Month: December 2025

Business Report: If You Build It, They Will Come

December 15, 2025December 15, 2025

Ken Entenmann of NBT Bank on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 in Albany, NY. (Photo by Nancy L. Ford)

by Kenneth J. Entenmann CFA®
Posted November 19, 2025

“If you build it, they will come.” That famous, whispered line from the movie Field of Dreams seems appropriate for today’s equity market. In April, the market sold off in an overreaction to China’s Deepseek AI model and “Liberation Day” tariff announcements. From Feb. 28th through April 8th, the S&P 500 was down nearly 20%. Since then, it has been on a tear, reaching record high levels multiple times in the Fall. The primary driver of this strong move has been Artificial Intelligence (AI). Indeed, the top 10 stocks in the S&P 500, led by the “hyperscalers” (Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOG), META (META, formerly known as Facebook) and Amazon (AMZN)) account for nearly 40% of the S&P 500 market cap! But they also generate 33% of the S&P 500 earnings! The incredible earnings have lifted the Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio of the top 10 to a lofty 32x earnings. The rest of the S&P 500, the other 490 companies, trade at 19.5 and the overall S&P 500’s P/E stands at 23 times earnings. Historically, that is an “expensive” P/E relative to the 30-year average of 17.1 times earnings. Nonetheless, the power and potential of AI have been used to justify the high valuation of the AI universe and the overall market. Don’t worry about high P/Es, this time will be different! The most dangerous sentence in the world!

To be clear, AI does appear to be the next great innovation that has the potential to transform economic productivity. Over the last 150 years, there have been several periods associated with great innovation and high productivity gains. In the late 1800’s, mechanization transformed the economy from an agrarian economy to an industrial economy. The automobile in the 1920s. Post WWII brought electrification and aviation. More recently, the invention of the personal computer, mobile phones and the internet had a dramatic impact on productivity and economic growth.

Common Roots Brewing Family Deepens Giving Through Foundation Grants

December 15, 2025

Christian, Bert, Robin and Melanie Weber help guide the Common Roots Foundation as it supports local groups with grants for wellness, environmental stewardship and assistance in times of need.
Courtesy Common Roots Foundation

By Rod Bacon

The Weber family has always believed in giving back to the community in which they live and work. In 2020 they implemented this ethos in a significant way when triumph rose out of ashes.

In December 2014 the family, led by the father-and-son team of Bert and Christian Weber, launched Common Roots Brewing Company in South Glens Falls. The business was thriving when the building suffered a devastating fire in 2019. Fortunately, no one was injured but the building was a total loss.

“When we started Common Roots, we had the idea that brewing beer could also be a vehicle for positive change,” said Bert Weber, president of the Common Roots Foundation Board of Directors. “Eleven years later we are proud to have supported, and continue to support, our neighbors dedicated to improving the lives of those around them. At a time when so many people are struggling, these organizations are putting in the hard work, driven by compassion, and making a difference throughout the region.”

The Glens Falls Area Youth Center Improves Lives Of At-Risk Kids In The Tri-County Area

December 15, 2025

Molly Congdon Hunsdon and a colleague mark the groundbreaking for the Matt Congdon Wellness Center, a major expansion at the Glens Falls Area Youth Center that will double its space and enhance programs for local kids.
Courtesy Matt Congdon Wellness Center

By Rod Bacon

The significant expansion of a local social services agency is currently underway.

Ground was broken October 18 for a 3,000-square-foot addition to the Glens Falls Area Youth Center. Named the Matt Congdon Wellness Center in honor of its longest serving executive director, the facility will allow the center to vastly expand and improve its offerings to the area’s at-risk youth.

Following his 1982 graduation from Springfield College with a degree in physical education/health and fitness, Matt Congdon took on the role of executive director on an interim basis while the original director was on maternity leave. After she had her baby she decided to be a stay-at-home mother and the directorship became Congdon’s, a position he filled for 36 years.

Molly Congdon-Hunsdon, the center’s current executive director, said, “When I took over as executive director it was my vision to expand our facility. It’s so exciting to have this happening and I think it’s going to mean the world to our kids. We’re going to be able to grow our programs and offer them so much more while continuing our mission for the next fifty-seven years.”

AI Search Changes How Locals Find You Now Clean Online Data Keeps Your Business Seen

December 15, 2025

Dani Pidgeon of Mannix Marketing explains how AI search is reshaping local business visibility.
Courtesy Mannix Marketing

By Dani Pidgeon, COO Mannix Marketing

AI search tools are no longer futuristic concepts; they are daily realities for a majority of consumers. A recent survey by Higher Visibility confirmed that 71.5% of Americans have used AI search tools, with 14% using them every day.

Though nearly 80% of users still prefer classic search engines like Google for general queries, the younger, high-spending demographic (like Gen Z, with 82% adoption) is leading the charge. AI is becoming a dominant channel for specific, local answers, and if your business isn’t prepared to provide the data AI needs, your business is missing out on a huge opportunity.

How Does AI Search Work?

So how does AI pull or rank information? Think of traditional search (Google) like a librarian giving you a list of books (links) to check out. Useful, but as an end user, you have to do a lot of leg work to get the information you need. AI Search goes a step further and acts as a very smart, research assistant who reads all those books and gives you one synthesized answer. In a culture that prefers instant gratification, it is easy to see why AI Search has been so quickly adopted.

Let’s dive a little deeper now into how AI search rankings work. AI search scans billions of documents—your Google Business Profile, your website content, other website’s content about you, your reviews, and directory listings, social media mentions—to construct a single, highly confident answer. It understands entities (your address, your service) and facts (your hours, your prices). If your data is inconsistent or weak, the AI skips over you and recommends the next authoritative business.

Business Report: Email Security For Businesses In 2026

December 15, 2025

PROVIDED BY ADNET TECHNOLOGIES

As businesses move into 2026, email remains the most targeted attack surface for cybercriminals. CEO fraud, fake invoice schemes and increasingly sophisticated business email compromise, or BEC, attacks continue to rise. Attackers exploit trust, routine communication and identity-based access to drain company finances. The FBI reports more than $55 billion in BEC-related losses over the past decade, and in 2024 alone, three out of four businesses experienced BEC attempts. For organizations, the question is no longer if these attacks will occur, but when.

For small and midsize businesses, email security is now a critical operational concern. Effective strategies combine identity protection, authentication, employee training and proactive monitoring to reduce both risk and exposure.

Business email compromise works because it exploits everyday business tools. When attackers gain access to a mailbox, often through stolen credentials or phishing, they can quietly observe communication patterns. From there, they redirect emails, impersonate leadership and access connected cloud applications such as OneDrive or SharePoint. The result is fraud that appears legitimate, with invoices, wire transfer requests and email threads that closely mirror real workflows.

The average BEC incident now exceeds $137,000 in financial losses. Cyber insurance claims tied to these attacks continue to climb.

Managed identity threat detection and response, or ITDR, now plays a critical role in cybersecurity. ITDR continuously monitors user behavior to detect subtle account takeover indicators such as impossible travel, unknown devices, suspicious inbox rules, privilege escalation and unauthorized forwarding.

Glens Falls Design Firm Earns CRBRA Best Outdoor Kitchen Distinction

December 15, 2025

The award winning Zobel and Co Kitchens outdoor project features a fully equipped pavilion kitchen on Sacandaga Lake with premium appliances integrated cabinetry and custom details throughout the space.
Zobel & Co. Kitchens

Zobel & Co. Kitchens, a custom kitchen design firm, has been recognized with the Best Outdoor Kitchen award by the Capital Region Builders and Remodelers Association (CRBRA). The honor was presented at the annual Best of Building Awards ceremony on November 13th at the Franklin Plaza Ballroom in Troy, NY.

The award-winning project features an expansive outdoor kitchen housed within a pavilion connected to the client’s summer residence on Sacandaga Lake. The design showcases NatureKast outdoor cabinetry and incorporates premium appliances including an Evo griddle, 48-inch DCS grill, DCS beverage refrigerator, beverage chiller, double burner, warming drawer, Coyote smoker, and Ooni pizza oven. Custom interior cabinet configurations deliver exceptional organization and storage for dinnerware, glassware, cookware, pantry essentials, and entertaining accessories.

“Recognition from CRBRA carries significant weight because entries are evaluated through an impartial, professional judging process,” said Arthur Zobel. “Our region is home to many accomplished design firms, so we’re deeply honored when clients trust us to transform their vision into reality.”

Adirondack Thunder Celebrate Record Attendance And Deep Community Support

December 15, 2025

By Paul Post

The Adirondack Thunder continue to make a significant financial contribution to area charitable groups, in addition to the economic impact the team has on downtown Glens Falls businesses.

A recent Military Night jersey auction and sale of themed flags around the arena raised $35,000 for Glens Falls and Queensbury Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

Last year, the Thunder accounted for almost $320,000 in charitable donations including $40,000 to CR Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital with proceeds from the team’s Stick it to Cancer games.

Other activities such as 50-50 drawings on game nights and chuck-a-puck contests at the conclusion of each game benefit dozens of area youth sports teams and non-profit agencies.

“That’s what the Thunder are all about, giving back to our community,” team President Jeff Mead said.

In addition, players made more than 200 visits to schools, hospitals and other sites last year as part of the Thunder’s community outreach program.

Park Street Hospitality Culinary Team Elevates Park & Elm Dining Experience

December 15, 2025December 15, 2025

Park & Elm culinary team brings experience and creativity to the Park Street Hospitality kitchen. From left to right, Executive Chef Matthew J. Delos, Pastry Chef Leigh Arquiett, Sous Chef April Rivers, and Sous Chef Daniel Brown.
Glens Falls Business Journal

By Ann Donnelly

Park Street Hospitality and its flagship restaurant, Park & Elm, are elevating dining in the Glens Falls area under the leadership of a veteran culinary team whose combined decades of experience in high-level catering and classical training have positioned the establishment as a leading regional dining destination.

Executive Chef Matthew J. Delos oversees the 25-person culinary staff, guiding every department from the market and dining room to catering operations. Delos began his formal culinary training at Schenectady County Community College in 1985 and later attended the Culinary Institute of America from 1989 to 2001. Throughout his career, he has received numerous honors, including recognition from the James Beard Foundation for “Top Six Best Inn Dining.” He has also appeared as a guest chef for the foundation’s “Great Country Inn Chefs.” His work has been featured in national publications including Food & Wine, Bon Appétit and Vermont Magazine. Prior to joining Park Street Hospitality, Delos spent more than a decade with Mazzone Hospitality in a variety of roles.

Delos operates under a clear culinary philosophy focused on fresh ingredients, strong presentation and classic dishes. From that foundation, he said, he enjoys adding creative twists and experimenting with new flavor combinations developed over a 30-year career. “From hotdogs to caviar, we do it all,” Delos said.