Saratoga Business Journal - April 2024

The Advances In Golf Simulator Technology Are Allowing Players Of All Abilities To Improve

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

The indoor golf experience that gained momentum during the pandemic continues to delight residents from all around the region. Whether it’s a family out for a few hours of fun, a couple on a date, or serious golfers working to improve their handicap, audiences are being attracted to golf simulators in greater numbers as the underlying technology evolves.

Troy Miller has opened fi ve new facilities called The Bunker since Covid temporarily closed the doors of many recreation facilities. The latest is at 307 Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

“I read an article recently that golf, for the fi rst time, has more non-green golf interest than the traditional golf course,” said Miller.

“People come to have fun and they also come to train and improve their game.”

Popularity has much to do with strides in graphics and high defi nition monitors that make the experience more realistic. But as the individual swings and makes contact with the ball, the simulator technology is collecting dozens of data metrics, Miller said.

“We have seen advancements with the fl ight tracking technology, which was fi rst developed to afford greater detail and insight with respect to club fitting,” said Scott Hoffman, the second generation to own and operate Northway Golf Center, 1519 Crescent Road in Clifton Park. “Th at has been our forté.”

Northway Golf Center is one of the top 100

Continued On Page 16

Saratoga Springs Resident Is The First Woman Elected President Of Horsemen’s Association

The Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (THA) held its annual meeting and election of officers in South Florida March 19-20. Tina Marie Bond, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA), was elected president of the national organization. She is the first woman to head the THA since its inception in 1994.

“It’s an honor to be elected president of such an esteemed collective,” Bond said. “THA is at the forefront of collaborative decision-making and policy implementation on issues such as racehorse aftercare, equine safety and welfare, and protecting the integrity of our sport. I look forward to leading the organization as it addresses the challenges that horsemen and women face on local, regional, and national levels.”

Chris Block, president of ITHA, and David Richardson, executive director of MTHA, were elected as vice presidents. Michael Musto, executive director of NJTHA, and Bessie Gruwell, executive director of DTHA, will serve as treasurer and secretary, respectively.

Bond, who with her husband Jim own Song Hill Thoroughbreds LLC in Saratoga Springs, follows previous THA presidents Michael Martin, Rick Violette Jr., and Joe Appelbaum.

Arnoff Moving & Storage Will Cut The Ribbon On The Next 100 Years As A Family Business

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

Arnoff Moving & Storage achieves another milestone this spring with its 100-year anniversary as a family corporation. What was started in 1924 by generations one and two with Abraham Arnoff and his son Louis is now under the management of generations three, four and five.

How future generations will impact the growth of the company when they come on board, time will tell, if they first follow one family rule.

“My grandmother Phyllis had the idea, I was told, that any family member has the opportunity to join the business but must have worked for at least a year at another company,” said Dan Arnoff, chief relationship manager and company spokesperson who oversees sales, marketing and human resources. “She is the one who enforced the rule.”

Phyllis Arnoff has passed away, but her husband Richard, generation three, is the firm’s CEO. The president is their son Michael and his wife Lisa is executive vice president and corporate counsel. Their sons Dan and Craig, the latter a CPA and the company’s chief operating officer, are also operating the firm alongside their cousin Nick, vice president of fleet and safety, and uncle Mark, who manages a separate moving company in southern Florida.

The family is preparing a ribbon cutting May 1st to celebrate their golden milestone.

“The event will be open to the whole community,” said Dan Arnoff. “We want as many people there a possible.”

The Arnoffs plan to open their doors for “tours, snacks, and fun things,” said Arnoff. “We

Continued On Page 13

Aneesa Waheed Honored With Small Business Person Of The Year Award For New York State

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

Aneesa Waheed has come a long way since she and her husband began selling Moroccan-Indian fusion dishes at a farmer’s market in 2008. Now the owner of six Tara Kitchen restaurants, Waheed is the recipient of the New York Small Business Person of the Year Award for 2024.

This year’s award winner runs a woman-owned, minority-owned string of eateries that extend from Schenectady to India. There are more than two million small businesses and potential candidates in New York, but the honor goes to the Capital Region entrepreneur.

“It’s great to be nominated and shocking to have won,” she said. “I feel honored and humbled.”

Waheed was nominated by Keri Pratico, who is currently senior business development officer for Pursuit and who was approached by Waheed 15 years ago seeking a small business loan for her New York City restaurant.

nesses, resources that the state offers, and peers like Pratico who have followed Waheed’s entrepreneurial career in their roles at different government agencies.

“You survive in a family of locals,” she said. “We are all very dependent on people within a few miles of our business.”

“It was a reflective moment for me to think about the amount of people and energies and doors and walkways you have to pass though to get to this point,” Waheed said. “It’s a massive, massive effort of thousands of people.”

She has had a SCORE mentor and over the years mentored others. Waheed launched an incubator during the COVID that she still maintains. She works closely with the New York City and Upstate chapters of the Small Business Development Center, now part of Pursuit, and with Empire State Development, which has helped her extensively with her launch in India, she said.

Established in 1994, the THA is a highly regarded and influential voice for its member organizations in Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, representing more than 20,000 owners and trainers.

“We are proud of the leadership role that women play in the THA and our member organizations. Tina has worked with the THA for years and she will be a great resource for the industry,” said THA Chairman Alan Foreman.

“Back then, the Tara Kitchen empire of today felt like a distant dream,” said Pratico. “Anyone who knows Aneesa isn’t surprised that her tenacity and dedication have led her to this award.”

“I’m thrilled to see her recognized on the national stage,” Pratico said.

According to Waheed, her family, including her mother, sisters, and children, have been extremely supportive. So have the community of small busi-

She is part of the leadership board for the James Beard Foundation for 2023-2024 and has a mentee getting his restaurant up and running in Philadelphia and another is starting up her sideline cheesecake bakery. She is helping an individual negotiate a real estate deal, and there are others, she said.

“I don’t see this as mentoring someone,” said Waheed. “It’s part of business. People are constantly

Tina Marie Bond, first woman elected president of national Thoroughbred Horseman's Association.

The Bunker on Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs is the latest indoor golf facility to feature a state-of-the-art golf simulator. There is also a “19th Hole” bar for after game libations.

Saratoga Business Journal

A true family business, several generations of the Arnoff clan are guiding the enterprise started by Abraham and Phyllis Arnoff into its second century.

Courtesy of Arnoff Logistics

• Personnel Briefs

Saratoga Springs’ own Opera Saratoga has elected four new members to its Board in preparation for the 2024 summer season, and under the leadership of General and Artistic Director, Mary Birnbaum

New board members include: Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub; Supervising Judge of the Supreme Court in the Third Judicial District, Hon. Christina Ryba; local business owner and musician Derek Stannard; and, president and CEO of Empire Media Network, Abby Tegnalia.

“It is tremendously exciting to have these four new members joining our board,” says Board President Steve Rosenblum. “All community leaders in the Capital Region, each new member brings a valuable perspective and talent to our leadership team. I am looking forward to working with them as we continue to take Opera Saratoga forward.”

Those interested in learning more about Opera Saratoga’s 2024 season, its board, or wish to become involved, may visit www.operasaratoga.org or contact Managing Director Amanda Robie at arobie@operasaratoga.org.

Since joining NBC affiliate WNYT News Channel 13 in 1990, Elaine Houston grew to be an impactful and influential member of the news media for more than three decades. Post-retirement, Houston’s next chapter will begin with the Business for Good team, which she joined April 1. An Emmy award-winning reporter, Houston’s aptitude for highlighting social justice issues and stories strongly aligns with Business for Good’s mission.

“Elaine’s renowned career speaks volumes about the robust and vibrant content she will develop for Business for Good,” said BFG co-Founder, Ed Mitzen. “Through the years, her writing and reporting have not only informed people, but educated people. We are honored and excited to have Elaine join our team.”

Houston earned a doctorate degree in executive

leadership and social justice from St. John Fisher University, a Master of Arts degree in international women’s studies from State of New York, Empire State University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Throughout her career, Houston was recognized with numerous community and journalism awards. According to Mitzen, her decades of impactful storytelling will be an asset, as she works to highlight Business of Good’s family of companies and the amazing entrepreneurs in the communities with which BFG has worked.

WEXT Radio, the Capital Region’s listenersupported roots and rock radio station, has announced the addition of Laura Grant as its new midday host. With an eclectic background – from voiceover and audio production work to on-stage roles in classical ballet and theatre –Grant is an ideal fit for WEXT’s unique and diverse music and community-oriented programming.

A native of Delmar, Grant is a born storyteller with a love for varied musical genres. She spent the past six years as a producer and voiceover specialist at Creative Voice Development Group in Albany. A devoted cinephile, she has hosted the New York State Office of General Services’ Classic Film series since 2018.

Grant also enjoys being on stage as both a dancer and actress. Getting her start at the age of five, she has 15 years of dance experience, performing with the Albany Berkshire Ballet, Northeast Ballet, Boston Ballet and Manhattan Youth Ballet. She’s also starred in numerous productions with Curtain Call Theater in Latham, Schenectady Civic Players, and Home Made Theater in Saratoga Springs.

The Owners Of Manhattan Italian Restaurant Have Opened A Sister Location In Clifton Park

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

The owners of Sophia’s of Little Italy, a popular Manhattan restaurant, have opened a sister location at 54 Clifton Country Road in Clifton Park. The restaurant serves a vast array of authentic Italian fare.

According to Stephan Wininger, business manager at Sophia’s of Clifton Park, the eatery’s owners, a trio of New York City chefs, fell in love with the Clifton Park location. The building has housed numerous restaurants over the years, the most recent being the Painted Lemon, an establishment that closed its doors after less than one year in business.

“We all love this building, and we are putting our heart and soul into caulking every crack and doing everything within our power to bring it up to our level of expectation. It’s a great building that was never utilized to its potential. We’ve signed a ten-year lease, so we plan on being here for a long time.”

New York City-based Brazilian artist Murah Lemos was hired to paint murals and create reliefs (raised plaster designs) on the restaurant’s walls.

“We had him here for six weeks. He is really amazing, and he has a lot of high-end clients in New York City and Miami. We’re very lucky to have him,” said Wininger.

As part of the renovation, the kitchen was reconfigured to allow for a better work flow. Kitchen equipment was upgraded, new coolers were installed, and a 3,000-pound pizza oven that was located in one of the dining areas was relocated to the kitchen.

“By moving it to the kitchen, we gained some floor space. We’re going to make that room a place for private parties of 20 people or less,” said Wininger, noting that they will work with customers to accommodate larger private parties elsewhere in the restaurant.

Sophia’s of Clifton Park expects to have 20 employees, and the entire kitchen staff has relocated to Clifton Park from Manhattan. Executive chef Aurelio Calel was among those who made the move, and Jose Veloz was brought on

as general manager. Veloz has more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry.

The menu at Sophia’s of Clifton Park is very similar to that of Sophia’s of Little Italy, featuring homemade pasta and pizza along with an extensive selection of entrees featuring seafood, chicken, veal, and beef. Wininger said prices will be in line and competitive with other restaurants in the area.

“We will also have a full bar and a wine list that includes wines that are not available in the liquor store. We will also have happy hour specials.”

In addition to its large indoor dining space/ bar with room for 115, Sophia’s has a seasonal outdoor patio/bar that can accommodate an additional 109.

Serving lunch and dinner, Sophia’s of Clifton Park is open seven days a week from noon until 10 p.m. An online reservation system is in the works. For reservations, call (518) 280-2116 or use Google Assistant. To view the menu, visit Sophia’s of Clifton Park on Facebook.

Brazilian artist Murah Lemos works on a mural at recently opened, Sophia’s of Clifton Park. Courtesy of Sophia’s of Clifton Park

Nonprofit Organizations Across Eight Counties Benefit From Arrow Companies Fundraising

The Arrow Family of Companies has announced its 2023 giving, which resulted in total donations of $781,000, including $103,076 from employee contributions. Additionally, the Arrow team logged 11,193 volunteer hours, marking a significant 19 percent increase in both dollars donated and volunteer hours logged.

Over the past five years, the Arrow Family of Companies has donated nearly $3 million to various causes. “Our mission is to strengthen fi nancial lives and make a positive impact in the communities we serve,” said Dave DeMarco, President and CEO of Arrow Financial Corporation. “We are committed to giving back, and we are incredibly proud of the dollars we donate, the impressive number of hours our team volunteers, and the impact we make on our communities by doing so.”

The Arrow Family of Companies’ total number of employee volunteers saw an increase of

21 percent, with 252 individuals actively participating in various community initiatives. Th rough their collective efforts, 561 nonprofits were supported across the company’s eightcounty footprint, spanning from Albany to Plattsburgh.

“Giving back is not only important to our business, but it is also important to our people,” said Kate Otis, Vice President, Community Engagement Manager. “We consider it both a responsibility and a privilege to enhance the quality of life in our communities through charitable giving and volunteerism.”

The 2023 charitable contributions benefited a range of causes, including mental health, financial empowerment, education, workforce support, basic needs, health and human services, safe and affordable housing, business and farm support and environmental sustainability.

A Variety Of Venues Will Showcase Wellness Options During Healthy Saratoga Weekend

Discover Saratoga has introduced the inaugural Healthy Saratoga Weekend, set to take place from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 20. Renowned as the healthiest community in New York by U.S. News, Discover Saratoga is dedicated to showcasing the abundance of health and wellness offerings throughout Saratoga County. From rejuvenating spa experiences to invigorating outdoor activities, delicious farm-to-table cuisine, and everything in between, patrons are encouraged to visit participating locations in Saratoga County during Healthy Saratoga Weekend.

“I am absolutely thrilled about Healthy Saratoga Weekend,” said Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri. “This event truly embodies our community’s unwavering dedication to health and wellness. We invite everyone to join us in exploring the diverse array of health and wellness offerings in our vibrant county by visiting participating businesses. Let’s unite and celebrate a healthy Saratoga County together.”

This weekend coincides with the Mind Body Soul Market on Saturday, April 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the Mind

Body Soul Expo on Sunday, April 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., both hosted at the Saratoga Springs City Center. Dive deeper

into wellness practices, holistic living, and discover the latest trends in the wellness industry. Learn more at mindbodysoulexpo. com.

“I am excited to partner with Discover Saratoga to bring the largest communitywide health and wellness event to this area,” said Mind Body Soul Event Coordinator, Jennifer Rhodes. “Healthy Saratoga Weekend is the perfect opportunity for individuals to delve into and embrace the world of health and wellness within Saratoga County.”

For more information about Healthy Saratoga Weekend and to see a complete list of participants, visit www.discoversaratoga. org/events/healthy-saratoga-weekend/. Stay informed about all things Saratoga, including Healthy Saratoga Weekend, by downloading the new mobile app, which is free to download from the App Store and Google Play.

Discover Saratoga, known as the Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau, is a key economic development engine for Saratoga County. Its mission is to contribute a positive impact on the local economy by promoting and marketing Saratoga County as a worldclass destination for leisure travel, meetings, and events. For more information about Discover Saratoga, visit discoversaratoga.org.

Consumer Sentiment In New York Improving In Spite Of The High Prices In Some Segments

The New York State Index of Consumer Sentiment now stands at 76.9 up 2.8 points from the last measurement in the fourth quarter of 2023 and one point above the breakeven point at which optimism and pessimism are balanced according to the latest poll by the Siena College Research Institute (SCRI). Nationally, the overall index increased nearly 10 points this quarter. New York’s overall Index of Consumer Sentiment is 2.5 points below the national index of 79.4. New York’s current index increased 0.8 points to 72.4 and the future index increased 4.1 points to 79.8. Future confidence in New York is now 4.9 points above the breakeven point of balanced optimism and pessimism and 2.4 points higher than national future confidence.

“Consumer sentiment is gaining upward momentum. Nationally the index, up 9.7 points this quarter, stands 28 points higher than at this time last year. In New York, the index is up 2.8 points this quarter and 14.5 points higher than a year ago. The national numbers are above the breakeven point of balanced optimism and pessimism for the first time in three years and while in New York the current score remains below breakeven, New Yorkers top the nation in future optimism. Still, high prices in the grocery stores continue to impact over three-quarters of residents. While pump price shock is the lowest we’ve seen in three years, a majority also see housing and utility costs seriously affecting their finances”, according to Don Levy, SCRI’s Director.

In the first quarter of 2024, buying plans were

down for cars/trucks at 19.7% (from 22.9%). Buying plans were up for consumer electronics at 47.9% (from 45.4%), for furniture at 29.8% (from 26.8%), for homes at 8.3% (from 6.4%) and up slightly for major home improvements at 22.7% (from 22.2%).

Fifty percent (down from 55% last quarter and the lowest since March 2021) of all New Yorkers say that current gasoline prices are having a very serious or somewhat serious impact on their financial condition. Seventy-seven percent (up from 75% last quarter) of state residents indicate that the amount of money they spend on groceries is having either a very serious or somewhat serious impact on their finances.

Seven in 10 (67%) New Yorkers say that housing costs are having a very serious or somewhat serious impact on their financial condition. Additionally, a majority (60%) of residents say that their utility costs are having at least a somewhat serious impact on their finances. Other monthly expenses including the cost of cell phones (29%) and entertainment services including internet, cable and streaming services (45%) are having a very or somewhat serious impact on New Yorkers’ financial condition.

Fifteen percent of all New Yorkers are somewhat or very seriously impacted by all six monthly expenses – food, gasoline, housing, utilities, home entertainment and cell phones. The consumer sentiment index among that group of New Yorkers is 65.8, 11.1 points below the statewide reading.

A Pair Of Local Hikers Are The Subject Of The Documentary Film “An Above Average Day”

BY PAUL POST

Saratoga National Bank & Trust Company has $1.1 billion in assets and works hard to support and improve the fi nancial futures of all its business and personal clients throughout the Capital Region.

When Chairman Raymond F. O’ Conor -he’s been with the bank since its 1988 founding -- needs a break from such responsibilities he and hiking partner Joe Murphy head to the mountains for “An Above Average Day.”

That’s the title of a new documentary fi lm scheduled to debut at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 on WMHT-PBS in conjunction with Earth Week.

“If you told me a few years ago that a pair of superb fi lmmakers, Katera and Aviral Kapoor of the Veda Film Company, would feature my buddy Joe and I in a documentary fi lm I wouldn’t have believed it,” said O’ Conor, a Wilton resident.

O’Conor, 69, and Murphy, 39, a SUNY Albany academic advisor, of Halfmoon, have hiked more than 4,000 miles and climbed more than 400 peaks since a chance meeting -- or was it fate? -- on an Adirondack Mountain Club group hike in 2009.

They are Adirondack 46ers and Catskill 3500 Club members, having summited every mountain in both summer and winter, and have also achieved the prestigious feat of climbing all 115 mountains in the Northeast with an elevation of 4,000 feet or more.

Following a career as a U.S. Border Patrol agent and Department of Defense special agent, O’Conor made a dramatic change into the fi nancial services and banking industry. After 25 years, he retired from Saratoga National Bank as its chief executive officer, but still serves as chairman and is on the board of directors of Arrow Financial Corporation and its subsidiary banks, Glens Falls National and Saratoga National.

He’s also a Wilton town councilman and is chief executive officer of the Saratoga County Capital Resource Corporation, a not-for-profit community development organization.

O’Conor continues to deal with many types of challenges and difficult business decisions, some of which greatly influence the lives of customers and the hundreds of employees he’s responsible for as well.

He’s discovered that arduous outdoor adventures are a great training ground for overcoming life’s obstacles, establishing priorities and maintaining a healthy balance in his personal and professional life.

“I’m fond of saying that there is nothing better for the body, mind and soul than being in the wilderness, sauntering along a stream, sitting at the base of a waterfall or enjoying the view from atop a mountain. It is all the more special to share the experience with a good friend,” O’Conor said.

“Joe and I have had many challenges along the way with unexpected foul weather, extreme cold and heat, rugged bushwhacking, severe blowdown and other obstacles,” he said. “During an Adirondack traverse of the Lower Great Range on a Friday the 13th in January, it crossed our minds that we might have to hunker down for the night as a blizzard with blinding snow and bitter cold struck. We always carry emergency equipment and supplies for such an occurrence.”

“With poor visibility and no service, we relied on an old-school map and compass to fi nd our bail-out trail and avoid an overnight stay,”

he said. “It was a lesson in always being prepared for whatever life or nature may throw at you.”

O’Conor and Murphy got acquainted during an Adirondack Mountain Club group hike of the Seward Range on May 23, 2009. At the time, Murphy was residence life manager at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. In his current position, he does superb work with the SUNY Albany students assigned to him and does everything possible to help prepare them for success in life and future careers.

“We enjoyed the heck out of the 12 hours, 18 miles and thousands of feet of elevation gain we shared that day,” O’Conor said.

During the past 15 years they’ve also completed the New England Hundred Highest, the New Hampshire 52 With A View, Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge in summer and winter, the Lake George 12sters, Saranac 6, Lake Placid 9, Adirondack Blue Challenge (10 mountains), the ADK-9 Challenge, the Vermont 5 (4,000foot peaks), Vermont Fire Tower Challenge, Fulton Trifecta and several individual mountains.

Many of these were on dog-friendly trails with Murphy’s beautiful golden retriever, Moose.

“About four years ago I received a Facebook message from Katera, who had followed social media posts that Joe and I did about our adventures, asking if we would be the subject of a documentary fi lm,” O’Conor said. “Coincidentally, Katera is originally from Saratoga Springs and more than 30 years ago Katera and my daughter, Meghan, were members of the YMCA gymnastics team.

Once again, fate seems to have been at play with regard to O’Conor and Murphy’s hiking interests.

Filming for “An Above Average Day” was done in the Adirondacks and Vermont.

“Among the most remarkable things about the process are Avi and Katera’s technical and directorial skills,” O’Conor said. “Joe and I were also impressed with their ability to haul equipment on hikes and operate the drone camera. They were absolutely delightful to work with.”

“No matter how challenging or exhausting one of our outings is, the adventure always ends with us declaring that it has been ‘an above average day’,” he said.

Ray O’Conor and Joe Murphy are subjects of a documentary on their hiking adventures. Courtesy

Tremendous Growth Of Eastern Heating And Cooling Is Due To A Well-Trained Workforce

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

Established in 1945, Albany-based Eastern Heating and Cooling provides HVAC services to commercial and industrial customers throughout Upstate New York, Western Massachusetts, and Southern Vermont. In 1997, the company joined with 11 other businesses to establish Comfort Systems USA, a publiclytraded company that has grown to include 170 locations across the United States.

“We are owned by Comfort Systems USA which is now a $5 billion company,” said Buddy Tricarick, president of Eastern Heating and Cooling. “We specialize in design, build, installation, maintenance service, and building automation,”

An Air Force veteran, Tricarick began his career at the company 15 years ago, rapidly climbing the company ladder.

“I started out in the construction department, working in the tool crib handing out tools,” he said. “I worked my way up to assistant construction manager and then construction manager/safety director.”

In addition to installing, replacing, and servicing existing HVAC systems, Eastern Heating and Cooling has an in-house engineering department that is able to assist with the design-build and plan-and-spec process. The company also has its own sheet metal shop where ductwork is fabricated and installed.

“We also have our controls division where we build automation that can do everything from operating the heating and cooling equipment to turning on the lights in a building. You name it, we can do it,” said Tricarick.

Tricarick said that Eastern Heating and

Cooling has been able to maintain a consistent workforce despite the labor shortages that have plagued many HVAC companies.

“We’re very blessed, and I think the reason for our success is because we recruit from local colleges and BOCE programs. We have a very intensive training program, and when we hire people, they ride with senior technicians for a full year before they go out on their own.”

The company has a total of 130 employees spread across four divisions, many of whom have been employed there for a decade or more.

“Turnover is so expensive, and when we train people and onboard them, we want them to be here for the long haul,” said Tricarick. “When we hire these young kids, we want this to be their fi rst and last job. We’re blessed because we have guys who have been here for 10, 20, 30 years. We have someone who has been here for 40 years, and he’s still out in the field working.”

According to Tricarick, Eastern Heating and Cooling has experienced tremendous growth over the past two years, with revenues increasing from $28 million in 2021 to just shy of $40 million in 2023.

“We pride ourselves on being one of the region’s most versatile, responsive, and technologically savvy companies. That’s always been our claim to fame, and the reason for our success is due to our talented and dedicated field technicians who are out there working with their hands, often in harsh weather conditions.”

For more information, visit www.easternheatingcooling.com

Law Firm Opens An Office In Lake George

LaMarche Safranko Law PLLC has announced that Gregory J. Teresi, Esq., has joined their legal team as an of-counsel attorney, effective last month. An experienced trial attorney, Teresi will be handling personal injury and criminal defense matters at LaMarche Safranko Law in their new Lake George office.

After law school, Teresi served as a municipal attorney handling legal matters including Contractual Disputes, Personal Injury cases, Real Estate closings and Zoning/Planning applications for the City of Albany, City of Cohoes, Village of Ravena and Town of Coeymans. Prior to going into private practice in 2016, he worked for the Albany County Alternate Public Defender’s Office as a trial attorney defending misdemeanors and felony cases for impoverished individuals.

Having earned his bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College in Syracuse and his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School, he was admitted to the practice of law before all state and local courts of New York and before the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York in 2005. He was admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2023.

He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Warren County Bar Association and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Addiction Care Center of Albany, the Board of Directors for the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors of the Warren County Bar Foundation.

LaMarche Safranko Law PLLC opened its newest location at 72 County Route 59 in Lake George on March 18. Headquartered in Latham, with offices in Albany, Plattsburgh, and now in Lake George, LaMarche Safranko Law can better serve the families and businesses in the north country providing big firm results with small firm attention.

LaMarche Safranko Law PLLC are Lawyers 4 the Injured and Lawyers 4 the Accused. They can be reached 24/7 at (518) 982-0770 or toll free at 844-RECOVER or 844-ACCUSED or by email at info@LSLawNY.com.

You might be asking yourself, why would I need to use a recruiter when looking for a new job? There is no simple answer but using a dedicated recruiter can be advantageous for multiple reasons. First and foremost, recruiters often have insider knowledge and access to opportunities you may not even be aware exist. This opens new opportunities and can increase your chances of finding the perfect fit. Additionally, you have another representative in your corner. Recruiters will advocate for you, representing your qualifications and helping you stand out amongst a sea of applicants. Recruiters offer guidance in your job search journey. They take the time to get to know you, your experiences, and your career goals. Recruiters can offer support throughout the experience from resume tips to interview coaching and even negotiating. These can all lead to a competitive salary package, stronger benefits, or other perks you may not have known about. In addition to all of this, opting to use a recruiter can save you time, they can help you maintain confidentiality, and can help you build a long-term relationship. Ultimately, it is an investment in your future and career journey.

Buddy Tricarick (seated), president, and Travis Giardinelli, vice president of service, lead a team of experienced technicians at Eastern Heating and Cooling.

Saratoga Business Journal

/ Real Estate

Hands-On Assistance For Clients Is A Hallmark Of Service Provided By Hinman Construction

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

For more than 35 years, Ballston Spa-based Hinman Construction has been a fi xture in the Capital Region home renovation market. Owners Jami and Kim Hinman work alongside their children, Jesse and Caroline, in the family business.

“Our son and daughter decided they wanted to work with us after they went off to college and got their business degrees,” said Kim Hinman. “We work very well together, and we all have very clearly defi ned areas of responsibility”

Hinman Construction offers complete design and build services for those interested in remodeling their kitchens, bathrooms, or other rooms in their home.

The process begins with a design meeting during which clients view 3D visuals and virtual renderings for their desired project. They are presented with various options, ones tailored to fit into their budgets.

“Our design process is much like you see in the HGTV shows. With the 3D visuals, we can place you in the home so that you can visually

see what it’s going to look like,” said Hinman. “It’s photo-realistic, and we can do as much or as little as needed. ”

Because the company has their own cabinet line through the Corsi Group, a custom cabinet making company in Indiana, their cabinets can be customized to any size. Their Greenfield Cabinetry and Siteline Cabinetry lines are both beautiful and functional and can be used in kitchen, bathrooms, offices, and elsewhere in the home.

According to Hinman, white cabinets remain popular but natural woods are “coming back in a big way,” especially white oak and walnut.

“People are also asking for ways to fit islands into their kitchens, and we’ve been taking out walls to open up the kitchens. People like to have the ability to have a large island with a workspace and seating.”

Hinman Construction also works with local counter top fabricators, accompanying clients to showrooms to assist them as they make their counter top selections.

Continued On Page 15

Vast Improvements In Heat Pump Technology Make Them A Viable Option For Homeowners

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

For homeowners looking to save money on heating and cooling costs, heat pumps may be the answer. Heat pumps operate using electricity, extracting heat from outside, bringing it indoors to heat a home during winter. Conversely, the pumps move heat from indoors to outdoors during the summer.

Although heat pumps have been commercially available since the late 1940s, it wasn’t until the energy crisis of the 1970s that their popularity increased. As fuel prices skyrocketed, people looked for more cost-effective ways to heat and cool their homes.

According to Craig MacDonald, owner of Suburban Services Group in Burnt Hills, heat pumps declined in popularity as fossil fuel heating equipment was mandated and engineered for much higher efficiency.

“We’ve been installing heat pumps for 30 years, and most people remember that the old heat pumps blew cool air and were often inefficient compared to oil or propane heat. Over time, they fell out of favor as furnace technology improved. But because of improvements in heat pump technology, today’s heat pumps are capable of heating many homes in cold climates.”

In recent years, heat pumps have been re-engineered, enabling them to recover significantly more heat from the outdoors. Unlike conventional heat pumps, these cold climate heat pumps are ideal for those living in Northern New York and New England.

“The original heat pumps were designed to heat until it reached around freezing outdoors,” said MacDonald. “In the last five years, they have made significant improvement in the technology. Cold climate heat pumps are now able to run when it is double digits below zero outside.”

Determining whether or not a cold climate heat pump could replace a traditional furnace in a person’s home requires an assessment by a heating and cooling industry professional.

“You need to have somebody who has been trained and schooled in the application and installation of heat pumps,” said MacDonald. “It depends on construction of the home, but a well-engineered heat pump system can replace the furnace or central heat in most homes.”

While installation costs for cold climate heat pumps are typically higher than for conventional furnaces, cold climate heat pumps provide high efficiency air conditioning in addition to heat. In many applications, they also reduce a homeowner’s energy

costs.

“When you consider your energy cost to heat your house, if you have oil or LP gas (propane), the heat pump very often makes a lot of sense and costs less to run,” said MacDonald. “Today’s heat pumps will also cool your spaces – usually at a much lower electric cost than the typical central air conditioning units.”

The demand for cold climate heat pumps has risen in recent years, in part because of the United States’ efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Tax incentives and rebates have also been significant drivers for increasing demand.

“This makes them more affordable than they were in the past. It also reduces the cost of energy to heat your house, which makes them very attractive,” said MacDonald. “Proper application of various models – whether they are whole house or ductless systems--will produce consistent and comfortable heat.”

Cold climate heat pumps are also ideal for spaces that are difficult to heat or cool.

“That might include a three-season room you would love to use year round,” he said.

For more information, visit suburbanservicesgroup.com. A Mitsubishi Diamond Cold Climate Heat Pump contractor, Suburban Services also installs and services other types of heating and cooling systems.

Improved heat pump technology has many homeowners using them to heat and cool homes. Courtesy

Design-build services from Hinman Construction ensure that completed home renovation projects exceed clients’ expectations.

Courtesy of Hinman Construction

Empire Pizza Opens New Location in Saratoga Springs, Plans Fift h in Ballston Spa

BY JILL NAGY

Empire Pizza restaurants are located in Corinth, Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, and the newly opened one on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs. Bozkurt’ opened his first location in Glens Falls in 2009. Further expansion is planned for Clifton Park and Amsterdam. Bozkurt plans to develop the chain into a franchise operation. The first franchises are slated for long-time employees; others will be sold to non-employees.

The Ballston Spa restaurant is planned to seat

between 20 and 25 customers. It will also offer take-out service and delivery. Customers will be able order online or in person, as they can at other Empire Pizza outlets.

In addition to pizza, Bozkurt said, the new facility will have a “big menu,” including calzones, strombolis, salads, club sandwiches, and other selections. No alcohol will be served. He anticipates adding about 15 new employees; he currently employs a staff 80 at the four existing restaurants.

Like the owners of many area pizza restaurants, Bozkurt is originally from Turkey. Although originally an Italian delicacy, pizza is readily available in Turkey, he said.

The company’s website is saratogaempirepizza.com.

Marvin Windows & Doors Are Showcased At Allerdice Ace Hardware & Building Supply

Allerdice, a leading provider of Marvin Windows & Doors for over 35 years, has announced the grand opening of its new showroom. Located at the front of the Allerdice Ace Hardware & Building Supply at 41 Walworth Street in Saratoga Springs, the showroom is set to serve the growing community of homeowners and contractors in the area. The Allerdice Marvin Windows & Doors showroom showcases a comprehensive range of premium products, emphasizing the long-standing partnership between Allerdice and Marvin. This new space provides a dedicated environment for customers to explore and learn about Marvin’s exceptional windows and doors.

The Allerdice team takes pride in its seasoned Marvin Millwork Specialists, including Joe Monaco, Bill Hartloff, and Don Cox. With a collective experience of over 100 years in dealing with

Marvin products, they bring unparalleled expertise and knowledge to assist customers in making informed decisions for their homes.

“Education is very important to homeowners when they are making an investment like this for their home,” said Monaco.

The showroom is designed to be a hub for customer education, providing valuable insights into the features and benefits of Marvin products.

Allerdice Ace Hardware & Building Supply, under the ownership of the Allerdice family since 1982, has a rich history. Public records indicate that the location where Allerdice stands today has been a working lumber yard since before 1869.The new Marvin Windows & Doors showroom is a testament to Allerdice’s commitment to offering high-quality products and exceptional customer service to the Saratoga Springs community.

Store Manager Mark DeCota (left) and Allerdice Hardware General Manager Rob Robitaille stand alongside one of the new Marvin Windows & Doors showroom displays. Saratoga Business Journal

Lihan Bozkurt plans to open his fift h Empire Pizza restaurant next January in Ballston Spa. He recently purchased an I Love New York Pizza outlet and is in the process of renovating it to join his growing family of Empire Pizza outlets.

Lihan Bozkurt’s rapidly expanding chain of Empire Pizza restaurants includes those in Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, Corinth, and Saratoga Springs.

Saratoga Business Journal

Business Report

Entrepreneurs Benefit From Formal Education

BY RICKY P. THIBODEAU DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON

Whether you are interested in launching your fi rst business venture or are an existing small business owner looking to grow your current business, the HVCC Entrepreneurship AAS program will give you the necessary skills to pursue that dream. Students will learn the fundamentals for increasing the likelihood of building sustainable success in their ventures.

Entrepreneurship is on the rise in the United States and now accounts for more than 20 percent of all jobs. The internet has greatly expanded the possibilities for small entrepreneurs, allowing businesses to establish niche audiences and clientele around the world. Since the Entrepreneurship program can help you establish any number of small business opportunities, your career path is completely in your hands.

Coursework will help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset and understand entrepreneurial fi nance, small business management, and marketing and legal issues for small business owners. Entrepreneurship coursework is often sought by those who want to establish their own businesses.

However, another path students may take is intrapreneurship, which refers to becoming a driver of innovation within an existing company, applying the new and unique ideas and strategies learned through entrepreneurial education.  Intrapreneurship opportunities exist within a wide variety of companies and organizations, and the demand for innovative strategies and creative thought within existing companies is always in demand.

The program can be completed over four semesters. Th is option offers more in-depth training for students who may not have substantial pre-existing entrepreneurial skills or experience. Students in the A.A.S. program

will conclude their study with the development of an actionable business plan, ready for fi nancing and implementation, as well as an internship to experience entrepreneurship in our own community. Some graduates may wish to transfer to four-year colleges and universities to further their education.

The college also offers stackable microcredentials in entrepreneurship for those interested in shorter term study – Introduction, Intermediate and Advanced Entrepreneurship microcredentials. Microcredentials are stackable sets of credit-bearing courses that can help you gain specific career skills. They may be used as an entryway to a degree or certificate at the college or as a standalone verified credential that you can use to start or grow your career in a particular field.

For further information log onto https:// www.hvcc.edu/programs/all/business-liberalarts/entrepreneurship-aas.html

Pop-Up Rally Encourages Young People To Work With Their Hands Building Hobby Race Cars

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

Remodeling contractor Craig Volkommer, owner of Details and Improvements, is on a mission to teach basic construction skills to young people. About three years ago, he established Pop-Up Rally, a business dedicated to radio controlled cars.

“I started this business to teach kids how to use hand tools—how to bend things, tighten things, cut things—how to work with their hands. Working with models has really helped me improve my own skills that I use in my remodeling business,” said Volkommer.

A life-long radio controlled car enthusiast, he teaches kids to assemble, modify, and build hobby-grade radio controlled cars.

“It can be assembly projects or custom-built bodies, and it’s also repairs and maintenance,” he said. “They are hobby grade cars, so all the parts are interchangeable.”

Th is summer, Pop-Up Rally will be conducting a summer enrichment program at SUNY Adirondack. Designed for children ages 8 and up, participants will learn to build, repair, and race radio controlled cars.

After the cars are built, they will be raced on an elaborate rally-style race track, one based off the renowned Dakar Rally. The track includes many obstacles including jumps, turns, and bridges. It can be configured in a multitude of ways.

People can also book Pop-Up Rally for birthday parties or other events. In order to have room to set up the track, the venue must have an indoor or outdoor space that is approximately the size of a tennis court.

“Participants drive the car around the track competing for a better time,” he said. “Navigating around the track is fun. It’s physically demanding, and you chase your car all over the place. It’s interactive, and it’s working with your hands.”

As a remodeling contractor, Volkommer recognizes the importance of teaching children to work with their hands. The skilled labor shortage has made it virtually impossible for him to fi nd employees for his kitchen and bathroom remodeling business.

“I’m at the 20-year mark, and I have been working on my own for the past couple years because fi nding help has been really tough. I do complete fi nish work--working in museumlike houses-- and it takes a special kind of person. Not all carpenters are the same.”

Because he works alone, he is able to complete an average of 10 bathroom and two to three kitchens per year. A referral-based business, he works with several local designers and custom cabinetry companies.

For more information, visit Pop-Up Rally on Facebook and Details and Improvements on Facebook

SARATOGA

be an active community partner of the businesses that serve the region

A boy navigates a radio-controlled car through a simulated racetrack provided by Pop-Up Rally, a business designed to get kids interested in working with their hands.

Courtesy of Pop-Up Rally

Ricky P. Thibodeau, Department Chairperson, HVCC Entrepreneurship AAS Program. Courtesy of HVCC

Entrepreneurship Programs In Area Provide Valuable Information For Small Businesses

BY PAUL POST

Bert Weber got so much help from his small business mentor that he named a beer after him.

A retired BOCES horticulture and landscape design teacher, Weber co-owns South Glens Falls-based Common Roots Brewing Company, which has blossomed into one of the region’s largest craft breweries since its founding 10 years ago.

Weber credits much of its success to programs such as SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer expert business mentors; and Start-Up ADK, an eight week non-credit SUNY Adirondack course for small business owners and entrepreneurs that includes business planning and topics such as marketing, bookkeeping, legal issues, financial projections, human resources and small business tools.

“Everyone has a great idea and wants to get started, but there’s the business part of it, things like finance, insurance, regulations and licensing that you have to consider; things you don’t want to think about, but are really necessary as a new business starting out” Weber said. “They talked a lot about pitfalls you should avoid.”

Without good insurance, Common Roots probably wouldn’t have survived a devastating 2019 fire.

Kate Austin got so much help from StartUp ADK that she literally can’t stop talking about it as one of the program’s most enthusiastic ambassadors, telling clients and fellow entrepreneurs about its many benefits. Austin owns Advokate, a Glens Falls-based firm she launched 13 years ago specializing in web and graphic design, branding, public relations, marketing and social media outreach.

“I thought it was very helpful to be in a class with other people who were in the same boat I was, trying to figure out what their business even was,” Austin said. “Having that peer group was super valuable on top of the fact

that we had experts in insurance, legal matters, marketing and writing a business plan. They also talk about the nitty-gritty, ups and downs of what it’s like to be in business.”

“The whole thing start to finish was absolutely essential and I’ve been recommending it ever since,” she said.

Start-UP ADK is offered twice per year, beginning in September and March, through the school’s Continuing Education Department.

“We start out in Week 1 by talking to people about their business ideas,” program Director Robert Bullock said. “Our job is not to say whether they have a good or bad idea. Our job is not to pass judgment, it’s to assist them in developing a business plan and giving them exposure to experts within the Warren and Washington counties area, so as they hopefully go ahead and bring their program to scale they know who they need on their team -- a good insurance person, a good accountant, a good marketing person and certainly a good attorney. That really is the basis of Start-Up. At the end, if they are successful in completing their business plan, that gives them the inside track for financing from one of two local development corporations (Warren and Washington counties).”

Some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs (Apple Inc.) and Bill Gates (Microsoft Corp.) started out as young, college-age inventors. Others launch a small business in retirement, growing out of a lifelong hobby as a way to provide supplemental income.

Warren and Saratoga counties have lost several large industrial employers in the past year such as Glens Falls Cement, Essity paper company and Quad Graphics, which printed some of the country’s most well-known magazines.

“A lot of people think the job of an economic developer is to go out and get another major industrial employer,” Bullock said. “But if you take a look at how the workforce has changed, it’s very possible that the next generation of

workers aren’t going to come from major corporations, they’re going to be at smaller leaner, more nimble companies. This is a time and place where entrepreneurs can prosper.”

Warren County Economic Development Corporation President Jim Siplon said the surrounding area is ripe for small business opportunities.

“We saw a huge increase in the number of businesses forming in Warren County during COVID,” he said. “Before it was about 200 to 250 per year. During COVID it spiked up over 600 and has remained at or above that level ever since. It used to be that we would think of small business as a restaurant or service entity such as a beauty salon or dog care firm. Now we start to see much more imaginative and forward thinking things developing here.”

For example, Siplon said a high-end landscaping operation with sustainable, lakefriendly practices got started in response to the many large, seasonal homes owned by wealthy, part-time local residents.

“And there’s great pressure on housing stock so builders and subcontractors, trades people and surveying businesses, are starting their own shops,” he said.

In some cases, rather than just supporting someone’s business idea, the EDC tries to connect ambitious, hardworking entrepreneurs with potential opportunities they might not have considered. In other words: here’s a need, why not try to meet it?

Siplon cited three traits that define successful entrepreneurs.

“Number one is the willingness to go through the rigor of developing a real business plan,” he said. “Start-Up ADK helps people go through that. Second is a willingness to be nimble and adapt because nothing is ever quite what you thought it would be when starting out. And third, setbacks and delays aren’t failure. It’s part of the process. Your business may take longer to emerge than you planned on.”

The non-profit Adirondack Economic Development Corporation is another valuable resource for small business owners just starting out or hoping to expand. Based in Saranac Lake, it serves 14 northern New York counties including Saratoga, Warren and Washington

counties.

AEDC’s eight-week, 60-hour Entrepreneurial Program is held virtually once per year, starting in September.

First, participants are sent templates that tell how to write a business plan and they’re assigned a business counselor to review and/ or assist with writing it. People are also given a financial counselor to help with budgeting, establishing financial projections and setting goals for important purchases.

“The most important thing is a willingness to put in the effort,” said Stephanie Donaldson, program manager. “You have to have a sense of commitment to the project, meet with counselors regularly to work on a business plan and have them review it and make changes. You also have to fill out loan applications and upload associated documents.”

Towns and hamlets throughout northern New York are home to all kinds of small business that have a major economic impact.

“It pretty much goes across the gambit of all industries from breweries, beauty salons and restaurants to day care and dance studios,” Donaldson said.

In Clifton Park, AEDC helped Antzy Pantz Preschool obtain funding for a recent expansion project. It also helped St. D’s Pizzeria in Elizabethtown to expand and assisted with the opening of Esther’s Coffee House in Massena.

Primarily funded by competitive state and federal grants, AEDC has three major legs of services. In addition to its Entrepreneurship Program, these are small business lending, and technical assistance including group training and one-on-one counseling and support.

“Our mission is to support small businesses in a comprehensive manor,” Executive Director Victoria Duley said. “Their work makes up the majority of our economy in a lot of cases in the Adirondacks and beyond.”

For information about SCORE go to: www. score.org.

For information about Start-Up ADK go to: https://catalog.sunyacc.edu/content/smallbusiness-entrepreneurship-support.

For information about AEDC go to: www. aedconline.com.

Insurance / Medical Services

Dr. Bridget Nettleton Is Honored Through The Establishment Of A Memorial Scholarship

Empire State University has announced a memorial scholarship in honor of Dr. Bridget Nettleton, the founding Dean of the School of Nursing. The scholarship honors Dr. Nettleton’s work in nursing, bridging the gap between health care and academia by supporting nursing education, building a pipeline for new nurses, and promoting nurse retention and advancement in the field.

Her career started in nursing as a Staff Nurse at St. Clare’s Hospital. She began her journey as a nurse educator and became the Assistant Director at Albany Medical Center and then a Director for the School of Nursing at Samaritan Hospital. From there, she held several positions at Excelsior University in the School of Nursing: Nurse Educator, Associate Dean, Interim Dean, and her greatest accomplishment, Dean. She then took a position at Empire State University as Dean for the School of Nursing and Allied Health.

In addition to this new opportunity for students, members of the university community will also be able to help make a difference through SUNY Empire’s Day of Giving:

Go Higher for Empire.

The scholarship is available to students in the School of Nursing and Allied Health who meet the Empire State University Foundation’s criteria. It may be automatically renewed for eligible recipients until completion of their degrees. Preference will be given to students who have completed an associate degree through the Joint Nursing Degree Program at Nassau Community College, or other programs that build the pipeline for new nurses, and students who enhance diversity within the nursing field. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible and the submission of a FAFSA and ninecredit pre-requisite may be waived for nursing students.

Those who would like to contribute to this scholarship should visit www.sunyempire. edu/gohigher and make a gift directed to the Dr. Bridget Nettleton Memorial Health Care Scholarship.. One hundred percent of gifts will be directed to support SUNY Empire students through the Dr. Bridget Nettleton Memorial Health Care Scholarship.

The Practitioners Of Occupational Medicine Ensure Employees’ Safety In The Workplace

BY JILL NAGY

Dr. Michael Holland heads a medical team headquartered at Saratoga Hospital that looks after the medical needs of companies and their employees. From modest beginnings as company doctors, occupational medicine, Dr. Holland’s specialty, has developed into a board-certified field of medicine.

Dr. Holland began his medical career as an emergency room physician but, during off hours, the emergency room also served as the hospital’s occupational health office. After 18 years in the emergency room, and with a young family, he no longer wanted to work nights and weekends. Therefore, he undertook another residency and, since 1994, has been an occupational medicine specialist.

His field aims to meet the health and safety needs of business customers. Services include pre-employment examinations to make sure a candidate can do the job safely. He checks for illicit drug use, but also for such things as the ability to use a respirator mask for a job that requires one. For bus drivers, Dr. Holland assures that they can meet federal and New York State requirements. Basically, Dr. Holland explained, he tries to assure that a prospective employee will not be a danger to himself or others.

When a work site is experiencing large numbers of injuries, an occupational health specialist can come to the workplace, look at the job and the people who perform it, try to determine the causes of the excess of injuries, and prescribe possible remedies.

Another aspect of occupational medicine is the required surveillance of workplaces for the presence of lead, asbestos, cadmium, or other dangerous elements. These inspections are required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA).

OSHA and other employer safety laws passed during the Nixon administration gave the field of occupational health a large boost, Holland noted.

Occupational medicine differs from occupational therapy, a field with a similar name. The latter focuses on the needs of someone disabled by injury or illness and helps that individual adapt activities of daily living to overcome those disabilities. While occupational therapists may be part of an occupational medicine team, they are generally not physicians and have their own training and certification apparatus.

Until recently, Dr. Holland also headed the occupational medicine department of Glens Falls Hospital. That office is now closed. Glens Falls Hospital still maintains an employee health service of which Dr. Holland is medical director, but no longer serves clients outside the hospital, he explained.

Dr. Michael Holland heads an occupational medicine team at Saratoga Hospital. Courtesy of Saratoga Hospital

Saratoga Hospital Announces Six Residents Have Joined Its Family Medicine Program

The Saratoga Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, a collaboration with Albany Medical Center and Hudson Headwaters Health Network, has successfully “matched” its second class of six medical residents who will begin their three-year residency training on July 1. Six inaugural residents launched the program in 2023, and six are added to the residency each year, with a goal of 18 total residents by 2025.

Match results were announced by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) on March 15. The Class of 2027 family medicine residents are:

• Marie Chin Day, MD - Dr. Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation College of Medicine, Philippines.

• Meghan Pentak, MD - American University of Antigua College of Medicine.

• Farhan Rana, MD –Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain.

• Marina Rozik, MD – St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine, Cayman Islands.

• Troy Selvaratnam, MD - St. George’s University School of Medicine.

• Ankit Singh, M D - College of Medical Sciences, Bharatpur, Nepal.

“We are pleased to welcome our next class of talented family medicine residents to our communities,” said Ephraim Back, MD, Saratoga Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program director and chief of clinical initiatives at Hudson Headwaters Health Network. “Since arriving last summer, our inaugural residents have cared for a wide range of patients while

working closely with our exceptional faculty. Together, we’ve built an enriching 21st-century family medicine training program that has fully fi lled with residents in its fi rst two years. Th is is a testament to the quality of the program and faculty and the unique and rewarding opportunities to practice medicine in our region.”

The Class of 2027 includes four residents who are from the Saratoga/Capital region.

The residency program is designed to provide excellent clinical training in both hospital and ambulatory medicine, with a special emphasis on behavioral health, addiction treatment, population and community health, rural health and state-of-the-art technology. Residents see patients at the Saratoga Hospital campus and the Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center, along with the Saratoga Hospital Backstretch Clinic at the Saratoga Race Course. They also train at Hudson Headwaters Glens Falls Family Health and Ticonderoga Health Center.

Saratoga Hospital Family Medicine Residency leadership includes Robert Donnarumma Jr., MD, designated institutional official; Deidre Cirillo, RN, executive director of medical education; Ephraim Back, MD, program director; Colleen Quinn, MD, associate program director; Renee Rodriguez-Goodemote, MD, medical director, community health center and director of community medicine; Tim Reed, MD, director of residency inpatient medicine; and Cindy Pratt, MSEd, program coordinator.

Carrying Cyber Liability Insurance Becoming Increasingly Important

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

With cyberattacks against small businesses on the rise in recent years, it is more important than ever for companies to have cyber liability insurance policies.

According to Verizon’s 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report, 46 percent of all cyber breaches impact businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees. In 2020, there were over 700,000 attacks against small businesses, resulting in $2.8 billion in damages.

“We’ve been dealing with cyber liability insurance for about 10 years, but it hasn’t been until the last five years that it has become more mainstream. Every business should have a general liability policy as well as a cyber liability policy,” said Jeremy Deason, a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and account executive at Associates of Glens Falls Insurance, an independently-owned insurance agency that writes policies throughout the United States.

When cyber liability was in its infancy, policies were purchased primarily by companies that accepted credit cards or other digital forms of payment. These policies cover credit card breaches as well as the costs associated with providing data monitoring to customers.

Several years ago, hackers also began targeting employee data, breaching hospital, school, and government agency databases.

“These hackers were threatening the release of social security numbers and other personal identifiable information (PII),” said Deason. “And most recently, they are more focused on ransomware.”

A type of malicious soft ware, ransomware is designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money—a ransom-- is paid, often in Bitcoin. Companies without ransomware coverage are at risk of losing their data if they are unable to pay the ransom.

As an example, Deason said a small local contractor, one with no ransomware coverage, fell victim to an attack. Unable to pay the ransom and with no Cloud backups, he lost all of his accounting, invoicing, and other data.

“He basically had to start over from scratch,” Deason said.

Although all cyber insurance policies are different, the policies recommended by Associates of Glens Falls Insurance cover credit card breaches, employee and customer PII breaches, and ransomware. These policies also include business interruption insurance for cyberattacks.

“Most people have business interruption insurance on their property coverage for a property loss--a fire, a windstorm, or something like that. We do not sell policies that don’t have it,” said Deason. “But on a cyber policy, you want to make sure you have that coverage as well.”

Deason estimates that only about 50 percent of companies have cyber liability insurance, saying that those who do are often under insured.

“Some people may have $100,000 in cyber liability coverage, and that’s nothing. The policies we sell have at least $1 million,” he said.

Clients that experience a cyberattack are instructed to immediately report the attack to their cyber insurance carrier.

“They take it and run with it because they know what to do,” said Deason. “They do all of

the notifications, and they make sure you are following all of the state, local, and national guidelines, which is huge. That would be such an onerous task for someone to do on their own. All of that is covered by the policy.”

Cyber liability policies vary in cost but are significantly less expensive for companies that utilize multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA prevents unauthorized access to data and applications by requiring a second method of identity verification. With MFA, even if one credential becomes compromised, unauthorized users will be unable to meet the second authentication requirement and will not be able to access the network or database.

In addition to cyber liability insurance, Deason recommends companies carry employment practices liability (EPL) insurance. EPL provides coverage to employers against claims made by employees alleging discrimination, wrongful termination, or harassment.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is that if your employee sues you, there is no coverage in a regular general liability policy. It’s not just first-party harassment with a boss harassing an employee, it could be employee to employee, employee to customer, customer to employee, vendor to employee.”

Deason also said that any organization or non-profit that has a board of directors or board of trustees should have insurance coverage for directors and officers.

“You want to make sure that people who are volunteering their time to serve on these boards are not exposing themselves to liability. If I’m serving on a board, the first question I ask is, ‘Do you have directors and officers coverage?’”

With the cost of insurance rising, Deason understands that business owners are reluctant to add or increase their coverage.

“It’s our job to think about worst case scenarios,” he said. “It’s hard to get people to understand, and unfortunately, sometimes it takes a loss. The question I ask is, ‘Can you put your head down at night and feel comfortable knowing that you have the right coverage in place?’ At the end of the day, that extra cost is totally worth it.”

For more information, visit www.aogf.com

Stewart’s

Shops

Continues Firm’s Expansion With New Stores And Popular Food Options

Almost 80 years ago, the Dake brothers opened their first Stewart’s ice cream shop in Ballston Spa. Today, Stewart’s Shops has 357 stores and more than 5,000 employees on the payroll.

Each year, the company spends approximately $50 million to purchase property, build new stores, and renovate existing stores.

“For the last five to ten years, that has been our model,” said Robin Cooper, public relations manager for Stewart’s Shops. “We identify which stores don’t have the food-to-go option—the pizza, the sandwiches, the soups. That’s been our growth area, and that’s what customers seem to be wanting more of. Some of our older stores may have been renovated but may not have been expanded to the level where we can add some of those things.”

When expansion isn’t possible, the company sometimes purchases nearby property, building a new store and shuttering the old one. That was recently the case for the small shop located at the corner of Watervliet-Shaker and Old Loudon Roads in Latham. Expansion of the store, one built in 1981, was not possible, and there was no adjoining property available for sale.

“There wasn’t property to be had to expand at that site,” said Cooper, noting that a new shop, one that is expected to open before the end of the year, is being built 1.5 miles away at 956 Loudon Road.

The company plans to sell the property on the corner of Watervliet-Shaker and Old Loudon Road, and several buyers have expressed interest in purchasing it.

In recent years, Stewart’s has sold several of their old locations after building new stores in the vicinity. The one at 16 Round Lake Road in Malta was purchased by Kimberly Salerno, who opened a law office in a former Stewart’s location. The building sat empty for several years after a new store was built on property directly across the street. Before opening her office in late 2022, Salerno completely renovated the building, both inside and out. Just a few miles north at 2505 Route 9 in Ballston Spa, another former Stewart’s Shop was transformed into La Lume Hair Salon. Owner Shannon Ramirez spent more than $1 million to purchase and renovate the building.

Stewart’s also sold property several years ago on Northline Road in Ballston Spa after opening a new store nearby. A property located at 542 Central Avenue in Albany was recently sold after that shop was closed at the end of last year.

“We don’t sell a lot of our real estate, and it’s a case by case situation,” said Cooper. “When we do sell, there might be a deed restriction that the property can’t be used as a convenience store. That depends on the property’s location relative to a new store.”

According to Cooper, Stewart’s Shops

does plan to sell a large amount of commercially-zoned land that is located behind its Route 9 headquarters in Ballston Spa.

“We have 70 acres, and we are looking for opportunities to develop that commercially. The first deal we made was with Ed Mitzen’s Business for Good. We sold a small piece to them, and they plan to use it for some sort of pet care business.

With 14 projects on the calendar, 2024 will be another busy year for Stewart’s Shops. Five store renovations and nine store replacements are in the works. Locally, an expansion is planned for the shop located on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs, and a replacement is planned for the Sherman Avenue shop in Glens Falls.

“The Sherman Avenue shop is a smaller shop, and we’re working on acquiring property next door. That will be a knock down and rebuild,” said Cooper.

The knock down and rebuild at 402 Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs is nearly complete. The old store was replaced with a 4,000-square-foot store with two selfserve gasoline canopies.

“It’s a great location, but the shop wasn’t the right size and the right fit ,” said Cooper. “The new shop is a lot bigger. We thought we were going to finish it last year, but we were held up waiting on a traffic pole signal. We just got it a few weeks ago, so we will be wrapping up that project.”

As Stewart’s Shops continues to grow, Cooper said the company is interested in expanding in the Hudson Valley region, the Adirondacks, and Onondaga County.

Stewart’s established a strong presence into Central New York in 2021 after purchasing the Blueox Neighborhood Market convenience store chain, rebranding five of the stores as Stewart’s Shops and one as Stewart’s Express. That same year, Stewart’s Shops acquired the assets of Red-Kap, a wholesale petroleum distributor with eight convenience stores and four car washes. Two of those stores were converted to traditional Stewart’s Shops, the remainder branded as Stewart’s Express, small shops with limited product offerings. But it was Red-Kap’s fuel distribution to more than 75 dealers that was at the heart of the deal.

“A lot of people don’t realize that we’re also a gas wholesaler,” said Cooper. “We have a network of about 100 dealers.”

Because the company continues to expand, demand for the popular food-to-go options has increased dramatically. As a result, Stewart’s Shops plans to double the size of its commercial kitchen, located at its manufacturing plant in Greenfield. Construction on that project is slated to begin later this year.

“That’s going to be a $3 million-plus investment,” said Cooper. “That’s where we make all of our chili, meatballs, soups, and sandwiches. Last year, we made over 250 tons of chili.”

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

This former Stewart’s Shop on Round Lake Road in Malta was recently purchased by Salerno Law and completely revovated. The renovations were designed by Jenna Burger Design LLC. Saratoga Business Journal

Arnoff Moving & Storage

Continued From Page 1

will also host another event specific to real estate agents in the fall.”

There will be a similar spring celebratory event in Poughkeepsie, which became home to Arnoff Moving in 1960 and where the company continues to maintain a strong presence, Arnoff said.

“My great-great grandfather and my great grandfather started as dairy farmers in Lakeville, Connecticut,” Arnoff said. “They didn’t like farming much, but they had a truck and started moving the furniture or items purchased on the travels of wealthy families living there.”

“Their clients trusted them to move items of great value, whether monetarily or sentimentally,” he said. “They got a knack for taking good care of the things they moved or stored.”

Th is reputation followed the family business into Poughkeepsie when Richard moved his growing family there. Arnoff said IBM was taking off then, and there was an influx of people needing residential moving services.

At that time, all of the Arnoff ’s neighbors were IBM families who were telling Richard and Phyllis that there would be demand for setting up offices and bringing in equipment for manufacturing IBM’s mainframe computers. And employees were coming from all around the world to populate the factories, Arnoff said.

“From that moment my grandfather realized what a benefit it would be to diversify the company to provide other services in addition to residential moving, making it more fi nancially sound and stable for not only his family, but also the families of those who worked for him,” Arnoff said.

One truck became two, and two employees became 20 as the family business owners learned how to move equipment and office furniture safely while expanding their client base.

“IBM was our largest customer for many years and while that business has shrunk down, that experience was a jumping off point for the company to determine what we could do with the resources we had,” he said.

It was also their entreé into serving the technology industry. Continuing to look for ways to grow the business more into the commercial market, Arnoff Moving made the move to expand into another branch in Albany in the early 1980s.

The Arnoffs opened a small warehouse off Broadway and later purchased the RCA building in Albany, when the iconic “Nipper became the company’s mascot for a time,” Arnoff said.

“He is still on top of that building,” Arnoff said. “But the building has four floors and one freight elevator and it was not efficient” for the storing and warehousing services that had been flourishing.

But Malta was fast becoming another of the state’s technology manufacturing centers by the early 2000s and a long search for expansion space lead the Arnoffs to 10 Stonebreak Road and the former Racemark building in 2016.

“We sold all our Albany properties and sig-

nificantly renovated the original building on Stonebreak Road, turning 100,000 square feet into 200,000,” Arnoff said. “We added to our state-of-the-art logistics campus when we built another 120,000 square feet on the premises a year ago”

Logistics is the process of getting goods from one location to another, and Arnoff staff helps their customers determine “how to make their supply chain resilient and robust,” he said.

Customers may require transportation, long-term storage, or just-in-time warehousing, where Arnoff holds inventory until the customer’s need is determined and a delivery is arranged. There is both staff and a specialty trucking fleet to handle high-value freight, Arnoff said.

“Th is area of the company focuses on customers with sensitive or very expensive equipment,” he said. “An example is one shipment worth $12 million shipped to support a client’s manufacturing process at their facility.”

Looking back on a 100-year history, Arnoff said the company has come from two employees with one truck to more than 200 employees and 200 trucks. The family attributes their growth to “a strong group of customers across diversified business lines,” he said.

Arnoff said the family feels “fortunate” to get to this milestone through the employment pool in Malta and the “really great group of employees” that the Arnoffs call family.

“We try to embody the multi-generational family business aspect of the company, and that means all of our employees are part of our family, all of our customers are part of our family, and the community at large is part of our family,” Arnoff said.

“Not every day is the greatest day, but in our company culture we try to make every day better than yesterday,” he said. “If there’s an issue and we can make something better for an employee or a customer, that becomes our focus and mission for that day.”

Arnoff said that family also feels fortunate to have developed good relationships with the Town of Malta.

“It’s not always easy to do large commercial development projects but Malta has been very welcoming to us,” he said. “Th is makes the Arnoff family more confident about continuing to invest in this property.”

That support is focused not only on Arnoff Moving & Storage but also across Saratoga County, Arnoff said.

“We know the growth in the entire county isn’t going to stop,” he said. “We want to be a part of it and be a supporting player here.”

“We feel very proud and extremely optimistic for the short- and long-term where our business is going,” Arnoff said. “We think this 100th year is going to be a milestone on the way to a 200- or 500-year-old company.” Visit www.arnoff.com for more information.

NYSBDC Offers A Full Range Of Services To Ensure That Entrepreneurs Achieve Success

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and fueling economic growth. Behind their success often lies the guidance and support of organizations like the New York Small Business Development Center (NYSBDC), a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). As the NYSBDC marks its 40th anniversary, its legacy of empowering entrepreneurs across the state, including in the Capital region, shines brightly.

Kate Baker, the director of the Albany SBDC, reflects on the center’s journey, stating, “For four decades, we have been dedicated to helping businesses thrive and making a positive impact on our local economy. Our personalized approach and comprehensive services have been instrumental in supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners in achieving their goals.”

At the heart of the SBDC’s mission is personalized business counseling, provided at no charge. Through a network of experienced advisors, entrepreneurs receive one-on-one guidance in developing business plans, analyzing financials, and formulating growth strategies.

The SBDC’s commitment to education and training is evident through its workshops, seminars, and training programs. These programs cover a wide range of topics, including business planning, marketing strategies, legal compliance, and more. By equipping entrepreneurs with knowledge and skills, the SBDC empowers them to make informed decisions and stay competitive in their industries.

In addition to counseling and education, the SBDC provides specialized services such as market research and feasibility studies. Understanding market trends, customer preferences, and industry dynamics is crucial for business success. The SBDC’s strategic insights and analysis help businesses identify growth opportunities and develop effective strategies to achieve their objectives.

“We’ve been working with the SBDC for a while now to help us figure out the next stages of our business,” said Jesse Tyree, owner of Black Dog Designs in Glens Falls. “Even through we’ve been in business

for over 10 years, there are still aspects that we’re working on and getting assistance from the SBDC on research, insights, and just their 40 years of small business knowledge has been immensely helpful.”

Financial management and access to capital are also key areas where the SBDC offers support. From financial analysis to loan packaging and financing options, the center helps businesses manage their finances effectively and secure funding for expansion or operational needs.

As part of the SBA’s network of resource partners, the SBDC collaborates with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and industry experts. This collaborative approach strengthens the business ecosystem and contributes to economic development across New York State. By leveraging partnerships and resources, the SBDC provides holistic support to entrepreneurs, helping them navigate challenges and achieve success.

“We love working with the Small Business Development Center,” said Leslie D’Angelico, VP of Business Banking Sales Manager at Glens Falls/Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company. “We know that when we send a small business there for help with a business plan, financial projections, or anything else they need assistance with, they will get the help and attention they need and deserve. The SBDC has been a great partner for us for a long time and we don’t hesitate to recommend them whenever we can.”

Furthermore, the SBDC is committed to supporting diverse entrepreneurs, including minorityowned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. Through targeted services and resources, the center helps underrepresented entrepreneurs overcome barriers and access opportunities for growth. This focus on diversity and inclusion aligns with the SBDC’s mission of fostering entrepreneurship and economic empowerment across all communities.

In conclusion, the New York SBDC’s 40 years of impact underscore its dedication to empowering entrepreneurs and driving economic prosperity. Through personalized counseling, education, strategic insights, and collaborative partnerships, the SBDC continues to be a catalyst for small business success.

Th ree Restaurants Are Added To The Roster Of Those Operating As A Business For Good

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

Saratoga business developers Ed and Lisa Mitzen are within months of adding two new eating establishments to their portfolio and another, an additional location for the iconic Hattie’s Restaurant, opened only weeks ago. As is their mission, profits from all three businesses will be used to give back to the community.

The Mitzens are founders of Business for Good, a not-for-profit foundation that channels proceeds from its donor companies to worthy charities in the communities they serve. Lisa Mitzen said recipients are other non-profits that primarily provide help for food insecurity, housing instability, animal welfare, and other causes that are close to the Mitzen family.

Hattie’s Albany opened its doors on March 14 with a celebratory ribbon cutting at 121 Madison Avenue in Albany, former home of the renowned Lombardo’s Italian American Restaurant.

Blackbirds Bike Cafe is preparing to open for business at 43 South Main Street in the heart of the village of Voorheesville this spring, followed by Blackbirds Tavern, located across the street at 42 South Main and a much larger project, toward the end of the summer.

“Hatties has always been special to us and is a local favorite for many,” said Lisa Mitzen. “We were excited to work with owners Beth and Chef Jasper Alexander and the acquisition in 2021 happened rather organically.”

The Alexanders sold both Hattie’s Restaurant in Saratoga Springs at 45 Phila Street (originally Federal Street) and Hattie’s Chicken Shack in Wilton and continue day-to-day operations and oversight for all Hattie’s restaurants, including the seasonal Hattie’s Track Shack at Saratoga Race Course and the new Hattie’s Albany.

The iconic fried chicken restaurant goes back

to 1938 and ownership has changed from founder Hattie Moseley Austin only a few times.

Mitzen said her husband reached out to Hattie’s owners because the couple was “originally intrigued by Miss Hattie’s incredible generosity.”

“It was more important for her to provide someone a meal than to turn a profit,” Mitzen said. “She was beloved, the Hattie’s brand is beloved, and we felt the acquisition was a good fit for us and what we are trying to do.”

“We thought, how cool would it be to keep Miss Hattie’s tradition alive and donate the profits through Business for Good back into the community to fight food insecurity, along with many other local causes for which there is so much need,” she said.

Hattie’s Albany occupies the address generations of customers frequented for nearly 100 years and knew as Lombardo’s, Mitzen said.

“When we found out the building was for sale, we thought that neighborhood had a lot of potential for economic growth,” she said.

So the Mitzens have traded one iconic restaurant for another, “hiring local people, creating jobs, try-

ing to spark the economy, and making a positive change in the south end of Albany.”

“It is a neighborhood where we see great potential, and is also a center of a lot of Business for Good’s work,” she said.

To translate Hattie’s rich history into a new location outside of Saratoga, Mitzen said renovations focused on the historic nature of both restaurants.

“The people who loved Lombardo’s are coming in and saying, it’s good to see this place alive again and for such a great cause,” she said.

There is a bar area, dining room, and banquet room, and Mitzen said they “kept things to maintain that warm, familiar feeling” while stirring in the ingredients of “good Southern food and kindness” that make Hattie’s so celebrated.

“When you walk into that building it feels inviting, vibrant and fun,” she said. “It is the kind of place where you want to gather and have a good meal and share stories.”

“I think Hattie herself would have loved it,” said Mitzen.

Ed Mitzen was driving through the main street of his hometown of Voorheesville when he saw two parcels with older buildings on them for sale near the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail.

“He thought, what a great spot for a restaurant,” she said. “Both structures have been torn down and we are building Blackbirds Bike Cafe and Blackbirds Tavern from the ground up,”

The Cafe has been designed with the cycling community in mind, given its location along a bike trail. It will serve pastries, coffee, and sandwiches as well as healthy smoothies “for an energy boost,” she said. For the cyclist who may be in need of minor repairs, some limited bike equipment will be available.

The Tavern will offer quality, casual dining and an extensive beer list. With two golf simulators and high-definition TVs to screen sporting events, Mitzen said the Tavern will be a destination for gatherings and family fun.

“The stars aligned and now we’re watching things come to fruition for Blackbirds Bike Cafe and Blackbirds Tavern,” she said. “Blackbirds are the town’s school mascot and Ed played football there when he was growing up, so there is a special place in his heart” for the Mitzen’s two newest businesses. “I would say Voorheesville is an up-and-coming town,” said Mitzen. “Other businesses are opening up there and we are excited to be a part of a wonderful community.”

The general manager for Blackbirds Bike Cafe and the Tavern is Justin Romeo, a former member of the Business for Good team. Mitzen said Romeo is working closely with some of the chefs associated with the non-profit to identify candidates to staff the kitchen.

Mitzen said the plan for both enterprises is to donate any profits derived to Business for Good, which will in turn donate back to fund high school athletics in Voorheesville.

Profits from Hattie’s Albany will be directed to organizations that help provide food to people in need in the community. According to statistics from the state’s Department of Health, one in four adults in New York reports being food insecure due to poverty, unemployment, and low wages.

“Good food and kindness is welcome everywhere,” said Mitzen. “From day one it has been our goal to help people.”

Since 2020 Business for Good has been advancing the model of traditional venture philanthropy in the Greater Capital Region. Its efforts have been recognized on a national level, including being named to Fast Company’s 2023 list of Brands That Matter.

Ed and Lisa Mitzen are in the process of opening two new restaurants near the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail in Voorheesville. Courtesy of Business For Good

Hinman Construction

Continued From Page 6

“We bring clients right to the showroom and show them the large slabs. We work very closely with Granite and Marble Works and Busch Products/Cambria. They both do a really beautiful job,” said Hinman. “We shop with our clients to pick out everything, even the little things.”

Quartz and granite counter tops remain very popular in kitchens, but some of Hinman’s clients opt for soapstone. For bathrooms, quartz remains the material of choice.

After clients complete the design and selection process, materials are ordered. Construction does not begin until all items are confi rmed for on-time delivery.

While the company does rely on a small group of trusted subcontractors, Hinman said they perform the majority of the work themselves.

“Caroline and I go in and do the design and the planning, and Jami and Jesse handle all the production and coordination of our team players. We have the skill and ability to do all of the work ourselves, but most people want to get back into their house as quickly as they can, so we subcontract out some of the work. We have wonderful people that we have worked with for

years, and they are amazing. We love them and so do our clients.”

Hinman Construction also builds additions, and in recent years, they were hired to remove and rebuild a home’s entire second floor, adding a master bedroom suite with a loft. For that project, the company received an award for best overall remodel by Capital Region Builders and Remodelers.

The company has also been honored with numerous other awards for their design and remodeling work. In 2023, one of the company’s bathroom remodels earned a Master Design Award from Qualified Remodeler. That same year, a mudroom/laundry room remodel was recognized with the prestigious Chrysalis Award, a national award presented to just 72 companies from across the United States.

According to Hinman, she and her family pride themselves on offering excellent service from start to fi nish.

“We’re very hands-on with our clients. We meet with them multiple times and really get to know the home. We like to say that we do things that we would do in our own home.”

For more information, visit HinmanConstruction.com

Golf Simulators

Continued From Page 1

club fitters nationwide with every major club manufacturer in the industry, Hoff man said. “Technology has revolutionized the industry,” he said. “It has broadened the components of performance characteristics to provide every different player type with an opportunity for betterment.”

In 1974 when Hoff man’s parents were opening the golf shop and a personal computer didn’t exist yet, “club fitting was not a thing,” he said. “Each of the manufacturers had one or two models designed to appeal to the better half or lesser half as far as player ability.”

For example, a blade style golf club was performance oriented and not very forgiving, he said. By the 1980s manufacturers determined that hollow construction, or placing the weight of the club head around the

Aneesa Waheed Honored

Continued From Page 1

reaching out to me and I make myself knowingly and willingly very accessible to people.”

“It is a duty to educate and to give back this way,” she said. “My advice to anyone starting up is, if you are offered, take the help.”

Waheed graduated high school in Schenectady, earned a college degree from Russell Sage, and had a high tech career in New York City until 2009.

“My husband had recently moved from Morocco and I was wanting to get out of corporate America,” she said. “We felt it was a good time to try our hand at business.”

With the American couple’s Indian and Moroccan backgrounds, their food blended the ingredients of all three cultures, Waheed said. The food was unique and set Tara Kitchen apart, and they were getting excellent feedback from their customers.

Not only are the warm spices and flavors of their dishes distinctive, but also very good for people with allergies, she said.

“Our customers like that we serve dairy free and soy free dishes,” she said. “We use light, fresh ingredients like lentils and spices cooked together.”

It didn’t take long to open a restaurant in Waheed’s home town of Schenectady. Today there is one Tara Kitchen in New York City, three upstate, one in Wildwood, NJ, and Waheed is currently traveling back and forth to India launching the sixth.

“India has one of the fastest growing and most robust economies, and 30 percent is in the food and beverage sector,” she said. “We are trying to see if we have a shot at building a brand there.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the “only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government [and which] empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses,” according to www.sba.gov.

The Waheeds will be present at the National Small Business Week award ceremonies held April 28th and 29th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington, D.C., where SBA administrator Isabel Guzman will announce the top honor of National Small Business Person of the Year.

Learn more at www.tarakitchen.com.

perimeter, enlarged the sweet spot so golfers could have better performance on a miss-hit. “Th at’s like the difference between an aluminum baseball bat and a wooden one,” said Hoff man. “Now we have interchangeable components in one club and use golf simulators to determine the best confi guration for the player.”

Today’s top-of-the-line simulator is the TRACKMAN, which draws serious golfers to both The Bunker and Northway Golf Center, along with other brands such as TOPTRACER and TOPTRACER RANGE technology.

While TRACKMAN is an indoor machine, it can be used outdoors and the data translated indoors.

“TRACKMAN is the one all the PGA pros use to warm up for the Masters,” Miller said. “It feeds back club head speed, ball speed,

degree of angle, attack angle, smash factor, distance and about two dozen other metrics.”

A user can factor in wind speed and course conditions if they would like, or emulate a course in Colorado, for example, he said.

Miller said in making TRACKMAN simulators the manufacturer collected inputs from millions of golf swings and stored them to inform users.

“There is not one shot that TRACKMAN hasn’t recorded and now it has an artificial intelligence element,” he said.

“You hit a ball 20 or 30 times and the system will tell you what’s wrong with your swing,” Miller said. “It’s an unbelievable training system.”

“We have currently fi ve teaching professionals on staff to offer instruction and a full-fledged golf academy,” Hoff man said. “There is growing demand in our region for coaching, from individual private lessons for beginners and virtual playing lessons on the simulators to several levels of group programs.”

“Launch monitors once captured only basic information such as club angle, club speed, ball speed and launch angle,” Hoffman said. “Now we see interactions with multiple technologies such as high-speed cameras and Doppler radar that combine to capture ball and club data simultaneously.”

“It actually gives more data that a golfer would expect, want, or need,” he said. “Th ings like your face angle variation relative to your target line at impact is quantified.”

Non-green golfers using indoor simulation can follow their shots on a high definition monitor overhead and see their data displayed. Miller said graphics are advancing all the time, and there is no longer anything artificial looking about the display.

“Kids love the HD monitors,” Miller said. “You know how kids are, they love their screen time.”

Customers at The Bunker can rent a bay by the hour that holds up to four people, Miller said. VIP and semi-private spaces are also available.

“It’s like buying a bucket of balls,” Hoffman said. “You can play as few or as many as you like.”

Indoor golf is wholesome recreation for families that bridges multiple generations, the business owners said.

“Kids play with their moms and siblings and grandparents,” Hoff man said. “The beauty of the sport of golf is that it doesn’t discriminate.”

Hoff man said the initial attraction of Northway Golf Center was the driving range when his folks started the business 50 years ago. Th at was the fi rst amenity along with a single story, one-room pro shop with bare floors and one or two lines of clothing.

No one was offering golf equipment in the Capital Region then, and that aspect of the business quickly took off along with miniature golf, he said.

“The business became a venue for family entertainment,” said Hoff man. “Now with the introduction of TOPTRACER technology, it ties to the evolution of the driving range experience.”

In 2020 Northway Golf Center built a 2,400-square-foot performance center that combines driving golf balls outside with simulator technology inside. Th is is a heated space enclosed on three sides but open to the fresh air.

Customers can watch their drives travel a couple hundred yards onto the driving range or look up to see what was tracked and rendered on screen by the simulator, Hoff man said.

“The allure of golf is to see the ball fl y,” said Hoff man. “But golfers also want the interaction of technology.”

Miller and Hoff man use different brands of simulators for different purposes and know that with any technology there is a certain shelf life. Constant, dynamic changes can make it obsolete. Nevertheless, both business owners purchase rather than lease their equipment because it makes greater economic sense in the longer run, they said.

The Bunker and Northway Golf Center invite golfers and non-golfers in the community to discover a new kind of recreation, stay a while, have a meal and some beer or wine. Log on to www.getinthebunker.golf and www.northway8golf.com for more information.

Tom Hoffman (left) uses the latest technology to help a customer analyze his swing at Northway Golf Center in Clifton Park. Saratoga Business Journal