Chad Kiesow, Chief Operating Officer at Stewart’s Shops Corp., has been elected the 2024 Chair of the Board of Directors of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. Kiesow assumed this role on January 1, 2024, after Amy Smith of Saratoga Arms Hotel completed her one-year term as Chair of the Board and now becomes the Immediate Past Chair.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Saratoga County Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2024, a year that will undoubtedly be historic as our community prepares to host the Belmont Stakes this coming June,” Kiesow said. “Beyond working to maximize the economic and promotional opportunity for Saratoga resulting from this historic event, the Chamber will continue to be a visible and vocal promoter and advocate for our many small locally owned businesses via our SCORE small business counseling program, the Upstate of Business news segment in partnership with WNYT, and our award-winning Love Our Locals campaign. While Saratoga’s economy has outperformed many other communities in Upstate New York, we realize that the number one challenge facing local employers across every sector is our historic labor shortage and that is why the Chamber will focus much of its time and resources in 2024 on talent recruitment via our online Job Zone and expansion of our Live Like You’re On Vacation talent recruitment campaign.”
The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Board has a total of 27 members. The Chair Elect for 2022 is Randy Metevier of BKind Strategies, who will become the Chair of the Board in 2025. The 2024 Vice Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors is Melissa Johnson of Target Distribution and the 2024 Treasurer and Secretary is Eric Hennessey of UHY Advisors.
New members include Matt Cudemo of Saratoga Casino Hotel, Andrea Litchfield of Impact Athletic Center and Dan Graham of SM2 Development, all appointed to a one-year term, as well as Michael O’Connell of Adirondack Trust Company, who was elected for a three-year term through Dec. 31, 2026.
Additional members continuing their service on the board in 2024 include Heath Ames of Cantina; John Rogan of Saratoga Eagle; Tara Pleat of Wilcenski & Pleat; Sue Commanda of Hudson River Community Credit Union; Jill VanKuren of Saratoga Hospital; Terri Stripling of Ten80 Education, Inc.; Nil Ghoshal of Polyset; Najja Thompson of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.; Paul Loomis of Gilbane Construction; Chris Lyons of AIM Services; Alexandra Gutelius of Clifton Park Halfmoon Library; Tom Bellhouse of West Point Thoroughbreds; Andy Wise of Saratoga National Bank; Dennis Kiingati of Hamlet & Ghost; Melissa Ward of New Ward Development; Vince Laurenzo of Quick Response; Dave Rosenberg of Brix Wine & Liquor; and Maggie Fronk of Wellspring.