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The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce 2023 edition of the Love Our Locals $20.23, is underway and will run through the remainder of the year. The campaign will highlight local businesses and non-profit organizations throughout Saratoga County.

Beginning  in November, it continues through Sunday, Dec. 31. When residents and tourists support any business or non-profit in Saratoga County by spending or donating $20.23 or more, they will be eligible to enter a gift card giveaway.  

Individuals are encouraged to submit their receipt of $20.23 or more online at www.saratoga.org/love-our-locals to enter. Each week, the Chamber will randomly select winners for $100 in gift cards to businesses across the county. Love Our Locals $20.23 is generously sponsored by MVP Health Care, Hoffman Car Wash and area businesses that donate gift cards.  In addition to the chance to win gift cards, each person who submits a receipt will receive a voucher for one free car wash at a participating Hoffman Car Wash location (limited to one per person).

This campaign originated  during the pandemic as Save Our Locals $20.21, which resulted in more than 2,000 entries from locals whose purchases directly aided in the county’s economic rebound from COVID-19 restrictions. 

In 2022, the Save Our Locals program was recognized with a New York State Tourism Excellence Award from the New York State Tourism Industry Association. 

BY JILL NAGY

November and December will be a busy months for holiday celebrations in Saratoga and Glens Falls. In Saratoga Springs, the Victorian Street Walk will be back in its previous format from 6 to 9 p.m. November 30. Glens Falls has renamed its outdoor holiday market, scheduled for December 1-3, the Adirondack Holiday Festival. Glens Falls also plans a holiday decorating contest open to homeowners, apartment dwellers, and business owners. The Festival of Trees returns to the Saratoga City Center November 20 to December 4. And there are rumors of a holiday parade in South Glens Falls. 

This is the 37th year for the Saratoga Springs Victorian Street Walk, an event that has evolved from a street festival largely sponsored by local business owners as “a great way for businesses to welcome people and thank them for their support,” according to Deann Devitt, board president of the Saratoga Springs  Business Association, the main organization running the event. Over the years, it has grown to a night of entertainment in downtown businesses and on the streets. During the height of the Covid pandemic, the event was changed from a weekday evening to a full weekend, in order to minimize crowds. This year, it returns to its previous format. Before the pandemic, close to 10,000 people would crowd Broadway for the walk. In between, “It’s been a couple of weird years,” Devitt said. This year, with people still shy of crowds, she expects some 5,000 walkers.

The evening will begin with the lighting of a holiday tree. City employees from the Department of Public Works will bring the tree and set it up. Munter Enterprises, another of the tree sponsors, will lend a lift to get the tree onto its stand. Rena Fine Flowers, a Saratoga Springs florist, was hired to decorate the tree.

The Toys for Toga holiday toy drive and fundraiser is back for its 11th consecutive year, and with the help of the public and three new fundraising partners, organizers hope to collect more than 3,000 toys and raise $8,000 for Saratoga County kids in need this holiday season.

Through Dec. 10th, the public can donate new, unwrapped toys at any of the more than 80 participating Saratoga County businesses. Participating businesses include local restaurants, bars, retail stores, hotels, and more, with a Toys for Toga toy collection bin.

Toys for Toga has three new partners this year: packaging producer Ball Corporation, charitable organization Brewnited and Franklin Square Market.

By Paul Post

The Adirondack Thunder averaged a franchise record 3,657 fans per game last year, boosting business for several Saratoga County food and beverage firms

 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 beer distributor Saratoga Eagle, US Foods of Clifton Park and South Glens Falls-based Common Roots Brewing Company, in addition to advertisers such as Phinney Design Group of Saratoga Springs, which can 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.”

 “We’ve got great support from our local Thunder fans, but certainly our goal is to expand our reach further south,” he said. “A lot of our advertising is geared toward that area as well.”

By Nathan gage

One of the highlights of my role as a retirement plan advisor is also one of the most challenging—helping to make sense of the very abstract retirement planning process. 

There is a seemingly endless list of obstacles standing in the way of figuring out if you are on the path to retirement readiness. When will you retire? How long will your retirement last? What will your monthly budget in retirement be? How will your tax rate in retirement compare to today? How will your investments fair over the next couple of months, years, or decades? 

The list of unknown variables could go on and, if you are not careful, may stand in the way of making wise decisions. In fact, for some, the uncertainty can lead to the worst possible decision—inaction.

Realizing that complexity can be paralyzing, simplifying the retirement planning process encourages savers to take the steps needed to get on the right track. 

One way to help frame the process is in terms of the three main decision points that savers face as they save for retirement. First is how much to save. Next is how to make those contributions, choosing between pre-tax and Roth. The final decision is how to invest their retirement savings. Armed with an understanding of the key questions, we can take a closer look at the main decision points.

How much should you save for retirement? On the surface, this seems like a simple question. In practice, though, getting an accurate answer to this question is quite complex. There are some widely used rules of thumb. One is to set aside 15% of your pay for retirement. 

Sarah Delaney Vero, an attorney and human resources professional and Skidmore College’s current strategic HR advisor, was named inaugural general counsel and vice president for human resources at Skidmore College, effective July 10.  

As the senior officer for legal and human resources matters, Vero will provide collaborative and thoughtful leadership, strategic vision, and legal perspective while fostering a supportive workplace culture that empowers and inspires engagement and creativity. 

Vero began her work with Skidmore in 2008 as outside counsel with the Office of Human Resources. In 2016, she stepped in as interim Title IX coordinator and became interim chief human resources officer in 2018. 

Named interim human resources director in 2020, she developed and executed strategies around workforce development and inclusion, talent management, organizational management, training, and many other areas—all during the intense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Last summer, in line with the college’s efforts to evolve HR’s structure, programs, and processes to align with best practices and transformations in the world and the workforce, Vero agreed to serve Skidmore in a part-time role as Skidmore’s strategic HR advisor.  

“Sarah has served as a strategic partner regarding key organizational, employee, and management projects. She has always provided exceptional advice and counsel in support of Skidmore’s mission, vision, and values,” said Skidmore College President Marc C. Conner. “I look forward to her continued leadership in supporting the people who work every day to make Skidmore a vibrant community.”

A long-time advocate of the liberal arts education model, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Union College and a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School. 

By Christine Graf

When business partners Michael Dubb and Larry Roth began redevelopment of the historic Rip Van Dam in downtown Saratoga Springs, they planned to build apartments in the 200,000-square-foot building. 

After conducting extensive market testing, they changed course and now plan to market the 79 available units as condominiums.

“It became apparent to us that there was a pretty strong need for this type of living,” said Dubb, founder and chief executive officer of the Beechwood Organization, a large developer of residential, single-family and multi-family housing in New York state. “We collected a list of several hundred people who are interested.”

By Paul Post

Alan VanTassel stays in business by working himself out of a job.

After 30-plus years in corporate America, he recently launched his own Moreau-based firm, Velocity Sales, which helps entrepreneurs achieve their sales vision and goals.

“Sales is an area of difficulty for most small business owners,” VanTassel said. “They’re passionate about what they do, but their experience is not often in sales. At some point they get to a place where sales are declining or they’re frustrated with revolving-door salespeople coming and going, and can’t attract good talent. Clients hire me on an interim business. We don’t just consult, we actually do the work for them.”

“The model is to help them build a sales structure they don’t have, to help them get their business to the next level,” he said. “I’ll help them hire salespeople, do weekly ride-alongs and attend sales meetings. I can be part of the business and run sales while developing a long-term strategy or plan. After 12 to 24 months I’d be gone.”

Early in VanTassel’s career, he traveled the country for Melville Corp., the parent company of numerous nationwide chain stores such as Thom McAn shoes, Marshalls and KB Toys. Then he was a regional sales manager for Stride Rite shoes before moving to Verizon, where he managed sales in its upstate New York market’s messaging division.

Most recently, VanTassel spent the last nine years working for StoredTech.

Right before this, however, in 2000 he launched his own Glens Falls-based technology firm, which laid the groundwork for his newest venture, Velocity Sales.