Empowering Growth: How the ARCC Champions Continuing Education

As one of the ARCC’s pillars, the focus on education is threaded through many of the Chamber’s activities, one of those being panel discussions. Drawing from the myriad industries that make up their membership base, the ARCC periodically organizes panel discussions on topics of interest to the business community.

This past February, the Adirondack Nonprofit Business Council (ANBC) of the ARCC organized a panel discussion on grants and other funding sources for nonprofits. Fifty attendees listened intently as a grant writer, a director of philanthropy, and a banker provided their expertise on funding options for nonprofits.

“We are so grateful to these panelists for sharing their expertise on a subject that some nonprofits don’t have the time or resources to dive into,” said ANBC Chair Sarah Hoffman (Lake George Land Conservancy). “I have a feeling this conversation will continue in future meetings, and I look forward to hearing success stories from those who were able to apply what they learned.”

The nonprofit panel featured Erin Coons (WAIT House), Jennifer Frame (Stewart’s Shops), and Tracey Wardwell (Capital Bank).

Looking ahead, the Women’s Business Council (WBC) of the ARCC has organized its annual summit event, slated for the afternoon of May 14th in the Carriage House of the Fort William Henry Hotel, Lake George. Past topics have revolved around succession planning for family-owned and small businesses. This year, the focus has shifted to managing a multi-generational workforce.

“Are you struggling with how to navigate the changing dynamics of today’s workforce—understanding how to effectively recruit, engage, and retain employees from different generations? The Summit is the place to be on May 14th at The Fort William Henry from 12:30 pm–3 pm,” stated Tracey Wardwell, Women’s Business Council past-Chair and Assistant Vice President and Regional Branch Manager at Capital Bank.

It’s no surprise that businesses and organizations of all sizes and across all industries are challenged with managing a multi-generational workforce. This trend presents the challenge of devising strategies to cultivate an environment that promotes high engagement, loyalty, and productivity, despite the variations among different demographic groups. A multi-generational workforce brings advantages in the form of diverse perspectives, innovative thinking, and unique talents. But it can also create friction and challenges among employees and leadership, resulting in less-than-desirable outcomes. Recognizing this, the Women’s Business Council of the ARCC has assembled a panel featuring Elizabeth Miller (Miller Industrial Manufacturing), Brian Rollo (Brian Rollo Consulting Group), Jennifer Massey (Integra HR, LLC), and Cam Cardinale (Southern Adirondack Independent Living). The conversation will be moderated by ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers and Tracey Wardwell. This event is open to everyone.

Next up, the ARCC Workplace Health & Wellness Council is hosting its annual symposium event with a focus on workplace wellness programs that work. If you don’t have a wellness program in place at your business or are looking to update one, this could be a beneficial conversation for you.

“Over two-thirds of Americans report overwhelming workplace stress, and those stressed-out workers are three times more likely to leave their employer in the next twelve months. When choosing jobs, over eighty percent of those surveyed say an employer’s wellness-based support was a strong factor in accepting a position,” said panelist Bryan A. Flowers, Kripalu YT-500, RISE Facilitator, Mindful Outdoor Guide of Oakwise Soul. “Our goal for the Symposium is to offer a foundation for anyone to start offering this support to their team across the spectrum of needs.”

This program will provide business leaders, HR professionals, and entrepreneurs with actionable strategies to implement or enhance workplace health and wellness programs. These strategies are scalable for employers of any size and offer opportunities for workers in any industry to grow and thrive. The panel features business owners and wellness-focused professionals sharing their experiences with workplace wellness programs. John Lefner, CEO of The Hyde Collection, will lead the discussion along with panelists Amber Bergman, LMHC, RYT-300 (New Moon Healing), Andrea Deepe (CEO, ASCEND Mental Wellness), Bert Weber (Co-Founder, Common Roots Brewing & President of the Common Roots Foundation), and Bryan A. Flowers.

The workplace wellness program panel discussion is being held on May 22nd, beginning at 12:00 pm at The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls.

The ARCC is proud to present these educational programs through partnership and collaboration with its member businesses and organizations. Visit www.adirondackchamber.org/events to learn more and register for events.