Glens Falls Business Journal

Adirondack Winery Raises $22K For Breast Cancer Awareness In Drink Pink

December 16, 2024

Participants in the Drink Pink fund-raiser for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks are all smiles as they display the check representing money raised during the event.
Courtesy of Adirondack Winery

Adirondack Winery has announced another successful year of their Drink Pink breast cancer awareness fund raiser. As a result of the campaign, Adirondack Winery raised over $22,000 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks thanks to the support of its customers, staff, friends, family, and other local businesses.

From mid-September to the end of October, a portion of every purchase made at Adirondack Winery was donated to Making Strides. The winery raised funds this year in a variety of ways, including the sale of its Drink Pink Berry Breeze, a limited-edition version of its mixed berry rosé that has a pink cap and label. Much of the donation was also raised via the sale of wine, accessories, and raffle ticket sales. Thanks to local businesses donating their products and services, the winery was able to compile multiple high-value raffle baskets for customers to enter for a chance to win. One hundred percent of raffle basket ticket proceeds were donated and the winery was able to raise over $5,600 from raffle tickets alone.

“We are blown away by the support of our customers, staff, friends, family, and community year after year,” said Adirondack Winery President and Co-Owner Sasha Pardy. “Giving back to the community is very important to us as a company and this disease has touched far too many people around us. Whether it’s a family member, friend, or customer – we want to be there to support.”

Glens Falls Youth Center Launches A $900K Campaign For Wellness Expansion

December 16, 2024

A rendering of the planned Wellness Center at the Glens Falls Youth Center, expanding support and opportunities for local youth.
Courtesy of The Glens Area Youth Center

By LEE COLEMAN

The Glens Falls Area Youth Center has embarked on a capital campaign to raise $900,000 for an addition onto the center at 60 Montcalm Street in Glens Falls.

The center serves students in 5th grade through 12th grade, many of them at risk, lacking resources and food security at home. Ninety percent of the youth center members are from families below the poverty line and qualify for free or reduced lunch at their schools.

Molly Congdon-Hunsdon, the daughter of the late youth center founder Matt Congdon, said the capital campaign will fund a 3,000-square-foot addition to the existing 6,000-square-foot center.

“We want to start construction in June of 2025,” said Congdon-Hunsdon, who is the center’s executive director. The center’s current building opened in 2000 and more space is required for the health and wellness of the members as more children use the facility.

Congdon-Hunsdon said that on any given day during the school year between 70 and 90 children come to the center in the afternoon and evening. During summer months, when school is out, between 40 and 50 students come to the center each day.

The Moreau Community Center Offers An Extensive Array Of Social Programs

December 16, 2024

Moreau Community Center on Main Street in South Glens Falls offers 19 programs and services.
Courtesy Moreau Community Center

By Rod Bacon

Since 1977, the Moreau Community Center has been assisting those in the tri-county area who need a bit of help in their lives.

Established in the former Methodist church on Main Street in South Glens Falls, the center offers an extensive menu of activities and support services.

“In the beginning the center did not do all the things that we do now,” said Executive Director Donna Nichols, who took over that position in 2010. “They primarily ran a pre-school, Meals On Wheels, and a senior program.”

Nichols has extensive experience with non-profit organizations, having spent 26 years with Community, Work & Independence, Inc. (CWI) in Glens Falls.

Today the center offers 19 programs and services aimed at enhancing the lives of everyone from youngsters to senior citizens.

One of the more important offerings at this time of year is the Holiday Caring Program. Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and children’s gifts are provided to hundreds of income-eligible South Glens Falls residents. As is the case with many of the center’s programs, financial and “adopt-a-family” donors are welcome to contribute, as are volunteers to administer it.

“We had about 70 families that we provided a meal for at Thanksgiving and we will be doing the same thing for Christmas,” said Nichols. “People who adopt a family will buy gifts for the kids so not only does the family get a meal the kids get presents. We give all this out on December twentieth.”

Nichols noted that the center has “a small army” of volunteers, without whom it could not operate successfully.

Business Report: Managing Nonprofit Financials Well

December 16, 2024

Sabrina Houser is the owner of Capital CFO.

By Sabrina Houser

When I first started in the role of CEO and CFO at the nonprofit I was privileged to run, I quickly realized how important the financials were to the organization. I realized that although we were talking about profit and loss, revenue/expenses, black/red net balances, what we were really talking about was our mission.

The kids we served. How many more or fewer we could help. How each dollar directly correlated to our programs. The more money we were able to raise, the more we could do. The less we raise, the more we needed to cut back.

Because of this direct correlation between dollars and program scope and impact, the CFO of a nonprofit plays a key role in advancing the mission of the organization. It is never just about the numbers – it is about the mission. It is also always about the numbers, because without solid financial information it is impossible to make strategic, informed decisions regarding service delivery, program sustainability and the future direction of the organization.

For these reasons, the role of CFO is critical.

Business Report: Protecting Your Business Data Through Personal Device Safety

December 16, 2024

Aleks Pavlinik is chief information security office at StoredTech.
Courtesy StoredTech

By Aleks Pavlinik, Chief Information Security Officer

Why protect your personal digital life? Securing your personal life identity, passwords, and digital assets is crucial not only for your own safety but also for the security of your workplace. Think about it… we all access our work emails through our personal smartphones everyday. We reply to emails, we open attachments, we check our calendars for meetings. Some companies even allow their staff to use their own computers for work. But if compromised, these personal devices are a gateway for cybercriminals to infiltrate your workplace systems.

Maintaining strong, unique passwords, requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts, and using strong security solutions for your personal devices helps you contribute to a more secure and resilient organizational infrastructure. Remember, your personal security practices are the first line of defense in protecting both your personal and professional life.

Everyone reading this has probably experienced a risk or an attempt of identity theft, financial loss, and unauthorized access to your accounts. Someone tried to login to your social media accounts, or your bank called you with a questionable fraud attempt. This is tenfold for a business. There’s a whole business market out there of hackers who make millions by exploiting businesses, holding their data at ransom and stopping them from working and serving their customers.

Small businesses may think, “a hacker wouldn’t waste time going after my business. We aren’t big enough.” And that’s exactly the point. They know small businesses owners are not investing the resources in cybersecurity measures, so it’s easy for them.

While personal devices allow employees to work with flexibility and efficiency, they also pose significant cybersecurity risks. Without a strong security culture, one compromised device can lead to devastating data breaches. The good news? A robust security culture can significantly reduce your business’s risk. Here’s how to make it happen.

New NOLYM App Offers Instant, Global Live Views For Businesses And Consumers

December 16, 2024

Ryan Marcantonio has developed a new mobile app called NOLYM that many types of businesses can benefit from by getting real-time, live-streamed views of any location they want to see.
Courtesy Paul Post

By Paul Post

A local entrepreneur has developed a new mobile app that gives him remote, real-time views of his firm’s projects, to make sure they’re done properly.

But Ryan Marcantonio believes NOLYM (No limit) can benefit all types of small and large businesses, while radically changing the way people obtain live media coverage.

The concept is similar to Uber, but instead of hiring a driver for a ride, NOLYM users contact anybody, anywhere who’s signed up for the program to provide a live view of a given scene or event.

“This is going to literally change the world of live streaming,” Marcantonio said. “There’s so many use cases. If I want to see Times Square right now, I could send out a job request saying I want to see a certain store there. I put information in a request, say how long I want the video to be and set my price.”

“If you’re a media outlet, there’s a protest going on and you want somebody on location right then, you literally have that with NOLYM,” he said. “It eliminates media bias. Instead of someone talking, putting their spin on what’s happening, the viewer at home can tell the streamer what they want to see, so they can truly see what’s happening without commentary. It changes the dynamic. It switches the power to the viewer instead of the streamer.”

Adirondack Cabling And Security Works With IT To Protect Businesses And Enhance Efficiency

December 16, 2024

BobWomer (standing) and Dave Womer reivew plans for a cabling project.
Glens Falls Business Journal

By Susan Elise Campbell

As technology improves how a business is run, installing cable to connect the new technologies improves with it. One local company at the forefront of that is Adirondack Cabling and Security, providing clients with innovative cabling solutions for the best of 40 years.

“In 1982 when my dad and uncle started the company, the big thing was the PDX telephone system so a business with one phone number could have an extension on every desk,” said Dave Womer.

Dave is the son of Jack Womer who, along with his brother Bob, operated Adirondack Cabling until 2017 when Dave and his cousin Bob Jr. purchased the business from their retiring fathers. Dave is president and Bob Jr. is vice president of operations.

“My father and uncle saw there were many companies manufacturing the latest phone systems, but no one to install them,” Womer said. They formulated a business plan to meet that demand.

By the 1990s there were computers in every office that needed to be networked and Adirondack Cabling transitioned into another new market, he said.

Business Report: What should you know about RMDs?

December 16, 2024

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

Provided By Meghan Murray

You may spend many decades contributing to your IRA and 401(k), but eventually you will likely need to take the money out — in fact, you must take the money out or face penalties. What should you know about these mandatory withdrawals?

Here are some of the basics:

• What are they called? Mandatory withdrawals are technically called required minimum distributions, or RMDs.

• When must I take RMDs? If you were born before 1951, you’ve probably already begun taking RMDs. If you were born between 1951 and 1959, your RMD age is 73. And if you were born in 1960 or later, your RMD age is 75. You can postpone accepting your first RMD until April 1 of the year after you reach your RMD age, but this will result in two RMDs for the year. After you take your first RMD, you must take subsequent ones by December 31 of each year.

• What penalties will be assessed if I don’t take all my RMDs? For every dollar not withdrawn, the IRS will charge a 25% penalty, but this can drop to 10% if you subsequently withdraw the correct amount within two years.

• Which accounts have RMDs? RMDs apply to traditional IRAs, as well as other types of IRAs, including SIMPLE and SEP IRAs. RMDs don’t apply to Roth IRAs. RMDs also apply to traditional 401(k)s, but not Roth 401(k)s.

• Can I withdraw more than the RMD for any given year? Yes, you are free to take out as much as you want. However, if you take out more than the RMD for one year, you can’t apply the excess to the RMD for the next year.

• How are RMDs calculated? Typically, your RMDs are determined by dividing your account balance from the prior December 31 by a life expectancy factor published by the IRS. Your financial professional should be able to perform this calculation for you.

Business Report: Securing Your Retirement Future

December 16, 2024

David Kopyc, president of Retirement Planning Group LLC in Glens Falls.
Courtesy Retirement Planning Group LLC

By David Kopyc

Retirement, once a distant dream, can quickly become a tangible reality. As you navigate the complexities of modern life, it’s crucial to prioritize financial planning to ensure a comfortable and secure retirement.

Understanding Your Retirement Needs

The first step in effective retirement planning is to assess your financial needs. Consider the following factors:

• Desired Lifestyle: What kind of lifestyle do you envision in retirement? Will you travel extensively, pursue hobbies, or volunteer?

• Healthcare Costs: Factor in potential healthcare expenses, including insurance premiums, prescription drugs, and long-term care.

• Inflation: Account for the impact of inflation on your future spending power.

• Dependency Ratios: If you plan to support dependents, include their needs in your calculations.

To determine the amount you need to save, you can use various retirement calculators or consult with a financial advisor. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Time Horizon: The longer your investment horizon, the more time your savings have to grow.

• Expected Rate of Return: Estimate the average annual return on your investments.

• Social Security Benefits: Factor in the potential income you will receive from Social Security.

• Pension Income: If you have a pension, include it in your calculations.

Lake George Land Conservancy Protects Sucker Brook And Lake George With Land In Glenburnie

December 16, 2024

The LGLC has purchased 93 acres of land in Glenburnie that protects water quality and connects Anthony’s Nose (center) to the Sucker Brook Preserve (foreground).
Courtesy Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc.:

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) purchased 86 acres of forested land in Glenburnie, Town of Putnam, on November 22, 2024. This conservation project permanently protects an additional 1,400 feet of Sucker Brook, one of the lake’s largest tributaries, providing critical water quality protection for Lake George while also extending a network of adjacent protected lands that support a diverse wildlife population.

This acquisition completes the LGLC’s Anthony’s Nose-to-Sucker Brook Connection project that includes three transactions in Glenburnie this year resulting in a total of 93 acres of newly protected land.

The 86-acre purchase was completed in partnership with the Glenburnie community that came together to act as a conservation buyer, securing the property and providing time for permanent protection by the LGLC.

President of the Glenburnie Cottagers Association Tom Badenoch said, “After years of combined efforts, the Glenburnie community was thrilled to be able to partner with the Lake George Land Conservancy to preserve this critical link in the Sucker Brook Preserve. The protection of this land will help enhance the water quality of Lake George, preserve the scenic and open space values of the region and provide a critical wildlife corridor connecting protected lands from Gull Bay to Anthony’s Nose.”