BROKER RECEIVES HGAR AWARD
RON REID, commercial division director and associate real estate broker at RE/MAX PRIME PROPERTIES in Scarsdale, has received the Realtor Emeritus Award from the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR) in recognition of his contributions to the real estate profession and the community.
“Ron has had a remarkable career and is known throughout the tristate region. The HGAR award recognizes not only his longevity in the real estate market but also his contributions to quality service consumers can expect and to sustaining the vitality of the real estate marketplace in Westchester and surrounding counties,” said Henry Weber, president and regional director of RE/MAX of New York Inc.
Reid attained Platinum Club status for sales in excess of $15 million in just one year at RE/MAX Prime Properties. Some of his major million-dollar-plus corporate transactions have included the $35 million sale of the IBM Thornwood Conference Center, the $13.5 million sale of Roe Movers/CHEP warehouse building in Wappingers Falls and the $5.5 million sale of Hudson River Inn and Conference Center in Ossining.
Prior to RE/MAX, Reid served as associate broker and director at CBRE-CB Richard Ellis. He also served as the west side sales manager for William B. May Real Estate and headed his own brokerage and consulting firm, American Properties.
WILSON ELSER PROMOTES SIX TO PARTNER
WILSON ELSER, a national law firm with offices in White Plains, has promoted six attorneys to partner. The attorneys promoted to partner are:
CLAIRE PARSONS (Houston), formerly of counsel, focuses her practice on ERISA, general liability, professional liability and labor and employment matters. Her experience extends to welfare benefit litigation, product liability, legal malpractice, medical practice, premises liability, mortgage fraud actions and insurance coverage disputes. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University (1998) and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law (2005).
ALICIA SILVER SANTOCKI (New York metro), serves as coverage counsel and claims coordinator for management and professional liability insurance programs. Additionally, she has direct litigation experience defending employers in employment claims before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other venues. She graduated cum laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree (1996) and received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School (2001).
ALLISON BURNS (Chicago), formerly an associate, concentrates her practice in general liability matters, with a focus on construction and trucking litigation as well as product liability in Illinois and Indiana. She graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree (2001) and earned her J.D. from Indiana University Maurer School of Law (2004).
REUBEN CAWLEY (Las Vegas), practices in three jurisdictions, Arizona, Nevada and Utah and focuses on complex business and commercial litigation, construction litigation, personal injury, professional liability, real estate litigation, banking litigation and general liability matters. He graduated cum laude from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree (2000), and earned his J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law (2004).
KATHRYN GRACE (D.C. metro), focuses her practice on general liability and professional liability matters with experience in product liability, toxic torts, consumer matters and 42 USC § 1983 civil rights cases. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (2002) and earned her J.D. from George Mason University School of Law (2005).
JOHN HSU (New York metro), focuses his practice on general liability cases involving personal injury and property damage claims in state and federal courts for national commercial clients and individual owners. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Marist College (2000) and graduated cum laude from Albany Law School (2003) where he earned his J.D. degree.
ACCOUNTING FIRM ADDS PARTNERS
O’CONNOR DAVIES L.L.P., a certified public accounting and consulting firm with offices in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, has made the following promotions:
• ROBERT CORDERO was promoted to partner in the accounting and auditing practice. With more than 12 years experience in public accounting, Cordero specializes in auditing and business consulting, working with several types of organizations, including private schools, general charities and other not-for-profit organizations, government and commercial entities. He is based in the firm’s Harrison and New York City offices.
• JOSEPH IZZO was promoted to partner in the accounting and auditing practice. He has more than 13 years experience serving both not-for-profit and commercial clients on audit and tax engagements and has served a variety of clients, including a large subsidiary of an international manufacturing company. He is based in the firm’s New York City office.
• GEMMA LEDDY was promoted to partner and director of O’Connor Davies Wealth Services. She has more than 25 years experience in public accounting and in the private sector, providing comprehensive financial management and CFO services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, executives, entrepreneurs and their businesses. Leddy is based in the firm’s Harrison office.
• CHRISTINE G. PRONEK was promoted to partner in the estate and trust practice of the firm. She has more than 15 years experience in public accounting, several years of experience with the Internal Revenue Service and experience in all areas of taxation, including corporate, individual and partnerships. She is based in the firm’s Cranford, N.J., office.
• MICHAEL PROVINI was promoted to partner in the firm’s financial services practice group. He has more than 20 years experience in public accounting with an expertise in audit, tax and consulting services for a variety of financial service clients, including hedge funds, fund of funds, private equity funds, offshore funds, master-feeder structures, commodity pools, private foundations, employee benefit plans, family offices and registered investment advisers. He is based in the firm’s New York City office.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB TOAST STAFF
THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER (BGCNW) alumni, staff and supporters saluted a combined 100 years of service and teaching carried out by three longtime staff members.
At a BGCNW Alumni Cocktail Reception with more than 200 guests attending, Feb. 9 at the club’s Main Street location, Aquatics Director DENNIS MUNSON was lauded for 45 years of service; Director of Operations BARBARA CUTRI for 30 years of service; and Director of the Pre-School Child Care Center BETTY LOU OSTRYE for 25 years of service. Each of the three dedicated their careers to supporting, educating and encouraging youth from around Westchester County, and setting them on the path to success and good citizenship.
“Dennis, Barbara and Betty Lou are extraordinary individuals,” said Brian Skanes, executive director of the BGCNW. “There are countless adults who can trace their success back to these three. And because of that, those adults are now enrolling their children in the club, too.”
YMCA NAMES RING TO POST
ANNE RING of Yorktown Heights, a longtime community leader, has been appointed director of fund development and communications at the YMCA OF CENTRAL & NORTHERN WESTCHESTER in White Plains.
“Anne is a familiar face in the community and is well-known for being a strategic leader who builds teams, develops relationships and drives results. Her experience and expertise will be a great benefit to our organization as we move forward into the future,” said Cynthia Rubino, CEO and president of the organization.
With more than 27 years of leadership experience and expertise in management, marketing, fundraising and community relations, Rubino said Ring’s expertise in community relations will help with fundraising efforts.
“I am honored to join the YMCA. …The YMCA is such a key resource in our community. I look forward to using my skills to help the YMCA in its mission to better youth development, healthy living and social responsibility in Westchester.”
President of Heritage Communications, Ring provides advice to businesses and other organizations seeking help with product awareness, leadership positioning, marketing and overall visibility. She has held the positions of associate publisher at the Daily Voice, business development manager at Westchester magazine, associate publisher at Trader Publications and adjunct professor at Fordham University.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Providence College and a Master of Arts degree in public communications at Fordham University.
GROUP DONATES $10,000 TO YOUNG CHEFS
THE HOPE FOR YOUTH FOUNDATION of the Peekskill Rotary Club has donated $10,000 to HUDSON VALLEY HOSPITAL CENTER to support a new program that uses cooking to teach youngsters about healthy eating in the battle against childhood obesity.
The Young Chefs of the Hudson Valley offers weekly cooking classes to at-risk children ages 11 to 13 in area school districts. Parents can also sign their children up for small group classes. The program, run by trained chefs and dietitians on staff at HVHC, aims to improve the health of children and reduce the risks of obesity. It is one of several community classes for all ages being taught in the hospital’s new Chef Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen.
“We are grateful to Jim Witt and the Hope for Youth Foundation who have for many years generously supported programs at our hospital that are aimed at improving the lives of young people,’’ Hudson Valley Hospital President John C. Federspiel said. “Teaching the value of healthy eating can never start early enough if we are to stem the tide of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”
For more information about Harvest for Health and to sign up for classes in the Chef Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen, visit hvhc.org or call (914) 734-3780.
CATERER JOINS ALLIANCE
NEW YORK HOSPITALITY GROUP, based in White Plains, and made up of three foodservice operations: Caperberry Events, Sams of Gedney Way and The Great American Barbeque Company, has joined the HUDSON VALLEY FOOD & BEVERAGE ALLIANCE to better serve its company mission to bring the best locally sourced products to its clients and customers.
“We pride ourselves on being marketplace innovators and joining the alliance is the next step forward in employing more locally sourced products in our offerings,” said Peter Herrero, CEO of New York Hospitality Group
The Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance brings organizations within the food and beverage industries together, helping area businesses forge strong partnerships. Founded by HVEDC, the Alliance provides access to economic guidance and marketing resources to businesses throughout the region.
ANOTHER AWARD FOR AUTHOR TOPPING
AUDREY RONNING TOPPING’s book “China Mission: A Personal History from the Last Imperial Dynasty to the People’s Republic” published by Louisiana State University Press won the prestigious 2013 Prose Award for Media and Cultural Studies.
Topping, a Scarsdale resident is a widely traveled internationally renowned prize-winning photojournalist and author of five books.
Prose is The American Publishers Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence.
The recipients were announced at an Awards Luncheon Feb. 6, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C. The ceremony was webcast live to audiences across the globe. Topping also is a contributing writer to WAG magazine, a sister publication to this journal.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE SEEKS APPLICANTS
THE EILEEN FISHER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (EFLI) has opened its application process for the 2014 summer sessions. Entering its fifth year, EFLI promotes leadership in young women through self-empowerment, connection with others and activism in Westchester County.
This summer, EFLI will continue to offer two sessions of the 12-day Activating Leadership program for first-year participants, beginning July 7 and Aug. 4, accepting 18 to 22 participants for each session. Thirty-six talented and motivated young women completed Activating Leadership in 2013. After a successful pilot program last summer, EFLI is inviting young women entering their freshman year of high school to apply for Intro to EFLI. Additionally, EFLI will continue the LIFE Fellowship, a summer internship program for a select group of recent high school graduates.
Other new programs will provide an opportunity to plug in to EFLI in ways that are convenient and meaningful for all ages.
In addition, EFLI is seeking families to host young women who are unable to travel daily to Irvington for the program.
Applicants are asked to submit their completed applications by any of the three following deadlines: March 3, April 7 or May 12. Applications may be submitted online at efli-life.org. For any questions, contact program coordinator Aimee Aubin at (914) 487-3354 or info@efli-life.org.
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