The Second Annual “Celebration and Awards Night for Warren County Summer Workforce in Hospitality, Tourism and Retail” at Six Flags Great Escape will be held on Tuesday, September 12th, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
For this event, each member of the Warren County summer workforce is given free admission to Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor, and they may also bring one guest for $5.00. Last year’s attendance was over 200 people!
The proceeds from this event benefit the Wait House – an organization which has a mission to provide stability to youths who present themselves as homeless. The Wait House provides safe and supportive housing, as well as services to help the individual live and grow.
Award categories for this celebration include:
Excellence in Customer Service
Emerging Leader
Patience of a Saint
Most Team Spirit
Sales extraordinaire
Lake George Royalty
The Frank Dittrich Hospitality Management Award
For more information regarding this event, to register for the event, or to nominate an employee, colleague, or manager for an award, please contact the Warren County Department of Workforce Development at (518) 743-0925, or email ochsendorfl@warrencountyny.gov.
Queensbury Union Free School District has positions available in both instructional and support staff roles! Queensbury is looking to fill positions for a High School English Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher, and Modified Football Coach, as well as Substitute Teachers, Teachers’ Aids, and a School Nurse. Support Staff positions include roles as an IT Support, Typist, Bus Driver, Substitute Bus Driver, and Cleaner.
Queensbury Union Free School District is ranked among the top school districts in the Capital Region for both academics and fiscal efficiency… There are about 3,000 students in grades K-12 that attend school on a single campus! The mission of Queensbury Union Free School district is to empower all students to be lifelong learners, inspired to pursue their dreams and contribute to the global community.
Along Main Street in Queensbury, people drove by honking their horns in support as the UPS Teamsters were out practice-picketing. Wearing their brown UPS uniforms and carrying brown and yellow, “Just Practicing for a Just Contract” signs, workers looped along the sidewalk near the entrance to the Northway. Jason Hughes – a driver for UPS – was amongst the practice picketers: “The company and the Teamsters are at a standstill with negotiations. Right now, we are fighting for the part-timers that the company doesn’t want to pay a living wage… We are just out here showing them that we are going to do what it takes to win a strong contract. The contract expires at midnight on July 31st, so if they don’t have a deal by July 31st at midnight, we will be out here permanently, and that will be a full blown strike. Right now, we are out here from 8:15AM to 8:45 AM, before our start time,” Hughes said.
The credible strike threat is one of the most powerful tools of the Teamsters Union. UPS is the single largest employer in the Teamsters Union, with the largest private collective bargaining agreement in North America… The Teamsters and UPS have agreed to eliminate the two-tier wage system for part-time and full-time employees, establish Martin Luther King Jr. day as a full holiday, and end forced overtime on drivers’ days off. UPS Teamsters include more than 340,000 full-time and part-time workers that deliver millions of packages a day.
The value of the goods that are delivered annually is estimated at 6% of the U.S. economy. In the latest round of negotiations, each side accused the other of walking away from the table… The Teamsters have stated that UPS members will not work beyond the expiration of the current contract. In June, rank-and-file UPS Teamsters authorized a strike, with 97% of the members voting in favor.
Longtime executive with the firm will oversee operations and provide strategic support for all ADNET locations.
ALBANY, NY – ADNET Technologies, a managed IT services, cloud, and cybersecurity provider with offices in Rocky Hill, Connecticut and Albany, New York, announced it has appointed Lynette Maffei to become its new President, taking on an expanded role in which she will continue to drive the firm’s work to deliver client success, develop technology talent and maintain operational excellence.
Maffei joined the firm in 2015 as Controller and has served on ADNET’s Executive Leadership Team as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for the past three years – contributing directly to the firm’s growth and transformation.
In a strategic move, ADNET is separating the roles of Chief Executive Officer and President within the firm. This decision is rooted in the belief that having both positions will allow the organization to scale in unprecedented ways. Christopher J. Luise will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer for the firm and provide strategic guidance and growth planning, with Maffei becoming President and overseeing operations. This new leadership structure will optimize ADNET’s delivery of client technology solutions and further equip the firm to quickly adapt and capitalize on emerging opportunities, while adhering to its longstanding, people-first approach to business.
“Lynette Maffei’s leadership has been instrumental in helping ADNET become the award-winning organization it is today,” said Christopher J. Luise, CEO of ADNET Technologies. “Her dedication to our culture and growth has truly transformed how we do business. I’m so proud of how she has evolved as a leader and helped us shape the future of the firm. I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes as President.”
“I’m thrilled to be part of ADNET’s journey, and I look forward to continuing working alongside such a great team. We’ve had an unparalleled period of growth and innovation over the last few years – expanding geographically, hiring more talent, reimagining our services, and becoming part of the New Charter Technologies national platform,” Maffei said. “I’m excited for the next chapter and to continue supporting clients and our local business communities in this new role.”
“It’s always exciting to see a new leader emerge in one of our operating companies,” said Mitch Morgan, CEO, New Charter Technologies. “New Charter is proud to support Lynette Maffei in her new role, and we’re looking forward to her continued commitment to driving growth and innovation at ADNET Technologies.”
In her tenure at the firm, Maffei has managed the firm’s day-to-day finance, accounting and purchasing functions, while also contributing to organizational growth objectives such as acquisitions and partnerships. Throughout her career, she has focused on operations, administration, finance and human resources.
Formerly the head of finance and operations for the Americas’ region of a global company, she has years of experience with leadership and client service on a global scale. Having worked closely with both small and large organizations, Maffei has a unique perspective on the market. Her focus and experience will benefit ADNET clients, employees, and the local business communities ADNET serves.
About ADNET Technologies
Founded in 1991, ADNET Technologies is a SOC 2, Type II Compliant IT management and cybersecurity firm with offices in Rocky Hill, CT and Albany, NY. ADNET works closely with clients to provide industry-leading service across three core areas—Managed IT Services, Cybersecurity and Cloud—and is distinguished by its human-centered approach to client engagements. From providing seamless access to a vast support network to a dedicated local Engagement Team, ADNET is proud to be both recognized globally and loved locally.
Recognized regionally as one of the Best Places to Work by the Hartford Business Journal and Albany Business Review, ADNET Technologies ranks nationally and globally among the top Managed Services Providers (MSPs) in Channel Futures’ MSP 501 list, ChannelE2E’s Top 250 Public Cloud MSP list and the CRN MSP 500 2022 award. In 2021, ADNET joined the New Charter Technologies national platform of locally led MSPs, which works collaboratively to grow their people-first workplace cultures, create opportunities for technology and cybersecurity professionals and drive innovation within the IT industry. For more information, visit thinkadnet.com.
City of Glens Falls Human Resources Director: Judy Villa-White
“I am the Human Resources Director for the city, and have been in this position since 2013, so this is my tenth year” said longtime Glens Falls resident Judy Villa-White, as she settled in behind her desk.
Prior to her work at City Hall, Judy was an elected official for the city. She spent almost eight years on the Common Council: “It’s been a nice transition coming from the legislative side to working on behalf of the city employees. Prior to that, my life was in retail and management… I was with The Gap for over 20 years, and ended that career with a district manager’s title,” she said; at that time, Judy and her husband Steve were raising three young kids.
“I truly love what I do, and I am happy to keep doing it. As Human Resources Director, I am a department of one… So, I wear many hats. My main role is to support the city employees,” she said. The City of Glens Falls has about 200 employees, with an additional 50 employees that fill seasonal positions.
Judy describes the role she fills at City Hall: “I do all of the posting of positions, I sit in on all interviews, then I do the extending of the job offers, I do all of the onboarding… I also handle all of the workers’ comp issues that come in with any employee. Sometimes accidents happen, there are a lot of things that could cause an accident to happen on the job… We do work with the County for safety training to educate employees on the safest ways to do things. In addition, I handle disability, and FMLA,” she said.
Judy also has a different side to her job – filling the role of the lead negotiator when the contracts are up with the three collective bargaining unions: The Police, Fire Department, and Civil Service Employee Association (CSCA). In that role, she represents the city as opposed to representing the employees.
One of the challenges of Judy’s job is filling positions that have been vacated due to retirement. The City of Glens Falls is experiencing what Judy describes as a “Tsunami of retirements”: “These are big shoes to fill. These are people who have a lot of institutional knowledge… The Fire Chief retired after thirty years, that is a lot of institutional knowledge that has left us,” she said.
Hiring for a municipality has its specific challenges: “Under the Civil Service laws, jobs have very specific minimum qualifications… There are civil service exams, and if the exam isn’t being offered, the position is filled in a provisional role, with the expectation that the individual will take the exam when it is offered… This is very different from the private sector. Municipal jobs are good jobs, especially if people are thinking about the long term… These are jobs with a pension, a monthly pension check at the end of your career,” She said.
Over her tenure as the Human Resources Director, Judy has seen generational shifts occur in the workforce: “The intergenerational work philosophies shift and change… How we look at a job and the perceptions of different generations shift over time. It’s about retaining help, and currently the workforce is focused on quality of life aspects of work, which may include working remotely. It’s not necessarily about the money. I’m thankful that the Mayor is open to the idea of looking for new ways to retain employees,” she said.
Judy believes that part of her role is to be in the office, approachable, and available to employees: “I don’t want to lose touch with the employees. The questions and concerns that they have are important… I like to be available if someone wants to pop-in or make an appointment,” she said.
Judy enjoys her work at City Hall, and loves the community of Glens Falls: “I love the city. I grew up in Glens Falls and lived in Syracuse for a bit, but when we were talking about raising a family, my husband and I both knew that we wanted to raise our family here… It’s a great place to live, and we’re excited to see the renaissance that is happening in the city and where it will go from here,” she said.
Herzog Law Firm PC is pleased to welcome Phillip K. Vacchio, Esq. to the firm as a Senior Associate.
Phillip will provide comprehensive legal counsel to existing and new clients in the areas of Estate Planning, Elder Law, Estate Administration and Guardianships and will work out of Herzog’s Albany, Clifton Park and Saratoga Springs offices.
Phillip was formerly a partner of a Long Island-based law firm handling the same areas of law and brings his extensive experience to the Capital Region and the North Country. Phillip is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences in 2009 and Hofstra University School of Law where he graduated cum laude.
Phillip has been named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star list for the last three years, and he will be an incredible addition to our team.
North Country Janitorial Inc. is located at 188 Dix Avenue in Glens Falls. It was founded in 1974, by Ron and Rosemary Montesi… It’s now a second-generation family-owned business, currently run by Ron and Rosemary’s son, Matt Montesi, as the President and Owner; while Chris Barden is the Chief Operating Officer, and has been part of the North Country family for almost 12 years. North Country Janitorial Inc. has about 230 employees, and over the last few years has found new and innovative ways to fulfill their employment needs, build community, and provide opportunities and services to their employees.
North Country Janitorial has continued to grow over its almost 50 years in business: “When I started, we didn’t have clients above Warrensburg, and now we go to the Canadian border… However, the majority of our customers are 15 to 20 miles from our offices here in Glens Falls,” Chris said.
North Country Janitorial has recently expanded into cleaning healthcare facilities and medical manufacturing plants: “Here in Glens Falls, we’re in the center of it… There are medical manufacturing facilities all around us, and it has taken hard work and opportunities to build those relationships,” Chris said.
Chris is aware of the importance of a reliable workforce to fulfill the needs of their clients: “We are a business that lives and dies by the availability of labor. Finding labor, retaining labor and training labor is key,” he said.
It was with this aspect of their business in mind that they kept working to expand their labor pool… About three years ago, the labor expansion that they had been looking for became a reality! The addition of a bilingual territory manager to the North Country family was the catalyst for this change – the ability to communicate with a new group of potential employees has helped bridge the gap between North Country Janitorial, and the hispanic labor market.
“The work is not easy. Finding people was a challenge, and about three years ago, we hired our first bilingual manager. That opened up the opportunity to recruit and talk to folks that we had previously not had access to. These folks are Spanish-speaking… They have gotten here legally to work, and to live and to support their families. So that opened up the ability to start recruiting from a larger demographic than we had been able to before… For us, that is huge, and has grown and has been part of our success. We have been able to work and take on more work and staff properly,” Chris said.
To support this new workforce, North Country Janitorial had to create infrastructure – the pool of labor that they would be drawing from mostly lived in Albany, and therefore, transportation was an issue: “Living in Albany and working in Glens Falls created some logistical challenges for a lot of these folks. Transportation was an issue. A lot of these folks didn’t have cars… Getting them from point A to point B was something that we had to figure out. Getting them to come up from Albany made us get creative and create systems for housing and transportation. We spent a lot of money on Uber for many months transporting our workforce. We needed to get our employees where they needed to go to support our customers. We went out and bought a minivan a little over a year ago, and we use that to shuttle people to some of the larger accounts. That’s worked well,” Chris said.
To help support their employees, North Country Janitorial has used innovative thinking to create real world solutions for their work force – they have reached out into the community and helped their employees find housing and services in the area. They have provided simple solutions like translating the bus schedule into Spanish… They have also relied on technology to translate information when needed: “The phones are great. They translate information so that everyone can communicate,” Chris said.
However, as they hire and support this new labor market, human interactions are important as well. The HR team at North Country Janitorial are enrolled in Spanish language classes, so that they can more effectively communicate with employees: “The HR team is the underpinning of the program. We really only wish we had done it sooner! Our customers are happy to have competent people, and that has helped strengthen some relationships,” Chris said.
Looking to work in sales? Are you self motivated and a team player? Five Tower Media has just the job for you! Five Towers Media is looking for new talent to expand their sales team with a new Junior Sales Associate position.
As a Junior Sales Associate, you will be able to fulfill your career goals and work in a supportive and fast-paced environment. Five Towers Media recognizes that to get the most from their employees, a flexible work environment is key, and offers the options of either working from home, at a desk in the office, or a hybrid of the two.
Five Tower Media is a full-service marketing company based out of Saratoga Springs, NY, and is looking for a self-motivated, disciplined individual, that can work both independently as well as part of a team. Compensation for this position is $15.00 an hour, with commission pay and mileage reimbursement.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted Thursday to join the CapitalDistrict Transportation Authority, to allow CDTA to provide public transportation services in Warren County. With upcoming retirements, Greater Glens Falls Transit did not appear viable going forward, and CDTA will replace GGFT to provide bus and trolley service in the Glens Falls area.
“Warren County is looking forward to its new relationship with Capital District Transportation Authority, a well-run and well-respected organization that has been providing public transportation around the Capital District for more than 50 years. We have appreciated the service provided by Greater Glens Falls Transit for the last 40 years, but amid changes that have occurred with the local and national workforces, joining with CDTA is in the best interests of Warren County residents and businesses,” said Kevin Geraghty, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.
The new arrangement will require a change to NY Public Authorities Law by the NY State Legislature, which Warren County will seek in light of Thursday’s board vote.
The merger is expected to include expanded bus route offerings, and connections to other CDTA counties, including Saratoga County and other points in the Capital District. It will require Warren County to pay CDTA between $800,000 and $1.5 million annually, depending on Warren County mortgage tax revenue.
Remains of the Building at 22 Main Street in South Glens Falls
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies were called early Sunday morning to a fully involved structure fire at 22 Main Street in South Glens Falls, which had formerly been the China Buffet restaurant.
The building, which has been vacant for many years, had formerly been a McDonald’s – McDonald’s had vacated the building in 2005, and in 2007, the building was purchased for $475,000 and became the China Buffet restaurant. The vacant 4,500-square-foot restaurant is currently listed for sale for $650,000.
The building was not occupied when the fire broke out, and the cause of the fire has not been determined. No injuries were reported… However, the fire spread to the neighboring Glens Falls Candy Co. and the Wash and Wear Laundry. Both of these structures were visibly damaged from the blaze, and will be closed until further notice.
