What is the fastest growing industry in New York State? It is not manufacturing or service. It is agriculture. More specifically, it is the grape industry (viticulture). Surprised? It seems like everyone knows about and has visited the vineyards and wineries around the New York Finger Lakes, but there is another region of Northern New York that is becoming known for its wineries and vineyards and it is right here in the Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties. I am proud to say that one of those vineyards, Indian River Vineyards, is mine. Read more

Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” This is one of the founding tenets behind the Thousand Islands Young Leaders Organization (TIYLO) - an organization of 21-40 year olds hoping to slow the “brain drain” and enhance the quality of life in Upstate NY. Read more

Kelly Services started as an idea after one man watched the car manufacturing company’s boom in the mid 1940’s. Big companies needed more help. His idea has grown to what Kelly Services is today - an ideal staffing solution. Read more

You might not believe it, but all roads start and end in Watertown.

It has been said that life is a circle. If that is the case, the youngest John B. Johnson has followed such a path that led away from his childhood home in Watertown, New York at age 15 and ultimately back again, 22 years later. If you had asked him as a young child if all his important life connections would somehow be related to Watertown and Northern New York, he would not have believed it. Read more

Once her children were in school, Sarah was finally able to pursue her dream to earn an associate degree. She had worked slowly but consistently, fitting her classes in between her job, her children’s school vacations, and community projects. But as she proudly prepared for her graduation ceremony, Sarah worried about her next step toward a higher degree. She didn’t have time to drive an hour and a half to attend classes, and she didn’t think that strictly online classes would work well for her - she wanted to work with her teachers face-to-face. Read more

The future of the North Country is directly linked to the quality of its leadership. Dedicated, trained and inspired community leaders will shape and determine the future of our region for years to come. This belief was the motivation behind the creation of the Jefferson Leadership Institute (JLI), a program of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Established in 1991, an average class size of 20 each year has led to over 330 graduates who are now part of the leadership core of Jefferson County. Read more

Otis Technology is the world leader in gun cleaning technology. And the pioneer of a small, portable gun cleaning kit is now the CEO and pioneer of a successful local company working to please the community and the employees surrounding her. Read more

CADD is an acronym for computer-aided design and drafting. CADDs are CAD systems that also include additional drafting features that enable an engineer or architect to insert size annotations and other notes into a design. In English, that basically means CADD is a computer program that allows you to easily and accurately draw anything you might normally draw with a pencil and paper using your computer instead. Read more

In this month’s issue, you will learn of business men and women who have chosen to make Northern New York their home. They are successfully following their instincts and living their dream to conduct business here in Northern New York. They are making a tremendous impact on our local economy and our community. Read more