Your ARCC Committed to Serving You

November 17, 2020
 
Wow is certainly a word that comes to mind when thinking about how 2020 has gone so far. Despite the challenging times and restrictions, we have all been faced with, your ARCC continues to work hard to make sure we are here for our membership. We cannot begin to express our gratitude for the support we have received from all of you throughout this year. It is our hope that you have seen value in the immense amount of hard work the ARCC team has put forth to make sure we all stay connected, remain focused on advocacy, provide relevant education and find new ways to collaborate. All I can say is WOW and THANK YOU for making us proud to be your partner in this wonderful community.
 
-Marc Monahan
Chairman of the Board, ARCC


 
We are blessed to partner with our community to advocate, educate, collaborate, and connect our members with each other, our elected officials, and our greater community.  While we can’t meet much due to our current situation, your Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce has been doubling down on our commitment to you through our mission to serve and to love our members and our greater community.  While the below outlines some of what your ARCC has been up to in 2020, there are no words to express or explain the amount and type of phone calls, emails and interactions we have had with our individual members and the greater community through these difficult times. Since your ARCC is unique in the fact that we are 100% member funded, we have one focus and one focus only, YOU.  We never forget who our customer is and who we serve.  We are blessed to serve you, advocate for you, and help you anyway we can.  From our team of Tricia, Amanda, and me, thank you much for your trust and partnership. 
 
Always Forward.
 
Blessings,
 
Michael Bittel
President & CEO
Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce
 
 
Advocacy for our businesses:

• 10/1/2020 Letter to Governor Cuomo, Senator Betty Little. Assemblyman Dan Stec, and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner supporting 75% capacity for restaurants
• 9/16/2020 Letter to Sens Schumer and Gillibrand and Congresswoman Stefanik to reinstate J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

• 9/15/2020 Letter to Sens Schumer and Gillibrand and Congresswoman Stefanik for Save our Stages Act
• 9/14/2020 Letter to Governor Cuomo asking for no tax increase due to current COVID-19 environment
• 8/14/2020 Letter to Governor Cuomo regarding immediate funding relief for gyms & bowling alleys
• 7/23/2020 Letter to Governor Cuomo on extending awarded grant deadlines in 2020
• Hosted three Conversations with your Legislators, on 3/19, 4/8, and 5/13/2020
• Worked with Congresswoman Stefanik on updating the PPP guidance to better serve our businesses. ARCC specific verbiage now part of PPP guidance to specify that seasonal business did not have to be in operation on Feb. 15, 2020.
• 6/23/2020 Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds set aside for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) presently held for review by the NYS Department of Budget
• 6/17/2020 Organized a press conference with Senator Betty Little, Assemblyman Dan Stec and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner at Aviation Mall, to urge Governor Cuomo to reopen retail and small businesses located inside shopping malls
• 6/15/2020 ARCC Oral Testimony to the NY State Assembly Small Business Committee: four areas NY State can help small businesses during this crisis
• 6/1/2020 Support for Aviation Mall change in zoning at Queensbury Town Hall Meeting
• 5/27/2020 Letter to Sens Schumer and Gillibrand and Congresswoman Stefanik for: Please Support Paycheck Protection Program Expansion of Period Eligibility
• 5/16/2020 Letter to Governor Cuomo’s chief associate, Dr. Jim Malatras, urging him to begin reopening businesses in the Capital Region
• 5/8/2020 Letter to Sens Schumer and Gillibrand and Congresswoman Stefanik for: Glens Falls Hospital requesting funding for rural hospitals
• 4/29/2020 Letter to Sens Schumer and Gillibrand and Congresswoman Stefanik for Federal Funding for our Rural Counties, Towns and Villages
• 4/24/2020 Letter to NYS Department of Labor re: New York State Dislocated Worker Grants
• 4/17/2020 ARCC Works with Assemblyman Dan Stec and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce for a Regional Reopening Approach
• 4/16/2020 Letter to Sens Schumer and Gillibrand and Congresswoman Stefanik for Federal Financial Package to Address the Health and Economic Challenges due to COVID19
• 4/3/2020 Johnsburg Town Hall to support North Warren County Business Community
• 1/15/2020 Repeal Bail Reform and Discovery

• NYS Paid Family/Paid Sick Leave Webinar with Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC
• ARCC Succession Summit, presented by the ARCC Women’s Business Council
• StoredTech virtual training – Using Microsoft Teams
• SUNY Adirondack, Whiteman Ostermann & Hanna LLP, Amsure, and StoredTech – Cyber Security During COVID-19
• Monthly Cyber Security Summit with ADK Tech
• Catamount Consulting virtual training – Back to Business
• Small Business Administration (SBA) PPP Update with Regional Administrator Steve Bulger
• Sent 170 informational emails, including resources and announcements on PPP, EIDL, Governor Cuomo Executive Orders, grants, business loans, and more
• Wear Your Mask Campaign encouraging community members to wear masks/face coverings in public and practice social distancing and hand washing
• Lunch with Your Legislators; Congresswoman Stefanik, Senator Little, Assemblyman Stec and Assemblywoman Woerner

• Collaborated with the City of Glens Falls, Salvation Army, and Six Flags Great Escape on setting up drive-up food drives for community members in need
• Worked with Fed, State and County officials to help support Whitehall after storm with USDA Grants and SBA Loans
• Stakeholder of Washington County Sheriff Reform and Reinvention Panel
• Stakeholder of Warren County Sheriff Reform and Reinvention Panel
• Work with our elected officials at all levels to make sure our community is heard
• Partnered with Confidata to offer a community document shred event
• Partnering with Warren County Tourism, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses to promote tourism in our region
• Partnering with Warren County EDC on advocacy issues
• Participation on Reopen Washington County Committee
• Participation on Warren County Economic Recovery Task Force & Communications Committee
• LookTV interviews, updating viewers on the state of the business community
• Board Member - Saratoga, Washington, and Warren County Workforce Development
• Secretary/Treasurer – Warren Washington County Industrial Development Agency
• Board Member – Glens Falls Business Improvement District
• Board Member – Tri County United Way
• Board Member – Civic Center Foundation
• Board Member – Greater Glens Falls YMCA
• State Committee Member, USDA Farm Service Agency

• Hosted Annual Dinner event honoring Paul Dowen, of Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli, LLP, with the J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award
• ARCC Women’s Business Council – encouraging collaboration and increased business amongst women professionals through mentorship, education opportunities, and metric performance
• ARCC Ambassadors – 25 volunteers who help our greater community
• ARCC Health & Wellness Council – promoting health & wellness in the workplace and connecting members of the community with proper resources
• Adirondack Nonprofit Business Council – bringing regional nonprofit organizations together to collaborate and overcome challenges in our communities
• Serving as liaison and advocate for many of our members with local, State and Federal officials
• Connected businesses with each other for services and product needs
• Continually sharing hundreds of news updates and announcements on behalf of our members
• Posting job openings and opportunities on behalf of our members
• Connected with hundreds of businesses, regardless of Chamber membership status, via phone and email to assist them with their needs