About Us
We are NY Capital District venture partners – retired entrepreneurs and executives who enjoy helping start-up and emerging companies realize their dreams.
We are looking to establish partnerships with the companies in whom we invest.
Our goal is to do all we can to assure that there an ideal fit. We invite you to learn about us. Our due diligence will include an in-depth look at your product(s) and market(s), analysis of your business plan, a thorough assessment of your current and pro forma financials and an in-depth look at your existing and future sales plans.
All Saratoga Venture Partners members have years of business to business experience. Our backgrounds include manufacturing, distribution, finance, real estate, healthcare, energy, marketing, and more.
Many of our partners are SCORE volunteers. SCORE (www.score.org) is a national organization funded by the US Small Business Administration offering counseling services to small businesses and start-ups.
Bob Schneider is a Certified Public Accountant who has spent his professional time in Public Accounting as a Partner and eventually as one of the Managing Partners of Bernard Kleinman & Co. a thirty person NYC CPA firm. The Firm then merged with Richard A. Eisner & Co. one of the larger NYC CPA firms and then Bob entered the real estate industry as a Broker, Manager, Investor/Owner and Developer. For several years Bob was an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association in NYC. Bob has been a Business Mentor at SCORE since 2012 whose clients have been mostly startup businesses. Bob is a founding member of Saratoga Venture Partners, incorporated in August of 2019, whose mission is to provide creative funding to support small businesses in need of capital to achieve realistic growth objectives.
Gary’s business career has taken him across America to Europe and Asia. In the process Gary has purchased six corporations negotiating with individual owners as well as several public Fortune 500 companies. These enterprises consisted of a Division of General Electric Company, manufacturing insulating materials, an exclusive Raymond Corporation sales and service dealership in Materials Handling as well as a DHL franchise in Washington, D.C. and Tampa, Florida and a local service company. Gary also founded the Alliance for Oil Reclamation, a non-profit corporation, whose purpose was to protect and enhance New York State’s land and water from improper disposal if used waste oil from “Do it Yourselfers” and small generators. Gary is a founding member of Saratoga Venture Partners.
Jim had a 40 year career in the sporting goods industry representing the Nike brand.
Steve spent the majority of his working career in the office furniture business. In 1991, Steve formed Corporate Environments, a full-service Herman Miller office furniture dealership. In 2003, Corporate Environments expanded into New Jersey and shortly thereafter, acquired an existing Herman Miller dealership with close working relationships with many large Pharmaceutical companies. In September of 2010, Steve sold the business to One Point, an office services and furniture business located in Scranton, PA. He remained on staff as the Regional President of the newly created furniture division until June 2015. During this time worked closely with the new owners to assist in the transition of the business to the new entity. Steve is a founding member of Saratoga Venture Partners, incorporated in August of 2019, whose mission is to provide creative funding to support small businesses in need of capital to achieve realistic growth objectives.
Matt is the Owner of Queen Boat Co, a full service marina on Lake George, and the Freedom Boat Club of Lake George, a membership boat club. Matt completed his undergraduate at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, graduating Cum Laude with a focus in marketing. He then spent 10 years in television and digital advertising sales as an Account Executive and then Sales Manager with CBS Boston. At Queen Marina, Matt enjoys focusing on sustainability, taking on electric motor lines and improving the marina wastewater and stormwater management while transitioning to solar power.