The Best is Right Here

Glens Falls Firm Earns Award as a Top 25 Best Architecture Firm to Work For in the U.S.

In October, JMZ Architects and Planners, P.C. was honored as one of
ZweigWhite’s 2007 Top 25 Best Architecture Firms to Work For in the U.S. JMZ ranked third in the Small Architecture Firms category and #1 for Best Overall Employee Satisfaction. Results were based on confidential employee surveys submitted directly to ZweigWhite, a Boston-based management consulting firm to the architecture and engineering professions. JMZ was the only architecture firm in New York State to place in the Top 25.

Established in 1977, JMZ is a 20-person higher education planning and architecture firm located in downtown Glens Falls. They provide service to college clients across NY and in VT, PA and MD. Their creativity as designers carries through to their office culture. They maintain a balanced, life-friendly atmosphere where employees are encouraged to grow and expand their talents through professional experience, continuing education and a personalized mentoring program. In addition to the requisite 401(k) plan, profit sharing, and flexible time, the firm offers its employees a steady stream of chocolate and abundance of fun. In past years, they have participated in Bike to Work Day, National Pie Day, Operation Santa Claus and other fun, community-oriented events. This past June, they closed their office for a day and donned life jackets for a white water rafting adventure down the Indian River in the Adirondacks.

For more information, please visit:

www.JMZarchitects.com

www.zweigwhite.com

UHY LLP Global Nod

UHY LLP’s JOHN WOLFGANG
ELECTED CHAIR OF GLOBAL ACCOUNTING FIRM GROUP

Albany native John E. Wolfgang, partner in UHY LLP and a member of its management committee, has been appointed chairman of the global accounting and consulting firm association of UHY International (UHYI). Mr. Wolfgang formally took the helm at the UHYI 2007 Annual Meeting of partners held in Singapore on October 25 and 26, 2007. He was elected to a five-year term.

“The accounting world is going through a time of great change,” Mr. Wolfgang noted. “Convergence of accounting and auditing standards, for example, is not just an issue for huge multinationals. It is also a serious concern for dynamic mid-tier businesses – the natural client constituency for UHYI member firms. Convergence issues affect us all.”

As chairman of UHYI, Wolfgang plans to focus on four main goals:

Continuing the expansion of the global network in the organization’s priority markets;

Strengthening and expanding the individual member firms within their local markets;

Providing enhanced technical guidance and support to member firms;

Building national and international brand awareness for UHYI.

In addition, he added: “We have a golden opportunity over the next few years to create a brand with unique strengths and characteristics, built around a strong focus on the needs of our core clients.”

Richard Kotlow, managing partner of UHY LLP’s Albany office and a board member of UHYI, praised Wolfgang’s accomplishments. “From the beginning, John has been active with UHYI, which started as an initiative of our Albany and New York City offices. He has proven himself a leader on the global stage, especially with our mid-market clients that have complex international needs. He has led our New York practice’s largest international engagements, which have taken him all over the world in the pursuit of assuring quality standards. UHYI will benefit from John’s leadership.”

Mr. Wolfgang was one of the original board members of UHYI when it was formed in 1986. UHYI was formed following the association of UK-based firm Hacker Young (now known as UHY Hacker Young LLP) and U.S. firm, Urbach Kahn & Werlin (now known as UHY LLP). He has been a key player in the subsequent growth of the international association.

A graduate of Siena College, Mr. Wolfgang lives in New York City with his wife Christina. John has three children and two grandchildren.



About UHY LLP and UHY Advisors
UHY LLP is a national licensed CPA firm and operates as the attest firm in an alternative practice structure with UHY Advisors Inc., the 13th largest professional services firm in the United States. Both firms are independent U.S. members of Urbach Hacker Young International Limited, an international association of firms that operate in 60 countries worldwide.

For further information on UHY LLP, please visit www.uhyllp.com

About UHY International

Established in 1986 and based in London, UK, UHY International is an association of independent accounting and consulting firms with offices in major business centres throughout the world. UHY has 188 offices in 64 countries with over 5,500 staff and generated an aggregate income of over US$530 million in 2006. Each member of UHY is a legally separate and independent firm in its own country.

For further information on UHY International please go to www.uhy.com.

Buzzing About Murphy

ARCC member, Scott Murphy was featured in yesterday's TU Business Blog post.

Scott Murphy, a managing director of Advantage Capital Partners, a private equity firm that has an office in Glens Falls, has been elected president of the Upstate Venture Association of New York for 2007-08.

Murphy has been involved in investments in 11 upstate companies. He has been on the UVANY board for five years.

Advantage has offices in major U.S. cities in addition to Glens Falls and has raised more than $800 million in institutional private equity money since 1992.

Congratulations Scott.

Sawchuk Brown Associates Adds Staff

SAWCHUK BROWN ASSOCIATES ADDS STAFF

Emily Shover, a recent graduate of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, has joined Sawchuk Brown Associates as an administrative assistant.

For SBA, Shover will provide support to clients and staff, including research, list management, media monitoring, as well as editorial and administrative services.

As a student at Marist College, Shover wrote for the school’s online news publication, Marist News Watch, and was a member of the Fashion Club where she served as a dresser for local fashion shows. She was also a member of Campus Ministry, providing community services to the local community, and is currently a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Shover graduated from Marist College with a B.A. in communications with a concentration in journalism.

Founded in 1979, Sawchuk Brown Associates is one of Upstate New York's leading independent communications firms specializing in public relations, public affairs and strategic marketing. The firm, which represents more than 65 clients, has received honors from Public Relations Society of America, IABC, American Marketing Association and others. It is the Upstate New York affiliate of global leader GolinHarris International. Visit the Sawchuk Brown website.

New Appointments at TD Banknorth

Michael Murray Named Commercial Loan Portfolio Officer at TD Banknorth in Glens Falls

Michael D. Murray has been promoted to a Commercial Loan Portfolio Officer in the Commercial Lending Department at TD Banknorth in Glens Falls. He will be responsible for developing and maintaining commercial business relationships throughout the Glens Falls region.

Murray joined TD Banknorth in 2004 as a Customer Sales Representative in the Glens Falls branch. He served as a Commercial Credit Analyst prior to his most recent promotion.

A Queensbury resident, Murray is a 1998 graduate of Queensbury High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Saint Rose in 2003, and an associate’s degree in 2001 from Adirondack Community College. He volunteers as a member of the Junior Achievement Adirondack Region Steering Committee.


Timothy Minahan Named Vice President at TD Banknorth




Timothy P. Minahan has joined TD Banknorth as a vice president in Government Banking in Glens Falls. He will be responsible for managing the relationships of the government banking clients, and acquiring new business throughout the Capital Region, Adirondack Region and Northeastern New York.

Minahan has 22 years of banking experience. Prior to joining TD Banknorth, he was the first vice president at Berkshire Bank, serving as the Director of Sales and Product Development. Before that, he worked at Keybank N.A., as an area retail leader in the Albany (N.Y.) District.

An Alplaus resident, Minahan serves on the board of the Schenectady/ Glenville Empire Zone. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Siena College and also holds a marketing degree from Hudson Valley Community College. Minahan is originally from Schenectady, where he graduated from Mont Pleasant High School.

TD Banknorth Inc. is a leading banking and financial services company headquartered in Portland, Maine and a wholly-owned subsidiary of TD Bank Financial Group headquartered in Toronto, Canada. TD Banknorth is one of the 25 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States, with over $40 billion in assets. TD Banknorth's banking subsidiary, TD Banknorth, N.A., operates banking divisions in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. TD Banknorth and TD Banknorth, N.A. also operate subsidiaries and divisions in insurance, wealth management, merchant services, mortgage banking, government banking, private label credit cards, insurance premium financing and other financial services and offers investment products in association with PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc. For more information, visit TD Banknorth.

AngioDynamics Exec Appointed to Board

AngioDynamics exec appointed board member of medical device trade group
*Originally printed in The Business Review (Albany)
Monday, November 12, 2007

An executive of AngioDynamics Inc. has joined the board of MedTech Association Inc., a Syracuse trade organization.

Harold Mapes, president of operations for the Queensbury medical device manafacturer, is one of two new MedTech board members announced Nov. 12. The other is Martin Brusdeilins, vice president of research and development worldwide for Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics of Rochester.

MedTech, which was founded in 2004, is made up of 87 Upstate New York medical technology manufacturers, research institutions, allied professional services and economic development organizations. Its goal is to attract the funding and expertise to make upstate an internationally recognized center for medical technologies.

Girls Scouts Seeking Women of Distinction

Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York seeking Women of Distinction Nominations

Queensbury, NY –Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York (GSNENY) is currently seeking nominations for the upcoming “Defy the Ordinary – Women of Distinction” awards event to be held in Saratoga. The awards will be presented on May 1, 2008, at the Saratoga Hotel & Conference Center and will recognize outstanding women from Northern Saratoga (north of Burnt Hills), Southern Hamilton (south of Indian Lake), Warren, Washington and Fulton Counties. Nominations will be accepted until Nov. 30.

This year’s awards will recognize women for a variety of accomplishments, from career and personal achievements to outstanding community service and dedication to family and peers. An award will also be presented to an outstanding young woman under 21 who has made a significant impact in her community.

The “Defy the Ordinary – Women of Distinction” award categories include:

Distinguished Trailblazer (age 40 and over)
This category honors a woman who has Defied the Ordinary in her chosen field, “broken glass ceilings,” overcome and excelled under extreme challenges and demonstrated perseverance. She has been in her chosen field for more than 5 years and has demonstrated steady growth, exhibited leadership and fostered development of others.

Distinguished Junior Trailblazer (age 40 and under)This category honors a woman who has a proven track record of reaching ambitious or unconventional goals demonstrated by upward career mobility, steady growth and leadership skills. She is willing to take risks, inspires and motivates others.

Distinguished Personal Achievement (21 and over)This category honors a woman who is a risk taker in the non-traditional way to achieve an unconventional or ambitious goal outside the realm of volunteer activities or career endeavors. She is persistent in her efforts, remains focused and accepts challenges with confidence.

Distinguished Community Leader (age 21 and over)
This award will be given to a woman who has demonstrated outstanding contributions over a period of time to her community. She is a role model, community leader, mentor, or has broken new ground. She is an agent for change who has made a measurable difference to those around her.


Distinguished Leader of Tomorrow (under age 21)
This award will be presented to a young woman who has demonstrated outstanding leadership ability and has contributed to her school and community. She has spearheaded a project or program to improve quality of life.

Those wishing to nominate someone should complete a nomination form, which can be downloaded at http://www.gsneny.org/events/index.asp or requested by calling GSNENY’s Queensbury Service Center at 792-0947. Forms are also available at the Queensbury Service Center, located at 213 Meadowbrook Road. A 250-word essay stating why the nominee should receive the award should also accompany the completed form. Both documents should be mailed by Nov. 30 to:

Defy the Ordinary – Women of Distinction
Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York
Queensbury Service Center
213 Meadowbrook Road
Queensbury, NY 12804

About the Event:

The Defy the Ordinary - Women of Distinction event is hosted by GSNENY in three locations throughout the Council’s 16-county jurisdiction: Lake Placid (Nov. 2, 2007), Saratoga (March 6, 2008) and Scotia (May 1, 2008). The event serves as a fundraiser for Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, with proceeds supporting girl programs, volunteer recruitment and training.

For more information regarding the Defy the Ordinary - Women of Distinction event, or to request a nomination form, please contact Tammy Quackenbush, Events & Community Cultivation Specialist, at 518-489-8110 x 105 or tquackenbush@gsneny.org.

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About Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York
Girl Scouts “builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place” and has served local girls since 1916. Nearly one of every eight girls between 5-17 years old is a Girl Scout, gaining access to leadership and team building skills, career skills and exploration, and character building with the guidance of caring adult role models. The Council recruits and trains adult volunteers, delivers special programs, provides outdoor education and camping and administers Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York was created from the union of four Girl Scout Councils: Hudson Valley, Mohawk Pathways, Adirondack, and North Country. The newly-created Council serves over 14,500 girls in Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Greene, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Montgomery, Hamilton, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington Counties and a portion of St. Lawrence County.

Building a Bigger Team

Malta-based MLB Construction Services, LLC proudly announces the following appointments:



Stephen P. Bishop of Glens Falls has returned to the MLB project management team as Senior Project Manager after a seven-year stint as Construction Administrator with Crandall Associates. During his five-year tenure with MLB, he successfully delivered several notable projects including The Adirondack Museum Visitors Center in Blue Mountain Lake, the Hyde Medical Center in Malone, New York and the GE Health Care Facility in Schenectady. Steve is an Honors Graduate of the State University in Canton with a degree in construction technology. Mr. Bishop's initial assignments involve pre-construction services on projects for Skidmore College and The Hazelden Foundation.

David Zuccaro


Brian Douglass

Douglass and Zucarro have joined MLB as Project Coordinators. Brian earned his Associate Degree at SUNY Morrisville and Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management at SUNY-ESF in May. He is currently working on the Gloversville High School and River Road Medical Arts Building projects. David was a Dean's List student at Hudson Valley Community College where he earned his Associate Degree in Construction Technology in May as well. His initial project assignment is the Wal*Mart renovation in Albany.

MLB is a comprehensive Construction Services firm specializing in education, retail, and health care facilities. Current projects and clients include the Zankel Music Building at Skidmore College, the renovation and expansion of the Malta Price Chopper, Kingston Hannaford and Albany Wal*Mart Stores, the River Road Medical Arts Building, and expansion of the Morrell Science Building at Siena College.

A Prime US Citizen

Stephanie Vogel has been with Coldwell Banker for more than four years. A resident of Speculator, NY since 2002, Stephanie recently became a US citizen.



She celebrated with her husband and the staff at Peggy Blake's Coldwell Banker Prime Properties office in Queensbury.