SARATOGA SPRINGS — Artificial intelligence has rapidly altered the technology landscape, and a group of local business leaders have begun to centralize the discussion in the Capital Region.

Sean Austin, CEO of Helios Life Enterprises, and Craig Hall, founder of Marketing Wiz, have established a group to “open up a dialogue” around AI, its effects, and its future, said Hall. The ‘AI Breakfast Club’ hosted its inaugural meeting at Saratoga CoWorks in downtown Saratoga Springs on June 23.

“We said, ‘What if we put together a conversation with some leaders and try to bring some of the best minds in the region together to really open up a dialogue?’” said Hall. “Because we’re well-positioned here in the Tech Valley region. We have a lot of great minds, we have a lot of great industry leaders. The truth is, we don’t know what the future looks like, but it’s on us to kind of shape what that future’s going to be.”

Hall said it is “humbling” to be a part of the group, saying he believes AI is the next major shift in technology.

“This is a platform shift on par with the Internet, with the industrial revolution,” said Hall. “Really, it’s going to shape the way we as human beings interact with each other, interact with the world, and ultimately interact in our professions.”

The group featured other local business leaders including Anne McEntee, CEO of Digital Services at General Electric, Kris Walker, senior engineering manager at the Walt Disney Company, Gabby Lichtenberg, director of membership at The Business Council of New York State, Candy Huff, founder and managing director of Celsius, and Tia Felock, founder of TiFe Executive Consulting, among others.

The group discussed a wide variety of topics, including AI’s effect on a variety of industries, government legislation regarding AI, and the future of artificial intelligence and its impacts.

“I thought the conversation was amazing,” said Hall. “We had a wide-ranging discussion that went from policy to small businesses, large businesses in various sectors, financial services, software design, renewable energy, and we, I think, agreed that we want to continue to shape this as a group and build this community.”

“I think it probably went even better than the highest optimism,” Austin added. “Very optimistic, that idea that we can make something more from this.”

Hall said AI can “empower and enhance people to do more, and to access a depth of knowledge they otherwise might not have.”

“Young people coming into the workforce … they’re going to have access to a depth of information and knowledge that otherwise was reserved to 15 to 20 years of experience,” Hall said.

“Technology is going to move forward,” said Austin. “The internet moved forward, social media moved forward. … No matter what, it’s going to happen.”

Austin said that AI “can impact everybody now,” and also emphasized the potential local impact, saying, “the Capital Region has a unique opportunity to take advantage of (AI).”

“I grew up in the region,” added Hall, who is a graduate of Siena College. “I’ve been a part of what has been this long-term trend over decades of this technological advancement in the region, and I think that being a part of this conversation today is kind of humbling, in some ways.”

“Saratoga is a very unique spot,” Austin said. “I guess like anything, you want to invent the future you want to live in. We say, why not Saratoga?”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In the summer of 2020, the Saratoga Hospital Nursing Organization offered licensed practical nurses (LPNs) of the Ambulatory Practice the opportunity to pursue an associate in applied science (AAS) in Nursing at Maria College.

This program was made possible through funding by the Saratoga Hospital Foundation Nursing Scholarship. In May, five LPNs graduated from the program and are prepared to take the board examination to become a Registered Professional Nurse (RN) of New York State.

The new graduates are Renee Summers, Heide Mahay, Rebecca Stanislowsky, Mikayla Carlson and Sara Morizio.

Registered nurses are academically prepared to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient and client outcomes. The support of the Saratoga Hospital Foundation and the Nursing Scholarship is instrumental in providing the members of the Nursing Organization with opportunities for ongoing professional development.

BALLSTON SPA — A new restaurant has opened its doors on Front Street in Ballston Spa, with the introduction of 42 Fusion, a Mexican-Italian fusion eatery.

The restaurant is co-owned by Faustino Lopez, who is also the chef, and Alicia Halse. Lopez said it is his first venture as a restaurant owner after working in a variety of restaurants in the area.

Lopez is a native of Mexico who has lived in the United States for about 17 years, he said. He also has experience working in Italian restaurants, saying 42 Fusion is a combination of the two cuisines.

“I’ve worked in more Italian restaurants and all that kind of stuff, and I’m from Mexico,” said Lopez. “We try to do those two combinations of Mexican and Italian. We try to create new dishes, invent new dishes, so everybody can try it.”

42 Fusion is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., offering lunch and dinner options. Lopez mentioned quesadillas and paninis as lunch options, and the restaurant also offers a variety of salads, tacos, and pastas, as well as options such as gnocchi, chicken milanese, short ribs, and more, according to their menu.

“We tried to create a lunch menu, just fairly simple, quick and delicious,” said Lopez. “And dinner is going to be more romantic, more fine dinner.”

The restaurant is located at 42 Front Street, the former home of Sunset Café. Halse said the group moving into the space was a result of “perfect” timing.

“All of the spaces on Front Street have been occupied for a long time, so to find something like this, we were just really lucky,” Halse said. “To be right across from the park, where they do live events, they do parades, they do car shows, they do so many things. It was just a no-brainer, when we saw it.”

Prior to opening, however, Lopez and Halse had to fully renovate the interior of the restaurant.

“We had to do all the inside work,” said Lopez. “It took us about three months.”

“And being a small business, you’ve got to save money and time where you can,” Halse added. “So it was just us doing everything. Stripping the paint, doing the floors or ceiling tiles or light fixtures.”

The restaurant launched a soft opening in late May, with Lopez saying business has been going “pretty well.” Halse said they hope to hold a formal grand opening ceremony in mid-July.

“I think a lot of people are coming in right now,” Lopez said.

The two said it is meaningful to be open and receive positive feedback from the local community. Lopez, who lives in Saratoga Springs, said he hopes 42 Fusion can help draw more people into Ballston Spa.

“We put a lot of time into this place,” said Lopez. “I really like Ballston Spa. I think it’s a nice area to be in the restaurant business. I want to bring more people into the village.”

“When you put so much work into something, it just makes you that much prouder to see it actually flourish,” Halse said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company has announced that Dina Trahan recently joined the residential lending team.

In her role as Residential Mortgage Originator, Ms. Trahan helps clients with their home-financing experience and guides them through the mortgage application process.

Trahan is based in the Latham Century Hill Business Development Office, which serves the greater Capital District. She has more than 30 years of experience in residential mortgage services and is past president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Northeastern New York. 

Trahan is active in her community and currently serves as a member of the Brunswick-Brittonkill Central School District Board of Education. Originally from Troy, she currently lives in Melrose.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new book written by local entrepreneur and philanthropist Ed Mitzen hopes to encourage people in his position to “do things differently” relating to systemic and racial inequality in America.

Mitzen’s book, titled, ‘Wealthy and White: Why Rich Guys Like Me Have to Show Up, Step Up, and Give Others a Hand Up,’ focuses on systemic advantages in society, and how people in Mitzen’s situation can help make a difference for others.

“What we’ve been trying to do, and what this book is all about, is to try to encourage folks like me to think a little bit differently about systemic problems in our country,” said Mitzen.

Mitzen is the founder and CEO of Fingerpaint Marketing, and co-founded the non-profit organization Business for Good alongside his wife, Lisa Mitzen, in 2021. He said the work with Business for Good has been “a journey.”

“We’ve learned a lot in the last couple of years, and had what I think is some significant impact,” said Mitzen. “I thought it would be nice to put it down on paper, to encourage other guys in my position to be able to look at things a little bit differently, and do things differently.”

Business for Good supports individuals in starting or growing their businesses, with Mitzen saying to help fix inequalities, we must “get people up the income curve.” 

The book provides examples of this, including Blooms by Marie, a florist in Albany founded by Marie Campbell, a Black single mother of four, Mitzen said. Business for Good issued a grant to Campbell’s shop, and also assisted with renovations.

“We helped renovate her flower shop, we gave her a new website, we helped to refrigerate her van so she could transport flowers,” said Mitzen, who also utilized his connections to help set up Campbell for floral sales through Albany Med, where she had worked as a nurse for nearly 30 years.

“Made a couple of phone calls, and the next thing you know, she’s in there and she’s more than doubled her business,” Mitzen said. “The impact that has on her and her family is insurmountable. It’s life-changing for them.”

Business for Good also donated $1 million to the three known living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in 2022. Mitzen said the three have “become good friends of ours,” noting he recently met them for lunch in New York City.

“We’re trying to attack a lot of the injustice and inequality in this country by a lot of different means,” said Mitzen. “Today, the survivors, they’re in their 100s and they’re coming to New York City for the first time. … Then I think on Thursday, we’re supposed to go on CNN and talk about our experience together, and their experience. All tied around Juneteenth.”

Mitzen said that ultimately, he hopes his book helps people in his position start to think differently.

“I want people to think differently, and attack these problems with a little bit of a different slant,” Mitzen said.

He said that the book is not “a how-to,” but examples of how the Mitzens and Business for Good have been able to impact people, in hopes of inspiring others to do the same.

“And it’s also, it’s a very honest discussion about mistakes we’ve made,” said Mitzen. “What we’ve learned along the way. … I hope that it inspires some people to just think a little bit differently.”

‘Wealthy and White…’ is available on Amazon and at www.wealthyandwhite.com.