Conversations were animated and enthusiastic at this year’s Strictly Business Forum in December. It could be the unique venue — this year the event was held at the Clinton Community College Dining Hall/Conference Center on Idaho Avenue, future site of MHAB Recovery Life Skills Community Center. The optimism was palpable in the smaller setting. Table read more
Table 5: Celebrating Successes While Dealing with Problems
In what has become a decades long tradition, North Country business leaders convened in early December for the 2018 Strictly Business Forum. With unemployment on the decline, there were successes to celebrate but there were also very real problems to discuss such as the opioid epidemic and its fallout that has left virtually no one read more
Table 4: Looking Back, Looking Forward
At Table Four, the 29th Strictly Business Forum brought together an eclectic mix of community, business, health care and education leaders. What they had in common was their passion for their work and appreciation for our area. Their shared successes and challenges led to a lively and insightful discussion. Casey Kanclerz is the Vice President read more
Table 3: A Strong Economy But Not without Challenges
The 29th annual Strictly Business Forum offered an opportunity for business leaders from around the region to reflect on 2018 and share their vision for the coming year. It also gave those leaders a glimpse of the site that will become MHAB — a transformation of Clinton Community College off-campus dormitories into a multi-purpose rehab read more
Table 2: Integrity, Energy and Creativity
“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example,” said Garry Douglas, quoting Mark Twain at the 29th Strictly Business Forum. “We’ve become the masters of our fate developing tools and programs proactively,” Douglas continued. “At 3.4%, we have a lower unemployment rate than the national average. Through will read more
Table 1: It Was a Very Good Year
For 28 years the annual Strictly Business Forum attracted dynamic business leaders who sparked meaningful dialog. This year, the 29th Forum followed the same pattern. I was pleased to have the opportunity to moderate Table 1 which brought together an amazing group of people who were passionate about their business and the future of the read more
January 2019
Even after 28 Strictly Business Forums I have to confess I still look forward to the annual event. The energy in the room is always contagious and a commitment to making the North Country a good place to live and work can be found with every participant. During the Forum I move from table to read more
Linda Carela
Linda Carela spent much of her career in non-profit organizations working at UNICEF in New York City. She started out as a self-described “data geek” behind the scenes at the help desk supporting the IT needs of the organization. Her managerial and other organizational talents allowed her to rise through the ranks to the position read more
North Country @ 3.4
The Plattsburgh region has been doing well for several years in attracting job creating investment, earning recognition by fDi Magazine last year as one of the Top 10 Micropolitan Cities of the Future in all of North and South America. But as well as we have been doing generally, when was the last time the unemployment read more
Bottling the Spirit of The North Country: Mountain Spirit Distillery
Tucked into the industrial section on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base there is a bubbling business. Mountain Spirit Distillery (MSD) has found a home in the old Explosive Ordnance Disposal Building. Founding owners Dan Paquin and John Whiteman met while working at J. Hogan Refrigeration & Mechanical in Peru, New York and realized they read more