Saratoga Business Journal

Longtime Supporter Of Racing And The Saratoga Community Leaves Lasting Legacy

September 17, 2024

John Hendrickson, the chairman of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame since August 2017, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 59.

“John Hendrickson was a visionary leader who had a tremendous passion for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the Saratoga Springs community, and racing in general,” said Cate Masterson, the museum’s director. “He was truly one of a kind and this loss is immeasurable. The entire museum board and staff is deeply saddened by his passing. Our hearts are with his family and his numerous friends. We all loved him very much.”

A native of Alaska, where he was a former aide to Gov. Walter J. Hickel, Hendrickson married the late racing idol Marylou Whitney in 1997 and became the racing manager for Marylou Whitney Stables. He was also president and chief operating officer of Whitney Industries. Hendrickson continued the racing stable after Whitney died in 2019 at the age of 93 and campaigned graded stakes winners Pretty Birdie and Super Quick under the Marylou Whitney Stables banner.

Hendrickson led numerous initiatives that enhanced the museum, including spearheading a $20 million capital campaign to develop a state-of-the-art Hall of Fame and introduce an innovative and immersive signature film experience, as well as numerous renovated and reimagined galleries. He led the museum through a time of great prosperity, as attendance and finances steadily improved during his tenure. Along with the world-class Hall of Fame, Hendrickson’s time as chairman included beautification projects that brought new life to the museum’s Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Courtyard and recently the Beautiful Pleasure East Garden Courtyard. Dozens of iconic jockey statues representing historic and modern racing stables were added to enhance the grounds while serving as a significant source of revenue for the museum. Hendrickson also led the museum’s popular online Foal Patrol project, a series of live cameras that gave racing fans the unique opportunity to watch and learn about the foaling process of thoroughbred mares. Hendrickson’s generosity and leadership was impactful throughout the racing and Saratoga Springs communities. After serving as a New York Racing Association board member, he took on a special adviser role through an appointment by then New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo from 2012 through 2016. For the New York racing community, Hendrickson and Whitney created the Saratoga Backstretch Appreciation Program in 2008, organizing free events and services for backstretch workers. After Whitney’s death, Hendrickson continued to support backstretch appreciation dinners, English as a Second Language classes, and entertainment, among other initiatives.

Personnel Briefs: September 2024

September 17, 2024

Empire State University has announced that Charles Infurna, Ed.D., has been appointed as the 2024-25 PRODiG+ (Promoting Recruitment, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion and Growth) Fellow.

This fellowship is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) initiative to increase the number of underrepresented faculty and allies selected for tenure-track positions. While at SUNY Empire, Infurna will serve as visiting assistant professor in the Department of Educational Studies.

Infurna most recently served as principal of North Hornell Elementary School. He also has more than a decade of experience coaching track and field throwing events at colleges throughout New York state. Infurna has also served as an associate at the University of Rochester Children’s Institute, where he conducted research on the self-efficacy of preschool teachers, classroom quality measures, student outcomes, and coach-athlete relationships, including psychological dynamics that influence athletic performance and wellbeing.

Infurna holds a bachelor’s degree in childhood education and a graduate degree in curriculum and instruction from SUNY Fredonia. He earned his doctor of education degree in executive leadership at St. John Fisher University.

* * *

Christopher R. Dowd, president and CEO of Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB), has announced that Pamela J. Montpelier has joined the bank as senior vice president, growth and experience officer.

Ms. Montpelier is a highly skilled banking professional with more than three decades working in the industry. Most recently she served as strategic sales director for Generations Gold Inc., a financial services company that provides financial institutions with strategies for deposit acquisition and revenue growth.

Prior to her position at Generations Gold, Ms. Montpelier served as president & CEO/chairperson of the Bank Board of Strata Bank, a respected Massachusetts-based community bank with eight locations that was acquired by Middlesex Savings Bank in 2008 as part of a strategic consolidation.

In her new role, Ms. Montpelier will be responsible for overseeing three of the bank’s divisions, Retail Banking, Marketing and Wealth Management Solutions, providing cross-functional leadership to direct new business growth, product enhancements and rollouts and initiate community engagement programs.

She has also received several awards and accolades for her work. She was named “Most Powerful Woman in Banking” by U.S. Banker Magazine, ranking #13 of the top 25 female bankers in the US in 2005 and one of the magazine’s “25 Women to Watch” in 2006, and was United Chamber of Commerce’s “Businessperson of the Year” in 2004 for outstanding service to the community.

Ms. Montpelier resides in Ballston Spa.

New State-Of-The-Art Sorting Machine Gives Rocket Recycling Advantage Over Competitors

September 17, 2024

Owner Tyler Russell (left) and team member Lexi Helbling operate the new state-of-the-art sorting machine at Rocket Recycling’s recently opened third location at EBI in Saratoga Springs.
Courtesy of Rocket Recycling

By Jill Nagy

Empty deposit bottles and cans are swiftly processed at a rate of 600 per minute through a high-speed six-lane chute by new counting machines at Rocket Recycling’s recently opened location, 112 Excelsior Avenue in the EBI Beverage Center—its third facility.

“We saw a need here for high volume processing,” said Tyler Russell, owner along with his wife, Julia Sanzen, of the company. He said that the company processes tens of thousands of bottles and cans each day at each of its three locations. Previously, empty containers were sorted by hand, a slow and expensive process. Russell estimates that the new sorting machine does the job 100 times faster than the reverse vending machines at the grocery store. The average customer brings in hundreds of recyclable containers at a time, Russell said, and in the summer they may bring in thousands. The new sorter allows them to “get their money and get out very quickly.”

Russell described their newest sorter at the Queensbury store as “very complicated and very expensive,” and noted that it was developed by another New York state company. The machine reads the bar codes on the containers and sorts them by size and distributor. Sixty days later, the scrap aluminum from a redeemed can is part of a new can. Glass containers are, for the most part, are ground into sand, he said.

Kelly’s Angels Is The Beneficiary Of Proceeds From Allerdice Building Supply Golf Outing

September 17, 2024

Allerdice Building Supply has announced a significant charitable contribution of $4,975 to Kelly’s Angels, an organization dedicated to helping children who have lost a parent or sibling to cancer or other illness.

This donation represents 100 percent of the proceeds from Allerdice Building Supply’s annual golf outing.

The check presentation took place on August 7 at Allerdice Ace Hardware’s Malta location.

Mark Mulholland, founder of Kelly’s Angels, was present to accept the donation. Kelly’s Angels was established in honor of his late wife, Kelly, who lost her battle with cancer. The charity provides financial assistance and unique “Fun Grants” to children who have lost a parent or sibling, allowing them to experience moments of joy during difficult times.

Saratoga Hospital’s Dietitians: Balancing Science And Compassion With Nutrition

September 17, 2024

By Christine Graf

At Saratoga Hospital, registered dietitians (RD) serve as an integral part of the treatment team. Credentialed healthcare professionals, dietitians apply their knowledge of nutrition to develop individualized dietary strategies, ones designed to meet the unique needs of each patient.

Lisa Hodgson, the hospital’s clinical nutrition manager, is responsible for a staff of 16 registered dietitians. “I oversee a team of dietitians—an inpatient team, and an outpatient team that works in primary care. We also have dietitians that work in our bariatric surgery and weight loss program as well as in our endocrinology office,” said Hodgson, a clinical registered dietitian, certified dietitian nutritionist, and certified diabetes educator who has been working at Saratoga Hospital for 17 years.

On the inpatient side, RDs work with hospitalized patients with conditions that may be impacted by their nutrition status. Inpatient dietitians are also responsible for patients who require tube feedings or other more complex interventions.

Saratoga Flag Company Leads Delegation To Washington To Protest Chinese Flag Imports

September 17, 2024

A delegation of U.S. flag manufacturers traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for American-made U.S.A. flags.
Courtesy of the National Independent Flag Dealers Association

Saratoga Flag Company spent National Flag Week leading an ad-hoc, grass-roots, bi-partisan group of volunteers from the domestic U.S. Flag industry to Washington, D.C., to advocate for American-made U.S.A. flags.

The National Independent Flag Dealers Association, representing 13 family businesses traveled to Washington, D.C., from all corners of the country, seeking swift solutions to the rise of threats created by imported Chinese-made U.S.A. flags flooding the online marketplace at an alarming pace, putting the domestic American flag industry at risk.

This delegation of flagmakers walked hundreds of miles, knocking on more than 100 doors of lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The mission was to bring awareness to the industry projections of factory closures if the federal government does not act immediately to address the imminent threats to the domestic workforce responsible for keeping Old Glory American-made.

Senators and Congressmen were asked to support and co-sponsor The Make American Flags in America Act (H.R. 4137 in the House & S.2001 in the Senate).

THS Opens Arena And Therapy Space

September 17, 2024

Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS), a leading human service organization dedicated to protecting the mental health and well-being of New York state residents, has announced the opening of its newly constructed indoor arena and group therapy space.

The new arena was constructed with the grant funding awarded to THS through DASNY, New York state’s capital project development authority, through the Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (NICIP).

The 2024 NICIP round was launched by Governor Kathy Hochul to make targeted investments throughout the state that improve the quality, efficiency and accessibility of nonprofit human services organizations like THS and so many others. THS was selected as an awardee in April. Construction of the new arena began mid-June. New Indoor Arena and Group Therapy Space:

Thanks to the NICIP grant funds, Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga has constructed a state-of-the-art indoor arena and group therapy space. This facility will enable the organization to expand its essential services throughout all four seasons, meeting the growing demand for intervention-based equine-assisted psychotherapy programs.

“We are thrilled to unveil our new indoor arena, which represents a significant step forward in our mission to support mental health in our community. With this facility, we can now offer our services year-round, ensuring that more individuals and families can benefit from the healing power of equine-assisted psychotherapy,” said Dr. Erin C. Sisk, founder of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga

Gala Raises $418,000 For Health Center

September 17, 2024

The 2024 Saratoga Hospital Gala, presented by Bonacio Construction and Julie & Co, Inc., has achieved unprecedented success, raising more than $418,000 in support of the Community Health Center. This remarkable achievement makes the Gala, held on July 31, 2024 at the Polo Meadows at the Saratoga Casino Hotel, the most successful event in recent history for Saratoga Hospital.

The evening was a resounding success, thanks to the dedicated efforts of gala co-chairs Stephanie Collins and Cara Mildé, a committee made up of community leaders, and generous contributions from presenting sponsors and longtime friends of the hospital Sonny and Julie Bonacio, and numerous sponsors. Together, their commitment and support were instrumental in reaching this milestone.

“We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming generosity and support shown by our community,” said Jill VanKuren, CEO of Saratoga Hospital. “These funds will significantly enhance the services and resources available at our Community Health Center, allowing us to better serve those in need.”

VanKuren continued, “Last year, our tremendous team reached more than 23,000 patients. We are committed to expanding our services, reaching even more patients, and ensuring a healthier future for our community – which is possible thanks to the dedication and commitment of our co-chairs, committee, and sponsors.”

“I am filled with gratitude for this outstanding, and incredibly generous, community. Co-chairing the gala is a great honor, and I am overwhelmed with the abundance of support from all who attended and contributed,” said Collins, gala co-chair. “The Community Health Center continues to expand their reach and services year after year. The dedication portrayed by the team of doctors, nurses, and support staff is overwhelmingly inspiring and motivates us as a committee to highlight their work and meet their growing needs.”

Spray Foam Is Considered Excellent Method Of Insulating Homes Against Heat Loss

September 17, 2024

Nick Cuttleback of ASF Insulation provides energy-efficient spray foam solutions for homeowners.
Saratoga Business Journal photo

By Christine Graf

Saratoga Springs-based ASF Insulation has been meeting the insulation needs of Capital Region customers for more than a decade. The company is owned by business partners Nick Cuttleback, Tom Samascott, and Wayne Samascott.

“We started as a spray foam insulator only, and within the first year or two, we adapted to become an insulation contractor,” said Cuttleback. “We began offering traditional fiberglass batting, cellulose, and other products. We expanded into the insulation contractor markets and took off from there.”

On the spray foam side of the business, the company provides spray polyurethane foam insulation for residential and commercial applications. Applied in liquid form, once applied, the foam expands and hardens to form a rigid layer of insulation. It is particularly effective at filling spaces that are irregularly shaped as well as small gaps, holes, and cracks. As much as 40 percent of a home’s energy is lost when air escapes through uninsulated gaps, holes, and cracks. The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association estimates that 90 percent of U.S. homes are under-insulated.

Water-Efficient Plumbing Fixtures Can Help Homeowners Conserve A Valuable Resource

September 17, 2024

Lance Plumbing will celebrate 20 years of service, helping homeowners reduce water usage and save money.
Courtesy Lance Plumbing

By Chris Graf

As water conservation becomes increasingly important nationwide, homeowners are turning to innovative plumbing fixtures to reduce their water bills and environmental footprint. While these water-saving solutions may not yet be a widespread trend in some regions, they are rapidly becoming the norm in drought-prone areas.

“They aren’t really a big thing around here,” said Roy Lance, owner of Lance Plumbing in Saratoga. A Master Plumber, Lance will celebrate his company’s 20th anniversary in January. His team of four serves both residential and commercial customers throughout the region. Despite the slower adoption locally, Lance believes more homeowners could benefit from water-efficient upgrades.

One of the simplest ways to reduce water usage is by installing low-flow shower heads. While traditional shower heads use about 2.5 gallons per minute, low-flow models can reduce water consumption by up to 40%. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this could save the average homeowner as much as $100 a year on water bills.