2019; and was named by NYS-SHRM in 2020 as one of the Best Companies to Work for in New York.

Thomas Albrecht Jr., vice president of operations, Hilltop Construction Co. Courtesy Hilltop Construction Co.

of skilled people can work daily to manage your environment, sometimes 24/7/365. Watching your technology around the clock requires a massive amount of resources, experience and expertise. No one person or even your small set of in-house staff could possibly do this.

ARCC Board

as vice president for college advancement at Paul Smith’s College. For 14 years he also served as vice president for community relations of Glens Falls Hospital and executive vice president of the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation.

Agnew serves on the board of directors of High Peaks Hospice and the boards of The Adirondack Health Institute (2016 -2019), the Rotary Club of Glens Falls and the Lake Placid Rotary Club where he is past president. Agnew has also been a member of the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (LARAC) board and the Saratoga Arts board.

Moon is chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks. He has been the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks since 2015. He is also a local real estate agent.

He holds degrees in humanities and social services, and psychology and a has a master’s degree in human resources – strategic alignment.

Traina is the CEO of Traina Insurance and Financial Services Inc., with two Warren County agencies specializing in providing insurance and financial services products offered by State Farm.

She holds an MBA in organizational leader-

2023: Shaw

To take this one step farther, many IT firms like my own are always looking for great tech talent. On more than one occasion, we have worked with a company to bring some of their team who otherwise might be laid off and put them to work for us. This keeps a friendly face your staff all knows and allows us to introduce new people as well. What a complete win-win-win scenario.

You get to reduce costs, the IT consulting firm gets to add a valuable person to the team and the employee you had to let go is now comfortably employed and is still a resource to you. Take that, recession.

ship and various insurance industry professional designations and is currently pursuing FINRA investment advisor licensing.

Washburn is vice president of commercial operations and a shareholder of Hilltop Construction Co.

He became a part owner of Hilltop Construction in 2006. He helped diversify the company with a strong focus on the commercial construction side of the business. He served as an ambassador for the ARCC, and currently serves as councilman for the town of Kingsbury, and a commissioner at the Washington County Sewer department. He was the president of the Hudson Falls Girls softball organization from 2009- 2014.

Board Members whose terms were completed in December are Ash Anand of the Lotus Group of Companies, Jared Humiston of Adirondack Technical Solutions (ADKtechs), and Zach Moore of French Mountain Commons.

Founded in 1914, ARCC is a 100 percent membership funded organization representing businesses in Washington, Warren, Essex and northern Saratoga Counties. ARCC is a nonprofit corporation, governed by volunteer board of directors, and does not receive any funding from local, county or state governments. Its mission is to serve members and the business community through advocacy efforts, education opportunities and the power of connection and collaboration. Learn more at www.adirondackchamber.org.

Adirondack Regional Chanber Of Commerce Continued To Grow Membership In 2022

BY TRICIA ROGERS

It’s a new year full of opportunities and possibilities. As an organization that supports our business community, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is excited for what 2023 will bring.

But reflecting on 2022, we realized that there is much to be grateful for, and even more to celebrate.

In 2022 the ARCC saw some growth in our membership, welcoming 116 new members. We fi nished 2022 strong at a total of 759 members. Even more impressive, the organization saw a retention rate of 93.5 percent. Th is is something to be celebrated as it reflects the strength of our business community. More than ever businesses are investing in themselves and their communities.

Advocacy is a part of the ARCC’s mission to support our business community. In 2022 the ARCC took stances and wrote 15 letters of support to help businesses in our region. From addressing child-care concerns, to supporting our farms, the ARCC is listening and ready to address challenges our businesses are facing.

Continuing education is important to the ARCC, as we are always looking for resources to share with our businesses. Institutions such as SUNY Adirondack, SUNY Plattsburgh at Queensbury, WSWHE BOCES, and University at Albany School of Business are in regular contact with the ARCC and providing information on programs and courses. We are grateful for these partnerships, and hope our communities take advantage of these opportunities.

Th rough the power of collaboration, the ARCC has fostered the missions of several special interest councils and committees, including our Veterans Business Network, Women’s Business Council, Nonprofit Business Council, and Health & Wellness Council. Our Veterans Business Network (VBN) hosted a successful walk, in downtown Glens Falls, to raise awareness on Veteran suicide.

They also organized a month-long food and necessities drive that benefited two organizations that focus on supporting Veterans in need. The Women’s Business Council (WBC) stayed strong and built excellent programming in their monthly meetings.

In addition, the WBC also hosted their second annual Succession Summit, featuring a panel of business owners speaking on their succession plans. The Adirondack Nonprofit Business Council (ANBC) brought together nonprofits to share organizational updates and address challenges in the nonprofit community. Th is group of passionate organizations also

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condominiums and townhomes, housing that is supported by our workforce economics and additional single and multi-family homes. In 2022, EDC began amassing and analyzing the data to understand these trends and sharing the information with local business and community leaders. In 2023, our focus is

hosted a panel discussion on how to successfully tell your organization’s story. And lastly, the Health & Wellness Council developed an event on mental health awareness and wellness that will continue to occur annually. Th is council also partnered with the Glens Falls Collaborative to host Fit Fest in downtown Glens Falls. These groups have been hard at work providing resources and opportunities for our business community and the ARCC is proud to be their hub.

Last year saw an increase in the need to get out, network, and connect. The ARCC was thrilled to be able to provide these opportunities to our business community. We hosted 70 events and meetings in 2022, with almost 1,800 people in attendance.

We hosted 30 ribbon cuttings in 2022, with some celebrating milestone anniversaries, opening new locations, and celebrating expansions & renovations. A 2022 event that sticks out in my mind is the annual Business Expo, which was held in October at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. We saw incredible attendance at this business-to-business event! For some, it was the fi rst time they had gone out to represent their business in years.

For others, it was an excellent opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Whatever their reason for attending, we were excited to offer the opportunity. The 2022 Business Expo was a memorable one!

As we kick off another amazing year we want to thank our members, our community partners, and greater business community for their support of the ARCC.

on bringing this message to the communities we serve and to our school boards, community service groups, chambers of commerce, and organizations large and small to help everyone understand where we are now and the choices we as a region face.

This is not a story of discouragement. It’s all about taking action now as a community to shape our future. The path is challenging, but we can successfully navigate it together if we start now.

Tricia Rogers, president and CEO of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Courtesy ARCC

Lake Terrace Resort On Lake George Has New Owners After Site Sells For $7.4 Million

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

Lakefront Terrace Resort was the latest hotel to change hands in what was a busy year for the sale of Lake George vacation resorts.

Located less than one mile from Lake George village, the 2998 Lake Shore Drive property features 73 rooms and a 150-foot private beach.

Former Texas prosecutor Ken McGurk sold the resort to Tahoe LG LLC for $7.4 million in a deal that closed in mid-December.

The LLC is controlled by McGurk’s cousins, Michael, Chris, and Patrick Menter. The brothers own several other Lake George hotels and motels. Their parents, Dave and Theresa Menter, have operated numerous vacation resorts in the area for more than three decades.

McGurk purchased the former Tahoe Resort for $3.4 million in 2018. During his approximately five years of ownership, he invested more than $2 million in renovations to the property.

According to real estate broker Mitch Muroff, owner of Muroff Hospitality Group, Lakefront Terrace Resort generated a great deal of interest almost immediately after it was listed for sale at the beginning of September. He credits the recent renovations for adding significantly to its appeal.

“Ken McGurk completely renovated the property. He did all of the guest room interiors, patios, the beach, and the indoor and outdoor furniture. He also made improvements to the mechanical systems, driveways—everything.”

Muroff said that business at the resort increased under McGurk’s ownership.

“Its numbers were very strong. They were much improved from the time when he purchased the property because of the improvements that he made.”

According to Muroff, buyers from all over the country have shown interest in acquir-

ing property in Lake George. His boutique hospitality brokerage firm represents independent and franchised hoteliers in New York and New England.

“Even though it (Lakefront Terrace Resort) was sold to someone locally, we had offers from groups all over the country for this property.”

Despite the rise in interest rates, Muroff continues to have buyers from all over the country who are interested in purchasing property in the area. He noted that the increase in interest rates has led to an increase in the amount of seller financing that is being offered.

Muroff Hospitality has several other local resort properties for sale including Roaring Brook Ranch in Lake George and Hideaway Waterfront Cottage in Lake Luzerne.

For more information, visit www.muroffhospitality.com.

ing at Gore.”

World University Games

And TSN, a property of ESPN, is the official digital and television host broadcast partner to the Canadian market, a major contributor to local tourism, one of the county’s biggest economic engines.

All told, about 2,500 athletes and coaches from 50 countries are taking part in the Games, mostly in Lake Placid, although preliminary hockey rounds are slated for Potsdam as well, providing a region-wide economic impact.

Lake Placid, because of its small size and how much the Olympics have grown, could never host the Olympics again on its own. But the state recently spent $500 million upgrading ORDA venues, including Gore Mountain, so they’re once again ranked among—if not the best—winter sports facilities in the world.

“Certainly the economic impact from these Games has been happening for the past four years with construction and development,” said Jim McKenna, CEO of the Lake Placidbased Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. “Certainly there’s going to be an impact from visitors to the Games. But the real goal of these Games was to get these facilities in a position where they’re established for international events for many years to come. The way these venues are now, they’re positioned very well for many more international sports events over the next 40 years.”

So a successful World University Games could put Lake Placid back in the running as an Olympic host site, but as part of a broader New York state event, possibly including Warren and Saratoga counties as well.

Under the most obvious scenario, ski jumping, alpine skiing, speed skating and sliding competition would be held in Lake Placid, with glamorous figure skating and high-profile hockey games taking part in New York City.

“But there’s many possibilities when you look at the corridor between New York City and Lake Placid, even Saratoga Springs where

there’s an international-size rink for shorttrack speed skating,” McKenna said.

Even smaller arenas such as Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls could be used for preliminary hockey rounds. In December 1979, the eventual gold medal-winning “Miracle on Ice” U.S. Men’s Hockey Team played an exhibition game against the Adirondack Red Wings in Glens Falls, leading up to the 1980 Winter Olympics.

“Clearly there’s been a different direction, right up to the International Olympic Committee level, where they’re looking at Winter Olympics on a more regional basis now,” McKenna said. “The best example is the 2026 Winter Games scheduled for Milan and Cortina, Italy, about a 280-mile drive apart. Milan will host indoor events, while the Cortina region is used for outdoor sports. There’s also a sliding track there.”

So how far into the future might this be for the North Country? Salt Lake City, which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, is the leading U.S. contender for having the Games in 2030 or 2034.

“Assuming Salt Lake City is successful with either of those years, that makes the window for New York possible in 2042 or 2046,” McKenna said. “It sounds like a long time away, but the process for the 1980 Games in Lake Placid started in 1968, so it’s not unprecedented.”

No matter what happens on the Olympic front, there’s no question the World University Games are helping the Adirondack region including Warren County.

“The biggest thing this is going to do is give us a chance to showcase ourselves to the world,” said Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin, Jr. “When you can welcome the world to your community that’s pretty special. And anytime people from different countries get together, talk and see each other, the more they understand each other.”

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Lakefront Terrace Resort was sold to Tahoe LG LLC for $7.4 million.

Courtesy Lake Terrace Resort