Volume 2, Issue 1
Table of Contents

Cover Story:
For RBD, It Was
a Very Good Year

Feature Stories:
Lessons Learned
Starting a small business can be a daunting proposition
Web Masters
RBD's online presence is a natural progression

RBD Round-Up:
How's Business?
The results are in from our
first survey
RBD Business Survey
What's your take on the rising cost of healthcare?

DEPARTMENTS:

Economic Round-Up
• The Smart Investor
How to minimize the affect of the Alternative Minimum Tax
• Economic Viewpoint
Interpreting the Inverted
Yield Curve
• Visitor's Guide
Tour busses in Rockland?

Retail Round-Up
• Where the Jobs Are
Tips for students looking
for work

Business Round-Up
• PSI Health Plans
Offer flexibility and
cost savings
• Marketing By Design
The top 15 campaigns of the last 100 years - Part 2

Ask The Expert
• The Human Factor in
Human Resources

Invest in Your Community
• Looking For a Better Way
Tomorrow's Workplace
offers help
• Leadership Rockland
Graduates class of 2007
• Youth Forum & Awards
Rockland Youth Volunteers Honored

Odds & Ends
• Letters to the Editor
• Rockland Newsmakers

Dedicated Section:
Rockland Business Association:

The President’s Desk
Heart-felt Congratulations
to Rockland's only B2B resource

RBA/United Way Golf Outing
A beautiful day for all

RBA Happenings
• Committee and Council Info
• Calendar of Events
• New Members

Business Leader of the Year: Dominican College President Sister Mary Eileen O’Brien recently became the first college president to be named the Rockland Business Leader of the Year in the award’s 26-year history. O’Brien has been president of the college for the past 10 years. “ I traditionally think of education in terms of human growth and the realization of human potential and the acquisition of those personal and professional skills that enable one to work with and for other people,” she said at an awards luncheon in April.

Art of the Hospice: As part of a series of events marking United Hospice of Rockland’s (UHR) 20th year of providing care, comfort, and compassion to individuals and families facing serious illness, Executive Director Amy Stern has announced an art exhibition that will help raise awareness about hospice care in the community.  Twenty (one for each year) artists were selected to participate by creating a butterfly-themed work of art to reinforce the butterfly design that was recently incorporated into UHR’s literature.  The butterfly motif was selected to reflect the butterfly’s life cycle, its fleeting nature and fragile beauty.

The butterfly exhibit will be on display from May-October in various locations throughout Rockland County and will feature information about the artists, the butterfly project and UHR. Proceeds from the auction will support the work of UHR.

Innovative Commercial Space Comes to Hudson Valley: The new 246,300 sq ft Vails Gate Business Center, in the renovated Tarkett Flooring building in New Windsor, promises to bring new jobs, important commercial activity, and increased tax revenue to the Hudson Valley. A unique approach to creating office and industrial space for businesses, Vails Gate will customize a space to accommodate any distribution, manufacturing, assembly, processing, or other industrial environment. “Our goal is to create a new kind of industrial environment, one that caters to the same sense of preference and community often reserved for the residential market,” says Bob Kilgannon, Vails Gate Developer.

Who turned on the light? The Daylight Savings Company was selected as the contractor for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s) Energy Audit Program for the Bronx, Westchester, Rockland and Orange Counties. NYSERDA’s Energy Audit Program provides energy audits to small businesses and other facilities to help them make informed electrical energy decisions and implement energy-efficiency strategies. The primary goal of this program is to increase productivity and economic competitiveness by identifying and encouraging the implementation of cost-effective, energy-efficiency measures. All New York Energy $martSM programs are funded by a System Benefits Charge (SBC) paid by electric distribution customers of Central Hudson, Con Edison, NYSEG, Niagara Mohawk, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric.

“We are extremely pleased to be selected by NYSERDA and will continue our successful efforts to bring utility cost reductions and productivity improvements to New York State businesses,” said Adam Boese, president Daylight Savings Company. “Over the last 15 years we have successfully reduced customer’s energy consumption for annual savings of over $28 million while helping to protect the environment by reducing harmful carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. ”

Ticket to ride: The Provident Bank Charitable Foundation has contributed $15,000 to Home Aides of Rockland, Inc. to fund the purchase of a new van for their Transportation Support Program. The Transportation Support Program was implemented to help provide transportation for homecare workers to remote client locations, during emergencies and to run errands for homebound clients. “The Provident Bank Charitable Foundation is delighted to help fund the purchase of a van that will help broaden the services of Home Aides of Rockland,” said George Strayton, President and CEO of Provident Bank. “Home Aides of Rockland works to enhance the quality of life for homebound individuals and their families in Rockland and Orange Counties.”

Once a Yankee, Always a Yankee: Former Yankee catcher John Flaherty headlined a who’s who of Hudson Valley business leaders in the Boy Scouts’ golf tournament, held on May 14 at the prestigious Tuxedo Club.Flaherty, who is currently an announcer for the YES Network, has a son enrolled as a Tiger Cub in Cub Scout Pack 22, which is chartered to the American Legion Post in Pearl River. John was excited about the opportunity to play at Tuxedo and help support his local Scout Council.

The tournament will raise a record breaking $76,000 for the Hudson Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America thanks to the title sponsorship of RH Tuxedo Reserve. Also serving as major sponsors for the tournament are Helmer Cronin Construction and Provident Bank, which are serving as the cocktail reception and lunch sponsors respectively.Joining Flaherty were many Hudson Valley businesses including All Bright Electric, Armistead Mechanical, the Construction Contractors Association, the Construction Industry Council, Drake, Loeb Heller, Kennedy, Gogerty, Gaba & Rodd PLLC., Feerick, Lynch & MacCartney, LLP, IBEW 363, Laborers Local 17, Miele Excavating, Holt Construction, M&R Energy, Taylor Recycling, Tilcon New York and Union State Bank.

Diego Aviles, Director of Development for the Hudson Valley Council, BSA stated, “Thanks to the generosity and leadership of the Related Companies, Helmer Cronin and Provident Bank, we have been able to triple the monies raised from our golf tournament in two years. This in turn will enable us to provide a Scouting opportunity for a greater number of young people in the Hudson Valley.”
The Hudson Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America currently serves more than 9,500 young people through Scouting and Learning for Life Programs in the New York Counties of Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Pike County in Pennsylvania. To learn more about the Hudson Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America please contact (845) 497-7337 x 318 or email at Daviles@hvcbsa.org.

Senior Rides: A new program will help seniors get to medical appointments within County. County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef and the Rockland County Office for the Aging announced in May that a new Taxi Voucher Program is available to provide transportation to medical appointments for eligible seniors.Vouchers will be available to those seniors who need transportation to get to medical appointments within Rockland County. The program will provide a voucher equivalent to a $6 one-way trip; the rider must pay anything over $6. The vouchers must be used by May 31, 2007.

The New York State Office for the Aging awarded the Rockland County Office for the Aging a $13,352 grant to fund the program. The County OFA will contract with the Rockland Taxi Company and will monitor the program. “We’re happy to be able to offer this service to seniors and help take some of the stress out of getting to their medical appointments,” said June Molof, Director of the Office for the Aging. To obtain a voucher by mail or for more information about the program call the Office for the Aging at 845-364-2108.

New rehab institute opens: Friedwald Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, LLC celebrated its new Institute for Advanced Rehab with a dedication ceremony in May. The Institute includes physical, occupational and speech therapy services for residents and patients who have suffered a debilitating injury or illness. The new Institute for Advanced Rehab combines state of the art strengthening and restoring equipment and technology in the comforts of a spa like setting. In addition to the latest rehabilitation equipment and services, a complete therapy kitchen, laundry area and full bathroom, has been incorporated into the institute.

For more information, contact Leah Schwibner, Director of Marketing at lschwibner@friedwaldcenter.com or by phone at 845-521-0644, .

Free Education Series: The Medical & Mental Health Division of Saint Dominic’s Home is providing a free monthly educational lecture series for Rockland mental health professionals involved in the evaluation and treatment of children and adults called “Psychiatric Grand Rounds” presented by its Chief Psychiatrist Henry Paul, M.D.. The two-hour lecture is held at the Saint Dominic’s Home Training Center at 500 Western Highway in Blauvelt. For more information and to confirm attendance call 845-359 3400, ext. 257.

Upcoming Lecture Series Dates & Topics:
6/27 - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults and Children
7/25 - Mood Disorders: Depression, Bipolar Disorder
8/22 - Schizophrenia
9/26 - Borderline Personality Disorder
10/24 - Childhood Syndromes of Disruptions
11/28 - Eating Disorders

New Firm Coming to Montebello: Econnergy Energy Co. Inc. will begin moving its headquarters to Montebello next month. The energy marketer has signed a seven-year lease to occupy 31,000 square feet at 400 Rella Blvd. The company, currently at 286 N. Main St. in Spring Valley, needed larger offices as it plans to expand its business outside its current seven-state region, Director of Communications Darlene Hyde said. It expects its staff of 110 will be settled in around Sept. 1. Their new landlord is Mack-Cali Realty Corp. Econnergy had been based in Spring Valley for 10 years. RBD

Would you like to include news about your company or client in an upcoming issue of Rockland Newsmakers? If so, please forward your articles and releases, including any photos, to: newsmakers@rbdigest.com.