November/December - Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of ...

Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce November/December ’11 

A Tech Valley Magazine 

Exploring the 

Yen to Go Global 

International Trade Might Just 

be the Next Logical Step for 

Growing a Business 

QR Codes are Everywhere 

What are They and How Should I Use Them 

for My Business 

albany-colonie regional chamber of commerce

Table of Contents 

3 

a publication of the 

Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce 

November/ December 2011 

Chamber Office 

Five Computer Drive South 

Albany, NY 12205-1608 

For Visions Advertising: 

518.431.1400 | acchamber.org/visions.aspx 

Chamber Chair 

Alan J. Krafchin 

Center for Disability Services 

Vice Chair 

Andrew J. Matonak 

Hudson Valley Community College 

President and CEO 

Mark N. Eagan, CCE 

518.431.1424 | marke@acchamber.org 

21 Exploring the Yen to Go Global 

International trade might just be the next logical step for growing a business. 

Visions Editor 

Paula Monaco 

518.431.1434 | paulam@acchamber.org 

Graphic Designer 

Kara L. O’Brien 

518.431.1415 | karao@acchamber.org 

Contributing Writer 

Lisa A. Miller 

miller.squared@verizon.net 

Printing 

Fort Orange Press 

Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, 

the Business Services Corporation and their 

representatives, employees and agents are held 

harmless from any claim, demand, liability or 

action on account of or in any way arising out of 

the client’s advertising, products and services, or 

its participation in Visions. 

© Visions 2011. 

Chamber Mission: 

Be a catalyst for growth and prosperity for our 

members and the Capital Region by providing 

leadership, advocacy and services. 

Visions Magazine is printed on 

Recycled Paper 

Features 

8 QR Codes Are Everywhere 

What Are They and How Should I Use 

Them for My Business 

10 Playing the Cloud Game 

Can Cloud Computing Save You Time 

and Money 

13 Do You Manage Your Business 

in a Silo 

Executive Dialogue enhances leadership 

abilities & improves decision making 

18 Is Your Business a Certified 

Minority and/or WOmen 

owned Business Enterprise 

If Not the Chamber Can Assist You With 

the Application 

41 Leadership TEch Valley Class 

2012 Kicks off with opening 

retreat 

Self Assessment, Team Building 

Activities Prepare Group for Program 

43 Albany International Airport 

Received $750k to Boost Flights 

Spotlight 

25 THE CHAMBER’S LEGAL GUIDE 

Learn About the Region’s Law Offices 

and Attorneys in this Special, Centerfold 

Section. 

In Every Issue 

6 Chamber calendar of events 

42 New Chamber investors 

44 Member happenings 

47 On the scene 

48 Viewpoint: 

STEVE JANACK 

Vice President for Marketing and 

Communications, College of Nanoscale 

Science and Engineering 

Dean Fuleihan 

Executive Vice Presedient for Strategic 

Partnerships, College of Nanoscale 

Science and Engineering

Chamber Board of Directors 

Officers 

Chair of the Board Alan J. Krafchin* 


Vice Chair Andrew J. Matonak* 


President and CEO Mark N. Eagan, CCE* 


Immediate Past Chair J. Kenneth Desmond* 

The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center 

Chair, Finance Kevin J. McCoy* 

Marvin & Company, CPAs, PC 

Secretary I. Norman Massry* 

Tri City Rentals 

Directors 

Dawn Abbuhl 

Principal 

Repeat Business Systems 

Thomas L. Amell 

President, Commercial 

Services 

SEFCU 

John D. Bennett, MD* 


CDPHP 

Sonny Bonacio* 

President 

Bonacio Construction, Inc. 

Mark J. Breslin 

Vice President and 

General Manager 

Turner Construction Co. 

Samuel J. Caldwell, Jr. 

Vice President 

Verizon 

Robert Gaito 

Vice Chairman 

SolutionSet 

Stephen R. Janack 

Vice President, Marketing 

and Communications 

College of Nanoscale 

Science and Engineering 

Michael T. Keegan* 

President 

M&T Bank 

Steve Klein 

Chair, Nonprofit 

Business Council 

Executive Director 

New Visions 

Jeffrey M. Levy 

Regional President 

NBT Bank 

Paul Lundberg 

Chair, Business 

Services Corporation 

Partner 

Aurora, Inc. 

Timothy McCann 

Chief Operating Officer 

Best Cleaners 

Philip Morris 

CEO 

Proctor’s Theater 

Kevin O’Connor* 

CEO 

Tech Valley Communications 

Suzanne O’Connor 

Chair, Women’s 

Business Council 

Associate Director of 

Career Center 

Siena College 

Ryan O’Donnell 

CEO 

BullEx Digital Safety 

Thomas Quick 

Senior Human 

Resources Manager 

GE Energy 

Mel Quinlan 

Chair, Business Council 

of Cohoes 

Vice President 

Oberlander Group 

Gregory T. Rinckey 

Managing Partner 

Tully Rinckey PLLC 

Andrew C. Rose 

Managing Partner 

Nixon Peabody, LLP 

Jan Smith* 

Principal 

Castle Rock Ranch 

Group, LLC 

Kay Stafford 


CMA Consulting, Inc. 

Jeffrey D. Stone 

President of Capital 

Region NY District 

KeyBank 

Richard Thompson 

Chair, Capital Chamber 

Foundation 

Dean of Math and Science 

College of Saint Rose 

Marcia J. White* 

President and 

Executive Director 

SPAC 

Gail Wilson-Giarratano 


Girls Inc. of the Capital 

Region 

Legal Counsel 

Kara Conway Love* 

Law Office of 

Kara Conway Love 

* Denotes Executive Committee member 

Chairman’s Perspective 

Doing Business Globally, Marketing with 

QR Codes, Finding the Right Lawyer and 

Helping Our Neighbors 

If you had asked me a month ago what a QR code was, honestly 

I would have had no idea. But now those quirky little boxes are 

everywhere – business cards, web sites, marketing materials and 

even clothing. In this issue of Visions, learn what they are and how 

you can use them for business. They are free to generate and can 

produce real time statistics and data. 

Companies of all sizes, services and products are going global. 

Is international trade the next logical step in expanding your 

business There are a number of local resources who can help you 

determine if you are the right type of company to enter the global marketplace and if your business 

is ready. Read what you need to consider and what resources are available. 

Health insurance is a major cost of doing business for any size company. It can be particularly 

challenging for a small business. If you are a small business owner and do not have your health 

insurance through the Chamber, why not The Chamber offers eight CDPHP health insurance 

plans. The full menu of options offered includes High Deductible, Transitional EPO, EPO 

and HMO plans. For policies effective January 1, 2012 the time to make changes is now; open 

enrollment is November through early December. If you have questions or need more information, 

we invite you to sign-up for a one-on-one meeting with the Chamber’s health insurance 

representative on November 14 from 10am – 2pm at the Chamber office. Reserve a spot now by 

calling, 518.431.1400. 

Need a lawyer Check out the annual Legal Guide in this issue for a listing of lawyers and 

firms who are Chamber members. You also will find information on topics that may impact your 

business. 

Do you know or are you a business that is minority and/or women owned or better known 

as MWBE Is the business “certified” Only businesses certified are listed in the “Directory 

of Certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises” which is used by New York 

State agencies, public authorities, federal agencies and corporations to find contractors and subcontractors 

for procurement opportunities. The Chamber can assist with the certification process. 

As we move into the season of giving thanks and extending holiday cheer, I encourage you to 

patronize the region’s businesses that were devastated by the storms and flooding. In particular, our 

neighbors in Schoharie County could use our support. So if you are planning to go out to dinner, 

purchase a gift or simply need a loaf of bread, keep them in mind – it benefits all of us! 

As always, thank you for reading Visions and for your continued support of the Chamber. • 

Alan J. Krafchin 


Chair of the Board 


5

November 

Tuesday, November 1 

Regional Retail Outlook 

Presented by: Colonie Business Council 

Corporate Sponsor: 

Join us for our own state of the local economy 

conversation! The panel will share their forecast for the 

upcoming holiday season as well as their anticipation 

for 2012. This annual program is always interesting! 

Panelists include Rebecca Flach, Retail Council of New 

York State, Carrie Hillenbrandt, BBL Hospitality and 

Anthony DiPiazza, Anthony’s Chocolate Dipped Fruit. 

7:30 - 8am check-in & networking; 8am program 

Chamber office / Cost: $10 


Video Sponsor: 

Thursday, November 3 

2011 Excellence in 

International Trade 

Awards 


Business Success Seminar: 

IT Solutions: Practical and Cost 

Saving Applications for Your 

Organization 

Presented by: Small Business Council 


Have you been thinking of making things easier and 

less expensive, but the way seems “Cloudy” Think 

you are too small to afford to use the technology Hear 

from an industry expert and organizations that have 

implemented applications. The panel will breakdown 

the first steps and share applications that will save your 

organization money and most importantly, your time. 

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and start building your 

cloud. 



Thursday, November 10 

The Back of the Envelope 

Business Plan 

Presented by: Business Council of Cohoes 



WBC Debate: Does the Glass 

Ceiling Still Exist 

Presented by: Women Business Council 


Join us as we follow up to the question raised at an early 

program, “Does the Glass Ceiling Still Exist” You may 

be surprised at the answers we received! Join fellow 

WBC members in a spirited and engaging conversation 

to see what others think of this issue. Bring your 

voice, personal challenges and your experience. The 

interactive workshop is a way to have productive 

dialogue with other professionals as we share 

experiences and find solutions. 


Century House, 997 New Loudon Rd., Latham 

Cost: $15 


Pardon the Information! 

Headlines for Young 

Professionals 

Buy vs. Rent • Healthy Credit • 

Insurance • Invest in Your Future 

Presented by: GenNEXT – Tech Valley Young 

Professionals 

Corporate Sponsors: 

Supporting Sponsors: 

Join business leaders for an evening of connections 

and conversations at the annual “Globies.” The Global 

Business Network will recognize Whiteman Osterman 

& Hanna LLP, TransTech Systems Inc., Utility Systems 

Technologies, Inc. and AWS Truepower, LLC for their 

international business success. Steve DeLarge, president 

of the Silicones and Quartz Division of Momentive 

Performance Materials, Inc. will share his vast 

experience during the keynote presentation. 

5:30 – 8pm / Wolferts Roost Country Club 

120 Van Rensselaer Blvd., Albany / Cost: $85 

Would you like to reaffirm, review or reassess your 

business’ direction Take time out of your busy day and 

join us for an interactive workshop guided by William G. 

Polk, business and financial consultant. Attendees will 

walk away with ideas and a clarified direction for their 

business’ future. 

7:30 – 8am check-in & networking; 8am program 

The Lofts at Harmony Mills, Community Room 

100 North Mohawk Street, Cohoes / Cost: $10 

A high energy and fast paced event to help you gain the 

tools for life and success. Each expert has 8 minutes to 

highlight key points in their area of expertise. Once the 

buzzer goes off we are moving to the next expert. 

5:30pm check-in & networking; 6pm program 

6:45pm networking & table discussions 

Hilton Garden Inn – Albany Medical Center 

62 New Scotland Avenue, Albany / Cost: $15 

Follow GenNEXT - 

Tech Valley Young Professionals on 

Facebook

Calendar 

7 

albany-colonie regional chamber of commerce 

December 


Tech Valley Nonprofit 

Business Awards 

Luncheon 


Thursday, December 1 

International Trade: Identifying 

Market Opportunities 

Presented by: Tech Valley Global Business Network 


Host: 

Thursday, December 8 

Holiday Business-to-Business 

Exchange 

Video Sponsor: 

The Tech Valley Nonprofit Business Council recognizes 

the contribution of nonprofit organizations as a 

vital economic force in Tech Valley. In support of its 

mission, the Chamber will recognize individuals and 

organizations for exemplary contributions to the vitality 

of the community. Award recipients include: Nonprofit 

Board Service Award, John McDonough, Board Chair 

Emeritus, Northeast Parent & Child Society; Corporate 

Partner Award, Mazzone Management Group, Angelo 

Mazzone; Nonprofit Executive Leadership Award, 

Michael Saccocio, City Mission of Schenectady; 

Nonprofit Organization Award:(1-74 employees), 

Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless; and Nonprofit 

Organization Award:(75+ employees), Living Resources. 

11:30am – 1:30pm / Glen Sanders Mansion 

One Glen Avenue, Scotia / Cost: $49 

Wednesday, November 30 

Hugh Johnson’s 23rd Annual 

Economic Forecast Breakfast 


Join us for a roundtable discussion to identify marketing 

opportunities; consider the right business model 

(representative/distributor/agent/employee) that will 

work for your business; and how to line up the right 

partners in the target country. 



Wednesday, December 7 

Maximize Your Membership 


Would you use a tool for your business before reading 

the instructions You’re part of the Chamber, a critical 

instrument in your business toolbox. The Maximize 

Your Membership program is your set of instructions 

for utilizing your Chamber membership to grow your 

business. Meet Chamber staff, connect with other 

members, ask your questions and learn how to make 

your Chamber membership work for your business. 

7:45am check-in & networking; 8am program 

Chamber office / No cost 

With the holiday’s right around the corner, the most 

anticipated Business-to-Business Exchange is here. 

Come enjoy a Chamber tradition with a night out at 

the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center. Take in 

the charming colonial atmosphere of the courtyards 

and the beautiful ballroom while making your business 

connections. 

5 – 7pm / The Desmond Hotel and Conference Center 

660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany / Cost: $10 

Scan to Register For Events 

Join us for one of the Chamber’s most popular events, 

the 23rd annual economic forecast with Hugh Johnson. 

A nationally known economist, Johnson, Chairman and 

Chief investment Officer of Hugh Johnson Advisors, 

LLC, will share his forecasts for the economy, interest 

rates and the domestic equity markets. Given the 

performance of the markets and the economy and 

the risks associated with events in China, Europe, and 

Washington, this will be an important year to hear 

Hugh’s forecasts. Featured in The New York Times, USA 

Today, Barrons and Business Weekly, along with CNN, 

FNN and PBS, Johnson’s presentation has grown to be a 

Chamber favorite year after year. 

7:30 – 9am / The Desmond Hotel and Conference 

Center, 660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany / Cost: $25 

Registration Information: 

Please register and pay by credit card online 

at acchamber.org/events.aspx. Walk-ins will 

be charged an additional $5 fee. All events are 

for Chamber members only unless otherwise 

specified. For more information on councils and 

committees, call 518.431.1400. 

The Chamber office is located at Five Computer 

Drive South, Albany, NY 12205-1608 

P 518.431.1400 | F 518.431.1402

QR Codes Are 

EVERYWHERE! 

What Are They and How Should I 

Use Them for My Business 

QR codes are popping up on everything 

these days, and if you’re an avid smart 

phone user, you’ve probably scanned 

them. Once you learn to recognize the 

quirky square of black and white pixels, 

you’ll see them everywhere—on product 

displays, magazine ads, newspapers, 

brochures, posters, airline tickets and more. 

Each unique pattern holds a multitude 

of alphanumeric characters, allowing 

marketers to convey a lot of information in 

a tiny space. When scanned using a smart 

phone, the code quickly connects the user 

to digital content on the web. 

Microsoft tags are another code 

type comprising a series of multi-colored 

triangles arranged in rows. USA Today 

makes frequent use of MS tags to connect 

interested readers to additional online 

content. Because these tags require 

proprietary software to scan them, they 

have not taken off as quickly as the black 

and white (and sometimes colored) QR 

codes. 

The Quick Response (QR) code 

was invented in Japan over a decade ago, 

originally intended to track auto parts for 

Toyota. The codes, which are ubiquitous 

in Japan, are gaining popularity in the U.S. 

where usage has grown nearly 4,600% 

in the last year. With sales on the rise, 

it is estimated that more than half of 

mobile phone subscribers will own a smart 

phone by the end of 2011, translating 

to a potential market of 142 million 

users. Studies indicate that the 

audience for QR codes is equally 

split between men and women, 

with nearly 70% of users falling 

between 25-54 years of age. 

“It’s a simple way to get 

people engaged through the use 

of their smart phones,” said Stephanie 

Brown, interactive lead at Fingerpaint 

Marketing in Saratoga Springs. “They 

wave their phone at the code and get 

connected instantly to a web page or online 

promotional content. It’s a neat novelty 

now, but as smart phone usage grows, it 

will become an accepted facility for using 

technology at the right time and the right 

moment to touch your audience.” 

Home Depot was one of the first 

major U.S. retailers to roll out the use 

of mobile barcodes to its customers. 

The codes appear on shelves, signage, 

product tags and advertisements allowing 

consumers to access how-to videos, product 

demos, relevant accessories and buying 

guides. With each scan, the company 

gleans information about its consumers, the 

products that interest them, where the scan 

occurred and other useful demographics. 

“QR codes have a lot of traction these 

days, especially among people who consider 

themselves tech-savvy,” commented Cindy 

Herrmann, principal at Mogul Marketing 

in East Chatham. “I put a QR code on the 

back of my business card to take people 

directly to my LinkedIn page where my 

image has been carefully crafted. The QR 

code lets you direct your audience to a 

specific message rather than having them 

filter through a list of search engine results 

and forming their own opinion. The code 

also helps keep your audience’s attention, 

because it takes them directly to pertinent 

information.” 

It’s easy to create your own QR code 

using an online generator, and it’s often 

free. Just type “QR code generator” into 

your search engine and find the one that 

meets your needs. Two popular generators 

can be found at kimtag.com or qrcode. 

kaywa.com. 

“There are several generators on 

the market but some work better than 

others,” informed Herrmann. “After 

generating your code, test it to see how 

well it works. If you want to measure its 

effectiveness, Vizibility is the software 

product I have been using. For a fee, you 

can get a notification when someone scans 

your code and find out who searched for 

you or your product, and then use that 

information to develop sales leads or gauge 

the effectiveness of your advertising.”

November / December 2011 Visions 

9 

“Measuring QR usage helps you learn 

whether a person did something that you 

wanted him or her to do, whether it was to 

view a slide show, enter an email address 

or fill out a form,” added Brown. “You can 

use this information to build a customer 

database.” 

Because QR codes are specifically 

targeted for a smart phone, make sure your 

code goes to a destination that is optimized 

for reading on a mobile handset, easily 

navigable by fingers on a touch screen 

or cursors on another screen type. “You 

don’t want to send them to a Flash page, 

because Flash doesn’t play on all smart 

phones,” said Brown. “Minimize the use of 

gratuitous imagery that may look different 

on the iPhone, Droid or Blackberry. If 

you look at Amazon.com or other major 

websites, you’ll see very little use of 

photographs. It’s all about ‘task completion’ 

and limiting the amount of interactivity 

with the device, because it’s hard work to 

use your phone for searching the internet. 

You want to make it easy!” 

Once you’ve determined who your 

audience is, the uses are endless. “A realtor 

can lead a potential client to an online 

tour of a house or additional agent contact 

information,” illustrated Hermann. “A 

performance venue might put the code on 

a poster to link to the ‘buy tickets’ button, 

or a movie poster might link to a trailer. 

I just got a mailer from BJs Wholesale 

Club introducing a new store, and the 

code led me to an online tour. My Dish 

network provider printed a code on the 

invoice envelope, inviting me to download 

“The QR code lets you direct your audience to a specific message rather than 

having them filter through a list of search engine results and forming their 

own opinion. The code also helps keep your audience’s attention, because it 

takes them directly to pertinent information.” 

a convenient app.” Codes can be used to 

connect people to instant or SMS messages, 

download books and other materials, or 

add events to an online calendar. Other 

uses include loyalty programs, mobile 

payments, social media and paperless 

tickets. 

Because QR codes are still new, users 

may require a little hand-holding until they 

grow accustomed to them. You can do this 

by labeling your code to explain how to use 

it and what it will lead you to or where to 

find the software needed to scan the code. 

For the consumer who doesn’t have a smart 

phone, you might want to include another 

way to get there. Keep the code as visually 

simple as possible and print it in a size 

that can be scanned easily and accurately, 

because if it doesn’t work the first time, 

you may not get another chance at that 

audience. 

Make sure your audience gets 

something that is useful to them. Most 

people are expecting a coupon, deal or 

Cindy Herrmann, principal at Mogul Marketing in East Chatham 

additional product information, so it’s a 

good idea to let them know what they’ll 

find before they get there. 

“As cute and catchy as they are, QR 

codes need to be part of a well-thought 

out marketing plan, if you want them to 

do you any good,” stated Brown. “If you 

know you have an audience that relies on 

their phones (students or participants in a 

trade show, for example), QR codes can 

be very useful, and they are an inexpensive 

marketing device. Increasingly, smart 

phones and local searches for restaurants or 

retail stores go hand in hand, so those types 

of businesses may want to build in a few 

promotions to gauge their audience. If they 

respond properly, you may have uncovered 

an easy, inexpensive way to get them to act 

in the future.” • 

Scan Here 

TO See This

Playing the 

Cloud Game 

Can Cloud Computing Save 

You Time and Money 

There used to be a time when having 

your head in the clouds was a bad thing, 

but these days it might be the place to be. 

“Cloud computing” is the latest buzzword 

in a technological environment that grows 

and changes at lightning speed. “If you ask 

ten different people what it means, you’ll 

get ten different answers,” said Adam Wills, 

president of TurnKey Internet, a Captial 

Region-based cloud computing provider. 

“The cloud” is the 

internet, and you have 

probably used cloud 

computing without 

knowing it. When you 

use a web-based email 

account such as Gmail 

or Yahoo, your email 

is “in the cloud.” The 

software and storage for your account is 

not on your computer but resides on the 

service’s computer cloud, and 

with an internet 

connection, you can access it from any 

device. 

Cloud computing refers to applications 

and services hosted and maintained by a 

data systems provider that uses the internet 

to share those services on demand with a 

remote end-user, usually for a price. Among 

other services, the provider maintains the 

systems, updates software, and provides 

physical and internet security for the 

information. Hardware and software that 

used to be installed on each computer 

in your shop instead live in the cloud 

managed by your cloud provider. Because 

it is service-based, you pay only for the 

services you use. As business grows or 

changes, you simply adjust 

your service 

contract to match. This allows businesses 

of all sizes to focus on what they do best 

while leaving the computer headaches and 

expenses to someone else. 

“Cloud computing is popular now, because the technology has grown more 

sophisticated and flexible, allowing companies to outsource their software and 

infrastructure more reliably and at a better cost point.” 

Deb Tabacco, principal at Transcend Technology 

“In some aspects, the cloud is a new 

name for things we’ve been doing already,” 

remarked Deb Tabacco. Deb and business 

partner Paula Mantey are principals at 

Transcend Technology, a management 

consultant firm that offers IT management 

services, development 

of IT strategies, and 

internal and external 

auditing to businesses 

and accounting firms 

that require IT risk, 

process and internal 

control specialists. 

“Businesses have 

been hosting software and offering 

hardware and storage services over the 

internet for years. The cloud is popular 

now, because the technology has grown 

more sophisticated and flexible, allowing 

companies to outsource their software and 

infrastructure more reliably and at a better 

cost point.” 

Wills describes TurnKey’s 

infrastructure as a grid of 

computers,

somewhat similar to the power grid 

delivering your electricity because you 

pay for the service when you use it. “You 

don’t have to upgrade anything, since we 

automatically swap out different parts of 

that hardware grid every year. We take 

care of software updates, so you always 

have the latest version. With a pay-asyou-go 

subscription to cloud services, you 

automatically gain use of the upgraded 

software without the hassles of buying 

the new package, obtaining user licenses, 

paying people to install and run it, and then 

having to do it all over again in a few years 

when a newer version comes out. The same 

goes for the hardware infrastructure.” 

Cloud Considerations 

When researching cloud providers, Wills 

warns that you need to ask yourself if 

the provider merely markets itself as a 

cloud provider or if it delivers true cloud 

solutions. “There are plenty of companies 

who do something over the internet and 

put ‘cloud’ in their product name to give 

the impression they are a cloud provider. 

You need to find out if their offering is 

scalable, reliable and dynamic,” he insisted. 

Though Wills encourages companies 

to find a local provider who can be on 

hand to help walk through the process of 

transferring systems to the cloud, Mantey 

says the ability to use a provider anywhere 

in the world can be an advantage for some 

companies. “Each company’s needs and 

risks are different, so we help companies 

evaluate the various providers and ask the 

right questions for their business model.” 

Before considering cloud sourcing, 

you need to look at your business and 

understand what your policies and 

practices are. “You don’t have to cloudsource 

everything at once,” assured Wills. 

“Typically, the first thing we see companies 

move to the cloud is their email service. 

After that, it might be accounting or filesharing 

systems. You don’t magically wave 

a wand and shoot everything to the cloud. 

You treat each thing individually as its own 

project.” 

Tabacco related that independent audits 

providing an opinion about service provider 

internal controls are in high demand. Internal 

control reports and certifications—such as 

SSAE 16 reports (previously known as SAS 

70), Trust Service Principles and SysTrust— 

are important to cloud providers that want 

to reassure prospective customers making a 

purchase decision. “Customers in regulated 

industries must provide regular statements 

about the adequacy of their company’s 

internal controls,” she added. “The use of 

a cloud service provider does not release the 

company from that obligation. These reports 

allow the cloud customer to understand, 

rely and report to their regulators about the 

provider’s internal controls as though the 

controls were their own.” 

Cloud computing offers many 

benefits: faster set-up for computing 

needs, scalability to fit changing 

business requirements and no capital 

expenditures for hardware and software. 

But there may be trade-offs in terms of 

security, performance and networking 

costs. Businesses considering cloud 

computing should think about where their 

organization will gain the most value, 

make sure management is on board and 

determine the appropriate approach, 

whether it be enterprise-wide or a projectby-project 

execution. 

“As complex as it might sound, using 

cloud computing can actually make life 

much simpler for many businesses,” 

concluded Tabacco. “It’s a big job to 

manage an infrastructure and the team to 

configure, manage, maintain, upgrade and 

support it. To pay the right cloud provider 

to do all that for you can make it easy.” • 

Radial Gage Entertainment 

Est. 2005 

Radial Gage Entertainment offers 

professional stand-up comedy productions 

that caters to various types of venues 

including corporate affairs, theaters, golf 

courses, fire departments, clubs and colleges. 

Radial Gage Entertainment also provides 

stand-up comedy workshops and comedy 

coaching seminars. 

Est. 2006 


Greg Aidala was voted ‘Best 

Local Comedian’ in Albany, 

New York by the Times Union’s 

reader’s poll, ‘Best Of’ in 2007, 

2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. 

www.GREGAIDALA.com 

The Brew Ha-Ha Comedy Showcase is a 90-minute production that features 

performers who have been seen on the Late Show with David Letterman, The 

Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Jimmy 

Kimmel Live!, NBC’s ‘Last Comic Standing’, Comedy Central, HBO, MTV and VH1. 

Upcoming 

show: 

The Brew Ha-Ha Comedy Showcase 

Saturday, November 12th 

Town of Colonie Golf Course 

8pm, Admission: $15 

11

Tech Valley Nonprofit 

Business Awards Luncheon 

November 22, 2011 

Award Recipients 

Awards Luncheon 

The Tech Valley Nonprofit Business Council will 

honor executive and volunteer leadership along 

with exemplary organizations for their positive 

impact. 

Location: 

Glen Sanders Mansion 

1 Glen Avenue 

Scotia, NY 12302 

Agenda: 

11:30am 

Check-in / Networking 

Noon 

Awards Program 

Cost: 

Individual Tickets $49 

Corporate tables available 

To Register: 

Visit www.acchamber.org/events 

or call 518.431.1400 


Nonprofit Board Service Award 

John McDonough, Board Chair Emeritus 

Northeast Parent & Child Society 

This award recognizes an individual or a board 

demonstrating effective nonprofit governance 

practices, exemplifying ethical voluntary leadership 

and creating a positive board culture that is reflective 

of the organization’s values. 

Corporate Partner Award 

Mazzone Management Group, Angelo Mazzone 

This award recognizes a for-profit organization that 

has successfully built partnerships with nonprofit 

organizations, demonstrating visionary leadership that 

has moved their organization forward as a community 

partner and contributed significantly to the quality 

of life in the Capital Region community through 

professional and civic activities or involvement. 

Nonprofit Executive Leadership 

Award 

Michael Saccocio, City Mission of Schenectady 

This award recognizes a nonprofit executive whose 

years of service exemplify the knowledge, skills 

and leadership necessary for effective nonprofit 

management, and who has taken an active role in 

creating and supporting development in the Capital 

Region. 

Nonprofit Organization Award 

(1-74 employees) 

Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless 

This award is given to an organization with 1 – 74 

employees that effectively collaborates and/or 

partners with various sectors and/or other nonprofit 

organizations in the community. 

Nonprofit Organization Award 

(75+ employees) 

Living Resources 

This award is given to an organization with 75 or 

more employees that effectively collaborates and/or 

partners with various sectors and/or other nonprofit 

organizations in the community.

Do You Manage 

Your Business in a Silo 

Executive Dialogue enhances leadership abilities & improves decision making 


13 

“Smart business owners quickly learn that they can’t go it alone when running a business. They need 

somewhere to go for inspiration and answers to their everyday questions. As the facilitator, I help manage 

the group discussions to ensure that the members are getting the sound information and direction they need 

to successfully manage their business.” 

Jim Hundt, Foresight Architects 

Running a small business means making 

lots of decisions. Wouldn’t it be great if 

you could turn to a board of directors for 

advice about business plans, employment 

problems and marketing strategies 

The Chamber’s Executive Dialogue is 

a forum for CEOs, presidents and business 

owners to share best practices and resolve 

business challenges, in a confidential 

environment. Newly formatted, it has 

been redesigned to offer a more structured 

platform to discuss these critical issues 

and exchange advice with peers in noncompeting 

businesses. 

Executive Dialogue participants rely 

on a designated member that serves as 

the facilitator to guide the meetings in a 

way that results in a positive and valuable 

experience for everyone involved. The 

members of the group identify topics for 

discussion (up to four per session) and 

prioritize the issues. Topics can range from 

improving profitability to avoiding CEO 

burnout. Participants are encouraged to 

share experiences rather than give an opinion. 

Members then end up with information that 

allows for better decision making. 

According to Executive Dialogue’s 

current facilitator Jim Hundt of Foresight 

Architects, “Smart business owners quickly 

learn that they can’t go it alone when 

running a business. They need somewhere 

to go for inspiration and answers to their 

everyday questions. As the facilitator, I help 

manage the group discussions to ensure 

that the members are getting the sound 

information and direction they need to 

successfully manage and grow their business.” 

For this type of forum to be successful, 

members must share openly and honestly. 

To enable this level of communication, 

members are required to maintain 

complete confidentiality. Nothing discussed 

in Executive Dialogue ever leaves the 

room, including sharing information with 

partners, co-owners, spouses or significant 

others. 

By participating in Executive 

Dialogue, members can expect to make 

better decisions, improve communication 

skills and build strong relationships with 

other members. It is not intended as a 

venue for casual, social conversation or to 

serve as a networking platform for sales 

leads. 

Hundt has been a member of 

Executive Dialogue for more than 16 years. 

He firmly believes that the consistently 

helpful advice of other members has 

helped make his business the success it is 

Here Are Some of the Topics 

Discussed in Executive 

Dialogue Meetings: 

• • How to improve profitability. 

• • How to improve service to 

customers/clients. 

• • How to motivate employees – to work 

“smarter. 

• • How to control growth without being 

controlled by it. 

• • How to avoid “burnout” in the CEO role 

– or recover from it. 

• • How to work at cost containment and 

reduction. 

• • How to handle banking relationships. 

• • How to write/update a business plan. 

• • How to bring in a new “partner” or get 

rid of a current “partner.” 

continued on next page

today. “The group has helped me solve a 

wide variety of problems, including: better 

ways to run my business; how to become 

more profitable by charging rates that 

reflected the value of my services; input 

on website designs and other marketing 

materials; how to handle the dissolution of 

one partnership and, ten years later, how to 

enter into a successful partnership,” noted 

Hundt. “These are just a few of the ways 

I have benefited from being a member of 

Executive Dialogue.” 

To be eligible for an Executive 

Dialogue group, all applicants must be 

Chamber members who are an equity 

owner in a business with 3 or more 

employees, commit to the group for at least 

one year and attend a minimum of 75 

percent of the meetings. 

Each Executive Dialogue consists 

of 10 - 14 peers from non-competing 

companies representing various types of 

industries and organizations. The standard 

meeting lasts 90 minutes, once per month. 

CEOs, presidents and business owners 

interested in joining an Executive Dialogue 

group or would like more information, 

contact Jennifer Sims at 518.431.1488 or 

jennifers@acchamber.org. • 

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Tech Valley Global Business 

Network Honors Four with 

“Globie” Awards 

15 

Recipients Have Demonstrated 

Excellence in International Trade 

The Tech Valley Global Business Network 

(TVGBN) recently honored four members 

with the 2011 Excellence in International 

Trade (“Globie”) Awards at its annual 

awards dinner. The Globies recognize 

individuals or organizations that have 

demonstrated excellence in international 

trade, success in conducting business 

overseas or support for international trade 

in Tech Valley. 

This year’s Globie winners are: 

The Global Vision 

Award was presented 

to Leslie K. L. Thiele 

Partner, International 

Practice Group, 

Whiteman Osterman & 

Hanna LLP. The award 

recognizes an individual 

Leslie K. L. Thiele that has shown 

significant contributions in strengthening 

Tech Valley’s position in the global market 

by development of an innovative model for 

conducting global business. 

“I am flattered to be honored with 

the Global Vision Award by which my 

peers in international business have said, 

in essence, that I have helped take Tech 

Valley businesses into the global economy,” 

said Leslie K.L. Thiele. “My prediction 

is that five to 10 years from now, Tech 

Valley will be on the global map, as an 

area characterized by numerous small and 

medium-sized high technology companies 

with the industries necessary to support 

them.” 

“One of Leslie’s greatest contributions 

is establishing how important international 

commerce is to upstate New York and how 

much this region has to offer,” said John 

Hanna, Jr. founder and partner, Whiteman 

Osterman & Hanna LLP. “She is a worthy 

recipient of the Global Vision Award and a 

treasure for businesses in Tech Valley.” 

The Manufacturer 

Award recipient was 

TransTech Systems, 

Inc. It is awarded 

to a company with 

at least four years 

of progressive 

David Apkarian international trading. 

TransTech sales are rooted in a variety of 

asphalt and soil-related testing instruments 

and construction devices, including one 

that strengthens the joints that hold 

together sections of newly laid asphalt 

lanes, keeping more water and salt out 

-- extending the life of the road as a result. 

Currently TransTech has 28 exclusive 

distributors covering 32 countries. 

“When we as a company made the 

decision to go international it was scary 

and exciting, but we were committed to 

it. One of the first and most important 

things we learned was that we needed local 

representation that knew the market and 

could make the essential contacts. So for 

us, our focus internationally is to find the 

right distributor in that particular area,” 

commented David Apkarian, president and 

CEO, TransTech Systems, Inc. 

“We at First Niagara Bank are so 

impressed with David and his management 

team for their passion and vision to steer 

the manufacturing company forward. Not 

many companies have the sheer fortitude 

to drastically change their business model, 

from one that was purely domestic to 

a company focused almost exclusively 

on working with overseas clients, said 

Roberta Bastow, vice president and 

business banking relationship manager 

at First Niagara Bank. “We are proud to 

call them a business partner and felt they 

were deserving of this 

award.” 

The New to 

Exporting Award was 

given to Utility Systems 

Technologies, Inc. It is 

presented to a company 

Robert Degeneff with successful export 

growth over the past two years. 

Utility Systems Technologies (UST) 

is a global supplier of custom power 

conditioners, electronic voltage regulators, 

sag ride thru devices, and current balancing 

equipment. UST protects equipment from 

over or under, voltage conditions which 

may trigger machinery to fail and cause 

unexpected downtime. The associated 

financial losses surrounding production 

stoppages can have serious financial impact 

on a company. Today, the company has 

its product in every continent except 

Antarctica and Australia. 

“Exporting our product was a 

natural expansion for us. Internationally 

the electrical systems are not yet large 

enough for the demands of the countries; 

our equipment improves the power 

quality,” said Robert Degeneff, president 

Utility Systems Technologies. “Today our 

distribution is 50 percent domestic and 50 

percent international.” 

“Like a true entrepreneur, Bob 

was able to see the company’s market 

potential really laid abroad, even though 

the company had been established to 

address a need in the United States. First 

Niagara Bank felt this company deserved 

recognition for what this small business has 

been able to achieve going after foreign 

business,” said Schuyler Tilly, first vice 

president, First Niagara Bank. 

continued on next page

The Trade Partner 

Award was presented 

to AWS Truepower, 

LLC. It is awarded to 

a company, trade or 

industry association, 

economic development 

Bruce Bailey organization, chamber 

of commerce or education institution with 

three years of active participation in the 

international trade arena by supporting 

and/or providing services to companies 

involved in international trade. 

Approaching three decades of service 

in the industry, AWS Truepower (AWST) 

continues to be a leader and innovator 

in renewable energy consulting. Their 

team consists of approximately 105 

meteorologists, engineers, environmental 

specialists, and support staff. The company 

has its headquarters in Albany with offices 

in Barcelona and India. 

According to Bruce Bailey, president 

and CEO of AWS Truepower, the 

company entered the global market by 

happenstance. “About a decade ago 

we received an inquiry from a spin-off 

company of the University of Barcelona. 

They were interested in developing a 

relationship to offer our services to the 

European market. Today, we have merged 

as one company and their contacts have 

helped us expand throughout Europe 

and into Latin America. Meanwhile, we 

also started an office in India through a 

relationship with a former client.” Bailey’s 

objective now is for the company to become 

a global brand name in the renewable 

energy industry. 

“AWS Truepower’s capabilities and 

motivation to find opportunities in the 

global marketplace is a prime example 

for other companies to model,” said 

award nominator Jerry Shaye, director, 

International Trade Development, Empire 

State Development. “My hope is that 

their success abroad as a high-quality, 

professional service provider will open the 

doors for other New York State companies 

wanting to enter the global marketplace.” 

TVGBN aligns all of the premier 

economic development organizations 

in the area around the single issue of 

helping educate and provide networking 

opportunities for area companies interested 

in global trade. The partnership includes 

the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber 

of Commerce, Chamber of Schenectady 

County, Rensselaer County Regional 

Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of 

Southern Saratoga County, Saratoga 

County Chamber of Commerce and 

Center for Economic Growth. •

Member Anniversaries 

17 

We appreciate our members’ support. 

Thank you to the following 

Chamber members celebrating 

anniversaries in November/December. 

5 Years 

Arnoff Moving & Storage, Inc. 

Bradley Agency LLC 

Capital Region Pathologists, P.C. 

Devonshire Business Consulting, Inc. 

Dudley Observatory 

Energy Control Products, LLC 

Fidelis Care New York 

Fort Orange Pharmaceutical Consulting 

Harris Brand Recruiting 

Kaatskill Mountain Club At Hunter Mountain Resort 

La Salle School 

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP 

Pelorus International, LLC 

Splendor Information System, Inc. 

The Saratoga Hilton 

10 Years 

Albany Country Club 

Albany Management, Inc. 

Erdman Anthony and Associates, Inc. 

15 Years 

Marketing Associates 

Civil Service Employees Association, Inc. 

Colleen Brescia Photography 

Cornwell Appliance Co., Inc. 

Lewis B. Oliver, Jr. 

Logical Net Corporation 

MHJ Pet Supply LLC dba Pet Supplies Plus 

20 Years 

Buckley Gent MacDonald & Cary, PC 

Iseman, Cunningham, Riester & Hyde, LLP 

Stulmaker Kohn & Richardson, LLP 

25 Years or more 

British American 

Rose & Kiernan, Inc. 

Anderson Group, LLC 

ECG Consulting Group Inc. 

Empire Blue Cross 

Interim Healthcare of Capital Region 

Keeler Motor Car Company 

Kelly Services 

Marvin & Company, CPAs, PC 

McVeigh Funeral Home Inc. 

National Grid 

O’Connell & Aronowitz 

Paisano’s Pizza Villa 

Schuyler Companies 

Woodward Connor Gillies & Seleman Architects 

Balfour Publishing Company 


Nick DeMase and Associates 

WXXA - TV FOX 23

18 

Should Your Business 

be a “Certified” 

Minority and/or 

Women Owned 

Business Enterprise 

The Chamber Can 

Assist You with the 

Application 

A company is officially recognized by all 

State agencies and most public authorities 

as a bona fide minority- or women-owned 

business enterprise (MWBE) only if it has 

been certified. Once certified, MWBEs 

are listed in the “Directory of Certified 

Minority and Women-Owned Business 

Enterprises” which is used by New 

York State agencies, public authorities, 

federal agencies and corporations to 

find contractors and sub-contractors for 

procurement opportunities. This means 

more opportunities for your business. 

Filling out the required certification 

forms can be cumbersome; but the Albany- 

Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce 

can help. We can guide you through 

process. For your business to qualify as a 

MWBE, it must be at least 51% owned and 

controlled by the minority members and/or 

women. 

For certification assistance, contact 

Entrepreneurship Manager, Janet Tanquay 

for details and assistance at 518.431.1430 

or janett@acchamber.org. • 

we’re always keeping 

an eye on your business. 

At Marvin and Company, we focus on building strong, trusting relationships, 

and delivering the kind of value other accounting firms don’t offer. 

That’s why we make it our priority to get to know your organization as well as you do, 

allowing us to come up with innovative strategies designed to help you grow. 

We’re not just accountants. We’re partners, business developers and educators, too. 

In fact, we even have our own educational program, Marvin University, to keep 

our clients informed about a wide range of financial issues. 

Corporate & Individual Tax • Estates & Trusts • Audits 

Reviews & Compilations • Employee Benefit Plans • Business Consulting 

Earning the trust of our clients and communities for over 85 years. 

Call us today at 518-785-0134. 

11 British American Blvd. • Latham, NY 12110 • 518.785.0134 • fax: 518.785.0299 

www.marvincpa.com

Word On The Street 19 

How is Your Business 

Using QR Codes 

Northeast Multimedia 

Northeast Multimedia utilizes QR codes 

as an important component of our fully 

integrated marketing services. We’ve 

integrated QR codes into business cards, 

direct mail, print 

advertising, trade 

show materials 

and other 

collateral. This 

month, we’re 

using QR codes 

in two exciting 

new ways: on 

promotional 

apparel and as 

one component of 

a vehicle wrap. 

We have found that QR codes can help 

drive meaningful results for our clients. 

We are confident of this because of the 

data we receive from integrating our QR 

codes with our clients’ website statistics 

dashboards. 

On a macro level, our clients have the 

ability to measure the response of QR 

codes. Without a QR code, when someone 

makes note of a website address in a 

Michael C. Leczinsky, Northeast Multimedia 

newspaper advertisement and later 

visits the website on their computer, the 

advertiser cannot identify that it was 

indeed the newspaper ad that prompted 

the person to visit. 

When we implement 

a QR code in an 

advertisement 

and integrate it 

with our statistics 

dashboard, the 

advertiser receives 

real time statistics 

documenting the 

number of people 

who have engaged 

with the ad. Data 

also is provided regarding the visitor’s 

geography, age, and other metrics. 

Implementing unique QR codes in 

conjunction with customized landing 

pages and rich media, allows marketing 

to become more personalized, interactive 

and unique. This allows businesses to 

target various market segments more 

precisely and effectively than simply using 

“blanket” marketing. • 

E-BizDocs Twitter Page 

Biz Docs 

“We’ve been using QR codes in our printed 

flyers and ads for obvious reasons,” 

E-BizDocs owner Howard Gross said. 

“By pointing to a particular page on our 

website, we can gauge the effectiveness of 

our campaigns.” 

You also can find a unique QR-encoded 

URL on the back of our business cards. 

“We’ve had a great response. People want 

to learn more after we hand over the card, 

and we can see the interest reflected in 

our traffic.” Gross said. 

Always hoping to push the “innovation 

envelope,” Marketing Manager Ben 

Dabrowski wondered where else a 

clickable link or selectable text would be 

useful. “We noticed many companies 

cram a lot of information in their Twitter 

background, and all that content has to 

be remembered or copied. So we put a 

QR code on there pointing to a coupon for 

document scanners. We’re not saying it 

hasn’t been done, but we’ve never seen a 

clickable Twitter background. 

“It becomes more than a background - it’s 

now truly part of the Web and as useful as 

a hyperlink. We even styled it like a note 

posted to the background with a pushpin 

which, surprisingly, didn’t ruin the QR,” 

Gross said. 

“It’s good to remember that you can use 

it just to create text, such as a phone 

number or address, and that’s also 

something we’re looking into leveraging.” •

20 

Chamber Offers Trip to 

Hong Kong & Thailand 

And Fifth Trip to China 

Hong Kong 

Join the Chamber for its fifth annual trip to 

China OR its first excursion to Hong Kong 

and Thailand. The choice is yours! 

The Chamber is sponsoring these nineday, 

all-inclusive trips in partnership with 

Citslinc, a Chamber member travel company 

with 29-years of experience in the tour 

business. Now is the time to start planning. 

The trip to China will take travelers to 

Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou. 

Climb the Great Wall of China; see 

Tiananmen Square, the third largest square 

in the world; find your way through Yu 

Gardens, a maze of marvelous pavilions, 

ponds, rocky works and arching trees; visit 

palaces and tombs; and enjoy a morning 

boat cruise on the majestic West Lake. 

Since the Chamber’s first trip, more than 

750 members, family and friends have 

experienced this fantastic opportunity 

and have given it rave reviews. The trip to 

China is priced at $2,299 per person. The 

China trip takes place October 4 – 12, 

2012. 

For those travelers who have gone to China 

before, an optional side trip to Xi’an is 

available on days 5 and 6 of the China tour. 

While in Xi’an, take an excursion to Terra- 

Cotta Warriors at the Tomb of the First 

Emperor of Qin Dynasty; visit Huaqing 

Hot Spring Park and Banpo Museum; and 

much more! The cost of the optional side 

trip is $575. 

The Hong Kong/Thailand trip will 

take travelers through Bangkok to view 

the Golden Palace; Pattaya to enjoy Coral 

Island and relaxing beaches; and Ayutthaya 

to visit the ruined city that was built in 

1350 A.D. While in Hong Kong travel to 

The Peak, one of the city’s most popular 

attractions, which has incredible views of 

the city and Victoria Harbor; visit Ngong 

Ping 360, consisting of a cable car journey 

and themed village; and shop at the famous 

Hong Kong Jewelry Store. The October 

trip is priced at $2,899 per person. The 

Hong Kong/Thailand trip takes place 

November 4 – 12, 2012. 

Both trips include round-trip international 

airfare; 4 and 5 star hotel accommodations; 

all meals included; deluxe bus tours; 

fluent English-speaking tour guides; and 

entrance fees into educational and cultural 

attractions. 

A full itinerary and additional 

information about the trip can be found by 

visiting, www.acchamber.org or contact the 

Chamber office at 518.431.1436. • 

Terra-Cotta Warriors 

Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong 

Golden Palace, Bangkok


21 

Exploring the Yen 

to Go Global 

International trade might just be 

the next logical step for growing a 

business. 

A recent CBS “60 Minutes” featured 

the story about Georgia Chopsticks, a 

U.S. company that is producing millions 

of chopsticks for international export to 

China, Japan and Korea. The plant opened 

in May and operates 24-hours-a-day, sixdays-a-week. 

It employs 57 people and 

expects to hire an additional 100 employees 

by year end. 

This is a good example of why 

international trade is important to 

American businesses. It can create jobs 

and expand sales. The internet has made 

it much easier to operate in a global 

market, and the U.S. government supports 

expansion into global markets by providing 

a plethora of free resources. 

“International trade is good for 

business and the economy,” remarked Ken 

Carlstedt, chair of the Steering Committee 

for the Tech Valley Global Business 

Network (TVGBN). “International trade 

provides imports that reduce costs for U.S. 

producers and creates competitiveness that 

increases sales for U.S. exporters. This helps 

expand business, and expanded business 

creates good private sector jobs.” 

First Steps 

Going global might be more attainable 

than perceived. It might just be the next 

logical or natural step for growing a 

business. A company’s product or service 

could be the next commodity a business or 

consumer, in a foreign country, needs or 

wants. 

Start the process by asking a few 

questions to get the assessment going: Is 

there a demand for the product Is the 

company committed to building a long 

term strategy to market abroad Is there 

staff in place to develop and support an 

export initiative 

If the initial answers are pointing 

to the global marketplace, then some 

further questions need to be raised: Is 

the product being priced correctly, taking 

tariffs and taxes into consideration Are 

there regulations that may affect the 

manufacturing of the product such as 

adapting to a different electrical current 

How will the product be shipped and how 

will payment be received Who will be the 

company’s feet on the ground in a foreign 

country How will local laws, customs, tax 

structures and import restrictions impact 

the business 

“A lot of exporters start as passive 

exporters,” said Cathy Gibbons, senior 

international trade specialist with U.S. 

Commercial Service, whose territory 

includes the Capital Region. “It happens 

when someone comes to them looking for 

their product, and the company realizes 

there’s a potential market for their product 

outside the U.S.” A company’s interest may 

begin with a single overseas request for its 

product, but a marketing plan can grow 

if the business begins to think about what 

type of person or company bought the 

product. According to Gibbons, New York’s 

biggest trading partners are Canada and 

Mexico, largely because they are closest 

to us and have free trade agreements with 

the U.S. Other big markets are the United 

Kingdom, Israel, Germany and Japan. 

The potential exporter needs to define 

its sales channel, whether it be distributors, 

sales representatives, value-added resellers, 

direct to end-users or partnering with 

a complementary professional services 

provider. The next step is to talk to experts 

in international culture, language, shipping, 

law and finance. The Capital Region offers 

many resources for businesses that want to 

explore international business. 

Cultural Immersion 

“Most Americans have the idea that the 

rest of the world runs the same way as 

the U.S.,” emphasized Janet Carmosky of 

the China Business Network. “When we 

sell to a company whose legal structure 

or sense of morality is not as pronounced

as our own, we think something is wrong. 

I call this ‘mindset.” The biggest favor 

we can do for ourselves when we go into 

another country is to accept that we are not 

always going to understand the meaning 

of what we see.” China Business Network 

is an online marketplace of talent for 

people doing business or advising on doing 

business in China. Carmosky also conducts 

a half-day seminar called the Chinese 

Competency Code which helps participants 

learn about cultural mindset and get a 

sense of how to do business in China. 

Americans try to identify the most 

powerful person in the room by looking for 

a title or position that matches the powerful 

person on an American business org chart. 

“We don’t realize most countries in the 

world are more of a group culture,” said 

Carmosky, “and we need to align ourselves 

with the group rather than one person.” 

Carmosky suggests businesses entering 

into a global market seek out training to 

learn about cultural, philosophical and 

geographic differences that may be critical 

to a business venture. She suggests a threestep 

process: 

Mindset: Realize you probably don’t 

know what you are getting into. 

Get a map: Look at geographic 

borders and barriers. Consider partnering 

with an advisory or market research firm to 

identify competitors, the size of the market 

and human resources and regulatory issues. 

Identify your resources: Who will your 

partners be, and how will you manage 

them What sort of talent is needed, and 

how will they be hired 

“If you start on Step 2 or 3, you are 

setting yourself up for exceedingly painful 

and costly learning process,” Carmosky 

warns. 

The Importance of Language 

David Smith, president and CEO of 

LinguaLinx, Inc., said that translation is 

frequently an afterthought. “It’s a lot more 

than taking a page of words and turning it 

into another language.” 

“As a full service multilingual global 

communications consultant, we help 

companies go into global markets by 

taking a look at their brand and the 

cultural appropriateness of what they’ve 

created in English,” explained Smith. “We 

look at images, websites and navigation 

elements. If you are going into the Middle 

East, people read from right to left, so 

that affects website navigation. If you are 

going into France, where an apostrophe 

is not used to show possession and you 

have an apostrophe in your business name, 

we may suggest you adjust your name. 

You don’t want your foreign customers 

to be immediately struck by the fact 

that you are an American company that 

doesn’t understand their language and 

culture.” Translation pertains to a lot more 

than websites and marketing materials: 

documentation, packaging, legal contracts, 

safety documents and other materials need 

to be considered. 

Getting It There 

Logistics is the movement of goods through 

an organization’s supply system, moving 

goods from raw materials to finished 

product and then from finished product to 

the customer’s store. If starting out small, 

FedEx, UPS or the U.S. Postal Service can 

be used to ship a product, but when the 

order gets bigger, it is wise to consult an 

experienced international freight forwarder 

about handling shipping and customs 

issues. 

“When the shipment is ready to go, 

our services help you move it overseas 

and work with the overseas customs 

requirements and regulations,” informed 

Robert Boss, general manager for Mohawk 

Global Logistics. “Whether it goes by 

plane, train, truck or ship, we coordinate 

the movement of the cargo. Palettes need 

to be heat-treated to ensure you aren’t 

inadvertently bringing new pests to the 

country. If you ship something to Germany 

and it isn’t properly stamped with required 

documentation, they can reject the goods 

and charge you the costs of shipping it 

back.” There are a lot of things that can go 

wrong on the other end, if the appropriate 

steps haven’t been taken to protect the 

company and its cargo. 

Keeping It Legal 

Clear legal agreements are strongly 

recommended to protect a company’s 

interests, so it’s important to find a legal 

advisor who has international experience. 

Written contracts can cover liability 

if things go wrong and it’s critical to 

safeguard intellectual property such as 

brand names or have a plan for terminating 

a relationship. An experienced lawyer will 

know what needs to be addressed. 

“Every day, we speak to clients who 

have issues dealing with investment, 

sourcing, operations and intellectual 

property in China or Europe,” stated Andy 

Rose, managing partner at the Albany 

office of Nixon Peabody LLP. Rose grew 

up in the Capital District and has watched 

the area grow into a diversified base 

of small and large companies who are 

increasingly turning their attention toward 

the global market. “Many of these folks 

never dreamed they would need a lawyer 

in Shanghai, Hong Kong, London or


23 

“International trade is good for business and the economy. It provides imports 

that reduce costs for U.S. producers and creates competitiveness that increases 

sales for U.S. exporters. This helps expand business, and expanded business 

creates good private sector jobs.” 

Ken Carlstedt, chair of the Steering Committee 

for the Tech Valley Global Business Network 

Paris. We offer them experience in dealing 

with global issues as well as ‘boots on the 

ground’ in these international business 

centers.” 

Capital Considerations 

Whether buying or selling products and 

resources from afar, there are unique 

banking considerations related to currency 

and risk. “A company going global adds 

a few more complexities than one who is 

dealing with a supplier across the street or 

across the country,” noted Juan Lahens, 

vice president of global trade finance 

solutions at Citizens Bank. “We have 

various legal instruments and structures 

that can allow our customers to enter 

those markets with greater comfort.” 

Lahens partners with Kevin Harrigan, 

vice president of commercial banking at 

Citizens Bank, to assist local businesses with 

their international banking needs. 

“You can’t afford to not get paid, 

and coming to a bank with international 

services can help with that,” said Harrigan. 

“The bank can issue a letter of credit to 

ensure payment as well as check out the 

bank on the other side to make sure the 

flow of monies will come through safely.” 

Harrigan advises that businesses be careful. 

“Another concern is the value of the U.S. 

dollar against foreign currencies. And you 

need to be aware of doing business in areas 

that are forbidden by U.S. law or with 

people or organizations that are on U.S. 

watch lists.” 

“With every sales transaction, there is 

working capital tied up in those receivables, 

so you need to have a financing solution 

that accompanies sales growth,” instructed 

Lahens. Harrigan added, “One of the 

ways to finance working capital is to 

base it on a percentage of the company’s 

accounts receivable. Often a bank without 

international services will discount or 

eliminate those receivables from the 

borrowing base. There are various ways a 

bank with international services can avoid 

this such as using a guarantee program 

through the Ex-Im Bank.” The Export- 

Import Bank is the United State’s official 

export credit agency. 

The timing of the sale and payment 

presents another issue. If a glove 

manufacturer in New York sells to a 

Canadian retailer during the spring trade 

show season, but the retailer won’t receive 

and sell that product until the Christmas 

season, there may be a lag between the 

set price and the current value of the 

Canadian dollar. “Whenever there is a 

timing difference, it creates an opportunity 

for fluctuation in the currency—and there 

is going to be a winner and a loser,” stressed 

Harrigan. “A bank with international 

services can help take out some of that 

risk.” 

Local Resources for Going Global 

Locally there are knowledgeable resources 

that can help a business decide if it is the 

right type of business for international 

trade and if it is ready for the global 

marketplace. If a company decides to 

expand internationally, these resources 

also can provide the advice, guidance and 

expertise for taking the next steps. 

The International Division of Empire 

State Development (ESD) is the state 

agency that works in partnership with 

public and private sectors to help New 

York State companies increase exports 

and expand the visibility of their business 

in the global marketplace; to develop 

and maintain its valuable network of 

partners worldwide to attract foreign direct 

investment and create jobs for New Yorkers; 

and to simplify the process of international 

trade from New York State. For more 

information visit, www.esd.ny.gov/ 

international or contact the Capital Region 

advisor Jerry Shaye, Director, International 

Trade Development at gshaye@empire. 

state.ny.us or 518.270.1130. 

The U.S. Commercial Service is a 

federal agency working to create a level 

playing field for U.S. companies exporting 

abroad through trade counseling, market 

intelligence, business matchmaking, 

advocacy and commercial diplomacy, 

and trade promotion programs. For more 

information visit, www.buyusa.gov or 

contact the Capital Region representative, 

Cathy Gibbons, Senior International Trade 

Specialist at cathy.gibbons@trade.gov or 

914.682.6712. 

Tech Valley Global Business Network 

(TVGBN) is a not-for-profit collaboration 

of six area business membership 

organizations (including the Albany- 

Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce) 

dedicated to expanding international 

trade in the Tech Valley. The organization 

offers valuable networking and practical 

educational opportunities for expanding 

international trade. For more information 

visit, www.tvgbn.org. •

24 

Empire State Development: 

New York State’s Comprehensive Resource for 

Conducting Business in a Global Marketplace 

Empire State Development (ESD) is New 

York State’s chief economic development 

agency, and its mission is to retain and 

attract businesses. ESD’s International 

Division has a dedicated staff in both 

regional and international offices 

throughout the state and across the globe 

who are experts in international trade and 

global business development. Its mission is 

to help New York State companies increase 

exports and expand the visibility of their 

business in the global marketplace; to 

develop and maintain its valuable network 

of partners worldwide to attract foreign 

direct investment and create jobs for New 

Yorkers; and to simplify the process of 

international trade from New York State. 

ESD Incentives and Resources 

New York State offers financial and 

technical assistance programs to 

help companies of all sizes reach the 

international market. 

Global Export Market Services 

ESD’s Global Export Market Services 

(GEMS) program is a matching grant 

that helps businesses to expand through 

increased export activity. The grant is 

designed to help small and medium-sized 

businesses get the technical and marketing 

assistance it needs to be competitive and 

succeed in international markets. GEMS 

can provide up to $25,000, which can 

be used in a variety of export related 

activities to assist new-to-export and 

new-to-market companies. For example, 

businesses may choose to use the grant to 

hire an export marketing consultant who 

can provide services custom-tailored to 

specific international business development 

needs. Other uses include: identifying and 

assessing overseas markets; developing 

comprehensive market entry strategies 

on a country by country basis; creating 

new international marketing materials; 

developing after-sales support or service 

for foreign markets; translate technical 

or marketing data, among others. In 

addition, groups of companies or industry 

associations can apply for up to $50,000 to 

fund export trade development services. 

Through Governor Cuomo’s Regional 

Council initiative, a transformative plan to 

improve the state’s economic development 

model, the GEMS program will now 

be a part of the Consolidated Funding 

Application (CFA) process. The CFA was 

developed to streamline and expedite the 

state-assistance application process. The 

CFA marks a fundamental shift in the way 

state resources are allocated, ensuring less 

bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill 

local economic development needs. 

Using the CFA as the single point of 

entry for access to $1 billion in economic 

development funding, applicants will use 

one application to access multiple state 

funding sources, making the process 

quicker, easier and more productive. 

Empire State Development is one of 

nine state agencies and authorities whose 

funding will be made available through the 

CFA. 

Export Marketing Assistance Services 

The Export Marketing Assistance Service 

(EMAS) program is designed to help 

businesses find sales agents or distributors 

abroad and in participating countries— 

Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, most of 

Europe, Japan, Israel and South Africa. 

In this way, EMAS participants receive 

the most advantageous representation to 

leverage business opportunities around the 

world. 

EMAS provides customized research 

conducted by trade specialists at home 

and abroad. New York State’s foreignbased 

offices provide local intelligence for 

the markets selected and work diligently 

to identify the best possible parties to 

represent a company’s sales interests 

abroad. EMAS represents an important 

tool for New York State manufacturers of 

all sizes that aim to enter or expand their 

sales into foreign markets. By participating 

in EMAS, ESD will find the appropriate 

importers distributors and sales agents to 

best represent a business internationally. 

Because of businesses participating 

in Empire State Development’s Export 

Marketing Assistance Service Program, 

hundreds of New York State manufacturers 

now sell products in the high-demand 

markets of Latin America, Europe, 

Canada, Asia, and Africa. This includes 

“Made in New York” products such as 

scientific instruments, ceramics, adhesives, 

tool parts, heat-processing systems, 

processed foods, and many others. 

Technical Assistance 

ESD’s trained staff offers a network of 

assistance and guidance to help businesses 

engage in the global marketplace and to 

attract, retain and grow business in the 

state. They offer a wide range of services, 

including promoting location options in the 

ten regions of New York State; showcasing 

the unique assets of the state’s industry and 

technology clusters; identifying prospects 

for investment and for joint ventures and 

strategic alliances with New York State 

firms; and assisting international firms with 

investment, expansion and job creation 

plans in New York, including site selection 

services. 

Empire State Development is Ready to 

Assist 

Empire State Development’s International 

Division stands ready to assist companies and 

to ensure that each receives the guidance and 

support it needs to bring its products to the 

global market. ESD is confident that it has a 

program or incentive that meets a company’s 

needs and that its economic development 

professionals can help set the stage for a 

business’ future success. 

For more information on Empire State 

Development’s International Division and 

its programs, please visit www.esd.ny.gov/ 

International. ESD is located in the Capital Region 

at Hedley Park Place, 433 River Street - Suite 

1003, Troy, NY 12180, 518.270.1130.


25 

albany-colonie regional chamber of commerce 

The Chamber’s 

Legal Guide 

2011 | 2012 

acchamber.org | The Chamber’s Legal Guide 

Visions Legal Guide 25


Hiring employees and retaining the services of 

independent contractors: A world of difference 

27 

By: Albany Law School 

As a business grows, it often becomes 

necessary to hire employees or engage 

the services of independent contractors 

(ICs). It is vital for business owners to 

properly define and formalize these 

relationships and ensure compliance 

with legal labor and employment 

requirements. Legal issues involved 

in hiring employees and engaging the 

services of independent contractors 

can include distinguishing between 

independent contractors and employees, 

entering into independent contractor 

agreements, identifying key issues 

related to worker employment, and 

special considerations such as hiring, 

compensation, and employer insurance. 

For example, there is a common 

misunderstanding that the classification 

of workers as employees or independent 

contractors can be made arbitrarily by 

the business owner. However, there are 

specific rules set forth by a number of 

state and federal agencies that govern 

such classification. The Internal Revenue 

Service (IRS), the NYS Department of 

Labor (NYSDOL) and the NYS Workers’ 

Compensation Board (WCB) each have 

standards that govern the classification of 

workers. Accurate classification of workers 

is crucial to insure compliance with state 

and federal laws applicable to employers, 

as well as to avoid liability for additional 

unemployment taxes and interest. 

According to the NYSDOL, an employeremployee 

relationship depends on the 

degree of supervision, direction and 

control that an employer has over the 

worker and the services provided by 

the worker. In addition, an employeremployee 

relationship is generally found 

to exist if the worker is paid a salary, an 

hourly rate of pay or a draw against future 

commissions with no requirement for 

repayment of unearned commissions. 

An employment relationship also is 

likely to be found where the individual 

receives certain fringe benefits such as 

reimbursement for business or travel 

expenses. 

Under the Workers’ Compensation Law in 

New York State, most workers providing 

services to a for-profit company are 

deemed an employee for the purposes 

of workers’ compensation insurance. 

continued on next page 

National representation with deep local roots 

Deily, Mooney & Glastetter has offices in the Albany and 

Philadelphia areas, building long term relationships with clients 

through the United States and eastern Canada. 

When it comes to financial disputes, every case is different and 

requires a unique approach. We work to understand our clients 

businesses, and the business of their clients. We provide thoughtful 

analysis and unwavering commitment to every matter. 

• Commercial Lending, Transactions & Workouts 

• Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution 

• Lender Mortgage Foreclosure 

• Commercial Real Estate Transactions 

• Land Use, Zoning & Title Disputes 

• Creditors’ Rights & Bankruptcy 

• Business Counseling 

• Retail & Commercial Collections 

• Replevin 

8 Thurlow Terrace, Albany NY 12203 

tel 518.436.0344 • fax 518.436.8273 

www.deilylawfirm.com

For workers’ compensation insurance purposes, employees 

generally include day laborers, leased employees, borrowed 

employees, part-time employees, and unpaid volunteers. 

According to the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), the 

factors that indicate an employer-employee relationship include 

the right to control and direct a person’s completion of a 

specific task, as well as the time and manner in which the work 

was done. The WCB views a worker as an IC if that individual 

completes work under his or her own operating permit, contract 

or authority. 

Generally speaking, an IC is a self-employed worker who 

has been retained by the company to perform services 

under a contractual relationship separate from the standard 

employment procedures of the company, often providing 

specialized expertise for specific projects on an “as needed” 

basis. ICs often provide services to more than one client at a 

time. Income for independent contractors is reported on IRS 

Form 1099 and taxes are paid by the individual, not deducted 

by the company paying for the work. Most importantly, an 

independent contractor has the right to control the manner in 

which his or her work is accomplished. 

The IRS uses three main factors as guidelines for determining 

whether an individual is an independent contractor or an 

employee: behavioral control, financial control, and relationship 

between parties. The primary question for behavioral control 

is whether the company can or does control what the worker 

does and how they do their job. The primary question for 

financial control is to examine whether the business aspects of 

the worker’s job are controlled by the payer. When determining 

the relationship of the parties, it is necessary to examine the 

existence of written contracts or employee-type benefits such 

as pension plans or vacation pay. ICs are not employees of 

the business; rather, they are individuals who supplement the 

employment workforce, often brought in to provide specialized 

expertise for limited periods of time, or to complete specific 

projects, under mutually agreed upon terms and conditions.


29 

“Legal issues involved in hiring employees 

and engaging the services of independent 

contractors can include distinguishing 

between independent contractors and 

employees, entering into independent 

contractor agreements, identifying key issues 

related to worker employment, and special 

considerations such as hiring, compensation, 

and employer insurance.” 

When engaging the services of ICs, it is important to 

memorialize in a written agreement the terms and conditions 

that will govern the performance of the services. For example, 

a written agreement should include a description of the 

services to be performed, including any specific deliverables 

or milestones, and should clearly explain the expectations of 

the parties and the specifications for the deliverables, as well 

as the delivery and payment timelines. In addition, the written 

agreement should specifically address expectations around 

work location, materials, and equipment, as well as the terms 

surrounding the fees, expenses, and payment. The agreement 

should also specifically address issues of confidentiality and 

circumstances for termination. 

If a business elects to hire employees instead of engaging the 

services of an IC, New York State has numerous employment 

laws that could potentially impact such hiring decisions. 

Specifically, small business owners must ensure compliance 

with the following laws: New York State Human Rights Law; 

New York State Labor Law, including New York’s Unemployment 

Insurance laws; New York’s Worker Compensation Program; 

New York State minimum wage requirements; and New York’s 

Safety and Health requirements, among others. 

The U.S. Department of Labor also administers and enforces 

more than 180 federal laws that could have a significant impact 

on the hiring and management of employees in a small business 

or company. These include the Fair Labor Standards Act, the 

Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Family and Medical 

Leave Act (FMLA). 

In addition to compliance with various state and federal 

laws, a company needs to take several other key issues into 

consideration when hiring and managing workers. Such 

considerations include hiring policies, offer letters, employee 

handbooks, compensation, payroll systems, employer insurance, 

required forms and required notices. Detailed information on 

these topics, as well as the state and federal laws that might 

impact small businesses, is provided in Albany Law School’s 

Legal Handbook for Early Stage Business, free of charge, at 

www.albanylaw.edu/esb. •

Nixon Peabody. 

Local ties. 

Global reach. 

Finding the 

Right Lawyer 

for Your Small 

Business 

By: Cliff Ennico on Behalf of the 

New York Sate Bar Association 

Most small businesses wait until it’s too 

late before hiring their first lawyer – 

usually after someone has served them 

with a lawsuit or has sent a threatening 

letter. 

While nobody enjoys paying legal fees, 

having a good business lawyer on board 

your team from the beginning can save 

you tons of money and heartache down 

the road. 

What should you look for in a business 

lawyer Here are some tips: 

As a longtime member of the Albany-Colonie Regional 

Chamber of Commerce, Nixon Peabody LLP has always 

been a supporter of the Chamber’s collaborative efforts to 

marshal this region’s vast technical and human resources for 

the benefit of our home-grown business community. That 

collaborative model mirrors our own. Our talented Albany 

attorneys work in concert with our colleagues around the 

state, country, and overseas to help our Tech Valley clientele 

confront their increasingly diverse local issues, and project 

and protect their interests beyond this region. 

Albany · Boston · Buffalo · Chicago · Hong Kong · London 

Long Island · Los Angeles · Manchester · New York · Paris 

Providence · Rochester · San Francisco · Shanghai · Silicon Valley 

Washington, DC | Learn more at www.nixonpeabody.com 

Hire a True “Business Lawyer” 

Look for a lawyer who has solid 

experience representing businesses. A 

good business lawyer will provide vital 

assistance in almost every aspect of 

your business. Make sure they can help 

form and manage your corporation or 

limited liability company (LLC); draft 

and negotiate contracts (including your 

Website terms and conditions and privacy 

policy); and handle basic tax, employer/ 

employee and trademark/copyright 

matters. 

Look for “Business Savvy” 

A good business lawyer knows more 

than just the law. They should be able to 

understand your business well enough 

to be able to help you understand the 

business consequences of taking a 

particular legal action, and anticipate 

when legal and tax issues your business 

may face in the future. Beware, though, 

the attorney who thinks they know more 

about your business than you do, and 

remember the old adage “never take 

business advice from a lawyer.” Lawyers 

are not risk takers; they can help you


“A long-term relationship with the right attorney is as much an 

investment as equipment, supplies or inventory – 

and you wouldn’t scrimp on those, would you” 

31 

assess the consequences of taking a 

calculated risk, but it’s ultimately up to 

you to decide if the risk is worth taking. 

Make Sure They Are Well Connected 

Your business lawyer is the “general 

practitioner” or “internist” you go to 

when you first need help. Just like a 

doctor, if your business lawyer cannot 

help you with a particular problem or 

transaction, they should be able to 

introduce you to a more specialized 

attorney who can. 

Make Sure They Can Communicate 

Too many attorneys have forgotten how 

to speak plain English. If you cannot 

understand what your attorney is saying, 

do not blame yourself for not having gone 

to law school. Ask for clarification. If you 

still don’t understand their advice on the 

second go-round, find another attorney. 

Make Sure You Like the Attorney 

No matter how qualified an attorney 

may be on paper, if you just don’t feel 

comfortable dealing with them, look 

for someone else. You are going to be 

sharing a lot of confidential information 

and “trade secrets” with this person, 

and you don’t want to lie awake at night 

wondering if they will act professionally. 

Make Sure They Are Flexible on Fees 

A good business lawyer realizes that 

most small businesses don’t have tons 

of money lying around, and will work 

with you to manage the cost of the 

relationship. An attorney who charges by 

the hour for everything they do is not the 

right attorney for your small business. A 

really great business lawyer posts their 

fees on their Website or Facebook page 

so you can see exactly how much their 

services will cost without you even having 

to ask. 

The law is an extremely competitive 

profession, and most lawyers will be 

flexible on their fees – for example, by 

charging “flat fees” for small matters, 

spreading their fee out over several 

months, or agreeing to “cap” their hourly 

fees at a certain figure. But only if you ask. 

If you are on a limited budget for legal 

assistance, be sure to communicate that 

to your attorney up front so there are no 

“surprises” down the road. 

Having said that, do not try to “haggle” 

with an attorney who has offered you 

a fair price. Remember that they are 

running a small business just like you are, 

and cannot afford to sell their services 

at a price that won’t give them a decent 

income. Also, if an attorney perceives that 

all you care about is the lowest possible 

fee, you will become their lowest priority 

client. 

A long-term relationship with the right 

attorney is as much an investment as 

equipment, supplies or inventory – and you 

wouldn’t scrimp on those, would you •

Lawyers 

Alexander Almonte, Esq. 

119 Washington Avenue, Suite 101 

Albany, NY 12210 

518.689.1212 

Lisa M. Babiskin, Esq. 

35 Hampton Avenue 

Rensselaer, NY 12144 

518.465.3660 

Alan Bazzari, Esq. 


518.573.3131 

J. Michael Better, Attorney at Law 

393 Washington Avenue 


518.465.3351 

Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC 



518.533.3000 

www.bsk.com 

Law Office of Gary S. Bowitch 



518.434.0327 

www.bowitchlaw.com 

Brown & Weinraub, PLLC 

79 Columbia Street 


518.427.7350 

www.brownandweinraub.com 

Burke & Casserly, PC 

255 Washington Avenue Extension 


518.452.1961 

www.burkecasserly.com 

Carter Conboy Attorneys & 

Counselors at Law 

20 Corporate Woods Boulevard 


518.465.3484 

www.carterconboy.com 

Cooper Erving & Savage LLP 

39 North Pearl Street 


518.449.3900 

www.coopererving.com 

Anne Reynolds Copps 

126 State Street, 6th Floor 


518.436.4170 

www.arcopps.net 

Couch White, LLP 

540 Broadway 


518.426.4600 

www.couchwhite.com 

Daniels and Porco, LLP 



518.462.7770 

www.danielsporco.com 

Deily, Mooney & Glastetter, LLP 

8 Thurlow Terrace 


518.436.0344 

www.deilylawfirm.com 

Please See Our Ad 

The DiFabio Law Firm, P.C. 

4 Automation Lane, Suite 100 


518.459.1000 

www.difabiolaw.com 

Edward M. Douglas, Esq 



518.434.8435 

E. Stewart Jones Law Firm, PLLC 

28 2nd Street 

Troy, NY 12180 

518.274.5820 

www.esjlaw.com 

Ettinger Law Firm 

125 Wolf Road 


518.459.2700 

www.trustlaw.com 

Featherstonhaugh, Wiley & Clyne, LLP 

99 Pine Street, Suite 207 


518.436.0786 

www.fwc-law.com 

Ganje Law Office 

Two Tower Place 


518.437.9000 

www.ganjelaw.com 

Gilberti Stinziano Heintz & Smith, PC 



518.476.2001 

www.gilbertilaw.com 

Girvin & Ferlazzo, P.C. 



518.462.0300 

www.girvinlaw.com 

Goldberg Segalla LLP 

8 Southwoods Boulevard, Suite 300 


518.463.5400 

www.goldbergsegalla.com 

Goldberger & Kremer 

39 North Pearl Street, Suite 201 


518.436.8313 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP 

54 State Street 6th Floor 


518.689.1400 

www.gtlaw.com 

Timothy S. Hart, Tax Attorney and CPA 

90 State Street, Suite 700 


518.591.4653 

www.irstaxpros.com 

Law Office of Lance R. Hartwich, PLLC 

376 Broadway, Second Floor 

Schenectady, NY 12305 

518.339.7911 

Herzog Law Firm P.C. 

Corporate Woods 

7 Southwoods Boulevard 


518.465.7581 

www.herzoglaw.com 

Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti, PC 

5 Columbia Circle 


518.452.5600 

www.hrfmlaw.com 

Hiscock & Barclay, LLP 

80 State Street, 


518.429.4200 

www.hblaw.com 


Hodgson Russ LLP 

677 Broadway, Suite 301 


518.465.2333 

www.hodgsonruss.com 

Hoffman Warnick LLC 



518.449.0044 

www.hoffmanwarnick.com 

Iseman, Cunningham, Riester & Hyde, LLP 

9 Thurlow Terrace 


518.462.3000 

www.icrh.com

Jackson Lewis LLP 



518.434.1300 

www.jacksonlewis.com 


Richard P. Jacobson, Attorney at Law 

PO Box 12994 


518.456.5188 

Joseph L. Kay, Attorney At Law 

4 Springhurst Drive 

East Greenbush, NY 12061 

518.477.4800 

Kerker & Gleeson, P.C. 

286 Washington Avenue Extension, Suite #201, 


518.456.4300 

www.kerkergleeson.com 

Lavelle & Finn, LLP 

29 British American Boulevard 

Latham, NY 12110-1405 

518.869.6227 

www.lavelleandfinn.com 

Kara Conway Love, Esq. 

450 New Karner Road, Suite 203 


518.456.0460 

www.conwaylove.com 

Lemery Greisler LLC 

50 Beaver Street 


518.433.8800 

60 Railroad Place, Suite 502 

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 

518.581.8800 

www.lemerygreisler.com 

Lombardi, Walsh, Wakeman, 

Harrison, Amodeo & Davenport, PC 

III Winners Circle, Suite 200 


518.438.20 

www.lrwhlaw.com 

The Lyda Law Firm, PLLC 

599 Second Avenue 

PO Box 268 


518.379.9333 

www.lydalaw.com 

Jean M. Mahserjian, Esq., P.C. 

1741 Route 9 

Clifton Park, NY 12064 

518.383.1182 

www.jeanmahserjian.com 

Marsh, Wassermann & McHugh, LLC 

677 Broadway 


518.436.6000 

www.mwmlobby.com 


Martin, Harding & Mazzotti, LLP 

1222 Troy-Schenectady Road 

Niskayuna, NY 12309 

518.862.1200 

www.1800LAW1010.com 

Maynard, O’Connor, Smith & 

Catalinotto, LLP 

6 Tower Place 


518.465.3553 

www.maynardoconnorlaw.com 

Robert S. McEwan, Jr., Esq. 

514 State Street 


518.372.1008 

www.mcewanlaw.com 

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP 



518.935.2418 

www.mckennalong.com 

McNamee, Lochner, Titus & Williams, PC 

677 Broadway 

PO Box 459 


518.447.3200 

www.mltw.com 


Meyers & Meyers, LLP 

1734 Western Avenue 


518.464.9075 

www.meyersandmeyers.com 

Law Office of Craig Meyerson 

17 British American Boulevard 

Latham, NY 12110 

518.785.7440 

Law Offices of Karen Bulich Moreau 

57 Dryden Lane 

Feura Bush, NY 12067 

518.225.0543 

Napierski, VanDenburgh, Napierski & 

O’Connor, LLP 

296 Washington Avenue Extension 


518.862.9292 

www.nvnlaw.com 

Law Offices of Thomas A. Newman 

316 Delaware Avenue 

Delmar, NY 12054 

518.427.1600 

Nixon Peabody LLP 

677 Broadway, 10th floor 


518.427.2650 

www.nixonpeabody.com 


Nolan & Heller, LLP 

39 North Pearl Street, 3rd Floor 


518.449.3300 

www.nolanandheller.com 

O’Connell & Aronowitz 



518.462.5601 

www.oalaw.com 

Lewis B. Oliver, Jr. 

156 Madison Avenue 


518.463.7962 

Joseph A. Papa, Jr., Attorney at Law 

11 Par Circle 


518.365.9711 

Pattison, Sampson, Ginsberg & 

Griffin, P.C. 

22 First Street 


518.266.1000 

www.psgglaw.com 

Phillips Lytle LLP 

30 South Pearl Street 

Omni Plaza 


518.472.1224 

www.phillipslytle.com 


Louis-Jack Pozner PC, Attorney 

11 North Pearl Street, Suite 1405 


518.463.4808 

Warren S. Replansky, PC 

PO Box 659 

2990 Church Street 

Pine Plains, NY 12567 

518.398.5208 

Rice & Justice 



518.368.7539 

Law Offices of Stephen Rockmacher, Esq. 

740 Union Street 


518.393.7280 

www.srocklaw.com

Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP 

13 Columbia Circle 


518.464.1300 

www.rwgmlaw.com 

Scheiberling, Rogan & Maney 



518.463.1311 

Schmeiser, Olsen& Watts 

22 Century Hill Drive, Suite 302 


518.220.1850 

www.iplawusa.com 

Robert L. Serenka Attorney At Law, PLLC 

61 Columbia Street, Suite 201 


518.462.5040 

www.serenkalaw.com 

Fred Sober, Attorney At Law 

403 19th Street, 

Watervliet, NY 12189 

518.274.5490 

The Law Office of Margaret C. Tabak 

122 Great Oaks Boulevard 


518.464.4095 

www.tabaklawoffice.com 

Thuillez, Ford, Gold, Butler & Young, LLP 

20 Corporate Woods Blvd. 


518.455.9952 

www.thuillezford.com 

Law Office of Dorothy R. Tischler, 

Esq. - Market Title Services LLC 

1202 Troy-Schenectady Road, Building #3, 


518.250.4444 

Law Office of Michael J. Tommaney 

1568 Central Avenue 


518.782.2511 

www.mtommaneylaw.com 

Tuczinski, Cavalier, Gilchrist & 

Collura, P.C. 



518.463.3990 

www.tcgclegal.com 

Tully Rinckey PLLC 

441 New Karner Road 


518.218.7100 

www.tullylegal.com 

A. Renee’ Sutton & Associates, P.C. 

PO Box 369 

Slingerlands, NY 12159 

518.859.8807 

Daniel G. Vincelette, P.C. 

21 Everett Road Extension 


518.489.1098 

www.vincelettelaw.com 

Wertime, Ries & Van Ullen, P.C. 

930 Albany Shaker Road 


518.783.4767 

www.wertimeries.com 

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP 

One Commerce Plaza 


518.487.7600 

www.woh.com 

Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & 

Dicker LLP 

677 Broadway 


518.449.8893 

www.wemed.com 


James D. Wood, Attorney 

16 Mohican Place 


518.437.9864 

Young, Sommer, Ward, Ritzenberg, 

Baker & Moore, LLC 

5 Palisades Drive 


518.438.9907 

www.youngsommer.com 

Legal Services 

Accelerated Information & 

Document Filing, Inc. 



518.434.3050 

www.aidfny.com 

Access Information Services, Inc. 



518.452.1873

Albany County Bar Association 

1 Lodge Street, 2nd Floor 


518.445.7510 

www.albanycountybar.com 

Albany Law School 

80 New Scotland Avenue 


518.445.2311 

www.albanylaw,edu 

Legal Aid Society of 

Northeastern New York 

55 Colvin Avenue 


518.462.6765 

www.lasnny.org 

The Legal Project, Inc. 

Capital District Women’s Bar Association 


Stuyvesant Plaza 


518.435.1770 

www.legalproject.org 

Lightning Legal Services, LLC 

299 Hamilton Street 


518.463.1049 

www.lightninglegal.info 

New York Prosecutors 

Training Institute, Inc. 

107 Columbia Street 


518.432.1100 

New York State Bar Association 

One Elk Street 


518.463.3200 

www.nysba.org 

Vanguard Corporate Services, Ltd 

307 Hamilton Street 


518. 436.561 

Windsor Publishing, Inc. 

Glenmont, NY 12077 

518.475.9285 


35

Welcome to our new home. 

As we continue to serve the Capital region’s legal needs, we have relocated to 

beautiful new office space at 80 State Street, in the heart of downtown Albany. 

We are committed to providing the best legal services to our clients and 

welcome you to visit us at our new home! 

80 State Street / Albany NY 12207 / (518) 429-4200 

www.hblaw.com

Arthritis Foundation 

of Northeastern NY 

Join “Rose Day 2011” to Raise Funds! 

Not-For-Profit 37 

Mark Eagan, President and CEO of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce (L) and Pete 

Bardunias, President and CEO of the Southern Saratoga Chamber of Commerce (R) hold a beautiful 

bouquet of roses along with Eileen Reardon, Executive Director of the Arthritis Foundation of 

Northeastern New York in support of their Rose Day Campaign. 

The Arthritis Foundation of Northeastern NY is 

asking just three things from you: to be part of 

the team; be part of the solution; and be part 

of the cure. The Arthritis Foundation is on a 

quest to educate people about arthritis. Their 

philosophy is that knowledge is power. While 

the common misconception is that arthritis is 

just a “part of life,” couldn’t be farther from 

the truth. Arthritis is the number one disability 

with 1:5 individuals living with arthritis. Locally, 

300,000 residents in the Capital District have 

arthritis, of which 3,000 are children. 

The Arthritis Foundation offers an array 

of programs including exercise and Tai Chi 

programming to assist with mobility and pain 

management; educational programming 

including seminars, symposiums, Arthritis 

Expo, and corporate “lunch & learn;” as well as 

advocacy; information and referral; volunteer 

opportunities; and research. 

Research for a cure has been making 

incredible strides with findings in gene 

identification, imaging biomarkers and stem 

cell-based therapies, which are leading to more 

effective treatments for Osteoarthritis. But the 

research and programs need the support of the 

local community. 

The Arthritis Foundation is pleased to 

announce a special fundraising and awareness 

campaign. Local businesses are welcome to 

join Rose Day 2011. Rose Day is a campaign 

where employees of any business can purchase 

beautiful long stem roses for $20 per dozen. 

For each dozen purchased, a donation of 

$12 will be donated directly to the Arthritis 

Foundation to support local programs and 

services. There is no minimum purchase. 

All roses will be delivered by a volunteer 

on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 just in 

time for the holidays. Roses make a great, last 

minute gift, holiday surprise or thank you for a 

job well done. 

“This is a perfect way for local businesses 

to support the Arthritis Foundation and 

its mission. Let someone feel the joy of 

receiving, not the pain and discomfort related 

to arthritis,” said Eileen Reardon, executive 

director of the Arthritis Foundation of 

Northeastern NY. 

To learn more about the Arthritis 

Foundation or Rose Day, please contact the 

chapter at 528.456.1203 or tvanier@arthritis. 

org or www.arthritis.org. All Rose Day orders 

must be in by November 20th. • 

BST 

Financial and Management Consultants 

Discover the Difference 

The secret to success is no secret. 

It’s the people whom you choose to help you. 

At BST, we’re different because we 

understand that being valued business 

advisors means providing far more than just 

numbers. It means turning your toughest 

challenges into new opportunities - making 

you different. 

Contact us today to discover how BST 

can make a difference for you. 

We are real people offering real solutions. To get to know more 

about us and what we do, join our Group on Linkedin: 

BST Financial and Management Consultants. 

New York • Albany • Manhasset (800) 724-6700 • www.bstco.com

Health Insurance 

Open-Enrollment is Here! 

If you are a small business and do not have your 

health insurance through the Chamber, why not 

The Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber 

of Commerce offers eight CDPHP 

health insurance plans. The full menu of 

options offered includes High Deductible, 

Transitional EPO, EPO and HMO plans. 

The employer can offer eight options 

for selection at the employee level. 

For policies effective January 1, 2012 

the time to make changes is now; open 

enrollment is November through early 

December. Now is the time to review your 

current plan, assess your health needs and 

determine if you and your employees might 

need to make changes to health insurance 

coverage. 

Have questions Need information 

about the various plans offered On 

Monday, November 14 from 10am until 

2pm, the Chamber will hold Health 

Insurance Open Enrollment Meetings. 

Sign-up for your one-on-one meeting 

with the Chamber Health Insurance 

representative, Kathy Giannantonio, and 

a CDPHP representative who will answer 

your questions and review plan designs with 

you. The meetings will take place at the 

Chamber office. Reservations are required, 

contact 518.431.1400. 

Sign-up for a one-on-one session to 

review your plan and get the answers to 

your questions. 

A VARTIETY OF PLANS TO MEET A 

VARIETY OF NEEDS 

The Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber 

through CDPHP® is committed to 

providing its members with a variety 

of options that fit their unique health 

insurance needs. That’s why a wide range 

of solutions are offered to help maintain 

a comprehensive benefit package while 

controlling costs. 

And now the solutions are streamlined. 

The Power of CDPHP is a new way to 

view the plans, making it easier for groups 

to identify which plan offers the best fit for 

their needs.

POWER TO CHOOSE 

Through the use of deductibles, these plans 

promote transparency and allow members 

to make informed decisions about their 

health care. They can be paired with a 

health funding arrangement to help offset 

out-of-pocket costs and give members 

even more control over their health 

care spending. These plans truly put the 

employee in the driver’s seat. 

POWER TO EXPLORE 

CDPHP transitional plans are an ideal way 

to introduce an increased cost-share for 

employees. They serve as an introduction 

to coinsurance and deductibles that is 

both safe and dependable. With these 

transitional plans, members have a 

predictable copayment for primary care 

and specialist office visits. A deductible and 

coinsurance then apply for facility-based 

services. 

POWER TO GROW 

These plans offer the security and comfort 

of a traditional plan, along with the 

freedom to make decisions. Out-of-pocket 

costs are kept low with set copayments, 

and the CDPHP national network offers 

flexibility that employees truly value. 

POWER TO PROTECT 

For some employees, low out-of-pocket 

expenses are the major factor when 

reviewing their health plan options. 

These CDPHP HMO plans emphasize a 

traditional model of coordinated care that 

is dependable, with lower, predictable costs. 

All plans include fully covered preventive 

care services to help keep employees 

healthy and minimize costs. They also 

include worldwide coverage for emergency 

care. No matter which plan you choose, you 

can count on the Albany-Colonie Regional 

Chamber of Commerce and CDPHP® 

to offer quality health care coverage at a 

reasonable cost. • 


39


41 

Leadership Tech Valley Class 2012 

Kicks Off with Opening Retreat 

Self Assessment, Team Building Activities 

Prepare Group for Program 

Forty members of the 2012 Leadership 

Tech Valley class began their 10-month 

program with a two-day overnight retreat at 

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort. 

The retreat gives the class an 

opportunity to learn about themselves, their 

leadership style and their fellow classmates 

through a self-assessment evaluation, and 

various teambuilding and communications 

activities. The retreat sets the stage for 

the upcoming sessions by building group 

cohesiveness and a common understanding 

of the goals for the class. 

Nine subsequent sessions are held 

through June, followed by a graduation 

ceremony. Monthly sessions are themed 

around various elements of the 

community to serve as a catalyst for 

expanding awareness in economic 

development, community service, diversity, 

media, education, government and politics, 

health care and quality of life. 

Leadership Tech Valley is a shared 

initiative of the Albany-Colonie Regional 

Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber 

of Schenectady County. It is a dynamic, 

interactive program that provides skill 

development and community immersion 

experiences that enable participants to grow 

personally and professionally as they explore 

issues and opportunities in the region. 

For more information about Leadership 

Tech Valley, visit www.leadershiptechvalley. 

org or contact Karen Fox, Albany-Colonie 

Regional Chamber at 518.431.1435, 

karenf@acchamber.org; or Robin 

Granger, the Chamber of Schenectady 

County, 518.372.5656, rgranger@ 

schenectadychamber.org. • 

Class of 2012 

Marc Antonucci Iseman, Cunningham, Tiester 

& Hyde 

Arielle Bernstein Fight Crime: Invest in Kids 

New York 

Michael Billok Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC 

Barbara Boodram Colonie Youth Center, Inc. 

Ashley Bouchard M&T Bank 

Kurt Bratten O’Connell and Aronowitz, P.C. 

Brian Carr Carter, Conboy, Case, Blackmore, 

Maloney & Laird P.C. 

Stephen Casella Vistec Lithography Inc. 

Ron Cole Cornerstone Telephone Company 

Michael Cristiano 109th Airlift Wing, Air 

National Guard 

William DeFrancesco Capital District Physicians 

Health Plan 

Richard Drake Cornerstone Telephone Company 

S. Jay Goodman Couch White, LLP 

Tami Marie Gunsch Berkshire Bank 

Billie-Jo Haggerty Knolls Atomic Power 

Laboratory 

Eric Heathwaite Pioneer Bank 

Anissa Hochberg Treo Solutions 

Cori Hoffman Schenectady ARC 

Gail Kehn The Chamber of Schenectady County 

Christopher Kennedy Capital Bank, A Division 

of Chemung Canal Trust Company 

Marco Koshykar Nolan & Heller, LLP 

Christine Lenney Center for Disability Services 

Jason Little Deily, Mooney & Glastetter 

Emily MacWilliams BMPC – Knolls Atomic 

Power Laboratory 

Lorraine Martin M3 General Construction 

Resources LLC 

Tige Monacelli Ellis Medicine 

Daniel Murray New Visions 

Valerie Myers UHY Advisors NY, Inc. 

Thomas O’Donnell Wojeski & Company 

Kevin O’Leary Marvin and Company, PC 

Marco Pezzuto Time Warner Cable 

Ty Randall Base Civil Engineer 

Jennifer Regelski-Rotman KeyBank 

Jason Slater Union College 

Teresa Spadafora First Niagara 

Robert Stout Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna LLP 

Brian Stuart United Way of the Greater Capital 

Region 

Christine Thompson Albany-Colonie Regional 

Chamber of Commerce 

Meghan Weygant Albany Medical Center 

Daryl Zbrzezny Turner Construction Company

42 New Chamber Investors 

New members from August 10 through October 10, 2011 

A.G.D. Media Corp. 

Media 

Access Compliance, LLC 

Safety Compliance 

Albany Speed Shop Inc. 

Automobile, Repair & Service 

Ania Hair Studio & Spa 

Hair Salons 

Anthony Leone, Manufacturers 

Consultants 

Manufacturing Consultants 

Atlantic States Kitchens & Baths 

Kitchen Cabinets & Equipment 

Beasts-A-Brew 

Artists 

Bishop Maginn High School 

Schools 

Black Box Network Services 

Telecommunications 

Capital Job Development Group 

Non-Profits 

Care Improvement Plus 

Health Service 

Commercial & Industrial Real 

Estate Brokers 

Associations 

Consultech HR Advisors, LLC 

Human Services Consultants 

DeLuca Plastic Surgery 

Physicians & Surgeons, Cosmetic 

& Reconstructive 

Digital Express 

Printers 

DiGregorio’s Bakery House 

Bakers, Retail 

ESCO Inc. Heating & Cooling 

Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning 

Equip. 

Foit-Albert Associates 

Architects 

Francesca’s Specialty Deli & 

Bake House 

Delicatessens 

H2M Architects & Engineers 

Engineers 

Hi-Bid Sales 

Jewelers, Wholesale 

Internet Marketing Ninjas 

Website Design & Development 

JM Advisors, LLC 

Financial Planning Consultants 

Labor Ready 

Employment Contractors, Temporary 

Help 

Latino New York Magazine 

Publishers, Magazine 

Melville’s Mug 

Caterers 

Microtel Inn 

Hotels & Motels 

Modern Mix Marketing 

Advertising & Marketing 

Northeast Mulimedia 

Marketing Consultants 

Northeast Testing Upstate, Inc. 

Alcohol & Drug Testing 

Paradise Tree Service 

Tree Services 

Perferred IC Consultants 

Consultants 

Prime Commercial Lending, LLC 

Commercial Loans 

Radio Disney AM 1460, 

Media 

readMedia 

Software Development 

Simply Accounting 

Bookkeeping Services 

Sound Light Mind, Inc. 

Media 

South End Powdercoating 

Industrial Products & Services 

Specialty Box & Packaging Co., 

Inc. 

Packaging 

Tasty Image 

Gift Baskets & Parcels 

Treo Solutions, Inc. 

Software Development 

Visual Planet Communications, 

LLC 

Video Production Services


43 

Albany International Airport Receives $750K to Boost 

Flights; Airport and Business Community Matched $2 Million 

“The Capital Region business community recognized that the proper mix of convenient and competitively 

priced flights to hub airports is essential to support the continued growth of Tech Valley’s economy.” 

Mark N. Eagan, CCE, President and CEO 

Albany International Airport was awarded 

a $750,000 grant to help attract a new 

airline to serve Albany International 

Airport or to improve Albany’s existing 

service with the addition of a new non-stop 

destination. 

The grant, administered through 

the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 

Community Air Service Development 

Program, will be matched by $1.5 

million from the airport to attract new 

entrant airlines and more than $500,000 

in community funds pledged by local 

businesses and in-kind advertising. 

The airport’s grant award will be used 

to provide a revenue guarantee to an airline 

that establishes new direct service from 

Albany to Houston or Denver or Dallas- 

Fort Worth. These locations were selected 

following a thorough review of Albany’s 

passenger traffic that showed a sufficient 

number of passengers were already using 

these hubs and the hub’s ability to improve 

connectivity for business and leisure 

travelers to other locations in the Southwest 

that are not served by direct air service 

from Albany. 

Albany was one in 29 communities 

across the country to be chosen for 

the grant; a total of $15 million was 

awarded nationally. The Department of 

Transportation chose Albany based on 

the strategy to enhance air service and the 

airport’s ability to demonstrate a high-level 

of community support in the form of a 

pledge of funds and in-kind assistance. 

The Albany-Colonie Regional 

Chamber, the Center for Economic 

Growth (CEG), Rensselaer County 

Chamber, Saratoga County Chamber and 

the Schenectady County Chamber together 

assembled the $500,000 in community 

pledges. “The Capital Region business 

community recognized that the proper mix 

of convenient and competitively priced 

flights to hub airports is essential to support 

the continued growth of Tech Valley’s 

economy,” noted Mark N. Eagan, CCE, 

president and CEO of the Albany-Colonie 

Regional Chamber of Commerce. •

On the Move 

3tarchitects 

Tammy Kirkwood, studio coordinator. 

Albany Institute of History & Art 

David Carroll, director. 

Albany Marriott 

Heather Hough, sales manager. 

Arnoff Moving & Storage 

Mark Motler, director of operations. 

Capital Communications Federal Credit Union 

Carie Sala, business development manager; 

Theresa Petrone, foundation and public 

relations administrator. 

Creighton Manning Engineering’s 

Transportation Group 

Robert Hansen P.E., serves as a liaison to local 

governments and assisting with business 

development. 

Berkshire Bank 

J. William Dunlaevy, director; Barton D.Raser, 

director; Patrick J. Sullivan, executive vice 

president of Commercial Banking and Wealth 

Management; David W. Eidle, senior vice 

resident of Corporate Initiatives. 

BBL Hospitality 

Leslie Forbert Miller, area director of Sales and 

Marketing for Saratoga Springs. 

Brown School 

Patti Vitale, head of school. 

Christian Brothers Academy 

Ernest Casile, Jr. ’72, assistant principal for 

Academics; Vicki Roberts, controller; Brian 

O’Connell, director of Admissions; Dave 

Doemel ’71, athletic director; Kathryn Viggiani, 

CMP, special events and marketing relations 

manager; Marty McGraw ’77, Junior High 

guidance counselor and alumni director. 

Excelsior College 

Dr. Mary Beth Hanner, provost; Dr. Patrick 

Jones, vice provost; Dr. Lisa Daniels as assistant 

vice president of outcomes assessment and 

institutional research; Todd Thomas, assistant 

vice president for budgets and financial 

analysis; Sarah Galimore, executive director 

of the Center for Professional Development; 

Lynda Holt, executive director for business 

development in Extended Education; Roberto 

Figueroa, executive director of Admissions. 

FingerPaint Marketing 

Donna Lama, creative team member; Chris 

O’Brien, web development. 

Kinderhook Bank 

The bank has launched a new residential 

mortgage lending division to provide home 

loan services to residents in the Greater 

Capital Region. Heading up the newly created 

department is Ted J. Waite III, Brian Garis, and 

Stephanie Warenchak. 

Lewis Engineering, P.C. 

Nicholas M. Torres, mechanical engineer. 

New Visions 

Shannon Milack, director of Medicaid Service 

Coordination; Amanda Mabee to assistant 

Director of Medicaid Service Coordination; 

Donald Pitts, Intake Coordinator; Patricia 

McKay, assistant executive director for Quality 

Assurance, Compliance and Planning; Desiree 

Loucks Baer, assistant executive director for 

Residential Services; of Sandy Ayers as Director 

for Human Resources. 

O’Connell and Aronowitz 

Gilbert L. Carey, Esq., CPA, associate in the 

Albany office. 

Siena College 

George Brown, assistant baseball coach. 

Siena created an Office of Fan and Corporate 

Development Karen Jones and Nate Mason 

hired to assist Siena Basketball sales efforts. 

Scott Varley Group 

Teresa Ronning, licensed associate broker. 

TD Bank 

Allan Birkett, small business relationship 

manager for Capital District Region. 

Weichert Realtors 

Robert L. Taylor, Catherine Delf, Lynn Bailey, 

Linda Chiarello and Christa Boden, realtors. 

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP 

Dennis D. Curtin, Esq., partner; Kenneth 

Peterson, executive vice president of WOH 

Government Solutions, LLC. 

Kudos 

Albany and Downtown Albany BID 

Announced local jazz act “Out of the Box,” as 

the winner of the Downtown Albany Jazz Fest 

Contest. 

Albany Broadcasting 

Introduces Rock 100.9! -- a new format on 

WKLI FM with a whole lot of rock, 1009 songs 

in a row; formerly 100.9 The Bridge. 

Albany Symphony 

The Albany Symphony achieved a major 

milestone when they hit 1,150 subscribers for 

the 2011-2012 season. It is bucking national 

trends of declining audiences by increasing its 

subscriber base by nearly 300 people over last 

year. 

Behan Communications 

Behan Communications, Inc., has expanded its 

staff with new office space in Albany’s historic 

Harmanus Bleecker Library Building. 

Capital District Women’s Employment & 

Resource Center 

Is proud to announce that Elizabeth M. Miller, 

executive director, is a recipient of the 2011 

NYS Senate Women of Distinction Award for 

her 15 years of service to WERC serving as a 

pioneer for equal labor. 

Carter Conboy 

Chosen as the winner of the Corporate INTL 

Magazine 2011 Global Award for “New York 

Full Service Law Firm of the Year.” 

Four directors have been selected by New 

York Super Lawyers® magazine among the top 

attorneys in New York State for 2011: John T. 

Maloney; Edward D. Laird, Jr; James A. Resila; 

and William D. Yoquinto. 

James C. Blackmore, John T. Maloney, and 

John T. Maloney were recently selected by 

their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in 

America® 2012 

Christian Brothers Academy 

Appoints new board members -- Christopher 

Scaringe, J.D., C.P.A ’82, president of the Board 

of Trustees; Richard Huether ’51; Thomas 

DiNovo, Esq.; and Carm Basile as board 

members. 

College of Saint Rose 

The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked Saint 

Rose a “Great College to Work For” for the 

fourth year in a row. Rita F. Dillon named to its 

board of trustees. 

For the second consecutive year, Saint Rose 

has been named a “Military Friendly School” 

by G.I. Jobs, the premier magazine for military 

personnel transitioning to civilian life. 

Community Foundation For The Greater 

Capital Region 

New Board Members: John A. MacAffer, 

associate broker, CB Richard Ellis; 

Deborah Onslow, interim executive director, 

The Arts Center; Ellen Sax, vice president/ 

director, Community Relations, Key Bank; C. 

Wayne Williams, community leader; Robin 

Wood, director of communications, NYS 

Nurses Association; Anthony Capobianco, 

ChFC, CLU, president, Capobianco Financial 

Advisors; Jeffrey M. Rosenbaum, JD, CPA, The 

AYCO Company LP. 

Community Resource Federal Credit Union 

Community Resource donates $4,100 to 

Capital District Community Gardens 

for improving the nutrition of residents 

who live in the Capital District’s inner-city 

neighborhoods. 

Downtown Albany 

Three technology companies have moved into 

offices in Downtown Albany or significantly 

expanded their office space in the past several 

months. Firms WhoSay and QED National have 

opened new offices and Microsoft has invested 

nearly $1 million into expanded office space. 

E. Stewart Jones 

Troy attorney E. Stewart Jones, Jr. was again 

selected by his peers for inclusion in The 

Best Lawyers in America publication in the 

specialties of Personal Injury Litigation, Legal 

Malpractice Law, DWI/DUI Defense and 

Criminal Defense Law. The 2012 edition marks

Member Happenings 

45 

an impressive accomplishment as Mr. Jones 

has now been recognized in Best Lawyers each 

year since the publication’s very first edition, 

28 years ago. 

Hiscock & Barclay, LLP 

Albany Partner Oksana M. Ludd was recently 

featured in Arrive Magazine as the only New 

York/Albany Real Estate Attorney on the list 

of “Top Women Lawyers in the Northeast” 

compiled by Martindale-Hubble based Peer 

Review Ratings. Linda J. Clark and Thomas J. 

O’Connor were selected for inclusion in the 

2011 Super Lawyers: 

Holiday Inn Express – Downtown Albany 

The hotel opened the first public access 

electric car charging station in upstate New 

York Installed by PlugIn Stations Online. The 

charging station is a Leviton dual level 1 / level 

2 system. 


The College in the High School (CIHS) program 

recently became accredited by the National 

Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships 

(NACEP), a professional organization and 

accrediting body that advances concurrent 

enrollment programs in institutions of higher 

education and high schools. 

Marra’s Pharmacy 

Celebrated its 80th anniversary as a familyowned 

business at 217 Remsen Street in 

October. 

Marrello Management Group 

Joseph Marrello welcomed Jacob & Anthony’s 

Prep Kitchen in Crossgates Mall to their family 

of restaurants. 

Mooney & Glastetter, LLP 

Partners Jonathan D. Deily, F. Matthew 

Jackson, Martin A. Mooney, and Joanne 

Sternheimer of have all been named to Super 

Lawyers New York, Upstate 2011. 

Northeast Spine and Wellness 

Dr. Joseph S. Gulyas, Clifton Park chiropractor, 

launched a new weekly health radio show, 

“Hands On with Dr. Joe” at 12:45 pm on 101.3 

FM on Sunday’s. 

He recently completed Advanced Nutrition 

Training to offer to his patients. The additional 

training allows him to offer practical 

intervention to handle society’s health 

problems like osteo-arthritis and immune 

system concerns through proper diet and 

supplementation. 

Phillips Lytle LLP 

Is pleased to announce 54 of its attorneys, 

including Richard E. Honen, have been selected 

by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers 

in America® 2012. 

Samaritan Hospital 

Announced the launch of a new state-ofthe-art, 

computer-assisted robotic surgery 

program featuring the da Vinci® Surgery 

System, a technology which enables minimally 

invasive surgeries in the treatment of 

cancers, particularly urologic surgeries and 

gynecological procedures. 

Schenectady County Community College 

Dr. Quintin Bullock, president, has been selected 

as one of the 2011 National TRIO Achievers. The 

TRIO Achiever Awards are presented to former 

TRIO project participants of high stature within 

their profession who have made significant civic, 

community or professional contributions, among 

other criteria. 

SCCC welcomes new faculty, staff and 

Foundation Board Members. Susan E. 

Beaudoin, assistant vice president of 

Administration in the Administrative Division; 

Heidi Borofsky, academic advisor in the 

Academic Advisement Center; Justin Cook, 

student activities advisor in the Student 

Affairs Division; Dr. Rebecca DiLiddo, dean of 

Math, Science, Technology, and Health; Mary 

Dornbush, full-time Financial Aid Advisor; Mitzi 

Espinola, academic advisor in the Academic 

Advisement Center; Matthew Grattan, 

executive director of Workforce Development; 

Marisa Kosakowski, account Clerk in the 

Student Business Office; LuAnn Meeks, senior 

typist, Dr. Richard Simons, asistant professor of 

Anatomy and Physiology; Jennifer L. Van Ort, 

coordinator of development. 

Schenectady Museum 

Schenectady Insuring Agency has awarded 

a grant for $750 to the museum to assist 

underserved youth from elementary schools 

in the Schenectady City School District 

participating in the Museum’s educational 

programming through discounted admissions 

and/or transportation assistance during the 

2011-2012 school year. 

Stewart’s Shops has awarded a grant for 

$2,500 to the museum to provide field trip 

transportation assistance during the 2011- 

2012 school year for underserved youth whose 

lack of resources would otherwise prevent 

participation. 

Transfinder has awarded a grant for $1,500 

to the museum field trip transportation 

assistance during the 2011-2012 school year 

for underserved youth in Schenectady County. 

St. Anne Institute and The St. Anne Foundation 

St. Anne Institute Board Officers for 2011- 

2012 are Joan Meyer, Living Resources; Darius 

Shahinfar, attorney; Susan Schell, Generations 

Planning Group, LLC; and William Corbett, 

Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar. 

The St. Anne Foundation officers for 2011- 

2012 are Sarah Halliday, M&T Bank; Ron 

Mason, Northeast Information Systems; 

Michael DiFabio, DiFabio Law; and Debra 

Maloy Walsh, Community Volunteer. Elected 

to the St. Anne Foundation for 2011-2014 was 

Anne Carroll, Carroll Realty. 

SUNY Cobleskill 

Terry Hughes has been selected as the 

2011 New York winner of the Outstanding 

Service Citation Award given by the National 

Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE). 

Hughes is also the recipient of the NAAE’s 

Regional Outstanding Service Award. 

U.S. News & World Report has recognized 

SUNY Cobleskill as one of the North’s Best 

Regional Colleges in U.S. News & World 

Report’s 2012 edition of America’s Best 

Colleges. 

Susan G. Komen for the Cure 

Welcomed three new members to its Board of 

Directors: Dr. Arsyl DeJesus, a physician at New 

York Oncology Hematology; Monica D. Minor, 

breast cancer survivor; and Debra Sottolano, 

dedicated Komen volunteer. 

The Scott Varley Group 

The Wall Street Journal Ranks The Scott Varley 

Group in the Top 250 Real Estate Teams in the 

United States. 

Times Union Hope Fund 

Awarded $5,000 to Capital District Community 

Gardens’ Produce Project to help employ 24 

at-risk students from Troy High School. 

United Way of the Greater Capital Region 

Announced William Flaherty, Director of 

Community and Customer Management for 

National Grid, and Patrick J. Lyons, Assistant 

to NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi, will 

serve as co-chairs for its 20011 fundraising 

campaign. 

Visit our new office at 418 Broadway, downtown Albany (next to Franklin Towers) 

Landlord/Tenant Representation 

Commercial/Residential Sales • Seller/Buyer Representation 

Call: 518-426-5211 | www.tlmetzger.com

Walrath Recruiting 

Has relocated to new location at 3 Winners 

Circle in Albany. 

WAMC Northeast Public Radio 

Celebrated the first anniversary of the 

launching of The Academic Minute, the daily 

segment that has become a higher education 

staple by bringing the latest research from 

campuses around the world to listeners across 

the United States, Canada, and online at www. 

academicminute.org. 

Upgrades to Digital HD Radio with grant support 

from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting 

Digital Radio Conversion Fund. This upgrade 

helps the sound quality and expands WAMC’s 

digital listening coverage area. 

Datebook 

Albany Institute of History and Art 

First in the Hearts of His Countrymen: GEORGE 

WASHINGTON open through MAY 20, 2012. 

The exhibits diverse range of objects reveals 

our infatuation with this national hero, our 

memorialization of his deeds and personal 

character. 

A GATHER OF GLASS: Selections from the 

Museum’s Collection open through JUNE, 

2012. The exhibition includes a selection 

of blown, molded, pressed, and cut glass 

pieces from the Institute’s collection, many 

manufactured in the northeast United States. 

Berkshire Bank 

Workshop: “The Power of Email Marketing,” 

Thursday November 17, 2011 from 7:45 

am to 9:30am. Build the relationships that 

are the key to your business success with 

easy, inexpensive and highly effective email 

marketing. Details & Registration: http://www. 

endorphin-training-center.com/calendar/ 

CDTA 

CDTA announces Albany County service 

improvement changes featuring more cross 

town service and better ob connections. 

Starting on Sunday, November 13th, CDTA will 

introduce a series of significant improvements 

to Albany County service. The new routes, 

shaped largely by public input, will feature 

more cross town service and better job 

connections. CDTA’s awareness campaign 

entitled, “What’s Your Number Learn, Ride 

and Connect”, will help riders understand 

the service changes and discover where new 

connections are made. Visit www.cdta.org to 

learn more. 

Submit member news items to 

membernews@acchamber.org.

On The Scene 

47 

1. The Women’s Business Council celebrated 25 years of partnerships and progress on 

September 21. The event was presented by the Women’s Business Council which 

was sponsored by KeyBank, CDPHP, Times Union and BBL Hospitality. Pictured L-R 

Top Cheryl Gnade, Suzanne O’Connor, Beverly Wittner Traa, Tracy Metzger, Kara 

Conway Love, L-R Bottom Joanne Dwyer, BarbaraWisnom, Alma Mitchell, Arlene 

Clements, Mazie McMahon, Maureen Thornton O’Brien. 

2. GenNext Tech Valley Young Professionals hosted representatives from local 

non-profits on September 27 for a panel discussion. The group heard from a 

dynamic panel on how volunteerism benefited their professional careers and 

about “the state of” non-profits in Tech Valley. The event was sponsored by 

Albany Medical Center, Verizon, Berkshire Bank and National Grid. Pictured l-r: 

Matthew Harrington, New Directions Consulting, Inc.; Rick Marchant, New Business 

Development, Mannix Marketing; and Richard Nacy, Director of Development & 

Marketing, AIDS Council of NENY; and Jeff Mirel, President, Albany Barn, Inc. 

1. 

3. Members got a behind the scenes look at the Regional Food Bank facilities on 

October 4. The tour, led by executive director Mark Quandt, gave attendees a taste 

of the Food Bank’s 62,000 square-foot warehouse/office facility. This non-profit 

provides more than 20 million pounds of food a year to 1,000 agencies. The tour 

was hosted by Colonie Business Council and sponsored by First New York Federal 

Credit Union. Pictured: Mark Quandt. 

4. The Chamber hosted Mayor Jerry Jennings for his annual address to the 

membership. On October 4, the Mayor discussed Albany’s role in economic 

revitalization of the region and the impact recent economic initiatives will have on 

the capital city. His remarks also included an overview of the state of the city and 

his plans to spur business investment and neighborhood revitalization. Corporate 

sponsor was KeyBank. Pictured: Mayor Jerry Jennings. 

5. On October 12, the Chamber heard from Thomas Mattox, Commissioner of the 

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance on tax issues as well as 

legislative and administrative priorities for 2012-2013 that impact the business 

community. Pictured: Commissioner Thomas Mattox. 

2. 

3. 4. 5.

48 

Viewpoint 

In sowing 

the seeds of 

prosperity, 

there is no end 

zone 

Steve Janack 

Vice President for Marketing and Communications 

College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering 

Dean Fuleihan 

Executive Vice President for Strategic Partnerships 

College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering 

“Right here, right now,” according to the 

refrain from the hit single, “there is no other 

place I’d rather be.” 

Amid the exponential growth of the 

nanotechnology sector in the Capital Region 

and across New York – and just as importantly, 

in seeing the incredible opportunity for our 

future – we couldn’t agree more. 

Led by the extraordinary leadership and 

pioneering vision of Governor Andrew 

Cuomo, and with the steadfast support and 

continuing guidance of Assembly Speaker 

Sheldon Silver, our region and state are in a 

most enviable position. We are recognized as 

a leading global hub for innovation, enabled 

by the world’s most dynamic education, 

research, development, commercialization and 

manufacturing ecosystem for nanotechnology, 

the science that is transforming life in the 21st 

century. 

To some, the recent announcement by 

Governor Cuomo and Speaker Silver 

represented a surreal moment: five of the 

world’s foremost technology companies will 

invest $4.4 billion in further building New 

York’s globally renowned nanotechnology 

industry, leveraging an additional $400 million 

state investment in the College of Nanoscale 

Science and Engineering (CNSE). Coming as 

our nation grapples with ongoing economic 

challenges that are unprecedented in our 

lifetime, this news has made New York the 

envy of every other state and a growing 

number of foreign competitors. 

But for those who have been active, engaged 

and supportive of New York’s nanotechnology 

initiative, including a critical cross-section 

of government, business, community and 

education leaders who have embraced and 

advocated on its behalf, the news served 

to underscore not only the success of the 

groundbreaking public-private partnerships 

that have been put into place, but also the 

relentless pursuit and determined vigilance 

that are essential to setting lofty goals and 

working to achieve them. 

That said, the reality is this: with apologies to 

one of our favorite places, this is not the time 

to go to Disneyworld. Our vocabulary should 

not – and does not – include the words, “sit 

back,” “relax,” or “celebrate.” 

On the contrary, there has never been a better 

time to put our collective foot on the gas pedal 

to ensure that we maximize this unparalleled 

opportunity to drive long-term educational, 

technological, economic and societal 

prosperity in our community and throughout 

New York for decades to come. 

Legendary NBA coach and Schenectady native 

Pat Riley said, “Excellence is the gradual result 

of always striving to do better.” With six world 

championships as a player and coach, his 

advice is exactly the path we need to follow – 

now more than ever. 

Fortunately, we build on a position of strength. 

The public-private collaboration known as 

the Global 450 Consortium will see industry 

giants IBM, Intel, GlobalFoundries, Samsung 

and TSMC partner at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech 

Complex to develop the next generation of 

computer chip technology, driven by faster, 

more powerful, and more energy-efficient 

chips built on 450mm silicon wafers. 

This investment will drive economic impact 

across New York, with nearly 7,000 high-tech 

jobs being created and retained, including a 

significant impact in the Capital Region. More 

than 1,000 jobs – with an average salary of 

$87,000 – will be added to the 2,600 scientists, 

researchers, engineers, faculty and others 

already on site at CNSE. Thousands more will 

be seen at CNSE’s Smart System Technology 

and Commercialization Center in Canandaigua; 

the Computer Chip Commercialization Center 

in Utica-Rome, a partnership between CNSE 

and SUNYIT; and at IBM’s research and 

manufacturing facilities in Yorktown Heights 

and Fishkill, respectively. 

Add to that an ecosystem of corporate 

vendors, suppliers and partner companies of 

more than 3,000 small, medium and largesized 

firms from Long Island to Buffalo and 

you have the critical pieces in place to enable 

sustained economic growth, while supporting 

the needs of this dynamic and vibrant industry. 

Now, consider this: at the same time this 

game-changing collaboration is being put into 

place, we are concurrently moving forward 

with the establishment of the trailblazing 

U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium 

(PVMC) at CNSE. This $300 million program, 

a partnership between CNSE and SEMATECH, 

will enable research, development and 

commercialization of leading-edge solar cell 

technology designed to jump-start the use of 

clean energy nationwide. 

PVMC will utilize the unique model that 

CNSE has deployed for the nanoelectronics 

industry, bringing together materials providers, 

equipment suppliers and manufacturers in the 

solar industry to enable innovation, hasten 

commercialization, and enhance the efficiency 

of manufacturing. That will place our region 

and state at the center of another fast-growing 

industry, and further attract highly sought-after 

“green” jobs, companies and investment. 

A formidable one-two punch – but the fight is 

far from over. 

As Winston Churchill said, “Continuous effort, 

not strength or intelligence, is the key to 

unlocking our potential.” Let those words 

be our guide as we collectively resolve to 

continue to set our goals high, encourage bold 

progress, and work in partnership to maximize 

a golden opportunity at this most exciting time 

in our history. •

November/December - Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of ...

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