Young Professionals 2020

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‘Featuring 10 up and comers in our business community’

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PROFESSIONALS A special section of the SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

April 24, 2020 • Section Y • Callicoon, NY

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Michael Hahn

BY MATT SHORTALL

FRED STABBERT III | DEMOCRAT

Mike Hahn shows why Heavenly Acres Antonio – better known as Tony – was a five-time Grand Champion and two-time National Grand Champion. And to think this 1,800-lb. American British White Park bull started out as a 57-lb. calf. This photo was taken in October of 2015.

T

he history of Sullivan County is steeped in a rich tradition of family farming.

For generations people have taken care of the land and the land has taken care of them. While the number of family farms has steadily declined in recent decades, there’s some who are still carrying that proud legacy into the future.

Michael Hahn, 27, is the latest of more than three generations of Hilly Acres Farmers who have lived and worked in Jeffersonville for the better part of a century.

Both his grandfathers worked on the same property, albeit at different times.

His paternal grandfather Eugene

grew up on the farm when they had dairy cattle and a pretty sizable poultry operation. Around the mid-1950s, Hahn’s great uncle Jake Yager sold the property to Hahn’s mother’s side of the family, who were recent immigrants living in Paterson, NJ before they moved to the Jeffersonville area.

pigs and a few hundred egg-laying chickens. They also raise meat birds as well as sheep and turkeys on a seasonal basis.

“We have a little variety of everything to meet the needs of our customers we’ve built up over the years,” Hahn said.

The two families finally became one when Tanya and Andy Hahn married in 1988. Michael was born a few years later in 1992.

From humble beginnings, Hilly Acres has become a forward-thinking livestock farm with between 120 - 150 heads of cattle, between 100 - 150

Congratulations to all the Young Professionals!

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And thank you, Michael Hahn.

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

Raised by farmers, Hahn said he never thought about growing up to become anything else “I have a ton of good memories here,” Hahn said. “I never have a bad day. I love what I do and I’m thankful for it.”

While attending school at Sullivan West, Hahn started getting involved in the 4-H cloverbud program when he was only 8 or 9-years-old. “I had a fantastic leader and met a lot of great people through the program.”

Hahn eventually became his club’s president and later sat on the 4-H program committee as a junior member. Hahn’s experiences in 4-H not only connected him with other likeminded young people throughout the state, but offered him the opportunity to visit various college campuses known for their agricultural science programs.

He enrolled at SUNY Cobleskill in 2010, eventually completing his associate’s degree in animal industry and his bachelor’s of technology degree in agricultural business.

In college, Hahn said he had many great professors and made countless connections with other aspiring young farmers.

During his time at Cobleskill, Hahn secured an internship at a large-scale upstate dairy farm.

“I grew up in smaller, rural America here with a lot of agriculture in the area, but not on the large-scale commercial type,” Hahn explained. “I wanted to see how a place like that works and it was a fantastic internship. It gave me a whole new look on things and I pulled a lot from it.”

Hahn said it wasn’t that he aspired to have a large-scale, commercial farm, but he gained invaluable insights by seeing how such an operation works.

Returning to Hilly Acres after college, Hahn found his ideal kind of work environment. The hours are long and the days start early, but there’s a definite sense of pride in working with your hands.

“The animals are always happy to see you,” Hahn said with a chuckle.

“Being able to work with the animals, take care of the ground and see things grow –– whether its animals or crops –– it’s a one of a kind feeling.”

And although Hahn always has a lot of work to get done, he experiences very little stress while doing it.

“I feel very lucky and blessed that I get to do this everyday,” he said.

“Unfortunately we live in a society where the general public has become very disconnected with where their food comes from. This crisis that we’re in now [Coronavirus] has been a big eye opener for some people. Your food doesn’t just come from a grocery store shelf.”

The Hahns sell a lot of their products at the farmers markets in Callicoon, Goshen, Narrowsburg and Barryville. Additionally, anyone can place an online order for lamb, poultry, beef, pork or eggs at hillyacresfarmhome.weebly.com The Hahn family suffered tragedy last July when a fire ravaged one of their historic barns, destroying 300 round bales of hay and killing hundreds of chickens.

Despite suffering a farmer’s worst nightmare, the Hahn family didn’t lose their character for persistence and hard work. With a little help from the community, they were able to persevere and continue to offer their services.

“We couldn’t be more thankful to live in a community that so readily lends a helping hand,” Hahn said.

“Words really can’t describe it.”

Congrats to Mike & Rianne!

Keep up the Good Work.

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Congratulations Mike Hahn & Rianne Erlwein & all the Young Professionals!

Congratulations to Michael, Rianne and Sarah We are so proud of you all!

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Rianne Erlwein

BY ISABEL BRAVERMAN

U

nlike most 26-year-olds, Rianne Erlwein is up every morning at a quarter after 5 a.m. It may seem early, but Erlwein has an important job to do that calls for 16-hour work days — running her family’s dairy farm.

Her family has owned and operated Myers Century Farm in Jeffersonville since 1837, making Erlwein the seventh generation of farmers in the family.

Erlwein said her family that started the farm moved here from Manhattan “when it started to get crowded” and have been here ever since.

“Since 1837 there’s been a cow milked every single day on this farm,” Erlwein remarked.

With her parents they milk over 140 dairy cows every day; she has her own herd of Jersey cows and her par-

“…when you work with livestock, machines and Mother Nature you never know what’s going to get thrown at you…”

Rianne Erlwein Sullivan County Dairy Farmer | ents have a herd of Holstein cows.

When asked what her job entails, Erlwein responded, “Whatever needs to be done.”

This includes waking up at 5:15 a.m. to feed, clean and milk her herd of cows, and then go do the same with her parents’ cows. In the afternoon they do different kinds of work depending on the season. For example they are working in the hay fields now, and in the summer will make hay. They also do repairs on equipment.

At 4:30 p.m. they once again milk Erlwein’s cows and at 6:30 her par-

ents’ cows, getting done at around 9:30 in the evening.

Erlwein says her favorite part of the job is working with family, who all live within a mile of the farm. Her grandpa helps out every day, and her two brothers, who are both corrections officers, work when they have time.

In her free time, that is if she has any, Erlwein likes to go for runs, a sport she picked up while attending Sullivan West High School. As a member of the track and cross-country team she competed in the New York Cross Country State Championships

five times, and was a member of several Section 9 Championship teams in track, and has since ran in several marathons.

After graduating high school with honors, she went to Utica College, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She grew up working on the farm and her parents always told her and her brothers to go do something else for two years and see what else is out there.

“Once I started going through college I realized how much I actually loved farming, so then I came back,” she said, returning to the farm in 2015 and working there full-time ever since.

The dairy farm business has been struggling in recent years, as the price of milk has plummeted to the same price farmers were paid in the 1970s.

In the spring of 2018, Myers Century Farm received abrupt notification that their milk market was being can-

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to all of the 2020 Young Professionals!

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

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Rianne

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il m a F g in r a e N e Th

celed, one of the seven Sullivan County farms that also received the “pink slip.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, Erlwein said it’s throwing everything for a loop, and like many other farms they had to dump their milk one time.

Luckily, Erlwein said, they were still paid for it.

Such is the nature of farming—you never know what will affect it, as it struggles to hold on to its roots.

“The most difficult part of my job is keeping everything running smooth-

ly, because when you work with livestock, machines and Mother Nature you never know what’s going to get thrown at you,” Erlwein said.

But the sun still rises every day, and the cows still need to be cared for, and Erlwein and her family are glad to have this work.

Their milk is sold locally at Peck’s Markets through Bethel Creamery and you can find more information about the farm at www.myerscenturyfarm.com.

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Sarah Shirdon

BY PATRICIO ROBAYO

A

Sullivan County native, Sarah Shirdon, knows the meaning of hard work.

After attending Sullivan West High School, she went for her bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Castleton University in Vermont.

When she was a Bulldog, she loved sports, especially soccer.

She not only played for her high school but also for a travel league team called Liberty United.

Once she finished up studying in Vermont, she made her way back to her hometown, Youngsville.

When she left for her studies, her heart never left her hometown.

“The environment here in Sullivan County is very friendly. It’s also rural, and I prefer more of the country. I love the scenery, the mountains, all of that,” said Shirdon.

She started working for the Center for Discovery when she returned

where she was a teacher associate and worked in the school district in Harris.

And soon after, she went for a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from the University of Florida online.

While she was working for the Center, a parent from Monticello High School asked her if I would be willing to be their athletic trainer.

“Things quickly got up and running, after that, so I stuck around [in Sullivan] because athletic training is what I have gone to school for,” said Shirdon.

As a trainer for the school, she is an emergency responder for athletic injuries. If an injury happens during a practice or game, she is there to evaluate the injured on site.

She also helps those athletics recover from their injuries and help them to get back on the field.

Furthermore, she is there to help prevent injuries from even happen-

ing in the first place.

As the athletic trainer, Shirdon covers all sports in the middle school and high school at the Monticello Central School District.

Having worked for the district for the past four years, Shirdon says, “I love it. I love the coaches, and the athletes are fantastic. And I have a really good support system from the district too.”

But being an athletic trainer is not the only thing Shirdon does. For the past 11 years, she has worked at Bethel Woods for Spectra Food Services and Hospitality as a Concessions Manager, where she is in charge of inventory control and scheduling the concessions department and oversees the warehouse for the entire venue.

“My busiest part of the season is the summer concerts,” said Shirdon.

“It’s just the environment of the concert, the hustle, and bustle of getting everything ready. It’s just very

high-paced, and to me, that’s, that’s very exciting,” said Shirdon.

The COVID-19 crisis has affected both jobs, as an athletic trainer, she said, “We don’t know what will happen with the spring sports season.

The big thing is just getting back. This is tough for me because I’m not seeing my athletes or coaches.”

She said she is currently working from home for Monticello, by designing rehab programs for whenever high school sports return. And for Bethel Woods, she is the process of hiring for the upcoming concert season.

As a young professional, she says that the opportunity in Sullivan County might not always be right in front of you, but they are there.

“I think a lot of young professionals don’t realize that Sullivan County really does have a lot to offer,” said Shirdon.

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Cory Dame

BY PATRICIO ROBAYO

Cory Dame Sullivan Renaissance Marketing and Communications Manager | The Center for Discovery then hired Dame as a webmaster. While working for the Center, she began working more with their development department and fundraising.

She started to work on The Center’s print materials and said she had to learn the ropes of the print world, which she did by self-studying and learning from print masters like Ira Steingart of Steingart Printing in South Fallsburg.

“He was really instrumental in helping me understand the print process and setting up print files,” said Dame.

After taking a small break from the workforce, she saw an ad on Indeed.com for a marketing and events coordinator for Sullivan Renaissance.

She didn’t apply at first, but three hours after she saw the ad, she got a call from Renaissance to meet over a cup of coffee.

Dame had experience with Sullivan Renaissance while working for acdStudios.

“I helped create Renaissance’s first website while working at adcStudios,” said Dame.

She got the job, but soon the organization realized what they really needed was someone in communication and marketing.

Renaissance moved her away from events and focused more on messaging and marketing for the organiza-

tion.

So daily, Dame handles social media content creation, graphic design for collateral material and advertising, website maintenance, and posting on various social media platforms.

She was also key in the redesign of the organization’s website, which she first designed with adcStudio.

“They’re [Renaissance] really good about being supportive of my abilities and very trusting,” said Dame.

When Dame is not working, she is taking care of her 10-year-old son Lucas who is an avid ice hockey player and basketball player.

Lucas goes to Tri-Valley, and Dame says, “He’s very athletic, and he’s compassionate and kind, which makes me proud.”

Dame says she loves that she lives and works in Sullivan County, but that wasn’t always the case.

When she first lived alone in Livingston Manor, many of the busi-

Congratulationss To All The Young Professionals

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C

ory Dame went to the Livingston Manor School District, and after a short break after high school, she attended SUNY Sullivan.

She originally went for Art Education; however, one of her professors, Tom Ambrosino, suggested to her that she should look into Communication Arts.

Studying graphic design while focusing on web design at SUNY Sullivan, Christopher Andreola of adcStudios in Livingston Manor asked if she’d come intern for him at his new studio.

That internship turned into a job, and she ended up working with him for five years.

She started doing graphic production and then moved on to web design for the studio.

“We had some really cool projects,” said Dame.

“Don’t be afraid to network.

People are genuinely friendly, and most times, they really want to help you out.”

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

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nesses had closed; she had the feeling that she should move out of the county.

But it was when local business owners Steve Wilkinson and Gerard Ilaria asked her to help out with a project for the town that her love for LM and beauty of the Catskills was re-invigorated.

Dame started by gardening and helping to fix sidewalks.

What she ended up working on was an early Sullivan Renaissance project for the town.

While working at adcStudios, Andreola helped guide and encouraged her to build her portfolio.

During her time at the studio, Andreola became a mentor to her and encouraged her to seek higher learning.

He also encouraged her to do some design work for the town and what it was like living in Livingston Manor.

She ended up designing planter

boxes, which gave the nod towards the covered bridges in town.

She also ended up designing banners and welcome signs, which still hangs in town to this day, depicting notable characteristics of the small river town – covered bridge, LMCS clock tower, and flyfishing –– what still stands today.

Dame says she now doesn’t want to raise her son anywhere else but in Sullivan County.

She credits her success thus far to networking. “Don’t be afraid to network,” said Dame. “People are genuinely friendly, and most times, they really want to help you out.”

She says you also have to be flexible, continuously learn, and be humble.

She feels if someone comes to her with a problem, if she can’t solve it, she can use her network to find someone who can be helpful.

Dame says, “We’re all here together.”

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Nicole Vallance

BY ISABEL BRAVERMAN

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Nicole Vallance

Young Professionals ‘Featuring the future of our great community’ Published by

Catskill-Delaware Publications, Inc. Publishers of the

(845) 887-5200 Callicoon, NY 12723 April 24, 2020 • Vol. CXXVIX, No. 91

icole Vallance wears many hats—owner of her graphic design company and events planning business, president of the Callicoon Business Association, mom to two young children, and the list goes on.

Her business, N. Vallance Design, offers creative direction, business development, marketing materials, logos, etc. to small and medium size brands as well as individuals.

She also owns a boutique event planning service called Paper Trampoline Productions that does everything from dinners to weddings to corporate events. She is also offering this year (when the coronavirus pandemic is over) weekend retreats that focus on food and holistic health.

And in addition to all of those services, Vallance within the past two years has really gotten into grant writing and works with nonprofit organizations to write grants for them so they can obtain funding.

Her business acumen comes from a long career of working in the corporate world in New York City, as well as studying graphic design at Hofstra University.

Before moving to Callicoon in 2010 and starting her own company, Vallance worked at CBRE, a large commercial brokerage/property management firm (Fortune 100), providing design, marketing and operational support for a tight-knit team of top New York City retail real estate brokers.

“It was an ideal role that combined my area of study (design), operations experience and allowed me to grow to develop new skills in project management, client relationship development and a deep understanding of how to develop and launch successful marketing campaigns from the ground up,” she remarked.

Vallance’s work ethic was instilled in her

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from a young age while growing up in Queens.

She took her first part-time summer job at age 13 at the office where her mother was a bookkeeper.

“I continued there working summers at that construction/equipment industry firm for many years in various roles through my teen years and into college, where I had the opportunity to learn several roles in their back office, sales, customer service and marketing departments, even helping to sell skid steers at one point,” Vallance said.

During college she worked in restaurants several evenings a week and weekends to cover the costs of books, supplies, commuting and bills. She says she learned valuable insights into how to work effectively as a team member and how to navigate stressful situations.

After college, while still working in hospitality, she took her first entry level position at an accounting firm working in administration and as a marketing assistant for Marcum & Kliegman LLP, (now Marcum LLP) a mid-sized public accounting firm in midtown Manhattan.

While living in the city and working long, hard hours, she and her then boyfriend (now husband) wanted to get away. They began looking for a home outside of the city, starting first in the Beacon area and then one weekend ended up in Sullivan County.

They didn’t find anything at first, but kept coming back each weekend and six months later found property in Callicoon, where they now live full-time.

“I always wanted to launch my own design company,” Vallance said. “So we decided we were going to work remotely and go move to the Catskills where we have more space and we can be out in the garden, and the kids that we will eventually have will have trees to climb in and lots of open space to run around. And

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we’ve been here ever since.”

Vallance’s husband, Chris Orbach, is an actor, voice over artist and musician who is also able to work remotely. They now raise their two children, Aaron, five, and Emily, 15 months.

The 39-year-old spends most of her free time (when she has any) playing with her kids and working in her garden, a dream she’s had since living in the city.

She also joined the Callicoon Business Association three years ago and is now the president of the board, where she works closely with local businesses. She is also the Chair of the Depot Commit-

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

tee, which is committed to transforming the Callicoon Depot into a visitors center and community space, and is a member of the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association and Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce.

After ten years of living in the area, Vallance has firmly rooted herself in the community.

“It was the right move for us,” she said.

“Because not only did we find the worklife balance that we want, but we were also able to find this amazing community that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced in another place.”

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CONGRATULATIONS TO NICOLE VALLANCE

FROM THE CALLICOON DEPOT PROJECT

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SHANNON CILENTO: Community CONTINUED FROM 16Y

like going for a hike or trying out a new restaurant.

Her peers also appreciate what she brings to the table.

“Shannon brings knowledge, skill, organization and creativity to her work in Planning, but it’s her can-do attitude and incandescent spirit that really stand out,” said Freda Eisenberg, Commissioner of the Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development and Real Property. “It is a genuine pleasure to have her as part of the team, or as she, with her love for puns, has recently dubbed us as we work remotely during the pandemic, the ‘quaranteam.’ She is passionate about her profession and using planning to improve the quality of life in Sullivan County, and takes her responsibility as a public servant seriously.”

When off the clock as a county planner, Cilento serves as a member of the Village of Monticello Planning Board and is a part-time waitress at Miss Monticello Diner. Both experiences

allow her to see different perspectives –– the county’s and that of the village where she resides –– as well as the needs of a local business.

Cilento’s extracurriculars also include being a member of the Leadership Sullivan Class of 2020. She also loves to run, fish and go hiking. Also, during the winter, she travels across the state as a competitive snowshoer.

This love of the outdoors makes Sullivan County the perfect place for her to live.

“There’s no shortage of things to do here,” she said, adding that Sullivan County's smaller and rural community-feel reminds her of Mexico [NY].

“I feel like I can really make a difference here,” she said. “I love that you can make real relationships and partnerships. Everyone really comes together. I love my job, coming to work everyday and I have so much fun. We [Division of Planning] get to work with the best people. Everyone we work with, from elected officials to volunteers, loves their community and that energy is contagious.”

Congratulations to all of the Professional Women and a

Special Congratulations to Nicole Vallance

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You deserve to be recognized for your continuous hard work, dedication, and service to the community

From the members of the Callicoon Business Association

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Matt McPhillips & Vanessa Olivo

BY JOSEPH ABRAHAM

I

f you are keeping track of Sullivan County’s young power couples, high school sweethearts Matt McPhillips and Vanessa Olivo should be on your list. The two have been an item since Gary Siegel and Dan McConnell put them next to one another in the Liberty High School band.

Flash forward eight years and the two are now engaged –– McPhillips proposed last July in Rome, Italy –– and set to be married sometime in 2021.

While they each have their own unique skill sets, two notable similarities is that they are both driven by a desire to help others, and were both taught two very important lessons from their parents at a young age. The first is to have a strong work ethic and the second is that every job, whether you’re starting at the bottom or at the top, is equally important.

Olivo and McPhillips began their working careers cleaning toilets at the CVI Building in Liberty. Olivo also

McPhillips Following graduation from Liberty High School, McPhillips earned his bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, majoring in international relations.

McPhillips notes that he always grew up around politics, as his father is a councilman in the Town of Liberty and his mother ran for legislature shortly after he was born.

“I was in a baby carriage and campaigned with her in my car seat,” he said, adding that later in his school

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Vanessa Olivo and Matt McPhillips

worked at the Trading Post in the warehouse, putting labels on items as soon as they arrived, and McPhillips also spent time working at Bethel Woods and with his cousins, the Symanski’s, digging graves.

They said, “We were never uncomfortable doing any job.”

Today, McPhillips is a legislative aide for NYS Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, and Olivo is the economic development coordinator for the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development. Here’s a look at their respective careers …

years, he developed a love of history and passion for helping people.

After graduating college, he was hired as a legislative liaison for former US Congressman John Faso (RKinderhook).

“Starting out of college with Congressman Faso was an incredible opportunity,” he said. “I got to work in the community I grew up in and [relay] their broad concerns. I covered a lot of ground for him and I learned that the issues in Sullivan County are similar to those in Delaware and Otsego Counties.”

Faso was defeated by the current U.S. Congressman Antonio Delgado in 2018, and shortly after, McPhillips was picked by Assemblywoman Gunther’s office.

“I can’t thank Aileen enough,” he said. “Her and her staff are like a second family. They are so communityoriented. No matter what the problem is in Sullivan or Orange Counties, Aileen is there and knows who to talk to. Watching her and seeing how engaged and involved she is in the community, is really incredible. She takes deep interest in helping people, and that’s translated to me. She tries to help everyone and I try to do the same.”

His everyday duties at the assemblywoman’s office include meeting with anyone who visits the office or talking with constituents via phone about their concerns, whether they need help applying for unemployment, with a housing issue or want legislation passed, etc. “Everyday is different,” he said, splitting his time in Monticello, Middletown and Albany.

When not working, they both enjoy traveling and the outdoors, spending their free time boating, fishing, walking and landscaping.

As for his future, he said, “Having had two jobs centered around helping Sullivan and Orange Counties, I’d love to be able to continue to do that, so

Olivo Olivo has always had a love for mathematics. After graduating from Liberty, Olivo earned her bachelor’s in economics with a concentration in financial analysis, before completing her master’s in economics, all at SUNY Binghamton.

Once she took her first economics class, something clicked.

“I found the topic matter very interesting and it came naturally to me,” she said, figuring if she chose it as her major, there’s a bunch of careers she could pursue that would allow her to help people.

Olivo adds that she always enjoyed problem solving and wanted to use her education to assist people with any problem.

She spent two summers interning in the finance department at Granite Associates. “I learned a lot. They had me doing tons of projects and I worked with several different programs that I’d never used before.”

She joked that, “I never made more

intense Excel spreadsheets and I was surprised how intense my Google skills got. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked for them.”

At the Partnership, Olivo is a jack of all trades. Her duties include administering their revolving loans program, assisting with site and real estate searches, meeting with people coming to the area to start businesses, managing the website and social media, doing some coding, building relationships with members of the community at events, and administering disaster relief, to name a few.

Similar to her fiance, she’s focused on the present, which means building her career at the Partnership.

“Who knows what the future holds,” she said. “I’m open to anything and everything that it brings. I just want to help businesses with their finances, now more than ever, as mom and pop businesses have never experienced anything like this [the current coronavirus crisis]. I want to help with that or if a local business needs assistance taking the next step. I want to help build Sullivan County.”

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TROY JOHNSTONE: Practice of Law CONTINUED FROM 14Y

perfect timing and everything aligned in a way that we couldn’t turn down the opportunity to come back.”

His wife, Kassondra, secured a job with the county Division of Planning and Johnstone was approached by Brian Rourke about joining the firm where he’d worked for years as a legal intern and law clerk.

“We were able to come back, buy a house for relatively cheap and have good jobs. We always thought we'd come back to Liberty, just not as soon. Everything just kind of fell into place for us and it’s been great ever since.”

Johnstone’s commitment to improving his community goes beyond the practice of the law. He very nearly won an election for Village of Liberty trustee in 2019 and he’s a member of the Town of Liberty Republican Committee.

While not ruling out another foray into local politics, he said he’s

focused now on growing the law practice and spending time with his family.

In recent years, Johnstone has taken over the maintenance and operation of the “Liberty Star,” which has been shining bright on top of Young’s Hill during the holiday season for more than half a century.

Johnstone is also part of the Liberty New York History Page on Facebook, along with Pat Killian and Town Historian Bill Cogswell.

“I have a deep love for Liberty's history,” said Johnstone. “In my office, I have the original architectural rendering for the Green Building on the corner of Chestnut and Main Street.”

Johnstone also sits on the Town of Liberty Planning Board. “I enjoy it because it’s a different aspect of government people don’t always think about - attracting different businesses and building projects to Liberty.

As a board, we can help them get through the process and make sure we’re getting quality businesses that come here to stay.”

Congratulations to all the young professionals and thank you for your dedication to enhancing Sullivan County’s business community

Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther 18 Anawana Lake Road, Monticello, NY 12701 845-794-5807 gunthera@nyassembly.gov

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14Y

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

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Troy Johnstone

BY MATT SHORTALL

T

he author Thomas Wolfe may have been wrong when he wrote that you can’t go home again. At least in the case of Troy Johnstone, associate attorney at the Law Offices of Brian P. Rourke in Liberty, coming home again meant the beginning of a new and successful chapter in life.

A graduate of Liberty High School, Johnstone attended Hartwick College and Albany Law School.

The Johnstones have been respected residents of Liberty for generations.

While his father and uncles went into law enforcement, Troy gravitated toward the practice of law.

He can’t pinpoint the exact moment he decided to study law. “It’s something that’s always been there,” he said.

At first aspiring to specialize in constitutional law, Johnstone eventually shifted toward general practice, focusing on elder law and special needs

planning. He also works in real estate transactions.

“That’s a big part of my practice helping the elderly get medicaid benefits, helping their family get guardianships and do estate planning. It’s something I've developed over time in order to give back to this growing population. People shouldn’t have to worry about their family’s future after they're gone.”

The practice of law itself and staying up on all its changes is a challenge, but Johnstone says the people he gets to meet and help makes it all worthwhile.

Through it all, Johnstone said he has a great team of coworkers who make everything easier.

After graduating law school, he decided to come back to Liberty and work in the community where he grew up.

“I’ve never been a big city guy,” Johnstone said. “It just happened to be PLEASE SEE TROY JOHNSTONE, 13Y

Congratula ons Troy Johnstone and all the other featured Young Professionals!

Here’s to your con nued success!

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Troy Johnstone

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15Y

Chris Murray

BY ISABEL BRAVERMAN

W

hen Chris Murray started a screen printing t-shirt company in his basement in 2008, he never imagined it would turn into a full-time gig. Over ten years later, that business is now Platform Industries, a full-service printing shop in Honesdale, Pa. “It’s kind of a funny, stupid story,” Murray said of starting the company.

“I was looking for something to do on top of my regular activities, and I read an article in GQ magazine about the five easiest businesses to start, and one of them was a t-shirt company. I

was like, ‘oh, I did that in high school for a semester, I can do that.’”

At the time, Murray worked a fulltime job selling ads for a newspaper in Honesdale. He thought the t-shirt company would be a side gig to fulfill his time.

“It was all organic,” he said of the company’s growth. “It was in my basement and I just did it on nights and weekends when I had a little bit of free time. I would pick up a customer and then maybe they would tell someone else, and it just slowly grew until 2010 when I decided to quit my job and make a go at it doing it full time.”

Today, Murray has five to nine employees depending on the season (the busiest season is from March until December). They offer screen printing, embroidery, digital printing on t-shirts and promotional products such as pens, water bottles, or tote bags.

They have a lot of clients in the Honesdale and regional area (including Sullivan County) but work with people worldwide.

Their services are not only for commercial clients, but for anyone who wants a custom t-shirt. Murray says they make shirts for summer camps, family reunions, fundraising events and the list goes on.

“Anything that you could print a promotional t-shirt for, we do it,” he said.

The team at Platform Industries works with clients from start to finish and also offers design services. It’s a one-stop shop and they walk customers through all of the details.

“Give us a general idea and we can

take it and run from there,” Murray stated.

The 37-year-old was born and raised in Honesdale and went to Honesdale High School. And it’s where he lives and runs his business now.

He’s given back to his community in many ways, by serving on the Wayne County YMCA Board, the Honesdale Borough Council and the Parks and Recreation Committee.

However, he doesn’t have much free time when he’s busy running the company, which he says is his favorite part about the job—being busy. During the coronavirus pandemic, Murray says things have slowed down significantly but they are still open for business.

For more information on Platform Industries, and to get a quote for an order, go to www.platformindustries.com, call (570) 499-3902, or email sales@platformindustries. com.

Congratu lati to all th ons honoree e s!

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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Chris Murray

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16Y

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

APRIL, 2020

Shannon Cilento STORY AND PHOTO

BY JOSEPH ABRAHAM

I

Shannon Cilento Community Development & Grants Planner Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development and Real Property

f you’ve had a chance to tour Sullivan County, you’ll notice many of its main streets are full of historic character. In some cases, however, time has not been kind following the economic downturn from hotel closures decades ago.

But with the help of several local organizations and the great work of the Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development and Real Property, these main streets are slowly beginning to see new life. Luckily for us, their department is filled with individuals passionate about historic preservation and municipal planning.

One of these bright young stars is 26year-old Shannon Cilento.

“I just love the way a historic main street or building brings a community together,” she said. “Everyone has cherished memories and saving buildings for new use has great positive impacts on the community.”

While earning her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from SUNY Oswego, Cilento, a Mexico [NY] native, successfully completed an internship at the Fort Ontario State Historic site. During her time there, she researched artifacts and assisted with museum collection management. While doing so, it became clear to her that her passion lies within the realm of historic buildings and preservation, rather than artifacts.

Cilento then pursued a career in municipal planning, earning her master’s degree in Historic Preservation Planning from the prestigious Cornell University in 2017.

While in grad school, Cilento spent a summer working at the Cleveland Restoration Society, and that experience reinforced the point that she’d chosen the right career. Following graduation from Cornell, she moved to Maine and she spent a summer working for Discover Downtown Westbrook.

After completing that fellowship, Cilento –– one of two children who has two nieces and a Goddaughter back home in Mexico –– hoped to return to her home state and be closer to family.

The stars aligned and she was hired by the county in late 2017 as a Community Development and Grants Planner, serving in that role since.

“I love that everyday is different,” she said, “so I’m never bored.”

Cilento helps local communities with National Register nominations, grant applications for historic buildings, and organizes all the Division’s municipal training for planning and zoning boards. Her additional duties

include writing the division’s monthly newsletter and handling their communication. Cilento’s biggest responsibility is managing the community development funding programs such as Plans and Progress, which provides small grants for municipalities and non-profits, assisting them from application to reimbursement.

Another one of the Division of Planning’s missions is to help small businesses. With the current COVID19 crisis, these local businesses need that help now more than ever. Cilento has been putting together a list of resources as well as information about small business loans that’s all in one place, in addition to providing technical assistance.

Cilento praised her coworkers, noting that in addition to working well together, they are all friends, which has created a terrific office dynamic.

They’ll often do fun things together PLEASE SEE SHANNON CILENTO, 11Y

Congratulations Shannon for being such an ExCilento colleague!

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