Saratoga Business Journal

Weichert Family Of Companies Launches A Property Management Group Called 'Aureus'

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

The Weichert Family of Companies announced on March 29 the launch of its wholly owned property management company, Aureus Property Management.

Aureus builds upon Weichert’s more than 30 years of experience and proficiency providing in-house property management services by consolidating its property management businesses into this new entity poised to become the industry leader in personalized property management solutions, the company said.

The name, Aureus, comes from the name of the gold coins that served as the primary monetary unit in ancient Rome, company officials said.

“This reflects Aureus’s mission to deliver a level of service and trust that constitutes the gold standard in property management,” said a company statement.

The company offers a broad range of property management services for property owners, relocating employees and renters, including tenant screening, marketing, property maintenance and rent collection.

Mike Williams, who has more than 15 years of experience in managing commercial and residential properties for corporations and retail customers, will serve as president of Aureus.

Most recently, he served as president of Penn Property Management and previously was vice president of property management for the Long & Foster Companies. In his new role, Williams will oversee all corporate functions and service teams and hold ultimate responsibility for the company’s strategic growth and the execution of the Aureus value proposition.

Cyber Security Is A Relatively New Concern For Businesses, Local Insurance Brokers Say

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

David Fragomeni says storage of client financial info may require cyber coverage.

By Jill Nagy

Even when insurance coverage is required by law, as with workers’ compensation or unemployment coverage, brokers always check to be sure those coverages are included in a client’s insurance portfolio.

According to local brokers, matters involving cyber security are relatively new for the industry. It can be complex, but necessary for many types of businesses.

Still, the traditional business coverages are always being dealt with. “A lot of folks don’t know that they need workers’ compensation and disability,” Diane Mjaatvezt of Sutton and Tarantino said.

Once the required bases have been covered, the choices of insurance options are almost dizzying and limited only by what a business owner is willing to pay, say local brokers.

Brian Whitney, manager of Cote Insurance in Saratoga Springs, begins with the typical business owner’s policy that covers liability, property damage. Then there are add-on issues to be addressed, like vehicle coverage, potential employment infractions such as discrimination or mismanagement of insurance benefits, and errors and omissions (particularly for licensed professionals).

Bruce Clements of Clements Insurance Brokers in Saratoga Springs, said business coverage “is much more complex than personal lines” and should be customized to meet the needs of different businesses.

Woman Goes From Dance Lessons As A Child To Ownership Of 'Bloom, A Movement Studio'

April 7, 2016April 29, 2021

By Maureen Werther

Audrey Mangini, owner of Bloom, A Movement Studio, is someone who doesn’t like to be told “no.”

Mangini has been dancing since the age of two and she played soccer throughout her school career. When she suffered a knee injury requiring surgery at age 18, she was told that she would never be able to run again.

Within two months of the surgery, Mangini proved her doctors wrong. During that time, she also began taking Zumba classes to aid in her therapy and recuperation. She loved the classes and became an avid student.

When her father said, “You’re so good at this, why not just teach it yourself,” Mangini followed his advice and, within a few months, she became a certified Zumba instructor. But, she took her love of movement, dance, and fitness even further.

Bloom originally opened in 2005, under different ownership, at the Regent Street Arts Studio, 153 Regent St. in Saratoga Springs. The building has a long history as home to dance studios, and Mangini fondly remembered taking classes there as a young child.

Nurse Practitioner Practice Helps Patients To Deal With State's Medical Advantage Plans

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

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Nurse Practitioner Diana Miller examines Rose Capen in an effort to work with her and her family in evaluating her health care needs both in and outside of the home.Courtesy Capital Region NP Consulting

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Diana Miller of Stillwater has always envisioned herself on the front lines, advocating for quality health care.

Since the passing of the state Modernization Act, permitting nurse practitioners to work independently, she has been able to turn her vision into a practice. She recently opened a practice that allows her to provide the care she feels so passionately about.

Capital Region NP Consulting in Family Health focuses on providing patient assessments for Medicare Advantage patients and in the comfort of their own home.

Medicare Advantage plans, sometimes called Part C or MA plans, are offered by private companies approved by Medicare. People that join a Medicare Advantage plan still have Medicare. They get their Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance) coverage from the Medicare Advantage Plan and not original Medicare.

Miller said the focus area is to provide patient assessments for Medicare Advantage, in order to allow those 55-plus to age healthy in the home, with the objective to measure the appropriate care levels when there are requirements necessitating transition care management.

The state Modernization Act, having taken effect Jan. 1, 2015, is now resonating throughout New York State, with the greatest impact felt in rural areas like northern Saratoga and Warren counties. The legislation eliminated the requirement for experienced NPs to have a written practice agreement with physicians.

Business Briefs: April 2016

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

C.T. Male Associates was honored with a gold award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York in category of Surveying and Mapping Technology for the Empire State Plaza grand staircase rehabilitation high definition 3D laser scan project at the State Museum and Archives in Albany.

Winners were honored at the 49th annual Engineering Excellence awards gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City in March. In conjunction with the gala, ACEC New York’s scholarship program awarded more than $50,000 to engineering students in the state.

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The LA Group in Saratoga Springs received a historic preservation merit award from the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for its work done on the Grey Towers National Historic Site facilities master plan. The site is in Milford, Pa.

The LA Group was hired by the U.S. Forest Service to develop a comprehensive plan outlining steps for the preservation, development, and evolution of the renowned national historic site.

The final plan was reviewed by a jury of landscape architecture professionals and selected to receive the merit award because the project represented “significant quality, innovation, and professional impact.” The firm was also recognized for its “efforts to provide access and modernization to the site while maintaining the integrity of historic context.”

Built in 1886, Grey Towers is the ancestral home of Gifford Pinchot, the first director of the U.S. Forest Service.

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HomeBridge Financial Services Inc., a residential mortgage lender, will host a grand opening wine and cheese event from 5:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, at at 125 High Rock Ave., Suite 202, its Capital Region headquarters in downtown Saratoga Springs.

The event will feature giveaways, a raffle for an iPad mini, as well as a $500 coupon toward closing costs.

Staffed by branch sales manager and mortgage loan originator Heidi Ives, mortgage loan originator Christian LaBier and mortgage loan processor Melissa Hurd, the new location allows for further expansion of the HomeBridge organization into Upstate New York and New Jersey.

Those who would like to attend are asked to respond by April 25 to Ives at hives@homebridge.com or 438-1217.

Saratoga Women In Business Group (SWIB) Is A Growing Saratoga County Networking Entity

April 7, 2016November 29, 2017

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From left, Dorothy Rogers-Bullis, Rachel Spensieri and Heidi Ives are group cofounders.Courtesy Saratoga Women In Business

Just 12 months after its inception, the Saratoga Women in Business (SWIB) group is already making its mark in the Spa City.

The group targets female business leaders in the greater Saratoga Springs area and offers free bi-monthly fellowship opportunities, complete with wine, light hors d’oeuvres, and door prizes sponsored by area businesses.

“We formed this group because we believed that women needed an avenue to meet other successful female professionals in our area,” said Heidi Ives, sales manager at HomeBridge Financial Services Inc., and one of the group’s co-founders. “Men do a lot of their networking on the golf course, so we wanted to create an equivalent fun, casual atmosphere where women could meet each other and learn more about one another’s businesses.”

SWIB has over 140 members in its LinkedIn group and reports an increasing number of women attending the bi-monthly gatherings. At the most recent networking event on March 30 at The Gideon Putnam Hotel in the Saratoga Spa State Park attracted over 60 women professionals.

“We were thrilled to have such a great turnout,” said Dorothy Rogers-Bullis, owner of drb Business Interiors and another of the group’s co-founders. “The fact that we have more and more women joining our group and doing business with one another as a result is proof that professional women truly want to help one another succeed.”

County EOC Will Hold Its Fundraiser At Casino

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

The Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) will hold its 27th annual fundraiser, the May Day Spring Fling, 5:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, at the Canfield Casino in Congress Park, Saratoga Springs.

Attendees will have the opportunity to help support EOC’s new endeavor: a traveling food pantry. The pantry will serve as an outreach vehicle that will visit areas of the county where residents are in need of food as a first point of contact as well as other services such as weatherization.

Anita M. Paley, EOC executive director, said, “Each day, some of our neighbors in Saratoga County have to make a decision about food due to the lack of it, because that money has gone to pay the electric bill, increased co-pays, medicine which is not covered by health insurance, rent, and gas to get to work. Many of the people who seek our help are working and trying to get ahead, but need just that little bit extra to get to the next place. ”

The event is sponsored by Longfellows Restaurant and the Olde Bryan Inn. It will include an open bar tended by VIP bartenders, dinner and dessert stations, a live and silent auction and music by J. Yager.

Paley said the annual fundraiser has been a key event bringing together people with a genuine interest in their community and a strong desire to help others.

Personnel Briefs: March 2016

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

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Roohan Realty announced that Helen P. Wilson has joined the company as a real estate sales professional.

She has an associate’s degree with honors from Nassau Community College and graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Wilson served in the U.S. Marine Corps in various capacities, most notably as the enlisted Marine Corps liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives. She achieved meritorious promotions to sergeant, receiving an honorable discharge with a Navy Achievement Medal upon leaving the Marine Corps.

She attended Pace University Law School and obtained a juris doctor degree and a position on the Law Review. She began a career with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, prosecuting various criminal offenses through trial.

She broadened her legal career as in house counsel to Liberty Mutual and State Farm Insurance Companies. She then became a claims professional in various departments at State Farm. She recently retired after 22 years at State Farm in June 2015.

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The Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau hired Vanessa Cianfarani as association sales manager.

The hiring brings the number of sales professionals to four and the total staff to 11 full-time and two part-time employees.

A Saratoga native, Cianfarani has worked in the hospitality industry over seven years. After attending Schenectady County Community College, where she completed internships at the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, she began her hospitality sales and event management career with Total Events Inc.

Cianfarani has planned and executed hundreds of weddings, social events and trade shows in the Capital Region. She volunteers her time at the Stowe Weekend of Hope for cancer survivors and their families.

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Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP has hired Michael P. Murray as director of marketing.

Murray previously served as marketing manager for the Albany accounting firm SaxBST LLP. He brings over 20 years of marketing and business development experience, with a focus on the professional services arena.

He will manage Whiteman Osterman & Hanna’s marketing activities and work with the marketing team on specific firm and practice area initiatives.

Murray has a master’s degree in business administration from the College of Saint Rose, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Seton Hall University.

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Andrei Krasnokutski was promoted to vice president/commercial relationship manager at Ballston Spa National Bank.

He is responsible for developing and managing commercial banking relationships.

Krasnokutski joined BSNB in 2012 as a senior credit analyst and was promoted to assistant vice president and commercial relationship manager in 2014. He has more than 10 years of experience in the banking industry, including the areas of commercial real estate, commercial and industrial lending and corporate debt restructuring. Krasnokutski earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Bonaventure University and his master’s in business administration with a concentration in finance from Cleveland State University.

Krasnokutski, of Malta, is part of the bank’s Volunteers in Action program where he helps organize an annual Electronics Recycling and Document Shred Day at BSNB. In 2015, BSNB staff members donated more than 9,000 volunteer hours through the Volunteers in Action program.

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New Restaurant, Seven, In Park Manor Hotel, Has Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner In Bistro Setting

April 7, 2016November 8, 2017

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Seven is a bistro now located inside the Park Manor Hotel in Clifton Park.Courtesy Park Manor Hotel

By Jill Nagy

A new restaurant called Seven opened in January at the Park Manor Hotel, formerly the Comfort Suites, near Northway Exit 10 in Clifton Park.

The hotel address is 7 Northside Drive, hence the name. Described as an American bistro, Seven serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a space with a bistro-influenced decor. It replaces what had been a small breakfast area, now expanded and re-decorated.

It is open to the public, not just hotel patrons.

Frank Ciacco, manager of the restaurant, said everything is made from scratch from fresh ingredients. Everything is made in-house, including marinades, roasts and smoked meats, he added.

The menu is “ever-changing, ever-evolving,” he said, noting it has been revamped six times since January as chef Tyler Mullins tries out new recipes and seeks feedback from the clientele.

Ciacco described Mullins style as “classical,” paying a great attention to details and creating “great plates.”

'Leap Of Kindness Day' Created By Chamber Has Influence That Extends Around The Globe

March 4, 2016November 29, 2017

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Cindy Hollowood, general manager of the Holiday Inn Saratoga, in the forefront, poses with her staff on Leap of Faith Day. The hotel offered a free entree and beverage for military veterans that day.

Courtesy Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce asked members ‘What would you do with one extra day?’ in reference to the leap year day of Feb. 29.

According to Todd Shimkus, Chamber president, the question was asked of a special task force formed by the Chamber. last fall During the discussion, Bo Goliber of Fingerpaint Marketing offered an idea: Leap of Kindness Day.

The group decided to invite people to use the extra day to do something kind for someone else.

“Little did anyone on the task force know at the time. But this idea spread like wildfire after being announced at the Chamber’s annual dinner on Jan. 28,” said Shimkus. “Since that time, dozens of organizations across Saratoga County and hundreds of volunteers decided to thank or help thousands of their neighbors on this day.”

He said beyond Saratoga County, local chambers of commerce in 30 states as far away as Alaska decided to encourage members and communities to participate in the Leap of Kindness Day celebration. Viewing social media posts, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce has seen people doing something kind for someone else using the hashtag #leapofkindnessday as far away as Bangalore, India.