Saratoga Business Journal

Stillwater Scheduled To Get Low-Interest Funds For Water Pump Station Work

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors has approved more than $48 million in grants, interest-free loans, and low-cost loans to support vital drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across New York state, including two local projects.

The 2022 Enacted Budget adds a $500 million appropriation to support clean water, raising the state’s total investment to $4 billion and continuing to fulfill the state’s $5 billion clean water commitment, officials said.

“Clean water and functioning water infrastructure are essential parts of the standard of living and qualify-of-life for all New Yorkers, and towns and villages across the state have an ongoing need for wastewater treatment plants and water tanks that needs to be filled,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “The newly enacted budget dedicates $500 million to support clean water initiatives which increases our investment and brings the state closer to fulfilling its commitment to New Yorkers. These projects will underscore our pledge to help protect the environment and the health of New York’s residents and families.”

Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Joseph Rabito said, “By approving these grants and low-cost financing for critical water infrastructure work, the EFC Board of Directors has ensured that communities statewide can cost-effectively undertake important projects that help protect our precious water resources.”

Wesley Health Care Center In Saratoga Reinstates In-Person Family Visitations

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

In-person family visitations have been reinstated at the Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs.

Wesley Health Care Center is welcoming families for 40-minute in-person visits with residents Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Families can register online through The Wesley Community’s website. All visits must be scheduled in advance.

In-person family visitations at the senior care facility were temporarily paused in accordance with New York state health and safety rules and regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the pandemic, Wesley has kept families connected through outdoor window visits and virtual visits. Wesley expanded its Life Enrichment staff and technology to help facilitate more than 3,000 online visits since the pandemic began. Wesley has also provided opportunities for compassionate care visits amongst residents and their families.

Childcare Center Serving Track Backstretch Community Should Be Open This Summer

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

The Belmont Child Care Association erected this sign for the new childcare center for families and children of the backstretch community at Saratoga Race Course that will open this summer.
Courtesy NYRA

The Belmont Child Care Association says its new childcare center serving families and children of the backstretch community at Saratoga Race Course is scheduled to open this summer.

The 4,300-square-foot center will be located on the Oklahoma side of the Saratoga backstretch. Funded by Michael and Lee Dubb, the facility will be named Faith’s House in honor of Faith Dubb, mother of BCCA founder and board chairman Michael Dubb.

Faith’s House will provide child care and early education programs for infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children. The center will be open seven days a week from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate the schedules of backstretch workers and horsemen.

“All working parents deserve to know that their children are being cared for in a safe, healthy and enriching environment during the workday,” said Dubb, who is a prominent thoroughbred owner in addition to his work with the BCCA. “We are thrilled to extend this important program to the hardworking families of the Saratoga backstretch community, who provide a vital service to the racing community.”

State Expands Tax Credits For Participants In NY State Of Health To Reduce Plan Expenses

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

New York state has expanded tax credits available through NY State of Health, New York’s health plan marketplace.

The expansion will result in more New Yorkers being eligible for financial assistance and the further reduction in health insurance premiums in New York state, officials said.

Through the American Rescue Plan, which President Joe Biden recently signed into law, increased tax credits are available to more than 150,000 consumers who are already enrolled in coverage, further lowering health care costs.

In addition, in June 2021, NY State of Health will for the first time expand tax credits to tens of thousands of additional New Yorkers with higher incomes who, before the American Rescue Plan, did not qualify for financial assistance to lower the cost of premiums, officials said.

It was also announced that the 2021 Open Enrollment Period will be extended through the end of this year. The announcements come on the 11th anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law.

MVP Partnership Helps Business Health Plans

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

MVP Health Care and The University of Vermont Health Network announced the launch of a partnership between the two local nonprofit health care organizations in order to offer a patient-focused, physician-designed Medicare Advantage health insurance plan to better meet the needs of residents of Vermont and northern New York.

Services for this plan is expected to begin on Jan. 1, 2022.

“With a shared mission of creating innovative solutions and sustaining healthy communities, MVP Health Care and the UVM Health Network will enthusiastically co-create a health plan that supports stronger relationships between members and physicians, and will positively impact the communities we serve,” said MVP Health Care President and CEO Christopher Del Vecchio. “By reinforcing vital provider relationships, focusing on improving the lives of people in our communities, and leaning on the patient-centered missions of our two organizations, we will make health insurance more convenient, more supportive and more personal.”

Matt Snyder Follows Grandfather’s Footsteps, Handcrafting Brooms With 1800s’ Equipment

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

Matt Snyder makes brooms in the family tradition at Snyder’s Brooms in Saratoga.

By Christine Graf

Matt Snyder is proud to call himself a second generation broom maker.

His grandparents, George and Ann Snyder, started making brooms in the 1970s after purchasing several pieces of 19th century broom-making equipment at an auction. Matt began working in their broom shop, Snyder’s Brooms, when he was 8 and also traveled with them to arts and crafts fairs where they sold their products.

“I love the brooms and started collecting them when I was adult,” said 34-year-old Snyder. “As soon as I started to see my grandparents get older, I realized that when they stop doing this, that Snyder’s Brooms will no longer exist. I can’t let that happen. I’m doing this to keep it going.”

For that reason, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when much of the world was shut down, Snyder decided the timing was perfect to establish Snyder’s Handmade Brooms of Saratoga. He started making brooms out of his home and sold them at the Farmer’s Market.

“It was a hit. I ended up selling about 300 brooms last year, and it just started to expand. It went full tilt from there,” said Snyder who works full-time in sales.

“The demand is there because it’s something you can’t get anywhere else in the world. There are some broom makers out there, but they don’t make brooms like we make. The dyed broom corn and the braiding makes them unique. They are functional pieces of art and will last a lifetime.

Owner Of ‘One Life Tequila’ Partners With Renowned Boxers To Promote Her Product

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

Lisa Elovich, a boxing fan, launched a new promotion for her One Life Tequila.

By Christine Graf

One With Life Organic Tequila has partnered with world champion boxers Teofimo Lopez, Larry Holmes, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, and Maureen Shea Carranza to promote and grow the brand.

The four boxers are equity partners in the Saratoga Springs-based business that was started in 2015 by local resident Lisa Elovich.

“All four are world champions, and each of these boxers really embodies the message of what it means to be one with life which is a message of kindness, compassion, courage, strength, and exuberance,” said Elovich.

Lopez is the current unified lightweight world champion and the youngest four-belt champion in the history of boxing. Hall of Fame heavyweight champion Holmes is best known for his historic defeat of Muhammed Ali.

Mancini is a lightweight Hall of Famer and Shea Carranza is a WBC and IFBA featherweight champion. She was also the main sparring partner for actress Hillary Swank as she prepared for her 2005 role in the movie “Million Dollar Baby.”

By partnering with these elite boxers, Elovich is able to combine her passion for tequila and her love of boxing. Her interest in the sport began in 2004 after she joined a boxing gym to lose pregnancy weight. Her boxing workouts eventually led to what she describes as an “accidental career” as a boxing promoter.

Family Business And Passion For Craft Beer Survives The Coronavirus Pandemic

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

Owners of the Walt & Whitman Brewing Co. continue to grow the business in early 2021.

By Christine Graf

Whitman Brewing Co. has been named one of the country’s top 10 new breweries by USA Today, an honor that came just months after Hop Culture, a leading craft brewing publication, included the Saratoga Springs craft brewer on its list of the 10 best new breweries of 2020.

“To come from a brewery publication was very flattering recognition for our team. It reaffirms that we are on the right path, and hopefully that we can keep growing. We are humbled and excited by it,” said co-owner Will Crager. “It’s a great affirmation that we are moving in the right direction. We are very fortunate to have a great group of people around us who have a lot of expertise and experience and have helped us to have some great early success in just a year-and-a-half of operating.”

Walt & Whitman Brewing Co. is located at 20 Lake Ave. in the former Saratogian newspaper building which is owned by Saratoga Prime Properties. The Crager family, Philadelphia natives who moved to Saratoga Springs five years ago, chose it as the location. Will and his mother, Kathy, are co-owners and sisters Katie, Jane, and Lily are also involved in operations. Craft beer enthusiast and family patriarch, Bill, works full time in the financial sector.

“We had this vision, and for us it was more about experience and building a space that allowed people to come in and enjoy music and share our love for craft beer,” said Kathy Crager.

Just months after the December 2019 opening, the coronavirus pandemic shut down restaurants and bars. The Crager’s were forced to furlough some staff members. They opened for takeout only. After restaurants and bars were able to reopen with reduced capacity, Walt & Whitman’s spacious interior was well suited for social distancing.

Yvonne Manso Carved Out A Career as A Sales Director In The Construction Industry

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

Yvonne Manso is a sales director with the D.A. Collins family of companies.
Courtesy D.A. Collins

By Jennifer Farnsworth

It might be that Yvonne Manso has the ability to ensure confidence in her customers when it comes to the quality of the product, because quite simply Manso believes in herself.

As a sales director for D.A. Collins, Manso has spent the past 14 years earning a solid reputation in a historically male dominated industry. Her work ethic and spirit brought her to the forefront of the construction materials industry.

She is originally from Michigan. After high school, Manso served two years in the military and four years in the reserves. She later moved to Las Vegas, working in the hotel industry for 14 years. After meeting her husband, a native of Saratoga County, she found herself moving to the area and in need of a job. She landed a position at D.A. Collins as a sales coordinator.

“The hotel industry is so different and I had no experience in the construction field, but I was lucky enough to find a company that trusted I could learn the business. And I did,” said Manso.

When she first began, she could sometimes sense apprehension when contractors would see a woman show up on a job site. She said she did not let that deter her. In fact, she said it motivated her to learn the ins and outs of the business. Now when she shows up, contractors know they are dealing with a seasoned pro.

Coronavirus Pandemic Curtailed Business For Landscapers, But Busineass Is Rebounding

April 19, 2021April 20, 2021

Craig Monroe, owner of Craig’s Mowing and Landscaping in Ballston Lake.

By Christine Graf

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many offices throughout the country, landscapers who spruce up businesses and homes saw a dip in business.

According to Jessica Marquard, managing member of LARCH Landscape Architecture and Engineering in Saratoga Springs, her company experienced a ten percent decline in gross revenue.

She has clients throughout the state and is working on projects in the Capital Region as well as in Newburgh, Rome, and Syracuse. Her current clients include GE Global Research Center and Bonacio Construction.

According to Craig Monroe, owner of Craig’s Mowing and Landscaping in Ballston Lake, business in 2020 exceeded expectations, and 2021 is on track to be another strong year. Last year was marked by major supply chain issues that continue to plague the industry.

Glens Falls-based Plant Doctor lost half of its commercial clients.

“Most all of my business is commercial—a lot of law offices,” said owner Lanette Akerson. “The lawyers are, by and large, working from home and I lost half of them. Half of them still retain our services even though the offices are half-manned or not manned at all.”

The interior and exterior plant design service company has customers throughout the greater Capital Region and Lake George. But many of Plant Doctor’s previous corporate clients are re-enlisting her services as they transition their staff back into their offices.