Empire State University inaugurated Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D., as its sixth president on March 23 in a ceremony  at the Saratoga Springs City Center. 

SUNY Chancellor John B. King performed the presidential investiture.

Vollendorf began her tenure at SUNY Empire on July 1, 2022. With more than 26 years of experience in public higher education, she is deeply committed to the values of access, inclusivity and academic excellence. 

In her short time at SUNY Empire, she has led the implementation of numerous initiatives to advance the institution and enhance the student experience, including overseeing the institutions change from SUNY Empire State College to Empire State University, creation of a new strategic plan, new academic programs, and initiatives to improve access, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Prior to SUNY Empire, Vollendorf held faculty appointments and leadership positions at numerous universities, including Wayne State, Cal State Long Beach, San Jose State, and Sonoma State. A Spanish professor by training, she  has published two monographs and six edited collections on women in early modern Spain and colonial Latin America. She holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in both

By Christine Graf

The Book Nook, a small, independent secondhand bookstore opened its doors in Ballston Lake on March 1.

Located at 146 Raylinksky Road, Suite 4A, in the plaza behind Stewart’s, the store carries a wide selection of books for adults and children.

Before opening the bookstore, owner Sue Rainka worked for her family’s business, Hart Alarm Systems. After she and her siblings sold the Watervliet company in 2020, Rainka stayed on to work for the new owners. It wasn’t until after her mother passed away in 2022 that she decided to pursue her dream of opening her own bookstore. 

“I had always talked to my mom about wanting to open a bookstore,” she said. “I’ve worked a lot of year and this is something I’ve always wanted to do, so I decided now was the time to do it.”

While scouting for locations, Rainka posted on Facebook that she was collecting donations of used books for her new store. The donations started pouring in, and within a matter of months, she had collected close to 1,000 books. 

By Susan Elise Campbell

The husband and wife team of Doug and Alison Bohannon, owners of Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center in South Glens Falls, added a second location to their business portfolio with the purchase of Spare Time bowling alley and arcade at 375 Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham.

The Bohannons said they closed the transaction on Nov. 30 for $3.2 million.

“I have been in the bowling business since 1999, starting out as a pin changer and working my way up through management,” he said.

In 2013 the opportunity was presented to purchase the Spare Time lanes in South Glens Falls. The Bohannans re-named the business Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center and in February 2022 was approached by Spare Time Entertainment about purchasing the Latham location.

“This is a company I was employed by for 13 years and who sold us our South Glens Falls alleys 10 years ago, so we are very familiar with each other,” said Bohannon. “Negotiations went pretty quickly.”

The Bohannons changed the name of the center but have no plans to renovate at this time. Neither will there be staff changes among the 30-plus employees.

Jessica Ricker, with over 20 years of experience in admissions and enrollment management at liberal arts colleges, will join Skidmore College as its next vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid on June 5. 

She will lead an integrated and collaborative enrollment management approach for the College, continuing Skidmore’s consistently strong performance in admissions and financial aid support, college officials said.

“Throughout her career, Jess Ricker has repeatedly demonstrated the ability and genuine drive to apply a creative vision to all she does—an ethos that will benefit the entire Skidmore community,” said college President Marc Conner, who chaired the search committee. “Her commitment to amplifying student voices and supporting historically marginalized groups will help ensure Skidmore continues to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive liberal arts experience for all.”  

Ricker has served as dean and director of admissions at Wellesley College since 2018 and recently served as the interim dean of admissions and financial aid. Before joining Wellesley, she worked in admissions at Connecticut College for 18 years in various capacities. She holds a Master of Arts degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Connecticut College.  

At Wellesley, Ricker led a staff of 20 and oversaw admissions operations, including student recruitment, application review, marketing and communications, customer service, data analysis and reporting, event management, and staff development. 

In 2022, she was the recipient of an Agent of Innovation achievement award, given each year to an outstanding member of Wellesley’s staff who has demonstrated the use of innovative ideas, approaches, or techniques in their work. She also initiated and led a yearlong assessment of implicit bias among staff, policy, and processes across the Admission and Student Financial Services Division and devised an equitable, mission-driven application review and selection process.  

The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College received a grant award totaling $80,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts to support the recovery of the nonprofit arts and culture sector. 

Since the Tang Teaching Museum’s opening exhibition S.O.S.: Scenes of Sound in fall 2000, state support has bolstered the museum’s ability to support contemporary artists directly and to offer visitors from the Capital Region access to extraordinary exhibitions and programs, all of which are presented free of charge, museum officials said.

The new funding will ensure that the Tang can emerge with its full range of exhibitions and events. 

Skidmore College President Marc Conner said the grant “will provide crucial support for the Tang Teaching Museum’s contemporary art exhibitions and public programs. We are extremely grateful to state for this support, which will make artists and their work more accessible and a catalyst for transformative experiences for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors.”

In the 2021-22 season, the Tang presented 18 exhibitions, featuring the work of more than 130 artists, including presentations on new and recent work by New York-based artists Lauren Kelley, Laura Ortman, Laura Splan, and Ruby Sky Stiler. 

Saratoga Race Course will feature one admission price this season for all fans, thereby eliminating the traditional two-tiered structure of clubhouse and grandstand admission. 

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) said a single admission rate will provide fans with access to both the Clubhouse and Grandstand. Admission will be $7 daily when purchased at least 24-hours in advance, a savings from last season’s clubhouse price of $10. Admission to Saratoga Race Course on the day of the event will be $10. 

Admission does not include reserved seating. Since 2019, daily clubhouse admission has stood at $10 and grandstand admission at $7.

The elimination of the clubhouse and grandstand exchanges means that fans will now have universal access to amenities and attractions such as the Jim Dandy bar and the portion of the apron by the finish line that had previously been limited to those with clubhouse admission. The track restaurants, including the Turf Terrace and Porch, are also located within the clubhouse (admission plus seating charges apply).

“Our new single admission policy is designed to improve the overall experience for our fans by providing access to all areas of Saratoga Race Course,” said Kevin Quinn, NYRA vice president, sales and hospitality. “Not only does this change create a seamless, simplified experience, but it will provide all fans with access to previously unavailable amenities, like upper concourse bars and concession stands located in the clubhouse.”

By Paul Post

One of the Capital Region’s largest tire retailers is growing again with the $400,000 expansion of existing facilities in Greenwich, Washington County.

Warren Tire Service Centers, which has stores in Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park, has purchased a vacant former Cumberland Farms store, with plans to create three new service bays, add 14 parking spots and hire two additional service technicians.

“We’re expecting a 30 percent increase in business,” company President Robert Kellogg said. “It’s a growing area. Greenwich is a hub for a lot of surrounding towns such as Schuylerville, Salem and Argyle, plus the town of Greenwich itself is growing. It’s a little overwhelming with the amount of space we have currently. We need more space to accommodate all our customers.”

The Queensbury-based company, which has 16 stores in seven counties, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month. It was founded by Kellogg’s 80-year-old father, Wayne, 80, the chief executive officer who is still involved with daily operations, although he is no longer an owner.