Saratoga Business Journal - June 2022

SBJ P.O. Box 766 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

VOL. 27 NO. 04

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Siro’s Restaurant To Open In July For Emerging From Difficult Time, SPAC Finishes Track Season With New Chef, New Look 2021 Well, Makes Facility Improvements

Siro’s in Saratoga Springs will oprn July 14. From left are Kevin Decker, general manager; Michael Stone, maître d’; Jake Spitalny, owner; and chef Elliott Vogel.

BY CHRISTINE GRAF When Siro’s opens it doors to racing fans this summer, the iconic Saratoga restaurant will have a new executive chef in its kitchen.

Owners Peter and Jake Spitalny have hired former Jack’s Oyster House chef Elliott Vogel to oversee culinary operations.

The father/son team purchased Siro’s for $1.2 million in 2019. Since that time, they have made significant investments in both interior and exterior renovations. Last year’s improvements included new exterior stamped concrete and updated kitchen equipment.

“Siro’s is an icon in Saratoga and in the horseracing community, and there was so much opportunity with the physical property to make some updates while preserving iconic signs and color scheme,” said Jake Spitalny. “On the business side, we also saw an opportunity to

©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

improve things.”

After purchasing Siro’s, the Spitalnys leased the restaurant to Scott Solomon who was arrested in 2021 for falsifying restaurant documents.

The Spitalnys were not involved in his illegal activities and now operate Siro’s themselves.

They rely on a general manager, Kevin Decker, who is in his 11th year at Siro’s, to oversee daily operations. Well-known maître d’ Michael Stone returns for his 30th year at the front of house.

Their staff of 55 includes newcomer Vogel.

“Our new chef, Elliott Vogel, has excellent credentials,” said Spitalny. “He was responsible for reviving Jack’s Oyster House over the past few years. He comes to us with a lot of experience. He’s got some new fresh ideas for our menu while also maintaining some of those staples that people expect to see on our menu.”

Continued On Page 3

Following a reduced 2021 season, SPAC will have back the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra for their full residencies and host the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) faced many challenges and also grasped opportunities over the last two years, emerging in 2021 with an economic statement in the black, while making many necessary improvements.

Officials said they anxiously awaited the return to normalcy in 2022, which is already underway.

Following a reduced season in 2021, SPAC will welcome back New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for their full productions and residencies. It will also host the iconic Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, a popular concert lineup presented by Live Nation, and the return of Caffè Lena @ SPAC. “Like so many individuals and organizations, the last two years have tested us might-

ily, but they have also called upon our deeper wells of creativity, compassion, resilience, and imagination,” said Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC president and CEO. “Now, in summer 2022, in a full return of a SPAC Renewed and Rejuvenated, we are like our region’s endangered Karner Blue butterflies—re-emerging beautiful and glorious after being cocooned for so long. This splendid re-emergence is accompanied and made possible by a historic and unprecedented confluence of favorable financial factors.”

SPAC announced that it ended the year with $4 million of operating reserves, attributed to a significant reduction in programming expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, fundraising efforts supported by members, the board of directors and the genContinued On Page 18

Jacqueline Conrad Will Be New VP Of Not Enough Emphasis In Schools About Communication, Marketing At Skidmore Building Trades Careers Is Industry Problem Skidmore College announced that Jacqueline Conrad will become Skidmore’s new vice president for communications and marketing as of July 5.

She will be continuing her successful 30-year career in the private and nonprofit sectors, including 18 years leading her own communications firm and the last nine years at Cambridge College in Boston, where she is currently vice president of communications and public relations.

Conrad’s appointment follows a national search that attracted an array of exceptional candidates from across the country.

“I am thrilled to welcome Jacqui Conrad to Skidmore and into this critical leadership role,” college President Marc Conner said. “From her leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Cambridge College and elsewhere, to her impactful work in every realm of higher education outreach and communications, Jacqui is precisely the strategist and entrepreneurial thinker Skidmore needs to lead our talented communications and marketing team.

“She impressed all of us involved in this search with her experience, her poise, her creativity, and her commitment to being part

Jacqueline Conrad will be Skidmore’s vice president for communications and marketing.

Courtesy Skidmore College

of a caring and committed community. I am delighted to welcome such a strong colleague, and I look forward with great anticipation to the creativity, marketing expertise, and passion for positive change she brings to Skidmore.”

He said Conrad’s work across her career has Continued On Page 16

BY PAUL POST Unlike the Marines, area builders need a whole lot more than “A Few Good Men.” A severe nationwide labor shortage is being felt locally, too, as understaffed firms can’t keep up with customer demand.

Several factors have contributed to the labor shortage. First and foremost, many skilled workers have aged out of the industry and there hasn’t been enough emphasis put on showing kids the careers this field has to offer, builders say.

“During the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, they were encouraged to go to college, regardless of whether or not that was going to benefit them,” said Matt Whitbeck, owner of Whitbeck Construction in Wilton. “So there’s this big segment of the population that feels that if they aren’t using their diploma for something, it was a waste, even though they’re taking on jobs they’re not passionate about or care about. They take them just to pay back student loans.”

In addition, COVID helped give rise to a whole new type of employment that is much less demanding than construction.

“A lot of people are getting by with driving for Uber and making food deliveries,” Whitbeck said. “You can pick your hours. You don’t have to get out of bed at 6 a.m. every day. You don’t

Construction companies are still having difficulty getting workers they need. have to work in the hot sun. You just drive your car and turn on the air conditioning. If you don’t feel like working that day you don’t, because you don’t have to clock in or out. It’s just an easy job.

You can fulfill the qualifications with little or no education or effort.”

Continued On Page 11

2 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

Personnel Briefs

Rhea, A Restauraunt Specializing In Noodle Dishes, Is Open On Broadway In Saratoga •

• Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. hired Valerie Patrenets as officer and branch manager of the Corinth branch.

In her new role, Patrenets will oversee daily operations, provide quality customer service and develop banking relationships to help customers reach their financial goals.

She brings more than five years of banking and retail management experience to the position.

Patrenets has a bachelor of arts from SUNY Oswego and is a native of Corinth. *

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Roohan Realty announced that Valentina Sergeeva has joined the team as a licensed real estate salesperson.

Originally from Russia, Sergeeva grew up in Colorado and moved to New York in 2013. .

She is also a photographer and talent manager.

In addition to various artistic pursuits, Sergeeva has had the opportunity to work in sales/marketing for companies like Hewlett-Packard, Six Flags, and Stella Artois.

Utilizing diverse experiences from work in different industries has helped her specialize in finding and creating properties to suit the functions and aesthetics people are looking for when purchasing real estate. *

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Wadler St. Jean has been named Business for Good’s chief financial officer.

In previous roles, St. Jean served as chief financial officer for several Capital Region nonprofit organizations, senior auditor for the New York State Department of Education and as an accountant for several accounting firms.

St. Jean holds several college degrees, including two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree. *

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Arrow Financial Corp. recently promoted three senior leaders to the position of executive vice president of its two subsidiary banks, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. Michael Jacobs was promoted to executive vice president and chief information officer, Christine Snow was promoted to executive vice president and director of customer experience and Marc Yrsha was promoted to executive vice president and director of relationship banking.

Jacobs will continue to oversee all Information Technology services and support.

He has 20 years of IT financial services experience and is active in his community as a board member of Tri-County United Way. Jacobs has a bachelor’s degree from Siena College and currently lives in Ballston Spa. Snow oversees all customer operations and support. She has more than 40 years of retail banking experience and previously served as board member for Hope House and Literacy Volunteers of America.

Snow has a bachelor’s degree from Russell Continued On Page 19

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Rhea, at 389 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs, is a second restaurant in the city owned by Mike Spain and Michelle Spain. They also own and operate Seneca on Division Street.

Courtesy of Elizabeth Haynes

BY JILL NAGY The owners of the three-year-old Seneca restaurant in Saratoga Springs, recently opened a new venture called Rhea, at 389 Broadway.

Rhea features a “heavily Asian inspired” menu, according to Mike Spain who, along with wife, Michelle Spain, and other investors, owns both restaurants.

Rhea, in the buidling that was once the Stadium, offers ramen-style noodle dishes as well as shareable small plates, fried rice, chicken, bao buns (steamed buns), udon noodles, seaweed-cured eggs yolk, and similar dishes.

Mike Spain said although the dishes have an Asian flavor, Rhea is not, strictly speaking an Asian restaurant. “We do our best to respect the ingredients and techniques,” he said, but put their own spin on the dishes.

In developing the noodle shop concept, “the team fell in love with ramen,” Spain said, a seemingly simple dish that includes a homemade broth that takes several days to create.

When Spain attended the Culinary Institute of America some 10 was ago, the curriculum

included three-week courses on the culture and ingredients of various cuisines. He developed his interest in Asian cooking at that time, he said.

He described the menu at Seneca, the couple’s first restaurant, as “new American.”

It features ingredients from local farmers and other suppliers, much of it prepared on a wood-fired grill. That restaurant is located at 17 Division St. in Saratoga Springs.

Rhea has a 30-seat bar and can seat another 50 people at its booths and cocktail tables.

Spain said they are working on developing an outdoor seating area as well. They have a full liquor license at both sites.

A staff of 50 works at both restaurants, including a lot of employees who cook. The Spains are at both locations every day. “We were very fortunate in finding staff,” Mike Spain reflected, “It’s a great crew.”

They are open Wednesday through Sunday, from 5 p.m. to closing—usually 9 or 10 p.m., with the bars open a bit later. The telephone number is 518 886-8962.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 3

Saratoga CoWorks To Open Third Location, In Owner Of Area ‘Lawn Doctor’ Franchise Sees Downtown Saratoga Springs Area In August Large Growth Potential In The Coming Years Saratoga CoWorks, a coworking provider in Upstate New York catering to professionals, entrepreneurs, and remote employees since 2014, is opening its third downtown Saratoga Springs location.

Located at 92 Congress St. on the second floor, the 5,000-square-foot space will feature flexible private offices and suites, meeting spaces and shared coworking areas, for rent by the day, week or month, ownership said.

This newest Saratoga CoWorks location is being completely renovated by the organization’s cofounders, Daniel Bullis and Dorothy Rogers-Bullis (who also own drb Business Interiors), prior to the grand opening in August.

The facility, which has ample natural light, will feature a modern aesthetic with top-quality, ergonomic office furniture, they said.

The space also will have state-of-the-art technology including enterprise-class WiFi, and rentable conference/meeting rooms equipped with projectors and Apple TVs. Free on-site parking, a new kitchen, and comfortable breakroom seating is also included.

“All of our Saratoga CoWorks locations offer fully remote, hybrid and other independent workers the comforts of home with the amenities of a traditional office,” said Bullis. “This newest location, however, is uniquely designed to meet the needs of professionals with private offices and suites featuring soundproof floorto-ceiling glass to ensure privacy and a quiet work environment.”

Rogers-Bullis emphasizes the value that coworking provides to individuals as well as companies.

“In today’s business world, nobody wants to be at home 100 percent of the time or in the office 100 percent of the time,” she said. “It’s simply not healthy to be home alone, working

Siro's To Open In July Continued From Page 1

Regular customers can expect the inside dining room to look “significantly different.”

Changes to the exterior have also been made.

“We do have some new spaces for some hightop tables where you can enjoy the new outdoor food menu options which will include a couple of hot items and a raw bar with oysters and clams,” said Spitalny. “The offerings are wider than last year when we basically just had some pizzas and quick hand-held items. It will be a little more extensive this year, including the raw bar.”

Siro’s will reopen July 14, opening day at the Saratoga Race Course. They will remain open for regular business until the end of racing season on Labor Day. After that, it is possible that they will host special events.

“We don’t have approvals yet, but we will at some point in the future look to remain open after the season and host private events and weddings,” said Spitalny. “It probably wouldn’t be year-round because a big part of that would

Saratoga CoWorks is opening in August its third downtown Saratoga Springs facility. in isolation. People need to interact with other people, or they begin to lose their communication and interpersonal skills.

“We believe that coworking gives you the flexibility to truly enjoy the best of both worlds.

At Saratoga CoWorks, we pride ourselves on the connections made among fellow coworking members in our professional, yet comfortable office environment, and we’re excited to bring this newest innovative coworking location to fruition.”

Saratoga CoWorks rates start at $25 per day, and monthly memberships begin at $250.

For more information or to schedule a tour of any of the locations, call Saratoga CoWorks manager Brenna Ogle at 518-306-5233, or visit www.saratogacoworks.com.

BY JILL NAGY After a brief foray into the wedding business, Matt and Suzy Mazzone are now in the lawn care business.

They recently purchased the franchise rights for Lawn Doctor in the Clifton Park, Ballston Spa, Schenectady and Amsterdam region. Beginning with a customer base of zero when they started in April, they now have close to 200 customers as they go into the peak lawn care season. There are a lot of lawns in their territory and they said they see a potential for 60,000-65,000 customers, beginning with 300-400 this year.

Lawn Doctor is a weed and feed operation: fertilizing, weed control, insect control, power seeding, aeration, etc. The do not cut grass but will advise on how to have it cut, Matt Mazzone explained.

The Mazzones see this new venture as a complement to their other business, M Zone Logistics LLC, which provides last-mile delivery services to the Amazon facility in the Montgomery County town of Florida.

“We want to provide consistent work over the year,” Mazzone said. People order more from Amazon in the fall and winter, he noted, while the demand for lawn services is greatest in the spring and summer. Their approximately 80 employees can be cross-trained to work for both companies.

“We were blown away by what they had to offer” he said of Lawn Doctor, in the way of customer service and technology. “I think they have been phenomenal with their training and startup,” he said, “They have patented machinery and formulations. A top agronomist came to help up to make sure we are building the right programs.”

The Mazzones invested approximately $150,000 for a 10-year exclusive franchise,

Matt and Suzy Mazzone purchased the franchise rights for Lawn Doctor.

Courtesy of Lawn Doctor

including vans, equipment, marketing, and other expenses. Both Lawn Doctor and M Zone Logistics are based on property the Mazzones own at 581 Saratoga Road (Route 50) in Glenville.

In the long term, the Mazzones would like to extend their franchise to the north and then to the south and east. For now, however, “We want to make our present customers happy,” he said.

The Mazzones were associated with weddings and catering because of Matt’s father, Angelo Mazzone, founder and CEO of Mazzone Hospitality. Matt left the company in April 2020, a few years after it was sold to Restaurant Associates.

Lawn Doctor can be reached at 518-362-9888 or by going to LawnDoctor.com.

More To Read . . . More Leads For You.

be outdoor. It will most likely be a couple of months before and a couple of months after track season—spring and fall.”

During racing season, Siro’s will host private functions on dark days at the track—Mondays and Tuesdays. No private functions take place on days the track is open.

Spitalny said he is optimistic that business will be strong at Siro’s for the summer season.

“With our new chef and some of the physical updates that we’ve made, I expect it to be fantastic. That coupled with the fact that track had one of its busiest years last year in terms of attendance. They expect that to grow again this year, so we expect to be extremely busy.”

According to Spitalny, business is booming at the family’s other restaurant, Lake George Beach Club (formerly Shepard’s Cove). They purchased the popular lake front restaurant in 2016.

“Coming out of COVID, the fact that we have so much outdoor seating available helped us to have our strongest year to date. Business is great, and we are already off to a very busy start of the year.”

(518) 581-0600

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4 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

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Chamber’s ‘Save Our Locals’ Program Earns Tourism Excellence Award From The State

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The Save Our Locals program of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce was created to bring awareness to community members on how crucial it is to shop at local, independent businesses.

The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) announced in May the recipients of the 2022 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards.

Among them was the Save Our Locals program of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, created to bring awareness to community members on how crucial it is to shop at local, independent businesses to help ensure their survival as restrictions on businesses due to COVID-19 continues to take a toll.

The campaign encouraged residents and out-oftown visitors to spend at least $20.21 at any locally owned Saratoga Springs business.

The outstanding work of New York State’s destination marketing organizations, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses in all forms of marketing, destination management and stewardship are recognized through the state’s annual awards program.

Those organizations, businesses, institutions, and individuals will receive their awards and be honored at a special ceremony at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City on Oct. 27.

“We are honored to be recognized with a New York State Tourism Excellence Award for our Save Our Locals campaign,” said Todd Shimkus, president, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “Keeping the doors open at our local businesses throughout Saratoga County during the pandemic was a top priority for us, and we could not have accomplished this without our community who supported our local businesses and the local economy by participating in this campaign.

“Through Save Our Locals, residents and out-oftown visitors spent nearly $173,000 at local businesses, helping to aid in our county’s economic recovery.”

In 2022, the New York State Tourism Excellence Awards in particular acknowledge the work done in contributing to the recovery and resurgence of the state’s tourism industry and the communities that

Courtesy Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

they serve.

“Travel and tourism was the industry most adversely affected economically by COVID-19. Despite the many challenges the pandemic presented to the industry, the new technologies, techniques, and strategies adopted by New York’s tourism professionals have contributed to a resurgent industry embracing best practice destination marketing, management, and stewardship,” said Dana Krueger, board chair of the New York State Tourism Industry Association.

The awards are juried by an impartial panel of industry experts under the auspices of the tourism association. Nominees spanned every corner of New York state, and the judges were challenged by the diversity and quality of the entries.

“Working collaboratively in New York State’s tourism community enables you to network with some of the best minds, most experienced individuals, and trendsetting thought leaders in the global tourism industry,” said Bob Provost, president of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. “The individuals, campaigns, initiatives, and projects being honored are world- class. I am humbled by their achievements and service to their communities.”

The association said tourism was the third largest industry in New York State in 2019 and it has paid dividends for years to New York’s economy, setting new records for economic benefit in each of the previous five years.

According to the association, in 2019, New York’s tourism industry attracted 265 million visitors and generated record high levels of impact, including $72 billion in spending at New York state businesses large and small; $39 billion in disposable income and over 961,000 jobs for New York state residents; and $9+ billion in state and local taxes, the equivalent of $1,248 for every household.

Its website is www.nystia.org.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 5

Business Briefs

Entrepreneurs In Malta Add Coffee Bar To Its List Of Businesses; Car Hop Service Coming •

Doug Dockendorf poses inside the Coffee Bar at Finishing Touches, which serves a variety of beverages including latte, espresso, cappuccino, hot chocolate and iced coffee.

BY CHRISTINE GRAF In the two years since Shelly Walker relocated Finishing Touches Home Décor from Wilton to 450 East High St. in Malta, she and husband and business partner, Doug Dockendorf, have been very busy.

After moving the interior design and home décor shop, Dockendorf, the owner of several local businesses including Priority Electrical, redesigned a small section at the back of the property.

In June 2020, they opened an outside-service ice cream shop called Cookies & Cream in the space.

During the busy summer months, Cookies & Cream employs a staff of 10 part-time employees.

In addition to hard and soft serve ice cream, they serve sundaes, shakes, floats, non-fat yogurt, Dole Whip, and ice cream cookies out of four windows.

Outdoor seating is available, and landscaping is being added to the property to further enhance its already attractive outdoor space.

Customers can also enjoy their ice cream while strolling in Collamer Park which adjoins the property.

In April, Walker and Dockendorf opened a third business—a coffee bar—under the roof of their historic building. Built in 1835, it is one of only five properties in Malta to be placed on the National Registry of Historic Places by the U. S. Department of the Interior.

The Coffee Bar at Finishing Touches serves a variety of beverages include latte, espresso, cappuccino, hot chocolate and iced coffee. Homemade

©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

cookies and brownies are also available, and muffins and bagels will most likely be added to the Coffee Bar’s offerings in the near future.

“We also have an affogato which is vanilla soft-serve ice cream with espresso that people are really loving,” said Walker. “We also have a cookies and cream iced frappe which is a frozen drink with crushed up cookies and creams cookies.”

Although the coffee bar is located inside of the store, the coffee is meant to be enjoyed outside. It is for that reason that inside seating is limited.

Outside coffee service will be available during hours that Cookies & Cream is open, orders can be placed at any one of the shop’s four ice cream windows.

“The addition of The Coffee Bar to Finishing Touches is just an added feature we offer to the people of Malta who love coffee,” said Dockendorf.

“We have everything that Starbucks has. Eventually we will have a coffee carhop so that you will be able to drive up and order, and we will bring the coffee right to you. We are hoping to start the carhop service at the beginning of July.”

Carhop orders will be placed at the drive-up area, and in the future, customers will be able to order through an online app. An additional two to three employees will be hired to staff the coffee and carhop operation. Carhop service will be available between 7 a.m. to noon.

According to Walker, business at Finishing Touches has grown since the introduction of Cookies & Cream.

CAP COM Federal Credit Union and its charitable giving arm, the CAP COM Cares Foundation, announced the foundation’s Infrastructure Grant Initiative.

A total of $100,000 will be awarded to 10 Capital Region nonprofit organizations at a special luncheon later this year.

The Infrastructure Initiative program formalizes the CAP COM Cares Foundation’s commitment to be a strong community partner and support projects that nonprofits often fi nd difficult to fund.

The beneficiaries of the Foundation’s initiative rogram include: AIM Services Inc., Saratoga County; BlueLight Development Group, Albany County; Eden’s Rose Foundation, Albany County; Foster Can Inc., Rensselaer County; Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County, Rensselaer County; SAFE Inc. of Schenectady, Schenectady County; Senior Citizens Center of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County; St. Catherine’s Center for Children, Albany County; To Life!, Albany County; and Women’s Employment Resource Center (WERC), Albany County. *

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The Saratoga County History Center announced the publication of a new book on local history.

“Off the Northway” is a compilation of 83 articles written by longtime local journalist Stephen Williams, who retired after a 42-year career at the Daily Gazette in Schenectady.

The book, a collection of his weekly “Off the Northway” columns and other stories spanning the period from 2005 through 2020, will be released and become available for sale beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 28 at a presentation and book signing by the author

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at Brookside Museum, 6 Charlton St., Ballston Spa, the home of the History Center.

Pre-registration for the event can be made at brooksidemuseum.org. The book will also be available at local bookstores, additional book signing sessions to be announced, and at amazon.com “Off the Northway” provides a reporter’s up-close perspective on the events that impacted people living in Saratoga County during this 15-year period and reflects on the changes seen across the county stemming from the construction of the Adirondack Northway six decades ago.

For more information, please contact the Saratoga County History Center or James Richmond at saratogacohistoryroundtable@ gmail.com. *

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People can join an environmental educator to explore the meadow habitats of Old Gick Farm and learn about the endangered, threatened, and other species of butterfl ies that can be found in the ecosystem at a Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park event scheduled for Saturday, June 18, from 3-4:30 p.m.

Th is will be an approximately a 1.5 mile hike over gentle terrain. Th is is a free program.

Registration is required. Space is limited.

To register, visit wiltonpreserve.org, and click on the “Our Programs” tab, then “Calendar of Public Events” to access the form.

For more information, contact the Preserve & Park office at 518-450-0321 or via email at info@wiltonpreserve.org.

The Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is a non-profit organization that conserves ecological systems and natural settings while providing opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation.

6 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL 2002 Business Of The Year

The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County P.O. Box 766 • Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 (518) 581-0600 • Fax: (518) 430-3020 • www.saratogabusinessjournal.com Editorial: RJDeLuke@saratogabusinessjournal.com Advertising: HarryW@saratogabusinessjournal.com Publisher & Editor Harry Weinhagen Associate Editor R.J. DeLuke Editor Emeritus Rod Bacon Sales and Customer Service Harry Weinhagen Production Manager Graphic Precision Photographer Stock Studios Photography Contributing Writers Susan Campbell Jill Nagy Jennifer Farnsworth Christine Graf Andrea Palmer Paul Post Saratoga Business Journal is published monthly, the second week of each month, by Weinhagen Associates, LLC and mailed to business and professional people in Saratoga county.

Saratoga Business Journal is independently owned and is a registered tradename of Weinhagen Associates, LLC, P.O. Box 766, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 (518) 581-0600. Saratoga Business Journal is a registered tradename in New York.

Saratoga Business Journal has been founded to promote business in Saratoga county and to provide a forum that will increase the awareness of issues and activities that are of interest to the business community. Subscription price is $25.00 per year. Third class postage paid at Glens Falls, New York.

Rights to editorial content and layouts of advertising placed with Saratoga Business Journal which are the creative effort of its contractors, and printing materials supplied by Saratoga Business Journal are the property of Saratoga Business Journal and may not be reproduced by photographic or similar methods, or otherwise, without the specific authorization of Saratoga Business Journal.

New York state has launched Round XII of the its annual Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.

Several area companies and development projects have been helped over the years by funding from this initiative.

Round XII includes core capital grant and tax-credit funding to be combined with a wide range of programs from 10 state agencies that will provide funding for prospective projects. As with Round XI, $150 million in grant funds from Empire State Development will be available to projects on a continuous basis, in order to be responsive to the immediate needs of communities.

“The Regional Economic Development Councils have been transformative for communities across the state, and we will continue supporting impactful projects that align with each region’s strategic goals,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “Through Round XII, we are addressing one of the biggest challenges—and opportunities—in our state’s economic development strategy by supporting New Yorkers in developing the skills they need to succeed, both today and in the future. The REDCs will identify strategies to ensure employers in growing industries have access to the skilled labor they need to be competitive, helping usher in a more prosperous New York for all.”

This year, the Regional Economic Development Councils will prioritize workforce development, with a specific focus on developing and funding job training and placement programs that address the current and future needs for talent of employers in the state and each region, officials said. As part of this focus on equitable growth, each Regional Council will work in concert with ESD and the new Office of Strategic Workforce Development to create a tailored regional strategy identifying the specific jobs and skills needed by employers in that area of the state.

The Regional Councils and ESD will then seek to fund programs that help workers meet these specific needs.

Earlier this year, Hochul created a new Office of Strategic Workforce and Economic Development within ESD. The office’s purpose is to leverage ESD’s expertise in working with businesses in New York state to inform the design of workforce training and placement programs.

The office’s mission is to help New Yorkers get the skills and opportunities to succeed in growing fields. By ensuring that employers in these industries have access to high-quality, skilled labor,

New York will improve its competitive position and help its people attain greater opportunities to prosper.

Officials said the office will utilize the expertise of the Regional Councils, which possess local knowledge of workforce needs, trends, and opportunities. Regional Councils will create a “regional workforce inventory” to identify each region’s post-pandemic workforce needs. This will serve as a guide as ESD and the Regional Councils review applications to new grant programs that will be offered later this year.

To inform this effort, New York state, in partnership with the Business Council of New York State, has developed a comprehensive online survey to solicit vital feedback from businesses on the skills required for workers to be successful in today’s complex economy, and how New York can prepare and position its labor force to better serve companies’ needs. This demand-driven approach will ensure that New York has access to real-time feedback on in-demand jobs and skills to inform its statewide and regional workforce development efforts.

The Regional Councils will score projects submitted through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), which is the State’s single application for state resources and includes programs from numerous agencies. It is designed to give project applicants expedited and streamlined access to a combined pool of grant funds and tax credits from dozens of existing programs. Regional Councils will review projects and provide scores that reflect how well a project aligns with a region’s goals and strategies.

To guide the Regional Councils in these efforts, ESD has prepared its annual Guidebook for REDC members. The guidebook and a list of additional resources available to REDC Members are accessible here. The CFA is available at https:// apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa/index.cfm. The deadline for applications is Friday, July 29 at 4 p.m.

Open enrollment programs are not subject to the July 29 deadline and will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis until funds are exhausted.

The REDC process continues to support and empower regional stakeholders in developing strategic plans and funding priorities that meet local economic needs. To date, through the REDC Initiative, more than $7.5 billion has been awarded to more than 9,200 job creation and community development projects consistent with each region’s strategic plan.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 7

Craft Brewery, Lao Food Business Thrive Greenfield’s New Green Park Has Equipment In Schuylerville After Pandemic Setbacks Made From Recycled Materials From Ocean

BY CHRISTINE GRAF After years of planning, Bound by Fate Brewing Taproom opened its doors at 31 Ferry St. in Schuylerville in February 2020.

Just six weeks later, bars and restaurants were restricted to offering takeout only as a result of the COVID shutdown. At the time, the taproom served no food and did not package its beer.

“We had a very small operation and were selling beer by the glass,” said CEO Pam PradachithDemler who co-founded the business along with husband, Brett Demler, and his brothers Evan and Ryan Demler.

Evan and Ryan have extensive industry experience but are not involved in day-to-day operations.

Brett serves as head brewer and brews the beer in a barn located on the couple’s Schuylerville property.

During the shutdown, the taproom invested in a crowler machine, which enabled them to package their beer in 32-ounce cans. Because of pandemicrelated law changes, they were allowed to sell their craft beer on the street outside of the taproom.

“We were hand-filling the beer and selling it on the corner. That’s how we got through those first three months. We did pretty well, and that’s what kept our lights on,” said Pradachith-Demler. “We survived the pandemic because the community of Schuylerville really embraced us and supported us through that time, and the operating overhead of starting a business here is so accessible.”

When the state’s reopening guidelines required strict social distancing guidelines, Bound by Fate’s taproom simply wasn’t large enough.

“We knew that our initial space wasn’t going to cut it and that we weren’t going to make it through,” she said. “Fortunately, the business next door to us was moving.”

After signing the lease on the adjoining space, they expanded their taproom from 840 to 3,000 square feet. A new bar was constructed and the outdoor deck was expanded.

In order to comply with mandates that required bars to serve food, a small menu was created.

“What the pandemic did for us was that it escalated our business plan to year two—the expansion of the taproom and the adding of a full kitchen,” said Pradachith-Demler. “Doing all of that work is what we had to do to survive.”

A graduate of Columbia University with a degree in urban studies and sociology, she and Brett, also a graduate of Columbia, settled in California after they got married. It was while living there that he started brewing beer and managing a home brew shop.

When the couple decided to pursue their dream of opening their own craft brewery, they were drawn to New York in part because of the state’s farm brewing law that was passed in 2012. It was designed to increase demand for locally grown products.

Obtaining a farm brewery license requires beer to be made primarily from locally-sourced ingredients, and Bound by Fate sources at least 60 percent of its ingredients from around the state. Because they have a state farm license, they can also serve arm ciders, wines, and spirits in addition to their craft beers.

After finding a home in Schuylerville—which happens to be where the Demler brothers were born—Pradachith-Demler gave up her career in the nonprofit world to devote herself full-time to opening the brewery while raising three young

Pam and Bret Pradachith-Demler are cofounders of Bound by Fate Brewing Taproom. ©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

children. Her daily commute now involves walking one block from their home to their taproom.

In March 2021, Pradachith-Demler’s sister Seng Luangrath was visiting from Washington D.C. She is a chef and offered to do a pop-up restaurant (a temporary restaurant hosted in an existing space) featuring Lao food.

“I was thinking, ‘We’re serving Lao food in Schuylerville. Who’s possibly going to come?” said Pradachith-Demler. “But people came from as far away as Rochester, and we had a line out the door and around the corner every day of the pop-up. She has a very big following.”

Based on the success of the pop-up as well as the Demler’s realization that expanding their limited menu was essential in order for the business to survive, they decided to open Haan Lao at Bound

by Fate Brewing. The restaurant specializes in Laotian food and is the only one of its kind in the state outside of New York City.

According to Pradachith-Demler who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, she was initially hesitant to specialize in Laotian food. Her family is from Laos, and they were among the thousands who were forced to flee the country after their government was overthrown during the Vietnam War era. She was 3 years old when they emigrated to the United States by way of California.

“As a refuge to this country, for me, assimilation was always my coping strategy to transitioning to American life. It was hard for me to imagine that rural America would embrace Laotian food. We barely even knew if they would embrace craft beer.

But once we decided that would be the concept, we went full in,” she said.

“Our food is rooted in traditional Laotian cuisine with an American/pub-style brewery approach,” said Pradachith-Demler. “We have fries and wings, but they are spiced with tamarind and fish sauce. Our dishes really run the gamut from traditional to cauliflower with spicy tamarind sauce. The spicy, citrusy, salty flavors of Southeast Asia are present in everything we make.”

Kitchen hours are Tuesday through Friday 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Bar and taproom hours are Wednesday through Friday, 4-9 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.boundbyfatebrewing.com.

The Town of Greenfield unveiled a new “green” playground at its Brookhaven Park & Golf Course at 333 Alpine Meadows Road on June 6.

The playground features materials made by Kompan, an Austin, Tex-based manufacturer of commercial playground equipment. It features Kompan’s new GreenLine products, developed from repurposed materials such as ocean waste and fishing nets.

Greenfield was the fi rst in the country to purchase and install Kompan’s new GreenLine products, according to the company.

Kompan said it uses recycled materials, including textiles, food packaging, plastic bags, and discarded fishing equipment to create its raw materials and reports that its emissions have reduced 50 percent from before the introduction of the new method.

Kompan proudly uses a verified method to specify CO2 emissions through Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification services.

Kompan launched its GreenLine products in 2021.

“We are pleased to offer our residents an environmentally state-of-the-art playground and outdoor recreation space at Brookhaven,” said town Supervisor Kevin Veitch. “It is part of our vision to expand our recreation spaces while preserving the natural integrity of our beautiful, wide open spaces here in Greenfield.”

The playground, which cost the town $130,000, includes a large climbing piece with two slides and a fi re pole; a swing set with infant, single and multiple user options; a spica spinning pole; an arc tunnel climbing net; and five free-standing GreenLine pieces including a toddler train and carriage; an albatross seesaw; a dune buggy rocking toy; and a tipi carousel spinning toy.

The playground is 5,184 square feet and is approximately 108 x 48 feet. It is intended to appeal primarily to children 2 to 12 years old.

The playground sits across the road from Brookhaven Golf Course and The View Restaurant and features many acres of wooded trails and a 3,600-square-foot pavilion for outdoor gatherings, which can be reserved by calling Town Hall.

Greenfield unveiled a new “green” playground at its Brookhaven Park & Golf Course.

“Our parks have an increasing social importance to our residents, especially after having our opportunities so limited for the past few years,” said recreation director Rebecca Sewell.

“We have big plans to keep improving all of our parks, one at a time.”

The town has plans to continue its park improvements by renovating its pavilion, building new restrooms, adding a 1.5 mile walking path and pickle-ball courts and expanding parking over the next few years. Sewell said the town’s future goals also include changes at Greenfield’s Porter Corners Park, a baseball destination for the region, which attracts hundreds of families each weekend from May to August.

Greenfield is home to 8,200 residents in Greenfield, Porter Corners and Middle Grove.

It spans more than 41,000 acres of land bordering the Adirondacks. Brookhaven Park and Golf Course is a 365-acre park in Porter Corners. O.B. Beyer Recreation Park Inc., an employee organization of the International Paper Mill in Corinth, opened the facility in 1960 and donated it to the Town in 2011.

The park features Brookhaven Golf Course, The View Restaurant, a newly renovated outdoor recreation space, and groomed snowshoe and cross-country ski trails in the winter.

©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

April Weygand Owner April Fresh Cleaning Reads

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

8 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

‘Breakfast And Breeding’ Horse Farm Tour Fans Of ‘X-Files’ Television Show Can Buy Offered This Summer During Track Season Collectibles At New Shop/Museum In Wilton The New York Racing Association has announced plans for the first-ever Breakfast and Breeding Farm tour package at Saratoga Race Course.

The tour, presented by the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA), will be offered every Friday, beginning July 15, and will accommodate up to 40 guests.

The all-inclusive fan experience package features: a buffet breakfast at Saratoga Race Course; an opportunity to watch thoroughbreds during their morning training; a round-trip, open-air trolley ride from Saratoga Race Course to Old Tavern Farm; a 90-minute guided walking tour of an active thoroughbred breeding farm; and admission to Saratoga Race Course for the day.

The package is available for $55 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for each weekly Friday tour. Tickets may be purchased at NYRA.com.

“The inaugural Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm package is an exciting behindthe-scenes opportunity for visitors to Saratoga to experience a different aspect of the sport,” said NYRA Vice President of Communications Pat McKenna. “To be able to combine morning training with a visit to a breeding farm followed by an afternoon at the races is a trifecta fans won’t want to miss.”

The package begins with the buffet breakfast at Saratoga Race Course between 7-9:30 a.m.

Guests can arrive at any time for breakfast during these hours. Following breakfast, fans will board the trolley, courtesy of CDTA, at the clubhouse entrance and embark on a 15-minute ride along picturesque Saratoga Lake to Old Tavern Farm for a 90-minute experiential and educational walking tour of one of the region’s premier breeding farms.

Fans will arrive back at Saratoga Race Course at approximately 11:45 a.m., well in advance of post time for the start of racing at 1 p.m.

Established in 2016 by Walt and Michelle Borisenok, Old Tavern Farm is a private

boutique thoroughbred-breeding operation in Saratoga Springs located just minutes from Saratoga Race Course.

“We are honored to be part of this exciting new initiative in partnership with NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders and CDTA,” said Old Tavern Farm founder and owner Walt Borisenok. “We hope those who take advantage of this opportunity may become lifelong fans of the sport while others may gain a greater appreciation for how thoroughbred racing supports our local economy.”

“The Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm tour is a fantastic new addition to the Saratoga experience highlighting the importance of the New York state breeding industry,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders.

In the Capital Region alone, Saratoga Race Course is responsible for an economic impact of nearly $240 million and supports the employment of more than 2,000 full-, part-time and seasonal workers, according to the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency.

Additionally, findings from a joint study by the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association say that the equine industry is active in each of the state’s 62 counties and is responsible for the preservation of as much as 1.3 million acres of greenspace.

“We are proud to expand our partnership with NYRA to include this new offering alongside Old Tavern Farm for the 2022 racing season,” said CDTA’s Director of Business Development Jonathan Scherzer. “This new experience will connect fans and visitors to the historic Saratoga Race Course and the rich history of horse racing in a new way. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone on board our iconic trolley for a new Summer in Saratoga experience.”

For more information about Saratoga Race Course visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.

BY JILL NAGY Fans of the television series “X-Files” can get their shot of nostalgia and mementos to take home at the X-Files Preservation Collection and Collectibles in Wilton.

The combination shop and museum opened on April 30 with visits from Chris Carter, creator of the drama series, and Keith Arbuthnot, an actor who played monsters on the show, as well as fans from around the world, according to Jim Thornton, one of the owners of the collection.

Visitors can view a collection of props and costumes actually used in filming episodes of the series, some of them contributed by Carter.

Thornton and his wife and business partner, Kelly Anthony, began collecting X-Files memorabilia in the 1990s.

“I loved the show and thought: Wow, I’d like to own something from it,” Thornton recalled. By 2019, the couple had accumulated enough items to fill a moving truck and they drove it to X-Fest, an

©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

X-Files convention in Chicago.

Thornton thinks that someone who saw their display in Chicago must have contacted Carter and told him about it. Shortly afterward, Carter “found us” and donated a few things, he said. From there, “it progressed and grew bigger and bigger.”

The outlet in Wilton, at 4284 Route 50, features a showroom where, for an admission charge, visitors can see props, set dressings, and costumes, all of which previously appeared on screen, as well as DVDs of old shows, and vintage video and pinball games.

The fees are used to help preserve the collection, Thornton said. There is no admission fee for the shop, which offers merchandise related to the X-Files and other TV shows and movies, a pop culture collection reflecting horror movies and similar artifacts.

The collection and shop are open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The telephone number is 518 886-9434.

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Jim Thornton is one of the owners of the X-Files Preservation Collection and Collectibles in Wilton, where people can get collectibles and view mementos from the TV program.

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 9

‘The Porch’ Is A New Outdoor Dining Michael Bittel Retires As President, CEO Of Option At The Saratoga National Golf Club Adirondack Regional Chamber Of Commerce

The Porch at Saratoga National is an open-air, gastro pub. The elevated casual dining restaurant overlooks the 18th green, infinity pool, and owl pond.

Angelo Mazzone has a new seasonal dining experience, The Porch at Saratoga National.

The new outdoor offering opened in May at Saratoga National Golf Club.

The Porch is an open-air, gastro pub. The elevated casual dining restaurant overlooks the 18th green, infinity pool, and owl pond.

The Porch is surrounded by fresh herbs, planted and grown by the Green Bed Project.

It is open daily for lunch and dinner, dessert, cold and crisp refreshers, and Sunday brunch.

Hours of operation are weekdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and brunch until 2 p.m. It will be open through mid-October, weather dependent.

Walk-ins are welcome.

The outdoor bar is open daily at 4 p.m.

“There is a special feeling here that can’t be matched anywhere else” said general manager, Heather O’Neill. “Prime at Saratoga National saw a need for a new, modern restaurant ... a way to bring guests back to Saratoga National with a new, more upscale casual dining experience.”

She said the menu is inspired by creating unique experiences with friends and family

©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

through cocktails and shareable plates. It includes an assortment of fresh, creative salads and appetizers, fruits de mer and shareable steam pots.

There are also classic main dishes like lobster club, wagyu smashed burger, BLT Kobe dog, steak frites and fried chicken sandwich.

Something fresh for local and new patrons.

The same menu is available for lunch and dinner all day.

The Porch offers an airy bistro feel with hints of greenery. She said the look, feel, and menu were inspired by a Rockefeller Center restaurant.

The menu for The Porch was created by Saratoga National executive chef Brandon Johnson with guidance by chef Julian Alonzo, the regional executive chef for Food+ by Compass Group.

Alonzo has more than 25 years of culinary experience, working in celebrated kitchens in the country such as La Caravelle and Maxims in New York City. Johnson has extensive industry experience within the greater Capital Region.

To tour the space and learn more about holding events at Saratoga National Golf Club, call 518-583-4653, ext 3, or email HeatherO@mazzonehospitality.com.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce is involved in a search to replace its president and CEO, Michael Bittel, who has announced his retirement from the organization.

Bittel retired in June.

“It has been an honor to love and serve our great region for the past four years,” Bittel said of his tenure Our community is so wonderful because of our greatest asset, our people.”

The ARCC board of directors of hired Bittel in 2018. He took the reigns from Marti Burnley, who was named interim president after Tori J.E. Riley left the position in September of 2017.

“I have been spoiled to work with a great team at the ARCC who will carry on the torch of loving and serving our community,” said Bittel, expressing thanks to the ARCC Board and his staffers Paricia Rogers, Amanda Blanton, Carol Ann Conover and Karen Mattison.

“I have worked extremely close with Michael since his arrival at the Chamber in 2018,” said Marc Monahan, ARCC board chair and regional executive vice president of NBT Bank.

“From day one, Michael showed up ready to work and connect the Chamber with our entire business community. Throughout his tenure with the ARCC he has shown a passion, drive and desire to help all of our members and supporters.

“Although the past couple of years have been extremely challenging as we navigated the constant pressures of the pandemic, we are stronger today than ever before” Monahan said the ARCC team “is committed to continue to collaborate, educate, connect, and advocate during this transition. We are already hard at work to find a new leader for the ARCC. The next person will certainly have big shoes to fi ll, but we are confident we will find the right person.”

During Bittel’s time he was instrumental in increasing revenue, supporting and partnering with an outstanding ARCC team, and utilizing his past business experience and relationships with local elected officials to advocate for the business community and greater region.

He has served on the Glens Falls Civic Center Coalition, the Glens Falls Business Improvement District (BID), the USDA Farm Service Agency, the Greater Glens Falls YMCA board, the Saratoga/Warren/Washington Workforce Development Board, Warren/ Washington County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the Warren County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Advisory Commit-

Michael Bittel served as president and CEO of the ARCC dating back to 2018. ©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

tee, the Reopen Washington County Committee, and the Warren County Economic Development Task Force.

Prior to joining the ARCC, Bittel was COO at Hometown Healthcare and prior to that co-CEO of The King Arthur Flour Co. in Norwich, Vt. He joined Clifton Park-based Hometown Healthcare Inc. in 2016 as its COO where he was responsible for human resources, operations, customer service, sales, marketing, insurance payer and government relations, and new business development.

Bittel has also served on the Board for the March of Dimes New York, the Glens Falls Hospital board of governors, and the Northwest NY Salvation Army board of directors.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and government from Skidmore College.

Founded in 1914, ARCC is a membershipfunded organization representing more than 23,000 people predominantly in Washington, Warren, Essex, and northern Saratoga counties.

The ARCC is a nonprofit corporation, governed by volunteer board of directors, and does not receive any funding from local, county or state governments. Its mission is to help regional companies succeed, grow, and thrive and expand economic opportunity throughout the region. The ARCC focuses on the four pillars of advocacy, education, connection, and collaboration.

10 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

Officials Say Considering Building Trades Several Companies In Construction Industry As A Career Is Becoming More Common Give Free Tool Bags To High School Grads

BY CHRISTINE GRAF As the skilled labor shortage reaches an alltime high, educators and trade professionals are working to eliminate the widespread perception that vocational training is not a viable career path for students of all academic levels.

While a four-year college degree costs an average of $127,000, a trade school degree averages just $33,000. Although college graduates earn an average of $16,900 more than those working in the skilled trades, the pay gap is shrinking as companies pay higher salaries to fill open positions in various trades.

Data provided by the U.S. Department of Education indicates that workers with trade school training are slightly more likely to be employed than those with academic credentials. They are also more likely to be working in their field of study and less likely to be burdened by crippling college debt. The amount of student debt in the U.S. has surpassed $1.73 billion.

According to Mike Martell, assistant business manager at IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) 236, students and their parents no longer believe that college is the only option.

“I think it was the case several years ago where high schools and counselors were really pushing people in the direction of college, but I think that has kind of turned the corner a little bit,” he said.

“I believe that more people are realizing that a career in the trades makes sense because you aren’t accruing all sort of college debt. You don’t need to go to college and get a four-year degree in order to get a decent job. People are starting to realize that there is another way that is a viable alternative.”

Martell is able to speak on the subject from personal experience. He attended college for several years before deciding to pursue a trade.

“I graduated from high school at a time when counselors and pretty much everyone else was telling you that if you didn’t have a college degree, you weren’t going to make anything of yourself,” he said. “I went college because that’s what I was told. I went for a few years, and it wasn’t really something that was panning out for me. I started seeking other avenues. That’s how I ended up coming here.”

After joining IBEW, Martell said he was concerned that he didn’t have the necessary skill set to succeed.

WSWHE BOCES is devoting more resources to promoting the building trades.

Courtesy WSWHE BOCES

“I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to hack it. But what it really boils down to is, ‘Do you really want to be here.’ Because that can’t be taught.

We can’t teach somebody to care and enjoy this line of work. If they come here with the right attitude, we can give them everything else. For me, it was a little out of my comfort zone, but I was given the training, the skills, and the knowledge that I need to succeed. I wanted to be here, so I made it happen.”

After joining the IBEW workforce, employees receive on-the-job training while earning a salary. Someone with no experience starts out at $18 an hour and receives an excellent benefit package that includes no-cost health insurance and employer pension contributions. A journeyman wireman earns $45 an hour after completing the IBEW five-year apprenticeship program.

“Our program is geared toward somebody coming in and staying for their career,” said Martell. “We have a few different pathways and are able to put people to work almost immediately.

We sit down with you and evaluate your skill set. If you don’t have one, that’s fine too. You just need to come in with a willingness to learn, work, and be productive. We set you up and classify you appropriately and get you out to work. You get your skills both on the job and through our Continued On Page 15

These are among the tools that were loaded into packs and distributed to area high school students pursuing careers in building trades. Curtis Lumber partnered with local companies in the effort.

Courtesy Curtis Lumber

Curtis Lumber has partnered with several local companies in the construction industry to help graduating seniors at WSWHE BOCES and Questar III BOCES in Career and Tech Ed programs.

Curtis Lumber has spearheaded an effort to provide over 250 tool bags filled with some starter items in support of graduating seniors at those schools who will be entering the workforce in the areas of construction, heavy equipment, HVAC and welding.

Participating companies include Belmonte Builders, Bennett Contracting, Callanan Industries, DeGraff Bloom Customer Builders, DA Collins, Hoosick Valley Contractors, Malta Development, Munter Enterprises, North Atlantic State Regional Council of Carpenters, Otterbeck Builders, Teakwood Builders, Trojanski Builders, Turner Construction, Weyerhaeuser, and Witt Construction.

The tool bags will be given to the students through the middle of June.

“The trades are in desperate need of labor,” said Doug Ford, vice president at Curtis Lumber. “We wanted to do something to show our support and appreciation for students embarking on a career in the trades.”

The multi-company partnership is a continuation of a workforce development task force that spawned out of the Saratoga Builders Association. The group has grown in breadth and depth and now includes over 50 companies around the state.

To learn more about Curtis Lumber Co., visit www.curtislumber.com.

Established in 1890, Curtis Lumber is an independent, family-owned business that serves eastern, central, and northern New York and Vermont. The company’s 700 employees pride themselves on serving both consumers and professional builders.

It’s 23 locations are full-service home centers and building supply yards. It’s f leet of 100 trucks can deliver from Pennsylvania to the Canadian border.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 11

Labor Issues

Continued From Page 1 Argyle-based Hunt Companies Inc. does a great deal of construction work for franchise brand restaurants such as McDonald’s and Taco Bell. At full capacity, the business employs 25 people, but currently has just 16, including one part-timer.

“For the construction industry as a whole, hiring was a problem before COVID started,” company president Amie Gonzales said. “Once COVID hit that exacerbated it. It definitely limits the amount of work we can take on at one time.

With a full crew we can usually do multiple jobs simultaneously. Now we have to be very selective, not just the size of the job, but the time frame, too.”

Whitbeck Construction owner Matt Whitbeck, of Wilton, said his firm, which specializes in new home construction and remodeling, is about 50 percent understaffed.

“Both my business partner and I are in the field, working a lot, just to try to keep jobs moving ahead that have been booked and scheduled for well over a year,” he said.

Jesse Boucher, president of Wilton-based Kodiak Construction, said “We currently have 12 staff and work with another dozen trade contractors to construct new single-family homes. We’re lacking support staff, the general labor that can help move materials around, pick-up materials from the store, and clean and organize job sites.

Each of our trade contractors could use another three to five guys on their teams as well.”

“Before 2020, it was possible to construct houses in five to six months,” he said. “We are currently requesting seven to eight months to provide more time for smaller crews to complete the work.”

Offering a competitive wage, making students at all grade levels aware of rewarding career possibilities, and using the latest technology to make work easier, will help solve the industry’s labor shortage problem, builders say.

“Working conditions are impacted by the weather and the work is very physically demanding,” Boucher said. “People who stay in construction have a passion for creating new things and providing high-quality craftsmanship.

Incorporating new technology helps keep people interested.

“For example, battery-powered tools have reduced the need for hauling heavy lead cords and generators for daily tasks. Cloud servers have made it easier to get information from the office to the field. Younger generations want to see efficiency improve, so becoming more efficient helps keep workers engaged.”

At Glens Falls-based VMJR Companies, laborer, carpenter and mason apprentice jobs start out at $16.98, $19.46 and $23.33 per hour, respectively.

The worker can obtain journeyman status within five years, which pays $30.86, $35.40 and $38.69 per hour, respectively, plus supplemental benefits for each position.

“We have a core group of 35 field employees and are having a difficult time hiring skilled masons and carpenters,” president and CEO Victor Macri said. “Plus, for office operations we could use two more project managers and project engineers and another administrative assistant.

We’ve been searching for over a year to fill these positions.”

Builders do everything possible to find new employees, from traditional techniques such as newspaper ads and job fairs, to newer online strategies including LinkedIn and ZipRecuriter.

“Networking and word-of-mouth are still best,” Macri said. “We pride ourselves on the culture we create for our employees, which helps sell it to others. There’s no easy way to search for employees. You just hope you get lucky.”

Four years ago, the Saratoga Builders Association launched a Construction Industry Task Force comprised of builders, suppliers and officials of the area Washington-Saratoga-WarrenHamilton-Essex (WSWHE) Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) with the stated mission of “encouraging young people and adults to consider a career in the construction industry by bringing an awareness to the benefits associated with it.”

WSWHE serves 31 school districts in a fivecounty region including Saratoga, Warren and Washington..

Subsequent meetings with school superintendents, principals and guidance counselors revealed a major lack of awareness about construction trades opportunities and misconceptions surrounding the work such as being too physical, offering low pay and requiring extra-long work days.

Next, the Task Force held a variety of activities for students such as letting them handle and experiment with tools, hosting a Career Day, visiting construction sites and having BOCES students build a “tiny house” that was featured during the association’s annual Showcase of Homes.

Such efforts proved valuable by exposing kids to jobs that might not have considered otherwise.

Boucher said it’s critical for builders to present their companies as one that offers growth and opportunity to new workers.

“We offer full benefits including paid vacation, paid holidays, mileage reimbursement, a 401K plan, matching contributions, health insurance premium payments and competitive pay,” he said.

Gonzales said building trades give any young, willing worker a chance to go as far as they want to.

“As long as you have the drive and want to do this we can train you, we can give you the skills,” she said. “There is a career path in the construction industry. It depends on the individual. This really is all skill-based. If you can do the work and excel at it, we don’t have a set time frame. You don’t have to be here four years. If you learn it we can move you right on up through.”

Dr. Turina Parker Becomes WSWHE BOCES District Superintendent And CEO The Washington-Saratoga-Warren-HamiltonEssex BOCES has named Dr. Turina Parker as the new WSWHE BOCES district superintendent and chief executive officer.

Parker has been assistant superintendent for educational and support programs for the WSWHE BOCES. She is set to begin her official duties as district superintendent on Aug. 16.

She replaces James Dexter, who is retiring in August after 12 years of service to WSWHE BOCES. “Dr. Parker has demonstrated the ability to lead and work cooperatively across the region,” WSWHE BOCES President John A. Rieger said. “We are confident that Dr. Parker will build on our successes, fulfill our strategic plans, and provide a vision that will take the organization to the next level and provide even stronger support and opportunities for the education of our children and the school districts that we serve.”

With a career spanning 20 years, Parker is an experienced school district leader, with a passion for leading and supporting schools. She previously served as Director of Day Treatment and Principal at St. Catherine’s R. & E. May School in Albany, where her experience also included serving as the coordinator for curriculum and assistant principal.

She has served as assistant superintendent for educational and support programs for the past 14 years, including serving as principal for special programs, executive principal, and executive director for educational and support programs.

Her leadership experience includes directing the Early College Career Academy, as well as the school support services, personnel development, and employment training for adults divisions of WSWHE BOCES. She serves as a member of the Saratoga-Warren-Washington Workforce Development Board, and has maintained responsibilities for supporting students and leading principals, central office administrators and instructional personnel and classified staff.

Additionally, Parker teaches graduate students as an adjunct instructor at SUNY Plattsburgh.

“I am honored to serve the BOCES in this new capacity,” she said. “As district superintendent, I plan to nurture our valued partnerships with the component school districts and the community to provide opportunities for student success and local workforce development.”

Parker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Master of Science degree in educational administra-

Chuck Ciaccia 27 years

Jude Gosh 32 years

Dr. Turina Parker, WSWHE BOCES district superintendent and chief executive officer.

Courtesy WSWHE BOCES

tion, and Master of Science degree in curriculum development and instructional technology from SUNY Albany. She earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Walden University. She is an alumnus of the state superintendent development program through SUNY Oswego.

She lives in Ballston Lake with her husband and has two daughters.

Officials said the search for a new district superintendent began in early 2022. The search process was guided by feedback received through a community survey which drew nearly 200 responses from area board of education members, school administrators, BOCES employees, students, community members and others. During the search process, Parker interviewed with the WSWHE BOCES board as well as with the superintendents of the component school districts, and other stakeholder groups. She was one of four candidates interviewed for the position.

She also recently met with the state Commissioner of Education for a final interview and assessment of her qualifications and experience. As BOCES district superintendents serve a dual role acting as both the chief executive officer of a local BOCES and as the regional representative of the Commissioner of Education, the approval of the commissioner was required.

Dave Weiss 21 years

Spencer Agan 23 years

Dennis Choiniere 46 years

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12 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

•

Business Report What Investors Can—And Can’t—Control

As an investor, you can easily feel frustrated to see short-term drops in your investment statements. But while you cannot control the market, you may find it helpful to review the factors you can control.

Many forces affect the financial markets, including geopolitical events, corporate profits and interest rate movements – forces beyond the control of most individual investors.

In any case, it’s important to focus on the things you can control, such as these: • Your ability to define your goals. One area in which you have total control is your ability to define your goals. Like most people, you probably have short-term goals—such as saving for a new car or a dream vacation— and long-term ones, such as a comfortable retirement. Once you identify your goals and estimate how much they will cost, you can create an investment strategy to help achieve them.

Over time, some of your personal circumstances will likely change, so you’ll want to review your time horizon and risk tolerance on a regular basis, adjusting your strategy when appropriate. And the same is true for your goals. They may evolve over time, requiring new responses from you in how you invest.

• Your response to market downturns.

When the market drops and the value of your investments declines, you might be tempted to take immediate action in an effort to stop the losses. This is understandable. After all, your investment results can have a big impact on your future. However, acting hastily could work against you.

For example, you could sell investments that still have solid fundamentals and are still appropriate for your needs. If you can avoid decisions based on short-term events,

• •

Rob Snell, financial adviser with Edward Jones Financial in Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy Edward Jones Financial

you may help yourself in the long run.

• Your commitment to investing. The financial markets are almost always in flux, and their movements are hard to predict. If you can continue investing in all markets— good, bad or sideways—you will likely make much better progress toward your goals than if you periodically were to take a “time out.”

Many people head to the investment sidelines when the market tumbles, only to miss out on the beginnings of the next rally. And by steadily investing, you will increase the number of shares you own in your investments. And the larger your ownership stake, the greater your opportunities for building wealth.

• Your portfolio’s level of diversification.

While diversification itself can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses, it can help greatly reduce the impact of market Continued On Page 13

Business Report Pros And Cons Of Alternate Investments

BY DAVID CUMMING, CFP, RICP, CRPS In today’s dynamic market environment, some investors may be looking beyond stocks and bonds for other options for investing their money. This search for other options may lead to alternative investments.

Alternative investments are investments outside the stock and bond markets, and may include real estate, private equity, hedge funds, digital assets, and may include investments offering to these financial instruments such as cryptocurrencies, commodities, precious metals and art or collectibles.

These types of investments tend not to be correlated to the performance of stocks and bonds, and may offer the potential for higher returns, but typically with higher risk.

Here is an overview of what you need to know before investing.

Potential upsides of alternative investments: • Potential reduction in overall volatility. Since their performance are historically low to moderate correlation with market indices, alternative investments may help to reduce overall volatility within a portfolio of traditional investments.

• Diversification. Alternative investments typically help provide diversification across different markets, strategies, managers and investment styles.

• Potential for increased performance.

Like any investment, the rate of return for alternative investments is not guaranteed.

However, according to a study called “The Rate of Return on Everything, 1870-2015,” which looked at performance across 16 advanced economies over a period of 145 years, residential real estate provided the best returns.

Potential downsides of alternative

•

David Cumming, senior VP, financial advisor, Morgan Stanley in Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy Morgan Stanley

investments: • Illiquidity. Alternative investments tend to be private, rather than public, and they are generally less liquid, typically with reduced liquidity ranging from monthly to 12+ years, so they may be difficult to exit and your money may be tied up for an extended period of time.

• Lack of regulation. Alternative investments are not regulated and are not subject to reporting requirements. In addition, the underlying assets of alternative investments are often difficult to value, which leads to challenges in pricing and price transparency.

• High minimum investments. Many alternative investments carry high minimum investments, and may not be available to all investors. In addition, alternative investments generally carry higher fees.

Continued On Page 13

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 13

•

Business Report Bear Markets Signal Leadership Changes

BY STEPHEN KYNE, CFP During times of economic uncertainly and market volatility, we are often reminded that fear is generally a greater motivating factor than greed. It is during these times that prognosticators of doom gain traction, and individual investors make unwise choices out of fear of losing it all.

While nobody can be certain of what the future holds, we can look to the past for clues and, in doing so, temper our reaction.

Downturns, like the one we are experiencing, generally signal a change in market leadership supported by structural changes in our lives.

At the beginning of the pandemic, we saw a decline in stock indices of about 30 percent as the economy shut down, and investors had to survey the landscape for opportunities. It quickly became apparent that the pandemic was going to last longer than most expected, and that meant the closure of brick-and-mortar shops, restaurants, and offices. The only way the situation would be tenable would be to shift huge parts of our lives online.

For months, you could buy a bicycle from Amazon, but not from Joe’s Bike Shop. The huge and almost instantaneous structural shift favored large national retailers with a strong online presence, and sufficient ordering and distribution channels.

It favored companies that allowed us to remain productive in our occupations from anywhere. It favored restaurants that already had online ordering, and forced others to catch up or perish. An entire generation that largely feared technology was forced to adopt it in order to check in with their doctors. We were fed endless options for streaming entertainment.

What Investors Can Control Continued From Page 12

•

volatility on your portfolio. Just how you diversify your investments depends on several factors, but the general principle of maintaining a diversified portfolio should govern your approach to investing.

It’s a good idea to periodically review your portfolio to ensure it’s still properly diversified.

The world will always be filled with unpredictable, uncontrollable events, and many of them will affect the financial markets to one degree or another. But within your own investment world, you always have a great deal of control – and with it, you have the power to keep moving toward all your important financial objectives.

Pros and Cons

Continued From Page 12

Stephen Kyne, partner, Sterling Manor Financial LLC in Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy Sterling Manor Financial LLC

Last year, as the pandemic began to wane, we saw some semblance of normalcy. People were going out to dinner again, neighborhood stores were reopening, workers were returning to the office, Pelotons became coat racks, and we walked away from our televisions to picnic and see friends. Structurally, our lives and the economy were correcting, and we’re seeing that reflected today.

We are experiencing higher inflation than we’ve seen in two generations, and interest rates are rising substantially for the first time this century. There is a war in Europe that is forcing the world to reconsider its strategic sourcing of energy.

• Complexity. Alternative investments are often complex instruments and may require a higher level of due diligence. If you are considering alternative investments, you also want to be sure that you research and understand the potential tax implications associated with them.

In the past, alternative investments were reserved for the domains of institutional and high-net-worth investors.

However, in recent years, alternative investments have grown in popularity and are making their way into the portfolios of individual investors. Like all investments, alternative investments come with both benefits and risk. Before taking the leap into this sector, consult a financial advisor with experience in alternative investments who can help you determine whether this type of investment is right for you.

The stock markets are digesting competing information as it attempts to find direction and opportunity.

Remember, the markets don’t care about good and bad on an absolute basis. Those terms are meaningless. Markets care about better and worse, on a relative basis. Money flows happen from areas of less opportunity to areas of more opportunity. Right now, markets have largely decided that those companies that made our lives bearable during a pandemic, don’t necessarily present the same upside potential during more normal times.

As a result, the NASDAQ is down 23 percent, year-to-date, as of June 6. For the most

part, those companies aren’t any different than they were, it’s the world that changed.

Those companies aren’t necessarily bad, markets believe they’re just relatively less good.

Investors invest. That’s what they do. We don’t believe the sky is falling. It would be unwise to think so, as fearful as you may be.

We believe the markets will find their direction and areas of opportunity, as they have done during every downturn in history. We see no reason that this time will be different.

Continue to work closely with your certified financial planner professional to help make sure you are able to keep fear in check while you and the markets find direction.

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14 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

Hudson Headwaters Begins Implementing A Agency To Provide Nursing Staffing To Area New ‘Team Care’ Patient Care Model In Area Hospitals To Help With Shortage Issues

At Hudson Headwaters’ Moreau Family Health building, shown here, the organization launched a new model of patient care in conjunction with its West Mountain Campus in Queensbury.

Courtesy Hudson Headwaters

Hudson Headwaters Health Network has launched a new model of patient care at the West Mountain Campus in Queensbury and at its Moreau Family Health.

Known as team care, the cutting-edge approach is designed to deliver more personalized care for patients and improve work-life balance for health center staff.

Officials said in the team care model, each patient continues to have their primary care provider, but in addition, they are also assigned to a team of providers, nurses and administrative staff. The entire team gets to know the patient so even if their primary care provider is unavailable, the patient can count on consistent, personalized care during their visit.

The phone system, check-in and other processes have also been updated to provide a more efficient and streamlined experience.

Core teams are supported by behavioral health providers, care managers, clinical pharmacists and other specially trained staff. The model is designed to put the patient back at the center of their health care, according to Hudson Headwaters “This launch follows years of learning from innovative organizations that have successfully transitioned to team care,” said Hudson Headwaters CEO Dr. Tucker Slingerland. “Though the new model of care is a big undertaking, we are building a better, sustainable system that

benefits everyone. This approach is a result of patient and staff feedback and will enhance the patient-provider experience.”

“This is truly a win for the patient and a win for the staff,” said Dr. Bill Borgos, chief medical officer. “The modern health care experience has become complex, with much time spent filling out forms, documenting care and navigating computer systems. The team care model emphasizes human connection and enables more uninterrupted time to answer questions and build relationships.”

Officials said Hudson Headwaters West Mountain campus is the first to transition to the new model. To support the change, West Mountain-based primary care doctors and staff are now located at West Mountain Family Health, previously known as West Mountain Health Services, Building 2.

West Mountain Specialty Care, previously known as West Mountain Health Services, Building 1, now houses services and programs including the Hudson Headwaters HIV/Ryan White program, hepatitis C program, the Homeward Bound/Pathways program for seniors as well as nephrology, podiatry, neurology, sports medicine, skin lesion evaluation and rheumatology services.

Officials said other Hudson Headwaters health centers will follow with the team care approach.

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A new staffing agency will provide contract nursing staff to the hospitals and facilities of the Albany Med Health System, including Saratoga Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital.

The Albany Med Health System (AMHS) Staffing Alliance was formed in April of 2021 as an affiliate of the VNA of Albany and became fully operational in October of 2021. Its mission is to provide a strategic source of contract nurses exclusively for the Albany Med health system’s facilities to fill temporary staffing gaps, and to provide flexible, temporary work schedules that meet individual and system needs.

“The AMHS Staffing Alliance is an appealing option for nurses who are interested in an Albany Med Health System hospital or facility but due to their current situations, prefer temporary nursing assignments instead of a permanent position,” said Susan Larman, RN, CEO of VNA of Albany. “Interested candidates can work with a dedicated team to help find flexible work schedules with their choice of these four highly reputable hospitals that make up the Albany Med Health System. It is a mutually beneficial opportunity for the candidates and the System facilities.”

The AMHS Staffing Alliance differs from private staffing agencies in that it is not focused on supporting multiple customers in several markets.

“As part of the Albany Med Health System, the Staffing Alliance is able to develop close working relationships with each of our System hospitals and is more closely aligned to our mission,” said Dr. Dennis P. McKenna, president and chief executive officer of the Albany Med Health System. “This strong understanding of our needs as a System helps to facilitate a smoother onboarding process for nursing assignments while enabling each hospital to fulfill its staffing needs.”

The AMHS Staffing Alliance is recruiting registered nurses locally, regionally, and nationally for assignments within our System hospitals.

For the local candidate seeking a short-term assignment, it is a unique opportunity to remain in their community and choose the hospital that best meets their needs without having to travel outside the area.

For more information about nursing opportunities in the Capital Region, visit amhsalliancecareers.org.

SUNY Empire State Gets Grant To Help Boost Enrollment In Its Nursing Program SUNY Empire State College will enhance nursing program to address the state and nation’s critical nursing shortage The college has received a $245,580 grant from the SUNY system that is expected to boost enrollment in the college’s nursing program and help address the state and nation’s critical nursing shortage, officials said.

The funds are part of a $3 million SUNY Nursing Emergency Training Fund designed to enable more students to enroll in SUNY’s nursing programs. SUNY Empire will use the money to offset the initial cost of hiring a full-time faculty member and an operations coordinator in its nursing program.

The funding, which will be available July 1 after the state budget is approved, will enable the college to increase enrollment at the School of Nursing and Allied Health by 100 students.

In all, SUNY campuses have more than 70 accredited nursing programs. SUNY campuses were eligible to apply for funding of up to $250,000. The funding can be used in various ways, including curricula development, partnership expansion, and the purchase of instructional equipment and technology.

At SUNY Empire, most of the additional students are expected to come through the Multi-Award Nursing Program that SUNY Empire shares with Nassau Community College (NCC). NCC received $247,000 from the same SUNY funds to expand their nursing program.

SUNY Empire officials also expect more students to enroll through its RN to BSN transfer pathway program that the college has with SUNY Orange. Through that partnership, which was created last fall, nursing students have the option to seamlessly transfer to SUNY Empire’s BSN program after they obtain their associate degree.

The partnership provides scholarship options and allows the transfer of 63 credits earned at SUNY Orange to SUNY Empire, reducing the time to earn a degree and saving students money.

College officials said that across the country, the demand for nurses is increasing as Baby Boomers age. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for registered nurses is expected to grow 9 percent each year between 2020 and 2030. In New York, a report by the state Department of Health projected a shortage of 39,000 nurses by 2030.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 15

Taryn Woodard Is Promoted To Director Of Employee Health At Saratoga Hospital Saratoga Hospital has promoted Taryn Woodard to director of employee health and occupational medicine.

In this dual role, Woodard oversees employee health services at Saratoga Hospital and is engaged in wellness, environment of care, infection prevention and workplace safety initiatives. In partnership with Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Occupational Medicine and Saratoga Hospital’s Regional Therapy Center, Woodard also helps meet the workplace health and safety needs of area businesses.

In addition, she collaborates on workplacehealth-related issues with her colleagues in the Albany Med Health System. Along with Saratoga Hospital, the System includes Albany Medical Center Hospital, Columbia Memorial Health and Glens Falls Hospital.

Woodard, of Ballston Spa, has more than a decade of experience in employee health and occupational medicine. She joined Saratoga Hospital in 2015 and, most recently, served as associate director of occupational medicine.

“Employees within and beyond Saratoga Hospital benefit from Taryn’s experience and commitment to workplace health and safety,” said Marcy Dreimiller, vice president of human resources at Saratoga Hospital.

Dr. Michael Holland, medical director of occupational medicine and employee health at Saratoga Hospital, said, “Taryn understands the needs of local businesses and has been a trusted adviser on how to keep employees and customers safe during the pandemic.”

He and Woodard were instrumental in

Taryn Woodard, director of employee health / occupational medicine, Saratoga Hospital.

Courtesy Saratoga Hospital

developing the hospital’s COVID-19 Business Safety Consultation Program to help employers reopen after the pandemic shut-down.

Launched with support from Adirondack Trust Co., the program helped area employers review and fine-tune their safety plans and practices.

A registered nurse, Woodard has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Chamberlain University in Illinois, where she is pursuing a master’s in executive nursing. She also is enrolled in a health coach training program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

State Health Department Says Adult Smoking Rate Dropped To All-Time Low Of 12% The adult cigarette smoking rate in New York state achieved a new low of 12 percent in 2020, a rate lower than the U.S. average of 15.5 percent, State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett announced on June 3.

According to her report, among young adults, ages 18 to 24, the smoking rate is even lower, at 5.5 percent. These successes are believed to be due, in part, to the progress made

by Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Program, which aims to prevent youth tobacco use and promotes tobacco cessation services.

“Our Tobacco Control Program has made tremendous progress at changing norms and getting the word out that smoking is bad for your health,” Bassett said. “The program has used evidence-based strategies, created tobacco-free spaces, and produced effective media campaigns that successfully encourage people to quit. New York state is committed to reducing the burden of nicotine addiction.

“DOH will continue to reach out to the public with powerful messages, work with communities to protect their neighborhoods from tobacco-industry influence, create safe, tobacco- and vape-free spaces, and provide information about getting help to quit smoking.”

Despite these milestones described in the new report tobacco use remains a significant public health problem, with diseases caused by smoking and secondhand smoke killing more than 22,000 people each year in New York state, Bassett said. Another 650,000 adults live with a chronic disease caused by smoking.

Extensive disparities among people who still smoke and who use tobacco remain as well, with tobacco use disproportionately affecting communities targeted by the tobacco industry, which spends billions of dollars in the U.S. every year marketing its deadly products. In New York state, smoking rates are highest among adults who are enrolled in

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Medicaid, who are unemployed, have lower income, who report frequent mental distress, have less than a high school education, or who live with a disability.

Adults of any age who currently smoke or who are former smokers, as well as those living with certain underlying medical conditions that are often caused by smoking, such as cancer and COPD, are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, the health department said.

And while approximately 1.7 million New York adults still smoke cigarettes, many youth and adults use other tobacco products, including, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. Despite downward trends in cigarette use New York youth and young adults remain the primary users of e-cigarettes and vape pens.

According to department data, gathered prior to recent changes in law raising the legal age to purchase such products, nearly 40 percent of 12th grade students and 27 percent of all high school students in New York state had used e-cigarettes.

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Consider Careers in Building Trades Continued From Page 10

apprenticeship and training programs.”

IBEW’s apprenticeship program is more competitive and accepts students a few times a year.

The five-year, state-certified program combines on-the-job training with more intense classroom instruction.

In order to attract members, IBEW attends job fairs and partners with local school and BOCES programs. Local BOCES program graduates are in high demand at IBEW and other unions and companies throughout the region.

According to WSWHE BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Programs Nancy DeStefano, they are devoting considerable resources to promoting the trades among high school students. Their efforts are paying off, and they saw a 10 to 12 percent increase in the number of applications they received this year.

Applications are required for students to attend one of their numerous programs.

“This is the highest number we have seen in three or four years,” she said. “With that said, it’s important to remember that our student population is decreasing in the region, so we have lower numbers to pull from.”

She attributes the increased demand to a variety of factors.

“We have done a better job of marketing, and I think the business and the trades have combined their efforts along with us to bring about a greater awareness of what is available in the skilled trades and what opportunities there are for students to start off with solid, well-paying positions with growth opportunities,” she said.

As part of their efforts, BOCES has partnered with numerous businesses on promoting CTE (career and technical education). Partners are too numerous to list but include Saratoga Builder’s Association, Curtis Lumber, DA Collins, Fort Miller Corp. and Saratoga Honda.

WSWHE is also involved in initiatives to attract more women to the trades. Women make up only about 3 percent of the skilled trade workforce. As part of their efforts, WSWHE produced a video entitled Women in Trades: Empower Your Future that can be viewed on their web site.

“We are working towards bringing about greater awareness to students and parents about skilled trades,” said DeStefano. “We have really made a conscientious effort in our marketing during the last three years. We have revised our

marketing materials to try and attract more students. We also run TV and radio ads to help parents gain a better understanding.”

DeStefano agrees with Martell that more parents see the trades as viable career paths for their children.

“I think parents have a better understanding of what the trades are and the benefits that students can have by attending a CT program and entering directly into a trade field.”

According to a recent survey conducted by StrataTech Education Group, 80 percent of high school respondents held a positive view of a career in the skilled trades. More than 60 percent felt that vocational/trade schools offer more value when compared to their public college counterparts.

As the skilled trade workforce in the region continues to decline as more and more workers reach retirement age, BOCES will continue to work to attract more students to their programs.

“We’re headed down the right path to address some of the areas of need in the region,” said DeStefano. “We work with school counselors from our component district on what programs are available for students, and we get feedback from the field. We will continue to do marketing and advertising and continue to partner with businesses on continuing that greater awareness.

We will have invitations for younger students in middle school and early high school to come and visit our programs to pique their interest. Until you see what goes on in a CTE center, you have trouble imagining what it is like. For example, our auto tech labs have four bays with all of the state-of-the-art equipment you see in any car dealership automotive repair shop.”

Of WSWHE’s 17 state-approved two-year programs, the heavy equipment and diesel mechanic programs are the most popular. Environmental conservation & forestry and culinary arts are among the diverse list of offerings.

“We are a larger BOCES, so we have more programs than a lot of the other BOCES around the state. All of our programs are strong, and our students get very valuable internship programs in their second year,” said DeStefano. “A lot of those internships lead to paid work at the end of the program. For students who are uncertain of what they want to do, CTE program are something they should be looking at.”

16 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

REGIONAL STOCKWATCH Stock Name

Closing Price Closing Price 05/06/2022 05/13/2022

Closing Price 05/20/2022

Closing Price 05/27/2022

Closing Price 06/03/2022

Albany Int’l

79.02

81.76

82.82

86.16

84.19

Arrow

31.93

31.18

31.57

32.98

32.91

AT & T

20.03

19.84

20.40

21.29

20.90

Ball

76.59

69.56

68.79

73.53

73.60

National Bank

55.00

55.00

55.00

55.00

56.00

Bank of America

37.45

35.17

33.86

37.02

36.19

Best Buy

91.41

86.36

72.36

83.99

80.39

Citizens Bank

40.59

37.94

37.75

40.87

40.47

Espey

13.49

13.28

13.05

13.64

14.47

General Electric

78.23

75.05

75.25

78.76

76.97

Hilton

143.48

136.59

130.28

142.25

142.17

Home Depot

294.31

296.03

287.19

308.46

305.08

Int’l Paper

48.16

47.79

47.48

49.31

47.09

Key Corp

19.54

18.62

18.32

19.82

19.64

Lowe’s

192.29

194.00

184.69

199.63

195.45

Martin Marietta

346.00

332.84

327.76

348.84

345.64

M&T Bank

170.48

166.58

162.73

179.60

177.97

McDonald’s

250.78

245.04

233.91

251.87

248.36

National Grid

73.37

75.01

76.21

74.15

70.88

NBT Bancorp Inc.

35.93

35.37

35.94

37.24

37.26

Plug Power

19.41

15.03

16.45

19.06

17.90

Quad Graphics

4.74

4.53

4.08

4.23

3.82

Starbucks

76.52

75.60

73.39

76.71

79.05

Sysco

82.48

84.73

76.98

84.48

84.25

Latham Group Inc 11.97

11.32

9.78

9.17

10.62

Target

225.21

219.73

155.36

167.14

161.04

Dominion Bank

72.78

71.13

71.77

75.61

75.94

Kaspien Holdings

4.82

3.72

3.50

3.58

3.03

Trustco Bank

31.61

30.54

30.83

32.08

31.67

Verizon

48.27

48.18

49.53

51.40

50.81

Walmart

149.56

148.05

119.20

128.48

125.32

Ballston Spa

The Toronto-

This list of quotations is provided through the courtesy of Robert M. Schermerhorn, CFP®, Saratoga Financial Services, Securities offered through LPL Financial /Member FINRA & SIPC, located in Saratoga Springs, NY. www.SaratogaRetire.com

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Organization Provides $35,000 Grant For Preservation Foundation’s Phila St. Project The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has received a grant of $35,000 to help in its effort to renovate the rundown structure at 65 Phila St. in Saratoga Springs.

The Phila Street building is the first property to be rehabilitated under the Foundation’s new Historic Property Redevelopment Program.

“This generous grant from The 1772 Foundation provides critical funding for the successful rehabilitation of 65 Phila St. The net proceeds from the sale of this property will be reinvested into a future preservation project, potentially another endangered building, that will benefit the community,” said Samantha Bosshart, Foundation executive director.

The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation was one of 25 preservation organizations across the country to receive a grant from The 1772 Foundation.

The 1772 Foundation, based in Connecticut, works to ensure the safe passage of our historic buildings and farmland for future generations. It is named in honor of its first restoration project, Liberty Hall in New Jersey, which was built in 1772. The 1772 Foundation plays a leading role in promoting HPRPs, also known as revolving funds, nationwide.

“Receiving this grant with these notable historic preservation organizations from across the country is a testament to the significant work that the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is doing. These funds will help the Foundation continue to be a strong resource to our community as we have been for the last 45 years,” said Adam Favro, president of the foundation board of directors.

Last year, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation purchased the 1851 Alexander A. Patterson House. Officials said it is important because of its associations with early development of the city, spring waters, and the Jewish community.

The Foundation will complete environmental abatement, make structural repairs, and complete an exterior restoration prior to selling it to someone who will complete the interior rehabilitation and be a good steward for years to come, officials said.

The Foundation’s Revive 65 Committee has

Skidmore

Continued From Page 1 earned her a reputation for entrepreneurial leadership, savvy marketing, social impact, and engagement with and support for diverse communities.

“I am thrilled to join the Skidmore community to help usher in the next phase of growth and innovation under President Conner’s leadership. Skidmore’s commitment to building a community of inclusive excellence, trust, and acceptance is evidenced through its Racial Justice Initiative, which is one of its highest institutional priorities and deeply aligns with my passion for DEI,” said Conrad.

At Cambridge College, her contributions included leading a college reconception and rebranding, and serving as a key member of President Deborah Jackson’s transformative leadership team, including co-founding (with Jackson) Cambridge College’s Racial, Equity, and Social Justice Initiative to develop an inten-

The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation will rehabiliate this building.

evaluated the existing conditions of the building, including an environmental assessment and window survey, as well as completed architectural drawings, existing and proposed.

In March, the City of Saratoga Springs Design Review Commission approved the Foundation’s historic review application. The building permit to perform initial work was approved at the end of April.

Environmental abatement work is planned to take place in the upcoming month.

People can support the Foundation’s efforts to Revive 65 by making a donation or becoming a member. In addition to preserving this historic resource of the community, the Foundation is documenting the process and the project be the source of multiple educational programs.

Visit www.saratogapreservation.org or call (518) 587-5030 for more information or to join.

Continued On Page 18 tional and strategic response to systemic racism and inequities.

“Jacqui Conrad brings insightful views on DEI work and an exceptional level of integrity and trustworthiness to this role, characteristics highly valued at Skidmore,” said Timothy Harper, associate professor of business and management, who served on the search committee.

Before joining Cambridge College, Conrad led her own communications firm, delaCruz Communications in Boston, from 1996 to 2014, working on strategic communications, branding, and marketing with a host of nonprofit, educational, social justice, and corporate clients.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Suffolk University and earned a M.S. in communications management from Simmons College.

The search was led by Conner, who chaired a committee that was assisted by Steve Leo, managing director of Storbeck Search, an executive search firm that specializes in leadership hiring for colleges and universities and is part of the Diversified Search Group.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 17

StoredTech Grows Further In North Carolina Cindy Schmehl Is Named ‘Volunteer Of Year’ With Acquisition Of NOAH IT LLC Company By Saratoga County Chamber Of Commerce StoredTech has acquired the assets of NOAH IT LLC in North Carolina for an undisclosed sum.

Mark Shaw, CEO at StoredTech, said the move was made to increase its growing Raleigh, N.C., presence. NOAH IT’s employees joined StoredTech.

The acquisition is effective immediately.

All of the NOAH IT staff are working out of StoredTech’s Raleigh office.

This acquisition brings more clients to StoredTech’s Managed Service Provider (MSP) platform and, it brings more services to NOAH IT’s base of clients.

“We are always looking for ways to expand out footprint. Allan and the NOAH IT team certainly does that. We are also excited to offer more comprehensive services to our new clients.” Shaw said.

Allan Polak, founder of NOAH IT, said “this combination brings more depth of support and services to our clients. StoredTech has grown immensely here in Raleigh, and we are excited to be a part of it ... “I was extremely impressed with the StoredTech team’s total focus on customer delight.”

Both Shaw and Polak became more confident about the combination because there was so much similarity in their business models.

NOAH IT clients will see a mostly seamless transition.

StoredTech is a leading Managed Service

Mark Shaw’s StoredTech is expanding further in the Raleigh, N.C., region. ©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

Provider providing IT services to hundreds of client organizations. They provide support to clients in all aspects of their IT so that the clients can focus on their core business.

StoredTech has offices in Queensbury, Albany, Plattsburgh and Raleigh, N.C.

Foundation Approved $40,000 In Grants For Projects In The Town Of Stillwater Area GlobalFoundries Inc. announced that the GF–Town of Stillwater Foundation has approved its 2022 slate of public grants totaling $40,000 benefiting local community organizations seeking to bring educational opportunities and positive change to the health, safety, and welfare of local residents.

The Foundation has invested more than $520,000 in organizations in the Stillwater community since 2011. In addition to the annual grants, it awards annually a $1,500 STEM scholarship to a qualified Stillwater High School senior.

The mission of the Foundation is to provide tangible benefits of a public nature to diverse groups located within Stillwater or providing direct services within the town, including not-for-profit corporations, charitable organizations, community arts and theater, community historical sites and events, education, and sports and recreation.

“The GF–Town of Stillwater Foundation is grateful to be able to make available public grant money for community organizations seeking to bring educational opportunities and positive change to the health, safety, and welfare of local residents,” said Debbie Leupold, foundation board president. “This year’s awardees represent a variety of local services and programs and add value to our communities.”

Recipients include: Attic Angels, Childrens Museum at Saratoga, Earl J. Manning Post 490, Girl Scouts Unit 165, MACSC Domestic Violence Program, Malta/Stillwater EMS, Mechanicville/ Stillwater Breast Cancer Walk, Saratoga Bridges, Stillwater Area Community Center, Stillwater Backpack Program, Stillwater Elementary, Stillwater Food Pantry, Stillwater High School and the Stillwater High School SADD Chapter.

As part of the development of the Fab 8 project, GlobalFoundries has contributed a total of $5 million to fund two stand-alone 501 (c)3 charitable foundations: the GF-Town of Stillwater Foundation and the GF-Town of Malta Foundation. The first installment of $1 million was used to build a new recreational sports field complex in the Luther Forest Technology Campus and to make improvements to the Round Lake baseball fields.

Leveraging the investment income from this original seed money, these foundations have distributed more than $1.7 million dollars in funding to over 450 organizations in support of a wide variety of programs benefiting the local community around Fab 8. Both foundations are managed by an independent board of directors and are actively working with local organizations to improve our communities.

Card Catalog

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The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce recognized Cindy Schmehl with the 2022 Impact Sector Volunteer of the Year Award.

She received the award in may at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce annual dinner.

The Impact Sector Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes and honors one community member annually who embodies a spirit of dedication, passion, innovation, and commitment to improving the community by working or volunteering for more than one non-profit organization.

“Our impact sector greatly benefits from individuals like Cindy Schmehl,” chamber president Todd Shimkus said in a press release. “Cindy’s tireless dedication to To Love a Child, as well as numerous other Saratoga County organizations, ensures our neighbors throughout the community are supported and provided with the services they need and deserve. We look forward to honoring her and her efforts to make a difference in our community.”

For more than a decade, Schmehl has dedicated her time and energy to helping people not only in Saratoga County but also in less fortunate parts of the world, including Zimbabwe and Haiti. Since founding the organization in 2009, Schmehl has acted in the volunteer position of executive director of To Love a Child, leading its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to impoverished children and their families to help create a better future and quality of life for all.

Through To Love a Child, Schmehl has spearheaded the construction of a school in Zimbabwe and worked with other team members to provide medical care, education, solar, gardens, food and other opportunities for people and families in remote villages.

Along with her work with To Love a Child, Schmehl has volunteered in a variety of capacities with local organizations, including, but not

Cindy Schmehl received the 2022 Impact Sector Volunteer of the Year Award.

Courtesy Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

limited to, acting as past president of the Twin Bridges Rotary Club where she currently remains a charter member and originating its Pumpkin Pals for Pediatrics project; serving as an active member of the Saratoga-Wilton Kiwanis; participating as an active member of Soroptimist International of Saratoga County; and serving on the Episcopal Diocese’s Mission Committee.

Through her participation in the Livestrong Program at the Saratoga YMCA, Schmehl is now a mentor for Livestrong and Beyond where she meets with fellow cancer survivors to provide compassionate support, understanding and friendship during challenging times.

Card Catalog

18 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

SPAC Makes Improvements Continued From Page 1

eral public and the utilization of critical funds received from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant and Paycheck Protection Program.

Some $2 million was committed to immediate capital improvements and critical operational needs, while the remaining $2 million will be used to establish a Fund for the Future, she said.

“What COVID taught us is that arts organizations live in fragile ecosystems – with subsistence survival from year to year. For years our fi nancial outlook, which was largely one of scarcity, led us to defer important organizational and infrastructure investments, leaving us exceedingly vulnerable and exposed,” Sobol said. “Th is unprecedented situation has meant that for the fi rst time ever, SPAC has been able to restore and renew itself across its whole operation including reinvestment in our resident companies, restoring our staff, and completing vital infrastructure and capital improvements.”

She said the Fund for the Future will help to ensure that the classical arts at SPAC can thrive, while deepening the center’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and access initiatives and arts education. It will also help to offset the skyrocketing costs associated with supplies and equipment, continued caution related to the public health crisis, and its annual shortfall on its four weeks of classical amphitheater residencies, which regularly exceeds two million dollars and is projected to be even greater in 2022.

Growing the Fund for the Future will be one aspect of the long-range strategic planning.

She also said SPAC is also “taking the fi rst step to simply and boldly reaffi rm our commitment to our signature programming— and to what has become our most important work in the community—arts education.”

Following the official opening of The Pines@SPAC in 2021, SPAC continues to invest in the organization with important updates

to its infrastructure, physical campus, and amphitheater.

Sobol noted SPAC will welcome back the full New York City Ballet company this season with a new dance floor made specifically for NYCB, and a new performance curtain, which replaced a curtain that was almost 40 years old. The Philadelphia Orchestra will return this July for its three-week residency with 150 new music stands and chairs, which SPAC has never owned and has historically had to borrow for the past 55 years.

Sobol said that thanks to SPAC’s partnership with Live Nation, significant work to the backstage of the venue will be completed to modernize the dressing rooms and workspaces for artists and crew members. Additionally, the performer’s gate and road area will be reconfigured, addressing important safety issues.

In a continuing effort to improve accessibility, SPAC has installed an Assisted Listening System in the amphitheater as well as a new sound system, replacing equipment from the 1990s.

To enhance the online patron experience, SPAC completely replaced its antiquated ticketing and donor soft ware and plans to unveil a new website in the fall.

At the meeting, the board welcomed Raimundo C. Archibold Jr., CFA, as a new member. Archibold is the managing director at Schwartz Heslin Group, an investment banking and advisory services fi rm located in Albany. He brings over 25 years of experience in equity research where he covered primarily the technology and telecommunication sectors.

Sally Bott, operating partner at Atlas and recent resident of Saratoga Springs, also joined as a new board member. Bott is an experienced human resources professional with more than 30 years of HR experience.

More information about SPAC is available at spac.org.

Local Man Known As A ‘Ghost Hunter’ Has Plan To Re-Imagine The McGregor Prison

BY CHRISTINE GRAF When South Glens Falls native Steven Brodt was 5 years old, he had what he would later consider a paranormal experience.

He said while sleeping over at his grandmother’s house, he woke in the middle of the night and saw an old woman sitting at the end of his bed. Ten years later, Brodt saw a picture of his great grandmother for the first time and surmised she was the woman he saw when he was 5.

“I can still picture her to this day. It was very clear and very real. As I got older, I became very interested in how it was possible that I saw what I saw,” he said.

When he was 16, Brodt and a friend established a nonprofit group called the South Glens Falls Paranormal Society. They purchased digital voice recorders, night vision cameras, handheld video cameras, and electromagnetic field detectors and offered free paranormal investigative services to the community.

“We did some local investigations in South Glens Falls and with the Historical Association of Moreau at the Parks-Bentley Place. We gave a presentation of our findings at the house, and once people found out about that, we started getting calls for residential and business cases,” said Brodt. “To this day, we do all residential and business cases free of charge. We only charge when we do public events.”

Over the years, Brodt conducted numerous public events including those at ParksBentley Place in South Glen Falls and Skene Manor in Whitehall.

“We would bring all of our equipment in and teach people how to ghost hunt,” said Brodt. “Our group would split the money with the historic site so that they could use the money for renovations or whatever they needed it for. We used the money for things like new equipment and travel expenses.”

In 2019, Brodt established a business called Haunted Nights. In addition to hosting ghost hunts throughout the country, he and his wife, Sidney, own Be Social Marketing, a digital marketing company in Glens Falls where the couple resides.

A graduate of Saint Rose with a degree in entrepreneurship, Brodt is on the road hosting sold-out events almost every weekend.

He is well-known in the ghost hunting world and was featured on the Travel Channel as well as Discovery +.

Brodt is now partnering with a fellow ghost hunter, real estate investor Mark Erskine, to purchase the former Mount McGregor Correctional Facility in Moreau.

They submitted a plan to the state over a month ago and are hopeful it will be approved.

Erskine and his wife, Deanna, live outside

A South Glens Falls native is seeking to put the former McGregor prison to a new use. ©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

of Chicago and met Brodt through their mutual interest in ghost hunting.

“They help out at my events all of the time and Mark has always wanted to own an historic site. We’ve both wanted to own a haunted location,” said Brodt. “We decided now was a good time to go for it.”

The Mount McGregor property contains more than 30 buildings with a total 550,000 square feet. Over the course of more than 100 years, it has been home to a hotel, a tuberculosis sanitarium and a WWII veterans rest camp. For that reason that it is eligible to be listed on the National Historic Register.

According to Brodt, former correction officers who worked at the facility said they witnessed paranormal events there. Several reported seeing a little girl in a white dress running through the halls of what was once part of TB sanitarium.

Although Brodt and Erskine plan to host ghost hunts at the property if their plan is approved, that is just the tip of the iceberg.

“If we get it, the ghost hunts will be just a very small aspect of what we are going to do,” said Brodt. “We are going to open a full heritage museum where we will go through the history of the mountain starting from when it was a hotel. We are going to have historic tours, photo tours, farmers markets, and craft fairs. There’s a 400-seat theater that we are going to restore so that we can do open mic nights, comedy nights, and documentaries.

“We want to restore the 1915 missionstyle chapel so we can do weddings. We have a lot of plans and the ghost part is a way that we will generate income to restore the buildings immediately.”

Phila Street Project Continued From Page 16

People can also follow the Foundation on social media, and join the email list to get regular progress updates.

Founded in 1977, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes the preservation and enhancement of the architectural, cultural, and landscaped heritage of Saratoga Springs.

This year, The 1772 Foundation awarded some $1.1 million. Organizations that received HRPP funding include: Cincinnati Preservation Association (Ohio), Cleveland Restoration Society (Ohio), Columbus Landmarks (Ohio),

Fairmount Park Conservancy (Pa.), Galveston Historical Foundation (Texas), The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (Ga.), Historic Augusta Incorporated (Ga.), Historic Macon Foundation (Ga.), Historic Richmond (Va.), Historic Wilmington Foundation (N.C.), The L’Enfant Trust, (Washington, D.C.), Meridian Architectural Trust (Mo.), National Main Street Center (Ill.), New Bern Preservation Foundation (N.C.), Partners for Sacred Places (Pa.), Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans (La.), Restore Mobile (Ala.), Preserve Montana, and New York City Historic Properties Fund.

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022 • 19

Available Commercial & Residential Properties

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Adirondack and lives in Ballston Spa. Munger leads corporate enterprise risk management and oversees information security, fraud, community reinvestment and regulatory compliance. She has more than 35 years in the financial services industry and currently lives in Gansevoort.

In her Wealth Management role, Norman oversees the investment, trust and retirement services departments. She has more than 25 years of experience in the industry. She has a bachelor’s degree from Siena College. She lives in Schaghticoke.

Segrell oversees the company’s indirect lending program with auto dealers. He has more than 30 years of experience with the company in customer service and lending.

Segrell has a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Plattsburgh. He volunteers with Tri-County Literacy as a tutor and lives in Queensbury.

Sullivan oversees the residential mortgage lending department. She has more than 35 years of experience with the company primarily in credit administration, consumer and residential lending operations.

Sullivan serves on the boards of HomeFront Development, counties of Warren and Washington Industrial Development Agency and Civic Development Corp., and is an active member of the Zonta Club of Glens Falls. She has an associate’s degree from SUNY Adirondack and lives in Hudson Falls.

We’d like to promote your commercial or residential property. Call us, 581-0600.

EW

Sage College and currently lives in Clifton Park.

Yrsha oversees the retail banking network, business services including cash management and municipal banking, retail lending, small business lending and business development.

He has more than 17 years of diversified banking experience. He is active in his community serving as vice chair of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Council of Business Advisors for the Lake George Association, and Warren County Local Development Corp.. and Lake George Regional Planning Board loan review committees.

He is a graduate of Castleton State University and the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class of 2013. He currently lives in Queensbury.

The company also recently promoted five leaders to senior vice president at Glens Falls National Bank and Saratoga National Bank .

They include director of information systems and support Wendy Brust, director of compliance and risk Leslie Munger, director of wealth management Tracey Norman, director of indirect lending Dan Segrell and director of residential lending Ginny Sullivan.

Brust oversees the IT applications department and support team. She has more than 30 years in the banking and information technology industry. She currently serves on the board of the Veterans and Community Housing Coalition. She has an associate’s degree from SUNY

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Continued From Page 2

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Listing Agents: Kate R. Naughton | 518.441.8527 Valerie Thompson | 518.421.7264

•

20 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 2022

Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor Adds Online NYRA Will Sponsor Horse Show In July That Ordering, Delivery; Forsees Major Growth Celebrates Women, Benefit Women’s Causes

Zack Judy, an employee at Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor, examines a wine bottle. The store is adding delivery service, with products being ordered online. ©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor store in the heart of Saratoga Springs is poised to expand curbside, delivery and online retail services.

The move is one that the current generation of owners, Brandan Greczkowski and his wife Kristen, has looked forward to implementing for many years.

“There will always be a need for a brick and mortar presence where shoppers can come and get help in the store,” Greczkowski said. “But long before COVID I had planned to offer online services.”

State-mandated capacity limits in the early months of the pandemic posed obstacles for smaller stores in the community and some, Greczkowski noted, moved much of their business online.

“Being a bigger store, we got a lot of their foot traffic,” he said. “But the name of Purdy’s had been out there and synonymous with wine well before COVID.” The store is located in Congress Plaza shopping center. When a bank branch next door moved out one year ago, Greczkowski took the first step in expanding the store’s footprint into that space, adding two registers at the front of the store and dedicating the area where the office used to be for online orders and fulfillment, he said.

“The web site purdyswine.com is now geared up for product purchases and local delivery,” said Jaclyn Shyptycki, the company’s marketing and operations manager.

Additional registers help the store face the track season with greater efficiency, Greczkowski said.

“In July we may have lines of 70 people at the registers, and it wouldn’t be fair to them to fulfill curbside pick-ups while they wait,” he said. “Now there are six registers and a mobile unit handling orders.”

Right now online processing is being handled within the store, but once order volumes grow, Greczkowski expects the company will have to seek a space to warehouse product. Staff expansion will follow, and Shyptycki said the company may need 10 to 15 more people soon, especially to do deliveries.

“We may deliver to farther distances in the future and down the line, as our online presence grows, we foresee shipping outside the local area,” she said.

One of the biggest challenges they will face is doing enough volume to keep prices competitive, Greczkowski said. That means buying larger quantities, and “we just can’t put another 1,000 cases in the store, so we will need a warehouse.”

Another challenge is the added costs. One is the rising cost of fuel to make deliveries. Another is for the new avenues of marketing to reach the next generation of 21-year-olds, Shyptycki said.

“While Purdy’s has been a fixture for many decades, management suspects new customers will not respond to the older way of advertising,” Greczkowski said.

“We will turn to digital marketing and social media to get word out that Purdy’s is adding online options to purchase their full inventory of wines and liquors,” said Shyptycki. “We have implemented a new logo and it’s important to keep consistent mes-

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has signed on to be one of the major sponsors of the Saratoga Women In Business (WIB) Spectacular, the first-ever horse show created by women, operated by women, benefitting women’s health, and showcasing women in business.

Scheduled for July 13-17, the one-of-a-kind event will be held at White Hollow Farm, 28 Brickhouse Road in Stillwater.

It is open to all competitors in the equestrian community, spectators and vendors.

Exhibitors and attendees will be offered multiple opportunities throughout the show to meet, interact with, listen to, and learn from many remarkable women, in all types of business, willing to share their stories and career paths.

Proceeds from this event will help fund Wellspring, which provides domestic violence and sexual assault services for Saratoga County residents, and Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship Veteran and Active-Duty Military Program, as well as other women’s health organizations.

The event “is designed to highlight women in business and raise critical funds for organizations supporting women’s health and wellbeing,” said Joi Garner, NYRA senior vice president & general counsel. “Beyond this sponsorship, we look forward to participating in the event by highlighting the important role women play at the highest levels of NYRA.” “We are thrilled to have NYRA as a partner in this important and unique endeavor,” said Adele Einhorn, organizer of the event. “This event is something that has never been done before. The equestrian community is dominated by women, yet operated by men. By hosting the Saratoga WIB Spectacular we intend to break that mold by having women fulfill all positions in the show while showcasing women in the equine business sector and beyond, as well as women that ride and have full-time careers.”

Renowned for its prestigious following and positive economic impact for Saratoga County, the Saratoga Horse Show’s newest event will increase its visibility and provide participants, sponsors and the community with an evergrowing positive financial driver.

Officials said sponsors of the Women in Business Show will reap the benefits of access to an important, growing, and lucrative population of customers and supporters This target market of consumers tends to be diverse in age and has

above average disposable income.

Sponsorships can be individually customized to meet each supporters needs. There are numerous sponsorship, advertising and marketing opportunities to promote products, businesses and industries.

For more information, contact Joanne Yepsen by email at joanne@yepsenandpikulski.com or by phone at 518-526-5272; Diana Pikulski, diana@yepsenandpikulski.com, or 802-233-5377; or Adele Einhorn, saratogahorseshows@gmail. com, or 518-441-3959.

Founded in 1927, the Saratoga Horse Shows have been an annual highlight of the summer season in Saratoga Springs. The Southbound Saratoga Management Group LLC hosts seven weeks of nationally recognized U.S. Equestrian Federation sanctioned hunter/jumper events at White Hollow Farm.

The venue is less than eight miles from downtown Saratoga Springs. White Hollow Farm features eight large arenas with state-of-the-art drainage and all-weather performance footing, permanent and tented stabling and multiplesized turnout paddocks as well as seasonal boarding, layover stabling, turnout and camper parking.

saging to target audiences.”

Greczkowski said he ran a big box store for 20 years and never saw the online or pick-up business saturated. Now, “with the reigns in his hands,” he and Kristen “will move forward” with the company’s online presence, he said.

“There’s more technology out there and more people will push a button to shop at Purdy’s,” he said.

Visit Purdy’s Discount Wine and Liquor at 70-72 Congress Street. And for more events and information, including the new Purdy’s app, visit FaceBook and purdyswine.com.

NYRA will help sponsor the WIB horse show July 13-17 at White Hollow Farm in Stillwater. ©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com