By Holly Black
For 35 years, the Strictly Business Forum has been a cornerstone of the business community — a place where ideas ignite, connections flourish and the spirit of innovation thrives. This anniversary offers a unique chance to reflect. What would the trailblazing founders think of the Forum’s evolution? Would they marvel at today’s technology-driven strategies or find humor in how some challenges remain timeless?
This year’s Forum stayed true to its roots, with a lively mix of seasoned pros and fresh thinkers, tackling the ever-shifting business landscape. The discussions were as dynamic as the times, proving once again that while business tools may change, the core needs and habits of running a successful business remain the same.
To kick off the event, SB publisher, Herb Carpenter, brought us back 35 years ago with his nostalgic (and humorous) introductions, bringing us to the moment where this whole “cockamamie” idea started; back when he didn’t think he would be able to get 20 to 30 businesspeople to sit around a table for three or four hours talking about their businesses. And yet, here we are, celebrating the anniversary of that idea—now a hallmark event where just having a seat at the table is both an honor and a privilege.
After all, isn’t that what we all want as business people? A chance to have a voice, to be heard. This year, I had the privilege of listening to the voices and insights shared at my table— and now, I get the honor of passing along an abridged version of those conversations to you, with the hope that their impact resonates with you and your business.
How did your business fare in 2024?
The business landscape in 2024 brought a mix of challenges and opportunities, testing the resilience of industries across the board. From navigating market disruptions to responding to the departure of key employers, businesses found themselves recalibrating to stay competitive. Yet, the conversations at Table Five reflected a common thread — this community not only adapts, but finds ways to support and grow through shared experiences. Whether grappling with rising costs, workforce shortages or changing demands, each leader brought insights that highlighted the strength of this community and the drive to move forward.
Courtney DeLaura, Vice President Agency Insurance Brokers, started our conversation stating, “Although the insurance industry as a whole was very difficult this year, with lots of carriers pulling out (both state and nationwide) and tightening guidelines, our business ended up seeing some substantial growth.”
Jamie Atkins, President/Owner, Northline Utilities followed by saying, “The irony is that my business, a construction company, has done incredibly well because of all the things Courtney said were bad for the insurance industry — storms and wind. Three converging trends, carbon-footprint demand, the electric demand overall and the weather, have driven our growth more so than in any other year.
Scott Freeman, General Manager, Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, discussed how his operation was working to get back to pre-Covid numbers. “Thirty-six percent of our customers were Canadian. When we were closed for two years, Gamers didn’t stop gaming, they found places within their own borders. Canada also timed its online gaming foray well and they have had triple digit growth ever since. I am not a proponent of gaming in your pajamas, but it is convenient for people. However, it’s not good for bricks and mortar or for local employment. But we are trying to get back to our numbers and we are growing steadily.
Brenda Murphy, Chief Quality & Safety Officer, UVMC CVPH said. “We had a good year because we didn’t lose as much as we anticipated. That was through a lot of hard work by everyone in the hospital. Our mission is community, and we must provide care. We must find new ways to bring different specialties in. We’ve done a phenomenal job this year in doing that, and we anticipate growth in 2025.
Danielle King, Vice President TDC, briefly discussed the fallout from Nova Bus leaving the area and on its suppliers who are currently occupying TDC buildings. But she quickly turned the tone of the conversation, stating, “Although we will see some ripple effects, we are choosing to look at this as an opportunity. In recent years we haven’t been able to do any aggressive recruiting because we haven’t had the space to put new businesses. Now, we have the opportunity to do just that.” Although it is always disappointing to lose a business, King and TDC, are “looking forward to seeing what kind of new energy and diversity they can bring into the park next year.
Steve Eaton, Vice President of Operations, Norsk Titanium joined in on the hopeful tone of the conversation saying he has “worked in a lot of communities and has never seen one rally as quickly as this one did when the news of Nova Bus came out. “It was really stunning work by the community, at all levels.” Discussing Norsk’s successes, he offered, “2024 was a good year for us. We saw commercial air travel recover to pre-pandemic levels and that drove significant growth in our business. We also saw growth in semiconductors and in the U.S. defense market. We just hired six more employees in December. We have a facility full of folks training and we are continuing to grow.”
How did your company address workforce challenges and successes this year?
Eaton offered, “We have invested heavily in recruiting and have both a full-time on-site recruiter alongside an external recruiter to help chase down candidates. Skilled trades are still a challenge for us. We have been able to find folks, but we are still bringing some skills into the community — more than I would like. It’s more expensive and we have experienced a lower retention rate for people who relocate. We are working hard to identify skills in the area.
DeLaura indicated, “Our most significant success has been in employee retention. The insurance industry as a whole has seen a labor shortage, it’s not easy to recruit new people because they just aren’t there, so my focus has been on retention. I have put a lot of energy into adjusting our work hours, giving some extra days off, some holidays we might not have given in the past, flexibility on leaving early for kids’ sports games. Really just trying to help with that work-life balance to increase employee satisfaction.
Atkins agreed. “The biggest thing for our employees has been our long-term retention strategies. We developed an ESOP (employee stock ownership program) for the non-collective bargaining employees to assist with retention and buy-in ,and it has created a complete change in the culture of the organization. For our collective-bargaining employees, we have developed strategies like longevity bonuses and earned paid time-off. But what I think really made the difference was that we require people to have a length of service before they can be promoted. We created our own career path. You have to be here a certain number of years before you can be a supervisor and now people embrace those roles.”
Cashman explained, “The Town of Plattsburgh’s most impactful achievement was hosting a regional housing symposium that brought together over 120 participants from six counties, including private developers, public officials, realtors, and housing advocates. The event highlighted the Town’s leadership in addressing housing availability, a key factor in workforce recruitment and retention. Additionally, we were the first municipality in Clinton County (and top 20 in the State) to receive the “Pro-Housing” by NYS designation.”
King discussed TDC’s partnership with CFES Brilliant Pathways to bridge the gap between education and manufacturers in the Industrial Park. Through this, have been able to host hundreds of tenth-grade students in an annual spring field trip where they tour local manufacturers and then spend half the day at Clinton Community College learning more about non-traditional post-secondary pathways.” Eaton quickly added “We actually hired a student from one of those tours last year for an entry level IT role and had him join in on one these tours when students came in this year.”
Murphy emphasized, “Hospitals around the country are facing significant workforce challenges. We are putting a large focus on our people and our connections. We are developing ways to connect with each other, get to know one another and make sure our staff has what they need to do their work. A big focus in this upcoming year will be on reducing unnecessary stress. It will also be about the work-life balance and being happy with what we do.”
Freeman offered, “The struggles we face in recruitment and retention are due in large part to gaming license requirements. We have Tribal Gaming and New York State Gaming Licenses that everyone has to pass. They are very strict because of the amount of money we take in in a day. Finding people who can pass the license criteria is difficult and time consuming. To incentivize new recruits, the casino offers a sign-on bonus and we have a family-referral bonus program which helps with both new hires and retention.”
How have Your Marketing Strategies Changed?
Fast forward 35 years, and the game has shifted—mostly to the digital platform of social media and AI. At Table Five, the consensus was clear — social platforms now dominate the advertising world. Still, a few leaders argued for the tried-and-true classics, reminding us that old-school methods like networking, physical mail, tradeshows, and print ads don’t end up lost in the dreaded SPAM folder.
Eaton said, “Being in commercial aerospace, we historically attended air shows in Farmborough in the UK and Paris, but as business dropped off due to the pandemic, we started marketing more heavily to the U.S. Department of Defense and semiconductor markets. We now focus our attention on additive manufacturing centric shows and we use our contacts Garry Douglas and Elise Stefanik to help us make connections.
Atkins explained that in the utilities industry marketing success is due to brand recognition and performance. “Recently we won our second Global Supplier of the Year Award. Showing the customer that you can truly add value and perform builds a sense of comfort and security.”
Freeman explained that the casino industry has historically relied on mail advertisements in order to get offers in the hands of past, current and potential customers. “There are many casinos that do emails exclusively, but there is nothing better than getting an offer actually in your hands. Growth has also been through Social Media. We go for the younger crowd now which is TikTok and X, so we recruit Content Providers and we use AI as well. Our goal is to bridge the gap between the classic middle-aged casino crowd and the younger generation.
DeLaura agreed that the Agency has shifted marketing strategy. “We do very little print these days. Our primary focus is on online advertising, social media platforms and Google Ads. We have also begun to utilize certain AI tools. In addition, we encourage referrals from our current clients. Whether your business has been around for 100 years or 100 days, we all know the best advertising is the kind that costs exactly nothing—good old-fashioned word-of-mouth.”
Upcoming Challenges & Opportunities in 2025
As we head into 2025, the challenges are still piling up—workforce shortages, shifting global dynamics, technology racing ahead faster than we can blink,and that ever-growing gap in experience between current and next-generation business leaders. The biggest issues those at Table Five are facing are interesting, but probably not all that surprising.
Although Cashman spoke on the behalf of the Town of Plattsburgh, his biggest issue in the upcoming year was echoed by many around the table, “One of the most pressing issues is ensuring that the Town’s infrastructure and resources can meet the demands of a growing population. Workforce housing and infrastructure investment will remain top priorities as we continue fostering collaboration across sectors.”
In line with infrastructure, King and the TDC’s biggest issue in 2025 will be adjusting to Industrial Park vacancies. In true King style she wasted no time turning the “issue” into an opportunity, flipping the tone of the conversation to one of hope as she said, “We are approaching an opportunity to diversify the types of jobs in the Parks, and
collaborate with our state and regional partners on new business attractions.”
Murphy shifted the focus from the commonplace challenges to discuss how one of the biggest challenges facing the hospital and healthcare everywhere — workplace violence — a topic most of us wouldn’t think twice about in our own places of employment. “We have seen a change in workplace violence. People don’t recognize the abuse staff receive – both verbal and physical. We are trying to care for people in sometimes really challenging circumstances. There are lots of people struggling. So, if you’re reading this, please remember to show kindness to your healthcare professionals. A little kindness goes a long way.”
After 35 years of business adventures, it’s safe to say we’ve come full circle. It’s clear that while tools and technology have evolved, the heart of business remains the same. Whether navigating today’s digital landscape or sticking to classic strategies, success still comes down to innovation, adaptation, and — most importantly —relationships. And here in our community, that’s what truly sets us apart. Through every challenge and change, we’ve remained united, supporting one another and thriving together. Here’s to the next 35 years of Strictly Business—all thanks to a “cockamamie” idea that stood the test of time, just like the business leaders who started it.
Holly Black is the owner of Crossborder Development Corporation and the Hurdle Group, a human resources and immigration agency in Plattsburgh.
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