Category Archives: Business News

Budgets. Strategic Planning. Annual Planning. ‘Tis the season … but who has time? For many business owners it can be hard to work ON your business, rather than feeling the pull to solve IN the business issues. In this article we’ll share a simplified approach to strategic planning.

Can you gather your leadership team and answer these 8 Questions?

1. What are your Core Values? 

I don’t mean your aspirations or the words on a plaque. Rather, what are the behaviors that define your best team members? Who do you LOVE working with – including vendors and clients? What do they have in common? Your core values define the right people for your company. They act as a magnet – both attracting and repelling!

2. What is your Core Focus? 

This is your reason for being; it’s what you’re best at doing! Others call it a mission. It comes from your core and it should give you a filter to help you focus your energy. In Good to Great, Jim Collins says. “You are more likely to die of indigestion of too many opportunities than you are of starvation of not enough.”

3. What is your Core Target? 

Pick a timeframe – 10 years? 15 years? Then identify what you REALLY want to accomplish. Be brave. You are inviting people to be part of……what?

4. What’s your Marketing Strategy? 

Who is your ideal customer and what do they need to hear from you in order to part with their hard-earned money? You don’t need to become a household name. You do need to focus your Marketing and Sales efforts.

By Christine Graf

Development of Perry Crossing, a 5-acre site located at3088 Route 50 in Wilton, is now complete. The property includes Advance Auto Parts, Sunmark Credit Union, and Chase Bank. Advance Auto Parts celebrated the grand opening of their 7,000-square-foot building in July. The 2,100-square-foot Sunmark Credit Union opened in September, and opening date for the 3,500-square-foot Chase Bank branch has yet to be announced by the company. 

Perry Crossing was developed by Kenneth Brownell and Barry Feinman, principals at Vanguard-Fine LLC. of Guilderland. A full-service real estate development company, Vanguard-Fine operates in Upstate New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Eastern Pennsylvania. Established in 1994, the company owns or third-party leases more than 4 million square feet of retail, office, and industrial space.

“We bought the (Perry Crossing) property almost 7 years ago,” said Brownell.  “It’s a great piece of property, and there weren’t really any properties left on Route 50. So, we purchased it, speculated on it, and waited for the right moment to develop it.”

It wasn’t until after the pandemic that Advanced Auto Parts and Sunmark Credit Union expressed interested in the site.

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has announced the successful completion of a façade restoration project at the Lincoln Bathhouse on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs. The $472,038 restoration enhanced accessibility and preserved historical features.

“Saratoga Spa State Park’s Lincoln Bathhouse is a distinctive landmark at the gateway to the city of Saratoga Springs,” State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said. “We are proud of the work to make the building more accessible to all visitors while honoring the park’s historic and aesthetic legacy.”

Most notably for accessibility, the project replaced a non-functional accessibility ramp with a modern and comfortable one that fits the bathhouse’s design. The terra cotta state seal that graces the front of the entrance has been restored to its original condition. The backlit lettering directly below the seal which has not been working in decades was repaired and modernized. Additionally, the building’s stucco had been repaired and repainted: the door hardware was upgraded and repairs to decorative metal railings and stone made.

Originally constructed in 1930, the building was built in the Beaux Arts Neoclassical style. Currently the Lincoln Bathhouse hosts the Saratoga Children’s Museum, the State Park Police, and the New York State Court of Claims. It is also set to become the future main office of Saratoga Spa State Park.

By Susan Elise Campbell

On Friday October 27th, The Summit celebrated the Grand Opening of its fifth and newest location offering independent living for seniors aged 55 or older. According to Jen Nelligan, director of community operations, BBL Construction broke ground just over a year ago, and while residents won’t begin to move in until the 20th of this month, occupancy is already at a pre-leasing commitment rate of 80 percent.

“We are moving in a record number of people in November,” said Nelligan. 

None had yet stepped foot into the new facility upon signing on the dotted line, but any who visited one of the other four locations would have “seen the quality of The Summit. The other buildings are models” for Halfmoon or any other location the profit-making company may construct in the future, she said. “Quality is part of our brand.”

Nelligan said the success of an independent living community is the location.

“Halfmoon is a huge and growing area with many conveniences and amenities on Route 9,” she said.

Seniors already living in the area can “maintain the familiar” and continue to go to their own bank, doctor and post office, which Nelligan said is very important to many.

Business for Good announces the hiring of Richard DeJesus, Chief Operating Officer of Hospitality, and Mare Pieper, Director of Giving & Grants. 

Richard DeJesus will be responsible for steering business strategy, revenue generation and growth, and operational oversight across the portfolio of hospitality assets, including Hattie’s Restaurants in downtown Saratoga Springs,Wilton, and the soon-to-launch Albany location; Bread Basket Bakery in downtown Saratoga Springs and Bread Basket Cake Shop in Wilton; and the soon-to-be-opened Blackbirds Tavern and Blackbirds Bike Cafe in Voorheesville. His team will play an important part in supporting Business for Good’s mission of making lasting change in local communities.

DeJesus is a seasoned finance executive with a proven record of leading companies to meet and exceed their revenue and profitability goals year-over-year. He brings more than 15 years of experience in various industries, including sports and entertainment, as well as three years in Big 4 accounting. DeJesus was the Vice President of Finance at Madison Square Garden Sports, where he achieved record revenues in 2022 and 2023. Prior, he was the Senior Director of Finance at Legends, where he facilitated investments and promoted future growth. He began his career as an Accountant at Centerplate (now Sodexo Live!), with oversight on financial details for that company’s exclusive food service agreement at Yankee Stadium.

The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation announced that the Carruth Foundation has pledged $35,000 to match all gifts received to the Revive 65 campaign to underwrite the rehabilitation of 65 Phila Street. This comes after the Foundation recently announced the final stretch to raise the remaining $100,000 for its campaign.

 “This is such an amazing gift! This pledge, combined with the recently received $30,000 grant from the Saratoga County Supervisors Matt Veitch and Tara Gaston, if matched, will meet our $100,000 goal in record time,” said Executive Director Samantha Bosshart,

 The long-neglected 1851 Alexander A. Patterson House located at 65 Phila Street  – important for its associations with the early development of the city, the spring waters, and the Jewish community – had been on the Foundation’s endangered list for over 20 years and threatened by demolition in 2021. In 2021, the Foundation purchased it with the intent to stabilize the Italianate building, execute environmental abatement, and complete an exterior restoration.

 “Brady and I feel very passionate about helping to maintain the history and integrity of this beautiful city. We are proud to do what we can, as well as encourage others to do so as well,” said Zane Carruth.

 After the Foundation first announced its plans to rehabilitate 65 Phila Street, the Carruth Foundation was quick to show their support with a $50,000 donation to the project. Since then, the environmental abatement and interior demolition were completed. The porch framing and portions of the exterior siding were repaired.  The original porch railings and columns, as well as the historic window sashes, were carefully restored off-site.  A new roof for the main structure has been installed. The structural stabilization and framing of the east extension was recently finished. The exterior painting in historically appropriate colors is nearly complete. 

by Ann Donnelly

New York’s State University Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Kelli Borgos-Hatin as SUNY Distinguished Professor. Dr. Borgos-Hatin has been a Business Professor at SUNY Adirondack for over 23 years, starting when the college was known as Adirondack Community College, and has taught and mentored hundreds of students during that time. While building the next generation of business leaders is a great passion, she is also a highly regarded entrepreneur. Throughout her career, Borgos-Hatin had also worked in event catering and saw frequent issues with staffing the bar, so in 2011, she founded Mixaritas, mobile bartending services, with Jenn Berry-Youngs, who had been a student in Borgos-Hatin’s Hospitality Management Classes. Since then, the business has seen great success, leading to another business opportunity for Borgos-Hatin. Many event guests asked to purchase the flavored simple syrups she uses in her cocktails. 

In 2019, Borgos-Hatin launched Mixa-Fusion, making syrups with pure cane sugar and natural ingredients with no added preservatives, powders, or extracts. In addition to the syrups, Mixa-Fusion makes and sells hot cocoa bombs in various flavors and scented hand sanitizer that they started producing when there was a significant demand early on during the pandemic.

Early in her career, Borgos-Hatin worked with two strong businesswomen from the region who she cites as role models: Maureen Monahan Chase of Monahan Chase Caterers and Catherine Fisher, who owned a Carvel Ice Cream franchise. Her parents were also significant influences: her mother, JoAnn Borgos, showed her how to manage a busy yet happy household successfully, and her father, Stephen Borgos, who was Professor of Business Emeritus at Adirondack Community College (SUNY Adirondack), working there from 1966-2001.

The Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, New York, broke ground on Circle H Lodge, a new residential lodge for camp staff and volunteers, in late September. Double H Ranch launched its public phase of a $5.5 million capital campaign project in March 2023 to support four areas of focus: the new Residential Lodge, Adaptive Playground, Outdoor Pavilion expansion, and Camp-A-Theater. Backed unanimously by its Board of Directors, the Double H Ranch has secured $5.3 million of its goal.

Dave Michaels, Chair of the Facilities Committee, stated: “It is exciting to be here today breaking ground at the new Circle H Lodge. Double H makes a profound difference in the lives of our campers year-round, and our staff team and volunteers work hard to make the program possible.  This new lodge will provide our counselors and volunteers with a place to recharge and rest, helping them to be the best they can be for our campers.  This new cabin will offer year-round housing, build program capacity, and enhance energy efficiency, and will offer common rooms for meeting and gathering.”

Charlie Crew, Board Chair, stated: “Thank you to all our donors who have collectively contributed 5.3 million towards our campaign. Double H campers look forward all year to experiencing the life changing impact of camp, and they will benefit from these capital improvements for years to come.”

This is the Ranch’s second Capital Campaign endeavor led by Lisa and Robert Moser, who launched the campaign with a $1.5 million leadership gift. “Double H Ranch wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community. We are grateful for the individuals, foundations, businesses, and organizations that have provided generous funding in the initial stage of our campaign. We are inspired by the progress we have made and look forward to meeting our campaign goal in 2023 with the help from our community,” state the Moser’s.

By Jill Nagy

There was such a large crowd at the October 27 opening of the AllTown Fresh market in Fort Edward,” that “it was very difficult to move,” exulted Holly Kitchen, manager of the new market. There was a state senator, two town supervisors, president of the Adirondack Chamber of Commerce, the local radio station, many company officers, several chefs, and, of course, the neighbors, “a fantastic turnout,” Kitchen said.

After the ribbon-cutting, party goers sampled the food, visited a coffee trailer, played games, and toured the new shop. 

The store is located at 1401 Saratoga Road (Route 9) between South Glens Falls and Gansevoort.

AllTown features chef-run kitchens, preparing sandwiches, salads, and full meals, made with organic, locally sourced foods and ingredients. They offer vegan and gluten-free selections. The markets are open around the clock, with the kitchen open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Available beverages include beer as well as coffee and soft drinks. There is free wifi on the premises and outdoor patio seating. Another big draw, according to Kitchen, is “fantastic gas prices.”  .

This is the third AllTown Fresh market in the area, the 16th overall for the parent company, Massachusetts-based Great Global Village. The first capital region outlet opened in Schenectady three years ago. The company’s first market opened in Plymouth MA five years ago. 

The general contractor for this AllTown, and well as the other two local AllTown Fresh outlets, was Schaghticote-based F.H.Alexander Inc.