February 2010 News Makers

Dutchess County Tourism has selected BBG&G Advertising & PR as its advertising agency of record. In this capacity, BBG&G will create an advertising campaign for print and new media platforms highlighting Dutchess County’s attributes to promote inbound leisure and business visitation. The strategic concepts developed by BBG&G target a variety of Dutchess County’s key visitor markets, including couples, families, and the 55+ age bracket. It also includes a media plan emphasizing “new” media, utilizing internet advertising and social media to efficiently and affordably reach prospective visitors.

BBG&G has served several other tourism and hospitality clients, including the Homewood Suites by Hilton at Stewart Airport and a group of eleven McDonald's® restaurants located along the New York State Thruway. Other BBG&G clients include businesses and organizations involved in healthcare, banking/financing, education, not-for-profit, and more. BBG&G principals, Deborah Garry and June Bisel, and their creative team are experts in everything from logo and collateral materials design to print, broadcast, multimedia, social media and the internet. Garry and Bisel are regular contributors to local business journals on all aspects of advertising and marketing trends.

 

Susan Kochanowski has joined the NDH Board of Trustees. A specialist in business management, leadership, and organizational change, Kochanowski is Assistant Professor of Management at Marist College.  She received her Ph.D. in Organizational Studies from SUNY Albany. Her Bachelor’s degree is in Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi. She earned a Master’s degree in Psychology from Auburn University and a Master’s degree in Religion from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

Previously, Kochanowski  also served as an independent organizational consultant, a senior manager in a global professional services firm, and a vice-president/general manager in international outplacement/career management firm. Additionally, she has experience as a clinical counselor and program developer for a healthcare organization. She established and managed her own business as a clinical counselor and consultant, and taught as an adjunct instructor for several colleges and universities before returning to school to complete her Ph.D. and beginning her academic career at Marist.

Kochanowski previously served on the Board of the Bach Choir. Her professional memberships include the Academy of Management, the Southern Management Association, the American Society for Training and Development, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the American Counseling Association, and she is a Charter Member of the American Psychological Society. Ms. Kochanowki’s research interests include leadership, organizational change, and strategic human resource leadership.

 

Craig Thomas, President of Craig Thomas Pest Control announces the acquisition of JBK Pest Control, Mt. Marion, New York. JBK Pest Control was founded by Scott Smith who will be retiring from the pest management industry. 

“The quality and reputation at Craig Thomas Pest Control was an important factor in my decision,” said Scott Smith. “I am confident that our customers will continue to receive a high quality service”.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to further expand and develop our footprint in the Hudson Valley,” said Thomas.

 

Nancy Walker, Gail Brunetti and Joe Felipe have joined Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty’s LaGrange office. Walker, a licensed salesperson, has 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. Prior to joining Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty, she was a licensed salesperson with Lynn Nichols Realty in Poughquag and owned and operated Arlington Abstract LLC, a title insurance agency, in Poughkeepsie.

Additionally, Walker is a NYS Certified Real Estate Instructor, an Accredited Buyers Representative, and a Senior Real Estate Specialist and is Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource certified. She is a member of the National Association of Realtors, New York State Association of Realtors and Dutchess County Association of Realtors and is secretary of the Women’s Council of Realtors, Dutchess County Chapter.  She specializes in short sales and foreclosures.

Walker holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Marist College and is currently working toward her MBA in Real Estate through online classes from Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon.

Brunetti brings 11 years of real estate experience to Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty and joins the brokerage as an associate broker. Prior to joining Rand, she worked with Weichert Realtors and also worked for Coldwell Banker Currier and Lazier in LaGrange before it became Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty.

Brunetti is an award-winning agent, multi-million dollar producer and is an Accredited Buyers Representative. She is a member of the National Association of Realtors, New York State Association of Realtors and the Dutchess County Association of Realtors, and specializes in working with buyers and first-time homebuyers.

Brunetti is as member of the Spackenkill Rowing Club.

Felipe joins Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty as a licensed real estate salesperson and brings nine years of experience to the firm. Prior to joining Rand, he was a licensed real estate salesperson with Weichert Realtors in Fishkill.

Felipe is a multi-million dollar producer and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, New York State Association of Realtors and Dutchess County Association of Realtors. He specializes in working with new buyers as well as investment and multi-family properties.

Felipe is a charter member of the Wappingers Falls Elks Club, a member of the Knights of Columbus, coaches Wappingers Little League and belongs to St. Mary’s Church.

 

Walden Savings Bank’s  2009 Ornament Campaign  has raised $7,700 to benefit the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, bringing its yearly food pantry gifted amount to more than $12,000.

 “The response to the campaign was so positive and heart-warming that we decided to supplement the efforts of our customers with an additional gift to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley,” said David Cocks, president and CEO of Walden Savings Bank. “Without our generous customers and employees, they, as well as the numerous food pantries we have benefited in the past, would not be able to serve needy children and families in Orange County during their toughest days.”

In 2008, the Food Bank provided more than 8 million pounds of food to over 360 member agencies in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster counties, with much thanks to donor agencies like Walden Savings Bank.

“We would like to thank the kind and charitable customers and employees at Walden Savings Bank for all of their efforts this holiday season,” said Antonetta Gutter, Director of Development for the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.  “Their strong support will go a long way in helping us battle hunger throughout Orange County and the Hudson Valley.”

 

Cathy Meyer has joined Walden Federal as Director of Human Resources and Georgiana Steiner has joined the bank as Information Technology Manager.  Meyer brings almost 25 years of Human Resource Management experience to Walden Federal, including experience with several local financial services organizations.  She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).  She is a past President, VP and Treasurer for the Mid-Hudson Human Resources Association/Society for Human Resources Management, where she is currently a member.  Meyer  is completing her BA degree at Marist College in Organizational Leadership and Communication.

Steiner also brings almost 25 years of experience to Walden Federal in the management of information technology.  She is a Veteran of the US Air Force where she served in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom.  She is completing her BA in Computer Science at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh.

“We welcome both Cathy and Georgiana to Walden Federal,” stated Walden Federal president, Thomas Gibney.  “We are delighted to have them both on our team and look forward to their success and contribution to serving our customers throughout the Hudson Valley.”

 

Thomas Weddell of Vanacore DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell has accepted a second year as Board Chairman, said Ann Meagher, president and CEO.

A Managing partner of the accounting firm, Weddell has 30 years of significant auditing, accounting, tax, and business development experience. He is also the partner-in-charge of the Audit Department and is ultimately responsible for every audit performed by the Firm. Weddell’s  industry experience includes, but is not limited to, transportation, manufacturing, non-profit, and wholesale, retail, and distribution.

Weddell will head up a 32 member board whose Executive Committee includes: Chair-elect Bob Hatfield, Citizen’s Bank; First Vice Chair Richard Kolosky, M&T Bank; Treasurer Ori Brachfeld, Dash Lock & Key Service, Inc.; Secretary Barbara Malley, Riverside Bank; Special Appointments include Bob Outer, Hudson Valley Renegades; Maureen Lashlee, Dutchess County Community Action Partnership and Bob Horn, Putnam County Savings Bank. The Chamber’s Legal Counsel is David Wise, Esq., Gellert & Klein, PC.

Newly appointed board members are: Kimberly Hunt Lee, Esq. McCabe & Mack LLP; Robert Levine, Esq. Cuddy & Feder, LLP; Mary Ridings, Cumulus Broadcasting and Michael Spector, Central Hudson.

 

John P. Damiano has been named assistant vice president and branch manager of the Hudson Valley/Metro NY District’s Bank Street branch, located at 27 Bank Street in White Plains. He is responsible for maximizing branch productivity, maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction and managing the employees within the branch.
Prior to joining Key, Damiano was president of Nexus Mortgage Group. He also worked as regional manager and senior account manager at Argent Mortgage Company. Damiano holds Series 6, 63 and Life Insurance licenses.

 

Curtis Beusman, M.D.,  has joined its Board of Directors of the Mount Kisco Child Care Center as Chair of the Fundraising Committee. Dr. Beusman, who founded Curtis Instruments and Saw Mill Club, was named Citizen of the Year in 2009 by the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce. He is a recognized leader worldwide in the health and fitness business arenas and was a founder of IHRSA, the International Health and Racquet Sports Association.

In addition to serving on the MKCCC Board, Beusman also served on the Chappaqua School Board for five years; was active in the Chappaqua Drama Group, where he served as president; and was chairman of the Capital Fund Committee for The Jacob Burns Film Center.

Beusman is an active supporter of The Open Door, Northern Westchester Hospital and various other charitable organizations.

"Curt will help us because he believes deeply in family and community," said Dottie Jordan, executive director of Mount Kisco Child Care Center. "His background and expertise will help us meet - and even surpass - our goals."

Dr. Beusman holds a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University, a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Columbia University.

 

You may already know Tara Schinsing as the owner of the successful Hudson Valley-based professional organizing company Controlled Chaos, but her professional expertise is not limited to organization. Tara is also an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP®) with plentiful real estate experience under her belt. Schinsing is launching another business, HOMEGIRL Home Staging, to add to her repertoire.

In recent years, many homeowners have turned to Controlled Chaos to help them prepare second option is enhancement staging, which means that the seller’s furniture and accessories are utilized when staging their occupied home. The third option to have HOMEGIRL Home Staging stage your vacant or model home by renting furniture and accessories from their own inventory.

Schinsing’s trainer, mentor, and the creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz, teaches “the way you live in a home and the way you sell your house are two different things.”  The notion of looking at a home through the buyer’s eyes is clearly effective- 94.8% of ASP® staged homes sell in 37 days or less, according to StagedHomes.com. their home to be put on the real estate market. In response to this growing need, Schinsing created HOMEGIRL Home Staging, a business designed to help sellers sell their homes faster, and for top dollar.

HOMEGIRL Home Staging services include three main options. The first option is a written consultation, which is a physical plan prepared and submitted to the “do-it-yourself” home seller.

 

Allan E. Atzrott, President and CEO of St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, has been named to the American Hospital Association (AHA) Regional Policy Board, which represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks and their patients and communities in the mid-Atlantic region. The AHA is comprised of almost 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks and 37,000 individual members.

 

Mark Maurer has been appointed Commercial Banking Team Leader.by Provident Bank.

In his role, Maurer will manage the commercial lending team and develop and manage all aspects of commercial business for the bank. He will be based at Provident Bank’s headquarters in Montebello.

Maurer joins Provident Bank with 25 years of experience in the banking industry. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager Commercial Banking with RBS Citizens Bank in White Plains.

“Mark is a great addition to the commercial banking team,” said George Strayton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Provident Bank. “His experience in developing and managing commercial banking clients and generating loan volume make him an important resource. We are confident that he will be instrumental in developing business for the bank, and that he will be a terrific commercial banking team leader.”

Maurer received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Rutgers University in Newark, N.J. 

 

Deborah Valentino has joined Better Homes and Gardens Rand realty’s Yonkers office as an Associate Broker.  

Valentino brings more than 20 years of experience to Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty. Prior to joining the brokerage, Valentino was an Associate Broker with Sotheby’s in Scarsdale and previously owned Valentino Signature Homes & Estates in Yonkers. She is a consistent award winner and has appeared on HGTV’s House Hunters as the featured Realtor. Additionally, Valentino is an Accredited Buyers Representative, a Graduate of the Realtor Institute, a Senior Real Estate Specialist, an Accredited Staging Professional and a Green Realtor.

“Deborah is a skilled negotiator and well-known top producer in the Yonkers marketplace,” said Deborah DiMiceli, manager of Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty’s Yonkers office. “She has worked with buyers and sellers throughout Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties.  Deborah is a certified Home Stager and owner of the trademark company Redesigning Real Estate™. She is a committed team player and offers the same dedication to each transaction whether it be a studio, co-op, or multi-million dollar home. We are elated that Deborah has joined our Yonkers team and welcome her expertise and knowledge.”

Valentino is a member of the National Association of Realtors, New York State Association of Realtors, Westchester/Putnam Multiple Listing Service and Westchester County Board of Realtors.

 

Julia Goings-Perrot has become a partner The law firm of Tarshis, Catania, Liberth, Mahon & Milligram, PLLC. Goings-Perrot has been an associate with the firm since 2004.  She received her J.D with distinction from the University of Iowa and her B.A. from Grinnell College.  Her practice areas include health law, employment law, intellectual property law and regulatory and compliance law.