ARCC Provides Educational Opportunities for Business Community with Panel Discussions
The mission of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce is to support our business community through advocacy, education, connection, and collaboration advocacy, education, connection, and collaboration… And the Chamber seriously caught the “education” bug when three of its four councils held educational panel discussions in the span of about two weeks.
The good news is The good news is each event tailored to a different audience and fulfilled the mission of the ARCC providing educational opportunities for the business community. On April 30th, the Adirondack Nonprofit Business Council (ANBC) of the ARCC hosted a panel discussion on planned giving and legacy donations. After receiving feedback from nonprofits that many of them did not currently have a planned giving program, it was realized that this topic would be valuable. The ANBC assembled a panel of local experts from the nonprofit side, legal and wealth management perspectives.
Cindy Sherwood, Vice President of Development at Glens Falls Hospital, and Robin DeMattos, Director of Development & Donor Experiences at Double H Ranch, shared their experiences working with donors on planned giving. Both shared stories and scenarios and came to the same conclusion – that it’s about establishing good relationships with your donors.
To round out the discussion, the panel also featured Jessica R. Botelho, Esq., Founder of Botelho Law PLLC, and Marilyn R. Kraus, CTFA, Vice President and Trust and Wealth Services Manager, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company to provide their expertise. All in all it was a well-rounded discussion to almost 50 attendees at The Queensbury Hotel.
Jumping into the month of May, the ARCC Workplace Health & Wellness Council hosted an event on Workplace Wellness: From Head to Toe, featuring a panel of local experts to discuss mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, and nutrition in the workplace. A lot of the discussion featured available resources in our communities, as well as healthy reminders on how to take care of our minds and bodies. Susan McManus, Executive Director of the Adirondack EAP, Cathy Reichen Director of Health & Safety at Glens Falls Hospital, and Lindsey Brainerd Community Health Outreach Coordinator at Comfort Food Community shared their expertise on working with employers and employees on overall health. The conversation was facilitated by Erin Krivitski, PsyD and Workplace Health Strategist with CDPHP. One of the key takeaways focused on being kind to yourself, and realizing that even the smallest changes can make a big difference in your mental and physical health. The ARCC Workplace Health & Wellness Council remains dedicated to advancing its commitment to developing and sustaining a culture of wellness in the business community.
To round out the panel discussions, the Women’s Business Council of the ARCC hosted their annual SUCCESSion Summit in the Carriage House of the Fort William Henry Hotel. This year’s panel featured: Michelle Matan, CFP – Matan Wealth Partners-Rockefeller Capital Management, Sherry Finkel Murphy CFP®, RICP®, ChFC® – Madrina Molly, LLC, Wendy Waldron – Certified EOS Implementer, Brian Stidd CPA, CVA -Stidd CPA, PLLC, Vittoria Buzzelli Associate at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, and ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers as facilitator.
The conversation was a continuation from previous SUCCESSion Summits, revolving around continuity planning for businesses. In a region rich with family-owned, and small-medium sized businesses, it’s important to create a culture of regular succession planning and development to ensure our community’s businesses continue to grow and thrive. Each year, this event strives to provide education and resources for our business owner community that will help them lead and succeed into the future. This year’s panelists highlighted the importance of identifying the right people for business owners to surround themselves with to successfully lead for years to come. It was a robust conversation with takeaways, and the hope is that the conversation will continue.
If there’s one thing the ARCC has learned through hosting these events, it is that our region has an amazing pool of expertise and talent, and we are so grateful for it.