NNY Business May 2012

St. Lawrence County: Reh Center honors coffee roaster page 33

May 2012

Growing ag tech North country welcomes new innovations

n Morris Northstar Hatchery brings chicks to life p. 27

n 20 Questions with Clarkson President Anthony G. Collins p. 40

+

n Biz Tech n NNY Snapshot n Business Scene n Real Estate

Northern New York’s Premier Business Monthly Vol. 2 Issue 6 | www.nnybizmag.com

$2.95

/nnybusiness @NNYBusinessMag

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NNY Business | May 2012

May 2012 | NNY Business

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CONTRIBUTORS

BusIness

www.nnybizmag.com

Publishers

John B. Johnson Jr. Harold B. Johnson II Lynn Pietroski is president and CEO of the Greater WatertownNorth Country Chamber of Commerce. She writes about the importance of change management. (p. 46)

Jay Matteson is the agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. He writes about how farmers must sacrifice some traditions to stay profitable. (p. 47)

Sarah O’Connell is an advisor for the state Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College. She answers: “Do small businesses create jobs?” (p. 49)

Larry Covell is a professor of business at SUNY Jefferson and an attorney. He writes about a a policy change that could protect business owners. (p. 45)

General Manager John B. Johnson

Executive Editor Bert Gault

Managing Editor Robert D. Gorman

Magazine Editor

Kenneth J. Eysaman

Associate Magazine Editor Kyle R. Hayes

Jill Van Hoesen is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 25-year IT veteran. She writes about how the Mac operating system has joined the malware war. (p. 48)

Lance M. Evans is executive officer for the Jefferson-Lewis and St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He notes the importance of an inspection when buying a home. (p. 36)

Lenka Walldroff is curator of collections for the Jefferson County Historical Museum.

She writes about the center of commerce that was Burville in the early 1900s. (p. 60)

James Wright is executive director of the Development Authority of the North Country. He writes about the economic impact of Fort Drum on NNY. (p. 44)

Advertising Directors Karen K. Romeo Tammy S. Beaudin

Circulation Director Cindy Werner

Photography

Norm Johnston, Justin Sorensen, Jason Hunter, Melanie Kimbler-Lago, Amanda Morrison

Ad Graphics, Design

Rick Gaskin, Brian Mitchell, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules Ted Booker is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. He paid a visit to the region’s newest winery, Venditti Winery in Theresa. (p. 32)

Kyle Hayes is associate magazine editor for NNY Business. He writes about the use of technology on farms throughout the north country. (p. 16)

Norah Machia is a veteran Watertown Daily Times reporter.

She writes about the the multi-generation Murcrest Farm in Copenhagen. (p. 24)

Gabrielle Hovendon is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She gets an inside look at Morris Northstar Hatchery and Zoar Asparagus Farm. (p. 27, 30)

MARKETPLACE Advanced Business Systems …................................ 50 A.G. Netto Realty …................ 38 Alpine Fence Co. …................ 23 AmeriCU Credit Union …........ 20 Ameriprise Financial …........... 19 Beardsley Design …................ 62 Bill’s Feed Service …............... 21 Blue Seal Feeds …................... 22 Boyce Auto Sales …................ 35 Burton Livestock ….................. 37 Cantwell and Associates …..... 8 Carthage Federal S&L ....…....... 6 Cavallario’s Cucina …............ 55 Center for Sight …................... 64 Clarence Henry Coach …...... 31 Convenient Storage ….............13 CREG Systems Corp. …........... 53 Curran Renewable ….............. 39 D&D Power Sports ……............ 23 Development Authority of the North Country .........….. 46 Equipment Rentals ............….. 23 Essenlohr Motors …................. 32 Foy Agency Inc. ….................. 35 Fun Unlimited …....................... 54 Gerald A. Nortz …................... 35 Great Brook Solar …................ 33 Groff’s Corner Auto …............. 35

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H&R Block …............................ 19 Hallett’s Florist and Greenhouse …......................... 23 High Tower Advisors …............ 42 Howard Orthotics …................ 44 Innovative Physical Therapy …................................ 45 JCJDC ….................................. 61 Kelleher Auction …................. 37 KeyBank …................................. 2 LeBerge and Curtis …............. 14 Lee Buick GMC …................... 35 Lofink Ford Mercury …............ 52 LTI Transportation …................. 15 Lyons Falls Tire …..................... 21 MJL Crushing …....................... 21 Morton Buildings …................. 15 NNY Business …................. 50, 59 NYCAMH …................................ 7 NNY Community Foundation …........................... 22 NNY Farmers Market …........... 37 North Country PTAC …............ 39 North Country Technology Symposium …....... 3 Nortz and Virkler …................. 35 Old McDonald’s Farm .…....... 25 Painfull Acres Amish Furniture …................................. 8

NNY Business | May 2012

Plantz Scapes …...................... 23 Rhodes Greenhouse …........... 23 Rudd’s Town and Country ….... 8 SeaComm Federal Credit Union .......................….. 49 Seaway Veterinary ….............. 21 ShredCon …............................. 48 Shue Brothers Excavating …... 23 Schultz Family Cheese …........ 21 Slack Chemical Co. ……....... 47 State Farm Insurance ….......... 38 St. Lawrence NYSARC …......... 39 Strategic Financial ….............. 25 The Three C’s Limousine …..... 56 Thousand Island Realty …...... 38 Thousand Islands Winery ….... 13 Tobacco Prevention Awareness Cesseation Council ................ 43 Transitional Living Services …... 3 Truesdell’s Furniture …............... 9 Virkler and Son Inc. …............ 21 Waite Motor Sports ….............. 21 Watertown Daily Times …....... 58 Watertown LDC ….................... 36 Watertown Savings Bank ….... 18 Westelcom …............................ 61 Widrick Auto Sales ….............. 57 Wolff’s Body Shop …............... 35 WWTI-50 …............................... 63

NNY Business (ISSN 2159-6115), is published monthly by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2010-2012. All material submitted to NNY Business becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned.

Subscription Rates 12 issues are $15 a year for Watertown Daily Times and affiliate newspaper subscribers and $25 a year for non-subscribers.

Call 315-782-1000 for delivery.

Submissions Send all editorial correspondence to keysaman@wdt.net Advertising For advertising rates and information in Jefferson and Lewis counties, email kromeo@wdt.net, or call 315-661-2422 In St. Lawrence County, e-mail tbeaudin@ogd.com, or call 315-661-2512 Printed with pride in U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing LLC, Ithaca, N.Y. Please recycle this magazine.

>>> Inside MAY 2012

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COVER |

16 EMERGING FARM TECH Northern New York’s ag community is catching on with the latest technology. |

GUEST ESSAY |

12 SUPPORTING FARMERS The state is working diligently to aid local farmers, according to Darrel J. Aubertine. |

AGRI-BUSINESS |

24 NEXT GEN FARMING For the Murray family, life on the farm is part of history and the family’s future.

26 THE BIG CHEESE Great Lakes Cheese wins South Jeff business award.

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27 MORRIS HATCHERY An exclusive look inside one of North America’s most advanced hatcheries.

30 KEEPING IT SIMPLE Rodman’s Paul Haldeman is making a name for his growing asparagus farm.

32 VENDITTI VINEYARDS A Buffalo-area native is launching NNY’s newest wine operation in Theresa. |

REGION |

34 SHOPPING LOCAL NNY farmers markets open for the season with new and expanded offerings.

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ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY |

33 REH CENTER AWARDS Lisbon coffee roaster wins award from Clarkson’s Center for Entrepreneurship. |

REAL ESTATE |

37 Q1 SALES INCREASE First-quarter real estate sales jump in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

38 JEFFERSON COUNTY Real estate sales totaled $3m over a four-day period in mid-April.

39 ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY Real estate sales totaled $1.6m over a four-day period in mid-April.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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NNY Business | May 2012

| INTERVIEW |

| ON THE COVER |

40 LEADING BY EXAMPLE Clarkson University President Anthony G. Collins has proven the power of leadership at an innovative institution during his 30 years at Potsdam’s technical university. | COLUMNS |

44 ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING 45 BUSINESS LAW 46 COMMERCE CORNER

47 AGRI-BUSINESS 48 BUSINESS TECH BYTES 49 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS

| DEPARTMENTS |

8 9 10 14 36

EDITOR’S NOTE PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT BUSINESS BRIEFCASE REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP

51 52 58 60 62

CALENDAR BUSINESS SCENE DINING GUIDE BUSINESS HISTORY WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?

For this month’s cover illustration, photographer Justin Sorensen received unprecedented access inside Watertown’s Morris Northstar Hatchery, where millions of chickens are born and then shipped throughout the world. In this photo, chickens are sorted by sex just moments after hatching at the facility to be put into crates and shipped.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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20 QUESTIONS — n BUSINESS SCENE — n

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ONLINE — Early this month we flipped the switch on our companion website for Ken Eysaman the magazine — www. nnybizmag. com — and opened the door to more features and information about business in Northern New York.

Our hope is that visitors will see the site as a destination for volumes of current and historical data that ranges from real property sales, economic indicators, DBAs, company profiles, NNY Jobs and more. Please visit the site and send me your feedback on what you like and what you’d like to see.

Yours in business,

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NNY Business | May 2012

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE New CEO named

The Adirondack Arc has appointed Sadie R. Spada as chief executive officer.

Ms. Spada replaces retiring executive Les Parker, who has led the organization for more than two decades.

Ms. Spada has worked for Adirondack Arc since 1976, most recently serving as senior associate executive director for administrative services. With an educational background in human resources management and business administration through North Country Community College and Empire State College, Ms. Spada is also certified as a senior professional in human resources. She has held leadership roles as president of HR-PRO, a statewide organization of human resources professionals in the field of human services, and as secretary of the New York State chapter of American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

The Adirondack Arc is a not-for-profit organization providing support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Franklin and Hamilton counties, as well as portions of Essex, Clinton and St. Lawrence counties.

Attorney recognized in publication

Attorney Martin J. Rothschild, of the Rothschild Law Firm, East Syracuse, has been selected for the 2012 edition of “Super Lawyers of New York,” an annual publication recognizing the best lawyers in the state. Less than five percent of attorneys in the state are chosen Rothschild

for the publication.

Mr. Rothschild concentrates his practice in personal injury, construction and vehicle accidents, and product liability.

He is a 1971 graduate of Watertown High School.

Appointed to board

Greg Walsh, Keene, N.H., formerly of Potsdam, has been appointed to the New Hampshire Board of Auctioneers.

His two-year appointment began March 1.

Mr. Walsh owned and operated Walsh Auction Service in Potsdam from 1979 until August Walsh 2008. He conducts the annual St. Lawrence County Real Property Auction in October. Mr. Walsh received his New Hampshire auctioneer’s license in January 2010 and his Vermont and Massachusetts licenses in February 2010. He lives in Keene with his partner, Kim Mooney.

Garners national award

Jeffrey W. Kimball, a Watertown native and employee of the Watertown Northwestern Mutual group, has qualified for the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Quality Award.

The award recognizes professionalism through education and earned designations, production measured by performance metrics customized for each practice specialty, adherence to the NAIFA Code of Ethics and service to the industry association. This is the second time Mr. Kimball received this award, he

Got business milestones? n Share your business milestones with NNY

Business. Email news releases and photos (.jpg/300 dpi) to editor Ken Eysaman at keysaman@wdt.net. The deadline for submissions is the 10th of the month for the following month’s issue. Photos that don’t appear in print may be posted on our Facebook page.

has been associated with Northwestern Mutual since 2006.

Financial rep hired

Michael A. Schram, a native of Long Beach, has been hired as a financial representative by Northwestern Mutual in Watertown. He will be associated with Northwestern Mutual — the Greater New York Group of Watertown.

Before joining Northwestern, Mr. Schram was a financial representative intern through Northwestern Mutual.

Throughout his internship he qualified for several company milestones that included Power of 10 and Winter Camp.

He received a bachelor’s degree in finance in December from SUNY Oswego and attended New York Institute of Technology, New York City.

Earns real estate honor

Gwyn Monnat, a Realtor with Hunt Real Estate ERA, Carthage, has been awarded a Beyond Excellence designation

by ERA Franchise Systems, a global franchise leader in the residential real estate industry. This designation, conferred at the 2012 ERA International Business Conference in New Orleans in March, recognizes the ERA network’s top producers for excellence in real estate sales. Fewer than 10 percent of the ERA sales professionals

Please see People, page 13

May 2012 | NNY Business

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NNY

Economic indicators Average per-gallon milk price paid to N.Y. dairy farmers March ’12 $1.60 Feb. ’12 $1.66 March ’11 $1.77

9.6%

ECON SNAPSHOT

Vehicles crossing the Thousand Islands, OgdensburgPrescott and Seaway International (Massena) bridges

Source: NYS Department of Agriculture

386,451 in March 2012 331,524 in Feb. 2012 382,787 in March 2011

Average NNY price for gallon of regular unleaded gas

Source: T.I. Bridge Authority, Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, Seaway International Bridge Corp.

March ’12 $3.97 Feb. ’12 $3.81 March ’11 $3.70

U.S.-Canadian dollar exchange rate (Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar)

7.3%

Average NNY price for gallon of home heating oil

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(Percent gains and losses are over 12 months)

March ’12 $4.08 Feb. ’12 $4.01 March ’11 $3.94

3.5%

1.0%

$0.99 on March 23, 2012 $0.99 on Feb. 24, 2012 $0.97 on March 25, 2011

2.0%

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of N.Y.

Average NNY price for gallon of residential propane

Nonagriculture jobs in the Jefferson-Lewis-St. Lawrence counties area, not including military positions

March ’12 $3.49 Feb. ’12 $3.45 March ’11 $3.72

88,900 in March 2012 89,100 in Feb. 2012 88,500 in March 2011

6.2%

0.45%

Source: NYS Energy Research and Development Authority

Source: NYS Department of Labor

Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors single-family home sales

St. Lawrence Board of Realtors single-family home sales

66, median price $135,500 in March 2012 93, median price $130,000 in Feb. 2012 61, median price $119,000 in March 2011

37, median price $75,000 in March 2012 37, median price $74,900 in Feb. 2012 33, median price $59,900 in March 2011

8.2% Sales

13.9% Price

Source: Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors Inc.

12.1%

25.2%

Sales

Price

Source: St. Lawrence Board of Realtors Inc.

NNY unemployment rates

Jefferson County Mar. 12

11.1%

Feb. 12

11.7%

Mar. 11

11.1%

St. Lawrence County Mar. 12

Feb. 12

Mar. 11

11.0% 11.2% 11.0%

Lewis County Mar. 12

11.5%

Feb. 12 Mar. 11

11.9%

11.3%

Source: New York State Department of Labor (Not seasonally adjusted) Note: Due to updates in some “Econ. Snapshot” categories, numbers may differ from previously published prior month and year figures.

NNY Business | May 2012

NNY

Economic indicators New automobiles (cars and trucks) registered in Jefferson County Cars 431 in March 2012 285 in Feb. 2012 367 in March 2011

17.4%

Trucks 84 in March 2012 47 in Feb. 2012 68 in March 2011

23.5%

Source: Jefferson County Clerk’s Office

Passengers at Watertown International Airport

Open welfare cases in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties

2,861 in-bound and out-bound in March 2012 2,451 in-bound and out-bound in Feb. 2012 626 in-bound and out-bound in March 2011

1,935 in March 2012 1,971 in Feb. 2012 1,943 in March 2011

0.4%

357% Source: Jefferson County Board of Legislators

DBA (doing business under an assumed name) certificates filed at the Jefferson County Clerk’s office April 13-May 1.

For a complete list of all DBAs filed in April and in past months, visit us on the Web at WWW.NNYBIZMAG.COM.

May 1: Sisso Publishing, 1025 State St., Watertown, Homer Pennington III, 1025 State St., Watertown.

David R. Houghton, 8 Fairlane Drive, Canton, Andrew C. Stafford, 11756 Lyons Corners Road, Adams Center.

Reminisce, 27569 State Route 12, Watertown, Sandra Cole, 27569 State Route 12, Watertown.

CRS Marketing, 8439 Willow St., Evans Mills, Charles R. Skellen, 8439 Willow St., Evans Mills.

D&H Enterprise, 224 E. Main St., Brownville, Darren Hartman, 273 E. Main St., P.O. Box 197, Brownville.

Countryside Lawn and Landscape, 10493 Fuller Road, Adams Center, Christopher Davis, 10493 Fuller Road, Adams Center.

Next Ride Auto Sales, 1256 Arsenal St., Watertown, Robert L. Moyer, 517 Hamlin St., Watertown, and Andrew A. Wren, 18799 County Route 126, Watertown.

April 20: Wilder’s Women’s Healthcare, 428 Washington St., Watertown, Joyce Wilder, 25700 Contessa Lane, Watertown.

J Fins, 42 Pike St., Sackets Harbor, Julia Jacobs, 105 W. Hamilton St., Sackets Harbor.

April 30: ALS Siding, 629 Gotham St., Sean Brett, 629 Gotham St., Watertown.

Flawless by Odalis, 20077 State Route 3, Watertown, Odalis Carrera, 321 Gotham St., Watertown.

A&S Mobile Detailing, 26001 Crowner Road, Carthage, Andrew McEathron, 26001 Crowner Road, Carthage.

KayTwoClay, 16830 County Route 155, Watertown, Katherine J. Kedenburg, 16830 Dry Hill Road, Watertown.

Clay Cleaning Service, 203 N. Orchard St., Watertown, BilliJo Clayton Improvement Association LTD, 203 N. Orchard St., Watertown.

April 27: Primetime Sports Photography, 3642 VanBrocklin Road, Lorraine, William M. Johnson, 3642 VanBrocklin Road, Lorraine.

Little Buds ELC, 41579 Farrell Drive, Clayton, Amy L. Black, 15975 County Route 3, Clayton.

Cuttin the Cheese, 167601 Michael Road, Adams Center, Amy S. Moulton, 167601 Michael Road, Adams Center.

All American Property Maintenance and Lawn Care, 18104 Van Allen Road, Watertown, Thomas N. and Joshua N. Roshia, 18104 Van Allen Road.

April 26: EuropeCakes, 425 Gaffney Drive, Watertown, Monika Atanasova, 425 Gaffney Drive, Watertown.

North Star Auto and Salvage, 28722 State Route 37, Evans Mills, Madeline A. Eves, 31600 County Route 163, Carthage.

Artemis Private Investigations and Security Services, 22 Clay St., Adams, Christopher J. Singleton, 24 Clay St. Patchen Tree Removal, 26324 Smith Road, Dexter, Joshua J. Patchen, 26324 Smith Road, Dexter.

April 24: Bayside Bed and Breakfast, 17695 County Route 59, Dexter, Tracy J. Quinn, 17695 County Route 59, Dexter.

FIT U, 6251 Scotch Pine Drive, Fort Drum, Krista P. Weaver, 6251 Scotch Pine Drive, Fort Drum.

Island Boys Construction, P.O. Box 72, Wellesley Island, Thomas F. Hunt, 18634 Beaver Run Drive, Fineview.

April 23: Suns Embrace Farm, 11756 Lyons Corners Road, Adams Center,

JCS Construction, 209 Brown Blvd., Brownville, Jesse C. Streeter, 209 Brown Blvd., Brownville.

C Clear Window Cleaning, 36807 Deferno Road, Clayton, Matthew J. Delaney, 36807 Deferno Road, Clayton.

April 19: Windowshopshop.com, 23233 State Route 342, Watertown, Julie M. Brooks, 24 Main St., Philadelphia.

April 18: Rogers Auto Detailing, 594 W. Main St., Watertown, David A. Rogers, 19386 Tubolino Road, LaFargeville.

Impact Nutrition, 1222 Arsenal St., Watertown, supplement store, Eric Richardson, 6876 Firehall St., Croghan.

April 17: Ledge Stone Construction, 122 Elm St., Watertown, Daniel J. Webb, 122 Elm St., Watertown.

Credit Processing Unlimited, 740 Gotham St., Watertown, credit card processing and equipment sales, Richard E. Musto, 740 Gotham St., Waterown.

North Country Store, 32672 Route 11, Philadelphia, Jacob Kuntz, Castorland, and Ezra Yoder, 37769 Ore Bed Road, Philadelphia.

All American Property Maintenance and Lawn Care, 18104 Van Allen Road, Watertown, Thomas N. Roshia, 18104 Van Allen Road, Watertown Carthage Adjusters, 268 State St., Suite B, Carthage, private investigator, Chad J. Pate, 3541 Roberts Road, Carthage.

April 16: Mi Casa Restaurant, 726 LeRay St., restaurant, Andoias M. FriasRodriguez, 726 LeRay St., Watertown.

H and W Contractor Maintenance, 140804 Texas Road, Carthage, Holly L. Fayette, 40804 Texas Road, Carthage.

Bessie Jane’s Favorites, 8509H McHenry Loop, Fort Drum, handmade jewelry, household goods, Christine M. Williams, 8509H McHenry Loop, Fort Drum.

Glenn L. Tefft Slow Cow Express, 28201 Call Road, Evans Mills, livestock dealer. Glenn L. F. Tefft, 28201 Call Road, Evans Mills.

Forget-Me-Not Photography, 19187 Waite Road, Adams Center, Kimberly A. Fillingham, 19187 Waite Road, Adams Center.

April 13: A&E Frank & Co., 31 Holland St., Alexandria Bay, consulting, Arthur E. Frank Jr., 101 General Clark Drive, Sackets Harbor.

Fingermaps.com, 19676 Staplin Road, Black River, Randy D. Freeman, 19676 Staplin Road, Black River.

TShirt Time, 17747 Route 11, Lot 6P, Watertown, retail, Justin Chouinard, 17747 Route 11, Lot 6P, Watertown.

TRANSACTIONS

DBAs

Source: Social Service Depts. of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties

May 2012 | NNY Business

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G U E S T E S S AY

State’s farmers lead in innovation

T

hese are exciting times for New York State agriculture largely because we have in Andrew Cuomo a governor who is committed and determined to improve the way we do business here in New York. In doing so, the governor has spearheaded an on-time budget for the second year in a row, cut taxes for middle class families to the lowest tax rate in 58 years, and passed the state’s firstever property tax cap. He redesigned the state’s entire economic development and job-creation system and initiated Regional Economic Development Councils that I am proud to announce includes a new $3 million appropriation for agricultural development.

In response to these changes, we are seeing an expansion in the agricultural industry.

Greek-style yogurt is a perfect example. The amount of milk used in the production of yogurt in New York has dramatically increased, thanks to this new style of yogurt that requires three times the amount of milk than traditional yogurt. Companies like Chobani and Fage are growing their businesses in New York where milk is abundant, and we are attracting new businesses like Alpina and Pepsico/Muller that we expect to open in the near future. Specific to the north country, we are pleased that the North Lawrence plant was re-opened in October by the Upstate Niagara Cooperative, providing jobs for local residents and an additional market for milk for local dairy farmers.

Wine is another sector that is growing, with more than 316 licensed wineries in the state, eight of which are in our backyard and make up the Thousand Island Seaway Wine Trail.

At the governor’s direction, we also started to remove barriers to agricultural commerce by expanding access to programs that were restrictive or unavailable

to farm and food operations.

These initiatives included improving the terms of our linked deposit program for agricultural projects, expanding opDarrel Aubertine portunities for farmers markets to access funding and giving the department authority to create a revolving loan program. These resources are essential to supporting new or expanding farmers who often lack access to capital, land,

will co-digest manure and food-waste to produce electricity. New York has a long way to go on this front with only 18 anaerobic digesters presently in service, but the future is bright, and it is prosperous.

Even with all of these new programs and initiatives to support our rural agribusinesses, Mother Nature reminded us last year when Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee struck that all too often the elements of weather take control.

The sheer strength of those storms ripped through villages and devastated crops.

But as New Yorkers, we persevered, and as government officials we listened to the needs of our citizens and responded in record time. When Hurricane Irene hit on Aug. 28, Gov. Cuomo announced six days later a $15 million program for agricultural recovery – the first of its kind in New York State.

The Agriculture and Community Recovery Fund included various programs to address the diverse needs of those impacted communities and businesses, including; conservation, farm operation/crop replacement, Main Street, and capital needs components. To date, that program has awarded over $10 million to farms in 25 different counties.

In all my travels across the state, I personally believe we have the hardest working and most knowledgeable farmers in the country, or anywhere for that matter. My job as agriculture commissioner is to assure them a bright future by working to hold the line on taxes, reduce the regulatory burdens and making sure they have the capital and market opportunities they need to remain viable and productive.

In all my travels across the state, I personally believe we have the hardest working and most knowledgeable farmers in the country — or anywhere for that matter. My job as agriculture commissioner is to assure them a bright future ... making sure they have the opportunities they need to remain viable and productive.

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NNY Business | May 2012

information and markets.

The New York FreshConnect program, launched by the governor last year, aims to increase access to fresh, locally grown food in underserved communities. For example, last year, the Boonville farmers market received assistance through this program and this year, GardenShare in Canton will receive funding to help double the amount of Food Stamps spent at the Canton and Potsdam farmers markets.

Just the other day, we ushered in a new era of environmental and economic sustainability for New York state dairy farms when we participated in the grand opening of Synergy Biogas in Wyoming County. Now I know that’s a long way away from Watertown, but the technology is exciting and repeatable. This project entails an anaerobic digester that

n DARREL J. AUBERTINE is the 27th Agriculture Commissioner in New York State. Prior to joining the Cuomo Administration in 2011, he served in both the New York State Senate and Assembly. He was born and raised on a dairy farm in Cape Vincent, where he has worked for 35 years and continues to farm.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE PEOPLE, from page 9 earn this designation.

To qualify, ERA sales associates or selling brokers must have achieved 45 total closed units or $100,000 in adjusted gross commission in 2011. Associate or broker teams must have generated 67.5 closed units or $150,000 in adjusted gross commission to earn the designation.

Attorney certified

Attorney John J. Muldowney, Malone, has been certified as a life member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Million Dollar Advocates Forum is a group of trial lawyers in the United States who have won million and multimilliondollar verdicts, awards and settlements.

Mr. Muldowney is a graduate of the Albany Law School of Union University, Schenectady. He is a trial attorney focusing on personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and construction accident litigation.

houseCoopers in Albany.

Mrs. Wheeler is working toward obtaining a CPA designation and concentrates primarily on government and not-forprofit audits. She and her husband, Andrew, live in Theresa.

Recognized for sales

Patrick McGuire, Watertown, an indirect account manager for Verizon Wireless, was named to Verizon’s President’s Cabinet for ranking in the top 2 percent of

the company’s more than 15,000 sales executives nationwide in 2011. Mr. McGuire was one of six people in Northern New York to receive the designation.

Honored by UPS

David Sischo, Rodman, was recently inducted into the UPS Circle of Honor, an organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving. Mr. Sischo is employed at the Watertown UPS.

Joins Bowers & Co.

Libbie L.C. Jenne Wheeler recently joined Bowers & Company CPAs, formerly Sovie & Bowie, at its 167 Polk St., Watertown, office.

Mrs. Wheeler was salutatorian of the class of 2005 at Indian River Central School, Philadelphia. She graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Albany with a bachelor of science degree in accounting in December 2008 and earned a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting information systems there in May 2010.

She previously worked at Pricewater-

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 13

BUSINESS BRIEFCASE WayNorth Web marks five years in Watertown

WayNorth Web, a Watertown Web development firm, celebrated its fifth anniversary last month. Owner Mark Holberg has extensive experience in media, publishing, information technology and online strategy.

WayNorth offers a complete portfoHolberg lio of Web development services.

During the past five years WayNorth has developed more than 50 websites. Beginning in 2007 as home-based business, WayNorth now has four employees and offices in Downtown Watertown’s Key Bank building.

The company is focused on assisting businesses and organizations in the north country, and is committed to providing a level of service that exceeds expectations in all respects.

Mr. Holberg also is a member of Watertown Evening Rotary Club. Visit www.

WayNorth.com to learn more, or contact the firm at info@waynorth.com, or 486-0615.

Caskinette’s Lofink Ford partners with festival

Caskinette’s Lofink Ford and Caskinette’s Throttle Shop, Carthage, have partnered with Sailing Seaway Clayton in a two-year sponsorship for the popular summer festival.

Sailing Seaway Clayton, presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford, will kick-off the evening of Thursday, June 14, with the grand arrival of tall ship Fair Jeanne to

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NNY Business | May 2012

the Thousand Islands Regional Dock at Frink Park, Clayton. The ship remains in port through Sunday, June 17. Free deck tours will be provided by Caskinette’s.

The weekend also includes live music, a farmers market, various displays and a new feature, “Seaway Splash.”

Coleman Ave., has been recognized for this achievement, which places them among the top Showplace dealers nationwide.

Visit www.macarsinteriors.com to learn more.

Boathouse designed by local architect featured on MSN.com

Canton’s Atlantic Testing Laboratories has been honored by Rose and Kiernan insurance agency, East Greenbush, and the Hanover Insurance Group Inc., Worchester, Mass., for operating without a lost-time accident for more than two million employee hours. ATL has not had an occupational injury or illness involving days away from work since September 2007.

The two companies recognized ATL with the National Safety Council’s two-millionhour recognition plaque and certificate.

ATL is based in Canton with 10 offices throughout the state and provides testing and other professional services to architectural, engineering, commercial and industrial clients, contractors and federal, state and government entities.

MSN.com featured a local boathouse designed by architect Brian A. Jones, a partner at Aubertine and Currier Architects, Engineers & Land Surveyors, Watertown. The boathouse is located on the St. Lawrence River near Goose Bay, Clayton.

The boathouse, which backs into a cliff on the shoreline, made for difficult construction access. Designed to accommodate up to a 30-foot motorized boat, the boathouse has a rooftop deck, catwalk leading to the main home, and cedar trim work and accents. Its design matches the river cottage architecture of the main home located on the same property.

Aubertine and Currier Architects, Engineers & Land Surveyors, is a small multi-discipline design firm that has been providing Architectural, Engineering and Land Surveying Services to residential, commercial and municipal clients since 2000. Full civil engineering and land surveying services were added in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Visit http://realestate.msn.com/10-bodacious-boathouses#6 to see the boathouses.

Macars wins award

Macars, a Watertown home improvement store, was recently named a President’s Club Award winner for exceptional cabinetry sales by Showplace Wood Products. This is the fifth year Macars, 161

Canton firm injury-free

Business of the Month

The Lewis County Chamber of Commerce has named Climax Paperboard and Packaging its April Business of the Month.

Climax companies provide high quality, high value paperboard and packaging products to specialty markets. The company was founded in the early 1900s and in May 2008 Climax LLC was formed when an investor group led by Delta Point Capital Management, based in Rochester, purchased the company. Co-investors include Hamilton Lane, who is investing funds from the New York State Common Retirement Fund, with additional financing provided by New Spring Capital.

BUSINESS BRIEFCASE Climax purchased St. Joseph Packaging on Nov. 1, 2009, and in March 2010 completed a separation of the paperboard division from Climax Manufacturing Co. to form three separate legal entities: Climax Paperboard Inc., Climax Packaging Inc. and the original Climax Manufacturing Co., located in Lowville.

Fort Drum wins community award

The Army has picked Fort Drum to share a bronze award in the 2012 Army Communities of Excellence. The post will share the bronze award with Army Garrison Japan and Army Garrison Yongsan, Korea. The award comes with a $150,000 prize and local officials will accept the award this month at the Pentagon.

Care, Watertown, was recently recognized by the AAMCO company at an awards ceremony in San Diego, Calif., as being among the top one percent of all AAMCO dealerships.

Comfort Inn & Suites honored

Comfort Inn & Suites, Watertown, has received the 2012 Platinum Hospitality Award from the world lodging leader Choice Hotels International, franchiser of

Got business news? n Share your business news with NNY Business.

Email news releases and photos (.jpg/300 dpi) to editor Ken Eysaman at keysaman@wdt.net.

The deadline for submissions is the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Photos that don’t appear in print may be posted on our website or Facebook page.

the Comfort Inn brand.

Each year, the top hotels in each brand are eligible to receive the platinum distinction.

Barrett Paving nets national award

Barrett Paving Materials recently received a national award for excellence in asphalt pavement for the rehabilitation of taxiways B and C at Ogdensburg International Airport. The award was presented by the National Asphalt Pavement Association for high levels of quality both in the field and at the Norwood plant.

Martin’s Point Health Care opens new office

Martin’s Point U.S. Family Health Plan’s new customer service office is now open in Freedom Plaza, Suite 3, at 26121 Route 11, in Evans Mills.

The office will be staffed by full-time representative Melissa Strader. Contact her at 785-5467.

AAMCO recognized

AAMCO Transmissions and Total Car

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 15

Embracing

COVER STORY

new technologies in

agriculture

n From GPS-enabled planting to mobile milk-monitoring, farmers on cutting edge

T

STORY BY KYLE R. HAYES | PHOTOS BY JASON HUNTER

THE ROLE OF THE FARMER CHANGES FROM SEASON TO SEASON. LIKE THE FIELDS THEY PLANT OR THE LIVESTOCK THEY RAISE, NO SEASON, AND NO FARM OPERATION, IS THE SAME. IMPLEMENTATION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IS ONE THING SETTING SEVERAL FARMING OPERATIONS APART FROM THEIR COMPETITION, WHETHER CROP FARMS, DAIRY FARMS OR LIVESTOCK FARMS. MUCH LIKE OTHER COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIES, AGRICULTURE HAS BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF NEW AND EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES THAT MAKE LIFE ON THE FARM EASIER WHILE INCREASING EFFICIENCY AND DECREASING COSTS. New farm technology ranges from the simplest smartphone app that turns an iPad into a mobile milk-monitoring station or allows farmers to record herd information from the field to the hundreds of thousands of dollars that may be spent on precision planting equipment.

“If you look at agriculture as a whole in the United States, the demand and need for new technology is largely in the Midwest, where farms are much more expansive,” Seth Conway, a precision farming specialist for Monroe Tractor, said. “However, the advancements always bleed west and east from there, so it takes time to adapt to technology here in New York. But we’re seeing it now, it’s here and it’s being implemented across the state.”

Mr. Conway said that many local farmers both in upstate and Western New York doesn’t necessarily want to be on the cutting edge of technology. With new technology comes the period of adjustment and working through problems that arise after it has been developed.

“The farmers we work with throughout the state like to

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NNY Business | May 2012

let others work out the bugs and kinks,” he said. “After they’ve fixed all the problems with the new products at other places west of New York and in Canada, then they’ll start buying it.”

As a precision farming specialist, Mr. Conway travels throughout the state to various Monroe Tractor stores, including the Adams Center store, and educates farmers on trends in the marketplace and offers refresher courses about the benefits, and drawbacks, to precision farming.

“Our workshops we host are really great,” he said. “I usually go in with an agenda of what I want to talk about, but then having all of those farmers together, they feed off of one another. So they’re learning from each other, and I’m learning about what they go through on a day-to-day basis.”

Precision planting, or planting seeds for crops via a GPS satellite system, is one farm technology that is spreading across the nation and slowly seeping into Northern New York. Precision planting systems can go so far as steering planters around the fields to place each seed in its

Eric D. Schuler, Massena, activates a meter that controls a milking machine at Maple View Farms in Madrid. The meters calculate how much milk is produced by each cow and can detect any abnormalities with the milk. A pedometer, on each cow’s leg, transmits information such as the cow’s activity levels to the meter.

COVER STORY intended spot. The advanced systems allow the computer to take over steering a giant tractor around the field, leaving the driver to monitor seed output and placement.

“We have a few farms using [GPS planting equipment],” said Joseph R. Lawrence, a field crops resource educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Lewis County.

“The limitation for that equipment comes with the fact that we have a varied topography here. We have a lot of wooded land we deal with, and a lot of small fields that are all broken up. For that reason some of the GPS is not as applicable.”

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NNY Business | May 2012

Working hand-in-hand with the precision planting equipment that is driven by GPS are computer-driven feed monitors that are wired through a planter’s equipment and monitor the seeds being planted throughout a farmer’s field.

“A lot of our new corn planters are equipped with feed monitors that are critical in planting things like corn and soybeans,” Mr. Lawrence said. “Having the right plant populations and shooting for a certain number of plants per acre, if your planter is off a little bit in terms of spacing seeds out as they’re planting it will affect

that population, which affects your year.”

Mr. Lawrence said that many precision planting machines can plant six rows of seeds at a time and the computer will tell the operator if a tube is plugged or if any irregularities arise. Being aware of the problems immediately not only saves the farm operation the time it takes to fix it, but money as well.

“In Western and Northern New York there is probably a greater population of farms that have utilized the precision planting technology across their whole fleet,” Mr. Conway said. “As you come east

COVER STORY the numbers dwindle, but there are guys who have their whole farm wired. It’s been around for a while, but it’s catching on.”

Mr. Conway has been working with new technology at Monroe Tractor for more than five years, and in agriculture for 15 years. He said that calculating return on investment with technology investments can begin day one.

“Depending on your initial investment, ROI can come as early as planting season begins,” he said. “When you compare the precision that you’re putting crop seeds into the ground and the outcome you’re getting from that, ROI begins there.”

Brent A. Buchanan, an agricultural issue leader for St. Lawrence County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension, said that robotic millers are becoming more widespread in their usage throughout St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties. The computers that run the system collect instantaneous data while the machine is milking a dairy herd.

“Robotic milkers are becoming more popular now that the initial kinks have been worked out of the product,” Mr. Buchanan said. “Initially, there had been some issues. But now they are getting more use. The best part about them is that they can be scaled up or down. So a big farm could use them, or a small farm, with as little as 50 cows, can utilize it.”

The beginning of planting season leads the way to a normally overlooked technology: Seed technology and pest management.

“In a different scope of technology on the farm, with no computers or anything, there are seed technology and the development of different pest management strategies,” said Mr. Lawrence, the field crops educator. “By developing seed variations and pest management tools that work together, you’re reducing the impact on the crops.”

Mr. Lawrence said that immense amounts of time, money and research go into what is called Integrated Pest Management. IPM isn’t a new concept, but with new variations in seed technology and ever-involving development of herbicides and insecticides, having a fine tuned IPM strategy ensures the best outcome for crops.

“You have to select tools that will be sustainable and environmentally friendly with what seeds you’re planting and crops you’re planning to grow,” Mr. Lawrence said. “If your tools for pest management are wrong, your crops will become resistant to anything they’re treated with and you lose that option of controlling pests.”

All branches of Cornell Cooperative Extension work with Cornell University, Ithaca, and their own networks of vendors,

Daniel J. Davis, Madrid, an employee at Maple View Farms in Madrid for the past 15 years, sits in a GPS-enabled tractor equipped with a precision-planting monitor next to the steering wheel. The precision planting monitor controls placement of seeds per acre. The tractor pulls a 16 row corn planter.

suppliers and farmers to continue their education on everything from what’s new in technology to herd management and maxi-

mizing milk production. That combination of information from the school and from vendors and companies gives exten-

TAX & FINANCE DIRECTORY

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 19

COVER STORY sion employees the ability to deduce what advice is most helpful for local farmers.

“The agriculture industry does a good job having technical resource people that educate consumers on their products,” Mr. Lawrence said. “Part of our mission at the extension is being an unbiased source of information. We decipher all of the information, make sure there is good research to back up these products and then we give that information to our clients.”

On a small scale, a number of applications for smartphones and tablet computers, like the iPad, have been developed

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NNY Business | May 2012

that allow farmers to stay connected, even when standing in the middle of sprawling fields. An application like Evernote syncs documents written on a smartphone with desktop computers, tablets and any other device with Evernote access.

“It used to be that a farmer would walk out in the field, scribbling notes on a dirty piece of paper,” Mr. Buchanan said. “Now they can access information from a handheld device, take notes on animals, enter it into the computer and the app tells them if there is a problem or if other red flags come up. All that technology is there for

anyone, big farm or small, to use.”

As with any new technology, agriculture leaders warn, adopting advancements in farm technology can be a lot to handle.

“Some new technologies, if they’re abused or not used correctly, they have adverse effects on the crops and animals, there can be some serious drawbacks,” Mr. Lawrence said.

Knowing what is a good fit for an individual farm is the most effective way to adopt technology.

“If a farm jumps into a tech investment without all the information they

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 21

COVER STORY need, it might slow business down,” Mr. Lawrence said. “Without that information, they could end up spending money on something that isn’t going to be a good return on investment.”

An important point that Corey Hayes, a farm business educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, makes when advising his clients is that making any investment in new, or even established, technology for a farm business is to start at square one.

“With my clients, I sit down and start basic with pencil and paper,” Mr. Hayes said. “Technology investment can mean a lot of money. Part of our job is educating the farmers and determining if their investments are the right fit for them and for the farm based on its size.”

When making sound business decisions, Mr. Hayes said knowing limitations is key to having long term success. Knowing what will benefit both the business owner and the farm is just as important.

“Don’t go outside of your means,” he said. “We see way too many people go in over their head. Use what will benefit you and spend within your means. You don’t want to waste time on what isn’t important.”

Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Conway, the precision farming specialist, note that advancement in farm technology is, at the least, making farming less back-breaking for current and future generations of farmers throughout the north country.

“Once you get people rolling on the path with one product, it becomes an addiction,” Mr. Conway said. “It opens people’s eyes to what computers and technology can do for them. I had one farmer that told me his 83-year-old father had been out in the fields late, operating a self-steering precision tractor. He called his father up one night at 7 p.m. and asked if everything was OK, because he hadn’t heard from him and he usually could only work until 5 p.m. before turning in for the day. Here he was at 7 p.m., said everything was just fine, he was out in the field having a great time in that new tractor.”

Mr. Lawrence said that a younger generation of farmers may be on the horizon, driven by an interest in technology.

“It’s interesting to think that the technology might bring in new interest, but I guess it really does help get them involved,” Mr. Lawrence said. “Whenever I do something like a career day at a local school, if I mention doing work with iPads, their ears definitely perk up.” n KYLE R. HAYES is associate magazine editor for NNY Business. Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

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NNY Business | May 2012

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 23

AGRI-BUSINESS

Keeping family in the family farm

For Murcrest Farms, next generation never pressured to take reins

By NORAH MACHIA

W NNY Business

hen their four children were younger, Lynn A. and Peggy L. Murray, owners of Murcrest Farms in Copenhagen, decided they would not pressure any of them to take over the dairy farm that had been in the family for generations.

Instead, they offered their children the option of earning money by working on the farm when they were in high school, and if one of the kids wanted to work at McDonald’s instead, well, that was OK, too.

The Murrays knew that in order for the family business to be successfully passed down to the next generation, they would need to have at least one of their children develop a real passion for dairy farming, and not feel forced into taking over the operation.

They also knew they would have to expand their farming business so it would be successful enough to support multiple generations.

The Murray family managed to define their goals through a mission statement: “At Murcrest Farms we strive to be environmentally responsible and efficiently produce a quality product while growing our business with a strong financial position to maintain a suitable living for our valued employees and family members.”

The Route 12 farm was purchased in 1951 by Mr. Murray’s grandparents, who had been farming in St. Lawrence County but were looking for better land to grow their crops. Mr. Murray’s father, Douglas L. Murray, was 23 at the time and helping his parents with the farm operation.

When the Murcrest farm was established, the Murray family owned 40 cows. That number was increased to 60 cows within the first year of operation.

Eventually Mr. Murray, who was one of three boys born to Douglas and Helen Murray, joined his father in the farm operation. More land was acquired, more buildings went up, and the number of cows increased to 350 head. When Mr. Murray’s son, Mark, was ready to join the family business in 2006, the number of cows reached approximately 700.

Mark graduated from Cornell University, Ithaca, in 2006. It was the same college that Mr. Murray graduated from in 1978 and his father graduated from in 1949.

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NNY Business | May 2012

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS

The Murray family enterprise at Murcrest Farms, Copenhagen, from left, Sara, Mark, co-owners Lynn, Peggy and Doug.

Although Mark said he was “probably 90 percent sure” he would return to Murcrest Farms when he started college, it was the growth of the family’s dairy farm into a viable business operation that drew him back home to stay after graduating with a degree in animal science.

“When I was growing up, we were all given the option to work on the farm, but nobody was forced to,” he said. “If we decided to work on the farm, we were treated like any other employee.”

It was the exposure that he got while working on the family’s farm, combined with his education at Cornell University that made Mark realize his heart was in farming.

“At the end of the day, I can step back and say I did something,” he said. “We produce a lot of high quality milk.”

“It’s really interesting work,” he added.

“There are never two days that are identical.”

Mark is married to Sara Murray, who also graduated from Cornell University in 2006 with a degree in animal science. When she initially came to Jefferson County, Sara was working at a breeding program specialist for Genex Cooperative in Jefferson County.

She later took a position at Murcrest Farms, overseeing the health of all the calves, along with helping with feedings and other tasks. Mark and Sara Murray have a 9-month-old daughter, Abigail.

When the younger generation started working on the farm, there was a lot of talking around the family dinner table to figure out how all three generations of the Murray Family could work together and still be on speaking terms at the end of the day.

“We all sat down and discussed how our working and personal relationships” would be affected, Mr. Murray said.

It was important that “everyone was designated a job that they were trained to do and interested in, but at the same time, we needed to streamline the business operation to make it as efficient as possible,” he said.

That way, if some family members wanted to take a vacation, others could temporarily take over their duties so nobody would feel “trapped” on the farm, he said.

The family also works to respect each other’s job duties, but at the same time, they strive to effectively communicate because so many aspects of the farming operation are interconnected, Mr. Murray said.

“Farming involves many aspects — cows, crops, equipment and people,” he added.

Mark, who is the herd manager for the 700 cows, joked “I’m definitely a cow person, not an equipment person.”

Mrs. Murray is referred to by other family members as “the comptroller.”

Mrs. Murray, who also works as a farm business management educator for Lewis

County Cooperative Extension, takes care of Murcrest Farm’s finances, including the payroll and employee benefits.

There are 12 people employed by Murcrest Farms. The farming operation offers benefits such as health insurance, a retirement plan and vacation time.

“When we begin farming, it was mostly the family,” Mr. Murray said. “We would milk in the morning, take care of the crops in the afternoon, milk in the evening and then go to bed.”

“As our operation grew more into a business, we started to rely more on employees,” he said. “It’s key to have the right person in the right position that can be trusted to do the job.”

Murcrest Farms is a “24/7” operation, with cows being milked three times a day, Mr. Murray said. The fulltime night herdsman is “usually gone before we get there in the morning,” he said. “We communicate a lot with notes.”

While Mr. Murray oversees the main operation of the farm, his father, Douglas, who is “retired,” is still involved in the farming operation.

“My father is very detail-oriented,” said Mr. Murray. “He is here to check on things and follow-up to make sure everything that needs to be taken care of is done.”

The Murray family is always trying to find the balance between their personal lives and their farm, which is considered a separate business operation, he said.

The family often gathers at Mr. and Mrs. Murray’s home for Sunday night dinners, but “most of the conversation has nothing to do with the farm,” Mr. Murray said.

However, that doesn’t mean that “business talk” won’t come up toward the end of the evening.

“It’s usually when we’re getting ready to walk out the door and we’re putting our shoes on,” Mark said. “Then it may come up as a discussion about something that needs to be taken care of the next day.”

Mr. and Mrs. Murray, along with Douglas L. Murray, formed a Limited Liability Corp. for the operation of Murcrest Farms several years ago, further separating the farming operation as a business. They are working to bring Mark and Sara into the LLC as partners in the future.

“Although technology has changed the way many things are done on the farm, it hasn’t changed the philosophy,” Mark said.

“How we do it is different with each generation. But why we do it is still the same.” n NORAH MACHIA is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist. Contact her at nemachia@yahoo.com.

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 25

AGRI-BUSINESS

Cheese maker invests millions

N

NNY Business

orth country dairies continue to herald Great Lakes Cheese for its $86 million investment to expand its Adams plant, adding 142,000-square-feet of production space for a cheese-making operation that now produces 87 million pounds of cheddar cheese annually.

Roughly 25 new employees were hired as a result of the plant expansion and modernization project that wrapped up in December.

Paying tribute to the accomplishment, the plant received the Large Business of the Year Award at the South Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet this month.

Hiram, Ohio,-based Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. has made cheese since 1958. Company officials decided to invest in the expansion project because of the experienced workforce in Adams, its relationships with milk suppliers, incentives from local agencies and governments and its location near a large customer base on the East Coast.

The company bought the Adams plant from Dairylea in 1984 and completed three subsequent renovations before the most recent expansion.

A series of grants helped fund the expansion, including: $2 million from the office of former state Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent; a $500,000 grant from Empire State Development Corp.’s Environmental Improvement Program; a $550,000 grant from the Jefferson County Local Development Corp.; a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant; $1 million from the Manufacturing Assistance Program and $500,000 from the Power for Jobs program. Also making the deal possible was a 20-year payment-in-lieu oftaxes agreement that includes the village, town, Jefferson County and South Jefferson Central School District.

The project broke ground in September 2007 and became operational in August 2009, followed by its full-scale opening last winter.

“Great Lakes Cheese continues to be dedicated to cheese manufacturing in New York. This expansion allows us to build on our existing relationships and enhance opportunities for growth,” Gary Vanic, president and CEO said.

“We are committed to investments in the local community and partnering with the farmers and other suppliers for the mutual benefit of all involved.”

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NNY Business | May 2012

EXCEL ENGINEERING | SPECIAL TO NNY BUSINESS

An aerial view of the Adams Great Lakes Cheese plant after an $86 million expansion.

GLC / By the numbers

$1 billion

Estimated economic impact to local economy.

2.5 million

Pounds of milk processed each day.

70 miles

Farms in this radius produce milk for the plant.

6.3 million

Weight in pounds of cheese the plant’s cold- storage warehouse holds, which represents 25 days of cheese production.

60,000

Gallons of raw milk in one of 7 storage tanks.

695

Weight in pounds of largest single block of cheese the plant can produce.

10

Weight in pounds of milk needed to produce a pound of cheese.

110

Number of international, national and state awards Great Lakes Cheese has earned in the past 20 years for its aged cheddar, mozzarella and provolone.

Source: Great Lakes Cheese

The new plant more than doubled the company’s daily cheese-making capacity and increased its milk consumption from 1.2 million to 2.5 million pounds of milk per day. The expansion also enabled Great Lakes Cheese to acquire milk from roughly double the number of farms it had before.

Its coverage area has expanded from a 35-mile radius to a 70-mile radius, serving between 280 and 300 farms.

Douglas W. Shelmidine, an owner of Sheland Farms, Ellisburg, said that the expansion of the Great Lakes plant was crucial to the local dairy farming community.

“I think it was significantly important because the fact that if the plant didn’t grow, it was going to be antiquated,” Mr. Shelmidine said. “That would have cost farmers some money because our milk would have been transported to places farther away.”

Mr. Shelmidine’s farm participates in the Dairylea Cooperative, which negotiates where Sheland Farm milk is sent to. However, he believes that nearly all of the milk his farm produces is sold to Great Lakes.

“From when they initially bought the plant to now, Great Lakes has been good for the dairy farmers in the area and has provided a reliable outlet for locally-produced milk,” Mr. Shelmidine said. n Story idea? e-mail nnybusiness@wdt.

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

Above, after being inspected for health and sorted by sex, chicks are sent down a conveyor belt and loaded into crates. Below, hatchery employees inspect and sort eggs for quality and viability.

BRINGING AG TO LIFE

Morris Northstar Hatchery delivers millions of chicks each year

By GABRIELLE HOVENDON

A NNY Business

t Watertown’s Morris Northstar Hatchery, the most advanced pieces of equipment are not the incubators’ temperature-control systems, oxygenating fans or humidity regulators. They’re not the machines that roll incubating eggs to mimic movements of a mother hen; they’re not even the computers that monitor the progress of the eggs.

According to Morris Hatchery Inc. spokesman Jeffrey L. Pierce, the most advanced machinery in the 28,000-square-foot facility is the equipment that inspects eggs for viability, then punctures a small hole in the top and administers vaccinations to unhatched chicks.

“There’s a lot of science to it. It’s not rocket science, but it’s technical,” Mr. Pierce said. “We literally can count our chickens before they’re hatched.”

Opened in July 2008, Morris Northstar Hatchery is a subsidiary of Miami-based Morris Hatchery Inc., the nation’s largest producer and exporter of commercial broiler hatching eggs. Located in the Jefferson County Corporate Park off Coffeen Street near Interstate 81, Northstar represents only a small part of Morris’s $100 million in annual sales, but it’s still the largest hatchery in New York and

one of the newest half-dozen hatcheries in the country.

“When we opened the hatchery we opened it using the most current technology in the industry,” Mr. Pierce said. “We were probably one of the most high-tech hatcheries when we were built, and we probably still are. Hatcheries have really, really long economic lives.”

Northstar processes about 15 million eggs every year, resulting

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 27

AGRI-BUSINESS

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

Eggs are scanned with light pulses to determine fertility. Infertile eggs are rejected, fertile eggs are injected with a vaccination by making a small injection at the top of the egg.

Morris Northstar Hatchery / By the numbers

$100m

Morris Hatchery Inc. annual sales from all locations

78,000

24

Number of eggs each incubator holds

52 million

Maximum number of eggs in incubation at one time

Approximate number of jobs Morris Northstar Hatchery created in Watertown

Approximate number of chicks hatched at Watertown facility since Morris Northstar Hatchery opened in July 2008

15 million

Number of eggs processed annually at Watertown hatchery

13 million

Number of day-old chicks exported from Watertown facility to Canada

28,000

Size in square footage of Morris Northstar Hatchery

28 |

18

Number of incubators

NNY Business | May 2012

1,404,000 21

Days chicks are in incubation

100,000

Number of chicks that are loaded onto a single specialized trailer floor for transportation

5

Number of continents to which Morris Hatchery Inc. exports its poultry Source: Morris Hatchery Inc., www.morrishatchery.com.

in the annual export of roughly 13 million day-old chicks to major Canadian food companies such as Toronto’s Maple Leaf Foods, the equivalent of Tyson Foods or Perdue Farms in the U.S. The eggs, which are laid in mechanical nests in Georgia and Arkansas and shipped in temperature-controlled trucks, survive transportation with less than 2 percent breakage, although only about eight of every 10 eggs hatch into chicks.

Once the eggs arrive at Northstar, they are deposited in one of 18 incubators, each of which holds about 78,000 eggs.

The incubators are armed with humidity nozzles, heating and cooling systems, egg-monitoring equipment and, because unhatched chicks breathe through their eggshells, fans to oxygenate them.

After 18 days in incubation, eggs are removed for in-ovo vaccinations, placed in plastic baskets to provide room for hatching chicks then returned to incubators.

Three days later, the chicks hatch and are sorted by gender — which is indicated in

AGRI-BUSINESS a chick’s wing — to give food companies a more precise idea of what size chicken they will receive.

“These meat companies have got it pretty much down to a science,” said Mr. Pierce, explaining that a full-grown female chicken might be used for something like a four-ounce breast filet for a restaurant, while a larger male chicken might wind up as lunchmeat or McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets. “It enables them to get a more precise chicken.”

After being sorted, up to 100,000 chicks are loaded onto a specialized trailer with temperature controls and a ventilated floor. Within hours of hatching they are on their way to Canada, a neighbor whose closeness provided a major incentive for Morris to open its Northstar Hatchery in Watertown.

“There were several locations we were looking at. Proximity to customers was important, and our customers are located in Ontario and Quebec,” said Mr. Pierce, adding that Morris also considered establishing the hatchery in the Niagara region. “It’s literally hours away from our customers and the fresher the chick the better.”

Help from the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. to find the right property, financing and incentives was another important aspect of Morris’s decision to come to the north country.

More recently, the hatchery has sought to expand its facility onto an adjacent lot in the corporate park. Although that move hasn’t happened, company officials still are considering adding square footage to increase the hatchery’s footprint.

“When it came to Jefferson County the hatchery helped diversify our industry overall,” said Jay M. Matteson, agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. “There were some small, private companies raising chickens for meat production but on a very, very small scale – nothing quite as big as what Morris Northstar Hatchery brings to the county in poultry production. We were thrilled to encourage them to locate in Jefferson County.”

In addition to the roughly two-dozen jobs the hatchery created, Mr. Matteson believes interest in poultry meat production across the county has climbed as an indirect result of the hatchery’s presence.

While Northstar does not supply chicks to any large domestic companies, it does

Right, after being seperated from their shells, newborn chicks are sent to be sorted by sex and overall quality. The sex is indicated in the wing.

Below, chicks are loaded, 100 per crate, and shipped on a semi-truck with special equipment to their destination farm.

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

occasionally sell a small number of chicks to local farmers looking to increase their brood.

“It may not be a direct result of the hatchery, but I would like to think that there is some spinoff,” Mr. Matteson said.

“We’ve been seeing more and more interest since Morris Northstar Hatchery came here in poultry meat production. We continue to look for them to be a good partner in our agriculture industry, and hopefully an expanding partner over the years.”

In the end, despite its advanced technology and streamlined processes – the facility is considered bio-secure, and the occasional visitor must shower before entering — there’s no denying the fact that Morris Northstar Hatchery is a farm. Hatching day, for example, brings with it the usual dirt and grime of any livestock process.

“You start with an absolutely pristine and hospital-like environment,” Mr.

Pierce said. “Then eggshell gets everywhere and the fluff from the chicks get everywhere, and at the end of the day it’s a very dirty process.”

Then there’s the fact that humans, not machines, are ultimately responsible for the day-to-day operations of the hatchery.

From incubating to shipping, each process that involves machinery also has people working hand in hand with the technology.

“The one thing that we really emphasize is that we’re not a factory, we’re a farm,” Mr. Pierce said. “Yes, it looks like technology; yes, it looks like a factory, but it’s really just a farm. You take an egg from a hen and you turn it into a chick, then you put it in a barn and you turn it into meat, and that’s that.” n GABRIELLE HOVENDON is a former Watertown Daily Times reporter and freelance writer who lives in Watertown. Contact her at ghovendon@gmail.com.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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AGRI-BUSINESS

Farmer bets on crop’s resilience

Countdown to harvest on for Zoar Asparagus Farm in Rodman

By GABRIELLE HOVENDON

A NNY Business

sk Paul T. Haldeman why his 50-acre farm is lined with rows of asparagus and the answer is simple.

“The fact is that this is the Tug Hill, and it’s a harsh area,” said Mr. Haldeman, owner of Zoar Asparagus Farm in Rodman. “We’ve tried lots of vegetables and other things, and it wasn’t profitable any other way. After about seven years of experimenting we came up with the conclusion that the only thing that would work was asparagus.”

A retired Army officer, Mr. Haldeman purchased his farm in 1996 and named it after the 19th-century village of Zoar, which once stood on the same spot in Rodman. Since then, he has experimented with a number of different crops, including cherries, blueberries, carrots, potatoes, and even a cone-shaped Siberian berry.

He settled on asparagus largely because it can outgrow the damage — up to 100 pounds of produce a day — inflicted by hungry deer and rabbits.

So far, the commitment has had a slow pay-off: Asparagus requires five years to mature between planting and harvesting, and the farm only had five acres of harvestable beds last year. That didn’t stop Mr. Haldeman from selling nearly all of his produce last summer, though, and between this summer and the next he’ll have an additional 20 acres in rotation — an increase from thousands to tens of thousands of pounds of asparagus.

While that amount represents only a fraction of the asparagus imported from countries such as Mexico and Peru, Mr. Haldeman said that the vegetable has a much sweeter taste when taken fresh from the farm.

“The only way you can survive right now in asparagus is to find local, small, fresh markets,” he said. “We’re not competing on volume, we’re competing on quality and freshness.”

To achieve that quality, Mr. Haldeman has embraced permaculture, an agricultural approach modeled after natural, sustainable ecosystems. His asparagus is

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NNY Business | May 2012

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

Paul T. Haldeman kneels next to hillside asparagus beds on Zoar Asparagus Farm in Rodman.

organically grown, nurtured with natural manure and free of chemical herbicides and fertilizers. Nearby, 20 acres of maple trees provide calcium-rich ash for mulching the asparagus beds, while 400 black walnut trees attract birds to prey on asparagus beetles and provide oil that can be converted to biofuel.

Because most asparagus beds only thrive for two decades before needing to be replanted, Mr. Haldeman has placed his rows 12 feet apart, a tactic that he hopes will provide more space for the plants’ large root structures and lead to longer lives.

“We literally work 12 months a year to take care of the beds. We have a lot of customers who seek us out because of that,” he said. “There are a lot of folks who will pay top dollar because they support the farms, so we make them our priority.”

Effective, affordable asparagus picking vehicles have yet to be developed in the United States, so Mr. Haldeman walks the approximately 12 miles of beds and hand-picks his asparagus every day during peak harvesting season, which lasts from May 15 to June 15. To foster crop growth he also is employing a high tunnel — an unheated greenhouse that produces

larger, healthier plants – as part of a threeyear Natural Resources Conservation Service experiment.

In addition to traditional agricultural technology, Mr. Haldeman uses Facebook to communicate with his customers; search for “Zoar Asparagus Farm” and you’ll find harvest updates, photographs and contact information. He also uses the Internet to search for information about diseases and pests as well as older, prechemical methods of farming.

“We’re finding that a lot of the old techniques are so helpful,” he said. “They knew so much more about the growing – they weren’t just dependent on throwing chemicals on the crops.”

These days, Zoar Asparagus Farm features 10 types of asparagus, including a sweet reddish-purple Italian asparagus called Violeta, heirloom varieties such as Mary and Martha Washington, and three varieties developed at Rutgers University for superior disease resistance and taste.

Although Mr. Haldeman does not sell any produce on-site at the farm, north country caterers, restaurants and markets buy up his asparagus the moment it leaves the field, and he encourages customers with large orders to contact him for delivery.

AGRI-BUSINESS

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

An asparagus bud pokes through the ground at Zoar Asparagus Farm, Rodman.

“It’s beautiful. It’s just really nice,” said Kelly L. Widrick, owner of the Green Thyme health food store in Adams Center.

“He packages it nicely for me, and it sells about as fast as he brings it in. He really has a passion for his asparagus.”

Lori A. Wells, an owner of Café Mira in Adams, started taking deliveries of Mr. Haldeman’s asparagus last summer and has used it in a variety of dishes, including creamy asparagus soup and filet mi-

gnon topped with asparagus and lobster.

“It’s clean and fresh and perfect every single time,” Ms. Wells said. “They’re really nice to deal with – they bring as little or as much as you want. As a business, we love to deal with local farmers but just don’t have time to run around all the time.”

This summer, Mr. Haldeman hopes to expand his customer base even further.

One of the largest growers of asparagus in the north country, he is waiting for

the moment when Zoar Asparagus Farm becomes not just emotionally rewarding, but financially successful as well.

“You don’t farm unless you love farming,” he said. “It’s been a huge sacrifice for me and my family to start up, but I have faith that it will eventually be profitable.” n GABRIELLE HOVENDON is a former Watertown Daily Times reporter and freelance writer who lives in Watertown. Contact her at ghovendon@gmail.com.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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SMALL BUSINESS

Latest winery set to uncork in NNY n Retiree turns 40acre spread in Theresa into grape vineyard

By TED BOOKER

I

NNY Business

f you don’t guess right away that Frank C. Venditti, 72, has Italian blood, just ask him a question about wine.

“I’ve always enjoyed the atmosphere of vineyards,” said Mr. Venditti, who’s opening a winery this month called Venditti Vineyards, 42780 New Connecticut Road, in Theresa. “During my (business) travels abroad and in California, I always made it a habit to stop at the vineyards.”

Slated to open May 15, the winery will be a member of the Thousand Island Seaway Wine Trail that includes six other wineries across the north country. With spacious windows overlooking the vineyard, the winery will showcase a tasting room and bar, outdoor veranda, as well as tours for customers. Mr. Venditti, who spent his career working as a regional salesman for Kirby Co. in Buffalo before retiring in 2007 to launch the venture, hopes the relaxed countryside setting — a comfortable break from city life — will make visiting feel like a mini vacation for wine lovers.

Mr. Venditti, who lives in Clarence, explained that he purchased the 40 acres of property a long time ago as his family would frequently make visits to Muskullunge Lake in Theresa. So when he retired, converting the land into a vineyard was a natural choice. The land now has two acres of grape vineyards that

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

Frank Venditti, owner of Venditti Vineyards, holds up empty wine bottles in front of wine vats in the bottling room of his new Theresa vineyard.

Venditti Vineyards WHERE: 42780 New Connecticut Road, Theresa OPENING DAY: Tuesday, May 15 CONTACT: www.vendittivineyards.com or 1 (716) 984-2477

were harvested for the first time last fall, he said, with the goal of adding four to six more acres next year.

While touring the vineyard, he explained that he planted cold hardy grape vines, which can withstand temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero. The crop features a mix of Frontenac, Marquette and La Crescent grape vines.

Prepared in eight large wine vats at a temperature-controlled room adjacent to the tasting room, wine will be bottled and distributed out of the same facility by Mr. Venditti, who hired a wine maker to help him with the process. Visitors will be able to see how equipment is used to bottle, quark and label the wine.

“Our goal here is to offer the best wine in New York State,” Mr. Venditti said, adding that it will feature a range of white, red and port style wines.

In addition to being a popular stop for tourists, Mr. Venditti said he hopes the winery will be a popular family destination. A large family gathering was hosted on the last weekend of April to uncork the first wine bottle.

“This has been a family destination for the past 50 years,” he said. “My father, Frank Venditti Sr., used to come here before World War II to fish at the pond with his friends.”

While he looks forward to growing the winery over the years, Mr. Venditti said that visiting with customers who share the same hobby is what he’ll enjoy the most.

Wine is a part of the social fabric of his life.

“Wine is a part of who I am and is enjoyed by my family whenever we get together,” he said. “Sharing that experience with others is what this is all about.” n TED BOOKER is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Email him at tbooker@wdt.net.

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S T. L AW R E N C E C O U N T Y

Reh Center honors Lisbon roaster

By AMANDA PURCELL

T

NNY Business

imothy G. Gardner began roasting coffee in a popcorn popper as a hobby.

Three years later, he’s running a $100,000-a-year business and is the recipient of the Clarkson University Reh Center for Entrepreneurship’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

After seeing a magazine article on how to roast coffee in a popcorn maker, Mr. Gardner decided to try it.

“I was a caffeine addict when I started and knew if I started brewing I could find a way to make my coffee better and wanted to find out how to make it myself,” he said. “I started researching and discovering different blends that I liked.”

That same year, Mr. Gardner went to a weeklong seminar in Waterbury, Vt., where he learned about roasting specialty coffee. He also obtained a $10,000 grant through the St. Lawrence County Local Development Corp. to help expand his business.

Mr. Gardner bought a 25-pound capacity drum roaster, constructed additional space in his garage and began providing premium roasted coffee to wholesale customers in St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Franklin counties under the name St. Lawrence Valley Roasters, 290 Bank Road.

In 2011, the county Industrial Development Agency recognized him as entrepreneur of the year.

That same year Mr. Gardner produced 15,000 pounds of roasted coffee and garnered sales of more than $100,000.

Mr. Gardner makes a variety of more than 32 coffee and espresso blends. His online sales have carried his coffee to places as far as Hawaii, California and Georgia.

He also partnered with the Reh Center to roast blends for Entrepreneur Coffee and Big Tupper Brewing Co. The Reh Center educates and trains entrepreneurs to secure and manage startup funding and develop their companies.

Mr. Gardner was honored at the Reh Center’s second annual Entrepreneur Recognition dinner in late April.

“He loves what he does, and that’s exciting,” Reh Center Director Marc S. Compeau said. “It’s something we really want our students to take away from him.”

Dale A. Rice, director of the SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center,

Timothy T. Gardner shows off his coffee roaster at his Lisbon home. Mr. Gardner and his wife, Lisa, own St. Lawrence Valley Roasters.

JASON HUNTER | NNY BUSINESS

received the Entrepreneur’s Hero Award at the dinner.

Susan E. Powers, Spence professor in sustainable environmental systems and associate director for sustainability at Clarkson, received the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award. Alumni David D. Reh,

founder of Raytec Inc., Victor, and Robert Kerr, founder of Swish Data, Warwick, were inducted into the Clarkson Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. n AMANDA PURCELL is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer based in St. Lawrence County.

Email her at apurcell@ogd.com.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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REGION

Region ripe with farmers markets

By KYLE R. HAYES

T

NNY Business

he farmers market has been transformed from a backof-the-farm-truck shopping experience, with vegetables caked in dirt and a stiff competition for who grows the best turnips and apples, to a one-stop shop for products produced in the north country.

And that’s the way shoppers, and market organizers, like it.

“What’s nice about our market is that everybody supports each other,” Sandra M. Porter, executive director of the Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce, said.

“It’s also nice that there’s so much attention brought to eating and shopping locally. Our vendors get along so well and I’ve found over the years that the farmers are planting crops so they can participate in the market from beginning to end.”

Mrs. Porter is the market manager for GardenShare’s Ogdensburg farmers markets, which run from Mother’s Day to just before Christmas, she said. The spring markets, called Ogdensburg GreenMarkets, are scheduled for Saturdays beginning May 12, in Library Park, Wednesdays beginning May 16, at Route 37 and Linden Street, and the market’s newest location, at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center on Thursdays beginning May 17. All markets run through the end of September.

“We’ve added the hospital location, actually, at the request of the hospital,” Mrs. Porter said.

“It’s part of their healthy eating initiative, but it’s also good exposure for us and exposure to a new clientele.”

Mrs. Porter said that the hospital employs more than 600 people and more than 1,000 people go in and out of the hospital every day. That exposure, along with the 2 to 5 p.m. time scheduled at the hospital, gives Mrs. Porter hope for a successful season.

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NNY Business | May 2012

Northern New York Farmers Markets / 2012 season Alexandria Bay

n 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays from May 25 to Sept. 28, Kinney Drugs Parking Lot.

Canton

n 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays from May 15 to Oct. 30, Village Green. Contact: Mary Strong, 212-0128.

Cape Vincent

n 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays from June 23 to Oct. 6, village green.

Carthage

n 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays beginning May 25, Farmers Market Pavilion, Riverside Drive. Live entertainment provided most weeks.

Vendors: Seasonal fee, $70 for inside spot, $50 for outside spot; daily-use fee, $10 for inside, $7.50 for outside. Contact: Carthage Chamber of Commerce, 493-3590.

Clayton

n 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays from June 21 to Sept. 6, Frink Park.

Evans Mills

n 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays beginning May 20, Evans Mills Speedway, Route 11. Concessions and bathrooms. Vendors: $20 per 10foot by 10-foot space. Contact: Roxann Mccready Ojeda, rox_1125@ yahoo.com.

Gouverneur

n 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays from May 31 to Oct. 25, Village Green.

Contact: Lorraine Taylor, 212-0456.

Heuvelton

n 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays from June 4 to Oct. 29, corner of Annette and Justina streets. Contact: Shirley Todd, 393-5684.

LaFargeville

n 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays from June 19 to Sept. 24, Stone Mills Museum, 34312 Route 180. Contact: 658-2353.

Lake Placid

n 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays from June 20 to Sept. 26, Lake Placid Center for the Arts. Taste of the Market dates: June 6, June 13, Oct. 3, Oct. 10 and Oct. 17. Contact: Lake Placid Center for the Arts, 1 (518) 523-2512 or www.lakeplacidfarmersmarket.com.

Lowville

n 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays from May 19 to Oct. 27, Lewis County Fairgrounds Forest Park Pavilion.

Lyons Falls

n Noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays from June 12 to Oct. 9, Riverside Park.

Information: Gary Mavis, gmavis@ twcny.rr.com or 348-5167.

Malone

n Noon to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays from June 20 to Oct. 10, Malone Airport, Route 11. Contact: Vicky Lesniak, 1 (518) 651-7680 or burkeplants@gmail.com.

Massena

n 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday from July 5 to Oct. 25, Triple A Building Supply parking lot. Contact: Shirley Peck, 769-5322. n 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays from July 8 to Oct. 28, town hall. Contact: Shirley Peck, 769-5322.

Norwood

n 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays from July 9 to Oct. 29, Park Square. Contact: Shirley Peck, 769-5322.

Ogdensburg

n 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from July 10 to Oct. 31, parking lot behind the police station at senior citizen building. Contact: Shirley Peck, 769-5322.

n 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays from May 16 to Sept. 26, Route 37 and Linden Street. Contact: Sandy Porter, 393-3620. n 2 to 5 p.m. Thursdays from May 17 to Sept. 27, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center. Contact: Sandy Porter, 393-3620. n 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays from May

“We have 27 vendors this year, and five new vendors that weren’t here last year,” Mrs. Porter said. “What’s nice to see is that the vendors realize they do have to compete. They pay more

attention to merchandising their stand and carrying what people request and talking to customers.

We just have a wonderful time doing it all.”

GardenShare organizes

Hogansburg

12 to Sept. 29, Library Park. Contact: Sandy Porter, 393-3620. n 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays from Oct. 6 to Dec. 15, First Presbyterian Church. Contact: Sandy Porter, 393-3620.

Potsdam

n 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Wednesdays from May 12 to Oct. 31, located south of the Main Street parking lot, across from the Roxy Theater. Contact: 1 (802) 4313841 or potsdamfarmersmarket@ gmail.com.

Watertown

n 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays from May 30 to Oct. 3, Washington Street. Rain or shine. Information: Watertown Chamber of Commerce, www.watertownny.com or 788-4400. n 3 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays beginning May 31, Little Barn Bulk Foods, Route 3 between Watertown and Sackets Harbor at the Peer Farm and Koolers Ice Cream. Contact: thelittlebarnbulkfoods@gmail.com. n 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays from June 22 to Oct. 5, Jefferson County Bulk Milk Coop and the Cheese Store, outer Arsenal Street, 1.5 miles west off Interstate 81. Includes local crafts and a chicken barbecue. Contact: cheese.store@jeffersonbulkmilk.com. n 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays from July 9 to Oct. 1, 203 N. Hamilton St. n 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays from June 16 to Nov. 3, J.B. Wise Place pavilion.

Winthrop

n 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays from July 6 to Oct. 26, parking lot between bank and Hammill funeral home, Route 11C. Contact: Shirley Peck, 769-5322. n To submit information about a farmers market not listed, send times, dates, locations and contact information for a market manager to: NNYBusiness@wdt.net. Visit our website at www.nnybizmag.com to view this list on your mobile device.

farmers markets in communities throughout St. Lawrence County. Recent additions to the market schedule include markets in Heuvelton, Hogensburg and Winthrop.

REGION The annual Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce farm and craft market along Watertown’s Washington Street will be packed for the entire summer, according to the chamber’s Events Director Michelle A. Farrell.

“We have about 60 vendors who are occupying 81 spots,” she said. “We had a few vendors from last year drop out, but they’ve all been replaced with other vendors who aren’t

already represented.”

Along with food and craft vendors, the Watertown market also features live entertainment.

“We have Page Fitness scheduled to do some fitness demonstrations and we have the band Oceans Below performing just about every week,” Ms. Farrell said. “Throughout the summer we will have the Downtown YMCA, Watertown Fire Department and New York State Zoo at Thompson Park doing

demonstrations.”

Visit www.watertownny.com for information about the entertainment schedule and market.

The Lowville farmers market will this year be organized by members of the Lewis County Agricultural Society.

“This is our first year being really hands-on with the market,” Douglas P. Hanno, treasurer of the society, said. “We have approximately 25 vendors, which is a few more than we have had in

previous years.”

The market was organized by Dolores B. DeSalvo in the past; she died in January. Mr. Hanno said that this year’s market has been a learning experience.

“We are learning as we go, but it’s going to be a good year,” he said. n KYLE R. HAYES is associate magazine editor for NNY Business.

Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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R E A L E S TAT E R O U N D U P

Inspection vital tool in home buy

A

s anyone who has bought or sold property will tell you, there are many different facets to the transaction and different professionals involved in the sale of a home. In the past, I have written about real estate sales licensees, appraisers and the role of the abstractor in the process. One of the other professions involved is the home inspector.

A home inspector observes and provides a written report of the systems and components of a residential building including the heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems, and structural components such as foundation, roof, masonry, structure, exterior and interior components, or any other related residential building component.

In New York State, home inspectors are licensed by the Department of State, the same agency that licenses real estate brokers, appraisers and sales licensees.

According to the DOS website, www.dos. ny.gov, a license is required by “persons engaged in performing home inspections of residential buildings for compensation.” The site defines a residential building as a structure with one to four dwelling units. Newly built residences and structures that were not previously occupied as a dwelling are exempt.

There are some exemptions from the licensing provision such as an architect, engineer or code enforcement official who is acting within the scope of their profession or within the scope of government employment. The other exemption is for someone who is making home inspections to meet the licensing requirement as a

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NNY Business | May 2012

home inspector.

In the latter case, the person needs be under the direct supervision of a licensed home inspector, registered architect or licensed professional engineer.

A home Lance Evans inspector is licensed for two years, pays an initial application fee of $250, and takes a written exam that costs $50. Other requirements are a high school diploma or GED, completion of an approved 140 hour class of which 40 hours are unpaid inspections under supervision of a state home inspector, professional engineer, or architect, not less than 100 supervised home inspections, paid or unpaid, and no disqualifying criminal convictions. To renew, home inspectors are required to take 24 hours of continuing education and pay a $100 fee.

I contacted three area home inspectors − Ken McArdle of Beacon Home Inspections Inc., Rickey Martin, Pillar to Post, and Joe Gaus, Best Check Home Inspections LLC. I asked them why a home inspection is needed, how they overcome objections and challenges they face.

The home inspector works for their client, generally the buyer, according to Mr. McArdle. As to the importance of a home inspection, both Mr. McArdle and Mr. Gaus cite the “love” factor. When buyers fall in love with a property, they may

have blinders on that affect their judgment and could be costly later. The home inspector’s job is to be an objective third party who writes a written report that is the result of a non-subjective, unbiased, visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home from roof to foundation. The inspection is non-intrusive, meaning that the inspector does not open up walls, pull up carpets, peel back wallpaper, etc., to see what is hidden. Also, a home inspector is not a code enforcement officer.

Mr. McArdle went on to emphasize that sellers can also benefit from having a home inspection prior to putting their property on the market. It can save the owner time and money when an offer is accepted.

A home inspector must be thorough, said Mr. Martin. This means that the homeowner needs to allot sufficient time for the inspection to take place. Mr. Martin also stressed that the report needs to be delivered to the client in a timely fashion. He does his on-site so that the client can leave the house without any question in their mind as to the state of the property.

All three home inspectors pointed out that a home inspection is an important tool in the home buying process as it helps prevent costly surprises for the buyer and the seller. n LANCE M. EVANS is the executive officer of the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He has lived in the north country since 1985. Contact him at levans@nnymls.com. His column appears monthly in NNY Business.

R E A L E S TAT E First-quarter 2012 residential real estate sales 2012 Q1 2011 Q1 2010 Q1 JEFFERSON COUNTY Sales 168 125 115 Median price $138,450 $133,500 $132,500 LEWIS COUNTY Sales 26 23 21 Median price $113,500 $81,800 $119,000 ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY Sales 91 87 99 Median price $75,000 $65,000 $70,000 Source: Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors, St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors

Q1 home sales jump

By TED BOOKER

T NNY Business

he number of houses sold in Jefferson and Lewis counties during the normally quiet first quarter shot up 30 percent this year from 2011.

Residential properties sold by the 325 Realtors in the two counties increased from 148 last year to 194 from January through March, a 31 percent increase. The median price of those homes went up 9 percent, from $119,000 to $129,950.

The sales are attributed partly to the influx of returning soldiers at Fort Drum, said Lance M. Evans, executive officer for the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. In the first quarter, Veterans Affairs home loans accounted for 79 of the sales, or 40 percent; last year, 43 VA loans were issued, for 29 percent of the sales.

Given the scarcity of apartments, more military families bought homes, Mr. Evans said. Low interest rates on mortgages have made it an opportune time for investment.

“Spouses who knew their soldiers were coming back maybe weren’t living here at the time, but they were looking for places to stay and ended up buying homes,” he said.

Real estate activity during the first quarter is typically slow compared with the summer, Mr. Evans said. But not this year, as house hunters started signing earlier than usual.

“Usually there’s a lag time when buyers sign contracts for homes and make an investment. Most of the homes closed sales in March, which means people were looking at them a lot earlier,” he said.

The roughly 200 members of the St. Lawrence Board of Realtors sold 91 houses at a median price of $75,000 during the first quarter this year, up slightly from the 87 houses sold at a median price of $65,000 during the same period last year.

The median prices reflect a 15 percent increase from last year.

“They have a little bit of an (impact) from troops, but I think it was mostly the general economy coming back,” Mr. Evans said.

Loan rates have dropped to historic lows, making it a prime time to invest, Mr. Evans said. In April 2011, VA and Federal Housing Administration loans were in the 4.5 percent to 5 percent range and are now about 3.75 percent; conventional loans were in the 4.75 percent to 5.25 percent range but are now about 4 percent.

“Loan rates are most likely not going to drop anymore, so waiting makes no sense,” he said. “It’s now less expensive to buy a home than it is to rent.”

About 800 homes that cost less than $200,000 are for sale in Jefferson and Lewis counties.

In contrast with the state trend, home prices have climbed substantially in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in recent years. From 2004 to 2011, the median home price in Jefferson County increased from $76,000 to $146,000, the median price in Lewis County rose from $80,000 to $180,000 and the price jumped from $64,650 to $78,500 in St. Lawrence County.

The median home price in New York State dropped from $229,037 to $212,500. n TED BOOKER is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact him at 661-2371 or tbooker@wdt.net.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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R E A L E S TAT E / J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y The following property sales were recorded in the Jefferson County clerk’s office:

April 19

n City of Watertown: Two parcels, Bronson Street, Laura L. Rechek, Watertown, sold to Kinap A. Bassett, Watertown $123,000. n City of Watertown: 0.249 acre, 127 N. Pleasant St., Rose A. Foley, Watertown, sold to Kristopher W.E. Cooley, Watertown $53,000. n Town of Clayton: 53.41 acres, White Road, David W. Davis and Lisa M. Davis, LaFargeville, sold to W & E Farms LLC, no address given $100,000. n Town of Clayton: 5 acres, state Route 12, Teresa J. Bearup, aka Teresa J. Ingerson, Clayton, sold to Michael L. Aubertine, Clayton $70,000. n Village of Clayton: Lot 122, Island View Subdivision, Lisa M. Sanchez, trustee, the Edward and Donna Corter Irrevocable Trust, West Henrietta, sold to Raymond L. Osterhout and Susan J. Osterhout, Conklin $120,000. n Town of Orleans: 7.78 acres, state Route 12, Theodore Weisberg and Ann Weisberg, Alexandria Bay, sold to Bay Brokerage Inc., Wellesley Island $100,000.

April 17

n City of Watertown: 0.250 acre, 146-148 Winslow St., Stephanie L. McIntyre, Watertown, sold to Christopher B. Coulson, Fort Drum $148,500. n Town of Adams: 8.471 acres, Wright Street Road, James Elliott and Nancy Elliott, Adams, sold to Ray E. Moore III, Watertown $259,000. n Town of Rutland: Two parcels, 1.31 acres, 0.047 acre, County Route 163, Debbie L. Henry, Carthage, sold to David M. LaBarge, Carthage $115,000. n City of Watertown: Ward Street, Karin W. Quillinan, Cicero, administrator, estate of Martin A. Moot, late of Watertown, sold to JWN Enterprise, Watertown $50,000. n City of Watertown: 6.334 acres, East Main and Pearl streets, Railstar Corporation, Cape Vincent, sold to Empire-Watertown Realty LLC, Utica $500,000. n City of Watertown: 0.80 acre, 214 Wyoming Ave., NNY Properties of Watertown LLC, Watertown, sold to Nolan Brown, Enterprise, Ala. $125,000. n City of Watertown: Harrison Street, Adam R. Jewell and Robin A. Jewell, Watertown, sold to Shane P. Smith, Vancouver, Wash. $158,500.

April 16

n City of Watertown: 210 S. Hamilton St., Wendy Stumpf, administrator, estate of Herbert D. Stumpf, late of Watertown, sold to Benjamin P. Shoen, Watertown $40,000. n Village of Cape Vincent: 0.858 acre, 295 Lee St., Floyd S. Gould Jr., and Sarah O. Gould, Rochester, sold to John W. Malcho and Gail M. Malcho, Ontario $95,000. n Village of Carthage: 0.09 acre, Norris Avenue, Christopher Sood, Carthage, sold to Roy H. Arcentales, Calcium $90,000. n Town of Rutland: 1.003 acres, County Route 143, Jeffrey Thomas Stewart, by Carla Y. Stewart, attorney in fact, Black River, sold to Danny A. Degrie, Fort Drum $164,000. n City of Watertown: 547-549 Morrison St., Jann W. Sharlow, Watertown, sold to Lyudmila Kerman and Victor Kerman, San Francisco, Calif. $69,000. n City of Watertown: 0.411 acre, Court Street, Jeffrey E. Lowe, Syracuse, sold to Ramiro Sandoval, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. $135,000. n Town of Adams: 5 acres, Lyons Corners Road, Kelly M. Ringwald, Lawton, Okla,, sold to Andrew C. Stafford and Katrina A. Stafford, LaFargeville $159,000.

n Town of Clayton: 2.89 acres, Clayton Center Road, Mark A. Natali Jr. and Brooke E. Natali, Clayton, sold to Joshua P. Moran, Clayton $123,000.

n Hamlet of Three Mile Bay: 0.25 acre, road from Chaumont to Cape Vincent, Lindsey Sturdy, Rochester, and Evan Sturdy, Jersey City, N.J., administrators, estate of Hugh E. Sturdy, sold to James J. Randall Jr., Watertown $68,000.

$3,034,000

n Town of Orleans: 3.13 acres, intersection Carter Street with Eiss Road, Fred A. Duffany, LaFargeville, sold to Matthew Duffany and Jessie Duffany, LaFargeville $80,000.

n Village of Evans Mills: 0.71 acre, Factory Street, Gregory A. Caywood, Watertown, and Jillian R. Caywood, Lawton, Okla., sold to Ryan J. Harwood, Watertown $89,000.

n Visit us online at WWW.NNYBIZMAG.COM to view a complete listing of property sales updated daily.

April 18

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NNY Business | May 2012

County real estate sales recorded over a four-day period, April 16 - April 19, 2012

R E A L E S TAT E / S T. L AW R E N C E C O U N T Y The following property sales were recorded in the St. Lawrence County clerk’s office:

Fishel, Gouverneur, and Paul Mitchell French, Gouverneur $113,000.

April 6

n Town of Fine: Unknown acres, bounded by Stern-

n Town of Potsdam: Parcel 1) 30 28/100 acres more or less, Parcel 2) 39 66/100 acres more or less, Parcel 3) 36 87/100 acres more or less, Parcel 4) 65 acres more or less, Parcel 5) 12 35/100 acres more or less, Parcel 6) 12 35/100 acres more or less, Parcel 7) 31.15 acres more or less, all Parcels are a part of Great Lot 50, bounded by Stockholm Road, Nicholas J. Adams (executor), Frances M. Adams, Rochester, sold to Adon Farms, Potsdam $159,225.

n City of Ogdensburg: Unknown acres, known as

Lot 16, bounded by Ogden Street, Alvie Kinch, Ogdensburg, sold to Frank E. Sampson, Ogdensburg $39,500.

n Town of Canton: 22 65/100 acres more or less, situate in Mile Square Lot 9 of the 8th Range, David P. Taylor Jr., Colton, Jason B. Taylor, Potsdam, sold to James W. Redmore, Carthage $35,000.

n Town of Louisville: 1.60 acres more or less, bounded by River Drive, Town of Louisville, Massena, sold to Timothy J. Peets, Massena $29,000.

n Town of Massena: Unknown acres, situate in Lot

3 of Block 39, bounded by Beach Street, Steven J. Marashian, Massena, sold to Jessica L. Marashian and John M. Pollack, Massena $70,000.

April 5

n Town of Fowler: Parcel 1) 77 14/100 acres more

or less, Parcel 2) 25 acres more or less, both Parcels are bounded by Hodgkin Farm, Earl W. and Elaine B. Murphy, Cape Vincent, sold to Chad Edward

berg Road, Arnold Arquette Jr. (executor), Ruby Arquette, Fine, sold to Richard J. LaFave II, Harrisville $44,000.

n City of Ogdensburg: Unknown acres, being a part

of Lot 6 in Block 40, bounded by Caroline Street, Herbert Becker, Ogdensburg, sold to William and Maxine O’Reilly, Saranac Lake $45,000.

n City of Ogdensburg: Unknown acres, being a part

of Lot 3 in Block 153, bounded by Morris Street, Richard J. Peacock, Hannawa Falls, sold to Michael J. O’Neil, Ogdensburg $38,500.

Lewis County sales n Recent property sales for Lewis County were unavailable at press time. To view updated sales from Lewis County, visit us on the Web at WWW.NNYBIZMAG.COM.

April 3

n Village of Morristown: Unknown acres, situate in Block 43, bounded by Water Street, Tomado Inc., Morristown, sold to Arthur and Patricia Waldron, Canastota $48,000.

April 2

n Town of Canton: 100.51 acres more or less, situate

n Village of Massena: Unknown acres, known as Lot

in Mile square 3, bounded by Sykes Road, Allen E. and Kirsten R.E. Benson, St. Regis Falls, sold to Ralph Crandall, Canton $43,333.

April 4

n City of Ogdensburg: Unknown acres, being a part

17, Randy L. Peets (executor), Arthur Jandreau, Massena, sold to Michael P. White, Massena $84,900.

n Town of Louisville: 0.45 of an acre more or less, being a part of River Lot 3 and River Lot 4, bounded by State Route 131, Mary Lou Babcock, Massena, sold to John E. Lattrell, North Bangor $95,000.

n Town of Lisbon: Parcel 1) 65.70 acres more or less, Parcel 2) 10.80 acres more or less, both Parcels are situate in the Tibbits Tract and bounded by Brown Road, Edward J. and Mary Anne Skelly, Ogdensburg, sold to JMT Property Associates LLC, Massena $200,000.

n Town of Norfolk: Unknown acres, being a part of Lot 9, Lot 10, Lot 11 and Lot 12, Ward and Janette Ordway, Massena, sold to Brandon M. McGregor, Raymondville $87,980.

of Lot 4 in Block 179, Gene A. Murray, Ogdensburg, sold to Kyong A.E. Fike, Ogdensburg $94,280

n Town of Oswegatchie: Parcel 1) 53 65/100 acres

more or less, Parcel 2) 12 19/100 acres more or less, Parcel 3) 61 56/100 acres more or less, all Parcels being a part of Lot 8, Lot 9 and Lot 10, bounded

by Taylor Road, Cankid Inc., Ogdensburg, sold to Gilbert Holdings Inc., Wellesley Island $400,000.

$1,626,718 County real estate sales recorded over a five-day period, April 2-6, 2012

May 2012 | NNY Business

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20 QUESTIONS

Leadership T 3 hirty years ago, Anthony G. Collins — then a 32-year-old Australian with little knowledge of the north country — arrived in Potsdam to begin work as an engineering professor at Clarkson University. In 2003, Mr. Collins ascended to the university’s presidency, becoming only the third person in Clarkson’s history selected for the post from inside its ranks. We sat down with Mr. Collins and talked about Clarkson’s successes and its future.

1

NNYB: In 1982 you came to Potsdam, you haven’t left. What’s kept you here?

COLLINS: The attractiveness to live and work.

It has so many elements for success and once you see that, it’s hard to turn away from the challenge of being able to make a difference. I would say what has kept us here is the opportunity to make a difference in the region. It has all of the elements. To some extent the region lacked some directional leadership to help make the change.

2

NNYB: Being from Melbourne, did you ever expect you’d spend your professional career in upstate New York?

COLLINS: The story is better told through my wife’s perspective. My wife married me, expecting to move to Australia, instead we moved to Potsdam, N.Y. We’ve simply enjoyed it; it’s a great place to raise a family. Every day I see people that have been born and raised here that don’t realize the asset they have here. From the human assets to the natural assets. It’s almost a region waiting to be discovered. Therein lies the opportunity and threat. The opportunity is to develop it in a comfortable, sustainable way. The threat is that development can be a little chaotic and you can lose the advantages that we do have. The government’s regional economic development approach is ideal for this region. If you talk to a lot of people, our plan is one people can endorse. There was a lot of built up and enthusiasm here that naturally carries through.

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JASON HUNTER | NNY BUSINESS

in the modern

era

n For Clarkson President Anthony G. Collins, leveraging innovation key to economic growth NNYB: How did your experiences growing up on a different continent shape your career here?

COLLINS: Born and raised in Melbourne, I earned a bachelor’s degree and started working and wanted to travel the world, like many young Australians do. I thought about getting a master’s degree at Lehigh University. I traveled for a year or so until they offered me a financial aid package and I decided to go to graduate school two weeks after getting the offer. The rest is history.

Lehigh and Clarkson have a lot in common, so I had an affinity for Clarkson. When I was growing up, the population in Melbourne was 10 million people. Here, there is a small population base and number of students, but they have a disproportionate impact on the world. That combination of similar factors was kind of a driving force for me to come here.

4

NNYB: What has driven you to spend most of your career in Potsdam and at Clarkson?

COLLINS: There is a strong tradition of engineering in my family and my wife is in information technology. A lot of what drives me and the direction of the institution is recognition that, frankly, there are not a lot of professional opportunities in the north country for families to retain their children in the region. Our oldest child works in Philadelphia, our next works in Manhattan, our next in Syracuse and our fourth is about to move to Cincinnati. That story is often repeated across the north country. The conclusion of that is that as a region we need to work hard to develop and grow enterprises here that give our future generation economic opportunities in the region. We see a huge interest in people to return here but there has to be opportunities for people to return to. Given the nature of Clarkson, its technical direction and the success of our records, we can do that.

5

NNYB: Next year marks 10 years as president, when did that moment happen in your career when you look back at what you’ve achieved?

COLLINS: I’ve never had a moment. Whether 30 years here at Clarkson or my 10 years as president, I am very much a ‘what are you going to do for me tomorrow’ person. I’m not a ‘what have you done for me,’ ‘what have you done for me lately,’ person. To me, it’s the experience that allows you to tackle tomorrow or the next day. I don’t look at what was accomplished; I work on a day-to-day basis.

6

NNYB: Going back and looking at when you were inaugurated as president, you are only the third home grown leader that came up through the ranks at the university. Why is that so rare?

COLLINS: Universities usually take the opportunity to reinvigorate or update their direction with new presidents. It was unusual and remains unusual to be hired from within. But you can bring in people and attract people like that with experience. That is critical to exposure to outside influences. I am very excited with our most recent hire, [Charles E. Thorpe,] as senior vice president. He brings a global spirit and he comes from the premiere world of robotics. That’s the risk of hiring someone from within like me. You can look at my record but in general it is unusual to hire from within.

7

NNYB: How important to your success are those you surround yourself with?

COLLINS: It’s critical the role of any leader to surround yourself with people that fit the challenge. Currently, the dean of the school of business, Timothy Sugrue, is one of those people.

Bringing people like that on is really important, it gives you even more freedom to take the work going on internally and bring it externally.

20 QUESTIONS Knowing that the university is growing internally in a world class way, he is a world class academic leader and he’s developing the campus internally with the expertise he brought from his experiences outside of the university.

8

NNYB: At some point you have to be willing to take a risk and realize it might not be successful.

There have been a lot of bold initiatives that you’ve headed, have you been thinking about new opportunities that are a bit outside the box?

COLLINS: What you need first is a vision and people that will buy into the vision. A strong leader. In my case, the campus I have adds a key element because many of them actually understand the notion of risk. They have been supportive and encouraging. Once you have a clear vision, the risk diminishes significantly. When the people understand why they’re doing it, you can challenge to fit the vision. If you look at all of the visions, motivations, commitments and initiatives that we have in isolation, they may not have the same impact but they are all very conducive and consistent to the vision. We really shouldn’t be benchmarked against any other institution.

There isn’t another higher education region that exists that has the right imprint. If you lock yourself against a different institution, you’ll want to be like someone else. I think part of our success is we simply want to be Clarkson. Clarkson as a brand will be different from anyone else. We want each graduate to understand how to make responsible, sustainable work.

9

NNYB: As a leader, how do you provide a clear direction? When you took office 10 years ago, you said that the status quo won’t work.

COLLINS: Good leaders are role models. Over time, as we achieve successes, we can reference those milestones and we’re always talking about the way that everybody can. You have vision and then you point out ways that people are examples of that vision when they’re not even aware that they are. A faculty member who works with undergraduates in research class may not connect that with economic development but that same undergraduate may take that research class and develop a business model around the work he was thinking about in the lab.

10

NNYB: When you were inaugurated president, you said that Clarkson was poised to take its last steps to excellence. How many steps to excellence are there?

COLLINS: Excellence is a state of mind. I think the last step is understanding and self-recognition that impacts others and communicates what we are doing and letting other people understand and recognize that. That translates into a can-do, confident attitude. We have students that won a business competition for a $10,000 prize and they took out older entrepreneurs. When you think of innovation, creativity and sustainability, there are examples that show that we are excellent but now they are getting recognition for it.

That gives them confidence to do more. The last step in my mind is internal and external recognition that allows that confidence.

NNYB: Have there ever been some risks that you’ve taken that haven’t ended well?

JASON HUNTER | NNY BUSINESS

Clarkson University President Anthony G. Collins talks about the importance of innovation to an institution like Clarkson in his Potsdam office.

11

COLLINS: I can say, knock on wood, there have not been any significant failures. I attribute that to the teamwork and the team that we have at Clarkson. It’s normally 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration. I would say at Clarkson it’s 1 percent and 99 percent. People here, whether students, faculty or staff, work hard. Whenever we feel vulnerable in an undertaking, people put their shoulders more firmly to the wheel. I think that’s a lot of. Look at Steve Jobs at Apple, there was a company that was almost bankrupt a couple of times, he left and he came back to reinvent the company. Life is learning from mistakes and failures. You rethink it and you work harder.

12

NNYB: As the leader of the institution, how do you support risk-taking?

COLLINS: I think as a leader in an organization, you have to go back to the concept of being consistent. Once people understand where they want to go and that we want to be excellent, they develop their own plans and strategies to make that happen. I think the best comes from allowing and providing support. I think the people who have good ideas will come forward and we will find a way to support it. One example is the Adirondack Semester. Each semester, students go into the Adirondacks and Saranac Lake and learn how to grow the economy and be responsible and sustainable in that rural environment. When you begin a program like that, people ask why we would do it. It’s consistent with our vision.

13

NNYB: The physician assistant program launched in January. What led to that expansion of academic offering and how does that fit in with most of your current offerings?

COLLINS: Engineering and labs and business opportunities, science plays a role in a lot of this.

To me, health sciences provide a natural extension of our current science program. If you look at the core courses in that area, many of the students

The Anthony G. Collins file AGE: 62 JOB: President, Clarkson University.

FAMILY: Married, wife, Karen; four children, all engineers.

HOMETOWN: Melbourne, Australia.

EDUCATION: Undergraduate degree in civil engineering, Monash University, Melbourne; master’s and doctoral degrees from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. CAREER: Began at Clarkson in 1982 as assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering; later worked as a professor, department chair, dean and vice president of academic affairs and provost. Began serving as Clarkson’s 16th president in 2003.

LAST BOOK READ: “Idea Man: A memoir of the co-founder of Microsoft” by Paul Allen.

are going into professional careers in the health sciences. So that program is a natural progression. Physical therapy has a direct connection back to engineering with assistive devices, and then another natural extension to the physician assistant program is the application of it. If we’re going to have a successful region, we’re going to have to have a successful medical system to support our citizens and the physician assistant program is a fantastic way to add to the region. It’s a different way of thinking of a technical university.

14

NNYB: Given Clarkson’s history with the Department of Defense and military research, what is your take on Fort Drum and Northern New York possibly being home to a missile interceptor site?

COLLINS: Well, someone has to do it. I would like to think that it is an advantage being close to Potsdam with the continued research and May 2012 | NNY Business

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20 QUESTIONS development we have going on here. Part of our efforts have been focused is unmanned vehicles and robotics that would allow that kind of activity. Clarkson wants to play an active role in supporting the armed forces with a lot of the science and technology we develop.

15

NNYB: You’re a key member of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council.

How did you come to be involved with that and how has Clarkson been involved with economic development?

COLLINS: Across the board, wherever we can help we’re willing to help. We have a lot of regional experience with our ‘Business 101’ classes. We have 800 small businesses that have

gone through that class and it has had a dramatic impact on the survivability of small businesses. The survival rate for small businesses is usually around 35 percent. The businesses we have worked with are up over 80 percent for survival. We believe we understand how to drive the economy. You have to understand that it’s one new job at a time. If you follow that, you do what you do harder. You have to really become an expert on the economy. There are two ways of doing that: You grow your own services and operations and don’t spend money outside of your region, a reverse export of sorts. That helps grow our economy and the other is selling goods and services outside of our region, traditional exporting. We believe we understand the fundamentals

of global business and there’s no magic for it. It’s an attitude and a confidence and I think we can provide those elements.

16

NNYB: Old Main on the downtown campus is one of the last big pieces of Clarkson property waiting to be redeveloped. When did reviving that property become important?

COLLINS: I think the goal in thinking about regional economic development is that we can’t be successful if the village is not successful, if the county is not successful. The old Snell building and bringing that back to life and its importance is also looking at how it is impacting the community. I would like to think that a couple of years from now we have every building fully occupied and employing a significant amount of people down there. It takes time to make those things happen. Every step has to be financially responsible.

17

NNYB: One of your goals when you first took on the presidency was to double the endowment.

Has that goal be achieved?

COLLINS: That took a little hit. In all truth, that has happened. It happened in a sense but very quickly and then we lost a lot of it. The current value is about $160 million. I’m comfortable with where it’s at. It started at $81 million, we got to that goal and then we lost a lot of that in the recession. People do not invest in a sinking enterprise, so I believe they invest because we’re critical to advancement.

18

NNYB: How do you tackle the issue of rising tuition?

COLLINS: Tuition is the hot issue going forward.

We have two very specific responses. If you go to our website you can look at the data and you will see we are generous with financial aid. Clarkson typically provides more than 50 percent of tuition through financial aid. The second is that our students come here because they see value and the return on investment. I think in general education is three parts, one is the educational institution, two is the federal and state government, they will always play some kind of role, and the third is the family. We have been through a terrible economic crisis. Families can’t provide the funds, yet the institution can’t lower costs much further. It’s been challenging.

19

NNYB: What do you think the next 20 years will bring for Clarkson?

COLLINS: Other opportunities. Selecting the right ones is critical. The application to those opportunities is common sense and critical thinking.

We have to think logically through a problem and opportunity so we will try to do that.

20

NNYB: Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

COLLINS: This is a humorous debate within my family that no one is ever going to retire. I’m adamant that we can continue to move in this direction if we can continue on the same path.

— Interview by Ken Eysaman. Edited for length. Do you know someone who is a good candidate for 20 Questions? Email us at nny business@wdt.net.

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May 2012 | NNY Business

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E C O N O M I C A L LY S P E A K I N G

Thank soldiers for calling NNY home

M

ay is National Military Appreciation Month. Officially recognized by Congress in 1999, we celebrate V.E. Day (May 8), Armed Forces Day (May 19), and Memorial Day (May 30). It is a time when we reflect on the services and sacrifices of the men and women serving our great nation and thank them for their work. In the north country, home to the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, our pride is evident with American flags on our front porches, yellow ribbons tied to our trees and in our shop windows. During this time, we should also reflect on the many soldiers and their families that have called our communities home and that have helped to grow the economy of our region and diversify our culture.

Fort Drum has more than 46,000 soldiers and family members. In addition, there are more than 4,614 civilian employees and more than 38,000 military retirees in the state – all of whom contribute and participate in the local economy. The North Country’s Regional Economic Development Council’s Strategic Plan has recognized the importance of Fort Drum to our economy and has established a goal of “assuring the long term viability of Fort Drum as a premier national defense asset.”

Fort Drum recently released its Fiscal Year 2011 Economic Impact Statement. The Economic Impact Statement serves as an overview of Fort Drum’s activities during the past fiscal year and provides cumulative information on its economic and social impacts on the community since 1988. Fort Drum’s total soldier and family member population has nearly doubled since 2003, the second expansion of Fort Drum. The economic impact to the community since then has increased more than 200 percent,

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NNY Business | May 2012

going from $529 million to more than $1.6 billion.

In FY 2011, Fort Drum reported $1.6 billion in direct economic impact to surrounding communities.

Considering the 2010 Census counted a total Jim Wright population of 255,260 people living in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, $1.6 billion in direct economic impact would equate to $6,268 per person in three counties.

So, how does this economic impact benefit us? Let’s start with jobs. There are more than 4,614 civilians and 19,978 soldiers working on the installation with payroll accounting for $1.2 billion. The annual payroll makes it the largest employer north of the state thruway and one of the largest in the state. These people are living in our communities, buying goods and services from our businesses, paying taxes and serving our communities.

Next, take a look at contracting. Fort Drum awarded 334 contracts in FY 2011 totaling more than $43.8 million. Of this amount, companies located in the tri-county region were awarded $18.2 million. Of the $16.9 million in service contracts and $18.2 million in supply contracts awarded

by Fort Drum in FY 2011, $10.8 million in service contracts and $1.3 million in supply contracts were awarded to companies in the three-county region.

Today, rather than shuttering store fronts and abandoning homes, we see the growth of retail, commercial and small businesses.

We are courting developers to build homes and apartments because of a growing population rather than one that is in steady decline. Rather than declining property tax bases, we see growing sales tax revenues, and steady tax rates. We see children attending new schools rather than facing the dilemma to close the next building. The increased population provides a demand for increased services and amenities.

The unique collaboration between Fort Drum and its surrounding communities also benefits special sectors of our economy.

More than $27.5 million annually is invested in medical services provided locally and enhances the north country’s health care network. Another $21.8 million is provided to local school districts with concentrations of children residing on or off Fort Drum.

Other significant impacts include increased home sales, Mountain Community Homes, the domestic lease program, dental services, water and sewer contracts, tuition assistance, increased enplanements at the Watertown International Airport and not to forget, the local United Way Campaign.

This May, while we are attending the Armed Forces Day Parade, or Memorial Day remembering those who served, let’s thank our soldiers and their families for their services to our country, and for calling the north country home. Fort Drum and its soldiers, civilians, families and retirees are a strong component and catalyst of the north country economy.

It only makes good sense to call our economic development efforts Drum Country Business. Copies of the full report can be found at www.fdrlo.org. n JAMES W. WRIGHT is executive director of the Development Authority of the North Country. He is a member of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council and a former member of the New York State Senate.

B U S I N E S S L AW

Revised policy may aid biz owners

O

n March 9, 2011, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance changed its policy concerning personal tax liability of minority owners of LLC or limited partnership for unpaid sales tax.

Under the prior policy, minority owners could be held personally liable for unpaid sales tax even if they played no role in the business’s operation or had knowledge of the deficiency. This policy often led to harsh results; take, for instance, the case of Joseph P. Santos.

The facts in the case of “In the Matter of Joseph P. Santos” indicate that Mr. Santos was a minority member of an LLC who was a “Managing Member in charge of the daily operations of the company, [that] include[d] the operation of restaurant, which includes directing, manage the staff….” The LLC’s operating agreement provided no other function for Mr. Santos. In addition, the operating agreement stipulated that another member of LLC was designated the “Financial Managing Member” who was responsible for the preparation of “… all Federal, State and local income tax and information returns ….” Mr. Santos had no role in the preparation of the state sales tax returns. Starting in the second quarter of the 2005, the LLC gradually fell behind in its sales tax payments. During this period, Mr. Santos experienced serious health issues with cardiac arrest and undergoing radiation treatments for prostate cancer.

Although Mr. Santos was cleared of personal tax liability by the administrative law judge, the Tax Appeals Tribunal reversed the decision and held him personally responsible. The tribunal held that New York Tax Law “imposes strict liability upon members of a partnership or limited liability company” for unpaid sales

tax. Essentially, the tribunal is stating that there are no defenses to members of limited partnership or LLC for unpaid sales tax under any circumstances.

The Department of Taxation and Finance was Larry Covell highly criticized for this extreme position and as a result modified its approach in March 2011. The Department of Taxation, itself, recognized that its position can result in “harsh consequences for certain partners and members who have no involvement in or control of the business’s affairs.” As a result of the policy change, a limited partner of a limited partnership or member of an LLC may have reduced exposure to personal liability for unpaid sales tax of the business organization that they belong to.

The revised policy applies to limited partners of limited partnership, who can show that they are under no duty to act in complying with the tax law. It also applies to members of an LLC whose distributive share of profits and losses from the LLC is less than 50 percent are under no duty to act on behalf of the LLC in complying with the tax law.

However, there are owners who do not qualify for the relief under the revised policy. They are: Any general partner of partnership, including general partners of limited partnership; any partners of limited liability partnership; or any LLC member who owns 50 percent or more interest in LLC or is entitled to distributive share to 50

percent or more of the profits and losses.

If a limited partner of limited partnership or a member of LLC otherwise qualifies for tax relief, the owner must enter into a written agreement with the Department of Taxation and Finance and cooperate with the department in providing information regarding the identities of those responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the business. This could imply testifying on behalf of the department at a judicial hearing.

Although eligible for relief, a limited partner of limited partnership or member of an LLC is still obligated to some amount of the unpaid sales tax. The application of the revised policy can be illustrated by the Department of Taxation and Finance’s Technical Memorandum of Sept. 19, 2011; for example: An LLC [member] originally owed $10,000 in sales tax. Member X is a 4% passive member of the LLC and receives 4% of the profits and losses of the LLC. Member X has also been assessed the $10,000 on the grounds that Member X is a responsible person of the LLC. Member X has requested relief. If granted relief, Member X intends to pay the reduced amount [on agreed upon date]. The amount of accrued interest due on the original $10,000 computed through [ the payment date] is $1,600. If granted relief, Member X’s reduce liability would be computed as follows: $10,000 + $1,600 = $11,600 x 4% = $464.

The revised policy reduces, but does not eliminate, the unpaid state sales tax liability of certain partners in limited partnership and members of LLC. The rules for unpaid state sales tax liability are complicated. In some instances, an owner’s tax liability can be significantly reduced. For more on this topic, consult your tax adviser or attorney. n LARRY COVELL is a professor of business at SUNY Jefferson and an attorney. Contact him at lcovell@sunyjefferson.edu. His column appears every other month in NNY Business.

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 45

COMMERCE CORNER

Leaders must be change agents

L

ife is a constant movement of change, not a monument of sameness. Change and growth are necessary for us to get to the future we desire. Not all people embrace change the same way and therefore change may need to be looked at strategically and methodically. I think back to the beginning of my career at the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce and how I embraced change after switching professions following more than a decade of working in the human services field. However, it was not just me that was faced with change it was the staff at the chamber of commerce as well.

My philosophy has always been to embrace change because without it there will be no progress. As Charles Darwin stated, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the ones who are most adaptive to change.”

When it is time for a change; change management is necessary and often it will be for the better. It would be hard to debate that change management in any type of businesses does cause stress on the employees and often temporary chaos. But that is not to say we should accept this or fail to make a change when the change is needed.

Successful people, and businesses, recognize the need for change early. They embrace it. And they go looking for it. Because of this, they are also usually quick

to see when something is not working and not afraid to change it.

Since change of any kind is inevitable, people are left with two choices: let it Lynn Pietroski happen to you, or make it happen. The first is how most people operate.

They won’t change anything until and unless they feel forced to. Sometimes you can’t help it. Something happens — new

management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, and above all, consultation with, and involvement of, the people affected by the changes.

If you force change on people, normally problems arise. Change must be realistic, achievable and measurable.

When dealing with employees and change, remember the employee does not have a responsibility to manage change — the employee’s responsibility is no other than to do their best, which is different for every person and depends on a wide variety of factors. Responsibility for managing change is with management and board of directors of the organization — they must manage the change in a way that employees can cope with it.

Leaders have a responsibility to facilitate and enable change, especially to understand the situation from an objective standpoint and then to help people understand reasons, aims and ways of responding positively according to employees’ own situations and capabilities.

Whatever you do, make it fun. Before you know it, your business — and your life — will be growing and changing for the better. After all, the one thing you can always count on is change.

Leaders have a responsibility to facilitate and enable change, especially to understand the situation from an objective standpoint and then to help people understand reasons and ways of responding according to employees’ own capabilities.

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NNY Business | May 2012

competition, legal restrictions, new management — the list is endless. But even when the catalyst for change is outside of your control, you still get to decide how to deal with it.

Here are some rules for effective management of change. Managing organizational change will be more successful if you apply these simple principles. Achieving personal change will be more successful too if you use the same approach where relevant. Change

n LYNN PIETROSKI is president and CEO of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Contact her at ceo@watertownny.com. Her column appears monthly in NNY Business.

AGRI-BUSINESS

Technology trumps tradition in ag

I

liked the old red barn” is the comment I hear often when talking with people in the community who grew up around agriculture but didn’t necessarily experience it firsthand.

Another comment frequently shared with me whether I want to hear it or not is: “I miss seeing cows in the fields when I’m driving around.” There is a certain sentimental value placed on farming that runs strong today in the 21st century.

Many hang onto what they remember from their childhood and believe that farming should still be like that: An old red hip roof barn with cows lazily grazing in the field next to the stream. Some of the lost sentiments spill over into misunderstanding and resentment about the changes and use of new technologies in farming.

I don’t argue that it should be different from their childhood memories.

However, I do encourage that one remember that farming is a business and, like any other industry, change happens. Free stall barns and huge combines have replaced many of the red barns and old Allis Chalmers tractors.

Satellites in space help drive many of the tractors of today so that farmers can minutely manage the planting of crops, application of fertilizer and harvest.

Farmer tans are being replaced by air conditioned, air cushioned seats behind computer screens and joy sticks controlling equipment on the tractor.

The red barns and cows on pasture still exist, although their numbers are drastically reduced. There is room for all

types and sizes of dairy farms in Jefferson County. Each size farm has its own challenges and advantages.

I cringe when I hear someone say “the small family farm” and know what Jay Matteson they’re thinking about our larger farms. Every farm in Jefferson County is family owned whether they are milking 50 cows or 2,000 cows. How those families embrace technology in their farming

out to pasture so they can feed on grass and go to either a watering trough or area of a stream or pond to drink. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

One large farm may have a barn dedicated to calves with robotic feeders to make sure calves receive their specialized diet at the appropriate time. Another large dairy may have calf pens outside, those things that look like large dog pens, to maximize fresh air flow around the calves, protecting their sensitive lungs. A small dairy may invest in robotic milking machines allowing their cows to walk into the milking parlor for milking at whatever time the cow feels it needs to be milked, helping the small farm address labor problems while another farm upgrades its milking parlor to be able to milk more cows at any given time.

Farming is a business and, like any other industry, the business owner, the farmer, must examine what technology exists and how it might be applied to improve care and comfort of their animals, improve quality of life for the farm family and employees, and imagine this, make the operation profitable. Some of the technologies used may not be noticeable, but in some cases, such as going from the red hip roof barn to the big free stall barn, it may be very noticeable and frequently misunderstood.

Farming is a business and, like any other industry, the business owner — the farmer — must examine what technology exists and how it might be applied to improve the operation and make it more profitable. methods is up to their particular interests and needs.

One small dairy farm might focus intensely on breeding and genetics to produce high quality milk. Another farm milking 2,000 cows might be more interested in feed management to obtain as much milk quantity out of its cows. A free stall dairy barn will provide a climate controlled setting that maximizes cow comfort and allows cows to roam freely in its area of the barn at all times to eat and drink and socialize with the other girls. A smaller stanchion barn will turn the girls

n JAY M. MATTESON is agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. He is a lifelong Northern New York resident who lives in Lorraine. Contact him at coordinator@comefarmwithus.com. His column appears monthly in NNY Business.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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BUSINESS TECH BYTES

Apple joins Microsoft in malware war

M

ove over Windows you are no longer the only one in the game — the malware game that is.

Monitoring, mitigating and eradicating malware has now become an equal opportunity operating system concern. Malware and Trojans are no longer limited to computers running a Windows operating system, cyber criminals have found the holes and Macs are now also being targeted.

The peak of Flashback, named for the similarity to installing Flash Player, occurred during the first quarter of 2012 but it was April and more than 650,000 infected Macs later before Apple supplied a patch.

This was so late to the game that other free removal tools from Sophos, Kaspersky, Intego and F-Secure were also hitting the market at the very same time. Why did it take Apple two months to release the much needed fix, which Oracle released for the same flaws in February? The Mac invulnerability to malware has been shaken to its core and could partially explain the slow response. This slow and mediocre reaction also stems from being at least 10 years behind Microsoft in the malware war. Apple will now have no choice but to check code, looking for mistakes and vulnerabilities.

Welcome all, to the next version of “Patch Tuesday” maybe to be called iPatch?

Let’s be clear, no “true viruses” exist that will run on the Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion operating systems, but Macs are not immune to malware. There are Trojans and other phishing schemes that a Mac can fall victim to. Mac or Windows user, you must stay up to date and informed on how to keep safe while online.

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A few recommendations to aid Mac users are: n The latest Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in; make sure it is turned on.

Jill Van Hoesen n Make sure your built-in Mac firewall is enabled in System Preferences > Security > Firewall. n Uncheck “Open ‘safe’ files after downloading” in Safari > Preferences > General. n Uncheck “Enable Java” in Safari > Preferences > Security. This protects you from malware that exploits Java in your browser, including the Flashback Trojan.

When you visit a trusted site that requires Java, re-enable this setting but only for your visit to that site. (This is not to be confused with JavaScript, which you should leave enabled.) n Change your DNS servers to OpenDNS servers; you can Google search this for further information. Be careful to only install software from trusted, reputable sites and never let someone else have access to install anything on your Mac. Don’t ever open files that you receive from unknown or untrusted sources. Always make sure your passwords are long, complex, include upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. n Keep your Mac OS X and all application software updated. Use Software Update for your Mac software. For other

software, it’s safer to get updates from the developer’s site or from the menu item “check for updates,” rather than installing from a notification window that pops up while you’re surfing the Web. If you still want to run antivirus on your Mac, free ClamXav is a good choice. It detects both Mac and Windows malware and doesn’t need administrator privileges.

You can run scans when you choose, rather than leaving it running all the time, which can hog resources and slow your system.

As Apple products have become more and more popular with consumer and businesses alike, cyber criminals will pay more attention to Apple products; though viruses are slowly going out of style, Trojans and spyware are here to stay and it looks like Macs, like Window machines, are now on the radar. n

n

n

It is not too late to register for the Third Annual North Country Technology Symposium, May 23, at Clarkson University. Your registration includes the keynote speaker, Simon Anderson, global futurist and co-author of the book “Foresight 20/20,” more than 30 subject matter experts presenting on six varied information themed tracks to assist with your business’s technology initiatives, the IT Expo, one-on-one vendor consultations and a networking reception.

Scan the code below with your mobile device and go directly to the event page for further details and registration information. See you all at the Symposium.

n JILL VAN HOESEN is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 25-year IT veteran. Contact her at jvanhoesen@wdt.net.

Her column appears monthly in NNY Business.

SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS

Do small businesses create jobs?

S

mall businesses have been called the “job creators,” the “engine of our economy.” Just about everyone would agree that small business growth is what’s needed to spur our economy’s recovery. But some say it’s not so.

In a recent Associate Press report, the authors cite studies that detail the impact of small businesses on sustaining employment and generating national wealth is overstated.

Although 99.9 percent of the 6 million companies in the country are small businesses, meaning they have fewer than 500 employees, the authors assert that they actually “eliminate more jobs than they create in a given year.” Furthermore, many of the smallest businesses are sole proprietors with no employees at all.

While large companies make the news for laying off large numbers, when they do hire, they also hire in big numbers.

One economist, Charles Kenny of the New American Foundation, said that government incentives aimed at aiding small businesses, such as loan guarantees and business deductions, should instead go toward research and development, focusing on “innovative firms trying to provide something new and different.”

Perhaps in the large picture this is all true. But when it comes down to our local economy, we have a few large employers in the area: Fort Drum, Samaritan Medical Center and the colleges. Many other residents are employed in governmental or public service jobs or in national retail and service chains. We don’t have a lot of high tech jobs or cutting edge research and development firms.

At the Watertown SBDC, which in-

cludes Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego counties, we counsel about 800 people a year.

Not all of those people will start their own businesses. Many times after we discuss their Sarah O’Connell business idea, they decide not to go ahead because of the expense or because they can’t identify a big enough market to make it viable, or for other reasons. Often they do persist through the process of planning and research, applying for funding, searching out a location, identifying needed equipment and coming up with a marketing plan, one day they open up their doors. At the end of the year, we can say that our clients were able to invest more than $14 million in our Northern New York economy through loans and personal cash and equity, while creating or saving 334 jobs.

These are the small businesses. The ones we deal with every day. The small garage owner. The coffee shop on the corner. The pet sitter. The florist. The computer repair guy. The roller rink. The African, Korean or Hispanic food market. The chocolate shop.

The website designer. The small contractor. These aren’t people who are going to “provide something new and different.”

They’re going to provide us with simple, basic products and services that we need every day. These are our neighbors, our friends, and the people we see appearing in community plays, walking in char-

ity events, maybe living next door. They deserve the support they get, whether it’s through free SBDC counseling, the local bank providing them with a loan backed by a Small Business Administration guarantee or a mileage deduction for their business travel. That’s not wasting money.

That’s supporting the little guys, who, job by job, do make a difference in our economy. n

n

n

The Women TIES luncheon is coming back to Watertown on Wednesday, June 13, at Cavallario’s Cucina, Massey Street.

Sponsored by Business of Women networking group and the SBDC at JCC, the luncheon features Amy McEathron, founder of Independent Medical Evaluation Co., Carthage.

It is scheduled from 11:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and the cost to attend is $29. Registration is required.

Ms. McEathron will present “Success Strategies to Grow Your Company.” She has more than 20 years’ experience in the independent medical evaluation field and has grown her business since founding IMEC in June 2006.

Promotional tables are available for business owners who wish to make sales and share information.

Visit www.womenties.com or call 7084288 for more information or to register. n SARAH O’CONNELL is a certified business advisor with the New York State Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College. She is a former small business owner and lifelong Northern New York resident. Contact her at soconnell@sunyjefferson.edu. Her column appears bi-monthly in NNY Business.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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CHAMBER / WEB DIRECTORY

NNY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE  ALEXANDRIA BAY

7 Market St., Alexandria Bay, NY 13607; 482-9531, www.visitalexbay.org

 BOONVILLE

122 Main St., P.O. Box 163, Boonville, NY 13309; 942-6823, www.boonvillechamber.com

 CANTON

60 Main St., P.O. Box 369, Canton, NY 13617; 386-8255, www.cantonnychamber.org

 CAPE VINCENT

175 N. James St., P.O. Box 482, Cape Vincent, NY 13618; 654-2481, www.capevincent.org

 CARTHAGE AREA

120 S. Mechanic St., Carthage, NY 13619; 493-3590, www.carthageny.com

 CENTERSTATE CEO

572 S. Salina St., Syracuse, NY 13202; 470-1800, www.centerstateceo.com

 CHAUMONT-THREE MILE BAY

P.O. Box 24, Three Mile Bay, NY 13693; 649-3404, www.chaumontchamber.com

BIZ WEB DIRECTORY CITEC MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS www.citec.org

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP www.helpmysmallbusinesstoday.com www.facebook.com/CUEntrepCtr www.twitter.com/CUEntrepCtr

DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE NORTH COUNTRY www.danc.org

LEWIS COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

 CLAYTON

517 Riverside Drive, Clayton, NY 13624; 686-3771, www.1000islands-clayton.com

 GREATER WATERTOWNNORTH COUNTRY

1241 Coffeen St., Watertown, NY 13601; 788-4400, www.watertownny.com

 GOUVERNEUR

214 E. Main St., Gouverneur, NY 13642; 287-0331, www.gouverneurchamber.net

 HENDERSON HARBOR P.O. Box 468, Henderson Harbor, NY 13651; 938-5568, www.hendersonharborny.com

 LEWIS COUNTY

7576 S. State St., Lowville, NY 13367; 376-2213, www.lewiscountychamber.org

 MASSENA

Old Forge, NY 13420; 369-6983 www.oldforgeny.com

 POTSDAM

1 Market St., Potsdam, NY 13676; 274-9000, www.potsdamchamber.com

 PULASKI

3044 Route 13, P.O. Box 34, Pulaski, NY 13142; 298-2213, www.pulaskinychamber.com

 SACKETS HARBOR

304 W. Main St., P.O. Box 17, Sackets Harbor, NY 13685; 646-1700, www. sacketsharborchamberofcommerce.com

 SOUTH JEFFERSON

14 E. Church St., Adams, NY 13605; 232-4215, www.southjeffchamber.org

 ST. LAWRENCE

50 Main St., Massena, NY 13662; 7693525, www.massenachamber.com

101 Main St., First Floor, Canton, NY 13617; 386-4000, www.northcountryguide.com

 MALONE

 TRI-TOWN

497 East Main St., Malone, NY 12953; 1(518) 483-3760, www.visitmalone.com

 OGDENSBURG

1 Bridge Plaza, Ogdensburg, NY 13669; 393-3620, www.ogdensburgny.com

907 Route 11 C, P.O. Box 297, Brasher Falls, NY 13613; 389-4800, www.tritownchamberofcommerce.com

 WADDINGTON

 OLD FORGE

3140 Route 28, P.O. Box 68

38 Main St., P.O. Box 291, Waddington, NY 13694; 388-4079, www.waddingtonny.com

JEFFERSON COUNTY JOB DEVELOPMENT CORP.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER VALLEY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY

PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

www.jcjdc.net

www.northcountryptac.com

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT SUNY JEFFERSON

www.slrvra.com

www.sba.gov www.facebook.com/SBAAtlantic www.twitter.com/SBAAtlantic

www.watertown.nyssbdc.org www.facebook.com/WatertownSBDC www.twitter.com/nys_sbdc

WATERTOWN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORP.

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY IDA / LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORP.

WATERTOWN SCORE

www.slcida.com

www.watertownldc.com

www.scorewatertownny.org

www.lcida.org

315-661-2399 / 1-800-724-1012

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NNY Business | May 2012

ADAMS

INDIAN LAKE

THURSDAY, MAY 17

SATURDAYS, MAY 12 & MAY 19

ALEXANDRIA BAY SATURDAY, MAY 26

n Grape Blossom Festival, noon to 8 p.m., Thousand Islands Winery. Catered by Mullins Catering, music by R-19 from noon to 4 p.m., Joey Belladonna’s “Chief Bigway” from 4 to 8 p.m. Farmers market, local crafters, vendors, food, barbecue, beer and wine by the glass.

Free admission. Information: 482-9306 or www.thousandislandswinery.com.

CANTON TUESDAY, MAY 22

n Women TIES Northern New York Luncheon, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., SUNY Canton.

Sponsored by Women TIES and the state Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton. Featuring Lynn Hidy of UpYourTeleSales.com presenting “The Customer’s Sales Cycle,” showing participants how to look at sales from how your customers buy, and then figuring out ways to integrate yourself into their decision-making process. Information: Michelle Collins, SBDC, 386-7312, or Tracy Higginbotham, Women TIES, 708-4288 or 5starevent@baldcom.net.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2

n St. Lawrence County Dairy Festival, starts, 10 a.m., parade, 1 p.m., downtown.

Theme: “Mootown.” Fireworks at dusk at Canton High School. Vendors: $75 per day for food vendors, $30 per day for craft and jewelry vendors and $10 per day for information booths. Register for booth or parade floats: Canton Chamber, 386-8255.

CLAYTON FRIDAY, JUNE 15 — SUNDAY, JUNE 17

n The Great New York State Food and Wine Festival, 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Cerow Recreation Park Arena. Sponsored

by Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Featuring products locally made and produced in New York State. Information: 686-3771 or www.nysfoodwinefestival.com.

HENDERSON THURSDAY, JUNE 7

n Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m., Ryan’s Lookout, Route 3. Sponsored by the South Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Information: www.southjeffchamber.org or 232-4215.

n My Small Business 101, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Indian Lake Central School. Sponsored by Reh Center for Entrepreneurship at Clarkson University and Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce. Cost: $60. Registration required to Erin Draper, 268-3995 or edraper@clarkson.edu.

MASSENA SATURDAY, JUNE 2

n 33rd Annual Massena Heritage Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Massena Arena. Sponsored

by Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce.

Theme: Celebrating 80 years of community service. Live music and dance entertainment, vendors and crafters, bounce house, petting zoo, raffles. Information: Massena Chamber of Commerce, 769-3525.

POTSDAM

SATURDAY, MAY 19

n “Run to the Sun” 8 a.m. start time for halfmarathon, 9 a.m. start time for 5K and 10K, New Davidson Ford store, outer Washington Street. Benefits the Heather A. Freeman Foundation. Professionally time race. Entry fee: $20 for 5K and 10K if received by Wednesday, May 9, $50 for half-marathon, which must be received by May 9. No half-marathon registrations will be accepted day of the race. Race day registration for 5K and 10K is $25. For most recent information: www. haffrun.blogspot.com or search “Heather A. Freeman Foundation” on Facebook.

MONDAY, MAY 21

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23

n Third Annual North Country Technology Symposium and Information Technology Expo, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Clarkson University. The region’s largest business-to-business event presenting the latest information technology topics for businesses and organizations. Keynote speech by Simon Anderson, global futurist and author. For information and registration, visit www.stlawco.org/nctechsymposium.

SYRACUSE WEDNESDAY, MAY 30

n Social Media, Marketing and Technology Meet to Grow Your Business, 8 to 9:30 a.m., the Tech Garden, 235 Harrison St. Sponsored

by Centerstate Chamber of Commerce. Exploring the benefits of social media platforms and marketing for your business and how tech can help your business. Register: 470-1997.

WATERTOWN SATURDAY, MAY 12

n Inaugural Big Band Bash, 7 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, May 12, Watertown Elks Lodge, 728 Bradley St. Sponsored by USO Fort Drum and AmeriCU Credit Union. Featuring the USO Liberty Bells and the Do Good Swing Band. Vintage clothing is encouraged but not required. Cost: $41 per person.

Tickets, information: www.usobigbandbash. eventbright.com.

MONDAY, MAY 14

n Financial Statements for the Non-Financial Manager, 1 to 5 p.m., Jefferson Community College Extended Learning Center, room E-130. Instructor: Frederick Hager, Strategic Planning Advisors LLC. Participants acquire a base understanding of financial analysis concepts including Net Present Value, Return on Investment, cost and benefit analysis and lease vs. buy decision-making. Cost: $99.

Register: 786-2438.

n Armed Forces Day Luncheon, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn. Sponsored by the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce and Stebbins. Tickets: $15, buy 10 tickets for $150 to sponsor a 10 solider lunches and get a free head table. Information: www.watertownny.com or 788-4400.

n How to Write an Effective Press Release, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jefferson Community College Extended Learning Center, room E-130.

Instructor: Craig Thornton. Cost: $75. Learn the tools to write brief, concise, eye-catching, clutter-free press releases that have all the necessary information. Register: Continuing Education Division, 786-2438.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23

n May Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn. Sponsored by the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Cost: Registered members, $8; non-registered members, $10; non-members, $12. Register: 788-4400 or www. watertownny.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 30

n Opening Day for the Watertown Farmers Market, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Washington Street. Sponsored by Watertown Savings Bank and the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Rain or shine. Continues every Wednesday until Oct. 3. Information: www.watertownny.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6

n “HR 2012 — Legal and Lean” Human Resources Conference, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1290 Arsenal St. Sponsored by North Country Human Resources Association. Speeches by Mike Sciotti, Labor and Employment Practice Group with Hancock Estabrook, Syracuse; John Pinkerton, CITEC Business Solutions, Potsdam; and Steven Maloney, Manufacturers Association of Central New York. Cost: Members, $100; nonmembers, $150. Information, registration: www. northcountryhra.org or Cherie Moore, 3766899, cherie.moore@manpower.com.

 GOT A BUSINESS EVENT or calendar

item? Email nnybusiness@wdt.net. Deadline is the 10th of each month for the following month’s issue. Visit us on Facebook at www. facebook.com/NNY Business or www.nny bizmag.com for events calendar updates.

COMMUNITY / BUSINESS EVENTS CALENDAR

n Annual Awards Dinner, cocktails, 6 p.m., dinner, 7 p.m., La Bella Fonte, Adams Country Club, Route 11. Sponsored by South Jeff Chamber of Commerce. Honoring Cafe Mira as small business of the year and Great Lakes Cheese as large business of the year.

Cost: $25. Reservations: Connie Elliott, 2324215 or celliott003@twcny.rr.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16

May 2012 | NNY Business

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BUSINESS SCENE St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Annual Home, Garden & Business Show

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Sara L. Muenster, operations specialist, North Country Savings Bank, Canton, and Brian S. LaVair, loan originator, North Country Savings Bank. Above, from left, Rob Bicknell and mother, Connie, Bicknell Appliance and Home Interiors, Potsdam. The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce sponsored the 4th Annual Home, Garden and Business Show at Clarkson University’s Cheel Arena April 27 and 28.

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NNY Business | May 2012

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Walt Perry, secretary/general manager, and Shaun Powell, millwork manager, North Counties Supply Company Inc., Philadelphia. Above, from left, Pat McKeown, CEO, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and Cindi Putman, plant manager assistant, Corning.

BUSINESS SCENE St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Annual Home, Garden & Business Show

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Rhiannon D. Kahrs and Faye M. Ori, artistic director, IYQ Balloon Decor, Norwood. Above, from left, Brooke A. Parmeter, Tina M. Holmes and Sinduja Sitaraman, SeaComm Federal Credit Union, Potsdam.

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Shelia G. Whalen and son, Matthew W., owner, High Peaks Winery, Potsdam. Above, from left, Tracy L. Tuttle, sales representative, St. Lawrence County NYSARC, and Cherry L. Andre, assistant director for community programs, St. Lawrence County NYSARC.

n VISIT NNY BUSINESS ON FACEBOOK at www. facebook.com/ nnybusiness to view more than 400 additional Business Scene photos from events across the north country since 2010.

May 2012 | NNY Business

| 53

BUSINESS SCENE Carthage Chamber Citizen of the Year

ELAINE AVALLONE PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Bruce H. Hazen accepts the Carthage Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award from Carthage Elks Lodge 1762 exalted ruler Wayne T. Moore. Above, back row from left, Kevin Hazen, mother Marilyn and father Bruce H. Front row, from left, Sharon W. Martle and husband, William J., Deer River. Carthage Elks Lodge 1762 and the Carthage Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored the April 24 dinner at the Elks Lodge in Mr. Hazen’s honor.

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NNY Business | May 2012

GWNC Chamber Job and Career Expo

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Mary J. Mathewson, Sharon A. Bouchard and Michael T. Russell, all of Community Action Planning Council. Above, from left, Frances A. Pietroski and Melissa A. Messore, both of Mercy of Northern New York. The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce sponsored the 2012 Job and Career Expo April 5 at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds Arena in Watertown. More than 80 employers had booths at the expo.

BUSINESS SCENE GWNC Chamber of Commerce Job and Career Expo

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Mike G. O’Connor, Kevin W. Chapman, Michelle R. Duffy and Diana Lawton, all of Stewarts Shoppes. Above, from left, Lee A. Converse and Danielle K. Colton, both of Northern Federal Credit Union. More than 1,500 job seekers attended the Greater Watertown-North Country Job and Career Expo on April 5 at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds Arena.

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Vickie L. Staie, broker and owner of Staie on the Seaway Real Estate Services and Women’s Council of Realtors 2012 Local Chapter president-elect, and Debbie J. Staie also of Staie on the Seaway Real Estate.

Above, from left, Lori B. Piroli and Shawn E. Griffin of Stebbins Engineering and Manufacturing Co.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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BUSINESS SCENE GWNC Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Tilted Kilt

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Becca Kerley, Florelle Tissue Corp. and Harry Minas, president, Florelle Tissue Corp., Brownville. Above, from left, Valerie Hickman, wine club manager, Coyote Moon Winery, Clayton, Christina LaParr, Coyote Moon Winery. The Tilted Kilt, Watertown, hosted the April Greater WatertownNorth Country Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours on April 18.

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NNY Business | May 2012

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Barb Robinson, Janet Zando, Emily Schell and Nancy Ritz, all of North Country Children’s Clinic. Above, from left, Robin Caprara, Livingston Moving & Storage Inc., Watertown, and Jeff Timmerman, Thousand Islands Bridge Authority.

BUSINESS SCENE 10th annual Taste of the Town at Dulles State Office Building

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Stephanie Saunders and Margaret Williams, both of the Black River Valley Club, Watertown. Above, from left, Shana Bates and Chanelle Goodfriend, of Starbucks, Watertown. The 10th annual Taste of the Town was held April 28 at the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown. Proceeds from the event were donated to the Victims Assistance Center.

Top, from left, Tyler Newell, Caresse Calandra, Matthew Hudgens and Ann Marie Angus, all of the Great American Grill at Watertown’s Hilton Garden Inn. Above, from left, Dawn L. Caldwell and Debby L. Russell, both of DeVito’s Catering, Sackets Harbor. Awards at the event were given to Keddy’s Restaurant, Carthage, for Best Taste of the Town; second prize went to the Italian American Civic Association, Watertown; best presentation was awarded to the Farmhouse Kitchen, Sackets Harbor; and the Wooden Spoon Award for people’s choice was given to Cavallario’s Cucina, Watertown.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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DINING GUIDE Cam’s Pizzeria 25 Public Square, Watertown (315) 779-8900

G&F Italian Pizza and Restaurant 2972 E. Main St., Parish (315) 625-7177

King Star Food Oriental 22265 U.S. Route 11, Watertown (315) 786-0246

Cavallario’s Cucina 133 N. Massey St., Watertown (315) 788-9744

Gold Star Deli 343 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 782-6155

Korean Grill 525 W. Main St., Watertown (315) 681-4226

Cherry Tree Inn 8541 State Route 3, Henderson (315) 938-7281

Goodfellos 202 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-3463

Lake Ontario Playhouse 103 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-2305

China City 1125 Arsenal St. Suite 2, Watertown (315) 788-8289

Gram’s Diner 13 Main St., Adams (315) 232-4881

Manor Country Diner Route 11, Pierrepont Manor (315) 465-4400

Church Street Diner 107 Church St., Carthage (315) 493-0997

Great Wall Chinese 300 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 788-7668

La Bella Fonte 10700 U.S. Route 11, Adams (315) 232-4842

Coleman’s Corner 849 Lawrence St., Watertown (315) 782-6888

Harby’s Hots Outer Washington Street, Watertown (315) 788-2250

Limerick Hotel 16331 State Route 12E, Limerick (315) 639-6804

Crossroads Diner 22474 U.S. Route 11, Watertown (315) 782-9591

Herrings Inn 35802 State Route 3, Carthage (315) 493-9829

Lloyd’s of Lowville 7405 S. State St., Lowville (315) 376-7037

Art’s Jug 820 Huntington St., Watertown (315) 782-9764

Crystal Restaurant 87 Public Square, Watertown (315) 782-9938

Highland Meadows Country Club 24201 State Route 342, Watertown (315) 785-0108

Lucia’s Italian Restaurant 11613 U.S. Route 11, Adams (315) 232-2223

Bella’s Bistro 602 Riverside Drive, Clayton (315) 686-2341

Daily Buffet (Chinese) 1283 Arsenal St. Stop 8, Watertown (315) 786-8598

Hops Spot 214.5 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-BEER (2337)

Maggie’s on the River 500 Newell St., Watertown (315) 405-4239

Bernardo’s Pizzeria 702 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 782-9500

Dano’s Pizzeria and Restaurant 24411 State Route 971V, Felts Mills (315) 773-3266

Home Deli Pizza & Subs 305 W. Main St., Watertown (315) 782-6340

Mariano’s Pizza 981 Waterman Drive, Watertown (315) 788-8088

Black River Valley Club 131 Washington St., Watertown (315) 788-2300

Erin’s Isle Restaurant 928 State Route 11C, Brasher Falls (315) 389-4100

Hot Diggity Dogs Salmon Run Mall, Watertown (315) 788-4844

Midway Ice Cream 891 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 405-4996

Blue Heron 12050 Route 12E, Chaumont (315) 649-2240

Fairground Inn 852 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 782-7335

Ives Hill Restaurant 435 Flower Ave. W., Watertown (315) 775-4837

Mo’s Place 345 Factory St., Watertown (315) 782-5503

Boathouse 214 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-2092

Fireside at Partridge Berry Inn 26561 State Route 3, Watertown (315) 782-8401

Jean’s Beans 259 Eastern Blvd., Watertown (315) 788-7460

Morgia’s Pasta 22560 Fisher Road, Watertown (315) 788-3509

Brookside Diner 1873 State St., Watertown (315) 782-9824

Five Guys 1290 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 221-4258

Joey’s at the Thousand Island Club 21952 Club Road, Alexandria Bay (315) 482-9999

Mr. Sub Sandwich Shop Public Square & Mill St., Watertown (315) 782-1760

Brownville Diner 114 W. Main St., Brownville (315) 786-8554

Fung Hing Chinese 225 State St., Watertown (315) 785-9689

Johnny D’s 1 Public Square, Watertown (315) 782-6108

NuPier 13212 State Route 3, Sackets Harbor (315) 646-3312

Café Mira 14 Main St., Adams (315) 232-4470

Gary’s Restaurant 5424 Shady Ave., Lowville (315) 376-6612

Karen & Jasper’s Bar & Bistro 1322 Washington St. Plaza, Watertown (315) 788-4110

Original Italian Pizza 222 N. Massey St., Watertown (315) 786-0000

n A directory of independent coffee houses, bars and restaurants.

Full-service restaurants 1025 Ruyi Japanese Steak House 1025 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 405-4501 1844 House “An American Bistro” 6885 U.S. Route 11, Potsdam (315) 268-1844 2000 Chinese Restaurant 22070 U.S. Route 11, Watertown (315) 788-2000 A & J’s Diner 455 Court St., Watertown (315) 777-4811 Andy’s Caribbean Cuisine 302 Court St., Watertown (315) 777-8658 Apollo Restaurant 1283 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 788-3569

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DINING GUIDE Papa Tino’s Pizzeria 716 Mill St., Watertown (315) 782-7272

Read the reviews

Pete’s Restaurant 111 Breen Ave., Watertown (315) 782-6640

 Log on to www.watertowndaily times.com to read restaurant reviews

by Watertown Daily Times restaurant critic Walter Siebel.

Pickle Barrel Cafe 32523 Route 12, Depauville (315) 686-3640

Get on the list

Pizza Shack 12699 State Route 3, Sackets Harbor (315) 646-2267 Rainbow Shores Restaurant 186 Rainbow Shores Road, Pulaski (315) 298-5110 Rajit 262 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 782-5513 Ramada Inn 21000 State Route 3, Watertown (315) 788-0700 Rhonda’s Place Family Diner 566 State St., Watertown

 Call NNY Business advertising specialist Clarissa Collins at (315) 661-2305 or email ccollins@wdt.net to have your restaurant or bar listed in our monthly dining guide today.

Sboro’s Restaurant 836 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 788-1728 Shorty’s Place 1280 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 782-7878 Shuler’s Steak & Seafood 802 Mill St., Watertown (315) 782-1429

Riccardo’s Market & Deli 710 Holcomb St., Watertown (315) 782-7810

Soluri’s Pizza 526 Factory St., Watertown (315) 782-2888

Riverhouse 4818 Salina St., Pulaski (315)509-4281

Stonefence Resort 7191 State Route 37, Ogdensburg (315) 393-1545

Roberts Family Pizzeria 839 State St., Watertown (315) 786-2006

Stone Jug Pizzeria 104 Bartlett Road, Sackets Harbor (315) 646-1008

Roma Restaurant 19 Bridge St., Carthage (315) 493-0616

Suk Hui Hi’s Korean 1301 State St., Watertown (315) 785-9740

Romalato’s Gourmet Deli 450 Gaffney Drive, Watertown (315) 681-6653

Super Wok Chinese Restaurant 20991 State Route 3, Watertown (315) 788-5389

Ryan’s Lookout 9290 State Route 3, Henderson (315) 938-5151

Teriyaki Experience 21852 Towne Center Drive, Watertown (315) 785-9254

Sackets Harbor Brew Pub 212 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-2739

Thailand Thai Restaurant 1857 State St., Watertown (315) 788-6688

Sandy’s Luncheonette 5 Public Square, Watertown (315) 782-2935

The Place 1612 Ford St., Ogdensburg 315-393-3080

Savory Downtown 300 Washington St., Watertown (315) 782-8000

Tico’s Mex Mex Grill 65 Public Square, Watertown (315) 836-4778

Tilted Kilt 1050 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 782-5458

Clueless 545 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 782-9006

Tin Pan Galley 110 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-3812

Crazy Legs Saloon 536 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 777-8333

United China Restaurant 144 Eastern Blvd., Watertown (315) 782-4432

Edge of the River Pub 519 W. Main St., Watertown (315) 788-0695

Violi’s Restaurant 209 Center St., Massena (315) 764-0329

Fat Boys 743 Huntington St., Watertown (315) 779-0087

Village Inn 8208 Main St., Harrisville (315) 543-9382 VV’s Mexican Kitchen Noble Street, Evans Mills (315) 629-4652 Walsh’s Pub & Grill 101 E. Main St., Brownville (315) 782-6065 Watertown Golf Club Grill and Bar 1 Thompson Park, Watertown (315) 782-5606 Willowbrook Golf Club 25075 State Route 37, Watertown (315) 782-8192 Wing Wagon 71 Public Square, Watertown (315) 836-3205

Coffee Houses Brew Ha Ha 468 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 788-1175 Chrissy Beanz Bakery 105 W. Main St., Sackets Harbor (315) 646-2330 Coffee Shop Carbone Plaza, Watertown (315) 782-0450 Danny’s Coffee 21181 Salmon Run Mall, Watertown (315) 782-7057

Fort Pearl Inc. 557 Pearl St., Watertown (315) 786-3333 Hitchin’ Post Tavern 404 Court St., Watertown (315) 782-9656 Hometown Pizzeria 4 W. Church St., Adams (315) 232-3000 Joe’s Tavern 548 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 782-9709 Kicker’s Lounge 498 Factory St., Watertown (315) 785-9392 Mick’s Place 204 Factory St., Watertown (315) 786-1992 Paddock Club 5 Paddock Arcade, Watertown (315) 786-6633 Pappy’s Bowlmor Lanes 227 E. Orvis St., Massena (315) 769-9877 Pewter Mug 1120 Gill St., Watertown (315) 782-0200 Seth’s Pub 558 State St., Watertown (315) 681-6645

Bars / Nightlife

Shootie’s Bar 504 Pearl St., Watertown (315) 782-9724

Artie’s Tavern 329 High St., Watertown (315) 782-9616

Time Warp Tavern 302 State St., Watertown (315) 782-9784

May 2012 | NNY Business

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BUSINESS HISTORY

JOHNSON NEWSPAPERS ARCHIVES

The Burrville Market was a landmark in the hamlet for many years. This photo of the general store was taken around 1900. It was in many ways the center of life in Burrville. The building was for years the Fredenburg Hotel during the 1800s before it was converted into a hardware store and, later, a general store. Among the operators of the store was Bill Hayes for 35 years. The landmark was razed in 1959. That same year, store owner Larkin J. Mosher, had a new store built. This photo was part of a collection owned by Mrs. Rosamond Hardy Crow, who was born and raised in Burrville. Alex T. Duffy made it available to the Watertown Daily Times.

Business boomed in Burrville n Now quaint village was once a center of commerce

By LENKA WALLDROFF

T

Jefferson County Historical Society

he village of Burrville is located just east of Watertown on Route 12 and is best known for the fresh cider and hot doughnuts made by the Burrville Cider Mill every fall. What many don’t know about the village is that during the first half of the nineteenth century, Burrville was a bustling commerce center, rivaling and even eclipsing Watertown in social and economic prominence.

The area that would be called Burrville began to be settled just before 1800. What attracted the early settlers to the area was the north fork of Sandy Creek that flowed through the area and dropped precipitously to form a waterfall. The waterfall provided enough power for the settlers’ needs without being strong enough to overwhelm their primitively built dams. As immigration began to increase, the proprietor of the tract,

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Nicholas Stowe, invested in the construction of a saw mill and a grist mill to provide lumber and flour to the settlers.

The mills, powered by the waterfall and constructed in 1801, were purchased by a Revolutionary War veteran named Capt.

John Burr in 1802. Thus the settlement was named “Burr’s Mills” and eventually “Burrville.” The mills remained in use throughout the 19th century and the saw mill serves as the present location of the Burrville Cider Mill.

As the mills were being constructed, a general store was simultaneously built

by Jabez Foster, who later became a Watertown judge. The store was staffed

by Orville Hungerford, a citizen also destined for prominence. Subsequently, a blacksmith shop was constructed that manufactured all of the farming tools for the area and, for a time, an iron foundry operated in the area as well.

One of the earliest known distilleries was established in Burrville around 1802

by, oddly enough, a missionary and minister. The Rev. Ebenezer Lazelle was the first minister and one of the earliest missionaries in the county. In the early days of the 19th century pure liquors were of general household and medicinal use.

The good reverend saw the need in the area and availed himself to spiritual work of two kinds — saving and distilling.

By 1806 a large tannery was set up in Burrville that employed approximately 15 men. The tannery produced boots and shoes for the local townspeople. The power of the Sandy Creek was harnessed to run a wheel that ground bark for the leather dying process.

Burrville also had a school that served as a combination church and village hall when not in use by pupils. At one time there were 107 pupils enrolled in the village school. It later became a tavern.

The list of businesses that flourished in Burrville during the first half of the 19th century is quite lengthy, indeed:

There was a cabinet maker who also made coffins, a wool carder and a dress maker who used recycled home linens for the manufacture of clothes. There was a match factory, a sash and blind manufacturer, an axe maker and a physician who practiced for more than 60 years.

Last, but certainly not least, what would become the Burrville Congregation Church, which was formed there in 1803

One of the earliest known distilleries was established in Burrville around 1802 by a missionary and minister, the Rev. Ebenezer Lazelle.

by Puritans who had settled the area from New England. The church celebrated its bicentennial in 2003.

The historical sketch of a bustling and industrial Burrville is very different from the quaint community that we know today. Many readers may wonder about the circumstances that precipitated the change. In 1805, due to its central location, Watertown was chosen as the Jefferson County seat. Watertown prevailed over both Brownville and Champion who also vied for the honor. Subsequently a bridge was built in Watertown spanning the Black River. Shortly thereafter a dam, paper and saw mills were also constructed.

These improvements created employment opportunities and attracted banks that lent money for further industrial development. The improvements also attracted settlers at a rapid pace. A number of these settlers were from Burrville, where they had sold their businesses and relocated to what was quickly becoming a bustling town. By 1869, Watertown was officially incorporated as a city and Burrville was well on its way to becoming the subdued farming village that exists today.

While it may be a shadow of its former industrial past, Burrville is still full of rich history. The village boasts many beautiful limestone homes and farms that are still inhabited and worked by the relatives of the first settlers — a continuity that is rarely seen in more industrial cities. n LENKA P. WALLDROFF is curator of collections for the Jefferson County Historical Museum. She is a former museum specialist and conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

May 2012 | NNY Business

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W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G H E R E ?

BEAVER MEADOWS APARTMENTS LOCATION: South of State Route 3 and Towne Center Plaza, Watertown, behind Target.

SIZE: 296 units, including a portion that are low- to moderate-income housing DEVELOPER: COR Development Co., Fayetteville.

ARCHITECT/ENGINEER: Bergmann Associates, Rochester.

ESTIMATED COMPLETION: First units will be available to renters by fall.

LOCAL JOBS: Approximately 365 construction jobs.

COST: $38 million — Compiled by Kyle R. Hayes

KEN EYSAMAN | NNY BUSINESS

Site preparation is under way for Beaver Meadows Apartments behind Watertown’s Target shopping center. The apartment project received a $5.4 million investment from a public-private partnership between Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Economic Development Councils and the Development Authority of the North Country. Initial housing units will be available to renters this fall.

NEXT MONTH

I

n our June cover story, we examine the north country’s manufacturing sector as the nation — and region — continues to emerge from a recession.

Also coming next month: n SMALL BUSINESS BOOM: The number of people in NNY launching small businesses appears to be on the rise. We look at the numbers and explore some of the reasons. n ONLINE UPDATE: BEST BURGER IN NY? Will Depauville’s Pickle Barrel Cafe on Route 12 take statewide honors? Log on to www. nnybizmag.com to see after winners are announced May 15. n 20 QUESTIONS: An in-depth interview with a north country business leader. n PLUS: NNY Snapshot, Economically Speaking, Commerce Corner, Nonprofits Today, Business Tech Bytes, Small Business Success, Real Estate, Agri-Business, Business History, Business Scene and more. n VISIT US ONLINE at our new website, WWW.NNYBIZMAG.COM, Follow us on Twitter for daily updates at @NNYBusiness Mag, like us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/nnybusiness, and view eEditions at www.issuu.com/NNYBusiness.

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