Saratoga Business Journal - May 2024

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

Spa City Officials Have Planned An Exciting Slate Of Activities For Belmont On Broadway

Belmont on Broadway, a multifaceted celebration planned for the week of the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, was announced recently by leaders in the Spa City.

Belmont on Broadway activities slated for June 4 through June 9 include a downtown window decorating contest, a pre-festival event called Embrace the Belmont, The Belmont Gala, HARDY at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Opera Saratoga’s Annual Gala and a free, outdoor concert with headlining act Blues Traveler to take place on Broadway

in Saratoga Springs.

Th is is all in addition to the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, which officials see as a historic opportunity to showcase Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County as a major event destination.

Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

President and CEO Todd Shimkus is certain that visitors in town for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be impressed. “Belmont on Broadway is designed to highlight all the

Continued On Page 6

Cynthia Hollowood Is Honored With The Joseph Dalton Community Service Award

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce has announced that Cynthia Hollowood is the 2024 Joseph Dalton Community Service Award recipient.

This recognition, created by unanimous vote of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors in 2017, is a community service-focused award to honor an individual who has been faithful and loyal to the Saratoga County community for more than 25 years.

Hollowood has served as the Executive Director of Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar since 2020. This organization is dedicated to the philosophy that every student showing academic motivation and potential should have the opportunity to finish high school and continue to college.

Prior to this role, Hollowood was General Manager and Partner at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs for a total of 38 years.

Hollowood has volunteered countless hours

Continued On Page 11

Belmont Stakes At Saratoga Race Course Will Have Multi-Million Dollar Impact On Region

BY PAUL POST

Burlington, Vt. residents Jim Doyle and Christine Dunbar are fortunate to own a second home in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Even so, they and weekend guests will likely spend $400 per night at local restaurants during the June 6-9 Belmont Stakes Festival. They’ll also buy souvenirs and make plenty of other related purchases.

“Without a place here, I can’t imagine what it would cost for a hotel, breakfast and parking at the track,” Doyle said.

Their Belmont Stakes budget is a drop in the bucket compared to what international horse people, who arrive early and stay long afterward, will likely spend -- explaining why the Festival is expected to have a more than $50 million economic impact on the surrounding area.

“Beyond the excitement and energy around a Triple Crown event at the sport’s most beloved venue, the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course will generate important economic impact and drive tourism throughout the Capital

Continued On Page 16

Flexible Programs At Empire State Support The Needs Of Military-Affi liated Students

Empire State University has more military-affiliated students than any other State University of New York institution. The university currently supports over 1,000 military-affiliated students throughout their academic journeys, according to data from the most recently completed academic year.

Empire State University offers flexible programs to accommodate diverse needs, including students who may be active duty, guard, reserve, or veterans, along with their spouses and child dependents. The university recently launched the Veteran and Military Resource Center (VMRC), a central component in supporting military-affiliated students, which dedicates staff, programming, and resources to students throughout their degree completion.

“Our mission ideally fits the needs of our military-affiliated students and we have been able to enhance our resources through the VMRC and throughout the university to implement programming that maximizes their military transfer credits, reduces cost barriers, and creates a culture of understanding of their unique needs,” Desiree

Drindak, director of the VMRC, said.

“While institutions across the country are seeing declines in enrollment, Empire State University is seeing an increase as we are increasing access, which is of particular importance for our militaryaffiliated students,” said Andrea Hennessy, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing.

“We have expanded programming by opening the VMRC, increasing community engagement, launching a new Veteran and Military Student Club, collaborating with departments around the university to develop a Military and Veteran Opportunity Program (MVOP) and by hiring a Veteran Career Coordinator,” Drindak said. “We continually look for ways to enhance the student experience, remove barriers and build community among our students.”

You can learn more about opportunities for military-affiliated students by visiting the Veteran and Military Resource Center website at sunyempire.edu.

This poster reflects the fun and excitement racing fans can expect from the multiple-day events planned prior to the upcoming Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Courtesy of Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Artist Greg Montgomery has created this poster to commemorate the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. It is available at Impressions of Saratoga, Soave Faire, and Crafter's Gallery, all on Broadway.

©2024 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Poster courtesy Greg Montgomery

In recognition of service to Saratoga, Cynthia Hollowood received the Dalton Award.

Courtesy of Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Women MAKE Awards Honors Two Employees At

The Vermont Facility Of GlobalFoundries

The Manufacturing Institute (MI)—the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers—honored two outstanding women from GlobalFoundries at their annual Women MAKE Awards.

Jennifer (Jenny) Robbins, senior director, Central Facilities, was recognized as a 2024 Women MAKE Awards Honoree, while Katelyn Harrison, senior integration engineer, was honored as an Emerging Leader. The Women MAKE Awards is a prestigious national program that honors women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and excellence in their careers, representing all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite.

For over two decades, Robbins has been an influential leader at GlobalFoundries. In 2023, she made a successful transition from a manufacturing leadership role to a global facilities role, where she built her new central facilities engineering team. In 2022, she established the Community Engagement Team at GlobalFoundries’ Vermont facility in Essex Junction, which has significantly boosted employee engagement, inclusion and belonging. She continues to be a mentor, recently serving as the executive sponsor of GlobalFoundries’ Early Tenure Professionals employee resource group. Robbins played a role in the final stages of enabling GlobalFoundries in Vermont to become its own electric utility, GF Power. She and the team are in the planning stages of installing solar arrays at the site.

“I am empowered when my contributions positively impact my team, my company, and my community,” said Robbins. “Receiving the MI’s Women MAKE Honoree Award is a great honor, and I am deeply grateful.”

The Women MAKE Awards are part of the MI’s Women MAKE America initiative, which is the nation’s marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. Women account for about half of the U.S.

labor force but represent less than onethird of the manufacturing workforce. Women MAKE America aims to build the 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the industry.

“The Women MAKE Awards showcase the vibrant, diverse and rewarding careers in the industry and how women have excelled as manufacturing leaders, paying it forward to inspire and uplift the next generation to pursue opportunities in modern manufacturing, said Caterpillar Group President of Resource Industries and Women MAKE Awards Chair Denise Johnson.

In her relatively short time at GlobalFoundries, Harrison has demonstrated exceptional leadership, overseeing four different unit operations and spearheading complex projects with cross-functional teams. Recently, she assumed a leadership role as a senior engineer in semiconductor manufacturing process integration engineering. Shortly after joining the company, she implemented updates to onboarding and community building for early tenure professionals, which have since been adopted by other company sites globally. As a GlobalFoundries GlobalAmbassador, Harrison visits middle and high schools to introduce STEM to future technical leaders. In addition to her mentorship at GlobalFoundries, she also participates in MI’s Women MAKE Mentorship Program, serving as both a mentor and mentee.

“Continuous learning and growth empower me. By embracing new knowledge and skills, I gain confidence and resilience to navigate challenges. For me, empowerment stems from the journey of self-improvement and the belief that every obstacle presents an opportunity to become stronger,” said Harrison. “I am sincerely thankful to the MI for honoring me with this Emerging Leader award!”

“I am thrilled to congratulate Jenny and Katelyn on their Women MAKE Awards. They are both remarkable and innovative leaders who consistently make a positive impact at GF,” said Ken McAvey, vice president and general manager of GlobalFound-

ries’ Fab 9 site in Essex Junction, Vermont. “Jenny’s unwavering dedication to her employees, team, community, and business outcomes, and Katelyn’s innate talent for communication and collaboration across a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders, are the driving forces behind their success. We are deeply grateful for Jenny and Katelyn’s outstanding service and leadership and eagerly anticipate their future achievements at GF.”

The Women MAKE Awards gala, held on April 18 in Washington, D.C., honored 100 industry leaders (“Honorees”) and 30 rising stars (“Emerging Leaders”) who were nominated by their companies as the “goto” women, recognized for their innovation, dedication, contributions and good counsel. The evening highlighted the story of each Honoree and Emerging Leader, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing. Honorees were further rewarded with access to a two-day leadership development conference in Washington, D.C., in the days leading up to the evening awards gala. Since its launch in 2011, the program has honored and recognized more than 1,400 Honorees and Emerging Leaders.

“With more than 600,000 open jobs in manufacturing today and the continued need to fill millions more jobs by the end of the decade, it’s critical for manufacturers to engage the largest underrepresented pool of talent: women,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “The 2024 Women MAKE Awards gala was an inspirational, powerful event, where some of the brightest stars in manufacturing were recognized for the incredible work they have done—both to grow our industry and to uplift others like them.”

GlobalFoundries’ facility in Essex Junction was among the first major semiconductor manufacturing sites in the United States. Today, around 1,800 employees work at the site. Built on GlobalFoundries’ differentiated technologies, these chips are used in smartphones, automobiles, and communications infrastructure applications around the world.

Personnel Briefs

NBT Bank has promoted April Ulrich to the new position of Private Bank Regional Executive.

In her role, Ulrich will serve as the primary point of contact for NBT’s Private Bank customers, working closely to identify and deliver custom financial solutions aligned with their complex needs. NBT Private Bank is a new program that caters to the unique banking needs of high-net-worth clients, including a personalized bundle of banking products and services, along with the current NBT Wealth Management solutions.

Ulrich joined NBT in 2022 as Vice President and Agricultural Banking Relationship Manager, where she provided credit and banking solutions to farmers and agribusiness. Her previous roles in banking include area retail leader, relationship manager, loan officer and federal bank examiner.

Ulrich is also active in the community: she is Vice President and board member of Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region, which provides services and programs to support individuals and families in need in the Capital Region, and served on the steering committee for the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Tech Valley program. She is a past recipient of the “Champion of the Year” award from the U.S.

Small Business Administration’s New York District Office.

Ulrich holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and management and a master’s degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Albany *

Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB) has announced that Brittany March has received the bank’s 2023 SUMMIT Employee of the Year award.

BSNB President and CEO Christopher R. Dowd , along with AVP Jaime Griffen , BSNB’s customer service committee chair, recently recognized March for her exceptional contributions during the year.

“Brittany is clearly deserving of the recognition as she consistently goes above and beyond in her efforts to support and deliver value to our customers, staff and the greater community”, said Dowd. “She exemplifies the qualities we seek to develop in our team as she strives to positively impact performance throughout the Company.”

The following quarterly Summit Award winners were also recognized for their contributions and commitment to the bank’s customer service objectives: Lisa Glogowski, Courtney Marro, and Sebastian DeLuca.

Heather Rafferty

Jennifer Robbins is one of two women who received a MAKE Award. Courtesy of GlobalFoundries

Katelyn Harrison was recognized as an Emerging Leader. Courtesy of GlobalFoundries

Herzog Law Firm Relocates To Larger Office Space To Better Serve Its Elder Law Clients

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

Herzog Law Firm, P.C., has expanded its presence in Saratoga Springs and is making further growth possible with a new location and a quadruple ribbon cutting that took place on April 25 at 60 Railroad Place.

With its flagship office in Albany and another location in Kingston, Herzog Law Firm is now in its 78th year of operation, said David A. Kubikian, principal, one of the fi rm’s three partners and hosts of the grand opening.

“When I spoke a few words to our employees and guests at the event, I said that we are on the shoulders of all the previous attorneys who have done really good work here,” Kubikian said.

There were about 60 family members, friends, employees and business partners in attendance, including representatives of all four area chambers of commerce: Saratoga, Colonie, Adirondack Regional and Capital Region. A representative of each cut a ribbon and a member of Saratoga Chamber of Commerce served as master of ceremonies.

Also present and speaking were State Representative Phil Steck, Mayor John Safford, State Senator Jim Tedisco, and a representative from Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner’s office.

The fi rm vacated their “quaint little office on West Harrison Street,” a converted house, to move to the Wise Building and gain more than twice the space to accommodate growth in the areas in which the fi rm specializes, Kubikian said.

Herzog Law Firm was historically a larger fi rm in the sense that it handled a lot of other areas of law, according to Kubikian. Today the 24-member fi rm focuses on elder law, estate planning, and other practice areas that are geared to the specific needs of a growing aging population and the fi nancial legacies that seniors want to protect.

The new location has a 20-person conference room that enables the fi rm to sit with

larger client groups and to offer sizable inhouse seminars, which the attorneys provide to their clients and the public at no charge.

Herzog Law has a strong commitment to public education. On the calendar now are a healthy heart, healthy brain seminar and ongoing Medicaid and estate planning seminars that any interested persons may register for, not just seniors.

“Everyone has to have an estate plan,” said Kubikian. “For example, it’s very important for young families to have wills so that, in the event something should happen to the parents, money will be held in trust for minor children.”

Educational events also aid the fi rm in helping others debunk myths about long-term care planning. Kubikian said one common misconception is that it’s too late to plan for long-term care needs or that you can earn too much money to qualify for a Medicaid program that assists with costs.

“Some people think that for home care you need to plan way ahead of time or that your only option for long-term services is private pay,” he said. “The truth is, there are a lot of ways to help preserve your assets while receiving long-term care with dignity and with quality caregivers.”

Community Medicaid, a Medicaid program that covers long-term care outside of a skilled nursing facility, is one such option, he said.

According to Kubikian, “the state of New York actually prefers people to stay at home,” and for this and other reasons Herzog Law has a social services professional in-house to assist with care management and advocacy.

“Kym Hance has been with the fi rm for more than seven years as director of client care services functioning as a life coach and advocate for independent living,” said Isabel Kubikian, the fi rm’s director of business development. “Prior to joining Herzog Law, Kym

Continued On Page 14

BY JILL NAGY

Bakery Suzanne, a new bakery on Route 50 in Wilton, got off to a cautions start. It was open on April 29 for a “trial run,” just for one day.

“It was our fi rst morning in a new space,” owner Wilson Keenan explained, and they were just getting the ovens going. “We didn’t care if we even sold a loaf of bread.”

The following few weeks, Keenan planned to open for the weekend---Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Then, he said, “We will grow gradually to Wednesday to Sunday.” On the fi rst day, “there was not even a sign on the street,” he recalled. Now, he is ready to try to promote the business.

The bakery will be a wholesale business selling to restaurants, co-ops, and grocery stores, as well as a retail outlet. They use local grains and mill their own flour. The bread is made without yeast, “wild fermented.” Many of the pastries are based on croissants. “We are refi ning the classics,” Keenan said, “Nothing crazy.”

Before coming to Wilton, Bakery Suzanne was based in the Catskills. Keenan moved there in 2018-19 from San Francisco, “a town with great bread,” where he learned how to bake. In time, he found that “I was over my career in tech,” not fully engaged in his work, so he became a baker instead.

In the Catskills, he found it difficult to build out a team. There were never enough people on staff and he couldn’t take a day off. Th ings were further complicated by the fact that his wife was working in New York City. In his new location, he has two bakers on staff and two more people in the front of the shop. He plans to add another baker.

The shop is located at 4284 Route 50, just past Wilton Mall, a neighborhood without much foot traffic, he noted, but “the area is growing like crazy.” He was pleased to fi nd a building with large garage doors. That enabled him to bring in his ovens and other equipment without having to dismantle them.

The bakery is named for Keenan’s mother, “a crazy artist that I’ve always admired.”

A multi-chamber of commerce ribbon cutting celebrated the recent opening of Herzog Law Firm's relocation to larger office space in the Wise Building in Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy of Herzog Law Firm

Wilson Keenan displays some of the delightful pastries available at his newly-opened Bakery Suzanne in Wilton.

Saratoga Business Journal

GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL

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(518) 581-0600 • Fax: (518) 430-3020 • www.saratogabusinessjournal.com

Editorial: rodbacon@saratogabusinessjournal.com

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Press Releases: pressreleases@saratogabusinessjournal.com

Publisher & Editor

Harry Weinhagen

Editor Emeritus Rod Bacon

Sales and Customer Service

Harry Weinhagen Mary Longley

Production Manager Graphic Precision

Contributing Writers

Susan Campbell Jill Nagy Christine Graf Paul Post

Saratoga Business Journal is published monthly, the second week of each month, by Weinhagen Associates, LLC and mailed to business and professional people in Saratoga county.

Saratoga Business Journal is independently owned and is a registered tradename of Weinhagen Associates, LLC,

9 Broad St. #7, Glens Falls, NY 12801 (518) 581-0600. Saratoga Business Journal is a registered tradename in New York.

Saratoga Business Journal has been founded to promote business in Saratoga county and to provide a forum that will increase the awareness of issues and activities that are of interest to the business community. Subscription price is $25.00 per year. Third class postage paid at Glens Falls, New York.

Rights to editorial content and layouts

Journal.

Saratoga Springs

Rowing Duo

Among Those Tapped To Compete In The Summer Games

Saratoga Springs rower and Regatta Director for the Saratoga Rowing Association, Kristi Wagner, has been announced as one of the first 21 members selected to go to the Summer Games in Paris this July, by US Rowing.

Wagner plans the Head of the Fish, among other high school races for SRA, with her doubles partner Sofia Vitas.

Together, Wagner and Vitas won the Bronze medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships. The two women were part of the first round of rowers selected by the US Rowing Team to compete at the Olympics.

Together they will be looking to return to the medal podium in the women’s double sculls in Paris. Now a five-time national team member, Wagner will be racing at her second Olympic Games, having finished fifth in the event in Tokyo. Also a five-time national team member, Vitas will be making her Olympic debut in Paris.

In addition to being a full-time athlete and Regatta Director, Wagner is also a podcast host. For the past year, she’s been taking listeners behind the scenes of her journey to qualify to make the Olympic games in her show “The Other 3 Years.”

“After that race, I knew I wasn’t done. I knew I wanted to go back,” Wagner said of her previous Olympic race in Tokyo. “It’s not just that I want to go to the Olympics; I want to be the best rower I can be. There is something addictive about trying to get the most out of yourself.”

In April of 2023, Wagner teamed up with Bright Sighted Media Founder Christine

O’Donnell to craft a podcast documenting her efforts to return to the Olympic games. Not certain if she would make it or not, she felt it was worth bringing the audience with her as she chases her “Olympic-size dream” in her podcast “The Other 3 Years.”

“I don’t think there has been anything more inspiring than working with someone brave enough to showcase their dreams for the world before they’ve been achieved,” O’Donnell said. “Journalism is important to me, and getting an honest and authentic look at what it’s really like the other three years of an athlete’s journey to make it to the one Olympic year has been eyeopening to say the least. We are honored to have Kristi as a part of our collection of Bright Sighted podcasts.”

“The Other 3 Years” podcast brings listeners behind the scenes of Kristi’s journey to make the 2024 Olympic team. Each week she shares what being an elite athlete in training really looks like: the ups and downs, life on the road, and how to stay motivated with a goal so far away. The show also examines the effects on things like mental health, relationships, and how everything can be thrown off by something as minor as a bad meal or the weather.

Listeners will hear interviews with Wagner’s parents, her boyfriend, teammates, and fellow Olympians.

Ultimately, “The Other 3 Years” is a podcast that will serve as inspiration to anyone with a dream they’re determined to make a reality.

Rowers Kristi Wagner (left) and Sofia Vitas display the Bronze medals they won at the 2023 World Rowing Championships. They hope to better their record at the Summer Games this July.

Courtesy of Saratoga Rowing Association

The Chamber Of Commerce Is Now Accepting Applications For Leadership Saratoga Program

Applications are now being accepted for those interested in being a part of the award-winning Leadership Saratoga program.

Sponsored by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, this popular program is dedicated to the development of leaders who will serve their communities today and in the future.

The purpose of Leadership Saratoga is to inform and educate members of the community who want to ensure its success by giving of their time, talents, energy and expertise. This is often in a volunteer capacity such as serving on a board of an impact sector organization, a board of education, a land use board or becoming an elected official. Since the program’s inception in 1985, nearly 700 graduates have completed the program.

The 2024-2025 Leadership Saratoga program will run from September 2024 to May 2025. Program participants are engaged in a nine-month cohort with other participants where they explore team dynamics, leadership, creative problem solving, strategic planning, communications, board governance, development and quality of life, education systems,

government and more. Insider tours and experiences, case studies and group service projects are also part of this dynamic development program.

The application period, including interviews, is open through May 31, 2024. Advisory Board members from leading area companies and organizations help to review applications and conduct interviews for the program. Advisory Board members for this application period are: Theresa Agresta, Culture Talk; David Collins, D.A. Collins Companies; Libby Clark, Bonacio Construction, Inc.; Carmine DeCrescente, DeCrescente Distributing; David DeMarco, Saratoga National Bank & Trust Co.; Maggie Fronk, Wellspring; Rajat Ghoshal, Polyset Company; Jaclyn Hakes, MJ Engineering and Land Surveying, P.C.; Chad Kiesow, Stewart’s Shops; Jason Lynch, Pallette Stone; Tara Anne Pleat, Wilcenski & Pleat PLLC; Amy Smith, Saratoga Arms Hotel; and Brian Straughter, Turf Hotels.

Those interested in learning more about Leadership Saratoga or considering applying to be a member of the class of 2024-2025 can visit www.LeadershipSaratoga.org for additional information.

Oenophiles

Now

Have A New Tasting Room

In

Saratoga Operated By Keuka Spring Vineyard

BY JILL NAGY

Keuka Spring Vineyard, a Finger Lakes winery, now has a tasting room and bottle shop in Saratoga Springs. Located in the Saratoga Marketplace at 454 Broadway, this is the first offsite tasting room and shop for the 39-year-old vineyard. There was a “soft opening” April 1 and an “awesome” formal ribboncutting on May 2.

The vineyard is family-run and owned by area growers. They produce and bottle a “diverse portfolio” of wines from grapes grown on more than 500 acres in Penn Yan, on Lake Keuka, according to marketing director Corinne Marriott. They grow most of their own grapes but also buy fruit from other growers, she said.

Samplers have a choice of three options: dry wines, including a dry Reisling; KSV Classic, a mixed variety; or sweet wines. Each flight consists of six wine samples. The price is $15. If people like what they taste, they can buy a bottle; wine is not sold by the glass. They also do not sell any food. Much of the wine is from the vinifera grape, an Old

World variety that no longer does well in Europe but thrives in New York State, noted Autumn Manning, the manager of the Saratoga outlet. Wine samples include several gold award winners and blaufrankish, a dry red wine that was the best New York State red wine of 2021.

The Saratoga shop opened April 1. Early business has been “phenomenal,” according to Manning. They have attracted wine clubs and have already seen repeat customers. They also sell to area restaurants and plan to sell their wines at a Taste NY tent at the Saratoga Racetrack.

The tasting room has a 10-foot stand-up bar; no tables or chairs. They do not take reservations. On opening day, the shop had five employees but were still in the process of hiring, Manning said.

The shop is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Further information is available at www.keukespringwinery.com.

Leadership Saratoga participants explore the needs of the community at Interagency Awareness Day at the Saratoga Springs City Center during February of 2024. Courtesy of Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Autumn Manning, Eastern New York regional manager (left) and Karen Harkness, wine educator, display some of the selections available at Keuka Spring Vineyard's tasting room in Saratoga. Saratoga Business Journal

Non-Profit Community Organizations Benefit From Clean Green Hauling & Removal Efforts

BY JILL NAGY

Keith Lamphere, owner of Clean Green Hauling and Removal, LLC, is a junk collector with a mission: to see that the junk he collects gets put to good use.

As he explained, he “make[s] people happy by taking the stuff ” (for a fee). Then, he donates it to non-profit community organizations. Some of it, like furniture, kitchenware, and housewares may be used to help formerly homeless clients set up their first household. Other organizations sell the items and use the money for programs like summer lunches for children. Some organizations are happy to receive items even if they are not perfect “ but it’s gotta be clean.” “Everybody takes different things,” he observes.

Back in 2021, Lamphere and his wife were looking for a way to give back to the community, he recalled. That impulse gave birth to the idea of his current company.

The company uses two box trucks to pick up unwanted items and keep them clean and dry. He also has trailers and a flat bed truck. Back at the company’s headquarters in Ballston Spa, the items are stored in two storage containers. When the containers are full, it is time to make donations. Lamphere speculates that his policy of donating

the junk he collects makes his company more attractive to some people. Others “just want it gone” and appreciate that he is “providing a quality service.”

As a coincidence, Clean Green Hauling and Removal has become an outlet for pianos. “Nobody wants pianos,” he notes. They take up space and many people prefer the convenience and sound of an electronic keyboard. The life cycle of a piano, he said, is about 20 years; after that, it cannot hold a tune.

Lamphere has two full-time and four part-time employees and he said that he hopes to add more in late May or early June. “We get pretty busy come summer, and it is already beginning,” he said. New employees do donation runs right away, usually within a week of starting work.

The company collects from an area from Lake George to Delmar and will go further if the job is large enough.

Prior to getting into the junk business, Lamphere was director of operations for Hill & Marks, a paper company with 88 employees. He was, he recalled, responsible for managing people and process.

You can reach the company online at CleanGreenremoval.com.

The Blade Doctor Provides Quality Mobile Sharpening Services To A Variety Of Clients

BY JILL NAGY

Gabriel Frankewich bills himself as the Blade Doctor and tries to bring military precision to sharpening knives, blades, and surgical tools. Headquartered in several former garages in Ballston Lake, he does most of his work from his van

“I am in my van almost all day,” he said, bringing the business to the customer. He brings some very large jobs back to his shop. He describes himself as “detail oriented. . . . a little on the perfectionist side.” He attributes that to his military training and experience as an MP.

He covers a broad area, roughly from Lake George to the Catskills.

As a boy, he was fascinated by his grandfather’s grindstone and began grinding everything he could lay his hands on, including a shovel. His grandfather taught him how to use the grindstone properly and he was off to a lifetime of grinding and sharpening. In the military, he sharpened his buddies’ pocket knives. Later, when living in Israel, he spent so much time sharpening knives and utensils for other people that his father suggested that he make a business out of it. So, he did. He had a sharpening business in Tel Aviv, Israel, for three years before returning to the United States seven years ago.

Much of Frankewich’s current work consists of sharpening the surgical tools of area dentists, doctors, and orthodontists. He said that he wants to do more of that kind of work and that he expects, in another two years or so, to do that exclusively.

He has also done some training, including an eight-hour course for beauticians, teaching them how to properly sharpen their shears.

Right now, the Blade Doctor is a solo operation. Although he trained a few potential employees, Frankewich did not hire any of them because, he said, he did not like their attitudes. He is looking for people who place more emphasis on doing the job right than on just earning a paycheck.

In addition to the sharpening business, Frankewich is in his second year as a beekeeper. He and his younger son keep their hives on land he owns in Charlton where he hopes to build in the future. He gives away the honey.

To make an appointment for the Blade Doctor to come to you, call Frankewich at 518-813-3664.

Belmont On Broadway

Continued From Page 1

attractions that the Saratoga region has to offer. We invite racing fans to explore our outstanding shopping, dining and entertainment scene throughout the whole week of the Belmont, and we hope they will be inspired to return in the future,” Shimkus said, thanking the many partners who are collaborating to present Belmont on Broadway. These include Discover Saratoga, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association, Saratoga Springs City Center, Saratoga County and the City of Saratoga Springs.

The schedule of events for the Belmont on Broadway celebration was revealed during an announcement event at Saratoga Springs City Hall.

Saratoga Springs City Center Executive Director Ryan McMahon shared the details of the kick-off concert with Blues Traveler, which will take place on Wednesday, June 5, the eve of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people, and, in “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history, which earned the band a Grammy® for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

The concert will start at approximately 6 p.m. and end at 10 p.m., with a stage on Broadway adjacent to the City Center. Broadway will be closed from Van Dam to City Hall most likely all day Wednesday starting early in the morning to install the stage. Organizers anticipate between 5,000 and 10,000 concert goers. Further information about opening acts, satellite parking and shuttle options, as well as pre- and post-concert parties will be shared in the coming weeks.

mont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 8, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 6 and continue through Sunday, June 9. The four-day Festival at Saratoga Race Course will include 24 stakes races with purses totaling $10.25 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multiday Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.

“Beyond the excitement and energy around a Triple Crown event at the sport’s most beloved venue, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course will generate important economic impact and drive tourism throughout Saratoga County and the broader Capital Region both this year and in the future,” said David O’Rourke, NYRA president & CEO. “Thanks to the hard work of our elected officials and local leaders, Saratoga is ready to deliver a world-class experience for returning fans and newcomers to the region alike. NYRA is thrilled to add a new chapter to the story of thoroughbred racing in Saratoga Springs this June.”

Officials expect that hosting the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga will have an economic impact in 2024 of more than $50 million. The goal is to attract people to the area for the entire fi rst week of June, for this summer, for next year’s Belmont Stakes, and for years to come including the 250th anniversary of The Battles of Saratoga, the Turning Point of the American Revolution, in 2027.

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors

Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri said, “We’re very excited that Blues Traveler will headline our Belmont on Broadway celebration. We hope locals and visitors alike will enjoy this free concert along with all the other events scheduled. The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in Saratoga Springs allows us to showcase the best of our county to visitors from around the world. We’re excited to share our award-winning downtown, exceptional hospitality partners, and all the other jewels of our community.”

Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Bel-

Chairman Phil Barrett (Clifton Park) said, “Belmont on Broadway is an excellent way to showcase Saratoga Springs’ many attributes and introduce visitors to our county’s diverse attractions. With a bustling downtown in Saratoga Springs, world-class racing, tranquil trails that traverse throughout the county, a rich Revolutionary heritage, and multiple cultural offerings, we truly have something for everyone here in Saratoga County. We’re thankful to our friends at Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Discover Saratoga, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association and the Saratoga Springs City Center for coordinating this event that is sure to entice visitors to explore Saratoga County.”

More information about Belmont on Broadway is available online at www.discoversaratoga.org/belmontonbroadway.

Keith Lamphere, owner of Clean Green Hauling & Removal, donates the cast-off items he hauls away for clients to non-profit organizations.

Saratoga Business Journal

Gabriel Frankewich, aka The Blade Doctor, comes to clients with his services.

Saratoga Business Journal

Centrotherm Relocates To A Larger Facility

In Waterford To Better Serve Its Customers

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

After spending more than a decade in Albany, Centrotherm Eco Systems has relocated to 428 Hudson River Road in Waterford. A manufacturer of venting systems and accessories for HVAC systems, Centrotherm opened in Albany in 2009. Its parent company, Centrotec Industries, is headquartered in Germany.

“The company has over 100 years of history,” said Matthew Pryce, marketing and communication manager at Centrotherm Eco Systems. “We are the North American branch, servicing the United States and Canada.”

A plastics manufacturer, Centrotherm manufactures precise ventilation systems as well as exhaust systems and accessories for high efficiency heating appliances. Their products are utilized in the HVAC and plumbing industries in both commercial and residential applications.

The company has experienced significant growth in recent years, and its staff has more than tripled in size since 2015, growing from 20 employees to 65. Centrotherm is also supported by outside sale representatives.

Growth has been fueled by increased demand for the company’s products.

“The evolution of heating appliances re-

quires that the exhaust systems evolve, and we make the better mousetrap so to speak,” said Pryce. “As furnaces, water heaters, and boilers transition from low efficiency to high efficiency, the exhaust temperatures have changed and higher grade polymers are required to safely vent those. We make a safer product compared to some of the other alternatives that are still unsafely utilized in some of these same applications.”

After running out of space at its 62,000-square-foot facility in Albany, Centrotherm leased offsite warehousing spaced and curtailed production. The company considered building a new facility, but because of high construction costs, they opted to lease an existing 122,000-square-foot facility in Waterford.

Centrotherm moved its warehousing operations to Waterford in the spring of 2023. The remainder of the company’s employees relocated during the first quarter of 2024.

“This is a big upgrade for us in terms of space for production, inventory, and warehousing,” said Pryce. “Our sales numbers have increased, and we needed to bolster our operational support in order to meet those growing market needs. We have a lot of additional growth planned, and we have capacity within this building that we intent to use. We’re excited to be here.”

Owner Touts Mittler’s Convenience Store And Bar As A ‘New York-Style Bodega’

BY JILL NAGY

With the opening of Mittler’s Convenience Store and Bar this month residents of the Congress Park neighborhood of Saratoga Springs will be able to get a quart of milk without getting in the car, owner Steve Mittler promised. The “New York style bodega” and bar at 33 Phila Street will partly revive what used to be a lively commercial area, he said.

In addition to grocery basics, the store will sell soups and salads and meals to go. In the back of the store, children (and adults) will fi nd a candy bar. Food can be picked up or delivered. Up three steps, there will be a full bar serving cocktails, along with “heavy appetizers,” such as dips, hummus, Mexican sweet corn, deviled eggs, bagels, and sliders.

The bar area can seat 14 at the bar, another 30 at tables, and, weather permitting, another 40 at tables on the sidewalk. The location is near the carousal and everyone will have a view of Congress Park. In the past, the building housed a gift shop, a health food store, and was the original site of the Max London bakery.

Th is is Mittler’s fi rst foray into the restaurant business. He explained that he comes from a banking background and many of his clients were in the restaurant business. “I had a lot to learn,” he admits, but adds that local bar and restaurant owners have been helpful. “Everyone asked, ‘you’ve never done this before?’ “ he recalled.

He expects to have about 20 employees and

both of his teen-aged children are involved in the project: 18-year-old Julia is in charge of social media and Max, 16, has developed much of the menu.

“It’s going to be a fun place,” Mittler predicted. And, he said, he is having fun bringing back a little of the old neighborhood.

He said that he “hopes to be up and running for the Belmont,” and predicts that that race weekend will be a “trial by fi re.”

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The highly trained staff at Centrotherm Eco Systems is ready to serve customers from the company's new plant in Waterford.

Courtesy of Centrotherm Eco Systems

Steve Mittler welcomes customers to his new Convenience Store and Bar. Saratoga Business Journal

Construction

The Five-Year Apprenticeship Program Through Local 773 Trains Plumbers And Pipefitters

BY PAUL POST

Nearly three dozen area contractors turn to Local 773 whenever they land a big job and need to bring on highly-qualified plumbers, steamfitters, pipefitters and HVAC technicians.

The 500-member, Queensbury-based union supplies skilled workers for a wide variety of projects from GlobalFoundries in Malta to recently-completed refrigeration upgrades at Lake Placid’s Olympic facilities.

A five-year apprenticeship includes handson work plus September to April classes, each year, at Local 773’s headquarters and training facility at 37 Luzerne Road.

“It’s an earn and learn program,” Business Manager Mike Jarvis said. “When an apprentice comes in they sign up with the union, work during the day for a contractor and go to school at night three times per week.”

Applications are accepted one day each month. When enough applications come in, the union sets up an aptitude test. Candidates are also interviewed by an eight-person Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, comprised of four union members and four contractors,

who review the job-seeker’s employment history, attitude and work ethic. Points are given for related college and past military experience.

“We do a pretty good job of knowing who’s going to be cut out for this and who’s not,” Jarvis said. “Past experience will tell the story a lot of times.”

When an apprentice comes in, the first two years are the same for everyone as they take the same basic course. After year two, they must decide to pursue one of two different programs, for either plumbers and pipefitters or HVAC technicians.

“All we want out of a first-year apprentice is a willingness to work,” he said. “Our contractors understand that too. We want somebody who will absorb what they’re taught, be accountable and show up every day on time. You’d be surprised, the work you can get out of somebody who has good work ethic.”

The busiest time in union history was just over a decade ago when 2,200 pipefitters were on site at GlobalFoundries through Local 773.

However, the past year has been one of its

Continued On Page 14

A Canadian Manufacturing Firm Has Chosen Saratoga

As The Site For Its First U.S. Plant

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

Soleno, a Canadian company that specializes in manufacturing recycled high-density polyethylene pipes, has chosen Saratoga Springs as the location for it’s first U.S. plant. Construction is underway on the $22 million facility, located at 66 Duplainville Road in the W.J. Grande Industrial Park. Munter Enterprises Inc is the General Contractor.

Soleno manufactures storm water management products for the infrastructure, residential, natural resource, and agricultural development sectors. Products include pipes, drains, culverts, catch basins, treatment systems, fittings, and drainage accessories

According to J. Gregory Connors, CEO of Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), his agency was “very much involved” in working to bring Soleno to Saratoga County.

“We prepared an application on Soleno’s behalf for consideration by the county IDA based on a $22 million capital investment in the City of Saratoga Springs. There has been a promise to create 22 fulltime jobs in its first year of operation. There will be an additional 35 jobs in the second year, and there will also be 20 +/- construction jobs to build the site.”

Connors said the SEDC is very aggressive in its marketing efforts and that Soleno reached out to the non-profit consulting firm with an initial inquiry.

“There was a lot of back and forth, and although they never disclosed this to me personally, I believe

they made several site visits to the area and settled on the space over in the Grande Industrial Park. Companies keep their cards close to their vest, and if I were to sit on the other side of the fence, I think that’s a pretty good strategy.”

According to Catherine Come, director of marketing and communication at Soleno, the company considered Saratoga Springs to be an ideal location.

“Saratoga is a great location for us as it is an excellent location to serve our Eastern Canadian and American customers with an equidistant location between Toronto, Boston, NY and Montreal. Saratoga is also a location that is close to main highways and favourable for the workforce.”

Soleno’s Saratoga Springs manufacturing facility will measure 45,000 square feet and will be situated on a 22-acre site. Company officials have stated that an additional 25,000 square feet could be added in the future.

“The factory should be up and running later this summer with an official inauguration plan for September,” said Côté.

“Soleno is a very well recognized company in Canada, and we’re very proud that they chose Saratoga County to be the first region in the United States for them to make an investment,” said Connors. “This was a real effort by state and local officials. In addition to the county IDA and SEDC, Empire State Development was involved. We’re all on the same team. We’re all working hard to land this kind of investment. In Soleno’s case, we were successful.”

A wide range of skills are taught to apprentices at the headquarters of Local 773 of the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters in Queensbury. Courtesy of Local 773

Making its first foray into the United States, Soleno, a manufacturer of recycled high-density polyethylene pipes, has located a plant in Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy of Soleno

Modular Building Techniques Make Homes More Affordable In Face Of Housing Shortages

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

In the Capital Region real estate market and beyond, a shortage of inventory has made it difficult for buyers to find reasonably priced homes. The Center for American Progress, an independent policy institute, believes modular homes may be the answer to the American housing crisis. According to a report issued by the institute in February 2024, “Modular building, if brought to scale, has the potential to reduce construction costs and make building new homes more affordable, especially in areas experiencing severe affordable housing shortages.”

Modular homes are often confused with mobile homes, but the two are distinctly different. While modular home components are fabricated in factories, the homes themselves are assembled on-site and attached to per-

manent foundations.

When it comes to the construction process, there is virtually no difference between a modular home and a site-built home. Both are built with the same materials and are subject to the same regulations.

Saratoga Modular Homes is a leader in the local modular home market, offering opportunities for customers in the Capital Region, Adirondacks, and the Mohawk Valley to build energy efficient custom modular homes with upgraded finishes. Owner Cecil Provost is on the board of directors for the National Modular Home Builder’s Association, and he also owns Saratoga Construction, Saratoga Log Homes, and ProRealty New York Inc,

“We’re slammed with business. I’ve never

Continued On Page 15

Harbor Freight Tools has announced that it will be opening a new store in Saratoga Springs. The new store will be located at 3064 Route 50 and is expected to open this spring. An official opening date will be announced closer to opening.

Construction has already begun at the location, using local workers and companies from the surrounding Saratoga Springs area.

“We’ve been looking to open a location in Saratoga Springs for a number of years so that we can provide the tools and equipment at tremendous values to the community,” said Trey Feiler, senior vice president, Real Estate and Construction for Harbor Freight Tools. “In addition to finding a great location, we were attracted by the availability of great Associates in the Saratoga Springs area, and we look forward to having them join the Harbor Freight team.”

The store is expected to bring between 25 and 30 new jobs to the community, including Sales and Logistic Supervisors, Senior Associates, Sales Associates, and seasonal opportunities as well. Harbor Freight Tools offers a competitive starting rate along with a best-inclass retail benefits package that includes robust health coverage, and Thanksgiving and Christmas off. Harbor Freight has over 28,000 Associates and more than 1,500 locations nationwide.

Interested applicants can apply online at www. harborfreightjobs.com/retail and search “Saratoga Springs, NY”.

Harbor Freight Tools, a family-owned company, started in Southern California in 1977. The first store opened in 1980, and the company has grown to over 1,500 stores nationwide. With two-three new locations opening every week, Harbor Freight is one of America’s

fastest growing retailers.

The company was recently certified as a “Great Place to WorkTM” for the second year in a row. It has also been recognized by Forbes as one of the 20 best large companies to work for in retail for four years in a row, one of the nation’s best employers for veterans, and one of 20 best large companies for women to work for in retail.

Harbor Freight Tools locations are open seven days a week, Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cecil Provost, owner of Saratoga Modular Homes, displays the large variety of materials available to clients opting for this type of construction.

Saratoga Business Journal

Saratoga Springs now boasts a Harbor Freight outlet.

Saratoga Business Joiurnal

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

Education/Training/Personal Development

Architecture Firm Launches A Professional Development Program For Emerging Talent

AJA Architecture and Planning has announced the launch of its innovative Professional Development Program, aimed at nurturing emerging talents in the architecture and design industry while actively engaging with the local community. Rooted in a passion for mentorship and guided by a commitment to excellence, this program represents a significant milestone in the firm’s ongoing dedication to fostering the growth and success of future designers.

AJA has recognized the emerging professional’s desire to understand their career path. In 2018, the American Institute of Architects honored the firm with the Fostering Emerging Professionals Award. So much has changed since then. AJA has ramped up its entire approach to professional development to extend beyond its staff to the entire community.

“This recognition from the industry’s premier organization validates our mission and inspires us to continue nurturing the next generation of design leaders,” said Andrew Allison, a principal in the firm.

“Our program was built on the paradigm of ‘learn it, improve it, teach it,’ a philosophy instilled in me by my mentors,” he added. “We have always been committed to developing the skills of our team members, and started to think, why stop there? We decided to extend our program to local high school and college level students interested in the field of architecture, engineering, design, and construction management.”

The program encompasses various initiatives tailored to different stages of professional development:

High School Engagement: Through shadowing AJA helps expose high school students to the world of architecture and engineering, providing valuable insights into potential career paths and college options. This year, AJA has partnered with Hudson Valley Community College as a part of the Smart Scholars

Early College High School Program.

“In this area, we’re fortunate to have high schools that have invested in robust programs such as the Smart Scholars ECHS program. To further engage our youth, we’re dedicated to providing them exposure to career opportunities,” Allison noted.

College Internships: AJA’s internship program offers college students hands-on experience aligned with their academic curriculum, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications within the firm. Students in design, architecture, engineering, and construction management from schools including Ithaca College, Penn State: College of Engineering, The University of Oregon: College of Design, Columbia University, Alfred State: College of Technology, and Hudson Valley Community College have interned, and some turned into full-time employees.

Professional Staff Development: The innovative Professional Development Program includes collaborative workshops designed to empower staff members in shaping their personal career trajectories. The firm cultivates an environment tailored to nurture and support individual professional growth. Individuals are paired with seasoned mentors within the firm to guide their development and elevate the overall practice through ongoing

Continued On Page 11

The Academy For Lifelong Learning Provides Educational Opportunities For Adult Students

BY CHRISTINE GRAF

Founded in 1992, the Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL) is an independent, self-funded non-profit that offers a wide variety of learning opportunities to people of all ages. One of more than 400 Lifelong Learning Institutes in North America, ALL is affiliated with Road Scholar Institute Network.

A membership-based organization, ALL charges an annual membership fee of $75. Members pay an additional $50 to take one of the many six-week courses that are offered during the fall, winter, and spring semesters. Membership is open to people of all ages, but because the classes take place during business hours on weekdays, the majority are retired.

“We provide educational and social activities for mature learners, and most of our members are retired seniors,” said ALL Executive Director Jeff Shinaman.

Although many of ALL’s 350 active members live in Saratoga County, the academy has members from throughout the Capital Region. Courses take place at numerous locations including SUNY Adirondack, the Saratoga Senior Center, senior residential communities, and local churches and libraries.

During each six week semester, approximately 25 different course offerings are available. The spring semester that wraps up in June featured numerous diverse offerings including The History of Russia, Introduction to Classical Music, and Caribbean Women’s Literature.

“We have some really interesting classes, and all of our course leaders are volunteers. A lot are retired professors or teachers or people who have a strong interest in a certain topic. For example, we had a class on the Supreme

Court that just ended,” said Shinaman, noting that the duration of each class is 1.5 hours.

“We have some course leaders who have a following, and our courses change from semester to semester. We also have a Monday speakers series that features a different topic with a different presenter each week. We have some very high level courses, but you are there for fun and to learn.”

Although some courses may include reading assignments, there is no homework and no exams. In order to encourage classroom discussion opportunities, class sizes are typically restricted to 25 students or less.

Not all courses are held in the classroom, and outdoor offerings have included hiking, wildflower identification, and birding. Members also get together to golf, play cards, or participate in other social activities.

“The feedback we get from our members is just phenomenal,” said Shinaman. “They really value this time they spend with the academy. It’s also a great way for people who are new to the area to meet people.”

While ALL generates the majority of its revenue through membership and course fess, the organization also holds various fund-raisers. A grant from the Dake Foundation enabled ALL to purchase equipment necessary to be able to conduct courses via Zoom during COVID.

Shinaman said the pandemic took its toll on ALL, reducing its membership dramatically.

“We’re back up to 350 members right now, but pre-COVID, we had close to 500. We continue to rebound and are focused on rebuilding, and what COVID taught us was the social

Continued On Page 14

Storyteller Kevin Keraga regales a class of adult learners with a gripping tale at the Academy for Lifelong Learning in Saratoga Spring.

Jeff Shinaman Photo

Farideh Nazari.

Patrick Kniskern

Saratoga-Based Business For Good Awards A Marketing Grant To Teach Brother Teach

The first annual Teach Brother Teach induction ceremony and workshop was held at Albany’s Hilton Garden Inn on Saturday, April 20. S. Neal Currie Jr, founder of Teach Brother Teach, presided over the event, which welcomed seven new fellows into the program.

Teach Brother Teach was created by Currie, a long-time Albany educator and executive director of the Fundisha Center, to address the scarcity and lack of support for Black male teachers in the Greater Capital Region of New York.

“Having at least one Black teacher in elementary school cuts the high school dropout rates of low-income Black boys by 39 percent,” said Currie. “Our goal with Teach Brother Teach is two-fold: encourage and support Black men considering education as a profession, and create a more equitable education system where Black boys feel a greater sense of connection and inclusion at school.”

In addition to the induction of new fellows to Teach Brother Teach, the event featured guest speakers that included: Daryl Williams, CEO of Teach Like A Champion; Dana Brown, senior director of enrichment and opportunity programs at SUNY Empire State University; Dr. Darryl White, principal of KIPP Tech Valley Middle School; and Dr. Kewsi Burgess, Albany City School District. The new fellows were led in a workshop presented by Andrea Ellis from E2Serve Education Consulting.

Teach Brother Teach has a mission to build a cadre of outstanding Black male educators that will serve as a professional support group to those who are committed to improving their communities by making a direct and positive impact on the lives of students in the city of Albany and beyond.

Teach Brother Teach is a recent recipient of a marketing grant from Business for Good.

The Teach Brother Teach! Fellowship is a multiyear program designed to inspire, recruit, and support Black men to become elementary and secondary school teachers. Teach Brother Teach! (TBT) will provide financial, academic social, and professional development support to men for their education, training, and transition into their teaching careers. TBT is committed to removing barriers that typically inhibit Black men from entering the field of education and becoming schoolteachers. They are supported by a grant from the Carl E. Touhey Foundation. For more information, visit www.fundishacenter.org.

With values rooted in equity, access, opportunity, and prosperity, Business for Good (BFG) is advancing the model of traditional venture philanthropy in the Greater Capital Region of New York and beyond. Formed in 2020, BFG seeks to give back to move forward. Its efforts have been recognized on a national level, including being named to Fast Company’s 2023 list of Brands That Matter, an honor reserved for organizations and brands that have built cultural relevance and impact through compelling branding and efforts that naturally extend their presence into communities. BFG was also awarded Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Honorable Mention in 2022, which recognizes pioneering teams that are playing an important role in the betterment of the world through intentional philanthropy. Comprised of a mission-focused team, BFG believes no challenge is insurmountable through hard and thoughtful work. With a goal to provide businesses and organizations with sustained support, BFG invests in people for the long term and in every way.

Business for Good: building better businesses, stronger communities, and a more equitable world. To learn more, visit www.bfg.org.

Cynthia Hollowood

Continued From Page 1 Architecture Firm

within the Saratoga community over the past four decades, serving on boards and committees of more than a dozen area nonprofit organizations, including but not limited to the Saratoga Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Saratoga Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, the City of Saratoga Springs Special Assessment District Committee, Discover Saratoga and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

She is also a Distinguished Alum of Leadership Saratoga, was named Tourism Executive of the Year by the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association in 2015 and was honored a Woman of Distinction by the New York State Senate in 2016.

“We are thrilled to present Cynthia Hollowood with the 2024 Joseph Dalton Community Service Award to acknowledge her longstanding commitment to Saratoga County,” said Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “We are incredibly fortunate to have Cindy as a member and leader within our beloved Saratoga community, and we are immensely appreciative of her service.”

In addition to its annual recipient, the award recognizes Joseph Dalton, who served as the president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce from 1970 to 2010. During his tenure, the chamber’s membership, influence and impact grew significantly as a direct result of his leadership, passion and commitment to establishing Saratoga County as a great place to live, work and play.

Past recipients of the Joseph Dalton Community Service Award include: Steve Sullivan (2018); Tom Roohan (2019); John Munter, Sr. (2020); Julie Stokes (2021), L. Clifford Van Wagner (2022) and Dr. William Long (2023).

Hollowood was presented with the 2024 award at the Annual Chamber Celebration Night on Thursday, May 9 at the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs.

For serving as 2023 Chair of the Board for the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Amy Smith of Saratoga Arms Hotel was honored at the Annual Chamber Celebration Night as well with a special presentation from the chamber’s current Chair of the Board Chad Kiesow, chief operating officer of Stewart’s Shops.

Continued From Page 10

check-ins and feedback sessions throughout the year. Th is is not your standard yearly review program; it’s a dynamic initiative born from recognizing the evolving needs of our recently graduated professionals.

“We’re committed to facilitating their career progression, and this program is our response to that commitment.” said Allison.

Two of the fi rm’s more recently hired team members are benefiting from the Professional Development Program.

Architectural Designer Patrick Kniskern, the senior draft sman and BIM manager, is “a forward-thinking member of the team who is always looking for ways to build his vision into reality,” said Allison. “From sketches to 3D renderings, schematic to construction drawings, Patrick has his hands on every project. During the design and development phases, his attention to detail accurately reflects the goals of each project while also enhancing the client’s ability to visualize their fi nal build.

Kniskern earned an Associate of Science in Architectural Technology degree from Hudson Valley Community College in 2016. He is working on his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology.

Farideh Nazari is the newest addition to the team. According to Allison, “She seamlessly integrates efficiency and proficiency into her work, embodying a powerhouse of productivity within our team. Her swift delivery of detailed drawings, renderings, and models, consistently surpasses expectations, often completing tasks ahead of schedule. A quick learner with a thirst for knowledge, Farideh stays at the forefront of our soft ware advancements, demonstrating a relentless drive to evolve her skills and adapt to changes.”

Nazari received her Computer Aided Draft ing Certificate in 2023 and is working towards her Associate of Science in Architectural Technology from Hudson Valley Community College.

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Health / Community Services

Dedicated Home Health Care Aides Serve Growing Elderly Population In Tri-Counties

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

According to Syracuse University’s Lerner Center report, nearly one in six New Yorkers is 65 years or older, and no other population group in the state is growing faster. This means there is a growing dependency on the rest of the community for their care as they continue to age.

One industry strongly advocating for aging seniors is in-home health and personal care. The leadership of Home Instead out of Gansevoort and Greater Adirondack Home Aides in Queensbury share a compassion for and commitment to the elderly and disabled in the three counties they serve: Washington, Warren and Saratoga.

As business entities, these agencies couldn’t be more different. Home Instead is part of a privately held corporation with franchises in multiple countries and brand recognition. President and minority owner of the Gansevoort office, Maureen Hopkins, opened the agency in 2000.

Greater Adirondack Home Aides is a nonprofit organization dating back to 1965.

Charles Nelson is the executive director responsible to a board of directors who has “a little less freedom” than corporate executives do and with shallower pockets, he said. Since a surge in health care costs follows an aging population, “New York would prefer that people age at home because it doesn’t have to open more skilled nursing facilities,” said Nelson.

These professionals have similar challenges. One is they are constantly looking to hire caregivers. Another is that sometimes they face obstacles by regulatory bodies in the state.

There are two basic kinds of home care, although functions overlap. Personal care, involving non-medical home care, includes safety supervision for people with dementia or mobility issues, meal preparation, assistance paying bills, companionship, and other everyday tasks that help them maintain their independence.

Home health care aides perform important tasks to help a person recover following an illness or operation and are required to be supervised by a RN. They can toilet and bathe their clients and monitor, but not ad-

minister, complex medications or medical equipment.

Home Instead offers in-home personal care and companionship at this time. Hopkins said it has applied for a license to perform medical tasks but has been denied “because the state only grants so many licenses per county and says the need has been met in Saratoga.”

“We called the 62 agencies that have the license for Saratoga county,” said Maria Spagnola, home care consultant at Home Instead in Gansevoort.

“At the time of the phone call not even five provided the bathing and other care services we asked about,” Spagnola said. “The rest either didn’t provide any home health care or had no staff.”

Hopkins has already gone back to school and obtained a nursing degree, she said, because as an RN she will supervise her aides as the state health department requires to license them.

“People approach me and say we called your agency and you referred me elsewhere,” Hopkins said. “We take inquiries, usually from adult children looking for care for their parents, and we have to turn them away.”

The agencies she refers those inquiries to are in Albany county, she said.

“But an Albany county agency has a hard time staffing in Saratoga. If the aides live in Albany they’re not going to drive up for a four-hour shift,” she said. “Plus, the agency does not have enough of a presence to supervise them.”

Hopkins said she and Spagnola met with Representative Carrie Woerner at the end of November and “Representative Woerner was interested in helping our cause.”

The next step is to try to appeal by proving to the department of health that there is a “definite need” for more licensing. “We’ve done all the background and are getting documentation together,” Hopkins said.

Licensing applications are already pending in Warren, Washington and Rensselaer counties. She said her agency is very well known in Saratoga and “lots of resources feel the way we do, so they will communicate with the department of health on our

Business Report

State Budget Changes Will Affect Employers

BY ALLEN SHOIKHETBROD, ESQ.

On April 20, the 2024-2025 New York state budget was approved, ushering in many significant changes employers should take note of. While some of the initial proposals did not make the final draft, there are three significant changes coming to New York that employers need to review.

Paid Prenatal Leave:

Taking effect on January 1, 2025, New York state private sector employers will be required to provide employees with 20 hours of paid prenatal leave each year, amending New York Labor Law § 196-b. Cut in half from the originally proposed 40 hours, this leave can be taken for health care services received by an employee during their pregnancy or related to such pregnancy, including physical examinations, medical procedures, monitoring and testing, and discussions with a health care provided related to the pregnancy.

One aspect to note is that this leave is separate from the existing hours of paid sick leave mandated by state law and can be used in hourly increments. Additionally, employees must be paid their regular rates of pay when using this leave.

Paid Breaks for Breast Milk Expression:

In a similar vein to prenatal leave, Governor Hochul also proposed adding paid break time to express breast milk throughout the day. Currently, New York laws allow employees to take reasonable unpaid breaks for this purpose at least once every three hours, or as the employee may reasonably desire. But as of June 19, 2024, employers are required to provide paid 30-minute breaks for this reason, amending New York Labor Law § 206-c.

Originally, the proposed amount of time was only going to be 20 minutes but was increased during negotiations. Additionally, employees are allowed to use other paid breaks or mealtimes for longer than 30 minutes, “each time such employee has reasonable need to express breast milk.” One thing to note is that given the wording of “each time,” it is possible that an employee might be entitled to multiple paid breaks throughout the workday for this reason.

Paid COVID-19 Sick Leave:

One of the most anticipated changes resulting from the budget approval was the sunsetting of paid COVID-19 sick leave. Many employers have been hoping for this change, as they are still required to provide paid time off for employees who are under a mandatory obligation to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 as the pandemic fades further into the rearview.

While the bill originally proposed for paid COVID-19 sick leave to end on July 31, 2024, the final bill extends it out another year to July 31, 2025.

What Didn’t Make the Final Budget?:

There were a handful of other employment-related initiatives that did not end

up making the final draft, with two of the most notable being no limits on liquidated damages for “frequency of pay” violations and no increased disability protections and benefits.

Frequency of Pay Violations: The Governor’s proposal to clarify Labor Law § 198, which requires weekly pay for manual workers and liquidated damages for violations, failed to pass the legislative process. The measure would have clarified that if an employee is paid at least semi-monthly, they are not entitled to 100 percent liquidated damages, resolving a dispute among New York courts. Without legislative clarity, the question of liquidated damages for manual workers who are not paid weekly by their employers will be litigated until the State Court of Appeals resolves the divide among courts or until a legislative change is proposed and a law is signed by the Governor. Lack of Increase in Disability Benefits: Employees in New York are currently entitled to statutory short-term disability payments if they are unable to work due to a non-work-related sickness or accident. These benefits simply provide wage replacement and do not guarantee any time off from work; nevertheless, employees may be entitled to leave protections under other statutes, such as the Family Medical and Leave Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act. The weekly cap for wage replacement benefits, which has not increased in 35 years, is $170. Initial budget plans contained provisions for job-protected leave and an increase in pay replacement benefits, but these were not implemented.

What’s Next for New York State?: This year’s budget brings many notable changes that employers should be aware of in the coming months and years. While some of the proposed initiatives did not come to pass, employers should consider reviewing and updating their policies and procedures to ensure they comply with these new changes.

Allen Shoikhetbrod, Esq., managing partner, Tully Rickney PLLC, Albany. Courtesy of Tully Rickney

WellNow Urgent Care Opens A Facility In Queensbury Offering Quality Medical Services

BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL

WellNow Urgent Care is one of the fastestgrowing providers of urgent medical care, telehealth and occupational medicine services in the United States. With a new location that opened April 10 at 920 Lake George Road in Queensbury, medical care and diagnostic services are now available seven days a week to patients in the North Country, said Beth Pagan, WellNow’s director of market operations for eastern New York.

“WellNow provides a wide array of diagnostics, including X-rays, EKGs, complete metabolic panels, and much more,” said Pagan.

There are nearly 80 WellNow locations in the state and 200 in the country offering urgent, not emergency, care.

“Our centers offer more services than the average primary care physician so that patients can be treated right away without having to go to a traditional emergency room, where they might face long wait times and an expensive bill,” she said.

While WellNow can take an X-ray and suture an injury, for example, MRIs and CT scans are not offered, so some conditions would require travel to the nearest hospital.

“We believe that concerns about the costs of treatment shouldn’t stand in the way of quality healthcare,” Pagan said. “So we work with all insurance plans and also offer patients the option to pay their bill in installments with no interest or processing fees.”

To ensure that patients always have access to care, most WellNow locations are open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., far exceeding the hours at primary

care physician’s office. These are the hours in the new Queensbury location, which was selected for its easy proximity to businesses, shopping and transportation, she said.

“Our patients can get walk-in service close to where they live and work,” said Pagan.

“When someone isn’t feeling well and needs immediate attention, the last thing they want to do is drive a long distance for care.”

Urgent care centers provide a vital service to the community, particularly in areas where primary care providers are booked solid or are non-existent, she said. In effect, WellNow centers bridge the gap between primary care and emergency care, according to Pagan

WellNow offers treatment for non-lifethreatening injuries and illnesses, such as flu, COVID-19 and RSV, plus occupational medicine services. These include Worker’s Compensation assistance, pre-employment physicals, drug and alcohol testing, said Pagan.

Patients can also reach a WellNow provider 24/7 by using the Virtual Care platform on their cellphones or personal computers.

“A patient can speak with a provider anytime, anywhere,” Pagan said .

WellNow was established in 2012 as an independent healthcare practice and accepts many insurances, Medicare and Medicaid.

“WellNow’s Queensbury center is not affiliated with any local health systems,” said Pagan. “However, we do partner with St. Peter’s Health Partners at several other locations in the Capital Region.”

More information about locations and services can be found at www.WellNow.com.

behalf.”

Home Health Aides

Continued From Page 12

“Greater Adirondack Home Aides is fully dedicated to local, community-based health care,” said Nelsen. “That is the commitment the agency was founded on.”

With two RNs on staff, Greater Adirondack provides the full range of in-home care services but their assignments tend to be shortterm care for daily activities, such as following an illness or hospitalization.

“Whereas other agencies often will do half-day minimum shifts, we will do smaller cases of only an hour or two a day,” Nelsen said. “Aides supervise a range of daily activities from hand washing and home safety to assisting people with mental health disorders, rehabilitation and restorative care.”

Since personal care is non-medical, it is not covered by any insurance except, at times, Medicaid. Consequently personal care is completely private pay unless clients have long-term care insurance that pays the agency directly.

Greater Adirondack offers a CDPAP program, a client-directed personal care arrangement wherein clients can hire a family member or friend and earn a salary from Medicaid. Greater Adirondack does the administration, paychecks, tax withholding and other payroll services. Only the hiring and firing is up to the client, Nelsen said.

“For example, if my mother got approval from the insurance company for this care, she could hire her neighbor to come in and provide care,” he said. “We would do a background check on the neighbor and then be responsible for worker’s comp, disability, and health insurance, and things of that nature so that she can age in place.”

“These vital programs are less expensive for the state than nursing home placement,” he said. “There are not even enough skilled facilities to take on the populations we are currently serving.”

But programs are changing all the time,

Nelsen said. The state is in process of removing this aspect of business from organizations like Greater Adirondack Home Aides.

“It will be interesting to see if the state can do what they want to do,” he said. “Basically they are looking for an opportunity to reduce fraud toward the state and federal government.”

“Medicare and Medicaid fraud usually results in higher health care costs and taxes for everyone,” according to www.medicare. gov.

But such an attempt “misses the boat” in Nelsen’s opinion because it would involve “greater oversight from a bigger distance.”

The corporation winning the bid will not be located in the communities served or will not know their employees, but may potentially save some $500 million through some economies of scale, according to Nelsen.

“Health care costs are going up because the population is aging,” Hopkins said. And more and more personnel will be needed to fill gaps that can keep seniors in the place they call home.

Both Home Instead and Greater Adirondack Home Aides provide access to staff training. Like many in the medical and related fields, Hopkins and Nelsen said staff is not easy to find.

“For the client, it can be intimidating to have someone come into your home, so there is some resistance,” said Spagnola. “With 24 years in service behind us and the right match between client and caregiver, we start building trust right from the first meeting.”

“Trust is a collaboration,” Nelson said. “Caregivers do a humbling and emotional job and we need to value them more as a society.”

Visit the websites www.homeinstead. com/gansevoort and www.greateradirondackhomeaides.org for more information about services and employment opportunities.

With locations nationwide, WellNow Urgent Care has opened a facility in Queensbury to serve the local population.

Courtesy of WellNow Urgent Care

Lifelong Learners

Continued From Page 10

aspect of our activities was very important to our members. It gives them the opportunities to form friendships and meet new people.”

Although the spring session wraps up in June, ALL will be hosting social activities and fund-raisers in the summer. They will also be

having an open house in September (to be announced) at which time prospective members can learn more about the non-profit and receive a course catalog. Fall classes will being the week of October 7th.

Those in need of fi nancial assistance can contact Shinaman to request a scholarship through The Pat Leonard Assistance Fund. For more information, visit www.allsaratoga.org

slowest times ever.

Apprenticeship Program

Continued From Page 8

“The construction industry has its ups and downs,” Jarvis said. “Right now the country’s booming, but we are not. Th is is probably the slowest year we’ve had in 12 to 14 years. Demand has dropped in our area. With the economy up here and the cost of borrowing money, a lot of businesses are holding off on capital improvement projects.”

Most notably, GlobalFoundries has plans for building a second, multi-billion semiconductor plant in Malta, but hasn’t pulled the trigger on a start date.

In February, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it was awarding $1.5 billion in direct funding to GlobalFoundries under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which is designed to boost American semiconductor research, development and production.

as of right now that’s all it is, is talk.”

What this means, at least temporarily, is that there’s no immediate demand for Local 773 to bring on new apprentices.

The union’s territory is Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Clinton, Essex, Hamilton and Franklin counties. So it has supplied workers for a variety of other projects throughout the region during the past few years such as two large hotels in Lake Placid.

“We recently started a residential-light commercial agreement with some of our contractors so we could be more marketable,” Jarvis said. “For the fi rst large job, Fowler Square on Bay Road in Queensbury, one of our contractors did the plumbing in its entirety.”

While waiting for work to pick up, Local 773 continues to promote the trades as a viable career choice for students by talking to school officials throughout the area.

Some money will support expansion of GlobalFoundries’ existing fab by adding technologies that allow the U.S. auto industry to transition from mechanical to electronic systems, creating large demand for semiconductor chips in cars and trucks.

Funding will also be used for the proposed new fab to meet anticipated demand for chips across a number of markets including automotive, aerospace, defense and artificial intelligence. When completed, the new plant and expansion of current facilities will triple manufacturing capacity of the Malta campus over a 10-plus year period.

But Jarvis said some contractors didn’t bid on other projects, fearing a possible worker shortage when it seemed GlobalFoundries was moving forward with its proposed expansion 18 months ago.

“They were concerned that manpower wouldn’t be available for those that didn’t work at GlobalFoundries,” he said. “So they held off on bids for work that we’d be doing or fi nishing up now. We missed the boat on jobs we could have had. We’re defi nitely staying hopeful that GlobalFoundries is going to move forward. There’s talk that they’re going to do more, but

“In the early Nineties guidance counselors didn’t know much about trades,” Jarvis said. “There’s defi nitely been a change. Even in the last five years schools realize these can be good careers.”

The union membership recently approved a fi rst-year apprentice wage rate increase to $21.64 per hour. But the total with fringe benefits comes to more than $45.25 per hour.

Local 773 recently celebrated its 105th birthday.

When Jarvis started out, the union hall was located on Bluebird Road in Moreau. Local 773 moved to a larger, gleaming new Queensbury facility in 2013.

Jarvis rose through the ranks after going through the five-year apprenticeship program like everyone else. The fi rst contractor he worked for did a good deal of industrial pipefitting for area paper mills.

“Then they turned their attention to school work, doing boilers and HVAC systems, hot water heating and some plumbing,” he said. “I worked for them for quite a while.”

In 2010, he went to a different contractor, which did the mechanical controls systems at GlobalFoundries. “I started as a shop steward and worked my way up to superintendent,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis was Local 773 president from 2013 to 2019 when he was elected business manager -the same position his grandfather, Charles Jarvis, once held -- making him a full-time union employee. He’s also its most vocal ambassador.

“A lot of times in the non-union sector when you let an employee go for lack of work there’s a good chance you’ll never see him again,” he said. “With our contractors, if they can’t retain an employee it’s not goodbye forever. We’ll (Local 773) catch you on the next one. So that employee has a chance to come back to the union hall and be dispatched to a different contractor. We’re basically a hiring hall. If someone gets laid off and comes here to the union hall we do our best to put him on with a different signatory contractor.”

was the Adirondack area program manager for the Alzheimer’s Association.”

“Client care coordination allows a tailored solution for a family to plan and implement care that fits that particular family,” said Ms. Kubikian. “Successful planning for themselves and their loved ones and advocating for their needs ensures maximum quality of life by obtaining the right support services to age in place.”

She said the fi rm works closely with such organizations as the Alzheimer’s Association, the Saratoga Senior Center, the Conklin Center and others to assist others with a personalized care plan.

“We are looking to expand further at some point, as we grow,” said Kubikian. “Having a larger footprint in Saratoga will help us further serve clients throughout Saratoga County and the North Country in real estate, estate planning, elder law, business succession planning, probate and estate administration, and much more.”

Visit the website www.herzoglaw.com for more information about services and educational events Herzog Law Firm, P.C. offers.

Joe Ganniscoli, aka “Vito” from The Sopranos. In-store, Bottle Signing Event. Saturday June 8th, 10am-1pm

Modular Building

Continued From Page 9

seen it so busy,” he said. “What has happened is that everyone refinanced their homes three or four years ago at 2.5 or 3 percent, so there’s no resale inventory on the market. So, demand for new construction is very strong.”

Provost said the demand for vacation homes is also “off the charts and that his company is so busy that they are currently booking out jobs into summer 2025.

“Unless something drops out that we already have in the works, we are booked for the year. If I’m able to hire more staff, we might be able to squeeze another one or two in this year.”

Currently, Saratoga Modular Homes has a staff of 18 and is building 30 homes per year. They subcontract out some of the site work as well as the foundation work, mechanical, plumbing, and heating.

“We do all the interior finish work, the trim carpentry, and a fair amount of siding and most of the flooring installation,” said Provost. “We’ve got an excellent crew, and we take care of them to keep them on staff, but we would love to have more. We could certainly use more skilled carpenters, but there’s just not a lot of young kids going into the trades.”

According to Provost, most of his customers are choosing higher quality finishes for their homes.

“Compared to 10 years ago, the trends tend to be for somewhat smaller homes with higher quality finishes. Granite is pretty much the rule rather than the exception.”

Many customers are opting for upgraded siding, custom screened porches, and upgraded master bathrooms with tile showers.

Very few people opt for carpeting, instead choosing hardwood, vinyl plank flooring, or

composite tiling that is both attractive and durable.

According to Provost, it is difficult to build a modular home for under $300,000, a price that excludes the cost of the land itself.

“Our homes typically include a two-car garage, a porch, and a deck. Most of our homes are well above $300,000, and we have homes in the millions. We also do traditional stick building and panelized homes, and we have a few in Lake George right now that are well over a million.”

For customers who don’t own property, the real estate arm of Provost’s business can help them find a suitable parcel that is available for sale.

“The vast majority of our clients already have their own property,” he said. “In the immediate Saratoga area, it’s tough to find a building lot for under $100,000. If you get up towards Corinth or South Glens Falls or over to Washington County, you can buy a building lot for $50,000 or $60,000, but some other expenses may be higher.”

Provost estimates that modular homes make up two-thirds of his company’s sales. The homes his company builds are customized to the unique demands of each individual customer

“You aren’t picking these homes out of a brochure. We’re doing all custom design even if we use modular construction. The way we work is that we sit down with a customer to get a good understanding of the scope of the work, the site characteristics, and the style of the home. We then determine the best way to build it—whether it is with modular construction or panelized or stick built.”

For more information, visit www.saratogamodular.com

Belmont Stakes

Continued From Page 1

Region,” said David O’Rourke, New York Racing Association president. “We are thrilled to add a new chapter to the story of thoroughbred racing in Saratoga Springs this June.”

A recent study prepared for Saratoga Economic Development Agency says the regular summer meet’s economic impact has increased 57 percent to $371 million since 2014, across the nine-county Capital Region. Saratoga Race Course is also responsible for generating almost 3,000 jobs.

Many merchants says the summer meet is like having a second Christmas shopping season. The Belmont Stakes Festival is a third major boost.

Marianne Barker, owner of the popular Broadway gift shop Impressions of Saratoga, has already seen sales skyrocket for a special

Belmont Stakes at Saratoga poster and T-shirt created by prominent Capital Region artist Greg Montgomery.

“It’s got an incredible amount of detail featuring the Belmont trophy against a green background,” she said. “People are super, super excited about it. Sales have been strong and I just think they’re going to get stronger.

Barker expects the Festival to give her annual revenue stream an extra 10 percent boost, if not more, and believes it will have a long-lasting benefit for the area’s tourism industry. “It’s going to create a whole new clientele with people who have never been here before,” she said.

“Once they hit Saratoga, they’re going to fall in love with it.”

Saratoga will also host the 2025 Belmont Stakes as a nearly half-billion dollar reconstruc-

tion of Belmont Park continues in Queens.

“We are focused on the 2024 experience and will have a far better idea about what visitors and spectators like or want more or less of in 2025 after this year,” said Todd Shimkus, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce president. “The Chamber, Discover Saratoga, Downtown Business Association, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation and the Saratoga Springs City Center teamed up earlier this year and will host a week-long series of activities and events called Belmont on Broadway. There will be a significant event every day starting Monday, June 3, all the way through Sunday, June 9. Lots of entertainment, music and fun watch parties.”

“The idea is that the eyes of the world will be focused on Saratoga that first week in June and we want to showcase our vibrant downtown, local businesses, museums, the arts and local attractions while people are watching with the hope they will book a visit later this year or next,” he said.

On-track attendance will be capped at 50,000 each day during the four-day Festival, but thousands if not tens of thousands more people will be on hand to take part in a wide array of fun events and activities. (See: www.discoversaratoga.org).

“It’s worldwide exposure,” said Joe McMahon whose farm, McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, is the birthplace of 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, Funny Cide. “The Belmont is such a prestigious race. If there’s a Triple Crown on the line it’s going to be unbelievable, or even if there’s two good horses that have beaten each other in the Derby and Preakness. Attendance and media attention will go through the roof.”

The Festival will feature 24 stakes races with purses exceeding $10.1 million including the $2 million Belmont, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the multi-day Festival began 10 years ago. Other high-profile races scheduled are Hill ‘N’’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap and Resorts World Manhattan, both with million-dollar purses.

“We think there’s going to be a lot of firsttimers here,” said Deanna Devitt, Downtown Business Association president. “The biggest

thing is making sure people love our town and see what we have to offer so they come back.”

The Broadway store, de Jonghe Original Jewelry, has taken advantage of enthusiasm for the Belmont by creating a special horse racing charm. It’s an oval design that says Belmont Saratoga 2024 and includes a three-dimensional horse and jockey. Next year, plans call for having a 2025 version as well.

“We developed an equestrian line specific to the track about 20 years ago,” Evan de Jonghe said. “We also have two other new generic charms with a jockey cap and jockey silks that say Saratoga Springs.”

“In speaking with other business owners, there are high expectations for having the Belmont in Saratoga,” he said. “I’m hoping it fulfills those expectations. We always like it when people are on vacation because they tend to shop more, the whole family’s there. It’s a time when you can capture the entire family all at once or the husband-wife duo. They’re in a better place to buy together and their energy is a little bit better typically.”

Hotels from Albany to Lake George are benefiting and some have bumped up room rates because of increased demand, generating extra revenue.

Lake George Chamber of Commerce is encouraging people to stay there with a “Thirty Minutes to Thoroughbreds” campaign. “If it’s anything like what happened with the eclipse, it was like a Memorial Day Weekend here,” Executive Director Gina Mintzer said. “It far exceeded anyone’s expectations in terms of business. We’re hopeful the same thing will happen with the Belmont.”

“We are watching this intently and daily,” said Sam Luciano, president, Fort William Henry Corporation in Lake George. “We expect reservations to pick up when the other major races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness) are completed.”

Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tricia Rogers said, “It’s going to have a great economic impact. It’ll be good for our restaurants and hotels, all of our hospitality industries. People will hopefully take advantage of our museums and attractions while they’re here, too. It’s truly a win-win and we’re excited to see how this all plays out.”

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Marianne Barker (right) and Maddy Zanetti, co-owners of Impressions of Saratoga on Broadway, display Belmont of Saratoga souvenir items available for sale.

Saratoga Business Journal