Houlihan Lawrence’s Commercial Group Welcomes Eight New Agents
Houlihan Lawrence has announced that New York City real estate veteran Steve Cid has joined its Commercial Group. Cid, who has 24 years of experience in the city’s commercial and residential real estate business, has previously served as a Senior Vice President with both the Corcoran Group and Douglas Elliman. In addition, Sid Canchester, Alexander Cohen, Stavros Pantelis, Peter Chen, Michael Imbrogno, Danielle Rigos, and Jennifer Hanlon have also joined Houlihan Lawrence’s Commercial Group. Canchester previously worked with brokerage firms in the Chicago area. Prior to becoming a real estate agent, Cohen worked in the hospitality industry in New York City and Washington D.C. Pantelis has more than 10 years of corporate and real estate leadership experience. He recently partnered with the New York City Department of Small Business Services to create and put in place more than 500 full-time jobs with more than 200 local businesses. Chen has 15 years of experience as a restaurateur, having opened two restaurants in Westchester. He has also invested in multi-family residential homes in Queens and fully understands landlord-tenant relationships. Chen is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese. Imbrogno has strong business ties throughout Fairfield County. He is involved in both the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce and the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce and is a graduate of the Leadership Institute through the Norwalk Chamber. Rigos, who began as a residential real estate agent, transitioned into a commercial agent last year and is licensed in New York and Connecticut. She is also a co-owner of local sign company. Hanlon has a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management and an MBA from Quinnipiac University with a specific concentration in finance. Hanlon is working on the Klein/Lanza Sales Team within the Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Group.
Marion McCourt Named Senior VP and Commercial Head of Regeneron
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently appointed Marion McCourt to the position of senior vice president and commercial head. In her new role, McCourt will handle Regeneron’s development-stage pipeline as well as product commercialization for the Tarrytown biopharmaceutical company’s approved medicines. “Marion is an accomplished biopharmaceutical executive who brings a track record of success in commercializing products and leading commercial teams,” said Regeneron president and CEO Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer. “With several marketed therapies for serious diseases and more than 15 late-stage programs that could result in new approvals or indications, Marion will play a critical role in shaping Regeneron’s future and ensuring our innovative medicines reach patients in need.” McCourt previously held long term positions at AstraZeneca, Amgen, and Medivation.
County Executive Latimer Makes Key Staff Appointments
Hugh J. Greechan, Vincent F. Kopicki, Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden, and Blanca P. Lopez have all been hired by County Executive George Latimer to join his administration. Greechan will serve as the new Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Transportation, and will be responsible for the maintenance and management of 160 miles of County roads, 86 bridges, 71 traffic signals, and various government buildings. Kopicki will join Westchester County government by leading the Department of Environmental Facilities, which handles waste management, recycling, sewage and water treatment programs and facilities for the County. Harris-Madden has signed on as Executive Director of the County’s Youth Bureau. The department manages programs and services that benefit youth, ages 14-24, throughout the County. And Lopez has been hired as Senior Advisor to the County Executive with a focus on Fair and Affordable Housing. He currently serves as the President of the Council of Community Services of Port Chester, Rye Brook, and Rye Town to bring together community leaders to help meet the needs of the community through mobilization, advocacy and networking.
Along with these staff appointments, Latimer also named longtime County Legislator Jim Maisano (R-New Rochelle) as the Director of the Department of Consumer Protection. “We are of different political parties, and we remain in different political parties, but we have a shared commitment to the people of Westchester County,” said Latimer of the appointment.
Latimer also recently re-appointed seven individuals to continue their current work in the county government. These include Rocco Pozzi, Commissioner, Probation Department; Mae Carpenter, Commissioner of the Senior Programs and Services Department; Robi Schlaff, Executive Director of the Office for Women; Ronald Tocci, Director, Veterans Service Agency; Michael Orth, Commissioner, Community Mental Health Department; Dr. Kunjlata Ashar, Pathologist/Medical Examiner & Commissioner for the Labs & Research Department; and Kathleen O’Connor, Commissioner of the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department.
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Iona College Appoints Darrell P. Wheeler as Senior VP of Academic Affairs and Provost
After a selection process that involved more than 50 candidates, Darrell P. Wheeler has been appointed by Iona College to the position of provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. He will begin his post July 1. Currently, Wheeler serves as the dean of the School of Social Welfare and vice provost for public engagement at the University of Albany, and has served as interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University at Albany, as a dean at Loyola University Chicago, and an associate dean at Hunter College School of Social Work. Wheeler will be succeeding Vincent J. Calluzzo, Iona’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, who will return to the school’s faculty in the coming year.
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Douglas Elliman Real Estate Appoints Scott Elwell as Senior Executive Regional Manager for the Westchester and Connecticut Regions
Scott Elwell has been named the senior executive regional manager, serving the company’s six offices across the Westchester and Connecticut regions. Before being appointed, Elwell spent five years in residential lending and four years at Clarion Partners in real estate investment management, where he was involved in the acquisition, disposition, and management of portfolios of shopping centers, offices, and hotel properties. Elwell is ranked as on of the highest-producing agents under 40 in Greenwich, Connecticut. He graduated from Trinity Collect in Hartford Connecticut with degrees in both Economics and Computer Science, and an MBA in Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
PepsiCo Appoints Dave Yawnman as Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Dave Yawnman has assumed the role of executive vice president, government affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary at PepsiCo. Recently, Yawnman worked as senior vice president and deputy general counsel for PepsiCo, and North America and Corporate. Previously, Yawnman was SVP, chief compliance and ethics officer for PepsiCo’s global team, spent a total of 11 years in the law department. Yawnman was an associate with the law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and served as a law clerk in the United States District Court before joining PepsiCo. Yawnman is an honor graduate of Rutgers University of Law and received a Bachelor’s Degree in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame
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Longtime Westchester Jewish Community Services CEO Announces Retirement
As of June 2018, Alan Trager will retire as Chief of Executive Office of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS). Trager has worked for WJCS for 42 years, 20 spent as CEO. Trager is responsible for creating the agency’s first trauma center for victims of child sexual abuse 35 years ago. This program has recently been re-named the Trager Lemp Center to honor its founder. Trager also instilled a strong focus on research-proven services and staff training, expanding person-centered services for people with disabilities and older adults, and the creation of Center Lane, Westchester’s only LGBTQ Youth Community and Education Center.
Purchase College Welcomes Lorenzo Candelaria as Dean of the School of Arts
Lorenzo Candelaria has been appointed Dean of the School of Arts at SUNY Purchase College. Candelaria, the current Associate Provost and Professor of Music History at the University of Texas at El Paso, will replace Ravi Rajan, who left Purchase at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year. Candelaria will begin in July 2018. As Dean of the School of the Arts, he will oversee conservations of dance, music, theatre arts, the School of Art+Design and arts management programs. Candelaria attended Cleveland Institute of Music and Oberlin Conservator where he studied violin. He received a PhD from Yale University with a concentration in historical musicology. Candelaria worked for 12 years as a musicology faculty at the University of Texas in Austin and was the faculty fellow in ethnomusicology at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music in 2006. Candelaria is the Vice President for Education and Community Engagement at the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Post Classical Ensemble in Washington, DC.
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CareMount Welcomes Dr. John Wolk as its New Clinical Laboratory Director
As the Laboratory Director, Dr. John Wolk will be responsible for managing the overall value of diagnostic laboratory tests throughout CareMount Medical’s 19 laboratory locations in the Hudson Valley. Dr. Wolk will work at CareMount’s Dr. Abe Levy Clinical Laboratory, in Brewster, NY. This clinical laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art analyzers and linked to cutting-edge automation. Dr. Wolk received his MD from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and his Fellowship in Pediatric Pathology at Saint Christopher Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Dr. Wolk is a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners, member of the American Board of Pathology, and Assistant Professor of Pathology at New York Medical College.
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Thompson & Bender Appoints Kerry Tropeano as Director of Marketing and Communications
Advertising and public relations agencyThompson & Bender has hired Kerry Tropeano to serve as Director of Marketing and Communications. Tropeano previously worked for Saks Fifth Avenue managing the development, planning and execution of public relations and image-building strategies. Before Saks, Tropeano was director of North American public relations at Tiffany & Co., where she obtained national and international coverage for key brands, executed product launches, oversaw strategy development for brand activations and celebrity relations. With a career of almost 20 years, Tropeano also supervised business public relations at Major League Baseball, served as Director of Marketing Communications for Nielson Media Research and worked in marketing for Nickelodeon. Tropeano is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts.
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Westhab, Inc. Names a New Vice President of Real Estate Development
Andrew Germansky joined Westhab, Inc in December of 2017 as Vice President of Real Estate Development. He will be responsible for all the phases of real estate development including site identification, design development, and coordination, financing, due diligence and construction management. For the last seven years, Germansky served at Omni New York LLC as Assistant Vice President of Development in a team that acquired and renovated/constructed 8,200 low-income affordable housing apartment units. Prior to Omni, Germansky worked for Forsyth Street Advisors and for The Mind Company. Germansky has a BA in History from Middlebury College.
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Andrus on Hudson Hires Angela Taylor as the New Director of Nursing
As of January 4th, Angela Taylor has assumed the role of Director of Nursing at Andrus on Hudson. Taylor has previously served as Director of Nursing both at Cambridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Fairfield Connecticut and Sarah Neuman Center in Mamaroneck, accumulating over 16 years of experience in long-term care. Taylor received her BS and MS in Nursing Education from The College of New Rochelle. She is a member of the Signa Tau International Nursing Honor Society, a member of the Transcultural Nursing Society, and assumed the chairperson for the Leading Age Downstate Director of Nursing Council from 2015 to 2016.
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Fordham University School of Professional and Continuing Studies Hires Debbie Lesperance as Director of Admission and Recruitment
Debbie Lesperance has been appointed Director of Admission and Recruitment by Fordham University’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS) where she will be responsible for recruitment of undergraduate programs, certificates and Master of Science degree programs housed in PCS. Lesperance will oversee the application process from pool development to decision, information sessions and events; develop strategic communication plans, and a smooth transition from admission to enrollment. Graduate of SUNY New Paltz, Lesperance spent two years at Edwin Gould Academy in Rockland County as a counselor for at-risk youth. Lesperance then worked as an admission counselor at St. Thomas Aquinas College, and at Teachers College, Columbia University in 2000 for admissions and assumed Director of Admission by 2007 at Columbia School of Social Work for 10 years.
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CareMount Welcomes Jason Ruda as its New Director of Patient Experience
As Director of Patient Experience Jason Ruda will be responsible for maintaining a culture of patient-centered care and service across CareMount Medical locations in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Columbia, and Ulster Counties. Ruda served as Coach and Service Line Leader at Studer Group. Ruda has a BS in Accounting from Susquehanna University and a Masters in Health Services Management from Emira College. Currently, Ruda is a member of the Medical Group Management Association; American College of Medical Practice Executives; American College of Healthcare Executives; and Health Leaders of New York.
WestCOP Agency Names Donnovan Beckford CEO
Donnovan Beckford has been appointed CEO and executive director of Westchester Community Opportunity Program Inc. Beckford previously served as executive Director of Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board since 1999. CUNY- Lehman College graduate, Beckford, received a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and an MBA from Zicklin School of Business at City University of New York’s Baruch College. Beckford was awarded The Harold Fitzpatrick Community Leadership Award by African American Men of Westchester and The Business Council of Westchester, in 2016, for his approach to improve the job environment.
Marion M. Walsh Named Partner at Littman Krooks L.L.P.
Littman Krooks LLP recently named Marion M. Walsh a partner at the firm. “It is with deep appreciation for her contributions that the firm welcomes her as a partner,” says managing partner Bernard A. Krooks. “Under Marion’s leadership, our Special Education practice continues to grow and now includes four attorneys and two advocates. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that children with disabilities receive an appropriate education.” Marion leads the special education team of the firm and has worked in education law for almost 20 years. She has been an advocate for children in many capacities. Few attorneys bring the depth and breadth of her experience to this practice. “I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition and look forward to continuing to serve families and to improve outcomes for vulnerable youth with disabilities.”
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Heineken USA Appoints Jonnie Cahill New Chief Marketing Officer
In April, Jonnie Cahill will join Heineken USA’s management team as the company’s new chief marketing officer. Cahill will be coming from Heineken’s global commerce leadership team in Amsterdam where he served as the global commerce senior director. Prior to this position, he was CMO of Heineken Russia and CMO of Heineken Ireland in 2008. Prior to Heineken, Cahill was marketing vice president at Ireland’s mobile network, Telefonica O2. Cahill has a Bachelors of Science degree in management from Trinity College in Dublin with an advanced degree in marketing techniques from Dublin Institute of Technology.
Nuno Teles Named President of Diageo Beer Co. USA
Nuno Teles has been appointed president of Diageo Beer Co. USA. Teles has been in the beer industry for 14 years. He first worked for Scottish & Newcastle before moving to HEINEKIN USA in 2004. By 2014, Teles served as Chief Marketing Officer at the Norwalk company from HEINEKIEN USA. Teles worked with territories such as Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil and USA. His early career was spent at many businesses, including Unilever and Lacoste.
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Sean Meade Elected President of Westchester Hotel Association
Sean Mead, general manager of Cambria Suites in White Plans has been appointed President of the Westchester Hotel Association. Meade will be responsible for day-to-day management of the 130 room suites. In 1999, Mead joined the hospitality industry at Residence Inn by Marriott. He has also served as general manager positions with Courtyard by Marriott Stamford and Residence Inn by Marriott While Plains. Mead opened the first SpringHill Suites by Marriott branded hotel in New York City in 2013, where he won the Marriott’s opening hotel of the year award. Mead joined Meyer Jabara Hotels as the general manager of the Cambria Hotel and Suites.
Others Elected to WHA board include:
Kevin Johnson was named vice president. Johnson served as reservation supervisor at the British Colonial Hilton. And in 2007, Johnson worked as revenue manager at the Hilton Worldwide and assistant general manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Tarrytown and later general manager. Dena McConnell was appointed as secretary. McConnell began as Food & Beverage Manager at the Doral Arrowwood. Then worked at the Residence Inn and was recently named Director of Revenue Management for the Hilton Westchester. Antonio Santoiemma will serve as treasurer. Santoiemma has more the 20 years of experience in hospitality. He first worked at Westchester Marriott Hotel. Later he served with Marriott Marquis in New York City and Courtyard by Marriott in New Jersey. In 2008, Santoiemma was named general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Tarrytown/
Steve Albanese Appointed Dean of the Manhattanville College School of Business
Manhattanville College’s School of Business recently announced the appointment of Steve Albanese to the position of dean of the Manhattanville School of Business. In his role, Albanese will oversee the academic affairs for the School of Business, including six Master of Science degree and Advanced Graduate Certificate options, adult accelerated degree programs, dual B.S. /M.S. degree options, and the Post Baccalaureate/pre-health course of study. Albanese joined Manhattanville College in the fall of 2012 as assistant dean for the School of Business and served as the interim dean of the school since August 2016.
