Table of Contents
Cover Story:
Only Time Will Tell
A look ahead at what 2007 will mean for Rockland
Feature Story:
How Will He Do That?
Hector May has big plans for the RBA
DEPARTMENTS:
Economics Roundup
• The Smart Investor
Try a financial diet in 2007
• Economic
Viewpoint
Coming to America or conundrum continued
Business Roundup
• Office Efficiency
Streamlining office operations through lean processes
• Marketing By Design
Branding your image - it's not just for the "big" guys
Ask The Experts
• Business Start-ups
Getting your basics together
• Is It Tax Season Yet?
Your tax questions answered
Retail Round-Up
• Feast or Famine
Taking the pulse of the local restaurant biz
• In The News
Invest in Your Community
• Heart of a Lyon
Former Jet delivers an inspirational message
• Family Shelter Honors
First-ever program recognizes community contributions
Odds & Ends
• From The Publishers
• PR Patter
Dedicated Section:
Rockland Business Association:
The President’s Desk
All in all, it was a very good year
Handing Over The Torch
Annual membership luncheon introduces new RBA board
RBA Happenings
• Committee and Council Info
• Calendar of Events
• New Members
PR Patter
Ever pressed for time?
Silly question. With PR Patter, your lack of time doesn't matter.
Read up and find out who's who and what's what in Rockland
County in the time it takes to have a few sips from your morning
cup of coffee.
In December, UHR held its Tree of Life benefit at the Palisades Center. The annual event provides an opportunity for members of the community to pay tribute to special people in their lives. By purchasing a star and lighting a light on the trees, individuals may honor or remember a loved one in a unique way. Proceeds from the event enable UHR to provide care, comfort and support to people dealing with serious illnesses and their families.
MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC More than 350 Rockland County music students participated in this year’s sixth annual Music Marathon at the Palisades Center, an event sponsored by the Rockland County Music Teachers Guild. Initiated by piano teacher Marilyn Hazan in 2001, the Music Marathon is an annual fundraising event that showcases students of Music Guild members who, through their performances, raise money for charity and share the healing power of music. This year’s Music Marathon raised over $20,000 to benefit United Hospice of Rockland’s Music Therapy Program. Founded in 1988, UHR is Medicare certified, NYS licensed, and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. (www.hospiceofrockland.org)
FEEDING THE HUNGRY Rockland Community Foundation partnered with ShopRite Inserra Supermarkets, and distributed $5,000 worth of ShopRite gift cards to 10 food pantries in Rockland County in time for the holidays. The mission of the newly formed Rockland Community Foundation is to serve the community in the broadest sense but with a focus on issues of critical importance to the County. (www.rocklandcommunityfoundation.org)
BENEFITS FOR RBA MEMBERS The Rockland Business Association (RBA) has entered into an affinity relationship with Econnergy Energy Company, Inc., which will provide RBA members with free consulting services, competitively priced electricity and natural gas supply, and special rebates. Econnergy Energy Company, Inc., based in Rockland County, has been providing natural gas and electricity at competitive rates to hundreds of thousands of business and residential customers since 1997. The RBA mission is a not-for-profit membership organization devoted to educating, informing, and providing beneficial services to members and actively representing, promoting and supporting the business community of Rockland County.
(www.econnergy.com OR www.rocklandbusiness.org)
BRINGING IT HOME Sharon Tucker, owner broker of ERA Tucker Associates, Inc. recently received the prestigious “2006 Realtor of the Year” award at the Rockland County Board of Realtors’ annual dinner. The Rockland County Board of Realtors is the local association of the National Association of Realtors.
NICE JOB Geiger Promotional Products named Alan Goldstein of Worldwide Specialty, “Admiral.” His sales of promotional products were in excess of $1 million for the year 2006. Worldwide has been servicing businesses in Rockland County for more than 47 years; Geiger and Worldwide merged in 2005. (www.worldwidespecialty.com)
RECENT AWARDS The Byne Group, a strategic design and creative services firm located in Suffern, N.Y., recently received awards, including those from The Art Director’s Club of N.J. for the Ramapo College of N.J. Magazine and N.J. Ad Club for the La Casa de Don Pedro non-profit capability brochure.
In other news, Ann Byne, president of the firm, completed an Executive Education course taught by scholars from the Tuck School at Dartmouth. The program, coordinated by the N.Y. and Washington D.C.-based Women’s President’s Educational Organization, links corporate sponsors with the 50 participants from across the country, women who head companies that present themselves as emerging leaders in their field. (www.thebynegroup.com)
MAJOR BUSINESS IMPACTS The Hudson Valley Technology Development Center (HVTDC) is assisting regional manufacturing firms to apply for funds provided by the Industrial Effectiveness Grant Program (IEP) offered by Empire State Development. HVTDC can support companies in all phases of the IEP application and program management. To learn more about the IEP, contact HVTDC’s Bob Winrow at (845) 896-6934 x3004.
In other news, HVTDC recently aided Hudson Baylor Corporation, a recyclable materials wholesaler, in winning an Environmental Investment Program incentive award from Empire State Development. The Empire State Development’s incentive award that HBC received is designed to encourage companies to proceed with their ambitions within New York State. The not-for-profit HVTDC, based in Fishkill, N.Y., is a business and technology resource center that specializes in assisting companies in the Hudson Valley discover how to increase their profits by examining and improving their day-to-day operations. (www.hvtdc.org)
MUY BUENO Prudential Rand Realty announced that it has launched Prudential Rand Latino, a new division dedicated exclusively to serving the Latino home-buying community in the Hudson Valley. It is the first major regional real estate brokerage to form a separate division committed to fulfilling the needs of the Latino community. The division’s Web site, www.prudentialrandlatino.com, offers complete access to the features on the company’s main site.
In addition to Prudential Rand Latino, the real estate brokerage also launched Prudential Rand Commercial Services, a new division that will serve the commercial real estate needs of the Hudson Valley. Prudential Rand Realty, Inc., founded in 1984, is the No. 1 real estate brokerage in the Greater Hudson Valley with 21 offices serving Rockland, Westchester, Orange and Sullivan Counties.
THE SPIRIT OF ACTIVE GOODWILL In November, The Rockland Development Council, Inc. sponsored The Seventh Annual Philanthropy Day. Dr. David W. Miller, Executive Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale, was the featured speaker. Third Annual Rockland Development Council Philanthropy Awards for 2006 were presented to Dr. Edward Fisher (Philanthropist of the Year), Barbara Cane, Esq. (Volunteer of the Year), Union State Bank (Outstanding Corporate Leadership), and Jeffrey A. Kassover (Professional Fundraiser of the Year). The Rockland Development Council, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides educational programs and services that benefit and support nonprofit professionals and institutions in Rockland County.
DESIRABLE TRANSPORTATION The Harbors at Haverstraw, a new community under construction on the edge of the Hudson River in Rockland County, is one of the nation’s few communities with an on-site commuter ferry terminal just a short walk from people’s doorways. Many of the Harbors’ residents use the ferry for a time-saving connection to the Ossining Metro-North station directly across the river. Even more residents will be attracted to the Harbors at Haverstraw when a new service offering a one-seat ferry ride directly to Yonkers and Manhattan starts next year.
Ginsburg Development Companies (GDC), the Valhalla, N.Y.-based firm which built The Harbors, recently received an award for the 16,000 square-foot clubhouse and fitness center at the development, which was cited in the Best Community Recreation Building or Clubhouse category of the annual Best In American Living Award residential design competition sponsored by Professional Builder magazine and the National Association of Home Builders. GDC was established in 1964, and is one of the nation’s premier real estate design, development and management companies. (www.ginsburgdevelopment.com)
PROVIDENT PROVIDES Provident Bank contributed $10,000 to the Rockland Economic Development Corporation (REDC) to help fund the organization’s Connections 2006 Business Conference, an educational opportunity for students and adults to learn and gain insight about owning or working for a small business. The REDC aims to stimulate job opportunities as a way of improving the quality of life in Rockland County; it provides access to economic development financing incentives, marketing, technical assistance, government contracting programs, information and referrals.
In November, Provident Bank appointed Altea McKean as Business Manager of the Haverstraw branch. Headquartered in Montebello, N.Y., Provident Bank is an independent full-service community bank. (www.providentbanking.com)
PR Patter is compiled by Rebecca L. Golgoski. If you would like
to include news about your company in an upcoming issue of PR Patter,
please forward your articles, including any photos, to prpatter@rbdigest.com.
