The Spirit of Service at Schrader & Co.

Ben and Silas form the Habitat for Humanity Student Chapter at RPI and in 2002 win 700th campus chapter and a visit from Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity

When Ben Cangeleri and Silas Schrader took the helm at Schrader and Company Construction Services, Inc., they knew that a spirit of service would be a defining characteristic of their leadership of the business.

Both Ben and Silas come from strong backgrounds rooted in community philanthropy, having been the founding members of the 700th chapter of Habitat for Humanity at their alma mater Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

In their roles as President and Vice-President of Schrader and Company, Ben and Silas are committed to continuing that tradition of community involvement and volunteerism in the greater capital region. Their combined efforts are diverse and multi-focused, but with the common denominator of a hyper-local focus.

Silas, Ross, Jeremiah and Will volunteer at Camp Chingachgook during Rotary District Conference

Ben is the chairperson of the Community Service Committee for Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs, and helps coordinate and facilitate many service projects. Saratoga Rotary provides support to such notable causes as The Salvation Army, Rebuilding Together, Trees for Tributaries, SNACPak (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children), and The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, among others. Rotary Club of Saratoga raises extensive funds and funnels all money back into the community via scholarships and by meeting the requests and requirements of various local causes.

Silas is on track to become the future president of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Rotary, which does such good works in the community as fundraising for the Food Bank of Northeast New York, providing support to the Cleft-Craniofacial Unit of Albany Medical Hospital, providing scholarships for local schools, and raising funds for community events like holiday tree lightings and concerts, as well as beautification of parks and other public areas.

In addition to these individual endeavors, Ben and Silas have led Schrader and Company in their “Rebuilding a Better Tomorrow” initiative, in which they paired with some of the best charitable foundations in the greater Saratoga area and donated spectacular auction items to support their fundraising efforts during last summer’s charity gala season.

Ben and Saratoga Spring Rotary volunteer with Rebuilding Together
Ben and Saratoga Spring Rotary volunteer with Rebuilding Together

“We don’t have one cause or theme to our volunteer work,” says Ben of the company’s varied philanthropic pursuits. “We instead try to focus on meeting needs wherever we see them in our local communities, and give of our time and support wherever we can make a positive difference.”

“We see service as both a personal value and a company value,” adds Silas. “A small business can only survive by being invested in the health of the community that supports it. We all live here, and are raising our families here. We want to see our neighbors and neighborhoods thrive and if we can help, we will.”