What a win as they open their gates!

A grand opening ceremony for the new 96-room Wingate By Wyndham
4054 Route 9L in Lake George
Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 11 a.m.

Just in time for the busy summer tourist season, Lake George's newest hotel, the 96-room Wingate by Wyndham in Lake George, is open for business.

Last month the Wyndham Hotel Group affiliated its Wingate and Wyndham brands to leverage marketing, sales and training and reach an expanded consumer base. This affiliation not only not only gives the hotel a new name (Wingate by Wyndham in Lake George ) and logo, but also enables the facility to bolster its brand awareness as a result of the halo effect from Wyndham's resort destination product advertising.

Nestled in the woods at the southern end of the lake with easy access to the village, the four-story Wingate By Wyndham, which is operated by Adirondack Lodging LLC, is one of the region's few hotels to boast indoor and outdoor swimming pools and have flexible meeting and function space for events ranging in size from 10 to 100 guests.

Designed by Phinney Design Group of Saratoga Springs, a consulting firm with an extensive track record in designing "common sense" buildings that reduce human impacts on the environment, the hotel features a reflective white roof to keep the building cool and has a highly efficient indoor heating and cooling system. The exterior also uses a locally quarried stone façade.

High Rollers of a Different Breed

The best kinds of chambers of commerce help their members and by doing so help their communities. Every once in a while a member goes above and beyond the call of duty and makes a difference in our community. Today we have just such an occasion. Please read on as we applaud a member as they blade to make a difference.

Neil Tatar and Adirondack Ad Specialities are on a roll, a 2,000 mile role.

After 10 months of planning, our team of Rolling For Autism skaters left our house in Queensbury, New York at 5:30 Monday morning, heading to Amelia Island, Florida to start a 2,000 mile rollerblading adventure. Their journey northward begins Thursday, and the target date to cross the finish line is August 19, in Kittery , Maine -- 54 days of rolling an average of 40 miles per day!

The past few days were quite busy, with the some of the final details still coming together, along with a nice send off from the Center For Disabilities in Albany , NY, and four television appearances. We have been quite fortunate to receive excellent media support, and are finding a steady increase in public awareness for our event as well as a surge of incoming donations. With a goal of $500,000, every dollar counts!

Throughout our journey, four recent Union College graduates will be leading the way. They are Dan Tatar (my son), Sean Streich of Kimberley, British Columbia, Carson Strang of Cleveland, Ohio and Jason Ortolano of Carteret, NJ. Along the way, they will be joined by several other participants.

I am sharing our adventure with you in hopes that you will find it to be of interest. If you are inclined, please follow their progress as they roll up the Atlantic coast. Also, check out their schedule and calendar June July, August. I hope you will come out and support us if we are passing through your area... and please, if you have any contacts in the cities listed along the way, I would love to hear from you. The success of our project can be enhanced by the participation of so many friends.

Please check out our website and watch our progress! I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Regards,

Neil Tatar
ntatar@adirondackadspecs.com

Behan Communications Raises the Bar

Former State Bar Association Leader Joins Behan Communications Team


A former journalist and senior executive with the New York State Bar Association has joined Behan Communications, Inc., the public relations, public affairs and marketing firm with offices in Albany and Glens Falls.

L. Beth Krueger was named senior project manager at Behan Communications, according to Mark L. Behan, president of the firm. Ms. Kruger will provide issue management, strategic communications, media relations and community relations services for Behan clients.

Ms. Krueger brings extensive senior-level executive experience in external and internal communications, public affairs, publications, organizational development, and operations and strategic planning, with a special background in the legal profession.

She formerly served as Assistant Executive Director of the 70,000-member New York State Bar Association, the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. In that capacity, she supervised the Association’s media services, public affairs and youth education programs and conducted professional education meetings. She worked with Bar Association leaders in developing communications, policy and strategic planning, and studies and programs on numerous legal, legislative and social issues. She also served as Director of Administrative Services and Director of Membership Services and Special Projects for the Association.

In addition, Ms. Krueger managed The New York Bar Foundation, a charitable and educational organization established by the Association. She began her communications career as a reporter and editor for daily newspapers in the Capital Region and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Rochester.

She has been engaged in consulting services for nonprofit organizations. A resident of Guilderland, she is a member of Tech-Valley Nonprofit Business Council, a shared initiative of the Albany-Colonie and Schenectady chambers of commerce, and serves on Council’s Program Committee. She is active in kayaking, hiking and nature photography and has a background in classical music performance and education.

Behan Communications, Inc., provides public and media relations, corporate communications, marketing, advertising design and creative services to corporate clients, non-profit institutions and community organizations. Its services include full Web site development and in-house video production.



For more information, we invite you to visit the Behan Communications website.

Banking on Glens Falls

The Adirondack Trust Company Announces
Major Commitment to Glens Falls

The Adirondack Trust Company announced today that it has hired Kathie L. Duncan as President of the North Country Region. Mrs. Duncan will also serve as a member of the Senior Management Team of the Bank and is the second woman to do so. Mrs. Duncan will report to Charles V. Wait, Chairman, President & CEO of The Adirondack Trust Company. She has over twenty-three years of commercial lending experience in the greater Glens Falls market and most recently was Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending at TD Banknorth. Mrs. Duncan will be responsible for developing the Glens Falls market for the bank and working with businesses to help them reach their goals. Mrs. Duncan will make many of the loan decisions in the area thereby continuing the Bank’s commitment to servicing customers in an expeditious manner. She has been involved with many local non-profit boards such as the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation, Community, Work and Independence Inc (CWI) and is a co-founder of the Network for Enterprising Women, a women’s business networking group.

Also joining The Adirondack Trust Company is Mr. Michael O’Connell. Mr. O’Connell will serve as Vice President, in the Commercial Lending Group and will have responsibility for managing a team of commercial lenders and assisting Kathie with business development and management in the Glens Falls market. Mr. O’Connell has over eighteen years in commercial lending experience at TD Banknorth.

The Adirondack Trust Company has had a presence in the City of Glens Falls for over five years with their office at 24 Maple Street. The bank also announced that they will be expanding their offices in the Glens Falls area and are actively reviewing locations.

Charles V. Wait, Chairman, President & CEO of The Adirondack Trust Company noted, “We are extremely pleased to make this announcement. Our commitment to Glens Falls and the North Country is further highlighted with these additions to our staff and our commitment to grow our local presence. Over the years, we have worked with many local non-profits such as the Hyde Collection, Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council, Double H Ranch and the City of Glens Falls Centennial Committee to help them with their mission. Our commitment to helping local non-profits and businesses is the hallmark of our bank. With all of our decisions made locally we will continue to serve our customers in a manner that is best for them and their business. For six consecutive years, we have received the SBA Community Bank Lender award as the number one community bank small business lender.”

William P. Dow, President of Lake George Steamboat Company notes, “The Adirondack Trust Company is our exclusive banking relationship. It is a pleasure to deal with a financial institution whose people, from the very top down, answer your phone calls and always treat you with decency.”

Bill Batkay, CFO of Miller Mechanical Service, Inc. stated, “the staff of Adirondack Trust is hometown people who serve the customer with excellence.”

The Adirondack Trust Company is a community-based, full-service financial services company offering a wide variety of business and personal banking products and services. The Bank offers trust, insurance and investment services and originates real estate mortgages, both residential and commercial, and commercial business loans throughout its primary market area. The Bank's website is www.adirondacktrust.com

And a big round of applause to...

Dick Saunders, ARCC Member and State Farm Insurance Agent extraordinaire. Dick found the bum link in the ARCC ebriefing today. ARCC staff member Amanda Magee humbly offers her apology for having wasted Dick's time on a wild goose chase. "Like a good neighbor, State Farm was there." If only it had been before the send button was pushed.


Did you know that the famous State Farm Like a good neighbor jingle was written in part by the legendary Barry Manilow? Manilow also penned Mandy. Coincidence?

I think not.

Constructing Fame and Good Fortune

The Amedore team in front of the famous bus: Peter Amedore, Mark Amedore, George Amedore, Sr., George Amedore, Jr., and Paul Amedore.

ARCC memberAmedore Homes made the big time as they were featured as the builders on a recent episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

AMEDORE HOMES CARES TO BUILD:


Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Comes to the Capital Region



COLONIE, NY (March 22, 2007) – “Good Morning, Oatman-Gaitan family” was the wake up call Debbie Oatman and her four sons had been hoping for. When Debbie opened her heart and home to caring for children with HIV, little did she know that one day thousands of people from the Capital Region would come together to transform her sinking house into a castle. In less than a week, the Oatman-Gaitan family will receive a brand-new home, courtesy of Ty Pennington and his design team from ABC Television’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition called on Albany-based, family-run, Amedore Homes, Inc. to build the new home for the Oatman-Gaitan family. Amedore Homes, with the help of its sub contractors, have partnered with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to build the home in one week, a first for upstate New York. They will be aided by thousands of volunteers from area businesses, organizations as well as hundreds of caring individuals.

“Amedore Homes is committed to surrounding their customers with excellence, which means exceeding their expectations with the entire homebuilding process. When Extreme Makeover: Home Edition came to us, we took on this challenge without hesitation,” said George Amedore, Jr., Executive Vice President of Amedore Homes.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s Co-Executive Producer Conrad Ricketts said that the show is so proud of Amedore Homes because “they are stepping-up to help a family and are making a difference in their community in every sense of the word.”

At Amedore Homes, “we believe that a neighborhood is not only a place where people live, raise families, and work, but also where people pull together to help others in their time of need,” said Amedore. Amedore Homes is both humbled and privileged to have been called on to help the Oatman-Gaitan family realize their dream in our community.

Amedore Homes will not be going it alone. The builder is calling upon the community to make this dream a reality. The story of the Oatman-Gaitan family is one of building a family through the genuine care of others, which is the inspiration for the slogan that sums up what building this home is all about: Building to Care and Caring to Build.

About the Builder:

Amedore Homes, Inc. was named the Capital Region’s Largest Home Builder in 2005 as well as one of the fastest growing companies in 2006, according to The Business Review Book of Lists. Amedore Homes has been creating amenity rich communities since 1974. Albany-based Amedore Homes caters to primary, retirement and second-time home buyers in the Capital Region. The company offers traditional-style single family homes as well as maintenance-free condominiums and town homes. Amedore Homes currently offers communities in five counties including: Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Montgomery and Warren.

About Extreme Makeover: Home Edition:


“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is in its 4th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Denise Cramsey is the executive producer; and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. The show airs on Sundays (8:00-9:00 ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ty Pennington, the show's host; Paul Dimeo, wonder carpenter with a heart of gold; Eduardo Xol, landscaper and musician, Paige Hemmis, the girlie, pink loving carpenter and children's room magician; and Tracy Hutson the loving designer and stylist all came to the Capital Region to be a part of the show.