More than 80 New York state wineries, craft beverage makers, artisan food vendors, food trucks and more will participate in this year’s Adirondack Wine and Food Festival in Lake George on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24.

The fourth annual festival will be held at Charles R. Wood Festival Commons, 17 West Brook Road, Lake George. It will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

“Ticket sales are going very well,” said festival founder Sasha Pardy. “We have already sold 1,300 tickets, which is quite far ahead of the same time last year. Our goal this year is 6,200 attendees and so far we are on track.”

New York state has launched Round VIII of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, officially kicking off the 2018 competition for more than $750 million in state economic development resources. 

The consolidated funding application is open, enabling businesses, municipalities, nonprofits and the public to begin applying for assistance from dozens of state programs, through a single application, for job-creation and community development projects.

The deadline for applications is Friday, July 27 at 4 p.m.

The board of directors of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) has hired Michael Bittel as its new president and chief executive officer.

He takes the reigns from Marti Burnley, who was named interim president after Tori J.E. Riley left the position in September of 2017.

Michael Bittel stepped into his new role effective April 30. 

“I am so blessed to live in the most beautiful area in the world. We have it all—lakes, great restaurants, manufacturing, schools, financial, farming and so much more. The most important asset to our area is the commitment and quality of our people. I look so forward to serving our community in this fantastic endeavor,” said Bittel.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Tiki Tours LLC plans to add one or two boats to the business this summer. 

Co-owner Greg Teresi said the response to the business was so positive last year that he and his crew are ready to accommodate more guests. 

Teresi said he plans to continue to provide a safe boat ride for people looking for a Tiki bar experience on the water. He said there were some minor kinks from last season to work out, but the majority of his 1,200 passengers last year had a safe and enjoyable experience.

Mannix Marketing, Inc., a leading digital marketing company based in Glens Falls, took home Best Social Media Campaign award at the Interactive Marketing Awards 2018 competition.

The award was earned for the agency’s work with New Way Lunch. 

It was presented to Amberly Rundell,  Mannix digital marketing and social media strategist in April at a celebratory gala dinner held at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Centre in Florida.

Rundell and senior digital marketing strategist Jessica Tracy were also short-listed finalists for Best Interactive Marketing – Retail/E-commerce, for an organic SEO campaign they conducted in tandem for Gettysburg Flag Works, while Tracy was also nominated for Best Interactive Marketing – B2B, for her efforts with American Heating Co.

By Rachel Phillips

TIMIT Solutions in Glens Falls, a company that provides IT solutions for businesses, recently created a new app for a client, UVBioTek. 

UVBioTek, a company that specializes in light therapy for skin conditions, commissioned an app from TIMIT that will compliment their new line of LED photo-rejuvenation products. Called My POLY, it is accessible for iOS and Android devices and provides users with information on the  light therapy products, as well as training and regiment schedules.

“UVBioTek is the first to provide light therapy customers with a robust app to help them maximize their purchase by having everything they need on their mobile device. The UVBioTek team came up with innovative ways to create a rewarding user experience,” said Tim Montgomery, company president.