A CT-Based Software Co Expands to Armonk; Yonkers Dominates the Business Headlines; Office Suites Open Up in Ardsley

People

Mary Spengler

Armonk resident Jessica Galligan Goldsmith, a partner with White Plains-based law firm Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever, announced this past month that she has joined the Estate Planning Council of Westchester County Inc. The council is a not-for-profit corporation and an exclusive organization comprising of many leading estate planning professionals in Westchester. Goldsmith is a recognized legal expert in trusts and estates, as she was named a Trusts and Estates New York Metro Super Lawyer in 2009 and 2010 for her work in estate planning, probate law, and business succession planning. She also was previously named to the list of Top 25 Attorneys in Westchester for 2010 by Super Lawyers . Goldsmith is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and earned her J.D. at Harvard Law School.

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Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester (HPCW) recently announced that Mary Spengler has joined the agency as executive director. Spengler has played an instrumental role at the White Plains-based agency since its founding 19 years ago. In 1991, she was designated by White Plains Hospital Center to work with Visiting Nurse Services in Westchester to establish a joint hospice program. The program eventually became Hospice of Westchester and is now known as HPCW. Spengler has been a member of the program’s Board of Directors, has chaired and served on various board committees, and has been an active member of the Development Advisory Board.

New businesses, relocations, and operations

AmkaiSolutions, a healthcare software company based in Waterbury, Connecticut, announced in late April that it will be expanding into Armonk and creating 103 new jobs, including 35 new positions this year. The company, which specializes in electronic medical records and practice management solutions, will lease a 7,000-square-foot office space at 200 Business Park Drive. The state has pledged to provide the company with $434,130 in tax credits, while AmkaiSolutions will invest $437,000 in its New York operations.

Local attorney Brian Mittman and former marketing executive Jane Fogelson announced that they have founded a new marketing firm known as Daisy Dog Marketing, based in Purchase. Mittman is managing partner at Markhoff & Mittman, a disability law firm based in White Plains, and Fogelson is a small-business marketing executive who previously worked with the law firm. The firm, which has dubbed itself “a company’s best friend,” offers small businesses expertise in direct marketing, strategies, and campaigns, as well as tracking and analyzing data. To learn more about the firm, visit its website at www.daisydogmarketing.com.

O2 Living, a holistic lifestyle and wellness community, recently celebrated the grand opening of its latest natural lifestyle center inside the Saw Mill Club at 77 Kensico Drive in Mount Kisco. The wellness center features O2 Living’s signature one-, three-, five-, and seven-day juice cleanses, which gently detoxify the body — along with all-natural, freshly processed fruit and vegetable juices and custom raw-food plans to help preserve the benefits of a cleanse. The cleanses and food plans are available for pre-order and pick-up at the Saw Mill Club, and orders can be placed by hone at (914) 733-4014 or through the center’s “Juice Cleanse” app now available in the App Store for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The Saw Mill Club location is open weekdays from 8:15 am to 2 pm and Saturdays from 8:15 am to 12 pm. More information can be found on O2 Living’s website at www.o2living.me.

The DoubleTree by Hilton-Tarrytown is inviting all couples who held their wedding receptions at the hotel since its opening (as the Tarrytown Hilton) in 1961 to a special event as part of a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. The event, which has been dubbed 50 Golden Years of Weddings, will be held on Friday, September 9, and will feature food, dancing, and photos of the couples on their respective wedding days. Couples wishing to participate should email Michelle Citino at michelle.citino@hilton.com and indicate their names, address, phone number, and the date of their wedding reception.

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Kudos

David Ferrucci

Nagui Halim

 

David Ferrucci and Nagui Halim, two employees at IBM Research in Yorktown, were among eight employees of the company to be named as IBM Fellows for 2011. The recognition is the company’s top tech honor. Ferrucci was credited with making unprecedented progress in machine question-answering by leading a team that provided the architecture for Watson, the IBM supercomputer that defeated human champions on Jeopardy! Halim was honored for leading a large team that developed stream computing, which became known as System S, a new method of conducting high-speed analysis of streaming data.

The Business Council of Westchester recently announced the Class of 2011 for its annual Rising Stars: 40 Under 40 awards, which recognize and honor 40 individuals under the age of 40 who “exemplify the leadership, foresight, and vision for the future of our county.”

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Nat Mundy, co-founder and vice-present at Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco, was among the 40 Under 40 award recipients recognized for his professional accomplishments, leadership, and success. The 30-year-old Mundy also was honored by 914INC. as one of only 24 “Westchester Wunderkinds,” the county’s brightest young entrepreneurs.

Jon Chattman, director of communications at the Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains, also was honored as a 40 Under 40 recipient, along with Mario Mirabella, Jr., owner and creative director at MSM DesignZ, Inc., in Tarrytown. The recipients of the honor will be feted at a cocktail reception and awards presentation held at MasterCard headquarters in Purchase on June 9. See the “914 Datebook” section below for registration information.

Purchase-based PepsiCo recently awarded the Harvey C. Russell Award, the company’s most prestigious recognition of diversity and inclusion, to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, an internationally accredited nonprofit guide-dog school located in Yorktown Heights. While the award traditionally is given to PepsiCo employees, it is sometimes bestowed upon the company’s external partners. Guiding Eyes collaborates with PepsiCo in numerous areas, including assistive technology, volunteerism, consumer marketing, workplace inclusion, and product packaging and labeling. PepsiCo praised Guiding Eyes for the nonprofit group’s significant leadership in providing empowerment and independence to people with varying abilities.

Acorda Therapeutics of Hawthorne was recently named as one of the Best Companies to Work For in New York State. Acorda was ranked third among large companies (with more than 250 employees) in the annual statewide survey and awards conducted by the New York State Society for Human Resource Management, the Business Council of New York, and the Best Companies Group. The statewide survey and awards program, which names 50 companies in New York to the awards list, identifies and honors the best places of employment across the state.

Purchase-based Quorum Federal Credit Union was a repeat winner, after being named to the Best Companies to Work For in New York State list for the second year in a row. The firm was ranked 10th overall in the “Companies with Less than 250 Employees” category.

The Greyston Foundation of Yonkers will honor Ruth Suzman of Scarsdale and Andre Kassoy of Manhattan at the Greyston Annual Benefit on June 9. Suzman and Kassoy are being recognized for their dedication to the foundation and to the Yonkers community. Suzman is a generous supporter and Greyston volunteer who has served on the board of the foundation for a decade. Kassoy is a co-founder of B Lab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to harnessing the power of business to affect social and environmental change, and has worked closely with Greyston Bakery. The foundation supports community development efforts as a means of achieving personal and community transformation. See the “914 Datebook” section below for more information on the benefit.

Sarah Brown, who serves as senior director of Child and Youth Services at Greyston Child
Care Center in Yonkers, has been chosen to receive the Joey Award from the Child Care Council of Westchester. Brown will be recognized at the council’s 2011 Awards Breakfast on June 3. The Joey Award, which has been presented for 23 consecutive years, recognizes exceptional individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Westchester’s system of early childcare and education.

anagement consulting firm Strategy Leaders, as its 2011 Overachiever of the Year. The award was presented along with the 2011 Spirit of Achievement. The awards dinner was hosted by Junior Achievement of Hudson Valley at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown. 

The most populous city in Westchester has been home to a flurry of economic development over the past month, as business headlines in local publications have covered goings-on in Yonkers on an almost-daily basis. Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. announced late last month that it will invest $25 million in its Yonkers corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility, retaining all 375 of its employees in the process. The company, which manufactures subway and commuter train cars for the MTA, received a $500,000 grant from the state’s Empire State Development Corporation for its investment in the region.

Meanwhile, the 2011 Yonkers Business Week kicked off on May 2nd, with the five-day event focused on the opening of the first businesses at Ridge Hill Village, the arrival of a new biotechnology company (ContraFect Corp.) and the unveiling of a startup company incubator known as the Y Enterprise Business Center. The first business at the Ridge Hill development, Cinema De Lux movie theater, opened on May 6, and an REI sporting goods store will follow on May 20. The complex is expected to formally open in October following the opening of a Whole Foods Market sometime in September.

Yonkers Honda, a car dealership that has been in business since 1923, just opened a 150,000-square-foot new service and used car center on Yonkers Avenue. The dealership will host a grand opening celebration on June 10, with Mayor Phil Amicone expected to be in attendance. The mayor and other city officials also attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Giovanna IV, a new pizzeria and restaurant located on Main Street in downtown Yonkers. And as reported in the Journal News on April 26, local officials recently attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a $32 miilion, 12-story apartment tower on North Broadway. The 92-unit building will offer apartments to middle-class families with incomes no greater than 60 percent of the median family income in the county.

While things seemed to be looking up in Yonkers, there was mixed news regarding some prominent county-based corporations. Purchase-based MasterCard, Inc., saw its shares rise to their highest level in nearly three years after posting a first-quarter profit that exceeded expectations. But the company’s neighbors in Purchase, PepsiCo, Inc., announced that it was struggling with higher commodity costs as the company posted first-quarter earnings that were down from the previous year. Meanwhile, mobile-device manufacturer Nokia Corp. announced it would close its U.S. office in White Plains as part of a global consolidation effort. While the timetable and exact job loss numbers were not immediately available, the company had previously employed roughly 300 workers at the office.

Executives, however, seem to be optimistic about the economic prospects for our region and the rest of the country. According to a biannual survey of chief financial officers (CFOs) in the Northeast, 52 percent of those asked believe that the U.S. economy will improve over the next six months — a figure that rose from 30 percent when the survey was last taken six months earlier. Still, 78 percent of Northeastern CFOs surveyed are concerned with the price of employee benefits. Forty-two percent said their company intends to increase its head count over the next six months — a figure that rose from 27 percent six months ago. The survey was conducted by Grant Thornton, LLP.


914INC.’s commercial real estate showcase
 

Property:
545-547 Saw Mill River Rd
Ardsley, NY 10502

Brokered by:
NAI Friedland Realty
David Scotto
(914) 968-8500

 

Availability:
There are currently five professional office suites available, ranging from 195 square feet to 1,653 square feet. Rental rates vary from $30 per square foot to $36.92 per square foot.

Selling points:
This collection of professional office suites is conveniently located on Route 9A (Saw Mill River Rd) in Ardsley. The property features professionally maintained buildings with elevators and 24-hour access. There is plenty of onsite parking available. The location also offers convenient access to major highways nearby, including I-87 (the New York State Thruway), I-287 (Cross-Westchester Expressway), and the Saw Mill River Parkway.


Upcoming Business Events

TUESDAY 5/17/2011

â— 914INC. Magazine’s Westchester Wunderkinds Reception — 6 pm to 8 pm at Don Coqui, 115 Cedar St, New Rochelle. Join 914INC. and Westchester’s Wunderkinds for a night of cocktails, lite bites, and lively conversation. The event will feature and honor some of the county’s top young business minds—all under the age of 30. $55. For more information, call (914) 345-0601, ext. 146, or email pr@westchestermagazine.com.

WEDNESDAY 5/18/2011

â— Workshop: Franchises, Are They Right for You? — 1 pm to 3 pm at 120 Bloomingdale Rd, White Plains. Presented by SCORE Westchester County, this workshop will explain how to take advantage of business franchise opportunities. Free. For more information, call (914) 948-3907 or visit www.scorewestchester.com.

â— Business After Business — 5 pm to 7 pm at Mapleton of Good Counsel, 52 N Broadway, White Plains. Build high-quality, one-to-one relationships with businesspeople in the region by attending one of these casual networking events. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. $20 for Business Council of Westchester members; $40 for future members. For more information or to register, visit the Business Council website at westchesterny.org.

THURSDAY 5/19/2011

â— Progressive Assisted Living — A New Type of Real Estate — 8:15 am at the Westchester Putnam Association of Realtors, 60 S Broadway, White Plains. Join the Commercial and Investment Division (CID) of the Westchester Putnam Association of Realtors as they welcome three principals of Fountain Square Properties to its breakfast meeting. Managing partner David Faeder along with Tiffany Tomasso and Steve Lampa will discuss Westchester’s newest senior living facility, the Kensington, located in downtown White Plains. Continentalbreakfast is included. $10. For more information or to register, visit the WPAR website at www.wpar.com.

SATURDAY 5/21/2011

â— 99 Tips to Transform Your Business and Your Hair — 11 am to 4 pm at Renee & Co. Hair Couture, 32 Westchester Ave, White Plains. This event will be focused on female empowerment in a fun, positive, and relaxing environment. Panel moderator Amelia Ismore, who contributed to the new self-help book SheEOs: 99 Tips to Transform Your Business by Saiedah Browne, will lead an engaging interactive discussion on women in business. The panel will include guests from the fashion, marketing, multimedia, and cosmetic industries. Free. For more information, call (914) 419-6820.

WEDNESDAY 5/25/2011

â— Workshop: Business and Taxes — 1 pm to 3 pm at 120 Bloomingdale Rd, White Plains. Presented by SCORE Westchester County, this workshop will feature an overview of tax law and business, including naming, corporate legal structure, and other considerations. Free. For more information, call (914) 948-3907 or visit www.scorewestchester.com.

WEDNESDAY 6/1/2011

â— Workshop: What to Consider Before Going Into Business — 1 pm to 3 pm at 120 Bloomingdale Rd, White Plains. Presented by SCORE Westchester County, this workshop will cover the personal and financial considerations that all individuals should address before starting their own business. Free. For more information, call (914) 948-3907 or visit www.scorewestchester.com.

THURSDAY 6/2/2011

â— Focus on: Workforce Development and the Economy — 7:30 am to 9 am at the Westchester Marriott, 670 White Plains Rd, Tarrytown. Renowned labor economist Paul Harrington, who serves as director of the newly created Center for Labor Markets and Policy at Drexel University in Philadelphia, will address economic and labor market development (on the regional, the national, and other levels) and the uncertain nature of our current economic recovery. Breakfast will be served. $30 for Business Council of Westchester members and future members; $200 for a table of eight. For more information and to register, visit the Business Council website at www.westchesterny.org.

FRIDAY 6/3/2011

â— The Child Care Council of Westchester 2011 Awards Breakfast — 8:30 am at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 66 Hale Ave, White Plains. Join the Child Care Council of Westchester, Inc., as the organization recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to early care and education in the county. The council will present the 23rd annual Joey Awards, as well as the Champion for Children Awards, which debuted in 2003. Tickets start at $45 for members; $75 for non-members. Sponsorships are available. For more information, visit the council’s website at www.childcarewestchester.org.

WEDNESDAY 6/8/2011

â— Workshop: Sales Strategy — 1 pm to 3 pm at 120 Bloomingdale Rd, White Plains. Presented by SCORE Westchester County, this workshop will cover the importance of establishing a unique sales edge, building a customer profile, performing market research, and more. Free. For more information, call (914) 948-3907 or visit www.scorewestchester.com.

THURSDAY 6/9/2011

â— Rising Stars Westchester’s 40 Under 40 — 5:30 pm to 8 pm at MasterCard Worldwide, 2000 Purchase St, Purchase. Come join the Business Council of Westchester as it honors the Class of 2011 — 40 outstanding individuals under the age of 40 who exemplify leadership, foresight, and vision for the future of the county. Cocktail reception and awards presentation, $50. RSVP required by June 2. For more information, contact Pat Nicolais at (914) 948-2110. To register, visit the Business Council website at www.westchesterny.org.

â— Greyston 2011 Annual Benefit — 6:30 pm to 9 pm at X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, 71 Water Grant St, Yonkers. Join the Greyston Foundation as it honors Andrew Kassoy and Ruth Suzman for its dedication to the ideals of social entrepreneurship and its far-reaching impact on the local community. Tickets start at $350 per person; sponsorships are available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Greyston Foundation website at www.greyston.org.

 

Our Women in Business Awards event is November 21!

Our Best of Business event is October 30!

Our CEOs & Business Leaders Golf Outing is August 5!

Our Best of Westchester Party is July 24!

Our Westchester Home Design Awards event is June 26!

Our Wine & Food Festival returns June 4-9!

Our Wunderkinds event takes place on May 23!

Our Best of Business Ballot is open through May 15!

Our Healthcare Heroes Awards event takes place on May 9!

Our Westchester Home Builders Awards take place on April 4!

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Forum is March 14!

Unveiled: A Boutique Bridal Brunch is February 25!

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