MALTA — GlobalFoundries, a global leader in feature-rich semiconductor manufacturing, has been named to Newsweek’s list of “America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023.” GF’s inclusion on the list is the latest recognition of the company’s commitment to environmentally sustainable manufacturing and corporate responsibility.
“ESG is a priority for GF, and we are pleased to be recognized by Newsweek on its list of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023,” said John Toy, chief of ethics and sustainability at GF in a press release. “At the same time, we recognize there is still much work to be done. Just as the chips we manufacture are vital to the innovations that are leading to a cleaner, healthier future, we are committed to minimizing our impact on the environment, driving positive change, and creating value through corporate responsibility.”
America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023 is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., and based on available key performance indicators derived from corporate social responsibility reports, sustainability reports, and other reports as well as an independent survey. The key performance indicators focused on company performance in the environmental, social, and corporate governance areas, while the independent survey asked U.S. citizens about their perception of company activities related to corporate social responsibility. The final list recognizes the top 500 most responsible companies in the United States, spanning 14 industries.
GF’s ESG efforts were also recently evaluated by Morningstar Sustainalytics, which recognized GF with a “Low Risk” rating and ranked the company 15th among the 329 rated companies in the semiconductors industry group.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Wesley Community on Monday announced a series of appointments to the Board of Directors of The Wesley Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs. As Foundation Board members, Beth Brucker-Kane, George W. “Skip” Carlson and MacKenzie Zarzycki will support The Wesley Community’s mission through a broad range of development strategies and fundraising initiatives.
Beth Brucker-Kane is the Associate Director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship at Skidmore College, where she also serves on the Campus Sustainability Committee. Her 27-year career at Skidmore includes previous roles as Development Associate in the Office of the Dean of Special Programs and Associate Director of the Skidmore Fund.
George W. “Skip” Carlson is the Vice President of External Affairs and Signature Service at Saratoga Casino Hotel, where he has held a wide-ranging number of leadership and communications positions since 1977. Carlson is also treasurer of the Saratoga Casino Hotel Foundation and serves on the Saratoga Springs Advisory Board of the New York Racing Association.
MacKenzie Zarzycki is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Discover Saratoga, the convention and tourism bureau for Saratoga County. She has previous experience in the not-for-profit, beverage and tourism industries.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Riham LaRussa has always wanted to run her own business, and thanks to a local connection, she’s made it happen.
LaRussa recently acquired Small Packages, an online shop selling gift packages featuring a variety of items. She was connected to the company by Catherine Hover, founder and CEO of Palette, a co-working space where LaRussa is a member.
“I actually met the owners of Small Packages through an acquaintance of mine. I invested in it through a special purpose vehicle,” said Hover. “The founder reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, we’re interested in selling, do you know of anybody?’”
This led to Hover introducing the initial owners to LaRussa.
“This past October, Small Packages was for sale, and Katherine said, ‘You do e-commerce for your current job, why don’t you buy an e-commerce company?’,” LaRussa said. “I honestly laughed, because I don’t even know where to start, how that happens. But I took that first phone call, she sent me the contact information and I spoke to the previous owners of the company.”
Early on, LaRussa was assisted by Hover, who has experience running a business with Palette as well as Saratoga Paint and Sip Studio.
“She just walked me through the process of what you need to do to open a new business. I wouldn’t have known where to start,” said LaRussa. “She really just coached me through all of that.”
This is part of the goal for Palette, who aim to support their members in a professional setting.
“So that’s really what our claim to fame is, that we really go above and beyond to demonstrate ROI for our members’ commitment to being a part of the community,” Hover said. “We really have a lot of accountability, a lot of networking opportunities, and overall support for our members, in addition to the physical locations that our members can hop into for meetings and to get work done.”
LaRussa described Small Packages as “a curated gift package site,” and said she aims for the company to give back to local communities as much as possible.
“We really want to elevate women-owned companies and BIPOC-owned companies,” LaRussa said. “My goal, eventually, is to really make sure that everything in some way gives back to some kind of community. I really want to work with small businesses that give back to their communities.”
She said that giving back brings “true joy and fulfillment out of this.”
“I love setting a great example and being a good role model for my two daughters, who are six and nine. Just showing them that little things can make a big impact,” said LaRussa. “I want to show people that you can give back and help build up your community in small ways and everyday ways.”
LaRussa said that much of the current selection on the website was curated by the previous owners, but said they hope to have local offerings from the Saratoga area by the time Valentine’s Day shopping approaches. She also said the company is considering offering a quarterly subscription box, and mentioned her excitement to begin working with the local community.
“I’m really excited to see who we’re going to meet, who we can end up working with, and just the ways that we can give back, not just to our community, but to communities of all the people buying the products,” LaRussa said. “Just finding ways that we can help them give back to their communities as well.”
Photo provided by Pollard Bryan & Carl Wealth Management Group.
ALBANY — Financial advisors Jeffrey J. Pollard, Raymond C.H. Bryan, and John E. Carl have announced the formation of a new partnership known as Pollard Bryan & Carl Wealth Management Group.
With a combined $800 million of assets under management, the partners will provide additional industry experience, more expansive financial services, and intellectual capital to enhance their client relationships. Using financial planning as a cornerstone of the practice, they will offer tailored services and solutions to fit all areas of their clients’ financial lives and help preserve their legacy.
Some of the areas of focus for the partners are assisting clients with creating income from their retirement plans, setting up 401(k) plans and helping business owners with liquidity events. The team also consists of Financial Advisor Dedra Brust, CFP®, Senior Registered Private Client Associates Buffy Leonard and Sarah Marlow, and Private Client Associate Colleen Garcia.
Messrs. Pollard and Carl, Ms. Brust, Ms. Leonard and Ms. Garcia work out of Janney’s Albany office. Mr. Bryan and Ms. Marlow work out of Janney’s Saratoga Springs office.
Pollard Bryan & Carl Wealth Management Group has also announced the addition of James Thorp, Financial Advisor, to the team, working in Janney’s Albany office. Thorp has been working in the financial services industry for over 25 years beginning in New York City at two large banks. He later moved to the Capital District to pursue an opportunity with The Ayco Company, a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs.
At Ayco, he was part of Goldman’s Investment Management Division. Hired as a Portfolio Manager, Thorp was eventually promoted to lead Portfolio Manager in the Taxable Fixed Income group. He has deep experience in the fixed income markets and had portfolio management responsibilities for separate account Taxable Fixed Income portfolios with assets of over $1 billion with investments in Corporate, Government and US Agency securities.
Thorp holds Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 licenses. He also holds an MBA in Finance from The Fordham Gabelli School of Business and a B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University.
ALBANY — Two Albany Med Health System facilities, Saratoga Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital, have earned high grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group for fall 2022.
The two hospitals lead the Capital Region, with grades of ‘A’ for Saratoga Hospital and ‘B’ for Glens Falls Hospital. These high marks place both hospitals in the top 25 percent of New York state facilities for this report.
“Our Leapfrog score reflects our culture of safety and 24/7 commitment to protecting patients from preventable harm and errors,” Saratoga Hospital President and CEO Jill J. VanKuren said. “The ‘A’ grade is a tribute to our team and a source of assurance to our patients, who can be confident they’re receiving care at one of New York’s safest hospitals.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns letter grades twice a year to nearly 3,000 U.S. general hospitals based on over 30 measures of patient safety. Thirty percent of U.S. hospitals earned the highest rating of ‘A.’ Twenty-eight percent earned a ‘B.’
VanKuren and Glens Falls Hospital President and CEO Paul Scimeca view the Leapfrog results as an opportunity to share best practices for patient safety throughout the Albany Med Health System.
“Quality improvement across the System occurs through collaboration. As we continue to work together, we are seeing many benefits,” Scimeca said. “The Albany Med Health System will continually evolve and improve in the future, and we look forward to working even more closely with Albany Medical Center, Columbia Memorial Health, and Saratoga Hospital.”
VanKuren emphasized the System hospitals’ shared commitment to excellent patient care and continuous quality improvement.
“Patient safety is a top priority for the entire System,” she said. “Our goal, through collaboration and sharing of best practices, is for all our hospitals to achieve the highest grade.”
Bo Goliber, Chief Development and Communications Officer and Christopher Lyons, Chief Executive Officer for AIM Services, in middle, receive a $10,000 donation from Saratoga Casino Hotel Executives Skip Carlson, Vice President of External Affairs, on left, and Sam Gerrity, Chief Executive Office, on right. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Casino Hotel celebrated ‘Giving Tuesday’ by donating $120,000 to twelve Capital Region non-profit organizations during their Make A Difference holiday luncheon in Vapor Night Club on Nov. 29.
“Our annual Make A Difference event is something we look forward to every year,” said Skip Carlson, Vice President of External Affairs at Saratoga Casino Hotel. “We have some amazing organizations in the Capital District that give back in so many ways to make our community stronger. It seems fitting that on Giving Tuesday, we can give back to them so they can continue to make a difference in the lives of so many every day.”
Bo Goliber, AIM Services’ Chief Development and Communications Officer, attended the event and commented on the $10,000 donation her organization received, saying, “AIM Services is honored to be among this incredible group of recipients for Make a Difference. This generous commitment from Saratoga Casino Hotel toward our 2023 endeavors is going to make a huge impact in the lives of the people we support with developmental and intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injury by offering them access to more adventures, experiences, and meaningful opportunities. We are so humbled to be part of this amazing event.”
The following twelve organizations each received a $10,000 donation: AIM Services, Inc., Albany Medical Center Foundation, Capital Roots, The Donna M. Crandall Memorial Foundation, Folds of Honor, Franklin Community Center, Jake’s Help from Heaven, Saratoga Community Health Center, Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar, SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children, Wellspring and The Wesley Community.
Cindy Hollowood, Executive Director of Sponsor-A-Scholar expressed her gratitude, saying, “Saratoga Casino Hotel continues to be a major sponsor of our organization each year. Because of their generosity and our successful annual Derby Day event held at The Lodge, we were able to accept more students into our program in 2022. We are forever grateful for their ongoing support.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — After over 40 years as a practicing chiropractor, Dr. David Gabay is calling it a career at the end of the year.
Gabay, who is based in Saratoga Springs, has run his own practice since 1982, and has also worked with collegiate, professional, and Olympic athletes among many other highlights. He said he first took an interest in chiropractics after a bicycle accident in his early teen years.
“When I was 13 or 14, I was on a bicycle on Western Avenue in Albany. I got hit by a car, fractured my mandible in a couple places, my clavicle, my scapula,” Gabay said. “But I had terrible headaches for months and months. I went to a pediatrician, a neurologist, an orthopedist. Nobody could fix them, they don’t know where they’re coming from.”
Eventually, his mother took him to a chiropractor, and after, “I think three visits, boom, the headaches were gone.”
“I always remembered that,” said Gabay.
After Gabay’s father passed away, the family moved to Long Island, where his mother’s job at SUNY Stony Brook allowed him to shadow various medical professionals.
“I spent a week with a local chiropractor there, and then it hit me. That’s what I want to do,” Gabay said. “I think I had one semester left at Stony Brook. I applied to New York Chiropractic College. I got the early admission letter, and that started my career.”
After graduating, Gabay considered working at a pre-existing practice, but ultimately decided to return to the Capital Region to open up one of his own.
“These are my roots,” Gabay said of returning to the area. “It was a matter of giving back to the community and staying where I grew up. It’s a part of me. That was a huge part of it.”
“I found a little two-room office across from the hospital, bought used furniture, refinished the desk,” Gabay continued, noting much of the early office supplies were purchased second-hand. “I started out with kind of a hodge-podge outfit, and just built from that point on.”
In addition to his practice, Gabay also served as a team chiropractor at Skidmore College, and had an assortment of exciting opportunities outside the local area. Gabay worked with athletes in Colorado Springs prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics, which were held in Atlanta, Georgia, participated in monthly observations with the New York Giants, and worked with the New York City Ballet.
Gabay worked with athletes such as two-time Olympic gold medalist wrestler Bruce Baumgartner, who took bronze in the 1996 Games, and gold medalist and future WWE star Kurt Angle. He also assisted the Algerian national teams, who Gabay said could not afford their own medical staff at the ‘96 Games.
“They were just so thankful to have additional care at the US Olympic training facility,” said Gabay. “They didn’t have their own doctors, they didn’t have their own staff. That was a lot of fun.”
Gabay also helped inspire American Olympic bobsledder John Napier to take up a career in chiropractics, he said.
“He and I became good friends. We got him a full scholarship to New York Chiropractic College as an Olympic athlete, and he’s up in Lake Placid now,” Gabay said. “He runs the bobsled program, the Paralympic program, and has a small practice up there. That was another friendship that has remained throughout the years.”
And although Gabay is retiring, his practice won’t be going anywhere. Dr. Nabilah Kabir, a graduate of Skidmore College and New York Chiropractic College, will take over Gabay’s office on January 1, 2023. Kabir first began working with Gabay almost five years ago and has been working with the doctor to treat patients together and smoothen the transition in the new year.
“I had just graduated from chiropractic school. I wasn’t sure yet if I wanted to start on my own or if I wanted to associate with someone,” said Kabir of meeting Gabay. “I had come in to meet with Dr. Gabay, and he had needed some help when he was on vacation. He had me come in and start treating patients.”
“Nabilah’s kind of been my go-to individual when I needed help, and it was a really logical, easy transition, because a lot of the patients knew her already,” Gabay said. “She knows my practice style, how I do things. So when it came time to say, ‘OK, it’s finally time to retire,’ here we are.”
Gabay said “99%” of his patients are happy with the transition, noting that continuity is important in the field.
Kabir lived in Bangladesh for 10 years, she said, and also spent part of her childhood in the Town of Berlin before graduating from Troy High School. She runs her own practice in Clifton Park, saying she is transitioning her patients to Gabay’s office at 550 Maple Avenue.
After more than 40 years of experience, Gabay said one thing he has learned is to “listen to the patient.”
“Most of the time when they come in, watch how they walk. Watch how they get up from a chair. Find out what’s going on in their lives emotionally, with family. Because health and musculoskeletal problems are usually not just single factors, but they’re multi-factorial,” said Gabay. “What I’ve learned is shut your mouth, open up your ears. Listen and look, and the patient, 85% of the time, is going to tell you what’s wrong with them.”
Now that he is retiring, Gabay said he plans to spend time traveling and in his workshop, where he works to restore cars.
“I just built a retirement house out in Wilton, and I’ve got a 40-by-60 workshop out there, with woodworking, metalworking,” Gabay said. “I can work on my cars. I’ve got a lift there. And the big thing, I’m going to be traveling and starting to relax.”
However, he will not be totally distanced from the profession. Gabay will still be filling in for Kabir when needed at the practice, and also said he will likely continue to travel to symposiums “once or twice a year,” and is considering recording instructional videos for younger chiropractic or teaching, having formerly done so at Skidmore College.
“There’s a lot of open doors and possibilities, I guess is what I’m trying to say,” said Gabay.
And after 40 years, Gabay said the final moments of his career and the practice’s transition are bittersweet.
“I think it’s like sending a kid off to kindergarten on his first day, or sending a kid off to college,” said Gabay of his retirement and the transition. “It’s a milestone in your life that you’ve worked for, really hard. When it gets there, it’s a little difficult. But you know you’re sending things in a good direction.”
We love a good non-work-related holiday party. Work related? As lawyers like to say, it depends. But both can get the host – and attendees – in trouble. Here are some tips for avoiding lawsuits and headaches related to holiday parties.
Employment issues: Sexual harassment or assault is an obvious concern particularly when alcohol is involved. If something happens at a work function, and it’s reported and the employer does nothing about it – or the perpetrator of bad behavior is the boss – it can result in a host of legal problems. Not only can this conduct implicate employment law issues, but intentional conduct by the boss can get around the Workers’ Compensation bar that usually prevents employees from suing their employer in negligence or for intentional torts (like assault or battery). And if the victim is a guest, and not an employee, they can also sue for negligence.
Tip to avoid: If you are the employer, the party pooper in us says spare your employees another work-related obligation and give everyone a bonus. Barring that, keep an eye on how much alcohol is served and if someone is starting to behave badly, get them home safely. If inappropriate behavior is reported, take it seriously, don’t brush it off, do an investigation and, if appropriate, discipline or counsel the perpetrator. Don’t retaliate against the complainer or make them feel like they aren’t being protected – this is when people call lawyers.
If you are the employee, remember that this is fun but still work. Inappropriate behavior or offensive conversation can have repercussions. Most employees in New York are at will, meaning that you can be fired at any time for any reason as long as it’s not discriminatory or because of protected activity (i.e., retaliatory). As long as an employer applies its code of conduct evenly, it’s unlikely you’ll have any recourse if you’re fired for behaving badly at a holiday party.
Premises liability:If you are hosting a party on property you own or have control over, you are liable for injuries caused by dangerous conditions on the property that you knew or should have known of, or that you created. This can include dangerous people present on the property.
Tip to avoid: Make sure your homeowner’s insurance is up to date. This would also be a good time to fix any safety issues you know about and have been ignoring (for example, is everyone going to be entering your house on a wobbly front step, or where a handrail is loose?). In winter, you also want to be sure there isn’t an accumulation of ice or snow where people will be parking and walking. The law only gives us a reasonable period of time after a storm to clean up.
Dog bites: Does your dog get too excited, anxious or aggressive when strangers or a lot of people are around? Pet owners are strictly liable (meaning it doesn’t matter if you were negligent, i.e., careful or not careful) for injuries caused by their animals if they knew or should have known that the animal has dangerous propensities. Under the law, “dangerous” doesn’t always have to be “vicious” (as in Cujo), even though that’s a common term used when talking about dog-bite legal issues.
Tip to avoid: Put your dog somewhere it can’t escape or will not be walked in on, or out of the house completely. Warning people is not going to help you in this situation.
Dram Shop (bar owners and commercial sales): Do you own a bar? Bars in New York are liable for injuries caused by individuals who are over served. So, if you serve a visibly intoxicated person and they leave and injure or kill someone in a drunk driving accident, you can get in big trouble.
Tip to avoid: Don’t be afraid to refuse to serve, refuse to pour shots, or kick people out.
Dram Shop (furnishing alcohol to minors): New York’s Dram Shop law also makes it illegal to furnish or procure alcohol for minors (under the age of 21). This is a good way to get in trouble during a house party and or if you have rented an establishment for a party and serve minors.
Tip to avoid: Don’t do it and don’t turn a blind eye to it if it’s happening under your roof.
We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season, and thank you for reading!
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Stewart’s Shops has announced the launch of its online shop, which opened on Cyber Monday, where Stewart’s fans can get limited-edition Stewart’s branded items, coffee and My Money/Gas Cards delivered right to their doorstep.
Limited-edition Stewart’s merchandise is available exclusively online, including a Rhinestone Tumbler, a baby bodysuit, Stewart’s pom-pom winter hats, Stewart’s socks, and a Stewart’s ice cream car sticker. These items are available exclusively online and will not be available physically in Stewart’s Shops.
The Stewart’s Online Shop also features Stewart’s award-winning coffee. Stuff your stockings with Stewart’s S-Cups (House Blend, Richer Roast, Decaf, Blueberry, Hazelnut and French Vanilla). Twelve-oz ground coffee bags will also be available in Regular, Richer Roast and Pumpkin Spice flavors.
Stewart’s My Money Cards and Stewart’s Gas Cards will also be available in $25, $50 and $100 increments for customer convenience.
There will be multiple limited-run edition merchandise drops throughout the year. Stewart’s Coffee, My Money Cards and Gas Cards will be available all year long. Ice cream is not available for shipping at this time.
The Stewart’s Online Shop opened on Cyber Monday at 9 a.m. with shipping available in the continental United States.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — After outgrowing their current location, the Malta Indoor Flea Market will be moving to the food court area of the Wilton Mall for the winter. Monthly shows beginning Sunday, Dec. 4 will feature up to 75 vendors selling everything from antiques and collectibles to crafts, clothing, tools, toys and more.
Malta Indoor Flea Market hours run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Show dates are as follows: Sunday, Dec. 4, Sunday, Jan. 22, Sunday, Feb. 19, Sunday, Mar. 19 and Sunday, Apr. 16. Admission is free. The Wilton Mall is located at 3065 NY Rt. 50.
“The Wilton Mall offers us a convenient location, easy access for vendors and plenty of parking for buyers. We’re excited to partner with the mall to bring in more shoppers beginning with the holiday season,” notes Malta Flea Market promoter Jim O’Connell.
Malta Flea Market is organized by JOCO Promotions, LLC. Jim O’Connell has been a marketing professional, antiques dealer and flea market vendor for more than 20 years. For additional information visit maltaflea.com.
