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Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course in 2024 to allow for the uninterrupted construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park, the Long Island home of the third leg of the Triple Crown.

“As part of the exciting modernization of Belmont Park, Saratoga now adds to its storied history by hosting the 3rd leg of the Triple Crown,” Governor Hochul said. “It’s a win for horseracing and for the Capital Region to have the excitement and the ability to host the four-day Festival in June at America’s most historic track. As I said during the 2023 Saratoga Meet, ‘Let’s do it.’”

Link to remainder of the story on NY State Website >>

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) hosted their annual Business Expo on November 8th at The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. This business showcase featured over 85 exhibitors, ranging from all types of industries and business sizes. From nonprofits  and human service organizations to health and wellness and professional services, the event was buzzing with activity.

“It is always amazing to watch all of the business connections happening in real time,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers. “Our business community is so amazing in that they support each other in every way possible.”

This year’s business showcase had something for everyone. Many businesses featured demos of their products, such as Mahoney Alarms, who had a great setup of their camera and security systems. Adirondack Winery, Lake George Wine Outlet, and Springbrook Hollow Distillery were all giving out samples of their beverages. And Park Street Hospitality delighted guests with some yummy Autumn themed treats. For the golf enthusiasts, PSG Golf set up a putting green, and The Luxury Box had a golf simulator. And for those who like their toys to drive, float, or ride the Expo had a vehicle from Romeo Toyota of Glens Falls, and a boat & snowmobile from Pilot Knob Marina & Powersports.

 By Paul Post

 The Adirondack Thunder averaged a franchise record 3,657 fans per game last year, boosting business for area firms that supply Cool Insuring Arena with food and beverage products.

 The team drew nearly a dozen sell-out crowds during its late-season drive to the ECHL’s Kelly Cup playoffs and based on early season-ticket sales, attendance is expected to reach another all-time high this year.

 That’s good news to firms such as Fitzgerald Brothers Beverages, and Argyle Brewing and Cooper’s Cave Ale companies along with advertisers such as Upstate Ford Dealers that reach more people as the team’s fan base grows.

 “Our main source of revenue for hockey is ticket sales,” said Jeff Mead, Cool Insuring Arena manager and Thunder general manager. “The more fans that come to the arena the more food, beverage and merchandise we sell and the more apt corporate partners are to support us. I’d love to see 3,800 average attendance this year. We’ve got a pretty good schedule with a lot of weekend home dates so I think that’s attainable.”

 Mead said he expects season ticket sales to reach 1,600, up from last year’s figure of 1,450. Ticket revenue accounts for 60 percent of the team’s income followed by corporate sponsors (30 percent) and food, beverage and merchandise sales (10 percent).

By Christine Graf

When leaders of the Veterinary Services division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) were tasked with improving the agency’s internal culture, they turned to CultureTalk for help.

CultureTalk, a Saratoga Springs-based company, was founded by sisters Theresa Agresta and Cynthia Forstmann. The USDA is among a long list of companies and agencies from around the world that have utilized the CultureTalk Platform to measure and define workplace culture.

Organizational culture refers to the values, beliefs, attitudes, systems, and rules that outline and influence employee behavior within an organization. 

“It’s common for people to talk about culture, but a lot of people don’t fully understand it,” said Agresta. “It is more often found in the ‘unwritten rules’ than the things that have been spelled out. CultureTalk can take something that is difficult to define and make it easy to talk about.”

The sisters came up with the idea for CultureTalk while working together on their first joint venture, brand development company Allegory Studios.

“Cynthia and I developed a niche and expertise in brand development,” said Agresta. “Very early on, we discovered the impact that measuring culture had on the development of an authentic brand. When we were working with a business to differentiate and brand them, the culture was the piece that really stood out to us.”

“If you are selling services, a lot of what you offer is similar to your competitors. It’s your people and your culture that really differentiate you, and that can be why a prospective client might choose your business.”

The Double H Ranch, a nonprofit organization providing specialized programs and year-round support for children dealing with life-threatening illnesses announced the hiring of Alison Wilcox as CEO. 

Wilcox will be following in the footsteps of Max Yurenda, who retired after 30 years leading the organization founded by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and businessman and philanthropist Charley Wood.

“Alison has a wonderful passion for the mission of the Double H Ranch and a respect for our culture. Her experience developing leadership skills for young girls; financial management; and organizational development will inspire the Double H Ranch to grow upon its reputation of excellence as one of the premier non-profits in the Capital District and North Country. By working with our great Double H Ranch team, I am confident Alison will bring great enthusiasm, energy, and engagement in her new role,” said Charlie Crew, the facility’s board chairman.

Wilcox has over 20 years of global experience in nonprofit leadership and board governance and has been the CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York for the past four years, and she was COO for three years. 

Prior to that, she was a senior strategy advisor to Girl Scouts of USA, lead development specialist at Delaware North Companies and the senior vice president of program and membership of Girls Scouts of Western New York. 

Double H’s board of directors retained the executive search firm Lindauer to conduct a nationwide search following the announcement of Yurenda’s retirement in June of 2022.

The Sembrich in Bolton was recently selected to participate in the 2023 Museum Assessment Program by The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community.

Since its inception in 1981, the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) has helped more than 5,000 small and mid-sized museums of all types strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet standards. With five types of assessments available, over 60 percent of AAM-accredited museums have participated in the program.

To participate in the program, museums choose from one of five institutional assessment types: organizational, collections stewardship, education & interpretation, community & audience engagement, or board leadership. 

All five assessment types are grounded in AAM’s core standards; are inclusive of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion issues as they relate to the assessment focus; help museums look at both functional and strategic aspects of their operations, and present focused learning modules and action plans for the museum to progress through; and include a peer-reviewed site visit. 

By Ann Donnelly

Many entrepreneurs start businesses after years of preparation and dreams of self-employment, but Cheryl Smith had never considered starting her own business. She happily worked for others in hospitality and retail for most of her life.

Still, a series of opportunities presented themselves over a few months in 2021 that led to a new chapter in her life as the owner of Stay in Tux, now located in new space at 2315 Route 9N, Lake George, providing tuxedo, suit, and accessory rentals for weddings, proms, senior balls, and special occasions.

While initially reluctant, she now says, “I feel like I’ve been training for this my whole life.”

Originally from Idaho, Smith moved to Queensbury in 1988 to work as a nanny to two girls. She expected to work for a year and then return to Idaho, but one year turned into four years. As the children started school, Smith went to Adirondack Nautelis gym in her free time. There she met personal trainer Todd Smith and the two were married in 1993.

After leaving the nanny position, Smith worked many years in the office at Adirondack Camping Village and had different part-time retail jobs in the off-season. She decided to take a full-time retail position that offered paid vacation and time to attend her sons’ sporting events.

By Paul Post

Glens Falls was a shadow of the proud, prosperous community people called “Hometown USA” when Ben Miller left home to pursue a music career.

Vacant storefronts lined Glen Street, attractions were far and few between, and dysfunctional traffic patterns made trips downtown a nightmare.

When visiting home, however, Miller saw a steady resurgence that has blossomed, making Glens Falls one of upstate New York’s more vibrant small cities.

“It was really within the last five years that things really started to explode and more and more, every time I came home I saw Glens Falls as a place where I could see myself some day,” he said. “There’s been a huge amount of work done by the business community to make Glens Falls a place where people want to live and have the amenities they’re looking for.”