ALBANY — Cardona’s Market celebrated the season of giving on Dec. 9 by combatting food insecurity in the Capital Region with the delivery of complimentary lunches to those served through the Community Connections program at Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless (IPH). The donation is the result of Cardona’s National Sandwich Day fundraising campaign on Nov. 3, 2021. 

Cardona’s Market Co-Owner August Cardona was joined by IPH Program Director Cleveland Morgan to hand-deliver the market’s signature sandwiches to more than 50 individuals and families served by IPH at The Hoffman Family Center, home of the Community Connections program, on Sheridan Ave. in Albany.

For more information about Cardona’s Market, call 518-434-4838 or visit CardonasMarket.com. For more information about IPH, visit www.iphny.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Fingerpaint, biopharma’s global commercialization partner for analytics-enabled integrated solutions, announced that it acquired Engage, a London-based, award-winning, data and analytics-enabled healthcare marketing firm. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. 

Engage will expand Fingerpaint’s European footprint and complement the company’s current data and analytics expertise. 

“Strengthening our global infrastructure is reflective of the diversified biopharma industry we serve worldwide,” said Ed Mitzen, Founder of Fingerpaint. “Our combined global omnichannel marketing solutions guided by – and rooted in – data will further Fingerpaint’s position as a transformative digital partner to biopharma’s commercialization needs.” 

Mary McGregor and Dave Chandler, both founders and managing partners of Engage, will continue to lead day-to-day operations. 

“Integrating into Fingerpaint will allow us to leverage its award-winning creative and digital talent and maximize omnichannel campaigns as we continue to work with global brands at every stage of the commercialization process,” said McGregor. 

“Combining our expertise with Fingerpaint’s will create best-in-class, performance-based digital capabilities for clients across the company’s integrated firms,” said Chandler. 

Engage joins integrated Fingerpaint firms MedThink, a company that empowers healthcare providers through medical communications; Leaderboard Branding, a leading global naming and branding business; 1798, a market access and commercialization firm that specializes in healthcare consulting services, including patient and provider access services; and Photo 51, a consultancy focused solely on advanced therapeutics, such as gene and cell therapies. 

ALBANY — Capital Region employers will keep hiring in the new year, but they’re not likely to find recruiting relief, according to the results of the Fall 2021 Alaant Hiring Index released on Dec. 15 by Alaant Workforce Solutions, the region’s leading professional workforce services firm. The survey finds that while hiring top talent will remain a major priority for 2022, the new year will also bring the most difficult recruiting environment employers have seen in modern times. 

Even though 86% of employers expect recruiting to be difficult – the highest figure since the Index began in 2015 – 3 in 4 companies forecast hiring to increase in the new year. 

“As we head into 2022, recruiting remains a good news, bad news situation: employers are itching to hire as the economy picks up, but the challenge of finding top professionals is more difficult than ever,” said Miriam Dushane, Managing Partner of Alaant Workforce Solutions. “We’re encouraged that nearly 4 of 5 companies say they adjusted their recruiting process this year, from improving the candidate experience and streamlining the interview and hiring processes to expediting job offers. Not only is that essential in the current environment, but employers will need to sharpen those strategies as the competition for employees heats up in the new year.” 

Read the full brief on Saratoga Business Report (www.saratogabusinessreport.com).

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company announced it has earned the national Bank On certification for its new checking product, Smart Steps. The bank is one of just 166 in the country to earn this distinction from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE) to serve the unbanked and underbanked. 

The CFE works directly with national and regional financial institutions to encourage the widespread availability of safe, low-cost, transactional products within their community. The Bank On certification provides account standards and a review process that ensures everyone has access to an affordable bank account. 

Smart Steps is a checking account designed to help individuals who don’t have easy access to affordable banking services and have a goal of achieving economic independence and security. The account will be available throughout the bank’s service area in early 2022. 

For more information visit cfefund.org/bankon. 

One week ago, I was invited to testify before the New York State Assembly’s Racing and Wagering Committee chaired by Assemblyman Gary Pretlow. Joining him at the hearing were local Assembly members Carrie Woerner and Angelo Santabarbara. Besides my testimony, the committee heard from locals like James and Tina Bond, of the Bond Racing Stables, Dr. Scott Ahlschwede of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, and David O’Rourke, the CEO of NYRA.

We were all there as part of a near day-long fact check on the status of both the state’s thoroughbred and Standardbred racing industries. To me, the best news of the day was hearing Chairman Pretlow state: “One of my stated goals is to make New York State the horse racing capital of the world.” As he said this, I watched as all of the committee members shook their heads in agreement.

Not everyone in the Assembly feels this way, however. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat, has filed legislation to redirect VLT revenues away from horse racing. When asked about her bill by David Lombardo, on a recent Capital Press Room broadcast, the Assemblywoman made several comments which indicated she is not yet fully informed about the importance and value of horse racing in New York’s economy, particularly here in Saratoga. 

“The stands are mostly empty,” Assemblywoman Rosenthal said. “Horse racing is not a year-round industry,” she added. She appeared to suggest that Saratoga would not suffer if horse racing at the Saratoga Race Course and Saratoga Casino Hotel were eliminated. She then called the franchise agreement between NYRA and the state, in which the state gained ownership to the race track properties in Saratoga, at Belmont and Aqueduct, as a “secret arrangement.”

It’s no secret to anyone that follows horse racing that we had paid attendance at this Summer Meeting in Saratoga that topped one million. We had a record all-sources handle. We had unprecedented media coverage. The popularity of horse racing in our community at just the Saratoga Race Course showed not only at the track but also in our hotels, bars, restaurants and retail stores all summer long. 

In her interview, Assemblywoman Rosenthal added that she had only heard negative comments from the horse racing industry to her legislation so far. That’s why I want to invite her to Saratoga. I think before she advocates for legislation that would do harm to Saratoga that she should come and talk with us directly face-to-face. Maybe we could do this next summer when she could see the track filled with thousands of fans every day. I’d love to expand this tour to include SPAC, the Casino, UPH, Caffé Lena, our parks and historic properties, our downtown stores, shops, hotels and restaurants, our horse farms, golf courses, and the City Center. 

It would be great if we could talk with her about how devastated we were when all of these destinations were closed in 2020. Maybe such a discussion and tour would make it clear to her that the secret to our success in Upstate New York is that we’ve built a multi-faceted ecosystem. Perhaps she’d then understand that doing harm to anyone of these civic institutions is a threat to all of them and to our quality of life as well as our economic sustainability.

During my testimony, I veered from the text that I had prepared. “If you look at the tie I’m wearing today, it is a horse tie purchased a Dark Horse of Saratoga,” I told the committee. “If you were to call my cell phone right now, you’d hear my ring tone which is the Call to Post. I’m probably the only Chamber President in the country where this all makes sense. But this speaks to just how important this industry is to Saratoga.” Our story is important. She needs to come see and hear it. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Hospital has once again been designated a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence – the highest level of recognition awarded by the American College of Radiology. 

The hospital first earned the designation in 2017 and has remained the only Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence in the Capital Region since. Redesignation was awarded this fall and applies to all imaging services at Saratoga Hospital, its Wilton campus, and mammography and bone density imaging on the Malta campus. 

To earn the Center of Imaging designation, facilities must first be accredited in each imaging service for which the American College of Radiology offers an accreditation program. 

In addition, Centers of Excellence must participate in national radiology data registries as part of benchmarking and quality improvement efforts and must take steps to limit patients’ exposure to radiation. This includes using the lowest possible dose of radiation during imaging procedures and avoiding unnecessary imaging exams. 

GANSEVOORT — Sundaes Best Hot Fudge Sauce will host an open house and pop-up shop at their manufacturing facility on Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Celebrating 20 years in business, owner Katie Camarro and friends will be on hand with product displays and gift ideas for everyone on your list. Sundaes Best Hot Fudge Sauce kitchen is located in Gansevoort at 23 Northern Pines Rd, 1st floor, Bldg. 2, across from Saratoga Restaurant Supply. For more information on Sundaes Best, visit their website at www.sundaesbest.com or give them a call at 518-584-4036.

SCHENECTADY — Mohawk Honda has announced the 12 local nonprofits named to receive a combined $60,000 as part of its “12 Days of Giving.” The Schenectady-based dealership launched the campaign in late November as a way of giving back to the community the auto dealer has called home for more than 50 years. 

Community members were asked to nominate charities close to their hearts through a social media post that went viral throughout the Capital Region community. The post, located on the company’s Facebook page, collected more than 800 comments, 300 likes, and 7,500 views. 

After a two-week submission period, dealership executives were overwhelmed with the amount of support shown by the community. 

“From the moment we hit the publish button for the social media post, we just started watching the campaign grow and grow,” said Nathanael Greklek, Chief Digital Branding Leader, Mohawk Honda. “We monitored the post each day and we just kept receiving more and more comments, and post shares. It was great to see community members rally together for organizations they love and cherish.” 

The 12 chosen nonprofits to receive $5,000 each include: Family & Child Services of Schenectady, One Church Street, Schenectady Day Nursery, Wicklund Warriors, Operation at Ease, Safe Inc., Community Hospice of Schenectady, Capital Region Legacy Project/Veterans Memorial, Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY, Jack’s Place, Bring on the Spectrum, and Mother Theresa Cancer Awareness Fund. 

The Mohawk Family will present a check to each finalist between Dec. 13-24. The finalists will also be featured on Mohawk Honda’s social media pages. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Malta’s new breakfast spot, The Twisted Bagel Company, is baking up some fresh twists on a staple breakfast food. 

The Twisted Bagel Company, owned by David Samora and managed by Patty Ernst, opened in late August and is located in The Shops of Malta at 15 Kendall Way. The bagel shop recently held a ribbon cutting in November with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. 

On the menu at The Twisted Bagel Co. is a wide variety of made-from-scratch bagels, homemade cream cheese, breakfast sandwiches, and lunch options. 

In addition to the traditional bagel flavors, The Twisted Bagel Co.’s unique creations are becoming quite popular, like the jalapeno cheddar bagel and the bacon, egg, and cheese bagel (the bacon, egg, and cheese is not on the bagel, but baked right into the dough!). They have seasonal items too, like their pumpkin bagel for the fall and a cranberry eggnog twist bagel that will be on the menu soon. They also offer gluten-free bagels for those with a gluten sensitivity. 

And, who said bagels can only be eaten for breakfast? The Twisted Bagel Co. even comes up with lunch creations like a tuna fish sandwich or a burger on a bagel. 

“I just want to make good food, get to know my customers, and make people laugh,” said Ernst, who helped Samora open The Twisted Bagel Co. because she simply wanted to have her own business as a means to express her creativity. 

Name a better way to start your day than a good laugh and a good bagel from The Twisted Bagel Company. 

You can see their daily specials and what they come up with next on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TheTwistedBagelCompany, or their Instagram @twistedbagelco. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact the shop at 518-80-TWIST or 518-808-9478. Website coming soon! 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new initiative at Hattie’s Restaurant allows teen staff to come straight to Hattie’s from school, punch in an hour before their shift, work on homework, and be fed. 

Investing in people is at the core of Business for Good’s mission, and Hattie’s Restaurant is doing just that. In an effort to help teenage employees balance having a job and staying on top of their education, “Miss Hattie’s Homework Hour” was born. 

“Hattie Moseley Austin, our matriarch, was an extremely charitable woman,” said Hattie’s Restaurant Executive Chef, Jasper Alexander. “If she saw someone outside hungry, she would bring them in, sit them down, and feed them. If she saw someone who needed a job, she’d bring them in and make sure their time was being used for something constructive. The Homework Hour is yet another way for Hattie’s Restaurant to continue its longtime focus on truly caring for employees.”

Teen staff have the Homework Hour option at the two-year-round Saratoga Springs BEG Owned™ Hattie’s locations: 45 Phila St. and 3057 Rt. 50 in Wilton. When Hattie’s opens another location on Madison Ave. in Albany next spring, the Homework Hour will be offered there too. 

“A lot of our staff ride the bus home from school, only to have to turn right around and get a ride from their parents to work,” added Beth Alexander. “We really rely on this generation of workers, as they are willing and able to work. We want to support them in any way we can. They are the backbone of our restaurant.” 

For more information visit www.businessforgood.org. For more information about Hattie’s Restaurant, visit www.hattiesrestaurant.com.