Category Archives: Business Briefs

The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association will host a networking mixer on Wednesday, June 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at High Rock Distillery, 1321 Saratoga Road. 

Cost is $10 per person.  Pre-registration/pre-pay is suggested and can be done online at www.ballston.org. The event is open to the public. Information on membership will be available.

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Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. has announced plans for a 10th location.

The bank is leasing space at 251 State St., in Schenectady, formerly a First Niagara Bank branch and currently home to the NYBizLab business incubator. The office will feature a full range of financial services, as well as a drive-up ATM and teller. Pending all regulatory approvals, it is expected to open later this year and will result in three new positions, including a manager and two tellers.

The Schenectady office is Saratoga National Bank’s fourth new location in five years and its first in Schenectady County. This follows expansion to Rensselaer, Albany and Southern Saratoga Counties.

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The Adirondack Trust Co. Community Fund is accepting grant applications from eligible nonprofit charities headquartered in the Saratoga, Warren and Washington county areas.

The grant window is open through Sept. 25. Grant information and application forms may be obtained from the Community Fund website at www.atccf.org/nonprofits

 The fund was established in 2009 to build an endowment that acts as a perpetual source of funding for the broad array of nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life in the community and to assist them in addressing issues of common concern. The fund also seeks to foster a community spirit of giving by providing donors with flexible ways to manage charitable donations. In 2016, the Community Fund awarded $42,270.00 in “lend-a-hand” grants to 23 local, nonprofit organizations, supporting programs in such diverse areas as veteran’s outreach, mental health services, wildlife education, homelessness prevention, youth services, and the arts.

 Grant recipients will be announced by the independent advisory committee in December.

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Saratoga Springs Public Library will hold the next edition of its Brown Bag Lunch lecture series from noon-1 p.m. Thursday, May 11, at the library’s H. Dutcher Community Room, 49 Henry St., Saratoga Springs.

The program is titled “The Burning of the Piping Rock: The True Story Behind the Novel,” presented by author Joseph Cutshall-King.

The historical mystery novel is based on the still unsolved arson of Piping Rock Casino in Saratoga Springs in 1954. The author has woven real people and events into a fictional “solution” of this crime. He will discuss the actual people, including his own family, and events of the Saratoga Springs of 1954 that drove his writing this novel.

It is produced by the Saratoga Heritage Area Visitor Center in partnership with the library and is free of charge.

For more information contact the  Saratoga Heritage Area Visitor Center at 587-3241.

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Creatacor Inc., an exhibit design, fabrication and trade show management provider in Clifton Park, took home four silver awards from the 2017 ADDY Awards, hosted by the Albany Ad Club on March 3 at Proctors GE Theater in Schenectady.

As the local version of the American Advertising Awards, the Albany ADDYs recognize the best advertising work being done in the Capital Region.

Creatacor received a silver award for each of its four nominated entries, one in the category of Product or Service Sales Promotion: Sales Promotion Campaign and three in the category of Out-Of-Home: Single Installation.

The work was completed on behalf of the following clients: rNRG, a renewable energy firm; DSM, a global health-focused company; Callaway, which specializes in golf equipment; and MINDBODY, which provides cloud-based software to the wellness industry.

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

A five-star rating indicates that the bank excels in areas of capital adequacy, profitability, asset quality and much more. In addition, by earning the top honor for 43 consecutive quarters in a row, the bank was named an “exceptional performance bank” by BauerFinancial.

BauerFinancial Inc., based in Coral Gables, Fla., has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983.

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Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association will host its 2017 annual meeting and community mixer on 6-8 p.m. Monday, March 20, at the Next Door Kitchen & Bar, 51 Front St., Ballston Spa.

The event is an opportunity for members and non-members to review accomplishments honor outgoing board members and welcome new ones. The evening will begin with a social hour and buffet at 6 p.m., followed by the official meeting at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $30 per person and are available online at www.ballston.org. Limited tickets will also be available at the door. This event is open to the public.

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The Saratoga Women in Business group will hold its next bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 15, from 5-7 p.m. at Saratoga National Bank, 171 S. Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

The group targets female business leaders in the greater Saratoga Springs area and offers free bi-monthly fellowship opportunities. Wine and light snacks, sponsored by area businesses, will be provided at each gathering, and door prizes will also be awarded. Voluntary cash contributions will be collected at the door in order to help fund future events.

Every meeting includes a five-minute presentation by a local woman-led, nonprofit organization. The March spotlight will be on AIM Services, which provides support and services to people with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries.

To learn more about the Saratoga Women in Business group or to register for the free networking event, visit their website at www.saratogawomeninbusiness.com.

The Saratoga Builders Association Inc. will be awarding a $1,000 student scholarship in 2017. The organization makes the scholarship available annually to high school seniors who are planning to pursue a construction industry education.

The scholarship award is open to any high school senior in Saratoga County who is planning to pursue construction education at a two- or four-year accredited college or university or to students who would like to purchase tools for employment in construction.

Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. They must demonstrate current or past involvement in the construction field, including classes taken in high school, to be eligible for this award. Each applicant must also submit a high school transcript or list of construction classes taken plus a short essay describing why they are interested in a construction industry career and what events led to this decision.

Applications for the scholarship must be postmarked on or before April 1. Only the first 25 completed applications will be accepted. The winner and their school will be notified by June 1.

To receive a scholarship application, contact Barry Potoker, executive director, at 366-0946 or bpotoker@saratogabuilders.org.

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The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership will host a small business workshop series  designed for people who are thinking about starting their own business or are ready to move their startup business to the next level.

Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. was recognized in September as a 5-Star Superior bank by BauerFinancial, Inc., a bank rating and research firm. Saratoga National has earned this designation for the past 30 consecutive quarters. The 5-Star rating...

Members of the Women in Business Committee of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County gathered on Aug. 17 for the ninth year in a row to assemble new backpacks filled with school supplies to benefit chamber member Wellspring, formerly Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga.

The committee donated over 100 filled backpacks, thanks to donations from members and the community.

Backpacks of Hope is part of the committee’s charitable initiative, which benefits families who seek the assistance and refuge of Wellspring. As financial hardships only add to the burden of a family facing domestic violence issues, providing a child with a brand new backpack filled with school supplies helps ease that burden at the start of the school year, committee officials said.

The Baskets of Hope program has assembled over 4,000 baskets with personal care items and provided 700 filled backpacks to Saratoga County domestic abuse victims since the program began in 2005.

Donations for women’s personal care items are accepted year-round at the Chamber office, 58 Clifton Country Road, Suite 103 Clifton Park. For further information, contact member services manager Liz Roggenbuck at 371-7748.

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Fall class registration at the Academy for Lifelong Learning (A.L.L.) continues through mid-September.

Thirty-seven classes, including several lecture series run through Nov. 10. Fall term class registration and membership application packets can be found in area libraries, the Academy office at 111 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs or on the website at www.esc.edu/all.

Registration forms are being accepted for open classes through the beginning of the term. Two classes have filled: Great Decisions and Legend, Literature and Mythology in Music. Waiting lists have been started. Call the Academy office for current class availability at 587-2100, ext. 2415.

The classes cover a wide range of genre including: history, art, media, health, religion, writing and economics. Volunteer-led classes typically meet for two hours once a week for eight weeks. Most classes are held in SUNY Empire State College classrooms at 111 and 113 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs, and there are several offerings at a variety of local outdoor venues.

New this term: History of Religious Ethics, Genealogy in the 21st Century, the 2016 Election, Transitions in Life Series, Shakespeare’s Unhappy Comedies, Mind the Gap: Selected Studies of Political & Cultural Conflict in America, Medical Ethics & Controversies, Victorian Novels and Religion, History in Our Capital Region Towns Series, Art Talk: The Language of Art, Behind the Scenes On & Off Broadway, and a one-day Creative Writing seminar.

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The Saratoga Builders Association announced the development and launch of a new website www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com.

It has been redesigned for a significantly improved experience with many more features. The site is mobile-friendly with an enhanced interactive Google map for driving directions and house locations.

The 2016 Saratoga Showcase of Homes Committee is will feature homes from 16 builders on Sept. 17-18, Sept. 24-25 and Oct.1-2.

A special “taste of showcase” preview at sixselected homes in close proximity to one another is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 16 from 5-10 p.m. It will feature food samplings from area chefs along with local craft beer and wine tastings.

The restaurants participating are: 15 Church, 2 West, Augie’s, Jacob & Anthony’s, Lake Ridge and Osteria Danny. There will be a limited number of tickets, available at $25 each. The combination pack of the showcase preview event and a regular Showcase of Homes ticket will be $40 each.

The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association is requesting nominations for its 2016 Property Beautification Awards in the village.

The awards are given in recognition of the restoration, renovation, new build, and beautification efforts by homeowners and businesses, that enhanced the Ballston Spa area within the past two years. This year’s awards are sponsored by Curtis Lumber.

Criteria for residential nominations can include exterior renovations and restorations; new builds; or landscaping improvements. Criteria for commercial nominations can include complete renovations; new exterior attractive signs or window displays; or new interior improvements.

All projects should be complete at the time of nomination.

A nomination form is available to be filled out online at www.ballston.org. Forms may also be printed and either emailed to info@ballston.org or mailed to: 2016 Beautification Awards, c/o BSBPA, PO Box 386, Ballston Spa, NY 12020.

All nominations should be made by Aug. 31. Award winners will be honored at an award presentation preceding the BSBPA board of directors meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17. For more information, contact Michelle Burlingame at michelle@ballston.org or Ellen Mottola at info@ballston.org or 885-2772.

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Ascent Wealth Partners in Saratoga Springs was named to the Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers, as of June 16.

The list recognizes top independent RIA firms from across the U.S. Ascent Wealth Partners is a member of the Dynasty Financial Partners’ Network of Advisors.

This is the third annual FT 300 list, produced independently by the Financial Times Ltd. in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides business intelligence on the investment management industry.

The 300 top RIAs hail from 34 states and Washington, D.C.

The FT 300 is one in a series of rankings of top advisers the FT produces in partnership with Ignites Research, including the FT 401 (DC retirement plan advisers) and the FT 400 (financial advisers from traditional broker-dealer firms).

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In celebration of its silver anniversary, GTM Payroll Services in Clifton Park is donating $25,000 to several community organizations that serve the Capital Region.

These groups are: Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, Alzheimer’s Association Northeastern New York, Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, Double H Ranch, Hannah’s Hope Fund, Homeless and Travelers Aid Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast New York, Mother Teresa Academy, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region and Senior Services of Albany.

Year after year, GTM Payroll Services and its employees get involved in the community by volunteering their time, participating in fundraising events, making donations and contributing goods to local organizations.

GTM now employs more than 60 professionals at its headquarters in Clifton Park and recently added a second office location in Glens Falls.

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