SARATOGA SPRINGS — Drs. David Mobarek and Yasmin Mohamed have joined Saratoga Hospital Medical Group Primary Care – Wilton. The practice now has 14 providers who see patients of all ages.

“Despite a highly competitive environment, we continue to attract skilled, compassionate young physicians to our team – and that’s great news for our community,” said Richard Falivena, Vice President and Chief Medical and Physician Integration Officer at Saratoga Hospital. “Every time we add a primary care provider, more people have access to the comprehensive health services that can have the greatest impact on health and quality of life.” 

Mobarek came to Saratoga Hospital after falling in love with the Capital Region during a residency in family medicine at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady. A graduate of New York’s Stony Brook University, Mobarek earned his medical degree from American University of Antigua College of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. 

Prior to joining Saratoga Hospital, Mohamed practiced family medicine for five years at Northwell Health on Long Island, where she also served as a regional medical director. She grew up in Clifton Park and, after college, returned to the region to pursue a master’s in clinical leadership in healthcare management from Union Graduate College in Schenectady (now Clarkson University). From there Mohamed went on to earn a medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

She completed a residency in family medicine, including one year as a chief resident, at Northwell Health Plainview Hospital. Mohamed is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and is a member of the American Academy of Family of Family Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association. 

Mobarek and Mohamed see patients at 3044 Route 50, Saratoga Springs. For an appointment, call 518-886-5800. To learn more, go to primarycareWilton.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — ARTS SPARK announced the launch of a new website featuring specialized business and marketing services tailored specifically for artists. Promoting the message “Helping You with The Business of Being An Artist” the Arts Spark Business Bundle provides affordable, professional website design and digital marketing services, education, and community. 

Beth Moeller founded ARTS SPARK as a division of her website development and digital marketing company, Interactive Media Consulting, LLC (IMC). An expert in website design and a passionate advocate for the arts, Beth recognized the need for marketing focused exclusively on the art world. ARTS SPARK represents her commitment to the region’s rich and diverse arts community. 

ARTS SPARK was originally launched in 2015 to meet the business and promotional needs of artists by offering accessible, professional marketing services so that artists have more time to do what they do best – create. Fast forward to 2021. The world has changed dramatically since the first incarnation of ARTS SPARK, and so too have the challenges faced by individual artists and the arts in general. 

For any business, a strong online presence is essential – especially now. The newly launched ARTS SPARK website features a variety of services to help artists navigate a successful art-themed small business or non-profit. The ARTS SPARK team works closely with each client to meet the new expectations posed by the pandemic, and to create beautiful, reasonably priced websites that effectively show case each artist’s unique talents and identity. 

ARTS SPARK websites are designed and built by professionals and developed on a platform that easily accommodates design changes and upgrades as a business grows and evolves. ARTS SPARK is located in the Broadway offices of Interactive Media Consulting, LLC in Saratoga Springs. To find out more about ARTS SPARK including hosting services, or to arrange a free consultation, visit arts-spark.com or call 518-587-5107. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Hospital has named Daniel Madden Director of Environmental Services. He brings extensive experience managing healthcare environmental services operations, most recently as Director of Environmental Services at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady. 

“Dan has more than 30 years of progressive experience in environmental services and has earned the respect of his colleagues at every turn,” said Jeffrey Casale, Associate Vice President of Support Services at Saratoga Hospital. “He is an excellent addition to our team.”

Previously, Madden served as Regional Director of Operations and Regional Manager for Crothall Healthcare, which provides environmental and other core support services to hospitals and healthcare systems. In those roles, he oversaw environmental services for 21 upstate New York healthcare institutions. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company has announced the opening of a new full-service branch office at 3025 Route 50 in the Wilton Square shopping plaza (near Target), just off Exit 15 of the Northway. 

With over 3,000 sq. ft. of space, the office will provide a modern banking environment for customers. It offers full banking services, including ATM, drive-in, lobby, and expanded parking. Additional teller access, offices, and conference room space will provide an improved overall customer experience right in the middle of the busy Wilton shopping district. The location replaces two smaller offices on Jones and Ballard Road. 

“This newly renovated and larger office design will enhance out ability to deliver an improved customer experience and to expand customer relationships,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Dave DeMarco. “We’re excited to open this more centrally located office.” 

Branch Manager Ava Marco and the local team are welcoming new and existing customers and are ready to provide banking and business services to help them achieve their financial goals. 

For more information visit www.saratoganational.com.

It’s been just about two years since anyone has complained to me about parking in downtown Saratoga Springs.

I’d like to think that’s because the Saratoga Springs City Center completed their parking structure a year ago. But that’s not the case. The reality is that the pandemic remains unfinished and the economic impact continues to challenge our local economy. Even with a strong summer season, it’s important for everyone to remember that our local businesses faced severe restrictions for the first five and half months of 2021. The labor shortage has also caused challenges.

As I have throughout the last two years, I worry most about our locally owned organizations. They don’t have Human Resources departments to find the talent they need to fill open jobs or the funds to raise their wages. They often lack the capital to survive a short term crisis never mind what is now a prolonged economic disruption. Many face supply chain issues, shortages and cost increases for the products they need to operate. It is these locally owned organizations that we need to save.

I’m not just talking about retailers and restaurants. I’m also talking about local businesses in the construction industry; beauty, health and wellness; artists, musicians, photographers; professional and medical services; hospitality and tourism; and the list goes on and on. I’m also talking about the many incredible locally managed and funded impact sector organizations who take care of those in need. 

For years, many of you reading this have supported local businesses during Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. You’ve shopped local even during Cyber-Monday. You’ve then donated to local charitable entities on Giving Tuesday. In the next couple of weeks, you’ll be invited to do the same again this year. 

We, at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, decided in early-October that we needed our community to help us save our locals every day as 2021 comes to a close. That’s why we created our Save Our Locals $20.21 contest. We want to encourage you to buy or donate local every day and to reward those who do so. 

Here’s how it works. 1. When you spend or donate at least $20.21 at any local business or impact sector organization in Saratoga County, take a photo of your receipt. 2. Email your receipt to saveourlocals@saratoga.org. Please use a valid email because that is how we notify the winners. 3. Every week, we select 5 to 7 winners from the emails sent to us. Each winner gets a $100 gift card to a local business. In total, we’re giving out more than $5,000 in prizes through December 31, 2021.

Since the pandemic began, the Saratoga County Chamber has vowed to help everyone, members and non-members. This makes participating in the Save Our Locals $20.21 contest even easier. Purchases at every local business in Saratoga County count. You just need to send us the receipt.

In just the first three weeks of this campaign, hundreds of people have already participated. We’ve had 18 winners. The participants have spent nearly $60,000 already. Each week we’re sharing what gift cards are being awarded and who won last week’s prizes at www.saratoga.org/save-our-locals. 

Doing a take-out meal for Thanksgiving? I’m betting that qualifies. Making a purchase for Black Friday at a local store. That qualifies as well. Purchasing a gift certificate for a family photo. Qualifies. Hiring a local contractor for a home repair. Qualifies. It’s super simple. Spend or donate at least $20.21. Tell your friends and family. Help us mobilize thousands of people because that’s what it will take to Save Our Locals.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Across the country, consumers are being encouraged to shop local this holiday season. On Black Friday, Nov. 26, a select group of stores in downtown Saratoga Springs will be offering a variety of discounts on Friday and Small Business Saturday, with many stores extending their sales throughout the holidays. Most deals are spread out all day long to encourage a safe, pleasant shopping experience.

“Black Friday Participant” window signs will differentiate the storefronts of participating Black Friday Saratoga businesses. Participants include Caroline & Main, Celtic Treasures, Crafters Gallery, The Dark Horse Mercantile, Death Wish Coffee Company, Impressions of Saratoga, iRun LOCAL, Lifestyles of Saratoga, Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company, Network Wedding Guide, The Pink Paddock, Saratoga Botanicals Organic Spa & Store, Saratoga Olive Oil Company, Spoken Boutique, Tailgate and Party Shop, Union Hall Supply Company, and Yellow Boutique. Sponsors include Stewart’s Shops and the Adirondack Trust Company. Media sponsors include Saratoga’s Star Radio and Saratoga’s Best Magazine.

Retailers participating in the Black Friday Saratoga Group Sale this year are each offering their own custom deals and opening at a variety of different hours, with some opening as early as 6 a.m., and others opening later in the morning. Businesses will be putting out their best incentives to come and shop their stores all weekend long and throughout the holiday season. If you’d like more information about the Black Friday Saratoga shopping event, go to www.facebook.com/blackfridaysaratoga. A complete list of the businesses and their discount offerings will be listed on blackfridaysaratoga.com the week of Thanksgiving. Businesses who have chosen to continue their sales after the Thanksgiving weekend will also have their sales listed.

Black Friday Saratoga is organized by Network Saratoga LLC. For more information visit www.networksaratoga.com

SARATOGA COUNTY —The Saratoga Regional YMCA may be more than 150 years old, but its commitment to environmental sustainability and stewardship is very much rooted in the realities of 2021. The organization recently enrolled in the Nexamp community solar program, subscribing to a solar farm in Pendleton, NY and offsetting up to 90% of its annual electricity usage, generating valuable savings that enable more programming and services across its multiple locations. 

With a 900kW subscription, Saratoga Regional YMCA will save up to $13,500 each year through the discounted rate it pays for community solar credits applied to its National Grid bills, realizing more than a quarter million dollars in savings over the course of the contract. Community solar farms generate clean energy that is fed directly to the grid, earning credits that are allocated across the subscriber base and billed at a fixed discount to create customer savings. 

“We support more than 25,000 members in the region, offering a wide variety of service focused on overall wellness for families and individuals of all ages,” noted John Pecora, CFO, Saratoga Regional YMCA. “As part of our mission, we recognize the importance of a healthy environment and the role of clean energy in making that possible. Enrolling in a community solar program provides us with the dual benefit of saving money that makes our budget go further while also participating in the growth of much-needed clean energy on the grid.” 

Four of the five Saratoga Regional YMCA buildings will receive credits through the program. The 6 MW community solar farm in Pendleton, like the dozens of other solar farms in New York and hundreds of solar farms across the country owned and operated by Nexamp, serves both commercial and residential customers. 

“Just as the YMCA serves all residents without discrimination, community solar is making the benefits of clean energy accessible to all,” said David Wells, Nexamp Director of Community Solar in New York. “We’ve seen that as more and more non-profits learn about the advantages of the program and how easy it is to get started, they realize how well it fits with their missions. It’s equally about saving money, saving the environment, and helping communities invest in a cleaner, more resilient energy grid for the future.” 

Additional capacity remains on Nexamp projects across multiple markets and utility service territories. Businesses interested in learning more about commercial offtake should visit www.nexamp.com/power-purchase-agreements. 

SCHENECTADY/BOSTON, MA – GE (NYSE:GE) announced on Nov. 9 its plan to form three industry-leading, global public companies focused on the growth sectors of aviation, healthcare, and energy. 

GE will be pursuing a tax-free spin-off of GE Healthcare, creating a pure-play company at the center of precision health in early 2023, in which GE expects to retain a stake of 19.9%. The company will be combining GE Renewable Energy, GE Power, and GE Digital into one business, positioned to lead the energy transition, and then pursuing a tax-free spin-off of this business in early 2024. Following these transactions, GE will be an aviation-focused company shaping the future of flight. 

“At GE we have always taken immense pride in our purpose of building a world that works. The word demands – deserves – we bring our best to solve the biggest challenges in flight, healthcare, and energy,” said GE Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. “By creating three industry-leading, global public companies, each can benefit from greater focus, tailored capital allocation, and strategic flexibility to drive long-term growth and value for customers, investors, and employees. We are putting our technology, expertise, leadership, and global reach to work to better serve our customers.” 

As independently run companies, the businesses will be better positioned to deliver long-term growth and create value for customers, investors, and employees, with each benefiting from the following: deeper operational focus, accountability, and agility to meet customer needs; tailored capital allocation decisions in line with distinct strategies and industry-specific dynamics; strategic and financial flexibility to pursue growth opportunities; dedicated boards of directors with deep domain expertise; business- and industry-oriented career opportunities and incentives for employees; and distinct and compelling investment profiles appealing to broader, deeper investor bases. 

GE’s headquarters was once located in Schenectady, nicknamed the “Electric City.” Their headquarters has since moved out of state to Boston, MA. For more information on GE, visit their website at www.ge.com. 

ALBANY — Consumer Directed Choices, Inc. (CDChoices), a nonprofit organization providing fiscal intermediary payroll and program administration services to seniors and people with disabilities, launches an easy-to-use workforce recruitment portal to connect individuals in need of home care services with “personal assistants” or caregivers. 

Through CDChoices and New York State’s Consumer Directed Assistance Program, consumers control their own care by searching, interviewing, hiring, and training personal assistants. Given the national shortage of homecare employees, CDChoices proactively enhanced and simplified its recruitment platform to attract more users. 

“We recognize the difficulty of recruiting personal assistants and the lack of attention paid to the homecare industry, which is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the state,” said Christopher Graber, Chief Executive Officer of CDChoices. “New York currently has the greatest shortage of homecare workers in the nation. We want to do our part to help our consumers increase their ability to attract, recruit, and retain dedicated workers.” 

Once a profile is created, a CDChoices consumer can search for personal assistants who match the specific care criteria they need. Similarly, personal assistants can search based on their own criteria and apply for specific job assignments that consumers have posted. Jobs feature full-time, part-time, and per diem. 

Portal features include direct messaging; sort and filter options; saved search criteria and job posting management.

Visit their website to learn if you are eligible for CDChoices through the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). To learn more about becoming a personal assistant, visit portal.cdchoices.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Death Wish Coffee Co., the makers of the World’s Strongest Coffee, is launching a new holiday blend, Gingerdead coffee, i.e. the brand’s secret to a good holiday. The new seasonal favorite infuses a festive mix of ginger with notes of warm brown spices and a cinnamon kick for a perfect blend of holiday in a cup. Like a fiery kick to the tastebuds and a cozy hug from the Grim Reaper, this sweetly spiced blend is sure to warm your cold, dead heart this holiday season. 

Celebrating the “hellidays”, Death Wish Coffee Co. created the new holiday-themed roast as consumers, most notably millennials and gen Z coffee drinkers, are continuing to look for new flavorful coffee drinks and ways to create a barista experience at home. 

“We wanted to create our own spin on a holiday classic to appeal to those who love to indulge in seasonally themed roasts and understand our dark sense of humor,” said Mike Pilkington, President of Death Wish Coffee Co. “Gingerdead delivers the same bold flavor and pick-me-up kick that Death wish Coffee is known for and we’re excited for consumers to try it.”

Gingerdead will be available in the traditional 12-ounce ground bags and 10-count Death Cups, compatible with Keurig machines, starting Nov. 12, exclusively to coffee subscribers and will be released for everyone to enjoy on Nov. 13, only available on www.deathwishcoffee.com and at the brand’s flagship store at 260 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. 

For more information about Death Wish Coffee Co. and to purchase Gingerdead products, visit www.deathwishcoffee.com.