Looking for Mothers’ Day plans? May 14th is just around the corner, and Scotlander Brewery is excited to have teamed up with Comfort Food Community – a local food recovery and distribution non-profit – to bring you a unique Mothers’ Day experience, all for a good and essential cause!
Scotlander Brewing Company is located on 453 County Rte 47 in Argyle, and is open Thursday through Sunday. The brewery features a taproom, and pavilion overlooking a serene countryside… Scotlander is teaming up with Comfort Community to host this special 2023 Mothers’ day experience on Mothers’ day, May 14th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM.
Comfort Food Community is working towards ending rural hunger, supporting local farms and building healthy communities. Comfort Food Community helps solve the problems of both food waste and hunger – they take produce that would otherwise go to waste, and distribute it to those in need.
So, for a Mothers’ Day event that the whole family can enjoy, purchase your tickets for “Mothers’ Day on Tap” at Scotlander Brewery! Not only will you enjoy a special brunch menu, NY craft beverages, live music and a raffle basket, but Scotlander is also hosting their very first mini pop up market, featuring local artisans along with floral bouquets for sale. You may even see some goat kids roaming about…
Aimee Woodhouse is the owner of Aimee Lactation Consulting. She is a Registered Nurse, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) which is the highest designation available for Lactation Consultants. Her business was born out of a need in the community to support new mothers breastfeeding infants at home; Aimee provides in-home lactation support to nursing mothers in Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties, visiting new moms at home to help offer support and guidance during what can be a very stressful time in a woman’s life.
Aimee has been working as a registered nurse since 1998; she has been a maternity nurse for 17 years, and a lactation consultant for 10 of those years. During her career, Aimee realized that there was a deficit of support for new moms as they began their breastfeeding journey, and Aimee has worked to fill that need: “I am very passionate about serving breastfeeding moms in our community and meeting them when they are at their most vulnerable… So, my goal is to help them be successful with their feeding goals for their infant,” Aimee said.
Throughout her time helping new moms, Aimee has seen how lack of health insurance coverage has hindered new mothers from getting the care that they need… However, CDPHP has recently begun to cover and credential lactation consultants, which allows lactation consultants to be covered in-network for their patients. This also applies to Medicaid patients: “When we are talking about access to care, finally these mothers can get the care they need… I am able to see a breastfeeding mom as many times as she clinically needs my help. CDPHP covers unlimited visits at no cost to the mom,” Aimee said.
Aimee is pleased to see the expansion of coverage for new moms: “When I first opened my practice, I couldn’t accept health insurance… There was a severe lack of access to care because it was just the moms who could afford to have a lactation consultant that could get that help,” she said.
As lactation services broaden and evolve, so do the tools that Aimee can use to help moms – Telehealth has created a new layer of care that Aimee can provide, as there are services that Aimee can provide virtually, like a weaning consult: “When moms want to know the best techniques to use to wean their baby, we usually just need to talk,” she said.
Aimee understands that she is meeting women at a vulnerable point in their lives, and knows that providing lactation support without the disruption of leaving the house helps both the mother and child.
Aimee Woodhouse RN, IBCLC
“It’s a very stressful time in a woman’s life. New moms are exhausted… There is a plummet in their hormones and lack of sleep. They want to take care of their baby. If that is going poorly, or she doesn’t know if she is doing the feedings correctly, that can cause stress,” she said.
The services that Aimee provides are both necessary and reassuring to the moms: “I bring a scale sensitive down to the two gram increments. I weigh the baby before they eat and after they eat at the breast. I measure how much milk they took in at the breast. That information is very important in the decisions that we make for the care plan. It is also reassuring and makes the new mom feel so relieved,” she said.
Aimee would like new moms to know that there is in-home lactation support available and that it can be covered by insurance. If you are struggling to breastfeed your baby, or have questions about feeding, please visit aimeelactation.com.
Upstate Agency, LLC in South Glens Falls – as part of the Arrow Family of Companies – recently welcomed Rebekah Crewell as Risk Advisor.
In her new role, Ms. Crewell is responsible for acquiring and retaining commercial clients within the property services, healthcare, non-profit, construction, and municipality segments. In addition to her production responsibilities, she is instrumental in the marketing of complex programs and renewals for the agency throughout the greater Capital Region.
Ms. Crewell, a designated Small Business Coverage Specialist (SBCS), is a seasoned insurance professional, bringing nearly 20 years of local insurance, risk management, and marketing experience to her role. Prior to joining Upstate Agency, LLC, Ms. Crewell spent her career with large global brokerage platforms, and regional brokerage firms located in the Albany market.
Ms. Crewell lives in Wells, NY, where she serves as Town Supervisor.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors has hired experienced tourism executive Heather Bagshaw to serve as Warren County’s Director of Tourism! She begins work on April 24th, 2023.
Ms. Bagshaw comes to Warren County after working in Greene County, New York, where she served as the county’s Director of Tourism. She spent nearly 10 years overseeing Greene County’s tourism promotion efforts, and her years in the hospitality industry followed tenures with marketing agencies and nonprofits in the Capital District and New York City… Ms. Bagshaw has also worked as vice president of marketing at Destination Niagara USA.
The county Director of Tourism is responsible for planning, developing and implementing programs to promote Warren County. The Director of Tourism promotes facilities and businesses as premier destinations for leisure travel, group tours, and special events… To achieve this, Ms. Bagshaw will be able to utilize marketing and advertising campaigns through Warren County Tourism Department. As part of her role, Ms. Bagshaw will oversee a department of four full-time staff members and two-part-time staff members.
“It is an honor to be chosen as the next Tourism Director by the hiring committee and the Warren County Board of Supervisors. I am excited to be working in an area that is recognized for its year-round outdoor adventure, events, attractions, and more! I will continue to build brand awareness for the Lake George Area in New York’s Adirondacks, and continue to grow it as a top tourism vacation destination,” Ms. Bagshaw said.
Gene Merlino – Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors Tourism Committee – believes that Ms. Bagshaw will have a positive impact on area tourism: “Heather has extensive experience in the tourism industry, working with different types of destination marketing offices, and we were impressed with her ideas to further develop our efforts to market Warren County and the local tourism industry,” he said.
Ms. Bagshaw will be replacing former Director of Tourism Alfred Snow… Snow stepped down in November of 2022, after holding the position for two months.
Ms. Bagshaw is an avid golfer and outdoors enthusiast. She and her golden retriever, Roxie, are looking forward to experiencing all that Warren County has to offer.
Entrepreneur Christopher J. Thomas – a retired U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeant Major – is the founder and owner of Elite 9 Veteran Talent Acquisition Services, an employment placement and business management consulting firm that focuses on connecting Veterans to hiring professionals. As a company, they highlight resume writing/editing, talent management, requisitioning, and interviewing techniques. Elite 9 works with front line leaders, mid-level supervisors, and senior executives across all industries.
Christopher started Elite 9 because he saw the needs of Veterans returning home and re-entering the workforce… He would talk to service members about their plans after the military, and he found that the transition for service members into the workforce was challenging: “I really do have a passion for entrepreneurship and a passion for helping veterans and military spouses. I knew I could help people,” Christopher said.
As Christopher was building and shaping his busines,s he relied on the help of mentors, and through them, Christopher gained perspective and insight that helped him create his business. He believes that applicants that come out of the military have what he calls soft skills, that are intangible but valuable to an employer: “Hard skills are skills that can be taught on the job. Soft skills are what an individual brings to the table, personality traits. Do you have the passion to see a project through to the end? Do you know how to work with people to get the job done? These are traits that are hard to teach, but valuable to an employer and a company,” Christopher said.
Elite 9 works with Veterans and their spouses to make sure that their resume reflects the skill that they possess for the job that they are pursuing. Most companies use an Application Tracking System (ATS) that screens resumes before they are viewed by Human Resources… This means if your resume doesn’t have key words from the job description, you likely will not get a response, even if you are qualified for the job! Elite 9 teaches these skills so that resumes that are submitted are less likely to be overlooked.
Due to his experience in the Military, Christopher is aware of a program which benefits both the employers and the departing service members – The Department of Defense’s SkillBridge Program. This program is available to active service members who are within 180 days of their release date, and helps the service member plan for life after the military. The SkillBridge Program connects the service member with an industry partner, and the service member continues to receive their military compensation while working and learning skills with an industry partner, even though the new employer does not pay the service member during the course of the program… This helps to create a lasting relationship between the service member and the employer where each benefits.
Christopher J. Thomas
Elite 9 has partnered with Paula Traina of Traina Insurance & Financial Services Inc. to build that program… Now, Paula can hire from a pool of 200,000 service members who are exiting military service and re-entering the civilian workforce. During the 180-day period, Paula reduces labor costs and builds a relationship with the new employees.
For more information about Elite 9 Veteran’s Talent Acquisition Services LLC and the work that Christopher is doing, please visit elite9vtas.net
One of the big stories this week/month was the settlement on the eve of trial of the defamation case between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News. The case settled during the first day of trial and at or near the conclusion of jury selection, for nearly $800,000,000.
A quick recap: following the 2020 Presidential election multiple theories were floated relating to the validity of the election. Many of these were broadcast on Fox News, among those theories relating to the validity of Dominion’s voting machines and software.
Dominion sued Fox for defamation, alleging that the company (through its executives, anchors, etc.) knowingly made false statements about its products and as a result caused substantial damages. The company sought some $1.6 billion in damages. Fox denied these allegations, asserting that the information it broadcast was relevant to the public interest, and was likewise protected by the First Amendment. The judge in the case issued a series of pre-trial rulings, among those that the statements were, in fact, false, and the case was scheduled to begin a jury trial on Monday, April 17.
Monday came and went with an announcement that the trial had been adjourned for one day to allow the parties to explore a possible settlement. When the parties could not reach one, jury selection began. During what became a three-hour lunch break, Fox and Dominion finally reached a settlement, and the case was over.
Today we’re going to talk about why cases settle, and why they settle when they do.
The average person might look at the Fox-Dominion case and ask why it got this far if it was just going to settle. That would be a fair question. The practical answer would be that the parties needed to engage in pre-trial discovery (the process by which parties to lawsuits ask for and exchange information), which is true. Dominion did not have access to the many emails and text messages between Fox Anchors and executives (some of which were very harmful) and it’s likely that Fox did not have early access to any information which supported Dominion’s claim of damages. So, it’s not entirely surprising that discovery was necessary.
Okay, but why then didn’t the case settle after discovery, but well before the parties prepared for trial?
Legal disputes settle at many different points. Sometimes they settle before papers are even filed, where each side has determined that an early resolution is in their own best interest and these interests align. Sometimes they settle after discovery, when the parties each have a complete picture of the case and are able to agree (without actually agreeing) as to what an appropriate outcome should be.
Other times, however, cases simply cannot be settled until there is a real, in-your-face threat of a trial and (in this case) by extension a jury verdict. It may be that one side is being unreasonable with its demands or offers, or the other failing to recognize its own strengths/weaknesses. What often happens, however, is that when the Court presses “Go” and a prospective jury is brought into the Courtroom, things get real very quickly. All of a sudden parties really start to think about what testimony might actually come in, and (particularly in high profile cases) how it will be perceived. They start to really consider the uncertainty of the whole thing; or how their fate is now in the hands of these 12 (or in New York, 6) jurors whom they’ve never met.
And that’s why it was not at all surprising to see the settlement come when it did. What took so long? Likely a combination of the factors above: Dominion appeared to be dug in on its demands, including a public acknowledgement by Fox that it knew the statements were false (or, ultimately, a public acknowledgment of the Judge’s ruling that the statements were false); Fox was likely dug in on some technical legal issues on which it thought it could win (whether at trial or on appeal). But ultimately, when the rubber hit the road, and when they were each facing a jury of “peers”, everyone recognized what was at stake. Fox in particular, being a large publicly traded company, had more absolute risk and therefore more incentive in the end to settle, particularly given the damaging written communications and the prospect of its most famous anchors and CEO testifying in open court.
There’s a saying mediators often use that a successful mediation is one where both sides walk away mutually unhappy with the resolution. In this case I’m not sure that Dominion walked away unhappy, and to that degree it seems like a win. Fox certainly took a hit to its reputation and its wallet; however, by settling the case the company was able to contain the fallout, at least for now.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Scott M. Peterson is the founding partner of D’Orazio Peterson, having left a partnership at a large regional law firm to limit his practice and focus on exclusively representing individuals in a small number of employment and serious injury/medical malpractice matters.
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutting to celebrate the expansion of WinklePickers into the Outlets at Lake George! WinklePickers has a location at 222 Canada Street in Lake George, and now has a store in the Outlets at Lake George. WinklePickers – which is owned by Lake George natives Rachel and Dave Dutra – features kitchenware, exciting flavors of jerky, and spices from Rachel’s Spice and Tea Company.
If you are interested in the name, you are not alone: “I’m so happy that we named it WinklePickers because when we did that, we were really just looking for an extra outlet… We really just wanted to get Rachel’s Spice and Tea Company a little bit more publicity, but maybe we can’t do a whole store just on that; so we brought in some beef jerky and some hot sauce. We need a name that means absolutely nothing! Because we had no idea where this business was going… That was three years ago. Because our business had a name that meant absolutely nothing, we could just let it grow… Let it go where it was going to go,” said owner Rachel Dutra.
The Dutra’s are always looking to try new things and create new offerings for their customers. This year at the Canada Street location, Rachel will be “slinging” fresh popcorn!
WinklePickers is the official retail home of Rachel Spice and Tea Company and it features kitchen accessories and more! For more information, visit pickwinks.com
More and more these days, our lives revolve around media consumption… But, do you ever ask the questions, “Who are the people behind the scenes? Who are the people who help create an image or help build a brand?” One of the talented groups behind the scenes is Gazai Media, a Media Company built by two friends – CEO Cory Gazaille, and Executive Producer Sean O’Neill. They are lifelong friends who joined forces to create the company, and they utilize a small team of video artists, designers, engineers, and marketers who collaborate to fulfill the needs of clients. Gazai Media brings a scalable concept to media production.
Cory and Sean understand that in the world of video production, each client and each project has different needs. They have cultivated relationships, and have the ability to bring experts in the field of media production to each project to provide clients with video solutions that meet the clients’ needs. Each client and project is different, so an extended team of specialists is hired per project… This scalable concept helps to fulfill the client’s expectations, and provide expert solutions for a variety of budgets. Keeping the process simple is a key to success for Gazai Media.
Cory Gazaille and Sean O’Neill – Gazai Media
Streamlining the production process is an important part of the work that goes into each production, and Sean believes that flexibility is an important aspect of their business: “We are fully remote. We run our business completely out of our own homes, which are based here in the Glens Falls area… This allows us to be a little more nimble. We can pack up and travel to any event or site for our clients. Building a concept at a location that suits our clients is where we thrive,” Sean said.
As Cory and Sean grow their business, they have relied on networking and community ties to get their name out in the business community: “So far, we have done a lot of work through the Adirondack Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has helped us develop relationships and make connections throughout the community,” Sean said.
Cory Gazaille strives to keep the process simple and client-focused: “I’m the owner and creative director, but instead of focusing on titles, I like to focus on the work… I’m the production guy. It’s that simple. Sean and I work together to come up with concepts for the client… I spearhead the creative approach and decide if we need to hire people for the production and the timeline. Throughout my career, I have built a network of professional relationships, and we can tap into that network for any aspect of any project. That is a key aspect of our business – building and maintaining relationships,” Cory said.
Both Cory and Sean are focused and committed to growing their business and clients’ businesses alike: “We supply the clients with ideas and advice that are in line with what they want to do. Each client is unique, and we focus on what their objective is… We listen to what they need. Video is king right now! It’s how a company gets their name and message out there, and that is the focus of our business,” Cory said.
Gazai provides a variety of video services, including video business cards, recruitment videos, and commercials; however, Gazai is not limited to only those services: “We want to have a conversation with each of our clients, and find out exactly what they need and provide that service. This creates trust and helps us build a relationship with our clients… We solve problems. From our vantage point, and our perspective, we can find both practical and sustainable solutions for our clients.” Cory said.
For more information, including their portfolio and testimonials of their work, please visit gazaimedia.com.
Kristopher Brunelle is a Navy Veteran turned entrepreneur, and in October of 2022, Kristopher started his own company – White Glove Janitorial Service! His motivation for opening his own business was that he knew that he could do better for himself, and teach others to do better for themselves as well.
Kristopher Brunelle and his team serve medium to large offices, medical practices, new & used car dealerships, and daycare centers. White Glove Janitorial provides office cleaning, carpet cleaning, interior window-washing, restroom cleaning, sanitation & re-stocking, floor stripping, waxing & buffing, and specialized disinfection services.
White Glove Janitorial uses proven techniques, proper tools and equipment, in-depth training, intensive focus on team mentality, and quality control to ensure that their clients are pleased with their clean work environment.
As owner of White Glove Janitorial, Kristopher draws his professional expectations from his time in the military; he enlisted in the Navy for job security during the uncertain economic times of 2008 and the Great Recession… His goal when entering the military was to have a stable job, where he could learn skills that he would carry with him past his military career. During his time in service, he was a E-5 builder in the Construction Battalion (known as the Seabee’s), and as a result, he spent a lot of time cleaning, which he found cathartic – having both his equipment and spaces in a ready state was comforting in a world of chaos. When he joined the Seabee’s, he found out that he was joining a battalion that “built where others couldn’t”. This concept of pushing forward and succeeding where other people couldn’t has stayed with Kristopher, and been a factor in his success building his own business… The military taught him the importance of getting a job done, even if it seems impossible.
As Kristopher grows his business he often revisits the lessons that he learned in the military; for instance, how as a unit, it was necessary for each individual to work as a team: “There wasn’t the option to fire someone if they weren’t doing a good job. So, I learned to find a way to motivate that person so that the unit could get the best results. As an employer, I find myself using the same tools. I want to motivate the people who work for me to learn and grow. I have gained the skills to assess people and offer positions that they may have been overlooked for… Everybody brings strengths and attributes and as an employer I try to find what a person can bring to the table,” Kristopher said.
As an entrepreneur and father, it has also been important to Kristopher to teach his little girl Lindsey life lessons. Kristopher and his wife Kealy are raising Lindsey to be an independent thinker when it comes to business – Lindsey gets to see her mom go off to work as a teacher every day, and that sets structure in her young life. When she is home with her dad, he is often working out of his home office and she gets to see that you don’t have to work a “nine-to-five” job, and it’s okay to follow your own path.
Kealy, Lindsey, & Kristopher Brunelle
As Kristopher sets goals for his business and watches his daughter grow, he is thankful for the community that came from his military career, including the Veterans Business Network, The Adirondack Chamber of Commerce, and military friends and mentors Juan and Amy Gonzales, who give so much help and support to Veterans.
The Women’s Business Council of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is excited to host their annual Succession Summit event for businesses in the greater Glens Falls region, on the afternoon of May 10th at the Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center.
Succession and Continuity Planning are key business activities that frequently take a backseat to growing revenues, trimming costs, or running day-to-day business operations… Whether you’re a community leader, business owner, executive, or a next-generation rock star, join us as we and our panel invest an afternoon to discuss why succession is a critical business activity in which you should engage! Together, we can create a culture of regular succession planning and development to ensure our community’s upward economic trajectory continues.
This year’s SUCCESSion Summit will focus on all aspects of attracting and retaining employees; once you have the right person with the right skills and attitude in the right seat, how do you nurture, grow, and keep them content as you run your business? After all, you need to nurture and grow yourself to your next success without painting yourself into a corner…
We’ll hear from successful leaders of local businesses, as well as subject matter experts, who are prepared to discuss the roles of culture, transparency, financial incentive, and empowerment in growing organizations that attract and retain great talent.
Our panelists include: Crystal Grimaldi (Ideal Dairy), Tyler Herrick (Spruce Hospitality Group), Bert Weber (Common Roots Brewery), and Tracey Wardwell (Capital Bank), as well as domain expertise from Jennifer Massey, (Integra HR), Wendy Waldron (WaldronWorks EOS Worldwide), and Sherry Finkel Murphy, CFP® (The Atrium Financial Group).
The conversation will be facilitated by ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers. Information on how to register can be found on the ARCC’s website at www.adirondackchamber.org/events
