PLATTSBURGH — The North Nation Chamber of Commerce hosted its 111th Annual Awards Dinner on the West Facet Ballroom Friday night time, with the theme being “A Winter Wonderland.”

The sold-out occasion featured decorations similar to snowflakes, evergreen bows and cranberry centerpieces, whereas the greater than 375 attendees dressed up of their most interesting apparel because the 2023 Chamber award winners of Enterprise of the 12 months, Small Enterprise of the 12 months, Businessperson of the 12 months and Trailblazer, together with the 2022 Chairperson, have been all honored.

Listed below are this yr’s award winners:

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Behavioral Well being Providers North (BHSN), which companies a number of northern New York counties, was given the nod for Enterprise of the 12 months.

BHSN’s historical past within the North Nation dates again to 1874 when Margaret Platt based a house for orphans and deserted kids.

Via the a long time, it has developed into some of the numerous regional suppliers of behavioral companies within the state and nation, with greater than 20 websites and applications dedicated in a variety of how to strengthening people, households and neighborhood life within the North Nation.

Extra particularly, its focus is on constructing a complete, built-in, neighborhood based mostly community of care that’s inclusive of bodily well being, behavioral well being, in addition to social determinants of well being.

Over 400 staff at BHSN work every day to make that mission come to life.

“We’re one of many few organizations that’s truly in a position to deal with the whole individual,” President and CEO of BHSN, Mark Lukens, Stated.

“We are able to concentrate on their behavioral well being wants or bodily well being wants, in addition to all these different issues that may contribute to well being similar to housing, employment and training.”

Lukens famous that the necessity for his or her companies has grown considerably over the previous few years amongst all age teams.

“Effectively, throughout the whole United States there was an enormous uptick in of us looking for behavioral well being help,” he stated.

“I’ve been right here six years now. Once I began right here …we had a workforce of about 100 to 220 employees, and we have been about $8 million to $9 million in annual income. Right this moment, we have now over 415 employees and near (about) $40 million in income.”

The corporate’s substantial development in such a brief time frame has not been misplaced on the Chamber, both.

“Underneath the management of President Mark Lukens, his crew and his board, BHSN has skilled astounding development in its capability and efforts,” Garry Douglas, Chamber President, stated.

“Over simply the final 5 years, its income has elevated from $8 million to $37 million, enabling historic new ranges of service and help for our space.”

Lukens stated the Chamber’s recognition of their work has been drastically appreciated.

“The popularity is effectively deserved amongst the parents right here, they deserve it,” he stated.

“I feel it’s been a tricky couple years, basically, from a societal perspective. From an organizational perspective, we’ve grown considerably throughout that very same time frame. So I imply, it’s at all times an honor to be acknowledged in your work. It’s at all times an honor. And, from my perspective, it’s an honor to have 400 folks on the market that introduced this to life and made it a actuality.”

BHSN now has huge plans forward of them for the approaching yr.

“I see continued development. I see our development in a wide range of methods. We’re going to proceed to diversify our companies. We’re going to proceed to develop when it comes to our geographic footprint,” Lukens stated.

“You realize, it was simply two years in the past that we have been requested to come back into Glens Falls and open up store down there. We’re going to proceed to broaden even past that … a part of our imaginative and prescient is probably 24 hour days, seven days per week companies and probably going multistate.”

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Banker Orchards Farm Market, owned and operated by the Sullivan household since 1979, took house the dignity of Small Enterprise of the 12 months.

The Plattsburgh-based orchard is thought for its choices of a wide range of freshly grown apples and pumpkins in addition to an assortment of contemporary baked items like apple, pumpkin, raspberry, strawberry rhubarb and blueberry pies.

The general public orchard, which has a petting zoo on website with pigs, goats, llamas, miniature donkeys and horses, is a well-liked vacation spot for a lot of scheduled class journeys on weekdays, and birthday events on weekends.

“Our enterprise is all native and neighborhood and household. We’ve loads of households that are available in,” Proprietor Nina Sullivan stated.

“We attempt to try to provide them that exterior journey and make it affordable for them. We attempt to provide loads of free issues (too).”

Nina stated proudly owning a small enterprise during the last three years has offered them with much more challenges than regular.

However because of their robust “core,” they acquired by way of it.

Now, to be celebrated with this award, she stated, it meant the whole lot.

“After they known as and advised me, it didn’t sink in and I didn’t imagine it. I needed to name them again the following day and ask them in the event that they advised me proper,” Nina laughed.

“It’s a giant to-do and we’re very proud and honored to be chosen … Whoever nominated us, thanks very a lot.”

Nina and her husband Bruce each agreed that the companies’ concentrate on household was a giant purpose they imagine they have been chosen for the award.

“We’re devoted. We’re a household and also you want a household that’s concerned about each side that we do, and all of us work very laborious,” she stated.

“It’s only a household operation up there. We’ve joyful folks that are available in and we are likely to all their wants.”

Their sons, Brian and Andrew Sullivan, together with Andrew’s spouse Emma and their kids, Nicolas, Daniel and Grace, have labored to make the magic occur on the orchard when assist ran brief the previous couple of years.

Nina’s mother and father, Janice and Ridley Stuart, have as effectively.

“When our smaller workforce isn’t there, it makes for an extended day and tougher work for our household, and that’s what the final three years have been,” Nina stated.

“However we have now our household working with us so we’re honored to have that. We’re fortunate.”

Kristy Kennedy, vp of Advertising and Tourism for the Chamber, had excessive reward for the small enterprise and its influence on the North Nation.

“Banker Orchards Farm Market is a real Adirondack Coast treasure highlighting our most fascinating and exquisite season: fall,” Kennedy stated.

“Nina and her crew have constructed a high quality orchard that may be a actually stand-alone vacation spot. Not solely do they provide their well-known apple choosing, however I can assure that everybody in attendance has attended a party on the orchard or visited with their household. For her funding in our neighborhood and our household reminiscences, I used to be so honored to see Nina and Bankers Orchard chosen for this award.”

BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR

This yr’s recipient of the Chamber’s Businessperson of the 12 months Award, Deena Giltz McCullough, has had a robust presence within the North Nation for a lot of a long time.

As president and CEO of Northern Insuring Company, Inc., which has workplaces within the Metropolis of Plattsburgh, Glens Falls and Potsdam, Giltz McCullough has distinguished herself for example of excellence in each enterprise, management and neighborhood help since first becoming a member of the corporate in 1985.

Since then, she has not solely sustained the third technology household enterprise however has introduced it to new heights whereas constructing a profitable crew round her.

“Deena Giltz McCullough exemplifies not solely excellence in main a historic household enterprise to new heights,” Douglas stated, “however demonstrating the conviction {that a} robust enterprise requires a robust neighborhood and {that a} robust neighborhood in flip requires robust help from its enterprise leaders.”

McCullough has continued the legacy of the Giltz household in help of a wide selection of neighborhood causes and organizations, not solely by way of monetary generosity however by way of private engagement and management with the UVM Well being Community and CVPH, SUNY Plattsburgh, Mountain Lake PBS, the Strand Middle for the Arts and the Plattsburgh YMCA, amongst others.

To no shock, Giltz McCullough has been no stranger to receiving awards.

However every one means simply as a lot, she stated.

“Aside from being stunned about it, too. I can’t say sufficient. It’s good to be acknowledged, it’s nonetheless not why I do it. It comes with a sure accountability. and when our friends acknowledge us, it places somewhat added emphasis and I’m a really intentional individual. I take that accountability critically,” she stated.

“It’s good to have folks that say ‘Hey, thanks, you’re the anointed and that is your yr to shine.’ and I simply can’t say sufficient how stunned I’m by that.”

But it surely hasn’t at all times been straightforward for her; in reality, it hardly ever has been straightforward.

She stated there have been three defining moments in her profession that acquired her to the place she is as we speak: the 1998 ice storm; the demise of her son; and the pandemic.

Whereas every state of affairs was utterly completely different, every one compelled her into changing into a greater chief, pal, mom and individual.

“I like to think about it as neuroplasticity — the place the mind has the flexibility to heal itself and do larger issues than what it had earlier than.”

Now, as she seems forward to 2023, Giltz McCullough, 60, is targeted on build up the following technology.

It will permit her to tackle much less, whereas getting ready Northern Insuring for the longer term.

“So in case you have a look at what I do as an expert right here, I do loads of strategic planning and a part of that’s envisioning for the place we have to place ourselves to be and it’s been rising that subsequent technology of leaders,” she stated.

“Should you have a look at my age and the place I’m going with this, I’m not leaving, however I’m rising folks which are on the prime of their careers which are concerned about rising and are succesful folks, and it makes for a extremely clean transition. So with all these hats that I’m sporting, I’m simply sporting half the hats, perhaps not all the hats, or perhaps a extra specialised type of hat.”

TRAILBLAZER

When Adam Crosley, supervisor at Crown Dwelling Mortgage in Plattsburgh, was initially advised by Kennedy he was going to be the recipient of this yr’s Trailblazer Award, he “didn’t imagine it.”

“The mortgage world was hit very laborious final yr and it was the primary yr … I regarded within the mirror and I believed I failed,” Crosley stated.

“And I didn’t actually really feel deserving of it, however her (Kennedy) response to me — it put such a smile on my face — (she stated) ‘Adam, it’s about the place we expect you’re going.’ It actually simply meant the world.”

Although the final yr was troublesome for Crosley, 37, he stated he started his profession in 2008 in the midst of a nationwide mortgage disaster, so he is aware of a factor or two about overcoming adversity.

“I acquired my mortgage license in September of 2008, whereas all people else was getting their enamel knocked in and I didn’t know the distinction. I grew up throwing bales of hay and logging. I understand how to work,” he laughed.

“In order that was that and (since then) we’ve helped, in all probability, about 2,500 households purchase houses within the North Nation.”

On high of getting over a decade of lending expertise on his resume now, the SUNY Plattsburgh graduate additionally spends his time as a motivational speaker and mentor for up-and-coming lenders on efficiently run your personal department and mortgage operations.

Moreover, Crosley made the following huge step in his profession by changing into a constructing proprietor and transferring his workplace to 12 Sales space Drive Plaza in Plattsburgh final yr.

“I’ve had the pleasure of figuring out Adam for a number of years, and the one phrase that describes Adam in each encounter is ‘go-getter,’” Kennedy stated.

“Adam has taken each problem and flipped it into a possibility. He has by no means relied on another person to assist him attain his targets, however somewhat deliberate and went after what he needed. He continues to steer this neighborhood in a wide range of efforts and desires to see this area develop and thrive – he even is now a constructing proprietor on Route 3. We are able to’t wait to proceed to see his influence on the neighborhood.”

Crosley and his Mortgage Staff now have huge plans for 2023.

“We’re planning on constructing a business mortgage division this yr and we’re planning on doing a bunch of different issues — I simply acquired a aspect gig teaching mortgage officers all around the nation, ” Crosley stated.

“I feel that’s what the Trailblazer is, it’s an individual that … is keen to go in opposition to the grain somewhat bit, problem the norms and attempt to discover a completely different approach, perhaps a greater approach.”

CHAIRPERSON

Lastly, enterprise supervisor and proprietor at Rulfs Orchard, in addition to proprietor of Livingood’s Restaurant, Shannon Wilkins, was honored for her time because the Chamber’s Chair in 2022.

“Shannon Wilkins has been one of many Chamber’s high supporters for a few years, co-leading our Guests Bureau and tourism applications for greater than a decade, together with by way of troublesome challenges such because the pandemic, after which chairing the board as we up to date and expanded the Chamber’s strategic endeavors over the previous yr,” Douglas stated.

“She has constantly supplied a gradual hand and assured help and the North Nation Chamber is unquestionably stronger due to her management.”

Wilkins praised Douglas and Kennedy for serving to to make her time as Chair stress-free and added that the Chamber’s recognition of her, by way of this award, has been “very nice.”

“I feel that I had a extremely nice yr, as a result of … I took over when the Chamber was simply in a extremely great place,” she stated.

“It has been an honor to be chair and to get the award, and I feel that nice issues can occur within the North Nation this yr.”

Wilkins additionally thanked her husband for at all times being supportive with their two ladies as she managed her profession and Chamber endeavors.

“It may be somewhat difficult juggling household and early morning conferences and dealing, however my husband comes house and relieves me within the mornings that I’ve conferences,” she stated.

“So it’d be good to thank him.”

Wilkins will now step down as chair and resume her concentrate on Rulfs, Livingood’s and, in fact, the Chamber’s Guests Bureau and tourism applications, which she stated has helped her turn out to be extra in tune with the world over the previous decade.

“Simply being a enterprise proprietor, it actually provides you a good suggestion of what’s going on in the neighborhood on all completely different ranges … and there are such a lot of completely different ranges. There’s the advertising and marketing and the promoting, there’s financial improvement, there’s NAmTrans, manufacturing. There’s so many transferring elements that the chamber is concerned in,” she stated.

“I really feel like we have now in all probability among the finest chambers in New York state. I might wager on that.”

Alex Barie of CDC Actual Property will now be the chair for 2023.

“She’ll do a terrific job in filling the position,” Wilkins stated.

“It was a terrific expertise … to be the chair for the Chamber. I feel it’s only a nice expertise, basically, for anybody.”