People:
Alice Feintuch has been named director of the Phoenix Memory Program at New Rochelle’s Willow Towers Assisted Living. She was formerly a care consultant with They don’t use it in the official name, but I’m sure we could put a lower case, which they do sometimes.] Alzheimer’s Association, a member of the United Hebrew of New Rochelle eldercare organization, Willow Towers dedicated a floor of its facility to Alzheimer’s and memory impaired patients.
| Littman Krooks, LLP, of White Plains have announced that Sheryl Frishman and Jill Faber, formerly partners in the law offices of Frishman & Faber, P.C., have joined the firm as of March 1. “We are proud to have Sheryl and Jill join our firm,” says Bernard A. Krooks, founding partner of Littman Krooks. “They will enhance our ability to serve the special-needs community in the New York metropolitan area.” |   |
New businesses, relocations & operations
Yonkers-based Blinds To Go, North America’s largest manufacturer and retailer of window blinds and shades, with 120 stores in the U.S. and Canada, recently relocated its showroom to a new, 3,000-square-foot Central Avenue space in Hartsdale from its former location in Yonkers. “We are excited to be launching a store of this caliber as we continue expanding the Blinds To Go presence in the Northeast,” says Nkere Udofia, vice chairman of Blinds To Go. “Customers will surely appreciate the expanse of our product display, in addition to factory direct pricing, forty-eight-hour delivery and red-carpet customer service, all core tenets of the Blinds To Go retail paradigm.”

The new store, which will be staffed by eight design consultants, is located at 150 South Central Ave; call (914) 395-3949 for more info.

Kudos:
The Breast Imaging Center at Phelps Memorial Hospital has received an award of excellence from The American College of Radiology. ACR recognizes breast-imaging centers that have earned accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, and breast ultrasound (including ultrasound-guided breast biopsy). Robert Perelman, MD, director of the hospital’s Department of Radiology, credits the center’s current director, Dr. Norman Lee, a noted breast-imaging specialist and its current director of breast imaging. “The designation Dr. Lee and his staff have earned from the American College of Radiology means that women can confidently choose Phelps with the knowledge that the breast imaging services they receive will meet or exceed national standards.”
Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail, a second book by Tarrytown author Caitlin Kelly, will be released on April 14. Published by Portfolio/Penguin, the memoir is Kelly’s account of working retail for The North Face.
The media landscape is changing significantly in the county. Call it progress, call it greener, but, most of all, call it “a lot happening.” 


First up, www.lohud.com, the online component to the Journal News, a Gannett publication, has a newly designed website. “We partnered with the same firm that helped media sites like CNN to dramatically overhaul their sites,” reports Online Director James Kwasnik. “We’ve streamlined the website to make it cleaner-looking and easier to navigate. We’ve thrown out the old, outdated features and introduced new features to make users’ experience more enjoyable.” Some of these improvements, he says, include the ability to play videos and peruse photo galleries “from right inside the related article and connecting to our site using Facebook.” 
 

Second, Main Street Connect is the new hyper-local community media outlet on the web, à la Patch. Main Street Connect was founded by CEO Carll Tucker, the former editor and publisher of Cross-River-based Trader Publications, Inc. , which he founded in 1981 and sold to Gannett in 1999. Tucker says that 21 Westchester County sites will open for business on June 1, including Chappaqua, New Rochelle, Rye, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, and White Plains—among the villages that Patch has been covering. But don’t expect Main Street Connect’s arrival to turn the Patch into a line in the sand. “We believe that more coverage is better for everyone,” says President of Patch Media Warren Webster, “and welcome any and all new sites. The real winners are the residents of these wonderful towns.” 


And finally, Westfair Communications Inc. of White Plains has purchased the free, oversized magazine WAG from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Westfair would not respond to emails or phone calls for comment. It also took over a local publication focusing on the 55+ and re-launched it as Generations, available for free at kiosks at Metro-North stations and elsewhere around the county.
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Good news, New York State. The private sector is 95,100 jobs stronger—24,500 more than initially estimated—from the start of the state’s economic recovery in December 2009 through December 2010. Also, with regard to private-sector job loss, the state lost 335,300 jobs during its recession from April 2008 to December 2009, 17,400 jobs less than initially estimated.
The New York State economy actually outperformed that of the nation, with private-sector job growth count increasing by 11,500 or 0.2 percent, while at the same time job loss fell by 2,400, less that 0.1 percent. The national number was at 0.8 percent. “Our revised data show that New York lost fewer jobs in the recession than we first estimated. We also added more jobs during the current recovery than earlier calculated. Our state’s economy outperformed the nation, with stronger job growth and a lower unemployment rate in 2010,” says Rod Fortran, bureau chief for Labor Market Information, Division of Research and Statistics.
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Not all abandoned buildings due to business closings remain shuttered.
The Jewish Community Center on the Hudson in Tarrytown is currently underway with a capital campaign that will expand its current 17,000-square-foot single building center into a 75,000-square-foot campus. The new campus will comprise the adjacent and former General Motors training center, located on South Broadway just south of Route 119 in Tarrytown.
Currently, the JCC has collected $4.5 million towards its fundraising goal of $7 million. Seeking to break ground in 2011, envisioned is a 2012 or 2013 completion date.
“The building of the new JCC will not only provide numerous programs and services for the community, it will create more than 100 new jobs and create opportunities to enhance and stimulate local businesses,” says Executive Director Frank Hassid. “When we talk to potential donors, we tell them that if you are looking for a bang for your buck, what could be better than investing in something that will serve thousands of individuals every year and will be around for a hundred years.”
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A first in White Plains, and a first for the nation: a digital display communications network concentrated in a downtown area. At no cost to White Plains, a state-of-the-art network of eight 6’ x 3.3’ displays have been installed on City of White Plains Department of Parking properties in high-impact locations throughout the downtown area. Static advertising images are rotated on each display in an eight-second loop, allowing for communications between City Departments and the general public.


“It was a desire on the part of the parking department to find a new revenue stream and increase revenues and keep taxes down,” says Albert Moroni, city parking commissioner. “We brought in Clear Channel and kicked the idea around with them for about a year about the concept about having signage outside of garages where we had millions of cars. We had the opportunity to eliminate maintenance costs for regular signs. It’s been a great boost to the city and great getting info out about city events.”
Harry Coughlan, general manager of the New York and Spectacolor Divisions at Clear Channel Outdoor, was equally satisfied with the project. “In 2009, the City of White Plains and Clear Channel Outdoor unveiled the city’s first digital display network, which enables City Departments to instantaneously communicate with the general public in the downtown area. Digital technology is an incredibly effective platform to reach the increasingly transient public with emergency and safety communications, as well as unique marketing messages. Since its launch, public officials, advertisers and consumers have embraced this transformative technology and we’ll continue to work with the City to ensure the network’s viability and success.”
914INC.’s commercial real estate showcase
Property: 84 Calvert St, Harrison
Owned by:
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 
1331A North Ave, New Rochelle
(914) 633-5540
Availability:
Lease:
Rent/Square Feet/Year:
2,815 square feet518 square feet
1,620 square feetOffice
$20.98 – $23.00
Expenses: 2008 Tax @ $3.81/square foot
For Sale at $1,360,000 ($181.82/SF) – Active
Selling points: Located near the heart of Harrison, this small, private building with on-site parking for 28 cars is just a block from the Metro-North station, Municipal Hall, Ma Riis Memorial Park, the town Library, recreation center, bus line, taxis, post office, copy and graphics center, plus many other shops and conveniences including a neighborhood deli and a variety of dining options.
Contact:
Al E. Smith
Office: (914) 633-5540, ext. 123
Mobile: (706)-536-2199
or Lisa Whitnum
(332) 804-0779
MONDAY, 3/14/11 – SUNDAY, 3/27/11
The fifth annual Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, an enormously popular multi-county culinary extravaganza that runs for 14 days, began March 11 and ends Sunday, March 27. Participating restaurants offer prix-fixe, three-course dinners at $28 (excluding beverage, tax, and tip) and many offer three-course lunches at $20.
Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is presented by The Valley Table. Major sponsors are American Express, WHUD Radio, The Gold Standard, Dutchess County Tourism and Westchester County Tourism. Others include Harvest-on-Hudson, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, JetBlue, Coca-Cola, M&R Energy, Jeraci Food Distributors, M&T Bank, Hudson Valley Bank, Riverside Bank, Walden Saving Bank, and Empire State Bank.
For more information and a complete list of participating restaurants, call (845) 561-2022 or visit www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com.
WEDNESDAY, 3/23/11 – THURSDAY, 3/24/11
The African American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties will host its Eleventh Annual Business to Business Exchange & Women Leaders Luncheon. The 2011 theme is “Strategies for Success in a Recessed Economy.” For additional information or to make reservations, call (914) 699-6279
THURSDAY, 3/24/11
The Westchester Business Connection presents a Riverview Soiree at the Yonkers Riverview Club, 1155 Warburton Avenue. Held from 6 pm to 9 pm, the evening will feature food from fine area restaurants Hasting-on-the-Hudson’s Juniper; Dolphin Restaurant, Bar & Lounge in Yonkers; The Cookery Restaurant and Harpers on Main of Dobbs Ferry; and Good Life Gourmet, with locations in Irvington and Scarsdale. There are only 80 tickets available; there will be no door admission.
THURSDAY, 3/24/11
The Sleepy Hollow Chamber of Commerce will host its 2010 Outstanding Business Awards from 8:15 am to 10 am at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill Mansion. Awards will be presented for Outstanding Business, Non-Profit Organization of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, New Member of the Year, and the President’s Award. Admission for members is free; guests are $10 and non-members are $15. For more information, contact John Sardy at (914) 631-1705, or jsSardy@sleepyhollowchamber.com.
FRIDAY, 3/25/11
Questions affecting the business community will be answered by New York State Assembly and Senate legislators of Westchester and Putnam Counties at the Annual New York State Legislators Breakfast, held at the Tappan Hill Mansion (81 Highland Ave, Tarrytown) from 8 am to 10 am. Members are $65, and Future MMembers are $80. Advanced reservations are required; there’s a $10 additional walk-in fee.
A special “Circles of Influence” Business After Business event will be held on Thursday, March 31, from 5 pm to 7 pm to participate in the Business Council of Westchester’s 2011 new incentive program. The event will be held at Hilton Rye Town in Rye Brook.
WEDNESDAY, 3/30/11
Westchester Networking For Professionals will hold an evening of Cocktails & Conversations from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. Held at New Rochelle’s Radisson Hotel, the evening will feature complimentary appetizers, door prizes, raffles, half-price drinks, and a cash bar. PCM members are free with RSVP, and advance tickets are $8. The price at the door with an RSVP is $15.
The White Plains BID will kick off its Business Network Exchange by hosting “The 5 C’s of Credit” at Webster Bank, 1 N Broadway, Suite 111, from 8 am to 9 am. Breakfast will be provided by Panera Bread, and Webster Bank’s Frank Celentano will be the speaker.
The 5C’s of credit: Character, Capacity, Capital, Conditions, and Collateral, will be discussed. If you have any questions or problems with registration please contact Development Officer Zulay Fernandez at (914) 328-5166 or zulay@wpbid.com.
MONDAY, 4/11/11
Westport resident and social media expert Allan Hoving (www.ahoving.com) will be the guest speaker at the next in a series of ongoing business workshops held at Morton’s The Steakhouse from 6 pm to 8 pm. Hoving will answer questions and surf the social networks live on Morton’s nine-foot projection screen.
Registration for the event is $25 and advance registration is required; contact Kim O’Donnell at (914) 683-6101 or via email at cm.mwp@mortons.com.
TUESDAY, 4/12/11
The Business Council of Westchester will present a Business Breakfast Dialogue from 7:30 am to 9:15 am. Registration is open until April 8, and the cost per member is $27. The event will be held at Antun’s of Westchester in Elmsford.
THURSDAY, 4/14/11
The Business Council of Westchester will hold its Business Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on Thursday, April 14, 2011 from 5:30 pm to 9 pm at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle.
Tickets are $250 for both members and non-members, and registration is open until April 11. Visit www.events.westchesterny.org for more information, and to register.
FRIDAY, 4/15/11
“Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout,” A Conversation with Greenpeace Co-Founder Dr. Patrick Moore, will be presented by the Westchester County Association on Friday, April 15 at 8 am. The event will be held at 1133 Westchester Avenue in White Plains and is free for members, $25 for future or non-members.
WEDNESDAY, 4/27/11
Westchester’s Young Professionals will hold a networking event at Mount Kisco’s Grand Prix New York on April 27 from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. Admission is $35 for members, $45 for future members, and includes open bar and hors d’oeuvres and an optional complimentary “arrive and drive” pass.
Westchester Networking for Professionals will host a networking scavenger hunt mixer from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. Held at The City Lounge of New Rochelle’s Radisson Hotel, the evening will feature appetizers, drinks specials, prizes, and raffles. Advanced tickets are only $10, while tickets are $15 at the door. For advance ticket purchases, visit www.wnfp.org
MONDAY, 5/16/11
A moderated panel discussion with Congressional Representatives Nita Lowey, Eliot Engel, and Nan Hayworth will be presented by the Westchester County Association on Monday, May 16 from 8 am to 10 am. Held at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, “Annual Report from Washington” will focus on healthcare reform and job creation. The fee for members is $75; non-members, $90. Advance reservations are required, and there is a $10 walk-in fee.
SUNDAY, 6/5/11
The Annual Tarrytown Street Fair, which features 120 vendors selling food, clothing, watches, and more, will be held on Main Street in Tarrytown from 10 am to 5 pm. The event attracts thousands of visitors from Westchester County and Connecticut. For more information, contact info@sleepyhollowchamber.comor call (914) 631-1705.
THURSDAY, 6/16/11
The African American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties will host Westchester’s most spectacular Juneteeth event, “10 Influential Black i Business in Westchester & Rockland Counties,” at a location and time to be determined. People of African ancestry who wish to be considered for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties, Inc.’s Influential Blacks in Business Award may nominate themselves or be nominated by others. The awards are open to people of African ancestry who are business owners, or senior executives in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. Call (914) 699-4749 for more information.
