new paltz regional report - winter 2011

Crisis Communication Crisis is inevitable, for large

and small businesses. Tips for

resolving emergencies.

A Strong FoundationThe Chamber’s scholarship

program aids both traditional

and nontraditional students.

Member Profiles: Charmed Places, NYLA Photography, Emerson Resort & Spa, New Paltz Travel Center

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IN THIS ISSUE

WINTER 2011

257 MAIN ST. NEW PALTZ, NY 12561 P 845 255 0243 F 845 255 5189 E [email protected] WWW.NEWPALTZCHAMBER.ORG

A QUARTERLY BUSINESS NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE NEW PALTZ REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BRIDGING THE GAPUnderstanding the Multigenerational WorldBy Kelley Granger

Traditionally, workplace diversity has been measured by the number of different races in an organization. While this might still be the most noticeable indicator of a varied company, a more subtle one may bring the most important implications

to the plate—multigenerational diversity. The era in which we grew up shapes our psyche, our behavior, and our outlook in our work life and beyond. Understanding the varying drivers behind different generations thoughts and actions can help set an organization’s management goals, and can also better inform interactions with clients, vendors, and target demographics.

Continued on p. 12

REGIONAL

REPORT

REGIONAL REPORT WINTER 2011 3

We’re starting off 2011 with great news for the Chamber and Regional Report, our quar-

terly business-to-business magazine, winner of the Custom Content Council’s 2010 Pearl Award for Best New Newsletter. Announced in November at the Annual Pearl Awards Ceremony at The Water Club in New York City, celebrating the best in custom design, editorial, and strategic initiatives for B2B and consumer publica-tions, this year’s Pearl Awards comprised a record-breaking 569 entries, putting our Regional Report in heady company. Other 2010 Pearl Award winners include the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Augusta National Golf Club, Phoenix Art Museum, Massachusetts General Hospital, Proctor & Gamble, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, among many others. We’re proud to share this award with those who continue to make Regional Report possible, including Luminary Publishing, our members and readers, the Chamber board of directors, and especially our advertisers. We truly could not do it without you. Thank you.

We must also use this space to extend our gratitude to those who have chosen to sup-port the Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New Paltz annual appeal for its scholarship fund. Each year, members of this Chamber and their immediate family members begin or continue on their paths to their educational and professional goals with the financial help of these Foundation scholarships. These scholarships are a fun-damental part of the Foundation’s mission to promote educational initiatives in the Hudson Valley community. February’s 3rd Annual Progressive Dinner, a fun winter’s night

on the town on February 3, featuring three fantastic New Paltz dining and spirits desti-nations, is a terrific way to enjoy the region while supporting the Chamber Foundation. To learn more about the Foundation, includ-ing how to give, visit www.newpaltzchamber.org and click Chamber Foundation in the left-hand column.

In this issue of Regional Report, you’ll find features on Multi-Generational Human Resources Issues and Risk Management/Crisis Communications, we get romantic in our member profiles, we introduce your new Member Relations Associate MaryBeth Boylan, and, as always, keep you up to date with your Chamber peers in our Member Updates section. It’s a joy and a blessing to embark on a New Year serving the busi-ness and civic interests of the Hudson Valley community. The New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce has worked hard for more than 100 years to raise the quality of life in our region, and we are proud to play our part in making the Hudson Valley an excellent place to live, work, play, worship and do business.

Happy New Year!

Joyce M. Minard, President

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Letter from JOYCE MINARD

Regional Report was honored to win the Custom Content Council’s 2010 Award for Best New Newsletter.

Central Hudson 1/6 Page

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THURSdAy, JANUARy 6

NPRCoC Health Plan FAQ, with MVP Health Care and Brinckerhoff and Neuville Insurance Group, Inc.Learn more about Health Insurance options avail-able through the Chamber of Commerce and get your new plan or renewal questions answered with Joan McMahon of MVP Health Care and Donna Mills of Tri-County Planning/Brinckerhoff and Neuville Insurance Group, Inc.Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.Place: New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce, 257 Main St., New PaltzCost: ComplimentaryReservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

TUESdAy, JANUARy 11

After-Hours Mixer @ McGillicuddy’s Restaurant & Tap House, New PaltzOur first mixer of 2011! Welcome the New Year with us while building your business network at McGillicuddy’s Restaurant & Tap Room, located in the heart of downtown New Paltz. Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.Place: McGillicuddy’s Restaurant & Tap Room, 84 Main St., New PaltzCost: Complimentary to Chamber Members, $15 non-membersReservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

WEdNESdAy, JANUARy 12

Workshop: “Cash Flow: Budgeting, Analyzing, Controlling, & Understanding” with John deNicolo, CPAA workshop of tips, tools, and techniques for the successful management of cash flow within your business with special emphasis on cash budgeting, cash projection, and liquidity. This workshop is open to New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce members only.Time: 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.Place: New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce, 257 Main St., New PaltzCost: Complimentary. Chamber members only.Seating is limited to a maximum of 10 attendees. Reservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected].

WEdNESdAy, JANUARy 19

Business Luncheon @ Ship Lantern Inn, Milton, “Be Tax Smart: Employ Tax Planning Strategies year-Round” with Timothy Flanagan, CPA of Vanacore, deBenedictus, diGovanni and Weddell LLP, CPAsTiming income and expense is important because smart timing can reduce your tax liability, while poor timing can unnecessarily increase it. This informative luncheon will present year-round tax planning strategies on topics ranging from family and education, charitable giving, and estate plan-ning to investments and real estate.

Sponsor: Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni and Weddell LLP, CPAsTime: 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.Place: Ship Lantern Inn, 1725 Route 9W, MiltonCost: Complimentary to NPRCoC Corporate Partners, $20 for Chamber Members, $25 for non-members.Reservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

FRIdAy, JANUARy 28

Winter Business Card Exchange @ Moondance Ridge Bed & Breakfast, New PaltzEnjoy the sights, sounds and some of the delicious treats served for breakfast in the dining room at the Moondance Ridge B&B. Built in 2005, the B&B is a peaceful place for networking and enjoying home-made cherry scones and coffee before heading off to work. This event is always one of our most popular, so come prepared with plenty of business cards!Time: 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.Place: Moondance Ridge Bed and Breakfast, 55 Shivertown Rd., New PaltzCost: Complimentary to Chamber members; $15 non-membersReservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or e-mail [email protected]

THURSdAy, FEBRUARy 3

3rd Annual Progressive dinnerDine out and raise funds for a terrific cause! Join us for a convivial evening of delicious food and libation in three of New Paltz’s destination shops and restaurants: Fox and Hound Wine & Spirits, Beso and 36 Main Restaurant and Wine Bar. All proceeds benefit the Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New Paltz educational initiatives, including the annual Scholarship Fund.Sponsor: Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New PaltzTime: 5:30 - 9:00 pm.Place: New PaltzCost: $75Tickets are required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected].

THURSdAy, FEBRUARy 10

After-Hours Mixer @ Vineyard Commons, HighlandOur February After-Hours Mixer is your chance to check out one of the Hudson Valley’s newest upscale restaurants and sample The Bistro at Vineyard Commons’ fresh, imaginative, con-temporary cuisine while making new connections and growing your network. Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.Place: Vineyard Commons, 300 Vineyard Ave., HighlandCost: Complimentary to Chamber members; $15 non-members.Reservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

WEdNESdAy, FEBRUARy 16

Business Luncheon @ Historic Huguenot Street, New Paltz, featur-ing Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein with a “State of the County” update. Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein ad-dresses his Administration’s approach to improv-ing county government and advocating for Ulster County businesses, particularly the changes his Administration has brought to Ulster County, including restructuring certain departments and pursuing a zero percent tax increase in his proposed 2011 budget. County Executive Hein will explain how his office can assist Chamber members on regulatory matters, finding financ-ing, and other small business matters.Sponsor: NY RideShareTime: 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.Place: Historic Huguenot Street, New PaltzCost: Complimentary to NPRCoC Corporate Partners; $20 for members; $25 non-membersReservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

TUESdAy, MARCH 8

After-Hours Mixer and Pot-O-Gold Raffle drawing @ Rocking Horse Ranch, HighlandDo you have the $10,000 ticket? Find out at our March After-Hours Mixer and Pot-O-Gold Raffle drawing! Delicious hors d’oeuvres and terrific networking are on the menu as well. Don’t miss one of our favorite annual events!Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.Place: Rocking Horse Ranch, 600 Route 44/55, HighlandCost: Complimentary to Chamber members and Pot-O-Gold ticket holders; $15 non-members.Reservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

WEdNESdAy, MARCH 16

Business Luncheon and 2nd Annual Wellness in the Workplace, “Lose2Win” Weight Loss Challenge Kickoff @ The Would Restaurant, HighlandJoin us for the 2nd Annual “Lose2Win” Weight Loss Challenge! Last year, more than 50 partici-pants collectively lost over 200 pounds. Sign up to participate this year at this special kickoff luncheon, featuring MVP Health Care.Sponsor: MVP Health CareTime: 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.Place: The Would Restaurant, 120 North Road, HighlandCost: Complimentary to NPRCoC Corporate Partners; $20 for members; $25 for non-members.Reservations required. Call 845-255-0243 or email [email protected]

UPCOMING EVENTS


Bridging the GapUnderstanding the Multigenerational WorldWorkplace diversity is usually measured in terms of race and gender. Another

way to assess a company’s diversity is by how many different generations work

together. Employees of varying ages approach the idea of work itself differently;

how a business handles each generation can be integral to its success.

Crisis CommunicationTips for Resolving and Preventing Business EmergenciesRegional Report speaks with business owners and marketing executives about

effective messaging in adverse conditions, who explain how to protect your

brand while reacting swiftly and with utmost transparency.

The Bottom LineThe legislation and news that affects your business: the small business credit

gap, mortgage rates hit their lowest point in decades, the dividends of diversity.

Laying a Strong FoundationThe Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Scholarship FundSince 2007, the Foundation Scholarship Fund has granted almost $10,000 to

local students, both traditional and non-traditional.

Member Profiles: The Business of RomanceRegional Report checks in with some Chamber members who help keep the

love-light burning: Charmed Places, NyLA Photography, Emerson Resort & Spa,

and the New Paltz Travel Center.

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4 Upcoming Events

7 Recent Chamber Events

15 Member Updates

25 Member Renewals

28 Membership Matters

CONTENTS

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BOARd OFFICERS

CHAIR Ernie VanDeMark Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.1ST VICE CHAIR Chris Drouin Beyond Wealth Management2ND VICE CHAIR Craig Shankles PDQ Printing and GraphicsTREASURER Mindi Haynes Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP, CPAsFINANCIAL ADVISOR Jerry Luke Fox Hill B&BLEGAL COUNSEL James Yastion Blustein, Shapiro, Rich & Barone, LLP

BOARd OF dIRECTORS

Frank Curcio Bank of AmericaTom Edwards Fox & Hound Wine and SpiritsHelen Gutfreund LMT Bodymind Massage TherapyConstance Harkin Ulster SavingsRichard Heyl de Ortiz Historic Huguenot StreetKay Hoiby Free Fall Express/dba: Blue Sky RanchWalter Marquez Water Street MarketDr. David Ness Performance Sports and WellnessKathleen Packard KathodeRay MediaPatrick Turner Little Pond ConsultingSue Van De Bogart St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital

Helise Winters SUNY New Paltz (Office of Regional Education)

EMERITUS MEMBERS

Robert Leduc Mohonk Mountain HouseRick Lewis Riverside BankOfc. Scott Schaffrick New Paltz Police DepartmentSusan VanVoorhis M&T Bank

REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNdATION AT NEW PALTZ BOARd OF dIRECTORS

CHAIR Kathy Ferrusi Hudson Valley Federal Credit UnionSECRETARY Joyce Minard New Paltz Regional Chamber of CommerceTREASURER Sue VanVoorhis M&T BankBOARD MEMBER Sally Cross SUNY New Paltz FoundationBOARD MEMBER Joanne FredenbergBOARD MEMBER Cathy SifreBOARD MEMBER Teresa Thompson Main Street Bistro

CHAMBER STAFF

Joyce Minard PresidentChristine Crawfis Director of Marketing & CommunicationsMaryBeth Boylan Member Relations Associate Janet Nurre Communications & Programs AdministratorLucy Paradies Assistant Director of Finance & Membership

2011 CORPORATE PARTNERS

LEADING PARTNER

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.ASSOCIATE PARTNER

Brinckerhoff and Neuville Insurance GroupSUPPORTING PARTNERS

Health QuestHudson Valley Federal Credit UnionKIC Chemicals Inc.M&T BankUlster SavingsVanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell LLP, CPAs

THE NEW PALTZ REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS A dISTINGUISHEd MEMBER OF:

American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)

Chamber Alliance of New York State (CANYS)

The Business Council of New York State, Inc. (BCNYS)

Mid-Hudson Pattern for Progress

Southern Ulster Alliance

Business Marketing Association—Hudson Valley Chapter

Hudson Valley Regional Coalition (One Valley—One Voice)

WHO WE ARE

The New Paltz Regional Chamber, organized in 1900, is an active and trusted voice in the regional business and residential community that forges strong relationships between businesses and residents and promotes growth, prosperity, a sense of local pride, and a high quality of life in the Hudson Valley region.

The newly formed Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New Paltz aids and augments the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce’s current slate of successful educational programs. The foundation envisions a comprehensive program of educational activities and scholarships, all geared toward educating and supporting the community.

NPRCoC BOARD AND STAFF

Regional Report is published quarterly by the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Information in this publication was carefully compiled to ensure maximum accuracy. However, the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce cannot guarantee the correctness of all information provided herein. Readers noting inaccurate information should contact the chamber with corrections and updates.

@2011 New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce is strictly prohibited. Publishing services provided by Luminary Publishing.


RECENT CHAMBER EVENTS

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61 November Business Luncheon featured speaker Tom Edwards of Fox and Hound Wine & Spirits with Mark Suszczynski of host Harvest Café Restaurant and Wine Bar. 2 Taka Oyama of Olympix Corp. with Johannes Knoops and Susan Eckhardt of Brykill Farm at the November After-Hours Mixer, held at Upstairs on 9 Café. 3 US Representative Maurice Hinchey shares a smile with Frank Serokos of Staff-Line, Inc. at the Chamber’s special September Legisla-tive Update Luncheon, held at Mohonk Mountain House. 4 NPRCoC board and staff members joined friends, family, and employees of New Paltz Eye Care as Elinor Descovich and Connie Rubow cut the ribbon celebrating the grand open-ing of their new location at 133 Main Street, New Paltz. 5 Helen Gutfruend of Bodymind Massage Therapy won the Best Costume Award at the Fall Business Card Exchange, held at the Chamber office. 6 Panelists John White of Staff-Line, Inc. (left) and Patricia Stockman of The Executive Connection (right) are with Chris Drouin of Beyond Wealth Management following the Professional Development Series Panel Discussion on “Conflict Resolution in the Workplace.”


American Solutions for BusinessPO Box 2261Kingston, NY 12402(845) 338-5722 / fax (845) 338-5780Contact: John BurlinghamE-mail: [email protected]: www.americanbus.comCategory: Advertising/Marketing

Birchez Associates LLC104 Smith AvenueKingston, NY 12401-2641(845) 532-7528 / fax (845) 517-1715Contact: K.J. McIntyreE-mail: [email protected]: www.birchez.comCategory: Senior Housing

Catskill Mountain House44 Continental RoadNapanoch, NY 12458(845) 647-4288Contact: Karen Joy LeitsteinE-mail: [email protected]: www.catskillmountainhouse.comCategory: Bed and Breakfasts

Choice Words—Public Relations & Grant Writing126 Main Street New Paltz, NY 12561(845) 234-8713Contact: Stephen DensmoreEmail: [email protected]: www.choicewordspr.com Category: Grant Writing, Public Relations

Five Star Exteriors629 Lucas Ave. Ext.Hurley, NY 12443(845) 339-7827 / Fax (845) 339-4089Contact: Scott MichelE-mail: [email protected]: Contractors - Home Improvement

Jenkinstown Motors Inc.37 S. Ohioville RoadNew Paltz, NY 12561(845) 255-2500, (914) 388-2548Contact: Scott CullenE-mail: [email protected]: Automobile Body Repair & Painting

Richard Ostrander Agency234 Main Street, Suite 1New Paltz, NY 12561(845) 255-3178Contact: Rochelle OstranderE-mail: [email protected]: Defensive Driving

Rosendale Acupuncture449 Main StreetRosendale, NY 12472(845) 430-8383Contact: Katie Finley, L.Ac.E-mail: [email protected]: www.rosendaleacupuncture.comCategory: Acupuncture

Sands Salvage4115 Route 28Boiceville, NY 12412

(845) 657-4136 / fax (845) 547-8985Contact: Fionna or SteveWebsite: www.sandssalvage.comCategory: Liquidation Sales

Simply Create238 Main StreetNew Paltz, NY 12561(845) 418-1816Contact: Keri ZurliniE-mail: [email protected]: www.simplycreate.orgCategory: Community Service Organizations, Healing Arts

The Eriole Law FirmJoseph Eriole, Esq.21 So. Chestnut St., Suite 8New Paltz, NY 12561(845) 255-0998 / fax (845) 839-2739Contact: Joseph ErioleE-mail: [email protected]: www.eriolelaw.comCategory: Attorneys - General Practice

The Gunk FoundationPO Box 333Gardiner, NY 12525(845) 255-4374Contact: Nadine LemmonE-mail: [email protected]: www.gunk.orgCategory: Community Service Organizations

Toshiba Business Solutions230 N. Plank Rd.Newburgh, NY 12550(845) 562-2468 / fax 845) 562-2707Contact: Tom BeckerE-mail: [email protected]: www.copiers.toshiba.com/tbsCategory: Office Equipment - Sales & Service

Unishippers1313 Route 9WMarlboro, NY 12542(845) 236-3060 / fax (845) 236-3064Contact: John CaryE-mail: [email protected]: www.unishippers.comCategory: Shipping & Commercial Freight Services

WET-TEKPO Box 1043New Paltz, NY 12561(845) 255-7400Contact: Donald KerrE-mail: [email protected]: http://www.wet-tek.comCategory: Executive Search

Wine Worldwide, Inc.59 North Putt Corners RoadNew Paltz, NY 12561(845) 255-1955 Fax (845) 255-3516Contact: Sam RamicE-mail: [email protected]: www.mediterraneanwine.comCategory: Wine and Spirits

New members who joined between August 16 and November 15, 2010.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS


When you own or manage a busi-ness, it’s inevitable that you’ll eventually experience a crisis.

Whether it’s a public relations predicament or a full-scale safety emergency, it’s crucial that you’re able to respond swiftly and effi-ciently. Large corporations often have entire departments dedicated to such responses, but with forethought, even the smallest of businesses can make sure any issues are dealt with in a smooth manner.

HAVE A PLAN IN PLACEThe first step to addressing any situation is to have a plan that will detail your response. This would include brainstorming the different situations that might affect your business, in-formation on who would take on a leadership role in certain instances, and detailing how you will communicate internally and externally.

Central Hudson created a guide that’s a huge help when it comes to providing a compa-ny-approved response to crisis situations, says John Maserjian, the director of media relations. “Usually there’s very little time to respond when a crisis happens and having a guide like this is handy because it helps to provide the steps that you’ve pre-established to handle the crisis,” he says. Not only that, but Maserjian also says that just the exercise of putting a crisis plan together is helpful for business owners because it forces you to think about what steps you may have to take, who you may have to contact or line up to assist you, and who you’d refer the media or public to for answering questions.

As part of their plan, Central Hudson

designates a spokesperson. “One of the most important things we emphasize here is whenever possible assign a single person as a spokesperson, particularly during unusual events so that the information is complete and consistent,” says Maserjian.

At the Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, Lisa Morris, the director of market-ing, says that businesses need to be careful in selecting the right person for that job. “You really want somebody that people are going to trust and relate to,” she says, “and sometimes it’s not always the owner or CEO.” There may be certain situations when it’s only appropriate to have the top leader speak, but otherwise the decision should be based on who can most effectively commu-nicate the message to the public.

HONESTy IS THE BEST POLICyWhether a situation has occurred that’s within or beyond the control of a business, there is one principle that should be para-mount in the response: honesty.

Barbara Kram, the corporate director of marketing for Health Quest, says this con-cept is of the utmost importance to them. “The Health Quest hospitals have a very transparent organization, our CEOs are very predisposed to communicating as openly and honestly as possible,” she says.

Kram recounts a situation that occurred about five years ago at one of the hospitals, when a laptop that potentially contained protected patient information was stolen from an emergency room. Though the computer

was locked and access was protected with a password, in the first day or two, Health Quest wasn’t certain if there was indeed pri-vate information stored on it. Kram says they went with a policy of full transparency—they alerted the public that a laptop had been stolen, set up a credit bureau program for patients whose information may have been compromised, and hired a professional to in-vestigate along with the police. Within a week, they’d discovered that the missing laptop did not have any sensitive information on it at all. “While it probably cost us more in the end [to tell the public],” says Kram, “at the end of the day, it was the right thing to do.”

KEEP COMMUNICATINGWith so many ways to distribute information, it’s essential to keep up on communicating with your customers during a crisis. You can use a variety of methods to propose a solution. For example, Morris says that Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union considers all avenues—from signage to phone messages and even online or social networking updates—when determining the best way to communicate critical, timely information to members.

For a company like Central Hudson, com-munication is imperative around the clock and takes many forms. “We’ve found that as important as restoring service as quickly and safely as possible, constant communication with customers is key,” says Maserjian. He and his team work nonstop in emergency situations pulling together information for the press, updating their website, placing in-

MESSAGING IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONTips for Resolving and Preventing Business Emergencies

By Kelley Granger


formational announcements on their phone system and over the radio, and disseminating information via social media channels.

Last winter, during storms that caused significant power outages, Maserjian says Central Hudson also participated in we-bcasts where it answered questions from Poughkeepsie Journal editors in a virtual press conference.

Don’t underestimate your relationship with the media. Morris recommends build-ing relationships with reporters and staying in contact with them. By being interactive, open, and helpful in providing information by their deadline, you can help improve the chance of making media coverage more bal-anced. Even if something is published that casts your business or industry in a bad light, there may still be recourse.

“There was one time when the media put something in the paper about prescription prices and it didn’t look too good upon us at the time. [In response,] I wrote a letter to the paper and they did publish it,” says Bill Sheeley of Dedrick’s Pharmacy and Gifts. “Then I called the people who wrote letters to the paper on that subject and explained my position. It was fine and we ended up not looking bad in the end.”

PREVENTION IS KEyAfter a crisis has been resolved, don’t forget to go back and deliberate on how a repeat may be avoided in the future. Steve Turk, the presi-dent and CEO of Rocking Horse Ranch, says that his business has a very finely tuned sys-tem of keeping employees ready to not only respond to emergencies, but hopefully avoid them altogether. For example, lifeguards take part in a mandatory weekly “In Service” proce-dure that reviews life saving techniques, and managers meet weekly to review everything from future business to communication pro-cedures under stressful situations. The longer you’re in business, the better the chances that you will have some sort of issue on your property, so Turk also recommends getting to know the local fire and ambulance corps. “Invite them for a walk through of your facility and repeat this on a yearly basis,” he suggests. “And review with these local EMS officials an emergency action plan that includes an ap-propriate communication process to fit your company’s size and scope.”


Today there are four main generations—the Traditionalist (born between 1922 and 1945), the Baby Boomer (born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980), and Generation Y (born from 1981 and on, also known as the Millennials and Generation Me). Each generation brings a distinct set of values to work because of the varying experiences they had growing up. Traditionalists lived through the Great Depression and World War II, when paternal-istic companies were the norm and leadership (and therefore job security) was attained by a hierarchical order. Compare that to Generation Y, who has grown up with ever-evolving tech-nology, is entering a shrunken job market, and believes leadership should be attained by skill and knowledge rather than seniority.

AWARENESS IS KEyWith all the generations active and more mixed than ever in the workforce, issues in communi-cation have been coming to the forefront. “I’ve read a couple of things on this as far as manag-ing [different generations] and the problems that large organizations are having managing younger employees,” says Valerie Mehl of Daybeak Virtual Staffing. “My generation, the Baby Boomers, have a totally different outlook on work than younger ones do.”

Being aware of the varied perspectives that can cause disagreements is the first step, and understanding these differences can make a huge impact when it comes to interactions inside and outside of the office.

“I think learning more about the underly-ing reasons brings you closer to understand-ing each other and helps us broaden our outlooks,” says Diane Lustenader, president of Lake Associates Inc., a national human resources consulting firm with an office in Albany. “Someone very early in my career advised me that ‘my way or the highway’ is not the best way to approach being a su-pervisor. As a supervisor, your job is really to accomplish organizational goals through other people.”

Being aware of differing generational ideals not only helps you in communicating with employees, but with clients as well. “A busi-

ness will have employees and clients who are a different generation than their owner,” says Chris Drouin, founder of Beyond Wealth Management. “So if a business owner doesn’t understand how their own generation has different expectations or a different cul-ture than others, they’re going to have trouble and miss out on opportunities.”

THE CLIENT CONNECTIONBeing receptive and sensitive to generational gaps has helped Drouin in his business, where he deals with many clients that are from the Traditional generation. He says he’d break them into two groups—the ones who remember having and losing during the Great Depression, and those who were born into nothing. Keeping the historical influences in mind has helped him under-stand their perspective and better serve their needs.

“Both groups are incredibly risk averse, they’re the type to stay put with a company and the way you live your life,” he says. He’s also picked up on characteristics of other generations, like the Boomers, who he says redefined society by their wants, spent lots of money when they were making lots of money, and now are redefining themselves again with smaller homes and cars as the economy shifts. Having knowledge of these changes and influences helps Drouin in communicat-ing financial advice to his clients.

It can also be an aid when it comes to de-fining how you want to market to a certain audience, particularly keeping in mind the changes in media and technology during each era. Kristin Backhaus is an Associate Professor of Management at SUNY New Paltz, and covers the subject of intergenera-tional business in her classes. She’s noticed how different the model is when presenting material to younger generations. “To appeal to Generation Y I’d go with a briefer, sound bite model,” she says. “They’re looking for the next thing, ‘Hurry up, what’s the next point?’ That’s not the way information was communicated in the past.” For effective cmmunication with Boomers and Traditionalists, Backhaus sug-gests “something lengthier with more details and context—a richer message that might be more in keeping with the way that older generation is accustomed to taking data.”

EMPLOyEE BENEFITSThough communicating more effectively with customers is certainly a good thing, perhaps the biggest benefit of a generational awareness is the rewards that can be reaped internally in an organization.

Through the years, there’s been a shift in the attitude toward work. Where Boomers felt that they lived to work, Gen-X decided they would work to live. While Baby Boomers have been on the hunt for title recognition and to climb a ladder, the new Gen-Y work-force is looking for meaningful work and is more entrepreneurially driven. With all of these ideals often having to coexist in one place, it’s no wonder that there can be dis-agreements and dissatisfaction in the ranks. In response, there are some overarching ideas to keep in mind.

For one, remember to give feedback and acknowledge employee efforts. This idea has often been associated somewhat negatively with Generation Y as a group who demands pats on the back for achievements that should be considered normal. Craig Thomas, president of Craig Thomas Pest Control, says that with his Gen-Y technicians, he’s noticed that a little more attention goes a long way in terms of retaining members of

BRIDGING THE GAP continued from front cover

“If a business owner doesn’t

understand how their own

generation has different expecta-tions than others,

they’re going to have trouble.”

—Chris Drouin


a generation that are more prone to job-hopping and desire more recognition.

“Communication is key,” Thomas says. “You need to make them feel important. As an owner, you need to show a genuine interest in the individual, and you do that by asking about family, about their hobbies and things like that. It’s not that you want to get involved in their personal life too much, but you want to build those relationships and keep your hand on the pulse of what’s going on in their lives.”

Recognizing any generation’s accomplish-ment is vital, but the way in which you make employees feel valued may differ from genera-tion to generation.

“No matter what generation, you should look at and acknowledge contributions,” says Lustenader. But depending on the generation, the approach may be different. Boomers, for example, are more likely to appreciate recognition for their experience and being assigned to tasks where they can accomplish the most and feel what they’re doing has value. Generation Y on the other hand, may be more receptive to an award of some sort. But what-ever it is, be sincere—unwarranted praise is as bad as lack of recognition to this group.

With less hierarchy and seniority involved in today’s management, some tension can also be created when younger workers are appointed in positions where older genera-tions report to them.

Ed Kort, the president of KIC Chemicals, says that they experienced an issue similar to this when his son, who is on the cusp on Generation X and Y, joined the team in a managerial position, where some older and more experienced people were reporting to him. “Along comes somebody younger, who might only be in the business 10 years, and someone might think ‘Who are they to tell me how to do my job?’” he says. “I remember we had situations where there was an older employee who wasn’t competent in compari-son to [my son], and she would come to him to ask advice and then proceed to argue with him about it.”

Kort says that there are instances, as in his son’s case, where younger employees are better equipped to handle operations and deal with issues, and that they deserve to be respected, regardless of age or experi-ence level.

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“We have people at KIC now who really do respect his knowledge and think he’s right on about things,” Kort says. “It’s about getting the right employees into place to respect people for what they know, and on the other hand, reminding younger people that they do have to have some respect for people who are older—they still have knowledge and experi-ence that they can learn from.”

Don’t assume that someone isn’t capable of something because of their age—and that works both ways. And never ask someone when he or she is going to retire. “To be con-stantly asked when you’re going to retire can lead people to feeling undervalued and that time is just being marked around them,” says Lustenader. “It would be nice to ask what skills they’d like to learn this year. Don’t as-sume they don’t want to learn anything new, or that they can’t.”

Be honest with your superior or subordi-nates about your preferred communication style, and ask them theirs too. Some people might prefer to be given a list of directives, while others may prefer to have the goals explained to them in detail.

BEWARE OF STEREOTyPINGStudying generational variances is a bit of a catch-22—while there is merit to a lot of the research that’s been done, every business should remember that each person bring their own personality and background to a position. Drouin, for instance, says the he’s on the younger side of Generation X, but has more of a traditionalist mentality—he started work very early with a paper route, then worked in a factory and full-time throughout college. While he does have a more time-honored approach to his work ethic, he’s also been more entrepreneurial and created a company where he’s designed a work environment for himself, a trait of more recent generations.

Backhaus says her biggest piece of advice is to not forget that every person is a unique product. “It’s dangerous sometimes to make the assumptions based solely on generational gaps,” says Backhaus, “so think about the indi-vidual first and the generation second.”

BRIDGING THE GAP continued Brinckerhoff &

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dR. SCOTT HILL APPOINTEd MEdICAL dIRECTOR AT SLCHSt. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) has ap-pointed Scott Hill, MD, as the Medical Director and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Hill previously served in the Emergency Department at The Mt. Sinai Hospital. Dr. Hill is board certified in Emergency Medicine, and sits on numerous medical committees and associa-tions. In his new role, Hill will oversee emergency care delivery at SLCH’s Kaplan Family Center for Emergency Medicine in Newburgh and Littman Center for Emergency Medicine in Cornwall.

NIGHT OF 100 PUMPKINS AT THE BAKERyThe Bakery in New Paltz hosted its 20th annual Night of 100 Pumpkins pumpkin carving contest. Entrants brought their pumpkins to The Bakery on North Front Street on October 30, local artists judged the pumpkins and lots of prizes, all donated by local businesses, were awarded. All pumpkin entrants received a free Jack O’ Lantern Cookie. For more information, visit www.ilovethebakery.com or call (845) 255-8840.

dR. BRUCE NASH APPOINTEd COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR ACHPBruce Nash, MD, MBA, chief medical officer at CDPHP, has been appointed the Medical Director Committee Chair for the Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP), a national leadership organi-zation that brings together innovative health plans and provider groups that are among America’s best at delivering affordable, high-quality coverage and care in their communities.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITy dINNER AT HARVEST CAFE RESTAURANT & WINE BARHarvest Cafe Restaurant & Wine Bar cel-ebrated the harvest with a Sustainable Community Dinner, featuring local and organic produce from Brook Farm, Phillies Bridge Farm, Nuzzo Farm and Kelder’s Farm as well as Chef Mark’s Organic Garden. Guest speaker, Dan Guenther dis-cussed sustainability and the increasing importance of supporting community and local farms and naturalist and storyteller Ann Guenther retold the traditional Iroquois tale “The Three Sisters.” For more information about Harvest Café Restaurant & Wine Bar, visit www.harvestcafenp.com.

OPENING OF SUNy NEW PALTZ STUdENT UNION AddITIONThe grand opening of the new addition to the Student Union Building at SUNY New Paltz was held in September. With its internationally recog-nized design and light footprint on the environ-ment, the new $13.4 million, 15,000-square-foot addition, known as the Atrium, is the first expan-sion to the Student Union since it was opened in 1971. The design has already won several awards. For more information, visit www.newpaltz.edu.

STARS OF THE MONTH AT SLCHSt. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) has named Lynnette Ketcham, Kathy Bloss and Sister Diane Trotta, RN as its September, October and November Stars of the Month. Ketcham, of Pine Bush, has been employed by the hospital for fifteen years and is the Microbiology Supervisor in the Newburgh laboratory. Bloss, of Newburgh, has been employed by the hospital for 12 years and is the Administrative Secretary for Radiology and Physician Relations. Sister Diane, of Cornwall, is Clinical Specialist in Quality Management. SLCH employees are nominated for the award based on Stellar Service Standards.

ULSTER SAVINGS GIVES TO GATEWAy INdUSTRIESThe Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation recently announced a $6,745 grant to Gateway Community Industries, Inc. for tool upgrades in their Kingston Work Center and Office Products division in New Paltz. Gateway Community Industries serves individuals with mental, devel-opmental, physical and other disabilities in Ulster and Dutchess counties. For more information about the Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation, please call Jeffrey Wood at (845) 338-6322, ext. 3268.

WILLIAM WEINSTEIN RE-CERTIFIEd By ACUPUNCTURE COMMISSIONWilliam Weinstein, MS, LAc, Dipl NCCAOM, in practice as Mid-Hudson Acupuncture in New Paltz and Manhattan, has been re-certified as a National Diplomate, Acupuncture, by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The mission of the NCCAOM is “to establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protec-tion and benefit of the public.” Bill focuses on pain management, support through chemotherapy and radiation, and functional health problems not im-mediately addressed through conventional medical care. For more information, call (845) 255-2070 or visit www.mhacu.com.

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION GO REd FOR WOMEN LUNCHEONThe American Heart Association Go Red for Women Luncheon will be held on Friday, February 25, 2011 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at The Grandview, Poughkeepsie. The Go Red for Women Luncheon is part of the national campaign to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, and is a fantastic opportunity for a company or organization to align its name, image, product or services with women, the issue of heart disease and stroke, and one of America’s most recognized and admired not-for-profits, the American Heart Association. Learn more by contacting Andrea Casey at (845) 905-2134 or [email protected].

WILLIAM C. “WILLIE” JANEWAy RECEIVES WALLKILL VALLEy LANd TRUST AWARdThe Wallkill Valley Land Trust announced that William C. “Willie” Janeway, Region 3 Director of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, received the 2010 Conservation Award. Each year the Land Trust’s Board of Directors selects an organization or individual who has shown exem-plary, visionary character and diligence in efforts to conserve the community’s unique environmental heritage. The award was presented at a reception and ceremony at Robibero Family Vineyards. For more information, call (845) 255-2761 or visit www.wallkillvalleylt.org.

VEGGIES & VINO! AT WHITECLIFF WINERyWhitecliff Vineyard & Winery held Veggies & Vino!, the result of a volunteer partnership with Jennifer Stack, an Assistant Professor at the Culinary Institute of America, and volunteer students from Jennifer’s nutrition class. Music was provided by The Bernstein Brothers. Five teams of Culinary students each selected a specific wine and developed recipes to complement it; attend-ees tasted each wine with its paired recipe and spoke with the students who designed them. For more information, visit www.whitecliffwine.com.

ULSTER SAVINGS GIVES TO PHILLIES BRIdGE FARM PROJECT INC.The Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation announced a $12,000 grant to assist the Phillies Bridge Farm Project Inc.’s efforts to update resident housing for their interns. The Phillies Bridge Farm Project is a working farm dedi-cated to training aspiring farmers and educating children and adults about sustainable agriculture, healthy eating, and nature exploration. For more information about the Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation, please call Jeffrey Wood at (845) 338-6322, ext. 3268.

HOW TO SUBMIT Submit items of general public interest; no commercial sales announcements, rates, prices, etc.

Items must be received no later than the 15th of November, February, May, and August to meet the quarterly deadline for the upcoming issue.

The New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to edit all material.

E-mail or fax your information, including company name, address, phone number, contact name, and your news brief (100-word maximum) to the Chamber office at [email protected] or 845-255-5189.

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MEMBER UPDATES

SUNy NEW PALTZ SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BEEFS UP BUSINESS AdVISORy COUNCILThe SUNY New Paltz School of Business an-nounced the addition of the following members to its Business Advisory Council: Melinda Beuf, Ulster County Development Corporation; Thomas Brocks, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation; David Freer, Jr., A&M Enterprises, LLC and A&F Business Enterprises LLC; Mike Maiale, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, and Joyce Minard, New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the SUNY New Paltz School of Business and the Business Advisory Council, visit www.newpaltz.edu/schoolofbusiness and www.newpaltz.edu/schoolofbusiness/corporate_bac.html.

COCA-COLA EMPLOyEES dONATE TO LITTMAN CANCER CENTERThe Littman Cancer Center at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) received a $1,000 donation from the proceeds of a Coca-Cola em-ployee BBQ. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola employees donated countless hours volunteering at SLCH’s Newburgh campus and The Johnes-Holden Home, a senior living residence affiliated with SLCH.

BOdyMINd MASSAGE THERAPy JOINS VETERANS PROGRAMBodymind Massage Therapy is proud to par-ticipate in a countywide program for Honorably Discharged Veterans. Through Ulster County’s “Return the F.A.V.O.R.” program, Vets can apply for an ID card to get discounts at many local business-es. Bodymind Massage Therapy will be offering a discount of 15% on massage services to card holders. Vets can find information on how to apply for their benefits at www.co.ulster.ny.us/favor.html. For more information, call (845) 255-3228, visit Bodymind Massage Therapy online at www.bodymindmassagetherapy.com or www.facebook.com/bodymindmassage.

THE ARTS COMMUNITy GLEE CLUB ANNOUNCEdThe Arts Community announces The Arts Community Glee Club for teens age 13-17 at The New Paltz Community Center. Instructors are Kate Weston and Nancy Owen. If you like the TV show Glee then you will love this class! Come sing, dance and perform your heart out! Email [email protected] or call (845) 417-8593 for more information or to register.

CdPHP RECEIVES HIGH RATINGS FROM CMSThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently rated the CDPHP Medicare Choices HMO medical-only plan, HMO drug plan, and PPO drug plan 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars based on customer service, quality, and performance, based on metrics in nine categories.

SLCH CEO ALLAN ATZROTT APPOINTEd TO GNyHA ExECUTIVE COMMITTEESt. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital President and CEO, Allan Atzrott, has been appointed to the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) Executive Committee and Ventures Board. Atzrott is the first Mid-Hudson hospital CEO to be appointed to the Executive Committee. He has served on the GNYHA Board of Governors since 2006. GNYHA, founded in 1904, is a one-of-a-kind trade association comprising nearly 300 hospitals and continuing care facilities, both voluntary and public, in the metropolitan New York area and throughout the State, as well as New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

ARNOFF MOVING & STORAGE HOLdS ANNUAL MEETINGArnoff Moving & Storage held their Annual Meeting & Recognition Breakfast, applauding the following employees for their milestone years of service: 5 Years: Tom Mason, Bryan Minholz, Paula Russell Anderson, Gordon Wilbur; 10 Years: Michael Cavanaugh, William Cavanaugh Sr., Michael Costa, Tyrone Davis, Richard Espey, Brian Gemmel, Roy Kremer, Tina Thorn, Jack Trow, Joe Zambelli Sr., Joe Zambelli Jr., Michael Zambelli; 15 Years: Mike Gullo, Deke Johnson, Calvin Lawrence, Robert Rainboth, Don Sagliano, Vivian Varin; 20 Years: Chris Anderson, Phillip DeSantis, William Hubbard, Darryl Lasko, Jerry Popp, Patty Traver; 25 Years: David Feldman; 30 Years: Mike Arnoff; 45 years: Ralph Dixon.

dEBRA GIANNOTTI ANd MAUREEN CLEARy JOIN VdBdW LLP, CPAS

Debra Giannotti of New Paltz and Maureen Cleary of Cornwall have joined Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni and Weddell LLP, CPAs as Administrative Assistant/Receptionists in the Newburgh office. Debra has over 15 years experience as an Executive Secretary; Maureen has seven years experience as an Office Manager. Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP, with locations at 11 Racquet Road, Newburgh, and 2622 South Avenue, Wappinger’s Falls, provide accounting, auditing, tax and busi-ness consulting services to clients in the greater Hudson Valley, as well as in other areas of New York State and New Jersey.

dR. ANITA BHOLA JOINS SLCH CENTER FOR SLEEP MEdICINESt. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital’s Center for Sleep Medicine welcomes Medical Director, Anita Bhola. Dr. Bhola, who is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine, will offer office hours at the Center every other Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To make an appointment with Dr. Bhola or to find out more about services at SLCH Center for Sleep Medicine, call (845) 458-4899.

HISTORIC COVERLET ExHIBITION AT THE dORSKy MUSEUM OF ART

The exhibition entitled Binary Visions: Early 19th-Century Woven Coverlets from the Collection of Historic Huguenot Street will be featured at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz through March 18, 2011. The exhibition is focused on a select group of loom-woven coverlets, many of which have local family provenance. United for the first time in one exhibition, the coverlets are displayed in groups that emphasize, compare, and contrast formal design elements and embody several important weaving techniques. Visit www.newpaltz.edu/museum for more information.

STAFF CHANGES AT HISTORIC HUGUENOT STREETChristina Bark joined the Historic Huguenot Street staff as interim Executive Director; Eric Roth, former HHS Executive Director, has taken a position with Orange County Community College; Richard Heyl de Ortiz has taken on the new role of Director of Marketing, Development and Visitation; Ashley Hurlburt, Curatorial Assistant has become a full-time position; P.J. Preuss, Historic Preservation Officer, heads up the re-titled Historic Preservation and Facilities Management Department; and Nancy Gentile, Office Manager, has realigned duties which enable her help the Collections Department maintain specialized library materials.

SHEILA NELSON APPOINTEd VICE PRESIdENT AT CdPHPCDPHP, a community-based, not-for-profit organization led by area physicians, continues its commitment to government programs that provide affordable health care for children, seniors, and low-income families by announcing the ap-pointment of Sheila Nelson to vice president, state programs. Nelson brings 18 years of experience in government programs as well as state and federal insurance issues, including federal health reform, to her new position.

MARyROSE WARCHOLAK PROMOTEd TO VICE PRESIdENT AT ULSTER SAVINGSUlster Savings Bank recently announced the pro-motion of MaryRose Warcholak to Vice President/Branch Administration & Business Development in their 180 Schwenk Drive, Kingston headquarters. Ms. Warcholak, of Saugerties, will be responsible for directing the bank’s branch sales, community relations, customer service, and new product development. Ms. Warcholak will also oversee the creation and implementation of a bank-wide business development initiative. She joined Ulster Savings Bank in 2003.

FOx ANd HOUNd WINE & SPIRITS dONATES TO CySTIC FIBROSIS FOUNdATIONOn Saturday, October 30th, 2010 10% of all sales at Fox and Hound Wine & Spirits were donated


to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Fox and Hound is proud to support “Eamonn’s Energy,” a team of cyclists, runners, triathletes and other friends, fam-ily, and “weekend warriors” dedicated to finding a cure for this debilitating disease. For the most up to date information on store events, follow Fox and Hound Wine & Spirits on Facebook: www.facebook.com/foxandhoundwineandspirits.

“SAFE dRIVERS” RECOGNIZEd AT ARNOFF MOVING & STORAGE

Arnoff Moving & Storage recently recognized the following professional drivers for passing stringent “Safe Driver” requirements: CDL: William Cavanaugh Sr., Ralph Dixon; Paul Dopp, Dwayne Henry, Ozzie Howland, John Hubbard, Scott Killmer, Jammie Longmire, Robert Vandemark, Lenny Williams, Michael Zambelli, Joseph Zambelli Jr.; Non Class: Roy Kremer, Kanneth Lappies, Peter McLoughlin, Peter Rafferty. For more informa-tion about Arnoff Moving & Storage, call (800) 633-MOVE or visit www.arnoff.com.

RIVERSIdE BANK RATEd 5 STARS By BAUERFINANCIAL, INC

Riverside Bank, Poughkeepsie once again proudly accepted a distinguished 5-Star Superior rating from BauerFinancial, Inc. A 5-Star rating for financial strength and stability is the highest rating attainable from BauerFinancial (the Nation’s Bank Rating Firm for over a quarter of a century) and is based on the overall financial condition of the bank. Earning a 5-Star rating denotes that Riverside Bank is one of the strongest banks in the nation. Riverside Bank operates through four conveniently located offices in Fishkill, Newburgh and Poughkeepsie and can also be found on the internet at www.riversidebankhv.com.

LANd ACQUIREd By WALLKILL VALLEy LANd TRUST ANd OPEN SPACE CONSERVANCy

The Wallkill Valley Land Trust and Open Space Conservancy, recently acquired an additional 11.5 miles of rail bed in the towns of Rosendale and Ulster; they found removing hundreds of tires that had been dumped along the rail bed an arduous task. Throughout the summer and early fall, volun-teers led by the Wallkill Valley Land Trust and the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Association tackled the tire dumping with a successful result. For more information about the progress of the trestle fund-raising campaign, please visit the Wallkill Valley Land Trust website: www.WallkillValleyLT.org

SUSAN S. BENZ PROMOTEd TO ASSISTANT VICE PRESIdENT AT ULSTER SAVINGS

Ulster Savings Bank recently announced the pro-motion of Susan S. Benz to Assistant Vice President / Commercial Lending in their 180 Schwenk Drive, Kingston headquarters. Ms. Benz, of Marbletown, previously served as a Commercial Loan Officer. She joined Ulster Savings Bank in 2005.

SUSANNE HALSTEEN KOVAL PROMOTEd TO ASSISTANT VICE PRESIdENT AT RIVERSIdE BANK

Riverside Bank announces the promotion of Susanne Halsteen Koval to Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Advertising. Ms. Koval began her career at the Bank in 2001 as the Executive Secretary to the Bank’s President, David MacFarland. Ms. Koval has over 25 years of experi-ence in the banking industry. Ms. Koval is also a lo-cal watercolor artist, and has works in private and public collections. Her work can also be viewed online at www.watersue.com.

SUNy NEW PALTZ STUdENTS WIN SCULPTURE AWARdS

SUNY New Paltz MFA candidate Keith Hoyt (Sculpture) was awarded the International Sculpture Center’s 2010 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award. Senior BFA student Elizabeth Torrey (Sculpture) received an Honorable Mention in the competition as well. Hoyt’s award winning sculpture is par-ticipating in Grounds for Sculpture’s Fall/Winter Exhibition in Hamilton, N.J. through January 9, 2011 and will travel to several more exhibitions during 2011.

REBECCA J. HASBROUCK OF VddW LLP, CPAS RECEIVES RISING STAR AWARd

Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni and Weddell LLP, CPAs announced Rebecca J. Hasbrouck, CPA, of Newburgh received the Orange County Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Rising Star Award. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, Rebecca has been with the firm for 8 years.

dENISE INNELLO PROMOTEd TO ASSISTANT TREASURER AT RIVERSIdE BANK

Riverside Bank announces the promotion of Denise Innello to Assistant Treasurer in the Red Oaks Mill office. Denise has been employed with Riverside Bank since December 1997. She was promoted to Assistant Manager in October of 2007 at our Red Oaks Mill Office and has held various positions within the bank.

dORSKy MUSEUM OF ART PURCHASES ARTWORK

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz announces the purchase of two artworks from its current Hudson Valley Artists exhibition for its permanent collection: Carrying (Pistol Packing Pupils), by Belshe/Prown and Available, by Francois Deschamps, a multi-media project including archival pigment prints, an art-ist’s book, and digital frame with 92 images. The purchases have been made possible through the Hudson Valley Artists Annual Purchase Award program as well as through the generosity of the participating artists.

CRAIG THOMAS PEST CONTROL WINS ExCELLENCE AWARd

Craig Thomas Pest Control has been awarded a Business Excellence Award from the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation for Small Business of the year. Craig Thomas Pest Control’s diversification strategy in a down economy grasped the attention of The Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation. Craig Thomas Pest Control offers residential, commercial, institutional and industrial pest management services along with structural repair and nuisance wildlife services to Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, Columbia, Greene, and Rockland Counties. For more information regarding Craig Thomas Pest Control, call (800) 255-6777, or visit www.callcraig.com.

ROBERT S. ROSS PROMOTEd TO ExECUTIVE VP AT SLCHSt. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) recently announced the promotion of Robert S. Ross to Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. Ross has served as Vice President then Senior Vice President of operations since 2001. During his tenure he has expanded outpatient services and worked to improve SLCH’s hospitality operations.

WALLKILL VALLEy LANd TRUST SEEKS dONATIONS TO RESTORE RAILROAd TRESTLE

Engineers and their crews have converged on the historic railroad trestle over Rondout Creek and Route 213 in Rosendale as the Wallkill Valley Land Trust and Open Space Institute launch a campaign to raise the $750,000 needed to complete restoration of the 114-year-old trestle. Once it is reopened, the trestle will be a major scenic high-light along the extended, nearly 24-mile Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. For more information, visit www.wallkillvalleylt.org or www.osiny.org. Donations can be made to: www.osiny.org/savetrestle.

JOHN H. PAGE JOINS THE BOARd OF TRUSTEES OF HISTORIC HUGUENOT STREET

John H. Page has joined the board of trustees of Historic Huguenot Street, elected at the September meeting of the organization’s board. Page manages and operates the reconstructed 18th-century gristmill at Philipsburg Manor and has served as the executive director of The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey.

dEBRA SANdERS JOINS CdPHP

Debra M. Sanders, MPA, MDIV, has joined CDPHP as Director, Network Strategy. She brings more than 20 years of health plan experi-ence to her new post, with specific emphasis on network development and provider relations. Sanders holds a master’s in theology from New York Theological Seminary, a master’s in public administration in health care administration from Pace University, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from SUNY Albany.


CARA GENTRy JOINS C2G ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTSC2G Environmental Consultants is pleased to welcome geologist Cara Gentry to its staff. Cara comes to C2G Environmental with her study of Philosophy of Geology at the University of Florida and a Masters degree from the University of New Haven with a concentration in Geosciences and GIS. In addition to guest lecturing and her great interest in hiking and caving, Cara is also an Adjunct Geology Professor at SUNY New Paltz. For more information, visit www.c2g.us.

SUNy NEW PALTZ STUdENTS IN dEBATE COMPETITIONEight teams of students from SUNY New Paltz participated in this semester’s School of Business debate competition. Students debated timely ethical topics including using biometric technology in private workplaces and allowing hy-draulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale area. The championship debate was on building a mosque near Ground Zero in NYC.

REd CROSS ASSISTS ULSTER COUNTy FAMILIESThe American Red Cross - Ulster County Chapter assisted two families forced from their homes in separate incidents in November. Red Cross Disaster Action Team members met with a displaced family after fire damaged their home in Ellenville; the American Red Cross provided temporary shelter for four adults. In a separate incident in Ulster Park, Red Cross volunteers administered shelter and food to a family of two adults and one child evacuated from their home due to an electrical emergency. For more infor-mation, visit www.ulsterredcross.org.

dAVId S. MACFARLANd, PRESIdENT ANd CEO OF RIVERSIdE BANK, WILL RETIRE ON JULy 1, 2011David S. MacFarland, Presiden and CEO of Riverside Bank, will retire on July 1, 2011. Mr. MacFarland will continue to serve on the Riverside Bank Board of Directors after his retirement. The Board of Directors unanimously approved the appointment of John M. Davies as his successor, and Todd J. Rubino to Executive Vice President and Senior Loan Officer. A 1970 graduate of SUNY Orange, MacFarland has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Riverside Bank since 2000. For more infor-mation, visit www.riversidebankhv.com.

KRySTAL’S WISH FOUNdATION ANNUAL dINNERKrystal’s Wish Foundation, founded by Nancy Rafter of Arrow Promotions will hold its annual dinner on April 16, 2011 from 6:30pm – 11:30pm at Wiltwyck Golf Club, Kingston. Funds raised through this event will enable Krystal’s Wish Foundation to continue to provide support to fam-ilies that have lost an angel to SIDS, Still Birth or Miscarriage and offer education pertaining to the critical messages of risk reduction and pre-natal care. Annual dinner sponsorships available. For tickets or more information, call (845) 338-5654 or find Krystal’s Wish Foundation on Facebook.

MEMBER UPDATES


LEGISLATION ANd NEWS THAT AFFECTS yOUR BUSINESS

Compiled by Kelley Granger

THE BOTTOM LINE

EMPLOyING A NEW PREJUdICEAccording to a recent article by NPR, it’s not just the dwindling number of available jobs that are a hindrance to finding employment today—there’s speculation that those who are hiring are showing bias against taking on the unemployed. Recent statistics show that there are 25 million people in the U.S. who are unemployed or under employed, and only one job opening for every five who are out of work. One train of thought behind the prejudice is the assumption that those who have been laid off were not among the top performers in their previous companies. But the counterargument is that given the massive layoffs in the last few years, there has probably never been a more talented pool of people out of work. “With record high levels of unemployment and with people being out of work for so long now, clearly this problem and this prejudice is growing,” said Judy Conti, a representative of the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group for low income workers and the unemployed.

MINd THE (CREdIT) GAPA recent survey by the Federal Bank of New York showed a credit gap for small businesses—according to the study, only half of the 59 percent of businesses that responded to the poll applied for credit in the first half of 2010 and got any loan ap-proval at all. Beyond that, three quarters said their full borrowing needs were not met. The survey culled information from 426 businesses in New York and neighboring states, and suggests that the decrease in aid (which has shrunk by $45 billion, or about 6 percent, since 2008 for outstanding loans to small businesses) is due to bad business conditions—two thirds of companies polled said their sales had dropped since 2008. Applications for business loans and new business credit lines were among the least approved items.

TAKING A dIPMortgage rates fell to the lowest level in de-cades in mid-November, marking more than a year and a half of record lows, the Associated Press reported. Though the rates would be extremely attractive to homebuyers, it’s do-ing little to spur the housing market due to the strain of unemployment, foreclosures, reduced income, and tight credit. The National Association of Realtors said that third-quarter sales fell by 21 percent compared to a year ago, making 2010 also the worst summer for home sales in decades. In spite of the investigations into repossession of homes, the foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said that banks were on track to take back more than a million homes in 2010. The pause for investigation caused a 9 percent dip in repossessions in October as compared to the previous month. Zillow Inc. also stated that the number of mortgage holders considered “upside down” on their loans shot up to 23 percent in the third quarter. Homeowners in these negative equity situations also have a difficult time refinancing even when rates are attractively low.

SLOW ROAd TO RECOVERyRecently released economic data shows that the economy’s recovery is looking less than optimal. Inflation rates measured by the con-sumer price index (and excluding food and energy) rose 0.6 percent over the 12 months preceding October 2010, which is the smallest increase in that time period since the index was introduced in 1957. Also, in spite of a

policy that would see the easing of lending conditions to try to pull the housing market up, the number of mortgage applications is significantly down.

dIVERSITy’S dIVIdENdSResearch shows that diversity increases the success rate of a business that implements hiring practices that encourage a mixture of genders and ethnicities in the workplace. The American Sociological Review published find-ings that stated that higher levels of racial and gender diversity within a company’s workforce were associated with increased sales revenue, a larger clientele, a greater market share, and greater relative profits. For example, the average revenues of organizations with low levels of ra-cial diversity are about $51.9 million, compared to the $383.8 million average for a medium level and $761.3 million for those with a high level of diversity. The research also shows that the benefits outweigh the potential negatives of a diverse workplace, which critics claim could include conflict or low group cohesiveness.

“It’s likely that diversity produces posi-tive outcomes over homogeneity because growth and innovation depend on people from various backgrounds working together and capitalizing on their differences,” said Cedric Herring, a sociology and public policy professor who conducted the research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

WINNING APPROVALA poll conducted by Siena College last fall showed that 64 percent of respondents had a favorable view of the incoming Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo. According to the survey, almost half of voters saw Cuomo’s main priority as job creation, and 75 percent expressed optimism that he’d be successful in developing programs that would spur job growth. In contrast, the poll revealed that 68 percent of voters had an unfavorable view of Carl Paladino, Cuomo’s Republican com-petitor, including many voters from within Paladino’s own party.


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For many people today, localism is a familiar and thriving ideal—it might involve a conscious decision to buy

from a farmers’ market versus a chain grocery store and bank at a neighborhood institution instead of a national one. With the same intention of cultivating a vibrant commu-nity, the Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New Paltz has been provid-ing an outlet to further enrich the New Paltz region through its scholarship program.

The Foundation’s scholarship program differs from many in that both traditional and nontraditional students are eligible to apply and compete on the basis of their outstanding aca-demic, athletic, and community service record. The only stipulation is that they be a member of the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce, a direct relative, or an employee of a member. The money awarded may go to any form of study from the typical four-year college to a vocational program. Through private do-nations and the proceeds of the Annual New Paltz Garden Tour, the Annual Golf Outing, and the Annual Progressive Dinner, the Foundation has granted almost $10,000 to local students since 2007.

TRAdITIONALLy SPEAKINGOver the past few years, the Foundation’s scholarships have been awarded to a variety

of traditional students, like Mairead Fogarty, who won a 2010 scholarship as she finished her last year of high school. She’s in the process of completing her degree in health education at SUNY Cortland and plans to pursue a Master’s degree with an aim to put her knowledge to use through service in the Peace Corps. She was a member of the National Honor Society in high school and will be joining the National Health Honor Society, Eta Sigma Gamma, next semester.

“I am thankful to have been awarded scholarships from the community that raised me and molded who I am,” says Fogarty. “Without that, I would not be as secure in further pursuing my education and dream to assist and educate others.”

Another student who benefited from the Foundation’s award is Ian McCrum. He was a 2009 winner and has been studying chemical engineering at Clarkson University in Potsdam. He was chosen to be part of the school’s honors program and recently won a $75,000 grant with a team of classmates at a competition in Washington, D.C. The money will be used to develop a pilot system for an anaerobic digestion process for use on small dairy farms. As the student team leader for the project, he says the outcome could help increase the profitability of owning small farm operations.

“I feel I have accomplished so much in the past year and owe a part of that to receiv-ing this scholarship from the Chamber of Commerce in New Paltz,” says McCrum.

ALTERNATIVE STUdENTSThough Fogarty and McCrum are the defini-tion of a traditional student, the Foundation offers scholarships to non-traditional stu-dents too—those who may be returning to school after starting a family or deciding to switch career paths. Financial aid for adult and returning students can often be hard to come by, and research shows that the lack of funding can be a serious impediment to educational goals. According to research by the Lumina Foundation for Education, only about a third of adult students report receiv-ing student loans, and less than a third were getting federal or state grants or private schol-arships. And almost a third of adult students said that they were unaware of what financial aid was available to them.

Nikki Koenig Nielson falls into the adult student category—she was a 2010 scholar-ship winner and put the money toward tuition and books at Albany Law School. She left a career as a consultant in New Paltz to pursue a law degree. As if it’s not difficult enough to be a law student, she manages to balance life as a mother with

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

LAYING A STRONG FOUNDATIONThe Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Scholarship Fund

By Kelley Granger

(l-r) Ian McCrum, 2009 Foundation scholarship winner and Kim McCrum of Petro McCrum Consulting, LLC; Kathy Ferrusi, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, congratulates 2010 Foundation scholarship winner, Mairead Fogarty.


young children with work as a teaching as-sistant and her classes and coursework. At least Koenig Nielson has an understanding husband, Michael, who is also enrolled in college. He was a scholarship winner in 2009 and is still working as the New Paltz Highway Superintendent as he finishes his studies at Dutchess County Community College. He then hopes to go on to a business or econom-ics program at a four-year university.

Koenig Nielson says her own secret for staying on track is taking it one semester at a time, and being appreciative of any financial aid. “I like that the Foundation’s program is flexible and that it’s businesses supporting something that I think is good for our overall economy,” Koenig Nielson says.

A SENSE OF COMMUNITyAll of the students who’ve been winners ap-preciate the generous donors who are helping to make their education possible. As donors and as a community, their success is our suc-cess, and it does wonders for developing and improving the region.

“It’s so important to give back to your community, and by donating you’re not only doing that but you’re supporting students in the area in pursuing further education, young or old,” says Karen Delarede, a 2008 recipient who is finishing a math degree at the College of Saint Rose. “Everyone needs a push to get them a little further, and donating to the fund in turn gives a push to the recipi-ent. You never know how much of a help one scholarship could be.”

FOUNdATION SUPPORT

All net proceeds of the 3rd Annual Progressive Dinner on February 3, 2011 support the Foundation Scholarship Fund. See page 4 for details. To learn more or to donate to the Foundation Scholarship Fund, call the Chamber at 845-255-0243, email [email protected], or visit www.newpaltzchamber.org and click Chamber Foundation in the left-hand column.


By Kelley Granger

MEMBER PROFILES The Business of Romance

Since founding the New Paltz Travel Center in 1992, Colleen Gillette has

been providing a range of services to the region, including specializations in Ireland travel, Disney escapades, and now a new corporate travel division. But there’s one kind of trip that’s always especially exciting to plan: the honeymoon.

Not surprisingly, she says that the most popular destinations for honeymooners are those that involve beaches, palm trees, and ocean sunsets—Hawaii, St. Lucia, Mexico, and Jamaica top the list and are renowned for their gorgeous scenery and all-inclusive options. But as an Ireland specialist, Gillette has also booked bed-and-breakfast type hon-eymoons for some of her clients looking for

something a little different, from evenings at small guesthouses to overnights in castles.

With all the access to travel planning and online search and booking engines these days, you might be wondering if travel agen-cies have become obsolete—but in fact, Gillette says it’s just the opposite. Such an abundance of information can overwhelm prospective travelers and be difficult to distill. The internet will also only search out whatever you’re putting in, whereas Gillette says through the course of a conversation she can interpret the needs and wants of couples and make suggestions based on those, often recommending destinations they may never have considered. But perks don’t end there. Travel agents also develop relationships with

certain properties, which may translate into a basket of fresh fruit and goodies, a bouquet of fresh flowers in the room, or even a room upgrade for their clients.

Above all, Gillette says that honeymooners are great to deal with. “I like their excitement,” she says. “They’re very happy and going through the process is always fun. You end up being invested in their honeymoon and want everything to go well for them.”

New Paltz travel CeNterMEMBER PROFILE

NEW PALTZ TRAVEL CENTER246 Main St., Suite 7New Paltz, NY 12561 (845) 255-7706www.newpaltztravel.com

The majestic scenery of the New Paltz region provides countless opportunities for romance—chances are you’ve enjoyed the sweeping

vistas that the Shawangunks have to offer with a significant other, or perhaps you’ve hiked to one of the many gorgeous waterfalls or enjoyed

a picnic lunch at a scenic overlook. Mother Nature provided many of these wonderful date options, and some smart business owners have

taken care of the rest. In the spirit of February 14, here are four local businesses that make love-inspired livings.

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Thank you!a little Guest House

a victorian Knoll

about town

above&Beyond Cleaning Services

alfandre architecture, PC

allstate Insurance Company

—richard Ostrander agency

american Pool Players association

arbor Bed & Breakfast

atlas Star, ltd.

Baker’s Bed & Breakfast

Bare Furniture

Benefit Counseling associates

Bermac Home aides, Inc.

Berner Financial Services

Blustein, Shapiro, rich & Barone, llP

Bright Beginnings of New Paltz, Inc.

Brookfield Farm

Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa

Campers’ Barn

Captain Schoonmaker’s B & B

Carbon treatment Systems, llC

CDPHP

Center for International Programs

—SUNY New Paltz

Clove Cottages

Coast to Coast Support

Colucci Shand realty

—linda Majetich-Hansen

Crosspoint Solutions, llC

Daybreak virtual Staffing, llC

Devine Insurance agency, Inc.

Donald l. Grumbine, CSw

Dr. Peter Kaplan

Dr. Scott I. Morrison, O.D., F.a.a.O.

eD/M Strategic Solutions

MEMBER RENEWALS

Ranking almost as important as an ac-tual wedding celebration itself are the

photographs that will become the treasured reminder of the day. “I love being able to tell a story through my photography,” says Scott Gunnells, photographer and proprietor of NYLA Photography. “One of the best parts of my job is working with clients on such a special day in their lives. Even after 12 years of weddings I still get excited to shoot weddings and I am always looking for new creative ideas to take my photography to a new level.”

Just this year alone, Gunnells has trav-eled to Barbados, Toronto, and Jamaica to shoot ceremonies for clients from around the world, though he tends to stay in the Hudson Valley area during the spring and summer wedding months. He describes his signature style as 90 percent photojour-nalism and 10 percent fashion influenced formals. The result is often stunning images that play on light and scenery and take advantage of non-traditional poses. “I enjoy weddings as my style is photo-journalism,” he says. “I love covering events as they happen without altering events with too much direction or posing. Wedding pho-tos should document the day exactly as

it happened, real-life moments happen and are not posed.” In fact, one of his most memorable shoots happened during an unanticipated downpour—often a couple’s worst wedding nightmare—which created incredible, dramatic shots in the stormy light and again as the sun broke through. It’s his favorite slideshow to show clients when they ask what happens if it rains on their day.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Gunnells was living in California with his wife and working as a Hollywood nightclub manager when his career took an unexpected turn. He photographed a couple of ceremonies for some friends and before long, the images he captured also won him a clientele. In the first year, he had 25 weddings booked in spite of his lack of any formal training. He and his wife decided to pursue this passion full time and bring a west coast style of photography to the east coast—hence the fusion of New York and Los Angeles in the name of the business.

NYla PHOtOGraPHYMEMBER PROFILE

NyLA PHOTOGRAPHy(845) 417-7341nylaphoto.com

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MEMBER RENEWALS

elting Memorial library

enchanted toys

exit realty Services

FirstCare walk-In Medical Center

Fox and Hound wine & Spirits

Fox Hill Bed & Breakfast

G. Steve Jordan Gallery

Genco Dental lab

Glen F. Kubista & associates

Hampton Inn-Kingston

Highland Manor B & B

Hoover architecture, PllC

Hudson valley Cleaning

Hudson valley Internet

Hunter Mountain resort

Ideal Cleaning Soutions

Indian ridge Preserve

Inn at Orchard Heights

Inn at Stone ridge

Janne Dooley, lCSw

Jim whitney Home Improvements

Jingle Bell B and B

John DeNicolo, CPa

John J. lease realtors Highland Office

laBella Pizza Bistro

Macticulous

Main Street Bistro

Man with a van

MapleStone Inn

Merrill Office Products

Michael zierler, Scientific editing

Mid-Hudson Pattern for Progress

Mohonk Mountain Stage Co., Inc.

Mountain Meadows Bed & Breakfast

Mountview realty, Inc.

New Paltz Hostel

Paul’s Kitchen

PC Solutions of NY

What could be more romantic than a personal fireplace and rose petals

strewn in a jetted tub for two in your private room? Or perhaps you’re more hands on, and you’d better enjoy an amorous week-end away shoulder to shoulder with your significant other, learning to prepare savory dishes from a chef on premises. Or better yet, being (nearly) shoulder to shoulder as you’re pampered with a customized couples’ package at the resort’s luxurious spa.

Keeping all this in mind, it’s pretty hard to argue with the logic of the resort’s spokes-person, Tamara Murray, when she describes Emerson Resort & Spa as a storybook romantic getaway. After all the property is already super intimate and set in the ultra-scenic Catskill Mountains, with just 53 rooms total and a staff that’s ready and able to cater to every wish and whim. Guests can opt to stay in the lodge, or for more privacy, book their stay in the adults-only inn, adorned with rich, jewel-toned colors and seductive east-ern inspired décor. Just in time for Valentine’s Day and winter weather where indoor activi-

ties are preferable, the resort is introducing a new spa package that will debut February 1. The package will offer couples a massage therapist who will double as massage therapy instructor, and teach techniques that they can use at home—perhaps one of the best souvenirs and ways to prolong the experience of their getaway. The package can be booked by itself or combined with a room rate—again, totally customizable to your needs.

Though the setting of the resort provides a myriad of other options for dining and activities, Murray says it’s nice to have the option to just stay in. “Most of our guests that are looking for the true romantic getaway like fact that they can come stay at the inn, and if they choose to, they don’t have to go anywhere,” she says.

EMERSON RESORT & SPA 5340 Route 28Mount Tremper, NY 12457(877) 688-2828 www.emersonresort.com

eMerSON reSOrt & SPaMEMBER PROFILE

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MEMBER RENEWALS

Phillies Bridge Farm Project Inc.

Postage Inn restaurant and Pub, Inc.

Prism Solar technologies

Professional Computer associates

Prospect Hill Orchards

rita’s Pizzeria, Inc.

robert waltke & Son, llC

roots & wings

rose and Kiernan, Inc.

Sobel Orthotics & Shoes

St. luke’s Cornwall Hospital Center

for rehabilitation

Stonegate Bed & Breakfast

Sunray Mobility Services, Inc.

SUNY Ulster

Super 8 of Highland

tantillo’s Farm Market

terrace Hill associates, ltd.

that look Interior Design

the arts Community

the Corporate Image Photo Studio

the Orchard Café & Caterers

thomas and Corinne Nyquist

Foundation

times Herald-record

tvB enterprises

Ulster County tourism

van vliet Orthodontics

wallkill valley land trust

wendie reid realty

westwood Metes&Bounds realty,ltd

—Sandra reid

whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast

whitecliff vineyard & winery, llP

wilklow Orchards

Yussel’s Place Judaic art & Gift Gallery

Members who renewed between August 16 and November15, 2010.

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For Lydia FitzGerald, it’s all about location. That’s the crux of Charmed Places, the

business that she took over just a year ago, which specializes in scouting the ultimate wedding locations in the region and arranging the entire event, right down to the tiniest de-tail. Coming from a background in corporate events, FitzGerald says she loves the more personal aspect of helping couples plan their special day. Since taking over ownership of Charmed Places, she’s been working hard to develop relationships with a number of unique locations in the Hudson Valley area—includ-ing wineries, barns, and private estates—so that she can offer something distinctive and tailored to the couple she’s working with. “We can do your event in whatever style your wish is, whether it’s in an open field, at a winery, or a barn dance,” she says. “Whatever that wish is we can create those environments.”

There are three environments that seem to always top the most-sought-after list. First are those that have a Hudson River view—she might seek out locations overlooking the river in Rhinebeck or Garrison. Couples also like to exchange vows in barns, which can range from classic, weathered looking barns to brand new ones. Also in the top three is any location with a mountain view or some kind of special landscape feature. FitzGerald says she’s arranged events near apple orchards and ones that have featured post-ceremony bonfires. A location is especially desired if it

can provide the opportunity for her to cre-ate multiple atmospheres within the same property.

One of the best things about Charmed Places is the fact the FitzGerald offers her services so flexibly—you can use her exper-tise as much or as little as you need to. For example, she can help couples define their goals and vision of the wedding day by tak-ing them on a guided day tour to introduce them to the properties she’s hand-selected for them based on the criteria the couple has shared with her. Then the couple can go on to put the wedding together themselves, or hire her as a planner—then she’ll take care of everything, from helping choose the right vendors to maintaining a timeline to helping plan the morning-after brunch.

“At Charmed Places, our focus is really on creating a unique experience for our clients,” FitzGerald says. “I know for myself the level of effort that I put in to each and every event. It’s so important that the client has a good experience and that the vendors work well as a team. Those are my priorities for every single event.”

CHarMeD PlaCeSMEMBER PROFILE

CHARMEd PLACESP.O. Box 235 New Paltz, NY 12561(845) 255-2475www.charmedplaces.com


In my previous life as a social worker, my focus was always on listening, offer-ing support, and connecting people to

resources. Moving into the Chamber world seemed to some a daring change, a bold de-cision, a sharp turn in my career. For my part, I relished the opportunity to apply my skills to this new task, getting out there to talk to Members, introducing myself, learning why they continue in their membership and where they find the most value. Networking, connections, referrals, community, support. I heard it time and time again in my first

few weeks with the Chamber. I had spent 10 years honoring and striving to provide the very same things in a different setting and, as each day passed, I found new confirmation that this was a match.

On one early visit, a member specifically asked me if we might introduce an oppor-tunity for small group conversations. He thought that sometimes it was difficult or intimidating to jump right into a large mixer. A light bulb went on: We already offered it! Held monthly at the chamber office, our BizConnect is a chance for 6 to 10 members to get together and talk––really talk––about what is going on in their businesses. No agen-das, no cocktails (sorry!) just conversations and connections. Different members each month mean diverse discussions. There is no telling where the dialogue can go. Again, my expertise and previous experience makes this something I can relate to.

The growing energy of BizConnect is ap-parent in its capability to connect members in a different way than other events provide. Come share your concerns, introduce a specific topic or just sit and listen, taking it all in. You are certain to feel the support in the room, gain feedback and ideas from other Chamber members and make genuine

connections. Because of the intimate size, please call us to be put on the invite list for upcoming BizConnect meetings.

Quickly I have learned that the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce is about providing members with the tools they need to make connections and support each other, to grow business and create a sense of com-munity. My daring change, my bold decision, my sharp turn is the most natural thing in the world. I look forward to connecting with our membership and using my experience to help the Hudson Valley business community continue its robust growth. I am here for you. Please feel free to call, email or stop in to visit me at the Chamber office.

letS MaKe a DIFFereNCe tOGetHer

A strong business community benefits the whole community.In this issue, meet your new Member Realtions Associate, MaryBeth Boylan.

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

MEMBERSHIP SUCCESS COMMITTEE

CHAIR Patrick Turner Little Pond ConsultingLucy Paradies New Paltz Regional Chamber of CommercePete Ingellis Ideal Cleaning SolutionsCarol Preziosi FrecklebellyJohn McCormick Creek Locks Bed and BreakfastMaryBeth Boylan New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce

MaryBeth Boylan


OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS, at the highest level of member-ship, play an exclusive and vital role in the important work of the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce. As a premier member at the Corporate Partner level, they enjoy the advantage of exceptionally valuable benefits, in addition to those included in the standard NPRCoC membership.

Exclusive opportunities to deliver your message to over 30,000 pub-lic event attendees, over 700 active Chamber members, and count-less Hudson Valley residents, including a full 12 months of visibility in every Chamber publication, communication, and event.

Customized personal service from the Chamber’s expert staff, including communications designed exclusively to keep you informed.

We invite you to choose from four elite Corporate Partner membership categories: Principal, Leading, Associates, and Supporting.

2011 CORPORATE PARTNERS

LEADING PARTNER

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.

ASSOCIATE PARTNER

Brinckerhoff and Neuville Insurance Group

SUPPORTING PARTNERS

Health Quest

Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union

KIC Chemicals, Inc.

M&T Bank

Ulster Savings

Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell LLP, CPAs

OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS

time warner CaBle inside

BaCk CoVer

257 Main Street

New Paltz, NY 12561

new paltz regional report - winter 2011

Documents

chamber foundation

new paltz annual appeal

foundation scholarships

regional report possible

fantastic new paltz

best new newsletter

new york city

chamber board of directors