The Magnificent Seven
- Jan 12
- 7 min read
By Elizabeth (Betsy) Vicencio
For the second year in a row, we convened a table of OGs—the Originals—business and community leaders who, 36 years ago, were young men participating in Strictly Business’ second Forum. As I took my seat, the conversation was already in full stride — robust, candid and rich with golden nuggets of wit and wisdom. What followed was an extraordinary morning of reflection, introspection, and insight.
On a lighter note, one acceptance email included the line: “I would love to come and sit at the old goats’ table.” Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of pop culture knows that in 2026, GOAT stands for “Greatest of All Time.” After four hours in their company, that moniker felt entirely earned.
At the table were:
Herb Carpenter - Chairman, The Northeast Group; Publisher of Strictly Business
For 35 years, Herb has anchored this forum with bold, unapologetic declarations—from the “crown jewel of the North Country” to “criminal cabals,” and, most affectionately, Mary’s once dismissed “cockamamie idea” that ultimately became this event. His voice has been both provocateur and compass.
Rod Giltz – Chairman, Northern Insuring Agency
Northern Insuring was the first company to sell Herb insurance. The Giltz and Carpenter families share a multi-decade legacy of family business and community commitment that continues to shape the region’s fabric.
Ara Asadourian – Retired Attorney, Asadourian Law Firm
Ara served the North Country as one of its most revered and respected legal minds and completed a term as Clinton County District Attorney in the 1970s. His influence on the local legal and civic landscape endures.
Jay LePage – Retired Commissioner, Clinton County Department of Child and Family Services
For 17 years, Jay led a 200-person department through one of its most transformative eras, expanding access to programs such as Medicaid and SNAP while overseeing a decline in traditional welfare enrollment.
Bob Parks – Retired Publisher, Plattsburgh Press-Republican
Bob enjoyed a 40-year career in newspapers, including his final 16 years in Plattsburgh. His deep commitment to community is evident in his every endeavor—most notably his leadership in growing the Plattsburgh Noon Rotary Club to more than 130 members.
Alex Edwards – CPA, AE & Co., PLLC
Alex’s father was Plattsburgh’s first CPA, opening his practice in 1947. Alex has carried that legacy forward through decades with professional excellence and extraordinary volunteerism – serving regional hospitals, the Whiteface Ski Patrol, the Plattsburgh Public Library, CITEC, and SUNY’s Dean’s Advisory Council.
David Merkel – Owner, Rugar Self Storage;
Former Owner, Merkel’s Department Store
Merkel’s was once the most prestigious department store—and a true anchor—of downtown Plattsburgh. David represented the third generation to lead this iconic business until its closing in 1993. David has served on the Board of TDC for 35 years, Chair from 1996 to 1998.
Leadership Through Change: The Base That Broke Us — and Built Us
The North Country has never been defined by what happened to it — only by how its people responded. Our economy, identity, and future have been shaped not by stability, but by disruption: the closing of the Air Force Base, the rise and fall of malls, shifts in media, the complexities of cross-border trade, the consolidation of banking, and the evolution of healthcare.
Nearly every voice at the table returned to the closure of the Plattsburgh Air Force Base as the watershed moment that tested the business community’s resolve and demanded collective leadership.
LePage recalled the uncertainty vividly, “The Base was a bedrock for over 40 years… when it closed, the population decreased, and that hurt our businesses.”
Giltz reflected with sadness, “The greatest impact was the loss of the gene pool…” noting how the closure altered the very composition of the community—even as some believed businesses might have fared better without it.
Parks focused on the response to the Base closure, “The community was resilient. The Chamber of Commerce really grew into its own. Garry Douglas came and got the community focused on Canada and Montreal, creating our place as Montreal’s suburb.”
Decades later, Carpenter — once a fierce opponent of the closure — offered a perspective that reveals one of leadership’s most critical muscles: the ability to revise one’s beliefs in light of unforeseen outcomes. “I fought hard against the closure… and yet, as I look back, it was the finest thing that happened in the North Country.”
That capacity to release old assumptions and lead into the unknown may be the single most defining leadership trait the North Country has developed. Their reflections offer a blueprint for navigating today’s challenges and for preparing a new generation to take the reins.
The Forces We Cannot Control — and the Leadership We Can
Trade policy, inflation, labor shortages, border dynamics, and national politics shape the region in ways local leaders cannot fully control. Still, the message from this round table was clear: leadership is not defined by avoiding challenge, but by responding to it.
On the current strain in the Canadian/American relationship, Asadourian urged perspective, “We should be emphasizing the short-term nature of this — that this is an aberration in the history of the relationship.” He challenged service clubs and the Chamber to make sure they are doing all they can.
LePage warned of fiscal consequences, “Our county tax remains low because of the sales tax we generate. A 30%+ reduction in Canadian visitors will have an impact.”
Merkel was blunt, “The exchange rate is a killer. Canadians can’t afford to take a 30% hit on their money and face higher prices here.”
Carpenter expressed his concern, “What is happening is devastating for our region and for our Canadian neighbors and friends — not just economically, but socially and culturally. But once again we can look to the leadership of Garry Douglas and the Chamber for its positive people-to-people campaign that emphasizes the close, historic ties between our two countries.”
Edwards countered with optimism grounded in assets, “We have a railroad, the Northway, an international border, an airport, and a world-class winter sports venue in Lake Placid. We’ve survived better than many places.”
Leadership, particularly in rural economies, requires the ability to communicate hope without denying reality, a balancing learned not at podiums, but at dinner tables, board rooms, and service club meetings across the region.
The New Workforce Reality — A Call for Leaders Who Build People and Generational Opportunity
Every leader who spoke acknowledged the same concern — opportunities for upward mobility and leadership development are hard to find. Yet, the solutions are not merely structural — they’re cultural.
LePage captured leadership’s enduring impact, “What can you do for your employees? Can you model the way? Set values and vision and mission? It took us about seven years to change the culture – training, succession planning, building staff capacity.”
Asadourian reframed the conversation, “This community had a tradition of very smart people…that gave us that little edge. There were people like Herb and Rod that worked really hard on redeveloping this area.”
Leadership, in this context, is not a title; it is a transfer.
Giltz spoke with humility about generational handoff, “People like me need to be prepared to step aside so a next generation can come on. Too often,” he warned, “businesses are sold out of necessity rather than intention, leaving no runway for succession. Leadership through change sometimes requires passing the baton before you must — not because you’re done, but because you’re leading.”
Local Control, Distant Decisions — and Showing Up
Banking. Media. Healthcare. Higher Education. Nearly every sector once governed locally is now influenced from afar. Leaders around the table acknowledged this reality with the nuance of those who’ve lived both worlds.
Giltz observed, “So many businesses don’t make it past the first generation. They’re sold and run as small branches.”
Asadourian reflected on significant events, “The national trends have affected all rural areas. The earliest and most transformational was malls replacing downtowns. It eliminated a whole body of locally owned retail businesses and businessmen who provided essentials to our community. It was the first of many centralizing changes that have threatened rural communities throughout the United States and took decision making and the people making those decisions to distant places.”
LePage recalled walking into a local bank in 1988 and securing a loan on a handshake.
Edwards remembered Brinkerhoff Street as a “power tower” of local decision-makers.
And yet, the response wasn’t resignation — it was resolve. When asked whether local healthcare affiliation cost the community its influence, the response underscored the importance of showing up:
On healthcare affiliation Edwards was unequivocal, “Without it, we could have ended up with a first aid station here. Partnership allowed us to retain services.”
The table reviewed the local leaders serving on the hospital and health system boards with hope. Leadership through change requires both staying and showing up — staying at the table even when decisions feel distant and showing up even when the immediate benefit is unclear.
Hard Work, Humility, and Modeling —Values That Endure
No one pointed to credentials, strategy, or technology as defining success. They pointed to habits. Edwards said simply, “Showing up to work and working hard…that’s what got me where I am.”
Asadourian credited example over achievement, “My family and I owe everything we have accomplished to my parents. They came here with nothing except a sense of adventure, brains, great personalities, a gift for new friendships, and a dedication to hard work. They became well liked, respected, admired and even beloved. From them and other role models, like children from small towns all over this country, we grew up unafraid; willing and wanting to be ambitious in that bigger world.”
Parks emphasized, “Working hard. Being successful. Modeling integrity.”
Merkel cited, “Be a good listener and communicator followed by attention to detail and follow through.”
Carpenter offered, “Be true to yourself. Nothing is worth having if you have to give up your integrity to get it.”
These are not nostalgic reflections — they are timeless leadership currency.
Today’s workforce may communicate differently, learn differently, and expect different things — but people still respond to purpose, investment, honesty, and belief.
Final Reflections
In a world defined by consolidation, automation, inflation, out-migration, and political volatility, leadership is no longer about protecting what was – or reacting to what is. It is about preparing the runway for what could be.
As Carpenter reflected, “The greatest transformation came from the moment we most feared. The North Country did not simply survive change — it manufactured a future from it.”
That is the lesson. The leaders seated at this table were not defined by their era — they defined it. The next generation must now do the same.
Elizabeth (Betsy) Vicencio is VP/CFO, The Northeast Group and MHAB Enterprises, LLC.
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