SEPTEMBER 2018
DUTCHESS COUNTY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BottomLine The
JOB FAIR See page 3
State senate candidates featured in breakfast forum Sue Serino is a Republican member of the New York State Senate representing District 41, and she was first elected in 2014. Serino Prior to that, Sue was elected to the Hyde Park Town Board in 2010 and then to the Dutchess County Legislature in 2011. According to her website, as a
Contact Breakfast sponsored by
county legislator she is a vocal advocate for hardworking taxpayers and c ons i s te nt ly resisted efforts to raise taxes and fees at the local level. Sue Smythe firmly believes that like so many hardworking families in our communities, our government needs to learn to do more with less and needs to prioritize measures that will directly benefit our local communities. Karen Smythe is a Red Hook resident and the Executive Director of the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association. A former marketing executive, she became the fourth-
generation to run her family’s construction business. According to her website, Karen’s platform comes from the understanding that more middle-class jobs are needed that pay a living wage. Committed to strengthening the Hudson Valley, Karen has put her skills to work on the Board of the Bardavon Theater, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum and as a Trustee of Vassar College. The Contact Breakfast is sponsored by MidHudson Regional Hospital. From its state-of-the-art Center for Robotic Surgery to the healing hands of their physical and occupational therapists at the Therapy Connection, MidHudson Regional Hospital features the latest healing techniques and technology delivered by the most caring and
compassionate staff in the world. For more information, please visit midhudsonregional.org. Chamber members and guests will need to pre-register for the September Contact Breakfast by visiting dcrcoc.org or calling 845.454.1700 x 1000. Tickets are $25 for members, and $35 for nonmembers. The Chamber’s Ambassador committee has partnered with our Workforce Development Center to collect canned and dry goods at our Contact Breakfast. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Nonprofit organizations The Art Effect and Poughkeepsie Public Library District will also be in attendance.
September Business After Hours heads to Hyde Park
Message from the Chair ............................ 2
oin us for our monthly Business After Hours on Wednesday, September 26 from 5 - 7 PM for networking, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar. This month we head to Hyde Park Brewery located at 4076 Albany Post Road in Hyde Park. Known for its 19th century German brewing style, the Brewery is now in its 22nd year of business. Business After Hours gives members and non-members alike the opportunity to meet a diverse range of business professionals in a comfortable, casual
Message from the Chamber President ............ 4
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environment. This event is complimentary to attend thanks to our generous sponsors, Mehl & Associates, CPAs and M&T Bank. Registration is required in advance. To RSVP, visit dcrcoc.org or call 845.454.1700 x 1000. At Mehl & Associates their approach starts by “beginning with the end in mind.” This perspective allows them to help clients grow their businesses with a focus on using Financial and Accounting information to increase their profitability. By approach-
Business After Hours sponsored by
Small Business Partner ............................. 3
Upcoming Events .................................... 5 Member News ......................................8-9 Member Anniversaries .............................. 9 New Members ..................................10-11
ing challenges from the business owner’s perspective, they begin to prioritize internal metrics, internal organizational structure, net worth and retirement goals, financial trending, tax planning strategies and more. For more information please call 845.790.4443 or visit hudsonvalleycpas.com – they’ll be happy to offer you a free initial consultation. For more than 160 years, M&T
Firmbach & Firmbach Certified Public Accountants
Bank has helped people and businesses manage their money and make sound financial decisions, so they can live better today and realize their goals for tomorrow. Whether you’re buying a home, building a business, or broadening your career, find out how they’re making a difference, every day, in communities throughout the Hudson Valley. For more information visit mtb.com.
Chamber Foundation ..............................12 Workforce Development Center ..................15
A Family Accounting practice Our family has been serving the Hudson Valley’s Accounting needs for the last 50 years.
Call and ask for Karl or Rudy 845-454-5440 w w w . F i r m b a c h C P A s . c o m
PK-0100005470
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oin us for a candidate forum at the September Contact Breakfast on Thursday, September 20 at 7:30 AM at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel & Conference Center. Please note, this event will be held on a Thursday. Candidates for State Senator from New York’s 41st District will be featured - incumbent Sue Serino and challenger Karen Smythe. Questions for the candidates may be submitted for consideration prior to the breakfast by emailing richk@dcrcoc.org.