Glens Falls Business Journal - June 2024

Certified Brewmasters Will Produce CustomBrewed Beverages At Bandstand Brew Works

BY JILL NAGY

The outside of the building will be different from anything else in Warrensburg; inside, it will be industrial with a touch of the Adirondacks.

That is how Adam Langworthy, co-owner of Bandstand Brew Works, under construction at 3922 Main Street and scheduled to open this summer, describes the brewpub.

The building incorporates an 1855 barn with new construction. The finished structure will be able to seat 250 people, inside and outside.

Langworthy and his cousin and business part-

ner, Darby Langworthy, have been home brewers, producing about five gallons at a time. To produce volumes “way beyond that,” he expects the process to be largely the same. Plans are for a variety of beers—“something for everyone”—including IPA’s, stouts, and a sour beer. For non-beer drinkers there will be a homemade hard seltzer. Customers sitting in the tap room will have a window into the brewery.

Deane Moss is returning to the area from Connecticut as the chef. Langworthy promises “classic pub-style favorites” and specials every week. “He is

Continued On Page 4

Hannoush Jewelers Adds To Family Business With The Opening Of Queensbury Store

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

Hannoush Jewelers has opened a new shop in Queensbury at 1054 Route 9. It is the third location for two brothers who “happen to be part of a big family of jewelers” according to David Hannoush, who co-owns the Albany, Clifton Park, and now Queensbury retail stores with his brother, Albert.

“Our father is the oldest of eight brothers and Albert and I are the oldest of 36 first cousins,” said Hannoush. There are about 50 Hannoush Jewelers stores in 13 states,

independently owned by different family members, he said.

The store has opened just in time for the wedding season. Hannoush said the main market for their products is the groom or bride-to-be, along with anyone shopping for quality jewelry for an anniversary or other special occasion.

The co-owners have been in partnership for upwards of two decades and decided to break with tradition some years ago by leav-

A Warren County Study Indicates That Local Residents Are Being Priced Out Of Market

A recent Warren County study indicates strong demand for all types of housing, from downsizing empty-nesters to the seasonal workforce that’s vital to the region’s tourism industry.

But the report also reveals a striking gap between what many full-time workers earn and the cost of home ownership, creating a major negative economic impact.

“Even if we were to pretend that the housing needs of the seasonal hospitality industry didn’t

David Andrade

exist there is still a mismatch between the wages provided by year-round employers in most of our region’s industries and the cost of housing in Warren County,” said Ethan Gaddy, Warren County planner. “Wages for the majority of occupations do not pay a sufficiently high enough salary for a single-earner household to afford the median single-family home in Warren County at current prices.”

“What this means is that existing businesses in our area are struggling to fill positions be-

Continued On Page 13

Is Named New President Of StoredTech To Take Company To Next Level

BY PAUL POST

If he ever feels the need for a career change, David Andrade would make a great big league general manager.

“Building a company is almost like building a baseball team,” said the new president of Queensbury-based StoredTech. “We’re definitely looking for veterans out there who have done it before. But we also want the new person who is hungry, willing to put in the time and effort, and wants to learn and grow with an organization.”

Andrade succeeds Mark Shaw, who founded StoredTech 14 years ago and continues as its chief executive officer.

“I really looked in the mirror and said, ‘Obviously we want to continue to grow StoredTech in a massive way’,” Shaw said. “We’ve doubled and tripled growth almost every year. But as a business owner it’s easy to make mistakes. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to shortcut some of the mistakes we might make.’ The best way to do that and continue accelerated growth is to bring in somebody who’s done this before at a bigger scale, a bigger level, somebody who is aligned with our goals and company mantra of ‘customer delight’.”

StoredTech is a leading, full managed service provider that supports hundreds of clients with all aspects of IT so they can focus on their core business. StoredTech not only implements clients’ technology, but monitors it as well.

“We insure that the client is getting all they can out of the technology they’re utilizing,” Andrade said. “A lot of managed service providers sell technology. StoredTech is selling not only solutions, but the use of technology and how to become a

better, much more competitive business with the use of technology. That’s much different than what I’ve seen in the industry over the years.”

Andrade comes to StoredTech, located near Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, following a 16-year career at Boston-based Eze Castle Integration, a $100 million-plus company, where he rose through the ranks to become chief executive officer.

StoredTech, with about 70 employees, is expected to have gross revenue of nearly $20 million

BY PAUL POST

Adam and Darby Langworthy plan to open Bandstand Brew Works, currently under construction in Warrensburg, this summer.

Courtesy of Bandstand Brew Works

Ron Dixon, GIS, (left) reviews mapping for county projects with county planner Ethan Gaddy, AICP, and Amanda Beck, GIS.

Albert (left) and David Hannoush, who own jewelry stores in Albany and Clifton Park, have opened a third store in Queensbury.

Courtesy of Hannoush Jewelers

David Andrade has taken over the reins at Glens Falls-based StoredTech.

Courtesy of StoredTech

Personnel Briefs

Advokate, LLC has announced the appointment of Olivia Dybas as marketing and communications associate.

Ms. Dybas is a recent graduate of Cornell University, earning her bachelor’s of science in communication with a social influence concentration. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa National College Honor Society at SUNY Adirondack and served a season as company manager at Adirondack Theatre Festival after interning there in 2021.

In addition to working with Advokate, Ms. Dybas is known for her roles on stage including roles with Adirondack Theatre Festival, Lake George Youtheatre, Glens Falls Community Theatre, Glens Falls High School, and many others. Outside of the arts, she is a sales associate at Eddie Bauer, and put in many years working the counter at Angelina’s Pizzeria. She also plays violin, guitar, and sings all throughout the community.

The Hyde Collection has announced the appointment of Christine Hoard as the director of development. With over 25 years of experience in professional fundraising, project management, and special events production, Ms. Hoard brings a wealth of expertise to her new role.

Prior to joining The Hyde Collection, she served as the development manager at Comfort Food Community, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing rural hunger in Washington, Warren and Saratoga counties. During her tenure, she spearheaded establishing the organization’s annual giving program and collaborated closely with the board to develop protocols and processes.

Ms. Hoard’s career also includes serving as the director of philanthropy for the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, where she played a pivotal role in planning, organizing, and directing all fundraising initiatives.

Prior to that she served as the annual fund coordinator at Burr & Burton Academy, where she managed the annual giving program and orchestrated various special events.

Ms. Hoard held several positions at the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation, where she played a key role in developing and implementing the hospital’s inaugural annual giving program.

The Arrow Family of Companies has announced the promotion of Paul Wersten to Vice President, Corporate Banking Team Lead for its subsidiary Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company.

In his new role, Wersten will guide teams of relationship managers in Glens Falls and Plattsburgh to develop new and foster existing relationships. He will also help business owners meet their goals by offering comprehensive banking solutions.

Wersten has 25 years of commercial banking experience, most recently serving as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager. He began his career in banking as a Commercial Credit Analyst at Charter One (Citizens Bank) and then KeyBank, before joining Glens Falls National Bank in 2007 where he held several positions from 2007-2015. He later transitioned into commercial banking positions at TD Bank, Trustco Bank and Community Bank, N.A., before returning to Glens Falls National Bank in 2023.

Wersten earned a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Union College. He is active in the community, serving as Board Secretary and Executive Committee Member on the Board of Directors of Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area.

The board of directors of Arrow Financial Corporation has announced that it has unanimously voted to appoint Tenée R. Casaccio as the new Chair of the Arrow Board of Directors. This appointment by the board follows the retirement of the former Board Chair William L. Owens, Esq..

Casaccio has been a director of the company since January 2014 and has also served as a director of Arrow’s banking subsidiaries, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company since 2010 and April 2022, respectively. During that time, she chaired the Wealth Management Committee, played a vital role on the Governance Committee of the board and served as a director of Arrow’s insurance subsidiary, Upstate Agency, LLC.

Casaccio is the first woman to chair the Arrow board.

A member of the American Institute of Architects, Casaccio is the president of JMZ Architects and Planners, P.C., an established Women-Owned Business Enterprise specializing in higher education planning and design based in Glens Falls. The firm has earned numerous design awards and recognition as one of the region’s Best Places to Work.

A native of Bolton Landing, Casaccio has been active in the Glens Falls community her entire career. She is a former member of the board and chair of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce and The Hyde Collection art museum. She has held positions on the boards of the Warren County Industrial Development Agency, Warren County Economic Development Corporation and Glens Falls Hospital. She is a trustee of the Charles R. Wood Foundation.

Inaugural Year Of Winter’s Dream Drew Visitors

From Th roughout The Northeast To Lake George

The Warren County Coalition has provided Warren County with its fi nal report on the inaugural year of Winter’s Dream, the multi-media entertainment attraction at Fort William Henry’s historical fortress in Lake George.

Warren County and private Lake George businesses fi nanced the project, with the county loaning the coalition $3 million in seed money and private businesses investing another $3 million in direct funding and donated employee services. The coalition has committed to repaying the full county investment and, to that end, announced it will forego $50,000 in unused county funds. Th is money will now be available to the Warren County Tourism Department and county supervisors to help support another worthy event or attraction to encourage visitors to discover all that Warren County has to offer.

In its inaugural year, Winter’s Dream had a significant positive effect on hotel occupancy and revenue and on short-term rentals in Warren County:

■ During the period December 8, 2023, to March 9, 2024, when Winter’s Dream was operating, local hotels rented 7,700 additional room nights over the prior year, generating $69,620 in additional occupancy tax revenue for Warren County.

■ The increased customer demand generated $1.74 million in new lodging revenue among hotels and short-term rentals.

■ Winter’s Dream drove a 31 percent increase in visitors from the New York City metropolitan area over the prior year.

■ Winter’s Dream also drove increased revenue at local restaurants and bars and retail and grocery stores.

The attraction generated millions of dollars in earned media, helped establish the Lake George area as a new Northeastern destination for wintertime fun, increased wintertime employment opportunities, and helped foster the development of a 12-month hospitality season.

Winter’s Dream welcomed 28,000 visitors and had nearly 26,000 paid admissions, despite rain throughout its early weeks that depressed attendance. Successive rainy nights were uncomfortable for many visitors, especially Winter’s Dream’s principal customers, Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, 43 to 77 years of age. They came from the Saratoga/Capital District region, the suburbs of New York City and the city itself, northern New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Rochester and Buffalo areas. New York City residents accounted for 30 percent of visitor expenditures. Burlington, Plattsburgh, and Watertown area visitors accounted for 7 percent of total visitor spending; Capital Region customers for about 6 percent; Syracuse, Boston and Philadelphia area customers each contributed about 5 percent. These data are provided by Zartico,

the Salt Lake City, Utah-based destination data company. Zartico analyzes credit card and cell phone activity to track visitor travel patterns and spending. It uses the Amadeus data platform which provides advanced data analysis for the travel industry.

Th irty-five percent of total visitor spending was on meals (25 percent of that in local restaurants and fast-food operations, and about half at grocery stores), 29 percent on lodging, 14 percent on gas stations, 12 percent on retail, and 4.2 percent on attractions. Visitors spent an average of $349 on accommodations, $87 on meals and $135 in retail purchases.

And Winter’s Dream visitors had fun: 93 percent reported they enjoyed the show during its early weeks in November and December and, after some visitor-suggested improvements, Winter’s Dream guest satisfaction ratings rose to 95.9 percent. Visitors rated the show 8 or 9 out of 10.

While in town for Winter’s Dream, 42 percent of the attraction’s customers also visited Queensbury and Glens Falls, with others traveling to Johnsburg (8 percent) and Bolton (6 percent). While in the area, visitors attended religious sites at four times the rate of other sites, but also checked out accommodations, educational facilities, and other local events.

The Winter’s Dream experience was created by Moment Factory of Montreal. It was sponsored by the Warren County Coalition, a not-for profit organization created to oversee the operation. While a fi nal fi nancial report is still being prepared, it appears that the Winter Coalition’s revenues were less than expenses in this start-up year, owing to the major investments needed to launch the attraction. These costs were covered by investments primarily by three businesses that agreed to forego payment of their invoices: the Fort William Henry Corp., which hosted Winter’s Dream at its historic fortress; Mannix Marketing, which handled marketing and advertising; and Christian Dutcher, whose Americade operation managed the event on a day-to-day basis. Fort William Henry also invested about $800,000 of its own funds in improvements to the Fort necessary to host Winter Dreams.

The coalition’s contract with Moment Factory means Winter’s Dream will return to Lake George for the next four winters. With the support of Moment Factory, an enhanced Winter’s Dream will open in November 2024, kicking off the holiday season with an expected opening date during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Winter’s Dream was made possible by the support of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, the board’s Tourism and Occupancy Tax Committee, Warren County Tourism/The Lake George Area, the Lake George Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, I Love New York, and businesses throughout the Lake George area.

Audio Services NY, Inc. Allows Clients To Control All Functions Of Home Or Business

BY ROD BACON

Following years of experience in the information technology field, part of which was with the company he now owns, Carl Grosso decided it was time to take the reins and move the company to the next level.

He and his wife, Marly, now operate Audio Services NY, Inc., a company that provides a full range of audio, video, and security installations for homes and businesses.

“We supply state-of-the-art systems that allow people to take complete control of the technology in their homes or businesses from anywhere,” said Carl.

Their cutting edge technology allows owners to control video, audio, and security from one user-friendly interface. Their services include home automation, distributed audio, home theater, lighting and climate control, outdoor audio-visual, and interior design.

“With our integrated systems a home or business owner can control pretty much anything in a building; door locks, garage door openers, lighting, water, music, television, alarm systems, and much more,” said Grosso.

Some of the technology used to achieve these outcomes include equipment from Sonos, Lutron, Control4, and Ubiquit networks.

Carl’s expertise comes from working in a variety of positions requiring a knowledge of information technology. His last job prior to getting involved with Audio Services NY was project lead/manager at Toys R Us, where he oversaw the point of sales help desk. He is also a guitar player which, he said, gave him a familiarity with audio equipment.

Marly, who provides the interior design concepts for clients, is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

“Between the two of us we have all the bases covered and our clients appreciate the start-to-finish service we provide,” said Carl. “I take care of the technology and Marly is

the project manager and creates the interior design.”

The Grossos have long-standing clients in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. They are based in Fishkill but also have a log cabin in North Creek that is completely automated and used as a demonstration site. It is also offered for short-term rentals and clients are very impressed with the technology they encounter when using it. The cabin was featured in Log and Timber Magazine.

The Grossos feel that the many hospitality venues in the Adirondacks could benefit from the systems they install.

“A motel owner could have a state-ofthe-art security systems and the owner of a short-term rental could check on their investment remotely,” Carl said.

The Grossos have a four-pronged approach to customer service: consultation, design and documentation, installation, and customer support. For most jobs they will meet personally with the client to ascertain what he or she wants in a home or business system. The design is then customized to fit the client’s wishes and local installers are hired to complete the job. Followup, according to Carl, is extremely important to ensure that the system is working properly.

Occasionally, they will conduct a remote consultation which, with the technology available today works out well, according to Carl.

While the Grossos have build up a loyal clientele working from their Fishkill location, they are working toward becoming full-time residents of North Creek and operating the business from their cabin.

“Marly and I have been visiting the area since before we were married and would love to make it our full-time home,” said Carl.

For more information on the company or to arrange for a consultation visit audioservicesny.com.

Welcome Sign In Lake George Is Replaced, Marking Rotary Club’s 75 Anniversary

The Rotary Club of Lake George recently announced the unveiling of their new welcome sign, marking a significant milestone during the club’s 75th anniversary.

The Lake George Rotary Welcome Corner is located at the intersection of Route 9 and Route 9N near Exit 21. Denny Galloway, a longtime Lake George Rotarian whose vision sparked the creation of the Rotary Welcome Corner, made the corner a reality in 2004 in collaboration with New York State DOT, Lake George town officials, Warren County officials, and landscape architects with CLA SITE Landscape Architecture, Engineering, and Planning P.C.

The Welcome Corner has been a symbol of community pride and hospitality for two decades. Over the years, the Lake George Rotary Club has diligently maintained the corner, conducting annual cleanups with the help of Lake George High School’s Interact students and senior class.

To ensure the corner continues to make a positive

impression on visitors, the Lake George Rotary Club embarked on a project to design and install a new welcome sign. The modern sign incorporates LED lighting, durable materials, halo lighting, and an enticing design that reflects the natural beauty of the Lake George region.

After presenting their design to the Town of Lake George for support, a partnership was formed, leading to the creation of the new sign in collaboration with local custom fabricator Ed Ostberg of The Design Function. The design elements, inspired by artwork created for Lake George Winter Carnival promotions, pay homage to the area’s scenic landscapes.

The new sign prominently features the Rotary emblem, symbolizing Rotary’s commitment to the Lake George Community and “Service Above Self.”

“We are excited to unveil this new welcome sign, which serves as a beacon of hospitality and Rotary’s dedication to serving our community,” said Peter Wilhelm, president of the Lake George Rotary Club.

Carl (right) and Marly Grosso have expanded Audio Services NY, Inc. into the Adirondacks, which installs an integrated system that will allow homeowners to control all of their electronic devices. Courtesy of Audio Services NY, Inc.

Village Mayor Ray Perry, Supervisor Vinnie Crocitto,  Past Rotary President David King,  In-coming President Mark Bailey and current President Peter Wilhelm stand by the new sign.

Courtesy of the Rotary Club of Lake George

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL

2000 Business Of The Year

Adirondack Regional Chamber Of Commerce

9 Broad St. Glens Falls, NY 12803 (518) 581-0600 • Fax: (518) 430-3020 • www.glensfallsbusinessjournal.com

Editorial: rodbacon@saratogabusinessjournal.com

Advertising: HarryW@glensfallsbusinessjournal.com

Publisher & Editor Harry Weinhagen

Editor Emeritus Rod Bacon

Sales and Customer Service Harry Weinhagen Mary Longley

Production Manager

Graphic Precision

Contributing Writers Susan Campbell Jill Nagy Christine Graf Paul Post

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.

Glens Falls Business Journal is independently owned and is a registered tradename of Weinhagen

(518) 581-0600.

Glens Falls Business Journal has been founded to promote business in Warren and Washington counties and to provide a forum that will increase the awareness of issues and activities that are of interest to the business community. Subscription price is $25.00

Hannoush Jewelers

Continued From Page 1

ing the strip mall setting behind in favor of free-standing buildings. Hannoush said as a result, their stores “have become a little more high-end than when we started out.”

Quality jewelry can cater to a range of clientele and price points, and Hannoush said their full-service stores appeal to most shoppers by offering styles that range from classic and timeless to modern and trendy.

The Queensbury store had been home to Louis Jewelers, a successful business when the owner, who was planning his retirement, reached out to David and Albert to test out their interest, according to Hannoush.

They pushed back at first, and then Louis contacted them again a few months later.

Hannoush said the family has friends and business associates in the area, so the market was “not foreign by any means.”

“It seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up,” said Hannoush. “With the Saratoga area growing as it has, we felt it was a good time to expand farther north.”

Hannoush said the market is as different from Clifton Park to Queensbury as Albany is to Clifton Park.

“There are going to be some different styles that are more popular in one area than another,” he said. “In general, tastes are similar but some colors or styles may be favored more by the Queensbury customer than the other stores’.”

Hannoush said, “After 40 years in the Capital Region, our stores have come to be known as ‘a family business you can trust.’ We try to sell value and educate our consumers as much as possible.”

He said that in the eyes of vendors, the Hannoush name carries “some increased buying power” that can translate to value for customers, whether an item for purchase is “under $100 or in the six figures.”

The owners are in the stores as much as possible to build client relationships, he said.

Bandstand Brew Works

Continued From Page 1

a very experienced chef and fits well with our team,” Langworthy said.

The team includes Adam’s wife, Brooke, and Darby’s wife, Laurie. Brooke is an interior designer and did much of the design work on the brew works building. Laurie, who owns and directs Camp Echo Lake, manages the social media accounts for the business.

Both partners are new to the restaurant business.

New

“It has never been about making a quick sale or making as much profit on one person as we can,” said Hannoush. “We try to be the place people want to come to to forge memories, to get a great experience, and to know that they are going to be able to walk out with something of value that was purchased at a great value.”

People are driven to Hannoush Jewelers for engagement rings, wedding bands, anniversary gifts, and the other big giftgiving occasions, he said. But more and more over the past decade, Hannoush said self-purchasing has become increasingly important, especially for women aged 30 and over.

“Women are making more money, they have the disposable income, and so we cater more of our jewelry to that market,” he said. “If they come into the store to have an item repaired, they can walk around and see a beautiful pendant, for example, or a great pair of earrings they might walk out with.” Hannoush and his brother each have two daughters.

“My brother’s daughters are older than mine and they have already become those women,” he said. “They are not going to wait for someone to buy an item for them, but will buy it for themselves.”

Hannoush Jewelers in Queensbury is a quarter mile from Six Flags Great Escape and easily accessible from Exit 19 or Exit 20. There is ample parking.

David and Albert Hannoush are “strong supporters of Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, the Ronald McDonald House, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, school programs and other locally based causes,” Hannoush said.”If there is a way for us to help, we will try.”

The Queensbury store opened in April and there will be a Grand Opening event on June 13. Learn more at www.hannoushny. com.

Adam teaches in the Warrensburg school system but claims some background. His family owned a restaurant when he was a young boy. Darby is a businessman. Both, however, have been certified as brewmasters through Cornell University. Bandstand Brew Works will be one of at least three new restaurants coming to Warrnsburg’s Main Street this summer. Others include recently opened The Guac Box, a Mexican restaurant at 3915 Main Street, and Mark’s Hometown’cue at 3951 Main Street planning for a summer opening. Adam or Darby may be reached by email as Darby (or Adam) @bandstandBrewworks.com.

Washington

County

Business Registrations

Supremody 2118 Coach Rd. Argyle, NY 12809

Transofrm Trailers 28

Argyle Construction Company 5 Lemaire Way Argyle, NY 12809 Maple Ridge Trucking 564 Goodman Rd. Fort Ann, NY 12827

in One Excavating and Landscaping 353 Townline Rd. Fort Edward, NY 12828

Sunny Sips 1546 Mahaff y Rd. Fort Edward, NY 12828

Kys Klawz 4 Washington St. Fort Edward, NY 12828 Adirondack Hippie 1792 County Route 23 Granville, NY 12832

History Of The Colonial Era On Display At Lake George Battlefield Park Visitor Center

The Lake George Battlefield Park Visitor Center opened for its third season on May 24. The center, located on the bottom floor (rear entrance) of 75 Fort George Road in Lake George, will maintain a weekend and holidays schedule of 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., through the end of June, when it moves to five days per week (Thursday to Monday).

More than 5,000 guests viewed the exhibits at the visitor center during its initial two seasons. Admission is free for all guests.

The center has a wide array of exhibits to explain the significance of the Battlefield Park in American history. These exhibits include four models: two forts, the 1758 radeau Land Tortoise, and the 1756 sloop Earl of Loudoun. Display cases contain artifacts from Native Americans, the French and Indian War (1754-1763), and the American Revolution (1775-1783), as well as from the sloop Earl of Loudoun, the radeau Land Tortoise, and several bateaux. Ten 3x4-foot color resin panels, explaining the history of the park from the habitation of indigenous people through the end of the American Revolution, line the walls of the visitor center.

A large diorama, depicting the departure of the 1758 British expedition, consisting of more than 15,000 troops in hundreds of vessels, was a new exhibit in 2023, donated by the Adirondack Experience (formerly the Adirondack Museum). Two 13-inch diameter, 160-plus-pound intact iron mortar bombs/shells that date from the 1757 French or 1758 British campaigns are new exhibits

for 2024. The mortar bombs were recovered by the Adirondack Museum during the 1960s with a permit from New York State authorities. The artifacts were found on a flat-bottomed shipwreck, similar to a bateau but with heavier framing and a second deck at the bow and stern. The vessel was discovered in the southern basin of Lake George. The bombs had been displayed at the Adirondack Museum for a number of years before being returned to New York State. The bombs are on loan to the Battlefield Park Visitor Center by the New York State Museum.

Children will have the opportunity to learn about the art of decorating powder horns during the colonial wars and to color their own powder horn drawings. Even at times when the center is closed, the park’s history can be explored via QR code-directed videos.

Several temporary exhibits are planned for this summer. The first will discuss findings related to the stockaded fort that was located on the northern crest of the park’s east side.

As part of America 250, our curation chair, Dr. Lyn Karig Hohmann, is starting a new project to collect family stories related to ancestors who took part in the colonial wars in or around Lake George Battlefield Park. These can bring home the human side of the events in this area. They will be showcased in a portfolio at the visitor center. Family stories can either be brought to the center or emailed to the alliance at info@ lakegeorgebattlefield.org

The Warren County Bikeway Is The Site Of An Exciting New Challenge For History Buffs

To many people who use the Warren County Bikeway, the multi-use trail is just a neat place to bike, walk or run. But to local history buffs, the bikeway is much more than a recreational outlet, as many sites along the route were the scenes of significant events in two 18th century military conflicts.

To celebrate that history as the nation’s 250th birthday approaches, Warren County Department of Planning and Community Development has created a new Letterboxing challenge that combines history and recreation on the bikeway, celebrating the centuries-old road that became the bikeway with a fun challenge to identify 10 important sites along the trail.

Letterboxing is a growing hobby that incorporates orienteering, art and puzzle solving to find hidden treasures and complete a challenge.

The new Letterbox the Bikeway challenge takes participants from the bikeway’s beginning in Glens Falls to its end at Battlefield Park in Lake George, with stops at 10 historically significant locations in between.

The goal is to find the Letterboxing sites along the trail using clues that are in the form of riddles. Solving the riddles results in the discovery of a stamp in a weatherproof box to stamp a passport to document completion of the challenge. Passports can be found at locations detailed on the challenge website.

The bikeway follows a portion of the path of the old military road that was integral to troop movements during the U.S. Revolution and the French and Indian War. Fort Amherst, Halfway Brook, Colonel Williams Monument and several military engagement sites are among the Letterboxing stops.

“There are so many neat and interesting things to see along Warren County Bikeway, chief among them historic sites where events occurred that helped shape our region and nation. We hope Letterboxers will enjoy this challenge and appreciate the role that Warren County played in the formative years of the United States,” said Sara Frankenfeld, Warren County GIS and co-architect of Letterbox the Bikeway.

“Special thanks go to Warren County Historian Stan Cianfarano and Warren County Historical

Society Treasurer John Berry for their help with this exciting new challenge.”

Those who find all 10 Letterboxing stamps can send their completed passports to Warren County Department of Planning & Community Development to earn a stylish patch along with some historical knowledge and a feeling of accomplishment!

Letterbox the Bikeway was created by the Planning Department staff, who created the First Wilderness Letterboxing Challenge in 2021 and the Warren County Historians’ Challenge in 2022. The Historians’ Challenge is still alive, while the First Wilderness Challenge has been retired.

Though it’s formally known as the Warren County Bikeway, the 9.4-mile-long trail is actually a multi-use trail open to bicyclists, walkers and joggers. Letterboxers should be cognizant of other trail users, particularly bicyclists who can be moving at a good clip.

More information about Letterbox the Bikeway can be found at www.warrenny250.com/ pages/letterboxing.

The Lake George Battlefield Park Visitor Center has on display an array of exhibits explaining the significance of the Battlefield Park in American history.

Courtesy of the Lake George Battlefield Park

Letterboxes have been placed along the Warren County Bikeway to challenge history buffs. Courtesy of Warren County Planning

SPECIAL SECTION

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Workers Benefit Significantly From Employee Stock Ownership Plan At Stewart’s Shops

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

If you’ve visited your local Stewart’s Shops lately, you may have been waited on by a millionaire. Thanks to the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), a significant number of employees have become millionaires.

Nationwide, only about 6,300 companies offer ESOPs, employee benefit plans that give workers ownership interest in their company in the form of shares of stock. Stewart’s Shop is one of just a handful of local businesses to offer this benefit to its employees.

“ESOP programs have been getting a lot more attention from leaders in the state and other businesses,” said Robin Cooper, public relations manager for Stewart’s Shops. “I’m only aware of four or five companies in the region that have them.”

At Stewarts, both full- and part-time employees ages 19 and up are eligible to enroll. A person must work 500 hours in a quarter or 1,000 hours in a year, whichever occurs first. After a period of six years, the employee is fully vested. At that point in time, the balance of his or her ESOP is equivalent to approximately one year’s salary.

In 2022, Stewart’s Shops made $19 million in contributions to the ESOP accounts of 3,000 active employees, each one receiving the equivalent of 16 percent of his or her annual salary. That year, ESOP participants saw their account balances grow by 12.5 percent compared to the previous year.

The Stewart’s ESOP was established in 2001, and employees now own 40 percent of the privately-held company. The plan is 100 percent company paid.

“We have also been paying dividends for about the past ten years,” said Alison Abbey, personnel manager for Stewart’s Shops. “Those are paid quarterly. People can take them as cash or roll them into their balance.”

Abbey estimates that approximately 40 percent of employees choose cash payouts on dividends.

“The majority of dividends are invested back into the company, and we try to educate people on what they are giving up if they take it.”

Long-term employees who have been diligent about reinvesting their dividends have reaped significant rewards, the company now boasting 200 millionaires.

“That was up from 175 the previous year. That number includes current, active employees who are still working,” said Abbey. “And a lot of those millionaires are hourly employees, so you don’t need to be a senior executive to become a millionaire.”

Since establishing its ESOP program, Stewart’s has worked hard to instill a sense of ownership among its employees.

“Once someone is in ESOP and sees their yearly statement that shows their balance, it becomes real to them. That’s when they buy into that ownership mentality that much more,” said Abbey.

A study conducted by Rutgers University found that companies that offer ESOPs experience substantial gains in performance. Employees with ESOPs report feeling more appreciated and connected to their company.

“The program instills a sense of pride in our employees. We call them partners because they own 40 percent of the company,” said Cooper. “And part of the beauty of the ESOP is that unlike companies with 401k programs, this is 100 percent paid by the company. Nothing comes out of the employee’s pocket, and I don’t think a lot of people realize that. This gives us a big advantage when it comes to recruitment and retention. Folks that are working in the plant, working in the shops, and working in the offices can become millionaires.”

For example, Cooper mentions an employee who spent his career working in the company’s milk production plant.

“He retired at 57, so he wasn’t old enough to collect social security. But he was making more drawing interest off his ESOP than what he had been earning as a salary.”

Business Report

Changes To 401 Plans

PROVIDED BY MEGHAN MURRAY, CRPC®

If you own a business and you offer a 401(k) or similar retirement plan to your employees, you’ll want to stay current on the various changes affecting these types of accounts. And in 2024, you may find some interesting new developments to consider.

These changes are part of the SECURE 2.0 Act, enacted at the end of 2022. And while some parts of the law went into effect in 2023 — such as the new tax credit for employer contributions to start-up retirement plans with 100 or fewer employees — others were only enacted this year.

Here are some of these changes that may interest you:

New “starter” 401(k)/403(b) – If you haven’t already established a retirement plan, you can now offer a “starter” 401(k) or “safe harbor” 403(b) plan to employees who meet age and service requirements. These plans have lower contribution limits ($6,000 per year, or $7,000 for those 50 or older) than a typical 401(k) or 403(b) and employers can’t make matching or nonelective contributions. These plans are low-cost and easy to administer but the credit for employer contributions doesn’t apply, as these contributions aren’t allowed, and since start-up costs are low, the tax credit for these costs will be correspondingly lower than they’d be for a full-scale 401(k) plan.

Matches for student loan payments – It’s not easy for young employees to save for retirement and pay back student loans. To help address this problem, Congress included a provision in Secure 2.0 that allows employers the option to provide matching contributions to employees’ retirement plans (401(k), 403(b), 457(b) and SIMPLE IRAs) when these employees make qualified student loan payments. Of course, if you offer this match for student loan payments, your costs will likely increase, although these matching contributions are tax deductible. In any case, you may want to balance any additional expense with the potential benefit of attracting and retaining employees, particularly those who have recently graduated from college. 401(k) eligibility for part-time employees – Parttime employees who are at least 21 years old and have at least 500 hours of service in three consecutive years must now be eligible to contribute to an existing 401(k) plan. The inclusion of part-time

employees could lead to higher business expenses for you, depending on the amount of contributions you may make to employees’ plans. Again, though, you’d be offering a benefit that could be attractive to quality part-time employees.

Emergency savings account – Many people, especially those who don’t earn high incomes, have trouble building up emergency funds they can tap for unexpected costs, such as a major home or car repair or large medical expenses. Now, if you offer a 401(k), 403(b) or 457(b) plan, you can include a pension-linked emergency savings account (PLESA) that allows non-highly compensated employees to save up to $2,500, a figure that will be indexed for inflation in the future. PLESA allows for tax-free monthly withdrawals without incurring a 10 percent tax penalty. PLESA contributions are made on an after-tax (Roth) basis and must be matched at the same rate as other employee contributions.

You may want to consult with your tax and financial professionals to determine how these changes may affect what you want to do with your retirement plan.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Meghan Murray is a financial advisor with Edward Jones Financial in Glens Falls. Courtesy Edward Jones

NBT Bancorp Inc. Promotes Four Executives As It Implements It’s CEO Succession

NBT Bancorp Inc. has announced that its CEO Succession Plan unanimously approved by NBT’s board of directors in January was executed with Scott A. Kingsley succeeding John H. Watt, Jr. as NBT’s 15th president and chief executive officer. Kingsley was also elected to NBT’s board of directors. Watt will continue to serve on the board and has been named vice chairman.

NBT also announced the promotion of Joseph R. Stagliano to president of NBT Bank, N.A., the company’s wholly-owned banking subsidiary, Annette L. Burns to executive vice president and chief financial officer, and Shauna M. Hyle to executive vice president, retail community banking.

NBT Board Chairman Martin A. Dietrich said, “Smooth leadership transitions are a characteristic of high-performing companies. The board enthusiastically and unanimously approved the succession plan we announced in January. We thank John for the vision and energy he has invested in NBT, and we are fortunate to have a tested and aligned executive management team with strong and experienced leaders like Scott, Joe, Annette and Shauna.”

Kingsley joined NBT in 2021 as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He has more than 35 years of experience, including 16 years as a member of the management team at Community Bank System, Inc., where he served as chief operating officer and, prior to that, as chief financial officer. Kingsley started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP before joining the Carlisle Companies, Inc., a publicly traded global manufacturer and distributor, where he served in financial and operational leadership roles.

A certified public accountant, Kingsley earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Clarkson University. He is an active community advocate, volunteer and fund-

Plan

raiser. He currently serves on the Crouse Health Foundation board of trustees and the audit and finance committee for the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse and was previously chair of the board of directors of the Food Bank of Central New York.

Stagliano has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to his promotion to president of NBT Bank, N.A., he held the positions of president of retail community banking and chief information officer. He joined NBT in 1999 and was promoted to chief information officer and joined the company’s executive management team in 2006. In 2016, he assumed responsibility for retail banking in addition to his duties as chief information officer. In 2018, Stagliano was named president of retail community banking. Before joining NBT, he was employed by MetLife.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business and public management from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica. Active in his community, Stagliano serves as chair of the UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, and he is on the board of directors of United Health Services, Inc. and the Norwich Building Tomorrow Foundation Inc.

Burns joined NBT in 2013 with the company’s acquisition of Alliance Bancorp. A certified public accountant, she has 30 years of experience in accounting and finance. She started her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP and advanced to business assurance manager. After joining NBT, she served as corporate controller and senior corporate controller before promotion to her most recent role as chief accounting officer. She also served as interim chief financial officer in 2021 before Kingsley joined the company.

Burns earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Bo-

Continued On Page 11

Two Local Businessmen Bring Individual Skills To The Launch Of TechFirst Insurance Agency

Two area businessmen have announced the launch of TechFirst Insurance Agency Inc.

It is a collaboration between co-founders Kevin O’Brien and Mark Shaw. O’Brien is a seasoned insurance professional while Shaw is a successful entrepreneur.

Shaw founded StoredTech in 2010, and since then has started three other companies. He has been named on Upstate Businesses Top CEO’s list by the Times Union and regularly supports the local community.

O’Brien has contributed significantly to various organizations, including the Tri-County United Way, Rotary Club of Glens Falls, Conkling Center, Adirondack Independent Insurance Association, 211NY, Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation, United Way of New York State, and The Glen at Highland Meadows. He is the 2013 recipient of the J. Walter Juckett Award and the first winner of the Ethics in Business Award.

Over several years the friends explored ways to modernize the insurance brokerage, discussing the extreme complexity of getting coverage for clients. They looked for ways to streamline that, which would free up time for agents to focus on clients’ needs.

TechFirst has built out a robust backoffice process, partnering with more than 10 insurance providers. This allows them to be trusted advisors to businesses and families. One broker can address both business and personal needs. Also, they pledge to re-rate accounts every year to make sure their clients are getting the best coverage at the fairest price.

“Four times in the past 15 years, I have seen horribly outdated processes in other industries and set out to disrupt the status quo,” said Shaw.

O’Brien and Shaw have had conversations off and on for six or seven years.

“Mark’s energy and vision will allow me to focus all of my energies on clients and our community,” said O’Brien.

O’Brien started his agency career in his family’s business, the O’Brien Agency. He then transitioned to Glens Falls National Bank and combined their three family agencies into the present-day Upstate Insurance Agency.

He brings to the new agency more than 30 years of insurance expertise and relationships with local property and vehicle owners. He also has relationships with public schools, volunteer fire/EMS departments, libraries, religious institutions, museums, and other business owners.

Further information is available at www.techfirstinsurance.com

Kevin O’Brien has extensive experience as an insurance agent.

SPECIAL SECTION

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Carpenters Local Union 291 Works To Ensure Those In The Trade Are Well Trained

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

Carpenters Local Union 291 is not rapidly growing but has the potential to, according to its president, James Margiotta. Skilled union carpenters can make a six-figure income with benefits, and no vocational school education or even a high school diploma is required, he said.

“Membership has been at the status quo the better part of the past 20 years,” said Margiotta, who has been a member of Local 291 for 25 years and in several of its elected positions for 11 years.

There are 1,600 members currently in 14 counties encompassing the Capital Region and North Country of New York. There are surges in membership at times but Margiotta said the union is “staying afloat because of a two-fold issue.”

“One reason growth isn’t as good as it could be is the ability to find skilled people that could command the wages that we negotiate for members,” he said.

“There has also been an issue of finding younger people interested in starting this kind of career in the carpentry trade,” said Margiotta.

Blue collar work was not something that schools or parents were pushing young people toward for a

period of time, he said. College was.

“But there has been a change in that mind-set in the last five years or so, and it’s gaining momentum,” Margiotta said.

In the 140 years Carpenters Local 291 has existed, members have seen other changes and not just in attitudes about the trade. At one time the union required members to complete high school, but that is no longer the case, according to Margiotta. The union provides all training and education.

“There are big projects coming up throughout New York spurred through work force development programs,” he said. “The schools are starting to say, this is a good option for you to get involved in the trades.”

Margiotta said society in general has not promoted carpentry as a job because “it’s not glamorous.”

“Years ago there were advertisements on TV about how unions were good and good for you, but this went away,” he said. “And there are no labor studies or labor history courses in high school now.”

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Should Ease The Burden Of Impact Fees On Developers

BY PAUL POST

Area builders applaud a recent federal court ruling that could save them large sums by prohibiting some types of development fees local municipalities charge them.

Towns, cities and counties quite often impose such fees for new construction projects and use the money for things such as road, infrastructure and recreation facility upgrades.

But the U.S. Supreme Court, on April 12, sided with a rural California resident whose local government required him to pay a $23,420 “traffic impact fee” in order to obtain a building permit for a small pre-fab home he wanted to put at the rear of his property for his grandson.

“How’s that going to impact traffic? It wasn’t going to impact anybody,” said attorney David Robinson, of the California law firm Holland & Knight, whose clients include numerous builders and developers.

“This decision will have a major impact because it will result in a lot of changes in the way government operates,” he said. “For so very long the fox has been running the henhouse. If a developer wants to build something on one side of town, they’ve been charged a massive fee to build a public amenity on other side of town that has nothing to do with project in question. The bottom line is, that’s going to be really hard for the government to do now.”

Moving forward, impact fees must be able to stand up to two basic considerations. One is a proximate test. The impact local government is seeking compensation for has to be in some way logically or proximately related to the development.

Second, is the fee in reasonable proportion to the impact? For example, government couldn’t require a $100,000 fee for a $10,000 impact.

“This is going to be a serious check on what governments can do,” Robinson said. “It’s not going to be business as usual any more. It’s new, it’s very powerful. It will save developers money. But it’s also going to create a lot of litigation. There’s no question about that. You’re going to see a whole lot of experts on both sides, arguing whether an impact is directly related or proximate and whether the fee charged is reasonable. There will be a lot of debate about how this new rule is applied in any given situation.”

John Munter, president of Greenfield-based Munter Enterprises Inc., said, “Municipalities in some cases make a ridiculous request like, we want you to put in a mile of sidewalk where there isn’t any. They can come up with very expensive mitigation that doesn’t fit into the economics of a project. If you have a $1.5 million project, but have to spend $300,000 to do it, obviously it doesn’t make any sense. In those cases a law like this would certainly help.”

“In general, it’s good because it will keep things a little bit more fair,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to completely hinder reasonable mitigation from occurring.”

In fact, while the Court ruled unanimously, three justices concurred that the decision does not prohibit the “common government practice of imposing permit conditions, such as impact fees, on new developments through reasonable formulas or schedules that assess the impact of classes of development rather than the impact of specific parcels of property.”

Long-time Town of Wilton Councilman Raymond F. O’Conor said, “It is unclear what impact the court’s ruling will have. In my opinion the town’s formulas and schedules are reasonable and sound. If impact fees are impermissible, the costs of additional infrastructure, traffic remediation, recreation facilities and conservation projects will be borne by the residents.”

But builders and realtors alike say any cost savings stemming from the Court ruling is more than welcome, especially in today’s economic climate of rising costs and relatively high interest rates.

The National Association of Realtors says the average impact fee on a single-family home was almost $14,000 in 2019. Such costs have gone up considerably since then.

“Costly and burdensome requirements imposed on property owners, such as obtaining land-use permits as a condition of using or developing their property may be unrelated to the externalities of the development, may artificially increase the cost of real estate,” the NAR said. “At a time when many buyers are struggling to afford or find properties, government action must create certainty and stability in the housing market to promote development, support home ownership, and protect private property rights.”

The NAR, joined by the American Property Owners Alliance, REALTORS Land Institute and California Association of REALTORS fi led an amicus brief with the Court last year. “Impact fees have real consequences for home ownership in America, particularly with today’s high interest rates and limited housing affordability,” they wrote. “Many prospective home buyers are priced out of the market by the tens of thousands of dollars in impact fees imposed on the average property owner.”

Mark Levack of Glens Falls-based Levack Real Estate Inc., said, “I am in favor of anything that brings down the cost of development approvals. This decision will help to make it slightly more affordable to the end user or consumer.”

John Witt, owner of Saratoga Springs-based Witt Construction Inc., said various fees can be quite burdensome. “We just had a two-lot subdivision, in the city of Saratoga Springs, off existing road frontage on Willow Lane on the West Side,” he said. “We were charged a $2,000 application and $4,000 recreation fee ($2,000 per lot). We also must install sidewalks, street trees, light poles, water and sewer extension down Willow Lane at a cost of $150,297 plus the fee to bond with a letter of credit.”

Moving forward, cases will likely be handled on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis as rules may vary considerably from one state and municipality to another.

Chief Counsel Lori Mithen-Demasi, Association of Towns of the State of New York, said, “We recommend that each town work with their town attorney to ensure compliance with state and federal laws when creating and implementing land use approval and permit requirements. At this time, it is our understanding that the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado does not substantially change what towns can lawfully require regarding land use approval and permit conditions.”

Jason George Owner

New York State Assemblywoman Carrie Warner visits a group of high school students interested in learning about a career in the carpentry trade.

Darrah Land Surveying Provides Important Information To Homeowners And Developers

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

It was while attending Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks that Darrah Land Surveying’s Kristin Darrah developed an interest in becoming a land surveyor. After meeting some neighbors who worked in the field, she changed her major from environmental studies to surveying technology.

“I had never even heard of land surveying,” said Darrah. “I observed them working on one of their projects-- hand drafting a topographic map. I thought it was really interesting.”

The field of land surveying has a rich history, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln all having worked as land surveyors. The famous duo of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark created close to 140 maps while surveying the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest.

Land surveying draws heavily on mathematical principles, the fundamentals of geometry being of particular importance, used to calculate angles, distances, and elevations.

Surveyors must also familiarize themselves with local history, especially in the Adirondack region where land patents date back to before the Revolutionary War. A land patent is a document that assigns official ownership of a particular tract of land.

“The goal of what we do is to reproduce the work of the original surveyors—figuring out what their intention was. There’s a lot of history involved in order to understand how the land was split up to begin with,” said Darrah.

Working in the profession since 2002, Darrah joined Darrah Land Surveying in 2007. The company was established in 2006 by her husband, Donald Darrah.

“I became a partner in 2011,” she said. “I wear a lot of hats, overseeing project managers , technicians, field staff, and our administrative staff.”

Based in Lake Luzerne, Darrah Land Surveying has 14 employees and offers a variety of services to its customers.

“We do a little bit of anything. We do construction layout for new buildings, new homes, and subdivisions. We do some heavy highway work for some local construction companies. We also do boundary surveying and design mapping for upgrades to sewer systems or upgrades to municipal properties,” said Darrah.

As a certified New York State Certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE), the firm works on many publicly-funded municipal projects.

“Publicly-funded projects have a minority component requirement for a certain percentage of it to be handled by a minority-owned business, and that’s us,” Darrah explained.

“That helps us get our foot in the door on a lot of municipal projects. We just did layout for the Glens Falls Farmers’ Market. We also have the contract with Warren County, working on road projects with the Department of Public Works.”

According to Darrah, boundary surveying represents a significant portion of the firm’s work. Used to determine property lines, these surveys are sometimes necessitated by propertyrelated disputes between neighbors. Regardless of the circumstances, the process begins with a deed analysis.

“If I go to your house and survey your property, we look at your deed, and we look at the deeds for all of the lots that adjoin you-- ones that you share a boundary with. We do research at the county clerk’s office and get copies of those deeds. We look for any filed maps that may exist, ones that could affect your property or your neighbor’s property,” she said.

They also look at their internal records which include records purchased from several local surveyors who worked throughout the region. In the field of surveying, it is common to purchase records from surveyors who are retiring. Most recently, the firm purchased the records from Dennis Dickinson in Lake George.

“Essentially, we are buying information,” said Darrah. “In Dennis’ case, it was about 40 years’ worth of work.”

After researching deeds and scouring inter-

nal records, Darrah said field crews are sent to the site.

“We recover any existing markers that are called for in the deed or shown on the map so that we can reproduce the intention of the property. We look for iron pins, stone walls, fences, or whatever it happens to be. It’s however the property was described when it was sold. We are trying to reproduce that to the best of our abilities,” she explained.

According to Darrah, property owners are sometimes surprised by the results of a survey.

“Most people have some sort of preconceived idea of where their property boundaries,” she said. “Some of them are far off, and they should have called us before they put that addition on their house. It does happen from time to time.”

In those instances, she said the homeowner may be able to work with their neighbor to fix the issue.

“Hopefully you have really nice neighbors and have the ability to do a lot line adjustment or an easement or something to fix the issue,” she said.

Before purchasing a property, Darrah recommends obtaining a land survey, even if a lender does not require one.

“It’s a really good idea to get a survey when you are buying a property so that you know what you are actually buying,” she noted.

Land surveying is a male dominated profession, with Darrah estimating that women represent less than 25 percent of the field. Earlier in her career, it was often assumed that she was the firm’s secretary, something that now happens only occasionally.

With fewer people pursuing careers in surveying, her firm is finding it increasingly difficult to fill open positions. Not all positions require the individual to become licenses as a land surveyor.

“Land surveying is a field that is shrinking,” said Darrah. “Every company in this area is looking for people. It’s hard to find people who want to do this work because most of the entry-level people are going to be working in the field. It’s hard work. It’s a physical job, but it’s something you can make a career out of whether you get licensed or not. We can train people from the ground up.”

Kristin Darrah, owner of Darrah Land Surveying, became interested in the profession while attending Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks.

Courtesy of Darrah Land Surveying

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Well Trained Physician Assistants Are Integral To Goal Of Providing Quality Medical Care

The Workplace Health And Wellness Council Addresses Issues That Hinder Productivity

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

During the past decade, the number of board-certified physician assistants (PAs) has increased more than 75 percent, with more than 168,000 currently practicing in the field. Each year, PAs are responsible for more than 500 million patient interactions, collaborating with physicians and surgeons to diagnose and treat patients.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the PA profession will increase 28 percent from 2021 to 2031. Currently, the demand for PAs is so high that 75 percent of graduates receive multiple job offers upon graduation.

In the late 1960s, Duke University established the country’s fi rst physician assistant program. There are now 245 accredited programs in the United States, one of them at Albany Medical College where 42 PAs graduate each year from the 28-month program. Established in 1972, Albany Med’s PA program began as a collaboration with Hudson Valley Community College.

According to the statistics compiled by New York’s Department of Education Office of the

Professions, there were more than 22,000 PAs practicing in New York as of January 1, 2024. That number includes 295 in Saratoga County, 84 in Warren County, 29 in Essex County, 16 in Washington County, and just 2 in Hamilton County.

Glens Falls Hospital is one of the largest employers of PAs in the area, with 75 PAs working at its 20 locations throughout the region. With a service area of 6,000 square miles, the hospital provides services in Warren, Washington, Essex, Hamilton, and northern Saratoga counties

According to Antoinetta Backus, physician recruitment and retention manager at Glens Falls Hospital, PAs are integral to the operation of the hospital.

“Physician assistants are essential to our practice. They are a huge part of our team here at Glens Falls Hospital. We have physician assistants and advanced practice providers in every specialty,” she said.

Backus is currently working to fi ll two open PA positions at the hospital. A Certified Physi-

Continued On Page 11

BY JILL NAGY

The Workplace Health and Wellness Council of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce tries to spread a culture of wellness in the business community. An all-volunteer committee plans monthly meetings with guest speakers on timely topics.

The May meeting, Wellness from Head to Toe, focused on mental health as well as physical wellness.

“It was a really beautiful panel,” said Ava Kanninen, the council liaison and the chamber’s membership chair. “It was beautiful to see these women calling back to the other speakers’ messages,” she added.

All three speakers that month were women. Erin Kivitski, a psychologist and wellness coordinator, moderated the program. Speakers were Susan McManus, a mental health and addiction specialist; Cathy Reichen, a physical therapist who manages the return to work program at Glens Falls Hospital; and Lyndsey Brainard, who discussed the importance of access to nourishing food.

The June meeting will observe Pride Month with a look at LBGTQ health issues, led by Pam Cardinale of Lower Adirondack Pride. July’s meeting will focus on gun safety. In August, the council will work

with the Glens Falls Collaborative on a celebration of city parks. Earlier meetings this year examined autism awareness, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer awareness.

So far, the meetings have been open only to council members. A small fee is charged to attend. The audience is active, aware, and eager to learn, Kanninen said. “They have a real passion for taking care,” she noted.

As, in the coming year, the program widens its attendance to more of the general public, “We hope to grow it without losing that passion,” she added.

Workplace Health and Wellness is one of several similar committees of the chamber. In addition to its monthly meetings, council members try to spread the word through individual members’ networks, in the chamber’s newsletter, and on social media.

“We try to meet people wherever they are,” Kanninen said.

The council was formed in 2011, using grant money. When the grant ran out, Kanninen explained, the group tried out different formats and eventually became part of the chamber. The council shares office space with the chamber at 68 Warren Street in Glens Falls.

At the May meeting of the ARCC’s Workplace Health and Wellness Council these professionals in a variety of fields presented Wellness From Head to Toe to an attentive audience.

Courtesy of ARCC

Antoinetta Backus, physician recruitment and retention manager at Glens Falls Hospital, is responsible for ensuring that nurses and staff physicians have qualified PAs with whom to work. Glens Falls Business Journal

Physician Assistants

Continued From Page 10

cian Recruiter, she has been in her current position since 2012.

“We’ve been fairly successful with our most recent recruitment, and when it comes to the difficulty of fi lling a position, it depends on the specialty,” she said. “We also have a fair number of new grads that have an interest in coming to Glens Falls Hospital.”

Although the hospital does hire newlygraduated PAs, certain positions require candidates to have experience within a particular specialty. PAs are trained as generalists, and it is not until working in the field that they have the opportunity to specialize in one of more than 60 specialties. Regardless of specialty or experience level, all PAs must work under the direction of a supervising physician.

At Glens Falls Hospital, all new PA school graduates must undergo a comprehensive orientation and mentoring process.

“We recognize the importance of mentoring and support for the new grads and want to be sure that these folks are going to be comfortable in their practice,” said Backus. “We don’t schedule them to be on their own. We have the support there for these new providers, and new grads need and deserve this kind of support. We want to help them be successful.”

Within the hospital, Backus said the scope of practice for PAs varies by department.

“Each department dictates how they want their PAs to practice. For example, in primary care, many of the PAs have their own patient panel. They are the primary care provider. Of course, their supervising physician is there for support as are the rest of the team. It’s defi nitely a team approach in all of our departments. The providers support one another,”

she said.

According to Backus, when recruiting PAs, the hospital is very specific with regards to the expectations and responsibilities associated with all open positions.

“That adds to our retention which minimizes our recruitment needs,” she noted.

When recruiting—whether it is for PAs, doctors, or nurse practitioners—Backus must fi nd candidates who are interested in practicing in a small community. It is something that she admits can be challenging.

“When someone is not familiar with the region, they don’t necessarily realize what a gem we have. When they see that we are in northern New York, they may feel that we don’t have the amenities that they would be used to. It’s not until we can really talk to them about the community and the resources and the amenities that we have that they recognize that we have a wonderful community with great schools, kind people, lots of activities, and no traffic,” she said.

“I do tell them that they have to be able to embrace the snow—they don’t have to like it, but they do have to embrace it. I’m very up front and honest about everything because we want people to come here and stay. That’s what’s best for our patients and our community and our hospital,” she added.

Although Glens Falls Hospital has been very successful at attracting qualified providers to the area, Backus said many of their practitioners are “home grown.”

“They are people who are from the area,” she said. “They go away to school and to train, and maybe they work elsewhere and then come back home. That’s always a wonderful thing.”

NBT Bancorp Inc.

Continued From Page 7

naventure University. She serves as a board member and treasurer for the United Way of Mid Rural New York and is a past board member of the Chenango Arts Council. Hyle joined NBT in 2008. Prior to her promotion to executive vice president of retail community banking, she oversaw NBT’s consumer lending business and provided executive sponsorship for the company’s national benefits administration business, EPIC Retirement Plan Services, headquartered in Rochester, New York. In addition to these responsibilities, her newly expanded role also includes oversight of retail bank-

ing, business banking and marketing. Hyle served as senior vice president and chief risk officer from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, she was corporate controller and managed NBT’s accounting and finance function. Before joining NBT, she was a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, providing audit and attestation services to clients in the firm’s Syracuse and Boston offices.

She is a certified public accountant and earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Geneseo. She serves on the board of directors of UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital.

Constance ‘Conni’ Tucker Derives Great Satisfaction From Serving Her Community

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

For the past 45 years, Constance “Conni” Tucker has been volunteering her time, serving the community as a member of the Bay Ridge Rescue Squad. Tucker joined the squad in 1979, receiving her EMS certification while attending nursing school. Working her way up the ladder, she was certified as a paramedic in the 1990s.

The daughter of a City of Glens Falls firefighter, Tucker describes herself as a “nurturer by trade.”

“When I was a kid, I brought home stray dogs, stray cats, stray people—anyone who needed help. That’s how I ended up in health care.”

After working as a board certified emergency room nurse for 25 years, Tucker left nursing, embarking on a career in real estate. A licensed real estate agent, she works for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services in Queensbury.

“I was suffering from significant burnout after being in the ER for so long, and I found that real estate was a different way of taking care of people,” she said.

Through it all, Tucker has remained a fixture at Bay Ridge, one of three ambulance squads that serve the Town of Queensbury. In 2023, two of the squads—Bay Ridge and North Queensbury— joined forces, now operating as one agency with a combined board of directors.

“It’s always been my hope that the three rescue squads in the Town of Queensbury would become one rescue squad. It’s a goal I have had a hand in working towards for over 20 years. By combining the agencies, you are able to give better care to the residents. That’s always been the goal,” said Tucker.

“It has worked out spectacularly. The residents of the Town of Queensbury are getting quality care from both rescue squads. West Glens Falls is still on its own, but we all have the same goal. And that is to give the best medical care that we can provide.”

The Queensbury EMS main station is located in the lower end of Queensbury, and its secondary station is located on the east side of Lake George. With two ambulances on the road at all times, they cover three fire districts. Each ambulance has both a paramedic and an EMT on board at all times.

“We have two full crews 24/7,” said Tucker. “They do 12-hour shifts. These guys are running their butts off doing 10 to 12 calls per shift. We’re doing well over 100 calls per month right now in the Town of Queensbury.”

A non-profit, the agency relies on taxpayer dollars and revenue recovery to fund operations.

“We bill in order to survive,” said Tucker. “You can’t ask the taxpayer to foot the bill for everyone especially in a resort area where you have a lot of people from out of town.”

Although grateful that EMS now receives funding from the town, Tucker said that has not always been the case.

“When we were an all-volunteer organization, we used to have to stand on the corner and beg for money. When Steve Borgos became the supervisor for the Town of Queensbury, he said, ‘No more standing on the corner. We’re going to start taking care of you.’”

Although the Queensbury EMS squad still

“Conni” Tucker has been serving as a member of the Bay Ridge Rescue Squad in Queensbury since 1979.

this year. “We work with companies from Hudson Headwaters to West Point,” Shaw said. “We have a very large regional and global presence from the U.S. to Ireland, the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan. We have hundreds of clients on a global scale, but continue to focus on our communities.”

He founded the firm with just two employees in a Glens Falls home-based office in April 2010. It has grown exponentially to includes offices and facilities in Albany, Raleigh, N.C. and The Philippines.

StoredTech ranks among the Capital Region’s fastest growing companies and made the Times Union’s “Top Work Places” list in 2022 and 2023. It also has consistently appeared in Inc. Magazine’s 5000 fastest-growing companies list.

In March 2022, StoredTech successfully completed the Service Organization Control 2 Type 2 audit, which ensures compliance with leading industry standards for managing enterprise data. SOC2 is a technical auditing process used to validate the systems and controls designed by an organization to secure its customer data.

Two months later, StoredTech announced the acquisition of Raleigh-based NOAH IT, LLC.

“Today we kind of own the market north of Albany,” Andrade said. “I definitely feel we can make our way all the way down to New York City with potential expansion deeper into Carolinas and the entire Eastern Seaboard to Florida as well.”

Handing off day-to-day operations to someone else was no easy decision, or process, for Shaw.

“StoredTech is my baby. To say, ‘I trust you to take care of this’ is a big step, a big risk,” he said. “Am I picking the right person? Will they carry on the legacy? Will they do the things I would do? There’s a lot of things you ask yourself. The answer is that it was a process that took more than a year to implement.”

Andrade emerged as the right choice after a review of more than 400 resumes and 70 interviews.

“It took a long time to vet this person,” Shaw said. “It’s not something I considered lightly. Our senior leadership engaged with him, we spoke to his references and also used a recruiter. I believe David has fully embraced the StoredTech concept of customer delight, putting clients and employees

first; promoting from within. Everything I would be doing, I see him doing on an accelerated pace. He’s acting and thinking as an owner and putting all the right priorities I had in place.”

Andrade came on board six months ago, but didn’t officially become company president until June 1. Shaw said this was a deliberate step to let Andrade get immersed in the company culture, and let clients and employees get to know him before making an otherwise surprise, perhaps even shocking, announcement.

Andrade expects continued strong revenue growth while increasing staff to diversify the services StoredTech provides.

“The next goal is how do we become a 100-person organization?” he said. “We continue to recruit and hire local talent. For me personally, a track record of starting and finishing something is always important. The most important characteristics for anybody are aptitude and a desire to learn. If you can get those components with any kind of experience, especially around the tech side, it’s a huge plus although technology can be trained.”

New advanced technology departments around networking and security have built a career path and growth opportunity for employees.

Previously, people went to a traditional office and everyone worked at a computer in the same building. There was one network, one set of servers.

But COVID sent everybody home.

Now with some companies there’s a hybrid workplace in which people mostly work from home and come to the office once or twice per week. Or the firm has a fully remote modern workforce where everything is in the cloud and employees need a phone and laptop with them at all times.

“In an office with one network connection you just need to make sure that network is secure,” Shaw said. “In today’s world, where people are working at home and coffee shops there are a million different endpoints where people can be connected so your security needs change. Today everybody is everywhere. The office is wherever you want to be. As the world changed, we had to change and adapt so that’s what we’re doing. We build service around the kind of company you are . old-school in-house, hybrid or fully remote. That’s kind of where we’re evolving to as companies have evolved.”

Five Corners Development, a local residential developer based in Saratoga Springs, joined its national partner,The NRP Group, recently to present a multi-phase concept plan for the redevelopment of the AlbanySaratoga Speedway to the Malta Town Board. Once approved, the planned development will transform the roughly 50-acre property into a vibrant retail and residential neighborhood along the busy Route 9 corridor through northern Malta, adding hundreds of units of housing and compelling retail concepts along the gateway of a growing community.

The partners have recently placed the property under contract after learning of the landowner’s desire to sell the site as raw land through a local brokerage company. Currently, there is no closing date set and the racetrack is anticipated to continue running at least through its 60th anniversary racing season in 2025.

The initial development process began with a presentation to Malta’s Town Board. Planning reviews are expected to commence over the coming months.

“Five Corners Development is thrilled to play a part in the continued responsible growth in Malta and Saratoga County,” said the company’s founder and principal Sumeet Gupta of Saratoga Springs. “Even in these early stages of the development, we have been in discussions with interested tenants such as daycare centers, restaurateurs and widely renowned Fiden’s Brewing. While preliminary, the select parties we’ve chosen to speak with are very excited about the opportunity to be in Malta. This project truly represents a comprehensive transformation of the Route 9 North corridor, with a focus on meeting the immediate residential needs of the town and county.”

With rapid business expansion underway in Malta and Saratoga County, including a

second fabrication plant planned for nearby GlobalFoundries, the local mixed-income housing supply requires similar growth. According to the Capital District Regional Planning Commission’s 2024 Capital Region Affordability Study, the average rental cost in Saratoga County increased by 8.8 percent from 2022 to 2023 alone, while wages increased by only 3.3 percent. Additionally, a third of current residents in Malta are paying more than 30 percent of their income towards housing. Overall, the average Saratoga County renter would need to increase their earnings by more than 20 percent to afford a two-bedroom unit in the county, while an average two-person household would need to increase their earnings by more than $100,000 to afford the median home price in Saratoga County.

“The NRP Group’s experience in developing housing nationwide spans from market-rate and mixed-income to affordable, workforce, senior, veteran housing and more,” said The NRP Group’s Senior Vice President of Development–New York, Jonathan Gertman. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring a full suite of housing options to Malta, expanding our Capital Region footprint which includes projects in Saratoga Springs and the town of Bethlehem.”

The partners have committed to include measures in the development that will honor the nearly 60-year legacy of motorsports at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. While still in the early stages of conceptualization, the partners hope to consult longtime racing participants and their families in creating a lasting tribute to the speedway’s storied history.

Residents and interested persons may learn more about the development proposal, and share comments or sign letters of support, by visiting https://www.camberridgemalta.com/.

Plans are underway to build a mixed-use development on the roughly 50-acre plot that is currently the home of the Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta. Saratoga Business Journal

Warren County

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cause workers can’t afford to live here,” he said. “This also means that we will have difficulty creating new businesses as well. This is impacting schools, hospitals, municipalities, emergency services and community organizations.”

The $46,000 study was done by Novogradac Consulting in Bethesda, Md., funded by Warren County, Warren County Economic Development Corporation and New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

The report says Warren County’s sales inventory, now at a 10-year low, decreased 74 percent from 2018-23 compared with a nationwide decline of 44 percent. At the same time, the median sale price for homes in Warren County increased 33 percent since 2019.

“There is a shortage of affordably priced inventory,” the study says. “In May 2023, the median list price for active listings in the county was $414,000, which is unaffordable for Warren County’s median household income.”

“I’ve been talking about this challenge for a decade,” said Adam Feldman, Glens Falls Area Habitat for Humanity past executive director. “There are almost no homes in our community valued between $200,000 and $500,000, what the report calls the ‘missing middle’ for firsttime home buyers, young professionals and downsizing seniors.”

Gaddy noted that missing middle housing is about more than price point. It is also about the diversity of housing styles that exist between large single-family homes and dense apartment complexes.

“There is a market for a diversity of housing types in walkable, amenity rich areas like downtowns and main streets,” he said. “Building this type of missing middle housing is something that many developers are well versed in, they just need the regulatory support and appropriate infrastructure.”

Joe Leuci, owner of Queensbury-based Foothills Construction, said local housing inventory is low because “a lot of people are locked into really good rates, so they don’t want to move and take on higher interest rates than they currently have. It’s not freeing up existing inventory.”

Providing affordably-priced homes is quite difficult in this current economic climate, he said. “Our costs have soared over the last couple years,” Leuci said. “Labor rates are certainly up from where they were five or six years ago, but it’s across the board. Materials are up from lumber to siding, shingles, insulation, sheetrock, you name it. Every expense associated with construction of a new home is higher than what it was pre-COVID. So it’s really difficult to sell a new construction home that’s within reach of a first-time home buyer or people looking to downsize.”

The report clearly identifies the problem, but solutions are most apt to be long term, Feldman said. Last July he founded his own business, Feldman Consulting LLC, working with builders and municipalities alike to help area residents realize the American dream of home ownership.

Government at the state, federal and local levels can play critical roles.

Much of Warren County’s new-home construction is high priced, quite often for more affluent people moving here from outside the area, attracted by the region’s high quality of life.

“We’re certainly seeing a lot more people coming from downstate, a lot of retirees who want to get away from the hustle and bustle,” Leuci said. “A lot of people can work remotely now, too, and take advantage of everything

we have to offer -- Lake George and the Adirondacks, close to a really nice small city like Glens Falls with great restaurants, arts and culture. A lot of times they’re the people who can afford higher price tags.”

So why should builders focus on lowerpriced housing with slim profit margins?

One of the keys, Feldman said, is state and federal incentives that reduce costs to make such projects more profitable. A low-income tax credit is available at the federal level, quite often applicable to high-density affordable rental housing with from 60 to 120 units.

“Higher density implies lower cost per square foot, meaning there’s lower cost to the end buyer, which drives affordability,” he said.

The state Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program provides a $150,000 per unit incentive.

Local government can assist, too, by streamlining zoning and planning issues, helping builders identify places best suited to new construction, and providing critical infrastructure such as water and sewer.

“You can get a relatively quick turnaround if planning and zoning is line and you have the public infrastructure,” Feldman said. “Those are the two big ones that help move the needle.”

But well-paying, private sector jobs are critical to growth, too. The Town of Malta has been very supportive of new housing during the past decade, in large part because of GlobalFoundries.

Gaddy said positive steps are already taking place throughout Warren County to implement the report’s recommendations since its completion last fall. For example, the study is assisting with development of local comprehensive plans in the towns of Bolton, Queensbury and Johnsburg, and is supporting creation of a countywide Housing Strategy.

“The Housing Strategy is intended to sort through the opportunities and identify where county resources could have the most impact,” Gaddy said.

In response to one recommendation (Add Housing Supply with Focus on Addressing Identified Gaps), Warren County Economic Development Corp. has hosted educational sessions to connect developers with available state and federal housing resources. Also, Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency is exploring ways to use its incentives to fill housing gaps and Warren County Local Development Corp. is exploring incentives to support pre-development costs for housing providers.

In addition, Lake Champlain Lake George Regional Planning Board is actively pursuing funding for pre-development of housing.

“Our municipalities are in various stages of updating infrastructure, community plans and land use regulations to support more housing,” Gaddy said. “As follow-up to the study, the county Planning Department applied for and won a competitive $105,000 grant from the state Conservation Department’s Adirondack Smart Growth program to identify and address regulatory and infrastructure barriers to development in Adirondack Park Agencydesignated hamlet areas.”

But ultimately, how fast or slow development occurs could be determined by public opinion because not everyone wants significant new housing in their community.

“Some people would rather have farmland and trees,” Feldman said. “Then as a political leader you have to take everyone’s opinion into consideration.”

Serving Community

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relies on a small number of dedicated volunteers, its EMTs and paramedics hold paid positions. The pay ranges from approximately $20 to $26 an hour and does not include health insurance. Training to become an EMT or paramedic requires a significant investment of both time and money.

“When I became a paramedic, I didn’t have to pay a dime. The state paid for everything, but they don’t do that anymore,” said Tucker. “The paramedic program costs around $12,000 to $14,000, and it costs about $1,200 to become an EMT. We sometimes will pay for some of the training for our members.”

As someone who has worked in the field for more than 40 years, Tucker said she has witnessed it change significantly.

“The changes have been wonderful over the years. Before I became involved in EMS, it was ‘You Call. We Haul. That’s All.’ The ambulance came, they picked you up, they took you to the hospital. There was no advanced life support. Today, all of the agencies in Upstate New York provide excellent advanced life support care to people who need it.”

During Tucker’s long career in EMS, she has responded to thousands of calls, saving many lives in the process. Not all calls have had happy endings, and there are some she wishes she could forget.

“At the end of the day, when you are done with the call—regardless of whether it is a good call or a bad call--you know you’ve done your best, you’ve given it everything that you have, and you walk away with feeling of satisfaction that you gave someone the very best care that you could possibly give them,” she said.

“It’s very rewarding, and the good times outweigh the bad. When you treat a trauma patient that was really broken, you might see them a year later. They are back together and grateful for what you did for them.”

For those who feel called to the EMS field, Tucker encourages them to pursue it.

“If you are a nurturer and if you care for people and can handle the blood and guts, you should go for it. It’s a calling. When you have that calling, you need to follow it.”

Recruiting in the healthcare industry has continuously been a struggle, which was only magnified by the pandemic. Hospital staff are on the front lines battling the demands for services with the lack of a skilled workforce. There have been unprecedented levels of turnover within the field. Healthcare professionals are feeling burnout often retiring or quitting. The need for social workers and mental health counselors has significantly increased, yet organizations struggle with balancing services, especially telehealth. More people are interested in receiving inperson therapy while the clinicians are now accustomed to working remotely. RNs have become one of the most difficult roles for employers to fill. Many of them now seek out traveling jobs, as they are usually higher paying. Retaining a recruiter can become a valuable partnership and help to triage your hiring needs. They get to know your unique needs to screen and send you highly qualified candidates. Recruiters, save you time by coordinating interviews, offering background checks, as well as assessments. Utilizing the services of an expert recruiter can help take your hiring needs to the next level.

The Park Theater Foundation is presenting a series of six 90-minute live musical performances featuring local, national and international artists. This is a free concert series that will serve to enhance the accessibility of the arts within the local community.

The Summer Series Concerts include:

Friday, 06/28 - Wild Adriatic (Rooted in the rowdy spirit of rock & roll, Wild Adriatic has built an international audience on a combination of groove, grit, and guitar-heavy swagger. “Flawlessly tight with infectious melodies and tons of soul.”Relix)

Friday, 07/05 - Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio (Equal parts hot swing, snarky songwriting, and lyrical storytelling, Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio combines virtuoso violin, guitar, bass and three part harmony vocals for an energetic performance. “Eclectic jazzy trio with fun original songs and bounding energy.” - Music on Centre)

Friday, 07/12 - Stella Ruze (An award-winning folk rock band from Philadelphia, Stella Ruze blends four-part vocal harmonies with infectious rhythms and horn arrangements to create a new, genre-bending sound.

mayhem with spirituals, meters-style old-school funk, vibrant storytelling and the Caribbean side of the New Orleans tradition to create a musical experience like no other.)

Friday, 08/02 - Angelina Valente (Angelina Valente is a singer-songwriter from Upstate New York who creates music that moves you. With songs that feel like a warm summer breeze, Angelina’s uninhibited voice and sincere lyrics draw you in and leave you feeling restored and inspired. Her unique blend of indie folk features piano, ukulele, and genuine storytelling influenced by her small town roots and love of nature. “2023 Songwriter of the Year for the New York Capital Region” - 2024 Eddies Music Awards)

There will be a rotating cast of local food trucks located on-site throughout the series offering a variety of small plates and beverages that will be available for purchase each evening.

The concert location is the Crandall Park Bandshell on Fire Road in Glens Falls.

The rain location is The Park Theater at 14 Park Street in Glens Falls.

Friday, 07/19 - Pascuala Ilabaca & Fauna (Accordion-wielding Chilean songstress Pascuala Ilabaca is a true hidden gem: A favorite on the strong and new scene of young Chilean singersongwriters, her music is rooted in traditional sounds but effortlessly integrates shades of jazz, pop and rock, and influences gathered in such distant places as India or Mexico. Accompanied by her formidable band Fauna, her unique stage presence conjures up sweetness and empowerment at the same time, setting her songs alive with both fragility and verve.)

Friday, 07/26 - Soggy Po’ Boys (New Orleans Jazz Fusion - The Soggy Po’ Boys mix brass-fueled

The Park Theater Foundation appreciates the support of the City of Glens Falls, as well as their series sponsors SUNY Adirondack, The Queensbury Hotel, O’Brien Insurance, Adirondack Trust Co., Amsure Insurance, Barton International, Gallagher Insurance, Stewart’s Shops, Finch Paper, Cifone Construction Co., Cerrone Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Price Chopper/Market32, Glens Falls Chronicle, The Touba Family Foundation, Iber Exchange and NYS Music.

Additional funding is provided by the Warren County ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Committee for the expansion of the Summer Series Concerts from 2023 through 2026.

For more information, visit www.parktheatergf. com.

Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio is just one of the many talented acts that will perform at the Park Theater Foundation’s summer concert series.

Local Union 291

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Margiotta grew up in a union household and “knew the value” of unions, whereas the parents of younger people today are not as versed in what unions can offer, he said.

“It’s not as saturated as it used to be, when pensions were a thing,” he said. “Pensions barely exist now unless you work for the state or you are in a union.”

Margiotta commented that a 401(k) plan is not the same as a pension plan. A corporate employer may match some part of a worker’s 401(k) contribution but distributions from the plan are not guaranteed for life, as a pension plan is.

“The value of those certain things may be something the family household doesn’t know enough about to value them,” he said.

“Growing up my father said, you always have to have a pension,” said Margiotta. “If you are not going to have your own successful business, then you need to have a pension because no one else is going to care more about you than you or the organization you work with.”

“Especially since COVID have people begun to understand they can make a viable living with benefits above and beyond the weekly paycheck,” he said.

They are realizing that a career in the carpentry trade can be lucrative, especially when health and future retirement income are added in, he said.

Margiotta said the union has changed the way apprentices are compensated. It has increased the percentage of a journeyman’s wage paid to apprentices so that the starting wage is more competitive. As a result, Carpenters Local 291 is currently doing well with recruitment among young people.

Union carpenters fall into two catagories. There are those who work in Commercial Construction, which is “anything with four walls and a roof,” Margiotta said. “This is housing and commercial buildings.”

Mary Longley

131 River Street

Hudson Falls, NY 12839

518-744-7791

mlongley10@yahoo.com

Journeyman carpenters in this catagory earn $60.25/hour in salary and benefits.

The other catagory is Highway/Heavy, which encompasses the construction of bridges, roads, dams, water and solar installations, and airports.

A journeyman carpenter’s wage in this category is $67.00/hour in salary and benefits.

Apprentice carpenters start out at 65 percent of the journeyman’s wage. This increases by 5 percent a year during the four-year apprentice program to a maximum of 80 percent of a journeyman’s wage.

The construction firms with which Carpenters Local 291 has collective bargaining agreements to work only with them and are “bound to the rules.” This means a safer job site, an attractive wage, and projects that can continue all year over several years, he said.

“We represent our members,” he said.

Any construction job entails some risk. Carpenters work at heights and in confined, loud or dirty environments. Margiotta said every apprentice and every member is safety trained and receives “the best training the industry has to offer.”

At any given time, 10 percent of membership are in the apprentice program. Margiotta said there are on average 140 or 150 apprentices coming through the training school in Albany and that Local 291 has “the ability to secure any younger people who want to come to us.”

New ones are entering the field organically and through social media, Margiotta said. He also said there has been great success reaching out to underprivileged or underserved parts of the communities they represent.

Carpenters Local 291 is part of North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, which represents over 30,000 fellow members in New York and New England. The website www. carpenterslu291.com says, “With our extensive training, productivity, political activism and organizing efforts our mission is to achieve an ever increasing market share in our industry.” Furthermore, it promotes “a safe and sustainable standard of living for all.”

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• Plenty of growth opportunity for the right vision!

The Popular Adirondack Wine & Food Festival Returns To Lake George For Its Eighth Year

The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival returns to Lake George on Saturday, June 29 & Sunday, June 30. Recently voted a top three annual event by LakeGeorge.com, the festival will feature 140 of New York’s best wineries, distilleries, breweries, cideries, artisan food producers, food trucks, crafters, and more at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George Village.

The family-friendly event is one of the most celebrated wine and food events in the Northeast, drawing visitors from 36 states. Now in its eighth year, the festival anticipates approximately 7,000 attendees this year. People visit the region specifically to attend the festival; 88 percent to be exact, according to post-event attendee surveys. The 2024 festival is expected to generate more

than 12,000 overnight stays and produce an economic impact of just under $5 million for the region.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 8th annual Wine and Food Festival here in Lake George,” said Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. “This event has become a cornerstone of our summer season, drawing visitors from near and far to experience the incredible culinary and craft beverage offerings of our region and beyond. The festival not only showcases the rich flavors of the Adirondacks but also significantly boosts tourism and visitation, providing a vital economic impact as we kick off the summer.”

Thanks to its 2023 expansion onto West Brook Road to create “Food Truck Alley,”

the festival will accommodate more vendors than ever this year – over 140 are on the docket, including 29 wineries, 25 artisan food vendors, 17 food trucks, 20 distilleries, nine non-alcoholic beverage producers, five cideries, four breweries, three meaderies, and more than 14 craft and specialty vendors.

“Our vendors handcraft unique products you won’t find anywhere else. It’s fun to try something new, and it feels great to support local artisans by bringing your newfound favorites home with you,” said Sasha Pardy, owner of Adirondack Festivals LLC.

New this year, festival entertainment is amped up with a two-day lineup of unique vendors offering special activities including caricatures, massages, tarot card readings, and more. The festival welcomes back a great lineup of local solo musicians organized by 518 Rock; as well as the impressive Street Magic of TJ Clancy, the jaw-dropping stilt walking, and aerial work from Jessica Black, and a 360-degree live photo booth from SNA 360 Media.

The “Biergarten” tent managed by Adirondack Brewery is also returning to the festival. Attendees can purchase full glasses of Adirondack Brewery and Mean Max Beers, or Adirondack Winery wines, and sit back and relax in the shade while they chill with their friends.

Throughout the weekend, attendees will enjoy culinary and cocktail demonstrations and competitions under the exciting Taste New York Culinary & Cocktail Tent. These segments feature local chefs and mixologists as they prepare food and drinks made with ingredients supplied by festival vendors.

New this year, the festival offers a Sushi Making Class and a Barkeater Chocolate and Wine Pairing Class; plus there will be two “Iron Chef”-style cooking competitions on Saturday, with the winners from each segment going head-to-head on Sunday; and a mixology competition on Sunday as well.

This year local chefs are Chef Sakari Smithwick (recognized on national platforms such as Food Network’s Chopped and Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen), Chef Carl Weiner (owner of San Souci), The Upstate Chef - Robert Murphy

(Executive Chef at the renowned Alderbrook Lodge), Chef Adam Bruce (former Executive Chef of the Sagamore and Inn at Erlowest, now District Chef for Ballston Spa Schools). Talented mixologists are Kelly Hatin (Owner of Mixaritas Mobile Bartending + Mixafusion) and Heather Miller (lead bartender at Adirondack Winery).

For a sixth time, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks (BBBS) will return as the festival beneficiary. A portion of every ticket sold is donated to this organization that provides mentorship, tutoring, and experiences to youth in Warren, Washington, and northern Saratoga counties.

BBBS operates the Drop-Off / Pick-Up Tent, where guests can “check” the beverages and foods they purchase at the festival until they are ready to leave. They also provide over 60 festival volunteers, sell water bottles, and raffle tickets to gift baskets filled with goodies from festival vendors. In partnership since 2018, BBBS has raised nearly $60,000 from festival fund-raising activities.

“We encourage attendees to come with families, and especially locals to attend on Sundays when there is more room to roam and a more laid-back atmosphere. Designated drivers get in for only $20 and kids 15 and under get in free; and will enjoy access to food trucks, and samples from artisan food vendors and non-alcoholic beverage vendors. New this year, Adirondack Safari has provided a retired teepee tent for kids to draw on, and The Wild Center will be providing fun kids activities. There is also a natural playground and skate park right outside our gates,” said Festival Manager Brad Willett.

Tickets will be available at the door; however, Saturday VIP tickets (which cost $99) are almost sold out and GA Saturday tickets have sold out in the past, so advance ticket purchase is highly recommended.

The festival is being held Saturday, June 29 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 30 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The location is the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons at 17 West Brook Road in Lake George.

Chuck Ciaccia

Choiniere

Attendees at last year’s Adirondack Wine & Food Festival were treated to a wide variety of New York state wines and delicious food from local vendors.

Courtesy of Adirondack Wine & Food Festival