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C6
AlbAny, new york
Number Of The Day
1,900
MicRo-bUsinEss
TeChNOLOgy
Town plans two information sessions
Crossgates launches mall-wide Wi-Fi
Bethlehem
The town is holding two information sessions
on its new micro-business program, which will
offer grants between $5,000 and $35,000 to
small-business owners. The Town Hall meetings
will be at 4 p.m. Feb. 24 and 8 a.m. March 5. The
town is also putting together a volunteer committee that will review grant applications.
— Larry Rulison
From Jan. 1 to Dec. 1 last
year, that’s how many fire
victims received help from
the American Red Cross in
the 24-county Eastern New
York Region. Assistance
included providing
financial support to 649
local households affected
by fires throughout the
year.
∙ TIMeS UnIon
Crossgates Mall is now offering wireless Internet access throughout its common areas.
The service is free. Visitors can log on to “CrossgatesGuestWiFi” to browse the Web on their
phones and to use their applications.
Of course, the mall hopes customers will use the
Wi-Fi to check out its Web presence and to use a
new Pyramid Mall mobile app to learn about sales.
— Tim O’Brien
MARKET UPDATE Stocks of local interest./c7
Times Union
Bloomberg
Dow
Industrials
30 industrials
-251.90 17,164.95
S&P 500
60 regional stocks
-5.86
378.34
NASDAQ
4900
stocks
500 widely held
common stocks
-26.26
1994.99
-48.17
4635.24
BUSINESS
mOODy’s raTiNg
IBM
shifts
220
jobs
druthers brewing Co.
Credit
risk
remains
at Sage
Debt and stagnant
tuition revenue cited
By Brittany Horn
The credit outlook for The
Sage Colleges hasn’t changed
since the last report, leaving
the schools “subject to high
credit risk” with a negative outlook, according to a
Moody’s Investors Service
report released Friday.
Sage received the designation due to $13 million
in rated debt and “ongoing
operating challenges due to
stagnant net tuition revenue” in an area that is highly
competitive with choices for
higher education, according
to the report.
Sage could be put into an
even tougher financial situation should the banks need
immediate repayment for
various bonds, according to
the report.
But Moody’s noted Sage
reflects improved operating
results for the 2014 fiscal year
and is showing continued
improvement in the current fiscal year. Changes in
management should also help
Sage create better budgeting practices and increase
academic programming and
student enrollment, according to the report.
Sage President Susan
Scrimshaw said she was not
surprised by the rating and
was happy with the colleges’
strengths identified in the report. She said the credit outlook really focused on bank
bonds and not assets that the
college owns, ultimately basing the rating on the amount
of money the school would
be able to produce in a short
amount of time.
“Moody’s basically has to
be ultra-conservative,” she
said, adding that institutions
of higher education have
come under more scrutiny in
the last few years.
Sage has undertaken
suggestions made in former
Moody’s reports and completed them, but Scrimshaw
said the bar continues to
move higher and higher in
an attempt to protect investors. She also noted that there
are “external environmental
factors affecting Moody’s
(ratings) that colleges can’t
influence.”
Colleges differ from other
institutions that Moody’s
rates because its alumni will
often come together in times
of financial stress for a college, whereas an average business may not have that same
support, Scrimshaw said.
▶ bhorn@timesunion.
com ■ 518-454-5097 ■ @
brittanyhorn
Engineers, scientists
will move to research as
part of $3 billion plan
By Larry Rulison
Photos by Michael P. Farrell/Times Union
Something brewing
on craft beer scene
Druthers Brewing Co., which this
spring plans to open a brewpub
and beer-canning facility at 1053
Broadway in Albany, takes delivery
of its new equipment on Friday.
Above, George dePiro, co-owner of
the Broadway business, shows a new
brewing tank. At left, dePiro, in red
jacket, looks over brewing equipment plans with Zach Weber, left,
and Travis Leon of Mark’s Design &
Metalworks. Druthers is also located
on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.
Albany
IBM announced Friday that
220 or more of its microelectronics engineers and scientists
at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
would be placed under its IBM
Research division.
The shift is part of the process
of IBM’s plan to spend $3 billion
over five years on cutting-edge
computer chip research even as
it hands off its chip-manufacturing unit to GlobalFoundries.
IBM employs hundreds at
SUNY Poly who work on both
computer chip and server
research and development,
although the company has never
revealed the exact number who
work there.
While some employees will
move on to work for GlobalFoundries, IBM needs to keep
many of them to continue its
research operations into nextgeneration computer chips to
power its servers and supercomputers.
GlobalFoundries will make
the chips after it takes over
IBM’s East Fishkill chip factory
in Dutchess County. But IBM
will still do its own research and
development of new and faster
chips, which will be designed
specifically for servers used to
power its mainframes and its
Please see ibm C8 ▶
bANKING
Pioneer hires five advisers from First Niagara
Retirement, investment
services offer growth,
help customers
By Eric Anderson
Troy
Pioneer Bank on Friday
hired five people — all from
First Niagara — to provide
retirement planning, succession planning and other investment advice to its clients,
including small business and
commercial customers.
Pioneer President Tom
Amell said the team will give
Pioneer “an opportunity to
grow our bank.
“Customers are looking
more for advice,” Amell said.
“The uncertainty that’s going
on in the economy, stock market ups and downs — customers are just thirsty for advice.”
Joining Pioneer are Eli S.
Rabinowitz, financial services team leader; Robert
J. Kovacs, Kimerly Matzen
and Joseph C. Lindner, all
financial advisers; and Nori
J. Lansing, a registered sales
assistant.
Rabinowitz was formerly
a vice president and branch
manager at First Niagara
Bank.
Kovacs was a financial
adviser and vice president
at First Niagara Investment
Services.
Matzen most recently was
at First Niagara Bank and
has 35 years of experience at
three financial institutions.
Times Union archive
Pioneer Bank says it is looking to
new financial services hires as an
opportunity to grow the bank by
catering to customers “thirsty for
advice.”
Lindner was a financial adviser and personal financial
associate at First Niagara.
Lansing was a vice president at HSBC Bank and most
recently was a financial ser-
vices sales assistant at First
Niagara Bank.
Amell said the expansion of
investment services comes as
baby boomers are preparing
to retire.
“The baby boom generation
and the transfer of wealth
that’s going to occur is at unprecedented levels,” he said
Friday.
Pioneer, the Capital Region’s only mutual savings
bank, is based in Troy and has
17 offices.
It ranks eighth largest in
the Capital Region, with 2.88
percent of the region’s deposits, according to the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corp.
▶ eanderson@timesunion.
com ■ 518-454-5323
BUSINESS
c8
work
Area companies on ‘best’ list
By Claire Hughes
Four area employers have
made the 2015 list of “Best
Companies to Work for in New
York State” compiled by Best
Companies Group and the New
York State Society for Human
Resource Management.
They are health insurer
CDPHP of Albany; beverage
distributor DeCrescente Distributing Co. of Mechanicville;
Latham-based LeadingAge
New York, a trade association
for nonprofit senior service
residences and providers; and
Schenectady-based Transfinder Corp., which provides
logistical support to school
transportation departments.
DILBERT By Scott Adams
FULL TIME
AlbAny, new york
ibm
▼ Continued from c6
Watson and other supercomputer systems.
Its mainframe business is
based in Poughkeepsie. IBM
announced two weeks ago it had
made its most powerful mainframe yet, the z13.
The chips used inside the z13
are the fastest in the world, according to IBM, and are twice as
fast as a typical server microprocessor.
The z13 is designed to handle
2.5 billion transactions a day. It
is specifically designed for companies that handle transactions
made from mobile devices.
The chips used in the z13 were
made at IBM’s East Fishkill chip
factory after development at
IBM labs, including Albany. The
chips were designed to handle a
large amount of data and to keep
the data secure.
“Every time a consumer
makes a purchase or hits refresh
on a smartphone, it can create
FULL TIME
Drain Cleaner & Plumber
Serious inquiries only . Experience a must. Must be able to
work flexible hours. Call 857-7053, 785-0795.
DRIVERS/TRAINEES NEEDED
***veterans welcome***Do you earn less than $700 per week?
USXpress is hiring. Immed entry-level openings available. No CDL? No
problem, training available. Call today (518) 618-2351
Fast Growing IT firm Immediate Hiring:
Admin Assist/Office Coordinator
Account Executive
IT Support
Paying $12+/hr (negotiable) plus benefits. Experience a plus. Strong
computing background a must. Must have car.
Send resume or questions to: [email protected]
▶ [email protected] ■
518-454-5504 ■ @larryrulison
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR
TELEPHONE RESEARCH - PART TIME
Oversee the full operation of a high volume warehouse, shipping and
receiving of product. The person must have the ability to handle many
different tasks at a time. Must be able to motivate and lead employees
to ensure productivity, costs and quality standards are achieved or
exceeded. Ensure that company policies, procedures and expectations
are met within the department. The position requires the person to be
an excellent communicator.
The position requires 3 to 5 years of management/supervisory
experience and the ability to lift 50lbs or more.
Now hiring experienced service technicians to provide in home service
on major appliances. Our long established company is able to offer
competitive wages, benefits, steady hours, company vehicle,and factory
training. Applicants must be dependable, have repair and trouble
shooting experience, valid NYS drivers license and great customer
service skills. Interested candidates should contact us via email at
[email protected] & include their resume (if available).
Days, Flexible 20 hours. Experience & references required.
Call 783-7661 AND Email resumes to [email protected]
The New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) is seeking
experienced candidates for immediate employment in our Latham, NY
headquarters.
STAFF ATTORNEY
Primary Responsibilities:
LANDSCAPE LABORERS (Temporary 4/1/15-11/20/15) 14 openings
w/The Brickman Group/ Schenectady County area. Mow/cut/water/edge
lawns; rake/blow leaves; dig holes for bushes/planting; pull/chop weeds;
prune/haul topsoil/mulch. Entry level/req’s supervision. No exp. req’d.
35 hr/wk, 7am-4pm. Lift/carry 50 lbs. & Sat. work req’d as necessary.
$13.47/hr; OT $20.21/hr. Transportation from Schnectady office to
worksites in Schenectady, Saratoga, Rensselaer and Albany counties
provided. Please apply in person, M-F, 9am-11am at 391 Anthony Street,
Schenectady, NY 12308.
a cascade of events on the back
end of the computing environment,” Tom Rosamilia, senior
vice president at IBM Systems,
said Jan. 15 when the new mainframe was unveiled. “The z13
is designed to handle billions
of transactions for the mobile
economy.”
Rosamilia has been overseeing the spinoff of IBM’s microelectronics business to GlobalFoundries.
IBM says it spent $1 billion
developing the z13.
The shifting of the workers to
IBM Research also has to do with
job commitment to the state.
IBM has promised to preserve
3,100 jobs from its Hudson Valley operations through 2016.
Even with the move of its chip
manufacturing to GlobalFoundries, IBM will keep the Poughkeepsie business intact since it
remains the key to IBM’s cloud
computing, mobile and Big Data
strategy.
FULL TIME
Adirondack Beverages
Apply to: Adirondack Beverages
Adirondackbeverages.com
Job code: 53
Paying $28K plus benefits. Multi-task a must. Work under pressure.
Must have car.
Paying base salary plus benefits. Experience a plus. Must have car.
∙ TIMeS UnIon
∂ Provides information to staff, school attorneys, member school
boards and district administrators on legal issues affecting public
schools.
∂ Assists in researching and writing amicus curiae cases.
∂ Reviews and reports on important legal decisions related to education
and labor relations
∂ Involves periodic statewide travel and public speaking opportunities.
∂ Contributes articles to our award-winning newspaper and various
legal publications.
PART TIME
Customer Service/Sales Representative
The Times Union is currently hiring for a Part-Time, 20 hour per week
Circulation Customer Service/Sales Representative. Hourly rate, plus
commissions. Work with a high energy, cutting edge team, helping
the largest media organization in the Capital Region.
Sales experience preferred.
To apply, please send your resume to
[email protected]
Requirements and Skills:
Lawn Specialists
Lawn Dawg, Inc.: Hiring Lawn Specialists based out of Albany, NY.
Visit www.lawndawg.com/careers or call 1-888-925-3294 ext 0180.
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN
Applicant needs to have basic electrical , plumbing and painting
experience for preventative maintenance for local apartment complex
Fax resume 518 640-2615
Manager of Administrative Services
The FUND of Lake George
Please see and apply to our complete posting on timesunion.com/jobs.
Keyword: Manager of Administrative Services
OPERATIONS PLANNER
∂ Admitted to New York State Bar.
∂ Education and public sector law experience required.
∂ Excellent written, public speaking, presentation and interpersonal
communication skills.
GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
REPRESENTATIVE
Primary Responsibilities:
∂ Act as an advocate to advance the Association’s legislative agenda to
the State Legislature, State Education Department, other state
agencies and Congress.
∂ Maintain regular contact with school board members around the
state.
∂ Represent the Association in coalitions and other meetings.
∂ Produce memos and other written materials to support the legislative
agenda.
Requirements and Skills:
The position requires scheduling and administrative duties for Operations, Planning & Receiving Dept. Responsibilities to include Production
scheduling and associated purchasing. The person selected will need
strong computer skills, excellent interpersonal skills, project coordination experience, and the ability to work well with all levels of
internal/external customers. A flexible work schedule is required with
some weekend work. This position requires 3-6 years in an Operation
Planner position and must have worked in a progressive manufacturing
plant.
Adirondack Beverages
Adirondackbeverages.com
Job Code 54
EOE
∂ BA required; MA or JD preferred
∂ Three years legislative or other policy making or lobbying experience.
∂ Experience with public education policy issues strongly preferred.
∂ Experience producing legislative materials including bill drafts and
position papers.
∂ Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
∂ Strong public speaking and interpersonal skills.
∂ Comfortable working independently in a fast-paced environment.
∂ Frequent travel as well as night and weekend availability.
∂ Must not be prohibited from lobbying the NYS Legislature.
PARTS DELIVERY DRIVER WANTED
[email protected]
Subject line: Gov. Relations Position or Staff Attorney Position
www.nyssba.org
Clean license req’d; Minimum 21 years old, EOE - Drug free workplace.
Apply in Person: Autopart International
45 Industrial Park Rd,Albany, NY 12206
No Phone Calls
Kitchen Prep/Part Time Seasonal
Part Time, Friendly, Flexible Daytime Hours. Edible
Arrangements. Apply in person only: 155 Wolf Road. Colonie
Competitive salary and benefits package. To apply for confidential
consideration for either of these positions, email resume, cover letter
and compensation requirements by February 9 to:
An Equal Opportunity Employer.
NEWSPAPER CARRIERS
NEEDED IMMEDIATELY
$100 Sign On Bonus
The Times Union is looking for independently contracted
carriers in the following areas:
ALBANY COUNTY- Albany, Latham, Watervliet, Colonie
RENSSELAER COUNTY - Rensselaer, Troy, West Sand Lake
SCHENECTADY COUNTY - Schenectady, Niskayuna, Glenville/
Alplaus, Cobleskill, Guilderland, Scotia
SARATOGA COUNTY - Clifton Park, Saratoga, Burnt Hills,
Ballston Spa
To Apply, Visit www.timesunion.com/carriers
or call 518-454-5689
Seasonal Driver Part-time
Edible Arrangements. Apply in person ONLY.
Wolf Rd Park. 155 Wolf Rd, Albany