March 2019 We are the leading voice of business in the region providing advocacy, resources and solutions for our members. NEWSLINE Rick Frasier of Johnstown: Largest Miracle-Ear Franchise Owner Says People Are Key to Success By: Jessica Ford going to lose the farm. Newsline Editor He took the job for a It’s not your typical ca- Hearing Aid Dispenser, and reer ladder: Start out as a dairy within 9 months, was able to farmer, end up one of the most buy the farm for his parents, successful hearing aid store and take the financial strain operators in the country. off of them. Within a year Rick Frasier On Building For Rick Frasier, President and a half, he became one of of Frasier Enterprises Inc. in Miracle-Ear’s top consultants A Great Business: Johnstown, the path seemed in the country. It seems like a stretch to go perfectly natural. At age 60, he Rick Frasier said he believes that anyone can build a from farmer to salesman, but oversees 18 corporations with successful business with a few must-do steps. for Frasier, it was an organic more than 325 full-time / part- Step 1: Frasier says once you have your idea for your busi- progression. He said, “Growing time Hearing Aid Dispensing ness, “the very most important thing is to come up with a great up on the farm you learn to offices and more than 600 plan. If you Don’t have a solidified plan, you only have a wish.” work 7 days a week. Going into employees across the United Step 2: Frasier said that for any business you build, at any the business world was easier, States. Frasier Enterprise size, you must understand that it takes PEOPLE to build it. it didn’t seem like that much Rick Frasier Inc. is currently the largest Frasier has recruited and mentored many people who have be- work.” He said he was bless- franchise owner within the come integral to his business, and he rewards their hard work ed from a young age with the years he went on to become the Miracle-Ear Corporation. and “sweat-equity” with a share in the profits and success. ability to get along with peo- corporate national sales manag- Frasier was born and Step 3: The business owner must look ahead with vi- ple, even older people, which er for Miracle-Ear. In his posi- raised as a dairy farmer in sion, he said. They must ask themselves, “Why would some- served him well. Great com- tion as as national sales manag- Fulton County. He explained one want to work for this company?” and build systems and munication skills carried him er he taught and hired over 400 that at the age of 26 he an- policies accordingly. He prides himself in making Frasier further and further in his path. Hearing Aid Dispensers. swered a blind ad in the paper Enterprises and his Miracle-Ear franchises places that people After serving as a Hearing Rick entered the private offering the chance to make really like to work for. Aid Dispenser, Frasier spent sector in 2002 maintaining $1,000 per week. At the time, Step 4: “It takes more than you,” Frasier said, noting the next 5 years as the owner stores in 4 different states, his family farm was going that once an entrepreneur or business leader realizes that, and operator of 40 Hearing Aid reaching sales of $4 million. through a difficult time finan- their success is highly likely. He said he believes this is true Dispensing offices throughout 2018 he operated stores in cially, and Frasier said there no matter how big the company gets, and it is true for any was a chance his parents were several states. Within the next 5 17 different states and has reached sales above and be- company of any size. yond $130 million. At this time he holds his Advisory Board to Miracle-Ear. is important to Frasier. In fact, Hearing Aid Dispensing license Frasier attributes his mind when asked how he has been PERMIT #370 PERMIT in New York and Massachusetts for math as another factor in able to grow his company to the ALBANY NY ALBANY his ability to grow his business. scale it is, it is one of the terms PAID and is Board Certified by the U.S. POSTAGE U.S. National Board for Certification But, he said, “It’s the energy I that he cites first. His philoso- PRSRT STD PRSRT in Hearing Instrument Sciences. have — the enthusiasm,” and phy is to expand, nurture and He sits on the Board of Directors a factor he calls “likability,” for the Hearing Healthcare that are key. “That’s what See Frasier, Alliance and was previously makes me go,” he said. on page 7 the President of the Franchise “Likeability” is a term that 2 Newsline March, 2019 Letter from the President For many years now, the number one item on the Chamber’s Legislative Agenda has been the reform or re- peal of New York State Labor Laws 240/214, more com- Newsline is published by the Fulton Montgomery Regional monly known as the “Scaffold Law.” McClary Media Chamber of Commerce in partnership with / First imposed in 1885 at a time when worker safety The Recorder was largely neglected and most modern safety equipment and scaffolding techniques did not exist, this antiquated Officers 2019 law has remained unchanged. Chair of the Board James Landrio, The onus of the law is the fact that it imposes strict Holiday Inn Johnstown-Gloversville “absolute negligence” on the construction company, busi- Chair Elect Denis Wilson, ness or property owner for any elevation-related injury to Fulmont Community Action Agency an employee, regardless of the reason, even if caused as a consequence of his/her own actions or carelessness. An Immediate Past Chair Amy Karas, Ruby & Quiri, Inc. employee can disregard safety procedures, act recklessly or Mark Kilmer First Vice Chair Dustin Swanger, Ed.D., Fulton- come to the job site under the influence and still hold the President/CEO Montgomery Community College employer responsible. Secretary Carl Marucci, Because of this, New York State has the highest general liability insurance costs in Kinderhook Bank the entire nation, which drives up the cost of all construction projects, municipal as well Treasurer Laurence Kelly, Nathan Littauer as private. And due to the un-affordability of this insurance, many small companies go Hospital & Nursing Home without, which creates a very dangerous situation. The only people who really benefit from the current law are the trial lawyers, since a Directors 2019 large amount of the largest lawsuits annual in New York State stem from Scaffold Law claims. Increase costs due to the Scaffold Law drive away investment in New York when Juanita Handy, Crum Creek CSA developers and contractors can get better rates in other states which also serves to reduce Amy McCray, CG Roxane, LLC the number of construction jobs in the state. Sara Quist, Liberty ARC Studies at SUNY’s Nelson Rockefeller Institute of Government have shown that work- Joe Galea, JAG Manufacturing ers are actually more likely to be injured due to the current version of the Scaffold Law. James Jankowski, Jankowski Insurance Agency This can be substantiated by the decrease in the number of construction-related in- Lillian Johnson, HTCP, Healing Touch Practitioner juries in Illinois since 1995, the year during which that state repealed its Scaffold Law. The simple and effective reform would be to merely change the law’s terminology Wes Ostrander, Randall Implements from an “absolute negligent” standard to a “comparative negligent” standard. While not Robin Wentworth, Wells Nursing Home placing a ban on a worker’s right to sue for any reason, this would allow for an employer Marty Callahan, Helmont Mills-Gehring Industries to bring employee culpability into the mitigation process. Trevor Evans, The Leader-Herald What we need now is to encourage our business members and the public to mobilize Lorraine Hohenforst, HFM Boces and join the Chamber’s fight for reform of the Scaffold Law. This law hurts everyone. Rosalie Faber, Flooring Authority Homeowners, taxpayers, school districts, hospitals, local government, businesses, etc. No one remains untouched. William Keller, Keymark Corp. Please contact your state representatives — call them and let them know that you are aware of the damage that this antiquated law does to our economy, and how it contributes Staff to the high cost of living in New York State. Tell them you want reform or repeal of the Mark Kilmer, President/CEO Scaffold Law. Becky Dutcher, Financial Administrator/Office Manager Gina DaBiere-Gibbs, Tourism Director Sarah Hafter, Business & Education Partnership Coordinator Tara Ryczek, Tourism Associate Nicole Walrath, Director of Workforce Development James Hannahs, Membership Coordinator Nicole Tennant, Office Assistant 2 North Main Street, Gloversville, New York 12078 Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce (518) 725-0641 • fax (518) 725-0643 2 N. Main Street, Gloversville, NY 12078 1166 Riverfront Center, 1166 Riverfront Center, Amsterdam, NY 12010 Amsterdam, New York 12010 (518) 725-0641 | (518) 725-0643 (fax) (518) 725-0641 • fax (518) 684-0111 www.fultonmontgomeryny.org E-mail: [email protected] Facebook: FMChamberNY | Instagram Website: www.fultonmontgomeryny.org Fulton County Tourism Member of www.44lakes.com | Facebook: Visit Fulton County, NY American Chamber of Commerce Executives Association Twitter: @SeeFultonCounty Business Council of New York State Center For Economic Growth Chamber Alliance of New York State Montgomery County Tourism Fulton County Center for Regional Growth www.visitmontgomerycountyny.com Fulton County Farm Bureau Facebook: Visit Montgomery County NY Montgomery County Farm Bureau Twitter: @MCNYTourism New York State Farm Bureau March, 2019 Newsline 3 St.