Table of Contents

Welcome to Greene County, New York  

Why Join the Chamber? 

Greene County Chamber of Commerce  

Greene County Offices  

Chamber Programs  

Greene County Demographics and
Economic Development  

See and Be Kitchen Eyes Growth  

Affordable Prices, Eco-friendly Choices
at Little Bear Trading  

Generations of Hospitality and Heritage at Christman’s Windham House  

Community in Action of Greene County  

Chamber Partners  

Map  

Buyer’s Guide  

Greene County Chamber of Commerce

432 Main Street, PO Box 248

Catskill, NY 12414

(518) 943-4222

Cover photos are by:

Sky Photos LLC

Officers/Executive Committee

Chair:
Ryan Hastie

World Insurance Associates LLC

Vice Chair:
Blake Garrison

Garrison Fire & Rescue Corp.

Secretary:
Rachel Puckett

Mid-Hudson Fiber

Treasurer:
Joseph Rothrock

Bank of Greene County

Immediate Past Chair:
Nicole Frisbee

National Bank of Coxsackie

2025 Board of Directors

Anthony DeSantis

NY Properties -ADS

Dr. Carlee Drummer

Columbia-Greene Community College

Karen Gallo

Karen’s Flower Shoppe

Jennifer Hemmerlein

Mountain Top Arboretum

Michael Lanuto

S.M. Miller & Associates / Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Randy Lent

C.A. Albright & Sons

Joey LoBianco

Rip Van Winkle Brewing Co.

Geri Marino

Snow Bird Ski Shop

Edward F. McNamara

Columbia Memorial Health

Stephanie Siracusano
Sawyer Chevrolet

Randall Squier

Coxsackie-Athens Central
School

Greene County
Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Facts

• • The Greene County Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6), a not-for-profit corporation.
  
• • The Chamber receives no government or public funding of any kind.
  
• • The Chamber is entirely funded through revenue received from membership investments, sponsorship opportunities, events, and proceeds from other chamber benefit programs.
  
• • While primarily consisting of businesses, membership also includes many non-profits, agencies, and educational institutions.
  
• • The Chamber is owned, operated and governed by its member businesses.
  
• • The Chamber’s Board of Directors is made up of representatives from its member businesses.
  
• • The Chamber has grown from under 300 member businesses at the beginning of 2013 to nearly 500 member businesses today.
  
• • The Chamber operates daily with just a staff of three: President / Executive Director, Membership Director and Operations Director.
  
• • The ACCE reports that 63% of consumers are more likely to do business with a business if they know they are a Chamber member.
  

Our Mission

The Greene County Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to advancing the prosperity of our members by fostering economic growth and stronger communities throughout the Greene County region.

Welcome to the Chamber

At the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, we are in business for your business or organization. As Greene County’s largest membership association, we’re dedicated to advancing the prosperity of all our member businesses from not-for-profits and sole proprietors, to small, medium and large companies.

Our strength lies in our membership – a valuable pool of resources from which our businesses can draw ideas and energy to grow their organizations and improve their bottom lines. From direct business referrals to discounted goods and services, we help our members help each other.

Whether you are looking to raise awareness for your organization, launch a new product, or boost sales, we are eager to collaborate with you. We aim to maximize your Chamber membership through valuable programs, products, consultation, and services that drive success.

Consider the Chamber your business toolbox. Whenever you need a resource to achieve greater success, just reach out to us!

Greene County Offices

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS 518-719-3250

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 518-719-3775

COMMISSIONER OF JURORS 518-625-3190

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR 518-719-3270

COUNTY ATTORNEY 518-719-3540

COUNTY CLERK 518-719-3255

DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES 518-719-3280

DISTRICT ATTORNEY 518-719-3590

BOARD OF ELECTIONS 518-719-3550

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
TOURISM & PLANNING 518-719-3290

EMERGENCY SERVICES 518-622-3643

EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTER 518-622-3548

E-911 COORDINATOR 518-622-2739

FAMILY COURT CHIEF CLERK 518-625-3180

FAMILY PLANNING 518-719-3580

HEAD START PROGRAM 518-622-8382

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 518-943-4600

HISTORIAN 518-320-8545

HUMAN RESOURCES 518-719-3775

HUMAN SERVICES (AGING & YOUTH) 518-719-3555

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 518-719-3260

LEGISLATURE 518-719-3270

Cairo 518-622-9864

Catskill Director 518-943-4230

D.R. Evarts (Athens) 518-945-1417

Greenville 518-966-8205

Heermance Memorial (Coxsackie) 518-731-8084

Mountain Top 518-589-5707

Palenville 518-678-3357

Windham 518-734-4405

MENTAL HEALTH 518-622-9163

PROBATION 518-719-3200

PUBLIC DEFENDER 518-719-3220

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT 518-719-3600

PUBLIC HEALTH, EARLY INTERVENTION 518-719-3617

PUBLIC HEALTH, PRESCHOOL
SPECIAL EDUCATION 518-719-3638

PURCHASING 518-719-3270

REAL PROPERTY TAX SERVICES 518-719-3525

SHERIFF 518-943-3300

SOCIAL SERVICES COMMISSIONER 518-719-3700

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION 518-622-3620

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 518-943-4600

STOP DWI PROGRAM 518-943-3300

SUPREME & COUNTY COURT
CHIEF CLERK 518-625-3160

SURROGATES COURT CHIEF CLERK 518-625-3150

TREASURER 518-719-3530

TOURISM (VISITOR CENTER) 518-943-3223

VETERAN’S SERVICE AGENCY 518-943-3703

Chamber Programs

The Greene County Chamber of Commerce offers a wide range of programs and services designed to meet the needs of businesses and help them achieve greater success.

The Greene County Chamber of Commerce is the place where new opportunities are born. The Chamber is where you connect to a strong, vibrant business community with limitless possibilities. Take advantage of the Chamber’s many networking opportunities, programs, and high-profile events designed to grow your business and increase earnings.  We provide the tools to help inspire and strengthen your business for the benefit of all of Greene County.

• • Advocacy: The Chamber works every day to represent the interests of the local business community through its ongoing work with our elected officials.
  
• • Career Connections: A collaboration with Columbia-Greene Workforce to improve employment opportunities and support hiring requirements.
  
• • Greene County Now! Chamber Magazine. The Chamber’s digital magazine that features news, information, business profiles and Chamber updates every Spring, Summer, and Fall.
  
• • Health Insurance: Available through the Chamber with a variety of options for quality, affordable health care.
  
• • Leadership Columbia-Greene: A dynamic, community-based program for professionals from across Greene and Columbia counties designed to develop informed, action-oriented leaders to meet the future challenges of our area.
  
• • Marketing Opportunities: Every Chamber member can promote their business through the Chamber’s weekly E-newsletter, Chamber Mailing List or on the Chamber Website.
  
• • Chamber Directory: The annual directory of member businesses is distributed throughout the region as a printed magazine, via email and digital version that can be viewed on greenecountychamber.com.
  
• • Member to Member Discounts: Find the products and services your business needs while saving money and making a great new connection.
  
• • Special New Member Welcome Benefits: New members of the Chamber can take advantage of a variety of free and discounted promotional opportunities through our media partnerships.
  
• • Annual and Event Partnerships: Chamber members can promote their business through numerous sponsorship opportunities of Chamber events and programs.
  
• • Business Education: The Chamber offers opportunities throughout the year for members to learn more about subjects that can help grow or affect their business.
  

• • Ribbon Cuttings and Open Houses: We organize and promote ribbon cutting events to celebrate grand openings, anniversaries, new launches, and more.
  
• • Business After Hours Networking (BAHN): A great way to connect with other chamber members and the business community while enjoying a fun and festive evening at a local area business or restaurant.
  
• • Women In Business: This special event is featured four times each year and is tailored toward today’s businesswomen and professionals. Enjoy a networking dinner or lunch and great camaraderie along with a special guest speaker.
  
• • Member Open House / Chamber 101: A networking event welcoming our newest members while creating an opportunity to learn about these new members and their unique businesses.
  
• • Roundtable Events: Members can engage with representatives from key local government, human services, and non-profit organizations in the community.
  
• • Drop-In Sessions: Informational sessions featuring representatives from organizations like Greene County Economic Development Corporation, Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Center and more.
  
• • Greene County Restaurant Week: This annual event showcases the incredible culinary offerings of Greene County’s restaurants with specially designed multi-course prix fixe menus.
  
• • Best of Greene County Awards: Each year Greene County’s shoppers get to vote for the best businesses in over 50 categories. It all culminates in celebrating the finalists and the winners at an exciting awards presentation gala.
  
• • Annual Greene County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament: A fun full-day event at one of the county’s many exceptional golf courses.
  
• • Annual Recognition Gala: The Chamber honors the significant accomplishments of local businesses and individuals at this special banquet.
  
• • Annual Chamber Holiday Party & Fundraiser: Join the Chamber as it celebrates the year that was and looks forward to a prosperous new year while supporting a local charity and enjoying great food, friends and cheer.
  

To learn more about these many programs and services, or to join the Chamber, call 518-943-4222, or visit greenecountychamber.com.

Greene County Demographics and Economic Development

James Hannahs, Director of The Greene County Department of Economic Development in Greene County, New York, shares that Greene County has continued recent positive trends relating to job creation, average wages, home sales, and area median income in the County.

“Over the past several years, Greene County has shown strong job creation, average wage, home sales, and area median income numbers, all while maintaining static tax levies, and enjoying consistent year-over-year (YoY) increases in sales tax receipts”, Hannahs says. Greene County’s economy has seen significant growth compared to other Upstate New York Counties since the Great Recession of 2007-2009, thanks in part to the area’s strong regional tourism market.

Hannahs shares, “Much of the county’s economy is driven by tourism-based activities. We’re home to two major resort mountains and other premier regional destinations, which spurs ongoing development in the lodging/hospitality, food services, and retail trade industries.”

“2023 marked another consecutive year of increased sales tax receipts for Greene County”, Hannahs said, “Which has helped to stabilize the County’s tax levy for several years, with no immediate changes to the levy planned.”

According to 2023 Economic Indicator data gathered from Greene County by the American Community Survey, the County’s major workforce sectors included Government, Retail, and Hospitality, with an unemployment rate of 3.8% at the end of 2023. 

The charts on these pages detail employment data averaged for all of 2023 sourced from the Economic Indicator data from the American Community Survey and other publications including, but not limited to, the New York State Association of Realtors.

Hannahs notes that Greene County Economic Development efforts have largely been focused on small business grant programs, increasing local housing stock, and enhancing site development opportunities for large-scale employment centers.

Throughout 2024, the County successfully launched, and fully disbursed, their inaugural Microenterprise Assistance Program using $300,000 granted by the New York State Office of Homes and Community Renewal. Through this program, the County supported 12 projects for local microenterprises, awarding over $250,000 in funding for a variety of startup and expansion projects, while creating employment opportunities for low-to-moderate income individuals.

Another major accomplishment was the County’s creation and publication of the 2024 Senior Housing Assessment, with assistance from Camoin Associates.

According to Hannahs, “This report not only serves a powerful tool for attracting residential developers to invest in the County, but is invaluable in helping us quantify the needs of our County’s aging population, and demonstrates the exact demand for age-restricted units needed.”

In Summer 2024, Greene County was awarded $1.5 million from the Brownfield Coalition Assessment program, to conduct studies and form the foundation for redevelopment plans on potentially contaminated sites. The County teamed up with the Columbia County Economic Development and the Hunter Foundation, effectively expanding the target area of analysis. This program will fund a variety of planning studies, allow for the build out of a site catalog, and fund redevelopment strategies for contaminated properties that are prime for large-scale development concepts.

“Greene County continues to serve as an ideal place to live, work, play, and raise a family—combining thriving economic growth, a strong tourism-driven economy, and strategic investments in infrastructure with an unmatched quality of life and opportunities for all.”

Source: 2023 and 2022 Economic Indicator data from the American Community Survey

See and Be Kitchen Eyes Growth

By Glenn Stephens

Chrissy and Ben Traore opened See and Be Kitchen in 2018 with a vision of leaving the bustle of New York and creating a small-town business that would serve their passion for baking while also pumping new financial energy into Cairo and the Hudson Valley area.

Six years later, the couple is looking to expand their retail and wholesale bakery beyond the town of almost 6,500 population into a network of franchises serving businesses, as well as area residents and tourists.

“We’re looking at regional franchises, and we hope to have 18 franchises in the first four years,” Chrissy Traore says. “This community has given us great opportunity, and there’s definitely room for more folks to come to Greene County because it sorely lacks in retail in certain area(s). Some of the smaller towns could use an infusion of more food for tourists who come to what has become a great destination.”

Chrissy is a native of South Florida, and Ben grew up in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. He came to the United States to study finance, and they met in 2015 when they both worked in restaurants in New York. Ben was a baker and Chrissy a chef and business strategist.

Their business, which is located adjacent to their home, got off to a rocky start as the COVID-19 pandemic hit just as they were beginning to hit their stride.

“It wasn’t easy,” she recalls. “We had six or seven wholesale accounts, and they all were closed within one week. We stopped and we pivoted to groceries with pickups, then suddenly the wholesale came back with a roar. Word got out that we were wholesalers, and suddenly we found that we had 20 accounts by the end of the year.”

Chrissy figures that retail accounts for about 30 percent of See and Be’s business, with the rest involving the wholesale supply of mainly bread and other baked goods. For instance, See and Be produces breakfast sandwiches and other soft goods for coffee shops and delivers a wide variety of items to hotels, restaurants, farm stands and independent grocers.

“We’re super seasonal and have a hyper-local focus,” she says. “We work with a local milk producer for all our dairy products. We purchase local grains, and we try to incorporate local fruits and vegetables into all of our seasonal offerings from local farms.”

The menu for the small serving area at the bakery includes a variety of breakfast items, sandwiches made with sourdough and other kinds of bread, and salads. Wholesale customers take delivery of the breads – Chrissy especially enjoys the way sourdough breads can vary in taste according to the way they are made – pastries and other goods.

The couple are bullish on Greene County and surrounding areas as they look to expand from their base location and its 18 employees. Chrissy believes the area is primed for growth.

“The community has really shifted,” she says. “A lot of small businesses have opened. It really is a community, and that’s what makes Greene County unique. The businesses here support each other. We’re best friends with the other baker – Delightful Bites by Nina – and we all work together.”

One of See and Be’s goals is to hire and train area residents in the baking and food business.

“We try to find people who want to learn a trade, a craft,” Chrissy says. “We’re able to not only teach and develop them, but to see them through the process of learning and educating them to have a stable career in this county.”

The name See and Be Kitchen popped into Ben’s head as he and Chrissy were playing Scrabble during the time when they were putting the business together.

“He said let’s call it See and Be,” she says. “See because that’s the sound of the C in Chrissy and Be because of the B in Ben.”

For more information,
visit https://www.seeandbekitchen.com.

Affordable Prices, Eco-friendly Choices at Little Bear Trading

By Glenn Stephens

Little Bear Trading Company is more than a post-retirement job for Pat Asaro.

The store on Main Street in Cairo is dedicated to promoting sustainability by offering gently used clothing, much of it worn by Asaro’s five grandchildren and other relatives, at reasonable prices.

“My older daughter, Amanda, would always buy nice clothes for the kids, and she just put them away when they no longer fit,” Asaro says. “She has a set of twins who are now 10 years old, so with all the clothes they outgrew, everything she had was double.

“It came down to having a lot of extra clothes in the house and not knowing what to do with them.”

Asaro, 66, retired 11 years ago after working as a medical tech and on an ambulance crew, but she wasn’t ready for life in a rocking chair.

“My daughter had the idea of opening a children’s shop, starting with the clothes that had been used by her children and stored away,” she says. “She felt there were too many clothes in the world to just add to that. This little shop gives the clothes new life.

“We carry a lot of designer brands. It’s more of a high-end, boutique-style setting. There are seasonal clothes, such as Christmas pajamas that weren’t worn except during the holidays. We carry kids’ shoes, pocketbooks and a lot of high-quality clothing.”

Asaro and her husband had bought a building in downtown Cairo as an investment in the town, and it turned out to be an ideal location to set up the business, which she operates without any other employees.

Little Bear Trading first opened last December and had a busy few weeks before closing for the winter. It re-opened in April, and will operate until the winter break at the end of the year.

While she relies mainly on clothing that has been used by relatives, Asaro says she sometimes buys new items and may delve into the consignment business, though she would limit offerings to high-quality, lightly used clothing.

“My prices are extremely reasonable,” Asaro says. “When somebody spends $100, they are getting a lot of bang for their buck. And we are saving perfectly good clothing from going into the garbage.”

Generations of Hospitality and Heritage at Christman’s Windham House

By Marc Sheforgen

For three generations, Christman’s Windham House has stood as a family-run gem in the Catskills, drawing guests back with its unique blend of history, natural beauty and warm hospitality.

Owned by the Christman family since 1952, the Windham House goes back almost 150 years before then. Founded as a drovers’ tavern along the Catskill Turnpike in 1805, it is the oldest continuously operating inn in the Catskills.

“We’re proud of our history,” said Brian Christman, who grew up in the business and, along with his wife Ruth, took over operations in 2010. “We were loyal to our parents and their ideals.”

Which means a commitment to unparalleled service and a personal touch that belies the more transactional, impersonal hospitality norms of today.

“I’ve always understood the themes of customer service and making sure people have a special vacation,” said Kate Christman, who now manages the operations as a third-generation Christman.

Beyond that personal attention, repeat guests come to the 300-acre property for amenities that include 27 holes of golf with a full-service pro shop and two golf professionals, 50 hotel rooms that range from colonial style to modern, a bar, a restaurant, firepits, a tennis court, a pool and much more.

“We have people who have been with us for over 30 years,” Ruth Christman said. “It’s wonderful to have them come back year after year.”

While the area used to be a premiere vacation spot for visitors from New York City, times and vacation destinations change. Most area resorts of similar vintage to the Windham House long ago closed. The Christmans credit their unique golf courses, built in 1965 by Brian Christman and his father, for their longevity.

“We attract groups who come annually for weekends or a big week of golf,” Brian Christman said. “The golf course is built on the mountain. These guys like it because no two rounds are ever the same.”

Maintaining a property and business that’s more than 200 years old isn’t without its challenges, the Christman family shared.

“It is a very difficult business to be in,” Kate Christman said. “We’re the last for a lot of different reasons. All the support that we get from our community is really appreciated by us. That support is critical to us.”

Even with the challenges, Kate Christman said she can’t imagine not carrying on the family business.

“I’m so proud of my parents and my grandparents,” she said. “And I aim to continue with our legacy and the hard work that comes with our heritage.”

To learn more about Christman’s Windham House,
visit www.windhamhouse.com.

Community Action of Greene County’s Commitment to Empowerment and Hope

By Marc Sheforgen

At Community Action of Greene County, Inc. (CAGC), support goes beyond basic services — it’s about restoring dignity and empowering people to overcome life’s toughest challenges. From food insecurity to housing needs, the team at CAGC is dedicated to offering not just assistance, but hope.

“We’re part of a national network, with over 1,000 community action agencies across the country,” said Florence Lorenz, Executive Director of CAGC. “Each one is unique, designed to meet the specific needs of the community it serves.”

One of CAGC’s most critical programs is its Columbia-Greene Victims Services Program, providing safe housing and support for victims of domestic violence. In addition, the organization helps hundreds of residents each year through initiatives like its emergency food pantry and mobile food pantry, which address the widespread issue of food insecurity in Greene and Columbia Counties.

CAGC also operates a thrift store, where proceeds support CAGC’s programs while reducing waste by keeping quality goods in use. The organization further assists with free income tax preparation for low-income households and partners with various community agencies to meet diverse needs. The list of services and assistance that the 21 CAGC staff members and network of volunteers provide goes on from there and is quite extensive.

“People are having a really hard time right now struggling to keep up with high rents and the high costs of living,” Lorenz said. “I think we stand apart from other agencies in that we take a very holistic approach.”

In 2023, CAGC served more than 4,250 people through its food pantries, helped more than 171 individuals with housing and fielded 570 domestic violence hotline calls.

“We’re here in the community to help people where they are,” Lorenz said. “The best compliment we hear is that people don’t feel judged when they come to us. Because anybody can be down on their luck. And everybody is entitled to dignity and respect.”

To learn more about Community Action of Greene County, visit www.cagcny.org, or call 518-943-9205.

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