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Faced with a $6 million budget shortfall due to reduced funding from the state, SUNY New Paltz administrators have taken a number of measures to reduce their operating budget – including phasing out the institution’s more than quarter-century old Nursing Program, which currently enrolls 148 students. Once current students are finished, New Paltz will no longer offer the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and the Certificate of Advance Study (CAS) in Nursing.

Reaction from Nursing administrators, faculty and students was one of shock and dismay. Although currently matriculated students will be allowed to finish their degree programs over the course of the next few years, the nurses said the region will seriously miss the contribution made by New Paltz’s Nursing Program. The program’s chair Dr. Eleanor Richards said she was totally stunned by the decision, which she learned of three days prior to its public announcement.

"The program has increased enrollment in three out of the last five years. Department Chairs in three community college Nursing Programs in the region came out of our program. We provide staff at the community college level. They will be at a real disadvantage and we already have a faculty shortage," she said. When asked if the program was losing money, Richards replied "we’re self-sufficient."

Supporters of the program traveled with the New York State Nurses Association to Albany for Lobby Day. Student Nancy Lenhert, a Poughkeepsie resident and nurse at Kingston Hospital, attended the event.

"We spoke with Assemblyman Molinaro and Senator Steve Saland. They both said they only heard about it that day," she said. "This affects me. It’s really a blow. I can’t get my Master’s here. I have to go to Mount Saint Mary’s." A glance at the two institution’s websites showed that Mount Saint Mary’s tuition is over three times that of SUNY New Paltz.

"A Master’s degree opens doors," Lenhert said. "A lack of Master’s programs cuts off nursing faculty. It’s absolutely vital – it’s the lifeline of nursing faculty. Most nurses getting a Master’s intend to become teachers and this is only public program between Long Island and Binghamton." [editor’s note – SUNY Delhi is actually 30 miles closer to the Hudson Valley than Binghamton]

College spokesman Eric Gullickson said that college officials did not want to cut the Nursing Program but the global /national/state financial crisis was forcing cuts. He said that Nursing classes often had less than twelve students enrolled per semester. When asked about Dr. Richards’ comment that the program was self-sufficient, Gullickson would neither refute or confirm it. He stated that eliminating the program would save the college over $500,000 a year in its budget. When asked if that logically meant the program was currently losing the college over $500,000 a year, Gullickson said, "no, it doesn’t mean that."

"As we approached this process we used a set of ground rules and criteria and a budget process early on to assess all areas about campus. One of the reasons is the Nursing program is planned to phase out is it’s consistently been under-enrolled. It’s also an expensive program per student to operate," Gullickson said. The college also is suspending admission to several other "low-enrolled graduate programs," including Chemistry, Earth Science, French, Mathematics and Spanish.

The specific reason SUNY New Paltz was in the $6 million budgetary hole was the decision of the New York State Legislature to use 80 percent of a tuition increase put in place by SUNY trustees to stuff the coffers of the state budget. In an irony that seems to be endemic of the state government structure, while SUNY trustees have the ability to request increases in tuition rates – and insist they do so based upon operations costs and planned for support in the state budget – they have no legal ability to keep the state legislature from taking those tuition increases and putting them into the state’s general fund, which is what happened this year. So, in effect, this year the state legislature agreed to the tuition increase, kept 80 percent of it for non-education spending – and then ordered the 64 campuses in the SUNY system to come up with a plan to staunch the red ink that flowed from the legislative action.

State Senator Steve Saland told the Hudson Valley Business Journal that "the SUNY system requested a tuition increase and the Legislature agreed to their request of $620 per year increase. However the Legislative majority, over the objection of myself and my Republican colleagues, took 80 percent of that money. As a result SUNY has required each of their 64 campuses to help make up the deficit. New Paltz got socked with this $6 million hit, which they are taking out of the Nursing program, which is really going to work a hardship on the profession here, particularly on the Mid-Hudson region, to the extent that it’s going to make it difficult for nurses to secure that 4-year diploma. It’s really going to negatively impact the delivery of care, and I would hope there would be some means to eliminate or lessen that blow."

Nursing faculty Karen Sieverding and Anne Kelly also spoke with the Hudson Valley Business Journal. Both teachers are adjunct faculty members. Sieverding is a nurse at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx and Kelly is a nurse at Vassar Brothers Hospital in Poughkeepsie.

"The program is…vital," said Sieverding. "We were all in disbelief. None of us had input into this. It was a done deal when we were told about it. We have till the 25^th of this month to voice concerns. I believe the program is self-sustaining and their letter is contradictory."

Kelly said, "there is only one college close by that offers a four-year program and that is Mount Saint Mary’s. I am concerned over transfer of credits from community colleges to private institutions, it is an easy process in the public system. As far as the program being vital, I can’t imagine anything being more vital. We teach them knowledge evidence-based procedures and teach them to do research, so when they go to bedside they can give high-quality care and think outside the box." International student from Russia, Polina N., said she had gained a lot from the program.

"They show you a different approach, how to be a leader," she said. She was "devastated" that administrators chose to phase out the program. "I was upset because it looks like there is a great nursing shortage. How are they going to improve nursing care?" The college’s press release said their plan: "has been designed to preserve the academic core of the college, honor tenure, minimize the impact on its workforce , allow it to maintain an adequate reserve and position itself to make critical investments."

The college is cutting 3.7 million from non-instructional areas and $2.3 million will come from the instructional budget. It is also implementing revenue generation ideas that will bring in $250,000 annually. The college also has strategized to reduce energy usage by $325,000. The college will reduce staff by 70 positions through retirements, attrition and non-renewals of contracts.

"These decisions were not made easily," said President Steven Poskanzer. "The severe economic recession has hit New York especially hard, and the recently-enacted state budget drives those consequences home to New Paltz in a most direct and painful way. It is distressing that SUNY’s state-operated campuses have been hit harder than any other segment of New York’s educational institutions and it is particularly egregious that the new budget fundamentally breached faith with students and their families by sweeping 80 percent of the additional tuition charged."

Gullickson said the SUNY Delhi’s online Nursing program could be a good avenue for nurses interested in SUNY New Paltz’s program. The Provost of SUNY Delhi said his college would accept the 11 students slated to begin the Nursing program at SUNY New Paltz in Fall 2009.

"We deeply regret that we will no longer contribute to society in this way. We will need to find other ways to serve our region and state," said Poskanzer."This is a good program and the college is proud of it, but in this budgetary climate, the college simply cannot continue to do everything it currently does."

In their press release, SUNY New Paltz stated the following reasons they chose the Nursing Program to be phased out, some already mentioned in this article:
• Nursing is an expensive program on a cost-per-student basis compared with other academic offerings.
• The program is not closely linked to our liberal arts core.
• New Paltz has had difficulty recruiting, retaining and awarding tenure to fully credentialed nursing faculty, in no small part because of a national shortage of nursing faculty.
• There are several schools in the region that compete for a very small population of people who go on to pursue their B.S. and M.S. in Nursing, including SUNY Delhi, Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh and Excelsior College.

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Southern Dutchess News adds a northern Dutchess paper to its line-up

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It was only three weeks ago that Prism Solar announced they had a plan to increase their workforce by 200 in the next two years and then possibly by another 200 in five years. We might be asking what’s next from Prism, as they made an announcement on April 21 that in addition to those 400 jobs there is the potential for another 150 to 200 jobs to be created beginning in 2011.

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Female entrepreneurs represent a highly dynamic segment of the small business market. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, 10.1 million firms are women majority-owned businesses. As of 2008, these firms represented 40 percent of all privately held companies, employed more than 13 million people and generated $1.9 trillion in sales.

For more than fifty years, KeyBank has been lending to women-owned businesses and helping them grow. In April 2007, Key announced that it would lend $2 billion in capital to qualified female entrepreneurs through its Key4Women program by 2012.

According to KeyBank’s Relationship Manager with Business Banking and Vice President Robert Schweitzer, Key met its goal three years ahead of schedule and has now placed another $3 billion on the table to lend by 2012. The banking institution sees its lending initiative as an important contributing factor to the United States’ economic recovery.

This marks the second time in a decade that Key has exceeded its lending goals to women-owned businesses – the first being its pledge in 2005 to provide $1 billion to female entrepreneurs and surpassing that number in 2007.

Schweitzer said that Key has been working to inform local female entrepreneurs of the program through various organizations such as the Small Business Development Center and the Small Business Association (SBA) in Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan Counties.

Michele Basch, owner of The Wherehouse Restaurant on Liberty St. in Newburgh said after unsuccessfully trying to attain a loan from two other banking institutions that she learned of KeyBank’s Key4Women program after she began to work with the SBA through her City Hall in Newburgh.

Basch said that she and her husband put together a very comprehensive business plan at the request of KeyBank. She said that Key employees made the lending process very fluid and that the bank communicated all the necessary details for her project very thoroughly.

"When you’re dealing with this type of project you can’t expect it to be like having tea and crumpets. It’s a long process, but it should be a long process. They were very careful," expressed Basch.

She said that those representing KeyBank, in particular Robert Schweitzer, spoke on intelligent terms as they brought her through the loan and educational process in a very detailed and functional manner.

"Usually when you deal with an SBA loan it’s very paper-intensive but Michele was very prepared," explained Schweitzer. "So this helped us close Michele’s loan in a fairly decent timeframe."

One of the largest financial services companies in the U.S. and a leader among top small business lenders, KeyBank already provides financial assistance to thousands of women-owned businesses in thirteen states. Key4Women lends capital to women business owners while also supplying financial solutions, educational seminars, and networking opportunities.

The goal of the Key4Women program is to get female entrepreneurs access to the capital and to help them achieve the right type of financing at the right time. Schweitzer noted that the program came in development in 2005 after studies revealed that women-owned businesses are still less likely than their male counterparts with comparable revenue to use or intend to use business credit or equity financing. He said Key has been spreading the idea to female entrepreneurs that "It’s okay to borrow strategically." Membership in Key4Women provides its clients with access to Key.com/women, email newsletters, mariaonmoney.com, local networking events, and educational opportunities such as roundtables, financial forums, speakers, and online information.

Key4Women has formed partnerships on a local and national level that provide its clients with access to organizations that support women-owned business, including the Center for Women’s Business Research, the Women’s Presidents’ Organization, eWomenNetwork, Commercial Real Estate Women Network (CREW) and NAWBO.

Launched in 2008, the Key4Women Resource Centers also provide a place for female entrepreneurs to meet, seek and find resources, and access financial help through the program’s Relationship Managers.

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Mom, apparently, is doing lots of things of Facebook – as well as U-Tube, MySpace, Twitter or any variety of social networking sites that have come into their own in the past couple of years. Once the rebellious, bastion of teens and twenty-somethings, who found in the relatively anonymity of these cyber-cafes the freedom to say and be whatever and whomever they wanted (often to the dismay of parents, who could think of all sorts of reasons not to…), the sites have now become the favorites of middle-aged moms and grandparents. This new demographic sees the environment as a great way to keep up with old friends, business colleagues and relatives who are strung out around the world. In short, it’s become a great, global living room – or kitchen table – where folks can hook-up (in the old sense of the term) and hang-out.

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After just 96 days in office, Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein outlined the accomplishments of his administration's first 100 days.
"We're building a government from the ground up and it's important to get it right from the beginning," said Hein, who kicked off the April 7 press conference by talking about economic development. "It would be easier to talk about something else in the first 100 days," he said, "but I didn't shy away from it."
In fact, before taking office on January 1, Hein developed an economic development team composed of business leaders, laborers, government officials, and members of the nonprofit and environmental communities, whose task is to identify and address the county's economic needs. Two weeks after taking office, Hein issued an executive order directing all Ulster County departments to make economic development a priority.
Hein identified a streamlined county permit process to assist businesses in scheduling projects, and secured Federal Stimulus Funds — including $20.7 million for improved roads, bridges, pedestrian walkways and enhanced public transit, and $754,400 for alternative energy and energy efficiency upgrades — among his economic development accomplishments. Others include secured legislative approval of Ulster Tomorrow — a collaborative effort between the county, the Ulster County Development Corporation and the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency — designed to deliver economic development services throughout the county, recommendations to Gov. Paterson advocating retaining the Empire Zone Program, and preparation to launch a campaign aimed at educating the public about the critical need for housing in all segments of the community.
History in the making
In November 2006, Ulster County voters approved a new county charter that would take effect Jan. 1 2009, and would change the structure of the county's government from largely-legislative to one headed by an elected county executive.
Hein, the then-county administrator, threw his hat into the ring in early 2007. In November 2008 he was elected to the post, defeating Republican-backed Independent candidate, Len Bernardo.
"This form of government is a different format than you've ever seen from the county's government in the past," Hein told the press at a March 31 media roundtable, "It's designed to create better communication," he said.
Additional achievements
Through actively working with communities throughout the county to eliminate duplication of services and successfully eliminating a proposed freeze on state property tax payments to municipalities and school districts, Hein says he is working on improving government efficiencies. He has also created and implemented an employee suggestion program for county workers to share ideas for improving efficiency and cutting costs.
Hein also strives to create stronger ties with local communities through monthly meetings with local leaders and  improved public access through the county's upgraded Web site.
Since January Hein says he has saved county taxpayers $860,000 in projected costs by renegotiating contracts. Nearly $400,000 of the anticipated savings comes from public works and information services reductions, and an additional $200,000 comes from the county's participation in MEGA, Upstate New York's Municipal Energy and Gas Alliance. Hein also says $593,266 has been saved in personnel costs, year to date. He estimates the savings will total $2,458,900 in annual savings.
Bottom line
Savings in contractual costs, combined with current personnel costs means nearly $1.5 million in savings for Ulster County in just 100 days.
"I hope what everyone is seeing here is that I'm passionate about making things better for the people of Ulster County, and that I'm committed to seeing results," said Hein.
"I was born and raised here and I'm committed to making Ulster County the finest place to work, live and raise a family," he said.

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Congressman John Hall held a town hall meeting last week to raise awareness about government assistance available to small business owners during these perilous economic times. Orange County Chamber of Commerce President John D’Ambrosio moderated the event, which also featured a power point presentation from Arnaldo Sehwerert, Director of the Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center.
Hall said he could feel people were worried about their futures and their business.

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The Hudson Valley continues to attract positive alternative energy news. Spectra Watt, Inc., a manufacturer of photovoltaic cells partially owned by Intel, will be locating a manufacturing plant at a former IBM building in East Fishkill. Initial investment by the corporation is expected to be $81 million in the next two years, creating up to 160 jobs over the first two years. SpectraWatt had been located in Oregon.

The company’s CEO Andrew Wilson stated in a recent press release that they expect to be in production in New York by early 2010. He said the factory will have an output of 60 megawatts initially and exceeding 120 megawatts after two years. SpectraWatt expects to add the first 100 jobs in its first year of operation and to add more as its output increases. "Between the skilled work force, outstanding support from the Empire State Development Corporation and the valuable programs offered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the decision to locate in New York was very easy for us," said Wilson. "We look forward to building a successful future from our new home in the Empire State."

SpectraWatt will enjoy benefits from the Poughkeepsie/Dutchess Empire Zone, training grants from the Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency and Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board. Dutchess Community College will offer "technical and professional development courses for employees based on the needs of the company," Steinhaus said. The County20Executive also stated that the long established semiconductor industry in Dutchess County was a factor that attracted SpectraWatt, as photovoltaics use similar technology to semiconductors.
Governor David A. Paterson took a special interest in recruiting the company. "SpectraWatt’s decision to bring their headquarters and R&D operations to Dutchess County is an enormous win for the State of New York and is a testament to the State’s ability to attract emerging and fast-growing industries," the Governor said. "Following in the footsteps of world-class technology companies to locate their R&D facilities in New York State, including IBM and General Electric, SpectraWatt’s investment further solidifies New York as a prominent leader in green technology and is a vital component to securing our State’s future economic stability."
Marisa Lago, CEO of Empire State Development, told the media that solar is a major part of New York’s future. "The solar industry has grown forty-one percent annually in recent years and, according to some forecasts, is expected to continue growing at a thirty-seven percent growth rate over the next five years. The solar industry is perhaps the fastest growing high technology industry in the world today." State Senator for the Dutchess region Stephen Saland said, "The renewable energy market is critical to our efforts to provide consumers with more affordable energy alternatives. I was pleased to work with the Governor, Empire State Development and local officials to secure jobs for the region with an industry that shares our commitment to the environment. This is the kind of green technology that we should be pursuing."
In addition to Intel, SpectraWatt is partially owned by Cogentrix Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; and PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund (CETF) and Solon AG, a German solar company. Those interested in a job with SpectraWatt can apply at www.spectrawatt.com/Jobs/

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Since IBM closed its Kingston plant in 1995, taking 7,500 jobs with it, the community has been waiting for the abandoned site to be put to full use so jobs could be brought back to the area. Up to 2,300 people currently work at the facility seasonally, but now developer Alan Ginsberg, Owner and Chairman of TechCity, has a plan that he hopes will attract 3,860 permanent new industrial, manufacturing, education and retail jobs, mostly in the sector of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology.
On the heels of the federal stimulus package passed last month that promotes both financially and philosophically a sustainable energy policy, Ginsburg and his team are hoping to turn Tech City into a nationally recognized center for alternative energy firms and energy efficiency technologies. The revamped Tech City will include a Center of Excellence for use by the town, a town center that includes a small shopping center, commercial and professional office space and light industrial and assembly space. The master plan calls for the creation of 2,200 construction jobs over the course of the next three years. Tech City spokesman Richard Edmonds said the development of the s ite will be a multi-phase plan, with some later phases dependent on the success of initial phases. If all succeeds the total private investment will be at least in the tens of millions of dollars, as well as grants and loans received from the federal and state government.
Ginsburg hired Daniel Wieneke as President of Tech City eight months ago to help sculpt a master plan. Wieneke is noted for his accomplishments in redeveloping an abandoned Air Force base in Plattsburg, New York, a project he completed in eight years when he was given 35 years to work with. The Town of Ulster is on board with Ginsberg’s project, and has agreed to be the “lead agency� in Tech City’s SEQRA review process. This will help streamline and hasten the process, Wieneke told The Hudson Valley Business Journal. They are hoping for SEQRA clearance before the end of the summer. Ginsberg said in a TechCity press release, “With the Town government as our lead agency, we look forward to a full generic environmental review. The Town Has also agreed to an expedited approval process for future build-outs, which makes TechCity a prime, shovel-ready site.�
Further installation of clean energy systems and green roofs will be used to further reduce Tech City’s carbon footprint. Tech City closed its on-site utilities plant two years ago and switched to low-emission natural gas power. Due to increased use of solar energy and energy efficiency Tech City has reduced its power usage from 9.1 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2006 to 5.8 million kWh in 2008. “The Master Plan has been under consideration and thought over for several years. The real initiative [toward green and sustainability] started with the shutting down of the central facility plant. Currently we have gone to less emission, processing with natural gas,� Wieneke said.
In marketing TechCity to the world, Wieneke is emphasizing its geographical location as a crossroads of the Northeastern metropolis. To the North is Albany, the East is Boston and to the South is New York City and Philadelphia. “This park will sell itself. The location is ideal. If you look at the market and all we’ve been through in the industrial revolution, what’ the next thing? I think it’s renewable energy,� he said. While the financial crisis and recession/depression gives everyone in business reason to pause these days, Wieneke said it was still important to look forward, “coming out of the recession, we want to be ahead of the pack, not behind.�
He also noted that the stimulus package offers “major league� tax credits20to firms in the alternative energy and energy efficiency industries and that the TechCity team will be working to see that prospective companies are aware of the opportunities. TechCity has already begun scouting for solar and geothermal manufacturers and other companies in the industry to look at the park. Wieneke said New York’s politicians have been supporters of TechCity, including Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill and Senator Charles Schumer. The Town of Ulster is applying for an $8.5 million stimulus grant for new pavement at Tech City. The Master Plan will build around existing egresses.
Ginsberg bought the 250-acre 2.5 million-square-feet, of property and buildings in 1998 and since has attracted several firms and companies including Bank of America and Hunter Panels. Tech City has had brownfield issues that IBM has continued to work on over the past decade. The Town of Ulster Supervisor and Mayor James Sottile of Kingston were not available to comment on Ginsburg’s plan.
CUTLINE - Paul Waddington, Operations Engineer, standing next to a crane

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Score one for the Jedi, as the long saga of “investors in the New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI)� versus “grassroots opposition� appears to be over. NYRI, a plan by private investors to build 190 miles of powerlines from the Syracuse area of New York to Orange County, responded to a recent federal ruling that went against their wishes, by declaring the project “suspended.� The company had been in the midst of a review before the New York Public Service Commission when they made the announcement. A PSC spokesperson said they have completely withdrawn their application.
In an April 3 press release NYRI said, “while it remains committed to transmission development in New York State, it is suspending its current participation in the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) Article VII process for its 1200MW HVDC project. The March 31st decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) denying NYRI's request to review the recently approved rules of the New York State Independent System Operator (NYISO) for transmission tariffs has created an unacceptable financial risk for NYRI's investors. Even if the NYRI project were to be sited by the PSC, NYRI would face the prospect of being unable to recover transmission costs from the ratepayers who would benefit from the project.�
Area politicians and grassroots activists responded with a chorus of relief and jubilation and dark humor. State Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson) sent out a press release titled “Senator LARKIN PLEASED NYRI IS DEAD.� Larkin said, "This is fantastic news," said Senator Larkin, "NYRI9s proposal was certainly not the best choice for the Hudson Valley and I am pleased my constituents will no longer have to worry about the disruption this project would have caused to our communities and the environment."
State Senator John J. Bonacic termed it this way – “BONACIC TRHILLED WITH NYRI’S DEATH� adding that in one word his reaction was “VICTORY!� Bonacic said that “All of the people across the region who came together to fight NYRI are winners. Without the regional unity, this win would not have been possible." Bonacic also noted he took many steps to fight NYRI project such as persuading Federal Energy Regularly Commission Commissioner Marc Spitzer “to abstain from considering NYRI� when initially Spitzer had called the project a “no-brainer.� Bonacic also secured state funds to fight NYRI before the feds and sponsored legislation to block the use of eminent domain in the citing of transmission towers.
Orange County Supervisor Edward A. Diana reiterated one of the main complaints about the NYRI project.
"This entire process was flawed from the beginning and represented a remarkable departure from long standing rights traditionally reserved to the states and was just bad policy that exploited one area of the state to benefit another," he said. Diana hailed the Communities Against Regional Interconnect activist group for their efforts.

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The annual environmental and financial impact for one U.S. bi-monthly paid employee using Direct Deposit would save one pound of paper, eliminate the release of four gallons of wastewater, and eliminate the release of one pound of greenhouse gases.
April is Earth Month and the Direct Deposit month of May is just around the corner. Over the course of the last decade, enrolling employees into a Direct Deposit program has saved U.S. businesses $6.7 billion. Not only has the electronic payroll method proven to be a simple way for businesses to contribute to the green movement while saving green, but also Direct Deposit has positively impacted the environment.
The numbers translate into an average per employee savings of $176.55 annually.  
A study conducted by a coalition of financial services companies known as PayitGreen, led by NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association (a non-profit representing 11,000 financial institutions), revealed some staggering statistics. According to the coalition, if every 122.5 million U.S. employees that has access to Direct Deposit used the banking method 11,082,971 pounds of paper would be saved annually. Also, it would prevent the release of 105,709,380 gallons of wastewater, save 4,105,889 gallons of gas and avoid the release of 31,581,675 pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year. The annual release of 31.5 million pounds of greenhouse gases is the equivalent of 112,329,703 miles not driven, 1,345,379 trees planted and grown for ten years, and 13,756,978 square feet of forest preserved.
Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence and is comprised of liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and agriculture. Wastewater could encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations.   
The PayitGreen study worked some numbers for small to medium-sized business employing 300 people who receive a paycheck every two weeks. The results showed that incorporating Direct Deposit would save 121 pounds of paper, avoid the release of 1,159 gallons of wastewater into the environment, save 45 gallons of gas, and eliminate the release of 346 pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
There has been a 20 percent increase in use of Direct Deposit by U.S. employees in the past ten years. In 1998, 46 percent of U.S. employees used Direct Deposit, according to a study conducted by The Federal Reserve Bank. In 2008, The Consumer Federation of America concluded that 66 percent of U.S. employees are enrolled in the electronic payment method.
In 1998, 35 percent of employees that didn’t have access to Direct Deposit said they would use it if given the option, while 76 percent of employees without the service in 2008 said they would enroll if they had the option.
PayitGreen was formed in 2007 to educate consumers about the environmental impact of choosing electronic bills, statements and payments instead of paper alternatives.
Additional findings by the Consumer Federation of America suggest that 85 percent of those surveyed said they have access to Direct Deposit. Of those with access to electronic payments, 78 percent are enrolled.
Going green doesn’t have to stop in the workplace. Personal financial bills, statements, and payments not only require a great amount of time but they also use a vast amount of natural resources.
According to PayitGreen, if only 20 percent of U.S. households were to switch to electronic bills, statements, and payments the collective impact would save 1.8 million trees, avoid producing nearly two million tons of greenhouse gases, and avoid creating 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater. Using on-line payment methods would also spare filling 8.6 million household garbage bags with waste.
Setting up a “greenâ€� household is as easy as assessing what bills, statements and payments you currently have that use paper billing and transfer your accounts to online means via your email account. According to a Javelin Strategy and Research study, almost 85 percent of identity theft cases are due to paper  “offlineâ€� transactions such as lost checkbooks and stolen bills, statements, and check payments.
The study reported that turning off the paper and managing your finances electronically would allow less people to view your personal and financial information, with the added benefit that a payment would be lost or stolen.
The average U.S. household receives approximately 19 bills and statements each month. Using PayitGreen’s Green Calculator suggests that if a household that receives 19 paper bills per month switches to online billing and reduced their offline statements to one paper bill per month, 6.4 pounds of paper would be saved annually. Also, 61 gallons of wastewater would be prevented, 2.4 gallons of gas would be saved, and 123 pounds of greenhouse gases would be avoided per year.
Businesses can learn their specific payroll savings by using the Direct Deposit Cost Calculator by logging on to ElectronicPayments.org and clicking the “Business� tab on top of the page. Households could discover their financial paper footprint on PayitGreen.org by clicking the Green Calculator tab on the bottom of the page.
 

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Key Bank makes its goal for lending to women-owned businesses
KeyBank (NYSE:KEY) has announced that it has provided more than $2 billion in capital to qualified women-owned businesses (WOBs) through its Key4Women program, surpassing its 2007 pledge to lend these funds to women-owned firms by 2012. Continuing its lending momentum, Key commits to lend an additional $3 billion to qualified WOBs by the year 2012, which will also be important to our country’s economic recovery.
This is the second time that Key has exceeded its goals of lending to WOBs; in 2005, the bank pledged $1 billion to women-owned businesses and surpassed that number in 2007.
“Providing more than $3 billion to qualified women-owned businesses since 2005 proves the strength of these companies,� said Alicia Punkosdy, vice president, Business Banking, Hudson Valley/Metro NY District, KeyBank N.A. “We continue to seek out and find women who are growing their businesses responsibly, even during these difficult economic times. We are pleased to be able to help these companies survive and thrive.�
As one of the nation’s largest financial services companies and top small business lenders, Key already provides financial services to thousands of women-owned businesses in 13 states.
Female entrepreneurs represent a highly dynamic segment of the small business market. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, 10.1 million firms are majority-owned by women. As of 2008, these firms accounted for 40 percent of all privately held companies, employed more than 13 million people and generated $1.9 trillion in sales.
Founded in 2005, the Key4Women program provides female entrepreneurs with access to capital, financial solutions, educational offerings and networking opportunities. Key4Women also offers customized service and financial expertise through a team of dedicated Key4Women Relationship Managers.
“An important part of our mission at Key4Women is to provide women business owners with access to capital, to help them get the right kind of financing at the right time,� Punkosdy said. “According to research, women owned business are still less likely than men-owned businesses with comparable revenue to use or intend to use business credit or equity financing. Our message is: It’s okay to borrow strategically.�
Key4Women resources include:
� Membership in Key4Women, which provides women business clients with benefits to help them achieve their goals, including: access to Key.com/women, email newsletters, access to the mariaonmoney.com blog, local networking events, and educational opportunities such as roundtables, Financial Forums, local speakers, and online content.
� Partnerships with other local and national organizations that support women-owned businesses, including the Center for Women’s Business Research, the Women Presidents’ Organization, and NAWBO.
� And the Key4Women Resource Centers, launched in 2008, which provide a place for women in business to meet, seek and find resources, and access financial expertise through Key4Women Relationship Managers.
The Key4Women lending commitment is only part of the overall picture at Key. When the economy slowed in 2008, despite concern from business owners across America about access to capital, KeyBank remained well capitalized and has maintained its focus on lending to relationship clients. Key’s ability to lend is partially due to its history of sound credit standards and choice to shun risky activities.

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 SpectraWatt, Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of advanced silicon photovoltaic cells to the solar industry, has announced  its intention to establish the company’s first factory and its new headquarters at the Hudson Valley Research Park in Hopewell Junction. The move will initially create over 100 jobs in the New York region within the first year of operation.
 â€œBetween the skilled work force, outstanding support from the Empire State Development Corporation and the valuable programs offered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the decision to locate in New York was very easy for us,â€� said Andrew Wilson, CEO of SpectraWatt. “We look forward to building a successful future from our new home in the Empire State.â€�
“SpectraWatt’s decision to bring their headquarters and R&D operations to Dutchess County is an enormous win for the State of New York and is a testament to the State’s ability to attract emerging and fast-growing industries,� said New York Governor David A. Paterson. “Following in the footsteps of world-class technology companies to locate their R&D facilities in New York State, including IBM and General Electric, SpectraWatt’s investment further solidifies New York as a prominent leader in green technology and is a vital component to securing our State’s future economic stability.�
The company, which is in the process of moving from their previous location in Oregon, aims to be in production early in 2010. SpectraWatt’s first factory line will have an initial manufacturing capacity of 60 megawatts (MW); additional lines are already being planned with site capacity exceeding 120MW within the first two years of operation.
“The solar industry has grown forty-one percent annually in recent years and, according to some forecasts, is expected to continue growing at a thirty-seven percent growth rate over the next five years. The solar industry is perhaps the fastest growing high technology industry in the world today,� said Marisa Lago, CEO and president, Empire State Development (ESD). “With its significant capital investment and creation of many high-paying jobs, SpectraWatt is making an enormous contribution to the State’s economy at a critical time.�

About SpectraWatt
 SpectraWatt is a manufacturer and supplier of photovoltaic cells for the solar industry. In addition to focusing on advanced solar cell technologies, SpectraWatt concentrates on improvements in current manufacturing processes and capabilities to reduce the cost of photovoltaic energy generation. Its mission is to deliver solar energy at grid parity through product and manufacturing technology innovation. Investors include Intel Capital, Cogentrix Energy, PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund and Solon SE.

 

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200 local jobs within two years, growing to a total of 400 in five - that’s the promise  (and the power) the renewable energy industry carries for the Hudson Valley economy.  And the promise of all those new jobs was the excitement behind the statement that Prism Solar Technologies president Rick Lewandowski made this past week when he announced that the company had closed on the purchase of the former 93,000 sq.ft. Plasmaco manufacturing plant in Highland. Located on 6.5 acres of land, the facility was bought for $3,750,000. The Highland facility will ultimately produce annually 60 megawatts of solar modules for domestic markets and 1000 megawatts of HPC film for sale to other solar module manufacturers.
Lewandowski believes his company is going to impact the landscape of the world's solar energy industry. He says the compan'’s patented Holographic Elements (holographic planar concentrator technology) can reduce the amount of silicon required in photovoltaics up to 85 percent. As a result of such progress the company is investing in a new headquarters in Highland and plans to add 200 jobs in the next few years.
"Our technology is a holographic film that can be used with any kind of solar cell technology. We expect the industry to use it and that it will lower price and increase the output," Lewandowski said.
Prism invested in the idea of Glen Rosenberg, currently the company's chief technology officer, and the inventor of the holograph technology.
"He invented it right after he got out of the University of Arizona. A large glass company funded it for
awhile, but after 911 the company took a hit and they dumped everything. Eventually we bought the worldwide license," Lewandowski said.
When asked if his company felt lucky to be in possession of the technology he replied, "we feel more than lucky."
The technology's potential has led Prism to connect with many of the major players in the solar industry, though he said he could not name names.
"We are doing business with leading companies in the industry and utilities – utilities are interested cause it does create more kilowatt hours," he said.
Prism’s new building in Highland will be its headquarters. They also have a research and development facility in Tucson. Previously they’d been based at Tech City in Lake Katrine.
When asked why he is choosing to remain located in the Hudson Valley Lewandowski said, "The Hudson Valley has a lot of what we look for. The right skill set in terms of labor pool. The right community, a lot of grassroots interest. People here get it very clearly. It’s clear this whole area is very aware of what the nation should be moving toward. The federal and local government has been right on – Congressman (Maurice) Hinchey has been a great help to us."
Prism’s new plant includes glass handling and glass cleaning equipment, a compete machine shop, specialty optical equipment, 30,000 sq. ft of clean rooms, a wet lab, facility-wide security and building management systems. Some equipment can be modified to produce thin film and crystalline photovoltaic cells and modules. Lewandowski said a lot of work remained to be done over the course of the next few months.
"We value this facility, including its equipment and clean rooms, to be over ten times what we paid," said Tom Kacandes, Prism’s Director of Operations.
Prism is an active part of The Solar Energy Consortium and works with other Hudson Valley companies such as FALA Technologies to advance the renewable energy industry in the area. "Prism is exactly the kind of solar industry partner that TSEC had hoped to attract to the Mid-Hudson Valley. The company has industry leadin g technology, a talented management team, and is community minded. They are the flagship TSEC partner and we will continue to do everything we can to help them grow quickly in NYS, and we look forward to the much needed good jobs they are creating," says Vincent Cozzolino, TSEC’s President.
Lewandowski noted that Congressman Hinchey facilitated a $1,000,000 grant for Prism Solar through TSEC to contribute to the initials phases of the manufacture of its holographic planar concentrator technology. Additional funding for Prism was included in the Omnibus Budget bill passed by the Congress earlier this year.
"These are the moments we hoped for and expected when we created TSEC two years ago and the reason we made subsequent federal investments," Hinchey said. "Prism and the rest of TSEC's partners will help grow our local economy while also helping to free our country of its dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels."
Lewandowski has long been involved in the renewable energy field, running two other companies in the field before forming Prism as a subsidiary of Direct Global Power in 2005.
"It’s always been the thing to do, its just lately more people have recognized it. Finally we have some federal backing, which is new to us."
The future will be prosperous for the national and global solar industry, Lewandowski predicts. There is the potential for millions of jobs in the field in the United States alone.
"Energy demand continues to expand faster than capacity. I don’t know anybody using less gas ~ everyone’s still going to work, doing what they have to do. The Chinese are building a power plant a week that uses coal and they are one of leading investors in solar right now. The Middle East is now all of a sudden investing a billion dollars in solar energy. It's very clear we have a huge, abundant renewable resource and all you have to do is tap into. It's good for business and good for society and the environment."

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“Energy supply and demand plays an increasingly vital role in our national security and the economic output of our nation,� said Ann Meager, President and CEO of the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce as she addressed attendees of the Exchange on Energy breakfast, April 1.
Annually, the United States spends over $500 billion on energy. In the Hudson Valley, Central Hudson customers have recently seen a 3.5 percent increase in their electric bills and an 8 percent increase in their natural gas bills.
On March 30, a budget agreement was announced at the state’s capital that includes $5.3 billion in new taxes and fees.  An initial 2 percent increase of utility bills is part of the budget, which now seemingly puts Central Hudson in the position of State Tax Collector.
Central Hudson CEO Steven Lant claimed the utility provider’s three rate increases since the 1990’s is modest, comparing the organization to local school boards or county budgets which, he said, could increase every year.
“We have been hard at work for over fifteen years wringing every last dollar out of our cost structure,� said Lant. “For the ten years, almost always we’ve been the lowest priced electric company in New York State.�
Lant said that in July the company identified three reasons why they needed to increase rates. He said Central Hudson had been using a rate settlement since 2006 that was based on a seriously flawed sales forecast, stating they extrapolated the strong growth they had seen in 1999 – 2005 for several more years. He said that for a variety of reasons, most recently the recession, that forecast fell short.
“Almost half the rate increase we’re seeking now is just to restore that revenue that didn’t come in 2006,� explained Lant.
The Central Hudson exec said the utility also had to consider the more mundane problems such as rising property taxes and labor costs. Lant said that much of the inflation that the electric company is dealing with comes from the commodities of aluminum, copper and steel it uses.
Lant said that it’s important for CH customers to keep in mind a longer-term perspective, stating the company’s infrastructure is aging. He said part of keeping the rates low over the years has come with a trade-off of inspecting and maintaining old equipment.
“Most of our system, especially the substation and transmission lines, is 35 – 60 years old,� Lant said.
He said CH has done a great job keeping it operational status but he believes as more time passes relying on an aged infrastructure, the greater the risk of catastrophic failure.
Lant said that he is dissatisfied with the state’s budget and noted they already are a big tax collector for New York. He said as a company with franchise territory in New York State that can’t up and move as many businesses have done, it is too convenient for the state to load more and more tax collection responsibilities on them.
“We’re now over $60 million per year that we’re collecting from all of you,� Lant told GSDCC breakfast attendees. “This latest increase is about $12 million per year. It is aggravating to all of us but what bothers me the most is that we can’t even show you how many taxes we’re paying in our bills.�
Lant believes the new state budget is step backward in terms of growing the economy and trying to attract business.
How could nuclear be vital to transforming the U.S. energy landscape? According to Indian Point’s Vice President Joseph Pollock, nuclear, in generation, is a clean energy. He said their cost for fuel is only about 29 percent of their total cost of generating electricity.
He said the low fuel cost creates a stable marketplace for energy. In turn, fuel costs account for almost 79 percent and gas fuel costs are 98 percent.
“We have a wide variation of costs – we have dual adjustment costs that goes into our energy bills and we’re dependent on foreign supplies for much of that,� explained Pollock. “There has to be a mix, and where we can help the mix by stabilizing the market with our generation costs. We go for two years at a time, our last run was for 679 days before we had to refuel.�
Pollack emphasized that plants such as Indian Point are clean generators and also help moderate the volatility of the market of fuel costs.
Indian Point employs over 1,100 people full time and has a payroll of over $100 million. 50 percent of the nuclear power pant’s employees reside in Dutchess County, which translates into $50 million in wages for the county’s community.
Indian Point has an operating budget of over $200 million per year, which includes labor, and pays approximately $25 million in taxes, annually.
How close is the solar power industry to delivering on its promise of the technology? Vincent Cozzolino, chairman and CEO of The Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) noted that the solar industry has been around for more than 30 years and the promise is still alive.
He said a lot of solar technologies are being installed right now, mainly residentially but the commercial sector is experiencing growth as well.
Cozzolino noted that the cost for solar is greater than the traditional energy sources. In the Obama administration’s stimulus budget, money has been put aside for research and development, specifically for solar energy and storage devices – mainly batteries.
“The nice thing about the sun is when it shines you can produce a lot of electricity but when it goes down you need to store it somewhere,� said Cozzolino. “We have a real opportunity now to tackle that with all economic plans to make that work efficiently.�
The TSEC head said that he has seen and been part of some of the fight to get the cost of solar energy down as far as $.05 per kilowatt. Cozzolino said to get the cost lower everything from an end to end point of view, from raw materials used for the systems to the generating platform, needs to be thoroughly examined.
Another change in the industry Cozzolino thinks we’ll see advancement in, in terms of economics, is solar farming. He said he expects to see solar farms built even in New York where there are currently none in operation.
“Long Island will probably be the first, as LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) is sponsoring 50 megawatts of solar energy,� said Cozzolino.
He noted that concentrating on the construction of solar farms would bring the industry’s energy cost production closer and closer to that of conventional sources. Cozzolino agreed with fellow CEOs Lant and Pollock that there is no one solution to our energy needs. The future, they said, is a mix of fossil fuels and renewable energy sources, which could include oil, natural gas, coal, solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear.
“We need all of them. We can’t succumb to the belief that there is one silver bullet,� expressed Lant. “Every form of energy has pros and cons, it has strengths and weaknesses. It much better thought of as a balanced portfolio than as a dependence on any one source.�
    

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Walkway Over the Hudson and Dutchess County Tourism held a Hudson Valley trails and economic workshop Tuesday aimed at raising awareness of the economic possibilities of the pending 7000-foot pedestrian bridge targeted for completion in September 2009, in time for the quadricentennial celebrations.

According to Fred Schaeffer, president of the non-profit Walk Over the Hudson, the workshop was organized to find ways of making the most of the project as a source of income for individual businesses and the area as a whole. " The Walkway Over the Hudson is creating what will be the world’s longest pedestrian bridge and will connect with trails on both sides of the river. We think it’s going to be an economic road to this area and that people will come from all over to visit and to enjoy the network that we have. So we invited a lot of tourist businesses to come to this meeting so that they can learn how to make the most of the walkway project when it opens this October," he said.

One of the key note speakers , David Lindhal, a principal of Morton Trails, a sport and recreation trail systems consulting firm, said trails are now the most valued amenity for home buyers citing a study that showed that more people are retiring into rural and semi- metropolitan areas.

"Trails are now the most valued amenity that people consider when they buy a house , they are not just sort of a side piece but something that has become a part of people’s daily lives. They are valuing it for whether they are going out for run in the afternoon after work or simply vacations that are built around being around being able to mount bike or run or ski. So the economic benefits are very real, with about a 20 dollar premium for houses and lots that are proximate to a well designed trail system," he said.

The Walkway project estimated to cost $35 million, according to the Walkway website is expected to bring in 14 to 15 million dollars a year, said Rob Camoin, another guest speaker and principal at Camoin Associates, the firm which was hired to do a feasibility study and assessment of the project.

"The direct economic impact, that is additional spending from visitors, is estimated to be approximately 14 to 15 million dollars per year. These expenditures will result in a total of $21 million dollars of new economic activity regionally and statewide. That money that comes in from spending by visitors on goods and services that they wouldn’t have otherwise spent in Dutchess or Ulster county and it also includes the money that businesses take in ,"he said, adding that construction of the bridge would create 258 new jobs.

Camoin also added that the cost of the bridge, which spans the Hudson River and connects the City of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County with the Town of Lloyd in Ulster County had gone up from 24 million dollars a year ago when the feasibility study was done, a hike Walkway attributes to increases in the prices of steel, concrete and fuel.

The workshop attracted a cross section of people in the tourism industry from Dutchess and Ulster counties and surrounding areas, according to Director of Dutchess Tourism, Mary Kay Vrba.

"There is a variety of people here, we have people from bed and breakfasts, hotels, art galleries, government, historic sites, restaurants, the trail users themselves and those that are responsible for the trails," she said.
The workshop also featured other panelists who gave presentations on marketing strategies for trails in the area.

Cutline – Walkway Over the Hudson

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Since 1946, auction-related memorabilia has been accumulating at the Absolute Auction Center in Pleasant Valley. The collection consists of postcards, trade cards, catalogs, business cards, handbills, manuscripts, receipts and broadsides that will be sold online at AARauction.com. The ephemeron, dating from the 1700’s to the early part of the 20th Century, is just the first session of approximately 525 lots.

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The controversial New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) project has reached another milestone in the "Article 7" review process, as evidentiary hearings before the Public Service Commission are under way in Albany. Counsel for the NYRI project Len Singer began the hearings by calling a panel of expert witnesses from NYRI to answer questions regarding testimony previously submitted to the Public Service Commission. They faced questions from commission appointed lawyers as well as opposition led by Communities Against Regional Interconnect (CARI). The purpose of the evidentiary hearing is to allow cross-examination of parties concerning submitted testimony before Administrative Law Judges Michelle L. Phillips and Jeffrey E. Stockholm. Prefiled testimony can also be found at the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.state.ny.us.

NYRI is a private investment group that seeks to run 190 miles of power lines from Oneida to Orange Counties. They are pitching their $2 billion project as one that can run energy, including renewable energy, from upstate to downstate. NYRI advocates say the current structure is inefficient and overloaded leading to wasted energy and higher rates. They also say NYRI fits in with President Obama’s plan to build 3,000 new miles of power lines in the country. Though derided by many politicians and residents, the NYRI project recently received a letter of support from four downstate Congressmen from New York City and Long Island who stand to benefit from the increased supply of electricity – Peter T. King, Michael20E. McMahon, Edolphus Towns and Yvette Clarke. Hudson Valley Congressmen Maurice Hinchey and John Hall have been outspoken opponents of the power lines.

On the first day of testimony, an upstate local newspaper reported that lawyers for CARI grilled the NYRI panel on the line’s possible impacts on "cultural and historic" resources. The attorney, Patricia Naughton, criticized them for picking a route for the project that would have more of a more detrimental effect than other proposed routes. A lawyer from the Department of Agriculture and Markets questioned the panel about potential impact on farmland. A Public Service Commission lawyer asked why a library that existed near the proposed power lines did not appear on their map. The hearings will last four to six weeks and can be viewed live or taped over the internet. Instructions can be found at the commission’s website at www.dps.state.ny.us.

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Depending upon your point of view, and whether you’re a glass half-empty or half-full kind of person, February’s New Residential Construction Report, released on March 17^th by HUD showed either great promised for a new housing recovery sometime this year – or just a new paint job on the same old news. First, the good news: New housing "starts" for February were up 22 percent above their revised January estimate. Even though the new statistic was far better than most analysts had predicted, the same pundits were quick to point out that the healthy number is still 47.4 percent off last February’s figure. More importantly, the pundits noted, multi-family housing starts had driven nearly all of that gain. When you took those out of the picture, single family home starts were actually only up by 1.1 percent…but up, nonetheless.

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Nelson Duran and Claudio Vasquez, both 34-years-old, have a word of advice for people who dream of someday owning their own business. They say - go for it! Duran and Vasquez took a chance on running their own business three years ago and haven’t looked back. Together they own and operate Hi-Tech Auto Glass, a service based out of the North Rockland village of Garnerville that installs and repairs "all things glass" in a car – front and rear windshields, side windows and mirrors.

Duran and Vasquez went to North Rockland High School together and later worked for 15 and 12 years respectively at Triumph Auto Glass in Rockland County before leaving their main gig to pursue the dream of running their own business. "We decided it was time to go. It was not easy. I have two kids, he has one kid. We were making good money, had a company van. We were like – let’s take a chance," Vasquez said.

"Since then, we’ve got a good name for ourselves," Duran said. "I didn’t want to get old and say ‘I wish I had opened a business.’ I didn’t know it was going to be like this. It’s great. If I had to do it over again I would have done it sooner."

"People ask me – is this a permanent job? Well, we’re always busy, every day. We have two big mortgages and we’re paying them. Hi-Tech never says no to us," Vasquez said.

Through persistent effort and good service the two men have earned accounts with most of the dealerships and auto shops in the North Rockland area. At first business was challenging and they were only getting eight to ten jobs some weeks and traveling up to 45 minutes away for a job. Now it is common that they have eight to ten jobs a day. Like any fledgling business, they had to hustle and promote themselves, leaving business cards in parking lots where they saw a car with a cracked windshield, for example. Now, they have the opposite problem – they don’t want to get too much busier than they already are.

"We want to keep it like this - nice and steady. We knew when we started the first year was going to be hard, but you have to look forward," Vasquez said. Duran and Vasquez said they are not in a hurry to expand their business because they pride themselves on being able to offer personal service based on their years of experience. "We’re not in a hurry to hire too many people because it’s hard to find steady hands. It’s hard to find somebody who cares. The only reason we had jobs when we left was because we had customers who trusted us. When you’re the owner yourself you care more than employees in a big company do," Vasquez said.

Duran said that installing a windshield is a fairly delicate process and if its done incorrectly it can cause a major problem, such as rust, leaks, cracks or in a worst-case scenario the windshield can come out of its bearings during an accident. Often they will have a job to repair a faulty installation done by an amateur. "Some people try to go to some cheap place, but if you don’t have it done professionally it can cause major problems," Duran said.

Duran and Vasquez will install glass on a range of cars from used vehicles worth a few hundred dollars to Mercedes Benz’s worth over $100,000. They do not have a shop, but travel to jobs in their Hi-Tech Auto Glass vans.

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Today more than ever it's important that those who are in a position to benefit your career know who you are and what you’ve accomplished. Successful professionals understand the importance both of being visible and letting others know about their achievements. As importantly, they know how to reach this objective in an appropriate way that is not construed as bragging or conceit.

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