Bank promotions
PLATTSBURGH — Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. has announced the appointment of Dawn C. Banker to branch manager of the Margaret Street Office replacing Ronald Marino upon his retirement, and the promotion of Kimberly A. Davis to branch manager of the Cornelia Street Office.
Banker joined the bank in 1997 as a customer service representative having more than 24 years of banking experience. In 2001, she was promoted to assistant branch manager of the Cornelia Street Office. In 2005, she was promoted to manager of the Cornelia Street Office, and in 2009 was promoted to branch officer. In 2005 and 2009, she was presented with the Catch a Shining Star Customer Service Award, and in 2001 and 2010, she was elected to the bank's High Performance Club.
She is a native of Saranac and a graduate of Saranac Central School and Clinton Community College. Banker has completed several courses at the New York Banker's Association Consumer Credit School at West Point and the American Institute of Banking. Active in the community, she serves on the Corporate Board for Apple Valley Senior Housing.
Davis joined the bank in 2008 as a management trainee, and in 2009 was promoted to assistant manager for the Cornelia Street Office.
Active in the community, she has served the Plattsburgh Noon Kiwanis Club as secretary, president and chair of the Radio Day Fundraiser Committee, and also as a chair of the Major Emphasis Committee. Davis is a mentor and coach for the Team in Training Program of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, an Adirondack Young Professionals member, and American Cancer Society Relay For Life team captain. She is also a CVPH Medical Center platelet donor.
A native of East Hampton and a graduate of East Hampton High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Philosophy at SUNY Plattsburgh. She was the Cross-Sell Rookie of the Year in 2008 and the Kiwanian of the Year in 2009.
Athlete sponsored
MALONE — The Malone law firm of Fischer, Bessette, Muldowney & Hunter LLP has entered into a sponsorship agreement with national champion and Olympic ski jumper Peter Frenette of Saranac Lake.
The four-year agreement extends through the Olympic year 2014 when the Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia. Managing partner of the law firm John Muldowney said the firm is proud to sponsor an elite athlete such as Frenette. "In addition to being a world-class ski jumper, he is a fine young man and deserving of our support," he said.
In 2006, the United States Ski and Snowboard Association cut all funding to the U.S. ski jumping program. Since that time, elite jumpers have had to secure funding on their own. A year of jumping, travel, equipment and coaching can cost upwards of $25,000. This past spring, a group of dedicated individuals, most of them former jumpers and coaches, joined together to create a new initiative, USA Ski Jumping. This group has hired coaches and is working on finding major sponsors for the current team. Until sponsors can be found, however, all other expenses are covered by the jumpers and their families. Those interested can follow the progress of the team, including Frenette, on their new website: www.usaskijumping.org.
"This past year was really exciting for me. I traveled to over 11 countries on three continents to compete. I was chosen to be a member of the 2010 Olympic Team in Vancouver, which was four years earlier than I was planning on being in the Olympics," Frenette said. "Without the help of local sponsors like FBMH Law and others, this dream would never have come true."
Appointments announced
PLATTSBURGH — Chantal Haskins has joined UFirst Federal Credit Union as a member service representative.
She graduated from Beekmantown Central School in 2007 and continued her education at Clinton Community College, graduating in 2009, and continues to work on her Finance degree at SUNY Plattsburgh. Haskins is located at the Plattsburgh Branch office. She can be reached at 324-5700 or chaskins@ufirstfcu.net.
Also, Amanda Finckel has joined UFirst as a floating member service representative.
She is a 2010 graduate from SUNY Plattsburgh and will be working in the Mooers Branch Office and traveling to the Rouses Point Branch Office located in the Cornerstone Pharmacy and the Plattsburgh Branch Office when needed. She can be reached at 236-6228 or afinckel@ufirstfcu.net.
UFirst Federal Credit Union serves individuals that live, work, worship, or attend school in Clinton County.
Certification earned
PLATTSBURGH — Eric A. Gauthier, MD, FACC, of Champlain Valley Cardiology in Plattsburgh, has earned his board certification in Interventional Cardiology from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
ABIM works to enhance the quality of health care by certifying internists and subspecialists who demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for excellent patient care.
Gauthier is also board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. He practices Interventional Cardiology along with Dr. Timothy Garrand and Dr. William Bradley. The physicians and staff of Champlain Valley Cardiology are an integral part of the Heart Center at CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.
Board certification demonstrates that physicians have met the highest standards of internal medicine and its subspecialties. Board certification is voluntary and includes an examination that tests a physician's ability to treat patients with a broad range of conditions.
Bank rated
PLATTSBURGH — BauerFinancial Inc. of Coral Gables, Fla., the nation's bank-rating firm, has recognized Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co. as one of the strongest banks in the nation. Having earned BauerFinancial's highest 5-Star rating for strength and stability, Glens Falls National has proven its strength and superiority. To earn Bauer's 5-Star Superior rating, a bank must excel in areas of capital adequacy, delinquent loan levels and profitability to name a few. Glens Falls National has done so for 15 consecutive quarters.
"The staff and management of Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co. has done a very good job and should be very proud to work for such a strong financial institution," said Karen L. Dorway, president of the research firm. "Often the general public wants to know more about the strength of their bank, so BauerFinancial's highest rating helps to assure customers and the community that they are dealing with a strong financial institution that will be able to fulfill their banking needs for years to come."
Established in 1851, Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co. has been serving the banking needs of the North Country area for 160 years. It operates through 29 offices throughout five counties in upstate New York and can be found at www.gfnational.com .
BauerFinancial, the nation's leading independent bank and credit-union rating and research firm, has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution pays BauerFinancial to rate it nor can any choose to be excluded. Consumers may obtain ratings by visiting www.bauerfinancial.com.
Chamber trip
PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-inclusive, nine-day trip to China from Oct. 19-27. The trip includes Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou with tours of the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, Tian An Men Square, Sozhou Silk Factory, Yu Garden and more. The cost is $2,099 and is open to anyone who would like to attend.
Chamber partner Citslinc International has been coordinating trips to China for chambers of commerce for 10 years. They have a solid reputation for providing an amazing experience for both business and leisure travelers. They will be in Plattsburgh on Feb. 8 to answer questions. The information session will be held at the chamber office at 5:30 p.m.
The cost covers airfare from JFK, three meals per day, lodging in four- and five-star hotels, transportation, tours, fluent English-speaking guides and entrance fees for attractions. A free shuttle to JFK is offered based on the number of people registered. Business and casual travelers alike may attend.
Go to www.northcountrychamber.com for more information. The trip is open to everyone, so participants may pass this on to family, friends and colleagues. If they are coming from different cities, they can meet at JFK for the departure.
The Feb. 8 information session is free, but participants must RSVP by Feb 1. Call the chamber at 563-1000 to reserve a spot and learn more about the trip.
Staff appointed
MALONE — CSArch Architecture/Engineering/Construction Management located in Albany, Malone, Newburgh, Long Island and New York City has announced the hiring of the following staff.
Mark Surra of Malone has joined as senior construction site representative for the firm's Salmon River Central School District additions and alterations project. Surra has served in similar construction management positions for school districts throughout New York State, and large projects at the Upstate Correctional Facility in Malone, the U.S. Army at Fort Drum, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan and NASA in Greenbelt, Md.
Zachary Malison of Schenectady joined the firm's Albany office as intern mechanical engineer. A graduate of Binghamton University's Watson School of Engineering, Malison assisted with the design and construction of a 1-KW wind turbine on campus to raise awareness of sustainable energy within the local community. Malison will contribute to the firm's current efforts in the integration of building systems' engineering and sustainable design practices.
Nicholas Mahan of Fort Edward joined the firm's Albany office as intern electrical engineer. A graduate of the Inamori School of Engineering at Alfred University, he was previously with Upstate Power Systems Engineering in Glens Falls. Mahan will assist with electrical systems design including power, lighting, life-safety and telecommunication systems.
Rating earned
PLATTSBURGH — Adirondack Bank has earned a four-star rating and was placed on BauerFinancial Inc.'s Recommended Bank Report for the 16th consecutive quarter. A Four-Star Excellent rating indicates that the bank is a financial institution that is safe, financially sound and is operating well above its regulatory capital requirements.
BauerFinancial is an independent research firm that rates financial institutions using a complex formula of criteria factoring in current and historical data. The first level of evaluation is the capital level of the institution, which is then followed by many other types of relevant data, which includes profitability, reserves, regulatory compliance and several other factors.
"On behalf of the chairman, the Board of Directors and senior management, we are very pleased to announce that we have achieved the Four-Star Excellent rating for the 16th consecutive quarter," said Gary W. Kavney, president and chief executive officer. "We would like to thank our team of over 150 dedicated professionals who have made this possible. We are proud to say that our employees are out in their communities on a regular basis providing quality service and addressing the financial needs of our customers."
Adirondack Bank is a full-service community bank with 17 locations throughout upstate New York and executive headquarters at 185 Genesee Street in Utica.
Business mixer
PLATTSBURGH — Cumberland 12, The Ground Round, Best Western Inn at Smithfield and Y106.3 will co-host the North Country Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours on Thursday from 5:30-7 p.m. at Cumberland 12.
The sponsors will co-host an evening of networking and much more. Ground Round will be catering hors d'oeuvres, and there will be a cash bar. Everyone who attends will receive a free movie pass on their way out the door at 7.
Business After Hours is an opportunity to expand business networks and is open to all chamber members and their employees. Future members are encouraged to contact the chamber for a special-guest pass. The fee for Business After Hours is $3 with an advance reservation and $4 without. For more information, or to make reservations, call the chamber at 563-1000.
Hospital service
ELIZABETHTOWN — Elizabethtown Community Hospital is adding cardiac rehabilitation to its service lineup. The program will accept patients beginning in early February at the Elizabethtown Community Health Center across from the main hospital building.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a program that helps people develop heart health through education, physical activity and lifestyle modification. It is coordinated by a physician and involves exercise physiologists, pharmacists, dieticians, nurses and the patient's family.
Cardiac rehab is not reserved for those who have suffered a heart attack. It is a program designed for people who have recently experienced bypass surgery, stent placement, valve repair, heart transplant, angina or angioplasty. Generally, cardiac rehabilitation is a treatment program for individuals who need to improve their heart health. It requires physician referral.
"After a heart issue, patients feel very vulnerable and may be reluctant to exert themselves," said Meredith King, RN. "Something as simple as walking to the mailbox can create anxiety. This program teaches people to be confident in their ability to recover and live as normally as possible."
It is a team approach, designed to help a patient transition from a significant heart issue to a situation where he or she feels confident performing daily tasks. It also includes information to help patients modify their lifestyle to help to reduce future risk. Components of a cardiac rehabilitation program are based on an individual treatment plan for each patient. It includes physician prescribed exercise, individualized education and ongoing assessment of each patient's goals.
The program will take advantage of the hospital's technologically advanced capabilities. The hospital's telemedicine program will be expanded to include virtual visits with Cardiologist Dr. Joel Wolkowicz, who is overseeing the program. Meeting with patients from a distance allows them to remain where they're most comfortable and reduces the need for travel.
The facility is also equipped with a wireless patient monitoring system to ensure that each patient is exercising their heart at an appropriate level. The monitoring system consists of a series of electrodes attached to each patient and a centralized computer that records the data. Nurses and exercise physiologists will be equipped with wireless handheld devices to record each patient's vital signs at regular intervals. This information will also be transmitted to the central computer, providing real-time information.
Haiti donation
PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh Sunrise Rotary Club has made a $3,000 donation to earthquake relief in Haiti through the Rotary Foundation Earthquake Relief Fund.
This fund is carrying out relief and rebuilding projects in the areas still dramatically impacted by the January 2010 earthquakes. This donation will be used toward the fund's rebuilding of medical clinics and schools, providing children's vaccinations, providing medical care and prosthetics to women, children and victims of the earthquake. This donation continues the club's commitment to assist Haiti, already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere before the earthquake disaster.
The Sunrise Rotary Club and its members donated more than $2,200 in 2010 to the Rotary-affiliated Shelterbox program deployed in Haiti, which provided life-sustaining equipment to earthquake victims. In 2009, the club donated $2,500 through Ryan's Well Foundation to build wells for safe drinking water in Haiti.
Club President Ron Marino said the club believes in the mission of serving the community and other countries in need. "Through the auspices of Rotary, we are able to reach and help many people," he said.
Haitian project leader Victoria Zinser Duley added that the club has been terribly saddened by the continued hardships faced in Haiti, the terribly poverty and limited food and safe water sources, the catastrophic earthquake and the following cholera epidemic and other health issues. "We are grateful to have connections through Rotary International to try to serve some of these needs, and for the generosity of our club, its members and supporters," she said.
The club will continue fundraising to assist Haiti and other international projects and to meet local and community needs.
The Plattsburgh Sunrise Rotary Club carries out many community events year-round, including the annual Mayor's Cup Festival and Regatta. For more information, visit http://www.plattsburghsunriserotary.org. For more information about the Rotary Foundation Earthquake Relief fund, visit http://www.rotary.org and for more information about Shelterbox visit http://www.shelterboxusa.org/.
Award winners
TUPPER LAKE — The Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the 2010 Best of Tupper Lake Awards.
For this year's awards, The chamber initiated online voting through tupper-lake.com and received more nominations than at any time in its history.
This year's winners are:
Business of the Year, The Wild Center; Citizen of the Year, Mark Moeller; Entrepreneur of the Year, Stacked Graphics (Andrew McClelland and Pat Bedore).
The chamber invites participants to join and celebrate at the Chamber Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting to be held at the Park Restaurant on Feb. 19 at 5 p.m.
The chamber has reduced the awards dinner admission to $25 per person if purchased in advance (down from $35) and $30 at the door.
Tickets are available online at http://tupper-lake.com/shop.
Tickets can also be purchased at the chamber office at 121 Park Street and at The Well Dressed Food Company at 95 Park Street.
Energy program
PLATTSBURGH — National Grid's new residential Energy Efficiency Program will assist customers in reducing their energy use and help them save money while improving the health, safety and comfort of their homes. The Enhanced Home Sealing Incentives Program is available to eligible Upstate New York homeowners who reside in one-to-four family homes and heat their homes with National Grid natural gas.
Qualified homeowners may reduce their energy costs and increase a home's comfort by participating in the Enhanced Home Sealing Incentives Program. Sealing a home's air leaks will make a house more comfortable and cut energy use year-round. These energy-efficiency improvements will help heating and cooling systems run more effectively.
Homes built prior to 1980 may benefit the greatest from this program. ENERGY STAR estimates that customers could save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs or up to 10 percent on the total annual energy bill by sealing and insulating a home.
Customers will receive a Comprehensive Home Assessment and up to two hours of air sealing, all for a nominal $50 participation fee. If the Comprehensive Home Assessment report indicates that attic insulation is recommended, customers may be eligible for National Grid incentives of 50 percent up to $3,000 of the pre-set insulation and installation costs. As part of the assessment, experts will also inspect homes for health and safety hazards including testing for carbon monoxide.
The Comprehensive Home Assessment and the installation of energy-efficient improvements are performed by participating Enhanced Home Sealing Incentives Program contractors accredited and certified by the Building Performance Institute. To start saving energy today and take advantage of this limited time offer, register for this program by calling 1-877-741-4330 or by e-mailing EnhancedHomeSealing@csgrp.com.
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