Some businesses grow by chasing new markets far from where they started. Others grow by strengthening roots exactly where they already stand — and that's the story unfolding in Washington County, New York, as Arrow Bank to acquire Skene Valley marks the latest chapter in a decades-old insurance business finding new backing closer to home.

The Deal Takes Shape

Bank holding company Arrow Financial Corp. announced that Upstate Agency, LLC — a subsidiary of Arrow Bank National Association — has agreed to acquire Skene Valley Agency, Inc., an independent insurance agency serving Washington County in upstate New York.

Two Companies, One Regional Footprint

Skene Valley Agency has deep ties to the area, having been founded in 2002 and based in Granville, with satellite operations extending into Whitehall and Cambridge. Upstate Agency, meanwhile, brings its own long history to the table, having offered personal, commercial and group employee benefit insurance from its South Glens Falls base for more than 50 years — a pairing that feels less like a corporate takeover and more like two neighbors finally combining resources.

The Numbers Behind the Deal

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, leaving the dollar figures behind closed doors even as the strategic rationale plays out in public.

What Happens After the Ink Dries

The sale is targeted to close by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Once finalized, Skene Valley Agency will merge fully into Upstate Agency, effectively folding one company's operations into the other's larger framework. The result, according to the companies, will be an expanded presence throughout Washington County and a broader suite of personal and business insurance solutions for customers in the region.

Voices Behind the Merger

David S. DeMarco, president and CEO of Arrow Financial Corp., framed the acquisition as a way to deepen Upstate Agency's presence in Washington County — a deliberate move to plant firmer roots in territory it already knows well.

John Hoagland, president of Skene Valley Agency, brings a different perspective, shaped by years of steady growth. Having expanded the business over multiple decades, Hoagland described joining forces with Upstate Agency as a "natural next step" — less a dramatic pivot than a logical continuation of a path he's been building for years.

Taken together, the deal reads like two long-running regional players deciding it's time to combine their momentum rather than compete for the same customers — a quiet consolidation with the potential to reshape insurance coverage across Washington County for years to come.