ALBANY>> On Thursday, November 19, 2015 the Greater Capital Association of REALTORS® named Cathy Griffin, of Keller Williams Capital District, as the 2015 REALTOR® of the Year.
The award was presented to Griffin at GCAR’s Annual Meeting of the membership at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center where more than 200 REALTOR® members were in attendance.
Cathy Griffin is the 2015 GCAR President. Griffin has nearly three decades of experience in the real
estate profession. Her work as an agent, manager, and principal broker in the Capital District led her to Keller Williams in 2009, where she is now an Associate Broker in the Delmar Business Center, working closely with her husband, Mitchell Griffin.
Cathy has been actively involved with GCAR for more than a decade, including positions on the Board of Directors chairing events and association fundraisers, and her recent terms on the Executive Committee as Secretary/Treasurer and President-Elect.
In addition, she currently serves on the New York State Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors, and has been appointed to the National Association of REALTORS® 2015 State and Local Issues Policy Committee. Cathy also works with numerous local organizations, and is a member of the Bethlehem Township Board of Assessment Review.
Cathy completed her undergraduate degree at Catholic University, and earned a graduate degree in speech pathology at George Washington University.
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The Greater Capital Association of REALTORS® is a professional trade association officially representing the real estate industry since 1920 (formerly the Albany County Association of REALTORS®) and is the local chapter for the New York State and National Associations of REALTORS®.  GCAR is composed of a broad base of professionals including licensed real estate brokers and sales agents, multi-dwelling owners, appraisers, mortgage and banking professionals, title and abstract companies and other companies servicing the real estate industry.

ALBANY>> Lang Media officially announced today that as of October 30, 2015 it has sold its advertising assets to Lamar Advertising. The sale included 129 locations in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, Syracuse, Rochester, Springfield, Mass. and New York City. 

Michael Lang started Lang Media 20 years ago in Niskayuna  Prior to starting Lang Media, Lang was vice president and general manager at Whiteco Metrocom in Albany, for five years. 

At its inception, Lang started with one billboard and managed the bus/shelter advertising for CDTA by winning the five year contract bid. He grew the business by 132 percent and won the renewal bid two times. During this time, Lang started developing billboards throughout New York.  By 2005, he had 60 billboards and employed eight people. In 2008, Lang Media was one of the first companies to receive approval to display digital billboards in New York. With this approval, the company built its first digital billboard on I-90 in Albany.  Within seven short years, Lang Media developed and erected five  additional digital billboard locations. In addition to Rochester, Springfield,  and Syracuse, Lang Media entered the New York City market with locations in Manhattan. 

Lang Media was a generous supporter of other local businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the years including the Ronald McDonald House, The American Heart Association, Senior Services of Albany and Toys for Tots among others.

By 2015, Lang Media became upstate New York’s largest privately owned billboard company. With the growth of the company primarily from real estate development, Lang decided to sell its billboard assets and focus his energy on other real estate opportunities.  From starting in the basement of his home, working tirelessly and always conducting himself with integrity, he is the epitome of the American dream. 

Saratoga Springs firm has delivered technology solutions since 2000

Saratoga Springs – Garnet River LLC, a technology-driven professional services firm specializing in government and highly-regulated private sector industries, is excited to have reached its 15 year anniversary. In the sometimes turbulent world of professional services, Garnet River’s clients rely on their longevity and stability as a trusted partner to assist them in reaching their long-term goals.

“Garnet River is proud of its 15-year track record of organic growth and sustained profitability,” said owner and chief financial officer Carla Richards. “We have remained strong throughout the many changes in the economic climate and have significant plans to deliver substantial additional value to our clients and innovation to the industry.”

 Garnet River has built a reputation centered on quality and reliability. This commitment has resulted in exceptional customer loyalty and consistent repeat business. Says Ms. Richards, “We have great clients, most of whom send us repeat business on a regular basis. We have grown quietly without advertising or much in the way of marketing. We have a great story.”

That story began when the company was a go-to resale, delivery, and application development partner for several large IT hardware manufacturers. During those early days in their Albany, New York office, they also grew a substantial staffing and recruiting practice—a practice that today remains a cornerstone of their business. 

 In time, the company evolved to reflect the changing needs of its customers and the interests and strengths of its employees. Part of that evolution was a move to downtown Saratoga Springs in 2011 and with it, a renewed commitment to excellence and innovation. Today, Garnet River boasts a national client base that leans on the company for their expertise in information security, business intelligence and data analytics, IT infrastructure design, eDiscovery, and their robust commitment to custom application design and development services. 

Garnet River's in-house application development center, over the years, has developed several innovative products, including: Owl™, a data collection, reporting, and alerting application for hospitals; OwlSecure™, a network and security monitoring application and service; SEM™, a secure email plugin for Outlook™, and; ProdoPlan™, a large file share and collaboration application for builders and contractors. 

In direct response to both the needs of their customers and the interests of their employees, in recent years they have bridged the gap between technology and human resources by offering talent engagement, business planning, change management, and advisory services. 

“Some may say that we do a lot, maybe too much, but we consider our breadth to be a strength and a real differentiator. We have the peripheral vision that allows us to see, understand, and address challenges from many angles. This ability to bridge the divide between technology and business, between solutions and people, is well-received by our customers,” said company president Paul Gasparini. “Garnet River is proud to celebrate 15 years of excellence and 

innovation.”

"We would like to thank our many customers, partners, and perhaps most importantly our colleagues for the successes that Garnet River has achieved in the past 15 years," said Ms. Richards. "Our customers’ success is, and will continue to be, our success.”

Grand opening mid-December

Saratoga Springs -- When it opens in December 2015, Hamlet & Ghost will add a new dimension to the Saratoga Springs hospitality experience, providing high-quality, custom-crafted drinks and pleasing small plates in a welcoming, industrial-chic, historic building. In contrast to the local norm, Hamlet & Ghost will accommodate only as many guests as it can seat.

Located at 24 Caroline Street by the corner of Putnam Street, the new establishment was once a feed and grain store in the 1870s. It became a hardware store during Prohibition— an alleged facade to a hidden gambling spot within.

The newest plan for this storied venue is the collaborative brainchild of three hospitality veterans:

- Brendan Dillon: Hamlet & Ghost owner, Saratogian, and bartender at Max London’s Restaurant & Bar for the past five years, whose other hospitality experience includes Verde Restaurant at Stratton Mountain in Vermont as well as several other Saratoga establishments

- Chall Gray: operator of six acclaimed tap rooms and craft cocktail bars, most notably the Top of the Monk in Asheville, North Carolina

- Alex Straus: a Saratoga native and hospitality veteran of more than 17 years—and student of the recently deceased cocktail godfather Sasha Petraske—who has opened numerous bars on the West Coast, including the internationally renowned Tao Beach in Las Vegas, and most recently EP/LP in Los Angeles

As the partners are diverse, so is the targeted clientele. “We wanted to create a space where everyone can enjoy a well-crafted cocktail in a relaxed atmosphere, without feeling crowded out or out of place,” explains Dillon. In this old-meets-new venue, roughly 50 people at a time will be hosted in three different seating areas: a European-style banquette along the front windows, a classic bar counter in the middle, and an intimate area with small tables and banquette in the back.  

Capacity will be managed with care by way of limited reservations combined with a text/call availability list based on a first-come-first-seated policy. “We don’t want anyone to be forced to stand or feel congested. We want the authenticity of the promised experience to be maintained, and everyone to feel comfortable—whether by themselves or with others. In terms of my approach at the bar, our best cocktail will be not simply the one I love to make, but rather the one each patron loves the most,” notes Dillon.

Hamlet & Ghost plans to be open Monday through Saturday from the late afternoon until midnight during the week, with a 2 a.m. closing time on the weekend. News of the bar’s preparations and construction photos of its striking décor—large windows facing both Caroline and Putnam Streets, paired with the curved, angular bar, and accented by the wooden floors and tin ceilings—are being released on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The website www.hamletandghost.com will be launched shortly; plans and the date for the grand opening will be announced.

Schenectady>> Price Chopper and Market 32’s Check Out Hunger, a campaign that raises dollars and food donations for designated food banks and their affiliated kitchens and pantries and the annual Holiday Toy Drive kicked off this past weekend and will run for four weeks through Saturday, December 12.

Check Out Hunger gives shoppers the opportunity to add a small monetary donation to their grocery bill (bringing the total to the next whole dollar amount) through the Round Up Your Change program and to purchase a set-price Food Package, a $5, $10 or $15 selection of pantry essentials.

The annual Holiday Toy Drive, in partnership with The Salvation Army, offers toy collection sites at every Price Chopper and Market 32 throughout the six-state service area, with the goal of distributing the toys to children in need within the communities where the toys were donated.  In addition to the toy drive, the Golub Foundation will make a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast New York for each toy donated.

“Check Out Hunger and the Holiday Toy Drive help us raise awareness about and funds and food for those of our neighbors who may need a little help to get through the end of the year,” said Mona Golub, vice president of public relations and consumer services. “Price Chopper, Market 32, and the Golub Foundation are proud to lend the accessibility of our stores and are thankful for the collective generosity of our teammates, shoppers and partners for their support of these annual efforts.”

Last year’s campaigns raised more than $47,000 and 29 tons of food that were distributed to a dozen area food banks and more than 2,600 toys that were distributed locally.

Both Check Out Hunger and the Holiday Toy Drive are annual giving programs that are available at all 136 Price Choppers and Market 32s throughout the chain’s six state footprint.

About The Golub Corporation:  Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates 136 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The American owned, family-managed company prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. Golub’s 22,000 teammates collectively own more than 47% of the company’s privately held stock, making it one of the nation’s largest privately held corporations that is predominantly employee-owned. For additional information, visit www.pricechopper.com

TROY>>  Jessica Schul has joined Hudson River Community Credit Union (HRCCU) as manager of the credit union’s Troy Branch located at 40 Leversee Rd.

“We’re pleased to welcome Jessica to the HRCCU Team,” said CEO Sue Commanda in a press release. “We anticipate that Jessica’s financial services background, her care and concern for the satisfaction and loyalty of our member owners, and her leadership experience will certainly help to continue our Credit Union’s growth in Troy.”

Schul will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations at the Troy branch, including the management of all functions, credit union activity and services provided through that location.

About Hudson River Community Credit UnionHudson River Community Credit Union’s mission is to improve the well-being of members and their families by providing quality financial services with the best overall value.  Hudson River Community Credit Union has five branches located in Corinth; Glens Falls; Hudson Falls; Troy, and Cohoes.  The Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned and governed by its members.  Anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or businesses and other legal entities such as a church or association, located within Warren, Washington, Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties or in Cohoes, Watervliet and Green Island and their immediate families are eligible to join the Credit Union.

New roles increase the local focus for bank management

ALBANY—M&T Bank has elevated two bankers with 55 years of combined industry experience to increase its local management focus in the Capital District and Hudson Valley.

The following bank executives have been assigned broader responsibilities:

Sarah Halliday has been promoted from middle market group manager to Market President for Albany and the Capital District

Mark Stellwag has been promoted from group vice president for commercial real estate to Market President for the Hudson Valley.

They assume the local management roles from Michael T. Keegan, the former Regional President covering both Albany and the Hudson Valley. He was promoted last year to an Area Executive role with broader management responsibilities covering Upstate New York and Northern New England.

“Our team is rich with deeply talented individuals and we believe Sarah and Mark are the right managers to place an even greater focus on serving our local communities in both Albany and the Hudson Valley,” Keegan said. “As we look to grow our commercial banking business in Upstate New York and New England, these are the people who I trust to increase our focused efforts and help our customers and communities succeed.”

Sarah Halliday has been named Market President of the Albany region. Halliday has 23 years of banking industry experience, including spending the last 10 years in leadership positions in M&T’s local middle market lending group. She is highly active in the Albany community, serving on the boards of directors for the St. Anne’s Foundation; Junior Achievement; and Sponsor a Scholar, Inc. Halliday is a graduate of Colgate University. Sarah will continue to report to Michael Keegan.

Mark Stellwag has been named Market President of the Hudson Valley region. Stellwag has 32 years of banking industry experience, including 22 years at M&T Bank. He has been the team leader for M&T’s commercial real estate group in Albany and the Hudson Valley for the last 10 years. Stellwag serves on the marketing committee of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation; business advisory council of the SUNY New Paltz Graduate School of Business; and a committee of the Newburgh Habitat for Humanity. He is a graduate of Pace University. Mark will continue to report to Michael Keegan.

Michael Keegan will continue to reside in Guilderland, NY and work primarily from M&T’s Great Oaks Boulevard office in his role as Area Executive responsible for a wide range of M&T’s markets in Upstate New York and Northern New England.

About M&T Bank

M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.

Saratoga Springs--On Saturday Nov.7, Alpine Sport Shop hosted the new Warren Miller Ski movie "Chasing Shadows," and  more than 400 people were in attendance at the middle school in Saratoga Springs.

It was a energetic evening with many skiers receiving ski lift tickets, gifts and prizes donated by Alpine Sport Shop, participating ski companies and suppliers.

 

A second showing was held for a full house on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at The Stadium Cafe on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

 

In total, almost $3,000 was raised and donated to five local organizations, including, Saratoga Springs High School Nordic Team, Saratoga Rowing Association, Double H Adaptive Winter Sports Program, Stride Adaptive Sports, and Abigail Radliff Adaptive Ski Equipment Fund.

 

The Skidmore Ski & Snow Sports Club and Alpine Sport Shop sponsored a free ski tuning clinic on the Skidmore College Campus on Thursday November 12. Mike Grisdale, Swix Mid-Atlantic Race Services Manager led the event to a group of 30 interested skiers and snowboarders.

 

We send a  heartfelt thank you to all who participated in this annual event.

Circus Café is once again offering 10% off and complimentary Homemade Cotton Candy to anyone who dines for Lunch or Dinner at Circus Café wearing his or her pajamas before or after riding The Polar Express.

The Polar Express Train leaves from Saratoga Springs for a round trip voyage to the North Pole. Get ready for caroling, hot cocoa, special gifts and a meeting with Santa. Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas for the trip.

“The Polar Express train ride that leaves from Saratoga has really taken off! This is our fourth year offering this special promotion and it has been wonderful to see so many children and parents come in to Circus Café wearing their pajamas before or after the train ride. We are thrilled to be a part of this fabulous event.” says Christel MacLean, Co-Owner of Circus Café.

This offer begins Saturday November 14^th and runs through Sunday December 27th, which is the last day of The Polar Express.

For more information about Circus Café please visit www.circuscafe.com or call 518.583.1106.  For more information about The Polar Express please visit http://www.sncrr.com/.

In an effort to show appreciation for the sacrifices of active duty service members, veterans and their families, Tully Rinckey PLLC and Hannaford Supermarkets will once again provide free turkeys to active duty and retired military personnel this Thanksgiving through the seventh annual “Turkeys for Veterans” program.

Officials from Tully Rinckey PLLC and Hannaford Supermarkets will hand deliver approximately 2,400 pounds of turkey to active duty service members and veterans at the law firm’s headquarters at 441 New Karner Road in Albany on Tuesday, November 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Turkeys will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis with proof of military ID. Limit one turkey per person.)

This Thanksgiving marks the seventh year for the “Turkeys for Veterans” program. Since the program’s inception in 2009, Tully Rinckey PLLC has provided the Thanksgiving table centerpiece for the family members of nearly 1,000 active duty and retired military personnel in the greater Capital Region.

“This Thanksgiving, we are once again pleased to serve those who have done so much to serve our country,” said Tully Rinckey PLLC Founding Partner Mathew B. Tully, Esq., a decorated U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient. “We appreciate the sacrifices of active duty service members and veterans, and hope the turkeys we are providing remind them on Thanksgiving how grateful we are for their service.”

“All of us at Hannaford are honored to once again work with Tully Rinckey to offer a sense of comfort, home and warmth to those who so selflessly dedicate their lives to serving our country,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Community Relations Specialist Brian Fabre. “We look forward to serving those who serve this Thanksgiving.”

Tully Rinckey PLLC has a long-standing record of service with the military. Throughout its seven offices, the firm employs 70 attorneys, many of whom are veterans of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, including the firm’s founding partners.

Tully is a recently-retired New York Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel who received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan. As a civilian attorney, he has won numerous landmark decisions protecting veterans’ rights, especially those pertaining to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Greg T. Rinckey is a former active duty Army JAG who currently represents service members worldwide in a variety of military law issues.

Tully Rinckey PLLC is a full-service law firm with offices in Albany, Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Washington, D.C., and San Diego, C.A. The firm is nationally recognized for its legal work in military law and is one of the Capital Region’s largest full-service firms with attorneys practicing divorce, child custody, military law, bankruptcy, real estate law, estate planning, civil litigation, criminal defense and employment law, among other practice areas.

Tully Rinckey PLLC is a multi-state law firm dedicated to providing quality legal representation and customer service to individuals, families and businesses throughout New York’s Western, Central, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Capital, and Hudson Valley Regions. The team of attorneys, paralegals, and professionals helps clients in a wide range of practice areas. The firm maintains a Web site, www.1888law4life.com, with additional information about its attorneys, achievements, and news stories involving the firm’s work.

Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 188 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All Hannaford stores feature Guiding Stars, America’s first storewide nutrition navigation system and most stores have full-service pharmacies. Hannaford employs more than 27,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS>> Throughout the month of December, Northshire Bookstore will host readings and signings in Saratoga Springs. Events are free and open to the public, and will take place at Northshire Bookstore Saratoga, 424 Broadway.

Story Time! Fridays at 10:30. (Story time cancelled on Friday, December 25th.)

December 1 - Tuesday - 5-7 pm - Photos with The Grinch!

Join us this holiday season for photos with the Grinch - take a picture of your child with this beloved holiday figure.

While you're here, please consider making a donation or buying a book to support our Book Angels campaign, which gives new books to local children who would not otherwise receive them this holiday season.

December 3 - Thursday - 6-8 pm - Multi-Author Signing for Victorian Streetwalk

A great chance to stock up on signed books to give as gifts! Our friends from Healthy Living Market & Cafe will serve complimentary light refreshments.

Children's & Young Adult Authors in attendance:

 Karen Magnuson Beil

 Joseph Bruchac

 Nancy Castaldo

 Kathy Ceceri

 Mark Cheverton

 Eric Devine

 Selma Nemer

 Jennifer Sattler

 Alexandra Siy

 Steve Sheinkin

Adult Authors in attendance:

 Cara Connelly

 Thomas Dimopoulos

 Jeannette Grey

 Field Horne

 Bill Howard

 Cynthia A. Lovely & Mary Vigliante Szydlowski

 Daniel Nester

 Ray O'Conor

 Jacopo Della Quercia

December 4 - Friday - 7:00 pm - Tom Lewis - Washington: A History of Our National City
A celebration of the book Publisher's Weekly called "the most reliable and useful one-volume history of the U.S. capital to date." In Washington, author - and Skidmore College Professor Emeritus - Tom Lewis paints a sweeping portrait of the capital city whose internal conflicts and promise have mirrored those of America writ large.

December 5 - Saturday - 7:00 pm - Rinker Buck - The Oregon Trail

Spanning two thousand miles and traversing six states from Missouri to the Pacific coast, the Oregon Trail is the route that made America. In 2011, writer Rinker Buck and his brother Nick set off to make an authentic covered wagon crossing of its entire 2,000-miles. This book, a #1 Indie Next Pick, tells the story of their epic adventure.

December 9 - Wednesday - 7:00 pm - Saratoga Reads Season Kickoff Party

Join us for a party celebrating the start of the Saratoga Reads season! Enter our door prize raffle, enjoy complimentary refreshments courtesy of Healthy Living Market & Cafe and receive a 10% discount off this year's Saratoga Reads book of choice - which will be announced on December 1.

December 10 - Thursday - 7:30 pm - Yaddo Presents: Works in Progress Night - Will Hermes interviewed by Thomas Dimopoulos

We are thrilled to partner with Yaddo to bring the best in new writing and new ideas to the Capital District. The new speaker series YADDO PRESENTS kicks off with a conversation between Yaddo writer WILL HERMES, senior critic at Rolling Stone, and journalist Thomas Dimopoulos, whose book Saratoga Stories: Magic and Loss, came out this summer. Hermes will talk about his life in music writing, and take us into his research on the musician everyone’s been talking about—Lou Reed. Hermes’s biography of Reed, who died in 2013, is forthcoming from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

All events listed above will take place at Northshire Bookstore, 424 Broadway in Saratoga Springs, NY, and are free and open to the public.

For more information on these or other events, call 518-682-4200 or 1-855-339-5990, or visit the Northshire

Bookstore website at www.northshire.com.

RENSSELAER — U-Haul Company of New York and Vermont, Inc. is pleased to announce that RL Smith Sales, Inc. has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Rensselaer community.

RL Smith Sales at 466 Hayes Road will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pick-up for boxes.

Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; and on-call Sunday. After-hours drop-off is available for customer convenience.

Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling (518) 433-5436 or visiting http://www.uhaul.com/Locations/Truck-Rentals-near-Rensselaer-NY-12144/051507/ today.

RL Smith Sales owner Gregory Smith is proud to team with the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage to better meet the demands of Rensselaer County.

U-Haul and RL Smith Sales are striving to benefit the environment through sustainability initiatives. Truck sharing is a core U-Haul sustainability business practice that allows individuals to access a fleet of trucks that is larger than what they could access on an individual basis.

Every U-Haul truck placed in a community helps keep 19 personally owned large-capacity vehicles, pickups, SUVs and vans off the road. Fewer vehicles means less traffic congestion, less pollution, less fuel burned and cleaner air.

RL Smith Sales is a great place to become U-Haul Famous. Take your picture in front of a U-Haul product, send it in and your face could land on the side of a U-Haul truck. Upload your photo through Instagram using #uhaulfamous, or go to www.uhaulfamous.com to submit photos and learn more.

LATHAM — U-Haul Company of New York and Vermont, Inc. is pleased to announce that Room to Spare Storage, now under new ownership, has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Latham community.

Room to Spare Storage at 151 Wade Road will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pick-up for boxes.

Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday- Friday and on-call Saturday. After-hours drop-off is available for customer convenience.

Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling (518) 213-5563 or visiting http://www.uhaul.com/Locations/Truck-Rentals-near-Latham-NY-12110/027249/ today.

Room to Spare Storage owner Kim Ramsey is proud to team with the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage to better meet the demands of Albany County.

U-Haul and Room to Spare Storage are striving to benefit the environment through sustainability initiatives. Truck sharing is a core U-Haul sustainability business practice that allows individuals to access a fleet of trucks that is larger than what they could access on an individual basis.

Every U-Haul truck placed in a community helps keep 19 personally owned large-capacity vehicles, pickups, SUVs and vans off the road. Fewer vehicles means less traffic congestion, less pollution, less fuel burned and cleaner air.

Room to Spare Storage is a great place to become U-Haul Famous. Take your picture in front of a U-Haul product, send it in and your face could land on the side of a U-Haul truck. Upload your photo through Instagram using #uhaulfamous, or go to www.uhaulfamous.com to submit photos and learn more.

Fuccillo names Statewide October Event grand prize winner

SYRACUSE – Fuccillo Automotive Group announced a donation of $219,600 for domestic violence awareness organizations to support local programs and services in the Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Watertown markets.

All 23 Fuccillo Automotive Group dealerships in New York state teamed up during the Fuccillo Statewide October Event to raise money in support of domestic violence awareness. For every new or pre-owned vehicle that was purchased or leased during October, Fuccillo Automotive Group donated $100 to a local domestic violence organization in the dealership’s market.

“With the community’s help we were able to exceed our expectations for the Fuccillo Statewide October Event and make it even more ‘HUGE’ than last year,” said Billy Fuccillo, president of Fuccillo Automotive Group. “We cannot say thank you enough to all of our customers across the state that joined the cause to help us support local organizations and raise awareness for domestic violence in our community.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Fuccillo Automotive Group presented donations to the following local domestic violence awareness organizations:

• Equinox, Inc., in Albany received $78,900
• Vera House, Inc., in Syracuse received $59,400
• Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County, Inc., in Watertown received $32,200
• Sojourner House at PathStone in Rochester received $27,500
• Buffalo City Mission in Buffalo received $21,600

Fuccillo Automotive Group also named Gloria Doman, of Charlton, New York, as the grand prize winner of its Statewide October Event. Doman will be given the choice of a new car, one of 11 different models, or $12,000 as an alternative prize.

Doman was selected out of approximately 7,500 entrants who registered to win at any of the 23 Fuccillo Automotive Group dealerships in New York state during October. The grand prize winner did not need to be present to win. No purchase was necessary to win.

About Fuccillo Automotive Group: Fuccillo Automotive Group is the largest automobile dealership in New York state. Owned by Billy Fuccillo, the Fuccillo Automotive Group comprises 25 dealerships and 31 franchises with locations across New York state and Florida. For more information, visit www.fuccillo.com.

Colonie - Twenty Capital Region entrepreneurs have now built the foundation they need to expand their businesses following their successful completion of the Capital Region Chamber's 60-hour Entrepreneur Boot Camp training course, specially designed for starting and growing local businesses.

"This was a lively and determined group of entrepreneurs," said Entrepreneurship Manager Janet Tanguay.  "They were a group who did not accept the status quo. They were inquisitive, curious, creative and resourceful," added Tanguay. "They're change-makers who overcame their own challenges to envision possibilities."

The entrepreneurs graduated from the Chamber's fall boot camp course during a ceremony held at the Regional Chamber's Albany office. 

During the event, Sunmark Federal Credit Union presented a check to Stephanie Dautel of Estefi Jewellery for $1,500 for winning the program's business plan competition.  Ms. Dautel was referred to the program by the Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce. 

Second place went to Jeff McCauley of The Dutch Udder, an artisanal ice cream company, who won a one-year Capital Region Chamber membership. Mr. McCauley won a free seat in the course in a business plan competition through All Over Albany. He is also a military veteran. The Regional Chamber opened a Veterans Business Assistance Center this to help military veterans start new businesses. Noble Gas Solutions is offering scholarships for military veterans to attend the Chamber's Spring 2016 Entrepreneur Boot Camp program.

The third place prize was a Marketing Package offered by R&D Media of a logo, web design or graphic design and by Repeat Business Systems of a printer and went to Sheilah Sable of Call Sheilah!, a personal concierge.

The fourth place prize winner was Jayson Glover of JTG Home Improvements, a general contractor. Mr. Glover won an Education Package that included two computer courses from Microknowledge as well as a course from Excelsior College.

Mark Eagan, CEO of the Capital Region Chamber, was Master of Ceremonies for the event.  Donna Williams of Field Goods was the Keynote speaker. Janet Tanguay from the Regional Chamber and Jay Singh from Sunmark FCU handed out certificates and prizes accompanied by Rena Graf Music.

The 10-week course, taught through the Chamber's Entrepreneur Boot Camp Training Course, educated entrepreneurs on the critical skills necessary for business growth and expansion. The classes blended classroom and individual training with lectures by prominent business experts. Special guest lecturers covered topics including branding, advertising, legal issues, market research, demographics, sales, financing, leadership, diversity, social media, presentations skills, accounting and more. 

Fall 2015 Entrepreneur Boot Camp graduates include:

Cheryl Bielkiewicz, Capital District Homeowner Referral

Tara Burnham, ThoughtLeaderBoard.com

Kris Coleman, Upstate Studios

Eric Daigneault, Daigneault Designs

Stephanie Dautel, Estefi Jewellery

Maxine Ford, Core Inspirational Consulting

Jayson Glover, JTG Home Improvements

Corine Jubrey, Helderberg Concrete

Laura LaFontaine, Mindful Club

Clay LaPorte, Emotional Peace

Joelle Lydon, Love Coach

Don Matthews, A2Z Services

Jeff McCauley, The Dutch Udder

Amy Messersmith, Dad's Basement

Joe Montimurro, Muddy Paws Day Care

Theresa Pittman, Pittman Wound Care

Margaret Reinold, M-Our Gal Friday

Sheilah Sable, Call Shielah!

Kaylee Sherwin, Kay's Sip n Play Café

Mark Weekes, FARE

Entrepreneur Boot Camp is supported by the Capital Region Chamber and the Empire State Development Corporation's Entrepreneurial Assistance Program.  Sunmark FCU is the major sponsor.  For more information about the program, contact Entrepreneurship Manager Janet Tanguay, at 518.431.1430 or by email at jtanguay@capitalregionchamber.com.

 "Dautel": Jay Singh (left), Director of Business Services for Sunmark Federal Credit Union, and Mark Eagan (right), CEO of the Capital Region Chamber, present a check to Stephanie Dautel ofEstefi Jewellery for $1,500 for winning the program's business plan competition.

 "Graduates": Twenty (20) Capital Region entrepreneurs graduated from the Capital Region Chamber's 60-hour Entrepreneur Boot Camp training course, specially designed for starting and growing local businesses.

ALBANY and SCHENECTADY– The parent company of Parsons Child & Family Center and Northeast Parent & Child Society today announced a new brand to unify and strengthen the organization.

Founded in 2012 as Northern Rivers Family Services, the organization will now be known as Northern Rivers Family ofServices—one simple change that represents the continuing evolution of the care provided to children, adults and families. They have also unveiled a new logo and tagline to represent all of Northern Rivers, Parsons and Northeast—Life changing care.

“For more than 300 combined years, we have provided life changing care to hundreds of thousands of children and family members throughout New York State,” said John Henley, CEO of Northern Rivers. “It’s important for the public to know that the agencies they know and trust are connected to each other and that together we have the strength and expertise to make real, lasting change.”

Northern Rivers launched the branding initiative in January, 2015, by retaining Rueckert Advertising to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the organization. After months of research encompassing clients, employees, stakeholders and community members, Rueckert developed an organizational positioning statement, presented graphic and tagline options, and recommended that one universal logo and message be adopted to reflect the exceptional depth, breadth and quality of services offered.

“By utilizing the historic colors of its member agencies, the new logo reflects the rich history and tradition of Parsons and Northeast,” said Henley. “This new brand reflects who we are, what we do, and most importantly, where we are going—together.”

The new brand was introduced via an internal campaign to the 1,300-strong workforce of Northern Rivers last week, and will continue to roll out to the public in the weeks and months ahead.

About Northern Rivers Family of  Services:

Northern Rivers Family of Services is the parent organization to Parsons Child & Family Center and Northeast Parent & Child Society. Together, we are a family of human service agencies who work together to provide Life changing care to children, families, and adults. Our quality of care, depth of programs, combined size and passion for the mission give us the strength to make positive change in our communities. Together, our 1,300-strong workforce serves 13,000 children and families throughout 40 counties each year. For more information, call 518.426.2600 or visit northernrivers.org.