NNY Business August 2012

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Seasonal home sales see gain as market recovers page 45

August 2012

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n Guilfoyle sets move to former Covidien site p. 28 n 20 Questions with Samaritan’s Tom Carman p. 50

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

Stable condition

Health care life support for region’s economy $2.95

/nnybusiness @NNYBusinessMag

Northern New York’s Premier Business Monthly Vol. 2 Issue 9 | www.nnybizmag.com

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NNY Business | August 2012

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NNY Business | August 2012

>>> Inside August 2012

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COVER |

18 A HEALTHY IMPACT Hospitals have more than a $777 million impact on the north country’s economy. |

FEATURES |

26 RECRUITING TOP DOCS Bringing the best specialty doctors to NNY has become top priority for hospitals.

28 MOVING ON UP Guilfoyle Ambulance Service plans a major move into bigger and better facilities.

30 SILVER ANNIVERSARY Marra’s Homecare celebrates 25 years in business as a leader in medical supplies.

32 BUSINESS OF BOTOX Medispas are cropping up throughout the north country with a slate of new services.

35 BATTER UP Inside an unassuming building in New Bremen is RBI Bats, a growing specialty company.

39 YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR Matthew Turcotte began a website business in high school, today it is booming. |

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY |

41 A CALL FOR CATTLE Pineland Farms, a Nicholville all natural meat operation, opens its doors for suppliers.

42 CRAFTING BEER St. Lawrence County’s first microbrewery hopes to open in Canton next year. |

REAL ESTATE |

45 SEASONAL PROPERTY Seasonal residents spent $28 million annually, which ripples through the real estate market. |

BUSINESS HISTORY |

68 A NOBLE LEGACY Edward J. Noble left a lasting impression on the business scene in the north country. |

WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? |

70 CANTON INDUSTRIAL PARK Construction begins on St. Lawrence IDA’s latest project.

August 2012 | NNY Business

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NNY Business | August 2012

INTERVIEW | 50 PLANNING WITH A VISION Thomas H. Carman, President and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center, talks with us about the growth that the hospital has seen and the benefits of strategic planning for the future. |

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COLUMNS

DEPARTMENTS

10 11 12 14 44

ON THE COVER

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54 ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING 55 NONPROFITS TODAY 56 COMMERCE CORNER |

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57 AGRI-BUSINESS 58 BUSINESS TECH BYTES 59 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS

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

61 62 66 68 70

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

Photographer Justin Sorensen captured an image of one of Guilfoyle Ambulance Service’s newest rigs on Watertown’s Arch Street. The ambulance service is moving its operations to the former Covidien building on Faichney Drive in the city to allow for more room to grow as it responds to a record number of calls.

August 2012 | NNY Business

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C o n tr i b u t o r s

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 successful grant writing that gets the best results. (p. 56)

Jay Matteson is the agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. He calls for a solution to the immigrant labor issue that plagues many farms. (p. 57)

Michelle Collins is an advisor for the state Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton. She writes about business owners maintaining their passion. (p. 59)

Rande Richardson is executive director of the Northern New York Community Foundation. He writes about organizations needing a succession plan for the future. (p. 55)

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

Advertising Directors Jill Van Hoesen is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 25-year IT veteran.

If you must work on vacation, she has some mobile gadgets for you. (p. 58)

Lance Evans is executive officer for the Jefferson-Lewis and St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He breaks down sales trends over the past six months in NNY. (p. 44)

Thomas Sauter is deputy executive director of the Development Authority of the North Country. He writes about future LDC consolidation. (p. 54)

Rebecca Madden is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. In this month’s cover story, she examines the economic impact of north country hospitals. (p. 18)

Karen K. Romeo Tammy S. Beaudin

Circulation Director Mary Sawyer

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

David Winters is a former Watertown Daily Times reporter and freelance writer who lives in Adams. He visits Marra’s Homecare as it marks 25 years. (p. 30)

Gabrielle Hovendon is a freelance writer. She spoke with health care professionals about the good and bad of recruiting physicians to NNY. (p. 26)

Joleene DesRosiers is a freelance writer and motivational speaker.

She talked with Guilfoyle Ambulance about its upcoming move to the former Covidien building. (p. 28)

Christina Scanlon is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. She visits a New Bremen firm that is hedging its bets on wooden baseball bats. (p. 35)

MARKETPLACE Advance Physical Therapy ...... 14 Advanced Business Solutions ... 63 A.G. Netto Realty ....................... 46 AmeriCU Credit Union ............... 23 Ameriprise Financial .................. 22 Beardsley Design ....................... 70 Black Horse Group .................... 38 Canton-Potsdam Hospital ........... 7 Cantwell & Associates ............... 40 Center for Sight .......................... 72 Cheney Tire ................................ 60 Clarence Henry Coach ............ 62 Convenient Storage Solutions .. 69 DANC .......................................... 56 Empire State Neurosurgical Institute .............. 25 Essenlohr Motors ........................ 69 Excellus ......................................... 2 Eye Care of CNY ........................ 33 Foy Agency Inc. ......................... 29 Gerald A. Nortz .......................... 64 Great Brook Solar ...................... 33

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Guilfoyle Ambulance ................. 9 HighTower Advisors ................... 31 Hospice of Jefferson County .... 15 Howard Orthotics ...................... 54 H&R Block ................................... 22 Innovative Physical Therapy .... 55 Ives Hill Retirement Community ... 6 JCJDC ......................................... 48 KeyBank ....................................... 4 LaClair Family Dental ................ 38 LoFink Ford Mercury .................. 66 LTI ................................................ 59 Macars ....................................... 65 Marra’s Homecare .................... 17 Mountain View Prevention ....... 29 NNY Business ........................ 60, 71 NNY Community Foundation ... 52 North Country Urgent Care ...... 11 Northstar Auto Sales .................. 42 Painfull Acres Furniture .............. 46 Regional Med Management .... 10 Renu’e Spa and Skincare ......... 40

NNY Business | August 2012

J. Richard Meagher, DDS .......... 29 River Hospital ............................. 45 Samaritan Medical Center ......... 3 SeaComm Federal Credit Union ................................ 16 Seniors Helping Seniors ............. 21 Shred Con ................................... 58 Slack Chemical Co. .................. 57 St. Elizabeth Medical Center .... 20 St. Lawrence NYSARC ................ 48 Strafford, Piller Law Firm ............. 40 Strategic Financial Services ..... 27 T.F. Wright & Sons ........................ 29 The Three C’s Limousine ............ 67 Thousand Islands Realty ........... 46 Truesdell’s Furniture ................... 43 Watertown Daily Times .............. 47 Watertown LDC .......................... 44 Watertown Savings Bank .......... 34 Westelcom ................................. 69 Work Well Investments .............. 53 WWTI-TV50 .................................. 49

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 and 24 issues are $25 a year.

Call 315-782-1000 to subscribe.

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., a Forest Stewardship Certified facility.

Please recycle this magazine.

August 2012 | NNY Business

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I

E D I T O R ’ S NO T E

n 2010, the latest year for which detailed statistics are available, eight north country hospitals contributed $778 million in economic impact to our region. The impressive figure includes salaries for nearly 7,000 Northern New Yorkers, making the hospital segment of the health care industry an undeniably healthy business.

In Jefferson County alone, Samaritan Medical Center, the largest health care provider north of Syracuse, funneled nearly $250 Ken Eysaman million into the county’s economy. Some $84 million of Samaritan’s impact was felt in supply purchases and another $10.8 million in capital spending. The county’s two smaller facilities, Carthage Area Hospital and River Hospital in Alexandria Bay didn’t exactly fall short in helping fuel the region’s economy with a combined impact of $82.8 million and 890 employees.

And in sprawling St. Lawrence County, four hospitals from Ogdensburg to Canton and Massena to Star Lake combined for an economic impact of more than $351 million, while employing 3,150 people. The figures are equally impressive in Lewis County, where Lowville’s Lewis County General Hospital pumped $94.7 million into its economy and employed nearly 800 people.

No matter how you slice it, hospitals are big businesses that, through largescale purchasing, maintenance and facility expansion and improvements, work to not only maintain the well-being of our residents, but also do their share to lend some economic stability to an area that, through the years, has seen its fair share of challenges.

In this month’s cover story, which begins in page 18, Johnson Newspapers staff writer Rebecca Madden peels the bandage off the surface of Northern New York’s hospitals, putting into

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NNY Business | August 2012

context the numbers I shared above and much more about this powerful business sector. n

n

n

20 QUESTIONS — In this month’s interview, we sat down with Samaritan Medical Center CEO Tom Carman.

A former pharmacist who grew up in Maine, Tom made the jump to health care administration about 25 years ago and he hasn’t looked back since. Perhaps that’s because running a quarterbillion-dollar business doesn’t give him a chance to take a look in his rear-view mirror. In the nearly two years that this magazine has been published, activity at Samaritan hasn’t slowed down one bit.

From a growing staff of clinicians and professionals to capital projects that now includes a $72 million senior village, Samaritan is on pace to deliver some of the finest care and patient services that Watertown has ever seen. Our conversation with Tom begins on page 50. n

n

n

Business scene — This month’s Scene section, which begins on page 62, features 41 faces from nearly 30 businesses and organizations across the north country. On July 19, we joined the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce at AmeriCU Credit Union’s Fort Drum branch for business after hours. Later in the month, we joined the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce for its Business Spotlight, and on July 26, we shared in some fellowship with some of the north country’s finest young professionals as the Greater Watertown Jaycees presented 2012 EMERGE NNY at the Edgewood Resort Conference Center, Alexandria Bay. As we look ahead to autumn in the north country, so too, do we look forward to many fantastic business networking events. For a lineup of things you can fill your datebook with, flip to our events calendar on page 61.

Yours in business,

P E O P L E ON T H E M O V E Young wins 2012 ATHENA award

Denise K. Young, executive director of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, has been selected as the 2012 ATHENA Award recipient.

The ATHENA Award is an internationally recognized program that was introduced in Jefferson County in 1991. The award celebrates the potential of all women as valued members and leaders of the community and recognizes those who support Young them, according to a release from the Greater WatertownNorth Country Chamber of Commerce.

The award is presented and sponsored by the Greater-Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce, Bernier, Carr & Associates, Timeless Frames, Decor and Expressions and WWNY TV7.

Mrs. Young was nominated for the award by Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center.

She was hired in 2007 as the first executive director of the FDRHPO. She is also a member of the Watertown Noon Rotary, founder of the Watertown Rotary Interact Leadership Institute, 2010 recipient of the Fort Drum Women of the Mountain Award, board member for the North Country Healthy Heart Network and Northern New York Rural Healthcare Alliance. She is also a black belt martial arts instructor of American Kang Duk Won Karate.

Mrs. Young will be presented with the award on Thursday, Sept. 13, at Ryan’s Lookout restaurant in Henderson Harbor.

For reservations to the award dinner,

contact the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce at 7884400 or email events@watertownny.com.

Art director named at Step One Creative

Oswego-based marketing communications firm Step One Creative recently announced that Mallory Kelly has joined the agency as art director.

Ms. Kelly is a graduate of Emmanuel College, Boston, and an Oswego native.

She received a Kelly bachelor’s degree in graphic design from the college and has previous design experience at Oswego County Weeklies, Clear Channel Boston Radio Station Kiss 108 and Harvard-based Her Campus online magazine.

Step One Creative was founded in 1996 as a division of Step One Communications, 56 W. Third St., Oswego.

Garlock hired as intern

VIP Architectural Associates, Syracuse, has hired Andrew Garlock, Tully, a native of the Thousand Islands, as intern architect for a variety of projects at the firm.

Among his projects will be the Pike Block in downtown Syracuse.

Mr. Garlock, a 2007 graduate of Alexandria Central School, Alexandria Bay, recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Syracuse University.

He is a former Bernier, Carr and Associates, Watertown, summer intern.

VIP Architectural Associates is affiliated with VIP Structures, a national design-

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. build firm headquartered in Syracuse.

New director at Massena Housing Authority named The Massena Housing Authority board of commissions has appointed Katherine F. Allott executive director. Ms. Allott was previously assistant director. She succeeds Patrick J. Regan Jr., who died in June. Ms. Allott has been with the Housing Authority for Allott approximately five years and holds a degree in business administration from SUNY Potsdam and a master’s degree in business administration from Clarkson University, Potsdam.

Bernier, Carr hires interns

Nine students from five colleges and universities throughout the state are participating in the 2012 Bernier, Carr and Associates Summer Intern Program.

The interns are assisting and being mentored in design and construction management of municipal, health care and K-12 school projects.

Please see People, page 17

August 2012 | NNY Business

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NNY

Economic indicators Average per-gallon milk price paid to N.Y. dairy farmers June ’12 $1.51 May ’12 $1.56 June ’11 $1.95

22.6%

ECON SNAPSHOT

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

Source: NYS Department of Agriculture

474,032 in June 2012 452,320 in May 2012 468,357 in June 2011

Average NNY price for gallon of regular unleaded gas

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

June ’12 $3.66 May ’12 $3.89 June ’11 $3.86

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

5.2%

Average NNY price for gallon of home heating oil

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(Percent gains and losses are over 12 months)

June ’12 $3.69 May ’12 $3.87 June ’11 $3.75

1.6%

1.2%

$1.03 on June 22, 2012 $1.03 on May 25, 2012 $0.99 on June 24, 2011

4.0%

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

June ’12 $3.09 May ’12 $3.24 June ’11 $3.23

91,400 in June 2012 91,800 in May 2012 91,800 in June 2011

4.3%

0.4%

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

108, median price $125,000 in June 2012 86, median price $143,750 in May 2012 92, median price $146,700 in June 2011

54, median price $91,800 in June 2012 61, median price $69,000 in May 2012 63, median price $79,500 in June 2011

17.4% Sales

14.8% Price

Source: Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors Inc.

14.3%

15.5%

Sales

Price

Source: St. Lawrence Board of Realtors Inc.

NNY unemployment rates

Jefferson County June ’12

9.6%

May ’12

June ’11

9.7% 8.9%

St. Lawrence County

June ’12

11.0% 10.3%

May ’12

June ’11

10.7%

Lewis County 9.6%

June ’12

9.9%

May ’12 June ’11

8.9%

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 | August 2012

NNY

Economic indicators New automobiles (cars and trucks) registered in Jefferson County Cars 437 in June 2012 474 in May 2012 355 in June 2011

23.1%

Trucks 101 in June 2012 78 in May 2012 66 in June 2011

53.0%

Source: Jefferson County Clerk’s Office

Open welfare cases in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties 1,899 in June 2012 1,936 in May 2012 1,857 in June 2011

No airport data

n Passenger totals for Watertown International Airport were unavailable at press time.

2.3% Source: Social Service Depts. of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties

DBA (doing business under an assumed name) certificates filed at the Jefferson County Clerk’s office in July.

For a complete list of DBAs filed in past months, visit us on the Web at www.nnybizmag.com.

July 30: Caravan Training Specialists, 13 Crossmon St., Alexandria Bay, Royal E Lalonde, 13 Crossman St., Alexandria Bay. July 27: Cummings Construction, 126 Hanger Road, Fort Drum, Phillip Cummings, 704 Lockleur St., Lumberton.

Drum Redemption Center, 27790 State Highway 342, Black River, April McGuire, 154 Thompson Blvd., Watertown.

Sweet Pea Farm, 33761 Lamb Road, Carthage, Michelle Y Stephens, 33761 Lamb Road, Carthage.

July 26: C & F Spray Foam Insulation, 24428 Plank Road, Rodman, Shane D. Cashel, 24428 Plank Road, Rodman.

Classic Charters, 1101 State St., Clayton, Thomas Gillette, 1101 State St., Clayton.

Construction Unlimited NNY, 317 Ten Eyck St., Watertown, Audra M. Ferguson, 317 Ten Eyck St., Watertown.

Piano Studio, 491 Poplar St., Watertown, Kwok F. Lai, 491 Poplar St., Watertown.

North Harbor Vines, 18383 N. Harbor Road, Adams Center, Jerome C. O’Brien, 18383 N. Harbor Road, Adams Center.

Crossfit Zonk, 38465 Route 12, Clayton, Gracey E. Wike, 802B Tamarack Drive, West Carthage, Michelle M. Benavides, 11765A Harvest Blvd., Fort Drum.

July 25: Leonard Printing, 34 Franklin St., Carthage, Erica Leonard, 34 Franklin St., Carthage.

Computech, 158 Winthrop St., Watertown, Jorden R. Durant, 156 Winthrop St., Watertown.

4 Step Building Solutions, 109D Joseph Lonsway Drive, Clayton, Daniel J. Byers, 109D Joseph Lonsway Drive, Clayton.

Distinguished Precision Shooting Sports, 117A Bowers Ave., Watertown, Anthony B. Bellipanni, 117A Bowers Ave., Watertown.

July 24: PJ Jobson Roofing, 21601 Floral Drive, Watertown, L. Danielle Rawlins, 21601 Floral Drive, Watertown.

July 20: Evans Caulking, 24526 County Route 3, LaFargeville, Nicole Evans, 24526 County Route 3, LaFargeville.

July 19: JJS Creations, 9535 D Hamilton Loop, Fort Drum, Jennifer Woodford, 9535 D Hamilton Loop, Fort Drum.

July 18: Willow Tree Day Care, 18017 Allen Road, Watertown, Kathryn M. Walker, 18017 Allen Road, Watertown.

K.N.D. Mechanical, 31285 Gardnerville Road, Lot 151, Evans Mills, Kirk C. Goutremout, 31285 Gardnerville Road, Lot 151, Evans Mills.

Loveland Decoys, 31440 McKeever Road, Philadelphia, Patrick E. Loveland, 31440 McKeever Road, Philadelphia.

Burkey’s Auto Repair, 33490 State Route 3, Great Bend, Gregory W. Burke, 33479 Route 3, P.O. Box 114, Great Bend.

July 16: Twilite Communications, 32191 Wilton Road, Lot 2, Carthage, Mercedes D. Caldwell, 32191 Wilton Road, Carthage, Scott P. Beirman, 32191 Wilton Road, Carthage.

Best Painting, 32109 County Route 46, Theresa, Michael Tedd Best, 32109 County Route 46, Theresa.

Blushing Veil, 25 Emerson Place, Watertown, Yemisi Smith, 25 Emerson Place, Watertown.

Sutter Home Winery, 31402 County Route 18, Theresa, Charles R. Warner, 31403 County Route 18, Theresa.

Kyle’s Small Engine Repair, 15202 State Route 3, Watertown, Kyle Saley, 15202 State Route 3, Watertown.

Barrell/The Barrell, 113 Main St., Antwerp, Kenneth Cummings, 35033 Eddy Road, Theresa.

Uncle Clems BBQ, 409 Academy St., Number 4, Watertown, Stephen Clemons, 409 Academy St., Number 4, Watertown.

Verde Tattoo & Body Piercing, 200 Franklin St., Watertown, Jennifer Green, 419 Sherman St., Watertown.

July 13: Mark’s Graphics, 1538 Ohio St., Watertown, Mark Dietterich, A401, 114 Franklin St., Watertown.

Casablanca Nails Spa, 26449 Johnson Road, Evans Mills, Eric Nguyen, 201 Breen Ave., Watertown.

Savage Taxidermy, 25804 State Route 26, Plessis, Keith N. Savage, 25804 State Route 26, LaFargeville.

Luuk Thai Enterprise, 27594 State Route 3, Watertown, Dusnee Mathison, 27594 State Route 3, Watertown.

July 11: Real Estate Restoration, 11780 Cobbville Road, Adams Center, Nathan P. and David A. Loomis, 11780 Cobbville Road, Adams Center.

July 10: MJ Docteur, 33112 State Route 12E, Cape Vincent, Michael J. Docteur, 33112 State Route 12 E, Cape Vincent.

North Country Commercial Cleaning, 26472 State Route 12, Watertown, Beverly E. Szalkowski, 26472 State Route 12, Watertown.

Vision Layer Studios, 110 E. Hamilton St., Sackets Harbor, Mark Crandall, 110 E. Hamilton St., Sackets Harbor.

White Cedar Property Management, 65 Walton St., Alexandria Bay, Kurt A. Freitag, 65 Walton St., Alexandria Bay. July 9: Drive Sweet, 79 Bridge St., Carthage, Brandon J. Sweet, 30181 Middle Road, Watertown.

July 6: Clayton Distillery, 40164 State Route 12, Clayton, Michael L. Aubertine, 16707 County Route 181, Clayton.

July 5: DP Scott Builders, 25530 Route 12, Watertown, Daniel P. Scott, 25530 Route 3, Watertown.

Golden Rule Distributors, 16504 State Route 3, Watertown, John Laskowski, 16504 State Route 3, Watertown.

Bechaz Riverdale Cheese, 37851 Deferno Road, Clayton, Jeffrey J. and Melinda J. Bechaz, 37851 Deferno Road, Clayton.

July 3: Little Lions Daycare, 213 St. Lawrence Ave., Brownville, Melissa M. Fiske, 213 St. Lawrence Ave., Brownville.

Laura’s Fun Photography, 30650 Middle Road, Watertown, Laura R. Tousant, 30650 Middle Road, Watertown.

Diverse Blessings, 34724 Bubba Lane, Cape Vincent, Diana Logdsdon, 34724 Bubba Lane, Cape Vincent.

InMarket Services, 4151 Jackson Lane, Henderson, Patrick Irvin, 4151 Jackson Lane, Henderson.

July 2: AAA Speedy Taxi, 20721 State Route 12F, Watertown, Peter D. Kosztowniak, 20721 State Route 12F, Watertown.

JLB Plastics, 2892 Ontario Shores Drive, Cape Vincent, John L. Byrne III, 2892 Ontario Shores Drive, Cape Vincent.

transactions

DBAs

August 2012 | NNY Business

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BUSIN E SS B R I E F C A S E be built as a visual enhancement and be A.D.A. compliant. The work is expected to be complete in September.

Normal business hours will not be affected by the project. A temporary entrance has been installed directly to the left of the main entrance.

After construction is completed, a new, landscaped area with benches will be completed outside.

Lowville Curves under new ownership

PHOTO SPECIAL TO NNY BUSINESS

Cazenovia Equipment Co. recently opened a new headquarters at 2 Remington Park Drive, Cazenovia.

Cazenovia Equipment opens new facility The Cazenovia Equipment Co. has opened its new headquarters at 2 Remington Park Drive in Cazenovia, two miles west of its former location, which was destroyed by fire on Aug. 12, 2011.

Cazenovia Equipment Co. is a John Deere dealership, providing equipment sales, parts and service for the agricultural, turf and golf industries. The company was started in 1961 by Larry Love, with one store in

Cazenovia. Today, the company is owned

by Jim and Mike Frazee and has nine retail outlets, including locations in Lowville, 5570 Shady Ave., Sandy Creek, 6224 Route 11, and Watertown, 25523 Route 12S. A grand opening celebration was held on July 20 and 21; the store began serving customers on April 9.

Visit www.cazenoviaequipment.com for store information.

Lewis County Chamber Business of the Month

Northern Federal improves main branch

Good Ol’ Wishy’s, an old-fashioned soda fountain located at 9779 Main St. in Croghan, has been named the Lewis County Chamber’s business of the month for July. The business is owned by Karl, Charlotte, Evan and Kaleb Schweitzer.

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NNY Business | August 2012

Northern Federal Credit Union’s Factory Street branch is undergoing renovations to improve membership experience.

The home lending center and lobby received new tiles and carpeting and a new vestibule at the main entrance will

Joy Burker, Lowville, has taken over ownership of Curves, 7383 Utica Blvd., Lowville, from previous owners Fran and Bruce Bull. Ms. Burker was the manager for Curves since its opening in September 2003.

After attending a corporate Curves Club Camp training in April and completing the Cleveland Clinic’s Health and Wellness Certificate, Ms. Burker was able to transition to owner.

Staff members Cheryl Robbins, manager, Cindy Doyle and Deb Canna, both coaches, and Jane Astafan, certified Curves Circuit Zumba instructor, will remain on the Curves team.

Local development corporations dissolve

The Jefferson County Job Development Corp., Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. and the Watertown Industrial Center Local Development Corp. will dissolve and their functions will be consolidated under the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency.

The JCIDA reminds businesses, entrepreneur and those companies looking to locate in Jefferson County that all of the delivery of economic development services and business assistance will remain.

BUSIN E SS B R I E F C A S E Donald C. Alexander, JCIDA CEO, said that the reason for the dissolution was due to a changing regulatory environment and recently passed state legislation.

As part of the dissolution plan, the JCIDA formed three new committees with the goal of continuing the essential activities previously administered by the three development corporations that will go away. Those three committees were the Jefferson County agricultural development council, a marketing council and a manufacturing council.

The JCIDA is located at 800 Starbuck Ave., Suite 800, Watertown. For more information, visit www.jcida.com.

Clayton Food Co-Op marks grand opening

The Clayton Food Co-op, 226 James St., celebrated its grand opening on July 21 and 22 at the former Winged Bull Studio.

The member-owned, all-natural food shop sells local produce year-round from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Visit www.claytonfood.com or call 775-8087 to learn more.

Salon opens Sackets Harbor storefront

A New Attitude Salon, Watertown, has expanded into the Sackets Harbor market, opening a storefront at 201 W. Main St. Owned by Dedra Morgia, the Sackets salon offers spa manicures, pedicures and massages with boutique goods like handmade jewelry by Lisa Morgia-Graham. For appointments, call 804-4033. Visit www. anewattitudewny.com to learn more.

Couple opens second Ogdensburg B&B

Brian J. and Kathleen R. Wade, proprietors of the White Gate Inn, 503 Caroline

St., Ogdensburg, have opened a second downtown bed and breakfast in the city.

The Crescent Inn, 412 Crescent St., was opened in late July. The second inn was opened to accommodate the increase in business at the White Gate, which opened in 2008.

Reservations are already being accepted for the 2015 college graduation season. Call 393-1391 for reservations at either inn.

Hampton Inn eyes Canton site

The national hotel chain Hampton Inn has submitted a preliminary site plan for a three-story building in the village of Canton on Route 11 adjacent to the University Plaza. The building would be 15,000 square-feet with 55 rooms and a 95-space parking lot.

In 2007, an 85-room Hampton Inn was being planned for the village of Potsdam on a 2.3 acre site next to Mama Lucia’s Restaurant. The project was later scrapped.

Airport sees 10,000 passengers

Ten thousand people have flown from Watertown to Chicago since American Eagle Airlines began servicing the Watertown International Airport seven months ago.

If the airport can sustain those numbers for the next two years, it will be eligible for an approximately $1 million annual grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport currently receives $150,000 annually from the FAA.

Harvest farm tour slated

After a successful open-door weekend in July, planning is under way for Jefferson County’s second Farm Tour Weekend,

Got business news?

n Share your business news with NNY Business. Email news releases and photos (.jpg/300 dpi) to nnybusiness@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 Facebook page.

Sept. 29 and 30, when the public is invited to celebrate the harvest at participating farms and other agricultural related businesses in the county.

Participation is open to dairy, livestock, fruit and vegetable farms, wineries, butcher shops, farm supply businesses and other agricultural-related businesses.

This is a chance for agricultural businesses to show the public what their enterprise is all about. Each participating farm or business may be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.

Sunday, or both days. Farms or businesses also can determine what to offer visitors. Examples include a facility tour, product tastings, equipment demonstrations, games or activities for families and children and product sales.

The event is supported by the Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator’s Office, the 1,000 Islands International Tourism Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County and the Jefferson County Chapter of Adirondack Harvest.

Farms and agricultural businesses interested in participating should visit www. agvisit.com or www.comefarmwithus. com to download a participation form.

Contact Jay Matteson, Jefferson County agricultural coordinator, 782-1806, for a printed form or to learn more.

The application deadline is Aug. 18. All are welcome to attend the next planning meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22 at Mr. Matteson’s office, 21170 New York State Route 232, Watertown.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 15

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NNY Business | August 2012

P E O P L E ON T H E M O V E They are: Adam C. Bracy, a graduate of Carthage Central School and a junior at Jefferson Community College studying mechanical engineering. He is pursuing a career in research and development.

Joshua L. Eppley, a graduate of Sackets Harbor Central School, is a junior at Clarkson University, Potsdam, and studying electrical engineering. This is his second summer as an intern with Bernier, Carr and Associates. He is pursuing a career in engineering systems.

Robert J. Ingerson, a graduate of Immaculate Heart Central School, Watertown, is a sophomore at Jefferson Community College and will major in physical education. This is his third summer interning with Bernier, Carr. He is pursuing a career in teaching and coaching.

Drew G. Laemmermann, a graduate of Watertown High School, is a junior at SUNY Delhi, where he studies construction management, design-build. He is pursuing a career in building construction.

Payge E. Lehman, a graduate of Beaver River Central School, Beaver Falls, is a junior at SUNY Cortland studying physical education. This is her third summer interning with Bernier, Carr. She is pursuing a career as a teacher.

Alex C. Rhubart, a graduate of Lowville Academy and Central School, is a senior at Syracuse University majoring in communication design. This is his fourth summer interning with Bernier, Carr. He is pursuing a career in advertising design.

Christopher W. Todd, a graduate of General Brown Central School, Dexter, is a senior at Clarkson University, where he studies civil engineering. He is pursuing a career as a civil engineer.

Shane T. Scanlon, a graduate of Beaver River Central School, is a senior

at Clarkson University, where he studies mechanical engineering. This is his second summer interning for Bernier, Carr. He is pursuing a career in sustainable design.

Sarah E. Thesier, a graduate of Watertown High School, is a sophomore at Jefferson Community College, where she studies engineering science and liberal arts. This is her fifth summer interning for Bernier, Carr. She is pursuing a career in anthropology.

Earns service award

Betsy D. Penrose, vice president for students at Jefferson Community College, was presented with the William A. Troy Service Award. The award was given during the State University of New York Financial Aid Professionals Conference in April.

Named vice president

Samaritan Medical Center has named Anthony E. Joseph as the new vice president of long-term care. Mr. Joseph will replace outgoing vice president and Samaritan Keep Nursing Home administrator Richard A. Brooks, who plans to retire later this year or early next year.

Facilities director hired Clarkson University, Potsdam, has named Ian Hazen as director of facilities and services. He has served as university engineer since 2008.

Mr. Hazen will oversee the service center, grounds departHazen

ment, maintenance department, custodial department, business services, construction and project management office.

He will be a member of the president’s cabinet, emergency response team and signage committee.

Mr. Hazen came to Clarkson after having worked at the St. Lawrence County Highway Department as a senior civil engineer for nearly 10 years. He received both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in civil engineering from Clarkson.

New hires at CantonPotsdam Hospital

Rachel Raven has joined the medical staff at Canton-Potsdam Hospital as a certified nurse practitioner. She is seeing patients at the hospital’s after hours clinic in the E.J. Noble Building, 80 E. Main St., Canton.

Ms. Raven received a master’s degree in nursing Raven from SUNY Upstate Medical University’s College of Health Professions in Syracuse, where she completed family nurse practitioner training in May 2011. She previously worked as a nurse practitioner at Carthage Area Hospital and in various nursing positions throughout Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties.

Dr. Xiaosong Song, a gastroenterologist, began seeing patients at CantonPotsdam Hospital on Aug. 1.

Dr. Song is American Board of Internal Medicine certified and board eligible

Please see People, page 53

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 17

Above, from left, Dr. Troy R. Johnson, River Hospital emergency department and inpatient services director, and Chris Symenow, registered physician’s assistant, read patient charts at the Alexandria Bay hospital while staff tends to the phones.

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

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NNY Business | August 2012

c o ver s t o r y

n Region’s hospitals

pack economic punch, fuel 7,000 jobs in area

E

BY REBECCA MADDEN

E v en when the state and national economy takes a nose dive, the north country can count on local hospitals to help boost its economy.

As some of the largest employers across the state, hospitals not only drive money into the economy but are a source for steady job creation as well.

Eight hospitals within Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties pumped $777,658,000 into the local economy, according to 2010 data, the most recent available, supplied by the Healthcare Association of New York State.

The hospital with the largest impact — Watertown’s Samaritan Medical Center — helped to funnel $248,950,000 into Jefferson County’s economy, with $154,131,000 going to payroll for its 2,170 employees. The remaining impact was $83,962,000 in supply purchases and $10,857,000 in capital spending. But Samaritan’s economic impact doesn’t stay within the confines of its emergency rooms and physician’s offices. With a $61 million renovation and expansion campaign in the works, and a $72 million senior living facility expected to be completed in February, the hospital’s reach extends into the construction, building and architecture sector, too.

New York’s hospitals treat about 2.6 million patients a year and provide 47.l million outpatient visits, including 7.9 million emergency room visits.

It is the increase in outpatient procedures and emergency room visits that help boost patient care for River Hospital in Alexandria Bay, and therefore the local economy, according to River Hospital CEO Ben Moore III. “What we’ve been able to do is add volume on the outpatient side,” he said. “What that tends to do

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 19

c o ver s t o r y Northern New York hospitals / Economic impact

$248,950,000

Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown

$123,258,000 Canton-Potsdam Hospital

1,070

2,170

Number of SMC jobs

Number of CPH jobs

$60,475,000

$74,913,000

Number CAH jobs

600

Number of MMH jobs

$22,389,000

Clifton-Fine Hospital, Star Lake

290

Number of Clifton-Fine jobs

Carthage Area Hospital

Massena Memorial Hospital

660

River Hospital, Alexandria Bay

Number of River Hospital jobs

$94,744,000

Lewis County General Hospital, Lowville

790

Number of Lewis County General jobs

$12,100,000 140

$140,799,000

Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, Ogdensburg

1,280

Number of Claxton-Hepburn jobs

Source: Healthcare Association of New York, 2010 impact report.

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NNY Business | August 2012

is keep people in the community for health care services. They use local drug stores when they need prescriptions, and it’s the same thing with the emergency department.”

As one of the north country’s smaller hospitals, River Hospital’s economic impact was about $22 million in 2010.

Mr. Moore said there are spikes to all services, especially the emergency department, in the summertime because many seasonal residents of the Thousand Islands who utilize River Hospital for health care.

Also, as services increase, the demand for more physicians and support staff create more jobs for the local community, Mr. Moore said.

Health care continues to be one of the largest economic engines, and for the north country alone payroll for all eight hospitals reached a combined total of $469,799,000. That doesn’t include the ripple effect it may have into the local economy as employees eat at local restaurants, shop at stores and buy vehicles from north country dealerships.

Throughout the north country, hospital supply purchases reached $261,611,000 in 2010, and capital spending reached $46,248,000. Statewide, however, hospitals generate a total $108 billion for state and local economies each year, according to a HANYS report. That equates to 9.4 percent of the gross state product.

Lewis County General Hospital CEO Eric R. Burch said rural hospitals, including the one he oversees, are the “cornerstone of our local community and a major economic force in the community that reaches far beyond the walls of the main campus.”

“Patients and their families often visit the hospital and then often visit the local stores, gas stations or restaurants in the community,” he said, via email. “Our employees also affect the community with their spending and taxes they pay.”

Lewis County General’s economic impact was about $95 million in 2010, according to the HANYS report.

Of the 686,610 jobs supported by hospitals throughout the state, 7,000 are here in the north country. According to the HANYS report, the public’s continued demand for health care services will continue to keep hospitals viable. In addition, the more services needed, the more local hospitals and health care systems will continue to expand and grow their programs, services and buildings.

Throughout Jefferson County alone, construction of new senior-care campuses has already increased the number of jobs

c o ver s t o r y as crews work toward completing Samaritan Summit Village, a 288-bed skillednursing and assisted-living facility, to be run by Samaritan, and Meadowbrook Terrace, a 60-bed assisted-living facility, to be run by Carthage Area Hospital.

Samaritan is also looking to open a primary-care clinic in southern Jefferson County and River Hospital is developing a behavioral health program, hoping to garner business from Fort Drum and the growing soldier population afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mr. Moore said the more services that can be added and then maintained in the north country will keep Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties’ residents here, avoiding travel and therefore economic impact to other nearby counties and states.

“The mindset now has to be the success of the region,” he said.

While larger hospitals continue toward expansion efforts throughout the north country, most are also involved in an effort led by Mr. Moore and River Hospital to study shared services and ideas in order to ensure local residents that their health care services won’t be jeopardized.

A consortium of seven hospitals will share $3.8 million from the Healthcare Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers program to collaborate throughout the next two to three years on a plan to keep Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties' residents healthy, and to cut costs. Carthage Area Hospital, Carthage; Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown; Lewis County General Hospital, Lowville; E.J. Noble Hospital, Gouverneur; CliftonFine Hospital, Star Lake, and ClaxtonHepburn Medical Center, Ogdensburg, are the other hospitals that joined in the larger, collaborative effort to help reduce the number of unnecessary repeat Medicaid admissions.

The other bonus to working together, Mr. Moore said, is it will be much easier to recruit specialists to the region. For years, he said, the region has suffered from a lack of physicians whose specialties are primary care, dermatology and urology.

Since care for the aging is rapidly changing, with efforts from Samaritan and Carthage hospitals and also Hospice of Jefferson County, the need for geriatrics is becoming more apparent, Mr. Moore said.

He said the group could recruit a physician, and be shared amongst some partner hospitals.

With health care reform, Mr. Moore said, hospitals have to change with the current times.

“Up until the health care reform act

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

An aerial view of Samaritan Medical Center’s main campus in June. Construction of the hospital’s connector is progressing toward completion this summer.

passed, economics in health care were based on volume,” he said. “Under some facets of health reform, that will be away from volume, and go into treating populations.

Volume is no longer key. It is about effective

service and positive outcomes. There will always be a place for us if we do it right.” n REBECCA MADDEN is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact her at rmadden@wdt.net or 661-2375.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 21

c o ver s t o r y HOSPITALS: A TIMELINE OF INVESTMENTS IN NNY May 2012 n Massena Memorial Hospital breaks ground for new $3.9 million, 20,300-square-foot Maple Street medical office building.

March 2012 n Massena Memorial Hospital says that plans for a $23 million expansion first unveiled in 2009 are still under consideration. Hospital CEO Charles F. Fahd II says the project will depend on the economy and Alcoa.

February 2012 n E.J. Noble Hospital, Gouverneur, starts moving patients into its newly built $9.5 million, 33,000-squarefoot addition.

October 2011 n Ground is broken for the 288-bed elder-care facility Samaritan Senior Village, which was later renamed Samaritan Summit Village. The total cost for the project is $72 million and construction is slated to be completed in February 2013. n Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s $8 million Center for Cancer Care opens.

October 2010 n Samaritan Medical Center holds the grand opening for the state-of-the-art patient pavilion. Along with the construction of the patient pavilion were renovations to the emergency department, including 42 private rooms being added. A critical-care center was added with 10

intensive-care-unit rooms, 20 private progressive-careunit rooms and 36 private rooms were added to the medical/surgical unit.

April 2010 n Canton village Planning Board approves plans for Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s $18 million addition to the E.J. Noble Medical Center on E. Main Street.

December 2009 n Samaritan Medical Center’s $7.9 million parking garage opens.

September 2009 n New York State announces an $18 million Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law of New York State grant for local health care initiatives. Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, Ogdensburg, and Samaritan Medical Center saw big chunks of the grant, with $2.6 million going to Claxton-Hepburn and $7.9 million going to Samaritan. The Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization received $6,676,804.

April 2008 n Samaritan Medical Center holds groundbreaking ceremony for the hospital’s 350-space parking garage. n Ground is broken for expansion of the Clayton Family Health Care Center, a partnership between Samaritan Medical Center and the Clayton Improvement Association. A 9,200-square-foot medical facility was built next to the current clinic. Samaritan Medical Center has a 20-year lease for the building. n Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center opens new 10-bed obstetrics unit, which replaced the hospital’s maternity ward that was built in 1959. The expansion is part of an

Tax & FINANCE DIRECTORY

$11 million expansion and renovation project.

August 2007 n Carthage Area Hospital’s new obstetrical/maternity center opens.

March 2007 n Fort Drum’s Guthrie Ambulatory Health Care Clinic announced plans for a $41 million expansion to address a shortage of space. The expansion would include a family medical clinic.

January 2007 n Samaritan Medical Center announces first steps being taken in a $61 million expansion and renovation project at its Washington Street facility in Watertown.

Plans include a $5.9 million parking garage, $46.5 million patient pavilion and an $8.6 million renovation of outpatient services, registration, maternity unit, more private rooms and a new neonatal intensive care unit.

October 2006 n Lewis County General Hospital breaks ground for emergency department expansion and renovation, which is the second phase of a $4.4 million capital project. n Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center breaks ground on $8 million renovation and expansion project.

July 2006 n Construction begins on Carthage Area Hospital’s obstetrics and surgery units as part of the hospital’s $9.2 million expansion.

April 2006 n Samaritan Medical Center releases preliminary plans for a new 9,098-square-foot facility near the existing Clayton Family Health Center on Strawberry Lane. The $1 million to $2 million facility will be built by Clayton Improvement Agency. n Lewis County General Hospital opens new $1.9 million diagnostic imaging department.

November 2005 n Canton-Potsdam Hospital proposes a $5 million renovation of its emergency department.

July 2005 n Canton-Potsdam Hospital announces plans to investigate a $3 million to $5 million expansion and renovation of the Edward John Noble medical building in Canton. The expansion would double the size of the complex on E. Main Street.

June 2005 n Carthage Area Hospital’s $7 million expansion project gets underway. The first phase included construction on the cardiac rehabilitation department to make way for a 2,500-square-foot addition.

April 2005 n Samaritan announces long-term strategic plan that could include significant construction and renovation work under the newly-hired President and CEO, Thomas H. Carman. Mr. Carman said that with about 85 percent of Samaritan being constructed before 1972 a facelift was in the foreseeable future. Revenue in 2004 was $113,905,000, up from $110,049,000 in 2003. n Carthage Area hospital announces plans for a $7 million expansion project at its West Street campus.

The hospital board approved a one-story addition that would house a new surgery and recovery area, maternity ward and administrative offices and a lab expansion. n Massena Memorial Hospital completes $10.5 million 21,000-square-foot wing of the hospital. The new wing is part of an overall $15 million capital campaign.

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NNY Business | August 2012

c o ver s t o r y November 2004 n Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center holds grand opening ceremony of the Richard E. Winter Cancer Treatment Center in Ogdensburg. The center underwent a $4.5 million expansion.

August 2004 n Carthage Area Hospital announces that, within 18 months, a $10 million nursing home would fill the gap on Carthage’s State Street that was left gutted by fire in March 2002. The proposed nursing home would be 58,300 square feet, three stories and have three wings.

February 2004 n Carthage Area Hospital begins first phase of a multiphase expansion project by hiring Bernier, Carr & Associates architectural firm, to conduct a survey of hospital facilities. The hospital noted that it would seek to expand

urology, obstetrics and surgical services.

million Building of Excellence expansion.

December 2003 n Lewis County General Hospital opens the new west wing of the hospital, plans $3.5 million expansion of emergency and radiology departments.

April 2002 n Lewis County General Hospital begins new children’s health care center, with targeted completion of February 2003.

July 2003 n Canton-Potsdam Hospital opens the first completed additions of its $10 million Building of Excellence project.

March 2002 n Samaritan Medical Center announces long-range strategic plan that calls for investment of $30 million to $30 million in the facility over the next three years. The major of the investment said to be used for the hospital capital development, family health centers in Watertown, Alexandria Bay, Clayton and Lacona, and the Womanto-Woman program and outpatient behavioral health services at Samaritan Medical Plaza.

July 2002 n Lewis County General Hospital announces several building projects to increase space at its North Street campus and its South Lewis Health Center in Lyons Falls.

June 2002 n Canton-Potsdam Hospital breaks ground for its $10

— Compiled by Kyle R. Hayes

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 23

F E AT U R E S

Meeting the need with senior living Business of aging: More than $80 million invested in 15 years

T

NNY Business

he north country’s population is aging. But if local hospitals and senior care organizations have anything to say about it, that population will be well taken care of for years to come.

Cranes and bulldozers can be seen going to work throughout the tri-county region, but they aren’t building the latest shopping center or retail outlet; they’re building the next wave of state-of-the-art senior living facilities.

Those facilities represent a more than $80 million investment from medical organizations, the state and the community to provide modern care for the area’s aging population. In 2011, the Census Bureau estimated that more than 33,000 people ages 65 or older were living in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Between 11 and 15 percent of each county’s population was made up of senior citizens, a major market for those looking to capture revenue from that demographic.

Last year was a big year in terms of growth at Ives Hill Retirement Community. The community grew with the addition of five Elmore Lane duplex homes, built

by Purcell Construction, Watertown, and completed in September.

In late February, Ives Hill opened The Lodge at Ives Hill, 1201 Jewell Drive, an enriched living facility with 18 units, each with a small dining area, living space, bathroom and kitchen area, which fill out The Lodge’s 13,721-square-foot building.

There is also a towering stone fireplace in the main common area, a recreational room, wrap-around screened porch and salon on premises.

The total bill for The Lodge itself came in at more than $3.4 million, funded locally

by Watertown Savings Bank, the Watertown Local Development Corp., Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency and the Development Authority of the North Country. The Northern New York Community Foundation and the Henry Keep Home each fronted $100,000 grants for the project. There are 10 studio units and eight one-bedroom units in the building, which cost between $4,000 and $5,00 per month, self-paid.

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NNY Business | August 2012

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

An aerial photo taken in June of Samaritan’s Summit Village senior living facility in Watertown.

The expansion and growth of Ives Hill Retirement Community, according to Kerry A. Roberge, board president for the community, was 20 years in the making.

He told the Watertown Daily Times at The Lodge groundbreaking that, “When we built Ives Hill, the congregate-care building, assisted living and enriched housing was an entire missing gap.”

United Helpers has provided services to thousands of senior citizens, mentally ill and the developmentally disabled throughout St. Lawrence County and the north country for more than 114 years. Services for the aging range from the assisted living neighborhood on the Maplewood Campus in Canton, which has four cottages and 48 units, to independent retirement living at Partridge Knoll, also in Canton.

Partridge Knoll is St. Lawrence County’s first full-service independent retirement community and was opened in 1999, representing a $4.2 million investment in the Canton community.

United Helpers is made up of seven nonprofit organizations, including a separate organization for independent living, United Helpers Independent Living Corp., which does business as Partridge Knoll, and United Helpers Nursing Home Inc., which does business as RiverLedge Health Care and Rehabilitation Center.

For perspective on the breadth of United Helpers’ reach, RiverLedge Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg posted more than $14 million in revenues for 2010. Maplewood Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, the United Helpers facility that provides skilled health care and outpatient physical therapy services to the aging, claimed more than $8.5 million in revenue in 2010.

In total, United Helpers owns or manages 35 sites throughout St. Lawrence County and and cares for more than 1,000 people each day, employing more than 950, according to the company.

“Since 1898 we have continually evolved to better serve our community and help those in need,” said Stephen E. Knight, CEO of United Helpers, said in a statement at the end of last year. “Recently, we have realigned many of our services, transformed our nursing homes into health services campuses and introduced new services to address unmet needs.”

Looking toward the future, in terms of filling the need for senior housing, two major projects are in the works in Jefferson County: Meadowbrook Terrace in Champion and Samaritan Medical Center’s Summit Village on outer Washington Street in Watertown.

Meadowbrook Terrace, 21957 Cole

F E AT U R E S Road, is a 42,000-square-foot project being constructed by Carthage Area Hospital.

The 60-bed assisted-living facility will cost approximately $9.5 million and sits on more than 10 acres.

In July, Meadowbrook Terrace Administrator Joseph W. Millard told the Times that construction is in full-swing on the facility and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year. When finished, the facility will have four dozen 322-squarefoot studio apartments and 12 onebedroom, 433-square-foot apartments, as well as an ice cream parlor, store, lounge area, activity room, chapel and employee work area.

Samaritan Summit Village, will have a combination of 80 Medicaid-eligible bed, 40 enhanced residence beds and 168 beds in the skilled-nursing area.

Built in one of the highest locations in the city of Watertown, Summit Village will be home to a combination of seniors from Samaritan Keep Home, Mercy of Northern New York and new, eligible senior citizens.

The project costs approximately $72 million, this in combination with Samaritan Medical Center’s $61 million expansion and renovation project, which has been ongoing for more than five years.

Estimated completion for Samaritan Summit Village is February of next year.

Both the expansion at Samaritan’s immediate campus at 830 Washington St., and the construction of Samaritan Summit Village, are part of Samaritan’s five year strategic plan. Future aspects of the strategic plan include upgrading Samaritan’s women’s health services, increasing workforce recruitment and furthering the hospital’s relationship with Fort Drum.

In the last 15 years, more than $80 million has been invested in expanding the north country’s care for senior citizens. As the population continues to age, hospital administrators are prepared for the growth.

Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center, said that in the future, the hospital’s Samaritan Keep Home will need a facelift once the Samaritan Summit Village is complete. Mr. Carman also noted that the need for senior housing in Watertown will be met between Samaritan’s offerings.

Mr. Millard, Meadowbrook Terrace administrator, told the Times that after the facility is completed, and opened, that there will be plenty of space to expand, if need be.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 25

F eat u re s

Against all odds: selling NNY to docs Several hard-to-find speciality physicians needed at local hospitals

By Gabrielle Hovendon

R

NNY Business

ecite a list of the medical fields in which it’s difficult to find physicians in the north country, and you may just need to consult an otolaryngologist for your sore throat.

That’s because the list of hard-to-find specialties includes psychiatry, dermatology, urology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, endocrinology, orthopedics, obstetrics, primary care and, yes, otolaryngology: ear, nose and throat.

“It’s not easy up in the north country,” said Ben Moore III, CEO at River Hospital in Alexandria Bay. “In general, it is more difficult to attract specialty fields that require sophisticated, specific technology and equipment. Dermatology is definitely NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS hard to attract, urology is definitely hard Dr. Anel M. Abreu and Dr. Edward Choung, orthopedic surgeons with North Country Orthopaedic Group, are a few of the latest hires as part of a widespread physician recruiting effort. to attract — it’s a lot of the specialties that tend to concentrate in the urban areas.”

Christina L. Flint, director of commuhas a niece or nephew who’s just finished Faced with the challenge of physician nity relations at Lewis County General their residency — or even a neighbor or recruitment, north country hospitals emHospital in Lowville. “Giving students someone from church. You never know.” ploy a wide variety of tactics to attract and this opportunity at Lewis County General Some north country hospitals also retain quality doctors. To garner interest Hospital can result in the student returntake advantage of teaching and trainfor any one position, a hospital may post ing to the facility once their medical training programs to attract new physicians. on online physician job boards, send out ing is complete.”

For example, Samaritan’s Osteopathic physical mailings and mass emails about Regardless of the hospital, one underInternship Training Program and specific positions, employ social media, conlying strategy is key to north country Osteopathic Residency Program have duct cold calls, consult the Upstate physician recruitNew York Physician ment: persuade Recruiters website, prospective physipurchase a database cians to visit and of physician resumes, show them what the contact residency region has to offer. program directors and “In recruiting to ruCarlos H. Alberto, director of physician recruitment, attend meetings of ral areas, the biggest Canton-Potsdam Hospital specialty societies or hurdle to get over is national recruitment just to get a doctor roadshows. To manto come look,” said Dr. Gary R. Hart, seen 15 to 20 former students return to age this process, some hospitals employ Chief Medical Officer at Claxton-Hepburn Watertown as physicians. Similarly, the third-party recruiters, while others rely Medical Center in Ogdensburg. “OftenSUNY Upstate Rural Medical Education solely on in-house personnel. Some even times they see disadvantages in the small Program offers a chance for doctors-intake a local approach to their recruitment. size of the communities, the remoteness training to see if a particular hospital from medical schools or academic medical “We make it well known to our board setting is a good fit for them. centers or limited employment opportumembers and employees that we’re look “RMED places third-year medical nities for spouses. Some of those things ing to fill a position,” said Anne M. Wallstudents in rural or small communities might lead them not to even come look.” for nine consecutive months to work and droff, director of medical staff relations To counter these perceived disadvanlearn under the supervision of family and recruitment at Samaritan Medical tages, hospitals such as Claxtonphysicians and other specialists,” said Center in Watertown. “Maybe someone

“

26 |

NNY Business | August 2012

After a physician gets here we have a high ratio of closing the deal. The community sells itself; you’ve just got to get them up here.

—

F E AT U R E S Hepburn emphasize the north country’s outdoor recreational opportunities as well as its proximity to major Canadian hubs like Ottawa and Montreal. They also point to the educational and employment opportunities provided by the four colleges in St. Lawrence County and emphasize the reasonably paced lifestyle.

The hospitals also try to offer incentives that can exceed those in more competitive urban markets. Those incentives may include signing bonuses, compensation for relocation costs, reimbursement for continuing medical education or professional memberships and educational loan forgiveness through either the hospital itself or through state or federal programs such as the National Health Service Corps and Doctors Across New York.

“After a physician gets here we have a high ratio of closing the deal,” said Carlos H. Alberto, director of physician recruitment at Canton-Potsdam Hospital in Potsdam. “If they just look at where we are on the map and stop there, it’s a miss for them. The community sells itself; you’ve just got to get them up here.”

In the north country, two- to four-year contracts are typical for new doctors, with three years being the most common.

Once a new physician has signed a contract, though, a hospital’s work is only half over.

To retain doctors past their first contract, several area hospitals have instated teams dedicated to physician retention, teams such as the MD Satisfaction Team at Canton-Potsdam Hospital or the Recruitment and Retention Committee at Claxton-Hepburn Hospital. These groups conduct surveys, evaluate the needs of medical staff and even introduce hotlines to make sure physicians’ concerns are being addressed.

Another key to physician retention lies in helping new doctors learn about and feel at home in their new community. To this end, hospital staff may help a new doctor register a car, find a house or become involved with churches, schools and community groups — or even initiate a “buddy system” such as the one at Samaritan Medical Center, which will pair incoming physicians with a support person in the community.

“The hope when you do all this recruiting is that people will enjoy the practice site and enjoy the community, and we’ve

had a number of success stories in that regard,” Mr. Moore, of River Hospital, said. “We love to keep them as long as possible because that’s good not only for the institution but also for the community, too.”

At the end of the day, physician recruitment and retention isn’t a problem that affects just the north country. According to Mr. Alberto, the only hospitals that don’t have to worry about physician recruitment are those with their own

residency programs or those located in major metropolitan areas.

“It is a major challenge for all institutions,” he said. “I always use the analogy of the chicken or the egg. Which comes first, the physician or the patient? …The reality is, if you don’t have physicians, then you can’t treat patients.” n GABRIELLE HOVENDON is a former Watertown Daily Times reporter and freelance writer who lives in Watertown. Contact her at ghovendon@gmail.com.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 27

F eat u re s

Pushing the limit: Guilfoyle eyes upgrade n Ambulance service

readies for transfer to former Covidien plant in Watertown

By Joleene DesRosiers

G NNY Business

uilfoyle Ambulance answered roughly 8,000 calls last year in Jefferson County, as well as in various towns and villages bordering the county. It’s a big footprint for the cramped ambulance service currently housed at 438 Newell St. in Watertown. But with more calls coming in than ever before, the service recognized it needed to expand.

“We have outgrown our facilities,” Guilfoyle General Manager David C. Sherman said. “We don’t have enough room at Newell Street for our personnel.”

The solution seemed simple: find a location that could comfortably house the business, its vehicles and apparatus and its growing number of employees. The execution of the idea, however, was not so simple.

“We have been discussing this and searching for a space for the past two years,” Mr. Sherman said. “The process of evaluating what needed to be done and then finding a space where the expansion could take place took some time. We really wanted to stay in the city of Watertown.”

Guilfoyle looked at several properties, but had a keen eye on the former Covidien building at 1291 Faichney Drive in Watertown. The building spans 70,000 square feet, a far cry from the 8,800 square-foot property on Newell Street.

The building offered plenty of space for parking, training and future expansion.

Yet the property wasn’t their first choice.

Mr. Sherman said the ambulatory service was in the process of making a deal at a different location when complications forced them to back out. That’s when the Covidien building came up for sale.

Once the property was decided upon, lenders had to be lined up. The Watertown Local Development Corp. is the lead lender on the project, with financial

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AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

Guilfoyle Ambulance Service has outgrown its Newell Street headquarters. General Manager David C. Sherman said that the company’s 20 plus vehicles and personnel are cramped in the space.

help from the North Country Alliance and Community Bank. The Jefferson County Industrial Agency is also a participant in the loan program. Donald C. Alexander, chief executive of JCIDA, said the primary requirement when AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS deciding to fund The former Covidien plant on Faichney Drive in Watertown will be the new home to any expansion is Guilfoyle Ambulance Service. whether or not jobs are being community? Guilfoyle met all of these created or retained. Guilfoyle clearly met secondary questions.” that requirement.

The new building will allow the com “If a business can create jobs to help pany ample training space for Guilfoyle fuel the local economy, we are in favor of employees, other outside emergency supporting it,” he said. “There are several medical providers looking for training subordinate questions we consider, too. and community members interested in Is the company providing a valuable taking classes like CPR training. The huge service to the community? What would warehouse space will allow Guilfoyle’s 16 the community be if it weren’t here? Does ambulances, four paramedic “fly cars” and the company improve the tax base of the six wheelchair vans to fit comfort-

F eat u re s ably beneath one roof. With more rigs in service, more maintenance is necessary.

Mr. Sherman said a second mechanic has already been retained, a vital asset when one considers the high volume of calls that Jefferson County has been experiencing.

“Calls go up for several reasons,” he said. “For starters, we’re an aging popula-

“

This company has been around since 1907, and in that time has seen some changes. It’s clear they have a growth trend and they want to continue to grow.

— Donald C. Alexander, CEO, Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency

tion with more advances in medicine.

People are living longer. With this, there are more medical conditions as our body ages. We need to consider the recent surge with synthetic drug use, too. Before bath salts and window cleaner, it was synthetic marijuana. We clearly have a growing drug population in our area. There’s also a plethora of inattentive drivers when operating a motor vehicle. People are texting, reading the newspaper or putting on make-up as they drive. All of this weighs in on the number of calls we get.”

Mr. Alexander said the JCIDA recognizes this and with more services needed, it only makes sense to help fund Guilfoyle’s future.

“This company has been around since 1907, and in that time has seen some changes,” Mr. Alexander said. “It’s very clear they have a growth trend and they want to continue to grow. They are also the only professional ambulance service in the region operating with a certificate of need. This gives them a leg up.”

Final renovations at the Faichney Drive facility are expected to be completed by October. n JOLEENE DESROSIERS is a freelance writer, author and motivational speaker who lives in Pulaski. Contact her at joleene@joleenespeaks.com.

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F E AT U R E S

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS

John H. and Nancy A. Marra in the “CPAP Corner” of Marra’s Homecare Equipment and Supplies, outer Coffeen Street in Watertown. The Marras are celebrating 25 years in business.

Room to breathe

Marra’s celebrates 25 years with plans for prosperous future

By DAVID WINTERS

J

NNY Business

ohn H. Marra has witnessed the medical equipment and supply industry change dramatically over the years.

“Everything 25 years ago was

bigger, heavier and noisier,” Mr.

Marra said. “Technology today has made the equipment smaller and more efficient.”

Marra’s Homecare Equipment & Supplies has grown steadily in reaching its silver anniversary, expanding its services and locations throughout the north country. Starting in a small downtown office in Watertown with three employees, Marra’s Homecare now has three locations and 51 employees.

The Watertown company specializes in the sales, service and rentals of medical equipment and supplies, including

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“

Everything 25 years ago was bigger, heavier and noisier. Technology today has made the equipment smaller and more efficient.

— John H. Marra, owner, Marra’s Homecare Equipment & Supplies complex rehabilitative and sleep apnea products, wheelchairs, scooters, oxygen, mobility aids, lift chairs, bath safety products and hospital beds.

“Ninety-nine percent of our business is referral-based,” Mr. Marra said.

The biggest growth for Marra’s Homecare in recent years has been with

sleep apnea devices, with more doctors diagnosing patients with sleep disorders.

Sleep apnea is a relatively new market in the medical field and a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine is the most common treatment for people with sleeping problems, Mr. Marra said.

A CPAP machine uses a mask that fits over a person’s nose and mouth. The machine gently blows air into the throat, with the air pressing on the walls of the airway. The air pressure is adjusted just enough to stop the airway from becoming blocked during sleep, giving a person a more pleasant night’s sleep.

The company’s showroom on outer Coffeen Street features “The CPAP Corner,” which provides customers with various sleep apnea devices and supplies.

“It’s the largest sector of growth for us right now,” Mr. Marra said. “It is becoming more recognizable on the physician level.”

F E AT U R E S Marra’s Homecare OWNERS: John H. and Nancy A. Marra EMPLOYEES: 51 LOCATIONS: 21087 Route 12, Watertown; 201 Market St., Potsdam; 206 Tom Miller Road, Plattsburgh.

HOURS: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

ONLINE: www.marrashomecare.com

Mr. Marra was a respiratory therapist at Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown, when he was approached by a Buffaloarea oxygen supply company in 1980 to provide oxygen services to the north country. He would visit patients once a month to make sure the oxygen supplies were working properly.

After getting a taste of the medical supply business, he wanted to start up his own company.

Marra’s Homecare opened in June 1987 when Mr. Marra and his wife, Nancy A., bought Balcome’s Hospital Equipment Supply from George T. Massey.

“He wasn’t really sure what he had,” Mr. Marra said. “We spent two days inventorying his supplies before we bought his business.”

The store, first located in a small space in the Empsell Plaza on Court Street, primarily sold ostomy and surgical supplies and rehabilitative equipment.

Marra’s Homecare later expanded its offerings with respiratory care products and complex rehabilitative equipment, such as manual and power wheelchairs and custom seat cushions and back support devices.

“We saw a need for complex rehab equipment here in 1992,” Mr. Marra said.

The company opened a Plattsburgh store in 1993 and a Potsdam location in 2006.

Marra’s Homecare recently moved its Plattsburgh location to a larger building, mainly for better visibility for physician offices and clinics.

“We believe that our dedication to clinical excellence and convenience provides our customers with the best possible value,” Mr. Marra said.

A constant challenge for Marra’s Homecare is the reimbursement rate it receives from Medicare, which has slowly been shrinking. His business relies heavily on referrals from physicians around

the north country.

“The reimbursement rate we receive continues to drop,” Mr. Marra said. “You have to do twice the business to get the same amount.”

Mr. Marra said he’s optimistic about being awarded a Medicare contract to provide durable medical equipment to the Syracuse area. Only a handful of medical equipment supply companies will be awarded contracts, which will be announced next spring.

“If we win the contract, will be probably

open a location in Syracuse and employ a few more people,” Mr. Marra said.

Another growth area for the company is its website, which offers various medical supplies and products for sale, training videos in using certain devices and informative pages on its featured products.

The website averages about 1,200 visitors a week, Mr. Marra said. n DAVID WINTERS is a former Watertown Daily Times reporter and freelance writer who lives in Adams. Contact him at potsdamdave@ gmail.com.

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F E AT U R E S

Blending Botox, beauty and business

n Medispas offer the newest in cosmetic care procedures

By KYLE R. HAYES

W Associate Editor

hen one thinks of a spa experience, they often aren’t thinking of lasers, needles, injections and chemicals. However, the goal of any spa is to have visitors leave relaxed, rejuvenated and feeling 10 years younger. Combining the two ends of the spectrum is where Tracey Bartholomew has found a niche for her business, Renu’e Spa and Skincare Center.

A “medispa,” Renu’e opened in May 2011 at 720 Washington St. in Watertown.

Business, and interest in the offerings at the medispa, grew so quickly that Ms. Bartholomew opened a second location, dubbed “Renu’e on the Water,” at 342 Riverside Drive in Clayton. Both locations offer cosmetic services like Botox, Dermal Fillers, laser treatments and sclerotherapy, a treatment for varicose and spider veins, in a warm, private and spa-like environment.

“Opening another location was in the long term plan, I always said, maybe in a couple of years,” she said. “It happened to open a lot sooner than expected. We opened the second location in May and offer all of the same services, except we don’t have a hair stylist in Clayton yet, like we do in the Watertown location.”

Hot on her freshly pedicured heels was Center for Sight, the Watertown-based eye care center with locations in both Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Earlier this year, Center for Sight opened the full-service medispa, Cosmetic and Laser Medispa at Center for Sight. Housed in Center for Sight’s Watertown location at 1815 State St., Cosmetic and Laser Medispa is also offering cosmetic treatments like Restylane, Juvederm and Botox as well as laser treatment for hair removal, tattoo removal and nail fungus removal.

Registered nurse Brenda Cean runs the Cosmetic and Laser Medispa.

“Dr. [Noaman] Sanni [CEO of Center

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JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS

Tracey Bartholomew, owner of Renu’e Spa and Skincare Center, gives a facial to her daughter Kendall Carr, 14, at the skincare center. Ms. Bartholomew opened the Watertown medispa in May 2011.

for Sight] had been doing injections and fillers at the hospital and he wanted to take it a step further,” Ms. Cean said. “I’ve been a surgical nurse for 28 years and worked with him closely for 15 years and he told me he wanted me to help him get a medispa running.”

Ms. Cean said that she was originally hired on a part-time basis but has seen her role at the medispa expand into more than five days a week. She said that since adding JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS the laser treatments the medispa is Dr. Kiri P. Brandy, a general surgeon, demonstrates a booking full days of appointments Botox injection on Diana Burt, a stylist at Renu’e Spa and and seeing more than 20 patients a Skincare Center in Watertown. week. Introducing the treatments adding these services to that market.” and offerings of the medispa into Center for Sight’s St. Lawrence locations is In the future, Cosmetic and Laser Medispa plans to offer laser-assisted liposucan area of growth for the business. tion. Instead of the traditional method of “There is definitely an industry in St. using a tool to break up fat from the body Lawrence County and about once a week and remove it by suction, laser assisted liwe get them into medispa mode,” Ms. posuction uses a laser wand to melt fat and Cean said. “We have to get everyone on remove it from the body. Ms. Cean said the board and I will do consultations in Masprocedure is less invasive than traditional sena, Potsdam and Ogdensburg but for liposuction and is meant for contouring now they have to come down here to get and removing small spots of fat, such as the procedures. Once we know that there’s industry enough up there, we’ll look into under the chin and arms.

F E AT U R E S “I think that’s going to be quite a hit, a tiny wand just melts the fat away and suctions it out,” she said. “It’s not for someone that wants to take off 100 pounds, it’s for smaller things. And we also have a skin-tightening laser procedure that we can do as well.”

Before Renu’e Spa and Cosmetic and Laser Medispa got started, both Ms. Bartholomew and Ms. Cean said that extensive research and education was needed to properly administer the treatments that the spas offer.

Ms. Bartholomew received her cosmetology and nail care license in the mid1990s and realized an interest in skincare.

She said that many of the people doing skin treatments in the area were doing so under a cosmetology license so she pursued an esthetician’s license, which specializes in skincare.

“I really started to learn the skin biology and took advanced courses in skincare, chemical peels and microdermabrasion,” she said. “I wanted to bring something new to the area, something that goes beyond regular facials. The clientele from Fort Drum come from larger cities and are used to have these services offered, and we kind of had a lack of that.”

Ms. Bartholomew met Dr. Kiri Brandy, an Ogdensburg-based general surgeon, and formed a partnership with her. Dr. Brandy handles the cosmetic procedures and vein treatments.

“Dr. Brandy and I teamed up because I really wanted someone who was qualified and an expert to be handling things like fillers and Botox,” Ms. Bartholomew said.

“When it comes to those things, you really want to be in the best of hands. I do the skincare evaluations and laser treatments.”

The popularity of procedures like Botox, Dermal Fillers and laser hair removal has driven business at both medispas and Ms. Bartholomew and Ms. Cean agree that the stigma attached to elective cosmetic procedures is vanishing. Once reserved for the Hollywood elite, cosmetic procedures that are aimed at making clients look younger and leave them more confident, are now accessible to anyone with a couple extra dollars.

“I think the whole stigma of having procedures done is gone, people aren’t as private about it,” Ms. Cean said. “Before, people didn’t want someone to know that they were having it done.”

Ms. Bartholomew said that the increasing interest in procedures is linked to people being more invested in

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F E AT U R E S making themselves feel and look better.

“I think that people are really trying to get back to healthier skin and healthier lives,” she said. “People were tanning years ago and now there is a slowdown of people tanning because people want to look younger. But they also like that quick fix, you get instant gratification with many of our procedures.”

Cosmetic procedures are also becoming more affordable. What once cost thousands of dollars to have done now can be performed for much less. Facial

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chemical peels start at $95 and 25 units of Botox costs around $350 at the Renu’e Spa, according to its website. Though insurance plans rarely cover elective cosmetic treatments.

“Most insurance won’t cover any cosmetic procedures unless there is medical need,” Ms. Bartholomew said. “But all the services have become more affordable and it can instantly change the way you look at yourself. We can remove spider veins for $150 and they’re gone.

That is big for many women, getting the

results they’ve always wanted.”

For information about treatments and consultations with Ms. Cean at the Cosmetic and Laser Medispa at Center for Sight, call 523-4503.

For free consultations at Renu’e Spa and Skincare Center, contact Ms. Bartholomew at 221-4089 in Watertown or 686-4045 in Clayton. Visit the spa’s website at www. renuespaandskincarecenter.com. n KYLE R. HAYES is associate editor of NNY Business. Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

Above, RBI Bats co-owner David L. Lapp uses an electric brand to stamp the company’s logo on a nearly finished bat. Below, The lumber used to make bats rests against a wall prior to preparation.

TURNING A home run With locally harvested wood, New Bremen bat firm takes off

By Christina Scanlon

T

NNY Business

here is an unassuming woodworking shop on Patty Street in New Bremen.

From the outside it looks like an ordinary oversized garage, but inside, the teamwork of two local men brings together 30 years of woodworking experience and a lifelong passion for baseball.

The result is RBI Bats — a local company, using locally sourced product and a homerun for everyone involved.

“My biggest passion for bats came from ‘The Natural,’” admitted co-owner Daniel M. Myers, referencing the 1984 movie starring Robert Redford. In the film, a baseball bat is carved from a tree that had been struck by lightning.

Mr. Myers met David L. Lapp a few years ago, when he enrolled in Mr. Lapp’s woodworking class at the Howard G. Sackett Technical Center in Glenfield.

The two struck up a friendship and Mr. Myers, a varsity baseball coach at Lowville Academy, began bringing his senior

athletes to Mr. Lapp’s shop, Royal Custom Cabinets.

His players chose a model of bat they liked, and Mr. Lapp would spin out a replica bat made of locally harvested wood.

The players would then use their new bats at an annual end- of-season wood bat tournament and have a keepsake of

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F E AT U R E S

their high school baseball career as they graduated.

That alone would make a nice story, but that’s not where their story ends.

“That’s how things got started,” said Mr. Lapp.

In 2010, the two decided to take the plunge and purchase a new lathe. This new equipment would enable them to create more than a replica bat, but instead, their own and custom-made models.

Their mission is to create a high-quality straight-grain wood bat that all ages can enjoy and use safely. They accomplish this with the help of Matthew E. Bush, a

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professional logger from Croghan. Mr. Bush provides native maple and ash to RBI Bats.

“I look for absolutely straight grain with no defects at all,” Mr. Bush said.

When he finds a suitable piece, it is cut into four foot long billets on his sawmill.

That’s easier said than done.

“It’s hard to find a perfect piece,” he said.

He said he can usually tell by looking at the outside of the tree whether or not the grain is perfect for bat making, but once in a while he is fooled. A piece may look good until it is cut.

He’s got plenty of experience in scouting out perfect grain, however, explaining his years as a competitive lumberjack.

“I made my own ax handles for chopping in competition,” he said.

His ax handles also required a perfectly straight grain.

Once his billets are cut, they are kiln dried and ready for the lathe.

Designs for new bats are chosen by looking at various models. They consider the age and skill level of the players that will be using the bat.

“Based on that, we can tweak the model and meet their needs and make it age ap-

F E AT U R E S

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

Clockwise from left: RBI Bats co-owner David L. Lapp smooths rough bumps on a freshly carved bat by hand. Mr. Lapp uses a youth-sized Louisville Slugger bat to adjust the sizing on his lathe. Daniel M. Myers, left, and Mr. Lapp run through current orders and paperwork at the production floor of RBI Bats’ New Bremen production facility.

propriate,” said Mr. Myers.

The billets are turned on the lathe. In a matter of minutes a rough cut rectangle of wood is turned into a bat.

Some models will have a hollow end which, Mr. Myers explained, “creates better balance when a player swings, so it’s not so top heavy.”

The piece isn’t quite done, though, and a quick touch to the wood shows it needs to be sanded.

Mr. Lapp turns the lathe back on and with sand paper smooths the surface.

Ash bats will require one more step, known as boning. Traditionally, a femur

bone would be used in the process, to further condense the wood grain to avoid splitting.

Mr. Lapp uses an old glass bottle, pressing his body weight against the glass as the bat spins at blurring speed on the lathe.

“He’s a little more daring,” admitted Mr. Myers as he watched his partner. “I do it, but I hold my breath the whole time.

I’ve got to pick up a femur bone somewhere.”

They differ in their choice of music while working in the shop as well.

“I listen to classical music while turning bats,” reported Mr. Lapp.

“But I change it to country,” added Mr. Myers.

“I can’t take that very long,” explained Mr. Lapp, “Classical is the only thing I can work to.”

Once off the lathe, the bats are ready to have the RBI Bats logo, designed by Mr. Myers, burned into the side.

Each bat gets a serial number and model number.

They also offer customized engraving.

Finally, the bats are ready for a spray coat of varnish.

What they’ve created is a professional grade bat at an affordable price.

Individual bats sell for $40 to $60 and are offered cheaper if purchased in bulk.

While Mr. Myers prefers ash bats because the wood is more flexible, they offer maple, as well.

“Ash is the traditional wood for bats, but in the last four or five years popularity has risen for maple,” he said. “Barry Bonds’ homerun record set the precedent.”

Both types of wood can break. Maple has the propensity to shatter, while the ash will splinter and stay together.

The straight grain they select helps reduce the amount of breaking in their bats.

Even with the possibility of break-

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F E AT U R E S

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS

A clipboard containing documents of current inventory and orders for RBI Bats hangs beneath a completed rack of bats.

ing, Mr. Myers explained that wood is the choice for young players.

Because aluminum bats have a larger “sweet spot,” players don’t learn the correct swing based on the feel of the bat.

The speed of a ball exiting an aluminum bat is also much faster, and not as safe for a player of any age.

Sales have been split down the middle between the two wood choices.

In the last year alone, they’ve seen their sales triple.

Their bats have been performing well on Div. II and Div. III college teams, as well as the Watertown Wizards.

Mr. Myers has been hitting the road, taking their bats to Cape Cod last year, and recently to Maine for a wood bat tournament. A women’s softball league in Maine has shown some interest, and the two plan to expand into softball bats soon.

Sales are offered online at www.rbibats. com.

“As older athletes, we always want something that reminds us of our childhood,” said Mr. Myers.

For baseball players, RBI Bats is creating that something, one bat at a time. n CHRISTINA SCANLON is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact her at 376-6851 or cscanlon@lowville.com.

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F E AT U R E S

North Shore Solutions: A balancing act n Rising Clarkson junior grows Web biz while taking full course load at school

By KYLE R. HAYES

A

Associate editor

t 16, most teenage boys are worried about getting their driver’s license and how late they can stay out on school nights.

Instead, Matthew Turcotte was developing a business plan for his website design company, then-named North Shore Web Development. Now a rising junior at Clarkson University, Potsdam, Mr. Turcotte has not only made a name for himself in north country web circles, but in the business community as well. North Shore Web Development has grown and expanded since the company’s founding and is now called North Shore Solutions, offering website design and development, site hosting, logo design and branding work, backup services and specializing in website design for municipalities.

Business has grown exponentially since the day Mr. Turcotte first built a website for his uncle from his home in Clayton.

He now operates two offices, one still in Clayton and another in Potsdam, manages contractors, staff and interns and his more than 100 clients’ needs. Oh, and he’s a presidential scholar at Clarkson, takes a full load of classes and is a published author, too.

“I have always wanted to give everything my all and I didn’t want to just get by,” Mr. Turcotte said. “I will tell you that I work a lot of late nights, I don’t get much sleep and at certain times things get stressful, especially during tests and exams when I also have clients who have deadlines and projects to get done.”

North Shore got off the ground when

“

MELANIE KIMBLER-LAGO | NNY BUSINESS

Matthew Turcotte, founder of North Shore Solutions, in his Potsdam office. Mr. Turcotte operates offices for North Shore in both Potsdam and Clayton, where the company was founded.

Mr. Turcotte was a high school junior, landing his first major client with the town of Clayton municipal website. When he was a senior, he self-published “From Main Street to Mainstream: The Essential Steps to Launching Your Small Town Business Online.” The book stresses the

said. “I felt it was important and once you have a degree no one can take that away from you.”

As is the case with many aspiring college students, tuition was a hindrance.

“I was interviewed to go to Clarkson and the president [Anthony G. Collins] saw my energy and he wanted to meet me. So I went back to campus a couple of weeks later and I told him how I got started and said to him, ‘I’d like to come here, but I can’t afford it’,” Mr. Turcotte said.

That conversation led Mr. Turcotte to be the first person enrolled in Clarkson’s groundbreaking new initiative, the Young Entrepreneur Award Program. As a member of the program, Mr. Turcotte sold 10 percent equity at fair market value of North Shore Solutions to Clarkson in return for full tuition paid.

“We have gotten tremendous national recognition for this program,” Marc S. Compeau, director of Clarkson’s Reh Center for Entrepreneurship, said. “As

I have always wanted to give everything my all and I didn’t want to just get by. I will tell you that I work a lot of late nights, I don’t get much sleep and, at certain times, things get stressful.

— Matthew Turcotte, founder, North Shore Solutions

importance of small businesses having an online presence, something that Mr. Turcotte actively works on for his clients with web branding and e-commerce sites.

At that point, he began looking towards the future. Having a business that was rapidly growing, college wasn’t the only option for a young entrepreneur.

“I always wanted to go to Clarkson, and I wanted to go to college,” Mr. Turcotte

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F E AT U R E S North Shore Solutions LOCATIONS: 160 N. Shore Drive, Clayton, and 65 Main St., Suite 2204, Potsdam.

PHONE: 771-7743 ONLINE: www.northshoresolutions.com

the cost of higher education has grown dramatically, universities have had to get creative with ways to get students in the door. This is an interesting and innovative way to do that.”

Mr. Compeau compared the Young Entrepreneur Award Program to Division 1 colleges that give athletes incentives to come to play, and study, at their institutions. He said that the interest in the program has grown tremendously and that the university has two students coming to campus in the fall, one as a young entrepreneur and one as a young innovator.

“We really relied on Matt for feedback on the program,” Mr. Compeau said. “We are really interested in what’s best for the student moving forward, every agreement is really favorable to the student.”

Entering his junior year at the university, Mr. Turcotte has already started planning for life after graduation. He is currently studying information systems and looks forward to steering his business in the direction of setting up and managing information technologies for larger companies.

“The company has naturally grown and we’re now working with larger companies in Syracuse,” he said. “I have built up a pretty good Rolodex and I see myself getting into larger businesses after graduating. I love being entrepreneurial and learning from my business and ways to improve it.”

Looking toward graduation, Mr. Turcotte believes that he will always have roots in Clayton and Northern New York, but is accepting the idea of branching out in larger metropolitan areas, such as Syracuse and Rochester.

“I just got back from a trip to Philadelphia and being down there made me really appreciate the natural beauty of our area here in Clayton,” he said.

“I always want to keep a presence here and I would like to stay around here so that I can definitely be coming back to the north country, Clayton, Potsdam and Watertown.” n KYLE R. HAYES is associate editor of NNY Business. Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

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St. law re n ce c o u n t y / a g r i - b u s i n e s s

Company issues ‘cattle call’

Nicholville’s Pineland Farms opens doors to beef farmers

By Martha Ellen

A NNY Business

ndy A. and Elisha M. Hurlbut, Canton, are the type of farmers that Pineland Farms Natural Meats wants as its suppliers.

The company, which took over the former Adirondack Heifer Management facility on Mosher Road near Nicholville, is looking for producers who raise beef humanely without antibiotics, hormones or animal byproducts. It opened its doors Wednesday to answer questions from about 35 farmers from St. Lawrence, Lewis, Jefferson and Franklin counties interested in selling to Pineland or just intrigued by its operation.

“We’ve already been certified to sell to them,” Mrs. Hurlbut said as she wandered through some of the farm’s barns.

“We’re all natural. We grow our own corn and soybeans.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hurlbut so far have not sold to Pineland, but have raised their animals themselves to butchering size.

“We’re different because we finish off most of our animals,” Mr. Hurlbut said.

But Pineland remains a possibility for them if they have a bad corn year or decide to sell early. Mrs. Hurlbut pointed to a cornfield next to one of the Pineland barns.

“It’s good to know that stuff is going to go into your animal and that meat is going to go on your table,” she said.

The family of St. Lawrence County Legislator Mark H. Akins, R-Lisbon, sold to Pineland even before it came to the county.

The Akinses’ interest in Pineland came after Mr. Akins’s daughter, Allison, and son, Ryan, raised a few beef cows but were heartbroken when they went to sale.

“This is the next logical step, to hand them over to people who have the same values,” Mr. Akins said. “It’s been great for the kids.”

Pineland pays a premium for animals raised the way it wants, but that method of production carries extra costs for the farmers as well, he said.

However, if a farmer wants to raise his animals the Pineland way, he may not get

MELANIE KIMBLER-LAGO | NNY BUSINESS

Beef farmers check out the corral where loads of new cows are processed as they tour Pineland Farms, Nicholville, last month.

the return on his investment through a regular sale, Mr. Akins said.

“Here, it’s more of a partnership,” he said.

A lot of beef farmers are curious about

“

In Upstate New York, getting cattle moved for the proper price is hard.

This is another avenue.

— Andy L. Weaber, vice president, New York Beef Producers & manager, Windy Point Angus, Potsdam.

Pineland’s criteria, said Cornell Cooperative Extension livestock educator Betsy F. Hodge.

“It’s basically good management, so it’s not hard to meet their requirements,” she said.

Pineland buys stock at about 700 pounds

and raises them for approximately 180 days until they reach slaughter weight at 1,200 to 1,500 pounds, said Manager Clark C. Gale. Most of the cattle come from Virginia and West Virginia, but Pineland would like more local animals, he said.

“We try to do it all natural,” he said.

“We’re learning every day.”

Any animal that ends up treated by antibiotics is taken out of the program and marketed differently, he said.

Beth A. Downing, Burke, raises sheep, not beef, but she hoped the tour would give her food for thought.

“Sometimes, it’s taking an idea and seeing if we can apply it to our farm,” she said.

Andy L. Weaber, vice president of New York Beef Producers and manager of Windy Point Angus, Potsdam, said Pineland offers an alternative.

“I think it’s another market for producers,” he said. “In Upstate New York, getting cattle moved for the proper price is hard. This is another avenue.” n MARTHA ELLEN is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact her at 661-2514 or mellen@wdt.net.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 41

St. law re n ce c o u n t y

Couple to launch microbrewery

St. Lawrence Brewing Co. set to ‘tap’ four varieties

By Sue Mende

T

NNY Business

he beer isn’t flowing yet, but plans for St. Lawrence County’s first microbrewery are moving forward.

By January, production of locally crafted beer is expected to begin at St. Lawrence Brewing Co., owners Kenneth M. and Katrina G. Hebb said.

“We’re finalizing things with our investors and finishing required permits,” Mr. Hebb said. “We’re also looking for local growers to produce hops.”

Four beer varieties have been developed, including a maple porter that uses locally produced maple syrup.

The barley will be purchased from Jeffrey Hill, a Canton area farmer who is growing a 5-acre field of the crop at his Route 68 farm.

“We’re really trying our best to think locally in all the decisions we make,” Mrs. Hebb said.

The Hermon couple opened the Blackbird Cafe, 107 Main St., in 2007, and decided it was time to start another business venture. Within five years, the Hebbs hope their microbrewery will produce $5 million in annual sales and employ 40 to 50 people.

“We really hope to make this one of the larger employers in the county,” Mrs. Hebb said.

Giant metal tanks and other brewing equipment will be housed inside a new industrial building under construction off Commerce Lane, between the county jail and Triple A Building Center.

Mark Hebel, owner of Hebel Welding &

42 |

NNY Business | August 2012

Kenneth M. and Katrina G. Hebb are moving forward with plans to open St. Lawrence Brewing Co., a microbrewery that will produce locally crafted beer at an industrial building in Canton.

SUE MENDE | NNY BUSINESS

Machine, Rensselaer Falls, has been hired to fabricate the stainless steel equipment for the microbrewery.

“This is fairly unique because most microbreweries are getting their equipment from China,” Mr. Hebb said.

Mr. and Mrs. Hebb will lease 3,000 square feet of space from the St. Lawrence Industrial Development Agency, which has started constructing an industrial park at that site. The foundation has been poured and the shell of the microbrewery building is expected to be finished in September. In November, Mr. Hebb said, he hopes the brewery equipment will be ready to move inside the building.

Stephanie M. Russo, a Blackbird employee, will be chief brewer, while Mr. Hebb will handle marketing and sales.

Initially, the business will have three or four employees.

The Hebbs said they have the support

of several local people who have agreed to invest money in the company.

“People are excited about the prospect of economic development coming to Canton,” Mrs. Hebb said.

The microbrewery should produce about 2,100 gallons of beer a week, which equates to roughly 3,500 barrels a year.

Plans include supplying the beer to bars, stores and restaurants, locally as well as throughout the Northeast.

The four brands that have been developed range from light to heavy: an India pale ale, a maple porter, a Bohemian pilsner and a bock.

Updates about the microbrewery can be found on the St. Lawrence Brewing Co. Facebook page. n SUE MENDE is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact her at 661-2519 or smende@ ogd.com.

R E GION

Sales tax revenues jump in Q2

Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties see gains

By Brian Amaral, Steve Virkler and Martha Ellen

L

NNY Business

ewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties each saw a salestax collection uptick in the second quarter of 2012, a sign of a still-recovering economy that could result in lower property taxes in Jefferson County.

Lewis County’s sales tax revenues rebounded from a first quarter in the doldrums with a 3.8 percent second-quarter increase, from $2.42 million in 2011 to $2.51 million this year.

The county has collected $4.78 million so far this year, up from $4.71 million at this point last year.

County Manager David H. Pendergast said the figures were a good sign, given that the county has collected more than half of the $9 million budgeted for 2012.

“It shows that people may be traveling more as we come into the summer season,” he said.

Lewis County’s receipts dropped 1.3 percent in the first quarter, likely due in part to a poor snowmobiling season.

In Jefferson County, sales tax revenues from April to the end of June stood at $18.6 million, an increase of nearly $2 million over the same time frame in 2011.

That is an 11 percent increase.

After doling out portions of the sales tax revenue to towns and villages, county government itself will take in $8.9 million, a pace that could mean from $1.5 million to $2.2 million in surplus from what the

Second quarter tri-county sales tax revenues Year

Jefferson % Change

St. Lawrence % Change

Lewis

2012 2011

$18.6m $16.7m

$10.5m $10.35m

$2.51m $2.42m

11+ n/a

county had budgeted, according to an analysis from Legislator Scott A. Gray, R-Watertown, the chairman of the Finance Committee.

If the figures remain constant, and without any major blowups on the spending

“

I think the increases that we saw a year or so ago are starting to flatten out.

— Kevin M. Felt, treasurer St. Lawrence County side, the county could lower its property tax levy, Mr. Gray said.

“That’s what the ideal world will bring to us,” Mr. Gray said, while cautioning that unforeseen expenses, like pending litigation, could wipe out the sales tax increase.

In St. Lawrence County, sales tax revenue for the second quarter was $10.5

1.5+ n/a

% Change 3.8+ n/a

million. That represents an increase over last year during the same period of $157,713.33, a hike of 1.5 percent.

That type of climb is what the county was used to seeing before the economy collapsed in 2008, Treasurer Kevin M. Felt said.

“I think the increases that we saw a year or so ago are starting to flatten out,” he said. “These are slow, but steady.”

According to anecdotal reports, the county also has been helped by cross-border shoppers as the Canadian dollar buys more state-side, Mr. Felt said.

So far this year, the county has collected $20.6 million, an increase of $453,519.36 over 2011 figures for the same time period.

That puts the county on track to meet its predicted collection for 2012 of $41.2 million, especially since fourth-quarter results, when people are buying for Christmas, tend to be among the highest of the year.

The county keeps half of what is collected. Of the remaining half, the city of Ogdensburg receives 6.4 percent. The towns and villages receive the rest.

“We’re right on target to meeting budget,” Mr. Felt said.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 43

R E A L E S TAT E R OUN D U P

Jefferson, Lewis sales outpace state

44 |

NNY Business | August 2012

Mid-year real estate sales 2012

CHANGE

JEFF. CO.

2011

MEDIAN PRICE

LEWIS

the first time versus renting. Interest rates are so great that it’s a great time to make that change. Our pending board is full and we are very pleased.”

Speaking of pending listings, which is a listing that has a signed purchase offer, but has not closed, Jennifer Stevenson the broker-owner of Blue Heron Realty in Ogdensburg notes that, “Due to new lending rules, I have noticed that the time between both parties signing the purchase offer and the actual closing taking place is increasing compared to last year, which helps contribute St. Lawrence County sales decline for the year so far.” Pending sales in St. Lawrence County are up about 5.8 percent for the year, reflecting some of the lag.

Figures from the New York State Association of Realtors show statewide pending sales are up about 15 percent from last year. In Jefferson and Lewis counties, the number of pending sales is relatively flat as the increased demand has made up for the increase in sales awaiting a closing.

Of course some properties sell better than others at certain times. “It seems houses between $100,000 and $180,000 are going well. Over that range, the market is much slower,” notes Karen Peebles, the broker-owner of Peebles Realty in Adams.

“There are still many first time buyers, military and people downsizing. There is lots of inventory and people are starting to see that it is a buyer’s market also.”

The broker-owner of Potsdam’s Sandstone Realty, Doug Hawkins, pointed out that, “The 3.3 percent percent decrease [8 properties over 6 months] is actually very insignificant.” He stated that, “The economy is more active in Jefferson

SALES

50

65

30%

MEDIAN PRICE

$97,000

$115,000

18.6%

ST. LAW

W

e are now more than six months through the year and it is time to look at how residential real estate in the tricounty area, made up of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, has fared in the first half of the year and compare that to the state and national picture.

The accompanying chart shows the single family residential sales for the first six Lance Evans months of 2012 by county and in the state as a whole. In our area, sales of homes in Jefferson and Lewis counties are outpacing the state overall, while St. Lawrence County lags behind the rest of the state. Meanwhile, the median price of homes sold is growing in all three counties while the overall median price in the state is dropping.

I asked some of the Realtors to comment on what they are seeing in their area since their experiences are different, just as each county’s figures are different from the state’s numbers.

Mary Adair, broker-owner of Exit More Real Estate, noted that in Jefferson County, “Things are so much better than last year. We have been very busy with all of the troops returning. But local people are also making moves up or buying for

SALES

239

231

-3.3%

MEDIAN PRICE

70,000

77,698

11%

SALES

340

411

20.9%

$138,150

$140,000

1.3%

Source: Jefferson-Lewis and St. Lawrence boards of realtors

County mainly because of Fort Drum, which helps home sales. Also, new bank regulations have made the lenders a little tougher over the past few years.”

Although the best measure of the real estate market is whatever local area you are in, a quick word about the national picture is in order. According to the National Association of Realtors, sales of single family homes are up from June to a seasonally annual adjusted rate of 3.90 million units compared to the 3.72 million-unit level in June 2011. Median price is up about 8 percent over last year, to $190,100.

NAR also reports on regional statistics. In the Northeast region, seasonally adjusted sales are up 1.9 percent over last year at 540,000 units, while the median price declined 1.8 percent to $253,700. 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

Seasonal home sales see uptick

Survey: part-time residents spend $28m annually

By Kyle R. Hayes

I

Associate Editor

n mid-July, the Thousand Islands International Tourism Council released findings from a survey of 4,000 seasonal residents in Jefferson County stating that, combined, seasonal residents spend more than $28 million annually throughout the county.

The survey was sent to 4,000 of the more than 7,000 seasonal residents in the county and 974 responses were deemed credible and used for the report, according to the Tourism Council, which administered the survey through the Center for Community Studies at Jefferson Community College. Financial support for the survey was given by Jefferson County and the Economic Development Administration.

Among the findings in the survey it was stated that approximately 80 percent of seasonal residents own waterfront real estate and 68 percent of seasonal real estate was valued between $100,000 and $400,000.

For some realtors in the county, seasonal waterfront homes are a major source of income. With listings in Alexandria Bay, throughout the Thousand Islands, Henderson Harbor and Sackets Harbor, potential sales to seasonal residents are close to endless.

“I would say about 80 percent of our sales are seasonal properties,” said Matthew R. Garlock, owner-broker of Garlock Realty, Alexandria Bay. “We are busier than ever. Our pending board is full and we are seeing a lot of sales and interest in the region right now.”

A massive bulletin board in the Garlock offices displays the properties that the realty specializes in: quaint waterfront homes tucked away in Alexandria Bay, private islands on the St. Lawrence River and cottages along the main shipping channel in Clayton.

“What really draws people to buy real estate here is that there is only one St. Lawrence River, there are no other Thousand Islands in the world, no other Lake Ontario,” Mr. Garlock said. “I think that with the economy rebounding, people

want to put their money into hard assets, people want to invest.”

William J. Elliott has been specializing in waterfront listings along the Lake Ontario shores in locations like Sackets Harbor and Henderson Harbor for more than a decade.

“Over the 16 years I have been selling real estate in the area, I believe the water-

“

I would say about 80 percent of our sales are seasonal properties.

We are busier than ever.

— Matthew R. Garlock, owner-

broker, Garlock Realty, Alex Bay front properties have steadily increased in value,” Mr. Elliott said. “Even with the recent downturn of the recession, the values have remained fairly steady. I think most people consider an investment in a second home as long term.”

In statistics Mr. Elliott obtained from the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors, it was found that in 2009 there were 110 waterfront units sold in Jefferson County. That number has steadily increased, with 120 units sold in 2010 and 136 units sold in 2011, representing a 36 percent increase in seasonal unit sales in three years.

“To date, 2012 statistics show the waterfront property sales to be on track with last year at this time,” Mr. Elliott said. “I personally believe I have noticed an uptick this current season with more people looking to invest in a waterfront property.”

Mr. Elliott noted that approximately 10 to 15 percent of Elliott Realty’s yearly sales are seasonal and year-round waterfront properties.

Both Mr. Elliott and Mr. Garlock noted that selling and marketing seasonal real estate tends to be a different task than selling year-round residential properties.

“The biggest difference with people looking to invest in a second home is that they tend to be well qualified financially,” Mr. Elliott said. The Tourism Council’s survey found that the average estimated income of a Jefferson County seasonal resident is $136,590.

Mr. Garlock said that selling yearround residential properties means focusing on local advertising, whether it’s local newspapers and television or billboards. Selling seasonal real estate means taking less traditional approaches.

“You’re looking for more outreach when you are selling seasonal properties because your customer could be anywhere in the world,” Mr. Garlock said.

“The Internet is more your focus, but it’s really where everyone looks from properties, whether they’re local or not.” n KYLE R. HAYES is associate magazine editor for NNY Business. Contact him at khayes@wdt. net or 661-2381.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 45

real e s tate / J E F F E R SON c o u n t y July 25

n Town of LeRay: 26720 U.S. Route 11, Kazi Foods of New York Inc., c/o Huron Consulting, Troy, Mich., sold to Star KFC Realco Two LLC, Austin, Texas $240,000

On the Web n Visit us on our new website WWW.NNYBIZMAG.COM for current real estate sales from Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, updated weekly. Visit us online and click on ‘Data Center’

n Town of Alexandria: 1.17 acres, state Route 287, Gerald R. Umstead Jr. and Tamara R. Umstead, Redwood, sold to Galo Savatore Rizzo and Kelley Rizzo, Wellington, Fla. $178,500 n Town of Orleans: 136 acres, northeast of Orleans Four Corners, Orleans Fields LLC, c/o Wisner, Saunders & Livingston, Watertown, sold to Vicki J. Thompson and Scott L. Thompson, Clayton $137,000 n Town of Cape Vincent: 2.3 acres, Route 12E, Thomas J. Davenport, Rochester, and Robert J. Davenport, Rochester, sold to James Costello and Jacqualine Costello, Alexandria Bay $125,000 n Town of Rutland: 1.03 acres, south of state Route 3, William D. Trostle and Jeannine J. Trostle, Manhattan, Kan., sold to Matthew G. Stonesifer, Fort Drum $115,000

July 24

n Village of Sackets Harbor: No acreage or address given, Sharon L. Thornber, Sackets Harbor, sold to Melvin A. Weir, Lockport $160,000

n Town of Alexandria: No acreage or address given, Salvator J. Vigliotti, aka Savatore J. Vigliotti, Syracuse, sold to Monte Vigliotti, Brewerton $28,000 n Town of Brownville: 0.61 acre, County Route 59 (South Shore Road), Peter H. Boyce and Sherrill A.

Boyce, Manlius, sold to Carol E. Parker, trustee, Carol E. Parker Revocable Living Trust, Brownville $107,000

July 23

n Town of Cape Vincent: Bedord Corner Road, Robert N. Goldsworthy, Hastings, executor, will of Robert Goldsworthy, late of town of Cape Vincent, sold to John B. Dodge and Jamie Dodge, Frankfort $39,000

n Town of Lyme: 0.56 acre, South Shore Road, George L. Brown Jr. and Suzanne E. Brown, Lacona, sold to Jerome E. Bachman, Cazenovia $82,000

n Village of Sackets Harbor: 0.459 acre, Mill Creek Lane, Edward W. Cadinale and Elizabeth G. Cardinale, Sackets Harbor, sold to Christopher J. Semione and Melissa M. Semione, Watertown $284,000 n Town of Brownville: 4.020 acres, County Route 59, H. Eugene Lehman and Laura K. Lehman, Carmel, Ind., sold to Allan Castro Guerriero and Lori A. Guerriero, Dexter $384,000 n City of Watertown: 268 Barben Ave., Lee E. Bettis and Laura J. Bettis, Watertown, sold to Robert Narrigan and Pamela E. Narrigan, Adams Center $145,500

July 20

n Village of Sackets Harbor: 0.27 acre, Brown’s Beach Road, Donald W. Sutcliffe and Susan R. Sutcliffe, Sackets Harbor, sold to G. Stephen Dorsey and Jo-Anne Dorsey, Syracuse $575,000

n Village of Dexter: 1.83 acres, Grant Street, Converse Construction Don Inc., Watertown, sold to Joseph E. Barron and Kylene M. Barron, Dexter $303,000 n Town of Pamelia: 1.641 acre, 27035 Perch Lake Road, Billie Caprara, Watertown, sold to Lynn E. Krafft and Janet M. Krafft, Watertown $140,000

n Town of Alexandria: 4.18 acres, state Route 26B, Toby K. Davis and Elizabeth A. Davis, Port Leyden, sold to Ross E. Wagoner and Cloridna M. Wagoner, Plessis $114,000

n Town of Hounsfield: 2.29 acres, Military Road, Michael K. Tepley and Sonja R. Tepley, Leesburg, Va., sold to Michael J. Mower and Amanda L. Mower, Sackets Harbor $365,000

n City of Watertown: Monroe Avenue, Zachary J. Ray and Patricia F. Mochel-Ray, Watertown, sold to Binh Cao, San Jose, Calif. $175,000

n Village of Carthage: 0.32 acre, 119 N. Washington St., Kathleen Tyler, Carthage, executor, will of Mark A. McKenna, late of Carthage, sold to Matthew Kordos and Kimberly Alynn Kordos, Carthage $101,000 n City of Watertown: 113 Elm St., Vanessa A. Torres, Watertown, sold to Chastity S. O’Dell, Copenhagen $145,000 n Village of Alexandria Bay: 0.57 acre, High Street, Michael R. Slate, Hobe Sound, Fla., sold to Meir Dadon, Alexandria Bay $108,500

n Town of Rodman: NYS Route 177, Innovative Energy Systems LLC, Oakfield, sold to Development Authority of the North Country, Watertown $100,000

$4,151,500 County real estate sales recorded over 5-day period, July 20-25, 2012

46 |

NNY Business | August 2012

R E A L E S TAT E / s t. law re n ce c o u n t y July 10

n Town of Norfolk: Unknown acres, situate in Mile Square 53, bounded by North Raquette Road, Mary A. Snyder, Norwood, sold to Daniel G. and Diana L. Charde, no address given $141,000 n Village of Potsdam: Unknown acres, situate in Mile Square Lot 48, bounded by Caslte Drive, Elsie D. Kristiansen, South Burlington, Vt., sold to Aaron G. Acres, Potsdam $80,500

July 9

n Village of Canton: Unknown acres, situate in Lot 6 of Section 5, Cathy L. Smith, Bradenton, Fla., sold to Gregory J. and Daina Carvel, Canton $270,000 n Town of Gouverneur: Parcel 1) 3.3 acres more or less, Parcel 2) 0.45 of an acre more or less, both Parcels are bounded by Little Bow Road, Jay M. and Lynette M. Emrich, Gouverneur, sold to Thomas F. and Judy A. Wood, Gouverneur $170,000 n Town of Brasher: Parcel 1) 12 acres more or less, Parcel 2) Unknown acres, both Parcels are situate in Great Tract 2, bounded by North Road, Robert and Nicole L. Scott, Helena, sold to Tracy A. and Meghan M. Bethel, Brasher Falls $155,000 n Village of Massena: Unknown acres, situate in Lot 8 of Block 335, Randy G. and Penny L. Delosh, Massena, sold to Rodney E. and Fern M. Douglas, Massena $130,000 n Town of Potsdam: 19.62 acres more or less, bounded by Town Line Road, Gary W. and Lorna M. Stevenson, Madrid, sold to Jessica L. Wilson, Chase Mills $150,000

July 6

n Town of Canton: Parcel 1) 15 1/10 acres more or less, Parcel 2) 0.75 of an acre more or less, both Parcels are situate in Mile Square 2, bounded by County Route 14, Glenn D. and Leila D. Hastings, Canton, sold to Sheli A. Ellison, Canton $47,234 n Town of Norfolk: 1.70 of an acre more or less, situate in Mile Square 45 and bounded by Cook Street Road, Cathy A. and Arnold R. Ashlaw, Massena, sold to Daniel Russell Irrevocable Living Trust, Massena $80,000

Joanne Larue, Antwerp $67,000 n Town of Hammond: 0.32 of an acre more or less, bounded by Chippewa Bay, John J. Lisak, Owego, sold to Jeffrey A. Minnich, Chippewa Bay $65,000 n Village of Potsdam: 2 Parcels, unknown acres, situate in Mile Square Lot 48, bounded by Pleasant Street, Jonathan L. Parry and Kurt H. West, Potsdam, sold to Paul A. White, Apple Valley $185,000

n City of Ogdensburg: 2 Parcels, unknown acres, situate in Block 59, bounded by Main Street and Pine Street, Sandra Patterson, Ocklawhaha, Fla., William J. Dodd, Ogdensburg, Thomas Dodd, Chittenango, Donald Dodd, Cedar Run, Pa., Kathleen LaRock, Ogdensburg, Joanne Duprey, Ogdensburg and Patricia McNeil, Decatur, Ga., sold to John W. and Sherry L. King, Ogdensburg $40,000

n Town of Canton: Unknown acres, bounded by Lisbon Road, Ester A. Pitts, Ogdensburg, sold to Jeffrey Hutchins, Canton $26,000

n Town of Pierrepont: 66.03 acres more or less, being a part of Lot 16, bounded by Route 29, Gary P. Collins, Hannawa Falls, sold to Shawn D. and Mercedes A. Spellacy, Canton $26,500

n City of Ogdensburg: 2 Parcels, unknown acres, situate in Block 153, bounded by Main Street and Albany Avenue, Patsy-Ann M. Sargent Ramie, Ormond Beach, Fla., sold to No Leaf Clover LLC., Ogdensburg $167,500

n Town of Canton: 36.09 acres more or less, situate in Lot 4 of Mile Square 2, bounded by Farnes Road, Gilbert F. and Donna S. Stankiewicz, Canton, sold to Shawn D. and Mercedes A. Spellacy, Canton $50,000

n Town of Potsdam: Unknown acres, being a part of Lot 77, bounded by Route 56, Lloyd and Beverley Vienneau, Potsdam, sold to, Charles and Leslie Thorpe, Gibsonia, Pa. $339,000

n Village of Potsdam: 0.68 of an acre more or less, situate in Section 47, bounded by Pine Street and Madrid Avenue, Ronald J. and Laura J. LaPointe, Potsdam, sold to Kimberly C. Hickey, Potsdam $78,600

n City of Ogdensburg: Unknown acres, situate in Lot 7 of Block 32, bounded by Franklin Street and Elizabeth Street, Barre H. Hall, Ogdensburg, sold to Matthew L. Sovie, Ogdensburg $65,000

July 5

n Town of Colton: Unknown acres, Section 1, bounded by Colton Road, Kathleen A. Williams, Chittenango, sold to Walter L. and Carol A. Kissam, Colton $184,900 n Village of Massena: being Lot 9, Nancy G. Phillips (executor), LeDora M. DeMers, Massena, sold to Virginia B. Farnsworth, Massena $52,000 n Town of Brasher: Hamlet of Helena, unknown acres, situate in Lot 32, Township 18, Francis W. Burns, Helena, Jane A. Lantry, Helena, John L. Burns, Brasher Falls and Katherine M. LaForce, Waddington, sold to Anthony J. Arquiett and Wendy J. RoweArquiett, Helena $40,000 n City of Ogdensburg: Unknown acres, being known as Farm Lot 6 in Section 1, bounded by Hayward Street and North Meadow Drive, Phillip and Audrey Dranger, Ogdensburg, sold to Myriam Nimr Shafi Beniamin and Rafik H. Ishak, Fort Kent, Maine $144,000

n Town of Lisbon: 0.56 of an acre more or less, bounded by Route 37 (foreclosure), Marcia L. LeMay (referee in action), Daniel F. and Jodi L. Bice and et al, no addresses given, sold to Massena Savings and Loan, Massena $50,214

July 3

n Village of Gouverneur: Unknown acres, bounded

by Dale Road, Elsie J. Fleming, Gouverneur, sold to

Chestnut Street, Carrie B. Scherzer, Potsdam, sold to Laurel Kuxhaus, Potsdam $120,000

n Village of Potsdam: Unknown acres, bounded by

n City of Ogdensburg: 2 Parcels, unknown acres, being a part of Lot 4 and Lot 5 in Block 60, Robert P. and Sally C. Purser, Ogdensburg, sold to Richard W. and Julie A. Hooper, Ogdensburg $92,501 n Village of Waddington: Unknown acres, bounded

by Route 37, William S. and Marjorie A. Todd, Waddington, sold to Nicole M. Plumley, Waddington $118,000 n Town of Louisville: Unknown acres, situate in Lot 12 of Section 21, bounded by Grass River, Kevin Felt (administrator), George C. Williams, no address given, sold to Abbey J. St. Thomas, Massena $37,100 n Town of Fowler: 1.065 acres more or less, bounded by Lake Sylvia, Zelma R. Wemyss, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., sold to Shawn P. and Clara P. Cummings, Gouverneur $100,000 n Town of Brasher: Parcel 1) 334/10000 of an acre more or less, Parcel 2) Unknown acres, both Parcels are situate in Lot 9 of Block 28, Nathan L. Francis, Brasher Falls, sold to Michael S. O’Brien, Lawville and Julia A. Goodman, Winthrop $125,000

$3,397,049 County real estate sales recorded over 7-day period, July 3-10, 2012

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 47

real e s tate / L E WIS c o u n t y June 29

June 20

ert S. Powis sold to Amos P. Bush $54,500

tos sold to Brooke Stiltner $318,000

June 28

n Village of Lowville: 5265 Dayan St., North-

n Town of Harrisburg: 8501 State Route 12, Rob-

n Town of Turin: Gomer Hill Road, Wilfredo San-

n Town of Lewis: Kirk Road, Matthew J. Kwas-

ern Federal Credit Union sold to Jeremy A. Kelly $50,000

n Town of Watson: Austin Road, Allison Millard

June 19

niewski sold to Michael Burke $19,500 sold to Thomas C. Zehr $97,600

June 26

n Town of Leyden: Spencer Road, Cynthia A. Politano sold to Michael E. Sullivan $10,000 n Town of Watson: 7320 Chase Lake Road, Dan-

n Town of Martinsburg: 5101 Flat Road, Loren V.

Allen sold to Brad V. Allen $32,000

n Town of Turin: East Road, Benedict Farms sold

to Jacob W. Widrick for $20,000

June 18

iel S Comins sold to Eric Unger $5,000

n Town of Croghan: Erie Canal Road, Neil R.

June 25

n Town of Greig: 5711 Van Arnam Road, Mat-

n Town of Greig: 5210 Eagle Drive, Robert J.

Grosso sold to Irwin M. Rubien $220,000

June 23

n Town of Lewis: Osceola Road, County of Lewis

sold to Brain S. Jonker $50,000

June 22

n Village of Harrisville: 8207 Main St., John F. Conlin sold to Brian W. Guilmain $110,000

June 21

Ardison sold to Nathaniel T. Barker $50,000

thew E. Blevins sold to Benjamin P. Hawley $39,900

n Town of Lyonsdale: 7222 Hoag Road, Joseph P Zehr sold to David S. Etsen $90,000

June 15

n Town of Denmark: Watson Road, Shawn M.

Mundy sold to Ronald R. Foster $22,000

n Town of Greig: 8246 Cottage Road, Bernard

Stanford sold to Patrick K. Dowling $100,000

n Town of Croghan: 9028 VanAmber Road, Me-

lissa K. Powis sold to Chad L. Pate $75,000

n Town of New Bremen: 6784 Tillman Road, Jeffrey E. Zehr sold to David J. Lyndaker $123,000

n Town of Croghan: 9623 Beaver Falls Road, Erik

n Town of New Bremen: 9513 Artz Road, Elea-

A. Kruger sold to Loam C. Mantooth $139,000

48 |

NNY Business | August 2012

nor Bush sold to Michael S. Bush $105,000

n Village of Harrisville: 8283 Foskit St., William

Betrus sold to C. Byron Landon $32,000

June 14

n Town of Greig: Lake and Steam Mill Road,

Rollian F. Martin sold to Delos S. Guillaume $31,000

June 13

n Town of Harrisburg: 7889 Cobb Road, Albert

E. Leroux sold to James W. Schieder $245,000

June 12

n Town of Watson: 8140 Petrie Road, Harry Baker sold to Gerald P. Nagy Jr. $15,000

June 11

n Town of Greig:

Woodcock Road, Lynn E. Truesdell sold to Karen Kline $16,000

n Town of Osceola: 1770 Florence Road, William Kornbarger sold to Jeremiah J. Tucker $180,000

June 8

n Town of Leyden: 2552 East Road, Christoffer

Klein sold to Bernard M. Ward $15,000

n Town of New Bremen: 7691 Lomber Road,

Gary F. Buckingham sold to Gary F. Buckingham $42,000

$2,306,500 County real estate sales recorded over 21-day period, July 8-29, 2012

August 2012 | NNY Business

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20 questions

Growth

T

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS

through

forethought

he Samaritan Medical Center campus has been in a constant state of flux for more than five years, adding a parking garage, new pavilion, connector to Samaritan Keep Home and dozens of interior renovations, costing in total more than $61 million.

We sat down with Samaritan President and CEO, Thomas H. Carman to find out how the hospital has been able to achieve such growth in a dicey economic climate.

n Hospital chief believes steady, strategic planning helped navigate in tough times

NNYB: What brought you into the administration side of the business from a pharmacy background?

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CARMAN: I’ve always been interested in the business side. At one point I thought as a pharmacist I might own my own pharmacy. So I’ve always had that interest. When I went off to college and I actually learned about pharmacy and started working in hospitals, I really fell in love with the clinical side as well. So i think I’ve had that interest in both the clinical and business sides all along. That’s driven me to where I am today.

That’s why I went back and got my MBA. I was able to combine the clinical piece with the management piece and as I progressed in the organization I moved more toward a pure management administrative role.

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NNYB: How has Samaritan been able to guide itself through the lean economic times while growing facilities into these resources now?

CARMAN: I think it is because of the strategic plan that we put in place in 2006. I arrived in 2004 and spent much of my first year spending time seeing how Samaritan fit into the community and into the region and then in 2005 we launched a strategic planning effort guided by the board of trustees. We introduced it in 2006. It had five components in it. I think because of that plan it guided us and put us in the position we are in today. We have seen a growth in revenue of nearly 40 percent, about 10 percent each year, over the last four years. We have been fortunate with not only a growth in services but a growth from the capital and building perspectives as well, with adding the new pavilion in 2010, by

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going through the renovations and now up at the Samaritan senior village. We’ve been fortunate and have had tremendous support from the community. We’ve been blessed by that. We’ve also had support from the state. The state has come forward with some HEAL grants for us as well, which has allowed us to move forward.

NNYB: To what do you attribute the revenue growth that you have seen?

CARMAN: It really is a focus on the five areas of our strategic plan. Our plan called for a facility master plan, which is physical plant changes we’ve seen. But there are goals around physician development, making sure we are recruiting and maintaining the physicians in this community; goals around performance improvement in the quality of our services; goals around the workforce and goals around Fort Drum as well. I think it’s the focus on the physician development piece and the focus on quality and our workforce that has really allowed us to see an improvement in our services and growth in business as well.

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NNYB: What do you estimate the economic impact of Samaritan is?

CARMAN: We get an impact statement from the hospital association occasionally and the last one that was done was in 2008. If I roll that forward and look a the growth we’ve seen I would estimate the economic impact on the community at about $330 million. We have an annual budget between the medical center and the Keep Home of about $220 million. We currently employ about 2,000 individuals, which is about 1,750 full-time equivalents.

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NNYB: Describe the relationship that the hospital has built with Fort Drum, given that there is no hospital on-post.

CARMAN: I think it’s safe to say it’s an honor for us to be able to serve our soldiers and their families. When we went through the strategic

planning process in 2005 we made sure our mission statement reflected that we are here to serve both the civilian and military community.

It’s critical for us to make certain we understand what their needs are. We have a couple of different ways to do that. We do it directly with Fort Drum. We stay in direct contact with the command, with the medical activities side as well as the command side. We want to make sure we understand exactly what their needs are and can help to meet those needs. We recognize that this is a bigger issue than just acute care. That’s why we have the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, so we are a part of that and work with that group.

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NNYB: What do you see is your biggest challenge that Samaritan presently faces?

CARMAN: I think the biggest challenge for us is healthcare reform and what that’s going to mean for the future and understand and try and get prepared for that as well. It is an unknown and I think there are certain things that are fairly clear and we are preparing for those. One of those things is around value-based purchasing and really having to make certain we are going to be paid in the future based on outcomes we provide.

The other piece we’re seeing is the focus on wellness. Hospitals have been taking care of people when they’re sick. We are looking forward to keeping people out of the hospital and improving the wellness of the community.

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NNYB: How would that impact the traditional revenue model of healthcare institutions?

CARMAN: If you think of that on the surface, it will do just that: it will cause revenue to decline as you keep people out of the hospital. We updated our strategic plan in 2011 and are introducing it this year in 2012. In there it does have a growth goal as well. We are looking at areas can grow the business because we recognize keeping people healthy will take revenue away. We are

20 questions focusing on women’s health, cancer care, orthopedics and behavioral health. We think those are some unmet needs in the community that will help us grow as well.

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NNYB: Finding out and realizing the impact of federal health care legislation, since the Supreme Court decided to uphold the law; is that something you’re still unraveling and figuring out?

CARMAN: It is, but it was the basis for our strategic plan. As we looked at that and had success with our prior plan when we updated that plan in 2011, we took all of that into consideration.

That’s why our plan moving forward has strategic goals around value; ways we can improve quality of our services and take costs out of the system as well. We are also looking at what we call clinical integration because we know that in order to keep people out of the hospital it’s going to require a different relationship between Samaritan and the other health care providers in this community. We are looking at things and value and clinical integration, which we think will put us in a good position moving forward to meet the needs of health care reform. The growth we will see with growing certain services, staying focused with the two other goals we have include our continued focus on Fort Drum and grow our own workforce as well.

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NNYB: In terms of Fort Drum, what long-term challenges do you face with soldiers returning from overseas deployments bringing with them a myriad of physical and mental issues?

CARMAN: I think, as I look at it, the first thing we need to do is ensure the behavioral health needs that the military and their families have.

For years we have had a shortage of behavioral health services in this community. We have done a lot to improve that and more recently Samaritan has taken a more active role in that.

We have engaged a consultant to come in and help us look at what there might need to be for additional behavioral health services. Right now we are contemplating the need to expand our in-patient mental health unit, we think there might be a growth of 10 to 15 beds there to meet needs of the community and Fort Drum.

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NNYB: You’ve made significant improvements in infrastructure in recent years. How do you determine which projects to take on first and in what order? Is the puzzle ever complete?

CARMAN: It is an evolution. I think what has guided us and allowed us to prioritize what we have done is based on our strategic plan. The plan we developed in 2005 kind of guided us over that six year period of time. The plan we introduced in 2011-12 will both help shape and guide. We look at the needs of the community and how to best serve those needs. We started with a funnel of lots of thoughts and had to sort of narrow those down because any organization can only do certain things and do them successfully. We needed to narrow it down to a group we felt we could work on over a course of time and our strategic plan has done that very well.

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NNYB: If your wish list was limited to two or three things to upgrade, what would they be?

CARMAN: My wish list wouldn’t include physical plant upgrades. It would really include things

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS

Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center, outlines how the Watertown hospital has made it through the economic downturn by having a sustainable business model. that are more critical to us in serving this community. I think of how we can continue to improve our quality and scope of the services we offer this community. I think secondly I look at how we can be best in class to both patient and employee satisfaction. How do we get to the top of the list so that we are providing the absolute best satisfaction to our patients and also are a great place to work so our employee opinion scores are coming back at the top levels. Thirdly, I will note that it’s all about relationships, how we can strengthen those relationships both within our community, with other agencies, with the physicians and within the region with the other hospitals as well.

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NNYB: What positions are in demand in terms of clinician recruiting?

CARMAN: What we’re trying to do to position ourselves is we are focused on being a great place to work. We are doing things to change the culture and provide our leaders with the training and experience they need to inspire their staff and to engage their staff. Goal No.1 is to be an employer of choice so that we are able to recruit the individuals and talent that we need.

Within that, at any given time, there are challenges. We are looking for specialty nurses, they can be a little bit challenging to find. There are a number of speciality physicians we are looking for as well. That is a constant, we will always be looking for that.

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NNYB: What would you say to people who have the attitude that the care in Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo is better than what is in their own community? That’s always been a challenge, hasn’t it?

CARMAN: I believe, based on the analysis that we do, that the services we offer at Samaritan and by our medical staff are at least as good if not better than those services you can find in Syracuse, or Rochester and those communities.

The services we offer we are very proud of. Obviously we have limitations because we don’t provide everything and there are services that people may need to go to another community

The Thomas H. Carman file JOB: President and CEO, Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown.

AGE: 55.

FAMILY: Wife, Irene; two sons, Alexander and Nicholas; two daughters, Maria and Katya.

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, 1980; master’s degree in business administration, Syracuse University, 1989.

PROFESSIONAL: President of Samaritan Medical Center since 2004; previously worked at Cortland Memorial Hospital for about 23 years, beginning as staff pharmacist and lastly as president and CEO. Last book READ: “Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck — Why Some Thrive Despite Them All,” by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen; “The Litigators,” by John Grisham.

for, but these we provide here we believe are just as good if not better than the other communities.

I think that probably is ringing true with our patients, which is why we are seeing this 40 percent growth in revenue. Patients have realized that the services we provide here are that high quality, they are compassionate and people are staying here for those services as well.

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NNYB: Down the road, is it in the plans to upgrade to a higher, Level 1, trauma center?

CARMAN: I think the short answer to that is no. I think what we need to consider is what is the trauma system we have here in this community? What are the capabilities? Frankly, we are proud of our capabilities today. When you look over the course of the last three years, we have done about 200 traumas in each of those years and about 66 percent of those traumas stay with us. A small percentage are transferred down Syracuse to the Level 1 trauma center. I think it’s more important to look at the overall trauma system than what level designation we have. We are very fortunate to have August 2012 | NNY Business

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20 questions a good system, we have a wonderful partnership with Upstate Medical Center and now having the air medical services available here only makes that transport to Syracuse that much easier.

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NNYB: How have you managed your roll with Mercy Care and has that stressed your operations much?

CARMAN: When you look at Mercy, we did what we felt was right for this community. We couldn’t see residents being displaced from this community. We didn’t want to see that loss of jobs. We thought it was important for us to step in and assist them as receiver. Yes, it did stress some of the members of my senior team for a short time but we have since put in a very, very good team

down there. We have a good group of staff and have been able to take them off the CMS watch list from a quality perspective. A lot of things are going on that are very positive. We think it’s because it had to be done for the right reasons.

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NNYB: How long do you predict that the new facility at Samaritan Summit Village will meet demand before the need to grow again arises? Is there room up there to grow?

CARMAN: If you think of this project it really is the result of a lot of community planning and effort over the last four or five years. Credit to the Community Assisted Living Corp. and the group that worked together to really think about this. Because of that, there was a lot of planning that went into this. I

think that we are good for another five to 10 years before we see the need to expand further. I think it was well thought out and I believe the complement of the beds here and in Carthage [Meadowbrook Terrace] are going to serve this community very nicely. I think we have the right mix.

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NNYB: Our community consistently steps up to the plate, how have you been so successful at capturing such incredible support for the hospital from the community?

CARMAN: As you know, we have been been extremely fortunate and the community has rallied behind us and provided support of our growth. I have to say, it’s not me, it’s the community realizing the importance of a strong health care facility in their community. For personal reasons, for business growth reasons, for other reasons, people realize you need to have a strong hospital. They recognize how important this hospital is to the larger community.

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NNYB: Do you see any consolidation on the horizon in the north country for some of the smaller hospitals that have been having a tougher time in terms of revenue?

CARMAN: From what I understand, over the past eight years that I’ve been at Samaritan there has been much more collaboration among the health care providers than there ever has been in the past.

I’m really pleased that at this point we were just awarded another HEAL grant for seven hospitals that includes Samaritan and allows us to do some planning; planning that will allow us to determine how to best serve our patients, how we will do it and how to maintain financial stability of all of the hospitals that are included and provide care in the communities we serve. I can’t tell you what the model will look like in the future but I can tell you we will be focused on quality of care and making sure patients are being taken care of and ensuring there is access to care in every community.

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NNYB: Is urgent care an expanding or contracting model, do you think?

CARMAN: I think the expansion [in urgent care offerings] we’ve seen recently has been due to a lack of primary care providers. It’s our goal to continue to bring on additional primary care providers. We think there is a shortage in this region so we continue to do that. I don’t know how that will impact urgent care though. I do think that sometimes people go to urgent care or the emergency department because they can’t get into or don’t have a primary care provider. I think that’s why we have to make certain we provide access to primary care providers throughout the region.

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NNYB: If you were at the drafting board for federal health care legislation and you could recommend one thing, what would it be?

CARMAN: Universal coverage. I think there are efforts to get coverage for every American. But I think there will be a subset of Americans that won’t be covered under the health care reform act. I think it will make it more challenging. I don’t know how many people will opt out of the options that they have available to them, which will be a challenge to all of us in the future as well.

— Interview by Ken Eysaman. Edited for length and clarity.

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NNY Business | August 2012

PEOPLE, from page 17 for gastroenterology. He completed his medical training in the clinical medicine department of China Medical University in 1994 and completed his internal medicine residency at the New York Medical College, Richmond, in 2009. He completed fellowship training in Song gastroenterology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn earlier this year.

Dr. Song’s practice will include specialized techniques in colonoscopy, endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, endoscopic dilation, foreign body removal and stent placement.

New appointments at Pathfinder Bank

Pathfinder Bank has appointed Robert Butkowski as vice president and branch administration manager. Mr. Butkowski was previously the Cicero branch manager and will now be responsible for the direct supervision of the branch management team, ensurButkowski ing consistency and quality in the delivery of products and services throughout the branch system.

The company also promoted Jodi DeAugustine as assistant vice president and branch manager at the Cicero location.

New counsel hired

Menter, Rudin and Trivelpiece P.C., a law firm with offices in Syracuse and Watertown, has announced that Richard C. Cummings has joined the firm as an attorney. Mr. Cummings maintained a private practice in Lowville for many years, providing legal services for businesses and individuals. He served as attorney for and director of Community Bank System Inc., for a number of years. He will focus his efforts on trust and real estate administration as well as tax issues.

Menter, Rudin and Trivelpiece has been providing legal services in Central and Northern New York for more than 65 years and has 23 attorneys.

August 2012 | NNY Business

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E C ONO M I C A L LY S P E A K ING

Fewer LDCs, more collaboration in NNY

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early 20 years ago, I was part of a work group considering the consolidation of the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency and the Jefferson County Local Development Corp. The IDA provided financing for business deals, while LODEC, as it was known then, conducted marketing activities. Both organizations were championing economic development in Jefferson county, which begged the question, why not one organization?

The result of the group effort was reorganization of LODEC into the Jefferson County Job Development Corp., and Jefferson County’s economic development functions continued to be delivered by separate organizations.

Jefferson County was not unique in New York State. IDAs had historically been the agencies responsible for local development activities. As the breadth and complexity of economic development projects changed, most IDAs across the state created local development corporations to handle the special circumstances. LDCs took on property ownership, development or re-development and management, business development, and in some instances, business ownership; lending services beyond Industrial Revenue Bonds offered by IDAs and business support services. This trend continued across the state for more than two decades as state economic development funds flowed to LDC sponsored projects.

However, times have changed. Gov. Cuomo has made right-sizing state government a priority. Discussions abound in Albany about fewer special purpose development corporations and more regional application of economic development

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resources. The State Comptroller has provided pension opinions and suggested state legislation to govern LDCs. The state Legislature is debating legislation relative to the role and responThomas Sauter sibilities of LDCs. The two-decade trend of LDC creation will likely become a trend in LDC dissolution across the state.

Jefferson County is no different.

In a recent annual report prepared by the New York State Authorities Budget Office, Jefferson County was identified with having 12 LDCs, compared to St. Lawrence County with nine and Lewis County with one. Statewide LDCs issued $1.2 billion in new debt in 2011. This same report identified the “growing dependence on LDCs should be a public policy concern.”

In light of this, discussions at the local level should focus on two questions: Has our LDC served its purpose and what is the new paradigm for community involvement in economic development that ensures transparency and accountability?

In Carthage, we created an LDC, the Carthage Coordinated Development Group, in response to the 2002 fire that devastated downtown. The CCDG took ownership of the fire site properties, marketed the site to potential developers, worked with Carthage Area Hospital to locate its new building on the site and created a beautiful park that is being donated to the village. The CCDG’s next action is to go out of business, as our

work is complete.

This still leaves two more LDCs in Carthage — the Carthage Industrial Development Corp. and the Economic Development Corp. of Carthage. Each organization is reviewing their purpose with the intention of restructuring or dissolution.

Two other county-wide LDCs — the Jefferson County Job Development Corp. and the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. have boards that have voted to dissolve and transfer the functions and assets to the Jefferson County IDA. This will eliminate two LDCs that never had the occasion to utilize any of the special powers authorized for LDCs. Consequently, with the JCIDA creating advisory councils, the cooperation, collaboration and community participation benefits will continue.

The Watertown Local Development Council has decided to remain independent but will comply with the Comptroller’s and Authority’s Budget Office requirements.

They will also continue to have LDCs in the towns of Watertown, Cape Vincent and Clayton. The end result of all this restructuring will be the significant reduction of LDCs and the consolidation of Jefferson County agencies. The efforts will produce greater collaboration, oversight and accountability.

What will not be compromised is the goal to improve the economy of Jefferson and Northern New York.

Economic development agencies that remain after right-sizing, in the county and across the state, should establish a process to seek out the advice and counsel of former LDC members, in order to ensure that perspectives on economic opportunities for community and county remain broad-based. n Thomas r. sauter is deputy executive director of the Development Authority of the North Country.

NON P R O F I T S T O D AY

Plan ahead to bridge generation gap

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was fortunate. My parents instilled in me early in life the importance of being involved and engaged in one’s community. They introduced me to the various nonprofit organizations they were involved with. They took me to city council and county Board of Supervisors meetings. Even if I didn’t fully comprehend the work that was being done, I gained an appreciation for committed individuals who were willing to step forward so that important facets of our community were well grown and stewarded. I knew that was something I wanted to be part of.

I had the honor of observing and later personally working with intelligent, visionary, community-centric individuals. I could give a list of names, but you know the type. Many of them brought their occupational background and expertise and professionalism to the table. All of them brought a desire for a better community. Somehow I just took for granted that they’d be around forever, making sure things were taken care of.

It was a different time. Community service was a cornerstone of a productive, well-rounded life. There was a strong, steady supply of community leaders who made transformative things happen.

They founded and grew some of our best known local organizations.

In my role at the Community Foundation, I receive calls from organizations who are concerned that there will not be enough supply to meet the demand as veteran board members retire. Or, those

with the necessary and desired skill sets and experience will not have the willingness, ability or interest to devote the time and energy required to help.

Much of this Rande Richardson is generational, a sign of the times and underlying social trends. We all are overcommitted. There has been an explosion in the number of activities that not only make committing

implement the same diligence of succession planning with their boards as they do with their staff. We need to know and articulate the value that individuals can bring to a board and remove any barriers to engaging leaders while embracing generational diversity. We may have to “break the mold” of what our organizations look for. How do we keep boards from becoming bored?

Want to make a difference? It all starts with community pride, and there is still plenty of that. We still have the opportunity to deeply root the generous and giving spirit of those who have led our community for decades. By imagining ways to capture it may we also affirm what we know has not changed: the north country is blessed with citizens who love living here.

The next time you are presented with an opportunity to serve, give it careful consideration. It is a great responsibility and trust and incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Serve willingly and proudly. What better way to honor the many who have enhanced the quality of life in our community and ensure that we never lose what makes this the best place in the world to live, work and play? Think of all the ways the various organizations in the north country have impacted your quality of life. If you want to help sustain that, it is difficult to do sitting on the sidelines.

A vibrant and healthy community is relevant for all generations. It all starts with community pride, and there is still plenty of that. volunteer hours challenging, but also make it easier to neglect things at home.

Initiatives such as the various local leadership institutes as well as the Jaycees and Thousand Islands Young Leaders Organization are to be commended for helping grow the pool. The Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council has helped plant some seeds. There are many very talented, intelligent, insightful citizens in our community. However, priorities shift and life has a way of moving community service further down the list.

A vibrant and healthy community is relevant for all generations. Our community organizations and institutions must

n Rande Richardson is executive director of the Northern New York Community Foundation. He is a lifelong Northern New York resident and former funeral director. Contact him at rande@nnycf.org. His column appears every other month in NNY Business.

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C o mmerce c o r n er

Win grants with well-written proposals

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ccording to New York Empire State Development, small businesses are the heart of the American economy, comprising 98 percent of all businesses in New York and employing more than half of New York’s private sector workforce. Innovation, creativity, determination and perseverance are just a few of the essential qualities small business owners demonstrate every day.

How can small business owners stay financially sound? Many larger corporations such as national banks, state and federal entities, and private foundations provide grant funding for supplementary income, the creation of new services, or to enhance current members. Any form of businesses — small or large — that seeks funding from an agency in the government or a private industry is required to write a grant proposal. A grant proposal is far more likely to be accepted if it is well composed and presented, brief and highly feasible.

Obtaining financing is one of the most crucial issues for a small business, and grant funding is one of the most viable funding options. Grant applications can vary in length from as short as a brief request letter to a grantor to as long as several dozen pages, with supplementary documentation, depending on the requirements of the specific grant for which you apply. The application process is an opportunity for a small business owner to demonstrate the business’s qualifications for the grant and the reasons for deserving the funding. Therefore, it is important to know the basic components of creating a solid proposal package.

When writing funding proposals of any type, it is important that a business sells

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itself to the potential funder and depicts the determination the business is willing to put forth to be successful.

Summarize the main reasons as to why the grant is needed and Lynn Pietroski how the grant will solve the problems of the business in the executive summary. Use this section to convince the grantor to fund your business. Detail the niche that the venture is filling in the statement of need; this portion of a grant application may look different depending on the format of the grant application and funder.

Be concise and to the point in showing that your business is essential to the market and that you need the grant to make it viable.

Being detailed and organized in the grant proposal will be more beneficial. It helps to separate different issues and ideas into segments in the project description, the main section of the grant proposal. Focus on one idea at a time to make it easier for you to write and simpler for the reader to read. The three segments are: goals, methods and staffing. Proposals should begin by making sure that you clearly define your business idea and that you are able to articulate it properly.

Applying for any type of grant is a competitive process. The grant money is supplied for specific types of businesses, and those responsible for dispensing the money must review what usually amounts to a litany of applications to select the business

or businesses that will receive the money.

The most important way to increase the chances of success in applying for a grant is to write a successful proposal. The proposal should detail the business’s mission and activities, future goals, reasons for requesting the grant money and plans for using the grant money. Writing a proposal for a small business grant will take some preparation and time, but it will be worth the effort when the proposal succeeds in acquiring the requested grant money.

To write a successful winning grant, there are a number of basic steps any business should follow. First, do research in order to identify appropriate funding organizations. Once you have identified potential funders, you will then need to determine how to approach them. In many cases, it is best not to submit a grant application to a funding organization that knows nothing about your activities. So you may need to take the time to cultivate relationships with these organizations via phone calls, visits, and/or letters of inquiry. Finally, you will need to provide each funding organization with a well-written proposal which clearly states your objectives and sets forth a plan and budget for your activities. And don’t expect to receive money right away. Funding organizations often take many months to review and process grant applications.

Following some basic fundamental steps for grant writing can ultimately provide a lasting impact, resulting in positive outcomes for your business. Ask for help, do research and express your passion for your mission and your business. 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

Frustration over farm labor looms

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he most recent case of two local farm workers involved in a motor vehicle accident in southern Jefferson County brought to the surface a huge national issue that constantly boils under the surface. What do we do about the people who enter our country illegally to find jobs?

On July 31, the Watertown Daily Times reported about the motor vehicle accident, the arrest of the driver, Mr. Amado Hernandez-Alvarado and the death of his passenger, Mr. Rafael Espinoza from Quintana Roo, Mexico. According to law enforcement officials, both individuals had allegedly presented false documents to their employer to gain employment.

Both individuals were allegedly in the United States illegally. Mr. HernandezAlvarado will travel through the U.S. Court system, facing the various charges for violating our laws. Mr. Espinoza’s body will return to the family he loved in Mexico, for which he sacrificed everything, trying to provide a better life.

What can be done to resolve the issues that are brought to the surface when a farm worker is arrested for being in the United States illegally?

Farms are asking for a guest worker program that works. A program that already exists, called H2A, is flawed and unreliable and is designed for seasonal needs such as harvesting or planting crops. Farms are only allowed to have guest workers for less than 12 months under H2A guidelines. Problems are regularly reported that farms cannot

depend upon the timeliness of the program and that the number of workers needed to harvest the crop is not met through H2A. A redesigned H2A program Jay Matteson that ensures a worker is in the United States legally, and provides workers either for the seasonal needs of harvest/planting and provides the ability for dairy farms to hire milkers for a three- to five-year period.

It is very unfortunate that farms cannot find local people who are willing to do some of the jobs on the farm that are most critical, such as milking cows.

Farms have worked hard and advertised frequently to hire local people. Many times advertisements for milkers go unanswered. Other times the person who responds is hired and leaves shortly after starting the job. When you hear stories about what farmers go through with people they’ve hired locally it’s understandable that a farm owner throws up their hands and is willing to take a chance that the person milking their cow may not be who they say they are.

Occasionally someone will say, “Why don’t they just pay more money to the milkers? Farms just want cheap labor.”

Dairy farmers do not set their own price for the milk they produce on the farm.

They cannot raise the price for their milk in order to give a raise. In fact, dairy farms do not know what price they will receive for their milk until a month after it leaves the farm.

Starting hourly rates for many dairy farms are around $9 per hour. The person will work 50 to 60 hours a week milking cows. In addition to the hourly rate, the farms pay the usual Social Security and Medicare taxes and many times offer production incentives for milk production increases. Food and housing allowances are often included along with paying for utilities and other benefits.

How many entry-level employees of other businesses receive all that?

For us, the public, the question is how much are we willing to pay for our food?

Are you willing to pay a couple dollars more for a gallon of milk? Are you willing to pay a couple dollars more for the steak or chicken you bought at the supermarket or in your favorite restaurant? If you answer no, then you are part of the problem. Do we import more food from other countries where labor is cheap?

Do we support foreign workers growing and raising food in other countries or do we support a program that allows foreign workers to come into our country in a controlled measured manner to help grow our food locally?

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.

August 2012 | NNY Business

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BUSIN E SS T E C H BY T E S

New gadgets make mobile work easy

W

ith the dog days of summer upon us, are you one of the 52 percent of people that will work while on vacation?

Are you a tech addict spending more time than intended on your computer or mobile device, checking email, taking work related calls or texting co-workers and clients? Workers increasingly have numerous devices enabling them to be always connected with the inability to put the “to do list” away, constantly looking ahead to what needs to be done and not “unplugging” and savoring their vacation time. CIO Insight reports 13 percent of workers find the boundary between work and vacation is blurred as more and more bosses and colleagues will even ask or expect workers to work while on vacation.

If you see yourself in the descriptions above, hopefully you have equipped yourself with some of the most enterprise-friendly devices available on the market today. If you are an Apple fan, I am sure you are familiar with the iPhone family of devices, the 3GS, even though a few years old, still employs a secure operating system and the App Store support.

Even if you are still carrying the iPhone 4 you are working with a great device that is really basically the 4S with a bit less processing power and the Siri voice assistant. On the Android side, Samsung has recently released its Galaxy S III. This device has received rave reviews and sports the latest Android operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich. I personally have put this device through its paces with heavy enterprise use and will be exchanging it for the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx. This

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NNY Business | August 2012

device has also been in use in our enterprise environment and it has proven to be a more worthwhile option, with its extended battery life and lack of constant lock ups that Jill Van Hoesen the Galaxy S III is quickly becoming known for. Other Android-based devices worthy of note for both enterprise and consumer use are the Motorola ATRIX HD or the HTC One X. Surely a mobile phone is not the only device you will be lugging along on vacation, the Apple iPad or iPad 2 still leads the pack on the tablet scene. There is even talk of a seven inch model coming out during this year’s holiday shopping season, even more competition for the Android tablets like the Galaxy Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Kindle Fire or even the Nook. Or are you eagerly awaiting the Microsoft Surface Tablet PC now being slated for the fall?

Since you are carrying all these devices and insist on being connected, are you utilizing some of the latest applications to insure you are being as productive as you can? For less than a dollar, Notability for iPad is an excellent note-taking companion at a great price, including the ability to draw diagrams and write on the top of PDFs. At the same price point is Smart Office 2, which bridges the gap between Office and iOS giving you the

ability to create, edit and share Office documents. If you are an iPhone fanatic and not satisfied with Office for $9.99, you can download Pages, which is basically Apple’s version of Word. If typing notes is just not going to cut it, download Dragon Dictation for free, also for your iPhone, which turns your voice recorder into a dictation machine. Another free iPhone app is Battery Boost Magic, this app avails you all the details to evaluate your iPhone’s battery life and tips on how to preserve it, a must have as you work your vacation away.

As we all know Microsoft doesn’t play nicely with Google Android devices, so a great option is Office Suite Pro 6 for 99 cents. It gives you the ability to share and edit documents on the go from your Android phone or tablet. Need to print from your Android device? For $12.95, PrinterShare Premium pared with a Wifi or Bluetooth connection and the PrintShare application you can do just that.

Are you someone that needs to collect cash from clients while on the road, Invoice2Go could be the solution. For $9.99 you can create, preview and email professional looking invoices from any Android handset or tablet. Need to create PDFs? Adobe CreatePDF for $9.99 will let you create PDFs from Office, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign documents.

If you can’t unplug, at least work smart and enjoy the last of the all too short summer season in NNY. 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.

S M A L L BUSIN E SS SU C C E SS

Follow passions to find success

A

spiring entrepreneurs often have difficulty zeroing in on one business venture. Those who are truly entrepreneurial see potential and have interest in a number of ventures but, short of cloning, it’s impossible to pursue them all.

One key piece of advice for budding entrepreneurs who have this dilemma is to focus on what they love to do and what they are good at. They will realize the most success if they follow their passion.

That same advice is just as valuable to long-time entrepreneurs. In fact, it may be even more valuable.

In the early stages of a business venture, the entrepreneur’s primary focus is on delivering the product or service to the customer. This is necessary in order to build market share and form strong customer relationships. It is especially true of sole proprietors who shoulder the full responsibility of sustaining and growing the company.

But as a business grows, there is more to manage. The entrepreneur’s attention is drawn in various directions and it becomes harder to focus on any one aspect of the business. The bakery owner who at first spent most of her time making and decorating cakes, will later find that tasks like marketing, bookkeeping , equipment maintenance and even cleaning are making it more difficult to find time to bake. The baker may find that the cakes aren’t as pretty as they once were or that customers comment that they don’t taste as good. Not only is the entrepreneur unhappy being dragged away from the aspect of the business she loves the most, but the business could begin to suffer from the declining quality of the product.

The opportunity to expand or diversify presents another challenge that makes it difficult for entrepreneurs to continue focusing on the part of the business they are pasMichelle Collins sionate about.

Expansion is key to the growth of any business venture, but only when aligned with the core mission of the business and the entrepreneur’s passion.

A customer may one day ask our baker to make some chocolate candies to accompany a cake order. If the baker makes beautiful, delicious chocolate candies, her customer will spread the word about where the chocolates were made and, before long, the baker could be inundated with orders for chocolate candies. The increase in sales may be good for the business’ bottom line but if it draws the baker’s attention and resources away from the core business mission, all that’s left is a baker who makes candies for a living, even though she hates it. Even worse, if the candies are less profitable than cakes, the baker winds up hating what she’s doing every day and making less money.

Entrepreneurs who weather such challenges and manage growth successfully are those who are able to delegate and prioritize so they can continue to focus all of their energy on what they are passionate about. Afterall, this is why they started their business venture to begin with.

Like almost anything in small business ownership, focusing (or re-focusing) probably won’t be easy. It will take planning and dedication but could pay off big in the long run. Here are a few tips to help entrepreneurs begin or continue focus on their passion: n CREATE A MANAGEMENT PLAN: Even if you’re just starting a business and have no employees, it’s good to have an idea of what your future needs will be and how many people will be required to meet those needs. n Fully Evaluate Expansion before acting: Expansion itself isn’t bad. Expansion that is not well planned is. Resist the temptation to expand into areas that don’t align with your expertise or don’t fit with your primary market. n look for partnerships: Working in cooperation with other businesses in your industry or who serve your customer base with a noncompeting product or service may be a way to offer more to your customers without losing your focus or overextending. n stay current in your field: Take the time to be an active member of a trade organization or take a course to learn a new skill in your field. This will not only help you to continue providing new things to your customers but it will also help you to remain enthusiastic about your product and/or service.

Business ownership certainly has its ups and downs but those who are most successful find it is their passion that keeps them going through the tough times. Even when they are facing challenge or hardship, they strive to continue being successful largely because they love what they do so much. n Michelle collins is a certified business advisor with the New York State Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton. Contact her at collinsm@canton.edu. Her column appears bi-monthly in NNY Business.

August 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

649-3404, www.chaumontchamber.com

393-3620, www.ogdensburgny.com

 Clayton

 Old Forge

 Greater WatertownNorth Country

 Potsdam

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

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

 Gouverneur

 Henderson Harbor

 Sackets Harbor

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

 Carthage Area

 Massena

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;

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 IDA www.lcida.org

 Pulaski

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

 Lewis County

 Centerstate CEO

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

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

175 N. James St., P.O. Box 482, Cape Vincent, NY 13618; 654-2481, www.capevincent.org 120 S. Mechanic St., Carthage, NY 13619; 493-3590, www.carthageny.com

3140 Route 28, P.O. Box 68, Old Forge, NY 13420; 369-6983, www.oldforgeny.com

7576 S. State St., Lowville, NY 13367; 376-2213, www.lewiscountychamber.org 50 Main St., Massena, NY 13662; 7693525, www.massenachamber.com

 Malone

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

 Ogdensburg

1 Bridge Plaza, Ogdensburg, NY 13669;

Jefferson County Job Development Corp. www.jcjdc.net

Procurement Technical Assistance Center www.northcountryptac.com

Small Business Development Center at SUNY jefferson www.watertown.nyssbdc.org www.facebook.com/WatertownSBDC

Small Business Development Center at SUNY canton www.canton.edu/sbdc www.facebook.com/CantonSBDC www.twitter.com/NYS_SBDC

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

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

 Tri-Town

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

St. Lawrence County IDA www.slcida.com

St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency www.slrvra.com

U.S. Small Business Administration

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

Watertown Local Development Corp. www.watertownldc.com

Watertown SCORE

www.scorewatertownny.org

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

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NNY Business | August 2012

Lowville

Thursday, Aug. 30 – Monday, Sept. 3  12th annual Blues in the Bay, performanc-

Saturday, Aug. 18  12th annual Harvest of the Arts and Kite

es begin at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday-Monday, upper James Street.

Free admission. No coolers allowed under the tent. Raffle for two guitars donated by Dr. Guitar Music, $5 per ticket. For musical lineup, visit www.visitalexbay.org.

Saturday, Aug. 25  The Gala at Boldt Castle, 7:30 p.m. boat

departs for heart Island, 8 p.m. gala, 11 p.m. after glow party at Riveredge Resort.

Sponsored by River Hospital Foundation, proceeds benefit the River Community Wellness Program at River Hospital. Music by the Scott freeman Band and the revival Horns, hors d’oeuvres, desserts and open bar. Black tie requested. Tickets: 482-4976.

Saturday, Sept. 15  Boldt Castle Wine Festival and Farmers

Market, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Boldt Castle on Heart Island. Featuring wines from Thousand Islands Winery, Coyote Moon, Otter Creek Winery, River Myst Winery and Yellow Barn Winery, with Cross Island Farm, Forbes Farm, Gold Cup Farms and River Rat Cheese, Burnham’s Pure Maple Syrup, Home Again Farm and additional vendors. Information: Boldt Castle, 482-9724.

Cape Vincent Saturday, Aug. 25  “A Day on the River,” Village Green.

Sponsored by Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce, Cape Vincent Library and Cape Vincent Arts Council. Free family activity based on activities on and around the St. Lawrence River. Information: Shelley Higgins, 654-2481.

Wednesday, Sept. 19  Annual Chamber of Commerce dinner,

sponsored by the Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce. Save the date. Details available when available, www.capevincent.org or 654-2481.

Clayton Saturday, Aug. 18 & Sunday, Aug. 19  35th annual Rotary Gun and Sportsmen’s Show and Sale, Cerow Recreation Park Arena. Antique and modern firearms, memorability, gunsmithing, archery supplies from more than 100 dealers. Information: 686-2832.

Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Maple Ridge Center, 7421 East Road. Art demonstrations, vendors, children’s art barn and kite flying for the family. Free admission to all events. Information: Search “Harvest of the Arts” on Facebook.

Saturday, Sept. 15  Annual Cream Cheese Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., downtown Lowville. Live music, competitions, food and local artists. Free admission. Volunteers needed, contact Roger Abbey, 376-8688. Information and schedules for games and concerts, www. creamcheesefestival.com.

Saturday, Sept. 22 & Sunday, Sept. 23  2012 ATV Manufacturers Outdoor Expo

and Trade Show, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Flat Rock Inn, Lowville, and Timberview Lodge, Turin.

Manufacturers, dealers, demonstration rides, workshops and vendors. Information: www. tughillatvexpo.com.

Syracuse Thursday, Aug. 23 – Saturday, Sept. 3  The Great New York State Fair, gates

open, 8 a.m., buildings open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., midway open until midnight, Empire Expo Center, 581 State Fair Blvd. Daily activities, vendors, concerts, performances, food and midway. Admission: $10; children ages 12 and younger, free; senior citizens ages 60 and older admitted free on Monday, Aug. 27, and Tuesday, Aug. 28; students ages 16 and younger admitted free on Friday, Aug. 31. Information, purchase advance tickets: www.nysfair.org.

Friday, Sept. 7  “7 Habits of 7 Highly Successful People,”

grounds. Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County and organized

by Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District, Malone Revitalization Foundation and Malone Chamber of Commerce.

Highlighting apples, potatoes and maple.

Music, food, demonstrations and family fun events. Pie contest and barbecue cook-off.

Vendor spots: $20.

8 to 10 a.m., CenterState CEO headquarters, 572 S. Salina St. Listen to seven speakers share their seven habits they feel have helped them become successful. Registration and coffee begins at 7:30 a.m. Presenters include Michael Benny, anchor, WTVH TV; Roger Burdick, president, Driver’s Village; David Katleski, founder and president, Empire Brewing Company; Maj. Gen. Robert Knauff (Ret.), former commander of the 174th Fighter Wing; Douglas Pinckney, president, Pinckney Hugo Group; Kathy Ruscitto, president and CEO, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center; Merike Treier, executive director, Downtown Committee of Syracuse. Information: Lisa Metot, 4701870 or lmetot@centerstateceo.com. Cost: Members, $20; non-members, $30.

Old Forge

Watertown

Malone Saturday, Sept. 15  Harvest Festival, Franklin County Fair-

Saturday, Sept. 22 & Sunday, Sept. 23  Stems and Steins Wine, Beer and Food

Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Hiltebrant Recreation Center, North Street. Sponsored by the View arts center. A celebration of wine, beer and food from across the state with an Adirondack flourish.

Admission: $5. Information: www.viewarts. org or 369-6411.

Sackets Harbor Wednesday, Aug. 15  Meet ‘n Greet, 6 to 8 p.m., Fort Pike

Henderson

Commons. Sponsored by Sackets Harbor Chamber of Commerce. Rain date: Wednesday, Aug. 22. Cost: $10, benefits scholarship fund.

Thursday, Sept. 13  Athena Award dinner, 6 to 9 p.m., Ryan’s

Sandy Creek

Lookout Restaurant, Route 3. Sponsored by Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce and Timeless Frames. Cocktails start at 6 p.m., program starts at 7 p.m.

Cost: $45 per person; $410 for corporate table with seating for eight. Register: www. watertownny.com or 788-4400.

tique tractors and engines, old farm equipment, tractor pull, pedal pull, flea market, children’s games, food, crafts and square dance. Free admission and parking. Contact: Doreen Macklen, 387-5365 or visit www.crankitup-antiquetractorshow.com.

golf tournament, 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. start, Willowbrook Golf Club. Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce vs. Fort Drum Garrison. Four player teams, captain and crew. Cost: $45 per person; dinner, $17, reservations required. Register: 788-4400 by Friday, Aug. 31.

THURSDAY, Sept. 20  Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m., North

Country Children’s Clinic, 238 Arsenal St. Sponsored by Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Cost: $8; non-registered members, $10; non-members, $12. Register: www.watertownny.com or 788-4400.

Tuesday, Sept. 25

 Fireball Run, noon to 7 p.m. downtown between Sterling and Stone streets. Information: www.watertownny.com.

Saturday, Sept. 15 & Sunday, Sept. 16  7th annual “Crank It Up!” Antique Tractor

and Engine Show, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oswego County Fairgrounds. Large display of an-

Friday, Sept. 7  16th annual North Country Cup Challenge

 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.nnybizmag.com for event calendar updates.

COMMUNITY / BUSINESS EVENTS CALENDAR

Alexandria Bay

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 61

BUSIN E SS S C E N E GWNC Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at AmeriCU Credit Union

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Lisa Bowhall, Samaritan Medical Center, and Saana Gill, Black River. Above, back, Dan Tontarski, co-owner, FABCO, and wife, Jackie.

AmeriCU Credit Union hosted the July Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at its Fort Drum branch on July 19.

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NNY Business | August 2012

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Renee S. Dellas, business loan officer, Jacqueline M. Noun, coordinator, Christine M. Walker, creative director, all of AmeriCU Credit Union. Above, from left, Bill Quencer, independent CPA, and daughter, Liz, Car-Freshner.

BUSIN E SS S C E N E GWNC Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at AmeriCU Credit Union

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Antonio Mason and Erin Ballard, both of AmeriCU Credit Union. Above, from left, Charlene Jernigan, Mary Ellen Lingenfelter and Angela Dusablon, all of AmeriCU Credit Union.

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Rebecca Mabry, Mike Russell and Erin Reed, all of AmeriCU Credit Union. Above, from left, Andrea Colvin and Sandy McDougall, both of Candlewood Suites, Kristen Crabtree, Jenelle Meyers and Christy Zawatski, all of Fairfield Inn & Suites.

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.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 63

BUSIN E SS S C E N E GWNC Chamber After Hours at AmeriCU

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Terry Tontarski, co-owner, FABCO, and wife, Shelly. Above, from left, Kim Peterson, Knowlton Technologies, Beth Mac, Kelly Services, and Brenda L. Van Nest, Benefit Specialists of New York.

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NNY Business | August 2012

SLC Chamber Business Spotlight

PHOTOS BY ALISON POWER | SPECIAL TO NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Susan Rau and Andy Soutar of North Country Grown Cooperative, St. Lawrence County. Above, from left, Bob Moulton, Barrett Paving, and Jo Ann Roberts, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce events coordinator. The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight was held July 25.

BUSIN E SS S C E N E 2012 EMERGE NNY Summit at Edgewood Resort Conference Center

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Leslie DiStefano, Samaritan Medical Center, Bill Coppola, Credo Community Center, and Tracy Hart, Children’s Home of Jefferson County.

Above, from left, Jessica Lynch, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, Watertown, and Kraig Everand, WPBS-TV, Watertown. The Greater Watertown Jaycees presented 2012 EMERGE NNY on July 26 at the Edgewood Resort Conference Center in Alexandria Bay. Approximately 160 professionals from across the north country attended the one-day professional development summit.

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS

Top, from left, Michelle L. Capone, Development Authority of the North Country, and Janelle Bossout, Samaritan Medical Center. Above, from left, Taylour L. Scanlin, Carthage Area Hospital, Jim Lewis, Watertown Vending, and Harvey Young, senior consultant, Franklin Covey, Pittsburgh.

August 2012 | NNY Business

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D INING GUI D E Café Mira 14 Main St., Adams (315) 232-4470

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apollo Restaurant 1283 Arsenal St., Watertown (315) 788-3569

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 La Bella Fonte 10700 U.S. Route 11, Adams (315) 232-4842 A & J’s Diner 455 Court St., Watertown (315) 777-4811 Andy’s Caribbean Cuisine 302 Court St., Watertown (315) 777-8658

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NNY Business | August 2012

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

Read the reviews

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

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

by Watertown Daily Times restaurant critic Walter Siebel.

Pizza Shack 12699 State Route 3, Sackets Harbor (315) 646-2267

Get on the list

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 Riccardo’s Market & Deli 710 Holcomb St., Watertown (315) 782-7810 Riverhouse 4818 Salina St., Pulaski (315)509-4281 Roberts Family Pizzeria 839 State St., Watertown (315) 786-2006 Roma Restaurant 19 Bridge St., Carthage (315) 493-0616 Romalato’s Gourmet Deli 450 Gaffney Drive, Watertown (315) 681-6653 Ryan’s Lookout 9290 State Route 3, Henderson (315) 938-5151

 Call NNY Business associate editor Kyle Hayes at (315) 661-2381 or email khayes@wdt.net to have your restaurant or bar listed in our monthly dining guide today.

Shorty’s Place 1280 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 782-7878 Shuler’s Steak & Seafood 802 Mill St., Watertown (315) 782-1429 Soluri’s Pizza 526 Factory St., Watertown (315) 782-2888 Stonefence Resort 7191 State Route 37, Ogdensburg (315) 393-1545 Stone Jug Pizzeria 104 Bartlett Road, Sackets Harbor (315) 646-1008 Suk Hui Hi’s Korean 1301 State St., Watertown (315) 785-9740 Super Wok Chinese Restaurant 20991 State Route 3, Watertown (315) 788-5389 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

Thousand Island Club 21952 Club Road, Alexandria Bay (315) 482-9999

Sboro’s Restaurant 836 Coffeen St., Watertown (315) 788-1728

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

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 67

BUSIN E SS H IS T O R Y

JOHNSON NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES

Edward J. Noble, pictured here with his plane on July 22,1938, left a lasting impression on the north country through both his philanthropy and his entrepreneurship.

A noble legacy

n E.J. Noble’s lasting impression seen across NNY

O

Johnson Newspapers

ne hundred years ago, one man’s “bad business decision” was another’s good fortune.

In 1912, Cleveland candymaker Clarence Crane was looking for a way to prop up his chocolate candy business during the summer. He rolled out a new product packaged in a cardboard tube and pitched as a breath mint. The product originally was marketed without a hole, but the company soon discovered that it was easier to make the mints with a hole, giving them their brand-name ap-

68 |

NNY Business | August 2012

pearance, Life Savers.

The candy with a hole in it caught the attention of Gouverneur native Edward John Noble. He had worked as a correspondent for the Watertown Daily Times to help put himself through Syracuse University and was a close friend of the late Harold B. Johnson, editor and publisher of the Times.

Mr. Noble was working in the advertising business when he bought his first roll of Life Savers and saw the potential of the candy for his business. He drove to Cleveland to sell advertising for the product to Mr. Crane, who didn’t buy it. Yet he

was taken by Mr. Noble’s enthusiasm for Life Savers and suggested Mr. Noble buy the business.

The young advertising salesman returned to New York City to raise some money and convinced a friend to invest with him. Together in 1913 they paid $2,900 for the Life Savers business, which became the foundation of Mr. Noble’s wealth and life of philanthropy.

The venture did not get off to an auspicious start, until World War I blocked off competition from German and Austrian mints. Booming sales led Mr. Noble and his partner, Roy Allen, to consider

JOHNSON NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES

This 18-foot-long stainless steel and porcelain Life Saver roll was originally displayed outside of Life Savers headquarters in Port Chester. The sculpture now resides in Gouverneur, where it is displayed in honor of Edward J. Noble.

selling the company for $250,000 to a New York financier, who rejected the offer. A few years later, the same financier, who formed a holding company, paid $22 million for the Life Savers company.

The holding company later dissolved, but Mr. Noble remained a major stockholder.

Using his company profits, he bought the America Broadcasting Company, which later merged with United Paramount Inc. Mr. Noble died in 1978, but his legacy is still very much with us through the Edward John Noble Foundation that has channeled charitable support of hospitals in Gouverneur, Canton and Alexandria Bay. It is also represented by the Owen D. Young Library and student activity center at St. Lawrence University, Canton, where Mr. Noble once served as chairman of the board of trustees.

It all started a century ago with a risky business decision and the vision to make Life Savers one of America’s favorite candy products. n This article was previously published in the Watertown Daily Times on Sunday, July 29.

August 2012 | NNY Business

| 69

W H AT ’ S H A P P E NING H E R E ?

SLC IDA Canton INdustrial Park

Location: Commerce Lane, Canton SIZE: 15,000 square feet COST: $1.9 million ENGINEERING AND DESIGN: Tisdell Associates, Canton ON-site CONTRACTOR: Danko, Massena ESTIMATED COMPLETION: 2013 LOCAL JOBS: Several dozen construction and contracting jobs.

MELANIE KIMBLER-LAGO | NNY BUSINESS

Groundwork has started for the first building in the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency’s Canton Industrial Park. The IDA will be the building’s first tenant. Blackbird Cafe, Canton, has been in talks to house microbrewing operations in the building as well.

N E X T M ON T H

I

n our September cover story, we visit north country businesses that are using innovative technologies to stay competitive in the evolving marketplace.

Also coming next month:

n How much is too much?: Does every business need to have a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and blog? We ask the experts what is necessary to make business successful in terms of social media. n COTTAGE INDUSTRY: Denise K. Young and her husband, Daniel A., are breathing new life into Copenhagen’s Cottage Inn. 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 @NNYBusinessMag, like us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/nnybusiness, and view eEditions at www.issuu.com/NNYBusiness.

70 |

NNY Business | August 2012

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