Saratoga Business Journal

The Third Annual Southern Adirondack Homesteading Festival Is Set For April

March 24, 2025

The Southern Adirondack Homesteading Festival is back for its third year, bringing together homesteaders, farmers, and sustainability enthusiasts for a hands-on, immersive weekend from April 25-27, 2025, at the Washington County Fairgrounds. This highly anticipated event offers a unique opportunity for attendees to learn essential homesteading skills, connect with like-minded individuals, and celebrate self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Throughout the festival, attendees will have the chance to participate in hands-on workshops covering a range of traditional skills and modern sustainable practices. Classes will include chicken processing, soap-making, canning and food preservation, and mushroom cultivation. Whether new to homesteading or an experienced practitioner, participants will gain practical experience and confidence to enhance their self-sufficient lifestyles.

A highlight of this year’s festival is keynote speaker Phillip Ackerman-Leist, a renowned homesteader, author, and sustainability expert. Ackerman-Leist will deliver an inspiring address on regenerative food systems and the role of sustainable farming in building resilient communities. His insights promise to motivate and educate attendees on the importance of self-reliance and sustainable agriculture.

Hudson Headwaters Opens Pharmacy In Moreau To Serve The Local Community

March 24, 2025

The Hudson Headwaters Health Network opens a community pharmacy in Moreau to expand access to affordable medications for all.
Courtesy Hudson Headwaters Health Network

Hudson Headwaters Health Network announces the opening of Hudson Headwaters Pharmacy at Moreau, conveniently located off Exit 17 of I-87 (the Northway) and adjacent to Moreau Family Health. This new community pharmacy is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are a current Hudson Headwaters patient.

“As a community health center, providing comprehensive access to health care is at the heart of our mission,” said Tucker Slingerland, M.D., CEO of Hudson Headwaters. “Like our urgent care centers, the pharmacy welcomes everyone. As the only pharmacy located near the busy Exit 17 corridor, our Pharmacy at Moreau offers access and convenience while supporting the overall health of our community. When you fill your prescriptions with us, you are helping to advance our nonprofit mission to ensure high-quality, local health care for all.”

Hudson Headwaters Pharmacy at Moreau accepts Medicare and most commercial insurances. Medicaid approval is still pending and may take up to six months. Medicaid patients wishing to transfer their prescriptions can reach out to the Hudson Headwaters pharmacy team who will notify patients once the approval process is complete.

“We’ve already received a great response from the community,” said Sara Vogel, PharmD/RPh, pharmacy manager. “Many patients of Moreau Family Health enjoy the convenience of having a pharmacy right next door, but our services are for everyone—even those outside the area. For added convenience, we offer delivery services.”

Nemer Motor Group Donates Lifesaving Device To The Saratoga Hospital Emergency Department

March 24, 2025

Nemer Motor Group presents donation to Saratoga Hospital for lifesaving CPR technology, enhancing emergency cardiac care for the community.
Courtesy Nemer Motor Group

Saratoga Hospital is furthering its commitment to exceptional emergency cardiovascular care with the addition of new state-of-the-art technology. The LUCAS® 3 CPR chest compression system helps emergency care teams around the world do what they do best, saves lives. Thanks to a generous gift from Nemer Motor Group and the Nemer family, this technology will be added to our resuscitation teams tool kit this Spring.

“This generous donation from Nemer Motor Group enhances the capabilities of our clinicians, equipping them with cutting-edge technology to provide rapid, high-quality CPR for extended periods of time,” said Jill VanKuren, Saratoga Hospital President and CEO. “Every year, our Alfred Z. Solomon Emergency Center cares for more than 40,000 patients and having the most advanced tools available not only benefits our patients but also supports our highly skilled medical staff, allowing them to perform at their very best in critical situations. We are incredibly grateful to the Nemer family for their generosity and commitment to strengthening healthcare in our community.”

“At Nemer Motor Group, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve,” said Josh Nemer, Managing Partner of Nemer Motor Group. “We are honored to support Saratoga Hospital and help ensure that patients in our region have access to the latest advancements in cardiac care.”

Charlie’s Stay + Play Marks Successful Ribbon Cutting On National Love Your Pet Day

March 24, 2025

The Charlie’s Stay + Play facility provides top-tier boarding and training services for pet owners and their four-legged friends.
Courtesy Charlie’s Stay + Play

Charlie’s Stay + Play, formerly Mahogany Ridge, officially marked its rebranding and grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on February 20 in celebration of National Love Your Pet Day. Hosted by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, the event welcomed dignitaries including Chamber President Todd Shimkus, New York State Senator Jim Tedisco, and Malta Town Supervisor Cynthia Young.

The newly revamped doggy daycare, boarding, and training facility provides a top-tier experience for pets and their owners. Designed by Saratoga Springs-based architecture firm Balzer & Tuck, with landscape and engineering work by The LA Group and construction by Bonacio Construction, the facility was built with a focus on quality, comfort, and pet well-being.

Nourish Designs Combines Art, Retail, And Giving To Support Children In Need

March 24, 2025

Betsy P. Seplowitz’s retail background is serving her well in her Ballston Spa business.
Courtesy of Nourish

By Susan Elise Campbell

Nourish Designs is a mission-based business that sells “gifts that give back.” The name perfectly reflects the desire of its owner, Betsy P. Seplowitz, to nourish and calm the mind and to help lift up local children with food insecurity with donations from the business.

Through this business model, to date she has provided nearly 306,000 meals to kids in need.

Seplowitz was selling her hand drawn circular designs online and at pop-ups and craft shows before making the move three years ago to a storefront at 87 Milton Avenue in Ballston Spa.

Drawing was something Seplowitz did at home on short breaks during her busy days as a mother of young children. She does not have an art background like her husband, who has a photography business that she helps to market.

But she does have a retail background that goes back to childhood on the family farm.

“My father had a pumpkin business,” said Seplowitz. “He told me and my sisters, ‘here is five acres. I’ll plant, you sow.’”

The girls sold pumpkins on a main road just outside of Vermont and managed their business all through middle school and high school, she said.

“I always thought it would be fun to have a little retail shop someday, but the business evolved later out of my mission to provide funding for meals for kids,” she said.

The Owner Of Frivolous Boutique Faces The Challenges Of A Changing Retail Landscape

March 24, 2025

Beth Jameson, owner of Frivolous Boutique in Saratoga, celebrates 20 years in business.
Saratoga Business Journal

By Susan Elise Campbell

Frivolous Boutique owner Beth Jameson has proven that when it comes to shopping along Broadway in Saratoga, girls do just want to have fun.

On June 1st, Jameson marks 20 years of successfully navigating the challenges of a sole proprietor of a retail shop in a changing local economy.

Most of her tenure has been right on 385 Broadway, which she and Thomas Newkirk purchased jointly at auction in 2012. Newkirk developed the 20,000 square foot building. Jameson moved Frivolous Boutique into the storefront.

So many years later, Jameson remains true to her concept that often the best reason to buy something is “because it makes you happy.”

“The name ‘Frivolous’ can be defined as reflecting something you might want, but don’t need,” she said. “It may not be an impulse purchase, but one you have to have and feel good about.”

The boutique is designed so shoppers discover new and interesting items as they move through the space, she said.

“It has evolved to be more eclectic,” she said. “There are clothing items here, random items there, such as candles and dog gifts,” as well as jewelry, scarves, handbags, and other accessories.

SGA Talent’s Sheila Greco Transitions From Bond Trader To Talent Acquisition

March 24, 2025

Founder & CEO of SGA Talent, Sheila Greco started an executive recruiting and staffing firm.
Courtesy SGA Talent

By Ann Donnelly

Sheila Greco’s journey to becoming the founder and CEO of SGA Talent, a Saratoga-based recruiting firm, is a testament to embracing opportunity and the power of networking. Her story began in bond trading in New York City and took an unexpected turn after a chance conversation at a cocktail party. “Someone said, ‘Oh my God, you should be a recruiter,’” Greco recalls. Intrigued, she explored the field, landed a job at New York City firm Goodrich and Sherwood, and quickly discovered her passion.

Life, however, had other plans. In 1989, family matters brought Greco home to Saratoga. Fortuitously, a client offered to support her in starting her own business, and SGA Talent was born. “I started as sole proprietor, and within about three years,” says Greco, “I hired five people, four of which are still with me today.”

SGA Talent started as a research house that provided organizational chart structures and name generation, which involves providing a company with candidates from a list of competitors that they select. “Our clients said, ‘Why aren’t you doing recruiting? Why aren’t you doing competitive intelligence?’” Greco explains, highlighting how the company’s service offerings evolved organically based on client needs.

Over the years, SGA Talent expanded into executive recruiting and, more recently, ventured into the staffing sector. In 2022, an opportunity arose to staff the Saratoga race track. Despite having no prior experience in hospitality, Greco embraced the challenge. “I said, ‘I don’t know anything about it,’ and embraced it,” she says. This leap of faith led to SGA Talent staffing major events like Formula One races in Las Vegas, the Super Bowl, and the PGA. The firm also provides staff for college food service, outdoor festivals, and corporate events. “That business is a lot of fun, and we’re having a great time,” Greco enthuses, “I love the industry.”

“Speed – Style – Legacy: The Corvette Story” Is Unveiled At Saratoga Automobile Museum

March 24, 2025

A modern Corvette C7 Stingray and a classic 1953 Corvette kick up dust in a thrilling display of performance and heritage.
Courtesy Saratoga Auto Museum

The Saratoga Automobile Museum has announced its highly anticipated new exhibition, Speed – Style – Legacy: The Corvette Story. This exciting new exhibit takes visitors on an unforgettable journey through the history of one of the world’s most legendary sports cars, the Chevrolet Corvette. From 1953, when the first Vette rolled off the assembly line, to its current status as a high-performance icon, this exhibition offers an immersive look at the Corvette’s incredible evolution and its unparalleled motorsport legacy.

Spanning over eight decades of production, the exhibit will showcase a carefully curated selection of Corvettes, each a testament to the groundbreaking engineering, innovative design, and relentless performance that has defined this American sports car for generations. From the first fiberglass white roadster C1 to the sleek, mid-engine marvel that is the C8, visitors will see the Corvette’s continuous evolution, blending cutting-edge technology with classic American style.

But this exhibition isn’t just about the cars—it’s a celebration of the passion and drive that have propelled Corvette to the pinnacle of motorsports. A special piece of the exhibition will highlight Corvette’s impressive racing heritage, showcasing famous race cars that have become legends in their own right. These cars have not only pushed the limits of speed and performance, but have solidified Corvette’s reputation as a true American champion on the racetrack.

Business Report: Managing Retirement Assets vs. Working Years

March 24, 2025

David Kopyc, president of Retirement Planning Group LLC in Saratoga Springs.

By David Kopyc

Asset management is a critical component of financial planning, particularly as individuals transition from their working years to retirement. The strategies used to manage assets during these two life stages are inherently different due to varying financial goals, risk tolerance, and income sources. Understanding the key differences in managing assets during retirement versus working years is essential for long-term financial success and peace of mind.

During the working years, the primary focus of asset management is growth. Individuals in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and even 50s are typically in the accumulation phase of their financial lives. The primary sources of income during this period are wages from employment, business ventures, and any passive income streams. The goal is to grow wealth, save for future milestones such as purchasing a home, funding education, and eventually accumulating enough savings to retire comfortably.

In the working years, individuals tend to have a higher risk tolerance. Since they are still years or even decades away from retirement, they can afford to take on more risk in their investment portfolios. This often translates into higher allocations in stocks, mutual funds, or other growth-oriented investments that carry more volatility but offer higher returns over time. Investment strategies might focus on assets that have the potential for long-term capital appreciation, such as equities, real estate, and business ventures.

During the working years, individuals contribute regularly to retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s, IRAs, or pensions. These contributions help to build the foundation for future retirement income. The strategy in this phase is to maximize contributions, particularly by taking advantage of employer matching contributions to retirement accounts. For individuals who want to maximize their retirement savings, it’s often advised to contribute the maximum allowable amounts to retirement accounts each year.

The Table Rock Group Named To Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams

March 24, 2025

The professionals at Glens Falls-based Table Rock Group have been recognized for excellent service by Forbes Magazine.
Courtesy of Table Rock Group

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) recently announced that The Table Rock Group based in Glens Falls has been named to Forbes Magazine’s 2025 list of America’s Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams.

Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms.