January Business Viewpoint by Orange County Chamber of Commerce

January 2012 T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce leads the way in creating and supporting an environment in which business will succeed and the quality of life is enhanced.

We never stopped fighting By John A. D’Ambrosio, Ed.D. More than two years ago, when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was in debt for more than $1 billion, the New York State legislature passed the now infamous payroll tax that required all businesses, organizations, educational institutions and municipalities in the MTA’s 12-county service territory to pay 34 cents for every $100 of payroll. In Orange County alone, one year’s tax totaled $17.9 million. Even before the legislature approved the payroll tax back in 2009, the Orange County Chamber of Commerce went to battle against it. I’m delighted to be able to say that the fight was worth it. As most everyone knows by now, in a recent bi-partisan agreement reached in Albany, the MTA payroll tax has been eliminated for 78% of the businesses that currently pay it. It’s been reduced to 11 cents per $100 on payrolls between $1.25 million and $1.5 million, and to 23 cents per $100 on payrolls between $1.5 million and $1.75 million. The payroll thresholds for self-employed individuals will be raised from $10,000 to $50,000 and schools will be exempt. It is, however, disappointing that the legislation does not include municipalities or larger non-profit organizations. Quite simply, this was the worst tax I’d seen in 29 years as President of the Orange County Chamber. If New York City’s transportation system is that important to the state, then this tax should be spread from Buffalo, to Plattsburgh to Montauk. Until that happens, we

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can’t declare a huge victory, but this is a great step in the right direction. Eliminating or at least reducing the payroll tax has been at the top of the Orange County Chamber’s to-do list for more than two years. Standing squarely with us in this work has

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been Pattern for Progress, led by Jonathan Drapkin, as well as the Orange County Partnership, Orange County Association of Realtors and many local and regional chambers of commerce. I want to take this opportunity thank them all for their yeoman’s work in

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what at times seemed like a losing battle. Thank you, also, to the hundreds of individuals who signed our petition calling for a WE NEVER STOPPED • Continued on page 2

w w w . o r a n g e n y . c o m

this Issue President’s Message 3

Member Events

Education Notes

New Members

Health Notes

Member Renewals

Member Spotlight

Anniversaries

Calendar

Did You Know?

Reservation Form

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce January 2012

we never stopped • Continued from page 1

30 Scott’s Corners Drive • Montgomery, NY 12549 email: info@orangeny.com • http://www.orangeny.com 457-9700 Fax 457-8799 OFFICERS Charlie Milch, Chairman The RAL Supply Group, Inc. Tom Sullivan, Chair-Elect Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc., Funeral Homes James Taylor, Vice-Chairman Taylor Biomass Energy, L.L.C. Michael Turturro, Vice-Chairman Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell Ron Barton, Secretary Barton Birks Chevrolet Cadillac Ralph Martucci, Treasurer WVT Communications Donna Johnson, Immediate Past Chairman DJ Consulting Services, Inc. Dr. John A. D'Ambrosio, President Orange County Chamber of Commerce John J. McDermott, III 17K Property Group Mary Ann Butler Mary Ann Butler Enterprises Michael Bonura Anthony’s Pier 9 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Duane Albro USA Datanet Susan Crocker Holbert’s Catering/BackYard Bistro Eric Fuentes Orange & Rockland Utilities Kenya Gipson Clear Channel Communications Edison Guzman A&E Advertising and Web Design Rich Heslin Stewart International Airport Johann Huleatt Bruderhof Church Communities Nick Illobre KnappQuest HR, Inc. Dr. Michelle Koury Crystal Run Healthcare Rev. Kevin Mackin Mt. St. Mary College Russ Martinson Cooley Group Karen Miller Frontier Communications Lisa Montanaro LM Organizing Solutions, L.C. Karl Najork Credit Bureau of the Hudson Valley Terry Olivo Orange-Ulster BOCES Dr. William Richards Orange County Community College Tim Scannell Mobile Life Support Services Capt. Kathleen Sileno 105th Air National Guard Bill Sivillo Captain’s Club Cruises & Tours Josh Sommers Focus Media, Inc. Janice Valentino Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties Sharon Warantz Jellybean Promotions Scott Wohl Builders Association of the Hudson Valley

CHAMBER COUNSEL Glen L. Heller Drake, Loeb, Heller, Kennedy, Gogerty, Gaba & Rodd, P.L.L.C. EMERITUS Dr. Arthur C. Anthonisen Hudson Valley Trade Association Thomas C. DeBenedictus Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell F. Edward Devitt Winding Hills Golf Club Katharine Fitzgerald Retired Thomas F. Gibney Hometown Bank of the Hudson Valley Patricia Gilchrest Retired Stewart P. Glenn Glenn & Breheney, P.L..L.C. Robert Heiferman Jackson, Lewis, L.L.P. Louis Heimbach Sterling Forest, L.L.C. Woody Levitan Levitan, Yegidis & Associates, L.L.P. Anthony Martine Immaculate Designs Carole S. McDermott Meals on Wheels of Greater Newburgh Marsh H. Merrill Charles B. Merrill Office Equipment & Supplies Ralph L. Mills Abbott & Mills Dr. Kunwar Nagpal Nagpal DentaL Associates Peter Polhamus Newburgh Molded Products Dreena Pross Emblem Health Milton Ritter Milton Ritter Insurance Robert W. Scherreik McBride Corporate Real Estate A. Alan Seidman Construction Contractors Association James P. Smith, Jr. Advance Testing Company, Inc. William F. Vacca Provident Bank Jill Varricchio Concept Promotions, Inc. Staff Dr. John A. D’Ambrosio President Bill Fioravanti Vice President of Membership Carol Smith Vice President of Government Initiatives & Special Projects Ellen Daley Vice President of Communications Rudy Hoke Vice President of Finance & Facilities Cheryl Cohen Director of Membership Investment Roseann Bouzakis Director of Events Karen Sawyer Manager of Community Partnerships Wendy Melick Information Technology Specialist Christine Colon Administrative Assistant

forensic audit of the MTA. We’ve received well over 1,000 and they continue to arrive every day. From the very start, we knew that the payroll tax was unfair, unreasonable, inequitable and every other negative adjective in the dictionary. So, it’s very gratifying to know that our voices were heard, our efforts were worth it and we’ve done something tangible to truly help the business community. And we did it together. What a great way to begin the celebration of this wonderful season. I couldn’t imagine a better holiday gift or a more magnificent way to start the new year. (Dr. John A. D’Ambrosio is President of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce.)

Thanks to Corporate Partners Our generous Partners this year are: Platinum Partners: Crystal Run Healthcare USA Datanet, A WVT Communications Company Gold Partners: A & E Advertising and Web Design Advance Testing Company Barton, Birks Chevrolet, Cadillac Depew Energy Drake, Loeb, Heller, Kennedy, Gogerty, Gaba & Rodd, PLLC Elant, Inc. Entrepreneurial Assistance Program Focus Media, Inc. Key Bank Local 17 - Laborers-Employers Cooperation & Education Trust Marshall & Sterling Insurance Mobile Life Support Services, Inc.

Our members say ‘thank you’ Within minutes of e-mailing the news of what happened with the payroll tax, the Chamber was inundated with messages like the following: “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!!!!!” Susie Reardon, Superior Surfacing Systems “Thank you for all of your efforts. This is a great accomplishment!” Beth Boyle, Royal Pools & Spas, Inc. “Thanks, John. Great job getting people involved.” John Klassen, Business Banking, Key Bank NA “Nice to be part of a winning organization— well done!” James M. Weber, Boeing C-17 Base Manager “John, I thought of you and your efforts as soon as I saw the headline. Well done!” Bill Sestrom, Verizon Wireless Zone “Thank you! And thanks to everyone for their contributions! Every time I think about this

tax, I want to break things.” Kevin Jones, Partner, Comfort Experts “Nice going, John! Glad to see that persistence and a consistent message paid off.” Gordon McAleer, McAleer and Associates

Orange & Rockland Utilities SB Credit Card Services Steingart Associates Stewart International Airport/The PANYNJ Taylor Biomass Energy, L.L.C. TD Bank Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell Walden Savings Bank Media Partners: Clear Channel of the Hudson Valley Cumulus Radio of the Hudson Valley Fox Radio Group – WGNY-AM/WGNY-FM/WJGK-FM/ WDLC-AM/WTSX -FM Times Herald-Record Time Warner Cable Watermark Communications WSUL 98.3/95.7 - WVOS .95.9/105.7

Member note

“GREAT NEWS! Great job!” Tammy L. Artusa, Seely & Durland, Inc., and A Sparkling View

In the new year, watch for some new and exciting ways we’ll be communicating with our members, as well as with the community in general. Exciting new developments are on the horizon!

“Congrats to you all on the hard work paying off! Thanks for your persistence and diligence to get this accomplished for the business community!” Sharon Warantz, Jellybean Promotions

“Thank you, John, for working so hard for all of us.” Andrew and Margaret Stahl, Hearthstone Contracting, Inc.

Designed, printed and distributed by the Times Herald-Record PO Box 2046, 40 Mulberry Street, Middletown, NY 10940. 845-341-1100 Fax 845-346-3045. For advertising information call 346-3252. The editorial content of The Business Viewpoint is written in its entirety by the Chamber of Commerce of Orange County. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Times Herald-Record.

Publisher: Joe Vanderhoof Logo Design: AJ Ross Creative Media Editor: Ellen Daley Production and Design: Times Herald-Record Advertising Representative: Mary Ann Butler

January 2012 The Business Viewpoint

New Vice President for Membership joins Chamber staff Bill Fioravanti, who has been Associate Executive Director for Membership for the YMCA of Middletown since 2009, has been named the new Vice President for Membership at the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. Bill will succeed Dan O’Brien when he retires at the end of December. Dan has been with the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Fioravanti for more than 20 years. Bill will officially join the Chamber staff on January 9, 2012. “Bill Fioravanti has demonstrated a terrific ability to both grow and enhance membership at the organizations with which he has been involved,” said Chamber President Dr. John D’Ambrosio. “I am very impressed with his professionalism and his work ethic, and I look forward to the youthful enthusiasm and energy

that he will bring to the Chamber.” Prior to his tenure with the YMCA, Bill served as Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Orange and Sullivan Counties for five years. He was also an Account Executive with Frontier Communications for six years. “I am so excited about this opportunity,” said Bill. “Although following the legendary Dan O’Brien will be no easy task, I am energized at the prospect of working with the tremendous staff and volunteer leadership at the Orange County Chamber. Together we can accomplish great things to benefit our member businesses!” Board Chair for the Academies of Finance and Information Technology at Middletown High School, Bill is a member of the Board of Crystal Run Village, Past President of the Wallkill East Rotary Club and has received several awards and honors. After January 9, Bill can be reached at 4579700 or billf@orangeny.com.

Organize your business … grow your bottom line Cynthia Marsh-Croll, President of Croll Productive Synergy, will present a half-day workshop entitled “Organize Your Business and Operate Better, Faster, Cheaper than Your Competition: Learn How to Make Your Bottom Line Grow” on Saturday, January 21 from 9:00 a.m.-noon. The workshop will be held in the Larkin Room at the Chamber Business Center in Montgomery. Students in the Entrepreneurial Assistance Pro-

gram (EAP) will be admitted to the session for free. The fee for other participants is $20. The program will focus on how business owners can: gain faster cash flow while reducing costs; free up time to create customer relationships and increase sales; re-allocate current resources for maximum productivity; and turn data into dollars. To make a reservation for the January 21 workshop, call 457-9700 or visit www.orangeny.com.

Joining in the ribbon cutting ceremonies to open the new branch of Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union in the Town of Montgomery are, from left: Joseph Eppich (HVFCU Board member); Mary Madden; Nicola Folina (Branch Manager); and T.S. Jones (Chairman of the Board). The branch is located at 30 Hawkins Drive and is the credit union’s fourth branch office in Orange County. HVFCU serves its more than 248,000 members through 21 locations in Orange, Dutchess, Ulster and Putnam Counties. For more information, visit www.hvfcu.org.

President’s Message

The beat goes on

As you can see from the article on the front page, we received some good news recently about one of the worst things to ever happen to the local business community: elimination of the MTA payroll tax for some and reduction of the tax for others. While these developments were welcomed by all, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the tax still impacts thousands of businesses and organizations in the Hudson Valley. Municipalities and large non-profits will still have to come up with 34 cents per $100 of payroll to help bail the MTA out of a billion dollar (and growing) deficit. This is grossly unfair. I commend Orange County Executive Ed Diana for leading the charge to do something about the tax on local governments. As seven Hudson Valley county executives said in a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “Please act now to remove our local governments from the MTA payroll tax. Across our great

state of New York, from the smallest village to the largest city, from counties in the north, south, east and west, we have all felt the impact of the current economic challenges…In these tough economic times, the MTA payroll tax is a hardship that we cannot afford to bear for even another day.” Unfortunately, many of the details are still unclear regarding who still must pay the tax and how much must be paid. Going forward, however, the Orange County Chamber will continue to wage war on the payroll tax. As I’ve said repeatedly, if New York City’s transportation system is that important to New York State, then this tax should be spread from Buffalo, to Plattsburgh to Montauk. Until that happens, we can’t declare a huge victory, but at least an initial skirmish has been won. John A. D’Ambrosio, Ed.D. President

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce January 2012

Education notes

Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph.D., recommends that aspiring writers subscribe to the educational blog, “My Name is Not Bob,” at robertleebrewer. blogspot.com, which recently passed along these tips: know your strengths and weaknesses; set your goals; write something; get known-build your platform; revise, revise, revise; submit what you wrote; negotiate firmly; learn public speaking; success breeds success; persist! Dr. Cooper’s own book, Ting and I: A Memoir of Love, Courage and Devotion, is available at amazon.com. Would-be writers are invited to contact him at douglas@tingandi.com. SUNY Orange’s Continuing and Professional Education’s Travel-Learn program will sponsor a trip to northern Italy next summer, with visits to the Italian Alps, Venice, Milan and Lake Maggiore included on the July 12-22 trip. Barry Kass, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, will serve as escort for the trip and instructor of the pre-trip programs, which will include informational seminars to be held on the Middletown campus prior to departure. To reserve space or for additional information, call 341-4364 or 733-1830 or e-mail barry.kass@sunyorange.edu. Paul Basinski, Chair of SUNY Orange’s Global Studies Department, will join a select group of local educators on a twoweek trip to Oman in January as part of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley’s inaugural “Educators to Oman” program.

David T. Cocks (framed portrait), former President and CEO of Walden Savings Bank and Chamber Chair-Elect, was posthumously awarded the Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence at Mount Saint Mary College’s December 2 gala. The award is presented to individuals who “have shown the same commitment to quality, concern for neighbors and shared prosperity that have exemplified the career and character of Mr. Joseph Bonura,” another highly esteemed member of the local community. Some 250 guests attended the gala in honor of Cocks, who earned his business degree through the Mount’s evening continuing education program. The event raised more than $105,000 in gifts and pledges which will enable the college to provide an affordable values-based education to thousands of deserving students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. Pictured from left: Joseph A. Bonura, David’s daughter Samantha Cocks and son Brian Cocks, Fr. Kevin Mackin, President of Mount Saint Mary College, and David’s widow Janice Cocks.

Celebrating the grand opening of e-Diner Design and Marketing, Inc. at 819 Little Britain Road in New Windsor are (from left): George Melita (designer); Miriam Frawley and Terry Frawley (owners); and Melissa Mazza. More information is available at 569-7000 or www.e-dinerdesign.com.

January 2012 The Business Viewpoint

Member Spotlight TURNER MILLER GROUP Suffern Turner Miller Group (TMG) is a full service land use, development and environmental planning firm based in Suffern. TMG’s goal is to create more livable communities through planning while facilitating consensus among diverse constituents. A major portion of our work has involved SEQR review and preparation of SEQR documents. For the public sector, TMG provides comprehensive planning, zoning ordinance revision and preparation; redevelopment, housing and community development; environmental protection; site and subdivision plan review; economic development and revitalization. Our public sector clients range from established urban centers to small communities. For private sector clients, TMG offers planning and development services from project inception through project approval. RESUMETODAY.ME Warwick ResumeToday.me offers professional resume and cover letter services for all industries and all occupations. A member of OR Careers, Resume Today.me website provides easy to use self publishing tools (and templates) and also offers one-on-one personal composition services. ResumeToday.me - parent company, OR Careers - offers traditional employment services that include career consulting, outplacement services, interview training, career seminars and job placement (search) services. Visit www.ResumeToday.me or call 605-2587. 12th ROCK MINISTRIES Middletown Looking for something fun and exciting to do with your kids this winter? Gift them a weekend full of sports, faith, fun and friends at 12th Rock Winter Break Basketball and Baseball/Softball Camp. Camp will run the weekend of February 24-26 at the YMCA Camp facility in Hugeonot. Sign up your child now at www.12throck.org. The cost of the camp weekend is $185 per child (payment plans are available) and is for boys and girls ages 8-14. Our focus for each child is to hone their skills...build their character...and grow their faith. Have no kids? Please consider sponsoring a child to have a life changing weekend at camp. Please contact us at 692-9092 or info@12throck.org for more information. CLASSIC WOODWORKS AND RESTORATION Westtown We specialize in handmade custom cabinets, wooden stairs and hand rails, wooden counter tops, interior and exterior trim, restoration woodwork and furniture making. For information, call Richard Marchione at 978-0035, e-mail richardm2538@yahoo.com or visit www. classicwoodworksandrestoration.com.

SOUND PRO Cornwall Sound Pro features sales, engineered design, installation and repair services for: nurse call systems; PA systems; theatre/auditorium sound systems; projector systems and conference room AV and auditorium AV; digital signage systems; video camera security systems; DVR installations; and card access systems. They also provide remote audio and video services: portable video projector and projector 10’ x 20’ screen with surround sound system for any video projection need; remote portable public address sound systems for speeches and other presentation applications; and theatre sound design. Call Tim McGuire at 1-866-9344864 or e-mail soundpro1@verizon.net. FAV’S TREATERY Florida Fav’s (pronounced “Faves”) opened in August. Owners Mehdi Youcef and Michael Bagley offer a collection of excellent culinary treats, both sweet and savory, from rich, moist cupcakes and French macaroons, to dense, delicious bruffins and flaky crusted ground beef and béchamel turnovers. Custom, decorated cakes for all occasions are featured. In addition to wonderful breads, Fav’s offers an assortment of international teas, coffees, lattes and espresso. They are launching a mid-day meal program with soups, salads and sandwiches pre-made and ready to go. Gluten-free and sugar-free items are available. Located at the intersection of Routes 94 and 17A, Fav’s is available for catering. Call 508-6555 or visit www.favstreatery.com. MIX N MAC Middletown Macaroni and cheese is the theme of this new restaurant based solely on the love for macaroni and cheese. With over 10 signature “Macs,” fried mac and cheese balls, mac of the week and the mac apple for dessert, Mix n Mac also allows diners to mix up their own creations from an array of fresh ingredients. Located at 280 Route 211 East, Mix n Mac is open Monday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m.8:00 p.m. Owners Jason and Michele Whipland, in the restaurant business their entire careers, wanted to bring some unique fresh cooking to Middletown. All Macs are baked in less than five minutes. Call 381-5536 or visit www.mixnmac1.com. ALTIMATER Hyde Park Altimater presents its new book THINK AGAIN, an anthology of modern fables and parables designed for reducing stress during times of personal growth and difficult transitions. These stories contain valuable lessons for life for all ages. Whether you’re a fifth grader trying to decide what you want to be when you grow up, or an adult in the throws of a mid-life crisis, this book is for you! THINK AGAIN is perfect for parents, teachers, students, coaches and therapists! For more information, visit www.Altimater.com or call 705-8076 today! r

Health notes Dr. Michael Gaesser, a board-certified primary care physician, recently opened a new office and has partnered with St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital. SLCH has added a new feature to enhance patients’ level of comfort and convenience: free WiFi, television and phone access. All services will be provided free of charge for patients and their visitors. The hospital named Kan Kivircik, a Specialist at the IT Help Desk, as the November Star of the Month. Norton and Clara Madigan of Middletown have set up a revocable trust, also known as a living trust, and named Orange Regional Medical Center a beneficiary. For more information about ways to support ORMC, contact call 333-2333 or e-mail foundation@ormc.org. The Ray W. Moody, M.D. Breast Center at ORMC offers a free breast cancer support group for people newly diagnosed with breast cancer or in active treatment. The group meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Orange Regional’s Community Health Education Center located at 110 Crystal Run Road,

Middletown. Orange Regional Medical Center now offers the latest technology in Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) to treat Barrett’s esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition affecting the lining of the esophagus commonly caused by acid reflux or GERD. To learn more about RFA, speak with your physician or visit www.ormc.org to find a physician that specializes in conditions related to the esophagus. Rolland B. Peacock, Vice President and Small Business Relationship Manager for TD Bank, N.A., has been named to the ORMC Board of Directors. Jonathan Schiller has been named Chief Operating Officer and Wayne Becker Vice President, Support Services and Special Projects for ORMC. The Elant community recently raised more than $1,500 for the American Cancer Society, including participating in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Team Elant collected the funds through walking, asking for donations and holding small events designed to honor breast cancer survivors, raise awareness about the disease and help save lives.

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce January 2012

CHAMBER EVENTS/ JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2012 S U N D AY 1

JANUARY

M O N D AY 3

2 Holiday, office closed

T U E S D AY

T H U R S D AY

8:00 am Small Business Committee (Montgomery Room)

12:00 pm Small Business Webinar 5:30 pm Mixer (Ward’s Bridge Inn, Montgomery)

W E D N E S D AY 5

6 8:30 am Minority and Women Business Committee (Montgomery Room)

8:00 am PR/Marketing Committee (Montgomery Room)

7:45 am Consultant’s Committee (Larkin Room)

S AT U R D AY 7

7:27 am Membership Breakfast (Anthony’s Pier 9, New Windsor)

F R I D AY

14 8:00 am Young Professionals Leadership Council (Montgomery Room)

21 9:00 am EAP Workshop (Larkin Room)

Holiday, office closed

8:00 am PR/Marketing Committee (Montgomery Room) 4:00 pm Dance with Chamber Stars Committee (Montgomery Room)

FEBRUARY

5:00 pm Young Professionals Seminar (Larkin Room)

8:00 am Small Business Committee (Montgomery Room) 6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

8:30 am Minority & Women Business Committee (Montgomery Room)

5:30 pm Mixer (HV Hotel & Conference Center, Newburgh) 6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

8:00 am PR/Marketing Committee (Montgomery Room)

5:30 pm Annual Gala (Anthony’s Pier 9, New Windsor)

4 7:45 am Consultants Committee (Larkin Room)

11 8:00 am Young Professionals Leadership Council (Montgomery Room)

6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

23 6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

29 6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

8:00 am Consultant’s Seminar (Larkin Room)

6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

Holiday, office closed

8:00 am New Member Orientation (Larkin Room)

7:27 am Membership Breakfast 6:00 pm EAP Class (Larkin Room)

28 8:00 am Ambassadors (Homewood Suites, New Windsor)

8:00 am Government Initiatives and Education Committee (Larkin Room)

8:00 am Ambassadors (HV Hotel & Conference Center, Newburgh)

January 2012 The Business Viewpoint

Ward’s Bridge Inn to host mixer

reservationform

Upcoming Orange County Chamber of Commerce Events # attending

January 10

January 12

January 21

January 28

Mixer 5:30-7:30 p.m. Ward’s Bridge Inn, Montgomery Sponsor: Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union

Free

Membership Breakfast 7:27-9:00 a.m. Anthony’s Pier 9, New Windsor Speakers: NYS Senate and Assembly Representatives Sponsor: Southwinds Retirement Home

$25 members in advance

EAP Workshop 9:00 a.m.-12.00 noon Larkin Community Room, Chamber Business Center

$20 per person

Snow Ball Gala 5:30-11:30 p.m. Anthony’s Pier 9, New Windsor

Our friends at Ward’s Bridge Inn in Montgomery will host an after-hours mixer on Tuesday, January 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The sponsor will be Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, which just opened a brand new branch in Montgomery. Join us for delicious hors d’oeuvres and great networking. Admission is free, but reservations are appreciated and should be made by calling Roseann at 457-9700 or visiting www.orangeny.com.

Use FaceBook for your business

$30 members at the door $50 non-members

$175

Make reservations online at www.orangeny.com, call (457-9700), fax (457-8799) or mail (with check if appro-

Learn “How to Use FaceBook for Your Business” by participating in a Tuesday, January 10 webinar hosted by the Chamber’s Small Business Resource Committee. Starting at 12:00 noon, Carlos Vega, Creative Director for AJ Ross Creative Media, will explain and demonstrate how to maximize FaceBook for the benefit of your business’ bottom line. The webinar is offered to members free of charge. All you have to do is visit www.OrangeNY.com and register in the events section. Access to the webinar will be sent directly to you.

Reserve for upcoming breakfast meeting

Start the new year off right by making a reservation for the first Chamber Membership Breakfast of 2012. The invited speakers for the Thursday, January 12 “Legislative Briefing” are Senators Bill Larkin, John Bonacic and David Carlucci, as well as Assembly members Nancy Calhoun, Aileen Gunther and Annie Rabbitt. The breakfast will be held at Anthony’s Pier 9 in New Windsor and will be sponsored by Southwinds Retirement Home. Reservations, at $25 per person for members (in advance) and $50 for non-members, may be made by calling Roseann at 457-9700 or visiting www.orangeny.com.

priate) to: The Orange County Chamber of Commerce, 30 Scott’s Corners Drive, Montgomery, NY 12549 or email roseannb@orangeny.com.

FAX OR OR MAIL MAIL TODAY TODAY! FAX C O M P A N Y N A M E ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ C O M P A N Y R E P R E S E N TA T I V E ( S ) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mastercard/Visa/American Express available for advance reservations Reservations made, but not honored, will be billed.

MWBE certification… then what?

A seminar on “Becoming a Certified Minority or Women Business and How to Get Government Contracts Afterwards” will be presented on Thursday, March 1 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Chamber Business Center in Montgomery. Hosted by the Chamber’s Minority and Women Business Committee and the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program, the seminar will be sponsored by FISH of the YWCA of Orange County. Guest speakers will be Lora Trimingham, Associate Certification Analyst with the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development of Empire State Development, and Liz Kallen, from the Procurement Technical Assistance Corp. of the Rockland Economic Development Corp. There is no admission charge for the seminar, but space is limited and reservations should be made by calling 457-9700 or visiting www.orangeny.com.

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce January 2012

Member Events The LIU Hudson Graduate Center at Rockland, located in Orangeburg, will hold an Open House for new graduate students on Wednesday, January 4 from 1:00 to 7:00 pm. The Open House will provide information about master’s degree programs in teacher education, school and mental health counseling, health administration, business administration (MBA), public administration, educational leadership, library and information science and pharmaceutics. To register to attend, call 450-5403 or e-mail Rockland@ liu.edu. Captain’s Club Cruises & Tours will be heading to Broadway on January 22 to see “Jersey Boys.” It will be a 3:00 p.m. performance. The bus will leave from our office in Middletown at 9:30 a.m. and head back right after the

show. Tickets are limited. The price is $140 per ticket including transportation. Call 344-4949 or e-mail captclub@citlink.net to reserve your space. The Castle Fun Center at 109 Brookside Avenue in Chester will hold a grand opening on January 27 at 10:00 a.m. For more information, call 469-2116 or visit www.thecastlefuncenter. com. The Mental Health Association in Orange County, Inc. will present the 2012 Silver Bell Award to Chris Ashman, Commissioner of the Orange County Department of Mental Health, at the association’s 2012 Annual Silver Ball to be held on February 4 at the Round Hill House in Washingtonville. The event will be held from 6:00-11:00 p.m. The Corpo-

rate Bell Award will be presented to Shapiro’s Furniture Barn. Journal ads are available. Call 342-2400, ext. 257 for information and reservations. The Thayer Leader Development Group announces its inaugural “Women Leading from the Frontlines: Core Principles from the Army and West Point” Open Enrollment Academy, February 8-11, at the Thayer Hotel. It is designed specifically for mid- to seniorlevel female leaders and women desiring to re-enter the workforce at that level; and is led by female General Officers, as well as other expert faculty who will share their battletested principles of leadership lessons learned from their military and civilian experiences. Registration closes January 18, is limited to 50 participants, and spaces are filled on a firstcome, first-served basis. Inquiries may be sent to registration@thayerleaderdevelopment.com or by calling 446-4731, ext. 7969.

A Senior Expo will be held on February 9 (snow day February 16) at Brendyn’s Sportsbar & Quinnz Pinz, 13 Railroad Avenue, Middletown from 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. It will include a “Fun Day of Bowling for Seniors” from 12:003:00 p.m. and snacks for $10.00. For information, e-mail Lorimdtn@yahoo.com. Janet and Tom Sullivan will be honored with the “Lumiere de Sacre Coeur (“Light of the Sacred Heart”) award on Friday, February 10 at the Falkirk Estate and Country Club in Central Valley. The award will be presented as part of Sacred Heart Parish’s 3rd Annual Gala. Tom Sullivan (Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Homes) is Chair-Elect of the Orange County Chamber. The gala will be held from 7:00 p.m.-midnight and tickets are $85 per person. A variety of sponsorships are available. For information and to make reservations, call 782-8510. r

Young Professionals want to grow The Orange County Chamber’s Young Professionals group is looking for new members, energetic businessesmen and women between the ages of 21 and 40, who can help take this exciting group to the next level…and have a lot of fun in the process! If you’ve moved beyond the YP stage, maybe there are some younger folks at your business or organization who would like to get involved, so please send them our way! YP Co-Chairs Lisa Montanaro (LM Organizing Solutions) and Eric Maldonado (Verizon Wireless Zone) already have a terrific group of YPs who are involved in everything from hosting educational and

informational seminars and workshops, to enjoying Friday evening social events at local clubs and restaurants, to building new homes with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, and more. The next meeting of the YPs Leadership Council is Friday, January 13 at 8:00 a.m. at the Chamber Business Center in Montgomery. If you’d like to check out this great committee, just show up at the Chamber on January 13 or contact Carol Smith, Vice President of Government Initiatives and Special Projects, at 457-9700 or carols@orangeny.com. Today’s Young Professionals are tomorrow’s leaders

Eric Maldonado (Verizon Wireless Zone), Co-Chair of the Orange County Young Professionals, enjoys a YP mixer with Carol Smith, Chamber VP of Government Initiatives and Special Projects. Lisa Montanaro (not pictured) co-chairs the YPs with Eric.

January 2012 The Business Viewpoint

New Members Control Systems Services, Inc. Robert Smith 25 South Street Washingtonville, NY 10992 (845) 496-1833 Boilers DeMarco Plumbing, Heating & HVAC Dominick DeMarco 765 South Street Newburgh, NY 12550 (845) 728-0227 Plumbing/Heating/Air Conditioning Services & Supplies Kelly Jiudice, R.N. Kelly Jiudice P.O. Box 405 Central Valley, NY 10917

(845) 492-7283 Health Care and Related Services Mid-Hudson Area Local Deborah Szeredy P.O. Box 10116 Newburgh, NY 12552 (845) 567-1866 Associations/Clubs/ Foundations

26 Nee Avenue New Windsor, NY 12553 (845) 728-7275 Bakery Owen Law Firm, P.L.L.C. Joseph Owen P.O. Box 1000 Goshen, NY 10924 (845) 294-5001 Attorneys

MIX N MAC Michele & Jason Whipland 280 Route 211 East Middletown, NY 10940 (845) 381-5536 Restaurants

Pennings Farm Market, Inc. Stephen Pennings 161 South Route 94 Warwick, NY 10990

Mr. Cannoli Scott Wilkinson

Pestech Bruce Davidson

(845) 986-1059 Agriculture

You can still go to the Gala If you haven’t made your reservation yet for the Chamber’s Annual Gala - “A Night under the Stars” - to be held Saturday, January 28, it’s not too late. The evening gets underway at Anthony’s Pier 9 in New Windsor with a lavish cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. Dinner and dancing to the music of Soundsational DJ Entertainment will be from 8:00-11:30 p.m. Pier 9’s legendary Viennese Table will begin at 10:00 p.m. A silent auction will be part of the evening’s

festivities and a fantastic raffle for a getaway to the Dominican Republic and a landscape re-design makeover will be held. Reservations, at $175 per person, can be made by contacting Roseann at 457-9700 or roseannb@orangeny.com. Don’t forget: discounts on formal wear are available from Broadway Tailors. Call Nick Valentine at 561-1656. Bedinotti Photo again will be on hand again for couples photos.

P.O. Box 391 Liberty, NY 12754 (845) 292-2847 Pest Control Pyramid Brokerage Company Steve Perfit 356 Meadow Avenue Newburgh, NY 12550 (845) 522-5900 Real Estate - Commercial ResumeToday.me Robert Louis 5 First Street, #101 Warwick, NY 10990 (845) 605-2587 Resume Rometo Pallet & Trucking Company Frank Rometo 18 Anthony Street Middletown, NY 10940

(914) 755-5319 Trucking/Rigging Sheila Pearl Life Coach Sheila Pearl 75 Broadway, 2nd Floor Newburgh, NY 12550 (201) 303-5990 Life/Health Coach Sound Pro Tim McGuire 140 Harold Avenue Cornwall, NY 12518 (866) 934-4864 Audio/Visual Equipment The Boeing Company James M. Weber P.O. Box 10716 Newburgh, NY 12552 (845) 567-6230 Airport and Related Services

The River Grill Mark Mallia 40 Front Street Newburgh, NY 12550 (845) 561-9444 Restaurants Tony Monaco Landscaping Tony Monaco 55 Howells Road Middletown, NY 10940 (845) 343-9772 Landscape Services/Supplies/ Repair Victoriana Nursery School Angela Wyatt-Harris 230 Greenwich Avenue Goshen, NY 10924 (845) 294-6947 Child Care/Preschool/Services r

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce January 2012

Member renewals A. Gurda Produce, Inc.

Carmela’s Pizzeria & Restaurant

Absolute Stone Treasures, Inc.

Castaways

ACI Controls, Inc.

Centrix Partners

Action Toward Independence

Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse

Affordable Accounting & Tax Service, Inc. American Cleaners American Petroleum Equipment & Construction Co., Inc. American Septic Service A Truly Green Septic Service

Cigar Box Studios, Inc. Classic Woodworks and Restoration Crist Bros. Orchards Croll Productive Synergy Crystal Run Healthcare Dennis Lounsbury Builders

Hampton Inn

Kristt Kelly Office Systems Corporation

Monroe Free Library

Sterling Forest, L.L.C.

Hayfields Consulting, Inc.

MPO Federal Credit Union

Stony Ford Lawncare, L.L.C.

Heather’s Childs Place, Ltd.

KVI Uniforms

Multimedia Service Center

Stuart Feuer, D.D.S.

Hudson Valley Awards

L. Harriton, Inc.

National Apparel Services

Style Wise Hair Salon

Hudson Valley Building & Construction Trades Council

Laborers’ International Union of N.A. Local #17

On Campus Promotions, Inc.

Super 8 Lodge

Hudson Valley Contracting Group, Inc.

Lake Region Discount Tires

Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.

Super 8 Motel

Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union

Super 8 Motel Newburgh, Banta Management Services, Inc.

Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union

Lanc & Tully Engineering and Surveying, P.C.

Orange County Business Accelerator

Hudson Valley Kitchen Refacing

LM Organizing Solutions, L.L.C.

Hudson Valley Planning & Preservation

Loughran’s Restaurant/Lounge

Hudson Valley Regional EMS Council, Inc.

March of Dimes

Applebee McPhillips Funeral Home

Dispute Resolution Center

Astor Services For Children & Families

DP Sales Pro

Hudson View Construction Corporation

Elant, Inc.

Hudson View Pharmacy

ATM Ready, L.L.C.

ICDI Corp., DBA Aurochemicals

Autoguide Publications, Inc.

Ellen Barrett, Better Homes & Gardens Rand Realty

BBG & G Advertising, Inc.

EM Communications

J.C. Ehrlich Co., Inc.

Beautiful People

Ethan Allen Personnel Group

Jacobowitz & Gubits, L.L.P.

Billings Memorials, Inc.

ExodusHealth Medical, P.C.

JnS Cafe

BISTRO Lilly

Footings, Inc.

John E. Bach, Jr., Esq.

Blaser Swisslube, Inc.

Garling Associates

Joseph M. Sosler Associates

Calandra Financial Services

Gary’s Voting Machine Repair

Kimber Construction

CallingAllDogs.com

Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Inc.

Canus Major Services, Inc.

Goldinson Corp.

Ikan, Inc.

M & T Bank Mark O’Keefe Contracting Masci & Hale Advanced Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry Metro Sound Pros MHR International, L.L.C.

Parse3 Paychex, Inc. Performance Motor Sports Primas Italian Deli & Catering Prime Care Physical Therapy Prisms Promotions, Inc. Reliable Cleaning Services Ritz Theater Rockland Graduate Campus, Long Island University Rockwood Garden Associates

Tectonic Engineering & Surveying Consultants P.C. The Castle Fun Center The EBS Group, Inc. The Pastoral Counseling Center, Inc. The Pet Barber, Mobile Grooming Spa Touch Bionics Town of Blooming Grove Tracking Systems, Inc.

Rose & Kiernan, Inc.

USA Datanet, A WVT Communications Company

Royal Pools & Spas, Inc.

V. Fini Custom Construction, Inc.

Royal T Title Agency, Inc.

Wal Mart Super Store Monroe

Mid Hudson Managed Home Care, Inc.

Ruby Group

Wal Mart Superstore

Safe Harbors of the Hudson, Inc.

Wellness Home Care, Ltd.

Klein & Klein C.P.A.s, P.C.

Mid Hudson News Network, A Div. of Statewide News Network, Inc.

Season Onto Season Wine & Spirits Shop

Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

KnappQuest HR, Inc.

Mike Romano Electric, Inc.

Sound of Life, Inc.

Youngsville Custom Kitchens r

Middletown Septic Tank Cleaning & Portable Toilets Mid Hudson Co Operative Insurance Co.

January 2012 The Business Viewpoint

Did You Know? Steven I. Milligram, a Senior Partner at Tarshis, Catania, Liberth, Mahon & Milligram, was recently elected Monroe Town Justice for a term of four years. As a trial and health care attorney, Milligram is experienced in all phases of personal injury, municipal liability, professional negligence, malpractice and transactional litigation in all courts. The firm Donald L. English & Associates has merged with Goldstein Lieberman and Company, L.L.C., Certified Public Accountants and business advisory firm located in Mahwah, NJ. English has been a practicing Certified Public Accountant since 1990. He succeeded his father, Raymond English, Sr. in the firm that formed in 1963. GLC recently sponsored, at the Platinum Level, and participated in the Cornwall Lion’s Club’s Fall Harvest Run. Proceeds went to support Guiding Eyes for the Blind, one of the premier guide dog schools for the blind in the country. Daniel Kaplan, who has been with GLC since 2007, has earned the title Certified Public Accountant. Kaplan was recently promoted to the position of Senior Accountant. The Chazen Companies, a leading provider of engineering, land surveying, environmental, planning and landscape architecture services, has been named one of 2011’s “Best Places to Work” by “The Business Review.” With more than 40 licensed or certified employees and 20 LEED® Accredited Professionals among a staff of 100, Chazen serves a range of clients including land developers, municipalities, healthcare and educational institutions, and private industries through offices in Poughkeepsie, Troy, and Glens Falls. Terrie Goldstein, publisher of Hudson Valley Parent, has announced a new feature that enables not-for-profits to announce their local fundraising events, craft fairs, food and clothing drives, and more on the HV Parent website. Those wishing to put their event on the site should visit (http://hvparent.com/ forms/?id=91&preview=y) which will direct them to an easy form to fill out. Once completed and submitted, the event goes right up on the website. Start and end dates are required so the event will come off the site automatically when the event is completed. Helena Manzione, General Manager WSUL/ WVOS of Watermark Communications, recently presented a check for $60,000 to Catskill Regional Medical Center. The amount represents 100% of the proceeds pledged and collected from the 2011 WSUL/ WVOS Annual HeartA-Thon. Over the last 33 years, the Heart-AThon has raised over $1.6 million in the name of heart health. The last five years’ totals are in excess of $360,000, making it the largest local fund raiser in Sullivan County history.

Turner Miller Group (TMG) was recently retained by the Village of Monroe to update their Comprehensive Plan and existing zoning regulations. The new plan will focus on expanded housing opportunities, protection of environmentally sensitive areas, defining and enhancing gateways to the village, historic resources, large vacant and underutilized properties, and revitalizing the economic base including downtown and Route 17M business corridor. TMG’s planning approach has a strong focus on public outreach including workshops and development of proposals by a Steering Committee to be appointed by the village. Visit www.turnermillergroup.com and follow TMG on Twitter to learn how to stay involved in the planning process. The Monroe-Woodbury Rotary Club recently helped clean up Museum Village in Monroe. Museum Village, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational institution, is a living history museum preserving a vast collection of eclectic 19th century artifacts for educational purposes. For more information, visit www.museumvillage.org. Jeff Bank employees raised $2,534, making them the top fundraising team at the recent Walk Now for Autism event at Sullivan County Community College. Hundreds of walkers joined together to raise funds for scientific research and to increase autism awareness. There have been four Sullivan County autism walks and Jeff Bank has had a team in attendance each year. Walden Savings Bank has selected Frederick H. Mills as Assistant Vice President - Commercial Lending. With more than 20 years of banking experience, Mills was most recently with Provident Bank. Walden Savings Bank’s Florida branch has a starring role in the upcoming movie, “Franny.” Located at 95 North Main Street in the Village of Florida, the bank was selected as the setting for a scene in the comedy film. Walden Savings Bank received $500 from the film’s production company and donated the funds to the Florida Food Pantry. Julia Merchant has joined the team of writers at Niki Jones Agency in Port Jervis. A native of the tri-state area, Julia moved to Boston to pursue an education in creative writing and publishing and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emerson College. Niki Jones Agency is the area’s first full-service marketing firm specializing in innovative promotion of its clients through public relations, marketing and creative design. The agency has worked with clients of all sizes, both international and local. For more information, visit www.nikijones.com. Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union (HVFCU) officially became a tobacco free or-

ganization on November 17 to coincide with the American Cancer Society’s 36th Annual Great American Smokeout. In recognition of this milestone, HVFCU ceremoniously removed the smoking gazebo from its headquarters. HVFCU is a community-chartered credit union providing financial services to more than 250,000 members. HVFCU offers savings and loan programs to businesses and individuals, who live, work, worship, volunteer or attend school in Orange, Dutchess, Ulster and Putnam County. Tyler Tumminia, Senior Vice President of the Goldklang Group, will be honored at the New York Professional Baseball Hot Stove League’s 47th annual award dinner on January 20, 2012. Tumminia will be accepting the Jim Quigley Memorial Award in recognition of her meritorious service to our national pastime. The Goldklang Group represents several baseball organizations including the Hudson Valley Renegades. Tumminia established the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame, which has received universal praise throughout the baseball community. Karen Nelthrope has been hired as a Senior Accountant at Sedore, Hudson Valley C.P.A.s, and Charles D’Alessio has been hired as a Senior Tax Accountant. Nicholas P. Bona has received his Certified Public Accounting license for Sedore, which is a full service financial provider with offices in Port Jervis, Poughkeepsie and Fishkill. Call 485-5510 for more information. Allen Paradie, C.P.A. has assumed the responsibilities of Tax Manager in the Tax Department in the Newburgh office of Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, L.L.P. Paradie joined the firm in November of 2010. Julian Gottesman has been appointed Chief Information Officer at DRA Imaging. Gottesman joined DRA as the Director of Information Services in October of 2008. He previously worked for Goldman Sachs. 12th Rock Ministries is involved in a “Dirty Water Project” to help bring clean water to families in Ghana. People are asked to fill empty bottles with pocket change that would have been spent on coffee, tea, soda, etc. The money will then be sent to a mission in Ghana to build clean water wells. For every $20 raised, a child will receive clean water for 20 years. What an awesome exchange. In 3 weeks, students from Harmony Christian School raised over $1,200. The Pine Bush Interact Club has also taken the project to Pine Bush High School and the surrounding community. Our goal as an organization is to empower a mission-minded generation. Watch for more community outreach projects and check out upcoming events at www.12throck.org.

anniversaries Congratulations to the following Chamber members who are celebrating special anniversaries this month:

40 Years Argenio Brothers, Inc.

30 Years Bank of America / Merrill Lynch John J. Lease Realtors Northrop & Stradar, P.C.

10 Years Reliable Glass & Door Corp.

5 Years Elizabeth Rose Soaps Formula H Motorworks City of Middletown Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Major General Irene Trowell Harris Chapter

Safe Harbors of the Hudson has artist loft apartments available for rent at The Cornerstone Residence at 111 Broadway in Newburgh. Income requirements apply. Services to tenants include: 24-hour security personnel, maintenance and housekeeping staff; a computer lab with periodic computer classes; a fitness center; a library; the Ann Street Gallery; case management, job search and placement assistance provided by Independent Living; a wellness center; a GED program; discounted tickets to Safe Harbors of the Hudson and Ritz Theater events and admittance to various Cornerstone and Independent Living outings. For more information, call Liz LoPresti at 562-6940, ext. 116 or e-mail llopresti@safeharbors.org. Application for housing is available at www.safe-harbors.org. Walden Savings Bank participated in this year’s March of Dimes “Blue Jeans for Babies” campaign, raising $1,518. Throughout November, WSB employees purchased t-shirts and other items and enjoyed a Casual for a Cause Day to raise funds for the annual campaign. The bank hosts a “Casual for a Cause Day” each month for numerous nonprofit agencies, including American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Safe Homes of Orange County. r

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce January 2012