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“On the Air with the ARCC” can be heard
every Sunday at 6:30 a.m., on WKBE The Point, 100.3 FM. Below are
excerpts from recent interviews with:
Q: Tell us the history of the Tri-County
United Way?
A: We serve all of Warren, Washington and
Northern Saratoga Counties. We’ve been doing this for 82 years.
In 1923, seven local leaders met in the old Glens Falls Insurance
building and started a community fund. This evolved into the
“community chest” and eventually into the Tri-County United
Way.
Q: Tell us about United Way concept?
A: Tri County United Way is in the business
to improve the lives of citizens. We raise funds for our annual
campaign. This year’s campaign will be launched on September 15th
at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Every spring, 40 volunteers form a
United Way community investment committee. This committee look at
a detailed community needs assessment and evaluates which local
programs do the most good for the most people. The community
investment committee makes allocation decisions of the dollars
raised from our annual campaign. The United Way helps to raise the
funds from the community via our annual campaign and then gets
those dollars raised to the people who need them the most.
Q: Tell us about the agency’s that receive
United Way support?
A: We fund 22 separate agencies and 35
programs. For instance, the Glens Falls Area Youth Center does
some great things for kids who may need some help getting or
staying on track. The Adirondack Samaritan Counseling program
provides family counseling to those who might not have insurance
to cover such services. The Association for the Hearing Impaired
organizes the equipment loan-out program that proves the latest
equipment to those in need free of charge.
Q: Why is United Way fundraising so important
to these organizations?
A: These agencies are small home grown
agencies. They don’t have professional fundraisers. They rely on
the generosity of the community that comes through to them via the
United Way. There’s only so many dollars out there and some of
our agencies are not the most widely known.
Q: Has there been enough money in the
community investment pool recently?
A: No. There hasn’t been enough money in
the pool of eligible dollars. We need to enlist more campaigners.
We need to spread the word that these agencies do fill unmet
needs. The needs always seem to be more than the dollars
available.
Q: How can people donate?
A: We work with companies to set up an
employee payroll deduction program. It takes 50 cents or $2 or out
of your paycheck every week or two. You never feel it but it makes
a world of difference. I tell people: “Don’t give until it
hurts. Give until it feels good.” It is sometimes difficult for
a contributor to really decide to whom their gift should go. That
is the great thing about United Way. The volunteers on our
community investment committee assess the needs and decide where
these community funds should go.
Q: Can you give us a couple of examples of
local needs?
A: There may be an elderly lady who is
shut-in and whose family is not in the region. An organization
like the 60-Plus Seniors will bring her to their meetings during
the day and deliver her to her doctors at the hospital. There are
families in Glens Falls with a single mom raising 4 children where
the oldest child looks after their siblings. This child could use
a break come summer so the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts might offer
them a camp scholarship. There are local veterans who served our
country proudly and the Adirondack Vets house is helping these
individuals as they transition back into civilian life. These are
the types of folks served every day by our agencies.
Q: Can small employers help the United Way?
A: Large and small companies throughout the
community can help us to gather a large pool of money from a wide
range of sources. We’re very close to meeting the needs that
we’re asked to meet. We don’t fund agencies. We fund programs.
We fund “What Matters.”
Q: Besides payroll deduction, how can people
help?
A: Corporate donations are the backbone of
the United Way. We rely on corporate giving from large and small
employers. Some large companies will match employee giving and
this helps us to double those contributions of their employees.
Small companies may not want to ask their employees but they’ll
let them know that the company will write a check on their behalf
to the United Way. There’s also such a long history of personal
giving where retirees give after payroll deduction is not
available to them. Even folks who are on a fixed incomes often
find a way to help us be it a large or small donation because they
know it is the right thing to do.
Q: How can people learn more about the Tri
County United Way?
A: We have a website they can visit at www.tcuwny.org.
They can also call us at 793-3136
Q: Tell us about North Country Weather?
A: We actually have two companies. North
Country Weather provides local weather forecasts for a range of
clients. For instance, we have a contract with TV-8. We provide
the weather forecast for TV-8’s North Country Now. We’re also
starting to provide forecasts for local hotels and other tourism
related businesses. The other company is called Weather Routing.
This company focuses on a global scale from our offices in
downtown Glens Falls. We provide weather forecasting services to
big cargo ships and private yachts to keep them out of storms. Our
weather routing advice also helps them to save money on fuel.
Based on weather forecasts, we provide these clients with the
best, safest and fastest route possible. For our private yacht
clients, the Bahamas is a big focus for us. We have many
celebrities as clients. We have 3,000 yacht clients and a number
of major cargo companies. At any one time, we may have as many as
150 cargo ships under our watch.
Q: How did the company end up in Glens Falls?
A: The company
was founded by Bill Kaciak in 1961 in New York City serving
cargo ships and the Today Show. In the 1990’s, the company
operated in the basement of Bill’s home in Queensbury.
Fortunately, the company expanded significantly and moved to a
converted garage in South Glens Falls. The company then moved to
downtown Glens Falls and is now located upstairs from TV 8 in a
state of the art forecast center.
Q: Tell us about your employees?
A: We have 12 full time forecasters who all
have degrees in meteorology. Right now, we also have three college
interns. We have a billing person, a President, and a Vice
President. We’ve doubled in size in the last 10 years. We have
all kinds of shifts from 5:00 a.m. to Midnight. We have 9 to 11
forecasters working and on-call every day.
Q: How important is community outreach for
North Country Weather?
A: Very important. We talk to hundreds of
students every year at a great many local schools. We encourage
schools to contact us. We give internships to local students. We
give thousands of dollars in scholarships for those interested in
the field of meteorology.
Q: Talk about your local forecasting
technology and expertise?
Because we live and work here, we can
experience the weather and look out the window. There are clues we
can gather from the wind direction and clouds that will help us to
be more accurate. We also keep track of all the local data that
others don’t because they are not in Glens Falls.
Q: Why does this make a difference?
A: Unfortunately, the computer is preparing
forecasts with limited quality control, particularly online. These
models don’t account for popup thunderstorms, temperature
fluctuations or changes in the wind’s direction. The inaccuracy
of this computer driven data often leads to questions from the
public. Our niche is that we can adapt the computer models to our
local weather experience. We combine the human element, the
computer models and the historical data to add value to our
weather reports and enhance their accuracy.
Q: In a weather driven economy, this service
should be quite valuable?
A: Yes, we think so. That is why we’re
marketing our services to local hotels. We can deliver a forecast
to each hotel early in the morning for them to share with their
guests. We can tell them the local water temperatures, the
expected high and low temperatures during the day, and provide
them with updates during the day so that we stay accurate. As a
result, their guests can plan their activities for the day. If we
say there is a chance of showers, we’ll say 80 or 90 percent of
day will be sunny. If it will rain all day, the hotel can direct
them to indoor activities.
Q: Could your services be used to market our
region?
A: We talked with a local hotel manager
recently who mentioned that people call all the time from New York
City and New Jersey asking for the local weekend forecast in Lake
George. We also know that the weather in Albany can be different
from Glens Falls and Lake George. Our customers can put the
forecast on their website too helping them to encourage potential
visitors to come here even when the weather in their own
neighborhood doesn’t look very good.
Q: How can you ensure accuracy in your
weather reports?
A: We have done a study comparing our quality
with the National Weather Service. We’re much more accurate. The
weather service has far less human interaction. For instance, the
Warren County Airport is always much colder than in downtown Glens
Falls. We’ve seen extremes in the winter when the airport is 30
degrees below zero and Glens Falls is zero. Our company pays
attention to these topographical details. We’re going to figure
out what the differences are within the region.
Q: What other local entities should be
calling you?
A: Weather impacts everything from schools to
weddings. We can provide accurate detailed forecasts for anyone.
Golf courses and amusement parks are weather dependent. The cost
of getting an accurate forecast is minimal compared with the costs
of getting it wrong. Making sure the DPW is properly prepared for
storms can save money. School Superintendents could benefit from
our local services when deciding between delaying or canceling
school.
Q: How can people get more information about
your company?
A: They can visit us on the web at www.northcountryweather.com
or give us a call at 798-1137.
Q: Why did you decide to become a co-owner of
TV 8?
A: I’ve been in the television business for
most of my career. When I started, it was a content driven
business that nurtured talent. It is now a sales-driven business.
My wife and I have had a home in Saratoga for years and started to
look around. I just couldn’t give up that creative energy. TV 8
is a Class A low power TV station. The FCC will not license any
more of these stations. I saw TV 8 as a great opportunity to take
over a small television station and to focus again on developing
great content and nurturing local talent.
Q: Is being in the Adirondacks beneficial to
TV 8?
A: Our location in the Adirondacks gives us
access to an extraordinary amount of content for some great shows.
We can have shows that focus on nature, the region’s geology,
the lakes, our local history, the variety of local artists and the
people who grew up and started businesses here. The Adirondacks is
just so abundant with life that we could create content until
doomsday.
Q: Will your new building help as well?
A: We’re moving downtown. This gives us the
opportunity to reinvent TV-8. We’re putting the right team
together with this diversity of content so that we will really
have something for people to watch. We have built all new studies
and control rooms. We purchased new equipment and cameras.
Q: How do you deal with the old perceptions
of TV 8?
A: We want people to judge it for what it
currently is and what it will be. Our new street level studios
will be somewhat like the Today Show. You will be able to walk by
our offices on Glen Street and watch television being made.
We’ll invite people in for political debates and to tell us
their opinions on issues of the day. We want people to learn, to
be entertained and to participate.
Q: What is your market reach?
A: We broadcast in Warren and Washington
Counties. The rules allow us to broadcast as far as we want until
we run into another low power station. We hit 45,000 to 50,000
households. But there are multiple viewers or eyeballs in each of
these homes. We’ve taken a risk as a classic entrepreneur. When
you read of other investors coming in to the region, you realize
that we are in a place that is waiting to be found again.
Q: Will local stories give you an edge?
A: The opportunity to tailor our content and
programming to our specific local audience is critical. TV 8
won’t compete with The West Wing. You have to know your place.
But I’ve got news for you. What we can do is present alternative
programming that is locally based and locally thought out and
capable of attracting a strong local audience.
Q: Can you tell us about some of the changes
you will make?
A: When I first moved into the area, people
told me that we had to get rid of the auctions. But I have to tell
you that I’ve rarely seen alternative programming that is as
much fun. It just wasn’t presented well. We’re reinventing the
auctions. We’ve changed the names, the personalities, and sought
a different set of products. All you have to do is look at the
success of QVC to see that this type of programming can work. We
were watching the other night and there was a fuzzy Nascar
blanket. The phone didn’t stop ringing for this item. I want to
know where those people are. Another auctioneer had a pristine
Civil War item for which someone called an offered $1,500. Where
is that person?
Q: How important is the personality or the
host?
A: In television, what differentiates us is
our personality. Our newscast will be successful based on the
people involved in the newscast. We’re really fortunate because
we have Kevin McCullough anchoring our newscast. He is the Walter
Chronkite of the North Country. We’ve got Supervisor Nick
Caimano who does a show called Beyond the Headlines. He interviews
guests who have something to say about the issues of the day. This
is entertaining and informative.
Q: What is the future of TV 8?
A: We’ll be the best class A station in the
country.
Q: How do you generate revenue to succeed?
A: TV 8 has a loyal base of advertising
support. We owe these people a lot. We’re reinventing ourselves
to increase our viewership. We’re a privately owned advertiser
supported television station. We have some new advertising
packages for Charter advertisers. We want to double our
advertising base. The models make sense on paper now we just need
to make them work in reality.
Q: Who should advertise on TV 8?
A: You almost can’t narrow it down. TV is
the only medium that communicates on all fronts. It is sight,
sound, and motion. The key is to create a personality in your
advertisement and to generate curiosity. We can write, produce and
create advertisements. I’ve produced a lot of interesting spots
and that is why my job title is chief creative officer.
Q: Tell us the history of Reliable Racing and
Inside Edge?
A: It all started when my dad, Tom Jacobs,
moved our family back to the region to work at Finch, Pruyn &
Co. He had competed in the 1952 Olympics in the Nordic Combine and
had a lot of contacts in the sport. He started teaching at Hickory
Hill where I learned to ski. When the Brandt brothers opened West
Mountain, he was asked to start the ski program and to open a
rental shop. This was a moonlighting exercise for him. From there,
we had an opportunity to move the store into Glens Falls and
eventually published our first catalogue of ski racing and event
supplies in 1969.
Q: How did you get the name Reliable Racing?
A: The Bromley outing club ordered a set of
bibs from Tom. They were screen printed in just two days. He drove
them over to the ski area. The event organizers were so impressed
and commented upon his arrival that he is so reliable. When they
asked him, “Who do I make out the check to?” He replied,
“Reliable Racing Supply.”
Q: How has the company grown over the years?
A: It has evolved into an internationally
known business-to-business and business-to-consumer operation. At
the same time, we always thought it was important to keep our
retail operation functioning locally. The Inside Edge provides a
great service to the community and there is a real demand for the
products and services we offer. But beyond the storefront, we also
have a call center, a fulfillment operation, and some light
assembly work as well.
Q: But catalogue sales are the key to your
success?
A: We are a very small but highly diversified
company. Basically, we organize ourselves around catalogues. Our
winter catalogue offers a range of products of particular interest
to competitive Alpine and Nordic skiers. We fill a need that a
competitive athlete normally can’t find in their local ski shop.
Our business-to-business operation mainly consists of sales to ski
resorts themselves and a wide range of event organizers. We have
some unique products that are applicable for events such as; a
Whitewater Derby, cycling, festivals and fairs. For instance, , we
have screen printed crowd control fencing, flags and banners, and
all of the poles, safety netting, and
products required to put on an event. Timing equipment is
also critical. You can’t have a competition without timing
equipment. We may be the largest purveyor of this equipment in the
nation.
Q: What’s the secret to developing an
International customer base?
A: We’ve always tried to find new products
and new opportunities for our existing products. In the early
years of Reliable Racing, we adapted
breakaway slalom poles for use by ski resorts and their
customers. We created a coin operated self-timing program for this
equipment too. Tom Jacobs once went to a trade show to market our
ski bibs and had an electronic display board in his booth. The CEO
of Phillip Morris was looking for a way get into skiing and was
attracted to the display board. After this chance meeting, the
next thing you know we had the contract for the Marlboro Ski
Challenge.
Q: Tell us about a recent unique use for your
timing equipment?
A: Recently, the world land speed record for
an electric car was being attempted in Nevada. The governing body
of motor sports world invited Reliable Racing to be the official
time keeper for the event. We were there and the systems were
working perfectly, but the car itself failed to set a new record.
Q: Any other interesting stories you’d like
to share?
A: Our involvement with 1998 Olympics in
Nagano Japan was a real highlight. In Japan, I had the opportunity
to see our product used at the highest level in our sport. It was
stressful. We had 500 athletes on the hill. If our product failed,
it could alter the outcome of the race and the Olympics.
Fortunately, everything worked well and this event helped us
catapult this product to a new height.
Q: The performance standards for your
equipment must be very high?
A: The breakaway pole is the one product we
control from development to final product. The amount of violence
these poles must endure and the durability of the products is
amazing.
Q: Tell us a few details about the local
operation?
A: We have between 30 and 35 employees
seasonally. The Inside Edge is like any store and has sales and
service professionals. With Reliable Racing, we also have people
working in our warehouse, shipping and receiving, as well as in
our call center and administrative offices. All of this is housed
in our building at 643 Upper Glen Street. We maintain a
significant website, print catalogues, and sell products via
phone, direct mail, the Internet, etc.
Q: Tell us about the cycling side of the
operation?
A: From a retail standpoint, this was one of
the early product lines we developed locally. A customer wanted a
Peugeot bicycle. Tom Jacobs located an importer of these bicycles
in a brown stone in Manhattan. He became a dealer simply by buying
three Peugeot bicycles and we became the first Peugeot dealer
north of NYC. We bought 300 bicycles and just started
manufacturing them. People were standing in line to get them from
all over New York and New England.
Q: What does the future hold for Reliable
Racing and the Inside Edge?
A: We’re now developing new sales efforts
in golf course supplies. We responded to this need starting 10
years ago. We sell products through a catalogue directly to golf
course superintendents. We’re taking a disruptive approach to
this highly competitive market through direct mail. Direct mail in
a business-to-business setting is a good way to sell our products
and for us to compete. This type of activity helps us to even out
the sales curves and to increase our summer business. Events
supplies are also becoming more of a four season opportunity as
our products are adapted to a wide variety of sports and special
events.
Q: Why here?
A: I’ve been all around the country. No
place is perfect, but this region is one of the best. The quality
of life, quality of education, cost of living, cleanliness, and
recreational opportunities are amazing. I think we’re fortunate
to live here.
Q: What is the best way to learn more about
Reliable Racing and The Inside Edge?
A: Check us out on the web at www.reliableracing.com.
From this website, you can go to the five different modules and
see the incredible range of products we provide.
Q: Tell us about the history of LARAC?
A: LARAC was founded in 1972 by a cross
section of people from the community who were involved in
different arts organizations, artists themselves, and businesses
who liked the idea of an arts community. With the help of the NY
Council on the Arts, LARAC was formed to be a focal point for all
of the cultural activity in the Warren, Washington and Northern
Saratoga region.
Q: How has LARAC grown since 1972?
A: In 1972, the idea was to be a
clearinghouse so that all of the different activities,
organizations and artists could keep everyone in the loop. As we
developed programs, we became an arts service agency. We‘ve
grown tremendously as an arts services organization developing new
programs to support area organizations to the point where we now
own our own building.
Q: How does having a building help?
A: LARAC’s building, at 7 Lapham Place, on City Park, in Glens
Falls, is an 1868 Victorian Carriage House that was preserved.
This building gives LARAC a physical identity. Our facility has a
gallery in which we display and sell a wide range of items
produced by local artisans and craftspeople. We also have some
administrative space. The offices of the Glens Falls Symphony are
there. We have meeting space for smaller nonprofits that don’t
have any such room. Sitting on City Park where the annual LARAC
Festival is, our building reminds people that there really is an
honest to god very vibrant arts community in the region.
Q: Any sense of the size of the region’s
arts community?
A: At last count, we had about 150 to 175
arts organizations in the region.
Q: How is LARAC funded?
A: When you say “LARAC,” most people think of the June Arts
Festival. That is our largest fundraiser. A small portion is also
brought in from the NY State Council on the Arts, but this has
been in decline due to the state’s economy. The rest of the
money we earn. We have one of the highest percentages of earned
revenue in relation to all of the other arts councils in New York.
We’re trying to push membership. To become a member, you just
have to be interested in the arts and want to see this important
part of our quality of life sustained.
Q: So you’ve really been entrepreneurial?
A: Yes. I guess its because we follow our mission to support the
arts and culture and improve our region’s quality of life. When
asked years ago to help organizations market their events, we
invented the street banner program. We’ve almost invented a
monster. Not all of the banners are produced by LARAC, but we
still have this program in effect for all nonprofits. We host a
seminar on street banner making and for as little as $300 you can
get a very nice banner that is very usable for more than one year.
Q: Any other success stories to share?
A: We help organizations to write grants. We have seminars for the
re-grant program, but if you’re looking to write a more
conventional grant to a foundation or a business organization
there are different things you need to know. Several years ago, I
wrote a grant to a local foundation that sent me to the very best
grantsmanship training program for a week and just soaked it all
up. There’s now a one-hour and a 3-hour grant writing program
facilitated by LARAC that has been very helpful.
Q: Tell us more about the LARAC Festival?
A: The main feature is the art and craft show. This is what gets
the people to come to Glens Falls because they love to shop for
fine handcrafted arts and crafts. There are 187 exhibitors in this
show. We have live music on the bandstand on both days every hour
on the hour. The various civic organizations have food stations
adjacent to the park. And this year, there is a really special
event that will be taking place that weekend - - the opening of
the Charles R. Wood Theatre. They’re the newest colleague in our
arts family and we’ll be celebrating the existence of this new
theatre. June 12 and 13th is a real high energy, high
excitement weekend for all of us at LARAC.
Q: How does one get in the show?
A: It’s a juried show. In arts speak, you have to be juried in
to the festival. You send in your application with a full
description of your body of work, materials, idea for design,
techniques, and anything you’ve invented with slides and photos.
We have a jury who looks at the applications, pictures, ask
questions and scores the applications.
Q: Is LARAC an engine for tourism growth?
A: There are a lot of people who make plans based on the LARAC
festival. It is a main feature in people coming in from out of
town. People come on Saturday and look around and stay until
Sunday. It’s a different kind of place versus any other local
arts festival. The ambiance we sell is a product to attract people
to the region. It is attracting daytrippers too. They have money
to dispose of in our community. There is no gate to click bodies
as they come in, but we’ve taken photos from the tops of several
buildings every hour on the hour to estimate attendance.
Apparently, this is a legitimate way to calibrate the number and
we have 20,000 people plus who come to the center of Glens Falls
over the two days.
Q: What can people do to help LARAC?
A: First of all, we need people to understand that nothing happens
for free. Membership in LARAC is open to anyone who cares. You can
make a donation during the LARAC festival. If you’re thinking of
leaving money to an organization that helps other arts
organizations and makes a difference, we’d love to talk with you
too. Our phone number is 798-1144 and our website is www.larac.org.
Q: How does it feel to see the new Glens
Falls Hospital under construction?
A: It is very exciting. It is going to be
just wonderful for the community, for our region’s health care
system, and for our economy when it is completed.
Q: Can you give us a little history about the
Foundation?
A: The hospital started fundraising in 1993,
but did not establish a Hospital Foundation until 1997. The
Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization whose purpose
is to raise money for the Glens Falls Hospital. Fundraising for a
hospital was not always a necessity, but health care has changed a
great deal. In the 1990’s, it became clear that the hospital
would need to raise money, and it was felt that an independent
entity could talk about how important philanthropy is to health
care.
Q: How much has the Foundation raised?
A: Since 1993, we had the Hospital of Future
and a Centennial Capital Campaign that raised about $8 million. In
1998, we developed an annual fund campaign that raises an average
of $1 million annually. Our current campaign has a goal of $12
million dollars. We’re now at - - goodness - - $20 to $25
million in total.
Q: How close are you to raising the current
$12 million for this project?
A: We’re now at $10.4 million dollars. Once
we raise $11.2 million, we will trigger a Kresge Foundation
challenge grant of $800,000 to get us to the $12 million goal.
Q: This really is quite an accomplishment for
you and the Foundation?
A: I feel blessed to work there. The Glens
Falls Hospital is really an incredible place where lives are saved
and babies are born and hope is given to patients with cancer and
heart disease. It’s the people in the region; the volunteers;
and the generosity of the entire community that is making a
difference.
Q: Briefly, what will be inside the new
building?
A: On the first floor, there is a new lobby
with community education space and a very comfortable area for
visitors to spend time. On
the second floor, there is an inpatient oncology unit with private
rooms for cancer patients. On the third floor, there is a medical
surgical unit with 41 new medical and surgical rooms.
On the fourth floor, there is space for the
Juckett Family cardio-vascular center with 4 new suites for
cardiology and interventional radiology. On the fifth floor, there
is a critical care unit to combine the intensive care and cardiac
care units. On the sixth floor, there is a medical surgical step
down unit. In total, we’re building 6 new floors; with 130,000
plus square feet; and using 1,700 tons of steel.
Q: Do you think the level of philanthropy in
this region is above the average?
A: I believe that it is. We live in a region
that is like a postcard. It’s a great place to raise a family.
Glens Falls is a small city, and it’s got a big hospital. Glens
Falls Hospital is bigger than 90 percent of the hospitals in the
country. It is the third largest hospital in the capital region
and sees 50,000 emergency visits annually. There are 180,000
people in the 6 counties that we serve. Yet, we’ve raised $10.4
million dollars with a goal of $12 million. That is astonishing
Q: To trigger the Kresge grant, by when do
you need to raise the $11.2 million dollars?
A: We received notification last September
that we had received the grant. Our Board met in December and
looked at where we were. Our community has been so generous that
we’re actually ahead of schedule. We decided to make a very
public case for completing this campaign by the end of 2004.
Q: What options do people have to help?
A: We have a bricks program where people can
donate $500 or $1000. These bricks will be inscribed and placed in
the new entrance area. You can buy a tile for $250 or $500 that
will have a photo or a name on it for remembrance. Many people
choose to donate using their credit cards. We also offer gift
annuities and other investment options for those who want to be
philanthropic.
Q: How do people contact the Foundation?
A: Our phone number is 926-7077. Our website
is www.glensfallshospital.org.
Not only can you learn about the project online, you can also
access our physician directory. Our website has a Health Magazine
section and links to some great resources for cancer care, cardiac
care, wellness, and fitness.
Q: What’s next for the Foundation?
A: It’s really what’s next for Glens
Falls Hospital. There will be continuing new achievements and
treatment in cancer and cardiology. We have an incredible staff of
surgeons in our region. We’re going to need to make improvements
in our surgery centers to make them even better than they already
are. We’ll be expanding our regional presence. We now have
family health centers in Washington County and northern Saratoga
County. We’re going to look to our North and West; and partner
with physicians and other health care professionals. When the new
building gets done, that is just the beginning!
Q: Tell us about the history of Coopers Cave
Ale Company?
A: We opened Coopers Cave Ale Company on St.
Patricks Day in 1999. We thought opening a brewery would be a lot
of fun. We had spent a couple of years visiting breweries and brew
pubs. We’re often called a micro-brewery and the most important
word in this title is “micro.” In this business, you stay
small and do business in your own area.
Q: What is your neighborhood?
A: We define our neighborhood the old
fashioned way. As far as we’re concerned, It’s really as far
as a horse can go in a day.
Q: Talk about the development of the
business?
A: We ran out of beer in the first week. That
was really amazing. In 2000, restaurant owners wanted to put our
beer on tap. In May of 2000, the Warren County Bike Trail went in
just outside our location on Dix Avenue. People now were riding
their bikes or walking by and poking their head in the window. At
the time, we only made beer. The kids were bored. So we decided to
do something for the kids. That’s how the soda started. Shortly
thereafter, the ice cream was basically a no brainer.
Q: How have you been so successful?
A: It has been 120 million percent hard work.
We live it, breath it and eat it. The three of us in the business
have all had jobs that have led us to this point in our lives. In
the beer business, batch 1 has to taste like batch 500. You’ve
got to know what your doing.
Q: Talk about Coopers Cave Ale?
A: We do ales in 4 to 6 weeks and lagers in 3
to 5 months. You have different yeasts and lagering temperatures.
We are the smallest brewery by volume in New York State. We’re
quite proud of this fact. We do 6 ales year round, including;
Tavern, Brown, Red, Pale Ale, Porter and Stout. The most popular
is the Pale Ale by volume. It’s really good, and it’s Ed’s
favorite.
Q: How has the bike path helped you?
A: We took a little corner of a little
neighborhood and made it a destination. People bring their soda
growlers to be filled. People come to hang out and eat ice cream.
From the bike path, I’ve talked to people from all over the
world. It is one of the greatest assets in this community.
Q: When are you open for business?
A: Our ice cream window is open year round.
We clear the snow from that section of our bike trail year round
and serve ice cream. It’s great to see people shivering,
freezing and enjoying our ice cream throughout the year.
Q: What can you tell us about your ice cream?
A: We have 30 flavors of hard ice cream. The
chocolate peanut butter cup is our number one seller by far. It is
incredibly awesome. We now have a new soft frozen yogurt called
“Only 8.” There are just 8 ingredients in this product and no
fat or no cholesterol.
Q: And you make ice cream cakes too?
A: Yes. We get a lot of special orders for
ice cream cakes. The options really are endless. I had never
bought an ice cream cake in my life. I had no idea how popular
they are.
Q: Describe the soda business?
A: We make and serve 14 flavors of soda,
including; Root Beer, Cream Soda, Birch Beer, Wild Cherry Cream,
Sasparilla, Grace’s Grape named after the puppy, Spicy Hot
Ginger Beer, Apricot Mango, and 3 sugar frees as well. The Root
Beer is the number one seller, but the Orange Cream and Sasparilla
are catching up. We don’t use corn syrup. We use real sugar.
This makes the flavor better.
Q: How big is your facility?
A: Our building is big enough to accommodate
what we do. When we first moved in, we made sure the brewing
system was expandable. Our ice cream making machine was built in
1947. This makes all our hard ice cream five gallons at a time. We
actually make one half keg of soda at a time which is 15 and half
gallons. The building just keeps going and going.
Q: How have you increased sales?
A: I think it is pretty much word of mouth.
We’ve chosen not to use a distributor. You have a restaurant and
know of our product. We’re on tap where people want us. We
bottle soda and beer by kegs. Restaurants use our ice cream and
cakes too. We bottle beer in growlers and 22 ounce bottles by
hand. We have 12 ounce swing top bottle for soda that the kids
really love. We’re a workingman’s kind of brewery.
Q: You also sell gift baskets?
A: In the second year we were in business,
someone asked me to gift wrap up item. I had not yet thought of
that. We sold over 700 baskets at Christmas. Our big thing is to
promote local products. You can pick what you want for custom made
baskets and we always have some baskets pre-made that you can just
pick up.
Q: How do you get such great ideas?
A: When you come to get a growler filled with
our beer, you have to wait five minutes. Since I’m always here,
you have to listen to me. We have a little guest book for people
to sign as well. We ask a lot of questions. It is a constant
one-on-one with the customers. It’s totally what we’re about
at the Coopers Cave Ale Company.
Q: Tell us about the history of Leland Paper
Company?
A: Leland Paper Company began with my
grandfather in 1951. He bought MacLaren Paper Company and started
his own firm. My father came in for a couple of weeks after
college and he’s been there now for over 40 years. My brother
and I both work there and my wife works part time as well. So
Leland Paper really is a family operation.
Q: Since Leland Paper company is not a paper
manufacturer, can you describe what Leland Paper Company really
is?
A: It’s hard to put a word in there to
describe what we do. We sell paper and a wide range of office
supplies. We sell copy, computer, and fax paper as well as paper
towels and toilet paper. We sell janitorial, cleaning and
maintenance items. We also sell commercial dishwashers to local
restaurants along with the chemicals they need to operate them. We
work hard to bring total cost solutions to our customers.
Q: What does that really mean in Leland
Paper’s case?
A: Besides the cost of the products we sell,
there is a major cost having to do with the labor involved in
using these supplies, particularly for cleaning. It is our task to
do the best research we can to find products and cleaning concepts
that will give our customers a clean facility while addressing
their labor concerns. In schools, for example, you see buildings
being expanded. However, you might not see the personnel added to
take care of that new space. They need automation, techniques,
tools and concepts that will get the job done efficiently.
That’s what we do to add value to the products we sell.
Q: So customer service is a real key
ingredient?
A: We hang our hat on service and being local
to service our customers better than the competition. When a
restaurant is cranking out meals and that dish machine goes down,
they need somebody to respond in a timely manner. We try to
provide that high level of service and customer satisfaction.
Q: How do you build lasting customer
relationships?
A: Relationships require time. We’ve got a
lot of people that have been with us for a number of years. If you
have a relationship but you don’t have a solution, you might get
a cup of coffee but you won’t get the order. That’s why were
looking for new ways to help our customers improve their business
and reduce their overall costs.
Q: What’s the future of Leland Paper?
A: We’re always adapting. We will always
hang our hat on service. Service once was that we delivered to
your account once a week. That is not applicable in today’s
competitive market. The definition of service is being challenged
today and we’re working very hard to add value to the services
we provide.
Q: How do you add value to the delivery of
one of your products?
A: First of all, we depend a lot on our
vendors to train our staff. We don’t manufacture goods. We’re
also looking for training from the best of the best so that we can
take solutions to the marketplace. We’re now doing seminars for
our customers on carpet cleaning techniques using a dry cleaning
system. We’ve learned that these new systems are capable of
addressing indoor air quality, mold and mildew issues much more
efficiently than other options. Earlier this year, we hosted a
floor care seminar for our customers with hardwood floors that
brought to light some new techniques and advantages to using
automated scrubbing machines with cylindrical brushes. These new
systems use far less water yet can cover twice as much floor
space.
Q: So you’re not only teaching your
customers, but helping them to reduce their liabilities and save
money as well?
A: Exactly. Those are the types of things
we’re doing in this new marketplace to be successful. You can
see that perhaps the word paper in our company name doesn’t
necessarily fit any longer.
Q: How significant a challenge is it to be
running a third generation family business?
A: The name Leland carries some value in this
community. I tip my hat to my father and grandfather who did
everything possible to make sure that is the case. They’ve
really handed off a company to us with a good reputation. It’s
like being on a treadmill where someone keeps picking up the
speed. We’re still involved in the community too. We support the
capital campaign at the hospital and the YMCA as well as the Glens
Falls Civic Center. We’re a part of the community. These things
are important for the people and the economy of this region. I
love this area even though the winters can be long.
Q: Tell us about the history of Junior
Achievement?
A: Junior Achievement was originally
organized in 1919 by Horace Moses in Springfield, Massachusetts.
He and other business leaders at the time were concerned that
school children entering the workforce were not well prepared. The
JA Company program was their first venture where participating
children would learn how to start a business and how to make a
profit. The Junior Achievement program now is operated entirely
within schools. The JA experience involves students and schools
from kindergarten through the 12th grade. Junior
Achievement has been in the Capital District for 51 years in
Capital district and in Warren and Washington County now for the
past 3 years.
Q: Can you give us some numbers regarding
local participation?
A: In the past year, Junior Achievement
programs took place in 16 area schools. We served about 3600
students this year. Locally, our program is focused on students in
the elementary schools or kindergarten through grade 5. The first
year we had 1800 students participate in JA. That increased to
2800 and now to 3600 this past year. The demand is growing and
growing. We now have 200 classroom volunteers too.
Q: What is the JA Experience?
It is a five week program. A volunteer goes
into the classroom and presents the JA curriculum. It is already
prepared. The volunteer spends 30 to 45 minute visiting their
classroom depending on the grade level. The experience includes 5
visits to the classroom. This is not a tremendous amount of time,
but enough to really make a difference.
Q: What does a JA volunteer do?
A: The JA experience offers volunteers a full
curriculum and suggestions for the entire 5 week program. There is
a wide range of hands on activities that the volunteer can do with
the students. For instance in the second grade, students look at a
poster of the community and discover the various jobs in the area
based on the characters in the community. In third grade, they
study the City, the City planner’s job and build their own City
on a floor map. In the fifth grade, they start their own
businesses. These lesson plans are designed to help students begin
to make a real life connection to what they’re learning every
day in school.
Every year we have four or five classes that
don’t happen because of a lack of volunteers. We have training
in the fall and in the spring. The training materials and
curriculum are already provided. We do encourage volunteers to add
their own special unique experiences to the program.
Q: Who can volunteer?
A: We’re not only looking for business
owners. We’ll take people who are interested in making a
difference in the lives of children and helping them to explore
the careers available to them. For instance, we have a lot of stay
at home moms who are JA volunteers. They are the CEO’s of their
households. They have a tremendous amount of life experience. Even
Dad’s in the general workforce will get involved partnering with
their child’s teacher.
Q: What skills are required to volunteer?
A: The main requirement is the desire to help
kids. That is number one. From there, we provide the materials,
support and training. The classroom teacher is in the classroom to
provide the discipline as well so that the volunteer can focus on
helping the children to learn using the JA curriculum.
Q: What does Junior Achievement see as
anticipated outcomes?
A: One of the unique facets of our program is
that we have volunteers in the classroom. They’re preparing the
students for the workforce. They’re also serving as role models.
What were really trying to do is to make a better prepared
workforce. Our curriculum falls in line with the New York state
social studies curriculum. This is true for kindergarten through
grade 6. Educators have told us that some of the questions on the
social studies test in 5th grade are covered in 4th
and 5th grade JA curriculum. So we’re also helping
the children to prepare for these tests.
Q: What is the overall scope of the JA
organization?
A: The JA Organization is now called JA
Worldwide. We’re in 80 countries. It is an amazingly large
organization. Our funding comes from the support from the business
community, grants, foundations, individual contributions and
special events. Locally, we have a miniature golf tournament and a
Bowl-a-thon. Our district office is in Latham. We have a
relatively small staff that cares for the capital region.
Q: Can you share one particularly good story
that illustrates the positive impact of the JA experience?
A: I heard from a teacher of a 5th
grade student where the student had a life changing experience.
This child was not overly invested in their school work. The JA
volunteer came into the classroom and taught about
entrepreneurship and what it takes to get a business started. One
of the last days involves developing a business plan and
presenting each student’s plan to the class who act as potential
investors. This child came up with a chocolate company. He
manufactured his chocolate, created advertising, and also came
with a kiosk to present this plan to the other students. I heard
about the story from the volunteer who was totally blown away. He
can now better understands why he has to learn in school and is
far more invested.
Q: How can people help….
A: They can give me - -
Susan Klippell - - a
call at 792-3177. You can also go to our local local website at www.janeny.org
or the JA Worldwide website at www.ja.org.
Q: Tell us about the history of The Fun Spot?
A: The Fun Spot started out 23 years ago as
Skate Land. The renaming was a marketing strategy because we offer
more than skating. We have go-carts, water slides, laser tag and,
of course, skating.
Q: How is business today?
A: Business today is much better. 9/11 hurt
everyone in the entertainment industry. Considering that the Great
Escape is only a half mile away from us, there are other rink
owners who ask how can we survive? It is because we offer
entertainment regionally. People come to the region to have fun.
They don’t just go to one place for their vacation. We have
reciprocals with the Great Escape. It is a small community and a
good community where we work together to bring people to our area.
Q: Is this cooperative spirit realistic?
A: People will leave the Great Escape and see
our go cart track. We’ve done a lot of landscaping. They see our
destination and people having fun. They decide to come back to the
Fun Spot later that day, week or on their next visit. People come
to the area to have fun. People who live here also look for fun
things to do and we cater to them too. We have people who come
back year in and year out.
Q: How many employees work at the Fun Spot?
A: We have 30 employees year round. We have
60 young people all summer aged 15 to 21 years old on average. I
have college students who come back year after year to work for
us.
Q: How do you keep your employees motivated?
A: We have a good time at the Fun Spot. When
it is time to work, they know it is time to work. If you do a
great job, I’ll be the first to pat you on the back. Everyone is
about the same age so there is also time for to interact. You’ll
never have a perfect crew, but for the most part were quite happy.
These kids are here to make some money and to have some fun.
Q: Tell us about the Go Carts?
A: Three years ago, we changed the
configuration of the go cart track and installed a special quick
dry cement. We installed computer wires underneath the whole track
so that we can stall our carts down in case there is an accident
around the corner. It is a high technology operation. The go carts
are all brand new this year too. The track is also reversible so
that we can change the direction of the races to keep it new and
fresh for our visitors. We have a separate mini-go cart track for
little children ages 3 to 7. The main track has single carts and
double carts as well for an adult and child where the child is 3
or above.
Q: Who can ride the go carts?
A: It is a combination of height and age. You
have to be 54 inches tall. If you are riding with an adult, you
have to be at least three years old. The driver has to be 16 with
a license. You are in a motor vehicle so we have stringent rules.
We have double harness seatbelts that go across your waist. We
have a state of the art system that is the best you can get so
that we’re in full compliance with New York’s strict rules.
Q: Tell us about the Water Slides?
A: The water slides are perhaps our best kept
secret. They’ve been at the Fun Spot for 12 years. People are
amazed that we have 2 slides. There is a 30-foot tower with a
turbulent bed of water that has 360 degree turns. The two slides
have two different configurations. They land in a three-foot pool
of water on the other side. All our lifeguards are Red Cross
certified. We also have a pool for young children with a little
slide and bubblers. We have life vests that are free of charge for
all the little ones. They’re open from 11 to 6:00 p.m.
Q: When is the Fun Spot the busiest?
A: You’d be amazed. Tuesdays through
Thursdays, I have a lot of visitors, tour buses, and local
families. They spend on average about 4 hours. These are the big
days. For local families, the best days are Fridays through
Mondays. This is family time when the larger groups are not
typically visiting.
Q: Tell us about the Roller Skating?
A: This keeps us going in the winter time and
when it rains. This is a great family weekend event. The capacity
is for 675 people. The skate floor is 75 by 180 feet and we also
have a snack bar, party room and laser tag off the back. You can
bring your roller blades. We have a nice clean surface for skating
year-round. You can bring your own or rent them or we sell them
too. We can provide you with the high tech skates or little ones
that expand with packages that include helmets.
Q: How do you keep people coming back?
A: Providing entertainment is a key part of
my job. I have to come up with ideas throughout the whole year. We
have a Harry Potter night. We have a Fear Factor night that is
absolutely gross. The kids love them. We have five all night
skates. We have complete lock down and a police officer inside.
Everyone is searched. We’ll have 250 to 400 kids.
Q: What is your market?
A: I go out and gather groups from NY, PA,
and Boston. There are a lot of tour groups who are interested in
the Fun Spot as part of their package visit to our region. My main
focus is local people. I offer special summer passes from April to
May 15. It is a $75 value that goes for $20. There are coupons for
those traveling to the area as well. The target market is very
diverse. We have the locals that keep us going and those who visit
from far away.
Q: Is it affordable?
A: We try to keep our prices competitive. You
can spend just $10 for the water slides and skating with the
rentals included. For local residents, you can get passes for each
of the venues for 19.95 until May 15. These are transferable. The
parents can stay and watch for free or you can drop off your
children if your comfortable with that.
Q: How can people learn more about the Fun
Spot
A: They can go online and visit us at www.thefunspot.net.
There are coupons on the site. You can also give us a call at
792-8989.
Todd: Tell
us a little bit about the history? How’d you get started? When?
Lanette: I’ve
been in business for 23 years and you’d be surprised how many
people still don’t know what the Plant Doctor does.
How did I get started?
Actually I had a love of plants, and I lived near
Manhattan, and accumulated about 70 something plants in my home. I
had a nice sunny south window and a woman asked me - she said,
“you know, I’ve got this business – Interior Landscaping –
and maybe for $5 an hour you’d like to go around with me and
help people take care of their plants.”
Well, when I came to the North Country with my son and
decided to stay, I thought, I can do that in the Glens Falls area
and that’s exactly what I did.
Todd: How
has it grown since?
Lanette: Well, the ARCC was instrumental in my
growth. I joined the chamber, got the mailing list, and I created
a brochure and sent out a 211-piece mailer to the then membership
of the chamber. And
thought, oh well, now I’ve done it.
I’ve invested my full capital and what if nobody answers?
Well, I got two phone calls and one was from Bill Philion who was
the president of Glens Falls Hospital at that time so the chamber
really helped Plant Doctor get its start.
Todd: And
you’ve gone from that one phone call to dozens on a monthly
basis?
Lanette: Well,
it’s true - all kinds of phone calls from people wanting help
with their sick plants as well as people who want a whole interior
plant design using containers and plants.
So it can go from somebody who is not capable of repotting
their plants anymore but has the love of plants up to a high end
residential housing development.
Todd: So
your business is both commercial and residential.
Lanette: Yes. The specialty would be plants and I
guess the main business that I have is interior landscaping –
going in and solving a lot of interior design flaws.
By accessorizing with the right plant and the right pot,
taking into consideration the customer’s budget, traffic
patterns and lifestyle, we really make a difference.
Todd: What’s
been the project that’s the most fun for you?
Lanette:: The
big fun in my industry is the installation, the big show –
it’s where you come in with your crew and you set up. At one
time I had done the Sagamore in Bolton Landing
– that was an awful fun stress.
We installed two 14-foot ficus trees there.
One of the ficus trees had a tree frog in it. I was up in
the tree pruning and coming eye-to-eye with the tree frog.
The Glen Eddy in Niskayuna was a ton of fun.
The Glen at Hiland Meadows was a lot of fun to install.
Todd: So,
the best part is seeing the before and then the after?
Lanette: I
should take more pictures before and after to show people what a
difference just a little bit of green can do.
Part of my business, too, the main part, of course, is the
interior landscaping . This
time of year we go out on to decks, and accessorizing gardens and
that’s a lot of fun too. Another part of my business – I have a certain client as
long as I am in their home or in their office they like for us to
bring fresh flowers every week.
Todd:
What is your market area?
Lanette:
I go from Bolton Landing to Niskayuna, to Troy-Cohoes. In
the city there are a lot of people taking care of my kind of
industry. But between
New York City and Glens Falls there is a huge area there that
doesn’t really have very much of my industry in it.
Todd:
How much are your customers involved in the design process?
Lanette::
Some customers are more involved than other customers.
Some customers, very few, really don’t want to be
bothered. They want it done for them. That’s kind of nice in
it’s own way but it’s also nice to have a lot of input from
your client. After all it’s your customer that going to be
living with that product and you want them to be living with what
it is that they like.
Todd:
How did you arrive at the name Plant Doctor for the
business?
Lanette:
Well I thought that Plant Doctor would attract the
attention of a huge market and I was absolutely right. However, a
lot of people don’t realize that I am an artist and what I do is
use plants as an artistic design.
So Plant Doctor in
one way – I used to get so tired of answering sick fern calls
– but that’s what my name is and I am a plant doctor – I do
know all those remedies. I
know every single one of them – I know all the diseases and the
pests and I am happy to do that now, but also I need to let people
know that I am a plant designer and I am a floral designer as well
as a plant doctor.
Todd:
Are there particular people that ought to be calling you?
Lanette:
Well, sure, I’d be happy to hear from any of you.
If you are not capable of potting or repotting your plants
please give Plant Doctor a call.
If you have a new business that’s going up – say you
are a dealership and are overwhelmed with gift plants that come in
all assorted pots, give Plant Doctor a call.
What we do is come out – the first consultation is free
– so maybe through that conversation – and I am happy to go
out and give a free consultation.
Maybe through the consultation you will have enough
information from me that you’ll be able to take care of your own
plant needs. That’s
great – that’s my job.
Todd:
How do people get in touch with you?
Lanette:
Call me at 798-1644 or visit me on my website it’s www.plantdoctor.biz.
Q: How did you start Teams on Purpose?
A: My husband, Bob Walter, and I have been
doing this for 10 years. We actually were married and started the
business at the same time. I was an Intensive Care Unit nurse for
25 years and really enjoyed working with people. Bob sold
chemicals to the paper mills. This combination of skills really
makes this venture work for us and our clients.
Q: What services do you offer to companies?
A: We try to create a more worker friendly
environment. We work with the company to reduce turnover and
increase productivity. We help people in an organization to
embrace change and increase their involvement in the change
process with an opportunity for open and honest dialogue. We
increase and improve communication between employees. This leads
to increased teamwork and creates opportunities for team problem
solving. We also make sure that we the help people in the
organizations we serve to celebrate their success.
Q: What makes an effective team?
A: There are two key ingredients. One is a
clear goal that everyone agrees to support. Second, the
organization and its people must have a high level of commitment
to making each other successful. A group can always develop into a
successful team if the leader develops his or her people.
Q: How can you help a leader to delegate?
A: They need to want to delegate. You can’t
make anyone do it. We have a unique 16 to 20 hour training program
for leaders that focuses on leadership styles and team
development. Communication and getting feedback is often a key to
success. There is training on how to be aware of what is being
communicated. We demonstrate democratic versus autocratic
techniques. We work the leaders who come to us for all they’re
worth until the light bulb goes off.
Q: How do you help teams to build consensus
on a clear goal?
A: We do this by teaching people how to hold
an effective meeting and how to achieve consensus. This takes
patience. We teach the difference between a win-win and a
compromise where often times someone loses. It takes both sides
not selling out on what they want and both sides wanting the other
side to get what they want as well. The leader needs to develop
skills to draw people out and to read their body language. Even
though people are saying yes, the leader needs to know when this
is not necessarily true. The others involved in the organization
also need to be honest for this to work.
Q: What other types of training programs do
you offer?
A: We have a customer service training
program. We do coaching for improved performance with the leader
and the team. We teach team development and problem solving. Our
programs encourage and motivate people to take action and teach
people to become a part of the solution.
Q: How can you track the impact of this
training?
A: We always do follow up. We set the stage
by doing pre-course assessments and surveys. We ask the
participants for some personal goals before the training. We have
a very high level of commitment. I have a passion for this. We
like to go in there and determine our “return on investment.”
That is one reason we do follow up surveys too.
Q: What makes your programs so successful for
your clients?
A: We’re focused on MOPS - - making other
people successful. This is a constant philosophy that we weave
throughout the whole training program. We teach people to get out
of their self-centered this is not my job mentality and to start
thinking about how they personally stand to gain when they make
life easier for the others around them.
Q: How has client cultivation changed for
Teams on Purpose?
A: When we started out, we gravitated toward
working in manufacturing organizations and the paper mills. Now
the Department of Labor has a series of grants to improve worker
retention and employee skills. This has helped us to work with a
number of different local organizations. We’re working with
health care companies and retailers now. These grants have made it
possible for companies to do more training than ever before.
Q: How do you help companies to establish
effective communications?
A: We start with the meeting process and the
way they give feedback to employees. It comes down to making other
people successful. We teach managing your time and priorities
using the Stephen Covey model. We want people in an organization
to share information and experiences. So many great ideas are lost
because there is not an effective communications system in place.
We motivate people to stay connected. We teach leaders to get out
there and ask what people think instead of sitting in they’re
office and thinking they alone know what is best.
Q: How do you create this environment?
A: We start from the beginning in the first
session with our gripes auction. You need to have an emptying
process and agree to disagree. We get it all out there. What
upsets you? What is not working? What is successful? What is the
cost of living with this problem versus fixing it? We then ask
what do you want to do about this? We give them control over their
work environment and teach them to stop casting the blame to
others. We take a look at they’re perception of the environment.
Q: How do people contact you?
A: They can call Bob or I at 793-5660. We have a
website at www.teamsonpurpose.com
with pages that show all of the training programs we offer.
We’re very involved in the Glens Falls Rotary and we do training
through ACC and the Chamber.
Todd: Can you preview the coming season?
Marc: We’re expecting good things from our
team. Our new ownership is treating this like we are starting a
new franchise. We’ve changed the team name. We’ve revamped the
team with some new players. We expect to have a great year.
Todd: Tell us about the name?
Kevin: We gave people a chance to submit
names for our new team. The Adirondack Frostbite was the most
popular. The new logo has been universally well received. We’re
labeling this season as a rebirth of hockey in this region.
Todd: How is the new ownership making a
difference?
Marc: Barry Melrose is an established as a
local leader. People have responded very positively to his
involvement. The fact that he has taken ownership of the team has
helped us to establish real credibility. I myself came to this
team because of Barry’s involvement. He wants this team and
hockey in this region to work. And the region has really responded
to his efforts.
Todd: Can the team benefit from his national
exposure as well?
Marc: I’m sure people here in town that are
fans of Adirondack Hockey are proud when they here this community
and this team mentioned on ESPN. This has certainly helped build
excitement for this team.
Todd: Will the NHL Lockout play a role in
your success this year?
Marc: I don’t think we’ll see our league
games on ESPN. But we may certainly see fans who might otherwise
attend NHL games come to see the Adirondack Frostbite.
Todd: How do you recruit great employees?
Marc: The biggest thing we’re looking for
is quality and character in our players. We want players who are
family oriented. We’re looking for players to get involved in
the community. As we make player selections just as you do in
business, you have to rely on your network and your judgment.
Todd: How are ticket sales going?
Kevin: Barry Melrose has challenged the
community to support the Adirondack Frostbite and to help us bring
hockey back to this region. We started the Melrose 2K challenge.
We want to establish the rebirth of hockey by getting 2,000 season
ticket holders for the start of the season. Sales are going very
well so far.
Todd: Do you have ticket packages?
Kevin: One of our most popular is targeted to
be of value for small business. For a reasonable price, we’ll
give them season tickets and advertising in our programs. These
people are hockey fans who get some advertising as well. The
season tickets are $309 for seniors who 62 years old or older and
for juniors 18 years of age and under. The adult season ticket
price is $359. This price includes a city service fee of $60 for
the first time. That has pushed the price up a little, but it is
still less than last year. Individual game tickets are $13 for
adults and $11 for juniors and seniors.
Todd: How were these ticket prices set?
Kevin: The ticket prices here are the lowest
in the league. Our goal is to offer the best entertainment at the
most affordable price possible.
Todd: How is the league doing?
Marc: We have an 80 game season. We’ll play
40 games in Glens Falls. The UHL has added three new teams so
there are now 14 total. Compared to east coast league, we have
more veterans like Hugo Belanger. We’re one of the few teams in
the UHL that has an affiliation both with the Springfield Falcons
and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Todd: Evaluate your competition?
Marc: Fans have been frustrated that some
teams have been consistent winners while others have not. We’re
in a smaller market, but we’re working hard and hopefully better
than our competition. Our ownership has been very supportive and
generous to help us attract great players. When fans see this team
come together, they’ll be impressed. We’re not looking just to
compete but to win.
Todd: How important is winning to the
business?
Marc: Lombardi said it best – “Winning is
everything.” Winning means more fans. The community wants to
support a winner. It is great for advertisers. It benefits
everyone. It helps the ownership to sell the team locally. There
is real pressure to win. We want to be able to sell a winning
product.
Todd: How does the Glens Falls Civic Center
help your efforts?
Kevin: Our facility is really the right size
for the UHL. The fans are close to the game and the players. It
can also be intimidating for our opposition.
Marc: I played in Boston in the Old Garden. I
was there when we switched to the Fleet Center. In the new
facility, the players couldn’t even hear the fans. In minor
league hockey, you have to create excitement. We want this to be a
great evening out for families. The building itself lends itself
to this.
Todd: Are there any special promotions
planned?
Kevin: We will host the UHL All-Star game and
a Red Wings alumni game. We will have bobble head nights with
Barry, the Mascot, and some players. We’ll have Rachel Ray
helping people to tailgate.
Todd: How can people get more information?
Kevin: They can visit us online at www.frostbitehockey.com
or call 926-7825 PUCK. Individual tickets can be purchased via the
box office at 798-0202.
Q: Tell us about the history of Binley
Florist?
A: Binley Florist started in 1893. My dad was
a European grower who came to this country in 1929 planning to go
to the Chicago World’s Fair. He ran out of money in New York and
began looking for a job. He found a guy in Albany who was hiring.
Binley’s was a customer of this guy and bought cut flowers from
him. My father had a secret to get the Chrysanthemum to bloom
early. He told his boss to buy sheets dye them black and put them
over the mum plants to get them to flower early. My father took
his own money, bought the materials, and the guy in Albany became
a local celebrity. The Binley’s were impressed with my dad and
hired him in 1932. In 1946, he became a partner. He took over the
business completely in 1961.
Q: When did you get involved in the business?
A: Anyone who has ever been raised in a
family business knows there is no escaping it. I hung out there to
earn some money when I was young. After I graduated from high
school, I went to Cobbleskill and earned my degree in
horticulture. I’ve never looked back since then. My family has
been in this industry since 1840 and now my son works part-time in
the business.
Q: Tell us about the range of products
Binley’s offers?
A: We do just about anything in the flower
line. Everyday flowers delivered to homes and businesses. We have
a strong funeral and wedding business. Our designers are
absolutely terrific. We have a big plant business producing and
selling Poinsettias, Geraniums, Annuals, as well as foliage
plants. We also own Quaker Farms. This location offers a full
selection of garden center products and a wide range of plants.
Q: What separates Binley’s from the
competition?
A: I think the strongest part is our people.
We have great employees who are totally interested in the product
and helping customers. We don’t sell flowers but what the flower
say. Our people really pay attention to the customer. They enjoy
working in this business and want to help people.
Q: What’s changed in your industry…
A: The designers create unique works that
reflect the customer’s desires and needs. Our designers are at
seminars and design schools on a regular basis. They take and
personalize to our area some trends that may be far fetched. On
the growing end, the variety of plants available is incredible and
they last much longer. Some of the flowers we have now were
unheard of in the past. The transportation system also helps us to
get these flowers from all around the world.
Q: How do regulations impact your business?
A: There is a form for everything we do. We
try to stay low impact on the chemicals. We’re not a huge
grower. We’re big for this area but small for the whole world.
The flower shop doesn’t use high impact chemicals at all. One of
the oddities of us is that we do buy and sell but we also
manufacture our plants. We’re half way between the farmers and
the factories. Our job is to take nature and to bring it to the | 
