// Annual outlook issue
JANUARY 2015 Volume 5 No. 2
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n 20 Questions
with Bernier, Carr CEO Kevin E. Lewis n NNY Snapshot n business scene
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Optimism fills glass for 2015 Innovation, tech stir region’s economy
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// Northern New York’s Premier Business Monthly //
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Inside JANUARY 2015
14
13
24
44 |
COVER |
14 OUTLOOK 2015 Agriculture, tourism sectors likely to see steady gains this year. A look at eight areas: 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
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Military Tourism Housing Agriculture Health Care Manufacturing Construction Retail
SMALL BIZ STARTUP |
13 BOOKS & THREADS An Adams store hopes to see success with diverse offerings.
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SMALL BUSINESS |
24 AN EYE FOR DESIGN Clayton woman parlays passion into business |
REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP |
26 STORM protection Affordable flood insurance a less costly alternative to tax-funded disaster relief. |
REAL ESTATE |
27 JEFFERSON COUNTY The top 10 property sales in the Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties hit $23m in November.
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BUSINESS SCENE |
40 NETWORKING, NNY STYLE From Jefferson to Lewis counties, businessmen and women connect for success. |
BUSINESS HISTORY |
44 A PIONEERING GROCER E.H. Thompson helped to shape the grocery industry in early Watertown. |
ONLINE |
NNYBIZMAG.COM Connect with us online for daily updates, more photos and exclusive Web content.
January 2015 | NNY Business
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C o n tr i b u t o r s
BusIness www.nnybizmag.com
Chairman of the Board John B. Johnson Jr.
Lynn Pietroski is president and CEO of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. She writes about ways to promote longevity. (p. 34)
Rande Richardson is executive director of the Northern New York Community Foundation. He writes about what it takes to be an effective board member. (p. 33)
Jay Matteson is the agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Industrial Development Corp. He writes about the education for ag careers. (p. 35)
Publishers
John B. Johnson Harold B. Johnson II
VP News Operations Timothy J. Farkas
Magazine Editor
Kenneth J. Eysaman
Staff Writer / Editorial Assistant Lorna Oppedisano
Graphic Design / Layout Sarah O’Connell is an advisor for the state Small Business Development Center at SUNY Jefferson. She writes about the business of hobbies. (p. 37)
Jill Van Hoesen is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 28-year IT veteran. She explains responsive and adaptive Web design strategies. (p. 36)
Lauren Harrienger
Lance M. Evans is executive officer for the Jefferson-Lewis and St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He writes about the flood insurance. (p. 26)
Photography
Norm Johnston, Justin Sorensen, Jason Hunter, Melanie Kimbler-Lago, Amanda Morrison
Director of Advertising Michael Hanson
Advertising Graphics
Brian Mitchell, Rick Gaskin, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules
Circulation Director Mary Sawyer
Norah Machia is a freelance writer and veteran Watertown Daily Times reporter. In features, she writes about a Clayton woman whose passion for architectural design led her to start her own business. (p. 24)
Lorna Oppedisano is a a staff writer and editorial assistant for NNY Magazines. In our cover story this issue, she writes examines eight sectors of the region’s economy and the outlook for 2015. (pg. 14)
MARKETPLACE Beardsley Design ................. 46 Bradley’s Military ................... 7 Caskinette’s Lofink Ford ...... 38 Center for Sight .................... 19 CFS Eye Boutique of NNY ...... 9 CFS Hearing .......................... 33 CFS Medispa ........................ 20 Clayton Dental Office ......... 40 Coleman’s Corner ............... 46 Community Bank ................... 4 Cortel Improvement ............ 45 Creg Systems Corp. ............... 8 Development Authority of the North Country ............ 16 D.L. Calarco Funeral Home ...................... 17 Dr. Guitar ................................ 8 Fairground Inn ...................... 46 Foy Agency .......................... 27
6 | NNY Business | January 2015
Fuller Insurance ................... 27 Geico .................................... 12 GWNC Chamber of Commerce ................ 31, 47 HD Goodale Co. .................. 27 High Tower Advisors ............ 30 Hospice of Jefferson County ... 25 Immaculate Heart Central Schools .................... 25 Jefferson County Economic Development ....................... 45 Ken Piarulli / Ameriprise ...... 22 Krafft Cleaning ..................... 18 LTI Trucking ........................... 36 Nationwide Insurance ......... 27 NNY Business ........................ 32 NNY Community Foundation ........................... 23 Nortz & Virkler Ford ................ 8
Rainbow International ......... 23 RBC Wealth Management .... 21 Sea Comm Federal Credit Union ......................... 37 Shred Con ............................ 34 Slack Chemical ................... 35 Volunteer Transportation Center ................................... 39 Waite Motorsports ................ 43 Waite Toyota ........................ 42 Walldroff Farm Equipment .... 48 Watertown Local Development Corp. ............ 26 Watertown Savings Bank ...... 2 Watertown Spring & Alignment ........................... 8 WPBS TV ................................ 41 WWTI TV 50 .............................. 3
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. © 2010-2015. 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 for two years. 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 mhanson@wdt.net, or call 315-661-2305 In St. Lawrence County, e-mail knelson@ogd.com, or call 315-769-2451 Printed with pride in U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing LLC, Ithaca, N.Y., a Forest Stewardship Certified facility. Please recycle this magazine.
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INTERVIEW
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ABOUT THE COVER
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28 designs on the future After career that crisscrossed the globe, Kevin E. Lewis was named CEO of Bernier, Carr & Associates in September, and he couldn’t be happier at home in the north country. |
COLUMNS
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33 NONPROFITS TODAY 34 COMMERCE CORNER 35 AGRI-BUSINESS |
DEPARTMENTS
8 9 10 12 13
36 BUSINESS TECH BYTES 37 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS
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EDITOR’S NOTE PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT BUSINESS BRIEFCASE SMALL BIZ STARTUP
26 38 40 44 46
real estate roundup CALENDAR BUSINESS SCENE BUSINESS HISTORY NEXT MONTH
For this month’s cover photo, we wanted to illustrate optimism in the year ahead for the north country’s regional economy. Graphic designer Lauren Harrienger photographed a pint glass as it was being filled with water and fused text inside it. Her seemingly simple task produced an exceptional result that uses an age-old metaphor to ask a question about the economy: How full is our glass?
January 2015 | NNY Business
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s parts of the country continue to inch their way out of the Great Recession, signs that the pace of recovery is quickening in Northern New York are clear. This month, in our annual outlook issue, Staff Writer Lorna Oppedisano takes the pulse of eight sectors of the north country’s economy. From health care to agriculture, military to retail, manufacturing, construction, housing and tourism, Ken Eysaman business leaders are optimistic that the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to brighten. Lorna’s story begins on page 14. 20 QUESTIONS — This month we sit down with Kevin E. Lewis, CEO of Watertown-based Bernier, Carr & Associates Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, P.C., for a conversation about leadership in a time when it’s needed most. Mr. Lewis, a New Hampshire native who has led large, international public companies has finally settled in a place that he loves: Clayton and the north country. He also shares with us how a centuries-old book by a Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher is relevant to business today. Our interview with Mr. Lewis begins on page 26.
BUSINESS SCENE — This month’s Scene section, which begins on page 40, features 45 faces from 37 businesses and organizations from across the north country. On Dec. 4, we joined Bernier, Carr & Associates and the Paul G. and Kathleen E.
Carr Foundation for the 20th Annual Children’s Gift & Fund Drive, which raised more than $25,000 in toys and cash contributions in a single night at the Paddock Arcade. On Dec. 9, columnist Jill Van Hoesen joined the Small Business Development Center at the Ramada Inn for the Business of Women Annual Networking Conference. On Dec. 10, we presented the 4th Annual NNY Business Magazine 20 Under 40 luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn where roughly 240 people from Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties packed gathered to honor the 2014 Class of Northern New York Emerging Leaders. The response and enthusiasm for this program has exploded since we began the tradition in 2011. Finally, on Dec. 17, we joined the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce at the historic Paddock Arcade for December’s Business After Hours. By some estimates, more than 250 people packed the Arcade for an evening of holiday cheer. 20 UNDER 40 — One final thank you to the sponsors of our 4th Annual 20 Under 40 event last month: New York Air Brake, Watertown Savings Bank, Bernier, Carr & Associates, Hilton Garden Inn Watertown/ Thousand Islands, Northern New York Community Foundation, Slack Chemical Co., Jefferson County Economic Development, the Greater Watertown Jaycees, Thousand Islands Young Leaders Org., Timeless Frames, Décor and Expressions, Watertown Family YMCA, Tunes 92.5 FM WBLH Radio and the Watertown Daily Times. Without their support we couldn’t have made last month’s emerging leaders luncheon happen so successfully. Yours in business,
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P E O P L E O N T H E M O VE
SLU names university communications VP
Melissa F. Richards has been named vice president for university communications at St. Lawrence University, effective Jan. 28. Ms. Richards succeeds Tom Evelyn, who left in May to become the associate vice president for strategic communications and Richards marketing at the University of Florida Ms. Richards most recently served as assistant vice president for marketing and publications at Virginia Tech. She was hired at Virginia Tech as director of marketing and strategic communications in 2009 and was promoted in July 2010 to assistant vice president. Before working at Virginia Tech, Ms. Richards managed public relations at several technology and global software companies for 10 years. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Ms. Richards is completing a master of public administration at Virginia Tech this month. Her husband and two daughters will join her in Canton.
Earns chartered financial consultant designation Steve Yelle of Northwestern Mutual of Watertown has earned the chartered financial consultant designation from the American College, Pa. The program includes coursework in financial planning, as well as advanced coverage of estate, retirement and other
financial applications. Mr. Yelle also holds chartered life underwriter, certified long-term care and chartered advisor for senior living designations.
Named to Ministerial Association of Potsdam
Suzanne McBroom of Potsdam will succeed Richard Tenace as the newest representative in the Ministerial Association of Potsdam. She will represent the Potsdam Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Ms. McBroom, director of public affairs for the Potsdam District McBroom of the Church, is responsible for public relations in the north country. She supervises other representatives on behalf of the church, encouraging community participation with groups similar to the Ministerial Association.
Pulaski Health Center grows pediatric services
Dr. Megan Pecha is expanding a pediatric practice at Pulaski Health Center. She serves pediatric patients from newborns to age 21, specializing in newborn care, child wellness, physicals and general diagnostic services. Dr. Pecha earned a bachelor of science in biology from SUNY Binghamton and a doctor of medicine from SUNY Upstate Medical University. She also completed a residency in pediatrics at SUNY Upstate. Dr. Pecha was recruited by Northern Os-
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. wego County Health Services, in September 2013 to practice at Sandy Creek School’s health center. She previously served as a faculty member and practiced in the SUNY Upstate department of pediatrics. Valerie Salazar has succeeded Dr. Pecha at Sandy Creek School. Ms. Salazar earned a bachelor of science in nursing, as well as a master of science as a family nurse practitioner from the State University of New York Institute of Technology. Ms. Salazar previously served as school nurse at the AltmarParish Williamstown Central School District and as a registered professional nurse at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse.
New pediatrician at Carthage Area Hospital
Dr. Dionne Donald has joined the medical staff at Carthage Area Hospital. Dr. Donald is working as a pediatrician at the hospital’s pediatric clinic, 117 N. Mechanic St., Carthage. She comes to Carthage from St. Joseph’s Children Hospital in PaterDonald son, N.J., where she completed a residency. She earned a medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies.
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NNY
Economic indicators Average per-gallon milk price paid to N.Y. dairy farmers November 2014 $2.27 October 2014 $2.31 November 2013 $1.94
17.0%
ECON SNAPSHOT
Vehicles crossing the Thousand Islands, OgdensburgPrescott and Seaway International (Massena) bridges
Source: NYS Department of Agriculture
396,801 in November 2014 443,479 in October 2014 402,080 in November 2013
Average NNY price for gallon of regular unleaded gas
Source: T.I. Bridge Authority, Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, Seaway International Bridge Corp.
November 2014 $3.22 October 2014 $3.44 November 2013 $3.55
U.S.-Canadian dollar exchange rate (Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar)
9.3%
Average NNY price for gallon of home heating oil
10 | NNY Business | January 2015
(Percent gains and losses are over 12 months)
November 2014 $3.46 October 2014 $3.57 November 2013 $3.78
8.5%
1.3%
$1.14 on Nov. 28, 2014 $1.13 on Oct. 31, 2014 $1.06 on Nov. 29, 2013
7.5%
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
November 2014 $2.88 October 2014 $3.02 November 2013 $3.15
91,000 in November 2014 91,800 in October 2014 91,000 in November 2013
8.6%
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
96, median price $148,950 in November 2014 144, median price $140,750 in October 2014 93, median price $123,500 in November 2013
52, median price $82,250 in November 2014 62, median price $66,500 in October 2014 48, median price $74,500 in November 2013
3.2% Sales
20.6% Price
Source: Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors Inc.
8.3%
10.4%
Sales
Price
Source: St. Lawrence Board of Realtors Inc.
NNY unemployment rates Jefferson County
7.0%
November ’14
7.5%
October ’14 November ’13
8.8%
St. Lawrence County November ’14
7.2% 6.9%
October ’14 November ’13
8.1%
Lewis County November ’14
7.4%
October ’14
6.5%
November ’13
8.2%
Source: New York State Department of Labor (Not seasonally adjusted. Latest available data reported.) ** Latest available data reported due to annual data updates at the New York State Department of Labor. Note: Due to updates in some “Econ. Snapshot” categories, numbers may differ from previously published prior month and year figures.
Economic indicators New automobiles (cars and trucks) registered in Jefferson County
Trucks Cars 94 in November 2014 271 in November 2014 127 in October 2014 499 in October 2014 345 in November 2013 84 in November 2013
21.4%
NNY
11.9%
Source: Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
Passengers at Watertown International Airport
Open welfare cases in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties
2,492 inbound and outbound in November 2014 3,305 inbound and outbound in October 2014 3,117 inbound and outbound in November 2013
2,370 in November 2014 2,340 in October 2014 2,035 in November 2013
20.1% Source: Jefferson County Board of Legislators
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 Dec. 1 to Dec. 29, 2014. For a complete list of DBAs filed in August and in past months, visit www.nnybizmag.com.
DEC. 29: Hardy Hops, 27132 Route 180, Dexter, John G. Hardy, County Route 59, 9642 Road 1737, Dexter.
zen Road, Clayton, Brian P. Gokey, 38183 Greenizen Road, Clayton.
Ziracuny Farm, 8261 Route 12E, Three Mile Bay, James Kron Jr., 8261 Route 12E, Three Mile Bay.
DEC. 5: War Drum Mixing Studio, 617 Gotham St., Watertown, Robert A. Malloy, 617 Gotham St., Watertown.
JRW Masonry and Contracting, 7491 Cassi Circle, Harrisville, Jesse R. Weaver, 7491 Cassi Circle, Harrisville.
Integrated Fighting Concept, 850 Arsenal St., Watertown, Nathan E. Hunt, 327 Quaker Ave., Philadelphia.
Red Dog Charters, 10040 Cemetery Road, Clayton, David R. Miller, 10040 Cemetery Road, Clayton.
Ikanikea, 25355 Route 3, Watertown, Christopher J. Phinney, 22381 Duffy Road, Watertown.
DEC. 24: Quencer Law Firm, 104 Court St., Suite 2, Watertown, Kathy L. Quencer, 9642 Road 1737, Dexter.
DEC. 4: Finley’s Closet Too, 1310 Washington St., Watertown, Dedra M. Morgia, 18222 County Route 65, Watertown.
Christian’s Fish Guiding, 12264 Route 193, Ellisburg, David R. Christian, 12264 Route 193, Ellisburg.
Sew Quality, 125 Scio St., Watertown, Jose H. Sanchez, 125 Scio St., Watertown.
DEC. 22: Barn at Seven Bridges, 28856 Vaadi Road, Brownville, JoAnne and Jeffrey VanBrocklin, Lane Road, Watertown.
Freedom Mobility and Consulting, 17772 Spencer Rd., Watertown, Leslie E. Brooks, 17772 Spencer Road, Watertown.
DEC. 19: Little Bow Photo, 706 Cooper St., Watertown, Ciera P. Koehler, 706 Cooper St., Watertown. Serenity’s Touch, 34849 Route 37, Theresa, Nicole Davis, 34849 Route 37, Theresa. Daniel Boone Firewood, 13736 County Route 66, Adams Center, Daniel J. and Jane E. Pearson, 13763 County Route 66, Adams Center. DEC. 18: 2000 Chinese Restaurant, 22070 Route 11 North, Watertown, Xiang Wu Jiang, 23232 Route 11, Watertown. River Fowl Decoys, 43282 Seaway Ave., Alexandria Bay, Joe J. Jeffers, 43282 Seaway Ave., Alexandria Bay. DEC. 16: Common Thread Textile Studio, 35876 County Route 28, Philadelphia, Patrica A. DeStefanis, 35876 County Route 28, Philadelphia.
DEC. 3: stlawrenceriverweddings.com, 9173 Shady Shores Road, Clayton, Justice (ret.) Cary R. Brick, 9173 Shady Shores Road, Clayton. DEC. 2: Ink Otter Designs, 34128 Pleasant Lake Drive, Carthage, by: Bryan H. Zevotek, 34128 Pleasant Lake Drive, Carthage. Fields of Dreams, 17151 Route 11, Watertown, Justin S. Chesbrough, 17151 Route 11, Watertown. In-Home Senior Assistance LLC, 26874 Smith Road, Dexter, Mary M. LaSage, 26874 Smith Road, Dexter. DEC. 1: Nitro Auto Glass, 9707 Noble St., Evans Mills, Rush J. Walts, 8483 LeRay St., Evans Mills. Hill High Excavation, 4224 Branche Road, Cape Vincent, Tracy Aubertine, 9595 County Route 9, Clayton.
DEC. 15: Proud General Contracting, 305 S. Indiana Ave., Watertown, Vincent J. Santiago, 305 S. Indiana Ave., Watertown.
Just Jolie Photography, 332 Quaker Ave., Apt. A, Philadelphia, Jennifer Woodford, 332 Quaker Ave., Apt. A, Philadelphia.
No Remorse Crossfit, 1291 Faichney Drive, Suite 6, Scott J. Tolan, 15151 O’Dell Road, Copenhagen.
Hardy Hops, 27132 Route 180, Dexter, Hardy Industry, County Route 59, Dexter.
DEC. 12: Candy’s Express Cafe, 317 Washington St., 2nd floor, Watertown, Candy M. Snyder, 14726 Morris Tract Road, Chaumont.
Elli’s Taxi, 17747 Route 11, Lot 31G, Watertown, Ruby L. Stevens, 17747 Route 11, Lots 31G, Watertown.
Carthage Crush Baseball, PO Box 522, Carthage, Stefani Gotham, 738 W. End Ave., Carthage. DEC. 11: Brian’s Firewood and Property Service, 38183 Greeni-
Love Adore, 26 Garden Road, Philadelphia, Kimberly Danek, 26 Garden Road, Philadelphia. C L Jobson Custom Builders, 622 Burlington St., Watertown, Lyle J. Jobson II and Terry A. Babyak.
transactions
DBAs
16.5%
January 2015 | NNY Business
| 11
BUSINE SS BRIEFCASE 60 members in Watertown. Contact Kim Rodriguez, city council president, 489-9855, or Sylvia-FirlikBuckingham, 783-7833 or sjbfifty@gmail. com, to learn more about Beta Sigma Phi.
SUNY Potsdam awarded federal education grant
Sylvia-Firlik-Buckingham, left, presents Jill L. Parker, executive director of the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County, with $1,732 donation on behalf of the Laureate lota chapter of Beta Sigma Phi.
Victims Assistance Center receives donation Laureate lota chapter of Beta Sigma Phi recently held its 30th annual craft fair at the Dulles State Office Building with
the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County, receiving proceeds of $1,732. Beta Sigma Phi is an international organization of women interested in local service and social activities. The organization has five chapters with approximately
The State University of New York at Potsdam has been awarded an $878,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, through the 2014 Indian Education Professional Development program. The college plans to prepare and train qualified Native American students to become teachers and school administrators during the four-year program, which is coordinated through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education. Through the project, the School of Education and Professional Studies plans to partner with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe at Akwesasne, other native nations in the state, and local school districts to recruit and select a cohort of 10 Native American students studying education. Their goal is to create a support network and prepare the students for success teaching in area schools. The college also plans to design innovative courses hosted and taught by Mohawk educators, as well as bring Native American issues into the curriculum through a faculty advocate.
SLU a best value college for third straight year
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has once again included St. Lawrence University, Canton, in its list of best values in private colleges. The university ranked number 66 in this year’s list, up from 67 last year and 73 in 2013. The list represents the colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost. St. Lawrence’s average financial aid package — which can include gift aid, federal grants and loans and campus employment — was just over $35,000 for the 2014-15 academic year.
Bowers & Company announces new office
Bowers & Company CPAs PLLC recently opened its new office at 1120 Commerce Park Drive East, Watertown. The 7,800-square-foot office combines staff from two existing Bowers & Company offices. The main phone number for the new office is 788-7690. 12 | NNY Business | January 2015
Small Bu siness start up BUSINESS
Rags ’n Reads THE INITIAL IDEA After working with children for more than two decades, LuAnne E. Rowsam knew she wanted a change. “I did day care for over 20 years, and then I was ready for something else,” she said. Today, Mrs. Rowsam co-owns Rags ‘n Reads with her husband, Ronald J. When she was a young girl, Mrs. Rowsam spent a lot of time around her mother’s retail store, Home Sweet Home, in Alexandria Bay, and she’s always had a passion for children’s books. Mrs. Rowsam had always dreamed of owning her own bookstore. So when she had the urge for a career change, she began to consider her options and came to an easy conclusion: “Of course, books were my passion. And what could we sell besides books? Of course, clothing.” TARGET CLIENTELE Mrs. Rowsam said Rags ‘n Reads targets a wide customer base since it carries clothing for everyone. “It’s more your casual stuff,” she explained, “but we do have dressy stuff.” So far, her top seller has been her handmade shrugs, she said, adding that books have been popular, too. While the store carries mostly children’s books — all at half price — it does offer books for adults and several by local authors. “You can’t buy enough books,” Mrs. Rowsam said. THE JOURNEY
Once she formed the basic idea, Mrs. Rowsam had to work out a business model and find a location. After doing a “ton of research,” she found items she could stock at prices she could afford, while also offering customers reasonably priced wares. “None of our clothing is over $25, including name-brand jeans,” she said. Rags ‘n Reads carries an array of brandname new clothing, from newborn to adult 4x, as well as children’s books and crafts handmade by Mrs. Rowsam and her family. Finding enough clothing at desirable prices to stock a store was difficult at first, but Mrs. Rowsam discovered a few good suppliers who often pointed her in the direction of other good deals. As for the books, she had a supplier already. “All my books come out of Canada, from a supplier I’ve used for years and years,” she said. “I used to sell them at Fort Drum.”
AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS
“The biggest thing is getting people here and learning what we’re all about. ... Positive thinking for a power-filled life” — LuAnne E. Rowsam, co-owner, Rags ’n Reads, Adams The store location at 2 Elmwood Ave., across from the Adams Dunkin’ Donuts, is not where Mrs. Rowsam and her husband originally planned to open. The first site they found was on Route 11, but the day they gained approval from the bank, the property owner had already rented it to another tenant. “The banker suggested another place. This place was for sale, and I knew it had been vacant,” she said. “I asked if owners would be interested in leasing it, and they did. And here we are.” Mrs. Rowsam said that she’s happy with the location, and with plans in the works for a new bank and liquor store to move in across the street, she expects more foot traffic in the future. “There’s been a lot of revitalization in town,” she said. “The [South Jeff] Chamber of Commerce is phenomenal.” The biggest challenge Rags ‘n Reads has seen so far has been getting people in the door, Mrs. Rowsam said. “Even with advertising, the biggest thing is getting people here and learning what we’re all about,” she said. So far, the couple has done three fundraisers, each of which Mrs. Rowsam said have done pretty well. Rags ‘n Reads is planning another fundraiser this month, this one for
Catholic Charities, which they hope will be a “biggie,” she said. Despite all the challenges that come with opening a new business, Mrs. Rowsam is confident that they’re going to succeed. “Positive thinking for a power-filled life,” she said with a smile.
IN FIVE YEARS Mrs. Rowsam said she would like to eventually buy the building Rag ‘n Reads now leases. While she doesn’t have an specific purchase date in mind, she said her lease is up in July, and a decision to buy the property will depend on how the business performs. When the Rowsams started the business, they did it with the eventual goal of retirement in mind. “We wanted something that we could do and put money away for retirement now,” she said. “So hopefully that will happen.” Once she and her husband retire, Mrs. Rowsam said she’d either sell the shop or manage the property while someone else runs the store. She knows that bookstores aren’t too common in the north country, and children’s books hold a special place in her heart. “People have come in and said, ‘Oh, we needed something like this in Adams,’” she said. — Lorna Oppedisano
WHERE 2 Elmwood Ave., Adams | FOUNDED August 2014 | WEB Facebook.com/Ragsnreads
January 2015 | NNY Business
| 13
o u tlook 2015
The long road to recovery is
less bumpy Signs of a still-strengthening economy are starting to percolate as new opportunities across the region are born
A
BY LORNA OPPEDISANO | NNY BUSINESS
As the country continues to crawl its way out of the Great Recession, many experts say positive signs point to a strengthening regional economy that will likely see an upswing in the coming year. “If I had to pick a best bet – agriculture,” said Gregory A. Gardner, an assistant professor of business at SUNY Potsdam and a regional authority on Northern New York’s economy. “Especially the wineries and nondairy areas of agriculture. It has the strongest growth rate.” Mr. Gardner also listed real estate, construction and health care as areas the north country can expect to see on an uptick, while retail and hospitality have tempered down. “If I had any sort of bad news, it would be that the U.S. dollar is going to stay 14 | NNY Business | January 2015
very strong, or get even stronger, through 2015,” he said. “That’s going to slow Canadian sales.” The real wild card will be the military, the one sector dealing the highest impact to the rest. “If they do move troops out of Fort Drum, that’s going to hurt our economy pretty much across the board,” he said. “There’s a ripple effect. It doesn’t just touch businesses that sell to Fort Drum, but businesses that sell to businesses that sell to Fort Drum. It would ripple through virtually every sector of our economy.” MILITARY This year is an unclear one for Fort Drum. The Watertown Daily Times reported on Friday, Dec. 12, that the 10th
Mountain Division’s 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Sustainment Brigade and a small number of specialized companies are either preparing for short-notice callups or training to be ready for overseas deployments if needed. The locations and timing have yet to be announced. “The fact is we’re going to be a busy Army, and we’re going to be a busy division and a busy post as we go into the future,” Garrison Commander Col. Gary A. Rosenberg, told the Times. In March, top military officials plan to travel to post and hear community comments about potential cuts at Fort Drum. The worst-case scenario of these cuts could leave the base with about 15 percent of its soldiers, scrapping roughly 16,000
o u tlook 2 0 1 5
JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS
OUTLOOK 2015 / MILITARY: The 3rd Brigade Combat Team colors are brought out to be cased during an inactivation and relinquishment of command ceremony on Fort Drum last month. While uncertainties over cuts in defense spending loom, the outlook for the military in the north country is no less negative than positive in 2015. Fort Drum officials say the 10th Mountain Division has a very busy year ahead as operations to combat global terrorism continue.
people, and hitting the area with a $1.6 billion impact from lost income and sales, according to Army research. Fort Drum’s own 2013 fiscal year economic impact statement, the most recent available, reported roughly 37,000 soldiers and family members that year, in addition to the 3,895 civilians who work to support the 10th Mountain Division. That year, Fort Drum was the largest employer in Northern New York, with 18,060 soldiers, and a payroll of $1.6 billion for military, civilians and retirees. The report ended with its own economic forecast: “Recent Army reshape/ restructure decisions result in an approximate net loss of 1,500 soldiers at Drum between now and end of FY15 [2015] and will result in a corresponding and proportionate loss of direct impact. Additional
civilian personnel reductions, federal and contract, will likely occur as a result of the Army’s reshape /restructure efforts, to what extent is currently unknown.” Needless to say, the military plays a huge role in driving the north country’s economy. For example, 30 to 40 percent of students at Jefferson Community College are either military, military spouses and children, or veterans. “If they were to cut all those soldiers, that would be a tremendous decrease in the number of students for us,” said Carole A. McCoy, JCC president. “That would result in a lot of cutbacks at the college.” Right now, the school has forecasted its spring semester enrollment to be similar to last fall. Mrs. McCoy said numbers for fall and spring semesters, which are
down a few percentage points, indicate a healthier economy. “When the economy improves, you see community college enrollments weaken,” she said, explaining that people opt to move into readily available jobs out of high school, people already in the workforce keep their jobs and aren’t forced to retrain for new ones, and students choose more expensive institutions when the purse strings aren’t drawn quite as tightly. As for the military, the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization plans to lobby military officials when they arrive in March. Mary M. Corriveau, the organization’s chairwoman, told the Times that a petition to support Fort Drum had so far generated about 9,000 signatures. “We’ve got a ways to go,” she said. January 2015 | NNY Business
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o u tlook 2015
JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS
OUTLOOK 2015 / TOURISM: Visitors lounge in the 1000 Islands Bar during an opening reception last summer at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel on Clayton’s waterfront. Regional tourism officials say the outlook for 2015 is positive despite a weakening Canadian dollar that might impact sales tax revenues.
tourism Unless the north country is hit by a dramatic increase in gas prices or bad weather, the tourism industry should come out on top in 2015. “I think it’s looking pretty good,” said Gary S. DeYoung, director of the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, adding that based on surveys done by the council, people have a positive outlook for tourism this year. Although data from 2014 is still being tallied, Mr. DeYoung said it’s looking like last year is was a fairly flat year for tourism, perhaps partially due to inclement weather in the early part of the year. The overall trend for occupancy in franchise hotels was down 3.5 percent from 2013,
Mr. DeYoung said, adding that the early part of the year, as well as October, turned out to be a loss. This downward trend in hotel occupancy aside, the region did see a number of positive factors. “We had some interesting things happening in the county,” Mr. DeYoung said. “New businesses opening — the Clayton hotel [1000 Islands Harbor Hotel], as well as several restaurants and retailers.” Last year also saw more hospitality businesses open in the outer Arsenal area, he added, remarking that new investors building up businesses is a healthy sign. Mr. DeYoung hopes 2015 will usher in tourism in two new forms: sustainable and recreational.
Sustainable tourism is a trend that’s recently reached the north country. Tourists are eager for a more “authentic” experience, Mr. DeYoung explained. “We’re in this magic triangle of New York City, Ottawa and Niagara Falls,” he said. “As they start to look inside that circle, they’re finding us.” The idea of traveling a bit more slowly, away from the ‘big lights, big city,’ has proven attractive to globe-trotters of the baby boomer generation. The next step in harnessing this tourism is making local businesses — bed and breakfasts, for example — more aware and involved in attracting these travelers. Mr. DeYoung said the state has begun to open up formal programs with this initiative in mind. In terms tourism from across our northern border, we might see a downward tick due to the current Canadian exchange rate, Mr. DeYoung said. As gas prices and oil prices drop, the Canadian dollar will probably be valued less, he said. 2015 will see Canadian travel “down from a peak of things available at par,” Mr. DeYoung said. “How much that will be, I don’t know.” The 1000 Islands International Tourism Council hopes to take the Canadian focus off retail tourism. “We’re focusing on Ontario to come in for not just shopping, but also recreation,” Mr. DeYoung said. While the council is continuing their normal seasonal advertising, they’re also using funding awarded a couple years ago to promote recreational tourism in conjunction with the Adirondack region. “Canadians come over with their motorcycles and boats,” Mr. DeYoung said,
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o u tlook 2 0 1 5 “and we’re hoping they’ll stay and see it’s not all about shopping.” On the whole, tourism’s fate rests on July and August, the ‘make it or break it’ season. “It’s July and August that we concentrate on,” he said, adding that September and October are typically better than May and June. And if Mr. DeYoung had to summarize his economic outlook for tourism in 2015? “I’d say up.” housing The continued development of rental property in downtown Watertown is a good sign for rental housing in the area. “Pretty much everything going on downtown is a cause for optimism,” local real estate investor Brian H. Murray said. “A number of different sources are making substantial investments in downtown, and one [sector] that’s growing is housing.” This follows a national trend of people living in urban, downtown areas, where work, restaurants and other amenities are within walking distance. With the revitalization of Empsall Plaza, the Lincoln Building, the Woolworth Building and the Mercy Hospital site redevelopment, much more housing and retail space should become available in the coming years. “Things are headed in the right direction in downtown,” Mr. Murray said. Up until a year ago, the area was in the grips of a well-documented housing shortage, he explained, mainly because of the number of soldiers in need of living space. Then rents started to rise. Eventually, government agencies set goals to solve the crunch. The goals were met and development has continued, including projects on
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OUTLOOK 2015 / HOUSING: A worker prepares brick for pointing at Watertown’s historic Woolworth Building on Public Square. The downtown landmark is undergoing renovations for apartments and commercial space. Continued development of rental properties is a positive sign in the housing sector.
the periphery of the city like COR Development’s Beaver Meadows and Morgan Management’s Eagle Ridge properties. When tenants began moving from other rental locations closer to the city to these new developments, occupancy levels dropped. But these rental locations, many with monthly rents of more than $1,000, are not within every renter’s ideal price range. “That’s the environment that we’re in now — the demand for more economical housing options,” Mr. Murray said. “There’s a healthy demand for moderately priced rental housing.” Mr. Murray explained the strategy he takes to solve the problem: “We go in and renovate older properties,” he said. “We try to look for properties that have
good bones. They’re structurally sound. Then we renovate it, and do it in a way that you have nice, quality, safe and convenient housing.” None of Mr. Murray’s properties demand more than $1,000 a month. While the trend for new downtown rental housing will likely continue in 2015, there are still challenges, Mr. Murray said. But if everyone works together, both 2015 and 2016 could bring transformation to Watertown, with not only more affordable rental properties downtown, but also new businesses. “I think that most of the businesses that have been fixtures in downtown will stay and grow,” Mr. Murray explained in an email, “while those who’ve been on
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January 2015 | NNY Business
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o u tlook 2015
AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS
OUTLOOK 2015 / AGRICULTURE: Michael Hazlewood explains the various tanks at the newly built Wood Boat Brewery in Clayton in May. Most agree that agriculture will again prove a bright spot in the north country this year as more niche and specialty agri-businesses capitalize on emerging opportunities.
the fence about locating in downtown will see what’s going on and choose to take advantage of the opportunity.” AGRICULTURE It’s no secret that 2014 was a great year for agriculture. According to a Times interview from late December, Jay M. Matteson, Jefferson County agricultural coordinator, said he “wouldn’t be surprised to see the cash receipts for New York state to come close to $6 billion in 2014.” And that’s after a statewide sales record in 2013 of $5.68 billion in cash receipts, the gross income from the sale of crops, livestock and other products.
After two banner years, it’s not a big surprise that 2015 isn’t expected to be quite as phenomenal. “Overall, we’ll continue to be up,” said Ronald C. Robbins, co-owner and operator of Old McDonald’s Farm and Dairy. “The big story is what’s going to happen to milk prices in 2015.” Mr. Robbins explained that it appears margins this year will be thin. However, that does not mean they won’t be profitable. “As far as the dairy industry, the expectation is that we’ll continue to see margins staying profitable for dairy farms,” Mr. Matteson said. “But those margins will tighten up.”
The industry expects a drop in the amount of money farmers will receive for milk, and an increase in their feed prices. A positive aspect of the dairy industry is the continued use of technology. Last year, north country farms saw $20 million in investment, including robotic milking systems, Mr. Matteson said. As of now, one farm’s system is completely operational, two more are in the process of starting robotics, and another couple are considering the possibility this year. While you might think that robotic systems might take jobs from workers, in reality, filling these entry level positions is an issue in the industry, Mr. Matteson said. This brings the discussion to farm labor and the ever-vexing H-2A visa program, an always-changing issue on the horizon for agriculture. “It’s a real challenge for farms to find people willing to work [in entry-level positions],” Mr. Matteson said. What ends up happening is farms hire Latin American workers — not all of whom are in the country legally. Farms would like to get away from this, but it’s a huge challenge to find reliable local workers. “[The farms would] like to have a program where [immigrants are] in the United States legally, and keep them here for a three- to five-year period,” Mr. Matteson explained. “But there’s not a program that fits the dairy industry.” In 2014, there was talk about revisions to develop such a program, but current discussions in Washington have cast a larger cloud over the whole issue of immigration reform, Mr. Matteson said. “I’m skeptical as to whether we’ll see any improvement this year,” he said.
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o u tlook 2 0 1 5 That issue aside, Mr. Matteson said he is excited for the future of dairy. “Diary is alive and thriving, and we’re very excited about the future of dairy here in the county,” he said. “Northern New York is one of the better areas in New York state for dairy farming. Nationwide there’s too much variability, but New York is well positioned.” Last year was not only a great year for dairy, but for soybean exports as well. “The Chinese really like the soybeans they get out of North America, especially the Northeast, because of the protein content,” Mr. Robbins, himself also a soybean farmer, explained. After the beans are harvested, about 80 percent of them are exported out of the country, many from New Jersey’s Port Elizabeth. When consumer goods come into the United States, their containers can then be filled with soybeans and shipped back. It’s a perfect system. Last year was a record year of soybean production and acreage in the state, Mr. Robbins said, and he expects the trend to continue into the next year. “We’re in a pretty good position here,” he said. The north country has a healthy and growing craft beverage industry, too. Mr. Matteson expects to see two more wineries open in 2015, and potentially another distillery. While in terms of sheer numbers, Northern New York’s production is nowhere near that which is seen in the Finger Lakes, the industry has produced some award-winning wines. The challenge the industry faces right now is marketing and just getting the word out. “Every winery, brewery and distillery is dividing that pie of customers into
thinner slices,” Mr. Matteson explained. “We’re hoping to encourage them all to work together to attract more customers up to the region.” And what better to go with local drinks than local food? “We’re seeing an increased demand for local foods,” Mr. Matteson said. “And we’re seeing the seasons being extended through technology.” In order to meet the demand for local food through more than just the peak summer seasons, farmers have turned to technology, such as high tunnel green houses, to provide heat and light beyond the summer. While the north country won’t be able to compete with the southern half of the country, Mr. Matteson explained that just being able to meet the demand for local fresh fruits and vegetables is an exciting prospect. “All of the agencies serving agriculture locally are trying to create opportunities in markets for local foods,” he said. “We’re trying to ramp that up and hope that by doing so, it keeps encouraging our farmers to find new ways and new technologies for growing foods.” All in all, even though profit margins aren’t expected to be as high this year as 2014, the future looks bright. “Agriculture prices go in cycles,” Mr. Robbins said. “But farmers are learning to manage those cycles. The north country will continue to be in an exciting growth mode. We’re one area in the region that has continued to grow and prosper.” HEALTH CARE Roughly a year ago, the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity looked ahead to 2014. In its economic outlook for
the health care sector, it included increased technological applications for home care, investments into technology and an emphasis on redesigning workflows for greater efficiencies, among other things. Now that 2014 has ended and we’ve ushered in 2015, it appears these forecasts were accurate, and will continue to hold true for the coming year. “I think that there are going to be major changes in the health care system and how we deliver health care as we try to move away from a health care system to a system for health,” said Denise K. Young, executive director of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization. This past December, the organization was awarded $2.4 million to support the establishment of best practices for regional health providers. Mrs. Young explained this population health initiative will bring together a lot of people to focus on preventative health care. This kind of collaboration is the future of health care, said Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown. “New York state is a little behind what’s been happening in the rest of the nation,” he said, explaining that in other states, a higher level of collaboration between hospitals is quite typical. Technology will also continue to have a huge impact on how health care is being delivered to the community, Mr. Carman said. With recent advances, health care now has the potential to be less invasive, and patients’ stays at hospitals considerably shorter. “We’re going to see more equipment and technology available in patients’ homes,” he said. “This will allow
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o u tlook 2015
JASON HUNTER | NNY BUSINESS
OUTLOOK 2015 / HEALTH CARE: Brooke Colby, a registered nurse in the gastroenterology department, center, works with Nan boak, an ambulatory surgery department nurse, at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. St. Lawrence Health Systems plans to break gourd on a new office complex for physicians on route 11 in Canton in the Spring. With many variables in play, the outlook for health care in the region is a tough call.
people to receive care in much different ways than they have in the past.” While in the long run, this technology will undoubtedly help everyone involved, not all effects are initially positive. “There are distinct negative consequences on productivity,” said David B. Acker, Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s CEO. He explained that in the midst of reorienting workflows with new products, hospitals must increase nursing staffs while the number of patients decreases. “But every year, every month, you get better at it,” he said. “Your workforce gets more skilled at utilizing it. We’re really starting to reap some of the benefits of it.” This growth in technology leads to growth in jobs, Mr. Acker said, adding that Canton-Potsdam Hospital has seen
on average about 65 jobs created each year for the past six years, chiefly in the fields of primary practices, surgical and information technology. The hospital has 65 new jobs in its budget this year, and Mr. Acker said he expects this number to be met, if not exceeded, as the year progresses. Along with these jobs, Mr. Acker said he expects continued investments in outpatient care, electronic media usage, cross-organizational collaboration and improved access and movement toward retail medicine in the coming year. He said next year also will see an increase in emphasis of risk-based contracting and population health. Health care is moving into a territory where hospitals are faced with more financial risk after patients are released, forcing hospitals to build more infrastruc-
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ture with home care and nursing homes. All in all, Mr. Acker predicts a rocky year for 2015, with more downs than ups in the foreseeable future. “It will be very institution specific. We’ll see some ups and some downs. It will be rocky, but exciting, with lots and lots of change,” he said. “For those who have many investments in the future and are agile, it will be an exciting, but somewhat chaotic, time.” Looking ahead, Mrs. Young’s forecast is that of change as well. “The changes that are coming are going to create more stability in the health care system,” she said. “The changes coming over the next five years are going to create more stability and a more communitybased focus on health care.” All things considered, Mr. Carman shares a similar forecast for collaboration. He also believes that 2015 will see more of an emphasis on wellness, engaging patients in their own care and a more in-depth use of electronic medical records to help share information more consistently and readily. “Within that, advances might be on a hospital-by-hospital basis,” he said, noting Samaritan’s future developments in a wound center, neurosurgical department, ear, nose and throat, and urology. And, if Mr. Carman had to make one last “up” or “down” prediction for health care in the new year? “It would be an up,” he said. MANUFACTURING Last month, projects and municipalities in the north country secured $63.4 million in state funding through the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. Among the 69 projects funded was Watertown manufacturing company North American Tapes,
o u tlook 2 0 1 5 receiving grants of $45,000 and $150,000. According to a Times article, the money will be used to make equipment purchases as part of its $1.2 million expansion that is now under way. The company plans to purchase an open-mixing mill with heating and cooling equipment that will enable it to double its production of adhesives to keep pace with growing demand for its products. As a result of expansion, 10 production workers are expected to be hired. The firm supplied hockey tape to all 30 National Hockey League teams for the first time in 2014. Last August, Carthage Specialty Paperboard completed a $3 million expansion. In October, the Development Authority of the North Country administered a 10-year, $225,000 development fund loan to the company. According to the Times, it also received loans from DANC in the amount of $250,000; $225,000 from the North Country Alliance, $200,000 from the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency and $100,000 from the village of Carthage. “The recycled paperboard market has done well and weathered the storm of the Great Recession,” said Jon Hirschey, the company’s sales administration manager. “I’m optimistic that things will be strong going forward.” Mr. Hirschey said that while New York isn’t the “easiest place in the world to do business,” it’s not without its advantages, citing good infrastructure like the Black River as a great characteristic of the region. Coming off the completed expansion, Mr. Hirschey said he expects the quality, consistency and efficiency of the company and its products to improve. He expects job creation to be up as well. “You’re making more products,” he explained, “so in general you’re going to have more truckers hauling it, more truckers bringing more raw materials in, buying more raw material and selling more paper.” Overall, he’s optimistic about the future of the industry, forecasting that this should be an up year. “Anybody who’s left in manufacturing is a pretty optimistic person,” he said. “It’s not the easiest road to hoe.”
AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS
OUTLOOK 2015 / manufacturing: Workers wrap up foundation work on a plant expansion at North American Tapes in the Jefferson County Corporate Park off outer Coffeen Street, Watertown. As demand for manufactured goods remains high, producers like North American Tapes and Carthage Specialty Paperboard are making investments in production and are optimistic that 2015 will prove fruitful.
Certainly our sales reflect it. There’s been a downward trend of spending.” The most significant change during that time was tighter and tighter competition to get work, he said, explaining that vendors would travel farther than usual for the sake of landing work. But looking ahead, Mr. Thompson sees a light at the end of the tunnel, even
if it is a dim one. The region was later to fall into a slump than other markets across the country, he said, so it will be later coming out, and other markets are already on their way out. In Watertown, the trend in the past few years of the number of construction permits issued has been a positive one, according to city records. In 2011, the
construction The past half-decade was a difficult one for the construction sector. “We’re pretty dependent on government money,” said Mark Thompson, vice president of Jefferson Concrete Corp. “It’s been a very, very rough five or six years.
January 2015 | NNY Business
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o u tlook 2015 year during which the Hilton Garden Inn was completed and Samaritan Medical Center construction was ongoing, 589 permits were issued (including maintenance and repairs), with a construction value of roughly $50.5 million and $77,000 in permit revenue generated. In 2012, the year the region saw completion of the Fairfield Mariott, 694 permits were issued, with a construction value of roughly $10.3 million and $28,502 generated in permit revenues. Finally, in 2013, a year that saw work on the Woolworth Building begin,
22 | NNY Business | January 2015
as well as more on Samaritan, 695 permits were issued, with a construction value of just short of $43 million and $70,781 generated in permit revenues. For 2015, Mr. Thompson said he sees the potential for dollars to loosen up in infrastructure, particularly for muchneeded bridge repairs. Other positive changes happening are in the agriculture marketplace. Although things are looking up in the north country, Mr. Thompson said his company couldn’t be sustained by work in
this region alone. It’s the combination of jobs here, in Oswego and in Syracuse that keep things afloat. And his forecast for construction in 2015? “We’re definitely planning on an up,” he said. “Not a huge up, but 2014 was up and that tells me that we’re coming out of this. We’re going to have to work very hard to see some growth.” RETAIL With stores at Massena’s St. Lawrence
outlook 2015 Centre and Watertown’s Salmon Run malls closing, the outlook for retail in 2015 is a little hazy. The Watertown Daily Times reported in December that Twisted Turtle, a store that opened in St. Lawrence Centre permanently in July after being a seasonal tenant in 2012 and 2013, would soon close. The owner told the Times the reason is lack of local shoppers, rather than high rent or the mall management. Earlier in December, the Times reported that music store FYE plans to close its St. Lawrence Centre outlet in late January. According to David Viola, mall general manager, the store’s lease is up Jan. 31, and that’s when he expects it will close. The article also reported that national clothing retailer Deb Shops, which has locations in both malls, has filed for bankruptcy. The future of the stores is unclear at the moment. As for the Massena location, “I’m not expecting anything different or any repercussions from this,” Mr. Viola said, mentioning that this is the second time in four years that the company has filed for bankruptcy. In Jefferson county, the Gap store at Salmon Run Mall plans to close Jan. 31. According to a Dec. 10 Times article, an assistant manager at the store said the decision was likely made because of declining foot traffic in the store. A portion of the north country’s retail sector receives its business from over the border. “I think there’s a reason for the retailers to be concerned about how well they can hang on to the Canadian traffic,” said Gary S. DeYoung, director of the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council. He added that Watertown does have a good selection, mentioning that an Ottawa bus company included the city as a destination along with Syracuse’s DestinyUSA and the Finger Lakes outlets. “Watertown does pretty well, even though the Finger Lakes and Destiny are pretty aggressive [with advertising],” Mr. DeYoung said. “If we can get summer people and visitors getting in the habit of doing some shopping, that would be helpful, too.” n LORNA OPPEDISANO is a staff writer and editorial assistant for NNY Magazines. Contact her at loppedisano@wdt.net or 661-2381.
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small business
Making a house a home Architectural designer works to create ideal spaces By Norah Machia
L
NNY Business
eigh Dillenback often gets asked about House No. 12, the name she chose for her architectural design business that was opened last July in Clayton. “The number 12 in numerology is often referred to as having complete harmony,” she said. “In our home, we need our function as well as our emotional well being to be in harmony.” “We need a place to store our belongings and a proper roof to keep us dry, but we need sunlight in the morning when we drink our coffee and a view of our favorite tree,” she added. “Those things are all unique to every property and homeowner.” Mrs. Dillenback has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and had worked for an architectural firm in Clayton before she and her husband, Christopher Dillenback, moved to Colorado more than 10 years ago. Although originally from Rochester, she met her husband, a native of Fisher’s Landing, when she spent time at her family’s summer home in the Thousand Islands. The couple decided to return to the north country from Crested Butte, Colo., after the birth of their son, who is now 2 years old. “It was important to us that he would learn to love the river,” Mrs. Dillenback said, referring to the St. Lawrence River. House No. 12 was opened at 238 James St., Clayton, in space just above the Porch and Paddle Cottage Shop. Mrs. Dillenback is not a licensed architect, but rather an architectural designer. Her background in civil engineering allows her to offer an array of commercial and residential design services. In the past, she has worked closely
24 | NNY Business | January 2015
Leigh Dillenback, owns House No. 12, an architectural design firm at 238 James St., just above the Porch and Paddle Shop in Clayton. From new construction to renovations, Mrs. Dillenback works on a wide range of projects
NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS
with architects, engineers, building owners, home owners and contractors on new construction and renovation projects. “I can be involved as much as people want me to be” in the design and construction process, she said. “It’s really up to the customer,” Mrs. Dillenback added. Her services include project feasibility,
construction document review, interior and exterior specifications, coordination of engineers and other consultants, design review for homeowner’s associations or municipalities, assistance with permit applications, and providing construction updates for homeowners. Her hourly designer rate is $65 plus reimbursable expenses. “I help people through the building
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process” which can include assisting with site selection, design work for both exterior and interior features of the home, and acting as a liaison between the customer and contractor during the building process, Mrs. Dillenback said. Mrs. Dillenback gave an example of a past project that she provided her architectural design services for while working in Colorado. It was a 100-year-old timber ranch house that was taken apart “piece by piece” to save the original structure, she said. A new home was built on the same site that included a “proper foundation insulation and all the things that modern day houses need,” and then parts of the old house were reassembled around the new structure, she explained. “It was very important for this couple to save this iconic building that they had been looking at for years from their family’s vacation spot on the neighboring property,” she said. “The barn and guest cabin were not salvageable, but we built new structures that resembled the forms of the previous structures in the same locations, and we made them useful to the new owners.” Part of her architectural design business also includes selling specialty interior finishes such as reclaimed wood floors, unique tiles and semi-custom cabinetry. She can work with customers on selection and the ordering process. House No. 12 carries a Dura Supreme cabinetry line, which offers a broad range of custom cabinets, including frameless (for a modern look), traditional framed and inset cabinetry, which is very popular for the “cottage look,” she said. Some of the cabinets in the line have “unique distressed paint finishes and a weathered wood that reminds me of driftwood,” Mrs. Dillenback said.
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n Norah Machia is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist and former Watertown Daily Times reporter. Contact her at norahmachia@gmail.com.
January 2015 | NNY Business
| 25
R EA L E STATE ROUNDUP
Flood insurance a longtime concern
W
ith the number of waterways in Northern New York, flood insurance has become increasingly important. Over the past century, floods have claimed more lives and property than any other natural disaster with flood disasters declared in every state as the result of melting snow, severe rain storms and hurricanes, and rising water along lakes, rivers, levees and dams. Available and affordable flood insurance is a less-expensive alternative to taxpayerfunded disaster relief. Realtors have long supported the National Flood Insurance Program, which is responsible for writing and renewing flood insurance policies for more than 5.5 million home and business owners. This is critically important because it increases the number of self-insured properties and reduces the cost of postflood disaster governmental assistance. The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 renewed the program for five years, ending the uncertainty of stopgap extensions and shutdowns and bringing stability to real estate transactions, including many locally, where flood insurance is required for a mortgage. The bill established an expert technical council to set standards for more accurate flood plain maps. These will help homeowners and potential buyers to better assess their flood risk as well as assisting mortgage lenders, who are obligated to require flood insurance for properties bought with federally backed mortgages and located in areas designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. After implementation, it became apparent that rate increases were exponentially higher than anticipated. Realtors called on Congress to amend the law and protect
home and commercial owners from exorbitant premium increases and inaccurate rate quotes. The result was the 2014 Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. It limits premium increases, adds a Lance Evans small assessment on policies until individuals pay full cost for flood insurance, and creates an Office of the Advocate to provide property owners and real estate professionals with an effective avenue to pursue their concerns about flood insurance rates, mapping and flood insurance rating errors and discrepancies. Realtors continue to monitor the implementation of the new law and work with Congress and FEMA to ensure that property owners and sellers are treated fairly. n
n
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As I noted last month, the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors each held their installation of officers in December. During those events, both raised money for local charities. The St. Lawrence County membership distributed about $1,200 to the county’s Neighborhood Centers while the Jefferson-Lewis Board gave about $1,600 and numerous food donations to charities in Jefferson and Lewis counties. n
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The Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors singled out two Realtors and an affiliate for special recognition at their event.
The first, Realtor of the Year, is the association’s top honor. It is bestowed on a member in good standing who has been a Realtor for at least five years and who has expended effort, time and talent in the interest of fellow Realtors, the profession and the community. This year’s honoree is Les Henry of Weichert, Realtors — Thousand Islands Realty. Les has been a member for more than 13 years, chairs the board’s forms committee, and is a past member of the board of directors. He was cited as honest, hardworking, ethical, and compassionate. Les is a team player willing to help other members as well as buyers and sellers. He’s been known to mow lawns and plow snow for his out-of-area sellers. He is a member of the Clayton Rotary Club, where he has served in numerous capacities, including president. Christine Thornton of Century 21 Millennium Realty was granted Realtor Emeritus status in November by the National Association of Realtors. This is awarded to Realtors who have been members for at least 40 years. Christine joined in 1974. She received a congratulatory letter, certificate, and pin from NAR as well as a standing ovation from the members assembled. Our final honoree was First Niagara as Affiliate of the Year. The local representative, Cheryl Schroy, was cited for her willingness to volunteer time and talent on behalf of the Realtor organization and her community. As a company, First Niagara has also supported numerous local Realtor events. Congratulations to all. n LANCE M. EVANS is the executive officer of the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. Contact him at levans@nnymls.com. His column appears monthly in NNY Business.
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RE AL E STAT E / top transactions Top 10 property sales by price recorded in the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office in November 2014: $3,710,000: Nov. 4, Town of Pamelia: State Route 342, Walrus Enterprises LLC, Canastota, sold to Lehigh Gas Wholesale Services Inc., Allentown, Pa. $2,710,000: Nov. 4, Village of West Carthage: Bridge Street, Walrus Enterprises LLC, Canastota, sold to Lehigh Gas Wholesale Services Inc., Allentown, Pa. $570,000: Nov. 26, Town of Clayton: 6.4 acres, Murray Island, James A. Fulton and Michelle Cannavino, Concord, N.C., sold to Bradley Properties LLC, Minnetonka, Minn. $550,000: Nov. 24, City of Watertown: 0.529 acres, 457 Gaffney Drive, Jerry R. Gardner, Watertown, sold to Lamon Knowles Company LLC, Watertown. $535,500: Nov. 3, Town of Lyme: 13.074 acres, state Route 12E at Swamp Road, Howard V. Barton and Elizabeth A. Barton, Rockford, Ala., sold to Jody Garrett and Denise Miller as trustees for Doreen A. Garrett IRR Trust, Clayton. $500,000: Nov. 26, Town of Clayton: Two parcels, 3.4 acres and 2.1 acres, Grindstone Island, Martha Boushall Tottenham-Smith, Princeton, N.J., sold to Gillean C. MacLean and Michelle E. Collie, Providence, R.I. $423,400: Nov. 21, Village of Cape Vincent: 0.358 acres, Broadway at Market Street, Cape Vincent Roxy LLC, North Babylon, sold to Watertown Savings Bank, Watertown.
$325,000: Nov. 26, Town of Clayton: 1.25 acres, Grindstone Island, Strathmore Realty Associates, Syracuse, sold to Grindstone Properties LLC, Camillus. $298,000: Nov. 4, Town of Alexandria, Wellesley Island: 1.10 acres, no address, Patricia A. Corso, Tavares, Fla., sold to Allan Hewitt and Donna McIntosh, Hagaman. $287,000: Nov. 7, Town of Brownville: Three parcels, no address, no acreage, one parcel, 0.34 acres, no address, one parcel, 1.05 acres, no address, Mark G. Gebo and Tanice A. Gebo, Dexter, sold to Joel E. Nowalk and Katie M. Nowalk, Croghan. Top 10 property sales by price recorded in the St. Lawrence County Clerk’s Office in November 2014: $13,617,687: Nov. 25, Town of Hopkinton: 46 parcels, unknown acres, in the Palmer Tract, Heartwood Forestland Fund III, Chapel Hill, N.C., sold to Jackson Timberland Opportunities-Champion LLC., Jackson, Miss. $825,000: Nov. 5, Town of Fine: Hamlet of Star Lake, unknown acres, in Lot 31, bounded by Route 3 and Youngs Road, Broken Arrow LLC, Canastota, sold to Lehigh Gas Wholesale Services Inc., Allentown, Pa. $285,000: Nov. 21, Town of Louisville: 0.306 of an acre more or less, in Lot 318, bounded by Wilson Hill, Jeffrey W. Tyo, Massena, sold to Philip and Linda Powers, Wilson. $260,000: Nov. 25, Town of Canton: 56.75 acres more or less, in Mile Square 6, bounded by Route 11, Andrea H. Huber, Canton, sold to Marc J. and Gerald L. Dean, Canton.
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$260,000: Nov. 5, Town of Hopkinton: Unknown acres, in Section 25, bounded by the shore of Lake Ozonia, Brad L. Lucas, Brushton, Diana L. Lavery, Plattsburgh, Donna L. Kottmann, Naperville, Ill., Jeffery M. Lucas, Clinton, Maine, and Ruth M. Lucas, St. Regis Falls, sold to Thomas C. and Suella B. Young, Potsdam. $252,000: Nov. 20, Town of Oswegatchie: Parcel 1) 0.56 of an acre more or less, Parcel 2) 0.39 of an acre more or less, Parcel 3) 0.91 of an acre more or less, bounded by Ogdensburg-Morristown Highway, Janet R. Price (trustee), Janet R. Price Revocable Trust, Vero Beach, Fla., sold to James H. and Emily Z. Johnson, Skaneateles. $250,000: Nov. 7, Town of Potsdam: 129.26 acres more or less, in Lot 11, bounded by MorleyPotsdam Road, Donna A. and Donald A. Doig, Canton, sold to Eric C. and Jessica E. Barr, Canton. $245,000: Nov. 5: Town of Potsdam: 0.92 of an acre more or less, bounded by Lakeshore Drive and Cemetery Road, Sue Thomas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., sold to Christopher S. and Ginger A. Sweeney, Norwood. $230,000: Nov. 17, Village of Massena: 8.618 acres more or less, in Great Lot 8 of Tract H, Richard L. and Sharon J. Reynolds, Massena, sold to Paul E. and Krista M. Tressa, Sagamore Hills, Ohio. $215,000: Nov. 21, Town of Pierrepont: 1.377 acres more or less, bounded by Route 56 and Underhill Drive, Richard J. Gilchrist III and Theresa F. Gilchrist, Naples, Fla., sold to Mario and Anja Wriedt, Potsdam.
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20 qu estions
AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS
building a future
K
evin E. Lewis, CEO of Bernier, Carr & Associates since September, has been in the architecture field for decades. While he could work in any number of larger markets, he chose the north country for the people and its distinct qualities. This month, he sat down with us to talk about the importance of learning from every single failure or success, what it’s like to lead Bernier, Carr, and where the firm is headed in the future.
1
NNYB: How important is it to experience failure on the road to long-term success? LEWIS: You try to succeed more than you fail, but you need those experiences to line yourself up for the next one. I think we benefited from some of our failures here recently. We do a very good job trying to understand where it went wrong; and this is generally in the proposal activity. This is an interesting business. We have to propose for everything. Very seldom does somebody pick up the phone and call [us].
2
NNYB: What is the company’s success/ fail rate? LEWIS: Less than 30 percent. The industry standard that I’m pretty familiar with is around 25 percent. Sometimes we actually have to go ahead and produce some of the work, so I can show you how we’re going to do it. That becomes very costly. Our biggest issue here, and in the industry, is deciding where you’re going to focus your guns. There’s only so many places and so many hours in the day. We could propose every day, all day, and the hit ratio would go even further into the tank. So we have to
28 | NNY Business | January 2015
Bernier, Carr CEO Kevin E. Lewis, committed to growing in north country
n
be very careful about what we go after, and what markets we want to serve.
3
NNYB: Approximately how many employees does Bernier, Carr have? LEWIS: Official count is 85. There’s some really talented folks coming out of the area here, and this group right here. There is tremendous firepower here in this operation — really brainy people. There’s a ton of talent. And people want to be here. This place has been a magnet for grabbing them. The company takes great pride if you’re a north country person and you have it going on upstairs; they’ll grab you and keep you here. Honestly, it’s impressive.
4
NNYB: Can you unpack the structure of the company? LEWIS: There’s three businesses here [architecture, engineering and surveying]. And we’re launching a fourth [construction management]. This is the first stop where I’ve got architects and engineers, which is two thirds of the business. And then you’ve got a horizontal engineering group, the wastewater and water management group, which is pretty cool stuff. And then you’ve got the survey group, which really supports both groups. So it’s not a big line economically, but it is very nice to have it inside our organization, because you can direct it where you need it. So the two big engines are the architecture engineering group and the horizontal engineering, and the third
— my personal favorite — is we’ve been doing construction management forever. For 40 years, we’ve been doing it behind the architects. It’s been bolted in. But what we did, very cleverly I think, we unbolted it, and said, ‘You know what, you’re going to continue to do it in support of the architects and engineers, but now we can put a new wrapper on it.’ We can call it something else. We can rebrand it. We can remarket it. We can use all the experiences and the portfolio that we have, and we can go directly into the market. That’s interesting from an internal perspective. From an external perspective, the market’s looking for something like that.
5
NNYB: How do you manage recruiting? Is that a challenge? LEWIS: We’ve got a lot of resumes coming in. When you’re 80-something people this far north of Syracuse, eventually we’re going to get your resume if you want to live in the area. We’ve got what I would call a virtual bench of talent. Because we’re in the industry, we’ve got a pretty good idea of where the talent is; the smaller the community, the higher the knowledge of where the talent is. And then we’ve got something brand new. And this is where I come in. I just left an organization with 15,000 people, with worldwide offices all over the place. So who were the first people I hire? I go to my rolodex. We’re going to glue together a super-
2 0 q u estions regional play of the best and the brightest.
6
NNYB: Do you think in terms of an ‘end goal?’ LEWIS: We absolutely think in those terms. We’re presently structured for something larger. We have been. This company has already been plus a hundred. The assembly line is in place for something larger. The back office functions are in place. We’ve got the experience, and now we need to grow the business out to meet the structure we’ve got in place. We could be, without any great difficulty, 150 people. And that would proportionally drive maybe two thirds more revenue than we’re driving now. We could do that without significant changes to the organization. I think the vision right in front of us is to do more of what we’re currently doing in more places inside of New York.
7
NNYB: Is employee turnover a challenge for the firm? LEWIS: It was where I was [previously to Bernier, Carr]. Not so much here. That was one of the horrors of the past. When you get to be pretty sizable, you start to lose a pretty big hunk of your business. We don’t have a lot of turnover [here].
8
NNYB: Is it a relief that the company has done well without having to rely so heavily on Fort Drum-related projects? LEWIS: This business has not depended on that necessarily. Do we do a lot of direct work on the base? We’d like to do more. We propose to do more. However, we’re not so dependent on it. We are locally, but thankfully, we’re in so many other places with our core business lines.
9
NNYB: There’s been talk of consolidations of school systems in districts. How do you see Bernier, Carr being ahead of the curve and benefitting from consolidation? LEWIS: I’ve been in the K12 space in and out of my career, and I’ve heard [talk of] consolidation for the entire time. I haven’t seen a whole lot of it. There’s two things that I’ve always heard that never really come to fruition. One is that consolidation is going to change the dynamics of education across the country. And the other is we’re going to tear down a neighborhood school. Do you know how difficult it is to tear down a neighborhood school? There’s so much sentiment, so much history. It’s almost impossible to do that. I used to work for a developer that said, ‘Watch what they do, not what they say.’ So how many
AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS
Bernier Carr & Associates CEO Kevin E. Lewis talks about the firm’s future at its Watertown offices. consolidations have you seen?
10
NNYB: Do you ever worry about it? LEWIS: We just keep playing our game. Until the government somehow legislates this, it would be hard for me to take out dollars, hours, manpower and come up with a strategy to get ahead of it, because it’s not real. It’s like anything else in the marketplace — try to be on the leading edge, not the bleeding edge. If you get way out in front of something in the off chance that it might happen, you just put yourself out of the marketplace. We have a solar initiative going on right now. I’ve been watching solar panels go up for years, wind too. Do you want to get out in front on that? No, not until it’s all proven out. And it’s been proven out now. There’s all kinds of governmental assistance for solar panels. There’s tax advantages and tax breaks. The panel costs have come way down. Kilowatt hours are going up. Incentives are in play. We heard enough this year, and decided now is a good time to get in. So we’re in. But we didn’t jump in ten years ago, or five years ago, when everybody else jumped in, because we weren’t sure where we fit in on something like that. I’d rather see it turn a reel. So if consolidation starts to roll across the state, that’s different.
11
NNYB: How did the north country get into your soul? LEWIS: It just did. It’s a great quality of life. It’s great people. We have everything you could possibly think to do. Canada’s right there — the close proximity to the international flavor. There’s something in that river that courses through there. This is the first
The Kevin E. Lewis file AGE: 60 JOB: CEO of Bernier, Carr & Associates Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, P.C. FAMILY: Wife, Kelly; daughters, Kaleigh and Erin; son, Ryan HOMETOWN: New Hampshire native; presently lives in Clayton EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, University of New Hampshire at Plymouth State; attended Cornell University School of Art, Architecture and Planning; American Institute of Architects; National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. PROFESSIONAL: Director, Thomas Group Architects & Engineers, 1993-1997; president, Applied Computer Technologies, 1997-1999; president and CEO, Epic Data International, 1999-2001; president, Tetra Tech Architects & Engineers, 2002-2012 BEST BUSINESS BOOK YOU’VE READ AND WOULD RECOMMEND: ‘Art of War’ by Sun Tzu
time I’ve selected a place, not selected a job and the place came along with the job. This is the first time that I’ve made a conscious effort to be someplace that I wanted to be.
12
NNYB: What’s most inspiring to you as you’ve settled into job? LEWIS: The people. There’s a tremendous amount of talent here. That’s the most uplifting thing. We don’t have any proprietary technologies. We don’t have inventories. We don’t have patents on anything. All we have is our people. And we’ve got some of the best people. And I’m talking from an informed perspective; I’ve been in the industry a long time. I’ve worked at some big companies. I January 2015 | NNY Business
| 29
20 qu estions know good people when I see them.
13
NNYB: What have you learned from people you work with in terms of leadership? LEWIS: I’ve been learning the depth to which some people will go to perform. I mean really putting it in. So much so that those that aren’t putting it in, they show up really clearly. When people will work for the best interest of the organization over their own best interests, it drives the entire organization upward. But it nakedly reveals those that don’t. And it is really difficult for leadership if you don’t do something about the
people that aren’t contributing at that level.
14
NNYB: So what really keeps your workers and employees motivated? LEWIS: I think it’s the work. There’s enough variety here for the professionals to migrate to different businesses within the company and to different projects.
15
NNYB: How does a company become a best place to work? LEWIS: I’ve got one word for you – respect. You respect your people. They respect you back. You don’t have to love everybody, but
there better be respect in the workplace.
16
NNYB: When it comes to leading a business that involves people, are there such things are small decisions? LEWIS: There are small decisions; there are decisions that don’t have the same amount of gravity or weight to them. I prioritize things. Now, a small decision poorly done could kill you just as easily as a large decision poorly done. I think every day you have to prioritize.
17
NNYB: What’s the best advice you’ve ever followed, and who gave it to you? LEWIS: My father, who told me to make sure you work in the best interest of the company, because everything will get taken care of. You think about everybody, and you’ll have riches. He didn’t mean financial riches. You’ll have it. People will follow you. They don’t have to like you, but they will follow you and respect you because you think in the best interest of the company.
18
NNYB: How do you let employees play an active role in building culture? LEWIS: I encourage their opinions. I let them explain. I let them make mistakes. I’m just one guy. The culture shouldn’t be built around the mistakes of a few people. The culture should be built around empowering people to do what they need to do, and encouraging them to go for the wall and take some risks, especially in our business. It’s a very creative business. We need the minds dialed up.
19
NNYB: Are you in your dream job now? LEWIS: Yeah, it’s getting there. Right location. The right great people. It’s like being at home. I wish I was a little younger. NNYB: What’s going to keep you excited and in the game?
20 151 Mullin Street Watertown, NY 13601
LEWIS: It’s really exciting right now because we just came through a transition. Coming through the whole year, figuring out who’s going to do what, how people are going to act under different circumstances — that was pretty exciting. I think we’re arrived. We’re here. We’ve got it all figured out. Now we can focus all that energy that we focused on ourselves, and push it out into the marketplace. And I see a lot of entrepreneurial thinking going on here. The company has been entrepreneurial its entire time. — Interview by Ken Eysaman. Edited for length and clarity to fit this space.
30 | NNY Business | January 2015
20UNDER40 NORTHern new york’s emerging leaders
BusIness MAGAZINE
Thanks its generous sponsors for making the 2014 20 Under 40 event a success! PRESENTING sponsor:
Gold-level sponsors:
SILVER-level sponsor:
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We also thank Denise K. Young, executive director
for her time and great message as keynote speaker. 32 | NNY Business | January 2015
nonprofits today
Some tips for exceptional service
A
new year always creates a marker between what was and what is yet to be. For the best nonprofits, this is a continual self-assessment process that happens all year long. It is no secret that the nonprofit landscape has changed significantly over the past decade and there is a heightened sense that the “new normal” is moving less from new and more toward normal. What hasn’t changed is the important role board members play throughout the evolution of any organization. Being a trustee is an amazing honor. They have the ability to have a profound effect on their community’s quality of life. The best trustees find ways to be more than fiduciaries by bringing a passion that overcomes a complacency of mediocrity. One of my mentors, Jerold Panas, compiled an extensive list, entitled “Advice, Wisdom, and Ideas on What it Takes to be a Remarkably Effective Board Member.” I’ve chosen the 12 most thought-provoking and inspiring. It helps renew awareness of the wonderfully exciting and amazingly unique privilege it is to be entrusted and positioned to so directly affect the lives of others, while enriching your own. n A trustee with passion is a majority. Passion
is the difference between flying or just flapping your wings. Passion is perhaps the greatest and most generous gift that a trustee brings to service on the board. Be a roaring enthusiast, full of passionate intensity. Tell everyone. Talk about the amazing work your organization is doing. Your job is to change a person’s view of your organization from “they” and “them” to “we” and “us.” n There are four levels of trustees. Those who make things happen. Those who watch things happening. Those to whom things happen. And those who don’t even know what’s happening.
Your job is to make things happen. n Your mission is not a recital of where you have been. It speaks eloquently as to where you are going. It is the organization’s most prized treasure, to be taken out for public display, Rande Richardson to be cherished, and to be polished regularly to make sure it maintains its luster, value and relevance. n There is a certain joy in the struggle to achieve great things. Trustees are united. The team is committed and pledged to a shared objective. There is excitement and exhilaration. n You make certain your organization has the necessary financial resources to meet its mission and provide a program of bounding vitality, broad scope, and high quality. Money makes this happen. The board cannot allow a mission deficit. n Understand that people don’t give to the needs of the organization. Your organization doesn’t have needs. The people you serve have needs. You have the answer. The response. The solution. n You make certain each new program or activity meets the mission. There must be dazzling dreams and glorious visions for the future, all wrapped around the mission. You bring to each board meeting a probing, challenging, open mind. You ask, what are you achieving? Are we meeting our mission? What are our dreams and visions for the future? n As a trustee, you know that great achievements require time, energy, appropriate staffing, and necessary funding. Bringing these resources together can accomplish the extraordinary. The unthinkable. The impossible. It is the responsi-
bility of staff to see that things are done right. It is the responsibility of the trustees to see that the right things are done. n A vigorous and successful organization never feels it has arrived. Never feels comfortable. Know that today’s solutions are simply not good enough for tomorrow. No matter how great and distinguished your past, your organization’s most glorious victories are in the future. If you don’t believe that, your organization is standing still. n Trustees must be willing to give. This is what transforms vision into reality. If those closest do not donate, it is a serious failure, a decaying of moral fortitude, determination and dedication. How can you ask others to give if trustees don’t? You also cannot abdicate your responsibility for raising funds to support the mission. Ask others to give to help you change, save and enrich lives. n The one who never walks except where there are tracks will never make any discoveries. n Be audacious. Dare to act bolder, more creatively … with unending dedication and determination. Dare to get out of the box. Create new boxes. Seek new horizons and break through every barrier that keeps the organization from being the very best it can be.
Which of these do you agree with? How many of these are you willing to apply your time, talent and treasure to in 2015? At the end of the day, everyone wants their life to have meaning. There are few greater joys than experiencing the magic that happens when people work together toward a shared mission and vision. You will touch lives in a very special way. Yours will be one of the first. 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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How to foster employee longevity
E
very two years, the U.S. Department of Labor measures employee longevity and since 2004, the median tenure has been on the increase. However, the average tenure is just 4.6 years. Is this a good thing for employers or employees and what does it say about today’s workforce? Many factors can sway a person’s opinion on this topic.
From the employer perspective An employer — whether an owner or someone responsible for employee longevity — can be a key to success. Depending on the skills required, what boss doesn’t value an employee who knows the ins and outs of a business or has worked in various capacities within an organization? Most skills are not learned or taught overnight and require experience and work ethic. When an employee stays with a job, they gain a deeper and stronger appreciation for an organization’s mission, vision and strategic direction. Knowledge is power and to have a vast amount of knowledge of daily operations makes an employee valuable. When individuals remain with a company, they gain an in-depth understanding of the product and services the company provides, and the skills to accomplish many tasks and perform in many jobs. This is a result of the culture of the organization, as well as the employee’s desire to grow internally due in part to their belief in the company. With this combination, your organization can be guaranteed an overall healthy delivery of products and services, as well as exceptional customer service. As a result of an employee’s buy-in, your company gains a loyal individual who shares the same passion to serve people in the capacity your business does so. Aside from feeling positive about employees remaining loyal to your company, it also provides cost savings for many organizations. Promoting longevity reduces the cost of recruiting, hiring and training new employees.
Longevity can also be an indicator that an organization is growing and staying relevant. Turnover, can be common in all areas of employment. However, if an employee stays with an organization this can be a Lynn Pietroski sign that the company is tackling new initiatives, listening to their employee’s ideas, and showing people they are an added value to an organization. Does longevity matter to an employee? There some individuals who do not mind changing jobs and do so for money. Applying for jobs is competitive, and some find that appealing. With some organizations, there can be a limit to how high a person’s salary can increase. Many people often look to other companies for a more competitive salary, and if their skills are in demand, an employee can command a higher base salary. Some individuals are driven by money, and do not see the benefit of staying with a company for more than a year or two. However, when there is a demand for a particular skill, an individual may become entrenched in a company that does not have the need to promote or invest in their employees because the number of people with the necessary skills may be in abundance. Some people choose to stay in a position not merely based on loyalty, but because they are afraid of the competitive workforce or lack of movement within their field. Depending on the size of a city, a firm or cost of living, many factors go into the decision-making process for people who are looking for a career change, and money may not be the only factor.
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How to show you value employees It seems to be a no-brainer on how to show employees how valuable they are to a company, but all of us can get complacent with regard to employee’s needs. As a leader we should always remember employees who feel valued and appreciated by their supervisors are more likely to go above and beyond for their company and hold themselves accountable for their workload, resulting in all parties being happy. Here are 10 simple ways an employer or supervisor can show they value their employees: n Go above and beyond to help them professionally and personally. Showing them you value all aspects of their life demonstrates how you value them as an employee. n Do your best to relate to your employees. Don’t act like you are above them. n Show support when they are dealing with stressful work-related issues such as demanding customers. n Be flexible. Work with their schedule to meet the needs of a sick child. n Be honest and transparent. If they have concern with their position or are curious about the future of an organization, share with them what is appropriate. n Always make time for employees, even if they just need to vent or bounce an idea by you. n Let them know they matter. It doesn’t have to be a bonus; it can be an encouraging email or vote of confidence. n Create opportunities for new experiences. n Be aware of expectations you set for your employees and how you convey them. n Offer small incentives to show you value individuals on your team. A happy worker is a productive worker. Happy New Year. 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.
agri - b u siness
Young people need to sharpen skills
D
uring the 2014 Workforce 2020 program hosted by the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce, Paul Mason from Riverhaven Dairy Farm near Cape Vincent, Mike Hunter, agronomist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County and I interviewed approximately 45 high school students interested in agricultural careers. As we went through the morning, with students lined up sometimes 10 deep waiting for an open seat, Paul, Mike and I were excited and concerned about the conversations we had with local juniors and seniors. We were excited by the number of students who wanted to talk about agricultural careers. When Workforce 2020 started, there were times when interviewers at the agriculture table would go 30 minutes without anyone stepping up for an interview. The lack of interviews reflected an attitude commonly heard in the industry, “why do I want my kid to struggle the way I do.” During the past several years, we’ve seen a change in the attitude that is reflected at the agriculture table. There is tremendous opportunity in the food and fiber industry and students are seeing and hearing that. With a growing customer base, more than 9 billion people will need food and fiber by the year 2050, the agricultural industry in the United States is well positioned to meet this opportunity and will need and skilled, motivated workforce. All three of us working at the agriculture table were concerned with several students who indicated they had no intention of pursuing any type of advanced education beyond high school. They planned to graduate and then would work hard on a family farm and eventually own the farm
business. Everyone appreciates a young adult who says they are not afraid of getting their hands dirty and working hard. Actually, we need more young people who aren’t afraid of hard work Jay Matteson and dirty hands. It is also important to recognize that college is not for everyone. However, the agricultural industry is advancing, becoming more complex, and utilizing complex technologies to produce more food and fiber on less land and with a smaller environmental impact. I reached out to several professionals across the agricultural industry seeking their opinions on the need for a secondary education to be successful in agriculture. Three dairy farmers, two winery owners, and an agricultural lender responded. All of the responses were in strong agreement that secondary education is important to student success in agriculture. At a minimum it was recommended to pursue some sort of vocational training, or two-year degree. The agricultural classes at Jefferson Community College are a good place to start and are easier for local students who are unsure about what college courses to take while staying at home. Everyone I talked with suggested some business and financial management courses. Without any type of college or vocational study, you will have a difficult time succeeding in agriculture. It is possible, but not likely, was the opinion from everyone. There
are jobs for those without a secondary education, but they are usually farm labor positions and the person is less likely to be successful than those who have some educational background. A couple of the responders noted that employees with vocational training tend to be in demand and successful because of the high demand for employees who know how to work on the advanced equipment operating on farms today. Viticulture and Enology degrees are important to success in the wine making and vineyard industry. Another recommendation respondents repeated was that getting a secondary education usually allows the student to learn how things are done differently on other farms and businesses. Some farms require family members to work for another farm before they are allowed to come back to the family farm and work. The educational process also allows the students to build a network of peers who they can call upon after college to get ideas on how to adjust to challenges. Diesel Hitt, a 30-year-old dairy farmer running a 600-cow farm and supervising 11 employees, was enthusiastic in his response. He said “agriculture is one of the most rewarding industries, the harder you work, the more you can achieve but having an education is very important because big changes are happening and technology is advancing our business rapidly.” Mr. Hitt added, “We need good young people, but they need to be on their game.” n Jay M. Matteson is agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Local 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.
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January 2015 | NNY Business
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b u siness tech bytes
Web design starts with a strategy
N
ow that the Internet is providing enormous amounts of consumer information and transparency in the form of reviews, price comparisons and social media sharing, creating a Web presence is just as imperative to your business’s success as the resources most commonly associated with building a brand. If you are just starting your website or planning a redesign it is imperative you focus on how and where your customers will be accessing your website and begin to differentiate yourself. Your customers don’t really know nor even have a preference as to what method you’ll use for navigation of your website from any device or display; they just want it to be effective on whatever device and wherever they happen to be at the time. Presently no one way to achieve crossdevice compatibility has ascended to the top but there are two methods that are providing solutions to meet the challenge. Responsive Web design and adaptive Web design methods address the issue of rendering websites on mobile devices but with subtle differences. Some developers feel the two design methods compete with each other, but when used correctly, together they can be quite complementary. The definition of a responsive Web design is that it will fluidly change and respond to fit any screen or device size. Want to see if the website you are surfing is RWD? Open the website on your desktop computer, minimize the window and pull in the lower right hand corner until it is about the size of a smartphone screen. Did the site reformat on the spot?
36 | NNY Business | January 2015
If so, that site is RWD. It uses CSS media queries and JavaScript code to format the fluid grid concept. This concept is where the website content is split into rows and columns Jill Van Hoesen with clear breakpoints to determine where the new row begins and will fluidly change and respond to fit any screen or device size. Adaptive Web design is a different technique where your website is optimized for the device by leveraging server side technology. With an AWD website the server sends a completely different version of the HTML / CSS / JavaScript to your browser by detecting if the request is coming from a smartphone, tablet or a desktop. If you want to determine if a website is using AWD, first use the check above to ensure the website is not using RWD, then access it from a smartphone or tablet browser. Check to see if the site adapted to the browser without changing the URL in the browser address bar by redirecting you to an m.domain. It’s designed to change to fit a predetermined set of screen and device sizes without redirection to a mobile site. At present, RWD is proving to be the more popular approach to build multiscreen sites. It’s easier for Web designers to change the HTML / CSS coding
to implement and much less dependent on the back end on which the website it’s built. Many ready-made responsive themes are now available for WordPress sites and CSS frameworks are constantly being improved and enhanced for Bootstrap and Foundation. As popular as RWD has become, it is still not a solution for more complicated websites. Most affected will be the load time of your RWD website site on mobile devices. Your design elements need to be carefully thought out to ensure a fluid response. It is still proving to be difficult to get a complex layout designed for 1200 pixel width to display correctly using the same HTML code on a 320 pixel smartphone. In cases like this, an AWD website is your better choice. An AWD website only sends what is required for whichever browser type the consumer is using. This provides a different version of the website with only the optimized HTML resources needed. Your tradeoff is in the additional template development and maintenance required for each device type. In 2015, your ultimate goal for your website should be to always make sure it looks and functions its best at any resolution and on any device. It does not matter if you choose adaptive Web design or responsive Web design, it all starts with the strategy behind your design. To drive your brand and build your audience your website must have a design that stands out from the rest and performs with the best. n Jill Van Hoesen is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 25-year IT veteran. Contact her at jvanhoesen@wdt.net. Her column appears monthly in NNY Business.
small b u siness s u ccess
Is your business a hobby or not?
M
ost businesses we work with at the Small Business Development Center are clearly motivated to be profit-generating enterprises, with business loans or lines of credit, payroll taxes to be paid, liability and property insurance and all the other expenses that need to be matched and exceeded by revenues. But we work with other people who are looking to start a business for other reasons: the “encore entrepreneur” — that’s what we call those who decide to do something after they retire from their regular career and want to make some money on the side. Then there are those who bake or knit or paint or make some kind of craft item and have just been giving their wares away to family and friends. Now, they start to think, I’m putting a lot of my own time and dollars in this, maybe I should actually start charging for it. So they come to us, and we help them figure out the nuts and bolts of turning their interest into a money-making venture. For example: Do I have to register a business name? Do I have to have a special license or permit? Can I even do this in my home with my zoning classification? Am I required to collect sales tax? Then people realize they can and should claim business-related expenses like household costs, vehicle costs, and so on to reduce their overall household income tax obligation. But of course, the IRS has very definite rules on these
kinds of things. For example, to be able to claim a portion of household expenses for the home-based business, it has to be be used exclusively for that purpose. That means no Sarah O’Connell fold-out couch for overnight guests in the sewing room. If the per-
it just means that the related expenses cannot exceed the income or be used as a loss to offset other sources of income on the tax return. This is commonly called the Hobby Loss Rule. On the other hand, we sometimes consult with entrepreneurs who don’t really want to have their business called a business because they don’t want to be regulated or pay taxes on it or go through the bother of collecting sales tax and filing quarterly returns. We advise them that it’s never, ever a good idea to try to outwit the IRS or the state. This group may include those folks who run the eternal yard sale on their front lawn. According to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, if a person conducts a garagetype sale for more than three days in a calendar year or exceeds $600 in that year in sales, sales taxes have to be collected and sent to the Department of Taxation and Finance. The first $600 is exempt, however. For more information, check out Tax Bulletin ST-807 at www.tax.ny.gov. Hobby or business, you decide which it’s going to be, but then make yourself aware of what that means in your dealings with the IRS and New York state.
Hobby or business, you decide which it’s going to be, but then make yourself aware of what that means in your dealings with the IRS and New York state. sonal vehicle is used to travel to a craft fair to set up, only those exact miles can be used to calculate a mileage deduction. Buying a new computer? It can’t also be the gaming console. Internal Revenue Code 183, “Activities Not Engaged in for Profit,” expresses just what the government’s expectations are for the endeavor to be considered a business. For example, it should be operated with the intent to generate a profit and should show some level of profit in at least three of the past five past years. Showing a loss three years in a row can trigger an audit, and no one wants that to happen. It doesn’t mean, however, that true hobbyists can’t make money from a hobby;
n SARAH O’CONNELL is a certified business advisor with the New York State Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College. She is a former small business owner and lifelong Northern New York resident. Contact her at soconnell@sunyjefferson.edu. Her column appears bi-monthly in NNY Business.
January 2015 | NNY Business
| 37
COMMUNITY / BUSINESS CALENDAR
Alexandria Bay Friday Feb. 6 to Sunday, Feb. 8
n Labatts-1000 Islands Pond Hockey Tournament. Sponsored by the chamber of commerce. This is a four on four hockey tournament of 24 teams in three age divisions. Teams will be placed in divisions of ages 21 to 34, 35 to 49, and 50 and older. Game schedules available at the time of registration. Registration for last year’s players open now. Registration open to public Tuesday, Dec. 30. Information/register: chamber, 482-9531 or visitalexbay.org.
Canton Thursday, Feb. 5 to Saturday, Feb. 14
n Canton Winter Fest. Information: chamber of commerce, 386-2871.
Carthage Saturday, Feb. 14
n 17th Annual Winterfest, daylong, Carthage Park off State St. Event planned to include cardboard sled races, horse drawn sleigh rides, family games, scavenger hunt, raffles, reptile show, food drinks and more. Information: Lori Borland, 493-3590.
Clayton Saturday, Feb. 7
n Save The River’s Winter Environmental Conference, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, 200 Riverside Drive. Conference plans to highlight topics of “oil and water,” “no small threat” and “state of the river.” Registration and coffee scheduled for 9:30 a.m.; conference, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; cocktail reception with cash bar, 4 p.m. Cost: $45, includes coffee, lunch and light hors d’oeuvres at reception. RSVP to Save The River by Friday, Jan. 30. Information: Save The River, 686-2010 or savetheriver.org.
Saturday, Feb. 21
n Taste of the Town, 4 to 8 p.m., 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, 200 Riverside Drive.
38 | NNY Business | January 2015
Presented by Rotary Club of Clayton. Proceeds donated to Rotary International. Silent auction to benefit Dodge Pond Special Needs Camp. Cost: five samples, $5; military discount, $4. Information: Rotary, 771-7440.
Fort Drum Monday, Jan. 26
n Resume Start to Finish, 9 a.m. to noon, Army Community Service, P4330 Conway Road, Fort Drum. Program aimed at learning to develop a resume from start to finish. Space is limited. Free. Information: AmberLee Clement, 772-7987 or amberlee.n.clement.ctr@mail.mil.
Tuesday, Jan. 27
n Fort Drum Business Networking Group, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Army Community Service, P4330 Conway Road, Fort Drum. Event designed for small businesses, government organizations and not-for-profits to network with other agencies and organizations. A free educational component is offered with event. Information: AmberLee Clement, 772-7987 or amberlee.n.clement. ctr@mail.mil.
Monday, Feb. 2
n Boots 2 Business, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Clark Hall, Mount Belvedere Blvd, Fort Drum. This is a two day course for soldiers transitioning out of the service and interested in starting a business. Course offers information on business opportunities in the area, including home-based, retail, service industry and online. Participants will learn about researching the potential market and how to find out licensing and funding opportunities. Requirement: three day DOL ACAP briefing. Information/register: ACAP, 772-3434 or sbdc@sunyjefferson.edu.
Saturday, March 21
n One Night, One Diamond, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m., The Commons on Fort Drum. Entertainment planned to include dinner, dancing to the band ATLAS and chance to win half carat diamond. All proceeds to Samaritan Medical Center. Information: ONOD@shsny.com.
Old Forge Friday, Jan. 30 & Saturday, Jan. 31
n 16th Annual Snowmobile Poker Run, business sponsors in Thendara, Old Forge, Stillwater, Beaver River, Eagle Bay, Inlet and Raquette Lake. Event sponsored by Inlet Barnstormers Snowmobile Club. Players may pick up a card up at any sponsor. Have each sponsor stamp the back of the card and bring your stamped card to Daikers, 161 Daikers Cir, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Information: Fred or Carolyn Trimbach, 369-2444.
Syracuse Thursday, January 15
n 2015 Economic Forecast Breakfast, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., The Oncenter, 800 S. State St. M&T Bank presents CenterState CEO’s forecast to members, business leaders and executives. Keynote to be presented by Manpower Inc.’s Rebecca Dernberger. Registration schediuled for 7:30 a.m.; program for 8 a.m. Ticket includes a full, hot breakfast. Cost: members, $35; non-members, $45; member table of 10, $300; non-member table of 10, $400. Information/register: CenterState CEO, 470-1800 or centerstateceo.com.
Wednesday, Jan. 28
n Business Before Hours at Metro Fitness, 8 to 9:30 a.m., Metro Fitness Club, 205 S. Salina St. Coffee and networking presented by CenterState CEO and Metro Fitness Club. Bring business cards and connect with local businesses. Cost: CenterState CEO members, $10; non-members, $20. Information: Lisa Metot, 470-1870 or lmetot@ centerstateceo.com.
Wednesday, Feb. 4
n Improve How You Manage Projects, 8 to 10:30 a.m., TEDCenter, 700 University Ave, Rm 307. Program by CNY ASTD offers guidance on project management tools. Cost: members, $30; non-members, $45. Information: CNY ASTD, 546-2783 or info@cnyastd.org.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Watertown Wednesday, Dec. 31 to Saturday, Feb. 14
n Snowtown USA, daylong events around city. Planned events include opening reception, skating at the Watertown Municipal Ice Arena, craft fair, softball tournament, character breakfast and closing ceremony with fireworks; schedule available on Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce website. Information: chamber, 788-4400 or chamber@watertownny.com.
Friday, Jan. 23
n 2015 Watertown Downtown Business Association Annual Membership Awards Night, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Watertown Urban Mission, 247 Factory St. Members of the Watertown Downtown Business Association and the community are invited. The Watertown DBA plans to present several awards, including downtown business of the year. Information: DBA, david@watertownaudiology.com.
Monday, Jan. 26 through Monday, May 4
n Online Entrepreneurial Training Course. Class meant to provide guidance and support to individuals interested in starting or expanding a small business. Course addresses starting and running a small business; features speakers from fields such as accounting, law, insurance and advertising. Information/register: 782-9262, sbdc@ sunyjefferson.edu or nyssbdc.org.
Wednesday, Jan. 28
n Economic Outlook Breakfast, 8:30 a.m.,
Ramada Inn, 21000 state Route 3. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Light pastries and beverages included. Cost: members, $10; non-members, $15; non-registered members, $15. Register in advance by Monday, Jan. 26. Register/information: chamber, 788-4400 or watertownny.com.
Friday, Jan. 30 & Saturday, Jan. 31
n Snowtown USA Film Festival, downtown. Event will offer official film selections, a juried film competition and family-friendly film workshops in downtown Watertown. Information/register: info@snowtownfilmfestival.com or snowtownfilmfestival.com.
Saturday, Jan. 31
n Marketing & Social Media for Nonprofits, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Extended Learning Center, E-129, Jefferson Community College, 1220 Coffeen St. Learn basic marketing techniques for getting the word out about your nonprofit event, including how to develop a general strategy and plan. Instructor: Sara Carpenter. Cost: $45. Information/register: Continuing Education, 786-2438. n ServSafe Certification, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Extended Learning Center, E-129, Jefferson Community College, 1220 Coffeen St. Workshop teaches knowledge and skills needed to prepare and serve foods safely. Test is taken during final 90-minutes of course. Those who need to retake the exam: register for “exam only” portion. Instructor: Pope Vickers. Cost: $275. Information/register: Continuing Education, 786-2438.
Tuesday, Feb. 3
n SUNY Empire Info Session, 7 to 9 p.m., Extended Learning Center, E-115, Jefferson Community College, 1220 Coffeen St. Session aimed to inform about individually designed degree programs across 12 areas of study offered from SUNY Empire State College at the Jefferson Higher Education Center. Free. Information: Carol Petrie, 7866541 or Carol.Petrie@esc.edu. n 2015 Super Energy Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jefferson Community College, 1220 Coffeen St. Symposium is open to the public
HOSTED BY JEFFERSON COUNTY AMERICAN LEGION FAMILY
Thursday, Feb. 12
n 2014 Israel A. Shapiro Award Presentation and Dinner, 6 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 1290 Arsenal St. This year’s ceremony plans to honor Irene C. Carman, consultant pharmacist. Cocktails scheduled for 6 p.m.; dinner and program, 7 p.m. Limited seating; RSVP by Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. Advance payment is preferred. Cost: $50 per person, corporate table of eight, $450. Information: Michelle Carpenter, 788-4400 or events@watertownny.com. n American Red Cross Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Salmon Run Mall, 21182 Salmon Run Mall Loop West. Blood donors must be in good general health, at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 lbs. Information/register: 1-800-REDCROSS or redcrossblood.org.
Wednesday, Feb. 25
Monday, Feb. 2
Saturday, Feb. 7
and plans to highlight student research projects, speakers, vendors and hands-on learning opportunities for youth and families. Free. Information: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, 788-8450.
n Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m., Page Fitness, 19472 US Route 11 (Outer Washington St.). Cost: members, $10; non-members, $15. Information: Michelle Carpenter, 788-4400 or events@watertownny.com.
Thursday, March 5
n Business of the Year Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Savory Downtown, 300 Washington St. Awards for business of the year, entrepreneurial business of the year and farm and craft market vendor of the year are to be presented by the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce and other sponsors. Cost: $22 per person; corporate table of eight, $200. Information: Michelle Carpenter, 788-4400 or events@watertownny.com.
GOT A BUSINESS EVENT or calendar item? Email nnybusiness@wdt.net. Deadline is the 10th of each month for the following month’s issue. Visit us on Facebook at www. facebook.com/NNYBusiness or www.nny bizmag.com for events calendar updates.
COMMUNITY / BUSINESS CALENDAR
n Digital Marketing Seminar — “Make Your Company Standout Online!” 8:30 to 10 a.m., The Tech Garden, 235 Harrison St. Session presented by Advance Digital’s corporate training director, Jeanie Enyart, covers social media, content marketing, digital marketing, search engine optimization, audience targeting and more. Presented by CenterState CEO and the Syracuse Media Group. Cost: CenterState CEO members, $10; non-members, $20. Information/register: CenterState CEO, 470-1800 or centerstateceo.com.
16th Annual
Saturday Feb. 7, 2015 Dulles State Office Building Doors Open: 11am - 3pm • Awards at 3pm Adults: $6, 12 & Under $2, Family $15 *Military Discount with ID UNDERWRITTEN BY
Proceeds Benefit Volunteer Transportation Center
January 2015 | NNY Business
| 39
b u siness scene Business of Women Annual Networking Conference at Ramada Inn
From left, Paree H. Evans and Stephanie Nixon, both of Mary Kay, Brownville.
From left, Jessica Dorr and Ani Lawson, both of Page Fitness Athletic Club, Watertown
JILL VAN HOESEN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
JILL VAN HOESEN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Katie Korman and Amy Swartz O’Donnell, both of SUNY Jefferson, and Christine Augliano, Northern Glass, Watertown. The New York State Small Business Development Center at SUNY Jefferson held its Business of Women Annual Networking Conference at the Ramada Inn, Watertown, on Dec. 9.
From left, Jennifer Huttemann-Kall, Resolution Center of Jefferson and Lewis Counties, Kiah Sugrue, and Sarah O’Connell, New York State Small Business Development Center at SUNY Jefferson, Watertown.
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b u siness scene 20th Annual Children’s Christmas Gift & Fund Drive
From left, Chris A. Netto, Sherman Elementary School, Watertown, Jennifer A. Doldo, General Store of Watertown and JoAnne Kirkby, North Elementary School, Watertown.
From left, Tony J. Gianfagna, Renee L. Carpenter, both of Indian River Middle School, Philadelphia, and husband, Vance, Jefferson County Highway Department, Watertown.
LORNA OPPEDISANO PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Garrett McCarthy, artist, Henderson Harbor, Todd V. Tarzia, owner, Vito’s Gourmet, Watertown, and Michael “Biff” Capone, Jefferson Rehabilitation Center, Watertown. Sponsored by Bernier, Carr & Associates and the Paul G. and Kathleen E. Carr Foundation, the 20th Annual Children’s Gift & Fund Drive raised more than $25,000 in toys and cash contributions in a single night at the Paddock Arcade on Dec. 4.
LORNA OPPEDISANO PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Kevin E. Lewis, CEO, Bernier, Carr & Associates, Watertown, Matthew J. Cooper, Bernier, Carr & Associates, wife, Tara E., and Scott Duell, also of Bernier, Carr & Associates.
January 2015 | NNY Business
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b u siness scene NNY Business 4th Annual 20 Under 40 Awards Luncheon
From left, Aaron Miller, owner, Miller Spraying and Miller Turf, Lowville, and wife, Monica.
LORNA OPPEDISANO PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
LORNA OPPEDISANO PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Randy Root, Watertown City Fire Department, wife, Amanda Root, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County and grandmother, Elizabeth Walker. On Dec. 10, NNY Business Magazine and New York Air Brake presented the 4th Annual 20 Under 40 luncheon to recognize Northern New York’s emerging leaders.
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From left, Michelle I. Quinell-Gayle, St. Lawrence NYSARC and husband, Matthew A. Gayle, Hermon-DeKalb Central School.
Let's Go Places
From left, Patricia A. Johnson, private nurse, Katherine K. Schneeberger, North Country Orthopedic, Watertown, and fiancée Jacob S. “Jake” Johnson, owner, Jake’s Lawn Care & Landscaping, Watertown.
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b u siness scene GWNC Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Paddock Arcade
From left, Jeniffer Alberry, River Hospital, Alexandria Bay, and husband, James, Cape Vincent Correctional Facility.
From left, Tom Brennan, Spring Drive Graphics, Depauville, and Jeremy Cohen, WWNY TV Channel 7.
LORNA OPPEDISANO PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
LORNA OPPEDISANO PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Carol Rosenberg, Military Moms Food Truck, Mary Corriveau, Association of the United States Army, Fort Drum, Col. Gary Rosenberg, garrison commander, Fort Drum and Tina Wildhaber, AUSA chapter president.
From left, Peter Whitmore, Jreck Subs, Watertown, Andrea Pfeiffer, River Hospital, Alexandria Bay, Taylour L. Sc.anlin, Carthage Area Hospital and Joseph McLaughin, Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes, Fort Drum.
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January 2015 | NNY Business
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b u siness history
The staff of E.H. Thompson’s Store, Watertown, is ready to wait on customers during “Ketchup Week” in 1917. Each week, Thompson’s featured one item to entice customers to shop. The previous week, the store had “magnificent oranges on sale for 25 cents. photo from “images of america Watertown” by Donna M. dutton
A ‘landmark’ store E.H. Thompson Co. was ‘valuable chapter’ in region’s history By Lorna Oppedisano
I
NNY Business
f Edward Hulbert Thompson had possessed better eyesight, the history of the grocery industry in Watertown might have been completely different. Mr. Thompson, the founder of E. H. Thompson & Company, moved to Watertown in 1859 at age 23, after he had to abandon his first passion of portrait painting due to “defective eyesight,” according to a February 1919 Watertown Daily Times article. Once he got settled in the city, he entered into a partnership with J. B. Tyler that lasted seven years. Mr. Thompson barely had any money of his own to invest, starting in business with Mr. Tyler with just $1,200 of borrowed capital. The partners opened for business in October 1859, with Mr. Tyler’s feed business on one side of the building at 59 Wash-
44 | NNY Business | January 2015
ington Hall, and Mr. Thompson’s grocery on the other, a 1943 Times article stated. The original name of Mr. Thompson’s store was “The Sign of the Live Yankee,” and his company became known as E. H. Thompson & Company. During the initial years, the company did a large wholesale and retail business in maple sugar and syrup, along with a traditional line of groceries, shipping to nearly every state in the nation, according to a Watertown Daily Times article from December 1919. In 1866, Mr. Thompson purchased his partner’s interest and Mr. Tyler retired. Mr. Thompson then ran the company on his own until 1892, when he began a partnership with two of his clerks, J. W. Van Camp and L. J. McDonald. This marked the expansion of the company was well. As reported in a Times article from that year, the company bought
the store of Charles A. Hungerford. E. H. Thompson & Company then moved its store into Mr. Hungerford’s former space, using the adjoining store as well, which had previously been Charles E. Palmiter’s jewelry store. Mr. Palmiter then moved to E. H. Thompson & Company’s previous location. The exact addresses of these stores are not listed. According to the article, this arrangement was carried out mostly by Messrs. Van Camp and McDonald, as Mr. Thompson had been confined to his home with illness. In 1898, Mr. Thompson sold his interest to his partners and retired from active business. The two partners ran the business together until May 1901, when it was announced that Mr. Van Camp would retire after nearly a quarter century in the grocery business. The Times reported that Mr. McDonald consented to the dissolution of
b u siness history the firm and became a sole proprietor. The company changed hands again in 1908, this time back to Mr. Van Camp. After the death of Mr. McDonald, Mr. Van Camp returned to the business, this time taking sole control of the company. He later added his sons, Charles and Edward, into his partnership. In 1913, the store moved to 200-202 Franklin St. in the Solar Building to make way for the YMCA building in Washington Hall. Mr. Thompson, the firm’s original owner, died in February 1919, and the name of the company was changed to E. H. Thompson Company. According to the Times obituary that told of his life, he was “one of the pioneer grocery merchants.” After he retired, Mr. Thompson continued to live at his home on Winthrop Street, where he focused once again on portrait painting. He left no immediate relatives after his death. When the Times obituary was published, the staff of E.H. Thompson Company was comprised of a large corps of clerks and up until shortly before that time, the company was known for having one of the largest delivery organizations in Northern New York. The eventual demise of E. H. Thompson Company came in late 1943, when Charles Van Camp served as president. At that time, the store employed six people, a small number compared to the upwards of 14 people the company had previously employed. A Times story from December of that year reported that Mr. Van Camp announced store closures and the company’s dissolution due to war conditions. The article reads that “among its problems have been the inability to purchase stock and to make deliveries, a policy of long-standing.” The store — named by the Times as “a landmark … [which] has written a long and valuable interesting chapter in the business life of the community” — had been open in one form or another for more than 84 years. n LORNA OPPEDISANO is staff writer and editorial assistant for NNY Magazines. Contact her at loppedisano@wdt.net or (315) 6612381. Business history is a monthly feature from the archives of the Watertown Daily Times. Visit www.watertowndailytimes.com to access digital archives since 1988, or stop by the Times, 260 Washington St., Watertown to research materials in our library that date back to the 1800s.
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January 2015 | NNY Business
| 45
I
N E X T MON T H
n February, we examine the success of the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils as the latest round of grants are awarded to businesses and municipalities across the north country.
Also coming next month: n PROFESSIONAL networking 101: The Greater Watertown Jaycees and Thousand Islands Young Leader Organization connect young north country people. We look at their impact as people expand their networks in search of jobs.
n SMALL BIZ STARTUP: A feature story about a recently opened north country small business. 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 and Business Scene. n VISIT US ONLINE at 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.
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January 2015 | NNY Business
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