Glens Falls Business Journal - February 2021

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FEBRUARY 2021

Kirsh Helmets To Increase Marketing Efforts Price Chopper/Market 32 Will Merge With As Motorcycle Season Expands Nationwide Grocery Chain Based In Western New York

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Motorcycle helmet manufacturer Kirsh Helmets launched its first product, the CHM-1 half shell helmet, in December. The company has also expanded its network of independent agents throughout the country.

“Our agents are working to get our helmets into stores—primarily motorcycle dealerships,” said Donald DeVito, president and chief operating officer. “We have 18 agents right now and would like to add a few more.

Manufacturing and assembly is in full swing at the company’s 5,000-square-foot facility in Queensbury. The space is leased from Seeley Machine Work and opened one year ago with support from Warren County Economic Development.

“You launch motorcycle products the same way you do in the automotive industry. You start out of the east coast and west coast and then work your way into the interior. That’s how we are approaching it right now.”

During the winter, Kirsh Helmets is focusing marketing efforts in southern states that have longer riding seasons. The goal is to establish a strong position in retail stores prior to the spring when the riding season resumes in cold weather states.

“I think this year is going to be the same as last year, which was a record year for recreational vehicles including motorcycles,” said DeVito. “It’s a naturally socially distanced lifestyle, so riders rode more.”

DeVito expects the CHM-1 helmets to be getting into stores by the end of February. They are currently available for sale online as well as at the company’s headquarters on State Street in Schenectady. Customers are asked to call ahead to schedule an appointment to view the helmets and try them out.

“We want people to be able to take our helmets for a ride. When people ride the helmet, they love the helmet,” said DeVito.

“That’s why part of our strategy is engagement at the grassroots level. We intend to work the

Kirsh Helmets founder and CEO Jason Kirshon holds one of his products.

Courtesy Kirsh Helmets

ground game—which is to be at the stores doing bike nights and other events that are related to the riding groups in the communities that we serve.”

Kirsh Helmets plans to have representatives at motorcycle shows and rallies throughout the country during 2021. To protect staff and customers, the company suspended its direct engagement efforts in 2020 due to COVID-19.

“We pushed everything to this year. We are hoping with the vaccine and a better management of COVID that we will be able to see more shows and rallies emerge in 2021,” said DeVito.

Fourteen of the company’s 19 employees Continued On Page 2

Price Chopper/Market 32 has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Tops Markets, a grocery chain based in western New York, that nearly doubles the collective footprints of both in the Northeast, officials said.

Both chains have deep ties to their local communities and shared commitments to service, savings, and convenience, officials said in statement. With increased scale, the merged companies are expected to be better positioned to compete and offer more value and services to their customers.

Scott Grimmett, Price Chopper/Market 32 president and CEO, will be CEO of and serve on the board of directors of the new parent company, which will oversee the operations of nearly 300 Price Chopper, Market 32, Market Bistro and Tops Markets stores and collectively employ more than 30,000 people.

Frank Curci, Tops Markets chairman and CEO, will serve on the board of directors of the new parent company and as a consultant to assist in the transition.

Blaine Bringhurst, Price Chopper/ Market 32 executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and store operations, will lead the Price Chopper/ Market 32 business. John Persons, Tops Markets president and chief operating officer, will lead the Tops Markets business.

The new parent company will be headquartered in Schenectady. The Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets businesses will retain main offices in Schenectady and Williamsville and will continue to be managed locally by their respective leaders.

“I’ve seen tremendous change in our industry across my 65-year career and have long been an advocate for the promise of innovation and partnership, like that

This is a Tops Markets store in western New York.

Price Chopper will merge with the chain. which has driven this merger forward,” said Neil Golub, Price Chopper/Market 32 executive chairman of the board. “I can assure you that our commitment to sustaining and improving the communities in which we operate remains steadfast.”

“This merger marks a major step forward and collectively elevates our ability to compete on every level,” said Grimmett. “It leverages increased value for our customers; advances shared opportunities for innovation; fortifies the depth of our workforce, community and trade partnerships; and ultimately accelerates our capacity to deliver a distinctively modern and convenient shopping experience. Given the vital role that supermarkets and their workforces play in our communities, particularly this past year, I am excited to lead the parent company of these two historic grocery retailers.”

Continued On Page 6

Glens Falls Sets Up Deferred Loan Program Lake George Area Winterfest Off To A Good For New, Expanding Downtown Businesses Start; Events Run Through End Of February A new deferred loan program was established in Glens Falls to help entrepreneurs looking to start or expand businesses in the downtown area.

It is part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, part of a series of state-funded projects that are coming to fruition.

Entrepreneurs can now apply for a deferred loan through the Glens Falls Business Downtown Revitalization Initiative Venture Enterprise Program, or GF Business DRIVE. Around $600,000 of the city’s $10 million DRI grant awarded by the state in 2016 to rehab portions of the downtown area near South Street is being used to establish the program, city officials said.

Funding for the program was provided by the state’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal and will be administered by the city and the Greater Glens Falls Local Development Corp.

The city is seeking to promote new and existing business development within the DRI Target Area, including the South and Elm Street area that will be undergoing a significant redevelopment effort also sponsored by the DRI, and other parts of the Downtown Business District targeted for retail and general

The city is seeking to promote new and existing business development. commercial activities.

Loans will be based on the needs of each awarded business and will be forgiven after five years if the business continues to operate within Downtown Glens Falls and meets all other program terms during that five-year period, Continued On Page 14

The Lake George Area Winterfest kicked off the first weekend in February with nearly 900 wristbands sold for the event, organizers said.

The wrist bands are used for rides on horse-drawn carriages, hot chocolate stations, hotel and restaurant discounts, and socially-distanced safe outdoor events such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, winter “fat tire” mountain biking, axe throwing, dog sled rides and more.

Visitors are encouraged to share their photos of Winterfest on Facebook and Instagram by using the hashtag #lakegeorgewinterfest to enter to win a restaurant gift certificate. A winner will be drawn on March 1.

Wristbands are still on sale for Winterfest, which continues Thursday to Sunday ever y weekend in Februar y. Activities selected with a with wristband are for one-time events, but the carriage rides, cocoa and discounts can be enjoyed all month long.

Participants can choose from a $30 wristband (including a special winter activity) or a $20 wristband (without the special

winter activity). Both include access to horse-drawn carriage rides around Lake George on Saturday, hot cocoa stations, 15 percent off a hotel stay and 10 percent off at many participating restaurants, which are all listed on the website.

Many of the restaurants offer takeout and delivery options. Children’s wristbands are half the price of the adult wristband.

Now open is a new public ice skating rink adjacent to the Shepard Park beach.

It is for the general public to enjoy as well as Winterfest wristband holders. Additionally, Winterfest ice sculptures are now on display at several key locations in the area, including the Hyde Museum.

Wristbands can be purchased at www. lakegeorgewinterfest.com. The wristband must be purchased by Sunday for the following weekend in order to allow for delivery time. Wristbands are only sold online.

WinterFest is funded by Warren County and supported by the Warren County Board of Supervisors, the Town and Village of Lake George, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, and major hoteliers and restaurateurs. Proceeds of wristband sales benefit Warren County’s promotional programs.

2 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

•

Personnel Briefs

Jessica E. Stover, Esq., a former partner of The Towne Law Firm, and Christine E. Taylor, a former associate, have both been named as principal partners of the firm.

Stover is in charge of the firm’s Saratoga Springs office location.

Before moving to Saratoga Springs in 2007, Stover attended Union College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. She went on to Syracuse University School of Law, where she received her J.D. degree. She also obtained an L.L.M. in Real Property Development from the University of Miami School of Law. Stover’s real estate law services include both residential and commercial purchase and sales, leases, bank representation, homeowners’ associations/condo associations; title examination and title insurance law, and estate planning.

Taylor joined the firm in 2018 and has refined her practice to focus primarily on the hospitality industry, serving clients across the entire northeast as well as nationally.

Taylor, originally planning to focus her career on entertainment law, attended UCLA School of Law where she received her J.D. degree.

A former professional opera singer, she began her career working with a variety of production companies and movie stations. She ultimately returned to Upstate New York where she transitioned to providing comprehensive legal services to various small businesses, with a specific focus on campgrounds and RV parks.

The Towne Law Firm has local area offices in Glens Falls, Saratoga Springs, and Albany, NY

* * * Sustainable PR, a Glens Falls-based public relations agency providing earned media services to green companies, has expanded its team to serve the communication needs of companies in the green economy.

David R. Evanson, John F. Kouton and Ni-

Kirsh Helmets

Continued From Page 1 work at the Queensbury facility. Kirsh prides itself on hiring veterans and individuals with disabilities. They were recently awarded the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Medallion Award which recognizes a company’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development Kirsh Helmets is registered as a START-

Boats By George To Purchase Lake George Forum; To Become Expanded Showroom •

cole Hallberg collectively bring decades of marketing communications experience in financial communications, public affairs and content marketing to clients seeking to leverage sustainability as a driver for growth, the company said.

The company also announced its first client, Soho Waterworks, a Brooklyn-based start-up water distributor.

Evanson has over 30 years of experience in the media, on Wall Street and in media relations. With a background in financial writing, and in particular in writing about sustainable investing, his welldeveloped understanding of environmental, social and governance issues is an asset in appealing to a younger, more environmentally-conscious consumer base, who have shown an interest in putting their money where their values are.

His work has appeared in national media such as Barron’s, Forbes, Investment Dealer’s Digest, On Wall Street, Financial Planning and Entrepreneur.

With over 25 years in public relations, Kouton has counseled and led leading pharmaceutical, food science, personal care, nutraceutical and agricultural companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi, Inc. More recently, he has overseen projects relating to nuclear medicine compliance at GE Healthcare and sustainable practices for an emerging cannabis company.

Hallberg is an experienced content marketer and has provided B2B and small business clients with ghostwriting and marketing services for nearly a decade. She provides Sustainable PR and its clients with blog posts, social media and web copy content development expertise to strengthen performance for earned media, PR, SEO, branding and thought leadership campaigns.

UP NY company and is headquartered in the NYBizLab in Schenectady. START-UP NY offers new and expanding businesses the opportunity to operate tax-free for 10 years.

Their helmets are made entirely from components made in the United States, and its patented fluid displacement liner is manufactured in the Queensbury facility.

The liner was invented by company founder and CEO Jason Kirshon who spent more than 10 years perfecting the technology.

The company website is kirshhelmets.com.

Formerly PrimeLink Managed Services

The Lake George Forum on Route 9, a 50,000-square-foot event arena, will be used by Boats By George for administrative headquarters and an expanded showroom for his boat dealership.

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL George Pensel is finalizing negotiations on the purchase of Lake George Forum, a 50,000-square-foot event arena and ice rink where he plans to move administrative headquarters and expand the showroom for his boat dealership, Boats By George.

Pensel said he will keep the 8,000-squarefoot flagship facility at 18 Route 149 in Lake George, possibly for previously owned boat sales. He has expanded many times since he opened for business in 1982.

The Forum is at 2200 Route 9 in Lake George.

Nearly four decades later, and with his two sons active partners in the company, Pensel has needed a larger showroom for some time, as new boat sales have increased year to year along with the company’s market share, he said.

Many factors boosted demand for the kinds of boats available at Boats By George.

One factor is the pandemic.

“Boating has allowed people to get out in the fresh air, social distance, and enjoy the outdoors,” said Pensel. “Manufacturers have had trouble keeping up with the demand for boats. The marine industry has had a big expansion this year.”

“Our inventories at the beginning of January were depleted, compared to the same time in 2020,” he said. “Typically we would have 30 boats to start the 2021 model year, but this January there were a lot fewer.”

Having a large showroom will allow Pensel to add new product lines.

“In 2020, we began selling pontoon boats with the Barletta brand, which represented $1 million in revenue,” he said. “This is a high-growth segment nationally and there is hidden potential in both pontoon boats and tow boats.”

Boats By George stocks Cobalt and ChrisCraft, brands that are fiberglass and sterndriven and Malibu Axis tow boats with

Courtesy Boats By George

inboard motors for water sports. But he is also looking for a smaller outboard to round out the product offerings.

“A 16-to-22-foot boat made of fiberglass is a sweet spot,” said Pensel. “It trailers easily and is a good choice for smaller lakes such as those in the Adirondacks.”

The company’s market reach is wide, making Boats by George a regional dealer and market leader, Pensel said. They are drawing from points in Vermont, Lake Champlain and Lake Placid and are continuing to grow into other markets.

He said he did some shopping before making an offer on The Forum, although that building had long been a major point of interest, he said.

“I grew up in Lake George and had my eyes on The Forum for three or four years,” he said.

“It had not been used to its potential and I believe buying it for the dealership is one of the highest and best uses.”

Pensel anticipates a February closing date and said negotiations for The Forum are going well as he works on his plans of creating an efficiently running building.

“There is a lot of square footage and to invest in an efficient operation there will be upgrades of the heating and cooling system, all the lighting will be changed to LEDs, and we will have an extensive interior upgrade as well as exterior work,” he said. “But we are taking our time.”

“One thing about this business is that it takes a lot of real estate to operate it,” he said.

“This is not a business that could have started out normally this way, but had to grow over time into a destination for our products and services.”

His son Adam Pensel is involved in both the management of the company and sales and Andrew Pensel is in full-time sales.

“They really enjoy the business,” Pensel said. “They are the reason I am doing what I am doing at age 65.”

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GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 3

Queensbury-Based Gross Electric Reports A Record $65 Million Sales For 2020

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Queensbury-based electrical contractor Gross Electric reported record breaking sales of $65 million in 2020.

The company was founded in 1994 by Joseph Gross. He started the business out of his garage and had 40 employees by the end of his first year. Today, Gross Electric has 300 employees and satellite offices in Virginia and Florida. The company performs work along the entire East Coast and as far north as the Canadian border.

“I cut my teeth in the paper industry,” said Gross, noting that Finch Pruyn was his first major customer. “The paper industry was very good to us, but unfortunately, that industry has faded.”

Gross Electric was able to find new opportunities in the cement industry and has performed work at Glens Falls Cement and Lafarge Ravena Cement Plant. The company also works in the food processing industry, and customers have included Beech-Nut Fla Company in Amsterdam.

Their biggest break came about five years ago when they were hired to do the electrical work for the Global Foundries administrative offices in Malta.

“After that, we earned their trust and picked up quite a lot of work at Global Foundries,” said Gross. “With them giving us the opportunity, that opened up other opportunities in the industry.”

As a result, Gross Electric was able to secure work at some of the largest chip manufacturing projects on the East Coast.

Crews are currently working at the $3 billion Micron Technology plant that is under construction in Manassas, Va. Gross’s son Kyle is overseeing work there.

His son Kevin manages prefabrication, purchasing, and logistics at the company’s 60,000-square-foot facility in Queensbury.

“I’m proud to say the company is moving into a second generation,” said Gross.

Gross Electric also has crews working at the new Regeneron Pharmaceutical plant in East Greenbush and the Cree Inc. semiconductor plant that is under construction near Utica.

“We’re working on quite a few large projects which were bid on pre-COVID. COVID has been challenging to say the least. It’s been challenging to maintain social distancing and keep everyone safe.

And because of contact tracing, we had to send 35 guys home from one job,” said Gross. “We had a record sales year, but I would say our margins were less due to

COVID. It’s been a successful year. It’s just that it had potential to be more successful if we weren’t in a pandemic.”

Gross furloughed 75 employees at the height of COVID. For many, it was their choice to be furloughed. The electrical workers at the company are part of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker (IBEW) union.

“We use the IBEW labor pool and have been fortunate to be able to man all projects appropriately,” said Gross. “It’s not easy, and it’s a constant rotation because of people not feeling comfortable with the COVID crisis.”

Gross Electric’s record sales in 2020 were driven by the economic growth that the country experienced in 2018 and 2019.

During those years, many companies made decisions to invest in new facilities. It was in 2020 that construction of many of these facilities began.

“We were running on the high of 2018 and 2019 being such great years,” said Gross. “Had anybody had a crystal ball and known about the pandemic, they probably would have either delayed projects or tried to get them done sooner.”

Gross predicts sales in 2021 to be “average” and estimates they will total approximately $50 million. He is concerned about the impact the pandemic will have on sales in 2022. It has put a halt to many company’s plans for future expansion.

“I see a dip in the economy in the latter part of ’21,” he said. “We are going to survive through ’21, but my concern is latter part of ‘21 going into ‘22 because of the unknown.

The larger firms aren’t going to be making large capital investments until we all know where the economy is going. There isn’t a lot of planning right now—engineering firms are not planning. It’s like a whip effect. When they aren’t planning, there’s nothing for us to bid on.”

As a result, Gross is focused on making his operation as efficient as possible.

“We’re constantly trying to reinvent ourselves and find ways to make ourselves more competitive and more efficient.

We are committed to giving the best end product we can to all of our clients.”

In recent years, Gross has purchased real estate throughout the region. Among his holdings are more than 30 acres of vacant land adjoining the Carey Industrial Park on Carey Road in Queensbury. He is considering plans for a potential industrial park near Northway Exit 18.

•

My Turn Rural Digital Divide Disparity Must Be Stopped

BY STATE SEN. DAN STEC The governor’s promise almost five years ago of high-speed broadband for all remains unfulfilled.

Having heard frustrated pleas from families, businesses, schools and many others, my colleagues and I proposed legislation last year to drill down into this problem and come up with solutions to end this technological inequality. The governor’s recent veto of our proposal is very disappointing.

In 2015, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the New NYS Broadband Program, a $500 million investment to reach under and unserved regions.

His website assured that as of 2018, “99.9 percent of New Yorkers” would have access to high-speed broadband. The state Broadband office last year claimed 98 percent of New York has that access.

However, based on my conversations with town and county supervisors, school superintendents and parents I am sure that is not the case for upstate New York.

During the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic last spring, over 700,000 students and 18,000 teachers statewide lacked broadband access as estimated by Common Sense Media. At a time when in-person learning was impossible, 27 percent of students couldn’t access remote learning.

On top of this, you had hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers working from home and businesses trying to maximize their online presence to offset the loss of in-person service. We saw that our state’s internet infrastructure was incapable of meeting the needs of a substantial portion of our residents.

The Legislature last July passed the Comprehensive Broadband Connectivity Act (A.6679/S.8805) with near unanimous consent.

The point was to require the Public Service Commission (PSC) to study the availability, affordability, and reliability of high-speed internet and create a detailed access map on its public website.

Our goal was to identify with highly specific detail exactly those who find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide. Then focus attention and resources on fixing the problem.

•

Sen. Dan Stec’s 45th District includes Warren and Washington counties.

Courtesy State Sen. Dan Stec

Instead of signing this bi-partisan legislation, Gov. Cuomo vetoed it. In rejecting the Comprehensive Broadband Connectivity Act, his spokesman claimed that “we agree with it in concept and will be including a proposal in the budget.” The governor’s budget was proposed on Jan. 19 and still we wait.

Last year, Gov. Cuomo said, “Look at the data…

Listen to the experts.” Let it be known: the data shows that over a quarter of our children are already or at serious risk of falling behind academically due to insufficient internet access. The numbers show a strong online presence is crucial to keeping our economy afloat. The surge of New Yorkers struggling to schedule an appointment for the coronavirus vaccine make reliable, high-speed internet of paramount importance.

The lack of high-speed broadband has caused continued distress and disadvantages for so many in our communities and addressing this issue just can’t wait until April 1 when a new budget is due.

I ask that the governor take action on broadband access immediately.

4 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Cool Insurance Purchased By Company; Downtown Arena Will Retain Its Name

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Gallagher, a global insurance and risk management firm, acquired Cool Insurance in Glens Falls in December but will keep the name of the downtown arena.

BY ANDREA HARWOOD PALMER Gallagher, a global insurance and risk management brokerage firm that acquired Cool Insurance in Glens Falls in December, has decided the arena in downtown Glens Falls will remain the Cool Insuring Arena, at least through 2025.

The Gallagher agency specializes in serving construction and healthcare industry clients, as well as governments and municipalities, which together account for more than half of its revenues.

Anthony Mashuta, Ira Neifeld and their associates at Cool Insurance will continue to operate from their current locations under the direction of Patrick Kennedy, head of Gallagher’s Northeast Region retail property/casualty brokerage operations, and Tom Belmont, Jr., head of Gallagher’s Atlantic Region employee benefit consulting and brokerage operations.

“Cool Insuring Agency has operated for more than 160 years and is viewed as the premier independent agency in Upstate New York. Their specialties align closely with our construction, healthcare, senior living and public entity practices,” said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., chairman, president and CEO. “We are delighted to welcome Tony, Ira and their associates to our growing Gallagher team.”

Gallagher has operations in 49 countries and offers client-service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Cool Insuring was founded in 1857 by Charles W. Cool, who was also the first mayor of Glens Falls.

“Gallagher is a progressive firm with cutting edge technology, and specialties in over 20 areas,” said Mike Grasso, vice president, Cool Insuring Agency, Inc. The merger will make Cool Insuring more competitive, said Grasso, as Gallagher brings to the table additional insurance vendors, specialty divisions and programs. Additional metrics and information analysis will be available as well.

“It will give us a better breadth of the marketplace as we continue to give our clients the best coverage at the best price,” said Grasso.

Regarding retaining the name of the arena, Jack Bieniek, vice president, Cool Insuring Agency Inc. said, “We’ve known all along that this arena is a catalyst to the economic success of our community.

So the question for both Cool Insuring Agency and Gallagher became focused on how we can support an entertainment and sport venue together.

Community support and involvement was one of the determining factors we evaluated during our conversations with Gallagher about the arena.

Grasso said from an employee standpoint, there will be few noticeable changes. However, from a customer standpoint, Cool Insuring will have more insuring vendors, sectors and options with which to serve their client base. Senior leadership and management have committed to staying on with the agency for several years post-merger.

“Gallagher has been very good about making this as seamless as possible. Our customers are going to have the same service reps as they’ve had in the past. The average Cool customer will not feel anything with the merger,” said Grasso.

“This is a positive step forward. It’s not a traditional sale. There will be no closed offices, consolidation of books or move people. We were hesitant to make the transition with a number of suitors, and it was Gallagher’s commitment to the community that made us say ‘yes’ to them,” said Grasso.

“A Fortune 500 company of this size is going to be around for a long, long time. We wanted to make sure our clients were with an agency that will be around forever and doesn’t get sold to some downstate company that never sees them anymore.”

“This helps our international clients immensely.

It brings ease of business and an element of competency to these businesses in other countries.

When you have a resident agent there who knows the rules and laws of the area, they can walk people through the maze of regulations and local expertise,” said Grasso.

Among the specialties at Gallagher are construction and healthcare, two primary market segment areas of expertise for Cool Insuring Agency.

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 5

James Joseph Opens ‘Reiki Rising,’ A Massage Former Merrill Magee Restaurant And Inn And Energy Healing Practice On Glen Street Will Be Transformed Into New Establishment

BY ANDREA HARWOOD PALMER James Joseph Jr., owner of Sharp Presents in Queensbury, has opened a Reiki massage practice.

Reiki Rising is located at 458 Glen St. in Glens Falls.

Joseph is certified for Level 1 and Level 2 of Reiki, which is a form of energy healing, in which hands are placed just off the body or lightly touching the body. He was in the process of setting up studio space when COVID hit. Plans were put on hold.

Joseph felt drawn to focus to the practice in the summer of 2019.

“In my head, I kept seeing a blueish-green Phoenix, and hearing the phrase, ‘It’s time to Phoenix. It’s time to step into service.’ I felt the connection to starting from nothing and come into full potential. With Reiki energy, it can raise you up and bring you from the ashes. You can be at your worst, and Reiki energy can help bring you back up to your fullest capacity,” said Joseph.

Reiki Rising is named from the fabled Phoenix, which graces Joseph’s business card.

Joseph was certified by June StoddardFinemore, Reiki practitioner and masseuse at Renew with June, 458 Glen St. in Glens Falls in the same building where Joseph sees clients.

“Reiki is a great addition to traditional medicine and standard channels of healing,” said Joseph. “It is an excellent add-on. It can help expand and quantum leap your healing process.

Reiki works not only with the physical, but also with the spiritual and emotional. It works on a number of levels.”

Joseph sets up the space with sage or other fragrance and music. He spends time in the space before his client arrives. He uses a specialized healing light unit under the table. When the client arrives, Joseph spends time in conversation learning what the client needs and hopes to get out of the session.

“In some cases, clients come to me just for the Reiki experience itself,” said Joseph. “Other times, it’s an add-on to massage or energy counseling.

Reiki gives a lot of similar benefits as traditional

James Joseph Jr. is the owner of Reiki Rising located at 458 Glen St. in Glens Falls.

Courtesy of James Joseph Jr.

massage in that it helps remove tension and stress. It’s very relaxing. When you’re done with a session, you feel rested, relaxed, mellow.”

Clients rest on a table, fully clothed, and are covered in a warming blanket like a cocoon.

Joseph focuses on areas of the body he senses need more attention. Though some Reiki practitioners implement touch in their sessions, Joseph’s methods do not require physical contact.

“It’s a pretty basic process ... but there are a lot of things going on with healing of past injury, emotional damage, spiritual hang-ups and other issues,” said Joseph. “With Reiki, you send the energy into the person and it goes where it needs to go.”

Sessions last between 30-65 minutes, depending on what the client has requested.

Clients can call 518-502-9995 or email Reikirising2020@gmail.com to make an appointment. Online appointment scheduling is available atwww.massagebook.com/biz/ ReikiRising.

Stewart’s Holiday Match Program Raises Nearly $1.9 Million To Help Charities Stewart’s Shops recently opened a third in Moreau in a new building at 1311 Route 9, just off of Northway Exit 17N. The new Moreau location is one of 10 brand new stores. Others were completely renovated and rebuilt “I’m really excited. It’s a great opportunity for us,” store manager Matt Gould said. “We’ll have a great mix of local and commuter traffic.”

The company said the store is one more link in a very community-oriented chain that Stewart’s Shops has been steadily building for the past 75 years.

The store is situated just three miles away from

The former Merrill Magee Restaurant and Inn at 3 Hudson St. in Warrensburg will be re-opened under a new name by a local entrepreneur.

Ash Anand of the Lotus Group of Companies has acquired the property and will oversee the reopening through his group’s Hospitality Division.

That group ran the Grist Mill, which was recently damaged by fire. Plans are to use that staff to work on the new venture the Grist Mill , 100 River St., Warrensburg, is renovated and rebuilt as needed.

The fire happened in November.

The Bond, 1786 will be dedicated to serving creative, original and affordable cuisine along with hand crafted cocktails, local brew selections and homemade desserts, Anand said in a news release.

The entire property will be called The Bond and the restaurant will specifically be known as 1786, Anand said.

The Merrill Magee House boasts several smaller private dining spaces, a rustic but elegant bistro area and a main dining room with cathedral ceilings, intimate beam work and several fireplaces. Anand said he has plans to cultivate the entire property into a destination vacation spot.

The house is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

He and his wife Jaime came up with the new name as a tribute to the first settler in the area, William Bond, who settled in the area in 1786.

Anand plans to be open by mid March, serving dinner seven nights a week in the restaurant.

Discussions about adding lunch and/or breakfast are under discussion. A full operating schedule will be evaluated once the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, he said.

“Business expansion has been a natural progression for the Lotus Group, as it increases our ability to provide something unique and exciting, that has been missing in the communities we serve,” said Anand. “I am extremely excited with our acquisition of The Bond, 1786. We love preserving and restoring history, adding economic benefits to our local community and keeping our existing team working.”

The Lotus Group currently owns Ashes Pub & Ocho Cinco Cantina, along with The Grist Mill.

Anand said he saw an opportunity to keep his

Grist Mill staff employed, knowing they would accept the added challenge of operating a banquetstyle facility along with the restaurant at 1786. Both The Grist Mill head chef Henk Schonoveld, and sous chef Paul MacPherson will relocate to 1786.

Grist Mill head server Joyce Wolf will be charged with streamlining the processes for the front of the house team. The culinary team expects to feature a variety of locally sourced products and feature Adirondack spirits and craft beer selections.

“We have several other qualified Grist Mill team members that will be transitioning to the new restaurant while the rebuild takes place,” Anand said.

“We are so excited that our core team has all agreed to come on board at the new place, their expertise, versatile skill sets and customer driven service will continue to be an asset for Lotus. Friendly faces will only make the guest experience better and help us drive business from the beginning,” said Lotus Director of Hospitality, Kate Belden.

Lotus plans on embracing the historical value the inn and restaurant have to offer while presenting a variety of bistro styled cuisine and American fare.

The wedding venue will be tented with a permanent floor, with an “elegant and timeless” theme.

It will host events up to 200 people and is not limited to just wedding celebrations. It will host banquets for groups as small as 20 and service a diversification of guests needs, from birthday parties, baby showers and rehearsal dinners to full scale weddings or corporate events.

The grounds at the property will include additional garden areas, paved pathways throughout and a new gazebo area along with a wedding arch for ceremonies on premise.

Lotus plans to install privacy fencing along the property lines.

The inn’s rooms will have their fireplaces transitioned to gas for guest safety and ease. A hot tub installation is planned for the future as well as “a small decorative overhaul of the inn,” Anand said.

The Lotus Group of Companies is based inWarrensburg. Its phone is (855) 568-8787 and thew website is www.lotusus.com.

one of the many local farms that provides Stewart’s Shops with all of their milk.

The company’s expansion projects in 2020 included a new store in New Windsor, N.Y., in April; a shop at 250 Ridge St., Glens Falls, in April; Port Henry, N.Y., in July; Rotterdam in September; Schodack in September; Schenectady in September; 1736 Route 9, Clifton Park in September; Albany in September; Altamont in September; Indian Lake in September; Keene in November; Loudonville in November 2020; Catskill in December; Scotia in Open December ; and Castleton, N.Y. in December.

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6 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Editorial: RJDeLuke@glensfallsbusinessjournal.com Advertising: HarryW@glensfallsbusinessjournal.com Publisher & Editor Harry Weinhagen Associate Editor R.J. DeLuke Editor Emeritus Rod Bacon Sales and Customer Service Harry Weinhagen Production Manager Graphic Precision Contributing Writers Susan Campbell Jill Nagy Jennifer Farnsworth Christine Gaf Andrea Palmer Rachel Phillips Glens Falls Business Journal is published monthly, the second week of each month, by Weinhagen Associates, LLC and mailed to business and professional people in Warren and Washington counties.

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Hyde Museum Get New Chief Development Officer; To Remain Closed Through May 1 The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls has named John Lefner as its new chief development officer.

Lefner has over 17 years of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience.

The museum also has temporarily paused public visits to its galleries, exhibits, and historic home. It will open its doors to the public again on Saturday, May 1, with an exhibition titled “The Very Best of The Hyde.”

“Our first and most pressing priority always is to protect our staff and visitors,” said Chief Executive Officer Norman E. Dascher Jr., noting that the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, predicted to continue this winter and early spring, led to the decision.

The Hyde will undertake internal improvement and maintenance projects during the period and its offices will remain open, though with reduced hours and staff. Some employees will be furloughed, others will work on limited schedules, he said.

In his most recent position, Lefner was the District executive director for the Capital District YMCA, where he led the strategic plan and oversaw all operations of YMCA Camp Chingachgook and the Schenectady YMCA. Prior to that, he was the director of operations for the Saratoga Independent School and the assistant director of operations for the Double H Ranch.

He has served as board member for Wellspring and the state YMCA Foundation, provided leadership to the Schenectady Foundation’s COVID-19 Coalition, and volunteers regularly in the Capital Region.

He graduated from Champlain College with associate bachelor of science degrees and possesses a YMCA fundraising certificate from Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy.

The museum also announced the appointment of Carl DeBrule and James R. Burkett to its board of directors, effective immediately.

Officials said the Hyde continues to reduce its operating expenses in response to declines in revenue cause by COVID-related limitations on exhibitions, programs and visits since March 2020. The early months of each year traditionally bring fewer visitors to The Hyde, and for much of 2020 visitation has been lower because of the social-distancing policies the museum has imposed to protect the health of

John Lefner was named the new chief development officer at The Hyde Museum.

Courtesy The Hyde

patrons and staff.

“The Hyde’s mission is to make art accessible to our community, but we believe the most prudent step we can take right now is to pause public visits and look forward to the better days that we hope will come this spring,” said Dascher.

“The Very Best of The Hyde” will feature the most popular treasures from the Hyde’s permanent collection of nearly 4,000 objects of art. The Hyde will celebrate its 60th year in 2022, and planning for major anniversary exhibitions and celebrations is already underway.

Dascher said across the United States, museums have temporarily paused public visitation in response to COVID-19. The American Alliance of Museums reported recently that one in three museums remains closed to the public because of the pandemic.

The Smithsonian temporarily closed eight of its Washington, D.C. area institutions in November. The New York State Museum, State Library and State Archives are temporarily closed as well as are the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, and the Adirondack Experience in Blue Mountain Lake.

Price Chopper Merger Continued From Page 1

“We have long believed that this merger makes sense both strategically and based on the similar ways in which we each put customers first, go to market and treat our people,” said Curci. “We look forward to working closely with the Price Chopper/ Market 32 team and together becoming an even stronger competitor with more scale, as we continue serving our customers and communities.”

With formative roots dating back to the 1920s, both Tops Markets and Price Chopper/Market 32 have grown exponentially over the last century, building and acquiring stores across Upstate New York and throughout the Northeast. The merged companies are

committed to serving their markets across the Northeast, officials said.

The transaction is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Price Chopper/Market 32 operates 130 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores and one Market Bistro, employing 18,000 people in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Tops Markets operates 162 grocery stores in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, including five that are run by franchisees. It has 14,000 associates.

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 7

Trans-Border Global Freight Systems Meets State Plans To Construct Two 20-Megawatt Global Shipping Challenges With Experts Solar Energy Projects In Fort Edward

Jake Oswald, an account executive with Trans-Border Global Freight Systems Inc. in Round Lake, says global freight networks are complex and challenging.

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL Global freight networks— needed to get the goods from manufacturers to customers— are complex and challenging. And when the COVID-19 pandemic came along, it threw a wrench into things.

Manufacturing was cut back, ports closed, truckers stayed home and delays increased, affecting the dynamics of an industry that consumers and businesses rely on.

“It was a total nightmare, but we have pivoted to adapt to the changing environment,” said Jake Oswald, an account executive with Trans-Border Global Freight Systems Inc. in Round Lake.

Trans-Border is an award-winning, licensed U.S. customs broker specializing in transportation logistics. Oswald said the firm manages goods as they travel throughout the supply chain by land, sea or air. They do so as safely, efficiently and costeffectively as possible and in accordance with a litany of changing regulations and financial considerations.

The company has a staff of 65, as well as remote sales reps and independent reps sprinkled across the country. But it takes about 590 international partners, developed over the past 25 years, to manage the importing and exporting needs of companies, according to Oswald.

With the teams of import and export specialists and directors at Trans-Border, Oswald said “there are a bunch of eyes on the supply chain to make sure products get through quickly and efficiently.”

He said that while “anybody can book a shipment,” not everyone can book a shipment that is specific to client needs and time restraints, especially in today’s environment.

All importers and exporters around the world have been impacted by COVID-19.

There has been an extreme increase in air/ocean shipping rates and space has been limited, making bookings difficult.

Moreover, with American buyers competing with Amazon and other e-commerce giants, “there is often no choice but to pay premium rates at $3,000 to $5,000 over the general rate” for a transaction, he said.

Then there is the technology to trace and communicate where the product is in real time. Take, for example, a publishing company buying a printing press manufactured in Germany for delivery to New York City.

Oswald said if there is an in-house delivery date of Jan. 1, there has to be a network in place to support that date.

©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

Trans-Border will check with the steamship line on Dec. 28. If there is a problem or delay with the container the printing press is on, an account exec would explain the delay to the client, Oswald said.

“My job is 80 percent sales and 20 percent communication, including working with clients on pricing,” he said.

Recently one local business buying a $50,000 piece of equipment from China substantially trimmed his shipping and customs costs by having Trans-Border manage the logistics, he said.

“Customs has always been complicated because you have to pay taxes and duties to come into the U.S.” Oswald said. “If you classify the shipment incorrectly, it can be held up for weeks and run up storage fees every day.”

“We are experienced import compliance managers who can provide pages and pages of documentation showing the classification code is correct so that the shipment can clear,” he said. “It rarely happens that TransBorder has issues clearing through customs because of this depth of experience and the superior technology we have developed.”

Another aspect that makes the company competitive, Oswald said, is that it has invested in an in-house finance department to review letters of credit and international contracts, something most forwarders cannot do.

“By simplifying the international banking process, we can save our clients time, reduce their risk and ensure timely payment,” said Oswald.

Trans-Border aims to continue improving technology, hiring staff with freight experience, and expanding the business.

Since the pandemic, the company has installed a new domestic network, made its tracing system more user friendly, and shifted from outside sales to inside sales, said Oswald.

“I was usually on the road three or four days a week, but not since COVID,” he said.

“I miss meeting with people and hearing their stories, since it’s harder to connect with people over a video conference.”

The company philosophy is that there are Four Cs To Success: communication, compliance, control and cost. They believe in the personal touch, meaning no voicemails.

“If your operations specialist is at lunch, you will not have to wait to receive an answer for your question, which can be critical in a time sensitive situation,” said Oswald.

FORT EDWARD —New York state has plans to construct two 20-megawatt solar energy projects in Fort Edward, part of an effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

“As the world economy resets, and as change is a necessity, there is an opportunity to raise our efforts to the next level, and New York should seize this moment,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “We can establish ourselves as the nation’s leader for renewable energy innovation and production. And we will secure the jobs of the future right here at home for New Yorkers.”

The plan includes four components, including identifying large-scale projects that would generate sufficient energy; creating manufacturing facilities needed to construct green infrastructure; increasing the state’s transmission supply so energy created elsewhere can f low to other parts of the state; and expanding education and job training in order to meet the workforce needs associated with green energy.

Also included in the governor’s plan is a $26 billion public-private partnership already underway to build 92 renewable energy projects throughout the state.

Sixty-eight of those projects have already been started in some form, including 52 solar and 13 wind energy projects.

The state has awarded two contracts to build the solar facilities in Fort Edward, one to Dolan Solar and the other to Somers Solar, according to a spokesperson the New York State Research and Development Agency, the state agency tasked with overseeing the state’s renewable energy sector.

CS Energy, a New Jersey-based energy firm with offices in Albany, will construct both projects.

In a statement, the state’s Research and Development Agency said the projects will create multiple long-term jobs in the

region, but did not specify how many.

“Most solar projects of this size will create multiple long-term jobs in development and operations and maintenance that will service the developer’s projects throughout the region,” the agency said.

The facilities are expected to break ground as soon as all the necessary permits are issued, which will likely be by the end of the year. The facilities are expected to be operational by 2025.

The projects would nearly double the county’s solar capacity, which was just over 25 megawatts as of August, according to data from the Research and Development Agency.

It’s unclear how many local jobs the pair of solar projects would create, said Laura Oswald, the county’s director for economic development.

Officials said most jobs associated with building solar projects involve the construction and are only temporary.

The jobs may not even be filled by locals, depending on whether the companies being awarded the project have their own crews or contract with outside companies, she said.

“The direct impact is construction while the solar projects are being constructed.

But solar fields long-term don’t typically have a lot of job creation attached to them,” Oswald said.

She said most long-term jobs associated with clean energy pertain to the construction of solar panels or wind turbines.

Several other large-scale solar projects throughout the county are also in development, Oswald said. That includes a 20-megawatt facility in Greenwich and several others in the eastern portion of the county, including the town of Easton.

Bids for those projects have yet to be awarded.

8 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Office / HR / Employment LayerEight, Formerly PrimeLink Managed MCW Janitorial Services Opens Glens Falls Services, Grows IT, Cybersecurity Services Office To Better Serve North Country Clients

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH It has been a little over a month since LayerEight, formerly PrimeLink Managed Services division, has reintroduced itself to the business community as a new subsidiary of the 118-year -old Champlain Telephone Co. In keeping with the telephone company philosophy, LayerEight officials said it will focus on personalized customer service by specializing in IT, cybersecurity and construction services for telecommunications infrastructure.

The company is based out of Plattsburgh, however Vicki A. Marking, its sales and marketing director, said there are a number of well established clients as far reaching as Saratoga County, with the ability to serve satellite offices across New York State.

“The demographic in the Glens Falls and Saratoga area really match with what we have in the Plattsburgh area. We have a sweet spot for certain size businesses who are looking for personalized, local IT support,” said Marking.

She said when the coronavirus first hit last March, business exploded for them in many ways that were initially unexpected. With so many people having to work from home, being able to set people up with networks for a “home office” became a growing demand.

They also were being sought out for their ability to provide IT cybersecurity.

“All of sudden our clients were finding themselves in an unplanned situation where they were having to connect to work servers, and having to think about confidentiality and security, and all from home,” said Marking.

Marking said they have independent contractors that they work with around the area, so service is available quickly to those businesses who need it. She said one of the most important factors that sets them apart is the amount of time and attention they put into their clients when developing a tailored IT plan that works for them.

“We put the time in the front end to develop a plan that works for our customers and we

LayerEight, an IT company, was formerly PrimeLink Managed Services.

Courtesy Vicki Marking, PrimeLink

can adjust that as needed, say if their business should grow. We then offer them a set monthly fee which gives them peace of mind to know that whether they call once or 100 times, they won’t be hit with additional costs. They know what to expect in terms of both quality service and cost,” said Marking.

She said building long term relationships with the businesses they service is key for success.

“When a business needs something and reaches out to us, we know who they are and we know what their needs are. It can be frustrating and time consuming to need customer service and not have the other person on the line know anything about your business. Having that personalized and local service makes a difference,” said Marking.

The LayerEight website is www.thelayereight. com. For more information, contact them at 518-324-LYR8 or email sales@lyr8.com.

An employee of MCW Janitorial Services cleans a countertop surface. The business recently opened an office on Broad Street in Glens Falls.

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH MCW Janitorial Services has been servicing the Glens Falls area for years, so opening an office in the city seemed like the next logistical step.

Operations Manager Reed Chronis said the new location allows the company to better serve what is already a strong client base. The company cleans businesses all over the Capital Region and North Country areas.

“We have been aggressively pursuing business in the Queensbury and Glens Falls area for some time, and the response has been steady. The new office will give us the opportunity to meet the needs of customers we already have in that area as well as new business,” said Chronis.

The new office is at at 175 Broad St., Suite 188, Glens Falls.

MCW services include commercial janitorial, same-day COVID-19 disinfections, carpet cleaning, maintenance, pressure washing, painting, parking lot maintenance, school consultations, and post-contruction clean-up.

The company has been based in Albany for 25 years and has worked to maintain a reputation of having quality customer service, said Chronis.

Courtesy MCW Janitorial

“We pride ourselves on providing a safe and clean environment to our customers at an affordable price, from a locally based company,” he said.

MCW Janitorial management works with customers to create a plan tailored to the cleaning needs of the business. Chronis said their services have become more important than ever in the wake of the pandemic. A clean and safe work environment has become essential for businesses, with MCW working to keep both it’s employees and customers COVID-19 safe.

They use methods such as CDC-approved and EPA-registered industrial-strength disinfectants, electrostatic cleaning, a process that covers and kills bacteria on all surfaces, and deep cleaning techniques on high-touch point areas like light switches, door knobs, faucets, telephones, and desks.

Chronis said they are always hiring and encourages anyone interested to contact their office.

For more information visit MCW online at www.mcwjanitorial.com or on Facebook. The phone number is 518-858-0199.

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GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 9

•

Business Report Vaccines In The Workplace

BY ROSE MILLER When the news of an FDA approved Covid-19 vaccine was going to become available, I joined many with feelings of joy and hope. I envision a future where we can all live, work and play together again.

Personally, I am tracking vaccine availability closely and I will be seizing the day when I can get a shot. Sign me up. I will be carping a whole lot of diem when this is over.

In the workplace, the expectation was that my staff and the workplaces we support would be equally excited about getting vaccinated. Unfortunately, we are hearing that’s not always the case.

In fact, Dr. McKenna of Albany Medical Center believes that production of the vaccine will greatly improve, and supply will meet or exceed demand in the near future. One of his major concerns was the public’s resistance to getting vaccinated. He and public health officials know for these vaccines to truly turn the tide of the pandemic, there will need to be near universal willingness among Americans to get the shot.

It’s important to understand what’s behind the fear. According to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The Undefeated, some 70 percent of Black Americans believe that people are treated unfairly based on race or ethnicity when they seek medical care. Examples of malpractice and unauthorized experimentation are far from forgotten by the Black community.

The results of a Pew Research Center poll published earlier this month, in which only 42 percent of Black Americans said they would consider taking the vaccine, compared to 63 percent of Hispanic and 61 percent of White adults who would. This mistrust will impact the country’s ability to reach the goal of achieving the number needed to defeat the pandemic. It doesn’t help that the vaccine was developed in record breaking speed and we have little or no data on the long-term effects.

This will cause another workplace dilemma. We are beginning to hear, “I don’t trust the vaccine” or “I’m going to wait and see before getting vaccinated.”

A friend of mine, who runs a large human services agency said up to 20 percent of her workforce is refusing to be vaccinated. What do employers do if employees are hesitant or refuse to get vaccinated?

It’s a workplace initiative that will require planning. Employers can: • Begin with providing education and being transparent. Provide as much accurate information in a timely manner. Show that the research and the scientific community is trustworthy.

• Set an example by encouraging managers and business leaders to get vaccinated first making this visible to the employee population. Host live events where Black health professionals are at the forefront.

Invite local leaders to promote the importance of getting vaccinated.

• Demonstrate management’s buy-in support of vaccinations by offering time to miss work to

• •

Rose Miller is president of Pinnacle Human Resources LLC. Courtesy Pinnacle Human Resources

get vaccinated. Provide information on locations offering vaccinations. If available in the future, coordinate an on-site vaccine clinic at the workplace similar to hosting workplace flu shot clinics.

• Communicate the benefits of vaccines, disclose information about possible reactions from shots and assign a company coordinator for questions/ concerns.

• Communicate the business necessity and if your organization is making vaccines a job requirement.

EEOC guidelines say employers may require employees to take the COVID-19 vaccine, subject to certain legally protected exceptions for disability and sincerely held religious beliefs.

• Set a goal and show employees how their participation matters. Report the percentage of employees who have been vaccinated and show the improvement in numbers vaccinated.

• Encourage vaccinated employees to talk up/ promote their positive experience after receiving the vaccine.

• Use incentives for Covid-19 vaccination participation, provide refreshments or holding a contest of highest percentage of vaccinated employees by department.

• Hang information posters, use intranet and social media posts in promotion of vaccines.

Emphasize how everyone’s participation is a part of the common good.

Having a plan to confront possible distrust and encouraging Covid-19 vaccines should be a company imperative. The pandemic has been one of the most difficult events in our history. It has damaged our health, our schools, the workplace, and our economy.

It has disproportionately impacted people of color. To rid our country from this deadly virus will be a dream come true for us all. We need to focus on how our individual participation is tied to the health of the entire country. We have a solution in front of us. Let us seize the day.

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Business Report You Need More Than Skills

BY MICHAEL CRUZ Your new employee is starting Monday. You think, “I hope they work out well.” The worst thing that can happen to you is that you have to start searching all over again. Not, really the worst thing. The real worst thing is that they do not work out—and they stay on your payroll.

This can be avoided. The big mistake we make is to focus on their skill. Can they perform the tasks well? Let’s modify the question to what you should be thinking? Can they perform their tasks well, here? We often interview for skills.

Why not, skills are often easier to measure. Yet the key question is whether they have the right soft skills to fit into your company’s culture.

Most people struggle to define ‘soft’ skills.

Yet, those traits have more to do with our success than anything else. Does your company focus on getting results? Is it okay to be a free wheeler or do you need to follow specific structure? Do the people you work with give specific direction? Or do you expect others to figure it out? Answering these questions helps you hire better. This allows us to change the way we get to know candidates. Take the time to figure this out.

Then it is time to meet them and conduct an interview. First, I want to know how a candidate thinks. I want to see the evolution of their job history. I start an interview with asking about their first job. Most people start with the current job. That clouds my judgment of career progression. Through this level of detail, I usually find job gaps, or other critical information. If I am to make a large investment in someone, I want to know that person. After getting through the chronology, I want to ask about successes, team contributions and other relevant skill related issues.

You also need to understand how they work in different environments. When asking about accomplishments, you often get ‘we did’ this. I often follow up that answer by asking what ‘their

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Michael Cruz is president of Lighthouse Advisors LLC in Queensbury.

Courtesy Pinnacle Human Resources

individual contribution’ was to the success.

Whether they can articulate a clear answer tells you a lot about what they really do. Likewise, if you work in a fast and fluid environment, you probably do not always give clear directions when handing out tasks. So, to that, I say to the candidate “Tell me about a time that you were given an assignment and you felt you did not have all the information necessary to complete it. What did you do?” This gives a better idea of how they accomplish tasks in my culture.

Push for depth. Peel back answers. And reject the all too common answers that begin with “usually.” Listen to the answer and gently explain that you want to understand about a specific project or event. This will allow you to assess their behavior. We do what we have always done!

I know that it takes time. And time is a valuable commodity. So are dollars. And you are about to commit a lot of your money to a new hire. Make sure it is well spent.

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10 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Construction Planning COVID, Other Factors Push Lumber Price Developer Clearing Land To Start Virtual Increases, But Sales Figures Are Still High Sporting Complex Within Seven Buildings

BY CHRISTINE GRAF The timber industry has been dramatically impacted by COVID-19 and according to the National Association of Home Builders, lumber prices have risen by 130 percent since April.

The price increase is attributed to various factors, including supply chain disruptions and material shortages. As a result of the pandemic, many lumber producers were forced to close temporarily or operate at reduced capacity. Social distancing protocol made it difficult for plants to produce at pre-pandemic levels and increased operating costs.

Prior to the pandemic, lumber supplies and pricing had already been impacted by tariffs that were imposed on wood being imported from Canada. The tariffs are as high as 20 percent for treated lumber.

“The import duty or tariff that has been placed on Canadian lumber that is coming into the United States is so high that the Canadians are shipping wood to other areas rather than the U.S.,” said Doug Ford, vice president of sales and purchasing at Curtis Lumber. “The tariff was increased within the last year or two, and it’s put Canada in a position that they would rather sell it to someone else.”

According to Ford, Canadian tariffs and COVIDrelated slowdowns are not the only causes for skyrocketing lumber prices. Demand for lumber is unusually high due to a single-family home construction boom occurring throughout the country.

“Single-family home construction in the northeast was up 24 percent in 2020. That’s a lot of houses being built,” he said. “The rest of the country is also up double digits as well, but the northeast is leading the way right now.”

Demand for lumber has also increased due to a dramatic increase in the number of home improvement projects that homeowners embarked on during the pandemic. Many homeowners are using stimulus money or money that was budgeted for travel or vacations to make home improvements.

“People are working from home and staying home, so rather than taking a vacation, they are doing things like adding a deck ” said Ford. “That has driven up the usage significantly. And people who are planning on continuing to work from home are adding additional space to their homes. Then you have commercial spaces like restaurants that are adding outdoor space to be able to seat more people.”

The supply shortages and price increases are

Doug Ford, left, Curtis Lumber vice president, and Bob Eakin, director of sales. ©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

being felt at all levels of the lumber industry.

Al Petteys, owner of A. Petteys Lumber, operates a sawmill and lumber yard in Fort Ann. The sawmill and lumber business is considered essential, and he was able to keep his sawmill open and his three employees working throughout the pandemic.

The cost of his raw materials increased by 20 percent, forcing Petteys to increase prices by the same amount. Despite the increases, he saw increased demand for products during the summer.

“We sold a lot more because your regular lumber yards (prices) were so high and people were looking to get it somewhere cheaper,” he said. “Rough lumber is cheaper than lumber you would get somewhere like Lowes or Home Depot. Every time lumber passes hands, the middle men gets another hand in it.”

Although business has slowed because of winter weather, Petteys has yet to see raw material prices decline. He is concerned that the recent shut down of the Keystone Pipeline (an oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States, commissioned in 2010) will lead to additional price increases.

At Burgoyne Lumber and Hardware in Hudson Falls, general manager Dave Nester said prices have increased for almost all building materials. Lumber prices have seen the most dramatic increases. As an Continued On Page 11

This rendering of the Luxury Box project in Queensbury shows one of the seven structures to be built to house virtual golfing and other virtual sports.

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH A property with open space in Queensbury is being cleared for the construction of a virtual sports facility.

David Brindle of Luxury Box LLC, developer of the project, said the facility will include seven separate buildings located on Route 9 across from the Fun Spot.

Brindle said the zoning approval came through at the end of January and they are now just waiting for final approval on building permits.

Brindle expects the project to be completed by mid-March if all goes well.

The seven buildings will have virtual golf. It will also give customers options for baseball, darts, soccer, hockey, hunting and more. The golf simulators also offer much more than the traditional program, said Brindle.

“The technology with these games is so advanced. We have golf simulators in the area but this goes way beyond what we have seen, with a putting simulator and the ability to play many courses,” he said.

A press release touts Luxury Box as “fully air conditioned and heated. Since our Luxury Box is totally enclosed you are protected from the outside weather conditions. Another great feature is the speed of play. If you only have one hour you have enough time to play 18 holes at Pebble Beach.

“The natural contours of the fairway and green, water hazards, wind, as well as the occasional contact with a tree add to the reality. The use

Courtesy Luxury Box LLC

of normal clubs and balls and such variety of competitions such as stroke and match play scramble or skins enable you to play golf on some of the best courses in the world, 365 days of the year.”

The seven buildings will be portable structures that will offer flexibility for people to watch movies or events in their own private theater where people will be able to access their personal entertainment streaming accounts. The buildings can also be rented and transported to private parties such as corporate events.

Brindle said the buildings with gaming experiences will be 554 square feet in size—16 feet wide by nine feet tall—with one at 959 square feet. An office and restrooms will be housed in the larger building.

As far as COVID concerns, Brindle said the buildings can only house about six people so they would meet an ideal capacity. He added that they will be doing a deep cleaning in between rentals and will have ventilation systems installed.

Brindle said another perk is rentals by the day will give customers 24-hour access to the building. He added the experiences can be rented by the hour, day, or week.

The structure will use the columns that are made by Dean Lally LLC of Queensbury, where Brindle also works. They manufacture prefabricated steel columns found commonly in buildings like schools, hospitals, and parking garages.

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GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 11

Estimating Costs For Construction Work Underway At Warren County Airport Projects Is A Difficult Task During COVID Includes The Construction Of New Hangars

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Economists and industry experts predict that the construction industry will continue to be plagued by rising material costs, material shortages and supply chain disruptions throughout 2021.

Thomas Albrecht Sr., owner of Hilltop Construction in Glens Falls, said his residential and commercial construction company, like so many others, has faced issues with material shortages.

“Expectations of delivery are non-existent,” he said.

“My biggest challenge is educating our clients that you can have contracts and you can set dates, but we can’t necessary meet them because of the challenges we are faced with. What you could get in 4 weeks max could now be out 8 to 12 weeks. That means our planning has to be much more extensive.”

Hilltop Construction has 30 employees, many of whom have had to quarantine due to COVID exposure. As a result, the company has to absorb additional labor costs.

“The fallout continues as we see employees being exposed and having to quarantine,” he said. “We, by law, have to pay them up to five days. That’s a revolving door that continues and the financial burden continues.”

“The price increases are pretty drastic,” said Sara Turoczy, manager of business development at MLB Construction Services in Malta. “Along with lumber, we are seeing steel pricing skyrocket.”

MLB is a commercial builder. When the pandemic hit, they were working on projects for several customers including Saratoga Performing Art Center.

The work at SPAC included construction of a twostory concession and venue space, as well as a smaller concessions building and an outdoor pavilion.

In addition to continuing work on projects that were underway, MLB took on numerous last-minute projects.

“We’ve been able to take on emergency calls in everything from medical to the hospitality industry,” said Turoczy. “In the beginning, when no one really knew protocol or what needed to happen, healthcare was really scrambling to try to do the best that they could to section people in the right areas and keep everyone safe.”

When company president Jim Dawsey received an emergency call from Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga, he and a crew of workers were there the next day to build a space for the center to house COVID patients.

“Jim took the call on Friday, and he was up there on Saturday morning building it out himself with a small crew of people,” said Turoczy.

MLB, a company with 66 employees and a second office in North Carolina, works in many different sectors of the construction industry and frequently bids on large projects. According to Turoczy, an increasing number of these projects are being postponed. She said state agencies are not currently awarding contracts.

“There is some uncertainty of whether some project will move forward at all. We haven’t had any projects that have been specifically canceled. They have just all been postponed—at least the ones we were looking at,” she said. “For the most part, we are just being told that these projects are being postponed

and reevaluated.”

These postponements can have major implications for companies that are bidding on jobs. If the owner of a project delays the awarding of the contract, there is the potential for material prices to increase dramatically during that time frame.

“Since we have to hold our (bid) number, it becomes a challenge when the prices keep increasing between the bid due date and months later when the project gets awarded,” said Turoczy. “We are nearing the third month of being asked by one owner to hold our price.”

According to Jim Sasko, owner and president of Teakwood Luxury Building and Remodeling in Saratoga Springs, his company prefers not to use escalation clauses.

“Nobody ever wants to hear that there is an escalation clause in their construction contract,” he said. “We as a company tend to avoid those and gamble a little bit with the market, which can be dangerous in some aspects. Lumber tends to be the biggest number that changes.”

Teakwood is part of a market research group that uses data to forecast future lumber prices. They rely on these forecasts in the estimating process.

“We’ve gotten lucky thus far,” he said. “We tend to come out pretty darn close to where we need to be.

It’s rare in my industry to say we didn’t spend all of our budget on lumber material. We usually find that number is quickly consumed with the homes we are building.”

Although lumber prices have seen the biggest increases, material costs have been rising across the board. Sasko estimated that rising material costs have led to a 10-12 percent increase in the average price of a home.

“Our business had never been stronger, and we are keeping 25 people employed,” said Sasko. “We are planning for a very busy 2021 and are already booking in 2022.”

Supply chain issues have impacted material availability and materials that aren’t able to be purchased locally are sometimes taking many months to arrive. These delays apply to everything from appliances to bathroom faucets.

After the federal government increased unemployment payments by $600 a week at the height of COVID, Albrecht said it became even more difficult to find employees. For an industry already facing a labor shortages, the increased benefits only worsened the problem.

“There are very few people going into the construction field—electrician, plumbers, framers, masons. This happened well before COVID hit,” he said. Despite those challenges, business remains strong at Hilltop Construction. The residential side of operations is booming.

“I have been in business for 45 years, and I have never seen an influx of inquiries as I have in probably the last five months—more residential than commercial. Folks are moving up this way and out of New York City. A lot of them are able to take their careers with them. The impact is huge,” said Albrecht.

“We are struggling with providing enough estimates quick enough. Our circle of architects and engineers are extremely busy. Everyone is maxed out.”

BY JILL NAGY There is a $1 million building project planned for the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury, which is the Warren County airport.

Eight new hangars will be constructed.

The project will also result in a new building to house snow removal equipment and one replacing an original structure built in the 1940s.

Work is expected to begin in the spring.

Officials are also applying for a grant to upgrade the runway lights to LED lights.

Plank Construction of Schenectady is the general contractor. That project is budgeted at $993,000, of which the state Department of Transportation will pay 90 percent and Warren County will pay the balance.

Foundation and electrical work are complete, according to airport manager Don McGraw. “Now, we are waiting for the steel” to complete the job.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to foot the $2.3 million bill for the snow removal equipment building. Construction should begin this spring with the same general contractor, McGraw said.

McGraw is waiting to learn whether the grant money for the runway lighting project will be forthcoming.

The airport is perhaps best known as the launching site for the annual Adirondack Balloon Festival, a huge tourist draw for the region each fall.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was canceled in 2020, but McGraw hopes to get the hot air balloons back up in the air this year.

Event organizers are optimistic and have set the

dates for the 2021 Adirondack Balloon Festival as Sept. 23-26.

Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport was built in 1940 at the request of the U.S. Army. It opened in March 1941 with one turf runway. It was considered a strategic location because it is on the route between New York City and Montreal.

Today, there are two paved runways and auxiliary buildings. The primary runway runs southwest to northeast. A shorter runway, crosses it at right angles and is reserved for use when there are strong cross-winds.

The airport is named for Floyd Bennet, a Warrensburg native and decorated World War I naval pilot. He is probably best known for piloting Commander Byrd’s flight that may have reached the North Pole. He and Byrd also did an aerial survey of Greenland. Bennett received the Medal of Honor and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

In its heyday, the airport hosted commercial airline flights. With completion of the Northway, it became more convenient to drive than to fly and the airlines left.

Today, it is home to general aviation and corporate flights, mainly small single-engine planes, according to McGraw. But the airport is busy. All 18 hangars the county leases are spoken for.

Business was down about 20 percent in 2020 but is recovering “as we slowly work our way through COVID recovery,” McGraw said.

There are eight employees at the airport. Three are Warren County employees and the rest work for RichAir, the fixed-base operator of the airport.

Lumber Prices

supply. At both Curtis and Burgoyne, high lumber prices have not resulted in slowed sales.

“Lumber is up almost double what it was a year ago, and in some particular cases, more than that,” said Ford. “The ironic part is that our sales were up last year. That’s because we sell product that goes into homes, and that’s what people are spending their money on.”

Both Ford and Nester said its important for customers to understand that lumber yards have no control over the prices. They have no choice but to pass on the increases to the consumer.

“People complain about the price, which I understand,” said Nester. “But it’s not price gauging on our end of the business.”

Industry forecasts predict that new home construction will remain strong throughout 2021, driven in part by low interest rates. As a result, demand for building materials will continue to exceed supply, and the price of lumber and other building materials are expected to remain high at least through summer, according to people in the industry.

“This is going to continue through the spring and early summer,” said Nester. “Lumber prices will come down, but it will never go down to where it was.”

Ford is in agreement. “We probably won’t go down to where we were. We expect that demand will stay up and prices will remain high through 2021.”

Continued From Page 10 example, he said the price of some types of spruce have almost doubled. The cost of plywood has risen by more than $10 per sheet.

“It’s a whole new world out there right now,” said Nester. “Because of COVID-19, there is a shortage of employees at mills and suppliers. There is now a shortage of materials out there which is causing the price of lumber and other building materials to be astronomically high right now. And to find product is a real chore. I spend three hours of my day trying to find something that used to take five minutes to find. It’s horrible.”

Shipments have been delayed and delivery estimates have become increasingly unreliable.

This impacts not just lumber but many additional building materials. Nester listed roofing shingles and fiberglass insulation as examples of other products that are difficult to procure. Shipment times for building materials are taking at least twice as long as they did pre-COVID. “The supply chain is fragmented, and we are seeing lead times from three weeks to eight weeks,” said Ford. “It’s very unpredictable and we can’t count on product arriving at a certain time.”

Despite the price increases, lumber sales have remained strong and demand continues to outweigh

12 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL

SPECIAL SECTION

Legal / Accounting

SBA And Lenders Are Taking More Steps During COVID Pandemic, Attorneys Face To Improve Paycheck Protection Program Challenges In Courts And Business Law Cases The U.S. Small Business Administration and lenders are taking more strides to improve the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) so that small businesses can access much needed funds to persevere through the pandemic, recover, and build back better.

The administration is working to increase equitable access to under-served small businesses, to assure the integrity of the program, and to promote rapid and efficient distribution of funds, officials said.

By Feb. 10, the SBA had hit a major milestone of approving $104 billion of PPP funds to more than 1.3 million small businesses, according to the agency.

Highlights from this round include: Reaching more of the smallest businesses; 82 percent of all loans going to businesses requesting less than $100,000 Reaching rural communities in a meaningful way; 28 percent of businesses who have received funding this round are in rural communities Increasing partnerships with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) who are trusted agents in extending economic relief to minority communities and underserved populations The SBA is also following through on its commitment to take additional steps towards improving the speed to resolve data mismatches and eligibility concerns so that small businesses have as much time as possible to access much needed PPP funds, while maintaining the integrity of the program.

Three important changes will: Enable lenders to directly certify eligibility

of borrowers for First Draw and Second Draw PPP loan applications with validation errors to ensure businesses who need funds and are eligible receive them as quickly as possible.

Allow lenders to upload supporting documentation of borrowers with validation errors during the forgiveness process Create additional communication channels with lenders to assure we are constantly improving equity, speed, and integrity of the program, including an immediate national lender call to brief them on the Platform’s added capabilities “We are pleased that the Paycheck Protection Program is targeting the smallest of small businesses and providing economic relief at a crucial time in American history. The SBA has achieved another major milestone to provide critical recovery capital to America’s small businesses by approving 1.3 million PPP loans totaling $104 billion in the current round.

“While we are excited that we are doing a better job of reaching the hardest hit industries and communities, we are committed to taking additional steps to ensure that there is equitable access for underserved businesses and that we are leading with empathy to support small businesses in a difficult spot,” says SBA Senior Advisor to the Administrator Michael Roth.

Through SBA’s 68 district offices, the Agency will work in close partnership with the BidenHarris Administration to further leverage its resource partner network and expand on multilingual access and outreach about the PPP. Updated PPP information, including forms, guidance, and resources can be found at www. sba.gov/ppp and www.treasury.gov/cares.

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BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL As businesses adjust to the unprecedented challenges of a pandemic, so do the attorneys who advise them.

“There have been a whirlwind of legal issues that we never thought we would have to deal with,” said James T. Towne Jr. of The Towne Law Firm PC, with offices in Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls.

Unique issues about government relief, bankruptcy and foreclosures, contracts, COVID-19 fraud, cybersecurity and much more are on a daunting list of topics attorneys are being challenged to address this past year.

“During the first 120 days we were confronted with a variety of labor and employment inquiries,” said Towne.

Many of these were rooted in the logistics and liabilities of sending non-essential staff home to work and as a condition of employment, he said.

“Managers are accustomed to taking their laptops and working from home, but maybe not the support staff,” he said. “Matters come up about restrictions on the equipment taken offsite, using that equipment for personal matters, and businesses not enforcing obligations in connection with work performed at home.”

Matthew F. Fuller, partner at Meyer, Fuller & Stockwell PLLC in Lake George, said that whether an employer can mandate that staff get vaccinated has “no clear cut answer. If someone gives you a straight answer, don’t listen.” He is addressing the issues of testing and vaccinations for the municipalities he represents.

“There are conflicting directives from the federal government and from the governor’s office,” Towne said. “In New York, different classes of employees need to negotiate their contracts,” he said. “If the municipality’s internal staff is under a collective bargaining agreement we have to go through that agreement very carefully to see what we’re dealing with” as to what can be mandated.

“There is always a concern that company data may be breached, but now there is a whole new set of questions about cybersecurity and liability,” he said. These are issues to be researched and potentially litigated.

An employee may be injured while working at home, which raises concerns whether workers compensation will cover the lapse in employment income.

Matthew F. Fuller, partner at Meyer, Fuller & Stockwell PLLC in Lake George.

Courtesy Meyer, Fuller & Stockwell PLLC

James T. Towne Jr. is a principal partner at The Towne Law Firm PC. ©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

“At most offices there is a designated place for lunch or break and an injury suffered there would be covered. At home you might trip on a rug wearing your slippers,” he said. “Will these claims be recognized by the comp board?”

“There are all kinds of provisions about Continued On Page 14

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 13

•

Business Report Preventing Small Business Fraud

BY PAUL ZARECKI Small businesses are more likely to become the victims of fraud than larger businesses.

Small businesses are the most vulnerable to occupational fraud and abuse, according to the Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). In its 2020 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse, ACFE cites that the smallest organizations, 100 employees or less, suffered higher median losses than did the largest organizations (10,000 employees or more).

While the largest companies suffered losses of $140,000 on average, small businesses’ losses averaged $150,000, based on its survey.

Considering the potential losses and how much more of an impact $150,000 is to a smaller business than a larger business, it befits smallbusiness owners to make the prevention of fraud a priority. Though no business owner wants to feel it employs unscrupulous people, sometimes temptation or personal financial pressures can push even the hardest working, most trusted employee into perpetrating fraud.

Here’s how you can prevent fraudulent activity in your workplace: Hire the right employees. Small companies seldom bother doing background checks on new employees, which means they’re potentially inviting hackers, predators and even convicted felons into the organization. While every business strives to hire honest employees, having a formal hiring routine, even at a small business, can help prevent fraud.

Don’t rely entirely on references and work history. Conduct background checks for people handling inventory and money. Check past employment, criminal convictions, education and certifications. Conduct drug screening, since employees will often steal from a business to support an addiction.

However, remember to always get the written consent of candidates before drug testing, since many federal and state laws govern the gathering of such information. Once the employee is being considered for hire, review their social networks for anything that could be damaging to your business’s reputation, especially any animosity against their former employer.

Maintain strong internal controls. Small businesses need to create and maintain internal controls that can prevent or detect fraud. This includes restricting access to financial account data, inventory access, establishing multi-person sign-off on expense reimbursements, overtime, all check writing functions, other accounting or payroll functions, and performing an overview of audit logs to ensure the integrity of the books.

Safeguard your entry and computer systems.

Be sure to limit access to specific areas of the business for certain employees. Additionally, set up strict protocols for creating and updating passwords into computer systems.

Conduct surprise audits regularly. Occasional non-scheduled audits can also help detect fraud.

Businesses should routinely audit areas that deal in cash, refunds, product returns, inventory management, and accounting functions. Include surprise audits as part of your pro-active fraud

AARP And Public Private Strategies Start Resource Center For 50+ Entrepreneurs •

Paul Zarecki, CPA, is a partner with Ferraro, Amodio & Zarecki, CPAs. Courtesy Ferraro, Amodio & Zarecki, CPAs

policy. All too many notable fraudsters knew that the auditors were coming, allowing them time to alter, destroy, or misplace evidence of their wrongdoing. Make it a surprise to catch an employee off guard.

Establish an anonymous reporting system.

Tips from employees is the number one method for catching fraud. Because most employees are reluctant to report suspicious activity, there needs to be an avenue for them to report fraud anonymously. Establishing an anonymous reporting system or process can also set their mind at ease about letting their bosses know about a fellow coworker.

Require time away. Employees that don’t take vacations should raise a red flag. An employee who comes in early and stays late or never takes a vacation has the perfect opportunity to conceal their wrongdoing. Requiring employees to take time off can aid in the prevention of some frauds.

Train employees to detect and prevent fraud.

Employees in fraud-prone areas of the business should know the warning signs of fraud, prevention skills and how to report suspicious behavior or actions by coworkers and customers.

Provide periodic training to help employees understand fraud and what to do in the event of fraud.

Implement policies to protect your reputation.

Institute an employee policy that outlines expected employee behavior anytime they represent the company, including any mentions on their social networks.

Set the tone at the top and have policies, including a fraud policy. Have a written ethics and fraud policy. Companies frequently have an ethics policy, which sets forth in detail what is expected in the ethical climate of the company.

A fraud policy spells out actions that constitute fraud and how those actions will be punished.

Simply inform employees during employee orientation, training programs, memorandums, or other communication that fraud is not tolerated and let employees know what to do if they suspect fraud. that specifically protects against various frauds.

ARP and Public Private Strategies launched the free Small Business Resource Center for the 50+ to provide resources to aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners. Older entrepreneurs can find support, resources and practical guidance as they start, manage and grow their business.

“Small businesses are vital to our nation’s economy and many are started by Americans age 50 and up,” said Susan Weinstock, AARP vice president of financial resiliency programming. “The impact of the pandemic on small businesses cannot be overstated and it is crucial that business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs have practical guidance and information in this moment.”

A significant majority of small business are owned by entrepreneurs who started their businesses later in life. More than half (54 percent) of America’s small business owners are over 50 and in 2019 they employed almost half (47.3 percent) of the U.S. private workforce.

“Always, but particularly as we build back from

COVID-19, small business owners and entrepreneurs are constantly adapting and evolving based on their market and customer needs,” said Rhett Buttle, founder and principal of Public Private Strategies. “The trusted resources and information on this platform will help them navigate every stage from starting a new business to managing an established one.”

The Small Business Resource Center for the 50+ includes: • Guides to starting, managing and growing small businesses.

• Help on operating small businesses during a crisis and determining vulnerabilities.

• Assistance in evaluating funding needs and identifying sources of funding for small businesses.

• Resources in both Spanish and Chinese language.

To access the online platform, visit: www.smallbizrc.org. The resource is free and does not require an AARP membership.

Adirondack Regional Insurance Agency In Queensbury Acquired By Marshall & Sterling Marshall & Sterling Insurance, a Poughkeepsiebased firm with a large Albany presence, has acquired Adirondack Regional Insurance Agency in Queensbury.

The acquisition closed on Jan. 1.

“We are very excited to join the Marshall & Sterling family,” said Jeffrey D. Howard, president of Adirondack Regional Insurance Agency. “Being part of a much larger organization, we will now have increased capabilities such as additional insurance carriers represented, the ability to handle exposures in other states, in-house loss control services, employee benefits, and wealth management, just to name a few.”

Adirondack was founded by Howard in 1997 and has two offices located in Queensbury and Warrensburg, providing personal and commercial insurance coverage and services.

With the acquisition of Adirondack, Marshall &

Sterling’s operations will include 36 offices across five U.S. states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Marshall & Sterling is already one of the largest in Albany with $848.22 million in total local insurance volume in 2019.

The transaction is the latest in a number of recent independent insurance company acquisitions. Last month, Marshall & Sterling announced plans to acquire Jaeger & Flynn Associates Inc., one of the largest independent firms in the Albany area.

That acquisition closed on Jan. 1.

Cool Insuring Agency Inc.—which was founded in 1857 by Charles W. Cool, the first mayor of Glens Falls—was acquired by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. at the end of 2020.

Also, the largest insurance agency in the Albany area, Rose & Kiernan, was acquired by a large New York City firm in August 2020.

14 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

COVID Challenges For Attorneys Continued From Page 12

what to cover,” Towne said. “This is a literal Pandora’s box. Guidelines might be more liberally applied going forward, which means workers compensation rates will go up. But I believe in the longer term society will be better off as more of these compensation issues have been settled.”

There are also legal ramifications in regard to accommodating returning employees who are recovering from the virus.

“An employee may have some form of disability as a result of infection,” Towne said.

“The law requires there be a conversation about their needs and employers must make reasonable accommodations.”

With this particular virus affecting the lungs, a worker may have a persistent breathing condition that requires he work from home, Towne said in example.

“Every employee has value and employers have to protect them, so they will have to balance the needs of the recovering employee with the rest of the employees,” he said.

He also posed the question of how a business might handle learning that an employee coming into the workplace had been to a gathering and never wore a mask. “When applied to a mass group of individuals, it will be challenging to deal with them on a case-by-case basis.”

Like the businesses they represent, attorneys continue working remotely and through video conferencing, but so do the courts.

“The judge says to try this case over Wi-Fi,

but what about third party opinions? Who will swear them in,” Towne said. “But I have been impressed with witnesses and with employees dealing in this two-dimensional world of video.”

Regarding contracts, Fuller said they are not the same from union to union or from municipality to municipality. “Each case is very fact specific and context specific, but we are navigating through them.”

Even with a blanket term like “essential worker” there are layers within that definition, he said. Who is deemed essential can inform the vaccine discussion, given that essential workers are further up in line to receive a vaccine.

“With smaller municipalities each staff member may have several roles,” he said. “Job classification may be more or less essential in one municipality than in another.”

For the private sector, Fuller said he sees a context within which business can lawfully require employees to be vaccinated, but that “availability is not broad enough at this time to drive those decisions.”

“I don’t have a feel for whether a client’s staff wants to or will take a vaccine,” he said. “This is largely personal to people. But I believe there are legitimate issues to be cognizant of and medical and personal objections to hear.”

“In 20 years of practice I have never seen so many nuances as this past year, but it makes our work very interesting,” Fuller said.

Deferred Loan Program Continued From Page 1

officials said.

The city is encouraging applications for business ideas that provide goods and services not currently offered in the downtown area and that add to the “unique mix of retail, arts and cultural, and professional offices that benefit residents and visitors,” a statement from the city said.

GF DRIVE Applications are available through an email request to Collins at acollins@ cityofglensfalls.com.

Project proposals must be submitted to the city by 4 p.m. Friday, March 12, to be considered for the first round of funding.

Additional questions can be directed to the contacts listed in the GF DRIVE Application materials. Officials said the city will partner with business support agencies to help applicants put together business and expansion plans.

“As the South Street redevelopment that is at the core of the city’s DRI takes shape, we always envisioned a supporting program that would encourage business start-ups and expansion plans to fill space on South Street and other parts of the downtown,” said Mayor Dan Hall.

Only entrepreneurs looking to create a new business or expand one that was started within the last five years are eligible. Also, those businesses cannot have more than 30 fulltime employees and at least one owner must be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.

The program is open to for-profit businesses, except for taverns, adult entertainment shops, residential dwellings and livery services, officials said.

“There is already a vibrant small business community within the city, and this program will provide a significant spark to boost business creation and expansion, particularly after the negative impacts on local businesses from COVID for much of 2020,” said Amy Collins, the city director of tourism and business development.

While GF DRIVE is not designed to help businesses respond directly to COVID, the

new program can provide a financial boost to entrepreneurs planning a new business but who were otherwise holding off on their plans because of the uncertain economy related to the pandemic.

While nonprofit organizations are not eligible for GF DRIVE, officials said the city has made a concerted effort through other DRI-sponsored programs to support projects being implemented by nonprofits and arts and cultural institutions.

Officials said potential uses of GF DRIVE funding are broad, including building renovations and interior fit-up expenses, non-capital expenses such as inventory and equipment, payroll for new jobs that are created, and marketing and web-based sales platforms.

There is a 20 percent cash match required by each business owner that is awarded GF DRIVE funding, based on the total project costs that will be approved by the city during the project review process.

“We want business owners to have skin in the game, but we hope these funds will help encourage entrepreneurs to bring more retail and related business activity to the Downtown,” said Hall.

In an associated economic development moves, Jeffrey Flagg, who has served as the city’s sustainability coordinator since 2018, was hired as the city’s economic development director.

Flagg will operate out of City Hall. He replaces the late Ed Bartholomew, who held the title and did the job while also servicing as head of EDC Warrren County until his death last year.

The EDC Warren County seat is now held by Jim Siplon.

Overseeing the Downtown Revitalization Initiative will be one of Flagg’s roles.

The mayor appointed a working group last summer to oversee the project and ensure things stayed on point until a new economic director could be appointed. The working group will continue to work on the various components of the DRI alongside Flagg.

Business Breifs

• Glens Falls Hospital will begin restarting

elective/non-emergent procedures beginning Feb. 22.

“Glens Falls Hospital staff will be reaching out to our patients to confirm rescheduled dates for their surgeries and procedures,” said the hospital’s Chief Operating Officer Paul Scimeca.

“We’ll continue to increase capacity as quickly as possible in order to care for those patients waiting for a surgical procedure.”

The hospital curtailed non-emergent procedures voluntarily in late December as the number of hospitalized COVID patients increased at GFH and throughout the region. This was to redeploy staff to medical/surgical units to care for the increased number of inpatients.

* * * The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce Women in Business group has transitioned back to virtual meetings until further notice.

The group had been meeting in a hybrid format, with virtual and limited in-person attendance as an option, since September but chose to go back to virtual-only meetings as of its January meeting.

The meeting starts at 8 a.m. for open networking. The official program begins at 8:30 a.m.

Membership in the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce is required to be part of the group. Those that are not yet members are invited to attend one meeting to check it out.

“We are out of 2020 and over halfway through our WIB season (meetings are scheduled from September to June). As we trudge into this new, uncharted year, let us do so with a deeper knowledge of our local women in business.

Now, more than ever, we need to know how we can support one another,” said WIB Co-Chair Jaki Rainsberger, who works as a technology consultant with Repeat Business Systems Inc. The 2020-21 co-chairs of the group are Rainsberger and Tesha Perry, a mortgage professional with Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co. Those who would like to attend may email Rainsberger at jrainsberger@rbs-usa.com for the zoom meeting information.

* * * The Adirondack Trust Co. has again secured a 5-Star rating from BauerFinancial, a bank rating firm.

A five-star rating indicates that the bank excels in areas of capital adequacy, profitability, asset quality and much more. Earning and maintaining this top rating for 58 consecutive quarters puts Adirondack Trust in a prestigious bracket as an exceptional performance bank.

BauerFinancial, Inc., based in Coral Gables, Fla., has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution can pay for or opt-out of a BauerFinancial rating.

* * * Aviation Mall is operating under new hours of operation, based on feedback and input received from both tenants and guests.

The new hours started Jan. 2.

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Guests are reminded that restaurant venues may continue to offer extended hours into the evening and people are encouraged to call ahead to confirm a specific venue’s hours of operation or visit the center’s online directory at www.shopaviationmall.com/directory.

•

* * * Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. was recognized in January as a 5-Star Superior bank by BauerFinancial, Inc., a bank rating and research firm.

Glens Falls National has earned the 5-Star Superior designation for the past 55 consecutive quarters, which secures its prominent position as an “exceptional performance bank,” a status reserved for banks that have earned Bauer’s highest rating consistently for at least 10 consecutive years.

Officials said the 5-Star rating indicates Glens Falls National is one of the strongest banks in the nation. To earn this rating, banks must excel in areas of capital quality, asset quality and profitability.

Based in Coral Gables, Fla., BauerFinancial has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution can pay for, or opt out of, a BauerFinancial rating.

* * * The Warren County Tourism Department and Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau have teamed to create the Warren County Ice Fishing Challenge to help fill the void of activities during the coronavirus pandemic.

For the month of February, anglers are invited to share their ice-fishing catch on Instagram.

The first 100 to do so will receive a free Ice Fishing Challenge T-shirt.

The rules: Fish must be caught in Warren County; fish must be caught between Feb. 1-28; participants must post picture of the angler and their catch on Instagram and hashtag #mylgarea and tag @lakegeorgearea.

Those without an Instagram account can send a picture to WarrenCountyIceFishingChallenge@gmail.com People can enter as many photos as they’d like, but only one T-shirt will be given per person. Shirts are awarded to photographers in the order in which they are received.

For more information, including a map of public lake fishing access spots, visit www. lakegeorge.com/event/warren-county-ice-fishing-challenge-214968.

* * * NBT Bank is currently accepting applications for its management development program. The program prepares participating associates to assume mid-level professional roles inside of NBT at the completion of this 12-month training process.

The program is aimed at recent college graduates looking for a way to fast-track their career development with direct, guided access to technical and soft skill training, crossdivisional work experiences, performance coaching, mentoring and special projects that include community involvement.

The goal is to provide participants with a broad knowledge of the business of banking and develop future leaders in the company across all divisions and locations.

Qualified candidates will hold a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, business administration or a related degree with prior work and volunteer experience desired. For more information about this program or to apply, visit www.nbtbank.com/ Careers and look for NBT’s management development associate and commercial banking management development associate positions.

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 15 New!

Take-Out or Dine-In Specials!

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SUNDAY

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• Chicken Parm & angel hair pasta.... $12.95 or Spaghetti & Meat Balls........... $10.95 Soup or Salad, roll

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• Roast Turkey Dinner................ $12.95

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DINE-IN!

Stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, soup or salad, roll

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• Fettuccini Chicken Alfredo...........$12.95 • Chicken Marsala............ $13.95 Choice of Soup or Salad Over angel hair pasta • Roasted Beet Salad.................. $13.95 Mixed greens, tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, crumbled goat cheese, candied pecans, grilled chicken • NY Strip Steak with fries.... $13.95 Choice of Soup or Salad

• Goulash with roll......................... $10.00 • Mac & Cheese with roll.............. $10.00 • Haddock Fish Fry (soup or salad)..... $12.95 Our whole menu is available for takeout! So easy.

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16 • GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

Owner Of ‘Alif Cafe’ In Lake George Opens Second Location In Downtown Glens Falls

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OVER 149 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE Muhammad Saud opened the Alif Cafe in Glens Falls location in January. He also owns an eatery of the same name on Beach Road in Lake George.

ANDREA HARWOOD PALMER Alif Café is a new restaurant located at 193 Glen St. in downtown Glens Falls.

Muhammad Saud opened the Glens Falls location in January. His family owns Tandoori Grill on Canada Street in Lake George, as well as the first Alif Café location, which is on Beach Road in Lake George.

Alif Café, pronounced “all-iff,” offers modern Pakistani culture and street food, chai, coffee and various snacks. The café is open for indoor dining as well as carry-out.

“We’re a modern café, bringing the traditional style of Pakistani Asian cuisine into a westernized mix,” said Saud. “When I first created the café, I made it for the south Asian youth who don’t really have a place to sit down and have a traditional chai or drinks like we have at home. That’s where we shine. We bring a westernized style into a traditional style of cooking.”

Saud said he had been working on a second Alif Café location since before the pandemic.

“Everyone had been telling me to go open another location down in the city. For a couple years I’ve been thinking on it,” said Saud. For a while, he considered more metropolitan areas.

“I looked in Brooklyn. I looked in Houston, I looked in the major cities for a good location. But every time I was in Lake

Courtesy Alif Cafe

George, it felt like home. It felt like I could do more here and offer more to the community than I ever could in a bigger city,” said Saud.

“I feel at home in Glens Falls. I don’t feel like some guy moving in. I feel like I belong here,” he said. “That’s the reason I chose that location.”

“Honestly, we have been very lucky. We were trying to find a location in Lake George for a buddy of ours. After that meeting, we went for a stroll downtown. We found this beautiful location for our project right in the middle of everything. It is such a perfect fit,” said Saud.

He has lived in Lake George with his family for nine years. He said the response to the Lake George restaurants had been very positive, with many Pakistani and Indian visitors from New York City.

“The most amazing thing about this area is that people are open minded and inclusive.

They don’t look at our cuisine as something that they don’t want to try or something that’s just part of the Middle East. It speaks to the level of how inclusive Glens Falls really is. You don’t find that everywhere. It’s something special to this area,” said Saud.

Alif Café is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Email can be sent to alif.lgcafe@gmail.com. The phone number is 518-741-0079.

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