Saratoga Business Journal - February 2021

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

VOL. 25 NO. 12

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Momentive Performance Materials Acquires Price Chopper/Market 32 Will Merge With Silicones Business With Global Facilities Grocery Chain Based In Western New York

This is the Momentive Performance Materials facility in Waterford. The company is acquiring KCC Corp. Silicones business in Korea and the United Kingdom.

Momentive Performance Materials Inc., which has a facility in Waterford, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire KCC Corp.

Silicones business in Korea and the United Kingdom, as well as its sales operations in China, further enhancing its global capabilities in advanced silicones and specialized applications.

Officials said the acquisition will move the capabilities of KCC’s Silicones business from KCC Corp., Momentive’s majority shareholder, to Momentive, consolidating the companies’ combined capabilities and expertise in advanced

silicones.

The company also announced that Ravago Chemicals will serve as its authorized distributor of Momentive products into the plastics industry in the United States and Canada.

Momentive develops advanced silicone and specialty products for customized applications in healthcare, telecommunications, electronics, personal care, construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, and many other industries.

“We’re excited by the synergies this acquisition Continued On Page 16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is a Tops Markets store in western New York.

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

“This merger marks a major step forward and collectively elevates our ability to compete on every level,” said Grimmett. “It leverages increased value for our customers; advances shared opportunities for innovation; fortifies the depth of our workforce, community and trade partnerships; and ultimately accelerates our capacity to deliver a distinctively modern and convenient shopping experience. Given the vital Continued On Page 16

Local Attorney Toohey Named 2021 Chair Chris Dowd Is Chair Of Board For 2021 At Of Saratoga Hospital Board Of Directors The Chamber Of Southern Saratoga County Michael J. Toohey was elected chairperson of the Saratoga Hospital board of trustees for 2021.

The attorney and community leader has served on the board since 2013, most recently as vice chairperson. He also is a member of the board of directors of Albany Medical Center, Saratoga Hospital’s affiliate in the Albany Med Health System.

Joining Toohey on the executive committee of the Saratoga Hospital board are Theresa M. Skaine, vice chairperson; N. Keith Stewart, treasurer; and Heather M. Ward, secretary.

“Our hospital and the Saratoga region benefit enormously from Mike Toohey’s leadership, experience and perspective, especially during these uniquely challenging times,” Saratoga Hospital President and CEO Angelo Calbone said.

Toohey recently retired after more than 45 years with the Law Offices of Snyder, Kiley, Toohey, Corbett & Cox, where he earned a reputation for his expertise in land use, planning, project financing and industrial development. As the author of Planned Unit Development legislation for cities and towns throughout Saratoga County, Toohey has shaped land use and development across the region.

In addition to the hospital boards, Toohey currently serves on the board of the Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch. He was past president of the boards of the Saratoga Springs City Center Authority, the Saratoga County YMCA, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club, and the Saratoga Springs Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

He also served on the boards of Catholic Charities

Michael J. Toohey is chairperson of the Saratoga Hospital board of trustees for 2021. ©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties and the Historical Society of Saratoga Springs. He has earned local, state and international recognition for his professional and civic contributions.

Other Saratoga Hospital trustees are Angelo G. Calbone, Saratoga Hospital president and CEO; Raimundo C. Archibold Jr.; David J. Collins; Kari P. Cushing; Susan Law Dake; Dr. Kevin Dooley; Judith A. Ekman; Dr. Steven M. Frisch; Michael H. Iacolucci; Frank L. Messa; Dr. Marianne A. Mustafa; Alan C. Oppenheim; Elizabeth Wood Pustolka; J. Thomas Roohan and Janice M. White.

Ballston Spa National Bank President/CEO Chris Dowd continues his term as Chamber of Southern Saratoga County chair for 2021, as well as being a member of the Capital Region Chamber Executive Committee.

The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County (CSSC) affiliated with the Capital Region Chamber in 2020. Officials said CSSC spent the year offering support to those in the local business community who needed it the most, while tapping into the regional chamber’s advocacy, education, business growth resources and communications abilities.

Dowd has been with BSNB for 20 years this coming July. He was named its president/CEO in 2004.

CSSC said his role greatly helped the organization retain its local influence and impact while providing expanded programs, services and resources to members and the community at-large.

“Given how challenging 2020 was for most, I’m so pleased that the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County had the added resources and clout of the Regional Chamber to support our businesses and communities,” said Dowd. “Through hard work, innovation and determination, our county and region will emerge from the pandemic with strength, as our Chamber continues to be an essential partner in the recovery process.”

Dowd is joined by returning board members Lisa Avila, CEO of Kitware, secretary/treasurer; and board members Carmine DeCrescente III of DeCrescente Distributing Co., Willie Miranda

Chris Dowd is the CEO/president at Ballston Spa National Bank.

Courtesy Chamber of Southern Saratoga County

of Miranda Real Estate/Insurance, and Michael York of the Lofts at Saratoga Blvd. New to the board this year is Nicole Snow, CEO of Darn Good Yarn, Inc. in Halfmoon.

CSSC board members, along with leaders of four other businesses located in Saratoga County, also serve on the Capital Region Chamber boar.

CSSC officials said new for 2021, the affiliation of the Center for Economic Growth with the Capital Region Chamber now connects Continued On Page 15

2 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

GEICO Insurance Plans To Open An Office On Broadway In Saratoga Springs In March

Personnel Briefs •

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP announced six new partners: Erin Callahan, Rochelle Cavanagh, Jon Crain, Cianna Freeman-Tolbert, Charles Gottlieb and Daniel Hubbell.

Callahan joined Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP in 2014 and is a member in the firm’s education, labor and employment, and litigation and appeals practice groups.

He works with employers on managing a broad array of employee-related matters and represents public and private employers in federal and state litigation, administrative proceedings and alternative dispute proceedings.

A member of the firm’s matrimonial and family law practice, Cavanagh is an experienced civil litigator who has focused her practice on matrimonial law, family court matters including custody, support and divorce actions.

Crain is an experienced trial lawyer and commercial litigator with the firm’s litigation and appeals practice group. He has litigated and arbitrated a broad range of matters, including corporate shareholder disputes, litigation regarding trade secrets and proprietary business information, commercial real estate and construction litigation, First Amendment and constitutional claims, business-to-business collection and breach of contract claims, and complex personal injury and products liability actions.

Freeman-Tolbert is a member of the immigration Practice Group. She focuses her practice on all aspects of immigration law, including family-based, employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processing, and immigration litigation including removal/deportation defense and immigration litigation.

Gottlieb is a member of the firm’s environmental; land use and development; and municipal practice groups. He represents residential and commercial developers, religious

•

institutions, non-profit organizations and public utility infrastructure companies to obtain land use and environmental permits.

A member of the land use and development; municipal; and real estate practice groups, Hubbell represents public, nonprofit, and private entities in real estate, land use, development and real property taxation matters, with an emphasis on acquisition, financing, development, leasing, and disposition of commercial and corporate real property. Additionally, he provides guidance to public and private entities concerning real property tax assessments, exemptions and payment in lieu of taxes agreements.

* * *

Ferraro, Amodio & Zarecki, CPAs (FAZ) announced the addition of Duff W. Driscoll, CPA/ABV, as director in its Business Valuation Group.

Driscoll has over 35 years of public accounting experience, including several years with Big 4 firm, Ernst and Young.

Having specialized in valuation and litigation support services for over 25 years, he has participated in more than 600 litigation cases performing valuations and/or economic damage assessments and ancillary services.

Valuation subjects have included closely held businesses, professional practices, licenses and pension plan benefits for use in domestic relations and shareholder dispute cases.

His economic damage assessments have been performed in connection with matters that include business interruption, breach of contract, fraud, professional malpractice, and personal injury claims.

In addition, he has participated in more Continued On Page 4

Will Schrade will soon be opening a GEICO Insurance Co. office at 506 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. The local office will employ between 10 and 15 people

BY JILL NAGY Will Schrade plans to open a GEICO Insurance Co. office at 506 Broadway in Saratoga Springs around March 1.

However, he first needs a change of occupancy from the city Building Department, from business to business/office use. His impression is that the department “is overwhelmed and understaffed,” so the process is taking longer than he anticipated.

The GEICO office will serve Saratoga and the North Country area. Schrade said the only other GEICO office in the area is in Albany. They will be selling all the lines of insurance GEICO sells: auto, homeowners, renters, motorcycle, sailboat, RV, and more.

While GEICO is the biggest automobile insurer in New York state, according to Schrade, the company prefers to have its offices handle relatively large territories. There are only 250 offices in the entire

United States, he said.

The local office will employ between 10 and 15 people, about the same size as the Albany office.

“We are hiring as many people as we can,” Schrade said, and have already brought some on board.

Schrade’s father, Richard Schrade, is in charge of the Albany office, which opened in 2014. The Schrades are independent contractors and previously ran the Albany office together.

GEICO insurance adjusters are headquartered in other communities and are direct employees of the company.

The office in Saratoga is in a 2,400-square-foot rented space in the Algonquin Building. To get it ready and meet health and safety standards, Schrade has had air filters and plexiglass shields installed. He also added office space and a new front counter area.

Schrade can be reached at WSchrade@geico.com or 518-618-6120.

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 3

Trans-Border Global Freight Systems Meets State Unified Court System Is First Tenant Global Shipping Challenges With Experts For Former State Farm Building In Malta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then there is the technology to trace and communicate where the product is in real time. Take, for example, a publishing company buying a printing press manufactured in Germany for delivery to New York City. Oswald said if there is an inhouse delivery date of Jan. 1, there has to be a network in place to support that date.

©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Rochester-based Flaum Management Co. Inc has secured its first tenant for Malta Grove, the former State Farm Operations Center located off Northway Exit 12 in Saratoga County.

The building sat empty for approximately two years before being purchased at auction by John Senese in March. Senese sold the building to Flaum Management for $2 million.

Flaum Management owns office, retail, and industrial properties throughout the state. In addition to the State Farm building, the company’s Capital Region holdings include Latham Farms and Queensbury Plaza. Pyramid Brokerage Co./ Cushman & Wakefield has been enlisted as the building’s leasing agent.

The New York Unified Court System, 4th Judicial District, will be Malta Grove’s first tenant. The court is currently located at 65 South Broadway in the Lincoln Baths in Saratoga Springs.

The 4th Judicial District is the state’s largest and includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties.

The judicial offices will be located in approximately 23,000 square feet of space on the first floor of the two-story, 124,000-square-foot building. The offices will be used for administrative duties only and will contain no court rooms, officials said. The move to Malta Grove will allow the court to have the space necessary to consolidate several operations under one roof.

“We’ve got a signed lease, and we are finishing up drawings,” said Peter Struzzi of Pyramid Brokerage Co./Cushman & Wakefield.

“Construction will probably take 10 to 12 weeks.

Three months from now, they should be ready to occupy.”

The court will occupy one of what Struzzi refers to as the building’s four quads. Two are located on the first floor and two on the second. The remaining three quads as well as a 3,000-squarefoot suite remain available. Spaces will be customized to meet the individual needs of each tenant.

“It really depends on the different tenants.

You can have some pretty intricate buildouts, or you can have some very basic buildouts. We

The former State Farm building in Malta will soon have its first tenant.

Courtesy Flaum Management Co

will look at everything and assist anyone. We offer space planning, so if you tell us you need 10 offices, a kitchen, and 3 conference rooms, and a mother’s room—that’s a big thing now for nursing mothers—we will price it out and we will make the space work for you,” said Struzzi.

“Tenants tell us what they want and Mr. Flaum has a full team that does the design. And they can bid out construction. They are a very professional landlord, and they are very hands on.”

Tenants are given a tenant improvement allowance to offset the costs that are associated with customizing their office space.

“For a typical office environment, the tenant improvement allowance gets to you where you can turn the key, turn on the lights, and go to work,” said Struzzi.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the corporate real estate leasing market, Struzzi is confident that Malta Gardens will be very attractive to other tenants.

“We are incredibly aggressive with our pricing.

We are typically 25 percent below the Class A market in the Capital District. And it’s a fabulous location,” he said.

4 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Malta Company Does Qualitative Research That Helps Clients With Marketing Plans

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL When Neal Sandin conducts research, he says he is seeking to interpret “the voice of the consumer” who will inform the next steps of a client company’s marketing.

Sandin’s company, 643 Research, is a qualitative research firm he started in 2014 and moved to Malta in November 2019 when he and his wife relocated from New Jersey.

Sandin said he “fell into” focus group research when the moderator of the firm he worked for double booked and was unavailable for one of the clients, who at the time was en route from out of town to observe his company’s session.

“After about 30 minutes of training I jumped in, conducted the group and was good at it,” said Sandin. “The client continued to use me as a moderator.”

He launched his own firm seven years later.

His clients come from various industries and have a range of goals and challenges. Sandin develops the techniques to reach conclusions and recommendations for advancing a client’s brand and improving customer loyalty. In his toolbox are such qualitative methodologies as ethnography, home visits and focus groups, among others.

Whereas quantitative research relies on enormous sample sizes and mathematics to produce customer service ratings (claims that nine out of 10 dentists recommend that toothpaste), qualitative research is based on the psychology of smaller consumer audiences, he said.

Sandin’s professional interests are steeped in behavioral science, which studies how emotions, the environment and social factors influence decisions. He has an M.A. in international affairs from the New School University and a B.A. in international studies/religion studies at Guilford College.

“There are surprisingly few books about qualitative market research,” said Sandin. “But books about the biology and cultural factors behind behavior give insights into how I approach my work.”

643 Research is brought in either directly by companies with goods or services to sell or by an independent business consultant.

“Sometimes companies and their business consultants are at loggerheads about where the brand should go next,“ he said. “I do the research, give a report with my findings and recommendations and then step back.”

One service Sandin provides clients is to “bridge the gap between quantitative and qualitative results ... Qualitative research is about what consumers feel and why they feel that way.”

Sandin pulls in a small number of users and poses questions that were raised by the quantitative research to explain differences of opinion. Generally he will moderate focus groups for consensus or interview individuals if the client needs results to be delineated, he said.

With the pandemic keeping people inside, about 95 percent of his research is conducted remotely, which Sandin describes as “an awkward situation,” especially without the assessment of body language among the interviewees.

“As a moderator over video conferencing, I am like the host of a really weird party,” he said. “I have to encourage everybody to talk, make them comfortable, and create a sense of rapport in order to get a snapshot of what they think at that moment.”

Concept testing comes under the qualitative umbrella, where researchers determine how the

Personnel Briefs Continued From Page 2 than 400 independent business, professional practice license, and pension benefit valuations for a variety of purposes including litigation, mergers and acquisitions, buy and sell transactions, and estate and gift tax matters.

Driscoll is qualified as a financial expert and has provided in-court testimony in support of his valuation and other economic findings and opinions in New York State Supreme Court in several different counties, U.S. District Court, New York State’s Court of Claims and in New York and Vermont Family Courts.

* * *

Neal Sandin is the owner of 643 Research, a qualitative research firm. ©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

public will respond to a new product a company is considering bringing to market.

“A company can spend a lot of time and investment on concepts that just don’t work,” he said. “We want to know why they don’t work. I want the research to determine not just if they’ll buy, but how they will feel about buying.”

Sandin uses the example of a car manufacturer introducing a new exterior design. The car is not in front of the focus group, but the members are shown images. The goal is to get the emotional response, he said, and the moderation process might go something like: How do you feel about this car? How do you want to feel? How do you want other people to feel when they see you in that car?

“We take the insights and feedback and report our conclusions about which elements are working and should be the inspiration for designing that car,” said Sandin. “Our recommendations will further include how to promote that model and what words should be used to describe it.”

“The wording of research questions can influence whether the response is positive or negative,” he said. “Things can be influenced subtly.”

That is why quality control is so important in this field.

“First we make sure we get the right respondents and create a demographic profile of people who have, want, or have rejected the product or service being researched,” said Sandin.

This process starts with a screening survey designed to “weed out the society of professional respondents who do surveys for easy money and sometimes lie. We want only honest, legitimate respondents,” he said.

Next step is to have the right discussion guide, which Sandin said includes a list of questions the client wants answered so that as he writes the guide, he will have those points covered.

“The beauty of qualitative research is that you can change directions quickly. You can say, let’s see what happens now if we ask this question this other way,” he said.

“Interviews at the beginning and at the end of a project can be very different,” Sandin said.

“But this means our recommendations will be relevant.”

Sandin said he tries to find new and better methodologies to gain greater insights for his clients.

Jolt Consulting Group, a provider of transformational business and technology services for service organizations in Saratoga Springs, has appointed John Houtsma as vice president of sales.

For the past 22 years, Houtsma has focused on helping companies with their customer relationship management, customer service and field service initiatives including time with Salesforce, SugarCRM and Oracle.

During his five years at Salesforce, he was part of the Enterprise Select team focused on helping enterprise organizations realize digital transformations and business outcomes from the service, field service and experience clouds.

Houtsma will lead strategic initiatives for sales and client acquisition and partner closely with his former colleagues at Salesforce, as well as other technology providers in the Salesforce ecosystem.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 5

‘Insane Games’ Gaming And Streaming Skidmore Associate Professor Of Psychology Facility Moves To Larger Wilton Mall Space Awarded For Innovative Research Project

Dan Shevlin, owner of Insane Games, says moving from his 1,100-square -foot location in Wilton Mall space to a 9,000-square-foot spot proved to be a smart and timely move.

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH With the pandemic altering people’s lives, some forms of entertainment in the area are seeing a spike, particularly video games. It might not always be the ideal circumstance for an increase in business, but Dan Shevlin, owner of Insane Games, said trading in his 1,100-square-foot location for 9,000 square feet of space in the Wilton Mall proved to be a smart and timely move.

Shevlin moved his business from the smaller space in the mall into larger confines that used to house the Victoria’s Secret and Pink stores. He said the parent company for the two had put a lot of effort into maintaining the space, so he didn’t have to make structural upgrades. He did, however, have to start with one major change: the pink paint.

“It was very pink and our colors are green and black, which you would think would easily cover up pink, but it didn’t. It took a lot of coats of paint,” said Shevlin.

“We were very busy during the holidays and had what felt like a usual Black Friday. For safety reasons, we have to keep the limit of customers to 25 percent which was easy to do in this new space,” said Shevlin.

©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

He is excited not only about the location, but also an expansion of the business that included building a video game streaming center. That space also allows for more of the items that gamers like to take advantage of.

“When you walk in, we have a space to really showcase all of the pop culture items like key chains, lanyards, and statues,” said Shevlin.

What was Pink now houses Insane Games TV, a collective of “gamers and streamers.” Shevlin said when the pandemic first hit and the mall was forced to close, streamers began broadcasting remotely from their homes. Shevlin has about 10 streamers working for him and five other store employees.

Eventually Shevlin said he would like to see Insane Games TV become a 24/7 streaming network.

“The streaming aspect is something we are really looking to grow, we’re excited about it,” said Shevlin.

Shevlin said that they are currently working on a website but frequently update their Facebook page.

They can also be reached at 518-871-1000. Hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Corinne Moss-Racusin, associate professor of psychology at Skidmore College, has been awarded the 2021 American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology for her innovative research on gender-based discrimination.

Awarded to just a handful of researchers each year, the prize honors early-career scientists for exceptional work conducted in the first decade following completion of their doctorate.

Moss-Racusin leads the social cognition and intergroup dynamics lab at Skidmore.

She received the prize for her work in the area of social psychology.

“I’m honored to be recognized by the leading professional organization in my field,” MossRacusin said. “One of the major things I try to do in my work is to see how we can use the tools of science—the robustness of the scientific method and experimentation—to tackle really thorny social problems, including gender bias.”

Moss-Racusin completed her doctorate in social psychology at Rutgers University in 2011 and was a postdoctoral researcher at Yale University from 2011 to 2013. Since joining the Skidmore faculty in 2013, she has received grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Smithsonian Institution, among other organizations, for research focusing on the impact of gender bias in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.

Her work has appeared in leading scientific journals, including Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.

In addition to work with fellow faculty specializing in education, biology, organizational behavior and other branches of psychology, Moss-Racusin has collaborated extensively with undergraduate students to expand her earlier research. The research culminated in the article “Gender bias produces gender gaps in STEM engagement”

Corinne Moss-Racusin, associate professor of psychology at Skidmore College in Saratoga.

Courtesy Skidmore College

published in the journal Sex Roles.

Her work is also regularly covered by the media, receiving coverage from the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, Canadian Broadcasting Corp., “ABC World News,” the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and other outlets.

The award will be announced in the scholarly organization’s publication APA Monitor in March. Moss-Racusin will also be recognized at an awards events tentatively scheduled to coincide with the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting in August.

“Professor Moss-Racusin’s pathbreaking research and her strong commitment to the education of undergraduate students in the classroom and through collaborative research experiences exemplify the teacher-scholar model that is at the heart of Skidmore’s liberal arts mission,” said Michael T. Orr, dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs at Skidmore College.

6 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Longtime Jack Byrne Ford Dealership Sold, Becomes Marchese Ford Of Mechanicville

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The Marchese brothers, Dan and Joe Jr., purchased Jack Byrne Ford and now operate their business out of that building at 1003 Hudson River Road in Mechanicville.

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BY JILL NAGY Dan Marchese, co-owner of Marchese Ford of Mechanicville, may be the new guy in town, but he is an old hand at the automobile business.

The Marchese brothers, Dan and Joe Jr., were long-time owners of J&J Auto Sales, a used car dealership in Troy founded in 1956. They purchased the former Jack Byrne Ford dealership at 1003 Hudson River Road in Mechanicville in November.

Dan Marchese said they kept most of the Jack Byrne staff and brought the J&J staff from Troy to Mechanicville. Their used car operation was closed.

They also own Goewey Ford in New Lebanon, N.Y., which they are keeping.

In Mechanicville, they increased inventory, service capacity and advertising, Marchese said.

Otherwise, they did not make changes.

“The facility is fantastic,” he said, and, so far, business has been very good.

One change coming soon will be the arrival of the Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric car. The car is a four-door hatchback, larger than the Ford Escape and smaller than the Ford Explorer. Its only resemblance to sportier past Mustangs is the pony logo on the back. In fact, according to Marchese, “It

©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

is a totally different concept for Ford.”

He predicted a small but growing market for the electric Ford, which will sell in the $40-50,000 range. He noted that electric cars now comprise about 3 percent of the automobile market but thinks that market share will “incrementally grow over the next decade or so.”

In the meantime, he expects the new Mustang Mach-E to attract people to his showroom even if they are not yet ready to abandon the internal combustion engine.

Big sellers now are the Ford Escape and Edge and the F150 pick-up truck, he said.

The purchase of the Byrne dealership was “a very friendly acquisition,” Marchese said.

Jack Byrne Sr. comes in frequently, as do some of his old clientele. Byrne started selling cars 55 years ago.

“Jack Sr. keeps his desk for life,” Marchese said of the popular local businessman. And his son, Jack Jr., also has a desk, as controller of the new company.

Marchese’s son Nick is also part of the new business as a manager.

The telephone number for Marchese Ford of Mechanicville is 518 664-9841.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 7

Kirsh Helmets To Increase Marketing Efforts Saratoga PLAN Efforts Preserve Drumm As Motorcycle Season Expands Nationwide Farm Acreage From Future Development

Motorcycle helmet manufacturer Kirsh Helmets launched its first product, the CHM-1 half shell helmet, in December. Its marketing efforts started in the south and will grow nationwide.

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

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

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

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

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

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

DeVito expects the CHM-1 helmets to be getting into stores by the end of February. They are currently available for sale online as well as at the company’s headquarters on State Street in Schenectady.

Customers are asked to call ahead to schedule an appointment to view the helmets and try them out.

Courtesy Kirsh Helmets

“We want people to be able to take our helmets for a ride. When people ride the helmet, they love the helmet,” said DeVito. “That’s why part of our strategy is engagement at the grassroots level. We intend to work the ground game—which is to be at the stores doing bike nights and other events that are related to the riding groups in the communities that we serve.”

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

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

Fourteen of the company’s 19 employees work at the Queensbury facility. Kirsh prides itself on hiring veterans and individuals with disabilities.

They were recently awarded the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Medallion Award which recognizes a company’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development Kirsh Helmets is registered as a START-UP NY company and is headquartered in the NYBizLab in Schenectady. START-UP NY offers new and expanding businesses the opportunity to operate tax-free for 10 years.

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

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

The company website is www.kirshhelmets. com.

The Drumm Farm, 170 acres of farmland in the Town of Saratoga, is now permanently protected from development and will forever be accessible for agricultural use.

Saratoga PLAN has conserved the Drumm Farm, 170 acres of farmland in the Town of Saratoga.

The land is now permanently protected from development and will forever be accessible for agricultural use. The process was completed in November. Partial funding for the project was provided by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The property, located near the Saratoga Monument and Victory Woods, is owned by Ruth Drumm. Saratoga PLAN said it consists of primarily fertile soils for farming, as well as some forests and wetlands that provide wildlife habitat.

“It was my husband’s wish to protect this land and I have finally succeeded in doing it,” said Drumm. “I love the farm, I love farm life. A conservation easement is the only way to see that

Courtesy Saratoga PLAN

the land stays this way.”

Ruth and Fritz Drumm both grew up on dairy farms.

“It was in our blood,” she said. Together, they purchased the Drumm Farm in the Town of Saratoga in 1979. Over the years they doubled it in size, adding adjoining parcels to their property.

“We just loved the location. It’s country living.”

Saratoga PLAN called the permanent protection of the Drumm Farm is also “the quintessential local business success story.” Drumm rents the farmland to Koval Bros. Dairy, which grows hay and field crops on the property in support of their regional dairy operation, which supplies Stewart’s Shops with fresh local milk.

Drumm Farm is one of nine farmland protection projects Saratoga PLAN worked on in 2020.

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Legal / Accounting

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

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

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

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

Three important changes will: • Enable lenders to directly certify eligibility

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“There is always a concern that company data may be breached, but now there is a whole new Continued On Page 9

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

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

Courtesy Meyer, Fuller & Stockwell PLLC

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 9

•

Business Report Preventing Small Business Fraud

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Safeguard your entry and computer systems.

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

COVID Challenges For Attorneys Continued From Page 8

•

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

passwords into computer systems.

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

Businesses should routinely audit areas that deal in cash, refunds, product returns, inventory management, and accounting functions. Include surprise audits as part of your pro-active fraud policy. All too many notable fraudsters knew that the auditors were coming, allowing them time to alter, destroy, or misplace evidence of their wrongdoing. Make it a surprise to catch an employee off guard.

Establish an anonymous reporting system.

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

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

Train employees to detect and prevent fraud.

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

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

Implement policies to protect your reputation.

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



set of questions about cybersecurity and liability,” he said. These are issues to be researched and potentially litigated.

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

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

“There are all kinds of provisions about what to cover,” Towne said. “This is a literal Pandora’s box.

Guidelines might be more liberally applied going forward, which means workers compensation rates will go up. But I believe in the longer term society will be better off as more of these compensation issues have been settled.”

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

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

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

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

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

He also posed the question of how a business might handle learning that an employee coming into the workplace had been to a gathering and

never wore a mask. “When applied to a mass group of individuals, it will be challenging to deal with them on a case-by-case basis.”

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

“The judge says to try this case over Wi-Fi, but what about third party opinions? Who will swear them in,” Towne said. “But I have been impressed with witnesses and with employees dealing in this two-dimensional world of video.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Small Business Fraud Continued From left

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

A fraud policy spells out actions that constitute fraud and how those actions will be punished. Simply inform employees during employee orientation, training programs, memorandums, or other communication that fraud is not tolerated and let employees know what to do if they suspect fraud.

Increasing the perception of detection is one of the best fraud deterrents. Make sure

employees are aware that dishonest acts will be punished. The opportunity to commit fraud is easier to rationalize when employees believe their wrongful acts will go undetected and unprosecuted. Perception of detection is a very powerful deterrent. Essentially, let it be known to employees that you are watching for it.

Purchase insurance. While we have discussed many items to help deter fraud, no measure is foolproof. Consider getting an insurance policy that specifically protects against various frauds.

The prevention of fraud starts with a conversation. Encourage leaders and advisors of your business to start these today.

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Construction Planning COVID, Other Factors Push Lumber Price Barbera Homes & Development Will Build Increases, But Sales Figures Are Still High 132-Unit Condo Project In Clifton Park

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“People are working from home and staying home, so rather than taking a vacation, they are doing things like adding a deck ” said Ford. “That has driven up the usage significantly. And people who are planning on continuing to work from home are adding additional space to their homes.

Then you have commercial spaces like restaurants

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

that are adding outdoor space to be able to seat more people.”

The supply shortages and price increases are being felt at all levels of the lumber industry.

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

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

“We sold a lot more because your regular lumber yards (prices) were so high and people were looking to get it somewhere cheaper,” he said. “Rough lumber is cheaper than lumber you would get somewhere like Lowes or Home Depot.

Every time lumber passes hands, the middle men gets another hand in it.”

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

Continued On Page 11

BY ANDREA HARWOOD PALMER Barbera Homes & Development will embark this year on a 132-unit condominium neighborhood in Clifton Park.

The 28-acre Park West community will be connected via sidewalks throughout leading to an open space common area, mail kiosk and gazebo, according to company president Frank Barbera.

The Park West project is comprised of 27 4-unit buildings, five 2-unit twin-style duplex buildings and 14 single-family homes. A combination of first floor master suites and one-floor, ranch-style homes will be the design for the 2- and 4-unit buildings. Single-family units will offer a contemporary colonial style.

Floor plans will be between 1,200 and 1,700 square feet.

The community is centrally located near the new round-about at routes 146 and 146A in Clifton Park, behind the Raven’s Wood Restaurant. Route 146 is a primary commercial corridor through the town.

The community is designed with a traditional neighborhood in mind, Barbera said, featuring street trees along the sidewalks, trails, recreation areas and green space,

landscaping and benches along the way. Units will each have a garage and yard.

He said Park West is designed with retirees and young professionals in mind. Property maintenance will be managed and paid for by a neighborhood home owners association.

“The location is surrounded by conveniences, just down the street from Clifton Commons, and it is ideally situated for all lifestyles,” said Barbera. “It is for those who desire to downsize and remain in their community and for singles and young professionals who want an un-troublesome living environment in a community they can invest in, as opposed to renting.”

Homes will feature spacious contemporary floor plans. Open outdoor space and room for outdoor living is plentiful.

“The goal is to have a moderately priced product with a cross-generational appeal and affordability,” said Barbera.

The wooded land parcel was owned by Scott Earl. Earl is the majority owner of Prestige Services and Twin Bridges Waste & Recycling, both located in Halfmoon.

The community is projected to open by the summer, Barbera said.

Curtis Lumber Grows With Acquisition Of Wiley Brothers Lumber Yard In Schaghticoke Curtis Lumber announced the acquisition of Wiley Brothers at 1854 Route 40 in Schaghticoke.

Wiley Brothers has been a family-owned lumber yard and home improvement store for 75 years.

Adding this new location brings the number of Curtis Lumber Co. locations to 23, all of which are independent, family-owned, fullservice home centers and building supply yards.

Officials said moving forward, the store location will carry Curtis Lumber’s premium products, superior hardware assortment, and be staffed with the expertise to cater to both builders and homeowners.

Curtis Lumber has long served the area with delivery service from nearby stores and this acquisition will serve to increase delivery

and product availability to more of Rensselaer county.

“When we were approached about adding Wiley Brothers to our existing store locations, we jumped at the chance,” said Jay Curtis, president, and CEO. “Our superior product assortment, award-winning delivery service, and extensive employee training program will only improve upon what has been a well-run family business.”

All Wiley Bros employees were offered positions with Curtis Lumber.

Established in 1890, Curtis Lumber Co. serves eastern, central, and northern New York and Vermont. The company’s 650 employees serve both consumers and professional builders alike. The company has a delivery fleet of 100 trucks.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 11

Estimating The Costs For Construction Lumber Price Increases Continued From Page 10 Projects Is A Difficult Task During COVID

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

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

MLB is a commercial builder. When the pandemic hit, they were working on projects for several customers including Saratoga Performing Art Center. The work at SPAC included construction of a two-story concession and venue space, as well as a smaller concessions building and an outdoor pavilion.

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

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

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

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

MLB, a company with 66 employees and a second office in North Carolina, works in many different sectors of the construction industry and frequently bids on large projects.

According to Turoczy, an increasing number of these projects are being postponed. She said state agencies are not currently awarding contracts.

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

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

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

Residential home builders don’t rely on the bidding process to secure contracts, but estimators face similar challenges. Some contractors incorporate escalation clauses into contracts to account for unexpected price increases. The clauses allow a contractor to be reimbursed for higher material prices if the rate of increase rises above a certain percentage, typically around 3 percent.

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

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

Teakwood is part of a market research group that uses data to forecast future lumber prices.

They rely on these forecasts in the estimating process.

“We’ve gotten lucky thus far,” he said. “We tend to come out pretty darn close to where we need to be. It’s rare in my industry to say we didn’t spend all of our budget on lumber material. We usually find that number is quickly consumed with the homes we are building.”

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

Despite the rise in prices, sales at Teakwood are at record high levels in both new construction and remodeling segments.

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

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

Hilltop Construction owner Thomas Albrecht Sr. said his Glens Falls residential and commercial construction company has faced similar issues with material shortages.

“Expectations of delivery are non-existent,” he said. “My biggest challenge is educating our clients that you can have contracts and you can set dates, but we can’t necessary meet them because of the challenges we are faced with.

What you could get in 4 weeks max could now be out 8 to 12 weeks. That means our planning has to be much more extensive.”

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

At Burgoyne Lumber and Hardware in Hudson Falls, general manager Dave Nester said prices have increased for almost all building materials.

Lumber prices have seen the most dramatic increases. As an example, he said the price of some types of spruce have almost doubled. The cost of plywood has risen by more than $10 per sheet.

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

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

This impacts not just lumber but many additional building materials. Nester listed roofing shingles and fiberglass insulation as examples of other products that are difficult to procure.

“The supply chain is fragmented, and we are seeing lead times from three weeks to eight weeks,” said Ford. “It’s very unpredictable and we can’t count on product arriving at a certain time.”

Despite the price increases, lumber sales have remained strong and demand continues to outweigh supply. At both Curtis and Burgoyne, high lumber prices have not resulted in slowed sales.

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

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

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

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12 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

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Office / HR / Employment LayerEight, Formerly PrimeLink Managed Services, Grows IT, Cybersecurity Services

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We put the time in the front end to develop

•

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

Courtesy Vicki Marking, PrimeLink

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

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

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

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

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Business Report Vaccines In The Workplace

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Invite local leaders to promote the importance of getting vaccinated.

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

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•

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 13

•

Business Report Strategies To Implement Diversity Hiring

BY RENEE WALRATH Diversity hiring is a practice being implemented and embraced by more and more companies.

Diverse workplaces have an array of advantages including higher employee engagement, increased profitability, and higher levels of employee retainment. Workplaces saying that they value diversity is no longer enough, as actions speak louder than words.

By definition, diversity hiring is hiring based on merit with special care taken to ensure procedures are free from biases related to a candidate’s age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and other personal characteristics that are unrelated to their job performance.

However, so many other things fall under the umbrella of diversity hiring. Anything that makes one individual different from the next counts as diversity. This can be the way they think, the tools they utilize, the languages they speak, or simply anything that makes the workplace more unique!

For companies who have not always practiced diversity hiring, it can be difficult to implement, but far from impossible! These tips will help any company take the first step towards hiring more diverse candidates.

Inclusive job alerts An excellent place to start when trying to implement diversity hiring is to take a look at the job post and its description. Candidates are assessed against the criteria specified in the job description, so they take it into great consideration before applying.

The job alert may be the first time an individual comes across your company or brand so leaving a positive impression is key. This means the job description should be inclusive and free of any and all words that may signal this job is meant for a “certain type of person”. Examples of words to steer clear from are “energetic”, “dynamic”, “outspoken” or even words that may make the job come off as masculine. Doing this can increase responses by 42 percent.

Additionally, some companies include a disclaimer regarding their status as an equal opportunity employer. This can be a good idea to get the point across. It doesn’t even need to be a set disclaimer, using words that signal inclusiveness and talking about your companies morals can go a long way.

Mitigate unconscious bias According to Psychology Today, bias is a tendency, inclination, or prejudice toward or against something or someone. While every single person in the world has some biases and

Groups Start Center For 50-Plus Entrepreneurs •

Renee Walrath, president, Walrath Recruiting Inc., Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy Walrath Recruiting

not all bias is bad, it becomes an issue when people fail to combat them. This is especially true in interviewing processes.

Being closed-minded in interviews can not only limit the potential to diversify the workplace, but it can also limit the progression and success of a company. Having fresh, unique ideas is an effect of hiring unique candidates. Plus, passing up a candidate due to pre-existing bias might mean passing up the candidate who has the skills to complete that 6 –month project that has been dragging on.

Accepting that there is bias within a company is the first step to targeting it. By knowing specifically where the bias lies and being accountable for it, steps can be taken to prevent it.

Blind hiring practices Blind hiring practices are one of the easiest ways to target the issue of bias in the workplace and increase diversity hiring. When identifying details are removed from a candidate’s profile, all bias can be removed too.

Removing people’s names and details of education or graduation date, bias based on gender and age are both removed, and the candidate is judged solely on their qualifications.

Scorecards can be another great way to implement diversity hiring. This changes the interview process from qualitative to quantitative.

Having scores for candidates eliminates the chance of leaning towards a candidate because there was that “gut feeling”. Scoring people on specific categories and a set scale also ensure that everyone is being compared on the same basis.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Resources in both Spanish and Chinese language.

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

You Need More Than Skills

Your new employee is starting Monday. You think, “I hope they work out well.” The worst thing that can happen to you is that you have to start searching again. Or even worse - they do not work out - and stay on your payroll.

The big mistake we make is to focus on their skill.

Can they perform the tasks well? Let’s modify the question to what you should be thinking? Can they perform their tasks, here? We often interview for skills. Why not, skills are often easier to measure. Yet the key question is whether they have the right soft skills to fit into your company’s culture.

Most people struggle to define ‘soft’ skills. Those traits have more to do with success than anything else. Does your company focus on getting results? Is it freewheeling or do you follow specific structure? Do you give specific direction? Or do you expect others to ‘figure it out’? Answering these questions helps you hire better. This allows us to change the way we get to know candidates. Take the time to figure this out.

I want to know how a candidate thinks. I want their job history. I begin with asking about their first job. Through this level of detail, I usually find job gaps, or other critical information. If I am to make a large investment in someone, I want to know that person. Then I want to ask about successes, team contributions and other skill related issues.

You need to understand how they work in different environments. When asking about accomplishments, you often get ‘we did’ this. I then ask what ‘their individual contribution’ was to the success. The answer tells you what they really do. Likewise, if you work in a fast and fluid environment, you do not always give clear directions when handing out tasks.

So, I say to the candidate “Tell me about a time that you had an assignment and felt that you did not have the information necessary to complete it. What did you do?” This gives an idea of how they accomplish tasks in my culture.

Push for depth. Peel back answers. And reject answers that begin with “Usually…” Explain that you want to understand about a specific project or event. This will allow you to assess their behavior.

We do what we have always done!

I know that it takes time. And time is valuable.

So are dollars. And you are about to commit a lot of your money to a new hire. Make sure it is well spent.

Michael Cruz Lighthouse Advisors, LLC 518-798-8704 mcruz@mybusinessfriend.com

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14 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

Community Association Group Says Number Towne Law Elevates Two Of Its Attorneys Of Condos Will Increase By 4,500 This Year To Positions As Principals In The Firm The number of new condominium and homeowners associations is expected to increase by 4,500 this year, according to projections by the Foundation for Community Association Research, an affiliate organization of Community Associations Institute (CAI).

Representing nearly 25 percent of the housing stock in the U.S., community associations, also known as condominiums, housing cooperatives, and homeowners associations, are home to more than 73 million Americans, according to CAI. The 2021 projections reflect a 1.3 percent increase in new communities.

“Community associations, much like millions of businesses, continue to face difficult financial and operational challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the new research is a positive sign that the housing model remains strong,” says Dawn M. Bauman, CAE, executive director of the Foundation and CAI’s senior vice president of government and public affairs.

Since the 1970s, community associations have been a popular housing choice for people around the world—especially condominium buyers seeking close proximity to city centers, public transportation, and schools. Planned communities provide owners the benefit of shared amenities such as pools, walking trails, and other recreation facilities that may otherwise be unattainable.

According to the National and State Statistical Review for Community Association Data, published by the Foundation, planned communities give local municipalities the ability to transfer the obligation to provide services—trash and recycling removal, snow removal, streetscape beautification, sidewalk and street maintenance and lighting, stormwater management, and more—to homeowners.

In a 2020 Homeowner Satisfaction Survey, a biennial, nationwide report conducted by Zogby Analytics, residents said the following about their community association experience: • 89 percent of residents rate their overall community association experience as very good or good (70 percent) or neutral (19 percent).

• 89 percent say members of their elected governing board “absolutely” or “for the most part” serve the best interests of their communities.

• 74 percent say their community managers provide value and support to residents and their associations.

• 94 percent say their association’s rules protect and enhance property values (71 percent) or have a neutral effect (23 percent); only 4 percent say the rules harm property values.

“The foundation’s research is essential to the future of the community association housing model, as a trusted source for industry leaders, developers, legislators, and other housing stakeholders,” says Thomas M. Skiba, CAI’s chief executive officer. “We are optimistic that the 2021 housing growth reinforces that comfort, convenience, and community—three attributes of community associations—remain essential to today’s homebuyer.”About Community Associations Institute Since 1973, Community Associations Institute (CAI) has been a provider of resources and information for homeowners, volunteer board leaders, professional managers, and business professionals in the more than 350,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the U.S. and millions of communities worldwide.

Its website is www.caionline.org.

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

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

The firm said coupling Stover’s large real estate following with existing real estate matters necessitated an expansion of both real estate attorneys and paralegals in the Saratoga office, with more expansion planned.

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

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

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

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

The firm said she provides a unique perspective across a wide variety of services to clients on seasonal licenses, waivers, employment contracts, real estate services and litigation services. Taylor now represents a multitude of individual campgrounds and multi-park owners throughout the northeast, as well as nationally.

“They have already made a big impact on the firm’s growth trajectory which we started mid-2020 and it is important that their dedication to the firm be recognized,” said Attorney James Towne said.

“They both will continue to help shape the firm’s long-term development, so there is no better way to cement that than offering them the opportunity to become principals.”

Over the past year, The Towne Law Firm has added three new office locations in New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey, while expanding its professional team to 25 attorneys.

While the firm is a general practice law firm,

Jessica E. Stover, Esq. is a principal partner and is in charge of the Saratoga Springs office.

Courtesy Towne Law

Christine E. Taylor, a former associate, is now a principal partner with The Towne Law Firm.

Courtesy Towne Law

covering many service areas for both business and individual clients, both Stover and Taylor have been crucial to the firm’s overall growth and have helped to expand the leadership roles of women within the organization, the firm said.

“The TLF team looks forward to the upcoming year as the firm continues to expand internally, as well as continue to increase its presence across the northeast,” a company statement said.

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 15

Mystic World, Long A Fixture In Lake George, Opens A New Shop In Saratoga Springs

Violet Cannistraci, owner of Mystic World, poses in her new shop in Saratoga Springs. The business was long a fixture at the Wilton Mall and in downtown Lake George. ©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

BY JILL NAGY Whether nostalgic for tie-dye T-shirts or needing just the right crystal to help get through difficult times, Mystic World strives to fill the bill. The business, long a fixture at the Wilton Mall in Saratoga County and in downtown Lake George, recently opened a new store at 423 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs.

They are still trying to get settled in at the new location, owner Violet Cannistraci said, and December was a very busy month, sometimes too busy for store employees to answer the telephone.

She said people found the Saratoga location mainly by word of mouth but also through listings on Facebook and Google. “The support for local business is amazing,” she said.

Some shoppers patronized both the Wilton Mall and the Saratoga Springs outlets, searching for just the right crystal. Each crystal is unique, Cannistraci noted, hand picked by her at gem shows.

“My house is full of crystals and I always have crystals with me,” she said. They are the most popular item in her stores. People buy them for their possible healing properties, because they are beautiful to look at and as a way to connect with the earth, she said.

Mystic World offers a variety of items in addition to crystals and tie-dye shirts. There are

incense, aromatic oils, herbs, candles, jewelry, singing bowls, statues, and a variety of handcrafted items from around the world.

Cannistraci has particular affection for the hand-crafted items and noted that she got her start importing and selling “items I fell in love with (on my travels) and wanted to share with others.” She began traveling as a teenager, spending time in Ecuador and buying things from members of indigenous communities there.

Her first sales outlet was a holiday season pop-up store at the Wilton Mall. From there, she expanded to a seasonal shop on Canada Street in Lake George. She has been there for about a decade.

Also for the past decade, she has had a permanent outlet at the Wilton Mall. She was on the lookout for the right location in Saratoga Springs when the Broadway location became available. She opened that store in November.

A native of Vermont, Cannistraci also recently bought a home in Saratoga Springs. She is now setting up for online sales, still “a work in progress.”

The shops are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday through Wednesday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The telephone number is 518 886-1202. They are on the web at mysticworldny.com.

Chris Dowd Continued From Page 1

Dental Practice Opts To Help The Non-Insured

local business interests with regional economic development efforts in a way never before experienced in the Capital Region.

The CSSC cited its accomplishments in 2020.

Its Malta Business Community Alliance committee facilitated the creation of a new website, MaltaNYBusiness.com, created by local businesspeople to promote aspects of the town.

The Saratoga County Community Development Program, funded in part by a grant from the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, continued its work of maintaining community structures and promoting county business to some 150,000 visitors at the Clifton Park Visitor Center (Exit 9 Rest Area on the Northway). The CSSC continued its strong advocacy for and promotion of local marine businesses, especially with the Canals having been closed for a major portion of the summer.

The Chamber was a sponsor of a number of virtual and COVID-modified events such as the virtual Saratoga County Fair, Ballston Spa community events, and those held by Halfmoon Celebrations.

Due to its affiliation with the Capital Region Chamber, hundreds of southern Saratoga County businesses received direct outreach and personalized support and technical assistance.

Local charities such as the Southern Saratoga Chamber Angels received enhanced support.

Despite the pandemic, the Angels assisted 35 more needy children than the previous year.

The office in Clifton Park (58 Clifton Country Road) is home to the Community Advancement department, led by Senior Vice President Pete Bardunias, and a Member Services team led by Vice President Marna Redding.

Other Clifton Park-based staff members include project manager Sheila Whinnery; director, signature events Debbie Erck, and marketing manager Taryn Farewell. Several part-time staff will serve at the Clifton Park Visitor Center once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County is the official Chamber of Commerce of the towns of Clifton Park and Halfmoon.

Updated 2/19/21 corrected print edition firm name and address.

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Saratoga Springs Family Dentistry practice aims to put people at ease in regard to their dental health, even if they have lost their insurance.

Office Manager Bonnie Symon said all seven locations are taking part in a program that offers affordable dental care to those who may have lost their dental insurance or who never had it at all.

“We have had a great response to this, with a lot of people signing up. It’s a wonderful option for people and helps to give them some assurance that they can get the care they need without worrying about how to pay for it,” said Symon.

Symon said with COVID-19 pandemic, many patients found themselves losing their insurance and with that came the worry of how to find quality dental care that they can afford. She said they have reached out to local employers who have been vulnerable to the shaky economy, especially small businesses.

The plan offers member-only free exams, x-rays, and cleanings, plus 15 percent off all other dental services. There are three plan options for routine cleanings and exams, diagnostic X-Rays, and discounts on treatment.

Symon said enrollment takes effect immediately without the hassle of claims and insurance. The annual plans range from $299 to $599, depending on a person’s age and needs. The plans cover up to two exams, routine cleaning, necessary X-rays and youth sealants. There is also a periodontal plan, discounts on whitening and invisalign and discounts on sleep apnea appliances.

Symon said Saratoga Springs Family Dentistry plans to continue the program for as long as there is an interest. It is available at the Saratoga Springs office, 286 Church St., as well as their six other locations across the area.

“We have no plans to end the program. It has been beneficial to many patients,” said Symon.

Symon said the process is simple and details can be found on the website at www. saratogaspringsdentists.com or by calling the office at (518) 584-8150.

16 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

REGIONAL STOCKWATCH Stock Name Albany Int’l

Closing Price 01/08/2021

Closing Price 01/15/2021

Closing Price 01/22/2021

79.19

76.03

76.72

Closing Price 01/29/2021

Closing Price 02/05/2021

69.52

74.76

•

Business Registrations NeverFar CPR Josephine Marquez 202 Tallow Wood Drive Clifton Park 12065

Honey Bee Rich Body Care Susan Scampini 18 Saville Road Mechanicville 12118

Adirondack Photocraft Gail Danforth 38 High Rock Ave., Suite 6D Saratoga Springs 12866

Foam Guy Frederick Volkman 698 Route 29 Saratoga Springs 12866

Skeleton Head Toys Isaac Semko 15 Lakeside Ave. Ballston Lake 12019

Three Crystals Patricia Ayers 76 Catherine St. Saratoga Springs 12866

Grooming By Liz Elizabeth Klahr 147 Route 9 Clifton Park 12065

Betta Villa E Mia Maryann Cortese 24 Newcastle Road Clifton Park 12065

Arrow

30.95

31.08

31.35

29.40

31.03

AT & T

29.02

29.17

28.93

28.63

28.93

Ball

90.63

90.42

90.74

88.02

89.39

Ballston Spa National Bank

47.00

47.00

47.00

47.00

47.00

Bank of America

32.53

33.01

31.55

29.65

32.37

Best Buy

107.57

114.00

114.93

108.82

114.53

Citizens Bank

39.57

40.20

37.99

36.06

39.94

Espey

19.82

18.93

19.05

19.02

19.33

General Electric

11.35

11.33

11.11

10.68

11.40

Hilton

114.19

108.41

104.96

101.39

111.67

Home Depot

269.08

275.59

284.00

270.82

278.86

Momentive Performance

Int’l Paper

51.49

50.25

51.63

50.31

47.03

Continued From Page 1

Key Corp

18.23

18.41

18.20

16.86

18.57

Lowe’s

165.01

170.74

172.40

166.85

175.03

Martin Marietta

310.48

303.58

309.60

287.41

297.60

M&T Bank

144.16

144.77

143.16

132.47

140.40

McDonald’s

215.85

209.91

213.38

207.84

212.58

National Grid

59.77

59.47

60.06

58.08

58.64

NBT Bancorp Inc.

31.19

34.81

35.05

33.01

34.42

Plug Power

53.78

60.14

66.87

63.17

65.77

Quad Graphics

4.09

4.55

4.02

4.68

5.72

Starbucks

105.67

102.33

103.91

96.81

106.48

Sysco

77.59

75.57

75.19

71.51

77.08

Target

193.54

194.80

191.91

181.17

188.86

The TorontoDominion Bank

58.33

59.26

57.80

56.59

58.44

Kaspien Holdings

20.48

30.99

39.37

38.56

32.54

Trustco Bank

7.03

7.22

7.08

6.22

6.51

Verizon

57.81

57.38

57.47

54.75

55.32

Price Chopper Merger

Walmart

146.66

144.64

146.33

140.49

144.36

Continued From Page 1

This list of quotations is provided through the courtesy of Robert M. Schermerhorn, CFP®, Saratoga Financial Services, Securities offered through LPL Financial /Member FINRA & SIPC, located in Saratoga Springs, NY. www.SaratogaRetire.com

Washington County New Business Registrations JANUARY MT Trucking 14 Elm St. Argyle, NY 12809

Operation Lawn Care of Upstate New York 97 Duer Rd. Fort Edward, NY 12828

Floramore Photography 533 Ashgrove Rd. Cambridge, NY 12816

Clifford Oliver Photography 38 Salem St. Greenwich, NY 12834

Little Bit of Everything Bowtique 6 Brownell Corners Rd. Eagle Bridge, NY 12057

Maynards Property Management 88 Blood St. Hartford, NY 12838

Pelletiers Welding and Fabrication 1526 Mattison Rd. Fort Ann, NY 12827

Adirondack Woodworks 1193 Farley Rd. Hudson Falls, NY 12839

Swezey View Farm 301 Gibbs Rd. Fort Ann, NY 12827

Bad Dog Trucking 300 County Route 41 Hudson Falls, NY 12839

will bring to Momentive and the broader KCC Corp.,” said Momentive President and CEO Sam Conzone. “It expands our technological capabilities and geographic footprint while also substantially strengthening our position in the Asia-Pacific region including Korea, a country with strong and growing demand for silicones and specialty materials.”

Momentive recently announced a series of strategic steps to transform the company into a leading specialty silicones business, including the recent sale of its Consumer Sealants business to Germany-based company, Henkel, and its phased exit from commodity based products at the Waterford, New York site, while committing to a $15 million investment in advanced electronic materials production.

“This integration allows us to focus our strengths and expertise on advanced technologies,” said Joseph Bruderek, Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy.

“The acquisition of KCC’s Silicone business is another important milestone in Momentive’s transformation journey.”

Ravago Chemicals, a specialty chemical and ingredient producer and distributor, will distribute Momentive’s high performance

role that supermarkets and their workforces play in our communities, particularly this past year, I am excited to lead the parent company of these two historic grocery retailers.”

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

With formative roots dating back to the 1920s,

•

PEarlene silicone gum master batches, Silquest silanes, XL-PEarl silane crosslinking systems and SFR silicone fluid flame retardants for plastic applications in the U.S. and Canada, effective immediately. Momentive’s silicone-based polymer additives offer improved processability, enhanced surface and mechanical properties, and flame retardancy for both thermoplastic and elastomeric formulations.

“This alliance with Ravago Chemicals is a milestone for our polymer additives channel-to-market strategy in the United States and Canada,” said Momentive’s global marketing director for polymer additives and electronics Ammar Baray. “Momentive will tap into Ravago’s unique capabilities as both a compounder and distributor of complementary, specialty products to Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive, wire and cable, and polymer compounding companies.”

Ravago Chemicals has successfully represented Momentive in Europe for the past five years as an authorized distributor of materials including adhesives, coatings, elastomers, sealants, urethane additives and basic silicones, officials said.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to expand our channel partnership by representing Momentive’s polymer additives products throughout the United States and Canada,” said Ravago’s vice president of business segments & strategy Hector Rodriguez. both Tops Markets and Price Chopper/Market 32 have grown exponentially over the last century, building and acquiring stores across Upstate New York and throughout the Northeast. The merged companies are committed to serving their markets across the Northeast, officials said.

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

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

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

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 17

•

Business Registrations Primal Roots Health Coaching Tyson Weller 943 Saratoga Road Gansevoort 12831

Loving Earth Compost Whitney Davis 26 Nelson Ave. Ext. Saratoga Springs 12866

Roland Graves Psychotherapy Roland Graves 1115 Ellsworth Boulevard Malta 12020

Riddle and Jinx Emily Lopuch 172 Kingsley Road Burnt Hills 12027

Bruce Dickinson Music Productions Stephen Cosgrove 50 Michelle Drive Clifton Park 12065

Mr. Toolbag Jacob Ingram 6 Andrew Ave. Round Lake 12151

NeverFar CPR Josephine Marquez 202 Tallow Wood Drive Clifton Park 12065

DMA Investigations Tobi Kirschmann 27 Karner Drive Saratoga Springs 12866

Adirondack Photocraft Gail Danforth 38 High Rock Ave., Suite 6D Saratoga Springs 12866

Pinocline Danyel King 1406 Newberry Court Malta 12020

Skeleton Head Toys Isaac Semko 15 Lakeside Ave. Ballston Lake

Madeline Jenkins Photography Madeline Jenkins 455 Devil’s Lane Ballston Spa 12020

Grooming By Liz Elizabeth Klahr 147 Route 9 Clifton Park 12065

Little Market at Five Points Michele Morris & James Morris 42 Park Place Saratoga Springs 12866

Honey Bee Rich Body Care Susan Scampini 18 Saville Road Mechanicville 12118

Tania Susi Music Tania Susi 18 Karner Drive Saratoga Springs 12866

Foam Guy Frederick Volkman 698 Route 29 Saratoga Springs 12866

Drivedirect LD Jeurgen Hartmann 123 East High St. Ballston Spa 12020

Three Crystals Patricia Ayers 76 Catherine St. Saratoga Springs 12866

Back in Balance Veterinary Services Tamara Raidoo 1305 Concord St. Malta 12020

Lakeside Lady Deanna Sawyer 26F Congress St. Saratoga Springs 12866

Debra Stensrund Design Debra Stensrund 310 Church St. Saratoga Springs 12866

Crafted by KVIV Beth Novik 124 Old Schuylerville Road Saratoga Springs 12866

H and M Landscaping Jason Hall 45 Crestline Drive Ballston Spa 12020

Fingerpaint In Saratoga Springs Takes On Investment Partner As More Growth Planned •

BY ANDREA HARWOOD PALMER The Saratoga-based advertising agency Fingerpaint has secured an investment partner, Knox Lane, a private equity firm in San Francisco.

“Even with everything going on in 2020, it was a great year for us,” said Beth Beck, head of the company’s Saratoga Springs office. “It was a year of continued growth.”

She said company founder Ed Mitzen “made the decision to find an investment partner. Not someone to be part of the day-to-day operations, but someone to act as an investment partner,” said Beck. “Over the last part of 2020, Ed spoke with over 30 different investment groups. At the close of the year, he had decided to move forward with our partnership with Knox Lane.”

Mitzen was attracted to Knox Lane’s commitment to make sure there are women in leadership positions.

The investment from Knox Lane is strictly about helping Fingerpaint achieve continued growth, said Beck. Mitzen will maintain control of the company while Knox Lane will provide capital for continued growth capacity within the ad agency, as well as acquisitions.

Over the next year, Fingerpaint will create its first board of directors, of which a representative of Knox Lane will be a part.

“The decision to partner together was very much a strategic decision. There will be acquisitions of many more companies to add to the Fingerpaint family going forward,” said

Beck.

Mitzen started Fingerpaint 12 years ago, during a recession. Previously, he founded Creative Healthcare Solutions, Inc. in Ohio and Palio Communications in Saratoga Springs. Both companies have since been sold.

Fingerpaint has acquired three other companies since its inception, including healthcare consulting, market access and analytics firm 1798 about a year ago.

Beck has been with in the advertising industry for over 25 years.

“To come from large holding companies and networks where we did amazing work, and to go somewhere where you have a culture and group of people so committed to each other where you can continue to do amazing work,” she said.

“The Saratoga office is really the heart of Fingerpaint, not just the business, but the culture. It’s very much a product of Ed and the folks that have been in leadership at the agency,” said Beck.

Beck said Fingerpaint plans to stay in Saratoga, investing in their people and overall growth. The agency has additional locations in Pennsylvania, Arizona, California and New Jersey.

“It’s been a good run for Saratoga. Our business is very stable. We have solid talent and wonderful clients. Now we’re going to see where we can take it next, while maintaining our great culture and expanding what we can offer our clients,” said Beck.

18 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

‘Simply Food’ In Wilton Offers Breakfast, Lunches And Occasional Takeout Dinners

Maura Pulver is the proprietor of Simply Food at 666 Route 9 in Wilton. She serves breakfast sandwiches, lunches and, on Tuesday nights, home cooked takeout dinners.

Discover Unique Heated Outdoor Dining Options In & Near Saratoga Springs, NY

The Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs is well known for their exceptional lodging and dining experiences, and during winter, you can dine in a private igloo on the patio.

Outdoor dining is all the rage during the warmer months of the year, but during winter, local restaurants have to get a little creative. Here in Saratoga Springs and the surrounding area, some restaurants are offering a variety of heated outdoor dining options, including private igloos and enclosed patios and porches. Find out where you can dine outdoors comfortably in the Saratoga area below!

Note: We recommend you call ahead to make a reservation and confirm availability.

The Inn at Erlowest Dine under the stars and snowflakes in Lake George when you make a reservation at one of The Inn at Erlowest's heated igloos.

Each igloo is reserved solely for your party (up to 6 guests), fully sanitized after each use, and there is a back panel window for air flow.

Reservations are required, and there is a $200 food and beverage minimum requirement on Thursdays and Sundays and a $250 food and beverage minimum requirement on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Adelphi Hotel The Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs is well known for their exceptional lodging and dining experiences, and during winter, you can dine in a private igloo on the patio.

Each private igloo can accommodate up to 6 guests, and the cost is $25 per person. They are available 7 days a week from 11:00am8:00pm, and a credit card is required for all reservations.

Morgan & Co. Restaurant Located in downtown Glens Falls, Morgan & Co. is a chef-owned restaurant that specializes in "comfort food with a Mediterranean-Bohemian flair," and this winter, they have enclosed their porch in order to offer heated outdoor dining to their guests. Make a reservation for one of their socially distanced tables and look forward to an amazing dining experience.

The Olde Bryan Inn Saratoga's Olde Bryan Inn continues to dish up delicious American cuisine, and now, you can enjoy a meal at a socially distanced table in their enclosed and heated patio area. Take a look at the current menu on their website, and make your reservation for a table on the patio.

The Queensbury Hotel Did you know you can also find heated outdoor dining igloos in downtown Glens Falls? It's true! This winter, The Queensbury Hotel is accepting dinner reservations for their igloos, which have individual heaters.

Each igloo can accommodate up to 6 guests, and they require a $25 rental deposit at the

BY JILL NAGY During her nine years operating the Five Points Market and Deli in Saratoga Springs, Maura Pulver often wished she could do “just food” and not worry about the other obligations of operating a neighborhood market.

Now, she has a new operation called Simply Food at 666 Route 9 in Wilton. It’s not really a restaurant, she said, but rather “kind of like a family shop.”

She serves breakfast sandwiches, lunches and, on Tuesday nights, home cooked takeout dinners. The lunch business, she said, has been very good. There are many new stores and offices in the neighborhood and, so far, not many options for those people to buy lunch.

Her breakfast sandwiches are very popular, she said, and dinners sell out most Tuesdays.

So much so, she is thinking of adding another takeout night.

Among her breakfast sandwiches selections is the Blueberry Bomb, on grilled and buttered blueberry bread, loaded with cheddar cheese, two eggs, sausage and maple syrup. Another selection, the “horseman breakfast,” consists of two eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, American cheese, and hash brown potatoes on a hard roll.

The dinners, she said, are “good homecooked meals, the kind that Mom used to

make.”

One week, she roasted a turkey and dished it up with dressing and all the trimmings.

Another week, it was roast pork with garlic mashed potatoes. She plans to add some vegetarian options and, come spring, will probably add salads.

Pulver began selling takeout “king-sized” dinners at Five Points. Now, however, she said life is easier.“Now I have a real kitchen.”

Many Five Points customers have followed her to Simply Food and most of the staff also came along. All of her current employees have worked for her before. She said that she is pleased to see “old regulars” from Five Points and is beginning to acquire a following of”new regulars.”

Pulver also does some catering. She provides food for Adirondack Cruises on Saratoga Lake, camps in the Adirondacks and others. She can also do parties.

Simply Food is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tuesday through Sunday. Customers can pick up Tuesday dinners between 4-6:30 p.m. While most of the business is takeout, Pulver can serve 13 people inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. By April, she expects to add patio service that will expand the capacity.

People can order by telephone at 518 584-1000, from the website simplyfoodbymaura,com, or in person at the window or inside.

time of booking (the deposit will be applied to each check with a minimum $150 food and beverage spend). There will be two seatings per igloo per night, and they will be sanitized after each use. Call to make your reservation today!

and groups of 2, 4, or 6 people. They can be reserved on Thursdays - Sundays, and the cost is $150 to $300 depending on the group size.

Full details are available on their Facebook page.

Fort William Henry Fort William Henry Hotel in Lake George Village is offering fire pit rentals this winter.

You can rent a lakeview wood burning fire pit with four Adirondack chairs for 1 hour and 45 minutes. A $25 food and beverage minimum spend is required, and you can learn more and rent online here.

Bolton Landing Brewing Co. Take a drive up north to Bolton Landing and enjoy outdoor dining at Bolton Landing Brewing Company's heated igloos, heated enclosure, or fire pits. Warm up as you sip one of their locally made craft beers and dine on tasty pub grub.

The Bolton Barrel Another excellent heated outdoor dining option in Bolton Landing is The Bolton Barrel, which is part of the Blue Water Manor family of resorts and restaurants. Call to make a reservation for a private table in one of their heated igloos, and check out their handcrafted food and beverage selections.

Nine Pin Cider This winter, Nine Pin Cider in Albany is offering private wood campfire hangouts that are available for two-hour time slots

The Hill at Muza The heaters are on at The Hill at Muza in Troy, which offers year-round outdoor dining.

This unique restaurant serves Polish and American fare in both their ski lodge-like pub and European-style beer garden with tables, chairs, and flame heaters. They are accepting table reservations for indoor and outdoor dining on Thursdays - Sundays.

McGeary's Irish Pub Enjoy pub food at McGeary's Irish Pub in Albany - their patio has heaters this winter.

Innovo Kitchen Head over to Innovo Kitchen in Latham and dine in their covered patio with heaters and a fireplace.

Man of Kent Tavern Man of Kent Tavern in Hoosick Falls has set up a heated outdoor tent so guests can dine outdoors at socially distanced tables.

Saisonnier Visit Saisonnier in Kinderhook for a delicious drink and meal at one of their outdoor tables. Heaters are located by the tables.

Listings provided by Saratoga.com

N

EW

LI ST IN

G

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021 • 19

45 Greenfield Avenue, Saratoga Springs $699,000 This historic Saratoga Springs mansion was stylishly renovated into condos in 2010. Located in the desirable North Broadway neighborhood, this airy 2 bedroom 1 1/2 bath condominium features an open floor plan, plenty of windows, soaring ceilings, wood floors & incredible trim throughout. The open kitchen includes gorgeous granite, a large center island, stainless steel appliances, stunning custom cabinets & a generously-sized pantry. Step through a set of French doors to the ultimate flex space: a light-filled sunroom that functions as a bright home office & doubles as a guest room with its hidden Murphy bed! Elevator access & a 1 car detached garage add even more convenience.

Listing Agent: Kate R. Naughton | 518.441.8527 knaughton@roohanrealty.com

WE SELL HOTELS $7,360,000

$1,050,000

Wingate by Wyndham Lake George, NY Sold July 2018

Sold December 2019

$3,670,000

$2,800,000

The Landmark Motor Inn - Glens Falls, NY Sold March, 2018

Dagget Lake Campsites & Cottages Thurman, NY Sold December 2020

$2,000,000

$3,200,000

Econolodge - Lake George, NY Sold January 2018

Ramada Hotel & Conference Center Queensbury, NY - Sold September 2017

Contact Mitch Muroff for a complimentary valuation: 617-610-7774 or mmuroff@muroffdaigle.com

www.muroffdaigle.com

20 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 2021

Grant Cottage, Where President Completed Memoirs, Made National Historic Landmark The Grant Cottage state historic site, a 19th century residence where U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant completed his memoirs shortly before his death, was named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.

Acquired by State Parks in 1957 as a State Historic Site, the 43-acre Saratoga County property includes a two-story residence where Grant, diagnosed with terminal throat cancer, went to complete his memoirs for six weeks immediately prior to his death in July 1885.

“This well-deserved federal designation brings more public awareness to the important role this place played in the life of one of our most famous national leaders,” said State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid. “State Parks is grateful for the years of work invested in obtaining this designation by our Regional Commissioners and the Friends of Ulysses S.

This residence is where U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant went to complete his memoirs.

Courtesy NYS Parks and Recreation

Grant Cottage that operates and cares for this site.”

Heather Mabee, chair of the Saratoga/ Capital Regional Park Commission, said the honor “is the result of steadfast and tireless advocacy, spearheaded by our commission member Barbara Glaser who invested so much of herself in this. This honor brings even more prestige to an already prestigious site.”

While seriously ill at the cottage, Grant completed writing his two-volume memoirs outlining his service as the general in charge of the U.S. Army during the Civil War, and his subsequent two terms as U.S. President.

Located immediately below the summit of Mount McGregor in Saratoga County, the cottage is kept as it was during the Grant family’s stay. Open to the public seasonally by the Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage, visitors can tour its first-floor original furnishings, decorations, and personal items belonging to Grant.

Tours are scheduled to resume for the season in May 2021. Artifacts on display include the mantel clock stopped by Grant’s son Fred at

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the moment of his father’s death, and original floral arrangements from Grant’s funeral in August 1885.

Grant Cottage first opened as a historic site in 1890 when it was supported by funds raised by veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic.

The grounds surrounding the Cottage served as a tuberculosis sanitarium beginning in 1914, which in 1945 was converted into a veteran rest camp, until 1960 when it was repurposed and annexed as the Rome State School for disabled children until 1976. The Friends of Ulysses S. Grant Cottage was formed in the fall of 1989 to provide programming and tours, and partner with New York State Parks on site stewardship.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails and boat launches, which were visited by a record 77 million people in 2019 For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit parks.ny.gov connect on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

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