From the Publishers
A message from two local business people who saw a need for a
local business-to-business publication in Rockland County.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Rockland Business Digest!

We are excited to be providing you – the Rockland business community – with a forum for the presentation of ideas, news, and local business events. In fact, you were one of the biggest motivators for getting this publication off the ground. Many business owners told us that they needed to reach a market that was (until now) unreachable: business to business.

Ultimately, the success of this magazine will depend on you. We intend for this publication to be a democratic process. The Digest is here to serve the Rockland business community, and so we would like your feedback to plan further issues. We hope that The Digest will truly be by the business community, for the business community. We would like to thank the many ‘early adopters’ to The Digest as well. Several businesses decided to become advertisers, even before seeing this first issue. To them, we owe a big thank you. You will find the names of those companies throughout this issue, but we would like to thank them officially for their faith and goodwill.

Finally, I would like to thank two people who have been instrumental in seeing this first issue make it to press. The Rockland Business Association and its steadfast leader Al Samuels have been by our side throughout the entire project, and we are grateful for the Association’s support and assistance. I have known and worked with Steve Powell on many projects—over many years—and we have collaborated on this publication as if it were ‘our baby.’ When it comes to graphic design, publishing and marketing, his input and hard work has been invaluable and we’re both very proud of the product we’ve ‘birthed.’

Steve and I look forward to continuing to bring you insightful articles and useful information that will benefit the Rockland business community. We hope that you enjoy The Rockland Business Digest as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

Ken Mahoney

 

Yes, to echo my long-time associate above, welcome to the first issue of Rockland County’s only local business-to-business publication.

As Ken mentioned, we truly feel that we’ve ‘sired’ a worthy ‘child’ with this premiere issue of Rockland Business Digest. Through the years Ken and I have discussed, as most of you have, the frustration of picking up the latest media offering and finding so little news that had anything to do with our business concerns.

Where were the important news stories that impacted us? Where was the meat?

As you leaf through The Digest, you’ll see we’ve continued the tradition of publishing expert advice and articles from authors on this side of the river. Why not? Rockland has some of the most experienced and knowledgable business people to be found anywhere. Look for more in the issues ahead.

We even asked Bruce Mason, from Union State Bank, to continue his long-running column. Again, why not? Bruce knows his stuff and puts his thoughts down in a style interesting enough for knowledgable readers, but still understandable for those semi-naive to the banking and economic arena. (Like me). And how perfect that George Strayton was gracious enough to launch our series of interviews with prominent leaders in the county’s business arena?

Ken’s deep knowledge base of Rockland’s business issues, leaders and non-profit organizations has been key in our ability to ‘reach out’ to many of the county’s movers and shakers. Coupled with the invaluable assistance of Al Samuels and the RBA, we expect to continue serving up truly local, original content relevant to our readers. (That’s you).

As in this first issue, we’ll strive to take hard looks at the good and the bad of doing business in Rockland County and New York state. And pay more than lip service to important RBA efforts like April’s Pinnacle Awards and Albany’s Small Business Day.

Thank you, Rockland, for giving Ken and I this opportunity to serve up a ‘real’ business-to-business publication with ‘real’ interviews and news originating from ‘real’ locally based business people and events. Bon appétite.

Steve Powell