Month: October 2025

By Ann Donnelly

Kara Magoolaghan, principal of KMCG LLC and Chief Sustainability Officer of the Mulford Corporation, has built a strategic consultancy dedicated to navigating the complexities of capital projects. KMCG LLC primarily assists mission-driven clients—including nonprofits, government agencies, and small businesses—in building resilient and sustainable structures without compromising their core programming or missions.

Magoolaghan’s core value lies in acting as the comprehensive owner’s representative, providing specialized expertise for organizations often described as “understaffed”. The firm’s purpose is so that clien to put aside their day jobs to learn all about construction when they want to do a capital project”. KMCG’s scope is broad, covering everything “except for design and construction”. The firm guides clients through procurement, secures the right designers and construction partners, manages extensive documentation for permitting and approvals, coordinates construction management, and assists with complex financial processes, helping clients “build their capital stack” by coordinating with funders and securing investors.

One of KMCG’s most impactful functions is serving as a “translator,” simplifying the specialized language consultants use. Magoolaghan notes that many professional consultants—architects and engineers—speak “a totally different language,” making it difficult for clients to grasp project specifics. This specialized support is vital for smaller, nonprofit partners, where owners’ representation is often missing compared to the for-profit sector. KMCG currently works heavily in affordable housing but aims to expand into community centers, such as YMCAs and PALs.

The actual impetus for starting KMCG was specifically to help build green buildings and foster resilience. Magoolaghan, a Certified Passive House Designer, argues passionately that old buildings are not equipped to handle the future. “We need to change the way that we build so that we can prepare for what’s coming,” she asserts. The goal is to “build the most resilient and sustainable buildings possible so that they last longer, so that they’re more comfortable, and so that they’re equipped to handle the changing climate that we have”. This high-performance approach offers significant economic benefits, particularly for affordable housing clients who often retain maintenance costs. Magoolaghan highlights that if developers “put in that extra investment at the front end, you’ll pay less in utility costs at the back end”, a crucial saving given that utility and insurance costs have risen “astronomically” in New York state.

By Paul Post

Dana Russell has no trouble attracting people to her Glens Falls business, Adirondack Salt Cave LLC.

“The hardest thing is getting people up and out,” she said. “Nobody wants to leave.”

The firm’s soothing environment—walls made from blocks of beautiful peach-colored Himalayan salt—relaxing music and halotherapy, which promotes respiratory health and combats allergies, skin conditions and COPD, keeps clients coming back time after time.

“A lot of people come in after work and just need that Zen, that decompression from everything,” Russell said. “When they walk through the doors they’re just so happy to be here.”

A Warrensburg native, she’s been a licensed massage therapist for 18 years. But in 2016, a friend convinced her to visit a salt cave in Vermont. After finding a suitable space in the Union Square building at 11 Broad Street, she decided to create one of her own.

A former garment factory, the 126-year-old structure oozes with history and character. “We love it here,” Russell said.

Soon, a truck delivered four tons of Himalayan salt from Pakistan, procured through a New Jersey supplier, and a Texas firm spent eight weeks designing and building the site. Adirondack Salt Cave was open for business.

The “cave” is a 300-square-foot room with 12-foot ceilings that replicates the microclimate of deep natural salt caves. When lights are dimmed, the backlit Himalayan salt wall creates a mesmerizing glow.

“It’s a wow factor when you walk in,” Russell said.

Advokate, the Glens Falls-based marketing, communications, and design agency founded by Kate Austin, marked its 15th anniversary on Oct. 17 with a celebration and client showcase at its offices on Glen Street.

The open house drew members of the business community, local leaders, and clients from across the region. Attendees enjoyed refreshments from Rock Hill Bakehouse Café, live music by Stories Told, and DJ entertainment by All We Do Is Epic! The event also featured maple syrup sampling from Candy Mountain Maple, door prizes, giveaways, and displays from Advokate clients.

Remarks were offered by representatives of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, New York State Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, and Austin herself, who thanked the community for its long-standing support.

Founded in 2009, Advokate began as a “honey-do” service for artists and has grown into a full-service agency offering branding, graphic and web design, digital marketing, videography, jingles, creative consultation, social media training, public relations, and startup support.

“We really grew in response to the community’s needs,” Austin said. “When clients asked if we could do something, we almost always said yes—and over time, those requests became new services. We love that no two workdays are ever the same.”