By Susan E. Campbell
Local banks can have both a stabilizing and energizing influence on a community’s economy, which is the main reason why Kerri Lewis of TD Bank and professionals like her have pursued careers in banking.
“Connecting with clients is why I’ve been a career banker,” Lewis said. “It’s a position that provides me the opportunity to have a strong pulse on the needs of the community and help make an impact.”
The Capital District Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), a nonprofit organization serving women in the construction and related industries, will bring together New York State Women Business Enterprises (WBE) construction businesses and state agencies at its annual WBE Showcase in March.
The fifth annual event is slated for Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at the Century House in Latham. The showcase will run from 5-7:30 p.m.
Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2014 mandate to increase statewide MWBE utilization goals to 30 percent for all state contracts, it is crucial for businesses that are at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by women to get certified and market themselves as certified businesses, according to NAWIC.
By Jill Nagy
After more than 20 years of organizing events, often as a sideline to a sales position, Stacy Bissell is in business for herself as Anastacia’s Events LLC out of Queensbury.
She specializes in setting up trade shows and sales conventions, but has done everything from family parties to weddings to corporate team-building events.
“What I do is my passion,” she said, “I am following my passion as my career.” She said that she has “a ton of contacts” from previous work and, although in business for less than six months, “I am very busy.”
By Susan E. Campbell
Maria Nissi is an independent college admissions consultant who has started a new business to help high school students find the best fit for their college careers. With 4,000 institutions to choose from and sticker prices that can mean decades of debt, more and more parents are finding guidance like Nissi’s to be invaluable.
“Some people think this is a service only for the rich,” said Nissi. “But it’s a lot less expensive than transferring because the student was not in the right place.”
By Christine Graf
Linda Brown of Spire Business, Inc. never set out to start her own business. She had a successful career in money management and financial planning when she took a maternity leave in 2002.
While on leave, a CPA asked her if she could help some of his clients with QuickBooks.
“I never went back to corporate America,” she said. “As a financial planner, you work 70 hours a week and I really didn’t want to do that.”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced legislation to reauthorize and to expand the MWBE Program to more contracts entirely funded by the state.
The proposed legislative changes and expansion to include all state-funded contracts would leverage the largest pool of state funding in history to combat systemic discrimination and create new opportunities for MWBE participation at every level, according to Cuomo.
Since 2011, state-certified MWBEs have won more than $10.4 billion in state contracts and the state has certified more than 6,600 MWBEs and re-certified more than 4,700 MWBEs.
“In New York, we know that our economy is strongest when everyone is empowered to participate, which is why we continue to work to increase access and opportunities to success for minority and women owned businesses to strengthen and diversify our economy,” Cuomo said. “These actions will break down barriers to success and empower these business owners to help fuel our economy and move this great state forward.”
By Maureen Werther
Roberta Berkowitz started Prendo Forensics LLC in 2010 after a 25-year career in sales and management. Since that time, the company has received several Woman and Minority Owned Business Enterprise (WMBE) certifications on the state and national level, allowing her business to be eligible to bid on state and federal contracts.
Prendo Forensics LLC, in Bolton Landing, provides forensics and digital-related supplies and equipment to local, state and federal government agencies, as well as to colleges, universities, high schools and BOCES training programs. Berkowitz describes her company as a “sole source provider,” which means that clients can order a broad range of equipment and supplies from a variety of manufacturers through a single distributor.
She sells law enforcement supplies and forensic products for crime scene investigations and training.
By Jill Nagy
Wetlands scientist and ecologist Deborah Roberts is used to being called in at the beginning, the middle and the end of various projects.
Her company, Roberts Environmental Consulting in Queensbury, can warn a potential developer of environmental constraints on a planned project; can help guide a developer through environmental issues during the course of a project; and, if necessary, can suggest ways to remediate environmental blunders.
Roberts formed the company in 1994, after several years working for a large company in the Boston area. She moved back to the area where she grew up when her children were in grade school. She then set up shop on her own.
Today, with those children long since grown and gone, she still relishes the independence of her own company, the flexibility and the control she has over her projects.
The Capital District Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), a nonprofit organization serving women in the construction and related industries, invites New York State Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) to showcase their businesses at the third annual NYS MWBE Showcase this month.
The event is set for 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at the Century House in Latham.
Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2014 mandate to increase statewide MWBE utilization goals to 30 percent for all state contracts, it is crucial for businesses that are at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by women or minorities to get certified and market themselves as certified businesses.
The annual showcase will create an avenue for MWBEs to not only market themselves to representatives from state agencies, architects, subcontractors, owners, developers and engineers, but also give them a chance to network with other MWBEs in the state.
Barkeater Chocolates will soon have its gourmet chocolates, handcrafted in North Creek, available in a local grocery store chain.
The company announced March 2 that its products are being rolled out to 72 Price Chopper and Market 32 stores across New York state over the course of the next several months.
The 72 stores are offering Barkeater’s famous Barkeater Bars in five flavors, Grown Up Peanut Butter Cups, a locally sourced all-natural crunchy peanut butter, and two varieties of their “bark” product.
“We’ve been working with Price Chopper for several years now, and are thrilled that they are choosing to increase our footprint to all of their New York stores,” said Deb Morris, a chocolatier and co-founder of Barkeater Chocolates.