Business founders and owners are often outstanding visionaries. Being a visionary, however, sometimes comes with blind spots. You may be “the bee’s knees” at casting a vision for your company, yet unknowingly neglect certain employee needs that are vital for your vision to become a reality. 

If this assertion surprises you, consider your immediate response to one question about your business. Are you ready? Here it is: 

“What does success look like?”

Your answer undoubtedly relates to the long-term vision for your business, whether that has to do with revenue goals, expansion plans, innovative product lines, or some other “big picture” results. Your image of success is crystal clear in your mind. You can pinpoint metrics and milestones that will mark your progress. You can’t wait to celebrate when you finally see your vision played out in the real world. Given this clarity about how success looks, how it is measured, and how it is celebrated, you are motivated and engaged and know just what you need to do! 

But there is something important to remember: the people who work for you may not think in such “big picture” terms. They may understand and acknowledge the grand vision for the company, but that is not their day-to-day existence and experience. They have a job to do, such as making sales, making calls, or making widgets. That is what consumes their time and attention. 

As the business owner and visionary, these daily tasks most likely never cross your mind. (And rightly so, since they aren’t your job.) Yet, these short-term actions make your long-term vision possible. For example, take the Accounts Payable team. Processing checks to pay vendors probably doesn’t get on the agenda for your leadership meetings. But if the Accounts Payable team fails to send checks in a timely manner, that can jeopardize key vendor relationships. Therefore, behind the scenes, Accounts Payable plays an important role in the success or failure of your company vision. 

By Jill Nagy

The Saratoga County Economic Development Corporation will soon cut the ribbon at their new quarters at 517 Broadway, in the heart of Saratoga Springs. 

Already, “we’re a very busy office here. . . .Very excited to be in the center of Saratoga Springs,” J. Gregory Connors, president and CEO, said.

Prominent on his agenda is dealing with the coming closure of Quad Graphics and helping to find new jobs for the company’s 400 employees. The EDC sponsored a job fair for Quad Graphics employees in February, along with Workforce  Development for Saratoga County. He said that Jen McCloskey, the director of Workforce Development, contacted some 105 businesses to invite them to attend. He didn’t know how many responded, but observed that “It certainly was crowded and there was a lot of interest.”

Further job fairs are planned, including one at the City Center in Saratoga Springs and at least one in the southern part of the county, perhaps in Clifton Park.

Fortuitously, the Quad Graphics announcement came almost at the same time as Global Foundries’ announcement of its plans to expand its Malta facility and add another building. That company reached out to Quad employees, he said, and have already interviewed several of them. He noted that many of the skills needed at Quad Graphics can transfer to the Global Foundries operation.

As SoBro Conservancy of Saratoga began transforming a barren former gas station site at 209 South Broadway in Saratoga Springs into a vibrant green space, it needed a shed. Since education is a key part of the nonprofit’s mission, it didn’t want to just buy a shed. It wanted young people to have a stake in its regreening project. SoBro wanted students to gain experience by building the shed and contacted the WSWHE BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) division to assist. In spring 2023, John Coffinger and his construction trades students at the Southern Adirondack Education Center in Hudson Falls signed on as partners for the project and began work on the 8’x12’ shed. Students from this year’s class continued when they arrived in the fall. Construction was completed just a couple of weeks ago. 

In early May, SoBro Conservancy will be planting three large beds full of native, pollinator-friendly perennials and shrubs. The shed will house the garden tools, hoses, and the brains of a timed drip irrigation system. 

On March 3rd at the Excelsior Region Championship, Saratoga County 4-H FTC ROBOTICS Team #6955 “Robovines” won their way to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship. The event will take place April 16 – April 21, 2024, in Houston, Texas. The team ended the qualifying matches undefeated. In the...

Live harness racing returned to Saratoga Casino Hotel for its 83rd season on Saturday, February 3. The 2024 schedule will consist of 150 racing programs running through mid-December with a total of over $17 million in purses.

2023 Leading Driver, Jim Devaux, and Leading Trainer, Brett Derue, look to defend their titles this coming season. For Devaux, that would make it four years in a row.

In addition, the track will be hosting NY Sire Stakes races starting in June featuring the best New York bred horses in the state which will race for over $1 million in purses. The premier event of the season will be the 15th Annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace with a $250,000 purse on Saturday, July 20.

“We are looking forward to a tremendous season of racing here at Saratoga Casino Hotel,” said Race Secretary Peter Iovino. “Our purses will attract a quality product for our racing fans.”

To kick off the season, the month of February will feature several promotions including up to 15 percent bonuses on all winning wagers on Saratoga Harness races for SaratogaBets account holders while playing on property through the SaratogaBets mobile app or any self-service betting terminal. Interested horseplayers can log on to www.saratogabets.com to sign up for a free account.

Since first opening in 1877, The Adelphi Hotel at 365 Broadway has epitomized the city’s cultural cornerstones of “health, history, and horses.” Once a getaway for distinguished visitors and horse racing enthusiasts, the iconic Adelphi now welcomes those who want to call it home with the launch of luxury condominium residences in the heart of downtown Saratoga.

The Residences at The Adelphi Hotel include 79 impeccably designed studio-, one-, two-, three- bedroom and duplex penthouse apartments priced from $800,000 to $4 million. Many of the apartments come with expansive outdoor living space and overlook an exquisitely designed courtyard garden or sweeping views of Broadway.

The homes range from 800 square feet to more than 2,500 square feet of interior living space, with fine design details including European-styled kitchens, Wolf and Miele appliances, Kohler fixtures, large plank-wood floors and more.

Residents may enter the building through the main hotel entrance on Broadway or through a private residents-only entrance on Washington Street, and have access to their own underground parking garage in the building. Shared amenities with the hotel include a spa, salon, gym, game room, card room, and business center along with two restaurants — Morrissey’s and Salt & Char.

The $75 million expansion and re-development of The Adelphi is spearheaded by developers and co-owners Michael Dubb, founder and CEO of Beechwood Organization, one of New York State’s top residential builders, and businessman Larry Roth. The duo, who are long-standing members of the thoroughbred racing and Saratoga Springs communities, have transformed the property while still staying true to its rich history.

Discover Saratoga has announced the winners of Saratoga Chowderfest, which was held Saturday, February 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Event-goers sampled a variety of chowder from participating vendors and voted for their favorite. Winners were chosen in eight different categories, which were announced at the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center during the Annual Award Ceremony on Saturday, February 10 at 6:00 p.m. 

“What an exceptional year for Chowderfest,” noted Darryl Leggieri, President of Discover Saratoga. “The Saratoga Springs Police Department estimated the largest Chowderfest crowd they have ever seen, exceeding 40,000. Discover Saratoga would like to thank everyone who participated, sponsored, volunteered, and celebrated Chowderfest. Your support is truly appreciated. And special thank you to our city officials, police, fire, EMS, DPW and Department of Accounts, for your contribution to this event. It wouldn’t have been a success without you.”

A total of 116,383 bowls of chowder were served.

The 2024 Chowderfest winners are:

People’s Choice 500 bowls or less: Bentley’s Tavern;

People’s Choice 501-750 bowls: Ribbon Cafe;

People’s Choice 751-1,000 bowls: The Mill on Round Lake;

People’s Choice 1,001-1,500 bowls: Kindred;

People’s Choice 1,501- 2,000 bowls: Clancy’s Tavern;

People’s Choice 2,001-3,000 bowls: Rhea;

People’s Choice 3,001-4,000 bowls: West Ave Pizza;

People’s Choice 4,001+ bowls: Druthers Brewing Company.

By Paul Post

Doug Ford couldn’t land a teaching job right after college because the market was flooded, so he took temporary work at a lumber company, just to pay off some bills “I took the job with the intention of working three days and stayed 19 years,” he said. “I fell in love with the industry. They made me a store manager. When you manage it’s really like teaching. They would send me to different stores that were challenged. I’d get it up and running and they’d send me to the next one.”

Now he’s vice president of public relations and purchasing at Ballston Spa-based Curtis Lumber Company, where he’s worked the past 27 years. In a related role, he’s also president and co-founder of the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition, which recently obtained non-profit status.

The organization has a diverse membership ranging from builders and material suppliers to colleges, school counselors and administrators. They all work together with a single-minded goal of attracting young people to the construction trades industry, to alleviate a severe labor shortage that’s reached crisis proportions in both the Greater Capital Region and United States at large.

The coalition is an outgrowth of efforts begun several years ago by Curtis Lumber and Saratoga Builders Association. Ford co-founded the organization with Pam Stott, a former Curtis Lumber official, now the coalition’s new executive director. 

Kim Weir, former major gifts fund-raiser at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, has joined Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS) as Director of Strategic Growth. Weir will work closely with Dr. Erin Sisk, Co-Founder of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, and the THS Board of Directors and staff to develop and implement a strategic growth plan for the Saratoga Springs-based impact sector organization.

Founded in 2018, the mission of THS is to provide a safe and caring home for retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses and train them to positively impact the lives of individuals in the local community through equine assisted psychotherapy and other interactive equine programs. Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga partners with ECS Psychological Services to deliver accredited equine assisted therapy. Accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), THS provides sanctuary to more than 25 retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga is a certified practitioner of the Man O’ War Project methodology for Veteran-focused equine assisted psychotherapy.

Weir has joined the THS leadership team with a focus on developing the THS fund-raising strategy as well as expanding the engagement of the organization’s herd of retired racehorses through therapy and program utilization. .

“We are excited to welcome Kim to the THS team. I am certain that our team will immediately benefit from Kim’s diverse business background, successful fund-raising skills and her deep relationships across the Thoroughbred industry” said Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga Co-Founder Dr. Erin Sisk.”