21 minute read
BILLY FORTIN
EVERY DAY IS A GIFT
Discover why this center, which includes a state-of-theart electrophysiology lab and cardiac catheterization lab, is nothing short of a regional Center of Excellence for cardiac care…just minutes away.
Anna Delahanty of Somers spent the gorgeous day of Monday, March 22, 2021, making her famous sauce for Sunday dinner. She took a break for a walk with her husband, Larry. After returning home, Larry heard “this massive crash – oh my God, Anna…. she’d fallen face first in the hallway.” Anna was turning blue-grey. She gasped her last breath in front of Larry. “She had no pulse, no heartbeat, nothing.” Larry knew it was a heart attack.
For Anna Delahanty, every day is a gift after surviving heart failure. When Anna needed instant cardiac care, the Somers volunteer ambulance and Westchester EMS brought her to Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), just fifteen minutes away from her home —a decision that saved her life.
Until last year, if you or a family member in northern Westchester or Putnam County had a heart attack and called 911, chances are you’d be taken to Danbury Hospital or Stamford Hospital in Connecticut or Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.
Now, all that has changed for you, your family and friends. The state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab, which is part of the Seema Boesky Heart Center at NWH, is an extension of Lenox Hill Hospital, a nationally renowned cardiac services program.
The Hospital’s interventional cardiologists rotate through Lenox Hill and NWH to maintain the highest level of skill and quality. This connection means that patients – you and your loved ones – receive care from some of the nation’s top cardiac physicians, each of whom has extensive training in high-risk cases. The level of cardiac care at NWH is equivalent to that at New York City’s most distinguished, high-profile cardiac programs.
Northern Westchester Hospital has brought the renowned cardiac expertise of Lenox Hill Hospital to Westchester, Putnam, and Fairfield Counties
The fact that Anna Delahanty had access to first-rate interventional cardiologists at Northern Westchester Hospital who partner with top cardiac surgeons at Lenox Hill, as well as practitioners who specialize in recovery all within the same health system – Northwell Health – was essential for the highest quality clinical care.
Time is crucial in treating cardiac emergencies
Every second you’re left untreated means more damage to your heart muscle. The sooner your blocked vessel is opened, the better the chance for an excellent outcome. When every second counts, residents can feel confident that NWH is here – and ready – right in their backyard.
NWH is the only hospital with a cardiac catheterization lab within 20-30 minutes of the Anna’s home. She had suffered a massive heart attack causing heart failure. Anything greater than 30 minutes without intervention and it was very unlikely Anna was stable enough to survive. We’re proud to provide advanced cardiac care in the place your heart calls home
The Hospital cares for cardiac emergencies, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week – treating coronary artery disease, which is the narrowing or blockage of one or more arteries carrying oxygenated blood to the heart.
While 90 percent of patients will be treated in Westchester, those who require bypass surgery or require valve replacement will be treated at Lenox Hill. This means you and your family receive comprehensive and seamless cardiac care at the highest level, no matter the issue.
Anna needed emergency bypass surgery. Because no cath lab performs this procedure, her interventional cardiologist at NWH called his colleague at Lenox Hill. Because of the strong partnership between colleagues, Anna had a fighting chance. Using a catheter, Anna’s interventional cardiologist at NWH placed a pump in her heart’s left ventricle to work as an artificial heart, stabilizing her so she could withstand the trip to Lenox. The continuity of high-quality care Anna experienced was essential to her survival.
Restored Confidence with Cardiac Rehabilitation
If you suffer a cardiac emergency, you’ll be treated at NWH or Lenox Hill and receive a direct referral to get crucial follow-up care at the cardiac rehabilitation program at NWH.
A key benefit of the program is restored confidence. After a cardiac emergency, any pain in your chest area may cause anxiety. However, these fears typically go away during or after cardiac rehabilitation as patients see undeniable evidence of their gains in strength and stamina. Activities like walking uphill on the treadmill, riding the bike, or using the rowing machine give patients great confidence.
Anna participates in the cardiac rehabilitation program and continues to astonish everyone with her rapid recovery. She is healthy and happy to be home and back to making her famous Sunday dinners for her family. She is thankful to the experts at Northwell Health for saving her life. “There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude to everybody.”
Learn more about lifesaving cardiac care in Westchester, visit nwh.northwell.edu/heart
60 YEARS of BY John D. McCown PHOTOGRAPHY: Julia Dags SKI & BE SEEN
When you think about it, isn’t it the people and places that make us love where we live? In our neck of the woods, only an hour or so from Manhattan yet a verdant, spacious, open-sky world away, certain people and places are home to us. Skip Beitzel is one of those people and Hickory & Tweed is one of those places.
Skip was seven years old in 1961 when Jimmy and Roberta Ross opened the ski and apparel shop at 410 Main Street in the center of Armonk. Then, and in annual visits after, the entire Beitzel family visited Jimmy Ross to be outfitted with ski equipment. Skip loved the place, loved its rustic ambiance. When he was old enough to secure an afterschool and weekend job, he went to work for Jimmy. The lure of the store and the opportunity to learn from Jimmy kept Skip coming back. “I worked for Jimmy throughout my high school years at Horace Greeley and continued every summer when I was at University of Vermont. He was a great teacher,” Skip fondly remembered.
Of the many things Skip learned about the sports business from Jimmy, key among them was the importance of insuring that every customer enjoy a great in-store experience. This augmented a strong foundation Skip had learned about business from his father, Spike Beitzel, a senior executive at IBM. But, it was Skip’s own passion for an active lifestyle, especially for skiing in winter and surfing in summer, that would enhance his insight into the needs and wants of the store’s customers.
Hickory & Tweed first opened its doors the same year that IBM established its headquarters in Armonk. The name of the store itself telegraphs the focus on skiing during the early days of the sport. Hickory was the wood used for first generation skis. Clothes made of tweed wool kept skiers warm. An early repeat customer of the store was Thomas J. Watson, Jr., CEO of IBM, who developed a close relationship with Jimmy Ross. In the late 1960’s, the IBM head made a suggestion to his friend Jimmy. “We’ve had great success leasing mainframe computers to customers rather than selling them. For many of the same reasons, you ought to do that with skis”. Inspired by that suggestion, Hickory & Tweed became the first ski shop in the country to offer a ski leasing program. The success of that program was immediate and was quickly copied at other ski shops and has been ubiquitous since then. This innovation in ski retail started at Hickory & Tweed.
After graduating from college, Skip remained focused on sports and started the first skateboard park in the Northeast in Ocean City, New Jersey, which also happened to be his favorite spot for surfing. Wanting to learn more about business, Skip attended Harvard Business School. After graduation in 1980 with an MBA, he went to work for Young & Rubicam, a major NYC advertising firm.
In 1985, Skip and Jimmy Ross had a conversation that would alter the course of Skip’s life. As they were walking on the beach in Ocean City, Jimmy told Skip that he was considering selling Hickory & Tweed and, if he did, there was nobody he’d prefer to sell it to more than Skip. Skip was progressing nicely at Y&R and clearly had a bright future, but the opportunity to recast himself into a career where his true passion lay was irresistible. Six months later, a transaction closed and Skip committed fully to his love affair with Hickory & Tweed.
While most of his business school classmates embraced Wall Street, Madison Avenue or some other large corporate address, Skip chose to return to his roots and go to Main Street. He gave up his Manhattan apartment and moved back to northern Westchester County not far from where he was born. Skip married Michaela and they began a family that would grow to include three sons. He leaned heavily on what Jimmy Ross had taught him about customer service. A clear template for him was the experiences he himself had as both a customer and an employee over two decades. What made Hickory & Tweed special then continues to make it special today, as all efforts are focused on optimal customer experience. Personal service was and continues to be the hallmark of that experience. The best merchandise and the best customer experience make shopping at Hickory & Tweed a treat.
Today the store is much larger than the shop Skip first stepped in sixty years ago. In almost 12,000 square feet, skis and bikes reign supreme - along with a full range of apparel to fit active lifestyles. There’s even merchandise that carries the Hickory & Tweed brand - a testimony to how much Skip has built awareness of this special place across the country. Despite its size, Hickory & Tweed exudes a New England charm. The feeling of being transported to Vermont, to White Christmas, is such that you could find yourself thinking Bing Crosby will soon exit with skis on his shoulder. While the store is something a Hollywood set designer would create, the service and products delivered by Skip and his staff are state-of-the-art, resulting in five star online ratings. “This has been my go to place for 15 years”, “You won’t find a better shop anywhere” and “The greatest ski and cycle shop”, are typical customer comments.
Skip talks about Hickory & Tweed with deep and abiding affection and with well-earned pride. “I just love the atmosphere here, particularly in winter when multiple families are getting outfitted with new ski equipment, as the smell of hot ski wax permeates the air. Everybody is happy and enjoying themselves. I’ve had customers tell me that they’ve never experienced more pleasant or effective customer service.”
When Skip talks about Hickory & Tweed, he frequently uses the term ‘family’. His love affair with Hickory & Tweed is a family affair. It’s a family business with his wife Michaela and son Mac working full-time. Michaela is in charge of all apparel and fashion (along with Geri Moore and Debbie Coldwell) while Mac is focused on their growing online business. Pam Conte, whose mother, Dot, worked at the store for over 30 years, is also a huge presence. Skip’s sister Tish Vredenburgh helps maintain the financial records with Hickory & Tweed star Beth Yaffa.
One of the secrets to the great experience customers receive when they come into the store is the attitude of the employees. Skip sees the employees as part of one big extended family, going all the way back to his own time as a teenage employee working for Jimmy. Just as Jimmy Ross mentored Skip, Skip has mentored hundreds of employees, not only in matters related to the store but also related to college and career decisions. Like Skip did, many of these “Tweeders” work on weekends, summers and during holidays from college. One member of this alumni group, Armonk resident Sonia Orlova, commented, “I feel lucky that I worked at Hickory & Tweed during high school and college because of how much I learned and because of the friends I made working there. Skip and Michaela were always supportive and encouraging, and always available when I needed some help or advice about my college or life plans, or anything.” And when employees look forward to going to work as they do at Hickory & Tweed, that enthusiasm infects. Also included in Hickory & Tweed’s big, extended family are the legions of repeat customers. Over 3,000 families now participate in their ski equipment leasing program and that leads to lots of repeat visits and a strong bond between customers and staff.
Skip loves his life and it shows up in everything he does. He retains a passion for skiing (Stowe, Vermont and Alta, Utah are favorites), but what he likes the most about the sport is it is something the whole family does. His wife Michaela and sons Mac, Chase and Ryder are all excellent skiers.
Skip’s participation in and support of community activities is well known. He’s a 25-year board member of the Boys & Girls Club in Mt. Kisco and a long-time member of the President’s Council Board at Northern Westchester Hospital. In 2014, the Armonk Chamber of Commerce named Skip Citizen of the Year. The Beitzels are members at the Bedford Golf & Tennis Club.
At some point, the reins to Hickory & Tweed will be turned over to Skip’s son Mac. Much like Skip, Mac grew up working at the store. His plans include growing its online business. “I know part of the future is more online”, Skip admits, “but I’m a store guy and for me there is nothing quite like walking around to see if we can do something to improve the experience of a customer.”
At Hickory & Tweed, business is personal to Skip and the Beitzels. Because of that, generations of customers from Bedford to New Canaan and beyond think of coming back to Hickory & Tweed as coming home. That’s a special kind of love for a special kind of store.
Skip and Michaela Beitzel, H&T Owners 3 generations of Beitzel! Skip, Mac, and Mac’s son, baby George
THE PEAK OF SKI CHIC
At Hickory & Tweed
BY JOYCE CORRIGAN
PHOTOGRAPHY: Julia Dags
Oprah saying, “Skiing is the next best thing to having wings” kinda explains why ski fashion is famous for its flights of fancy. On the slopes, at the resorts, and in the streets, skiwear and apres-ski coalesce into a dazzling collage of fluorescent color, whimsical Nordic knits, sexy leggings, cheeky pom pom hats, and hotpink mirrored goggles. For six decades the puffer jacket, skin tight legwear and chunky boot silhouette has remained the same. No other pro sport has so indelibly influenced mainstream fashion.
And for six decades Hickory & Tweed has been selling ski-resort-worthy winter fashion alongside their top-flight ski equipment. During Covid, while business attire and party clothes were stranded in a retail tundra, ski wear brands were reaching new peaks. Lucky for us, all the hip new California lines and the iconic, European heritage labels are alive and well and flying off the shelves at H & T. “Almost every other sport was shut down, but people could still ski!” says Michaela Beitzel, partner and buyer at H & T. “At the same time, the wholesome, radiant athletic look and luxe athleisure trend of oversized knits and leggings was everywhere.” Completing the look: sporting sun-kissed cheeks glowing from outdoor exercise, naturally. “Who doesn’t want to look super healthy right now?” says Beitzel.
And who doesn’t want to have fun? “Ski fashion is always feel-good fashion, promising escapes to places like Stowe, Sun Valley, Aspen and Vail,” adds Geri Moore, a longtime H & T buyer. To get customers in the mood, owner Skip Beitzel fires up the snow machine outside the shop. “Customers can’t get enough,” laughs Michaela. “Ski clothes also make any body type look good,” adds Michaela. “Stretch pants are so slimming, it’s become everyone’s winter wardrobe staple”. Which has been the case since Maria Bogner first introduced stretch ski pants in an array of colors in the late 50s. Soon Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor were wearing them around town and the rest is history. “We’ve carried Bogner for 60 years and we continue to do fantastically well with it,” says Beitzel. “Also with Bogner’s younger, edgier Fire & Ice collection.” While runway fashion might emerge from Paris, Milan and New York, skiwear’s most influential brands spring from the mountain meccas— Colorado (Obermeyer and Spyder), California (Patagonia), Germany (Bogner and Schneider), and Scandinavia (Helly Hansen, et al). “Amundsen of Norway is new in America but already one of our top sellers.” notes Michaela. “Their mixed material jackets and vests and their colorful anoraks are old school and cool, at the same time. Anoraks are having a serious comeback. Holden is another up and coming new brand out of Ventura, California,” she adds. “Really classic with a twist. The down hybrid pullovers are getting a lot of attention.”
TAKE A POWDER!
Left: Jacket, Bogner Fire & Ice; ski pant, Kjus; hat, M. Miller; sunglasses, Vuarnet. Right: Jacket and hat, Bogner Fire & Ice; ski pant, Helly Hansen; Ski boot, Nordica; skis, Black Crows “We never followed trends: we buy what we personally love and our customers depend on us for that,” says Michaela. Depend on them also to stock both the cutting edge, and trusted luxe outwear brands. “Our brand reps become like family members, who we’ve known forever and are thrilled to see from year to year,” she muses. “Klaus Obermeyer, the brand’s founder, used to yodel for us personally whenever we met him at the ski shows. And he’s still skiing (and yodeling) at 101!”
Skiing in style will keep you forever young.
THIS SEASON’S FASHION FINDS
MAKE MINE ALPINE
Left: Jacket, Parajumpers; Apres-pant, We Norwegians; shearling mitten and slippers, Toasties-Paris; Backpack, Amundsen. Right, Coat, Schneiders Salzburg
SKI SWEATER WEATHER
Left: Nordic and zip neck sweaters, Bogner; pant, Ohsho; sunglasses, Vuarnet; tote, Toasties-Paris. Right: sweater, Krimson Klover; turtleneck, Bogner; pant, Kjus; hat, M. Miller. Ski boot, Technica
MOUNTAIN GIRL
Coat, Schneiders Salzburg; bandana, Toasties-Paris; Bag, Amundsen
MONTE & ANGELINA LIPMAN
BY Michael Kaplan
PHOTOGRAPHY: Rhonda Spevak STYLING: Mindy Saad
at home for the holidays
Monte and Angelina Lipman are a hit couple, in perfect sync and balance, with a great mood and rhythm, and singing a delightful tune. They are at once the epitome of the power couple, and still totally relatable, grounded, warm, earnest, and friendly. After living in New York City for many years, they made the move to Bedford in pursuit of a weekend getaway, but the beautiful surroundings and welcoming community felt serendipitous when it came to deciding where to raise their children. Eight years ago, they bought their spectacular Katonah estate. Both hailing from large families -Monte is the oldest of 9!- the epicenter of the Lipmans’ life is family, with the spotlight on their three children: their son B. Remington who’s 16 and who’s known as Remy, daughter Juliet Angelina who is 14, and their youngest, Cameron Scott who is 7.
Monte is the Founder and Chairman of Republic Records, working alongside his younger brother, best friend and Co-Founder, Avery. A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company, Republic’s roster includes Ariana Grande, Drake, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Pearl Jam, Post Malone, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and many, many more. Republic is consistently recognized as the industry leader, with all signs pointing to another year at the top of the charts in 2021.
“Early in my career, I had already been fired from three jobs in a short period of time,” recalls Monte. “I clearly thought I knew what I was doing, and I just wanted a job where I couldn’t get canned, so I figured we would start our own company,” he laughs. “We’re as passionate about music now as we were then—if not more so. We’ve been very privileged to work with an incredible roster of artists.” About the brothers’ life story and path in the music industry, Monte explains, “Avery and I were born in Kentucky on a military base. Our parents were kind of like hippies, but after we hitchhiked cross-country as a family and settled into California, when I was 10, our folks divorced and then we spent a few years growing up bicoastally, with our dad in Malibu and mom in Brooklyn. One day, my brother and I were watching Happy Days in the mid-seventies on an old TV, and sparks started flying everywhere and the thing literally just blew up. My dad took it as a sign from above. After that, and for some of our informative years, Avery and I were always huddled around a radio or a record player listening to my dad’s albums. From the Beatles to Stevie Wonder, to the music of the ‘70s, that’s probably when we developed such an affinity for music.” Their dad moved back to Montclair, New Jersey in 1979, and Monte and Avery attended Montclair High School, where they both played baseball and football. Monte went to the University at Albany and played some football there too - and, of course, Avery followed in his footsteps, and even continued to share a room. Monte takes some measure of pride in his Jersey ‘hometown’ and in his alma mater, and has delivered the commencement speech at both Montclair High and University at Albany.
Working together with Avery, the brothers have cultivated a family culture at Republic. At the helm of the label, Monte oversees releasing music into the marketplace from both global superstars and new talent. He signs recording artists, orchestrates alliances with subsidiaries, and fosters the company’s growth and expansion. He refers to his job as “a passionate hobby.”
Monte’s reputation
as a leader and a good guy in the music industry is well established.
CNN Commentator and former Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, Hilary Rosen, said,
Monte is really impressive. He’s the rarest of top execs who run a business and have such a close relationship to artists. And his ear is as good as his instincts!”
Monte & Ariana Grande Monte and Avery with Taylor Swift
And as Larry Rudolph, a veteran music business manager who has managed Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, and many others over his own 30+ year career in the industry, puts it,
Monte is one of the true legends of the music business. His track record is literally unmatched by any other executive in the industry today. Just look at the charts on any given week, “ “ and look at the artists he’s signed to Republic. It’s crazy! Monte is as good as it gets as a label head. The gold
NOV/DEC 2021 standard. And a great guy on top of it!”
About their achievement, Monte explains, “First of all, Avery and I jumped into it at a very early age, with all four feet and blind ambition. We made a lot of mistakes, but we’ve always had the confidence to trust our own instincts and judgement. Because music is so personal, we are humbled to help curate the soundtrack of people’s lives. This industry has been changing rapidly and constantly for my entire career. We celebrate and embrace the individuality of our artists and support them in pursuing their goals, dreams and aspirations. We also recognize that these artists have the ability to make the world a better place, and we take tremendous pride in our role with them. When young people ask me what to study to prepare them for a career in the music industry, I say, ‘human behavior.’ It’s all about understanding people and respecting their artistry. With us, there’s no ceiling on success. If you want to be the biggest artist in the world, we’re your label.”
The 9 Lipman siblings
Monte & Avery with The Weekend at Super Bowl LV
Professionally, Monte is among the very top of music executive ranking. The quality of his label’s artist roster just can’t be beat. Personally Angelina “ “ and Monte are the ideal couple. They have three lovely children, reside in a magnificent estate and share a zest for life that is contagious and enviable. They make all of us Westchester neighbors very proud indeed.”
- Clive Davis
