GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • JANUARY 2026 • 1
GBJ 9 Broad Street #7 Glens Falls, NY 12801
GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL
VOL. 37 NO. 12
www.glensfallsbusinessjournal.com
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FEBRUARY 2026
SLICFiber Accelerates Expansion From Saratoga Casino Opens 85th Harness North Country To Capital Region Racing Season With 150 Dates, $17M Purses
A SLICFiber technician installs fiber optic cable as the company expands service from the North Country into Warren and Saratoga counties, bringing high-speed broadband to homes and businesses. BY PAUL POST From Watertown to Waterford, a fastgrowing fiber optics firm is giving the region a new alternative for internet and phone service, with television expected to follow soon. After launching in northernmost New York, St. Lawrence County-based SLICFiber started moving south to Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties and is now in markets such as Lake George, Glens Falls and Ballston Spa. On Feb. 4 – World Cancer Day – it made a highly visible entry to Mechanicville by installing the first-ever pink fiber-optic cable with plans to donate $25 to local charity for every residential and commercial connection.
Courtesy SLICFiber
“We’ve always been a very communitybased organization,” CEO Kevin Lynch said. “Cancer affects a lot of people. This will help families with things like travel and lodging.” Mechanicville-Stillwater Chamber of Commerce is the first “Pink Drop” customer. Plans call for working with local officials to make the #FiberofHope initiative available in SLICFiber’s entire service area. Warren County Economic Development Corporation President Jim Siplon said fiber optics is a huge economic game changer, especially in the Adirondacks where broadband has been extremely limited in many places. “First, it’s a clear sign of investment in Continued On Page 9
Harness racing returns to Saratoga Casino for its 85th season with 150 race dates and more than $17 million in purses, which began Feb. 1 at the Spa Oval. Saratoga Casino Hotel announced the return of live harness racing for its 85th season, beginning Sunday, February 1. The 2026 schedule at the Spa Oval will consist of 150 racing programs running through mid-December, including several Saturday matinee race cards throughout the season. Horsemen will compete for over $17 million in purses during the season. In addition, the track will host eight New York Sire Stakes programs featuring the best New York bred horses in the state racing for an additional $1.5 million in purses. “I expect a very strong season of racing,” said Race Secretary Peter Iovino. “The horse population has been abundant the last few years and this gives us the ability to offer a high-quality product for our fans.”
Courtesy Jessica Hallett
Saratoga Casino’s premier event, the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Invitational Pacing Series, will kick off on Saturday, July 11 with a new format better suited for local horsemen participation. This year, competitors will vie for points in the $20,000 Invitational over seven consecutive Saturdays, with the top point earners advancing to the $100,000 final on Saturday, August 29. Total purses for the Gerrity Invitational series are $240,000. Defending their 2025 titles this season are leading trainer Melissa Beckwith and top driver Jim Devaux. Beckwith trained 174 winners in 2025, while Devaux crossed the finish line first 288 times last year. Saratoga Casino will partner with the Saratoga Harness Horsepersons Association to Continued On Page 10
Harris Poll: Americans Increasingly Favor Former SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Skilled Trades Over Four-Year Degrees Duffy, Ed. D. Joins Behan Communications STAFF REPORT A new national survey commissioned by the Business for Good Foundation and conducted by the Harris Poll finds a meaningful shift in how Americans view career success, with a growing preference for trade skills training and certification programs over traditional four-year college degrees. According to the survey, four in five Americans say more people are choosing trade skills training, while 75 percent report that their definition of a “good job” has changed compared to five years ago. The findings are based on a national online survey of 2,085 adults conducted Jan. 13–15, 2026. The data also show that 75 percent of respondents believe hands-on skills and practical experience matter more than formal degrees for career success in today’s economy. More than three-quarters of respondents said jobs relying on trade or hands-on skills are less likely to be replaced by artificial intelligence, and 78 percent said the stigma around blue-collar or trade work is declining. “We’re seeing a real shift in how Americans define success at work,” said Maire Masterson, executive director of the Business for Good Foundation. “More and more people are choosing practical skills that can lead to real opportunities. At Business for Good Foundation, we are focused on em-
powering individuals with the skills needed to build a viable career and to help close the wealth gap in communities across the U.S.” The survey results correspond with concerns about automation and workforce disruption. Goldman Sachs Research estimates that artificial intelligence could automate tasks accounting for about 25 percent of all U.S. work hours, increasing the importance of workforce development strategies focused on resilience and adaptability. Ed Mitzen, co-founder of the Business for Good Foundation, said the results underscore the long-term value of skilled trades. “Unlike some entry-level jobs, the skilled trades won’t be easily displaced by AI,” Mitzen said. “These hands-on jobs require a human touch that robots can’t emulate.” The findings come as employers across manufacturing, construction and infrastructure sectors continue to report difficulty filling skilled positions. Regional workforce leaders say the national findings reflect trends already underway in the Capital Region and North Country. “These findings reinforce what we see every day at the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition — perceptions of career success are changing, and for good reason,” said Doug Ford, president of the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Continued On Page 2
Behan Communications announced that Kristine D. Duffy, Ed.D., former president of SUNY Adirondack, has joined the firm. Duffy will work with crisis communications and public affairs clients and assist with business development. Duffy served as president of SUNY Adirondack for 12 years, retiring in 2025 as the second-longest-serving president in the college’s history. During her tenure, the multicampus community college served approximately 6,000 students annually with a $31 million operating budget and 385 employees. Under her leadership, graduation rates increased by more than 12 percent, more than $50 million was invested in capital improvements, and workforce-focused degree and short-term training programs were expanded. She also secured millions of dollars in grant funding to support equipment, classrooms, and student success initiatives. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Duffy on our team,” said Ryan Moore, president and CEO of Behan Communications. “Her leadership experience in higher education, workforce development, and economic development will be an asset to our clients.” Mark Behan, chairman and founder, said Duffy’s career has been defined by relationship-building and community impact across the region. Duffy holds a doctorate in executive leadership from St. John Fisher University, a mas-
Kristine D. Duffy, Ed.D., former SUNY Adirondack president, joined Behan Communications. Courtesy Behan Communications
ter’s degree from Russell Sage College, and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Brockport. Founded in 1988, Behan Communications provides strategic counsel in public relations, crisis communications, public affairs, and corporate communications to clients nationwide.