St. John’s Riverside Hospital receives award
Yonkers’ St. John’s Riverside Hospital received the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. The hospital is part of a select group of 75 national health care facilities with accredited cancer programs to receive this award for surveys performed this year. The award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.
Meyer joins Orange Bank & Trust
Middletown-based Orange County Trust Co. appointed Jennifer Meyer as branch manager of the New City office at Orange Bank and Trust Co., a division of Orange County Trust Co. Meyer’s hiring supports the firm’s expansion plans into Rockland County. Meyer joins Orange Bank and Trust Co. from Hudson Valley Bank (HVB), where she most recently served as branch manager, responsible for the overall management and growth of the New City branch. She is a member of the Rockland Business Women’s Network and has served as a member of United Way.
OCSC selected as TDC Program
Florida-based Orange County Sports Club (OCSC) is one of two clubs selected in 2015 to become a part of the Trampoline Development Center Program (TDC), a program that helps develop the sport of trampoline and tumbling and expand its Olympic pipeline. OCSC features classes for students as young as 15 months, as well as two competitive teams. It has always offered a trampoline class as part of its curriculum, but with the TDC program it will be adding additional classes as the students progress and begin recruiting for the formation of a consecutive team.
Pleasantville firm receives North Dakota business award
Four Anchors Worldwide LLC, a marine insurance brokerage firm based in Pleasantville, has been awarded the 2014 Service to Exporters Award from the North Dakota Trade Office (NDTO) for its exemplary work in acting as a resource to North Dakota exporters.
The marine insurance broker specializes in placing and servicing cargo insurance on agricultural commodities and equipment.
Four Anchors was the only company outside of North Dakota to receive such an award last month.
Bob Furjanic, president of Four Anchors, has worked with the NDTO for the past four years, promoting awareness of cargo insurance, facilitating claims resolutions and using technological innovations to resolve them, as well as highlighting the importance of international trade.
Tompkins Excavating honored by Habitat for Humanity
Stacey Tompkins, president and owner of Putnam Valley-based Tompkins Excavating, a commercial excavation and construction company, accepted the award at the fourth annual Cornerstone Award Dinner for the company’s work with Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County. Tompkins Excavating has worked with Habitat for Humanity in the past, most recently contributing its time and resources at the 87 Johnson St. site in Peekskill, a project that has been in progress since 2013.
FCCF donates $30,000 to St. Vincent’s
St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation received a $30,000 grant from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to support The Hope Dispensary of Greater Bridgeport, a charitable pharmacy dedicated to serving low-income and uninsured individuals in the Bridgeport community who would not otherwise be able to afford access to prescription medicine.
This is the first and only Dispensary of Hope site in Connecticut and provides short- and long-term medication assistance to eligible patients.
VNS Westchester welcomes Gogliettino
Visiting Nurse Services in Westchester (VNS Westchester) welcomed Deb Gogliettino as director of human resources. Gogliettino is a human resource practitioner with 25 years experience in human resources at nonprofit teaching and community hospitals in New York and Connecticut. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in administration from Western Connecticut State University.
Rye YMCA celebrates spirit of giving
The Rye YMCA Annual Dinner at the Apawamis Club in Rye, gave board members, staff and community residents the opportunity to celebrate the Y’s accomplishments over the past year and to recognize the commitment of its volunteers. Outgoing board president Kevin Tice opened the program by thanking board members, whose terms are ending, Carrie Donahue, Kristina Dorfman, Liz Fitzgerald, Michael Ice, Sue Kelly, Rich Lawrence, Tim O’Neill and Chris Scala and welcomed the new board members Julia Billingsley, Mike DeBartolo, Katherine Doyle, Annabel Monaghan, Margarita Sawnhey, Caroline Scully and Mike Tepedino.Rye Y executive director Gregg Howells reflected on the “whirlwind” of centennial activities that raised nearly $2 million, adding that “we never lost sight of the day-to-day needs of our members and our community.”
UJA-Federation of New York honors Abrahams
UJA-Federation of New York’s Westchester Business Professional Division honored Debra Abrahams Weiner of White Plains and Daniel Singer of Briarcliff Manor at its recent 2015 annual luncheon at the Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase.
More than 250 guests paid tribute to Weiner and Singer for their leadership in the Westchester Jewish community and the UJA-Federation to support the philanthropy in its mission for caring for people in need and strengthening the Jewish community.
The luncheon raised nearly $200,000 of additional giving for the federation, which supports a network of nearly 100 health, human-service, educational and community-building agencies.
Ulster Savings promotes Feltz
Bernadette Feltz has been promoted to branch manager at Ulster Savings Bank, 226 Main St., New Paltz.
A High Falls resident, Feltz joined the bank in 2009 and served as assistant branch manager at the New Paltz branch prior to her promotion. She will, as part of her new role, maintain oversight of branch staff and lead the branch’s business development efforts.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from SUNY Geneseo, a Master of Science degree in literacy from Adelphi University and is pursuing a Financial Services Management Diploma from the Center for Financial Training, a banker education and training system in the eastern United States. Feltz is active in the New Paltz community, including membership in the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce.
August is Indian-American month
Rockland County Legislator Aney Paul traveled to Albany on May 28, along with local Indian-American leaders, to witness the introduction of a resolution by Rockland Assemblyman Kenneth P. Zebrowski to proclaim August 2015 as Indian-American Heritage Month in New York state. There are approximately 3 million Indian-Americans residing in the U.S. and immigration from India is currently at its highest level. Indian-Americans have one of the highest educational levels of all ethnic groups with 71 percent attaining a bachelor’s degree compared with the 28 percent national average.
Heart walk raises $14,296
Middletown-based Orange Regional Medical Center sponsored the 2015 Tri-County American Heart Association Heart Walk Sunday May 3. Employees raised a total of $14,296 and supported the walk by selling red, long-sleeved Orange Regional Heart Walk T-shirts and by holding bake sales. Team ORMC and Orange Regional’s Heart Walk Committee Chairman Jim Caffrey, was on hand at the walk held at Lake Welch Beach in Harriman State Park. Orange Regional’s Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Schiller, was a member of the executive leadership team for this year’s Tri-County American Heart Association Walk.
ENTA receives recognition and honors
Tarrytown-based ENT & Allergy Associates LLP (ENTA) received the 2015 MAP Award for high performance in revenue cycle by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), a national membership organization for health care financial leaders. Award recipients are acknowledged as industry leaders. The award is being presented June 22 at HFMA’s 2015 National Institute in Orlando, Fla.
Lalla joins Copland House
Thomas R. Lalla Jr. has been elected to join the Copland House board of trustees, an organization headquartered in Cortlandt, dedicated to nurturing America’s musical heritage in the tradition of Aaron Copland. Lalla was general counsel and senior vice president of PernonRicard USA, where he also directed the corporate social responsibility programs. Previously, he was a partner at Buchman & O’Brien, and a former Westchester County assistant district attorney. He is an adjunct professor at Pace University School of Law.
New board appointments at VNA
The Board of Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group Inc., (WVNS Group) the parent organization of VNS Westchester and its affiliate, Westchester Care at Home, announced appointments to its governing board at the group’s meeting May 26.
Amy Ansehl, a member of the WVNS Group Board since 2011, was elected to the position of board chairperson. Ansehl has served as executive director, Partnership for a Healthy Population; director of public health practice and assistant professor in the School of Health Sciences and Practice at the New York Medical College since 2000, and was recently promoted to associate professor. She is also assistant dean of public health practice.
Debra Swee, also a member of the WVNS Group Board since 2011, was elected to the position of vice-chairperson. She is an accomplished, communications professional with a 20-plus-year track record implementing complex communication projects for a Fortune 500 company. As a communications consultant, she works with clients of all sizes and types, from Fortune 500 to small and medium businesses to nonprofits. She is a Board member of the Putnam Arts Council and a former executive director at Verizon.
Andrea McKay-Harris, a senior manager at Deloitte, and Nancy Rudolph, a partner at Bleakley, Platt & Schmidt, were re-elected to the positions of board secretary and board treasurer, respectively.
Veteran agents join ERA
Juliette Muity has joined ERA Insite Realty Services’ Bronxville office as an associate real estate broker, and Terence Durfy joined the ERA Thornwood office/Newbauer Division as a licensed real estate salesperson.
Muity was most recently with Houlihan Lawrence in Bronxville. With 20 years of industry experience she has a history of serving international clientele. Fluent in her native language, Hungarian, Muity can also communicate with clients in French, Russian and German.
Durfy was most recently with Coldwell Banker in Briarcliff Manor. Prior to that, she spent eight years with Gains Realty in Thornwood. She taught for several years before entering industrial sales and manufacturing consulting.
PC Construction on top 400 list
The employee-owned construction firm PC Construction in Poughkeepsie, with offices in Maine, Vermont, Florida, Georgia, New York and North Carolina, plus operations across the East Coast and Southeastern states, was ranked 147 in the annual national ranking of Engineering News-Record magazine’s list of Top 400 Contractors. It also ranked No. 47 in the Top 200 Environmental firms.
PC Construction offers general contracting, construction management and design-build services to private companies and public entities of all sizes.
Harrison Edwards honored at digital summit
Harrison Edwards Public Relations & Marketing in Armonk recently captured the 2015 Chester Award as the Most Digitally Forward Thinking Business in Westchester at the third annual Westchester Digital Summit conference May 14 in Rye. The agency was selected for its “innovative and original use” of digital marketing across multiple platforms and specifically for its “Ice Dam” campaign for RTK Environmental Group that resulted in an increase in social media engagement, email marketing open rates and an increase in revenue for the client
With the “Ice Dam” campaign, Harrison Edwards sought to publicize the potentially devastating effects of ice dams prevalent in many homes after this year’s devastating winter weather, all while promoting RTK’s industry-leading testing services.
Empire City Casino director to be honored at event
Taryn Duffy, the director of public affairs for Empire City Casino and its owners the Rooney family, will honored at the 2015 Women of Influence Celebration presented by the Irish Voice in New York City. The event will be held at Pier A Harbor House at 22 Battery Place in Manhattan on June 25.
Duffy, a resident of Bronxville, oversees lobbying and political activities and manages civic engagements and community relations at Empire City and also is principal of TSD Strategies Inc., a communications and public relations consulting firm.
Beginning her career as a litigation paralegal in California, Duffy returned to New York to work in a midtown law firm. In 1997, she entered the political arena working for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and then joined the team of Jeff Klein in his 2004 New York state Senate bid. Taryn served as Klein’s chief of staff and campaign manager for several years.
She has worked on dozens of political campaigns and briefly departed the political world to serve as director of admissions for Mercy College before taking on her current position.
Active in numerous civic and professional organizations and an advocate for volunteer service and civic engagement, Duffy was a 2013 recipient of City & State magazine’s Above and Beyond Award, and a 2014 Bronx Chamber of Commerce Irish Heritage honoree for distinguished service.
Boscobel says thanks
Boscobel Executive Director Steve Miller presented the Philipstown Garden Club, a member of the Garden Club of America, with a check for $2,000 this week to show appreciation for all of its efforts and contributions to the Hudson Valley environment and most specifically to the maintenance and upkeep of Boscobel’s herb garden. Miller said, “Our partnership with the Philipstown Garden Club is deeply valued. Every Tuesday when I look out my office window, I see their members diligently tending what is certainly an endearing part of Boscobel’s outdoor ‘exhibits.’”
New restaurant in town
Kristina and Stephen Ernst, owners of Westtown Fare Restaurant, 795 Route 284 in Westtown, heart of the Hudson Valley’s Black Dirt Region, have known each other since high school and dreamed of having their own restaurant.
The restaurant serves traditional French, Italian and American cuisine, with fresh-farm produce, meats and seafood while incorporating local products whenever possible.
“This was a dream fulfilled for both of us and a way for us to work side by side to provide the community a place to dine, relax and enjoy,” said Kristina Ernst. “And our cuisine is graciously served in a warm, contemporary-rustic style home.”
School receives excellence award
The John A. Coleman School, with campuses in White Plains and Yonkers, was selected as a 2015-2016 National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) School of Excellence. This is the eighth consecutive year that the school has received this honor.
Selection as a School of Excellence is the highest level of recognition a private special education school can achieve through NASET. In order to be honored with this recognition, private special education schools must meet rigorous professional criteria and have demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education. Only a few select, qualified, licensed, private special education schools in New York state have received this distinction.
Director of cash management appointed at The Westchester Bank
Mara O’Brien has been appointed vice president, director of cash management at The Westchester Bank. She brings more than 20 years of banking experience in client service, sales and cash management product implementation after beginning her career in the brokerage industry.
O’Brien said, “I’m very excited to be part of an organization that places so much emphasis not only on great banking products but delivering them in a highly personal and customized manner. That’s the advantage of being part of a community bank where you can take the time to get to know people and better understand what they really want.”
Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s welcomes new agent
Suzanne C. Moncure, a real estate professional with more than 25 years of experience, has joined Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty as a sales agent and will be based in the firm’s Larchmont brokerage.
Prior to joining the firm, Moncure served as an award-winning real estate agent for Houlihan Lawrence, listing and selling homes in Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Rye Neck, Harrison, New Rochelle, Pelham and Scarsdale. In addition to real estate certification, Moncure holds a master’s degree in international finance and economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. She is a certified public accountant and was a vice president at Citibank.
Regional director for Pentegra
Laura Grassi has joined Pentegra Retirement Services in White Plains as regional director for its qualified plan sales. Grassi will spearhead the company’s business development efforts in New York City, Long Island and New Jersey.
An accomplished retirement services professional, Grassi brings extensive experience to Pentegra, having worked in the industry for more than 14 years. Most recently, she was regional director of sales with Empower Retirement, specializing in the corporate retirement plan marketplace. Previously, she worked at ING Financial Services, where she was a regional vice president.
Grassi maintains FINRA Series 6 and 63 securities registrations and maintains life licenses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. She also holds a Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist designation from the College for Financial Planning.
Phelps receives award
Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow has received the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke “Gold Plus” Achievement Award for the sixth consecutive year based on its implementation of specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for the treatment of stroke patients.
“With this award, our hospital demonstrates our commitment to ensure that our patients receive care based on internationally respected clinical guidelines,” said Elaine Gardner, stroke coordinator.
Odenwald joins Ulster Savings
Ulster Savings Bank announced that Marian A. Odenwald has joined the bank as business development officer at its Kingston headquarters.
Odenwald, a Lake Katrine resident, has more than two decades of marketing and sales experience. In her new role, she will be responsible for leading the bank’s business development efforts across its 13 branches throughout Ulster, Dutchess and Orange counties.
“Marian will be an integral part of our business development efforts as we grow throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley,” said MaryRose Warcholak, vice president and branch administration and business development at Ulster Savings Bank.
Program receives Gold Aster Award
The New York Medical College Phelps Family Medicine Residency Program at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow has been awarded a 2015 Gold Aster Award for excellence in health care advertising and marketing for the calendar year 2014 for three videos showing how the program incorporates behavioral medicine, community outreach and dynamic training focused on filling the growing need for providers and leaders in primary care.
The videos were created by John Heaney, producer/director and founder of Media Stream Inc., with the assistance of Kimberly Andron, director of behavioral medicine; and Christina Micela, media and marketing associate.
The Aster Awards, one of the largest national competitions of its kind, is hosted by Marketing Healthcare Today magazine and Creative Images Inc.
Tompkins Excavating raises $4,600
Tompkins Excavating, a commercial and residential landscape construction company, recently sponsored two racing teams at the third annual 90-minute endurance race, hosted by indoor racing facility Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco, that raised $4,600 for Project Yellow Light, an organization promoting awareness of the dangers of distracted driving among teens.
Stacey Tompkins, owner and president of Tompkins Excavating, sponsored two teams, one of which included her husband, Mark, and Kyle Bronzo, her son Justin’s friend. The second team, which consisted of Justin Tompkins and his friend Angelo Curro, won the top prize of the night.
“Distracted driving is just as bad as drunk driving,” Tompkins said. “Two of my teenage sons drive now, and we preach in the home that you do not use your phone while you’re driving and if you need to make a call, pull over. I trust my boys, but we obviously don’t have eyes in the car with them and they know if they’re ever caught texting or using their phones in the car their driving privileges would be removed immediately.”
Project Yellow Light is a national scholarship competition designed to bring about change, in partnership with the Ad Council, Mazda, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Organizations for Youth Safety and U-Haul.
Statewide Abstract adds account executive
Kenneth Meccia, president of Statewide Abstract Corp., the largest family-owned title agency in Westchester, announced the addition of Michael B. Meccia to the staff. Michael is Ken’s youngest son and represents the third generation of the Meccia family at Statewide Abstract.
A graduate of Lincoln College, Meccia previously worked at Honda in White Plains for three years reaching the position of top salesperson in his last two years there. By joining Statewide he follows in his grandfather’s, uncle’s and father’s footsteps.
“At the end of April I decided it was time for a change. I grew up hearing discussions about title insurance at the dinner table. Those conversations centered around technical issues, problem solving and customer service and so it seemed like a natural transition since I already had a broad understanding of the industry,” Meccia said.
He will serve as an account executive joining a team of five individuals led by Rick Krasner, senior vice president, who has been with the firm for 23 years.
Salon under new management
Former salon and boutique owners Frances Bachmann and her husband, Vahan Bachmann, recently bought Sun Indulgence at 125 Route 94 in the Meadowcrest complex in Warwick.
The couple upgraded the technology, added a spray tan room, redesigned the salon to reflect a Zen spa environment and a logo with a lotus leaf, which represents the sun in Egyptian mythology.
Bachman explained that her family moved to Warwick in 2008 because they fell in love with the area. “My husband, Vahan, is from Switzerland,” said Bachmann. “So Warwick’s rolling hills and mountain backdrops appealed to him. We wanted to plant roots and invest in our new community and leave our son Kenneth with a family legacy.”
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