Category Archives: Business News

By Susan Elise Campbell

Sometimes a group of businesspeople gets together and comes up with a novel idea for a product they can have fun developing and bring to market successfully. 

In the case of Sidecap, the brainstormers were three neighbors and dads whose kids play together. Their think tank was a swimming pool. And the idea was a coffee cocktail that comes in a can. 

The first round of product is being sold at Purdy’s liquor stores in Saratoga. The flagship Sidecap Hard Cold Brew is a 250ml can of a coffee and vodka blend with 6.9 percent alcohol.

“Three years ago we were throwing out crazy ideas for drinks and many of the ideas died out,” said Adam Feldman, one of the three and a consultant to local small businesses. “But this one had staying power.”

It took a while from that summer afternoon for Feldman, Dave Dolinsky, and Case Fell to do research and development and produce their first cases. R&D entailed mixing different blends of Kru brand cold brew, store bought vodka, and a dash of sugar into a flavor profile they could settle on. 

Feldman said he is good friends with the owners of Kru, a coffee shop at The Fresh Market plaza featuring fair trade beans and teas. 

“It’s my office away from home,” he said. “The baristas kid me that I spend more time there than they do.”

Kru was “a natural fit in the world of coffee,” so Feldman asked if they wanted to develop the research together, he said.

Most coffee drinks on the market are coffee flavored beer or liquor infused with coffee. But according to Feldman, Sidecap is a new concept in alcoholic beverages.

Leadership Saratoga, a program of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, recently completed four community service projects and is now accepting proposals from nonprofit organizations for its Class of 2026.

Nonprofits serving Saratoga County are invited to submit project ideas by Aug. 15. Selected organizations will work with a team of professionals in the upcoming class to enhance programs, develop strategies, or improve operations.

The Class of 2025 completed the following projects:

American Cancer Society – Capital Region: A team helped expand the Road to Recovery program in Saratoga County, which connects cancer patients with trained volunteer drivers who provide free transportation to medical appointments. The project focused on volunteer recruitment and program awareness.

Ballston Area Community Center: The team developed a strategic growth plan, created community engagement strategies, and evaluated opportunities to expand BACC’s programs to meet growing community demand.

Pitney Meadows Community Farm: A group evaluated and researched options to expand the farm’s trail systems, including cost analysis and stakeholder input to support future fundraising.

Wilton Fire District: Addressing regional volunteer shortages, a project team created a recruitment toolkit for the Wilton Volunteer Fire Department. The toolkit included public awareness materials, incentive strategies, and community engagement plans.

By Paul Post

BOCES officials are eagerly awaiting groundbreaking for a $96 million campus that will increase capacity for current programs such as construction trades while making new offerings such as green energy and a standalone electrical course possible.

Plans call for three buildings totaling 290,000 square feet on 25 acres at the corner of Ballard and North roads, just off Exit 16 in Wilton. Two buildings would be for special education (grades K-6 and 7-12) and a third for career and technical classes.

 The complex would replace the current Southern Adirondack and F. Donald Myers learning centers in Hudson Falls and Saratoga Springs, respectively.

A BOCES program for special education elementary students at the Sanford Street School in Glens Falls would also move to Wilton.

“Currently we tend to have a wait list for our programs,” BOCES District Superintendent Turina M. Parker said. “So we’ll be able to take more students into current programs. And some programs we’re only able to offer at one center now. All programs will be offered at the new center, so it expands our capacity to serve all 31 school districts in the five counties we serve. It expands our reach for students across the region.”

Approximately 1,275 students from Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton and Essex counties are currently enrolled in local BOCES district courses, and some from the immediate Capital District as well.

Groundbreaking on the new center is scheduled for this fall and it’s expected to start welcoming students in September 2027. 

By Paul Post

The Spa City has hit the trifecta of Belmont Stakes fortunes as the historic race will be back next year for a third and final time.

Dust is still settling from this year’s five-day racing festival and officials are already making plans for an even bigger and better event.

“By all measure, the 2025 Belmont Racing Festival supported by the popular Belmont on Broadway concert was an overwhelming community and economic success,” said Greg Connors, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation president. “Feedback from our organizational stakeholders, business owners, the hospitality industry as well as city and county residents has been almost unanimously favorable and positive. Business and community organizers took lessons learned from our 2024 experience and made changes to our 2025 efforts to the benefit of all concerned.”

“We do look forward to welcoming the international and national audience back to Saratoga County in 2026,” he said. “The substantial economic impact on not only Saratoga, but the Capital Region is significant. Historically, the traditional Saratoga meet contributes an estimated $9 million per day to the local economy.”

Capital Region entrepreneur Daniel T. Pickett III has been elected chairman of the Albany Med Health System board of directors, beginning a two-year term July 1.

Pickett is founder and CEO of AptiHealth, a behavioral-healthcare company that connects high-need patients with comprehensive care, and CEO of Hudson River Capital Holdings, a private investment firm. He previously served as president of Zones and CEO of nfrastructure, two global technology companies, and joined the Albany Med board in 2012 when it oversaw only Albany Medical Center and Albany Medical College. Today, the board includes 30 members guiding a system that spans multiple hospitals, outpatient sites, the Albany Med Research Institute and partnerships with affiliated organizations across northeastern New York.

“A strong health-care network allows communities to thrive,” Pickett said. “Having 16,000 colleagues who live and work here means we understand local needs. It is an honor to lead a System that remains independent and able to define the future of care. As we move forward, we must develop new approaches to meet patients where they are.”

Pickett plans to focus on workforce development, expand access to specialized services such as cardiac and oncology care, and deepen integration among the System’s hospitals. The Albany Med Health System, the region’s largest private employer, offers more than 60 specialty services across 125 locations in New York’s Capital Region and the Hudson Valley, with an annual economic impact exceeding $2 billion.

Recent expansions include bringing pediatric specialties to communities that previously lacked them, launching mobile health units to serve rural areas, and investing in graduate medical education partnerships to train the next generation of providers. The System also continues to invest in telehealth and remote monitoring to reach patients in their homes and reduce barriers to care. Through charity-care programs and community clinics, Albany Med provides free or discounted services to underserved populations.

Arrow Bank National Association is pleased to welcome Shannon Richards as Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager.

Based in the Capital Region, Richards will work to expand commercial banking relationships, bring new clients to the bank and collaborate across business lines to deliver a full range of financial solutions. In addition, she will be actively involved in local events and initiatives, reinforcing the bank’s strong presence and commitment to the communities it serves.

Richards brings extensive experience in relationship management and a proven track record of building trusted connections across industries. Her role will continue to prioritize personalized service and long-term partnerships throughout the Capital Region.

Richards most recently served as Vice President, Business Banking Relationship Manager at KeyBank. As part of that role, Richards focused on championing women-owned businesses and women leaders throughout the region. She acted as chair and co-chair of Key4Women and played an integral role in fostering a vibrant network of professional women, speaking at events such as Women of Excellence and the WERC Awards.

Business for Good, a non-profit philanthropy committed to bridging the wealth gap in America, has announced plans to expand its mission and community work beyond the Albany/New York Capital region. New areas of focus will include economic mobility, business growth and entrepreneurship, workforce & community development and housing accessibility & affordability. Additionally, Co-Founder Ed Mitzen will turn his attention to identifying and partnering with likeminded leaders on a national level while Maire Masterson has been named as Executive Director, with a focus on local giving. The organization has also been rebranded the Business for Good Foundation.

The gap between the rich, richer, middle class and the poor is widening at an alarming rate, with socioeconomic disparities not only persisting, but growing. According to the Peter G. Petersen Foundation, the top 20% of wealthiest households in America have seen their income rise 165% from 1981 to 2021, while the middle and lowest quintiles have seen income growth of only 33% and 38%, respectively, over the same period.

A renowned healthcare marketing entrepreneur, Ed has built three consecutive businesses that generated over $1 billion in revenue. He co-founded Business for Good with his wife Lisa Mitzen by combining his entrepreneurial acumen with a personal passion for giving back – empowering entrepreneurs and working with local government and policymakers to drive meaningful change at the community level. Ed, best-selling author of Wealthy and White, has invested his own money into the Albany/New York Capital region over the recent years through projects, such as the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce.

“I am committed to using my privilege for good and with today’s announcement, we will be expanding our focus on a national level,” said Ed Mitzen, Co-Founder of Business for Good Foundation. “I realized that to have the impact that we want, we will need to partner with other leaders to make a difference – one person, one neighborhood and one community at a time.”