Category Archives: Business News

By Jill Nagy

The Fran Cove Motel on Route 9 in Lake George, a recently modernized facility about half a mile from the lake, was recently purchased by Mudassar (Manny) and Ahmad Ghuman, for $1.1 million.

The acquisition is the ninth motel in the area owned by members of their family, but the first venture for the Ghuman brothers.

It is the second recent motel sale on the lake. Mitchell B. Muroff, Esq., principal with MD/Muroff Daigle Hospitality Group said the EconoLodge-Lake George sold in February to Amber Hospitality Group.

Regarding the Fran Cove Motel, the Ghumans said they plan no major changes to the facility and expect to reopen it on Memorial Day weekend. One of the new owners, Manny Ghuman, seemed unfazed by the fact that this will be a new venture for him and his brother.

“The family will help,” he said.

They can also expect advice from the sellers, Linda and Tim Kissane, said Gloria Caldaroni Ford, the real estate agent who brokered the deal. She is also a cousin of the previous owners,.

The board of trustees of the Queensbury Senior Center (QSC) has hired former Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Peter Aust as its interim executive director.

“With recent changes at QSC and our board’s commitment to ensuring the growing organization continues to move positively forward meeting the needs of our membership, we were fortunate to have Peter agree to join us on an interim basis. We’re confident that his knowledge and expertise in leading organizations to new heights will serve our QSC well over the next few months,” said Rev. Monty Robinson, president of the board of trustees.

Aust has extensive experience and certifications in nonprofit leadership. He was ARCC president and CEO for over 16 years. He has also served on numerous local, state and national volunteer boards, including most recently the Tri-County United Way, the Warren/Washington/Saratoga Workforce Investment Board and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Regents.

After more than four years as chief executive officer of GlobalFoundries, Sanjay Jha will hand over the company’s top position to Dr. Thomas Caulfield, who has been the senior vice president and general manager of the Malta Fab 8 plant since 2014.

Caulfield, who lives in Saratoga Springs, joined the company in 2014 following a career spanning engineering, management, operational leadership and global executive experience with leading technology companies including 17 years at IBM in a variety of senior leadership roles.

Ron Sampson will take over as senior vice president and general manager of Fab 8. Sampson leads the operations and technology development at the Malta factory.

During his tenure at GlobalFoundries, Caufield successfully built and ramped the company’s 14nm production facility in Malta,

According to the company, the Malta plant is the most advanced foundry facility and one of the largest public-private partnerships in the United States.

AJA Architecture in Glens Falls has moved a few doors down from their previous location. The architecture firm, headed by Andrew Allison, is now located at 9 Broad St.

Allison said the original location was a startup building. In the past three years, the firm has grown to a staff of seven people.

The new location has 1,400 square feet of space which will meet staff needs. The warehouse-type building offers plenty of natural light.

“The thing about Glens Falls is there are so many great places where businesses like ours can grow,” he said.

Allison  graduated from Pennsylvania State University with dual degrees in architecture and structural engineering. Allison worked for architectural firms both local and throughout the United States for over 13 years before starting AJA Architecture.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

The former 190 Grille and Cinema in downtown Glens Falls will soon be home to a new restaurant

Craig Merrell, owner owner of the Downtown City Tavern, plans to open the Downtown Social Eatery and Lounge at that location. He said it will offer house-roasted coffee, baked goods, deli sandwiches, a carving station, wine bar and more, including table service for people looking for a traditional dining experience. The 7,500-square-foot space will bring a unique experience to the downtown area, according to George Normandin of Normandin Marketing, who is handling publicity for Merrell.

190 Grille and Cinema, located at 190 Glen St.,  closed in early December, after two and a half years in operation. Merrell signed a lease for the property shortly afterward, according to Normandin.

Glens Falls-based Design and communications agency Trampoline Design won a judge’s citation, a gold award, five silver awards and the Betsy Best in Show award at the 2018 American Advertising Awards-Capital Region event, held March 3 at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady.

Trampoline is a state-registered woman-owned agency established in 2003. The studio specializes in destination marketing, higher education, municipal and lifestyle brands, and has a full-time staff of 17.

“We have participated in this event almost every year since we started Trampoline. It’s an opportunity for our creative team to be recognized by their peers as well as a way to demonstrate to our clients that we love the work. I’d also say that it’s a great way to stay hungry and on the quest for the strongest and most effective design and messaging, for our clients and for ourselves,” Amanda Magee, partner, Trampoline Design.

The judge’s citation was given for Trampoline’s design and custom illustration for the Wildcat Mountain Resort 60th anniversary poster. This project was completed as part of Trampoline’s relationship as Peak Resort’s Agency of Record.

Stewart’s Shops and the Dake family have donated $500,000 to Albany Medical Center’s new pediatric emergency department, recently named the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center.

The Saratoga-based company and family were early supporters of Albany Med’s latest project, helping it reach the $14.5 million mark toward the fundraising goal of $20 million, Albany Med officials said. The total cost of the project is $50 million.

When it opens in the summer, it will be the only pediatric emergency department in northeastern New York and western New England, according to the hospital.

“Stewart’s and the Dake family are committed to ensuring that all our shops’ communities are strong and healthy,” said Susan Law Dake, president of the Stewart’s Foundation. “We are happy to be part of Albany Med’s commitment to pediatric health.”

The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center will be exclusively for children and teens through 18 years old, and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days week, year-round. The four-story, 70,000-square-foot facility, which will be located adjacent to the current Emergency Department, is designed specifically for the needs of children and their families, and offers access to the full range of pediatric specialists. It will be staffed by physicians, nurses and mid-level providers specially trained in pediatric emergency medicine.

The Charles R. Wood Foundation is currently accepting grant applications from IRS approved 501(c)3 organizations whose projects or programs assist children, healthcare or the arts in the Lake George region and surrounding areas.

Eligible applicants are invited to visit www.charlesrwoodfoundation.com to submit an online application by April 1 for consideration at the spring meeting of trustees.

The next subsequent deadline will be Sept. 1 for consideration at the fall meeting.

Over the past five years the foundation has awarded over $7.8 million.

“We are so pleased to be able to invest in such worthwhile projects. From the smallest soup kitchens to the larger capital projects, we are committed to investing in children, healthcare and the arts in our geographical focus area”, said Charlene Wood, foundation chairperson.

Charles R. Wood established the foundation that bears his name in 1978 to provide assistance in areas of special need in the region. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations with an emphasis on programs for children, healthcare and the arts.

Saratoga Raceway’s 77th season of harness racing is underway.

“We’re very excited to welcome fans back for the 77th year of harness racing,” said John Matarazzo, director of racing operations at Saratoga Casino Hotel. “A strong lineup of stakes and marquee races will allow us to continue our tradition of exciting and quality racing here at the historic Spa Oval.”

As always, parking and admission are free.

Track officials said a top highlight of the racing season will be the 10th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace, which will feature one dash for $260,000 on July 21.

Also set to attract top talent to Saratoga Raceway are the eight divisions of the New York Sire Stakes program that will be contested throughout the summer, culminating in the Excelsior Finals on Sept. 23. Collectively, horsemen will be competing for over $15 million in purses.