Glens Falls Business Journal

Wiawaka House In Lake George Serves As A Retreat And Also A Venue For Special Events

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

The Wiawaka Holiday House, coming into its 116th year , is the only continuously operating women’s retreat in America. Guests from all over come for respite, workshops and events.
Courtesy Wiawaka Holiday House

by Andrea Palmer
Wiawaka Holiday House in Lake George has a new executive director, Doreen Kelly.
Kelly served on the board of directors for four years prior, and was most recently board president before stepping down to go through the interview process for executive director.
“I grew up in Glens Falls but like most people, didn’t know a lot about Wiawaka. As soon as I became involved a few years ago, I fell in love with the mission, the values and the vision,” said Kelly.
Wiawaka Holiday House is coming into its 116th year. It is the only continuously operating women’s retreat in America. Guests from all over the country come for respite, workshops and events. The property can be booked for events such as weddings and family reunions.

DDM Generation Helps Companies Optimize Their Utilization Of Websites And Internet

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Jenna Clark started DDM Generation in March. She focuses on data driven marketing to help companies make the best use of their websites and information they get from the internet.
Courtesy DDM Generation

By Christine Graf
Queensbury digital marketing company DDM Generation was launched in March by Albany native Jenna Clark.
Before opening her own company, Clark worked at a search engine marketing company in New York City. She also worked for a New York City startup that launched a mobile ordering app for pizzerias. After several years of working in the city, she decided to move back to the area to start her own business.
“Entrepreneurship has always been a passion of mine,” she said. “I knew it was time to pursue what I truly love and that is helping businesses grow.”

Northern River Family Of Services Launches Mental Health Program For Local Counties

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Staff of the new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program launched by Northern Rivers Family of Services. The program serves Warren and Washington counties.
Courtesy Northern River Family Services

Northern Rivers Family of Services has launched its new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program to serve Warren and Washington counties.
ACT is an intensive community-based, client-centered program developed to serve adults age 18 and older who experience a serious and persistent mental illness that makes functioning in the community difficult for them.

Glens Falls Hospital And Fort Hudson, A Senior Care Group, Align For Better Services

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Glens Falls Hospital and Fort Hudson Health System have developed a new model of care for patients that officials claim will more effectively integrate acute and post-acute services.
The jointly developed program, known as the Partnership for Better Health, targets patients at Glens Falls Hospital who require short-term rehabilitation or home health care and have risk factors which increases their chance of future hospitalizations.

Eastern Heating And Cooling Becomes Part Of 12-Company Group: Comfort Systems USA

June 13, 2019June 18, 2019

A training session is put on by Dennis Choiniere, right, at Eastern Heating and Cooling.
Courtesy Eastern Heating and Cooling

By Jill Nagy
In the late 1990s, when acquisitions fever was high, a group of venture capitalists made an offer to Fred Giardinelli, owner of Eastern Heating and Cooling, a thriving company that does work throughout the Capital District, including the Glens Falls and Saratoga areas: They would buy his company, but he would continue to operate it.
He accepted the offer, as did enough other business owners, to form a 12-company conglomerate that is now Comfort Systems USA, a national company listed on the New York Stock Exchange that has some $2.1 billion in annual revenues.

Building Trades Industry Is Working To Combat Shortages In The Labor Pool

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Officials in the building trades fields say a shortage of skilled laborers still exists.

People in the building trades and construction industry continue to say there is a shortage of skilled labor.
Kevin Maynard, owner of Kevin Maynard Construction in Fort Ann, said older skilled workers are aging out of the industry and there are not enough younger workers to replace them.
“It’s hard to find young people who want to learn the trade and want to do it well. Everyone who has talent, already has a secure job,” said Maynard. “We do everything with all of our heart, and we want to find guys that follow suit with that level of work quality.”
“It’s impacted how much work I can take on because I just don’t have the manpower,” he said.
Maynard stated the shortage has increased the need for full-service construction companies to use sub-contractors. But those sub-contracting companies are facing the same shortage in skilled workers.

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Field Is Among Those Utilizing New Technology

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Dave Simons co-owner of Simons Heating and Cooling in Queensbury, works on a boiler replacement project. The company says HVAC technology is advancing at a rapid rate.
Courtesy Simons Heating and Cooling

by Christine Graf
“One of the recent changes in the industry is that it’s not all about spinning wrenches and getting greasy and dirty. There’s a lot of technical stuff that needs to be done within the trade,” said Dan Keating, president of BPI Mechanical in Waterford.
His company does HVAC work as well as installations of mechanical systems and equipment.
Jason McCormack, co-owner and operations manager of Simons Heating and Cooling in Queensbury, agreed that HVAC technology has been advancing at a rapid rate.

Retirement Planning Group LLC Opens Satellite Office At 86 Glen St. In Glens Falls

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

David M. Kopyc, CRPC, is president of Retirement Planning Group LLC.
Courtesy Retirement Planning Group LLC

By Jill Nagy
Retirement Planning Group LLC recently opened an office in Glens Falls in the NBT Bank building at 86 Glen St.
For now, it is a satellite office. The main office is in Saratoga Springs and there is another office in Albany. However, company president David M. Kopyc expects the Glens Falls office to grow and soon become the company’s main office.
He sees “great opportunity in Glens Falls,” he said.
Kopyc is looking for “seasoned investment professionals” to add to the firm’s staff. He expects to spend an increasing proportion of his time in Glens Falls.. His Clifton Park home is on the market and Kopyc expects to make a vacation home in Lake George his primary residence.
Company clients are located all over the country, Kopyc said, but primarily in the Capital District, with growing numbers in the North Country.

Business Report: Tools Great For Father’s Day And Investors

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Meghan Murray is a financial advisor with Edward Jones Financial in Queensbury.

By Meghan Murray
If you’re a dad, you may well be pleased to unwrap some tools as Father’s Day gifts. Of course, it might be a stereotype that all men are handy at repairs; women certainly can be every bit as good when it comes to building and fixing things.
In fact, the construction process is valuable for anyone to learn – and the same skills that go in to creating and mending physical objects also can be applied to financial projects – such as working toward a comfortable retirement.
Here are a few of those skills:
Diagnosing the challenge.
A good craftsperson knows that the first step toward accomplishing any outcome is to assess the challenge. So, for example, if you want to build some bookshelves right into the wall, you’ll need to locate the wall studs, determine if you have adequate space for the shelving you want and allow room for future expansion.

Business Report: Help Wanted!

June 13, 2019June 14, 2019

Michael Cruz, president of Lighthouse Advisors LLC in Queensbury.

In the era of full employment, we will have trouble filling seats. All of my clients, and everyone I speak to cannot fill all of their jobs. Newspaper is not working. Job boards are not working. What can you do? Here are a few ideas.

Address what you are looking for. Do you really need that degree? Examine why. You may not need it. There are lots of good people out there who want to learn new skills. Getting people with experience is a challenge. Consider whether or not your crew leaders and managers can train those people. Look for traits that will make them successful and ask the right questions.